(A/N: So I hope you had your Erza/Lelouch fill from last chapter cause aside from a small role in this one, neither character is a major part of the arc. This arc is all about Kallen and it has specific circumstances to it that make it so that none of Team Natsu is even a major player in this arc, nor any members of the Black Knights. However, there's still plenty to love. Suzaku fans—if they exist—are certainly going to get their fair share of his spotlight this arc—more so than even his own arc I'd wager, or just as much. I'd say more, but it's kind of spoilerific. Let's just say that if you've read Ah My Goddess—the entire manga—you will probably see some of the twists in this arc coming. Also, no worries about me going on hiatus after two arcs, I worked out what I'm doing for Edolas. We're in for the long haul my friends…hopefully. Oh and what happened this week in Fairy Tail was just tragic. *sad face*. Right then, let's begin).
Disclaimer: Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail. Ichiro Okuichi owns Code Geass.
Secondary disclaimer: I know about the reveal regarding Natsu as of the end of the Tartarus arc. That chapter was publicized after I made after this chapter. Please read next chapter's author's notes as to how I'm handling it since it affects something I do in this chapter.
"To travel into the demonic realm is a fool's quest, but the Black Knights are all about taking risks for the greater good and I could think of no greater good than to reunite Kallen with her brother."
—Lelouch Lamperouge
October 5th, X784
Kallen woke up that morning to the nightmare of her past. The memory of losing Naoto plagued her in her sleep once more. She looked out her window. The sun was barely up and the clouds were gray. If she went downstairs now, no one would even be awake. Unfortunately, it seemed, her body was too scared out of its own wits to go back to sleep.
Yawning, Kallen stripped down of her night clothes and took a shower. In the several days since victory at Unistrad, she'd almost completely forgotten about Naoto's connection to the ordeal. After that dream though, it was back at the forefront of her mind. She needed to talk to Lelouch as soon as possible.
With her shower finished and her body dressed, Kallen made her way down the stairs to an empty banquet hall. As she predicted, not a soul was stirring aside from her. Kallen stood in front of the job board, pondering if she should take a request from it to pass the time by, something to take her mind off things. As she stared at the varying jobs listed on Knightmare Frame's wall, she found a B-rank mission that suited her fancy. However, as she reached out to it, it suddenly came flying off the wall.
Kallen watched it go sailing back and into Nonette's hand.
"Was this the one you wanted?" the blonde said, winking and sticking out her tongue.
"Give it here, Nonette," Kallen growled.
"My someone's not a morning person," Nonette teased. A loud growl emitted from Kallen. "Jeez, don't your panties in a wad. I'm just wondering what you're doing up so early. Nobody's up at this hour, you know. I'm only up cause I have kitchen duty today.
"I don't want to talk about it," Kallen said, looking away.
"Nightmares from Unistrad?"
"Something like that," Kallen responded. She was surprised when Nonette gave her a hug, pushing Kallen's head into her chest.
"If you need security, you're welcome to use my bosom, Kallen-chan."
"I'm fine! Thank you!" Kallen exclaimed, stubbornly pushing Nonette away. She stared at the floor. "Do you know what time Lelouch usually rises in the morning?"
"Oh, him? Lulu's a heavy sleeper unless he has an assignment in the morning." Nonette handed Kallen the job request she grabbed earlier. "Here, why don't you run off and do this. By the time you get back, I'm sure the place will be really bouncing."
"Right," Kallen nodded.
The job request was from a town a short train ride over. There was a bear roaming around the grasslands that they wanted exterminated. However, this was no ordinary bear. This bear had somehow absorbed a lachryma into its body that was making it possible to spit blasts of magic as small as boomerangs, but with impacts large enough to cause craters.
As Kallen arrived in the town, she realized this was the first time in a long time that she'd tried to take on a mission alone. Ever since she became a member of the Black Knights she was always with at least somebody. Usually it was so she didn't have to do much legwork unless the situation called for it. It would be a breath of fresh air for Kallen. And, unlike when she was a part of any other guild, she felt confident for it.
Her arrival at the city hall was about as awkward as it could get with Kallen being an early riser and all that. At least the mayor was willing to talk to her at 8:30am. Kallen made the excuse that after waking up early she felt there was no better exercise to get than going on a bear hunt. The mayor warned her that whole teams of mages had tried to eliminate the beast and all of them failed. Three lives had been lost in the process.
"I'm no ordinary mage, sir," Kallen said with confidence, "I'm a mage of Knightmare Frame!"
"Do be careful all the same," Kallen was told.
The young mage meandered out into the closed off grasslands and waited patiently. She removed the bandages from her arm and flexed the muscles in her demonic arm a little bit. This definitely had to be one of the things fixed in her intended trip to the demonic realm, she figured. Still, as Kallen walked around the sealed off grasslands, she tried to figure out an approach to draw out the bear.
Thankfully, she didn't have to, the bear found her. With a launch of its special magic beam from its mouth, Kallen felt like she's just been hit by a speeding train as the explosion consumed her. Still, she didn't seem too worse for wear as she heard the bear roar.
If it's just extermination, no reason not to go all out. Kallen clenched her fist and launched her arm forward with full force. "How do you like this? Breaker X!" The radioactive wave blast completely vaporized the bear, leaving a bigger crater than the one Kallen was standing in, in her wake. "Huh," she scratched her head, "I should've brought a witness. Seriously…how am I gonna get paid?"
Back at Knightmare Frame, the guild was slowly starting to wake up and Nonette was singing in the kitchen as she continued to cook another batch of her guild famous coconut pancakes.
As Inoue loaded up her plate and sat at the Black Knights' table she said, "Hey, has anyone seen Kallen at all this morning?"
"If you're asking about Kallen she left this morning on a mission by herself!" Nonette called from the kitchen.
Lelouch almost did a spit take. Instead the juice, ice and all just dribbled back into the cup.
"V-very attractive, commander," Nagisa commented sarcastically.
"Excuse me, everyone," Lelouch marched into the kitchen. The group could hear his talk with Nonette. "She did WHAT?"
"What's the matter? It was just some extermination mission. It's no big deal."
"No big deal? What if she transforms and no one's around to stop her? What if we get in major trouble because she goes ballistic and we weren't around to reel her in?"
"Oh come on, Lelouch, she's an A-rank mage, not a basket case or a liability. Have a little faith. Isn't she supposed to be your ace or something? Now come on, have some pancakes fresh off the griddle."
"I've lost my appetite."
"Oh no, I insist."
The Black Knights were unsurprised when Lelouch came back to the table with twelve pancakes on his plate, piled high. His hair looked a little frazzled too.
"Um…does anyone want pancakes? I have plenty."
"Sure," Tamaki said, reaching for half the stack.
"Sir, are you okay?"
"J-just fine," Lelouch said only to laugh nervously.
"Hey guys, I'm back!" Kallen exclaimed proudly, marching into the guild.
"Oh, hey, morning Kallen? How'd it go? Nonette said you went on a mission all by yourself."
"Yup, and I even got paid too! I—" She noticed Lelouch's condition. "Are you okay, Lelouch? You look like you've seen a ghost."
"More like the grim reaper," Lelouch said, shivering a little.
"Well, I hope you can shake it off soon," Kallen said with boundless confidence, flexing her demonic arm, "Cause I've got a mission for ya." Kallen then went upstairs to freshen up for breakfast. She passed CC who then saw the Black Knights as she landed on the ground floor.
"Well, someone's in high spirits," the green haired witch commented as she stood near the table. "Something happen to him?" She pointed to Lelouch. But then almost immediately followed up with, "Nonette?"
"Nonette," Nagisa answered for you.
"Ah, right, situation normal then." She then picked up Lelouch's pancakes, plate and all. "They're going to waste just sitting here," she said taking the plate to the far corner of the dining hall. Lelouch tilted forward, still in shock from what felt to him like an otherworldly encounter.
After Lelouch returned to normal, he was overjoyed to hear of Kallen's success, which was the talk of her devouring of fifteen and a half pancakes.
"I'm really proud of you, Kallen," he told her. "You've really changed so much these last two years. When you first got here, you wouldn't have even thought to go anywhere alone, let alone use Breaker X on a magical grizzly bear. I was right to pick you as my ace."
Kallen giggled, proud of herself. "It's all because you had confidence in me, Lelouch. I really appreciate it."
"Anyway, you said you had a mission," Lelouch said as Kallen began wiping the syrup from her mouth with her napkin.
"Right," Kallen nodded. "Do you have any stomach medicine? You're going to need it where we're going."
"Any of us coming along?" Kent asked.
"Well, until I know exactly what I'm up against, do you guys mind if it's just me and Lelouch?"
"Oho, I see what's going on, trying to get a little alone time with the boss under the pretense of a mission, huh?" Tamaki asked, nudging Kallen's upper arm with his elbow. "Clever girl, Kallen, didn't think you had it in you."
"Ugh, it's not like that!" Kallen exclaimed, turning a little red, "really!"
"Well whatever it's like, I'm more than happy to oblige after a job well done this morning," Lelouch said. "Let me go check my supplies. If all else fails I'll have Wendy use Troia. You deserve any and all resources pulled for such an achievement in your personal career."
"Thanks, Lelouch," Kallen said with a contented smile.
Kallen waited for Lelouch at the train station as he arrived in his usual attire of red jacket, black shirt and jeans. "So, where are we going?" he asked.
"Kraken's Eye," Kallen said. "There's something I want to talk to Kasumi about and…well…you were at Unistrad."
"Right," Lelouch nodded, figuring he'd hear more as the two proceeded onward. "Guess I'll use the pay-per-use lachryma to contact Nina at the inn we stay at tonight." He hadn't said anything to Marianne or Nunnally and he didn't want them to worry when he and Kallen didn't come home. He could've just ran back to the guild, but that seemed like a rude thing to do and it would waste time.
Once he and Kallen were on the train, the latter continued her explanation. "Withengar…he…he called me Naoto, my brother's name. The priestess from Unistrad said it was Naoto that brought her the dagger too. But…that's impossible."
"Why's that?"
Kallen held up her currently bandaged arm, "Naoto disappeared on the same day this happened to me. We tried to summon a sprite, a harmless fairy, but we were kids. We couldn't read well and so Naoto saw Spite summoning and went with that setup in its stead. I was really young so I couldn't read very well at all. The demon sucked Naoto into the demonic realm. And I…well you know what happened to me."
"I'd still like to hear the details from your mouth if it's not too troubling."
Kallen sighed. "When Naoto was pulled in, some sort of shield surrounded the pentagram. I was so desperate to save him that somehow slipped my hand straight through the shield. I reached into the portal to grab Naoto, but the portal closed on my arm. I thought I was going to lose my right arm permanently, but I actually pulled it out of the demonic realm and…well now you know the rest."
"So that's how it happened, hmm?"
"I always wanted to become a mage since I was little." Kallen chuckled to herself. "There was a woman I met. I can barely remember her face, much less her name. She visited the diner where my brother worked. Naoto told me, because I couldn't remember what she said, that she said I might become a great mage one day, just like her. I always used to think that that was such a lie, but…after today," Kallen smiled as she looked at her arm, "I think I'm starting to really like being a mage." Kallen was surprised when she started shedding tears.
Lelouch smiled. "You've been so hard on yourself, but those times are behind you. So, what exactly are we going to Kasumi for? Though, I think I can already guess."
Kallen sniffed, dried her eyes and nodded. "Yeah," she said, nodding. "I want to go to the demonic realm. I want to find my brother and find out what happened to him. You'll help me, right?"
"Of course, Kallen. You know I will."
"Thanks, Lelouch."
October 6th
1pm
Kraken's Eye Guild house
"So let me get this straight," Kasumi said as she, Kallen and Lelouch conversed in the same, dark living room the Black Knights had been in the last time they visited Kraken's Eye, "You want me to aid you in going to the demonic realm so you can find your brother who was trapped there after an incident thirteen years ago?"
"That about sums it up, yes," Kallen said.
"It's a fool's errand to go into the demonic realm. You should know that from what Kalina has told me and what Ratatosk told all of you about me. Besides, there's no guarantee you'll find Naoto."
"If a demon as powerful as Withengar—"
"Yes, Withengar, a Zeref demon," Kasumi said. "Did you not consider the possibility he might, in actuality be working for Zeref now. Things like that have happened."
"Naoto would never-!" Kallen began to shout, but Lelouch calmed her by tugging on her arm and with a hand gesture.
"Kasumi," he said, "In technicality, as part of hiring us, Kalina still owes us a favor, however small. You, by extension, would never allow her to venture somewhere so dangerous," his smile became crafty, "and don't you want to help Kallen who you regret throwing out on the streets?"
Kasumi sighed, putting her hand up by her face. "It's not that I don't want to help, it's that I don't want you getting your hopes up that the answer you find will be an answer you like."
"I just want closure," Kallen said. "Whatever the truth is, I want to embrace it."
"Heh, you and Kalina are similar in that regard, I guess. Very well. Unfortunately, that will not be today."
"Why not?" Kallen asked her.
"The two mages that helped me get into the demonic realm, Leana Verundum and Jace Highwind, are currently not present. They're out on a mission together and they won't be back for another week. I'll drop by on the sixteenth, a few days after they return, and we can get started on a plan to help me decide who will be going along with Kallen, Kalina and I on this dangerous job. I suspect a party of seven would be ideal, including the three of us."
"Then you'll have your party of seven right now. I'll go and so will Inoue, Ohgi and Rakshata," Lelouch said.
"You say that, but I have my doubts you'd survive the trip. Leana and Jace couldn't last more than a few hours in the demonic realm. Are you saying mages of your ken would last more than a week at most?"
"I…"
"If you want to prove it," Kasumi said, standing, "I can show you right now why you would never survive a trip into the demonic realm. Prepare your best intimate defenses!"
"Uh, sure." Lelouch said and steeled himself, wondering what Kasumi was going to do. He was surprised when Kasumi clamped her hand firmly over his mouth and began unleashing some sort of energy from her palm. Lelouch knew what this was, this was miasma, the bane of magi and the delicious treat to demon kind. Lelouch began clawing at his throat, his lungs burning from the poison in them. Kasumi, seeing this, let go. Lelouch began coughing hard.
"Do you see?" the guild master asked the necromancer. Lelouch looked at her. "That was but a small dose of focused miasma, the equivalent of living in the demonic realm for less than an hour. If you couldn't even withstand that, you'd never be able to help Kallen."
"But…" Lelouch coughed. "How can she…"
"Kallen's a demon. As I half-breed I can sense that much. Well, maybe calling her a full demon is insulting depending on how she feels. However, as a mage that can use demon magic, she'll be unaffected by miasma all the same."
"So…" Lelouch coughed again. "We need mages that won't be affected by your miasma."
"Enough to live in the demonic realm for a full week to be on the safe side," Kasumi answered.
"I see," Lelouch coughed. "The sixteenth it is then."
"Hey, is he going to be all right?" Kallen asked.
"It should flush out of his system in about ten minutes, growing less potent with each passing second. Like I said, I only gave him about an ounce of focused miasma into his lungs."
"Well, we," Lelouch coughed briefly, "appreciate this aide, Kasumi."
"It's no problem. I'll do anything I can to help and I'm sure Kalina would want to see her father. Kallen, I don't know if Ratatosk will have anything that can help, but…well I hope you aren't too disappointed if he doesn't."
"I won't know until I try," Kallen said with conviction.
"Hmph, so you won't," Kasumi said with a smile.
October 16th
Knightmare Frame Guild House
Kasumi arrived at Knightmare Frame on the sixteenth just like she said she would. Her arrival came at a reasonable hour, alongside Jace Highwind and Leana Verendum, her best friends since childhood, and her daughter Kalina.
It was the first time Lelouch would meet Jace and Leana rather than just hearing about them from Ratatosk. Both Jace and Leana were about as old as Kasumi. Both were S-class and she trusted them with her life. Well, to a point at least.
Compared to Kasumi, Leana carried herself with greater poise. By comparison, Lelouch compared her most to Guinevere. However, at least Guinevere's long, purple dress had shoulder straps. Leana's hips were also a bit more proportionate to her waist length and her skin was tanner. Also, her chest was a cup size or two smaller than Guinevere's. Lastly, Leana wore both a tiara and a choker and had chocolate brown hair cascading down straight. Guinevere kept her very sandy brown hair in a ponytail and wore a necklace.
Jace was dressed in a dark blue jacket with spikey, black hair. He had on a cape and baggy, blue pants. Lelouch realized he was the Jace that Chandra always talked about when, upon arriving in the guild, the first thing he did was hit on the nearest woman.
"Well, hey there beautiful," he said with all the grace and charm of salesman. "How are you doing?"
Unfortunately for Jace, said woman happened to be Cornelia. "You must have me mistaken for a girl looking for a good time," she said stoically, arms folded. "I'm not one for charmers. I prefer my men strong and able bodied."
"What a coincidence, I prefer my women tough as nails."
The situation escalated when Cornelia stuck a gun in his face and then looked to Kasumi. "Can I shoot him?"
"By all means," Kasumi said with a wry smile.
"Lady Kasumi!" Jace whined.
"You do know that I'll really shoot him," Cornelia said without skipping a beat.
Kasumi sighed. "Jace stop fooling around and get over here."
"Of course, Lady Kasumi," Jace said walking over to her, Leana and Kalina.
Lelouch was not amused. "So, should I procure most of my guild?"
"That would be for the best. Anyone not willing to traipse into the demonic realm should stay home, though, even if they're able to."
"Right," Lelouch nodded.
Within twenty minutes most of Knightmare Frame was outside and coughing up a storm. Only one person she'd tested thus far had proved resilient to a mild dose of miasma: Suzaku Kururugi. Wendy was currently in the process of flushing the miasma out of everyone's respiratory system. Jeremiah was also moaning how his loyalty had failed his young master.
"Impressive," Kasumi said, as Suzaku didn't flinch and inch from enough miasma that was the equivalent of twelve hours in the demonic realm.
"I'll say. How are you doing that?" Lelouch asked.
"Significant self-discipline," Suzaku answered.
"Well at least he didn't say fighting spirit," Kallen bemoaned.
"Well don't get your hopes up just yet," Kasumi said, her entire hand circulating with black particles. "That was just a twelve-hour dose. Let's see if you can put up with a week's worth."
Suzaku's head became obscured by the miasma floating around his head like a dense, black sandstorm. And yet, the young kinetic mage didn't move a muscle. He stood stalwart like a statue and waited for Kasumi to pull back of her own accord.
"Impressive, very impressive," Kasumi said. "All right, you'll do."
"That's about everyone that's not S-class," Lelouch said.
"Hmmm," Kasumi leaned forward, pondering. "Guess there's nothing for it. Can you're guild spare at least one S-class. I hate to impose when we've got me and my daughter already. Jace and Leana are going to be the one's keeping the portal open too."
"Of course we can spare S-classes," Marianne said as she stepped outside. "But that depends, what's this about?"
After catching Marianne up to speed, Lelouch was surprised when she herself volunteered to go. He was then shocked beyond words when she couldn't last more than a day's dose of miasma.
"Why don't you use the sun lion armor?" Lelouch asked.
"I would never be able to keep that up non-stop," Marianne said. "The moment I took it off I'd be in serious trouble."
"I concur," Kasumi nodded. "Thank you for at least trying, Lady Marianne."
"Oh anything for my guild members," Marianne said sweetly. "Cornelia, why don't you give things a try?"
Unfortunately, Cornelia couldn't even last four hours before she was coughing profusely. Marianne volunteered CC next. She didn't budge.
"It's easy with geass," she said, her eyes flaring with red energy. "The only way the magic would wear off is if I lost consciousness or I turned it off manually. If the former happens, well then we're all in trouble."
"But can you maintain that geass for at least a week?"
"I could maintain almost any of my geasses for a full year or more if it came down to it. This one is no different."
"Well, that's five then," Lelouch said. "We need two more."
"Let me have a go then," Nonette volunteered.
Lelouch smirked. If Nonette was going the mission would be cake.
And yet he was absolutely flabbergasted when, even in her best form, Nonette's susceptibility to miasma kept her at only two days' maximum.
"Sorry," she apologized.
I never thought I'd live to see the day when not one, but two people beat Nonette at anything, Lelouch commented.
"It's all right," Kasumi said. "If this mission was a get in and get out type of ordeal, I'd have no problem bringing you along."
"But that's only five," Lelouch sighed.
"Won't that be enough?" Suzaku asked.
Kasumi shook her head. "Never underestimate the strength of the demonic realm. It would be wise that we try to find two more people."
"Well, unfortunately, I think you've tested everyone in this guild," Lelouch said to her.
"Why don't we ask Fairy Tail for help, then," Kallen suggested.
"Hmm," Lelouch pondered. In truth he didn't really want to involved Fairy Tail in his personal problems, but when he thought of Natsu jumping at the chance to try and make a trip to the demonic realm he could only chuckle. "Well, all right, I suppose it couldn't hurt to at least ask." He looked at Wendy. "But I need you to come along, Wendy."
"Eh? Me?"
"Fairy Tail doesn't have a reliable healer. We can't leave everyone in a coughing fit, now can we?"
"No sir!" Wendy saluted. "I'll come!"
"Have a safe trip Wendy," Gino told her.
"You betcha!"
"It'll be safer than Unistrad at least," Lelouch commented.
"If we're going to Fairy Tail that means I'll meet Erza Scarlet," Jace's heart soared.
Lelouch's gaze became stern and cold. He knew better than to try and attack an S-class mage, but Jace had just hit a sore spot after he saw him flirt with Cornelia. "Kasumi."
Without a word, Kasumi grabbed Jace by the shoulder and slammed him to the ground with immense force. She left her childhood friend in a crater big enough to fit a king sized bed. "Here's an idea Jace," she said as she got to her feet and moved a strand of hair out of her eyes, "Why don't you and Leana get started on that portal. Kallen, where did you used to live again?"
"Elric," Kallen answered.
"Right then, that's only a few hours away from here. You two get your tickets for there and we'll meet you there by tonight at the earliest. Take Suzaku and CC with you."
Jace immediately bounced to his feet. "Ooh, the pretty green haired girl? I—"
"Geass: Gravity!"
Jace suddenly felt like his body weighed twenty times its normal weight and he collapsed back into the crater.
Leana facepalmed. "Ugh, idiot."
Fairy Tail Guild house
Upon arriving in Magnolia, Lelouch was shocked at the damage, wondering if a storm had blown through here. The first thing he did upon arriving at Fairy Tail was asked what happened. Thankfully, Natsu, Lucy, Erza and Gray were all sitting around outside. Juvia was nearby. Lelouch, though he could not fathom why, could only chuckle at how Juvia thought she was so clever hiding in a bush. He hadn't been formally introduced to the water body mage, but he at least knew of her from Erza.
"Laxus happened," Natsu told him.
"Laxus did what now?"
"He sabotaged the fair and everything," Gray said. "Long story. I wager you don't have the time."
"I'll tell you about it later," Erza said. "It was quite the endeavor."
"Sure sounds and looks like it." Lelouch wasn't upset that he hadn't been asked to participate in whatever it was Laxus had done. He had kept Fairy Tail out of Knightmare Frame's personal endeavors against Philosopher's Stone so fair was only fair.
"So, what's up?" Natsu asked him. "And who's that lady?"
"I'm Kasumi, the guild master of Kraken's Eye," Kasumi said.
"EHH? You're the guild master of Kraken's Eye?" Lucy sprang to her feet. She grabbed both of Kasumi's hands and shook them. "I'm a huge fan!" she exclaimed. "I really like strong female mages. The fact that you're an amazing mom and an even better respected guild master in your region is…" Lucy squealed with joy, "Oh can I just have your autograph?"
"I don't see why not."
"Wait right there, then. I'm going to go fetch a notepad."
"Well, while we wait for Lucy, why don't I explain the situation?" Lelouch asked.
One Explanation Later…
"A trip to the demonic realm? Count me in! I'm all fired up!" Natsu exclaimed.
I knew he'd say that, Lelouch thought.
"Me too! If it will help Lelouch and his comrades, I'll volunteer."
Gray scratched his left temple with his hand and shrugged. "Eh, sure, why not?"
Unfortunately, upon being tested by Kasumi, not a single one of them could stand up to her miasma.
"Hold on," Erza said, coughing as she held her stomach while on her knees, "I can still—"
"Don't try it," Kasumi told her. "You're lucky you're in non-hostile territory. If this was the demonic realm and demons saw you clutching your stomach like that, you could be lunch. My influence with Ratatosk can only protect us only so much you know."
Erza still stubbornly got to her feet.
"Erza, please," Lelouch said, worried.
Erza, however, was a stubborn woman and didn't want to let Lelouch down. She had resisted better to the twelve hour dose than poor Natsu who was on the ground, but she still had fight left in her.
"By my estimate if you had a thirty-six hour dose you'd collapse, fifty-three and you'd be dead. Don't push yourself for your friend's sake. Your concern is obvious enough as it is."
"Well, if that's the way it has to be then," Erza said, clenching her fist.
Lelouch put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, I want to go too and I can only last as long as Natsu."
"If you want to help, I'm sure Jace and Leana could use help with guarding the portal from demons that would try to escape to the living world."
"Count me in then!" Erza exclaimed. "I want to do whatever I can."
"Good, I'll be thankful for the company," Lelouch said as he then saw Lucy coming outside.
"What the heck is going out here?"
"Oh, hello Lucy, good of you to join us," Erza said with a friendly smile.
"Don't 'hello, Lucy' me. What's going on out here?"
Another short explanation later…
"And that's pretty much the gist of it," Kasumi said as she handed Lucy's autographed notepad back to her.
Lucy sighed. "The demonic realm? Seriously? Sorry, but count me out."
In a puff of smoke Loki appeared at Lucy's side. "In that case, I shall go! Where there is a beautiful maiden in peril, I shall be ready to assist!" he declared with a slick smile and a wink in Kallen's direction.
Kallen remembered Loki. He had shown great concern the first time he had met her. In fact, it had been a long time since Kallen had even seen him. "U-um. I-I guess," she stuttered. "K-Kasumi…"
"Ha, I've seen what you've been doing, Miss Guildmaster and I assure you, I will be immune to its effects."
"Oh? Is that a challenge?" Kasumi said, a crafty smile slowly creeping onto her lips.
Kalina became pale. Her mother smiling like that was never a good sign. It always meant bad things for her victims.
"You are free to take it as you wish," Loki said with a smirk.
"Then you wouldn't have a problem submitting to twice the usual dose we need for this mission?" Kasumi asked.
"U-um, m-mom isn't that lethal?" Kalina asked.
"Be quiet honey, the grownups are talking," Kasumi said and chuckled darkly as miasma began seeping around her entire arm.
"Why are you being so meek?" Kallen asked Kalina. It was unusually uncharacteristic considering the last time she saw Kalina and Kasumi they were at each other's throats.
"Mom is scary when she smiles like that. The things she's done…" Kalina shivered.
"Uh, Kasumi, maybe take it easy?" Kallen questioned only for Kasumi to look over her shoulder and tilt her head up a little. The creepy smile on her face and the reflection in her eyes terrified even Kallen's nerves.
"Yes, Kallen?"
"N-never mind."
Hmm, only ever seen Nonette do that, Lelouch thought. After his experience the other week, he was unfazed by Kasumi's current demeanor.
"Prepare," Kasumi said and grabbed Loki by the neck, hoisting him up off his feet. She let her miasma circulate around him like a cocoon. Loki's body didn't budge a muscle and he didn't cry out or struggle. When the smoke cleared, Loki had his head tilted to the side. Lucy shrieked.
"Ha, just fooling," he said with a smile.
"Idiot!" Lucy exclaimed hitting him on the head.
"I'm impressed," Kasumi said, putting Loki down. "The miasma didn't even faze you."
"Well," Loki said, fixing his lapels, "I am a celestial spirit."
"Won't that put a strain on your master if you come with us?"
"I can maintain my own presence no problem for three years. It shouldn't really be an issue."
"Loki, I appreciate it, but you can't expect me to sit around for a week. I still need to pay rent," Lucy said.
"Hmm," Loki stated.
"If you're not all in, we'll have to look elsewhere," Kasumi told him.
"I can go, I just…" he looked at Lucy. "Well, my master is my top priority."
"Traversing out of the demon world won't be as easy as traversing here from the Celestial world. If you come with us, you're stuck. Lucy couldn't summon you if she tried."
"O-oh," Loki said. He certainly did not want Lucy to be in that kind of danger.
"No sweat!" Natsu exclaimed, putting an arm around her. "Leave Lucy to me! I'd never let anything happen to her!"
Loki grabbed Natsu's shoulders. "You have to swear, Natsu. I can't fail my summoner again. You know this!"
"I'd never let anything happen to Lucy or anyone else in this guild," Natsu said with a completely serious expression and tone. "Go help Kallen. Right now, she needs your help."
Loki looked at Lucy for approval and/or commentary.
Clenching her fists and taking a deep breath, Lucy realized what the right thing to do was, "Loki, you will go and that's an order from your master!"
"Well, if you command it, Lucy, then I cannot refuse," Loki said, smiling. "Miss Guildmaster, I'm all in."
"Please, just call me Kasumi," Kasumi said with a serious face. "Now then, we just need one more party member and we're good."
"Let me go ask Mira," Erza said.
"Huh? Mirajane?" Lelouch asked.
"Mira's back to her old self a little," Erza said.
"What? Really? What happened?"
"It happened yesterday during Laxus' little stunt. I can explain later. Hold on."
Erza went to go fetch Mirajane and brought her outside all caught up to speed. She was stil holding the broom she had been using to sweep. "So, you need my help, Kallen?" she asked.
"If you're willing, Mirajane."
"Well, of course I am," she looked at Kasumi, "I just have to survive a week's equivalent of your miasma, right?"
Kasumi's hand radiated with black particles. "Indeed."
"Well all right, give me a second." She tossed the broom to Lucy and then used her magic. She stood in the exact same form Kallen had seen her use in Unistrad. Mirajane's gaze radiated with confidence. "Take your best shot."
"I don't have to," Kasumi smiled. "That's demonic magic at work there. You're more than qualified to come along."
Mirajane reverted to her natural state. "Oh, wonderful. I'm so glad to help."
The heck was that? Kalina blinked. Her personality spun around and back again on a dime!
"Perfect, we've got our seven," Lelouch said. "Let's—"
"Hold everything!"
Everyone looked to see Makarov exiting the guild. "I heard everything you brats have been talking about just now. You're crazy if you think I'm just gonna let you waltz into the demonic realm."
"Master, you intend to go?" Erza asked.
"What? Me? Hell no, if I went there I'd be dead in under an hour at my age."
"Then what is it you want, Makarov Dreyar?" If there was one thing Kasumi was short on it was patience.
"To test your qualifications of course."
Kasumi was not amused. "You doubt my skills as a guild master?" she asked, folding her arms. "I'll have you know they're considering me for the Wizard Saints with two positions up for grabs."
"Anyone can put together a guild and call themselves a guild master," Makarov said to Kasumi. "And considerations only count in award ceremonies and aesthetics. I knew your father, Kasumi Atrumier. I can tell just from looking at you that while you are his child, you are not his equal."
"So you want to see if I have what it takes to lead this mission at all, is that it?"
"I want to make sure these brats are safe. I don't know how Marianne runs things. Frankly I don't care in this instance. You're taking my brats with you, so you've gotta get my approval to see if this is an outing or a suicide run."
"If you're looking for a fight—"
"Me? Looking for a fight? I'd sooner have a cup of tea and a nap at my age, thank you very much. No, I have a better way of testing you that won't be strenuous on my poor old bones."
Within a few minutes, Makarov had gathered Gajeel, Elfman and had asked Lucy to summon Taurus. He had the two mages and the celestial spirit surround Kasumi.
"On the count of three, these three men will attempt to strike you down. You will fight them until you or they achieve decisive victory."
"Fine," Kasumi said. She was standing with her arms down at her sides completely unarmed.
"Very well," Makarov said and walked onto a nearby stone. Kasumi's eyes followed him until he stood perfectly still. "On the count of three. One. Two!" Makarov then made his arm grow to his titan size and used a sneak attack on Kasumi as he declared. "Three!" The sneak attack was all part of the plan, but all Makarov planned to do for the fight.
However, what transpired could hardly be called a fight. Makarov had expected Kasumi to dodge the strike, and she did. What he hadn't expected was for her to then move so fast her figure was a blur and the next thing everyone spectating knew, Gajeel, Taurus and Elfman were on the ground. Makarov had only seen one clear attack from Kasumi: a blast of dark energy that she used to take down Elfman.
"She mooooooves fast," Taurus groaned. "And she hits like a milk truck."
"Did…she just…down Taurus?" Loki couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"She's fast!" Natsu declared, jaw open.
Erza had seen the whole thing and she was also decisively impressed. Kasumi had reached Taurus first after dodging Makarov. With naught but an elbow bash to the ribs and a high kick to the face, she had taken down the mighty spirit. Her blast was right after that and knocked Elfman flat on his ass. Gajeel had only just begun to use his Iron Dragon's Sword, but Kasumi had taken him down with an open palm thrust to his jaw before grabbing his dominant arm, pulling him forward and driving her knee into his stomach. She then had returned to her starting location.
The motions were so fast, Erza wasn't even sure the others had seen Kasumi's fast, fluid motions. That was a guild master of a guild with S-class mages for you: a completely different level from the norm.
Makarov was grinning widely. "Marvelous!" he exclaimed.
Kasumi held her arm in front of her bust as she re-quipped a custom designed katar. It was a scissor katar with two blades, but they were serrated, thin and the length of short swords. Also, in addition to the usual grip handle, the weapon was connected to Kasumi's arm via a brace that went up to her elbow. She turned and held the blade up in Makarov's direction. "Besides what you saw, I've got one of these for each arm and a plethora of high level dark magic. Satisfied, or will you waste more of my time?"
Makarov could only grin. "You've more than impressed me, Ms. Atrumier. Here's hoping the council does make you a Wizard Saint."
Kasumi smirked. "Right then," she dismissed her katar. "Let's get a move on then. Everyone coming with me, follow me."
Makarov watched as Lucy closed Taurus' gate while Erza, Mirajane, Loki, Wendy, Lelouch, Kallen, and Kalina followed after Kasumi. He was still grinning. Like father like daughter it seems. Talbumosuke, my old friend, you raised one scary kid.
"When people tell me Nonette Enneagram is scary, my response is you haven't seen scary until you've seen my mom angry or smirking."
—Kalina Atrumier
(A/N: I won't contest that Nonette's definitely the more powerful of the two mages, but Kasumi can make you piss yourself with fear just as easily as Knightmare Frame's One Winged Angel. There's going to be a slight delay with the next chapter because I dislike writing fight scenes and, honestly, originally I had intended to use Freed on this mission until I realized how viable of an option Loki was. So, my outline needs a little rewriting. And that's all I have for you fine folks today. Hopefully I'll have a chapter out before the end of next week. See you then!)
