Legend:
Character Thoughts: "{abc}"
Character Translation: "abc"

Chapter 10:
The Bamboo Blooms

"I don't like how far you took it, Neuhaus. Not only is Seiya my student, she is also my friend. You could've easily killed her because she was so far from the other Instructors." Yukio calmly states, clearly not happy about what occurred.

Neuhaus responds with no change in his expression or tone of voice, "That exam was to test all their abilities—"

Mephisto slams his fist on his desk and shouts, "At this point, I really do not care! I specifically told you not to make her your own personal target! She was far from any actual help and could've died!"

It's the next day, and already Neuhaus is under heavy fire in Mephisto's office. Seiya has recovered from her poisoning. Rin removing most of the saturated clothes actually aided in saving her life. The treatment Yukio administered throughout the night took care of all the poison in her body, but left her with a nasty fever; she is not to leave the dorm without an escort until she's better. Kenta stays with her in her room as she sleeps with a worried Mizu in her arms. The rest of the class makes sure she doesn't strain herself either.

Neuhaus responds, "Last I checked, I was told to test Rin and the Takenaka Siblings."

"But the point is, you went too far with that miasma! You're lucky the treatment worked or I would've come after you and taken care of you personally." Yukio threatens, ignoring his better nature.

"Tch, it's almost like you two are in love with her or something with the way you two speak." Neuhaus says.

"Grr, that's because she is my gir-" Mephisto goes to say but stops himself at the last second, "…uh, th-that is…"

Yukio looks at him in near disbelief. Sure, he's had the siblings on campus for the last five years, but to think their bond has been building this much so quickly in the past few weeks.

Neuhaus chuckles with a smirk, "You really are something. You're seriously in love with that weakling?"

Yukio fires a warning shot just grazing Neuhaus's hair. "With what they've been through, it shouldn't be that hard to see. Sir Pheles has always been protective of her ever since he brought those two here."

Mephisto stands a bit stunned himself. "{Wait…is it possible? Have I really…fallen for Seiya?}"

"Let me ask you something. Have you ever felt something whenever you think about Seiya or stand next to her?" Neuhaus questions.

"…Now that I think about it…" Mephisto tries to say still mystified.

Neuhaus goes on, "Do butterflies fill your stomach? Does your heart race? Does it almost feel natural, meaning you're never nervous around her? Do you just want to hold her in your arms and never let go?"

Mephisto looks at him answering, "…Y-yes…b-but how do you-"

"I was there once. I did have a woman in my life." Neuhaus answers.

Yukio, a bit in awe, snaps out of it demanding, "Then if you actually understand what's going on, why nearly kill Seiya? It's not like she's out of control."

Neuhaus looks at him and coldly answers, "Spawns shouldn't spawn."

Near noon time, Seiya has been supported to sit up, her fever still high. With Masami resting elsewhere to heal her own injuries, she can't summon her back to help out with cool breezes, so a cool cloth rests on her head. Ukobach took care in making her an easy udon to eat, and is being fed by Shiemi; the girl is so weak she can barely sit up on her own. The others are worried if the fever will ever break; it's been high since the poison broke around three in the morning.

Kenta, unable to deal with his own emotions, is unable to finish his lunch. He promptly leaves his sister's room in order to blow off steam elsewhere. Mizu flops to the floor trying to follow the boy, but Kenta has stormed away. Renzo picks up the baby Familiar, telling him to stay close to everyone.

Storming around outside the dorm, Kenta thinks of what Rin told everyone last night. Out of blind anger, he kicks a lamppost, effectively knocking it over. He doesn't even think of the fact he just destroyed something on school grounds, and drops to the ground. Beginning to shed tears from all the stress, he is unaware that Yukio and Mephisto have arrived to check on his sister.

Yukio lightly taps his shoulder asking, "Kenta, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

Kenta replies, his voice cracking, "No. It's just….I can't stand the thought of my sister being like this. She's completely helpless, and it's all that goddamn Exorcist's fault!"

He slams his fist in the ground, creating a small crater as a result. Both Yukio and Mephisto are taken aback by his raw strength. Yukio kneels down placing his hand on Kenta's shoulder and says with optimism in his voice, "Kenta, take it easy. It isn't like she's taken a turn for the worse yet. Your sister is a strong girl, remember that. She'll pull through."

Kenta argues looking at his instructor, "But what if she doesn't? I can't lose her! She's all I have!"

Mephisto then drapes his cape over the upset boy and says, "I can feel your pain, Kenta. Last thing I want is for anyone to be hurt, especially your sister. Neuhaus indeed crossed the line, but I will see to it he never goes near her again."

Kenta tosses the cape aside, standing up. "Don't come to me like you understand, you damn pervert."

"Ngh, Kenta!" Yukio tries to correct.

"No! I see the way he's always watching her." Kenta says looking at the tall demon. "You keep far away from her, or I'll rip out your still-beating heart and shove it down your throat!"

With that, Kenta walks away. That kind of threat would easily get him booted out of the academy altogether, but for the sake of Seiya, Mephisto can't make a move. Knowing trying to reason with the angered boy is futile, the two continue to the dorm.

In Seiya's room, although unable to finish the udon, Seiya has fallen asleep, the fever having full control. Yukio finds it's still dangerously high; no common fever-reducer will work at this rate. He asks Shiemi if she has anything stronger, though she responds she actually tried what the garden had to offer. It seems this fever is too strong. Yukio can only conclude that it's her body's way of fighting off any remaining toxin despite the treatment. Everyone else appears saddened by the news, wondering if she'll pull through at all.

Aside from all this, Mephisto explains to the class that the "attack" yesterday was the actual Exwire Authorization Exam. It was to test everyone's abilities and see how they functioned as a team. They start to dread about the results, but Seiya's condition is the only thing on their mind.

Koneko asks, "I know you said that the exam was a way to test us, but…what if Seiya doesn't wake up?"

Bon says, "Yeah, it would suck if she doesn't get to be an Exwire…"

Izumo says looking away from everyone, "If she doesn't pass, we're down a strong member of the group."

Bon looks at her with a look asking, "Are you running a fever too?"

"I have a feeling regardless of her condition, she'll pass. You all saw how she acted, right?" Yukio speaks. "Even in the face of danger, she'll do whatever it takes to make sure the enemy is brought down, even if it means her life."

"In that case, we need to do our own parts to make her better faster!" Renzo says breaking the tension. "Am I right you guys?"

Mizu happily jumps around agreeing with the pink haired boy.

"Hey guys, where did Rin go? Anyone notice he hasn't been here for a little bit?" Koneko asks.

Somewhere within the grounds, Rin is on a mission to seek out Neuhaus. He wants revenge for the condition he put Seiya in. Instead though, he encounters an upset Kenta, who hasn't been able to think straight. He tries to approach him, but the blonde-haired boy avoids Rin and continues on his own path. Seeing the pained look on his face, Rin starts to think perhaps what he's doing won't help anybody, even Seiya. He gets a different idea, remembering something Shiro had made for him when he had a high fever as a kid. With the idea in mind, he runs back to the dorm.

Kenta continues to storm around the campus, coming upon the golden gates at the front. He looks at them, thinking of walking outside them. However, something hits him in the back of the head. He turns around and sees a girl standing there with a Familiar that looks like a Hellhound; it has blue prayer beads around its neck, glaring red eyes, black fur with white and grey cheetah-like spots, the tail in the shape of a sickle, and finally a scar on its forehead in the shape of two crescent moons back-to-back. The dog looks to be a Saluki-like breed.

The girl does not dress in the school uniform, but instead wears a black-collared shirt with a purple knit vest over it with a red scarf around her neck, white jeans and black boots. In her wavy brown hair done up in a wide ponytail rests a silver skull clip and a two-tone rose clip together on the left side of her head. Her amber eyes looked at Kenta like he was the next playtoy. The girl stands around 5'03".

Kenta demands, "The hell do you want, kid?"

The girl responds with a wicked smile, "Oh be careful who you call a kid, child! I am Emi Ito, an Exwire and soon-to-be Aria and Tamer Meister~. As you can see, this is my Familiar, Gazeru. He may look pretty, but he's very fearsome."

"Tch, I don't care who you are, just go away." Kenta growls.

Gazeru, revealing his deep voice, asks, "You seem like you're in a lot of pain. Mind sharing your thoughts?"

"Yeah, it's always best to talk about bad things with others." Emi agrees.

"Unless you got a cure for a stubborn fever, piss off." Kenta responds.

"A stubborn fever?" Gazeru asks. "Is someone you know sick? I could try lowering it; I am a Fire Demon after all."

Emi says, "Yeah I recall having a bad fever once. It wouldn't break for three days. Somehow I managed to befriend Gazeru, and he practically cured it. He's been my ally in battle ever since."

"…You know…" Kenta starts, "You sound a lot younger than you look."

"Pfft, bitch please, I'm 15. I'm just insane." Emi answers with a big grin.

"It's true…" Gazeru says with a look, "She really is out of her mind."

At the dorm, Rin brings up the idea of the tea Shiro made for him years ago when he had a bad fever. Although Yukio agrees it did work on him, it may not work on Seiya, as nothing else has. Stubborn as always, Rin decides to make the tea anyway; even if it doesn't work, at least he's trying to do something. The others obtained a bowl and filled it with water and ice in order to keep the cloth cool. Using Nii-chan's ability to sprout plants, Shiemi has placed an herb that reduces fevers under the cool cloth, hoping it will be absorbed through the skin. Aside from that, there isn't much else that can be done.

Sometime later, Rin returns with the tea in hand, but the girls are gone, along with Mephisto. Yukio reveals that Seiya had woken up and wanted to soak in a cool bath to try and lower her fever. Rin places the cup on the desk saying it needs time to cool off anyway, stating if it does cool down too much, it can always be heated back up. He then asks why Mephisto went along with the girls. Bon tells him that the headmaster wanted to be around in case anything happens, even if he's outside the women's bath.

A little bit later, the girls and Mephisto returns with Seiya feeling better, but still too weak to walk on her own, so the king of time carries her to make things easier. They find that the boys had changed her bed sheets to something lighter figuring it would keep her a little cooler. Seiya is grateful, saying they didn't have to do it, although Bon argues they're going nuts unable to do anything but wait and see. Rin comments that Seiya's skin looks less purple, as it had a tint from the miasma.

As Mephisto places her in bed, Kenta returns with Emi and her Familiar, saying he found someone that can help. The tricky headmaster recognizes Emi, quickly asking how her classes were going. Before she can answer, Kenta interrupts wanting Gazeru to rid his sister of her fever. A little bit insulted, Rin hides this mentioning he made her tea that should help reduce the fever. Gazeru, curious enough, takes a look at the ailing girl anyway. Mizu growls at the Fire Demon.

Placing a paw on her forehead, Gazero focuses saying, "Ah I see…this was caused by miasma, absorbed through the skin. Hmm, it is weak, but the effects remain. Yes, this is a problem. Though, there isn't much I can do either; it wasn't naturally caused by bacteria or a virus."

"Huh?! Are you saying you can't do anything?!" Kenta flips.

Gazeru looks at him, "The best I can do is reduce it to a more manageable point. But the rest is highly dependent on your sister's immune system from here. I can sense it kicking into overdrive trying to get rid of the remaining toxin. I highly suggest a small dose of any antidotes and anything that can boost the immune system; she's going to need it if she plans on a full recovery."

Handing her the tea, Rin asks, "What if we continue doing what we are now?"

"The poison may be weak, but sometimes the toxin finds ways of staying within the body; it's a common trait from a Naberius Miasma; I've seen plenty of it in Gehenna." Gazeru responds. "If you continue your current treatment, she'll be riding a roller coaster for another five days. These toxins are incredibly stubborn."

Renzo smiles picking up Mizu, "Well then, getting her things to boost the immune system shouldn't be hard."

Shiemi responds, "I've got plenty of herbs in the garden that I can put together! I'll head over there right now!"

Seiya says, "Damn, I'm starting to feel like a lab rat…"

That night, everyone is relieved that the tea Rin made and the immune boosting mixture Shiemi created have broken Seiya's fever at last. Gazeru thinks she should be fine by morning, but still has to take it easy in case of any relapses; her body still has a lot of healing to do. In their own rooms, everyone is able to sleep with cleared minds.

However, trouble has found its way to the dorm. Earlier on, Yukio had encountered Neuhaus roaming one of the halls, telling him he shouldn't be anywhere on the campus after what he said this morning. Although Neuhaus stated he was only following orders, he said he wasn't really going to kill either Seiya or Rin. That statement had the younger Okumura Twin worried. Thinking ahead, he has Seiya and Rin moved into another room with both the beds on Seiya's room fixed; Rin wanted to remain with Seiya since Kenta passed out in his own room.

Neuhaus, having made his way into Seiya's room, approaches her bed with a large version of a drafting compass. He lifts it up in the air, the sharp pin aiming at her, and stabs what he thinks is her, but quickly realizes there isn't a body under the sheets. Moving them out of the way, he finds a rolled up sleeping bag. A click is heard from behind, with Yukio holding a cocked gun up to the back of his head.

"I thought you said you weren't going to kill Seiya or Rin, Mr. Neuhaus." Yukio says.

"Very clever, Yukio." Neuhaus responds.

In an empty room, Shiemi wakes up Rin. His freaking out of her "being in his room" disturbs Seiya who is too groggy to care what's going on. That is, until they hear gunfire. In one of the staircases, Yukio chases Neuhaus to the rooftop. Once there, Yukio tries demanding why the crazed Exorcist wants to kill the two so badly. The man responds with blood dripping down his magic circle tattooed arm - the sleeve now missing from his jacket – and several Naberius arms fly out towards Yukio. He does his best to shoot each one, until a few arms manage to slip by. They grab his legs and arms and drag him along the rooftop until he unleashes a can of holy water, going into a high speed roll.

When he gets up, he sees Neuhaus has quickly drawn a complicated magic circle. The crazed Exorcist says Yukio is too slow, and cutting open his arm more with the large math tool, drops blood onto the circle. A large, glob-like Naberius is summoned. Similar to the twin-headed ghoul, its head is a bulky flower-shape similar to a cartoonish daisy, the middle part containing the mouth, but no eyes. Underneath the "petals" hangs several arms. It even sports a tail ending in an arrowhead shape. Yukio knows if he can destroy the circle, the ghoul will disappear. Backed into a corner, he tries shooting it. However, this backfires as the spot he shoots grows an arm, grabs him, and throws him into the ledge wall.

Knocked unconscious, the Naberius closes in until Kurikara is thrust into it, surrounding it in blue fire. Although it doesn't die like the first ghoul, Rin jumps high into the air aiming for Neuhaus. The crazed Exorcist counters by unleashing a can of holy water, causing Rin to jump back.

Neuhaus states, "Even on you, holy water works due to your true nature as a demon."

"Holy water huh?" Rin responds. "As if!"

Rin runs to him ready to attack, but the Naberius grabs him in one hand, and using its other to grab his head, begins to apply pressure in an attempt to crush him. Unbeknownst to the three of them, white flames surround them, however, it only damages the ghoul. Looking over to the door, they find Seiya on Masami's back.

Rin says, "Seiya? I told you to stay behind!"

"Keh, yeah right! And miss the party going on up here? All that's missing is a DJ and strobe lights." Seiya responds.

Masami adds in, "Neuhaus, you may have taught these kids how to summon, but I don't think you've realized any of their true potential. Behold our hours spent training!"

Both Masami and Seiya say at the same time, "This is our true power! WHITE LIGHTNING!"

Seiya surrounds them in an orb of fire as Masami charges up her electricity. Within seconds, the avian unleashes their combined powers onto the ghoul. Although proving its stamina to be great, even this Naberius can't hold up to their combined strength. However, it breaks out of the attack and is about to counter, when it suddenly disappears, dropping Rin. Yukio has recovered enough to erase part of the circle in order to cancel the summon.

Neuhaus goes on the offensive, but finds the Demon Slaying Sword at his throat. Masami hovers above, with Seiya giving a confident smirk, letting him know there is no escape. Yukio then mentions that if Neuhaus summons another ghoul, he could potentially die of bloodloss. Rin demands to know just who Neuhaus is, to which he replies he is a survivor of the Blue Night. Rin recalls what Koneko had told him a while ago, that the Blue Night happened sixteen years ago; Satan had simultaneously murdered a lot of clergymen. Neuhaus replies that Satan had just barely possessed him, making him lose his left eye, as well as using his hands to kill his family. He goes on to say he will never forgive Satan, nor any of his demons, as well as the son of Satan.

Seiya finds this ironic as she learned previously that Mephisto and Amaimon are also Satan's sons, but she says nothing. Neuhaus then goes on saying that he'll kill Rin even if it costs him his life, completely forgetting about Seiya, as he summons a ghoul arm from his and has it slam into Rin's abdomen. However, despite the blood dripping from his mouth, Rin has taken the blow like it's happened before. Masami is impressed he took such a strong attack.

Rin starts, "Are you satisfied now?" He begins to sheath his sword, "I'll fight you as many times as you want, I'm used to this shit. Just please…don't drag innocent people into this!"

Masami lowers herself and hovers behind Rin. Neuhaus is amazed at his words, and starts to come to his senses, just a little. Seiya pulls out a few kunai, ready for anything else he's about to throw, but instead, the Exorcist grips his arm tightly, and warns the two of them that others like him exist. He makes a retreat to the stairs, the battle finally over.

"Goddamn…" Seiya says. "I still don't get why he was after me though. My powers don't hurt humans."

Masami says, "He did say Satan killed his family. Perhaps he's jealous of the happiness you and Mephisto-san share…but his rage blinded him and caused him to lose his mind, adding fuel to the fire that had started many years ago."

The sun begins to rise, signaling the new day. Masami says, "Ah, the rays of a fresh sun. Come Young Master, we've done our part here."

"Right." Seiya responds.