Mizore lingered outside the hospital ward to which she had delivered Masumi and Judo. Doctor Tsumugi, one of Yokai's longest-serving medical staff, had stopped her as she'd walked them in, revealing that the headmaster had requested she standby to receive them.

"I was told to prepare for four or five," she'd said, her voice muffled by the bandages she kept wrapped around all but her eyes and hair, which poked out in ragged bangs, "Are the others on their way?"

"No, just these two," Mizore replied. The headmaster's preparedness never ceased to surprise her. How had he known about this?

Together, they had navigated Masumi and Judo into separate beds, and Mizore had explained what Nekonome had witnessed. Tsumugi had told her to wait outside, and there she now paced, the steps just enough to keep her from darting awat to join Ikko at the headmaster's office.

She scowled. He was probably right to tell her to stay, but it didn't make it any easier. She did not have to wait long, fortunately, for Doctor Tsumugi popped her head out of the door, sidling out of the ward. "Who did you say was involved in this?" she asked.

"Er…" Mizore delayed. "Those two, then two monstrels and my transfer, Akada."

"I'm going to need their names." Tsumugi directed, holding up a tablet. "Pulling up their files. Whatever they've suffered, it wasn't physical, beyond ruptured eardrums."

"Oh, right. It was Kia Tayama, and Yanase. Etsuko Yanase."

"Let's see…" Tsumugi's brow furrowed as she typed the names, one-handed. "Two monstrels?"

"They were protecting Akada."

"Were they?" Tsumugi muttered, "He's got powerful friends. A wraith-siren hybrid and a kamaitachi-onibi… We're lucky they're not here in bags." Tsumugi sighed. "But they'll be fine. I can mend their ears, but they're psychological state will take some time."

"What?"

"Their minds, Miss Shirayuki," Tsumugi explained, her tone patient, but her expression was inscrutable behind those bindings, "Wraiths are very dangerous. They feed on souls, sure, but they're known for their ability to inspire fear and dread just by existing. Mix that into a siren's magical songs and, well…" she trailed off. "I assume the headmaster will notify their parents?"

"Probably."

"Good. Can't imagine they'd want their kids to stay here after such an attack. You said they were attacking Akada?"

"Yeah."

"You sure Akada didn't want that to happen?"

Mizore frowned, looking away. Her phone rang. "Miss Shirayuki?" pressed Tsumugi.

"Sorry – sorry, I have to take this."

She hurried away, leaving Tsumugi in the corridor. Mizore answered the phone, fumbling as she took it out of her pocket. "Su?"

"Mizore!" Su cried, "Thank god – you picked up. I've been trying everyone!"

"Ruby's with Etsuko and Kia," Mizore explained, "And Ikko's with the headmaster."

"What? Why?"

"Beats me. What's wrong?"

"Nothing! I just wanted to make sure everyone was okay."

Mizore smiled, coming to rest against one of the blank hospital walls. "Everyone's fine. Masumi and Judo'll survive, thankfully."

"I can't believe it worked," said Su, "Ikko's got a scary eye for this kind of thing."

"You think?"

"He put this all together. Using Kia to break Etsuko out, getting Miss Nekonome to arrive on scene – even keeping you out of it."

Mizore tensed at that last part. Perhaps that was why she felt so restless, so desperate to step in and do something. To keep all hands clean, Ikko had suggested Mizore stay with Ruby, prepared to jump in if everything went horribly wrong, but otherwise to wait until the very end to make sure Masumi and Judo were properly dealt with. It would have been too convenient for his teacher, guardian and club manager to turn up in the nick of time, especially given the rumoured history between her and Kotsubo, the crossfire of which had caught him last time.

Su was still talking. Mizore made a non-committal noise. "Mizore?"

"What?"

"I asked if you were going to see what the headmaster wanted."

"No," Mizore sighed, "No, I'm staying out of it. Ikko thinks it'll look too suspicious if I rush to his defense."

"Huh." Su hummed. "Smart. He's really coming into his own, isn't he?"

"Yeah." Mizore's gaze dropped.

The question was: What would the headmaster do with this newfound confidence?

"Do you watch the news much, Mister Akada?"

Ikko followed the headmaster out of his office. Instead of turning right, the way he'd come to get here, they turned left, down the last length of the corridor. A few unmarked doors with heavy, rusted locks awaited them. "No," said Ikko, watching the headmaster's back, "Well, even less since coming to Yokai, but it's all so sensationalised."

"I suppose when the media talks about bio-weapons and unexplained meteorological phenomena, it can be a little hard to trust, hm?"

"Yeah," Ikko murmured. "Wait – you're not suggesting that's monsters at work, are you?"

"I am indeed," the headmaster chortled, "You see, a couple of years back we had quite the incident on our hands. A monster of unimaginable strength with many, many powerful allies made an attack on the human world. You will note, perhaps, that it was around that point that the media got so 'sensationalised'."

Ikko gawped, but quickly shut his mouth. This was the most the headmaster had said about, well, anything. He couldn't let this opportunity go to waste. "Seriously?"

"Oh, yes. Quite serious, Mister Akada. It was then that the thin veneer of mystery that kept the human and monstrous worlds separate was torn apart. As you can imagine, it caused no small number of headaches around the world. The governing powers of our two worlds had to work incredibly hard to mitigate the damage before panic spread to the general populace."

Ikko made a mental note to pay more attention to the world news. If monsters were truly behind this, then… he shook his head, putting that thought away. "I don't see how this involves me."

"Ah, of course. Forgive me, I have a tendency to ramble. You see, as part of those talks, it was decided that humans and monsters could no longer live as two sides of a coin – linked, but each blind to the other. Work must begin, and soon, to unite our worlds under a banner of peace, before less… altruistic parties decide to exploit the advantages of such coalitions. And who better to invest the hopes of such an ideal than the next generation, eh?"

"Children?"

"Students," the headmaster corrected, "If the next generation can be taught peaceful cohabitation with those fundamentally different than themselves, we stand a much better chance of fostering a lasting peace than forcing it on a harder, older population. In the spirit of this concord, Yokai, its colleagues abroad, and some human schools, have begun work to transfer humans to monster schools, and monsters to human schools. You are one of the first, Mister Akada."

"It wasn't a glitch?"

"Absolutely not," the headmaster laughed louder, "Though the excuse certainly helped explain things in the short term. You'll have to forgive my deception."

They reached the end of the corridor. The headmaster withdrew from his robes a ring of large keys, the middle of which he used to unlock the door directly ahead of them. It opened into a dark room, lit by two pale lights – one of a laptop screen, and one of a projector that threw the laptop's image onto the far wall. A round table sat in the very centre of the room, lined with comfortable chairs. "In a few moments," the headmaster said, "I will be having a conference call with two of Yokai's alumni, who are working with the Academy to foster deeper ties between monsters and humans in the human world. Before I begin, I have a proposition for you, Akada."

Ikko didn't know how to digest the idea of a monk having a video conference, let alone anything else the headmaster had revealed to him. He nodded dumbly.

The headmaster smiled, his face cast into almost complete darkness by the sharp light of the projector. "I would like you to join with their efforts, as Yokai's human ambassador."

"What?" Ikko blurted, "Why?"

"Simple." The headmaster began, taking the nearest seat. As they entered, lights flickered on. Ikko joined him in the next available seat, warily turning the chair to face him. "You are Yokai's only human student. That makes you the most qualified candidate for the role of Yokai's human ambassador, does it not?"

"That makes me the only candidate!" Ikko exclaimed. To his dismay, the headmaster's chuckling continued.

"I would not ask this of you if I did not think you capable," he explained, "You have been at Yokai for but a small hand of months, and yet in that time you have conquered your fear and insecurities both, and in so doing have won to your advantage the allegiance of several powerful monsters. Your willingness to forge sincere connections, Akada, and your ability to draw out the best of those connections in defense of yourself – and your friends – makes you perfect for the role."

"You make it sound like I'm using them," Ikko felt a pit in his stomach, growing to swallow his nascent confidence.

"Using them?" the headmaster asked, "I suppose if you wish to view it that way, you could say that. But what is friendship if not using your individual skills to benefit the whole?"

"I-"

"It is not wrong to ask for favours, Akada. Nor is it wrong to ask for help," the headmaster cut across him, "If their help is willingly rendered, and you have made your intentions plain upon your request, what is the issue?"

Something in the way the headmaster spoke about these things made him incredibly uncomfortable. Ikko folded his arms, withdrawing into his seat, saying very little. "Your role would require very little of you during term time," the headmaster continued, either oblivious to, or choosing to ignore, Ikko's reticence, "But during the holidays, such as those that follow the exams, I would ask you to visit the human world and aid my alumni in their attempts to bridge the divides between human and monster communities."

"What happens if I say no?" Ikko asked.

The headmaster's smile flickered, for the briefest of moments. "You seem awful fond of that question."

"I like to know how easily I can get out of a situation."

"Not, in itself, a weakness," the headmaster nodded, "But if you are so focussed on the escape, Akada, there may come a time when you cannot commit, for fear of not being able to escape. Prudence is wise – paranoia is not."

Ikko bowed his head. His hands clammy, gaze uneven, he wrapped about himself to keep his composure. "When you say, 'bridge the divides', what does that mean?"

"It depends largely on the situation, but you would be helping my alumni in situations where, if you'll permit the turn of phrase, a human touch is required. A bit of sincerity, a soothing presence to heal the deep scars that collisions between our worlds can cause."

"Will it be dangerous?"

"Undoubtedly," the smile in the headmaster's words did naught to assuage his anxieties, "As well you've learned, Akada, one cannot simply saunter through our world unscathed. You will be dealing with humans and monsters both, and each carry their own dangers. But you will, of course, be fairly compensated for your troubles, and you will not be alone. Alongside my alumni, you may select a handful of your friends to help in these endeavours."

"Really?"

"We work best when we work together – or have you so quickly forgotten the lesson of the ordeal just passed?"

Ikko paused. If he had Etsuko and Kia with him, then maybe…

Something inside him clicked. His faint desire to his friends smiling caught light, stoked by the ideals presented by the headmaster. For one epiphanic moment, he found himself ablaze with excitement, caught up in the dream of a truly united world – a world he had lived so blindly alongside. What would that world look like? What could they achieve, so united?

He looked up from his recalcitrant shell, unfurling his arms and setting his hands on his knees. Certainty compelled him to meet the headmaster's eyes, hidden behind the hood of his robe. "I'll do it," he said, feeling the thrill of commitment racing through him, "With their help, I'll do it."

"Whose help?"

"The Writing Club," he said, "Oh, and Etsuko. Etsuko Yanase. And Miss Shirayuki."

"It will be up to you to convince them," said the headmaster, "But if they agree, they can help. A word of caution, though – if I may?"

It wasn't like the headmaster to ask permission. Ikko nodded. "Not every monster will be receptive to the idea of working alongside humans. You are asking them both to keep the secret of your species, and to support a cause that might have brought significant pain in the past. Understand?"

Another nod. The headmaster grinned. "Then, ambassador, it's high time you meet your colleagues."

The headmaster leaned over to grab the mouse, clicking once, twice. As he did so, Ikko caught again that bizarrely familiar whiff of cigar smoke. He frowned, concentrating on it. Where had he smelled that before?

The screen sprang to life. Turned as he was, Ikko didn't see immediately who spoke. "Headmaster. How's the habit?"

"Uncomfortable as ever, Mister Aono!" chortled the headmaster, "And a nightmare to clean."

"Aono?" Ikko span in his seat. Two youths – a man and woman – stared down the webcam that connected them. The man grinned, cheery and bright, whilst the woman smiled, still happy yet infinitely more noble. He recognised the brown and silver hair of the pair almost instantly.

"Tsukune!?"

"Oh?" the headmaster looked to Ikko, "Are you already acquainted?"

"N-no," Ikko stammered, avoiding Tsukune's eye – a feat made more difficult by how large it was on the projected screen, "I uh, I recognise his face from the photos in the News Club. We've never met. And uh – Moka, Miss Akashiya, too."

"Of course, of course. Mister Aono, Miss Akashiya, how does Aichi treat you?"

"It's busy," said Moka, smiling, "But nothing we can't handle. Who's that you've got there?"

"Ah, my apologies," the headmaster held out a hand, gesturing to Ikko, "Meet Ikko Akada, Yokai Academy's first official human exchange student – and newly appointed ambassador."

Ikko thought he saw recognition in Tsukune's eyes. The young man smiled, dispelling it. "Nice to meet you. Can I call you Ikko?"

"Oh – sure."

"Great. I'm Tsukune, this is Moka. How are you finding Yokai?"

"Uh…"

"You'll forgive Akada for hesitating," the headmaster interjected, "He's fresh from a spate of altercations with two problem students."

"Is he?" Tsukune's brows shot up, "Glad to see Yokai continues its proud and bloodthirsty traditions."

"We aim to please."

They exchanged a grin, sharing an understanding that Ikko didn't grasp. Moka shook her head, sighing. "It's good to have you, Ikko," said Tsukune, nodding, "When the headmaster said we'd be appointing a student ambassador, I didn't realise he meant a human, but it makes a bit of sense. Kind of."

"If you wildly stretch your perception of 'sense'." Moka intoned. Then, with a wider, more welcoming smile than he expected from a supposed vampire, she said, "Welcome aboard, Ikko."

He murmured thanks. That they were Yokai graduates, he could handle. It was Mizore's tale that dampened his enthusiasm. This was, after all, the same Tsukune Aono she'd fallen head-over-heels for, who had hurt her so badly by chasing the woman he loved. He struggled to separate this line of thought from the excitement at becoming a deeper part of this secret world.

The headmaster clapped his hands together, snapping him from reverie. "With introductions out of the way, conversation must move on to how we progress. Mister Akada, if you have hands you wish to bring on board, you must convince them of the worthiness of the cause. Mister Aono, have you any ideas?"

"Ideas?" Tsukune seemed taken aback. "Hm… well, there's summer break."

"That's not a bad idea," agreed Moka, sharing a significant look, "Have you any objections, headmaster?"

"None save their exam results. I shall make the necessary arrangements with Miss Shirayuki."

"What happens over summer break?" Ikko asked.

"Nothing special," Tsukune explained, "But if they want to see what they're going to be a part of, there's no better time. Most of the gang get together to share how things are progressing."

"How many do you intend to bring?" Moka inquired.

"Uh…" Ikko counted them. "Optimistically, six."

Tsukune frowned. "Tight fit."

"I'm sure we'll manage. No doubt Marin could use the extra hands."

"You're not wrong…" Tsukune nodded. "Summer break, then. Headmaster, if you could, uh, talk to the bus driver?"

There it was again. Ikko caught the smile, like an in-joke, that flashed between the headmaster and Tsukune. What did they know? "Of course," the headmaster said, bowing his head, "Then I leave you to your studies. Until next time, Mister Aono, Miss Akashiya."

"Take care. And you, Ikko," Tsukune beamed his way, "I know Yokai can be difficult, but you sound like you have things handled. Take care of yourself."

Ikko nodded, mute. The call ended and the headmaster leaned back in his chair with a satisfied smile. "You heard Mister Aono," he noted, turning once more to face Ikko, "You have until summer break to convince your friends to help. Submit their names to Ruby or Miss Shirayuki by the week before, if you'd be so kind. Authorizing such a venture is quite a lot of paperwork."

"Sir," Ikko nodded, making to stand. The headmaster did not stop him, but a question gave him pause. He turned back to his chair; the headmaster had pulled the laptop closer, and was reaching for something in his habit. "Sir?"

"Yes, Mister Akada?"

"Humans and monsters…" Ikko frowned, "Do you think we can do it? Co-exist, that is."

His answer was not forthcoming. It came at the end of a very long pause – long enough to make Ikko think that perhaps he'd asked something forbidden. "Good friends of mine have died believing we can, Mister Akada. I sincerely hope that they did not die in vain."

He felt the weight of those words, pressing down on the room like an anchor. After another pregnant pause, the headmaster dismissed him with a quiet, "Good day, Mister Akada," leaving Ikko with a fresh bout of puzzlement over the secrets crawling behind that plain habit.

Closing the door to the conference room, Ikko found himself momentarily dazzled by the harsh light of the adjoining corridor. As if emerging from a dark cave, he shielding his brow, wincing, giving his eyes a moment to settle.

Human ambassador for Yokai Academy. He ran the title through his head, looking down at himself. Did the headmaster really think he could do it? He did not strike Ikko as the kind of man to make idle assurances – but then he wasn't quite sure what kind of man the headmaster was to begin with. He shook his head, pushing hair out of his eyes and making his ponderous way down the corridor. He spied a shape standing diligently at the headmaster's door, and soon recognised Ruby's long raven hair and distinctive garb. He called her name.

"Ikko!" she said, looking up from the floor. "There you are. Where's the headmaster."

"Back there. How are they?"

"The girls are fine," Ruby smiled, "Kia's a little shaken, but Etsuko is there. How are you holding up?"

Ikko met her eye. Her expectant smile told him she knew, already, of the headmaster's intent. It annoyed him to be kept out of the machinations until he was useful in them, but at least now he knew that his arrival was no accident. He exhaled softly, recounting his conversation with the headmaster to her.

"Ambassador?" Ruby's mouth opened a fraction. To her credit, she feigned polite surprise very well. "What did you say?"

"What else could I say?" he grumbled. "I said yes. I'll be meeting with Tsukune and Moka over summer."

"Oh, that's wonderful!" she broke into a wider smile, "I'm surprised you agreed so readily."

"Really?"

"You're a very cautious soul, Ikko."

"The headmaster called me paranoid."

"He's not entirely wrong… but still. You said yes, and that's what matters."

"Yeah, well," Ikko looked down, "Now I have to tell the rest of them that I'm human."

"Who?"

"Well, Kia already knows. So does Mizore – I guess that just leaves Etsuko, Naoko and Sushi. I'll have to ask all of them to join. Properly."

"Do you think that's wise?"

"I-" Ikko paused. "I owe Etsuko an explanation. She saved my life. The other two, well… it wouldn't be fair to leave them out, would it?"

"We're not talking about a party," Ruby reminded him, "This is important, Ikko. Really important. You have to be sure you can trust them."

"And the headmaster is sure he can trust me?" Ikko returned. "I'm just a kid."

"I trust you." Ruby countered, her voice flawlessly warm. "That's enough for him."

Ikko opened his mouth, closing it when his wit failed to deliver. He shrugged. "I think I can trust them."

"Just be sure," she said, grasping his shoulder. "Do you need anything?"

"Food." Ikko grumbled. "And a shower. What time is it?"

He pulled out his phone, cursing when he saw the time. "That late?"

Ruby laughed. "I'll walk you back to the dorm. Gods only know you don't need teacher trouble after all this."

Ikko nodded, but before he stashed his phone he sent a quick text to Mizore. The rest of them could wait, he decided, but not her. If he was to work with Tsukune and Moka, she had to know.

Ruby left him at the stairs to the dormitory, and he took to the task of crawling to the sixth floor with protesting legs. All the walking, running, and rolling of the day had crashed upon him simultaneously. Even his hunger, first amongst his concerns, seemed to fail under the realization of just how exhausted he was. Ikko stifled any more complaints, forcing his body to move. Sleep waited for him at the end.

After an age, a lifetime, and then another age after that, Ikko wrested himself to to the top of the final staircase, flopping through the door and into the hallway. Six floors. Six floors! Safety be damned, no sane person needed that much exercise every day. Ikko dragged his feet down the hall, past the only other occupied room.

He stopped, one step past the door. He turned his ear back to it. Strange… there was normally some sign of life in there. The dull thud of music, the whir of a laptop, the creak of footsteps – even the occasional snore – but he heard nothing. Had something happened to them? For the briefest of moments, fatigue forgotten, he considered knocking on the door. Then his arms protested at any movement beyond the automatic swing that walking created and, recalling his desire for sleep, he moved on.

He used the weight of his body to push on his door after unlocking it, stumbling through and turning immediately right into the bathroom. He pulled clothes drenched with sweat and soiled with dirt off, limped into the shower. The warm water washed over him, relaxing every muscle wound tight over the day, easing the tension in his shoulders, his brow, his mind…

Ikko slumped. He lowered himself slowly down into sitting in the corner of the shower, content to let the water run over him, washing away the dirt, the grime of the day. If it could just wash him down the drain, too – carry him away from this world so drastically changed, away from his new responsibility, his new self. Wash him back to how he was… that would be nice. Right?

He frowned, finding dissatisfaction where once he might have found peace. Was he no longer content to remain as he had been, as the human world had made him? Ikko furrowed his brow, pushing back wet clumps of dark hair so that the shower caught his face. He let out a slow breath.

Had he really changed so much? His thoughts turned murkily towards a buzzing noise he heard in the bundle of his clothes, but no further. He was so tired.

So tired…