Sudden Turbulence

This day has been quite a ride, and the many pieces are beginning to fall into place…

However, as I begin to make my way home, I am suddenly drawn into a blood-drenched dancing hall.

I shout with a chuckle as I draw my pens, "Ok then… Why don't you show yourself, whoever you are, and we can discuss whatever you wish…"

From an overlooking balcony, a feminine figure jumps down to an area across from me, twirling gracefully on thin, blade-like legs as she exclaims with glee, "Hellooooo! My name is Caroline Promenade, the Deadly Dancer!"

I reply with a dissatisfied frown as I point at her with a pen, "State your business already, or I will slit your throat and move onwards…"

Caroline replies with a chuckle as she ceases her dance to comb her thin fingers through her hazelnut hair, folding some of it behind her elven ears, "Mochiron… So, now shall we dance the Renai Ranbu, Ai-chan?"

I reply with a chuckle as I gleefully lick one of my pens, "I have no interest in a flamboyant shoujo such as thee… I have more interest in strength in both will and body when it comes to a partner."

Caroline replies with a sour frown as she calls two thin blades to hand, "Elcres-sama was right about you. You are so…arrogant!"

I crack a wide sadistic grin as I reply with even more glee, "Honey… That is my job. Either leave now at my mercy or shinde kudasai…"

Caroline howls with fury in her tone as she begins to spin once again until she reaches a speed of a hurricane, "Fine then… Guess I will have to eradicate your filthy form from these halls!"

As she makes her way towards me, I wait for a slight opening and, in that brief moment, I throw a flurry of pens at her and exclaim as I step aside from her assault while it spirals out of control, "Rule one when encountering any foe: Never go all out, lest they exploit a lethal misstep in your attack. I am so sorry it had to come to this, Caroline-chan…"

Caroline suddenly gets off balance and collapses as the poison begins to take effect, and with her last breaths, she inquires weakly as the poison lays waste to her mind, "What…did…you do…?"

I reply with sadistic glee as I lick the tips of one of my pens while the daydream begins to dissolve, "Your master gave you no warning before encountering me… Typical for Phalos to ignore my poison pens as a weapon of choice, but also very arrogant and very baka of him. No matter though. I dealt with the issue at hand, and I am almost home…"

After all, tomorrow will be even more interesting…

Considering what I remember about the Woodland Sadist, she should make her move tomorrow, and it should be within the area of my 1st period, considering the staff around there…

Yet I wonder who she will pick as her first target, and how close they will be to my group of dreamers…

No matter. She WILL be punished, whether by me or by Cynthia-san…

But what worth is her death at this time?

Yes, she HAS killed millions of her kin, and she will not stay dead for some reason…

But considering how weak she is comparing to the Sentinels and Cynthia-san…

The threat behind her has become somewhat empty, and more of an act of maintenance on our part.

Yet it is one that seems…fulfilling, even after all this time.

As I reach home, I hear a familiar voice as a joyful, yet awkward, golden-haired girl comes out with a wide grin on her face as she exclaims, "Paul! I haven't seen you in so long..."

I reply with surprise as my eyes grow wide and temporarily lose their amethyst color in favor for their familiar, glistening emerald pools, "Adrienne! You didn't tell me you were coming… Especially on a school day…"

She replies with a chuckle as she pulls out a poster, which has a nightmare over a cityscape, "This week is the Festival of Shattered Nightmares, and currently, the school is closed for some reason or another… I don't know why they would close school on such short notice, but that does not matter…"

I reply with confusion as I raise my eyebrow in doubt, "Oh? Do you really want me to believe all of this? An improvised holiday causes you to suddenly show up here on the other side of the US on a whim? Sounds fishy to me…"

Adrienne replies with a frown as she lets out a sigh, "Well, it is true… Heck, if it keeps up, I may have to return permanently…"

Before I can reply, my dream demon sensors go off like a mad dog's bark, and Adrienne replies with confusion as she sees my eyes flash between their two colors, "Paul? Are you alright?"

I reply with a wide grin as I weave a daydream around us two, "Ore wa daijoubu da…"

Once the daydream takes root, a feminine figure with long caramel-brown hair and purple eyes with pupils shaped like two crescents forming an 'X', who also wears dense purple robes complete with gloves, pulls out a curved blade as black as night and points it at me as she exclaims with a scowl, "Who are you and why did you draw us in?"

I reply with a sadistic chuckle as I straighten my mask upon my face, "Nihongo wo hanasu?"

She replies with an annoyed grunt as her eyes narrow with fury, "Un… Omae wa…?"

I reply with a gleeful grin as I pull out Reasonslayer, "Ore no namae wa Dokushi Yumechi da. Omae wa Kanashimi Kattou da ka? Or rather, are you Sypha Dolorum?"

She replies with shock as her eyes widen with surprise, "You know my name? Explain, Yumechi-kun…"

I reply with another chuckle as I pull out a pen and lick its tip, "I am far from naïve, Sypha-chan… But even this fact you should know… You see, a long while ago, when I fought some dream demon, some of my blood and a shard of my soul fell into the heart of the Dream World. From that, it created…you."

Sypha replies with a scowl as she angrily grips onto her blade and tries to stab me in the chest, "Then what, does that make you my father?"

I reply with a sigh of disappointment as I parry her attack and catch her off-balance before pushing her back a few feet, "No… But that would make for a good story… Actually, I would like to think of it as soul-crossed lovers…"

Sypha replies with wide eyes as her face becomes crimson with a blush, "Um… Uh…"

Before she can say anymore, I swiftly shadow-step behind her and whisper in her ear as I plant a kiss on her soft neck, "No need to be afraid of what you feel… We were always meant as one, and any unfulfilled desire that lies within your heart shall find satisfaction from my familiar touch…"

She replies with ecstasy in her breath as she breaths hard onto my shoulder, "But…what…about her? If we do it here and now…"

I reply with a sultry whisper as I weave a cloak of shadow around us, "This is my domain after all… Privacy is never an issue…"