A/N: This took a while to write, mostly because of research. I needed the right thing for Tamer class, and... suffice to say, when I found it my eyeballs plopped out on the keyboard. Took 3-4 hours, but bloody worth it. =)

I do not own or profit from any of what Kazue Kato has created.

While Shiro did see the strong points of Aria – being armed at all times, able to finish off a demon in one go and so on – he didn't like the idea of being a sitting duck with a neon sign of "kill me!" above his head. He didn't like that his life depended on whether or not he remembered to put an 'O' before 'Lord' in the right place. In the heat of battle he'd rather trust instinct and reflexes.

Having said that to the face of Nao-sensei, or Goggles, as she was called, Shiro was given the honour of memorising ten additional chapters of Jeremiah every week. And while he had it on his tongue to protest, he had to admit that, really, he didn't want to cross that woman.

Goggles-sensei had her nickname from the safety glasses she wore, containing a water solution that kept her from going blind. She had damaged her face in battle and lost both eyelids, which added a very intimidating look to her scarce height of one-fifty. When she chanted aloud, Shiro could almost believe the rumours that she had once killed a demon with a fatal verse after she had already exorcised it from its host.

"You got any tip on how to memorise all that for next week? I noticed you were good."

"There are ways, but not for you." Kita took the corridor in long strides; almost as if he was trying to outpace Shiro. "Optimising memory capacity takes arduous exercise from early age, preferably with a time limit to mimic in vivo-conditions."

"Okay, so I'll do it the slow, tiresome way. Oi, if you don't slow down I'll trip you." He adjusted his bag mid step, trying to find some way of keeping up without the satchel with Comprehensive Demonology beating the back of his leg purple. "What I really wanted to ask was that thing, what you said about Sir Pheles. You know why he's trusted when other demons aren't?"

"And as I said, it's classified."

"So how come you know?"

Stepping on sore toes was something Shiro greatly enjoyed, especially with people like Kita: he looked like he'd just been hit with a horse apple, glaring back at the thrower with a thin layer of disdain attempting to cover affront. Of course Shiro knew he was from a distinguished bloodline of exorcists; Shizuku had told him. He just wanted to help set those frown lines into permanent wrinkles. If you are a prick, at least make sure people can tell before they make the mistake of addressing you.

"My maternal grandfather is in the Vatican Council. My paternal grandfather works in the Vatican archives, and handles all important proceedings and decisions. They confide certain things, but it stays in the family."

Oh, the way he emphasized family… If this had been back home, Shiro knew exactly what he would have done to that kind of impudent, cocky...

"Isn't that tiresome?" He spoke in casual tones. "Carrying the expectations of a family like that all alone – what if you fail your exams?"

Kita rewarded him the Glance of Scorn. Shiro had to hand it to him, it was good enough for capital letters. Must have taken a lifetime to perfect.

"Unlike you and the others, I've been preparing for this my whole life. The odds of me failing a single exam come in the fifth decimal."

A nice, clean punch to the jaw. Wouldn't take too much force, either. Kita's lanky height would give a perfect angle; enough for the jaw to dislocate, pop back, and be stiff and sore for weeks.

Unfortunately, he needed Kita to be able to speak.

"Of course exams won't be a problem", Shiro replied in honey tones. "It's when it comes to real life combat that the Yaonarus turn tail and hide in their bunkers." Another piece of information Shizuku had kindly shared. Shiro countered the Glance of Scorn with a devastating Smile of Fake Compassion. "It's good that some things stay in the family."

The lanky boy trembled with rage, his mouth a thin line under flaring eyes. While not nearly as satisfying as hitting him, it took the edge off the urge.

"Too high and mighty to start a common brawl, are you?" he thought, corners of his lips curling upwards with feral glee. "Can't even man up against an ordinary human, can y- Wha-?"

Shiro's feet suddenly dangled above the floor, and a furry claw had a firm grip on the collar of his uniform. He found his own reflection staring back at him with a startled look as he faced the huge, yellow eye of Sen's familiar. Next to him, Kita found himself in similar predicament.

"You will be late for class", Sen informed, her voice like grass shifting idly in the breeze. She looked like a little moving ornamental doll, all large eyes and outdated hairstyle. Midori, barefooted as always, sauntered over to them and cocked her head with an attentive look. Then she smiled like purling water and nodded.

"Like bickering magpies indeed~" She gave them each an amused look. "She would bite your tails if you had any, goblin says. Is what you do with little naughty goblins." She cocked her head again, ears tuning in on some unheard sound from behind. "Is Agari-san, methinks. Don't let her catch you fighting, hm~?" She winked. "See you in class!"

Sen's goblin disappeared with a muffled bang. Sen herself followed Midori, walking right past as if they weren't even there. Kita didn't spare Shiro even a glance, but strode ahead at fast pace. Shiro leaned against the wall, tucking a cigarette between his teeth and shoving his hands in his pockets.

So, Kita aimed to become a paragon exorcist? Not much motive to sabotage the school there. Although he'd just scratched the surface, Shiro didn't think Kita was the type to do something like that: he was the all-talk type that he had a deep, fundamental dislike for. If one really pushed the point, it would be more of Kita's style to have some henchman or henchmen to do the dirty work for him. Then again: motive? None that he could see.

True enough, Agari turned the corner only moments after the others had left. Several metres behind was Ryuuji, walking like someone with a gun held to his back.

"Oi." He nodded an informal greeting. "Why do you look like you've shit yourself?"

At first Agari seemed about to retort, then she spun around. Ryuuji froze like a deer.

"Go on." Agari motioned for him to walk. "I don't like having people walking behind me."

The thought of having Agari walking behind him gave Ryuuji's face an almost visible hue of green.

"Try smiling, Agari-chan." Shiro chuckled despite Ryuuji's silent pleas for help. "You could scare off demons with that stern face."

Tamer class was led by a short, jovial man who presented himself as Futotsuki Itsuhito.

"Tamers are quite different from other exorcists", he began in a rich, startling baritone. He produced a piece of chalk and started drawing in long, meticulous strokes. "Ours is the gentlest, and the cruellest way of fighting. Cruel, because we subjugate another being to do our bidding against its will: gentle, because most demons will rather withdraw than fight and harm one of their own – unless, of course, they have strict orders from one of the demon lords." Futotsuki-sensei's voice became sombre. "In that case, they will fight to the death. Subjugating a demon requires strong spirit, and strong blood; only one of the two won't be enough. In a class of seven, two at most will be attending Tamer class again. In this class three, since one of you is a Futotsuki." He mirrored the strange, disconnected smile Sen wore. "I want you to take a piece of paper from the stack here on the table, and draw the figure I have drawn on the floor. Be careful. The lines of a summoning circle require the same precision as the words and inflection of Aria chanting. I will demonstrate how it's done. First, an offering of blood." Futotsuki-sensei made a swift cut in his forearm, flicking blood down on the circle. "Then you speak the words that come to mind. Let that which is hidden be clear; let that which sleeps awake; illuminated by the flame that burns without scorching!"

The air in the room seemed to tighten in cramp, drawing towards the circle as of a giant sucking in breath. It swirled and whipped and condensed, until the ghostly shape of a great lizard had formed. Its eyes were burning coals, its tongue a thread of flame: the rest of the body was a thorny, rippling mass of oily smoke and glowing fire.

"This is a salamander, a demon of fire", Futotsuki-sensei said, regarding the creature as one looks at a dog or cat. "It is a powerful ally if faced with insect demons, plant demons or rot demons. But however powerful the familiar, they can all be expelled with a single stroke of a finger." Futotsuki-sensei kneeled and drew one finger across a chalk line, and the moment the circle was broken the salamander disappeared. "Demons are spirits, you see. In the physical world of Assiah, they are like fish on dry land. They can only come here if they shield their essence in a material object, as in possession, or are granted entry to our world through a summoning circle." He gestured towards the figure on the floor. "It is, in crude terms, a very weak gateway to Gehenna. Have you finished your circles? Good."

Ryuuji didn't succeed in summoning anything, which wasn't unexpected. It pleased Shiro very much to see that Kita failed. He wasn't surprised to see that Agari summoned a large, blue-scaled snake demon: the only one surprised seemed to be Agari herself. Taking one look at the coiled snake, its head reared up to look back at her, she tore the paper in half and expelled it.

"Very good, Katsuda-chan! The naga are prince Amaimon's subjects, fierce and protective. Keeping a naga familiar brings long life."

Shizuku and Midori tried, but summoned nothing. Shiro pricked his finger and stained the paper red. The first thing that came to mind, huh?

"Lend me power to take on all the opportunities of life."

The beating of mighty wings rushed through the room: before Shiro landed a bird the size of a small pony, its head and claws those of a dog, its feathers all the colours of the rainbow. It folded its wings gently over a peacock tail, regarding him with eyes the shade of time.

"Well, I didn't expect to be that accurate in my estimations", Futotsuki-sensei chortled. "This is a shahrokh. A spirit of air, associated with fertility. Stronger than she looks, too."

"She?" Shiro was still struggling with the fact that he had summoned anything at all. He actually had an aptitude for this…?

"Why yes: all shahrokhs are female. Kohu needs to drill you harder, dear Pages. So, three Tamers this year." Futotsuki-sensei scratched the scarce stubble on his chin, still smiling. "That's a good litter, it is. The rest of you, I'm afraid, will only be joining us for drawing seals and wards."

"Futotsuki-sensei", Agari looked like she was standing to attention, except for the eyes that were fixed on Futotsuki-sensei's feet. "I don't mean to be rude, but I have no intention of meistering in Tamer. Could I also come for seals and wards, and only that?"

"Hah? Well, if you really don't want to… Do remember that being Tamer is a unique experience, Katsuda-chan. It's a gift few have, and I would encourage you not to throw away the opportunity. Ultimately, of course, the choice is yours."

At the end of class, Shiro shuffled over to the little man.

"Futotsuki-sensei…" Shiro wasn't used to hearing his voice sound so hesitant. "If I tear the paper, can I summon her again?"

He hoped he was pulling the right strings. Unless his ears had been completely malfunctioning, Futotsuki-sensei might have interesting things to say if stroked the right way. Getting on his good side was step one, getting him to talk more about demons step two.

The smile the exorcist gave him was almost fatherly.

"Tell her to leave and she will: keep the paper and you can summon her again, any time you like, so long as your mind is set on it."

"You have a very peaceful familiar, Shiro-kun." Sen was admiring the vibrant plumage with ginger fingers. "Nothing like you at all."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he grimaced.

"Shiro-kun has the will of earth, the mind of water and the heart of fire: and yet his familiar is of air. How is that, uncle?" She trained her big, unseeing eyes on Futotsuki-sensei.

"I don't know, Sen. He has the makings of an excellent Tamer, though", he said, smiling. He then glanced at Shiro as if that was a statement of deep importance. "I never say that in class, because it is Futotsuki philosophy and not Vatican policy, but there is one thing as important as strong blood and strong spirit in a Tamer: strong compassion." He strode over to the bird-dog that still sat, unmoving, and watched them with serene eyes. Their faces were almost level. Gently, almost reverently, he laid a hand on the demon's cheek. "The familiar mirrors the Tamer, to a certain extent. The Vatican doesn't acknowledge that, because that would be to say that man and demon are not so different. I don't think we are, personally. You can tell her that she can leave until you call again, Fujimoto-kun."

"You can go now, if you want. I'll call for you if I need you. Uh, and thank you for coming."

The shahrokh spread its wings gracefully, and in one powerful beat it was gone. Shiro folded the summoning circle neatly and tucked it away in an inside pocket.

"The truth is that nobody knows, of course", Futotsuki-sensei resumed in lighter tones. "But it doesn't hurt to look at things from more than one side. Now, I'll be teaching those hopeless second-year Tamers in a minute, so I have to ask you to leave. Don't hesitate to come by and talk, though. I'm always eager to hear how my little niece is faring – and how her classmates fare with her. Good bye!"