Towards Twilight

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Kenichi the Mightiest Disciple

Prologue

"Ah, welcome back, Shirahama," Yasunaga-sensei said, raising a mildly surprised brow at the long absent, but now returning, student, "I take it that you are fully recovered from your illness, now?"

Kenichi Shirahama bowed slightly, hiding a sheepish expression, "Yes, sir," he responded respectfully.

"Take your seat then," the teacher, waving vaguely toward the suddenly hushed class, before the teacher's glasses flashed menacingly, "and I will expect the make up work Furinji-san has kindly been able to deliver to you, completed, at the end of class. Is that understood?"

Kenichi winced inwardly as he wordlessly nodded before taking his seat quietly. As damaged as he had been by Ryuuto aka Odin, he had been laid up in Ryozanpaku for about a month, taking foul medicines from Kensei Ma, Master of all Chinese Martial Arts, and painful therapy from another of his masters Akisame Koetsuji, the Philosophical Jujutsu Master, in order to heal.

To be fair, if he had been treated in a more modern institute, it would have taken him much much longer to recover, if he even could.

But some of the remedies had had effects of his mind. He was pretty sure seeing purple giraffes dressed in lycra in a break dancing battle with green wolves in pink petticoats wasn't normal.

It had also seemed that he had done some of his make up work while in such a state.

He couldn't help but shudder at the thought of some of the answers he had probably written down, and the possible- probable- resulting consequences.

Still, he thought, possible detention is a small price to pay for being mobile again.

Kenichi Shirahama thought back about the past few months, when he had been first introduced to the world of Martial Arts. He had changed since his first days at the dojo, no longer was he a weakling, a weak kneed loser, one who only lived to be a punching bag for bullies.

He absently worked his fists in wonder, stretching the fingers in an exercise to keep them nimble, remembering when they were barely able to open a jar of sandwich spreads like jam or honey.

Now, they were able to break stone and bone with equal ease.

He was stronger now, able to hold his own, to stand tall if pressed. As he was now, the regular school bullies and yakuza wannabes in the streets didn't really mean much to him, even in large numbers. If this were another world, he felt he could have been King of the World.

But this was not another world.

When one door closes, another opens.

As strong as he was now, with techniques and abilities that would frustrate conventional modern science, it was nothing compared to what awaited him.

Ragnarok, in the vast scheme of things, was a big fish in a small pond. And outside that tiny, stagnant pond, the ocean lied.

And it was filled with sharks.

Him facing the gang was merely getting his feet wet, a single step into a completely different world. Hidden in the shadows of modern day society, fist and steel still ruled.

And he had barely scratched the surface.

He was drawn from his musings by the loud ringing of the bell, indicating the start of class and of the school day.

"Good morning, class," the teacher said promptly, "before we get into our work today, there are a few announcements to make. First, I would like for all of you to welcome back from an extended illness, your classmate, Kenichi Shirahama," the teacher smiled slightly at the now flustered young man, "it is good to see you back, young man."

Kenichi couldn't help but flush in embarrassment as the round of polite and quiet applause rang out from all the students present. He wasn't really used to this type of praise, even with how mechanical it was. He was used to being ignored, not put on the spot like this and singled out.

...except when it came down to fighting anyway. Crazy masters and insane gangs.

"Second," continued the history teacher as he walked toward the door of a small office that was connected to the classroom, generally where the teachers stored text books and such instead of hauling them around to every classroom they visited. Kenichi's eyes blinked slightly as he saw shadows through the rippled and clouded glass. Even with the distortions, he could easily determine the outline of a humanoid figure.

Who is in there?, he wondered as the teacher laid a hand on the metal doorknob, and Why?

"This class has the honour of receiving two new students," Yasunaga-sensei said with a small smile, "they are both of them are also new to the area and are unfamiliar with the surroundings. Please keep this in mind and help them as best you can when the circumstances require it," he then twisted the knob and opened the door toward himself, stepping back to avoid being squashed into the wall, revealing a sight of the new students.

And what a sight it was.

The entirety of the male gender in the class, and secretly a number of the girls, almost had their eyes bulge out in surprise and shock at what they saw (though with the males, something else also bulged out. A great many sent prayers of gratitude for the desks that hid their primal reaction).

Moving with a grace that seemed like she was dancing, a tall young woman, about an inch above a rather startled Miu, who wasn't a small woman by any means, entered the classroom first. Her long ivory hair fell like a curtain of white silk across well formed shoulders and very buxom chest and her eyes, flicking from student to student as if judging each of them in a split second, lingering on Kenichi for a moment, longer on Miu, and narrowing as they locked on Niijima, were detached and cool and aloof, like pools of gold or amber, in a pale face that was both sharp and soft somehow, creating the well desired heart shape that many females aspired to. Kenichi also noticed her hands, in particular her nails, seemed disproportionately long in comparison to the rest of her form. It was barely noticeable, if he hadn't had the training he had he probably wouldn't have picked it up, but it was there.

Put all together, she was the picture of a predator, a magnificent raptor of the skies, perched and patiently waiting for the proper time to strike, silent, swift and deadly, which was enhanced by her well toned legs that seemed to go on forever. Despite this dangerous form, or perhaps because of it, the boys of the class seemed drawn to her, moths to her cold flame, as the sight before hammered deep into their primal brains, something that was always close to the surface of hormonal male teens, and triggered their equally primal desires.

Though the tight uniform and well endowed figure probably helped. A lot.

Despite his attraction to Miu, Kenichi couldn't help but find this foreign beauty, her features were clearly not Asian but strangely Kenichi was unable to place the exact range of ethnicity (it was almost like her features were an odd combination of various ethnic groups, but they seemed to blend too well together for that.), quite beautiful. But it was because of his attraction to the granddaughter of the Elder that he was able to pull his focus away from those golden eyes and pendulous breasts, unlike most.

Then, as she passed the sensei, heading towards the front to stand in front of the blackboard, the other student was revealed. This time, it was the girl's turn to have their heads spin and hearts thump wildly.

In a word, the revealed student was an Adonis.

Possibly a shade under six feet, his night black hair short and ruffled, wild and untamed veiled nothing from view, his vivid emerald eyes seeming to shine an inner, an intensity and focus that was almost laser-like. Noble features and moon kissed skin, to the girls in the class, his face alone, even calm and impassive as it was, seemed to be enough for them to lose their minds, their seemed to turn into hearts. But that was not all he had.

His uniform seemed to almost be a darker colour, clinging to him like a second skin. Kenichi could almost see the outline of every muscle beneath the tight cloth. The powerful v-cut torso and a clear pack of abdominals, six or eight Kenichi wasn't sure as they were hidden in the few loose folds of the shirt and jacket he wore. This caused the girls to almost drool in their seats in desire, Miu, much to the disciple's thanks, being a noted exception.

But that still wasn't all.

Kenichi couldn't help but be on edge as the new student moved. Every step was carefully placed and measured, perfectly silent, seeming without an iota of thought, by instinct alone, as he ignored the rest of the class to join his companion at the front of the board. With the dark clothes, visibly flowing muscles and perfect grace, Kenichi couldn't help but be reminded of the big cats, panthers, that he had seen in a zoo when he was younger. He remembered the grace and danger they exuded, a seductive, dangerous, darkness that drew him in as they moved like liquid shadow.

This same darkness came off this mysterious new student in almost palpable waves, a song of darkness, delight and temptation, a forbidden fruit.

Again, just like the boys to the amber eyed girl, the girls in the class seemed drawn to the green eyed boy. That at least was a little understandable, girls in general seemed attracted to the bad or dark boys.

Kenichi figured you couldn't get much darker than this young man.

He was also just as happy that Miu also showed caution, her eyes were narrowed behind her glasses, taking a measuring look he had only seen her do with Odin, an acknowledgement of the other's power and skill. Considering she had more experience and much better senses than he, it was very probable that she had picked up on something about both of these two that he had not.

By the way he felt a heaviness in his stomach, he had a feeling he would dreading Miu-chan's revelations.

A scrape of a chair drew his attention as the two began writing their names on the chalkboard. A glance showed that the noise came from near the back, from a seat belonging to a certain conniving, duplicitous, manipulative demonic alien.

Kenichi shrugged slightly to himself, turning back to the front. The demon was probably just adjusting himself, like many of the other students were, in order to hide their...reactions to the two that had entered. Which reminded him...

Kenichi shifted slightly in his seat, easing some pressure. He may have been able to take his focus off of the beautiful ivory haired girl, but that didn't he wasn't prone to normal hormonal reactions of a teenage boy.

Click. Click.

His head was drawn back to the front as the soft but sharp sound of chalk returning to it's place at the ledge beneath the board itself struck his ears, indicating that these two strangers had finished their writing.

"Greetings," the female went first, her voice just as cool as her expression, completely empty of anything resembling emotion. At the same time, while it was precise, it was not mechanical, still retaining an aspect to it that connected it to humanity. "I am Hana Yosamu," she bowed with an almost inhuman elegance, her calm expression never changing a whit, not even to smile, "I am in your care. Please treat me kindly."

Kenichi's eye twitched for a moment as he heard the stirring amongst some of, 'most of' if he was honest, the males in the class, a quick glance revealing their goofy and drooling expressions. Yosamu-san wouldn't have any problem being treated 'kindly' by the boys. The amount of flesh that they were able to see when she bowed had ensured that.

Kenichi's thoughts were choked off by a palpable wave of menace, one so powerful that it hit him like a physical blow. Out of the corner of his eye, he could even see Miu reel back as if slapped, her eyes now wide in shock and, much to his increasing fear and terror, what seemed to be trepidation.

The entire class, even the teacher, had all reeled back, expressions of fear covering their faces as they fought to reconcile what they were feeling, confused and scared that they could see nothing that could, in their minds, conceivably make them feel this way.

It should be noted that Yosamu-san didn't even react at all, as if she didn't even feel the mind blowing, bowel loosening terror, her expression not changing at all.

Kenichi, fighting through the mental pressure, was able to see the cause of this wave of primal anger, a predator staring down it's prey, paralysing them with fear, as he smiled slightly, his green eyes glinting.

"And I am Hakimaru Kurogane," the frightening young man said with a polite bow, his manner at complete odds to the aura he gave off, "Please treat me kindly."

If he wasn't frozen to his seat in terror, Kenichi would have snorted. In clear comparison to his companion, instead of fetching elegance making others feel like helping her, this man's aura of terror would guarantee that everyone would either avoid him like the plague or, if forced into his sphere of influence, make them bow to his request. They wouldn't dare try to defy him.

Kenichi, and the class, was finally able to breathe again as the aura suddenly disappeared, as if it was never there in the first place, letting everyone recover. Green eyes glinted fiercely again, hidden behind a calm and polite smile.

"Y-yes," the teacher stuttered slightly, before finally recovering with a small cough, ignoring the line of sweat on his hairless dome, "well, thank you for the introduction," his eyes, still a little wide and wild, scanned the room. Kenichi had a sudden sinking feeling in his gut as his eyes stopped on him. A glance to either side from the Shirahama scion made that feeling sink deeper, "if you would each take the empty seats on either side of Shirahama-san, we can then begin our lesson."

Kenichi wanted to cringe, but held himself masterfully to an almost imperceptible twinge/wince.

Eeeeeeeh! He squeaked in his mind as the terrifying duo made their way to him, those in their way as they walked down the aisle shifting away from them on instinct, the long buried and almost atrophied portions of their primal mind screaming at them to do so. Don't come over heeeeeeere! He inwardly wailed.

Even as he belaboured his own bad luck and lack of good in his life, he barely noticed the odd positioning of the pair. The way that the white haired girl seemed to want to halt and let the boy pass, the way that the boy seemed to hover close to the girl in the few strides they took, placing himself closer to her than strangers normally would.

Silently, they took their seats on either side of the young Disciple, ignoring his existence entirely, focusing on the teacher as he began his lesson, not wasting any of his precious time.

Kenichi couldn't help but grateful for that as he tried to focus on the work Yasunaga-sensei was providing. These two scared him more than the depths of Yomi, so he really didn't want to attract their attention. Not until he could have a talk with Miu-chan anyway.

As he quickly focused on his work, he was unaware of the subtly narrowed eyes of Kurogane focusing on him for a moment before glancing at his companion with a small, unseen, nod of his head.

"What have I done to deserve this?!" Kenichi heard as he and Miu walked into the former Physics classroom that was now the 'headquarters' for the Shinpaku Alliance. The voice was almost a wail but was clearly identifiable by the pair.

"A better question would be what you haven't done, you stupid Alien," Kenichi growled lowly, glaring at a wailing, prostrate and seeming terrified Haruo Niijima, resident manipulative demon and evil alien, co-founder of the Shinpaku Alliance and all around disreputable person.

And also someone that Kenichi, sadly, called 'friend'.

For a given value of friend, anyway.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, launching to his feet and pointing a clawed finger in the face of the disciple martial artist, "I may be evil, and I say it with great pride, but last I checked there is a difference between thought and deed," he was suddenly shivering, scared and tearful, "this guy doesn't really differentiate between the two."

"What are you on about, ya weirdo?" A voice growled, making the residents of Ryozanpaku look to the source.

"Ever since school let out, ya've been wailing and running around like a mad chicken," Ikki Takeda, a boxer who was a former enemy and now friend and recruit for the Alliance after Kenichi had introduced him to Akisame-sensei who had been able to repair a career ending and crippling injury. Beside him, still on crutches, stood the massive Kozo Ukita, a judoist who was also an enemy turned friend, frowning at the alien through his signature shades, "for those who have yet ta understand that twisted morass of a mind of yours, could ya explain things a little more?" The blue-haired boxer finally seemed to notice the pair, "Good ta see ya on your feet, Kenichi," he said with a quick grin, "ya lookin' better than us, ya damn monster. You have some sorta healing factor or what?"

"Nope," Kenichi shook his head in denial, "just good masters," he smiled back at the former fighters from Ragnarok, "good to see you guys too," he said nodding at Ukita as well and receiving a quick thumbs up.

The heart warming moment was quickly broken by the renewed wails of the Alien/Demon.

"Will ya quit it!" Takeda barked, a fist flicking out in a lightning jab to the Demon, weak enough not to hurt (much) but enough to shut him up.

As always, the demon's inhuman dodging skills allowed him to avoid any contact, his body bending like a serpent to avoid the strike. It had still managed to accomplish it's task though.

"But it's terrible," bemoaned Niijima, "my plans, my ideas, my desires. They are all in ruins. All because of a single being."

Kenichi could feel himself developing a migraine. Dealing with the Demon Lord, as coined by Siegfried, was trying at the best of times. A disconsolate and tearing one seemed to be even worse. Taking a deep breath, he mastered his irritation as he decided to try and get some straight answers from the twisted co-founder.

"Enough already, Niijima," he sighed, "look, just give us a straight answer. I know you well enough that you wouldn't act like this unless something big came up. So out with it," his eyes pierced the slippery manipulator, "What. Is. Wrong?"

The response he received wasn't what he was expecting

"You were there in class and you can't figure out what's wrong?!" Niijima said incredulously, "Did you not feel the fear that guy inspired?"

Kenichi blinked. Niijima was talking about Kurogane? Why would he do that? Kenichi's narrowed in thought. The way the demon was acting was at odds with what he knew of the manipulator. It wasn't like him to simply give up. Normally, he would just try to twist the situation to his advantage, finding the proverbial silver lining and mastering it to the point of using it to disperse the clouds.

Not to mention, judging by the reaction, he seemed to already have knowledge on the new student. More knowledge than he should. Does he know of Hakimaru Kurogane from somewhere? And how?

His musings were interrupted by a knocking on the door.

Strange, he thought as one of the non-combatant alliance members opened the door, Why would someone visit the Alli- his thoughts were cut off as one of the last people he expected to arrive entered.

"Thank you," an amber-eyed beauty by the name of Hana Yosamu said to the now slightly blushing member. Those yellow eyes scanned the room as she spoke, "I take it this is the Headquarters of the known Shinpaku Alliance?" She asked cooly.

Kenichi couldn't help but shiver at the tone. It was cold, it was empty and it was determined. Kenichi couldn't help but feel like a mouse before a hungry predator, powerless and awaiting the deathblow.

Unfortunately, someone didn't seem to read between the lines.

"It sure is," Takeda said with a small laugh, his eyes travelling up and down the, admittedly gorgeous, body of the woman, giving her a once over. He obviously liked what he saw but wasn't lecherous enough to keep staring, unlike Ma-sifu would have, "anything we can help you with?"

Surprisingly, a small smile of appreciation crossed the visage of the woman, flickering and brief, but it was there, and approval shone in her eyes at the boxer. It seemed she appreciated the single once over. Then her eyes returned to an impassive calm, a still lake.

Kenichi thought that a still river may be more appropriate. 'Still rivers run deep', after all. And there was definitely more to this woman than what she showed on the surface.

"You, no," she informed, much to the boxer's visible disappointment, before her long nailed finger pointed beyond him, "him, yes."

"Damn," whispered the fingered individual, his pointy ears twitching from where he had just opened a window and was attempting to climb out, "so close."

"Not particularly," Yosamu's clipped voice corrected Niijima as he sullenly, skittishly, pulled himself back in and started closing the window, "have a look," she gestured out the window.

Kenichi sat back, unconsciously holding on to a confused and agitated Miu, and observed along with the rest of the Alliance. Haruo's explanation had been cut short, maybe this could give some answers.

The Demon looked out the window, no doubt scanning the surroundings at the behest of the silver-haired beauty.

Everyone was quick to see when he saw something, his skin paling and starting to sweat heavily.

Kenichi didn't know what Niijima had seen, but it clearly scared the living wits out of him.

"I take it you understand the current situation now?" Yosamu said calmly, sounding more like a businesswoman, one in negotiation and knew she had the upper hand.

Tired of being confused, one of the non-fighter members moved toward the woman, clearly wanting answers and wasn't afraid to ruffle a few bird's feathers.

"Oi!" The member said, reaching out for Yosamu, "what the hel-"

"Don't!" Niijima cried out, his voice frantic as he seemed to try and stop his subordinate.

His warning came too late.

In blur that Kenichi couldn't even see, the distant woman's hand lashed out. Once. Twice. And then gripped the throat of the member tightly.

Kenichi was immediately on his feet, taking a defensive posture, even as the other fighters also reacted. Miu's own stance taken as she looked at the amber-eyed girl intently, ready to move at a moments notice. Takeda also readied himself, but was slowed by his unhealed injuries. Ukita, the only other fighter there, but was also too injured to fight seriously, especially against someone that fast and obviously powerful, tried to calm things down.

Ukita was a little like himself in that respect. Each of them had a mutual dislike of fighting girls. Though Kenichi would fully admit that Ukita would do so if push came to shove. He, on the other hand, would never raise a hand to a woman, not even in battle.

It was one of the reasons he got thrashed by Kisara, and Freya's Valkyries, but he refused to change his resolve, his vow.

It was both a source of pride, for determinedly keeping his vow, and frustration, because it was an outdated concept and placed him at a severe disadvantage, for the Masters at Ryozanpaku.

"Hey, Hey!" Ukita said, waving his arms in a gesture to stop, "how about we all calm down now," he looked at detached Yosamu, who held the now limp member off his feet by his throat, her fingers practically claws as they gripped his larynx tightly. Kenichi could marks as her nails dug into the idiot's flesh. It would take just a twitch of the wrist and the choking fool would be dead by either a broken neck or by suffocation and exsanguination as she tore out the trachea out of his throat in a cloud of gore, ripping through the arteries and the oesophagus as a bloody bonus. "Ma'am, please put him down. He maybe an idiot, and I apologise for that, but he hasn't done any harm." He pleaded slightly.

"He tried to touch me," her voice was winter, cloud and dark, her eyes were fierce and detached, looking at an insect that had dared to bite and considering the worth of it's life. Kenichi felt a chill of fear. Those eyes were close, almost the exact same, to the ones Sougetsu Ma had.

This girl was no stranger to death, having witnessed it, having wrought it.

"No one but He touches me," she continued, observing as the fool began turning purple, "No one. On pain of death."

Kenichi floundered as he tried to think of a plan. She had shown exceptional speed and was now embodying ruthlessness. All of the fighters were in line of sight, so she couldn't get snuck up on, and he doubted even Miu would be fast enough to get the dangling fool from the girl's clutches before she reacted and probably killed the idiot, she would have done something by now if she could. He couldn't see anyway out of this.

For all his skills, his learned abilities, for all his strength, there was nothing he could do.

So much for being the Ryozanpaku's Disciple.

It was then an unlikely source intervened.

"Enough," Niijima's voice cut through the tension, drawing attention to him, his face strained and troubled and harsh, "you've made your point, Yosamu, let him go."

Kenichi, hell everyone, blinked at the words and the manner in which the Alien gave them. It was completely unlike the usual conniving and scheming of the Niijima that they knew. It was quite intimidating actually.

Hana Yosamu only tilted her head, golden eyes narrowing slightly, still gripping the fool tightly but otherwise ignoring him, her arm not even shivering as she held the idiot off the ground. She seemed to examine Niijima, looking for something, "do I have your oath that he will not attempt to touch me again? That none of you will strike out at myself after I release him?" She asked.

"You do," he answered without hesitation, looking her directly in the eyes.

Kenichi was startled, the others not far behind. Niijima had just given an oath. What the hell was the world coming to that the deceiver, the liar, the Demonic Alien made what seemed to be a sincere oath?

Yosamu's eyes narrowed a little more, before she suddenly let go of the fool, letting him slump to the floor, much to everyone's relief.

The fool scrambled back awkwardly from the devil woman, his arms not seeming to work, and didn't stop until his back hit the wall, his eyes wide in abject fear as he tried to regain his breath.

The tension lessened in the room, everyone eyeing the intruder and dangerous woman apprehensively, even as she drew a handkerchief from her pocket and began to meticulously clean her hand, the one she had gripped the idiot by.

"I hope you have learned your lesson," she said idly, tucking away her the square of cloth, "it will be your only one," her eyes glinted hard, "you will not survive the next," golden orbs glided over everyone within the room, "any of you."

Kenichi knew she wasn't joking.

"Lets get down to business then," Niijima said with a small sigh, as if resigned, grimacing, "what do you want?"

Kenichi stared. Niijima, having seen what this woman could do, was still going to deal with her!?

Kenichi's disbelief was voiced loudly, but not by him.

"What the hell?!" Takeda yelled, his eyes wide and somewhere between angry and, dare he say, scared, "are you crazy, you damned Alien?!" He demanded, "did you not see-!" He was cut off.

"Takeda!" Niijima barked, his voice low and dark, almost hissing, making the boxer halt in his tirade, startled at the manipulator's command, "be quiet," he said lowly, locking eyes with the pugilist, "your will to protect your comrade is commendable, but it is currently misplaced at this point in time," his demonic slitted eyes, black as night, moved towards the awkward fool who had tried to, foolishly, touch the gorgeous woman, who looked at the ensuing confrontation with a raised brow and a tilted head, curious, "this idiot attempted what could be construed as assault in a court of law," his words stung like a lash, verbally flaying the said wincing idiot, "let the professionals deal with this instead of making it worse."

"Worse?" Spluttered Ukita, "how could it get much worse than one of our own dangling like a criminal in a noose?"

"He could be dead," the woman surprisingly answered, her voice now thoughtful as her eyes looked at Niijima, "I have done worse for far less," her eyes narrowed slightly, "do you wish to move this to a more...private setting?" She asked.

Kenichi's eyes narrowed slightly. He was missing something, something big. Niijima's actions were no his normal modus operandi. Secrets within secrets, that was the name of the game here. He had a feeling that what was being said was only the tip of the iceberg. There was a massive subtext that he wasn't able to figure out.

"No way in hell!" Growled the banner bearer Matsui as he stood beside Niijima, "like hell I'm gonna let some sadistic bitch near the General!"

"Matsui," Niijima said, clapping a hand on the boy's shoulder, "calm down."

"But-," Matsui began, turning to his general, before he was steamrolled over.

"This is between me and her," Niijima went on, "the only reason she even came here is because she was looking me, Haruo Niijima, not Haruo Niijima, General of the Shinpaku Alliance," he looked at the still calm looking Yosamu, "is that not correct?"

Her response was a calm nod, "the activities of this...'Alliance' are of no concern to Him or to me at this point in time. My business is with you, not your subordinates."

"Very well then," Niijima said with a nod, brushing by a still Matsui to stand in front of the clearly dangerous woman, "I then accept your offer of a private conference. The next room over should be empty and has a few facilities for us to discuss issues in comfort. If you would please follow me?"

As the strange pair left the HQ, Kenichi was confused whether he should relax or stay alert. It was obvious that this whole debacle had exploded from a simple discussion to almost an all out fight. Thankfully, and he had never thought he would say that, Niijima was able to defuse the situation. But it still left a few questions that had the Disciple of Ryozanpaku unsure.

This woman was clearly a high level martial artist, though he was unsure exactly how high. After he had barely seen her move, he could clearly say her speed and skill were above his own, a Disciple of Ryozanpaku. That alone had him on edge. Ever since he had joined the renowned dojo and faced some of the members of Ragnarok, high level martial artists seemed to have come out of the woodwork in order to take his head.

The fact that this woman seemed to no even care less about him, unless he tried to attack or touch her, gave him a measure of relief, a glimmer of hope that his life could perhaps return to normal.

That said, he knew he wasn't that lucky, and was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

That in turn brought up a set of questions he would no doubt be dwelling on for days: Who exactly was Hana Yosamu? And what did she need the Demon for?

The one known as Hana Yosamu was quite pleased as she left the school grounds.

Her rather heavy negotiations with the Niijima boy had borne some precious fruit. Though she had to give to reveal a few trumps and make a few concessions in order to get what was needed, and a few things she wanted, but were not necessary, from the little Demon.

Her lips curved as she allowed herself a satisfied smirk. If only the rest of the school populace knew how accurate they were with their description of Haruo Niijima. She had to commend the young hanyou on his ruse. Hiding in plain sight is a wonderful and intelligent ploy.

Though she might be slightly biased, considering it was the ploy that she and He also used. Furthermore, it had been his idea to do so. So it was the best idea they had at the time, the only viable idea. She couldn't really truly contribute to the planning stage at that time, not in the condition she was in.

She had just passed the school gates when she paused, the shadows growing long in the dusk, hiding many things in darkness that would normally be seen in the light of day.

"The meeting went well, Master," Hana said to seeming empty air, not turning around.

The air seemed to still for a moment, the wind disappearing. A heavy presence suddenly appeared in the area, a great weight pressing down on any living thing within range, making them bow, making them submit to the awesome force that had suddenly arisen.

All save the figure of Hana Yosamu, whose normally cold face had relaxed, an expression of rapturous joy filling her beautiful face as she gloried and revelled in the presence of her most precious person, the one whose heart beat as one with hers. She never failed to find happiness in being by His side and his strength and power, when she stood beside or behind him, never failed to be a support she could lean, a pillar of might that would never fall. It was because of this that she would do anything that he asked of her, a small repayment, however meagre it was in her mind, for all that he had done for her.

"O ho ho," an disembodied voice said, seeming to be everywhere at once. The wind suddenly picking up again it slightly different manner, flowing around the golden eyed female, touching her, caressing her, as it danced to a tune not it's own, "That is quite a change," the voice said amusedly, "generally it takes a few deaths and a show of force to get them on board."

"The community here is very small," Hana explained, glorying in her partner's indirect caress as the breeze passed over her body, tickling spots that she knew He knew were sensitive, making her want to giggle, "a few legacies and spawn, even a pure strain clan that has been here for over three centuries, but that is about it. No mahoutsukai have been here for over a decade...at least not permanently."

"A good place to put down some roots then," the wind whispered in her ear, making her shiver in quiet delight, "Wakoku may not officially ascribe to the ICW rulings, like most of the Asian nations, but they also won't prevent any idiot that has managed to track me and passed their checkpoints from knocking me out and dragging me away, so long as they don't interfere with the locals."

Those beautiful amber eyes hardened at the comment that came down from the sky, "they will do so over my bleeding corpse and shattered soul," she screeched lowly, a raptor on a hunt. She would not let any blood rotten, black hearted, ignorant excuse for a Britannian lay their filthy hands, devoid of innocence and stained crimson with the blood upon them, on her partner. She would craft a mound of skulls rivalling Cygnus from all who dared to try.

She would not be separated from Him. Ever.

The wind spun wilder, practically massaging her tensed muscles where she stood in an effort to relax her in some way. It only succeeded in a minor manner. "I have no doubt," the air responded, wryly amused. She felt an invisible stroke along her cheek, making her want to moan with desire, but managed to hold herself upright and stay standing, "Such a bloodthirsty valkyrie you are," the voice hummed before it chuckled, the air rippling along with her clothes.

"Only for you," she whispered back, her nailed fingers seeking to grasp the wind, a futile attempt to pull close a person that wasn't even there. At least no physically.

"The resident clan," the voice said abruptly, changing the subject, even as the applied pressure, as if pulling her into it's protective and loving embrace, which was welcomed by the white haired beauty, "what are they?"

"Cats," she responded, a slight scowl on her face. She wasn't really fond of the adaptable predators. Her hands flexed like talons, as if desiring to grasp and maul one of the creatures. They were too sly, too opportunistic, willing to change sides at a moments notice. She would also say that they were too sadistic, glorying in the power that they held over those weaker than them, playing with them until they were bored and then ending it, permanently.

But she wasn't that much of a hypocrite. She too gloried in her power and loved, not to show off, but prove to the world that she wasn't someone, something, to be messed with. Girl power and all that.

She smirked to herself as she tried to rub herself against the wind. There were somethings that were above even the barriers of race, colour, creed or even species. Her lips, full and red, then scowled.

She may not be able to throw stones at the felines in regards to sadism, but she was more than willing to toss boulders at them in regards to their promiscuity. Every one that she had met had seemed to driven by their loins rather than their heads, willing to lay on their backs for anyone, man or woman. If that was all they did, then she may got along with them fine, she could fully understand the drive to satisfy one's more carnal desires, even if she would have been disapproving of they way they fulfilled them.

No, if she was honest with herself, it was the way they threw themselves at Him, shameless and with complete abandon.

She could see why they would. He gave off the presence of power and grace, of strength and speed, of an unflinching will that could carve their own destiny in life. His features also contributed, a handsome face, but showing a rugged realness that most movie stars and such didn't have in their obsession for false perfection. A body that screamed power, every piece of flesh, bone and sinew crafted for the sole purpose of battle, ready to defend what he claimed as his and destroy his foes with equal ease.

He was an Alpha, one that was bonded to her, and these flea bitten whores wanted to take that from her.

It made her nails itch, desiring to sink themselves into tabby coloured fur and rip the flesh and bone beneath it. He was Hers. She was His. When both were at the bottom, among the very dregs of their lives, all they had was each other. Nothing will come between that fierce partnership. Not without one hell of a fight.

She honestly wouldn't be so willing to open their guts to the air if they were more considerate. She wasn't exactly averse to sharing his bed with another of her gender, his stamina would practically make that a necessity.

(She could tell that much, despite the, technically, virgin status of the two of them. She shuddered and shivered in remembered pleasure and ecstasy at the memory of a few nights when the hadn't slept at all. She had been completely exhausted the next day but He had been fresh as a daisy and more then willing for another round.)

Not to mention she was rather drawn to the female gender herself. Something about the way they smelled, the way they moved, seemed to trigger something deep within her, a burning hunger that she generally only had when she was in His presence. It was something she thought originated from the Transfer but it was hardly something that she found at all displeasing. The thought of being pressed between a plane of hard muscle and soft, succulent, flesh had occupied her mind more than a few times on lonely nights when He had to do some business where she was unable to follow.

What really pissed her off was the selfishness of the felines she had met, wanting to have their way with Him and ignore her, his bondsmate, completely, as if she were little more than trash.

Fuck. That.

"Hmm," the bodiless voice mused, seeing to hum in her ear and draw her back to the present, thoughts of anger towards felines slowly disappearing in the wake of His presence and lingering, draughty, touch, "we may have to look into and make a deal with them," he thought aloud, "as long as they have been here, they may not appreciate someone moving onto their turf. Especially one in my circumstances."

She scowled to herself. Damn, cats ruin all her fun. Still, that dislike didn't keep her from seeing the reality of the situation that they found themselves in.

" I have already anticipated that," she said, reluctantly removing herself from the embrace of the atmospheric phenomenon, and dug around into her pocket, removing a folded scrap of paper, "this had their address, number and a name and description of the current elder. A senri."

The wind surged, ruffling her hair, and tore the paper from her grasp, sending it whirling and wheeling into the sky. She didn't bother chasing it; the wind would guide it to the proper destination.

"You know me too well," the voice chuckled, "I'll give her a call tomorrow and organise a sit down. Hopefully, everything should go smoothly. I get along fairly well with their kin, they shouldn't be much different."

I wonder why? she thought sarcastically in the privacy of her own mind, but kept her peace. As strong and powerful as He was, He sometimes missed the more elemental aspects of social interaction. He would probably still be treating her as a sister or a very close friend if she hadn't hammered her thoughts about him into his slightly obtuse head with a toe-curling kiss after ambushing him, completely bare of clothes and lingerie, in his own room at their residence in France. That night still gave her shivers of delight.

She firmly blamed the Bleached Whale, Purple Walrus and Wrinkled Horse for that. They were not fit to be called human, let alone have names or even to breathe the same air as Him. And the horrors that they had subjected Him to when he was younger, when he was defenceless...

If they weren't already dead, she would have killed them herself.

"And what about your business, Master?" she said, derailing her thoughts before her hatred of the deceased mongrels smothered her in their burning clutches, "Has your goal been achieved?"

"Yes," the voice murmured as it seemed to caress the nape of her neck, the localised gale-storm drawing her into an embrace again, "I will meet you at the apartment. Everything is already packed and stowed away. I will lead you to our new home when you arrive."

Hana Yosamu smiled deeply. It had been a long time since the tow of them had had a real home. Spending the last few years on the run, searching for information and artefacts while also dodging Ministry goons, aka Hit-Wizards, and Hunters looking for a quick paycheck, had left them with precious little time, or even the chance, to set down roots, to rest and relax and enjoy a more domestic setting.

A place for her to roost, to craft a nest.

"And the other matter?" She asked, slightly distracted by the thoughts of silver-haired children with slitted green eyes mixed with others of dark hair with golden eyes.

"There are...clues," the voice ventured, picking it's words, "the Scroll is most definitely somewhere in the Asia. It will be a matter asking the right people, the right questions and seeking out the correct places. Time will be required, but that is one of things we have plenty of," the air then stirred more, a little wild as it reacted to it's master's agitation, "the Spear though... that is another matter entirely. The fact that we even know that it existed in the first place, pulled together from a thousand different scraps of hidden knowledge from all around the world, is a damned miracle. And that's only because we know the Scroll is real!"

The sky seemed to turn darker than it already was as the wind blew harshly and the presence of Him, transmitted over the distance between them, grew stronger and the weight of doom in the air increased.

"Be calm, Master," Yosamu said quietly, against the wind, "there is no need for the agitation. What will come, will come. Just be patient."

The wind slowly died down as His presence slowly ebbed, lessening as he reeled in his emotions.

The air 'breathed' deeply, the sobering breath of an angry god, as her Master got himself under control, wherever he was at that moment.

He really be just about anywhere. With his raw speed, he could travel distances that many would deem impossible in the blink of an eye. Add in the tricks he had been forced to develop while on the run and unable to use mahoutsukai techniques due to the Change and Transfer, and being completely out of town was possible. He could be even further away if he hadn't lingered at the school in order to prevent the hanyou from rabbiting.

It was because of his link to her, his first real gift in the times Before, and the sheer power he had, that he was able to weave the wind to his will despite the large distance she could feel between them.

Her Master was truly something else.

"Make your way to the place we rented," the voice sighed calmly, "the day has been too different than many we have been through over the years to be entirely comfortable," the wind seemed to almost shrug, if she could such a human movement to the element, "it took just about everything I had to prevent myself from lashing out at some of the students. I have lived too many years on the edge and built up far too much necessary paranoia to be entirely safe around innocent children. Ones that have no idea of the what dwells behind the mists and in the shadows," the wind spun around her lightly, pressing against in a light hug, "it must have been even worse for you, especially considering your instincts and what you were Before."

Hana Yosamu didn't say a word as she accepted her Master's gentle windy embrace. Everything he said was true. Despite what she looked like, the experiences she had...well, experienced, at the core of her identity, her thoughts, her views and her instincts were not those of a human. Her old ways still held sway over her, as they should, and backed by a human-like intellect, she was all the more dangerous for it.

In her old form, such a gathering of her own kind would be an indication of competition, a challenge. Oft times, such things devolved into conflicts that ended up being deadly to all involved. It was quite a strain to hold back from striking out at those who came too close, like the fool that had tried to touch her. She had adapted a cold and distant persona in order to prevent such things from happening. Not out of any concern for those around her, she didn't care about them, but to ensure that she did not inconvenience or place her Master in any danger.

She had managed, but it was difficult.

She felt the presence of her master begin to ease and leave, the heaviness in the air and it's paired darkness slowly began to lift as the wind also started to die off. "I will see you soon," the voice, her Master's voice, said, sounding faded and distant, "Hedwig."

The last word said, Hana Yosamu, also known as Hedwig, former owl and still familiar to Harry James Potter, also known as Hakimaru Kurogane, felt her Master's presence fade entirely, leaving her alone in front of an empty school.

"And I you, Master Harry," she whispered to the empty night.

A last glance around, looking for any stalkers or fools, and then she still was running, her speed so fast as to be invisible, her steps so silent as to be undetectable, towards the town.

And her awaiting Master.

well folks, here is another one of my stories. I plan for this one to be one of my gems, one of my diamonds in the rough, so any feedback you can give me, positive or negative, is greatly desired. I also ask that you be forgiving in regards to HSDK-verse. I have not read the stories, nor am I completely familiar with the series, so expect a few trip ups as I craft a masterpiece. I also have little to no background in the martial arts so don't expect much in the way of that either. This whole thing is going to take canon of HSDK, from what little I know, and break it over it's knee. The some of the arcs will stay, some will vanish in a puff of smoke and others will change and original ones arise. This will happen as I familiarise myself with this acclaimed series.

As always, please review, they are the fuel that drives the car of inspiration.