"Join him?"

Ikko staggered. Su's smile stuck to her, a poor painting of joy over her usual thoughtful curl. Behind her, sauntering ever closer, Masumi spread his arms with a triumphant grin.

"Don't give me that look, Akada." He sneered. "I only want to talk."

Panic rose like a wildfire – it took the strongest of efforts to will it into something he could control, something he could act on. Ikko took a heavy breath. "About what?"

"This," he gestured around them, arms sweeping in a gesture that encompassed all gathered, "Us. All I've ever wanted is to be friends, Akada. With you. With Etsuko. With everyone I've ever met."

He paced, circling around Su and placing a hand on her shoulder, which she leaned into. The sight sickened Ikko. Her determination to put a stop to him had been the one thing that encouraged him to fight. What could have changed? He willed himself to find a retort. "P-pretty poor way of showing it."

"Is it? I thought if I convinced Etsuko and Sasahara here of my points, you might learn to see reason." Masumi chuckled. "What drives your hatred of me, Ikko?"

"Hate?" he took a few steps back.

"You don't hide it," Su chimed, "He told me about how you shouted him down, when all he wanted to do was warn you about Kia."

Ikko's foot slipped into the earth. He yelped, horrified, as he found the ground twisting about his feet, swallowing him up to the ankles. Even worse, something gnarled and rough twisted around his ankles, locking him tight. "Ah, my apologies!" Masumi continued to laugh. "That'll be Judo. I asked him to make sure you heard me out, this time. He's a very practical person – well, I suppose you might call it natural for him."

Judo lurched out of the ground between them, ambling over to Masumi, who clapped him on the arm. "You call this natural!?" Ikko grunted, trying to wrench his foot out of the ground. No luck.

"Don't be rude. He's a jubokko," he replied, sweeping his hair out of his eye, "Something of a kindred spirit with myself, actually. Nature's his playground. Anywhere something's grown, or has grown, he has the advantage. Now, Akada, are you finally prepared to listen?"

Ikko looked once more to Su, despair taking hold. He started – Su's eyes showed the same glassy look Etsuko's had, when they'd spoken alone. He tried to mute the shock by redoubling his effort to free himself, the first scraps of a plan coalescing in his mind. He scrabbled at the earth, fingers tearing at the dirt. It did nothing but reveal the roots twisting around his feet. He groaned, falling back on his rear to take a seat, and looked up at Masumi. "You've not given me a choice."

He was amazed to hear the words come so calmly. Left with no other option, his mind fixated on this singular chance at a safe escape, an uncommon ease settled in him. He would do this. He had to, for death was the only sure alternative.

"Good." Masumi didn't seem to recognise the change. He knelt in front of Ikko, placing his gaze above his without having to loom over him. "Ever since I saw you hanging out with Tayama, I knew I had to do something. She's not safe – but I'm preaching to the choir there, aren't I?"

Ikko stifled his reflexive glare. Masumi continued, "Things were tough for us over the break, and when she latched on to you after the opening ceremony, there was only ever going to be one outcome. She fed on me too, you know."

"Did she?" Up close, Ikko marked the hollowness that drained Masumi's glare, like someone had scooped out every scrap of empathy. Masumi didn't care – that much sang plain – but had Kia caused that?"

"Oh, yes, whilst I slept. Woke me up, mind, and I was none too pleased. That's why I worried when she got so close to you – it's how she operates. Gets all nice and cozy with her prey and then," Masumi snapped his fingers, "She's got you. Did you know she's a siren?"

Ikko nodded. "Well, she's only a monstrel," Masumi added, chuckling, "Nothing like the real, pure thing. I've heard they're some of the strongest monsters out there. No, it's her father's side that drags her down."

"That's what this is about?" Ikko asked, trying to peer surreptitiously over Masumi's shoulder. Su's eyes continued to glass over. If he could just tip the scales a little more… "Why you attacked me? Attacked Etsuko, Su? Revenge on Kia?"

Masumi's voice strained, pulled taut by the accusation. "I didn't attack anyone."

"Oh, of course not." Ikko raised his voice. "You just spoke to them, right? It's got nothing to do with this?" He made a show of clapping his hand on his arm, like Masumi had done to Judo.

Masumi flinched. "You don't know-"

"Oh, I think I do." Ikko grinned, grim. "Whatever you've done to them, you need to touch them, right? Some kind of drug to keep them docile?" He stared at Masumi, unblinking. Glaring. "That's all your twisted sense of friendship has ever been, hasn't it? Just a poison in the veins, numbing everything but their happiness – and it could only be because they like you, right? With your winning personality, you don't need to do something as underhanded as trap your classmen to make them like you, do you? Why does Judo go along with it?"

Masumi's gaze flickered. He started to turn towards Judo and Su. Feeling the roots slacken ever so slightly, soaring with the thrill of the moment, Ikko raised his voice once more. "He doesn't, does he? He's the one you've drugged the longest – and of course, it would never work on Kia. Emotions are her turf. She'd know the instant they're being manipulated. That's why you hate her."

"Shut up…" Masumi mumbled.

"She figured you out!"

"Shut UP!"

Masumi's fist lashed out, whipping towards Ikko. In the inhale he took to brace himself, he saw Masumi's eyes burn with the very hatred he so readily foisted onto his shoulders.

Ikko pulled back, his legs just loose enough. Masumi's fist swung wide, a blur across his eyes, and he stumbled forwards. "What!?" he cried as Ikko seized him around the legs, sending him toppling.

In the confusion he clambered to his feet and crawled, panting. A pair of hands grabbed his arm and pulled him upright. He staggered – and Su caught him.

"Are you okay?" she cried, "Are you hurt?"

Never had he been so glad to say so. "I'm fine," he spluttered, "I'm fine. I can't believe that worked!"

"What did you do!?"

Ikko looked to his left, where Judo now struggled to his feet. In a blink, the earth swallowed him. He had barely the time to comprehend the sight when Masumi's enraged howl cut through him. "You'll pay, Akada! And you, you bitch! How did you break free!?"

Su's arms wrapped tightly around Ikko's. She spun, dropped to her knees. Swung by her strength, Ikko saw the shape of Masumi fly wildly past.

"He's no fighter," Su breathed, "Good. That's good. Ikko, stay down."

"What?" She let him go, causing him to drop properly to the floor, "Why?"

"He'll kill you if you get in the way," she replied, matter of fact. She reached into her blazer pocket and withdrew her gloves, slipping them on, "And I can't fight him if I'm protecting you."

He saw Masumi recover from his haymaker. Sharp, thorny protrusions split his fingertips, pushing the nails back. Root-like veins swelled and bulged at his neck. His arms splintered, growing ever-longer. "Can't let him touch me…" Su murmured under her breath.

"Su!" Ikko cried, "Below!"

"Shit – right!" She leapt. Judo's grasping hands broke the earth where she had been standing. She hopped away, light on her feet. "Jubokko and – what are you, I wonder?"

Masumi didn't answer, spewing a curse. Orange sap dribbled from bark-like fangs as he rushed her. Su clicked her tongue. She ducked under his swipe, tucking into a roll as Judo tried once more to seize her from below. "Ikko!" she yelled, "Get out of here!"

"I'm not leaving you!" he shouted, "Let me help!"

"You can help-" She dodged Masumi's next strike by the smallest of margins, his claw grazing her knotted hair, tearing it free. Dark brown whipped in the wind. "-by RUNNING!"

Ikko hesitated. He couldn't leave her – not now, when she was already outnumbered! What would they do to her! Panic swelled again, filling his ears with the familiar keening of his shikigami's cry. He swore, turning to run.

"HOLD HIM!" Masumi shrieked, sap spraying. A rumbling pursued Ikko's steps. Judo sprang, catching him by the ankle. Ikko fell. "You're next, you worthless grub. Don't think I've forgotten!"

Su's foot collided with the side of Masumi's face. Her roundhouse kick landed perfectly, sending him crashing to the dirt in a heap. She exhaled. "Moron. Don't take your eyes off your opponent."

Ikko wrestled against Judo's grasp, but the moment Masumi dropped the giant surrendered, disappearing into the earth. Prone, panting, he felt the jubokko rumble as he fled the scene. He groaned.

Su was once more at his side, helping him stand. "Sorry, Ikko," she huffed, "I needed a distraction."

"Warn me next time…"

"That would defeat the point of a distraction," Su chuckled, "Can you walk?"

"Y-yeah, I think so."

"Good. Come on, we're going to Mizore."

"What about him?" he looked back to Masumi. He remained on the floor, groaning, cradling his cheek.

Su shook her head. "He wouldn't dare attack us in school. Campus is the safest place you'll be."

They took off at a jog, not stopping until Masumi was well out of the sight and the main building towered over them. Ducking into the shelter of the crowds – Ikko had never considered the safety of being surrounded by a hundred different monsters – they navigated to Mizore's class. Ikko checked his wrist. The shikigami continued to shriek, drowned out only by the hubbub of break.

Who wore it, he wondered? Who knew he was, or had been, in danger? He tried to slow his breathing, weaving his frayed nerves back into something that resembled composure.

They ducked into a quieter corridor, where Su pulled him to a stop. "What?" Ikko panted. "Why are we stopping?"

Su didn't answer. Instead, she threw her arms around Ikko, squeezing him tight. "You're a genius, Ikko. A mad, stupid genius."

"I-I'm not-" he tried to protest, but Su was both significantly taller and significantly stronger that he was. Crushed into her chest, it was all he could do to keep breathing.

"How did you figure it out?" she asked, finally relenting. She held him by the shoulders. "What gave it away?"

"Well, you trust Masumi about as far as I could throw him," Ikko mumbled, dodging her eyes, "And you… you trusted me. No way you'd given into him. I figured you'd have to be under the same thing he's got Etsuko and Judo under…"

She smiled, toothy and proud. Heartened, Ikko continued. "It's a poison, isn't it?"

She nodded. "It feels like your mind's swimming in syrup. Everything positive is amped to eleven. It takes a real nasty shock to break someone out of it."

"So, when Etsuko looked-"

"She's fighting it," Su confirmed, "You saw me, right? It's the same. You can kinda feel like what's going on is wrong, but you're so doped up you don't care. When he tried to attack you, Ikko- God, I'm an idiot. I should have broken out sooner… I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Ikko whispered, "I'm just glad you did. Probably wouldn't have a face if you hadn't."

She chuckled. Ikko smiled. "Thank you, Ikko," she repeated, "I owe you one."

He found her arms around him once more. This time, he wrapped his weakly around her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Okay," she said, "let's get to Mizore. She'll want to know-"

"Want to know what?"

They jumped apart. Mizore leaned on the wall nearby, holding her left hand up. Ikko saw the black bracelet of his shikigami's twin wrapped around her wrist. "Miz- Miss Shirayuki!" Su choked, "What – how did you-"

"My office," she snapped, "Both of you. Now."

By the time they had recounted all they had discovered and all that had transpired over both Golden Week and the break, the bell for next classes tolled. Mizore dismissed Su with a barely restrained, "I'll speak to you later."

Apparently cowed, Su slinked from the room – but not before shooting one last smile Ikko's way. He returned it.

"What're you smirking for?" Mizore's words cut, her tone sharp and unforgiving. "Ikko, what the hell is going on? What did I tell you? What did you promise me?"

"I know how this looks-"

"What. Did you. Promise me?"

Deciding that perhaps now would be a poor time to object that said promise had been for Golden Week only, Ikko instead mumbled. "I promised I'd stay out of trouble."

"You'd stay out of trouble." Mizore said. "Is that what that promise looks like? Is that what my trust in you means?"

"What was I supposed to do?" he rebuked, "How was I supposed to know she'd been caught by Masumi? She was behaving normally until he caught me!"

"Why did you go looking to begin with?" Mizore shouted, "What did you think was gonna happen, waltzing up to Etsuko and challenging her like that? You practically painted the target yourself!"

"She's my friend!" Ikko yelled, his voice far louder than ever before. Indignance flared like a sun in his chest. "You'd do the same if it was one of yours!"

They glared at each other. Ikko's chest heaved.

A knock on the door reminded them both where they were. In a voice far more polite, far more teacherly than the context deserved, Mizore called out. "C-come in?"

Both breathed a sigh when Ruby's long, low pigtails swept into view. She looked at the pair of them, pink eyes agleam with surprise. "Perhaps we should keep the shouting matches to the outside of the academy…?" she suggested.

Neither of them apologised. "What's wrong, Ruby?" Mizore asked. "Ikko-"

"Is the problem, actually." She looked his way. "Did Miss Kagome deliver my message?"

"She did." Ikko frowned. "I'm supposed to be with you now, right?"

"Correct. Is Mizore keeping you?"

"Keeping him?" Mizore's exasperation twisted her question into a weapon. "Ruby, Ikko's fresh from a fight with a student! I'm not keeping him; I'm telling him off!"

"A fight?" Ruby looked more amazed than horrified. "And you survived?"

"S-Su did most of the fighting."

"Did she?" Her brows arched even further. "Did you start it?"

"No! Yakumaru lured me out, tried to dope me with the same thing he's doped Etsuko with."

She looked at Mizore, her eyes silently searching. "I don't see the problem."

"He promised to stay out of trouble, is what the problem is!"

"Mizore-" Ikko began, hoping beyond hope that she would see sense. Ruby's laughter chimed over his complaint, surprising him.

"You made him promise to stay out of trouble at Yokai Academy?" she giggled, "Mizore, that's cruel! How is he supposed to do that?"

Mizore opened her mouth to argue, but her growing laughter disarmed her and Ikko both. Ikko began to join in, but a quick, cold look silenced that. He stuffed his hands into his pockets, looking down until Ruby calmed down. "Oh, my… I'm sorry, Mizore. No, don't look at me like that, I am! But what did you expect?"

"I expected him to at least try." She sounded like she was pouting. Ikko daren't check.

"The lone human at Yokai Academy, stay out of trouble." Ruby sighed. "That would be the day."

"Ruby," Mizore said, pinching the bridge of her nose, "This really isn't helping me drive my point home."

"What point is there?"

"Are you serious?"

"I am!" Ruby shook her head, "I'm absolutely serious. Ikko's going to attract trouble. If he can get out of it unscathed, that's a good thing! Even better if he has friends he can rely on, like Su."

Feeling more and more like he was being saved from the rest of the lecture, Ikko chanced a look at Mizore. She wore absolute indignation, and it did not suit her. "Mizore," he began. Then, more carefully, "Miss Shirayuki."

The formality snapped her out of her ire. She looked his way, confused. "I mean it when I say I didn't want to get involved," Ikko continued, "But Etsuko's my friend. And based on this, I know she doesn't want to be in this situation, not really. Masumi's forcing her to like him – that's gotta stop. I have to help her. Don't I?"

Mizore sighed. Her shoulders slumped. "If you could do it without getting killed, that'd be great."

"Believe me, we're on the same page there." He tried a smile. To his relief, she quietly returned it.

"Fine. You win – but Ikko?"

"Hm?"

"No more planning without me. If you can trust Su, you can trust me."

"I only went to Su because you made me-" Ikko began, but he stopped himself short, settling on a nod. "Alright."

"Good." She looked Ruby's way. The witch was so busy concentrating on their conversation that she didn't notice immediately. "Ruby?"

"Hm?"

"Don't you have a lesson with Ikko?"

"Oh! Right." She shook herself from apparent thought, then levelled a smile his way. "Come on, Ikko."

On their way to the G.T. classrooms, Ruby turned and started walking backwards. She continued to smile in a way that gave Ikko the distinct impression she was hiding something. When he could bear it no more, he blurted, "What?"

"How was your trip to the human world?"

"Fine…?" Ikko puzzled.

"Just fine?"

"We had a lot of pizza," he recounted, shrugging, "It was nice to get out, I guess. Be back in that world."

"Hmm."

"What's this lesson for, then?" They rounded the corner and picked the nearest G.T. classroom. He remembered his first weeks in these, spent relaxing with Mizore as he acclimated to his new environment. "I have my Guise sorted."

"Oh, absolutely," Ruby agreed, giggling, "You don't need help with that. No, this is something the headmaster's requested."

Ikko stopped at the door. "What would he want with me?"

"Well, now that we know for sure you have a measure of magical talent," Ruby explained, "He wants me to help you maximise its potential."

"You're kidding, right?" Ikko frowned, "I could manage barely a tenth of what you can."

"Give it time," she assured, "It's like any muscle. There's some allowance made for natural inclination, but with the right training, you'll be able to manage some rudimentary spells. Simple barriers, masking spells and the like. It won't be much, but it could save your life."

"Can't I learn offensive spells?" asked Ikko, wondering if his life would be easier if he could simply sling a fireball in response to an attack.

Ruby frowned. "No, we won't be doing any of that. You're here to defend yourself, Ikko. Starting fights isn't a good idea for anyone."

"I was thinking about finishing them," he mumbled. Ruby shot him a graver look. He threw up his hands. "I'm kidding! Kidding! Mostly."

She sighed. "Have you practised since we last met?"

"No," he admitted, "I've been a little distracted."

"Alright. Well, come in. We'll use the time we have left to get you started on that."

Ruby locked the door behind him, and together they revisited the exercise of imagining his body in incredible detail, from fingertips to knuckles, knuckles to wrist, wrist to arm… To his great surprise, Ikko found the magic more readily than his first attempt. Now that the well had been tapped, he supposed the water that was his magical energy flowed more readily. Within five minutes, a swirling ball of green light coalesced into faltering life on his outstretched palm.

"Good!" Ruby exclaimed, "Let's see if we can't transfer it."

She guided him through the next part of the practise, transferring that magical energy to various parts of his body. He felt it move as a current of warmth, swelling first in his chest, then his stomach, all the way down to his feet, then all the way back up to his head, where he made the orb spring to life an inch above his hair. "Can you see that?" Ikko asked, "How do you know I'm not cheating?"

"Witches can sense magical channels," Ruby answered, poking the orb, "This is a lot more stable than your first attempt. I'm impressed!"

"What do I do with it?"

"For now? Nothing. The most important thing we need to do is strengthen the channels by which that energy flows. Too weak, and you won't be able to gather enough power for proper spells when the time comes."

"This is starting to sound a lot like exercise." Ikko said, wary, "Are you gonna demand I drop and give you twenty?"

"Physical condition is helpful when stimulating the growth of these channels…" Ruby trailed off, "But don't worry. Your current physical education will suffice."

"Thank god."

They carried on like that for the rest of the short time allotted to this free period, Ruby instructing him on where to focus his energy with increasing specificity, Ikko doing his best to manoeuvre it. The effort it took surprised him; by the time the bell rang for next period, he had developed a healthy sweat and a throbbing headache. "Do one of those circuits every night before bed." Ruby finished, clapping her hands together, "You'll be meeting me twice-weekly for instruction and more dedicated exercises."

"Great," he tried to sound excited. Defensive spells would be useful, and the revelation that a lowly human could manage it should have amazed him, but something niggled in the back of his mind. He frowned. "Ruby?"

"Hm?" She was turned away from him, checking her phone and gathering her things up.

"You said 'now we know for sure', when you were talking about this," Ikko asked, choosing his words carefully, "Does… that mean the headmaster suspected I had this potential?"

He saw it, even if she didn't – the stiffening of her shoulders, the tiny pause in her breath. "Does it?" Ruby asked, keeping her back turned.

"Well, it makes sense," Ikko scratched the back of his neck. Trying to grasp for logic with his brain swimming in a fog of mental exhaustion made it hurt all the more, but he wanted to understand. He felt like he was finally reaching behind the curtain, understanding just why he had been the 'glitch in the system' that Yokai allowed through, "You seeing my magical ability would be enough proof to know 'for sure', right? If he asked you to check, it would make sense for you to find an opportunity…"

It took a long time for Ruby to answer. When she did, she turned to face him, eyes meeting his, forcing honesty. "There's a lot this headmaster keeps from me, Ikko," she explained, "I won't lie – yes, he asked me to check, and I do as I'm asked as an ally of the academy, but I don't know why. He's even more secretive than the last."

"The last?"

Ruby blinked. "I've said too much. Ikko – and I mean this – keep this between us, okay? Can you do that?"

He said yes without hesitation, for this had been the first time Ruby had ever asked for a favour. She smiled at him. "I suspect that he'll reveal what he's planning if you make sufficient progress."

"You reckon?"

"He doesn't ask for anything without good reason," Ruby explained, "And whatever his machinations, he at least gives you the chance to back out. Remember? He asked if you wanted to stay."

That didn't come as a comfort, but Ikko nodded nonetheless. Mind swimming, the first taste of mystery hanging off the tongue of his ravenous curiosity, he allowed Ruby to usher him from the G.T. class and back to his normal day.