Even on a normal day, Dark Heart High's washrooms tended to fill
up quickly between classes.   Add the various construction workers
engaged in the work needed to rebuild the school's clock tower, and
it was fair to say that things were worse than usual in the school's
washrooms.

    For every rule, however, there is an exception.  And, in this
case, the exception's name was Balabalalde.  Even among Dark Heart
High's upperclassmen, few cared to be in the same room as an unchained
Balabalalde.  Particularly without some form of supervision.  And that
was before his part in defeating Melvin Mikagami earlier this week.

    For years, Balabalalde could almost always count on being alone
in the washroom of whatever school he was currently attending.  Few
of his fellow students - even those older than him - had ever wanted
to cross Balabalalde's path, even when he was bound by chains and
ofuda.  Fewer still after what had happened to those who *had*
crossed his path.

    Years ago, Balabalalde's classmates had concluded that anyone who
*wanted* to be in a small room with an unbound Balabalalde with no
supervision whatsoever fell into one of a small number of categories.
Those who were extremely powerful themselves.  Those that had no idea
who Balabalalde was.  Those who were were extremely arrogant.  Those
who were suicidal.  Those who were so stupid that they should do their
race's genepool a favor and die before they could breed.  And those
who just got off on suffering massive amounts of pain.

    Sakazashi the Fifth, Doombringer, would be the first to tell you
that he was extremely powerful.  A claim that all his classmates
would, no matter how reluctantly in some cases, agree with.  Further
support for this claim was the fact that his classmates were quite
careful when commenting on whether or not he fit any of the other
criteria.

    All of this explained why there were only two people in one of
Dark Heart High's washrooms shortly after the end of the day's first
class.

    "So, Bala, how does it feel like to know that you weren't seen as
being evil enough to be advanced like I was?"

    Balabalalde simply went about his business, without any
unnecessary sounds.  His power and reputation spoke for themselves.
He'd never understood Sakazashi's need to promote himself.  That
however, didn't mean that he didn't understand Sakazashi's game.  If
the Doombringer wanted someone to help him inflate his ego, he's have
to find someone else.

    "Or maybe you've been too upset to think about that, since Yuri
was also advanced to the ranks of the upperclassmen yesterday?"

    The slight delay before Bala turned on the water was perfectly
understandable, given the problem with the hot water in this same
washroom last week.

    "Afraid that she'll forget all about you, now that she's not
seeing you in class?  Or that, as an upperclassman, she won't want
to be seen associating with a lowly freshman?"

    Balabalalde was not reacting to Sakazashi's ridiculous statements.
He was simply making sure to firmly rub the liquid soap into his
hands.  Nothing more.

    "Well, don't let it get you down, Bala!  I've heard that older
women like younger men.  Of course, that isn't quite the situation
you're in, but I've also heard that hope springs eternal."

    He was just turning to reach for the paper towels.  That was the
only reason he was glaring at Sakazashi's smirking face.

    As enjoyable as it would probably be to force Sakazashi to swallow
some of his own teeth, Bala decided not to indulge himself.  Coach
Truncheon would get on his case for fighting with the sports meet on
Saturday.  More importantly, the longer he was in a washroom, the
bigger the chance that Leilei would get a snack.  And yesterday had
shown once again what happened if she ate anything with Nutrisweet in
it.

    Although, Bala admitted to himself as he reached for the door,
there wouldn't have been any problems if Liza hadn't somehow arranged
to have a relative's "Real Sugar-coated Pixie Sticks!" in the school's
vending machines.  Or, at least, if they hadn't been mostly Nutrisweet
with a little piece of a real pixie in the center.


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

        Dark Heart High

        Netherworld Educational Institute for
        The Universal Propagation of Evil

        Created by Madsman

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

Part Thirty Seven:              Manipulations!
        by The Apprentice

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

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


    Amakusa was working on the paperwork that always seemed to build
up while he was out of the school for a few hours, when Akurei entered
his office.  Absently, Amakusa realized that his underling hadn't
bothered to use illusions or transformative magics to alter his
appearance today.  He was his normal nine foot tall, six-armed,
spike-covered, mostly-reptilian-looking self.    

    "Yes, Akurei?"  The polite tone of voice contrasted nicely with
the insult of him having gone back to working on paperwork.  It never
ceased to amaze him how no matter what you did, there always seemed
to be more of it.  Truly, one of the more fiendish developments ever
in history.

    "I'm curious why you're sending out Yuri Mikagami on this
mission.  Particularly with incomplete information."

    Amakusa added a touch of distracted curiosity to his voice, in
order to make it seem as if his focus was still on the paperwork he
was looking through.  "I'm not sure what you mean, Akurei.  True,
I didn't go over the full details of my dealings with Kenji, and I
didn't cover everything I've done to earn his hatred.  And I suppose
it's possible that saying that she'd have a day to observe a Knight
School student wasn't completely accurate.  But you yourself saw me
prepare the information Mikagami-kun's going over in the room you
were to escort her to."

    "That is not what I meant," Akurei hissed out.  "Yes, you have
prepared basic information on Knight School for her.  Yes, you have
prepared basic information on their teachers, like Kenji.  Yes, you
have arranged for her to have the basic tools she'll need to
infiltrate the school.  But asking a student, particularly one that
only started here this year, to infiltrate Knight School to steal
evidence meant to draw you into a trap?!  Evidence that you expect
her to get tomorrow!?"

    Amakusa didn't bother to interrupt Akurei, and continued to give
the appearance of paying little attention to his ranting underling.
For a being that looked so reptilian, Akurei had a bad - for him -
habit of saying things he didn't mean to when he let something get
him riled up.

    "I'm surprised that you're willing to risk any student on this,
let alone your little pet..."  Akurei's rising voice suddenly died,
as he realized what he had just said aloud.  As he waited for the
school's principal to react to that statement, Akurei was thankful
he at least hadn't made any such comments while meeting the board's
representatives.

    Amakusa allowed a small but pleasant smile to dance upon his lips
as he raised his head to look at Akurei.  It was almost a pity that
Akurei's form currently didn't have any eyes.  It would have been
interesting to see if he'd closed them or not after that last comment.

    "Ah, finally."  Amakusa's tone of voice was even and calm.  Some
might even say it was faintly amused.  "You think that I am spending
far too much time and energy on Mikagami-kun.  For that matter you
seem to think that I'm favoring the girl, and making things easy for
her."

    "There's no need for me to 'think' about it!"  Akurei hissed out,
having decided that he might as well continue on.  "You even admitted
that you fixed the Wednesday's tests so she would be advanced to
being an upperclassman!"

    "Really, Akurei?  And when did I admit to such an act?"

    "Right after you addressed the students at the assembly!"

    "Ah," Amakusa's voice now sounded as if he suddenly understood
something that had confused him, even as his hands steepled in front
of his mouth.  "I suppose my comments could be taken that way, but
have I ever stated that I somehow altered Mikagami-kun's test results
to have her advanced?"

    After a moment's silence, Amakusa continued.  "As for my choosing
Mikagami-kun for this task, Akurei, let's look over what would be
needed of whomever was sent."   Amakusa rose out of his chair and
slowly began to pace back and forth across his office as he spoke, his
hands behind his back.

    "First, they would have to be available to perform the task in
question.  We have the rest of today, tomorrow, and a few hours in
the early morning of Saturday to deal with this.

    "Second, they would have to either be able to function despite the
effects of the purity fields that Knight School uses for security.  Or
they would have to be protected from those same energies.  If
protected, it has to be done in a way that will not be noticed or
detected.

    "Third, leaving all other things aside, this does involve going
into Knight School.  We need someone whose first reaction upon
encountering a complication will not be to gut the nearest
individual.

    "Fourth, for all his other faults, I've never once claimed that
Kenji doesn't understand the value of preparation and information.
Meaning that we either send someone Kenji won't be prepared for, or
we have to escalate this to an extremely dangerous level.

    "Finally, I do not intend to exchange one blackmailer for another.
So whoever is sent must fit into one of the following categories.
Someone who is already involved in my experiment.  Someone who is
already aware of my experiment.  Someone who is expendable once they
have retrieved the information.  Or someone whom I have sufficient
leverage over to prevent them from trying to blackmail me, such as
a student here at Dark Heart High."

    Amakusa sat back down, and looked up at Akurei, hands on his desk,
before continuing in sweet and reasonable tone that had nothing in
common with the look in his dark eyes.  "So, Akurei, please tell me
how many individuals meet all five requirements I've laid out?"

    After a moment's silence, Akurei finally responded.  "Perhaps
there are not as many options as I'd thought, but it is still a risk.
She does not have the type of skills needed for such a task.  And, if
she is caught..."  Akurei simply shrugged using his topmost pair of
arms.

    "Akurei," Amakusa's voice now held a touch of impatience, "I am
not expecting Mikagami-kun to steal the crown jewels of London.  While
I doubt that the evidence will simply be laying about, I also doubt
that it will that well concealed.  Kenji wants to use it as bait in a
trap meant for me, and bait that cannot be found is very poor bait.
What is needed here is not someone who is a thief, or even a master
thief.  What is needed here is someone who can act as if they were
innocent and pure."

    Amakusa paused to sigh before continuing on.  "As for the fact
that it is a risk, there I must agree with you.  However, the life of
one student, no matter how much potential that student may have, is
nothing compared to the continued well-being of the school as a
whole.  As long as Mikagami-kun destroys the originals, Akurei, then
everything else - including her survival - is simply icing on the
cake."

    It was rather difficult for someone to give you a shocked stare,
when they had no eyes.  Akurei, however, made a rather good attempt
in Amakusa's opinion.

    "And you think that Hellstorm is going to agree to let his only
child to take this mission with that attitude!?"

    "Akurei," Amakusa finally let some of the annoyance he was feeling
due to this whole affair color his tone of voice, "be reasonable.  Of
course I'm not deliberately sending a student out to die, things like
that would give Dark Heart High a bad reputation with the parents of
our students.  I am not, however, so foolish to overlook the possible
outcomes that would displease me."

    "As for Hellstorm," Amakusa paused briefly to bare his teeth in
what some fools might have called a smile, "he'll sign the permission
slip.  He is a graduate of this institution, and realizes how
important it is.  More importantly, even though we have never been
close acquaintances, we do know each other."

    Amakusa's hands once more steepled before his mouth, and his voice
almost sounded wistful as he continued on.  "In fact, we were briefly
in the same class here, due to the effects of the placement tests.
That's why he could, if he wanted to, show up for two different class
reunions in the same year."

    Amakusa paused briefly, before continuing on in a firmer tone.
"In any event, the message I included with the permission forms will
convince Hellstorm to sign them.  I'll simply have to remember to add
what I'm giving him in return to my list of debts for Gompachi and
Kenji."

    Amakusa steepled his hands in front of his face again.  "Now, was
there anything of interest that occurred when you met the board's
representatives while I was out?"  

    Akurei took a moment to think things over before answering.  "Not
really.  I made the yearly comments regarding how the placement tests
should be eliminated.  They made the yearly comments that the tests
were a valuable and even necessary tool.  They did mention that they
would appreciate it if you showed up in person at the full board's
meeting at the end of the month."

    "Nothing else, Akurei?  No comments about any of the students that
did or did not advance due to this year's testing?"

    "Not that I can recall."

    After a moments thought, Amakusa simply states "Interesting.  You
may go now, Akurei."

    Akurei turned and started to reach for the door before he whirled
back around at the sound he was hearing.  For whatever reason, Amakusa
was chuckling.

    "What is so funny?"  Akurei hissed out.  His tone made it clear
that he could see no humor in the situation they were in.  "The
school's reputation is at stake!"

    Amakusa rose and looked out the window before continuing.  "It's
just that I almost feel like thanking Gompachi and Kenji for giving me
such an excellent opportunity to test Mikagami-kun, and to force her
to use her potential."

    "You consider this a test!?"

    "Of course.  Everything is a test, in certain fashion, Akurei."
Amakusa's voice was smooth, and controlled, as it normally was.  But
there was a note to it now, as if he was about to teach a valuable
lesson to a pupil.  "In a way you are correct.  I think Mikagami-kun
has a great deal of potential.  Perhaps the most potential I have
ever seen in a student in all my years as principal of Dark Heart
High.  But potential that is unused or untested, my dear Akurei, is
wasted potential.

    "You think that I am making things easier on Mikagami-kun because
I see her as some sort of pet.  But there is a basic flaw in your
thinking.  You do not make a sword by wrapping a metal bar in
swaddling cloth, Akurei."

    Amakusa turned to face his Vice-Principal, his dark form backlit
by the sunlight.  His black-clad form appeared to be surrounded by a
golden aura, a halo of light dancing upon his dark hair.  His gleaming
smile was mixture of rage and anticipation, and seemed to show far too
many teeth.  Even though he whispered the rest of his lesson, it
seemed to Akurei as if he had shouted it.

    "No Akurei, if you wish to make a sword, you thrust the raw metal
into the heat of the forge.  And then you hammer it into shape."


        * * * * *


    It was, on the surface, a perfectly ordinary office.  The large
window allowed the sunlight to flow into the room, and the half-draw
curtains helped to channel the path it took.  Various awards,
trophies, commendations, and certificates could be found on the desk,
on top of the filing cabinet, and on the walls.  A second door,
Father Hibiki knew, led to a small bathroom.  The attached bathroom
was status symbol, showing that the person this office belonged to
was held in high esteem by Principal Gompachi.

    To all appearances, it was a bright and cheerful room.  And one
that only held Father Hibiki himself at the moment.  But, even though
he couldn't see or sense anything, Father Hibiki highly doubted that
any of those three things were true.

    "I'ma na' going ta talk unless I'sa be seein' you'sa Tendo."  Even
on a good day, Father Hibiki would admit to himself that he had
trouble hiding just how much Kenji Tendo got underneath his skin.  And
this showed no signs of being a good day so far.

    Battle-hardened nerves and years of dealing with Knight School's
resident ninja master kept Father Hibiki from jumping back at the
shock of suddenly having a man suddenly appear less than a foot in
front of him.  As usual, Kenji Tendo was in what Father Hibiki liked
to think of as "the damn fool pijama'."  However, unlike most other
ninjas, Kenji Tendo's garments quite literally did cover him from head
to toe.  No flesh, not even his eyes, was exposed.  None save the
healers he had consulted had seen Kenji Tendo since that fateful
encounter with Amakusa.

    "Satisfied?" Kenji coldly asked.

    Once, Kenji's Tendo's voice could have made angels weep with joy.
Now, it just made people weep.  Unlike his body, the damage to Kenji's
voice could not be hidden by wrapping it up in cloth.  No student fell
asleep in a class taught by Kenji Tendo.  Not with a voice that could
be politely be described as a screeching rasp.

    "Na, but it'sa probably na' going ta get much better than this."
Father Hibiki took a breath and let it out before continuing on.
"I'sa gave Amakusa the message."

    "Good," a bit of warmth seemed to color Kenji's tone of voice now.
"And his reaction?"

    Father Hibiki snorted.  "He'sa not gonna send you'sa or Principal
Gompachi birthday cards, ifin that's what ya wanna know."

    The sound Kenji made might have been a chuckle.  Or it might have
been the death cry of a paper shredder.  "You still don't like this
plan, do you Assistant Principal Hibiki?"

    "I'sa been sayin' such since the moment you'sa mentioned it ta me
and  Gompachi.  It'sa got na honor.  Na' that this is being a
surprise, comin' from you'sa and Gompachi!"  Despite his best efforts,
Father Hibiki had to admit to himself that he was still having trouble
holding his tongue.  Which might well be why he was just the
Assistant Principal of Knight School.

    "Perhaps you are correct, Father Hibiki."  Kenji's voice was as
cold and calm, much as many imagined death's voice itself would be.
"But honorable attempts to deal with him have been made in the past.
I have even participated in some of them.  And all of those honorable
attempts have failed.  Our cause is noble and pure.  That is enough
for me."

    "How'sa that be makin' us any different from those holligans over
at the Academy of Light, within their talk 'bout the ends justifyin'
the means?"

    "We could argue about this all day, Father.  But I doubt that
either of us will convince the other, given how many times we've
debated these issues."

    Father Hibiki was about to say something he would regret later
when someone knocked on the door.  Instantly, Kenji disappeared from
Father Hibiki's senses.  A moment later, a deep booming voice could
be heard from the other side of the door.

    "Tendo-sensei?  Principal Gompachi sent me to pick up a file he'd
like to review."

    Kenji Tendo's voice seemed to issue forth from each corner of the
room.  Knowing Kenji, Father Hibiki was willing to bet that he wasn't
near any of them.

    "Enter."

    The door opened briefly, then closed again behind the cloaked form
wearing a Nutcracker mask.  Briefly, a ballet outfit could be seen
before the cloak settled back around the young man's form.

    "He wants me to bring him the Fugu file, Tendo-sen...  Oh,
Assistant Principal Hibiki!  I didn't notice you there."

    "You'sa might wanna learn ta be a mite more observant, Ataru-kun.
Na' noticing someone could be the difference 'tween livin' and dyin'
someday."

    Kenji's sourceless voice echoed through the office.  "Indeed.  The
file you were sent for is in the safe by the filing cabinet.  Since
it's the only file in there right now, there shouldn't be any
confusion.  Principal Gompachi did give you the combination, correct?"

    "Of course, Tendo-sensei," Nutcracker Kamen's reply sounded
somewhat puzzled as he went towards the safe.

    Father Hibiki didn't say anything until the boy had closed the
door behind him as he left.  Even then, he continued to stare at the
safe in shock.

    "Haven' you'sa two lost all sense in the noggin'!?"  Father
Hibiki's whisper sounded strained.  Like it was all he could do not to
scream and shout. "Bad enough that Gompachi wanna gloat over the
evidence, let 'lone the originals.  He'sa never really been onna short
end of the stick.  But I'sa expected more sense from you, Tendo!"

    Kenji's sourceless voice sounded faintly amused now.  "Be
reasonable, Father.  You know how effective our school's defenses
normally are.  And you were one of the people who helped reinforce
them when the plan was set into motion.  You also helped to reinforce
the protections on both this office and on Principal Gompachi's.  My
classes are being taught by someone else until after the inter-school
sports meet, and I haven't left this office since last night."

    "An' none of that is'a going ta be doin' any good ifin the
evidence isn't in this room, Tendo!"  Father Hibiki breathed deeply,
trying to catch hold of his temper.  But it was hard.  So very hard
with this arrogant young sprig.

    The fact that Kenji was now sounding like he was lecturing a
rather slow child wasn't helping matters either.  "If someone
enters my office who sets off any of the sensors or alarms, Father,
they will be dealt with.  If someone enters without the safe's
combination, which automatically changes each time it's used from
a list Principal Gompachi alone knows, they will be dealt with.  If
the person does not take the file directly to the Principal's office,
the ninja that will be shadowing them - just as one is currently
shadowing Ataru-kun - will sound the alarm.  And they will then be
dealt with, Father Hibiki."

    Shock shifted to suspicion in Father Hibiki's mind.  "You'sa be
tryin' to draw Amakusa out, Tendo.  Gompachi being arrogant enough ta
think Amakusa won't send someone here, or ta be comin' himself!
'Least not being able ta get past the campus gates.  But you'sa know
better than that, Tendo.  An' so do I'sa."

    "Think whatever you want to, old man.  I serve the cause.  Either
Dark Heart High will be humiliated at Saturday's sport's meet, or
their principal will have his reputation ruined.  If an opportunity
arises to rid the world of him, or of one of his foul minions, I shall
not complain."

    Father Hibiki stalked towards the door, but paused before opening
it to have the last word.  "Fine.  Do wha' you'sa want, Tendo.  But
I'ma makin' it clear that this is na' wise.  To you.  To Gompachi. To
the whole of the board, even!"


        * * * * *


    Yuri Mikagami had heard others say, and had even been told in one
case, that Principal Amakusa liked her.  She'd even heard some whisper
that she was the principal's pet.  If they were right, then it was
definitely a mixed blessing.

    Oh, sure, she hadn't had a day of detention yet this year, despite
a few instances where the Principal could have easily given her some.
On the other hand, she'd had to face the Sakura Arts fencing team all
by herself, or six of them at least.  And she still sometimes had
nightmares about the Blood Duel she had fought.  Only in them, her 
soul had been consumed by Principal Amakusa's sword.

    And now, she was expected to get into a rival all-boys school.
While in that school, she was to steal evidence being used in an
attempt to blackmail Principal Amakusa.  Evidence that was all too
likely to be well guarded, in Yuri's opinion.

    Oh yes, and it had to be done by Saturday morning.

    Yuri wasn't sure if she wanted to join her father's company some
day, but she'd picked up a few things over the years.  Mainly from
watching her father run his company out of the house and from various
conversations she'd been present during, or simply overheard.  And
one of those things was that when your superior gave a you a
desperately important assignment, outright refusing to go could be bad
for your health.

    So she'd tried to convince Principal Amakusa that she really
wasn't the best person for the job.  She wasn't some kind of ninja or
catburgler after all.  She couldn't cast spells, and didn't have any
psychic powers.  She was just a student.  She was female, and it was
an all-boys school.

    Unfortunately, Principal Amakusa seemed to have his heart set on
her being the one to be sent into the lion's den.

    Which was why she was in a windowless room, painted a drab
greenish-gray, with only the door she'd come in through and the door
to the attached bathroom to break up the monotony.  The room's
contents were rather obvious to even a casual glance.  A simple
scratched metal table containing several file folders, as well as a
bag containing the items she'd been given to use during the
assignment.  An uncomfortable metal chair.  And her.

    Before he had left, Vice Principal Akurei had made sure she
understood her schedule.  She would remain here until the end of day,
and then go home.  An upperclassman would assist her in observing a
student of Knight School tonight.  Sometime tomorrow, or very early
Saturday, she would enter Knight School and get the evidence.  Then
she would return to Dark Heart High to reverse the effects the
gender change the polymorph potion would have caused.

    Common sense, and some of Aunt Venoma's stories, kept Yuri from
asking Akurei what would happen if she failed.

    All in all, she found herself wishing that she was just facing six
on one odds again.

    It would have been nice if she'd been allowed to get some help.
Ki would have no problems walking down the halls of Knight School like
he belonged there.  Bala would just give anyone who was getting too
nosy a long silent stare until they left him alone.  And Amy likely
knew alot about Knight School, given how close it was to her old
school - Sakura Arts.

    But even if Principal Amakusa hadn't made it quite clear that she
had to do this by herself, she wouldn't have asked any of them to join
her.  Mainly because it was too much to ask of any of them.  They
could get hurt because of it.  They could get killed because of it.

    But that, unfortunately, wasn't the only reason for not asking for
their help.

    Leilei, and Bala, had lied to her over how Amy had gotten hurt.
And even if they lied to her to protect her feelings, it still hurt.
She could trust them to help her.  She could trust Bala to fight to
protect her.  But she couldn't trust them to tell her the truth.

    And what of Amy.  Ki had said that there was bad blood between Amy
and Bala.  And he'd implied, as much as what he didn't say as what he
had, that it was over her.  What else had gone on between them that
she hadn't noticed, or had ignored?  And why were they so at odds over
her?

    Then there was the tension she sometimes saw between Ki and Bala
lately.  And the comment that Ki's cousin Midori had made about how
she expected them to fight, shortly after uncle Melvin had gotten
free.  Ki was a friend, but had he told her about how Leilei had lied
to her just as a friend, or was getting a blow in on Bala part of his
reason for telling her?

    Or was she just blowing things out of proportion?

    Yuri firmly shook her head a few times.  She had enough on her
plate right now without adding more.  Deal with one problem at a time,
just like Aunt Venoma had told her years ago, or else you'll never get
anything done.

    With that thought firmly in mind, Yuri reached for one of the file
folders.


        * * * * *


    The knock on his door was a welcomed distraction to Principal
Amakusa.  Hosting the yearly inter-school sport's meet was supposedly
a great honor.  In reality, it was - at best - a massive headache.

    The preparations for the athletes, coaches, and spectators.  The
security measures to protect those who attended.  More security
measures to insure that the school's secrets and safety were kept.
Add to that the aftereffects of the near-total destruction of the
clock tower, the ongoing work to rebuild it, normal school
administrivia, and the attempt to blackmail him and it was all too
tempting to set the various forms and reports on his desk ablaze.

    "Come in."  Of course, none of that could be allowed to show in
his voice.  There were, after all, standards to maintain.

    Amakusa arched an eyebrow at Akurei after the later had used his
bottom-most left hand to close the door behind him.  Although he
seemed more settled now - dealing with the board always did seem to
make him a bit more excitable - he was definitely not pleased.

    "What is it now, Akurei?"  Amakusa decided it wouldn't be too out
of sorts to let a bit of exasperation to show in his voice.  "Is
Sakura Art demanding more assurances that any and all tentacle demons
will behave themselves during the sports meet?  The Academy of Light
'suggesting' another change to how the judging will be carried out
this year?  Perhaps it's Zeros Academy, once again demanding
'authentic cheese hats' from," Amakusa paused to rifle through some
of the papers currently on his desk.  "Ah yes, from Green Bay."

    Akurei hesitated for an instant before answering.  "No, sir.  It
has nothing directly to do with the sports meet."

    Amakusa allowed himself to sigh with pleasure.  "Thank the sweet
Darkness!  If I had to listen to Sugar Valley's vice-principal again
today, I'd be tempted to fall on my own sword.  That woman has a voice
a harpy would envy."

    "You may want to wait until I'm finished before deciding whether
or not you'd have rather heard this or not."

    Amakusa raised an eyebrow at that comment.  "Oh?"

    "Yes, sir.  As you no doubt recall, the ninja that was captured
the day before Mikagami-kun faced the Sakura Art fencing team claimed
he was not responsible for the sabotage of the virtue sensing system,
no matter how intensly he was questioned.  Nor did he admit to having
any knowledge of when it was sabotaged, or by whom."

    "As such, I decided to contact my nephew on my own.  He, in turn,
launched an internal investigation to find out how their system could
have been compromised.  He just called me with the basic results of
that investigation."

    "Ah," Amakusa was pleasantly surprised by this show of initiative.
Getting Akurei out of a rut once he'd started down it was
distressingly difficult.  That attempt to kill him this Wednesday was
the first he'd launched one on a day other than a Tuesday in years.
"And those results were?"

    A grinding metal-on-metal sound could be heard before Akurei
continued with his report.  "They found a traitor, a graduate from the
Zeros Academy.  Her partner, in both senses of the word, recruited her
little over a year ago.  She was involved in the installation of the
virtue sensing system, and in the post-installation testing of the
system."

    "She was provided with equipment to add to various sensors.  These
additions were designed to blend in with the appearance of the
equipment the company uses and produces.  They would remain dormant
until remotely triggered, at which time they'd blind the sensors."

    "I see.  And why did we not find any of these little toys when we
had the system repaired after we caught the ninja?"

    "Unknown, sir.  The likeliest possibility is that during a
previous occasion the devices were removed and the cruder sabotage
occurred to help cover their tracks.  Maybe when the purity grenade
was placed in the school."

    "How ... interesting ... that you mention that incident."
Amakusa's voice was now like velvet being used to wipe an blade clean.
"Is there any particular reason for that choice?"

    "Yes sir.  The traitor was taken by the company's security earlier
this week, and they just finished questioning her earlier today.  Her
partner is a graduate from Knight School sir.  She repeatedly claimed
that she didn't know whom he was working with or for, but she did
overhear part of a telephone conversation where he referred to the
other party as Tendo-sensei."

    "My nephew asked me to pass along his deepest apologies for this
occurrence, and stated he'd be in touch in order to make it up to the
school.  A courier should be bringing over documentation regarding
the investigation, including a full transcript of the traitor's
questioning."

    "An enlightened, and wise, move on his part.  Tell me, Akurei,
does Kenji know of that his little songbird has been found yet?"

    "Unlikely, sir.  She wasn't supposed to meet, or otherwise
contact, her partner again until this Sunday."

    "What an interesting choice in dates.  Don't you think, Akurei?"

    "Yes, it does seem suggestive."

    Amakusa continued to stare at Akurei even as he hit a button on
his desk.  "Please ask Coach Truncheon to see me at his earliest
convenience."  Then, without even waiting for a reply, he released the
button to his secretary's intercom.

    Akurei waited a moment before saying anything.  Amakusa was taking
this calmly.  Far too calmly for Akurei's peace of mind.  "What are
we going to do about this?"

    "We are obviously going to have to go over the backgrounds of the
workers being used to rebuild the clock tower.  If it weren't for the
fact that we did a thorough check of the entire campus following that
ninja drugging Truncheon and over a dozen students, we'd have to do
that as well."

    Akurei decided it was time to state the obvious, since Amakusa
apparently wouldn't.  "We cannot let them get away with this."

    "No, we cannot.  I must admit, I'm surprised that Gompachi has
found enough spine to support Kenji in this, as he obviously has. It's
a shame he seems to have lost his mind in return, however.  It doesn't 
take psychic powers to realize that we would not let something like
this go."

    Akurei tilted his head slightly before venturing his personal
guess. "He probably thought we wouldn't be able to tie it all back to
them.  And, if the attempt to blackmail you succeeds, he'll be able to
use that to keep you from coming after him even if we knew.  Either
because he'll still be able to use it against you, or because you'll
be too busy dealing with the results if the information is released."

    "True enough, but it's still an unusually risky move for Gompachi.
The man is little more than a political hack.  A skilled one, I'll
admit, but to him a sword is just another fashion accessory and it
would be a complement to call him a hedge wizard."

    Before Akurei could say anything, there was a knock at the door.

    "Come in."  Principal's Amakusa voice was now light and carefree.

    Coach Truncheon closed the door behind him.  "You wanted to see
me, sir?"

    "Ah, yes.  Truncheon, as I recall you normally give a little
speech to the students participating in the annual inter-school sports
meet a day or two beforehand."

    "Yes sir.  I was planning on giving it tomorrow morning, before
the first class."

    "Good.  Good.  Please pass along my personal best wishes to all
our participants.  I feel certain that they will, one and all, give
their all to maintain our school's proud tradition of excellence."
Amakusa paused, as if a thought had just occurred to him.  You might
also want to remind them of our long history with Knight School and
that a little extra... vigor... when competing against students from
there would not be entirely out of order."

    Truncheon paused briefly before replying. "I'll make sure to do
so.  Was there anything else?"

    "Actually, yes.  During the sports meet I would appreciate it if
you would pass along a message for me.  Whenever you find it
convenient and appropriate, of course."

    "What message sir, and to whom?"

    "Any of the teachers Knight School sends over should do.  If you
have a personal preference, feel free to exercise it.  The message
is that Principal Gompachi and Kenji Tendo can rest assured that they
are held in my warmest regard.  And that their efforts to remind me
of the long-standing traditions binding our two schools together will
not be forgotten."

    "Of course, sir."

    "Thank you, Truncheon."  Amakusa opened up a file folder sitting
on his desk before continuing.  "You may go now."

    Akurei waited a minute or two after Truncheon closed the door
before finally breaking the silence.

    "He'll guess that something is going on."

    "If he couldn't guess that with all the clues I just gave, Akurei,
then I would be surprised that he remembers how to breath."

    Amakusa lifted his head back up and stared at Akurei.

    "After the last class ends, I want you back in my office.  We are
going to have to go over some plans.  We not only need to prove to
Knight School, and anyone else who may be watching, that we are not as
weak as they seem think, but we also have to nip this little affair in
the bud.

    "Personal rivalries and conflicts between individuals and small
groups are simply a fact of life.  And they help to provide some hands
on experience for the students.  But something like this could very
well escalate past the point where it could be contained if it isn't
dealt with firmly.  And dealt with now.

    "Gompachi might have temporarily forgotten what we are here for,
but I have not.  We are not armies, Akurei.  We are schools.  Our
primary goal, our reason for existing, is to educate.  To help shape
and prepare the next generation who believe in our particular set
of philosophies.

    "And, even if Mikagami does not succeed, tomorrow's sport's meet
will be an excellent chance to do remind Gompachi of that."


        * * * * *


    Yuri was a bit confused about some of the information that she'd
been given on Knight School. Some things, like the fact that their
lunch period began a bit later than Dark Heart High's, could turn out
to be useful. But why would she need to know that shapeshifters that
could alter their gender could be students, but only if the remained
in a male form at all times while on Knight School's property?

    The screech of an unoiled hinge attracted her attention as the
door opened, just as it had been designed to. The form of the fencing
team's captain closed the door behind him, after making sure to pull
the chains attached to his massive pair of swords into the room.

    "Oh, Kashin-sempai! Can I help you?"

    "I'm just stopping by to tell you that I'll be picking you up
around 6:30 tonight. The principal has asked to me to show you
something, or rather someone."

    "I'll be ready."

    "Good. You might want to wear something that won't draw the
attention of the type of person I'll be showing you, and that will
keep you warm."

    "What kind of person do you mean by that, Kashin-sempai?"

    Kashin sighed and picked up the Knight School pamphlet lying on
the table, before handing it to her.

    "Does this make things clearer, Mikagami?"

    "Oh.  Of course, Kashin-sempai!" Yuri hesitated before saying
anything else.

    On one hand, the principal had made it clear that she wasn't to
talk to any of the other students about what she was to do. On the
other hand, he must have told Kashin something, right?

    "Um.... did he say..."

    Kashin lowered his hand before saying anything. "I don't know
what you're up to, and I was clearly informed that it's better for me
not to ask too many questions."

    "Of, of course, Kashin-sempai. My apologies."

    "Accepted, Mikagami. Are you willing to take some advice, on a
different topic?"

    "Of course, sempai."

    "No student that has ever been advanced due to those tests you
took earlier this week have ever remained in their new grade. Sooner
or later, and it's generally been sooner, they're always put back
where they were before. At least if they're still alive by that point.

    If you don't want to fall too far behind the rest of the freshmen
class, you might want to talk to former classmates about what they're
doing, so you won't have quite so much to catch up on."

    "Thank you for the advice, Kashin-sempai. But..."

    Yuri wondered if it was a bright idea to ask this, but forged on
anyway as Kashin turned to leave the room. "But why tell me?"

    "Perhaps because this has occurred to others, some of whom are now
sophomores or upperclassmen themselves, Mikagami. Or perhaps I'm just
paying you back."

    "For what, sempai?"

    "You may no longer be a member, but you kept the fencing team from
the humiliation of having to concede the match with Sakura Art. Not
only that, but you won the match, increasing the team's standing. As
it's captain, the team's failures are my failures, and it's successes
are my successes."


        * * * * *


    Yuri dragged her feet as her house came into view. The walk home
today hadn't given her the relief of getting out of school that it
normally did. Instead, it felt like her clothes weighed more the
further she left Dark Heart High behind.

    While she'd been that room she could at least cling to the faint
hope that Principal Amakusa would decide to send someone else to find
the evidence being used to blackmail him instead of her.

    But that hope had died the moment she passed the school's gates,
and the emotions that she'd been doing her best to hold back with it
had become stronger with each step she took.

    She still had one hope left. Maybe her parents wouldn't sign the
permission slip, so she'd have a valid excuse not to go to Knight
School. But each step closer to home she took, she was also one step
closer to risking the lose of that forlorn hope as well.

    She hadn't seen Ki or Bala as she'd left, but Amy had been waiting
for her by those same gates that had stolen her hope away. Not that
this had cheered Yuri up.

    Amy wasn't in obvious pain like she'd been on Wednesday, but she
wasn't her normal self either. Neither of them had really said all
that much while they'd walked together.

    The only time Yuri had tried to ask her what was wrong, Amy had
just brushed it off as nothing important and had switched topics. Of
course, Yuri admitted to herself, that she hadn't really told Amy the
real reason why she was out of sorts either.

    Both had lied to the other.  And both had realized that they were
being lied to, before politely ignoring the topic afterwards.

    Maybe she shouldn't be so upset with Leilei and Bala after all for
lying to her. Was lying to her, in order to protect her feelings,
worse than it was for her and Amy to lie to each other about what
problems they were having? Or even lying and saying that they didn't
really have any problems at all?

    Yuri firmly stuffed those thoughts back into whatever corner of
her mind they'd come out of. She'd deal with them lying to her later,
and the same with trying to help Amy with whatever was wrong with her.
Just like Aunt Venoma said, she had to deal with one problem at a
time.

    She should be concentrating on what she'd tell her parents.

    Especially since she had somehow made her way into the living room
while she had let her mind wander, and her father had seen her.

    "How was school today, Yuri?" The nebulous cloud of darkness asked
as it drifted away from the living room's couch. The pair of red
pinpricks near the top of the shifting form gleaming brightly.

    "I was called to the principal's office. He asked me to give you
this, dad."

    Troi Mikagami didn't make a sound as he opened the envelope Yuri
had just passed him, and read the letter it contained. Finally, he
neatly folded it back up and placed it back in it's envelop.

    "Yuri, your mother ended up running a little late today." It might
have just been her imagination, but his rumbling voice sounded a bit
subdued now. "Supper won't be for a while yet. Why don't you go
upstairs and work on your homework? I'll keep your mother company and
we'll call you down in a bit."

    As she slowly made her way to her room, something told Yuri that
she might as well stop hoping for a way out.


        * * * * *


    Kashin wasn't quite sure what he had expected to see when he
picked Yuri Mikagami up. Frankly, he was still trying to figure out
the freshie. She might no longer be on his fencing team, but the
battles she'd fought in - against six of Sakura Art's fencing team,
including their captain, and against Principal Amakusa himself in
a Blood Duel - had attracted more than one person's attention.

    The fact that she was one of those "lucky" enough to be found
worthy of being advanced directly to the ranks of the school's senior
class had also raised his interest. True, no one in the school's
history had ever remained in their new grade, but it was still
impressive.

    Despite all that he'd found out or personally seen, about the only
conclusion that Kashin had reached yet was that taking anything
involving Yuri Mikagami just at it's face value could be a very large
mistake.

    But still, he hadn't expected her home to look like this! The lawn
was a healthy shade of green, and looked like it had just been mowed.
There were no obvious defensive positions that he could see. Not a
single stake suitable for impaling someone could be seen. The nearby
homes didn't seem abandoned, or as if they were being used by
security teams. And there was even a brightly colored bird preening
itself on the birdbath's ledge!

    There just wasn't any other word for it, he finally admitted to
himself as his hand reached out towards the doorbell. It looked....
Wholesome.

    Years of training and ingrained paranoia caused Kashin to crouch
and turn at the sound that he heard just before he could ring the
doorbell. It had sounded like something snapping, or perhaps a like
the crack of a well-oiled leather whip.

    Nothing seemed out of place at first, until he noticed that the
bird he'd seen preening itself just seconds ago couldn't be seen. And
that the birdbath's water was rippling, as if something had just
disturbed it.

    Still slightly on edge, Kashin turned and rang the doorbell. On
second thought, maybe he shouldn't take the Mikagami home at it's face
value either.


        * * * * *


    Kashin looked over his companion's garments as they walked
together.

    Yuri was wearing white jogging shoes, dark green pants, and a
long-sleeved bright green shirt with a smiling cat's face.  Of
course, the later was mostly hidden as she had done up her red jacket
at his suggestion.

    "I hope you didn't mind waiting while I finished changing,
Kashin-sempai. Did my parents keep you entertained?"

    "They kept me company."

    Personally, he'd found her mother to be creepy.

    The palatable sense of barely restrained malice and power that her
father had given off, particularly when he'd been handed the envelope
now tucked inside his jacket, was at least something he understood.

    And that little commentary about the style of sub-dimensional
pockets he was using to hold his swords and how it could be
manipulated by someone unscrupulous, was the type of warning that was
something he'd have expected from one of his teachers.  Coming, as it
did, right after he'd been told that they were confident that he'd
take proper care of their child.

    But the polite conversation Mrs. Mikagami had started with him had
been extremely confusing. One moment he'd have been willing to swear
that she was too perky to be allowed to live, and the next minute he'd
be wondering why that wide, friendly smile she'd give him from time to
time reminded him of Vice-Principal Akurei.

    "A bit more colorful than I would have expected, Mikagami, but it
should keep them from realizing where you go to school."

    "Thank you, Kashin-sempai. Umm.... Where are we going?"

    "One of Knight School's students, and a group of Sakura Art
students, have been hanging around the same area for the last few
weeks.

    Searching for evil to defeat. Causing trouble for the members of
the local gangs, and yakuza members that are too obvious in going
about their business. And providing business for fast food franchises
and ice cream sellers in the area.

    In other words, the normal sort of things students of those two
schools do together.

    We'll follow them around. As long as neither of us do anything to
alert them to the fact that we're evil, there shouldn't be any
problems. Most likely they'll think we're just a couple that's just in
the area or some of their fans, if they notice us at all."

    "I see. So are we walking, or taking the subway?"

    "No. We're taking that."

    Yuri followed Kashin's gesture and saw a large, and rather
intimidating looking, motorcycle partially hidden by a small group of
shrubs and tree at the end of the street.

    "Ever ridden one before, Mikagami?" Kashin asked as he pushed some
of the switches on the handlebars and then pushed up the seat long
enough to pull out a pair of black helmets.

    "Once or twice, as a passenger."

    "Good."

    As Kashin handed her one of the helmets and started to put the
other on, Yuri decided to ask what felt like a stupid question.

    "Um... Kashin-sempai, weren't you afraid that someone might try to
steal your motorcycle?"

    "Actually," Kashin idly replied while fingering the new scratches
by where a key could be used. "someone did try, but this machine,
Mikagami, has a built-in security system. It stopped the would-be
thieves."

    "How do you know it wasn't just one person?"

    "I don't know for sure, Mikagami, but it's the simplest
explanation.

    Someone, after all, must have taken the body away."


        * * * * *


    "You sure you don't want anything?" Kashin stated has he handed
some money to the pimple-faced teenager behind the counter.

    "No, I'm not hungry."

    Yuri couldn't figure it out. He was acting like nothing had
happened. She, on the other hand, could tell by her reflection that
she still looked like she'd seen a ghost.

    Kashin just shrugged, picked up his tray, and headed towards an
empty table near the back of the restaurant.

    After a few minutes of near silence, he finally decided it was
time to figure out what was bothering Mikagami. He'd been here
before, and knew the regulars minded their own business, so it would
be relatively safe to actually say what he meant.

    "I don't see why it bothered you so much. They weren't students
from Dark Heart High, so the administration won't get on either of our
cases. And any self-respecting vampire should have known better than
to try to grab people in the middle of street to feed off of, even if
they didn't know about the group of magical girls that patrol the area.

    At the very least they could have covered their target's mouths
and dragged them into that alley."

    Kashin couldn't help but shake his head as he remembered the scene
they'd witnessed just a short while ago.

    "They must have been from Black Soul. Some days I'd be willing to
bet that they're deliberately encouraged to develop poor impulse
control."

    "It's not that, Kashin-sempai." Yuri struggled to keep her voice
low and even as she tried to put what she was feeling into words.

    "It's just that.... All they are like that?" She finally blurted
out.

    "If you mean, do all Knight School students dress in ballet
costumes and throw nutcrackers as a weapon? No. Do they all have a
habit of giving trite sounding speeches to magical girls, rarely do
anything significant in a fight themselves, and hit on girls several
years younger than themselves? Only the Kamen."

     Kashin had some noodles before continuing. "In a way, Knight
School is sort of our twisted mirror image. While we believe in using
the system, or at least in respecting it's power. They believe in duty
and honor in the cause of fighting for what is good.

    Kamens are actually a rather new addition to their number,
Mikagami. You can find just about any type of person studying at
Knight School, as long as they're willing to fight the good fight.
Priests, samurai, rogues with hearts of gold, and even some who are
interested in politics or business."

    "That's not what I meant, Kashin-sempai." Yuri's bit her lower lip
before continuing. "I meant about how casual they were about it
afterwards."

    Kashin tilted his head slightly, his eyes now hidden behind the
glare reflecting off his glasses. This wasn't quite what he'd been
expecting.

    "Do you think anyone in your classes would have reacted that
differently? They fought, and killed, their targets without taking
any serious damage themselves. It was a pretty clear win for them."

    "But they're supposed to be good!"

    Yuri hunched down in her seat and wondered if just how red her
face looked right now. She hadn't meant to say it like that. And
certainly not that loud.

    After a few minutes, Kashin stopped chuckling.

    "Ah, I see what the problem is now. You think that they should
have reacted differently because good people shouldn't take killing
someone for granted the way someone who's evil does?"

    After a moment, Yuri nodded her head.

    "She screamed out someone's name just before she died,
Kashin-sempai. And all they did was start to argue about where they
should go to eat."

    "Most students of Knight School and Sakura Arts are like that,
Mikagami. At least the ones I've ever come across. For that matter,
so are most of the students from Sugar High or the Academy of Light
that I've had any dealings with.

    "The thing you don't understand yet is that we aren't real to
them."

    "What?"

    "In all the things you overheard any of them, and not just that
Kamen, say tonight about what they were doing, did they ever mention
that they were killing someone? That they were murdering someone?" 

    After thinking about it, Yuri finally answered. "Not that I can
remember."

    "Trust me, Mikagami, they didn't. And they probably never have.
It's all about defeating the evil menace. Or purifying the world. Or
punishing wrongdoers. Or destroying the menacing fiend. Or, and this
is my personal favorite, 'dusting foul villains.'

    "It's not that they don't care that they just killed two
intelligent sentient beings. It's that they see us as things. Or as
animals. Dangerous, certainly, but not really people.

    "To that group Mikagami, the idea that someone who's evil could
care about someone, or have someone who cares about them is ludicrous.

    "If I killed someone, I wouldn't care about those things unless it
affected me in some way. They just won't admit that they've actually
killed.

    "After all, only evil people are murderers."

    Kashin finished his drink before continuing. "Of course, not all
of them are like that. And some of them come to reconsider things
later on. But some of them, Mikagami, could die of old age. And
they'd honestly swear with their dying breath that they've never
killed a single person."

    Yuri couldn't think of anything to say, and just continued to
stare at Kashin while he finished eating.

    "We probably wouldn't see anything else tonight, so I might as
well take you home."


        * * * * *


    There were a few clouds on the horizon, but the forecast for
Saturday was all but set in stone if you listened to any local weather
forecaster.  A bright, sunny day without even a chance of rain.  Yet
one that would not be overly hot or humid due to the local weather
systems.  The perfect day to spend in a park with your family and
loved ones, or to play a friendly game of baseball.

    Naturally, more than a few individuals made sure that their
umbrellas and coats would be ready to be used.

    Principal Amakusa didn't particularly care about what the weather
forecast was, or about the poor reputation of the people making it.
He'd made arrangements weeks ago to deal with this Saturday's weather,
planning ahead as any competent villain should.  And if the weather
witches didn't come through, heads would roll.

    Nor did he particularly care why this morning's sunrise had
appeared to have been a bright bloody red.  Let others, like the
Egyptian, look for omens and signs and consult books of prophesies
every time they stubbed their toes.  He had realized, back when he was
still a student at Dark Heart High, that as often as not, it just
wasn't worth the effort.  Oh, they could be useful at times.  Even,
he'd grudgingly admit, critical.  But on the whole, you'd only
correctly interpret them after the fact. 

    Still, such a sight hadn't hurt his mood as he had continued with
his current set of tasks.  Not dealing with the normal administrative
issues of being a ruler.  Or those that came along with the position
of principal of Dark Heart High.  Not even those issues regarding
tomorrow's inter-school sports meet that required his personal touch.
No, those had been dealt with yesterday, and so far nothing new had
occurred with them.  Today, his primary focus was on completing the
necessary plans and preparations to be set in motion once Mikagami-kun
dealt with the materials being used in Knight School's attempt to
blackmail him.  And, as distasteful as he found them, the plans and
preparations that he would set in motion if she failed.

    Hamaji Amakusa knew he wouldn't have survived this long, or been
this successful, if he hadn't learnt a distasteful lesson a long time
ago.  If an archvillain wanted to become a long-lived archvillain,
they had to recognize the fact that they might not win a total victory
when going into a battle, and could possibly even lose. More than one
highly-skilled individual had died due to an arrogant refusal to even
consider that their master plan might not work.  And if an archvillain
wished to become both long-lived and successful, they had to learn how
to arrange matters so, even if they were defeated, they could salvage
something from it.


        * * * * *


    As usual, the blanket covered form started to sluggishly stir once
the alarm went off. For once however, Yuri Mikagami didn't simply hit
the snooze button, roll over and enjoy the sinful pleasure of
sleeping for just a few more minutes on a school day. Instead, she
released her death grip on the Hello Cthulhu plush doll, pushed back
the sheets covering her, and started to pull herself out of her bed.
Without even thinking about it, she put on her fuzzy pink slippers
and went about her normal morning business.

    Still half-asleep, Yuri made her way downstairs and into the
kitchen. Silently taking the plate her mother handed her as she
stumbled into the empty chair at the table, she mechanically started
to eat what was on the plate and drink down the contents of the glass
that had been placed in front of her. After both were emptied, Yuri
suddenly realized that she wasn't sure what she'd just had. She
couldn't even remember tasting anything. And while she must have seen
it, she couldn't remember that either.   

    Under other circumstances, Yuri would have simply brushed this
away by reminding herself that she'd been out late last night, and
normally didn't get up when the alarm first went off in the morning.
But she knew the real reason. She was terrified. And she couldn't
think of a single reason why she shouldn't be.

    When she had faced the fencing team from Sakura Art, there had
been rules against trying to kill your opponent. And when she had
fought the Blood Duel against Principal Amakusa, there hadn't been
any real requirements that one of them had to die for the other to
win. But this was different. She was going to go into a school filled
with people who would view her as their enemy for simply being a
student of Dark Heart High. And she had to steal from them what they
were using against Principal Amakusa.

    When Yuri finally looked up from her plate, and took in the
concerned looks her parents were giving her. "I know I'm up early
today," Yuri tried to sound cheerful, but knew she was failing
miserably.  "But there's no use putting it off."

    "While you did spend some time in a male body after the Blood
Duel," her father stated, his voice rumbling, "it is not the form
you'll be wearing today. And this will be a living body, and not a
corpse. So you may wish to use the polymorph potion as soon as
possible. This way you'll have more time to get used to it."

    "But, what if I change back too soon?"

    "There's little chance of that. It lasts for twenty-four hours, or
until countered by drinking a specially prepared reversal potion. It's
even counterspell resistant." Despite the concern she knew her father
was feeling, a bit of satisfaction could be heard in his tone now.
"Your mother and I looked over the materials you brought home while
you were out, and none of them were cheap knock-offs."

    "Okay then, I'll be back down in a bit."

    With only slightly more energy than a condemned prisoner making
their way to the gallows, Yuri Mikagami made her way back to her
bedroom. And the polymorph potion in it. Seconds later, a scream could
be heard from Yuri's room. Even as her parents rushed upstairs, both
wondered at why it had sounded so strange.

    It had, perhaps understandably, begun further down the register
than Yuri's normal voice could reach, but it had reached a fevered
pitch that Yuri had never attained to their knowledge. Both briefly
paused just past the door to Yuri's room, as the situation finally
became clear to them. Their now male child was taller now, and Yuri's
dimensions were understandably no longer the same.

    The bright pink reinforced pajamas Yuri was wearing, however,
hadn't changed to match Yuri's new form.

    Before following his mate further into the room, Troi Mikagami's
form shifted to cover the pair of red pinpricks for a moment in an
instinctive male reaction to seeing another suffering due to an injury
to a certain portion of the male anatomy.


        * * * * *


    Principal Amakusa generally did not make a habit of standing by
the school's main entrance in the morning and watching his students as
they arrived for the day. There always seemed to be paperwork that
needed to be done, or a meeting that he had to attend, or some minion
or peon that needed to be disciplined - or simply executed.

    And that was all before he considered his personal holdings, and
not just Dark Heart High.

    Still, even the most well-trained mind needed an occasional break
from plotting and reading the extremely fine print that always seemed
to mysteriously appear from nowhere on items presented for him to
sign. Watching the expressions of the students as they made their way
past him was a mild source of amusement. He could almost hear them
worrying if he had seen through their latest immature plots, or
discovered some mistake they'd made, and was about to deal with them.

    More importantly, it was a simple enough way to run into someone
if utter discretion was not a requirement. "Running a little late
today, Ikimasu?"

    Several freshmen looked around, trying to spot who had been lucky
- or unlucky - enough to attract their principal's attention. The
upperclassmen, and sophomores, who were present carefully pretended to
ignore the name the Principal Amakusa used.

    He could get away with using it. But they certainly wouldn't. Not
without a rather uncomfortable amount of suffering.

    Wincing slightly, Kashin parted from the group of upperclassmen
he'd been talking to in order to approach Principal Amakusa. Trailing
him slightly was a rather attractive young lady dressed all in black.
"Perhaps sir, I was working on a project last night and it ended up
taking more of my time than I had originally thought it would."

    While he didn't allow it show, Amakusa was satisfied by Ikimasu
Kashin's reply. Despite what Akurei wanted to believe, he hadn't
focused on Yuri Mikagami to the exclusion of everyone else attending
his school. While neither of the two upperclassmen now facing him had
Mikagami's raw potential, they were two of the most promising members
of this year's senior class. Already they had staked out, and
successfully defended, the positions as the alpha male and female of
the upperclassmen.

    "And how is this project of yours going then?"  Amakusa pretended
that no one was listening in on this conversation. If some of the
students and staff wanted to delude themselves into thinking that his
interest in Mikagami's development meant he was going soft, he would
be more than happy to use their assumptions against them.

    "It seems to be coming along. In fact, if you'd like, you could
look at some of what's been done so far." Kashin slowly, but casually,
slid a hand into his jacket and, just as carefully pulled out an
envelope.

    Amakusa smiled briefly as he took it.

    "It will, unfortunately, have to wait until later. There are still
preparations that need to made for tomorrow's events." He then turned
slightly to focus on the young lady who was keeping her hands in
sight, and away from her Ingram Mac-10. "And I understand, from
Councilor Ikari, that you'll be helping one of the freshmen deal with
a few issues, Sanzenin-kun?"

    "Yes, sir. I've made plans to meet her in person later today."

    "Ah, it's always so pleasant to see such school spirit.  But
please, do carry on." Not even waiting to see if they'd reply,
Principal Amakusa turned and started to walk away. As he himself had
said, there were things that needed to be done.

    He didn't even pause as he heard someone start to roar with with
laughter behind him. "Bwahahaha! Your name is *Iki-*"

    As the laughing voice was suddenly cut off and screams of pain
began behind him, Amakusa allowed himself a small sigh. It would
appear that young Brobdingnag had not learnt from what had occurred
when he had decided to mock Balabalalde's decision to wear earrings
earlier this year.

    Given how Ikimasu disliked his name, the boy would be lucky if he
could drag himself into class today. Still, he mused to himself as
continued onwards to his office and the pile of paperwork that no
doubt already awaited him, the boy had lasted longer than Kurosawa
had thought when she'd made that bet with Baba.


        * * * * *


    As the freshmen made their way into the room where their first
class of the day - Basic Villainy 101 - took place, more than a few
paused, temporarily stunned by what their senses told them. It wasn't
due to Balabalalde, although all but a few still kept an eye upon him.
And it wasn't due to the sudden change in Yasuko's outfits, although
more than a few bets would have to be settled now that she'd worn
something that didn't just barely obey the letter for public decency
laws for two days straight.

    Instead, it was the items that Amy Angeleye was carefully putting
back into place in the open metal case currently sitting on her desk.

    Oblivious to the dumbfounded stares of her classmates, Amy put the
last accessory for her sniper rifle back in the gunmetal gray case
before closing it. "Damn, I was sure I put it back in last night after
I cleaned it!" Amy muttered to herself as she locked the case back up.
"Oh well, I probably won't need the spare barrel today."

    It was Yasuko who finally asked the question that was practically
on everyone's mind. "What's with the gun, Angeleye?"

    "Well," Amy turned to look at the succubus as she tried to decide
how much she wanted to say about this. "I was talking with someone
yesterday from the school's big sister program, and they suggested
that some target shooting might help me release some stress." Amy
fondly patted the case as she continued on. "So I brought MistyPuff
in."

    "You call your gun MistyPuff?"

    "She's a rifle, but yeah, that's her name. My aunt gave her to me
for my birthday. The first time I used her we were shooting at
watermelons, but I loaded the wrong type of round. One moment you have
this big green watermelon, and the next there was just a puffy cloud
of red mist."

    Amy broke the moment of silence that followed that comment.  "So,
how are things going with you?"

    "Pretty good, actually." While the denim blue jeans Yasuko was
wearing today were tighter than the khaki pants she'd had on
yesterday, they were still loose enough not be too suggestive. The
fact that the long-sleeved dark blue shirt she was wearing was a
size or two bigger than she needed also helped to hint, rather than
shout, at what was beneath them.

    "It's too soon to say for sure if it'll work, but I have to admit
that the results have been promising so far.  Later, Angeleye."

    As Yasuko turned and headed towards where she normally sat, Amy
found herself listening to Craig as he talked to both Balabalalde
and Ki Tamaida a few seats over.

    "You're throwing a party next Saturday, and you wish to invite
both of us?" Ki's smooth voice was sharpened with a faint edge of
disbelief. Given how many times he or mummy-boy had halted Craig's
efforts to kill Yuri, the invitation seemed ridiculous on the face
of things. Although, Ki reminded himself, it had been a while since
Craig's last attempt on Yuri's life.

    "I know we've had our differences, but this is on the up-and-up."
Craig's voice wasn't as controlled or polished as Ki's but it sounded
firmer than it had a few weeks ago. As if he was more sure of himself
now.

    "We worked together, and helped to defeat Melvin Mikagami! If
that's not worth celebrating, what is?"

    "You know, that actually sounds like a good idea." Leilei stated
from her normal position near Balabalalde, where she could normally
be found even now that he was unwrapped.  "A few days to unwind from
the sports meet, and then a good party sounds fun to me. What do you
say, Bala-kun?"

    As usual, even in his unwrapped state, Balabalalde had remained
silent during the conversation. In fact, he almost looked like he
concentrating on other things, instead of the classroom. Still, after
a moment, he nodded his head.

    "Ah," Ki began to voice a polite refusal. Despite the fact that
Maimsworth's invitation made more sense now, given his family's
reputation, he had better things to do than to watch Craig or
mummy-boy all night.

    Still, Maimsworth's little statement just now made this entire
conversation worthwhile. The knowledge that he had been one of those
to help defeat Melvin Mikagami had increased his reputation at school,
and among the other members of the Steel Thorn clan. Even that rather
embarrassing video shown on Wednesday hadn't hurt his reputation,
despite his earlier concerns.

    "Oh, right!" Not even pausing to let Ki talk, Craig turned and
pointed at Amy. "Angeleye, if you see Yuri before I do, can you tell
her that she's invited too?"

    "Of course," Amy was a bit startled to be brought into the
conversation, but wasn't going to turn down a good excuse to see Yuri.
"If I don't see her today, I'll try to stop off at her house after
school."

    Well, that changed things. Despite his efforts earlier this week,
mummy-boy couldn't be allowed a chance to grow any closer to Yuri.

    "I can't recall anything occurring next Saturday that would
prevent me from attending the party," Ki smoothly stated, with nothing
at all to hint that he had just changed his mind.


        * * * * *


    Yuri still couldn't quite believe what her eyes were telling her.
Or, rather, what his eyes were telling him.

    It wasn't so much the uniform, at least not any more. At first
she had thought that it would have been a dead giveaway, since it
was several sizes too big, even for her - no, *his* - current form.
But after she'd been sprayed with that can of Shrink-Fit that had also
been included, the uniform didn't just look like it was Yuri's. It
looked like it had been custom fitted, if not custom made, for Yuri's
current form.

    Despite everything Yuri was feeling, he had to admit that it
didn't look bad. In fact, it looked pretty stylish, but was still
quite comfortable to wear. The white jacket with sky blue trim led to
the navy blue trousers with an ivory stripe going down the outside of
each leg. Which in turn led to a brief glimpse of the pair of white
socks he was wearing. All of which could be seen in the mirror-like
shine of the gleaming black dress shoes.

    Still, most of Yuri's attention was directed towards the changes
in his own appearance. What had happened right after he had taken the
potion had made him clearly aware that this form was taller and that
things were ... arranged differently. But Yuri also seemed to have
gained some muscles in the transformation. Not the type a weightlifter
might have, but more like the wiry look of a swimmer. And then there
were the changes to his eyes, and his hair.

    Yuri's eyes seemed to have gained a blue tint to them. They
weren't the shining green of emeralds now, but more like the deep
color of the sea. And his hair had darkened from chestnut brown to a
shade that reminded Yuri of that chest Aunt Venoma had bought in
America. The one made out of mahogany.

    And the changes hadn't just been cosmetic either. His father had
been right about how Yuri might need to get used to this body. For
the last few hours, Yuri had been doing various things around the
house, trying to get used to how things were the same, but still
different. Even walking wasn't quite the same. And when he had tried
to use the bathroom....

    No, Yuri thought as his reflection's cheeks reddened. Better not
to think of that.

    Still, if he was to keep to the plan she had come up with
yesterday before Kashin arrived, it was time to get going. After
they'd had supper, he had asked for his parents advice on how to
handle this. So they'd sat at the table and tossed out ideas and
suggestions, with the other two examining them and suggesting changes
or stating why that wouldn't work.

    One of Yuri's earliest suggestions, and one that both parents had
firmly agreed with, was that it wasn't a good idea to try to spend the
entire day at Knight School, pretending to be student. If Yuri didn't
go to class with other students, it might attract attention. And if
Yuri did attend class, all it would take would be one teacher to be
curious about the new face in their class to ruin everything.

    Better, the three of them had finally decided, to go in while
there were plenty of people wandering in the halls - like lunch - and
then leave as quickly as possible.

    Yuri had decided that there was no need to mention that the reason
why she had first decided on this, during the walk home from school,
was due to the fact that she didn't even want to think about being in
a boys washroom.

    One of the less pleasant moments during that conversation,
however, was when Yuri had learnt that she wouldn't be able to use her
mother's armor as a boy. The Myrmidion series of armor had been
designed exclusively for women. Not only would it be embarrassing for
a guy to try to wear this type of armor, it could actually be
dangerous.

    While Yuri hoped that he wouldn't get in a situation where armor
would be useful, not being able to have it available wasn't good for
his nerves. All he did have was his mother's blade, and what the
school had provided for him to use if he felt he couldn't leave Knight
School with the evidence.

    At the moment, the sword looked like a rapier, but his mother had
assured him that if he actually drew it from its sheath, it would
automatically fit itself to his present form.

    After talking one last breath, Yuri picked up the black case
holding the rapier, and made his way downstairs. His parents were
waiting by the door, silently watching him. They knew the plan, what
little there was to it, just as well as he did.

    His mother was the first to hug him, with almost desperate
intensity. Yuri was shocked to realized she actually had to stretch
to kiss his cheek. Almost the instant she let go of him, his father
swallowed him up in the shadowy fog that made up his form. When he
pulled away, the twin red pinpricks near the top of her father's form
were suspiciously bright.

    "Be careful, dear." Was the only thing his mother said as she
stared at him.

    Yuri did his best to smile back at them and not let of his worries
show in his voice. "I'll tell you all about what happened tonight,
after supper."

    And then he opened the door, and left.


        * * * * *


    Amy once again checked the directions she'd been given yesterday, 
over the phone, as she left the campus with her gun case. Around her,
several other students were also leaving the school to enjoy lunch
outdoors, or to find something more edible than what was served in
the school's cafeteria. Finally she reached the small building she'd
been told to go to.

    "Good, you're on time."

    Despite herself, Amy jumped when she heard that voice. She hadn't
noticed anyone behind her, but she could now see two upperclassmen.
The pair were nearly the same height, but it was clear that the taller
of the two was male, and the other was definitely female.

    The man just smirked slightly at her reaction, and pushed his
glasses up. The attractive young woman dressed in black besides him
just shook her head slightly, apparently used to such things from her
companion.

    "Ah," Amy wasn't exactly sure what she should do now. By now,
every freshman student at Dark Heart High had heard that the safest
thing they could do was to avoid any upperclassmen. "Sanzenin-san?"

    "Who else would I be."

    The fact that the woman in black still looked faintly amused, and
hadn't pointed that submachine gun at her was, Amy decided, probably
a good sign. Still it the fact that the other upperclassman had just
passed by her made her faintly nervous.

    "And you're Amy Angeleye. Did you bring your rifle?"

    "Yes."

    "Good. First, before we get going, I'll lay down a few ground
rules. The first rule should be obvious to you already. You are a
freshman. We, on the other hand, are upperclassmen. If we tell you to
do something, you do it. If you're going to be stupid enough to ask
why, start doing it before you open your mouth. The second rule fits
in with the first. Show us the respect we deserve as your superiors,
or else you'll be reminded of why you're a freshie, and we are
seniors.  Likewise, the last rule should be pretty easy to grasp.
Namely, if you do something that embarrasses me while I'm trying to
act as your big sister, I will make sure you regret it. Clear enough,
Angeleye?"

    "Yes, Sanzenin-san." Maybe she shouldn't have made that call last
night after all.

    "Good. Lets go then."

    Turning to follow Tokiko Sanzenin, Amy noticed that the other
upperclassman had apparently unlocked the storage shed's door and
lifted it up without her hearing anything. Prominently displayed now
were a matching pair of motorcycles painted a flat, dead looking,
shade of black. The man was already standing besides the one to her
left, his black helmet concealing his features.

    "Pass me your case, Angeleye. You can put your bag on the shelves
at the back, but don't touch anything. You break it, you're paying for
it. It breaks you, too bad."

    Reluctantly, Amy passed MistyPuff's carrying case over to
Sanzenin, before carefully making her way to the half-empty shelves.
By the time she turned back towards the upperclassmen, the woman was
zipping up some sort of suit over her form fitting dress.

    At first, Amy couldn't see MistyPuff's case, but then saw that it
was hooked to the right side of the motorcycle that apparently was
going to be used by Sanzenin-san. Another case, this one matching the
motorcycle's paint scheme, was on the left side of the machine.

    Both motorcycles were pushed out of the storage shed, and the male
of the pair once again went behind her, probably to lock it back up.

    "You ever ridden a motorcycle before, Angeleye?" Strangely enough
the question almost seemed friendly.

    "No, Sanzenin-san."

    "I see. Well, since you're just going to be a passenger, it's not
too complex." A black leather jacket, a few sizes larger than what Amy
would need if she wanted to wear one was handed to her.  "Put this on,
and the helmet that's on the back of my bike."

    Growing more nervous by the second, but deciding that it was
probably far too late to leave now, Amy did so, while both
upperclassmen mounted their machines.

    "Now get on behind me, put your arms around me, and hold on tight,
Angeleye."

    Amy did what she was told. The idle thought that she wished it was
Yuri that she was holding onto, instead of the upperclassman was a
pleasant diversion from the feeling she was getting from the
butterflies putting on a play in her stomach.

    Just before she snapped down the visor of her own matte black
helmet, Tokiko Sanzenin gave her passenger a quick grin and gave her
last instructions. "And don't distract me while I'm driving, I'd
rather not die today."

    Before Amy could even think of how she should react to that
statement, both motorcycles roared to life and did their best to 
set land speed records. Afterwards, Amy would try to console herself
that no could have possibly heard her shrieks of terror over the
sustained screams of two supercharged motorcycles being ridden by a
pair of speedfeaks.


        * * * * * 


    "Must be a slow day today. Getting one of the ranges all to
yourself isn't normally this easy."

    Amy stopped staring and at the well-appointed, if small, firing
range they were in and turned to look at the only other woman in the
room as she started to pull various tools, clips, and an Ingram Mac-10
from the black case she'd just set down on one of the tables.

    "Where are we, Sanzenin-san? And who owns this place? I thought I
knew of all the local firing ranges."

    Amy had closed her eyes seconds after they'd hit one of the busier
roads. At least this way she wouldn't have to watch as she was
driven into a truck or concrete pillar when the pair of maniacs she'd
found herself with took one too many high-speed turns. She hadn't
opened them again until someone had tapped on her helmet. Then she had
followed the upperclassmen as they left their motorcycles in the
underground garage.

    Tokiko Sanzenin didn't even turn to face Amy as she continued her
longstanding preparations for using one of the ranges here.

    "You don't need to know exactly where we are, Angeleye. This place
was started by a graduate from Median. About as apolitical as you
could get, but powerful enough to deserve respect on both sides. If
you don't know where this place is, you generally don't need to
either.

    What you do need to know is the ground rules while you're in this
building. And before you ask, yes, that includes the garage. Like my
rules for you, they're pretty simple. This is neutral territory. No
matter who you see here, you don't start anything and you at least try
to be semi-polite.

    "Try to be a gatecrasher, or fight in here, and those helpful
smiling people who work here will deal with you. And they have the
owner's permission to use whatever means they feel are appropriate to
deal with problems."

    Finished going over things, the black-clad upperclassman looked at
Amy at last. "Kashin will be here in a bit, after he's sorted out
things with the rental clerk. So, let's see your piece."

    Hesitantly, Amy walked over and carefully laid the case she was
carrying down on the table. Second later, she opened the lid. The
young woman didn't move her hands, but leaned over to get a better
view of the various items Amy had brought, along with MistyPuff
herself.

    "Not half-bad looking, Angeleye. Custom job?"

    "Basically. She was based on the Sako TRG-42, but was made
specifically for me, and with a lot of built-in options that you don't
get with either the TRG-42, or the -22 either." Amy's nervousness
evaporated as soon as she started to talk about MistyPuff. It wasn't
all that often that she got to talk to someone other than her aunt
who knew much about firearms.

    "Cryo treated?"

    "Of course, Sanzenin-san!"

    "Heh. Yeah, I can see why Councilor Ikari suggested you call me.
Let's see how well you can use what you brought, Angeleye."


        * * * * *


    Yuri couldn't believe how white the walls were as he walked
through the hallways of Knight School. Everything seemed to shine,
even things that should have been able to like the ceiling tiles.
And it was so much brighter than any hallway he'd ever seen at Dark
Heart High.

    Everything that wasn't white seemed to have been done in some
bright shade that helped to lift up the spirits of those in the
school. Forest green lockers. Doors painted a warm sunny yellow.
Even the glowing grass green symbols on the floor tiles that he knew
were part of the school's security system almost seemed to radiate
cheerfulness.

    Strangely enough, it was getting easier to act relaxed the longer
he was in the building. He was still terrified, but it seemed...
distant somehow. Maybe it was the fact that he had realized that
worrying about things wouldn't get him anywhere right now. Or the
fact that no alarms had gone off yet, and no one had yet to try to
cut him down.

    Or maybe it was just the fact that that he having trouble using
the map he'd been provided to find Kenji Tendo's office.

    As Yuri moved about, trying to figure out how anyone was supposed
to use such a stupid map, he could hear snatches of conversation from
passing students moving from one location to another during their
lunch period.

    ".... And I tell you, any half-decently made katana is better than
any non-magical scimitar. And yes, even the ones forged in Damascus!"

    Okay, this was room A-12. So he should take the next right....

    "... I'll admit that George-sensei is a bit eccentric, even for
someone from Europe. But trust me, he's probably the best teacher the
school's ever had for Introductory Dragon Slaying."

    Yuri looked at the row of lockers in front of him. He pulled the
map back out of his pocket and looked at it. There wasn't supposed to
be a wall here!

    "... I don't care what they say, chilling laughter that terrifies
the forces of evil is an appropriate tactic! Why they removed it from
the studies of Dramatic Entrances 101 is beyond ... "

    Yuri looked at the nearest room number he could see and clenched
his free hand into a fist. And then started to head back the way he'd
come. Maybe it was two lefts, followed by a right?

    "... I have to admit that Michael has a point. Taking marks off
for him sneezing during the oral test last week in Cool Speeches,
after Ryu dropped those erasers, is a bit unfair. Yamazaki-sensei
knows he's allergic..."

    Growing more frustrated by the minute, Yuri looked down at the
nearly useless map while taking turning to his left. The next thing he
knew, he was looking up at the facemask of a Samurai dressed in armor
lacquered in a combination of emerald green and fire-engine red.

    "You might want to be more careful in the future." The student's
voice was muffled, but still made it quite clear that he was annoyed
with Yuri.

    "I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was ..." Yuri's apology died
on his lips as he saw two other students. One was to his left, with
his features concealed by the European-style plate mail he was
wearing. The one that Yuri was now staring at, however, was a
shaggy-haired blonde boy who was kneeling by his bag, and the wooden
case holding his mother's sword.

    He was looking at his hands,

    To be more specific, he was looking at an all too familiar map he
was holding in his hands.

    Silently, Yuri rose to his feet and waited for the inevitable.
The boy lifted his head and scowled at Yuri.

    "Who gave you this?" He waved the hand currently holding the map
to make it clear exactly what he was talking about.

    "What's wrong?" Even through a layer of armor, the second's
Knight's voice sounded almost like chiming bells to Yuri.

    Yuri wondered if he should close his eyes or not. There was no way
he'd ever reach the blonde before one of the other two drew their
swords and cut him down. And trying to run away didn't look too much
more inviting.

    "Someone gave this freshman an out of date map!"

    The samurai shook his head slowly. "How many copies of last year's
map did they give to the newbies, anyway?"

    The blonde just snorted at that. "Obviously far too many, since
this is the fifth one I've personally seen."

    "Still," the second Knight's chimed in as he looked back at Yuri
"you should know your way around by now. Where were you going?"

    Yuri's mind raced even as he began to open his mouth.

    "Umn, I was told to get to Tendo-sensei's office, but I've never
been there before."

    Yuri waited wide-eyed for their response. If the other information
he'd been given was correct, Kenji Tendo didn't teach any of the first
year courses, so they might just believe that a freshman wouldn't know
where his office was. Maybe.

    "Take the stairs you just passed, then go straight. At the
three-way, turn left and go to the end. It's the last door on the
right." The samurai responded after a moment's thought.

    Yuri couldn't help but sigh with relief as the blonde passed him
his bag and sword's carrying case. Strangely enough, his hands weren't
shaking.

    "And watch where you're going, alright?" The samurai added as Yuri
started to walk away. "You could get hurt if you're not careful."

    "Of course, sempai!"

    "What were we talking about again?"

    "I was asking you what you were using on your armor, Ichiro.
Nothing I've found will get mine to shine like that, and yours seems
to be more water-resistant too."

    "Ah, well it's actually a long story..."


        * * * * * *


    No one answered when Yuri rapped on the door. After waiting a few
seconds, Yuri knocked on it again. And then he hesitantly tried to
open the door.

    It was unlocked.

    Silently offering his thanks to whomever was willing to listen,
Yuri closed the door and turned to look at the room he was now in.

    "Well, what do you want?"

    Yuri nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the voice. The
only thing he could compare it to was the time that catgirl had run
her nails down the blackboard. The fact that she couldn't tell where
it was coming from and couldn't see anyone else in the room didn't
help to calm his already stressed nerves either.

    Still, Yuri had to do something.

    "Ah, is this Tendo-sensei's office?"

    Yuri winced as soon as he realized what he had just asked.

    "Of course it is." The voice coldly replied. "And who are you,
boy?"

    "Hiro Aino, Tendo-Sensei."

    It looked like his mother's advice to repeat the fake name he'd
chosen over and over this morning was a smart move after all.

    "I don't recall seeing your name on any of the lists."

    Or maybe not.

    "You must be the student that just transferred from the Academy of
Light." The voice seemed less chilly now. "Are you having any problems
fitting in?"

    "Ah, well, it's a bit different that what I'm used to, sir."

    Yuri was certain that, if nothing else, he'd lost five pounds just
from all the sweating he'd done in the last few minutes.

    "That's only to be expected, Aino-kun."

    Suddenly the voice cooled down again. "But you have still not
stated what you want."

    Yuri opened his mouth to say something clever. Unfortunately,
nothing really came to mind.

    "Umn.... Well... You see. I was sent..."

    "Let me guess, you were sent to get a file from me."

    "How did you know that!"

    Yuri covered his mouth, even though he knew it was too late and
the damage had already been done.

    "You're not the first student Principal Gompachi sent to get some
documents from me today, Aino-kun." The voice almost sounded amused
now, although it also sounded somewhat exasperated.

    "The safe's by the filling cabinet. Use the combination he gave
you to open it, and take the file to him."

    Yuri walked over to the safe in question.  While it had the normal
wheel that you needed to turn to enter in the numbers, it also had an
electronic display to show you the numbers in the combination you
were trying to use.

    Not that it really mattered, since Yuri didn't have the
combination.

    Yuri closed his eyes and started to randomly turn the wheel.  If
he was lucky, maybe he could convince Kenji Tendo to let him go back
to the Principal's office to check the combination that he'd been
given.

    Of course, Yuri admitted to himself as he finished turning the
wheel and reached for the handle, that would still mean he'd have to
find a way to get the combination from the principal.

    The safe's door smoothly opened when Yuri pulled on the handle.

    Dumbfounded, his eyes darted to the liquid crystal display.  In
the small, black rectangles the combination Yuri had just entered in
could be seen in bright red.

    1 - 2 - 3 - 4

    "Surprising isn't it?"  The voice almost sounded like it was right
behind Yuri now.  "But who would dare to think that such a simple
combination would be used?"

    "Yes, Tendo-sensei," was the only think Yuri could think of saying
as he pulled out a bulging file folder from the safe.  It was, in fact
the only thing in the safe.

    Yuri absently shut the safe's door before heading towards the
door.  Without even thinking about it, he opened his bag, dropped
the folder in it, and closed it again.

    "Don't get distracted, Aino-kun.  I'm sure the principal will want
to review the file as quickly as possible."
    
    "Yes, Tendo-sensei.  I'll hurry this over to him as quickly as I
can!"


        * * * * *


    Yuri was all but running towards the stairs when he saw the door
for one of the classrooms start to open.

    Unable to fully stop his forward movement in time, he tried to
move out of the way.  For the most part he succeeded, but the rapidly
moving door still managed to hit the carrying case he'd had been
holding underneath one arm.

    Basic physics gave an impromptu demonstration of what occurs when
an insufficiently secured object moving at some speed met a much more
massive object that was moving at some speed in the opposite
direction.

    With a crack of wood meeting wood, the carrying case was flung
back the way Yuri had been coming from.

    That sound was quickly followed be several more.  A sound that
reminded her of a large piece of meat hitting something.  A
choked off moan.  The clatter of something hitting the floor. And,
immediately afterwards, another meaty sounding thump.

    Both Yuri and the blue-haired boy that had flung the door open
looked for the source of the sounds.  Both winced at the sight of
a white-clad unconscious form lying on the floor besides the wooden
case.  Given how he had somehow instinctively curled up into a fetal
ball, and where his hands seemed to have gone, it was probably just
as well that he was unconscious.

    "Well, fudge."  The boy absently moved some of his hair back away
from his right eye.  "Can you help me get him to the infirmary?"

    "Umm, sorry."  Yuri bent over and picked the case back up even as
he talked.  "But I've got a task I was told to do right away."

    "Yeah, it's always an urgent task," the boy grumbled as he picked
up what had to be one of the school's ninjitsu students.  "Even when
it's just that they want you to get them a cup of coffee."

    "Sorry," Yuri called over his shoulder as he started down the
steps at slightly slower pace.

    A few nerve-wracking minutes later, and Yuri walked past the Knight
School's gate and the small groups made up of Knight students and, in
some cases, girls wearing the uniform of Sakura Art.   For a split
second, Yuri almost panicked when he saw Poppy Princess Cherry Cherry
Bang-Bang.  But then he realized that he looked nothing like the
Yuri Mikagami that the magical girl had seen.

    Now all Yuri had to do was walk to Dark Heart High, ask to see
Principal Amakusa, and give him the bag's contents.

    It might have been nice if he's remembered to bring some money
to get a cab ride, but it really didn't bother Yuri right now.  And
why should it?

    After all, he was practically home free.


        * * * * *


    "Feeling better, Angeleye?"

    Amy Angeleye looked up for a moment at the woman sitting on the     
side of the table, as both started to put their respective weapons
and equipment back in the cases they had brought them in.  The
other upperclassman had already left the room.

    "Yes, Sanzenin-san."

    "Good.  You aren't too bad a shot, for a sniper."

    "Thank you, Sanzenin-san."

    A few more seconds passed before Tokiko Sanzenin decided the
freshman was relaxed enough for what she was going to say next.

    "Councilor Ikari said you're worried over the fact that you
haven't managed to transform since transferring to Dark Heart High."

    Amy paused for a second before faintly replying.  "Yes."

    "Back when you were at Sakura Art, what did they tell you about
power channels?"

    The apparent change in the topic was a bit odd, but Amy eagerly
jumped on a chance to get her mind off her problem.

    "Well, theoretically all preternatural abilities are basically
using the same type of basic energy.  But different individuals
channel it differently.  That's where you get concepts like magic,
psionics, and ki.  It's like two people might be world-class artists,
but one's a sculptor and the other's a painter."

    "Right.  I'm surprised that they'd teach you that much at Sakura
Art.  But did you know that the channels used by magical girls are the
most sensitive known?"

    " ...  They are?"

    "Heh, didn't think they'd tell you that.  What's the ratio of
magical girls to magical women, Angeleye?"

    Amy tried to remember if she'd ever been taught that.   

    "I... I don't know, Sanzenin-san."

    "But there's still quite a difference in the numbers, correct
Angeleye?  Even given the fact that some die, other retire and a few
come over to our side of the fence, it's still pretty lopsided."

    "Yeah."

    Something told Amy that she wouldn't like where this was going,
but at the same time, she needed to know why she couldn't transform.
Nothing, not even the way her head was now starting to throb, could
distract her from this.

    "Lots of things can disrupt the channels magical girls use.  The
changes that happen after you reach a certain age is the most well
known by the people who run Sakura Art, but there are others.  Like
Alignment Shock Syndrome."

    "No one told us that!"

    "Of course your teachers didn't tell you about it.  How many
girls would be willing to risk their life fighting for 'truth and
justice' if they were told the odds that they'd lose their powers
before they were twenty years old?"

    "But my family..." Amy couldn't bring herself to finish her
question.

    "Probably kept it from you to keep you from worrying too much over
it.  After all, as an Angeleye, you've got a bit of an advantage over
most magical girls."

    Amy took a deep breath before continuing.

    "I do, Sanzenin-san?"

    "Yes.  You see, one of three things happen when a magical girl's
channels destabilizes. Some of them luck out and become magical women
- or evil magical girls - after their channels stabilize again.  Some
lose their abilities as a magical girl, but find other latent or weak
abilities develop and grow stronger as the energy forces open new
channels.  But the vast majority simply lose their abilities and get
nothing for it.

    "Since you, as an Angeleye, already have another type of channel
open because of your Sight, the odds shift.  You might become an evil
magical girl, but that's only slightly more likely than you losing it
all.  But your odds of finding your psychic powers growing stronger
are pretty damn good, freshie."

    After snapping her black case shut, Tokiko stood up.

    "C'mon, Angeleye.  Let's get some real food in the restaurant
across the street, instead of that slop they serve in the school's
cafeteria."


        * * * * *

        
    "Ah, Tendo-Sensei?"

    "Yes?"

    "Principal Gompachi asked me to fetch the Fugu file from you sir.
He said he wanted to review it again."

    "*WHAT!?!*"


        * * * * *


    Right now, the similarities between Knight School and ant farm
that had just been thoroughly shaken by a malicious ten year old were
varied and many.  To the students and to the majority of the faculty,
they had been royally embarrassed.  To those in the know, things
couldn't get that much worse than this.

    A search of the school's records didn't show anyone, in any grade,
named Hiro Aino attending Knight School in the last three years.

    One of the most skilled ninja in the senior class, Mamoru Mizumo,
was in the infirmary.  He'd been unconscious until Father Hibiki had
healed him, and then waved smelling salts under his nose.  It was
then discovered that he'd been the victim of a truly vicious, yet
undeniably effective, attack.

    And, unknown to all but a handful, the file containing all of the
originals of the evidence being held over the head of one Hamaji
Amakusa was gone.  Presumably with the obviously highly skilled agent
Dark Heart High had sent into Knight School.

    If it weren't for the information given to them by the visiting
captain of Sakura Art's fencing team, they wouldn't even know which
way the infiltrator had gone after calmly leaving the campus.

    Meaning that they just had to find a needle in a haystack, instead
of in a field of haystacks.

    Almost every student and faculty member had left the school in
small groups.  Visiting students from Sakura Arts had joined them once
the situation - as the students knew it - was explained to them.  No
one was allowed to travel alone.  Someone this skilled was far too
dangerous for a one on one confrontation.

    Each of the groups separated, searching for a boy matching the
description they'd been given.  Once located, their instructions were
simple and to the point.

    Return him, and everything he had with him, to the Knight School.

    By whatever means necessary.


        * * * * *


    "I told you they had good food, didn't I?"

    "Yes, Sanzenin-san.  But shouldn't we have gone back by now?"

    "You're worrying over nothing, Angeleye-kun."  Kashin smirked
as dealt with the freshie's question.  "We have Councilor Ikari's
slips, so we won't get into trouble."

    "But I'll have to find out what I missed in class today!"

    Tokiko rolled her eyes before responding.

    "Tell me Angeleye, what did you do in your morning classes that
was new or different?  Did you have any tests?"

    "Er... No, Sanzenin-san."

    "Of course you didn't.  Nothing much is ever done in class the day
before the inter-school sports meet, Angeleye."  

    "Maybe so, but I still...."

    Amy's voice trailed off as she stared at the chaos that had just
broken on the street. A boy in the uniform of Knight School was
frantically dodging and parrying attacks from a number of magical
girls. Not surprisingly, everyone not directly involved in the fight
was fleeing to the presumed safety of the nearest building, or simply
leaving the area as quickly as they could.

    "Now this isn't something you see everyday." Kashin muttered as he
too took in the scene through the restaurant's plate glass windows.

    It wasn't the fact that Knight School and Sakura Art, the only
place that taught any significant number of magical girls, were allied
that made this scene so surrealistic to Amy Angeleye. Nor was it the
fact that the Kamen with them was actually joining in the fight, using
his two-handed sword with surprising skill.

    It was the soul that the boy had.

    Amy did her best to focus on the boy's weaving form as she tried
to figure out why she felt this boy's soul felt so important to her.
It was a soul she knew. But it wasn't the soul of a student from
Knight School. It wasn't even a boy's. It was...

    "IT'S YURI!"

    Tokiko Sanzenin tore her eyes away from the scene in front of her
to stare at the now frantic freshman she was sitting besides.

    "What are you talking about, freshie? Mikagami's a girl, and
doesn't look like that!"

    Kashin however, just narrowed his eyes as he continued to watch
the fight unfolding before him. He's only seen Yuri Mikagami fight
once, during her Blood Duel with Principal Amakusa. But he'd managed
to get a copy of the tape that Liza had made of the fencing match
against Sakura Art.

    Every fighter has their own personal style. Two swordsmen training
under the same master, using the same style of blade would still leave
distinct signatures to those who had the skill to read the signs.
Kashin was only a tolerable shot with a pistol, but he was
exceptionally skilled, even for an upperclassman, when it came to the
usage of any kind of sword.

    The way the boy moved, with the sudden twists and seemingly random
maneuvers to avoid attacks, reminded him of the Drunken Serpent
Swaying style. But that erratic-looking, yet surprisingly quick and
effective, use of a blade was definitely due to influences from the
someone taught to use one of the lighter blades in the Sleeping Cat's
Claws school.

    He'd only seen one person that combined both together in the same
way that this boy was right now.

    Add to that the fact that yesterday he'd been "asked" by Principal
Amakusa to show the girl a Knight student that same night, and...

    "She's right, it's Mikagami-kun."

    Kashin allowed his mind to calculate odds as Tokiko kept the
struggling freshie from moving out of the booth they were in. Mikagami
was doing extremely well, given the situation, but already she was
showing the first faint signs of the exhaustion that would be as much
the cause of her death as any of the blades or energy attacks that
were trying to cut her down.

    "If I get things ready for a fast getaway, can you two get
Mikagami-kun back to the motorcycles? Without a group of magical girls
right behind you?"

    Angeleye suddenly stopped struggling to move. Not that it had
gotten her anywhere to begin with. Tokiko, however turned her head and
just stared at him as if she doubted her hearing. Or his sanity.

    "You can't be serious, Kashin! Why should we risk our necks to
save a jumped-up freshman!?"

    "Do you really want to listen to the Nightie Boys and Flower Power
Girls go on for the rest of the year about killing someone who is
officially an upperclassman at Dark Heart High?"  Kashim calmly replied,
using the less than complementary nicknames for students of Knight
School and Sakura Art, even as he placed some money on the table and
started to stand.

    Tokiko grimaced as she reached for the black case she'd brought in
with her.

    "Angeleye, get what you need out of your case and then leave the
rest with Kashin. It looks like we're going to get some more target
practice after all.
                     
    "And make sure your rifle's strap is on good and tight."    

        * * * * *


    Yuri was already pushing himself to deal with the strange sword
technique of Noodle Honey Muffin Maiden when she saw Milky Angel
Marriage Moo raising her hand to use that special attack of hers
again.

    Unfortunately, Yuri couldn't see that many options at the moment
other than concentrating on parrying the whip-like sword Noodle Honey
Muffin Maiden used, while preparing to jump - hopefully out of the way
- once Milky Angel Marriage Moo committed herself.

    The fact that Noodle Honey Muffin Maiden was now shrieking as she
drooped down to avoid her teammate's attack probably meant this hadn't
been hadn't been some move they'd planned out together.

    "MILKY .... ANGEL ..... SPRAY!"

    Luckily, almost all of the magical girls special attacks Yuri'd
seen so far seemed to require the use of flashy gestures, shouting
out the attack name, or both. Which was how Yuri had barely managed
to jump out of the way of the "Peppermint Spear Storm" that had
started this battle.

    Yuri managed to move out of the way of the jet of milky-white
acid, jumping towards Noodle Honey Muffin Maiden's prone form.  Not
even noticing the girl's screams as he accidentally stepping on one of
her hands, he frantically moved his sword to parry Power Angel Posey
Pink's attempt to behead him.  At the same time, he tried to force her
away from him by punching her in the face with the hand still clenched
around his bag.

    Yuri recognized all of the magical girls attacking him, and
already had some idea of how some of them fought. That was because
they were all part of Sakura Art's fencing team. And if that wasn't
bad enough, the first words out of Poppy Princess Cherry Cherry
Bang-Bang's mouth had been "That's the Mikagami girl's sword!"

    After that, things had gotten ugly. There'd been no long speeches,
and no requests for Yuri to surrender. Not that Yuri could have
caught his breath long enough to even accept such an offer.

    Somehow knowing who's sword he was using, even though the blade
had altered itself to better fit Yuri's male form, had been enough to
make his attackers see through his disguise.

    Probably they knew the same thing his mother had told him last
night, while explaining why he couldn't use the armor in a male form,
but could still use the sword.  Magical girl swords were designed for
girls, but that they looked at a person's essence, and not the body.

    About the only reason that Yuri could think of for why he'd lasted
this long was that that not all of his attackers seemed to be used to
each other's specific tactics were the only reasons he hadn't been
killed yet. Which was strange given what little Yuri knew of magical
girls and their tactics. Maybe they weren't all members of the same
magical girl group?  After all he'd seen Fairy Princess Too Cute Butt
Dancer and Milky Angel Marriage Moo last night, but none of the other
magical girls he was now fighting. Or, possible they were more used
to fighting as individuals due to the fact that they were on Sakura
Art's fencing team?

    Personally, Yuri would have preferred if whatever corner of his
mind that had come up with those ideas would concentrate on trying
to figure a way he could get out of this with his life.  The rest of
him, after all, was too busy to try to come up with any ideas about
it.

    Too busy telling his body to dodge. Telling his arms to parry.
Telling his legs to keep moving him around so they couldn't surround
him, but couldn't get far enough away to get too clear a shot at him
either.  Every trick he'd seen used in Battle Education class, or
back before he'd quit the being the equipment manager for Dark Heart
High's fencing team that he could possible use was tried.  And it
wasn't going to change a single thing in the end.

    Yuri didn't wonder if he'd loose. He knew it. It was just a matter
of time. But he didn't want to die. So he twisted his body out of the
path of Fairy Princess Too Cute Butt Dancer's foil, and tried his best
to survive.

    And then, everything changed again.


        * * * * *


    Tokiko Sanzenin considered herself to be an artist. Her canvas was
flesh. Her paints made out of blood and other bodily fluids. Her guns
were her brushes, and the bullets in them were the bristles.

    The more challenging the subject was to paint, the happier she
was.  After all, any child could use a paint-by-numbers set. But how
many people could paint someone's portrait and not just show that
person's body, but what it held within?

    She generally avoided using things like phased-array particle beam
rifles due to the fact that there was no real challenge if you were
using a weapon that could go through five inches of steel like a knife
through hot butter. Not only that, they almost seemed to have been
deliberately designed to make things more impersonal.

    How often did you get to see the look in someone's eyes as your
arm moved for the killing shot, when you were using a weapon like
that?  Weapons like that could be useful.  And if she felt it was
necessary, she could use them.  But they weren't her preferred medium.

    As such, the fact that she normally used a Ingram Mac-10
submachine gun was quite understandable. It held a decent amount of
ammunition, could fire that ammunition at very high rate, and did a
respectable amount of damage. And the fact that it wasn't exactly made
for accuracy simply made things more challenging for her.

    Not that there were ever any lack of challenges when she was
fighting magical girls.

    Unlike some, they tended to recognize that that a moving target
was one that was harder to hit. And their own attacks to could be
quite effective, no matter how silly they looked. Much the same was
true about their outfits, which generally looked they were just for
show.

    In reality, however, they were extremely durable and offered
better protection than anything a SWAT team member would ever be
issued.

     But, they rarely covered all of the girl's arms and legs. And
virtually none of them offered any protection to the wearer's head.

    Even as she let felt her other Ingram hanging ready by her side,
and started to fired her first burst with the one in her hands, she
couldn't help but smile.

    Dealing with a group of magical girls was never that easy, and
here she also had someone she not only shouldn't shoot, but that
she wanted to draw the magical girl's attention from.

    Challenging subjects were always such a pleasure to paint.


        * * * * *


    Amy wasn't as used to using her sniper rifle as anything other
than a hobby, so she could already here Sanzenin-san's submachine
gun, and see the effects of her shots, even as she lined up for her
first shot.

    The unexpected attack had come as a shock to all those already
involved in the fight.

    All but two of the magical girls, too close to Yuri for
Sanzenin-san to risk a burst, had been herded away from their target.
And the Kamen with them, Nutcracker Kamen if she remembered his name
correctly, had been forced to hide himself as well.

    Some were hiding in the buildings on the other side of the
street, while others were crouched down behind the cover provided by
abandoned cars, or anything else they could find.

    But they were recovering from the shock.  They'd already starting
to launch attacks back and some were trying to move to better
positions that would also give them cover from the whomever was
shooting at them.

    Unfortunately for them, Amy had attended some of the same classes
they had, and therefore knew at least some of the things they might
try. Counting to three as she looked through the flip-up iron sights,
Amy gentle squeezed MistyPuff's trigger.  Ignoring the sensation as
the stock bit back into her shoulder, she continued to watch the
empty window she'd been aiming at.

    Just as she'd hoped, Poppy Princess Cherry Cherry Bang-Bang popped
up to launch another series of light bolts from her longsword. And was
promptly hit in the chest by the bullet Amy had just fired.

    Amy knew that she couldn't penetrate magical girl armor at with
the type of ammunition she'd brought with her.  Not even at this range.
But the TRG series could be used to hit a target up to a mile away.
And that kind of force, at this short a range, would be felt through
the armor.

    Amy immediately shifted her aim. She still had more targets to
take down.


        * * * * *


    Yuri wasn't sure who was shooting at the magical girls.  And
frankly he didn't care too much about who it was right at the
moment.

    They'd given him a chance to survive this, and he was grabbing it
with both hands.

    Unfortunately, even with the changes in his form, Milky Angel
Marriage Moo was still slightly taller, and stronger, than he was
was.  And, unlike him, she was able to use both of her hands on
her sword.  

    Which wouldn't matter so much except that she was currently
trying to slice him in two.  And he didn't dare concentrate fully on
her, since he'd somehow lost track of Fairy Princess Too Cute Butt
Dancer.

    As Yuri moved his feet, getting ready to jump back from Milky
Angel Marriage Moo, he couldn't help but wonder why she was smirking
at him.  She'd already tried this set up before, and it always led to
a wide horizontal slash that he couldn't hope to block, especially
with one hand.  And, since he'd seen her use the same move before, he
knew well enough to get away from her when she tried it.

    His curiosity, however, changed to terror as his left foot slipped
on something.

    His footing lost, Yuri started to fall backwards with one of his
feet underneath the other leg, desperately moving the hand holding his
bag behind him in a desperate - and failed - attempt to find something
to push himself upright with, right up until the moment his head hit
the pavement.

    Which meant that Fairy Princess Too Cute Butt Dancer's foil passed
inches above his head while he fell, as she made a lunging thrust at
his back.  Unable to stop her forward momentum, the magical girl
continued forward over his now prone form.

    And right into the path of Milky Angel Marriage Moo's horizontal
slash.

    Yuri just watched, his head pounding, as Fairy Princess Too Cute
Butt Dancer fell.  He didn't feel anything, as her body partially
covering his legs.  But, at the same time, his body still told him
of it occurring.

    Milky Angel Marriage Moo just stared down at her teammate's nearly
bisected form for a timeless moment.  Tears started to silently run
down her cheeks, turning crimson as they wiped away some of the blood
on her face.

    Yuri meanwhile, simply stared up at the magical girl.  He knew
that the sight of the now gore-soaked magical girl, her white wedding
gown outfit now dyed crimson, should have made him feel something.
But all he could wonder at this moment is why she continued to wear
an inflatable bra since her secret had been revealed when they had
met during the fencing match.

    He could feel some sort of warm liquid soaking his pant legs.  But
that that wasn't anything really important.  And maybe it would help
to warm him up.

    Then Milky Angel Marriage Moo lifted her eyes slightly to stare 
into Yuri's.  

    "You..."  Her voice was soft, but scalding hot.  "You did this.
You monster, you tricked me into killing her!  But I'm going to send
you to where you belong!"

    Yuri watched, still feeling numb and apart from everything, as
Milky Angel Marriage Moo took a step towards him.

    And then another.

    He could see her hands shake as she raised her massive sword over
her head, angling it like a massive stake.  He noticed the grimace of
pure hatred twisting her lips.  And he spotted how her knees started
to bend, even as she started to bring her arms back down.

    Yuri knew what was about to happen.  Unless he did something to
stop her, she was about to drive that sword point first into his
chest.  

    Even as Milky Angel Marriage Moo thrust her arms down, one of
Yuri's hands pushed as much as it could, thrusting his chest up at
an angle, while his hips twisted to give Milky Angel Marriage Moo
the smallest target possible.

    And to help him thrust his sword up further with the other hand.


        * * * * *


    Amy had just finished her fourth shot and was moving when she
heard the deep, wordless scream.

    "KAUKO!"

    Spinning to look at the source of that booming shout, she could
see Nutcracker Kamen running, with his sword at the ready, towards a
bloody boy who was somehow also Yuri.  Who, obviously couldn't move
because of the two bodies on top of him.

    Her Sight seemed clearer to Amy at that moment then she could ever
remember it being before.  She could tell that Yuri was alive, but in
a state of shock.  She could also see that Nutcracker Kamen was in a
state of murderous rage.

    Without even thinking about it, or the odds against her making the
shot, Amy lifted MistyPuff to her shoulder, trying desperately to aim
where her target would be.  And then she squeezed the trigger.

    A timeless second later, Amy watched as a headless body hit the
ground, a puffy cloud of red mist floating down around it.

    Amy lowered MistyPuff.

    And she stared.
 

        * * * * *

    No one had tried to put their head up in a bit, but Tokiko knew
that if they were going to leave, they had to do it now.  Any later
and this place would likely be crawling with heroic types.  Even as
it was, it was probably not going to be a quiet ride back to school.

    Tokiko ran to over to the still standing freshman, and slapped her
across the cheek.  Amy just turned towards her, still barely holding
onto her rifle.

    "Get to the where the motorcycles are, and climb behind Kashin."
She ordered.  "I'll go and get Mikagami."

    Amy simply continued to stare at her.

    "Do it, freshie!"  She barked.

    Amy slung the rifle over her shoulder and started to run.

    After watching to make sure that Angeleye was heading in the right
direction, Tokiko quickly ran over to where the boy that everyone
insisted was Mikagami was kneeling by one of the bodies he'd just
pushed off him, pulling the sword out of its chest with one hand.  The
fingers of the other hand were white with tension as they grasped the
handle to a bag that had seen better days.
     
    "Mikagami, it's time to go!"  

    Mikagami tried to shrug her hand off as she pulled him back to
his feet.  But Tokiko just dragged him along with  her as she ran
towards where the motorcycles were.  It wasn't that far to run.

    "I have to find the sheath to the sword.  I borrowed it from my
mother and she'll be upset if I've lost it."

    "You've got the damn thing attached to your belt, Mikagami!  Now
put the sword away, shut up and follow me.  I didn't just use up all
that ammo just to let you get yourself killed anyway."

    Just as they turned another corner and saw the motorcycles, a
high-pitched shriek could be heard from the street where the fight
had taken place.  Most likely it from was one of the surviving magical
girls.  One who was brave enough, or stupid enough, to take a look
around despite all the shooting she and Angeleye had done.

    Deciding that she couldn't spare the time to put her helmet on,
or to double-check that Kashin had disabled the security system,
Tokiko got on her motorcycle and started it up.

    Feeling the boy behind her grab on, Tokiko Sanzenin proceeded to
beat her personal record for how quickly she could travel from that
particular restaurant to Dark Heart High.  With Kashin's motorcycle
just barely arriving after hers.


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

Author's Notes:


Okay, before I do anything else, I want to make something clear.

I do not intend to have the schools involved in some kind of "Twilight
of the Gods" style apocalypse.  Amakusa said it himself, the schools
are there to be *schools*, and not to fight Ragnarok.

With so many institutions devoted to developing the next generation of
heroes and villains all in the same area, it has to be one of the more
complex Mexican Stand-Offs known to exist.  And that's *before* you
consider what the fence-sitters at Zeros Academy or Median might
choose to do if large-scale open violence broke out between rival
schools.

Rivalries and the odd bit of "unsanctioned" low-level conflict (ala
Cold War) will occur, but everyone with any sense at all realizes
that they're in a MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) situation.  And
that no one is really as sure as they'd like to be that they'd be
the one who'd survive.

If a teacher, no matter how powerful, goes off their rocker, that
school's principal will take whatever actions they need to bring
them to heel.  And if a principal can't or won't, the school's
board will (and then they'll replace the principal in question).


That said, I'd like to thank Madsman for coming up with Dark Heart
High, and making it an impro so I'd have the chance to write this
episode of it.

My thanks also go to all the previous authors who have contributed
towards Dark Heart High, for providing me such a rich background
to work from.  Hopefully the Eternal Lost Lurker won't hate me too
much for killing off some of the characters he created/introduced.
Mr. Williams and Mr. Callahan, especially deserve my thanks, since
they were willing to indulge me in regards to Amy Angeleye.

Thanks to Mr. Callahan for the idea of Leilei possibly having an
allergic reaction to Nutrisweet, and for his inspired idea of having
Amy contact one of the members of the school's Big Sister program (and
having the "sister" be Ingram-chan; aka Tokiko Sanzenin).  I loved it
when I read it in your episode.  And to Empress for the basics of the
"real pixie-stick!"

To Lawrence Chu, my thanks for giving me an extension when I informed
him that I would have difficulties meeting the original deadline.

And last, but definitely not least, thanks to my pre-readers.  In no
particular order: Mr. Callahan, Jex, and Empress Sarah I of
Constainia.  Special thanks to Lafing_Cat who gave feedback on some
early drafts, and to Madsman for being willing to look over my basic
plotline plan.

If you liked anything in this episode, you likely have them to thank.
Any flaws, errors, or items that you just plain hated are all my
fault, and not theirs.


To be quite frank, I didn't expect this to end up being as large an
episode as it's turned out to be.  But there was that simmering
possibility of future conflict between Bala and Doombringer.  Working
on (slowly) developing Craig and Yasuko as future villains instead of
future bumbling minions.  Brobdingnag set himself up for a world of
hurt back in episode 35 when he asked to be advanced to the senior
class without even taking the placement test.  The Knight School /
Dark Heart High conflict that started out way back in Episode 1.
And, of course, there was the four sided love triangle - with Ki,
Bala, and Amy surrounding Yuri.

[What do you mean a triangle has only three sides?!?  Obviously, you
know nothing of the ways of the Blood! ^_^ ]

Still, I did my best to focus things around three characters:  Amy
Angeleye, Principal Amakusa, and (of course) Yuri Mikagami.


For those wanting a score card from the fight:  Fairy Princess Too
Cute Butt Dancer and Nutcracker Kamen are definitely dead folks. Milky
Angel Marriage Moo is, in my opinion, dead as well.

Of the other shots Amy took, I doubt that there were any fatalities.
Of course, that doesn't mean that they might not be in hospital beds
from things like cracked/broken ribs.

As for Ingram-chan's attacks, I leave that up to future authors to
decide. On one hand, she was mainly trying to lay down cover fire with
a submachine gun. On the other hand, unlike Amy, Ingram-chan wasn't
trying not to kill any of the people *she* shot at.


Looking back on all the time I've spent plotting this, writing this
and then typing it my computer.  (Don't ask.  Just... Don't ask.)  I
think I should have taken Aunt Venoma's advice to do one thing at a
time.  It's quite possible that the canvas got stretched dangerously
thin due to fact that I wanted to do a larger painting than I should
have.  To be frank, I'm not sure I'm satified with what I've turned
out here.

I also chewed my finger nails for quite some time before deciding that
yes, some characters would die in this episode.  And that Amy and
Mikagami would both have blood on their hands after I was through.
Hopeful I haven't made this too dark - or strayed too far from the
core of DHH.  But I finally decided that it would have to happen
sooner or later if they stayed in Dark Heart High, and with a fight
with odds like this it seemed unrealistic that - if Yuri was to stay
alive - there wouldn't be 

And let's not even go on about the hand-wringing I did over what
gender pronouns you should use while your female lead character
is temporarily polymorphed into a male form!

Still, I also have to admit that this has been one of the more
satisfying and fun things I've done for myself in a while.

Here's hoping that you found some enjoyment in it.  Even if it's only
in laughing at all my errors.


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


    Principal Hamaji Amakusa had few truly close confidants.
Individuals  that he came at least close to trusting without something
hanging over their heads in order to make sure they didn't try
something foolish.

    In a way, his old arch-nemesis, Father Hibiki was one of those
few.  Although Amakusa didn't agree with the old priest's beliefs, he
could still respect him as a skilled warrior and tactician.  And a man
that you could trust to keep his word.

    Another in that short list currently rested upon his lap, as he
lovingly stroked it with a piece of silk.

    "There now, old friend," Amakusa asked as he flipped his sword 
over so he could start to run the cloth down the other side of the
blade.  "Doesn't this feel much better?"

    A few minutes later, he opened a drawer on his desk and placed
the silk cloth back in it's place.  Right beside a folder entitled
"Fugu".

    "Perhaps you're correct and I didn't have to be quite so up front
with Akurei, but this should have given him reason to pause before
he thinks I've gone so soft that he can launch assassination attempts
with so little preparation as that one on Wednesday."

    Amakusa raised the blade out of his lap and fitted it back into
its sheath.  He then laid it down on his cleared desk before cocking
his head slightly.

    "Yes, I think the Board is up to something too.  The question is
whether they didn't ask Akurei any questions about Mikagami because
they think I am so distracted that I wouldn't notice such an obvious
sign, or in hopes that I actually would notice the lack of questions."

    A low rumbling chuckle echoed through the office for the next few
minutes.

    "Oh, I agree completely.  Knight School's actions this year were
quite the surprise.  But I still think finding someone with young
Mikagami's raw potential is an even greater surprise.  Particularly
given how many years we've had such mediocre materials pass through
these halls with so few showing even a sliver of true potential."

    A hand reached up to languidly caress the sword's hilt.

    "But still, you're quite right.  So far, things haven't been as
boring as they were last year."