Monk's POV:

I looked round as the others had all entered base, but for Naru and Gene.

"I'll go and check on them, Naru's probably still tired from yesterday, as for Gene, he was zipping about like a puppy!" I shrugged, getting to my feet with a smile.

Yasu smirked, and quickly ran on ahead of me…

···

Yasu waited until I caught up, before knocking and entering.

The pair were still fast asleep, left hands clasped.

Yasu quickly snapped a picture with a chuckle, and I shook my head at him, before shaking Gene's shoulder.

"Five more minutes…" he mumbled, and Yasu made the sign of a heart with his hands, mouthing how cute it sounded.

"Everyone else is awake, come on." I replied, shaking his shoulder again.

"'Time?" he yawned.

"8:30."

Gene tensed, gazing at me with one eye open.

"Y'serious?" he asked. Looking annoyed.

Yasu held up the clock on his phone, and Gene let out a loud moan of annoyance.

"Noll." Gene yawned, stretching and poking his twin.

"No." Naru replied, sounding about three to nine times deadlier than normal.

"I'll sit on you." Gene pouted. "Besides, Monk and Yasu are watching us."

"Like hell – tell them to go back to base and wait like civilised idiots." Naru grumbled, shifting so he lay on his front.

Gene dead-panned, and swiftly sat on Naru's back.

"Get off." Naru growled, trying to roll Gene off.

"No." Gene replied. "Wake up."

Naru elbowed Gene off, and sat up, his gaze proving his deadliness to be nine times more than normal.

"You best have a good reason." he growled.

"It's 8:32." Gene mumbled. "Or, at least, that's what Yasu's mobile reads. Monk agrees."

Naru's eyes narrowed, and he jumped over Gene, hitting Yasu and I in the chest so we stumbled towards the door.

"Get. Out." Naru growled.

Yasu and I ran…

···

Gene's POV:

Naru and I entered base, Naru had remembered his jacket this time, and both the pocket-watch and lock-picking tools were in either pocket – Naru had learnt all the information in the books Yasu had given us, and was now walking about with his "thinking" face.

I watched him throughout breakfast, and when Mrs Mao came, I ended up having to speak for Naru.

Once finished, we headed out to visit John, though it wasn't until after that something… Happened.

I felt this pull as we were returning to the inn and our Base, so I decided to follow the feeling.

I didn't realize I was by myself until I was standing in a deserted part of the city, and the feeling of danger overcame that of the pull.

I turned to retrace my steps, only to find a pair of boys in wait, one without wings and the other with cream wings, though they didn't shine like John's.

"Well, look here." I heard, and I turned to see other boys surrounding me. "It's one of the new brats. Did anyone hear? One of their lot chased Lady Mai, and another proved they're all Demon-lovers! They even have Lin Kojou working for them!"

"I heard there's a pair of foul-bloods in among them, as well, and that those foul-bloods are in charge."

Gene! Where are you?! What's wrong! Naru broke in through my thoughts.

Trouble! Stay away! I hurriedly sent back.

"Hyu~ this one seems to be well-off. Look at that face – his eyes are so open it makes him easy to read!" one of the girls smirked. "He's also a bit too pretty for my liking."

A punch was thrown my way, and I took a step back as I focused on the skills Lin had taught me.

One day in the cells if I hurt them. I mused, I don't want to be alone.

I dodged, as a second throw was sent.

I felt a sudden pain in my back, and I hunched over as I felt my wings emerge again, though now, they were a soft silver with a gold streak running and curling in a spiral on the top.

My abilities were crackling beneath my skin, and I felt my breath grow ragged as I tried to not use them.

I quickly moved to fly away, but a pull as I flapped them sen me face-first into the ground.

"It IS one of the foul-bloods!" a girl laughed, and the others laughed along with them as their hits reigned down like rain…

Naru…

···

I felt myself come close to passing out as my tears were pouring down my face.

"Oh, look! Pampered pretty-boy's crying!"

"What do you think you're doing?!"

I shifted slightly as I turned to see Naru standing there, the pain in my body from the cuts and bruises was agonizing!

"N-Naru…" I coughed, and I could see the anger building. "Go… Rules…"

"You said so yourself, the rules are wrong." Naru stated, walking forward. "However, I will let these idiots off with a lesser punishment if they help."

"Like we'd help foul-bloods with half-angel's jobs."

"Says one of the idiots who was blind enough not to see that the person they stoned half to death was a half-archangel." Naru replied, walking forwards toward me.

"Why you-"

He grabbed the wrist of the girl who tried to punch him.

"That's my brother you're insulting!"

He swiftly blocked her kick, and turned his face towards her with a smirk.

"Sorry, I don't hit girls." Naru said with fake-politeness, and even I could see the pain entering the girl's wrist as Naru's nails dug into her. "However, there was nothing for breaking bones."

He let go, throwing her to the ground, dodging and blocking the other attacks as he continued towards me.

Two steps from me, one of the younger boys (with wings) smashed a stick onto Naru's head, sending out an audible crack.

Naru paused, and slowly turned around as he touched the wound, his hand coming away with blood.

"That hurt." he growled, and his own wings broke through his skin as his anger burst, blue light enveloping him as his powers crackled through the surface of hi skin.

…

…

Uh oh…

···

Five minutes later, Naru was almost as beaten up as me, though still standing as he watched the last sane bully run away, six others unconscious at his feet.

"Are you alright?" he asked, squatting by me.

"What do you think?" I asked.

"Why did you go off by yourself?"

"A feeling."

Naru sighed, and winced as he gently touched the wound on the back of his head again, his hand coming away with yet more blood on it.

"Come on, might as well finish what you started." he grumbled, before helping me up.

Limping, I directed him to the dead-end of an alley, and it began raining.

"There's nothing here." Naru frowned, as we collapsed.

"I… I think it's buried." I said, and Naru laid a hand on the ground.

It cracked, and I pulled whatever it was towards us, until two objects shot out the hole Naru had made.

Naru grabbed them, and we inspected the objects.

A pair of silver rings, with two tiny, glowing stones in them; one stone was amber, the other diamond.

I thought I saw a pair of silhouettes fall on us, and I looked up.

But whoever had been there, had gone.

"Naru?" I asked, turning.

"I'm-" he attempted, before he suddenly collapsed, and the feeling that had sustained me left…