(chapter 7)

Emperor's Flame Inn

Razorfang was being hugged by Stormcloud., and Deathbolt was hugging Calliope, who was being stared down by a scary old man. He had a long white beard, wore a dark red cloak, and had penetrating eyes.

"Where is your Ambassador? I have been hearing stories about a brawl," said the old man.

"She's back on the ship, with a blade in her chest," replied Calliope. "An assassin took advantage of a 'disagreement' with a local Baron. If Freya had been any other race, she'd be dead. The blade our doctor is trying to remove was magically sharpened. It would even able to penetrate dragon-scale. It had the same qualities as a miniature Paladin's blade."

"What?!"exclaimed the old man

"The assassin even has other Paladin gear on her."

"Where is she now?"

"She's currently in the brig. She'll be one unhappy elf when she regains consciousness."

"What's this disagreement?" he asked.

"He's still under the impression that he owns her," Calliope indicated towards Razorfang.

"Does he?"

"Not according to the witnesses at the watch house. Stormcloud declared the cat-girl as hers, and the collar she was wearing broke. Proof of Stormcloud's ownership is indelibly marked on her skin. It took a lot of doctoring to heal her previous injuries, too. Besides, doesn't one of your country's laws allow someone of a higher status to 'requisition' property from someone of a lower status?"

"It does."

"Well, last time I checked, 'princess' outranked 'baron' yes?"

===/===

Geosynchronous Orbit

...beep-beep, beep-beep...

"Both of her hearts are still beating," said Andromeda. "I can't teleport the blade out, and the only way to physically remove it is to disarm the enchantments."

"I don't know anyone with the ability to deactivate a Holy weapon," said the old man.

"I know someone who can dispel the enchantments," said Calliope. "But the Captain specifically ordered that she cannot set foot on the Dragons' world until the negotiations are completed."

"Oh dear," muttered Andromeda. "She's not going to like that."

===/===

Oborozuka

A dimensional portal opens on the roof of an apartment building, and a figure wearing a cloak exits it.

===/===

"Calliope, it's 6AM why are you here?" asked Mizuchi.

"Freya is injured, and we need the Great Titania."

"HIIIKAAARRRIII! Come quickly! Mum's been hurt!"

===/===

Brig, Mobile Dry-dock 'Irish Rose'

"Care to explain to me why you chose her as your target," said a voice.

"Client confidentiality prevents me from revealing those details," replied the elf.

"That answer would work if you were an assassin, or a mercenary. I even respect that sort of business ethic," replied the voice. "However, your trappings mark you as a Paladin, and they're required by law to leave a list of charges with their targets."

How does she know the rules? thought the elf.

"Your target survived, by the way," said the voice. "Rule one for assassinations is to be sure accepting the job isn't going to bite you in the ass."

A red-haired sylph appeared in the elf's view. There was a white-feathered Psyren behind her.

"You will tell me everything, Galadriel," said the sylph. "Even if I have to drag it from your mind."

Galadriel had one last coherent thought, before terror overwhelmed her How did she know my name?

===/===

The Emperor of Demise stood by the hospital bed.

"I didn't realise Clemene's followers would go so far to disrupt the talks."

"I couldn't believe he'd send a twelve-year-old," said Kahl'ryleh-hophiit.

"He targeted mother because he thought he was sending a warning to the ambassador," replied Hikari. "He thought Kahl'ryleh-hophiit was the ambassador, and she was her servant."

"Why didn't she want you here?"

"She doesn't want undue influence on your fey-folk," explained Hikari. "Every world I have travelled to, they believe me to be the reincarnation of their ancestral Queen. Exhibit A, behind me," she indicated towards the Psyren, "is part Dark Elf, and only stopped following me around because she has a crush on my uncle." She paused, as if listening to something. "And my mother, apparently."

The Psyren blushed. No one can keep secrets from the Great Titania.

===/===

Oborozuka High School, a few days later

"OOOOOH! Take-kun, mwah, mwah, mwah!" said a chorus of boys.

"Come on, guys! Quit it," groaned Taketo.

A couple of girls looked at each other. "What are they teasing Aida-san about, now?"

"Didn't you hear about the new transfer students?" asked a voice behind them. They turned, to see their friend Sannae behind them.

"I heard two were foreigners, and the other one was the girl...from...the...candy... OH!" Realisation bloomed on both girls' faces.

===/===

"The first day of the year, and you're already breaking the rules," said the snarky girl at the desk. "There is no way those are regulation school uniforms, and are you seriously trying to wear cosplay items into school grounds."

Vice Principal Shirada turned towards the commotion. Student Council President Tomiko Hirada liked to throw her authority around, and had obviously chosen to target two of the new transfers. Two six-foot-tall redheads were currently in front of the desk, being told to remove the items that were 'offending' her. The one without glasses was glaring daggers at her, while simultaneously trying to comfort the one with glasses and what looked like a robotic arm. ...oh...

"Tomiko-chan," Shirada asked. "What is going on here?"

"They refused to relinquish their non-regulation accessories," she replied. "So I tried to forcibly remove them."

"You did read the information pack on the new transfers, didn't you?"

"O-of course I did."

"Then you would have read that Kuroko-chan has an experimental prosthetic arm."

"..uh..." she went pale, as realisation hit her. "Oopsie?"

"Oopsie?!" glared Hikari. "She's nearly had her arm torn off her. Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me- er...the doctors... to integrate the arm to Kuroko's nervous system?"

"That information pack was important," chided Shirada. "We might have to consider reorganising the Student Council, if you are unwilling to follow your responsibilities."

This time, Hirada glared daggers at the twins.

===/===

Oborozuka Elementary School

"Kanna-chan, Kanna-chan," said a group of young children. "Is it true the new students are your cousins?"

"Yes," replied Kanna. "One of their mothers is Kobayashi's cousin."

The twins were already attracting a crowd.

"Are you from Ushishir Island too?" asked one of the curious children.

"No," replied Hiroshi, "We were born on Mama-Freya's ship. She was on her way back from visiting her grandfather. Mama-Erika held her hand while we were being born."

"So, you have two mummys, like Kanna does," said another child. "That's cool. Benihana used to tease me a lot, for having two daddys. Kanna gave him a big telling-off."

"The man who was going to be our daddy ran off when he found out Mama-Freya was pregnant," said Mizuchi. "He said that his daddy would disown him, if he married a mere mechanic's daughter, so he ditched her."

"That's just mean," she replied. "At least your other mummy stayed."

"I was there, just before Christmas, when he tried to get back with Mama-Freya," said Mizuchi. "Mama-Erika kicked him in the groin, and called him all sorts of names, while Grandpa Pat tried to cover my ears. Mama-Erika really loves Mama-Freya."

===/===

Oborozuka Middle-school

"Where do you think you're going, freak!" called a voice.

Shouta turned, automatically. This time it wasn't directed at him. He noticed Astrid and Galadriel had also turned to see what was happening.

A young girl, also another first-year, was being intimidated by a third-year with a delinquent-style haircut and his two cronies. The girl was a little shorter than average, had pale skin, and light blue hair. Her hairclips looked like little snowflakes, and she was wearing her winter jumper, even though it was relatively warm weather. "Is she a yuki-onna?" Shouta and Galadriel both commented.

"Let me deal with this," said Astrid.

===/===

"Are you gits that pissweak, you need three of you to get the courage up to talk to a four-foot girl?"

"Fuck off, hafu," said one of the cronies. "We're dealing with a freaky ice demon thing."

"Really? What proof do you have, baldy?"

"Look at her," he replied. "You can tell just by looking at her."

"Does that mean I can stick a tranq dart into mullet-boy there?" She indicated towards the other crony. "He looks like a shaved gorilla." Now she had the attention of both cronies. Perfect.

Delinquent turned to look at who dared to defy his presence. The school grounds were his to rule. Even the teachers were hesitant to defy him, as his father was a respected businessman, and his mother was on the school board. The first thing he saw was a red-haired girl, with big boobs, massaging her right hand. Once he finally dragged his eyes away from her chest, he noticed his two cronies on the ground. One was rolling around, clutching his groin. The other was in tears, his left eye already swelling from the punch. She then looked up towards him, her blue-green eyes narrowed. He turned to grab the smaller girl, who was still cowering from earlier, when he suddenly found his arms and legs encased in ice.

"I knew you were an ice demon, bitch," he spat.

The small girl risked looking up. The tall redhead clasped her hand, and helped her to stand. She then faced the bully, and said eight words that nearly made her pass out.

"It wasn't her. The school has two yuki-onnas."