It was four days after the students of Yokai Academy recieved their results, and still a week before the start of summer vacation, Kurumu was still trying to find a way to miss her extra study lessons, and everyone else was preparing for their fun time away from work. As per usual, the morning started with Moka biting Tsukune and Izael being tackled by Kurumu, Mizore watching from afar as Inazuma and Yukari arrived, following them as they made their way to the school.
"Izael, can I talk to you about something in private?" Kurumu asked quietly, to make sure Mizore didn't hear and decide to follow them.
"Sure thing." Izael said as the two walked around a corner in the opposite direction of their friends.
"Well, as you know I have to stay for summer school." Kurumu started, but stopped to make sure Izael knew what she was talking about. "Anyways, I was wondering if there was any way you could convince the teachers to let me have fun with you guys instead." she continued, unsure of why she was asking Izael due to his lack of understanding in pretty much everything. After stopping to think for a few short moments, Izael came up with an idea.
"Just leave it to me." Izael answered with a smile, which was strangely confident and made Kurumu more hopeful towards her chances of enjoying her vacation.
"Thanks Izael!" she replied cheerfully, then Kurumu quickly came back to her senses and realised that they could be late for their morning class and grabbed Izael by the arm and pulled him to their destination.

After their morning class, Tsukune, Moka and the others all made their way to their usual hang out spot, but this time without Izael.
"Where do you think he went this time?" Tsukune asked with slight worry even though he was used to Izael's disappearing act by now.
"Probably gone to fight someone or get some food." Yukari answered, immediately getting glared at by Kurumu, to which Moka just giggled. During this, Izael was heading back to the homeroom to speak to Ms Nekonome, luckily he got to the room before she left.
"Ah, Izael, is there anything I can help you with?" she asked politely.
"Yeah, actually. I was wondering if there was a way you could let Kurumu come and have fun with us instead of studying." Izael answered rather bluntly.
"Sorry, but I can't, if it were up to me I'd say yes." Ms Nekonome replied, but after thinking for a few seconds Izael came up with yet another idea.
"But what if we need the whole newspaper club to go on a trip?" Izael asked, causing the teacher to pause in thought. "And as a part of the club, Kurumu should have to come too." he continued, trying to help Kurumu as he said he would, and not really realising that it'd mean he'll have to do work.
"I guess that would work, and I know just the place!" she replied as she took out a newspaper from the human world, the front article reporting a chain of mysterious disappearances at a place called Witch Hill.
"Great! I'll go tell the others!" Izael said, proud of himself as he waved goodbye to Ms Nekonome and rapidly made his way to his friends.

Moka was just helping herself to Tsukune's blood as per usual when Izael arrived, and as he did he was immediately being crushed by Kurumu's hugs and felt an odd chill as Mizore poked her head over his shoulder.
"Hey guys, I have some awesome news!" Izael cheered to his friends, all of whom became peaked with interest.
"What is it?" Mizore asked, still behind Izael with her mouth right by his ear, which creeped him out a little.
"Well, we're all going on a trip to the human world." Izael answered, Tsukune and Moka looking shocked, almost terrified, whereas Kurumu cheered, Mizore remained expressionless and Yukari looked somewhat annoyed.
"Why are we going to the human world? Is it really such a good idea?" Tsukune asked.
"Of course it is, it was Ms Nekonome's idea after all." Izael answered simply. "It's something about a story for the newspaper club, so we all need to go, including Kurumu." Izael said with a quick glance around at all of his friends.
"I suppose if it's for the club it can't be helped." Yukari complained.
"Wait, where's Inazuma?" Izael asked, apparantly ignoring Yukari.
"I think brother is going to join our club." Mizore answered while cuddling even closer to Izael, who seemingly didn't think anything of the two girls hugging him.
"Izael, to say thanks for freeing me from summer school, I'm going to make some cookies for you again." Kurumu said sweetly as she lay her head on Izael's shoulder, Mizore's head on his other.

Later that day the gang was sitting on the school roof having a picnic as it was a nice change of pace and the weather was good for it, although everyone was sharing their food, Izael seemed to be eating the most food and leaving barely anything for his friends. During the course of the picnic, Mizore and Kurumu slowly shifted themselves closer to Izael without him realising until they both put one arm around his back, the two of them apparently competing. The entire time that this was happening, Moka, Yukari and Tsukune were letting out small giggles between sharing what little food was left after Izael stopped eating.
"I'm confused." Izael stated, nobody was surprised about this until Izael suddenly got to his feet and ran back into the building.
"Izael?" Mizore and Kurumu asked simultaneously, both concerned that they may have somehow upset him, however after a couple of minutes he returned and sat back in his place.
"Sorry about that, needed to use the toilet." Izael said, his friends facepalming.
"Izael, can I ask you something?" Mizore asked, Izael nodded and Mizore took Izael around the corner.
"What is it?" Izael questioned, expecting her to ask him for help with something.
"Well, I was wondering if you would like to go on a date with me after the club trip." Mizore replied, looking at the ground shyly as she did so.
"Uhh, sure thing." Izael answered, making Mizore smile at him as she walked back to the group, but before Izael could join them, Kurumu pulled Izael back around the corner.
"Izael, I want to take you out on a date again." Kurumu said confidently, but before Izael could reply, she quickly continued. "Once we return from the human world, I'll give you a few hours to get ready. Then I'll meet you at the lake."
"But-" Izael started, but Kurumu quickly kissed him on the cheek and walked back to the picnic basket.

At the end of that week, everybody was ready for the trip to the human world and was on their way to the bus stop to meet Ms Nekonome, Izael was the first to arrive, although Tsukune calls his methods cheating. After Izael arrived, Moka, Tsukune and Yukari all arrived together and started to chat with Izael, until a few moments later when Kurumu flew to the group.
"Where's Mizore?" Moka asked, to which Izael simply pointed at a nearby tree and Mizore poked her head out from behind it, causing everyone but Izael and Mizore to facepalm.
"Sorry I'm late!" their teacher yelled as she ran to the bus stop, somehow with perfect timing, as the bus arrived at the same time.
"So where are we going in the human world? Izael didn't make it very clear..." Yukari asked skeptically.
"We're going to a sunflower field known as 'Witch Hill' where there are rumors of disappearances." Ms Nekonome replied, almost everyone becoming a little concerned.
"Wait, where's Gin?" Moka asked quickly.
"Don't care." Izael muttered as he entered the bus.
"He's got to catch up with some studying with Ms Ririko." the teacher answered, Kurumu letting out a triumphant laugh as she too entered the bus.
"How long will it take to get there?" Izael asked impatiently.
"Only about five to ten minutes." the bus driver answered, but Izael was already asleep, everyone, including Ms Nekonome and the bus driver looked at him, unsure of how to react to this level of laziness. The bus departed once everyone was seated and entered the tunnel, Tsukune was watching out of the window and wondered if the hill was near to where he lived as they were using the same tunnel as the one used to get here from his home, but was surprised when the bus emerged in a completely different area.

Once the bus finally came to a halt, everyone made their way off of the bus and looked over the large sunflower garden, however waking Izael up to get him out of the bus was more of a challenge than it was worth.
"It's good to be back." Tsukune said quietly, when Kurumu quickly looked at Tsukune.
"What do you mean back? You almost sound like a human or something." she said with slight suspicion, to which Izael almost exposed Tsukune's secret. Luckily Moka distracted Izael by pointing at a nearby restaurant.
"How about we get some food then head to the beach?" Moka asked, desperately trying to change the subject to something more fun, to which everyone agreed.
"Ms Nekono-" Yukari started, but as she turned she realised that the bus had left them without an adult to show them around. Ignorant to this fact, Izael rushed towards the restaurant with the others quickly following to stop him from doing something stupid, which was difficult to do. Shortly after everyone finished their meals, they all headed to the beach and when they arrived Izael sprinted into the ocean for a swim while Moka, Kurumu, Yukari and Tsukune played beach volleyball and Mizore relaxed under a sun umbrella while watching them and keeping an eye on Izael.
"Hey guys! Come join me in the water!" Izael called out to his friends, Kurumu instantly taking the chance and diving at Izael in the water, while the others walked into the water normally before starting a mini splash war. After a few hours of fun the sun began to set, nobody realized quite how long they were having fun for, but decided to head back to the cabin in the sunflower field to rest. As they entered it, however, they noticed a slight problem.
"There's not enough bedrooms..." Izael stated the obvious.
"I'll share a room with Izael!" Kurumu decided.
"Me too." Mizore replied, somehow nobody decided to argue against the two of them sharing a room with Izael.
"Well, I guess I'll sleep on the sofa." Tsukune said, allowing Moka and Yukari to have privacy while they sleep.
"Sorry to disappoint you two, but I think I'm gonna go for a little walk before I go to sleep." Izael said with a quick glance at Mizore and Kurumu before walking outside.
"Damn." Kurumu said as Mizore simply climbed out of the window.

During Izael's walk, he noticed a couple walking through the sunflowers, the girlfriend seemingly worried about something, without alerting them, he listened as closely as he could to their conversation.
"Of course I'm scared! Don't you know this is where all those people disappeared?" she said in a quiet, frightened tone.
"For real?" he asked, seemingly not caring one bit.
"Let's just go!" she yelled back as she grabbed his hand and tried to pull him out of the field.
"Maybe I should get back to the others and tell them about this..." Izael whispered to himself before turning and strolling back towards the cabin, but to his surprise when he arrived, Yukari and Kurumu were arguing.
"Maybe you're an idiot and believe everything bad you hear!" Yukari shouted.
"You're just an annoying little witch!" Kurumu shouted in response, making the young witch look back at her in disgust before leaving in a rush.
"So...what was that all about?" Izael asked, and immediately as he did so, Mizore poked her head out from the window frame behind him.
"Kurumu said something about witches being cruel." she said as Kurumu crossed her arms in anger. Without any of them realizing, they were being spied on the entire time by a mysterious figure within the sunflowers.
"Maybe we should go look for her." Tsukune suggested, worried that Yukari might get lost.

Shortly after she left the others, Yukari found herself at the top of the Witch Hill, looking around at all of the sunflowers upon the beautiful field, when suddenly she heard footsteps behind her.
"Who's there?!" she yelled, trying to hide her worry as she pulled out her wand and held it a little in front of herself.
"There's no need to be frightened Yukari." a woman's voice said in a soft tone as she stepped closer to Yukari, revealing herself.
"Who are you? How do you know my name?" Yukari asked, still frightened, but not as much as before.
"My name is Ruby, I'm also a witch. I know who you are because I've been following you since you arrived, because I wanted to ask if you want to be friends." the taller witch answered.
"Why have you been-" Yukari started, but Ruby interrupted with an answer.
"The truth is, we need you." she said, seemingly with a little embarrassment.
"Help with what?" Yukari asked, fully aware that she may be asking a few to many questions, but still wanted clarity.
"Me and her Ladyship are to protect this sunflower hill by wiping out the humans." Ruby replied darkly, shocking Yukari. "You'll help, right?" she continued.
"But I-" Yukari began, when Tsukune and the others arrived.
"Yukari, who's your new friend?" Moka asked cheerfully, while Izael gave a suspicious glare, the witch seemingly getting ready to attack.
"This is-" Yukari said before being rudely interrupted by Ruby's yells.
"Human scum!" she called out as she took out her menacing wand, waving it and creating a group of four carnivorous plant monsters that all rushed at Tsukune in an attempt to kill and devour him.
"Wait! Ruby!" Yukari called as wings sprouted from the attacker's back, four pairs of crow-like wings that lift the witch into the air, meanwhile Izael clenched his fist and got ready to defend Tsukune. However, before Izael had to act, Yukari waved her wand and a handful of tarot cards flew by and sliced through the creatures as if they were made of butter.
"Why would you interrupt?!" Ruby yelled, her entire body glowing with yokai energy as more creatures burst from the ground behind Tsukune and Yukari, trapping both of them.
"Izael, do something!" Kurumu demanded, but Izael just shook his head.
"Just wait and see, I'm not needed in this fight." he replied as he slid his hands into his pockets and watched.
"I'm not a kid anymore!" Yukari called as she waved her wand once more, casting another spell, this time making it rain the same tarot cards as before, ripping each of the creatures to shreds before coming back to her and hovering a small distance behind her, and with that the battle was over.
"Maybe we should head back to the cabin." Mizore said after hiding behind Izael the whole time, everyone else nodding in agreement. Before leaving though, Yukari cast a quick glance at Ruby.
"Sorry I can't stay with you, but I need to stay with my friends I think." Yukari said politely before bowing.
"Not a bad attack Yukari, you're not as weak as I thought." Izael said in his own way of complimenting, Yukari giving a small laugh before thanking Izael. Just as the group started walking back to the cabin they heard a pained cry for help, Izael, Moka and Kurumu turning to see Tsukune impaled by vines as Ruby began to radiate with magical energy.
"Tsukune...NOOOOOOO!" Moka cried out as her Yokai energy levels went through the roof, releasing her silver haired personality without removing the rosary. During this time Kurumu also let out her wings and claws and her energy seemed boosted too, Izael on the other hand waved one hand and created multiple orbs of darkness around himself. The three quickly dashed at Ruby and attacked at the same time, causing a massive amount of dirt and dust to fill the area.