John's POV:

I heard it before I saw it.

Yells and exclamations of pain undermining laughter as I saw a gaggle of boys in clean clothing beating up a boy in clothing both too small and ragged.

"Hey!" I exclaimed in surprise, jogging up. "What are you doing? He's a kid the same as you are! You shouldn't go beating others up!"

"He's a half-demon!" one of the well-off boys replied.

"He's half-human!" I said, stopping. "Same as you. "Love your Neighbour as you would yourself.""

Another of the boys quickly pointed.

"He was with Kojou and Kaede! One of the foreigners!" a boy suddenly exclaimed, and I quickly dodged a stone as it went for my face.

"Stop!" the ragged child exclaimed, and more rocks reigned down, and I covered my head.

Pain shot through my back, before I felt something slam into the top of my head, and I fell down with a cry.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" they yelled again, and I heard them running past, as I looked up, before gasping at the pain. "Damn, you're bleeding! I know where a doctor lives, let me help!"

The boy helped me up and led me through the streets, helping hide my face.

"Just a little further." he panted.

"I'm sorry, I'm being a nuisance already…" I gasped.

I heard a door opening, and he pulled me in.

"DOCTOR ZHI!" he yelled. "QUICKLY!"

"What is it Cho?!"

"JOHN!"

I lifted my head upon hearing her, and I stumbled forward.

"Aya-" I started, as my eyesight blurred, before I fell forward into Ayako…

···

Masako's POV:

I sat at John's bedside as I waited for him to wake up.

"I'm sorry, I should have done-" the boy, Cho, attempted.

"It's the bullies' fault, they were the ones throwing things. All they label foreigners as are either Demon-blood or Demon-lovers." Kaede snapped. "John got marked out as a Demon-lover as soon as he stood up for you."

"We could give them hell – he is the son of Lucida, an Archeia." Naru commented.

"Archeia?" Cho asked.

"Female Archangel. She's my mother, too, but John's powers are about as large as Lin's, mine got weakened down to next to nothing when I got stained, then cleansed and revived again." James replied.

"Revived?" Cho asked, surprised.

"I've been a living statue since I was thirteen until I was about nineteen." James shrugged.

"You're not our age?" Kaede asked.

"Technically – as a statue, I was stuck in one frame of mind until John freed me." James pouted, thinking. "Even though I was made to astral project and pumped full of negative energy by our-… Our Uncle and Guardian. Forgive me if I don't talk about him, but think of any crime, he has most likely committed it. He also dumped John and I in about two years of psychiatrist visits over nightmares, implemented fears, and reactions he created."

"Like what?" Cho asked.

"The Knick-Knack man tune making us focus on both ourselves and whoever is singing it – not in a pleasant way." James frowned.

"Hey, at least that case managed to make Mai kiss Naru!" I smiled, trying to pull away from the last subject.

"Mai?" Cho asked.

"I only saw her when I arrived at their office building – she's nice, though! Also pretty! Caramel hair cut down to her chin, big hazel eyes, and she's about as tall as Masako!" Kaede grinned, and Cho's face became one of shock.

"She's the pretty flower-dress lady I saw with Yi the other day! But she had a mask to cover her eyes! She had this sparkly silver instrument that she played while she and Yi were walking!" Cho exclaimed.

"Exactly – but she's forgotten us for some reason. She even forgot Naru, even though we tied her soul to his…" James pouted.

"Tied?" I asked, surprised. "I thought that was just linking their abilities together through their emotional bond."

"I'm right here." Naru dead-panned, speaking up.

John stirred, and our eyes all fixed on him as he opened his eyes, sheltering them from the light.

"How do you feel?" I asked.

"Better than earlier." he replied, moving to sit up, James and I quickly helping him.

His eyes landed on Cho.

"Thank you." he smiled, attempting to bow.

"Ah! Wait! You don't need to!" Cho exclaimed, turning bright red. "I just did what any of my kind would do!"

"You're not of a different kind." Naru pointed out. "Else you would either be like one of the other animals, or in one of the other realms."

"As for your blood, Kojou said once, that "Blood isn't what decides your state of mind, or your heart; what decides that is you yourself, in your soul." Kaede grinned.

"By now, my soul is probably a dingy, dark grey." Cho pouted, crossing his arms.

I looked at John, and saw his eyes glow slightly.

"Actually, his soul's a soft-glowing shade of purple! Like you may experience pain and anger, but you don't let it upset you without a good enough reason. You put yourself before others and you treat even your enemies well." John smiled, and James stiffened.

"Big brother! Where did that come from?"

"Sorry, my eyes tingled, and it was like I could-…" John blushed, before looking down.

"They were glowing." I pointed out.

"Wh-what?!" John's eyes widened, and the door burst open downstairs, before the others showed.

"JOHN!" Yasu wailed, running and grabbing John quickly in a hug. "Uwa~! I heard some bullies hurt you!"

"Y-Yasu?" John asked, sounding slightly strangled.

"GET OFF!" Ayako roared, entering and yanking Yasu away. "One of the stones managed to hit John's temple, which is the weakest point upon the head. You going and clinging to John is no help at all!"

"Sorrysorrysorry…" Yasu replied, trying to wiggle his way out of Ayako's death-grip.

"We have a whole load of information from our visit to Lin!" Gene grinned.

"Lin! How is he?" John asked, looking worried.

"We got him angry a bit." Monk replied, but otherwise, he's-"

"Fine." Lin's voice filtered in, and my eyes widened as his flame-shadows morphed up into a clear likeness of him. "My cell stinks, though."

A relieved smile made it onto John's face.

"You do know your body's resonating with the positive energy, and the negative energy's going to make you sick as you repel it?" Lin asked.

"No." John shook his head. "But… It just feels like this village has a huge weight in its air so it feels like I'm underwater half the time."

"Eh~?! Why didn't you tell! Joh~n!" James complained. "Big brothers are meant to set examples!"

"Who told you that?" Yasu asked.

"Brother Edward!" John and James replied in synch, before looking at each-other and grinning.

Yasu tapped Naru's shoulder.

"Ne, Naru?" he asked, unaffected by the received glare. "Do you notice how everything is flipped on its head?"

"Half-Angels holding the characteristics of Demons and Half-Demons of Angels." Naru nodded.

"Why didn't you say?!" Monk asked.

"It's part of a theory." Naru dead-panned.

We looked up at further footsteps, and Lin's figure frowned.

"Sorry, sorry, I just saw how Lin's using his abilities, and the twins here must be Oliver and Eugene!" the smiling man smiled. His eyes laid on John. "Oh? What happened?"

"Bullies – Cho helped me come here after." John replied gently with a sad smile.

"I see~… Anyway, I got told by Kojou that if I wanted to find out all about the Demon-blood behind the attitude I-" Han started, before Lin's figure glared at him. "But I'll save that for when Kojou's not about… But… I can't help myself – isn't Grumps-twin the one who decided to chase Lady Mai around all of the Village?"

"Lady Mai?" Ayako and Monk asked, surprised.

"Little-Lady Cute-and-mysterious, obviously!" Han replied.

"My name is Oliver." Naru growled, getting annoyed at Han's stuck-up, girlish attitude.

"Sorry, dark-n-handsome! But you did get seen by about 200 people doing just that, and Mrs Mao was complaining about it to her neighbour earlier!" Han smiled.

"Wa~h! Idiot Scientist! You didn't say how cute she looked! How cute, on a scale of 1 to 10? 10 being equal to a baby chick, and 1 to an old lizard." Gene asked.

"I'd say about 8? Her flute playing also makes her super-admired. Had she not been friends with Yi darling, you can be assured the men would just cue to propose!" Han grinned. "Having and playing an instrument around here is like a ticket to the higher-ups…"

Monk's eyes widened.

"How many actual musicians are there?!" he asked, and Han tilted his head.

"About 15 in total – that includes Mai – of those, the amount of hand-held instruments is about 7?" Han mused.

Lin's figure looked annoyed at Monk's facial expression.

"Monk, this village separated itself as much as possible from the rest of society, what would you expect?" Lin asked.

"Still…" Monk grumbled.

"Gene, Naru, when you get back, check the back of the van – I put your presents there. Ryuuko has the keys." Lin quickly said, before disappearing.

"Later, Gene." Naru frowned as Gene started getting up.

"John needs to get his rest, now. You might as well." Ayako smiled, and John obediently lay down again as Kaede, Cho and James ran out ahead as Gene dragged Naru hurriedly from his seat…