A/N: Hi guys back with a new chapter! Sorry for the wait ;)

Good job and congratulations to geekfreak101 and VanriddleZ for guessing who the mysterious person in the teaser preview was :)

There's only one week left until I can begin betareading for other people and I'm super excited :3 Anyways, enough rambles from me, enjoy this chapter!

And also, clarification, not all of the 'previous' recaps will just be the last section of the previous chapter copied and pasted, I might pick a few random lines here and there that I feel sum up the chapter well together. Sort of like the format of a movie trailor, where there are quick cuts to show scenes. So yeah, if you see that it isn't exactly from the end of the chapter, I didn't copy the wrong section on accident ^-^

Previously, on Devils and Demons:

"SUGOI, RIKO-CHAN!"

"Mada mada dane senpai!"

"..."

"AKAYA! NIOU! MARUI! RENJI! YAGYUU! 25 LAPS! NOW!"

"Eh? Jackal-senpai? Why are you crying?"

"Jackal stop crying." Sanada said sternly.

"Jackal."

"Jackal Kuwahara."

"JACKAL, TARUNDORU! 25 LAPS! GO!"

CH 5: Mada Mada Dane

Riko was starting to settle into her new life at Seisen Academy. The institution was becoming familiar for her, and she could almost make it to classes on time now. Thanks to Yukimura, she was allowed to play on the boy's tennis team, provided she "keep her behaviour appropriate". Riko normally changed in the girl's locker room to avoid.. er… uncomfortable confrontations.

The competition matches that determined the official regular lineups for the year were approaching quickly. Sanada had explained the system to her just yesterday- each house played between themselves to find the top 5, who then all competed against each other in a pool of 15 players. There were only 8 regular spots (including the substitute position). In the recent years, the first string line-ups didn't change much, consisting of Tezuka, Yukimura, Atobe, and Sanada. The other four positions were up for grabs, although most of the time Niou and Fuji were guaranteed two of them. However, Riko was also told that it wasn't uncommon for the captains to refrain from playing in earlier rounds, especially in the district tournament, mostly because it wouldn't be in their favour to go around acting flashy and arrogant.

"HA race to you practice, Kikumaru-senpai!" Momoshiro darted out from around the corner and began sprinting as fast as he could.

"UWAHH you got a head start, Momo!" Kikumaru wailed, chasing after him frantically.

To her right, Riko could see a few of the Rikkai regualars heading towards the courts as well. How could these people be such… early birds? She was still drowsy and could barely open her eyes, because she had chosen to sleep in versus going for her routine morning jog (technically it wasn't her fault that she and Kirihara had stayed up past midnight playing Counterstrike…).

"Hey Bakaya, I bet I can hit a ball farther than you can," Niou smirked, reaching out to ruffle Kirihara's seaweed like hair.

Kirihara scowled. "Cannot"

"Can to."

"Not."

"To."

"Not."

"To."

"Not."

"Not."

"To- Hey wait, that's cheating, Niou-senpai!"

Niou just walked away cackling. Riko sighed at their behaviour. Suddenly, Kirihara noticed her.

"Oi, Echizen! Be my warm-up partner for both practices today!" He called. "Oh and did you know that line-up matches will start in a week? You better train hard, not that it makes that much of a difference because I'll beat you and take a spot anyways!"

"…That's impossible."

"Ehh? That's mean, Echizen-chan!"

"Shut it, Wakame."

"Echiiiiiizzzeeeennnnn-"

"Akaya, hurry up and get over here. Warm-up matches will begin soon."

"Buchou, why don't you scold Echizen too?"

"Because it's obvious you're the reason she can't speed up her walking pace. But both of you, please hurry, or else there will be consequences." With that, Yukimura smiled scarily.

Both Riko and Akaya ran to the courts in a hurry, ducking to avoid Yukimura's gaze.

"Alright, today we will begin with warm-up stretches, which all of you will complete with a partner. After stretching, both of you will run 30 laps and play a six game match, with no tie-breakers. If the score reaches 6 games all, the match will be considered a tie. This is in preparation for the line-up matches, which will begin next week. Please work hard, as the district tournament is also nearing and we have a reputation to uphold. Dismissed." Tezuka turned around, along with Atobe and Yukimura, and walked towards the court gates.

Immediately whispers broke out, "Hey, I heard that Tezuka-buchou has never lost a match,"

Turning around, Riko wasn't surprised to see that it was Horio, who was one half of the pair she and Kirihara had dubbed the "Seigaku Loud Mouth Duo", with the other half being Tomoka.

"Well Yukimura buchou has never even dropped a game," Kirihara snapped. "I'll go show them."

"Hey, just drop it. We have to warm up," Riko said, tugging at his sleeve to restrain him.

He scowled but eventually conceded. After finishing their laps, Kirihara went off to refill his waterbottle and Riko decided to take a quick break before their match started. Picking up Kirihara's Pro Tennis magazine, she flipped through until she found a section detailing a few new shots that were becoming more prominent in the pro circuit. Taking a look at them couldn't yield any harm. Perhaps she would be able to use a few of them in the District Tournament.

"Oi oi oi, look what we have here," a voice drawled from behind her. Riko completely ignored it.

"Ey, the little kid just ignored you, Arai! What are you going to do about it?" Another voice taunted. A vein appeared on Riko's head. Why did some people have to be so loud when she was trying to focus?

"Excuse me, but could you please quiet down? I'm trying to read." Riko masked most of her annoyance with a carefully measured voice, although she did let a bit of her irritation seep through, just to let them know she was serious.

"Tch is that any way to talk to your senpai? Listen up, you-"

"Pardon me, but I have a warm-up match to play. Maybe I'll have time to hear you out later," Riko mocked in a fake-polite way. She waved her racquet in the air as she walked away. "Ja!"

"Oi! Is that any way for you to talk to your senpai? Get back here, you punk!"

"Whatever, let's warm up first so when Tezuka-buchou comes back it'll look like we're doing hard work."

Arai scowled. "Fine."

Riko and Kirihara rallied back and forth, not too seriously. They had started out a very serious competition, with neither party willing to give any ground, but had quickly been scolded by Sanada for "showing off" and "playing too hard", which Riko found ironic as he and Yukimura were currently in an intense match two courts to their right. Of course, when they had both mentioned it as the two players were switching courts, Sanada had declared it was "just different".

"You don't need to play each other so seriously and reveal all your tricks, Yanagi wants data on your match anyways. Wait until next week, you'll both get all the competition you want," Sanada had said, scowling.

As they continued their casual play, Riko noticed Arai glaring at her from his court to her left. Oh well.

The rest of practice passed rather smoothly, despite everyone in Seigaku but the regulars being subject to Inui's new drink. As she packed up her bags and exited the girl's locker room, Riko realized that she had left her waterbottle on the court benches.

"Argh.. oh well, looks like I'll be late for class again…" She muttered as she headed back to grab it. As she reached the court, she found Arai and his gang of friends still hanging around, as if they were waiting for her.

"If he wants a confrontation, he'll get it," she breathed under her breath, glaring at them. "Hey, thanks for looking out for me and grabbing my water bottle," she called, raising a hand as if to catch it.

"Hm? Water bottle? Oh this?" Arai waved it in the air. "I was actually thinking that you could use a new one. It's getting a bit old, don't you think?"

Riko's eyes narrowed. What was he playing at?

"No, I think it's fine."

"Well really, I think you need a new one. Here, let me do you a favour, I'll just toss it for you so you don't have to." Arai reached his arm out as if about to enter a tossing motion, with this fingers wrapped around her water bottle and his hand pointed towards a black trash can sitting a few meters away.

"…No offense, but if you threw it from your current position… would you even be able to make it?"

Arai scowled. "It's not as if you would be able to."

"As a matter of fact, I would," Riko retorted, unable to let the insult on her character slide past.

"Prove it then. Serve this tennis ball into the trashcan."

"Firstly, serving and tossing are two different things. Secondly, I don't see how this relates to you tossing a projectile into the trashcan, or you returning my water bottle. However, I will humour you."

With that, Riko reached out and took the tennis ball from Arai. She couldn't resist adding a bit of flair to it. After all, a normal serve would be too boring, wouldn't it?

Tossing the ball up, she jumped and did a twist serve, with the ball bouncing straight up, hitting the upper trashcan rim, and swivelling neatly in. Arai was scowling. She reached out and grabbed her water bottle back from his grip.

"Thank you for your efforts, senpai."

"So you think just because you can play a little bit of kid tennis and serve some weird twisting shot that you can qualify as a regular? Think again, you little brat!"

"…Have a nice day."

"Oi! Is that any way for you to talk to your senpai? Get back here, you punk!"

"Calm down, she's just a girl. If you think you deserve to be a regular more than her, all you have to do is play a match."

Arai's scowl deepened further. "I know I deserve it more than her. She's a girl, is this even allowed?"

"Well I heard Yukimura made arrangements-"

"Yeah because she probably bribed him with money!"

"Erm I don't know if Yukimura needs money-"

"I'm going to get my revenge, she has it coming to her."

"But you guys aren't in the same house-"

"So? She's still putting my goal in jeopardy. I am supposed to be the regular. What if they let her play in the official school lineup matches?"

"Well technically-"

"I will get her back somehow-"

"Arai, could you just let us finish?"

"She even brought three racquets!"

"…"

"Arghh, I'll teach that kid a lesson during practice this afternoon!"

"AH GOMEN, GOMEN!" Kirihara yelled as he darted down the hallway, students scattering left and right to make way for him. He jumped down an entire flight of stairs and slid down the railing for the next flight.

Crap crap crap crap crap, Echizen's going to kill me… Kuso…..

He sprinted out of the school and towards the courts, ignoring the fact that toting around his heavy school bag (he hadn't had time to put it away in his dorm room like usual) was causing him some extreme discomfort in the spinal region, especially around his shoulders. He could see all the members from all three houses already gathered up ahead…

"BUCHOU! I'M HERE!" He yelled loudly, drawing everyone's attention to him.

"….."

"Oi, Bakaya, why are you late? I had to do stretches with Bunta, for god's sake!" Riko snapped, looking pissed.

"I know, I know, I'm so sorry! I had to stay behind in my English class-"

"Enough. Akaya, go get changed immediately, you will be playing a match with Jackal this afternoon," Sanada barked.

"Aww but I was going to play with Echizen-chan, pleaseeee!"

"10 laps in addition to your match with Jackal."

"But fukubuchouuuuuuuuu…"

"Make that 30 laps."

"Wahh fine!" Kirihara pouted and scowled while he ran towards the boys' locker room to change and drop off his ridiculously heavy school bag.

Meanwhile..

"First years, regardless of your current skill level and house, you will all be completing 10 laps and fifty sit-ups. If you finish under the time limit, you will be exempt from punishment." Tezuka's glasses glinted once more. "Would you like to announce the daily menu, Yukimura?"

"It would be my pleasure. All of you who are unable to complete this exercise will get the honour drinking a new invention by Inui-san, called Penal Tea! In fact, I believe it would be best for us to have two students do a taste test. Would anyone like to volunteer?" Yukimura's sadistic side was coming out again.

"Buchou, I'm back!" Immediately all eyes turned to Kirihara. "Ehh?"

"Thank you for volunteering, Kirihara!"

"Wait what's going on buchou, why is-"

"Excellent, it seems we have our first volunteer! Kirihara Akaya, class 1-5, first year, and member of the Rikkai Dai house!" Oishitari announced in a deep voice.

"As per Yukimura's words, we need one more student volunteer!" Eiji added, also speaking in an announcer voice.

(A/N: I chose Eiji and Oishitari mainly because they were the "announcers"/hosts for the Yakiniku competition between all the schools, which took place in the 20th episode of the Nationals arc, definitely recommend watching it because it's hilarious!)

"Because there seem to be no more volunteers, we will pick a member at random!" Yukimura smiled. Everyone seemed to shrink, and a few people visibly ducked behind their neighbors. "Masaharu, would you like to be our selector?"

Everyone stiffened further and looked, if possible, even more nervous.

"Of course, Yukimura! Let's see, allow me to spin around at random here…" Niou did a very poor imitation of a "randomized spin" with his arm raised and hand outstretched. "And.. here we go… AHA!" Of course he stopped on..

Riko.

"Senpai, how was that remotely random?"

"Because I didn't plan it."

"…Oh really?"

"Do you have any proof I planned it?"

"Well do you have any proof you didn't?"

"What was it that you Americans always say… Innocent until proven not innocent, right?" Niou grinned.

"I believe the proper phrase is 'Innocent until proven guilty', Niou." Yagyuu looked up with a sigh.

"Sure sure, whatever you say, Yeah-gyu. It's all the same thing anyways."

"Well, moving on from that discussion, we have our second contestant! Echizen Riko, also from Class 1-5, also a first year, and also a member of the Rikkai Dai house!"

Everyone sighed in relief, feeling gratitude towards the gods for not having been chosen.

Yukimura's eyes glinted dangerously. "Ok, your task is simple. This is merely a taste-testing. A small cup will suffice." With that, he whipped out two rather large cups and placed them side by side on a tray that Yanagi held out to him. At a wave of his hand, Inui poured the foul smelling liquid, making sure the amounts in both cups were equal.

"Excellent. The winner of this contest will be the one who can down the tea the fastest without exhibiting uncontrollable side effects. Ready… "

At the word 'competition', both Riko and Akaya stiffened and stared each other down.

"Set…"

They both braced themselves.

"Go!"

Grabbing the glasses, the two first year students began to chug, as everyone else around them watched breathlessly.

It was fine at first, until suddenly Riko felt a heat crawl up her throat and a weird tingling feeling developing on her neck and cheeks. Pushing down her gagging reflexes, as well as her strong urge to vomit, she continued chugging. Then, the back of her eyelids began to burn and her tongue went numb.

Next to her, Kirihara was not doing any better. Of course, he had chugged quite quickly in the beginning, hoping to save himself from any prolonged tastes of the foul liquid. Unfortunately, his plan backfired when he felt his stomach churn and gurgle with its newest addition. He even more thought it was a bad idea when the inside of his mouth and cheeks began to feel swollen and sore. As he continued, he felt a sharp pain in his lower left abdominal region, and suddenly, the both stopped…

…stared…

…and passed out.

A/N: To be honest in my outline I planned for Arai's confrontation to happen in this chapter, as well as another major event, but I kinda already have 3k words and I feel as if I'm making this chapter too long… so I'll save it for next time. I will most likely be updating again pretty soon because I have a math test and a Spanish quiz (which means no homework yay!).

Also, I will be updating my other stories and posting a new one-shot OR a new full-length story, so hopefully you guys can look forward to that :)

Once again, thank you to everyone who takes the time to read, review, follow, favourite, etc. because it means a lot to me and motivates me to keep writing. Literally.

So far, thank you to the following people for reviewing (I would do favourites and follows, but I'm not sure if those people would be comfortable with their username posted/made public for others, so for now we'll stick with reviews)

VanriddleZ

bekahguertin

greekfreak101

Sassbrat

Bookworm54321

Ageha Yume

gaara king of the sand

SnowyIce

And thanks to those of you who are showing support behind the scenes too! We just hit 32 follows and passed 1.5k views so I really feel grateful to you guys!

Also, some people seem to believe that focusing on one major story is better, because you can dedicate more time to it, which I fully agree with. But I really like writing multiple stories at a time, mainly because I can just switch whenever I get writer's block, so I'm going to continue writing a few stories at a time (probably no more than 6-7 of course, too much school work _)

If you want me to betaread your work, you can always request :)

Ciao!

~Vieux

Sorry for the particularly long A/N !