"So, she's decided to stick with that side for quite some time now, hasn't she?" Yuki said as they sat in History. It had been three weeks since Yuri had left the group and started hanging out with the others.
"I don't know why she won't talk to us. I didn't even say anything that would normally make her mad!"
"She's a loose cannon, Daisuke. Perhaps we don't need her."
"Don't say that!" Ryuku said. "Our faire and beautiful maiden has turned into the ways of the dark. How are we suppose to survive without her."
"Ryuku, if you're a year older than us, why are you in the same History class as us?"
"Because, I purposely signed up for last year's History so I can hang out with you guys in class."
"You're jeopardizing your entire future just to hang with us?" Yuki said. "Not the smartest move in the world."
"Well, if we don't all work together to fight, I don't think any of us is going to have a future to live. We need to know what's going to happen together, otherwise, Kagori can over take us."
"I agree with Ryuku, even if he did wreck his future." Daisuke said with a nod.
"I didn't wreck it!" Ryuku exclaimed in a loud whisper. "I did it to save humanity."
"Question is, how are we going to get her back?" Daisuke questioned.
"I say we don't even try to attempt to get her back. If she wants to come back, than that's her own business."
"As much as she deserve those words, I think we should cut her some slack, and give her some grace." Ryuku said.
"You're only saying that because you like her." Yuki said.
"And you're point is…?" he grinned at her.
The two had kept on talking about Ryuku's crush on Yuri as Daisuke thought about her. What was she doing with that group? What could she possibly be thinking? They were changing her, and she wasn't even aware of it. They changed her drastically on the first day. How could she even consider hanging out with them?
He looked in her direction, sitting in a different seat then usual. One that was next to Lily. The two had seemed to be the closest out of the group. Like they were best friends or something like that. Daisuke looked away, knowing that whatever they were talking about couldn't be very good.
Yuri looked back at Lily who was smiling a little as she stopped peeking a look in Daisuke's general direction.
"Is he done staring at you?" Lily asked.
"Yeah. He's been staring at me for the last couple of weeks lately. I don't know why, but he doesn't seem to like you guys very much." Yuri answered.
"He's not like you. He can't look past the fact that we've talk to Kagori. He can't see that we're not going to do anything bad."
"I know. He's a complete pain sometimes."
"You have to admit though, you miss him, don't you?"
"Yeah, a little." She admitted
Around Lily, Yuri didn't have to hide anything. She felt comfortable around her. Yuri didn't know why she felt so at ease when she talked to her, but it's like she'd known her for years, maybe a lifetime. She felt more comfortable around her than she did around Kori, which was really strange.
"If you miss him, why don't you just go back?" Lily asked.
"Because, I'm second rate with that group. With you guys, you treat me like an individual, but at the same time, you treat me the same as everybody else. I'm just the loser of the group over there."
"But they're your friends, aren't they?"
"They pretend to be." She said, sneering and giving Daisuke, who was looking in her direction, a glare from hell.
Hakito had seen the whole thing from his seat. Lily was doing perfect. She was really befriending Yuri. If she could do it well enough, she could get Yuri to spill the beans on Daisuke's weakness. Even better, Yuri might even join them. If that was to happen, Hakito could use her as a weakness. Knowing Daisuke he wouldn't dare lay a finger on Yuri, even if it meant throwing away his life.
Daisuke was strange. He was a soft person, but he could be harder and colder than any demon if he needed to be. Although, Hakito had never seen a case where he needed to be. But something gave Hakito that feeling… something deep inside him resided something strong, and powerful. He didn't know if it was spiritual strength, or if it was something else, but Hakito had known not to get too close into that kind of thing or try to upset him enough to send it out.
Ryuku was another person who was a mystery. He had been pretty closed. He never spoke of himself. It was as if nobody really knew much about him, but still hung out with him anyway. Even his personality was mixed up. It was like he was two different people at times. The cool, laid-back Ryuku; and then the Yuri-loving, odd speaking Ryuku. Was it possible to be two different people?
Yuki had been pretty open and easy to read. A hard person who could stand nothing than what she had believed in. If she needed to fight, she didn't hesitate to throw down. She had a bit of an attitude once in a while, but nothing that all that uncontrollable.
It was a pretty diverse group, not to mention those who weren't Demon Hunters. Hakito had tried to do his best to study all of them, searching for something to use against Daisuke. Something that he could use to make him wish he had never even tried to pick a fight with Hakito (Slight exaggeration). But the more he studied, the harder it was to even just keep track of everything for everybody. And on top of his studies, it all felt like his head was going to explode.
Po looked at Daisuke, who looked like he was pouting. He looked cute like that. His lower lip slightly hanging out, and shoulders scrunched up like that… he was a cute guy who had to have a lot of money. Maybe Po could give him a ride for his money before she finished him off. He was a seemingly nice kid, but nothing she would try and protect. If he would cause a riot for her stealing his money, she would most certainly have to remove him off the face of the earth. No guy was going to give her trouble for doing something she loved.
Daisuke looked at the four. Something didn't seem right about Yuri hanging out with them. He thought that maybe they would turn her against him, but it had been three weeks since they even talked to him. They haven't given him any dirty looks lately, and they've just been plain out of the way. It was as if they didn't know who he was. Except for Yuri, who gave him the occasional glare of doom. But that was just Yuri being pissed.
Even though everything had made some sense, something deep down inside was telling Daisuke something different. Something that said bad things were on their way to come.
"Mr. President?" a secretary called. She peeked her head through his room, and saw the president of DHA hang up the phone, his face in disturbance.
"What is it Julia?"
"Um, there's somebody here for you."
"Send them in." he said, swiveling his chair in a 180 degree turn, facing the window. The president had been in America for almost six months now, and he was just living under a false name in San Francisco. He was always getting interrupted by some whiny employee of a friend's company, or a phone call from other staff members in DHA.
Julia had lead the person in, and closed the door. The drapes had then started to tear, and fall to the ground, as if they were cut by something.
"You're presence alone is indeed great, Kagori." The president of DHA had spoken.
"You know why I'm here."
"Must you come today? Of all days, this is the one you decide to visit me on. I'm a very tired man, Kagori, if you–"
"Do you think your sob story is going to catch interest for me? You can't weasel your way out of this one."
"Fine" the president had turned his chair around, facing Kagori, who had a look on his face. One that he, for some reason, couldn't have looked any stronger. It wasn't just his eyes, but the way he sat, the way he looked around. Everything about him had seemed a little too confident.
"I need to know where she is." Kagori said, starting to pace in front of the desk.
"Who?" The president asked.
"You know who. Hakura. That woman is sending Daisuke over to America, and is jeopardizing my mission."
"And why should I help you? We're enemies, are we not."
"But we both know that Daisuke and Hakura are a threat to the both of our mission. Surely, my mission isn't as clean or innocent as yours, but you know the two will work together to destroy it. Hakura hates your ways and methods, or did you forget that."
"No, that's all in mind."
"Then why don't you tell me where she is?" Kagori asked, sounding a for too sly, as if trying to befriend the president with a gentle voice.
"Because," the president answered, making the same fake-friendly accent. "If I did that, that would mean they wouldn't be able to finish you off."
"They're going to have to go through too much for them to destroy me before I kill you off."
"If you're going to kill me, why don't you do it right now?" the president bluffed.
Kagori drew his sword and made a slice towards the president. The entire wall behind the president had exploded with an unseen force, and all that stood left was a part of the wall in the shape of the president's body from the chest to the very hair that resided on his head. Kagori had purposely missed.
"If I wanted to kill you," Kagori started. "I would have done so a long time ago. You do realize that, don't you?"
"But of course."
"Another thing you must realize that your army isn't enough to stop me."
"Yes. I haven't forgotten about that."
"Then why battle? Shouldn't you give up, and just give me what I want?"
"And what is it that you want?"
"The location of Hakura. I know you know where she is. If you don't tell me, I swear I'll–"
"Kill me? And lose the only chance you have of finding her? Are you sure you want to throw all that away."
Kagori growled, and put his sword away. He took a couple steps away from the desk, and looked at the president.
"You know, there's that only reason I don't kill you with my bare hands right now."
"Am I suppose to think anything else?"
"What do you want with me!?" Kagori roared. "I know you're playing mind games with me! What is it you want from me!?"
"A partnership." The president had said in a casual tone.
"You have to be joking." Kagori said with a sneer after a pause and a thought in the whole thing. The president, his very enemy, wanted a partnership?
"No, I'm not joking." The president said with a slight frown. "I completely agree on the fact that we should have those two captured and killed. It's not safe for the economy. He's already killed off two kids, and we know who Hakura is."
"What… she is?" Kagori asked, staring into the president's eyes, making sure he had heard right.
"That's right." The president said. "You don't know, do you?"
"Know what?" Kagori demanded in a calm manner.
"It's best you don't find out, yet."
"You tell me what you're talking about or–"
"You'll lose all information you need to find her and see for yourself what I have to say is true? I think not." The president had grinned, seeing Kagori in a lower state then himself. "Control yourself, and be a patient, good little boy."
"Don't you ever call me a little boy." Kagori warned. "And why do you see me making a partnership with you anyway?" Kagori asked.
"We have the same opinion, the same methods in mind. But since I'm a man with a clean slate, and you're already have stained yours…" the president let Kagori finish the thought.
"So, you're using me to do your dirty work, huh?"
"You don't have to think about it like that."
"But I want to think about it like the truth, dear president. Anyway other way would be a lie. I don't lie to myself."
"Well, anyway," the president resumed. "What do you think. The two of us could be a mighty team. Maybe powerful enough to destroy those two."
"Do you honestly think it's going to work between our differences."
"Only if you decide to put them out of the way."
Kagori stood there, staring at the president's smile. Nothing seemed to say he was lying about anything. But there was something that bothered Kagori about the whole thing. But what other choice did he have? This was the greatest deal that he was given to in his entire Demon Hunting career.
"I'll think about it." Kagori said as he exited the door.
Kagori could feel the grin on the president's face grow larger. He shook his head, thinking about the deal as he closed the door. He walked down the halls as he had thought about everything that had been discussed, and making sure there were no loopholes that the president would be able to use.
"Hello sir. Can I offer you some tea?" an English accent rang out from behind Kagori, and so was a tea kettle, a cup, and some sugar presented in front of Kagori. The person had been a young man, no older then twenty three years old. He was a bit buff, and he had a few scars running along side his face, but there was no hiding the cheeriness in his voice.
"You can stop faking it, Ken." Kagori said.
Ken, the shark of the group, had grinned, putting the tea pot out of the way, and setting the tray on a table.
"What's the news, sir?"
"He's offered me a partnership with him."
Ken laughed, tears almost spilling out of his eyes as he laughed so hard. When he had finally gained control of his laughter, he saw the look on Kagori's face. His eyes were icy, and his frown had been colder then usual. Ken knew not to laugh anymore.
"So, what did you say?" Ken asked.
"I told him I'd accept." Kagori said.
"You told him that, straight up?" Ken asked, his English accent making it hard to understand him once in a while.
"No. In my own words, I told him what he wanted to hear."
"What he wanted to hear, eh? Does this new little plan in your head involve me at all?"
"Poison him with this." Kagori said as he tossed him a small bottle. "If you fail, I'll kill him and you myself."
"Listen, Yuri. Daisuke's really worried about you and all this other stuff, so if you could just come back onto the team, I think you'd be a lot better, and Daisuke wouldn't have to go through so much drama, and–" Yuki tried explaining, but Yuri cut her out before she could finish her sentence.
"No can do." Yuri said.
"What do you mean, no can do?"
The two were in the hallways during class hours. Yuki had known Yuri's bathroom schedule down pretty well. It seemed the girl had to pee the exact time everyday. Yuki stopped her as soon as she had seen Yuri pop out.
"I have friends with these guys, Yuki. You have Ryuku and Daisuke to hang out with and be part of the group. You can joke, and hang out with them. But I'm feeling great with these guys. They treat me with the respect I deserve."
"Have you noticed you left your other friends in the dust as well? Deíji, Raine, Momo, and not to mention Kori. They're nothing without you. You don't even talk to them in the hallways when you're passing them."
"I'm… busy." Yuri tried explaining, believing every word she said about herself. But Yuki didn't buy it. She wasn't buying anything that Yuri was saying. They were all force-fed lies by those four. But how was Yuki suppose to make Yuri understand? She didn't even really want to do this. Daisuke was bugging her about Yuri being away and being corrupted by the group. He begged Yuki to help Yuri get out of her funk, his words exactly.
"Don't give me that bull." Yuki said as eh looked around the hallway, making sure nobody was coming, or listening to their conversation. "You've been neglecting everybody lately. What the hell is up with you?"
"Look," Yuri said, pushing Yuki away from her face. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm enjoying life as it comes along, and what's coming along are these four. Now, if you can let me get to class, that would be great."
Yuki let Yuri pass, and Yuri started to walk down the hall, until Yuki said something that had made her stop dead in her tracks: "Why are you pulling this 'fake-cheery' crap?"
Yuri turned around, and forced a smile.
"Wha…what are you talking about?"
"That. Right there. That fake-ass smile you've been flashing these past days. I know you better than you'd like to think, Yuri. You never smile like that. It's got crookedness written all over it. Now tell me: what the hell's up?"
"Nothing's up. Only you guys bagging on all my friends. I think it would be good if you guys didn't bug me so much, maybe I'd talk to you all once in a while, but you're all being such a pain!"
"So, you're joining them over us?" Yuki asked.
"You know what? I just might."
"Yuri…" Yuki said calmly. "Just remember who you're turning your back on. If you honestly want to turn your backs on us, it's going to be your loss. Remember that."
"Yeah, yeah… whatever."
And with the wave of her hand and that attitude showing that she didn't care, Yuri had finally walked off. Yuki watched her as she paraded down the hall. This wasn't like Yuri at all. But if she had to, Yuki would be the one to finish Yuri off. Nobody may have known this, but Yuri was a sister to Yuki. A best friend. Somebody that she could talk too easily, even with a small, petty rivalry. But now she was blowing her off, and Yuki was watching her slip away. If need be, Yuki wanted to be the one to end her best friend's life. She was the only person who know how to do it without breaking her own heart in the process.
Later in PE, it was a new day of learning to make people bleed with American games. A new game had been introduced: dodgeball. There had been two teams, and the team with all the people hit were out. If you caught the ball, you brought a person back in from the sidelines. Not surprisingly, Yuri had been on the same side as the four of Kagori's members and some other people. What was surprising was the fact that everybody that sat at the lunch table– Yuki, Deíji, Ryuku, Momo, Raine, Hiru, Andrew, Josh, Kori, and Daisuke– and two other people, had bee assigned on the same team.
As obvious instructions were being told, the group had looked at the Kagori's group with glares. Even though their eyes had never left the enemy's they still talked to each other.
"So, Daisuke," Raine asked. "We're going to wipe these freaks out and getting Yuri back, right?"
"That's the plan." Daisuke said.
"Well, I want to make Yuri suffer like she's made us." Kori said with an angered look and a tightened fist raised to her face, pumping her up for battle. "We'll take out those weak losers who aren't even a primary target, and then we'll go for her news friends." The "new friends" she had made a whiney noise, indicating that she couldn't stand them.
"We're going to get her back, no matter what." Deíji said with confidence.
"She still owes me a sandwich." Momo replied in thought.
"Even though she hasn't been that long of a friend of ours, she's still stabbed us in the back." Andrew said.
"Nobody betrays an American and gets away with it." Josh said.
"If it's important to Daisuke, it's important to me." Hiru said with the same vigorous tone as everybody else.
"I miss my sweet angel, and I'll do what every I must do to receive her back into our humble family." Ryuku said in his voice.
Man, Daisuke thought. Even though it's just a dodgeball game, they're still amped and ready to fight for getting their friend back. Daisuke looked at Hakito, who glared at him, and then flashed a grin. Daisuke frowned. Or maybe it's more than a game. Maybe it's an innocent way of getting her back to our side.
"Do you kids understand the rules?" the teacher asked.
"Yes, sir." Everybody replied.
"Alright. Play nice." The teacher said, but in all reality, with the teacher being a male, he really said, "Go kill each other unless you start to bleed like a geyser."
With a whistle blast, the first balls were thrown, three people on Yuri's side had been knocked out with the first blast, smoke almost literally coming off of Raine, Deíji, and Momo's hands. They weren't going to hold back if it meant getting their friend back.
Balls had been thrown back and the other people who hadn't been in the lunch group had been knocked out already. It was just the lunch group against Kagori's group with an extra two people. Daisuke and Yuki had taken out the other two in an easy shot that swept them off their feet. When the balls returned, they had wiped out the last non-Lunch member. Same when Ryuku had thrown a ball back. Now it was the original battle. No barriers. No other people.
"Hey coach, do you mind if we have a little death game?" she asked, knowing the teacher loved violence, and as long as his students were up for it, he couldn't say no.
"What did you have in mind?"
"Catching doesn't get you out? How about just getting hit?"
"I'm all game if the other students don't mind?"
Raine looked at those in the sidelines with a glare, and the kids had just remembered how much pain they were in, and how much they didn't want to fight.
"Go ahead." The others forced a smile. "You guys have fun."
"Alright." The coach said in joy. "You guys can go ahead and kill each other! Have fun!"
Raine tossed the ball up and down a couple of times, eyeing her target, along with Yuki and Momo. The three looked at who would be the easiest to take down, and grinned. In unison, they had tossed all three balls, and everybody on the other side had dodged them, or caught one. Yuki threw one back, and Momo had barely dodged it. It hit the wall, and left a dent as it slightly bounced back. Everyone looked at the dent, and then back at Yuri who looked like she was upset she missed her old friend.
"If that's how the bitch wants to play, then we'll play that way." Yuki said, gripping another ball into her fingers. She chucked it as hard as she could, and Yuri caught it, embracing it in her stomach, and she slid on the gym floor for several meters until she hit the wall and stopped. She cocked her arm, and threw it back. Not wanting to cause damage, and wanting to hide the Demon Hunting secret, Yuki caught it in pain. She slid the same distance.
As the game progressed with several times of "catch" Deíji was finally the first one to get out. And shortly after was Momo. Po had been the first to be hit on the Kagori's side. Hakito had been giving it his all, and sent Josh, Andrew, Kori, and even Raine out. Ryuku had been the one to send him out as Hakito had just thrown the ball at Raine, not able to regain balance to catch the attack or dodge it. But the moment Ryuku started to embrace his victory, he had been hit by Lily. Soon, it was just Lily, Yuri, Yuki, and Daisuke. Yuki had hit Lily, and before she could look at what Yuri was doing, a ball had been sent out towards her. Luckily, being the gentleman he is, Daisuke got hit instead of Yuki.
When Daisuke got out, the ball had been sent to the very middle of the line that separated the two sides. Yuri and Yuki, after glaring into each other's eyes, had raced to the ball. It was obvious: the first person to get the ball, would also be the one to chuck it, indicating the winner. When they had gotten close enough, Yuki had slid for it, and Yuri leaped enough to get over Yuki, but also reach the ball. Unluckily, Yuri had been the first to grab the ball. And the two switched sides. Yuki was on the ground, helpless and defenseless. Yuri's arm was already cocked for an attack, and she had looked at Yuki's eyes.
"Don't do it, Yuri." Yuki said. "You don't have to prove anything. Just…come back to us."
"I'm not the loser anymore, Yuki. I'm not like you weaklings."
PLUMP!
And with that, Yuri had chucked the ball, hitting Yuki in the face, and she fell to the floor.
Yuri walked away, not saying anything to anyone. The battle was over, and they had lost. Not only did they lose, they had lost any chance of their old friend coming back to the team. It was true, Yuki realized. Even though she didn't want to believe it, it was in fact happening. Yuri had joined the side of evil.