Chapter 15
Miyuki sat in the training area with Yukio in front of her. She narrowed her eyes as the brunette silently observed her.
"So am I going to train or not?" the Yuki-Onna asked sarcastically. Yukio sighed.
"I doubt there's anything I can actually teach you since you seem to work better by yourself," he stood up.
"What am I supposed to do then?" Miyuki frowned. Yukio shrugged before walking back over to his brother.
"You know how you usually train. Do whatever you think will help you," he said. Miyuki rolled her eyes. She sighed as she got to work training.
Miyuki decided that the best way to train would be to try and develop new powers. She had learned that Yuki-Onna's abilities consisted of controlling ice, mist transformation, body temperature moderation, fear inducement, and levitation. Of the five, Miyuki had only been capable of accomplishing three.
"Levitation and mist transformation..." she mumbled. She took a deep breath before closing her eyes and concentrating. She thought that meditation might help her. While she worked, she still listened to the conversation Yukio and Shura were having.
"You look all gloomy as usual. You keep hanging on to that stress and you're going to get an ulcer," Shura joked when Yukio walked over to her.
"And who's fault would that be?" the brunette rolled his eyes. Shura smirked.
"I got an idea, Mister Four-eyed Chicken. How about we take the edge off exorcist style?" she proposed.
"Pass."
"Holy crap, that was fast."
"You're so antisocial. Remember the days when we used to bet each other lunches off these matches?" Shura asked. Yukio paused. Miyuki could only guess he was thinking of simpler times.
After a minute of silence, the brunette spoke, "Fine. If I win, you have to stop calling me chicken." Miyuki peeked open one eye, watching Yukio as he approached one of the batting cages. Shura's smug smile also caught her attention.
"You're on. If I win you buy me lunch," the swordswoman said, following her young coworker to the cages. She stood in the one to the left of Yukio. Miyuki had forgotten about trying to clear her mind or whatever she thought she could accomplish. Her subjects of interest stood in the batting cages. She stood up to better observe them.
"You have selected hard mode," the automated voice said. Just like that, they were off.
"Wow! Look at them go!" Rin said, standing beside Miyuki. The Yuki-Onna couldn't help but think of Yukio's words. She didn't want to make things worse between her and either of the brothers. She simply nodded at Rin's statement.
"Get back to work, Flame Boy!" Shura shouted, making Rin flinch. Miyuki rolled her eyes at the nickname.
"You, too, Frosty," Shura added. The raven-haired teen sighed as she turned around. She glanced over for a second and caught Rin's eye. It wasn't intentional but she had to force herself away.
Miyuki had the feeling Yukio wasn't playing games when he had threatened her. She wanted to uphold her end of the bargain and keep contact with Rin to a minimum. Rin's companionship meant a lot to her, but she had to distance herself in order for him to get stronger. He needed to focus and she was an unwanted distraction.
'It's for the best,' she thought. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when a blue light burned behind her. She instinctively tried to jump away, but it was too late.
Miyuki widened her eyes when she felt her clothes, or the lack thereof, on her body. She looked over with a shocked expression, Yukio and Shura doing the same. A great heat rose up in Miyuki's cheeks and her face turned red.
"What did you do to us, Rin?" Yukio asked, glaring at his little brother. Rin shrunk a little.
"Uh..." he paused. His eyes shifted over to where Miyuki had once been, finding that she was no longer there, but a little pile of ash took her place. His eyes widened.
"Oh, God...I just killed Miyuki!" he exclaimed. Yukio facepalmed as he grabbed his jacket which, thankfully, had been preserved.
"I'm right here, dumbass," Miyuki said. Rin looked for the source of the voice but found nothing. He paused.
"She's a ghost!" he cried. Shura looked past him after hitting him in the head and bringing him back down to Earth.
"Look, idiot," she pointed, "Frosty's gotten herself a new power." Miyuki was barely visible, most of her body had turned to a thin mist that floated around her. When the Yuki-Onna realized this, she was ecstatic. She smiled from ear to ear as she hugged Rin, returning to her normal form.
"Uh, Miyuki...?"
"What?"
"You're still...um..." Miyuki cocked an eyebrow before realization hit her...
She was now visible.
"C-Crap!" she shouted before turning tomato red. She let go of Rin, who also had a bit of a blush going on, and covered herself with a blanket of ice.
"Nice going," Shura laughed.
"You're naked, too," Miyuki narrowed her eyes.
Shura shrugged, "Indeed I am." Miyuki rolled her eyes. Her attention was brought back to Rin as he handed her his uniform's jacket.
"Sorry...I'm still trying to control my flames...You're not hurt, are you?" the boy asked. Miyuki, still red in the face, shook her head. She returned Rin's goofy grin with a small smile.
"Alright, let's go, Frosty. You need clothes," Shura said, grabbing Miyuki's arm and pulling her away. Miyuki's blush deepened. She couldn't help but smile as Shura walked her back to her dorm.
The Next Day...
Miyuki sat on top of a table as she watched Rin and Kamiki clean. She had a sucker which she rolled in her mouth.
"You could help, you know?" Kamiki spat. Miyuki narrowed her eyes.
"I'd rather not. You're doing such a good job and I wouldn't want to mess that up," she said purely out of spite. The girl had gotten on her nerves so many times and this was merely payback.
"Ugh. Whatever," Kamiki rolled her eyes and continued to sweep. A smile played at Miyuki's lips as she felt the satisfaction of winning the argument.
"Whatcha doing?"
Miyuki shifted her gaze towards the students that entered the room. Suguro, Shima, and Shiemi walked in.
"What does it look like? We're cleaning up," Kamiki said. She stopped sweeping for a second to shoot Miyuki a look.
"At least, most of us are," she spat. Miyuki took her sucker out of her mouth, lazily grabbing the stick with her forefinger and middle finger.
"I'm monitoring the situation, Polka Brow," she said. Kamiki glared daggers at Miyuki, whose smile grew.
"Shouldn't you guys be heading to class, now?" Rin asked.
"What? Didn't you get the e-mail?" Shima asked. Miyuki cocked an eyebrow and crossed her legs so that one sat over the other. She took out her phone and read the e-mail. She didn't get far, as a familiar presence forced her attention away from the device.
"I sent it to ever exorcist in our region. I'm afraid it's an emergency."
"Mephisto..." Miyuki noticed the demon's serious tone and expression, a rare sight.
"Why'd you send it to us? We're only exwire's," Shima questioned.
"I believe the situation is so dire that even you're needed," Mephisto said. Shima blankly stared at him, confusion still imminent on his face.
"A type of demon known as Gufu has managed to infiltrate the academy. Sir Pheles' protection barrier is supposed to repel any demon, mid-level or higher. We have to figure out how it got in," Yukio explained. Miyuki made wary eye contact with Mephisto. Did he seriously just let something break into his school?
"A demon can only circumvent the barrier in one of two ways. Either the barrier has a tear in it somewhere...or someone inside the academy let it in," the demon said. Miyuki narrowed her eyes.
"Why would someone do that?" Suguro asked.
"No idea. I've asked the instructors to investigate the Gufu's whereabouts. However, I'd like you exwires to personally conduct an inspection of the barrier," Mephisto explained. The class nodded.
"Yes, sir."
Mephisto nodded with a smile before turning around and leaving, the Cram Class following behind him.
"Not you," Miyuki turned around as she heard Yukio speak. She raised an eyebrow as Rin was grabbed by his collar.
"You're coming with me for more training," Yukio began to drag his brother away from the group.
"W-Wait! What about Miyuki?" he stuttered. The look that Yukio gave Miyuki was colder than normal.
"Hayami can do as she pleases. I don't care," he hissed. Miyuki narrowed her eyes as she watched the brother's go. She unconsciously bit into her sucker with such force that it broke. She sighed through her nostrils.
"What did you do to get on Okumura's bad side?" Shima asked, the whole class having just witnessed the interaction. Miyuki scoffed before continuing to walk behind Mephisto.
'Uptight jerk.'
