Chapter 2
When Oleg went to Chikeko the team went further to the needed class. The friends were talking about upcoming lesson, while Maria was keeping calm. Pavel didn't like how Maria behaved herself; even Oleg Semenovich was talking to the pupils during his first day. So, he decided to come to her.
"Maria Sergeievna, should we change to our uniform?"
"Can't wait a practical lesson?" Maria asked Pavel.
"Well, I always liked the way you taught; I even attended special lessons." Pavel said proudly to her.
"It would be much better, if you work that way on Oleg's lessons." Maria said to him.
"As I told you before, I found your lessons much more interesting." Pavel answered to her.
"It seems Pavel knows this woman perfectly." Maki said to Aki and Ren being on some distance from Russian trio, "How do you think, does she differ from Oleg-sensei a lot?"
"Difficult question." Aki said, "We know Oleg-sensei only for two months, while we know nothing about her."
"I don't think they differ a lot." Ren responded.
"Why do you think so?" Aki wanted to know such point of view.
"Their attitude is similar, I see it only from Pavel's side, but they act the same towards him." Ren said.
"You're right." Maki said seeing the way how the student was talking to his teacher, "But maybe there's something personal between them?" Maki stopped for a second, "I mean, Oleg-sensei, gave him special classes, and maybe this woman did something like that for him?"
"Perhaps." Aki pondered, 'He saw the way how Ilya was talking to Maria, he understood nothing, but he was talking the same way, 'Perhaps not.' he thought.
'Interesting, what are these mental powers.' Ren thought, 'She said that I suit perfectly for them, what it means after all? As I remember Pavel wasn't sure that it's good, but she told opposite, and why I shouldn't say about it to Pavel?' Ren caught them up and joined their talk, "Can I ask you a question?" Ren asked Maria in Japanese, the woman nodded, "I wanted to know, well, will you show us something special today?"
"What do you mean by special?" Maria didn't understand.
"During my fight with a member of 'The Third Law', he used this mental ability on me and Yatsu-sensei, after it we couldn't move even with a finger."
"Was this man with a cane sword or with claws?" Maria asked her.
"With a cane sword, Przemislav Wojciechowski, am I right?"
"Yes, so he imbued fatigue into your brain." Maria said, "It's the most common sense we use in fight, but still there're lots of other we can make you feel like, fear, pain, excitement and other, but there are difficult in using."
"And what is the way to resist this power?" Ren asked her again.
"Mind barrier or try to bomb his with lots of different thoughts, your opponent won't be able to cast his power on you properly if you think a lot."
"I see." Ren responded.
"Man, I can't belive it, our Ren became friendly with these Russians?" Aki and Maki heard a whispering behind them.
"Yeah, I thought she supposed to be suspicious towards them." another student said, 'But she suddenly became friendly to them, that's really odd."
Pavel turned to them with serious eyes, making them shut, Ren noticed it, but preferred to put on a semblance that she saw nothing.
"Boys come here!" Maki placed between them and whispered something to them, and after that they went somewhere else.
The team came to the classroom directly before the bell rang. The other students came to it with a slight delay, but still it wasn't too big. When the last student came Maria could finally start her lesson.
"Now we can start our first lesson. First I introduce myself, and then I hope I'll be able to know you better." her voice was firm without even a single note of worrying or excitement, like she felt absolutely nothing, "My name is Maria Vlasova, for you I'm Vlasova-sensei, and I would like you to call me that. As I understand my subject will be absolutely new for you, but at the same time not so new." She heard some whispers so she decided to raise her voice, and it worked, "I think you understand the concept of you lessons in torturing, I don't think that it differs too much." Maria said, but then continued, "In some ways my subject is similar to it, but in some ways it has other ways too." she glance the students over, and said, "I know only several people, from you, one of them is Ikenami Ren." Maria looked at the tanned Taimanin, "Am I correct?" Ren nodded, "There are also two pupils I know, you and you." she pointed at the boy with dark hair and the girl with brownish one.
They got up and introduced themselves.
"I'm Maki Sato."
"I'm Aki Ito."
"Nice to meet you too." Maria replied to them and allowed to sit down, "I hope we will get acquainted fast and well. Then only thing you must know is that my lesson will consist of two parts, theoretical and practical, so you'll be able to fight each other." she stopped for a second, but then added, "During my lesson I'll have two assistants, they were Tarasov and Ikenami." Maria felt how the students wanted to discuss it, so she raised her voice again, "Pavel knows the work of mental abilities very well, while Ren knows a little about them, so the pair is well coordinated." Maria stopped for a minute giving them an opportunity to think her speech, but then she decided to move on, "Well, our first lesson will be devoted to basics of mental ability, for now I'll use familiar pupils and as they have already face them. So, Sato what can you tell us about mental abilities?"
Sato got up and started, "Honestly, I didn't encounter such ability." she confessed, "But as Ren told me, it somehow can make you feel tiredness."
"Correct, now Ito, what can you tell us about mental ability?" she asked Aki this time.
"Well, as I remember it right, when we met for the first time, you used it on me and my comrade, I was really tired of the fight, and even couldn't move with my leg because of a poison, and when you used your power I felt refreshed, and even could move with my leg for some period of time."
"Yes, is there some else?" she looked at Ren.
"Yes." Ren suddenly said, but still firm, "You also showed somewhat of a mental conversation between the user and the other person."
"And once again, correct." Maria said, "These three aspects are the least part of mental abilities. We also can do lots of things, for example sneak into others' minds and read thoughts, rewrite memories, and break minds too." Maria saw a hand which was raised, "Yes?"
It was a girl with red hair, "My name is Maeda Kin." She responded, but then added, "So your powers are somewhat of empowered machines we used to practice on?"
"In some ways, yes." Maria replied, "We use our powers in ordinary situations and in combats too, mental users are act as a support and join the fight, but still there some of us who also fight with the rest, and I'm in their numbers."
"Why we have never heard about such abilities?" the other pupil with black hair and yellow eyes asked her, his voice was pretty rude, but Maria felt absolutely nothing, about it.
"First I'd like to hear your name, so I could answer to you."
"Shig Uchida." the boy responded in the same manner.
"Well, Shig, this ability is very rare even in Russia, and each of us is attend special courses, which are under governmental protectorate, these courses are not the best place, but very useful, what allows to understand it more." Maria did a pause, but then added, 'For example we don't have people with shadow abilities, so we are equal in some places." she did several steps to the first line, "There was a case when mental power was used in good, like treating some mental disease, and the person who did it put a great contribution into it. But right now, he is a high level criminal. I'm talking about Przemislav Wojciechowski, a Polish psychiatric, and the other person who is a perfect in them and specializes in rewriting memories and breaking minds is my brother Anatoly Vlasov, a criminal too."
The whispers started again and they were pretty loud Maria decided to let them to speak out, and when everything was calm she continued.
"They're both, are members of the organization, which is called 'The Third Law'." she saw several hands, "If these questions are devoted to my brother, I will ignore them, the only thing you must know is that he is just a mere enemy, who must be eliminated." her voice was called, and everyone felt chilling of it, even Pavel felt the chilling too. It seemed like she wasn't talking about her brother, but about someone else, but still the hands were placed onto the desk again, "As for me, I specialize on mental protection, being simple, I create barriers which protect from these attacks." Maki seemed like she remembered something important.
"And what that Polish specializes?" the girl with fair hair and almost pale skin asked the teacher, "The name is Mai Ogawa."
"Well, Ogawa, he specializes on both directions. The most important thing about him is that he always improves his power, trying to find the ways of better using of his power." Maria said, but then added, "One more thing mental users can improve himself, it's still unknown why, and it's the main thing he is trying to understand."
"So you want to say that you can use it on yourself?" some students asked her.
"Yes, that's why we are supportive fighters, we needed some time for casting our power, and we always work in groups of three. One is protecting and another one is receiving an improvement." after a brief pause she said, watching at her students, "Well right now, I'm going to express some of my power to you." she glanced the classroom again, and her eyes stopped on a girl with curly and long brownish hair, "You!" please come up to the blackboard.
"Maria Sergeievna!" Pavel quickly got up.
"What is it?" she asked her student from Russia.
"Please be careful with her, don't use painful sensations on her." he said to her in Russian.
"Why not?" Maria responded in the same language that made the attention of Japanese students interested.
"Well, it's long to explain, but please do as I ask." Pavel said with a firm voice, "I'll tell you later." Maria nodded and turned to her again, "Come up."
The girl came up to the blackboard she said nothing, but only was watching at Maria.
"How can I turn to you?"
"Masami Andou." Masami replied, with the same voice, but her wasn't so less emotional as Maria's.
"Andou, stretch your hand please." Maria asked her.
Masami did what was told and, Maria took her hand after a minute her eyes started to close and she started to yawn.
"Here's the example of my power, I made her feel sleepiness.", then Maria closed her eyes again, and after a several seconds opened them, "And now I returned everything back." now Masami returned back to normal, "You may sit." Maria said to her, Masami did what was told again, "Also, we can open the inner potential and make you faster or stronger, but it's of course a temporal effect, and most of people, have some problems with their muscles after it." Maria added, "Tarasov! To the black board." Maria called one of her assistant.
Pavel gulped, then he got up and went to the teacher likewise he knew that it will be something really bad.
"Now, I'll show you how my power can bring pain." Everyone were surprised of such words, even Ren was shocked.
'And he was telling that he likes her lessons?' Maki thought watching at him.
Pavel came to her and stretched his hand to her, Maria closed her eyes once again, and after several seconds, Pavel greeted his teeth and leaned onto his knee.
"Damn it! I've forgotten how painful it is!" he gritted throw his teeth. Pavel leaned onto his knee, "Shit." but he didn't pull his hand out of Maria's grip, and after several seconds, Pavel started to return back to normal, "Explain it to them." she ordered to him.
"Well, it's difficult to describe the work of this ability, in simple words; it's like someone digging in your head with a screwdriver or something like that, there two ways to protect yourself from it. Two am I right?" he asked the teacher after a brief pause, she nodded, "First one is the easiest, the user of mental power installs somewhat of a barrier inside of your mind, it'll give you some opportunities to react in time, and pull your hand out of the grip of your opponent, but with every attack it becomes weaker and weaker, so if you fight a mental user with along with his comrade alone, it would be better to retreat."
"And what is the other method?" Maeda asked him.
"Just to try to think as much as you can." Pavel replied.
"What do you mean?" Maki asked him.
"Well, when you think much you create somewhat of a barrage, it's not stable, but still can protect you from their attacks."
"Yes, you may sit down, I'll tell the rest." Maria said to him, Pavel nodded and returned to his place.
"For us, rubbish thoughts can be undesirable, and in battle for example two on two, it can be fatal, as while we try to deal with one person, his comrade can deal with us." Maria explained, "Any questions?"
The class didn't ask any question, so Maria continued the lessons. Little by little the lesson came to its end and before the bell rang Maria said.
"Next lesson will be practical. You'll see how the empowering is working." the bell rang, and the teacher left the class.
"Wow, so much of new information." Aki said to himself, "And you know the whole course?" the question was asked to Pavel.
"I do." Pavel replied with a smile putting his hand onto his head like he still was feeling something, "I always found it interesting in Russia, and I think it's the only subject I liked really a lot."
"Are you a masochist?" Maki asked him with a smile, "Seeing how you was accepting her attack, I don't see other options."
"Of course I'm not!" Pavel protested, seeing how his friends started to watch at him, "Well, I think I just like the lesson, it was really interesting, and when you're empowered it's a really amazing sense, I even read lot of books about metal powers, and asked Maria Sergeievna to train me, when she was free."
"I didn't know that you can explain so well, can you give some lessons if I have some troubles?" some girl came to him and pressed, against him.
"Well, of course, just ask me whatever you don't know, and I'll explain it." Pavel chuckled to her, but then turned to Ren and saw how she was frown.
Then Pavel decided to follow Maria, and know would they coordinate the lessons together or she would do everything alone. While he was walking by the corridor he didn't know that he was chased.
"Where is that damn lizard when it's needed?!" Commander shouted walking by the corridor of the base of 'Red Division', "Has he left again?!"
"Commander, I think you shouldn't worry that much, I don't think he would leave the base without telling." Avalanche said to him following him.
"Professor!" Commander shouted once again, "Where the hell are you?!" his voice was heard far in the corridor.
"Please, don't frighten other member, Commander." Avalanche asked him, "They can be tired after all."
"Did you call me?" they heard a voice behind of them, it was hissing like it really belonged to a reptile.
They turned back and saw a green humanoid, with lizard's head and two tentacles which grew out of his back.
"Where the hell you've been?" the man with an eye patch asked him with an irritated voice.
"I was talking with Penetrator, nothing more." Professor answered the question, "He was ordered to come here from Russia after all, and he asked several advices of me."
"Wow, they decided to send him here too?" Avalanche was puzzled, "But what did them to do so?"
"Our common problem." Professor replied rhetorically.
"The seal and these scums." the fair haired with the eye patch said.
"He will work with us, and focus on looking for the seals." the lizard person replied, "And by your expression it seems you want to discuss something with me, am I right?"
"Like always." Commander cooled down a little.
"Well, I think you have to discuss something really important, I'll leave you then." the man in white uniform said, but his stopped with a hand which was laid onto his shoulder.
"Where do you think you're going?" Commander asked him, "Aren't you going to become a new leader one day?"
"Well, I am, but I think this talk isn't for my ears." he suggested.
"It'll be good for you to listen to it too." Commander answered to him, and then the three went further by the corridor.
Their way wasn't too long; they reached a room with a table and some chairs. Professor decided to sit onto a chair which was in the right part of the table, Commander sat in the middle, while Avalanche preferred to stand by a column which was behind the Professor.
"So, what did you want to ask me, Cyclopes?" the lizard man started as everyone took his place.
"Do you know something about Demon Lord of the second line?" the man asked directly.
"What's up with him?" Professor asked them.
"You didn't answer it." Commander insisted.
"I know something, but what do you want to hear about him?" Professor seemed like he was escaping the question.
"Well, I've met a person, who proclaimed himself as a Demon Lord of the second line, and these title was name twice."
"Maybe just some demon, who heard an old legend about demon lord." Professor replied.
"Yes, but are there demons which are strong enough to oppose four strong demon hunters?" Cyclopes didn't like the answer, "He was able to fight on equal me and Asagi, and then with another huntress and a demon, who came to help us."
"Hm, he was able to create a bone arm, and was able to use aura, I don't think that he is just a novice demon. And he was wearing a silver armor with a cape." Commander added then.
'Hm, it seems I should tell him.' Professor thought, "If your description is right this man calls himself Walter József."
"Yes one vampire who helped us named him Walter." the man nodded.
"Then everything is much easier to explain, this person is a real Second Demon lord of the second line from these old legends you used to here." Professor said seriously.
"What?" Avalanche exclaimed, "Wait a minute, how is it possible? You mean that guy from these scary tales for kids? Maybe it was just some noble demon like Edwin Black or someone else?"
"I'm afraid not, it was the real Vampire King, his title also was the King of Death, because of his power to control undead." the lizard person calmed and then asked the two humans, "Did you see someone with him?"
"What do you mean?" Commander didn't like the question.
"Maybe there was someone who was wearing white armor, and emitted a cold air?" the strange person said.
"There was such one." Avalanche replied, "When I was helping to some kids with their teacher, to fight some demons, that person appeared and disappeared in the cold air, along with these demons." Commander was glad that Avalanche said this and turned to the demon.
"Is he his friends?" the blond man asked Professor.
"Some sort of it, but not, she." he corrected Cyclopes, "And her name is Celine, Queen of eternal ice, the Third Demon Lord of the second line."
"What?!" Commander exclaimed, "But how there can be two of them? All of them are supposed to be dead!"
"It appears that not all of them are dead." Professor replied, "Two of them have survived, and these two are from the second line."
"Do you know them?" Avalanche asked him.
"Well, I don't know them well, but I know that their dangerous and if you encounter one of them the best idea is to run as fast as you can?"
"The hell we haven't heard about them before?" Commander asked him, with risen voice, "What are their intentions with these scums?"
"This answer can be answered if you capture someone of them, but the best idea is to capture one of two last lords."
"The best idea?! I couldn't even defeat him with Igawa!" he shouted at the lizard person.
"Commander! Allow me." Avalanche interrupted his leader, "Professor, how dangerous are they?
"The second one, can control corpses, make decoy bodies out of the skeletons, he also uses aura, and Celine…" he stopped for a second.
"Uses ice abilities." Commander finished his sentence.
"Correct, she doesn't use aura."
"And what do they want to do with destroying of the seals? What it will give them?" Commander asked him.
"It's difficult question, my friend." Professor responded, "The only thing you must know is that the seals can't be destroyed or your world will be in grave danger."
"Can we at least know what will happen?" Avalanche asked him with serious voice.
"Your world will turn into a plane of death." Professor merely replied, and then asked the man with the eye patch, "By the way, what with the wife of Yasuhiro? Any news?"
'Damn slimy lizard.' Commander thought, 'Always trying to avoid important themes. I must interrogate him more carefully alone.' then he responded, "They responded nothing. I think Splash will report only when Shiranui will be captured, and driven here or to Taimanin."
"But I thought you're supposed to be interested in it." Professor said smiling, it was difficult to see, "After all he was a friend of your organization."
"He was a friend of organization and Splash not mine. At the same time, everything, what was done by him, was done in the time of the former leader, so I don't have direct relation to all this mess."
"Commander, why do you always try to seem so callous? It doesn't suit you at all." Avalanche chuckled.
Commander said nothing, but only watched at the man in white uniform and that made him shut.
"It's interesting for me, why are you so interested in her salvation? What it gives to you?" the man with eye patch narrowed his opened eye.
"It'll give not to me but to all of you." Professor chuckled.
"And what it'll give to us?"
"You'll see in the future." the lizard person got up and headed to the door that led out of the room.
"Wait! You didn't tell about these lords!" Commander tried to stop him.
"Everything will be known in its time." Professor replied, "Now, I'll go and check for other four seals, maybe I'll find something."
'And won't object.' Commander spitted when the person left.
"Commander, what are you further orders?" Avalanche suddenly asked, after all only we are the strongest members here right now."
"Well, go and rest for now, and then we'll do something too." Commander pondered, "After all these three are on looking for that weapon; and those three are looking for Shiranui."
"By the way, did the Drunkard contact you?"
"Yes, right now everything isn't scaring in Tokyo Kingdom, and he found nothing about Shiranui and her location rights, I think to join him to them along with Hush, they do such mission without problems."
"After all you're caring Commander, ou should show this quality more often." Avalanche smiled.
"Just say something else, and I'll stick my scythe into your ass." Commander replied and added, "I'll go to sleep, right now, I offer you to do the same."
"Understood." the subordinate responded and both of them left the room.
Torch got up from the strange noise, which was made somewhere in the flat. First thing he checked was presence of Izumi next to him, but he found no one, so he quickly realized that no one else could be the maker of this noise.
'What is she doing?' Torch asked himself removing the blanket; he was in a T-shirt along with boxers.
He went to the corridor, and then came to the kitchen. He was surprised of what he saw Azumi was standing in front of the stove and was cooking breakfast, she was cutting vegetables and boiling something like a real housewife, he pressed against the wall and continued to watch at her, his eye were directed onto her almost bare back, which was covered only with straps of her bra, panties, and with an apron's ribbons.
"I'm like a husband with a hot and sexy wife." Torch suddenly said, but then quickly closed his mouth with his palm understanding what he had just said.
"Oh you have just got up?" Azumi slightly surprised, "Thank you for the compliment." she smiled to him, "I knew you'll like it."
"If you wanted to eat you could woke me up." Torch sat onto the chair.
"It's the last day, of our little vacation, so I decided to do it special." Azumi started to move with her hips, like wise she was trying to seduce Torch, "Do you have something special for today or just lying in a bed, just the two of us?"
"Well, first I'm going to visit my sister, again and then we can lie in the bed." Torch chuckled watching how she was trying to seduce him, "After all tomorrow we will return back in action."
"Yes, I don't want it so much that I'd like to do everything for just not to return back to my old life." Azumi said stopping cutting the vegetables.
"But we must." Torch sighed sadly, "These days were the best in my life. I've never had such amazing vacation for a long time."
"Me too." she chuckled, "We must repeat it someday."
The breakfast was done, and both of them went to the living room, the table wasn't taken away, but still it was clean. Torch decided to turn on the TV, and when he put the first portion of spaghetti, which was boiling in the pot not long ago his fork fell down onto the table, and he started to cough.
"What is it?" Azumi asked him with a worried expression, "Isn't it tasty?"
"No." he coughed, "Look!" he pointed onto TV.
"Emergency news!" the speaker in TV said, "Strange people attacked the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Eugene Fedorov, and the Home Secretary of Japan Yamamoto Nobushige, the attackers weren't just some bandits, but skillful assassin, who were ordered to kill the noblemen, but because of the courage of Japanese and Russian anti-demon ninjas, the attack was able to prevent. The occasion of this attack is unknown, the video material, was spread by an amateur journalist."
Azumi also started to cough when she saw Naomi who was fighting with Kuro. Then action turned to the kids who were fighting some demons and after it to Przemislav, who suddenly attacked Chikeko, but was quickly forced to step back by Pavel's lunge, then the camera was turned to Archon, with Oleg.
"Wow, never thought that they will dare to do something like that." Torch said rather to himself than to Azumi.
"Yeah, and the battle seems pretty fair." Azumi replied, Even Yatsu Kuro and Igawa Sakura are with them."
"Is this woman with white hair Sakura Igawa?" Torch asked her.
"No, the orange haired is Sakura, and the other woman is Hirata Chikeko, also a strong Taimanin, but these men are unknown to me." Azumi said watching at the Russian trio.
"Well, this one is Dmitry Sablin." he pointed at the boy with the scythe, "We studied together, pretty strong hunter I must admit, none of us could defeat him. And the one, who is fighting Archon, is Oleg Tereshkov, a teacher of demonic biology, of our academy."
"And what about the boy?" she asked him.
"Well, maybe I saw him, but still I don't know, who he is." the lad replied, "The teacher is quite strong too, so underestimating him can be a fatal mistake."
"What powers does he have?" Azumi asked him, "Telekinesis and also, he is good in seals too."
"In seals what do you mean?" she seemed not understanding what he was talking about.
"Wait do you want to tell that you've never used seals in battles?" Torch was slightly surprised of what he heard, the girl only shook with her head, "How to explain it easier?" Torch pondered, "Seals were creating to improve our powers and make our abilities more dangerous, and powerful. Each power and element requires its own set of seals, so if I use seals for wind, like Mystic or for mental abilities like Archon, I won't be able to use them, I can use only for fire." Torch did another bite of Azumi's cooking, and then continued, "The seals are splitting in two primal groups, we use them for attacking and for defending."
"Do you use all of them?" Azumi asked him.
"No, I prefer to use only one for attacks. They're pretty easy in drawing and demands not so much power."
"What do you mean by taking power?"
"Well, even one seal demands a lot of powers, but if you use them too much, then your body won't bear it and you lose all powers pretty fast."
"And when do you use them?" Azumi asked him, "Well, I mean how much time did you use them?"
"Three, and after these times, I was lying in bed for the whole day, thank goodness doc was near and treated my mind after them." Torch joked, "I only know that Mystic can use several seals and he will have nothing."
"Did you fight with him side by side?" she was amused that he was fighting with someone who knew her Mistress, and even was liked by her.
"Well it was only once." Torch pondered, "And it was the most difficult time for me in my life. It was in Greece we were to find some politician, whom we were to eliminate, we did this, but to leave Greece was really difficult, lots of cyborgs and soldiers, I even don't know how I was able to leave from there alive."
"The same was with me, one day I and Izumi were on a mission with Miyata-sama. And we faced Igawa sisters I and Izumi barely got out of there alive, Miyata was fighting Asagi, and we were fighting Sakura. It was one of the most difficult fights in my life too, I don't know how he was able to fight Asagi herself, if we would fight her, I don't think we would stand long."
"Let's not speak about our work." Torch smiled to her, "We will be able to talk about it tomorrow, but today let's enjoy it as much as we can!"
The breakfast was finished pretty fast, they cleaned the dishes, and then started to put on their clothes, the time was about eleven o'clock, and they decided to go to shops first and then go to Natasha. Before they could leave they encountered at Torch's neighbor, Olga Stepanovna, a teacher of English.
"Heading to go for a walk?" she asked them, also going downstairs.
"Yes, decided to go to the shops and then straight to Natasha." Arthur replied to the teacher, "And what about you? Going to lessons?"
"No, I have a day off today. Just decided to go to see some friends nothing more." she referred, "By the way Azumi, did you like the city?"
"Well, yes." the girl replied in English, "It's much cosy then own place."
"Nice to hear." Olga seemed pleased hearing it, "By the way, if you want you can come to my place and we'll have something together."
"I don't think we'll be able to do this." Torch sadly said, "We are leaving tonight, our comrade will take us."
"Oh, it's sad, I thought, we'll be able to know each other better." Olga became a little sad.
"Don't worry." Azumi chuckled, "When we're free next time, we'll definitely visit you first."
"I got it." Olga replied to the girl, "I hope you'll be a good couple."
"Hey! We're still not in the age of thinking about marriage." Torch told to her, Azumi replied nothing, but her cheeks became red, so she decided to cover the lower part of her face with a new scarf.
"When I saw you for the first time together, I thought that you're somewhat of newlyweds, so I hope you'll call me for your wedding." Izumi covered her face much more.
Olga waved to them and went right by the street, while they were turned to the left.
"How do you think, could we be a good wife and a husband?" she asked him, with a worried voice.
"Trying to tease me too?" he sighed, still being red after such talk with the teacher of English.
"No, I'm seriously." she covered her face with her scarf, "Honestly, I was also thinking about it, and if not our work…" she stumbled for a second, "Maybe we could become a good family."
"I think so too." Torch said, "And we also can't leave, our comrades will find us easily, we won't hide from them anywhere."
"Yes, that's why we will never be able to be together." Azumi sighed sadly.
"Well, if you want you can join us with Izumi." Torch suddenly said, "As I said, it'll give us an opportunity to work together and see each other more often."
"Mistress won't let us go; after all we're her best weapons." Azumi responded, "She raised us straight for doing everything what she orders to us."
"Shitty condition, I must say, maybe if Mystic would try somehow to persuade her, as I understood, she listens to him, and does as he wants."
"Really?" the girl with the scarf was surprised of heard.
"When I tried to confess your Mistress, Mystic offered her to let you go with me too."
"Interesting, what binds them? It seems that they know each other for a long time." she suggested.
"I don't know what, but I see that their bind is pretty strong, like someone save another one or something like that."
"So where are we going to go shopping?" Azumi decided to return to their vacation, trying to remove thoughts about their work.
"Well, I think we'll go to the mall in the center of the city, it's big and we can spend some time there." Torch was glad that the talk returned to their days off, "At the same time Doc asked me to by some book by psychology and psychiatric, so we're to do it too."
"I thought he supposed to know everything about them." Azumi chuckled, "Doesn't he know something or forgotten?"
"Maybe both at once." Torch chuckled too.
After an hour and a half they came to the mall, it was a big and fancy building. There was a parking lot from their right of it, and from the left was a pavement, there pretty much people, but not as much as they were ready to see. On their way they talk a lot, and sometimes attracted some attention of other passersby. However, as it was possible to see they were amused not much, likewise they got used to see foreigners in the city.
They entered the mall, as Torch explained there were three floors. First what they could see on the first floor was a big number of different boutiques and other shops, not only for clothes, jewelry, but also with food and other stuff.
"Well, I think we can buy Doc's books in last turn, how about to buy some cloths, maybe we'll be able to have next vacation together again." Arthur suggested.
"I don't mind." Azumi nodded, "For the next time, I'd like to go to a swimming pool with you, so it'll be good to buy a new swimsuit."
"Why not, and I'll have a chance to look at you in it." Torch replied, "I think it'll be great on you."
They headed to the second floor, they quickly found the needed shop, and both of them entered it, some girls and women, who were there looked at the pair, and started to whisper, Torch and Azumi didn't pay much attention on it, as most of the whispers were devoted to their appearance. The shop had goods like swimsuits and underclothes only for females. A shop assistant came to them, but they said, that they only watch right now, so she went to other costumer.
"There is so much of number of them; I even didn't know that some of them exist." Arthur said taking one swimsuit, and showed to the blonde girl with the scarf, "What do you think about this one?"
It was a blue bikini it looked like an ordinary, swimsuit but was much thinner.
"Pervert." she replied watching at it, "Is it an allusion?"
"What?" Torch didn't understood, but then saw how she laughed seeing his puzzlement.
"If you want I'll try it." she took it and went to the fitting room.
It didn't take long for her to change, when the curtain was moved he could see her in the bikini, which he offered to her to try.
"So? How do I look?" she put her hands onto her knees trying to take position of models from magazines.
"Um…" he mumbled, Torch became red, but he didn't remove his eyes, from her, "Well, not bad I must say." he replied, and saw how she pointed to some other place.
"Bring me that one, I'll try it too." she pointed, with a cunning smile.
Arthur turned around and was shocked of what she wanted to try, "And you call me a pervert." he took the needed swimsuit, it was the most lustful, it consisted almost from ribbon, 'Well I don't mind if she wears it during cooking.' he thought watching at it imagining the upcoming.
Azumi took it and quickly started to change.
'Interesting will he like this one more.' she thought.
Then she removed the curtain and stood in another stance, she stretched her back and put her arms behind her head, sticking out her breast, "And now?" there also was cloth which was stretching by the middle of her stomach, directly under her breast.
Arthur could answer he stumbled, the women who were in the shop started to whisper. Torch felt it and started to feel uncomfortable.
"Well, I think it suits you a lot." a professional assassin thought, 'Man, isn't she embarrassed putting something like this on? Though, knowing our work I don't think that she is confused much.
"Then I'll take them both." Azumi replied and closed the curtain.
After some minutes she left the fitting room, putting on her casual clothes. They paid for their purchase and went further. They went to a jewelry boutique, Azumi was watching at all kinds of things, while Azumi was watching on necklaces and earing, Torch quietly bought a necklace, the shop assistant put it in the box and said something to Arthur, the boy only nodded and smiled in answer.
"Well, where we're going next?" Azumi asked him, when the half of the mal was done.
"Well, I think to the bookshop, we're still to buy some books." he said with a smile.
They headed to the third floor and when they were on it, they saw a big shop with lots of books. Torch and Azumi started to explore the shop carefully looking for the line with medicine. They could see lots of different book, among them were novels, detective stories, books for studying languages, political books, lots of commixes, and even manga. Azumi decided to stand in front of the last categories. She took one book and started to watch through it, pretty fast.
"Man, I understand what it's about, but I understand absolutely nothing from the written." the girl with the scarf said to Arthur.
"That what I feel being in another country." He replied to her, "Especially if I'm somewhere in Europe."
"I've never been to other countries, so this trip is really worrying for me."
"Don't worry, if you continue to work with us, you'll get used to it fast." he chuckled to her.
They finally found the needed place, where books were about psychiatric and psychology. They started to explore the books; there were books in several languages, like English, Spanish, German.
"What language did he asked you to buy?" Azumi asked, trying to pick something.
"Well, here's the problem, he didn't tell me about it." Torch put his hand onto the back of his head.
He took out a telephone out of his jacket, and started to press some buttons, he pressed it to his ear and started to wait the answer, but there was nothing, but only beeps.
"Perhaps he is busy." the boy with flame abilities sighed.
"Look!" Azumi grabbed some book and turned with it to Torch, "I didn't know that you comrade have written a book."
"Wow, didn't think that our Doc is a writer." Torch was surprised too; he looked at the book, and started to read with Azumi.
"Is it in Latin? Because I don't think that it's in English." Azumi was looking at the letters, but some of them were new to her, and the way the words were reading made her understood it.
Torch opened the first page, "It's in Polish." he said to her.
"By the way do you know Polish?" she asked him, taking the book trying to read it properly, pronouncing each letter.
"Well, I know that it's a kindred language with Russian, so several words will be familiar to me."
"I see." she put the book onto the shelf and continued to watch.
They took five books; all of them were devoted to brain, psychiatric diseases and mental training. They went to the casher and Torch paid for them. The left the mall and Torch suddenly said watching at his telephone.
"It half past three, now we can go to Natasha."
They went there by bus. There were some traffic jams, but they weren't too scaring. They were talking with each other calmly, trying not to disturb other people in the bus. The way was pretty far, and it took an hour to reach the hospital.
They left the bus on the bus stop and in front of the stop was the hospital that they needed, they entered it and then walking by the corridor found the needed chamber. Standing in front of the door, Torch sighed deeply. His arms were shaking, and he felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned and saw Azumi who was smiling to him.
"Everything is fine, you're working for her."
"Yes." he sighed deeply, "You're right." He knocked at the door, and said, "Natasha, we're here!"
"Brother, Azumi!" Natasha exclaimed, seeing a pair in front of her, and put the album she was holding in her arms onto a bedside table.
"How are you today sissy?" the boy asked his sister, "What have you drawn today?"
"Nothing special." Natasha took the album and stretched it to her brother and Azumi, "Just you together."
"And you call it nothing special?" Azumi put on a semblance of a slight disappointment, but still chuckled, "It's really a beautiful one." she said, coming to see it, and when she saw it her cheeks started to become red.
"I knew you'd like it." she said to them.
"You even painted us in our battle uniform." Torch looked at the picture, "Well, mine is a bit different." Torch said watching at his one.
"Mine is pretty similar." Azumi replied, "I think this one suits you better." she said to Arthur, "However yours not bad too."
"Thanks." he said to his temporal girlfriend. He took out some fruits and put them in the bed side table, and sat by her, "What do doctor say? When is the day of surgery?"
"Well…" Natasha stumbled, "I don't think, that I'm ready for it." she said with a lowered voice.
"Why you think so?" Arthur got closer to her, Azumi sat too.
"I… I'm scared of it." she confessed honestly.
"Why?" Azumi asked her, "I don't think you should be scary of it."
"Um…" Natasha didn't know how to answer it right, "I… I'm afraid that something can go wrong.
"No need." Arthur put his hand onto her shoulder, he smiled to her trying to calm her down, "Doctors know their work well and will do everything well. And if something starts to bother you, just know that you elder brother is with you and will make everything for his little sister."
"Hey, don't forget about me." Azumi didn't like that Torch forgot about her, she put her hand onto Natasha one and said, "You know, this surgery is just like our missions."
"In what way?" Natasha didn't understand, how these things, were common.
"When I firstly was ordered on a mission to fight demons, I was scared a lot. It was just like, I an ordinary student must kill strong and dangerous demons, and when I encountered them during it, I thought that I'd never be able to get out of there alive." she stopped for a second, "But with the help of my sensei, I could overwhelm this excitement, and there also was my sister who helped me to do this."
"Do you have a sister?" Natasha reasked the girl.
"Yup, we're twins with her, and only because of them I could started my career of Taimanin." she explained, "But the moral is that, you have to be brave too, if the surgery makes your health better, you must do this. Your brother, cannot be with you during it, but he always will be with you here." she pointed with her finger onto her heart, "And here." and then to her head, "And I'll always be cheering for you." she smiled.
Torch squeezed his hands into fists, 'Why all this happening?! I just can withstand how we lie to her!'
"By the way, what did you feel during your first mission?" Azumi saw it, and decided to lead him on a talk with them.
"Um, me?" he reasked her, she nodded, "Well, the same I think." he tried to remember what he felt on his first mission, "Honestly, I don't remember, but I think I felt the same, I was on it with my classmate, he was our star, and no one could defeat him in battles, if not him, I think I could have more troubles with demons than I had with him."
"See, even your brother, was excited, so you're not an exception." Azumi continued with the same gentle smile, "That's why you must do this surgery."
"Yeah, I don't think that you're some yellow-belly." Torch chuckled, "You even won't feel anything, doctors will do everything perfect, after all, Olga Stepanovna will take care of you, I'll also try to come after the operation to you."
"Will you come too?" Torch's sister asked Azumi.
"Of course I will." Azumi gently petted her head, "After all we are friends now."
Their talk continued, for an hour and half, and then a doctor knocked at the door, of Natasha's chamber. He said that she must be taken to some therapy now, so it was an end of their talk, and both of them started to leave. The doctor left with them and asked Torch.
"Is she agreed for the surgery?"
"Yes, when it will be?" Torch asked him back.
"It'll be in two weeks, I think." he replied, "Don't worry, I everything will be find, the surgery isn't difficult, we all hope that everything will be fine."
"I wish so." Torch replied, and then he and his friend went out of the hospital.
"Interesting, how fast these creatures will find something?" Etienne asked one of his assistance who was wandering around four large flasks of glass.
"Difficult to say." the assistant was exploring the creatures inside of them and was putting some notes into his copybook, "It would be better if they had an instance of someone's odor. Without it it'll be difficult for them to find Taimanin nests."
"I know this smarty." Etienne replied turning to the computer, "But that's why I decided to make one of them flying, so he will be able to find someone faster." he checked something pressing several buttons and added, "Damn it, and the heads demand to start, the test with their sortie immideately."
"What?" the assistant was shocked, "But they haven't passed all tests, we still don't know is this serum we injected into them stable or not, what if they go insane during their mission or there will happen something even worse?"
Etienne took off his glasses and rubbed his nasal bridge, "Don't you think I don't take this in account?"
"No, but…" the man wasn't able to finish, as the French scientist interrupted him.
"I and Lisa will go with them in order to check that everything will be fine. It will allow us to make some tests on them too."
The assistant wanted to say something, but suddenly was stumbled like he saw a ghost.
"I hope you didn't forget about our project, Etienne?" the French heard a voice behind him, he only turned his head.
"Walter, how many times I asked you not to do so?" Etienne didn't seem like he was scared or excited, "Don't worry, I monitor your question, and right now there's everything on the same level."
"Nice to hear that you didn't forget about it." Walter smiled to him, but still was standing like he was waiting something.
"If you want we can go and check." Etienne offered him, knowing that man wouldn't answer him it straight.
"Let's." the man in armor replied, and walked next to the flasks, and said when they were in corridor, "So you decided to experiment on mere humans after all?"
"Yes, hunters are pretty rare pleasure, and they are also needed in some work, while other simple humans suit much better for experiments.
"Huh, and it tell a human about his own kin!" Walter chuckled, "I've never met humans who would say something like this."
"Maybe it's because I've already forgot about my human side?" Etienne asked himself, "I'm much more than just an ordinary human or even more of these hunters."
"These hunters are close to humans, while you're close to us." Walter replied, "Indeed they can reveal their inner demon, but even so if they can manipulate it, they will still remain as humans."
"Inner demon?" Etienne asked, "Is it a thing that that responds for their unique abilities?"
"Yes, you also call them Participles." Walter replied.
"Hm, if I had one instance I'd try to check how to awake this thing." Etienne pondered, "No matter what, but I have to find several hunters during this mission, and find out about these inner demon more." then Etienne suddenly asked, "By the way, what's with the boy? How is he?"
"Pretty fine, he is training with that girl of our allies." Walter replied, "With her his training is more effective then with Torch's one."
"So you're going to him to her?"
"No, I'm planning to make them both to train him." the Demon Lord replied, "He has some bounds with Torch and I hope he will make them with these girl, and then…" he chuckled.
"As I understand, you want to put them in a grave danger and something inside of him, will come outside."
"You're right." Walter was happy that the scientist understood him, "I want to see will the creature inside of him, return its power back or not."
"If it's not a secret, what lies inside of him? I mean you're fuss around him so much, I've never seen you to do with someone else."
"You'll see when the time come." the man replied mysteriously.
They came to the needed lab. There was no one there so Etienne quickly came to the bulbs where he put the objects which Walter told to clone.
"Hm, that's interesting." Etienne replied coming to them, "Very peculiar."
"What is it?" Walter seemed didn't like the reaction of the French.
"Well, it appears that it starts to give cells, which can be used in cloning, but…" Etienne didn't finish.
"But?" Walter insisted.
"But there are two way of doing it." Etienne replied, "As I remember they were some strong demons, am I right?"
"Yes, something like that."
"There two methods how I can replicate them. First one is basic, but long I don't think you're interested in it."
"And the second one?" the true Vampire King asked him.
"One of difficult, but still faster one." Etienne replied to him.
"What do we need for it?"
"We need two vessels for them, I'll make these cells stronger, and inject them into vessels, and then we have to make them weaker, giving an opportunity for cells to prevail over theirs immune system, and then I hope, we'll be able to replicate the ones you want."
"And what vessels do we need?" Walter asked him, "As I understand ordinary humans won't be good for this."
"Correct, their bodies won't be able to bear such DNA code. These demons will be too much for them that's why we need someone like Taimanin, they will bear it perfectly."
"I'll think of something." Walter pondered on how to get some Taimanin.
"If you want you can send our demonic duo, Tiradex will, sniff the targets and with Tardis they will capture them pretty fast."
"Not a bad idea, I'll also send the other two demons, and at the same time Celine is watching for their nests too, so I think we'll be able to find something soon enough."
"And I'm going to send my beasts too, so you have three or even four squads, in looking for Taimanin." Etienne chuckled.
"Fine, I hope you'll keep me informed, I'll leave your for a small period time soon, so everything what relates to these two, is on you."
"Got it." Etienne replied, "Then I'll go and check my beasts, soon the hunt start."
"And we will get what we look for." Walter chuckled and covered himself with his cape.