The cries of cicadas sang all around the nerve raked teen as he sat in silence and anticipation. Kukun's fingers twined together doing all he could to keep his mind off his troubled thoughts. He could have sworn she told him to meet her here at exactly this spot, but it seemed the time continued to pass with no trace of her. He sighed, feeling the heat of the day beat through the tree's shade as he wiped his brow. It seemed just as he glanced back up afterward, she suddenly had appeared just before him. He jumped up from his spot in shock seeing her there breathing heavily as if she had just run a marathon, and he'd believe it with how quickly she showed up.

She noticed his initial shock, "Oh, sorry Kukun, I didn't mean to startle you," she came off much more deadpan than she intended.

Holding his chest and catching his breath Kukun smiled still, "Nah it's okay, I needed a wake up!" He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. Miko couldn't help but find it amusing, allowing herself to grin along with him.

"I'm sorry I was late, some stuff came up," she informed.

"Don't even worry about it," he waved it off in a jolly manner. "We got the rest of the day to do whatever. As a matter of fact I was thinking I know this really cool jogging path, and well, I know how much you like to run, maybe you'd like it. Or we could do whatever else you like, it doesn't matter to me," he stumbled over himself, but did all he could to keep up his cool. Miko could tell he was giving an admirable amount of effort for her, it tickled her inside helping melt away her stern outward looks. She worried she would come off, odd or even plain unnerving to him but watching him, she felt content. Dare she think, the way he treated her made her feel downright human again, even if just for a second.

"That sounds great," she responded with a slight giggle.

He stopped and looked up with a blank expression, "What, you mean the jogging path or something else?"

Her laughter only became that much more apparent, "I like your idea, let's go."

His whole face became spirited again as he walked next to her and guided her, "No problem, it's not too far from here I think you'd really like it."

She could see him next to her bouncing with each step like an excited puppy. She didn't even have to get a word in, just quietly listening to him carry on, with a smile on her lips as they went.

"You know, while we're on the way, me and my friends have been thinking up some new rhythms. I've come up with a few myself and hopefully they ain't too bad. Maybe I could bounce em' off you to see what ya think first, if you want of course," he bashfully suggested.

"That sounds good, I'd love to hear it," she nodded to him.

The pair carried on, embarking on their short walk to reach the path Kukun had been speaking of. He tested out a few of his raps on her, stumbling over the first some in nervousness then becoming more passionate as he went. Miko listened to him pleasantly, hearing his thoughts and his dreams in the rhymes he sang. The one she enjoyed the most was one that brought up the harshness and cruelty of the world but lingering on the unbridled joy of finding beauty in it anyway. Such as the pain of searching through weeds and a trove of thorns to be rewarded with the glimpse of a flower. Something about it touched her, allowing her to lose herself in his heartfelt declarations. Before she knew it though he stopped and clasped the back of his neck shyly.

"Well, we're here, I hope I didn't bore you on the way over," he chuckled.

She joined in with him as she lightly shook her head, "No you're fine, I actually really liked it. I can tell you care a lot about it."

"Yeah, honestly the best part about it is digging down deep and reaching out to people on such a raw level. I wish I could get more people to listen to me and the rest of the gang, but I guess for now at least I got one fan," he said, giving her a toothy grin. "And hey, I know how much you're running means to you. I hope someday people see all the hard work you put into your track skills, and then you'll have a whole stadium cheering your name!" he finished giving a goofy demonstration of how her fans would someday cheer. She felt her face turn red as she couldn't keep down her laughter.

"Aww, thanks but you don't have to be so silly," she spoke through snickers.

"Can't help it, that's how it'll be someday," he shot back playfully. "And that day will come sooner the more you practice, ya wanna race down this hill with me. I think you'll really like the view once we get to the bottom of this thing," he got into a takeoff position.

She gave him a frisky side eye as she smirked, "Sounds tempting, we'll have to see for ourselves. That is if you can keep up!"

Without further warming the devillady took off, leaving her baffled date in the dust. He didn't stay there long though, putting on a huge smile he darted after her.

"Hey now, that's not fair, and you're already an athlete too!" he called after her with a playful tone.

"It's not about fair, it's about speed!" she laughed behind her, and she could hear his laughs in return.

Miko stayed ahead without any difficulty. As a matter of fact she was purposefully slowing herself. Beating him wasn't an issue, more than anything she wanted to appear natural. The thought of him finding out about her second nature was something she still dreaded, even with how accepting he seemed to be. Miko stifled her devilish urges to rip through the pathway at her full unfiltered capacity, keeping conscious to her own behavior.

It truly was an impressive jogging path; it was fairly secluded and didn't seem like many knew of its existence. Miko appreciated the natural wildlife and plants as she raced down the trail, keeping Kukun in her sights. When the ending of the path had finally made itself known she had stalled in complete awe. The view before her was wondrous, overlooking the metropolitan that was Tokyo. Taking each street and skyscraper, the scope was immeasurable. Miko stood with her mouth a gap as she heard the hefty huffs and puffs of Kukun finally descending to the overlook.

It took him a minute to catch his breath, "Wow, you really are fast. That was impressive!" He complimented her but could tell she was captivated by the sight before her. He soon joined her at her side taking it all in.

"I told you the view was worth it," he said calmly.

Miko's gaze still hadn't left it, but her features did relax, "It is, I'm glad you took me out here, it's been nice."

Kukun had glanced over to the view but really his eyes were mostly on her. She happened to notice his affectionate eyeing and couldn't help but feel touched inside.

"You know the view's this way," she teased.

"That's okay I got a better one," He grinned anxiously, placing his hand behind his neck again. Miko faced him fully now and felt the joy and giddiness pool onto her face as much as she tried to hide it. It was so funny to her, normally she couldn't help but look stone faced, as her vision of the world was vastly different from that of her human counterparts. Though here she was trying to hold down her beaming smile like a schoolgirl. She loved how effortlessly human she felt around him.

She couldn't fight off the blush as she smiled lightly to the ground, "Thanks, that's very sweet of you…"

Kukun seemed pleased with himself but worry lay just behind it. He could tell there was something else on her mind. He gulped and mustered the courage to speak again.

"Are you okay, you sound a little down?" he said softly.

Miko sighed a laugh as to help alleviate some of the tension inside her. She shook her head and placed a hand to her face, "It's not you, it's just I, I-I'm, I don't know how to say it, I'm sorry."

"Nah, it's no big deal, you can tell me anything, I don't mind," he insisted.

His understanding was both a blessing and a curse. She knew he was a compassionate person but at the same time, her confession would be a lot for even the most reasonable of people. He may have made her feel human and she enjoyed it, but she couldn't deny the fact of what she was and certainly not to him. He had every right to be aware of the danger and all that it entails, but still she hesitated.

"Look, you're a really nice guy and I don't want to see you get hurt because of me," she tried to explain. She felt the shadow of her past haunt her, sending a shiver up her spine as she looked at him. It was clear her meaning wasn't making sense to him.

He tilted his head, "What do you mean?"

She exhaled deeply feeling her own guilt and reluctance tug at her, "It's just, my life can be very dangerous. I'd hate to see you get yourself in a bad situation because you're around me."

He seemed to grow quiet and thoughtful then, his stare tracing the ground beneath him. Miko felt horrible having to do what she did, but she knew there was no way around it. She cared for him, and because of that she had to direct him out of harm's way.

"Well…"

Miko was a tad surprised to hear him start again, but she listened intensely. He brought his gaze back to meet with hers, and in the light of the day through his golden lens, she could see his eyes.

"Well, I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid of being with you. I'm not afraid of you," he admitted softly.

Suddenly Miko could no longer feel her heartbeat or her lungs breathing or hear the whistle of the wind in her ears. For that split second her world had stopped turning.

The next thing she knew she felt one timid word slip past her lips, "Really…"

Kukun's face was absolutely sincere as he nodded his head. She could feel the burn of her flesh as a flush came to her cheeks, seeing him leaning closer to her. Instinctively she wanted to yank herself back and she did ever so slightly, but something inside had stopped her. She paused, watching the yearning in his eyes, and suddenly she felt herself drawing in again. She couldn't rationally understand why she was behaving like this, but she just couldn't help herself. She wanted to be near him. Their eyes caught one another as a strong unseen bond grew between the pair. However, in the mists of their moment something dreadful caught her eye.

The sight snapped the devillady from her romantic trance as she perked up to look over her date. He was shocked by her reaction as he flipped his head around to see what it was she was seeing.

Down below Miko's unsettled stare fell to a familiar figure. Her enhanced eyes could see the suspicious face sneaking its way through a nearby alleyway.

"Moyuru Koda," she gasped.

"Who?" Kukun could hear her murmur. She felt a jolt of concern rush through her body as she glanced back and forth from him to the suspect individual.

"Uh, I thought I saw something, come on let's check it out," she said anxiously. Before Kukun could even add on she grasped him by the wrist and hurdled them both over the viewing cliffs railing.

"Hey, wait! Where are we going!" he shrieked as they hurdled through the bushes and twigs that scraped and cut at his skin. He could hardly get any traction as he slid down that steep slope, feeling akin to a rag doll as he was drug along after the devillady. She felt bad, and knew her actions didn't seem at all rational, but at the same time she couldn't let him get away. She had to find out what he intended in this new future and what threats he potentially posed. As she came to the bottom of the slope she scanned her eyes over the area before her, it didn't take long for her to sense him.

Miko moved with great swiftness and stealth, as she followed after the invisible trail the devilman was leaving behind. Kukun was breathing heavily and only becoming that much more befuddled as they advanced further.

"Miki, wh-what are we doing!? I don't understand?" he asked and was then promptly pushed against a wall alongside her. Her hand was covering his mouth as the cusp of her face peeked around the corner to see the devilman lurking around one building in particular. It looked like some kind of abandoned residency, and he had been carrying with him some kind of bundle. Her eyes narrowed the longer she watched him. There was a set of bulkhead doors he seemed to be drifting around with a leery gaze. Eventually seeing no one around he slipped himself down inside with his bag in tow.

This wasn't setting right with Miko; her thoughts ran all over the place thinking of what he could be hiding down there. She felt herself caught between two options: follow him and find out for herself or hold off for now and inform Akira. She figured the ladder would be best, she didn't know if he had any reinforcements and risking Kukun's life just wasn't an option. Regretfully she pulled back and soon her attention returned to her companion and his struggling figure.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she gasped. Her hand removed itself from his mouth as his respiration abruptly started once more. She felt terrible as her emotions churned inside her gut.

"Wh-what was that!?" he asked through shallow breaths.

Miko cringed back as her hand came to rub her embarrassed face, "I'm so sorry, I thought I saw someone I knew. It turned out to be nothing," she lied. "I hope I didn't startle you too much, I understand if you're upset…"

"Damn girl, you really can move," he eased himself with a laugh. Miko hadn't expected a reaction like that but because of it she found herself relaxing some as well.

"Uh, thanks," she chuckled anxiously. "So you're not upset?"

"Huh? Nah, I mean you scared me there for a sec but it was pretty fun. You'll have to warn me first next time," he laughed.

Hearing his encouraging words brought on a warm and cozy feeling to the girl that had only moments ago been doubt filled and hopeless. Her smile started small and her laughter timid but soon it rose to match his. They indulged in the happiness of the other and when they settled again that pleasantness remained.

"Hey, you know, there's still a lot of day left. You want to come hang with me at my place for a bit?" he suggested. With the brightness still brimming at her features she considered his offer. She knew she needed to update Akira on her suspensions, and she figured a text or call would do the trick. She felt confident in her decisions as her eyes gleamed back at Kukun.

"That sounds great, I bet I could make it there before you!" she jested.

A smirk formed at his lips, "Oh, I know I got you this time, you'll have to find it first." He playfully began to sprint off ahead of her. A frisky giggle sputtered from her mouth as she took off after him with a shake of her head.

"We'll see about that," Miko responded, jogging behind him, and keeping him in her sights as she raced off back into the suburbs, heading for their apartments.

In the dim lighting of the dingy hideout the psychic devil worked perilously to unlock the mind of the acclaimed bird demoness. Her companion stood to the side seeming deep in thought as he leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed. Kaim had volunteered to go first in place of Sirene and her reluctance, but now it seemed some of his own was silently surfacing. The three head council members were also present waiting alongside one another to witness the outcomes. The tension of that room could suffocate the most patient of beings and it appeared to be getting to them all.

With Jenny's illumination beginning to fade away it was clear her deed had been done. Sirene's hand came to rest on her forehead as she was coming too. Kaim was one of the first to come to her aid, gently placing a hand at her back.

"Well, do you both recall what must now be done?" the chairman asked the two. Neither one of them came off as too eager, both being too lost in reflection. Sirene especially was hardly acknowledging anyone or anything else around her.

"Sirene?" the chairman spoke up again with more force.

At last she seemed to blink herself back into the moment and stared back at him with an icy look.

"Consider it finished, sir," she said in an assuring manner. She didn't stick around, as a matter of fact it seemed all she wanted to do at that moment was get away. Get away from her master, get away from Kaim, and especially the situation. She barged past everyone else making her way out the door in a less than subtle manner. Every other figure seemed a tad muddled by her response but didn't have enough care to think on it further. Kaim was the only one amongst them that watched her with knowing features. There was an element to his face that read with a deep yet longing understanding. He didn't stay like that for long, he sighed and soon made his departure known, excusing himself from the council leaders. He exited in a much more somber manner leaving the three council figures alone with Jenny. There was a dense anxiousness emitting off the psychic as they turned to her.

"Well, it appears my tasks here are complete, if there's nothing further to be done, I shall see myself out," she said bustling past them.

"Hold there Jenny," the leader commanded. She seemed frustrated by his beckoning but flipped around to face him anyway.

"You just finished reviving the memories of two demons, shouldn't you regain your strength?" he asked.

Jenny's face appeared stern and uncomfortable with the quarry but obeyed her master's request, "Yes, but there is important business I must attend to."

The council head seemed suspicious, "What are these important matters?"

It was then Jenny knew she had to fess up to the severity of the predicament, as angered at herself as she was.

"Sir, Lord Satan's life is at stake. I fear he has been taken by the divine authority…" she confessed.

Each of the council leaders glanced at one another with the same acute look of concern bleeding from their faces.

"So, those cowards are back for good then?" the women iterated with repulsion.

"We must act now, Jenny, why didn't you inform us sooner!?" the elderly man scolded.

Jenny was stricken by the accusation, her eyes widened to a threatening glare, "I didn't want my predictions to be correct. The more I searched for our Lord the more I realized the reason I couldn't sense him any longer is because they were shielding him. In truth I am the only one to blame, it was my responsibility to keep him safe and now I have endangered him, as well as the rest of demonkind."

A genuine sadness draped over her, as her form became less agitated and more solemn.

"I must find him," she continued. "I cannot rest with myself until I do. I strongly suggest you make preparations for the divine war; it is already upon us…"

She finished ominously as she lifted herself into the air.

Being aware of the situation the lead council member dismissed her, "Very well, find him Jenny. We shall begin to set our plans in motion."

With that the exhausted demoness returned to her hunt as the three chairmen talked amongst each other.

"What will we do, without Lord Satan we are surely doomed," the woman declared.

"We're scarcely vulnerable to whatever it is God could be plotting," the older male added.

"It seems clear to me there's only one thing we can do," the head of the trio spoke above them both. He held out his hand to each of them, and they took hold of him responsively. Suddenly their bodies slowly began to morph together, melding them all into one consciousness. They grew larger and more powerful, as a new, much more menacing voice spoke.

"We must rally our devils and prepare for war!"