An exhausted businessman stumbled his way into a dimly lit bar, his mind dead set on getting absolutely obliterated. His job, his wife, his kids, and all of his other responsibilities had come bearing down on him like a ton of bricks, and so he sought to escape the usual monotony of his life in order to splurge on some well-deserved drunkenness. Of course, even this came with a caveat, and he found his spirits crushed when he discovered that his favorite watering hole had become clogged with what felt like a thousand people. College had just resumed session and so his little oasis had become swarmed with hordes of obnoxious college kids looking for a cheap date and even cheaper beer. He huffed, casting an irritated eye over the crowd and wondering if he should even bother to try and find a sea when, suddenly, the mobs parted to reveal a single barstool at the edge of the bar. He pushed for it, his only lifeline amidst a sea of immature, and as he slid onto the stool he realized, to his delight, that one of the prettiest young women he'd seen in a long time was perched daintily next to him. She was staring into her empty drink, consumed by her own thoughts as she carelessly poked at an ice cube at the bottom of her glass. He felt as if he'd been struck by lightening when, slowly, she raised her glasses-rimmed eyes to him and offered a sad, half-hearted smile. Never before had he seen someone so beautiful look to wretched before, and with renewed vigor he flagged down the bartender to order her a refill. If he were lucky, he thought, perhaps listening to that pretty girl's problems would make him forget his own. If he were REALLY lucky, perhaps the two of them mind find themselves at a hotel later tonight, forgetting their worries together.

Misaki Takahata smiled as soon as the man's back was turned. Some days it was all just too easy. She felt like a particularly clever angler fish, bobbing her lure just the right way so that the stupid fish would willingly swim straight into her jaws. See, she was a practiced veteran when it came to getting free drinks. Everything she did was crafted just for that reason; her short hair, her glasses, her chic style, the way she would sigh and play with her hair and draw into herself were all strategies she had honed through years of practice in order to score free drinks from horny old men. She only ever preyed on the older men, too, despite them being the farthest thing from her personal preference. The men she was legitimately attracted to were often as broke as she was and could only offer up lukewarm beer. But an older businessman? They always went for top shelf. Whiskey, rum, vodka, bourbon, wine, cocktails; they spared little to no expense if there was even a whisper of a good time later on that night. Of course, she would always find some excuse to disappear into the night before that happened.

The key, she thought as she watched the man fumble with his wallet, was all in the presentation. She'd often schooled her friends on this, who marvelled at her track record. She hadn't had to pay for a drink since she'd started her Freshman year two months ago. Misaki would tell them that they couldn't appear too desperate, too upset, too weepy, or bubbly. IT was easy to overact and scare a target away. Instead, they had to aim for the middle of their emotions. She told them that they had to be on the cusp of a mental breakdown, not in the midst of it, and like clockwork some valiant white knight would appear to solve all of their problems. THey had to appear as if the burdens of the world had just about crushed them, and men would materialize to their sides with the strength they needed to carry on. Of course, if Misaki was really upset those men were nowhere to be found. Real tears were ugly, scary things, however a subtly downcast eye was irresistible.

A drink landing on the bartop before her broke her of her reverie. The man was smiling pleasantly at her as he nervously wrung his hands. Misaki took all of him in, from his salt and pepper hair, to his wrinkles, to the uncertain way his eyes would dart around the bar before landing back on her. He was nervous, perhaps it was his first time picking up a girl at a bar since he married his wife. Misaki watched as he twisted a wedding ring around his finger and idly wondered if his wife knew what kind of man she had married. She hid her disdain with a small smile as he slid back onto his seat.

"Hello, miss," he greeted, "I hope you don't mind, but I saw that you needed a refill so I took it upon myself to get you one."

"You're too kind," Misaki thanked, "Although I was just about to get going. . . "

"W-wait!" the guy practically grabbed at her arm as Misaki shifted on her barstool. Realizing his forwardness, his hand snapped back to his side and his cheeks flushed. "I only mean. . . well. . . you looked like you could use someone to talk to. I always find it helps to tell your problems to a stranger. "

Misaki did not let her emotions show on her face, but inwardly she was smirking. See?Just like clockwork.

"Well," Misaki sighed, playing coy for now. She took a sip from her drink, relishing as the juice and vodka slid in cooling, soothing rivulets down her throat. "It's nothing out of the usual. In fact, I'm not even sure why it's bothering me this much, you know?"

"Hey," he smiled, "just because your problems seem small doesn't mean that they actually are. I'd be more than happy to lend you an ear!"

His desperation was off putting, and she took another sip of her drink, intent on finishing it before he got any more ideas. Already she could see his mind churning behind his eyes, searching her face for the right thing to say. Now that she'd gotten what she wanted came the tricky part; getting him to leave. Male angler fish often fused to the female angler fishes that they were courting, creating these disgusting like protrusions that would scar the female forever. Misaki would rather avoid that at all costs if she could, and as she drank as quickly as she could without arousing suspicions, she began to formulate her plan. She hadn't missed the looks of disgust he'd cast at such a young crowd when she'd come in, perhaps she could use that to her advantage.

Coming up for air, she placed her drink down and smiled up at the man. "I'm just having some trouble with my roommate."

"Oh!" The man seemed legitimately surprised. "Oh, you're. . . you're in school? I thought you were much older."

"I'm not sure to take that as a compliment or an insult," Misaki laughed, and the businessman turned crimson. A less practiced hand would have played that up, but overreacting to an offhanded comment was a good way to get yourself banned from a bar for misconduct. It was better to play it cool.

"I didn't mean it like that!" He cried, then took a heart swig of his own drink in order to keep his hands busy. "I only meant that you seem much more mature than the other kids here."

"Yeah, well, I'm not," Misaki grumbled, and the man seemed to be fretting.

"Please, tell me about your troubles with your roommate. Maybe I can help?"

Misaki hummed softly to herself, searching through the crowd for another way out. A few more sips and she'd be finished and could slink into the safety of the crowd. She spotted a couple at the other end of the bar. The girl had her shoulders hunched over, all but cornered against the wall as some guy hovered over her. He leaned in, his head inches away from her own, and to everyone else it looked as if they were lovers. However Misaki could see the rigid set in the girl's shoulders, the way she leaned as far away from him as she could, how her gaze fervently scanned the bar in search of assistance. Their eyes met, and the silent plea went up. With a smile, Misaki turned towards the old man.

"I'm really sorry," she laughed, "I thought my roommate had blown me off again, but she's right over there. I'm going to go and say hello. Thank you so much for the drink!"

She disappeared into the crowd with his weak protests dancing at her heels. Not only was Misaki a Master of the Free Drink, but she also boasted having a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Moving Through Crowds. She found pockets where the people weren't so thick and pressed forward until, less than a minute later, she was standing behind the offending guy and his terrified prey. Now, this part was also fairly tricky. She needed to make her approach believable, or else he wouldn't think that they knew each other and continue to pester them. The goal now was to get her away from him and into the bathroom. And for that she needed him to think that they were friends.

"Hey!"She called loudly behind the couple. The guy turned to her with a ferocious glare on his face, but she was unperturbed as she pushed past him and slung an arm over the terrified girl. The girl whipped her head up and Misaki gave her a comforting smile. The shoulders beneath her arm began to tremble and Misaki whispered, "Hold it together, girl, just for a little while longer."

She leaned back, smiling broadly as she spun the girl on her stool and clasped her by her shoulders, "I didn't think you were going to come out tonight! I thought you had to study. "

"I did. . . but. . . " the girl coughed nervously, her eyes flickering to the guy over her shoulder. Misaki turned dramatically to look at him as if for the first time, and she looked him up and down. The guy interpreted this as if she were checking him out, and whatever annoyance he felt evaporated as he puffed his chest out. From the other end of the bar, Misaki saw the businessman watching them and knew that she had to make her exit fast.

"Oh, I see how it is. You'll come out for him but not for your own roommate?How cruel!" Misaki grabbed the girl's arm, pulling her off the barstool. "C'mon, I need some air. Let's go outside for a smoke. They're in your purse, right?"

"What? Oh!" She picked up on it, and swirling around she grabbed her jacket and purse from her stool. "Yes, c'mon, let's go. "

"Well, if you two are going outside. . . " the guy smirked, and Misaki stuck a finger in his face. The smile fell off his face, but when she lowered her hand, he saw that she was smiling and his annoyance seeped away once again.

"Nope, sorry man, but this is girl time. How else am I supposed to get the dish on you?Ask you directly?" She threw her head back and laughed, over dramatic for sure, but that was sort of the feel she was going for.

She grabbed the girl's hand again and led her back through the crowds and out into the chilly night. Late November had come to Japan, with the temperature barely climbing into the 60s during the day and dropping down to the 30s at night. The two girls shivered as they pulled their jackets on, and once they had made it clear from the windows the girl broke down in sobs.

"Thank you so much," she cried. "I didn't know. . . he wouldn't leave me alone and then he. . . touched my butt and I didn't. . . "

"Hey, it's alright, you're safe now," Misaki soothed, rubbing the girl's back in comforting circles. "There's a lot of scummy men like that. Do you want me to go back and have the bouncer kick him out?I can totally go and do that for you. "

"No. . . No, I just want to go home. "

"Okay, okay. Where do you live?"

"The dorms at _ University. But. . . they close the gates at 9:30 and I think I'm locked out for the night." She sniffed miserably.

Misaki smiled and gave the girl's hand a comforting squeeze. "Hey, that's where I live, too. And guess what," she grinned, "I know a secret way in!C'mon, let's get back before Mr. Creep comes out and figures out we've escaped."

The girl nodded and the two of them set out down the sidewalk. It turned out the girl's name was Kaori Sato, and she had heard of Misaki Takahata.

"You're a legend, even though it's only your first year at _ University," she smiled, her tears having long since dried. Her puffy cheeks were the only remaining evidence of her harrowing night. 'Keep her distracted,' Misaki thought as they crossed the street. 'Just keep her thinking of something else.'

"I wouldn't say I'm a legend," Misaki drawled, though the fact that she was infamous tickled her pink.

"You are!" Kaori insisted. "It's said that you haven't paid for your own drinks since you came here, and you're always good to help out a girl in need. That's why I was out tonight. . . " she sighed miserable. "I thought that I could maybe get a free drink like you can. "

"Honestly, what I do is very degrading," Misaki laughed. "Even I'll admit that. It's more of a hobby than anything, and it's certainly not for the uninitiated. Let me tell you, it's easier and safer to just pay for your own drinks."

"I know," Kaori sniffed, "I just don't have many friends on campus, and you're so popular that I figured. . ."

"Being popular and having friends are two different things," Misaki snorted. "In fact, I don't have any friends on campus, either. I can't even seem to befriend my roommate, the girl you're, like, supposed to be friends with!"

"Oh wow, really?" her tone brightened up considerably. "Who is your roommate?"

"Keiko Yukimura," Misaki said, "And let me tell you, she is a tough nut to crack. "

"I have her in some of my classes," Kaori nodded, "and it's just as you say. She's quiet and keeps to herself, but she gets a bit rude if you try and get close to her. "

"I'm determined to be best friends with her, either way," Misaki confided. "I'm going to get that girl to open up to me one way or another!"

"You sound confident," Kaori giggled. "Thank you, again, for rescuing me and walking me back. I feel so much better now. "

"Good," Misaki said. "And hey, let me know the next time you come out. I have enough charm to get free drinks for both of us. Plus, it's way more fun to go out hunting with a friend. "

"Friend?" she whispered the word as if it were sacred, then a beaming smile lit up her face. Kaori had the potential to be very cute. Her long, brown hair hung in loose curls down her back, and her bright green eyes were warm and friendly. She seemed sweet, too, and while her clothes were a bit outdated, she had an innocent charm all her own. Misaki couldn't help but grin back at her.

"Yeah. I'm assuming tonight makes us friends, right?" Misaki teased.

"Yes, of course!" Kaori was practically bubbling with excitement. The two made their way towards the main gate of the University, then Misaki led her along past the front of it. "I'd very much like to be friends with you!"

"There," Misaki smiled as she paused at the back of an equipment shed that sat right up against the fence. "Now you can say you have at least one friend on campus. Now," she pointed up at the fence, "we have to climb the fence and use the drain pipe on that shed to get back into the campus. You feeling up to it?"

Kaori stared up at the fence with determination. Misaki went up first, climbing with ease, then jumped to the roof of the shed. Kaori came up after her. She didn't possess the same strength that Misaki did, but she was more than happy to help her. As Kaori slipped to the top, her hands cold and cramping from the cold, Misaki grabbed ahold of her and yanked her up onto the roof. Then the two slid down the drain pipe and snuck through the grounds back towards the first year girls dormitory.

"I know I've said it a thousand times," Kaori whispered as they crept through the halls towards her room, "but thank you so much. You really are amazing, Misaki."

"Don't worry about it," Misaki replied, wrapping an arm around Kaori's shoulders and pulling her into a half hug. "Look, my room is 508 and the extension for the room is 8505. Come by or call any time you need something and I'll do my best. "

"Likewise," Kaori said. "I'm not sure that there's much I'll be able to do for you, but I'll try my best. "

With that the two women bid each other goodbye and Misaki stealthed up the stairs to her own dorm room. This late at night, everyone had either gone to bed or sought refuge off campus, so the halls were dark. Still, that didn't mean that the resident assistants or the resident director herself wouldn't be prowling the halls and looking for troublemakers like Misaki. _ University was a women's only college, meaning that all of the students were girls. As such, it had an unbelievably strict curfew and rules. Any male guests had to be off the campus by 7, and girls with company had to keep their doors open. Any girl that was caught with a male companion would be forced before the disciplinary council and could even face expulsion. It was the main reason why Misaki's parents had chosen to send her here. They thought the strict rules would tame Misaki's wild spirits, but where there was a will there was a way, and Misaki had will in spades.

Creeping back to her own room, she unlocked the door with a quiet click and stole away inside. Much to her dismay, Keiko was up, idly scribbling in her notebook at her desk and staring distractedly at her own reflection in the darkened window. As Misaki came in she locked eyes with Keiko's reflection. Keiko said nothing, but her brow furrowed slightly. Misaki did her best to ignore it as she kicked off her shoes and crept to her bed. She took off her hat and dress, peeling off her boots and tights, and folded her glasses neatly on her bedside table. Her meeting with Kaori had reinvigorated her. She'd been close to giving up on Keiko. Her standoffish nature had been draining Misaki's endless well of optimism. Every magazine, every article, every female role model she'd ever looked up to had told her that her college roommate would become her first forever friend. They were destined to have late night cram sessions. They were supposed to cry over romantic comedies while eating obscene amounts of ice cream. They should have been wearing face masks with cucumbers over their eyes while painting each other's toes. An unbreakable bond was supposed to have formed between them immediately, one that would last them the course of their life. However, their opposite personalities had really thrown a wrench into her plans. Still, Misaki thought as she snuggled further beneath her covers, opposites attracted. Perhaps what Keiko needed was a little Misaki to liven up her otherwise dour life, and perhaps Misaki needed a little Keiko to keep her grounded. They were like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, and Misaki wished that Keiko would realize that.

She cast a glance over at Keiko, who was still sitting quietly at her desk, though now she was incredibly blurry since Misaki had taken her glasses off. They would be friends, Misaki smiled to herself as her eyes drifted shut.

The next morning Misaki awoke to the sound of her alarm. Flailing, she managed to whack the whole clock off her bedside table, catapulting her glasses clear across the room as well. She groaned, struggling with her covers for a moment before managing to untwist her legs and gently brush her toes against the floor. When she was certain her glasses weren't in immediate danger of being crushed, she slowly lowered herself down onto all fours and began the sleepy morning game she'd affectionately dubbed, 'Find your glasses on a textured rug. 'She slowly crawled to her alarm clock first, smashing her fingers into the buttons until the annoying buzzing was silenced. Then she felt around on the floor, making large sweeping arcs with her hands until her fingerdips bumped up against the cool frames of her glasses. With a victorious grin, she slid them onto her face then let out a monstrous yawn.

"You know," Keiko's voice was laced with amusement, "You do that almost every morning. You'd think you'd learn to put your glasses elsewhere by now."

Misaki pulled herself to her feet, plopping her alarmclock back on her nighstand and giving Keiko her best grin. She was certain she looked awful. She'd fallen asleep wearing her makeup last night and she probably looked as if she had two black eyes. And her hair, she knew, was ab absolute mess. Sometimes she regretted cutting it so short; surprisingly, long hair was far lower maintenance than short. She envied Keiko's long locks sometimes. If she were having a bad hair day, all she had to do was throw it up in a bun. Misaki didn't have that luxury and would sometimes spend hours trying to tame a single, stubborn cowlick.

"Well, some people play games in the morning to help their brains wake up," Misaki said as she foraged for her makeup wipes. "Some people wake up early and scream at the sun. And I search for my glasses on a patterned rug while hoping I don't accidentally crush them. Who needs coffee when you've got good ol' adrenaline?"

Keiko rolled her eyes, smiling, and Misaki felt herself grinning in response. She had a good feeling about today, though she couldn't possibly understand why. Some days she just woke up knewing that she would be lucky, and she hoped that herpas today they would see a breakthrough in their relationship.

"You heading down to breakfast?" she asked, plopping down on her bed and doing her best to take off last night's smudges.

"In a bit. I'm going to study for a bit, first. We have that test today in history. . . "

Misaki grumbled. "Oh yeah, I completely forgot. "She wasn't worried about the test; it was in Japanese History 101, and since her father was a professor of History at Tokyo Univeristy she'd grown up around the subject and was incredibly familiar with it. "Does that meant that weird TA is gonna be running the show today?"

Keiko sighed and nodded. The weird teacher's assistant was the only person that Keiko and Misaki had erally bonded over. Since _ University was a women's only college, the only men allowed on campus were professors and TAs. Most of the professors were old and decrepit, and a majority of the TAs were serious scholars studying for their PhDs. However, one of the TAs stood out. He was a geeky looking kid, maybe a few years older than them. He was unassuming, and if Misaki were being perfectly honest below average in looks, however since he was the only single bachelor close to their age on an all girl's campus, most of the students were half in love with him. Misaki and Keiko, however, found him incredibly offputting. He would always lurk close to Keiko, regardless fo where she was in the room, and if she watched him when noone else was, the TA was always boring holes straight into Keiko. It was weird, and the vibe he gave off sent uncertain shivers down her spine. This was the only time that Keiko ever sought out Misaki, begging her to walk into class together and sit beside one another, not that it did any good. Whenever Keiko entered the room it was as if nobody else existed.

"Yeah," Keiko huffed and crossed her arms. "I'm not looking forward to it at all."

"Well, if you stick around while I shower we can grab some breakfast together and then head to the test."

"That sounds good," Keiko nodded. "I'll be right here. "

With a skip in her step, Misaki grabbed her towel and toiletries before slipping into her flipflops and shuffling down the hall to the communal bathroom. Locating an empty stall, she set herself up and stepped beneath the warm spray of water. That had been her friendliest encounter with Keiko yet, and she rushed to wash and shave so as to not keep her waiting and waste Keiko's good mood. . In record time she toweled off and hurried back to her room so that she could blow dry her hair. Normally she was meticulous with her appearance, taking the time to primp and pluck and poke until she was movie-star levels of attractive, however today was not the day for vanity. Keiko had had a conversation with her. Keiko had smiled at her. She wasn't about to let her own pride get in the way of making a new friend, so she quickly bloe dried her hair while Keiko poured over her notes and ran through the inky black locks once with a straightener. A bit of foundation, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara and she was ready to go. Keiko smiled once she was done, and then the two grabbed their bags and headed out into campus. Without the threat of an RA or RD, the two took the elevator.

"I heard you ran into Kaori last night," Keiko said once the doors slid shut.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, we were talking this morning when I went to borrow some notes for a class," she smiled kindly. "What you did for her last night was very kind."

"Well," Misaki shrugged, shuffling her feet uncertainly, "I've been in situations like that before. Getting hit on by some creep is really scary and it's really easy to clam up and land yourself in a bad situation. I can't tell you how many times I wish someone had come and gotten me out of it. "She glanced up at Keiko from the corner of her eye, "I'd do it for any girl whose stuck like that."

Keiko dropped her gaze to her feet, her mouth twisted into a tight frown. "I was just surprised, to be honest. When I first moved in. . . well, the RA said some unpleasant things about you and I guess I let them cloud my judgement. So I owe you an apology." Keiko bowed deeply, and Misaki stared at the top of her head with mild disbelief.

Misaki's first roommate had never even made it to campus before dropping out, and so for a whole month she had the room to herself. Most girls would have relished in this, as singles were rare and highly sought after, but not Misaki. So she had kept her things neat and on her side of the room as she eagerly awaited for someone to move in, desperate to make a good first impression. To know that Keiko's opinion had been rigged against her from the start made her stomach drop. What had the RA said about her?Misaki could only imagine. Already in her short time on campus a whilwind of rumors had sprung up around her, ranging from the number of guys she'd slept with our how many abortions she'd had. They were all untrue, and Misaki had hoped that time would make them forget, but the opposite had happened. The rumors grew more and more ridiculous, and at this point it would simply be too exhausting to go around and put out all the fires. She'd do her, damned what anyone else should think of her, but the fact that Keiko had bought into it stung more than she'd expected.

"Well, apology accepted," Misaki nudged Keiko with her elbow. "See, I have my good sides, too."

"Let's start over, then," Keiko beamed and inclined her head. "My name is Keiko Yukimura and I'm going to be your roommate for the year."

Misaki dropped into an exaggerated bow, swopping her arm in front of her like an Englishgentleman asking a Victorian woman to dance. "And I'm Misaki Takahata. I hope you and I can become good friends."

The feeling of dread had evaporated by the time the two made it to the cafeteria. Loading up their trays, Misaki scanned the tables and found Kaori seated by herself. The two headed over there, much to Kaori's delight, and the three chatted idly over their breakfasts until Keiko excused herself to the restroom. As soon as she was out of earshot, Kaori leaned forward.

"I told her about what you did for me last night," Kaori whispered. "It's not fair that she kept writing you off and you're a really nice person."

Misaki could not stop the stupid grin that stretched across her lips.

"Kaori, thank you so much for clearing my name," Misaki said and clasped the girl's hands. "I know it's such a stupid thing to be concerned over, like you can't expect everyone to like you, but it's always been a dream of mine to be friends with my roommate."

"And it's always been a dream of mine to make a friend in college," Kaori smiled shyly. "I've always been somewhat of a loner, that's why I picked this school. I thought it'd be easier to make friends but. . . " she shivered incoluntarily, "girls are scary. "

"You've got that right," Misaki agreed. "If guys get into a fight they'll just beat each other up and be best friends by lunch. Girls hold onto that shit forever."

When Keiko returned, the two excused themselves and hurried towards their testing hall. The classrooms were small, and Keiko and Misaki slid into a table in the center of the room. This was a tactic that the two had worked out in advance; the middle tables were the hardest to reach, and so it was just about barrier between her and the TA. The rest of the class filed in one by one, and at 10:30 on the nose the TA walked in with a stack of papers. Wordlessly, he began passing them out, dropping a packet on each desk. Most would just hand them out to the front row and pass them back, but this too was something that the TA did to get closer to Keiko. He paused by their table, throwing Misaki's haphazardly at her before lingering on Keiko's. He made a show of unsticking the pages, and Misaki could tell from the predatory look in his eye that he was stalling for another reason entirely. Eventually he plopped the packet on her desk and moved on. Misaki felt Keiko shiver beside her. Once all the tests were passed out, scantrons and all, the test started. The TA wrote the start and end times on the board, and when the minute ticked by, they all flipped their tests over and set to work. Misaki made quick work of it. They were basic multiple choice questions, some true/false, matching. . . she'd hoped that in college they'd at least change the test-taking formula up a bit. When she got to the short answer, she snuck a peek at Keiko. She was plugging along as usual; Keiko never rushed when it came to her assignments. She took her time and made sure they were completely perfectly and thoroughly, which was the opposite of how Misaki approached work. Work was not fun, and so she would blow through it as quickly as she could so she could move onto something more entertaining.

She flipped her pen through her fingers, a trick she'd begged the boys in high school to teach her, and looked around for the TA. He was circling the room, making sure everyone was focusing on their own test, but it was all a facade. His gaze would always be glued back to Keiko, and the weird vibe he often gave off would intensify. She pursed her lips, observing him. Her perception had always been a point of pride for her; it was almost like a supernatural sixth sense. She could guess what a person was thinking or feeling based on the subconscious little things that they'd do. Every twitch of the eyebrow, every curl of the lip, every flutter of eyelash told her a thousand things about a person. She was a bitch to play poker with, but she normally used her powers for good. She squinted at the TA, reading his movements. His shoulders were stiff, his hands balled into fists at his side, his jaw hardset. There was no mistaking the rage he felt, no. . . it was more than that. It was pure, unmitigated hatred. She turned her gaze back to Keiko, wondering just what she had done to piss him off so badly. Did they know each other previously?Keiko had always struck her as a fairly kind, albeit aloof, person. She couldn't imagine her doing anything to warrant that level of hatred. But what she'd seen was unmistakable, and as she turned her attention back to the TA, she started when she found him staring at her. His eyes were dark, foreboding, and she quickly turned back to her own test, a cold sweat dripping down her back.

She answered the open response slowly, each letter drawn painfully perfect in order to allow Keiko to catch up. Normally she'd breeze through the tests and leave; the TA couldn't exactly follow Keiko if there were other students in the room, but the hatred she'd felt from him had terrified her, and she didn't feel safe leaving Keiko to fend for herself. It was annoying though, and after a while she nudged Keiko under the table with her foot. On the edge of her paper she wrote, 'Hurry up. Something isn't right. ' before quickly erasing it. Keiko nodded, imperceptibly, picking up her pace. Eventually the two girls passed their work in, Misaki first and Keiko a few minutes after to avoid suspicions of cheating, and then Misaki whisked her away into the hall.

"What's wrong?" Keiko whispered as Misaki pulled her long.

"The TA. . . at first I thought he was just in love with you," Misaki mumbled, looking behind her as if she were afraid he was standing right there. "I thought he just wanted to get close to you in like, a creepy romantic way. But no. . . he was upset with you. Like. . . more than upset, really angry."

Keiko looked behind them uncertainly.

"What did you do to that guy?Did he like, confess his love to you and you shot him down?I know you already have a boyfriend but like. . ."

"No, I haven't spoken to him outside of class before," Keiko said. She sighed miserably. "I really wish I could talk to Yusuke. He'd know what to do."

Yusuke Urameshi was Keiko's mysterious boyfriend. How someone as plain Jane as Keiko had managed to score a boyfriend was beyond Misaki, but she really wasn't in any position to judge. Going by how Keiko's features softened, though, she and Yusuke had been an item for a while and were fairly serious about one another. Normally, every night around seven o'clock, their dorm room phone would ring, and Keiko would spend about an hour talking to him. For the last few weeks, however, the call hadn't come. Keiko had claimed it had to do with his job; sometimes it took him far away where he couldn't contact her, but she was still worried nonetheless. When Misaki could wrangle a conversation out of her roommate, it always ended up on Yusuke. And when it did, Keiko would fall suspiciously silent. It made Misaki wonder if he were in the government and his work was classified. It'd make sense as to why Keiko would dodge all of her questions.

"For now we should do our best to avoid him," Misaki declared. "There's really not much we can do. It's not like we can go to campus security and tell them that the TA is creepy. No. . . we'll have to wait and see for now."

"I hate this," Keiko muttered, and Misaki agreed with her.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, however Misaki still couldn't banish the morning from her mind. She checked in on Keiko as often as she could, taking frequent bathroom breaks in order to walk by her classroom. Only once did she see the TA in the same hall, but he had fled as soon as he was spotted. It set off warning bells, and as soon as her class was over she bolted to Keiko's class. Physically, Misaki was tall, but in no ways intimidating. She wasn't sure what protection her presence could offer, but it made her feel better. There was safety in numbers, after all.

It wasn't until later that night when shit hit the fan.

Keiko and Misaki had been rushing down to the dining hall in order to grab some food before they started packing everything away when they ran into the TA again. This was curious, as men were not allowed on campus after a certain time, and it was well past that time. More curious, he was in the foyer of their dorm building, which certainly wasn't allowed. The two had exchanged a wordless look, then Misaki had grabbed Keiko by her arm and pulled her down a hall. The two slipped out through a side door, the one that Misaki often snuck into when she was out past curfew, and ran around the side of the building. Huffing, she turned to Keiko and said, "Now we go to campus police."

The Campus Police office was located inconveniently far from the dorms. They needed to cross almost the entire campus without being seen, and as they crept around the front of the building they watched as the TA went running out of the front doors. Misaki gasped, but Keiko clasped a hand around her mouth before he heard and pulled her further into the shadows.

"He's going to block our access to the campus police," Keiko muttered.

"Yeah, looks like it," Misaki agreed. "So if he won't let us get there from the inside, we can always go out from the outside. "

"You mean how you and Kaori snuck in last night?"

"Exactly. We can shimmy up the onto the roof of the shed and get out into the gates. That way we can loop around to the main entrance and get to campus police that way. If not, we can at least run out into the city and find help there. "

"Good plan. "

Sneaking to the storage shed was easier than she'd expected. Apparently the TA had grown suspicious, and right before they dropped down to the other side of the fence, they saw him wandering around the campus. He spotted them just as they were on the other side and came jogging up, but at that point Misaki had grabbed Keiko's hand and launched them across the street. There was no thought of going back to campus as they bolted down the sidewalk.

"What do we do now?" Keiko cried from behind her. Misaki didn't answer. Her plan for right now was to get as far away from the campus as they could, then find help. Her mind had really stopped thinking. She'd never been good at adapting, and even as they raced along her mind was more concerned with her plan failing then crafting a new one.

As they rounded an intersection, a figure stepped out, and the two girls screeched to a halt. The TA was standing before them calmly, and whatever grip Misaki had on her panic slipped from her grasp as she felt herself pale. Keiko kept her wits about her, though, and tugging on Misaki's hand, the two slowly began to back down the sidewalk.

"Out for an evening walk?" the TA asked as he took a step forward. "It's a little late for that. . . you'll be out long after curfew. "

"We'll be fine, thank you for your concern," Keiko could not hide the anxiety in her voice as she continued to inch them down along the sidewalk. "We're actually headed back now. . . "

"Wait just a moment," the TA drawled. "I wanted to chat with you a little," his eyes flickered towards Misaki, and his intent was clear. He wanted to talk to Keiko alone. Gritting her teeth, Misaki squeezed Keiko's hand tightly, letting her know that going with him wasn't an option. Keiko squeezed it back.

"Then we can talk tomorrow once the campus allows men back in," Keiko said. "Now, if you'll excuse us-"

Before she could finish her sentence, the TA was moving. His hand whipped out faster than Misaki's eyes could follow and grabbed Keiko's arm. Misaki did not shriek, although the sound was virtually bursting through her chest. She launched herself at the TA before her mind caught up to what her body was doing. She grabbed onto his arm, and for a moment remarked at how strong he was. He looked so weak, scrawny, but clutching onto his arm reminded her of hanging off a steel beam. She pulled desperately at his fingers but they would not budge, so she resorted to desperate measures and bit him as hard as she could. It was like biting into toffee, and for a moment she was afraid her teeth would break. The TA howled in pain as he finally released his grip on Keiko as a thick, viscous liquid poured into Misaki's mouth. She let go and spit, noting for a moment a dark black stain on her hand before the TA swiped at her.

The hit was enough to send her flying back into a nearby alley and have her seeing stars. She smashed into a trashcan before skidding on the concrete, ripping the back of her shirt and leaving a nasty road rash. She could hear Keiko screaming, but everything sounded so far away, as if it was muffled, and her vision was so blurry. She couldn't tell if her glasses had been knocked off or if it was because of the hit. Slowly, and excruciatingly painfully, she raised herself on her elbows and felt her face for her glasses. They'd been knocked askance, but thankfully not off, but her vision remained doubled as she stumbled to her feet. At the end of the alley she could see the TA holding Keiko by the throat, dangling her feet several inches off the pavement as the muscles in his arms bulged. He looked different somehow, larger, more intimidating, more muscular. And were those horns?It was probably the concussion, Misaki told herself. She didn't have any time to dwell on it, however. Currently there was a maniac strangling her roommate, and they hadn't even had the chance to have their first slumber party yet. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she stumbled down the alley, steadying herself against the wall.

The demon flexed his fingers experimentally, and Keiko made a strange, gurgling noise. Misaki was running again. Running with no plan, and suddenly she was before the monster and she was kicking him. Her foot flew out as hard and as fast as it possibly could, cracking straight into the demon's knee. Her bones splintered, and even through her high she could feel an unbelievable surge of pain lace up through her leg. It did its job, though, and the demon dropped Keiko into a heap on the ground. Now what?Keiko was breathing, but she wasn't moving, and the demon had turned its full attention to her. It was snarling, its hideous fangs protruding from his bottom jaw, saliva spraying down his chin. Everything seemed to be moving as if time had slowed down, and she watched as those disgusting lips said something to her. She didn't hear it over the buzzing in her ears, but she did see the massive ram as it swung a pair of dangerously sharp claws at her. A calm thought broke through her panic. She was going to die here. She only prayed that Keiko was able to make it out alive. She squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath, flinching when a gust of air whipped past her face. She assumed it was the demon's claws getting closer, but after a few moments nothing happened. The world seemed to return to normal. The sounds of the city came back to her in full, deafening force, and she released her breath in a huge gust as she opened her eyes.

The demon was still standing before her, but where his hand had been was now just a bloody stump spraying her with thick, black ichor. The demon looked confused for a moment, staring down at his amputated limb as it spasmed on the ground between the two of them. Then a look of pure rage unlike anything she'd seen before twisted his features. Whatever he had planned next was interrupted when a shadow whipped out from behind, and suddenly his jaw was separated from the top of his head, his eyes and nose and hair landing on the pavement with a sickening squelch. Misaki's knees gave out as the body fell forward, it's strange blood oozing out as her vision faded. A shadow was approaching from behind them and a second later a pair of vibrant green eyes was staring down at her through a shock of red hair. She watched a set of pale lips say something, but she couldn't understand. All she knew was that, despite being broken and in unbelievable pain, whoever had just saved her was smiling like a child on Christmas Day.

A/N: I've been inspired to get back into fanfiction! Yu Yu Hakusho has always held a special place in my heart, and for the longest time I didn't write anything about it because I didn't feel as if I could do it justice. I'm planning to keep this fic updated weekly, though I am a busy adult with many busy adult things. Hopefully, though, this will be the one story I'm able to finish!