Sorry for the recent silence - I've been focusing on many things. I hope you like this new chapter, anyhow. After chapter 4, there will unfortunately be a few fillers, but then we're right back into the action. The fillers act as important character development though.

Element Four will be out before the new year - hopefully.

Cya all next time - Raven

Disclaimer: I don't own Assassination Classroom, or Karmagisa would happen and Kayano would be dead.

Nagisa stretched his back as he awoke, giving a great yawn. It was Sunday. Tomorrow, his regal duties that the young Prince hated so much would continue. However, he had the day to waste before that, a day which the Prince was determined to make the most of –

"NAGISA!" Nagisa groaned, burying his face in his pillow. The sun had scarcely risen – usually Kayano wasn't even up herself at this time. This had to be a record for the green-winged angel. As if on cue, the doors to Nagisa's bed chamber and his small, flat-chested friend ran in. Nagisa sat up groggily.
"Kaede, give me a chance to wake up next time… I'm not even out of bed, let alone changed." The prince yawned, blushing a little bit at the fact he was in faded pink, frilly pyjamas. If Kayano noticed, she certainly didn't say anything. In fact, the bluenette felt sick watching Kayano jump up and down.
"Sorry, just – they happened again!"
"What happened again?"
"The reapers!" Hearing this, Nagisa was instantly on alert. Reapers didn't attack that bad to make Kayano like this – often. However, when they did, it was deadly, and often the deranged reaper was never caught. Obviously, angels were too low to even consider a feat like this.
"Where did they hit?" Nagisa got to his feet warily. Kayano darted over to him, her knee-length skirt brushing the end tips of her wings. Last time the reapers attacked, they were just a few poverty-stricken children who just wanted food. They were still in jail now. Nagisa couldn't help but feel sorry for them. After all, their parents hadn't seen them in months; if they had parents, that is.
"Near the edge – by the ocean. My dad, the Suginos, Karasuma-sensei and Bitch-sensei are already at the infirmary." Kayano reported, a smile cracking at the affectionate name for Nagisa's stand-in mother.
"The Suginos? Tomohito and Ritsu as well?" Nagisa looked at Kayano, puzzled. He didn't see a need for the wing-ball player, scientist apprentice and their parents to be there.
"Yeah…"
"Kayano?" Nagisa walked over to the small girl, who was now looking down. After hesitation, she looked up sadly at her bluenette friend.
"It was Ritsu…"
"Ritsu?"
"The reapers attacked her, Okuda and Takebayashi…" Kayano said no more, and Nagisa grabbed her wrist desperately.
"Kayano, what happened?"
"… They cut her wings off…"

It had been a while since a town meeting had been called. Messengers from the Chairman were only sent out when an alarming message came to light. As far as Karma could remember, it had been years. He was probably exaggerating though. Tucking his wings in, the reaper steadied himself as he landed in the square of his town, within the crowds of better-off reapers such as himself. Nakamura was back in her town, and Karma didn't even know where Chiba and Hayami lived. Only now did the though occur to him that he should probably find out.

"Hey, Karma!" Karma looked up as his long-term friend Taiga Okajima landed. The two reapers weren't the closest of friends – Karma was definitely closer to Rio – but the redhead allowed himself to put up with the pervert. Okajima's hair was very short, the black hair neatly trimmed to match his black eyes. His thick eyebrows lined his shapely eyes. Karma had been planning to introduce him to Nakamura for a while – the two peepers would get along well.
"Mornin', Okajima." The redhead casually responded, raising his hands behind his head. He did that a lot when he was relaxed.
"Met any hot babes recently?" Okajima teased, and Karma laughed.
"You know I don't tend to swing that way – although, I should introduce you to my friend."
"What do you mean, you don't tend to swing that way?"
"You know I prefer guys."
"You still like girls, don't you?" Okajima peered at Karma, who laughed letting his hands fall.
"Yes, I do. Just prefer guys."
"Your call. So, whose this friend?"
"Nakamura, Rio. Blonde hair, small eyes, boobs. Could do with being hooked up." Karma smirked his usual devilish grin, and laughed when he saw Okajima's eyes.
"Karma, you must introduce me."
"Will do, my fellow pervert." The conversation lapsed into silence for a few seconds.
"So, what do you reckon we're here for?" Okajima pondered.
"No idea." Karma countered.
"Maybe someone stole something."
"Would they organise this though?" Okajima could think of no reply, so he fell quiet. It turns out he didn't have to think of one. In swooped from above no other than the Gakushuu Asano – the Chairman's son. Karma's eyes grew wide.
"With what great pleasure do we have of you gracing our presence, o gracious prince?" Karma mocked under his breath. Okajima chuckled. Asano flew down to the raised stone at the edge of the square and the reapers fell silent.

"My fellow reapers." The purple-eyed reaper began.
"We listen, Asano-kun." The reapers monotonously chanted from memory. Karma refused to join the masses.
"We have had some… disturbing, news from Nirvana," Asano paused for effect, "It seems that one of their most valued scientists has been a victim of an attack from a reaper. So vicious, it seems, that the angel in question lost both of their wings."
At this, the reapers started calling out their arguments. There was no way one of them could have done this; they respected the boundaries! Karma's eyes were narrow as he joined him. He refused to believe this. The angel must have been making this up to cause trouble – it wasn't unknown for this to happen. Asano stretched his raven-black wings, his tinted orange talons glowing. The reapers gradually became quiet.
"I disbelieve this as much as you do!" Asano declared, "However, we cannot deny this possible declaration of war! The angels themselves still have 4 of our number – innocent children – jailed in their prisons. We were determined to free them, and now there is all the more reason!"
These words made the hairs on the back of Karma's neck rise. Usually, the redhead was up for a good fight. However, going up against the whole of Nirvana. It made him wary. The rest of his black-winged companions didn't appear to feel this way, hanging onto Asano's every word as if they were drugs. Even Okajima was hooked, entranced by the ginger hairs sweet way of words. It seemed as if Karma was the only one who could see sense.

"So, I want all of you to listen!" Asano continued, "I want all children tested, and all young adults to fight in front of the reapers. You live in one of the best areas for warriors – we need to prepare as many of you as we can get!" Asano spread his wings and cried out to the heavens, whilst most other reapers followed. Karma didn't. He didn't know if Nakamura would be up for this. He suspected Chiba and Hayami would. Okajima, that depended on what he felt. Of course, Hazama wouldn't even get a chance. Sighing, Karma looked down. Then he remembered.

Twelve year old Karma was flying back from an outing. The sky was just starting to get dark, and it was the first time he and Nakamura had been allowed near the border on their own. Nakamura had loved it. Karma secretly had to, but he kept himself more reserved.
"So, Karma, we gonna go back there?" Nakamura turned a clumsy flip in the air pulling up in front of the redhead.
"Yeah, why not?" Karma shrugged. Nakamura giggled.
"That guy really helps though. We can kick anyone's butt!"
"Yeah." Karma replied quietly, closing his eyes and surfing the dying winds.
"… Karma?"
"Mhm?"
"What if we get in trouble?" That made the redhead open his eyes and look at his blonde friend.
"Trouble?"
"Yeah – I mean, I was always warned about Nirvana! What if we have to leave – or run?"
"Then… why don't we meet there?" Karma offered, and Nakamura visibly relaxed.
"Yeah – he'll take care of us!"
"He sure will."

Karma had yet to use that promise. However, he had a gut feeling Nakamura would – she had fled several times already. Closing his eyes, he looked up, noticing the reapers starting to leave due to Asano's absence on stage. Okajima too had left. Looking up at the rising sun, Karma spread his wings and took to the air. He would go there now. Then, they had to talk.

Nagisa yawned, stretching his wings. He was leaning on the wall outside the infirmary. The doors to the large tower were shut tight, forbidding entrance. Nagisa didn't want to go inside anyways. The bluenette didn't want to see the state that poor Ritsu had been left in. A high pitched voice caught his ears and he looked over. Kayano was there, talking to a clearly panicking Sugino, who had also been shut out. His parents were still in there, though, alongside Karasuma-sensei and Irina-sensei. If Nagisa remembered, Kayano's father was also in there.
"Sugino, calm down, this isn't helping!" Kayano's usually careless was gaze was clouded with joy.
"How can I?" Sugino cried, "They're BACK!"
"This isn't going to help anyone!" Kayano tried to reason.
"Nothing will! Ritsu is going to die!" Sugino wailed. Kayano opened her mouth to respond when a shadow blocked out the sun before landing besides them. The Prince looked up to see none other than Yukiko Kanzaki – famous model, nurse, and Sugino's girlfriend.

Kanzaki was a pretty angel, with amber tinted wings and long, black hair falling down to her mid-back. She had large brown eyes and was no doubt one of the prettiest angels Nagisa had seen. He knew Kayano was jealous of her looks, and especially for not having a flat chest. Kanzaki glided over to Sugino.
"Hey, calm down." She purred in her silky voice. Sugino visibly relaxed, and Kayano backed away to Nagisa. The bluenette couldn't help but note the jealous glint in her eyes. Sugino and Kanzaki's voices lowered as they started quietly muttering among themselves. Kayano once again opened her mouth as the infirmary doors were opened.
"Will I ever get a chance to talk?" The green haired girl whined.
"Not now."
"PAPA!" Kayano almost jumped out of her skin at the large man standing in front of her. He laughed,
"Kaede, calm down!" He smiled, "Let's go."
"But I didn't – "
"No one is allowed in." Kayano's fathers stern smile made Kayano look down.
"Sorry Papa… See you soon Nagisa." Kayano smiled before taking to the air, following her father. Sugino and Kanzaki hadn't reacted to his arrival or departure. Nagisa sighed, giving up on the two young love-struck angels. The prince's hair was blown back from his face as he realised the Infirmary doors were slowly closing. Taking the chance, he darted inside.

Once the grand doors swung to a close, Nagisa was overtaken with a wave of stuffy heat. It clouded his head and made him dizzy. It was never this warm in the castle. He assumed it was kept this way for the patients. The 15 year old had no idea how, though. It had never crossed his mind.

Only now it occurred to him he didn't know his way around either.

Thankfully, it didn't seem that hard. All there was were rooms off of one central corridor. Only one had any noise coming from it; Nagisa thought there was a good chance that was where Ritsu lay. The angel crept forward, pressing his ear to the door. He didn't often do this, but he was curious.

"– action from the reapers." Karasuma-Sensei?
"They're already mad enough from the children – why didn't you release them?" Nagisa thought that was Ritsu's father.
"Oh, who cares?" Definitely Irina-Sensei.
"Who cares?" Karasma-sensei.
"Yeah – I mean, the reapers are gonna attack anyways. I suggest we get Nagisa, Kaede, Tomohito, Ritsu and Megu out." That was him, Kayano and the Suginos. Megu Kataoka was the daughter of another lord, a little older than the others. She was very official and organised them a lot – them being the other kids. She and Ritsu had been good friends. Nagisa didn't know where she was now.
"Prepare the others for fighting?" Ritsu's father cut across Irina-sensei.
"Fighting?" That shocked voice was Ritsu's mother.
"Yes. We need to be prepared for what may be coming." Nagisa could imagine Karasuma-sensei nodding with those words. The bluenette couldn't help but agree. The reapers were unpredictable.
"They'll use the name of Rico to attack us. We'll use Ida." Nagisa knew those two names that came from Irina-sensei's mouth. They were prominent in the history books. Ida was killed by Rico, and Rico was killed in revenge. It was these two deaths which actually started the War of Many Years. Nagisa hated history – it just bored him. The angel darted out of the infirmary, bored and not wanting to hear any more things to do with ruling or revenge.

Why couldn't everyone just live in peace?

Looking up, Nagisa took to the air, flying up to the balcony by his room. He nimbly landed on the balcony and sighed. He had nowhere to go now. His life was pretty boring. He quickly ran over the options in his mind;

Sugino was busy with Ritsu and Kanzaki;

Kayano was with her father;

Maehara and Isogai were in town, and Nagisa couldn't go there without being seen;

Kataoka was somewhere. He didn't know where. Probably sorting out patrols;

Sumire Hara, Nagisa's friend within the castle. She was poor, but the big, brown-winged angel managed to get a job in the castle as a cook, even though she was only Nagisa's age. The bluenette had to admit she was a good cook. Likelihood right now though was that she was busy cooking.

That was everyone Nagisa trusted or even liked. He was an acquaintance of many, he just didn't trust them enough to call them friends. Hara was cutting it close as it was. Then Nagisa remembered someone he had forgotten. There was no chance anyone would see him – they were all preoccupied with the now disabled, purple-haired girl.

Nagisa took off, bound for Koro-sensei.

The girl sat on the mountainside.

She wore all white – a dress which stopped at the knee, and two neat slip-on white shoes with a small bow. Most prominent was the hat she wore – small but with a large brim. From under it flowed long, black hair; a large contrast to the rest of her pale self, and the white angel wings on her back.

All this made the girl look many years older than what she was. In truth, she couldn't have been more than 13. The way her dark hair framed her slender face made her appear many years older – as if she aged despite being chained to her child body.

The girl looked at the sun, her yellow eyes glowing. After a moment, the child looked down, her right hand resting on her left shoulder. The wind whistled through the trees, blowing her hair behind her. Her eyes closed, and for a moment, she looked…

She looked sad.

She looked vulnerable.

She looked lonely.

It was as if she just be loved, yet she lacked the capacity to be. Or rather, she lacked the angels and reapers to love her. Certainly, the child was alone. No one sane would leave a child alone by a mountain, even if it was day. It was quite cold since the altitude was the highest in Nirvana, despite it being April. In addition, the girl had short sleeves, and the hairs on her slim arms were clearly standing.

The girl didn't mind this though. She liked the tranquillity of sitting here, and not having to relieve the horror of her past. She didn't want to meet the consequences – to be thrown into the deep end with no one to fish her out of the torrent.

Yes, the girl adored this place. A place where she was above the consequences of Nirvana, Inferno and the angels who flew above her.

It never lasted though.

Out of the corner of the girls reptilian eyes, she saw a reaper. A reaper in Nirvana. She of all angels knew this defied the laws. However, the girl couldn't stop the female reaper surveying the mountain. Her green eyes were picking out spots. The girl didn't know what for. She also knew that the orange-brown haired girl might spot her if she lingered.

Sighing, the white winged child stood and took off, her black hair flattened along her back. She soared up towards the sun.

Seeing movement, the reaper looked up, her pigtails falling from her shoulders.

The angelic child was already gone.