Despite having Raidou, Gouto and Fenrir at my sides I still felt a little nervous about entering the Dark Realm. Then I remembered I'd already searched Dark Tsukudo Cho and nothing had happened so I found myself relaxing. Not a whole lot but enough so that I wasn't getting constant stares from Raidou and Gouto.
"I hope we find him because when we do I'll make him pay for what he's done." I growled and Fenrir raised his head at me, the wolf's eyes looking up to see my hands shaking.
"You need to calm down, Jean." Gouto warned but I didn't pay him more than a second's attention when we all heard a low chuckle. "He's here." He said as there was a flash of light bright enough to make everyone present shield their eyes. Blinking my eyes to clear them I took a single step back when a familar face appeared several feet in front of us, a cold smile on his lips.
"So the girl returns. I thought you would be dead by now due to my...gift." The man chuckled and I narrowed my eyes my fingers reaching for the revolver before he shook his head. "You should be grateful I allowed you to live." He told me and at my side Fenrir growled, Raidou already reaching for his sword.
"Let me live? You messed up my mind and I almost..." I trailed off, reminded of the knife that I had nearly cut myself with. "You need to be stopped. Oh and for your information I'm a woman not a girl."
"I'm helping people and you want to stop me?" The man protested and I snarled, barely aware that I'd started to walk towards him until I felt a hand grasp my shoulder and I looked up to find Raidou standing there. "Listen to your friend, girl. He knows I'm much too powerful for you to take on." He taunted and I growled, shaking off Raidou's hand before I rushed towards the man.
But before I could get off a shot he vanished and I skidded to a halt, in shock. "Jean, behind you!" Gouto warned and I spun around just as the man appeared, his closed fist coming at my face. I managed to take another step back blocking the blow with my gun but the strength behind the blow knocked the gun out of my hands and it skidded across the ground.
Weaponless I used my fists but he blocked them without any effort, grabbing my fist and before my friends' eyes he threw me away. I rolled to stop myself for slamming into the ground but the move left me winded but by then Raidou launched his own attack, Orthrus appearing in a flash of light. Coughing I pushed myself up by my elbows not even noticing that I'd torn my pants until I felt a sharp pain radiating there and I glanced down to see a splash of blood just below my right knee.
"Jean, pay attention!" Gouto shouted and I quickly climbed to my feet, forgetting about the pain before I rushed to help Raidou. Fenrir immediately moved to my aid and I nodded at him, racing to retrieve my fallen weapon. Furious at being set upon the man, or whatever he was, blocked Raidou's sword thrusts with his arm before he struck a blow that left Raidou dizzy. Blood dripping down his arm the man growled something and just as I retrieved my weapon I saw a demon appear behind him.
"He's a summoner too?!" I breathed before I took aim at his chest. Shaking off the dizziness Raidou swung his sword and the man dodged, Orthrus leaping forward and when one of its heads clamped down on his outstretched arms he let out a roar that made me cringe. "I supposed to be fighting not standing around." I scolded myself, pulling another summoning tube from under my jacket.
Calling to the demon inside I unleashed Ukobach who grinned, looking at me for my command. "Use Maragi on that man." I told Ukobach, pointing to the one who had Orthrus' jaw clamped onto his arm. Still trying to shake the beast off he called to his demon, Okuninushi who immediately blasted Orthrus with Bufudyne which froze the pyro demon on the spot.
Growling softly, the man managed to escape Orthrus's jaws and I groaned as his demon knocked the frozen Orthrus aside. Raidou raised his gun firing off a shot but the summoner dodged, appearing to vanish and reappear before he had a chance to hit him. Still a little shaken by my fall I paused though when the summoner commanded Okuninushi to attack me next I narrowed my eyes, Ukobach grinned launching a Maragi that nearly burned the summoner's cheek.
"This time I won't go easy on you!" He snapped at me until Raidou swung his sword, slicing into his right arm. The man growled, clutching his bleeding limb against his chest. "You'll pay!" With a roar his demon rushed towards Raidou next and Fenrir growled, a jet of fire shooting towards our enemy. Okuniushi blocked it with a blast of Bufudyne before he blasted Fenrir and I cried out as my demon was frozen solid.
Without thinking I raced towards him and Raidou shouted a warning, Orthrus rushing to my aid as a burst of ice shot towards me. The ice magic caught Raidou's demon this time and he groaned as it froze, both mouths half open. "Jean, look out!" Gouto's voice called out and I turned in time to see a fist coming for me. I saw blood flying as the fist connected with my left eye and I cried out in pain, feeling my eye already swelling from the blow to my face.
I landed in a heap on the ground and Raidou charged forward, his summoning tube already visible but our enemy just laughed, despite his bleeding limb he raised a hand. Not even breaking a sweat Raidou aimed, firing a shot of his firearm only to have the bullet come within inches of the man before it bounced off an barrier that glowed a bright green for a moment before it vanished.
"A dragons jaw? He can create them?" Gouto spoke as I stumbled to my feet, one hand over my sore eye. His eyes narrowed he took a step towards Raidou. "What kind of summoner are you?"
"A more powerful one than your student, Gouto. And an even more experienced one than that...woman." The man taunted, Okuninushi at his side. Recalling his demon he grinned at me. "Come after me when you're stronger. I'm Haruki Rokurou." He added and with a flash of light he vanished out of the Dark Realm, leaving me confused.
"Jean, what were you thinking?" Gouto scolded as Raidou slammed his sword into the ice keeping both our demons imprisoned. Shaking the icicles from his body, Fenrir hurried to my side growling softly. "You never take your eyes off your opponent under any circumstances."
"I didn't see you helping." I snapped back and Raidou raised an eyebrow at me, Orthrus growling softly once he was freed next.
"Jean, control yourself." Gouto told me and I snorted, returning my gun back to my pocket. "You need better control of your emotions."
"Oh shut up!" I shouted so loudly both summoner and mentor stared at me. Breathing hard I glared at the pair of them. "Stop telling me how to fight. You're not my teacher and I don't want one." I added in a lower voice and without sparing them a single glance I headed for the *, leaving them speechless.
"What's wrong with her?" Gouto muttered, stretching before he looked up at Raidou. The summoner just shrugged and after he recalled Orthrus he followed but Jean had already left.
"Stupid cat. Thinking he's better than me." I grumbled once I reappeared in Ginza-Cho. Glancing around I sighed to myself as I discovered I didn't know how to get back home from where I was.
"Hey summoner that was hotheaded even for me." Ukobach cackled and I shrugged, looking around for a streetcar or failing that someone to ask for directions. After a lot of aimless wandering I found a young couple talking and after clearing my throat I asked them politely for directions, trying to hide my injured eye. They seemed a little shaken by my bloodied appearance and offered instead to direct me to the nearest hospital, which I quickly declined.
Once I arrived at the streetcar stop I let out a breath, both of my demons looking up to see me still trying to hide my eye. Or the tears welling in my eyes. Thankfully no one gave me more than a quick look when I narrowed my one visible eye, sitting at the back with Fenrir curled up beside me on the floor and Ukobach sitting beside me.
More than once I had to politely tell him not to try his fire magic on nearby passengers and once we arrived back in Tsukudo Cho I breathed out, keeping my eye closed. Limping a little from the wound in my leg I made my way slowly back to Narumi's detective agency and once I reached the door I grasped the doorknob, my demons glancing at each other then me.
My hand shaking a little I took a deep breath to steady myself before I opened the door, relaxing a little once I headed inside the building. Once my two demons joined me I headed down the small hallway leading into the office.
"Hmm that took a while. Did you have any luck in finding that...Jean?!" Narumi's voice greeted me from behind his desk, a piece of toast heading towards his mouth. The moment he saw me stumble into the room, my left eyes scrunched shut and blood dripping from my leg onto the floor he dropped the toast.
I looked up when he rushed towards my side, his gaze going to my left eye first. I didn't react until he lightly touched my eye and I hissed causing Narumi to take his hand away. "Sorry but that eye needs to be treated. Hang on I should have some ice. Take a seat on the couch." Narumi apologized and I wanted to argue until he placed a hand over my shoulder and I raised my head, staring at him for a long moment.
"Fine." I muttered, the dull ache in my left eye making both of my eyes water causing my sight to blur. Unable to see properly I nearly walked straight into the table directly in front of the couch and even with Narumi's arm on my shoulder I yelp as my injured leg brushed the edge of the table. Hissing under my breath I limped to the couch, falling into it with a sigh.
Leaving the room for several minutes, Narumi returned with a bowl half filled with ice and a hand towel. Setting it down on the table in front of me he noticed, with a tiny smile that my head had drooping towards my chest. Dropping a handful of ice into the cloth he wrapped it before he cleared his throat to get my attention.
"You still with me?" He asked and I raised my head to find a hand towel inches from my face. I recoiled and Narumi nearly burst out laughing until I whimpered, clamping a hand over my face again. "I need to put some ice on that eye. I promise I'll be careful okay?" He offered and I gazed at him from behind one open eye.
"After that can you look at my leg?" I replied and he nodded, head tilted to one side for a moment. Shaking his head at me, Narumi moved the cloth closer and as it touched my eye I jerked a pained yelp and he sighed. "It hurts okay?" I growled and he just gave me a tiny smile, raising the cloth only when I gave him a tiny nod.
This time I clutched a couch cushion, gripping it tighter and tighter as he gently pressed the cold cloth against my swollen eye. "Any better?" Narumi asked and I lifted my other hand, giving him a thumbs up. "Good to know. Can you hold the cloth on your eye? Then I can look at your leg." He asked and I raised my hand, my hand brushing his own before I clutched the cloth.
"I must have torn the pant leg when Haruki Rokurou tried to punch me the first time." I told Narumi who looked up from his examination of my torn pants to stare at me. When his eyes narrowed I swallowed and once he saw me looking shaken he shook himself.
"I'm not mad at you, Jean." Narumi quickly explained and I gave him a one-eyed stare until he chuckled softly. "Why would I be angry at you? Now let's see that leg." After a few minutes of trying to look at the scrape through my right leg he sighed in frustration. "Sorry but those pants need to come off." He told me and I gasped, staring at him with red cheeks until he cottoned on to what he'd just said.
"I meant I need to check that cut and I can't do that with your pants covering the wound. I didn't mean to say it like that it just slipped out." Narumi stammered and I couldn't help it then, giggling as he stared at me with two bright red cheeks. "Geeze you're not helping dollface." He grumbled though he had a smile on his face until he saw something run down my cheeks. Watching me curiously, Ukobach and Fenrir sat on the floor as my laughter subsided into a series of choking sobs.
Shocked, Narumi didn't react at first but when I whimpered from the pain of my eye he sat beside me on the couch. Immediately I moved towards him and he drapped an arm around my shoulders when I buried my face in his shirt, my sobs muffled.
"Hey it's okay. Shhh." Narumi soothed, rubbing my back as my shoulders shook. Feeling a little awkward Narumi rubbed slow circles around my back until my shoulders stopped shaking and I raised my head, rubbing at my one good eye with the back of my palm. "What happened to you? And where's Raidou and Gouto?" He asked and I coughed, rubbing at my eye again.
"Probably back in Dark Ginza-Cho. Gouto can stay there for all I care." I replied in a small voice, relaxing my hold on Narumi's back. "Can you look at my leg now?" I asked, changing the subject and Narumi fixed me with both eyebrows raised.
"I'll give you a change of pants and then I'll check the wound. Just let me know if it hurts or you're uncomfortable." Narumi offered and I nodded, moving the cloth back to my eye. Narumi left the room for a few minutes giving my demons time to wander over, Fenrir nuzzled my leg while Ukobach stared at my leg.
"Are you alright, Jean?" Fenrir asked and I gave him a slight nod, hoping neither could see my lips quivering. "If you are sure." He added and I gave his head a pat, pulling my summoning tubes from out of my jacket.
"You guys could do with a rest too. Thanks for your help." I whispered, calling them back to their tubes and once I returned the tubes to the pocket in my jacket I heard footsteps heading my way.
"Talking to Fenrir again?" Narumi asked returning to my side with another clean cloth, a pair of suit pants and small box in his hands. "They're painkillers." He explained once he noticed my eyes on the box. Setting them down he sat beside me and I shifted back to give him more room. "Darn you still need to change. Hadn't thought of that." He muttered and I gave a giggle.
"If you can turn around for a few minutes I'll change." I replied and he quickly nodding, rising quick enough to leave me grinning. I reached down gritting my teeth before I unzipped my pants. Pulling them off was another matter altogether and Narumi couldn't help glancing back only to get a cloth thrown at his face. "Don't you dare sneak a peek!" I yelped, red faced as I pulled the pants down over my wound. Dropping the bloodstained pants into a heap on the floor I grabbed the clean ones, pulling them up enough to hide my underwear.
"Is it safe to turn around?" Narumi asked, holding the wet cloth in his fingers. Resisting the urge to roll my eye at him I sat back on the couch before I cleared my throat and the detective turned around to find me sitting there, keeping a firm grip on the borrowed pants. "Okay so do you want me to check what the damage is?"
"Just...be really careful. It stings." I begged and he nodded, sitting beside me. "Um...this is so embarrassing." I muttered as I started to slide the pants down and right when Narumi caught a glimpse of my light blue underpants he blinked.
"Wait a minute. You could have just rolled them up enough to show me the cut." Narumi suggested and I covered myself with a growl, my lips quivering again but for an entirely different reason now.
"If I could see properly I'd kick you so hard." I grumbled as he chuckled beside me, helping me roll up my pants enough to expose the tear in my skin. I bit back a whimper and even Narumi cringed at the blood dripping down my leg.
"Probably looks worse than it is. I'll give it a clean first and then we'll see." Narumi said and I watched, my leg aching as he lightly cleaned away the blood covering the wound. Once he did I managed a weak smile, despite the ache when I saw that he was right; under the blood I could see two or three cuts but they were shallow. "See I was right? How are you holding up, Jean?" Narumi asked and I winced before I gave him a weak smile not convincing him in the slightest. "Okay you really need to tell me if you're hurting." He muttered, pressing the clean cloth against my leg and I hissed.
"Alright it bloody hurts. There, you happy now?" I snapped at him and Narumi just chuckled, returning his attention back to my cuts. He only left my side to grab fresh bandages from the desk drawer and I tilted my head to one side, cloth still keeping my eye closed as he carefully wrapped my leg. I winced once or twice but Narumi's hands were surprisingly gentle and he finished within a few minutes.
He's really gentle with those hands of his. I wonder why I never paid much attention to that the first time I came here. It's nice to have someone so kind looking after you.
Distracted by my thoughts I didn't notice Narumi finishing wrapping my leg but when he glanced up at me he paused, noting the flush of my cheeks.
Is she feeling alright? Apart from the eye her wounds weren't as bad as they looked so why is she staring at me like that?
"Jean, hello?" Narumi called and my head jerked, my eye focused on Narumi who blinked back at me. "You're not feeling sick are you?"
"Just a little tired I guess. Not doing so well at this devil summoning thing am I?" I asked and Narumi shook his head, reaching over and I cracked a smile when his hand clasped mine. "Hey...thanks for looking out for me. I'm sorry about the way I've been treating you since I arrived back."
"No need to apologize, Jean. We all have our bad days." Narumi protested and I shook my head, gripping his hand a little tighter.
"But I...I want to make it up to you. You've been so good to me even after I stormed out and I want to make it up to you...somehow." I mumbled, getting close enough so we were almost nose to nose.
"Like how exactly?" Narumi whispered, cheeks slightly red at how close we were now sitting.
"I'll...think of something. Just give me a minute." I whispered back, leaning in without hesitating and after a brief hesitation of his own Narumi mirrored my movements.
Feeling his lips on mine caused a low whine to emerge from the depths of my throat and it only increased when Narumi opened his mouth further making it became an open mouthed kiss, one that made my head, not to mention my stomach, feel light. Very soon I felt Narumi's tongue brush against my own so I opened my own mouth enough to allow it inside and then I was clutching at the back of shirt, moaning muffled by his tongue and my own.
In the back of Narumi's mind he knew that he was moving a little fast but when I lay back against the couch cushions he leant over me, giving me a smile that sent a pleasant flutter through my belly before he covered my body with his own. We had just started kissing again when the door to the agency swung open and Raidou appeared with Gouto at his heels.
Seeing two of his friends making out on the couch, Raidou stopped in his tracks the normally detached summoner staring on with wide eyes and even Gouto blinked.
Oblivious to the looks we were receiving I groaned into Narumi's mouth, keeping a firm grip on his shirt as his mouth moved from mine to the side of my throat. But as I turned my head towards the direction of the door, groaning I froze once my eye saw someone standing there. In shock I lightly tapped Narumi on the side of his head but he didn't notice at first and I shuddered as his mouth lightly sucked at my throat. "N...Narumi...door." I gasped, struggling to ignore the ache that had formed in my belly.
"Jean, what is it?" Narumi groaned, lifting his head enough to see our two visitors and he groaned in disbelief this time. "Perfect timing you two." He muttered, both of our faces flushed.