The Next Day...

"So...this is the place."

"Yep. This is it, alright."

Tsukune and I have been walking down a dirt path for the past few minutes, following the unclear instructions on a 'map' the Headmaster gave us to find the Student Council building, which is not far off campus. We eventually found a wooden mansion-like building with a sign on the pathway saying, 'Student Council' with another sign below it that reads 'Festival Committee'. A few crows rest on top of the sign, they caw at us upon arrival. I know I'm used to this kind of aesthetic, but this place even gives me the creeps.

So our story is that we're simply volunteering to be on the festival committee but in reality, we're just doing this so we won't be expelled, I feel like there's more to this than meets the eye. Why would the Headmaster want Tsukune and me to be on the committee specifically? I need to be on my toes every time we're here, It's already annoying enough that this is taking time away from the others. Plus there's my passion project I've been meaning to work on.

HOO! HOO!

I told Archimedes to follow us so he would know where Tsukune and I were in case anything went astray and he could tell the others. The owl lands on my shoulder and shakes his head. "I'll say, I'm not sure of this proposition that the Headmaster has given you two. Perhaps it's best if you two just cut your losses here, there are plenty of fine institutions worldwide."

"Are any of them working to reach coexistence between humans and monsters?"

"Well, as a matter of fact-"

"It was a rhetorical question, Archimedes. Tsukune and I made this choice, we're gonna see it through."

"Plus, someone needs to do something about the Anti-Schoolers," He adds. "If no one else will stand up against them, we will. Right, Elijah?"

"Right," I nod. "Go on, Archimedes, you can tell the others that we're all right for now. Remember to keep an extra eye out, too."

The bird puffed out his chest and rolled his eyes, but he took off in the air nonetheless. "I better get that proper birdhouse as I requested for this!"

"You will!" I shouted as Archimedes flew back to the Academy building. "As soon as I continue mastering my matter manipulation," I mutter that last part.

"Well, should we go inside?"

"Might as well," I nod. "Wouldn't want to make a bad first impression, now would we?"

"Definitely not. A student council at a school like Yokai Academy? You know they gotta be weird."

I chuckle "No doubt about that."

"Tsukune? Elijah?" The pair of us turn around at the sound of someone calling our names, meeting a much taller guy wearing a black school uniform. He's got brown hair like me but not as dark, and his eyes are a mix of red and magenta behind a pair of folk glasses

Guess this is one of the Student Council Members...but how does he know our names already?

"Hi...?"

"Yo...?"

"You're the freshman Class Three president, Tsukune Aono, right? And that must mean you're Elijah Everett, right?" He practically towers over us, I'm six foot two and this guy is taller than me... "The teachers are always singing your praises, not to mention how everyone calls you the heroes of Yokai Academy. You two are joining the festival committee, right?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah..."

"That's right..."

"..." The student council guy tilted his head and gave me and Tsukune a warm smile. "Welcome! It's great to have you two aboard. Come on inside, our meeting is about to begin." He walks past us, leaving an uncertain feeling in my stomach.

"..." This guy seems a little too cheery, but let's see what he's got in store. "Well, let's indulge."

"Yeah, let's get going..."

"Oh, that reminds me," I pull Tsukune aside, out of earshot of the new guy. "I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"You know that transformation I go through when my hair goes all white and my eyes glow bright blue?"

"Yeah?"

"I finally got a name for it."

"What is it?"

"...'Merlin's Might."

Moka

Meanwhile, in the Newspaper Club, the girls are a little behind schedule with their next paper to publish.

"So, they have to work for the festival committee?" Kurumu questioned, reminding herself of Tsukune and Elijah's current situation. "I mean, I get it, but why do they have to work for him? Just when our workload's going through the roof!"

"I know, but it's the Headmaster's orders," Moka says. "If they don't, Tsukune and Elijah will be expelled. And...Tsukune is kind of going through a rough time. I'm sure Elijah is stressed about this whole thing too, but..." Moka sighed, setting down a pile of newspapers. "Tsukune's fighting the power of the vampire blood in his veins, that can't be easy for him. And I've got a feeling...something big is about to happen. Things are going to change...something unforeseeable."

"What do you mean?" Yukari asks.

"...I don't know, it's...just a feeling."

"Still, it's not fair!" Kurumu exclaimed. "I oughta see the Headmaster right now and make him give Tsukune and Elijah back to us!"

"Now there's something you and I can actually agree on," Mizore added.

"But that would be impossible," A voice called from the window of the clubroom, belonging to a familiar Witch girl. Ruby had flown inside, sitting on the windowsill with her legs crossed. "The Headmaster isn't on campus at the moment."

"Ruby? What are you doing here?"

The Witch hops from her sitting position, smiling at the other girls. "It's a long story, it's so nice to see all of you again."

"Ruby!" The Young Witch happily hugs Ruby. "I missed you!"

"Haha...I missed you too," Ruby hugged her back but only for a second, she still had something to say. "But I need you all to listen to me. Those Monstrel 'Anti-Schoolers' that are after Tsukune and Elijah...they want to sabotage the school festival too. They probably have a spy on that committee."

"What?" This shocked the group, Kurumu most of all. "A Monstrel in the committee... How does the Headmaster not know about this?!"

"I'm afraid he does. Very well, in fact," Ruby corrected the Succubus before bearing a serious expression. "He wants to trap the Monstrels. And to put it bluntly...Elijah and Tsukune are the bait."

"What?!"

"That can't be true..."

"So he's using them like worms on hooks, huh?" Mizore peeked around the corner, scowling at this information. "And I don't suppose anybody warned them?"

"Skulking about, as usual..." Yukari remarked about the Snow Fairy.

The Snow Fairy ignores their remarks. "The Monstrels already know who Elijah and Tsukune are, I'm not going to sit here and let them be sitting ducks. I'm going to help them, any objections?"

"I can't tell you anymore, I'm sorry. I'm already disobeying my orders by simply just telling you."

"Then that's more than enough," Mizore turned heel and began storming away from the others, but she stopped at the sound of Kurumu's voice.

"Wait! Mizore, stop!"

"Kurumu's right," Yukari added. "we can't be reckless about this."

"I'm going with you." The Succubus joins the Snow Fairy

"Oh, come on!"

Mizore sighed. "Listen, bazooka girl. Elijah and Tsukune don't need you making things any harder for them."

"The same goes for you, stalker."

HOO! HOO!

"Archimedes?" Kurumu and Mizore stopped at the sight of the owl swooping through the window and in front of them.

"And whom other talking owls do you know?" The owl lands on a nearby desk. "If you ladies like to know, you're bumbling buffoons have safely arrived at their designated location and wanted me to let you know that they are 'all right', Elijah's words, not mine."

"Can you take us there?"

"What, what...what?!" The pygmy owl puffed out his feathers. "And why would I do that? Don't you have your own responsibilities to attend to?"

"This is our responsibility!" Kurumu retorted. "They could be in real danger right now, don't you care about what happens to them?!"

"Hmph! I wouldn't be in this crumbling old institution in all the world if I didn't!"

"Then. Take. Us. To. Them!"

"Kurumu!" Moka shouts. "They know the risk, don't you trust them, Elijah, most of all?"

"I do, but I don't trust whoever's on that damn committee!"

Elijah

"...Whoa."

"Took the words out of my mouth..."

From the outside, Tsukune and I wouldn't have guessed that the inside would've looked like this. It was just an ordinary wooden mansion in the middle of nowhere, but the inside was more like the inner workings of a war room, they even got a giant roundabout table and everything. This is supposed to be where our meetings are supposed to take place? You would think this is where the higher-ups have their important meetings for the future of Yokai Academy.

"Come on in, guys," The guy with glasses gestures to the people already sitting around the table. "Meet the rest of the festival committee."

The other members are...probably what I should've expected from the festival committee. Only three people in this room remained in their human form, and two of them were me and Tsukune. There's one guy who has grey skin and blonde hair who just had a sour look on his face with his arms crossed. Another looked like what humans would describe as Frankenstein's Monster but his eerie smile sent a chill down my spine, and another's face was just half a clown's face with a backward cap.

"I bet you two are relieved we're just a bunch of regular guys, right?"

Regular? Yeah, right. "...Sure."

"Y-Yeah..."

The scowling guy stood up from his seat and bowed in respect to the guy who brought Tsukuen and me here. "Thank you for all your hard work, Mr. President." His voice sounded genuine and grateful.

President?

Others around the table bowed as well. "Yes, thank you."

"You're a great President."

"Thank you for everything."

He nods. "Thank you all."

"Um, President?" Tsukune expressed our shared confusion.

"Oh, sorry. Didn't introduce myself properly, did I?" He looks back at us and offers a small smile. "I'm Hokuto Kaneshiro, Student Council President. I'm looking forward to working with you guys."

"..."

"..."

"Go ahead, take a seat. We're about to begin," Tsukune and I take our seats, Hokuto goes to the head of the table and slams his hands down on the hardwood. Everyone stops talking as his voice echoes through the room. "To order, then! Today's council meeting is open for business!"

Hmm, seems like this guy is serious about this. Where was this when things were hitting the fan?

"You two surprised?" A guy to my left whispers as Hokuto goes on. His monolid eyes are already creeping me out. "Hokuto's got quite the charisma, doesn't he? Brilliant mind, strong opinions, great speaker... Both the students and the faculty trust him."

Oh, yeah? Then how come we've never heard of him?

"Most of us joined the council because we look up to him," He continued on. "That's how inspiring he is!"

"Look, how about you start shutting up and pay attention," I suggest, folding my hands on the table.

"So, what brought you guys here?" He completely ignores my advice. "I'm only asking because there are these weird rumors going around."

"Rumors?"

"Don't encourage him," I whisper to Tsukuen before I look at the other guy, getting more annoyed by the second. "Look, I don't know what you've been smoking lately, but whatever you have to say. You better zip it, lock it, and put it in your pocket."

"Next on the agenda!" Hokuto's voice brings my attention back to him. "Countermeasures against these Anti-Schoolers!" He pushes his glasses up before he continues on. "As you are all well aware, the secret society of Anti-Schoolers seeks to destroy the Academy itself. All our efforts to raise student morale through the festival - They're planning to undermine! And they aren't the only problem, violence has ravaged our student body for too long. Death can strike on this campus at any time."

"Forgive me for speaking out of turn," I say, everyone turns their heads at me. "But the way you said that just now, 'for too long', that implies that you've known about these troubles and you've done nothing about it, right?"

"Easy, man," Tsukune tries to calm me down...but I need to finish with what I have to say.

"Ever since I've stepped foot into this Academy, I have been on the receiving end from bullies and delinquents, my friends were sexually harassed by some 'fan group', my friend was almost eaten by some of your old members simply because she was a witch, a student was almost raped by a fucking teacher, and this was all just before summer break!" I stand from my seat, Hokuto's face remains unchanged by my words. "Not to mention that it took a rag-tag group of students to stand u to the Security Committee who were using their power to control this school! So forgive me if you find my faith in this student council at an all-time low. I came to Yokai Academy because I want to bring peace to the world between humans and monsters, and from what I've seen, there are a lot of those who want nothing to do with that." I take a breath and I sit back down, Tsukune pats my shoulder to help me.

"...I know," Hokuto looks at me with regret in his eyes. "And I can't apologize enough for what you, Tsukune, and your friends have gone through. I understand your drive, I do. I want to change this place for the better too, more than you know. That's why it will all end here," He turns to the rest fo us at the table, slamming his palms on the mahogany wood once again. "Here me! This darkness at the heart of our school must end with our generation! Deep in the heart, I know we can overcome this madness. I promise you all, we will have peace in our time!"

"..." His words...that tone of voice...

"We will never shrink from the Anti-Schoolers! With all our heart and by the sweat of our brow, we will make this festival a shining beacon of hope!"

The room cheers, Tsukuen and I stay silent as we take it all in. This whole thing...it feels too good to be true.

Tsukune and I leave the building and make our way back to the Academy now that the meeting is over. I found myself...actually feeling somewhat inspired by Hokuto's words. But...how can someone like him be president of the student council and not have done anything about what's going on here at Yokai Academy? He's been here longer than any of us had! I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, but I'll keep my guard up every time we're out here.

"So," I speak up. "What did you think of the whole thing?"

"Honestly, I didn't realize the Academy had students like Hakuto. I mean, besides you and the others." I nod, knowing what he meant by that. "It feels like a nice breath of air seeing other students who want peace and are willing to take action to make it happen. I was kind of moved."

"...Yeah. I won't lie, I kinda was too."

"...He's so much different from me, I'm always trying to run away."

"Hey," I punch his shoulder. "you need to stop beating yourself up over that. You always come through when it matters, remember?"

"To tell you the truth, man," Tsukune looks at me with a sad smile. "I didn't feel up to serving on the student council before."

"Yeah," I nod. "I didn't feel like it either..."

"But seeing someone else who wants peace like we do..." Tsukune's sad smile turns into a more genuine one. "It gave me hope. You, me, Hokuto, we're gonna work for peace together for the future of Yokai Academy, and then...the rest of the world!"

"..." You know, seeing Tsukune like this gives me hope, it reminds me of why I wanted to come to Yokai Academy in the first place. I chuckle and punch his arm again. "Then let's get to work."

"Hey! Wait up!"

"Huh? Oh, this guy..." Looks like the guy who wouldn't shut up in the meeting caught up with us. What the hell does he want?

"What does he want?"

"I don't know," I whisper back to Tsukune. "Just keep quiet, maybe he'll go away." He nods and the other guy gets to us in seconds.

"Mind if join you guys? My name's Mizuki Ueshiba, you can call me Mizuki if you guys like. So, thoughts on your first meeting? Think you guys can hack it?"

Okay, this guy's been here for only thirty seconds and he won't shut the fuck up "Look, 'friend'. This is an A and B conversation, so 'C' your way out of it." I hear Tsukune snicker at my sassy comment.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! No need to get sassy, fella. You two just seem like the 'good guys' and I wanted to talk to you. You know those rumors I've been talking about earlier? Well one of them is that there's probably an Anti-Schooler spy in the student council!"

"What?"

Okay, that comment actually got my attention. "What are you talking about?"

"Not the best place to talk," Mizuki grabs us by our arms and starts dragging us away. "Let's go over there!"

"Hey!"

"Would you...nngh...let go?!" He continued to drag Tsukune and me along until we reached the wrecks of an old building, the only thing left of it was the crumbled bricks of the foundation. I jerk my hand away and dust myself off, why does he smell like dirt so much? "Jeez, what is up with you?"

"I just wanted to warn you guys, is all!"

"But is it really true?" Tsukune questioned. "Could of of those students really be...a spy?"

"Even if one of them was, wouldn't someone already done something about it?"

"You guys didn't know anything about this?" Not even when you two turned in your paperwork to join? No one mentioned anything?"

We needed paperwork? Headmaster just told us where to go.

"We didn't hear anything," Tsukune answered. "Not a word."

"..." What exactly does the Headmaster want us to do?

"Hmm..." Mizuki squinted his eyes at us, they were almost shut at this point. "You two really and truly didn't hear anything about this?" He smiled at us...and I don't like what he's implying. "For real?"

"Is that an accusation? I'd choose my next words very carefully, 'friend'."

"..." Mizuki tilted his head and smiled normally. "Alright, then. Sorry I suspected you guys! It's just you two being new and all." He pats our shoulders. "Don't worry about it, it's just a silly rumor anyway!"

"..."

"...R-Right."

"Besides, you guys are really tough, right? If those Anti-Schoolers come after you two, you can just beat 'em up! Like usual." He walks past us and waves. "See you guys later!"

"..."

"..."

'Like usual'...

"Hold up," I say without turning around. "...How do you know about that?"

"Hmm? 'Bout what?"

"We didn't say a thing about fighting the Anti-Schoolers," said Tsukune. "why did you say it like that? We'll beat them up...'like usual'."

We turned around, our guard completely up...but Mizuki had vanished. Tsukune and I look around frantically, wondering where he could've gone to. "Be ready for-" I feel something grab onto my leg...from underneath me. I look down and I see a pair of slender hands grabbing onto mine and Tsukune's foot. A worm-like head follows with it.

"Well, shoot, I slipped up," The head said. "I wanted to find out more about why you two were here...before I slaying you...oh well!" Mizuki started dragging me and Tsukuen underground, I could feel my leg bending in the wrong direction as I was being buried alive.

"Shit!"

"Oh, for fuck's sa-" My words are cut off as my vision is clouded by darkness, but I swear I thought I could hear someone...calling my name.

Kurumu

"Are you sure that this is the way?"

HOO! HOO!

"Do not doubt my sense of direction, blue-haired maiden!" The owl puffed out his chest before flying down to the Succubus and Snow fairy. "I found the Blessed Child here all the way from across the world, gave me quite a flutter if you ask me!"

"Then where are they, bird?" Mizore grew sick of his attitude.

"Perhaps they finally decided to take some time away from you lasses! I would too from all of your nonsense!"

"Shows what you know..." Kurumu muttered. I know I said it was okay, but that doesn't mean I can't worry too.

"Shit!"

"Oh, for fuck's sa-"

Kurumu and Mizore stop in their tracks at the sound of...a pair of familiar voices, even Archimedes hoves in place after hearing such cries. "Did you guys hear that?" asked the Snow Fairy.

"Yeah, definitely." That sounded just like them... "Come on!" Kurumu leads Mizore and Archimedes to where she believes their voices came from, eventually finding themselves in the ruins of an old building. In the middle was a noticeable crater. "Elijah! Tsukune!"

But there was only silence...

"I sure I heard their voices!"

"Yeah, weird... They sounded like they were...screaming."

HOO! HOO!

"Girls! There's blood by this crater!"

"Blood?" Kurumu grows a pit in her stomach when she sees what Archimedes does. There was a small splatter of blood next to the unnatural hole...it trailed right into the cracks. "...Don't tell me that's-"

RUMBLE!

A pair of slender hands grab onto Kurumu and Mizore's ankles, Archimedes lets out a terrified hoot and flies above them. The Succubus and Snow Fairy look down and see a slender, worm-like head poke out of the ground with a creepy grin.

"Idiots... Guess I gotta kill you too now!"

"Eugh!"

"What the hell are you?!"

"Heh," He chuckled. "Taking the form of a worm lets me slither through the earth with ease! Like when I dragged those guys under and killed them!" The Worm starts dragging Mizore and Kurumu down into the ground.

"Oh, dear!" Archimedes swoops down and starts pecking the worm's head. "Unhand them you wriggling worm!" His pecking only makes the worm start dragging them down even faster.

"...You killed them?" No...that can't be...

"Tsukune...Elijah... You killed them?!"

"Hehe... Yep! And I'll do the same to you! Would you like that?! Hahahahaha! AAHAHAHAHAHA!" The worm cackles, and Kurumu and Mizore's bodies were halfway in the ground.

"No!"

"Dammit!" No! Tsukune...Elijah...help me.

KRAK!

The worm stopped pulling down his next prey at the sight some something coming out of the ground behind the Succubus and Snow Fairy, they turned their attention to it as well. What they saw was...a fist poking out of the ground. "...What?"

Muffled shouts come from it as it begins pulling itself more out of the ground. "NNNGGGHHH!" Another hand comes out of the ground, and then a head...followed by a torso... revealing the sight of a familiar friend. He stands on his feet, breathing heavily and scowling at the worm.

"Elijah!"

"You're okay!"

"How?!" The worm exclaimed. "I killed you! I snapped your neck! I crushed your bones! I'm sure of it!"

"..." The Blessed Child sneers at the worm, balling his fists in anger as he takes a step closer.

"Hehe, say goodbye to your..." Mizuki tries dragging the girls deeper into the ground, but something is keeping him from moving. "What's going on?"

"..." Elijah's fists start glowing yellow, the girls smile knowing that this worm bit off more than he could chew. The young man jumps into the air, raising his fist in the air. "Earth!"

BOOM!

Elijah slams his fist into the ground, causing the earth beneath the Succubus, Snow Fairy, and worm to launch out of the ground. Mizuki shouted as he wriggled in the air, he had no idea what had just happened. But that was not the only thing that he was concerned about... Another person had been launched out of the ground, his eyes glowed red as he sneered at the airborne worm.

CRASH!

He slams the worm into the ground, knocking him out cold. Kurumu and Mizore dust themselves off before standing up straight. When the smoke clears, they see the boys they've been looking for. Tsukune's eyes remained red and Elijah's scow never left his face.

"...Never forgive," Tsukune muttered. "I'll never forgive anyone who attacks my friends."

"You better learn your place, witless worm!"

"..." They're...they're okay!

Elijah

It's been a few minutes since the whole ordeal, Tsukune and I are sore as hell. My healing magic did as best as it could, but we're still sore in a few places. I still need to perfect my abilities. That trick I pulled earlier was cool as hell, though. Now that's what I call 'earth-bending'. I wonder if I can do the same thing with metal... Now that would be cool.

Archimedes gathered the rest of our group for us after Tsukune and I put that worm guy in his place, they all came to see us as if we had actually been killed. That guy didn't stand a chance against us. Our scuffle did draw a few extra students though, some even cheered when they saw Tsukune and myself. I don't really care about the praise, but it did feel kind of nice.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Kurumu looks at me with worry.

"I'm alright," I pat her head, ruffling her hair. "Just had a rocky afternoon."

Kurumu didn't even fix her messy hair after that comment. "You didn't..."

I smirk. "I did." The Succubus rolled her eyes at me, but there was a small smile tugging at her lips.

"I hate you so much..."

"I hate you too, Kuru," We share a laugh for a moment before my eyes locked onto a familiar figure. Looks like word got out to Hokuto. That's fine by me, I have a few words to say to him.

"Tsukune...Elijah..."

"Hokuto?" Tsukune notices him too. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard about what happened with Mizuki. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, you guys! I can't believe that joining the committee almost cost you your lives!"

"This is exactly what I'm talking about," I say. "People like you have the power to change things for the better, we can't keep ignoring the problem and just assume things will get better on their own! We have to take action, isn't that what you want for this Academy, for the world?! Who knows how much longer we have until these people make their move and destroy everything we worked so hard to create!"

"..."

"Hokuto, we won't let them win," Tsukune says, his tone more calm and collected. "Let's bring peace to the Academy, the three of us, together." He extends his hand out for a handshake with the Student Council President.

"..." He smiles down at him...and takes his hand. "Yes. We'll join forces and transform this place into a great school, together!" Hokuto offers his hand to me. "What do you say, Elijah?"

"..."

I look over to Kurumu, she's been scowling ever since Hokuto came here to talk. She looked at me with concern, knowing what had just happened. I can see by her eyes that she's struggling with an answer, they dart between me and the taller guy for a solid thirty seconds...but she reluctantly nods.

"...Okay," I take his hand, his grip is just as firm as my own. "Let's work together, Hokuto."

"Yes, thank you," He lets go of my hand before he walks away, turning his head back as he goes. "Thank you both!"

...?...Somewhere in the heart of Yokai Academy...

"...Heh. That was entertaining, Hokuto. Your lies are always so pretty..."

"...Kiriya... I've got news for you, that was no lie."

"Come on... Who created the Anti-Schoolers in the first place...to 'bring change' to the academy? Who? Hm?"

"...Don't worry. I will change the Academy. I'll change it...forever."