See first chapter for disclaimers.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to Storyseeker for beta-reading this. As usual, if you have any comments or preferences, please don't be shy. RandR. Slight spoilers for Promised Neverland.

PREVIOUSLY: Assassination Classroom

Mixing It Up

"Glad we could help," Xander said, shaking the village leader's hand. "Looks like it's time to go, though." The portal shimmered into existence, beckoning them onward. Faith nodded and started to wave farewell to the villagers they had spent the last week getting to know as they resolved, of all things, a diplomatic crisis. Neither hunter had quite known what to make of that, but pitching in, offering advice and help where needed without actually punching or stabbing anything had been a pleasant if confusing change.

"Wow! That's some neat magic." They turned to see a young girl in an embarrassingly revealing outfit. All three stared as the pink-haired girl with the brilliant blue eyes stuck her head through the portal and pulled back. "Fun! I may go exploring."

"We don't control the portals," Xander said quickly. "We can't guarantee you could get back."

The girl, and Xander found himself wondering what she actually was, ran a finger along the edge of the portal and then stuck it in her mouth with a thoughtful look. "Yeah, it's pretty obvious you didn't make this, that's high-level magic, but now that I've seen it, I can make one myself, at least to go there and get home. Easy."

Their host frowned briefly, but shrugged and addressed the odd creature that probably only looked like a girl. "All I ask, Milim, is that you be careful, and come home safe."

Milim's grin was so wide that Xander feared for her face. "No problem, bestie!" She gave him a hug and followed the two demon hunters through the portal. "This'll be fun, and I'll be back 'fore ya know it!"

Xander and Faith looked around the forest they found themselves in and listened for any sounds that might indicate either civilization, trouble, or both. All too often, they went hand-in-hand. Faith moved back-to-back with him, watching the other direction, till they got a handle on their immediate situation. Milim showed no such caution.

"See ya!" She headed off in what was probably a randomly chosen direction.

Xander and Faith traded glances, and the former shrugged. "Nothin' we can do about her. Let's have a look around."

They began to explore. Moving quietly through the forest, eyes and ears alert; they soon came upon a huge wall. It stretched up well over their heads, and appeared thick and well made. It vanished into the forest in each direction.

"Inside or outside, you suppose?" Faith asked. She tried to follow it with her eyes, but was stymied by the forest.

Xander shrugged. "Let's find out. We'll find a gate eventually."

They followed the wall for about five minutes before they found a path leading away from it. It wasn't much of a trail, more than likely made by animals originally, but it had been widened recently, and there were shoe prints in the dirt. They agreed that was promising. Moving off the trail, they traveled parallel to it, not wanting to meet anyone just yet.

After about 10 minutes of walking/sneaking, they heard voices. It sounded like young children, but not trusting their luck, they dropped to their hands and knees and carefully moved to the edge of the woods before lying behind a bush, looking out into a meadow at a large rambling building. A group of kids dressed in white had just finished pouring out the door into the almost football field-sized yard. They quickly organized a game of some sort, as two of the older children headed into the woods.

"Should we try to talk to those two?" Faith whispered.

"Might scare them," Xander frowned. "But I don't have a better idea." They pulled back and tried to set a course to intercept the two boys.

OOOOOOOOOO

Milim skipped her way through the woods, taking in all of the differences between this new place and home. Mostly, the new place seemed to lack anything resembling magic. There were no magic animals or plants as far as she could tell. So far, the new world was looking pretty dull, or pretty but dull. She smirked a bit over her private joke. The woods were nice and peaceful, which had its points, but she knew she'd get bored with peace and quiet pretty quick.

Hopefully, I'll find something soon. Wouldn't want this trip to be a bust.

She soon found herself at a massive wall and wondered, as the two hunters had, if she was inside or outside. That question was easily solved by flying up to the top of the wall, well above the level of the trees, and looking around.

There was a large house in the distance, which would bear investigating later. For the moment, she was more interested in the road she could see and the gate a few miles away. Deciding a shortcut was in order, she flew along the top of the wall till she reached it, covering the distance in less than a minute, and arriving in time to hear voices from inside the tunnel passing though the wall. One of them sounded rather panicked.

Dropping down to a level where she could peek through but not be observed, Milim had a look. There were two women; one an old granny-looking woman who looked like she could really use some sun, and the other was a younger, muscular black woman. Both were dressed in ridiculously frumpy clothes, the younger one looking like a maid from some noble's household. That one was trembling and backing away from… Oh wow.! Something interesting!

She let herself fall, landing lightly on her feet in front of the portcullis that sealed off her end of the tunnel, probably to trap the younger woman. Grasping the lowest crossbar with one hand, she heaved and overdid it a bit. The gate wasn't as heavy as it looked, and the crash and subsequent sounds of breakage indicated that the gate mechanism probably wouldn't work anymore. It wasn't her concern.

She was focused on the large, pale-skinned creature now looming over her. "Hi! This looks fun. Can I play with your monster?"

Both women stared at her in disbelief. The younger recovered first. "S-sure. Have fun!" She shouted the last part over her shoulder, as she sprinted through the open gate back toward the forest.

Granny looked irritated, and the monster rushed forward, seeing its prey escaping. Milim met it with an uppercut that staggered it. To her delight, it quickly shrugged off the blow and ran at her again, reaching out with oddly shaped but viciously sharp talons.

She sidestepped and grabbed one, twisting it and throwing the creature against the far wall. She cheered when it got up and came after her again. Glancing at the old woman, Milim saw her backing away, starting to look fearful. When she caught the monster's next swipe and snapped its arm, while bringing its head into loud and painful contact with the ground, the old woman turned and fled.

"Bring more toys!" Milim called after her, and tossed the monster against the far wall. The thing really was remarkably resilient. She grinned.

OOOOOOOOOO

The two kids stared at Xander and Faith. It seemed clear that strangers were a new experience for them. Xander smiled easily and showed empty hands.

"Relax. We're not here to cause problems. We're just after a little information. New to the neighborhood and all."

The two kept a fair distance away, warry. Xander approved of their caution. "Are you from outside?" the white-haired boy asked.

"Where else would he be from?" the other asked testily. "Question is, why are they here? Sister Krone told us only girls were picked to work at the plants. No boys, and he's a grownup." He didn't bother whispering, instead, he watched their reactions and apparently saw the confusion on their faces.

"You don't know what this place is, do you?" the white-haired boy asked.

"No, but we'd like to help if-" He was interrupted by the sound of someone running clumsily through the woods. Whoever it was had cast aside stealth in favor of speed. A moment later, a large black woman in a dress out of the 19th century entered the small clearing, looking panicked. Her eyes widened when she saw Faith and Xander.

"Sister Krone?" The dark-haired boy asked. "What's wrong?" He saw the way she was eyeing the strangers. "They don't seem to know what's going on. I think you can talk in front of them." Xander suspected that the boy mostly wanted to see their reactions, since he watched them carefully as the woman started talking, apparently throwing away whatever caution she felt regarding them.

"Isabella tried to kill me. She set a trap with Grandmother at the gate." She said this without taking her eyes off the two demon hunters.

The boys frowned. "She suspects you told us things?"

"Yeah. I only escaped because of another stranger; someone capable of beating up the monster grandmother had with her."

"Milim," the two hunters chorused.

"Milim?" The dark-haired boy sounded interested.

"Blue eyes, pink hair, forgot to put on all her clothes?" Faith asked the woman that had been addressed as 'Sister Krone.'

The woman nodded.

"That's her," Xander confirmed. "I knew she was tough, but attacking a monster?"

"Um, she seemed to be… playing." Krone said, uncertain of what exactly she'd seen, as she'd been more focused on survival.

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me," Xander allowed. "Now, like I told the kids, we're new around here. Can you tell us what this place is, and why there are grandmas with monsters?"

Sister Krone took a deep breath, and after a brief, silent conversation with the kids, began to talk.

OOOOOOOOOO

The two demon hunters stared at the locals with mixed emotions. This was, probably, the worst situation they had ever encountered. Sister Krone, they didn't know what to make of. At least she'd been open about her motives and intentions, and as callous as she seemed, both were stuck as to what they'd have done in her place. Shoving his incipient nausea away, Xander summarized.

"So, these monsters have taken over and turned humans into cattle. This place is a factory farm where kids are raised to be butchered. They found out and started planning to escape, but you found out about their plans."

Krone nodded.

"Rather than rat them out, you helped them, hoping it would cost this Isabella her job and probably her life, letting you take over and run things in her place."

Again, Krone nodded. "It's the best a human can hope for in this world; the only way to live past the age of eleven."

"Well, that's kind of despicable, but if you're still willing to help, I think we can get you all out of here to somewhere safe. Interested?"

"How?" The white-haired boy asked eagerly.

"How?" The dark-haired boy sounded suspicious.

Krone didn't say anything, apparently withholding questions or objections for the moment. She might have also suspected she was on thin ice with the two strangers.

"We came here through a portal from another world." They stared at him. "I know how it sounds, but it's true. Milim doesn't just beat up monsters, she can make a portal to somewhere safe."

"I'll believe that when I see it," one of the boys said. "But at this point," he looked at his friend. "What have we got to lose?"

The other considered for a few seconds, and then shrugged. "Nothing, I guess. We still have to find a way to deal with mom, though."

Faith shook her head, her expression just shy of murderous. "Leave her to me."

OOOOOOOOOO

"Mom! Mom!" The white-haired boy, and Faith supposed she really should ask his name, ran up to the front door, attracting stares from the other children.

"What is it?" A woman in a dress similar to Krone's stepped out, looking serene. "My goodness, such a noise."

"Ray fell and hurt his leg. I couldn't get him back here. He's really hurt!"

"I'll take care of him." She smiled, and pulled out what looked like a pocket watch from her apron pocket. "Come and help." Without waiting for the boy to lead the way, she started off, following what was obviously a tracker. Faith watched from the tree line, curious that she would use such a thing openly. She decided that was one of the things she'd ask the woman.

Faith followed silently, being careful not to be seen or heard by the woman as she walked into their ambush. They came into a clearing, and the white-haired boy faded back as Isabella entered the clearing where Ray sat on a low hanging branch, waiting for them.

"What is this, Ray?" Isabella stopped as she entered the clearing, suspecting if not a trap, then at least that things were not as they seemed.

"It's a trap." The boy answered easily.

"Do you really think you and Norman can attack me successfully?" she asked with a small smile, her tone one of mild reproof.

"Normally, I'd say no. But we have Faith."

"Faith in what?" she asked curiously as her eyes scanned the clearing for signs of a booby trap. It was the only thing that made sense. Just then, a hand landed unexpectedly on her shoulder and gave a hard jerk, spinning her around. Her jaw then exploded in pain as a fist with a fair amount of muscle behind it drove into her face. When she was able to think straight, she looked up from her place on the ground and saw an unfamiliar young woman standing over her.

"Hi. I'm Faith. Let's talk."

OOOOOOOOOO

Xander looked at the ruined gate and the… thing that was sprawled on the ground, leaking black fluids. He looked beyond it to find Milim floating in midair and pouting.

"How's it goin,' Milim?"

"I was hoping it would last longer, but it was still kind of impressive." She perked up. "Did you find more?"

"Not here." Xander shook his head, "but I'm sure more are coming." He told her what he had learned from the kids. She wrinkled her nose at the news that the things ate human children.

"They eat humans? EWWW! Most monsters back home only eat humans if they get desperate. I'm told you guys taste terrible!"

"Wouldn't know," Xander admitted. "Leaves us with a problem, though. We can't leave the kids here. Do you think your bestie would be willing to take them in? You could open a door to that village, easy."

"Hmm." She thought for a moment, and nodded. "He probably would. He's a softie that way. No harm in asking, anyway." She casually opened a small portal and called out to her friend as Xander watched incredulously. If Milim had known where his Earth was, he and Faith could be home in no time. It wasn't fair. He repressed a sigh and waited for the conversation to end.

"Good news!" Milim said, as she closed the small portal. "He said he'd be happy to take the kids in. You've just got to get them ready."

"Okay." Xander nodded. "We can do that." He glanced toward the road beyond the tunnel. It wound around and vanished into the forest outside the wall, making it difficult to determine much about it, but there was a faint sound that he felt certain was an engine of some sort. "I think you may have more playmates coming soon."

Milim grinned. Cocking her head, she listened carefully. "It'll be a bit. Let's get the kids on their way."

They headed back to the main house where Faith was helping Krone and the boys organize the younger kids. They looked flustered and worried, and there was no sign of the woman, Isabella, who ran the place. Fortunately, the kids were willing to listen to Krone. The woman was not as well known, but she was a grown-up, so the kids fell in line and followed her instructions, though more than a few asked about 'mom.'

"She's busy delaying the bad people who are coming here," Krone explained. "Don't worry. She'll be fine, but as much as she wanted to say goodbye, your safety is more important to her. We don't want her efforts wasted, though. You all have to hurry."

The kids were worried, some began crying, but they all followed instructions, bringing only the clothes on their backs, as time was limited. A few managed to grab a favorite toy, and one or two thought to raid the pantry for food.

They all stared at Milim, some of them blushing over her fashion sense. The kids all forgot about that, though, when she opened a portal to her home.

"Everyone in! My friend is expecting you." She gestured to the hole in the air, through which a wide street in a village could be seen. The only person visible was a blue-haired human of indeterminate gender. That person smiled and waved to them.

"The people over there are really different," Xander cautioned, "but they're good people. Don't get caught up in appearances too much."

Ray was the first to walk through, proving to the rest that it wasn't dangerous. He was followed by a girl with wild, orange hair. That one carried a toddler. The kids nodded, accepting that it must be safe, and began to file through the portal, most casting longing glances back at the only home they'd ever known. Norman and Krone brought up the rear, ensuring there were no stragglers.

Krone had worried about a device implanted in her chest, apparently put there to kill her if she ever tried to flee, but Milim had only looked thoughtful for a moment before reaching through the woman's skin, as though it weren't there, and pulling the device out. It buzzed and sparked for a second, which made Milim giggle. "Tickles."

The woman had nearly fainted, which Xander could understand, but still found somewhat amusing. She rallied quickly, though, and patted herself to make sure there wasn't any actual damage. Then, she'd thanked Milim and set about organizing the children on the other side of the portal.

"I got some things to do here," Milim called through the portal. "Back by dinner!" She let the portal close and rubbed her hands together. "Time to play!" She headed toward the gate, hoping to meet the arriving monsters.

"What did you do with Isabella?" Xander asked.

"Someone's gotta explain to the monsters where all their snacks have gone. I left her tied up by the gate."

OOOOOOOOOO

Isabella opened her eyes, her body still aching in places from her 'conversation' with Faith. She didn't know where the woman had come from, but a call to grandmother should… I can't move.

Examining her circumstances carefully, she discovered that she was bound hand and foot, and that she was leaning against something really uncomfortable. With an effort, she managed to twist around and look.

It was one of them. The largest she'd ever seen. It was also dead.

Did Faith do this? It seemed unlikely, as the thing was huge, and the thought that a mere human could even fight one of them, let alone kill them, was incomprehensible. Still, she couldn't be sure. Turning her attention to her bindings, she found that there was no way she was getting out without help. She couldn't see the bindings on her wrists at all, and though a little wriggling got her a look at the restraints on her ankles, she found they were not only of a design she was unfamiliar with, but also of a material she had never seen before. It looked and felt a bit like plastic, but she'd never seen plastic used for something like this.

She looked toward the gate, as the sound of an engine approached from the other side. It stopped, but it was too dark inside the tunnel to see anything. She could hear, though, and her heart started to pound faster. Several very large somethings were heading her way. There was also the familiar clack of grandmother's heels on the cobblestones.

The old woman stopped as she emerged from the tunnel and caught sight of Isabella. Her expression was as hard to read as ever, but she seemed truly unsettled by the dead creature.

"Where is she?" Grandmother asked without preamble. She made no comment on Isabella's situation, but her demeanor indicated that she wasn't at all pleased with what the caretaker's current state implied.

"She said she'd be taking the product elsewhere. I don't know any details, but there are only so many ways out." Isabella tried for calm composure, and years of practice nearly allowed her to achieve it.

"We'll see about that." She nodded to the creatures, and they lumbered off into the woods. Turning to Isabella, the old woman regarded her with distaste. "You've become such a disappointment..." Before she could say more, though, one of the beasts flew back through the trees and crashed into the wall.

"Oh goody!" Another crash was heard as the other was sent flying in a different direction. "You brought more toys!"

Isabella didn't recognize the voice, it sounded like a girl barely older than one of her charges, but assumed it to be another intruder. And whoever it was, was apparently making short work of the enforcers sent by their superiors.

Despite her situation, Isabella took some small pleasure in seeing Grandmother actually whimper; something she had never seen before. With unidentified humans breaking into a plantation, something that should be impossible, and with several of the creatures dead, she knew that someone would have to be blamed. And it was doubtful that she alone would be enough to calm the creatures' wrath, which meant most likely that Grandmother's time was up.

She looked ahead, at where all the sounds of battle were raging, and thought of the children. They had apparently done what she could not, by escaping. Perhaps if she had not given up so soon, when she had been a child, she could have been free, too. But either way, it was too late for her now.

She watched as one of the creatures seemingly leaped up into the air, before what looked like a little girl dropped down onto it, smashing it to the ground.

"Run children," she whispered, ignoring the terrified look on Grandmother's face, "and be careful. I pray that you can one day find true happiness and light."

Despite her bleak future, Isabella, for once, gave a genuine smile.