Chapter 5

Celes sat at a table in the back room of Otaru's, quietly sipping her cup of coffee. Present at the table with her were Kristine, Megami, Keima, Sayoko and Blitz. Everyone was chatting pleasantly with each other while they waited for the last two people to arrive.

Celes knew exactly when they did as the temperature of the room dropped.

The vampire looked up to see Sentaro standing in the doorway with Arael, his eyes flickering with the anger that was building inside him. The Vampire didn't need to look to know whose his glare was directed at, but she did anyway. His Uncle Keima was returning the glare with equal force.

Arael quickly moved in front of Sentaro and began whispering to him, while Sayoko moved in front of her brother.

"Keima don't you dare do this now." She whispered.

"What do you mean me?" Keima snapped, "He started it!"

"And I am finishing it!" Sayoko snapped back, her eyes flashing white. "It was between him and me! And we were both responsible and have put it behind us! The only one who keeps bringing it up is yourself and you had nothing to do with it in the first damn place!"

Keima struggled to respond and in the end simple sat back in his seat and frowned. Sayoko stared at him a moment longer before walking over and sitting beside her now somewhat calm son, he himself having been forced into a seat by Arael.

Celes sighed. 'Those two.'

She then rose to her feet and looked over the group.

"Thank you all for coming." She began, "The reason for this meeting is quite simply…..Gabby." That got three people's attention right away.

"Is the Shogun concerned about her?" Sayoko asked, her voice slightly worried.

"To be perfectly honest, the Shogun has no idea she even exists." Celes stated, "Other then that she is the grandchild of one Kensuke Aida. Otherwise, as far as the government is concerned, her…..abilities are only know to myself and Sentaro."

"We are all here because of the 'other' problem."

"The rogue demons." Blitz stated.

Celes nodded at the Valkyrie. "As you have said, there is at least one, possibly two here on Terra 2. One seems to be present in Gabby's school."

"But we don't know who it is." Arael said.

"And we can't detect them either." Sayoko added.

"I'm aware of that." Celes reached into a bag that was beside her chair and pulled out a stack of files. She then flipped it onto the tabletop. "These are our likely demon suspects."

Keima grabbed one of the files and flipped it open. "It's a kid."

"They're all kids." Kristine said as she flipped through several of the files.

Celes nodded. "When the school was initially evacuated, a head count was performed. It was then compared to the attendance taken that day. The only people present in the school during the incident were these students, Gabby's classmates, their teacher, and the Cultists. The cultists and the teacher can, for obvious reasons, be eliminated."

"But they're kids." Megami said.

"I know." Celes replied, "But Mana was also a child at one point."

"Gabby 's class is at the age when I first met Mana." Sayoko said softly, looking at the files. She then looked up at the others. "Class two Demoness."

"The damage done was consistent with a Class Two." Blitz stated, "Or a very strong three."

"Regardless what class they are," Celes said, "I now have a problem. Officially, if I do find out who this demon is, I really can't do anything."

"But it killed someone." Megami pointed out.

"A cultist." Sentaro said, understanding what Celes meant. "A cultist about to attack them. Self-Defense."

"Correct." Celes said with a nod. "Unofficially, I can maybe hold them until you all show up, but then you have a problem."

"What problem is that?" Keima asked, "It's a rogue demon, Hild and Mana can handle that."

Celes raised an eyebrow. "But is it?"

"Is it what?"

"Rogue?"

"Mana herself said there was no demon supposed to be in Japoness!" Sayoko said, raising her voice slightly.

"I know that." Celes replied, "But you aren't paying attention to what I am saying." She pulled out another file. "Kensuke kept rather detailed files. Even things he really wasn't supposed to have." She gave Sayoko a look.

"I'm going to hurt him." Sayoko said softly.

"He listed the known names of the Rogue Demons." Celes continued, "As well as the sentence handed down by the Queen."

"The sentence hasn't changed." Blitz stated, "It's still death."

"Which brings me back to this demon." Celes said, "It isn't a rogue."

"No demon from Hell was supposed to be there." Sayoko said, "If there was it had to be a Rogue!"

"And I'm telling you." Celes said, "It isn't a rogue."

"How can a demon not be a rogue," Megami asked, "Yet, not be a part of Hell?"

"Simple if you think about it." Celes replied.

A gasp echoed throughout the room. Everyone turned to see Arael staring wide-eyed at Celes.

"It isn't a rogue." Arael said slowly, "But isn't a part of Hell."

"Yes." Celes said, wondering if Arael understood.

"It's in Gabby's class, making it a child." Arael continued, "So it's at least 14, at most 16 years old."

Celes let out a sigh. Someone got it.

"Yes."

"I don't get it." Keima grumbled.

"One can't be a rogue demon unless they actively participated against the Queen." Arael stated, "Nor can they be a part of Hell if Hell is unaware the Demon existed."

"I get it." Sayoko said, "The demon was born AFTER both attempts to take over Hell. It wasn't even alive to participate."

"And if it wasn't a part of Hell." Blitz continued in understanding, "Hell wouldn't be aware it was here, nor that it existed."

"The child isn't a rogue demon." Sayoko continued, "though the mother or father might be."

"And we can't hold the sins of the father or mother against the child." Keima said.

"No." Celes said, "You can't." Celes looked at the tabletop. "I don't feel that Gabby is in danger from the child. If she was, it would have acted against her or someone else. I've looked over files going back a year before Gabby's birth, and there are no deaths or attacks that stick out as unusual." She pointed at the pile of student files that still lay on the table. "Some where in there is our teenaged demon."

"But who is it?" Sentaro asked.

"That is the question." Celes said, "As you know, Gabby's class currently lacks a teacher. I have found someone who will take the teacher's place, yet can also help narrow down our demon."

Everyone looked at each other curiously.

"Who?" Sayoko asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"You can come in now." Celes called out.

The door to the room opened, admitting a red haired, well-endowed woman. She was dressed in a blouse and skirt. On her head she wore an old Gartlant military cap. Only Keima, Sayoko and Arael recognized the woman before them.

And that she wasn't technically a woman.

"For those who don't know," Celes began for the benefit of Sentaro, Megami, Kristine, and Blitz, "This is GSM-01T, also known as Tiger."

"A marionette?" Megami asked.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Tiger asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"No no!" Megami said, quickly waving her hands, "No problem at all."

"Tiger here is a Gartland Saber Marionette." Celes explained, "She is essentially Marionette Lime's Gartland equivalent, though she has been active far longer then any of the others." Celes looked back to Tiger. "She has agreed cover as teacher and investigate the demon."

"Is Gabrielle allowed to know?" Arael asked.

Celes and Tiger looked at each other.

"I don't see why not." Celes answered.

Arael nodded, then walked right up to Tiger.

"I'm trusting her with you." She said softly.

"I won't abuse that trust." Tiger answered.

Arael nodded, then turned and left the room, followed quickly by Sentaro.

"Tiger."

The Marionette turned to see Sayoko standing before her.

"I didn't know till after." The Goddess said, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. Or him."

Tiger gave Sayoko a small smile.

"He was old, it was expected." She said, "Kristine told me why you weren't there. Faust-sama would have understood."

Sayoko smiled back, then gently led the Marionette out of the room.

"So about your school plans…Have you figured them out yet?"

"I have the notes from the previous teacher. But they don't quite reach the end of the year."

"If you need to I can get Mana. She was a teacher back in the day."

Keima stared as his sister and the marionette left the room, followed slowly by the others.

"She'll be fine."

Keima glanced at Celes.

"She's hardly Lime." He pointed out. "She far more mature then Lime is."

"Both lost the one they loved." Celes replied, "Tiger though, she's lived through more then Lime has." She then glanced at the God. "Are you and Sentaro always going to get into it when you meet?"

"My Mother has asked the same thing." He answered.

"And?"

"I still haven't given her an answer either." Keima then turned and left the room.


"It has to be Taiho."

"Besides the fact she's Bitch Queen of the universe, why Taiho?"

"Comon Gabby! Taiho is evil!"

"And that doesn't necessarily make her a demon." Gabby pointed out.

"Oh come on!" Kat threw her hands up in the air.

Abby let out a sigh. Since their arrival at Gabby's for a sleepover, Kat and Gabby had been arguing about who the demon at the school could be. The only thing fortunate about it was that neither had asked for her opinion.

"What's going on?" Abby jumped as a voice softly spoke in her ear. She turned to see Gabby's mother, Arael standing beside her.

"Gabby and Kat are arguing about who the demon in school is." Abby replied.

"Oh." Arael looked thoughtful for a moment.

"What is it?" Abby asked.

"Just trying to figure out how to tell Asuka she's no longer the reigning Bitch Queen of the Universe. Don't stay up too late." Arael then turned and left the room.

"Was that my Mom?" Gabby asked.

"Yeah." Abby replied.

"What did she want?" Kat asked.

"Apparently Asuka Sohryu used to be the reigning Bitch Queen of the Universe." Abby replied, "Till Taiho claimed it."

"See! Even your Mom thinks she's a Demon!"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT SHE SAID!"

Abby let out a sigh before burying her head under a pile of pillows.


One week later

Students milled about the classroom, each talking to friends about how their sudden 'vacation' went. Gabby, Kat, and Abby were leaning against the wall of their classroom, almost exactly at the spot they had been when the Cultists had met their end by Gabby's suddenly released powers.

"You know….." Abby said softly, "I think I liked the previous color better."

Kat looked at Abby confused.

"Abby, this IS the color the room was before."

"No it isn't….this is too dark of a white."

"It's freshly painted. It hasn't had time to fade yet."

"You sure? Maybe it's all that …..never mind." Abby glanced over at Gabby, who was now very pale and clenching her fists tightly.

"You can say it." Gabby hissed through clenched teeth. "Talking about it might help me get over it."

"….all the blood they painted over?" Abby finally finished weakly.

Gabby took in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.

"Ok….sooo not over it."

"So who do you think our new teacher is?" Kat asked, changing the subject.

"Mom knows who." Gabby replied, "She told me Auntie Celes set it up."

"She tell you who?" Abby asked.

"No. She said it was a surprise." She then frowned, "But she also said it was an old friend."

"Maybe it's a Goddess?" Kat asked.

Gabby shook her head. "No, Auntie Kristine and Great-Uncle Keima are the only deities down here for any length of time. Grandma said Keima was here till a contract was fulfilled. Auntie Kristine was down here as Great-Grandma Belldandy's agent, but now she's training me with my Goddess powers."

"What about your Mom and Dad?" Abby asked.

"Dad doesn't have near the strength of a full God." Gabby answered, "And Mom was technically 'on leave' until I got older. Though now….you know." Gabby shook her head. "Unless there is a specific reason for them to be here, they usually remain in Heaven."

The door to the class room opened, admitting a red-haired well endowed woman. She immediately stood behind the podium at the front of the class.

"I am your new teacher." She began, "You may call me Tiger-sensei. Please take your seats."

Gabby's went wide. Kat and Abby's faces mirrored hers.

"A marionette." Kat murmured.

"Gartland Saber." Abby added.

"I've only seen pictures of her in the Japoness History museum." Gabby added, "She was one of the one that eventually helped Lorelei."

"She also has excellent hearing Miss Aida." Their new teacher stated without even looking up from her notes. "And she will be most interested in speaking with you, after class."

"Ouch." Abby and Kat murmured together.

"Yes Ma'am." Gabby stated before dropping her head onto her desk.


The lunch bell rang and Gabby's classmates quickly left the room, Kat and Abby being the last to leave. Gabby sat at her desk, waiting patiently. Tiger waited until the classroom door closed before speaking.

"You remind me a lot of your mother." Tiger finally said, "Though you act more like your father."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing Sensei?" Gabby asked.

"I suppose that depends on which aspect of him you emulate." Tiger answered. "So far I only seen the good things." Her eyes then narrowed. "You aren't planning on breaking contact with your mother for any length of time are you?"

"N-no." Gabby stuttered.

"Good. It would hurt your mother terribly if you did so." Tiger then gave Gabby a small smile. "I've been around a long time. I saw your mother when she returned to the Heavens. I saw your father as a newborn. I've seen them change over time into the people they are today. I know their greatest joy was having you." Tiger's face became serious. "Don't seek out the Demon. I know what they are capable of. At your present level of training, you wouldn't last long and only bring grief to your parents."

"Then what can I do?" Gabby asked.

"For now, train." Tiger replied, "Learn everything you can to survive long enough for help to come."

"Can this demon really be that powerful?" Gabby asked.

"Never underestimate a demon." Tiger stated grimly, "Even Mana can be vicious and brutal when she needs to be."


Celes let out a sigh.

She'd been going over and over Gabby's classmate's dossiers since the attack three weeks ago. During that time she'd eliminated most of the students based upon their parents backgrounds.

Having a planet that up until a few generations ago was all male and based on cloning technology helped eliminate them. Many of the children's mothers had been cloned, or were the results of the first couples who made children 'the old fashioned way'. There was also a DNA record from the cloning process that followed through the family lines. After all, everyone on the planet initially had DNA based off of 6, and eventually 7 people.

This led Celes to look at those who had one or both parents arrive from off-world. A demon could easily slip into the population that way. Even now it was hard to get records from other planets.

Unless of course you had a criminal record. That tended to follow you everywhere.

The problem Celes still faced was her original: identify the demon that didn't wish to be identified.

She did have a partial solution. Everyone who had arrived on planet through one of the shuttle facilities had their picture taken. That was how she'd spotted Rayne so many years back. It was simply a process of matching a name to face based on when they said they had arrived on Terra 2.

But that was still a lot of faces.

And it also didn't account for those who had arrived on private shuttles or through illegal means.

Still, it was a start. Celes rose to her feet and walked to the computer division where she got Sentaro to begin the computer searching.