Half Demon Swordsman
Chapter Thirteen: Disappearing Busses?

Asagi

"Roku, Dai, the rules please?" Sensei asked a couple days after the clock store incident.

They smirked. "Of course Sensei." They answered in unison. They did that a lot. "The rules are: you will not whine."

"We will not whine." The rest of us parroted back.

"You will act like you are smart."

"We will act like we are smart." We repeated.

"You will not be arrogant."

"We will not be arrogant."

"You will not be late to class."

"We will not be late to class."

"And finally, InuYasha's word is law."

"InuYasha's word is law."

"Serena, Amy your report cards." Sensei barked as Shion, Ai, Roku, Dai, Shiori and I all handed up our report cards. "Let's see them."

Serena sighed. "Yes InuYasha-sensei."

By now she'd learned that it was impossible to argue with Sensei. For one, it was just plain stupid, and another, it just got everyone extra conditioning, and for yet another it just made all of us extremely pissed at her. Sensei looked at our report cards. "Asagi, you need to get your math grade up, though I don't blame you for not doing well. Math is my hardest subject as well. Dai, Roku, you two aren't doing well enough in Japanese. Are you two just incredibly lazy?"

"Um, sorry Sensei?" They tried.

InuYasha rolled his eyes. "Please. Ai, work on gym. I don't see how you're doing badly in that class." He commented.

Ai blushed. "Sorry Sensei, but it's too easy compared to what you have us do, and every time I ask the teacher to make it harder, she docks points." She explained.

InuYasha-sensei rolled his eyes. He continued naming off everything that people needed to work on. Serena needed to bring all her grades up, whereas Amy didn't need to work on anything except gym.

On our way home from training, a bunch of police cars blared by.

"Wonder what that's all about?" I asked curiously.

Serena shrugged, when we spotted Amy. "Hey, Amy!" She called.

"Hi Serena. Oh Luna!" Amy said cheerfully as Luna ran up to her.

"Wanna go to the arcade?" Serena asked eagerly.

"Sorry, I can't. I've got too much homework." Amy apologized.

"Don't you have some of that too Serena?" Luna asked dryly from her place in Amy's arms. She probably did.

Serena laughed nervously. "Nothing that can't wait."

I sighed. "I'm going to the arcade anyway to get a milkshake. Come with me if you want. Training was pretty rough today."

"Where are they all going?" Serena wondered.

"Hey you guys!" Molly called as she walked over to us.

"You guys won't believe what's happening." One Serena's friends added.

"What?" I asked curiously. "What's happening?"

"All those cops are heading to the Sacred Temple on Cherry Hill." She explained. "Supposedly a bus disappeared near there. It picked up a bunch of people, and then poof. It vanished into thin air. And you know what I heard? The news said this wasn't the first time that his has happened. The police are trying to keep it quiet. They're scared people will freak out."

"The Sacred Temple's really nice." Amy commented.

"I've never been." Molly admitted.

"Well I'm not about to start going there now." Serena announced. "Not with people disappearing and stuff. I'll stick to the video arcade thank you."

"I heard you can get these good luck charms for really cheap there, and they bring you good luck in everything." Molly squealed.

"Even getting a boyfriend Serena." The other girl added.

"Really? Let's go." Serena cheered.

"Do you think you could pick one up for me too?" Amy asked hesitantly.

"Huh? Got a secret crush Amy?" Serena teased.

"Oh no, not at all." Amy replied. "I've got too much going on. I just wanted them to bring me some good luck on the extra credit essays I wrote, and in training."

I grinned. "Yeah, that's a good thing to want good luck for." I agreed. So together we walked to the temple. Ai was dressed in a typical priestess's outfit, sweeping the grounds. "Ai?" I said curiously. "Do you work here or something?"

Ai smiled sheepishly and shook her head, blushing a bit. "Nope. Guess I forgot to tell you I live here." She explained.

"Ah, back already?" A short old man asked. "I bet you want more charms, right? Don't miss your bus. Better go."

"Grandpa." A girl about the same age as Serena sighed. "Why won't you ever wear your glasses?" This seemed to be an ongoing argument.

"Don't you already know the answer to that nee-chan?" Ai sighed. "He claims-"

"Because I don't need them." The old man answered, cutting Ai off.

"Those aren't even the same girls Grandpa." Ai scolded.

"And you say you don't need glasses." The other girl sighed.

I felt something evil. It felt a lot like Jedite, actually.

I closed my eyes. "Breath in, and hold it for seven beats." I recited under my breath, sure that Ai was doing the same. "Now breath out and hold it for seven beats again." I saw Serena's gold aura, Ai's aqua blue aura, a fiery red aura overlaid with the symbol of Mars (could she possibly be Sailor Mars?) from the girl Ai called her nee-chan, a dark red with a vaguely evil feeling from the old man, and Jedite's familiar red overlaid with black aura. "Jedite's here." I hissed under my breath. Ray, Ai's older sister, accidentally threw a sutra on Serena, and she passed out because of it. We took her into a room where Ray tended to her.

"Miss Ray," A familiar voice said as the door opened.

My eyes narrowed. "Jedite." I hissed.

He ignored me. "Here are the bandages you wanted."

"Thanks, just leave them at the door." Ray thanked.

I looked at Ray, and at Ai. "You know, I never knew that you lived here Ai." I commented, looking around.

Ai blushed. "Yeah, I know. I guess that's because I didn't want to be treated like a freak or something. And of course, I can't be a priestess because of what I am, so Ray and I go to different schools."

"He's so cute." Molly simpered.

I made a gagging sound. "Spare me." I said rolling my eyes.

"Cute, where?" Serena asked excitedly, bolting upright.

I sighed. "No one nee-chan. A red and black aura-d enemy." I whispered in her ear.

"Who was that hunk?" Molly asked, her curiosity mixed with excitement.

"That's Jed." Ray replied. "Our new caretaker."

"I don't like him." Ai added. "Grandpa used to run everything, but he isn't able to do it much anymore 'cause he's gotten so old."

"I wish I were finished with school, so I could help out more myself." Ray finished.

"I don't like him." Ai said again. "He sure doesn't smell human."

I shot Ai a look, and she shut up.

"Sorry about that." Ray apologized to Serena. "You're sure nothing's broken?"

"Uh, I don't think so." Serena answered, confused.

I sighed. "In that case, let's go. Homework, remember, Serena?"

Serena pouted. "I know that if I don't say alright fine and go do it, you're gonna keep bugging me until I do, so alright, let's go. See ya Ai. See you at the Dojo next week."