Shujin tosses a stone towards the cold waters of the lake.

'Only two bounces.' He sighs in disappointment.

His picks up another stone, determined to beat his 2 bounces. With a flick of the wrist, he tosses the stone. It bounces off the surface of the lake.

'Yes!'

Gaining momentum, the stone takes flight once more, landing on the surface then promptly sinks to the depths of the lake.

"Kusou"' Shujin curses.

Shujin slouches down on the ground thinking back on the events of earlier this morning. The old bastard finally decided to attend work on time. Shujin took this as an opportunity to ask him about the book he lent to Kagami. Of course, with his usually wacky smile, he dodged the subject, insisting that he merely received it from a man from his childhood and he couldn't remember the rest.

'Lying bastard.' Ono has the memory of a hawk. Regardless, Shujin let it be. It's just a harmless fairy tale, can't do no harm.

Anyways, they have more pressing issues to attend to. Kagami's insisted Shujin to keep it hush hush infront of Kagami. It was tough convincing her father, but eventually he relented stating that Kagami studying overseas would make him look good to his business friends.

Shujin still remembers the first time he met her father. The day they left for America. Shujin instantly hated his guts. Now the plan is to cut off ties entirely. Though how, with her fathers immense wealth and power, that is proving difficult at the moment.

Shujin sighs. Still, this was better than life with the yakuza.

'Click!'

"Kinkaede? Really?"

Kinkaede stands firmly behind his $400 DSLR camera. It was his idea to spend their break by the lake, rambling on about how the evening sundown would make a great lighting effect on the water.

Kinkaede takes another shot of Shujin prompting the former yakuza to stick up his middle finger at Kinkaede. Kinkaede laughs at Shujin's jester.

Finally Kinkaede stops his snapping spree and wanders to Shujin, adamant to show him his 'masterpieces' as Shujin likes to put it.

"Look." Kinkaede directs him to the screen of his camera. "The lighting is perfect here. The way it radiates off your hair and enhances the calmness of the lake." Kinkaede then circles the image of Shujin's face. " And your face, you look so lost in thought, confused ,conflicted. It juxtaposes the calmness of the environment. You see why I had to a pic?"

Shujin couldn't believe Kinkaede was right. The image was beautifully solemn. Perfectly capturing the turmoil in his head.

Kinkaede puts his camera back on it's tripod. "You need to talk?"

Shujin sighs but relents. "It's just the usual. Kagami and - "

"The 'Devil King' himself?" Kinkaede finishes.

Shujin gives Kinkaede an exasperated expression. He couldn't lie to himself. Kinkaede finishing his sentences kinda turned him on.

Kinkaede returns to taking shots of the cold lake. "You planning on telling Kagami yet?"

"Once we get the demon lord out of the way. The bastard won't stop calling." Shujin says as he sits himself on a bench.

Kinkaede chuckles in response before returning his focus on his 'work.' Shujin rolls his eyes, fancying the colours of the sky over Kinkaede's photography craze. Once Kinkaede's in his element there's no breaking him out of it.

Shujin closes his eyes. Why does trouble always follow him. Almost meditating, Shujin enjoys the fresh air until he feels a thud on his chest. His eyes shoot open and there standing tall and broad as ever, Kinkaede, hand outstretched towards Shujin's chest holding a couple of bucks. Shujin couldn't help but facepalm. Regardless, he takes the money, already understanding what Kinkaede is insinuating.

"So you can't get food yourself?" Shujin teases.

Kinkaede shakes his head but not before cupping Shujin's cheeks. Shujin couldn't help but fluster. Kinkaede proceeds to turn Shujin's head to the direction of the lake.

"See those swans over there. They'll look perfect in a shot. If I go they might leave when I get back. Can't risk that."

"Sigh, alright I concede, I'll get you something to eat." Shujin says.

"Thanks man."

"Yeah...whatever." A blush is spotted on Shujin. Damn. "Well, I might as well get something myself while I'm at it."

Before Kinkaede could react, Shujin already struts off.

Kinkaede shakes his head, smile still in place. "Asshole."

Unbeknownst to the men, two strangers were spying on them from afar. They hide in a bush, hoping to conceal themselves from the men. They watch as Shujin walks off.

"This is my chance!" the female says.

"Flamma, what the hell is this?"

"Anchor sit down! Do you want us to be notice?!"

Shaking his head, Anchor concedes and hides alongside Flamma. They've already collected much information on the residents of the Shizuku restaurant. Takahashi Ono, the founder of the restaurant 2 years ago , aged 66. Kagami Sugawara, 16 years old, granddaughter of Takahashi Ono and attends Venture Falls high school. Finally Shujin Akatsuki, not blood related to either of the two, 36 years old, Takahashi recruited him to work at his restaurant. That was all the information Anchor could find. The only other source was an interview from a year ago. The only useful info he retrieved from that interview was that Takahashi used to live in Venture falls in his youth. At least they knew a little bit more but it wasn't enough to act and Magor's been growing ever more impatient. Though it was by chance, Anchor did hear Commander Vestalt's report to Magor one night.

'His powers are dwindling.'

They don't have enough time before they'll lose the upper hand.

They needed some way to get close to the residents of Shizuku. Find out what they know then strike when the timing is right. So Flamma came up with this supposed 'brillant' plan.

"I'm going to make Shujin fall in love with me!"

Anchor couldn't help but laugh at Flamma's suggestion but here they are.

He pinches the brink of his nose before speaking up. "Flamma, we're wasting time. This isn't going to work."

"Nuh uh!" Flamma perches up. "I've been reading a ton of romance books lately. I've got this under the bag. Shujin wouldn't be able to resist my womanly charms!"

"And how are you going to do that?"

Flamma places both hands, now glamoured up , on Anchor's shoulders, gently rocking him back and forth. "Trust me! I've got this!" Flamma reaches out to the pile of books laid out beside her. She winks at Anchor before running off to Shujin. Anchor could only sigh.

Shujin continues to amble on, minding his business wondering were to find a snack for Kinkaede and himself.

'There must be a vending machine somewhere out here?' he wonders to himself.

Flamma finally catches up to him, mirroring his pace, hoping for him to notice her. Shujin doesn't bat an eye, still lost in thought.

Flamma scowls. Time for step 2. She purposefully trips, scattering her books all over the ground. Shujin saunters away, completely ignoring her. Flamma didn't want to do it but she had to move on to phase 3. Direct contact.

Shujin finally made his way to a vending machine. He inserts the coins in slowly, wanting to enjoy the moment before he has to be subjected to more photography nerd Kinkaede before heading back to work. Though this moment is short-lived as a hand slamming onto the machine, jolts him back to reality. Shujin stares at her in confusion.

"Uh..do you need something?"

Flamma cackles nervously having not planned what she's going to say. "Hahaha...it's just I never met a guy so handsome before!"

Shujin cocks his head and raises an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Flamma starts sweating profusely. Why is she so nervous? Improvise! Improvise! "Uh well..you see, you're that guy from that restaurant! Shizuku, right? I frequently go there and I've seen you a couple times and uh...it was a coincidence in meeting you here!" Shujin still keeps his confused expression in face, not helping Flamma's case of sudden nervousness. Still Flamma pursues. "I was just wondering if...you know...can I get your number?"

In an instant, Shujin realizes what is going on and it elicits a big yikes in his mind. "Uh..I'm sorry umm?"

"Flamma."

"Flamma."

'Shit!' Flamma curses in her mind. She should've went with a pseudo name!

"Um, if I'm getting this right you're hitting on me right now?"

Flamma could only nod her head in shame. Anchor was right, it was a stupid plan.

"Sorry but I'm gay."

Flamma stands there utterly speechless. "G-gay?"

Shujin just sighs as he continues to speak. "As in I'm only attracted to men."

Flamma proceeds to cackle out loud, startling Shujin and passbyers around. "That's fantastic! You see I made a bet with my friend! He'd be a perfect match for you!" Oh Anchor is so going to kill her for this.

Shujin sighs again. He'd rather be working than going through this shit. Curse his good looks! "Sorry but I'm engaged."

Flamma laughs again, nudging his chest. "Well I don't see the bride to be anywhere!"

"Now you see him." Somehow out of nowhere Kinkaede shows up, lacing his arm around Shujin, much to his dismay. "Why are you here?"

"You were taking too long...and the birds left so I got bored."

Flamma cackles nervous. Her plan tremendously wrong in the worst way possible. She could imagine Anchor right now losing his shit.

"Oh hehheehe...this is awkward."

"Yes, very , very awkward." Kinkaede couldn't help but comment.

Time to abort the ship.

"Uh I'm just gonna take my leave now." Before Flamma could escape, she feels somethings tuging at her bag. It's a dog.

"What the - "

Before Flamma could speak a random woman comes rushes over to the dog and pries it off her bag.

"Sorry I don't know what's come over him." The woman says as she tries to calm her dog down.

More dogs come rushing over to Flamma, either in hoards or singly all barking harshly at Flamma. It's as if they sensed some negative aura surrounding the woman.

Kinkaede and Shujin stare at the scene starstruck until they both (well mostly Shujin) decide to leave.

"Should I go back with my camera?" Kinkaede asks.

"No..just...forget this ever happened."

Kagami taps at the glass window of the bus. The girl honestly had no idea where the bus driver was heading, she just needed to get far away from the school. The bus was quite, only a few people were on, mostly adults given that students were still in school. In school, she should be there right now. Sayonara to her perfect attendance, not that it matters anymore.

The events a couple of hours were just...a massive headache. She still can't comprehend what had happened with Toby and outside when she burned her mother's letter.

Kagami doesn't believe in god (but given the current situation, there might as well be one) but she couldn't help but say a little pray, hoping that this was all a hyper realistic dream and she'd wake up already. But unfortunately , that'd never come. At least right now, in this peaceful moment in time, Kagami can take a breather and relax. She'd figure what to do with Toby and this sudden onset of fire powers later when she's more clear headed.

A few minutes goes by of tranquillity. Yet Kagami could feel a certain warmness stirring in her chest. It's...welcoming to say the least. Gradually, that warmness swells into a fire erupting within her chest.

Kagami senses the growing feeling is related to her powers, anxious at the thought of what's going to happen next.

'Just a couple more minutes...just more time to relax before something crazy happens again.'

Her body heats up, increases in body temperature. Eventually it wasn't just in her body, the bus itself seems hotter. But Kagami's heart stops when she pays attention to the other voices in the bus.

"Is it me or did it suddenly get super hot in here?"

"I swore it was freezing just a second ago!"

Kagami's heart picks up its pulse again, beating even faster than before.

"It's me."

Her head's spinning a million miles and her breath becomes rash and harsher. A tingling sensation is felt on her fingers and she turns to face them. She gasps at the sight. Her fingers stain red with hot sizzling energy, melting the window with her touch. Kagami's quick to release her hold, grasping her hands tightly to her chest to hide her coloured fingers.

'I have to get out! I'm putting these people in danger!'

So Kagami rushes to front of the bus, forging composure as she talks to the driver.

"Is it okay if you could stop here?" Kagami says, failing to hide the shakiness of her voice.

The driver nods his head, obliging to her request. Kagami bows before mouthing a 'thank you' and takes her leave.

The girl brisk walks, making sure to not bump into nor interact with anyone. She must get far away as possible then figure out how to stop her hands from burning. She needs help but who could she confide in out here on her own? Should she have gone back home to Oiji-san and Shujin?

Kagami doesn't exercise often, and brisk walking for so long should send her heart racing but it's slowing down. Her heart's beating way too slow for any normal human being to still be breathing.

"Itai!" A sudden jolt of pain surging from her chest stops Kagami dead on her tracks.

She places a hand on her chest, determined to keep walking. Yet the pain is too much.

It's as if her heart was trying to break free from the cage that is her body. Her ribs hurt, but Kagami still ambles, masking the pain.

The migraines threaten to return, and she feels lightheaded. She's going to pass out at any moment, fazing back and forth between consciousness and unconsciousness.

Before she could falter, the pain dispatches out of nowhere. She's enveloped with a different sensation and the burning soothes down.

Someone is calling out to her however it's not anyone she knows. It's difficult for her to comprehend.

It isn't a someone…no…it's different. She's being drawn towards something. Something important. Something that belongs to her. But what is it?

Kagami takes in her surrounds. It'd desolate and quiet. She's never been here before and she hopes she didn't stumble in the shady part of town. She looks to her righ and finds herself an old bookstore.

"It's there."

Whatever 'it' is that to her, calling her, it's in that bookstore.

Whatever she's about to do may be dangerous and she should just go home but whatever is in that bookstore, she could feel that it may have the answers to her new powers.

So Kagami pushes the door open with her wrists (the door was unlocked even though the closed sign was in place). She peeks through. There's nowhere there. Kagami proceeds in, scanning the environment for anything suspicious.

She searches the bookshelves. All the books look ancient, torn and worn down. Hesitate, she reaches for one book. She breathes a sigh of relief as it doesn't go up in flames with her touch. Her powers must've calmed down. Now confident she plucks the book off the shelf, opens it and she stares mystified by its contents.

"Another Gormiti book!" the girl squeals.

She presumed there would be other books, but she could never get her hands on them. As far as Kagami knew, her book was the only one in existence!

The girl flips through the book intrigued to find out different facts she had simply never guessed.

This was the happiest Kagami felt in a long time.

"Excuse me?" A voice rings out.

Kagami freezes like a small child caught stealing. She squeezes the book tightly to her chest and bends down to apologise.

"Sorry I knew the shop was closed but the door was unlocked and - "

The stranger chuckle and unveils himself from the shadows. It's a slime, 20-something with short chopped hair clothed in a shirt and tie. He pushed up his glasses before he speaks. "No worries, we don't have customers that often to any new face is welcome."

Kagami blushes at the compliment. So, this is an adult's charm.

"I see you've taken an interest in that book." The man shifts closer to Kagami, making her somewhat uncomfortable with the short distance, causing Kagami to the book.

"Sorry!"

They both scurry to pick up the book and their hands overlap. The once dormant energy resurges just for that instant, her fingers glowing as she burns away at the man's hand.

"Uck!" The man flicks her hand away, nursing his wound.

"Oh no!" Kagami panics. Why is this happening? She should've been more careful. Her powers are going out of control again.

The temperature rises and the glowing in her fingers won't stop. Her hands tremble with anxiety. 'No, no, no!'

Kagami scoots away from the man, hiding her hands within her chest.

"Please stop! Why won't it stop!?"

"Are you okay miss?" the man asks, for some reason, he isn't fazed by her powers. He reaches out towards her.

"STOP!" she screams from the top of her lungs. "Please stay back!"

The man puts his hands up, "Don't worry, we can help you, you just need to calm down."

Why is he so unfazed? Her instincts told her not to trust this man, to run away but who else does she have left. He said he could help her and frankly she needed all the help she could get.

Once the man sees Kagami relax he steps closer, " Now if it's alright with you, can you show me your hands?"

Kagami does as she's told.

"Can you walk?"

Kagami nods her head, too drained to speak. The man signals to someone and another person, a woman shows up.

"Bring her to the back, I'll go get Vestalt." the man runs off the back of the store.

The woman hunches down to meet Kagami at eyeline. Her infectious smile somehow lifts Kagami's mood just a bit. "Don't worry, we'll take care of you."

Kagami smiles back to the woman, clearly forced but the woman doesn't seem shaken. After a long day of drama and craziness maybe this time, Kagami can finally have something go her way.

Cooped up in a secluded, dark room, Vestalt kneels before her leader. Magor stands there, foreboding as ever. He isn't physically present however his raging aura could still be felt.

"If you'd pardon me master, we've found the location of final piece of the orb. My team and I are in the mist of formulating a plan and gathering information. I request more time before our men begin to proceed."

"Preposterous!" chims up Obscurio, who's standing by Magor's side with Magmion at his left.

"2 years master! It's been 2 years since you've allowed this..this simpleton into our ranks and ruin the good name of this nation!" Obscurio's tone is embroiled with anger. "They've barely made any process. We can't keep laying low! We must bring forth our army before the other gormiti get the upper hand!"

"Master, I assure you, keeping out of the other nations radar is the best course of action!" Vestalt couldn't help 'unbecome' of her natural composed state around Obscurio.

Obscurio continues his rant, "Nonsense! Our men are growing sluggish. Even you Master, your strength is dwindling. If the lords of nature hear about this - "

"If we follow my plan they won't know until it is too late!"

"Your plans has gotten us nothing but stagnation! A wretched scoundrel like yourself has no place commanding our army! "

"ENOUGH!" Magor's roars startling Obsucrio and Magmion but Vestalt remains composed.

Magor pauses of second, considering both sides of the argument before booming his rich voice. "Vestalt."

Vestalt in turn bows to Magor, "Yes master."

"I'm giving you one month to complete your mission and return to Gorm. If you fail to deliver the orb in time, you'll be revoked of your status as commander. Do you understand?"

Vestalt nods her head. With that the image of Magor vanishes in flames.

Not a moment too soon, the door swings open revealing Anchor.

Anchor, I told you not to disturb me while I'm in this room." Vestalt scolds.

"Sorry, but we have urgent business to attend to with a guest."

Vestalt raises an eyebrow. Of course, they're a bookstore in disguise so customers going and leaving is a common occurrence but for Anchor to disobey her, it must be important.

The lady, apparently known as Flamma brings Kagami to a bedroom. Whoever slept here, whether it'd be Flamma, that man or this one person that could help her, they must've been a minimalist as the room is practically empty.

Kagami picks a corner of the room and flops onto the floor. She curls herself into a tight ball, making herself as small as possible. The growing chest pain returns, and the room is growing warmer by the second. Kagami didn't want to hurt Flamma so she tries to stay far away from her though the woman in question doesn't seem fazed by the heat or her strange powers.

The man enters the room, with an older woman in tow. "Here's the girl I was telling you about."

Flamma and the man step back to give the older woman space to do her magic.

Kagami expects the older woman to do some weird voodoo magic. Instead the lady perches herself atop of the bed, making herself comfortable.

"Tell me, why are you so afraid?"

That breaks Kagami out of her funk. "Huh?"

"You're afraid of yourself."

How is this going to help her?

"Why wouldn't I be? I have strange powers that burn anything I touch. I'm a hazard!" Kagami cries. She sinks her head to her kneels.

"I'm not talking about your powers."

Now she completely lost Kagami. The girl burrows her eyebrows in thought. She's afraid of herself? How?

The lady sensing Kagami's confusion approaches the girl unbeknownst to her. She lifts Kagami's chin up. The lady is completely unaffected by her powers.

"Your real self, your true feelings. They're trapped, hostile." The lady let's go of her touch and extends a hand. Within her palm is a faint spark. In mere seconds a blazing flame erupts from the spark.

Startled, Flamma attempts to speak from the door frame but Anchor stops her. "She knows what she's doing. Trust our Commander, Flamma."

"They're screaming, wanting to break free from the chains you placed them in."

Kagami was mesmerised by the scene. This old woman is the same as her.

'To let my true self out..'

"But that's what caused the problem in the first place!" Kagami cries.

This time, Anchor is the one startled. He'd never speak that way to his commander.

"If I never lashed out on Toby, if I'd never ran away! None of this would've happened!" Unable to contain it anymore, Kagami breaks down into a sobbing spree. Her chest is in excruciating pain. She just wants all this to stop. To be back home in her room, working on the assignment.

Vestalt unfazed speaks up, "If things went differently then maybe not today, but someday this would've happened." The flames in Vestalt's hand blooms brightly, consuming her entire hand. "To break free from your chains, to accept the burning flame in your heart. I understand why you'd be afraid. But once you break free - " The flame condense into a sphere before bursting out to reveal a small fairy made up of fire. It flies towards Kagami and gives her a kiss on the nose before disappearing to thin air. " - You'll find out what you found scary, wasn't that scary after all."

Kagami's tears still fall but she'd calm down. The pain recedes and her chest begins to feel lighter. Eventually, the intense heat that once plagued the room cools down, returning to its normal temperature.

Vestalt cups Kagami's cheeks, wiping away the tears from her eyes. "Don't be afraid of yourself. Embrace your powers." Vestalt brings her hands on Kagami's and clasps them together. "Let yourself go."

Kagami closes her eyes, focusing on Vestalt's words.

'Embrace my powers. Don't be afraid.'

Kagami won't contain her powers. She won't run away. She's done running. She'll accept them. Her powers, feeling and herself.

Her heart returns to its natural beat. Kagami opens her eyes to her hands, with Vestalt's hands gone, glowing with bright light. She releases her hands to reveal the same fairy Vestalt conjured. Kagami's eyes well up but she isn't sad. This fairy's warmth, it's different. It touched Kagami's heart and she couldn't help but smile.

The fairy places a giving hand on her thumb, as if telling Kagami she wasn't alone, before dispatching into the air.

Vestalt places a knowing hand on Kagami's shoulder. "You girl, have an incredible power."

Kagami nods her head. At first, she was afraid of her powers but now, she knows it must've been destiny. It led here to this bookstore, to these people and her dreams.

"Is it okay if I tell you something?"

"Go ahead my dear."

"I've been having these weird dreams lately and - ugh!" Kagami suddenly feels dizzy. Her body is unusually sluggish, like gravity is pushing down on her. She lost consciousness but luckily, it's only for a couple of seconds. When she opened her eyes, she's in Vestalt's arms, with the other two crowding around her.

"Right now, you need to go home and rest" Vestalt says. "Anchor, make sure you escort this young lady safely home."

"Yes Comma - mam." Anchor corrects himself.

Before Anchor could lead Kagami home, Vestalt rubs Kagami hand to gain her attention. "I'd think I'd be best if you didn't mention what happened today to anyone for the moment."

Kagami nods her head before leaving with Anchor.

Making sure Kagami is completely out of ears reach Vestalt closes the door gently. "That girl, she's Kagami Sugawara from Anchor's report."

"Hmhmm!" Flamma perks up. "Granddaughter of Takahashi Ono, owner of the Japanese Restaurant, Shinzuku!" Flamma proudly states, having done her research.

"Takahashi Ono..." Vestalt, clenches her fist, granting only herself a cunning grin, "Your granddaughter will become of good use to us."

A/N: PLOT, ANGST AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT(? if you'd call it that idk) ALL IN ONE CHAPTER? NAAAAAAAANIIIIIIIIIIIIIII(sorry I had to go full weeaboo on you guys)

๑•́ㅿ•̀๑) ᔆᵒʳʳᵞ for the long wait, (guys I do read comments), I've just been really busy with exams and stuff so I had to put the fic on hold. But now I'm back and with summer vacation I'll hopefully be able to have more frequent updates. How frequent? I have absolutely no clue but it won't take 2 months.

Ya'll are probably missing our regular gormiti cast, Don't worry, we'll be going back to Toby and co. next chapter.

If everything goes according to plan , see ya'll next week.

If it doesn't (which is probably going to be the case) then see ya'll whenever.