"...it's not like her, dear, and you *know* that."
     The sound of low conversation from the kitchen made Yuri hesitate at the
top of the stairs.  It wasn't normal for her parents to sound so... subdued.
     "Nonsense," Troi's voice replied, though there was a tinge of uncertainty. 
"It just means that Dark Heart is finally bringing her around to her potential. 
I don't see any reason to-"
     For the first time in Yuri's memory, her mother sounded genuinely angry at
her husband.  "Troi N'Glhyn Mikagami, don't you *dare* argue with me.  Our
daughter needs help, not evil posturing!"  Her voice softened.  "You know about
managing diabolical empires; *I* know about teenage girls.  Our Yuri isn't happy
at Dark Heart, and it certainly hasn't been good for her health."
     Troi sighed deeply as Yuri crept down the stairs.  "Maybe you're right,
dear."  There was a pause, and when he spoke again it was with a tone of resolve. 
"It's settled, then.  We'll have her transferred to another school."
     Yuri barely managed to stifle her gasp.  Leave Dark Heart?  But... but that
would mean she'd never see her new friends again.  Leilei, Ki...
     Bala...
     Unaware of his daughter's musings, Troi continued.  "I suppose you were
planning on sending her to Sakura Art?"
     "Good heavens, no," his wife replied, heedless of the audible wince the
phrase caused in him.  "Quite apart from the fact that I doubt she'd fit in any
better, there's not a bigger group of addle-brained ninnies in Japan."
     Troi hmphed.  "You seem to tolerate that brat pestering Yuri well enough."
     "Now, dear, she seems harmless enough.  No, we'll put her in a normal
school, one where she can-"
     "I don't want to leave Dark Heart."
     Yuri's parents looked up with a guilty start as she entered the kitchen. 
She looked pale and drawn, but with a hint of determination in her eyes; both of
these traits clashed with the cat-faced slippers on her feet.  "Yuri," her mother
said finally, "we just want you to be happy..."
     "I *am* happy," she insisted in the face of the evidence.  "Why wouldn't I
be?  Wai.  Wai.  See?  Happy."
     There was a long pause, then Troi looked at his wife.  "You're the expert
on teenage girls.  Was that sarcasm or irony?"
     "Irony, I think," she replied, relaxing slightly.  "Somewhat bitter, too."
     Yuri sagged a bit, and looked down at her slippers.  "But... I don't want
to change schools.  Even after everything, I still like Dark Heart."
     "Are you sure, dear?" her mother asked gently.  "You've been attacked more
than once, and with your condition..."
     Unconsciously, Yuri's hand rose to her chest, directly over the scar that
was her reminder of the Blood Duel.  Despite the severity of the wound, it was
beginning to slowly fade; scar removal wasn't a specialty of the Dark Physicians
Amakusa had called in, as they were generally considered to add to evilness in
some indefinable way, but her mother still had a few healing tricks of her own. 
Nevertheless, the wound still twinged a bit when she exerted herself, and she
suspected it always would.
     Regardless, she pushed that thought to the side.  "I'll... I'll be fine,"
she replied, more to convince herself than her parents.  "Really.  I just have to
be a bit more careful, that's all."
     Troi and his wife exchanged a long, communication-filled glance in the
manner of parents everywhere, then he nodded.  "All right, Yuri.  If it means
that much to you, you can stay."  His eyes blazed a fiercer crimson than normal. 
"And you can tell those little punks that if I hear *one more word* about them
giving any grief to my baby girl, I'll-!"
     "Remember your blood pressure, honey," his wife interjected brightly.
     As Troi's outburst trailed off into an angry mutter, Yuri giggled despite
herself.  "So... are you two ready for your big trip?"
     They looked at her in surprise, as if remembering a misplaced fact.  Troi
and his wife had been planning a little vacation, something of a 'second
honeymoon' - what with crumbling empires and a horde of bloodthirsty demons,
they'd never really had a first honeymoon.
     "Well," Troi began a bit awkwardly, "we *were* planning on going, but ever
since the Bl-"
     "We decided it was more important to help you recover," his wife
interrupted quickly.  "It's not important, really..."
     A quick pang of guilt passed through Yuri.  "Well, I'm okay now, so you can
go, right?"  They started to protest, and she held up a hand.  "I mean it. 
You've been planning this for months; I'll feel worse if you cancel because of
me.  *Go.*"
     Yuri's mother slowly smiled, looking happily surprised.  "All right, dear. 
Your Aunt Venoma was originally going to come keep you company while we were
gone; we had to cancel, but maybe she's still available..."
     "In the meantime," Troi interjected, "have breakfast.  How does mangled and
semi-congealed embryos sound?"
     Yuri grinned slightly.  "Scrambled eggs sound great!"  


*********************************************************

          Dark Heart High
+
   Netherworld Educational Institution for
      The Universal Propagation of Evil
          started by Mads

*********************************************************
Part Twenty Two: Re-Evaluation!
by Brian Stricklin
*********************************************************

     As she left her house, Yuri wasn't entirely surprised when she nearly
tripped over Amy Angeleye once again.  The former Sakura Art student's face lit
up with adoration as she saw her slightly unwilling savior.  "Good moooo~oorning,
Yuri-chan!" she said almost musically, the perfectly-ironed pleats of her skirt
bouncing as she hopped to her feet.
     Rather than ask the obvious question ('Did you sleep on my porch all night
or something?'), Yuri managed a strained smile.  "Oh... hi, Amy."  The magical
girl completely failed to notice Yuri's rather flat tone of voice, and merely
beamed happily in response.
     Yuri was having a bit of difficulty getting accustomed to Amy's... well,
affection was probably the best word.  She hadn't been too surprised to discover
that the girl had transferred to Dark Heart - Amy had clearly been fed up with
her schoolmates - and with Leilei missing, it was nice to have somebody to talk
to.  Nevertheless, Amy was showing every sign of a bad case of hero worship (at
least, that's what Yuri diagnosed it as), and that was something Yuri wasn't used
to.
     She also tended to stand too close to Yuri for comfort's sake...
     As if in demonstration of this fact, Amy's hand shyly (yet, inexplicably,
boldly) found its way into Yuri's, an event that served to increase Yuri's
unease.  "How are you feeling?" the brown-haired girl asked anxiously.  "Did you
sleep well?  Is that wound you got while valiantly saving my life bothering you
in any way at all?  Would if help if I gave you any, any..."  she hesitated, then
said, rapidly so that she wouldn't lose her courage, "...any physical therapy? 
I'm really good at it, and people back in Sakura Art would fight over who got me
next..."
     Yuri blinked at the blushing Amy in puzzlement.  She never knew backrubs
and aromatherapy was so popular at Sakura Art.  "Um... no, I'm fine.  I'm just a
little down, that's all.  I miss-"
     "I know, I know," Amy interrupted quickly.  Hearing her love say HIS name,
particularly in that wistful tone of voice, was unbearable.  She changed the
subject.  "Are you ready for that Dark History test?"
     "I hope so," Yuri replied, glancing back at her bookbag.  "There was a lot
of catching-up I had to do.  On the other hand, I probably learned it better at
home than listening to one of Aug-sensei's lectures...  What about you?"
     "Oh, it's no problem," came the dismissive answer.  "We'd already covered
the same material at Sakura Art; I have to remember the names of the villains
instead of the heroes, but I already know all the dates and events and so forth." 
Then suddenly Amy nuzzled against the slightly-taller girl's shoulder.  "But I'm
glad you're worried about me, Yuri-oneesama!"
     A sweatdrop rolled down Yuri's temple as she looked askance at the girl's
display of affection.  "Oneesama?"
     Amy blushed again.  "I hope you don't mind!  I just look up to you like a
big sister, and I hope... I hope we can get... closer..."
     Her words trailed off as she realized that her true love wasn't paying
attention to her.  Slightly disappointed, she followed Yuri's gaze, but saw
nothing out of the ordinary; just a young girl with bright pink hair, apparently
tugging at someone just around the corner, out of view.  "Yuri-oneesama," Amy
asked curiously, "who's that?"
     "...Leilei..." Yuri whispered, her eyes widening.  If she was here, that
could only mean that...
     As if on cue, Leilei pulled a bit harder, and a bandage-wrapped arm came
into view, though under protest.
     In one instant, the walls of longing and sadness around Yuri's heart, built
up over the past three days, came crashing down around her.  No longer held in
check, new waves of emotion thundered into her, sending her mind whirling with...
     Relief!  Bala was back!  He and Leilei were okay!  She could stop worrying
about them!  It would be so nice to talk to them again...
     Joy!  BALA WAS BACK!  She hadn't realized how much she would miss him until
he was gone, how much seeing his cold, yet slowly warming gaze meant to her.  Now
he was back!  He was back!  There was so much she wanted to talk to him about,
including...
     Embarrassment!  ...the kiss!  They'd... they had kissed, hadn't they?  In
the park.  The last time they'd seen each other.  His bandages orange in the
sunset, his cheeks a blushing red where they could be seen.  It was the thing to
do at the time, and she had...
     Uncertainty!  ...she had leaned up and kissed him.  Not the other way
around.  *She* had started the kiss!  Why did she do that?  What would he think
of her, acting bold like that?  Would he think she was just flirting?  Would he
hate her?  Would she even know what he was thinking, through that cold, uncaring
mask he always wore under his skin?
     Amy, still watching Yuri closely, only saw the rising blush in her
beloved's cheeks.  "Yuri-oneesama, are you-"
     But Balabalalde finally yielded to Leilei's tugs, stepping into view... and
Yuri, lost in a chaotic sea of the heart, suddenly ran away toward the nearby
school, desperate for time to think.
     Confused, Amy looked back toward the girl, who had been joined by a lanky
young man wrapped head to toe with bandages and chains, and more than a few
ofuda.  She quickly recognized him as the brute she'd met the first time she had
visited Dark Heart, the one that had kicked her halfway across a district.  He
was staring toward the school, having looked up just in time to see Yuri
disappear around a corner; even at this range, Amy could see the blush beneath
his wrappings.
     Rage built within her, and she found herself instinctively reaching for the
bejewelled brooch on her fuku... but no, she promised herself she'd leave that
world behind.  Instead, she bunched her hands into fists and took a deep breath. 
"You leave Yuri-oneesama alone!" she shouted at the still-shocked mummy, then ran
after her beloved...
     ...who she found desperately clutching another man, his arms wrapped
tenderly around her.
 
                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     Ki Tamaida, heir to the Steel Thorn Clan, had not been in a good mood.  It
wasn't just the after-effects of his tryst with the succubus, either; he'd made a
mistake, and a rather large one at that.  The submarine had cost him more favors
than had been wise, which would have been acceptable if his plan hadn't failed
miserably.  With Balabalalde free once again, he and Yuri would surely meet
before Ki could 'comfort' the girl.  Her longing for him would surely make their
reunion quite the bonding experience...
     No.  That was *definitely* the wrong train of thought to follow.
     Regardless, his plan had backfired badly.  The only bright point was the
fact that there would be no way to trace the mercenaries back to him; who would
suspect an expert swordsman of an ancient clan to use a submarine?  True, the
thugs had been rather difficult to scrape up after Bala's little tantrum, but on
the whole this was a setback, rather than a failure.  He would just have to
redouble his efforts to-
     His train of thought trailed off as, running at top speed and not looking
where she was going, Yuri Mikagami turned the corner in front of the school and
tripped over a loose soda can.  Her ankle twisted slightly, she fell toward an
inevitably painful encounter with the ground...
     And, as he was beginning to move toward her, a push in the small of his
back made him stumble toward her a bit more quickly than he had planned.  As a
result, he did not so much catch her as collide with her, the breath knocked from
both of them in an instant.  They instinctively reached out for balance, but the
only thing to hold onto was each other.
     Yuri, her eyes closed tightly and her mind shaken back into line by the
brief panic of her fall, slowly became aware that she was being carefully held in
someone's arms, her body pressed against his broad, well-muscled chest.  For a
brief moment she couldn't help but relax in the man's near-embrace, as her
emotion-wracked mind sought comfort and security... then she suddenly realized
what she was doing, and looked up with an embarrassed blush.  "B-"
     But it wasn't Bala.  Her eyes met the cold grey gaze of Ki Tamaida... and
was that a tinge of red on his own cheeks?
     She stared at him for a long moment, still leaning against him, before
finally finding her voice.  "Ki..."
     His gaze slowly, incredibly, began to soften.  "Yuri..."  Without intending
it, he began to lower his face to hers...
     "My, my, cousin," an annoyingly familiar voice interjected.  "How long do
you plan on holding her like that?"
     The pair suddenly pushed away from each other with a guilty start.  Ki
looked around for the source of the voice, and saw Midori, a smirk on her face,
reclining lengthwise on the top of a low wall...
     ...and Amy Angeleye, fuming jealously...
     ...and Leilei, blinking in puzzlement...
     ...and Bala, the cold venomous rage in his eye strangely gratifying to Ki.
     They stood in tableau for a moment until the first bell broke the silence. 
Blushing furiously, not daring to look at anyone else, Yuri turned and walked
through the front gate of Dark Heart High.  Her friends soon followed, leaving Ki
and his cousin behind.
     He turned to face her, quickly making a connection.  That push...  "That
was you, wasn't it?  Why?"
     Midori sighed.  "Because I'm tired of watching you disgrace the name of the
Steel Thorns.  Whatever else you may be, cousin, you're a total flop when it
comes to women.  So I saw the opportunity, and took it - you'll thank me later."
      He frowned, oh so slightly.  "I don't need your help."
     "Yes, you do.  If you want to seduce this girl, you have to do it by *her*
rules."  She hopped off the wall and sauntered toward the school.  "Oh, and
she'll probably come apologize later for what just happened.  Don't try to play
it into something bigger than it is; just reassure her that it's okay, and leave
it at that.  Subtlety, cousin.  When dramatic measures fail, subtlety is the
key."
     Ki watched her leave, unsure what to make of her sudden desire to 'help',
then shrugged and went to class.

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     How dare she?  How DARE she?  What gave that little Mikagami bitch the
*right* to make someone think of *her* while they were in the highly skilled and
well-practiced embrace of Yasuko?!  Admittedly it was just Ki, who was hardly a
significant bedmate, but it was galling nonetheless.  No, the little bitch would
pay for this, just as she would pay for every other indignation the succubus had
endured since she arrived.
     And *this* time, her plan would work.  It was set up long before Yuri
arrived at class, she had rehearsed it several times before putting it into
action... and most importantly, it had the right kind of bait.
     Yasuko waited expectantly, her hand clenched around the trigger of her
fiendish trap.  Her prey would arrive soon, and when she did...
     Then she heard it.  Amid the hubbub of the pre-class conversations, Yuri's
clear voice announced.  "Oh!  What a cute cat charm!"  This was shortly followed
by the jingle of silver bells.
     *Perfect.*  Yasuko yanked the rope she'd been holding, then grabbed a
burlap sack and leapt out of the duck blind she had built in the corner of the
classroom.  Racing over to the large cardboard box next to Yuri's desk, she drew
a scimitar from the sack and stabbed it into the box.  "Hah!  Take *that*, you
little insect!  And that!  And that!"  Using her honed thrusting skills, the
succubus skewered the box with a total of five swords, reveling in the surprised
squeaks coming from inside.
     "Yasuko," someone said nearby, "what are you *doing*?!"
     She glanced up briefly.  "I'm just teaching Yuri a...  YURI?!"
     And indeed, her nemesis was standing there, looking at her with an
expression of shock.  Confused, Yasuko cut open one side of the box, revealing
Amy Angeleye within, her body twisted just enough to avoid the iron blades.  She
didn't seem too unhappy, though, and in fact a giddy smile was on her face as she
extended a hand vaguely toward Yuri, her movements limited by the sword pinning
her sleeve.  "I got the charm for you, Yuri-oneesama!"
     The sweatdrop on Yasuko's temple was matched only by that of Yuri.
     A sudden silence fell across the room, and the two girls turned to see
Kurosawa-sensei enter.  The teacher's eyebrow twitched just once as she took in
the scene before her - paying particular attention to the duck blind and the box
with 'YURI TRAP' written on its side - then frowned slightly.  "I see.  Miss
Wareme, you will come back to this classroom at the end of the school day.  There
is something I want to discuss with you."
     As Fujiko sat down, ignoring Yasuko's protests, loud and irritating
laughter erupted behind her.  "HAW!  Serves you right, bat-girl!"
     Kurosawa-sensei didn't look up.  "I'll expect *you* there as well, Mister
Maimsworth."
     "What?!  Why?"
     "You'll find out then, and not before.  Take your seat."
     He sullenly followed her order, accompanied by the usual rattle of armor. 
"Dragonturds..."
     Yuri helped Amy out of the box, then sat down.  She glanced over at Leilei
as the young girl got ready for class herself.  "You two got kidnaped?"
     "Yeah," Leilei affirmed.  "They put us in a *submarine*, if you can believe
it.  We never did figure out who or why."
     "I'm glad you're back, though.  I was..."  She reflexively looked up at
Bala, then quickly glanced away with a blush.  "...worried.  Bala doesn't have
any parents on file in the office, so we didn't know whether you were sick or-"
     "I see you've decided to rejoin us, Balabalalde," the teacher suddenly
interrupted, startling the two girls.  "I'm sure the explanation for your two day
absence is utterly fascinating."
     As Bala treated Fujiko to an unemotional stare, Leilei rubbed the back of
her head.  "Um... it was kinda out of our hands.  See, there was this-"
     "Yes, so I've heard.  However, it's not *me* you should be explaining to
right now.  Coach Truncheon requested that I send Balabalalde to see him the
moment he returned.  The Coach was..."   And a small smile appeared briefly. 
"...rather agitated."
     Leilei's eyes went wide.  "The sports meet!  I completely forgot about
that!"
     "Indeed.  I'll expect you back as soon as he finishes with you... one way
or the other."
     "Hai, sensei!"  As she pulled Bala to his feet, she whispered to Yuri,
"I'll talk to you later.  The Coach is scary when he's mad."
     "Try to calm him down, okay?" Yuri whispered in reply.  "I have to talk to
him later myself."
     "I'll try."
     The bell rang as the pair left the room, signaling the beginning of class,
and Kurosawa-sensei got to her feet.  "All right, class, pay attention.  The
subject for today is a creature that some of you will have more trouble with than
others, simply out of your basic nature.  The warlords and assassins among you
may never even see one on the field of battle, while the witches, demons, and mad
scientists may find them crawling out of the woodwork, particularly if your modus
operandi involves stealing life energy from innocent people.  I refer, of course,
to the magical girl."
     All eyes suddenly turned to Amy, who blushed as the room erupted in jeers
and insults.
     "That's enough of that," Fujiko snapped, though her own glance at Amy was
hardly a kind one.  "Now, before we delve into this subject in detail, I must
stress this one fact: in any battle with a mahou-shoujo, never, *ever* give them
the time to use their special attacks.  Though they are weak physically, their
magic trinkets are disproportionately powerful.  They also emit a kind of mental
influence, which prevents others from recognizing their remarkably similar normal
form, encourages discord in their enemies, and most importantly causes hesitation
in the face of dramatic poses.  Do *not* let it overwhelm you."  She paused,
letting all that sink in.  "Also, if your plans are opposed by a magical girl,
time your activities for early morning.  They are notoriously late sleepers.
     "Now, get out your books and open to page-  yes, Miss Angeleye?"
     The ex-magical girl blushed again, but lowered her hand and forged ahead. 
"Um, what you said about magical girls..."
     Kurosawa-sensei smirked at her.  "What's wrong, child?  Do you not like me
talking about your friends like that?"
     A flash of anger crossed Amy's face as several students snickered at her. 
"No," she replied, "I was going to *say* that you should also take out any
guardian pets they have; they're usually really reliant on them."
     The teacher blinked in surprise.  "Why... good point, Miss Angeleye.  In
fact that is-"
     "And," Amy continued, her eyes unfocusing slightly, "you *really* have to
watch out for the teams.  Stupid damn cliques.  Them and their crappy coordinated
outfits.  Best thing to do there is pick 'em off one by one..."
     "Ah... very good, Amy.  Now-"
     "I WASN'T FINISHED," she snarled.  "Anyway, the way you can *really* upset
'em is to mess up their cutesy, painted-up faces.  There's a reason so many
henshin devices look like make-up dispensers.  To really demoralize 'em, just
grab the youngest, most naive member, strap her down, take a rusty razor, and..."
     She stopped, realizing everyone was staring at her again - for a much
different reason this time - and giggled self-consciously.  "...that's what I
would do, anyway."
     Nobody ever teased her about Sakura Art after that.
                                        
                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     Rumors had spread through the student body about Coach Truncheon's past. 
How he was the reincarnation of the merciless Chinese warrior Lu Bu.  How he
actually *was* Lu Bu, kept alive with dark enchantments.  How he had been the
personal trainer of countless warlords and assassins.  How he used to own a
flower delivery franchise, though this rumor was usually greeted by skepticism. 
Most of all, how he knew every single method of killing a man with a blade, and
would demonstrate this knowledge at will if Amakusa didn't have some kind of hold
over him.
     Staring in the face of his rising anger, Yuri was prepared to believe every
single one of the rumors.  Except the one about the flowers, of course.
     "You're WHAT?!"
     With a mental effort, she kept herself from glancing back at her friends. 
Leilei and Amy had followed her in a show of moral support; Bala was there as
well, but was making a big show of being completely disinterested in the
proceedings.
     Yuri swallowed, trying to revive a suddenly dry throat.  "I'm... I'm going
to take a break from the fencing team."
     Truncheon scowled at her.  "You're quitting?!  After beating an entire
Sakura Art team single handed, and technically beating... hell, *surviving* in a
Blood Duel against Principal Amakusa?"
     Her hand grazed the front of her fuku, just under the bow.  "Well... that's
kind of the reason.  Anyway, I signed up to be the equipment manager, not the
lead fencer."
     Rage build up behind his eyes, and Yuri took an unconscious step
backwards... then he let out a long breath.  "If it weren't for the big
interscholastic sports meet coming up, I'd try to talk you out of it, but I just
don't have time at the moment."  He nodded curtly at her.  "You're excused from
the club, Mikagami... and if you decide to come back, we'll keep a spot open for
you."
     She blinked.  "Y-yes, sir.  Thank you."  He turned his attention back to
the schedules and paperwork before him, and Yuri quietly left the office, her
companions following behind.  "That went a lot better than I thought it would,"
she remarked.
     "The sports meet is a pretty big deal," Leilei said.  "You should've seen
him this morning, chewing out Bala for missing two days of practice."
     Amy frowned thoughtfully, once again attached to Yuri's arm.  "Are you
sure about this, Yuri-oneesama?  Everyone at Sakura Art was talking about you
after that match, saying how they wouldn't want to go up against you after you
graduate."
     "That kind of fame, I can do without," Yuri replied, making a face. 
"Besides, I got so caught up in the fencing club, I've never gotten around to
attending the Future Accountant's Club."
     "I'm surprised nobody from the club has mentioned it to you yet."
     "Well, I *did* check the roster yesterday; apparently the club has been
going through some kind of coup or something..."

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     "Brethren," the cowled figure intoned, "we are so close to our ultimate
goal - all must be perfect for our final ritual.  All hail Eh'n'Raan, Devourer of
Light!"
     "All hail Eh'n'Raan!" replied the circle of similarly cowled cultists.
     "Have the Runes of Interdiction been inscribed?"
     "Yea," a cowl said, "inscribed most cautiously."
     "Has the Chalice of Dire Destiny been cleansed?"
     "Yea," another cowl acknowledged, "cleansed most thoroughly.  Its freshness
is as of the lemon."
     The leader of the circle paused to glare at the offending cowl, then
shrugged.  "Has the Edacious Cerumen been fully infucated?"
     "...you just made that up."
     "No, I didn't!  Shut up!"  The leader took a deep breath.  "Have the Rites
of the Evening Slaughter been observed?"  There was a pause.  "Well?"
     One of the cowls shifted uncomfortably.  "Well, yeah - I mean, *yea* -
but... I mean, what exactly does all this have to do with accounting?"
     "Do you doubt the power of Eh'n'Raan?!"
     "No, but, y'know, this being the Future Accountants Club and all, I didn't
expect this whole," he made an arcane gesture with the index and middle fingers
on each hand, "'cult' thing.  You're not even doing anything with numerology or
compound interest.  It's boring."
     The other cultists stared at the dissenter, who shifted uncomfortably. 
"Well... I *am* missing lunch for this, y'know."
     In a towering fury, the leader pointed at the door.  "Then go!  Go, worm,
and speak not of this to anyone, else you shall-"
     "Yeah, yeah, soul, peril, damnation, blah blah blah.  Losers."  The
dissenter removed his cowl and walked out; this would prove to be wisest decision
he would ever make.
     When the door had closed, the leader turned to glare at his minions.  "Are
there any other doubters amongst our ranks?"
     There was a certain amount of fidgeting - none of the others had eaten,
either - but none spoke.
     "Very well, then... we shall begin."  He raised his arms, the long
billowing sleeves of his robes reaching almost to the floor, and began to chant. 
"Naf'tah, Naf'tah, EH'N'RAAN!"
     The cultists chorused in response: "EH'N'RAAN!"
     "Naf'tah, Ohpek, EH'N-"
     The door opened again, and the leader turned.  "There is no returning to
the-!"
     But it wasn't the dissenter.  An arm was visible outside for a brief moment
as it threw something into the room, then it withdrew.  The object tumbled
through the air before landing, right-side up, in the center of the makeshift
pentagram the cultists were circled around.  It was a small gold box, ornately
carved and no bigger than four inches on a side.
     There was a long pause as the cultists watched the box curiously... and
then, as if moving of its own volition, the lid began to open.
     From the hallway outside, the club room was eerily quiet... until the
screams began, screams of terror and panic.  These were soon joined by a melody
of breaking furniture, ripped cloth, and the occasional heavy thump of a body
striking a solid surface.  The leader of the cultists appeared at the door for a
moment, clutching desperately at the doorjamb, before he was forcibly pulled back
inside.  The violent crescendo reached one final shriek of fear... then silence
reigned once more.
     Cautiously, the one who threw the box approached the club room and peered
inside.  The cultists were there and, as far as he could tell, alive... but all
were unconscious, and judging from the visible bruises and abrasions this was
probably just as well.
     The gold box remained where it landed, its lid closed once more.
     Moving with exaggerated care, Ryuji Seihachi picked up the box and held it
securely with both hands.  "I think that's the last of them, sempai," he said out
loud.  "We've reclaimed the club room.  The FAC is ours once again."
     A new voice spoke, one that seemed to come from the air around Ryuji; it
had a surreal reverse-echo quality to it that suggested either an otherworldly
origin or the influence of a very good sound studio.  ".you have done well,
MerklA  .i am pleaseD  .but do not forget your place; the Club is mine, not
'ourS'"
     Ryuji sweated in sudden panic.  "H-hai, sempai!"
     The voice murmured wordlessly for a moment.  ".much time has passed since
they attempted to wrest control away from me, and I will need more servantS 
!find the membership rosteR"
     "Hai!"  Setting the box down carefully on the sole desk that remained
intact, Ryuji moved quickly to a nearby filing cabinet (stepping over the gently
moaning lead cultist in the process), and began to sort through it.  He soon
found what he was searching for, and began to scan down the list.  "Hmm... there
weren't too many recruits, it looks like, and most of them we have already dealt
with...  Wait a moment."  He stopped, then read one line again to make sure he
wasn't hallucinating.  "That's... that's certainly unexpected."
"That's... that's certainly unexpected."
     "?what is, MerklA"
     "This one recruit in particular... the name listed is Yuri Mikagami."
     "?whO"
     "A... friend of mine.  Haven't you heard of her?  She fought the principal
in a Blood Duel a few weeks ago."
     "...other matters have occupied my attentioN  .waiT  ?you said 'shE'  ?a
femalE"
     Ryuji nodded.  "In fact, she was the runner-up for Freshman Dark Princess
this year."
     The voice sounded irritated.  ".ha, hA  .very amusing, MerklA  .you and I
both know that females do not join this cluB"
     "I know, sempai, but her name's right here!  She hasn't been at any
meetings due to other club business and injuries, but-"
     "!you try my patiencE  !THOSE WHO LIE SHALL BE PUNISHED SEVERELY"
     Ryuji cowered, raising his arms protectively.  "It's the truth, I swear!"
     There was a long pause, then:  "?is she hoT..."

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     "...so, she's leaving the fencing team, is she?"
     Akurei nodded.  "That's what Truncheon told me."
     "Hmm."  Amakusa picked up a trinket from his desk - the shrunken skull of
one of his (former) enemies - and rolled it between his fingers thoughtfully. 
"Somehow, I'm not surprised.  She's made her point."
     "Sir?"
     "The Sakura Art girl... I thought Yuri was trying to build an information
base in that school, but instead Angeleye chose to transfer here."  He smirked
slightly.  "I can only imagine the conversation she had with her parents before
they signed the agreement.  Regardless, her appearance here has accomplished two
things: first, Mikagami now has an ally with the skills necessary to eliminate
any at this school that may oppose her; an enforcer, if you will."
     Akurei blanched... or at least a few sections of chitin turned noticeably
pale.  "But... she's only a fledgling magical girl!  She'd only just started in
Sakura Art!"
     With a mild frown, Amakusa glanced at Amy's application on the desk before
him.  "True, but they're more dangerous when they're young.  To be honest, I've
never truly understood the mere existence of Sakura Art; most mahou-shoujo fade
into obscurity once they reach the age of consent, so why spend three years
training them?"
     The vice-principal shrugged.  "And the other thing?"
     "The second point is simply this: if Mikagami didn't bring Angeleye here to
send her back as a spy, she must have done it for the sole purpose of goading me
into a Blood Duel."
     Akurei stared at him.  "But... but that's insane!"
     "Is it?  I haven't truly fought in years - how else was she to test my
defenses?  Not only that, but she somehow managed to sway the Merkla Demon to her
side in the process, and gained something of a reputation among the student body
as a whole.  The risk of severe bodily harm was clearly a small price to pay."
     "I... see."
     Amakusa shook his head.  "And, with that accomplished, she moves on to
the... what was it again?"
     "Uh... Future Accountant's Club."
     The principal looked puzzled.  "Accountants?  But why would...?"  His brow
furrowed in thought, then he shrugged.  "Well, I'm sure Miss Mikagami has a goal
in mind; I'll just have to be on my guard until she reveals her plans."
     Akurei, for his part, seemed rather uncertain.  It wasn't like the
principal to be so cautious.  "Sir, you don't think she's plotting to overthrow
you so soon, do you?  She's still a freshman, after all."
     "Yes, and filled with the arrogance of youth.  Oh, she's no match for me
physically - her armor and sword were clearly enhancing, perhaps even *providing*
her swordsmanship, and I'll be ready for it next time.  But... we shall see." 
His tone of voice made it clear that the matter was closed.  "Now, what's next?"
     The vice-principal consulted his notes.  "Well, this also involves Mikagami
to some extent... her first convert, the boy Balabalalde, had been absent for two
days in a row.  His assistant claims they were kidnaped, but since he doesn't
have a note from his parents..."
     "Not surprising, really, all things considered."
     "Well, perhaps, but that's no excuse.  At any rate, all that remains is to
decide on the punishment."
     As Akurei watched him eagerly, expectantly, Amakusa considered the matter. 
Balabalalde, to judge from his file, was more or less immune to 'discipline';
that left confinement as the only viable punishment.  Certainly he could make his
own point by depriving Yuri of her favorite consort for a time, but...
     "I think..." he decided finally, "I think we'll let it slide this time."
     Akurei stared at him in disbelief.  "Sir?"
     Amakusa stood, then walked to his office window, staring down at the
grounds thoughtfully.  "You've heard of the demonspawn of Agherukk, I assume?"
     His assistant grinned, a bit uncertainly.  "Who hasn't?"
     "And the Wargmere line, those who hunt in the twilight lands?"
     "Of course, but-"
     "The boy is heir to *both* of them."
     "Both?!  Is that even possible?"
     "Apparently so."  Amakusa frowned slightly as the object of their
discussion appeared in the courtyard below, followed (as ever) by his diminutive
keeper.  "His wards and wrappings are all that keep his power in check, but not
even they will keep him under control forever.  If his emotional growth were to
ever outstrip their power..."  He shook his head.  "Miss Mikagami is playing a
very, very dangerous game indeed.  She is shrewd, yes, but inexperienced; in
time, my little problem may solve itself."
     And then he sighed.  "A shame, really - she has so much potential."

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     The rest of the school day passed uneventfully - apart from when Sakazashi
the Fifth, Doombringer, destroyed the second floor men's room in a fit of pique -
and before long Yuri found herself at her locker.  As she stowed her homework in
her bag, Amy waited anxiously nearby.  "Do you want to walk home together, Yuri-
oneesama?"
     She shook her head.  "Can't tonight.  I've got to finally attend an
Accountant's Club meeting and apologize for not showing up sooner."
     Amy blinked.  "Accountants?"
     "Don't take this the wrong way," Leilei commented, "but I'm not
*completely* surprised you joined that club."
     Yuri giggled and closed her locker.  "Well, I already take care of some of
my father's filing and accounting for extra pocket money, and I figure I might as
well prepare for the future now.  Besides, it's kinda fun, working with numbers."
     "If you say so..."
     Hesitating, Amy was on the verge of declaring that she, too, would join the
FAC... but some sacrifices were just too great, even for the sake of true love. 
"Well, I guess we'll see you tomorrow, then."
     "Ja ne!"  She turned to head back into the school...
     ...and, for the second time that day, collided with an equally-distracted
Ki Tamaida.  Startled out of deep contemplation, his hand dropped to his sword.
     Yuri bowed quickly.  "Sorry about that... oh, it's you, Ki."
     He smiled.  "Hello, Yuri."  He removed his hand... a fraction of a second
too late.
     Seeing Ki standing before Yuri, apparently ready to attack, drove
Balabalalde into a fury.  Fire blazing in his eye, he stomped toward the
surprised swordsman, who began to draw his sword in self-defense.  Unfortunately,
he'd already been in the act of moving his hand away from the hilt, and couldn't
reverse the motion in time.
     With a spinning kick to the temple, Bala sent Ki sprawling to the floor. 
The swordsman had never fought Bala before, and wasn't fully prepared for his
strength or ferocity.  Before he could recover, the bandaged young man was
standing above him, and placed his foot on Ki's throat.  Their gazes locked, and
the rage Ki had found so heartwarming that morning now chilled him to the bone.
     Ignoring Leilei's frantic protests, Balabalalde began to press down...
     "Bala!"
     The voice cut through his rage, and he froze.
     "Bala, stop it!"
     He slowly turned his head, to see Yuri staring at him.  She looked mostly
afraid, but also a little frustrated, and a little... angry?
     "Let him go!" she shouted.  "Please!  It's okay - he wasn't going to attack
me!"
     He hesitated, torn between his bone-deep desire to hurt Ki and Yuri's
desperate pleas.  His mind kept switching between two images: Yuri's face as she
leaned up, their lips touching in his first kiss...
     ...and the sight of Yuri in Ki's arms.
     He tensed his leg, whether to move it down or away he wasn't sure...
     "Bala!"  A sophomore in the Dark Heart sports uniform ran up.  "Thank
darkness I've found you!  The Coach wants you on the field *now* - practice
starts in five minutes!"
     There was a long, tense pause, then Bala released Ki and turned on his
heel, following the sophomore without a single look back.  Leilei sighed in
relief, then bowed apologetically to Ki.  "Sorry about that; he's been a bit on
edge lately."  Without waiting for a reply, she scurried after her charge.
     Ki stood up, rubbing his neck.  He didn't believe in karma, but maybe that
was a bit of unintentional payback for kidnaping the bandaged oaf...
     "Ano..."
     He turned to see Yuri, her hands together before her, bowing slightly and
looking away.  "Um... sorry for running into you... this morning, I mean."  She
rubbed the back of her neck, embarrassed.  "I guess I've caused a lot of trouble
for you today, huh?"
     Any chance to hold you is well worth it, Yuri.  I'm glad I caught you
before you fell, Yuri.  I'll be your protector from now on, Yuri...
     Wait.  What had Midori said?
     "Don't... don't mention it."  He smiled at her.  "It's no big deal."
     Then he turned and exited the building, leaving a faintly blushing Yuri
(and a rather annoyed Amy) behind.
     Well.  That certainly seemed to work...

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     "...um, hello?  Anyone there?"
     There was no response as Yuri rather self-consciously crept into the room
assigned to the Future Accountant's Club (though the Order of the Infernal Hunger
had it Mondays and Tuesdays, and on alternate Fridays it was the Cheese Club's). 
It was empty, and almost eerily quiet; even Yuri's footsteps seemed muted.  The
furniture looked brand new, apart from one desk that looked battered and strained
almost, but not quite, to the point of shattering.
     She looked around a bit nervously.  This was the right room, and she was
only a couple of minutes late, but... where was the rest of the club?
     "Hello?" she called again, feeling embarrassed about calling out to an
empty room; again, there was no answer.  Puzzled, Yuri looked around again...
     ...and saw it, the small gold box resting on the large table at the front
of the room.  She moved forward curiously, and noticed the intricate designs
inscribes on its sides.  They were vaguely unsettling to look at, as if they were
only barely concealing something horribly alive within the metal itself.
     However, for someone that looks at the roiling darkness that is Troi
Mikagami every day, these feelings soon passed, and Yuri crouched next to the
table to get a closer look.  The lid of the box had a tiny clasp, one that hung
invitingly open.  After inspecting it a few minutes longer, her curiosity got the
better of her, and Yuri reached out to lift the lid.  Her fingers touched the
cold metal...
     The club room's door swung open abruptly.  "Sorry I'm late, sempai, I...
oh!  Hi, Yuri!"
     Yuri stood up quickly and turned to face the newcomer, who she didn't
recognize.  "Ano... have we met?"
     He stared at her blankly for a moment, then grinned.  "It's me, Ryuji.  New
body."
     "Oh!  Hi there."  Ryuji was currently a thin, rather pale young man, with
glasses he clearly wasn't comfortable with.  "It suits you," she said finally,
uncertain what to say in these circumstances.
     "Really?  You think so?"  He peered down at himself.  "I can't really be
selective in choosing the corpses I inhabit, but this one was-"
     "I didn't know you were in the FAC," Yuri quickly interrupted, hoping to
forestall a discussion concerning rates of decay.
     He made a face.  "Neither do my folks.  They think I'm in the
Necrobibliographer Association.  If they knew I was in the Accounting club...
well, anyway, we might as well start."
     Yuri blinked.  "But... shouldn't we wait for the others?"
     Ryuji looked embarrassed.  "We're still recovering from driving out the
*old* 'Club' at the moment.  For right now, it's just us three."
     "Three?  But-"
     "Sure.  You, me, and sempai."  At this he gestured toward... open air.
     She stared at him a moment, wondering if he was joking.  "Um... there's
nobody there."  She hesitated.  "Is there?"
     "Huh?  He's right... oh, I bet he hasn't introduced himself yet.  Hold on."
     With that, he stepped forward in the direction he'd gestured, stopped next
to the table, and knocked gently on the lid of the gold box.  "Sempai?  Are you
in there?"
     Moments passed in silence, then the hairs on Yuri's neck stood up as an
eldritch voice echoed in the air around her.  ".foolish questioN...  ?where else
would I be, MerklA"
     He knelt respectfully.  "My apologies.  Sempai, I'd like you to meek Yuri
Mikagami, the one I told you about earlier."
     Slowly, moved by an unseen force, the lid of the box opened fractionally,
and Yuri suddenly felt under an intense scrutiny.  "?*this* defeated AmakusA"
     Ryuji nodded.  "She certainly did!"
     "Only with Ryuji's help," Yuri clarified, blushing slightly.
     ".hmpH  .very well, theN  .i greet you, spawn of the HellstorM  .i am known
as The Unbidden in the tongue of Man, and I welcome you to the Future
Accountant's CluB"
     Still somewhat puzzled, Yuri blinked a few times.  "...you're a student
here?"
     ".of coursE  .i am a sophomorE  .dark Heart High is, needless to say, far
beneath my vast, unfathomable intelligence, but my brood-parents insisted I
attenD"
     "The box is his personal extrusion into this dimension," Ryuji explained,
then suddenly winked.  "He's kind of a younger Elder God."
     "!silencE" The Unbidden raged.  ".now, prepare for the day's activities,
MerklA  .we have much to catch up on, and we must leave before six o'clocK"
     "Hai, sempai!"
     As Ryuji began to retrieve calculators and pencils from a storage cabinet,
Yuri fiddled with the cat charm at her wrist.  "I never got the chance to really
thank you for saving me, Ryuji," she said finally.
     "Oh, don't mention it," he replied over his shoulder.  "It was the least I
could do."
     "Um... not that I'm complaining, but... why *did* you do it?  I mean, I
know you like Yasuko, and saving me probably didn't score any points with her."
     He hesitated in the act of rummaging through a box of talismans, material
components, and office supplies.  "Y'know... I didn't even think about that."  He
shrugged.  "It just... seemed like the thing to do at the time."
     She smiled.  "Well, I'm glad it did."
     "!baH" The Unbidden interjected; a tentacle - a perfectly normal
octopus-like tentacle, complete with suction cups - emerged from the box, though
it was clearly far too large to have fit inside in the first place.  It pointed
accusingly at Ryuji.  ".you are a fool, Merkla, and always have beeN  ?helping
others with no thought to your own gaiN  !pathetic wretcH"
     "Now, there's no reason to-" Yuri started to protest, but stopped when
Ryuji shook his head.
     "Don't worry about it," he told her mildly.  "He and I go way back -
Lovecraft Memorial Junior High, in fact.  That's where most of us
interdimensional types get taught, so you can imagine how hard it is to meet a
friend with the same general frame of reference.  Unbidden-sempai may seem like a
hard case, but once you get to know him he's pretty cool."
     "?cooL  !?COOL"  The Unbidden sounded affronted, but Yuri noticed a faint
red glow, almost like a blush, on the surface of the box.  "!i am a dark scion of
the Denizens of C'thagrA  !the mere mention of my true Name would shatter a
mortal's sanitY  !i feast upon the souls of the mad, and drink the essence of
nightmareS  .i am horrific," he added finally, "not 'cooL'"
     Ryuji winked at Yuri again.  "Hai, sempai!"
     ".gather your implementS," the Younger God said gruffly.  ".as this is our
first official meeting, I have prepared a few light exerciseS  .we shall begin by
calculating the income tax return of the mortal known as Bill GateS"

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     "The faculty of this school is *extremely* disappointed in you two."
     Craig scowled defiantly.  "If this is about the Blood Duel, we've *had* our
detention already.  You can't tell me that's not enough for trying to off the
Principal's pet."
     Kurosawa-sensei transfixed him with a cold stare.  "This is not about Miss
Mikagami, it is not about your punishment for interfering in the Duel, and it is
certainly not about Principal Amakusa.  This is about your accomplishments, or
lack thereof, since the beginning of the school year."
     As the two students glanced at each other with the beginnings of anxiety,
Kurosawa stood up and slowly circled them.  "Can either of you tell me why you
are at this school?"
     "Duh," Craig muttered sarcastically.  "Because my parents-"
     "Shut up, armor boy," Yasuko snapped, her memory somewhat sharper than his. 
Lifting her head and looking the teacher in the eye, she replied: "Because we're
evil."
     A smirk played across Fujiko's lips.  "Good.  At least *one* of you has
learned something."  She paced around them for a few more steps.  "And what is
more evil?  To strike at your opponent swiftly and decisively, destroying them in
one deadly stroke?  Or to attempt to destroy them, over and over, in a series of
ever more spectacular failures?"  She smiled, seeing their expressions.  "Oh,
yes.  We are *quite* aware of your... determined agenda against Yuri, both on and
off campus."
     Yasuko reddened.  "I *haven't* failed," she insisted angrily.  "I just need
to come up with the perfect plan, one that will get rid of the little bitch
permanently!"
     "Same here," Craig added.  "It doesn't matter who she's got helping her -
sooner or later I'm going to take her *down*!"
     Kurosawa's smile had faded, replaced by an expression of disgust.  "You two
really believe that, don't you?  And I suppose her continued survival is due
to...?"
     "Luck," Yasuko said firmly.  "Nothing but sheer luck."
     The teacher looked as though she had tasted something sour.  "Of course. 
Luck."  She walked over to look out the window; there was a long, uncomfortable
silence.
     Then Kurosawa turned around, her eyes literally glowing with ice-blue
light.  "You stupid, stupid cretins.  Do you really think that her successes this
year - against you, against Sakura Art, against the Principal himself - can all
be attributed to luck?  Luck can only be pushed so far before it breaks, and I
for one would never have faced Amakusa armed only with such an unreliable
strategy.
     "Look at you two.  Just *look* at what you've been doing!  Tripwires? 
Stupidly elaborate deathtraps?  Robotic rodents?  Marbles?  *Marbles*, Miss
Wareme?!  Were you unable to find a banana peel?"
     She visibly calmed herself.  "I have been watching Miss Mikagami myself,
and despite what the Principal may think I find her neither particularly
resourceful nor prescient.   She *has*, however, through kind words and feigned
innocence, swayed a number of students to her support, and that is sometimes a
better indication of success than anything else.  I have no doubt that, once she
graduates, a dark future will be spread out before her, allowing Miss Mikagami to
take what she pleases."
     Craig and Yasuko were glaring at her furiously, and she treated them to a
cruel smile.  "And do you know what I see when I look at you two?  Do I see a
twilight seductress, stealer of men's souls?  Do I see a remorseless warrior,
slayer of heroes?  No.  I see nothing more than a pair... of minions."
     The word acted as an emotional slap in the face, turning their rage into
shock.  Yasuko stared at her, speechless, while Craig tried to laugh the
accusation off.  "C'mon, teach... you don't... you don't *really* mean that, do
you?  We're not... *minions*, are we?"
     "You're right.  I misspoke."  They relaxed.  "I should have called you
*bumbling* minions.  That's more accurate."
     Yasuko fell to her knees, her eyes wide and staring at the floor.  "How...
how DARE you?!" she whispered.  "You can't just-"
     "I can.  But if you don't believe me, why not ask your classmates?  I'm
sure they'd be more than happy to reassure you.  To be honest, I was hoping I was
wrong, but it has become clear that you two are suited for little more than to
butt heads with the local hero, handing him victory after victory to the
embarrassment of whatever *true* villain you happen to serve."
     The succubus shook her head, slowly at first, then more violently. 
"N-no... no!  That can't be!  Is... is that what I've become...?"
     For his part, Craig was more firmly set in denial, and itched to draw his
sword against the teacher.  "Take that back right now," he growled.  "The
Maimsworth line is *nobody*'s minions.  You hear me?"
     Kurosawa raised one thin eyebrow.  "No?  In fact I hear your own father was
briefly lackey to the Hellstorm himself, before he was dismissed for continued
incompetence."
     "You're lying!"
     "Shut up, Craig," Yasuko said in a hollow voice, not looking up.  "She
wouldn't say something like that unless she had proof."
     "Indeed.  Your *grandfather* was quite infamous, of course, or else you
wouldn't have been admitted to this school."  Kurosawa regarded them a moment
longer, then sighed.  "But it's not a lost cause.  You two are young; you have
made mistakes, and now you must learn from them."
     The succubus lifted her head finally, a trace of hope in her eyes.  "Do...
do you mean it?
     Her teacher nodded.  "You'll have to work hard to break the cycle, however. 
I don't expect immediate results, of course, but the important thing is to know
when to either quit... or up the stakes.  And if you absolutely *must* plot
against her, take some friendly advice and leave Miss Mikagami alone for a while. 
If nothing else, she may lower her guard if she's not attacked every five
minutes."
     Then she smiled thinly.  "You may go now.  Think about what I've said, and
try to avoid any more 'comical hijinx', yes?  That's Evil Tech's stock-in-trade,
not ours."

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     "...no, not him.  I don't trust him with children, not after the
'gingerbread incident'."
     "Tadaima!"  Setting her bookbag aside briefly, Yuri sat down to change from
her normal shoes to her indoor cat slippers.  In the next room, her parents were
having a discussion, and she listened with half an ear.     
     "What about your old teammates?" Troi's voice suggested.  "I hate the
thought of asking them for help, but..."
     Yuri's mother sounded a little embarrassed.  "We... had a bit of a
falling-out, after you and I got married.  They didn't exactly approve."
     "Hmph.  I don't see why not."
     "You *did* kill them, dear," she gently reminded him.  There was a pause. 
"How about... how about that niece of yours, Uzume?  She seemed... nice."
     Troi snorted as Yuri crept down the stairs.  "She's gone mental these days. 
Besides, she's a shopaholic; she'd max out my credit cards before we got out the
door."
     Having changed her shoes, Yuri entered the living room.  "What's up, guys?"
     Troi looked up as his daughter swept in, giving her mother a quick hug. 
"Well, you seem to be in a better mood."  It wasn't a one hundred percent change
- she was still considerably less cheerful than usual - but the previous aura of
depression had been broken.
     Yuri nodded.  "Things are still kind of iffy at school, but I'll manage. 
So... what're you talking about?"
     "We can't think of anyone to take care of you while we're gone," her mother
explained.  "All of our relatives and friends are either busy, mentally
imbalanced, or in another dimension."
     "We may have to delay our trip after all..." Troi grumbled.
     "Oh."  Yuri considered this.  "Well, you can just leave me here by myself,
then.  I'll manage."
     Her mother blinked in surprise.  "Are... are you sure, Yuri?"
     "Sure, I'm sure!  I'm in high school now - I can take care of myself for a
few days.  And if it gets too bad, I can always sleep over at Reiko or Atsuko's
house."
     Troi and his wife regarded their daughter for a moment, then the Hellstorm
nodded.  "All right, Yuri.  But your homework is to be done every night by seven,
and the *moment* anything unusual happens, you're to call us, understand?"
     "And no parties!" her mother added with a smile.
     Yuri giggled.  "Hai, hai..."

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     As the school gate was closed and locked behind them by a surly custodian,
Craig and Yasuko stood silently, carefully avoiding meeting each other's gaze. 
Several minutes passed before either of them spoke.
     "Did you..." Craig began hesitantly.  "Did you... buy into what she said?"
     "I'm... not sure," the succubus replied, fidgeting with one of her
wingtips.  "If Amakusa had said it, I would've thought he was just trying to
protect Mikagami.  But..."
     "Yeah, I know."  There was another pause.  "So what're you going to do?"
     Yasuko didn't look up from her wing for a long moment, then shrugged in an
overly casual manner.  "Well, y'know... either way, I've been putting too much
effort into trying to get her, and my parents have been nagging me about my
grades... they even said that if I got straight A's, they'll buy me a boy band. 
So... really, she's probably not even worth the effort.  I mean, I still hate her
guts and all, but... I'll take care of her later."  She shrugged again.  "How
about you?"
     "I dunno... I'll have to think about it."
     And he was thinking.  Thinking about another occasion when Yuri had shown
him up, about what truly evil people would do.
     About upping the stakes...

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

AUTHOR'S NOTES

     AAAAHHH!  Look out!  Tentacle demon in DHH!  Run, Yuri!  RUN!

     ...

     Made you look. ^_^

     Seriously, no, The Unbidden is a C'thulhuoid godling rather than a naughty
tentacle thingie, so Yuri and the other girls should be plenty safe.  And, just
for the sake of completeness, the rather confusing line of the 'ritual' does in
fact mean something.  It doesn't make *sense*, but the words are real.

     I added the whole 'parents leaving town' thing on a whim.  I'd kinda like
to see a big sleepover at Yuri's, involving all of Yuri's girlfriends - including
maybe even Yasuko - but we'll see how it goes.  ^_^

     Thanks go to the Madsman himself, who preread for me and pointed it out
when I started to overplan a bit, which is my wont.  Now to get ready for the big
FFL finale...

                    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

     Bala was confused.
     He'd lived his life one step removed from everything else, and it had been
comfortable.  A bit lonely, sure, but comfortable.
     Then Yuri kissed him.  And he'd liked it.  He'd wanted to try it again, but
she ran away from him, and yelled at him.  While he wasn't the first young man to
be befuddled by the opposite sex, to someone used to not feeling *anything* this
was a riddle wrapped, as tightly as Bala himself, in an enigma.
     Of course, Bala wasn't much inclined to introspection, and so couldn't put
these feelings into so many words.  He did know that seeing Yuri in Ki's arms had
made him very, very angry, and also made him long to...
     What?
     He didn't know, but he had a feeling that the damn bandages would keep him
from doing it.
     Standing in the bare cell that served as his bedroom, looking into the
mirror hung over the sink, Balabalalde stared at his reflection for a long, long
time.