Chapter XIII

Well, it is time for another chapter of Chaos Pawn of the Gremory. Hopefully everyone enjoyed the last chapter and I hope you all enjoy this one too, if you did leave a review, also leave one if you are confused by anything because I would be more than happy to explain it. Within reason of course, cannot have spoilers in the A/N. At any rate, I would like to thank my coauthors Bakuto Masaki and seeker of true anime fan fic. I cannot think of anything else to add to this one so let us move on to the reviewer responses.

TheLastNanaya: They might. Well that is good, I usually try not to characterize characters badly. It might. Who knows, there might be more coming. I see. That is good...I think.

Hmm...there is an idea.

Chayner: Guess you will need to read on to find out what she is doing in the human world, will you not? That could be an explanation. Well it fits, plus it is a joke about most modern interpretations of vampires, not that thing but I am talking about the ones from fifties and sixties. How they sleep in coffins and whatnot. That and Arcueid and Rukia have the same voice actress so I thought it would be funny. Yeah, it is amazing enough he survived that punch, let alone the landing. No, Seo Kaoru is not in my story. Yes, they watched Twilight. We have already discussed the issue of the timeline in PMs so I will just let that one hang.

FireyFoxPaws: If you are referring to the Protagonist of Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne then yes, I did base him on that character.

hecbroco97: Glad to hear that.

And on with the-

*DING DONG*

Doorbell? Bakuto, did you invite anyone?

Not me.

Seeker?

Nuh-uh.

I see...guess I will go answer it.

"Hi!"

M-Mira...

"Hello."

And Sheele...wait, why are you guys carrying bags of food?

"Oh, well we were shopping and decided to drop by to see if you knew where Erza was."

Oh, she's off killing...uhm, who was it again?

Hiro Mashima.

Oh yeah, him. It was Zutto and Bakuto's idea. What he did to deserve it isn't my problem. Now excuse me I need to beat this guy at Dynasty Warriors Gundam: Reborn.

You really think you can?

"I see."

Well, before you two go, care to share any thoughts on how the story is progressing? Mira, how about you?

"Well I'm glad to be back to normal. Somewhat, I'm sad Naruto isn't around though."

"It's okay. You've got everyone else here too. As for me though, I'm just happy to be around Abra, I mean Kazuma, again and meeting more people."

Hmm...that's good enough. Later.

"Bye!"

"Bye!"

Okay, now onto the chapter.

Kazuma and Ciel sat in the park, Ciel slowly eating an ice cream cone while Kazuma trembled weakly from his still stinging kick from Ciel.

As Ciel licked her ice cream she remarked derisively, "You can't blame me, you're the one who peeked at my skirt."

Kazuma sighed as he felt his body stop aching. "And you're the one who essentially tempted me into doing that."

Ciel huffed as she stood up with a light blush. "Hmph, that doesn't mean you're faultless in it."

"Never said I was. Regardless, what do you want to do now?"

Ciel looked at him puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Well there's still another hour or so before things get bad around here. Want to go do something fun?"

Ciel frowned in thought. "I would…but I can't think of anything to do."

Kazuma shrugged. "That's not a big deal. We can go see a movie, go to a restaurant to get a meal, go to the mall, lots of stuff. Unless you need to get back to the church."

Ciel raised an eyebrow. "Church?"

"Yeah, you're an exorcist, aren't you? So that means you work with the church."

"…No, I wouldn't say I'm an exorcist. I'm also not affiliated with any specific church."

Kazuma folded his arms in thought. "Really? I would've thought you'd be working with that priest here in town, Kirei Kotomine."

"Kotomine? I've heard the name before but I've never met him. Is he here in town?"

Kazuma frowned in thought. 'She must not know about the Grail War.' "Nevermind, he's here in town I was just making an obviously flawed connection. Let's stop talking about that, I'm already feeling my brain start to burn."

"Well that's not my fault."

"Perhaps. Anyway, how about we get a bite to eat to end out the night? We can do something else more expansive later."

Ciel nodded in agreement. "That sounds like fun."

The two merely stopped at a simple burger chain, ordering their food and sitting in a corner of the restaurant.

As they sat in overall silence Kazuma thought before turning to Ciel curiously.

"Ciel, can I ask you something?"

Ciel looked at him puzzled and nodded. "Of course."

"I'm simply curious, you don't really seem the kind of person I usually end up meeting from the church. Perhaps I'm just jaded from having to fight with them most of my life but you're rather…unique."

Ciel nodded in understanding. "My reasons for joining the church are less connected to faith and more about taking down Roa."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow in thought. "I see."

"What about you?"

Kazuma tilted his head in confusion. "What about me?"

"Well I've told you quite a bit about myself all things considered and I'm sure Arcueid has told you some about me too. But I know next to nothing about you."

Kazuma nodded in understanding. "Fair enough. What is it you want to know?"

"How about…your name. Is it actually Kazuma Soryu?"

"It is now."

"I see. How about your original home? I mean the land you came from."

"Somewhere in Europe. The country's name at the time doesn't matter since I think it's called something else nowadays."

Ciel narrowed her eyes in slight annoyance. "Right…how about your family?"

"They all died a long time ago."

"I see. You're not being clear with me, you're dodging all of my questions."

Kazuma then silently glanced nearby.

Ciel raised an eyebrow and looked to the side, narrowing her eyes when she saw two people sitting nearby at another table. People she could tell were Dead Apostles.

Kazuma stood up and took their trays to the garbage. "I'd say it's time we go."

Ciel nodded in agreement as the two left, the two Dead Apostles following them.

After they walked for a short time Kazuma said quietly, "Our friends are still there."

Ciel nodded in agreement before they darted down a side street.

The two Dead Apostles groaned before following after them. The two stopped and snarled when they saw Ciel standing, facing towards them at the other end of the alley. They turned to leave but saw Kazuma blocking their path.

"Sorry, but we don't like being watched," Kazuma remarked.

Ciel raised her hands as her swords dropped from her sleeves into her hands, the blades appearing with a swooshing sound. She then rushed at the two Dead Apostles.

The Dead Apostles snarled as one charged at Ciel and the other at Kazuma.

Ciel slashed at the one charging at her, causing it to fall to ash as she hit its torso.

The other charged at Kazuma who clenched a fist and then swung at him. "Demon Fist!" A blast of energy shot from his fist and tore off the Dead Apostle's head.

Ciel stepped to the side as the attack ended its streak, but then widened her eyes and ducked as the attack suddenly rushed back at them. "What was that?!"

"Not normal," Kazuma remarked. He narrowed his eyes as a figure walked out into the open, Ciel also turning to see it.

A young-looking girl with waist-length white hair in a hime cut, fair skin and beady black eyes wearing a plain white kimono with two white flowers in her hair, wearing now shoes and holding a small, round mirror.

Kazuma narrowed his eyes as he looked at the girl. "Who are you?"

The girl raised her mirror slightly and said emotionlessly, "Your soul will be contained."

Kazuma growled and pushed Ciel's head down as he activated his Mangekyo. "Don't look at her mirror!"

The girl's mirror lit up slightly.

Kazuma then activated Kamui, a vortex appearing and sucking them both in, the two vanishing.

The girl looked at the spot where they were calmly as another figure walked up behind her.

In an area with an endless sky of jet black, with a ground made of countless stone blocks varying in size and height the two appeared out of the Kamui vortex.

Ciel sighed as she felt her uneasiness settle. Ciel then opened her eyes and looked around. Her eyes widened in shock. "Wh-what is this place?"

Kazuma explained, "It's a pocket dimension I have access to with an ability called Kamui. I transported us here to get away from that girl."

Ciel nodded in understanding and then flinched as she realized something. "Kazuma, that girl gave me the same sensation as Roa!"

Kazuma nodded in response. "I got that same general feeling. Since we already know what Roa's current host is I can safely say it's unlikely that's who that girl is."

Ciel nodded in apprehension before looking around. "This place…is it really a Reality Marble?"

"No, it's not a Reality Marble. I have one, but this isn't it. It's an ability that anyone with eyes like mine can have, it links to a pocket dimension like this one, but each one is unique to each person."

Ciel nodded and then turned to Kazuma. "About what I asked you before…"

"Hmm…?"

"As far as I know there's no one here, so, would you mind answering?"

Kazuma folded his arms in thought and then shrugged. "I won't tell you everything but I'll say this. My real name isn't Kazuma as you suspected. It's Abraxas Bael."

Ciel widened her eyes in surprise. "But…that name is…"

Kazuma nodded in response. "Yes, I was around during the Great War between the three factions a thousand years ago. During that time I met Arcueid and helped her kill the host Roa had at the time."

"I see. So then…you knew Arcueid long before Roa took over my body then."

Kazuma nodded. "Yeah, I did. If you don't mind I'd rather not say anything else. For now we should get going."

Ciel nodded in agreement.

The two appeared from the Kamui vortex in another area of the city, saying their goodbyes and heading to their respective homes.

When Kazuma arrived back at his apartment, he saw Arcueid sitting at the dining room table reading a book.

"Arcueid," Kazuma began, "I need to speak to you for a moment."

Arcueid turned to him happily and ran up to hug him, but was confused when he raised a hand to stop her and motioned to the other section of the apartment.

Arcueid nodded in confusion.

"Is something wrong?" Arcueid asked.

Kazuma shook his head. "No. That's not quite it. I've been thinking about it since I first saw you in that park and after earlier, I have to know, what happened to you?"

Arcueid tilted her head in response. "What do you mean?"

"You're completely different than you were when I met you. You weren't this hyperactive, energetic, childish person."

Arcueid frowned sadly. "Do you dislike me now?"

Kazuma shook his head. "I didn't say that." He lightly stroked her head, getting a pleased smile from the vampire. "It's just that you're so different."

Arcueid nodded with a sigh. "Maybe it's because of them."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "Them?"

Arcueid nodded. "About seven hundred years ago, I ran into a group of people who were hunting after Roa's host at the time. I think his name was…Naraku."

"Naraku? That doesn't sound like a very nice name."

"He wasn't a nice person. He was actually a demon."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "You mean like a youkai?"

Arcueid nodded.

"I see. Well that certainly sounds bizarre. So who was this group?"

Arcueid put a finger to her chin in thought. "Let's see…there was a perverted monk, a youkai hunter, a Kitsune, a priestess who I think had managed to time-travel, and a white-haired Inu. Oh, and the Inu had a brother who was a lot like how you used to be. Though he wasn't as handsome and was missing an arm."

Kazuma looked at her incredulously. "You do realize that sounds like a fever-dream, right?"

"It's true!"

"Somehow I doubt that. And besides, how could being with those people cause you to have changed like that?"

Arcueid nodded as she looked up, remembering her times with that group. "Hmm…perhaps…it was the fun I had with them."

"You make it sound like you didn't have fun with me."

Arcueid frowned in a pout. "You know that's not what I meant. But…I think it was that misplaced priestess I met. Kagome I think. She helped change the way I see things."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "Really? Sounds like she was an interesting person."

"Yes, she was very amusing. And that Inu was also powerful, he even wielded one of the Demon Swords. Tessaiga I think."

Kazuma nodded in understanding. "Now how about Roa's host at the time, what can you tell me about him?"

"Right. Well he was technically half-youkai. However he was able to separate pieces of his body into different beings called incarnations. That girl you saw was one of them I assume. That specific host was Roa's attempt to create an immortal, undying body so he wouldn't need to constantly switch hosts. Obviously it didn't work."

"It sounds like there's more to it than that."

Arcueid nodded. "Part of it was an object called the Shikon Jewel. He had originally planned on using it to enhance that body he had and make it immortal, but he was finally defeated before that could be accomplished."

"That's definitely for the best I'd say. But this time we'll take him out for good."

Arcueid nodded in agreement. "So, anything else?"

Kazuma shook his head before standing. "No. I need to collect my thoughts and figure out the best way to put an end to him."

"Hey, do you want to go another of those dates tomorrow?"

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "That's odd. Why?"

"I'm bored just staying around here. And there are so few Ghouls and Dead Apostles wandering around that I can't entertain myself with them."

"Right…I guess it's fine. Where do you want to go?"

"I want to see that Fuyuki District. The one that was destroyed ten years ago."

"…Even for you that's morbid."

Arcueid huffed in annoyance. "I haven't had the chance to see it and I'm curious."

Kazuma shrugged heavily. "Fine by me. But don't let that curiosity get too strong. Curiosity killed the cat after all."

Arcueid blinked in confusion and then frowned in annoyance. "Do I look like a Nekomata?!"

The next day Kazuma made his way to the school with the others simply enough, thankfully with few distractions.

However, when he actually got into class he noticed one odd occurrence. Aika was moving and acting sluggish, rather than her hyperactive self.

He narrowed his eyes in curiosity as he tapped her on the shoulder.

She glanced back at him. "What?" she asked curiously.

"You look like you got hit by a truck."

Aika looked at him curiously and then smirked slyly. "Oh, are you that worried about me?"

"No, I'm just curious as to why you're not being your hyperactive and Orihime-molesting self, it's dangerous," he answered snidely.

"Hmph. If you must know some jerk bumped into me the other night and I've been really tired since then."

"Maybe he slipped you something."

Aika twitched an eyebrow. "I said he bumped into me. I didn't run into him in a bar. I'm not even old enough."

"Oh right, you act like such a dirty old man I forget."

"Grr, you're one to talk."

"I embrace it."

Aika just sighed.

As lunch time rolled around the group, including Matsuda and Motohama, gathered on the rooftop.

Everyone watched in surprise as Aika downed her fifth bottle of water.

"Uhm…Kiryu…are you alright…?" Rukia asked concerned.

Aika sighed as she swallowed another gulp. "Yeah…I'm fine, I've just been so thirsty lately."

Kazuma narrowed his eyes and glanced at Ciel.

Ciel nodded to him.

Kazuma sighed in annoyance.

As the school day passed Kazuma had a Thought Projection take his place while he and Ciel met in another area of the school.

He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Any idea how this happened?"

Ciel shook her head. "No, but I think I know who."

Kazuma winced. "Are you sure?"

Ciel nodded.

Kazuma ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "What a pain."

The remainder of the day continued until Kazuma heard a familiar bleeping noise. He then turned to Ichigo.

"Your turn," Ichigo said offhanded.

Kazuma sighed as he stood and walked out, sending a Thought Projection to take his place.

As Kazuma, Erza, and Kon in Kazuma's body ran to leave they were stopped by a familiar person.

"Akeno?" Kazuma asked in confusion.

Akeno nodded in agreement. "Yes. You don't mind if I join your hunts do you?"

Kazuma turned to Erza.

Erza sighed and turned to Akeno. "Just do not interfere."

"I won't," Akeno responded.

As they reached the gate, Kazuma noticed Arturia standing at the gate. He turned to Akeno.

Akeno explained, "She normally waits for me in the clubroom but she likely knew I was heading out with all of you."

Arturia nodded in agreement. "I also have something for you."

Akeno raised an eyebrow in confusion as Arturia handed her a long box.

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. 'That looks like…'

As Akeno opened the box his suspicions were confirmed. Inside was the sword that he had helped Aoko make before.

'So, Arturia must have requested the creation of that sword.' He smirked in amusement. 'Sounds like her.'

Akeno looked at it puzzled. "A sword?"

Arturia nodded. "Yes. I felt it would be best if my Master has access to a weapon."

Akeno frowned in confusion but then smiled in response.

Kazuma sighed and then turned to his side as Souji became visible to the others.

"Should I get Caster?"

Kazuma frowned in thought and then shook his head. "No, we don't need quite that many people to go after just a few Hollows."

Souji nodded and bowed, disappearing from view again.

Kazuma looked around and asked, "So, how about we use Kamui to get there?"

Erza nodded in agreement.

Arturia raised an eyebrow. "Kamui?"

Kazuma nodded and turned to Akeno.

"Sounds like fun."

Kazuma nodded again as his eyes shifted to his Mangekyo as a Kamui vortex formed and pulled Erza, Akeno, Kon, and Arturia within it before Kazuma himself was pulled into it.

In another area of the city, the group appeared from a Kamui vortex.

Arturia held her head in consternation. "That was a very uncomfortable ride."

Akeno giggled in amusement. "I don't know about you but I found it very enjoyable."

"You would."

Kazuma sighed in annoyance. "If you're done we need to find this Hollow and take care of it."

The others nodded in agreement as they looked around.

Kazuma turned around and then jumped from the rooftop they were on.

"H-hey! Wait!" Kon shouted as the others followed after.

Kazuma jumped from roof to roof before stopping and dashing to the side as an object flew past him.

Everyone stopped and looked from where the object was shot as a massive, two story tall Hollow with wide, bat-like wings floated towards them. "Heh, heh, a Soul Reaper, a devil, and a few humans. This is my lucky day."

Kazuma smirked as he reached for his Zanpakuto. "Sorry but-"

Kazuma's sentence went unfinished as multiple, very familiar, swords impaled the Hollow's head.

Kazuma sighed as Ciel jumped down in front of him. "You really like stealing my thunder, don't you?"

Akeno narrowed her eyes as she saw Ciel standing with her light blades.

Kazuma folded his arms in annoyance. "You and those light swords of yours put a real damper on my mojo."

Ciel raised an eyebrow and then looked at her swords. "These are called Black Keys, not swords." She then noticed Akeno behind Kazuma.

"Don't even think about it."

Ciel looked at Kazuma and then nodded, her Black Keys' blades disappearing. "Friend of yours?"

Kazuma nodded. "I suppose an exorcist and a devil meeting is rather…odd, isn't it?"

Akeno looked at Kazuma confused. "So you know this church woman?"

"Yeah, it's a long story but put simply we're both going after the same target, if you don't mind I think saying more would have the possibility of getting back to Rias. I do not want that particular headache right now."

Ciel walked over to Kazuma and raised an eyebrow. "Why are there two of you?"

Kazuma nodded and punched Kon in the gut, causing the Mod-soul's Gikongan to be upchucked, allowing Kazuma to reenter his body. "It's a long story. Besides, what are you doing here?"

"I noticed you leaving the school hurriedly. I figured it was something important. I assumed it was Roa again but it seems I was mistaken."

Kazuma sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I understand that. If you don't mind, think you could keep my current company a secret from your cross-bearing buddies?"

"As I said, my affiliation with the church is only a means to an end, their ideals and practices have nothing to do with me."

"Good to know." He glanced at Akeno.

"As long as she knows her place I'll be good," Akeno remarked.

Ciel twitched an eyebrow.

Kazuma began to sweat. '…Shit…'

Ciel frowned annoyed. "What do you mean 'knows her place'?"

Akeno giggled happily. "You know exactly what I mean."

Kazuma stepped in between them. "If you don't mind I really don't want to deal with this. If you're going to fight at least get oiled up first."

The girls frowned at each other and then sighed in defeat.

"Fine, so, do you have anything else to do?" Ciel asked.

Kazuma shrugged. "I need to get back to class as well as look over a few things that were concerning me but otherwise no. So let's go ahead and get back, I can use Kamui to get us there."

The girls nodded while Arturia gulped before Kazuma pulled everyone into Kamui.

Upon returning to the school, Arturia stumbled in place for a moment, attempting to reorient herself, before everyone returned to their respective classes.

After finishing up said classes, Kazuma made his way down to the Occult Research Club to meet with Rias and the others.

As he entered the clubroom, Rias asked, "So, will you actually be sticking around this time?"

"I might."

Rias sighed. "Well, shall we continue where we left off?"

Kazuma shrugged. "Go ahead. Though so you know, I still have no intention of delivering those fliers."

Rias nodded in understanding. "I had figured that much out already. On that not, under normal circumstances a new devil would continue delivering fliers for a few days, up to a week, before getting to try their hand at forging a contract."

Kazuma nodded in understanding. "I assume you'll have me start doing that?"

"That was the intent. Unless you'd rather do something else."

"Well if I have the option…" Kazuma left through his Kamui once again.

Rias twitched an eyebrow. "Akeno, is he always like this?"

Akeno nodded with a smile. "Usually. He tends to leave whenever something he finds annoying happens."

Rias sighed heavily as she rubbed her temples.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it though. He still has that little Mod-Soul of his delivering fliers. He simply doesn't like interacting with people more than he needs to."

Rias raised an eyebrow. "But he works as a server at that restaurant, doesn't he?"

"Sometimes, he normally works as a chef and gives the food to other people to serve out. When he has little choice in the matter he can be very charming towards people, but he finds it tiresome."

Rias nodded in understanding as she narrowed her eyes in thought.

Kazuma arrived at the restaurant and saw Hikari and Hibiki waiting there for him. He looked at them puzzled. "Something wrong?"

"We can feel your emotions through the Bond, what happened earlier?" Hibiki asked.

Kazuma shrugged as he walked up to them. "I got involved in a scuffle at school, that's all. Nothing you need to worry about."

Hikari frowned in annoyance. "Well how about next time you let us handle it?"

Kazuma chuckled in amusement. "It was just some rank punk, a couple blows and he went down, hardly something I need you two for help with."

The two looked at him unsurely but nodded in acceptance as Erza walked up in her uniform and the four all headed inside.

Kazuma managed to spend most of his time inside the kitchen as usual.

Although he did run into one issue that he was not thrilled with finally having to deal with.

As he and his Thought Projections dealt with cooking, Hibiki and Hikari suddenly stumbled through the door unexpectedly.

Kazuma flinched as he realized what had happened and looked at his Thought Projection standing by the door, which had been flattened against the wall when the door opened. Kazuma sighed and turned as the two girls stood up and looked around. "S-so many…Kazumas…" Hibiki remarked perplexed.

Kazuma sighed in annoyance as he walked over to them. "Is there a reason you two have barged in here?"

"Ah…well…" Hikari sputtered in confusion.

"One of the customers was getting annoyed about his food not being ready yet, so we came to investigate," Hibiki lied.

Kazuma sighed heavily. "Whatever. Well now you see, I use copies of myself to cook. Happy?"

Hibiki nodded in confusion. "How can…you do this…?"

Kazuma scratched his head. "I'll explain back home when our shift is over. For now, go ahead and get back to work."

The two nodded bemused as the squished Thought Projection swung the door open roughly, knocking the two out of the room.

Kazuma turned to said Thought Projection annoyed.

"S-sorry…I fell asleep…" it covered.

Kazuma just sighed and returned to his work.

After finishing their respective shifts, Kazuma, Erza, Hibiki, and Hikari prepared to go home.

Though as they left, Kazuma frowned in thought.

"Something wrong?" Erza asked.

Kazuma shrugged. "I've just got something in the back of my mind that's been bugging me. I'm going to look in on it, you guys can go on home."

The three nodded in confusion but did as he suggested while Kazuma disappeared into Kamui.

Kazuma appeared from Kamui in a familiar spot, the park where he had run into Arturia, Medea, Arcueid, and Tier.

Ddraig sighed in annoyance. 'If you stay here for more than a few seconds something's going to happen.'

'No it won't,' Kazuma argued weakly, 'There's no way there's anything special about this park. It's just a park. It has to be…'

"Excuse me, would you happen to be Kazuma Soryu?"

Kazuma flinched as he turned around.

'Told you.'

'Oh shut the hell up.'

Kazuma saw several people standing behind him.

The first in the middle was a young, tall, slim-built man with short, well-kempt hair, and dark grey eyes wearing narrow, black, square-framed glasses, and a black suit with yellow tie and white undershirt.

At his sides were three people.

The first was a tall woman that had long green hair and blue eyes wearing a white and blue belly top that revealed a lot of cleavage from her generous bust with a Sekirei crest just above her left breast, long dark gloves, long brown stockings held by a garter over her bloomers with long dark boots wielding a long red spear, the design of which caused Kazuma to narrow his eyes.

The second was a woman with dark skin and short black hair and dark grey eyes who wore a yellow and purple leotard that wrapped around her body and was held together by a ring just above her navel, and exposed portions of her midriff, sides, arms and the outer part of her thighs, lastly, she wore long black boots and short black fingerless gloves.

The third was a young woman with short, light brown hair that had two tufts sticking up like dog ears, with the bust size that seemed normal of Sekirei, wearing a sleeveless yellow top with white shoulder straps, black pants with the left leg missing a large portion at the hip, revealing much of her bottom and upper leg, and shoulder-length black gloves with white cuffs that attached to her numerous whips.

Kazuma narrowed his eyes in response. "Oh great, what do you want?"

The man adjusted his glasses, poking them up with his middle finger. "I'm not here to fight, of that I assure you. I merely wish to propose an alliance."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "Alliance?"

"Yes. I am currently allied myself with Izumi Higa, the Ashikabi of the South, he is the Ashikabi who controls most of the True Cross District."

Kazuma narrowed his eyes. "Is he now? And why would he want to send his hound after me?"

The man flinched slightly. "My name is Kakizaki, and Izumi Higa has been kind enough to send me to offer you a position under his command. After all, an Ashikabi who wings one of the Single Numbers is rare."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I haven't a clue what you're babbling about. I'm relatively new to this farce of a game and honestly don't care much about it."

Kakizaki nodded in agreement. "That is precisely the way Higa sees it. He finds MBI's actions towards the Sekirei deplorable."

The green-haired woman looked off to the side with a huff.

Kakizaki narrowed his eyes in annoyance at her. He then redirected his attention back at Kazuma. "So, what do you say? Will you join in allegiance with him?"

Kazuma folded his arms. "What's Higa's goal?"

Kakizaki raised an eyebrow. "I figured that would be obvious at this point. To win the game and bring down MBI's plans."

Kazuma sighed heavily. "Wrong answer. Sorry, but I'm not interested. Now you and your friends can very well run along."

Kakizako narrowed his eyes as he adjusted his glasses. "I see. I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. Toyotama, Ichiya, Kaie, bring him with us."

The three girls nodded, the green-haired woman, Toyotama, stepping in front. She narrowed her eyes in thought at Kazuma and then smirked. "Sorry, but it's nothing personal."

Kazuma raised a hand as a Requip circle appeared behind him, Clarent's handle appearing from within it. Kazuma grabbed the handle, flinching slightly as it burned his palm, and then pulled it out fully. "Don't worry, I've got no intention of losing to the three of you."

Kakizaki narrowed his eyes as he adjusted his glasses. 'An ability like that…it shouldn't be possible for a human to have powers like that.'

The woman with the whips, Kaie, gave Kazuma a slightly empty look before swinging her left arm back and then thrusting it forward, sending her whips flying forward at the same time.

Kazuma jumped to his left, the whips flying past him, before rushing forward swiftly.

Kaie jumped back as Toyotama rushed forward, swinging her spear up at Kazuma.

Kazuma narrowed his eyes as his Mangekyo flared to life, allowing her spear to pass right through his body.

Toyotama's eyes widened as Kazuma smirked before grabbing her spear and tossing it and her away.

"Sorry, it's nothing personal. I just know what that thing can do and I'm not interested."

Toyotama looked at him surprised before the last of their group, the dark-skinned Sekirei, Ichiya, charged in at Kazuma and swung one of her legs up at him.

Her leg passed right through Kazuma however, the brunette grabbing it before she could steady herself, hoisting her off the ground and tossing her away as Kaie prepared her next attack; causing Ichiya to get tangled in Kaie's whips and then slam into the whip-user.

Kakizaki watched the display dumbfounded. 'U-unbelievable. This man is an Ashikabi…and yet he just took down three Sekirei like it was child's play.'

Toyotama immediately got back up and charged at Kazuma with her spear.

Kazuma swayed side to side with each shot, dodging each one before swinging Clarent up, knocking Toyotama off-balance, then aiming his palm at her, a blast of wind shooting from his hand and sending her flying back, though she managed to use her spear to steady herself.

Toyotama snarled before charging at Kazuma once more, dashing to the side to circle around him.

Kazuma smirked. "Your plans are pretty good, but there's one issue." He spun and blocked her spear with his sword, pulled a kunai from his Requip and slashed out, blocking her spear, and then leaned in, slamming his forehead against hers. "I can see each of your movements before you do."

Toyotama held her reddened and aching forehead in annoyance as she looked at Kazuma. 'This man…his skill is quite high, and that ability, he's summoning weapons out of nowhere.'

Kazuma pulled out three more kunai and then threw them at Toyotama.

Toyotama stood up and twirled her spear swiftly, knocking away all of the kunai.

Kazuma was about to charge at her when he had to jump back from a foot slamming down at him, watching as the heel dug into the concrete and splintered it.

Ichiya frowned at Kazuma before spinning on her planted foot, swinging her other leg around to strike him. However, her leg merely bounced off of him before a gust of wind struck her and sent her flying across the park, slamming into a wall.

Kazuma winced when he felt himself become entangled in Kaie's whips.

"No escape," Kaie muttered emotionlessly.

Toyotama narrowed her eyes before getting to her feet weakly and then charging at Kazuma, expecting to have a surefire strike.

However, she ended up going through Kazuma, getting herself wrapped up in Kaie's whips.

Ichiya charged once more and sent a barrage of kicks at Kazuma.

However, he grabbed her leg on an upswing kick, causing Ichiya to smirk.

Toyotama dashed forward.

Kazuma's hand instantly passed through Ichiya's leg, causing the dark-skinned Sekirei to stumble, Toyotama also stabbed her spear into the ground and dashed back as Kazuma spun in a circle, sending a gust of wind out in all directions knocking all three Sekirei off their feet and sending Kakizaki stumbling back.

Toyotama strained to stand and looked at Kazuma surprised. 'Such power…if someone like him is truly an…Ashikabi then…perhaps he…' Toyotama's eyes widened as she felt the back of her neck light up with heat.

Ichiya sneered as she wiped blood from her chin. "I won't be playing around with you anymore."

Kazuma smirked. "Good, I was getting bored."

Kaie immediately shot up and sent her whips flying at Kazuma.

Kazuma raised a hand and a burst of flames shot out incinerating her whips, leaving her unarmed.

Ichiya attempted to get at Kazuma from behind but he spun around swiftly and waved a hand up, causing water to form from the air and encase her legs before he closed his fist and the water froze into ice, leaving Ichiya's lower body encased in ice and stuck to the ground.

"Ahhh, I haven't gotten a chance to truly stretch my elemental muscles in a while."

Toyotama grit her teeth in annoyance and then rushed over to Ichiya, using her spear to shatter the ice encasing her. "Listen, Ichiya, Kaie, I don't think we can beat him. You should get out of here."

At that moment, a black spot appeared in the air, with a black cloak forming from within it.

Kazuma smirked. "Hmph, 'bout time you got here."

As the cloak splayed out, Medea stood up with Kazehana by her side.

Kakizaki narrowed his eyes as the busty Sekirei ran over to Kazuma.

"Are you hurt?!" she asked.

Kazuma chuckled in amusement. "Not at all. You've really got no reason to worry."

Toyotama watched as Kazuma interacted with his Sekirei and then sighed. "Ichiya, you and the others get out of here, I'll try to hold them off."

Ichiya looked at her puzzled and then huffed in annoyance, jumping up over everyone and landing next to Kakizaki, explaining Toyotama's plan.

Kakizaki narrowed his eyes and then nodded, turning to Kaie. "Come Kaie, we're leaving."

Kaie looked at him puzzled but nodded in understanding as the three left.

Kazuma and the others turned to Toyotama, who immediately collapsed to her knees.

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and folded his arms. "Hmm…you say you'll hold us off for your friends and then as soon as they leave you collapse. That's not very fun." He then looked at her curiously as he noticed her heavy, shallow breathing.

Kazehana looked at her curiously as well and then giggled in amusement. "It looks like she's Reacting to you."

Kazuma frowned in confusion. "You're kidding me. I only just met her and all we did was fight."

"Not all Reactions are based on familiarity like yours and mine. In some cases, most in fact, Sekirei react to a specific person, regardless of whether they've ever even met that person before the Winging or not."

Kazuma folded his arms in thought. "Is that so?" He then turned to Toyotama, whose face was becoming redder and redder by the moment. He walked over and was about to ask her something when she decided to answer his unasked question in the simplest way, jumping up and kissing him, causing bright wings of light to burst from her back.

As she dropped back to the ground she sighed in relief as her body began to cool.

Kazuma blinked curiously and then sighed. "Well…that answers that question."

Toyotama stood up and sighed in confusion as well. "I find it confusing that my Ashikabi is someone I was ordered to kill."

Kazuma shrugged in response. "Hey, I know that feeling well."

"…But you are an Ashikabi…aren't you…?"

"That's…not what I meant…"

"…Oh…"

Medea sighed and turned to Kazuma. "So, does this mean she will be moving in with us as well?"

Kazuma shrugged and then looked back at Toyotama. "Well, how about it?"

Toyotama folded her arms in a huff. "I'm certainly not going back to that man."

"Man? You mean the Wingul wannabe?"

"Hmm…? Oh, no, not Kakizaki. I was originally working for Izumi Higa."

Kazuma nodded. "Wait…you were working for him but weren't Winged by him?"

Toyotama nodded. "Yes, it's a rather convincing ruse he lures Unwinged Sekirei in with. He promises to help us find our destined Ashikabi and in return we do as he says."

Kazuma frowned in annoyance. "What makes you believe he would or even can do that?"

Toyotama was about retort angrily when Kazehana put up a hand.

Kazehana then explained, "For a Sekirei, finding our Ashikabi and fighting for that person to win the game is our sole motivating force. It is the most important thing there is. So I'm sure that many Sekirei, including Toyotama, were far too excited by the prospect to look past his lies."

Toyotama looked off to the side in annoyance. "As humiliating as it is she's right."

Kazehana nodded. "There's also the fact who Higa is."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"It's unsafe to continue talking here. We should go back," Medea interrupted.

Kazuma turned to Toyotama. "So, what do you want to do?"

Toyotama raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

Kazuma tilted his head. "About this. Will you go off on your own or come with us?"

Kazehana looked at Kazuma surprised, as did Toyotama.

"I'm a Sekirei and you are my Ashikabi, it is only natural I should go with you," Toyotama corrected.

"That's what you should do, supposedly. What do you want to do? I'm not going to force you to do anything," Kazuma explained.

Toyotama's eyes widened slightly. "I…I see. Either way, I would like to accompany you as your Sekirei."

Kazuma shrugged. "Alright then."

The four huddled close as Medea's cape expanded and shrouded them all before shrinking in on itself and vanishing.

Back in Kazuma's apartment, Medea's cloak appeared from a single spot in the air and expanded outwards before contracting back to its normal size, the four appearing in his dining room.

Toyotama wobbled side to side weakly. "That was…weird…"

Kazuma chuckled in amusement. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

"Kazuma!" Hikari and Hibiki shouted as they ran up to him angrily.

"Uhm, hi…?"

They pointed at Toyotama and demanded, "Explain!"

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow. "How'd you two know exactly?"

Kazehana explained, "It's hard to explain but a Sekirei can tell when a new Bond is formed."

"Oh goody…"

Hikari and Hibiki frowned at him in annoyance. "Just how many more will you get?" Hikari asked.

Kazuma shrugged. "I didn't exactly go out there to nab a new Sekirei, it just kinda happened."

Hibiki sighed in frustration. "I guess we'll let this go for now, you seemed to be tense when it happened so I won't ask further."

Hikari was about to snarl when Hibiki tapped her on the back of the head in annoyance.

"Hey! Kazuma! Look at this!" Arcueid shouted excitedly.

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and walked over to where Arcueid and several of the other girls were gathered around a strange-looking, large, silvery-blonde fox with a single tail that was light blue at the base.

Kazuma blinked curiously and then sighed. "Hey, Presa. I'm surprised you didn't show up earlier."

Everyone looked at him curiously.

Sheele blinked in confusion and then looked at the fox surprised. "Presa?!"

The fox stood up and jumped over to Kazuma, suddenly bursting with light and smoke.

"Wuh, gah!" Kazuma grunted as he felt something collide into him and knock him to the floor.

The "something" in question was a young woman with long, wavy, waist-length, silver-blonde hair, two long locks extending down her front and framing her face, the tops perking up like fox ears with bangs coming down to a point between her pink eyes, a long, bushy fox tail that was light blue at the base that formed at the base of her spine, and a significant bosom. However, Kazuma noticed most that the smiling woman was in fact completely naked.

Kazuma looked at her surprised and then gulped. "Well…good to see you again."

The woman brushed a hand against his face with a sultry smile. "I can say the same, Abraxas."

Erza twitched an eyebrow and then shouted, "What is going on now?!"

The woman frowned in annoyance as she stood up, snapping her fingers as a light blue magic circle formed at her feet and rose up, clothing her in a tight, blue, one-piece, leather outfit that covered her arms and that was open at the chest to just below her navel, on the sides of her legs from her waist down to her knees, yellow fibers stretched across the spaces, knee-high, black, armored boots with fox-shaped knee-guards and steel high heels, black sections on her shoulders, a small bracelet on her left wrist, a dark blue, furry collar around her neck, a white and gold belt hanging loosely around her waist, and squared, grey, half-frame glasses. The woman turned to Erza with a perturbed expression. "Must you be so rude?"

"You are the one who is lying in the middle of the dining room nude!"

Medea sighed as she waved a hand. "Give it up Erza, Presa is not one whose modesty can fixed."

The woman, Presa, adjusted her glasses with annoyance. "You make sound as though I am some tart."

Medea smirked. "Considering you wear next to nothing one could be excused for thinking as such."

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow. "Oy! You know the rule about arguments!"

The two women looked at him confused and then at each other annoyed and turned their heads in a huff.

Hikari blinked curiously and turned to Sheele. "What's the rule about arguments?"

Sheele leaned over and whispered into her ear.

Hikari's face then lit up bright red.

Kazuma scratched his head and then turned to Presa. "It's about time you showed up. I had figured you would be there when I got out of the Tower."

Presa nodded as she adjusted her glasses once more. "Yes, I would have been. However, he interfered with my sensory abilities to Midgard so finding you was difficult."

Kazuma sighed heavily. "Believe me, that rat bastard has been causing me plenty of headaches."

Kazehana tilted her head in confusion. "Who are you talking about?"

Kazuma waved a hand. "Someone I'd rather not think about right now."

Presa looked around curiously. "You're going to have to explain what's going on here."

Kazuma nodded in understanding and proceeded to explain everything that had happened in the past few weeks.

After he finished recounting everything, Presa sighed in exasperation. "Honestly, must you always get yourself in trouble like this? This is worse than that time I had to flash one of Fennmont's guards when you snuck into the prison."

Kazuma laughed weakly. "Aww, c'mon, it wasn't…that bad. Besides, I was curious if the things Aaron were telling me were true. Of course now I know he was just being an asshat but you can't blame me for being stupid when I was younger."

Presa twitched an eyebrow. "You were already over one hundred years old."

Kazuma began to sweat heavily. "Ah…well…"

Presa just sighed before looking around. "What's more, you've gotten yourself involved in two of these deadly competitions?"

Kazuma sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry…"

Presa smirked in amusement. "I'm not worried. You just need to be reassured that you're acting like a fool."

"Right…" Kazuma turned to Toyotama and raised an eyebrow. "Hey, Toyotama, where's that spear of yours?"

Toyotama looked at him puzzled and then paled. "Oh no! I left it at that park!"

Kazuma sighed in disbelief. "Good grief. I'll go get it."

"How?"

Kazuma disappeared into Kamui without a word.

"Oh…"

Kazuma appeared back at the park from Kamui and looked around, before he saw the red spear Toyotama had been wielding lying on the ground. He narrowed his eyes in thought. As he looked at it he mumbled, "Now, why would she have something like this?"

As he stood up and prepared to leave he heard a rustling noise nearby. He turned in confusion as his eyes widened.

He saw Aika slumped against the wall, sweating and breathing heavily.

He turned to walk over to her and narrowed his eyes as hers opened.

She glanced at Kazuma weakly, allowing Kazuma to see that her eyes, which were normally amber, had turned bright red with slitted pupils. "K-Kazuma…" She stood up shakily and stumbled over to him. "I don't what's going on but…you have to…help me…"

Kazuma frowned as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you thirsty?"

Aika looked at him confused. "Wh-what does that have to do with anything?" she asked weakly.

"Are you?"

Aika frowned in confusion but nodded.

Kazuma nodded with a smile and placed Toyotama's spear on the ground. After standing up straight again he rolled up the sleeve on his right arm and extended it out towards Aika.

She looked at it confused for a few seconds before she felt something inside her take over and she leaned over, opened her mouth, and then bit down on his arm with two long fangs.

Kazuma flinched slightly. "Ah, you put some force behind your bite."

Small trickles of blood dripped from his hand as Aika bit down for several seconds before her eyes snapped open and she released his arm, standing up and backing against the wall, putting her hands over her mouth in fright.

Kazuma groaned as he rubbed the bite marks. "Geez, you sure don't hold back." He looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

Aika trembled slightly in fear. "…Wh…what just…happened…?"

Kazuma shrugged. "You fed."

Aika clenched her fists and asked, "So…does that mean…that I'm a monster…?"

Kazuma scratched his cheek in thought. "Well…not to me…"

Aika looked at him puzzled. "What do you mean? How can you say that? I just sucked your blood…so I'm…a vampire…"

"To be more exact you're a Dead Apostle."

"Dead…Apostle…?"

Kazuma nodded. "I don't know who turned you or why, but that's what you are now."

Aika slumped against the wall. "But…that means that I'll have to suck people's blood to live…I don't want to kill people…"

Kazuma shook his head and showed her his arm. "I just let you drink my blood. So you can just drink mine, that way you can get the nutrition you need and you don't to attack anyone. How's that sound?"

Aika looked at Kazuma in surprised. "You…you're not scared or anything…?"

Kazuma shrugged as he knelt down in front of her. "What reason do I have to be?"

Aika blinked curiously. "Well…I…"

Kazuma grinned as he extended a hand. "Come on. You may be a Dead Apostle now but being in the sun won't kill you, just make you feel a little weak. And whenever you feel thirsty, you can go ahead and drink some of my blood."

Aika's eyes widened as she stood up. "Why…why are you doing so much to help…?"

"You're a friend, aren't you? Besides, I don't mind you drinking a little of my blood occasionally and it keeps you from attacking anyone else. So over all everyone wins. Although, this explains everything that's been happening to you over the past few days, with the weakness during daylight hours and extreme thirst and all."

Aika lowered her head and began to tremble lightly.

Kazuma walked towards her curiously. "Aika?"

However, as he took another step forward she suddenly lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his torso and hugging him close to her.

"A-Aika…?"

She trembled lightly against him before Kazuma heard quiet sobbing.

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and lightly put a hand on Aika's head. "Hey now…what're the tears for…?"

"Because…because I knew for a while that I've become something different. And I was worried what would happen if these thoughts about drinking people's blood took over…"

Kazuma smiled as he ruffled a hand through her hair. "Don't worry. Like I said, I'll act as your food source so you don't need to hurt anyone, also…if anyone comes after you to hurt you, I'll stop them."

Aika's eyes widened further before she smiled. "Thank you, Kazuma."

Kazuma just grinned happily. "Now, it's probably time for you get home."

Aika nodded in agreement. She turned and bowed to him and then began walking home.

Kazuma smiled as she walked away, however his smile swiftly turned into a frown. "I know you're there."

Ciel then stepped out from behind a wall. "I'm curious."

"I can see that."

"I mean specifically why you spared that girl. Even you told her she turned into a Dead Apostle."

"I'll have you know there's an entire society of them, most of them…okay, some of them, more pleasant and agreeable than Roa. They have their laws and regulations about everything, even feeding. But like with devils, you people only know them by the fringe members, the ones who go astray and become psychos. That'd be like if we judged humans based on your criminals."

Ciel sighed in frustration. "Can you really blame us?"

"Yes."

She twitched an eyebrow in annoyance. "Fair enough. However, I will ignore her presence, even though it's obvious that Roa is the one who turned her. But at the slightest provocation, I will put her down."

Kazuma nodded in understanding as he picked up Toyotama's spear. "If that's all, I've got to be going."

Ciel bowed lightly and jumped to nearby rooftop.

After a few seconds Kazuma disappeared into Kamui.

Kazuma returned to the apartment and presented Toyotama's spear to her.

Toyotama nodded happily as she accepted it. "Thank you for getting it for me. Though…it seems like something happened while you were there…"

Kazuma shook his head. "It's nothing you need to worry about." He then looked around and asked, "Where's Presa?"

Sheele pointed to Kazuma's room.

Kazuma sighed in annoyance and, feeling lazy, used Kamui to walk through the door.

Naturally this caused Hikari, Hibiki, and Toyotama to gape in surprise.

After walking into his room, Kazuma sighed in amusement as he saw the silver-haired fox-woman lying on his bed, fast asleep.

Kazuma chuckled in amusement as he walked over to the bed and lightly shook the woman's shoulder. "C'mon Presa, I need my bed, and we need to find you a room."

Presa, however, grabbed his arm and pulled him onto the bed, a sly smirk on her face. "I have a much better idea. It has been over a thousand years since the last time I saw you, I think we had better make up for lost time."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and then smirked. "That sounds like a plan to me."

However, before they could get started there was a knock at the door.

Kazuma groaned in annoyance as he stood up. "Come in."

Sheele opened the door and saw Presa sitting on the bed while Kazuma stood nearby, Presa's tail blithely swaying around. Sheele blinked in curiosity and then tilted her head. "Do you mind if I join you?"

Kazuma blinked curiously and then glanced at Presa.

Presa merely smiled happily.

The next morning Erza sat in the dining room annoyed. "Unbelievable. If he doesn't wake up soon he's going to be late."

Mavis chuckled in amusement. "You sure seem worried about his attendance being good."

Erza looked to the side annoyed. "O-of course. He is a fellow student that I must oversee. He is also the inheritor of my Soul Reaper powers. It would be disadvantageous for him to wallow."

Mirajane echoed Mavis amused chuckle. "I see. Well I don't think he'll be getting up on his own at this point."

Erza sighed and walked over to his door and rapped on the door several times.

After a few seconds of no response she did the same thing.

After another few seconds she merely burst the door open. "It is time to wake…up…!"

Erza sweat-dropped as she noticed Kazuma lying asleep on the bed, nude, with equally naked Presa and Sheele on either side of.

Erza twitched an eyebrow and clenched her fist before bellowing, "WAKE UP!"

Kazuma groaned in annoyance as he sat down the table after showering and getting his uniform on. Cleaning out one of his ears with his pinky he asked in annoyance, "Is there a reason for you to have been so loud?"

Erza slammed her hand on the table with a reddened face. "Naturally! You were doing something so obscene yet again!"

"Again?" Presa asked.

"Arturia made a visit here a little while ago, at least that's what I heard," Sheele explained.

Presa nodded in understanding with a smirk.

Kazuma sighed as Medea placed the food onto the table for everyone.

After finishing breakfast, Medea, Kazuma, Erza, and Mavis made their way to school, with the girls arriving shortly before Kazuma.

As Kazuma made his way to the classroom he scratched his head in thought. 'Geez…my apartment sure is getting full…I may actually need to think about renting extra rooms…'

Ddraig interjected, 'With as expensive as the set up you have now is, it might be a bit cheaper to just move to a new apartment building altogether.'

'…Yeah…you're probably right. But something like that isn't an easy fix. I'm amazed an apartment complex like the one I'm in now doesn't have the MBI name slapped all over it. Those bastards annoy me to no end. Do you realize how hard it's going to be to find a new apartment building with as many spare rooms as I'm going to need, and in addition, one that isn't owned or coopted by Big Brother?'

'You really have always disliked them, haven't you?'

'You really think people like them aren't going to have buildings and places they own covered in security cameras and monitoring equipment in places they shouldn't be? Sorry, I've already got all the different gods and goddesses, the army of Heaven, and who knows who else watching me. I don't need a bunch of nosy humans added to that list.'

'That makes sense.'

"Uhm, excuse me, Soryu," a voice said next to Kazuma.

Kazuma blinked and turned to see Sakura looking at him. He raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What's up?"

"Well…you look tense about something. I just thought I should help, to pay you back for the other day."

Kazuma blinked in confusion as he sat down. "I haven't the foggiest idea what…you're…oh…you mean with Shinji? Don't worry yourself with that."

"Still…if something's wrong I'd like to help."

Kazuma sighed as he propped his head on his fist. "I'm just having issues at my apartment, that's all."

"Really?"

Kazuma shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I can handle it myself. Thanks for asking though."

Sakura nodded happily and sat down in her seat.

Kazuma's smile slowly fell away in thought. As his Sharingan activated momentarily he sighed in relief. 'It seems that whatever's germinating inside her has mostly reached a plateau. At least for now. If only I could figure out what it was.'

As Taiga walked into the classroom she smiled happily and said, "I hope you're all ready, because it seems we've got a new teacher added. She'll be your English teacher."

The students looked around curiously.

Matsuda leaned over to Kazuma. "Did you hear that? Our new teacher is a chick. I hope she's hot."

Kazuma huffed in derision. "Don't get your hopes up. At best she'll look like Fujimura."

Motohama adjusted his glasses incredulously. "I think you may want to retract that statement."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and turned to the front of the class, his eyes widening.

The new teacher turned out to be Tier, the woman he had run into at the park previously.

'Y-you gotta be kidding me. Now I know for certain Seltsam is exercising control over that park.'

'Last night didn't solidify it for you?'

As the teacher bowed she introduced herself. "My name is Tier Harribel, you may address me as Ms. Harribel."

Steam shot from Matsuda's nose. "Holy crap man, this new teacher is smokin'."

Kazuma sighed as he planted a hand on his face. "Why does this kinda crap always happen to me?"

"You say somethin'?"

Kazuma waved a hand. "Just leave me alone."

"If you say so. I'm gonna keep my eyes glued to the hot teacher's tits."

"Good for you…"

Thankfully for Kazuma, the addition of the new teacher did not seem to add too many new annoyances to his day, beyond his friends making plainly obvious ogles at her.

Besides the new teacher and resulting headaches, Kazuma got through to lunch time acceptably well.

As he made his way to the roof for lunch however, he felt a tug on his sleeve.

Kazuma turned and saw Aika standing behind him.

He raised an eyebrow and noticed her light blush. "Something wrong?"

"I'm…thirsty…" she muttered.

Kazuma looked at her puzzled and then nodded in understanding.

Down one of the school's hallways, Aika and Kazuma stood opposite each other.

"So, uh…how does this…work…?" Aika asked timidly.

Kazuma shrugged in response. "Just pick a spot and bite down, then drink some of my blood to quench your thirst."

Aika frowned in thought. "Okay…but where…?"

"Well…most Dead Apostles bite at the neck," Kazuma remarked as he lightly stretched his collar.

Aika looked at his neck thoughtfully and then glanced up at his face, her own turning slightly red. "I-I-I think I'll pass on that one!"

Kazuma shrugged and rolled up his sleeve. "You can go ahead and drink from my arm again if you want."

Aika nodded and opened her mouth, her two long canines sticking down prominently, before biting down.

Kazuma winced slightly in response as he felt the usual sensations that came with having one's blood sucked.

After a few seconds she let go and stood up straight, swallowing the excess blood in her mouth.

Kazuma brought a hand over the bite mark and a pale green light emanated from his hand momentarily before dying down, the bite being completely healed.

Aika blinked curiously. "How did you do that?"

"There's a lot about me that you don't know. I figure with you being a Dead Apostle there's no real harm in me using a few simple things like Healing Artes. No let's get going, the others are probably already at the roof."

Aika nodded in agreement.

After Aika's first official feeding from Kazuma, the two made their way to the roof.

As they ate their meal, Erza noted something she had noticed when the two arrived. "You seem to be feeling better now, Aika."

Aika nodded in agreement. "Yes. I got a little…sick, recently but I'm feeling just fine now." She then giggled in amusement. "You seem to be doing particularly well too, Erza…"

Erza blinked curiously and turned to the side, bringing a hand up. "I would prefer you keep those comments to yourself."

Aika snickered slyly.

Ciel ate her own meal with narrowed eyes but kept quiet.

After lunch and the rest of classes, Kazuma made his way down to the clubroom where Rias and the others were.

As he stepped into the room he stretched his neck some. "So, more delivery service today?"

Rias shook her head. "No, this time we were hoping you could form a contract, the process is fairly simple as I said before."

"Alright then, I suppose I can send a Thought Projection to the restaurant."

Rias folded her arms in amusement. "You certainly seem confident about this."

"Fulfilling a few simple requests for a human or two won't be difficult, just annoying."

"Is that so? Well then I've got the perfect person for you to try and get a contract with. Akeno."

Akeno nodded in understanding.

Kazuma folded his arms in thought as a Thought Projection appeared beside him and then disappeared into Kamui.

As he stood waiting, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

He turned and saw Arturia behind him. "Well, where've you been?"

Arturia nodded with a smile. "Akeno normally keeps me on watch around the edges of the school."

Kazuma frowned in thought.

"Wait…she keeps you away from the school?"

Arturia nodded in confusion. "Yes. My talents are best served watching the school's perimeter. After all, I am unable to assume Spirit Form and thus cannot watch over Akeno in secret."

Kazuma sighed heavily. "Well…that just doesn't sit right with me."

"Pardon?"

"It's ready," Akeno announced.

Kazuma grumbled in annoyance. "Right, coming. So where will this…thing take me exactly?"

"So long as everything works correctly it should warp you directly into the client's home."

Kazuma nodded in understanding as he stepped onto the magic circle in the middle of the floor. "Well here goes something."

In a small room in a house somewhere in Shinto Teito, a teenage girl with waist-length, auburn hair and dark brown eyes wearing black, squared glasses, a white turtleneck with a tan brown, short sweater jacket, a long white skirt, and long white stockings sat on a futon drinking a cup of tea. After staring at it for a moment she sighed before turning to her side as a bright red light burst from the floor next to her.

'It's here…' she thought timidly as a shower of light erupted from the circle before dying down. When the light cleared the girl saw Kazuma standing in her room. She blinked curiously before shrieking in fright.

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow as he opened his eyes. "Is something wrong?"

"I…I…didn't expect…a boy…" the girl stammered.

Kazuma smiled in response. "You need not think of me as such. I am merely a devil here for your service."

"Y-you are…?"

Kazuma nodded as he folded one arm over his chest and knelt down. "Yes. You summoned a devil for your aid. And I…am that devil." He glanced up her with a smile that turned into a small toothy smirk.

The girl gulped in concern but nodded weakly. "O-okay. My name is Chihiro…Chihiro Fushimi. I am the one who called you here. Th-that's how this works…right?"

Kazuma nodded slowly. "However you please. So long as you are willing to fulfill the contract I shall do as you request."

Chihiro looked at Kazuma uncertainly but nodded to herself. "Well…I've got…a bit of a…problem…"

"I will be happy to help."

"I…can't talk to boys and get really…scared when any get close…I was hoping…to summon a devil to help me…"

Kazuma looked at her thoughtfully. "Ahh…I see. You summoned a devil to help you gain more confidence, correct…?"

"Something…like that…can you help me…?"

Kazuma smiled at her. "Yes, milady."

Chihiro blushed lightly. "M-Milady…?!"

Kazuma nodded. "Yes. For the period of time that you are inquiring my services, I shall be your devil."

Back at the Occult Research Club, Rias sat at her desk with a red magic circle floating in front of her showing the events at Kazuma's contract. Rias twitched an eyebrow furiously. "Unbelievable. With how treats me and how he acts…he's charming her socks off over there…"

Akeno giggled into her hand. "Are you jealous Pres?"

Rias huffed to the side. "Not at all. Just annoyed. He obviously has the ability to be charming, and yet he acts so gruff towards me all the time."

"Ufufufu, like I said, Pres. The personality you see is how Kazuma really is. This charming exterior is merely a front he puts on to lower peoples' guard. He finds it very taxing."

"How do you know this?"

"He was like that on our first date until I told him I could see through his act. He's actually rather charming in his own way even normally. Though you have to be able to look past his dismissiveness to see it."

Rias sighed as she put a hand over her face. "Why did I have to get such a troublesome pawn?"

Back in Chihiro's room, the brunette sat quietly on the opposite side of her table, looking at Kazuma timidly.

Kazuma sat on the table with a relatively blank expression on his face.

"Uhm…so…what should we…do first…?"

Kazuma folded his arms in thought quietly. "I suppose the first step would be for you to be more comfortable with me."

"Wh-what do you…mean…? I'm…just fine…"

Kazuma smirked knowingly. "I can tell you aren't. You are shifting from side to slightly, you are sweating heavily and you have not looked me in the eyes yet. You are also keeping one hand close to your chest as a subconscious form of defense."

"Y-you are…very astute."

"I have to be. Naturally, being a devil is not what one would call a safe career."

"Yes…I suppose not," Chihiro remarked with a small chuckle.

Kazuma smirked in faint victory. "I got you to laugh. It seems we are on the right track."

Chihiro gasped in slight surprise, putting a hand over her mouth in embarrassment.

Kazuma chuckled in amusement. "You do not need to worry. If you like, we can just start with the simple things. What do you like to do?"

"Erm…I like to read…"

"Alright. What do you read?"

"M-Ma…n…ga…"

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "I am afraid I did not hear you."

"I-I said I like to read manga…"

Kazuma nodded in understanding. "That is good to know."

"I-it is…? You're not going to…?"

"Make fun of you?"

Chihiro nodded.

"Would you prefer I did?"

Chihiro shook her head.

"Then do not worry. Now, let's see what we can do about that fear of yours…"

Well, that about does it for this chapter. Hope you guys all enjoyed it and if you did, be sure to leave a review and if not, uhm...sorry? Go do something else you actually enjoy. If you are confused by anything add it to a review and I will be sure to answer it as best I can in another reviewer response or PM if the answer requires spoilers. Until then, see you later.

*DING DONG*

Again? Mira, Sheele? Why are you back?

"Well...we were wondering if we could join you in that game."

"You don't mind if we play too, do you?"

Uhm...guys?

Fine by me.

Sure. I say we start a co-op challenge.

"Oh, that sounds wonderful!"

Hmm...I guess that is it.

Hey, come on! You'll be left out!

I am coming! Guess it is time to play with friends and two hot girls. Not bad.

*SMASH*

"...Uh-oh, Kazuma's here."

...Shit.