Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There was nothing in the world more important than rules. Rules were created to help people grow and better themselves. They made sure people were safe. But most importantly, they helped people succeed. As long as you followed the rules, you were guaranteed a good life.

There was nothing more important than rules.

And yet all the boy wanted to do was tear the rules apart.

For once in his entire life, the boy had made friends. Friends that taught him how to have fun and how to feel like a kid. He had felt a comforting warmth from them that he had never felt before. But, by having the friends, he was breaking the rules his mother so painstakingly put together for him. So she took them away with no mercy at all, leaving the boy alone once more.

Why? What was so wrong with playing for an hour a day? It wasn’t fair that every other kid got to act their age while he got screamed at for doing the same. He’d done everything else his mother had asked. Why was the one thing he wanted too much?

It wasn’t fair.

It wasn’t fair.

The boy watched the trees outside of his window sway with the wind. It was late at night and yet he couldn’t sleep. He knew his mother would have a fit in the morning cause of it, but he didn’t care. All he could think about was the jealousy that held him. Everywhere outside, he could see those who weren’t trapped in the cold grasp of the rules he lived by. They were laughing and having fun. The boy wanted that. He really wanted that. But his mother was cruel and didn’t want him to have fun.

Something in the back of his mind spoke against that thought. It told him his mother wasn’t cruel and actually really cared about him. His mother only wanted the best for him. It was cruel of him to assume the worst of her. Besides, it didn’t actually hurt. He’s just lying to himself cause he didn’t get what he wanted.

How selfish of him.

But for once he just wanted to be selfish.

As the boy watched the world outside, an idea crossed his mind. One that he hated but at the same time was so tempted to do. Why stay with his mother when he could just go live with his dad? He lived nowhere near them and his father probably wouldn’t give up custody of the boy. At least the boy hoped he wouldn’t.

So the boy started making plans. Once he was sure his mother wouldn’t wake up, the boy snuck out of his room and started preparing. First, he grabbed one of his backpacks and filled it with necessities. Food, water, money, a first aid kit, and the cat keychain one of his friends got him that his mother absolutely does not know about. Never in his entire life would he be willing to give up his first plushie. That the boy knew for a fact.

Once the bag was full, the boy started snooping through his mother’s stuff. The boy didn’t know where his father lived, so he hoped he could at least find a hint. If not, the boy would figure it out some other way. There was no way the boy wouldn’t run away tonight. That the boy had already decided.

In the end, the boy didn’t find any clues about his father’s whereabouts. So the boy packed a map and a few markers to mark off every location he searched. With all of that done, the boy snuck out of the house and disappeared into the night. It was far too late for anybody to be awake, so nobody saw where the boy had gone. Nobody even knew he ran away nor did they know why.

All they knew was that was the last night Riddle Rosehearts had been seen.

Trey remembered the years that followed far more than he liked. The constant blame that was thrown around. Getting yelled at by Riddle’s mother every time he was in sight. It was like she was a predator who never got their fill. She wouldn’t stop. She hadn’t stopped. It had been about 7 years now and she still made sure to blame him for everything. Every little thing was his fault because he just had to become friends with her son. And some days he really felt like it was. Everyone else sure seemed to think so. The town all believed Riddle’s mother the second she blamed him and his friend. So, even when out of that woman’s sight, they still got pointed glares and rude remarks.

Today was one of those days. As he hung out in his room, staring at the fan spinning above, he kept thinking back to those days. When he and Chenya got Riddle to leave his house. Riddle had seemed so happy back then. But maybe Riddle was hurting. Maybe he didn’t like his life in the Queendom and his mother finding out was the last straw.

Maybe this whole time, Trey dragging Riddle out of the house was the thing that caused Riddle’s disappearance.

“Wanna talk about it?” someone asked from the other side of the room.

Trey's friend, Chenya, was sprawled out across Trey’s bed. He was staring at Trey with a concerned look. His purple cat ears twitched when the two boys made eye contact and his cat tail swayed a little. Trey couldn’t help but smile a little, seeing his best friend right there with him.

“You already know what,” Trey replied,” It always plagues my mind at night.”

His smile disappeared.

“It’s funny. The guilt and the regret always hurt more when I’m tired,” Trey admitted,” Even Ms. Rosehearts can’t hurt me as much as I seem to hurt myself.”

And it hurt so much. The twisted feelings that curl around him, repeating the things he’s heard every day. He’s trapped in the thousands of glares of everyone else with no exit in sight.

It’s times like these when Trey is happy he isn’t the only one trapped in this cage.

“It’s like even when we leave this place, we’ll never be free,” Chenya said as if he had recited it so many times before,” But it’ll be a start!”

“Maybe,” Trey mumbled to himself.

Chenya’s ears flattened for a second as his eyes narrowed. He watched Trey’s expression, but it never changed from the sullen look he had before. It bothered Chenya so much to see Trey like this and he hated that he started getting used to it.

“Trey,” Chenya spoke just above a whisper as he made his way to his best friend,” I think this will be good for the both of us. We’ll finally have a fresh start without the burdens of this town. And we’ll make friends who won’t judge us for what happened back then.”

“If we get in,” Trey added.

“I don’t doubt we will,” Chenya smiled as he spoke,” And, even though we’ll be going to different schools, we’ll still be able to hang out from time to time. I’ll be just an island apart! It won’t be too hard to visit.”

Trey did not reply as his friend laid down next to him. They both continued to watch the fan above, allowing it to hypnotize them into silence. Time ticked by as the boys waited for something. What exactly, they weren’t sure. All they knew was that it would tell them whether or not their futures would actually look bright for once.

After a while, Trey finally spoke up once again.

“Chenya, what if this doesn’t help?” he asked,” What if we really can’t break free?”

“Well, it may feel like that at times,” Chenya replied,” It may feel like the world truly is against us and there is nowhere to go. But these things take time. There will be days when we cling to the past and the pain, thinking we deserve it as we do now. However, I believe we’re both strong enough to get through it! And it’ll help that, unlike here, we’ll be the only ones putting ourselves down.”

Trey smiled a little as Chenya spoke, feeling a little spark of hope inside that what he said was true. Because Trey wished that, to whatever entity that could hear his cry for help, there was a chance that this would all get better.

It wasn’t a strong feeling, but at least it was something.

Chapter Text

“Would you look at that, the sun is finally rising.”

“I’ve never been so relieved to see the sun in my entire life. It’s like a warm blanket engulfing my entire body. Damn, the night felt so long this light feels almost suffocating.”

“Maybe I should take a quick nap. I haven’t felt this tired in a long time.”

Clack, clack, clack.

“Hm?”

Night Raven College was a prestigious school in the eyes of the public. Only those with the proper talent to become an incredible mage were allowed to attend and it held some incredibly powerful individuals. Take Vil, for example. He was a popular actor and had millions of people following him on magicam. If he so desired, he could make a brand popular just by mentioning it once. The people loved him and Vil would like to believe that it was partially because of how beautiful he was. He puts so much effort into it, after all. Although Vil sometimes wonders if that’s the only reason anybody follows him. But that’s beside the point.

All that matters is that, even within a school such as NRC, he was extremely powerful. Influence aside, Vil was incredibly talented in magic. It was the whole reason he was here. And it’s because of this magic that he’s gotten as far as he has in this school. He had been able to take charge of his dorm, after all. And it was only his sophomore year.

Unfortunately, because he was the head of his dorm, Vil had to attend the freshman entrance ceremony with his chosen vice house warden, Rook Hunt. Now, don’t get Vil wrong, he was interested to see who would be placed in his dorm. There had to be at least one individual who would pique Vil’s interest immediately, after all. If not him, then definitely Rook. Vil was also clearly aware of how important it was that he was to attend. For appearance and formalities sake, all the house wardens and vice wardens had to be there to welcome the freshmen.

Doesn’t mean any of them had to like it.

The house wardens and vice house wardens were currently seated in the mirror chamber. It was a very special room in the school. One that held far more history than any of them knew. The room housed a floating mirror that could perform magical feats that Vil could never dream of accomplishing. Its biggest was summoning the students that were to attend this school every year.

Which is why the entrance ceremony was being held here.

Floating coffins littered the sides of the room. Each one held a freshman sleeping away, waiting for their door to be unlocked. Vil had to admit, he didn’t know exactly why the ceremony was done like this. If he had to guess, everything started when one of the headmasters decided to go a bit over the top with the ceremony. Knock the poor kids unconscious and shove them in a coffin why don’t you? And make sure the coffin is carried by a horse and carriage. Vil’s almost certain the first group of kids were absolutely terrified. But it became a staple of the Night Raven experience, so who were the later headmasters to take that away?

He honestly had no better guesses.

The current headmaster, Dire Crowly, started making his way around the chamber. Opening coffins as he went. Students would stumble out of the coffins, somewhat confused or dazed, before the headmaster ushered them to a group of chairs placed in front of the floating mirror. Each student was dressed in black and purple robes with gold lining the edges of the fabric. The robes were absolutely beautiful, in Vil’s humble opinion. It looked stunning on everyone and was perfect for every ceremony the school had.

Vil watched each student carefully. He tried to find little details in each one that might interest him. Might tell him who they are as a person. And, most importantly, might tell him which dorm they’d go into. There wasn’t really a lot that could do that, sadly. What determined a person’s dorm was never something obvious. Someone’s persistence or mindfulness was not usually put on full display during an entrance ceremony.

Although, Vil realizes that’s kind of a lie. Some of the students were really obvious. Hyena Boy wasn’t going to be put in anything other than Savanaclaw. But his point still stands. So many of the students surprised him last year, so Vil knows for a fact the same can be said about this year.

Much to Vil's disappointment, nobody really caught his eye for a while. But his vice house warden seemed to have the opposite problem.

“My my, I haven’t seen pride like that in a long time!” Rook beamed,” And that one had hair like silver threads. How Magnifique! Oh? Are those two twins? Such a dangerous look in their eyes. I can feel chills just looking at them!”

“Lower your voice,” Vil ordered,” You don’t want to scare the poor things.”

“My apologies, I simply can’t help myself!” Rook said.

“I’m surprised you can stay interested so long,” a new voice spoke up.

It was the Heartslabyul house warden, Cater Diamond. His orange hair bounced ever so slightly as he tilted his head to look at the boy sitting next to him. The vice house warden, Trey Clover. He had short green hair and tired hazel eyes hidden behind the glare of his glasses. Both of them had painted marks under their eyes, each complimenting their last names.

“There’s nothing really interesting about any of them,” Trey commented,” Not ones I can see at least.”

“I can see a few quirks here and there,” Cater added,” The prideful one has a look to him that would totes make him Magicam famous! But most of them are kinda bland.”

“I hate to agree, but I’m struggling to see what you find so interesting,” Vil agreed.

Vil almost took back what he said as soon as he looked back at the headmaster. He was nearing the final gates and was getting a bit tired. Like with every other gate, the man threw it open with not much thought about how the person inside would react. However, unlike every other student, this one tumbled out and nearly landed on his face. Thankfully, he was able to soften his landing before that could happen, but he didn’t stand back up. The boy just stayed where he was.

The headmaster walked over to the boy and told him to sit down with the others. But the boy didn’t budge. He was shaking just so slightly that Vil almost missed it. It was odd. The boy seemed tense. Of course, the Headmaster ignored this and nudged the boy, trying to get his attention. When that didn’t work, the man grabbed the boy by his arm and hoisted him up. The boy barely reacted as the Headmaster pushed him over to the others once again.

There was a slight pause before the boy slowly made his way to his seat. His movements were sluggish in a way that made him look like he was carrying all the weight in the world. It felt like forever before the boy made it to his seat. But, once he did, Vil finally tuned back into what the others were saying.

Only to find that they were also silent the entire time.

“Show off,” Cater snickered as he glanced at Trey,” I couldn’t do that if I tried.”

“I’m sure it’s not too terribly hard,” Trey said,” He just rolled.”

“I see you’ve taken an interest,” Rook told Vil,” Your thoughts?”

“He’s an odd one, that’s for sure,” Vil started,” I’ve never seen someone do that during an entrance ceremony before. Although I don’t think he did it for attention. He was probably too tired to realize what was happening at first. However, outside of that roll, his movements are painful to watch. I hope he doesn’t get placed in Pomefiore. It will take far too long to fix that mess.”

“I see we are opposed then, Roi du Poison,” Rook said, causing Vil’s eyes to widen.

“Rook, you can’t be serious.”

“Heh, I’m not surprised,” Cater commented,” That boy’s the only one making things interesting,”

“Barely, but it does give us something to talk about,” Trey muttered.

“I’m sorry, but why him?” Vil asked.

“Just because he doesn’t live up to your standards now doesn’t mean he won’t eventually,
Rook commented.

“Are you saying that potato has potential?” Vil asked.

Rook nodded his head.

“Oui,” he replied,” More than we could ever know.”

Vil couldn’t be more surprised by that statement. In his eyes, every other freshman in this room was more capable and had more potential to be a member of Pomefiore than that boy. Appearance and grace were taken far more seriously than that boy was probably capable of handling. So much so that Vil had no doubt that the boy wouldn’t survive a day. A roll was barely anything to be surprised about. It was just that. A roll.

But this was Rook who said it. The man who couldn’t seem to think of anything but the persistence of beauty. Someone who could see the smallest potential in anyone and chase after it. When Rook said someone was worth watching, you go by his word.

So Vil made a mental note about that boy for later and watched as the rest of the freshmen left their coffins.

After a little while longer, the headmaster strolled over to where the mirror was. A tired grin crept up his face as the man turned around to make a speech to the crowd of excited freshmen. His voice was charismatic and somewhat charming. It could easily hold the attention of the students in a way that was befitting of someone in his position. That was something Vil always respected the man for. His ability to hold the attention of people as rowdy and immature as the students of Night Raven College. And the fact that he’s able to talk in a way that it feels like he’s talking to you and not talking down to you.

Of course, that might be because the headmaster is as rowdy and immature as the students. To such an extent that, when he’s not trying to seem professional, the man will absolutely talk down to you as if you are a child. Vil figured that out pretty quickly last year, and he’s sure most of the freshmen will the second they meet him outside of these big events.

“Ya know, it would be real nice if the headmaster acted like this all the time,” Cater whined,” Maybe I’d be more motivated to go to house warden meetings if he did.”

“I doubt that,” Trey said with a smirk,” A change in tone wouldn’t stop you from scrolling through Magicam.”

“How exactly do you get that boy off his phone?” Vil asked.

“‘That boy’. Ouch. I’m older than you ya know. At least show some respect,” Cater muttered in a somewhat playful tone

“Honestly it depends on the day,” Trey said,” Food can usually get him away for long enough, but on bad days I have to physically drag Cater to the headmaster’s office.”

“Now then!” the headmaster beamed, grabbing the attention of the four boys,” Let us begin the housing selection. When I call upon your row, you will come up to the mirror in a single file line. Understood?”

All of the students nodded their heads with a few shouting out yes sir. It seemed there were some really eager students this time. Not too surprising but definitely annoying. Thankfully those weren’t the type of people to be placed in Vil’s dorm. Otherwise, he might get more of a headache than he was already going to get with the standard freshmen.

Row by row, the freshmen took their turns speaking with the magic mirror. Sometimes the house wardens and vice house wardens would throw in their bets on which student goes where, but for the most part, it was pretty silent.

The sluggish boy hadn’t made any movements, Vil realized when he decided to check on him once again. While the others around him were making small talk or fidgeting around in excitement, the boy did nothing. Even when the boy next to him tried to grab his attention.

Said boy had grown very bored. The entrance ceremony was as grand as he had expected, but there were so many students. It would take forever before the headmaster called upon his row, so might as well make small talk with the students around him. After all, he needed to gather intel. Who would benefit him the most and who would be a waste of time? It was important to establish this as soon as possible.

So he decided to start with the boy sitting next to him. This boy already looked more interesting than the others. Who knows what he was hiding?

“My, this is taking quite some time, don’t you agree?” the boy asked.

His neighbor didn’t reply, nor did he make a single move to indicate that he heard anything.

“A quiet one you are,” the boy mumbled,” It would do us both well to be acquainted with at least one person here, no? My name is Azul Ashengrotto. May I ask for yours?”

The boy, once again, made no indication that he heard what Azul said. It annoyed Azul a little bit. After all, it’s much easier to gather information about somebody through what they say and how they say it more than anything else. But there were other ways to gather information. Body language was something Azul was especially good at reading.

So Azul scanned the boy, taking in everything he could. The boy was slightly hunched over and his hands were clenched. There were some cuts littering his fingers. They were quite interesting, Azul realized. While none of the cuts were deep, they were all rather long.

How peculiar.

Azul leaned over to get a look at the boy's face. Red hair framed his face in clumps and knots. His expression was strained as the boy controlled his breathing in a way Azul hadn’t seen before. There was also a bruise barely visible on the boy’s neck.

Azul didn’t know whether or not he should be concerned. The injuries that Azul could see didn’t look bad and could have easily come from an accident. Possibly from being somewhat clumsy or messy. The state of the boy’s hair definitely didn’t help. And, from what Azul could tell, the strained expression made the boy seem somewhat panicked. Possibly from a panic attack. The breathing technique definitely made him seem that way. So the boy was probably not used to crowded spaces and got injured easily.

Of course, that’s only from first impressions. Who knows what was actually happening? But Azul felt like he got it pretty spot on.

The headmaster called upon Azul’s row, catching him off guard ever so slightly. Everyone got up, including Azul. But the boy with red hair stayed seated. Azul quickly grabbed the boy’s arm and pulled him up. Even though he wasn’t that strong, it wasn’t too hard to pull the boy out of his seat.

The boy’s eyes shot open and glared at Azul. He had the same eye color as Azul. A nice shade of gray that could easily send chills down someone’s spine. Azul ignored the boy’s glare and just smirked, all while pulling the boy along with him.

“I’m expecting something in return for this, you know,” Azul whispered to the boy.

Vil watched as Azul’s row lined up in front of the mirror. He saw the whole interaction and it made him somewhat annoyed at the boy. Did he really find this entire ceremony so boring that he would fall asleep during it? And his movements were still super sluggish. Honestly, it really rubbed Vil the wrong way. He really just wanted to scold the boy. Tell him off for being so disrespectful. However, that wasn’t his job. That would belong to whoever the boy’s house warden would be. And Vil knew, just by what he’d seen, there was no way he would be that boy’s house warden.

Right?

“State thy name,” the floating mirror demanded in a deep voice.

The boy stayed quiet for a few seconds before speaking up in a strained voice that Vil was not expecting.

“Kocho,” was all he said in reply.

“Kocho,” the mirror repeated,” The shape of thy soul is….”

The mirror paused for dramatic effect.

“Pomefiore!”

Vil felt his heart sink. There was no way this could be happening. Was someone so unrefined as this boy really joining his dorm? The dorm is known to follow in the footsteps of the fairest queen. Specifically when it comes to beauty. This was absolutely unacceptable.

“How Magnifique!” Rook beamed,” He’s one of ours!”

“That’s not a good thing,” Vil hissed,” That boy will be more of a project than the Ignihyde house warden could ever be.”

“Hey!” the house warden of Ignihyde snapped.

“While I may agree that he’s unrefined,” Rook said,” There’s something about that boy that can truly shine if given the opportunity. All gems start off rough and dull. None of us started beautiful. It took time and effort. We’re both the results of that.”

“There’s only so much I can do Rook,” Vil argued,” I’m not going to spare him any more effort than what the other potatoes will get. Are you going to turn the boy into a personal project or something similar? He’s not really worth it.”

“And what if I am? Are you going to oppose me Roi du Poison?” Rook asked, a smirk crawling up his face.

He knew Vil wouldn’t. Rook knew Vil far too well by now. Because no matter how much Vil believed the new boy was a lost cause, he also knew not to undermine Rook’s skills. Both in observation and in bringing out the inner beauty of others. Besides, maybe Vil is heavily misjudging the boy. Maybe it was just a bad day.

“No, I’m not going to oppose you,” Vil replied after a while,” Do what you must.”

“Fantastique! I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!” Rook beamed.

Vil couldn’t help but smile a little.

“I look forward to seeing the results.”

The rest of the ceremony went without a hitch. Both boys stayed quiet as the last few freshmen got sorted and the headmaster made his ending speech. By now, everyone in the mirror chamber had grown tired. The headmaster knew this well, so he made his speech short before calling the house wardens to lead their freshmen to the dorms. Vil was quick to separate himself from the rest of the house wardens as Rook went to round up their freshman.

Rook made his round quickly, making sure all those he remembered being chosen for Pomefiore could hear him. Thankfully, Rook had an incredible memory. So he was easily able to find everyone. Of course, not all of them followed his instructions. Kocho had, once again, not moved from his seat. Azul poked him a few times to grab his attention. But he failed, so Azul left the boy alone. Meaning Rook had the perfect opportunity to talk to Kocho without anyone overhearing.

Rook strolled over to where Kocho sat and knelt down to get a look at his face. He saw the same thing Azul did. However, Rook’s eyes ended up meeting with Kocho’s, causing Rook to smile.

“My, you’re even more of a mess than I thought,” Rook teased,” Pray tell, how did you end up like this?”

Kocho just glared at Rook as the boy continued to breathe in an unusual pattern. It was clearly very controlled. As if the boy was trying to hold himself together. And, from what Rook could tell, there was a good reason for it.

“Monsieur, I might have to bring you to the infirmary before bringing you to the dorm,” Rook whispered.

Kocho’s eyes widened and his breath hitched. It was only a slight difference, one that most could never catch. But Rook caught it, and it caused him to frown. It wasn’t from surprise, that Rook knew for a fact. He’d seen that look before, and it caused him to grow confused.

“I see,” he mumbled to himself,” I’ll patch you up myself then! Allez! There’s a first aid kit in your dorm room and we don’t want your wounds getting infected, now do we?”

Kocho’s glare hardened as Rook stood up. Of course, Kocho didn’t follow immediately. He just continued glaring at Rook.

“Mon cheri, did you think I wouldn’t notice?” Rook asked,” The smell of blood is obvious to me, even in a room full of teenage boys who don’t know the first thing about proper hygiene. Allez. Don’t want to keep Roi du Poison waiting.”

This time, Kocho got up and followed Rook to where Vil was.

My, this boy was going to be an interesting one.

Chapter Text

“Geez, what is wrong with you? I’ve never seen a face as pathetic as yours.”

“No wonder you weren’t with the others. Someone with your looks would have given the operation away immediately.”

“Wow, didn’t think a Hashira would have cared for someone with your looks. Guess there’s a first for everything.”

“Smearing your blood around the ruins of this town will satisfy me to no end. Hey! Maybe you’ll actually look beautiful as a pile of blood and bone. Would be a first wouldn’t it?”

Kocho woke up the next day dazed. The room was the same one he entered last night, he vaguely remembered that. It was beautiful and resembled European architecture the boy had briefly seen before. There was something fantastical about it too, in ways he couldn’t even describe.

The night before was a blur. Kocho had sworn had been in the middle of a huge fight. Or was it already finished? Either way, in the blink of an eye he was somewhere new. With green flames and a floating mirror. This wasn’t his home. Not even close. But he recognized it. From stories he heard as a child that reminded him of a home long lost. A school for talents he left behind.

Truly, Kocho could not believe he was here.

Nor did he want to.

Soft steps in the hallway caught the boy’s attention, causing him to snap out of his daze. Now was not the time to do this. He was in unfamiliar territory with potential threats everywhere. Kocho had to treat it like every other mission. Stay alert, trust no one, and don’t act suspicious.

The goal was to find a way home, that was all.

“Bonjour Monsieur Butterfly!” a familiar voice of the vice house warden called out,” Tis such a beautiful day, non? May I please come in?”

Kocho didn’t reply. Instead, he slowly raised himself from his bed and tried to stand up. To his dismay, Kocho could barely hold himself up with the pain shooting through his entire body. He wouldn’t let that cause him to falter though. No, he couldn’t falter. Especially not in front of Rook.

Rook already knows too much as is.

“I know you’re awake Monsieur Butterfly.”

Kocho took a couple of deep breaths to steady himself before heading toward the door. As long as he kept breathing he’ll be fine.

Kocho opened the door, causing the vice house warden to beam.

“Ah, there you are! I would like to speak to you about a few things if you would be so kind as to let me in!”

Kocho glared at the man, causing the man’s smile to drop.

“Oh mon dieu, you’re giving me such a look after what I’ve done for you?” Rook gasped dramatically before the smile crept back,” Must I remind you that I’m not here as your enemy? I’m merely here to help you survive. So would you be so kind as to let me in so I can?”

To that, Kocho finally complied.

Vil was starting to grow tired of waiting for Rook. The rest of the Pomefiore’s students had already trickled their way out of the dorm, ready for their first day at Night Raven College. And yet, Rook was nowhere to be seen. Now, they weren’t too late. Most students leave early on their first day due to excitement. However, it still bothered Vil. Mainly because of one of the other students Vil had yet to see that morning.

Vil was debating whether or not he should visit that student’s room when Rook finally appeared.

“Bonjour Roi du Poison!” Rook beamed,” My deepest apologies for making you wait!”

“You don’t need to apologize, Rook,” Vil replied.

His annoyance was his own. Rook didn’t need to know about it. Especially since Vil could have left on his own. This was his choice. Rook was not responsible for Vil's actions.

“Where’s the Potato?” Vil asked,” I know you were with him this morning.”

Rook’s smile grew as he stepped to the side.

“Right here, and I must say he’s proving to have so much more potential than I originally thought!”

Vil rolled his eyes before finally looking at the redhead. To say he was surprised would be an understatement. Kocho looked absolutely beautiful. Vil hadn’t expected Kocho’s hair to be so long. Nor did he expect Rook to give the boy a butterfly motif.

“Are you please?” Rook asked.

“Certainly,” Vil replied,” Although physical appearance isn’t the only thing you’ll need to fix to change my mind.”

“I accept your challenge!” Rook beamed.

Kocho flinched at their words before looking away.

“We should get going,” Vil said, snapping the boy back to attention,” Listen here potato, after the tour today I expect you to be back here immediately. I’ll be going over the expectations of all Pomefiore students as well as supplying you with proper skin care products and makeup, free of charge. If you don’t make it on time, I will have Rook hunt you down. Is that understood?”

Kocho nodded his head, causing Vil to smile.

“Good. Let’s get going.”

“Gooooood Morning! It’s been too long! How’ve ya been buddy?” a familiar voice chimed on the other side of the phone.

“It’s only been a day Chenya!” Trey laughed a little at his friend’s comment.

“That’s a day too long!” Chenya complained,” It’s no fair that we go to separate schools! It sucks being away from you for so long!”

“You’re the one who suggested it!” Trey pointed out.

“I did not!” Chenya cried out.

“You went on and on about how it would ‘do us good to have a fresh new start’ and stuff last year and now you want me back?” Trey teased,” You like me that much?”

“Hey don’t go acting like we’re a couple now,” Chenya groaned,” I can miss my best friend without it being romantic! And don’t go dodging the question! Tell me how you’ve been!”

“Fine, fine! If you want to know, I’ve been doing great since I got back,” Trey replied,” Although I’ve already been bombarded by vice house warden responsibilities.”

“Vice house warden? Since when?!”

“Since I got back!” Trey replied,” Although I’ve technically been doing the vice house warden responsibilities for a lot longer than that. The last one wasn’t great at his job so Cater would ask me for help whenever needed. It’s not really a big deal.”

“Not a big deal my ass! Being Vice House Warden is a big deal! Lucky Cay-Cay gets such a responsible helper! He should be grateful!”

“You actually call him Cay-Cay?” Trey questioned as he finally started getting ready for the day.

Trey had been given a larger room this year thanks to his role as vice house warden. It was honestly nice to have. Now he can hide more stuff from the other students. The biggest example being food for parties that the dorm constantly has. Trey has been on food duty ever since the last house warden tried some of Trey’s food. Not like Trey’s complaining. It’s one of the few good things that remind him of home.

“Of course! Cause he told us to!” Chenya replied,” Oh heads up, my mom’s sending over a few gifts for you and Cay-Cay.”

“Seriously? We just left,” Trey said,” She could have sent it with me. Would have cost her less.”

“You know how my mom can be,” Chenya muttered,” She’s a perfectionist to the very end. She really did want to send the plushies to school with you but it took her til last night to finish them. Oh, and don’t tell Cay-Cay bout this. Mom wanted it to be a surprise to both of ya.”

“Then why’d you tell me about it?” Trey asked.

“Cause you know my mom,” Chenya replied,” It’s not really a surprise to you any time she does this. Cay-Cay on the other hand…”

“Right right, I get it,” Trey muttered,” Anyways, how’s the new school year treating you?”

“Pretty good actually!” Chenya replied,” I was given the green light to do a little welcome prank on the freshman last night! Alison thought it might lighten up the mood for everyone and lower stress levels. Either that or to make him laugh. Didn’t matter much to me. It just gave me an excuse to try a few new prank ideas out!”

“Alison? I thought Lewis was your house warden.”

“You and half the dorm,” Chenya laughed,” Lewis transferred to Noble Bell College so he could live closer to his family. Although Ambrose didn’t tell anyone in my dorm so most of us only knew cause Lewis told us.”

“How responsible of your headmaster,” Trey teased.

“I don’t want to hear it from ya,” Chenya groaned,” Or anyone from Night Raven for that matter.”

“Hey! Headmaster Crowley can be responsible!” Trey yelled before muttering,” On a good day.”

“On the best of good days,” Chenya corrected.

“Anyways, I have to head out,” Trey said,” I’ll talk to you later.”

“See ya!”

“Good morning new students! I welcome you all to your first day at Night Raven College! You should all remember me from last night. However, since it was late I shall introduce myself once more. I am your gracious headmaster, Dire Crowley. It is an honor…..”

The man in the bird mask kept rambling on and on to the crowd of students that filled the gymnasium. Azul was sitting up straight, trying to make it look as if he were paying attention to the headmaster. However, his eyes kept traveling around the room. Make key notes about every student there. He knew he would have to make as many allies and contracts as possible if he wanted to survive this school. This place wasn’t for the weak. Not with how many people looked like they were about to thrash at the first person who spoke to them.

Savages, the lot of them.

Thankfully, Azul was not alone. Two of his closest companions had also been accepted this year. Floyd and Jade Leech. A pair of twins that were willing to help Azul with any one of his plans as long as the two were entertained. They were both fairly tall, with one currently looking around bored while the other was holding himself together fairly well.

“This is so boring,” Floyd whined,” Why do we have to sit here for so long?”

“Unfortunately we’ll be sitting here for an hour or so,” Jade commented,” Our headmaster seems like the type that likes to hear his own voice.”

“How annoying,” Floyd growled.

“Now now,” Azul said,” This is an incredible opportunity to scout out our new classmates. It won’t be a common occurrence to have every freshman in the same room. We must make the most out of what we’ve been handed.”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” Jade said with a sinister smile.

“But there’s nobody interesting he…..”

Both Azul and Jade looked over at Floyd to see why he stopped. Floyd no longer had a bored expression and was instead laser-focused on someone within the crowd of freshmen. A terrifying grin was creeping its way onto Floyd’s face, scaring some of the students surrounding the three boys.

“What did you find, Floyd?” Azul asked.

“Pretty…” Floyd muttered.

“Pretty?” Jade repeated.

“Pretty clip!”

“Oh? There is a pretty clip over there,” Jade confirmed.

“Would you be quieter, please?” Azul asked,” We’re still in the middle of an assembly.”

“Tch, fine!”

“Across the cliff over there you can see the Colosseum. As I’m sure you’ve all seen on TV, the school's yearly Interdorm Spelldrive tournament is mostly held in that very building. What you might not see, however, is the many other events held there. For example…..”

The teacher kept rambling on and on, but most of the kids weren’t paying attention. There was a buzz radiating off of every student. It was like a hivemind of excitement. Not that Jamil could really blame them. For the first time in years, he felt excited for school. He could finally try out after-school activities and not have to hold back for the sake of his master.

After all, his master wasn’t here.

“Hey, hey!” A student from Savanaclaw whispered to another,” You’re the one who sped around the dorm this mornin', yeah?”

“What’s it to ya?”

“I’ve been itchin to race since we got here and you seem like perfect competition.”

“Another runner I see. Sure, I could go for an easy win!”

“What’d you just say?”

“Did I hear something bout a race?” a third person asked.

Slowly, more and more people got drawn to the two Savanaclaw students. A few people started placing bets on who was going to win, which caused more and more people to become hyped about it. Jamil felt his smile grow wider at this. He really wanted to join in, and he could do it with his free will.

Before he could join in, however, a tall boy with heterochromia blocked his way. Jamil was about to ask the boy to move, but the look in his eyes told him to back off.

“Hey Goldfishy!” the tall boy suddenly called out.

The tall boy shoved Jamil out of the way, causing the boy to stumble before looking at who the tall one was talking to. It was a Pomefiore student with an orange butterfly clip in his hair.

“That’s a pretty clip you got there! Can I have it?” the tall boy asked.

The small Pomefiore student looked at the tall one, stunned, before glaring and shaking his head. In the blink of an eye, the somewhat easygoing expression on the tall one changed to something purely terrifying. Everyone around the two backed away, including Jamil. He could tell this was not something to get in between. Jamil honestly felt bad for the small Pomefiore student. He wouldn’t last a second fighting the tall one.

“Floyd don’t..!” someone from further back in the crowd called out.

“Too bad, no wasn’t an option,” the tall one, Floyd, growled.

Floyd immediately tried to grab the boy. But, much to everyone’s surprise, the Pomefiore boy was faster. He crouched down before leaping back, putting a large distance between him and Floyd. Floyd looked at where the boy stood before and then to where he was now. A smile crept up his face slowly, causing Jamil to back up and hide in the crowd. He could feel the chills run down his spine, and that look wasn’t even directed towards him.

“Goldfishy wants to play tag now huh?” Floyd asked,” You can run all you want but I’ll always catch ya!”

Floyd immediately started chasing after the small Pomefiore student. Everyone watched as the two disappeared at speeds none of them had ever seen before. Even the teacher was silent now. The two boys who were planning on racing both looked defeated and exhausted. Not that Jamil could blame them.

“I don’t think I want to race anymore.”

“Me neither man.”

“Geez, you’d think they wouldn’t make the first day so mundane for us,” Cater groaned as he and Trey made their way through the hallways of Night Raven College,” All these introductions are so pointless!”

“I wish I didn’t agree with you on that,” Trey muttered.

Even though it was the first official day, classes didn’t start until the next day. This was mainly for the freshman to get a grasp on where everything was, so you would think the teachers wouldn’t bombard the upperclassmen with ‘expectations as Night Raven students’ and ‘necessities to become a better mage’. Especially since they got this talk last year. Even Trey struggled to pay attention with how long the professors rambled on.

But hey, at least it was over. Now Trey could go to the library and grab a few cookbooks. The first Unbirthday party of the year was just a week away and Trey wanted to make sure he had time to try a few new recipes out. Although he really did wish he had known about this earlier. Maybe then he could try some more experimental recipes instead of simple ones.

Oh well, it’s not like these parties ever have a set date. It’s only on the days when nobody in Heartslabyul has a birthday, so of course it would change every year.

A few people were shouting further down the corridor, grabbing the attention of both Cater and Trey. They didn’t think too much of it at first until more and more people started yelling. It was starting to become clear that someone or something was aggravating the students. And it was coming closer.

It was coming closer quickly.

Cater pulled Trey aside to avoid whatever was coming through. Suddenly a boy taller than Trey bursted through the crowd at impressive speeds. He had somewhat choppy hair and a crazed look in his eyes. They were focused up ahead and no move seemed to deter him. The boy also had a stretched-out smile with his razor-sharp teeth showing. Trey got chills just looking at the boy.

Just as quickly as the boy appeared, he disappeared into the crowd of students. Trey and Cater both let out a sigh of relief before Cater suddenly screamed.

“Where in Hades did you come from?!”

Trey looked to where Cater was looking, only to see a short boy crouching behind the two of them. He was a very pretty boy, with long red hair that was held up by an orange butterfly clip and charming gray eyes. The boy was wearing Pomefiore’s school uniform, which barely surprised Trey. Leave it to Pomefiore to have all the pretty boys at Night Raven.

Although everything about the boy definitely made him stand out. His butterfly clip was especially flashy.

Which is why Trey felt a little unnerved. He hadn’t noticed the boy hiding behind him. Not even a little.

The boy just glared at Cater before looking in the direction the taller boy ran off in. Once he seemed content, the small boy stood straight up and bowed at both Cater and Trey.

“Your…. Welcome?” Trey could barely utter.

“You know it’s totes not cool to use us as human shields and not introduce yourself,” Cater said, putting on a smile once more.

Now that Trey thought about it, the small boy was probably hiding from the taller boy. Not that Trey really blamed him. The taller one could definitely give even the most confident Savanaclaw members shivers. He had the eyes of a predator after all. But it’s not like the smaller boy was being chased by the taller one. He looked like he could barely hold himself in a fight or a race.

Looking at the smaller one closely made something flash in the back of his mind. The color of hair wasn’t new to him, even with how rare it was. It was nostalgic, in a way. But it hurt to think about so Trey decided to ignore it.

The smaller boy just stared at the two, as if deciding whether or not to reply, before speaking.

“Kocho.”

“Wait really?” Trey muttered.

From what happened last night, Trey wasn’t expecting the boy to look so delicate. There was also an air of grace to the boy that wasn’t there before and it made Kocho look more confident.

Delicate yet confident. What an interesting combination.

“Oh, I remember you!” Cater beamed,” Wow, you fit the Pomefiore vibe so well! Way to prove Vil wrong already!”

Kocho’s glare hardened as he gestured at the two boys. Neither of them got it until Kocho raised one of his eyebrows.

“Damn, I guess you're the silent type,” Cater muttered,” Name’s Cater Diamond! But you may call me Cay-Cay! I’m the House Warden of Heartslabyul! This guy here’s my Vice House warden, Trey Clover!”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Trey added.

Kocho looked at Trey with wide eyes before nodding his head, as if to agree.

“What were you doing behind us?” Trey asked.

“Did the weird freshman scare ya or something?” Cater asked,” I don’t blame ya. He’s pretty unnerving.”

“He was chasing me,” Kocho replied.

“He was chasing YOU?!” Cater nearly yelled,” How in Hades name did you get away?!”

“You look like you could barely run on a good day, no offense,” Trey commented.

Trey was surprised either of them were alive with how much Kocho glared at them. The small boy did not reply to their question and instead elected to ignore them. Kocho pulled out a brochure from his bag and started scanning it. Both Cater and Trey looked over Kocho’s shoulder to see what exactly Kocho was looking at.

“Oh mon dieu! Did Monsieur Butterfly get lost?”

Cater and Trey both screamed as Rook took the brochure out of Kocho’s hands. Kocho glared at Rook but was only met with a smile.

“How in Hades….!?” Cater cried out.

“You won’t be needing this map,” Rook told Kocho, ignoring the other two boys,” These maps are far too simple and barely scratch the surface of this school’s complex beauty.”

“I sometimes can’t understand a word Rook says,” Trey groaned, trying to soothe the headache Rook had caused.

“I’ll be guiding you back to the dorm. We’ve been keeping Roi du Poison waiting far too long now. Do not fear! You do have a valid excuse as to why you’re late,” Rook explained,” Viens! We wouldn’t want to stress beautiful Vil any longer. It might ruin his complexion.”

The boy wasn’t given much of a choice as Rook grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him away. As if the boy would run at the first chance he got.

“Farewell Roi du Magicam, Monsieur Baker!” Rook called out,” I hope to see you both again under better circumstances!”

Cater and Trey just waved back, slightly dumbfounded by what just occurred in front of them.

“He acts like we aren’t in the same club,” Trey muttered.

“‘Better circumstances.’ he makes it sound so much worse than it probably is,” Cater said.

After a while of walking, Rook finally let go of Kocho’s collar. Kocho glared at the taller boy, but Rook ignored it and continued to glide his way toward their dorm. A smile plastered on his face.

“I see our petite papillon has favored another dorm over our own,” Rook claimed dramatically,” Tis a sad day to see my precious children spread their wings and learn to fly on their own. How beautiful they have learned to become!”

Kocho rolled his eyes before stopping abruptly. Rook had turned to face the smaller boy. His eyes scanned him like a hawk. The smile that once adorned Rook had turned into a smirk. Not one as terrifying as Floyd’s, but one that delivered the same message.

“If you may entertain me, Monsieur Butterfly, can you answer why?” Rook asked in a whisper,” Out of every caterpillar in this school, what makes those two shine so much to you? Or perhaps I’m reading in between the wrong lines? Do you rather find comfort in the presence of a laid-back king such as Roi du Magicam?”

Kocho did not reply. He walked around Rook and continued in the direction they were heading. Rook’s eyes followed the small boy, never once changing their target.

“Oh mysterious petite papillon,” Rook muttered to himself,” Who exactly is thou who smells so strongly of wisteria?”

“Are you sure you don’t need anything else?”

After the meeting with Vil, he gave everyone 3-4 boxes of beauty supplies depending on how much each student brought on their own. Since Kocho had nothing, Vil gave him four. Most of the students used magic to carry their boxes, however, Kocho couldn’t. So he ended up carrying all the boxes himself. And he was completely fine with that. Rook was not. The tall blonde had grabbed most of the boxes from Kocho without asking if the boy needed help, much to the annoyance of Kocho.

And, even more to his annoyance, Rook went on and on about different techniques Kocho could try and stuff. It’s not every day Rook will be able to help with his makeup. Rook will show Kocho how to do it tomorrow and give him extra pointers. Make sure it’s up to ‘Roi du Poison’s’ standards.

Kocho could barely comprehend what that could mean. Vil had a standard so high he’s pretty sure only one of his friends could actually reach it. And that friend was unrealistically pretty for no reason. So Kocho doubted he could ever get close to that standard.

But whatever Rook did this morning seemed to make Vil happy. Which, unfortunately, meant Kocho had to let Rook teach him whatever magic he used. Kocho didn’t have to be happy about it though.
Kocho nodded his head as he kept trying to usher Rook out of his room. The taller boy seemed to get the idea but was trying his hardest to avoid leaving. He continued asking questions, trying to find different ways for Kocho to let him stay. But Kocho was having none of it. Not when a lump was forming in his throat. Not when his legs felt like they could collapse any second. And especially not when it felt like he needed to tear this uniform off.

“As you wish, Monsieur Butterfly,” Rook finally caved in,” But please, do come to me if you ever need help. It is my job as…..”

The second Rook was out the door, Kocho slammed it shut and locked it. Rook was quiet for a second before calling out.

“I see I overstepped my boundaries. My apologies for that. I’ll assume you won’t be letting me in for the rest of the night, so I must bid you adieu!”

As Rook walked away, Kocho could feel the lump in his throat grow. With each step, it became harder and harder to hold it in. Kocho slowly wrapped his hand around his tie, tugging on it lightly. That too grew harsher and harsher, but Kocho tried to hold himself together. He couldn’t let Rook get a sense that something was amiss.

Once Rook was too far away to hear, Kocho ran towards the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. Just in time for his legs to finally cave in. Kocho could barely breathe as pain erupted from his chest and he started coughing heavily. The boy tugged as hard as he could on the tie, trying his hardest to get it off. But even with the tie off, Kocho couldn’t breathe. It felt as if his airways were caving in on him.

And Kocho couldn’t do anything about it.

For a while, Kocho just laid on the bathroom floor, trying to just breathe. The pain in his chest kept growing, but with it, the coughing started growing less frequent. Before Kocho knew it, he could breathe once again. With the coughing gone, Kocho focused on the pain in his chest. He took a second to get a hold of his breathing pattern, trying to calm himself down as well. Finally, the boy got a hold of it. He continued to just lay on the ground, allowing the pain to slowly filter away.

Kocho didn’t know how long he stayed there like that. But his legs were still numb. He tried pulling himself up on the counter while still trying to keep his breathing under control. At first, he barely could, but soon Kocho was able to stand up completely. His legs were still shaking hard, but Kocho could deal with that. This wasn’t that bad.

Kocho finally looked up at the mirror in front of him. His breath hitched almost instantly. The person staring back at him didn’t look like Kocho. It looked like someone completely different. Far too polished. Even the bangs that stuck out looked intentional. The boy in front of Kocho was not him. Not who he was supposed to be. Whatever Rook did this morning turned Kocho into something he never wanted to be.

“I’ve never seen a face as pathetic as yours”

He looked far too pathetic to call himself a demon slayer.

Not to mention….

Kocho’s eyes traveled down the mirror to look at his neck's reflection. The collar of his shirt was a mess, allowing the bruise to become visible. Kocho flinched just looking at it. Even Rook’s magic couldn’t hide how dark it was. The whole bruise wrapped around Kocho’s neck, covering the whole thing. It was like something tried to suffocate him. Kill him even.

Kocho knew fully well that’s what happened.

Something flashed in Kocho’s mind, causing him to collapse once again. His breath was starting to become ragged once more as tears formed in his eyes. Kocho tried to calm himself down, but his mind started racing with hundreds of different thoughts. It overwhelmed him. So, after a minute of trying to calm himself down, Kocho finally allowed himself to let it all out. He laid back where he was before and just cried.

Chapter Text

“Big sis, can I ask you something?”

“Oh, this is new. What’s so important that you have to ask me?”

“It’s nothing big. It’s just…. You know I respect you heavily as a demon slayer. You’re very powerful and your way of slaying demons is very unique.”

“You’re worrying me.”

“My apologies. What I’m trying to ask is… May I ask the other Hashira to help me better myself as a demon slayer?”

“Pardon?”

“It has nothing to do with you as a teacher! You’ve done a wonderful job and I’m proud to call myself your Tsuguko! It’s just I’ve felt very stagnant in my growth as of late. That’s all.”

“Riddle, you don’t have to ask me for permission. I’m sure some of the other Hashira would love to help you out!”

“Really?”

“Of course! But do be careful with who you ask. There are some Hashira who won’t take you asking well.”

“Thank you so much! You’re the best Shinobu!”

The hallways buzzed to life as students made their way through the corridors. Everybody was scurrying around, going from class to class. Most of the students had grins so large their cheeks probably hurt. There was an almost freeing feeling, walking around this school. Jamil could feel it in his bones. It was wonderful.

Even if it was just school.

Jamil was chilling in his first class, scanning everyone there. He would have every class with these people this year. It would do well to remember their faces and names. Just in case he needs help. Or maybe even a proper friend who wasn’t influenced by Jamil’s master. That would be nice, wouldn’t it?

“Excuse me, your name was Kocho, correct?”

Jamil perked up at the voice. He swore he recognized it from the day before, but he couldn’t put his finger on where. Maybe it was during the tour? There wasn’t a voice like that in Scarabia, at least not one that he heard when in Scarabia’s dorm. So it probably was.

Jamil turned to look at the boy who spoke. It was a boy with silver-rimmed glasses and the Octavinelle school uniform. He looked as straight-laced as they came. Far from how Jamil himself appeared. The hoodie he wore under his school blazer definitely didn’t help. But hey, at least Jamil was comfortable.

In front of the boy in glasses was someone Jamil recognized easily from the day before. How could he not? It was the most interesting thing that happened. Plus, who wouldn’t remember that butterfly clip? Floyd pointed it out to everyone!

The boy with the butterfly clip, Kocho, nodded his head.

“I must apologize for my comrade's behavior yesterday,” the boy with glasses said,” Floyd is hard to handle but I can usually keep him under control. Yesterday he just acted before I could.”

The boy’s tone of voice irked Jamil in a way that was all too familiar.

Kocho didn’t reply to the boy in glasses. He just stared, waiting for the boy to continue.

“I believe we sat next to each other during orientation, yes?” the boy in glasses asked, or more like stated,” You seemed quite panicked back then. Was everything alright?”

For a quick second, Jamil swore he saw surprise in Kocho’s eyes. It was quickly shrouded with a glare. Still no verbal response.

“I believe I should make myself clear,” the boy in glasses whispered as he sat down next to Kocho,” You still owe me for helping you during orientation. I don’t give out favors for free after all. So I expect at least a verbal response. I’ve said it to you before, it would do us both well to get acquainted with each other.”

Jamil could feel himself glaring at the boy in glasses. That boy really knew how to get on someone’s nerves, and Jamil wasn’t even the one being talked to. Still, Jamil felt he had every right to get back at the boy.

Carefully, Jamil leaned to the side to get a look at the name tag on the boy’s desk. Much to his surprise, Jamil recognized the name. And, much to his delight, it was the name of someone from his dorm.

And glasses boy was not.

“You might want to get new glasses if ya can’t read something as simple as a name tag,” Jamil said to the boy, causing him to get a pointed look.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re going to sit there and tell me that’s your name?”

“Excuse me, you don’t even know my name!”

“I know it ain’t that!”

“And how, by chance do you know that?”

“Oh, you want to prove me wrong? Go ahead, read the name tag! Tell me that’s supposed to be your seat!”

“I know this isn’t my seat! I’m trying to get acquainted with a fellow classmate,” the boy in glasses snapped,” I’m trying to ask you how you know that isn’t my name!”

“Ah, so the trilobite was choosing to be blind!”

“Trilobite! How dare you….”

“BOYS SETTLE DOWN!” the teacher finally snapped.

Jamil and the boy in glasses froze as their teacher huffed in annoyance. He had this high and mighty vibe to him. As if he saw the students as less than him. Already, Jamil could tell he was an odd one.

“Seriously, what is wrong with these students,” the teacher groaned,” I’d give you all detentions if it weren’t the first day of class. Azul Ashengrotto, return to your seat so we can begin class without any more disturbances!”

“Yes! My apologies sir,” Azul replied.

Azul sent Jamil one more glare before heading to the opposite side of the room. Jamil smirked as if he won that argument. It felt like he did. He got to take a jab at Azul and it got under the boy’s skin. So that counts as a win in Jamil’s book.

Jamil took a brief glance at Kocho, catching the small boy’s grey eyes. Kocho gave Jamil a slight nod as if he was thanking Jamil, before bringing his attention to the teacher.

He looked so easy to target, Jamil realized. A small, frail-looking kid who rarely speaks is bound to attract unwanted attention. And Azul is definitely the type to prey on others. How he spoke to Kocho made that very apparent. There was also a high possibility that Azul would target Kocho again.

Meaning Jamil can have more fun targeting Azul as long as he stays with Kocho.

Although that might be more trouble than it’s worth.

Still, Jamil was really in the mood to mess with that glasses boy so he decided, at least for that day, he would be sticking beside Kocho.

Just as long as Kocho doesn’t book it the first chance he gets.

Oh my seven the plan worked so well.

It wasn’t even a detailed plan. There were no backups or anything like that. Jamil actually thought it would fail the second any of them got free time. Whether that be Azul finding another target or Kocho hiding from both of them. Maybe even Jamil’s own schedule getting in the way.

Nope, no interference.

And it was the most fun Jamil has had in a while.

“Looks like the little Trilobite is struggling,” Jamil teased,” Come on, it’s just a broom. Lifting it ain’t that hard.”

“My apologies but what’s easy for you land dwellers won’t always be easy for merfolks,” Azul’s face twisted to that of annoyance.

They were now in gym class, something Jamil enjoyed quite a bit. For some reason though, their coach, Vargas, decided to throw everyone onto brooms and test their abilities with flight. Even though he went on and on about how important training your muscles were, he decided to make everyone do something that didn’t require any muscles. According to Coach Vargas, it was so those who hadn’t flown on brooms before could see if they liked it. Everyone had to choose their clubs later that day and those who enjoyed it could join the Spelldrive club.

It was confusing but Jamil was having fun so he stopped thinking about it a while ago.

Jamil got the hang of it pretty quickly. Azul, on the other hand, hadn’t even gotten off the ground. Nor had Kocho. So Jamil had placed himself in between the two boys and started making fun of Azul, pretending not to notice Kocho struggling too.

“Is that an excuse I hear?” Jamil hummed,” You’re just putting a little magic into the broom. Besides, you’ve been walking just fine for a Mer.”

“I’d like to see you struggle with the transition,” Azul grumbled.

“What was that? Couldn’t hear you from all the way up here!”

“Would it be so hard to shut your mouth for five min….”

A sudden shot of wind silenced both boys. Jamil’s broom was pushed back a bit, causing the boy to nearly fall off. His eyes shot over to where the wind came from, only to notice that Kocho was no longer with them.

“What in the world was that?” Azul mumbled.

“Where’d Kocho go?” Jamil muttered before looking up.

Kocho was now high up in the sky, a lot higher than they were allowed to go. He was practically a speck. The broom was flying around, completely out of control. Some of the other students were panicking while Coach Vargas ran over to assess the situation. Slowly, Jamil started to grow scared as he realized what just happened.

“Oh dear,” Azul mumbled.

Coach Vargas quickly got onto his own broom and told everyone to stay where they were before flying after Kocho. Unfortunately, Coach Vargas wasn’t even halfway up before Kocho was thrown off his broom. A few of the other students scream. Jamil and Azul just watched in horror at what was happening. Vargas picked up some speed, trying to get to Kocho as fast as possible.

Much to everyone’s relief, the coach got to Kocho in time. Both Jamil and Azul sighed out a breath they didn’t know they were holding in.

“That boy might be more trouble than it’s worth,” Azul said.

“It’s only day two,” Jamil groaned,” How has he already gotten himself in this much trouble?”

Seriously, it’s like the attention couldn’t help but follow Kocho. How did he even get up that quickly? One second, he was struggling to even get off the ground. The next second he’s falling to his death. It’s like he doesn’t even know how to control his magic.

By the time Vargas brought Kocho back down to the ground, everyone had gone back to doing their own thing. Jamil and Azul just watched as Kocho got his broom taken away from him for the rest of the period as well as getting scolded. Once Vargas left, Jamil and Azul slowly made their way over to Kocho. He was just standing there, spacing out.

“Heeey, are you alright?” Jamil asked hesitantly.

“I’ll admit that was quite impressive,” Azul said with a smile,” You really are a fascinating individual.”

Jamil lightly kicked Azul in the back of the head, which earned him another glare from Azul.

Kocho looked at the two boys with a completely blank expression. As if he didn’t nearly fall to his death. He gave the two boys a thumbs up with his bandaged hand, catching both boy’s attention for a brief second.

Was that hand like that the other day?

Didn’t really matter did it?

So the boys went back to what they were doing before, albeit with a little hesitation and caution.

Jamil was really starting to regret ever making fun of Azul. It was fun earlier when there weren’t any consequences, but now neither Azul nor Kocho would leave him alone. It was the end of the day, meaning it was time to choose their clubs. Which also meant free time. None of them had to even get near each other.

Yet Kocho chose to hang near Jamil, which meant Azul chose to as well. Because the boy was still oh so determined to get Kocho to talk to him for whatever reason. So Jamil was stuck in between the two as they traveled past different booths.

“All of these clubs seem pretty standard to me,” Azul commented,” None of them are really sticking out.”

“Just find one already! We’ve been here for an hour!” Jamil yelled.

“Were you never taught patience? I’m trying but none of them sound interesting.”

“I don’t believe that for a second,” Jamil growled.

“Why are you reprimanding me for taking my time? Kocho’s taking far longer than I.”

“Cause he’s not being annoying about it, you Trilobite!”

“Stop calling me a Trilobite!”

“What’s a Trilobite?”

Both Jamil and Azul whipped their heads around to look at Kocho as he looked back at them. It took a second for the two boys to recover from the fact that Kocho just spoke to them. Once they finally did though, Azul had the largest grin on his face.

“It means he’s below average,” Jamil responded with a smirk,” Just a lowly trilobite sitting on the bottom of the ocean floor.”

“So it’s an animal?” Kocho mumbled,” Isn’t calling him a Trilobite and an insult to Trilobites?”

Azul’s smile immediately dropped causing Jamil to chuckle.

“I see I’m not wanted,” Azul said,” I’ll be taking my leave.”

Azul marched off, causing Jamil to let out a sigh of relief.

“Finally he’s gone. Would have been nice if my insults had the same effect,” Jamil huffed.

Kocho didn’t speak. He, instead, went back to looking at the list of clubs he was given. Jamil looked over Kocho’s shoulder to get a look at it. Most of the clubs were crossed off, leaving only a few athletic ones. Although, the Science club had been completely scratched from the list. A mess of scratches covered it.

“Yeesh, not much of a science person are you?”

Kocho looked up at Jamil with an annoyed expression.

“Let’s just get this over with. The quicker you decide the quicker we can both get out of here and away from that Trilobite.”

Jamil looked back at the paper once more, scanning what Kocho hadn’t crossed off.

“And cross out Spelldrive. You won’t survive that one after that little stunt you pulled during gym.”

Kocho glared at Jamil before letting out a small sigh.

“I’ll just go with track,” Kocho mumbled.

“Wise choice.”

“Bonjour Monsieur Butterfly! How wonderful it is that you could make it!”

Kocho glared at Rook. He’d been told to meet up in one of the dance rooms so they could ‘train’. Whatever that could mean. Unfortunately, Rook didn’t specify which dance room or where the dance rooms were. So Kocho ended up getting lost twice and a lecture from one of the upperclassmen about interrupting a lecture when he accidentally walked into the wrong room. To say Kocho made it on time would be a lie. He was seven minutes late.

“Tis shame I couldn’t see you during the club fair!” Rook said dramatically,” I had such high hopes that you’d choose the Science club! Poisons are such an important part of Pomefiore’s identity after all!”

Kocho tilted his head slightly in confusion. He was pretty sure beauty was Pomefiore’s main draw. Not poisons.

Rook caught onto Kocho’s confusion before it disappeared, much to Kocho’s dismay.

“Mon Dieu, were you not aware?” Rook asked,” The beautiful queen was well known for her poisons! It wasn’t just her beauty! Although her beauty was so stunning that all those who wrote of her shed light on that fact. No one can disagree. I’m sure you don’t! You’ve seen her portraits around the dorm, non? And I’m certain you’ve seen her statue on Main Street!”

Kocho had seen the statue on Main Street. How could he not? There were seven large statues that lined the edges of the road in front of the main campus, the beautiful queen’s included. Everyone walked through it to get to class. Kocho had made a point to read the statues’ descriptions earlier that morning, about an hour before anyone left their dorm. Once upon a time, Kocho could name them all and tell you why each dorm was based on them. Now their faces were barely recognizable.

It’s not like that information was important to him anymore. Their names, their faces, and even their contributions to the history of Twisted Wonderland. They were all pointless to remember because they helped him with nothing.

That was the case before.

It’s not the case now.

The same could be said about his magic.

“We all strive to mold ourselves in our beautiful queen’s image,” Rook continued,” To become more like her. Willing to do what we must to achieve our goals! Truly her tenacity was the most beautiful!”
Kocho rolled his eyes as Rook continued to go on and on about the beautiful queen. The man’s admiration for this woman was truly impressive, so much so it bordered on creepy. Kocho couldn’t help but wonder how or why Vil kept this guy close.

Actually, Kocho knew exactly why. He just didn’t like it. Because it made Vil a bigger threat. As well as all the other house wardens.

“As to why I asked to see you here, mon cher, is to help mold you into the perfect version of you!” Rook cried,” You have the potential to be as graceful as the butterfly you wear. And I am here to help you break out of that cocoon of yours to do so! First things first, I wish to test a few things.”

Rook spent the next hour or so trying to throw Kocho through the wringer. He kept pushing Kocho into different exercises to see how grateful he was as of now. At his best. It started with a few reps of walking from one side of the room to the other. Each one even more annoying than the last. He was then asked to try different leaps and jumps before being thrown to the other side of the room with wind to test his landings. Something that Rook had admitted he was the most excited to test. Kocho was honestly caught off guard by it (Kocho forgot magic could do that), but not enough to falter. He was used to this.

Rook did the little wind trick randomly throughout the whole ‘training’ session. Even when Rook was teaching him different dance techniques. When Kocho was really trying to focus. To get the moves right. He might want to use these things later, after all. Everything that Kocho was taught could be useful for his goal. Otherwise, it’s all pointless.

After a while, Rook finally told Kocho to sit and stretch. He would guide Kocho through it. It was nice, honestly. All the stretches Rook led him through were familiar. Kocho went through all of them as if they were second nature, much to Rook’s surprise.

“My, you’re far more flexible than I could have ever imagined!” Rook beamed,” Truly, you are impressive.”

Kocho pretended not to pay attention as the boy kept talking.

“Roi du Poison will be pleased with today’s findings, I can guarantee! Although you seemed a little shaky during some of your exercises. While I appreciate you trying you’re best, please don’t push yourself over the edge. Your health is very important to keep your beauty up to our standards. Speaking of which…”

Rook slapped Kocho in the back of the head, causing the boy to grunt in surprise.

“I see you didn’t sleep at all last night. Non, non, this won’t do! I must make sure you sleep tonight and don’t injure yourself further!”

Kocho couldn’t tell if Rook was talking about him ‘hurting his beauty’ or the wound under the bandage. Although Kocho wouldn’t be surprised if he was talking about both.

“After our training I expect you to get food in your system. There’s a nice selection of snacks we keep in the kitchen for all who wish to have some. No need to worry about payment! All the food’s free. I myself am planning on consuming a small salad after this!” Rook rambled on,” Maybe even a strawberry or two!”

Kocho made a mental note of that.

“Enough of my rambling. Next stretch! Allons-y!”

“Evening Gentlemen!”

Cater screamed, causing Trey to laugh. Chenya was lying on Cater’s couch, a smirk plaster on his face. His tail was swinging side to side, falling into the rhythm of the old clock in the corner.

“Good evening Chenya!” Trey replied.

“When did you get here?!” Cater yelled.

“Simple! I walked through the door with both of ya!” Chenya replied.

“With us? What do ya mean with us?!”

“It’s his Unique Magic, Cater,” Trey explained,” He can make himself invisible.”

“Wait, for reals?! That’s so cool!”

“Why thank you!” Chenya hummed.

The three boys were in Cater’s room. It was a very comfortable room. The bed was the largest one in the dorm and the room came with a fireplace and a couch. Perks of being a house warden. Trey usually spent most of his studying in this room with Cater. While neither of them had the same classes, it was nice being able to study with someone. Besides, Cater was surprisingly good at helping others study. That Trey could say with confidence after last year.

“I’m surprised that you were able to get here,” Cater admitted,” What with all the beastmen on campus.”

“It doesn’t just make me invisible! It masks my presence!” Chenya purred,” Enough about me! Spill the tea! I wanna hear what’s been happening here!”

“Not a lot,” Cater replied,” Just the freshman being a handful. Some of them made a mess of our food supply already. We don’t even get it restocked until the end of this week! Can you believe it?”

“You did the same thing last year,” Trey pointed out,” You’re being a bit too lenient with these kids you know. If you want them to not mess with everything, you’ve got to be a bit stricter.”

“But that ain’t my style man.”

“All the other house wardens have everything under control already from what I’ve heard,” Trey explained,” If you want, I can help you out. But there’s only so much I can do.”

“You’d really do that for little ol me? Seriously, you’re the best Trey!” Cater beamed.

“Still figuring things out I see,” Chenya muttered.

“Finding a power dynamic is a struggle,” Cater explained,” I don’t want to do what I did last year. That only caused burnout.”

“But you have Trey this year, yes?” Chenya asked,” I’m sure he’ll help you with anything you need!”

“Don’t go volunteering my time!” Trey yelled struggling to hide his smile,” But seriously Cater, I’m willing to help with all I can. I won’t slack off like your last vice housewarden. I’ll do what needs to be done to support you.”

“Aren’t you the sweetest,” Cater responded with a soft smile.

A real smile that made Cater look almost a little sad.

Trey really was a blessing to Cater. He’d been struggling so much of last year, holding so much in and not letting anyone see. Trey softened the burden and allowed Cater to finally get back on his feet. For once, Cater felt he had a shoulder to lean on.

Cater only wished he could pay Trey back for all he did. Maybe then Cater wouldn’t feel so bad every time Trey did something nice for him.

“Oh, there was this one thing yesterday!” Cater finally said after a few seconds,” There’s this tiny kid in Pomefiore who was apparently getting chased around by an Octavinelle kid!”

“Oh?”

“I nearly forgot about that,” Trey said,” We got used as human shields by the Pomefiore student.”

“We didn’t even notice him!” Cater added,” We only saw the Octavinelle student run by. But then I turned around and, BOOM, the kid was right there. I totes freaked out seeing the kid hiding behind us!”

“How sneaky of him,” Chenya said.

“What was his name again?” Cater asked Trey.

“It was Kocho,” Trey replied,” Same kid that nearly died during his gym period.”

“Damn, didn’t realize his luck was that bad,” Cater muttered,” Made enemies, nearly died, and has Rook keeping an eye on him. I feel bad for the freshy.”

“How’s school been for you, Chenya?” Trey asked.

Chenya hummed a bit, deciding on how to respond. He played with some of the roses on the table, bouncing between different things he could say. After a few seconds, his tail stopped moving.

“It’s been fine,” Chenya said,” Most of the freshmen have been behaving themselves, although their attitudes really annoy me. They act all high and mighty cause they’re in the Royal Sword Academy! I’ll admit, as much as I’ve given ya shit about how your classmates act, ours ain’t much better.”

“Never would have thunk,” Cater muttered sarcastically.

“One of the new kids in my dorm is really getting on my nerves,” Chenya continued,” He’s heard about what happened at home and decided everyone should know about it. It’s like he’s dead set on ruinin my school life.”

“Seriously!?” Cater yelled.

“That’s awful. Are you okay?” Trey asked.

Silence followed Trey’s words. It wrapped around the three boys, holding their thoughts in. Keeping them from being shared. Trey wanted to say more, to DO more for Chenya. But what could he do? Students of a rival school wouldn’t take his interference well. It would only make the problem worse.

It had both been their worst nightmare the year before. Having someone know of what happened 8 years ago try and ostracize them from their new classmates. Trey had nightmares about it quite a few times before. Those nightmares have disappeared over time, with Cater being a large reason as to why.

Trey was still trying to find ways to thank Cater for that.

Still, Trey wished he could do something for Chenya. This was his best friend. He couldn’t just ignore this problem. It hurt just to think about.

Chenya finally looked at the boys with a soft smile.

“I’m fine! It would have been a lot worse last year!” Chenya finally said after a while,” I have more friends this year that have my back. Anyways, I met Neige LeBlanche the other day!”

The awkward atmosphere disappeared, although not entirely.

“No way! THE Neige LeBlanche?!” Cater yelled.

“Yep yep! I sit right next to him in some of my classes too!” Chenya said,” I’ll say, the cameras don’t do him justice. The guy’s pretty!”

“Dude! What’s he like? Is he actually as sweet as he appears on camera? Were you able to get a picture of him? Can I get a picture with him?” Cater started rambling on and on.

“Cater please,” Trey sighed,” He probably deals with enough as is.”

“Too true,” Chenya agreed,” Lots of the freshman blocked everyone from getting to their dorms so they could talk to him.”

“Yikes! Leave it to Neige fans to be assholes just to get a look at him,” Cater said.

“He was keeping it together just fine, but a lot of the upperclassmen were pretty mad at him,” Chenya continued,” Not gonna lie, I don’t think most of the school likes him.”

“Seriously?! He’s like, one of the most popular people on Magicam!” Cater exclaimed,” Plus I can’t even count how many times his movies made the top charts cause of him. I couldn’t imagine anybody disliking him.”

“You see, that’s the thing,” Chenya explained,” His popularity gets on a lot of people’s nerves. I’ve heard many people gossip about how he’s an attention seeker and a snob.”

“Is he really? That’s a huge surprise,” Cater muttered.

“I don’t get either of those impressions from him.” Chenya admitted,” I think most of them are just jealous.”

Trey watched Chenya’s movements carefully. His tail hadn’t gone back to swaying, and he was trying his hardest not to look either Cater or Trey in the eye. Something in Trey knew, just from looking at his friend, that Chenya wasn’t fine.

“If you want my opinion on Neige, he’s fine,” Chenya continued,” He’s as sweet as they come. But something about his personality feels a bit hollow.”

“What do you mean?” Cater asked.

“Hmm, how do I explain it,” Chenya mumbled,” It’s like that’s all that’s there. Just a nice person. That’s all.”

“That’s weird,” Trey muttered.

“Yeah, you’re telling me,” Cater agreed.

Chenya nodded his head before letting out a large yawn. His cat ears flattened a bit as his head fell onto the pillow on the couch. Both Trey and Cater watched as for a minute as Chenya stayed where he was.

“Hey buddy, are you okay?” Cater asked.

“Hm? Yeah, just sleepy,” Chenya replied,” My roommates are a rowdy bunch this year. Couldn’t get a wink of sleep last night.”

“Man that sucks. You can take a nap here if you need,” Cater offered,” I have a few blankets in the closet if you need.”

“Hmm, you’re the best Cay-cay,” Chenya mumbled before curling up and closing his eyes.

The silence that followed was a lot nicer than before. With Chenya purring every so often disturbing it. Neither of the boys minded though. Trey grabbed some of the blankets from the closet and laid them on top of Chenya. The boy looked so small under them. It made Trey feel even worse.

Cater watched Trey’s movements. He knew what Trey was thinking about. It was obvious to a degree.

“Hey Trey,” Cater whispered,” Why don’t you go bake something we can all snack on when he wakes up? I’m sure he’d like that.”

Trey looked at Cater and smiled softly.

“Yeah,” he whispered back,” I will.”

Trey made his way to the door slowly. Before he opened it, Trey stopped and turned to look at Cater.

“Hey Cater, Thank you,” Trey said,” For being there for both of us.”

Cater’s eyes widened as Trey left the room. His eyes lingered on where the boy once stood, his expression never changing from one of surprise. He was left alone with his thoughts running a mile a minute. It took Cater a while before a soft smile crept his way up his face.

“Dumbass,” he muttered,” I should be thanking the both of you.”

Chapter Text

“Hey, big sis. What are you doing?”

“I’m training to become a demon slayer! I want to be able to help protect others like Himejima did for us. Why do you ask?”

“I want to become a demon slayer too! I want to protect people too!”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive!”

“Alright then, you can train with me today to see if you’re up for the challenge!”

“Caw! Caw! Hurry! Hurry!”

Kocho’s legs hurt as he ran as fast as he could. He tried to push himself harder and harder, trying not to trip over anything. It was harder to do so with his mind so clouded in red-hot anger and panic. His breathing was struggling to stay even and his eyes were starting to water. Kocho hadn’t felt like this in years.

It hurt so much to remember the last time he did.

After running for so long, the crow above cried out once more.

“Caw! Caw! Please! Please! Hurry! Hurry!”

“I’m trying Kuroba!” Kocho screamed at the bird, his voice cracking.

The bird flinched. Kocho could feel every voice in his head buzzing. Screaming. Flashing images rapidly in his mind. Images of a house covered in blood. A monster looming over him and two girls. He could feel the warm embrace of one trying to protect him. Lavender eyes telling him he’ll be okay. That she’ll always be there for him and Shinobu. She’ll protect the two of them no matter what, cause that’s what big sisters do.

He was about to lose that too.

“Kanae!” Kocho cried out, trying his hardest to hold his tears back.

He could finally see the woman lying down in front of him, being held up by her younger sister. Kanae turned her head as much as she could, her lavender eyes meeting Kocho’s grey. Kocho’s breath hitched when he saw her face. Red trailed out of her mouth and she looked paler than any human being should be.

Kocho dropped his sword and knelt down next to the two elder sisters, the tears finally escaping him.

“Riddle, you’re here,” Kanae whispered with a smile,” You’re actually here.”

“Big sis hold on, please! We need to get you to a doctor! Shinobu help me carry her please!”

“Using ‘big sis’ now of all times,” Kanae muttered,” How kind of you.”

Kocho watched as his elder sister tried to laugh, but it only ended with her coughing more blood.

“Kanae!” Shinobu cried out,” Please save your breath! The Kakushi should be here soon! You’re going to survive, I swear it!”

“Both of you, listen to me,” Kanae whispered in a stern voice,” Leave the demon slayer corps! Live a peaceful life without having to fight for your lives! You both deserve that much! Not a death as painful as this!”

Kocho could feel his anger boiling over. He couldn’t stop himself, even as he cried, from yelling back.

Shinobu beat him to it, holding back tears of her own.

“I will never leave the Demon Slayer Corps! As long as I live, I will make sure demons pay for what they’ve done!”

“As long as there are people hurting like us, I will wield my blade,” Kocho cried,” For people like Mom. For people like Dad. And for people like you.”

“Shinobu, Riddle,” Kanae mumbled,” You both are so strong.”

She coughed more blood before continuing.

“Listen well then,” Kanae said,” The demon who did this. It’s a demon with blood stains on the top of his head. He always gives a carefree smile and he speaks in a calm, gentle manner. The weapons this demon uses are a pair of sharp fans.”

Kocho burned every word she said into his memory. He didn’t want to miss a single detail. No, he would never forget any of it. Because he would remember Kanae’s killer.

And if a day came when he saw the demon, Kocho swore he would kill him no matter what.

“Most importantly,” Kanae continued, her voice struggling to be heard,” His eyes were a beautiful rainbow. With Upper Rank 2 carved into them.”

Suddenly he was no longer looking at the soft lavender eyes of his dead sister. Red-hot rage had taken over every other emotion and his tears were gone as he glared at yellow eyes. Yellow eyes with ‘Upper Moon 3’ carved into them.

Someone was holding Kocho back from charging at Upper Moon 3. A man with a yellow main of hair that almost resembled fire. He too, was glaring at the demon. But it was clear the man was thinking so much more logically than Kocho. Anger wasn’t burning through his vision and mind after all.

“Where is Upper Moon 2!” Kocho yelled at the demon.

“Hm? You’re really looking to fight him? Sorry kid but you’re barely strong enough to be a demon slayer. You’d be dead the second he looks at you” Upper Moon 3 said with a smile,” I’m surprised to ally yourself with such a person! You’re a Hashira. Why would you speak to someone so weak?”

Kocho growled, causing the man’s grip to tighten. The man’s next words were muffled, almost filtered out of Kocho’s mind. It was then that Kocho slowly realized what was happening. Flashes of red and blue struck each other on the field. Anger changed to panic as Kocho finally remembered what was about to take place. What he’d see once again.

Upper Moon 3 struck the man in the chest, punching a hole cleanly through. Blood flew around the two men, filtering Kocho’s vision with red as tears spilled once more.

“RENGOKU!”

Kocho’s eyes shot open, finding himself in a moonlit room of Pomefiore. His breathing was ragged and his eyes were stained with tears. There were hundreds of thoughts racing in his mind. All could be summed up with one word.

Red.

All he saw was red.

Slowly, Kocho pushed himself out of bed and grabbed something from underneath it. A beautiful purple blade glistened in the light. Kocho tried to grab something from the end of the handle, but there was nothing there. Just a ring meant to hold onto something.

Kocho stared at the end of the handle for a minute before the breathing became even more ragged. This was bad. This was bad. He forgot he lost it. The one thing that reminded him of his childhood. When times were simpler and he wasn’t always scared for his life.

A small cat keychain with little button eyes and a vibrant blue color. Its soft texture could calm any storm that took hold of Kocho’s mind.

It wasn’t here, just like the night before.

The voices started racing around more and more. They spoke thousands upon thousands of words. Each one taking a jab at everything Kocho was. It was pointless! Completely pointless! Kocho’s just fighting a losing battle every single day. All of them took their swings, striking him in his weakest points. Rengoku and Kanae and so many more are dead. What was the point of fighting if even they fell in battle?

It hurt.

It hurt so badly.

Kocho slowly picked himself off the floor, dragging the blade with him as he staggered to the bathroom. He had to get rid of the voices. So he did so the only way he knew how. Just like the night before.

Kocho held his hand over the bathtub while his other hand held his blade up. Most of the blade was dull, with the only exception being its hooked tip. So, without hesitation, Kocho placed the hooked tip on his hand.

And sliced.

Najma: Hear ye! Hear ye! I have a message for one Jamil Viper!

Najma: Hear ye!

Najma: Hear ye!

Would it kill you to text me when I’m NOT busy: Jamil

Najma: Rude!

Najma: >:(

Najma: And after I went through all this trouble to gather information for you

WYM information?: Jamil

Najma: Nope

Najma: Not telling you anymore!

Najma: Bye!

Jamil could feel a headache forming just from reading his sister’s texts. He really didn’t want to deal with her right now. Seriously, of all the classes she could have bothered him during, why did it have to be potionology? His concentration was key right now!

Jamil went back to reading the book in front of him, scanning the list of ingredients needed. It was a simple potion. One used to help with a fever. But Jamil had never worked with potions before. So it was important that he focused on the basics.

His partner, on the other hand, seemed to have experience in potion-making.

Kocho was very careful in his actions. He took every instruction seriously, as if the consequences of messing up were more dire than being asked to restart. Jamil didn’t mind that though. Having a lab partner who took things seriously was better than a partner who slacked off. Just like Azul’s partner!

Everything Kocho measured was precise yet done so quickly. His movements, while a little shaky, were done without flaw. Jamil could barely keep up with what Kocho was doing, so he stopped helping with measurements and just started reading the ingredients to Kocho. Even still, Jamil sometimes couldn’t keep up.

The two of them finished pretty quickly compared to the rest of the class. Their professor, Divus Crewel, made his way to the two boys. He carefully observed their work before giving the two boys a smile.

“Well done,” he said,” I wasn’t expecting you pups to finish so quickly.”

Jamil smirked while Kocho bowed as if to say thank you. In the past week and a half, Jamil could say he’s gotten better at reading Kocho. Or maybe Kocho’s gotten more relaxed around him. There was no real way of telling. His reactions are so little and he barely speaks. Either way, Jamil’s gotten used to it.

“However, Jamil, next time you’ll be doing the measuring,” Crewel demanded,” You’ve been depending too much on Kocho to do most of the work.”

Jamil would have liked to argue, saying he tried before. It was just hard keeping up with Kocho. But he didn’t. Professor Crewel wouldn’t have listened.

Before Crewel left, Kocho waved his hand in front of the man. The hand was covered in bandages, again. There was barely a day where Kocho didn’t have a new set of bandages covering his hands. Jamil had no idea why and he refused to ask. Kocho wouldn’t tell him anyway.

“Hm? What is it pup?”

“May I borrow some supplies? I would like to practice making potions on my own time,” Kocho whispered.

“Apologies but no. I don’t trust you pups not to make a mess of things without an adult in the room,” Crewel said without hesitation.

“Please.”

Crewel glared at Kocho for a minute, but the boy wasn’t stepping down. He was really determined, much to Jamil’s surprise. Why was Kocho doing this? It wasn’t really that big of a deal. Unless Kocho wanted to make something he wanted nobody to know about. Poisons maybe? No, he didn’t need to hide that. Everyone could just look at his uniform and believe it’s a dorm thing. And Jamil was fairly certain Kocho knew this.

“Only if you can find an upperclassman to supervise you,” Crewel finally caved in,” And I have to know who it is. We wouldn’t want you to choose someone I wouldn’t let touch my lab even with a 10ft pole.”

Kocho bowed again as Professor Crewel walked away. Finally, Jamil had a little bit of a break. He could figure out why Kocho wanted access to lab materials later. There wasn’t a reason to worry. Kocho wasn’t exactly a threat to Jamil’s master. His master wasn’t here.

Jamil needed to get that into his head a bit more. He didn’t need to be paranoid like at home. Kocho could do his own thing without someone constantly checking what he was doing. Hades knows Kocho already deals with that enough with Rook.

Jamil pulled his phone out once more, ready to annoy his sister to see what she meant. A little notification caught his attention. Najma had texted him again. Weird. Jamil thought she would ignore him for a lot longer.

He read every word she sent, eyes widening as he did.

Najma: Seriously though, Mom and Dad just had a meeting with the Asim family. They said the topic was about NRC and that “Jamil will be so happy to hear the news”. When you read this, please act like I didn’t send this. I will delete this message the second you reply.

“Monsieur Butterfly! Bienvenue! Bienvenue! Please come in!”

Kocho found himself in one of the dance studios, just as he had every other day. Rook’s insistence on making sure Kocho was in perfect shape was starting to really get on his nerves. It wasn’t the path Kocho wished to go down. He wanted to get stronger. Kocho could respect the constant persistence of finding other’s inner beauty. In a way, he kind of admired that about Rook and Vil. He just hated the fact that they wished to drag him along with them.

Vil was joining them this time. Apparently, he insisted on checking in on Kocho’s progress each week. Kocho didn’t really care that Vil was here. He just wanted to get this over with.

They went through all the motions like every other day. Walking, stretching, leaping, the list goes on and on. Kocho could do it all with ease. He’s done it all before.

Until he nearly stumbled out of a leap. That’s not a problem, Kocho told himself. It’s just one mistake. But then he nearly stumbled over his own steps. One of the turns fell flat. It kept happening over and over and over again. At the end of it all, Kocho’s legs nearly collapsed from underneath him. Kocho was embarrassed and angry, to say the least. Angry because he knew he could do this without messing up. He’d pushed himself much further than this before. Why was he messing up now?

The embarrassment, of course, comes from the fact that Rook noticed.

“I’ve seen enough,” Vil said,” I’ll admit, you’ve impressed me. While you’re not even close to my standards, you’ve grown quite far. Especially compared to last week.”

Vil made his way to leave the room. Before he left though, he turned to look at Rook.

“I’ll be checking in again next week. You better not disappoint.”

“I would never dream of it, Roi du Poison.”

Vil nodded his head with a smile before leaving the room. The second the door shut behind him, Rook whipped his head around to look at Kocho. He had the sternest expression Kocho had ever seen. Rook pointed to the ground and said one word.

“Sit.”

He did.

“Monsieur Butterfly, this conversation is long overdue,” Rook started,” It has become abundantly clear that you have not been taking care of yourself. All the moves you were able to perform perfectly last week have gotten not only sloppier, but have clearly put strain on your body.”

Kocho didn’t like where this was going.

“I’ve been too lenient on you, it seems,” Rook continued,” Your body is something you should be careful with. You need to let it rest in order for it to thrive properly. Let me ask you this, how often do you let yourself rest? Twice a week? Don’t think I don’t check on you often enough not to notice. That bed of yours has barely been used.”

“Oh non, let us not forget the biggest problem in this entire situation. You’re still heavily injured.”

Kocho glared at Rook the second he mentioned his injuries. Rook wasn’t exactly in a position to mention this now. He’s been pushing this ‘training’ on Kocho, fully knowing about how badly hurt Kocho was.

Now, don’t get him wrong. Kocho isn’t mad he was forced to train under these circumstances. That would be a bit hypocritical. He’s just mad that Rook is using it as a point against him like he wasn’t half of the problem.

“Now, I will admit, I may have taken it a bit too far with you.”

Oh so he is aware of it.

“You have my deepest apologies for that. But, Monsieur Butterfly, we both know I’m not the only one who caused this.”

Rook watched to see how Kocho would react, only being met back with a glare.

“You’re staying in your room for the rest of the night,” Rook demanded,” No physical activity allowed until you’ve fully rested. Don’t think you can get away with not sleeping either. I will be checking up on you every hour. If you do not rest yourself, our promise is off. I will be telling Professor Crewel about your injuries. Understood?”

Kocho’s glare hardened.

“If you care so much, why the hell did you make the promise in the first place?” Kocho growled.

Rook’s eyes widened. He hadn’t heard Kocho speak since that first night. The boy really cared this much about hiding his injuries, didn’t he? Not that Rook blamed him. They would have striked so many questions about his home life.

But it was probably something different, Rook felt.

“We both know you would have ran the first chance you got if I didn’t,” Rook growled back,” It is none of my business as to why you wish to hide this, but it has to stop. You’re only hurting yourself more and more. I don’t care about what secrets you’re hiding from us. What I want is to be able to see you fully healed. But we both know that wouldn’t have happened if I tried that night. I’ve seen what people will do when they are truly afraid, Monsieur Butterfly. And I know what you’re capable of. You would have, without a doubt, gotten away that night.”

“I don’t want to hear a single complaint about this, understood?” Rook asked,” Vil will be hearing about this, whether or not you like it. But I will not tell a single other soul. I’ll make sure he does the same. It is, however, our responsibility to make sure the students of our dorm aren’t hurting themselves like this.”

Kocho did not respond, not that Rook blamed him. Without another word, Rook picked Kocho up and carried him off to his room. The boy was light. Rook didn’t like that. Kocho felt too small and frail for someone going through whatever he went through. Seeing those injuries for the first time, especially the bruises that wrapped around Kocho’s body like a snake, made Rook feel sick.

Even more so that he had to make that promise.

And that he almost forgot about it for the sake of his bet with Vil.

It made Rook feel like a monster.

Rook was quick to drop Kocho off in his room and order some of the third years to keep an eye on the boy. Kocho hadn’t looked at him at all during this. He kept his head down with an angry expression clear as day. Again, Rook did not blame him. But he couldn’t help but wonder why. This boy should be asking for help. Should be using the resources around him to heal himself.

But he isn’t.

He’s refusing.

By the time Rook found Vil, he was struggling to contain his anger. It was bubbling over, out of Rook’s hold. So much so, that Vil noticed the second the two boys made eye contact.

“Roi du Poison, a word.”

“Hmmm. Hmmm,” a small boy hummed,” How fascinating.”

The room was lit up by a bunch of different monitors. Each one glowing blue. Two different individuals were in the room. One was at his desk, playing whatever game was on the computer in front of him. The other was the small boy. Most of his body resembled that of a robot, with the only human part being his face. Both boys had flaming blue hair that helped light up the area around them. The small boy was plugged into one of the computers. It appeared he was checking something.

“Ortho, what are you doing?” the older one asked.

“Looking through the school’s security cameras,” the small boy, Ortho, replied,” I have found that this is one of the best ways to observe some of the students here. I’m not able to make a good judgment of everyone’s characters if I’m not able to see who they are when nobody’s around.”

He stated it like it was a fact. One he was sure of. It wouldn’t be far from the truth. The boy had every piece of information at his fingertips. He could learn everything if he so desired. It was something the older one knew to be true. After all, he was the one to build Ortho the way he was.

Still.

“Ortho that’s illegal.”

“I know! But it’s the only way I can help you make friends!” Ortho beamed,” You won’t do the looking yourself. So I decided to do it for you!”

“W..w..why would you…. Ortho!” the boy nearly yelled,” That’s, like, a huge no! I’m not socializing with any normy you introduce me to!”

“But brother…. You know what, that’s not important right now,” Ortho muttered,” Idia, will you permit me to help one of the other students here?”

“Huh? What’s this about?” Idia asked.

“There’s someone in this school I wish to help! So will you permit me to do so?”

“W.w..ww..wait where is this coming from? What did you see?!”

“For the sake of this student’s privacy, I will not say why,” Ortho replied.

“Oh so now you care about privacy,” Idia mumbled.

“Please!”

Idia curled up a bit more in his chair, trying to think about how to reply. It only took a minute before he did.

“Tch, fine!”

“Yay!”

“Rook, are you sure about this?”

“Oui, Roi du Poison,” Rook replied,” I understand your hesitation, but it will benefit us all if you see this.”

It was an early weekend morning in Pomefiore. Most students were asleep in their dorm rooms or out checking the nearby town. Nobody was there to listen to the two boys. Something that Rook was fully willing to take advantage of.

“It would be better if we wait til after he wakes,” Vil said,” You said it yourself. The potato has barely had a wink of sleep.”

“I can guarantee Monsieur Butterfly is not asleep,” Rook said with confidence,” En fait, I have reasons to believe he didn’t….”

Rook’s eyes caught onto the blue light of a flame turning the corner. Vil turned to see what made Rook stop, only to see a small boy with hair made of fire. He had the friendliest look in his eyes as he waved to the two boys.

“Good morning Housewarden Vil Schoenheit, Vice housewarden Rook Hunt!” The little boy beamed,” How are you this morning?”

“Monsieur Doll! What a lovely surprise!” Rook beamed,” We weren’t expecting you to come!”

“We’re fine, Ortho. What are you doing here?” Vil asked,” Did something happen?”

“I wanted to visit someone!” Ortho replied,” You see, my brother programmed me to do a lot of different things. One of these things includes an extensive collection of medical knowledge that I believe would be incredibly useful for a certain someone here.”

Vil’s eyes widened.

“Monsieur Doll, were you perhaps spying on Monsieur Butterfly?” Rook asked,” If so, I will not let this slide.”

“No! You misunderstand! I watch the cameras to find a friend for Big Brother!” Ortho defended,” I just happened to see your argument with Kocho and realized I’m in a uniquely perfect position to help him!”

“What makes you think we will let you near him?” Vil asked,” I mean no offense, but he will not take kindly to you knowing any of this. The second he sees you, there’s no doubt in my mind he will shut down and say nothing. Sevens knows he already does that with us.”

“But will you at least let me try?” Ortho asked,” It would be extremely beneficial for Kocho!”

“Roi du Posion, if I may,” Rook whispered, gesturing Vil to come closer,” Monsieur Butterfly’s situation is dire. Is it really in our best interest to deny Monsieur Doll? I’m aware Monsieur Butterfly’s trust in us is little. However, I will admit, I’m starting to get desperate. We have to heal him but he will not visit the infirmary for whatever reason. Monsieur Doll might be our only choice.”

Vil eyed Rook, trying to decide whether or not he should. While Vil has barely talked to Kocho, he could tell the boy tried his hardest to keep him at a distance. It was painfully clear. Even still, Rook was telling him to do this. To let Ortho into something that might be far too much for all of them. Without a doubt, they would all be in trouble if this got out. Kocho’s trust aside, could Vil really trust Ortho to keep this a secret?

“If it helps, I will not tell anybody unless I get permission from Kocho,” Ortho added, as if he read Vil’s mind,” Every single word he tells me and every detail I see will be kept a secret.”

Vil looked into Rook’s eyes. Rook did the same. There were a few seconds where the two boys could read what the other was thinking. A conversation none could hear that came second nature to Rook and Vil. It wasn’t long until the two came to an agreement.

“Fine,” Vil huffed,” Let’s go.”

Ortho cheered.

The three boys quietly made their way through the dorm, making sure they woke up nobody. Sun fluttered through the windows, softly lighting up every hallway. It was beautiful. Rook had once mentioned the sun seemed to be a great comfort to Kocho. Every time the boy walked outside, he relaxed a noticeable amount the second the sun hit his skin. It was an odd detail, but it might help make the situation easier.

Anything might help make the situation better.

Once the three boys made it to Kocho’s room, Rook signaled Vil and Ortho to stay put. Carefully, Rook opened the door and slid inside.

Kocho hadn’t decorated the room at all since school started. None of the blankets were personalized, none of the tables had anything on them, and nothing was hanging from the walls. The only thing that Kocho changed about the room is that he covered every mirror.

The small boy was lying on his bed, eyes wide open. He hadn’t even started putting make-up on, allowing the dark eyebags to be visible even with minimal light. Kocho was glaring at Rook, waiting for the older boy to speak.

“Monsieur butterfly,” Rook spoke softly,” I’ve brought Roi du Poison to examine your wounds. I’m aware you’re still mad at me, but can you please allow us to do this?”

Kocho did not reply, but at least he did not look away. He just waited for Rook to continue, like he knew there was more. Rook took a quick breath, steading himself for whatever response Kocho would give. Whether it be angry or scared, Rook had to be prepared.

“You also have a visitor,” Rook started,” He has this unique ability that allows him to scan people’s injuries and he wishes to help you with yours. Now, do not worry. He’s already promised to keep this all a secret. All I ask is that you please let him come in too. He has more medical knowledge than any of us, so it would be highly beneficial for you.”

Kocho stayed completely still for a minute before slowly sitting up and nodding his head. A smile finally crossed Rook’s face. One of complete relief.

“Merci Monsieur Butterfly. I promise you will not be disappointed.”

Rook signaled Vil and Ortho to come in, much to the two boys' delight. Vil went in first before Ortho, each one trying to be quiet.

The second Kocho saw Ortho, his eyes widened. He immediately pushed himself away and raised his arms up to defend himself. All three of the boys backed up in surprise as Kocho glared at Ortho. Nobody moved. Nobody said a word. After a while, Kocho turned his head to look outside, then back at Ortho.

“Monsieur Butterfly?”

Slowly, Kocho lowered his arms and looked away from the group. The tension in the air filtered out, leaving only something slightly awkward for everyone except Ortho.

“He reacted with much more malice than I expected! I will have to make a note of this,” Ortho muttered to himself,” Good Morning Kocho! My name is Ortho Shroud! I’m the younger brother of Ignihyde’s housewarden, Idia Shroud. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

Kocho didn’t look up at Ortho, causing the awkward atmosphere to thicken.

“Ooookay. Well, if it isn’t much trouble, shall we get started?” Ortho asked.

“But of course!” Rook replied, albeit a bit hesitant,” Monsieur Butterfly, if you would please.”

Kocho nodded his head and slowly started taking off his PJs. Nobody commented that it was just Kocho’s gym uniform. The movements were almost painfully slow. Kocho turned to look at the boys as the injuries became visible. As more and more of them were revealed, dread started to build within Vil and Ortho.

After a while, the last bandage was torn off. Vil’s breath hitched and Ortho fought the urge to gasp. Bruises coiled around Kocho’s skin, trailing around stab wounds too thick to be a blade. A large cut ran down Kocho’s back. It was worrying how dark the bruises were, even after nearly two weeks to heal.

None of that even scratches the surface of how many scars the boy had.

Nobody wanted to think about the indication of those.

“Kocho,” Vil whispered,” Why would you hide injuries such as these?”

“Scanning shows there are also two broken ribs,” Ortho muttered,” Kocho would have been in the infirmary for a long time. We would have also needed to bring in more medical professionals as well as the police to investigate what happened. This would bring a lot of attention to Night Raven College and Kocho. Correct me if I’m wrong, but is that what you wanted to avoid?”

Kocho nodded his head as he watched every one of Ortho’s movements. It wasn’t too different from how Kocho treated Rook and Vil. This was just a bit more extreme.

“Do you think you can handle this?” Vil asked Ortho.

“Absolutely! Although I underprepared for this situation so I’ll have to leave for a bit to grab extra supplies,” Ortho replied,” I can help with the broken ribs before I do though!”

“We’ll leave the room and let you do your thing then,” Vil said.

Kocho froze and glared at Vil.

“No need!” Ortho said,” This will only take about a minute. Then you can talk to Kocho while I’m out.”

Ortho flew over to Kocho was, surprising the boy greatly. Kocho flinched as Ortho reached out to his broken ribs. Vil and Rook looked at Kocho in confusion as the boy looked in between them and Ortho before calming down a little.

Ortho laid his hands on the ribs and focused his magic into them. A soft glow emitted from his hands. His magic worked its way through the cracks, mending everything it could. The bones slowly healed before Ortho backed away from Kocho. Kocho’s eyes were wide as he traced the once-broken bones. They were completely healed, with the only proof of what happened being the lingering soreness.

“There we go! Good as new!” Ortho beamed.

Kocho stared at Ortho in awe while Ortho went back to where Rook and Vil were standing.

“I’ll be taking my leave for a bit,” Ortho said,” Please make sure Kocho doesn’t put too much pressure on his ribs. Everything this spell is used on will be delicate and easily hurt once again 2-3 hours after healing.”

“Understood,” Vil said, somewhat surprised himself,” Thank you.”

“Of course!”

Ortho left the room without another word, leaving the three boys in their silence. Vil tried to figure out what to say next. What can he say next? Rook already yelled at Kocho about most of what Vil would say. Although that was before Vil saw Kocho’s wounds. The anger Vil saw in Rook earlier made so much more sense. Kocho was hurt horribly and was trying to hide it from everyone. And sure, maybe he didn’t want the attention would bring him. Ortho certainly wasn’t wrong when he said it police would have gotten involved (if Crowley even allowed word to get out). But also meant Kocho was protecting whoever did this to him.

Vil could feel the anger boil over and he struggled to contain it. To yell at Kocho. Ask who did this. No human should go through this.

To make it worse, Rook hid it from him.

“Rook, tell me,” Vil whispered to his vice house warden,” How long were you planning on hiding this from me?”

“As long as I needed to,” Rook admitted,” As much as I despise the promise I made, Monsieur Butterfly would have been worse off if I didn’t.”

“And how do you…”

“You lied.”

Both boys whipped their heads around to look at Kocho, their eyes wide. Kocho was glaring at them with pure anger, something that threw Vil off completely.

“You said you would tell no one else.”

“Monsieur Butterfly, I can assure you I told no one outside of Roi du Poison,” Rook said, trying to defend himself,” Neither of us were aware Monsieur Doll knew of the situation.”

“And why should I believe you?” Kocho asked,” You haven’t exactly proven yourself to be trustworthy.”

“That’s enough Kocho,” Vil demanded,” We are trying to do what’s in your best interest. You are aware of what will happen to Rook and I if any of this information gets out? We will be seen as accomplices to your abuser. Our careers will be over and people will constantly remind us for the rest of our lives. I hope you were aware from the beginning how absurd this…”

“The hell do you mean ‘abuser’?” Kocho asked,” Are you insisting someone I care for is hurting me?”

“Non non, Monsieur Butterfly, we would never,” Rook said, trying to calm the two boys down,” We’re just trying to tell you how the world will see it. Unless, of course, you are being abused by someone close to you.”

“What else could it be, Rook?” Vil asked.

Rook pulled Vil closer to him and whispered.

“He would be acting different if he were, Roi du Poison. Trust me when I say Monsieur Butterfly has not been abused. I see it in his eyes now. That hardened glare. Not to mention the calluses. He’s a fighter, Roi du Poison. Nobody could hurt him without a fight.”

“And how exactly are you so sure of this?” Vil hissed.

“He has shown his cards before,” Rook explained,” There isn’t a doubt in my mind he’d get away facilely.”

“I’m still not convinced,” Vil said.

“None of us will ever know every single detail of this situation,” Rook whispered,” But I can say, with certainty, that Monsieur Butterfly has the face of a warrior. En outre, you said it yourself. Once we tell someone else, we’ve buried our own graves. I ask of you, Roi du Poison, to consider how you will move forward with this.”

Vil hated that Rook was right. He wanted to tell Professor Crewel or someone from the staff of what they found. But it’s been held in for too long. People would ask questions and point fingers at them. Vil had said that earlier to show Kocho what would happen if they agreed. He forgot two weeks had already gone by.

“I’m back!”

The tension in the room was immediately cut as Ortho came flying in with medical supplies. He was in a chipper mood.

“Bienvenue Monsiuer Doll!” Rook beamed.

“Did you get everything you needed?” Vil asked.

“Yep! It wasn’t too hard. There wasn’t anybody on campus to stop me, so the trip went by much quicker than I expected!”

“You stole medical supplies from the infirmary?!” Vil nearly shouted in surprise.

“Of course not! The medical supplies in the infirmary is available for all students for when they need it!”

“Thank you, Monsieur Doll, for helping us,” Rook stopped Vil before he could speak again.

“You're welcome! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got work to do.”

“We’ll leave you to it then,” Vil said with a smile.

Kocho’s eyes widened in panic, confusing Rook. He leaned in to whisper to the redhead while trying to find the words to help comfort Kocho.

“Everything will be alright, Monsieur Butterfly. Monsieur Doll has no ill will. He is but a humble robot. Harming you would do nothing for him,” Rook whispered.

Kocho gave Rook a confused look, making sure to hide it from Vil and Ortho. Suddenly something became oddly clear to Rook. Out of all the times Rook had seen every Pomefiore student, they always had their phones on them. Whether that be to look at a magicam post or to text a friend, it didn’t matter. Kocho, the student Rook was keeping the closest eye on, never once brought out a phone.

Nor had he interacted with any of the TVs.

Nor had he used a computer to help study.

“Monsieur Butterfly, you do know what a robot is, non?”

Kocho shook his head, confirming Rook’s train of thought. He never thought to question it before. Who in their right mind would? Technology was so widely used. There wasn’t a single person who didn’t at least have a phone.

But if there was a place in Twisted Wonderland that didn’t have technology, at least not to the degree the rest of Twisted Wonderland had…

My, this was starting to get interesting.

“Rook, let’s get going,” Vil called out,” And Kocho, if it will make feel better, we can grab some strawberries for you on the way back.”

Kocho looked at Vil in surprise.

“Oh don’t think we didn’t notice,” Vil huffed,” You’ve eaten so many we’ve had to restock our supply almost every day. Rook! Let’s go!”

Rook chuckled to himself as the two boys left the room, leaving Ortho and Kocho alone. Kocho watched Ortho’s every move as the blue-haired boy moved the supplies onto the bedside counter.

“You’re quite lucky to have Vil Schoenheit as your Housewarden and Rook Hunt as your Vice Housewarden,” Ortho commented in a cheery voice,” None of the other Housewardens would have kept it a secret if they cared. For example: The Savanaclaw housewarden wouldn’t have cared enough to help you if he found out. Granted, I doubt he would have since your blood has such a strong wisteria scent. I will be checking that out. The Heartslabyul Housewarden would have told one of the staff members. Same with the Octavinelle’s and Scarabia’s Houswarden. And I don’t think Big Brother or Diasomnia’s Housewarden would have noticed.”

“None of the others have a dynamic like Vil Schoenheit and Rook Hunt either. Those two really are fascinating individuals. It works well for their dorm. Oh right, your injuries.”

Ortho stopped himself as he picked up a few creams.

“We’re going to be here for a while, so why not make small talk? Studies show making small talk helps time go by quicker,” Ortho stated,” I have a few topics of conversation we can start with! I saw that Divus Crewel wouldn’t let you use the lab equipment outside of class unless you had someone monitoring you.”

Kocho’s eyes widened.

“I can help you with that if you want,” Ortho continued,” Divus Crewel trusts me enough to work with all the chemicals in the lab alone, so I’m sure he’d let me supervise. I know he said upperclassmen and I’m not actually a student here, but he probably didn’t think I would help.”

Ortho watched Kocho’s every expression, trying to see how he would react. The redhead was thinking about it, but his expression gave nothing about his decision away. So Ortho decided to give it one last push.

“If you ever run out of materials, I can help you get them.”

Kocho reacted instantly, much to Ortho’s surprise.

“Fine.”

Chapter Text

“You’re an impressive one.”

“Hm? Is something wrong Riddle?”

“Your sister was turned into a demon and the rest of your family was murdered brutally. You were thrown into hell head first and yet you still act so… like everything will be okay in the end. That your sister will become human again. How exactly do you do it?”

“Easy! It’s because of the people around me! There are so many people who support me that I have to support others as well. I’m a lucky person Riddle. My family was a loving family and my sister is very kind. She deserves to become human again.”

“There’s no proof she ever will.”

“But it’s worth trying. You would do the same for Shinobu, wouldn’t you?”

“I would kill her on the spot if she turned. That’s what she would want.”

“And yet you didn’t hesitate to help protect Nezuko when we were on the Mugan train.”

“I was doing what I was ordered.”

“So you say.”

Jamil’s mood had been kicked around and thrown in the mud the second he got that text the week before. He mulled over every possible implication of what Najma said. But he knew what it meant. It couldn’t mean anything else. His master’s family met with his family to talk about NRC. And they only ever seem happy when the news is about his master.

Of course, this was going to happen. Why did Jamil think anything else was going to happen? His master had to get everything he wanted. Jamil wasn’t allowed to be free from his shackles. Where he goes, his master follows. That was how life had always been and that’s how life would always be.

Jamil dragged himself through the hallways, making his way to the lab. Professor Crewel had assigned everyone potionology homework that required the use of the labs. Everyone had to schedule a time to work in the labs with supervision, but when Jamil went to do it Professor Crewel refused. Saying ‘Just ask Kocho when he wants and you’ll be fine’. Apparently, the kid actually got someone to supervise him.

Jamil couldn’t really care though.

Jamil opened the door to the lab, only to be met with a potent scent of wisteria. He coughed, completely caught off guard by the smell. Immediately, a little boy with flaming hair flew over to Jamil.

“Oh no, did the smell catch you by surprise? I apologize, I didn’t realize it was that strong.”

“It’s fine,” Jamil coughed again,” Wait, who are you?”

The boy was far too young to be a student. For Sevens sake, Jamil didn’t even think the kid was human. Everything about the boy was mechanical except the skin around his mouth. The uniform he wore didn’t even look like clothes. It looked like someone put the boy in a cone that vaguely resembled the lab coats and called it a day.

“Ortho Shroud! You’re Jamil Viper, yes?” Ortho asked,” Please come in!”

Ortho pushed Jamil in, nearly causing the boy to trip. He’d been so lost in his head that it took a minute for Jamil to figure out what was happening. A robot boy? In this school? Jamil knew some of the tech in NRC was impressive, but he didn’t think it was this impressive.

Jamil’s eyes caught onto one of the desks. It was littered with different beakers and multiple burners. There were bundles of wisteria placed on the edge of the desk. Kocho was behind it all. He was carefully taking the petals and seeds off of the wisteria and placing them in a grinding bowl. The redhead was so focused on his work that he didn’t even notice Jamil.

“Uh, Kocho?”

Jamil tapped the boy’s shoulder, earning a confused ‘hm’ before grey eyes met his own.

“Oh hey, Viper!”

Viper. Jamil was never going to get over the fact that Kocho called him by his last name. Or the fact that he called everybody by their last name. Wait, was Kocho his last name or first name? If he called others by their last name, would Kocho introduce himself with his last name or full name? Hold on, what was Kocho’s full name?

The dread from earlier slowly slipped out of Jamil’s grasp, much to his delight. He could think about the inevitability of his master’s arrival later. When he was alone. After all, nobody would think so poorly about the situation like Jamil did. Because it’s the Asim family. A rich, merchant family that would benefit anybody in the slightest of their good graces. Nobody would think poorly of them. Not Kocho. Not anybody.

“What’s all of this?” Jamil asked.

“Just a personal project of mine,” Kocho replied.

“A personal project?” Jamil muttered,” You trying to impress Vil with poison or something?”

“Wisteria isn’t that bad to humans.”

“Wisteria is fatal to humans.”

“Only if you consume a certain amount of it.”

“Pretty sure that’s how poison works.”

“Poison can work in other ways,” Kocho argued half-heartedly,” Wisteria is significantly more fatal if I stuck a needle in your arm and put wisteria in your bloodstream.”

“That’s true for almost everything.”

“Depending on the species, coating an injury in wisteria is also fatal.”

“Pretty sure you’d die from an infection if you did that,” Jamil commented,” Wait what do you mean by ‘depending on the species’?”

Ortho giggled, snapping the two boys' attention to him.

“I’m glad to see you two get along so well!” he beamed,” I was worried Kocho didn’t have any friends.”

Kocho glared at Ortho while Jamil just laughed.

“Nah I tolerate him at best,” Jamil said with a smirk,” Somebody’s gotta keep this guy out of trouble every day!”

“Huh? But isn’t witty banter like what you just showed found only between friends?” Ortho asked,” Oh wait, your smiling. This was a joke.”

In all honesty, Jamil didn’t exactly know what his relationship was with Kocho. The redhead was on the line of acquaintance and friend. Both of them hang around each other a lot during the school day and sometimes they’ll study with each other after school. But there really isn’t more than that.

“No he’s right,” Kocho grumbled,” I’ve found myself being chased around by a trio of Octavinelle every other day and Coach Vargas has banned me from flying on a broom every time I nearly shoot myself into the air. Not to mention everything that happens with Hunt-senpai and Schoenheit-senpai.”

“Oh no! I didn’t realize all of that was happening,” Ortho exclaimed,” Wait, what do you mean shoot yourself into the air? Is that not what you're supposed to do with brooms?”

“Kid’s nearly killed himself every time he’s been on a broom,” Jamil explained,” The second he tries lifting the broom up, he’s shot so high in the sky it gives everyone a heart attack.”

“How odd,” Ortho muttered,” For that to happen, one would need an impressive magic reservoir without having any knowledge of how to use it. But for a reservoir to be that large, one would either need to have grown it via practice or were born with it. And the only ones born with a reservoir like Kocho’s would need to be a species that’s not human. Best examples being the fae and beastmen.”

Kocho glared at Ortho, this time startling the younger boy.

“Oh no! Am I getting too personal? My apologies,” Ortho said.

Jamil looked at Kocho, carefully examining his expression. Was this really so big of a deal as to warrant a glare? This wasn’t really that big of a deal. A lot of the kids with extraordinary magical control couldn’t fly on a broom to save their lives. Example A: Azul. So why was Kocho so defensive about this?

Whatever it was, it wasn’t Jamil’s business.

“If you would like, I can help you!” Ortho offered,” I know a lot about this kind of stuff. Plus I can scan your body to see what exactly is going wrong magically speaking. So all of my critics will 100% be beneficial!”

It would be entertaining to watch, Jamil thought. Although it’s extremely risky, Jamil believed in himself enough though to catch Kocho if something were to happen. Ortho seemed to know what he was doing though. Plus, Jamil doubted Ortho would suggest this without a proper plan. Something as advanced as Ortho probably wasn’t programmed to make poor choices after all.

Besides, Jamil needed more to distract him before going back down his rabbit hole.

“Fine!” Kocho grumbled again,” We’ll just have to tell Hunt-senpai and hope he doesn’t get mad about it.”

“No need to worry! Flying a broom requires no physical activity so Rook Hunt should be okay with it!” Ortho replied.

“Wait, why wouldn’t Rook be okay with you doing physical activity?”

“I’d rather not explain.”

“Here we are!” Ortho beamed.

The trio found themselves on the outskirts of the large field used every day for gym. A beautiful array of colors filled the sky as the sun fell beyond the horizon. Kaleidoscope of colors scattered amongst the sea, just barely visible over the cliffs Night Raven College sat upon. Both Kocho and Jamil held brooms in their hands while Ortho just floated around. His yellow eyes looked so happy, but his mouth was no longer visible.

“Before we begin, I would like to see how Jamil flies,” Ortho started,” It will be helpful if you can fly well. We could use you as a spotter.”

Jamil did as he was told with a smirk. He quickly jumped onto the broom and flew up. There wasn’t a flaw in his movements. As an extra show of his talents, Jamil flew between the trees as quickly as he confidently could. By the time Jamil came back down, Ortho was clapping excitedly.

“That was perfect!” Ortho beamed,” I wasn’t expecting you to do so well. Are you in the spelldrive club or something!”

“Nope. As cool as it sounds, I already knew what club I wanted to go for the day I got here,” Jamil explained.

“Oh, that’s a shame. You should still try out for the interdorm tournament! There’s still a month left until tryouts so you have plenty of time to practice!”

“Interdorm tournament huh,” Jamil hummed,” That does sound right up my alley.”

“You should try out! It’ll be great experience! Plus the whole world will be…. Wait Kocho don’t get on yet!”

Kocho gave the two boys a blank stare as he got off his broom.

“We should start with basic levitation magic,” Ortho said,” Without the risk of you falling, of course.”

Kocho nodded his head and placed the broom down on the ground. He pulled out a pen with a purple gem on top and aimed it at the broom.

“Alright, now just use a little bit of magic to levitate the broom. It shouldn’t be too hard! It’s the first spell everyone learns! I remember when my brother first…”

Light bursted out of the pen with a bang as the broom flew back over a hundred feet. Both Jamil and Ortho stared at the broom with wide eyes. Kocho just sighed, his ears growing a little red.

“I’ll go get it.”

“No, no! You stay put!” Ortho demanded,” I’ll get it.”

Ortho flew and grabbed the broom while Jamil slowly crept next to Kocho.

“Kocho, with all due respect, do you know what in sevens name you're actually doing?” Jamil asked.

“No but I will eventually.”

Ortho came back with the broom and placed it right where it was before.

“Let’s try again! Please try and use less magic this time. We can focus on levitation after you get the hang of controlling your magic input.”

Kocho nodded his head and tried to do as he was told. It failed, again. But it didn’t fly back as far. He did this over and over again. Trying whatever he could to keep the magic in. The gem on the pen started to grow darker and darker, each time he tried. Finally, after a while, Kocho was able to get a hold of the magical input. Ortho cheered, startling Jamil.

“Did he get it?” Jamil asked while looking up from his phone.

“That’s step one done,” Ortho said, ignoring Jamil,” We’ll do step two after a small break. It’s important to give the blot some time to go away.”

Kocho’s looked at Ortho in confusion before looking at his pen. Sure enough, the once bright purple color had faded with splotches of black. There wasn’t a lot, but it was enough to creep Kocho out a bit.

Kocho silently walked over to where Jamil was sitting and laid down next to him. He watched what Jamil was doing before looking up at the sky. The sun had long faded beyond the horizon, taking its rainbow away. All that was left was a dark blue blanket littered with stars and a bright white moon. Kocho stared at the moon for a while, completely captured by its beauty and the familiarity that it brought.

He remembered feeling this way once before. Long before coming to Night Raven. When he was a child, the boy had spent many nights staring up at the moon. It was something that always stayed the same, no matter where he went. The moon was his friend back when he still had everyone.

Kocho remembered his first night as a Kocho. He’d been given his own room with welcome gifts decorating the room. The little cat keychain sitting out on his little bedside table. Moonlight washed the room in a cool atmosphere. Kocho couldn’t go to sleep at all but didn’t dare tell the others. The memories of why were just as vivid as this one, only with screaming and being trapped in his room for a long time.

He remembered he didn’t want that again, but he didn’t have to worry.

Because his mother wasn’t like that woman.

She quietly came in, asking what was wrong. There was no anger in her voice, just pure love and kindness for the son she took in. His mother listened to all his woes and worries, reassuring him that everything would be alright. That she will do her best to help him even when he’s at his lowest. Because that’s what mothers do.

All of this happened in the light of the moon that would always follow him.

The moon lost its meaning over time and started to become stained with red in Kocho’s eyes. But it still kept that air of familiarity that reminded him of home. Besides, Kocho can relax a bit here. Now that he had a few vials of wisteria poison on him at all times, the moon became less ominous here.

“Hey, Kocho.”

Kocho snapped out of his thoughts as Jamil flicked him in the head.

“Are you alright?” Ortho asked,” You weren’t responding when either of us called. I scanned you to see what was happening. They told me you were sad.”

“I get that you're pretty far behind in magic but come on,” Jamil sighed,” It’s not that big of a deal, we all have to start somewhere.”

Like everything else, Jamil thought. He’d been used to helping people study since he always had to help his master. But Kocho was so far back in academics that Jamil was surprised he even got in Night Raven. Granted, the school only chose people based on magical abilities, but that was beside the point. Kocho couldn’t do math that was taught in middle school and he barely had a handle on history. And yet, Kocho caught on quickly. Jamil didn’t have to help Kocho for too long on certain subjects because of it. It made studying with Kocho more bearable than with his master. But it brought up a lot of questions about his home life.

“It’s not that,” Kocho muttered,” I’m just… a little homesick. That’s all.”

“Homesick?”

“Ah yes, that would make sense!” Ortho muttered,” Homesickness among Night Raven students may start as early 2 weeks into the school year. Would you like to talk about it? Usually talking about it helps make it easier to go through.”

“Wouldn’t that make it worse?” Jamil asked.

“We won’t know if we don’t try,” Ortho replied.

“Talk about home,” Kocho muttered,” Sure, why not.”

Kocho just had to avoid talking about anything that could raise questions. Which was, admittedly, a lot. But he also had plenty to talk about that didn’t raise questions.

“Where do I start?” Kocho muttered.

“How about what your home is like?” Jamil asked as he laid next to Kocho, followed soon by Ortho,” Maybe talk about the area or your family.”

“What my home is like,” Kocho repeated,” Well, it's quite noisy. Shinobu tends to get quite a lot of patients which usually puts the rest of us to work a lot. Aoi, Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho usually help out the most while Kanao and I only end up being put to work whenever we’re available. I swear, some of those patients are so annoying. There isn’t a day where I don’t hear Aoi complaining about them.”

Kocho could hear Aoi now. Going on and on about how somebody was screaming about not wanting their medicine because it tasted bad. Even when he was dying from spider demon poison.

“Hold on, what do you mean patients?” Jamil asked.

“Shinobu’s a doctor,” Kocho explained with a smile,” Everyone in the family helps her out in different ways. Sometimes Kanao and I have to help with rehabilitation for those injured enough to need it. Although sometimes I’m just there to intimidate a patient if they're being creepy with one of my sisters. Aoi especially loves dragging me into this. Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho are too young to really understand that stuff. Makes me even more pissed when that happens.”

“Are they all your sisters?” Ortho asked.

“Yep!” Kocho beamed with a smile,” I’m very lucky to have them all. Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho are always willing to help everyone out no matter the situation and Aoi is stubborn as hell. Kanao barely talks and is really good at sneaking around. She’s scared me a couple of times without needing to try. Shinobu’s incredibly strong, always able to push herself forward even when times are hard. I’ve learned a lot from Shinobu.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what about your parents?” Jamil asked.

Kocho stayed silent as the memories flashed in front of him once more. So much red stained the walls and floor. It took him a moment to compose himself before he finally replied.

“They…. died a long time ago.”

Jamil’s eyes widened as silence followed. Kocho didn’t dare say anything else about it. As tragic as the death of a family member is, it’s not something that would cause too many questions. He just had to say nothing else about what happened that night. Nor could he say anything about Kanae.

“My condolences,” Jamil whispered,” I wasn’t aware.”

“Hey! You asked, I answered,” Kocho said,” There’s nothing to apologize about.”

“Still…” Jamil muttered.

“What about you two?” Kocho asked,” What are your families like?”

“Oh, big brother is the best!” Ortho beamed,” He’s constantly building new modifications for me to try out. In fact, he built all of this for me.”

“Your brother….. built you?” Kocho asked.

“Yep! Isn’t that incredible?”

It really was.

“He’s a bit socially anxious though,” Ortho added,” He usually spends his time either building things or playing video games. I love it when we play together. Although sometimes we can get a bit competitive. That’s what makes it fun though.”

“What about you?” Ortho asked Jamil,” What’s your family like?”

“My family?” Jamil hummed,” My mom and dad are fine. They’re just really busy. My sister on the other hand is the most annoying person I’ve ever met. She’ll constantly pester me to help her with different things when I’m home. One time she made me dress like my mom for a parent-teacher conference just because they wanted to talk about Najma’s grades. It was stupid but it worked and our parents still have no idea it happened. If they ever do figure it out, we’re both screwed.”

Kocho could feel a smile crawl up his face as he listened to Jamil go on and on about his sister. It may have been a rant, but he could tell Jamil cared for his sister. Why else would he do stuff like this for her? Honestly, listening to him speak of his family eased Kocho’s nerves quite a bit. It was nice.

It was really nice.

“You should be decently rested now,” Ortho finally said after a while,” Let’s get back to practicing!”

Kocho nodded and got back to work.

“Hey Chenya, are you sure you’ll be fine?” Trey asked.

“Hm? Of course! What wouldn’t I be?”

The two boys were standing outside of Heartslabyul’s mirror, long after the sun had set. They’d spent the entire afternoon talking to each other as well as Cater. None of them kept track of time. All of them were just enjoying themselves too much as well as the calming atmosphere.

“I’m just worried, that’s all,” Trey admitted,” You’ve been spending more and more time taking naps while visiting. Plus the bags under your eyes have gotten worse these past weeks. You haven’t been sleeping well, Chenya, and I want to know why.”

Chenya looked at Trey with wide eyes before a soft smile appeared on his lips.

“Once a mama hen, always a mama hen, huh,” Chenya teased.

“Chenya I’m serious.”

“I know, I know,” Chenya sighed,” Things have just been hectic at RSA. The freshmen really aren’t making things easy. I’ve stayed up really late a few times just to deal with their chaos.”

“Chenya,” Trey said,” I know that isn’t all.”

“I know,” Chenya said,” I’d just… rather not talk about it.”

Chenya’s ears flattened against his head as his tail wrapped around his leg. Even when Chenya kept a smile on his face, his animalistic features always gave him away. It was the easiest tell for when something was nagging Chenya. And it always helped Trey say what was needed.

“You can sleep in my room if you would like,” Trey offered,” Cater wouldn’t mind having you stay the night.”

“You’re too kind,” Chenya muttered,” Maybe I will another night. I’m supposed to talk with some of the juniors tonight.”

The two boys continued to talk, not noticing the presence of three others just around the corner. Kocho, Jamil, and Ortho stood in awkward silence, trying their hardest not to get caught.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jamil whispered after a while,” What’s a Royal Sword Academy student doing here of all places?”

Kocho placed a hand over Jamil’s mouth, earning a glare from the taller boy.

“I should be heading out,” Chenya finally said,” Wouldn’t want to get caught now would we?”

“Please be careful out there,” Trey warned,” It’s pretty dangerous out there.”

“Oh please, you act like I’m gonna die or something!”

“Have you not heard?” Trey asked.

“Heard what?”

“Someone was found dead in the town this morning.”

“Dead?! And why haven’t I heard of this before?”

“I’m not sure how your school is handling this, but all of the Housewardens and Vice Housewardens were told about it this morning. Apparently, the scene was so gruesome they didn’t want any of the students to know about it.”

“That’s stupid.”

“I’m aware. But, from what we were shown, I can see why certain details were ordered to be kept a secret.”

“What was it?”

Kocho’s eyes widened in horror as the next words were spoken.

“It was like half of the body had been eaten and the rest was left to rot. The official report says the person was eaten alive before being left alone to die.”

Chapter Text

“What exactly do you think you’re doing?”

“Huh?”

“You asked Kanroji to help you train. And I want you to tell me why.”

“I asked her because she’s strong. She’s not the only Hashira I asked. I tried asking almost everyone. She’s just one of the four that actually agreed.”

“Almost everyone?”

“My apologies sir. I wanted to ask you as well, but Shinazugawa yelled at me when I asked him and I assumed you would have done something similar.”

“Are you comparing me to that idiot?”

“Not at all. I know you just value your time a lot and so training me would probably be considered a waste of time for you.”

“...”

“Is that all sir?”

“Practice your swings. You’ve grown so accustomed to insect breathing’s speed that you’ve stopped focusing on the strength of your swings. Focus on that, and maybe you’ll be able to cut off a demon’s head one day.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Kocho, what are you doing?” Ortho asked in alarm.

Ortho knew the comment from Trey had affected Kocho quite a bit. Everything Ortho could read screamed panic. But this reaction was quite….

Concerning.

Kocho had pulled out a hooked sword that shined a lovely lilac color. He was carefully coating the hook in the wisteria poison he made earlier that day, carefully watching what he was doing with an intense glare.

Next to where Kocho sat was a folded outfit Ortho had never seen before. It was black in color, with a symbol Ortho couldn’t recognize. A few spots were ripped here and there, matching the spots where Kocho had been cut. On the other side of the outfit sat a beautiful wisteria-patterned haori with orange accents.

“I should have known better,” Kocho muttered,” Of course, I’m not the only one who found a way to travel worlds.”

“What are you talking about?” Ortho asked before his eyes widened,” Travel worlds. You’ve done this before, haven’t you? That would explain why nobody found a trace of you back then.”

“I was so stupid,” Kocho muttered,” I thought none of them would appear here. And now, somebody’s suffered due to my ignorance.”

Finally, Kocho looked up from his blade and stared at Ortho.

“Kuroba isn’t here so… Shroud, do you think you can find that demon for me?”

“What?! No, I can’t! It’s too dangerous and you’re still injured!” Ortho cried out,” Besides, we have no idea what caused this. It could be some powerful mage or a monster.”

“I know what caused this and I should have been there to stop it,” Kocho snapped,” It’s my job to protect people like the victim from danger and I failed because I wasn’t attentive to my duties as a Demon Slayer.”

“Demon Slayer….” Ortho muttered,” So that’s how….. I still can’t allow you to leave! You’re still far too…”

Kocho stood up and spun his blade around before sheathing it. The way the sword spun mesmerized Ortho. Its speed was unlike any he’d seen before. And there was something dark in Kocho’s eyes. Something that carried the intent of murder. It was terrifying.

“It does not matter,” Kocho growled,” To fight even when I will die is my duty as a Demon Slayer. Because I can fight what others can’t. So, I ask you again, Ortho, will you help me track down this demon?”

Ortho stayed silent as he thought about it. This was a horrible idea. He couldn’t let Kocho get himself hurt while he was in this state. Rook and Vil would definitely let him have it if they learned the truth. But there was something about the way Kocho spoke and the way he moved. The boy hadn’t moved like this before. It was a kind of self-loathing Ortho recognized. The same kind he saw in his brother whenever he spoke of why Ortho was the way he was. There was no mistaking it. Kocho had felt this feeling hundreds of times before.

And Ortho just couldn’t bear to see it.

“Okay, I’ll help you find the demon.”

The sun filtered a soft light into a photo-perfect room. Birds chirped a beautiful melody as soft wind fluttered through an open window. A boy with beautiful black hair laid asleep in his bed. He too held a photo-perfect expression, as if anyone would come in at any moment to sneak a quick look at the sleeping boy.

Annoyingly, that isn’t something that hasn’t happened. But the boy was told they couldn’t really do anything about it and he should just prepare for whenever that happens. To continue to look beautiful even when asleep.

A loud buzzing noise woke the sleeping boy, much to his dismay. He was having quite a nice dream. There was a beautiful woman with black hair and pretty clips. Now that he was awake, he couldn’t remember most of the dream. Just that she was very kind and very reassuring. He remembered clearly wishing he had someone like her in his life. Someone he could tell everything to. Someone who would laugh at every joke he made with sincerity.

Someone who was beautiful.

The boy rose out of bed and prepared himself for the day. Make sure the uniform was perfect. No wrinkles. No stains. His makeup had to be on point. Not over the top. Just something very soft that made him look cuter. When everything was done, the boy gave himself a good look in the mirror. Everything was up to standards.

Almost everything.

Empty eyes stared back into his brown ones. A hollow, painful feeling swelled up. But the boy chose to ignore it. He slapped himself lightly a few times before putting on a soft smile.

He left his room, looking ready for the day. Everybody he passed earned a happy ‘good morning’ as he made his way to the kitchen. The boy wasn’t the first one to make it. 7 smaller boys with elf ears were scurrying around the kitchen, preparing breakfast for 8.

“Good morning!” the boy called to the smaller boys.

“Morning Neige!” a blonde boy, Hop, beamed.

“Did you have a good night's sleep?” a boy with grey hair, Dominic, asked.

“Yes! I had a great night's sleep!” Neige beamed,” And I had the most wonderful dream!”

“What’d ya dream about?” a blue-haired boy, Timmy, asked.

“Oh, I wish I could tell you,” Neige hummed,” All I remember was this lovely woman saying comforting things. It felt like I had a big sister or a mother. It felt incredible.”

“Having a big sister would be nice,” a boy with orange hair, Snick, sniffed as he covered his face with his scarf.

“Breakfast!” a boy with plum-colored hair, Toby, cheered,” Don’t worry about making your own! Grum made some for you too!”

“Oh, you didn’t have to,” Neige said, slightly embarrassed.

“Don’t,” Grum grumbled,” You were away pretty late last night and I doubt you got a lot of sleep.”

“It’s the least any of us can do,” Shelpie yawned,” You do so much for us. It’s only fair we return the favor.”

“Barely would call this returning the favor,” Grum mumbles.

Neige’s smile widened, although it felt somewhat sad. His friends had been right, he barely got any sleep last night. There was just so much to do for his next upcoming movie. Not to mention the meeting he had with his manager. There was so little time for Neige to do anything but focus on his work. Thankfully Neige had the night off. He just only hoped he could do more for his friends other than be the one to make money.

Shelpie brought over a plate for Niege, but Shelpie tripped just before he could hand it over. Everything felt like slow motion. The food spilled out of the plate, ready to stain Neige’s uniform. Neige quickly moved out of the way and caught Shelpie before he could hit the ground.

“Oops,” Shelpie muttered.

“What the heck Shelpie!” Grum yelled.

“Hey hey! It’s fine!” Neige reassured,” There’s no need to yell.”

“Sorry Neige,” Shelpie said.

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Neige said,” Accidents happen.”

“Here, Neige,” Dominic offered,” We can split mine.”

“There’s no need for that,” Neige said,” You should have your full meal.”

“Breakfast is important!” Dominic said in a stern voice,” You shouldn’t have to miss out just because somebody spilled your meal.”

“Yeah yeah!” Hop beamed,” I can split some of mine as well!”

“Guys, it’s fine!”

“There they go again,” Neige heard from the other room,” ‘No you must eat.’ ‘No, you should have your full meal’. I swear those guys.”

“It’s so annoying, isn’t it.”

It stung a little, but Neige chose to ignore it. Just as long as the others didn’t hear, everything was fine. Besides, they probably don’t mean it to be mean. Neige had to tell himself this over and over again just to keep the ugly emotions down. Never let the ugly emotions up. That’s the first thing Neige’s manager ever taught him.

“I’ll be fine,” Neige said,” I have a meeting with the headmaster anyway. I wouldn’t have been able to eat most of it without being late.”

“Are you sure?” Timmy asked.

“Absolutely!” Neige said as he made his way out of the kitchen,” So don’t worry about me, okay?”

The seven boys looked at each other before nodding their heads. Neige felt some relief as he left the kitchen. All the boys had concerned looks on their faces, but none of them said anything for a while. Grum was the first to speak once everyone was seated.

“Does anybody remember the last time Neige’s ate breakfast?”

Nobody could answer.

“I’m starting to get worried about him,” Hop said.

“I think we all are,” Dominic agreed.

“Goood morning Neige!”

“Morning Chenya!”

School wasn’t exactly something Neige enjoyed, but the people made it worth it. Neige loved everyone in his classes. They were all so fun and energetic. It made Neige’s day to hang out with all of them.

Chenya sat directly next to Neige. He was a bit of a prankster, from what Neige had heard. A lot of the freshmen apparently learned that about Chenya from day one. Neige remembered getting a good laugh hearing about what happened.

Chenya was also, admittedly, the only one in the class who talked to Neige on a daily basis. So Neige felt he had a decent grasp on the purple-haired boy.

“How’s your day been so far?” Neige asked.

“Pretty good. I finally got Alison with one of my pranks,” Chenya replied.

“Really? I thought he would last longer.”

“Hehe. Never underestimate my abilities,” Chenya snickered,” What about you?”

“Nothing big really. I just had a meeting with the headmaster,” Neige said,” Something about our Interdorm Spelldrive tournament. That’s all.”

“Already? We still have quite a bit of time left,” Chenya muttered.

“It’s never too early to prepare,” Neige said.

“If you say so.”

“Hey Neige! Chenya!” the boy in front of them called out,” Did you want to come?”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Neige asked.

There was a smirk stretched upon the boy’s face, but Neige ignored it. It was probably nothing, he thought to himself. He’s probably just imagining it anyway.

“There’s a sale at one of the bakeries in town today,” the boy said,” So some of us decided to plan a little trip to go tonight. Wanna come?”

Chenya’s ears flattened as he looked nervously over to Neige.

“That sounds like fun!” Neige beamed,” I’ve been meaning to go to town but I’ve never found time.”

“Really? You’ve never been?” the boy asked, his smirk widening.

“Neige…” Chenya whispered, his voice giving away his worry.

“You going to go?” Neige asked.

Neige really wanted Chenya to say yes. The nagging feeling that this boy was going to do something would not leave, no matter how much Neige kept telling himself it would be fine. That he’s just being pessimistic.

But maybe having someone who doesn’t constantly look like he’ll come after him would be nice.

Chenya looked between Neige and the boy inviting them. That smirk barely hid anything. He could feel the anxiety build up as the boy glared at him. This wasn’t something they wanted Chenya involved with, and it only made him feel worse. But, Chenya realized, he couldn’t let Neige go alone.

Because whatever happens wasn’t going to be good. That Chenya knew for a fact.

So, the purple-haired boy put a smirk on his face and nodded his head.

“Sure, I’ll tag along.”

“Wonderful!”

Class continued on from there as normal. But every so often, Neige would catch himself seeing the black-haired woman from his dream once more. Each time, little details grew clearer and clearer. Her eyes were a pretty lavender color. The clips in her hair were pink butterflies. Finally, as classes came to an end, Neige could see her face clearly. He couldn’t hear a word she said, but the emotion came across easily. Nothing but worry crossed her expression. It puzzled Neige. Why was he remembering his dream? This didn’t usually happen.

Unless he accidentally used his Unique Magic. It happened from time to time. Where he would peer into the memories of others when he was asleep.

But then whose memory had he seen and why?

“Hey Trey, do you mind if we met up in town?”

“Chenya? Yeah sure. What’s going on?”

“Some guys invited Neige out and I’m getting the worst feeling from them. I want to be there in case they do something horrible but I’m not sure I can handle this alone.”

“Would you like if I brought Cater with me?”

“Yeah, that would be fantastic.”

“Alright, I’ll meet you there.”

“Thank you.”

“Shouldn’t we wait for Chenya?” Neige asked his classmate.

“He said something came up and that he’ll meet us there,” One of them said.

Disappointment and dread built up from inside, but Neige pushed it down. It’ll be fine. Nothing was going to go wrong. He’s just worried about nothing. Chenya will meet them there and everything will be fine.

After a while, the boys made their way to a rocky path that led into the woods. Far into the distance, Neige could see a small hut. It had a bunch of tables in the front, visible only due to the street lamps surrounding the bakery. It had gotten pretty late, Neige realized. The sun had already disappeared over the horizon.

For some reason, that only made Neige’s nerves buzz even more. If he didn’t run now, things would get worse. But he ignored his instincts. He ignored everything that told him to run. And he ignored that he could now match a voice to that woman. Because he was just being pessimistic. And nobody likes a pessimist, or so his manager says.

“I didn’t realize the bakery would be this far out,” Neige said.

“Oh, yeah. I think the owner said he liked the view and the peace the area brought,” one of the boys said,” Man’s an absolute sweetheart. He’ll give sweets out for free to children if they make the trek there.”

“Aw! That’s so cool!” Neige beamed,” I’m excited to meet him!”

The three boys in front snickered, but Neige chose to ignore them. It was just his imagination. It was just his imagination.

The road started to get a bit treacherous the further into the woods they went. It probably had to do with how dark it was. But Neige nearly stepped on multiple loose rocks as well as a pothole. He dodged them easily, of course. It was Neige after all. The boy had to avoid small things like this all the time just to make sure his outfit stayed clean.

But the path kept getting worse and worse.

Neige’s nerves started to bubble over. The other boys had clearly taken this path many times, to the point where they could avoid every obstacle with ease. They all seemed to be moving at a faster pace than what Neige could keep up with. He called to them, asking them to slow down. But none of the boys did.

Before Neige knew it, he was alone with only the moon to guide his path. Neige could feel his breathing grow ragged as his mind raced a million thoughts at once. They left him behind. Those boys wanted to lose him. Neige knew this all along. Yet he decided to ignore it. How stupid of him. How stupid of him.

Neige stopped and took a deep breath. It’s fine. This was fine. He couldn’t let himself get taken away by his thoughts. His situation wasn’t as bad as he thought. They were just playing a harmless little prank on him. Nothing more than that. Neige was just overreacting.

Unfortunately, Neige not knowing the path proved to be detrimental. Because the second he could see what was in front of him, Neige saw no path at all. Just a small clearing with some grass here and there.

Shoot, how far off the path was he? Which way was the town or the bakery? Where exactly was he?

Neige felt his breathing grow ragged once more, so he paused and tried to calm himself down. He was fine. He was fine. He was fine. This will all be over soon. All this panic and anxiety was all just something Neige conjured up himself. There was no reason to feel this. He just had to ask one of the animals. Yeah! He may not be that far in his animal linguistics class, but he could still get directions from them.

His mind stopped when he heard a low hissing sound. One he’d never heard before. Neige whipped his head around, trying to find the source of the hissing.

Fear crept back when his eyes met three glowing green ones.

Chenya could feel pure rage boil inside of him. Those boys had a lot of nerves to do any of this. Lie about the actual time so Chenya didn’t know. Take Neige up a path so dark Chenya could barely see. Luckily he had the insight to actually bring a flashlight. But Neige didn’t.

“Yeesh didn’t realize this place looked this creepy at night,” Cater commented.

“You’ve been to this bakery before?” Trey asked.

“Yep! It’s real popular on magicam! Had to take a look for myself,” Cater explained,” Let me tell you! The view is to die for!”

Chenya did not add to the conversation. He knew he would snap if he did. Especially since he could see the lights of the bakery slowly appear in the distance. They were getting closer and it only made Chenya even more pissed. The only thing to keep him from yelling at those pricks would be seeing Neige there with them. Smiling and talking with the boys like they weren’t going to put him in danger.

That’s wishful thinking, of course. But Chenya could only hope.

Especially with the news about the recent murder being broadcasted to the students.

As the light got closer, Chenya started to smell something metallic. It was only faint, but it too grew stronger as the boys drew closer. Chenya was a little too angry to care, although it definitely made his mood fouler. Trey and Cater didn’t seem to notice. Then again, Chenya was a beastman. Those two were not. So Chenya could smell what they could not.

Like the boy that smelled of wisteria that overheard them the night before.

Finally, the three boys had made it to the bakery. Just as Chenya had suspected, the boy who invited Chenya and Neige was sitting at one of the tables with two of his friends. No Neige in sight. Chenya growled and marched forward, but Trey stopped him.

“Hey, calm down first,” Trey said,” We’ll cause a scene if we don’t.”

“What? Two Night Raven students and a Royal Sword student causing a scene cause their friends? No way. Who woulda guessed,” Cater commented sarcastically.

Chenya laughed a little at Cater’s comment and took a deep breath. Trey was right. There was no way Chenya wouldn’t cause a scene with how angry he was. So he took a moment to calm his nerves.

The second he took his mind off the situation, the metallic smell became so much stronger. Chenya’s eyes widened in fear. He knew that metallic smell, he’d just never smelled so much of it before. Slowly, Chenya crept forward, trying to find where that smell was coming from. Trey and Cater shared a concerned look before following the cat-eared boy.

One of the RSA boys let out a squeak of sorts when he noticed Chenya. The other two boys followed his line of sight and scowled when they saw Trey and Cater. Chenya didn’t seem to notice. He just kept following the scent. Cater glared at the three boys, trying to tell them to stay silent. They did not listen.

“Well, isn’t that a surprise? Chenya has Night Raven friends,” One teased.

He’d fit right in really,” another teased,” After all, I heard he’s the reason someone disappeared….”

Trey shot the boys a glare, sending chills down their spines.

“What did you say?” Trey asked.

“All of you shut up,” Chenya growled.

Everyone stared at Chenya in surprise. Chenya had a dark expression filled with fear as he sniffed the air one more time and turned toward one of the waitresses.

“Mam, why do I smell so much blood?”

Everyone eye’s widened in alarm as the waitress turned and eyed Chenya. First the uniform, then the ears, then his eyes. He was glaring, but it wasn’t at her. She seemed to tense up when he mentioned blood. It seemed she too knew of what happened. The other RSA students seemed to want to brush it off as a joke, but they’d never seen Chenya like this. Nobody at RSA had. They knew this was serious.

“I’m not sure,” the waitress said before her eyes widened in fear,” Unless…”

The waitress placed her stuff down before booking it into the bakery. Chenya ran in after her, followed by Cater and Trey. People in the bakery screamed, startled by the actions of the waitress and the three boys. The waitress flew up multiple flights of stairs. With each one bringing an even stronger smell to Chenya. By the time they all reached the top floor, Chenya had to cover his nose so he wouldn’t gag from the smell.

“Cynthia!” another lady cried, following not too far behind Cater and Trey,” What is wrong with you?! Why did you disturb our customers like that?!”

The boys stared at the waitress, Cynthia, as she stood frozen in front of one of the doors. Her eyes wide with fear. She hadn’t opened it yet, but it was clear that she too could smell it. The other woman marched passed the boys, ready to yell at Cynthia once more, but stopped a few feet away.

“What is that…?” the woman muttered before her eyes widened with fear,” Lucas!”

The woman busted into the room, allowing the potent smell of blood to wash into hallways. Both Trey and Cater gagged while Chenya tried to keep the smell away. A blood-curdling scream left the woman’s mouth while Cynthia collapsed on the floor. Carefully, the group of boys crept over to the door. Silent sobs could be heard from the woman as well as dripping

When the boys caught sight of what was inside, they had to hold back their screams.

Blood soaked half the room in red as half a corpse decorated the walls. The ribcage was hung like streamers and the arms turned into pillars holding up a silver plate. On that silver plate was the head of a man, with the bottom half of it torn off. Silver lifeless eyes stared back at all of them.

“What… in sevens name….” Trey muttered.

Cater collapsed to the ground, his breath starting to grow ragged. Trey looked away and tried to calm his friend down, but he too was starting to panic.

“Hey! What’s going….”

The three other RSA students had made their way up the stairs. All of them gagged the second the smell of blood reached them. One of them carefully made his way to the panicked group, before letting out a blood-curdling scream of his own.

“Someone call the police!” he screamed,” Someone call the police!”

Chenya’s eyes did not break up contact with the severed head. He could hear his own heartbeat and feel every nerve in his body. They were crying. Screaming to run. All of them were in danger. But the scene in front of him burned into his eyes, forcing him to stay put. He barely registered when Trey tapped his shoulder and told him to look at the window.

A trail of bloodied footprints, a lot of bloodied footprints, made its way to the now shattered window. Chenya’s eyes widened even more as he grabbed both Trey and Cater and dragged them down the stairs. Everyone else started evacuating the top floor as the three boys booked it out of the bakery. Cater was still completely out of it while Trey was trying to keep up Chenya.

Once they made it out the door, Cater couldn’t handle it anymore. He started throwing up every meal he had that day. Trey knelt beside his friend and tried to help him calm down. He completely ignored his own state of mind. Chenya bolted around the side of the bakery, trying to find the broken window. He found it in the back. There was blood staining the walls. It crawled down until it stained the grass in dried red footprints. It led through the small clearing and into the woods.

Not far from where the trail started.

Fear turned to red-hot anger. There was a murderer on the loose and Nege was still potentially out there. He had to find Neige soon. Who knows what will happen if he’s left alone too long.

“Chenya!” Trey called out,” They’re rounding everyone inside. Come on!”

“Neige is still out there,” Chenya snapped,” And there’s no way in hades I’m letting him become the next victim.”

“It’s too dangerous,” Trey argued,” We don’t know what’s out there or how powerful they are. Please Chenya!”

“I don’t care,” Chenya growled,” I will not be the reason another person goes missing!”

Sweat dripped down Neige’s face as he tried his hardest to hide his panting. The crystal broach on his vest was stained black with blot. It was becoming a huge risk for Neige to use any more magic.

But what choice did he have?

Neige dodged another attack from the creature. It was laughing as Neige did his best to keep up with its movements. The thing was fast, despite how large it was.

The creature was long, with so many pairs of legs Neige could compare it easily to a centipede. Each section of its body was a different color. Some with tattoos and some with scars. The head was very human in shape, with the exception of its three glowing green eyes and layers of razor-sharp teeth.

The creature started running across the surrounding trees. Neige’s eyes widened as he realized what was going on. But he couldn’t run away in time. The creature had used its whole body to make a cage for Neige. Neige looked around, frantically trying to find a way out.

“Isn’t it wonderful!” The creature beamed,” With every human I consume, this body grows in size! It’s a masterpiece of its own that can scare even the toughest of humans!”

Neige swallowed the vile taste rising to his mouth as he scanned every part of the cage. He had to find a hole big enough for him to slide through. Magic was no longer an option. Neige had to get creative.

“Yours will make a lovely addition to my collection,” the creature hissed,” And then I can decorate this forest with your corpse! Oh, I can not wait! Maybe I’ll drape your bones along the branches! Or maybe I’ll paint the ground with your blood. Place your head in the center and take your eyes with me. Oh how pretty your eyes are! I just want to keep them all to myself!”

Ignore it. Ignore it. Neige kept repeating in his head. He’s done it plenty of times with the many jabs his classmates take at him. This was no different. The monster just wants to garner a reaction out of Neige. Fear. Neige can’t let fear take over if he wants to get out alive. He has to think. Take in his surroundings. Find an opening.

There!

Neige booked it over to an opening in the cage. The monster laughed, using its limbs to block the area above. Neige felt a smile creep onto his lips. He dropped down and slid under the monster’s body, earning a surprised yell from the monster.

Neige quickly got up and ran as fast as he could. His uniform was completely stained in mud, but he could worry about that later. The uniform could be washed. If any part of his skin were to be scarred.

One could only imagine the meeting he’d have with his manager.

“Demons are powerful creatures.”

Neige’s eyes widened. Why was he remembering more of his dream now of all times? He was about to die! There was no time for this!

“Blood demon art: Root manipulation!”

Suddenly, all the trees around Neige started to move. Their roots tore out of the ground and grew in length at rapid speeds. All of them directed towards Neige. Neige did his best to dodge each one. But they grew too quickly for the boy. Before he knew it, roots had wrapped around his entire body, holding him up for the monster to catch easily. They traveled around his arms and legs, keeping them completely still. Neige couldn’t even move his head.

“My my! Your uniform makes you look much larger than you are,” the monster said,” You know, I was going to be nice and kill you before eating you. But after that little stunt, I can’t let you not suffer a little. I’ll make sure you can feel every little thing.”

Neige could feel tears well up as fear finally caught up to him. He couldn’t do anything. Magic was useless against the monster and now he couldn’t even move. Everything was hopeless.

He’ll never get to see his friends again, will he? What were they all thinking now? Neige told them he’d be out for the night. They’re probably not worried. Nobody will know he’s gone until morning when he’s already long gone.

But maybe Chenya…

Oh, who was he fooling? Chenya wouldn’t care either. They’re just seatmates. Nothing more. Nothing less.

“They’ll kill and kill to grow their power. Taking away loved ones and friends.”

His dream became vivid in his mind. That beautiful woman with pink butterfly clips. Her soft lavender eyes that could calm anyone.

If only they could help him now.

Tears finally fell as Neige let out a blood-curdling scream. Trying to get somebody’s attention. Anybody’s attention. Neige didn’t want to die. He was young. There was so much left in his life. It was all going to be gone soon. All with a puddle of blood and bone strung together in a sick attempt to decorate the woods.

Neige was scared.

“We know what that feeling is like, Riddle. So let’s give it our all.”

A shadow jumped in front of the moon. Glistening purples and oranges reflected off of the silhouette as the figure held out a purple hooked sword.

“And protect others from ever feeling like that.”

“Butterfly dance: Caprice!”

Chapter Text

“You’re pretty weak.”

“Huh?!”

“You can’t even cut off a demon’s head. Plus you look extremely frail for a demon slayer.”

“And?”

“Any demon would look at you and think you're easy prey. You’re small and your sword is dull for the most part.”

“Is that all you wanted to say, Tokito?”

“Why do you sound mad? It’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

“...”

“What makes you look weak to a demon is what makes you such a good demon slayer to begin with. You’re Shinobu’s Tsuguko after all. So keep honing that and stop trying to be something you’re not.”

A kaleidoscope of butterflies surrounded Neige and the monster. He couldn’t take his eyes off of them. So many different colors fluttered about, obscuring Neige’s vision. All of them reflected the light of the moon, brightening up the whole area. Some of the roots were cut cleanly off. Neige could finally move his hands and face, though the lower parts of the roots were still intact. There were some cuts in the roots, making it somewhat easier to try and get out.

The monster cried out in surprise as the butterflies finally dispersed. There was now a large gap between Neige and the monster. Standing in that gap was a beautiful boy with long red hair and an orange butterfly clip. One so similar to the girl Neige saw in his dream.

So it was his memory Neige saw.

What was his name? Riddle?

“What the hell?!” the monster screamed,” Who are you?”

Hell?

Riddle flicked his blade around as he turned to face the monster. His purple haori fluttered in the wind, allowing the scent of wisteria to follow. It made Neige feel relaxed. Like he was completely safe.

“That uniform,” the monster muttered,” What’s a demon slayer doing here?!”

The boy stayed completely silent, eyeing the monster. From the body to the destruction around him. Riddle’s glare finally met the monster’s eyes before he spun his blade around with speed Neige had never seen before.

“I could ask the same to you, demon,” Riddle said, his voice shaking with anger,” How did you even get here?”

“Like I’d ever tell a brat like you,” the demon spat,” Although, you look like you’d barely be able to put up a fight. You wouldn’t be able to tell anyone else even if I did tell you. You’d be dead.”

“Dead,” Riddle repeated,” Yes many demons have said that before. But here I am, still fighting demons.”

The demon was distracted, which was perfect for Neige. He grabbed at the roots with his now free hands and started tearing away. Of course, it this day wouldn’t be so kind as to let Neige getaway. The demon noticed almost immediately. Neige prepared for the roots to attack once more, but nothing happened.

“What the hell?! Why is my blood demon art not working?!”

“Tell me, demon,” Riddle said, stepping closer and closer to the demon,” How many humans have you devoured?”

“Hm? Well if you wish to know,” the demon said with a sickening smile,” Just take a look at my magnificent creation!”

Neige felt sick to the stomach as the vile taste came back up. Not now. Not now. He had to get out as soon as possible. Riddle clearly knew what he was doing. Neige could let Riddle take care of the demon. The main priority for Neige was getting out. Ignore the demon. His words mattered not.

Riddle scanned the demon’s body as Neige tore at the roots. The demon growled and started using his blood demon art to control more trees. He got ready to strike but was too slow. Before either of them could blink, Riddle was right in front of the demon. The demon cried out as Riddle took a swing at the demon’s neck. It dodged in time to not be beheaded. But it still got cut.

Riddle and the demon continued their dance for a while. A swing from one. Punches from another. Neither seemed to make a fatal blow. Neige couldn’t help but stare at Riddle’s movements. There was so much grace with each step. Not a single movement was miscalculated. Each punch from the demon, each step of the demon, and each root it controlled was moving to Riddle’s rhythm. The boy read the demon like a book and the demon hated it. Its movements grew desperate and sloppier. Everything became so unpredictable and yet Riddle knew exactly what to do.

It was like watching a performance. With Riddle as the lead.

The demon roared in anger sending a root out to hit Neige this time. However, the root stopped right before it stabbed through him. Riddle stopped his dance and started walking away from a paralyzed demon.

“What….” the demon stuttered,” did you do?”

Riddle said nothing, causing the demon to grow angry. But no movement came from the demon. Suddenly, the demon started shaking as a scream shattered the silence. Its veins started to become visible as the skin thinned. The demon spasmed and collapsed to the ground. Bits and pieces of its body started disintegrating, causing the demon to scream once more.

“How?! How?! You didn’t even cut my head off?! What is this?!”

The roots around Neige turned to ash and flew away, allowing the black-haired boy to finally pull himself free. Riddle was quick to help Neige down, much to the boy’s relief. Neige’s legs felt like jello. Adrenaline had finally worn off. Every part of Neige’s body finally caught up with the fact that he nearly died. The remains of fear made it hard for Neige to stay standing without the smaller boy’s help.

“I don’t need to explain to a demon when I know the cells are listening,” Riddle stated coldly.

“The cells? How do you know about that?!”

“Oh, since I know you’re listening, Muzan,” Riddle growled, glaring at the eyes of the demon,” Send my regards to Upper Moon 2 and 3.”

The way he spoke made it sound as though Riddle was making a threat rather than expressing wishes of goodwill. Wouldn’t be too far from the truth, Neige realized.

The demon could not respond. Its mouth had finally disintegrated. So the demon replied with a glare. Riddle ignored it without a second thought, electing to focus on Neige instead. Carefully, Riddle lowered Neige to the ground.

“Are you alright?” Riddle asked as he knelt next to Neige,” Did you get hurt?”

His eyes held a softness that helped to disperse the fear. There was a comforting smile that crossed his lips. Red stands of hair perfectly framed his face. In a way, he reminded Neige so much of the girl from his dream. From Riddle’s memory. In the soft-spoken voice and the expression that showed nothing but care. He was just as beautiful as she was.

“No, I’m fine,” Neige replied, finally finding his voice,” My uniform got the worst of it.”

“Thank goodness,” Riddle sighed in relief,” I’m glad I got here in time.”

“Yes,” Neige said,” Thank goodness….”

Neige’s eyes trailed over to the demon. Tears were pooling out of its eyes, but it could not let out its pain. With no mouth to cry from. It was pitiful, honestly. The demon was crying because it was killed when it killed so many in cold blood.

But the look in its eyes. It wasn’t fear, but grief. The demon was mourning something, but Neige could not tell what. Even though this creature came after Neige and was about to torture him to death, Neige couldn’t help but feel pity for the creature.

Because suddenly it looked so, so human it made Neige want to throw up.

Not now. Not now. He’s still in the presence of someone else.

In his dirty uniform stained with mud.

Neige wanted to die from embarrassment. This was the worst he’s looked in a long time and someone was here to see it. How could this day get any worse? So many people were going to talk about this now. What a disgrace. His manager would sure to be angry.

“I’m sorry you had to see me like this,” Neige nearly stuttered,” I’ve never seen something like this before and… well…”

Damn it Neige stop losing your voice. You're embarrassing yourself even more.

“You’re an odd one,” Riddle said,” You nearly got killed by a demon, and yet you're worried about your physical appearance. Really, you don’t have to worry about that. You held your own long enough against a demon for him to use his blood demon art. That’s quite impressive, especially since you have no training against demons.”

“Oh… thank you,” Neige stuttered.

Neige screamed at himself internally for it.

“Can you stand?” Riddle asked.

“I can try!”

Neige did try but was quick to collapse on the ground once he realized his legs were exhausted. He had spent a long time running around fighting the demon. It’s no wonder Neige was struggling. There wasn’t a single day in his life where he had to do what he did today. Not to mention how much magic he used.

“Sorry,” Neige muttered.

He really was a mess today.

“Don’t worry about it,” Riddle reassured,” Do you have any friends or family members nearby that I can bring you to?”

Panic bolted through Neige’s entire body, but he kept a neutral smile.

“I’d rather not,” Neige said,” It wouldn’t do me well if anybody saw me like this.”

“Is there a reason?” Riddle asked,” It’s really not that big of a deal. I would understand if you don’t want me to speak of what happened and you don’t exactly look like you were attacked by a demon. Nobody would be able to guess.”

He spoke as if he didn’t know of Neige’s situation. Neige was an idol. There was no way he would be allowed to be seen like this in public. He always had to look picture-perfect no matter what happens.

Unless…

No way.

“Do you not know who I am?” Neige asked.

Riddle tilted his head to the side in a somewhat cute way.

“No, am I supposed to?”

A large smile grew across Neige’s face. It was like a wave of stress that had been built up for so long had washed away. Sunlight filtering into the darkness around him, it was a feeling of pure relief. Neige didn’t realize how happy that would make him. Finally finding someone who knew not of who he was.

“No,” Neige said,” You don’t. I’m Neige LeBlanche.”

Riddle didn’t need to know what Neige was. Nor would Riddle know Neige knew who he was.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Riddle replied,” You may call me Kocho.”

“Neige!” Chenya yelled as soon as he found the black-haired boy.

Neige turned to look at the purple-haired boy, his expression somewhat shaken up. Understandable, considering what he just went through. But Neige made sure to hide most of it. He had other things to worry about. Besides, Kocho was nearby in case something happened. No demon would get to Neige while he was around, Kocho had said.

No Neige did not internally squeal at that.

Chenya bolted over to where Neige was as the two boys behind him looked at the area in shock. Trees were torn from the ground, taking some of the land from under them. What once was a beautiful section of the woods had been turned into a small warzone. And Neige sat in the middle of it with only mud on his uniform to show from his fight.

Neige would rather have it this way. He’d rather not tell of what he saw. The press would absolutely have his head for it. Because who would believe him?

Kocho didn’t seem to really mind this decision. In fact, Neige believed Kocho preferred this decision.

“What in hades happened here?” Trey muttered.

Cater was completely silent. His eyes were wide. The boy was scared. He must have seen something before coming here. Actually, they all probably saw it, considering the looks on Trey and Chenya’s faces. They too looked scared out of their mind.

Chenya slid down next to Neige and checked him for wounds.

“Are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt? Why is there so much mud on your uniform?” Chenya asked a mile a minute.

Neige could barely keep up as Chenya stared at him with nothing but panic.

“I’m fine,” Neige said, keeping his voice as casual as possible,” I just got lost and decided to take a break here. I’m glad you found me! Honestly, I was starting to get worried. As for the mud, I might have slipped when I found this area.”

Neige feined embarrassment. The boy wasn’t a beloved actor for no reason. He knew what he was doing. It was just his luck that all three of the boys who found him were too panicked to notice his broach was no longer on his vest. Of all the questions they could ask, the only one Neige knew he couldn’t make up a story for was why he had accumulated so much blot.

Chenya sighed in relief, but his guard was still up. Trey and Cater made their way over to them. Cater was still scanning the area, while Trey tried to help calm his friend down. As if he himself wasn’t scared half to death.

Why do they look like that?

“Thank the sevens,” Chenya said,” We have to go back to the bakery, now.”

“Huh?! Wait why?” Neige asked,” I’d like it if we go back to RSA. I’m not exactly in a state to be seen in public. Plus I think the mirror portal is closer than the bakery.”

“That would be nice,” Cater muttered,” I’d like to be in my room right now, scrolling through magicam or maybe actually studying. Anything is better than this.”

There was a bit of a stutter in Cater’s voice and tears started to prick in his eyes. Both Trey and Chenya had shaky breaths in the last sentence. Neige couldn’t help but tilt his head.

“As much as we’d love to go back, we all have to give our statements to the cops,” Trey explained.

“The cops?! What happened? Why are the cops coming?” Neige couldn’t help but blurt out.

“The owner of the bakery is dead,” Chenya replied.

“It was horrible,” Cater mumbled,” Half his body was strung around the room like party decorations. Red stained the walls and half of his head wasn’t even there. I’ve never seen something so… so….”

Trey walked over to his friend and tried to comfort him, although Trey wasn’t fairing much better. The way Cater described it. Neige recognized it. So the demon had killed the bakery owner too. A shake in the nearby tree signaled to Neige that this was true. Kocho had left to go check on it. Not that Neige blamed him. But it did give Neige some anxiety, knowing the boy was gone.

Kocho killed the demon though, so everything was fine. Neige had nothing to worry about.

“We’re probably going to be scolded for coming out here,” Chenya muttered,” I’m glad we did though. It’s nice to see you’re safe.”

Chenya smiled, but it never reached his eyes. His tail and ears gave away the exhaustion. Today really had been a long day for everyone, not just Neige. Cater seemed to be reacting the worst out of the group. Neige needed to focus on helping him first.

“I’m touched that you did,” Neige said,” Still, I think you guys should rest before talking to the cops.”

Chenya looked over at Cater and Trey and nodded his head.

“Yeah that….. might be for the best,” Chenya muttered,” Are you okay with bringing Cater back by yourself?”

“You’re not coming back?”

“As much as I’d like it, I was the first one to notice the corpse,” Chenya stated,” Out of all of us, my statement will be the one they want the most.”

“And what about your other friend?”

“I know Trey like the back of my hand,” Chenya said with a smile,” He wouldn’t let me go back alone even if I begged!”

“I see.”

“Yo Trey!” Chenya called out,” Neige’s offering to bring Cater back to the mirror portals for us.”

“Wait we’re separating?!”

“Cater’s not in the state to be talking to the cops right now,” Chenya explained,” It’ll be better if he gets to a safe place soon. And Neige didn’t see what we did. Honestly, I’d rather save him the horror of potentially seeing it.”

Trey nodded his head along with what Chenya was saying. It was clear the adrenaline was wearing off on him. The shaken expression on Cater was slowly appearing on Trey’s. Neige could only wonder how much longer both Trey and Chenya could hold onto the strong persona. Because Neige could barely hold onto his much longer.

He almost died after all.

He really did almost die.

Stung along the trees like a streamer while slowly bleeding to death. Oh my sevens he really did almost die.

“Fine,” Trey muttered,” We’re about to get in so much trouble for this.”

“I can use my magic if we get attacked,” Neige said,” So you don’t need to worry about it!”

“Yeah…” Trey muttered.

Neige finally pushed himself up to stand. It was hard. He was so tired. But the others didn’t need to know. Luckily Neige knew how to fake it. To pretend the exhaustion wasn’t there. He’d done it hundreds of times before. Neige could do it now. Even when the panic was trying to take over, Neige pretended everything was okay.

Neige took Cater’s hand and tried to get him back to the present. It took a minute, but Cater was finally able to focus and hand his flashlight over to Neige. Carefully, Neige helped Cater around the holes in the ground and over to where the path was. It took a while, but once they were out of sight Chenya turned to Trey.

“He’s a better actor than I thought,” Trey muttered.

“Dude didn’t respond to a single one of my calls and thinks we won’t get suspicious?” Chenya said,” Something else happened here and I know it.”

“Yet he’s completely calm,” Trey added,” What did he see?”

“I wish I knew,” Chenya muttered.

Not to mention Neige didn’t seem worried about what might be out there. Could be that he’s good at hiding it, but Neige isn’t stupid enough to split the group when he knows it’s dangerous.

And this area.

Those trees were only recently pulled from the ground.

Chenya could smell it.

Neige may be a good actor, but even the best actors can’t hide everything.

“Caw caw!”

Both Trey and Chenya whipped their heads around to see where the sound came from. A crow flying so close to the ground just above the two boys. It was flying in the direction of the bakery with something hanging from its claws.

Wait just a damn second.

Chenya grabbed his broach and flicked it to the ground. Wind surrounded the boy and shot him up to the sky. The crow squawked in surprise as Chenya grabbed its leg with ease. Trey cried out in alarm as Chenya fell to the ground. But Chenya broke his own fall as if he’d done it before. No injury was gained other than the crow constantly pecking at Chenya’s hand.

“Chenya what was that for?” Trey asked.

“Let go! Let go!” the crow cried.

“It speaks?” Trey muttered as he walked closer to Chenya.

Chenya’s eyes were wide, but not of fear. It was an intensity Trey hadn’t seen in a long time. It was back when they were children, trying to find their missing friend. Those yellow eyes were focused on the foot of the bird. No, what the bird had in its grasp. Trey’s eyes widened when he saw it.

A blue cat keychain with button eyes and stitching all too similar to what Chenya’s mother used.

“I didn’t think….,” Ortho gulped down his words,” And you’ve been fighting them for how long?”

Kocho swallowed a hiss as he put pressure on his arm. He hadn’t been fast enough apparently. True to Rook’s word, the pressure he put on himself these past two weeks were pulling him down. Even with a demon powerful enough to have its blood demon art, Kocho’s able to deal with them easily. And yet one of those punches landed. If anybody other than Ortho finds out.

Well, Kocho didn’t want to imagine what that lecture was going to look like.

“4 years? Maybe 5,” Kocho replied,” Would have been more but Kanae didn’t want me to push myself too hard. I was around 8 or 9 when I started training.”

“That long?!” Ortho nearly yelled,” I couldn’t imagine….”

“I’d rather you never be able to,” Kocho said,” I failed another person because I couldn’t find that demon in time. If LeBlanche hadn’t screamed, I would have lost him too. That’s a feeling I truly wish upon no one. Not even the demons that cause it.”

Ortho watched Kocho’s movements. They were slow, but not from exhaustion. The look in his eyes were the same as a few nights earlier. This boy really did put so much pressure on himself. Like the weight of the world was in his hands and he’s failed it hundreds of times.

Ortho knew what that led to. Self-destruction.

“You’re not going out again tonight,” Ortho stated firmly.

“I know,” Kocho replied, much to Ortho’s surprise,” I did what I did before because there wasn’t a risk of people dying in this world, or so I thought. Demons didn’t exist in this world before, I thought. I can risk training to complete exhaustion, I thought. I thought and I was so wrong.”

His voice changed into a growl as he spoke.

“And now…..”

“Would you like me to bring you some strawberries?” Ortho asked,” You usually get those at this time of night.”

Maybe it would help him calm down too. It had done the trick the past few nights he’d been with Kocho. Even if those were different emotions, it’s possible they could help.

“No need, I don’t think I can stomach food tonight.”

“Oh.”

Kocho flopped down onto his bed. He was now in his gym uniform. There was nothing else for him to wear at night. The only thing that was brought with him was his torn uniform, sword, and butterfly clip that lay on the desk next to him. His hair was down, allowing long locks of red to lay around him. Kocho was exhausted, mentally and physically.

“Kocho, may I ask you a question?” Ortho asked.

“Go ahead.”

“You mentioned your parents died a long time ago,” Ortho said,” Were their deaths the reason you became a demon slayer?”

Silence followed for a while before Kocho replied.

“Yeah,” he said,” It’s the same with almost every demon slayer.”

“I see,” Ortho muttered,” Was it Upper Moon 2 or 3?”

“No, but I’d rather not talk about them,” Kocho mumbled,” I was 8 when mom and dad died. It doesn’t sting like it did back then. What those two did is far more recent.”

“Understood,” Ortho said.

Silence followed as Ortho tended to Kocho’s new wound. It wasn’t horrible, just bruised. But Kocho didn’t need others to know about it. Vil and Rook would have both of their heads if that happened.

Moonlight fluttered into the room. What once was comforting light grew eerie in the understanding of what had transpired that night. Ortho had done this to himself. He didn’t think helping Kocho would lead to this.

Kocho was a boy whose entire life was about slaying demons. Every thought and every decision was made in order to fight the creatures of the night. It took Ortho until that night to understand that. The wisteria, the injuries, the small movements, and lack of trust. They all led back to slaying demons.

And Ortho planted himself right into it.

He wasn’t planning on digging himself back out.

“Hey Ortho,” Kocho mumbled.

“What is it?” Ortho asked.

“Can you teach me healing magic?”

“Of course.”

Crying echoed in Neige’s mind as he found himself in a black void. How weird. It wasn’t Neige who was crying. Yet it was coming from Neige. Was this a dream? Neige did remember falling asleep the second he laid down.

“Mom!”

Mom?

“I had a mother? Yes, I guess I did,” the voice of the demon from earlier that day said,” She was a kind woman. Who always did her best for me and my younger sister.”

The void changed into an old house in the center of a bustling town. All of the architecture was completely new to Neige and he couldn’t recognize most of the plants decorating the front yard.

“Look Mom! Look!” the voice of a child rang,” This bug has so many legs!”

Neige was seeing what the child was seeing. A centipede crawled along the ground right where the child was pointing. There was a woman standing next to the child. She was beautiful. Her long black hair was held up, allowing her kind green eyes to shine in the sun. In her hands was a small girl too young to walk. She was sleeping, not disturbed by the world around her.

“She worked so hard for the two of us,” the voice of the demon said once more,” And yet, I….. I killed her and my sister.”

A flash of red eyes and black hair covered Neige’s vision before finding himself right in front of that woman and little girl. Both laid on the ground, pools of red flooding around them.

“I killed them,” the voice repeated,” Why did I kill them? Was it the sudden hunger I felt for human flesh one day? Or was it the fact that I couldn’t even remember my own mother’s face that day?”

Neige could feel grief well up inside of him as the images flashed to the woods. Back in that battleground, only now he saw what the demon saw. The wisteria haori and a butterfly clip. There was a feeling of recognition, but not from Neige.

“You’re a demon slayer, boy,” the demon said,” So you must know what it’s like to see your loved ones dead. I beg of you, never forget that feeling. Not like I did that day.”

Neige’s eyes flew open as he shot up straight. Cold sweat trickled down his body, emphasized by the light of the moon. The boy looked like a mess, but he didn’t care in that moment. Because he saw something he never thought he’d see.

“What in hades,” Neige mumbled.

He saw the demon’s memories.

And they were ones of a human.

Chapter Text

“Riddle, why’d you grow your hair out?”

“Hm? Why do you ask?”

“You used to always prefer your hair short so it wouldn’t get in the way. What happened?”

“Oh, well this is kind of embarrassing to admit.”

“That only makes me want to know more. Tell me! Tell me!”

“I will! I will!”

“...”

“It’s just, well, Rengoku and Uzui have long hair. So does Kanroji and Tomioka.”

“Pft!”

“What?”

“Is my baby brother trying to look all cool like the Hashira? Is that what he’s trying to do?”

“Quite it!”

“That’s so cute! I’m telling the others!”

“Shinobu!”

News spread like wildfire the next day. Not a single person didn’t know about what transpired the night before. Jamil had heard everyone in his dorm talk about it. You know that bakery up on the hill? Yeah, the owner was killed. An RSA student figured it out. Housewarden Cater Diamond and Vice Housewarden Trey Clover both saw it. They haven’t said a thing since they got back. Both of them locked themselves in their rooms. Some of the Heartslabyul students swore they heard screaming and crying the night before.

It was only first period and Jamil was already tired of hearing about it. Kocho didn’t seem to want to talk about it either. He had his head down with his arms crossed underneath as a pillow of sorts.

Azul, on the other hand, really wanted to talk about it.

“You both heard the news, yes?”

“I don’t want to hear it, Trilobite,” Jamil growled.

“My! My! You really should be showing more respect to your superiors,” Azul chastised.

Jamil snorted.

“Since when were you my superior? Last I checked neither of us were in the same dorm,” Jamil growled.

Kocho lifted his head up and gave the two boys a confused look.

“Oh, Trilobite here became house warden of his dorm,” Jamil explained.

Azul gave Kocho a condescending smirk. Kocho glared back and pointed at Azul.

“It matters not if you're a house warden,” Kocho said,” If you're going to act all high and mighty around us, then leave.”

“You’ve only spoken to me twice and both times were insults,” Azul muttered,” All I wanted to do was talk about the recent news. Yet you speak to me like this? Whatever have I done wrong to you?”

Kocho rolled his eyes.

“Everybody’s been talking about it,” Jamil said,” Frankly I’m quite tired of everybody crying wolf cause somebody died last night.”

“And the night before,” Azul added,” Both in somewhat similar ways. Police suspect a serial cannibal is on the loose nearby. Both RSA and NRC are on lockdown cause of it.”

“You mean we’re not allowed to leave?” Jamil asked.

“It doesn’t affect most of the population. Just those who visit the town from time to time,” Azul explained,” We weren’t exactly given details about this murder compared to the last. However, considering the fact that Cater and Trey were given at least a week off, we can assume it was not a pretty sight.”

Kocho nodded his head in agreement before laying back down to take a quick nap. Azul and Jamil paid him no mind. Neither of them knew what Kocho did in his free time to make him so tired. It was none of their business.

For now. Azul pledged to learn later.

“How have you two been with your studies?” Azul asked, changing the subject completely,” I hope you two haven’t fallen behind.”

“I’m fine thank you very much,” Jamil grumbled,” Our grades are none of your business.”

Personally, Jamil really wanted to brag about his grades. They were amazing. But Jamil had to hold it in for 2 reasons. The first being the target on Kocho’s back that Azul is so determined to go after. Jamil doesn’t know what it is about Kocho that interests Azul so much, but Jamil was not giving him another reason to go after Kocho.

The second.

Well.

The inevitability of his master coming to NRC was going to change things. Jamil wasn’t allowed to outperform his master in any way, shape, or form. His master was always the one to shine the brightest out of the two. Which is unfortunate, because his master’s grades are shit.

There was this slim hope from the recent news. Maybe his master’s parents were discouraged from sending him here after the recent murders. Hopefully, they see the whole situation as too dangerous for their precious son to go near. But that’s wishful thinking.

It’s always wishful thinking.

“Even after a couple of weeks you still haven’t warmed up to me,” Azul mumbled,” I see I’m not wanted right now.”

Azul leaned over closer to Jamil.

“Understand soon enough I will require a meeting between the two of you. Don’t think either of you can avoid it. I will be sending Floyd and Jade when the time comes,” Azul whispered,” I will see you then.”

Jamil could feel chills run up his spine as Azul walked away from the two boys. Kocho didn’t seem to react at all, but he heard. Grey eyes were just watching Azul watch away. There was no denying it. Both of them were in deep trouble. That Jamil could tell for sure.

Hopefully, the rest of the day won’t be so eventful.

Curtains shrouded a colorful room in darkness. It was a bedroom barely used but had been recently assigned to Chenya to help him recover from recent events. Alison had been considerate enough to understand that Chenya needed time alone. Not many others did. Now, don’t get Chenya wrong, most of them were trying to be nice. They just didn’t understand Chenya REALLY wasn’t in the mood to talk to anybody.

Not when he found something crucial.

Sitting in front of Chenya was a steel-bared cage. A crow was sitting inside of it, its mouth tied shut with a rubber band and ropes tying its feet to the bottom. The bird was glaring daggers at Chenya as it tried to peck at the ropes but to no avail.

Chenya held the blue cat keychain in his hand, carefully inspecting every small detail. It was stained in brown and red with a few scratches here and there. The little guy had gone through a lot. Potentially with the very person Chenya was so desperate to find.

“How interesting,” Chenya mumbled,” Why do you have this?”

Nobody was at the dorm at the time. So if Chenya desired, he could take the rubber band off the crow and not have to worry about anybody hearing the crow yelling. It could speak, from what Chenya remembered from the night before. Or was it still the night before and everybody was asleep? Chenya did not know. He hadn’t slept at all. Focusing on the crow helped Chenya keep his mind off of what happened at the bakery.

Chenya took a quick glance at the time on his phone before opening the cage. The crow started rapidly flapping its wings. It did nothing for the crow. All it did was make Chenya irritated. Once the rubberbands were off, the crow started crying loudly.

“Let me go! Let me go!”

“I’m not letting you go until you tell me what I wish to know,” Chenya growled,” Why do you have this?”

“I won’t tell! I won’t tell! Not to a demon like you! Not to a demon like you!”

“Demon?” Chenya mumbled, his ears pressed flat against his head,” Rude.”

Wouldn’t be the first time he was called that and Chenya doubted it would be his last. The years after Riddle’s disappearance weren’t exactly kind to him or Trey. No, not even close. Ms.Rosehearts herself was the one who called Trey and Chenya a demon first. But the nickname spread like wildfire. Thankfully only one person at RSA seemed to think it was a good idea to call him that. But that’s probably because every other bully was afraid of the headmaster. The insults were hidden behind passive-aggressive comments until they were off campus. Then they started being outright mean.

Night Raven may have its assholes, but at least they’re upfront about it.

“Untie me! Untie me!”

“Let me be more forward then,” Chenya said,” Why do you have something that belongs to Riddle Rosehearts?”

The crow completely froze, its eyes wide in surprise. Surprising, Chenya didn’t think a crow could do that. It confirmed something to Chenya though. This talking Crow knew Riddle and wasn’t just accidentally carrying something that belonged to him.

“This keychain,” Chenya said, dangling the small cat in front of the crow,” My mother stitched this together herself for Riddle 'cause he was my friend. Back when we were kids. He disappeared when I was around 9. I think he was a year younger than me.”

The crow listened to every word Chenya said, soaking every piece of information that it could.

“That mother of his,” Chenya continued his expression turning to one of sadness,” She really has made my life a living hell. Because it’s my fault Riddle ran away. Because Trey and I did this to her precious son. I still don’t know what I did wrong that day. What was the real reason he disappeared?”

The crow’s expression grew sad as Chenya went on and on. Tears pricked at the edges of his yellow eyes, but Chenya did his best to hold it in. He couldn’t let himself fall apart now. These past 8 years have been hell but he never once broke down. Chenya was Trey’s anchor. If he broke down, then so did Trey.

But Chenya was alone right now. He could cry and cry and nobody would hear. Just a single crow with the only proof Chenya had that his old friend was still alive. Not just someone missing forever.

Chenya could see those grey eyes looking at him. A smile on the face of a boy still too young to understand life. He smiled at Chenya with an expression of nothing but pure joy as he ate a strawberry tart for the first time.

And Chenya was the reason nobody would ever see it again.

He couldn’t be the reason nobody saw Riddle again.

Chenya would make sure of that.

The sadness turned into a crazed expression, causing the crow to squawk in surprise.

“I will find him. No matter what.”

Neige: Hi!

Neige: How are you?

Neige: I know we’re both in school right now but I have a quick question for you.

Vil stared at his phone screen in pure confusion and annoyance. Why in Hades was Neige texting him? The two of them haven't spoken to each other since that one gig back in middle school. Even though they both had each other’s number. Vil, of course, preferred it this way. To be honest, Vil did not like Neige at all. He was far too sweet and naive for his own good. Not to mention Vil was constantly compared to the boy. They aren’t the same, not even close. Yet the world desires a rivalry between the two. An actor constantly playing heroes versus an actor constantly playing villains.

Even if Neige’s done nothing wrong, Vil could never stand the boy.

But of course, Neige wouldn’t know. The boy would never know even if it hit him in the eye.

“Rook,” Vil called to his vice housewarden.

The two boys we sitting in the cafeteria, eating their lunch like everybody else. Rook tilted his head to the side with a knowing smile.

“Tell me, what exactly would Neige want right now?” Vil asked.

“Considering the timing, Roi du Poison, it would have to be the murder hier,” Rook replied.

“Why would he be interested in something like that?” Vil asked.

“I doubt it is the murder itself, but rather those who found the deceased,” Rook replied.

“I see,” Vil sighed,” He wishes to check up on Cater and Trey.”

“Why don’t you just ask?” Rook asked,” You act as though it’s the most painful thing in the world.”

Vil resists an eye role and does as Rook suggests.

Vil: What do you want? If it’s about Trey and Cater, they’ve been given the week off. I know nothing more than that.

Neige: It’s a similar situation with the RSA students.

Neige: That’s not what I wished to ask though I am glad you told me.

Neige: Thank you

Vil looked at his phone in confusion. That wasn’t it? What could it be about then? Was it some gig Neige picked up or something?

Vil: What is it then?

Neige: I’m looking for an acquaintance of mine. His name is Kocho. He has red hair and a pretty orange butterfly clip. Do you know him?

Vil nearly spat his water out reading Neige’s text. Rook gave Vil a confused look, to which Vil responded by handing the phone to Rook. Carefully, Rook read every word Neige sent before his smile crept wider.

“Oh mon dieu!”

“What in Hades name did that potato do to meet Neige LeBlanche of all people?” Vil hissed.

“I find this fascinating, do you not?” Rook asked, handing the phone back to Vil,” Our petit papillon is acquainted with someone so high up in society, and yet none have ever heard of him.”

“What are you insinuating here?” Vil asked.

Rook eyed the people around them before leaning towards Vil.

“Do you not find all of this suspicious Roi du Poison?” Rook asked.

“Only a little but you’re making it sound so much larger than it is,” Vil stated,” What have you seen that I haven’t?”

“It’s quite simple, my beautiful Vil,” Rook whispered,” You know how Roi de Neige’s manager is. Tell me, would they ever let someone like Kocho near him?”

Vil thought about it for a second. He had seen how Neige’s manager acted. The man was strict, constantly keeping an eye on Neige’s schedule and making sure he knew everyone Neige met. If Vil were to be honest, he felt bad for Neige. There’s no denying his manager is part of what made Neige the way he is today. Mainly the fact that Neige allows others to push him around.

Vil never liked working with Neige. But most of that wasn’t really Neige’s fault, but rather those around him taking advantage of how he was.

That aside, Rook made a good point.

The only time Neige was away from his manager was while he was at RSA. Which was only a couple of weeks earlier. Although there were some rumors that Neige had been taking classes with sophomores instead of freshmen so it’s possible Neige was taking classes at RSA before then. Either way, Kocho wouldn’t have been able to meet a single RSA student until a couple of weeks ago.

But Neige’s been busy with a new role Vil’s manager would not stop talking about ever since school started.

“It’s not possible for those two to have ever met unless the circumstances were just perfect enough to allow them to be in the same place. But Kocho doesn’t talk to just anybody,” Vil stated,” Was he perhaps a fan of Neige’s?”

“Non,” Rook stated,” Monsieur Butterfly doesn’t have a single understanding of technology. Even if he were to have seen Roi de Neige somewhere, Monsieur Butterfly would not be familiar enough with him to even consider speaking.”

“How suspicious,” Vil muttered.

“Suspicious indeed,” Rook said.

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding me,” Jamil grumbled.

It was the last period of the day and Jamil was preparing to go to his club meeting. He was pretty excited, as he always is when it comes to basketball. But he was stopped as soon as he stepped out of the classroom door. Towering above him were two boys, both perfect mirrors of each other. Razor-sharp teeth and the Octavinelle school uniform.

It didn’t take a genius to know Azul was up to something bad.

“Aw! Look at the little Sea Snake!” Floyd beamed with a devious smile,” I wanna squeeze him!”

Jamil took a step back, ready to run. Jade grabbed his arm before he could.

“Apologies but you won’t be running,” Jade stated,” Azul’s time is precious so you have no need to worry about being held for too long. He just wishes a meeting with you and your friend.”

While he didn’t have the same devious look Floyd had, there was still malice held in his eyes. Jamil turned to see where Kocho was, hoping maybe he would run. But, alas, Kocho did not. He stared at the three boys with wide eyes before looking to Azul, who was walking over like he wasn’t going to hold Jamil and Kocho hostage for about an hour or so.

The students left in the classroom watched the situation unfold before going on with their day. None even considered helping either of them. Not like Jamil was surprised.

“I do deeply apologize for this but a meeting with you both has been long overdue,” Azul stated,” I promise this will be quick.”

Kocho looked ready to fight Azul, but he wasn’t fazed. Azul just gave him a knowing smirk. Suddenly, Jamil felt one of the twins twist his arm behind his back and grab the other. Floyd grabbed Jamil’s magestone and twirled it around in his hand. It all happened so fast that Jamil didn’t even have time to think. Kocho whipped his head around with a glare burning holes into the twins.

“You care for your friend, do you not?” Azul asked Kocho,” Then I don’t suggest running. Floyd can get quite wild. Who knows what he’ll do to him.”

Kocho looked ready to drop-kick all three of the Octavinelle students, but he surrendered. Jamil cursed himself for getting both of them caught as they were led to the Octavinelle dorm.

The whole dorm was quite pretty. Half of it was taken up by an aquarium that some of the Mer students loved to hang around in. Channdelures with sea shell decor lined across the ceiling. People sat around the lounge, chatting about anything and everything. None of them paid any mind to the five boys. They were all just in their little world.

Or they were just as afraid as Jamil was of Azul and the twins.

Once the five of them were in the main office, Azul locked the door and Jade finally let go of Jamil. The room was lined with bookshelves, creating a sophisticated feeling. Two couches faced each other in front of a fancy desk. Behind the desk was a safe.

Azul really went all out in decorating the office. Even though he was just a house warden.

Jade pushed Jamil over to one of the couches and sat him down. Floyd tried to force Kocho to do the same on the other, but Kocho slapped his hand before he could. A twisted grin spread across Floyd’s face. He didn’t do anything other than hover over Kocho as the redhead sat down. Jamil would feel relief if not for Jade hovering over him with a creepy smile.

“Now then,” Azul said as he sat down behind the desk,” I’ll try and make this quick. Of course, that completely depends on your cooperation.”

“What exactly do you want with either of us?” Jamil hissed,” What's so important that you physically drag us both in front of everyone?”

“Oh? Are you worried people will judge?” Azul asked.

Jamil was but he wasn’t going to admit it. Not to Azul at least.

Jamil scanned the others, trying to assess the situation. Floyd looked as though he were to jump out of his skin any second. Jade looked ready to grab Jamil if he made any sudden move. Actually, so did Floyd. But both of them were paying attention to Kocho.

Something told Jamil he was just collateral in this situation.

It was somewhat familiar weirdly enough. How many times had he been kidnapped in the past just to be used to get something out of his master? Really, it irked Jamil how similar these situations were. Because Jamil was just an accessory to those around him. He means nothing to the outsider looking in.

It made Jamil’s blood boil just thinking about it.

“It’s really simple what I want from you two,” Azul stated,” I wish for information.”

Huh?

“I’ll cut to the chase, Kocho,” Azul said, looking over at the redhead,” You’re quite the odd one. There isn’t a single thing you do that doesn’t stand out from the rest. A magical reservoir so big it had to be grown via practice, yet you have no understanding on how to use it. Your speed is something rare among humans and you smell so strongly of wisteria that most of the beastmen have been complaining.”

Kocho’s eyes widened.

“I simply wish to know why,” Azul continued,” And you do owe me something for what happened at orientation.”

“If I recall, you couldn’t stop Leech from attacking me the very next day,” Kocho stated while pointing at Azul,” If anything, you owe me.”

Azul’s eyes widened slightly, but so did his smirk.

“I did apologize for that, no?” Azul asked,” Besides, I don’t believe you're in any position to deny my request.”

Jamil could feel Jade get closer. To add emphasis, Floyd glided around to sit next to Jamil. Jamil tried to scoot away, but Floyd had a hold on Jamil’s arm.

Jamil really, really wanted to leave.

Kocho glared at the twins before brushing a strand of loose hair behind his ear and looking back to Azul.

“I simply require information about you, that is all,” Azul stated,” Why do you make this so hard?”

“Ashengrotto,” Kocho said, causing Azul to flinch,” You are not one of a kind, you know. Many others are like you, wishing to use others for your own gain and never paying mind to how you hurt them. What makes you think I don’t know how to play your game?”

Azul sat stunned for a second before smirking and nodding to Jade.

“I can assure you, Kocho, you have no idea what you’re playing,” Azul said,” You know, I’ve noticed that you’ve never once called anyone by their first name. It’s always their last name. May I ask why?”

“You may but that doesn’t mean I will answer,” Kocho stated.

“I see, even the smallest details you will zip your mouth shut for,” Azul sighed,” In that case…”

Jamil felt a hand grab his face and turn it. His eyes met Jade’s as he cried out in surprise. Kocho glanced over at what was happening but did not move.

“Shock the heart,” Jade said.

Suddenly Jamil no longer had control of his body. His mind screamed and screamed for him to move away, but he could do nothing. Chills ran through his spine as Jade turned him around to face Azul. No, not just chills. It was like hundreds of spiders were crawling through his skin, freezing his mind with fear.

“Tell us everything you know about Kocho,” Jade demanded.

“Kocho has one of the fastest speeds in the entire school,” Jamil started, having no control over what he said,” And is one of Rook Hunt’s favorite Pomefiore students. He severely lacks behind in academics but is very quick to learn and….”

Before he could go on, something pricked him in the side of the leg. Jamil immediately snapped out of Jade’s control. All three of the Octavinelle students looked at Jamil with wide eyes as he felt his mind finally reconnect with his body. Although it was still quite a bit numb.

“Oh my,” Jade said.

Floyd starts laughing, hard. Jamil’s eyes were wide open with fear. That was the creepiest feeling he had ever felt in his entire life. It’s like a ghost took over, wrapping itself around Jamil and making him lose all of his senses. He didn’t even know what he was saying before breaking out.

And it was only for such a short period of time.

“How did you…?” Azul tried to ask before someone opened the door to his office.

“Hi! Sorry to barge in but Vil Schoenheit was looking for Kocho,” Ortho said.

Floyd’s laughing turned to wheezing. Azul’s jaw hung open as the little boy flew over to Kocho. Kocho couldn’t help but grin.

“Ah, thank you Shroud!”

“How did you get in? I locked the door!” Azul cried, trying to pull himself together.

“I opened it!” Ortho replied,” I’ll be taking Jamil Viper as well. He and Kocho usually study together and Vil Schoenheit’s meeting won’t take too terribly long.”

“If I’ve satisfied,” Kocho sighed.

“If you satisfy,” Ortho nodded.

Without struggle, Ortho pulled both Jamil and Kocho onto their feet. Jamil stumbled a bit, still a little surprised and numb. Kocho had no such problem and just strolled out of the office, waving at the Octavinelle group. He grabbed Jamil’s arm and dragged him out of the office, making sure he didn’t accidentally hurt Jamil.

“Bye!” Ortho beamed before closing the door behind him.

The office was filled with Floyd’s laughter as Azul tried to piece together what just happened. Jade was giving him this knowing look as his smirk grew.

“Well that was certainly interesting,” Jade said.

“That went wrong in every way possible,” Azul groaned,” We got nothing out of that! I already knew Kocho was struggling with his grades! He has the lowest grades in the entire class!”

“HAHAHA, Azul lost his cool!” Floyd chimed.

“I will admit, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you like this,” Jade agreed,” You even tried confronting for information instead of ‘playing the long game’.”

“I’d be useless doing so with Kocho,” Azul sighed,” He’s already built his walls too high for any of us to get anything from him. I was hoping maybe using Jamil as bait would help but we still got nothing!”

“Not necessarily,” Jade stated,” There is one thing.”

“And what would that be?”

“Ortho doesn’t call Kocho by his full name.”

“Thank you, Ortho,” Kocho sighed,” I don’t think I could hold back on beating the crap out of them if you hadn’t shown up.”

“Please don’t!” Ortho said in alarm,” It’d be hard to explain to Vil Schoenheit why you punched another dorm’s house warden.”

“It would have been worth it.”

Jamil still felt sluggish as the entered the hall of mirrors. Both Ortho and Kocho were making their way to Pomefiore’s mirror, neither seeming really fazed by what just happened. It made Jamil want to curse, but he refrained. Because he still had something to ask.

That needle in his leg didn’t come from nowhere.

“Wait, Kocho!” Jamil called out,” What exactly did you do to snap me out of Jade’s control?”

“Hm? Easy,” Kocho said,” I carry needles and wisteria poison everywhere I go. Don’t worry about side effects! I didn’t coat enough on the needle for there to be any.”

Jamil just stood there with wide eyes as Kocho looked back at him.

“You coming?”

“I’m allowed?”

“Why wouldn’t you be?” Kocho asked,” Ortho comes in all the time uninvited. He’s like an honorary dorm member at this point.”

Jamil didn’t want to ask why, so he just followed. The feeling in his body was finally back to normal, thankfully. He didn’t exactly want to ask for any more help from Kocho. Definitely not in front of any more of the student body.

As the three boys made their way through the hallways of Pomefiore, a certain blonde hunter called out to them.

“Bonjour Monsieur Butterfly! Monsieur Doll!” Rook called out,” And Monsieur Snake! What a surprise to see you here non?”

“Monsieur Snake?” Jamil repeated, somewhat annoyed.

“Don’t think too much about it,” Kocho commented.

Rook’s smile grew upon hearing Kocho speak.

“Come come! Roi du Posion is waiting for you!”

“Wait Schoenheit actually wants to meet with me?” Kocho asked.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize you thought that was a lie to get you away from Azul Ashengrotto,” Ortho apologized.

Rook’s smile faltered slightly.

“My, did something happen?” Rook asked,” Roi d’Effort took a chance to satisfy his curiosity, I assume?”

“You could say that,” Kocho said,” Let’s just go meet up with Schoenheit. Shroud and Viper can give you the run down if they so desire.”

Ortho nodded his head happily. Jamil didn’t respond. This whole situation was hurting his head. The whole meeting with Azul and now dealing with Rook. Someone who has successfully weirded out almost the entire student body.

None of the boys gave Jamil time to speak his thoughts, much to his annoyance. All of them were making their way to another section of the building. Jamil didn’t want to get left behind, so he pushed his thoughts down for later and followed.

The three boys were led over to where Vil was waiting for them. As soon as they walked into the lounge, grey eyes met brown. Ortho let out a squeak in surprise as Jamil just looked at the guest, completely shocked at who was sitting there. Pretty black hair with an RSA uniform with not a single wrinkle. It was like stars shined around the boy as he smiled.

“Hi Kocho!” Neige beamed, sitting next to a very annoyed Vil.

Chapter Text

“How in the world…?”

“Is something the matter, Riddle?”

“I know I asked all of you to help, but I didn’t think you’d all agree.”

“Why wouldn’t we? None of us have Tsugoko’s and your determination to grow stronger was so cool we just had to! Right?”

“Kanroji’s right, kid. I’m honestly impressed that you had the guts to ask us all. Kinda wish it was flashier though.”

“I was more touched than anything else. For you to ask us, your desire to grow stronger must be raging.”

“I’m happy you all agreed.”

“So how are we going to split this up? I’m aware we all wish to teach him something from our breathing techniques, but looking at Riddle, I don’t think he has the ability to learn those for a while.”

“Oh! Oh! I can take over stretches!”

“I believe learning how to use a regular katana rather than the specialized insect-breathing one would be helpful!”

“Perfect so Kanroji will do flexibility, Rengoku will do sword training, and I can teach ya some Shinobi stuff! Now all that’s left is….”

“...”

“Tomioka what is it you wish to help Riddle with?”

“I’ll help him train stamina.”

“Fantastic!”

Jamil and Ortho stood completely still, staring at Neige in complete surprise. Kocho didn’t react in such a way. His expression actually softened and a smile curled up his lips. Rook noticed it. Vil noticed it. Both of them were surprised. There wasn’t a single person in Night Raven whose seen Kocho like this.

And that makes this situation even more suspicious.

“Oh LeBlanche!” Kocho said,” What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see you again,” Neige replied,” I was hoping maybe we can catch up. It’s been so long you know?”

Kocho and Ortho both quickly caught onto what Neige was doing, so they both played along.

“Yeah, it has,” Kocho said,” Did you want to talk out here or did you want to talk in my room?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, I do wish for the conversation to be private,” Neige replied.

“Of course, I’ll lead you there,” Kocho said before looking at Ortho,” Is it alright if you keep watch? I don’t want any of the others accidentally overhearing anything.”

“Of course!” Ortho beamed.

The three boys left the room quickly, leaving Vil, Rook, and a still stunned Jamil in the lounge. Rook turned to look at Vil and pointed in the direction the others went. He mouthed something to Vil, and Vil caught on pretty quickly.

Both Neige and Kocho had lied.

Something really weird was happening here.

But Jamil wasn’t exactly allowed to know this yet.

“Did the potato really just ignore me?” Vil groaned,” You’d think he’d have better manners now.”

“Can you fault Monsieur Butterfly? He’s being asked to speak to someone so divine as Roi de Neige! Truly, no words can describe how he feels!” Rook said.

“Wait, wait, wait,” Jamil finally got out,” I mean no offense to Kocho here, but how in hades does he know Neige LeBlanche of all people? Enough so that Neige came over here to meet with him!”

“Trust me, we’re also trying to figure that out,” Vil muttered.

Ortho made sure the coast was clear as they made their way to Kocho’s room. There was no way he was going to allow rumors to spread about Neige being there. Nobody in Night Raven would take it well, considering RSA and NRC’s rivalry. Not to mention the bias of having Vil Schoenheit as your housewarden. A rivalry between actors escalating into the schools they go to. It could make anybody get chills just thinking about what would happen if Neige was seen.

And Kocho had absolutely no clue it was there.

At least Neige was trying to be a bit stealthy, but not enough for Kocho to notice.

Once they made it to Kocho’s room, Ortho took his place in front of his door. He was still inside the room, as to not raise suspicion. But it still allowed him to listen and scan the outside. Neige looked at Ortho, then back at Kocho with a confused expression.

“You don’t need to worry about Shroud,” Kocho stated,” He’s aware of the situation.”

“Oh, you told him?”

“No, he’s been helping me out,” Kocho explained,” I don’t exactly have my usual method of searching for demons so I’ve been relying on Shroud to help me out.”

How interesting, Neige thought. Ever since the night before, Neige could not stop wondering about what exactly had happened. What was that demon? What was a Demon Slayer? And what did those memories he saw mean? Of course, Neige couldn’t ask all of his questions. He didn’t exactly want to explain his Unique Magic to Kocho. Neige’s manager had called it creepy the first time he got it, so Neige could imagine Kocho wouldn’t take it well. That memory of the demon, however, made it really hard to resist. It was the main reason Neige tried to find Kocho in the first place.

Because he wanted answers.

But Neige had to play his cards right to get the answers he wanted. He had to be careful with what he said. It wouldn’t be too hard, Neige reasoned. Because it was just like acting.

Neige looked around the room for a place to sit. The room barely looked lived in, much to Neige’s surprise. Then again, Kocho didn’t exactly seem like the type to decorate his room as soon as he got to school. Rather, he’d gain little stuff as time went on and decorate the room with that.

At least that’s the vibe Neige got from the Demon Slayer.

Kocho pulled out the desk chair for Neige and sat down on the rim of his bed. He had no doubt in his mind that Neige wanted to ask questions about the demon. Who wouldn’t after what happened? But there was so much Kocho hesitated to tell. He didn’t want to cause the boy to panic, but certain pieces of information didn’t have certainty whether or not Neige would panic or be comforted. Would telling Neige about the entire different dimension thing make him more comfortable or not? Although maybe telling Neige about demons coming from a different world is a really bad idea.

Because then Kocho would have to explain how he got here.

And, while Kocho has a theory, it's not exactly something he wants to explain.

And lying is completely out of the question.

“Oh, what’s your usual method?” Neige asked.

“I’m usually told by my crow Kuroba where to find demons,” Kocho explained,” There’s an entire system behind it but I unfortunately do not have Kuroba with me right now. So Ortho offered to help me find the demon.”

Ortho nodded happily.

“Yep! I even gave Kocho a little radio so I could talk to him from a safe distance,” Ortho explained,” I knew the demons were dangerous from what Kocho explained but I didn’t realize they were…. Well… THAT dangerous.”

“A radio?” Neige asked.

Kocho pushed some of his hair out of the way of one of his ears. Surely enough, a small device was hooked around behind Kocho’s ear with a small on-and-off switch on the back and a tiny camera on the small part that stuck out. The device was on, but Kocho quickly switched it to off.

So Kocho came to NRC without his crow. Understandable, Neige was pretty sure both NRC and RSA forbade pets in the dorms but that didn’t stop a lot of people from bringing them after the fact. Not to mention the people with familiars. They usually stayed in the dorms but some students (and staff) still brought them to class.

It’s not too weird that Kuroba wasn’t here.

“So, what was it that you wanted to talk about so badly that you were able to not only find me but also get here while the school was on lockdown?” Kocho asked.

“It’s not technically a lockdown,” Ortho corrected,” Both Royal Sword students and Night Raven students still have access to the other campus. It’s only the town mirrors that were blocked off.”

“RSA also has mirrors?” Kocho questioned,” I thought mirrors were a NRC thing.”

“They are different artifacts, but they both just so happen to be mirrors,” Neige explained,” The story behind ours is quite lovely. A beast gifted the love of his life a mirror so she could keep an eye on her old father.”

“I’ve read that story before!” Ortho beamed,” The romance between the beast and the girl is so cute!”

“I know right!” Neige beamed,” Oh to have a romance such as theirs!”

To be saved by someone trying to cage them in. Neige would love to find someone who would save him from something (definitely not his manager). Truly, Neige couldn’t be any happier if it happened.

Kocho wasn’t exactly surprised Neige was like this. Honestly, Kocho couldn’t help but immediately have a soft spot for the boy. Outside of Neige being a victim of a demon attack, he reminded Kocho of someone. While neither of them looked alike, the love for romance was definitely similar. As well as the constant smile and round seemingly innocent look in their eyes.

If Neige was extremely strong and flexible, Kocho wouldn’t even be surprised.

The thought of Neige with pink and green hair made Kocho want to laugh, he didn’t though.

“So how did you find me?” Kocho asked,” I wasn’t wearing my Night Raven uniform last night.”

“I was actually quite lucky,” Neige admitted,” Vil and I are friends so I figured I’d ask him if he knew who you were.”

Something stung in Neige as he spoke. As if Vil was his friend. Vil hated him. Always has and always will. It had been clear the moment they first met. But Neige brushed that thought away. No, he and Vil were friends. They had to be.

Everyone around Neige told him they were, so he had to believe it.

“That is really lucky,” Kocho agreed,” I’m curious how you two even met. No offense, but you two don’t seem like the type to get along.”

Neige could feel his smile grow. So Kocho really didn’t know.

“None taken,” Neige said,” Both of us grew up in the idol industry and ended up in a lot of the same movies when we were kids.”

“Movies?” Kocho muttered before his eyes widened,” Is that why you were surprised I didn’t know who you were?”

“There’s more to it but yeah,” Neige admitted,” It’s been a while since I’ve met somebody who doesn’t know my name.”

“That doesn’t sound fun,” Kocho said.

“It’s fine! Some of my fans are lovely people!” Neige explained.

Although some of his fans were the worst people he’s ever met, but Neige would never say that out loud. He would never admit he’s been kidnapped a few times or that a lot of his fans have touched him even when he didn’t want them to. Not to mention….

Neige didn’t want to think about it. His fans were amazing, he told himself. They were the reason he was still where he was. He should be grateful, his manager had told him.

“So, why did you come?” Kocho asked.

“Right, well….” Neige tried to find the right words,” I want to know what that thing was yesterday. As well as who you are.”

“Understandable,” Kocho said,” Is there anywhere you want me to start, or would you like me to explain and then you ask questions?”

“The second,” Neige replied.

“Got it,” Kocho said before clearing his throat,” Demons are man-eating creatures that have existed for over a thousand years. Alongside them has been the Demon Slayer Corps, an organization not recognized by the government that fights the demons. We use nichirin blades in order to decapitate the demons as it is one of the few weaknesses they have. Alongside the sun and wisteria. Which brings me to what I know your first question is. I didn’t decapitate the demon yesterday and yet it died. It’s because of the technique I use to slay demons requires the use of wisteria poison.”

“No wonder you smelled of wisteria,” Neige muttered.

“Correct,” Kocho said,” this technique is only used by two demon slayers in total. Me, clearly, and the one who created it. My elder sister Shinobu.”

“Your sister created her own technique? That’s incredible!”

“Mhm! She really is!” Kocho beamed,” Our home is usually used as an infirmary for the Demon Slayer Corps. So she also acts as a doctor of sorts for the Corps.”

Neige nodded his head, noticing how Kocho’s eyes lit up as he talked about his sister. It reminded Neige, in a way, of when he would talk about his friends. The seven little faes that he’s lived with his entire life. Was the girl he saw in Kocho’s memory Shinobu? Somehow that name didn’t fit right, so Neige decided to ask.

“Are any of your other family members in the Demon Slayer Corps?”

She did have the same black uniform on as Kocho did last night, after all.

“Hmm, well Aoi passed final selection, but she decided to just stay at the Butterfly Mansion and help with patients,” Kocho replied,” Oh, we call our home the Butterfly Mansion. And the others are too young….”

There was a pause as Kocho thought about what to say next. Should he tell Neige about his eldest sister? It’s not really a subject Kocho wants to talk about, but it would help emphasize other points.
Specifically about the danger.

Although Neige knew better than any in RSA or NRC on how dangerous the demons were.

“I did have another sister in the Demon Slayer Corps, but she died on a mission 3 years ago,” Kocho finally said.

Neige looked Kocho in surprise as Ortho let out a squeak. That was probably the one he saw in his dream, Neige thought. So Neige had accidentally seen a memory of the dead. It made a lump form in Neige’s throat. He hated his unique magic so much. If only he had something else or maybe even some control over it. So he could stop himself from invading something so personal.

“I’m sorry to hear about that,” Neige muttered.

“Don’t. All of us who join the Demon Slayer Corps expect to die on the battlefield one day,” Kocho stated in a matter-of-fact way,” It’s bound to happen to Shinobu and I as well.”

Kocho was surprised it didn’t happen the day before coming to Night Raven. That had been the worst fight he’s ever been a part of and he had a Hashira and three other slayers helping out.

“That’s horrible!” Neige cried out.

“Every slayer knows the cost long before they join,” Kocho stated,” Believe it or not, almost every single one of us joined for the sake of revenge.”

“Revenge?”

“Against the monsters that killed someone dear to us,” Kocho said.

“Where do they even come from?” Neige asked.

“That is…. well…,” Kocho muttered before sighing,” Will you let me explain all of this before you ask anything? It’s a little hard to understand without the full explanation.”

Neige looked at Kocho in confusion before nodding his head. He had a REALLY bad feeling about this.

“Good,” Kocho sighed,” All demons were once humans.”

Neige’s mind almost short-circuited. Almost. A part of him already knew this to be true after the dream from the night before.

“But, certain demons have the power to turn humans into demons. These demons are the most powerful demons out there. It’s why we don’t send a new slayer to a newly formed demon. One of the uppers will be there. All of this started with the first demon, Muzan Kibutsuji. Nobody knows where he came from. But he just started turning humans into demons. He takes over their mind. Makes them forget they were ever human to begin with. They start craving blood and human flesh. In most cases, their first victim is their own family.”

Neige’s mind flashed to his dream. It was exactly as Kocho was saying. The demon had killed his family first.

And he didn’t even know it was them.

“I’ve seen it many times before,” Kocho muttered,” Some claimed they could bring their mother or father or sister or brother back from their demonic state. If I didn’t slay the demon, that person was dead. Muzan’s control of the demons is insane, but there’s certain demons that don't need him to. They’re already too far gone to care. Outside of Muzan, only a few others can turn a human into a demon. The upper half of the 12 Kizuki. Also known as Upper Moon 6,5,4,3,2 and 1. But all of it originates in Muzan. So even those demons are completely under Muzan’s control.”

Kocho stopped, allowing the information to process in Ortho and Neige. Their minds buzzed with hundreds of thoughts, all full of fear. All of this was happening, and nobody knew. Ortho seemed to process it a bit better than Neige, probably due to the extra information that he knew. So Ortho spoke first.

“Is it possible for Muzan Kibutsuji to see what other demons see?” Ortho asked,” You confronted the other demon yesterday with Muzan’s name.”

“He can,” Kocho confirmed,” Although he doesn’t look through the eyes of all demons, he’ll do so if he wishes to see something specific. Actually, it’s more like his cells in those demons are reporting back to him so he kind of does see what every demon sees.”

“Um, Kocho,” Neige finally said,” Is it possible for a demon to turn back or at least resist control?”

“There is no known way to turn a demon back to a human,” Kocho replied,” Once they shed human blood, it’s our job to kill them and make sure they don’t kill anybody else.”

Neige’s blood ran cold hearing that.

“But, there is a demon that has resisted control,” Kocho added,” And she’s basically a part of the Demon Slayer Corps. She’s extremely unique though. No other demon is like her.”

So there was a demon who could resist. That’s good. Maybe that means there’s a chance for others to do the same. Neige could only hold on and hope that was the case. It had been a thousand years. There was no guarantee any other demon would be able to resist. If only Neige could do something.

If only Neige could help.

“Do you have any more questions?”

Neige nodded his head.

“Good, ask away then.”

Sun filtered into the mansion, illuminating everything with a golden color. Or was that just what the building always looked like? The kids did not know. They never paid much attention to it. All the pretty toys interested them more. Even the eldest, who was in his first year of high school. As all the kids played, a servant called out to the eldest. Telling him his father wished to speak with him. The kid beamed, waving bye to his siblings before meeting up with his father.

“Hi Dad!” the boy beamed.

“Kalim, my boy! How have you been?” the older man asked, sitting at his desk with a paper in hand.

“I’ve been great! Although I really miss Jamil,” the boy, Kalim, replied,” I wish I was accepted into the same school as him. Then I could see him every day again!”

“How funny that you say that,” the older man said while handing Kalim a letter,” Why don’t you take a look at this?”

Kalim tilted his head to the side, curious. So he grabbed the letter from his father’s hand and opened it. Inside was an acceptance letter to the prestigious Night Raven College. The same school Jamil went to.

“Oh my sevens!” Kailm beamed.

“The letter was apparently lost in the mail,” his father said,” The headmaster had been apologizing heavily for it ever since the school year started.”

He lied as easily as he spoke.

“That’s amazing!” Kalim beamed,” I’m going to tell the others!”

“Go ahead,” Kalim’s father said,” Please pack after you do. We’ll be leaving in about a week.”

“I will!” Kalim beamed before shutting the door behind him and running to tell his siblings.

The smile on his father’s face immediately disappeared as soon as his son disappeared. From the shadows of the room slithered something barely human. It manipulated the shadows to pull the blinds down, shrowding the whole room in nothing but darkness. Kalim’s father sat completely still, not reacting to the creature. As if he knew it was there.

“You seem upset,” the thing hissed,” Is something the matter?”

“For a mere servant to be outperforming my son,” the father grumbled,” He was your son. Why would you let this happen?”

“My apologies master,” the thing hissed as it slithered around the room,” But I know not what you speak of.”

“So you forgot that too?” the father muttered,” Yet you did not forget you were my servant.”

“I remember what benefits my master,” the thing hissed, getting closer to the man.

Dark brown hair cascaded down to the floor. A once beautiful outfit was shredded to what allowed the thing mobility. It had glowing grey eyes and a scarf that felt like stone covering its neck.

She looked so much like her son, the father thought.

“Would you wish me to go after that servant boy’s family?” the thing asked.

It was a demon, the man remembered her calling herself.

“You made it hard to track them down,” the father snapped,” Not only did you break everything in that shack of a house, you took the girl’s phone.”

“Oh? This thing?” The demon asked, holding up a phone in a peach-colored phone case,” I know not why you make such a big deal about it. It’s barely worth a thing.”

The woman lies, the man thinks. She remembers not what benefits him as her master. Just what seems to benefit that family getting away.

“Would you rather I go after the servant boy?” the demon asked.

“No! That island is already under high surveillance as is,” the man replied,” You’ll only get caught.”

“So what do you wish me to do?”

“I never said I didn’t want you to go after your husband and daughter,” the man replied,” Just that you made it harder.”

“I see! I see!” the demon hummed,” Then I shall do so once the sun sets.”

“Oh, and one more thing.”

“Hm?”

“Make it as gruesome as possible. I wish the servant boy to suffer for besting my son.”

“If it isn’t too much, can we please be friends?”

That question ran through Kocho’s mind as he ate his dinner. The sun had long since set, leaving most of the students alone in their rooms. Kocho was not. He was sitting in the dorm’s kitchen with Vil and Rook. Both of them seemed to want to ask something. But they didn’t. And instead waited for the boy to finish eating.

Which was nice. It meant Kocho could think.

Neige’s question struck Kocho as odd. Kocho didn’t mind being friends with Neige. Although that might be the part of Kocho that compared Neige to Kanroji speaking. The boy was so sweet and quite strong. For someone not to seem phased by the demon encounter the night before, he had to be.

But suddenly Kocho’s was getting a very different image of Neige. Why would Kocho not mind being Neige’s friend? Why would it be too much? What made Neige think all of that?

What had that boy been through?

“Monsieur Butterfly,” Rook said once Kocho was done,” How does thou know Roi de Neige?”

Right, Kocho and Neige went through this earlier.

“Oh, LeBlanche visited my town some time back,” Kocho lied,” One of my sisters was all over his visit so she dragged me along to see. We happened to meet while he was eating at one of the restaurants. Had no idea it was him until after he left our town.”

Vil nodded his head, taking the whole thing in.

“And you had no idea who Neige LeBlanche even was before then?” Vil asked.

“Correct,” Kocho replied,” I was never really interested in music or movies or even TV as a kid. My sister though? Oh, she was all over that stuff.”

Kocho lied specifically about Aoi. He couldn’t bring himself to lie about Shinobu or Kanae. It hurt too much for one and he held far too much respect for the other to ever consider lying about who she was.

He’d apologize to Aoi later. She’d used him enough because of ‘scary big brother privileges’. This was basically a way for her to repay him.

“I see! I see!” Rook beamed,” And was she the same way about Roi du Posion?”

“Yes,” Kocho replied before narrowing his eyes,” Why are you both so interested in this?”

“Potato, do you realize how weird it is that you know one of the most popular idols in the world?” Vil asked.

He’s that popular?

“I guess it’s pretty weird. Not really my problem though,” Kocho replied as he walked away from the two,” That only really matters to people who care.”

“I’ll be shutting in for the night,” Kocho said,” Good night.”

“Bonsoir!” Rook replied.

Vil and Rook watched as Kocho walked away. Once he was completely out of sight and too far away to hear, Rook turned to Vil.

“My, this much bigger than we thought!” he beamed,” I wonder what they are hiding?”

“They were both lying,” Vil sighed,” Why would they both lie about how they met? It’s so obvious.”

“To you, beautiful Vil,” Rook commented,” And to I. We both know the industry. Monsieur Butterfly does not. And Roi de Neige’s acting only works on those who don’t know his habits.”

“What’s so big that they need to hide it?”

“Is fascinant, non?” Rook asked,” My mind imagines the most interesting things. A secret romance perhaps!”

“Didn’t you say Kocho was aroace the other day?” Vil asked.

“He’s on the spectrum yes,” Rook agreed.

“Rook there’s no way in Hades Kocho had a secret romance with Neige of all people,” Vil said,” I may not like Neige, but even I know he’s not stupid enough to cause such a scandal.”

“Tis too true,” Rook sighed.

Vil eyed Rook for a second.

“You’re a weird one, you know that?”

“Yet you love me for it.”

Neige saw a happy family laughing. It was dark outside and the house they all huddled in was similar to that of his dream the night before. The one Neige was seeing the memories of stood up, making an excuse that he was feeling light-headed. He was clearly drunk, as his words turned to gibberish. But nobody in the family seemed to mind. They were all partying, having a good time.

The man staggered out of the house, struggling to walk out into the fresh air. It felt nice and cool, Neige thought. There was something nice about how old the neighborhood felt. Or maybe that was Neige liking how not a single camera was there nor was his manager. He was alone.

And it was nice.

The man walked by an alleyway and suddenly a shot of pain hit the side of his head. Everything around the man turned red and the whole body started to ache. Neige could feel it all. Something flowed within the man’s body, breaking every single nerve possible. It was like fire from within the veins.

The world around turned to void. A puddle of red surrounded the man, coming up to his waist. All the man did was scream as he tried to stand. It was pointless. A pair of hands wrapped around the man’s head, grabbing him harshly before a voice spoke. Neige couldn’t make out a single word, but slowly the memories of the family in that house disappeared. The man’s head was pulled down, forcing him to look at the red eyes above. Red-slitted eyes like a reptile. All of that creature disappeared into hundreds of particles that surrounded the man before slowly crawling into the wound that formed in his head.

Numbness followed for a minute before another image flashed in front of Neige. The whole family that was smiling happily before now lay in puddles of their own blood. In the hands of the man was the body of one. He was eating them like he’d never had food in his entire life. Horror filled Neige’s mind as he screamed.

“Neige! Neige!”

Neige’s eyes shot wide open to see seven little faes surrounding the edges of his bed. He was sweating bullets as one of them, Dominic, held one of his hands.

“Finally!” Grum sighed.

“You were crying in your sleep,” Shelpie yawned,” You seemed to be in pain.”

“Are you okay Neige?” Dominic asked.

Neige looked at all of them. This was his family. The seven little fae that sheltered him ever since he could remember. With no parents and nobody to take care of them. These seven little fae that Neige spent his entire career trying to help.

He couldn’t imagine forgetting them and then slaughtering them in cold blood.

And yet so many have.

It made Neige want to cry.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Neige lied,” It was just a nightmare.”

“Ya had one last night too,” Toby pointed out, which only caused the fae to grow more concerned.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Timmy asked.

Neige nodded his head and forced a smile.

“Yeah, I swear. It’s just a nightmare. Nothing else,” Neige said.

He could never tell them the truth.

“Want some midnight hot chocolate?” Hop asked,” That always helps me cheer up.”

“It’s not cold out,” Grum commented.

“Who cares! Hot chocolate is good year round!” Hop argued.

“I agree,” Snick muttered,” Though I usually prefer hot apple cider.”

“Hold it, who said hot apple cider is good year-round?” Toby asked, somewhat offended.

“That’s not what I said.”

Neige wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. This family of his. How dearly he really did love them. But it made that dream hurt so much more.

Think happy thoughts Neige. Think happy thoughts Neige.

This is the dream you wanted right? You wanted to see how the demons felt when they turned so maybe you could figure out a way to help them.

Your unique magic did what you wanted it to.

The realization shocked Neige for a second before he recovered and spoke to the fae.

“You know what, I think midnight hot chocolate sounds wonderful.”

“It’s 3 a.m.,” Shelpie corrected before being slapped in the head by Grum.

“Midnight hot chocolate it is,” Grum stated.

Neige giggled at their antics while Dominic just stared at Neige in concern. This wasn’t ignored by Neige. He gave his friend a soft smile.

“I’m fine Dominic. Really I am,” Neige reassured.

Dominic stayed silent for a second before replying.

“I really hope you’re right.”

Chapter Text

“Your grit is truly impressive, Riddle.”

“Thank you Rengoku.”

“I’m curious. I apologize if this is a sore subject, but why did you become Shinobu’s Tsugoko and not Kanae’s?”

“....”

“Again, I’m sorry if this subject is not one you wish to talk about. I’m merely curious since you seem so determined to cut off a demon’s head.”

“It’s not that I chose to be her Tsugoko. It’s just that Shinobu and I face the same problem.”

“And that is?”

“We’re naturally weak compared to anybody else. Shinobu had the benefit of her family helping her through it until their deaths. My birth mother didn’t do that. She weaponized my weakness as a way to control what I did. I was never fit because of it. It was only after I was adopted by the Kocho family that I finally tried to push past that.”

“It’s incredible that you push past that to get stronger.”

“And yet, despite trying for so many years, I can’t cut off a demon's head.”

“It will happen one day. Trust me. With your growth, it will happen in no time!”

“I hope you’re right.”

Kocho laid in his bed, trying to figure out how exactly did he get there. There was a theory, but if it were true Kocho had someone to confront. And the more Kocho thought about his conversation with Ortho the day they met, his belief in the theory grew stronger.

“I’m curious, where does the name Kocho come from?” Ortho had asked,” In all of my data banks for existing names, Kocho does not appear once. Nor is it the name for someone who’s registered as a student in Night Raven.”

Kocho felt his blood run cold as he glared at Ortho. Not a single word left his lips, so Ortho continued.

“But then again, there’s a student registered that doesn’t even go here,” Ortho stated,” Unless that name is an old name of yours, you’re technically not registered here.”

“I don’t want you to tell a single soul about this.”

“I told you everything we discuss will not leave this room yes?” Ortho asked while giggling,” Besides, the mirror saw you as Kocho. So that is who you are. The mirror doesn’t see someone for who they once were. But who they’ve become and who they see themselves as. Still, it’s a bit odd for his mother to register him even though he’s been missing for years.”

Kocho knew who he was speaking of back then, he just didn’t want to admit it. Because to admit it is to realize this could happen again. That woman could register him over and over again and it will keep dragging him over and over again until Kocho does something about it. But what could he do? The legal system would drag him back. The school would drag him back. As soon as the world learns who his birth mother was, they will drag him back. Kocho can’t let that happen under any circumstances.

Not until Muzan was dead.

Tapping on the window snapped Kocho out of his thoughts. His eyes darted to see a silhouette of a crow tapping the window. Immediately, Kocho shot out of bed and opened the window. It wasn’t Kuroba. There was someone else’s crow sitting at his window with a katana in claw. Even still, Kocho recognized the crow easily.

“Kaname?” Kocho whispered,” How did you get here?”

“Master Kocho! It’s good to see you’re alive!” the crow beamed,” We followed that cursed carriage that took you away. But we got lost. I apologize for taking so long to find you.”

“You have nothing to apologize about,” Kocho said with a smile,” I’m glad you found me at all. Honestly, I’m impressed.”

“It’s the least I could do,” the crow muttered.

“You said we, yes?” Kocho asked,” Was Kuroba with you?”

“Yes but,” Kaname paused before sighing,” He was captured by a demon on the way here.”

“A demon?!” Kocho nearly yelled,” Where was this?”

“On the outskirts of the inner town,” Kaname explained,” We heard distant screaming so we flew over to see what was happening. When we got there, we saw you running from the scene and we tried to go after you. But Kuroba got excited and flew too close to a nearby demon.”

A demon that close to the last? That’s weirdly suspicious. If it had been so close to the last demon attack, why didn’t it attack while his guard was down? Or the other four. Neige didn’t mention a second demon and the three that went to find him were fine. Just traumatized from seeing a corpse.

Purple cat ears flashed in Kocho’s mind, making him realize something. Kocho knew of beastmen so he hadn’t thought much of them when he first came. But not a single other person or crow from the other world would.

Meaning…

“Kaname, what did the demon look like?”

“It had purple ears and tail that resembled a cat,” Kaname replied,” there were so many piercings in its ear. The demon seemed really focused on your keychain for some reason.”

His keychain.

Kuroba had his keychain.

And of all of the people in Twisted Wonderland to have seen it, why did it have to be the one person who’d recognize it?

Chenya. Kocho’s mind rang with memories of Chenya and Trey when they were children. He knew Trey was going to be a threat to getting home since the two of them went to the same school. But he didn’t think Chenya would also pose a threat.

This was bad.

“Why don’t you come in,” Kocho waved the crow in,” We need to talk about this more.”

“Oh, and thank you for bringing my other katana.”

Jamil hummed as he stared at his phone. He hadn’t heard a word from his sister for a while now. It’s not exactly concerning, but it’s odd that she hadn’t annoyed him yet. Complaining about her homework or about drama in her friend group. Wasn’t there something recently where one of her friends started dating another’s crush? He’s fairly certain Najma would have texted more about it. But no. Not a word.

Maybe he’s being a bit overdramatic. It’s nothing to worry about. Her drama is her drama.

He’s still going to send a text just in case.

Jamil: Hey! You’ve been suspiciously quiet. What are you planning?

With that, Jamil put his phone away and focused on what was going on around him. The ocean breeze traveled up the cliffside, bringing the scent of salt with it. Kocho was hovering in the air on his broom. He’d finally gained enough control of his magic to fly it. However, he was still struggling with flying in any direction other than up or down. He was trying to move it forward, but that somehow didn’t work. Instead, Kocho just started spinning like a record. It was slow and Kocho barely seemed to notice.

Ortho was hovering next to him, trying to give Kocho advice. Neige was on the ground, watching everything. He was wearing one of Pomefiore’s uniforms, courtesy of Rook, as well as a hoodie and mask. Made it easier to hide who he was.

Jamil was still surprised Neige was able to visit NRC as often as he had been for over a week. Apparently, according to Neige, the headmaster of RSA had forced his manager to let Neige have a break. With the murders that happened recently and not a clue on who did it, the headmaster was convinced everyone was safer staying on campus. When Neige had asked about visiting a friend at NRC, the headmaster agreed.

How convenient. NRC’s headmaster didn’t care nearly as much about keeping the students safe. Just his reputation. If he actually cared, he would have done something about Azul and his little stunt the week prior.

Whatever. Jamil’s just glad the Octavinelle trio hasn’t tried anything since.

“Kocho seems a bit distracted,” Neige muttered,” Is he okay?”

“Not sure,” Jamil replied,” Yo Kocho!”

Kocho didn’t reply as his thoughts went to hundreds of things. He was at a steady place with his broom. And he could feel the jitters in his body. The boy really wanted to move. To do something. He could do a few little tricks. This broom wasn’t too terribly thin. Kocho could easily stand on it.

Wait, don’t. The impulsive thoughts can’t win.

But he really wanted to.

“I’m not sure what he’s thinking about,” Ortho said, flying down to the other two boys,” He’s been staring at his broom for a while now.”

Kocho’s grip tightened on the broom. The impulsive thoughts have won. Slowly pushed himself back and placed one of his feet on the broom. With a push, Kocho kicked his legs up above his head into the splits while straitening his arms. His magic didn’t falter. Jamil and Ortho yelped in surprise while Neige just squealed. With the momentum, Kocho placed his feet on the broom and pulled the rest of his body up. He was now standing on the broom without struggle.

“Oh my sevens!” Neige beamed.

“What in hades!” Jamil nearly yelled.

“Kocho!” Ortho said in a stern voice,” Be careful! Vil Schoenheit still hasn’t given you the green light to exercise out of gym class.”

Neige looked completely confused. Since when did that happen and why is Ortho only now caring about that?

In Neige’s line of sight, he caught short blonde hair belonging to Rook hiding among the trees. Ah. That’s why Ortho only cares about that now.

“It’s been two weeks!” Kocho cried back,” I’m fine!”

“What’s this about Vil keeping Kocho from exercising?” Neige asked.

“Trust me I wish I knew,” Jamil sighed.

Kocho slowly lowered the broom to the ground. Neige watched carefully. There was a new set of bandages on his hand, just like the day prior and the day before that. Neige wanted to ask about them, he really did. But he knew, more than anybody else, how annoying it was for someone to ask about those kinds of things. Just like the many times the dwarfs would ask Neige why he sometimes grew thinner after busier days.

It was simply something he would not tell.

A crow flew down and landed on Neige’s shoulder. Kaname, Kocho had called him. He was someone else’s crow who happened to find Kocho first. The crow was quite friendly, although he didn’t speak unless nobody but Kocho, Neige, and Ortho were around. If Neige were to take a guess, it was probably because they were the only ones who knew.

Neige patted the crow on the head as Jamil ran up to Kocho.

“Dude, what was that?” Jamil asked.

“Nothing really,” Kocho replied,” Just something I learned from a friend.”

“Nothing really?” Jamil questioned,” That kind of flexibility isn’t nothing. Not to mention you need impressive balance to stand on a moving broom!”

Neige nodded in agreement.

“Where did you learn to do that?” Jamil asked.

“Do you do gymnastics or dance or something like that?” Neige asked.

“You could say that,” Kocho muttered,” it’s kinda hard to explain.”

“Wait you dance?” Ortho asked,” That’s so cool!”

“Thanks,” Kocho muttered.

“That’s so fun! What kind of dance is it? Is it heavy in gymnastics? Where can I learn it? OH! Can you teach me?” Neige asked a mile per minute.

Jamil rolled his eyes but couldn’t stop a smile from forming.

“Oh, that would be fun!” Ortho beamed,” We could all spend an evening learning to dance!”

“I already know how,” Jamil groaned.

“You do?” Ortho asked.

“Mhm. I used to take lessons back home,” Jamil explained,” I would spend hours practicing when I wasn’t…. Working.”

“Dang, all of you guys have jobs? That doesn’t sound fun,” Ortho muttered.

“I mean, helping my sister in her clinic isn’t necessarily a job,” Kocho said,” It feels more like chores than anything else.”

“Back to dancing!” Neige said.

“Most of us are probably used to different types,” Kocho said to Jamil,” I doubt I’d be able to do the types of dances you or LeBlanch would do. Same the other way around.”

“That’s true,” Jamil agreed,” I’m not nearly as flexible as you. Not to mention the movements I’ve seen Neige do on stage.”

“Oh those aren’t too hard,” Neige said,” Those were made easy enough for us to do while singing.”

“What kind of dance do you know, Jamil Viper?” Ortho asked.

“Me? Breakdancing,” Jamil replied.

“Ooh! You breakdance? That’s so cool!” Neige beamed,” Can you teach me?”

“Uh, maybe later,” Jamil replied,” I’d rather teach you on an afternoon when we have time so I can teach the basics properly.”

“I think that sounds fun,” Kocho said with a smile,” What day do you guys….”

Kocho’s eyes caught sight of a familiar figure making his way over to the group. A man with a large black and white fur coat and a tired expression that never seemed to go away. Professor Crewel seemed especially annoyed today, for whatever reason. The other three boys immediately noticed Kocho’s attention changing and looked over at the professor as well.

“Good afternoon pups,” Crewel said,” I apologize for disturbing you all, but Jamil has been summoned to the headmaster’s office.”

Crewel eyed the group before his grey eyes met Neige’s.

“I’ve never seen you before,” Crewel muttered,” And I know every student in this school. Pray tell, who are you?”

Neige’s eyes widened as Kaname glared at Crewel. Crewel got the message pretty quickly, so he went back to why he was there. He wasn’t paid enough to care about somebody sneaking onto campus and pretending to be a student. It was probably an RSA student anyway.

Wait a second.

Why in Hades was Neige LeBlanche pretending to be an NRC student?

Nope. Nope. He could care about this later.

“Pup, if you would be so kind as to follow me to the headmaster’s office,” Crewel said.

“Understood,” Jamil replied before waving at the others.

The three boys waved back as Jamil grabbed his stuff and left. Once Crewel and Jamil were far enough away, Kaname finally spoke.

“Who was that?”

“One of our professors,” Kocho replied,” I think Schoenheit said he was a ‘fashion icon’ or something.”

“He’s pretty big in the industry,” Ortho confirmed,” Is it just me or does he seem more annoyed than usual.”

“I was about to ask about that,” Neige said.

“He’s definitely more annoyed than usual,” Kocho agreed.

Jamil walked behind Crewel, dread slowly seeping through. There was only one reason he was being called to the office. One that he’d been aware of for so long. After about a month of sweet, sweet freedom, Jamil was going to go right back to being someone’s servant. Oh, how it stung, knowing the inevitable has finally come. The chains slowly crept back on, dragging Jamil right back where he started.

Crewel opened the door to the headmaster’s office, confirming all that dread was in the right place.

“Jamil!” his master, Kalim, beamed,” It’s been so long! How’ve you been?”

The white-haired boy had the largest smile on. So did the headmaster and Kalim’s father. He was a proud man, always keeping a smile on his face. There was something there today that hadn’t been there before. It drove chills down Jamil’s spine.

Now was not the time.

“Kalim,” Jamil said,” I’ve been doing well. What are you doing here?”

“I got accepted here!” Kalim replied,” My acceptance letter apparently got lost in the mail so none of us knew all month! Isn’t that crazy?”

Lies. There are no acceptance letters. If you get accepted, NRC sends carriages to pick you up. That didn’t change no matter who you were. Even those highest in society were treated like the others.

“Yes it is,” Jamil agreed, eyeing the headmaster.

The headmaster had an all too-happy grin on that told Jamil everything. Now he understood why Crewel seemed so annoyed. Out of everyone affected by this decision, the only ones who benefited were the Asim family and Headmaster Crowley. A system that was created to judge those purely for their potential was completely destroyed because somebody couldn’t resist greed. Why would Jamil be surprised? Life would always find a way to screw him over.

“If you would be so kind,” Crowley said,” Could you give Kalim here a tour of the school while Mr. Asim and I finalize a few details? Kalim’s dorm will be decided once he gets back.”

“Yes sir,” Jamil tried not to sigh,” Follow me Kalim.”

“Yay!”

A decision laid firmly into Jamil’s mind. He’d enjoyed his freedom far too much, he realized. And he was so unwilling to ever let that go. To let go of the life he was slowly creating on his own. No doubt about it.

Jamil would make sure Kocho, Ortho, and Neige never meet Kalim. Or so sevens help him.

Because he had no doubt they would all join Kalim’s side in this. And he would be alone once more. Nobody could resist the greed of money.

Because that would make his life so much better. And why would life get better for him? Toying the one thing he wished for right in front of him before taking it away. All because of greed for money.

Jamil would never get out.

The sun was setting beyond the horizon. Hundreds of colors littered the halls. Trey saw none of it in his room. The curtains were closed and all the lights were off. He was sitting in his bed, on the phone with Chenya.

“Trey I’m telling you, this is a really big deal,” the purple-haired boy said,” We finally have the proof we’ve been looking for all this time.”

“Chenya,” Trey muttered.

“This crow recognizes the name! And the keychain is a perfect match!”

“Chenya,” Trey muttered again.

“We can finally find out what happened to Riddle!”

“Chenya!” Trey yelled, cutting the boy off,” I understand what you’re saying. But I think this is all in your head. Riddle’s been missing for years. There’s no way proof would show up to us now. Especially since it’s, well, us. The world hasn’t been kind to us in the past. Why would it be now?”

“Trey,” Chenya muttered.

“You’re looking for something that isn’t there,” Trey continued,” And, while I don’t blame you, I think it’s time we moved past it all. Is that not what we were trying to do when we came to this island for the first time?”

“You’ve given up, haven’t you?” Chenya asked.

“I thought we both did a long time ago,” Trey admitted.

Cater heard all of it through the door. His eyes were wide. Trey had told Cater everything a while ago, but he forgot how affected Trey and Chenya were by the whole disappearance. And yet, when they found proof, Trey decided it wasn’t worth it. That they were just being delusional.

Trey had accepted that there was no way out a long time ago. Allowing the rose thorns to wound him further.

Cater wouldn’t let that happen.

The boy walked away from Trey’s room and pulled out his phone. With a quick swipe and a few taps, Cater had sealed his place in this case.

Cater: I heard what you said to Trey. Let me in on it. I’m willing to do anything to help both of you.

“Good morning. I’m glad you could meet with me.”

“Is there something wrong Oyakata-sama?”

“I simply request something of you. There is a demon I wish for you to retrieve.”

“You do not wish for me to kill it?”

“No, I simply wish to use his blood demon art.”

“If I may ask sir, why is that?”

“Because his blood demon art will help us find Riddle and potentially give us access to a demon who will fight by our side.”

Those words rang through Tomioka’s mind as he sprinted through the forest. There were so many questions he could ask, but he held them back. If Oyakata-sama said this demon would help them, then it would. Although Tomioka doubted it would go down without a fight. He hadn’t met a demon other than Nezuko who would be willing to help humanity.

Tomioka remembered hearing the news of Riddle Kocho’s disappearance. The boy had been through a gruesome fight along with three other slayers and a Hashira. It had been so bad only one of the three had woken in the past month and the Hashira retired. Uzui Tengen had been the Hashira. He’d been decently close to the missing boy. Tomioka even heard Uzui had made sure Riddle was alive before allowing himself to rest.

Another Hashira had been there too, Tomioka remembered. Iguro Obanai. He’d been there to see the damage that had been done when a carriage appeared out of nowhere and kidnapped Riddle. Both of the Hashira tried to stop it but to no avail.

Shinobu absolutely let those two have it when she learned they let her little brother get kidnapped. Uzui more so for taking Riddle on an Upper Moon mission without her knowledge.

The moon held high in the sky as Tomioka flew through his thoughts. He wasn’t exactly surprised Oyakata-sama was determined to get Riddle back. Riddle was next in line to be the Insect Hashira if Shinobu were to ever pass. Not to mention Shinobu and Riddle are the only ones who know how to make wisteria poison. But everyone else was starting to believe Riddle had died. There were two crows that went after the carriage and neither of them came back. And yet Oyakata-sama said that Riddle was indeed alive.

So Tomioka had to believe him.

The vile of wisteria poison felt heavy in his pocket. Tomioka didn’t know why he was told to bring some, but he bet it had to do with the demon’s blood demon art. It was probably going to be a pain to deal with if it was going to be helpful to them.

The crow above that was guiding Tomioka cried out. They were close. A small village was starting to come into view through the trees. Not a single light was on, striking Tomioka as odd. As he finally reached the streets, he realized why.

It was a ghost town. Not a single person walked the streets and not a single sound was being made within the buildings. Tomioka’s crow rested itself along one of the fences and told him the crows stationed around the area hadn’t seen a single person there for a while. But they had seen multiple demons enter the village and never leave. How strange it truly was.

Tomioka walked along the streets, checking every house. Inside every one were signs of struggle. Kitchens had been destroyed and walls had been blown off. Very few were actually stained with blood.

There was one house though. It was completely void of destruction. That much had been clear just by looking at it. A few trails of blood led to the inside, but they were dry. So much so, Tomioka would not have been able to tell if not for the fact that he’d seen it before. Just how long had this village been like this? Why hadn’t anybody been sent sooner?

His crow sat himself on top of the house, waiting for Tomioka to finish his job. Tomioka walked over to the house and threw its door open. Multiple demons turned to look at Tomioka with wide eyes. A few of them held the corpses of dead humans while one held onto one who was alive, albeit on the verge of death. Tomioka was swift to slice the demon’s heads off before anybody could blink. All the demons cried out as he spoke to the dying man.

“Please,” the dying man cried,” There’s a demon in the center room. He’s the one keeping everyone else trapped. Please, save them all.”

“I will,” Tomioka said.

There were far more demons in that building than Tomioka ever thought there would be. Why were they all here? Demons couldn’t team up like this. Muzan made sure they didn’t so they never revolted. So what brought them all here? Was it perhaps the very demon he came here for?

Tomioka burst into the center room, earning a cry from so many human captives. The demon sat in the center, the leg of a corpse in its hand. It was munching on it, watching Tomioka with bored eyes.

“A demon slayer?” it said,” What’s one of your level doing here?”

Tomioka didn’t reply as he got ready to attack. All the hostages looked at him with wide eyes as the demon stood up.

“You cut through all the others with ease,” it stated,” and yet not a drop of sweat has come from you.”

Tomioka immediately cut off the demon’s limbs before it could get out another word. He knew it wouldn’t be so easy, but he had to get the hostages out first. Quickly, Tomioka sliced the ropes that held them together. Many sighed in relief as they all bolted out of the room. But, as they did, a few of them caught Tomioka’s eye. They had animalistic features like ears and a tail. But they were all clearly human. Plus they were all clearly scared and panicked.

Just what exactly was going on here?

Tomioka quickly pulled out the vile of wisteria poison and dripped it onto his blade. As he did, he could hear the sound of the demon healing itself behind him.

“My you are a fast one,” the demon hummed,” Don’t think that can save you from me.”

The demon charged at Tomioka, claws out and ready to tear into his flesh. Tomioka dodged, only to come face to face with a swirling blue and white light. A tree immediately flew through it. Tomioka ducked under the tree, letting it smash through the walls. Another one appeared above Tomioka, and a barrel flew through. Each time the demon formed one, Tomioka dodged. Slowly he realized what Oyakata-sama wanted this demon for.

The demon’s white eyes glared at Tomioka. It sped up its process, opening more and more portals. Various different things flew through the portals. But it barely phased Tomioka. He just kept getting closer and closer until finally, he’d cut the upper half of the demon’s body off. The demon growled, preparing to heal once more. But it could no longer do so. Wisteria had made its way into the demon’s veins. Tomioka had won.

Multiple people wearing black and white looked into the room. They had rope, needles, more poison, and a large box waiting for the demon. Realization hit the demon as they started filtering into the room. Tomioka glared at the demon before speaking.

“We won’t be killing you yet. We still have something you need to do.”

Chapter Text

“I did it! I actually did it!”

“Well done Riddle!”

“I can’t believe it!”

“You’ve trained so hard, what’s there not to believe?”

“I’m just… so happy. You have no idea!”

“And it’s well deserved.”

“Thank you Rengoku sir!”

“Be proud of your accomplishment, Riddle. For we are proud of you and how far you’ve come.”

“I am. I really am!”

“Are you crying?”

“No! I’m just really happy! I finally cut off a demon’s head!”

The sound of a ticking clock echoed within the silent room. Neige was sitting at Kocho’s desk, his homework spread out. Jamil and Kocho were lying on the floor, papers surrounding them. Ortho was sitting in a corner, humming to himself. Everyone was focused on their own thing. All was at peace.

Just the way Jamil preferred.

His dorm had gotten loud ever since Kalim transferred. Kalim had joined Jamil’s dorm, unsurprisingly, and was immediately given the role of Housewarden. The boy was thrilled and threw a party to celebrate. Then it happened the next day. And the next. There wasn’t a single night without one and, frankly, Jamil was quite sick of it. Especially because of his role as Kalim’s servant. All the food had to be under the supervision of Jamil. Kalim constantly had to be accompanied by Jamil. There was barely enough time for Jamil to hang out with everyone else. At least for the next week or so, Kalim was getting tutored by the staff so he could catch up, giving Jamil some downtime. But pretty soon he won’t even have that.

He hated it.

Oh, how he hated it.

Finally, Kocho broke the silence. He groaned, sounding completely defeated. The paper underneath him had hundreds of scribbles on it, causing Jamil to laugh.

“Oh, something finally broke you?” he asked in a teasing manner.

“Is something wrong?” Ortho asked.

“What is it?” Neige asked,” What’s he working on?”

Jamil quickly swiped the paper from underneath Kocho, much to the redhead’s annoyance. A quick scan of it and Jamil knew exactly what it was.

“Basics of animal language? Really?” Jamil teased,” Of all the things to break you, it was basics of animal language?”

“Language is hard okay!” Kocho groaned.

“It’s not that bad!” Jamil argued,” Besides, you can practice on Kaname!”

“I can speak thank you very much!” Kaname cawed from his corner of the room.

Both Neige and Ortho glanced at Jamil as he had to do a double take. The look on his face made both of them lose it in a fit of giggles. Kaname just looked confused and Kocho barely reacted.

“You speak?!” Jamil nearly yelled.

“I was wondering when you finally would,” Ortho said to Kaname,” What took you so long?”

“Didn’t feel like it,” was all the bird replied.

Neige’s giggles grew contagious, causing Jamil and Kocho to start laughing as well. It made Jamil’s mood all the better. Being able to laugh at something so simple in a space where he felt welcomed.

Jamil would miss this.

The vibration of Jamil’s phone immediately made him stop. He pulled it out to see a text from Kalim, asking where he was. Jamil wanted to sigh, but he wouldn’t let himself. Not around these 3.

Ortho quickly noticed Jamil’s change in demeanor as the boy started packing his things up.

“Sorry,” Jamil said,” Something just came up.”

“Again?” Kocho asked.

“Is there something wrong?” Neige asked,” You’ve been awfully busy ever since you met with the headmaster.”

“I’m fine,” Jamil replied,” It’s nothing for you to worry about.”

Both Neige and Kocho looked at Jamil, not at all convinced. Ortho flew over to Jamil and started picking up some of his papers.

“Let me help you!” Ortho offered.

“You don’t need to,” Jamil said.

“No please, I insist.”

“Ortho, please..”

“Jamil.”

Jamil looked at Ortho and saw a stubborn look in his eyes. A small amount of tension filled the air before Jamil finally caved in and allowed Ortho to help. Both Kocho and Neige watched in confusion. Not like Jamil could blame them. He was also very confused. Ortho didn’t stop at just helping him, he also insisted on helping Jamil carry his stuff. It was weird, but Jamil could not say no.

Both boys walked out the door, leaving the other two in the room. There was silence for a second before Kocho turned his head and eyed Kaname.

“Why in the world did you decide to talk in front of Viper?” he asked.

There was silence between both Ortho and Jamil for a while. It was clear the boy wanted to say something, but he was holding himself back. Jamil had a feeling he knew what it was about. Of course, he would. There’s nothing else it could be about.

The second they were out of the building, Ortho spoke.

“Hey Jamil Viper,” he said,” I realize this might be personal since you haven’t spoken to any of us about this, but are you okay?”

Jamil was somewhat surprised.

“Where did this come from?” Jamil asked,” Did something happen?”

“You’ve been on edge ever since you met with the headmaster,” Ortho explained,” You’ve been hanging out with us less and every time you leave your mood plummets. I’ve talked to Kocho and Neige LeBlanche about it and we’re all worried about you. So I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

Jamil’s gaze softened at that explanation. It made him feel special, in a way. He has people that are worried about him and how he is. Not just somebody who’s worried about his master and how it affects his master. They really do just care about him.

When was the last time that had happened? How long ago was it that somebody cared for him and not his master? Who saw him as a friend and not just an extension of his master. It hurt so much inside to even think about it. But he had to keep it all in. Nobody was allowed to know. Because then they would judge and take his master’s side. Like all the rest of them.

“Are you down because of the new Scarabia housewarden?” Ortho asked.

That made Jamil crack. Not fully to let out every single thing inside, but enough that Jamil couldn’t speak or else he’d cry. So he just nodded his head. Just hold it in. Just hold it in. You can’t cry now. There’s no way you can let this be the thing to break you. For years you’ve been under all of this pain. It’s nothing new. So why would you cry now? Jamil’s thoughts ran fast as his breathing grew ragged.

Ortho noticed this and so he led Jamil to a secluded spot. One where nobody would check. The sun was shrouded by trees where Jamil sat down. He could feel panic seep through his skin. Ortho had learned about Kalim, and the others were surely not far behind.

But Ortho wasn’t like the others in this school, Jamil realized. As long as Jamil wished it, Ortho would keep his mouth shut. He’d done so for Kocho, so why wouldn’t he do the same for Jamil?

“Do you want to talk about it?” Ortho asked,” Talking about it sometimes helps.”

“Okay,” Jamil whispered,” As long as you promise not to tell the others.”

Ortho nodded his head.

“I promise.”

The cracks grew instantly.

“I grew up as a servant to the Asim family,” Jamil spoke, his words so soft and vulnerable it hurt Ortho just hearing it,” All of my earliest memories were helping my master, Kalim al Asim, and being punished by my family if I did not comply. I’ve always had to do what was in my master’s best interest, regardless of how I felt. The amount of times I’ve been poisoned and kidnapped and hurt just to protect him and then being expected to just forget about it. To act like it was nothing for my master’s sake.”

Jamil could feel the tears threaten to fall but held them back.

“Coming to Night Raven was the best thing to ever happen to me,” Jamil continued,” For the first time my thoughts could be about myself and not about my master. I could finally have friends without my master trying to insert himself into every one of them. In my entire life, I had never felt so…… free.”

The last word could barely be uttered, his breath had grown too ragged. Don’t let it out. Don’t let it out. You can’t cry. There’s no way you can cry now.

“But now…….”

He could barely get that out too.

Ortho flew over to Jamil and held him tightly. Whispering soothing words as Jamil tried everything he could to hold the hurt in. In time, the ragged breaths grew steady once more and the tears didn’t threaten to spill. Jamil could finally breathe properly again. Though his eyes were still a little glossy, so he didn’t dare look Ortho in the eyes.

“In all honestly, I’m worried everything here will be the same,” Jamil muttered,” Everyone sided with the Asim family before. Not a single one gave up the chance of possibly gaining something out of it. It’s because of that nobody stayed with me for long. They all went to my master. And I worry……”

The rest went unspoken. Ortho knew what Jamil meant. Every possibility of losing the ones Jamil called his friends once again to his master circled through his head. Caging him in his own anxiety and fears. Forever trapped in a cycle he never wanted to join.

“I know it might not help much,” Ortho said,” But I know Kocho and Neige LeBlanche well enough that they won’t abandon you for money. To them, it doesn’t make their friends who they are.”

It helped, just a little, to hear that. Of course, the anxiety still spiralled but at least Jamil had enough control over it to put his mask on. He hoped Ortho was right. Oh, how he hoped Ortho was right.

Jamil just really didn’t want to test those waters.

Not for as long as he lived.

It was far into the night and Kocho couldn’t sleep. No, not couldn’t. Didn’t want to. Every time he did, his mind was always cursed with nightmares of the past. Seeing all that blood and seeing all those who have died stung him. Lifeless eyes of the many he had failed. And those who had promised to always be there for him, even when all hell broke loose.

Oh, how Kocho wished to have a good night’s sleep that wasn’t dependent on how hard he fought that day.

Kaname watched Kocho closely as if he expected the boy to speak. But Kocho couldn’t look back at Kaname. Because that too would hurt. The crow that served a dead man. Kocho wished he could do something for Kaname other than use him like his own crow. He owed so much to that crow.

He was Rengoku’s crow, after all.

Kocho could feel the jitters under his skin crawl up his spine. He couldn’t just lay there and expect sleep to come to him. There was too much on his mind. It may have been about two weeks since he killed that human centipede demon, but Kocho was not going to let his guard down. If one demon came, more would join. And Kocho was severely lacking in his training.

That’s it!

Kocho shot up and grabbed both of his Katanas’, surprising Kaname. Determination rang clear in Kocho’s mind. He wasn’t going to get any sleep that night anyway. Might as well spend all that time doing something productive. And training would be just the thing to get the jitters out.

Besides, Kocho’s healed up enough now. Those wounds wouldn’t get in his way. All that was left were the coiling scars and cuts.

Quietly, Kocho opened his window and jumped out. Kaname flew out after him, not at all surprised by the boy’s action. Without flaw, Kocho landed with the grace of a butterfly before running off into the forest that surrounded the dorm.

The clearing he chose had scratch marks embedded in the trees. They were proof of the many times Kocho had been there when school started. Kocho placed his swords against the trees and started stretching. Already, all his thoughts were starting to calm down. His mind slowed to the pace of his actions, allowing only his training to be in focus.

Kaname sat on the same tree, carefully watching all of Kocho’s actions. There was a look in the crow’s eyes. As if he were used to Kocho’s actions. As if he knew where they led. Maybe it was because the crow had accompanied Kocho often after the death of Rengoku. The crow knew how Kocho worked. His actions, his thoughts, they were all predictable to the crow. And the crow would do what it takes to help that boy grow. Because this was one of his master’s dying wishes.

Once his stretches were done, Kocho grabbed the katana Kaname gave him and unsheathed it. Its beautiful purple color glistened in the light of the moon. The blade was not hooked, unlike the specialized one that lay near the tree. This one was made with the sole purpose of cutting off a demon’s head. Kocho traced his finger over the sharp edge, making sure not to cut himself. That’d be annoying to deal with while training. When he was done admiring the blade, Kocho stood at the ready.

Time seemed to fly by as Kocho danced along with his blade. Petals of flowers fluttered around him, creating a spectacle for him and Kaname alone. Much like when he fought with his other sword, Kocho’s movements were light and graceful, but they held far more of a punch to them. All his movements flowed together in perfect harmony. It wasn’t long before the world around him matched his dance.

Petals changed to flowing water. Waves and waves danced along, allowing Kocho to guide them. His muscles strained a bit more to move when he changed his style, but Kocho ignored it. If he was to get better at water breathing, he couldn’t let the strain stop him. Nonstop training in breathing forms seemed to help, Kocho had found a long time ago. He could dance along easily with 3 of the breathing forms. Although he could only do so many of each one. Kocho hated to admit it, but there was a reason he was Shinobu’s Tsugoko instead of Kanae’s.

If only Kanae could see how far Kocho had grown.

If only she was there to see the day Kocho sliced a demon’s head off for the first time.

The reminders stung hard, causing Kocho to mess up. All of the water disappeared as Kocho stumbled out of his daze. His throat burned, making it hard to breathe. All his limbs stung, begging him to stop and just take a rest. How long had he been at it for, Kocho did not know. Because none of it seemed to take him out of his head.

Kanae.

Kanae.

He saw flashes of that day once more. Kanae laying on the ground, bleeding out and whispering her last words. It made Kocho wonder. Was it really worth it? All this fighting and pain. Would it all really matter at the end? The demons would always overpower them all. Kanae and Rengoku were proof of that. Their deaths rang threats of torture in his head. It was all pointless. Everything he did was just pointless.

It hurt.

It hurt.

Make it stop.

Make it stop.

Kocho moved without hesitation. He slowly held his blade up, ready to slash some part of himself. If it hurts enough, the thoughts will silence. That’s how it always goes. Kaname let out a cry as Kocho prepared himself to slash his own skin.

Wind shot out from the forest, knocking the katana right out of his hand. It caught Kocho completely off guard, he couldn’t keep his hold on it. His eyes followed the katana as it flew away. Kocho reached out to it before feeling something wrap around him. Flashes of memories once again took over Kocho’s mind. Ribbons coiling around his whole body with the intention of killing him. He could feel the pain once more. The inability to breathe, his bones being crushed, and the laughter that taunted him.

Get out.

Get out.

Kocho lashed out and pushed himself away from whatever held on. Tears threatened to spill. He just wanted to make it stop. But something else latched onto him. Kocho tried to pull away until a voice snapped him out of his head.

“Kocho stop this at once!”

His grey eyes met light purple ones. They were wide with shock and worry, belonging to the face of someone familiar.

Vil stood there, completely stunned at what was happening. Rook was on the ground next to him, having been pushed down by Kocho just a second prior. Neither of them had seen anything like this before. Kocho’s eyes were red, ready to just let everything out. They’d seen the face he made earlier that accompanied it. A hollow expression with nothing but defeat.

It was pure, unfiltered hopelessness.

Kaname flew onto Kocho’s shoulder and rubbed his head against Kocho’s cheek. All of his thoughts seemed to slow down, allowing Kocho to breathe once more. Everything became clear once more. Vil and Rook both saw it. All of the pain slowly trickled away, leaving behind the mess it caused.

Rook got up as Vil let his grip on Kocho loosen.

“I’m sorry,” Kocho finally muttered.

“Monsieur Butterfly…,” Rook said, his expression showing nothing but concern.

Vil wanted to be angry. He really wanted to. At what, he wasn’t sure. Just at something. Anything. It would be the same feeling he felt when he saw Kocho’s injuries. But he couldn’t muster anger. Vil’s feelings matched Rook’s. Because they didn’t see the Kocho they had grown to care for.

All they saw was a broken child who’d been playing brave for far too long.

“What happened?” Vil finally asked,” Why did you….”

He couldn’t figure out his next words. This was completely new to him. How does one speak to someone in so much pain?

Vil was more thankful than anything else that Rook was with him that night.

“Are you okay?” Rook asked.

Kocho looked ready to give a reply instantly, but he stopped himself. Nothing he said would convince them he’s fine. So he decided, for the first time, to be completely honest to his Housewarden and Vice Housewarden.

“No,” he replied simply,” I’m not.”

“What’s wrong?” Rook asked,” And how can we help you?”

Kocho stayed silent for a while. It had nothing to do with hesitation anymore. The threat of the tears falling became even more clear. A glossy coating of pain covered his eyes, and even Kaname trying to soothe him did not help. Not even a little.

Rook took a step closer to Kocho. When Kocho did not react, Rook leaned forward and wiped the tears trailing down. He held onto the boy like he was the most delicate thing in the world, giving him a soft smile.

“We are here for you, Monsieur Butterfly,” Rook said,” So please, let us help you.”

Kocho’s breath hitched before the damn broke. The tears wouldn’t stop falling as he uttered out.

“That’s the problem. You can’t. Nobody can.”

Rook hugged the boy. This time Kocho allowed him to. All his pain came pouring out once more. But this time Kocho couldn’t stop it nor did he want to.

Kaname flew off Kocho’s shoulder and tried to land on Vil, but Vil quickly shooed the bird away. There was a small huff from the bird before it spoke.

“Master Kocho’s not in the right state of mind to speak,” Kaname said,” He’ll probably cry himself to sleep. He’ll be upset if we leave his katana’s out here. Do you mind helping me grab them?”

“Yeah, I guess I will,” Vil said.

It’s the least he could do right now.

Neige never used to be afraid of the night. The moon was so beautiful and the stars told hundreds of stories. Its darkness held a calming feeling. When he was younger, Neige remembered how much that darkness scared him. But his manager would always tell him there’s nothing to worry about. What he feared was always in his head. Neige always took that to heart, turning even the scariest parts of the night into something to appreciate.

Now just seeing the moon sends chills down Neige’s spine.

Every single night Neige saw the memories of demons. He wanted to find a way to change the demons back. So his Unique magic decided to help him. Every single one, Neige would absorb every piece of information he could. Trying to find any weak point he could. A few nights he even tried to control it and resist Muzan's control. To no avail. The cells would always consume the victim and transform them into a monster.

This cursed unique magic. Why couldn’t it show him the memory of the demon who resisted?

For a while, Neige woke up to his family surrounding him, asking if he was okay. But, because it happened every night and because he kept insisting they not worry about him, they started sleeping through it. Neige was happier this way. Nobody had to worry about him this way. He won’t be seen as weak or unattractive by anybody and that was great. Ugly emotions don’t belong here with him.

Because then he wouldn’t be worth caring for.

“Neige.”

Neige’s eyes widened as he saw the little grey-haired fae pop his head into view. Dominic’s wide eyes held nothing but worry. It stung, but Neige hid that.

“What’s wrong Dominic?” Neige asked.

“Can we talk?” Dominic asked.

“Sure, what do you want to talk about?”

“Can we do this somewhere else? The kitchen perhaps?”

Neige nodded his head. The dwarf left the room, allowing Neige to quickly prepare himself. Hair had to be neat. A little bit of makeup to cover up the bags. And a smile that took longer to get on than usual. He really was exhausted, wasn’t he?

By the time Neige made it to the kitchen, Dominic had already made two cups of hot chocolate for them. It made Neige a bit anxious, but he decided to ignore it.

“Is there something wrong?” Neige asked as he sat across the small fae.

“Let me cut to the chase,” Dominic stated,” You’ve been having nonstop nightmares ever since you went out to town two weeks ago. All of us have been talking about it, but we don’t know what to do to help you.”

Guilt rose up in Neige as Dominic continued.

“We want you to let us help you. And we all agreed it would help if you told us what happened. I don’t want to force you to tell us, but……”

Dominic looked around before leaning in.

“Did you see the person who murdered the baker?”

Shoot.

Neige thought he hid it so much better. How did Dominic figure that out? Wait, don’t show your surprise. There’s no way Neige was going to let Dominic know what actually happened.

“What do you mean?”

“Neige, we’ve been with you ever since you were a baby,” Dominic said,” We know all your tells as an actor. And every time we bring up that night, those tells show up. I don’t want to push it out of you, but….”

Dominic stopped himself, allowing Neige to collect his thoughts. Of course, they all knew. How could Neige be so stupid as to not notice? This family that he cared so much for really cared for him back. If Neige could notice when they were all distraught or lying, then so could they to him.

But Neige didn’t want to expose his family to the horrible things he’d seen. To the horrible, horrible world of demons. And the terror he felt that night. He knew his family would not react well to knowing Neige nearly died and he didn’t tell a single one of them. No, they would freak out.

And Neige didn’t want this getting out. Not the demon attack. Not Kocho being a demon slayer. Nothing.

It would ruin his image horribly.

But he couldn’t lie to Dominic.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Neige finally spoke,” Whatever happened that night, that doesn’t matter anymore, right? Because I’m alive and unharmed.”

“Neige…”

“Time passes on for no one,” Neige whispered,” What I saw. What I felt. They matter not to me now.”

Because that fear turned to understanding turned to determination. The cage those branches created around him gave him the perfect reason to do what he’s been doing these past two weeks. Pure hopelessness and dread can create something incredible. Neige was going to prove that. Because he had a tool that could help so many if he just learned how to use it. Screw what his manager said, this has nothing to do with the industry Neige had endured for almost his entire life.

This was an entirely different monster.

“Because I’m fine,” Neige said.

Dominic stares at Neige, trying to find something within Neige’s words. But he does not. They all ring true. So all he does is sigh and take a drink of his hot chocolate. Still, the little fae worries so much for his friend. Because Neige confirmed what happened that night to Dominic.

Neige had been attacked.

And said not a single word about it to anybody else.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Dominic asked,” Why did you hide what happened?”

Neige hummed.

“Would it have mattered?” Neige asked,” Nobody would believe me. I can already imagine half the school whispering about how I’m using somebody’s death for attention. How nothing actually happened to me.”

“So you’ve been aware?”

It was like a chain broke off in the distance as Neige’s eyes grew wide. He really did say that, didn’t he? For the first time, he didn’t force himself to think positively about every single thing. To pretend that others weren’t being mean or hateful. Not only that, he said it out loud.

All of this demon stuff as well as his new friends' influence has started to change him in more ways than he thought.

“Yeah,” Neige whispered,” I’ve been aware of a lot of things.”

Dominic’s expression changed to one of sadness.

“The people at this school, they can be quite mean,” Neige continued,” But I was never allowed to admit it. That would hurt my image.”

But by denying it he hurt himself even more.

“Neige telling others about this does not ruin your image,” Dominic said,” Nobody is perfect and nobody goes through life without hardship. Whether that be your job or how the people around you act.”

That made Neige smile a bit. Yeah, he was being a bit naive. To believe he could be this perfect individual his manager expected of him. He feels pain, just like every other human being. And maybe Neige knew that this whole time. The boy had gotten so used to pushing everything down that he barely remembered what he originally felt. Fear had been the only thing that crawled out of that pit. But honestly, who wouldn’t feel that after what happened?

Those ugly emotions weren’t worth it, something hissed in the back of Neige’s mind. His manager’s voice came crawling from the dark corner it always hid in. Nobody likes somebody with ugly emotions. Fear and sadness and anger and disgust and every other emotion like them. They do not belong in Neige. Life is perfect for the young idol. He has nothing to complain about. It’s ugly to complain.

Suddenly, a part of Neige became jealous of Kocho, Jamil, and Ortho.

No, hide that too, his manager hissed. Memories of the many times that man told Neige those things came filtering in. Tight grips around his arms, pulling his hair, calling him horrible horrible names, even going so far as to….

Oh.

Another chain snapped in the back of his mind. The voices grew quieter as thought back to when he met Kocho. Neige not speaking up about those bullies leaving him behind in the forest didn’t protect Neige’s image. It protected the ones who left him behind. Not speaking up about the many things people did that hurt him never once protected his image as this perfect idol. Every single time, it protected the ones who did it.

Suddenly his manager’s motives were starting to look a lot different.

And Neige had enough. Even if it would hurt to get out due to how much his manager ingrained into him not to say a word, Neige had to say something.

Because someone had to eventually.

“If you don’t mind me changing the topic,” Neige said,” I wish to talk about my manager.”

Chapter Text

“Riddle, are you okay? You haven’t spoken since you’ve gotten back.”

“...”

“Riddle?”

“I’ve never seen a blood demon art like it before?”

“Huh?”

“Every word I said. Every little thing. It turned against me. He used every word as a weapon. It was….”

“...”

“The things I saw, Aoi. The things he turned against me…. I can’t stop seeing it.”

“Would you like me to get Shinobu?”

“Yeah, that would be nice. Thank you.”

Vil found himself waking up in a room that was not his own. No decorations and mirrors draped in sheets. He was on the floor with a pillow and a blanket. Nothing else. Already Vil could feel his back hurting. Not a surprise really. But Vil didn’t exactly care at that moment. It was a decision he and Rook made the night before in order to keep an eye on their underclassmen.

Rook was sitting at Kocho’s desk. He was admiring the blades Kaname was so insistent on letting Kocho keep. It wasn’t exactly Vil’s place to ask why, considering how desperate the crow was. But that didn’t make Vil any less curious.

Kocho was lying in his bed, pretending to be asleep. The boy was waiting for the other two to make a move or to say something, thinking he wouldn’t hear. Vil could not tell, of course, but Rook could. So the boy made a humming nose and played around with the katana he held.

“My my, how incredible!” Rook beamed,” I have never seen a blade crafted so magnifique! And this material! I’ve never seen anything quite like it! I must study it more!”

“Don’t,” Kocho grumbled,” I’d prefer to keep those here.”

“Oh, Bonjour!” Rook said with a smile,” I had not a clue that you were awake!”

Kocho rolled his eyes. He looked like a mess. Far more so than both Rook and Vil. Could be from all the crying the night before. Or could be from the continuous nightmares he had throughout the night. It was heartbreaking to watch him wake up over and over again. Crying or screaming with nothing but fear. Rook and Vil had been up for all of it. It wasn’t until 5 in the morning did Vil get any sleep. It was 7 now. None of them were making it to class.

How in the world was he going to explain this?

Not now Vil. Not now. You have other things to focus on.

There was an awkward silence that filled the air. Vil was trying to find the words to say while Kocho and Rook waited for the other to speak up.

“Are you okay?” Vil finally asked.

“Just ask what you want,” Kocho grumbled,” I know you have questions after last night.”

“What I want to know is if you’re okay,” Vil stated,” Our job as your house warden and vice house warden is to make sure all our students are doing okay, mentally or physically. Questions about your life be damned.”

Kocho gave the boy a confused look. Rook nodded his head in agreement as he carefully placed the katana back in its sheath.

“Really?”

“Is it so hard to believe we care for you, mon cheri?”

Kocho gave the question some thought. No, it really wasn’t a surprise. Both Vil and Rook showed consistently that they cared. Yet Kocho still did not want to believe it. Why? It was not a bad thing to have people care about him. In fact, Kocho had many people in his life that cared for him. And, outside of the Demon Slayer Corps, he allowed Neige, Ortho, and Jamil to care without a second thought.

No, Kocho knew why. There’s no reason to deny it. It’s because Kocho could die any day now, and it would leave a scar in the minds of all who care. But there’s a difference between the Demon Slayer Corps and the two boys who sit in front of him now. All of his comrades who fought by Kocho’s side knew this. They’ve always known this. Yet they chose to still care, knowing the hurt that will one day come. Vil and Rook didn’t. And Kocho didn’t want them to. So he refused to believe they cared because maybe, if that would ring true, his death wouldn’t hurt them.

Guilt rang in Kocho’s mind. He hadn’t told Jamil any of this. No doubt the boy would also hurt due to Kocho’s inevitable demise. But Kocho couldn’t and wouldn’t backtrack on the progress in their relationship. That would hurt just as much.

So Kocho vowed that, soon, he would tell Jamil about what he did. Because it’s what the boy deserved by deciding to be his friend.

“No, not really,” Kocho finally replied,” I would just rather get the questions out of the way. It hurts more the longer I anticipate it.”

But he would not let Vil and Rook know about that. Not now at least.

Vil glanced at Rook, who gave him a small nod, before speaking.

“Kocho, what was that sword technique you used yesterday?” Vil asked.

Huh?

“It was so beautiful! So gracieuse! So rapide!” Rook gushed,” I’ve never seen anything like it before! Not to mention this blade! The curve is so unique! And this color! My eyes have never been graced with a metal such as this!”

“You…. don’t know what a katana is?” Kocho asked.

“A katana? So that’s what it’s called,” Rook murmured,” And what about the metal? What is this blade made of?”

“....Nichirin blade,” Kocho replied, feeling slightly more comfortable,” I’m not exactly sure what a Nichirin blade is made of. I’ve never actually asked.”

“You know who made it?” Vil asked.

“Mhm! Though he doesn’t talk much,” Kocho continued,” The swords are also called ‘Color changing swords’. Depending on who owns the sword, the katana will change its color. Although it's based on the skill of the user, so neither of you would be able to get it to change its color.”

“Oh? Pray tell, how would you know that?” Rook asked.

“That’s…. hard to explain,” Kocho replied.

“So you have an eye for such a thing,” Rook said,” How impressive! To be able to tell just from a single glance!”

“What, no, that’s not it,” Kocho almost stuttered,” I don’t have an eye for that kind of stuff. I just know you don’t have access to the proper training required for it to change color.”

“But what if we have, Monsieur Butterfly? How would you know we lack such skill?”

“That’s….. It’s complicated okay!”

Rook laughed, catching Kocho off guard.

“It was merely a jest, Monsieur Butterfly. It matters not to me how you know,”

“Oh.”

The air of the room grew much more comfortable as the conversations went on. Vil stopped joining in after a while. Rook was doing fine on his own, leading Kocho away from where he’d been the night before. And that was fine with Vil. It meant he had time for his own thoughts. Oh, there were so many thoughts. Where could he even start? They all swirled around like a whirlpool, he could barely grasp a single one. With a few deep breaths, Vil finally was able to start.

The nightmares.

He would never say it in front of Kocho, but those nightmares gave Vil a lot of information about the boy’s past. Now, granted, they definitely created more questions than answers and it was clear they barely scratched the surface of Kocho’s life. But it was a lot of information nonetheless. The first being, not a single nightmare was the same. Every time Kocho woke up he would cry a different person’s name. Kanae, Rengoku, Mom, Dad, Daki, etc. Although the name Daki held so much more fear in it than the others. As if this Daki was causing harm.

Seven’s did that one hurt so much. Vil could still see Kocho lashing out, grabbing his collar and keeping it away from his neck.

The neck with the coiling scar.

Oh.

OH.

So Daki was the one to cause this.

Vil etched that name into his mind. A boiling rage found its way up, weaving through every crevice of his mind. Sickening noises of ink dripping echoed and rang clear as day. They too did what they could to take over. Taking all control of every thought. But Vil stopped it before it could. Less he was to overblot in front of Rook and Kocho. After all, if one's emotions were to get too out of control, overuse of magic wouldn’t be needed for his gemstone to grow black.

Just breath. Just breath. Just breath.

He had so much more to think about. Vil could go back to Daki once he had time to talk to Rook about it. Because even when his emotions got this bad, Rook could always help him through it.

That’s just the kind of relationship they had.

But now wasn’t the time.

Now was the time to help Kocho. Not add more to his burden.

A vibration from the floor caught Vil’s attention. It was his phone. Someone was calling him. Vil was quick to pick it up and glide over to the bathroom. He already had a feeling he knew who was calling. And he didn’t want to disturb Kocho or Rook with it.

When Vil entered the bathroom, his eyes caught his own reflection. Some of his makeup had been smeared and his hair was all over the place. Every single thing was completely out of place. To put it simply, Vil looked like a mess. But he ignored it.

For now.

He quickly closed the door and answered the call.

“Vil where are you?” the voice was stern and straight to the point, as to be expected from Crewel,” You don’t have anything scheduled today that should interfere with classes.”

Ah, the life of an actor. One with so few breaks and people constantly watching your schedule. It was no surprise Crewel knew this. Not even a little.

“My apologies, something came up last night and it required my time this morning,” Vil replied, his voice definitely giving away his lack of sleep.

“Uh huh,” Crewel sounded equally as tired,” And this something happened to also include your vice house warden and a freshman?”

Vil was starting to become convinced the entire staff had a group chat or something similar.

“Yes, again I apologize for this,” Vil replied,” However, it was of utmost importance.”

Crewel stayed silent for a moment before sighing.

“I’m coming over there now.”

“Wait,” Vil snapped before whispering,” I’d rather not be out and about right now considering…. You’ll see. Just come to the floor for the freshman and head to the east wing. Call when you get that far.”

“...... Noted. I will see you in a few.”

And the call stopped there. Vil could feel a major headache form as he sunk to the floor and sighed. How was he going to explain all of this to Crewel? He and Rook already dug themselves far too deep to ever drag themselves out, even with bloodied hands. And this just might bury them both alive. He really should have said something sooner. Told at least one staff member everything. But he couldn’t change that now.

Now, all three of the boys had to play their cards right in order to keep everything under control. For Kocho’s sake.

Because Kocho’s problem is far too much for that mistake of a headmaster to handle. Nothing they tell that man would help this boy. Not a single thing.

Vil told himself that over and over again, trying to convince himself that hiding this was the right choice. So the guilt and fear trickled away. The promise they made to Kocho was the right choice. It had to be.

His choice couldn’t be hurting Kocho more. Vil refused to believe it.

Quickly, Vil put himself back together and left the bathroom. Both Rook and Kocho were still talking casually, much to Vil’s relief. But he had to cut it short. With a short cough, all attention was on him.

“I apologize but our absence has been noticed,” Vil said,” Professor Crewel is on his way here to talk about it face to face, most likely to get all of our accounts as to why we decided to skip.”

His eyes trailed to Kocho, who had built his guard right back up. It hurt once more as Vil prayed to whoever was watching that this was the right decision.

“Kocho, what we tell him will be entirely up to you. Understood?” Vil asked.

Kocho nodded his head, his expression growing stern.

“Yes sir,” he said,” I’d rather not let Professor Crewel know about what exactly happened last night. Nor do I want him to see the Katanas or Kaname.”

The crow nodded his head and was quick to grab the Katanas from Rook, much to the blond’s disappointment.

“Tell Crewel that I had multiple panic attacks scattered throughout the night. Don’t tell any details about the nightmares, just that they, combined with the panic attacks, were enough to warrant concern.”

“And that we had to stay up to make sure you were okay,” Vil finished,” I think my appearance is a little too messed up for him to believe that.”

“En effet,” Rook nodded along,” It is most unfortunate, but he knows us both far too well. Even the slightest hair off would throw caution. Oh mon, but this? Suspicion will take its course vite.”

Kocho did not reply as he thought about it. He had to play something in order to keep the professor from digging into the truth. But was lying really the best option here? Kocho had to be confident that nobody could trail it back into being a lie. After all, Kocho was pretty certain that Vil and Rook knew Neige and Kocho had lied about how they met. He couldn’t risk that again, especially with people more likely to snoop around.

So a truth it was.

“Tell him it had to do with the recent death of a friend,” Kocho stated, surprising the two boys,” And that I saw him die. That’ll keep him from questioning too much. The panic attacks about it were so bad that constant surveillance was necessary but it was late so you couldn’t tell any of the staff.”

Both boys wanted to ask more about what was just dropped onto them, but they decided against it.

“Understood,” Vil agreed.

The vibration of Vil’s phone signaled the boy to leave the room. He was quick to find the professor. There was an annoyed expression that covered Crewel’s entire face. It was a completely new look for Crewel, and Vil suspected it had nothing to do with this situation.

Crewel turned to look at Vil, only for the annoyance to immediately shift to shock.

“It’s that bad?” Crewel asked.

“Yes. Now follow me.”

Crewel was equally as shocked to see the state Rook and Kocho were in. Although Kocho had changed into his school uniform, covering up his neck scar. Better to not have any questions about that.

“Sevens,” Crewel sighed,” What happened?”

“Bonjour Professeur!” Rook beamed,” A lovely morning, is it not?”

Crewel did not speak as he walked over to Kocho. Kocho kept a stern expression that gave nothing away as Crewel scanned him.

“What happened to you? What happened to all of you?”

“Twas a long night,” Rook simply replied,” Not a wink of sleep was gained.”

“I can see that,” Crewel growled,” You know what I meant.”

“It was my fault,” Kocho muttered,” I’m sorry.”

“Pup, you have nothing to apologize for,” Crewel shushed,” You clearly went through a lot if those mascara lines have anything to say.”

Crewel turned to look at the two blonds.

“Now answer the question!”

“Of course, I apologize,” Vil sighed,” It’s been a long night.”

“Oui,” Rook nodded,” Someone had to keep an eye on the petite papillon.”

“And why would you need to do that?”

“I… had multiple really bad panic attacks,” Kocho muttered.

Crewel’s expression softened.

“I see,” he said,” Can you tell me more about what happened?”

Kocho took a second to think before staggering his own breath. A somewhat vulnerable look filtered over his eyes as he looked over at Vil and Rook. He gave them a slight nod and stayed silent.

“Right,” Vil sighed,” Kocho had nightmares throughout the entire night that were causing all of the panic attacks. It happened every time he went to sleep, so Rook and I were making sure we could comfort him whenever needed. As you can tell….”

Crewel got the message pretty quickly.

“Did this only start last night?” Crewel asked.

Kocho shook his head.

“We only noticed last night and it was……. A mess,” Vil added,” We weren’t expecting them to be as bad as they were.”

Rook nodded his head.

“Oui,” he said,” I’ve never seen something like it.”

“To have that bad of a nightmare,” Crewel mumbled to himself before speaking softly to Kocho,” Pup, we’re going to have to have a talk about this later, okay? There’s counseling offered at Night Raven that might help you with your nightmares. Whatever’s going on, we will help you through it, okay?”

Kocho gave him a confused look.

“Why would I need counseling for nightmares?”

“Oh? Monsieur Butterfly you know why,” Rook said,” Those nightmares didn’t materialize on their own. You said it yourself, no?”

Kocho breath hitched as Rook gave him a knowing smile.

“You know where they’re coming from?” Crewel asked.

Kocho fidgeted a bit, avoiding Crewel’s gaze as much as possible before nodding his head. Crewel crouched down to meet Kocho’s eyes. They were glazed over with a layer of tears he tried to hold back. Flashes and flickers of hopelessness were fighting their way to be seen, but Crewel could not see that.

“I… I lost a friend of mine before school started,” Kocho mumbled,” And I….. I saw the whole thing.”

Crewel’s eyes widened as he hugged the boy. Trying to comfort him and tell him he didn’t need to say anything else. It was making it all the harder to hold it in for Kocho. God, he already cried enough the night before. He didn’t need to cry again. And yet he wanted to so badly.

No, don’t. Crewel didn’t need to see him as a bigger mess.

But he really, really wanted to let it all out again. It was starting to sting again.

Kocho hugged Crewel back and started to cry. Both Vil and Rook nearly ran over to see if he was okay. They stopped themselves before they could. Crewel was being careful, saying comforting things with the softest voice they’d ever heard from him. After a while, Kocho was finally able to calm himself down. Crewel took a step back and gave Kocho a kind smile.

“Thank you for telling me all of this,” he whispered,” I’ll do what I can to make sure you get the help you need.”

He then turned towards the other two boys.

“I’ll let the rest of the staff know you’re all excused from class today,” Crewel stated,” However, Vil, I still expect you to come to the Spelldrive meeting after classes end. I’ll be taking my leave now. Let’s hope those pups didn’t blow up the lab while I was gone.”

He muttered the last part as he left the room. There was silence for a while. All of them waited until Crewel was far enough away before Rook beamed.

“Oh mon dieu! Monsieur Butterfly’s acting incroyable!”

“I’m impressed,” Vil said,” Though I feel a bit bad for Professor Crewel.”

“I wasn’t acting,” Kocho grumbled,” I try not to think about his death for a reason. It’s still… very hard.”

Vil’s eyes widened as Kocho turned away and flopped back onto his bed. There it was again, that look of hopelessness. It made Vil curious about what exactly happened. What kind of relationship did he have with that friend to give him such a feeling? Grief would be completely understandable. But to feel as though there was no reason to feel any hope at all, it was so very different. Which made it so much harder to figure out how to pull Kocho out of that grave. Because Vil had no idea what to do.

“The death of a loved one is a hard thing to overcome,” Rook hummed,” But know this, Monsieur Butterfly, you are not alone in your fight. And though it may always sting worse than a blade, learning to push forward will help with your own motivation in life.”

“You never do truly overcome it, I know,” Kocho sighed,” It doesn’t matter how far in the past it is, the death of someone will never go away. And I will never forget. Trust me….. It’s not the first time it's happened.”

The air in the room grew sad once more, much to Kocho’s annoyance.

“I don’t want your pity about all of this,” he said,” Let’s just pretend this conversation never happened. Pity just makes it harder.”

Vil nodded his head. Everything was fine for now anyway. Crewel was going to force Kocho to get some therapy and that was the best outcome they could have hoped for. Not just for how bad everything was, but also because Vil knew not how to help someone who was hurting themselves.

For once, Vil felt as if Lady Luck came down to give him just what he wanted. And it was for the sake of somebody else.

Who probably really didn’t want to go to therapy no matter how much he needed it.

“Right,” Vil sighed,” Then I wish to ask you something, Kocho.”

“That is?”

“Monsieur Butterfly how skilled are you in Spelldrive,” Rook asked, interrupting Vil.

“... Huh?”

“It’s quite odd, is it not?” Azul hummed as he strolled up to Jamil’s desk.

Jamil glared at him as though Azul had done something horrible to the boy. Not really too far off. That meeting a few weeks back could definitely have gone a lot better. But that was beside the point. Kocho hadn’t come to class at all that day. So Azul found it the perfect time to have a little chat with Jamil once more.

Though he couldn’t stay too long. He still had a meeting to go to.

“Where is that little butterfly?” Azul asked,” I didn’t think he was the type to skip.”

“It’s not your problem, now is it?” Jamil hissed before building his composure back up,” Why are you so interested in him anyway? I get that Kocho’s odd but the amount of commitment you're putting in to find out info on him is ridiculous.”

“Yes I guess it seems that way to you,” Azul agreed,” Not all of us can have an eye for the incredible.”

And he’d rather not say his actual want out loud. Less Jamil tells Kocho about it. It was quite simple though. With a unique magic such as Azul’s, he could gain anything he wanted from anybody. But consent from whom he will be taking from is required. Usually, the easiest way to do this is to give something of equal value in return. But Azul knows not what Kocho would want in exchange for his speed.

Ah yes, to have his speed. What a valuable asset that would be. Combined with just how easily the small boy could jump around the building like it was built for parkour. Oh to have that too. All of Kocho’s athletic abilities. Azul wanted it all for himself.

But what would Kocho be willing to trade for that? That was what Azul wanted to know. Would Kocho ever tell Azul? No. A well-guarded individual such as the redhead would never speak of such a thing. So Azul had to do other things to find out this information.

“Eye for the incredible? He’s just an average kid,” Jamil sighed,” Just like the rest of us.”

“Are you calling me average?” Azul asked in an annoyed tone.

“No, you Trilobite. Average is a little too much for you to handle,” Jamil whispered before sighing,” There’s nothing wrong with being average. Now please leave me alone. I have stuff to do.”

Jamil was quick to make his exit, not allowing another word to leave Azul. Azul watched the boy, confused and curious. How odd Jamil’s behavior has been this past week or so. And Azul wanted to know why.

But now wasn’t the time. Azul had a meeting.

The walk was quiet without the Leech brothers to accompany him. All of the annoying remarks from Floyd and Jade encourage his brother’s antics. It was easy to assume Azul was annoyed by their company if not for their usefulness. But they’ve been his company for years. So, even if in those moments Azul found them both to be a bit annoying, quiet times like these made him appreciate the twins in a way.

There were five others in the headmaster’s office once Azul arrived. Vil was talking along with Cater, who seemed to be trying to find a way to distract himself. The Savanaclaw house warden, a lion beast-man named Leona, was one wink away from drifting to sleep. Idia was hiding behind his tablet, as always. And then there was the new house warden. A bright-eyed boy far too naive for the world. Scarabia’s house warden, Kalim Al Asim. A rich merchant’s son and somebody Azul desired some connection with. For future business endeavors as well as an easy target to get something out of.

“Oh! Another housewarden!” Kalim beamed,” What’s your name?”

“My name’s Azul Ashengrotto,” Azul said with a smile,” It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kalim.”

“Oh! You already know my name? Sweet! It’s a pleasure to meet you too!”

Kalim’s smile beamed the light of the sun. This boy felt so out of place in a school like NRC. But who was Azul to complain? One does not turn away an opportunity such as this.

Vil gave Azul a quick glare, causing Cater to look at him too.

“Hey, newbie!” Cater said, somewhat exhausted,” Can’t believe we’ve already gotten two freshman house wardens. Y’all must be impressive!”

“Aw! You’re too kind!” Kalim said,” I didn’t really do anything. The last house warden just gave me his position. Isn’t that sweet?”

“Wonder why,” Leona mumbled sarcastically.

“Rich boy has it easy,” Idia sighed,” Doesn’t have to do anything to be levels above us.”

“Honestly I was just happy to get accepted. He really didn’t need to do that,” Kalim hummed.

“Cater,” Azul said, grabbing the boy’s attention,” I haven’t seen you since the incident. How are you holding up?”

Cater froze and Azul got another glare from Vil.

“I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Did something happen?” Kalim asked.

“Are you not aware? Two people were murdered a few weeks ago,” Azul replied,” We all got details about the first death, but the second one has barely been spoken of.”

“In detail,” Idia corrected under his breath,” I’d rather NOT get the details.”

“Wait, somebody died?!” Kalim nearly yelled,” I wasn’t aware. Are their families okay?”

“Physically yes, mentally no,” Azul replied,” The first one was pretty gruesome.”

“So was the second,” Cater muttered, eyes wide with fear,” I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“Let’s change the subject,” Vil snapped while patting his friend on the shoulder,” It came to my attention, Azul, that one of my freshmen has gained unwanted attention from you. Care to explain?”

“What’s there to explain?” Azul asked,” He’s merely piqued my interest.”

“Merely?! Don’t think I don’t know what happened a few weeks ago. Jamil told me everything,” Vil growled.

“Jamil told you yet your own freshman didn’t?” Azul questioned,” Does he trust you just as little as he trusts me?”

“That is our business and ours alone,” Vil hissed.

“My, what odd behavior of yours,” Azul hummed,” You’ve only ever acted like this when someone insults Rook.”

“You guys know Jamil?” Kalim asked.

Both Vil and Azul paused. It had almost been forgotten, but Kalim was Jamil’s housewarden. Of course, they would know each other.

“Yes of course! He shares most of his classes with me,” Azul replied,” As well as Kocho.”

Cater perked up at that name. Suddenly he was so much more invested with the conversation.

“Never heard that name before,” Kalim hummed,” But Jamil and I go way back! He’s been my best friend since the very beginning!”

That surprised both Vil and Azul.

“No offense, but you two don’t seem like you’d get along,” Vil commented,” How’d you two even meet?”

“His family works for mine,” Kalim replied.

“So Jamil is your best friend yet you don’t know who Kocho is?” Azul asked.

“No. Should I?” Kalim asked.

“Wait? Is Kocho that boy who reeks of wisteria?” Leona asked.

“Oh yeah! I remember him!” Cater added,” He has such a photogenic look to him!”

“Ortho’s mentioned him a few times,” Idia muttered.

“Kocho and Jamil have been inseparable since day 1 of classes,” Azul explained.

“Because a certain someone wouldn't leave Kocho alone,” Vil added.

“I have no idea what you’re insinuating,” Azul hummed,” Mysterious boy has too many secrets if you ask me. Shouldn’t you be more concerned about that?”

“We ALL have secrets,” Vil pointed out,” You of all people should know that.”

“Need I remind you, Vil, that none of us even know Kocho’s full name,” Azul pointed out,” Not even Ortho and he has access to everyone’s personal information!”

“HE WHAT?!” Cater yelled.

“NOT TRUE!” Idia yelled,” He’s only allowed to see information that’s made PUBLIC!”

“Doubt he actually follows that but even with your point he would still know Kocho’s full name,” Azul pointed out.

“That does not give you the right to drag him into a meeting just to try and threaten information out of him,” Vil snapped.

“I did not threaten him,” Azul argued back.

“Ortho recorded the entire thing,” Vil said,” I saw what happened. There’s no use lying.”

Azul paused. Recorded? How did Ortho record it? He wasn’t even in the room until after everything happened. Unless Vil was bluffing. It could be possible. The man was a beloved actor for a reason.

“Heeeeey soooo, I know you’re angry but maybe you should wait until after the meeting is over,” Cater said as he tried to calm Vil down.

“Right,” Vil sighed,” This isn’t over, understood?”

“Your anger is unwarranted, I can guarantee,” Azul replied,” You care far too much for that boy, especially compared to how you treat your other dormmates.”

Vil did not reply this time. His anger was still very visible and would easily scare any other student. So the others didn’t mind his silence. Kalim looked between the two boys with worry while Cater let out a sigh of relief.

“Did…. something bad happen?” Kalim whispered to Cater.

“Apparently,” he replied,” That Kocho boy really can’t seem to get himself out of trouble, can he?”

Vil agreed but he’d rather not say it out loud.

“So he’s Jamil’s friend, right?” Kalim asked,” That’s so cool! Do you think you can introduce me to him?”

Vil sighed before nodding his head.

“Yeah, I can do that,” he replied,” I can bring you to him after this. Rook has him practicing something right now so you can watch if you’d like.”

“Sounds great!” Kalim beamed.

“Ooh! Can I join?” Cater asked,” I’ve been dying to see what that boy can do ever since I heard Rook took him under his wing. Plus I’m sure Magicam would love to see Kocho with how pretty he is.”

Mirrors draped in sheets flashed in Vil’s mind, giving him a sudden feeling of guilt for some reason. But he just ignored it and nodded his head.

“Hunt, I’m still confused,” Kocho said.

The two boys were in the stadium. It was set up for a spell drive game, with goals on the ends of the field. Six other Pomefiore students were there, warming up on their brooms. Kocho, unlike the rest of them, did not have a broom. Nor did Rook, but he wasn’t on the field. He was just standing off to the side with a grin.

“I don’t see why you are confused, mon cher?” Rook asked.

“I’m horrible at flying a broom nor do I even know how to play spelldrive,” Kocho replied,” I told you this already. So why am I here?”

“Simple, I was so moved by your dance last night! The elegance! The grace! I wish to see the same thing on the field!”

“Huh?”

“Monsieur Butterfly! The things you’ve done are spoken highly of among many of our piers! Especially through the art of parkour. It dawned upon me, watching that magnifique dance of yours!” Rook continued,” What if you used your skills in Spelldrive?”

“They speak of me?” Kocho muttered to himself.

“As if it were a passing trend, but nothing escapes me,” Rook replied.

It kind of embarrassed Kocho to hear it, but he tried to push it down. Of course, people would speak about that. He was specifically trained to fight against monsters that could easily overpower a human. It was going to be impressive to someone who’d never even seen a glimpse of that life.

“Now, let us begin!” Rook beamed.

As they were testing things out, three house wardens were making their way to the stadium. Kalim couldn’t stop talking with Cater while Vil just felt exhausted. He really just wanted to get some sleep, but he couldn’t ruin his schedule too much. If he sleeps early, he’ll wake up early and ruin everything else. Even if what happened the night before made an absolute mess out of everything, he could still try and fix it.

But those two hours of sleep were making it so hard.

“So what’s this Kocho person like?” Kalim asked.

“Oh he’s tots the silent type,” Cater replied,” He rarely speaks even when spoken to.”

“He’s not that bad,” Vil groaned,” He just has to get to know you.”

“Gotcha! Gotcha!” Kalim said,” Does he talk a lot to Jamil?”

“Yes, he and Jamil talk a lot,” Vil replied,” Although I do not know the depths of their relationship.”

Kinda. But talking more about that would also bring Neige into the picture so he didn’t want to think about that.

A buzzing noise came from Kalim’s phone. He was quick to pick it up with a bright smile.

“Jamil! What’s up?”

“Kalim, where are you? I’ve been waiting for you at the library for a while,” Jamil said in a somewhat concerned voice.

“Oh! Sorry, I forgot I was supposed to meet you there,” Kalim apologized,” I was just going to meet your friend!”

There was a pause before Jamil spoke again.

“My…. friend?”

“Yep! Vil mentioned him to me while we were in the meeting. And I wanted to meet him!” Kalim replied,” You wanna join us? He’s apparently at the stadium practicing something with some guy named Rook.”

“He’s my vice house warden. It’ll do you well to remember that,” Vil noted.

“Oh! Gotcha!” Kalim replied.

“....I’ll be over there soon,” Jamil finally said.

“Sweet! See you soon!” Kalim beamed before hanging up.

Jamil got there quickly. He was panting and sweat was dripping down his face. Ortho was right behind him, his eyes showing excitement.

“Hey, Jamil!” Kalim beamed.

“Kalim please send me a text next time,” Jamil huffed,” You had me worried sick.”

“Sorry! I got excited.”

“It’s… fine. Just try and remember next time.”

“Okie Dokie!” Kalim beamed before looking over at Ortho,” Who’s this?”

“Nice to meet you Kalim Al Asim! My name is Ortho Shroud! I’m Idia Shroud’s younger brother,” Ortho introduced himself, flying in between Jamil and Kalim.

“Oh! Your Ortho! It’s a pleasure to meet ya!”

The distance Ortho was trying to put between the two boys was clear to Jamil, and it was appreciated. Take all the attention off of him. Let Kalim forget he was there. It gave Jamil some peace of mind. To have someone else keep an eye on the white-haired boy. Ortho was a trustworthy companion. Jamil didn’t have to worry while he was here.

And if he felt like breaking once more, Jamil had someone there to make sure he was okay. It was weird that Jamil could feel that way. But it felt safe. And Jamil liked it.

It helped with the complete and utter dread that was building up.

By the time they all made it to the stadium, they could all hear Rook yelling hundreds of different adjectives in pure excitement. Six different students were flying around. Kocho could be seen on one of them, accompanied by the actual flyer. But then he disappeared and reappeared on another. All the boys stopped, trying to figure out what was going on. Ortho chirped up in excitement first.

“Oh, my hades! I never thought I’d see something like this before!”

Jamil and Vil were the next to see it. Kocho was jumping between everyone’s brooms like it was nothing. There was a grace to each landing, not unlike the skills he showed the night before. Vil’s eyes widened in glee as he realized what Rook was doing.

“Color me impressed,” Vil said as he glided over to Rook,” I’m suddenly convinced to add him to the bracket.”

“It’s Incroyable! Even my wildest dreams could never reveal such magnifique results! Truly! Truly! Words could never describe the pure amount of joy seeping within!”

“Whoa! Whoa! What’s going on?” Kalim asked.

“Ain’t that something,” Jamil hummed,” Can barely fly yet still finds a way onto his dorm’s team.”

Impressive yet it made Jamil a little jealous.

“Trying out a new tactic are we?” Cater whistled,” I might have to step up my own game.”

“That’s so cool!” Kalim beamed,” I wanna learn how to do that! Jamil, can you teach me?”

“Even I don’t know how he does it,” Jamil sighed,” Besides, what he does is far too dangerous. I wouldn’t recommend trying it.”

“Aw,” Kalim pouted.

After a while, the students on the field came back down to the ground. Kocho bounced off one of the brooms and landed not too far from Rook and Vil. Kalim cheered as Cater stared at the redhead with a smile. Red hair. Grey eyes. Cater might have been right to come here. As the others were distracted, Cater pulled his phone out and snapped a quick picture of Kocho.

“Hey! Hey!” Kalim waved to Kocho, catching the boy’s attention,” That was so cool! Where’d you learn to do that?”

Kocho gave Kalim a confused look.

“Kocho, this is the new housewarden of Scarabia, Kalim Al Asim,” Vil introduced.

“A pleasure to meet ya!” Kalim beamed.

Kocho bowed in response and it made Jamil feel some relief. The redhead wasn’t going to immediately break his walls down just because somebody was rich. But that relief immediately was bitten back by suspicion. No, this just means Kocho doesn’t know who the Asim’s are. Which isn’t too much of a surprise. Tech inept boy didn’t even know Neige or Vil were famous.

Even still, Ortho gave Jamil a reassuring look. That had to mean it would be fine. Everything would be fine. But Jamil couldn’t believe it.

He couldn’t believe it at all.

Jamil found those thoughts so hard to get out of his head. Even when he left the stadium with Kalim and went back through routined procedures. Mindless tasks he’s done every day since his first memory. Cooking for Kalim. Tutoring Kalim. Making sure there wasn’t a single person out to get Kalim. The dread of what potentially might happen now that Kalim knew of Kocho stitched itself deep into Jamil’s mind. Before he knew it, the day was done. Jamil was standing in his room ready for it to just all end.

The moonlight filtered in, revealing what Jamil would rather hide. Fear could not be concealed anymore. His grey eyes just stared back at the moon. Sleep would be hard to come by that night, Jamil knew this to be true. Something good might help him though. Maybe like a text from his sister who has still yet to reply.

Yeah, that would help.

Jamil couldn’t help but reach for his phone and scroll through his texts. 4 unread messages. Each asking to please reply and tell him that she’s okay. The more recent, the more desperate. Yet nothing. Najma has yet to even open them. In the moment of wishing nothing more than to hear some good news, Jamil finally called his sister.

And still, she did not pick up.

So Jamil did something he’d never done before in his life. He called his mother. Surely everything was okay. Jamil’s mother was always on point. She was constantly on time and would constantly keep an eye on her phone just in case work called. Surely she would pick up.

Ring once. Ring twice. With every one, Jamil could feel the pit in his stomach grow. He wanted to cry when he heard her voice say to leave a voice mail and she’d call back later. So he called his father, hoping the same wouldn’t happen. His father was always up this late, working his ass off. If anyone would pick up right now, his father surely would.

Please leave a voice mail, he heard his father’s voice say. He hadn’t picked up either.

“Hey, Dad,” Jamil could barely utter a whisper without breaking,” Najma hasn’t been replying to any of my texts, and when I tried to call she didn’t pick up. I’m just calling to make sure she’s okay. And that…. All of you are okay. Please call back when you get the chance….. Okay?”

He couldn’t hold it back anymore. The fear grew so heavy with thousands of thoughts swirling around. Jamil put his phone down and tried to get some sleep, hoping maybe that would stop the dam from breaking. But one single flash in his mind made everything collapse. That look on Kalim’s father. It made the worst conclusions take grasp with claws so sharp he couldn’t help but cry.

So Jamil just curled up and cried.

Chapter Text

“Riddle? Why are you out so late?”

“I could ask you the same thing. You're supposed to resting.”

“So are you.”

“I wasn’t terribly injured during the last mission. So unless you have something important to talk about, please leave me alone.”

“..... I’m not leaving you alone.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said I’m not leaving you alone.”

“What exactly do you gain from this? All I’m doing is training.”

“I’m making sure you don’t hurt yourself.”

“I’m not going to hurt myself.”

“Grief and revenge make us do brash things. We all know that. And what I saw you do during our mission, it’s clear you would willingly hurt yourself without someone there to help you.”

“....”

“And don’t worry about me! I won’t be training. Just focusing more on total concentration constant!”

“.... that’s still training.”

“Sure, I guess it is. But I know the limits I’m working with right now. And you should do the same.”

“.... Why do you care?”

“Why shouldn’t I care? We’re friends!”

“I was an asshole to you! The whole reason I was even on that mission was to make sure your sister didn’t go on a rampage and to kill you both if that were to happen. Those were my direct orders! So why….? Why are you being so nice?”

“There’s nothing wrong with what you did. I can understand that feeling of not trusting us. Nezuko really is special. Besides, you protected both of us on that train.”

“.... I think I’m done for tonight.”

“Then would you like to join me? It’s a very beautiful night!”

“...Sure.”

A girl with dark skin was hiding behind a bakery that had long closed down for the night. The light of the moon shined down on her as she just watched it. Torn clothes hugged her, trying to block her from the cold of the desert. But that didn’t stop the chills from crawling up her skin.

An older man rounded the corner with food in his hands. He too had torn clothes that barely sheltered him from the cold that stabbed his skin, with only a thin turquoise scarf doing its job. The man handed the girl some of the food, causing the girl to smile.

“Thanks,” she hummed,” How did it go?”

“Not well,” the man sighed,” It seems we’ve been blacklisted from all public transportation.”

“So we have to travel through the desert,” the girl sighed,” Figured as much.”

“We’ll need to properly prepare for the trip,” the man said.

“Doubt we have time for that,” the girl argued,” That thing could find us any minute now.”

“We’ll surely die if we don’t.”

“Die if we do. Die if we don’t,” the girl said.

“We’re not in the position to make brash decisions,” the man argued.

The girl did not reply. She just ate her food in silence. People around them were walking around without a care. Chatting with their friends about the latest gossip. Buying the latest trends. It may not have been long since she left that world, but the girl missed it. She hadn’t been able to talk with her friends ever since that monster took her phone.

Nor had she been able to talk to her older brother.

“I hope this hasn’t reached Jamil,” the older man sighed.

“Why? So it doesn’t interfere with his job?” the girl nearly snapped.

The man’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Najma…”

“Am I wrong?”

“I’m talking about that monster,” the man said.

“Sure you were.”

“Where is this coming from?”

“I do wonder,” Najma said sarcastically as she focused her eyes on the crowd,” Definitely isn’t because that’s the only thing you’ve ever cared about.”

“That’s not the only thing I care about.”

“Not a single one of your actions proves that,” Najma snapped, glaring at her father,” Everything you’ve ever taught me was about how not to get in the way of the Asims. There wasn’t a single conversation that wasn’t about work from you or Mom. You were so overbearing about all my actions relating to them too. Not to mention what you did to Jamil!”

Something shattered in the man at the mention of his son’s name. Najma didn’t care though. She got up as she took the last bite of her food and looked around once more. The crowd was growing in size, meaning the two of them could easily hide in it for a bit longer. But eventually, the crowd will die down and expose the two to the monster that was hunting them.

How did this even happen? One day Najma was hanging out with her friends. The next she barely escaped a snake-like creature who took the face of her mother. Her home she’s lived in ever since she was a child was turned into a wreck. Now she had to wonder if she would have food the next day.

Or when she’ll become someone else’s meal.

Not now. Najma should focus on getting some water. One of the nearby restaurants or stalls should be giving some out for free.

“Najma, stay here for a second,” her father said.

“Why? So you can chastise me for…”

“I wish to explain myself,” he interrupted her.

Najma’s eyes widened.

“I know you’ve never met the head of the Asim family, nor would you ever get the chance to meet the late father of the head. But I want you to realize they are both cruel men. If anyone were to say anything against them, even the smallest thing, those people would be punished severely,” her father said,” Everything I’ve done was to make sure none of us would ever get hurt by them. Even agreeing to have your brother serve that family the day he was born.”

Najma’s glare hardened at that statement, but her father continued.

“I’ve been afraid of what they would do to us for so long,” the man grumbled,” Even I can’t remember when this all started for me. The Asims have been my whole life…… And I forced it to be all of yours too. So, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry for everything I’ve done.”

There was silence as Najma tried to think over her father’s words. Sincerity was there in the soft features of his face. All his words were true.

But Najma couldn’t forgive him. Not even a little.

“Sorry to bother you both.”

The soft voice caught the attention of both Najma and her father. Their eyes traveled to a beautiful woman who stood in front of them. Her hair was black and shades of purple, mostly held back with the left-out strands framing her smiling face and soft purple eyes. A butterfly-like haori enveloped her entire body, hiding her small frame.

Behind the woman was a man with an expression that contrasted hers heavily. He looked like he’d rather be anywhere else in the world that wasn’t there. Even with his face half covered by a mask, the feelings were clear as day.

He also had a cute snake hanging around his shoulders.

“It appears that both my companion and I are a bit lost,” the woman said in a soothing voice, calming Najma as if she were telling them everything was going to be alright,” If it’s not too much, could you please help us?”

“Depends, where do you two need to go?” Najma’s father asked.

“Somewhere with a map would be nice,” the woman said,” As well as whatever the public transportation system here is.”

Weird. She didn’t know what the transportation system was in Silk City. Yet there wasn’t a single other way to get into the city without one of the main systems. Not with how barren the desert surrounding it was.

Interesting indeed.

Najma’s father was quiet for a minute before he replied.

“Alright. Najma, can you bring these two to the nearest train station?”

“Huh? You’re not coming with us?” Najma asked, trying not to let her anger seep out.

“There’s something I wish to do right now,” her father reasoned before leaning down to whisper,” These two don’t need to know our situation right now. I’m just going out to look for more supplies. And make sure to go to the largest train station.”

He patted her on the head and phased into the crowd before Najma could reply. The attention of the two strangers was now on her. A glare that could kill followed her father before Najma sighed and built her composure back up. Her father was right. Just hide what was happening behind a wall of who Najma has always shown herself to be. Nobody needed to know what she was thinking.

Even if they’ve already seen some of it.

“Right, follow me then,” Najma said.

“Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to us,” the woman said with a smile.

The three trekked their way through the crowded city, weaving between people as they went. Sometimes the crowd would get so thick that Najma had to stop to make sure the other two were following. Neither stranger spoke for a while, making the atmosphere awkward.

And a little terrifying.

Najma couldn’t help but constantly look around at every alleyway and rooftop, expecting the glowing grey eyes and long brown hair she remembered of her mother. With claws that could tear skin so easily. Just the memory of it made Najma reach for where its marks still remained. Laughter and taunting rung in her ears.

She had to distract herself.

“So where are you two heading to?”

“That’s none of your business,” the man finally spoke in a condescending voice.

The woman slapped the man in the back of the head immediately.

“Sorry about him,” she said,” It’s been a long day.”

“It’s fine,” Najma replied,” We all have those days.”

The woman nodded her head and added nothing more to it. Najma didn’t push it, so she changed the topic.

“What’s your name?”

“Would it matter? You’re not going to be seeing us after this,” the man stated, earning a glare from the woman.

“I might and I might not,” Najma hummed,” You’ll never know.”

“And what if we do?” the man asked.

“Then it’s none of my business,” Najma replied.

“May I ask something,” the woman spoke up,” This city is very different than what we’re used to. Can you tell us more about this city?”

“Sure,” Najma hummed,” Silk City is quite a bustling city thanks to the past efforts of the Asim family. It’s said their ancestors helped build the waterways that surround the city so the citizens could have fresh water and easier access to trade routes. Even now, the Asim family has a hold on a lot of the city, like a monarch of sorts.”

It hurt speaking about that family at all after what they did. Sending a monster to hunt them down just because her brother got into a school that his master did not. Cruel bastards. Never getting punished for their actions just because of their ancestors' influence.

“It is quite beautiful,” the woman said.

“Why are your clothes like that?” the man asked.

“Like what?” Najma asked, ignoring the very clear answer,” I know my clothes are different from yours, but it’s a bit rude to ask, no? We’re clearly from different cultures and…..”

“You know what I meant. Why are your clothes torn? You look like a mess,” the man said.

“We’ve all got our secrets,” Najma hummed in reply,” You’re clearly hiding your own. So let me have my own.”

“Those tears are decently large,” the man stated,” Suspiciously claw-like as well.”

Najma’s breath hitched, but she didn’t let them notice.

“It’s simply none of your business.”

The train station was finally in view, allowing a more comfortable silence to take hold until they were directly in front of the building. Najma turned to look at the two strangers, giving them her best customer service smile.

“Here we are,” she said.

“Thank you for your help,” the woman said as she bowed.

“It was nothing,” Najma replied before her eyes caught sight of something.

Both the strangers had sword hilts poking out of their haori’s. It was barely noticeable with all the fabric covering it. Covering them. But now that she’s caught sight Najma couldn’t not notice. What were those swords for? Did they like swords? Was it a cultural thing? Were they going to kill someone? Wait that’s not important. But could they use it to help her? Would they be able to kill that creature?

No, stop. Don’t drag more people into this. There was already so much at risk because of this monster. If Najma were to drag these two in that would just cause more casualties. And Najma just couldn’t stomach the thought that she would cause the death of two innocent bystanders.

Even if one of them was a rude prick.

As she waved goodbye to the strangers, the man took a quick look around. Everything was so weird to the man. Technologically advanced in ways that were not possible at home. His mind could barely comprehend even the simplest of things. He then eyed the girl who was walking away. The claw marks looked far larger than what could exist in a city so crowded.

Except for one thing.

And the look in his comrade’s eyes told him she thought the same.

Najma found the little spot she and her father claimed completely abandoned. Her father had yet to come back, even as the crowds dwindled down and all the shops turned dark. The young girl found herself alone as minutes turned to hours. Worry bubbled up inside of her, causing her thoughts to grow irrational. She had to stay here, in the eyes of at least one person. But she really wanted to look for her dad. Despite everything she held against him, he was still her father. And she wanted to make sure he was okay.

So, without a second thought, Najma made her way around the city. She stayed near shops and restaurants. Hunger tried to crawl its way to the front of her mind every time she saw those trashcans filled with wasted food. That feeling that clawed every nerve that so dared to signal her mind. But she had to ignore it. She could think about food after she found her father.

Then a smell hit her nose that made her stomach curl in on itself. Contorting into a spiral so tight it almost forced what little she ate earlier right back out. Tears trailed her lashes as she covered her nose quickly. This foul stench was unlike anything she’d experienced in her lifetime.

Maybe it’s because she never had that Najma knew just what it was.

Her eyes shot in the direction of the stench. Lights faded into a narrow alleyway, forbidding anyone to see what it was hiding. It was away from sight. Away from any possible security. But the darkness tempted Najma with hints of what it was hiding. Allowing only one thing to escape its clutches.

A thin, turquoise scarf lay at the entrance of the alleyway, grabbing her fear and taking away her better judgment. Najma carefully picked the scarf up and slowly crept into the darkness. Fear built up quickly, consuming every thought and nerve. It moved her body forward on its own, wishing to see whether or not that feeling was validated. This can’t be true. She’s just imagining things. Everything is okay. Najma repeated that as many times as she could.

Til her eyes met glowing grey eyes.

And the dangling headless corpse of what once was her father.

The monster smiled at the sight of the young girl. Its sharp teeth stained red and torn flesh trapped between them. Crazed eyes froze Najma still, regardless of how her nerves screamed to run. Her body shook as, before she could even comprehend it, the monster blocked the way she came from. Najma took a step back, allowing the monster to push her further and further into the alleyway.

“My, my! Look what we have here!” the thing hissed in her mother’s voice.

Najma wanted to scream, but all that came was a choked sob. Seeing the lifeless body dangling in that monster’s grasp. The man that once was her father. It built up the grief inside her. Suddenly his grievances didn’t matter anymore and he became just a father who was just trying his best.

And she just lost him in cold blood.

“I must admit, you both gave me trouble,” the creature hummed,” That Asim man wouldn’t shut up about not being seen in public. How annoying really. I would have gotten to you earlier if I could have it my way.”

That Asim man.

How weird it was to hear her mother’s voice not refer to the Asim’s as master. It made Najma’s skin crawl so much more than it already was. Fear. Nothing but fear. The constant swirling emotion drowned out all other senses. It was so loud. All consuming. Only the monster was heard or seen. Taunting Najma with the corpse of her father.

“How small you are in the grand scheme of things,” it said,” Nobody will miss you. The only ones who care for you are already dead. Your father especially was oh so eager to die by my hands. Why else would he have searched for me so much?”

It lowered the corpse and pulled out something so familiar. A peach-colored phone still in perfect condition.

“Even that servant boy,” the monster hummed,” He’s been sending oh so many messages through this odd device. Begging to know you all are alive! How incredible! Oh, how I can not wait to see how he reacts! Seeing the mangled corpse of his family before I kill him too!”

Najma’s eyes widened as the vile words left the monster’s lips. It spoke so easily of killing off the one family member she felt close to. Like it was simply a game. As if it weren’t toying with the lives of people who had already gone through so much hell.

The fear in her mind twisted into something completely different. Red hot fire burned everything away until nothing but the need to kill the monster had taken over. How dare it kill her father and then threaten her brother’s life. And to do all of this with the face of her mother.

Knowing the Asim’s, that monster probably was once her mother. Turned into this distorted monster that barely remembered their faces. She always did love the Asim family more than Najma’s father. It wouldn’t surprise Najma if she agreed to this just because the Asim’s asked. Just the thought made the rage burn so much more. If only to send a message to the Asims and avenge her father’s death, she would kill this monster.

Najma took a quick glance around the area, trying to find a weapon. Anything would do, just as long as she could attack with it. There was nothing. That was fine. Najma just had to get creative. So, with no more hesitation, Najma bolted away from the monster.

The monster laughed and charged toward Najma. It was far faster than she was, but it was also clear the monster didn’t want to kill Najma yet. No. There was too much fun to be had with toying with the humans it targets. Najma knew this just from what little she had seen. So when the monster blocked her from going further, Najma reacted accordingly.

She punched the monster in the nose, cracking the bone with ease. The monster cried out in surprise, distracting the monster long enough for Najma to pull her father’s scarf and wrap it around the demon’s neck. Najma pulled on the scarf and pushed her leg into the monster’s back. A choked cry came from the monster as it tried to speak, thrashing around to get Najma off its back. But it could not. Good. Najma pulled harder on the scarf, so much so that it could easily leave a bruise. There was no way it could breathe now.

And yet.

“You…. really are…. so funny!” the demon choked out.

Najma’s eyes widened as the monster grabbed her clothes and threw her into the wall. Pain shot through her spine as she cried out. The monster towered over Najma’s limp form. Its crazed smile stretched farther across its face. Anger still burned, but the pain made it hard to move.

“You really are so feisty,” the monster laughed,” Trying so hard to kill me! Do you really think you can?”

Najma swallowed the pain and pushed herself up, but the monster slammed her back down into the ground. She cried out once more, louder this time in hopes someone might hear. It made the monster laugh even harder.

“Or maybe you wanted to tell your brother goodbye! Tell him your last wishes before your inevitable death! Oh! If only I knew how to use those weird metal devices! Then I could send the boy pictures and videos of your death! Let him watch me pull you apart bit by bit until you’re nothing but a pile of flesh and bones!”

The monster pulled out Najma’s phone once more, dangling it above the young girl. Najma fought to get out of the monster’s grip, but it only made the monster push harder. Her head was starting to hurt far more, as though her skull would concave from the pressure.

“But you know, I think I’m liking your despair! It’s truly a marvelous sight to behold!”

It lowered the phone right in front of Najma’s eyes. But she could not reach. The demon immediately pinned her arms down with its snake like body. Laughter echoed throughout the alleyway.

Just as the phone lit up and chimed. A picture of her brother appeared on screen. He was calling. Najma fought even harder to try and grab it, only humoring the monster more. It allowed the phone to sing its little melody as Jamil waited on the other side to hear something from his family. He must have been worried this whole time. Wondering why nobody has said anything. And that demon had seen every one of his texts and calls, laughing at the misfortunate it and the Asims had caused.

It made Najma fight even harder, even when the phone turned off. The monster’s smile grew so much wider as it pulled the phone up. It made eye contact with Najma with clear joy from what it was about to do. With barely a single struggle, the monster crushed the phone in its grip and allowed shards of metal and glass to fall to the ground. Something within Najma shattered as she watched everything fall in slow motion. Like her whole life just crashed before her eyes. And the monster just laughed.

And laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed.

It only made Najma feel a spiral of despair. But she had to keep fighting. Her phone wasn’t her priority before and it wasn’t now.

And by the sevens, she wasn’t going to die without a fight.

“How adorable!” the monster beamed,” You still think you can fight back! You humans really are so incredible!”

It then lowered itself down so its face lay next to Najma’s. So all that Najma could see was those glowing grey eyes. Like the demon was trying to put Najma in a trance. So she wouldn’t notice the snake-like body curl around her neck. Before she knew it, Najma was hoisted up into the air. The monster dangled her just like the phone, holding tightly on her neck and suffocating her. Her throat burned, begging for mercy as Najma thrashed around. Trying to hit the monster in the face. But it held her just out of reach.

“Now, where should I start?” the monster hummed,” Should I tear your limbs apart one by one? Should I skin you alive until I’m bored? Should I break every single one of your bones? Or should I snap your head off just like I did with your father?”

Najma could feel her vision blur as her lungs burned, begging for air. She couldn’t let this be it. There was so much she still had to do. Not just for her life, but for Jamil’s. All that pain he’d been through his whole life because of the Asims. His freedom and whole identity had already been taken away. Najma was not going to allow this monster to take away his family too. She had to fight to tell him everything.

And so she doesn’t die.

But she was starting to lose strength in her limbs.

Fight.

Please just fight.

The sound of something slicing flesh echoed through the alleyway as the monster’s grip around Najma’s neck loosened. She gasped for air, allowing a cool relief to flow through. Cries came from the monster. But Najma could barely focus on anything other than breathing. The feeling made its way back through her nerves and her sight slowly came back. She couldn’t stay down, she thought. That monster would attack again. Najma tried to stand up and get away, but her legs gave up. She collapsed to the ground.

“How?! There isn’t a single person in this world that can kill a demon!”

Najma looked up to see the monster lying around her, disintegrating into ash. Its head had been cut cleanly off and sat a few feet away from its body. Anger showed clearly in its eyes as it looked up at a man with a striped haori. His expression sour with no sympathy for the thing he has just killed. The sword he hid earlier was out on display, with curves like the snake that slithered around him.

It was the stranger from earlier. He didn’t even look at Najma. Gold and green eyes just glared at the monster. There were no words. Not for a while. And it easily pissed the monster off.

“Answer me, you bastard!”

Adrenaline slowly filtered away as Najma realized it was over. The monster was dying. Its disintegrating body filled the dark air with ashes, making Najma feel a sense of calm. But her nerves immediately spiked once more. She immediately shot up and looked over to the far end of the alleyway. Her father’s headless body lay motionless with marks spiraling around his skin. He really was dead. Najma really was alone with no way to contact her only living relative. Tears pricked in her eyes, but she held it back.

Not now.

There was something more important to deal with.

Najma looked at the stranger, only to see him walking away. Immediately, Najma ran after him.

“What do you want?” the stranger asked.

“You just killed that monster,” Najma stated,” I would like to at least give some thanks. You did save my life after all.”

“I doubt that’s what you actually want,” the man groaned,” You got attacked by a random demon that you’ve never even seen before and nearly got killed before getting saved by a man with a sword. You have questions and I know it.”

“Random demon? That thing wasn’t exactly random,” Najma admitted,” It claimed the face of my mother…..”

“What?!” the man snapped, turning to glare at her,” That demon was your mother?!”

“Well….. Probably,” Najma said,” My family has…. Admittedly made enemies that I suspect turned her into this…”

“No human can make a demon,” the man snapped,” Are you sure that was your mother?”

“Of course I am!” Najma huffed in annoyance,” I can recognize my mother easily!”

The man continued to glare at her, seeing if there was any way she could be lying. But when he found nothing, the man’s glare hardened.

“You’ve got to be…..of course this would happen,” the man sighed before storming out of the ally way.

Najma did not hesitate to follow. If not to get answers, then to get away from the corpse of her father for just a minute.

“Wait!” she cried out as the light of the street lamps hit her skin once more,” Do you know what’s going on? Wait, weren’t you supposed to catch a train? Why are you still here? Wait that’s not important…”

“Well a certain someone clearly had claw marks in her clothing!” the man snapped, pointing at Najma in a condescending manner,” And there’s barely a single creature out there other than a demon who would do that in a city.”

“Iguro!”

The soft voice of the kinder stranger called out to the man as she landed between the two. Her butterfly haori fluttered in the wind like wings. A stern expression stretched across her face as her purple eyes glared at Iguro. But it softened immediately as soon as she looked at Najma.

“Oh hello again,” she said with a smile that never seemed to leave her,” I apologize if my comrade disturbed you. We’re just simply looking for something.”

“You know about this too?” Najma asked.

“Hm? About what?”

Iguro sighed, clearly really annoyed by both of their presence.

“Tell her.”

“Oh, uh,” Najma stuttered for a second,” My mother was turned into a weird snake monster that had been targeting me and my father for a bit now…”

“I’m sorry, did you say your mother?” the woman interrupted.

Najma nodded her head.

Shock was clearly shown in her eyes as the woman before she built her composure up once more.

“I’m so sorry,” she said,” I know it’s hard. We can explain what has happened if you wish but we want your father to know as well. Would you take us to him?”

Najma’s eyes widened as the image of a headless corpse flashed in her mind. It immediately hit her with grief as tears threatened to form once more. But she choked them down once more.

“..... he’s in there,” Najma said,” That monster…. My mother got to him first.”

The woman gasped.

“I’m so sorry,” she said once more.

It seemed she wanted to say more, but Iguro went to grab her attention. He whispered something to her so quietly that Najma could barely hear that he was whispering. The snake on his shoulders looked at Najma with beady red eyes. They kept Najma in some sort of trance, keeping her from even trying to listen. And it worked. The little snake was far too cute to look away from. It was like all her worries weren’t actually there. And that everything was completely okay.

“Child,” Iguro said, snapping the girl out of her trance,” What’s your name?”

“It’s Najma Viper, sir,” she replied.

“Viper,” the woman said,” Do you have any family you can stay with?”

“.... no,” Najma sighed,” It’s just me and my brother now. Though I don’t think the Asims are so willing to let him go so I guess I’m by myself now. Why?”

“My name is Shinobu Kocho and this is Obanai Iguro,” the woman introduced,” we’re demon slayers who work to kill demons much like the one your mother turned into. Unfortunately, demons seemed to have spread out to places we are not used to. If you can help us with navigating this world, we can allow you to travel with us and maybe train to become a demon slayer if you so desire.”

Najma’s mind blanked at the request. Thousands of questions ran through her mind. Demon slayers? What does that mean? But those thoughts seemed to be drowned out by drowsiness. From a combination of everything that had happened as well as how late it was, Najma just couldn’t keep up anymore. She had so many questions and so much to think about. And she needed a chance to grieve.

“I’m… huh?!”

“Your technology is weird,” Obanai stated,” Having somebody who at least understands some of it is necessary for us.”

“We’ll help you with the memorial for your father regardless of your decisions,” Shinbu said,” However, we are in a bit of a rush so we really need your help. Please.”

Yeah, that would be nice. To make a memorial for the man who raised her. And these people are offering some sort of shelter for helping them. Maybe it was the dreary mind that wished just for a rest that made her stop thinking about everything. Or maybe she would have immediately agreed anyway, even without the desire to sleep.

“Okay, I’ll help you out,” she said.

Chapter Text

“Hey Riddle!”

“..... what’s with that look?”

“Hm? What look?”

“...It’s nothing? What’s up?”

“Well, I was out at the market with Shinobu earlier and found something we thought you might like!”

“I’m scared.”

“Now why would that scare you?”

“I sure do wonder.”

“Aw, don’t give me that tone. I know you love me!”

“.....”

“Aw! Look at that! Your ears are red!”

“Please, just…… so you went to the store.”

“Right! So, we found something you might like! Since Shinobu and I agreed a long time ago that my haori would be hers next, we thought you might want your own so….”

“No way!”

“Ta-da! Your very own haori!”

“It’s beautiful!”

“Isn’t it! We thought you would like it! Plus it suits your entire vibe as a demon slayer!”

“This is incredible! Thank you!”

“You Chenya! How’ve you been?” Cater beamed on the other side of the phone.

“I’ve been better. Have you found anything?” Chenya asked.

He was in that room once more. The one he’d stayed in since that day. With curtains, he never opened and a bed barely slept on. Nobody questioned why he still occupied that room. There wasn’t a single person who had the nerve to do so. Not after the headmaster made it so clear that Chenya needed time to heal. Time to fully deal with being the one to find a murdered victim.

The crow still sat in his cage with a bowl for food and water sitting in front of it. And still, he was tied down and forced to be silent. Nothing about that had changed since the first night. With no new information given up. In fact, the crow had stayed silent the last few times Chenya tried to pry it out of him.

What a stubborn bird.

“Dang, not even a how are you,” Cater mumbled, although it seemed more like a tease than anything else.

Chenya rolled his eyes.

“Anyways, this isn’t much but I thought you might find this interesting,” Cater continued,” There’s a kid that goes to this school who looks weirdly like an older version of Riddle.”

Chenya’s mind blanked. There was no way Cater thought that was an actual hint. Then again, even hair color and eye color were weirdly distinct in this world. There were so many different varieties that Chenya stopped keeping track. And Riddle didn’t exactly have a common hair color either.

“Go on,” Chenya demanded.

“Right, I’ll send you a picture of him,” Cater said,” There’s a little bit more though. You see, this kid is a bit of a mystery to some of the house wardens. Apparently, Azul had been trying to pry information out about him and found that there isn’t a single person in this school who knows his full name.”

That’s…… really odd.

Chenya pulled up the photo as Cater went on, explaining what he knew about the boy. It was a pretty blurry photo, but that didn’t stop Chenya from immediately recognizing the red hair.

“The hair color definitely fits,” Chenya admitted,” But the rest I can’t tell. This photo’s kinda bad.”

“Sorry, I didn’t want to get caught,” Cater sighed,” Especially with the way Kocho is.”

“Kocho?” Chenya repeated.

“Right, that’s what everyone knows him as.”

“Kocho,” Chenya repeated again,” Is there any way I can see him for myself?”

“Actually, you’re in luck!” Cater beamed,” One of the new house wardens is throwing a party and everyone’s invited. And, considering the kind of person he is, I have no doubt he’ll be happy to have you join.”

Chenya’s ears perked up. A party at NRC? That will definitely be an experience. And he’ll get to check out this Kocho guy to see if he really looks like an older Riddle. If he doesn’t, then Chenya gets to have a fun time with Trey and Cater. So it’ll be a win-win situation even if the rest of the campus will probably give him trouble for it. At least it won’t be worse than what the bullies at RSA can do. Because at least they’re not personal about it.

Chenya’s eyes traveled over to the caged crow. It had yet to react to a single thing that was being said. That was something it had gotten so much better at. Nothing Chenya said would phase the bird, so he couldn’t just drop a name and expect it to react.

“Sounds like a blast,” Chenya said as a smile crept up his face.

Riddle had to be on this island. There was no other way that crow could have been here otherwise. Not with what Chenya was able to tell at least. So, as far-fetched as simply checking out a guy who looked like an older Riddle, it wasn’t as bad as it seemed.

And Chenya was going to find him. That he swore for his and Trey’s sake.

“Are you sure you want to come?” Neige asked as he stood in front of the mirror portal.

“Of course,” Dominic stated,” A friend of yours is a friend of mine. So I want to meet these friends of ours.”

There was a bit of hesitance to Dominic’s words. As if that wasn’t the only reason. Neige knew this to be true. Ever since he told Dominic about what he had to deal with under his manager, Dominic has been extremely protective. Especially when people touched Neige. Even if they’re light brushes on the shoulder.

Which is why, when Neige got an invite to a party at NRC by Ortho, Dominic would not let Neige go unless he too was there. So Neige agreed, though a bit reluctantly. Neige wasn’t sure how the NRC students would handle the two of them being there. They might act like complete jerks or they might act like some of Neige’s classmates did at the beginning of the year.

Actually, that might be why Dominic asked to come.

In Dominic’s hands were three boxes. Neige had asked what was in the boxes but Dominic refused to tell him. It worried Neige a little but he trusted Dominic. Out of the little family, Dominic was the one Neige trusted the most.

Neige and Dominic made their way through the mirror and found themselves in one of the mirror chambers of NRC. It was mostly empty with the expectation of four individuals. Kocho, Ortho, Vil, and Rook. A natural smile stretched across Neige’s lips, which did not go unnoticed by Dominic.

“Good afternoon Neige LeBlanche!” Ortho beamed, his yellow eyes glowing with excitement.

“Hi! How’ve you all been?” Neige asked.

“Weirdly busy these past few days,” Ortho replied,” I’ve been trying to teach Kocho how to make healing potions.”

“Hold on, when did this happen?” Vil asked.

“Don’t worry too much about it,” Kocho said before his eyes met Dominic’s.

Kocho tilted his head slightly to the side. Strands of his red hair swayed to the side and framed the curiosity in his grey eyes perfectly. It was cute, in a way.

“Whose this?” Ortho asked.

“Hello, my name is Dominic,” Dominic introduced,” I’ve heard a lot about you two from Neige and I wanted to meet you guys.”

“Aw! How doux!” Rook cooed.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you! I’m Ortho Shroud and this is Kocho!”

Kocho gave a little bow before Ortho pulled him over to the other two. Dominic gave the two a smile.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too! And it’s a pleasure to meet you two as well, Vil, Rook,” he said.

“My, you know my name?” Rook nearly beamed.

“I would know the president of Neige’s fan club anywhere,” Dominic explained,” Myself and some of the other dwarfs tend to keep an eye on you guys.”

Kocho’s stare turned blank as he turned and looked at Rook. Neige could practically hear his thoughts. It made him want to laugh. There was never a day where Kocho’s reactions to pop culture didn’t make his day. Especially when it came to the idol industry. After all, it’s not often where you’d meet someone completely untouched by it all.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Ortho spoke up,” What’s with those boxes?”

“Oh, they’re gifts,” Dominic replied, handing two of the boxes to Ortho and Kocho,” These are for you two. The other is for Jamil.”

“Speaking of, where is Jamil?” Neige asked.

“He has to help with the party,” Vil explained,” Considering how big it is, I’m certain he’s very busy.”

“Especially as the vice house warden of the hosting dorm,” Rook added.

Kocho and Neige’s eyes shot wide open as their attentions immediately snapped to Rook.

“Jamil’s a vice housewarden now? That’s so cool!” Neige beamed,” That sounds like something right up his alley.”

Kocho nodded his head, though he couldn’t help but feel a little conflicted. Why was he only hearing about this now? It was clear that he was given the role when the new house warden took his position. Considering what Kocho was told and what he saw. There wasn’t a single other reason Jamil would have become as busy as he’s been otherwise. So, while it was none of Kocho’s business, he couldn’t help but wonder. He couldn’t exactly be annoyed by it after all. Kocho was hiding so much after all.

Ortho and Kocho brought their attention back to the boxes Dominic gave them. They were cute black boxes with small white ribbons wrapped around them. Both boys opened the boxes, earning a squeal of sorts from Ortho. Inside were things very clearly personalized for each of them. A pin of a cloaked man on a boat in a pixel art style was given to Ortho. Ortho could recognize it any day. It was from an old game he and Idia loved to play. If Ortho’s mouth was visible, there was no doubt he’d be smiling ear to ear.

Kocho’s was a beautiful pair of lavender clips with wisteria made of crystals lining the sides. Just seeing them, it caused something in Kocho to sting. They were gorgeous and Kocho was so thankful for them. But there was this correlation that Kocho had never realized was there. With wisteria-based gifts and his sisters. Because he hadn’t received a gift like this since back when Kanae and Shinobu gifted him his haori.

It made Kocho want to cry a little as he put the clips on, pushing the bangs away from his face.

God he’s been doing that a lot, hasn’t he? It makes him feel like such a mess. Just think happy thoughts. At least he was now getting flashier. Like Uzui!

“Oh my sevens! This is so nice!” Ortho beamed,” Thank you so much!”

Kocho gave another bow. Dominic couldn’t help but smile at the two.

“I’m glad you like them,” Dominic said.

“We should get going,” Vil said,” The party’s going to start soon.”

“I’m surprised you're going,” Neige commented,” I mean no offense, but I didn’t think you’d be the type to go to one of these.”

“You’re right, I’m not. I have more important things to do than something like this,” Vil stated,” Unfortunately a certain Cephalopod is going to be there and I’d like to keep an eye on him.”

Cephalopod?

“Ah yes! Roi d’Effort truly is the troublesome kind,” Rook nodded along.

Kocho’s face went red.

“Wait! Hold on….!”

“This isn’t about you,” Vil stated.

“Completely,” Rook added.

“I have my own vendetta against Octavinelle’s housewarden,” Vil explained.

It didn’t make Kocho any less embarrassed.

Neige crept up next to Kocho.

“Who are they talking about?”

“Remember Azul Ashengrotto? The guy Viper and I keep complaining about?” Kocho asked

“Oh yeah! The one from your class that interrogated you both against your will!” Neige replied.

“Yeah, him.”

“Come along, we’re early enough to be fashionably late,” Vil stated.

Vil and Rook left the room with Ortho not far behind them. Neige was about to follow, but Kocho signaled him to stay put. That there was something he wished to speak of privately. Dominic looked at the two in confusion, but Neige just reassured him and told him to go with the others. Neige and Kocho will catch up. So Dominic left, though a bit hesitantly.

With a loud thud of the door, Neige and Kocho were alone. It made Neige a little anxious, though he did not know why. He’d had serious conversations with Kocho before. This was nothing new.

“What’s wrong?” Neige asked.

“I’ve decided I want to tell Viper about being a demon slayer,” Kocho said.

Neige’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Huh, this is sudden,” Neige commented,” Can I ask why?”

“It’s nothing big,” Kocho said,” I just feel he has the right to know since he's chosen to be friends this long.”

Sadness stretched across his grey eyes as they tried to avoid eye contact. The same way someone guilty of a crime might do.

“I feel he has the every right to know,” Kocho repeated.

Neige nodded his head. The rest of the conversation didn’t need to be said. He was willing to help Kocho get a moment alone with Jamil to talk about it. Though Neige didn’t understand much of Kocho’s thought process behind this. Or anything he does admittedly. Regardless, Neige would do whatever he could.

A part Neige felt like he had to, no matter what.

“Alright! I’m at your command! Tell me what you need me to do.”

Hundreds of different scents flooded the kitchen with hundreds of voices accompanying them. Students of the Scarabia dorm we scurrying around, doing their best to finish the last-minute preparations. Jamil stood over one of the stoves, doing his best to focus on the food. It didn’t help drown out the fear that was clawing at his mind. Leaving scars of nothing but memories that made it stronger. But sevens did Jamil try to push it away. Everything would be fine, he had to tell himself. He barely had time to though. The reassurance kept getting in the way of his work. So, just like the rest of the day, he had to do what he was told with nothing but fear keeping him company.

Scenario after scenario played in his head like a terrible movie. Each one showing him what will happen once this party is over. With Kocho and Neige always siding with Kalim about everything. Throwing away what friendship they had with Jamil for even just a shed of what Kalim could give them. It always ended like that.

Despite Ortho constantly telling him otherwise, Jamil couldn’t help but believe it to be true. The fear had become less about what could happen and more about when.

“Jamil! You almost finished?”

“Just about.”

The dorm was far different than what Chenya was expecting. With a golden glow and the desert surrounding it. There was something so grand about it too. And it looked so new. Chenya was a little jealous. To have a dorm look this cool, Night Raven must have spent so much on it.

Every student he passed gave Chenya a dirty look, but they didn’t dare go near him. Not when Cater and Trey were walking with him. This too made Chenya a little jealous. Nobody at Night Raven wants to mess with a house warden and vice house warden, so nobody would mess with Chenya as long as he stayed with them. Royal Sword students would never leave Chenya alone if they wished to mess with him. So it was weirdly refreshing to only get glares.

“Cater, correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think Scarabia’s dorm used to look like this,” Trey said.

“Right you are,” Cater replied,” I think the Asim family made renovations from what I heard.”

“Renovations would be a humble way of putting it,” Trey muttered before his attention went to Chenya,” Are you doing alright?”

“Yep!” Chenya beamed,” Never better!”

Trey gave Chenya a look that just screamed he didn’t believe Chenya. But Chenya just responded with a teasing grin. Truthfully, this was the first social gathering he’d been to since the incident a few weeks prior. Made him a little nervous, but that didn’t exactly compare to the buzzing nerves that were running rampant because of why he was really there. He knew it wasn’t exactly the best to keep his hopes up, especially with the disappointment that filled the years before. But he couldn’t help it. Not with how exciting it was to get another clue. Chenya didn’t even question how Cater knew this Kocho kid would be at the party, that’s how much noise filled his mind.

The three made their way into the building. There, a boy with white hair and a smile that could rival the sun greeted them.

“Cater! Glad to see you could make it!” the boy beamed.

“I’m happy to be here!” Cater beamed back,” It’s been a while since I’ve been to a party that wasn’t for my own dorm.”

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Kalim,” Trey said,” I’ve heard many things about you.”

“Really? I didn’t know that many people talked about me,” Kalim said, a little bashful,” You’re the vice housewarden of Heartslabyul right? What was your name again? It’s on the tip of my tongue. Oh right! Trey Clover right?”

“Yeah, that’s me,” Trey replied a little bashfully.

“And what about you?” Kalim asked, turning his attention to Chenya,” I haven’t seen that uniform before so I don’t think I’ll know your name. Sorry about that.”

“No worries!” Chenya replied,” I won’t expect you to! My name’s Artemiy Artemiyevich Pinker! But my friends call me Chenya so you can just call me that!”

“Artemiy Artem….. Dang that’s a confusing name,” Kalim admitted,” It’s a pleasure to meet ya!”

It was weird, Chenya found, that Kalim didn’t care that Chenya wasn’t from NRC. Not to mention the bright smile and friendly demeanor. He was the exact opposite of almost every other Night Raven student. Cater was the only one that even came close and even then there were clear traits that made him a NRC student. Kalim had none of that. It made Chenya a bit curious about the boy and how he got to this school.

“You know, you're not the first non-NRC student to come today,” Kalim commented,” Nothing wrong with that. The more the merrier. Just curious though, are you also a Royal sword student?”

“That I am,” Chenya replied.

“Wait did you say also?” Cater asked,” As in, there’s another Royal Sword student here?”

“Two actually!” Kalim replied,” Isn’t that cool! One of them’s even Neige LeBlanche of all people!”

Chenya’s thoughts almost stopped all at once. Neige? Here? Why was he here of all places? That just does not seem like him. He wasn’t a party person. Not willingly at least.

“Neige? THE Neige?!” Cater almost yelled,” What’s he doing here?”

“I think one of Pomefiore’s students invited him,” Kalim replied,” He came in with Vil, Rook, Ortho, and Kocho. So it might have been one of them. Same with the other Royal Sword student.”

Kocho?

Neige was with Kocho?

“Not really my business. I’m just glad they came,” Kalim added,” Same with you, Chenya. I’m glad you came!”

His smile lit up even more. Chenya had no idea how. It really was like the sun had come down to greet them and it made Chenya feel all warm and fuzzy.

“Anyways, I’ve got more guests to greet. Help yourself to any of our food. Jamil’s been helping make everything for the party and his stuff is the best! See ya!”

Kalim left the group to do as they pleased with a pep in every step. So the boys made their way through the halls and to the main room. Chenya was mentally preparing himself for whatever was going to happen, as each person they passed could not stop talking about how Neige was there. Cater gave him a worried smile as if to ask if Chenya was okay. He just got a nod and a grin in reply, so Cater didn’t push it further.

The main room was crowded, with people from every dorm filling every corner. A table covered in food lined one of the walls and every couch had people on it. Chenya could feel the air of the party easily with all the chatter and colorful decorations. It was incredible really. But Chenya couldn’t exactly care at that moment. He gave Cater a look, and one Cater understood immediately.

Cater scanned the room as best he could before his eyes caught onto a blonde Pomefiore member. He ushered Chenya to follow as he weaved his way through the crowd. Trey followed the two, a little curious about what they were up to.

“Yo Vil,” Cater called out.

The tall boy turned to Cater, giving him his best customer service smile.

“Good afternoon Cater, Trey,” he said,” Why do you both have a Royal Sword Academy student with you?”

“Oh, Chenya!”

A small fae peaked his head from around Vil, trying his hardest to make himself visible, surprising the three boys.

“Hey, Dominic! Didn’t expect you here,” Chenya said.

The dwarf nodded his head.

“Same with you,” Dominic said,” What are you doing here?”

“Cay-Cay invited me!” Chenya replied, trying his hardest to keep up a cheerful grin as he gestured to his friends,” Cater, Trey. This is Dominic. He’s one of Neige’s friends!”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you!” Dominic beamed.

“Where’s Neige?” Chenya asked,” I couldn’t imagine you coming here without him. Plus a little birdy told us he was here.”

“He, Ortho, and Kocho went off to do their own thing,” Vil replied,” Most likely to find Jamil.”

“Ortho I can understand being with Neige,” Cater commented,” But why is Kocho with him? Actually, why is Kocho here?”

Did Cater not think about this before? Was he just assuming Kocho would be here? Chenya couldn’t help but wonder. Or was he just pretending not to know because the way he got that info wasn’t exactly the best?

Chenya really had no idea. Nor did he exactly care to give it any more thought after a couple of seconds.

“No offense to him, of course,” Trey added.

“None taken, I’m sure,” Vil replied,” As for why he’s here, Kalim personally invited him.”

“Didn’t he personally invite all of us?” Cater asked.

“He personally invited all the housewardens,” Vil corrected,” And told us to spread the word.”

“Gotcha gotcha,” Cater hummed.

Chenya continued to listen as the boys spoke, but then something caught him off guard. The very familiar scent of wisteria, though faint, had found its way to him. Even with the hundreds of people who should have overpowered it, Chenya could still make it out clear as day. His eyes traveled across the room, trying to make out what direction it had come from. This smell of wisteria. One so similar to whoever was hiding within the trees weeks prior. And who was hiding in the mirror chamber a few days before then? He was here.

Piercing grey eyes met a familiar black-haired boy.

As well as a boy with red hair and a butterfly clip.

Both in the direction of the wisteria scent.

Chenya’s body moved before a thought could be processed. With each step, the smell grew stronger. Neige was laughing and smiling brightly, far more so than Chenya had ever seen. And the red-haired boy. His expression was soft with nothing but happiness. It was an expression so weirdly familiar.

No doubt about it.

This was Kocho.

Grey eyes shot in Chenya’s direction, erasing all proof that the boy was happy and replacing it with a guarded look. Neige noticed immediately and turned to look at Chenya. While Neige’s smile didn’t disappear, it did change.

“Chenya! Hi!” Neige beamed,” What are you doing here?”

Chenya replied with the same thing he told Vil, though in a bit more detail. But his eyes never left Kocho. With every second that passed, Chenya noticed more and more details. Kocho’s stature was small compared to everyone else, just like Riddle. His eyes were the same shape. And those strands of hair that Chenya always teased Riddle about for looking like the antennas of a bug. It was all the same.

This was him. It had to be.

Kocho took in every one of Chenya’s movements. The slight stretch of the grin that turned more and more sinister the longer Kocho looked at it and the piercing yellow eyes that seemed to see everything. He was uncomfortable. Extremely so. To be under the watchful eye of one of the few who could recognize him, made that fear from day 1 slowly rise back up.

Thankfully, Kocho didn’t have to worry for long.

“Guys! Guys!” Ortho beamed, flying into the trio’s little circle,” I got good news! The kitchen staff are taking a break right now so we can go ‘bother’ Jamil Viper!”

“Wonderful!” Neige beamed,” It was wonderful seeing you again Chenya! Kocho! Let’s go!”

Neige was quick to grab Kocho’s hand and drag him out of the room. Chenya’s eyes didn’t leave the two until they were completely out of sight. But once they were, it left Chenya thinking. So Riddle was the boy who smelled of wisteria. It now made sense as to why that crow was there that night. In that horribly destroyed section of the forest.

Actually, why was Riddle there that night?

Kocho couldn’t help but feel relieved when they were out of Chenya’s gaze. Neige’s grip loosened as his sprint turned to a walk. He gave Kocho a reassuring smile. Ortho wasn’t too far behind the two. Though he was quite surprised by Neige’s actions. He stumbled a bit to slow down, nearly flying into Kocho as he did.

“My apologies!” Ortho squeaked out,” What was that about?”

“Sorry!” Neige said as he let go of Kocho’s hand,” Chenya just seemed really interested in Kocho for whatever reason and I thought that it was making him uncomfortable. Again, I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” Ortho asked,” If he was making Kocho uncomfortable, what you did was a good thing!”

“Well, I kinda assumed so…”

“No you were right,” Kocho interrupted,” You have my thanks.”

Ortho gave a confused glance while Neige’s smile just grew.

“I’m glad,” Neige said before taking Kocho’s hand once more into his,” If anything like that happens again, please tell me. It’s my job as your friend to help you! No matter what!”

He spoke the last three words with such assurance and determination. Putting emphasis on each word. It was said in such a way that it gave Kocho chills.

“Okay,” he replied.

“Thank you.”

In that instant, Kocho remembered something. He’d been so caught up with his own thoughts these past weeks that Kocho completely forgot that Chenya and Neige knew each other.

Which meant….

“Before we meet up with Viper, can I ask you for a favor, LeBlanche?” Kocho spoke up.

“Hm? Of course! What is it?” Neige asked.

“Remember when I mentioned I have yet to find my crow Kuroba?”

Neige nodded his head.

“When Kaname came here, he told me a demon with purple cat features had kidnapped Kuroba,” Kocho explained,” Now, Kaname doesn’t know about beastmen, and his location at the time was exactly where you were attacked by the demon.”

Neige’s eyes widened.

“Chenya kidnapped Kuroba?!” Neige tried not to yell.

Kocho nodded his head.

“I see,” Neige muttered,” I’ll do what I can to save him then!”

“Thank you,” Kocho said, his smile growing,” That was all. Let’s go see Viper!”

Neige’s smile grew once more as he dragged Kocho to the kitchen. There was a bounce in every step and a gleam in his brown eyes.
Ortho flew next to Kocho and sent him a confused look. So Kocho whispered to him as quietly as possible.

“Old friend of mine,” he said,” Kuroba had something of mine that only he would recognize.”

Ortho’s eyes widened.

“Oh!”

The three finally made it to the kitchen where they saw Jamil leaning against the counter, catching his breath. His skin shined from how much he was sweating. Which wasn’t too surprising considering how hot the kitchen was. Even Kocho was starting to sweat and he just got there.

“Jamil!” Neige beamed.

Jamil nearly jumped in surprise as he turned to glare at the three boys. But it softened immediately, bringing back the exhausted expression he had before.

“What are you three doing back here?” Jamil asked,” Kitchen access is restricted to only Scarabia students.”

“Do you realize how many rules we’ve broken since we’ve become friends?” Kocho asked with a smirk,” Bold of you to assume we’d listen to this one!”

“We haven’t broken that many,” Neige tried to argue.

“I beg to differ,” Jamil said, a smile slowly creeping up,” All of our hangouts break at least something.”

“I believe Vil Schoenheit gave up enforcing curfew rules after a while,” Ortho mentioned.

“You think he still doesn’t try?” Kocho asked.

“I’m surprised he still does,” Jamil commented.

“Vil’s a passionate person, so it really shouldn’t be a surprise!” Neige said,” Especially when it comes to the pursuit of beauty!”

Kocho really didn’t want to tell them the actual reason.

“Anyway we haven’t seen you in a bit! How’ve you been?” Neige asked,” We heard you became the new Vice Housewarden!”

“Lucky,” Kocho grumbled,” Now Ashengrotto can’t bother you as much.”

“Oh if only that were the case,” Jamil hummed.

“Oh lord, what did he do?” Kocho asked.

“Just saying, we might have to deal with another ‘meeting’ soon,” Jamil sighed.

Kocho groaned.

“Suddenly I’m so much happier that Shoenheit has something against Ashengrotto.”

Neige giggled.

“I’m curious about this Ashengrotto guy,” Neige hummed.

“Avoid him at all cost, please,” Jamil said immediately,” For your safety and sanity.”

“He’s a sleazy guy,” Kocho added,” The kind that will do anything to get what he wants out of you.”

Neige’s smile grew.

“Aw! Are you both worried about me?”

“Yes, now trust us when we say don’t talk to him,” Kocho admits.

For whatever reason, Neige felt his face grow slightly hot. He’s not exactly sure why.

“Aw! Is the great Neige LeBlanche all flustered cause someone said they care about him?” Jamil teased,” I’ve never seen your face so red before!”

“How cute!” Kocho teased.

“Shush!” Neige yelled, his face getting redder,” I was trying to say I want to tell Ashengrotto to stop messing with you guys!”

“The sentiment is appreciated but it’d only make things worse,” Jamil shot down Neige’s suggestion,” If Azul were to learn of our friendship with you, he’d try and get to you through us.”

“As someone who has looked into Azul Ashengrotto quite a bit, I can confirm Jamil Viper’s claim,” Ortho confirmed.

“Aw!” Neige complained,” And I was so ready to let him have it too!”

“Let him have what? A stern talking too?” Jamil asked.

“Last I checked I could ruin Azul’s image easily if I so wanted,” Neige pointed out with a grin.

Jamil looked at Neige in complete surprise.

“Please don’t,” Kocho groaned.

“Don’t worry I won’t,” Neige resurred,” I’m just saying Azul most definitely doesn’t want to mess with me and, by extension, all of you.”

“Neige LeBlanche is saying he cares for us!” Ortho beamed.

Neige’s face grew red again.

“SHUSH!”

“This is entertaining when I’m not the one getting teased,” Kocho chuckled.

“I don’t tease you that much,” Jamil denied.

Kocho gave him a glare that said ‘screw you’, which caused Jamil to laugh. This was nice. Just talking with his friends like normal. With no worries of the world and what holds him down in shackles. It was the taste of the brief freedom he once had. Without the worry of loss that’s plagued him. Jamil fell into the familiar pattern naturally. Of banter and carefree laughter.

Ortho cleared his throat, snapping Jamil out of his thoughts.

“This has been fun and all, but I have to be heading out now.”

“You’re not staying?” Jamil asked.

“Unfortunately. My brother has been working on something recently and I’m supposed to help him. He just gave me some time to come here and that time is up. I’ll see you all in the next few days or so! Bye!”

The boys waved as Ortho left the room, leaving Jamil behind with his worries. Now it was just him, Kocho, and Neige. And it only made his nerves buzz so much more than before. Yet he couldn’t help but get into the rhythm of things once more. Like it still was before Kalim ever came to NRC. It wasn’t even that long ago, Jamil realized. But it felt like so long. He could feel every second that passed by in agony.

“These are new,” Jamil commented as he tapped the wisteria hairclips Kocho wore,” They’re a bit flashier than what I would expect from Vil. What exactly is he trying on you this time?”

For some reason, Kocho’s eyes lit up in excitement.

“One of my family members made them!” Neige beamed,” He made you something too!”

“They’re from you?!”

“I can grab Dominic for ya! He has yours with him.”

“Dominic? Whose Dominic?”

“I think he’s tired of our teasing,” Kocho whispered.

By the time Kocho finished his sentence, Neige was already out the door. Immediately after, Kalim walked in and Kocho went silent. All the buzzing within turned to sirens. Screaming over and over again as his fear took complete hold of his mind.

Kocho gave Kalim a curious look and kept himself guarded. He had no idea what to expect from this guy. Happy-go-lucky he was but what else was he? There had to be more to him. Especially with how Jamil’s mood immediately switched when Kalim walked into the room.

“Kocho! Kocho! Hi!” Kalim beamed,” Glad I finally found ya!”

“Kalim, what are you doing back here?” Jamil asked.

“I was looking for Kocho!” Kalim replied,” I wanna get to know your friend and I thought now would be a good time!”

Jamil felt as though a bee had stung him close to the heart.

“Are there not more people out there to greet?” Jamil asked.

“Nah! I was able to talk to everyone!” Kalim replied,” Plus Vil seems to be keeping an eye on things so I can handle a quick conversation!”

Another sting.

“SO!” Kalim beamed,” Tell me about yourself!”

Kocho gave him a blank stare before gesturing for Kalim to go first.

“Oh! Well,” Kalim hummed,” I don’t know if there’s a lot to say. Oh! I have a lot of younger siblings! I love playing with all of them! Though I’ve lost track of how many. Dad keeps getting with new women every month or so. But I remembered all of their names and every one of their favorite games!”

Kocho felt something within him that he couldn’t quite grasp.

“Some of them get into trouble from time to time. I remember just a month ago one of them got kidnapped and I had to go help them.”

“Did you not wait for the guards to save them?” Jamil asked.

He could feel his life of servitude force his thoughts on how he should have stopped Kalim, despite the fact that he wasn’t even there. Jamil was at Night Raven. But the habit and fear of what could have happened to Jamil was still there. The kind that only appeared when he made a mistake in front of Kalim’s father.

The kind that plagued every phone call to his family that was never picked up.

“They would have been too late,” Kalim replied,” If my siblings are in trouble, no matter what their mother’s side of the family has done to me, I will help them.”

There was that feeling again. It was familiarity. Dejavu if you would. Kocho felt he had this conversation before with someone. But with who?

“Kalim please be careful in the future,” Jamil said,’ I know you love your family but your father would be distraught if you got hurt.”

“I know, I know,” Kalim sighed,” But I’d rather me get hurt and they survive than see another one of my siblings die, y’know?”

Another one?

“Still,” Jamil mumbled.

“I’ve had so many people support me in my life,” Kalim continued,” And I’m so very thankful for it. So I want to give all my support to everyone else.”

“It’s because of the people around me! There are so many people who support me that I have to support others as well. I’m a lucky person Riddle. My family was a loving family and my sister is very kind. She deserves to become human again.”

Kocho’s eyes widened as he finally recognized why. White hair changed to red and black in Kocho’s mind as a green checkered haori wrapped around Kalim. He could see it so clearly now. Though Kalim acted more carefree, there was no doubt the two boys were similar. In their love for their family and their personality that shined brighter than the sun. Kocho could feel his expression soften as the next words slipped out with ease.

“If you don’t mind, I would like to hear more about your family.”

Jamil’s eyes widened as he whipped his head around to look at Kocho. It felt as though time froze, taking in the pain that shot through Jamil’s mind with sadistic glee as he saw it. A soft smile with a gentle expression that held nothing but care. Like Kocho had known Kalim for years and was speaking to an old friend. The same way Kocho spoke to Neige the first day Jamil met the black-haired boy.

The second time started once more everything in his mind shattered. He couldn’t even focus on what Kalim spoke of. All he could feel was the betrayal of his own emotions. To think he ever thought Kocho would be different. How stupid could Jamil be? Everyone was the same. They were all after the same thing. Kocho’s upbringing changes none of that.

With the shattering came the numbness that forced him through the rest of the party. Not a word was comprehended other than orders. His body worked on its own just like it always does. These mindless tasks. While his head kept everything up, ready to completely burst once he was alone once more. In his room with no one to comfort him and thoughts about the bleak future ahead.

Kocho and Neige tried to grab Jamil’s attention as the party went on, but nothing worked. Nothing took the boy out of his mind. Out of that blank expression phased by nothing. Before any of them knew it, the sun had set. While the party continued, Jamil crept away into his room. Alone. He just couldn’t take it anymore. Jamil had to let it out. Cry over his own foolishness and something he should have known he would lose.

It was just his luck, wasn’t it? That they would follow.

“Viper,” Kocho said,” I know you’re tired but can we talk?”

“I brought Dominic’s gift for you!” Neige beamed,” Where do you want me to put it?”

Jamil did not reply. He couldn’t. Not without breaking. He couldn’t let this out to the world. Then everyone would know he hated Kalim and the Asims. Jamil would lose everything if that were to happen. And Kalim’s father would make sure he could never get back up. But it was becoming too much. Far too much.

“Jamil is something wrong?” Neige asked.

“Leave me alone.”

“Hm?”

“I said leave me alone!” Jamil yelled.

Both boys stared at Jamil in complete shock.

“Jamil?”

“You’ll only make things worse so just go!”

“Where is this coming from?” Kocho asked quietly.

“Where is this coming from? Where is this coming from?!” Jamil raised his voice as he spoke,” I don’t know! Maybe it’s because a certain someone decided the rich kid was trustworthy after he dragged my life through he hades forsaken mud!”

Kocho’s eyes widened.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice Kocho,” Jamil hissed,” You took so long to open up to everyone in this school yet the second some naive rich kid appears you open up easily. Don’t think I didn’t see the way you looked at him. I know that look anywhere!”

“Viper.”

“You’re just like everybody else.”

“Viper.”

“You’ll do anything for the sake of money.”

“VIPER!”

“Am I wrong?” Jamil asked as he stalked up to Kocho.

His entire body was completely covered in shadow, with only his eyes reflecting light. It made him look like a snake stalking its prey.

“Why would that matter?” Kocho asked,” And what are you even talking about?”

“Don’t act dumb. The only other time I’ve seen you with that expression was when I first met Neige,” Jamil growled,” Mind you, he’s also rich.”

Neige tried to interrupt, but Jamil stopped him.

“Do you realize how many people are just like you? Willing to throw away perfectly good relationships just for the chance to get in the good graces of the rich,” Jamil continued to yell,” I would know! All of my friends left me for Kalim!”

Anger flashed across Kocho’s face as Jamil continued.

“You’re all the lowest of the low. Only making friends with those you can benefit from!”

Neige gasped.

“After all, what can’t money get you?” Jamil hissed,” Money makes the world go round, doesn’t it? Why make actual friends when you can simply extort those around you, right?”

“Shut up!” Kocho snapped,” What do you know?”

“I know people like you,” Jamil yelled,” I’m surrounded by people like you!”

“There isn’t a single thing I want that Asim can get me,” Kocho yelled back.

“Oh yeah? And what’s so special about you that what you desire can’t be bought with just enough money? Don’t lie to me. You’re using everyone around you to get what you want. You have Vil Schoenheit caring about you and Neige LeBlanche as a friend. What’s one more person to use, right?”

“Well, Asim isn’t exactly a miracle worker who can bring the dead back to life now can he?” Kocho snapped.

Jamil went silent as his eyes widened in complete shock.

“And he can’t exactly get rid of Muzan Kibutsuji can he?” Kocho continued on in anger,” Do you know how many people have trained their lives away just to get rid of that demon only to die at the hands of demons barely considered lower moons? No. No, you don’t. Because you know nothing! What’s one rich kid going to do that hundreds fueled with hatred haven’t already tried?!”

“Demons?”

“And that expression you were talking about earlier? It’s because both Leblanche and Asim remind me of friends that I care dearly for. It just so happens Asim’s the spitting image of Tanjiro!”

“Like that would make you trust them enough to speak and smile! How long did it take everyone else here to get that out of you?”

“Tanjiro and Kanroji are the most positive people I know! With all the shit demons have put us through, of course, I would be drawn to people who make the situation so much easier. They aren’t the only ones like this either. They’re just…..”

“And why in hades would I believe you?” Jamil growled,” Demons? Is this some sort of fantasy to you? The only demons that exist are demons like you!”

“Jamil!” Neige yelled,” Please stop!”

Jamil glared at Neige.

“You actually believe what he’s saying?”

“Of course I do! The only reason we even met in the first place is because he saved me from one!”

Neige immediately shut himself up as the whole room froze. Jamil looked at Neige in shock while Kocho refused to look at either of the boys. He was shaking slightly and tears were starting to prick from his eyes.

“What I would do to bring Kanae back,” Kocho whispered before pushing Jamil away and running out the door.

“Kocho wait!” Neige called out as he chased after Kocho.

“Hold on! What do you mean he saved you from one?”

Neige stopped as he debated what to say. What to reveal. Before he spoke once more.

“They’re terrifying creatures, Jamil. The one I saw was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. And to hear them describe how they’re going to kill you as they hold you in their grasp. Telling you how they’re going to decorate the trees with your corpse. It…. wasn’t nice.”

Neige bolted out of the room without another word, leaving Jamil alone in the darkness. He was still pissed. Really, he had been so stupid to believe in Kocho at all. Jamil had been so stupid.

But what Neige said. It brought Jamil down to earth. The realization of what he had just done drove into Jamil like a bullet. How stupid could he be? To push Neige away too. Now Jamil had nothing once more. And the only person he could blame was himself. How stupid could he be?

Jamil was quick to shut and lock the door before curling up in his bed once more. It stung so badly. Everything that happened that day only bit every shred of that sweet freedom away. Until there was nothing. He had driven it away into nothing. He was still mad at Kocho. Oh was he still mad at Kocho. But Jamil should have fought harder to keep Kocho and Kalim away. He should have done a better job at keeping this from ever happening. But now he ruined everything.

Just because he couldn’t hold it together.

Something white caught Jamil’s attention, bringing him out of his self-inflicted agony. A black box with a white ribbon sat on his bedside table. It was the one Neige had brought in. Carefully, Jamil picked up the small black box and opened it. Inside was a necklace with parrot charms. All handmade and masterfully crafted.

Jamil’s breath hitched as the pain struck once more. He placed the box back on the table and curled up into a ball once more. Allowing every thought before to strike him even more than before for his stupidity. And, just like every night before, Jamil allowed the tears to flow freely as he cried himself to sleep.

The moonlight glistened and brought with it the dreadful night. Kocho lay in his bed as Kaname watched the boy carefully. All of his hair clips were thrown to the side, though not without caution. The redhead hadn’t moved since he got back. And he hadn’t stopped crying either. Kaname wanted to do something to reassure the boy. But words could not form properly. He wasn’t his master. He knew not how to do this. But he knew how to sit and listen. So, Kaname flew next to Kocho and sat himself on his bedside table.

“If you would like to talk about it, I’m willing to lend an ear.”

Kocho smiled slightly behind the tears. The light of the moon reflected on them, making them shine and making Kocho look so much more like a mess.

“Thank you,” he mumbled,” It’s just… where do I start? I just…. Haven’t felt this homesick in a while. I could handle it because I had people here to help me if I needed it. But now…..”

Kocho sniffed as his voice cracked.

“I miss everyone. I miss Shinobu. I miss Aoi constantly using me whenever someone was being annoying. I miss the Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho trying their best to support everyone. I miss Kanao randomly joining my training sessions. I miss Kanroji and Tanjiro’s positivity. I miss Uzui’s constant speeches about being flashy. I miss Iguro and his snake coming to critique my training whenever. I even miss Tokito’s rude comments every time I train and Inosuke and Zenitsu’s bickering. I miss going on missions and killing demons. I miss the life I had! I just….”

It was like something had wrapped itself around Kocho’s lungs. He was struggling to breathe between tears. Kaname waited for the boy, not rushing him as he caught his breath and cried his final words.

“I just wanna go home!”

Neige couldn’t help but feel fear and darkness within. His two best friends had fought and now Neige doubted they’d ever talk again. And that fed the darkness. He couldn’t lose his friends. There’s no way he could. The voice in his head tried to drag him back to the depths, telling him it was his fault. He should have been a better friend. But Neige knew that wasn’t true. That was selfish to think of. To think it was solely his fault. Clearly, something else had caused Jamil to snap.

But Neige needed to fix it. Yes, yes! He had to fix it. These were his friends after all! The ones that helped him to understand how truly dark his life had been. They had been the ones to make Neige realize he needed to break free, even if they didn’t know it. So he had to do something to help them! Because Neige wasn’t, under any circumstances, letting those two go.

No matter what, Neige was going to fix this. By any means necessary.

As Neige closed his eyes to sleep, he allowed his mind to wonder to every single way he could do this. And, before he knew it, his eyes opened up to his unique magic. The world turned to that of a dream and heeded his wishes.

Chapter Text

“Hey! Hey! Iguro! Riddle! Look! The lights of the town don’t reach this far so we can actually see the stars!”

“That you can.”

“Aren’t they beautiful? Oh! That one waved at us!”

“Waved?”

“Yep! When a star twinkles, that means someone who's already dead is waving!”

“I don’t think that’s how stars work.”

“But it’s a nice thought, isn’t it? That all of our friends and family who’ve passed are the stars that watch us. I like to think of it that way at least. Cause then I know they’ll always be with me and that I’ll always have their support.”

“That’s definitely one way of thinking about it.”

“Hey! Maybe when I pass I’ll be a star watching over both of you! I’ll try to wave to you guys as much as I can to show my support!”

“Why wait for death for that? You can support us now can’t you?”

“Of course I do that too! But why stop at death? Why not continue supporting even when my…”

“Do you really think Kanae is watching?”

“...”

“Of course! I bet she’s always watching you and everyone in the butterfly mansion. And I bet she’s really proud of you and how far you’ve come! I know I am! Aren’t you Iguro?”

“...You’ve definitely improved.”

“See!”

“....Thank you. I’m sure everyone up there is proud of you too.”

“Aw! You don’t have to say it just because I did.”

“He’s right you know.”

“AW! Well if both of you say it I have to believe it!”

All three of the boys stood in their hiding spot, completely frozen. The dark hallways of Scarabia seemed to contort in on itself, trapping them in their minds as they spiraled. Dominic almost had tears streaming down his face as he held back audible sobs. Vil couldn’t blame him. Not after what they just overheard. To learn your loved one was almost torn away from you in cold blood is something Vil didn’t wish upon anyone. But Vil couldn’t comfort Dominic with how his own thoughts were running. He had so many questions now. All of them begging to get answered right now. Or at least tell him this was a sick joke. Everything that was said. It insinuated something vile.

“I... I have to go,” Dominic muttered.

“Arret,” Rook demanded, making the dwarf stop what he was doing,” Be careful with your next choice. Correct me if I’m wrong, but Roi de Neige wouldn’t exactly be happy to know we eavesdropped on such a personal endeavor.”

“What do you mean careful? Neige nearly died and told no one. I mean I know I was suspecting something like this just from context clues but it’s an entirely different thing to hear him admit it!” Dominic nearly yelled.

“Keep your voice down,” Vil demanded,” Rook’s right. As much as I want to ask Kocho about all of this, now is not the time.”

“But…”

“Think rationally for a second Dominic. Neige might be losing two of his friends due to an argument. If he learns you overheard, it’ll only hurt him further,” Vil explained,” Are you willing to do that to somebody you love?”

Push your thoughts down, Vil. Now isn’t the time to be caught up with yourself. All those questions can be asked later. There are others suffering far more than you are because of this. They are to come first.

Dominic stared at Vil with wide eyes before a sad look took over. The dwarf’s eyes started to shine with tears as he looked away from the two boys.

“I know,” he whispered,” I’m just…. Frustrated. Why didn’t Neige tell us this before? Why did he hide something so horrible? We’re his family, yet he didn’t trust us enough to tell us any of this? I just don’t understand. It’s just like…. Before.”

His eyes widened as he spoke. Just like before. When Neige told Dominic about what happened with his manager. There was some sort of fear as Neige spoke of it. As if there was something to fear by telling his family that these things happened to him. Dominic could only imagine that it may have been that same feeling.

“I have to go,” he whispered once more,” I promise I won’t tell Neige. I just wish to be there for him.”

Though Vil wasn’t completely convinced, he nodded his head and didn’t say another word as the little fae left. Purple eyes just stared into the direction Dominic ran, completely absent-minded. He couldn’t help himself as he delved back into these thoughts. With questions upon questions never allowing him to even try and answer. It was hard to stop them even for a second until Rook spoke up.

“What troubles you, Roi du Poison?” he asked.

“You already know,” Vil replied,” That potato has caused so much trouble for us.”

“Yet it is we who actively seek it,” Rook pointed out,” Every moment and instance of where this petite papillon gave us grief, were we not the ones who chose to stay?”

Vil couldn’t help but sigh.

“And now we must choose,” Rook said.

“And what exactly are we choosing?” Vil asked.

Rook’s smile grew as the moonlight danced along his skin, causing it to glow. Vil couldn’t help but become entranced with the blond’s vibrant green eyes as it read him easily. Like a book in a language only understood by the hunter.

“Roi du Poison, these waters have long been inhabited by something far more dangerous than we can comprehend,” Rook explained,” This is just the first time we dove deep enough to see it. It is simply a glance. A warning sign if you will. But we both know what will happen if we go any further.”

“I’m not sure what danger you’re talking about….”

“You still need time to think about it, I realize,” Rook interrupted,” But, my beautiful Vil, I believe your choice has already been made. You didn’t consider there to be any other option, after all.”
Vil couldn’t help but laugh a little but his mind was growing weary. It had been a long night, and his mind was taking up so much energy. Besides, it was getting late for Vil.

But something nagged him in the back of his mind. Something Vil deemed important.

“Do not worry about Monsieur Butterfly,” Rook reassured,” Your beauty mustn’t be sacrificed. En plus, you require time to process everything we’ve acquired before speaking with the petite papillon. Fear not, I will go speak with him.”

Vil nodded his head before his eyes widened as he watched Rook walk away.

“Speak with him? I thought we didn’t want him to know we eavesdropped.”

Rook smirked.

“You underestimate our beautiful papillon,” Rook replied.

With that, Rook left Vil by himself as he made his way to the mirror chamber. While he wasn’t fairing any better than his housewarden, Rook knew he was far better suited for what he was about to do. Because he knew far longer than Vil that looking too far into Kocho’s life would bring nothing but danger. In fact, he knew since the very beginning. Those wounds so filled with torment yet on the one who looked so ready to fight once more. Even when completely afraid. Kocho himself was a dangerous kid.

Yet Rook took the leap of faith anyway.

It didn’t take long before Rook made it to Pomefiore’s dorm. He glided into the kitchen to grab a bowl of strawberries before making his way to Kocho’s room. The whole dorm was completely silent, with most of the students spending this night to party with everyone else. It was the one night Vil was allowing them to stay up late, so why wouldn’t they take the chance? Rook was thankful for that. Now he didn’t have to worry about anybody overhearing.

Rook didn’t bother to knock before he quietly opened Kocho’s door. The boy was lying on his bed with Kaname sitting right next to him. Kaname was quite surprised to see Rook, yet he also looked thankful. Kocho didn’t need to look up to know it was Rook. So Rook said nothing. He just placed the bowl where Kocho could see them and sat down. An awkward silence filled the room before anybody spoke.

“Why?” Kocho muttered, trying his best to hold his tears in,” You should have so many questions. You should be demanding answers. Why are you being so quiet?”

“While I do not deny my curiosity, I doubt you would appreciate it now of all times,” Rook stated,” So that is not what I came for.”

“Then what could you possibly want?” Kocho asked in a harsh voice.

“I’m simply here to help,” Rook replied.

Kocho went quiet once again with nothing but distrust running through his head. He should know better by now, Kocho told himself. How many times had Rook come here without questions and was just here to comfort? And wasn’t it not that long ago when Kocho came to the realization as to why it was so hard to lean on Rook’s shoulder for help? So why?

Why did he deny it so much even now?

Kaname rubbed his head against Kocho’s forehead, trying to give comfort to the boy. Though silence continued to fill the room for a while before Kocho’s breathing no longer spilled over into panic. He took the time to focus on it. Calm it down. It was alright. He could trust Rook for now. Rook wasn’t going to tell anyone outside of those already in the know.

“I can simply listen, if that helps,” Rook suggested,” If you require another ear to listen, I shall lend it.”

Silence followed once more. It was long and it made Rook wonder if Kocho wouldn’t say anything else. That was fine too. Rook wasn’t in any position to push Kocho to speak about what happened. If the silence between the two was all Kocho wished for, then it is what Rook would give.

It surprised Rook when Kocho finally spoke.

“Whenever I felt homesick back where I come from, I always had somebody there to help me through it,” Kocho muttered,” We’ve been with each other for years. He’s been my closest companion in some of my darkest times. Though, I realize now that I say that out loud, it’s kinda sad. We’re not exactly friends. Most slayers and crows aren’t. If I wasn’t on missions, he was always out somewhere else.”

Kocho spoke as though Rook knew the context of every word he spoke. In a way, Rook was happier this way. It held up a thin veil of delusions for the blond. Letting him see small glimpses into the life of Kocho while still letting himself deny that what lay beyond the veil wasn’t going to make his stomach turn.

As unhealthy as a mentality as it was, it was the one thing keeping Rook from going insane.

“Sometimes Kanroji would help too if I saw her,” Kocho continued,” She was always so sweet about it and would always find a way to cheer me up. It was like she made it her job.”

A smile crept up Kocho’s lips.

“LeBlanche reminds me of her sometimes. I’ve never heard someone talk more about romance than those two. Even if it isn’t a lot, they’ve both made me interested in the idea. I even read that one story about a girl and a beast that LeBlanche mentioned. I don’t exactly understand it all, and I doubt I ever will. But it’s nice seeing them get some joy out of it. I think Iguro also gets some joy out of it. Despite how grumpy he always seems, Iguro always tries not to let it rub off on Kanroji. She’s good for him, I think. She’s one of the few people Iguro likes and you can tell he loves being around her.”

The smile disappeared.

“We all need someone like that, even if for a little bit.”

Kocho went silent for a few more minutes before speaking his mind once more.

“I guess Tanjiro’s kind of been like that. Despite how horrible I’ve been to him, he’s shown nothing but kindness. There’s nothing wrong with wishing to make connections with people like that, right? With everything I’ve been through, it’s not a big deal to ask them about themselves, right?”

Tears started to prick into his eyes once more.

“I mean I would have done the same if someone acted so similarly to Rengoku and Kanae and Uzui and everybody else from home! Well…. Maybe not everyone. But there’s nothing wrong with that, right?”

Kocho choked back a sob as he turned to meet Rook’s eyes. They were asking, begging for an answer. Any answer.

“Of course not,” Rook replied.

“So then why…..?” Kocho muttered,” Why is Viper mad at me? I don’t understand! All I did was talk to Asim. All I did was see someone who deserves the world in someone else. And what’s so wrong with that!”

Kocho sobbed as the final words left his lips, allowing anguish to flood out of its gates once more. Rook pulled Kocho into a tight embrace and Kaname nuzzled Kocho’s cheek. They did not say a word. As time flew by and the halls started to fill with noise, Kocho just cried. Until there were no more tears left. Everything had completely run its course and it made Kocho weary.

“Hunt,” Kocho whispered, earning a hum from the vice house warden,” Is it normal for fights to happen between friends?”

Something within Rook sank.

“Arguments are not entirely uncommon among friends, mon ami,” Rook replied in a whisper,” But fights like yours rarely leave the friendship the same.”

It was something deep within that made him ask the next thing. Perhaps it was morbid curiosity. Though Rook wasn’t completely sure. All he knew was it broke the promise that he made to himself earlier and made a sickening feeling grow within him. Like sprouting bamboo made of nothing but vile reality.

“Have you never fought with a friend?” Rook asked.

Kocho sluggishly shrugged.

“No I guess not,” he replied with a yawn,” I don’t think any of my friends lived long enough….”

And with that, Kocho drifted off to sleep as Rook felt nothing but horror. It filled every part of his body, leaving nothing uncovered. He was left alone with this vile emotion. Alone with the decisions he made. It was just as he said earlier. There was no backing out anymore. Not that Rook ever would want to.

He just wished he could pull Kocho out.

It was cold. That was the first thing Jamil noticed when he came to his senses. The nipping of his skin and the crunching of snow. It shook Jamil to his core, sending shocks of pain he wasn’t familiar with. He’d never felt cold like this before. Even with the bundles of clothing covering his skin.

Despite this, Jamil’s body was walking on its own. With ease through a land Jamil couldn’t quite recognize. With each step through soft, newly fallen snow, Jamil could feel the uneven ground beneath. Like dirt worn down into a path over time. After a while, Jamil’s eyes finally adjusted to the world. Nothing but white and brown met him. Bare trees stretched out for miles in soft snow.

A breath that was not his own huffed as he walked uphill. Puffs of warm air came from Jamil, yet he was not in control. Nothing he did was in his control. The thoughts that circled around him, and even the direction he looked. It was all at the whims of someone else.

Jamil stayed in this blissful emptiness for a while. He wasn’t sure why he felt it to be bliss. There was nothing there. But there it was. That feeling so unfamiliar to Jamil. It was so weird. It felt as though something that did not belong to him had weaved its way into his mind. Threads of another’s thoughts and feelings sew patches of himself, trying to become one with him. The merging of two separate people, that’s what Jamil felt like.

Joy and relief filled him when a small, old wooden house came into view. Finally, he was starting to grow tired, something spoke within. A voice that sounded younger than Jamil. It was not his own. The house got closer and closer until multiple people came into view. They were running around the house in clothing Jamil had never seen before. Actually, the house looked quite odd now that Jamil took a good look at it. He’d never seen architecture like it before

The people were small. Clearly children. And they had bright smiles and laughter as beautiful as ringing bells. The voice spoke this, as though it were reminiscing on this moment. On the past when things were simpler.

One of the kids pointed in Jamil’s direction, his smile growing wider. The other children looked in his direction. They too grew happier just from seeing him. It was confusing, but the voice and emotions that took hold of Jamil were expressing similar things. Jamil’s movements became quicker before he was tackled into a hug by the little kids.

“Welcome back Tanjiro!” one of them beamed.

“You’ve been gone all day! What took you so long?”

“So these are Tanjiro’s memories,” a new, very familiar voice spoke.

It was like Jamil suddenly had autonomy over his body again as he turned to face the familiar voice. Despite his movements, the feelings he got from his surroundings stayed the same. Like his movements meant nothing. Though he did make a small splashing sound, for some reason.

Jamil’s eyes met surprised brown. Neige stood right next to him, faded slightly into his surroundings. Even still, Jamil could make out that Neige was a bit of his mess. Strands of black hair were everywhere and his shirt was wrinkled. There were faint freckles covering Neige’s face. If it wasn’t so hard to even see Neige, Jamil would bet those freckles would be so attention-grabbing that it's all he’d look at. That and the fact that Neige was definitely skinnier than Jamil realized. Without his uniform to cover most of his body, Neige looked somewhat frail. Half of Neige’s body was submerged in water and his eyes were glowing red. Just like the mage stone clipped to his shirt.

“Jamil?” Neige asked,” You can see this?”

Jamil nodded his head slowly, still too surprised to say a word. Despite being friends with Neige, Jamil never really considered that Neige was always show-ready. Because the boy standing in front of Jamil didn’t look the same as the pop idol he knew. He looked like a normal person.

It was weirdly enduring.

Neige’s stare was blank as he slowly looked away from Jamil, his thoughts somewhere completely different. His eyes soon met that of his reflection, causing them to grow wide.

“Wait why do I look like this?!” Neige nearly yelled,” I swore I fixed my makeup and hair before I went to bed. And why is my shirt wrinkled?!”

“Hold on, why in Hades would you do your hair and makeup before going to bed?” Jamil asked.

“Wait, that’s not important,” Neige muttered before turning his attention to Jamil once more,” You can see this! As in, my Unique Magic can let other people see these things?!”

“Your Unique Magic? Wait, you’re causing this?” Jamil asked.

“This is perfect!” Neige beamed,” This makes things so much easier!”

“Neige please slow down,” Jamil begged.

“Jamil! The things we’re seeing right now. These are the memories of the person Kocho saw in Kalim!” Neige explained.

Jamil could feel everything in him turn. Of course, it was about that. All the anger he felt from earlier came flooding back in. How dare Kocho immediately trust someone who ruined Jamil’s life. To care for such a monster, it was the lowest of the low. But Jamil held back his anger. He didn’t want to lash out at Neige again. The boy didn’t deserve it, unlike Kocho.

“Why in Hades are we doing that?” Jamil asked.

“Because then you can understand what Kocho saw!” Neige replied,” So we can know what it was Kocho was feeling!”

“And why would I want to?” Jamil asked.

“Because then you won’t be as angry at him!” Neige replied.

Jamil almost scoffed.

“I little too late for that isn’t it?”

“Of course not! We can mend this! I know we can!”

“Neige.”

“We just have to see what Kocho’s side was.”

“Neige.”

“And then we can come to a compromise and be friends again!”

“Neige.”

“Though, I’m not exactly sure why you were mad…”

“I was mad because he betrayed my trust!” Jamil snapped.

Neige stopped and shut his mouth. He looked a little startled. Jamil didn’t care. Because he was starting to grow angry at Neige too.

“Kocho did the one thing. The ONE thing….” Jamil growled before sighing,” They all do that one thing. Does not matter who.”

“Jamil, what are you talking about?” Neige asked,” Why is talking to Kalim the ‘one thing’ that throws you off?”

“Of course you wouldn’t get it,” Jamil huffed,” Kocho never had any walls around you. You probably didn’t have to work to even earn his friendship. No need to wait before you ever had a proper conversation with him. It’s not like you two were forced through some hurdle together before he even opened up once.”

“I would consider that demon counter a pretty big hurdle,” Neige argued, his face filled with frustration.

“There we go again with the demon thing,” Jamil sighed,” Another lie about how you met to…..”

A strong, metallic scent stopped Jamil immediately, causing the boy to nearly gag. Neige completely froze, his eyes widening as he focused back on the world around them. They were still in the snowy forest, but they weren’t near the cabin. Fear sank its claws into them as Tanjiro’s emotions and thoughts took hold once more. Though not as strong. It was enough for them to nearly panic, just like the boy whose thoughts became part of theirs.

“Blood!” Was the only coherent thing spoken to them.

The boy ran up the mountain path as all other feelings melted away. Flashes of smiling faces and the names that belong to them repeated themselves over and over again in between the begging for them to be okay. That he was just panicking over nothing. Demons didn’t actually exist after all. The story he had been told the night before had just scared him.

Demons. He mentioned demons.

Jamil was about to turn his head to look at Neige, but the sight that came to view froze him still. The little house was coming into view, and its details were coming in quick. Which meant so did the red smear outside the house. Tanjiro’s pace quickened. With every step, the scent grew so much stronger. It was overbearing. And to see where it finally came from.

Jamil wanted to throw up when he finally realized two kids were lying in the bloody snow. Unmoving and without a pulse. Tanjiro nearly tripped when he ran over to check. His eyes trailed along the bloody path and into the house. There, the rest of the family lay in a pool of their own blood. Everything was covered in it. The walls, the ceiling, and every piece of furniture.

“No,” Tanjiro’s voice was clear with grief,” No!”

“If only I could have done something for them that day,” Tanjiro’s voice rang in their minds. Though it was different than the voice they had been hearing this whole time. More mature. Older. It was the Tanjiro who was reminiscing on this day. The one Neige’s Unique Magic was affecting.

“I wasn’t strong enough back then,” Tanjiro’s voice said,” It wouldn’t have mattered if I refused to stay the night in town. I would have died too. Everything I could do, I did and I don’t regret those choices.”

There was stirring from one of the bodies. Tanjiro immediately checked the girl and found that she was alive. Hope sparked within as he was quick to lift the girl and run back down the mountain. The younger Tanjiro begged and prayed that the girl, Nezuko, would survive. That he would get help in time. Despite the many injuries and blood soaking her clothes, she could still survive.

She made a weird noise. A growl of sorts. Before thrashing around and throwing Tanjiro off the side of a cliff. Neige and Jamil yelped before the soft cushioning snow broke the fall. Nezuko was lying not too far away. But she got up quickly and attacked. Tanjiro stopped her with an axe, keeping her from biting him. It's there that Jamil and Neige were able to see it. Features that did not belong to the human girl. Sharp teeth meant to tear flesh and slitted eyes meant for a predator. Despite seeing those features in many of their peers, Jamil and Neige felt chills and fear.

“I’m sorry, Nezuko,” the younger Tanjiro thought,” While I was sleeping peacefully, you were going through hell.”

He spoke to his sister, trying to snap her out of it. She didn’t stop trying to attack, no matter what he said. But then something seemed to hit her. Despite the fact that she was still attacking, tears were pouring down her eyes. Despair and pain flashed over and over again, fighting against the very thing trying to hurt Tanjiro. Neige watched in awe. In every memory he’d traveled through, not once had the demons shown some mercy to their family. Not even the faintest hints of regret. Yet here was a demon doing that exact thing.

Suddenly, swift motions of a blade came into view, followed by maroon, yellow, and green. Tanjiro was quick to push himself and Nezuko to the side, barely dodging a slash. Neige’s eyes widened once more as the attacker came into view. A man with black hair wearing an oh-so-familiar black uniform. The same one Kocho was wearing the night he saved Neige.

“A demon slayer,” Neige whispered.

“Why are you protecting it?” the man asked in a cold voice.

“She’s my sister! She’s my younger sister!” Tanjiro replied.

“You call that thing your sister?” the man asked.

There was a pause as Nezuko struggled from Tanjiro’s grasp. Without hesitation, the man bolted towards Tanjiro. Tanjiro tried to protect Nezuko, but she was taken from his grasp before he knew it. The man had taken hold of Nezuko and watched how Tanjiro would react. Despite how strong Nezuko had become, the man did not struggle to keep her still as she thrashed around.

“Nezuko!” Tanjiro called out.

“Don’t move,” The man said,” My job is to slay demons. Needless to say, I’m going to decapitate your sister.”

Jamil felt anger boil over as something flashed in his own mind. For a second, he was no longer seeing Nezuko. Instead, he saw the familiar face of his own sister. Maybe it was because of Tanjiro’s emotions burying themselves inside of him that he saw this. But it made Jamil easily slip into Tanjiro’s thoughts, and completely forget his own.

“Hold on! Nezuko hasn’t killed anyone! Back at the house, there was another scent that I’d never smelled before! That’s probably the one who killed my family! It wasn’t Nezuko! I don’t know why she turned into something like that, but.. But still!” Tanjiro cried.

An upper moon, Neige thought to himself, or worse.

“It’s quite simple. Because her wounds were exposed to demon blood, so she turned into a demon,” the man replied as his expression grew dark,” That’s how man-eating demons multiply.”

They went on and on, arguing with one another. Desperation rang clear in Tanjiro’s voice and mind. Anger and despair held their place, clawing every part of his mind. Of their minds. It hurt so badly. Neige had never felt anything like it. The feeling of not only losing your loved ones but seeing the very last member of your family’s life being dangled in front of you. This feeling. Neige never wished this feeling on anyone. How it dug itself into every single crease of the mind. Doing everything in its power to hurt. Neige couldn’t help but wonder if the dwarfs would feel the same if he were to ever tell them the truth about how he met Kocho.

Because if so, Neige would never tell them.

Ever.

There was anger in the man’s voice. Or was it frustration? Neige couldn’t tell. But, in a way, he understood where it was coming from. The man must know the same things Kocho did. How many times had he seen this same scene over and over again? It must not feel nice, to be subjected to this horror so often.

Tanjiro tried to attack the man but to no avail. The man was far quicker than any of the boys could comprehend. In a matter of seconds, he had knocked Tanjiro out. Yet, when he finally awoke, Nezuko wasn’t dead. She lay near her brother, asleep with a bamboo muzzle around her mouth. The man from earlier sat not too far away, his expression not giving away anything. It puzzled Neige incredibly. Why spare Nezuko? What went on when Tanjiro was knocked out?

The man introduced himself. Giyu Tomioka. He told Tanjiro of a man who could teach him how to slay demons. That Tanjiro could get revenge against the demons that killed his family and turned Nezuko into a demon. Even when Nezuko finally woke, he did not react. Nor did she. She was calm as she watched the two boys with curious eyes. Neige couldn’t help but look at her in awe. A demon who refrained from killing humans. For someone like that to exist.

“But, there is a demon that has resisted control,” Kocho added,” And she’s basically a part of the Demon Slayer Corps. She’s extremely unique though. No other demon is like her.”

Neige’s eyes widened.

The world turned dark for the moment as Jamil let out a sigh of relief. Everything was blank. No thoughts trying to weave into their own or feelings overwhelming them. Or at least him. Jamil couldn’t help but feel a shiver crawl up his spine the second his thoughts were only his own once again. It felt weirdly similar to Jade’s Unique Magic. How vile. Yet this magic belonged to Neige of all people.

“What was that?” Jamil finally asked as he finally collected his thoughts.

“Those were Tanjiro’s memories,” Neige stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Yeah no shit,” Jamil grumbled,” I’m talking about that whole demon thing. With Nezuko.”

“She resisted control,” Neige explained,” She became a demon, yet she resisted for the sake of her brother.”

“That….” Jamil grumbled before sighing,” What in sevens name.”

“I can see a bit of what Kocho meant,” Neige continued,” Kalim wouldn’t stop talking about his family when I met him during the party. It’s not….”

“What does any of this have to do with Kocho?” Jamil snapped,” What we just saw had nothing to do with him!”

Within a second after Jamil said that, the world lit up once again. Emotions and thoughts of another took hold of his mind, forcing Jamil to pay attention. Neige looked around curiously. They were now in a train station, or an old-fashioned one at least. With a wooden platform and steam puffing out of a black and red train. They were in Tanjiro’s mind once more, and his thoughts gave context to the world around him. How Nezuko was sleeping in the box on his back. How he’d been a demon slayer for a little bit now. His mission of meeting with the Hashira Rengoku and the names of his two companions. Zenitsu and Inosuke.

Inosuke was making a big deal about the train, not understanding exactly what it was. Neither did Tanjiro apparently. Zenitsu seemed completely flabbergasted by them both, being the only one who actually knew what a train was. Both Jamil and Neige couldn’t help but be completely dumbfounded by this.

“How do they not know what a train is?” Jamil muttered.

“I’m going to conquer that beast!” Inosuke declared.

“Hold on, we’re still waiting for someone!” Tanjiro called to his friend.

His friend who was wearing a boar head. Both Jamil and Neige had to do a double-take just to make sure they weren’t seeing things.

“Huh? Since when?” Zenitsu asked,” Aren’t we all here?”

The scent of wisteria hit Tanjiro before a crow spoke up.

“Wait up! Wait up!” the crow cawed.

The three boys turned to look at the crow flying through the station, right towards them. Tanjiro’s focus quickly changed from the crow to the boy behind him. Jamil’s eyes widened. In a wisteria-patterned haori and a familiar orange butterfly clip stood Kocho. Though his hair was far more of a mess and there wasn’t makeup to cover some of the scars on his skin. He looked more rugged than Jamil or Neige were used to. Yet it fit him far more as a demon slayer.

Zenitsu screamed in a high-pitched voice, startling every single person in the station.

“WHY ARE YOU HERE?!” he screamed.

“OYE TINY! DON’T THINK I’M LETTING YOU OFF THE HOOK!” Inosuke yelled," I STILL WANT A REMATCH!"

“SHUT UP! SHUT UP!” the crow cawed as he landed on Kocho’s shoulder.

That wasn’t Kaname, Jamil realized. This was a different crow.

Tanjiro looked at Kocho with curiosity as the small boy walked up to him. His posture held confidence, yet he hid so well amongst the crowd. Just like the Insect Hashira, Tanjiro thought. Not really surprising. The boy wore a butterfly clip like every resident of the butterfly mansion.

“Tanjiro Kamado,” he said in a cold voice.

“Yes?” Tanjiro asked.

“I’ve been sent by the Snake Hashira to keep an eye on you and that demon sister of yours,” Kocho replied,” So I will be going on this mission with all of you. If your sister so much as cuts a human, I will kill both of you. Understood?”

Neige gasped as Jamil just stared with wide eyes.

His glare was menacing, yet Tanjiro wasn’t fazed. Nor was he surprised by what was said. Despite the head of the demon slayer corps expressing his desire to protect Nezuko, most of the Hashira were hesitant. And for the snake Hashira to be the one to send someone, that might have been the least surprising part, considering how he acted during the Hashira meeting.

For a split second, Neige and Jamil saw the face of said Hashira. A man with two different eye colors and a snake coiling around his neck. With a condescending look adorning his face that was clear as day, even with the mask covering most of his face.

“Yes sir,” Tanjiro replied,” But…. who exactly are you?”

“The scariest man alive that’s who,” Zenitsu hissed as he hid behind Tanjiro.

“Scary?! This kid isn’t scary?!” Inosuke nearly yelled.

“You wouldn’t be saying that if you were forced to take that disgusting medicine!” Zenitsu cried.

“Maybe Aoi wouldn’t have had to grab me if you just took your medicine,” Kocho stated, clearly annoyed, before sighing,” My apologies. My name is Riddle Kocho. I’m the insect Hashira’s Tsuguko.”

Jamil’s eyes widened. So Kocho really was just a last name. Riddle was his first name. Which felt odd. Maybe it was just Tanjiro’s thoughts that made him feel this way, but Riddle and Kocho felt like they were from different cultures.

Suddenly the scene changed once more. Light of the full moon fluttered over Tanjiro as he sat outside a mansion. One with the unfamiliar architecture Neige had grown accustomed to within these memories. Tanjiro was covered in bandages and his body ached so much. Kocho sat next to him, not fairing any better. He didn’t so much as look at Tanjiro as a thick dread wrapped around the two. Death rang clear in Tanjiro’s mind as the memory of the Flame Hashira’s demise hit both Jamil and Neige.

“I thought you were practicing total concentration constant,” Kocho said after a while of silence.

“Sorry,” Tanjiro apologized,” It’s just…. Riddle are you okay?”

Kocho did not reply as silence followed. Yet, Tanjiro was patient. He waited for Kocho to be comfortable before speaking. Allowing Neige and Jamil to take in Kocho’s expression. The empty, horrible expression that showed nothing but hopelessness.

“I’ll be fine,” Kocho sighed,” This isn’t unusual. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to do this. I wasn’t Shinobu’s only Tsuguko, after all. I’m just the only one that’s left.”

Neige immediately felt sick.

Kocho grabbed onto the small blue plush cat hanging from his sword. With stains of dirt and blood from years of having it around. It had seen far more than Tanjiro. That was clear just by seeing how worn down it was.

“I’ve never seen something like that before,” Tanjiro hummed,” Where’d you get it?”

“This?” Kocho asked,” I got it back when I was a kid. Before the Kocho family adopted me.”

Tanjiro’s eyes widened.

“Adopted?”

“Did you really think Shinobu and I are related by blood? We look nothing alike,” Kocho said.

“But your mannerisms are so similar,” Tanjiro said.

“A symptom of being adopted at a young age,” Kocho replied,” Besides, younger me tried to get rid of every bit of me that came from my original family. It’s not too surprising I took up a lot of Shinobu’s mannerisms.”

Kocho paused, his eyes widening, before he decided to continue. Tanjiro picked up the scent of someone hiding not too far away. But he recognized it and decided to ignore it. Kocho’s probably already told her, after all.

“It was not a nice place,” he said,” The woman I called my mother was extremely strict and never allowed me to be my own person. Everything I did was planned. Every person I was friends with she checked. I was going to be one thing and one thing alone. Just like her.”

Tanjiro listened carefully as Kocho continued.

“I never really thought for myself. Not until an abnormality within my schedule happened,” Kocho said as a soft smile started to adorn his face,” There were these two kids that decided they wanted to be my friend. They were wonderful, teaching me so many things about myself that I never knew before. It was because of them I realized how much I hated my mother.”

Kocho played a bit with the cat plushie as he sighed.

“I hope Trey and Chenya are okay.”

Both Neige and Jamil felt their minds shortcircuited. Trey and Chenya? As in, their Trey and Chenya?

“I do not regret running away that day,” Kocho said,” Despite all the horrors and pain I’ve had to deal with since I started on this path, it was my choice and I’m all the happier for it. Besides, the fact that I feel all this sadness and pain when I see one of my friends die just means there was care there.”

His voice trailed off as he looked up to the stars. There was that sadness once more. Though his eyes no longer held hopelessness. Good, Tanjiro thought. An expression so horrible should never be on anyone.

The silence that followed was far more comfortable this time. Despite the initial sadness that comes with the death of a friend still holding on tightly. Tanjiro couldn’t help but look up too. So many stars littered the sky in glitter and light. They twinkled and it made Tanjiro feel so at home. It reminded him of the times he and his siblings would go out at night to watch the stars together. All those years ago.

“Kanroji once told me that when a star twinkles, it’s the soul of someone you’ve lost waving at you,” Kocho suddenly spoke up,” While I don’t believe it, thinking about it sometimes helps.”

“Really?” Tanjiro asked.

He hadn’t expected Kocho of all people to say that.

“You’d be surprised what she comes up with to cheer people up,” Kocho giggled before his expression became sad once more,” I don’t doubt she’ll try to cheer me up when I see her again. There isn’t a single person in the corps who doesn’t know of Rengoku’s death.”

There was silence once more before Kocho stood up.

“I’ll be turning in for the night. I’d recommend you do the same,” Kocho stated.

“Take care,” Tanjiro hummed as Kocho walked into the house.

Silence followed before Tanjiro looked onto the roof above. A woman with beautiful black hair that faded to purple sat there, an ever-lasting smile adorned her face.

“Thank you,” was all she said before everything went black once more.

Neither one of the boys knew what to do or what to say. Their minds were too filled with nothing but confusion about what they saw. Jamil far more so than Neige. In fact, significantly more so.

Jamil could barely keep up with a single thought as he tried to absorb everything. But it only flooded his mind with questions. These memories. What on earth were these memories? And what exactly was Neige’s Unique Magic? Could he see any memory he desired? From anyone and everyone?

If that was the case…

“I should not have seen that,” Neige whispered to himself with wide eyes,” Jamil, you must never tell Kocho about any of this.”

“Why do you seem so scared? Didn’t you want to see that?” Jamil asked.

“No!... well yes but also no!” Neige replied,” I don’t have the best control of my Unique Magic okay? It seems to only ever show me what I want to see regardless of my morals. But I….. you know what, forget everything you saw! This was stupid of me to do. I should have known showing you these wouldn’t have worked. It had nothing to do with your argument anyway.”

Neige huffed as he turned away, putting down every thought he had. How stupid of him to assume this could work. In what world would this have worked? It had nothing to do with the root of the argument. Neige had just been fooling himself the second he realized he could show others these memories.

How stupid.

How naive.

Jamil’s eyes widened as he reached out to Neige.

“I’ll consider talking it out with Kocho if you let me see if my sister is okay,” he yelled.

Neige froze.

“She hasn’t replied to any of my texts or calls in weeks. No one in my family has,” Jamil continued, his voice becoming more and more frantic,” I’ve been worried sick about them yet I can’t ask anybody about it because the Asim family will punish me if I do. They did it before, years ago. They will do it again.”

“Why….?” Neige’s voice came out almost as a whisper.

“Because it’s a poor look on the master family,” Jamil muttered,” When the servants are disorganized. Or… I’ve been told.”

Jamil could feel tears threaten to spill once again as he looked away from Neige. Great, now Neige is seeing him at his weakest. And yet, Jamil couldn’t hide it. That fear that only Ortho ever saw.

Neige’s brown eyes met Jamil’s grey for a second before Jamil looked away. In a matter of seconds, the world lit up once again, with no emotion following in a way that hurt. This time in the familiar allies near Jamil’s home. It was like a breath of fresh air, hearing the bustle of the crowds as they went along their way and with the familiar scent of a nearby restaurant.

Yet a familiar voice disagreed.

“Nothing has changed,” Najma’s voice rang clear,” Yet somehow it feels so haunted.”

She was sitting on the ground, playing with one of their father’s favorite scarves. It was scratched and stained a little, causing Jamil to wince. He didn’t pity how his father would react to it. The man loved his scarves after all. But one of Najma’s memories caused him to freeze. No, not one. All of them from a few days prior. Before he could even feel relief that his sister was okay, grief struck at the image of his father’s headless corpse and a monster masquerading as his mother.

No. Not masquerading. Both he and his sister knew that. That monster was his mother. A demon turned against her family. Just like Nezuko almost was.

“How are you feeling?” a sweet yet familiar voice spoke.

Despite only hearing two words from her, Jamil and Neige knew who that voice belonged to. With the immediate confirmation of seeing her. The beautiful woman with black and purple hair and a butterfly clip holding it up. Her gaze held nothing within it, completely hidden by a smile. A soft, sweet smile that was so reassuring to Najma.

“Odd,” Najma replied,” Everything is exactly how we left it. Our house may be a mess and all of our electronics may be gone, but it still looks like we live in it. And some of the people who’ve passed by were old friends of mine. They look just as happy as when I last saw them. The vendors are still selling the same fruits. And the seamstress is still selling the same clothes. Yet it all feels so foreign now. Empty even.”

There was a pause as Najma’s gaze followed the ally. Yeah, not a thing was out of place since she last left it.

“Is this what it always feels like when someone you love dies?” Najma asked.

Shinobu nodded her head.

“I see,” Najma mumbled,” Is this hollowness also normal?”

“It is,” Shinobu replied,” Losing a loved one is like losing a part of yourself. And that hole will never truly heal. I’ve learned that the hard way over the many years.”

Her smile never went away, yet the sadness was clear in her eyes.

“Is that why you're so determined to find Riddle?” Najma asked.

Shinobu nodded her head.

“Why am I not surprised you’re both still sitting here,” a new, harsh voice spoke up.

Both girls turn to look at the man. Obanai Iguro was his name. The snake Hashira, from what Neige and Jamil could remember. His snake beamed when it saw Najma, slithering off the man’s shoulders and making a place on Najma’s lap. Her hands traced the tops of its head, making the snake very happy.

“And what do you suppose we do instead?” Shinobu asked,” We can’t exactly go anywhere with Viper. The guards around town have it out for her.”

Jamil’s breath hitched. Out for her? Why? No, he knew why. Even without Najma’s thoughts explaining it to the two boys. How stupid of him not to have realized sooner.

“Train her,” Obanai said in a matter-of-fact tone,” She wants to become a demon slayer, doesn’t she? Then she has no time to be sitting around, wasting away.”

“I see the snake has gotten a little too comfortable,” Shinobu hummed as she gave Obanai a pointed look,” Last I checked you are in no position to be criticizing me after you failed to keep Riddle from getting kidnapped by a carriage of all things.”

Neige’s breath hitched.

“Oh this again,” Obanai growled,” You know exactly why. Clearly that carriage had magic infused within it otherwise taking it down would have been easier done than said.”

“That sounds like an excuse if I’ve ever heard one,” Shinobu huffed.

Obanai glared at Shinobu before huffing and throwing something at Najma. It was a cheaply made outfit that barely stood out amongst the vibrant colors of Silk City.

“This should do,” Obanai stated,” Your current ones draw too much attention.”

Najma had to agree. Not only because the guards expected her in them. But also because they had been torn so much due to the demon. And maybe the bloodstains on it didn’t help either.

“Now how do we leave?” Obanai asked.

“Are we not using the train?” Shinobu asked,” I feel that will be the quickest way to the nearest city.”

“Except a certain someone is still blacklisted from using one,” Obanai pointed out.

“Actually we can still use them,” Najma spoke up,” It’ll just be a less-than-legal way of doing so.”

“And how exactly will that work?” Obanai asked.

“Cargo trains,” Shinobu spoke up,” If they’re anything like home, we can possibly use those.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Najma agreed,” Plus I know a cargo train that heads straight towards one of the larger Queendom cities. If there’s any hope of finding clues of Riddle’s whereabouts, it’s there. Although…. You said carriage correct?”

Shinobu nodded her head.

“That carriage wouldn’t happen to have glass walls with a coffin inside would it?”

Obanai’s eyes widened.

“That’s exactly how it looked,” he replied, his eyes glaring daggers at Najma,” How the hell did you know that?”

“Oh, that’s perfect!” Najma beamed as some semblance of joy sparked,” Those are Night Raven carriages. When somebody gets accepted into Night Raven College, those carriages pick them up! They’re iconic! Almost everybody knows them. And, as luck would have it, my brother goes there!”

Obanai gave Najma a skeptical look while Shinobu replied with a brighter smile.

“That’s great! Luck really does seem to be on our side now.”

“And how exactly do we know you’re telling the truth?” Obanai asked.

“We can always double-check,” Najma hummed,” We can call my brother and ask him once we have the ability to contact him. That was always in the plan anyway. Contact my brother before joining the Demon Slayer Corps completely. Right?”

Obanai glared at Najma before sighing.

“Right.”

It all went black once again, followed by complete silence. Neige’s eyes remained wide as he took everything in once more. For a while, he just stood there. Absorbing everything like a sponge. Reveling in the silence. Before he remembered he wasn’t alone.

Neige quickly spun to look at Jamil, ready to say something. But he stopped before he could. Jamil was trembling. His arms wrapped around himself, squeezing so hard as he tried to suppress everything. No other move came from the boy.

Neige took a step forward and spoke Jamil’s name. Jamil took a deep breath before raising his head to look straight at Neige. Tears pooled out of his grey eyes, begging for the truth to be anything else.

“Jamil,” Neige muttered once again.

“Just leave me…..” Jamil yelled before cutting himself off,” Just let me go please.”

Neige couldn’t find any other word to say. What could he say? He’d never seen anyone feel this way before.

“I promise we’ll talk about everything later,” Jamil tried not to sob,” But please! Leave me alone!”

His voice grew so weak as the boy curled in on himself. Every thought and emotion spiraled out of control as he repeated what he saw over and over again. Was this really the price of a single drop of freedom? Was this what the world decided his punishment for wanting to leave was? Losing his entire family?

“Just give me some time to mourn, please,” he begged.

He really had been selfish. Those moments of happiness weren’t worth this. They weren’t worth losing everything. Please, just bring them back. Take his life instead. This was his mistake, not theirs. Everything twisted in his mind, squeezing every last bit so tightly. As every memory with his family surfaced in a flood stained in blood.

“Just let me mourn the people I’ve killed.”

Neige stood there, mouth agape as he watched his friend crumble in the puddle of the mind. The water around him was stained red. These feelings hurt. They made Neige regret ever showing Jamil any of this at all. Like it was his fault Jamil was feeling this way. Neige’s Unique Magic complied with Neige’s feelings and soon he found himself back in his own bed, with the early morning sun fluttering in his room and his magestone half filled with blot.

Chapter Text

“Yo Riddle! Do you have a minute?”

“Yes! Is there something I can do for you?”

“Absolutely! What’s the chance you can turn wisteria poison into perfume?”

“...Perfume?”

“Yep!”

“I can try, but may I ask what for?”

“Great! Question number 2: are you available to go on a mission for the next, let’s say, month and a half?”

“Month and a half?! What exactly is this mission?”

“You won’t be fighting anything, mainly because your sister will try to murder me if you do. Not like she can kill me but it would be annoying.”

“It’s an upper moon, isn’t it?”

“Please do not tell Shinobu.”

“Understood.”

“Perfect!”

Trey yawned as morning came, bringing an end to what little sleep he got. He must have stayed up later than he thought. Much later. It couldn’t be helped though. There was just so much to talk about. And Kalim had held his interest for far too long with details about Silk City’s desserts. And that Jamil makes Kalim’s favorite version of each.

Trey was going to have to ask Jamil about that some day.

Both Chenya and Cater were passed out on the couch, both in horribly uncomfortable positions that made Trey wince. So he quickly woke them up, earning a whine from both boys immediately followed by a groan in pain. Trey simply laughed at them before preparing himself for the day. His friends were still suffering when he got back.

“That’s what you both get for crashing at my place without permission,” Trey teased.

“What were you expecting me to do?” Chenya groaned,” Head back to RSA at that hour?”

“It would have taken you ten minutes tops to get back.”

“Ten minutes AND a lecture.”

“You get lectured when you go back late?” Cater asked,” Since when?”

“Since 4 am became too late,” Chenya sighed before collapsing back onto the couch,” Ow.”

“Why are you here?” Trey asked Cater as he pointed behind him,” Your room is right there.”

“Cause I wasn’t letting a sleepover happen without Cay-Cay,” Cater hummed as he looked over to Chenya,” So how did you enjoy your first NRC party?”

“It wasn’t my first NRC party.”

“Your official first party,” Cater repeated,” Without being invisible.”

“Hmm, pretty good!” Chenya beamed,” I must say, the food was to DIE for.”

For the first time in a while, Chenya’s voice was chipper. It made Trey smile. Finally, some calm after the storm. Genuinely, Trey had been worried for a while now. He suspected that maybe the recent bullying had caused a lot of problems for Chenya mentally. Not to mention that weird encounter with that bird.

Actually, what happened to that bird?

“Hey Chenya,” Trey said, catching the attention of the purple-haired boy,” Remember that bird you snatched out of the air about a month ago?”

“Which one?” Chenya asked.

Cater looked at Chenya in confusion as Trey sighed. Right, not an uncommon occurrence.

“You should have seen my last catch,” Chenya smirked as he spoke,” She was a beauty!”

“Out of curiosity, you haven’t chased any flamingos around have you?” Cater asked.

“I have the right to remain silent,” Chenya hummed.

“Oh so it was your fault!” Cater cried.

“The crow, Chenya,” Trey interrupted,” I’m talking about the crow. We can talk about the flamingos later.”

“I remember many crows, yes,” Chenya replied,” Why?”

“You know which crow I’m talking about,” Trey sighed.

Chenya’s smirk grew.

“No, I don’t think I do.”

Trey playfully glared at Chenya, who returned the glare with a knowing smirk. It only made Trey’s glare harden.

“What did you do?” Trey asked.

“Nothing. Nothing at all,” Chenya hummed.

“Chenya, last I checked you had that crow in your possession,” Trey stated,” Please tell me you released it.”

“Hmmmmmm, depends,” Chenya replied,” Tell me, why would I remember this crow? If you can give me an answer, I can give you one.”

Trey sighed a long, tired sigh. He should have known. Chenya was still at it. The bullying was still pushing him to do something completely illogical. So the bird was still in his possession. And Chenya was trying to get Trey to admit the part of that encounter that brought evidence.

But if that was the case, why was Chenya suddenly so chipper?

“Chenya what did you do?” Trey asked, his voice growing far more serious.

Cater and Chenya both looked at Trey in surprise. There was nervousness in Cater’s eyes as he looked over at Chenya. His expression. It worried Trey greatly.

“Scratch that. What did you both do?” Trey demanded.

“Nothing you want to be involved with,” Chenya replied,” You made that very clear before, remember.”

“Nor did I want either of you being involved,” Trey said,” You’re only going to get hurt.”

“A little late for that, ain’t it?” Chenya sneered.

“Trey, please, just let us explain,” Cater begged,” You’ve both been suffering enough. I want to help stop it for both of you and we know how. There’s evidence yet you keep turning away from it. I don’t know why…”

“I keep ignoring it because it isn’t evidence! It’s a coincidence. That’s it! Yet you both seem so convinced…!”

“Because it is! Why can’t you see that?!” Chenya snapped.

Trey’s eyes widened.

“Why? Why are you so determined to keep suffering when the way to stop it is right in front of us?!” Chenya yelled,” We’re so close to being set free, Trey. We’re closer than we’ve ever been! So why….?”

Chenya’s voice trailed off as his ears flattened. He didn’t dare look his best friend in the eye. It made Trey’s stomach turn.

“We can’t keep looking in the past to try and solve what’s going on, Chenya,” Trey stated,” All we can do is continue to move forward. I’ve seen this same thing happen before. We did it so many times back then. Nothing’s going to be different this time.”

Chenya’s eyes widened.

“Before,” he muttered.

Trey nodded his head. Yeah. Before. Back before Night Raven College. The amount of times he went searching when he had the time. Hours upon hours of time he would never get back, dedicated to something he would never achieve. And those horrid voices that kept pulling him back. Even when dejected and broken down over and over again.

It took years to get out of what became an unhealthy habit.

Trey wasn’t going back and by the seven’s he wasn’t letting Chenya go down that hole too.

“Please Chenya,” Trey muttered,” This has gone too far. Just let the crow go and….”

“No.”
Trey’s eyes widened as hazel eyes met golden. Stone-cold golden eyes that glared into Trey’s very being.

“I’m not letting that crow go. Not until we get answers,” Chenya stated,” Not until everything is over and we can finally be happy again.”

Before Trey could even reply, Chenya disappeared.

Neige locked himself in the bathroom the second he woke up and saw his mage stone. No way in Hades was he letting any of the dwarfs see it. Or anybody that decides to creep in. He could already imagine the panic and the disdain. Neige LeBlanche? With that much blot in his system? How disgusting. How vile. Neige could already vividly see the look on his manager’s face when he hears about it.

The thought caused chills to crawl up Neige’s spine. But he ignored it. Just get the makeup on and ignore the rest of the world. He was no way in any shape to think while doing so. No. Just focus on the makeup. Make sure it looks perfect. No mess-ups allowed. He had to look beautiful around everyone else.

The perfect mask to hide the clear proof of tears.

Once that was done, he finally allowed himself to think. How was he going to fix this? Obviously, he had to wait a bit. He just stepped over multiple boundaries. There was no way he would risk stepping over another and forcing a mend just after the wounds were freshly cut. Especially not this wound. How does Kocho feel about it now? How is Jamil taking the news? Horribly no doubt.

So maybe he should wait before thinking too much about it. When he can finally speak to Kocho about it. And when Jamil was in the right state of mind to keep his promise.

Sevens, Neige sounded so selfish. What was he thinking? Now wasn’t the time to plot how he was going to get HIS friend group back together. Jamil and Kocho were both hurting. Horribly. Neige should be by their side. Comforting them. But no. He had to be thinking only about how to benefit himself in this situation.

But he would only make it worse if he comforted them. Neige knows nothing about their experiences, for he’s never had their experiences. So maybe it was for the best to simply let them be for now. Maybe get Ortho to do the comforting. Ortho probably knows how to, after all. A robot with access to all that the internet has to offer should know. He’ll just have to let Ortho know about what happened.

So what can Neige do now while he waits? He had to call his manager. It had been so long since the headmaster forbade people from leaving the island. There was no way his manager wasn’t pissed. No doubt that was going to be a long phone call.

There was also homework he had to do.

And Kocho’s crow still needed to be saved.

Neige’s eyes widened. That’s right! Kocho had entrusted Neige with saving his crow from Chenya. How could he have already forgotten about that?

Neige quickly stood up to leave, but the sight of himself in the mirror caused him to pause. Despite the makeup Neige meticulously put on with the same techniques he does every single day, something felt so wrong. The face he saw felt hollow. Completely void of anything. Even when he tried to bring up his smile, the one he’d put on every day, it changed nothing. He was simply staring at nothing.

It made Neige’s skin crawl. No way. Absolutely not. He was not stepping out of this bathroom looking like this. Neige sighed as he sank to the ground. What was he supposed to do? There was no way he was backing out of his promise.

It was Kocho, after all.

A soft knock at the door snapped Neige out of his thoughts. It was followed by a soft voice.

“Neige,” Dominic called out,” Are you in there?”

“Yep! I’ll be there in a second!” Neige replied, trying to keep the charade up.

Neige grabbed the counter and pulled himself up. He put on a smile and cracked open the door. Dominic stood there alone, not a single other dwarf in sight. His expression was soft, showing nothing but sympathy.

Weird.

“Is something wrong?” Neige asked.

“No,” Dominic replied hesitantly,” Breakfast is ready and you weren’t out yet. So I came to make sure you’re okay.”

“Oh! Yes! I’m all good!” Neige replied,” It’s just taking me a bit longer to do makeup today, that’s all!”

Dominic didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t push the subject.

“Right,” he mumbled.

It was then that Neige got an idea. A stupid, selfish idea that might get someone in trouble who didn’t deserve it, but it was the quickest way to get this done.

And it might give Neige a lot more time without anybody bothering him.

“Hey, Dominic. I have a favor I need to ask of you,” Neige said.

Dominic looked at Neige in confusion, but he nodded his head regardless.

“What do you need?” he asked.

“I need you to look for a crow in Chenya’s room.”

Dominic’s eyes widened in complete surprise.

“Huh?! What’s this about?”

“You see, Kocho’s crow Kuroba has been missing for some time now and he has reason to suspect Chenya may have him,” Neige explained,” Would you be willing to help?”

Dominic just stared at Neige, as if he were trying to read the actor. He then nodded his head.

“Okay, I’ll help.”

“Thank you!” Neige beamed,” I’m counting on you!”

He shut the door soon after as Dominic left the room, leaving Neige alone with his thoughts once more. That went better than he expected. No questions were pushed. Not about why him nor how Neige was doing. Which was suspicious. Extremely suspicious. Neige had left the party early last night, without Dominic. And he’s been completely shutting himself in the bathroom since he woke up. Dominic should be asking how he was. That’s what Dominic would do. But he wasn’t.

Neige would have to look into this later. For now, he had to take what he could get for the sake of his friend. As horrible as that would be for Dominic.

Yeah, how horrible Neige’s being. Dominic deserves none of this, yet this is how Neige’s treating him. After everything the dwarf has done for him.

Neige would have to treat him later, as an apology. Maybe with sweets or something. He’ll figure out the logistics later. There was something else he wanted to focus on for now. No doubt he needed a lot of energy for it, mentally speaking. Neige sunk down to the floor and pulled out his phone. Hundreds of texts covered his screen. Repeating the same thing over and over again.

Call when you are available. Call now. I have to speak with you. Call when you can.

Neige sighed as he sent a quick message to Ortho before addressing the texts. His nerves buzzed just from seeing them. Just knowing who it was alone made his skin crawl. But he had to address them. He’d been ignoring them for too long. And now he faced the consequences of that decision. With a deep breath and shaky hands, Neige called his manager.

Scarabia’s dorm glowed soft pastels in the morning light as the last few students scurried out, ready to just get out of the dorm and enjoy the weekend. It was silent otherwise. Worryingly so. Kalim had been chilling in the lounge for a while now, waiting for Jamil. Already that was quite odd. Usually, it was the other way around. That was the first thing that struck Kalim as wrong. Kalim knew Jamil well. Both of their earliest memories were of each other, after all.

Kalim quickly stood up and made his way to Jamil’s room. He knocked on the door, calling out to his friend before entering. The faint sound of the shower could be heard from the bathroom, causing Kalim to grow a little worried. That was, of course, until he saw a little note on Jamil’s bedside table.

‘Kalim, I woke up feeling unwell this morning so I’m going to take the day off. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.’

“Aw, I’m sorry to hear that,” Kalim sighed,” Take all the rest you need!”

He called out get well before leaving, not questioning the phone that sat on the floor in the corner of the room. Chipped and shut completely off. Nor the lack of sheets on the bed. Kalim’s footsteps grew quieter and quieter before finally it was clear he was long gone. Leaving only the sound of water hitting the ceramic tile that made up the shower floor.

Jamil did not react to this at all. He stood completely still, allowing the water to consume him. Swallow him up into his mind. Hiding the bloodshot eyes and leaving behind something completely hollow. The familiarity of the world around him had turned into something completely unfamiliar and haunted by things that were never even there.

Jamil watched as every droplet of water hit the ground and trailed into the drain. Trapping ink into its clear web and distorting itself until it became one and water was no longer there.

Just thick black ink.

It caged Jamil in the small room. Taking every chance to cover every light that tried to filter in. It crawled up the walls, with only the water keeping it at bay. The ink dripped off Jamil’s skin and hair, trying its hardest to stay. To make Jamil’s cage even more suffocating. But soon it too disappeared into the gutters, By the time Jamil had finally rid himself of every single drop of blot, the shower was a mess. Smeared with ink. Like someone had stepped on a bug and tried to get it off. Over and over again. It felt just like that.

The water took everything with it, leaving something completely hollow. For the first time since he woke up, Jamil finally took in his surroundings. Despite the fact that he’d been in this room many times before. Despite the fact that he had been here for a month and a half. It all felt foreign.

Empty even.

Jamil picked up his magestone with wrinkled fingers, damaged from the water. The stone had been lying there since he entered the bathroom. What once was just as dark in color as the shower he left was now only filled half with blot. Jamil felt some relief. But only a little. The ink stains behind him still felt as though they were trying to crawl and claw into his mind.

He had to get out.

Jamil quickly dried off and got dressed before he left the bathroom. With the shower still running to wash away the ink. It would be horrible if someone saw it. People would talk and word would spread like wildfire. Everyone would start asking questions, especially the staff.

And everything would just keep getting worse.

Not now. Not now.

Jamil sat at his desk and pulled out his laptop, ready to find something to distract his mind. Something to keep him from spiraling again. He had to find something that would. Anything that would. But what exactly would be enough to distract him long enough to let the blot in his magestone go away?

It came to him easily. His curiosity of the situation had no bounds. It was only because of the blot that he didn’t look it up earlier. But now he could. So he did. In a matter of seconds, a tab was up with his question in the search bar.

‘Missing child case Riddle…..’

His computer filled in the rest and brought in multiple different articles. All from news sources from the time. Dated back to 8 years prior. Jamil clicked on one of the articles. The bright, innocent face of a child was at the top of the page. He had the same red hair and grey eyes of the boy Jamil knew, but it looked nothing like him. That child was far too sheltered from the horrors Kocho experienced. The horrors that made Kocho who he was.

Those horrors that just took and took and took with no regard for who it hurts.

It made sense, Jamil realized. After what he saw, what wouldn’t make sense? Kocho had been seen as strange within NRC. Not enough to garner a large amount of attention. But enough make an impact on some. Much like Jamil himself. For Kocho to come from the place that he did, his behavior became somewhat necessary.

After all, if Jamil only felt this way after one horror, he could only imagine what it would feel like having it happen so often.

Jamil scrolled through interviews with Kocho’s mother. Her crying face begging to find her kid and blaming every person around her. For taking away her precious little boy. Jamil would feel bad for her if not for her wording. There was something about the way spoke that pushed all the wrong buttons for Jamil. Manipulating and creating a clear target for those around her. Never once believing that maybe something she did was wrong. No. It was only someone else’s fault.

Maybe that was his bias speaking. Jamil knew the truth after all.

But Jamil swore that woman was becoming more and more manipulative the more recent the interviews were. With a sickeningly sweet smile and the constant guilt-tripping that begged for sympathy. And her pieces of advice kept making Kocho’s reason for running away make more sense. Jamil couldn’t imagine how overbearing she must have been.

How horrible it must have felt to have her as a mother.

Maybe now wasn’t a good time to think about this. Jamil could feel a flicker of anger light up inside, sparking a little too closely to the blot. Thick blot that left no room for negative emotions. Despite that, his mind kept going back to Kocho and what Jamil had seen the night before. Not just what Kocho said about his mother.

Demons.

Actual flesh-eating monsters that care about no one.

That were once human.

Despite how much it felt unreal, like something straight from a horror movie, it had torn away so much from Jamil. It had torn so much away from so many people. From Tanjiro and from Kocho.
Yet it was their whole life. The pure sake of revenge took over at such a young age and gave them the will to fight something they were guaranteed to die from. That so many had already died from. Jamil couldn’t even say he didn’t understand because that desire had already planted a seed in his mind.

And it reminded him of what he said the night before. What he and Kocho said the night before. Jamil had been stupid. So very stupid. And so very cruel. He’d said the worst possible things and drove away someone he considered his friend. Of course Kocho wouldn’t want Kalim’s money. It would do nothing for him. And of course he would be drawn towards Kalim. Who wouldn’t be drawn to someone so positive after experiencing what Kocho has?

So in the end, Jamil was alone and it was all his fault. There was nothing he could do about it anymore either. He screwed up horribly. Denied the deaths of so many right in front of the one inflicted by that suffering the most. Kocho must have been filled with nothing but the bitterness of betrayal. The very same feeling Jamil forced upon himself that wasn’t even valid.

Jamil wouldn’t even be surprised if Kocho never wanted to speak to him again. And Jamil wouldn’t even blame him.

Not now Jamil. Not now.

He forced himself out of those thoughts again. Trying to focus on something else. Something. Anything. Find a new distraction. His mind sped through hundreds of topics in a matter of seconds. As he did this, his eyes landed on the necklace Neige gave him. The beautiful, handcrafted necklace with vibrant colors.

Neige’s gift because they were friends.

That boy. He’d said the night before that he was attacked by a demon. It’s the only reason he knew Kocho. And the demon had given Neige a lovely description of what it wanted to do with the boy. In horrifyingly gruesome detail no doubt. But something struck Jamil as odd. To decorate the trees with one's corpse. That sounded oddly similar to the description of the two crimes that happened earlier that semester. Especially with the context of what demons are. And the timing of Neige coming to visit Kocho.

And not a single other gruesome crime scene since.

Jamil’s eyes widened.

“No way,” he muttered.

“There you are!”

Kocho, Vil, and Rook all whipped their heads in surprise to see Ortho floating above them. Kaname as circling around Ortho, which seemed to make Ortho really happy.

They were all back in the same clearing Kocho had been training in before. Vil and Rook had insisted they go with him. Rook had said it was to learn more about Kocho’s sword techniques. Kocho wasn’t convinced, but he let them come regardless. Vil was going to try and meet with Kocho about last night anyway. Might as well kill two birds with one stone.

Ortho lowered himself down as Kaname perched on Rook’s shoulder, much to the delight of the hunter. The blue of Ortho’s hair reflected brilliantly on the clips holding Kocho’s bangs back, but Ortho paid no mind to them.

“Is something wrong?” Vil asked.

“I got a text from Neige LeBlanche about what happened last night,” Ortho replied,” I came as soon as I got it.”

Kocho turned his head away from the others, trying to hide his expression.

“How kind of you!” Rook beamed.

“How’s Viper?” Kocho asked,” Is he still mad?”

“I wish I knew,” Ortho replied,” He hasn’t replied to my text or my call.”

“I see,” Kocho whispered.

Ortho scanned Kocho for a second. His eyes lingered on Kocho’s hand before he turned to look at Vil and Rook.

“Is it alright if we have this conversation in private?” Ortho asked.

“But of course!” Rook replied.

“Right,” Vil nodded.

The two boys left through the path they came from, leaving Ortho and Kocho alone. Ortho scanned Kocho once more before floating in front of the redhead.

“Can you give me some more detail on what happened?” Ortho asked,” I want to be able to help as best I can.”

“That’s the problem, I don’t know what happened,” Kocho sighed as his eyes met Ortho’s.

There was clear sadness and betrayal swirling in them. The most vile of mixtures. Taking every chance to try and take over. But it couldn’t get out. Kocho did well to hide it in the rest of his expression.

“Everything was going just fine and then suddenly Viper yelled at me about how I betrayed him.”

“I see,” Ortho mumbled,” This was about Kalim al Asim, wasn’t it?”

Kocho’s eyes widened as he finally looked Ortho in the eyes.

“Yeah, how’d you know?” Kocho asked.

“I figured as much,” Ortho sighed.

“Did you know this would happen?”

“No! I thought everything would be fine,” Ortho replied,” I even reassured Jamil Viper and everything when he asked.”

Kocho gave Ortho a puzzled look before sheathing his sword.

“Shroud, tell me everything you know,” Kocho demanded.

Ortho nodded his head. The boy’s hand then lit up, creating a blue projection with ease. There were pictures and news articles. All with the same man being the center of attention.

“This man, he’s Kalim’s father,” Ortho started,” He has a share in every business out there and can shut anyone down if he so desires. A single word from him can benefit anyone. To put it simply, he’s a powerful man.”

Kocho nodded his head as he examined each picture. The man seemed to always be smiling in a joyous manner and always seemed to be showing off. Already, Kocho didn’t like him. Mainly due to how clearly the man practically threw away his money.

But also because of the man who always seemed to accompany Kalim’s father. Despite always smiling like the latter, he seemed so solemn in a way that made Kocho suspicious.

“That man with him. That’s Jamil Viper’s father,” Ortho continued.

Kocho’s eyes widened.

“The Viper family has served the Asim family for generations now,” Ortho explained,” The Viper family doesn’t have the ability to leave, and if they try they are severely punished. Think being locked in a room for a week and being treated like a prisoner.”

“I’m sorry?” Kocho nearly stuttered as all thoughts were cut off.

“Jamil Viper was assigned to serve Kalim al Asim since the day Kalim al Asim was born,” Ortho continued,” As Jamil explained it to me, all of his thoughts and actions had to benefit his master. It wasn’t until coming to Night Raven that he could be himself.”

Kocho’s mind was racing with hundreds of thoughts per second. This had to be a sick joke, right? Of course someone who Kocho immediately felt comfortable with was a mass manipulator, hiding his horrible actions behind a smile. It made Kocho feel sick. Jamil had every right to feel upset with him.

He couldn’t put any of these thoughts into words. So all he could reply with was a simple ‘oh’.

“What makes it worse is Kalim al Asim isn’t aware of any of this,” Ortho stated.

Huh.

“To him, Jamil is a really good friend. You saw how he acted last night. None of that was fake. I scanned him many times to check. Malice was lower than any other student at this school,” Ortho started to ramble.

So Kalim wasn’t malicious. Just his family. That did make sense with what he said yesterday. But Kocho hesitated to believe that. This boy had put Jamil through so much hell, no doubt about it. So it doesn’t matter if he isn’t truly malicious. He still did something truly horrible.

Kocho wanted to take everything back. But he couldn’t. What’s done was done.

If only he had known earlier.

If he’d just looked at the context clues for just a second.

How stupid he had been.

Vil watched the two boys from beyond the undergrowth. Not a word reached his ear, but he could see the panic in Kocho’s eyes. It made something inside the actor twist. If only he could do something.

No, not now, Vil thought. No doubt Kocho would want some time alone with his own thoughts after this. And Vil had something else to do.

Or rather, someone else to interrogate.

Vil turned to the crow resting on Rook’s shoulder.

“Kaname,” Vil said, catching the black bird’s attention,” What are demons?”

Kaname looked at Vil in surprise, but he didn’t hesitate with his reply.

“It finally piqued your interest I see,” the crow hummed,” If I may ask, what finally made you ask?”

“Finally mon ami? We just learned of their mere existence,” Rook said with a curious look in his gaze.

“Despite your connection with the Tsuguko of the Insect Hashira?” Kaname questioned.

“None of those words mean anything to us,” Vil pointed out.

“So it appears,” Kaname said,” then allow me to rephrase. Did you really never question the wounds and scars covering his skin?”

Vil’s eyes widened. The snake-like bruise that coiled around Kocho’s body. And the handprints around his neck. Those wounds. They were made by a demon.

“So Daki is a demon,” Vil muttered.

“Indeed she is,” Kaname confirmed,” One of the most vile at that.”

“Would you be ever so gracious to explain?” Rook asked.

Kaname nodded his head.

“It would do you well to know,” Kaname replied,” Demons are horrid creatures that prey on the innocent. Eating human flesh to grow in power, thriving in the screams of those they steal the life from. Some will play with their prey and decorate the world in their blood. I’m sure you aren’t unfamiliar with this. You were privy to this crime before I even arrived.”

Vil’s eyes widened. The memory of the news articles appeared before him once more. Crimes so unspeakably ruthless and deranged. Ones blamed on some serial killer or potential cannibals.

“So they caused this,” Vil murmured in horror,” They caused this and yet Kocho survived.”

“It is his job to fight and kill them,” Kaname stated,” It has been his life since the day he first knew of their existence.”

“What a horrible life,” Vil sighed as he looked over at Kocho.

The blades Kocho held closely to his side. Vil could see it now. How naturally the redhead used them. And all the ways he moved. Rook had been right. Kocho was a fighter. But only now did Vil see what that actually meant.

Even if only a little.

“And what of Daki?” Vil asked.

“Dead,” Kaname stated,” Slain alongside her other half. Her brother. A demon far worse than her.”

“She had a brother?” Rook asked.

“Correct,” Kaname replied,” Together they were known as Upper Moon 6. The fact that they are both dead is a miracle, let alone that every slayer who went on that mission survived. Heavily injured yes. But alive and breathing. They are lucky. So very lucky.”

There was sadness as Kaname spoke. His eyes lingered on the red-haired boy.

“Truth be told, I wish my master had that same luck. Almost every single day since his passing.”

“Is Monsieur Butterfly not your owner?” Rook asked.

“No. I was simply told to watch over Master Kocho by him,” Kaname spoke in a soft, solemn voice,” The flame Hashira, Rengoku Kyojuro. Though that name and title mean nothing to you, it means to the world to so many.”

“Rengoku….” Vil trailed off.

A familiar name dripped in sorrow. One of the many Kocho had cried out in his sleep.

One of many.

So so many.

It left a purely vile taste in his mouth. Someone had experienced a world so horrible. And none of them had ever known.

How many had gone through that without a single person knowing? Not even when they died.

Vil’s expression grew stern. He would not let himself feel this anguish. Out of everyone, he had no right to. After all, what of this horror had he actually seen? Ignoring the twisted feeling in his stomach every second he remembers his rival actor could have become a pile of bones and flesh and nobody knew it. They weren’t right for him to feel.

He, of all people, did not deserve to feel this way.

Not when he had the power to do something.

“What else is there to know about demons?” Vil asked the crow.

Dominic could not believe he was doing this. Not in the many years he had been on this planet. Not in the many that had yet to come. He had a set of morals he needed to follow. For the family and the boy they took in so many years ago. He was the leader for seven’s sake. There was no way he wasn’t going to try and be a role model for everyone else.

Yet here he was, creeping into another dorm in the middle of the night. Really, he should have done this earlier. But he had so much to do that day, and he was hoping to ask Neige why. Neige had never left the bathroom though. And the yells of a man on the other side of a phone could be heard behind the door every time Dominic wished to check on his friend.

The halls of this dorm were so much weirder than his. They twisted in weird ways and sometimes Dominic would find himself on a new floor, despite never using the stairs. It had patterns of blue and white and potted mushrooms in every corner. In a way, the halls almost felt alive.

Dominic tried not to get too distracted by admiring the dorm as he crept through the halls, using his small stature to his advantage whenever someone walked by. Hiding behind plants or curtains. Before he knew it, he’d made it to the second-year’s dorms. Chenya should be living in one of these. But which one?

Dominic didn’t have to think too hard on that. Chenya strolled out of one of the rooms, a mug in hand. A perfect coincidence. The cat beastman sluggishly passed by the dwarf’s hiding spot before disappearing around the corner. Dominic waited with bated breath for any more movement or sound. When there was none, Dominic made his way to Chenya’s room.

It was far too dark and empty for Dominic’s liking. He knew Chenya was given a room to himself weeks prior due to the incident at the bakery, but he didn’t realize the boy was still living in it. Not that Dominic could complain. It made his job easier.

There was a silver cage in the corner of the room. One Dominic barely noticed, if not for the sliver of light reflecting off of it. Dominic quickly made his way over to the cage and pulled himself up to get a look inside.

A crow lay in the cage, glaring at Dominic. With its wings tied together and its mouth tied shut, the bird couldn’t do anything. Next to the crow sat a worn-out keychain, covered in years' worth of experience that Dominic couldn’t even imagine. He didn’t think he even wanted to. Some of those stains looked far too red.

“What does Chenya want with you,” Dominic mumbled before looking at the rest of the room.

Curtains draped the entire back wall. No doubt with a window behind it.

“I’ll get you out of here, don’t worry.”

With a huff, Dominic lifted up the cage and waddled over to the curtains. He slid behind them, finding a large window that would easily open once unlocked. And it wasn’t that far of a jump. In fact, Chenya’s room happened to be on the first floor. Somehow. Dominic didn’t even realize he was on the first floor.

With a bit of struggle, Dominic was able to unlatch the window and push it open. He jumped onto the ground and closed the window the best he could before booking it to the mirror portal. Once he passed the portal, Dominic left RSA’s mirror chamber and flopped onto the ground. He panted for a while as he just lay in the grass. The crow eyed him suspiciously, but it was no longer glaring.

That was good.

“That was easier than I thought,” Dominic sighed,” Let’s get you out of here.”

Before Dominic could even open the cage, someone else yanked it out of Dominic’s grasp. Dominic’s eyes widened as they met golden eyes adorned with a crazed expression. One filled with nothing but malice.

“So he really did know,” Chenya said in a demanding voice,” Dominic, do me a favor and bring me to Neige.”

Dominic gulped and tried to deny Chenya’s demands. But his body was frozen in fear. That glare. It was like nothing Dominic had ever seen before. Sharp and ever aware of its surroundings. A predator ready to strike the cowarding prey that reflected in its eyes. Small, grey reflection.

In the end, Dominic gave in to Chenya’s demands.

The headmaster of Royal Sword Academy thought very highly of the school he was in charge of. Many of his students grew up to be fine mages worthy of any praise. And Headmaster Ambrose liked to think it was due to his ability to lead the student body and to be there for every one of their worries.

So, despite how late in the night it was, he welcomed the pink-haired dwarf who wished to meet with him. He even made tea for the little dwarf and made small talk before asking what the problem might be.

“Headmaster, has anything weird happened recently?” Grum asked.

“Weird? Potentially,” Ambrose replied,” Why, the other day there had been rumors of a snake-like woman that appeared for a week before mysteriously disappearing in Silk City. Isn’t that weird?”
Grum did not reply. He simply glared at his headmaster. It brought the message across clearly.

“No, nothing weird has happened as of late,” the headmaster said,” We haven’t seen anything relating to those two murders earlier this semester either. The mayor has decided we should be in the clear very soon to open up the gates to the village once more.”

Grum’s expression wavered.

“I actually wanted to talk about that,” Grum stated,” Or, something related to it.”

“Whatever could you mean?” Ambrose asked.

“It’s… it’s about Neige sir,” Grum replied,” Ever since the night the second body was found, he’s been acting weird and has had nightmares almost every night. We’ve tried to help him but he’s stayed tight-lipped about it. We don’t know what to do anymore.”

“So you came to ask me,” Ambrose finished.

Ambrose’s expression softened. How kind it was for the dwarfs to be looking out so much for their friend. Neige deserved it so much, from what Ambrose had seen. Especially with who his manager was. That boy needed all the kindness in the world.

“I understand,” Ambrose said,” If I may ask, why do you think it has to do with the murders?”

“Because he was out in the forest the night the second body was found,” Grum explained, his voice lowering into a whisper,” And don’t tell Neige I told you this. But he came back with mud all over his uniform and his magestone was full of blot.”

Ambrose’s eyes widened in horror. Neige LeBlanche in that state? For that to happen.

“I understand,” Ambrose said once more,” Is Neige still up?”

Grum nodded his head.

“He hasn’t left the bathroom all day.”

“Then why don’t we pay him a visit?”

Neige sighed as his manager finally hung up. Finally. FINALLY. It was getting so late. He’d spent the entire day listening to that man go on and on, as if it was Neige’s fault everything was behind. Really now. Neige could have done without that call. But it was inevitable and he needed to get it out of the way. Though it drained all of his energy away like a leech.

Now he could finally plan what to do about Kocho and Jamil.

Once he charged his phone. That thing was living on a prayer with how long Neige had been in the bathroom.

There was a quiet knock at the door, followed by a muffled call.

“Neige,” Dominic said.

“Oh, Dominic!” Neige beamed, feeling a sudden surge in energy,” How was it? Did you find…?”

The second Neige unlocked the door, it was swung back with such force it made Neige stumble back. Piercing golden eyes glared daggers into Neige. With a silver cage in his hand, Chenya stalked forward with what could only be described as hatred in his eyes.

It stung so badly to see Chenya was the one looking at him like that.

“Find what, dear Neige?” Chenya demanded.

Why? Why was Chenya looking at him like that? It was wrong. It felt so wrong. This was just about a crow right? Then why was Chenya so….?

Neige’s eyes widened. The crow that belonged to Kocho, Chenya’s missing childhood friend.

“You knew,” Chenya snapped, throwing Neige out of his thoughts,” You knew Riddle was going to NRC!”

“No! I didn’t…”

“The boy who smelt so strongly of wisteria,” Chenya growled,” You’ve been friends with him this whole time yet you never once thought of telling me!”

“I didn’t know! Okay!” Neige tried to defend himself.

“You’re going to bring me to him right now, do you understand?” Chenya demanded.

“This late…?”

Chenya slapped Dominic on the back of the head, silencing the dwarf. Neige looked at the two in horror as Chenya stalked forward once again. Before he knew it, the beastman was right in front of him, cornering him in the small room. Neige could feel his own breath quicken as his heartbeat grew louder in his ears. Chenya’s mouth grew into a Cheshire cat smile, causing his eyes to look even more crazed.

“Do you understand?” Chenya repeated.

Neige gulped and nodded his head.

“Good.”

Chenya dragged the two boys out to the mirror chamber and to NRC’s campus. Dominic couldn’t bear to look Neige in the eye. Nor could Neige do the same for him. It was his fault they were in this mess, after all. If Neige hadn’t asked Dominic to do this and just waited until he had time to do it himself, then Dominic wouldn’t have been dragged into this mess. He was stupid. So very stupid.

And he couldn’t call anyone for help. Not with a dead phone in hand.

The three boys crept down the main street and passed the statues of NRC’s great seven. They stood with their heads held high with clear pride. Moonlight lit them up so brilliantly.

Neige felt so ashamed standing in front of them.

“How long have you known, I wonder,” Chenya hummed,” He was there back in the forest, so surely before then.”

Neige’s eyes widened.

“You knew he was there?” Neige couldn’t help but ask, even as chills ran up his spine.

Was it just him, or was it getting colder?

“The boy with wisteria scent so strong, even beastman could not smell his blood,” Chenya hummed as he glared at Neige,” Need I say more?”

The beastman swung the cage in his hand, earning a glare from the crow. Kuroba.

“I see,” Neige whispered in reply.

The wind howled, filling up the silence between the two of them. Despite them still being on Main Street, a place Neige had walked countless amount of times, it felt so much creepier this time around. Like a thousand eyes were watching his every move. It made Neige’s skin crawl.

Even more so when Chenya stopped.

“Chenya?”

Chenya sniffed the air as he checked his surroundings. The fur on his ears and tail stood up straight as the boy scanned every little detail. He stayed silent the whole time. For a while, the trio stood in silence, with each passing minute more unsettling than the last.

“Someone’s here,” Chenya muttered after a while.

The second those words left his mouth, someone in all white appeared out of thin air. Splitting the group up. It was a woman in a bridal gown and pale blue skin. Just a single look from her made Neige’s entire body grow cold. Especially when a smile grew on her face.

“Perfect! She’s going to love you!”

“Neige!”

Before anybody knew it, the woman threw wind at Chenya and Dominic, throwing them both into the statues and knocking them out. The silver cage broke on impact and cut the ties on the crow, allowing Kuroba to fly away. Neige couldn’t do anything as the woman grabbed him and his vision faded to black.

Chapter Text

“Hey! Hey! Riddle! Shinobu! What about you?”

“Hm? What about us?”

“What’s your opinion on marriage? I mean, Uzui has 3 wives and I know I’ve always wanted to find a husband.”

“Marriage huh? I’m not against it. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. Granted, the sound of finding someone I romantically love and want to spend the rest of my life with is quite pleasant.”

“Sounds just like you. What about you, Riddle?”

“I don’t know. Doesn’t sound like something I would enjoy.”

“Really?”

“I mean, I have so many people I care about. Why would I force myself to only care about one for the rest of my life?”

“But it would be with someone you love so romantically and wish to grow a life together with!”

“Riddle, have you never felt any romantic feelings for someone before?”

“Is it not just liking a person?”

“It’s so much more than that! It’s wanting to spend every moment of your life with someone! Every single low and every single high! It’s wanting to do everything in your power to help that special someone! To protect them! To comfort them when they cry! It’s seeing your future together when you grow old, happy with the life you’ve spent with the one you’ve loved! It’s…!”

“Riddle have you ever felt drawn towards someone with nothing but love and care in a way that just felt different?”

“No?”

“There you go.”

If Crowley had an infinite amount of guesses as to how he would be spending his time at 6 am in the morning, he still wouldn’t have gotten it right. He had been taking a stroll around campus, enjoying the fresh air, when he stumbled upon two Royal Sword students knocked out near the statues of the seven. So, now he was in RSA’s infirmary with the nuisance of a headmaster that was Ambrose.

How lovely.

The two boys lay in the cots as the nurse checked them for any injuries. One of them, the grey-haired dwarf, was being watched so carefully by a pink-haired dwarf. A friend, no doubt. He looked so worried.

“I apologize sincerely for the trouble, Dire Crowley,” Ambrose said as the beautiful sunlight filtered into the room.

The sunrise Crowley had wanted to see on his walk. That lovely, wonderful sunrise with pinks and blues only ever seen with the peace of the morning air.

No, he wasn’t bitter.

“I do expect something for this,” Crowley stated,” Your students not only snuck onto my campus in the middle of the night. But they also chipped the statue of the fairest queen!”

In fact, they did. Just above where the grey-haired boy lay. Parts of the statue had been chipped and cracked. How horrible for someone to do that to NRC’s precious statues. If it had been one of his own students, any damage to the statues would guarantee a punishment of cleaning 100 windows without magic.

“I am aware,” Ambrose sighed,” I will pay for whatever repairs you require. However, I ask we do this after we find whoever did this to them.”

“Yes of course!” Crowley replied.

One of his own students attacked them and it would do poorly to his image not to punish them. Even if he thought it was the fault of the RSA students for entering NRC’s campus in the middle of the night.

One of the boys, the beastman, stirred in his sleep, grabbing the attention of both adults. Golden eyes struggled to open, followed by a groan in pain. Chenya tried to push himself up to sit, but the nurse stopped him.

“Easy now,” the nurse said,” You hit your head pretty hard.”

“Good to see one of you are up,” Crowley stated loudly, causing the boy to wince.

“How are you feeling?” Ambrose asked, his voice soft and almost falling into a whisper.

Chenya didn’t respond for a bit. His eyes constantly wavered on drifting off and focusing on reality. Everything was a blur, making it hard to tell what was going on around him. He heard voices, yes. But what were they saying?

Where even was he? Last he remembered he’d been on NRC’s main street with Neige and Dominic.

Neige.

SHIT!

“Where…” Chenya struggled to get out,” Where is Neige?”

“We’d like to know that too,” Grum mumbled,” He’s been gone since last night.”

“Shit….” Chenya growled.

His head throbbed just remembering what happened. Chenya could feel himself fading in and out of consciousness. Ambrose was quick to help support the boy as he nearly collapsed.

“Careful now,” Ambrose said,” Don’t stress yourself,”

Don’t stress himself? At a time like this? No. He had to push himself. Especially with what he did. What he caused. Another person missing because of him. Chenya could not allow it.

“Ghosts,” Chenya stuttered out between struggling breaths,” There were ghosts.”

A ringing filled the infirmary in echoes. Crowley let out a startled squeak as he pulled out his phone and looked at the caller ID.

“What does he want at this hour?” Crowley grumbled before picking up,” This better be important, Crewel.”

“I would think the school being overrun by ghosts would be very important,” Crewel hissed on the other side.

Crowley choked on his own breath.

“Ghosts?!”

By the time everyone had made their way to where Crowley had summoned them, entering the main building had become near impossible. There were too many ghosts. And they kept coming back no matter how many times they were taken down. It was way too early for this, Jamil thought. He already had to deal with Kalim pestering him all morning, asking if he was alright. There was no way he wanted to deal with this.

Most of the house wardens and vice house wardens were there as well. Diasomnia’s vice housewarden seemed to be enjoying everything that was going on and Leona seemed irritated, no doubt being awoken from a nap by the ghosts. Granted, everyone seemed quite irritated by this turn of events.

Even more so when Crowley appeared with RSA’s headmaster and an RSA student.

“Oh my,” Diasomnia’s vice housewarden, Lilia, hummed.

“Headmaster Ambrose,” Vil said with a bow,” We weren’t expecting your presence.”

Leona scoffed at the sight of the man. Kalim looked at the man, eyes wide with wonder. Jamil, on the other hand, was looking at the dwarf. The little fae seemed lost in thought, with his eyes lingering on Jamil’s neck. Right where his necklace sat.

So this was one of Neige’s friends.

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Ambrose replied,” It is unfortunate that we had to meet under circumstances such as these.”

“I don’t suspect our bienveillant headmaster asked for your assistance,” Rook hummed as he patted Kaname’s head.

Kaname sat on the blond’s shoulder, observing everyone around him. Some students were confused, but they had other things to worry about. So they didn’t question it.

“Assistance wouldn’t be necessary if it didn’t directly involve RSA,” Crowley retorted, trying not to sound annoyed.

“So you know what’s happening,” Leona sighed.

“Care to explain, headmaster?” Azul asked, his customer service smile never leaving his face.

“It was bound to happen, I suppose,” Crowley sighed,” You see, long ago there was a princess that wanted nothing more than to get married. Tragedy unfortunately befell her and those who served her, killing them all. So, now she annually leaves the spectral realm with her retainers in search of the perfect prince to marry. During that time, she and her retainers stay at the old crumbled-down dorm on campus. Amazing is it not? For someone like her to choose our school to set up camp….”

“Crowley,” Ambrose said, almost like a warming.

“Yes, well,” Crowley coughed out,” It would appear she finally found her ‘perfect prince’, surprisingly.”

“Crowley,” Ambrose growled.

“Look, Neige doesn’t follow all of her requirements! He’s not exactly 180 cm tall,” Crowley rebutted.

Never had a crowd at NRC gone this quiet before. It spread like wildfire, consuming every person able to hear Crowley. Jamil could feel everything in his mind freeze, with every curse word in the dictionary on repeat. He could feel his breath quicken and scenes started to flash right in front of his eyes.

Scenes he so desperately didn’t want to happen again.

“Come again?” Vil said with wide eyes.

“Dear Headmaster, are you perhaps insinuating Roi de Neige has been abducted by these ghosts?” Rook asked.

“I don’t believe that’s exactly what he’s saying,” Azul said,” Just that our lovely guest has chosen him to marry her.”

“No, he’s correct,” Ambrose confirmed.

“And you wish for our assistance, yes?” Lilia asked.

As they spoke, Rook looked over at Kaname. He kept a neutral expression up and whispered to the crow.

“Chevalier de Papillon. Be a dear and scout the building for where they’re holding Roi de Neige.”

Kaname nodded and took off, with only Vil and Leona noticing. The latter barely cared, but the nickname struck him as odd. Vil just gave Rook a knowing look before bringing his attention back to the headmasters.

“I sincerely apologize, but why must we help?” Azul asked,” We are merely students after all. A gaggle of freshmen and sophomores. The only third year here would be Leona.”

“And frankly I’m not interested,” Leona groaned,” This has nothing to do with me.”

“Ah, but we must assist!” Rook beamed,” How can we not?”

“I wish to help as well,” Cater spoke up, with Trey nodding along with him.

Because they couldn’t leave Neige like this. Not after that night at the bakery. Not after what Chenya said. So, for Chenya’s sake, they would.

“Oh! We’ll help too! Right Jamil?” Kalim asked.

Jamil nodded his head, trying his best to hide the horror running through his head.

“Right.”

Azul carefully watched Jamil, picking apart everything he could. He was vaguely aware of Jamil’s connection with the idol. Who wouldn’t after the party two days prior? But there was something so very interesting about Jamil’s reaction. Cracks showed the horror. The absolute dread mixed in drops of ink. In the metaphorical sense. Though Azul could see the black creeping along the edges of Jamil’s magestone that had been clean moments prior.

Azul couldn’t help but feel his smirk widen.

“I wouldn’t mind helping, of course,” Azul said,” So long as I’m being compensated for my efforts.”

“Your school has been overrun with ghosts and you're asking US to compensate YOU to help run them out?!” Grum nearly growled.

“This will be all over when the wedding is done, no? Our campus will go back to normal as if nothing ever happened,” Azul pointed out,” Neige, on the other hand. Well, we don’t know what will happen to him.”

“No, we know what will happen,” Vil almost snapped,” When someone marries a ghost, they’re forever bound to the spectral realm. They’ll perish and become a ghost. Now, tell me Ashengrotto, what do you think will happen to us if Neige LeBlanche died on our campus while we did nothing.”

“I think a little butterfly has rubbed off on you. But I understand your point,” Azul sighed,” Very well, I’ll do what I must.”

“Thank you,” Ambrose said with a smile before looking over at Lilia and Leona,” And what about you two?”

“I don’t see what’s the harm,” Lilia hummed with a playful smile,” So long as it doesn’t take too long. I am quite busy today.”

“Fine,” Leona sighed.

“Wonderful,” Ambrose said.

“So what exactly is the plan, if we have one of course?” Lilia asked.

Everything they spoke only became only a muffled mess once they reached Jamil. He couldn’t focus. Not at all. The flashes of his sister’s memories. Red. So much red. One of his friends is in danger and could lose his life if Jamil doesn’t do anything. But can he really do anything?

Calm your breath.

Calm your breath.

You can do something this time and if you failed at least you tried this time. You didn’t just leave him to die, not like everyone else when you came to this seven’s forsaken school.

Red.

So much red.

“Jamil.”

Vil’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts, meeting the stern expression with soft purple eyes.

“I have a request to make.”

“Okay,” Jamil replied simply.

Azul looked over at the duo curiously.

“Please contact Ortho and get Kocho for me,” Vil said,” I do believe they both would like to help with this. Seven’s knows that potato would be infuriated if we didn’t say a word to him about it.”

Him? Get Kocho? After what happened two nights prior? After Jamil accused Kocho of horrible things. Why? Kocho wouldn’t listen. There was no reason for Kocho to listen. And Jamil wouldn’t blame him. So why him?

“Look, I’m aware of the current situation between the two of you,” Vil whispered,” But you’re one of the only people in this school who knows about Kocho and Ortho’s friendship with Neige so it makes the most sense to send you.”

“What about you or Rook?” Jamil muttered.

“There would be more questions if either of us left,” Vil simply replied.

The cry of a crow caught everyone off guard. Kaname flew over to Rook, carefully landing on the boy’s shoulder before whispering something. Rook listened carefully, with the rest of the crowd eyeing the boy. Leona’s ears twitched as he just stared at the crow, picking every detail apart.

“Merveilleuse. Merci Chevalier de Papillon,” Rook said with a smile,” Oh headmaster, I believe we’ve pinpointed Roi de Neige’s location.”

“Wonderful!” Crowley beamed,” What are we waiting for then?”

Vil gave Jamil a quick nod as if telling him to go, before following the rest of the crowd. Jamil stood completely still. For a second, he just watched the group head towards the campus before taking a deep breath and booking it over to Pomefiore’s dorm.

The dining hall was crowded with ghosts dressed to the nines. Each doing their best to decorate the hall for the perfect wedding. With tables draped in white and flowers decorating the curtains. Everything was done with the intent of perfection. One ghost made sure of that. She was dressed in a white bridal gown and had pale blue skin. The same one that had kidnapped Neige the night before. She seemed so determined to make everything exactly as she would have wanted.

Neige sat near the makeshift alter, frozen completely still in attire he’d never worn before. Something reminiscent of the casual outfits of the demons before they became demons. To say that slightly disturbed him wouldn’t be true. Because that wasn’t what disturbed him.

Or rather, what made fear crawl through every vein in his body. Setting off his flight or fight responses over and over again even though one of the ghosts had frozen him completely still like ice.

No, the ghost sitting next to him was to blame. The ghost with shriveled hair and a sickly disposition.

And scars.

So many scars.

The ghost looked so alive in the worst ways, despite how deathly those complections would have made him look if he were alive.

There was a muffled commotion that could easily be heard from beyond the dining hall. All of the ghosts stopped what they were doing, annoying the ghost in the bridal gown. The doors soon opened, revealing the two headmasters and a group of students, all adorning their dorm uniforms.

Neige’s eyes widened when he saw the group, especially when his eyes landed on Grum. But the ghost sitting next to Neige glared at him, as if to say don’t you even dare. And those eyes. Neige learned to fear those eyes weeks ago.

“Your Highness,” one of the ghosts spoke up as he led the crowd in,” These gentlemen wish to speak with you.”

“With me?” the ghost in a bridal gown asked,” What for? I’m fairly busy setting up a wedding right now.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess Eliza,” Ambrose said, leaving the crowd with only Vil and Rook following.

There was no Jamil in the crowd, Neige realized. Not that he could necessarily blame him. After what Neige forced Jamil to see, Jamil probably needed time to himself.

A really long time.

“And you are?” Eliza asked.

“My name is Ambrose LXIII, headmaster of the Royal Sword Academy. We’re located just across the isle from this establishment,” Ambrose said,” And it has come to my attention that you’ve kidnapped one of my students and attacked two others.”

“Wait she did?” Trey whispered.

“Would have been nice to know about that ahead of time,” Cater whispered.

“Yes. And? Those two were about to stop me so I had to,” Eliza stated.

“Your Highness, I simply wish for you to return Neige LeBlanche at once,” Ambrose stated.

“And to pay for the renovations to the damages you caused when you attacked those students!” Crowley chimed in,” You chipped one of our school’s beloved statues!”

“Oh, I did? I’m so sorry! I didn’t realize!” Eliza replied to Crowley,” I’ll make sure we’ll get that fixed after the wedding.”

“Wait!” Ambrose said,” Please don’t go through with this! Did you even get Neige’s consent in all of this?”

“Does it matter?” Eliza asked,” He’s the perfect suitor for my bestie! So whatever makes her happy makes me happy!”

There was a pause as all eyes landed on the princess.

“Your bestie?” Crowley muttered.

“Yep! She’s just the absolute best!” Eliza beamed,” You see, I met her about two months ago and we just clicked instantly. As it turns out, she’s never been married either. So I thought wouldn’t it be amazing to give her a wedding just like how I wanted? And she loved the idea so here we are! And that boy, he’s just perfect for her!”

“Isn’t this a bit…..?” Trey trailed off.

“Creepy? Absolutely,” Cater commented.

Rook carefully watched where Neige was, examining for any potential injuries. There was nothing he could see nor smell, thank goodness, but Rook couldn’t help but feel chills run up his spine. He couldn’t help but feel afraid for Neige. Maybe it was the ghost sitting next to Neige. But Rook wasn’t completely sure.

But then Rook’s eyes met the ghost’s.

And suddenly he knew exactly why.

All the color drained from Rook’s face, taking away any ability to hide what he was feeling. A mixture of two different feelings. One growing hotter and hotter with every second. The other making his veins grow cold. With a trembling hand, Rook tapped Vil on the shoulder.

Vil could feel the trembling, even if only for a second. So he was quick to look at Rook, but only subtly.

It was then that the ghost made himself known to the rest.

“My sister deserves the world and if you so much as dare to take this away from her I won’t hesitate to kill all of you.”

His voice unnerved everybody. It cracked with every word and strained on every sentence. He sounded just as sickly as he looked. And how he looked. The details were far more gruesome than the rest of the ghosts. Maybe with the others they could see some bone and stuff. But only with this one did they see the skin cling onto every curve of the spine and ribs.

And his eyes were striking, with words carved into his iris and pupils.

Vil’s eyes widened as he read each word.

Upper. Rank. 6.

Vil saw red.

“Whoa! Whoa! Hold it!” Eliza yelled,” Remember what we talked about! No attacking people unless they attack fir….”

A rush of flames launched itself at the ghost, but the ghost dodged it with speed the crowd had only seen in one other person. Neige let out a small cry in alarm. The ghost glared at the group, most of whom were watching what happened in shock.

One of them had their magestone out and the most threatening glare they had ever seen on him.

“Vil….?” Cater muttered.

“What is he….?” Azul muttered.

“Apologies for this,” Vil said to Ambrose before turning his attention once more to the ghost,” But I have a bone to pick with you, Gyutaro.”

A few people let out confused cries, while Rook joined Vil’s side. Sharing the exact same expression as Vil.

“Vil Schoenheit! What is the meaning of…?!” Crowley cried in a demanding tone before being cut off by the ghost.

He was laughing. And it sent chills down everybody’s spines. The ghost was laughing and laughing and laughing even as he brought out blood-red scythes that were decorated in bony skin.

“You said it yourself, Princess!” Gyutaro cried before bolting towards Rook and Vil.

As Jamil finally came to a halt in front of Kocho’s room, he couldn’t help but hesitate. After everything he said and did, would Kocho even try to listen? No doubt he would still be pissed. So Jamil had no doubt the might be some struggle to tell Kocho.

But the red-stained memories and emotions following it pushed him forward. Because, by the sevens, he didn’t want Neige to become one of them.

Jamil was about to knock when Kocho opened the door. A new crow sat on his shoulder, chanting ‘visitor, visitor’. Kocho was wearing his dorm’s uniform, throwing Jamil off. The clips Neige gave him weren’t helping either. He looked so refined and delicate. So far off from the rugged demon slayer he saw from Tanjiro’s memories. The one who fits his skillset so much more.

Suddenly Kocho was starting to look off. So very off.

Jamil shook those thoughts away. Not now. Not now. He had more important things to do.

“Viper…?” Kocho was barely able to utter.

“Neige was kidnapped by ghosts!” Jamil nearly shouted before covering his mouth. Almost forgetting there were still students in the dorm.

Kocho’s eyes went wide. He quickly booked it into his room before appearing in front of Jamil once again with two swords strapped to his uniform. Demon slayer swords, Jamil remembered.

“Let’s go.”

Gyutaro slashed at Rook, who quickly threw up a shield before he could. Vil sent out flames towards the ghost, but he quickly dodged it. The two boys continued this trend back and forth, barely dodging a slash to the neck. Constantly they had to be throwing shields up. It was rare that they got a good shot in.

Lilia joined the fray in excitement, tossing around spells of all kinds to the ghosts that tried to attack. Cater and Trey quickly followed, both with vigor and as a team. And then Jade followed. And then Kalim, Azul, and Leona. Each taking their own legion of ghosts.

Crowley was crying about everything going astray. But Ambrose and Grum were keeping their eyes on Neige. As well as the fight in front of it. Neige was just watching Gyutaro with nothing but fear. Like he recognized him. Because he didn’t look at the other ghosts that way. Just this one.

“Who is that ghost?” Grum asked.

Ambrose did not know. All he could focus on was how he was going to get Rook and Vil away from that ghost. But anything he did was going to be too slow. Despite how powerful he was, that ghost would kill him the instant he became a target.

Of all the ghosts Ambrose needed to attack, why did it have to be this one? The one with speed unknown to any human.

Vil jumped back and shot out a gust of wind, only to immediately follow it up with a shield as Gyutaro tried to attack once more. This seven’s forsaken demon. He was holding back and Vil could see it. Toying with him and Rook as if they were food. Vil should have thought better before attacking. He was able to injure Kocho, after all.

Rook shot flames at Gyutaro before jumping to Vil's side. There they both summoned shields. Gyutaro laughed and shattered the shields, only to be met with flames. The two boys dodged back, avoiding the next onslaught of attacks.

“This is getting us nowhere,” Vil growled.

“He is called an Upper Moon for a reason,” Rook hummed,” We can only hope Monsieur Butterfly is on his way.”

“I wish I didn’t agree with you.”

Gyutaro launched himself at the two boys, who both threw up shields again. The ghost broke it once again, this time launching the two boys all the way across the dining hall. Rook nearly landed on top of Leona, who let out an annoyed growl at the blond. He quickly shot a dark spell at Gyutaro as soon as he saw the ghost right in front of them. Vil landed with as much grace as he could muster before throwing another wind spell. Gyutaro dodged both with ease.

The sound of the doors slamming open stopped some of the fighting. Two ghosts were thrown into the room at high speeds. One nearly hit Azul and the other hit Gyutaro in the chest, throwing him into the other side of the room.

“Neige LeBlanche! Are you alright?!” Ortho cried as he flew over to where the boy was.

One of the guards tried to stop the robot, but someone grabbed the back of his collar and slammed him into the ground. Kocho stood on top of the ghost, glaring at every ghost in the room. Jamil stood at the entrance of the dining hall, watching everything in shock.

And exhaustion.

Sucks being the slowest of the group.

“You! What do you think you’re doing?!” Eliza cried,” This was supposed to be….!”

“YOU!”

Kocho could feel his heart sink at the familiar voice. He slowly turned to look at Gyutaro as the ghost slowly picked himself up from the ground. Vil and Rook jumped to Kocho’s side, though not without collapsing from exhaustion. Kocho quickly stood in front of them, his hand on one of his blades.

Ortho and Jamil both saw it at the same time. The symbols in the ghost’s eyes.

“An upper moon?!” Ortho squeaked, putting himself in between Neige and the ghost.

Ambrose slowly got out his own magestone. Ready to attack now that the chance has made itself clear.

“How the hell are you alive?!”

Ambrose immediately froze in complete confusion.

“You aren’t faltering from your wounds. No proof of broken bones or gashes at all. Even if you were lucky to survive my poison it should have taken months to heal!” Gyutaro ranted,” What exactly did that Shinobi teach you?!”

Kocho carefully eyed the demon, his expression as stone-cold as he could muster. Though his face almost betrayed him. There was a slight tremble in his hands and he couldn’t help the fact that his face went pale. Because looking at this demon, despite knowing he’s dead, forced horrible images to the forefront of his mind.

Kocho quickly pulled one of his Katanas from its sheath. This one with a little cat keychain dangling from its hilt and no hook on its end.

“Bugs like you really do always come back no matter how many times I squash you,” the demon growled before a smirk spread across his face,” Let’s see how you do without that Hashira getting in the way!”

Both Kocho and the demon dashed at each other, leaving wind in their trails. The wind knocked back some of the ghosts and even a few of the students. Gyutaro slashed at Kocho. Kocho blocked before trying to strike Gyutaro. They went and on like this. Running around the room at top speeds. Flowers and water trailed behind every movement of Kocho’s swords, framing the fight with elegance and beauty.

Jamil couldn’t help but watch the fight in awe. Same with Vil and Rook. They could barely keep up with a single move as the two danced across the hall. It was a kind of beauty they had never seen before, and Rook couldn’t help but gush over it.

Ambrose and Grum, on the other hand, were in a complete state of shock.

Gyutaro attacked with so much force, treating every move as if it were the killing blow. To the neck. To the head. To the chest. Gyutaro was aiming for anything that could finally silence Kocho. Kocho, despite looking as if he was going to do the same, was simply trying not to get hit. He’s quick enough to do that.

But he’s never been strong enough to kill such a high-ranking demon. No. There wasn’t a single member of the Twelve Kizuki he could kill by beheading.

Suddenly, ribbons shot out into the dining hall. They trapped everything they could into their grasp. Every student. Every ghost. With the exception of Neige, they aimed for everyone. Kocho jumped back in a panic, just in time to not get tied up. He landed right next to Vil and Rook and quickly cut them loose. The panic was evident to them, though. They knew who was coming.

“What in Hades name….” Azul grumbled.

“She’s here…..” Neige muttered in fear.

The clacking of sandals drew everyone’s attention to who the ribbons belonged to. She was a beautiful ghost, wearing traditional Japanese wedding attire. Kocho recognized it well. He recognized her well. And it made Kocho feel like his throat was tightening. Like something was wrapped around it, doing its best to suffocate him.

“Ume!” Eliza cried,” These fools are trying to ruin your wedding!”

Ume held her hand out, silencing the other woman. All eyes were on her, waiting to see what she would do. She strolled over to where Kocho stood. Her brilliant blue eyes scanned the boy. They lingered in places that were once injured, both Vil and Rook noticed. And they noticed the marks on her eyes. The same ones as Gyutaro.

“Riddle, how the hell are you alive?” she asked.

Confusion could audibly be heard throughout the room. Trey looked at the scene with wide eyes. At the boy with the familiar red hair. At the keychain dangling from his blade. And at the cold grey eyes. All the while that name rang in his mind.

Riddle.

No. It couldn’t be.

“That’s what I want to know!” Gyutaro yelled,” I know I poisoned him and broke at least two of his ribs!”

“And I’m fairly certain your injuries should have hospitalized you for months,” Ume murmured,” Yet here you are, acting as if that fight wasn’t almost two months ago.”

Azul nearly choked on his own breath upon hearing her. Injured. Nearly two months ago.

Potentially around the time of the freshman’s entrance ceremony.

Kocho watched as Ume took a step closer to him, doing everything in his power not to step back. Don’t show her your emotions. Don’t show weakness.

But Ume could see it clear as day.

“W.ww..wait!” Crowley cried, trying his best to put himself back together,” What is the meaning of this?!”

“Are you insinuating that you tried to murder this boy?” Ambrose asked, his voice far more demanding than anyone had heard from him before.

“Yeah? Course we would. We were demons, he’s a demon slayer. It’s only natural,” Ume said in a matter-of-fact tone.

“Demon…?” Grum mumbled.

“Don’t say that!” Eliza yelled,” You’re not so horrible as the be called a demon! You’re my friend after all!”

“What are you on about?” Gyutaro groaned,” It’s not an insult. It’s what we were. Flesh-eating demons.”

“What?!” Eliza nearly screamed.

There were a few gasps from the students. Ambrose couldn’t help but feel the rage build up inside.

“You… do know what we’re talking about, yes?” Ume asked.

She studied everyone’s expression, confirming her suspicions.

“How odd.”

“Are you serious?!” Gyutaro shouted, causing his voice to sound like nails on a chalkboard,” You have a high-ranking Demon Slayer here, going to this school, and yet you don’t know what demons are?!”

“Demon Slayer?” Ambrose asked.

“You didn’t know?” Ume asked,” Damn, I’m surprised. This is a school, is it not? You all should have been able to figure that out.”

“Demons aren’t the norm here, Daki,” Kocho hissed,” How exactly were they supposed to figure that out?”

“Oh? So the butterfly speaks,” Ume hummed,” Does us being dead somehow make us less of a threat to you? By the by, if what you say is true, then I guess that LeBlanche boy is a friend of yours.”

Ambrose’s eyes widened.

“Same with those blond bastards,” Gyutaro growled as he slowly unraveled from the ribbons.

“How about a deal then, since you care about him so much,” Ume said with a smirk,” I’ll let him go, only if I get to meet with you in private. A little ‘chit-chat’ as Eliza would call it. What do you say?”

“Wait! Ume!” Eliza yelled, only to be silenced by Ume once more.

Both Vil and Rook glared at Ume, but she simply ignored it. She simply kept eye contact with the demon slayer. There was silence for a while. Kocho continued to scan the former demon, trying to sense any trickery. None. There was none. She simply just wanted to talk.

About the entertainment district, no doubt.

“Under one condition. I can bring who I want into this ‘meeting’,” Kocho stated.

Ume looked at him in surprise before looking at the group surrounding him. At Vil, Rook, Neige, and Ortho. Three were glaring. One was just purely terrified.

“I see,” she muttered,” Very well then.”

“I AM SO SO SORRY ABOUT EVERYTHING!” Ume practically screamed as she kneeled in front of Kocho as if begging for forgiveness,” I KNOW I ALMOST KILLED YOU AND CALLED YOU UGLY MULTIPLE TIMES! BUT I REALLY AM!”

Crowley had allowed the two to have their meeting in one of the classrooms since that was one of the closest rooms. Ortho voluntarily stood guard at the door, making sure no one was eavesdropping. Along with him, Vil, Rook, Neige, and Jamil were asked to attend. Gyutaro was there too, of course, as well as one of Eliza’s retainers.

Everyone was taken aback by Ume’s sudden groveling. Kocho especially. This was Upper Moon 6. A feared demon who’d killed hundreds of his superiors. Who helped level the entire entertainment district in a matter of seconds. Someone that nearly killed him, if not for his fellow demon slayers.

One half of the Upper Moon 6.

Who was now groveling at his feet.

Ume let out a quick sigh of relief before getting back up.

“That was a lot,” she huffed,” Wow that really does help.”

Huh?

“Eliza said crying and begging for forgiveness helps her when she’s down,” Ume explained,” And, I’m sure you're aware, I don’t exactly have a track record for making friends. So I’m taking her advice as seriously as I can.”

“Wonder why,” Kocho said as he rolled his eyes,” Did she also give you advice for finding a husband.”

“That’s a discussion for a different time,” Ume stated.

“Different time?!” Vil snapped,” You kidnapped a kid and tried to force him to marry you! This isn’t a conversation for a different time!”

“Shut it,” Gyutaro snarled,” You’re not here to get involved in this conversation. You’re here to be ‘emotional support’ for this bug of a demon slayer.”

“They’re here 'cause they deserve to know everything,” Kocho stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

Ume scoffed.

“Sure thing pal,” she said.

Neige could feel every nerve in his body trembling. Crying for him to run. But he stood his ground as best he could. Hiding the fear and changing it to curiosity. Let the world see only that.

Jamil could feel the fear and anger flooding the whole room. And he understood it well. But he was genuinely curious more than anything else. Because this environment, despite having two high-ranking demons in it, was relatively safe. He could learn more about all of this in a safe environment.

So Jamil was ready to soak it all in.

Ortho decided to do the same.

“Just get to the point,” Kocho demanded,” What did you want to talk about?”

“Right, well….” Ume hummed for a second before answering,” Riddle, how did we get here?”

“What do you mean?” Kocho asked.

“After those slayer buddies of yours finally managed to chop our heads off, we ended up waking in some place called the ‘spectral realm’ where that Princess found us,” Gyutaro groaned,” Now I’m fairly certain nobody’s said a thing about a ‘spectral realm’ in Japan. Nor anything about becoming comically looking ghosts.”

“No offense,” Ume hummed to the other ghost in the room.

“None taken madam,” he said with a smile.

“And even if that were the case, why would demons become ghosts? What god-forsaken power allowed us to grace this mortal plane with our presence?” Gyutaro continued.

“Everything we’ve seen these past two months has been new and completely unfamiliar,” Ume sighed,” You're the first thing that’s appeared that we’re familiar with. So tell us, what exactly is going on?”

“You didn’t know what the spectral realm is?” Jamil couldn’t help but ask.

“Quiet,” Gyutaro growled.

“I have a theory,” Kocho replied,” You might have been dragged here with me.”

Everyone’s eyes widened.

“Dragged with you?” Ume repeated,” The hell does that mean?”

“Well, Daki, after you nearly suffocated me to death, I fell unconscious. The next thing I knew, I was at this school’s entrance ceremony,” Kocho explained,” And this school isn’t exactly in the same dimension as the entertainment district.”

Another dimension?! Vil could feel his entire mind stop. What in Hades did that mean?

“Wait, YOU’RE the ones who caused those injuries?!” Ortho nearly shouted.

“Will a single one of you actually listen to me?!” Gyutaro snapped.

“Another dimension huh? Well, can’t say I’m terribly surprised,” Ume hummed.

“So you actually know something about all of this,” Kocho stated.

“Nothing about our situation, that I can attest,” Ume said,” But I will admit Muzan has been playing around with dimensional travel for about 8 or so years now.”

Neige could feel his heart sink.

“But it’s only really became an actual proper project this past year or so,” Ume continued,” Before then he just dragged a few people from the other dimension to see if Marechi blood was available.”

“Marechi blood?” Vil repeated in a whisper.

“Blood worth about a hundred humans. Basically gives a demon more power quicker,” Kocho replied.

“Though the bastard was so disorganized the first human he grabbed escaped,” Gyutaro snarled,” And it was a child of all things.”

Kocho’s eyes widened. His mind flashed back to that day. That day 8 years ago. The last time he’d ever seen Twisted Wonderland. When those woods he had run to suddenly turned into a bustling neighborhood. With architecture so unfamiliar to him back then.

It was too sudden. There’s no way.

But how else?

“Kocho?” Neige whispered, snapping the boy out of his thoughts.

“Sorry,” Kocho muttered,” Just thinking. How exactly is Muzan doing this?”

“There’s just a demon here and a demon back in Japan that are connected to each other. If one dies, the other dies,” Ume explained.

“So if I can find the one here, I can appear next to the demon at home and kill them both easily,” Kocho mumbled.

“Not exactly,” Ume sighed,” The teleportation aspect is extremely random. You’ll have to scour the earth for them on both sides.”

“How fun,” Kocho groaned,” Thank you for this information.”

“It’s only fair,” Ume replied,” You gave us what we wanted. So we gave you something in return.”

“That wasn’t the agreement we made,” Kocho stated.

“Look, I didn’t want to tell Eliza this. But I really didn’t want to marry your buddy. She was just so insistent and I really didn’t want to break her heart,” Ume said,” Besides, this is nothing compared to what we put you through. Actually, speaking of which…”

Ume gestured for the retainer ghost to follow her as she walked towards Neige. Kocho quickly put himself between her and Neige, much to her distaste.

“What do you think you're doing?” Kocho growled.

“I want to show you something and your buddy’s weird unique magic thing can allow me to do so,” Ume stated.

Jamil’s eyes widened. Why in the world did these demons know about that?

“His what?” Kocho muttered.

“Kocho, it’s fine,” Neige stated, trying his best to muster a comforting voice before looking at Ume,” What do you want my Unique magic for?”

“I wish to show my own memories,” she stated.

Everyone looked at Ume in confusion as she signaled the retainer to use his own unique magic. So the ghost placed his hand on Neige, forcing Neige’s Unique magic to activate and affect every person in the room. Before they knew it, they all appeared in a void surrounded by water. Vil panicked for a second and checked his uniform, only to see it was completely dry. Rook couldn’t help but marvel at everything. Ortho as well.

Kocho’s eyes widened as the feelings of anger and pride weaved their way into his mind as the world lit up once more. Revealing a warp building that went on for miles. They were sat at the edge of a stairway, watching the platforms below. And above. And beside them. All facing them, as though gravity barely mattered to the infrastructure.

“Ah! Daki! What a lovely surprise!” A chillingly cheerful and gentle voice called out to Ume.

Ume turned to look at the demon who called for her, causing Kocho’s eyes to widen.

Bloodstains dripped down the demon’s platinum hair. The shirt he wore matched that blood in color and pattern. He was musclar and attractive. Easily could draw in his victims with his voice and looks alone. There were fans by his side. They were sharp and glistened in the dim light.

And his eyes. They were beautiful. Shining every color imaginable. With Upper Rank 2 carved into them.

And in his hand was a familiar pink and green butterfly clip.

Kocho’s heart sank as anger boiled over, taking up every space it could. Even the power of Neige’s Unique Magic couldn’t suppress that.

“Wasn’t expecting you here, Doma,” Ume replied,” Whatcha got there?”

“Hm? This?” Doma asked, holding the butterfly clip for everyone to see clearly.

It was so similar to Kocho's, everyone realized.

“I got it off of a Demon Slayer. A Hashira no less,” Doma said with a smile,” Quite the beautiful one too. Tis such a shame she got away before I could eat her. She would have tasted so good too.”

Bile built up in Kocho’s throat as he grabbed the cat keychain on his hilt. His breathing grew rugged and his face grew red. By the time the memory was finished, everyone could see it easily.

“Oh wow that felt weird,” Ume muttered.

“That unique magic,” Vil muttered,” What was that?”

“So that’s Upper Moon 2,” Kocho muttered before giggling,” I must thank you, Ume. There was no better gift you could have given than letting me finally put a face to my sister’s killer.”

Ume’s eyes widened before they suddenly softened, accompanied by a smile.

“I thought you would,” she said,” We should head back now. I don’t wish to keep Eliza waiting too terribly long. Besides, I got what I wanted.”

She swiftly made her way out of the room with the ghost retainer not far behind. Not a single one of the kids moved as their heads wrapped around what they just saw. Kocho could feel the anger try to unleash itself into the world, so he did what he could to hold it in.

He almost snapped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Kocho turned to see who it was, only to meet the yellow-stained eyes of Gyutaro.

“This may be none of my business,” he said,” But when you get back, tell your sister you love her.”

Kocho’s eyes widened.

“It’s clear she cares about you if what that Sound Hashira said was true,” Gyutaro said before walking off,” And you’ll never know when the last time you see her will be.”

Kocho could barely muster a reply past all of his rage. So he continued to stand there, focusing solely on his breathing. Breathe in. Breathe out. Focus on that later. You still have important things to do.

“Kocho?” Vil asked, only to be stopped by Rook.

“Monsieur Butterfly needs a moment to himself,” Rook stated,” Leave him be for now.”

Vil looked at Rook skeptically before caving in and following the blond out of the room. Ortho gave Kocho a concerned look before following, leaving Neige and Jamil with the redhead. Neige walked up to Kocho carefully, trying to find something to say. Anything to say. But he couldn’t. What could he say, after what they just saw?

“LeBlanche,” Kocho muttered, snapping the boy out of his thoughts.

“Y..yes?”

“Can you show what happened during the fight with Upper Moon 6 to everyone who was here?” Kocho asked,” Or, at least from Master Uzui or Tanjiro’s point of view. I… don’t remember them dying. I didn’t even know they were dead until Kaname told me…. I think. Maybe. I mean I vaguely remember waking up to the sun in between but…. I’m really not sure.”

“I’ll do it,” Neige replied instantly,” If that will make you happy, I’ll do it.”

“Thank you,” Kocho muttered.

“Kocho,” Jamil said, grabbing the attention of the two boys,” Can we talk?”

Kocho’s body stiffened as he examined Jamil for any ill intent. Jamil gave away nothing as he walked up to the two. His mind swirled with the memories of what he’d learned. From the memories that never belonged to him. Of red-stained allies and the headless corpse of the man who raised him.

“I have a request.”

Jamil took in a deep breath as he brought all those memories together, manifesting it all into one simple demand.

“Teach me how to be a Demon Slayer.”

Chapter Text

“Riddle! Why are you still here?! I told you to leave the second the Upper Moon made themselves known!”

“My apologies, Master Uzui, but I can’t in good conscience do that.”

“Riddle, please! Your sister will murder me if you stay!”

“....”

“Oye! Riddle!”

“Daki! Kill the butterfly slayer! He’s using wisteria poison!”

“Are you serious?!”

“Riddle!”

Vil barely got out of bed the next morning. He felt absolutely sick. Visions of a battle stained in blood assaulted his mind. Screaming. So much screaming as houses collapsed in a raging fire.

And the eyes marked Upper-Rank Six.

And Kocho’s body stained in crimson, barely breathing.

And the constant begging and praying for everyone to survive.

Vil felt as though his body had been through that fight. Strained and on the verge of collapsing. He had to double-check just to make sure those scars weren’t on him. That he still had both hands and he could see from both eyes. Lingering feelings of grief and rage held onto him so much that he almost mistook those emotions as his own.

And Neige barely flinched as he watched it all. Despite watching his friend nearly die. Vil knew it was only a memory of the past. That Kocho was alive and well. But still, did Neige feel nothing?

Or was this not his first time seeing something like this? It was Neige’s Unique Magic after all. What were the chances he’d seen scenes like this before?

Or had nearly fallen victim to it himself, Vil reminded himself.

Vil shook those thoughts out of his head as he prepared himself for the day. He did his best to cover everything in makeup and jewelry. All of his usually flashy clothes topped off with confidence.

Vil could barely hold that last one up, and it almost made everything crumble. He couldn’t let himself do that. Never. His professional image had to be kept up, regardless of the circumstances.

He could let this all sink in later.

After the meeting with Crowley and Ambrose.

And after he met up with Kocho.

Vil was quick to make his way to Kocho’s room. Trying his best with every step to push everything down. By the time he got to his destination, Rook had already beaten him to it.

“Oh Bonjour, Roi de Poison!” Rook beamed, his voice a bit strained,” Fancy seeing you here!”

“Good morning Schoenheit,” Kocho said,” I assume this is about what you saw last night.”

For a second, images of Kocho’s bloody form flashed in Vil’s mind. But he shook it off.

“No, we’ve been summoned to meet with both the headmasters in the infirmary, for some reason,” Vil murmured the last part.

There were two crows in the room now. Kaname had basically made a new home on Rook’s shoulder, and the new crow was sleeping on one of Kocho’s pillows. Vil looked around. Nothing had changed. But the covers over the mirrors were starting to bother him.

And Kocho’s appearance. He hadn’t put on makeup yet. It allowed him to look rugged, just as Kocho had in his memories. With messy hair and visible scars. This boy wasn’t delicate. Not even close to Vil’s original assumption when they first met.

And how Vil forced Kocho to look all this time.

“Before that,” Vil said as he walked over to Kocho,” I wish to try something if you’ll let me.”

Kocho looked at Vil with a raised eyebrow before nodding his head. Vil quickly led the boy to the bathroom and didn’t dare say a word about how closely Rook stayed to the redhead. Kaname looked into Vil’s eyes before flying over to the other crow.

The second Vil got his hand on a makeup brush, his mind seemed to calm, even if it was just a little. While he couldn’t allow Kocho to just go out as he would as a demon slayer, Vil could at least make Kocho look less delicate.

It was as much as the housewarden side of him would allow.

The boys were silent for a while as Vil went through the motions, trying to keep his mind on the task at hand. Vil couldn’t help that he was more careful with brushing Kocho’s hair or that his touch was very light. As though Kocho would break the second Vil did anything. Because, despite how hard he tried, Vil could not unsee what had happened. Those scars around the neck became bruises once more in his mind and red stains hid in the corners of his vision.

It made phantom pains shoot up his arm and eye. Sometimes Vil had to stop just from how strong those memories made the pain.

Rook noticed but didn’t dare say a word. As he too would flinch from wounds he never had.

“I apologize for forcing you both to see what happened,” Kocho said after a while of silence,” I asked LeBlanche to show you all without considering whether or not you wanted to.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Vil replied, though a bit colder than he wished,” You wished to show us how horrifying demons can be since we’re all aware of them now.”

“Well…. Yes,” Kocho mumbled.

“What bothers you, Monsieur Butterfly?” Rook asked,” That battle has come to pass. There is not a reason to dwell upon it.”

Kocho looked at the two with wide eyes before a solemn look glossed over.

“Come on, just spit it out,” Vil demanded as he started to do Kocho’s hair.

“I…. you both are very much aware I could die any day now,” Kocho muttered,” So why do you both still care?”

Vil froze, allowing Kocho’s hair to fall from his hand.

“Wouldn’t it be easier to just….. Stay away? You wouldn’t get hurt when I die then,” Kocho said, his voice distant,” It’s a suffocating feeling and it never truly goes away. So… why not save yourself the grief? Wouldn’t it be better that way?”

Vil’s hands were shaking. Blood and flames filled his vision once more with Kocho’s body nearly consumed by his wounds. Kocho was right. An early death was inevitable with him.

An early, gruesome death.

And yet he was thinking about them. How Vil and Rook would no doubt mourn his death and be haunted by it for years to come.

Why is he thinking about them? They weren’t the ones throwing themselves at death itself. Vil and Rook weren’t guaranteed torture for the rest of their lives with constant loss and regret of what they could have done.

No, Kocho wasn’t thinking about them.

Vil said nothing, allowing the silence to suffocate himself.

Kocho looked up into the mirror, into the reflection of his housewarden. Vil’s eyes were closed as he tried to shake those memories away again. But nothing changed. His breath grew ragged as he tried over and over again to calm himself down.

Kocho then looked over at Rook. The boy was visibly shaking, with one hand over his mouth as he looked away from Kocho. His other hand slowly hovered over to Kocho’s before holding it tightly. Like it would disappear in seconds.

Like he would disappear in seconds.

Kocho frowned as his eyes traveled down, avoiding even the gaze of his reflection.

“I just….”

“Don’t,” Vil demanded,” It is not your choice to make. Understood?”

Kocho looked up into Vil’s eyes. They were glaring at nothing. His expression was stern, reflecting the hell running through his mind.

“Mon ami, we’ve both been used to the hardships life brings,” Rook whispered as if raising his voice any more would make him break,” But trust me when I say, better could never describe our lives if we chose to leave you alone.”

His grip around Kocho’s hand tightened.

“The life you bring with you is never an excuse for us to leave, even if you ask,” Rook mumbled, a soft smile stretching across his face.

His eyes met Kocho’s allowing the boy to see the tears that threatened to spill. It made his eyes widen.

“We should get going,” Vil stated,” The headmaster is already going to be on our asses for our behavior yesterday. Let’s not give him something else to yell about.”

Kocho nodded his head before catching his own reflection. His hair was in a messy ponytail, just as it always used to be. Though it was clearly intentional. And his makeup was far more natural-looking. No fancy butterfly wings painted with eyeliner or fun colors. The wisteria clips looked more practical now, rather than for flashiness or the like.

Kocho almost smiled, seeing himself so much closer to who he saw himself as.

“No Pomefiore student of mine will walk around looking like a complete mess,” Vil stated,” But that doesn’t mean they have to look delicate or pristine. Come, we’ve no time to lose.”

Kocho just stared at Vil with wide eyes before a small, sad smile found its way onto Kocho’s lips.

“Alright.”

“Took you all long enough,” Crowley growled.

The second the group walked into the infirmary, Kocho was whisked away to one of the cots by Professor Crewel. Vil sighed. He should have known. Gyutaro and Ume did announce to everyone that they tried to kill Kocho. It was only a matter of time before Crewel heard about it.

“I’m glad you all could make it,” Ambrose said, his expression stern,” We wanted to have this meeting earlier however cleaning everything took priority.”

There were more people in the room than Vil expected. Neige, Jamil, and Ortho were also there. As well as the dwarf from the day before. He was practically glued to Neige’s side.

“But of course!” Rook beamed,” One can not blame you for helping our lovely establishment before delving into your own curiosity!”

“So you’re already aware as to why we summoned you all,” Ambrose said.

“But of course!” Rook beamed.

“I would have been surprised if this meeting didn’t happen,” Vil added.

“So you’re aware your actions were ridiculous!” Crowley yelled.

“Crowley,” Ambrose sighed.

“I mean what were you both thinking?! Attacking such an esteemed guest like that?! Did you not even think about your school for a second?!” Crowley started going off,” What would the press think? Surely everyone in the spectral realm will hear of this. And we’re only two weeks out from Halloween! Imagine how many ghosts will come to visit us then and berate us for attacking….”

“Does he even hear himself?” Jamil muttered to himself.

Neige let out a nervous laugh while Ortho simply shook his head.

“You think he’d do the same even if one of those ghosts were Muzan Kibutsuji himself,” Ortho replied.

Grum seemed to glare at the boys as they spoke, taking in every detail he could. Not a single sound was missed, which was why he was able to hear a small gasp from Crewel. The fae turned his attention to the professor. Crewel was able to get Kocho to show him the injuries Upper Moon Six had given him months prior.

Now Crewel was trying to gather every single thought and horror in his mind. Every so often it seemed he wanted to say something but immediately shut himself up. Jamil slowly crept over to take a look and immediately winced. Sure, he’d seen what happened with Gyutaro and Ume, but there were far more scars than what they caused. They looked horrible and haunting.

And, for a second, Jamil saw those same scars on himself.

“Right, you get what Crowley is saying,” Ambrose cut Crowley off, causing the man to whine,” We summoned you all here because we would like answers.”

“About what exactly, sir?” Neige asked though he knew exactly what.

“Well,” Ambrose trailed off as he walked over to Kocho,” Child, who were those ghosts and what is your connection with them? I won’t force you to speak if you wish not to. I just wish to know what they meant by ‘Demons’ and ‘Demon slayer’.”

Kocho glared at Ambrose and stayed completely silent. Neige walked to his side and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. There seemed to be a small conversation going on between them, one only they understood before Kocho finally replied.

“Demons are flesh-eating monsters that have existed for about one thousand years, created through the first demon Muzan Kibutsuji,” Kocho explained,” It is our job, as demon slayers, to get rid of them. Those two were Demons.”

“And did you kill them?” Ambrose asked.

“No, I’m not nearly strong enough for that,” Kocho replied.

“Now hold on young man,” Crowley nearly yelled,” Those ‘Demons’ had human souls. If all ‘demons’ have these, then by law they are equivalent to humans. You do realize what this means, yes?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m not exactly willing to see others torn apart limb by limb because of the laws that have nothing to do with my home,” Kocho growled.

“Now that’s a bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think?” Crowley asked,” And besides if they were going around murdering…..”

“Crowley, a word,” Crewel snapped, causing the headmaster to look at the teacher with wide eyes. He wanted to say something more, but Crewel’s glare stopped him.

Ambrose gave Crewel a quick nod in appreciation before turning his attention to the redhead once more. His mind was starting to put something together. A horrible story he wished wasn’t true. But it would make sense, considering what little he did know.

“Kocho,” Ambrose said,” Considering how those demons acted, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to assume they can be cruel to their prey, correct?”

Kocho nodded his head. Grum’s eyes widened as he stared at the Headmaster in disbelief. He knew exactly where this was going.

Neige felt a ping of worry shoot through his brain. He didn’t know why, but it sent chills running up his spine.

“Then the two deaths earlier this semester were caused by demons, weren’t they,” Ambrose stated,” And the reason there haven’t been anymore is because you got rid of the demon.”

Both Crewel and Crowley shot Ambrose a surprised look that only grew once they realized the only other person who was surprised was Grum.

Everyone else stayed neutral, if not a little worried.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“You KILLED here?!” Crowley nearly yelled,” Under our supervision?! You KILLED someone?!”

Kocho rolled his eyes while glaring at Crowley. He didn’t say a word as Crowley went on and on. Berating him for what he’d done. Everyone just stared at the headmaster with wide eyes as clear anger made itself evident in every word he spat. Kocho did not care. How could he? This man knew nothing therefore his words meant nothing.

The others did not think the same. Vil and Rook were both frozen as flashes of the night before came back over and over again. Kocho killed someone, sure. But they saw what happened when demons weren’t slain. Their skin burned and their vision blurred. Vil could feel his breathing quicken as the headmaster raised his voice. As the voice muffled to screams and crackling flames. Rook quickly grabbed Vil’s hand and tried to soothe the Housewarden as well as himself.

Rage built up in them both. And everyone else.

Jamil nearly growled while Neige glared at Crowley. Grum was shocked. He’d never seen Neige ever show anger before. Not for anything. For the bullying or his manager.

“If Kocho didn’t kill that demon, Neige LeBlanche would be dead!”

The room went silent as sudden dread sunk into Neige. Ortho was glaring at Crowley. Orange seemed to flicker in his hair as the boy flew between Kocho and Crowley.

It felt like time froze for Neige. No. Why’d he reveal that of all things? The headmaster wasn’t supposed to know about that. Grum wasn’t supposed to know about that. This was bad. This was really bad.

“Wha…..” Ambrose barely muttered.

“You can only say all of that because you haven’t had to face one,” Ortho continued,” Nor have you had any of your family members fall victim to one! It’s easy for someone like you to say they’re living too. That they don’t deserve this kind of justice.”

Kocho could feel his glare soften as he hid a smile. That was, until the first thing Ortho said sunk in. The boy quickly looked over at Neige to see a hollow gaze. It was empty, completely empty. The boy wasn’t acting or showing anything at all.

Neige could vividly see that day again, along with the feeling of grief. Of knowing loss. None of them were allowed to know this feeling. He had to make sure that the dwarfs didn’t know they almost had to feel that.

Neige failed at that, it seemed. And now everyone was going to be hurt because of him.

Ortho stopped yelling, allowing everything to sink in.

“Neige is…. that true?”

Neige snapped out of his thoughts and looked down at Grum. His expression was a mixture of horror and rage. Unfiltered, burning rage. Neige stayed silent as he slowly nodded his head and looked away from everyone. So he didn’t have to see that rage turn into tears or the realization sink into everyone else.

“Are you…..” Ambrose nearly growled before letting out a long sigh,” And you didn’t inform anyone about this?”

“It wasn’t ours to tell,” Kocho stated.

There was silence once more. A creepy, eerie silence that left too much time for Neige to be stuck in his own mind. Please just say something. No, don’t say anything at all. He won’t be able to handle their reaction.

“Crowley, Crewel, a word,” Ambrose finally said after so long,” You too, Grum.”

The man gestured for them to leave the room. All of them complied. Neige watched with wide eyes as the four left. Grum didn’t even look back. It twisted something inside Neige, nearly breaking him.
Once they were gone, Kocho stood up and placed a gentle hand on Neige’s shoulder. Hollow brown eyes met soft grey and a reassuring smile.

“It’ll be okay,” Kocho said in a soft voice,” I’ll make sure to distract them from this once they come back.”

Neige forced a smile up.

“Thank you, but I doubt you could say anything that’ll make them forget,” Neige said.

Ortho tilted his head in confusion before what he revealed finally sank in and guilt took hold.

“Well, there are a few things you could mention,” Jamil spoke up,” I’m sure they’ll get riled up if you mention what that Ume girl told you. Or the fact that an Upper Moon has already made their mark here.”

Everyone immediately snapped their attention to Jamil. It was clear there was something else he wanted to say, and Neige knew exactly what. Yes, that would distract the headmaster from his predicament. Not for long but it’ll be enough for Neige to figure out what to tell Ambrose.

“I beg your pardon?” Vil asked.

“Pray tell, what made you aware?” Rook asked.

“Jamil Viper has been oddly calm about all of this,” Ortho stated as he scanned the boy,” Did something happen that none of us are aware of? I swore I had the whole island under surveillance.”

Ortho was right, Kocho realized. Jamil had been extremely calm about this whole ordeal. Even yesterday. And the way Jamil spoke. He was so sure of this. Why? What did Jamil know? How did Jamil know?

Wait.

Jamil asked Kocho to train him to become a demon slayer.

And examining Jamil a little longer revealed a familiar feeling to Kocho. It wasn’t calmness. What he saw was a lack of caring. Apathy. An emotion so very clear in Kocho’s memory. During the fall of so many.

Oh NO.

“It has nothing to do with this island,” Jamil said with a sigh,” I hadn’t been able to get a hold of my family so I asked Neige to use his Unique Magic to see how they are. Lo and behold, my father was killed by my mother-turned-demon.”

Kocho just stared with wide eyes before groaning.

“You’ve gotta be…” Kocho sighed,” Of course this would happen.”

“You know I think Iguro said the same thing,” Jamil hummed.

Kocho’s mind completely short-circuited, which almost caused Jamil to laugh.

“I’m sorry, it’s spreading?!” Vil nearly yelled.

“My, an Upper Moon is here? Alive?” Rook hummed, his eyes widened.

Neige waved his hand in front of Kocho, trying to grab his attention. It didn’t work. Ortho flew over to the boy and gave him a quick shock. Kocho jolted slightly. His mind was completely disoriented.

“Iguro….,” Kocho muttered,” As in Iguro Obanai?!”

“Yeah. Who else?” Jamil asked.

“What do you mean he said the same thing?!” Kocho nearly yelled. He stopped himself and took a deep breath. Don’t yell. Don’t yell. His nerves were buzzing. Kocho could practically feel himself shaking in a good way.

“Well my sister couldn’t have survived a demon on her own,” Jamil hummed,” She was saved by two demon slayers.”

Two?!

“So more demon slayers have found their way to this world,” Vil muttered.

“How splendide!” Rook beamed,” Assistance with the Upper Moon will be très appréciée!”

“Iguro isn’t the type to work with someone else,” Kocho muttered as a large smile crept up his face,” He would have either been assigned this mission with another hashira or someone physically dragged him into it. In both cases, there are only a select few that would be with him….”

Neige couldn’t help but let out a nervous smile. Seeing Kocho this way melted Neige’s own worries away. It was the first time he’d seen the redhead like this.

“Kocho?” Ortho asked.

“Potato, what are you going on about?” Vil asked.

“Iguro Obanai is known as the Snake Hashira,” Kocho started rambling,” He’s extremely strong and kinda a lone wolf character compared to almost every other Hashira. While I’ve never actually trained under him, I’ve been lucky enough to get a few critiques from him. That being said, it’s likely Oyakata-sama put him on this mission knowing about this dimension as well as me being here. If that’s the case…..!”

“Yes your sister is the other demon slayer,” Jamil confirmed.

Kocho’s eyes lit up. Both Neige and Ortho found themselves giggling while a smile found itself on Jamil.

“They’re both looking for Kocho as we speak, with the help of my sister,” Jamil explained,” They’ll also need to search for the portal demon on this side as well as whatever Upper Moon has found their way here.”

“Merveilleuse!” Rook beamed,” She must be ever so elegant! Such beauty I’m most excited to witness.”

“And with Halloween coming up in 2 weeks….” Vil muttered,” We’ll have to help them get here.”

“That will most likely be the case,” Ortho agreed.

Neige simply stared at the group as he thought about it. He could potentially help with this, couldn’t he?

Yes, he thinks he can do something.

“They should be fine for the most part,” Jamil mumbled,” The plane ride to Sage’s Island may be the only problem.”

“I can talk to Headmaster Ambrose about it!” Neige volunteered, surprising everyone,” Call it a thank you for Kocho saving my life.”

“Are you sure he’ll even listen? He didn’t exactly seem happy hearing about demons and the like,” Kocho mumbled,” Wouldn’t it be likely that he’ll try and keep me away?”

Neige shook his head.

“It’ll be fine! Don’t worry about it.”

“That aside, I doubt Iguro would come here willingly,” Jamil commented.

“Right,” Kocho sighed,” He’d have to be certain I’m here.”

Something clicked in Vil’s mind. There was something that could easily prove Kocho was there. And Iguro wouldn’t be able to avoid it. Night Raven was incredibly popular. Not just for academics, but athletics as well. The annual Interdorm Spelldrive tournament alone showed that easily. It was all people would talk about for weeks after the fact.

And Vil had already signed Kocho up for his team.

“I believe I may have a solution.”

Trey had locked himself in his room since the night before. His mind was in shambles. Chenya had been right. He’d been right all along and yet Trey had been so stupid as to ignore it. Riddle was right there. This entire semester, he’d been right here.

Trey’s breathing was rugged and almost frantic. He hadn’t moved for hours. Years and years of torment held him down. Trey didn’t even try to get up. Not when there was a knock at the door. And not when Cater’s voice called out to him.

“Trey!” Cater yelled, his voice more chipper than usual,” You have a visitor.”

“Tell them I’m busy,” Trey replied. He felt bad for lying but he did not have the strength to move.

There was silence for a bit before a new voice called out, causing chills to prick his nerves.

“Clover, it’s Kocho. I heard from LeBlanche that Chenya got hurt by Eliza and I wanted to get him and Dominic a get well dessert of sorts. But I don’t know how to bake.”

There was silence for a second before Kocho spoke again, his voice a little softer than before.

“And I know you’re..aware of who I am now. So I’d like to talk to both you and Chenya about… well everything.”

It was like a sudden boost of energy forced Trey up. With sluggish movements, Trey made his way to the door and threw it open with strength he didn’t know he had.

Cater flinched at the loud noise as well as the intense stare coming from Trey. As the green-haired boy looked down at the redhead. Kocho’s gaze went from soft to stern as he saw the messed-up hair and wrinkled clothes.

“Go back inside and get yourself fixed up,” Kocho demanded,” Schoenheit won’t be happy if you go out like this.”

“But we’re not….” Cater started before Kocho shut him up with a glare.

“You want your vice house warden going out like this?” Kocho asked,” Even I looked better than this before coming to NRC.”

“Ah…. fair enough.”

Kocho grabbed Trey’s hand a dragged him over to his bathroom, completely disorienting the boy.

What in the world was going on?

Chenya found that his headache had gone down significantly since the day before. As he woke up to the morning sun the next day, Chenya could finally think properly. Which was why he was extremely surprised to see Neige sitting by Dominic’s bedside. Completely unharmed. Not a single scratch. Neige didn’t even look phased from everything that happened. Just a kind, concerned smile. For Dominic and for Chenya.

Why? Chenya didn’t deserve that. He dragged Neige into his mess with no regard for the boy’s safety. Despite how angry Chenya still was that Neige never told him about Riddle, it was still Chenya’s fault Neige got kidnapped. And then it would have been Chenya’s fault again that someone went missing.

How many times was it going to be his fault?

Although Neige was here now, somehow. What happened while he was out?

“Are you feeling better?” Neige asked.

Chenya nodded his head slowly.

“I’m glad,” Neige said,” You both hit your head pretty hard. I was worried you’d both be out longer.”

“Don’t be,” Dominic grumbled,” You got kidnapped by ghosts. If anything we should be the ones worrying.”

“But I didn’t get hurt! Besides, I was saved in the end so everything’s good!” Neige reassured,” Everyone else has been worried about the both of you! No one was really worried too much about me….”

“Not worried?! I feared for your life the second I saw who those ghosts were! What do you mean ‘not worried’?”

Chenya snapped his attention to the door, where a familiar redhead stood. Wow, Chenya’s sense of smell must have been really messed up because how did he not notice Riddle before?

Trey was standing behind Riddle with a couple of boxes in his hands. He was giving Neige a deadpanned look. Told Chenya all he needed to know about what happened.

It was a lot of trouble for the NRC students.

“Kocho?” Dominic mumbled.

“Ah! I was talking about the rest of the dwarfs,” Neige blurted out,” I wasn’t demeaning your own emotions on the entire situation! I swear….!”

Riddle glared at Neige in a somewhat playful manner as the two boys sat down on some of the old, wooden stools that belonged to the infirmary. Chenya simply watched as Riddle and Neige bickered. Like old friends. People who had known each other for years.

Dominic couldn’t help but smile, seeing exactly what Chenya saw.

“Here,” Trey said, handing everyone a box.

It was small and lightweight. Easily recognizable to Chenya as his eyes widened in delight. A delectable dessert made by Trey. The best that could ever exist.

Neige and Dominic thanked Trey while Riddle immediately opened the box and started eating. A beautiful strawberry tart. One that tasted just like childhood. Summer days playing outside without a care in the world.

Riddle was there back then. He’d never had one before, so Trey and Chenya made him try one. The bright light that filled Riddle’s eyes just from tasting it. It was as if there was nothing better in the world.

That was the last day they’d ever seen him.

A cheerful sound left Riddle as that same light came back into his eyes. Everyone gave the boy a confused look as he just sat there in complete bliss.

“I’ve been wanting to have one of these for so long,” Riddle sighed.

“No wonder you looked so happy when I recommended this,” Trey muttered.

“You have no idea how long it’s been. Every time I pass a bakery I always check if they have one,” Riddle hummed.

“Oh, is that why you have a strawberry addiction?” Neige teased.

Riddle playfully glared at Neige, which only earned a laugh from the black-haired boy. Chenya couldn’t help but smile. The redhead wasn’t even hiding it anymore. And Trey had come with him.

So Trey was finally willing to admit it.

“Think of it as an apology for everything that happened,” Trey said as he opened his own,” As students of NRC. Our headmaster was apparently aware of the ghosts but didn’t bother to tell anyone.”

“Some guy he is,” Chenya mumbled.

“What even happened while we were out?” Dominic asked.

Neige froze while Riddle sighed. The light and joy were immediately shut down for something far more serious. He explained the day before, though not in much detail. Like a simple report. What’s done is done. This is just how it is. A fight, an old enemy, a simple agreement. Nothing more than that.

There was definitely a lot more than that, but nobody really wanted to ask. Dominic was just happy that it was over.

Trey and Chenya were more focused on other things.

“Thank you for everything,” Dominic said with a small bow.

“Don’t,” Riddle said,” It’s not necessary.”

Neige glared at Riddle, playfully as well. There was more he wanted to say, but Neige held it down. Thankfully, Chenya thought. There was so much he himself wished to say. Wished to tell Riddle. And yet none of them seemed to form into proper words.

“Riddle,” he mumbled.

Riddle immediately sat up straight and turned his attention to Chenya. Chenya stretched his arms out as a relieved smile crossed his lips. Conflicted feelings raced across Riddle’s mind in a second before he carefully moved closer. The second he was in reach, Chenya pulled Riddle in for a tight hug.

And suddenly everything escaped. All the pain and worry over the years poured out into tears as Chenya sobbed. It was finally over. He was finally right here. Chenya won’t have to wonder anymore about what happened that day. He was free. Both he and Trey were free.

Right?

Trey could feel his own tears form as a soft smile spread onto his lips. Riddle was safe. After so many years of being gone, no hint in sight. He was finally here.

Riddle froze for a second before slowly wrapping his arms around Chenya. He carefully did his best to soothe the beastman. In time, it worked as the tears slowly went away. Leaving Chenya completely at peace of mind. With one last squeeze, Chenya let go of the redhead. His eyes were all red, but his smile was larger than it had been for years.

“I can’t believe it’s really you!” Chenya beamed.

Riddle gave the boy an awkward smile.

“What happened to you? Where have you been all this time?” Chenya nearly yelled.

Riddle took a moment to figure out the right words. What to say. What he could tell. Trey looked at the boy, curiously. Waiting for an answer just like Chenya. Finally, the boy sat back down in his seat and sighed.

“This explanation might be weird so please bear with me.”

Trey couldn’t help but laugh.

“It’ll be fine,” he said,” We’re just glad you can tell us at all.”

It was early afternoon when Jamil and Kocho were able to meet in the Pomefiore woods. Shrouded by the overgrowth and away from any nosey students. So they could talk freely about anything they wished.

And so Jamil didn’t look weird training.

“Here,” Kocho stated as he tossed one of his swords at Jamil.

Jamil barely caught it, earning a laugh from Kuroba.

“We’ll be starting with basic endurance training. This will include running, balance, swinging a sword, and total concentration breathing,” Kocho explained,” It’s best for us demon slayers to have high endurance for the obvious reason of not growing weary during a fight and that everything we do is extremely physically taxing.”

Kocho pulled out his hooked blade and took a battle-ready stance.

“I want you to mimic this stance,” Kocho stated,” And swing the sword 100 times.”

Jamil’s mind went blank. 100 times? Isn’t that a little small? This sword wasn’t exactly heavy.

“Make it 200! Make it 200!” Kuroba cried.

“Baby steps. Baby steps,” Kocho hummed,” Just trust the process with this one. You will be swinging your blade a lot when fighting demons so it’s best to turn that movement into muscle memory.”

Jamil nodded his head and just did as he was told. Every few swings, Kocho would correct him. How the way he was doing it was going to hurt him in the future. So Jamil would have to restart over and over again. It didn’t take long before his muscles started to strain. Jamil’s arms grew tired and it was starting to grow extremely painful. But he pushed through. With every swing, he saw those monsters with sickening glee. And the people they destroyed. A burning desire forced him through it all.

Until Kocho stopped him.

“You’re going to hurt yourself,” Kocho said,” Overexerting yourself like this will help no one.”

“Hypocrite! Hypocrite!” Kuroba laughed.

Kocho rolled his eyes before taking a seat at the edge of the clearing. Jamil could feel his grip on the sword slip, so he joined the boy in taking a quick break. The silence was pleasant and allowed Jamil to breathe. But, every so often, Kocho would awkwardly look over at him. As though the redhead wanted to say something, but stopped himself. Over and over again. It was starting to annoy Jamil.

“Just spit it out,” Jamil demanded after a while.

“Ah…um,” Kocho mumbled,” I’m sorry.”

“What for?” Jamil asked as he took a sip of water.

“For messing up. I tried befriending Kalim despite your feelings about it….”

“Don’t,” Jamil sighed.

Right, he’d almost forgotten what happened. Despite it only happening a few days ago. How could you blame him? He was so focused on avenging those he loved. Jamil still felt numb and angry from the whole thing. That goal was now so much more achievable, now that Kocho agreed to help him. So Jamil just allowed that fight to fall to the back of his mind.

But to Kocho, all that has happened since was Neige’s kidnapping. Of course, he remembered. Of course, he felt awkward. There was nothing to distract Kocho or allow him to push it away.

But why was he apologizing? He had nothing to apologize about. Jamil was completely at fault for everything.

“I was the one to mess up,” Jamil said,” I let my paranoia get the best of me and blamed it on you. I even called you a demon.”

How insensitive he had been. How horrible Jamil had been. Really, what was wrong with him?

“I realize you’ll probably never see me the same way after all of that. I’m sure I shattered all the trust you had in me. But, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry for everything.”

Kocho looked at Jamil with wide eyes as Jamil looked away. Their friendship was broken beyond repair, no doubt. Unmendable by his own hands. Jamil was willing to live with that sin for the rest of his life. That the one thing that let him taste freedom was demolished by his own paranoia.

And now, Jamil was going to live a short life filled with scars. It was a life Jamil willingly was walking into and it was one he was walking into alone. Without outside support. Just his sister and him against the world.

Suddenly, Jamil felt two arms wrap around him. It startled him. Jamil looked over to see Kocho hugging him tightly. His head was down and his body was shaking.

“Thank goodness,” Kocho mumbled,” I was so scared that was the end of it.”

Jamil just stared at the boy with wide eyes as Kocho continued.

“Truth be told, I didn’t want to make any friends here,” he said,” I was going to die horribly and everyone was going to suffer from it. I didn’t want anyone outside of the corps to suffer from it. So I kept pushing everyone away. I avoided Clover and Chenya despite everything and I’ve continuously pushed Schoenheit and Hunt away. Even this morning… Sometimes I even keep Shroud out of it all. Yet despite everything, you and LeBlanche somehow wormed your way through it. You both ignored those boundaries and somehow. Somehow managed to make me want to stay friends no matter what happens. Because…. You’ve both made life so much easier. Even when I was faking it for appearance sake.”

Kocho slowly looked up, his grey eyes shining brightly.

“I’m glad I met you both. I truly am!”

“You’re… not mad?” Jamil asked.

Kocho laughed. A genuine, joy-filled laugh.

“How could I be?” Kocho asked,” After hearing everything you went through, I don’t blame you for feeling the way you did. And besides, I cherish this friendship far too much to hold it against you.”

Jamil stared in surprise before a smile grew on his own lips. Slowly, Jamil wrapped his arms around Kocho. Despite everything, this moment seemed to wash it all away. All that numbness and rage was replaced with a calmness that seemed to brighten everything up. They stayed like that for a while, just happy to be by each other’s side. Once they finally let go, Kocho stood up. He was far more chipper than Jamil had ever seen him before. It was a bright, beautiful expression on someone so riddled with pain. It was contagious and brought energy into Jamil.

“Right! Break time is over! Let’s go on a run!” Kocho said.

“Alright,” Jamil replied,” Go a little easy on me for this one.”

“Hey, you’re the one who wants to become a Demon Slayer,” Kocho hummed,” I ain’t going easy on no one, got it Jamil?”

Jamil’s eyes widened before they softened.

“Aye aye captain,” he said,” Is it okay if I call you Riddle?”

Kocho nodded his head.

“Absolutely!”

Chapter Text

“You’ve grown so very much since we first met. Far more than you’ll ever know. In the many years you’ve spent training, you’ve channeled your weaknesses to the forefront and fought to turn them into strength. Even when life has kicked you down over and over again, it is incredible what you’ve become. It truly is. And it’ll be even more incredible to see what you will become.”

“You’re too kind, Oyakata-sama.”

“I mean every word I say, Riddle. I believe you’re too harsh on yourself when it comes to this. You really are incredibly strong.”

“...”

“You’ve adapted to change so many times and honed the ability to do so. You’re future Tsuguko will be lucky.”

“My apologies, but I don’t understand.”

“In due time, you will. For now, I leave with one simple wish. Learn to help others through change. No matter how large or small that change is. And no matter how painful. Treat them the way you always wished someone would you when those days came.”

The late afternoon sun brought a dry heat to the Savanaclaw dorm. Along with a warm comfort that made it an amazing time to lay under the brilliant light and take a nap. If only there was time. There wasn’t much time left until the Interdorm Spelldrive tournament, and Leona wanted to make sure his dorm was on top. That this year they would be able to beat Diasomnia despite a foe such as Malleus being on their team.

Of course, the other dorms shouldn’t be ignored. While Savanaclaw has never truly been threatened by anything other than Malleus, there was always a chance some new kid will steal the spotlight. So Leona asked the students of Savanaclaw to snoop around. Find out who possibly was on the other rosters and prepare accordingly.

And they did just as their king wished.

Papers were spread out in front of Leona, each one with potential students on each team’s roster. Leona scanned each one carefully and made mental notes of each name. Who he thinks are the most likely candidates and who he should actually worry about. Octopunk wasn’t a worry at all, but those Leech twins were definitely going to be a pain. And was that the new Scarabia housewarden? Yeah, that dorm won’t pose too much of a problem.

It was when Leona got to Pomefiore’s potential roster that the beastman froze. There was a name he didn’t expect on the list. The kid wasn’t exactly good with anything relating to magic after all. But no one else would expect it either.

And Leona doubted it was magic that even got that kid on the list.

Leona saw what had happened days prior. The absolute speed and precision in every movement the kid made. There was no need for magic for that kid to become a problem. Vil and Rook surely knew this. What other reason was there for that kid to play?

The beastman’s expression turned twisted in annoyance. This would make things difficult. But nothing Leona couldn’t help his team overcome. There was one weakness Leona could use against the boy who smelled of Wisteria.

“Oye Ruggie,” Leona yelled as he got up from his bed.

The door to his room opened, revealing a scrawny hyena beastman. Of course, looks were deceiving with this one, much like that boy. It’s why Leona put the Hyena on his team.

“Yeah boss?” Ruggie hummed.

“You know where the potion lab is yeah? I need you to grab something from there.”

“Headmaster? May I come in?”

“Yes, of course,” Ambrose replied.

Neige carefully opened the door and was greeted by the sight of all 7 of his dwarf friends. They’ve all seemingly made themselves comfortable on all the couches available. A few empty cups were scattered on the tables in front of them.

Neige’s nerves spiked. He’d been wondering where they’d all been all day. It seems the headmaster finally spoke with all of them about what happened if their worried and scared expressions were anything to go by. Neige silently took a deep breath as he walked into the office. All the dwarfs stayed frozen in their seats as if waiting for what was about to happen.

For the headmaster to tell Neige his reason for calling him in.

“Take a seat,” Ambrose said.

Neige did as he was told. All of the dwarfs avoided making eye contact with the black-haired boy. Even Dominic, who was sitting right beside Neige.

“What exactly do you wish to speak about sir?” Neige asked, purely out of habit. As if he hadn’t been mulling over everything since that meeting a few days prior. Worry and fear built their home in his mind just around every single thought relating to the incident.

“I want to talk to you about what happened that day,” Ambrose said,” You don’t have to go into detail about any of it. One of the NRC boys was able to send me a video of it all.”

Neige’s eyes widened. That’s right. Ortho only saw everything through a camera Kocho was carrying. Of course Ortho recorded it. Why was Neige even surprised?

“I simply want to know why you hid something like this from everyone,” Ambrose continued,” I believe your family deserves to know.”

Neige stayed quiet for a while as he tried to find the right words to say. Even with the extra time to prepare, there was still no solid answer for him to say. Not without worrying the dwarfs or making them feel betrayed that he hid this all.

Wait, Neige has other reasons for being here. Take a deep breath and push the anxiety away. Now is not the time to feel that way.

When has it ever been the right time to feel that way?

It’s fine! He’s allowed himself to feel the ugly emotions before! This is nothing new. Is it really though?

His head started whirling around every thought, causing his head to hurt.

Neige was starting to really wish Jamil or Kocho was there with him.

“It’s….” Neige muttered before finally pulling himself together,” I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I didn’t die or get hurt, so I didn’t think that…..”

“Bullshit!” Grum yelled.

Neige looked at the pink-haired dwarf with wide eyes. There were clear tears in his eyes. In all of their eyes. And they were all shaking.

Oh, what has Neige done?

“What were all of those nightmares for, huh? And the fact that you tried so hard to hide it,” Grum yelled,” Clearly it was a big deal to you! A near-death experience would be a big deal to anyone! So why in Hades' name did you hide it?! Why? Are we not your family? We’ve always been there for you! We took you in when you were abandoned all by yourself! We’ve been sacrificing so much for you! So why…….?”

Grum’s voice filled with sorrow as his voice grew quiet.

“What did we do to make you distrust us this much?”

Something inside of Neige broke but he did not say a single word. Find something to say. Please find something to say. This has to stop. Their looks have to stop. They were strangling him, making it so hard to breathe.

“My trust in all of you has nothing to do with…..”

“Stop trying to sugarcoat everything!” Grum demanded as he glared at Neige," Just stop."

Neige stayed for quite a little longer before sighing. He then gestured to the rest of the dwarfs. Their crying faces with fear carving into every feature.

“I didn’t want this,” Neige replied,” Also, you know just as well as I do how everyone at this school would have reacted. They would go around saying I’m an attention seeker. And that would do poorly for my image.”

“Your image…..” Grum muttered before his face grew red in anger,” So this was about him.”

Neige’s eyes widened. Dominic didn’t tell anyone about that conversation other than what Neige said about his manager, it seems.

Why?

Why did Dominic even mention that?

He didn’t want Dominic to tell anyone any of that.

Ambrose let out a long sigh in annoyance as he got up from his desk.

“That man,” Ambrose muttered,” I had hoped his influence wouldn’t affect you here.”

Huh?

“What do you mean?” Hop asked as he finally pulled himself together enough to speak.

“Brutus and I have a long history together,” Ambrose replied,” Let’s just say this isn’t the first time his actions have caused self-destructive tendencies within my students.”

Self-destructive?

“What do you mean by self-destructive?” Neige asked.

“It means many things for many people,” Ambrose said,” I’m sure your family can tell you more about it if they desire. However, Neige I want you to know that Brutus can’t hurt you for any of the actions you take here. And that you don’t have to focus on your idol persona. You’re your own person here.”

Neige couldn’t help but feel the claws of his manager scrape at the back of his mind again. Don’t listen. Don’t listen. They’re just cruel people who want to bring you down. Only he has your best interest. So long as you follow everything he tells you. Every painful, disgusting thing he demands.

Shut up.

SHUT UP!

The faint scent of wisteria suddenly fills Neige’s senses, and suddenly the screaming calms once more. You know your manager is wrong. Don’t let him control you again. It was like the kindest voice in the world was singing his fear to sleep. A soft hand patting him on the shoulder, telling him it's okay.

“It’s…. Not exactly that easy,” Neige mumbled.

Immediately all of the dwarfs ran up to Neige and hugged him. Neige yelped in surprise.

“You can depend on us to help, okay?” Toby said.

“We’ll do our best to be a better family for you!” Hop beamed.

“Please just….. Rely on us. We promise we’ll get you through it,” Timmy cried.

Tears couldn’t help but prick in Neige’s eyes as he hugged all of the dwarfs. They cried as Neige tried to hold himself together. Not now. Not now. You can cry later. There’s something you still have to do.

Remember. It’s for them.

Slowly, all the dwarfs ran out of tears and separated from the hug. Neige gave them all a reassuring smile before Ambrose brought all of their attention back to him.

“Because you are a student here, free therapy is guaranteed,” Ambrose stated,” Please, I recommend you use our services to the best of your ability.”

“Thank you,” Neige said,” If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask for a favor?”

“Of course! What do you need?” Ambrose asked.

“Well….. It’s related to what Kocho told you.”

Ambrose’s eyes widened. He immediately dismissed the dwarfs, much to the little faes’ annoyance. Once it was just the two of them, Neige moved closer to the headmaster’s desk, allowing his voice to stay just above a whisper.

“Did something happen since we last spoke?” Ambrose asked.

“Oh! No, it’s just we didn’t have time to tell you about this last time,” Neige said,” I think you probably already realized. But Kocho’s not from here.”

“Yes, I figured as much.”

“Well, Kocho never actually applied for Night Raven. The carriage just kinda picked him up,” Neige explained,” And Kocho’s family is looking for him. But they don’t exactly have the means to get here.”

“So you wish for me to help?” Ambrose asked.

Neige nodded his head. Ambrose stayed silent for a while, just staring at Neige. It made Neige a little uncomfortable. But he held his ground. If Ambrose said no, Neige would do his best to persuade him.

“Alright,” Ambrose said after a while,” I’ll see what I can do.”

A huge smile spread itself on Neige’s lips, causing Ambrose to smile too.

“Tell me who they are and where I can find them and I’ll see what I can do.”

“Yes sir!”

Dominic looked at the small pouch in his hand. Kocho had given it to him during his last day in the infirmary, saying it was for Neige. The fae didn’t think much of it. But he randomly got the idea to bring it out during the meeting. Just curiosity got to him, he guessed. It smelled pretty so maybe it had some calming effects.

Yet the effects it had.

What did Kocho say was in it again?

“What’s that?” Snick asked.

“Nothing,” Dominic replied,” Let’s get something to ease our minds. All of our magestones have built up a lot of blot.”

“My, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to speak with you alone.”

Shivers ran up Kocho’s spine at the sound of Azul’s voice. In the crowd of students scattered around the hall, it had been hard to even see the boy. Kocho cursed at himself slightly. He’d been too distracted, it seemed.

“Not enough time,” Kocho muttered.

“Hm? What was that?”

Kocho didn’t answer. He just glared at the grey-haired boy. Azul couldn’t help but chuckle as the Leech twins slowly crept up behind him. Floyd looked extra excited today. Potentially because it had been so long since he’d annoyed the poor Pomefiore student.

Azul needed Jade to keep his brother on a leash today. They weren’t exactly sure what Kocho was capable of doing to them if they pushed to wrong buttons.

And to also keep Kocho away from every single thing that could potentially be a blade.

“If it isn’t too much, would you be ever so kind as to come with me to Octavinelle?” Azul asked, his voice laced with venom. Not strong venom, of course. Just enough to get the point across.

Kocho’s glare hardened as he slowly backed away. But Azul was quick to grab his sleeve and hold his attention with a sickening smile.

“It would do you well, no? We wouldn’t want everyone to know you’re a runaway.”

Kocho completely froze, causing Azul’s smile to grow.

“Let’s get going then.”

“Azul, what are you doing?”

Azul let go of Kocho and slowly turned his attention away from the redhead. His smile changed back to casual and a quick snap of the fingers told the Leech brothers to do the same. Trey was glaring at Azul as if to say be very careful with your next words.

“Nothing at all. I simply wish to speak with my classmate. Isn’t that right Kocho?”

Kocho did not say a word. He just allowed the atmosphere to grow awkward as he simply blinked. Three fast. Three slow. Three fast.

Now hold on just a second.

“Let’s go,” Azul said while grabbing Kocho’s sleeve once again.

Azul easily dragged Kocho with him. Kocho quickly grabbed onto Trey and pulled him along with them. Both the Leech twins chuckled at this but didn’t say a word. Not until they had made it to the Octavinelle lounge. Where Azul demanded the boys to get him and Kocho a drink. That demand quickly turned into three drinks, as it took until that moment for Azul to realize Trey was with them.

Azul grumbled while Kocho couldn’t help but feel a little amused.

“What do you want with Riddle?” Trey asked when it was finally just the three of them.

Azul almost paled. Ah, that would explain why Kocho was so willing to bring Trey along. He already told Trey. That was going to become problematic. But, no matter. Blackmail was simply to get the redhead here. That wasn’t going to be a part of the contract.

Or at least not anymore. It would have been a nice back-up.

Unless….

He’ll get to that if it comes to that.

“Nothing that has to do with you, I can assure,” Azul sighed,” I simply want something from Kocho.”

“And what exactly is that?” Trey asked.

Azul smirked.

“You see, my Unique Magic is called ‘It’s a Deal’. It allows me to make a contract with whomever I want for whatever I desire. Of course, as it’s a contract, both participants have to be willing to sign. Thus, both parties must be happy with the terms of the contract,” Azul explained,” Kocho has something I desire, so I wish to know what he desires in exchange.”

Kocho and Trey looked at Azul in confusion. Neither expected it. Azul couldn’t blame them. Especially Kocho, with what Azul had to do to finally get the redhead alone.

“What could you possibly want from me?” Kocho asked.

“Quite simple really,” Azul said,” I desire your physical prowess.”

Kocho immediately glared once more while Trey simply sighed.

“You physically dragged him here for this?”

“Dragged? It was clear Kocho was curious. I don’t have the physical strength to actually drag him against his will.”

Kocho thought about it as the two bickered. His worry was all but gone and replaced with amusement. This guy wants to make a contract over that? Really now?

Kocho wanted to laugh.

“What exactly do you have in mind,” Kocho asked, surprising both boys,” What exactly do you think you could offer for this strength?”

Azul could feel his professional persona slip slightly. The bait was caught.

“Anything you desire,” Azul replied.

Kocho snorted, catching Azul off guard.

“I doubt that, but entertain me a bit will you?” Kocho said as a smirk spread across his face,” What possibly did you think I would have in mind?”

Azul suddenly felt as though he was the one who bit the bait. He glared at Kocho, earning a glare from Trey. It annoyed Azul greatly. Seriously. Trey hadn’t spoken to Kocho at all this entire semester and suddenly he’s acting like this.

What is wrong with him?

“For starters, your grades are low. I can always help with that. You lack any control with magic and you’ve clearly made enemies that are willing to kill you,” Azul hummed,” You’re not a very approachable person nor are your social skills that great. You don’t have a single electronic device. Oh, and let’s not forget….”

Azul’s eyes darkened, causing chills to run down Trey’s spine.

“You’re still on a missing person’s list.”

Kocho froze with wide eyes. Like a fish out of water. The hook dug deep, it appeared. All Azul now had to do was reel the redhead in.

“The choice is yours, really, but I do suggest you choose….”

“Blackmail? Really? That’s the best you got?” Kocho asked,” You think the strength I built up myself can be sold off that easily?”

Azul’s eyes widened as Kocho returned to glaring at Azul.

“Tell me, Azul, how were you fairing against those ghosts?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Azul asked.

“If I remember correctly, you were struggling. You couldn’t even dream of fighting the likes of Gyutaro. So what makes you think you could do better than him? Hm?” Kocho scoffed before condescendingly pointing at Azul,” What makes you think a mere human like you could give me anything I desired when the strength of thousands couldn’t even do the same? Let’s be real here, you’re powers are useless to me.”

Kocho immediately got out of his seat, followed by a confused Trey. Azul looked at the redhead with wide eyes as anger started bubbling. This kid really thinks so little of him…..

“Simply put, there’s not a single thing you can give me in exchange for my strength,” Kocho hummed,” Because if you could, then what was the point of all the time spent building it up.”

His voice grew quiet as he left the dorm with Trey not far behind him. Azul’s face grew red before he took a deep breath. Don’t lose your composure. That boy was trying to make you mad. It’s fine. Just prove to Kocho that you don’t make empty threats.

“Aw! Where’d Goldfishy go?” Floyd wined.

“I suppose your offer wasn’t good enough,” Jade hummed,” Tis a shame, really.”

Azul sighed before looking over at Jade. There were three drinks in his hand. None of which were the ones Azul asked for. Did this boy really lack any trust in Azul’s ability to persuade Kocho? Or did he just think it was a lost cause from the start?

Either way, the fact that Jade was right ticked Azul off.

He could focus on that later. There’s something else he wanted to get done now.

“Jade, there’s something I need you to do,” Azul said.

“You seemed to have everything under control,” Trey commented as the two boys stepped out into the mirror hall,” I’m glad you dragged me with you. But can you tell me why you did?”

Kocho sighed as he tossed Trey a small pouch. Trey looked at it curiously before opening it. The scent of wisteria hit him strongly, causing Trey to close it once more without even thinking.

“Considering what he did the last time I was at his dorm, I wasn’t exactly sure what he would do this time,” Kocho said,” And, frankly, I didn’t trust myself not to attack him this time.”

“So you brought me along to hold you back?”

“It helps more than you think.”

“You’re doing it wrong.”

Jamil felt a jab in his side as Riddle hovered above him, hanging down from somebody else’s broom. Vil was having his Spelldrive team practice out in the field. With his permission, Riddle was able to drag Jamil along so they could continue training. While most of the Pomefiore students weren’t exactly happy with it, they weren’t too worried.

Nobody exactly had high hopes for Scarabia’s team this year anyway. They’ve barely practiced. Jamil wasn’t exactly sure how he felt about that. On one hand, he wanted to show off his skills to everyone watching. Show them what he can do (although he’d still have to make Kalim look good). But, on the other hand, he can now just focus on training instead.

Every second counts.

Today Riddle told Jamil about Total Concentration Breathing. A technique used to help Demon Slayers in battle. It makes them faster, stronger and can help heal them faster. This was an extremely important and difficult technique that Riddle decided to teach Jamil now rather than later.

Of course, only after running around the stadium 10 times and swinging a katana as many times as he could.

Kuroba laughed at him the whole time and only stopped when Kaname started pecking the other crow in the skull.

“Total Concentration Breathing isn’t that simple,” Riddle said,” You have to bring more air into your lungs. Take deeper breaths. It should hurt the first few times. Your lungs aren’t used to it yet.”

Jamil nodded his head before slowly taking another deep breath. This time, he tried not to stop. Suddenly, a shock of pain struck him hard. Jamil immediately fell into a fit of coughs as he wrapped his arms around himself. Cramps had taken hold of his lungs, and oh sevens did it hurt.

Riddle patted Jamil’s back while glaring behind him. Once Jamil finally came to, he figured out why. The broom Riddle had been on was now on the ground, along with Riddle and Rook. Rook was also trying his best to catch his breath between coughs.

“What happened over here?” Vil asked as he flew over to the trio.

“I was merely curious,” Rook said as he finally calmed down,” Monsieur Butterfly’s finally revealing the secrets to his magnifique ability. One must try this secret in order to learn the beauty behind his skill.”

Riddle rolled his eyes while Vil just sighed.

“Both of you just get back to practice,” Vil said before heading back to his team.

Rook complied and got back on his broom. Riddle grabbed onto the end and allowed it to pull him up. It left Jamil alone once more to suffer through this. Every time he tried, it hurt. But eventually, it started hurting less and less. Jamil continued to just focus on breathing and nothing else.

Or at least he tried.

It was hard considering what was happening in front of him.

Everything was going by so fast. Riddle would jump from broom to broom with ease, catching the disc mid-air as if it were nothing and throwing it to his teammates. Despite using very little magic, he was able to confuse and throw off every opponent. It was mesmerizing, truly, to see the skills of a Demon Slayer be used for something so trivial.

Eventually, the whole team was given a break. Riddle released his hold on one of the brooms and jumped off. He gently landed next to Jamil, with the fabric of Riddle’s uniform fluttering behind him.

“You play well,” Jamil hummed,” You think it’ll be enough?”

“As long as the potato doesn’t use more magic than necessary, it should be enough,” Vil replied as he made his way to the two with Rook trailing behind him.

“I’d imagine the scouts and media would be looking for someone with impressive magic along with impressive skill at the game,” Jamil muttered.

“Magic is something everyone here has,” Rook said,” But speed and grace such as our petite papillon is far from the norm.”

“It’ll get people excited, especially if we’re up against Savanaclaw,” Vil continued,” That would be the best-case scenario.”

“Why’s that?” Riddle asked.

“Savanaclaw has always been filled with skilled Spelldrive players,” Jamil explained,” They’d give you the best chance to show off, I bet.”

“Especially if you’re able to get us the win,” Vil added,” Pomefiore has never won against Savanaclaw before. It would impress the masses, no doubt.”

Rook nodded his head rapidly with a large smile on his face. Jamil could practically feel the nerves bouncing off of him.

Suddenly, Riddle tossed his katana at Jamil. Jamil barely caught it, earning another snicker from Kuroba.

“100 swings, let’s go,” Riddle demanded,” Your arms should feel better now.”

Jamil sighed before getting back into position. This was going to be a long day.

“Why are you even teaching him how to breathe differently?” Vil asked as he sat next to Riddle.

“Total Concentration Breathing is an old technique and is extremely important if you want to get the upper hand against demons,” Riddle repeated what he told Jamil earlier,” There are multiple benefits in relation to it, such as fast healing…..”

“Faster healing? Potato, you heal slower than every other mage here.”

Riddle looked at Vil with wide eyes while Rook just nodded along with him.

“Not by much, of course,” Rook reassured.

Riddle just continued to stare as the gears in his head turned. He heals slower? That can’t be right. Something’s definitely wrong here. How can that even be?

“Actually, that brings me to a question that has been bugging me for a while now,” Vil hummed,” Back at home, did you ever accumulate blot during emotional breakdowns? Or did your body naturally adapt to any changes in the climate to make yourself more comfortable?”

Riddle’s brain started to hurt. What in the world did Vil mean by that? What’s going on? Did Riddle miss something? This doesn’t sound familiar at all.

Riddle slowly shook his head.

“Thought as much,” Vil sighed,” Your world doesn’t exactly have magic.”

“Is there something I’m missing?” Riddle asked.

“Monsieur Butterfly, have you ever heard of magic residue?” Rook asked.

Riddle shook his head.

“It’s something that only affects mages. Any leftover magic in the air can help them either use stronger spells or help their body adapt to their surroundings. It’s also the reason our magestones eventually clear out blot. Because it becomes magic residue. Magic schools like NRC have extremely high concentrations of magic residue, thus more benefits. However, there is a downside,” Vil explained,” Blot can build up when we get emotional. It makes mental breakdowns extremely dangerous. Yet, you have yet to build up any blot outside of when you use magic.”

Riddle’s eyes widened. That was true. But he wasn’t exactly sure what Vil was saying. Granted, Riddle gave himself the benefit of the doubt. He hadn’t studied magic since he was 8. And that women never mentioned anything about emotions causing problems.

Chills ran down Riddle’s spine as he thought about it even more. He was lucky. So very lucky. In a way he never even realized.

Demons being immune to magic suddenly became a blessing for Riddle and Riddle alone.

“I wonder why,” Vil hummed.

“How intriguing!” Rook beamed,” How does one’s magic reservoir change in the presence of no magical residue, I wonder!”

“You think it adapted?” Riddle asked.

“Possibly,” Vil replied,” We’ll never really know unless we study it. But that would take some time. And we don’t have that kind of time.”

Riddle nodded his head. He had other things to focus on for now. How his magic worked was not even near the top. It never helped him in the passed. Not even close. Magic was only a burden that became a means to an end.

Healing magic was all he would focus on in the future, once this was all done.

“Oye Jamil! Your stance is wrong!” Riddle yelled after a while,” You were doing good for a while but you started slipping out of it when you got tired! Don’t do that!”

“Dang it!”

Neige woke up to a familiar snowy mountain. There were children laughing as the sun slowly set in the distance. The eyes he saw through were helping an older woman with dinner. As the oldest sibling present, this was her job. While Tanjiro was out in town, Nezuko had to help their mother.

“It’s getting awfully late,” Nezuko muttered.

Her voice was so soft and sweet. So reassuring and kind. It soothed Neige’s soul. Just like Kocho’s sister did back then. It came par for the course with memories such as these. On days you wish you could go back to and cherish. No matter the voice that spoke, it always brought the feeling of home.

“Is Big Brother not home yet?” Takeo asked.

One of her younger brothers. With eyes so similar to Tanjiro’s and a scarf mirroring a familiar checkerboard pattern. The same pattern Tanjiro still wears to this day. Takeo was so stern compared to his siblings. But he loved them so.

“Where’s Tanjiro?” Hanako asked.

Oh, Hanako. Nezuko’s only sister. Always so willing to help the older kids with chores around the house. Such a sweet child she was. Always wore pink, just like her big sis.

“Is he okay?” Shigeru asked.

He was staring at Nezuko with such bright eyes. Such an energetic kid he was. Always wearing such a bright smile. He was always so willing to help cheer up the family when Tanjiro wasn’t there to do the same.

Rokuta just watched everyone with wide eyes as he clung to Takeo’s side. The youngest of the kids. Always clinging to someone’s side, as if they were going to disappear. Just like their father did before. Years prior.

Rokuta was so, so very young.

They were all so very young. So why? Why did this have to happen to them? They were innocent children! This should never have happened to them!

The door opened, and suddenly everything fell into chaos. In the late hours of the night, under the silence of the moon, everything turned red. Screams of her family filled the air as they were torn apart one by one. As the monster of a human took sick pleasure in it all. But as almost every person she’s ever loved gets killed, the world glitches. Her memories started to become hazy as the whole world became static.

Neige nearly screamed as the sound grew louder. It hurt. It hurt so much. Sparks stabbed every part of his mind, forcing it to become part of the sound. Make it stop. Make it stop!

And then everything went silent once more as a pair of soft hands placed themselves over Neige’s. It lowered his hands from his ears, causing the black-haired boy to look up.

Nezuko stood right in front of him. Her eyes held nothing but curiosity, despite her demon form.

This was demon Nezuko who looked at him. What was she doing here? These were her memories Neige was going through.

“How….?” Neige muttered.

“Demon?,” Nezuko’s voice rang clear throughout the void. As if one with his mind. As if he were in his mind.

“Who….are…..you?” she asked.

Neige just stared at Nezuko with wide eyes as he replied. Nezuko repeated his name a few times before shaking her head. Unfamiliar, she had said, before asking who he was again. She asked if he were a demon. Neige said no. So she repeated her question again.

Then who are you?

“I’m…. a friend of Riddle Kocho,” Neige replied, hoping to change something.

Suddenly, Nezuko’s eyes lit up as she let out a happy hum. The world around them changed to images and scenes with the redhead demon slayer.

“Riddle! Riddle! Friend of Riddle!” she beamed.

Neige’s eyes scanned all the images. Of moments in time. There were memories of the boy being cruel, judging her for being a demon. But then there were images of him being kind. Treating her like a comrade rather than an enemy. There were scenes of Tanjiro and Kocho getting along. Of Kocho helping heal the wounded and of him fighting. And of Kocho’s sisters. Three little girls who sometimes were seen trailing behind Kocho. Like ducklings. And a girl in pigtails. Acting all standoffish while using Kocho as a shield of sorts.

And of a girl with Kanae’s other butterfly clip. How neutral the two seemed when around each other.

They were all from Nezuko’s mind.

“But….Riddle missing,” Nezuko said, her tone becoming sad.

Then everything changed to one scene. Of Nezuko standing in the shadows of an infirmary. Three boys lying unconscious in cots. A man with purple scars covering his face was speaking to Shinobu. His eyes were blank and never once focused on something. There was a white-haired woman by his side, guiding his movements. Shinobu wasn’t smiling. She looked angry and horrified all at once as she spoke.

Riddle was gone. He was kidnapped right in front of everyone. Where had he gone? We need to find him now! The man reassured her that everything would be okay. That they’ll find her brother soon.

“Friend of Riddle,” Nezuko said,” Is Riddle safe?”

Neige nodded his head as a soft smile spread across his lips.

“Yes, he’s safe.”

Nezuko cheered.

“Where is Riddle?” she asked,” Where was he taken to?”

“A safe place,” Neige reassured,” A place where demons didn’t exist before and where he’s making friends.”

Neige’s soft smile turned into a somber one. So many friends Kocho had made. He wasn’t alone. There were so many people he could lean on. At home and at NRC. Kocho was so very lucky.

Neige wished he could do the same. That he didn’t have a barrier keeping him from doing the same. Maybe then he could finally admit to everything that had happened in the past. All the things that man had said. And maybe Kocho and Jamil could give him comfort too.

Memories of careless days made Neige’s mind wander. Training out in the field and helping each other with homework. Of Ortho playing along when he didn’t know what was going on. All of them just living without a care.

Neige wanted that every day. He wanted nothing but that. Without both Kocho and Jamil being content with walking to their death. He wanted them alive by his side.

“Friend of Riddle,” Nezuko said, leading Neige back to reality,” Riddle cares for you. Riddle likes you a lot. I’ve never seen him like that before.”

Neige’s eyes widened. Did she see all of that?

“Take care of Riddle,” Nezuko said as a smile became visible behind her bamboo muzzle,” I’m excited to meet you when he comes back.”

Meet her? Neige couldn’t help but feel the ugliness of a bitter feeling rise up inside. Kocho and Jamil will be leaving him soon, but he can’t go with them. Then he would betray the feelings of his family once again.

But then Neige would be alone once again. He didn’t want them to leave him. Please, don’t leave him! Neige couldn’t handle it! Not again! Not like this!

Two arms wrapped around Neige, comforting the boy the best they could. Nezuko hummed a lullaby, echoing it in the silence the void brought along with it. It was just the two of them as Neige tried to hold himself together. But he couldn’t. Not here. Not in the confines of his own Unique Magic.

Finally, Neige got himself to calm down. Nezuko took a step back and gave him a close-eyed smile. Such a reassuring smile. Neige couldn’t help but smile back at her.

As his mind finally cleared, Neige went back to that memory he saw. Of the man with purple scars and empty eyes.

“That man….” Neige muttered,” Who was he?”

“Ubuyashiki,” Nezuko replied,” But…. everyone call him Oyakata-sama.”

Oyakata-sama. Kocho had mentioned that name before. But who exactly was that man? He definitely had some high position within the Demon Slayer corps, or at least it seemed that way.

“Ubuyashiki is…. Kind,” Nezuko said,” So very kind.”

Her eyes widened for a second as a thought struck her mind.

“Meet up with Ubuyashiki!” Nezuko beamed,” You met with me in my mind! Meet with Ubuyashiki in his! Tell Riddle is safe!”

“But I don’t….”

Suddenly, voices started filling the void. Panicked screaming in a somewhat comedic way. Nezuko laughed, familiar with every voice that echoed into her mind.

“Morning….” she whispered,” I must go. Goodbye!”

“Wait!” Neige called out.

She did not listen. As the world around slowly enveloped into a brilliant light. All the voices went silent as Neige slowly opened his eyes to the morning sun. He just lay in his bed, ignoring the concerned looks of all the dwarfs. They sat there, patiently waiting for Neige to say something. But he couldn’t. His mind was swirling with all the new information he got.

It would appear his Unique Magic was different than he thought.

Chapter Text

“You're losing control of yourself.”

“Sir?”

“When you try swinging your sword with more force, you lose control of your blade and movements. Get a better hold of yourself or you won’t be able to reach your goal.”

“Yes sir. Thank you.”

“...”

“...”

“Riddle.”

“Yes?”

“Kanroji wanted me to ask you if you’ll join her and a few other demon slayers for dinner since she’s not on a mission.”

“That sounds wonderful. Will you be there, sir?”

“Yes, I will.”

“I’m glad.”

“What’s with that cheeky smile?”

“Nothing, sir!”

Unknown: Good Morning!

Rhyme: Who is this? How did you get this number?

Unknown: No need to be hostile. I’m simply a concerned civilian of Sage’s island.

Rhyme: Sage’s island?

Unknown: Yes mam. I saw the news articles from years ago and I wished to reach out to you about the subject.

Rhyme: Nice try, but I’ve seen scams like this a thousand times.

Unknown: I understand if you don’t believe me. However, I have proof.

An older woman stared at her phone in disdain. Scammers like this really made her blood boil. How horrible do you have to be to try and get money out of a poor woman like her?

However, this scammer is odd. They’ve yet to name a price. So, against her better judgment, Rhyme replied.

Rhyme: Go on.

The crowds were flooding into the stadium, buzzing with merch and food in hand. All of the stands outside had lines of civilians ready to pay the outrageous prices that came with everything. They didn’t care. It was an event they were willing to pay far too much on stuff they shouldn’t even be paying half the price for.

Kocho sat in Pomefiore’s locker room with nerves matching the noise echoing through the halls. Vil was speaking to each member of the team personally, checking their makeup and hair along the way. There was a large smile radiating off of Rook as the blond helped with Kocho’s hair. Making it just perfect. Not unrecognizable but not too messy. Rook was speaking a mile a minute, and it didn’t help ease Kocho at all.

His mind was swirling and he struggled to keep his breathing regulated. So many people. Too much noise. He had to focus on making an impression. But how could he when there were too many people?

Why did it only occur to Kocho now just how large this event was going to be?

There was a knock on the door and it barely snapped Kocho out of his thoughts. Vil went over to check who it was before signaling Kocho over. Kocho quickly glided to the door.

“Make sure you’re quick,” Vil warned before letting the redhead leave the room.

Kocho was confused until he saw both Neige and Jamil smiling at him. The two seemed to be buzzing, though they were definitely more excited than Kocho.

“Mornin,” Jamil greeted.

“You excited?” Neige asked.

The black-haired idol was wearing the uniform Rook had lent him so long ago, with the hood up and everything to hide who he was.

Kocho nodded his head as his eyes traveled around the halls. Checking everything he could. His ears were constantly bombarded by noise, it was a struggle just to hear Neige or Jamil. Not a single footstep would go noticed here.

It made Kocho twitchy, and he constantly had to fight the urge to reach for a sword that wasn’t even there.

Neige frowned while Jamil patted the redhead’s shoulder.

“You’ll do just fine,” Jamil reassured,” You’ll grab everyone’s attention easily, knowing you.”

Kocho just nodded his head again. Neige huffed a little before wrapping his arms around Kocho for a somewhat playful hug, startling Kocho a bit.

“You’ve got nothing to worry about!” Neige beamed,” This is just a spelldrive tournament, right? This is nothing for you!”

Kocho took a deep breath. Right. This is nothing. He’s been through far worse. Kocho just had to keep calm and not let anything get to him. Not the noise. Not the crowds. Nothing.

Plus, it’s in broad daylight.

Neige let go of the poor boy as he finally was able to speak.

“Did you both come here just for this?”

Neige nodded his head rapidly.

“Ortho also wants us to tell you he wished you luck,” Jamil said,” He’s stuck making sure everything goes well with Ignihyde’s team.”

A shaky smile found its way upon Kocho’s lips as a warm feeling made its way through his mind. He couldn’t help but feel so very lucky. A part of him hated it, but a part of him loved it. After all, this was a trivial matter.

But it was normal for everyone else. This was just a normal part of life that lots of people end up going through. The nerves of being in front of so many for a school activity.

Kocho hated to say that he liked that.

A tap on his nose snapped Kocho out of his thoughts once again, followed by a ‘boop’ from Neige.

“See ya!” Neige waved before practically dragging Jamil away.

There was a bounce in every step Neige took. Kocho couldn’t help but watch the two boys as they left. His mind was still buzzing, but at least some of the nerves were dying down. Still, he found himself lost in thought, even as the door behind him opened.

“Potato, get in here,” Vil demanded.

Kocho complied.

The brilliant sun illuminated the field as the first game finished. Diasomnia won against Scarabia with ease. Everyone in the crowd was cheering loudly. There wasn’t a single empty seat. And not a single person stayed silent. They were excited. Buzzing with a life Kocho had never seen before. The redhead scanned the crowd, taking in every familiar feature. His eyes landed on Neige, Dominic, Grum, and multiple dwarfs he’d yet to meet. He even saw Chenya and Trey, waving at him as Pomefiore prepared for the game ahead.

Leona led his team on the field with pride as signs lit up with the next two teams. Brooms were at the ready as silence slowly took hold of the crowd. Ready for the starting move. Leona eyed the team ahead of him. Pomefiore was all decked out as usual. Of course they wouldn’t come to an event like this not dressed to the nines.

Everyone stayed completely still as announcements were made. People were holding their breath as Vil and Leona glared each other down. Time ticked, with each second growing louder and louder.

A whistle sang, and suddenly everyone was in motion.

Kocho was quick to discard his own broom and jump onto Rook’s. The redhead crouched down, making himself small and unnoticeable. Rook smiled as he flew around the crowd of Savanaclaw students, allowing Kocho to watch the moves of his opponents.

The disc was thrown between two Pomefiore students. But just before the other caught it, someone flew between them and grabbed the disc. Ruggie was hanging from another student’s broom, the disc being held up by his magic. The hyena beastman snickered before flipping onto the top of the broom and throwing the disc to Leona. Leona then scored, a smirk plastered onto his face.

Moves like that happened often. After a minute or so, Rook gave Kocho a look. Kocho nodded.

Just as Leona was able to catch the disc again, Kocho shot himself at the disc and caught it. Leona’s eyes widened as Kocho landed on another broom and shot himself over to Vil’s broom. It happened in a split second. The audience gasped, completely unaware of the disc's location. Vil quickly grabbed the disc from Kocho and threw it towards another player.

Before anyone knew it, Pomefiore scored.

Leona growled as his face grew serious. Same with every other Savanaclaw player. Ruggie quickly hopped onto Leona’s broom as the lion beastman whispered something to him.

The disc was being thrown around again. This time, Kocho didn’t even wait. He jumped onto the back of a Savanaclaw player’s broom, startling the boy. Kocho didn’t give him time to react. The redhead swiped the disc and grabbed the broom flying above them. This time, the crowd was able to catch a quick glance of Kocho before he threw the disc and swung himself onto another broom.

Another point gained.

The audience watched in surprise. This was new. It wasn’t powerful magic to the likes of Malleus. No, this wasn’t magic at all. They were intrigued, and Neige couldn’t help but smile at that. Even his own family couldn’t help but whisper about it.

Kocho dodged a shot of fire and landed on a Savanaclaw player’s broom, causing his own team to attack. Ruggie growled as he jumped on top of the broom Kocho was aiming for. But Kocho twisted around and grabbed the bottom of the broom, allowing himself to change directions and throw himself up. Ruggie shot a dark attack at him. It did nothing.

But Ruggie couldn’t help but smile.

Kocho finally hid himself behind Rook once more, allowing the boy to catch a quick break.

“Bon travail! Bon travail!” Rook beamed,” Such a marvelous display! Even the masses can’t tell who the mysterious player is!”

Kocho nodded his head as he scanned the players once more. His grey eyes met the sharp gaze of Leona. Soon, a smirk had found its way onto the prince’s lips.

They weren’t going down without a fight.

Kocho realized that quickly when he went for the disc once again. This time, the broom he was aiming for, one belonging to a Savanaclaw student, tried getting out of the way. Kocho’s eyes widened. That boy hadn’t seen him coming. Why did he try dodging?

Ruggie almost swiped the disc away when Kocho tried throwing it, so the boy threw it to someone else. And another student nearly kicked Kocho off the second the redhead landed on his broom. This was starting to get weird, Kocho thought.

When the disc was in his hold once more, Kocho tried jumping again.

But a ball of fire hit the broom from below, throwing the two Pomefiore students up into the air. Kocho flew high up, losing control of his magic and the disc as he did. The redhead was far above everyone else, allowing the crowd to finally get a good look at the boy.

He didn’t waver. Not even when the crowd screamed upon realizing he didn’t have a broom. Leona simply looked up at Kocho, with confidence that could go on for days. Kocho couldn’t help but glare as he fell back down and caught onto Vil’s broom.

“Potato, what’s going on?” Vil asked as Savanaclaw scored another point.

“They’re reading my movements,” Kocho grimaced,” But how? They’re not even looking at me half the time.”

Kocho’s glare hardened as the disc was released once more. This time, he shot himself straight at the disc, landing on a broom with such force it nearly threw the Savanaclaw student off. Ruggie immediately shot wind magic at Kocho, who used the magic to help throw the disc far. Rook caught it with ease before flipping upside down to avoid an incoming spell.

Just as Kocho was about to jump, someone grabbed his arm and dragged him off the broom. Kocho quickly grabbed onto his assailant's arm as well and looked up. Leona was smirking at him as he threw a dark spell at Kocho. Giving him two choices. Let go and risk falling, or hold on and get hit.

Kocho took the third option. He grabbed Leona’s broom with his free arm and swung under the broom, nearly pulling the Prince down with him.

Leona flipped the entire broom around, not allowing himself to fall. Both boys let go of each other. Kocho used the momentum to flip on top of the broom and jump off. Leona couldn’t help but laugh.

“So Wisteria boy does have tricks up his sleeves!” Leona taunted.

Kocho froze as he landed on Vil’s broom. Wisteria boy. Wisteria boy.

OH!

“Schoenheit!” Kocho said.

“What is it Potato?”

“It’s my scent! They’re tracking some of my movements with my scent!” Kocho nearly yelled.

“Are you…” Vil sighed,” This will be troublesome. Just try throwing them off your trail.”

“Yes sir.”

Of all the things that could potentially screw him over, why’d it have to be this? No, he wouldn’t let it. This was too important. He would not, under any circumstances, lose.

Not when it meant potentially losing a chance to see his family again.

He had to win.

Kocho had to win no matter what.

The score was growing even, with Pomefiore in the lead. Leona glared at the score. This wasn’t good. There was only a third of the game left. And that boy had proven to be even harder to handle than he thought.

But he couldn’t help but feel the pure bliss of adrenaline pumping through his veins. Leona had to admit, he liked the challenge. It wasn’t ridiculously hard like Malleus, but it wasn’t easy like every other team.

No, this was something completely new and it made Leona excited.

Kocho hid behind Vil this time as the Savanaclaw students took a new formation. Some of the students were completely out of sight and Leona was in the forefront. Something hot brewed up in Kocho’s mind as he glared at the score. His face grew red as he held everything down from boiling over.

“Potato,” Vil whispered,” I want you to change things up. Stop going after the disc. Distract Leona.”

Kocho nodded.

Leona was quick to grab the disc once again, so Kocho struck immediately. He threw Leona’s broom off balance, causing the disc to fall right into Rook’s hands. Instead of going after it, the prince shot fire magic at Kocho. Kocho quickly ducked and flipped to the underside of the broom. Leona growled and shot dark magic at the boy, but he quickly swung his leg up and kicked Leona’s magestone from his hand. By the time Leona got a hold of his magestone once again, Kocho was gone.

Leona growled as he tried tracking where the redhead had gone. A quick sniff of the wisteria trail brought him straight to Rook, who’d long since given the disc to another. A fire spell shot out at the two boys, causing Rook to yelp and then laugh.

“My my! It appears you’ve angered the dear prince,” Rook couldn’t help but tease Kocho as he hung from the bottom of Rook’s broom.

Kocho glared at Leona as Rook flew over the rest of the players. The disc was thrown to one of the Savanaclaw students, giving an easy opening. Grey eyes scanned the scoreboard before his eyes widened.

It was a tie. The score was even.

So he took the easy opening.

Kocho shot himself down towards the disc and grabbed it. Leona followed and sped past the broom the redhead had landed on. With a flick of the wrist, Leona grabbed the disc but was immediately met with a kick to his broom. It nearly threw Leona off once again, yet he still held onto the disc tightly.

Kocho could feel his blood boil as he grabbed Leona’s broom once again. He used his momentum to flip the entire broom around, which earned a quick dark spell from Leona. But Kocho kept doing it. Leona started growing dizzy as the smell of wisteria seemed to come from everywhere. He tried kicking the redhead off. But there was nobody there.

And the disc was no longer in his hands.

Leona growled as he whipped his head around. Kocho was high in the air, surrounded by all the other students. Disc in a weak spell. This was bad. Time was ticking down. They only had a little bit of time left and it looked like Pomefiore was getting the point.

In a split second, Leona formed a large fireball and shot it at Kocho. Grey eyes widened. Everybody else was too far away to stop the fire from hitting him. This was going to be bad.

So, with barely any thought, Kocho grabbed the disc with one hand and breathed.

It was like magic as water danced around the disc, cutting the fireball in half. The crowd gasped in awe as Kocho’s movements soon turned to that of a dance. Leona watched with wide eyes as the force kept Kocho in place, finally allowing his own teammates to fly over so Kocho could hitch a ride.

A hand grabbed the disc from Kocho the second it got the chance.

Kocho twisted himself around as his grey eyes met the smirk of the Hyena beastman. A snicker came from Ruggie before he threw the disc at alarming speed. Kocho’s dance was just enough of a distraction. As Kocho fell back onto Leona’s broom, tossing both boys off of it, a score for Savanaclaw was made.

And then the buzzer went off.

Savanaclaw had won.

Kocho growled as both he and Leona tumbled to the ground. With ease, the redhead landed with the grace of a butterfly. Leona was able to safely land, though not without staggering.

The crowd erupted in cheers, but everything drowned out into the background as thoughts swirled through Kocho’s mind. Oh no. Oh no. They’d lost. He lost. It was over. This was bad. This was very very bad.

Kocho had to do his best to swallow away everything that built up inside as Leona laughed. All the anger hid away with a neutral mask. Leona stood up as the two teams finally came down from their brooms.

“I can’t believe….” Leona tried catching his breath as he spoke,” Despite all of our training we barely bested you.”

Kocho just glared as Vil and Rook came to his side. Ruggie trailed behind Leona as the lion beastman spoke. The redhead couldn’t believe this. Despite all his training as a Demon Slayer, he was still somehow bested. Kocho was supposed to be fast. How did they win?

He was lacking, clearly. Kocho was still not good enough as a Demon Slayer. He had to get faster. How was he supposed to help fight every other upper moon if he couldn’t even be faster than some random people on brooms?

“I’ll admit, I underestimated you,” Leona sighed,” Despite seeing you fight firsthand, I didn’t realize how fast you were. We had to take a page from your book just to get that last point.”

Ruggie nodded his head as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Kocho just nodded his head as Vil took charge of the conversation. Rook guided the boy back to the locker room, along with the rest of the team. The sounds of the crowd drowned out through the halls. That’s all Kocho could remember before he found himself back in a closed-off area of the locker room. Just him and Rook.

“How do you feel, Monsieur Butterfly?” Rook asked.

Kocho didn’t reply as everything whirled around. So many different thoughts had taken hold, thrashing at the least guarded parts of himself. He’d screwed up. Or did he even have the ability to win in the first place? Didn’t matter. Kocho failed. He’d been slow. There was no reason for him to be slow. What kind of Tsuguko was he to fail so horribly at something he was supposed to be good at?

None of this even included the fact that this was supposed to help Shinobu and Iguro find him. They were supposed to at least get to the final round to make it more likely for Iguro to see it. And now there was such a little chance because they lost in the first round!

Rook watched the boy with sympathy before leaving him alone. Good, Kocho thought. It meant he could be alone if everything found its way out. If every wall just crumbled and allowed the floodgates to fall. Because he failed.

They lost and it was his fault.

“Kocho?”

Kocho’s eyes widened as grey met brown. Neige was sitting across from the redhead with nothing but concern in his eyes. A gentle hand placed itself on Kocho’s shoulder, softer than the callused hands Kocho had always been used to.

It hurt Kocho, in a way. But he didn’t know why.

“Everything’s going to be okay,” Neige reassured,” This was just one option, right?”

“We’ll figure something out soon,” Jamil stated.

Both boys surrounded Kocho like a protective blanket. And yet, Kocho’s nerves continued to buzz along with the sounds of the crowd. It spun his mind around in circles, making it hard to concentrate on anything else. Even though it was muffled through the walls, it still made it so much harder to concentrate on anything but his own mind. His own anger.

“Hey! Why don’t we go get some food?” Neige offered.

“The mirror portal to the village should be open again,” Jamil said,” How about a restaurant there?”

Kocho slowly nodded his head. Neige beamed as he grabbed the redhead’s hand and dragged him out of the stadium. Once the noise started to grow distant, Kocho finally was able to focus on the two in front of him. Their carefree smiles on a day such as this. A day so normal for so many others.

Despite everything that flooded his mind, Kocho couldn't help but smile.

People cheered as they surrounded their screens. Everyone had their TVs on, allowing them to see NRC’s Spelldrive tournament. Families were hosting dinners and holding parties just for an event such as this. There wasn’t a single person not glued to their screens. Nobody was walking along the streets. They were far too distracted.

If someone were to go missing, nobody would notice until it was far too late.

In the darkness of the house far in the outskirts of the shaftlands, not a sound drowned out the speakers. Windows were covered and all doors were locked. They did wonders holding anything from escaping to the outside. Not a single drop of blood would be noticed.

Not even from the corpses torn apart. People of different ages lay scattered, with bone and flesh clawed to shreds. Hair of many colors became one, soaked in what remained of human bodies. You wouldn’t be able to tell they were human at all. Their names would grow lost in time. Unrecognizable as the corpses had become.

A creature loomed over it all, consuming every piece of flesh available as its eyes watched the big screen. Childish displays of a fight could be seen. People flew on brooms as the crowd cheered. The creature watched it with curiosity. What was this thing so many people were enamored in? And how was it watching it? Fascinating, it truly was.

Red and purple continued to flash across the screen as the monster listened to the person narrating the whole thing. Night Raven College. Sage's Island. Pomefiore. Savanaclaw. Such interesting words. What could they all mean?

Fire was thrown across the screen, and suddenly the creature couldn’t breathe. A dance of blue cut through it and a boy with a butterfly clip was revealed. That blue. A familiar dance. Sparks shot through the creature’s mind and it couldn’t help but grin. With bloody flesh trapped between razor-sharp teeth, it hissed.

“Demon Slayer.”

Ortho hummed to himself as he scrolled through different social media platforms. Idia had asked him to find a specific post from one of his favorite idols. One that was made such a long time ago and had supposedly been deleted. Didn’t matter much to Ortho. He’d be able to find it after a while. But he was partially distracted. Footage of the Spelldrive tournament had been pulled up on a different screen. Ortho found the whole thing super exciting. Maybe if he were human, he’d be able to participate like everyone else.

Oh, the woes of being a robot.

It’s a shame, Ortho thought. He would have loved to see Kocho against Malleus. A spectacle it would have been. Alas, that would never happen. So Ortho had to stay content with another Savanaclaw vs Diasomnia finale.

Still was heavily distracting but Ortho loved it nonetheless.

“I wonder,” Ortho thought.

He hated that he wasn’t helping Kocho much these days. So there must be something else he could do. After all, Ortho’s a robot. There are many things he could do that nobody else could.

Like finding potential spottings of Shinobu or Iguro. Maybe even Najma. If he could do that, maybe he could pinpoint their location. And then Ortho could tell Ambrose and they can bring the group here quicker!

Yeah. Ortho liked that idea.

Ortho paused what he was doing and opened a separate tab. To social media and hacking he went. Where should he start? He didn’t exactly know what those people looked like. But at least he knew what the Demon Slayer uniform looked like!

Oh, but what if they wore Haori’s too? That might make it harder for Ortho’s system to search for them. Dang. Okay then, what has Kocho told Ortho about them? What did he say they look like? What accessories do they wear?

Ortho’s eyes suddenly widened.

Oh right! Shinobu also has a butterfly clip! That should make the search so much easier. If Ortho just scans an image of Kocho's clip and tells his system to search for the pattern, he should be able to find Shinobu easily. Whether that be from security systems or a random person’s social media platform.

This was perfect!

Many different pictures flooded through Ortho’s system. Quickly, Ortho threw out anything that didn’t look correct. Random pictures of butterflies, butterfly clips that looked different, and even glass art of butterflies.

But then something caused Ortho to pause. It was a post on Magicam, made not even an hour prior. Yet, despite that, there were thousands of comments and likes. The account didn’t even have 100 followers. Why was this post gaining so much traction?

And why had it come up in Ortho’s search?

Ortho opened up the post and his eyes immediately met the image of two NRC students and one RSA student.

“Uh oh,” Ortho muttered.

Chapter Text

“Riddle, I have a request.”

“Lady Amane? Is everything okay?”

“Yes. I’ve come to specifically ask something of you as a resident of the Butterfly mansion.”

“How may I be of assistance?”

“There’s someone I wish for you to be directly responsible for the rehabilitation of. He wishes to become a demon slayer but he hasn’t started training yet. So I want you to help train him as he heals.”

“I will do my best. Is there anything I should know about him?”

“Yes, the boy was recently heavily injured due to a demon. He's only 11 so it might take a longer time to rehabilitate him than what you're used to.”

“What about his name?”

“His name is Tokito Muichiro.”

“What a lovely display of magic, no?” Rook gushed,” What power such nobility have! Oh, my eyes have been blessed with the fountain of youth!”

“Rook, please calm down. Now’s not the time,” Vil sighed.

Everything had finally come to a close. After hours of cleaning up empty stands that had sold out of merchandise, everyone was dismissed to go back to their dorms. It had gotten decently late. Every other Pomefiore student had turned in for the night, leaving the silence of the halls to accompany Vil and Rook as they spoke in the kitchen. Rook was preparing a quick meal decorated with strawberries. Not for him, of course.

“I was hoping we could have gotten further with Kocho,” Vil sighed,” It appears I may have leaned too much into his skill set. I should have trained the rest of the team better.”

“Now, now, mon cher,” Rook hummed,” We shall not look back on the past.”

“Right,” Vil agreed,” We need a backup plan.”

“Why not utilize your position?” Rook asked,” Surely Magicam would love to see our Monsieur Butterfly. Especially after today.”

Vil couldn’t help but shake his head as he pulled his phone out. Ready to scroll through said app. With a day such as today, surely people were talking about it. Vil himself had posted a few things in preparation. To get more people hyped and stuff.

“While that would be a good idea for anyone else, Iguro is the last person to see a Magicam post,” Vil explained.

“But time is not with us,” Rook argued,” Alas, what else can we do?”

Rook was right. There wasn’t much time left until Halloween. In a few day’s time, Night Raven students were going to be busy setting everything up. And oh there was so much to do. Vil himself was going to struggle to find time just to keep up appearances on Magicam.

Which meant Kocho wasn’t going to have much time to train. Vil and Rook would have to keep an eye on him. If he were to be honest, Vil still didn’t trust Kocho in that manner.

And maybe sometimes Vil still sees that night in his mind. Like the dream of a district long destroyed, vivid displays of hopelessness have made their home in vulnerability. In the moments when Vil was alone and least expected it. Despite the constant surveillance of two crows and a hunter, Vil couldn’t help but check for new bandages on one hand even when there were no reports of it.

It hurt even more after that one morning. So often does Vil wonder how Jamil and Neige did it. How did they get Kocho to simply let them stay? What did those two do to make Kocho just happy to have them there?

Instead of wanting them to leave.

Everything in Vil’s mind suddenly screeched to a halt as a post came into view. A picture from earlier that day, not long after Pomefiore’s loss. It showed a scene at a restaurant. Of three boys smiling as they walked in. Though one looked a little nervous.

‘Hey! I just saw that butterfly kid from the Spelldrive tournament out in the wild! And Neige LeBlanche is with him!’

Comments were going wild. Asking questions. Complementing the three boys. Though some were not great. It took one too many weirdly creepy comments that could easily be boiled down to ‘are they dating’ for Vil to shut off his phone and slam it into the counter. Face down.

Vil groaned.

“This isn’t good.”

“Well someone’s gotten popular.”

Kocho rolled his eyes while Jamil just groaned. It was early in the school day when Azul came up to the two of them. His signature smirk toyed with Jamil. But Kocho couldn’t care less. There wasn’t anything Azul was going to get out of him. No, he knows the boy’s games. And Kocho had gotten far too used to it.

“I don’t wanna hear it,” Jamil sighed.

Wait, did Kocho miss something?

“What’s wrong? Can’t take the comments?” Azul teased.

“That’s none of your concern.”

Kocho tilted his head slightly.

“Oh, did that housewarden of yours not tell you?” Azul hummed as he turned his attention to Kocho,” People all around the world have gotten wind of your friendship with Neige.”

Ah. Is that a bad thing? Kocho wasn’t exactly sure.

“I’ve already gotten multiple texts from people I haven’t talked to in years asking about it,” Jamil said,” For once I’m jealous that you don’t have a phone.”

“Even still….” Azul trailed off as he looked out the classroom doors.

There were people with cameras out, taking pictures of the trio. Kocho still didn’t exactly get it, but he decided it wasn’t worth thinking about. Even if it might affect him for a good while.

“Despite everyone in the school already knowing about you guys and Neige, it’s different now that the world knows,” Azul explained to Kocho,” They can capitalize on your popularity. A single picture of you will give them the eyes of thousands.”

Kocho’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Why aren’t you taking advantage of this?” Jamil nearly hissed,” You’ve been having the time of your life doing that so far.”

“You think I enjoy this? How heartless do you think I am?” Azul asked with a sigh.

In all his businessman glory. He really doesn’t change.

“Besides, I wouldn’t gain anything from Neige LeBlanche considering he’s your friend,” Azul continued,” I’m simply here to tell you both to be cautious. People will be trailing you like Vulters. It’s not like what would happen if you were seen with Vil. This is a friendship between schools and with someone whose social life is heavily monetized on.”

“Not to mention….” Azul whispered,” Certain people in Neige’s life may find the addition of you two unsightly. Trust me, I know people like them.”

And with that Azul walked away, leaving the two boys completely confused. They watched Octavinelle’s housewarden glide over to his seat, before turning towards each other.

“Is it really going to be that bad?” Kocho asked.

Jamil nodded his head.

And he was right. Every second of free time that was given turned into absolute hell. People kept shoving their phones in their faces. And they were loud. So very loud. Asking questions and trying to get a video of the two boys speaking. Jamil hated every second of it. At least Kocho seemed to be having an easier time getting through it all than Jamil. The kid moved through the crowds like it was nothing. But he never left Jamil’s side, despite the advantage. Kocho took on the annoyance of a student body with Jamil.

After a while, Kocho finally snapped. The boy wrapped his arm around Jamil’s waist and jumped. Before the crowds knew it, the two boys had made it to their next class. Far from where the cameras were.

Kocho let go of Jamil as soon as his feet touched the ground.

“Never do that again,” Jamil hissed.

“Is something wrong?” Kocho asked,” We both wanted to get out of that.”

“That was…. Uncomfortable,” Jamil admitted in a whisper.

“I see. Would bridal style be more comfortable for you then?” Kocho asked with a smirk.

“Absolutely not,” Jamil growled.

Kocho giggled.

“If you say so,” he said,” I get it though. I’ll make sure not to pick you up in the future.”

“Thank you.”

The next few classes went through the same pattern. There would be whispers and flashes every so often in the lecture halls, but once they had to get to the next class all hell broke loose. It irritated Kocho to no end.

But it started getting easier to get out over time. Kocho wasn’t sure what was going on, but it seemed like Jamil was adapting to the situation. He got better at hiding himself. Started figuring out the easiest escape routes like it was nothing.

Fascinating. Kocho couldn’t help but think about that. He hadn’t actually realized it, but Kocho hadn’t actually seen much of Jamil’s actual skill set. Sure, Kocho knew the boy was smart, and Jamil had said something about knowing how to dance. But that was about it.

“Jamil,” Kocho said as their final class before lunch started,” If it’s okay with you, I would like to go to the training grounds with you during lunch.”

“Please. That might be the only place in the entire school where we’ll have some privacy,” Jamil sighed.

He didn’t even have to mention how much it would inconvenience Kalim. Sevens know people would cause problems for the eldest Asim son just cause of this. They already had earlier that day. Scarabia students hadn’t exactly been kind to Jamil when they saw the Magicam post. Kalim was actually losing his patience cause of it before school even started.

Jamil had never seen Kalim like that before.

Kocho nodded his head. For the rest of that class, Kocho carefully watched Jamil. The boy’s eyes would randomly shoot in different directions. He was fidgeting quite a bit. But, somehow, Kocho was able to read what Jamil was doing.

When the bell rang, Jamil stood up and turned towards Kocho.

“We’re going out the window,” was all he said.

“Alright.”

Both boys grabbed their stuff quickly and jumped out the window. Thankfully they were on the first floor, but they could still hear their professor yelling at them as they booked it across the campus. With Jamil in the lead. Jamil would signal Kocho to follow him through different, seemingly random locations before they made it to the mirror hall. But every place was deserted. And they were all just out of sight from the public.

And Jamil had gotten so much faster and quieter.

Kocho couldn’t help but feel a small amount of pride swell up.

Before long, they had found themselves in that small clearing once again. With trees covered in scratches from swords and patches of dirt and dead grass, beaten down from the dances that constantly put pressure on them.

Jamil threw his stuff to the ground and sighed. Thank the sevens that worked. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to handle any more people with cameras today.

Kocho did the same as the two boys started to stretch in silence. It was clear the redhead was deep in thought, but Jamil didn’t dare interrupt. The silence was welcoming. With an outstretched hand saying that it wanted nothing from you. Just your presence.

After a while, Kocho finally spoke up.

“Since we won’t be here for long, I want to focus on something different today,” he said,” You said you can dance, right? Show me what you’ve got.”

“Huh? Why?” Jamil asked.

“Just do it.”

Jamil sighed before complying. Kocho watched every one of Jamil’s moves carefully. They were extremely fluid and fast-paced. Not a single move lost the energy or force behind the last. It was fascinating, and it forced Kocho’s mind back into earlier thoughts.

By the time Jamil was done, the boy was panting. Though he wasn’t as tired as he thought. His training really was helping his stamina. So was Total Concentration Breathing. In more ways than Jamil liked to admit. It made a part of him sting. He really was doing this, wasn’t he? Jamil really was walking to his death like it was nothing.

“So?” Jamil asked.

“Thunder breathing and Stone breathing are out of the question,” Kocho mumbled.

“Huh?”

“I’m trying to see what breathing style would be best for you going forward,” Kocho replied,” Stone breathing focuses heavily on strikes. Putting all your force and focus on hitting the opponent. Thunder breathing is similar, though it’s extremely swift in comparison. Flame breathing might also not be a good fit for you either. While it’s more flexible than Stone and Thunder, there are two others I think would be better for you.”

“And that would be?” Jamil asked.

“Water and Wind,” Kocho replied,” Though I may be biased when it comes to water…”

“Wait, what about what you do?” Jamil asked,” None of those styles you just mentioned are the same as yours.”

Kocho stared at Jamil in confusion before his eyes widened.

“Oh I’ve never explained this have I,” he muttered,” All demon slayer styles come from the original breathing style. Sun breathing. Everything else after was created as an offshoot of sorts. That’s where Thunder, Water, Wind, Flame, and Stone come from. But those styles aren’t suited for everyone. So people created more styles based on those five. I’m using those five to help assess which direction is best to go with for you. Or whether or not we need to create a different style.”

“As for myself, Insect breathing is an offshoot of Flower breathing. Which is an offshoot of water,” Kocho explained,” Anything in that branch will be easiest for me because that’s what my body is best at adapting to. For now, since I can actually teach you it, we’ll be focusing on Water breathing. But the second we get home we’ll need to ask someone more skilled in a breathing style more suited for you for help.”

When they get home. To Kocho’s home. Jamil couldn’t help but let out a shaky breath. Everything will be set in stone then. He’ll be joining the Demon Slayer Corps with his sister and won’t be guaranteed the ability to grow up. To become an adult. But that’s what he wants, right? Would he really be happier there? Is that really the freedom he desired? It was better than serving the Asims for the rest of his life. Anything was. But….

Jamil couldn’t help but see Kocho’s scars on himself, coiling up and around his throat. And taunting voices celebrating his demise in a district on fire. Those dreams had come to bite him over and over again. Digging their claws into Jamil’s mind and lacing deadly poison. All while speaking in the voice of Kalim’s father, telling him to come back or else.

Or else what? What else does Jamil have to lose? Everything is gone. There’s nothing for Jamil to go back to in Silk City. Would he just be sacrificing a longer life? Well, at least this one he chose instead of being forced into since he was born. And at least this one would at least give some meaning to his parents' death.

Jamil took a deep breath, grabbing Kocho’s attention.

“What’s on your mind?” Kocho asked.

“Nothing, it’s just….” Jamil mumbled,” Do you ever feel fear when you're fighting demons?”

Kocho stayed quiet for a minute as his expression grew somber.

“Yeah,” he replied,” I’m always afraid.”

Kocho slowly walked over to where Jamil was sitting and sat down next to him.

“Not just when I’m fighting demons,” Kocho added,” Every waking moment I’m terrified. For myself, my sisters, and all those I have the honor of calling my comrades.”

There was a brief silence again before Kocho spoke up.

“I’ll be honest, I was afraid when you asked me to train you,” Kocho admitted,” I didn’t want you to become a demon slayer and have you die like everybody else.”

“So why did you accept?” Jamil asked.

“Because I have no right to deny you,” Kocho admitted,” We are the same, Jamil. Us and so many more.”

Jamil stared at Kocho with wide eyes. How many families had Kocho seen be torn apart? How many would Jamil see? Is there guilt that constantly lingers from not being able to get there on time? To be able to save others from being the same?

And how long had Kocho been doing this, Jamil couldn’t help but wonder. How long had Kocho been carrying the guilt of what happened to others?

“Hey Jamil,” Kocho mumbled,” We’ll be leaving everyone when we go back.”

“Yeah,” Jamil muttered as he played with the parrot on his necklace.

“Should we make something for them? Or get them a gift of sorts?” Kocho asked,” I want everyone to know how much I appreciate what they’ve done. Especially Neige.”

Jamil nodded his head.

“Yeah, that might be best.”

Kocho’s ears suddenly perked up at the sound of ruffling leaves. He signaled Jamil to stand up as Kocho focused on the noise. There was talking and there seemed to be quite a few people.

“I swear, I sometimes see them come over here!”

Oh shoot.

“We need to get out of here now!” Kocho snapped.

Whispers flooded the hallway that day. Everywhere Neige went, people would stare and act as though something was amiss. It was, to most of the school. After all, Neige LeBlanche of all people had become friends with Night Raven students. The horror. How could he?

Neige kept up the friendly smile the whole time. Doing his best to keep back his fear. This was bad. Really bad. But what could he do to stop it? Nothing. There was nothing at all. So, despite every horrible possibility running through his mind, Neige pressed on.

At least Chenya hadn’t been mean about it. Not too surprising. Even to some of the student body. Despite the horror that day brought so many weeks ago, some students still remembered Chenya hanging out with Trey and Cater.

“Mornin Neige!” Chenya hummed.

“Good morning Chenya!” Neige replied.

“How was the tournament?” Chenya asked.

“Oh, it was wonderful!” Neige beamed,” It was so fun to watch!”

“Mhm! So interesting too!” Chenya beamed before his eyes grew a little somber,” He’s so much faster than I thought.”

Neige’s eyes softened. This was still so new to Chenya. For seven’s sake, it was still technically new to Neige. It hadn’t actually been that long since he learned of demons. But Chenya was coming at it from a different angle than Neige. The beastman wasn’t even aware he’d seen the remains of a demon’s destruction.

Neige would never tell Chenya the truth of that day. But he imagined it was only a matter of time before he too learned. Neige could only hope that he could push this one back as long as possible.

“He was so cool! Wasn’t he?” Neige beamed,” I wish I could move like that!”

Chenya nodded his head.

“Wouldn’t that be fun!”

The bell rang as the teacher walked in, silencing most of the class. There were still whispers, but the teacher would silence them when he got the chance. It gave Neige a bit of breathing room. Every class was like that. Neige almost started liking class time more than his own free time cause of it.

As class neared an end, Neige quietly started packing up. But while putting his notebooks away, Neige realized something. He’d forgotten one of them back at his dorm. Oh no. It was for the next period too. That wasn’t good.

“Oh shoot,” Neige mumbled.

“What is it?” Chenya asked.

“I need to go back to my dorm real quick,” Neige replied as class came to an end,” See you in a few minutes.”

Neige nearly booked it back, trying his best to avoid everybody who got in his way. In a few minutes time, he arrived at his room and grabbed the notebook before booking it back. The hallways were empty by the time he made it to the main building. Everyone had already made it to their next class, leaving the sound of his steps for Neige alone to hear.

Or so he thought.

As he passed one of the unused classrooms, a hand flew out and grabbed Neige’s uniform. The person pulled Neige in and laughed as Neige nearly fell to the ground.

“Look at that. Can’t do anything now that you have no one here to protect you.”

Neige’s eyes shot up to look at his assailant. The boy who stood in front of him, Neige knew well. This was one of the boys who’d invited him to the bakery back then. The ones who’d snickered and left him behind. With no knowledge of what transpired after.

Yet anger couldn’t help but bubble. Neige did his best to hold it down. Not now. Remember, it can ruin your image if you get angry. It’s an ugly emotion not meant for you.

Oh would you stop with it already? This isn’t right. You should be allowed to feel these things.

“You know, I’ve been waiting to have a one-to-one for a looooong time now,” the student giggled,” You just….. Piss me off!”

The boy basically growled those words as Neige slowly backed up. There was a burning rage consuming every ounce of the boy’s emotions, and it showed. Neige had never seen an expression like this before. It was twisted and horrifying.

“You walk around without a single care in the world. You barely have to work for anything. Everything is just handed to you as long as you sit still and look pretty,” the boy ranted,” And yet you still find ways to get in everybody’s way. People like you are the reason hard-working people have to suffer!”

The boy grabbed the collar of Neige’s uniform and lifted him up, causing Neige to let out a quiet yelp.

“Why do people like you have to exist?! Why?! I’ve had to go through so much just to get here, yet all you had to do is say your name, and people let you walk right in!”

No, Neige thought, that’s not true. He’s been enduring so much torture throughout the years to get here. Neige had to work hard too.

Did people really think so little of him?

His mind bubbled as anger burned. Please no. He can’t let it out. Please never let it out. You can’t afford it.

“People really are blind, you know. Despite the horrible person you are people still flock to protect you. Even Night Raven students couldn’t help but be stupid enough to fall for it,” the boy growled,” Or maybe they’re not fooled at all. Maybe they’re horrible like you. Using your power for their own gain!”

The boy’s smirk grew as Neige’s eyes widened.

“I bet those Night Raven bastards are just as wicked as a certain leech I know that brought everyone down just for a drop of….”

Something in Neige snapped. Immediately, Neige pushed back against the boy, causing him to let out a surprised yelp. Neige grabbed the boy’s collar in a tight grip and pulled him down to the ground. Forcing the boy to look up at brown eyes that glared daggers down at him.

“Now you listen here,” Neige whispered, his voice laced in venom,” I can take every single petty insult you throw at me. I’ve been doing so all this time. Every whisper and glare thrown my way doesn’t go unnoticed you know? But if I hear one more word about Kocho or Jamil leave your mouth I will make sure your career is six feet under long before it ever gets a chance to grow. Am I clear?”

The boy let out a shaky gasp as he tried to get a hold of himself. Wide eyes stared up at the sickening glare that Neige bore into his skull.

“You… you wouldn’t!” the boy spat.

“I’ve never done it before. People will think you did something despicable if the Neige LeBlanche came crying on camera, telling the story of how someone tried bullying the friends he cared so dearly about,” Neige hissed.

“I…I’ll tell everyone about this,” the boy cried.

Neige nearly laughed as a smirk spread across his lips.

“And who's going to believe you?” Neige asked.

Soft footsteps caught the attention of the two boys. They looked up at the open doorway, only to see Chenya standing there, glaring down at the boy now kneeling on the ground. The boy looked at Chenya with a pleading look. But all he was met with was hardened gold that decorated the iris.

In a simple motion, Chenya swiped his fingers across his lips as if he were pulling a zipper.

“I heard nothing,” was all he said.

Tears started to form in the boy’s eyes as Neige whispered in a sickeningly sweet voice.

“Now leave or I’ll actually report you leaving me alone in the woods when a cannibalistic murderer was on the loose.”

Neige let go of the boy, allowing him to scurry away. The boy stumbled on the way out, trying his best to stay as far away from Chenya as possible. Chenya paid the boy no mind. Not until he was far from their sight did either Neige or Chenya even move from where they stood.

Neige’s expression fell to neutral as his mind raced. What did he just do? Why did he just say that? That was so stupid of him. Rumors were most definitely going to spread. His reputation was going to hurt from this. Why did he even think this was a good idea?

But now that boy won’t even think of speaking ill of Kocho or Jamil again. That was all that mattered.

“Thought he would have known better by now,” Chenya sighed,” Remind me never to piss you off in the future.”

“Just as long as their names stay out of all your ill wills, you have nothing to worry about,” Neige stated.

Put your mask back on, Neige. You're in front of Chenya. This mask is too important not to keep at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

Neige’s smile returned as soft eyes made themselves visible once again.

“We should get going. I doubt the professor is happy with us for being this late,” Neige said.

“Yeah,” Chenya muttered,” Hey, Neige?”

“Hm? What’s up?”

“I’m sorry that I never reported what happened back then,” Chenya said as they made their way through the halls.

“You have nothing to apologize about,” Neige reassured,” You were going through a lot at the time. Seeing the remains of a demon attack is traumatizing. I wouldn’t blame you if you forgot about….”

Neige paused when he realized Chenya was no longer by his side. Slowly, Neige turned around. Chenya stood completely still, his eyes holding onto nothing. His mind was scattered but slowly every piece was connecting with bloody wires as Chenya’s eyes widened in horror.

“You were….,” Chenya barely muttered,”... that day.”

Neige tried not to sigh as he placed a finger over his lips. Signaling silence. Chenya obeyed, though Neige couldn’t tell if it was from the fear taking hold of every word he could say or not.

“We can speak of this later,” Neige said,” Come on. Let’s go.”

Chenya slowly nodded his head.

“Ortho incoming! Ortho incoming!”

The door to Kocho’s room flew open. Ortho quickly made his way into the room before carefully closing the door behind him. The room was somewhat different now. There were no more sheets covering the mirrors.

“Shroud? What are you doing here?” Kocho asked as he quickly got up from where he sat,” It’s getting late.”

It startled Kocho horribly. After everything that had happened that day, the boy’s nerves had spiked. Truly, Kocho had underestimated people and how insane they were. He wouldn’t have been surprised if another student decided to barge into his room just to get a quick pic.

“Kocho! It’s an emergency….. Ah, where’s Kaname and Kuroba?”

“They’re out on patrol. It helps comfort them and, no offense, but they don’t trust you,” Kocho explained,” Now what’s wrong?”

“It’s my sensors! You see, I set up a system throughout the entire island that’s able to sense when a demon passes by. Due to the biological difference between demons and humans, there’s actually a……. Wait that’s not important. The point is my sensors have just picked up multiple demons suddenly appearing on the outskirts of the island!”

“What?!” Kocho nearly shouted.

Pecking on glass could be heard from the window. Kocho quickly threw it open, allowing Kuroba to fly onto Kocho’s shoulder.

“Demons! Demons! On the island! On the island!”

Kocho growled.

“Of all times,” he sighed,” Let me get my uniform on.”

Vil knew he was being irrational. Someone rational would have stopped for a moment to think if this was right. They would call rather than ask to meet face-to-face. And they wouldn’t have given into the demands of a party that didn’t know any better.

But Vil would like to think a rational person would also fall to anger after catching one too many people trying to invade the privacy of another.

Frankly, Vil was sick of this. All of this. So much so his patience wore thin. He had to meet up with Neige now and talk, whether or not the black-haired boy liked it.

Of course, none of the dwarfs were really happy with Vil’s request. What was so urgent that Vil wished to speak with Neige face to face immediately? They weren’t going to allow Neige to enter enemy territory without an ally. In fact, they would be much preferred if this conversation happened on neutral ground. Say, the village.

Vil wanted to scoff. Did Neige really not tell them how dangerous going to the village at night was? About how active demons were at night? It’s fine though. Vil had started making it a habit to ask Ortho about the presence of demons every day and there were none as of this morning. Really, he was only doing this to make sure Kocho would be able to catch up on sleep if need be. But, it seemed to help in the case of any nighttime excursions as well.

They all agreed on a small restaurant in town to meet. Somewhere safe and secluded. Unlikely to bring about any more unwanted attention. While Vil knew those who lived in the village wouldn’t try anything funny, he would rather be safe than sorry. Especially now.

The layout of the restaurant was off, Vil would admit. There wasn’t a lot of space for customers to sit and the kitchen was huge. Far larger than it ever should be. But, then again, these people quite liked the nonsense of the Queen of Hearts. So much so Vil had to believe whoever built the Heartslabyul dorm built this place as well.

“You better have a good reason for this,” Grum said as he glared at both Vil and Rook.

Neige was looking around constantly. Not a single shadow went unnoticed nor did a single sound. There was a small pouch that Neige held in a tight grasp. Vil recognized it well. Both Rook and Vil had their own after all. Hidden underneath cloth in a safe space and always on them.

Grum and Dominic, noticeably, didn’t have theirs. Vil couldn’t help but glare. That was unacceptable. Did Neige also fail to tell them the importance of those as well? What else did Neige fail to tell his family?

Not now, Vil. There were other things to talk about.

“Worry not. This is a matter of importance to both Roi du Poison and Roi de Neige,” Rook reassured.

“What do you wish to talk about?” Neige asked as he put up a smile.

“I want you to fix this mess. Or at least make it better,” Vil stated.

“Huh?”

“Because of your carelessness, I’ve had to deal with countless amounts of people sneaking into Pomefiore’s dorm just to harass one of my students. And I have no doubt Scarabia’s dealing with the same thing,” Vil practically hissed.

“What do you mean his carelessness?” Grum snapped.

“This is about that post, isn’t it?” Dominic asked.

“Indeed,” Rook confirmed.

“They're getting harassed?” Neige asked,” Are they okay? Did anybody hurt them?”

“You forget who you speak of,” Vil sighed,” They’re fine for now, but it’s only day 1. How long do you think it will be until someone stumbles upon something they shouldn’t? Something like, let’s say, everything that happened with Upper Moon 6?”

Neige flinched slightly while both Dominic and Grum shot Vil a confused look.

“You keep mentioning that title? What exactly does that mean?” Grum asked.

Vil’s glare hardened.

“You haven’t told them anything, have you?” Vil said, his voice laced with venom,” What exactly do you get out of withholding this sort of information? They’re aware of demons. They should be allowed to know the details as well. Are you trying to protect them? Exactly what are you protecting them from?”

“It’s Neige’s right whether or not he gives out any information,” Dominic argued.

“Of course, yes it is. Alas, Roi du Poison has a point,” Rook said as he tried to calm the group down,” You deserve to know just as much as Roi de Neige did. But I believe mon cher wishes to get back on topic.”

“Yes, you’re right,” Vil sighed,” What exactly were you thinking, bringing both Kocho and Jamil out in public with you? Especially on a day when this village was crowded with outsiders?”

“Kocho was uncomfortable, okay? The crowds were getting to him so we had to bring him somewhere far away!” Neige argued.

“Then you should have brought him back to his room! You know he’s the most comfortable when he has his katanas by his side,” Vil snapped,” Regardless, it’s partially your fault that this is happening. Therefore you need to find a way to…”

The noise of wings flapping cut Vil off as a crow flew through the restaurant. It glided over to the group before landing on Rook’s shoulder. Nobody else was in the restaurant other than the staff, thankfully. So everyone working there just seemed to assume it was a familiar and went about their job.

“Kaname?” Neige muttered.

“That’s not the same crow…..” Dominic muttered.

“Since when did you have a familiar?” Grum asked Rook.

“I must report you all have to leave immediately,” Kaname stated.

“What seems to be amiss?” Rook asked.

“There are demons nearby.”

“What?!” Vil snapped.

Neige’s breath grew shaky as everyone stared at the crow with wide eyes. Suddenly, all of the lights in the building shut off. Startled screams came from a few of the staff members, as well as Neige. It was starting to get harder to breathe as his eyes flashed back to that day. No, not again. Not while Dominic and Grum were here. Please no.

Vil took a deep breath as Rook took Vil’s shaky hand in his. It calmed Vil down enough. They should be fine, he reasoned. As long as they get the rest of the staff near them, everything should be fine. They have the pouches after all.

Quietly, Vil got up and started making his way over to the kitchen. But before he even got halfway over the entire building started to shake. Something was slamming itself into the walls, making sounds that echoed through every room. There were more screams from the kitchen as some of the staff ran out. One of the managers tried calming her staff down but to no avail.

“Oh for….” the woman mumbled,” Hey, are you five okay?”

“But of course,” Rook replied.

“Good, now get out of…..”

A loud crack echoed throughout the kitchen as well as screeching. More of the staff ran out the door. Both Vil and Rook were quick to pull out their magestones all while the RSA students watched.

Neige felt every nerve in his body buzz to life, screaming for him to run. But how could he when there were so many people around? They could get hurt. They could die and the world would be none the wiser. He had to do something. Anything!

Move god damn it! Do something, please!

The manager’s eyes scanned the staff. After a second, she turned to one of the beastman.

“Where’s Monica?” she asked.

“She was in the walk-in when some… creature broke the back door down,” the beastman replied,” I think she’s still in there.”

Without even thinking, Neige grabbed his magestone and ran through the kitchen door. Vil yelled his name, but Neige ignored it. There was no way Neige was going to allow anybody to feel the same fear he did. Nor would he ever let anybody fall victim to a demon while he was around.

As long as he had the wisteria pouch on him, Neige should be able to chase the demon away with ease.

Banging guided Neige around the pitch-black kitchen. He turned through multiple tightly packed corners, barely scraping past the metal edges of counters. Soon, Neige was met with the light of the moon. The barren doorway framed it as the light cascaded down the narrow path. With only the silhouette of a claw disturbing it.

It was angular and crooked, with splinters of wood underneath. The banging came from near it. Neige quickly summoned water and shot it at the demon, taking its attention from the walk-in fridge’s door. A growl rumbled from the demon’s throat as it slowly crept out into the light.

It looked wrong. So very wrong. The demon’s back was arched and angular. It folded in on itself. So did its arms. So did it’s legs.

So did its neck.

Neige took a step forward, hoping to deter it away. But the demon lunged at Neige instead. A yelp escaped Neige’s throat as he slid over one of the counters to avoid the demon. It let out an inhuman screech as it jumped on top of the counter and started chasing Neige around the kitchen.

What’s happening? Neige had brought the wisteria with him. Why wasn’t it working? Did something happen to it? Did Neige accidentally…?

Neige accidentally dropped it when he ran back to the kitchen.

Neige hissed as he dropped under one of the counters. The demon flew over him, giving Neige the chance to attack. A fire spell was thrown at the demon before Neige scurried away. He wasn’t going to be able to fight this thing for long. There had to be something Neige could do.

Was there anything Neige could do? Was there really?

The demon suddenly lunged at Neige from under the counter. Neige was quick to grab one of the pans and threw it down at the demon’s head with as much force as possible. A sickening crunch echoed throughout the entire kitchen as the skull of the demon caved in.

Neige froze. Something ran through his mind. Memories of the many demons he’d entered the minds of. Human lives taken away from a single monster. Those memories were never unique.

And this demon had been human too. Yet Neige did this to it. To him. To her. To whoever they were.

It hurt so badly.

The demon took the opportunity and shot itself at Neige. Neige screamed as the demon threw him to the ground. Its claws took hold of Neige’s face. Neige kicked the demon back before it could tighten its grip. But the claws dug into the skin of his cheek. Searing hot pain painted itself onto Neige’s skin, decorated in red. Neige grabbed hold of the wound, trying to stop the bleeding as he ran.

It was going to scar. There was no way it wasn’t going to scar.

Neige felt tears well up as a combination of panic and pain spiraled into one. All into hundreds of possibilities for his future. Or the futures he destroyed. All the while the demon sprung back at him, baring its teeth and snarling.

A ball of fire hit the demon in the side, throwing it to the other side of the room. Neige slowly sat up as purple fabric covered the demon from his view. Rook stood in front of the idol, his eyes shooting daggers at the demon.

“How vile,” Rook hummed,” How does one look at creatures such as you every day and not grow sick of being able to see?”

The demon growled as it took a step towards Rook, but then it froze. Its eyes widened as it took a few steps back.

“Demon slayer,” it hissed before booking it out the door.

Just as the light of the moon illuminated every inch of the demon’s skin, a sickening slice could be heard. Red shot out of the demon's neck as its head flew off. The rest of the demon’s body collapsed onto the ground and soon started disintegrating into ash.

Soft footsteps landed on the pavement as Neige’s eyes widened. A wisteria haori and red hair fluttered around Kocho’s form as grey eyes peered into the darkness of the kitchen. They met the eyes of Pomefiore’s vice housewarden before slowly traveling down at the mess the demon created.

Grey eyes widened when they met brown.

“Neige!” Kocho practically yelled as he ran past Rook.

Rook simply smiled and said nothing as Kocho kneeled down in front of Neige. The redhead’s eyes were filled with panic.

“You said my….” Neige muttered.

Kocho placed his hand gently on Neige’s uninjured cheek and wiped a few tears away. Tears Neige wasn’t even aware had formed. Without even thinking Neige leaned into Kocho's hand.

Kocho pulled his magestone from his pocket and held it over Neige’s wound. A soft light bloomed from the purple stone as something akin to a cool breeze could be felt across Neige’s skin. Before he knew it, the wound had mended itself. Not even a scar was left behind.

“There you go,” Kocho whispered as he put his magestone away,” All better now.”

Neige could hear his own heartbeat as a smile crept up his lips as he touched his once-injured cheek. Warmth weaved its way into his heart. It was nice. So very kind.

The demon’s disintegrating head tried to snarl, but nothing could be heard. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto the two boys with hatred and disgust. But slowly it grew somber as it deteriorated into nothing. Not even a drop of blood remained.

Running echoed throughout the kitchen, grabbing Rook and Kocho’s attention. Vil quickly found himself in the light of the moon, carefully avoiding everything that had fallen to the ground. The manager was following not too far behind, her face filled with worry.

“What happened….?” she asked as her voice dwindled.

“The threat has been terminated,” Kocho said in a soft voice,” There’s nothing left to fear. Was anyone else hurt?”

“No sir,” the manager muttered while staring at Kocho’s uniform,” We don’t have everyone accounted for though. Monica!”

The sound of a heavy door moving and a soft ‘I’m fine’ came from nearby. A small girl peeked out from behind a thick door, bringing the cold out with her.

“Thank the sevens,” the manager sighed,” Come now. Everyone else is up front.”

Monica nervously nodded her head and followed her manager out of the kitchen. Vil simply stared at the remains of the chaos before slowly looking over to Rook.

“Tis an ungodly sight,” Rook sighed,” Memories could never do it justice.”

“As of now, I advise you to stay at the dorms at night,” Kocho stated,” It’s dangerous. Far more than before.”

“Thank you, Kocho,” Vil said,” We’ll make sure the rest of the dorm gets the memo.”

Kocho nodded his head before turning his attention back to Neige.

“What happened to the wisteria I gave you?” Kocho asked.

“You dropped it?!” Vil nearly yelled.

“I’m sorry,” Neige mumbled.

“It’s fine,” Kocho sighed,” If we can’t find it, I’ll just make you a new one. But we’ll have to make sure you never lose it again. In the meantime, I have to go.”

“Is something amiss, dear Monsieur Butterfly?” Rook asked.

“There are more demons here,” Kocho stated,” I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

And with that, Kocho left. Like a petal gliding through a violent breeze, he was gone in an instant.

Everything lingered in Neige’s mind, clouding it from the rest of the world. Rook brought him back to the dining room. Muttered words circled around him. Suddenly he was no longer in the village. Neige was watching his reflection in his bathroom mirror. It was still. Never changing. Always the idol staring back with empty brown eyes.

But what was he really?

Who was the person he really saw?

Who was the person Kocho saw? In that moment where all he gave Neige were soft words and a comforting hold.

Because whatever it was Vil didn’t see that. And Vil was right in what he saw. Neige had been stupid. A complete and utter fool. In everything Neige did, trying to protect others, it always ended up for the worse.

Oh for seven’s sake, why couldn’t Neige just allow himself to feel ugly things? Please just let him feel it.

Maybe then he could be happy for once and not just content.

Neige curled up and the tile flooring and let out a long shaky breath as tears started to well up. Every single thing finally collapsed, bringing each and every one of his fears to the forefront of his mind. The near-death experiences. The scaring of his skin he’d spent his entire life trying to keep perfect.

And the potential loss of his friends. When the day comes when they finally go back to the Demon Slayer Corps.

How weak he was in comparison.

Despite how ugly his actions were, Neige liked himself better when he finally stood up to that bully.

So maybe Neige would like himself more if he allowed himself to feel ugly things.

It spiraled, taking every single thing that remained of his energy. He couldn’t hold it in anymore. The tears started to flood out as Neige allowed himself to cry, completely alone on the bathroom floor.

Chapter Text

“What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?”

“Get back inside. You’ve barely healed enough to start training, let alone with a sword.”

“Doesn’t matter. Leave me alone.”

“I can’t do that, Tokito.”

“You shouldn’t waste your time with this. It’s pointless.”

“It’s my job.”

“So is being a demon slayer. Yet somehow you’re lacking in both departments. Let’s be real, being a nurse and helping your sisters is a waste of time. Maybe if you used that time to train, you wouldn’t have to use insect breathing.”

“Excuse me?”

“Then again, you’re clearly not chosen to fight. You’re weak. Simple as that. So maybe you should just focus all your energy on helping the wounded instead.”

“Screw you!”

“....”

“...”

“Why’d he get mad about that? We all have our roles to play. Oh well.”

“Everyone seems so busy. Is Halloween that big of a deal?” Kocho asked.

Scarabia students were scattered around their dorm with different materials in their hands. Paints, fabrics, beads, and so many things Kocho didn’t recognize. Nobody even bothered looking up at the stray Pomefiore student. It's not like they’d be surprised anyway.

“Yep, unfortunately,” Jamil sighed,” It brings in a lot of money every year so every dorm is expected to go above and beyond with decorations and costumes. Though we thankfully don’t have to wear them. Just the members of the Halloween planning committee. Speaking of, why aren’t you helping Vil?”

“Believe me, I tried,” Kocho sighed,” But he stopped me after a few hours, saying something about how maybe it was better if I just didn’t help.”

Jamil snorted.

“Well now I’m curious,” he muttered.

And a little jealous. Jamil was still helping with everything due to his position. So he couldn’t train as much as he would like. Thankfully Kocho did visit from time to time and would help Jamil with stuff that didn’t require a katana. But, for the most part, Jamil and Kocho were stuck simply talking.

And Kalim never interrupted, as he was too busy doing his own thing. And nobody had bothered either Jamil or Kocho since the dorms started working on decorations. Halloween was proving to be a double-edged sword of sorts. So Jamil wasn’t going to complain much about it.

Neige, unfortunately, wasn’t able to visit. Royal Sword Academy also had its own things going on for Halloween. And the dwarfs hadn’t exactly let Neige leave the campus recently. Jamil wasn’t exactly sure why, but it wasn’t exactly his business so he didn’t question it for long.

A part of Jamil hated it though. And so did Kocho. Because there was no guarantee they’d see Neige after Halloween. Kocho was no doubt going to follow his sister once again in search of the demon that could send them home.

And Jamil would blindly follow. He didn’t care anymore. Jamil just wanted to get out of here.

Even if every step made his body tremble in anticipation of what was to come.

“The sun’s going to set soon,” Kocho muttered as he looked out Jamil’s window,” I must go.”

“The number of demons appearing on this island is starting to worry me,” Jamil said,” Are you sure you’ll be fine on your own.”

“I’ll be fine,” Kocho replied,” I’ve only been seeing low-level demons anyway. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Jamil nodded as Kocho left the room. In all honesty, Kocho didn’t believe his own words. Low-level demons they may be now. But how long until a demon came around that Kocho couldn’t kill? And how many people would die because Kocho did not get there on time? Red clawed through porcelain-like skin and brown eyes tearing up from pain stained Kocho’s mind. There was no way he could allow something like that to happen again. Not when he was the only one that could stop it.

Kocho’s hand twitched. He needed his keychain. His mind was starting to swirl.

It was those muddled thoughts that distracted Kocho from the voice that called his name. Until red eyes had stepped in Kocho’s way, he wasn’t even aware Kalim was nearby.

“Hey, you okay?” Kalim asked,” Did something happen?”

Kocho stiffened as he slowly shook his head.

“That’s good,” Kalim sighed with a smile,” Do you have a minute? I want to talk to you about something.”

Kocho’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the white-haired boy. He couldn’t afford to trust this boy so easily again. But Kocho really couldn’t see any malice within him. And that made Kocho feel so much worse.

“I promise it won’t take long!” Kalim added.

Kocho finally, reluctantly, agreed. He had to gather more information about this boy anyway. For Jamil’s sake.

Kalim brought Kocho to a large room. It was Kalim’s bedroom. The only truly private place in the entire building. Kocho couldn’t help but stare in awe. It was so pretty and weirdly fancy. With couches and a window covering an entire wall. Kalim gestured for Kocho to sit, so Kocho did.

“So, how’ve you been? Anything fun happen since we last spoke?” Kalim asked.

Kocho stayed quiet as his gaze slowly turned into a glare.

“Right, sorry,” Kalim muttered, his smile slowly falling,” I wanted to talk to you about Jamil.”

Kalim took a deep breath, as though he was about to pour his whole heart out. There was a brief look of sadness, but it never fully surfaced passed his words.

“Since we were kids, I’ve always considered Jamil as my best friend. He’s always been with me, and I always loved hanging out with him. So I’d like to believe I’m pretty good at understanding Jamil,” Kalim started, as his voice grew somber,” The first day I came to Night Raven, I noticed that there was something different about Jamil. It took me a while to realize. But now I think I know.”

Kalim took another deep breath.

“I’d never actually seen Jamil happy before now,” Kalim admitted,” Nor have I ever really seen Jamil for who he was. He’s snarky around you. He teases you and genuinely smiles around you. I….. wish I knew that’s who he was to his friends. Maybe then…..”

Kalim sighed as he clearly held back some tears. Kocho watched the boy with wide eyes as Kalim took a moment to compose himself. There was so much sincerity in his voice. A kind that was so similar to Tanjiro. But it came from a boy who’d never spoken of painful things before. That could be seen easily in everything he did.

“When I was younger, I always saw weird things going on around me. Everybody seemed so empty around me. And lifeless. Sometimes members of our staff would go missing, yet nobody seemed to care. And sometimes members of our staff would limp or barely be able to move a limb. There were so many other things, and yet when I asked my father about it he’d brush it off. Telling me it was all in my head. That everything was fine. Everyone was happy. Nobody was hurt,” Kalim muttered,” So to me, everything was. But I’ve looked back on all of that recently. And they all remind me of when I’d see my siblings get hurt or an assassination attempt was made on Jamil.”

Kocho’s eyes widened.

“There’s a lot I need to fix,” Kalim admitted,” For so many people. But I don’t think I could ever fix what happened to Jamil. No matter how much I try. Which is why I have a request.”

A shaky smile found its way back up Kalim’s lips as a few tears finally dripped down his cheeks.

“When you both leave, take care of Jamil for me please.”

“How do you….?” Kocho couldn’t help but utter.

“Jamil has nothing left to hold him back, right? You, me, and Jamil. We all know that. I’ve told Jamil about his family’s disappearance. He’s free to go as he wishes. All he has to do is run,” Kalim stated,” So please, take Jamil as far away as you can. So father can never find or hurt Jamil again.”

A somber smile crept up Kocho’s lips too.

“I will,” Kocho promised.

“Thank you.”

Jamil played with the little pouch of wisteria as his phone vibrated. It was the only thing illuminating the room. Even the moon was blocked off from ever entering the room with her brilliant light. A chirpy voice picked up on the other side.

“Evening Jamil Viper. Is something wrong?” Ortho asked.

“Nothing at all. I simply wish for your assistance,” Jamil said.

“Of course! What do you wish for me to do?”

“I want you to look up every missing person report from the past year or so,” Jamil stated,” As well as the last seen location for every single one of them.”

Ortho let out a little humming noise.

“If I may ask, what’s this for?” Ortho asked.

“That demon must be taking people from this world regularly,” Jamil muttered,” If we can catch onto its path, we might be able to capture it and force it to send us to the other world.”

Ortho stayed silent as Jamil continued to mutter. Finding that portal demon was going to be extremely important. They had to get back as soon as possible. Or at least Jamil and Najma did. The others were likely going to stay to fight the Upper Moon on the loose.

Seven’s there really was an Upper Moon in Twisted Wonderland. So many people were in so much danger and yet nobody knew it. A cruel, twisted creature that would probably torture their prey for fun. It made Jamil’s stomach churn. Those rainbow eyes that held no sympathy for his victims. What were the chances it was Upper Moon 2? What were the chances it was Upper Moon 1?

Would Kocho actually live when everything was said and done? That thought made everything Jamil ate that day turn to acid in his mouth.

“I see,” Ortho muttered,” I can do that. Although it may take a while. There are a lot of missing reports that never even saw the media. And, despite how incredible my programming is, going through police firewalls might make the search longer.”

Jamil’s eyes widened.

“Don’t!” he nearly yelled,” We don’t need legal problems getting in our way. Just look up the ones available to the public for now. If we can’t find a clear path, then we can consider hacking into police files.”

“Whatever you say!” Ortho giggled,” I am curious though. Why do you think this will work?”

“There’s a possibility the demon has been teleporting people at random to the other dimension,” Jamil replied,” No, not a possibility. I’m certain of it. If magic and blood demon arts can be combined, I have no doubt Muzan himself would want to witness it. Or maybe absorb the magic himself.”

“How are you so sure of this?” Ortho asked.

“Because if I were him, I would. An experiment like that would be something I’d want to be kept close to me. And if it’s successful, well then I’d kidnap as many mages as possible in hopes that I could make something truly terrifying. Maybe even find a way to resist the sun.”

Ortho stayed quiet for a bit before sighing.

“A possibility that it is,” Ortho muttered,” Okay, I’ll see what my program can find.”

“Thank you,” Jamil said.

“In the meantime, would you like to have a casual conversation?” Ortho asked,” We haven’t had one of those in a while.”

“Sure,” Jamil muttered,” Entertain me if you will. What would you like to talk about?”

Ortho hummed for a second before letting out a small ‘eep’.

“Oh no,” Ortho sighed,” I had completely forgotten due to everything that happened, but I went back on our promise.”

Jamil’s mind blanked. Their promise? When did Ortho make a promise?

“I told Kocho about your family’s history with the Asim’s, although very brief,” Ortho continued,” My apologies. At that moment, I thought it would be important for Kocho to know. But that still went against my promise.”

Jamil’s eyes widened.

“Oh, I know. Since I told Kocho one of your secrets, I’ll tell you one of his!” Ortho suddenly beamed,” It’s only fair.”

“Ortho no….” Jamil muttered.

Although not loud enough apparently.

“With the weight that was your secret, this one should be of equal weight,” Ortho started rambling,” Let’s see. Let’s see. Oh! I got it! Kocho has had multiple emotional meltdowns since the semester started due to nightmares, homesickness, and grief. Sometimes it gets bad enough that Kocho cu…. Wait no I think that’s enough. Ignore that last thing.”

Jamil’s face paled as his thoughts lingered on that last word. Despite Ortho stopping himself, Jamil filled the blanks in instantly.

Cuts.

Kocho had cut himself. Multiple times.

Jamil’s expression turned horrified for so many reasons. What kind of hell was Kocho going through? The torture that must be hacking at the redhead’s mental walls. If it gets bad enough that it probably helps him escape it.

What’s worse.

Ortho was about to admit it like it was nothing. Like it was a simple thing he could trade because of his own mistake. Coals fueled a red-hot heat that boiled blood. What was Ortho thinking? What kind of person does that? To share something so sensitive and personal as if it were nothing.

All that anger found its way to Jamil’s voice, but Ortho cut him off before a single word got out.

“Oh, everything’s already been scanned,” Ortho hummed,” There’s something odd about this though. You’re definitely right about one thing though. There’s a path created by the towns with the largest number of missing people’s reports. Not only that, but it also seems to correspond with cannibal reports. However, there isn’t only one path. There are two big ones and many small ones. Recently, the reports are suggesting they’re all moving in the same direction.”

Jamil could only hear his own heartbeat through the whole room as he tried to calm his own ragged breathing. Calm down. You can yell at Ortho later.

But seven’s it was growing hard not to keep everything down. Not to mention all the information gained. Not only can they potentially find the portal demon, but they can also find the Upper Moon. This will make Kocho’s job all the easier.

That wasn’t sitting well with the anger and the horror. What exactly could Jamil do about any of this? About Kocho’s misery and the Upper Moon.

It left aches sticking needles where they shouldn’t. Sewing thoughts where they should never go. It made Jamil sick. He needed to get out.

“Jamil Viper?” Ortho asked after a moment of silence.

“Thank you,” Jamil whispered,” Just give me some time. I need fresh air.”

“Wait…!”

Jamil didn’t even wait for a reply as he hung up the phone. He carefully tied the wisteria pouch to his belt before putting his phone in his pocket and leaving his room. It’ll be fine, he told himself. The dorms exist in its own world and the main campus had a protective barrier. Not to mention the wisteria. He’ll be fine.

The dorm was just suddenly feeling so much like a cage. He needed to get out.

At least long enough that the rage wouldn’t disturb the others.

If Crewel were to be honest, he had extremely mixed feelings about his job. Of course, he enjoyed his peers and was highly entertained by the students on a good day. And, despite what most of the student body thought, he genuinely cared for these kids. It just didn’t show unless need be.

Crowley, on the other hand, did not care. And oh did it make Crewel want to punch a hole in the wall every single day. How Crewel hated his boss. In what world would someone want to make the man headmaster?

Recent events have made that hatred worse. What with the reveal of Kocho’s situation. To only care about your own reputation when one of your own students has clearly been suffering from these demons. Not to mention Crewel had put in a request for Kocho’s information in order to start getting the boy therapy a while ago. Yet Crowley, despite the constant reminders, has done nothing about it yet.

Crewel just wanted to take that poor boy and wrap him in bubble wrap. The events of this past semester have just been far more insane than Crewel could ever predict. So much so, that Crewel has started going on nighttime walks just so he could actually think without any interruptions.

But, of course, that would be too nice for a teacher like him.

“All of you have exactly one minute to tell me why you’re out here this late after curfew,” Crewel snapped,” And why you have a Royal Sword Student with you.”

Both Cater and Trey sheepishly smiled while trying not to make eye contact. Chenya was humming while his tail moved side to side in a playful manner. The three boys were lying out in one of the fields, watching the sky above.

And the beautiful stars that decorated it. Now Crewel was tempted to go stargazing.

Later. Later.

“It’s such a beautiful night, no?” Chenya asked,” It would be such a waste not to enjoy it with friends!”

“Just go back to your dorms,” Crewel demanded,” Or I’ll have to punish you all accordingly. I’m sure Headmaster Ambrose would love to hear about one of his own students sneaking to a rival campus in the middle of the night.”

“Bold of you to assume he doesn’t already know,” Chenya snickered while pointing finger guns at him.

“We’re sorry about this,” Trey apologized.

“The dorm was just starting to get too stuffy ya know?” Cater tried to defend himself,” Sometimes you just need fresh air.”

It went unsaid the actual reason. Ever since the three had learned of demons, it had grown harder to stay in small spaces. Especially at night. Cater couldn’t count the amount of times he’d check darker corners and Trey was constantly triple-checking the locks. They both knew they were safe. The smell of wisteria was a kind reminder of that. But that never could erase the bloody corpse from their mind. Decorating every little crevasse that it could.

And Chenya was starting to suffer from a recent realization that he was so close to losing another person. So he spent as much time as possible with Trey and Cater.

It helped ease the guilt. Even if only just a little.

A loud crack echoed, grabbing everyone’s attention. The three boys immediately jumped to their feet while Crewel scanned the area the noise came from. It was a heavily wooded area. Not far from the edge of campus.

Crewel pulled out his magestone and quickly made his way to the woods. Chenya followed quickly after. Hesitantly, Trey and Cater did the same.

The closer they got, the more that could be heard. Voices seemed to be arguing, mixed together with something Crewel didn’t recognize. Growling, hissing, or something. But it sounded off. A little too high-pitched and a little too gargled.

The voices were panicked, Crewel realized. That pushed him to run faster. There was crying and the sudden fear filling two of the voices. Fear that hadn’t been there before.

The second Crewel made it to the clearing, flames built up in his hand and he threw it at a demon. It had Azul pinned down to the ground, its teeth bared as it was about to bite down on the boy’s neck. Both Jade and Floyd were also on the ground, though further away from the demon. They were both covered in sweat and scrapes. Much like Azul himself.

How long had this been going on for?

The demon was knocked back far enough for Crewel to put himself between the students and the demon.

“Professor?” Azul nearly choked out in surprise.

The demon growled as it slowly stood back up. All the burns healed in an instant as its glowing blue eyes pierced through Crewel’s soul. Crewel could feel cold, sharp fear creep up his veins, trying to freeze him in place. Despite the video he saw, the man wasn’t prepared for what these things could look like. Matted hair tangled with chunks of bone. Eyes slightly too large. And claws that stretched the hand out far too long, making the fingers look distorted. Then again, the entire body was too long and distorted.

The second Chenya, Trey, and Cater made it over, the demon’s demeanor changed. From confidence to fear. It hissed as it slowly backed up.

“What is it..?” Jade muttered.

The leech twin's faces were terrifying. Crewel had never seen two students so ready to attack in his life.

“That’s a demon,” Chenya muttered with wide eyes,” By the sevens, that’s what they actually look like. Are you kidding me?”

“I can’t believe it actually works,” Trey mumbled as he slowly pulled out the wisteria pouch.

Crewel kept its eyes on every little move the demon made. Cater took the time to check up on Azul, making sure the boy could still get up. The demon slowly crept around the group, wanting to come closer. It eyed them up and down with the eyes of a vulture. Yet it didn’t dare come near. Not with the overwhelming poisonous scent that surrounded them.

They knew what the demon thought. He’s near.

Its lips slowly twisted up. The corners pricked the edges of its face. Every single tooth was out in the open. Sharp blades they were, with stains of past victims coating what once was white.

Crewel could feel his fingers twitch as he prepared to attack once again. They were fine, sure. But this demon was going to attack somebody else the second it left. He couldn’t let it go. There had to be something.

A sickening snap brought Crewel out of his mind. The demon cried out as its entire body folded in half and flew into a nearby tree. Some of the boys let out cries in surprise. Jamil stood where the demon once was, ready to attack once again.

“Oh my sevens,” Cater muttered as he watched, completely awestruck.

They all were.

The demon quickly healed itself and stood back up. Its expression was mixed. Fear and anger combined. Jamil glared down at the demon. This creature. How dare it come onto campus grounds. Red crept around Jamil’s vision as he slowly took a running stance.

“Jamil Viper….” Crewel started to call out a demand.

And then Jamil breathed.

Suddenly, before the demon even realized it, Jamil bolted towards it and punched it in the jaw. The demon cried out as Jamil forced it to the ground and stepped on its neck. Choked breaths could barely be uttered as the demon thrashed, not even daring to attack. As if Jamil himself were made of wisteria.

Cater let out a squeak while Floyd just laughed. Almost everybody else watched in horror as Jamil glared at the demon with a dark expression. The gears in the back of his mind turned as his fingers grazed the wisteria pouch. Before anyone knew it, Jamil had his mage stone in hand and threw a wind attack at the demon. It manifested into a blade of wind, cutting straight through the demon’s chest. Blood and guts stained the grass. The demon didn’t get a chance to heal as Jamil used the foot not on the demon’s neck to keep the two halves separated.

The demon cried out once again. Jamil untied the wisteria pouch from his belt and opened it. The smell of blood mixed with the scent of wisteria, fighting and overwhelming everyone around. Chenya had to cover his nose as his ears flattened. Jamil looked at the demon once again before tilting the pouch over.

And letting the crushed petals fall.

Purple danced in the air as it fluttered down, twirling around in the white moonlight.

Feather-like grace gazed at torn flesh, decorating the demon’s open wounds.

A sudden screech pierced through everyone’s ears as Jamil took a step away from the demon. Veins throbbed through thinning skin. The blood seemed to boil underneath, bubbling but never melting away the skin. Its wound tried to heal, but everything that formed melted away.

Even still, the demon stayed alive. Despite how much it no longer wanted to. Its own claws dug into its skin, tearing its own skin away. Doing everything it could to get the wisteria petals away.

Even Floyd was watching everything with wide eyes. His smile was completely gone.

“Jamil…” Crewel barely uttered.

The boy turned at the sound of his name. His grey eyes held nothing. Blocking off the complete insanity that grasped at Jamil’s mind. Just looking at that demon. It delved into something truly dark. Yet Jamil didn’t regret a thing.

“It won’t die,” Jamil stated,” Not yet anyway.”

“And how in Hades name would you know that?” Azul spat.

“Simple dried wisteria like this is nothing compared to the things Riddle has made,” Jamil replied,” Then again, such a weak demon as this trembled just at the sent of it. Even when there was fresh meat right in front of it.”

“Yo..o..u,” the demon sputtered.

Jamil’s eyes shot over to the demon, silencing it instantly.

“It’ll be lucky to die to a Nichirin blade. But if Riddle doesn’t get here by sunrise, I’ll make sure it burns in the…”

A slicing sound silenced Jamil as two feet hit the ground. The demon started disintegrating into thin air as Kocho finally made himself known.

“That won’t be necessary, Jamil,” Kocho stated.

The wisteria haori fluttered in the wind as the boy stepped forward. Crewel couldn’t help but watch the boy with wide eyes. All of them did. From the calm expression that remained unphased.

To the sweat dripping down his face. And the wrinkled uniform torn in different places.

“Are all of you okay?” Kocho asked,” Did anyone get hurt?”

“We’re fine, pup,” Crewel replied,” Jamil Viper, what in seven’s name were you thinking?”

“Oh, last I checked Azul was pretty banged up,” Jade said.

“I am fine!” Azul snapped.

“Aw. But last I checked you were the one who nearly got killed,” Floyd hummed.

“If anyone got hurt, they are my responsibility,” Crewel interrupted,” I expect everyone to head back to their dorms as soon as we’re done here. Do you understand? It’s not safe for any of us right now.”

“Especially since a demon entered campus,” Kocho muttered,” How did that even happen?”

“I do not know,” Crewel replied,” I’ll be letting Crowley know about this. All of you are to stay silent about this. Am I understood?”

Everyone nodded their heads.

"Good, now get back to your dorms."

Everyone nodded their heads again.

Everyone except Kocho.

“That means you too Kocho,” Crewel said.

“My apologies but if there are more demons on the island I cannot follow your orders,” Kocho stated.

“Losing your sleep will ruin your performance,” Crewel stated,” If you want to continue fighting effectively, you should just turn in for the night.”

“Last I checked, you know nothing about how the Demon Slayer Corps works,” Kocho argued,” So don’t try and stop me.”

“So does being a demon slayer mean you’ll casually go multiple nights without sleep?” Crewel asked.

“If necessary, or course.”

Crewel stayed silent at that revelation.

“How about we all just go back,” Trey said, his voice clearly tired,” I think we all need a break after... That.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Cater muttered.

Azul nodded his head as he signaled the Leech twins to leave. So they did with Cater in tow. Trey lagged behind, waiting for the Professor to react. Crewel glared at Kocho for a bit. But he realized it was a losing battle. It hurt so much. To see all of this and know it was the boy’s life. But it hurt so much more when Crewel realized he could do nothing about it.

And Kocho would never let him.

Jamil watched Kocho carefully, his eyes constantly wandering to every visible patch of skin. It was when Jamil looked at Kocho’s hand that images flashed in his mind. Of constantly replaced bandages. And of what Ortho had told him.

It had been in front of him this entire time. Yet Jamil never even bothered to check what was going on.

Kocho’s eyes caught Jamil’s. A small, proud smirk found its way upon the redhead’s lips as he signaled to the now completely disintegrated demon. The smirk was quickly replaced with surprise and a small yelp as Chenya suddenly appeared behind him.

“Now now, don’t think you're going to get away with this,” Chenya practically sang as he hugged the smaller boy.

“Chenya…” Kocho groaned.

“That was really scary, no?” Chenya asked,” I think we all should just go back to our dorms. Where we’re all safe and sound.”

Kocho’s eyes softened. The sadness and fear blanketing the gold irises didn’t need to be seen to know. He stayed quiet for a little longer as the little device on his ear whispered. Ortho’s update made the Kocho’s muscles relax.

“Alright,” he replied.

The Queendom of Roses had many sights so unique to its culture. Every country did. But there was always something so off about the Queendom. They adored the insanity and nonsensical. And everything they did was stained in it.

Like their train stations and hotels. Najma had struggled to book a three-bed hotel room for a couple of nights. And it had nothing to even do with the lack of money. She could feel the judgemental glares from Iguro every time she had to backtrack.

Najma swore this man loved getting on her nerves. But who was she to complain to her current teacher?

Especially with what he’s done for her.

“This should do us good for now,” Najma sighed as the trio settled into their room.

“And what exactly are we supposed to do with this?” Iguro asked.

“Look, I’m not spending the night sleeping in the streets here,” Najma sighed,” We deserve this.”

“I must admit, this is a bit too nice,” Shinobu mumbled,” Shouldn’t we have gone for something cheaper? We need the money for transportation and food.”

“This is the cheapest I could find,” Najma pointed out,” Besides, it’s really not that much.”

Both Iguro and Shinobu scanned the whole room, completely skeptical. At the windows and beds. Even at the rose and clock decorations that covered everything.

Iguro just sighed after a while.

“Whatever, let’s just find a way to get to Night Raven.”

Najma nodded her head. It should be relatively easy, she would like to think. Halloween was coming up, so there should be a lot of flights available. Of course, as long as they were early enough.

The girl couldn’t help but feel a little sad, thinking about everything. There was so much she missed and so much she could never get back. Night Raven’s interdorm tournament happened a week or so ago, didn’t it? She’d been looking forward to it this year. Especially since Jamil might have participated. It was a shame she missed it.

There’s nothing she could do about it now, Najma thought. All she could do was look towards the future.

The sun lit up the streets of the Queendom’s capital like a spotlight. Hundreds of people roamed every little corner. Talking, shopping, doing anything and everything. It was so different to Silk City. And it made a little bubble of excitement swell up. Najma had never traveled out of the city before.

Would her family have enjoyed traveling? Najma’s mind couldn’t help but wonder.

Iguro glared at the crowd as he tried to hide himself into the walls. There were way too many people. And they were all so loud. Kaburamaru seemed to agree, as he tried to hide himself under Iguro’s uniform.

This was stupid. The flight to NRC was probably stupidly expensive. And for what, picking up Najma’s brother and checking if Riddle is there? There’s no guarantee that’ll work. They have no idea what’s on the island or if they’ll even be welcomed. It was a waste of money and time. They should just find a way to communicate with Najma’s brother and check that way. But no. Najma was so convinced Riddle was there and just wouldn’t see reason.

And Shinobu seemed so happy to just go along with it.

“Najma?”

Everyone immediately went on high alert as they looked at who spoke. It was a girl around Najma’s age. Her hair was short. Very short. And she wore a beautiful blue and white dress.

A nervous smile stretched upon Najma’s lips.

“Oh, Alice. How’ve you been?”

The blonde’s face lit up as she bolted over to her. She spun Najma around in a tight hug.

“Oh Najma! It’s been way too long!” Alice beamed,” Where’ve you been? Everyone’s been so worried about you! The group chat hasn’t stopped asking about you.”

“That’s, um, life’s just been annoying ya know?” Najma replied as she built up a mask.

“Yeah I get ya,” Alice sighed,” Hey! Wanna grab some coffee and catch up? I haven’t actually seen ya since the move and there’s so much I wanna talk about.”

Najma took a quick glance over to Shinobu and Iguro. They both seemed quite irritated by the sudden interruption. But something seemed to click in Shinobu’s mind as she gave Najma a quick nod.

“Uh, sure. Why not.”

“Wonderful!” Alice beamed,” I know a place you’ll love! And don’t worry about the price. I can pay for you and your friends.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Shinobu said,” You really don’t have to.”

“No, I insist!” Alice replied,” I usually do this with anyone I bring there. None of them are too keen on going unless I do.”

“What great friends,” Iguro muttered.

“Come on! Let's go!”

The shop Alice wanted to go to, as it turned out, was owned by an old couple who used to live in the Scalding Sands. Everything sold there came straight from Silk City. Najma’s eyes lit up at the sight of the menu. She had to refrain from ordering everything there. They weren’t here just for the fun of it, after all. Shinobu had a plan and Najma had a pretty good idea of what that plan was.

Plus, this was Alice. Sweetheart who struggled with social cues. Girl who never got interested in the drama of the main group back when she lived in Silk City. Everyone loved her. Even after the move, the group made sure to include the girl in as many conversations as possible.

Iguro sat at a different table from the group. He looked like he was five minutes away from curling up into a ball and hiding from the world. The tea he ordered seemed to be making him happy enough, so Najma barely bothered to keep an eye on him.

Alice talked for a while, asking Najma hundreds of different questions. Najma made sure to say when she didn’t want to answer certain questions, and Alice respected those boundaries when made. Najma, in turn, would also ask Alice different questions. And oh how Alice loved answering them. She’d talk for so long about so many different subjects.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Alice said as she turned her attention to Shinobu,” I should be asking you some things too.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Shinobu replied,” I’m enjoying just listening to you two.”

Alice huffed and Najma didn’t blame her. How many times had Alice said that very thing in the past just so she didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings?

“What’s your name? I don’t think I caught it earlier.”

“It’s alright. My name is Shinobu Kocho.”

Alice stayed silent. Weirdly so. Najma examined her friend’s expression. It was like the girl was debating what to say next. After a while, Alice finally let out a long sigh.

“I’m so sorry! I’ve been trying to avoid bringing this up and I know you’ve already been bombarded with questions about this! But I’m just too curious!” Alice cried out.

“Whoa! What are you talking about?” Najma asked.

“Well, I thought originally you were a huge fan of the butterfly boy from NRC,” Alice pointed at Shinobu,” But you're related to him, aren’t you?”

Shinobu’s eyes went wide.

“Butterfly boy?” she muttered.

“And you,” Alice pointed at Najma,” How long has your brother been friends with Neige LeBlanche?”

Najma froze. What did Alice just say? Neige LeBlanche. THE Neige LeBlanche? Jamil was friends with him? No way. There was absolutely no way. That is not a friendship that could ever work. Neige was way too optimistic and sweet. Besides, the Asim family would never let that happen. And Jamil was too pessimistic and would absolutely do things Neige wouldn’t like.

What exactly happened since school started?

“Oh, right. You said your phone had been destroyed recently,” Alice mumbled as she pulled her own phone out,” There was a post that went viral recently and everyone’s been talking about it.”

She handed her phone over to Najma. Najma’s jaw dropped. Jamil and Neige were in the same photo, along with a boy who had to be Riddle. They were all smiling, enjoying each other’s company. Shinobu leaned over to look at the photo, only to be just as surprised as Najma.

How in the world?

“The group chat has been going wild over it,” Alice commented,” And I’ve seen so many photos of Jamil since.”

Najma clicked on one of the hashtags. Hundreds of photos appeared. All with either Riddle or Jamil as the center of attention. Though they both definitely seemed annoyed.

Wait, was that Vil Schoenheit?

Wait, was that Leona Kingscholar?

What in the world is happening?

“Anyway, Butterfly Boy is super cool!” Alice beamed,” People have been going absolutely wild about his performance during Spelldrive. Not to mention he’s stupid pretty! Rumors have even been going around that model agencies have been scouting him.”

Najma stayed quiet as she handed the phone back to Alice. Just as she did, a little ping came from Alice’s phone. The blonde took a quick look at her notifications before her eyes widened.

“Oh shit!” she said,” Mom’s yelling at me to get home.”

“Did something happen?” Najma asked.

“I was supposed to be home an hour ago,” Alice grumbled,” Well, that’s a shame. I guess I’ll see you later.”

The girl quickly got up, gathered her stuff, and left the building. It left Najma a little puzzled, but she didn’t bother to think about it. Instead, she turned her attention to Iguro.

“Is that enough proof for you?” she asked.

Iguro grumbled.

“I don’t understand any of this,” he sighed.

“He really is at NRC,” Shinobu mumbled,” We’re not gambling anymore. We know now.”

Najma nodded her head as a smile stretched across her lips. Now she can finally get back to finding a way to the island without Iguro annoying her. She’ll just have to hope flights have gotten cheap.

Or maybe she’ll have to resort to unethical tactics to get money.

The little bell at the store’s door chimed, briefly grabbing Najma’s attention. There was a man in a pretty expensive outfit standing at the door. It seemed to mimic armor, with bronze and gold accents. The man was large and buff, but he was anything but intimidating.

He scanned the cafe before his eyes settled on Shinobu. An excited smile stretched across his face as he made his way over to the two girls. Iguro immediately stood up and glared at the man. But it only seemed to make the man happier.

Najma and Shinobu both got out of their seats as the man approached.

“I apologize for disturbing you all,” the man said,” You wouldn’t happen to be Shinobu Kocho, are you?”

Shinobu’s eyes narrowed.

“Yes, that’s correct,” she replied.

“Wonderful! That means your Najma Viper and Obanai Iguro, right?” the man asked as he pointed at the two.

“How the hell do you know our names?” Iguro hissed.

“Oh, my apologies. My name is Achilles. I’m a good friend of Royal Sword Academy’s Headmaster.”

Najma’s eyes widened.

“And? That answers nothing,” Iguro stated.

“Royal Sword is on the same island as Night Raven,” Najma stated,” It’s the school Neige LeBlanche goes to.”

“Right you are!” Achilles beamed,” I’ve been given instructions to bring the three of you to Sage’s Island for Halloween. Per the request of Neige himself. And it’s completely free of charge.”

Najma gave the man a skeptical look. This sounded unreal. Why would Lady Luck suddenly give her something amazing like this after all the hell she’s put her through?

“So, what do you say?” Achilles asked.

Najma glared at Achilles for a second before looking over at Iguro and Shinobu. Iguro seemed just as skeptical as Najma, if not more. Shinobu seemed lost in thought. The group stayed quiet for a while before Shinobu gave the two of them a quick nod.

“We’ll take the offer,” Shinobu replied,” However if we at any point we believe you are deceiving us, we will respond accordingly. Understood?”

For a second she allowed her sword to be visible, causing Achilles to laugh.

“Whatever you say.”

So many muddled thoughts combined into one. Stabbing every vulnerable place in the mind. It weaved the bleeding cries together until nothing was coherent anymore. Tears flooded around him, turning into a cage of his own making.

Why?

Why?

He was horrible. He was selfish. He couldn’t deal with his friends being happy to leave. His weaknesses and hunger wore Neige down. When was the last time he ate? There was no way to know. Neige couldn’t stomach a single thing. Not when the self-bitterness started to sound like his manager’s voice.

It was becoming harder and harder to keep his mask up every day. The voices were destroying carefully crafted porcelain from the inside and there was nothing Neige could do to stop it. Despite the hundreds of things he’s done.

Sleep had long since taken over, bringing along the sharpest of blades. Neige was already down for the count, bleeding out as chains held him down. But they kept coming. Over and over again. Soon his mind started glitching. He could feel it tear at his skin. Pulling him one way or another. Neige screamed as static pricked every individual nerve.

This was what he deserved. For the person he’s become. To like standing up for his friends. It was not in his right to do that. And it never was.

Water filled his lungs, filling them with red-hot pain. Searing him from the inside. Screams became gargled by the water that surrounded him.

A soft hand found its way to Neige’s cheek, and suddenly everything disappeared. The void now surrounded him, allowing the light standing directly in front of Neige to be his sole focus. Even if the voices still buzzed and echoed in the distance.

The light turned out to be a man Neige recognized. How could he not recognize those scars? Created by a disease that could never be cured. And yet, those eyes looked so different. Beautiful white was replaced with brilliant purple.

And they were looking directly at Neige.

Ubuyashiki seemed to be breathing heavily as Neige collapsed to the ground. Exhaustion had taken a violent hold, making it hard to speak. Though he didn’t have to. Ubuyashiki could hear everything. This place. It had stopped being just for the person he was invading the memories of.

Mind, not memories. There was nothing a memory could do to explain this.

Ubuyashiki could hear every voice too. All of the anger and disdain. He lowered himself to the ground and gave Neige a comforting pat on the shoulder. Careful to not disturb the voices that yelled ‘Don’t touch me’!

Always in a young Neige’s voice.

“I’m so sorry,” Ubuyashiki whispered,” I didn’t know.”

Tears streamed down Neige’s cheek as he did what he could to slow down his breathing. Ubuyashiki waited, allowing his own breathing to be heard in the void. In time, Neige started following the pattern. It calmed him, allowing the boy to finally think.

Why did this man have so much control of this place?

“You’re so much stronger than you think,” Ubuyashiki muttered,” Those voices don’t know the person you can become. As long as you allow yourself to be you, everything will be okay in the end.”

Neige stared at the man with wide eyes. Ubuyashiki just gave him a soft smile.

“The person you will become is incredible and kind,” Ubuyashiki reassured,” And one of the strongest people I’ve ever been given the chance to meet.”

A somber feeling struck hard. That wasn’t true. Neige could never become those things. Those voices were right for a reason. He was an ugly person. So very ugly.

Wait, that’s not important. Neige was actually able to reach Ubuyashiki. Focus on that.

“Ah, Riddle…”

“I know,” Ubuyashiki interrupted,” I’ve known for a while that he was with you, Neige.”

Neige eyes widened once again as Ubuyashiki’s eyes grew somber. The world grew a little cold, sending chills up Neige’s spine.

“There’s something I believe you deserve to know.”

Chapter Text

“You worry me so, Riddle.”

“Himejima? Sir, what are you doing here?”

“I wished to visit my colleagues. That is all.”

“I see. Why do I worry you sir?”

“There is something dark that lingers within you. It was there when we first met, but it has yet to leave.”

“Sir?”

“I worry that it’s something you’ve been ignoring this entire time. Riddle, I beg of you, if there is anything that has been hurting you all this time, please make amends with it.”

“I can assure you, the only thing that is hurting is what the demons have caused.”

“I hope you are correct.”

The long plane ride to Sage’s Island was far more comfortable than Najma ever expected. Granted, how was she supposed to expect this? Not only were the tickets already paid for, but they were even given a private room.

There were private rooms on a public airplane.

Najma couldn’t help but feel a headache form just from thinking about all of this. Especially the price. Was them coming really that big of a deal or was the person paying for all of this so rich this would barely put a dent in their savings?

She could tell Shinobu and Iguro felt the same. They both looked like they might have a crisis any second now.

Or that might be Najma’s imagination.

“We’ll be landing in about an hour,” Achilles spoke up after a long period of silence,” Ambrose will be there to greet us before you make your way to Night Raven. Unfortunately, you will not be given any time to rest. I hope you lot are okay with that.”

“That’s fine with us,” Najma replied.

Iguro nodded his head. Shinobu did not reply. Her eyes were closed as she wandered far into her thoughts, dragging along every sound around her. The walls barely stopped the noise of the other passengers. Their rumors and drama were easy entertainment for those who cared.

Najma thought the same. The words of the other passengers definitely helped make the ride more bearable.

They stayed silent the rest of the flight and were one of the first to be let off. The second Shinobu left the small room, she took a quick glance at the other passengers. No one took notice of her. They were all too engrossed in their own conversations. Their excitement clear as day.

Stands of red hair caught Shinobu’s eyes, causing her gaze to harden. She quickly turned away and followed the others.

The airport was relatively small. Far more than what Najma expected. Then again, this island wasn’t very large. This was probably the busiest time of the year for the airport. Najma could barely imagine people visiting otherwise. Not to mention the students of NRC and RSA all had mirrors they could use for transportation.

Then again, Spelldrive also brought in a lot of foot traffic.

Achilles was quick to guide the group off to the side, where an older man and two dwarves stood. One had blond hair and the brightest smile Najma had ever seen. The other had blue hair with bangs that covered his eyes.

Najma couldn’t help the buzzing of her nerves. Never did she think she’d be able to meet RSA’s headmaster face to face. But she forced that down. It meant something back when she had a future in academics, when there was nothing worse than a bad grade.

A somber seed planted itself in those memories.

Nope. Nope. Don’t think about it. You don’t have time for that.

Iguro scanned the trio in front of him. What in the world was the older man wearing? A pointy blue hat and pointy blue shoes. Not to mention those glasses. Iguro couldn’t help but scoff. The man looked absolutely ridiculous.

“Hey Ambrose!” Achilles beamed,” Good to see you man!”

“Good to see you as well,” Ambrose replied,” Thank you so much for doing this.”

“I’m just glad I could help.”

The blond dwarf ran up to the group and grabbed Najma’s hand.

“Hi! Nice to meet you! I’m Hop! I’m Neige’s friend!” Hop beamed before pointing at the blue-haired dwarf,” That’s Timmy! You’re Jamil’s sister right?”

Najma could barely keep up with how fast the boy spoke. Iguro took a step away, trying to hide away from the little fae’s sight. Shinobu just watched the others exit the plane. Her empty purple eyes seemed to absorb everything.

As if there was something important she didn’t want to miss.

“We should get going,” Ambrose said before Najma could get a word out,” We don’t want to keep everyone waiting.”

To say Halloween was crowded would be an understatement. So many people flooded through the gates the first chance they got. Littering every inch of ground available. It made Kocho so happy he wasn’t assigned the early shift.

Night Raven was weirdly interesting with how they did this holiday. Everyone was given a shift for their dorm’s designated area. And, because they were still expected to attend class, they’d have to go to class when they weren’t working their shift.

Everyone Kocho knew had the later shift.

Kocho took one good look at Crewel that morning before realizing that wasn’t a coincidence.

Pinpricks danced along Kocho’s nerves as time ticked by. It made it far too hard to pay attention to class. And it didn’t help that he knew that wouldn’t matter anyway. All of this would be meaningless if his sister appeared.

If, he told himself. There’s a high likelihood that things will not go his way. Thus, he must continue to play school like a little kid.

Kids do that, right?

He knew how tempted he was when he was younger. To play anything the other kids were.

A part of Kocho’s heart twisted. These past two months had introduced him to all the things he wanted as a child. And, no matter how much Kocho tried to forget about that, those dreams remained.

He hated it, how much he enjoyed something so mundane and normal.

The bell rang, causing both Jamil and Kocho to shoot up from their seats. They both lept out from the window again, earning a sigh from the professor. Thankfully the morning crowd had died down a bit, allowing both boys to run back to their dorms without any issues. Once both of them had made it to the mirror chamber, Kocho let out a short laugh.

“That’s a new record for you,” he commented.

“Wow, almost like practicing pays off,” Jamil muttered as he tried to catch his breath.

“Your breathing’s getting a lot better too,” Kocho commented,” And I saw you using it during class these past few days. Where’d you get the idea to do that?”

“Call it a hunch,” Jamil muttered,” That maybe it would work better if I was always using it.”

“How perceptive,” Kocho hummed,” Meet ya back here in a few?”

“Aye aye.”

The two boys returned back to their dorms, preparing themselves for the shift ahead. Kocho was quick to change into his dorm uniform the second he entered his room. Both Kaname and Kuroba watched him, not even bothering to speak. They had both found solace in the silence the dorm brought. Especially when Kocho wasn’t around, he couldn’t blame them.

After all, safety under the sun was guaranteed here.

They didn’t need to keep an eye on Kocho.

It was a well-needed break.

Once Kocho was finished, he took one last look at himself in the mirror. He froze for a minute and just stared at the boy who stood in front of him. At the student. At the mage. At someone who was just like everybody else here.

How much longer would Kocho stay in this dreamlike state?

Kocho took a deep breath as he grabbed the Katana that lay nearby. His keychain dangled from it, its bloody fur grounding Kocho in reality. The boy took the keychain in his free hand and squeezed it as he continued to stare into grey voids.

Let’s hope this will be the last time he ever sees himself like this.

Kocho placed the katana back down and ran back to the mirror chamber. Jamil was already there with multiple bags in hand. A smile spread itself across Kocho’s face when he saw them.

“Here,” Jamil said as he tossed one of the bags at Kocho. One with two boxes inside.” Vil and Rook’s gifts should be in there.”

“Thanks,” Kocho replied.

For the past few days or so, both Jamil and Kocho have been working on making gifts for everybody in their free time. It took a while to figure it all out. In fact, if it weren’t for a few Pomefiore students offering to help, they might not have all gotten done.

Kocho could still not get over that fact. Some of them had apparently been eavesdropping on Jamil and Kocho one day and offered to teach them how to work with jewelry. All the group wanted in exchange is to know how Kocho was able to move so fast.

Let’s just say there were now multiple people in the school practicing total concentration breathing.

Finding Vil and Rook was easy. As luck would have it, both of them were already at Pomefiore’s display. Each dorm got one. A place on campus of their choosing that they could decorate to the nines.

For Pomefiore, that place was the Green House.

Both Jamil and Kocho snuck through the back entrance, avoiding the eyes of everyone else. Immediately they were cut off from the sun. All of the windows were covered to look like the night sky, allowing the garden itself to light the area up in bright colors. Vibrant reds and blues were glowing from oddly shaped petals. They crowded every pathway, surrounding anyone lucky enough to walk beneath with a grand visual display.

With light steps, the two boys weaved their way around everything before finally spotting Vil and Rook. Neither had yet allowed themselves to be visible to the public.

Wonderful.

“Bon apres-midi!” Rook beamed at the sight of the two boys,” I hope the masses have yet to give you any trouble!”

“We’ve been fine,” Kocho replied.

“Good,” Vil sighed,” We don’t want you getting stressed this early on.”

Kocho nodded his head.

Unlike everyone else, Rook wasn’t wearing his dorm uniform. It was mandatory for all those in the Halloween planning committee to wear costumes that went with their theme. For Pomefiore, that theme was the Beldam.

Whatever that was. Kocho hadn’t cared enough to ask.

Rook’s costume was beautifully eerie. Many layers of black and white fabrics were all held together by hundreds of buttons. All looking as though they could stare into your soul. Eyes of the dead watching you from where they hid, as Rook put it. And it sure as hell felt true.

Jamil couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable, seeing the costume for the first time.

“Here,” Kocho said as he threw two boxes at Rook and Vil.

Both boys caught it with ease. One with confusion and the other with excitement.

“It’s a thank you,” Kocho explained,” For everything you’ve done for me since I got here.”

“Oh, mon dieu!” Rook beamed,” How generous.”

“You really didn’t have to,” Vil said.

“Considering what you’ve been through because of me,” Kocho stated,” I feel it’s well deserved.”

Rook’s smile grinned, but Vil couldn’t help but frown. As he opened up the box and admired the gift, it all felt so odd. A boy who asked to be forgotten yet gives wisteria pins that would only make Vil think about him. A walking contradiction. Vil couldn’t help but feel twisted about all of this.

He kept all those thoughts to himself as he put the pin on his outfit. There was nothing he could do about it now. Maybe if he’s given extra time. Just a little bit more time. Then Vil would talk to Kocho about it.

“We should head out now,” Jamil said,” We still have a few other things to do.”

“Make it quick,” Vil replied,” You both still have a shift to work.”

Kocho nodded his head.

The two boys snuck out through the back and crept their way over to Heartslabyul’s display. Pirates were apparently their theme. Trey had mentioned how annoying some of the decorations were to put up. But the freshmen were so determined to set up some kind of treasure chest display.

It was worth it in the end. Kocho got to see the display earlier. All of the freshmen were so proud of themselves and Trey looked super exhausted.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here,” Cater said in his best pirate impression.

All of the pieces of his costume hit each other, making clinking noises as they did.

“Trey should be in the back if you’re looking for him,” Cater whispered.

Kocho nodded and Jamil said thank you before they both slipped into the back. It was a bit of a mess, filled with supplies and, most importantly, candy. There were a few students running around, keeping everything they could together.

The two found Trey with ease. Kocho rushed over to the green-haired boy, catching him completely off guard.

“Riddle?”

“Here,” Kocho said as he shoved two boxes into his hand,” One for you and one for Chenya.”

Trey’s were wide as he stared at the boxes.

“And what exactly are these?” Trey asked.

“Consider them an apology,” Kocho replied,” For… you know.”

Trey’s eyes softened, with a sense of melancholy shrouding them.

“..... Thank you,” was all he said, despite thousands of other words wanting to make themselves known.

Besides, now wasn’t the time to talk about this. Maybe later, Trey told himself, once everything died down once again.

“Why don’t you give this to Chenya yourself?” Trey suggested before handing one of the boxes back to Kocho.

“Would be much nicer if ya did!” Chenya beamed.

Jamil nearly yelped in surprise as the beastman appeared out of nowhere. Chenya chuckled as he hugged Kocho from behind. A few Heartslabyul students glared at Chenya before rolling their eyes and getting back to work.

“My apologies. I wasn’t aware you were here,” Kocho said as he handed the box to Chenya.

“Thank you. Thank you,” Chenya hummed as he opened it,” Well ain’t this cute.”

Both Trey and Chenya were given matching strawberry bracelets. Kocho couldn’t help but sheepishly avoid eye contact with either of the boys.

“I didn’t exactly know what you both would like,” Kocho admitted,” If you don’t like it, I can make something else. I just wanted…..”

“We like it, Riddle,” Trey interrupted,” Thank you.”

“Mhm!” Chenya hummed as he played with the bracelet.

A soft smile spread across Kocho’s lips before he pulled away from Chenya.

“Jamil and I should get going,” Kocho said,” We’ll see you both later.”

Saying that stung. As if he was lying through his teeth. Kocho kinda hoped he wasn’t. And he kinda wished he was.

“Bye-bye!” Chenya said.

Both Jamil and Kocho made their way through the beaten paths again. This time, out in the open so they could find Neige. There weren’t that many people around. Jamil figured out pretty quickly why that was. Scarabia’s display included a dessert table (Kalim’s idea) that only just opened. No doubt word spread quickly and everyone was running to it.

Still, those who were around quickly recognized the two. Most were weirdly nice. They’d walk up to the pair, complement them, strike up a conversation, ask for an autograph and picture, and then leave. Still only ever referring to them as ‘Butterfly boy’ and ‘Scarabia’s vice housewarden’.

How they got that information was buried among thousands of magicam posts.

There were, unfortunately, a few people that made Kocho’s skin crawl. They’d constantly ask invasive questions about them and Neige.

It took a few too many people like that before Kocho physically dragged Jamil into hiding.

“Maybe you should just call Neige,” Kocho stated, trying not to let the anger leak through his voice,” These people are starting to get on my nerves.”

“Oh we can help you with that!”

Kocho nearly jumped while Jamil actually screamed. Three familiar ghosts were floating behind the two boys, all wearing amused smirks. Kocho would have been annoyed about not noticing them if he wasn’t more concerned about who they were.

“What are you doing here?!” Jamil exclaimed.

“What? We can enjoy the festivities too ya know,” Ume snarled.

“I’m not sure whether or not I should be surprised you were all let back on campus,” Kocho commented.

“It’s great! Isn’t it?” Eliza beamed.

The trio were all appropriately dressed for the occasion, that’s for sure. Ume adorned a gorgeous white sun dress, white feathery wings, and a halo. Eliza was wearing the opposite in theme. A red dress, devil horns, wings, and tail.

An angel and a devil. So Ume had some say in the costume. It was oddly a nice surprise.

As for Gyutaro.

Kocho had to hold in a laugh, earning a glare from the ghost.

“Not a damn word, slayer,” Gyutaro hissed.

“Not your choice, was it?” Kocho teased.

“He lost a bet,” Ume explained.

“Well, at least now his appearance matches his personality.”

“I wish you were still terrified of us,” Gyutaro growled.

“Kinda hard to be when there’s a clown standing in front of me.”

“Look,” Jamil interrupted the group, his voice somewhat shaky,” We… appreciate the offer. But I doubt Neige would be thrilled to see all of you again.”

Ume laughed.

“He doesn’t have to,” she stated,” We can just help track him down for ya. It’d be easier for us anyway because…. Ya know.”

Ume gestured to her partially transparent body. As well as Eliza and Gyutaro’s.

Jamil couldn’t help but let out a sigh. They weren’t exactly wrong. But Jamil was skeptical about getting help at all from these 3.

“Thank you for the offer, but we’ll be fine,” Kocho said.

Ume sighed.

“Fine, if you insist,” she huffed,” Before we go, Gyutaro wishes to speak with you about something.”

Gyutaro nodded his head. The ghost leaned closer to the redhead, allowing whispers to be heard. Strained, sickly whispers. Kocho stood completely still, though not out of fear. How could he be afraid of this ghost anymore?

Well, no that was a lie. There was still some fear. It just got easily overshadowed by how easy it was to tease the ghost when there was no threat of death. Plus it was kinda deserved.

“Something is off about this island. It’s an eerie feeling that wasn’t here before,” Gyutaro whispered,” I’d be on guard tonight if I were you.”

Kocho nodded his head. So it was about that. The amount of demons that have been appearing on the island would be noticed easily by a demon of his ranking.

Still, the way Gyutaro said it made chills run up Kocho’s spine. He’d do good to remember this warning.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Kocho replied.

Gyutaro nodded his head before the trio disappeared, probably to terrorize more students. Kocho turned his attention back to Jamil and allowed a shaky smile to appear.

“Let’s go,” he said,” I don’t imagine that’s the last time we’ll see them today.”

“I hate that you’re right.”

The two boys continued in the shadows, carefully watching the streets for a familiar face. It didn’t take long. As a little blue flame helped guide them once they were close.

“Oh, there they are,” Ortho hummed.

Both boys met with the robot and idol. All smiling.

One far more fragile than the others.

“What took you both so long?” Neige asked.

“Sorry. Your new disguise kinda made it hard to find you,” Jamil tried to defend himself.

Ever since the picture of the trio went viral, a new disguise for Halloween became necessary. Cater had been quick to offer help and had given Neige a spare Heartslabyul school uniform as well as some other accessories. Unsurprisingly, Neige looked amazing in it. But it did make spotting Neige a lot harder for the two boys who had been so used to seeing Neige in a Pomefiore school uniform.

Kocho handed the two boys the last two boxes with a soft smile spreading across his lips.

“What’s this?” Neige asked.

“Oh. Don’t tell me this is a goodbye gift,” Ortho said,” I didn’t realize you were so certain you’d leave today.”

Ortho’s words stung Neige, making the fragile smile all the harder to hold up. But he had to. For everyone else’s sake, he had to. No matter how cold his blood ran or how shakey his movements tried to become.

Just keep on smiling.

You have to stay strong.

“I guess you can say that,” Kocho replied.

Neige tried to block out the conversation and the reminders. Of what would soon come. Carefully, he opened the box and picked up the necklace inside. All of the beads glistened in the light, reflecting warm oranges, reds, and yellows against Neige’s pale skin. The largest was an apple, around the size of Neige’s eye. It was mesmerizing to watch as it swung. Such a beautiful little thing.

“Riddle picked that one out himself,” Jamil commented as he looked over at the apple charm,” Said something about it reminding him of you.”

Kocho nodded his head but didn’t bother explaining himself. His grey eyes glanced over at brown. Despite Neige’s best efforts, Kocho noticed the shaking. And, from the concerned look Jamil had, Kocho could tell he noticed it too.

But neither of them could say a word before Ortho interrupted.

“This is so cute!” he beamed,” I’m sure this will bring some life to Big Bro’s room!”

Ortho was holding up fake wisteria decorations, weaved together with glass-like purple beads. Jamil had to hold back a snort at the irony, but Ortho didn’t seem to notice. As he continued to talk about it, gushing over the somewhat sloppy craftsmanship, Kocho heard a little beep from the camera on his ear.

Audio started to play, only loud enough for Kocho to hear.

Interesting. He wasn’t aware the device could do that.

“Neige’s nerves have been spiking all day,” it whispered in Ortho’s voice,” I tried asking about it, but he seems extremely insistent on not talking about it. Please be careful when you comfort him. I think it may be something sensitive to him.”

Kocho made eye contact with the little robot and gave him a quick nod in appreciation. Ortho nodded back.

“I’ll make sure to show Big Bro once I get back to the exhibit,” Ortho said as he slowly started floating away.

“You’re leaving already?” Neige asked.

“Unfortunately,” Ortho sighed,” I can’t leave big bro alone for too long in public. He might start panicking and we can’t have that.”

“What a responsible older brother,” Jamil muttered sarcastically.

Jamil couldn’t help but feel awkward around Ortho. That and anger. Ortho so willingly gave up information he shouldn't have. The boy broke both his and Kocho’s trust. And yet, the redhead trusted this kid so much.

Jamil just…..

It couldn’t look Ortho in the eyes. Not when grey constantly traveled down to an unbandaged hand when the kid was around.

“If you both end up leaving today, please tell me so I can say bye!” Ortho called out as he flew away.

The trio waved goodbye to Ortho.

“We should start heading to our own exhibits,” Jamil commented once Ortho was far enough away.

Kocho nodded his head.

Just as the trio was about to start walking, a voice called out to them. A teasing voice that was far less joyous than the last time Kocho heard it.

Back during Spelldrive.

“Oye, Butterfly boy.”

Kocho almost froze at the name as he turned to look at the man stalking over to them. Why’d Leona have to start using that nickname?

Leona was one of the few housewardens who wore his dorm’s costume. And it looked oddly creepy on him. Dark in color with lots of draping fabric that mimicked the mane of a Kelpie.

Fabric that a little kid was playing in before the nickname ‘Butterfly Boy’ was uttered. Now, he was just staring at Kocho with wide eyes that were practically sparkling.

Kocho gave Leona a quick nod in acknowledgment while Jamil couldn’t help but freeze. At the second prince to the Afterglow Savanna’s royal family that stood right in front of them. What did he want from Kocho?

“Whoa! He’s so much prettier in person!” the kid beamed before running up to the group.

“You should ask him to do a trick for ya! I’m sure he’d love to show off,” Leona told the kid.

His smirk was wide and clear, causing Jamil to grow annoyed. The kid grabbed onto the hem of Kocho’s dorm uniform, his grip tight. Far tighter than Kocho thought a kid his age was capable of.

“You were so cool in the Spelldrive tournament!” the kid beamed,” All my friends said so too!”

“Um, Leona, sir,” Neige muttered,” Who exactly is this?”

“Don’t worry about it!”

“I feel we should worry about it,” Jamil stated.

“It’s not that big of a deal,” Leona sighed as he slowly started walking away.

Jamil’s eyes widened. Screw Leona’s status. He’s forcing the group to become babysitters.

“Hold on…”

“Cheka! You’re cool staying with these guys for a bit, yeah?”

The kid, Cheka, nodded his head rapidly.

Both Jamil and Neige stared at Leona in disbelief. Dread seeped in as both of them slowly recognized the name.

Cheka Kingscholar.

Nephew of Leona and next in line to be king.

The crowned prince.

“Thanks a bunch!” Leona called out while laughing.

Kocho was about to run after Leona, but tugging on purple fabric made him stop. Cheka was looking up at Kocho with the biggest smile the redhead had ever seen. It glued Kocho’s feet to the ground, allowing the boy to ask questions a mile a minute.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jamil grumbled.

“Whoa! Wait, are you Neige LeBlanche?!” Cheka almost yelled.

“Ah, yes I am,” Neige muttered.

Jamil shot Neige a worried look. A look Neige tried to ignore.

“That’s so cool!” Cheka beamed before turning his attention back to Kocho,” Can you show me that cool trick you did? The one with the frisbee. You know! The one where….”

Kocho continued to listen to the demands of the child, not at all aware of how bad their situation was about to get. Not like Jamil was surprised. After all, Kocho was probably the only person in the entire school who didn’t know the significance of the name Malleus Draconia.

The amount Jamil would pay to see those two meet.

Jamil sighed, electing to talk to Neige about the situation instead.

“We need to find Cheka’s family or retainers as soon as possible,” he whispers,” They’re probably worried sick as is. I can’t imagine what would happen if Cheka stayed with us much longer. Not to mention….”

Jamil could feel himself twitch slightly at how loud Cheka was being. And how he never seemed to grow quiet. For the whole group's sanity, it would be best to get this kid away from them.

Kocho stared down at the kid before he was finally given a chance to speak. It was like a spotlight was suddenly shining down upon him, giving him center stage.

And the audience were his little sisters. The three girls who always trailed him like baby ducks.

“I don’t mind showing you a few tricks,” Kocho could not stop himself from saying.

Jamil glared at Kocho while Cheka’s smile grew even larger. So large anyone would assume it’s the best day of his life.

“You mean it?” Cheka nearly yelled.

“I think we lost him,” Neige forced out a laugh.

God Jamil really wanted to sit his friend down and ask him if he was okay. Something was wrong with Neige and Jamil could see it as clear as day. But now wasn’t the time. He would make time later. When the crowds were down or when Kalim gave him a break.

“Rest in peace,” Jamil sighed.

“Let’s just find a better place for me to show you,” Kocho replied to the child,” I’d rather not draw in a large crowd.”

“Okay!” Cheka beamed.

Finding a small, hidden clearing wasn’t hard. It was only slightly off the beaten path, covered by a few trees. The second Kocho and Cheka had found it, Jamil told the two to stay put. He and Neige were going to find Cheka’s retainers. Kocho agreed. Both boys were quick to leave the area as a headache started to form.

Jamil sighed.

This was going to be far more trouble than it was worth.

“Should…” Neige muttered as he looked around,” Should we tell Vil and Rook about this?”

“Sure. That’ll probably help. Where do you want to start looking?”

“I’ll try Main Street.”

“Then I’ll try the coliseum.”

Word spread around quickly. Vil was the first to know, leading to Rook, Cater, Chenya, and Trey learning immediately after. Then half the housewardens learned and were told to keep a lookout. If it wasn’t Halloween, Vil swore he would have tried to shake some sense into Leona. What was that man thinking? Now the entire group was on a manhunt while dealing with their other responsibilities.

They were going at it for a while, taking turns scouting around the entire campus. But alas, nothing. Even Rook was struggling to find anyone.

“They’re in disguise, Roi du Poison,” Rook had said,” Why would they not, on a day where they can dress as they please.”

At one point, Vil had run into Trey. The boy looked far more stressed than usual. Not that Vil blamed him. Sweat was dripping down his face and he was panting, completely out of breath.

“Any luck?” Vil asked.

Trey shook his head.

“Figures,” Vil sighed.

“You’d think it’d be easier to find them,” Trey groaned,” They’re probably making just as much of a fuss as we are.”

“Leona’s also missing,” Chenya said as he turned off his unique magic.

Vil did not jump. No, he most definitely didn’t.

“That’s not a surprise,” Trey muttered,” Bet he’s napping far from the crowds.”

Vil tried not to groan. Of course this would happen today of all days.

“I’ll go look for him,” Vil said,” You two just focus on finding Cheka’s retainers.”

Both Chenya and Trey nodded their heads. With that, Vil left the two alone. Nothing but the hoards of people surrounded them, ignoring the two in favor of doing their own thing. Much to Trey’s delight.

“Just another day at Night Raven,” Chenya teased,” Wonder what’ll happen tomorrow.”

“Don’t remind me,” Trey laughed,” Come on, let’s go.”

Chenya nodded his head.

Before either one could take a single step, a voice froze them in place. Sending shocks of ice through every vein in their body. Every muscle grew cold as both their eyes widened.

“Of course you two would be here.”

Sickeningly sweet venom dripped with every word. Trey didn’t dare turn around, knowing the cold grey eyes that were locked onto him. Chenya slowly looked over at the woman behind them.

She was coldly beautiful, as she always was. With long red hair curled up in a bun and her work outfit. Always ironed and not a piece out of place. Her smirk crawled into every crevice of the mind. Stitching her presence into every single instance of fear. It was always there.

“Does it make you feel good? You’re both living carefree lives, despite all the things you’ve done?” she asked

Chenya’s ears flattened and his tail wrapped around his leg. Yellow eyes bolted to look everywhere. Anywhere else. As long as it wasn’t her.

Trey took a deep breath as he finally found something to say.

“What brings you here, Mrs.Rosehearts?”

A scowl stretched across her features.

“What am I doing here? You know why I’m here,” she said in a stern voice.

Trey’s eyes widened. She knew. Rhyme Rosehearts had recognized her son so quickly, despite how much Kocho did not want her to.

He demanded them to never say a word. Yet they didn’t even have to. She just knew.

She always just knew. What to say. How to say it. What made the boys tick. They could never escape her. It was foolish for them to believe otherwise.

“It really is horrible, you know,” Rhyme hummed,” You were the very reason my son disappeared. You knew how much it hurt me. And yet, you knowingly hid his presence from me.”

She tilted her head to the side slightly.

“Now what would your parents say if they knew?” she said,” I doubt they’d defend this like they did everything else you’ve done to me.”

“Oye! Can it!” someone cried out.

Chenya’s eyes widened as Cater forced himself in front of the two boys, creating distance between the redhead and her prey.

There was anger boiling over in Cater’s eyes. His friendly demeanor was completely gone, replaced with something more far hostile. As though he would grab his magestone the second he was allowed to.

“If you keep antagonizing the students, you’ll be asked to leave,” Cater stated,” And stop blaming people for something that isn’t their fault.”

“Not their fault? If it wasn’t for them, even the idea of running away would have never crossed my son’s mind.”

“And that gives you the right to destroy their life despite your claim not even having proof?”

People were starting to distance themselves from the group. Watching curiously as the argument unfolded. It felt horrible, seeing the ever-watching eyes of the crowd stare at them. They were voids absorbing every little thing, tearing the boys apart limb by limb. Trey just wanted to shrink into a corner and hide.

“Cater…,” he muttered.

“What would you understand anyways,” Rhyme tried not to growl, interrupting Trey,” You haven’t sacrificed everything for your kid only for them to run because of some low lives.”

“Nobody needs to be in your situation to understand what you're doing is horrible!” Cater snapped.

Someone just please stop this.

“Again, I sincerely apologize for Leona’s behavior,” an old man with blue and white hair said as he bowed,” He can’t seem to behave himself no matter what we do.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” Kocho reassured with a soft smile,” Cheka was a joy to hang out with.”

“I’m glad,” the old man sighed.

Cheka was swinging around the man, trying to copy one of the moves Kocho showed him. Azul watched with tired eyes. The old man had been making a huge fuss all over campus while trying to find Cheka.

At first, Azul had been excited for the opportunity that had dropped right in his lap. However, everything had been taking a toll on Azul's mental state. So he just wanted to get this over with.

“Don’t cause too much trouble!” Kocho called out to Cheka as the duo left, leaving Kocho and Azul alone,” Thank you, Ashengrotto.”

“You can thank me by leaving me out of any future trouble you get in,” Azul grumbled.

Kocho held back a smirk as the two boys left the small clearing.

“I swear, that strength of yours causes far too many problems for what it's worth,” Azul sighed.

There was a look in Azul’s eye. Something Kocho barely caught. Apologetic, maybe. No, that couldn’t be right. But putting it to what Azul just said.

Kocho smirked.

“Did the demon really scare you that much?”

Azul eyed Kocho in surprise.

“Not at all,” Azul replied,” It just made me think more about what you said last we met. It’s clear you went through quite the trouble to gain such strength. And yet that same strength just seems to bring you more trouble.”

“Uh huh,” Kocho hummed.

“You’re acting quite odd today,” Azul pointed out,” I didn’t take you for the type to like Halloween this much.”

Kocho shrugged. Sure he was enjoying everything the Night Raven student put together, but it really didn’t feel different from any normal day. Other than being busier, of course.

Still, Kocho had to admit he felt a lot lighter today.

Voices started growing louder as the two boys followed down the road, causing them both to pause. There was a commotion not too far ahead, with a crowd circling around it. From the sounds of it, there were people yelling. Two of them, and their voices were loud.

“Oh dear,” Azul sighed,” You’d think some of the students would behave themselves this week.”

Kocho twitched slightly as he noticed more about the two voices. There was a woman’s voice. And there was a familiar boy’s voice. A voice Kocho had never expected to sound so angry. His curiosity started to peak. What could have caused Cater to grow so angry?

Kocho slowly stalked forward, careful to keep himself out of sight. Away from everyone’s minds. Azul tried to object, but Kocho didn’t listen. With a groan in annoyance, Azul followed after.

Both of their heights became a benefit as the two boys snaked their way through the crowds. Just far enough to get a better view. As Kocho’s eyes landed on the woman in the center, he froze.

Flashes of buried memories resurfaced, bombarding him with echoing screams. He felt like a little kid again, seeing the person who had control of every little move he made standing right in front of him.

Kocho shrunk back as his breathing threatened to lose control. He could feel his hands shake as he tried to focus. Just breathe. Just control it. Everything is fine.

It’s not fine.

This is not fine.

Tears threatened to prick from the corner of grey eyes. Azul watched Kocho carefully before his eyes traveled over to the woman. A woman who looked so similar to Kocho.

Oh, this was not the reaction Azul was expecting.

“Kocho….”

When Azul looked back at Kocho, the boy was gone. Nothing was left. Not a single piece of evidence that the boy was ever there.

The only thing Kocho could hear in his head was get out. Leave. Run. So he did. With speed he hadn’t used since Spelldrive, Kocho booked it. As far as he could. Where he went, it didn’t matter.

So long as that woman was around, he wasn’t safe.

Run.

Get out.

Before he knew it, the walls around him had become that of Pomefiore’s dorm. They’d become too small. Too close. There wasn’t enough space to run. To escape. He wasn’t safe here. They would look for him here. She would find him here.

The doors of Kocho’s room bursted open, scaring both Kaname and Kuroba. They didn’t get a chance to ask him if he was okay. Neither of them needed to. Kocho swiped his haori and katanas from where they were lying before freezing completely once again. The ice prickling his veins made it hard not to move, yet it kept him completely in place.

They’d look for him here too. Here wasn’t safe. Nowhere in here was safe. Kocho had to run. Somewhere. Anywhere. Hide. Just hide. She can’t see you. Not now. Not ever.

Both Kaname and Kuroba found their place on his shoulders and tried to comfort him, but nothing they did worked. They didn’t know, after all. None of them would understand.

Hide.

Hide where no one would look.

Kocho’s eyes widened as he bolted toward the window and looked up. No one would look for him up there. He launched himself onto the roof and found a corner to curl up in. One not visible from the ground. Somewhere completely silent.

The second Kocho landed, his body collapsed from mental exhaustion. They couldn’t stay in anymore. Tears flooded out, faster than Kocho expected. His body shook violently. He hadn’t been this scared in years.

Slowly, the boy curled in on himself and hugged his haori. The only thing that remained of Kanae that he could hug. He was that little kid again, hugging his older sister when those nightmares attacked. Of a life before this. Of that cruel woman who now threatened everything.

But his sister wasn’t there.

None of his sisters were there.

He was alone. Completely and utterly alone.

When Crewel arrived at where the fight was happening, he was surprised to see Cater of all people involved. And Trey and Chenya weren’t doing anything to stop him. Something was wrong and Crewel didn’t like it.

“Silence!” Crewel yelled.

His voice caused Cater to freeze up for a second. The woman he was yelling at paused, as she forced the anger that was once clearly visible down. There was an air of professionalism to her, despite the fact that Crewel just seen her screaming at a 17-year-old boy.

“What is the meaning of this?” Crewel asked in a stern voice.

Neither Trey nor Chenya looked Crewel in the eye, electing to look anywhere else. Cater was not backing down. Despite his initial fear, Cater looked Crewel dead in the eye. A silent threat. Crewel would do well to keep that in mind, considering who was staring him down.

“My apologies,” the woman stated,” I didn't mean to cause such a scene. I’m simply here to see my son and bring him home.”

Crewel eyed the woman as suspicion crept through. She looked oddly familiar. But why?

“Night Raven students are to be working this event until the week is over. Unless it is an emergency, you’ll have to wait until the end of this week to bring him home,” Crewel stated.

“But it is an emergency,” the woman replied,” My son has been missing for years before suddenly appearing as an unruly mess on TV.”

The intensity of the woman’s stare grew as the look on her face grew sad. Crewel could feel his skin crawl. Something was very wrong. Why was something very wrong? He felt bad for this woman, yes. But Cater and Trey have never acted like this before. So what did she do?

“My poor son must have been so afraid, hurt, and alone all this time. I can not imagine the suffering he’s been going through. I must bring him home at once and fix him back up as soon as possible. And then we can be a happy family again.”

“Mam, please calm down. Who are you….?” Crewel asked.

“I’ve heard enough.”

The flutter of butterfly pattern fabric blocked Crewel’s vision as someone stood in between him and the woman. A soft scent followed. He recognized it immediately. Floral poison that reminded Crewel of one person.

A purple butterfly clip came into view, and suddenly Crewel knew exactly why.

“Rhyme Rosehearts, was it?” the new woman asked.

Rhyme’s body stiffened.

“Why do you….?”

“You’ve got quite the tongue on you. I’ve never heard someone try and garner such sympathy all while speaking as though a child was merely an item.”

Cater choked as he tried to hold in a laugh. Crewel turned to glare at the orange-haired boy. Ambrose was now there, whispering reassuring words to both Chenya and Trey. Two dwarves were with him, trying their best to help.

And there were two others.

One who looked far too similar to Jamil for it to be a coincidence.

And another with a snake wrapped around his shoulders and a glare that could compete against even the most violent of students.

“And what exactly do you mean by that?”

“Do I need to clarify? Then I pose a question. Listen carefully, as I will not repeat it. What does raising a son really mean to you?”

Rhyme stammered a bit, her eyes wide in surprise and confusion.

“Would you even understand if I told you?” Rhyme asked,” You’re not nearly old enough to have children of your own.”

“Raising a child is something quite beautiful. Though not for everyone, as it is a daunting task that requires sacrifice and no promises of anything in return. Or so I’ve heard,” the butterfly woman hummed,” Tell me, did you expect something in return from your son for every sacrifice you made? Was he to follow every order and not question a thing? And if he didn’t follow, did you take away reasons for him to continue moving forward?”

Crewel didn’t know what was happening. But there was something about the butterfly woman’s voice that made him freeze in place.

Half the crowd was staring at the woman with wide eyes as the man with the snake glared.

“Shinobu…” he growled.

“Let her,” Cater said,” Someone has to call that woman out on her bullshit after bullying two children for 8 years just because she can’t admit she’s a horrible mother!”

Rhyme glared at Cater, but was quick to bring her attention back to Shinobu.

“It’s a parent’s job to discipline their child,” Rhyme stated,” Otherwise more brats like them would run all over the place, causing chaos.”

“Oh please, disciplining does not include solitary confinement over a kid trying to act his age,” Shinobu tried not to growl,” What was it you told him again? Clearly, you couldn’t trust him with the only free time you ever gave him? Simply because you couldn’t handle raising an 8-year-old boy?”

Rhyme’s eyes grew wide.

“How do you know that?” she asked,” Who are you? What did you do to my son?!”

“What did I do? What did you do?” Shinobu snapped,” For years, my brother woke up at night in tears from the trauma you caused him! There wasn’t a hint of love or respect for you since the day I met him. He feared you and everything about you!”

“What’s going on?” Vil asked as he pushed his way through the crowd, with Rook not too far behind him.

“I’ll be blunt with you,” Shinobu hissed, as her smile fell,” I hate you and every fiber of your being.”

“Your timing is incredible, Vil,” Ambrose said,” Where’s Kocho?”

That grabbed the attention of both Najma and Iguro.

“I don’t know,” Vil replied.

“What do you mean you don’t know?” Crewel asked.

“Alas, the story is much too long for the time we’ve been given,” Rook sighed,” Just know, we lost contact with Monsieur Butterfly not long ago.”

“Is Neige not with him?” Hop asked.

“Both Jamil and Neige separated from him hours ago,” Vil replied,” As Rook said, it’s a long story.”

“How wonderful,” Iguro said sarcastically,” You lost him just as we got here.”

Both Trey and Chenya looked at the group with wide eyes. Now that there was some distance from them and Rhyme, everything started to sink in. Who was here and what they were speaking about.

And the uniforms they recognized.

“Well both of you, please start looking,” Crewel demanded.

Just as he said that the crowd gasped. Crewel turned to see Rhyme’s hand just inches away from Shinobu’s face. But Shinobu had caught it and was keeping it there. As though she was mocking Rhyme. And Rhyme couldn’t do a thing about it.

“And make it quick,” Crewel added as he started to panic,” I’ll keep these two from killing each other.”

“Good luck with that,” Najma muttered.

Rook simply laughed.

“To think so little of me hurts, Professor,” Rook stated.

With that, Rook gave Vil a quick nod before the two of them were off. Barely leaving a single trace and a direction already chosen. Crewel had a feeling those two already had an idea of where to go.

With that settled, Crewel turned his attention to the fight that was about to break out. Only to pause when a new voice entered the fray.

“Why am I not surprised you're here?”

“Brutus…,” Ambrose said in the coldest voice Crewel had ever heard the man speak in.

Crewel sighed as he begged, in his mind, for this to end soon.

Vil was surprised when Rook dragged him to Pomefiore’s dorm. What could have happened to make Rook believe Kocho was there? Two crows greeted them right by the entrance. Before they could even make it through the door. They were eerily silent. Everything was without the crowds around them, Vil could feel his nerves prick.

“Oh Chevalier de Papillon!” Rook called out,” Where art thou petite papillon hiding?”

“What did you do?! What did you do?!” Kuroba finally cried out.

“We did nothing,” Vil replied,” Now please, tell us where he went. I doubt he’d want to keep Shinobu and Iguro waiting.”

Both birds stared at Vil with wide eyes before flying up in the air and circling the building. Vil watched in confusion until Rook started to laugh.

“My, that’s a new one,” he said before gesturing Vil to follow him.

The path they took was an odd one. It snaked its way up the dorm before making it up to a window near the roof. Rook hopped onto the tiles and held his hand out for Vil to take. Allowing Vil to get onto the roof with ease. Both of them trailed up the steep slope of the roof before, finally, they saw him.

Curled up in a corner, hugging his haori and plushy like the world depended on it. Hiding ugly sobs under worn-down purple fabric.

They carefully walked over to the boy, each one debating what to say.

“Kocho…” Vil said softly.

Kocho immediately shot up and pushed himself away from the two boys. His breathing was ragged as he scurried back, pushing himself into the wall. Making himself as small as possible.

“Don’t come near me!” he shouted.

“Monsieur Butterfly?”

“Leave me alone!” Kocho shouted,” I don’t want to go back to her! I refuse to be dragged back to her!”

Vil’s eyes widened as Rook carefully crept forward. It made sense, Rook realized. If what Shinobu said were true, and Seven’s knows it was, then the reason Kocho was like this was because he’d seen his mother. There was no mistaking it.

Rook tried to keep a soft smile up. To what disturbing detail did Rhyme's abuse go to in order to leave someone in such a state 8 years later? He was thankful, really, that Shinobu didn’t go into detail.

Because Rook didn’t know if he or Vil could hold back if she did.

“We would never, Monsieur Butterfly,” Rook said in a soft voice.

“Why should I believe you?!” Kocho cried,” The only reason I’m at this fucking school is because of her!”

Vil’s eyes widened.

“The staff must have known. And they probably told you too. And now you’ll just….”

“I would never dream of forcing you into the hands of such a vile creature,” Rook interrupted as he lowered himself down. Allowing himself to get to Kocho’s level.

Kocho’s teary eyes glared at Rook, but he stopped trying to back up. Rook held out his hand, not daring to get closer. Allowing Kocho to be the one to make the next move.

“We are your friends first, Monsieur Butterfly. Our jobs as your housewarden and vice housewarden could never force us to bring you back there,” Rook whispered,” We will always answer your cries for help, even when you push us away. So why would we ever dream of dragging you to such a dark place for even you?”

Conflicted emotions seemed to flash through Kocho’s mind, as he slowly sat up straight.

“You really won’t….,” Kocho muttered before his expression grew stern,” No, why would you?”

He pushed himself out of his corner and grabbed Rook’s hand, allowing his upperclassman to help him get up.

“My apologies,” Kocho said,” I should not have lashed out at you two.”

“It’s fine, Kocho,” Vil replied,” None of us were aware of how bad things were between you and your mother.”

“She isn’t my mother,” Kocho snapped,” My mom died years ago. This woman could only ever dream of being her.”

Rook nodded his head.

“Right, my apologies,” Vil said.

“Why are you two here anyway….?” Kocho asked as he looked away from the duo and out to the scenery around him.

The sun was setting beyond the horizon, painting the sky with pinks, oranges, and blues. Soon the stars would dance across the sky, and Kocho would pretend to wave to his comrades once more.

“How much of my shift did I miss?” Kocho muttered before bowing at his upperclassmen,” My apologies. I didn’t realize it had gotten so late.”

Rook laughed, earning a confused glance from Kocho.

“The shift has not been on any of our minds, Monsieur Butterfly,” Rook reassured.

“Then why are you here?” Kocho asked.

A large smile crossed Rook’s lips.

“It is a wonder indeed,” he teased.

“Rook, don’t. We don’t have time,” Vil sighed,” Your sister happened to come across your…. Apologies. She who shall not be named. Last I checked, there was nothing stopping the two of them from having an all-out cat fight.”

“Shinobu’s here!?’ Kocho nearly yelled.

His expression and demeanor changed completely. Suddenly, Kocho could barely stand still and a smile clear as day could not be restrained.

Rook nodded his head, and it only made Kocho even more fidgety.

“She’s here….. It actually worked! She actually made it!”

Tears started to prick the corner of grey eyes, but Kocho was quick to wipe them away. He could cry once she was right in front of him in hugging distance.

“Come now. Let’s go,” Vil demanded.

Kocho nodded his head before looking back up at the sky. Sunlight barely touched the roof’s purple tiles as the pinks and oranges started to disappear. A frown overtook Kocho’s smile as chills ran down his spine. He froze as familiar words echoed in his mind. Words that he heard earlier that afternoon.

He would do well to remember that warning, after all.

“Wait,” he said, causing his upperclassmen to pause.

“What seems to be amiss, mon ami?” Rook asked.

“Let me get my stuff first.”

Jamil found himself wandering the paths surrounding Night Raven College, hoping to find one of his friends. Scarabia’s display didn’t need him at that moment, and nobody was picking up their phone. So Kalim told Jamil he could go out and look for everybody.

He still had so much of the campus to look over, and the sun had already set. It made Jamil uncomfortable. His eyes darted all over the place as the grip on the wisteria pouch tightened. The air was growing cold.

It made Jamil feel vulnerable.

A scream shattered the joy of the crowds. Jamil immediately ran to where the scream came from. People were running away from it. Panicking. Afraid of what they saw. When Jamil saw it, he did not blame them.

One of the guests laid on the ground, crying as a demon tore flesh from their arm. It wore a sickening smile, pleased with the whimpers and screams.

Jamil grabbed his magestone and sent a blade of wind straight at the demon. Careful to not hit the civilian. The demon cried as it was thrown back. Jamil ran in front of the victim, readying his pen for another attack.

“My, my, my,” a voice cooed.

Jamil nearly froze. That voice didn’t come from the demon he attacked. He whipped his head around, his eyes meeting that of another demon.

“Is that wisteria I smell on you?” it asked, circling around Jamil and the civilian.

The person whimpered as both demons eyed the duo. Like children looking through a candy jar. Deciding when was a good time to strike.

Jamil could feel his veins freeze as a third joined in. All were only slightly bothered by the wisteria on him. This was really bad. There’s no way he could hold demons of this level off. Not even for a second.

But by god he wasn’t going down without a fight.

Three slaps echoed as all the demons froze. Jamil’s eyes widened as a familiar ghost flew in front of him.

“How dare you!” Eliza shouted,” You’ve gone and ruined a perfectly good Halloween celebration!”

The demons tried to move, but none of them could. They were paralyzed. Not even having a chance to break through.

A few more ghosts appeared, surrounding the two living humans.

“Go,” Ume said to Jamil as some of Eliza’s retainers took care of the injured civilian,” We can hold them off for now. But we can’t kill them. Find Riddle.”

Jamil nodded and bolted through campus. Half the crowd was in a panic. The other half was confused. He had to find someone fast. Ortho. Kocho. Neige. Any of them. Please. He just has to find them. Make sure they’re okay. And let Kocho know what’s going on.

Control your breathing.

Take deep breaths.

Suddenly, he found himself in the middle of an opening in the crowd. Standing face to face with Crewel. The professor stared at Jamil with wide eyes.

“Jamil?”

“There are demons on campus!” Jamil nearly yelled,” Where’s Riddle?”

Silence followed. And eerie silence that made it all too easy to hear his own heartbeat.

“I see,” a familiar female voice hummed,” I’m afraid I’ll have to cut our dispute short.”

Jamil’s eyes widened as his eyes met purple. Shinobu slid her sword out of its sheath, a smile ever present on her lips.

“Of course, they would appear here,” Iguro groaned as he did the same.

“Jamil!” Najma beamed.

She ran up to Jamil as the boy stared in disbelief. The second she was in arms reach, he hugged her tightly. She was here. Najma was actually safe. Jamil wanted to cry so badly. But he couldn’t. Not now.

“Thank god you’re alright!” Jamil nearly shouted,” Do you realize how worried I was?”

“You?! Do you know how worried I was?!” Najma replied.

“Why would you be worried about me?”

A growl and a scream shattered the calm of the crowd, causing everyone to run. Shinobu hummed as she took a fighting stance.

“What bold creatures these ones are,” she said before launching herself at the nearest demon.

Neige tried his best to calm his breathing as he hid himself in the main building. He couldn’t believe it. Why was his manager there? And right where Shinobu was too. Neige swallowed the bile in his throat. Just seeing that man again made Neige feel as though this entire semester didn’t exist.

Deep breaths Neige.

You are stronger than this.

You have to be stronger than this.

Otherwise…

Neige sighed as he fell to the ground. Giving himself some time to rest. Lord knows when he’ll have that chance again.

Neige looked out at the moon that lit up the campus. An eerie white danced along the halls, bathing it in a cold light. It froze Neige in place and reminded him that he was completely alone.

Was he completely alone?

Neige sighed as he forced himself to sit up. He had to stay strong and push through this. This was nothing compared to the hundreds of memories he scoured through. And the hell they all went through.

The hell that turning into a demon consisted of.

Slow down your breathing.

You can’t panic about this.

The worst has yet to come.

Puffs of steam left his lips as slowly his breathing listened to him. Growing into the familiar, calm pattern. But then he froze.

Why could he see his breath?

Ice-cold hands dragged themselves along Neige’s shoulders, stinging porcelain skin even through layers of clothes. Neige’s breath hitched as its claws found their way around his waist, holding him completely in place.

Not allowing Neige a chance to even think about escaping the demon’s grasp.

“You really are so very pretty,” A familiar voice hummed,” It really is a shame you aren’t a woman. Eating you alive would have been a pleasure.”

Neige could barely breathe as the demon held him close. His fight-or-flight responses were flashing in every thought in his mind. Constantly overtaking one another. Leaving him completely frozen, unable to do a thing.

As if he could do a thing.

The demon slowly stood up, holding onto Neige like a rag doll. Not even bothering to be careful. The pressure in its grip was tight, threatening to crush his ribs.

Even if Neige’s mind would let him scream, there’s no way he could anymore.

Everything flooded into phantom pains. Of all the pain he’d felt through his dreams. Imagining just what was about to happen to him.

Tears poured from brown eyes, freezing as soon as they met the air.

“Oh but it really is so tempting,” the demon sighed playfully as he swung Neige around,” Maybe I could take a bite! Just a tiny taste test! I have time after all!”

The demon let Neige go before grabbing the boy by the neck and slamming him into the wall. Neige choked out a cry as the demon held Neige above the ground. It watched him with a crooked smile as it licked its lips.

Neige struggled against the demon’s hold, but all it did was make the demon’s smile grow. Showing all of its razor-sharp teeth

“Aw, how cute!” the demon cooed.

The demon looked closely at Neige’s face, as its free hand slowly traced his cheek. Pretending to claw at what was once scarred. Nerves prickled at the reminder of the pain. Mimicking what had no proof of ever existing anymore.

Thanks to Kocho

Neige’s eyes widened as brown met rainbow.

“Maybe I’ll actually enjoy this.”

Its fangs then tore deep into Neige’s skin, causing the boy to choke out a silent scream.

“How many are there?!” Trey shouted.

The number of demons on campus had grown. Staff and students were guiding the crowds away to a safe place. Ambrose had gone to look for Neige, with Hop and Timmy following after. All the while Shinobu and Iguro did their job. Corpses of demons littered the campus, disintegrating into ashes. Muddling any green grass from view.

Chenya sniffed the air before immediately covering his nose.

“Too many,” he grumbled, stating the obvious.

“Why are they all even here?” Cater asked.

Najma scanned everything with a blank expression. It was weird. Very weird. Demons should not have the ability to coordinate an attack like this. The cells wouldn’t let them. And to attack Night Raven during Halloween. Half of these demons didn’t have the intelligence to even plan such an attack. So it wasn’t just a coincidence.

“You don’t think they recognized Riddle, do you?” Jamil asked.

The group looked at Jamil in surprise. Najma was about to argue, but someone spoke before she could.

“Why do you suppose that?” Shinobu asked as she landed next to Najma, with blood disintegrating from the tip of her hooked blade.

Iguro landed right outside of the group, his eyes scanning the area.

“What other reason do they have to swarm campus other than to kill off their only known predator on this side of the portal?” Jamil asked.

“Pardon?” Trey asked.

“It’s possible,” Shinobu replied, much to Najma’s surprise,” It would imply something we already theorized about.”

“You mean….” Najma muttered.

“Would you stop chatting? There are more near those weird statues!” Iguro yelled at Shinobu.

Shinobu nodded her head before both of them were gone in a blink of an eye once more. The two attacked the demons in a beautiful familiar dance. Butterflies fluttered around Shinobu’s form, creating a kaleidoscope of colors around every crumbling body. Trey and Chenya couldn’t help but stare in awe.

Everything she did was in tune with the pricking of her blade, stinging the demons with wisteria poison. They’d seen Kocho do it before, but there was something so incredible with the way Shinobu did it. Each and every move proved to be deadly as soon as they touched their prey. Nothing was wasted. A perfection of one's craft.

So this was a Hashira, Jamil thought.

“Pups! Get a move on!” Crewel called out,” Out of everyone here, you pups should understand how dangerous it is out here!”

The professor ran up to the group. His eyes were darting around, ever cautious and ever scared. Before anyone could reply, he turned around to face an unwanted straggler.

“And you. What made you think following me was a good idea?!”

Rhyme glared at Crewel as she huffed.

“I wouldn’t have had to if you did your job earlier,” she snapped,” My son is in danger. I have to go find him!”

“Look! Mam, your son will be fine,” Crewel sighed,” Pups! Come! I will escort every single one of you to safety whether or not you…”

Before Crewel could finish, a demon flew into the group. Launching itself at Cater. Cater screamed before launching a fireball at it. The demon was knocked back before recovering instantly.

Not even the collection of the wisteria they all held deterred it.

“Run!”

Jamil didn’t register who yelled. His mind was fully focused on the demon right in front of him. Its slitted eyes took them in with a deep hunger. And claws stained red.

It was all Jamil could focus on as he took a familiar stance. While he didn’t have a blade on him, he could stall the demon long enough for Shinobu or Iguro to notice.

And maybe he could force it to go through the pain it forced on so many. Wouldn’t that be lovely? Hearing it scream in pain and begging to be released.

Wind found itself forming in his hands before he threw it at the demon. The demon stumbled back, giving Jamil more time to attack.

And attack.

And attack.

His motions were swift and it took no time for his magic to catch up. Following along with his breathing. Giving him complete control of it.

Another demon tried to attack but was quickly stopped by Trey. His eyes held anger and fear. Chenya followed after to keep the demon from ever touching Trey. Cater was right behind them. So was Crewel. Even Rhyme reluctantly fought back. But only when the demons started to target her.

Najma watched with wide eyes as more and more demons started to surround them. Jamil’s body moved with caution thrown to the wind, replaced entirely with a cold rage. Not even caring for the blot that built up.

And his attacks.

Najma glared as she tucked the ends of her turquoise scarf into her shirt. She refused to fall behind. Without a moment's hesitation, she pounced on one of the demons and punched the demon’s nose in.

The demon cried out in pain and clawed at her. But she grabbed the demon’s arms and, with controlled breaths, tore them out of their sockets. Cater stopped for a second at the sight of it. Watching in horror at the mangled display.

It was only a second. But a second was worth everything. One of the demons launched itself at Cater, its fangs bared. Ready to sink its teeth deep into his flesh.

Its teeth sank deep into the skin of another. Chenya screamed as he stood in front of his friend, his arm dripping crimson. Cater gasped.

“Chenya!” Trey cried.

Chenya bit back his cries as he held the demon still. The demon stared him down, sinking its teeth deeper and deeper. No one dared attack it, out of fear that they would hurt Chenya. It was a standstill, while the others were forced to deal with every other demon around them.

And then, petals wrapped around all of them. Slicing every demon that stood in its path.

“Flower breathing fifth form: Peonies of Futility!”

It was over in an instant. All of the demons fell at once, colliding to the ground in a single symphony as Kocho landed in the center of it all. Posing at the finale of his performance with his slayer uniform framing his grace perfectly. Frozen in time, he watched his work deteriorate before everything fell into chaos.

“Professor Crewel!”

Both Vil and Rook ran up to everyone, as two crows flew above them and out into the field.

“Caw! Demons on all sides! Demons on all sides!” Kuroba cried.

“Focus on the demons near the coliseum!” Kaname cawed,” Master Shinobu and Master Iguro have the ones closer to Main Street.”

Kocho nodded his head. Rhyme tried to call out his name, but in an instant, he was gone. Fighting off hordes of demons with a glare that spoke thousands of words. Of the rage. How dare they hurt and take away this peaceful place. This peaceful occasion.

And how dare they hurt Chenya.

Crewel quickly ran up to Chenya and forced the boy to sit down. Carefully, he allowed his magic to try and heal the boy’s wounds. Chenya said a quick thank you, before looking out at the destruction. Barely any demon was left. All of the slayers were too fast for any of them to comprehend.

Before they knew it, Kocho was right back with them. Immediately doing what he could to help heal Chenya.

“How did all of this happen?” Vil asked, doing nothing to hide the obvious horror.

“That is something, malheureusement, I fear I may know,” Rook muttered as he eyed the battlefield cautiously.

Two pairs of soft footsteps as well as flapping wings could be heard nearby. Kocho looked up. Grey eyes met purple. And suddenly the two demon slayers were hugging each other tightly, of fear of losing the other once again. Not a word was said. They didn’t need to say anything. The tears that stained each other's uniforms said enough.

Jamil smiled at the sight. Despite Shinobu’s smaller frame, Kocho hid himself easily in her haori. He curled around Shinobu in such a vulnerable way. And Shinobu held onto him like a parent holding onto their lost child. With joy and fear that could come from nothing else.

Iguro rolled his eyes before stalking over to the group. Both the crows reported that all the demons were gone. And yet, Iguro was on edge.

“All of you, stay alert,” he demanded.

“Riddle!”

Kocho froze at the sound of Rhyme’s voice. He didn’t bother looking at her. The red-haired woman tried to reach out to him, but three people stepped in her way. Both Vil and Rook glared down at the woman. Not saying a word. It wasn’t their place to say anything. Shinobu simply sent a warning glance at the woman as she shielded her brother from Rhyme.

“Get out of my way!” Rhyme demanded,” I want to talk to my son.”

“He’s not your son,” Shinobu stated,” And he doesn’t want to see you.”

“That’s not for you to say!” Rhyme shouted.

Trey and Chenya watched in awe, while Crewel just sighed.

Jamil stared with wide eyes. So this was Kocho’s mother.

Iguro groaned.

“Mrs.Rosehearts. Shinobu Kocho. Please refrain from starting another fight,” Crewel demanded,” You too. Vil. Rook.”

Neither Vil nor Rook paid him any mind, much to Crewel’s annoyance.

Kocho tried as hard as he could to keep his breathing under control. Please. He was with Shinobu. Everything is fine. Everything is not fine. That woman was here. He had to run. No, he couldn’t run.

Breath.

Breath.

Don’t let her control you anymore.

“I kinda feel bad for her,” Najma muttered as she stared at Rhyme.

“Don’t,” Jamil said, his voice cold.

“What is wrong with all of you?!” Rhyme shouted,” Do none of you have any sympathy? Why would you side with her?!”

Rhyme condescendingly pointed at Shinobu.

“When she’s the one who clearly wronged me!”

“She did jack shit!” Cater yelled,” You’re the one who antagonized her.”

“I was defending myself from her! She’s the one who antagonized me!” Rhyme yelled,” Riddle, sweety, please tell them! Clearly this woman has wronged you and is manipulating you!”

Iguro snorted as those words left Rhyme’s mouth.

Kocho’s mind was racing. No. Shinobu was a wonderful person. How dare that woman say that about Shinobu. Say that. Please. Just say that out loud. But he couldn’t. Steamy puffs of air left his lips as he tried to keep his breathing under control. His eyes lingered anywhere that was away from that woman. Even swirls of his own breath helped distract him.

Kocho froze as he was suddenly fully aware of how cold it had become.

“Shut up!” Kocho finally snapped,” My mother died years ago. Last I checked you weren’t her.”

Kocho only paid Rhyme a brief amount of time before turning his attention to Shinobu and Iguro.

“Something’s wrong.”

And then suddenly they too were aware of how cold it had become. Slowly, everyone else was too. Both Kuroba and Kaname started to freak out, scanning the area as best they could. Yet not finding anything wrong at all. All of the slayers looked around cautiously before Iguro suddenly took a fighting stance.

“We’re not alone!” he yelled.

Slow clapping grabbed everyone’s attention, causing all of them to snap their gaze at the demon that stood not too far away. He wasn’t there before, Crewel realized. When did he get here?

Kocho glared at the demon as a fiery hatred burned brighter than the sun. Everything about that demon, he knew well. He carved its very image in his mind the second Kocho knew what he looked like. The creature that stood in front of them. His rainbow eyes watched them with amusement.

Shinobu’s eyes met the demon’s, and suddenly Kocho’s rage was shared.

None of them even processed the demon that sat by the other’s side. Its white eyes watching them with a crazed expression.

“I’m impressed,” Doma mused,” Guess I should have expected this from demon slayers of your caliber.”

Kocho silently switched his blade out. Electing to use the hooked one instead. But he made sure to coat it generously in wisteria poison.

He was going to make this one suffer.

All three of them launched themselves at the demon. Doma watched in amusement. He slowly brought a fan up before flicking it open at the demon slayers. Ice shot out of it, forming glaciers in the middle of the field. All of them barely avoided it, with chills shooting up their spines.

If they get hit they’re done for, Kocho realized. That ice would kill them in an instant.

Shinobu swung at Doma’s neck, but the demon easily avoided it. Jumping back before shooting another glacier around her. Not at her. He was taunting them. All of them. No way Doma didn’t think this was a game.

This bastard, Kocho growled as he twisted around another wave of ice. He tried to knick Doma’s skin with his blade, but the demon just laughed and jumped around him.

“Aw! You really are so cute!” he cooed as he danced around Kocho.

Why wasn’t Doma trying to kill Kocho? What’s going on?

Kocho didn’t let those thoughts linger as he treated every swing of his blade as a killing blow. He would not let this creature get out of this fight unscathed.

“You know, you really do look quite familiar. Like someone I knew in the past,” Doma hummed.

Iguro tried slicing Doma’s head straight off, but a flick of Doma’s fan sent the slayer flying back.

“But I really can’t put my finger on it,” Doma sighed.

The demon flicked iced at Kocho, but Kocho dodged it with ease. It made the rage inside burn hotter. Turning every other thought to ash.

“By the by,” Doma said,” Akaza and I received your kind regards.”

Kocho paled as the smile on Doma’s lips grew. Doma lifted his hand up.

“And we thought maybe we should get you something in return.”

And snapped.

The white-eyed demon vanished in a flash of blue and white light, only to appear directly in front of Jamil.

Everyone let out cries in surprise. Kocho’s eyes widened as fear washed out all of his anger. He swiftly turned and shot himself at the white-eyed demon. Doma followed. Laughing at the boy. Shinobu and Iguro continued trying to attack Doma, only to fail over and over again.

Kocho switched his blade back to the standard katana and swung it at the demon’s neck. The demon’s eyes widened as a crooked smile stretched across its cracked lips.

Suddenly, as the blade reached its neck, a blinding white light erupted from the demon. It engulfed everyone around it, sparing very little. Kocho couldn’t see anything. He couldn’t hear anything. It took away every last one of his senses. Or did it do that? Was everything else around him gone? No. It can’t be.

The light disappeared, bringing back the darkness of the night. But somewhere completely new. Trees surrounded the boy every which way.

Kocho’s body collided with another, causing them to cry out in alarm. Wait, that was another demon. Quickly, Kocho forced himself up.

And stared into blue eyes with Upper Moon 4 etched into them.

“Riddle!”

Are you kidding me, Kocho thought.

Tomioka found himself guarding the portal demon’s dungeon when a familiar portal opened in front of him, throwing Iguro out of it. Iguro took a second to recognize his surroundings before marching over to the portal demon. Tomioka blocked him.

“What are you…?”

“Get out of my way. That thing has caused more problems than what it's worth!”

“You still have…”

“The mission is over,” Iguro snaps,” That other side’s portal demon sent a bunch of us here. And everyone who mattered was closer to it than I was. Even Upper Moon 2.”

Tomioka’s eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t allow Iguro to go any further.

“Under the direct orders of Oyakata-sama, this demon is to not be killed,” Tomioka growled,” I won’t let you…”

“Kill it.”

Tomioka went silent as a woman with white hair glided across the room. Her expression was stern, freezing the two demon slayers in place. The demon stared at her with wide eyes before struggling against the bonds that held it down. To no avail. Wisteria in its veins made the demon weak.

“All demons from the other side have been eradicated,” Amane said,” And the mission has been completed. We have no use for that demon anymore.”

Tomioka stared at her in shock before being pushed out of the way by Iguro.

“Stupid portal demon,” he grumbled as he held his sword out,” You deserve all the hell you’ve been through.”

In a split second, the sound of flesh slicing filled the air. Leaving the demon dead, disintegrating into ash.

Chapter Text

The unknown forests shrouded in darkness did well to hide its secrets. With only the moon to guide one’s path, barely peeking through the overgrowth. Anything could be lurking within, silently stalking its prey. Ready to pounce at every moment.

A demon could be watching him and he’d be none the wiser, Vil thought as he pushed his way past the dense foliage. Careful to keep the noise to a minimum.

There was something so different about the air here. It was empty, making Vil feel almost lighter. A single spell could change drastically in a space like this.

Vil knew where he was.

And that made him all the more cautious.

As time went on, something reached Vil’s ear. A noise. Someone speaking, A boisterous voice with a mocking tone. Chills ran up Vil’s spine just hearing it. A demon, no doubt. There was something about that voice that revealed that easily to Vil.

Vil forced himself not to groan in annoyance as he turned away from where the demon was. Of course this would happen. He needed to get away from that demon as soon as possible. If it were to catch his scent, Vil had no doubt he was done for.

But then Vil paused. He was completely alone here. Sooner or later he’d grow hungry or need a shower. Hades, he’d need to change his makeup and wash his face soon. Does this world even have anything similar to the products he uses?

Either way, he’d need to find a place to stay. Kocho was the closest person to the portal demon, so Vil had no doubt he was here. Maybe, if Vil could find a demon slayer, they could lead Vil to Kocho.

And the demon was taunting a demon slayer, from what little Vil could make out.

So, reluctantly, Vil made his way towards the demon. It felt like forever just to get there. The foliage grew thicker and thicker the further he went. As though they wanted to hide something. Keep anything from getting in. The moon slowly disappeared behind the overgrowth, shrouding Vil in complete darkness. He struggled to keep himself from using magic to light the way.

Until he could suddenly see in front of him once more.

And watched as a child got stabbed in the stomach and thrown in his direction.

Vil covered his mouth and ducked behind the foliage. His eyes wide in horror at the scene in front of him. A boy was being held in a bubble of water while spikes impaled his skin on all sides. There was panic in his eyes.

Those eyes.

They were staring at where Vil hid. Like he would soon become a victim too. Just like the child. A black uniform adorned the boy's small frame, with a familiar marking on the back.

The boy’s stare went blank, almost empty, before he closed them.

And suddenly the bubble popped. Cut through by the boy in only an instant. He killed the demon next to him. The one who stabbed the child, before he looked back at where Vil hid. Vil slowly came out of hiding, allowing their eyes to properly meet.

“You,” the boy said,” Take care of this child and hide.”

A simple command that held so much power. It made Vil forget for a second that he was clearly the older of the two. Still, Vil complied. The boy followed the demon’s voice to a run-down cabin. As the boy did, Vil quickly grabbed the child and hid behind the foliage once again.

Carefully, Vil placed the child on the ground. As he did, Vil noticed something odd. There wasn’t any flowing blood. Yes, there were stains, but they weren’t from the stab wound. Vil saw what happened yet there isn’t any proof. And he was fairly certain the blade that demon held was pretty sharp.

Suddenly, the child shot straight up with a loud gasp. Vil nearly jumped in surprise as the kid tried to catch his breath. Thank Sevens the child was alive, but how? What is going on?

And what was that mask the kid was wearing? It looked ridiculous.

“How in the….?” the child muttered before he finally noticed Vil,” Wait who are you?!”

“Be quiet,” Vil demanded in a whisper as he brought a finger up to his lips,” There’s still a demon around.”

The eyes of the mask bore deep into Vil’s, causing Vil to glare back. Never did the child reply.

A loud crash didn’t allow him.

Both Vil and the child watched the demon and the slayer as they appeared in the clearing, spikes no longer stabbing through his skin. Vil couldn’t help but gag. The demon looked ridiculous. An eye in a smiling mouth and on the forehead. Two pairs of green lips where the eyes should be, speaking so casually. Its skin was deathly pale, and its hands were so small. Almost childlike.

The slayer never flinched at the appearance. Not even at the markings on the demon’s golden eyes.

Upper Rank 5.

Well, this day just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it?

Vil crouched further back into the foliage. They had to run, but the child didn’t seem to have any intent on doing so. In fact, the kid barely seemed afraid of the demon, despite the ranking.

So the slayer was another Hashira, it appeared.

Focus on the task at hand, Vil.

“Show me where it hurts,” Vil whispered,” I can try….”

“Absolutely not!” the kid whispered.

“Kid, you were just stabbed by a demon. I have to make sure your wounds aren’t severe.”

“Nope! Stranger danger!” the kid backed away from Vil,” Besides, I’m fine!”

Vil sighed.

“Listen, that demon slayer over there told me to hide and make sure you’re okay. I’m only trying to do as he wishes,” Vil explained.

And to at least have a little bit of a good first impression.

The kid paused.

“Lord Tokito….” the kid mumbled before huffing,” Okay fine. But you’re not gonna find anything.”

“I can guarantee that…” Vil started before trailing off.

There was something wrapped behind layers of the kid’s clothes. It only became visible as the kid allowed Vil to see his injury. As the child said, there was none on his stomach. Instead, there was a sword guard sitting where blood should be pouring. Simple in design and worn down in age. But still ever sturdy. It was shaped like a flickering flame.

It didn’t occur to Vil that people here would decorate the sword guards like this.

“See,” the kid stated,” Now leave! This place is dangerous.”

Obviously, Vil thought.

“Unfortunately, I can’t exactly do that,” Vil sighed,” Besides, you have other wounds that need to be taken care of.”

The kid was about to reply when the demon suddenly cried out. Loudly.

“That’s because your eyeballs are rotten, damnit!”

As it yelled, the demon created vases in every hand. Beautiful blue vases. They glowed for a second before swarms of fish shot out of them. Towards the demon slayer, they swam fast. Tokito jumped back before attacking the fish. His movements were swift and his expression was uncaring.

Something was different about the demon slayer now. There were red markings on his face. And Vil swore they weren’t there before.

Both Vil and the kid watched the fight carefully, all while Vil did his best to wrap up any other wound the child had.

With every swing of his blade, mist surrounded Tokito. Shrouding him and all of his movements. All of the fish were thrown back into pieces, scattering poisoned blood everywhere. Tokito bolted over to the demon and swung at its neck, only for the skin of the demon to suddenly become hollow. As though it was shedded off in an instant.

Tokito sighed as crumbled skin fell to the ground.

“What a pain in the butt,” he said,” Would you mind not dodging and racing up trees?”

The faintest sound of slithering reached Vil’s ears, and it caused the boy to shiver.

What a disgusting sound.

The demon laughed before taunting Tokito. Only for Tokito to not even acknowledge it. It made the demon visibly angry as it revealed itself once more. Vil almost gagged. The demon had changed its appearance somewhat, boasting that this was its true form. And only so few had ever seen it.

Tokito barely reacted.

And it pissed the demon off even more.

The demon shot itself at Tokito and threw its fist at him over and over again. Tokito dodged each attack, jumping back each time before eventually landing in a tree.

“Didn’t you just tell me not to race up trees?” the demon laughed as the ground around him turned into fish,” What a hassle!”

“That was because it stunk,” Tokito stated,” I thought my nose was going to fall off.”

The demon laughed once more before boasting about its power. Vil couldn’t help but cringe. This demon, despite the amount of power at its disposal, was kind of pathetic. It would do wonders to its image if it talked less, really.

Tokito did not move from his perch as the demon continued on and on, causing the demon to smirk.

“You’re trembling huh? Are you terrified? I still wasn’t serious when I launched that attack just now,” the demon taunted.

Tokito did not reply, causing the demon to grow confused. A smirk suddenly appeared on Tokito’s lips. One so filled with hatred.

“Even the most jaw-dropping attack is pointless if you can’t land it, right?”

The demon let out a huff as Tokito jumped to the ground. There was sudden grace in the steps the boy took. His long black hair flowed behind him. Soon, they were parrying each other's attacks. With speed that Vil struggled to keep up with. The demon was fast. So very fast. But Tokito barely struggled against any of the blows.

Suddenly, as the demon was about to hit Tokito, mist filled the clearing. Obscuring any sign of the boy. The mist surrounded the demon, confusing it. It tried striking any signs of Tokito, but it only grew more and more confused.

No noise was made. Barely a sign of him was visible. Every chance it thought he was there only disappeared. With only the turquoise tips of Tokito’s hair being visible before fading away. An animal stalking its prey, circling it, and waiting for the time to strike.

It made Vil’s skin crawl, from what little he could see.

And the mist continued to grow thicker and thicker until Vil couldn’t see anything at all.

“Hey, so tell me,” Tokito said,” What makes you think..”

The demon let out a confused, trembling sound.

“...That you were the only one not taking this seriously?”

A single slice echoed, and then the mist started to disappear.

Revealing the decapitated form of the demon, and its head rolling away from it.

Tokito stepped out of the fading mist as the demon screamed. Small hands tried growing from its head, bubbling skin from the open wound. Barely anything could form, much to the anguish of the demon.

“You, a lowly human! How dare you slice off my head!” the demon cried,” You abominable low-level life form! My life is worth 100 of you and your ilk! I am one of the chosen, exalted life forms! You’re weak! After you're born, all you do is grow old! And I took your insignificant, unimportant life in my hands and used my divine hands to elevate you to a nobler work of art! You vulgar little maggot…”

The demon’s head was sliced in half, cutting it off. Tokito swung his blade over and over again through the demon’s head, cutting it into hundreds of pieces. They all disintegrated in an instant, leaving nothing of the demon behind.

Tokito did not move as he watched. The red markings on his cheek faded away as he stared into nothing. Lost completely in thought.

Vil couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief, as did the kid next to him.

“Lord Tokito!” a man cried out.

He wore a similar mask to the kid, although cracked. There were gashes surrounded by dried-out blood around his body.

“Are you alright?” the man asked as he ran up to the boy.

“I’m fine. I’m fine,” Tokito reassured, his voice slowly drifting off.

“Are you sure about that?” the man asked.

“Yeah, I really feel amazing right now,” Tokito replied.

His body was starting to shake as his voice grew too quiet for Vil to hear. The man’s voice grew worried, and even the mask couldn’t hide the clear concern. Until, suddenly, Tokito fainted. The man started to panic as he called out to somebody else nearby. Somebody who was not giving either of them the time of day. All while Tokito was choking on the foam that had started to form in his mouth.

The child ran out of hiding, with Vil not far behind. He felt slightly panicked. There had to be something he could do for the Hashira. But what? There’s nothing here he could use. None of the medicines would make sense and he couldn’t use his magic.

“You should lay him on his side,” the kid suggested.

“Right,” the man said as he obeyed the kid’s orders.

But then he paused. The man slowly turned his head towards the boy before screaming.

“It’s the ghost of Young Kotetsu!”

“I’m not dead,” the kid, Kotetsu replied.

The man backed up while screaming before his eyes finally landed on Vil.

“Another ghost!”

“How rude of you,” Vil grumbled.

“Come on, I’m alive,” Kotetsu said.

The man continued to scream as pale green eyes slowly opened back up.

“Most of this blood isn’t mine,” Kotetsu sighed,” And, while my arm wound is pretty deep, this man was nice enough to patch it up.”

Vil’s eyes widened. That wasn’t how the kid was treating him earlier. What made him change?

“As for my belly, that’s where I was carrying the guard Tanjiro entrusted to me,” the kid explained as he held the guard out for the man to see,” And it saved me.”

Tanjiro? So these people knew Tanjiro. Vil couldn’t help but feel a little relieved. At least some familiarity. He was not completely grabbing imaginary strings here by trusting these people. Then again, Tokito was most definitely a Hashira. He probably knew Kocho as well.

“He said he wanted it on his new sword,” Kotetsu explained to the man.

The kid continued to try and calm the man down, so Vil turned his attention to Tokito. There were tears in the demon slayer’s eyes, but his expression barely changed. As though his mind were somewhere else. Anywhere but here.

“Hey,” Vil whispered as he crouched down, making direct eye contact with Tokito,” Are you okay?”

Tokito immediately snapped out of his thoughts.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” he replied as he slowly sat up,” But….. who are you?”

“Okay! Okay! So you’re alive then,” the man from earlier cried,” Then who in the world is that?!”

The man pointed a finger at Vil, almost as though he were accusing the man of something. Vil couldn’t help but glare at the man. He was treating Vil as though he were an alien. And, although that was true, Vil was pretty certain he didn’t look that different than the people here.

Unless…

Ah, right. His dorm uniform may be very different from what these people are used to.

“Don’t know,” Kotetsu replied,” But he helped me, so he’s fine.”

“Fine?!” the man cried,” This man should not be here! How did you even get here?!”

“We’ll be moving soon anyways, so I don’t see how this is a problem,” Kotetsu argued.

“Of course it’s a problem! This man isn’t even a demon slayer!” the man argued.

The man stood up and walked over to Vil, towering over the mage.

“Tell me, how did you get here,” the man demanded.

Vil debated on telling the man anything, considering his rude attitude. But now was not the best time to be petty. So, with a sigh, Vil replied.

“My classmates and I were attacked by a demon,” Vil replied,” It’s blood demon art sent me here. I have no idea where I am and I apologize if I’m not supposed to be here. But I’m in need of assistance.”

The man’s nerves seemed to calm slightly.

“I see,” he said,” well, unfortunately, we’re in no place to assist anyone as is.”

“It isn’t too much, I can assure you,” Vil stated.

It was quite a lot, but only really for Vil. His life was on the line here, after all.

“I just need….”

“YOU BRAT! GET BACK HERE!”

Tokito booked it past the group, a new sword in hand. Vil’s eyes went wide. When did Tokito get back up and how is he still moving so easily? Another man with long black hair ran past the group, chasing after Tokito.

“Mr. Hagenezuka!” the first man cried.

“That brat stole my sword!” Hagenezuka yelled,” I’m going to kill him.”

“GO LORD TOKITO!” Kotetsu yelled.

Vil couldn’t help but deadpan. What an eccentric group.

“Wait Mr.Hagenezuka!” The first man started running after the duo, with Kotetsu not far behind.

Vil watched the group for a second before sighing. He got up and booked it after the group, not wanting to lose them.

The forest flew by as the group made chase. Despite his lack of training on such uneven terrain, Vil was able to keep up with the group easily.

He was quite confused. Everything going on was far outside of his scope of things.

And he didn’t exactly have time to properly ponder any of this.

“Tanjiro!”

Tokito’s voice echoed as Vil could finally see the end of the foliage ahead. There was a cliff right along the edges of the trees. On the very edge, Tokito stood. With the blade held above his head. Tokito threw it down the cliff, much to the horror of Hagenezuka.

“Use it!” Tokito yelled between huffs,” Tanjiro use the sword!”

Hagenezuka, having caught up with Tokito, grabbed the kid’s neck. Vil glared at the man, just as the rest of the group made it to the cliff.

“I’ll kill you! Don’t use it!” Hagenezuka yelled,” I’ve only honed it up to the first stage! Give it back!”

The land below finally came into view, allowing Vil to finally see the boy in person. With red hair and blood covering his face, Tanjiro stood smiling at them all.

And Nezuko lay next to him.

“Tanjiro! It’s almost daybreak! He’s going to get away!” Tokito yelled.

Vil’s eyes widened as he looked further out onto the field. A demon was running away from the group with a broken blade in its neck, chasing after three other people. How many demons were in this one area, Vil couldn’t help but wonder. Is it normally this densely populated with demons in this world?

No wonder Kocho was always so on edge.

“Stupid brat!” Hagenezuka yelled as he swung his fist at Tokito’s head.

Vil immediately grabbed Hagenezuka’s fist, barely keeping the man from striking Tokito. Hagenezuka glared at Vil. Vil glared back.

“I’m counting on you, Tanjiro,” Tokito mumbled before Vil heard a thump.

Kotetsu and the other man cried out as Vil turned to see an unconscious Tokito on the ground.

“Lord Tokito!” Both the man and Kotetsu cried out.

Vil crouched down and checked Tokito’s condition. He was burning up. And there was probably poison in his system. Upper Moon 5 was probably the one to create all of those spikes that Vil saw in Tokito earlier. And, if some of the nonsense the demon was yelling earlier was true, then there was no way the demon didn’t put poison on those spikes.

A sudden burst of flames grabbed Vil’s attention. Tanjiro was now surrounded by fire as he bolted towards the demon, new blade in hand. The demon cried out as Tanjiro sliced right through its neck.

Vil let out a sigh of relief as the sun started to rise above the mountains. Tanjiro turned to walk back to where his sister was. A pit of dread found its way into Vil’s stomach. Wait, Nezuko can still get burned.

And Vil could see the demon getting up once again before chasing the same poor people.

Panic settled in as Vil found that he could only watch as the sun filtered over the mountains, lighting up every blade of grass until it set Nezuko ablaze.

Nezuko screamed, causing Tanjiro to turn away from the demon he was supposed to kill. He ran back to his sister, shrouding her as best he could from the sun. Smoke still rose from glowing red skin. All he could do was try to block the sun and hide her away from it.

Despite the lives at stake.

Despite the job he must complete.

He was the only one who could kill this demon right now, yet Tanjiro did nothing. And the sun was barely doing its job against the other demon.

Vil felt anger boil in his blood as he glared down at Tanjiro. This was someone Kocho thought highly of? Someone who fought alongside Kocho against two members of the Twelve Kizuki? No, everyone clearly thought highly of this boy. And yet he turned away in the face of duty when his sister, a demon, was in danger?

Suddenly, Tanjiro was thrown into the air by Nezuko. Vil’s eyes widened as once again her skin was lit ablaze. But she did not seem to care. She signaled Tanjiro something as he flew through the air. Something that seemed to fix the resolve inside Tanjiro. Just before he hit the ground, he flipped and dashed towards the demon.

Flames danced around his blade as Tanjiro sliced the body of the demon in half. Just as it was grabbing onto the innocent humans. Something smaller flew out of the body, and Tanjiro immediately swung at it. The body tried to fight back, but Tanjiro was able to slice through the smaller form. Causing the entire body to disintegrate in an instant.

And then the boy collapsed to the ground, crying.

Vil let out a small sigh before his eyes wandered to what remained of Nezuko. Only to immediately choke. What remained of Nezuko was a perfectly healthy, not on-fire demon. Kotetsu gasped, seeing the same as Vil did. The demon girl slowly made her way over to her crying brother.

The three people Tanjiro saved forced the boy to look back at the girl. And when Tanjiro did, the boy froze completely in place. Staring in awe as his sister walked towards him. Tears clearly flowed from his eyes, even at the distance Vil was at.

A tugging on his sleeve snapped Vil out of focus, causing him to look down at Tokito. The boy was looking up at Vil with a somewhat emotionless expression.

“Hey,” Tokito said,” Can you carry me down there? I can barely move.”

Vil nodded his head, albeit a bit reluctantly. Tokito was quite a mess and Vil had no idea when he’d be able to clean his uniform. He couldn’t deny Tokito’s request despite this. For impression's sake, of course.

Kotetsu helped get Tokito onto Vil’s back, allowing him to easily carry the boy down the cliff side. Neither Hagenezuka nor the other masked man were there, and Vil could only assume it was Hagenezuka’s rage that caused such disappearances.

By the time the group was on an even path, Nezuko was helping her brother towards them. As well as the three people Tanjiro saved. A curious gaze fell upon Vil, but she did not speak up about it. Even though her bamboo muzzle was gone.

Tokito tilted his head to the side once they reached the group.

“Tanjiro, are you alright?” he asked.

Tanjiro slowly lifted his head up, a smile stretched across his face. Another demon slayer joined the group as he did.

“Hey, Tokito,” he mumbled,” Thank goodness you're safe.”

The two continued to talk, and Vil started to tune them out. Preferring to look over at Nezuko instead. She was staring at Vil with a large smile on her face. There was a familiarity in it. As though she knew Vil just as he knew her.

Suddenly, the sound of Hagenezuka yelling snapped Vil out of his thoughts. The man screamed at Tanjiro about the sword. Tanjiro cried for Nezuko, who he was currently on the back of, to run. Nezuko laughed and ran. Hazenezuka gave chase. Everyone couldn’t help but watch awkwardly. Vil especially, as he realized half the people there were staring at him. Wondering why he was even there.

“You guys!” A woman’s voice yelled, grabbing everyone’s attention.

An injured woman with long pink and green braids was running towards the group, a large smile on her face.

And directly behind her was a heavily injured Kocho.

OH THANK THE SEVEN’S!

A large amount of relief rushed through every muscle in Vil’s body. Making it almost impossible for him to register Tokito leaning back to get a better look.

“Riddle!” Tokito cried.

“Ms. Kanroji!” Tanjiro beamed.

Kanroji? Where had Vil heard that name before? Kocho had definitely mentioned her before, but when?

Kanroji’s pace quickened while Kocho seemed to give the group a deadpan look. The woman grabbed some of the demon slayers and brought them into a group hug as she cried. Cheering that they did it and that they were all alive.

Suddenly Vil had a feeling he missed something really big. Because Tokito was the only demon slayer around Upper Moon 5.

And yet…

Kocho finally caught up with Kanroji. He was staring at Nezuko in complete awe as a smile stretched across his face.

“Nezuko isn’t… She’s really…”

He couldn’t seem to say anything else. There was no need to. Tanjiro smiled at the redhead.

“She’s alive,” he said,” You’re here and alive and so is she and…”

“Riddle!” Tokito repeated,” You’re alive! Thank goodness!”

Kocho’s smile disappeared as he looked up at Tokito. The expression on the redhead’s face grew awkward.

“Kanroji did I hit my head during the fight?” Kocho asked.

“Hm? I don’t think so. That’s actually the only place you didn’t get injured I think,” Kanroji hummed,” Why?”

Vil’s eyes widened.

“Tokito’s smiling at me.”

“Please, call me Muichiro!” Tokito beamed.

Kocho’s face seemed to pale. As though the very suggestion went against his very being.

“Please, I couldn’t do that…”

“Another friend!” Nezuko suddenly beamed as she pointed at Vil,” Another friend!”

She was staring directly at Kocho as she spoke. Everyone looked between Vil and Nezuko in confusion. All while grey eyes widened.

“You’ve befriended Schoenheit?” Kocho asked.

Everyone made a noise in surprise, startling Vil.

“Wait, you know this guy?” the yet-to-be-named demon slayer asked.

“Oh, right,” Kocho mumbled,” This is Vil Schoenheit. He’s a….”

“Another friend of Riddle!” Nezuko beamed once again.

“Yes, he….,” Kocho replied before pausing, with clear confusion stretching across his face.

Giving Kanroji just enough time to jump in.

“OH MY GOSH! YOU’RE A FRIEND OF RIDDLE’S?!” Kanroji cheered,” It’s so nice to meet you! Thank you for being his friend! Wait, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name’s Mitsuri Kanroji! It’s a pleasure to meet you Schoenheit!”

Her eyes sparkled as she spoke with joy that Vil didn’t think he’d ever seen before. Yet there was something so familiar about them.

“Not to interrupt,” Kotetsu said,” But we should probably continue this after we’ve all been treated for our injuries.”

Everyone’s stares went blank as they realized that the kid was absolutely right. Some of the non-slayers offered to help the demon slayers back to the village, but most of them denied assistance.

One of which earned a confused look.

“Is there something wrong, Genya?” Kocho asked.

“Um, yes sir,” Genya, one of the demon slayers, replied,” Should you be walking at all right now?”

Kocho paused and gave a quick look toward Vil. It was subtle, but it told Vil all he needed. He wasn’t supposed to hear that.

“Kocho…” Vil nearly growled.

“I’m fine, Schoenheit!” Kocho immediately argued,” I can walk.”

“Uh huh,” Vil replied before looking over at Genya,” Genya, correct? Tell me, what injuries did Kocho sustain?”

Genya’s eyes widened before he looked over at Kocho. Kocho was glaring at Genya, so the boy decided to stay quiet. However, the glare did not escape Vil.

“That only makes me assume the worst, Potato.”

“I can carry you back!” Kanroji offered.

“Please no.”

The village they brought Vil to was an absolute mess. All the houses were torn apart and masked villagers everywhere were gathering what they could from the rubble. And counting the dead. They were guided to one of the only intact buildings. There, all of the demon slayers were treated for their wounds. Nezuko and Vil stayed with them. Of course. They had nowhere else to go.

“We can only do so much,” one of the villagers sighed,” Unfortunately we don’t have the proper materials to heal you all.”

So it was agreed that the villagers would put together what they could to make the journey to the butterfly mansion as easy for them as possible.

The second every slayer’s head hit a pillow, they were passed out. Not that Vil blamed them. Everyone was up all night. Including Vil. But Vil couldn’t sleep now. That would ruin his sleep schedule. Despite the mess that he may appear now, ruining his sleep schedule would only make it worse.

And they were fighting. It wasn’t just that they had been up all night. It had been a constant fight to stay alive and protect as many of the villagers as they could.

Plus.

“Potato, why are you still awake?” Vil asked.

Kocho was sitting up in his makeshift bed, playing with Nezuko’s hair. Nezuko was smiling and humming as he did. Not a care in the world was held in those eyes.

“I’m waiting for something,” Kocho replied.

“And what exactly is that?” Vil asked.

“Two things,” Kocho replied,” I had to drop my luggage as soon as I got here, so I’m waiting for one of the swordsmiths to bring that over.”

Right. Vil almost forgot about that. It had been hidden so well under his haori, but Kocho had packed some things before the fight with Upper Moon 2. What exactly, he wasn’t sure. Kocho made them stay out of the room while he was packing.

But swordsmiths, huh? Was this where their swordsmiths lived? If that were true, was the reason for the masks to hide their identity? To keep the village safe?

So many questions.

“That reminds me,” Vil said,” I’m surprised all of you got so injured. Was there another Upper Moon around?”

Kocho looked at Vil with wide eyes.

“What do you mean another?” Kocho asked.

“Tokito was fighting Upper Moon 5, and I didn’t see any other Demon Slayer around,” Vil explained.

Kocho just stared at Vil before groaning.

“It’s a miracle we survived I swear,” Kocho mumbled,” Yes, Upper Moon 4 was the one to injure most of us.”

Nezuko nodded her head in agreement.

“Miracle,” she repeated.

Vil nearly groaned. Well, that surely was a stressful night for all of the Demon Slayers. And Vil just happened to fall right into it.

What a first impression of this world.

“Still, your luggage will be here when you awake.”

“Right,” Kocho mumbled,” Well, the other thing is I’m waiting for a message from Oyakata-sama.”

Vil raised an eyebrow, telling Kocho to continue.

“It’s usually Kanroji and Tokito’s job to reply to these messages,” Kocho explained as he looked over at the two unconscious Hashira,” However, they’re far worse off than I am.”

Vil nodded his head in understanding. He supposes that makes sense. It doesn’t mean Vil liked it at all. The bandages surrounding half of Kocho’s body kept throwing Vil to when he first saw Kocho’s scars. He wanted to wrap this boy in multiple layers of blankets and let him just rest. For once, just completely away from everything to do with the Demon Slayer corps.

But that was not in Vil’s power to do.

Nezuko walked to where Vil was sitting and wrapped her hands around his. Vil looked at Nezuko in surprise, while she just smiled at him. A warm, kind smile.

“Riddle okay,” Nezuko said,” Shinobu will help.”

She couldn’t seem to make a full sentence that could say exactly what she meant, but she didn’t have to. Vil knew what she meant. That the second they made it to Kocho’s home, Shinobu would not let Kocho injure himself further. She’ll make sure he heals and gets proper rest.

Vil couldn’t help but smile as he gave Nezuko a pat on the head.

“You’re right,” Vil whispered,” And even if she doesn’t, I’ll make sure Kocho doesn’t harm himself further.”

Kocho rolled his eyes.

“You can call me Riddle, you know,” Kocho said,” Everyone here does. It’s easier that way.”

“Only if you call me Vil.”

Kocho grimaced a little but did not argue.

“V..il,” Nezuko hummed,” Vil! Another friend of Riddle! Vil!”

“Another friend,” Vil repeated,” So you do have friends here.”

Kocho huffed, although slightly amused. But he couldn’t help but grow curious. Other than Kuroba, Nezuko didn’t meet anyone through Kocho. So who exactly was the first ‘Friend of Riddle’? Who would that refer to?
Actually, Nezuko referred to Vil as that before they were properly introduced, didn’t she?

Kocho’s eyes widened.

How did Nezuko know Vil?

A loud caw snapped Kocho out of his thoughts. Kocho, Vil, and Nezuko looked out the window to see a crow sitting on the sil. Its black feathers shimmered in the sunlight.

“Caw! Caw! A message from Ubuyashiki!”

Both Kocho and Vil sat up straighter while Nezuko tried to mimic the caw of the crow.

“There is a group of humans that must be found and brought to shelter as soon as possible. Every slayer must be on the lookout for this group and bring them to the Butterfly mansion as soon as possible.”

Kocho’s eyes widened. A group? Right, there were so many of them around the portal demon. And Vil was here.

So that meant….

“Please look out for the humans Trey Clover, Chenya, Rook Hunt, Vil Schoenheit, Jamil Viper, and Najma Viper!”

Chapter Text

To say Trey was confused once the white light disappeared would be an understatement. Instead of Night Raven’s campus, he’d found himself in the middle of nowhere. Heavily shrouded by trees he did not recognize, with constellations he’d never seen before littering the sky.

What were the chances a demon was watching him from the shadows that very second?

Trey could feel chills run up his spine.

At least he wasn’t alone.

“Let’s go,” Jamil said.
He’d only taken a second to recover from the shock. There was a sharp look in Jamil’s eyes as it darted around, and his posture was rigid like a snake stalking his prey. The fight wasn’t over for Jamil. Not until they had a better grasp on the situation.

Would that even make it better?

“We need to find civilization,” Trey murmured, as he followed his underclassman.

“Or a demon slayer,” Jamil added,” Anything works as long as we aren’t guaranteed to die tonight.”

That did not help at all to calm Trey’s nerves.

“Right.”

It didn’t help that he could feel something off in the air. Something with the magic residue wasn’t the same, and it made Trey feel sick to his stomach.

Trey didn’t know how long they walked for. The silence was deafening and the sky gave nothing about the time away. He couldn’t handle this for much longer, but he had to. Trey was the upperclassman. So he can’t break or falter. Jamil can’t feel how much pushing forward made Trey’s nerves shake. There was no way he’d let Jamil falter too.

A high-pitched chirping noise caught the attention of the two boys, as well as the rapid flapping of wings. Flying not far from the duo was a sparrow that was staring at them curiously. Not a hint of fear was in its eyes.

“Fancy people?” Trey could hear the bird chirp.

Trey’s eyes widened. He could understand the animals here too? The boy almost let out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness. Something familiar on this side of the portal.

This side of the portal.

A portal that did sevens knows what and dropped them sevens knows where. Maybe thousands of miles away. Or maybe an entirely different world. Was that possible? Is that what’s been happening all this time?

Stop it.

Stop thinking for a second about that.

Safety first.

Safety first.

Jamil gave Trey a confused look when he noticed the upperclassman’s relaxed expression.

“Hey, can you help us?” Trey called out to the sparrow,” We’re looking for a place to take shelter in for the night.”

The sparrow’s eyes narrowed.

“We were attacked by a demon,” Jamil added,” And it separated us from our colleagues. We don’t know where we ended up, but we’d appreciate any assistance you can give.”

The sparrow’s eyes widened at the word demon. It flew over to the two and landed on the ground in front of them.

“Demon? Demon where?!” the sparrow cried before huffing.

It seemed it was about to say more, but Trey found himself speaking before the sparrow could.

“We don’t know,” Trey admitted,” One minute, we were at our school. Next minute we found ourselves here.”

“The demon teleported us here,” Jamil explained,” And I’d assume extremely far away from home.”

“Right,” Trey mumbled.

There was so much going on that Trey could barely keep up with it. And so much that Riddle had never mentioned. Really, Trey should have already known this. Barely anything was said to Trey and Chenya when Riddle finally told them what had happened all those years ago. He ran away and now fights demons. And never tell Rhyme.

Rhyme was never supposed to know.

Trey mentally shook his head. He could wonder about all of this later. When he finds Riddle again. Trey could ask all the questions he wanted then.

For now, he was simply thankful Jamil knew as much as he did.

And that Trey had one of the highest grades in animal linguistics in the entire school.

“You can understand me?” the sparrow shouted in surprise before shaking its head,” Wait, that's not important. You’re from the other side!”

“The other side?” Trey repeated.

Other side of the portal, Trey repeated in his mind once again.

“Yeah! The other dimension that weird portal demon could grab from! We were told to keep an eye out for people like you,” the sparrow explained as it started flying once again,” Follow me! There are a few demon slayers nearby who can help you out!”

A tired smile stretched across Trey’s lips as his mind only glossed over the word dimension for a second. Deciding it was not worth contemplating at the moment.

“Thank you,” he replied.

The sparrow flew away, guiding the duo through the forest. It slowed its pace somewhat so as to not lose them. Much to Trey’s delight. His movements were starting to get sluggish and his mind could barely focus. Knowing there were demon slayers nearby soothed his fight-or-flight responses, allowing the drowsiness to finally hit.

He had no idea how Jamil was still so awake.

Jamil was staring at the sparrow curiously as they went. It wasn’t long until the sparrow started chirping again. This time calling out a name in an angry tone. A name Trey couldn’t quite make out. As well as a few curse words he was surprised the sparrow knew.

“Oh god, what is it now? Can’t it wait til morning?” someone not far ahead said. His voice was panicked and scared. As though he’d been crying.

Jamil’s expression turned to that of annoyance the second he heard the voice, much to Trey’s confusion. The person who spoke was around their age, wearing a uniform similar to Riddle’s. Just with an orange and yellow haori instead of a wisteria patterned one.

A demon slayer.

And yet he looked so terrified. Not that Trey blamed the boy. Not with the job he had.

“Huh, who are you?” the boy asked the two Night Raven students.

“They’re people from the other side!” his sparrow replied in an annoyed tone,” You’re supposed to help protect them while we guide them to one of the wisteria houses.”

The boy didn’t seem to understand a word the sparrow was saying, earning him a peck on the shoulder.

“Ow!” the boy cried,” What was that for?! I wasn’t even talking to you!”

Jamil snorted.

“What are you laughing at?!” the boy yelled.

“Nothing. Nothing at all,” Jamil said as a smirk snuck up to his lips.

“I don’t believe you,” the boy huffed, his fear seemingly disappearing.

Thank goodness, Trey couldn’t help but think.

“We apologize for disturbing you,” Trey said,” But we are in need of assistance.”

“Well…..,” the boy mumbled, before his mood suddenly became very chipper,” I’ll help you with anything you need!”

“Coward,” Jamil muttered.

“No, I’m no coward at all! Why would you assume such a thing?” the boy asked, yet still had a bright smile on.

The sparrow rolled its eyes as Trey looked at the boy and Jamil in confusion. Jamil’s smirk didn’t seem like it was going away anytime soon.

“I’m just making assumptions here, but you seem to be on a mission right now,” Jamil said in a teasing tone,” Shouldn’t you complete it before helping us?”

The boy’s lips twitched as his smile became more threatening.

“Well it’s also my job to make sure common folk like you are safe and sound!” the boy said,” That is what you need help with, yes? Yes?”

“I see,” Jamil sighed,” Guess you won’t be killing the demon that’s been stalking us then.”

The boy’s smile shattered while Trey’s eyes widened in fear. A loud screeching sound escaped the boy’s mouth, drowning out any other noise around him. He latched onto Trey’s neck as tears poured from his eyes. Trey too could feel himself panic, but he stopped when he saw that Jamil was staring at the demon slayer in amusement.

“Jamil…” Trey tried to sound stern.

“I’m not lying,” Jamil stated.

“He’s not,” the sparrow confirmed as he glared at the crying demon slayer,” the wisteria on you was just strong enough that it’s not coming close at all. It’s just been staring this entire time. Besides, there are other demon slayers nearby that’ll take care of it.”

Trey sighed in relief, but his glare didn’t soften. He would have liked to know about this earlier. What good was hiding it from him anyway?

Suddenly, the demon slayer screamed in his ear.

“I DON’T WANT TO DIE!! PLEASE!! WE NEED TO GO NOW!!”

“How pitiful!” Jamil hummed,” Aren’t you supposed to be a demon slayer? If the demon is this put off by the smallest amount of wisteria, slaying it should be easy.”

“SHUT UP!” the boy yelled,” If you think it's so easy, why don’t you do it?!”

The sparrow yelled at the boy in anger, telling him to shut up. But Jamil just laughed.

“Gladly,” he said,” Seems simple enough.”

Trey sighed.

“Jamil please don’t torture a demon again.”

“AGAIN?!”

“Why not?” Jamil asked playfully,” They deserve it, don’t they?”

“I’d rather you not waste some of our wisteria when we don’t have access to more currently,” Trey argued.

“Wait, wait, wait,” the boy frantically said as he stared at Jamil with wide eyes,” You’ve fought demons before?!”

“Of course I have Zenitsu,” Jamil replied in a condescending voice, like he was talking to a little kid who needed the same thing explained over and over again.

“AAAAAAAAH! HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?!”

Trey stared at Jamil with wide eyes. He knew his underclassmen knew significantly more about this situation than Trey did. But this was starting to get weird.

Jamil's eyes met Trey’s and his expression went serious.

“This is one of the slayers that fought Upper Moon 6 with Riddle,” Jamil explained.

Oh.

That explained a lot actually.

“Wait?! You two know Master Riddle?!” the sparrow cried.

“You know, I thought someone who faced Upper Moon 6 could handle such a low-level demon,” Jamil continued as his smirk came back,” How did someone like you survive, I wonder?”

“WHAT’S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?! AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU KNOW….?!”

A single slice cut Zenitsu off as a demon’s head rolled into view. Zenitsu screamed and hugged Trey even tighter, while Trey tried to look away from the corpse.

Because it was still a corpse.

Because it was still the carcass of a once living creature that bleeds and resembles a human and oh seven’s how used to seeing corpses was Riddle?

“Jeez, I was wondering where you went,” a new voice sighed.

Zenitsu’s grip was starting to suffocate Trey when the new person tugged the demon slayer off of him. It was another demon slayer, with a crow perched on their shoulder. Laughing at Zenitsu.

“I apologize for this one’s behavior,” the demon slayer said,” Are you both alright?”

“Ah, yes,” Trey replied,” Thank you.”

“Of course,” the demon slayer said while bowing,” It’s our job after all.”

The sparrow started muttering something to the crow while the demon slayer gave the duo a curious look.

“You both don’t look to be from around here,” the demon slayer commented,” What are you doing all of the way out here?”

“It’s….a long story,” Trey sighed.

He really did want to collapse on the ground and just sleep. Maybe explain everything in more detail in the morning.

And then….

He could look for Chenya, Cater, and Riddle.

Trey prayed to the sevens that they were all okay, as there was nothing he could do now. Riddle probably was.

Riddle was probably good with situations such as this.

“CAW!” the crow on the slayer’s shoulder cried,” Othersiders! Othersiders!”

“Other…. Oh!” the demon slayer exclaimed,” That explains the clothes.”

“They’re just rich….” Zenitsu mumbled.

“Please, allow me to escort you to the Wisteria House. It’s safe from demons,” the demon slayer offered,” I’ll explain the situation as we go.”

“That would be wonderful, thank you!” Trey replied,” May I ask for your name?”

“Of course. My name’s Yuu. What about you two?”

“Jamil Viper.”

“Trey Clover.”

“Oh such a world this is! Every blade of grass is new to me. The stars have been rearranged! Ah, what a magnifique display we’re privy to! If only I could view it with Roi du Poison!”

“Would it kill you to be quiet for 5 minutes?!”

Chenya’s ears flattened as he glared at Rook. The hunter simply gave the beastman a wide smile.

“Is it so wrong to admire scenery never seen before by our peers?” Rook asked.

One of Chenya’s eyes twitched, but he decided to no longer entertain Rook. There were way more important things right now.

Trey and Cater were nowhere to be seen.

Neither was Riddle.

They were all gone. Missing. Maybe miles and miles away.

In demon-infested land. Maybe already dead. Already attacked.

Already torn to shreds until all that is left is a bleeding mess.

Chenya rubbed the stinging raw skin where the demon had bitten. Careful not to pick, despite how tempting it was to scratch it. His anger wasn’t making it any easier.

He had to find his friends now. There was no time to wait.

“Oh, mon ami!”

Rook suddenly grabbed Chenya’s collar and pulled him back. Just in time to miss two jagged blades swinging at his neck. Chenya hissed while the thing that swung at him laughed. It was a boy wearing a boar's head. He was a human, right? That weird smell demons had wasn’t on the boy.

Actually it was really hard to catch the scent of him at all.

“What’s this? A human helping a demon?!” the boy cried,” You know that’s a demon, right?”

The boy pointed one of his blades at Chenya, causing the beastman to glare back.

“A demon he is not,” Rook reassured as he put himself between the two,” He is as human as I.”

Chenya deadpanned.

“Are you blind? Of course he’s a demon! I mean look at those ears and tail!” the boy pointed out,” Not to mention those slits in his eyes.”

“You’re one to talk,” Chenya snapped back,” You have the head of a boar!”

“It’s a trophy!” the boy huffed,” Now prepare to die, demon!”

The boy shot himself at Chenya, but was immediately grabbed by Rook. With a surprised yell, the boy turned around and yelled at Rook.

“Hey! What was that for!”

“Such a brash one you are,” Rook hummed,” I wish to ask some questions. That is all.”

“IT CAN WAIT!” the boy yelled.

The boy, out of a fit of annoyance, threw one of his blades at Chenya. Chenya barely dodged it, getting nicked in the neck as he did. Suddenly every breath and heartbeat was loud to his ears as he stared at the sword. Slowly, he brought his hand up to touch the cut as it dripped blood down his neck.

“But alas, it can not,” Rook sighed.

What is this idiot doing, Chenya thought.

“Is it true you can move your organs around in your body at will?” Rook asked.

“What the fuck,” Chenya muttered.

The boy with the boar head huffed in a prideful way as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“But of course!” the boy boasted,” It’s only natural when…. WAIT HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?!”

The two kept going back and forth, completely ignoring Chenya. Chenya took the opportunity to grab the sword and creep up a nearby tree. As far up as he possibly could. Just to stay out of view of the weird boar kid. Every movement was quiet. Careful as to keep the branches from moving too much under the weight of his body.

Neither hunter nor slayer noticed Chenya’s disappearance. Electing to rather continue their chat. Chenya sat there quietly for a while, glaring at the boy while trying to craft a plan. Something. Anything. So long as he could get to his friends he didn’t care what it was.

If any of them were even slightly injured…

Chenya could feel the grip on the blade tighten. This was taking too long. And he couldn’t leave Rook behind.

Then, maybe Chenya should just knock this slayer unconscious. Get rid of the problem now before it comes for his head again. But could that also cause problems?

Actually, this boy was a demon slayer. If he reacted to Chenya this way, what were the chances the other demon slayers would? How many of them knew of beastmen?

Or was this one just weird?

“Caw! Caw!”

Two crows flew through the trees and right passed Chenya’s hiding spot. One was easily recognizable as Kaname as he flew over to Rook and landed on his shoulder. The other started pecking the demon slayer’s head, causing the boy to cry out.

“Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!” the crow kept cawing,” What have we told you about othersiders!”

“Hey! Quit it!” the boy cried.

Rook gave Kaname a soft smile as the two bickered.

“It is good to see you’re alive,” Kaname said to Rook before looking over to where Chenya hid,” Both of you.”

Chenya grimaced upon realizing that maybe his hiding spot wasn’t so great.

Rook carefully petted the top of Kaname’s head while humming. The demon slayer grabbed the foot of his crow and growled at him in an almost comedic manner. His crow cried out in anger while trying to fly away.

“LISTEN YOU… YOU…. THERE’S A DEMON I NEED TO KILL AND I WILL NOT LET ANY OF YOU GET IN MY WAY ANYMORE! NOW WHERE DID IT GO!”

“HE’S NOT A DEMON!” his crow cried back.

Just then, flickers of orange lit the edges of the trees. Chenya winced at the sudden sunlight hitting his eyes. Every leaf flickered to life in the sudden warmth of the light. It moved so quickly. Drowning out all the darkness until not a single shadow fell upon their corner of the forest.

Rook’s soft smile suddenly turned smug. He gestured for Chenya to come down from the tree and turned his attention to the demon slayer.

“My, it seems dawn has come,” Rook stated.

“HUH?! Hm, guess the sun got to the demon first,” the demon slayer grumbled.

“Ah, but it did not.”

Chenya carefully made his way down the tree, allowing himself to become fully visible to the group. The demon slayer cried in alarm while his crow just sighed.

“For he is not a demon,” Rook continued,” And it would be much appreciated if you didn’t continue to accuse him as such.”

The demon slayer stared at Chenya in surprise, causing the beastman’s grip on the sword to tighten even more.

“Othersiders sometimes have animal features!” his crow cried,” You would know that if you actually listened to me!”

“I… That’s what you meant?!”

“YES!”

Rook strolled over to Chenya. A carefree smile stretched across his lips. Kaname barely seemed bothered by what was going on. As though he knew everything would be alright.

“How do you fare, Chat de Chesire?” Rook asked.

Chenya glared at Rook while taking a step away from the hunter. He really didn’t like Rook. Not after that display. Argued with the demon slayer an hour until the sun rose up. Not to mention the fact that Rook could not keep his mouth shut ever since they got here.

But Rook did force a standstill until the sun rose for Chenya’s sake. So he should at least be a little thankful about that.

Even if it wasted their time.

“Fine,” Chenya replied curtly before looking away.

His wound was starting to sting a bit, causing him to grow even more irritated. And every single thought in his mind was starting to grow jumbled. Maybe he was just tired. But Chenya doubted he could actually sleep any time soon.

Rook nodded at the reply.

The demon slayer let out a sudden groan in annoyance.

“Fine!” he huffed at his crow,” Hey you two!”

He pointed at Rook and Chenya, almost in an accusatory manner.

“If you’re both from the otherside, it’s my job to help you out!” the boy said,” But first, I’m hungry!”

Chenya’s stare went blank while Rook just seemed entertained.

“There’s a Wisteria House nearby! Come on!” the boy gestured for them to follow as he spoke,” I’ll figure out what to do with you two once we’re there!”

The way he said it made it clear. This boy did not want to deal with the two of them any longer if it kept him away from slaying demons. Good, Chenya thought. If it meant they could get away from this guy faster, then Chenya would gladly be left at this ‘Wisteria House’.

“Wait, GIVE ME MY SWORD BACK!”

Chenya groaned.

“Absolutely not.”

“Here you go, Master Shinobu,” a little old lady said,” I hope this is enough.”

“This is plenty, thank you.”

Najma was kneeling directly across from Shinobu as the little old lady gave them trays with multiple plates of food. Both girls were dressed in clothes Shinobu had called yukatas’ They were different from anything Najma had ever worn before. But she wasn’t uncomfortable wearing one. It was actually made her quite relaxed.

However, that might have been the entire vibe of the Wisteria House making it so.

Shinobu had led Najma here the second the demon slayer had figured out where they were. Of course, it was thanks to Kuroba that they figured it out so quickly.

Immediately, the owner of the place had greeted them and did what she could to help the two get comfortable. It was almost impressive how quickly the woman had fixed up everything for them.

That had been over an hour ago. Kuroba was gone, having been sent on his way to deliver a message to Oyakata-sama for Shinobu. It was just the two of them now. Alone. Thank goodness. There wasn’t anybody Najma wished to be around at the moment. But Shinobu was definitely the best choice out of everyone to be forced in a random location with.

Especially over Jamil.

She loved her brother, yes, but she really didn’t want to be around him right now.

Shinobu seemed to watch every move Najma made as the two ate in silence. So many types of food Najma wasn’t used to. It was so odd. But she wouldn’t complain. The more she got in her body, the more energy she’d have once she started training. Didn’t matter if the food was good or not.

It was really good though. So good Najma didn’t want to admit how quickly she was eating everything.

“We will make our way to the butterfly mansion tomorrow,” Shinobu said after a while,” Get as much rest as possible. This will not be a short trip.”

“Noted,” Najma mumbled,” Is it possible to get any training in today?”

“No,” Shinobu replied,” It’s already late as is. Training will only make tomorrow harder. Especially since your body isn’t used to it as of yet.”

Najma had to keep herself from grumbling. Why was Shinobu delaying her training now? They weren’t trying to figure out how to get to Night Raven anymore. And there was so little time left, wasn’t there? Her life was going to be short, so might as well take all the time she could to train.

Besides….

Najma could see, even now, how easily Jamil moved and fought. He knew what he was doing and he did it so well. As though he’d been fighting for years.

She needed to catch up.

She was not about to let Jamil of all people get ahead.

“Listen,” Shinobu sighed,” If you’re planning on using as much time as possible to train, I’m not going to let you. Knowing when to rest is just as important as knowing when to train. A perfect balance of sorts. Everybody has different schedules that will work for them, but rest will always be in there.”

Shinobu’s eyes seemed to stop focusing, as though she were thinking about something else.

“Even those of you who are so determined not to will learn,” she muttered,” Whether or not you learn that the easy or hard way, in the end, is entirely up to you.”

They ate in silence for the rest of their meal. Najma didn’t bring up training again, despite how sour her mood had become. Shinobu would every so often eye Najma curiously, but the girl just ignored it.

She still preferred Shinobu over everybody else, despite the fact that Iguro would have let Najma train tonight.

The little old lady came in once again to gather the dishes and trays before leaving once more. Shinobu was about to move to prepare for bed before she eyed Najma one last time.

“This isn’t about your brother being ahead of you, is it?”

Najma tried to hide her surprise. How did Shinobu even figure that part out?

It was just enough for Shinobu to catch on. She sighed before kneeling in front of Najma once again.

“You’re not that far behind, so you have nothing to worry about. While I admit, I’m surprised at where he’s at. You would be where he is too if you learned something he did first.”

Najma’s ears perked a little. Well isn’t that interesting?

“It won’t take long for you to catch up if you learn it now as well,” Shinobu stated,” However, that is not a tonight thing.”

It was as though Shinobu had sensed the sudden rise in Najma’s mood just to shoot it down. Najma glared at Shinobu, though not that hard of a glare. Just something to make sure Shinobu knew Najma was upset.

“Well why not? Is it a specific technique that takes up hours to figure out in one sitting?”

Shinobu nodded.

“It takes a while for someone to get used to it if they even figure it out at all.”

“Can you at least tell me what it is?”

Shinobu shook her head.

“You’ll just spend the entire night trying to figure it out,” Shinobu argued.

“And how exactly would I do that?” Najma argued back,” I can’t exactly try any fighting techniques or training techniques here without you yelling at me about it.”

Shinobu snickered, as though Najma had hit the nail on the coffin. She did not argue back, however.

“Please,” Najma begged,” Can you at least show me it.”

A smirk almost took over Shinobu’s smile while Najma begged once again.

“Fine, I’ll tell you,” Shinobu said,” But you have to promise you’ll go to bed after this.”

Najma nodded her head rapidly, almost a little too excitedly. It made Shinobu giggle a little.

“Alright,” she said,” This is an old technique passed down from the first demon slayers. It helps enhance all abilities in the user and allows them to fight on par with demons.”

Najma held her breath as Shinobu listed off more and more benefits to the technique, never once giving a hint as to what it could be. It dragged on Najma’s curiosity, making her fidget more and more as it grew.

“All those benefits,” Shinobu concluded as her smirk suddenly grew,” As long as you learn to breathe a certain way.”

“Excuse me?”

“Be careful on your journey!” A random swordsmith called out.

The person pulling the wagon gave the swordsmith a thumbs up. Multiple swordsmiths were surrounding the wagon, saying their farewells to Riddle and Vil. Vil was sitting in one of the corners, making himself as comfortable as possible for the long journey. Especially since they had to have blindfolds and nose plugs on. Anything to keep the two from finding their way back on their own.

Vil was starting to understand why the villagers were so panicked by his sudden appearance. There was no way Vil was supposed to know this place existed, let alone where it was located.

Riddle was sitting in the center of the wagon as one of the swordsmiths handed him a couple of bags. The swordsmith didn’t say a word, but Riddle’s expression spoke of his familiarity with the man. After a while, the wagon started on its way. Their senses were covered other than their ability to hear or speak. Allowing for a very odd feeling for Vil.

Hopefully Riddle was lying down and getting some rest.

“Vil,” Riddle said.

Oh of course he wouldn’t.

“Go to sleep, Potato.”

“You said Tokit….Muichiro had fought Upper Moon 5. What was it like?” Riddle asked.

Vil hummed a bit, deciding on whether or not to answer. This was going to be a long trip, wasn’t it? Riddle had plenty of time to rest.

And Vil definitely needed a distraction.

“I’ll tell you only if you tell me about your fight with Upper Moon 4,” Vil replied,” That includes every injury you sustained, understood?”

There was slight movement from the fabric under Riddle, as though he nodded his head.

“Alright.”

Chapter Text

It was hard to tell how long they’d been on the road. Riddle just knew that he was in a constant state of falling in and out of consciousness. With aching muscles that only seemed to cry in pain the longer he lay in the wagon. Every bump in the path only made it worse.

And he couldn’t see anything.

And he couldn’t smell a thing.

And his sense of touch was taking over, making him so much more aware of every injury he sustained.

If only he could move around to distract himself. Maybe a couple of laps around the Butterfly Mansion or destroying some of the training dummies Aoi was so insistent he stopped destroying. Yes, that would be nice. Riddle could feel his hand twitch, wanting to grab his sword.

But alas, they were sitting with his other stuff, down at his feet.

And if he moved to grab them, Vil would surely notice.

“You can take your blindfold off now,” the Kakushi pulling the wagon said,” We’re close enough to the Butterfly Mansion that it doesn’t matter if you keep it on.”

Both boys rushed to take off the noise plugs and blindfolds. Light littered through the overgrowth, blinding Riddle. But as he got used to the light once again, he noticed something off about Vil. The boy’s hair was messy, and his accessories weren’t perfectly in place.

Vil ignored the boy’s stare, choosing to instead watch the scenery ahead of him.

Before long, walls came into view. They weren’t very tall. But they surrounded a very large area. A decent distance away, hidden behind the walls, was a massive building Vil could only assume was the Butterfly Mansion.

Mansion was quite the accurate term, Vil realized. The entire place was massive.

There was an entrance to the mansion just up ahead. As the Kakushi brought the duo to it, a young girl poked her head through. She had stern eyes, and black pigtails held up by blue butterfly clips. There was slight confusion swirling in her blue irises, especially when they met Vil’s.

But his eyes stayed on the butterfly clips.

Vil nudged Riddle slightly, causing him to stir.

“Hm? What’s the wagon for?” the girl asked,” And who’s that?”

Riddle’s eyes widened.

“Sorry about this,” the Kakushi sighed,” There was a demon attack at the swordsmith village and some of the demon slayers were injured pretty badly. This was just the easiest way to transport them with as little trouble as possible.”

A quiet groan escaped Riddle’s lips as he struggled to sit up. He couldn’t even push himself up. Vil wanted to tell Riddle to stay down so he could rest. But there was an emotion Vil could see behind the exhaustion. So, carefully Vil helped Riddle sit up.

“That doesn’t look like a demon slayer to….,” the girl said before she went dead silent.

The broom in her hand fell to the ground as her eyes widened. They stared at the mess of red hair and the grey eyes that stared back. A soft, strained smile appeared on Riddle’s lips as his entire expression softened.

Tears started to form in those blue eyes as the girl gestured for the Kakushi to bring the wagon in.

“In! Now!” was all she managed to demand without her voice cracking.

The girl was quick in getting everyone into the mansion, giving Vil no time to admire the place. Her voice stayed demanding as the Kakushi brought Riddle inside. Carefully, the man held Riddle. As though the boy were so very fragile. Vil grabbed all of Riddle’s stuff and was instructed to follow the Kakushi. He did as he was told with not a single word escaping him.

The girl grabbed a bunch of medical equipment before they made it to their destination. It was on the second floor of the mansion. A large room decorated with small things. Photographs in black and white of a smiling family and small figures clearly hand-crafted.

Riddle was placed in the bed, his bed, before the girl started getting to work. The Kakushi left soon after, wishing the trio the best before heading to where he was needed.

The girl didn’t need to say a word. Riddle knew what to do, and the girl knew he did. Everything was done silently with shaky hands as she tended to his wounds. As time went on further, the girl’s hold on herself started to slip. Before she knew it, she had to stop. Just so her shaking hands couldn’t make things worse.

“Aoi…” Riddle mumbled, his voice strained.

“Quiet,” Aoi demanded,” Save your energy. You need it to heal…”

Her voice drifted away, struggling to get the last word even out. Tears dripped from her eyes, no matter how hard she tried to keep them in. They trailed down her cheeks and fell onto her hands. Riddle’s expression became somber as he slowly pushed himself to sit up. Aoi tried to stop him, but he ignored her for a brief second.

“Vil, can you please get Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho for me?” Riddle asked.

Vil nodded his head, albeit a bit hesitant.

“Thank you,” Riddle replied,” They all have little butterfly clips.”

Vil quickly placed Riddle’s stuff down and left the room, sensing that he wasn’t wanted at that moment. It left both Riddle and Aoi completely alone. Allowing the girl to finally let everything slip out of her grasp. The tears couldn’t stop as she hugged Riddle tightly, scared that he would disappear once again if she let go.

Riddle hugged back as best he could, allowing Aoi the time she needed. For a while, they stayed there, with only the sound of Aoi’s sobs filling the room. But, slowly, she calmed her own breathing down. Just enough to speak.

“You… Do you have any idea how scared you made everyone?” she asked,” We thought you were gone. We thought you died.”

“I know,” Riddle said, his voice soft,” I’m sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t going to cut it,” Aoi tried not to shout,” Sorry isn’t going to take away all of the pain. And it isn’t going to make me any less scared…”

She was shaking as she raised her head up, allowing her eyes to fully meet Riddle’s. Aoi’s grip on his sleeve tightened.

“You’re really here, aren’t you,” she mumbled,” What Oyakata-sama said was true and I’m not just seeing things?”

Riddle shook his head.

“I’m right here, Aoi,” he said,” And I promise I won’t disappear like that again.”

Aoi huffed as she whipped her tears away, trying to hide away the tears once again. To appear tuff and annoyed, easily being betrayed by the wavering in her own voice. Hesitantly, she let her grip go and crossed her arms.

“You better never do that again,” she replied,” And you better not try anything funny now that you’re back. Trust me, I’ll make sure you don’t try overexerting yourself while you're still healing.”

Riddle smiled as the temptation to tease her started to form. But he refrained. Two months didn’t change a thing. Aoi was still the same Aoi he knew. Right down to her stubborn core.

That stubborn core that was always there for him, and will continue to be.

That stubborn person who had been hurt so much because of him, whether or not he had any say in it.

“I won’t,” he promised.

A faint smile crossed Aoi’s lips.

“Good,” she said.

“Riddle!”

Three little girls ran into the room, all adorning different colored tiny butterfly clips. Each one had tears in their eyes as they hugged the injured boy.

“We’re so happy you’re safe!” Sumi cried.

“We were so worried!” Kiyo cried.

“Please don’t leave us like that again!” Naho cried.

Vil stood at the door, watching everything unfold. All of the tears and all of the pain. And through it all, Riddle has a soft smile. One that told Vil so much.

He was so happy to be home.

Vil took a step back, preparing to allow the group some more privacy, when he noticed another girl at the end of the hallway. He recognized her. She had helped him find the little girls far quicker. But what was she doing over there?

The girl was leaning up against the corner, her back turned towards Vil. A single ponytail on the side of her head was held by a familiar pink butterfly clip. It was just like the one Upper Moon 2 was holding in Ume’s memory. As Vil walked up to the girl, he noticed an almost melancholic look in her eyes. But it was well hidden.

Too well, Vil thought. It almost reminded him of himself.

And Neige, to an extent.

“Do you need something?” Vil asked.

The girl snapped out of her trance and looked up at Vil.

“Yes,” she replied,” We have rooms set up for othersiders. I’m here to guide you there and help you settle down.”

Vil’s eyes widened. They had rooms and everything prepared just for this. He couldn’t say he was exactly surprised. If the portal demon had existed for the past 8 years, he had no doubt this was a semi-normal occurrence to house people from the other side.

But that made him wonder. How were they aware of who had been brought over? The crow had called out specific names. How were they so sure Professor Crewel or Cater hadn’t been brought over? Or anyone else for that matter. This world didn’t have magic, so he couldn’t explain it with that.

It was odd, and Vil didn’t like how it made his skin crawl.

Actually, Vil thought, he didn’t like any of this.

“I see,” he said,” Lead the way then.”

“Oh Roi du Poison! How joyous of a day! To see your most beautiful face once more!” Rook cried out once the Housewarden was reunited with his right-hand man,” It is a pleasure to know you are well and unharmed! How chanceuse!”

It took a few days for everyone to be brought to the Butterfly Mansion. All of them were gathered in one of the larger rooms in the mansion, allowing everyone to keep their personal space. Rook had immediately gone to invade Vil’s and hug him (not that Vil minded) just as soon as Rook saw the Housewarden, making the few people who weren’t othersiders slightly uncomfortable.

The boy with the boar head was making that well known.

“WOULD YOU STOP DOING THAT?! It’s weird!” Inosuke yelled.

Rook simply smiled in a teasing manner before giving his undivided attention to Vil once again.

Chenya also swooped in to hug Trey the first chance he got. The beastman gave a tight hug, startling Trey.

“I already hate this place,” Chenya mumbled.

Trey let out a quiet laugh.

“It’s good to see you’re doing well.”

“As well as I could be,” Chenya sighed, barely resisting the urge to scratch his wound,” This thing is taking too long to heal.”

“I’m sure it will heal soon,” Trey reassured.

Chenya grumbled.

“It would do you all well to behave,” Shinobu said to Inosuke.

Her voice alone seemed to quiet the room, demanding attention with ease. Despite the demand, her voice was still sweet. All attention was now on her. Even Rook stopped to pay attention to her.

She moved outside of the group, giving herself some room. There was much to be done with these othersiders, and much that still needed to be said.

Hopefully, Oyakata-sama would tell what to do with these othersiders soon. Because it was clear he wanted something from them. Or, at least there was something different that needed to be done with them before sending them back through the portal.

Shinobu prayed with every passing second that a crow would fly in and tell her everything as soon as possible. However, she guessed she could be patient. These were Riddle’s friends after all.

Yuu fidgeted nervously, keeping themselves near Jamil and Najma. They did not feel as though they belonged in this room. As if sensing their discomfort, Shinobu gave Yuu a sweet smile.

“Thank you for bringing them here,” she said,” You are dismissed.”

Yuu nodded their head a little too quickly before leaving the room. Shinobu then glared at Inosuke.

“You too.”

Inosuke huffed in annoyance and crossed his arms.

“I’m not leaving,” he declared,” Not until I get some answers!”

“I’m sorry, but everything that is about to be discussed may be classified. Therefore you can not be here,” Shinobu explained, before her smile grew,” I’m sure Tanjiro will be back soon, so why don’t you go out and wait for him?”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Everyone jolted in surprise as a woman with white hair made herself known.

She was beautiful, with long hair held up in a ponytail and sharp purple eyes. They held little emotion. Showing nothing at all. However, Vil found that, unlike Shinobu’s, those eyes didn’t seem to hide anything. They were completely empty, no mask needed.

Two children followed behind her, each with the same shade of white hair and the same eyes as the woman. And all of them wore floral kimonos, with the children matching. Making them indistinguishable if not for the different hair clips.

Though those were only different in color.

“Lady Amane,” Shinobu said in surprise,” I apologize, I did not know you were coming.”

“That is quite alright, Lady Shinobu,” Amane replied,” I was told the othersiders have arrived, so I’ve come to speak with them. Although, it seems we are not the only visitors that wished to see them.”

As she spoke, Nezuko’s head popped out from behind the door frame. Chenya immediately froze up at the sight. He could smell what she was, and her heartbeat was different. Yet nobody seemed bothered. And Chenya knew he couldn’t do anything about demons. So, he moved himself in front of Trey.

If she attacked, then Trey could get away.

Trey was confused until he realized Nezuko didn’t have any beastman feature other than the slit eyes.

“Huh?! What’s Nezuko doing without her muzzle?” Inosuke asked.

“More friends of Riddle!” Nezuko beamed, before running around the room.

She took Jamil’s hand and shook it, startling him a bit. He didn’t realize she was this friendly when she was awake.

Nor did he know she could speak as a demon. But, then again, this was his first time seeing her without her muzzle.

Nezuko gave Najma a confused look before shaking her hand anyway. When she ran up to Chenya and Trey, Chenya took a step back and glared at Nezuko. Nezuko got the message, but it didn’t seem to bother her. She, instead, ran over to Rook and shook his hand.

“Oh bonjour!” Rook beamed, matching Nezuko’s enthusiasm,” It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, mademoiselle.”

Nezuko nodded her head before turning toward Vil.

“Schoenheit! More frields!” Nezuko beamed.

Vil couldn’t help but smile, earning a curious stare from everyone around him.

“Yes, more friends.”

“Nezuko, why don’t you bring Inosuke to Tanjiro,” Shinobu suggested.

If Nezuko was here, Tanjiro surely was. No waiting needed.

Hopefully.

Nezuko nodded her head. Inosuke was perplexed for a moment, debating on whether or not to stay. But a smile from Nezuko convinced him to follow. He would get his answers later anyway. Right now, he was going to go say hi to Tanjiro.

“This meeting may take a while,” Amane said as Inosuke left,” So please, take a seat.”

They did as they were told. Shinobu grabbed cushions for everyone to sit or kneel on, giving the best ones to Amane and her children.

It seemed chairs were a bit scarcer in this world, Vil thought. Or at least it was more customary not to use them.

Once they were all settled, Shinobu bowed to Amane and was about to leave .However, Amane stopped her.

“This may concern you as well, Lady Shinobu.”

So she kneeled too.

“My name is Amane Ubuyashiki and I would like to welcome you all to our world, on behalf of Oyakata-sama,” Amane started,” Due to the fact that a demon was the one to send you here, it will be our responsibility to make sure all of you are taken care of. All food and essentials will be handled by the Kakushi. If there is anything you need, please ask them.”

Vil could immediately think of a few things he would ask for. But realistically, those would take a while to get here. And Vil was starting to run out of patients. I mean, how few people have basic makeup and makeup wipes here? They must have something. It was bad enough that Vil had to settle for just soap and water to clean his face for the past few days. If he has to do that any longer, Vil may just explode.

At least Rook is the only one to have noticed. He too, lacked any makeup. But it didn’t seem to bother him. Not to the same degree as Vil.

Vil had to hold back a sigh. He hoped to the sevens this side’s portal demon would be found soon.

“And I would like to sincerely apologize,” Amane said as she bowed,” As of a few days ago, the portal demon has been killed.”

Shinobu looked at Amane with wide eyes. As did everyone in the room. Vil could feel his heart sink. The demon’s been killed? Their only known way to go back is gone? Dead. Head sliced clean off. Their way home has been taken right out from under them and they were all none the wiser.

“Was the demon not in our possession?” Shinobu asked,” Who killed it?”

“It was a direct order,” Amane explained,” We could not risk keeping it alive any longer.”

Couldn’t risk it?! Vil could feel himself shaking in anger, but he kept his composure. He’s sure they had their reasons. But that didn’t take away what that meant for Vil. What that meant for Rook, Trey, and Chenya.

Vil gave a quick glance over at Trey and Chenya. More than anything, they seemed confused. Though they were slowly putting some pieces together. Chenya looked miserable.

But they had no idea.

They had no idea they were all stuck here. Far away from anyone they loved. Far away from their home. An impossible rift had been crossed and their only path back over was taken away in an instant.

They were stuck.

He was stuck.

And there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

A soft hand wrapped itself around Vil’s and lightly squeezed it. That hand too was shaking. Asking for just as much comfort as it was giving. He didn’t even need to look to know it was Rook’s. And it was a small reminder that made him guilty of his next thought.

At least he wasn’t alone.

“What do you mean by that?” Jamil asked.

“We’ve been sending othersiders back through the portal ever since we acquired the demon,” one of the children explained,” As of now, very few othersiders remain here. Most of them sit in this very room.”

That grabbed Jamil’s attention. Most of them? There were more othersiders that weren’t called for? Weren’t named by the crows.

As if reading his mind, the other child spoke.

“All othersiders have been accounted for and are safe,” she explained,” Those who weren’t at the time of the portal demon’s death, the demon slayers were on the lookout for.”

“It just so happens you were all found immediately,” the first child finished.

“That still doesn’t explain the risk,” Jamil said.

Shinobu glared at Jamil as if she was insulted by his attitude.

“If we let that demon live any longer, horrible things may have happened,” Amane explained,” A dangerous monster would have come to this side. A demon from your own side with ebony black horns. If Muzan were to get his hands on that creature, this world would collapse into a sea of green flames.”

Ah, so they were afraid of Malleus. Jamil couldn’t exactly blame them. With how powerful Malleus was, if Muzan were to get his hands on him things would go south very quickly. Although, now that Jamil thought about it, how did they know about Malleus at all?

“You wish for them to stay here for the foreseeable future then,” Shinobu stated.

“Yes,” Amane replied,” Until their world finds a way to take them back.”

“And how do you know they can?” Jamil asked,” Magic has its limits. I imagine this task would take quite some time to complete, even for the most powerful of mages.”

“Oui,” Rook agreed,” Transportation between worlds is not a field well studied if studied at all.”

Amane raised an eyebrow in confusion. Shinobu turned to stare at Rook, not letting her confusion show. But she was perplexed. What did they mean it wasn’t studied?

“I’m sorry, was it not your world that took Riddle?” Amane asked, voicing Shinobu’s own thoughts,” It was reported by the Snake Hashira that the carriage that kidnapped Riddle was from your world. He even had it confirmed by one of the locals.”

Vil took a deep breath to compose himself, before speaking in a voice he forced not to crack.

“The dark mirror is in charge of bringing the students to Night Raven,” he explained,” But it can only do so for those who apply and are accepted. While it’s clear now the students themselves don’t have to be the ones to fill out the paperwork, an individual can only be accepted once. And students who are already accepted to a rival school can’t be accepted ever.”

Nothing Vil said seemed to take away the confusion of Amane or Shinobu, but Trey and Chenya started to fully understand. Horror filtered through their eyes. Chenya’s nails dug deeper into raw skin, shooting a burning pain through his entire arm.

This was real.

This was actually real.

Vil sighed, trying not to sound annoyed.

“The mirror, the thing that brought Riddle to our world, is a one-time use per person,” he explained,” Most of us have already been summoned by the mirror, and Chenya isn’t allowed to be. Therefore, Najma would be the only one who can go back.”

Shinobu’s eyes widened, but so did her smile. She didn’t say it out loud, lord knows they’d be mad with her if she did. But she was glad that this was the situation with the mirror.

It meant that vile woman couldn’t get her hands on Riddle again.

“Not that I want to,” Najma mumbled.

“The mirror is quite the fascinating artifact,” Rook hummed,” Even to the highest of scholars, not much about its full capabilities is known. Just how it can help Night Raven.”

“I see,” Amane said in a quiet voice,” Then we shall help you get used to this world and make sure you can make it on your own if the worst is to come.”

Amane bowed, and her children followed.

They left soon after, allowing silence to enter. Not a single person dared utter a word. Simple horror held them all in place, and in their own mind. Every connection they ever made and every person they ever met was gone. Far away and they didn’t know if they’d ever get that back. This world was unknown and unpredictable. And yet they had to deal with this with very little familiarity.

Vil started to understand how Ume and Gyutaro probably felt when they first entered the spectral realm.

And how Riddle felt when he was too young to understand how hostile his environment was.

But, unlike them, this group will have assistance.

And a friend.

“So,” Najma said, breaking the silence,” When does training start?”

Both Trey and Chenya looked at Najma in confusion. Neither Jamil nor Najma seemed fazed by any of this information, but Jamil looked as though he had at least a little sympathy.

Why sympathy, Chenya and Trey thought.

Shinobu’s smile wavered.

“That will depend,” Shinobu hummed,” I’m not the best when it comes to training. And, frankly, I don’t think Riddle’s in the best condition to help.”

That earned a few confused and panicked looks, but Shinobu ignored it.

“So I’ll have to ask one of the other Hashira for assistance,” she continued before tilting her head,” I could ask Uzui. He still owes ....”

She stopped as she suddenly sat up, alert. There was yelling in the hallway. Arguing that seemed completely one-sided. It was starting to get louder, and both Vil and Shinobu started to recognize the voices. With a sigh, Shinobu stood up and opened the door.

“I only do this 'cause you don’t listen! Now put me down or…..”

“Shinobu, I was looking for you.”

Riddle was standing in front of the door, holding Aoi in one of his arms. From the annoyance on both of their faces, it was clear they had been arguing for a while.

As long as it took for Riddle to go from his room to here, Shinobu had no doubt about it.

“Riddle, put Aoi down,” Shinobu demanded,” What are you doing out of bed?”

“I heard everyone was here, so I wanted to see them,” Riddle replied.

Shinobu glared at Riddle as if she was ready to lecture him. But she sighed instead.

Rook’s smile grew at Riddle’s voice, knowing the redhead was okay before a familiar scent hit him. It wasn’t strong, but it told Rook enough. As did Vil’s annoyed expression. So, Rook stood up and walked up behind Shinobu.

So did Vil. Chenya, Trey, and Jamil were about to follow, but Vil signaled to them not to.

“I would have brought them to you once everything was sorted out,” Shinobu stated.

“Oh Monsieur!” Rook greeted, making himself known to Riddle.

Multiple different emotions flew across Riddle’s face at once. Relief, worry, and sudden fear when Riddle realized who exactly was standing right in front of him.

“Riddle, you said you wouldn’t overexert yourself,” Vil lectured,” You promised your sister.”

“Yeah!” Aoi yelled.

“I’m not,” Riddle replied,” I just walked over here and picked Aoi up when she tried stopping me.”

“Overexerting can mean many things depending on the condition of the individual,” Rook hummed as he took another step towards Riddle,” Considering your condition, it isn’t far-fetched to say this was too much.”

“Riddle, what did you do?” Jamil asked.

The sudden flash of a smile on Riddle’s lips did not go unnoticed by those around him.

“I’m fine. You have nothing to worry about.”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Jamil pointed out.

The silence was telling. Riddle took a minute to try and find a response that would be true but not sound so bad. But when he finally did, both Shinobu and Rook looked terrified.

Riddle did not like that look when it came from Shinobu.

“I’ll head back to my room but all of you are coming back with me.”

Riddle’s room was more spacious than Jamil expected. Everyone was able to fit in easily (Minus Shinobu. She left to take care of other matters), making themselves comfortable wherever they could. Which, in the end, was around Riddle’s bed.

The copious amounts of bandages wrapped around Riddle’s body made it hard not to ask about what happened again. But he refrained. Riddle would tell him later if he wished to, Jamil told himself.

And Riddle was already being swarmed enough as is.

Vil, Rook, and Aoi all kept an eye on the boy as if a single movement would be the end of him.

“Can I at least sit up?” Riddle asked.

“No,” All three of them replied immediately, earning a glare from Riddle. Albeit not a strong one.

It was quite the odd sight, Najma thought.

It was a horrifying sight, Chenya thought. All those bandages and that sleepless expression seemed to burn themselves into Chenya’s mind. So many injuries, and yet Chenya couldn’t smell a single one of them. Just the fragrance of wisteria.

It messed with every one of his senses, knowing he couldn’t trust just one.

What exactly happened these past 3 days?

A casual conversation was struck, as Riddle checked in with every single one of them. None of them bothered to explain anything in detail to Riddle. Just that they were fine now, and that being in a new world is quite the experience.

But nothing was explained about the fear or stress.

Nor that they were all stranded.

The air stayed stress-free to Riddle and Riddle alone. Aoi could tell.

Riddle could not.

Jamil’s gaze hardened. Just how bad was Riddle’s condition?

Jamil unconsciously grabbed onto his necklace as memories of Riddle’s past wounds flashed through his mind. It didn’t go unnoticed by Najma, and it made her feel a little odd. Jamil was concerned about a friend who was hurt.

A friend he gained while their family was brutally torn apart.

Najma turned away before she could feel too bitter about it.

“Jamil, Najma,” Riddle called out, grabbing the duo’s attention,” If you don’t mind, I’d like for you to both start training tomorrow.”

That earned a few glares, but Riddle signaled to let him finish.

“Jamil is at a point where he just needs to repeat a lot of exercises before I need to really introduce him to anything new. He can help Najma get started with a few things. All they really need is supervision to make sure they do things correctly,” Riddle explained,” I just need to be there to watch.”

Aoi looked completely unconvinced, so Riddle continued.

“And I doubt anybody will be available to help,” Riddle pointed out,” The Hashira will be busy soon and I have no doubt everybody who isn’t injured will be too.”

There was something foreboding in the way Riddle spoke. As if the future painted itself right in front of him. It brought about a chilling feeling among all those who heard it.

“What are you insinuating, Monsieur Butterfly?” Rook asked.

“There is only one weakness that can kill any demon. The power of the sun. Our blades harness that power, but only on a smaller scale. And wisteria can imitate that power and use it as poison. If that weakness were to suddenly disappear, there is absolutely nothing that can stop demons. Not even the end of the world.”

Both Vil and Aoi’s eyes widened as they suddenly realized where this was going.

“Muzan holds the power to gain any ability that demons gain, so long as he consumes them,” Riddle explained,” So, if any demon were to gain resistance to the sun, Muzan can too.”

Flashes of pink-slitted eyes met Jamil’s as he thought back to earlier. He’d never seen Nezuko without her muzzle, and Tanjiro’s memories had insinuated that it was necessary. To keep her from caving into Muzan’s influence. So she could resist the hunger for human blood.

Yet she didn’t even look at Chenya’s wound. Not even for a second.

“I have no doubt in my mind that something big will occur soon, maybe within the next year,” Riddle mumbled,” Muzan’s been patient for the past thousand years for this moment. I have no doubt he’ll be patient enough to hit us with a devastating blow.”

“Riddle, what do you mean?” Trey asked.

Riddle turned his head to look Trey dead in the eye, with a far too cold of an expression for chills not to run down his spine.

“Nezuko, a demon in our possession, has gained immunity to the sun.”

A pit fell in Vil’s stomach. He hadn’t realized what he witnessed meant that much. Was that drastic. Nezuko’s survival that day may have been a miracle then.

But now…

It made Vil feel sick, how an innocent individual’s survival dictated the turning point of a war.

Especially someone so young.

“We will start training when the sun rises tomorrow morning,” Riddle said,” I hope you both will be ready.”

Both Jamil and Najma looked at Riddle with newfound determination in their eyes. If the worst battle in the history of the Demon Slayer corps was what they were going to prepare for, then by the seven’s they would do their best.

For their mother, for their father, andfor everyone who suffered from Muzan’s reign.

“Understood,” they both replied.

A smirk spread across Riddle’s lips.

“Good.”

The night brought a cool breeze that didn’t help the chills that ran down Vil’s spine. And the moon seemed to glare at him with a cold beauty. Making him all the more aware of every sound that wasn’t coming from himself or Rook.

Still, the gardens around the Butterfly mansion were beautiful, and they helped soothe Vil’s mind. Even if it was just enough to let him think.

Of everything. About all the shit they all just went through and will go through. His beauty sleep suffered heavily from it, and he had nothing to cover it with. A simple walk on protected land was all he could count on to help.

A simple walk with the only person who could read him.

“I am forever here to listen to your woes, Roi du Poison,” Rook stated,” This situation is not one that you can risk keeping everything in.”

“I know,” Vil replied,” It’s not something I wish for anyone to hear.”