Chapter Four: First Counterpoint

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. To keep our faces toward change and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable.

-Helen Keller

Ishida Uryū

He eyed the doors of the train as he waited for it to pass the stop where he'd met the girl the day before. He knew it wasn't likely she'd be there early again after speaking to her yesterday but he couldn't help but consider the possibility.

She'd been adorable in her own way...blushing and being very damsel like. He generally didn't interfere too much with the affairs of people around him but the way she'd been rushing he just felt the need to reach out and help her.

The stop came and went and he frowned some as he thought about being disappointed. It wasn't as if it was a big deal, he should be glad he didn't have to deal with a underclassman being needy again...it had taken him a while to iron out his jacket.

He was still considering his strange new stance on the freshman when he was nudged. A red haired, large chested, girl was peering at him curiously. "Are you okay Ishida?"

"Yes." He answered, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose and looking away from the boobs Orihime was unknowingly flashing in his face. "Just thinking."

"Oh?" She considered him seriously and sat down near him putting a elbow on a knee and her chin on the connecting hand of that elbow. "You were pretty distracted. Usually you at least nod when I get on and we're almost to school."

He glanced around and found he'd been lost in thought about the girl for a while longer than her originally realized. "I am possibly taking on someone to tutor...just thinking about a possible lesson plan."

"Wow you are so organized!" Orihime exclaimed and then sighed. "The teachers asked me to tutor someone but they're still not doing very well...they say I'm really confusing."

"Some people aren't meant to teach." Ishida suggested as kindly as he could. He definitely understood the sentiment of Orihime being confusing.

"Yeah I guess so. What's the boy need help with? My underclassmen needed help with Language assignments but I think I'm hurting more than helping." Orihime seemed a bit bummed about the idea she was doing more harm than good.

"She needs help with Math."

"I wish it were Math with mine, thats easier to explain...wait she?" Orihime blinked a little as she added up what he'd said. "They don't usually assign cross gender tutors...a lot of the parents complained I guess."

"It's a girl from Inaho. We met on the train yesterday and she said she was almost failing so I offered to help." Ishida explained a little uncomfortably.

"Oh thats so nice! You are such a great guy Ishida." Orihime complimented. "You should see if you can still get the credit for it for activity hours."

"I already have a lot of those." He pointed out as the train stopped and they headed for the school grounds from the stop. "Apparently I've never been good enough to get your attention."

Lezard Valeth

It was a stunningly beautiful creature, floating down from the heavens in a whirlwind of silver feathers and shining moonbeams. The woman of his destiny arriving from the very stars and turning a weathering eye on him. Though it seemed odd that the gaze was a deep chocolate and the hair a raven black it didn't change the way his heart leapt whenever he witnessed the vision.

Lezard jumped up when the alarm rang, frowning as he leaned over and smacked it to turn it off. Glancing toward his ceiling with a grin across his boyish features. His vision, his angel finally had a face...he had known there was something strange about the girl that was always ill in his class but this hadn't been what he had been expecting. He figured he would be joining the more special of the students in the year, not that she was the woman he'd continued to have visions of over the past weeks.

"I wonder if I'll be able to discover a way to give her wings." He thought aloud as he pushed himself up, ignoring the malformed servant setting out his food and clothing for the morning. "It was a good idea I decided to come here after all, my instincts are still serving me fairly well."

It was just easier for the class to believe he was staying with the student Hojo's family during his days in Japan. It wouldn't do him well to be discovered even by the other unique individuals at the high school. His home would be a worse discovery with his own nature to test on those around him and utilize his necromantic abilities to create a much more trustworthy team to run his home.

The high school had thankfully already had a class of people with supernatural abilities, there was no reason to lead them on that he was anything other than a student. He had only really come seeking an answer to the dreams he'd continued to have. If he had to pretend to be less than he was to stay in the presence of the woman inspiring them...it was a small price.

He paused to look at himself in the mirror before he left his room. The uniform was correct, well pressed, the fabric wasn't the sort he normally preferred but he had to not stand out for the plan to work. It would be difficult to lure her away with so many other casters and supernaturals lingering in the area.

Albel Nox

The quick and deadly warrior made such quick strikes with the paired blades he practiced with in the fencing area it was almost impossible to follow him or read where he would hit next. The dummy he was venting his frustration on likely wouldn't be very useful once he'd finished with it.

"Damn that girl...no one slaps Albel Nox and gets away with it..." Red eyes were narrowed as he continued to weave, leaving more deadly lines all over the un-living target that would have been detrimental to any normal human. "She's shivering one moment and all fire and strength the next. Why do I like it?"

His dance, for it was definitely smooth enough to be a baleful waltz about the mark he'd chosen, was entrancing and far too quick and graceful to be something any normal person would be capable of.

"She isn't amongst the student body with any form of powers...she isn't even on the list of the few that are aware of our presence here." He continued to stab and strike as he snaked around and even above the target in a somersault performance of terrifying precision. "Yet unlike the rest, I want her to stare, to touch, even if it's in a way that other fools might not understand."

The slap had been a challenge as far as he was concerned, and he had never been one to back down from something that seemed like it might be an enjoyable battle. Though it was a field he was far less familiar with.

"She didn't have to smell like something I'd love to devour." He growled a little at the memory of the gentle breeze and cherry blossom that seemed to have clung to her skin even through the sweat of running. He didn't like wanting any creature.

He finished his routine by cutting the head of the dummy, ignoring it as it rolled away leaving stuffing in it's wake. He didn't care if the school staff got annoyed that he destroyed it. Instead he smiled darkly as he put the blades away. "Best way to sate a hunger is to give in..."

Seto Kaiba

He didn't have classes with her outside of the homeroom they shared but he found himself curious about the girl that was apparently so sick all the time. He'd gotten information gathered on her and was having his own team of doctors look over her list of previous conditions for if they might be able to find something conclusive to help.

Though he was still a bit concerned with himself, considering he wasn't quite sure why he was going out of his way to make the girl feel comfortable. He'd always considered himself above flirting with girls and dealing with such things but he wondered if he didn't have some sort of illness to be being so generous with her.

Mokuba had of course found out, on accident, lord knows he hadn't wanted to tell the boy. He was delighted and wanted to meet her and that was just one more issue to deal with...

Kaiba sighed a bit and reached for the coffee he was having for lunch, Kagome hadn't arrived yet but she'd been a little late the day before. It was starting to frustrate him that he actually cared.

A new low, having some strange interest in a girl he barely knew...

Ghaelon and Jade Curtiss

"She's in your homeroom class then?" The pale man asked curiously of the other professor as he slowly was gathering information on the girl. "Probably best that someone knowledgeable keep an eye on her."

"I agree." Jade continued to smile some, his pale associate made him wary at times but at least in this he concurred with the other man. "You've felt something from her too then?"

"Yes." Ghaelon had to consent that fact, something about the girl was disarming and he was certain there was some unnatural reason for it. "I think she's just not opened to whatever power she may have yet."

"I was wondering myself when I heard she'd slapped Nox." Jade contemplated aloud as he half ate his own lunch in the teachers lounge, the pair were the only two inside it at the time. "It would make sense, and after that she probably needs to learn quick."

"Nox is barely capable of being considered one of us...he's a bomb waiting to go off that one." the pale elf didn't seem to have anymore love for the aggressive youth than anyone else. "The fact that you even let him in here still astounds me."

"We couldn't refuse, not with things already strained with other countries and keeping things quiet about us as well as at peace." Jade answered then smiled and added before taking a sip of his tea. "Besides, it's a lot more fun this way."

"Mmm. Your priorities are about as dangerous as Albel's temper." He returned lightly. "I should return to my room, papers to grade."

"Just be careful with the girl...you have a history Ghaelon." Jade warned, and though his tone wasn't threatening or raised above his normal tone, there was a clear line of caution.

Ghaelon didn't even award that comment with an answer before slipping back toward his classroom in his own thoughts...she was so much like the blessed child he'd known before...perhaps no one else had realized just how much untapped power she possessed just yet...

He grinned slowly to himself. This might not end up being the worst job he'd ever taken after all...

End Chapter

A little shorter than I wanted but after the last huge chapter not a big deal. These are the only guys (so far...haha!) to counterpoint. I know there wasn't too much development for some of them but it's a little harder to work up in some cases than others. Maybe I should kill two birds with one stone and make this one of those 'kiss challenge' type things...not sure yet. I'm trying things I've never done before with this one. Thanks for all the feedback so far, hope you keep liking it and letting me know what you think.

-Aura

To my reviewers:

sesshoucrazy - I'm sorta organized and I think thats why I'm usually not too comical. This one is hard for me but it's also been fun.

lovelywitch - Yeah it'll be a bit though, I need some other things to happen first

Kage Otome - Albel is actually one of my favs I worked in. I'm enjoying having someone so aggressive around.

Shiroi - who is Yusuke?

Sakura - Don't you know it? I think it's a very Kagome thing to happen. I do like to torture the poor girl, but it's a good torture.