Mairimashita! Iruma-kun: Shadows of the Past, part 30
The following morning, Kalego naturally woke up early. It came from years of being a teacher. Persephone's time in the warzone had a similar effect. She yawned as she slowly propped herself onto her elbow.
Kalego hid a grin at her messy hair. She was always very keen about keeping a professional appearance in public. He was one of the few to see that side of her; It was almost cute. His attempt to maintain a neutral expression failed as she looked at him.
"What are you smirking at?", asked Persephone, well aware of the answer. Evenly holding her gaze, he replied, "Nothing particular." She grinned wryly. "You're an awful liar", she taunted.
After running her fingers through her hair to flatten it, she stretched deeply, a motion that inadvertently pressed her curves against his body. He didn't feign ignorance or innocence as their eyes met, prompting her to grin coyly.
A calculated motion put her leaning heavily over top of him. She smiled warmly as she playfully traced his lips. "It has been a long time", she said absently. Knowing exactly what she meant, he kept his gaze locked onto her own. He hadn't seen her 'bedroom eyes' in nearly a decade.
After a moment, she teased, "Too bad we have things to do." Sliding off him, she was stopped by a firm grasp of her hips. She looked back in mild surprise; She hadn't expected him to take proverbial reins. He smirked as his expression asked, "And where do you think you're going?". Enticed, she leaned back into him.
Both welcomed the other's attention. The tension between them had been rather palpable since staying under the same roof again. What started as soft kisses and simple affections quickly deepened to entwined tongues and a strong physical pull against one another. Each finally giving in, their shared stubborn nature slipped away beneath labored breathing and searching hands.
Elsewhere in the mansion, Opera had just finished setting up breakfast. They grinned, pleased to see Nene joining the rest of the household with Sullivan's careful support. Her near loss still weighed heavily on the security devil's heart. Aside from their duties, they would keep a close eye on her recovery.
Idle chatter filled the air amid the demons present. Since Nene was feeling well enough to eat with everyone again, Sullivan treated the meal as a celebration and they started without Persephone or Kalego.
Beside Nene, Valiant glared notedly at their empty chairs, but said nothing. He had an inkling as to the cause of their absence and was stewing in his own jealousy. He'd tried to garner Persephone's affection many times over the past few years with no luck. He'd fallen hard for her the day she saved his life.
A few years prior, Valiant was running his usual delivery lines via his portals along the war zone that day and a stray attack came through from behind him before he could close it. He got hit hard by a nasty spell. His leg had nearly been torn asunder, his ribs were broken, and the wing on that side of his body was burnt to a crisp. Persephone's expert magic and skill managed to save both appendages, allowing him to continue his work as a spy. He was incredibly lucky she had been there and would never forget waking up to her concerned face. That was when she'd stolen his heart.
With Vincente lost in the past, Nene was enjoying the present and scheming for the future. The recovering healer had a sneaky grin on her face as she watched Balam and Pandora interact, across the table. They were so cute, slowly moving through their awkward shyness together. She was silently cheering them on.
After the meal, Opera cleared the dishes while Sullivan and Iruma retreated to play a video game. It would be good exercise for the boy's healing hand and gave them an excuse to goof off together, a much needed distraction from the recent drama.
Still in her seat, Pandora looked at her phone with a concerned expression. "That's odd; Persephone isn't answering", she uttered, mildly concerned. A chuckle from Nene, sitting across from her, prompted her to glance up in question.
"You aren't too bright, are you?", teased the old demon, clearly feeling more like herself. Balam sent her a complicated look. He knew she was only teasing, but didn't like the barb at his beloved. Still, he understood what she was alluding to by the look on her face.
Ignoring her, Pandora dialed again. No response. "Should we try Kalego-kun?", she asked. Shichiro smiled silently, bashful and unsure how to word the most probable explanation. Nene stared at them, amused, until they finally met her gaze.
"Don't think about it too hard, Pandora-chan. When a man and a woman with history go missing together under such obvious tensions, the answer is pretty clear." She grinned at their red faces as Valiant stiffened visibly beside her. With a distraught look, he quickly excused himself and left the room.
After his abrupt exit, Opera helped Nene up from her seat. They silently withheld their own opinion on the matter, though clearly amused to have new ammo against their kouhai later. "Give them a few hours. They'll turn up", she winked, heading back to bed beside her adoptive child.
Left in an incredibly awkward silence, Shichiro and Pandora shyly avoided looking at each other. "We are kind of dumb, huh?", she ceded, fidgeting nervously. "At least I am", she admitted, turning a deeper red as she covered her face, having realized the truth of the matter. Shichiro quickly perked her up, assuring she was a lot smarter than she gave herself credit for.
They ended up coyly chuckling at the situation to get past the idea Nene had planted in their heads as they moved onto a more palatable topic. Still, chances were she was right and the shy couple silently hoped so. They both longed to see their friends finally happy.
An hour later, Pandora and Shichiro were sitting outside, enjoying the warmth of the morning sun. She sat beside him, holding her knees to her chest in thought. She was being unusually quiet, so much so that he could hear the breeze blow through the trees nearby.
"Do you think she's right? Lady Nene, I mean", she finally uttered, a tinge of pink on her face. She was shyly staring off into the distance as she spoke. Shichiro glanced over at her question. "I hope so", he replied, happily. Pandora looked at him in mild surprise. He'd matured in their time apart.
She smiled faintly at his support of their friends. "Do you think they'll get married?", she asked, a little excited. Balam wasn't too sure about that. He couldn't quite imagine it. Watching the clouds drift by, he said, "Maybe?... It's not always the best option for some demons."
She pondered his choice of words, but understood what he meant. She couldn't quite picture either Kalego or Persephone eager to step up to the altar, let alone together. Still, she ended up staring at Shichiro in thought. With a deep breath, she voiced her hopeful thoughts.
"Is it a good option for us?", she asked meekly. He froze briefly as he blushed in response. Slowly meeting her gaze, her face was also a bit red, but her soulful eyes waited anxiously for an answer.
Staring briefly, Shichiro slowly calmed to a coy smile. Pandora was really looking forward to the future now that she was back at his side. They had admitted their mutual feelings a while ago and she had even mentioned the possibility of children recently. He was touched to know how much she really loved him.
Gently pulling her to his side, he hugged her tenderly. "I think so", he stated, his heart full of warmth. Pandora smiled to herself inside his embrace. She was so excited. Then both demons blushed deeply in sudden realization. Could that be interpreted as a proposal?!
They sat in awkward silence for several minutes as their anxiety slowly fizzled out. Finally feeling his tense body relax, she chuckled in amusement at their shared shyness. "I'm looking forward to it", she ceded with pride.
After a brief moment, Shichiro scooped her up into his arms completely as they playfully fell over onto the grass. In that moment, they were both so full of love and hope for the future. Despite the reality of Victoria's plans just outside of the barrier, they were truly happy.
Then reality came crashing down. The duo stared up in shock at an awful sound. It almost sounded like the earth opening into a chasm, but overhead. Shichiro clutched Pandora close, protectively, as a thick crack ran through the barrier. It looked as if the sky had broken.
"What do we do?", she whispered, scared. He narrowed his eyes in thought, knowing this had to be Victoria's doing. Carefully getting to their feet, he sent her a concerned gaze. "Go find senpai", he instructed. Pandora nodded and took off running.
Inside, Kalego and Persephone were enjoying the afterglow of their reunion. Gratefully cradling his head to her chest, she smiled to herself, wrapped in his arms, beneath his weight.
Languidly looking up, he mirrored her expression as he leaned in. Their nuzzling ceased mid-kiss as a shockwave of dark energy pulsed through the room. "What was that?", uttered Persephone, her eye wide with worry.
Staring down into her pale face with concern, Kalego's expression darkened. "Get dressed", he said grimly, grabbing his own clothing off of the floor.
Moments later, outside, Opera came running. They looked up at the crack with an intense countenance. Glaring as the barrier began fail, they twitched their tail in irritation.
Sullivan came up beside them in a more regal stride, yet clearly concerned. The barrier was fed by their collective mana. There was no way it should be breakable. As the trio worried, they all shared the same thought - "What has Ai done now?".
Happily grinning to herself at her hidden mansion, Victoria gazed into a crystal ball as she observed their reactions. Kiriwo's borrowed power was strong in her hands. She smirked like a serpent watching an egg hatch, eager to swallow whole the fragile life inside the protective shell.
Behind her, Kiriwo himself watched in awe. He had no idea his bloodline was capable of such a thing. Then again, he knew she had a lot of other purloined magic running through her veins. He wondered just how many powers she'd stolen over the years.
"See? I told you I could", grinned Victoria, amused by his surprised reflection within the orb. "A bloodline ability can be evolved by those who know how. Just watch", she said.
At Sullivan's mansion, their precious barrier cracked in another place. The three high ranking demons tried to strengthen it with their magic, but it only splintered faster, like hot glass in cold water.
Despite their efforts, their only layer of protection from the outside shattered around them. Kalego had joined them to see what was causing the massive shift in mana while Valiant guarded those still inside from the door.
Glaring, Kalego knew exactly what had happened. He had all of the clues from his visit to Babylus. Kiriwo's presence, Victoria's abilities - this was no mere coincidence. The barrier was gone; They were out of time. Their plan to stop her would have to adapt quickly to compensate.
"Kalego-kun, how many student files did you say were taken?", asked Sullivan, carefully. They needed to secure those in danger. "Six of them. I have a list inside", he replied. Sighing, Sullivan turned to Opera. "Call Bachiko and stay with Iruma-kun", he ordered. Opera nodded obediently, knowing his master would be calling the other two greats.
Early that afternoon, the adults convened to discuss the missing student files while Iruma called his friends to 'catch up' under Opera's watchful eyes. Kalego had made a list of whose files had been taken. Balam looked it over in deep thought as Pandora shyly stared at their friend. A light jab to the ribs from Persephone brought her mind back to the task at hand.
Sullivan looked over the list carefully as Balam handed it over. "Are you certain this is everyone?", he asked absently. Kalego nodded. He knew both his class and Victoria well. "Five taken and eight left untouched. That makes thirteen", he stated.
The chair demon appeared fairly concerned. He could imagine what Victoria had planned for each teen. "Should we bring them here? I'm sure Vincente-san wouldn't mind arranging it", ventured Pandora. "Perhaps", uttered Sullivan.
"It might be best to keep the class together. Safety in numbers", offered Balam. Kalego scowled mildly at the suggestion. He wasn't looking forward to keeping his class in line full time under the same roof.
Persephone had also memorized the list. Thinking aloud, she said, "Purson-kun should be safe. Victoria doesn't need him...I can't see how Camui or Kerori would be particularly useful to her, but Sabnock and Gaap would be valuable allies. Why would she exclude them?"
"Clara-chan and Asmodeus-kun were targets before, right?", added Pandora. "They're too loyal to Iruma for her to manipulate. Foolishly, she doesn't seem to expect the same from the others", smirked Kalego. Balam grinned faintly beneath his mask. His best friend cared more for his students than he would ever admit.
The conversation carried on for over two hours. Nene and Valiant joined in halfway through. With everyone's input, they waited for Iruma and Opera. Once the boy had confirmed his classmates were all safe, a little edge had been removed from the conversation temporarily.
"Ai won't stay idle for long. It's too dangerous to those kids in the dark. You're going to have to clue them in, Kalego-kun", said Nene. She was right, of course, but how could they possibly explain the danger without revealing his secrets?
"I have an idea", uttered Iruma with a determined look in his eyes. Seeing that, Kalego grinned lightly. "What do you have in mind?", he asked. Iruma gulped as he realized the entire household was eager watching and waiting. With luck, they would accept his plan.
After a lengthy discussion and some adjustments, the group had a solid plan in place for the next day. Iruma put on the best carefree voice he could muster and called his friends.
Meanwhile, it had been decided that everyone should pair up overnight for protection. Valiant eagerly offered to share his room with Persephone, but was immediately shut down. Kalego smirked as his reclaimed lover told Valiant all of the reasons that was a bad idea.
Eventually, it was settled. Pandora and Persephone, Kalego and Shichiro, Nene and Opera, and Iruma with Sullivan. Vincente would take his turn keeping watch. Should something go wrong, he could easily reroute any intruder while calling to muster the rest of their forces.
That night, an uneasy air hung heavily over the property. No one was certain how long Victoria would need to rest after using a borrowed power like she had.
In Pandora's room, she cringed anxiously to Shichiro. She was so scared. He did his best ease her fears, reminding her she was far from alone; She was surrounded by friends that loved her and would protect each other. Still, she had personally seen what Ai was capable of.
"What if she sends a raid party like she did to my parents?", she asked meekly. All Shichiro could do was hold her close, trying to keep her from completely falling apart.
"We're prepared to defend ourselves", he said as gently as possible. He knew the memories still haunted her, seeing everyone she loved slaughtered. Feeling her tears soak through his shirt, his eyes misted over in empathy.
"Everything will be okay, Pan-chan. No one is going to let Victoria take you or anyone else away again. I promise", he assured. Squeezing him tightly, she seemed terrified to let go.
"Will you stay with me?", she asked, barely a whisper. His eyes widened at her desperate tone. Under normal circumstances, he'd be overcome with anxiety at the thought of sharing a bed, but he was far too worried now. He was scared, too. He'd just gotten the love of his life back from the dead. He couldn't bear to lose her again.
Gently stroking her hair, he agreed. A quick text message updated Kalego. He'd have to stay with Persephone. A brief response sealed the agreement.
On the other end of the phone, Kalego stared darkly as he typed. He'd expected something like that to happen, but he was concerned for Pandora's mental health at that point. She'd looked pale since the barrier fell.
Persephone watched him carefully nearby, guessing the situation. "New sleeping arrangements?", she ventured. Kalego smirked as he set his phone aside. "I hope you don't mind", he taunted. She grinned wryly at his words. "Very funny", she barbed.
Back in Pandora's room, the atmosphere was far more dour. Shichiro hadn't seen her so fragile since they'd saved her. She was utterly paralyzed with fear. She had climbed into his lap, gratefully accepting his embrace, and hadn't moved since.
"Pan-chan", he called softly, encouraging her to look up at him. She cringed to his torso stiffly. "Please don't make me let go...This is the only place I feel safe right now", she said meekly. The pain behind her voice broke his gentle heart. Cuddling her tenderly, he whispered, "We can stay like this as long as you need."
His support was so needed, the assurance broke the dam of emotion she was trying to hold in. Sobbing heavily, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you so much!", she cried, relieved he understood. Nuzzling comfortingly into her ear, he repeated those words. She needed him more than ever. He wouldn't let go no matter what happened that night.
Back at Ai's mansion, she grinned evilly as she watched Kiriwo corner the human she'd given him. Baal came into the room just time to hear the victim scream. Narrowing her eyes, Ai grumbled, "This one's too loud", and electrocuted them on the spit with lightning magic. Both Kiriwo and Baal looked at her in surprise.
Baal glared at Ai in disgust. She'd exhibited his power just then. How had she managed to get it without his blood? Kiriwo watched him stride forward in barely contained rage. Victoria smirked in amusement as he thrusted her against the wall by the throat. "Start talking", he scowled.
Despite her predicament, she chuckled. "I know exactly what you're thinking, Baal-kun, but I didn't breach our contract. I never stole any of your blood. You gave it to me."
He smirked at her bravado. It was no surprise she would eventually double cross him. "You found a loophole?", he asked carefully. "It wasn't hard. Go ahead and check yourself thoroughly. You won't find a single fang mark", she taunted.
He thought it over. Had she extracted a sample with a needle in his sleep? No, he never rested or let his guard down around her, knowing she couldn't be trusted. Her sadistic smile was getting annoying. "Talk", he demanded, slightly lifting her off the floor as he choked her.
Unphased, she held her irritating grin. "Like I said. You willingly gave me your blood. It's growing right here, deep inside me", she stated, staring into his eyes as she touched her belly. His gaze faltered as her meaning registered.
He thought back to their first meeting. He'd arranged for her escape from prison. The agreement was simple and mutually beneficial. Baal would help her get to Kalego, and through him, Iruma and Sullivan, thus weakening Babylus for his schemes. Meanwhile, Ai would provide her extensive resources to his endeavors to recruit more demons to his cause. Both sought chaos and their shared insanity brought them closer together than he had intended.
That is not to say there was any form of love between them. A little lust on the side of business helped convince one another each could be trusted, but she had beat him to the punchline. Both fully expected some form of betrayal from the other eventually. Their initial tryst from when they had joined forces nearly two months ago had likely been planned long in advance.
"What a shrewd woman", he grinned, impressed. Changing his tone, he looked at her coldly as he tightened his grip around her neck. "But what makes you think I care about a life that barely exists? I could kill you both right here if I wanted."
She knew he was serious, but cunning as she was, she planned for this, too. Beginning to suffocate, she forced out the words with a confident grin. "I hexed your nephew. Sabro's life is linked to this baby. If you kill it, he dies, too, along with your plans for the throne."
Annoyed, Baal dropped her to the floor. She coughed, catching her breath, as she laughed. "So predictable", she taunted. He stared away from her, suppressing his anger. She'd outfoxed him this time.
"Have it your way for now, but once it's born, it belongs to me", he said coldly. She smiled to herself. "That's fine with me. I won't need it anymore by then", she replied calmly. Kiriwo stared in disbelief at their exchange. This woman was dangerous.
Apparently she had plans for Baal's magic that she knew he wouldn't perform, keeping his hand in the underworld revolution concealed. Thus she had devised a way to borrow it without breaking the blood clause in their contract. She truly was a shrewd and evil demon, willing to use her own body and innocent lives as chess pieces in her grand scheme. All she cared about was getting her hands on Kalego. To that end, no one mattered, not even herself.
To be continued...