The next morning, Riza awoke earlier than usual since she had to try on the school uniform. She sluggishly dragged herself down to Reiri's room (the basement) and once she arrived, Reiri had her stand by the wall so that she could take some measurements of her body in order to adjust the uniform to fit her figure. After achieving the desired structure, Reiri shoved the uniform into Riza's hands and pushed her out her room, leaving her with a "Put that on and meet Hiro and I at the door by 7:30 a.m." before shutting the door in her face.

The day was cloudy today as well, but oddly enough, sunlight illuminated the hill's road.

On the way to school, Hiro studied his past notes because he was to take a quiz over them today. His thoughts strayed from the matter at hand to what Hime had told him before he left: "Listen, Hiro, you must watch over those two, keep them from arising any commotion. Riza is to lay low; I want to confirm something before the day finalizes. If you disappoint me, your replenishment of my blood will be delayed by a great amount of time. Do you think you'll be able alive by then?"

Hime was always so intimidating, yet Hiro found that strangely attractive…

Oho~ Hiro, so you find Hime-sama to be quite the turn-on? Reiri teasingly asked.

R-Reiri-san, please don't snoop in on my thoughts! Hiro cried, telepathically.

I can't help it. Hiro, you're too adorable, responded Reiri, seductively.

Riza, standing in the middle of the three, caught them exchanging various glances and said, "Oi, are you guys doing that telepathic thing again?"

"Why, yes," Reiri said. "But that is none of your concern."

"Are you guys backstabbing me or something!?" Riza demanded.

"Why would we waste this amazing ability on a boring topic such as you?" Reiri replied.

"Hey, I'm wearing this suffocating uniform to help you guys out so don't badmouth me in your mind!" Riza said, slightly lifting the long, gray skirt and pale ribbon she was wearing. "Do you know how much this hurts my pride!?"

"I already told you we weren't talking about you," Reiri insisted. "And it's not our fault Hime-sama asked you to go undercover to the school."

"Riza-san, Reiri-san, please don't argue," Hiro said, cutting in between them, carrying out his job. "Besides, we're almost there," he finished, pointing at the school gates, students chattering away.

"Remember, we don't know each other," whispered Reiri to Riza before amiably tussling Hiro's hair and walking into the school gracefully, followed by Hiro afterward.

The second Riza stepped in, she perceived a strong wave of wind push her back, but then immediately in again. She felt at a loss of balance, but quickly regained her composure. Voices in her head gradually grew in volume, boys and girls mixed in a whirlpool of overwhelming thoughts. Her head began pulsating agonizingly.

"Oh, no, Reiri-sama, are you okay!?" A girl inquired with a hint of urgency in her tone.

By the time Riza turned around, she found Reiri's frail body on the ground.

"Someone help Reiri-sama!" a girl yelled, panicking.

Riza glanced around and her eyes met with Hiro's.

Riza-san… he thought, beckoning her to Reiri's direction.

Riza, hearing him quite clearly, gulped and then nodded before running towards Reiri, helping her up, and half-carrying, half-dragging her to the nurse's office.

- - -

Reiri regained consciousness and found herself tucked in bed at the nurse's office. She turned her head to the side, her range of vision coming to falling upon Hiro, sitting on the bed next to hers, stretching his arms as he yawned.

Hiro?

Huh? Hiro turned at the call of his name. Reiri-san you're awake!

Where am I? Reiri asked.

The nurse's office, Hiro replied. You collapsed at the entrance of the school this morning.

Oh, did you bring me here?

Hiro shook his head. Riza-san did.

"Riza!?" Reiri suddenly blurted out loud, sitting up, remembering the mission Hime had entrusted to them. "What time is it? Has she already gone to class? What are you doing here, Hiro?"

Hiro waved his hands in front of Reiri, as if it would help stop all the questions she was suddenly bombarding him with. "It's 11:30 a.m. at the moment. Riza-san has gone to class, introduced as a new exchange student from Signisland. And I'm here because I started feeling dizzy with my headache returning and all. I probably failed my quiz, too, because of hearing so many distracting thoughts."

"I'm sorry, Hiro," Reiri said apologetically. "All those thoughts, they just became too much for me to handle and I guess I just sort of passed out."

"It's fine, Reiri-san," Hiro said with a comforting smile. "But do you feel well enough to get up? It's already lunch time."

Reiri gently rose from the bed and got to her feet, delicately straightening out her uniform and fiixing her hair, Hiro admiring her every movement. She left a note to the nurse, telling her that she was feeling much better and will be leaving now.

- - -

Reiri and Hiro entered the cafeteria together. Reiri quickly spotted Riza eating with some masculine guys at a table in the far corner of the room. Hiro went to the back of the line to attain his tray of food while Reiri approached Riza, eating in her usual uncivilized manners.

"Ara, Riza-san, I've been looking all over for you," Reiri said, bringing a hand up to the side of her face cutely.

Almost immediately, a fervent crowd of boys and girls cornered Reiri at the table Riza was sitting at, leaving Hiro as the only customer in line; he thought he was pretty lucky.

"R-Reiri-sama, you know her?" one girl asked, astonished.

"Reiri-sama, how is she related to you!?" another guy asked, carrying the same expression as the girl that preceded him.

"Why, she's my long lost friend's third cousin's step-brother's adopted sister," Reiri replied casually, her surreal smile never vanishing from her features.

". . ."

"So, she's not related to you at all, then?" the boy queried, sweat-dropping.

"It's definitely a large tree with several branches, but that doesn't matter now, does it?" Reiri said, ending her sentence with a charming giggle.

The boy had smoke coming out of his nose and a goofy smile plastered upon his face. "I-I guess not…"

"Well, then, don't mind me, everyone," Reiri said. "Please return to your seats and enjoy your meals."

The students did so. Reiri proceeded to sitting across from Riza, shooting the macho men a piercing, frightening look, compelling them to flee like sissies. Hiro soon joined them, bringing his tray of food with him. He took the seat beside Riza's.

That girl is so lucky.

She gets to spend lunch with Reiri-sama.

Where's Signisland, anyway?

She's such a tomboy.

The weakling is there, too.

Why does Reiri-san only approach weirdoes?

"It's not like I want to," Reiri sighed, after hearing those thoughts.

"I wish I didn't have telepathy," Hiro said, crying a waterfall of tears.

"Toughen it up, Hiro," Riza said, snapping her fork in his direction. "You're Hime's warrior. You gotta start acting like a man."

"And you've got to girl it up," Reiri said, exasperated. "What will it take to turn you into a lady?"

"Hey, is this what you say to the person that carried your fatass to the nurse's office?" Riza said, speaking with her mouth full.

"Oh, yeah…t-thanks," Reiri said in a very low tone, a faint blush forming upon her cheeks. Riza had to admit that she was a little shocked at hearing Reiri sincerely thank her, not to mention her embarrassment was sort of cute. "Anyway," she continued, changing the topic, "Signisland? Have you no creativity?"

"What—that was the best I could come up with since I don't speak any language other than Japanese!" Riza protested. "I don't even look foreign. So, I decided that I would be Riza Wildman, Daughter of the Great Warrior: Volg Wildman, coming from Signisland speaking Sign language."

"P-please don't tell me you actually introduced yourself with that ridiculous speech…?" Reiri said, mortified.

"Yup, I did!" Riza proudly declared, putting the knife away, now done with her food.

"I would tell you that you're an incompetent moron, but that would just be stating the obvious," Reiri said with a raised eyebrow and twitching smile.

"Um, I think it was pretty smart, since people here don't know Sign language," Hiro opinioned, trying to stop their argument, keep them in watch. "She could just make things up and people would believe her."

"Yeah, plus, I'm only here temporarily," Riza said, getting up to throw her trash away.

"But do we know what Hime-sama is trying to accomplish?" Reiri queried.

"We just know that Riza-san has to stay here for a short while so that she can confirm something," Hiro said, eating the last potion of his meal, afterward taking Riza's tray and his own to its appropriate location.

The bell that signaled the termination of lunch tolled, and the students returned to their classrooms.

- - -

After school, the three began their excruciating walk up the hill. At first, they had attempted to maintain a small chat to liven up the dark, sullen mood the day gave off, but then decided against it since it only wasted it the precious energy stored in their bodies which was reserved to climb the steep road. As cloudy as it was, the sun's rays only reached the hill.

"Hime, we're back," announced a sweaty Riza as she allowed the door to Hime's room, which she had abruptly swung open, slam the wall, leaving a very faint dent. Reiri and Hiro followed soon after, trudging in exhaustion.

Hime instantly slapped her palm to her mouth in a fast but delicate motion, turning her face to the side, her body slightly shaking.

"H-Hime, what's wrong?" asked Hiro, concerned.

Hime regained her composure and turned to face the three that has just stepped in. "Forgive me I just…"—she glanced at Riza in her school uniform—"seeing you in such get-up is quite…something."

"Damn it, you were laughing, weren't you!?" Riza roared, flailing her arms about in frustration.

"Well, it is quite funny," Reiri added, chuckling.

Hiro decided not to laugh for the sake of retaining his life.

- - -

After everyone had settled down, Hime ordered Reiri and Hiro to sit across from each other on the long table, each occupying one end. Hime removed herself from her seat and gave it to Hiro, while Reiri was left with the one nearest to the door. Riza leaned against the wall close to the window, beside Flandre and Hime.

"So are you going to tell us now why you sent me to school?" Riza asked, her arms folded at the back of her head.

"Can you communicate telepathically with Hiro and Reiri?" Hime queried.

Can I…? Riza wondered, turning to Reiri.

Isn't it obvious? Reiri responded.

N-no way! Riza thought disbelievingly.

"From the look on your face I think it's safe to assume that you can," Hime finally said.

"So, Hime, something is targeting us, then?" asked Hiro, concerned.

"Yes," Hime confirmed. "There's one more thing I want to check before we jump to conclusions, though. Hiro and Reiri, you will stay in your current spots until the sun goes down. Every once in a while communicate with each other telepathically."

The vampire and the meek immortal warrior were still not sure about what Hime was hoping to accomplish, but they did as they were told and stared into each other's eyes, beginning some light conversation within their minds. Of course, Riza was able to hear everything they were saying, but she wasn't exactly interested. Hours ran past, but no one could distinctly tell since the sun, climbing its way down to the opposing side of the planet, was roughly hidden by the grey clouds. After a few more minutes, Hiro tried asking Reiri if she was bored, but the message didn't get through. He tried it again, but there was no response from the now seemingly debilitated vampire.

"Hime, I can't read Reiri-san's thoughts anymore!" Hiro exclaimed, surprised.

"How about you, Riza?" Hime inquired unhurriedly.

Riza attempted reading Hiro's and Reiri's thoughts, but nothing was being transmitted from either of their minds. Riza shook her head at Hime.

"Then there is no doubt now that it's a telepathic demon targeting us," Hime concluded, slightly smirking. "Hiro, now walk over to where Riza is and hold her hand."

"H-h-hold her hand!?" Hiro stuttered, alarmed.

Hime shot him a warning look and Hiro later found himself standing by Riza's side, her hand clasped in his.

What is he doing!? Riza thought, unable to hide her oncoming blush.

"I can hear Riza-san!" Hiro informed, mouth agape.

"As I thought," Hime said to herself more than the others. "I read in a book that telepathic abilities weaken as the day gradually ends, as well as its users. With that said, the telepathic demon is unable to supply you, his targets, with enough power that allows you to communicate with one another."

"But I don't understand, Hime-sama," Reiri suddenly said. "How is giving us telepathy harming us?"

"Reiri, have you been getting constant headaches lately?" Hime asked.

"No, but Hiro has," Reiri replied, resulting in Hime's attention returning to Hiro.

"But Reiri-san fainted today," Hiro said.

"Whatever has occurred to you does not matter, the point is you're weakening," Hime explained. "Reading minds takes an incredible amount of energy from a person. The telepathic demon's goal is definitely me, but you're also part of my faction, so it's only logical that it set after you, as well."

"Wait a minute," Riza said. "So, are we going to die?"

"If the demon is not killed soon, then yes," Hime collectedly responded.

"How are we supposed to find it, Hime?" Hiro queried, growing anxious.

Hime explained that telepathic demons reside at psychological manifestation fields, and get their power from light, but artificial lighting did not work. That was why the three of them became unable to communicate after sunset. Supernatural beings bestowed with the power of telepathy were able to hear average beings' thoughts night and day due to their "sender" mechanism, but they were not able to hear their kind's thoughts after dark unless coming into contact with them since they possessed the "receiver" mechanism, which explained why Hiro and Riza were able to speak when they held hands and Reiri with Hiro the day before.

Reiri then said, "But if our power weakened at sundown then that means…"

"That's right, Reiri," Hime continued. "You're each a walking psychological manifestation field. But yours are only temporary; the demon found and is in possession of an authentic, immobile one."

"That means that if a psychological manifestation field needs true light, then the demon would be located some place where the light hits it directly!" Hiro said, bringing his fist down to his palm in sudden comprehension.

"In this case, true light would be the sun's rays," Reiri explicated, getting to her feet. "If it's been cloudy the past two days, the only place where the sun has actually hit must have been—"

"The hill's road!" the three shouted altogether, remembering how the sun always lit their way to and from the mansion.

"Flandre," Hime said, turning to her gynoid. "Take us to the demon's refuge."

Flandre had been installed with a passive infrared sensor, enabling her to detect motion and changing patterns emitted by objects in her vicinity. The five followed Flandre down the dark road, keeping careful watch of their step. Reiri and Hiro were feeling a bit of light-headedness, but they kept going, holding onto each other for support, the exchanging of their thoughts growing far more unbearable by the minute. Riza was debilitating, as well, but she wasn't as bad as the two that were bestowed with the ability before her. Hime remained cool and collected, arms crossed before her chest and carrying a seemingly bored expression. Flandre came to a stop before a battered, decrepit bush. She pointed to it with her finger and Hime ordered Riza to take what was left of the dilapidated shrub down, clearing her a path into a large, opaque hole.

"There was a cave here?" Hiro said in awe as he entered it, Reiri letting go of him.

They walked a few feet before reaching a dead end.

"So you were here," Hime said in a crude tone, her voice resonating throughout the cave.

"I didn't expect you find me so soon, Hime-sama," someone replied, the same echo pattern repeating.

A girl with short green hair and deep crystalline eyes emerged from the shadows, a cloak covering the rest of her body with the hood resting on her back. She was struggling for breath even after making barely any movement at all, and her body looked very fragile, as if it might break if someone were to touch her. She stiffened her body and balled her fists, eyeing the Gothic princess with ardent fierceness.

"Are you sure you wish to fight me in that state?" Hime queried, brimming with confidence.

The girl only smiled malevolently.

"I can give you my blood, and you can become my warrior, since my brother doesn't seem to be feeding you regularly," Hime offered with unfeeling generosity.

"We may not look it, Hime-sama, but we telepathic demons are quite faithful to our masters," the girl responded defiantly.

"Well, then"—Hime extended her right palm to the side and Flandre threw into it a large knife from her apron pocket; Hime catching it without any difficulty—"I'm quite flexible." And she swiftly ran up to the girl to inflict a mortal cut on her neck, which gradually enlarged to the point where she could no longer bear the weight of her own head and caused it to dispatch from her anatomy.

"The only way to kill a telepathic demon is to remove their head from their bodies," Hime finally said, her right arm covered in the blood that had sputtered out of the girl.

The horrified Hiro stared at the beheaded girl's now lifeless body on the ground, a pool of blood growing to surround her. He gulped and asked with the slightest tinge of hope in his tone, "But won't she recover, since she's your brother's blood warrior?"

"In a normal case scenario she would," Hime explicated, wiping off some of the thick, red liquid on her hand with the virgin part of the knife. "But the royal blood was wearing out on her when we arrived here, so it will not be enough to heal a wound such as this one. Now that she is dead, you three will gradually lose this telepathic ability."

Hiro let a small, silent whimper escape his throat, unable to help the trembling of his body.

"Oh, which reminds me, Hiro," Hime continued, "the effects of my blood are running out, it's time you get some more."

Hime used the knife to cut her right hand's index finger, and Hiro habitually fell on his knees right below it, letting Hime's blood fall into his mouth. He could taste the unfamiliar bits that once belonged to the telepathic demon girl, and he couldn't help but feel a little sick.

At that moment, a memory flashed into Hiro's mind. Not his, but Hime's. Hime and Flandre were standing on a cliff, and underneath it millions of blood warriors were fighting against others, a built, handsome man walked to the end of the cliff, appearing behind her, and placed his hand on her shoulder, flashing her a benevolent yet chilling smile. Hime never turned to face him or returned the smile, but she never refused his hand, either.

The reminiscence abruptly stopped there, bringing Hiro back to reality.

Hime retired and the rest of the gang of followed her suit out of the cave. On the way back to the mansion, Hiro couldn't help but wonder who that man that took part in Hime's memories was, but he would never dare ask. Even so, he was thankful to his remaining telepathic power for allowing him to uncover some of Hime's past.

"All of you listen," Hime called, halfway from reaching the mansion. "I want you to be careful from now onwards. My royal brother is...quite fond of mind games."

And with that, she turned gracefully and climbed up the hill. Hiro, whom had fallen behind without nearly coming as close to realizing it, shook the mysterious man out of his thoughts and caught up to the others.

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Thanks to all of you have reviewed so far! Though, I would really love it if you signed in, my anonymous reviewers. If you can't, then it's fine, I appreciate the feedback, everyone! ^^/