Chapter X

A light breeze lifted the fallen cherry blossoms off the concrete sidewalk, blowing passed Kaori in a spiral of pink. She was in a difficult situation, trapped from behind as well as in front. Cornered. Her body tensed as adrenaline pumped through her system, accelerating her heart rate, preparing to run or to fight. However, her face betrayed nothing. She kept a passively calm expression as she turned sideways, keeping both in her peripheral vision, "Do you boys make it a hobby to harass innocent girls?"

"Only those who cross us," Boss said. Kaori was vaguely aware of the distance between them lessening as the boys closed in, cornering her against the fence of the school.

"So that girl from this morning, Miss Teruyama, she crossed you as well?" Kaori asked, backing away from them, "I find it hard to believe that someone as passive as her ever did anything wrong to you," She felt her back hit the chain link fence and shot a brief glance over her shoulder at it unhappily.

"Wait, I get it," Kaori said with sudden understanding, looking at each boy in turn, "It's a superiority thing, right? Can't handle the big boys, so you go for the helpless victims. I've gotta say, that's a low blow,"

Suddenly, she was pushed back against the fence so forcefully her teeth rattled and she dropped her school bag. The instinct to run was overpowering now, but she kept face, despite the fact that she was certain that they could hear her heat pounding in her chest. Boss held her with her wrists above her head against the fence, bringing them together to hold her still with one hand. With his free hand, he grabbed her jaw, forcing her to look him in the eyes, his face inches away from hers. "You got a habit of running your mouth, Girl?" he spat. Kaori stared at him levelly. The other three had surrounded them both now.

"How about I show you how much trouble that'll get you in," he said. His hand moved down from her jaw slowly down her neck. Now she was beginning to panic.

Nearby, turning around that same corner, another female appeared, much shorter and very familiar should Kaori turn around to see. She wore the same color uniform as the boys, attending the same nearby school. Rika stopped upon seeing them standing in a circle, blocking someone out of view. For an instant, she felt the need to turn and run.

She was about to when she saw just who they were bullying. "Miss Sato...?" She muttered, surprised. The girl who had rescued her from these exact boys this morning. But Rika knew Kaori was more then capable of taking care of herself. Rika turned away. There was no need...

Then the blond girl screamed. Rika turned back around to see her struggling to push away Boss, a difficult feat with her hands restrained and pushed by some strange unexplainable courage, she couldn't watch anymore. She fished her cell phone out of her bag and before she even knew what she was doing, she shouted, "L-leave her alone!"

Timid as her voice was, the boys and Kaori turned to look at her, all of them equally shocked, but Kaori even more so. The blond's eyes were wide in surprise, and even her fear seemed to disappear at the sight of Rika, "T-Teruyama?"

"I... I called the cops!" Rika continued. She felt her confidence building with each word she spoke and to emphasize her threat, she raised her cell phone into view. The boys hesitated, as if trying to determine if this girl was telling the truth, but the sound of sirens in the distance convinced them that running was the smartest solution and the two from yesterday took off.

Boss released Kaori and backed away, standing beside the final boy – the new one - with a look of absolute loathing as he stared at each girl in turn. Then, as the sirens got closer, they too turned and ran. As soon as they were out of sight, both Kaori and Rika dropped to their knees in relief.

Kaori took a few deep breaths to calm herself down and looked at Rika with a grateful smile, "I guess you can assert yourself," Rika looked up at her, but the moment their eyes met, she lowered them again, staring intently at the floor.

"You... you're welcome Miss Sato," she said quietly. Kaori laughed slightly at the formality.

"Did you really call the police?" she asked. Rika shook her head, but didn't speak. Kaori tilted her head, frowning. The girl said only the bare minimum that was required, never expanding the conversation. Kaori compared it to speaking to a computer.

Kaori grabbed her backpack and stood up, dusting off her skirt. She walked toward Rika and held a hand out to her ,"Thank you," she said. Rika looked up at the hand, then at Kaori's face before pushing herself to her feet. Kaori pulled her hand back, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, "Do you want me to walk you home?"

"That won't be necessary," Rika said. Then, as an afterthought, she added, "But thank you," before turning away.

"Well... be careful going home, Miss Teruyama," Kaori said, bowing. Rika turned her head to look at her, startled by the formality. "And thanks again for your help," Rika watched her for a moment before crossing the street toward her own home.

She couldn't help smiling as she thought about the look on Azure's face when she told him.

(–)

Kai was unusually quiet as he waked with Haley down the street toward their apartment. Kai was a few paces ahead, his thumbs hooked in his pants pockets. Haley had been watching him for the last ten minutes, ever since they'd left. Was he mad at her? She couldn't think why...

Well, if Kai wouldn't start a conversation, then Haley would. She lengthened her stride until she was standing beside him and said, "You know I was talking to Hayate today, about him going to school," she began. The mention of the demon's name made the corners of Kai's lips twitch unhappily, but he remained silent, "And I was thinking, why don't you start coming? Then you won't have to waste time picking me up and-"

"I don't need to go to school," Kai said simply, "There's nothing this world can teach me that I don't already know,"

"You say that as if you're some sort of genius or something," Haley said jokingly. Kai shrugged.

"I am,"

"Ever heard of modesty?"

Again, Kai shrugged. Haley crossed her arms in irritation, "What's wrong with you? Are you mad at me or something?" she asked him.

"No," Kai said.

"Well then?" Haley asked

"You're annoying," Kai said, waving her off. Haley stepped in front of him, stopping his advanced and placed her hands on her hips.

"Well you're being a jerk," she said to him. She stared him straight in the eyes and he looked back at her levelly. "If it's so much trouble to pick me up from school, Kai, then just stop coming. It's not like I asked you to, you do it on your own,"

"It's not that," Kai said, shaking his head.

"Well then what is it?"

"It's him,"

"Who?"

"That Demon!" Kai shouted. The entire exchange had taken place in seconds, each speaking before the other could even finish their words. Haley and Kai stared each other down, neither letting up. Finally, Haley asked, "You mean Hayate? What's wrong with him, he's a good person and so is Kaori,"

"But he's a Demon," Kai said, "You don't seem to understand, Haley. I couldn't care less about the battle, but the fact that you're hanging around with a Demon who's ultimately going to be our enemy makes me uneasy. It's dangerous,"

Haley's expression softened and a small smirk spread across her lips, "Oh, so you're worried about me," she stated. Kai's jaw tightened at the statement and he turned away from her, almost as if embarrassed.

"Of course I'm worried," he said stiffly, "You're my partner and my friend and we don't know anything about them. I think it's better to keep your distance,"

Haley placed a hand on his shoulder and laughed, "You're too paranoid, Kai" she said as he turned his head to look at her, "I promise they won't hurt us. Something tells me that even though we don't know them very well, they're trustworthy. You know my intuition is never wrong,"

Kai sighed, obviously unsatisfied, but he knew better then to try to change his partner's mind. She had a resolve as hard as a rock and couldn't be swayed by words, "Alright, but at least keep your senses alert," Kai said. That was a reasonable compromise.

Haley laughed again and continued forward, "Promise!" She said, "Now, I think I want some rice for dinner. Let's hurry up and get home!"

(–)

The park was, as usual, packed with children just come off of school, taking a break before heading home where they would do their homework. Hikari Sato walked right by the playground toward an area of the park with more trees and rocks, even a small man-made stream running through. A man-made trail designed to bring a scenic appeal to the city. The sixth-year elementary school student walked along the path, wearing her school uniform – a blue knee-length skirt and a white sailor shirt with a blue collar. She carried the regulation school backpack over one shoulder as her her green-blue eyes scanned the trees just off the path, searching for something.

A rustle beyond the brush made her stop in her tracks. "Shiro," she said quietly. From the opposite direction of the rustle, an enormous white dog – no a wolf, emerged. His golden eyes were much more vibrant then they were on their first meeting. All wounds he'd gotten during that first ambush almost a week ago were completely healed and his white fur had a shine to it that made it almost glow in the sunlight.

He walked toward Hikari and the human girl knelt down and stroked his ears. On her knees, the two of them were the same height, Shiro almost taller, but not quite. "How are you today, Shiro?" She asked.

Without opening his mouth, the wolf responded, "My strength is beginning to return," he said, stretching his front paws and yawning and then from there lying down, his head up. Hikari sat down on the floor beside him, leaning against his body, petting the soft fur, "Have you learned any other words?"

At that, Hikari reached into her backpack and took out the thick steel-blue spell book. It looked enormous in her small hands as she opened the hard cover and turned to the first legible page. "No," She said with a frown. She read the words silently to herself. The first time she'd read them aloud, she'd frozen the entire duck pond. The First Spell. Freezudo.

But Shiro had yet to really explain what this book was for. All he had offered when he discovered Hikari could read it was how unfortunate it was that such an innocent child had to read it. All Hikari knew was that he wasn't normal, and unless she learned how to read more of the words, being around him could be dangerous.

"You know what," Hikari said thoughtfully, "I don't mind. You say it might be dangerous, but I feel safe with you, Shiro," The wolf looked at her and tilted his head to one side, confused. "I don't understand why... but it feels like I was meant to meet you or something,"

Shiro smiled as much as a canine could smile, but it showed in his eyes, "Perhaps you understand more then I thought," he mused.

"Yes, it is the most innocent who are often the most knowledgeable," a mature female's voice said. Shiro stood up immediately and a low growl erupted from deep within his chest. Hikari clenched the book tightly with one hand and held Shiro's fur with the other.

A young woman, no older then seventeen, stepped into the clearing. She wore a long midnight blue dress extending passed her ankles, just hovering above the bottoms of her silver heels. Her long silver hair stretched to her knees with straight bangs covering her forehead, ending just above silver eyes that seemed to glow. Her skin was pale, almost as white as snow, and she held a black parasol to shade it from the bright sun.

Hikari stared at the woman with wide eyes, fear forming a lump in her throat. If Shiro was uncomfortable around her, then there must be a reason to be afraid. "You are Shiro, the White Wolf, are you not?" the woman asked. Her red lips were curled into a smile, "Named by your clan to be as pure as the snow from which you hail." Her silver irises began to glow, a dark violet shade. "But even pure snowfall will eventually be tainted,"

"Hikari," Shiro said, "run,"

Hikari was about to comply, and every fiber of her body screamed to run, but strangely enough, she couldn't. She stared at the girl with her glowing eyes and all of her fear faded away. She didn't feel like running anymore... Instead, she walked toward the strange girl, who extended a hand in welcome.

"You're the younger sister of Hayate's partner," The silver haired woman said. Hikari extended a hand and took hers and the woman pushed a strand of blond hair out of Hikari's face. She tilted the young girl's head upward by the chin to look into her green-blue eyes, now a dull sea green under the woman's trance, "You know that if she finds out that you and Shiro are friends, she'll take him away. Make him disappear. You don't want that, do you?"

Hikari's eyes widened at the thought and something deep in her mind told her not to listen to this woman. But it made sense. Not only did Kaori hate dogs, but Shiro himself said that it was dangerous to be with him. Kaori would never stand for that, "No," she said at last.

"I can help you read more of those pages if you come with me," The woman said, "I'll make sure you can protect him. And together we'll make sure that nasty sister of yours doesn't take him away,"

"No!" Shiro answered for her. With a furious growl, he ran at the woman, but she stepped back, elegantly avoiding his strike. As he passed where she once was, she grabbed the scruff of his neck and with surprising strength for her thin arms, she slammed him down into the ground and held him.

"Bad dog. You need some training, it seems," She said with a smirk. She stared into the canine's wild eyes, her eyes still glowing, and after a brief moment of struggling against her hold, he stopped, the fire in his eyes fading, darkening into something much more sinister. She released the wolf to allow him to stand and Shiro obediently stood by her side. "The purest snow can be tainted," The woman said, laughing. She looked to Hikari, again extending her hand. "See. Your friend trusts me. Will you come?"

Don't go. She's trying to trick you! Hikari's conscious told her. But she ignored it and took the woman's hand with a smile. "Yes," She said at last.

"Excellent," the woman said. She closed her hand around Hikari's, "A few days with me and you'll be more then strong enough to take care of him," She looked toward the pathway leading to the clearing, "Andrea," she called.

A girl with curly brown hair just passed her shoulders appeared, holding a violet spell book. She wore a black t-shirt and black pants, with shoes to match. Her eyes were gray, her skin lightly tanned. She appeared American, and her name seemed to prove the case.

"Are they coming with us, Oracle?" Andrea asked the silver haired girl. Oracle smiled and gently pushed Hikari toward Andrea, who took the girl by the hand.

"They are," Oracle said, "And they shouldn't be any trouble. I've taken care of any resistance," She looked down at Shiro, who remained seated by her side, and nodded toward Andrea. Soundlessly, the wolf padded toward her, staying beside Hikari.

"Don't worry," Andrea said to Hikari in rough Japanese, "Big sister Andrea's going to take care of you now," She led Hikari and Shiro away, leaving Oracle behind to look at the dropped school bag left by the girl. The white haired demon walked toward it and knelt down, picking it up to examine it.

Oracle smiled slightly as she let the bag drop haphazardly to the floor, scattering some of its contents, "The best way to a Demon is through his human partner," she said, "And the best way to that human is through the ones they love," She shook her head, clicking her tongue in mock disappointment, "How long will you take to act, Hayate?"

She spun on her heel, seeming to float above the ground as she walked away.

(–)

After the incident outside the school, Kaori decided that it would be best to wait for Hayate to end practice rather then go on ahead home, thus the sun was already beginning to set as they turned onto her street. However, she did refrain from telling him what had occurred – he'd completely lose it, knowing him, and he seemed to be in a good mood when he finally got off the field.

"I'm telling you, those girls couldn't take their eyes off me," Hayate said proudly. He was holding his backpack over one shoulder, a smirk spread across his lips, "there isn't a guy on that field that moved faster or kicked harder then me,"

"Well of course not," Kaori said with a laugh, "You're a Demon. You're built for speed, strength, and agility." she explained. She looked up at Hayate, "You're really enthusiastic. Does this mean you're joining the team?"

"Of course not," Hayate said, shaking his head, "It wouldn't be fair to have someone like me playing on the team. Besides, something like a school team is too much of an attachment to this world. Hell, going to school in the first place is already too much... Joining the team will just make it harder for the people I've gotten to know to say goodbye,"

Kaori frowned, looking away, "Yeah, guess you're right," she said, "But you know, it sounds to me like you're worried about everyone's feelings,"

"Don't start with that," Hayate snapped a bit too quickly, "I couldn't care less about what you humans felt,"

"Ok, ok, whatever you say," Kaori said with mock belief, "You don't care, got it,"

"I'm serious!"

"Ok!"

They paid no mind to the police car that was parked on the curb in front of their house – it wasn't uncommon for Ichigo to bring home some friends from the station. In fact,the presence of the car normally meant a particularly delicious dinner, which made Kaori and Hayate subconsciously quicken their pace.

"I'm home," They called simultaneously as the entered the front door. They took off their shoes, switching into the house slippers, and walked into the kitchen, where they could smell tea. They expected police, but they didn't expect the serious atmosphere. The two cops sitting at the table with a notepad out, Kaori's parents sitting across from them, her mother in tears, her father trying to be strong, but concern obvious in his gray eyes. Her brother was standing, too tense to sit down, and he was the first to pounce on them.

"Kaori," he said quickly, grabbing her shoulders, "Hikari, she's with you right?"

"What? No, she's not with me, what..." She trailed off, her eyes widening, "Wait... you mean she's not here?"

Kaori's mother, Akina, buried her face in her husband's chest, her blue-green eyes red from tears and she sobbed uncontrollably. Kaori's father, Yuu, stroked her blond hair in an attempt to soothe her. "She didn't come home," he said, "The last place she was seen was the park,"

"We found her backpack," one of the officers said, "and we've gone through everything, but we haven't found a trace of where she could be. By the looks of it, she was abducted..."

Kaori felt her heart freeze over.

A/N: You know, this was supposed to happen later.. but I thought I should get a major plot and a reason to fight going about now :]. I hope the development of the characters I'm using is ok! Anyway, next chapter coming soon, I hope! Sorry for so much exposition, but next chapter, there's gonna be a battle!