Hmm... well, I started writing this some time last year. About Christmas time. It's been a while since I thought about it, much less worked on it, but I saw it today and thought What the hell? Let's put up chapter one and see if it's worth picking up again.

As in, what do you guys think?

This chapter's going to be a little confusing, but hopefully when (if) chapter two goes up, it'll be better.

So, submitted for your approval, I give you "Do You Believe in Demons?" chapter one.

"Jeez, Yoh, that's brutal," Manta said as Yoh finished recounting his latest adventures in Anna's Shaman Boot Camp (TM). He glanced around the classroom quickly to make sure the Itako wasn't in hearing range, and then added, "Anna's a demon."

Yoh had his head in his arms on his desk. "Aww, don't say that, Manta." Yoh's voice, normally so calm and laid-back, had a serious edge to it now. "Anna may be cruel, but she isn't a demon."

"Thank you for that, Yoh." Anna appeared from out of nowhere. "Just for that, you don't have to do the electric chair today."

"Thanks, Anna," Yoh mumbled distractedly. He had other things on his mind now.

Like Ari.

Ari... how long had it been since he'd last seen her? Probably five years...

And he could still remember the last thing she'd said to him.

"I won't be gone long, I promise. I'll be back soon." Her smiled faded when she saw he didn't believe that. "I promise, Yoh. I'll be back so soon you won't even notice I'm gone."

"You promise, Ari?" he asked her.

"Would I lie to my best friend?" She hugged him. "We'll always be best friends."

"Always," he agreed as she pulled away.

She smiled brightly, then, pulling down her shield to reveal her ears and tail. "I'll be back soon!" she called over her shoulder as she ran off. "I promise!"

That was five years ago. He hadn't seen her since.

"We have a new student joining us today..."

But Yoh wasn't listening.

He was six years old again.

"Do you believe in demons, Yoh?"

"Huh?"

He looked over at Ari, to see her green eyes sparkling bright in the moonlight. "Do you believe in demons?"

"Why? What are they?"

"They're like ghosts, or spirits. Most people don't believe in them, but they exist." She smiled. "Only they're alive. They interact with people all the time, and they don't even know it."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

They were silent, and they turned back to look at the stars. Then Ari spoke again.

"We'll always be best friends, right, Yoh? No matter what?"

"Yeah; of course."

"Then do you want to know a secret?"

"Yeah!"

"You can't tell anyone."

"I won't!" he exclaimed. "Promise!"

She smiled brightly, revealing all her sharp, pearly-white teeth. She let down the shield that hid her ears and tail.

Yoh felt his mouth drop open in shock and surprise.

And Ari said, "I'm a demon."

"Arivianna Minamino."

That name caught Yoh's attention. Ari had been short for Arivianna. It probably wasn't her, since his Ari hadn't had a last name, but what a coincidence...

But then she spoke.

"Hello, everyone. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

"Do you believe in demons, Yoh?"

It was her.

"I'm Arivianna Minamino, but you can call me–"

"Ari?"

- Kuramastrass -