Kyandi: I'm back! Everyone, meet my OC for this story, Araceli.

Araceli: Hello!

Kyandi: She's one of my favorites because she's not as mean to me as the others.

Araceli: I'm sure they were only teasing you.

Kyandi: Of course you think that. You like to see the best in everyone.

Araceli: Only because I know the truth from the facade.

Kyandi: True, but let's not give away anything just yet, okay?

Araceli: Right!

Kyandi: Everyone, enjoy and review.

Araceli: Kyandi-sama does not own Black Clover.

Chapter 2 Exam Time

Over the next several days, Asta and Yuno got to know Araceli well. The girl's attitude never changed, no matter the time of day or night. She was a cheerful, sweet person from the moment she woke up in the morning until the moment she fell asleep at night.

Yuno was grateful for her presence because it kept Asta from constantly running off in a challenge to Yuno. It also didn't hurt that have some intelligent conversation that didn't involve yelling while Asta got distracted by things around them.

Araceli, as she had warned, was a very odd person. Some things she said and did even managed to make Yuno laugh. Every time she managed to make them laugh, it made her smile wider., the brightness of her smiles making both of them smile too. It seemed like there was no dampening the girl's mood.

Then there was the moments when she just seemed to know what they were feeling without any cues from them. She never explained it, just smiled at them and moved on to the next subject.

By the time they reached the castle town where the exams would be held, Araceli had become a fast friend.

The moment they arrived at the venue, they found the area swarmed with anti-birds. The birds flocked to those with lesser mana. While not a single bird came near Yuno or Araceli, the covered Asta.

Araceli and Yuno watched as Asta furiously tried to out run the birds. Araceli chuckled. "Asta be careful or you might run into someone."

Her warning came too late, Asta running smack dab into a man's back. The birds instantly fled from the man. Asta, clueless, turned to apologize. "Oh, sorry for bumping into you."

The man, a tall, scruffy man with a cigarette in his mouth, glared down at Asta. "You wanna die, runt?"

"Oh, dear!" Araceli's hand flew to her mouth as Asta, thinking the man was simply a very buff teenager there to take the exam, commented on how old he looked.

She was not surprised when the man grabbed Asta by the head, his grip making Asta feel like his head was going to pop like a pimple. Asta was a well intending simpleton, but clueless none the less.

"Ah. There you are." A young man in a Magic Knight's robe approached the scene then. "Captain Yami! What are you doing down here? Sheesh!"

The man, Yami, continued to grind on Asta's head. "Huh? I'm about to wring his neck."

"Uh, please don't." The young man, Finral, tried to stop his captain. "A Magic Knight leader shouldn't be killing the examinees."

Araceli stepped forward then. "Please, sir," She smiled up at him. "He didn't mean to insult you. He's a well meaning simpleton, truly, and he can't afford to lose anymore brain cells. Please release him."

Yami looked down at her, releasing a curl of smoke from his mouth. He didn't get to reply as the anti-birds suddenly fled the area in the wake of the arrival of the other eight captains.

The captain of the Golden Dawn, William, spoke. "Thanks for waiting invited examinees."

Yami released Asta, turning to join the other captains. "You're in luck, runt. You better appreciate your saved life. Or else I'm gonna kill ya."

Araceli checked that Asta was alright, glad to see that aside from a headache Asta was in one piece. She was sure that Yami really could have crushed his head with his bare hands if he really wanted to. Her attention was drawn back to the captains as William continued.

"I'm going to be in charge of the exams this time." William opened his grimoire, tree roots appearing from thin air. From the roots grew brooms, one for each examiners. "We shall now begin the Magic Knights entrance exam! We're going to have you go through a multitude of tests. The nine captains of the Magic Knights will be judging your progress. We shall then select the candidates we want in our squads."

Araceli looked down at the broom in her hands, the anticipation in the air thick enough to choke her. She would have to impress these captains if she wanted to be a Magic Knight. The oppressive atmosphere that created made a cold sweat break out across the back of her neck.

William continued with his explanation. "Those who are not chosen by any of the captains are judged to lack the talents needed to join the Magic Knights. The first test is to fly using these broomsticks. Any mage who can control his or her magical powers can do it instinctively. It's the most basic method of moving about for a mage. So if you can't fly on a broomstick, there's no future for you here!"

Araceli swept her broomstick back behind her, tucking behind her thighs so that she was sitting side saddle as she rose into the air. She tucked one ankle behind the other as she ascended high into the air alongside Yuno and a few others. She peered down below, leaning forward to watch Asta who couldn't even get his broom a fraction of a inch off the ground.

"Is he alright?" she asked Yuno.

Yuno glanced down at Asta. "Yeah."

Araceli wasn't sure. As they moved on to destroying stone walls then hitting moving targets, Asta continued to fail even as she and Yuno excelled. Through creating objects to growing seeds, Asta produced nothing. She kind of felt bad for him and his frustration, but she was proud of his determination to continued.

"Next is the final test," William announced finally. "In this test, you will engage in actual combat."

"Oh, dear..." Asta and Yuno looked at Araceli who stood between them as she vocalized the two words, a concerned look on her face. "This might cause a problem."

Neither could question her as William finished speaking. "You will pair up with someone and fight him or her! You may use your grimoire. I'm sure you've mastered one or two attack magics, right? The main job of the Magic Knight is battle. Feel free to show us what you're capable of."

Araceli didn't know how to feel about this one. She was sure she was about to upset some people, but it couldn't be helped. She had to do this if she wanted to be a Magic Knight.

"The match is over when a competitor gives up or can't fight anymore," William told them. "We have a mage who can use healing magic in tow, so fight freely. Now, would the first competitors come forward?"

The first two to step forward were Asta and a guy named Sekke. Araceli knew Sekke had only chosen to fight Asta because of his lack of magic. She stood beside Yuno as the match started, Sekke creating a bronze sphere around himself. All around them the other candidates muttered about how they wished they had challenged Asta to make themselves look better.

Araceli cupped her mouth. "Show him who's boss, Asta!"

The yell earned her some strange looks, but she didn't notice, too busy cheering for her friend, much to Yuno's delight. She let out a victorious cheer when, in a flash of speed almost too inhuman, Asta attacked, cutting through Sekke's shield and taking the guy out in one swing.

"That's a boy, Asta!" Araceli cheered while Yuno smirked.

The battles continued, a noble challenging Yuno only to get swept away just as easily as Sekke had by Asta. Araceli cheered him on, nearly jumping with glee when he won.

"Oh, will you shut up!?" Araceli turned towards a blond boy who was glaring at her. "You country bumpkins stick together like rats. It's disgusting."

Araceli could tell by his clothes alone that he was a noble. She gave him a smile. "Oh? Is it that obvious that I'm from the Forsaken Realm?"

The boy, Asher, scoffed. "Your cheering is annoying. All your doing is making yourself look even stupider."

Asta puffed up in her defense, but Araceli merely held up a hand to cut him off before he could say anything. "It's alright, Asta. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. Though, I will have to kindly ask you to leave Asta and Yuno out of it. If you have a problem with me then we can settle it maturely in a match, but do not drag their names through the mud."

Asher threw his nose in the air, a cocky smirk on his face. "You want to challenge me, huh? Fine then, commoner."

"Celi, are you sure?" Asta asked.

Araceli gave him a wide smile. "Don't worry, Asta. I'll be perfectly fine."

When the current match ended, Araceli and Asher stepped out. While Asher took a fighting stance, Araceli stood relaxed, her hands clasped behind her.

"Yield to me now, commoner, and I won't have to hurt that pretty face of yours," Asher called out to her.

Araceli chuckled lightly, unaware that two captains were staring at her imp-like face in shock. "Even if you could hit me, I'm not so concerned about my looks to be bothered if my face does get bruised."

Asher bristled. "And what's to stop me from hitting you? Some pathetic, backwoods magic?"

"Only my friend."

"What friend?"

Araceli's smile grew as she pulled out her grimoire, holding it up for all to see. On the cover was the strangest clover any of them had seen. Four leaves decorated the clover, but there, between the top two leaves, grew a fifth, jagged leaf that looked like it had been torn in two, only half remaining on the clover. The grimoire glowed as it flew up out of her hand.

"Mythic Magic: Summoning...Ascended from purgatory, Belphegor."

Horror spread throughout the whole area as black smoke spilled out of the book, curling around Araceli and expanding before solidifying into a large, dog-like creature with a skull-like face. It towered over Araceli, skeletal tail whipping out behind it. Dagger-sized claws ripped through the stone floor as it hunkered over Araceli protectively.

Araceli reached up, fondly patting the creature's neck. "This is my friend, Belphegor."

Standing there, looming over the cheerful girl like a dark shadow...was a devil.

END

Kyandi: I love Belphegor. Every time I write him, I laugh.

Araceli: Only because he insist on acting like a dog when he's far more intelligent than that.

Kyandi: Yeah, well, it's a good cover.

Araceli: Very true.

Kyandi: Wait until they meet the rest of your "friends".

Araceli: It should be fun. They are probably thinking I'm like Nacht.

Kyandi: They'll find out if they're right or wrong.

Araceli: Then shall we move on?

Kyandi: Yes. Everyone, enjoy and review.

Araceli: We'll be right back.

Kyandi: Bye-bye!