When Ame woke up, she was in her room. For a moment, she wondered if she had dreamt the whole situation, but a sharp pang in the back of her head told her otherwise. With a groan, she forced herself to get up and started getting ready for the day. As she grabbed her hairbrush, though, she found a note stuck to her mirror.

Good morning, Naoki-san!

I have brought you home yesterday and told your grandmother you had collapsed from over-exhaustion on your way back. You are to take today to rest and get back some strength. The events of yesterday must have shaken you, so do not hesitate to call me if you need anything.

See you tomorrow!

-Korosensei

And there was also the drawing of a grinning octopus.

At first surprised, she then sighed in relief and let herself fall back on her bed. To be frank, she didn't feel like going to school. She had been stressing herself out with that freshly painted target on her back, and then the basketball game, so that I-almost-got-killed moment from yesterday had been the one thing too much, for a lack of better terms.

Almost game over, uh?

Ame didn't want to die. She really, really didn't want to. She knew her work with the Zodiac meant she was always somewhat in danger, that she always put her life on the line during missions, but she had grown used to that risk. She knew how to handle that kind of stress. However, having people trying to kill you because of circumstances and having people trying to kill you because you are an actual target with an actual bounty on your head are two very different situations.

One was a choice, and the other was an imposition.

Enough. I need to rest and clear my head.

Shaking her head, Ame pulled the blanket back over her body and closed her eyes. For now, she'd try and get some more sleep. She'd go talk to Obaa-san later.

Her grandmother thoroughly scolded her for being so reckless, before kissing her warmly and making her promise she wouldn't work herself to the bone as much. True, they needed the money, but Ame's health was important too! Anyhow, the rest of the day was very calm, and Ame slept through most of it.

The next day, the teen felt… refreshed, somehow. She had stared at Death in the eyes and lived to tell the tale. The thought was terrifying and galvanizing at the same time. She knew she owed it all to Korosensei, but she didn't feel like letting the situation get the best of her. She had truly believed for a moment that she wouldn't see the sun again, but she did.

It gave birth to a new feeling in her heart and soul. It left place… to hope.

So, it was with a cheerful bounce in her step that she started heading up to the E-Class campus after Hana dropped her off to school. She felt like she was seeing the whole place for the first time. Before, it was just a forest. But now? Now, it was a jungle of potential and possibilities.

This is the perfect training ground, she mused. Maybe I should introduce parkour to the girls for one of our training sessions?

She instantly started working over it. She didn't feel like lazing around and wasting her time anymore.

.

.

It was gym class with Karasuma. They were practicing with their knives, each of the students having a chance at sparing with their teacher in the meantime. Most of the girls were putting to good use Ame's teachings, managing to surprise him most of the time. Of course, it made him warier and as time passed, it grew more and more difficult to land a hit on him. Though, in the end, it was the experience that counted, so no one really made a fuss about it.

Ame was exchanging blows with Rio when her eyes caught a movement to the right. She gestured for her friend to stop. The blonde did as told, confused, but the teen ignored her as she focused on Nagisa. He was approaching their teacher from behind, and Karasuma… Karasuma hadn't even noticed him.

No way. That's—

Their teacher suddenly spun around and grabbed the boy's arm before throwing him over his shoulder and making him hit the ground. There was a moment of utter silence as Nagisa straightened up, groaning in pain, and then the silence was broken by Ame, who whistled lowly.

"Damn, Karasuma-san. Don't you think you went a little overboard?" she remarked, lifting an eyebrow.

That seemed to snap the man out of his daze, and he quickly shook his head, before going to help the boy back to his feet.

"Sorry! Put a little too much strength in the block here," he apologized.

"I- I'm fine," assured the blue-haired teen, offering a sheepish smile.

"Dummy!" laughed Sugino. "You gotta keep an eye on him!"

The rest of the students laughed at that while Nagisa chuckled, feeling a little bad at being caught so easily. However, Ame wasn't laughing.

It wasn't Nagisa that had been caught.

It was their teacher.

Somehow, Nagisa learned how to walk silently. Could it be that he picked it up after watching me do it for so long? I know for a fact he couldn't do that when the year began, I remember his clumsy and loud entrances well enough.

That… That is the potential of a true assassin.

She glanced to Karasuma. From the look in his eyes, she could tell he was thinking along the same lines too, or that he was at least having some doubts. In the entire class, those who mostly stood out when it came to the assassination were Karma and her. You could add Okano, Kataoka, Maehara, and Isogai when you included physical abilities in fights. Everyone was strong in their own way, of course, but, frankly, it was Nagisa who seemed to hold the greatest potential when it came to be an actual assassin.

Honestly, Ame didn't know what to think of this new development.

"Ugh, there's no way to beat him."

"There aren't any chinks in his armor!"

The bell rang, signaling the end of P.E. Karasuma instantly started heading back for the building, leaving his students defeated and sore. He had taken their need for extra-training very seriously, after all.

"Sir!" exclaimed Kurahashi, catching up to him. "Come out for snacks with us after class!"

"I appreciate the invite, but I still have work to do," refused the agent.

The students simply watched him go, and Mimura crossed his arms over his chest.

"No chinks in his private life either, uh?" he mused.

"It's more like there's a wall between him and us, like he's keeping his distances," pointed out Okano.

"He takes good care of us and all, but is that only because he has to?" wondered Kurahashi, saddened.

Ame sighed, shaking her head. She went to place a comforting hand on the orange-haired girl's shoulder.

"He's a distant man, but he takes us seriously," she assured. "He's here because he has to be, make no mistake on that. However, if he didn't care at least a little about us, he wouldn't bother with helping us as much as he is."

If he didn't care, he wouldn't have tried to help me with this whole target-on-my-back situation. His own government put a bounty on my head, but he's trying to help me, in his own way.

"Eh, who's that?"

At Maehara's question, everyone's attention was brought to the newcomer, who was being greeted by their teacher. Ame instantly narrowed her eyes at the man, who was carrying numerous bags and whatnots. She didn't think he was an assassin sent after her, since Karasuma seemed to know him, but his smile sent chills down her spine.

"Yo!" he exclaimed, going to stand to the top of the stairs to face them all. "I'm Takaoka Akira, and I'll be assisting Karasuma as of today! Nice to meet you, E-Class!"

A new teacher, then. But why now? And what does he mean, assisting Karasuma?

Ame didn't like where this was going. She really, truly didn't.

"What- what's all this!?"

"Cake!"

"And éclairs from Le Hermès!"

All of the students were now gathered around Takaoka. The man, never dropping his smile, had placed many different sweets and pastries on a blanket. They looked extremely pricey, and Ame couldn't tell if it was an innocent way to break the ice with his new students or a more devious ploy to gain their trust. Despite all, though… Ame was already salivating at the sight. When was the last time she enjoyed an actual cake all to herself?

"They look so pricey…" paled Isogai.

"My pockets feel empty just looking at those," agreed Ame, averting her gaze.

"Ah ah, go on! Eat up!" pushed Takaoka. "I emptied out my wallet for this, so don't hold back!"

That doesn't make me feel any better about it, sweatdropped internally the teen.

She glanced at the cheerful man once more. He seemed… nice. His smile that had scared her at first now seemed genuine, and she couldn't help but feel like paranoia was getting the best of her. Not everyone was after her head either! She couldn't go on with her life believing all the people she'd meet would try to kill her. She couldn't trust blindly, true, but she couldn't not trust either, right?

I'll keep an eye open, but there's nothing wrong with enjoying little things while they last, right?

"You sure know your brand-name sweets," mused Fuwa.

"Honestly, when it comes to me and sugar… It's love!"

He's acting awfully cute for such a big guy.

But she couldn't resist the call of the sweets any longer and, following everyone's example, she grabbed the nearest one she could get. Her mouth watered as the smell of chocolate and strawberries reached her nose, and she didn't hesitate in taking the first bite. She savored it for a moment, before turning to Isogai, who had yet to make a move on the cakes before him.

"You don't want to try some?" she wondered, surprised.

"Well, it's just that I'll feel kind of bad for eating those," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "They cost a lot…"

"For that guy, maybe," nodded Ame. "But for us? It's free."

That was the magic word, and she knew it. The boy's last defenses crumbled under the blow and, unable to stop himself any longer, he took a hold of an éclair.

"Interesting choice," chuckled the girl. "I was convinced you'd go for the cheesecake."

"I would have, but… well, I often serve éclairs to people, but I never got the chance to try one," he admitted with a small shrug.

"I understand," she assured.

He offered her a smile at that, which she easily returned. She could understand his plight with money—she had the same. While her work with the Zodiac could be extremely profitable, it wasn't an exactly stable job. It could be weeks or even months before she received an actual contract to fulfill, after all. When she didn't, she could do smaller tasks to get some more money, of course, but it was the same amount she'd get at a mediocre job in a restaurant or something of the sort. Keeping the secret of their very existence did take a lot of money, after all. And also the equipment. And the training. And the weapons. And pretty much everything else.

Ame quickly finished her cake after that. It was good, but she kind of felt bad now, considering she ate it just after training. She probably gained more calories than she had lost in a matter of minutes.

Meh, no matter. It's not like I slack off in training anyway.

"So will you be taking over P.E. tomorrow?" then inquired Nagisa, the question drawing the girl's attention.

"Yep! Orders from headquarters," confirmed Takaoka. "Gotta lessen Karasuma's workload, you know, so—"

He stopped as his eyes landed on none other than Korosensei, who had suddenly appeared next to Rio and was eyeing her treat with envy, his skin turning pink and sticky saliva drooling out of his mouth.

"Cake…"

"Ooh! You must be Korosensei!" beamed their new teacher. "Eat, eat!" He then winked. "We'll still end up killing you!"

He started laughing again.

"For colleagues, you and Karasuma-san are like night and day," remarked Kimura in wonder.

"You're like a neighborhood dad!" pointed out Hara, chuckling.

Takaoka laughed again. "Dad? I like that! We're in the same classroom, so that makes us family, right?"

And once more, he started laughing.

Great. Now his weirdness is showing.

But frankly, Ame was starting to believe that weirdness was simply mandatory for the teachers of the E-Class.

.

.

At the end of the day, Ame finally managed to find Karasuma. He had been avoiding the students ever since Takaoka arrived, and she didn't know how to feel about that.

"Ne, Karasuma-san?" She peered through the half-opened door.

"What is is, Naoki?" he replied, without even glancing away from his computer.

"Is Takaoka-sensei aware of my situation?"

That made him look up. He frowned at her. "I do not know. I have not been informed. My guess would be that he isn't, considering it is a rather… precarious, situation."

"I see. Anyway, see you tomorrow, Karasuma-san."

"Aa."

Ame closed the door behind her. As she left the building though, she almost ran into none other than Takaoka.

"Ah! Naoki-chan, right?" he exclaimed, beaming at her. "I heard a lot about you from your classmates, you know. The girls told me you were giving them extra lessons with handling knives?"

"Err, yeah. They asked for some tips, so I accepted," shrugged the teen, growing a little uncomfortable, for some reason.

"That's nice, that's nice," he chuckled. His smile then widened. "But I'll need you to put a stop to it."

There was a moment of silence as the teen gauged the man before her. Why would he want her to stop the extra lessons? They were all aiming for the same goal: killing Korosensei. So, why hinder their chances of the sort?

"Actually, it's not on the curriculum of the school or anything," she then retorted, keeping her cool. "Just some training we do between us. Teachers and the school have nothing to do with this." You have no power over this went unsaid, but not unheard.

But his smile only widened again, his eyes closing, and Ame felt her breath get caught in her throat as she suddenly realized that despite appearances, Takaoka Akira was probably as strong as Karasuma, and that he was very much a threat.

This is getting out of hands. I need to leave now!

"Then I'll say this not as your teacher, but as your… dad," he replied, stepping closer to her. "Stop those extra lessons. I'll take care of teaching the E-Class everything you need to know, and there's no need for you to get in the way of that. Children have to listen to their parents, right?"

Ame gritted her teeth at that. He's completely nuts!

"I wouldn't know. I never actually knew my parents, so I never really bothered listening to anyone," she drawled, her fists clenched. "See you tomorrow, Takaoka-sensei."

Before he could reply, she took off. In the blink of an eye, she disappeared in the trees. As she ran down the mountain, her heart beating too fast, she internally thanked Korosensei for finishing setting up whatever protections he had in mind around the E-Class campus. Thanks to that, she could leave without needing an escort, which meant she could now escape from Takaoka without worrying about the rest.

Something tells me things will get out of hands way too fast starting tomorrow.

When she got home, she quickly texted all of the girls to warn them that the training session that was to be held the next morning was canceled. She didn't know what Takaoka could do, so she'd rather not provoke him directly. She couldn't care less if he took it out on her, but she didn't want to drag her classmates into her mess.

For now, for them, she'd play it safe.

.

.

The next morning, Ame took a moment to gather all of the weapons she had hidden/lost over the years in her room. Most of them were knives, obviously, and she was kind of startled to see them piling up on her bed. Then again, it was easy to lose them in the mess that was her room, but she didn't know she had that many. However, it was when she pulled an actual katana (where the hell did she even get her hands on that thing in the first place!?) from behind her mirror that she promised to herself she'd thoroughly clean her room in the near future.

She put on her uniform, as per usual. However, around her forearms and hidden by her sleeves were attached two holsters, both of which were holding two knives. They were well concealed, no one would notice anything. However, she had four more knives in her boots, plus two smaller blades in her heels. She also decided to make a bun with her hair and tied it with a sharp wire. For good measure, she also slipped two very sharp needles into the bun. For anyone, they'd look like innocent hair decorations, but Ame could turn them in dangerous and deadly weapons if needed.

She hid the katana behind her mirror again. She wasn't that desperate, and she really had no idea of how she'd bring that to school without being noticed. She also shoved a few explosives and smoke bombs in her bag, she put a handful of makinichis in the side pocket, and she hid a few throwing stars in between the pages of her school books.

I guess that'll be enough. Or at least, I hope so.

Ame didn't know what to expect of the day, so she was preparing for war. She knew she wouldn't use most of her weapons, if any of them, really, but having them around reassured her. Takaoka would show his true face today, that much she was certain of, and so she needed to be ready for anything. Much more confident than she was yesterday, Ame finally headed out. She kissed her grandmother goodbye, the old woman never noticing the holsters and simply complimenting her on the new hairstyle. She ruffled the kids' hair, Kiba wondering why her bag seemed more heavy than usual, before leaving.

The game is on, Takaoka-sensei. Let's see who'll break first.

.

.

"Ne, Ame-chan? Why was the training canceled this morning?" Kayano asked as they headed outside for P.E. class. "Were you sick or something?"

"Uh? No, it was Takaoka-sensei. He told me we were to stop our extra-lessons," answered the teen without an ounce of regret. If the man was trying to gain everyone's trust, it'd be her pleasure to stop that from happening. "Be wary. Something's wrong with him."

The green-haired girl frowned. "Are you sure, Ame-chan? Maybe you understood him wrong…"

Ame didn't have the time to answer. Kurahashi sauntered over to them as they reached the field, where most of the students were gathered by now.

"Oh! Are you talking about Takaoka-sensei?" beamed the orange-haired girl.

"I can't wait to see how his class will be!" exclaimed Okajima.

"He's a colleague of Karasuma-san, right?" recalled Mimura. "So their abilities should be more or less the same…"

"I bet he'll treat us to some more sweets after training!" grinned Maehara.

"Oh, maybe he'll come with us after school for some snacks? We should ask him," proposed Yada.

"He's more open than Karasuma-san, that's for sure," snorted Sugaya.

"He's not," snapped Ame, her sharp tone shutting everyone up. "He's a liar. That man is dangerous."

"Ame, have you even seen how cute he was yesterday?" Fuwa remarked, shaking her head. "I doubt he could hurt a fly even if he wanted to."

"Appearances are deceiving. Don't go trusting people so easily like blind idiots," retorted snappily the orange-eyed girl.

"Woah, Ame, chill," Rio chuckled nervously. "Don't be so harsh. Don't you think you're losing it a little? Takaoka-sensei's nice. He's our teacher, not the enemy—"

"And how would you know, uh?" Ame was growing more and more annoyed. How could they be so carefree? How could they not see something was wrong? "Takaoka is manipulating all of you, and you're all falling for it like utter imbeciles! Open your eyes, damn it!"

"Ame, that's enough!" protested the blonde, not laughing anymore. "Why are you acting like this all of sudden?"

Ame was angry. So, so angry. How could they be so fucking blind!? "Stop acting like God damn morons! Why can't you just trust me on this!?"

"Oh, like you trust us?"

At that, the teen's anger deflated somewhat. Her eyes met Terasaka, who was glaring at her with barely restrained annoyance.

"Look, I don't really get what's gotten into you, but I'm done having you look down on us," he pursued, arms crossed over his chest. "You've been treating us like god damn idiots since the first day of school, never letting anyone get close and always acting as if you were better than us—"

"I never—"

"—but now, you see that we're finally catching up to you," he continued, getting fired up by his rant. "We're all getting better and now that we actually got a chance at reaching your level, you hate it. Is that why you're trying to turn us against that weirdo? Because of your stupid ego-complex?"

"Terasaka," Isogai interfered, frowning. "That's enough—"

"You never considered any of us your friends, or even your damn equals, 'til now." Her eyes widened at the accusation. "And now you're asking us to trust you? Without even giving us any reason to? Any proof? We should just, what, take your word for it? And have you insult us on the whole way, too? You're selfish and self-centered, and we're supposed to just follow your every order without even the right to ask why? That's bullshit and you know it!"

Ame was angry again, but it was different now. She was angry at herself, because she didn't know what more to do. She had tried to be honest with them, she thought they could all work things out together and get rid of the threat, she had fooled herself into thinking them trusted her…

He's right. Even if I didn't mean to, I probably did act like that with them. I'm helping the girls, but it's only because it sounded fun. If I didn't have any interest in it, then I wouldn't have agreed to. It's even more selfish of me to ask that much from them when I never gave anything first. All they see is a chance that I'm taking away from them.

The E-Class wasn't the Zodiac. The yakuza group trusted her instincts because of years of working together, but she only met those kids a few months earlier. She had been a fool for thinking her word actually meant anything to them. They probably felt like she was only manipulating them for her own gain.

In their eyes… In their eyes, she was their enemy.

She exhaled deeply, glancing to the others now surrounding them. She noticed for a second that Karma wasn't around, probably skipping (lucky bastard), but all the others… They were all avoiding her gaze, none saying a word. Having one last hope, she turned to Rio. However, the blonde simply lowered her head, unable to say anything.

For a moment, the stab in her chest felt so painful Ame almost stopped breathing.

Of course she doesn't trust me. Despite hanging out together for almost three years, I never told her anything. Hell, she doesn't even know where I live! I'd surely be the last person to trust someone like me.

Biting her lower lip, Ame swallowed back words she knew she'd regret. It wasn't their fault, it was hers, and she was now paying the price for it.

"I understand," she let out, her voice even. "I'll leave you be, then."

Without another word, she passed through the students to go and sit under a tree farther away. Class was about to start and, despite everything that had just been said, she wasn't about to leave them on their own. They refused to see the threat, and it was all on her. She had to take responsibility for this.

I'll protect them by myself, then. They might not want my help, but they do need it. I can't just stand by and do nothing.

Terasaka's words and the others' silence were still burning her heart and mind. She couldn't get them out of her head. Maybe they were blind, but she was too. In the long run, she had completely forgotten what it actually meant to have friends. She took them for granted, simply gave herself that title without even bothering with the responsibilities that came with it.

I really am the worst.

Ame shook her head. No, now really wasn't the time for a pity-party. And in a way, it wasn't all her fault either. True, she was selfish, and yes, she maybe was a little self-centered. But they never made the first move either, right? And she never told Rio much, but it's not like she ever had a choice either! In the end, though, she could only draw to a single conclusion.

Leading a double-life is way more complicated than first planned.

"Great—the gang's all here!" Everyone was now in rank before Takaoka. Ame had placed herself in the second row, to the far left, and no one had dared to say anything to her yet. "Now, things could start getting a little tough, but I'll have more delicious treats for you when it's all over!"

"And you're not just saying that because you want to eat them?" mused Hara.

"Well, gotta keep my figure," replied the man, rubbing his tummy.

The student all laughed at that, saved for Ame. She was starting to understand what was going on, what kind of trap that man had set for the students. The stick and the carrot, right? They'd try harder to get the treat and avoid the punishment. But what kind of punishment could it be? What was he truly planning?

Tche, the Government really had to put up that new firewall now, didn't it? I couldn't get any info on the guy because of it…

Everyone ended up sitting down. Ame brought her knees to her chest, watching Takaoka like a hawk, and ready to spring at the single sign of danger. She obviously hadn't been able to put on her holsters, and she couldn't keep her boots, but she still had the needles in her hair and a knife hidden under her shirt.

She was armed and determined. He didn't stand a chance.

"Now then! Along with your new training regimen comes a new schedule!" he then announced.

The black-haired girl's eyes widened slightly as he showed them said schedule, and she could tell the other students were just as shocked as she was.

This is crazy…

She loved training, but even she wasn't such a maniac about it. There was barely any moment for their usual classes, it started very early and ended very late, they barely had any time to eat, sleep, or merely to relax… She knew it was simply too much for her classmates, who were only just starting to get the hang of regular fighting.

"No way!"

"T- ten periods?"

"Training until nine at night!?"

"But of course!" replied Takaoka, all innocently. "Following this curriculum will boost your abilities by leaps and bounds. Now, let's get to work—!"

"Hey, wait a minute! This is impossible!" protested Maehara, cutting him off. The boy got up to face him properly. "With so little time for learning, our grades will plummet! And no free time either? We can't do this!"

Ame stiffened as Takaoka suddenly placed his hand on the boy's head. For anyone, it could have seemed like a comforting or compassionate gesture, but she instantly noticed the certain grip he had on the teen's head. Before she could move, though, Takaoka harshly brought his knee up into his stomach, effectively knocking the wind out of the boy. Horrified gasps followed as the poor guy collapsed to the ground, half-unconscious and coughing harshly.

Ame gritted her teeth, clenching her fists.

That fucking psycho…

"We can't, nothing. You will," assured Takaoka, still smiling. "It's like I said! We're family, and I'm the dad. Show me a family that doesn't do as the dad says." All of the students were frozen in fear by now as a crazy glint lightened the man's eyes. "If you want to sit out, sit out. I'll use my authority to bring in new students to replace you. But… I don't want to have to do that." He suddenly became normal again. "After all, you're my precious family. A father doesn't want to lose a single one of his children. Let's save the world together, kids—as a family!"

Ame forced herself not to do anything as Takaoka brought Kanzaki and Mimura in a mocking embrace. She needed to wait for the right time, she needed to be ready—

"Well? You're coming along with your old dad, right?"

Shaking a little, Kanzaki rose to her feet to face him. "W- well… I, um…" She then straightened her back, determination settling in, and offered an innocent smile. "I don't want to. I prefer Karasuma-san's classes."

Now!

Ame moved before she even realized it. Without a second thought, she kicked Kanzaki's feet from under her, making the girl fall on the ground. The landing was harsh, but it was better than the violent slap that had been about to meet her cheek. Takaoka's hand swung in the air, never meeting its target. A heavy silence settled in as Ame slowly rose to her feet to face her enemy, a smirk settling in despite the situation.

He's just a brute. I can take him.

"Ya know, I don't think it's socially acceptable ta hit children," she mused, hands lazily shoved in her pockets. "I could have yer ass sued for much less."

"Ah, Naoki-chan. I have heard a lot about your particular attitude. I was wondering when you would act up," he mused, cracking his knuckles. "I was waiting for this!"

He swung his fist at her, but she simply took a step back, moving away from the group while doing so. Takaoka grunted, turning to face her once more.

"You're fast, uh?" He ran at her. "But not fast enough!"

She was, though. More than enough, in fact. She knew she couldn't win when it came to mere strength, but she could easily tire him out and wait for him to make a mistake. She couldn't use her weapons right away, she needed him to draw out his own first if she didn't want to get into too much trouble, but she could take it. Her hands in her back, she was moving swiftly, easily avoiding his destructive punches.

"Ugh, stay still, ya brat!"

She almost rolled her eyes at that. As if anyone would obey!

"What's wrong, Takaoka-sensei?" she taunted, her feet sliding on the ground like a skater on the ice. His punch passed mere centimeters away from her face, but it was calculated. "Gettin' a little slow, aren't ya?"

"Tche. Defying your father like that…" That crazy glint had entered his eyes again, and she could tell he was on the edge. "You'll have to be severely punished!"

Well, time for the final push!

"Ya can't catch me," she assured, her smirk widening. "Ya can't even graze me. 'Bout time ya gave up, isn't it, Takaoka-sensei?"

If she pushed him to draw a weapon against her, her win was assured. She simply needed to push and push and push until his rage got the best of him and he made the fatal mistake. Suddenly, though, he stopped running after her, freezing in place.

"… can't catch you, uh?" Ame stopped too, exactly three meters separating them. She was tensed, not liking how he was suddenly brimming with confidence again. "You're right! You're so fast and nimble on your feet, there's no way I can get you. But… can you say the same for your oh-so-dear classmates?"

Her eyes widened in horror. She had been moving farther and farther from the group, trying to put a safe distance between the threat and them, but he had noticed, and that had been her fatal mistake. Takaoka instantly started heading back for the group, obviously aiming for Kanzaki, whom he had missed earlier. Panicking, Ame didn't think twice before running after him. He was closer to them, though, she needed to gain a few seconds—

My needles!

She pulled one of them out of the bun and threw it without hesitation. It firmly embedded itself in the ground, Takaoka's foot catching into it. He stumbled, losing his balance. He didn't fall, but it was enough for Ame to get ahead of him. She was now standing between him and the other students. She made it, she had won the battle… but she knew she had lost the war.

Checkmate.

Game over for me.

He obviously knew it too, for Takaoka walked back toward her at a leisure pace, his face broken by that innocent smile that had fooled everyone else. She didn't move as he finally reached her, refrained the urge to stab him here and there as he grabbed her shoulder, braced herself for the pain to come—

Her nose cracked as his fist finally connected with its target. Her head spinning, the pain in her face was however replaced by the one from her stomach as he harshly kneed her in the guts. He threw her on the ground and kicked her for good measure as blood started dripping down her nose, the pain pinning her down for a moment.

Too strong. Way, way too strong. Enhanced by drugs? Probably.

"Here's what's gonna happen now," he announced, back to his normal persona. He clasped his hands happily. "Each time you act out and refuse to take your punishment, it'll fall on one of your classmates'. Do you understand?"

She cursed under her breath, managing to drag herself into a sitting position. He roughly grabbed her hair, pulling her head up so that her eyes could meet his.

"I said: do you understand?"

"Yes," she bit out, glaring at him with all of her might. "I fuckin' get it."

He finally released, and she started coughing. "Good! Now, let's get back to work. We were about to start, yes?"

Despite all, though, Ame wouldn't admit defeat. It meant pain, but she didn't care. So, she forced herself to ignore said pain (it was lessening anyway) and rose back to her feet. Her legs were shaking slightly under her weight, but she simply wiped the blood from under her nose and straightened her spine, crossing her arms in her back.

"We were ta da point where ya were getting' told off by a kid," she informed casually, her voice a little weird. She coughed again. "And- and then, I thoroughly humiliated you. Sir."

Smiling as brightly as ever, Takaoka spun on his heels and brought his fist down on her skull. The harshness of the blow made her see stars spinning so fast it almost made her sick, and she couldn't really think straight anymore, barely able to feel anything other than pain.

Oh, I'm on the ground again…

"—Takaoka!"

That voice. That was a new voice. A student? No…

Karasuma-san…?

Someone lifted her head. Finally able to focus back on reality somehow, she found the agent's face above hers.

"—ki? Naoki? Oi, are you alright?"

At the question, she snorted, though only more blood spurted out. "Su- sure, bleedin' like hell but I'm alright, sure."

He nodded at that. If she could find the strength to laugh at the situation, of all things, then she'd be fine.

"What's that all about, Karasuma?" chuckled Takaoka, cracking his knuckles. "I'm going easy on them, you know? After all, they're my family."

"No." Korosensei suddenly showed up, his skin a bright red as anger took over. "They're not your family—they're my students. Just what have you been up to while my back was turned!?"

"Ooh, got a problem, monster?" mused Takaoka, not at all bothered by the angered creature. "P.E. is my class to run, and these punishments fall well within the bounds of education. I don't have much time to train up these assassins to kill you—of course I need to be tough on them. And so what if I am? Just because your views on education differ, is that any reason to attack a man who never did you any harm?"

Ame held back a sigh at that and forced herself back on her feet. It was still hurting, she could feel a headache coming, but it wasn't anything she never felt before. Plus, the situation at hands was much more important. Right here and then, Takaoka had just gotten the best of Korosensei—the octopus couldn't do anything to help them, no matter how much he wanted to, and Korosensei knew it too.

Well, guess it really falls on me after all. This is going to be a looong day, isn't it?

They had to do three hundred squats.

Three fucking hundreds squats.

Ame was nuts when it came to training. She loved physical activities and enjoyed pushing her limits. But this? Someone was bound to die. This training regimen wasn't adapted for children and, while she could manage without risking ending up in the hospital, the same couldn't be said of her classmates. Takaoka hadn't given any of his punishments yet, everyone had been too scared to do anything after seeing what happened to her, but the training was harsh enough on its own.

Ame's nose wasn't broken, she knew that much, and it had stopped bleeding a little earlier. Her stomach was sore, but she could barely feel it now. Her head was throbbing like hell, though, and she sometimes saw dark spots obscuring her sight. She forced herself to keep going, though.

She could handle anything he threw at her.

"Ka- Karasuma-san…" suddenly pleaded Kurahashi, dropping to her knees in exhaustion.

That was the wrong thing to say. Takaoka was suddenly looming above her, the crazy glint there once again, and a sick grin stretching his lips as he loudly cracked his knuckles. Terror filled Kurahashi's face, who seemed about to cry.

"Karasuma's not part of our family," he remarked tauntingly. "Punishment time. This is what happens to kids who don't rely on their dad alone!"

Kurahashi closed her eyes in fear… but the blow never came. There was, however, the distinct noise of someone's body hitting the ground. She opened her eyes, afraid of what she'd see… and found none other than Ame now laying at her feet.

"A- Ame-san…" she stuttered out, pale.

The black-haired girl completely ignored her, getting back on her feet to face Takaoka. She stared at him dead in the eyes, her chin held high.

"Ya wanna hurt someone, Takaoka-sensei?" She wiped the scarlet drops that had dripped down her chin when she bit her lip. "Then hurt me. All their punishments? I'll take it in fuckin' double."

"Now, Naoki-chan, why would I agree to that, hmm?" mused the man.

"'Cause normal people feel bad when other people get hurt 'cause o' them," she shrugged as casually as possible. "'Course, ya wouldn't know, considerin' you're fuckin' sick in da mind, but—"

She was cut off by a harsh punch in her guts. Another blow landed between her shoulder blades, making her hit the ground. A cloud of dust rose around her as Takaoka harshly stepped on her head, forcing her to eat some more dirt.

"You want to take their punishment? Fine! I'll teach you to keep your mouth shut, as any dad would," he assured, his eyes widened by his insanity. Keeping her on the ground, he lifted his head to look at all the other students. "Here's the deal, kids! Each time one of you acts out, she gets your punishment in triple!"

"That- that's not fair!" managed to protest Sugaya, eyes wide.

"Ooh? Isn't it?"

Takaoka bent over and grabbed Ame's wrist, pulling her back on her feet. Then, he punched her in the face for the third time today. Grabbing her shoulders to keep her still, he brought his knee into her guts. As she collapsed, he kicked her so hard at least two ribs cracked as she flew a few meters away.

"That was for talking out of bounds, Sugaya-kun," informed darkly their teacher. "Now, does anyone else want to complain?"

This time around, everyone stayed quiet. Gritting their teeth, they realized that the situation… it would only get worse, from here on out. None dared to look at Ame as she slowly made her way back to the group. She was walking as if nothing happened, but they all knew there was a problem because they could hear her.

They could hear her walking.

They all knew they weren't supposed to.

"Ame—"

The orange-eyed girl spared a glance and a smile for Rio. "Everything's gonna be fine."

On which she returned to her place. The blonde stared at her back with growing regrets, easily remembering what had been said—or rather not said, barely a few hours before. It was true that Ame was very secretive and yes, she was rather self-centered… but if there was one thing Rio knew about her, it was that she was ready to do anything to protect whoever she considered her friends, even if it meant being hurt in the process.

She'd always look out for them, and she had forgotten about that until now.

What have we done!?

What… what have I done…?

"I- I can't take it anymore…"

Kayano was ready to faint. However, her moment of weakness was instantly noticed by Takaoka, who had been watching the group like a hawk ready to swoop in on his prey. He was only waiting for the opportunity to bestow some more violence.

"My, my, we can't have you giving up, can we?"

The green-haired girl realized her mistake too late and shot a horrified look at Ame, who was standing two rows before her. The teen didn't even bother looking back to her, already waiting and ready for what was to come. She didn't flinch as Takaoka arrived behind her, and Kayano could only cover her eyes with a whimper as their teacher put his hands together and brought them down on Ame's head. The black-haired girl immediately collapsed, falling on her back. She stared at the sky for a few seconds, her head spinning, and spat out blood when Takaoka brought his feet down on her chest.

This time, something definitely cracked.

Fuck, Hana's gonna kill me for being so reckless again…

Her crazy teacher was about to slam his fist into her face for the nth time, but his whole arm was suddenly held back. There was a moment of stillness as all eyes fell upon none other than Karasuma, who was now gripping the man's arm tightly.

"That's enough, Takaoka. If you want to get violent, get violent with me," he growled.

"Tche. I figured it was about time for you to stick your nose in, Karasuma," snorted Takaoka. He freed himself from the man's hold, straightening up. "It's like I said: this isn't violence, it's education. I don't want to engage with you through violence. If we do face off, it'll be as teachers. I know!" He faced the rest of the class. "Choose the best of the students you've trained, Karasuma. They can fight me, and if their knife so much as touches me, I'll concede that your style of education is better than mine and take my leave."

Hope surged amongst the students as Takaoka went to his bag and started looking through it, before rubbing out a rubber knife.

"But we won't be using these old things," he warned. He then pulled out a real knife, which glinted dangerously in the sunlight. "No, you'll be killing me… and that means you'll need the real thing."

"A real knife?" A nervous drop of sweat rolled down Karasuma's forehead. "Enough! They're neither trained nor prepared to kill a human!"

"Relax—stopping just before contact will count as a hit," assured Takaoka, chuckling darkly. "And I'm barehanded. What more of a handicap do you want? Well, Karasuma? Pick one already!" He threw the knife at Karasuma's feet. "It's that… or obey me unconditionally."

Karasuma paused, still unsure about everything. Could he truly expose a student with a hint of potential to such danger? Someone grabbed the knife before him, though.

"I'll- I'll do it." Ame forced herself back to her feet, brandishing the knife before her. "I can handle it—"

"Ame, that's enough," Rio however interfered, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Look, your hand's shaking so badly the blade isn't straight! You need to sit down and take a break."

"But I- I can—"

"Ame-san." The girl snapped her eyes to Isogai, who was now standing next to her. He offered her a hesitant smile. "You've done enough. Let us handle the rest."

Ame didn't want to. She knew she was the best when it came to knife fighting and, contrarily to them, she fought with real knives almost every day. If she didn't fight, then she couldn't protect whoever did, and they'd get hurt and she simply couldn't bear the thought of it—

"Naoki, sit this one out," then ordered Karasuma, before gesturing to the other students. "Trust in your classmates, if only this time around."

The words acted like a slap, and it knocked whatever fight was left in her. Groaning, she handed the knife back, feeling her injuries act up. Rio grabbed her arm and passed it around her neck to help her walk to the building.

"I- I still wanna see da fight," mumbled the girl.

"Sheesh, you're so stubborn…" sighed Rio, who agreed nonetheless.

She helped her to the stairs and again helped her to sit, before sitting next to her to watch what was going to happen next.

"Ame?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

They didn't say any more, knowing they didn't have to. They'd talk about things later, once the situation was better and Ame wasn't as lightheaded.

Karasuma ended up picking Nagisa. It didn't come as much of a surprise to Ame since she knew the man had come to the same conclusions as she did when it came to the blue-haired boy's potential. And, in the end, she realized that she wasn't all that worried about him. She knew what he could do… and she trusted him.

She knew he could win.

Do it, Nagisa. Don't hesitate, and win.

For everyone.

A wet towel was presented to her. Startled, she glanced up to Irina.

"You have blood all over your face," she flatly stated.

"… thank you."

She grabbed the towel and started wiping her face. As expected, the white tissue quickly turned red. It didn't really bother her, though. She was used to stuff like that. The first year in the Zodiac hadn't exactly been a walk in the park, after all, and she distinctly remembered the strength behind Dale's hits. His training sessions had been tough, but they were the reason why she got this far in their line of work.

"Hey, it's starting!"

At Rio's warning, Ame snapped out of her thoughts to report her attention on the fight that was about to unfold. Nagisa was brandishing the knife before him, obviously unsure of how to wield a real blade, but he wasn't shaking like an amateur would, so that was a good start.

This isn't a fight, Nagisa, warned Ame, even though silently. You don't need to fight. Make contact once and it's over—your win.

A tense silence fell upon the group. Then, understanding suddenly dawned on Nagisa, something Ame instantly noticed. Her pain seemed to fade away as smugness took over: Takaoka was done for.

"Wha- what's he doing?" gaped Rio.

The black-haired girl grinned at the blonde's question. "An assassination."

Because Nagisa, contrarily to all expectations, had lowered his blade and was now walking toward their sadistic teacher with a bright smile on his face. He only stopped once he quite literally collided with the man, who had failed to notice the threat that was approaching him so innocently.

It was too late, though.

Checkmate, Takaoka-sensei.

Nagisa suddenly swung his knife at his opponent, who stumbled backward in surprise. The boy used his weight against him, pushing him to the ground. Almost in the blink of an eye, he slithered around the man's still falling body and, when Takaoka finally met the dirt, he was already trapped by Nagisa with the knife pressed against his neck.

The silence became even heavier, if possible. Then, Ame started laughing—loudly.

"Woo! Go Nagisa!" she cheered.

Her laughs soon turned into a violent coughing fit, though, and Rio grimaced as red drops splattered on the stairs. Something was suddenly shoved into her hand, and it took her a second to realize it was a glass of water that Korosensei had handed her on his way out.

"Here, Ame," she proposed, instantly handing it to the other teen.

"Th- thanks."

She calmed down, slowly drinking her water as Korosensei went to separate Nagisa and Takaoka, taking away the knife and announcing the end of the fight. A moment later, the students gathered around Nagisa to congratulate him. Ame however tensed when realizing Takaoka wasn't done yet.

"Wa- watch out!" She coughed some more.

Her classmates stiffened at her warning. At the same moment, the defeated and humiliated teacher rose back to his feet, utter rage written all over his face and obviously ready to break some faces.

"You damn brats… Turning on your father figure and rejoicing in some fluke victory!? Again!" he spat, veins bulging on his forehead. "I'll tear you in two—body and soul!"

Without hesitation, Ame grabbed the second needle still in her hair and threw it at the man. Her aim was a little off, flying closer to his eyes than intended, but it did get her point across as it embedded itself to the hilt in the ground farther away, just after grazing his face.

"I- I fuckin' dare you," she growled, her tone dark.

But then her ribs screamed for justice and the wave of pain that washed over her made her keel over in the stairs with a pained moan.

"Ame! Stop pushing yourself already!" scolded Rio, handing her the towel back.

The black-haired girl grumbled under her breath, truly giving up. Worsening her state wouldn't help anyone, and it did hurt. She couldn't remember the last time she had been hurt so badly in a fight but, then again, it was probably the first time she hadn't been allowed to fight back. She now realized that she possessed a great weakness, one she could never get rid of… but, in a way, she couldn't bring herself to mind.

Nagisa suddenly stepped up, drawing her attention.

"If we fought again, I'd lose for sure," he stated bluntly. "But what's plain to see is that Korosensei is our teacher, and Karasuma-san is our training instructor. And that's final. You and your forced father-figure role don't come across half as warm as Karasuma-san and his professionalism." He then bowed. "We're grateful you really tried to make us stronger… but I'm sorry. Please leave."

Takaoka was so angry he was foaming at the mouth. "I ain't gonna stand here and listen to this brat spouting off!"

He bounced on the poor boy. Before he could reach him, though, Karasuma suddenly stepped between the two. In a single blow to the jugular, he completely took out the madman, who collapsed at his feet.

"I apologize for the trouble my colleague caused," then announced Karasuma. "Don't worry about what comes next. I'll negotiate with my superiors to resume my teaching position."

Relief instantly washed over the E-Class: their nightmare was finally over.

"You- you think I'll let you get one over me like that!?" however spat the man. "I'll—"

"There's no need to negotiate."

At the new voice, everyone startled and watched with wide eyes as their very own Principal arrived on the field and walked right up to Takaoka.

"Principal Asano!"

"I was curious as to how our newest teacher was doing and saw the whole thing." He kneeled to get on Takaoka's level and grabbed his chin to make the man look at him in the eyes. "Takaoka-san, your lesson was a joke. Yes, fear is a must in education. However, a teacher who can only instill fear through violence is a teacher of the lowest order indeed." He suddenly released him and rose back to his feet, though not before shoving some papers in the sadist's mouth. "Your walking papers. You see, the Ministry of the Defense has no hiring rights here. I call the shots around here—and don't you forget it."

Takaoka's rage was so intense… Ame simply had no words to describe it. She seriously doubted she ever saw someone in such an irate state before and, frankly, she hoped she'd never see it again. However, even though maddened by his emotions, Takaoka knew he had no power anymore, and so he ran away with his tail between his legs, cursing on the whole way. Once he was gone, Ame finally allowed herself to relax. The danger was gone, the threat had been handled, and everything would be fine now.

"—san? Naoki-san?"

It took the black-haired girl a moment to notice the Principal, who was now standing before her and Rio. Also, now that she thought about it, the blonde was holding her, as if she had been falling forward…

"You know, I think I blacked out for a second," she murmured, somewhat confused.

"Principal Asano was asking you how injured you were, and if you needed to go to the hospital," repeated Rio, frowning in worry. "You really should, though. He beat you up pretty badly—"

"No. No, I don't- I don't need to," refused instantly the teen, shaking her head. It was a bad idea, though, as everything suddenly spun and twisted around her. "Ugh, stop moving…"

"Naoki-san, I'm afraid you might be suffering from a mild concussion," then remarked Korosensei, suddenly appearing next to the Principal. "And it is possible that you suffer from internal damage too. The hospital is the best—"

"No hospital!" she snapped. She spat some blood on the grass, trying to get rid of the awful taste lingering in her mouth. "I'm fine!"

"Naoki, you're obviously not," sighed Karasuma, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Stop being so stubborn. I'll drive you there—"

"Ya can't! No hospital!" insisted the girl, now edging on panic. She felt sick and okay, maybe she needed to see a professional, but that wasn't the point. "Just- just take me home or somethin', I'll be as good as new tomorrow—"

"The state you are in will not be arranged with only some rest and a few painkillers, Naoki-san," then remarked the Principal. His voice was smooth, though bland, but Ame still felt the urge to look at him. "Why do you not wish to go to the hospital?"

"I…" After a few seconds, she found herself unable to stand his gaze. She lowered her eyes, somewhat ashamed as the answer stumbled out of her mouth. "I… can't afford it. I don't have that- that kind of money."

If she could simply find her way to Headquarters, they'd work things out and call in a few favors to get her patched up in the blink of an eye. Who knew? Maybe Yagi was back and he'd take a look at her. And all that without even having to tell her grandmother! But these guys didn't know that—couldn't know that, and she guessed it was only natural for them to want to send her to the hospital. It cost a lot, though, and she didn't even know if she suffered from anything really, really serious. If she wasn't on the verge of dying, then why bother—

"You needn't worry yourself with such matters." The words didn't register right away but, when they did, Ame looked back to the Principal in disbelief. He merely offered her one of his blank smiles. "As you have suffered those injuries on school grounds, and from a teacher under our supervision at that, it is only natural for the school to pay for any damages. Your hospital fee and whatever you need for your recovery will be paid for in full."

The black-haired girl gaped at him, unable to say anything. Such a generous offer was the last thing she expected from that man.

"I… Thank you."

"Of course."

He then started walking away, obviously done with the whole matter. Ame watched him go, still a little puzzled. In the end, though, she decided to not make a fuss about it. Free stuff was free stuff, right?

"—Ame!"

She jumped, staring at Rio with wide eyes. "Wha… Oh. I think I blacked out again."

"He really got your head, hasn't he?" sweatdropped the blonde. "I've called you four times already."

"Sorry… It's kinda hard ta focus right now," admitted the girl. "Rio?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm tired…"

That earned her a chuckle from the blue-eyed girl, who gently guided her friend's—yes, her friend's—head on her lap.

"It's okay, Ame. Get some rest. You deserve it."

Ame simply hummed under her breath, already slipping into Morpheus' embrace. In barely ten seconds, she had fallen asleep, her breathing soon reaching a regular pace. Korosensei then arrived before them, his tentacles carefully lifting the now unconscious girl.

"I will go put her in your car, Karasuma-san," he announced. "I shall also inform her family of her whereabouts."

"Understood. Though, refrain on giving any… details, about the situation," warned Karasuma. "I'll handle the explanations."

"Yes, yes!"

The octopus then vanished at Mach 20 speed. After a few seconds, Karasuma sighed. Even though it was finally over, he should have acted earlier. He knew Naoki could handle herself, but those injuries could have easily been avoided if he had been more certain of his position sooner. His eyes then fell on his students (his!)… but he soon noticed something was wrong. He had expected joy or relief or something of the sort, but all of their faces merely reflected regret or were simply expressionless, deep in thoughts.

"What is it?"

He seriously hoped it wasn't anything serious. He was only just getting acquainted with that teacher role, and it had been more than enough emotions for one day.

"… Ame-san tried to warn us," then sighed Isogai. "About Takaoka-san. She tried to tell us that he was dangerous, that we couldn't trust him, but… we wouldn't listen. We…"

"We couldn't trust her either," resumed bluntly Terasaka, crossing his arms over his chest. Sure, maybe he had been a tad bit harsh, but he hadn't been entirely in the wrong either. "So we didn't."

"We didn't know where to stand, and we said some pretty awful stuff to her," added Kayano, fidgeting a little.

"It's more like we didn't say anything," corrected somberly Maehara.

"If we had just listened to her, maybe she wouldn't be in this state right now," pointed out Rio, looking down. Her fists clenched. "She's always been secretive beyond belief, but she never really meant anything by it. And yeah, she can be a little selfish… but she's also ready to give up everything to protect those she loves. Those she calls family. Those she calls friends. Like…" Her shoulders slumped a little more. "Like us."

Silence took over the group. Karasuma could only watch as most lowered their eyes in shame. After a few more seconds, he sighed once again.

"Naoki isn't the easiest person to read," he agreed, running a hand through his hair. "And yes, she has many secrets. However, from what I've gathered ever since I started working here, she doesn't mean any harm. The only times she truly lashes out are when some of you are threatened in some sort of way." He hesitated for a moment, before forcing away his doubts. They needed to build some trust in the group, and maybe now was the time to get started. "Naoki doesn't have it easy right now. I can't go into the details, only she can tell you the full story, but she's stuck in a rather precarious situation and so she's rather suspicious of others. However, if there is one thing you can trust, it's her instincts. I'm not asking you to follow her blindly next time around, but merely to consider the context and her abilities, if nothing else." He then readjusted his tie, before heading away. "Anyhow, if you wish to know, then ask her yourselves. I will see you tomorrow at our next P.E. class."

The students waved goodbye as he walked away, before exchanging a few looks. It would seem Ame had gotten even more mysterious, which wasn't exactly a good thing considering how secretive she already was. But, then again, they never really thought that there might have been an actual, valid reason as to why she never told them anything.

Now, though… Now, what should they do?