"Why him? He's my only son and he must bear this?" A woman questions clutching a sleeping infant to her chest. A voice answers her, the voice sounds tired and weary, "His destiny was decided long before he was born. His suffering will pave the way to a brighter future for all." The woman sobs softly as she looks on the face of her newborn child. A gloved hand rests on her shoulder, "I truly am sorry to tell you this grim news so soon after his birth, but it is best you know sooner. When the time comes, we will take him and teach him to combat what will come."

Sunlight pierces through the curtains of a small plain bedroom and young brown haired teen groans as he peels himself away from his bed. "Sweetie, are you up? Come on down, you need to get ready or else you're gonna be late for your first day." The gentle voice of a woman calls up to the teenager and as he yawns, he replies with much fatigue in his voice, "I'm up, I'll be down in a second, Mother." He stretches and heads downstairs into the kitchen where the teen's mother is at the stove cooking breakfast for the two. The teen sits down at the dining table and rubs his eyes. His mother looks at her groggy child and smiles slightly, "You slept well it looks like." The teen rests his head on the table and lets out a massive yawn, "I wish...I had this really weird dream. It felt so real and it was hard to really get any rest." His mother walks over and kisses his head, "Well I can see why you'd be having bad dreams. This is going to be another big change for you. Moving to a new country, learning a new language, and now you'll be living on your own at a new school. I'd be afraid if you didn't haven't weird dreams. Speaking of school, go comb your hair you look like a shaggy dog." The teen groans, "Can't I comb it after breakfast." His mother grabs a handful of his long hair and pulls on it making the teen wince, "Ow ow ow, Mother please." His mother laughs and releases her grip on his hair. "You know you wouldn't have to comb it if you just let me cut it, Gabriel. Since you love it so much I let you keep it long but you need to comb it, now go on before I get the clippers out." Gabriel gets up of out his chair and slowly makes his way back upstairs to the bathroom and his mother yells up to him, "Try your uniform on too while you're up there. I want a picture of my baby boy on his first day of high school. "You better not post it online you write the weirdest things on your posts," Gabriel yells back down as he runs a comb through his shoulder length brown hair. "Just hurry up and get ready. Besides is it wrong for a mother to be affectionate to her little boy." His mother yells back from the kitchen. Gabriel finishes combing his hair and puts on his school uniform, comprised of a white dress shirt with a red tie, light green jacket, khaki dress pants, and black dress shoes. He comes back downstairs into the kitchen where his mother has set up two plates with eggs, sausage links, bacon, and a stack of pancakes drizzled with syrup. "Look at you, so handsome. You're all grown up now." His mother smiles and hugs Gabriel, squeezing him tightly. "It's high school, Mother. I'm hardly going to be a fully fledged member of the adult world and could you please let go you're going to wrinkle the jacket." His mother releases him from her grasp and sits down at the table and the two begin to eat their breakfast. "I know, sweetheart, I know. But, you're going to be living at the school all alone. You'll have to do your own laundry, makes sure you eat well, and I won't be able to get on you about combing that mess you call your hair." Gabriel chuckles slightly and takes a bite of the pancakes, "I'm an only child with a single parent, I think I'll survive. But I have to say, I'm going to miss these pancakes." The two finish their breakfast and Gabriel deposits their soiled dishes in the sink. Gabriel looks at the time and his mother gets up from her chair, "I guess it's that time, Mother." The two walk to the front door where several bags wait. "Are you sure you don't want to walk you to the bus stop?" Gabriel hugs his mother tightly, "I'll be alright." They continue to hug. "Okay, that's good." Gabriel releases his embrace but his mother clings tightly to him. "Oh, I don't want to let you go. This house will be so lonely without you here driving me crazy." She lets go of her son and looks into his bright blue eyes and puts a hand on his cheek. "You be good, okay? Call me if you have time away from all your little girlfriends." Gabriel laughs slightly and smiles, "I will, Mother. I love you" He turns and opens the door, picking up his bags he steps out the door. "I love you too, sweetheart." She quickly snaps a picture with her phone and smile. Gabriel walks away from the house and down the street as his mother watches from the open door until he disappears out of sight.

Gabriel reaches a bus stop as he watches schoolgirls on bikes ride past chattering amongst themselves, shooting passing glances towards him and giggling. He waits for about 10 minutes until a bus pulls up at the stop with a sign on the front reading, "Youkai Academy". The door opens and Gabriel boards with his bags. He is greeted by the driver looking at him dead in the eyes which creeps Gabriel out to a degree. He walks to the back of the bus plopping his bags down on the seat before sitting down. The bus door closes and the bus begins to move. The ride is silent with Gabriel looking out the window as he sees other students commuting as well. The silence is broken the bus driver speaks up, "Say, kid, you ain't from around here are you?" Gabriel responds inquisitively, "What makes you say that?" The bus driver readjusts the rear-view mirror. "Well, you definitely don't look like you're from here. Where you from, kid?" Gabriel relaxes in his seat, "I'm from America." The bus driver chuckles quietly in amusement, "Well you're a long way from home. Though I gotta say, your Japanese is impressive. If I didn't know better I'd say you were from here." Gabriel scratches his head, "Well when my Mother told me I was going to high school in Japan, I kinda had no choice but to learn the language. Lucky for me, I'm a fast learner." The ride continues on for a while in silence until again the bus driver breaks the silence. "It's a bit weird that an American would come all this way for high school. How'd you find out about the Academy?" Gabriel readjusts in his seat. "My Mother was the one who told me about it. Said they were giving me a huge scholarship and she thought it would be best if we had a change of scenery. We packed up and moved here and the rest is history." The bus stops a red light and the driver pulls out a cigar, "You mind?" Gabriel waves his hand dismissively. "Go ahead, just open a window so I don't have breathe it in." The driver lights the cigar and lets out a puff of smoke of the window, "Thanks, kid. Really helps make these trips a lot smoother." Gabriel nods, "I feel you there, never been a fan of long rides. I always fall asleep." The driver lets out another puff of smoke, "Well get some shut eye, it's a bit of a drive." He chuckles, "It's quite the trip." Gabriel shrugs and closes his eyes.

"Are you sure he is the one?" A female voice asks while looking into a small mirror. "Indeed, it seems she took far away to keep him from us." A male voice responds returning the mirror to a coat pocket. "I cannot blame her, a mother would do anything to protect her child. He looks so much like him" The male voice responds in a concerned tone, "He does, that's what concerns me. We must find him to keep an eye on him." The woman extends her hand, "I will go, you don't have the most remarkable people skills. Besides, if he really is the one he might be more comfortable around his family." The man produces the mirror again and hands it to the woman. "Do not let him know of your's or his true nature until I have arrived. Keep him safe, or we all may suffer dire consequences."

Gabriel jolts awake and takes a look around. "Good timing, kid I was about to come wake you up. We've arrived." Gabriel looks around slightly dazed and he rubs his temples before picking his bags up and stepping off of the bus. "Hey, kid. One more thing. This school ain't your typical school. This place can get a little scary, I'd watch your back if I were you." Gabriel turns and looks at driver very confused, who chuckles sinisterly. "What do you-" Gabriel tries to ask as he is cut off by the driver closing the door and pulling away back through a long, dark tunnel. "Creeps me the hell out." He turns to be met by a large dead forest, a steep cliff, and a blood red sea. "Though if I had a choice," He looks back towards the tunnel, "I'd chill with the possible murderer and his murder bus." He takes a deep breath and begins to walk towards the forest. "Well, here we go then."