"Bad, bad man!" screamed Tomoyo, aka Pretty Princess Snow Crystal, at the monster. "I can never forgive you for what you've done!" "Roar!" went the beast. "ICY SOUL PURIFICATION!" The monster dodged the purity blast, jumping skyward in the narrow alleyway at the last moment. Moving faster than the eye could follow, it arched downward and slammed into the pavement, tackling the magical girl in a tangle of limbs and tentacles. "No!" Tomoyo cried out. "Please *OW!* someone, save me!" The monster roared "Dieeeee!" and messily tore the innocent magical girl in two, killing her instantly. Or it would have, if not for the cinderblock. Once. Twice. Three times the cinderblock smashed into the monster's skull. Although barely making a dent in the monster, it provided a suitable distraction, giving the magical girl enough time to disentangle herself from the beast. "Unnnnnfair!" hissed the monster, swinging around to face its new enemy. "Who beeeeeee you?" The dashing figure swept his cape back in a dramatic flourish. "I am Ki Tamaida," declared the newcomer, hungrily fingering the grip of his massive hammer, "and I will bring down justice!" "Roar!" went the monster, charging at the teen. 'Splunk!' went the hammer, slamming into the beast's braincase. The monster fell ungracefully to the ground, uttering a final 'Ugh!' before expiring. Tomoyo picked herself off the slick pavement, shaken from her brush with death. She then regarded Ki with curious eyes. "T-th-thank you," she said shakily, "for saving me life. Again." Ki said nothing. "I'm T... Pretty Princess Snow Crystal, from the other day." "I am Ki," said Ki emotionlessly, "and I will bring justice down." Tomoyo blinked. "Err... okay." The magical girl looked away, slightly embarrassed. When Tomoyo did so, she came upon the steaming corpse of her adversary and the war hammer that stuck out of it. "Nice... uh... hammer." Ki wordlessly retrieved his Hammer of Justice, all the while staying in the shadows. "Say," said the magical girl, "how can someone so good and honest like you go to Dark Heart High? It just seems-" "Heh," laughed the boy, "heheheheh... ahahahaha...." Tomoyo took a step back. Ki seemed to revel in some hidden humor, because all at once his body buckled and he threw his head back, and it all came pouring out. "BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA AAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *HA*!" He stopped his insane laugh. "Count yourself lucky, girl," the mysterious teen said, his eyes reflecting equal parts madness and power. "Had you murdered this poor beast, it would be *I* how would pass judgment on *you*." "Huh?" "Tell all your little Kamen and Sailor-suited friends," declared the figure in a dark voice, "that a new justice is here. And let them know that I will protect the helpless, whoever they may be." With that Ki leapt into the sky, disappearing into the neon-light illumination of the Tokyo night. In his wake he left but a scent, one that wafted upon the air. It was the smell of Justice. --------------------- Ki opened his eyes. In the predawn hours, no light seeped through the boarded-up windows of his loft; only the unholy gleam of his sword provided any illumination. Somehow, that alone was enough to drive an unexpected spike of pulsing pain through Ki's brain. "A dream," he reassured himself, running a hand through his sweaty hair, "just a dream." And a strange one at that, vivid in a way the dreams of Steel Thorn Clansmen shouldn't be. Frowning, Ki glared into darkness, suddenly overcome with anger; things weren't the way they should be. Yesterday (or was it still today?) he had actually _saved_ a magical girl from certain death for no logical reason, but only after he had hacked her knight friend into pieces. Then, deducing Yuri to be in danger, he had rushed to her aid, but by the time he had arrived at the scene of the altercation it was too late; someone else had managed to rescue Yuri. When he found this hammer lying in the dust, the strange need to possess it overcame him and he took it straight home. Now the 'Hammer of Justice' rested in the far corner of his bedroom, opposite his bed. Rubbing his temple, Ki cast off the bed sheets cocooning his body. Sleeping now would be useless, better to pass the time by hunting down the unwary and slaughtering them where they stand. Yes, he smiled to himself; that was the thing to do. With a hop, skip, and a jump he was out through skylight, sword in hand. He later returned after dawn, but only to gather his school things. Meanwhile the Hammer of Justice sat alone and unused. Waiting... ********************************************************* Dark Heart High Netherworld Educational Institution for The Universal Propagation of Evil (Founded by Mads) ********************************************************* Part Forty-Seven: Revelations! by Doublemint ********************************************************* Over the course of the past few months, Basic Villainy 101 had become ingrained in Yuri Mikagami's daily life, so much so that she could scarcely imagine a day beginning without it. Gathering together with your friends and casual enemies, under the guidance of an experienced elder, to discuss the best way to combat and pervert the forces of good touched upon something primal in Yuri's heart. Of course there was the occasional assassination attempt on her life, but who cared? It kept things interesting. Take today's topic: "Location. Location. Location," said Instructor Kurosawa, activating the slide projector. "A villain's abode should inspire any visitor with a careful balance of terror, intimidation, and sheer awe. Too over the top in design and the visitor will detach themselves from normality, forcing you to expend precious time on dealing with them instead of your scheme for domination and subjugation. Too understated and you will be thought of as little more than a poser or a minion." Click! A slide came up that showed a dormant volcano, an undersea base, a towering stone castle, and a space station. "These are your basic lairs, each of which is used by nine-tenths of all major villains." The instructor flipped to another slide, this one showing a blue-clad boy storming a skull-themed technological castle. "Understand that each can be adapted to suit the personality of the owner, and as such reflect it in every facet." "Now there can be exceptions to that statistic; occasionally a tyrant will come along who favors a more banal liar, so as to throw off their opponent with the unexpected. In the last thirty years wholly- owned corporate skyscrapers have come into the vogue among this minority." She flipped to a propaganda photo of one such building, its flag sporting a multicolored 'E' logo titled on one edge. "Understand that some of these so-called 'corporate tyrants' are more successful than others." The projector was turned off. The teacher narrowed her eyes at the assembled students. "I know the idea of your own lair has inevitably crossed your minds at some point, therefore we will now go around the room and share with each other our ideal lair and what message we intend for it to impose on visitors." "Mister Maimsworth?" "Y-yes, Kurosawa-sensei?" stuttered the armored boy. The teacher stood silently with her arms crossed, waiting. Craig took a quick glance at Yuri, who had been tutoring him on basic wrongdoing, and then cleared his throat. "*Ahem*. For my dream lair, I'd like a steel fortress atop the highest mountain in the first land I ever conquer. It would tell the fools who infested my domain that none could stand before my might, just like the midnight castle from that Meimei Murder movie." Fujiko Kurosawa stood perfectly poised. "Traditional yet possessing a sad childlike quality, much as I'd expect from you." She turned her gaze to another student. "And what about you Miss Wareme?" "Nothing overly fancy," replied Yasuko. "I'd prefer a basic den of vice and carnal lusts. A small estate would be nice, with thirty or so pleasure chambers with a wide assortment of playthings." "Unusually conservative Miss Wareme," dryly observed the teacher, "especially coming from you." The well-developed girl shrugged, "The work of a true succubus takes place in the field, a real lair isn't a necessity for us." The instructor thought over her next choice, and then went with the student sitting front-and-center in her class. "And you, Miss Mikagami?" The girl in question leaned back in her desk, pondering the question. "Well... uh... I suppose I'd go along with something like Yasuko described," Yuri blushed, "except without all the sex stuff. Something simple, maybe a nice little two-story house somewhere in the city with a couple trees and a koi pond in the backyard." Kurosawa glared at Yuri. "Kurosawa-sensei," asked the girl, "is something wrong?" "Obviously," announced the teacher, her voice bristling with open contempt. "I expected better from you Miss Mikagami; a provincial home that belies its inner evil is a well-known cliche. I'm almost tempted to ask if the koi pond would have piranhas, but the truth is I don't care." Fujiko shook her head slightly. "You disappoint me." "That's just how my dad's lair is!" The smallest trace of bewilderment flashed across Kurosawa's face. "It doesn't matter," she said coolly, "a cliche is still a cliche, regardless of the infamy of your parent or parents." Yuri sighed and cast her gaze to the ground. "Perhaps Balabalalde can...." Kurosawa frowned; the folding-chair beside the boy's desk was empty. "Where is your assistant?" Bala blinked. "Oh!" chirped Yuri, excitedly checking the classroom clock. "I almost forgot!" Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved a small wooden whistle. Brushing off a piece of lint, she brought the item to her lips. "Strange," commented Yasuko. "Why does she need to use a dog whistle when Craig is already here?" "Hmmm...." Craig held up a finger, testing the air. "Is it just me, or did it just get dumber in here?" Yuri blew on the whistle. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A Few Minutes Earlier... "It's done," said Leilei. "Good," replied the pink-robed little bearded man. "It's nice to see that for once you can clean up your own messes. Perhaps the council will keep this in mind when they choose your new position...." The little girl frowned. "Isn't there any way you might reconsider?" Imicus made himself clear. "No." Leilei shrugged. "Well, I know you tried your best, sir." "Of course," chuckled the man. "Here," the little girl took out a small wrapped box and handed it to the bearded man, "I got this for you!" Imicus raised a eyebrow. "Eh?" Leilei smiled. "It's a thank-you present." "Hurm," grumbled the pink-robed manager. "I don't think this is appropriate..." "Awww... but I picked it out special for you." Imicus shrugged. "Well, alright." He accepted the present. "If I my ask, what's the occasion?" "Oh, I think you know." "No," he frowned, removing the ribbon binding, "I don't." "Guess!" "You've decided to voluntarily retire from your haphazard caretaking of Balabalalde?" He opened the box. "What the?" It was a small piece of black paper. Imicus frowned. "Why did you give me a piece of scrap paper?" Leilei giggled. "Silly! I'm just thanking you for sneaking all that Insanity Powder into my food. Y'know, so I'd have a bad reaction to anything sugary?" Imicus facefaulted. "What?" "I mean," began the pink-haired girl, "who wouldn't want to be driven into fits of childishness at the most inappropriate moment by a sugar snack?" "I... uh... did nothing of the sort; such food additives are banned from our clan's diet." The short man rubbed his brow nervously. "Er... bad Leilei! Bad! Hating me is very, very bad for our clan! You should love instead!" "I know," countered Leilei, "that's why I left it up to the Elders to deal with you... but they decided to give *you* to *me*." Beep! Beep! Beep! Leilei glanced at her wristwatch. "Oh my, look at the time. I just *have* to get going." She gave one last smile to Imicus. "Enjoy your present; it comes from the bottom of mine and Bala's hearts!" And with a *POP!* she disappeared. "Leilei!" screamed the short man, but before he could add anything more the black piece of paper in his hand exploded in plume of otherworldly energy. He was consumed in an instant. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "Strange," commented Yasuko. "Why does she need to use a dog whistle when Craig is already here?" "Hmmm...." Craig held up a finger, testing the air. "Is it just me, or did it just get dumber in here?" Yuri blew on the whistle. *POP!* Bala blinked. "Gosh," said Leilei, brushing a smudge of dirt off her dress, "that was really satisfying." "MISS Mikagami," hissed Kurosawa, "explain to the class why you have chosen to interrupt my lesson with your childish antics." Under the icy glare of her teacher, Yuri sank down in her seat. "Uh... er... well, you see...." "Yes?" "It's my fault Kurosawa-sensei," cut in Leilei. "I asked Yuri to using the summoning whistle so I could get revenge on my meddling supervisor without getting caught in the explosion." The teacher frowned. "Were there fatalities?" "One or two." Kurosawa mulled over this, then nodded in approval at Leilei and Yuri. "Very well. It's refreshing to see someone in this class take the initiative of revenge killings and do it with such competency." She cast a knowing glare at Craig and Yasuko. Leilei bowed. "Thank you sensei." "Next time, however, do not involve Miss Mikagami with any interruption of my class. It would be ill advised for her health... AND her grades." "Yes, ma'am!" The teacher turned away from the pink-haired girl. "Now, returning to the subject at hand...." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Ki walked towards the lunchroom, salad and carrots in hand. An angry grumble issued from his stomach during shop class and had nearly brought Shark Eye down on him. Now, feeling hungrier than normal, he was eager to fill the void. He stopped suddenly in the middle of a nearly empty hallway. The swordsman closed his eyes with a frown. "What do you want now Midori?" "You're getting better," she said, dropping down from the ceiling to the floor with a grin. "Like you, I haven't forgotten about our... agreement. Training is unfortunately necessary if I am to properly kick your ass." Ki's cousin shook her head in dismay. "Haven't lost any of your fire either...." "If this is about my plan for Yuri, you might as well leave." Ki rubbed his forehead tenderly. "I'd like to get to lunch now." "Headache?" asked his cousin. "Since I woke up," he replied, "not that it's any of your business Midori." Midori turned away. "Anyway, the family has a bigger problem on its hands than you and your goonish antics." "And what would that be?" "Someone broke into the Manor." "Impossible!" hissed Ki. "Besides trashing the trophy rooms, the intruder stole two items." She then grew quiet, clearly uncomfortable for the first time in the conversation. After weighing her words, Midori continued. "Whoever did it knew there way around," she explained, "because only a handful of people outside the clan know their way into... the basement." Ki, who previously had his back to Midori, spun around. "They stole something from the _basement_?" he asked incredulously. "Hearts," she said, "but just yours and mine." Ki was speechless. Midori nodded in agreement; it was truly an audacious crime, unparalleled in the history of the Steel Throne Clan. "A family meeting has been called," she announced, "and every branch of the family is coming. Auntie Koko said even the Blue Winter Roses were invited." "Hell!" swore the swordsman. "That's... this is... it's insane!" "You're tell me," retorted the swordswoman, "but this isn't just BIGGER than us; it's ABOUT us. Some enemy of our clan, specifically an enemy of Midori and Ki Tamaida, has gone to trouble of stealing our very hearts from the seat of our power. This isn't just an insult against our clan, it's a *statement*." Ki frowned. "But what kind of statement?" "I don't know," said Midori, "all I know is that in three days the entirety of the clan will gather for the first time in an Age." "..." "I don't think I need to say that now is _not_ the time to be distracted by a girl who you'll never win." "Midori?" "Yes?" "Go to hell," he said, then turned and walked away. "Like you, I mean to," the swordswoman said, watching her cousin turn a far corner. From the back of her mind, an unhappy question rose unbidden to her thoughts. "But why do seem angry about that?" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "Attention," commanded Ms. Reitetsu, dryly snapping her fingers, "I will have your attention." The class quieted. "Today we start a new phase in our understanding of Game Theory: 'Style'." Ms. Reitetsu smiled wolfishly at her students, her impressive canines highlighted under the florescent lighting. "DO NOT underestimate the sound policy I have endeavored to instill in your fragile minds; a substantive strategy will always lead your enemies into whatever situation you wish to create." The teacher held up an index finger. "Substance, however, is not everything; without the proper timing and delivery any strategy --- however brilliant it might be --- will fall apart." The teacher paused there, stopping momentarily to wipe a smudge from her thick glasses. She continued, "Now... today I have chosen pairings that I believe will capably exploit one another's weaknesses. To that end, I want to see everyone study their opponent's mindset and body language. Victory will consist of one student disrupting their partner's ability to counterstrike ON THE CHESSBOARD! Physical violence of any sort will result in a detention and public flogging." "Any questions?" There were none. "Set your timers for ten minutes and begin." Amy moved a stainless pawn forward, then tapped the game clock. Yasuko stared at the chessboard set before her. "Remind me, why am I playing against you again?" "Because you suck," explained Amy. "True," said the demoness, caressing the bishop's gamepiece in her hands, "but it's what I do." Amy blushed. "I didn't mean it THAT way..." Yasuko set her bishop down, moved a knight forward, and casually tapped the clock. The young Angeleye dashed another pawn forward. Tap. "You know," smiled Yasuko, advancing a pawn. "I've always liked your taste in shoes. The pair you have on is just so *scrumptious*!" Tap. Amy 'hmmm'ed. "Funny... I knew you liked leather, but I didn't realize you LIKED leather." Tap. Yasuko chuckled darkly. "Such humor, I like that in my bitches." Tap. "Then you must hate yourself." Tap. "You're so *rude* to me," said the succubus in hurt voice. "I bet you weren't like this when you went to Sakura Arts with all the other ditzy blondes." Tap. "Not really," Amy advanced a rook, "someone with my vast intelligence never fit in with those whiners. Besides," Amy smiled at the winged girl, "I'm a brunette, not a blonde." Tap. "Too bad about you personality, I mean how will you *EVER* snag Yuri with that sort attitude?" Tap. Amy sat back in her seat and studied the board, and, after several seconds of contemplation, took one of Yasuko's pawns. Then the triclops propped her elbows on the table and rested her head hands. "I've always wondered, do you find me... attractive?" Tap. Yasuko cautiously eyed her enemy. "Only in a 'thirty seconds behind a dumpster' kind of way." Tap. "*Really*?" asked Angeleye in surprise. "But I've heard you like your magical girls in a more 'long-term' kind of way." Tap. "I'll admit... I like to take my time crushing the pure ones. But, knowing you, something like that would be a waste of effort." Tap. "I wasn't talking about that," Amy advanced a knight. "When I was told you liked your sailor soldiers (of the 'pretty' verity) I was told you LIKED your sailor soldiers. You know, in the same sick way you long to fornicate with shoe leather." Tap. The demon enchantress frowned. "I don't know who you've been talking to, but if they're the same people who help you watch your weight then I wouldn't listen to them." Tap! Amy licked her lips, then feigned confusion. "So those photos of you and Heavenly Marshmallow Princess Cherry Bomb were faked? How scandal-" "**CRAIG**!" roared Yasuko, springing to her feet. She turned to the black knight and, as flames licked her aura, she leveled a carefully manicured finger at the boy. "I PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THOSE NEGATIVES AND YOU *SWORE* I GOT EVERY ONE!" The boy in question shrugged. "What can I say? I'm evil." "BAST-" "Ms. Wareme!" hollered the instructor. "I suggest you sit down because you're _this_ close to flogging, and trust me when I say even you wouldn't take pleasure from such punishment." Yasuko fumed silently, but wisely decided to sit herself back down. Glaring at Amy, who now boasted a broad grin, it took the succubus several seconds to realize that the clock was now running out on her. Slamming a pawn forward, Yasuko hit the timer with equal violence. TAP! "Now where were we?" Amy pressed a finger to her lips. "Ahhh... that's right: your sick attraction to magical girls." Tap. Yasuko seethed in her seat. "Yes... thankfully you don't have to worry about me jumping your bones anymore." Tap. "Yes, thank God for that." Tap. "By the way," said the demoness, "how goes your self-training in the arts of evil and wrong doing? I heard you managed to get both the Knights School AND Sakura Arts to hunt you down like the dog you are." Tap. Amy whistled. "That? That's only Vice-Principle Ringoshima getting too attached to her pathetic kid." Tap. "Jilly, wasn't it?" asked Yasuko. "And speaking of attachments, I hear that she's haunting the shop class. Nasty fate... and I doubt she'll be freed from her eternal torment until the End of Days." Tap. Amy frowned. "It's Lily, and why wouldn't she ever be freed?" Tap. "This is Dark Heart High; the odds of a purity cleric EVER performing an exorcism an this school are non-existent." Yasuko smiled. "I must commend you on the nice job, I don't remember seeing anyone in such despair and torment. Well, unless you're counting all the days I saw how you pined over Yuri." Tap. "Say," said Amy, "how are your plans for killing Yuri? May I recommend something new like... say... killer bees? Ooooooo! How 'bout a malignant waffle iron?" Tap! Yasuko smiled. "How is Yuri these days? Did you know she's tutoring (that money-grubbing bastard!) Craig?" The enchantress moved her queen and took Amy's remaining bishop. "I hear that their study sessions go on for _hours_." Tap. "Tell me, did Cherry Bomb squeal when your parents ate her soul?" Tap. "I'm sure she did," replied Yasuko, "probably just like Yuri does when she sees Bala walking down the hall. Bandages aren't exactly my thing, but what girl wouldn't want to unwrap a hottie like that? Mmm- hmm!" The demoness took away Amy's queen. "Check." Tap. The young triclops leveled a glare at her opponent. "I wonder, did Mordred chide you for your nervous fumbling while you _tired_ to devour his soul? I know how it is to stand in someone's shadow but I can't picture how a big man on campus like him put up with your childish charms... though I suppose your 'magical' naivete made up for your inexperience." Amy moved a rook, nullifying her own check and setting up a counterattack. "Check." Tap. The winged-girl sighed. "I bet you wish Yuri would help you practice... hopefully she'll have time after Craig." A queen took out the offending rook. "Check." Tap. Amy nodded. "If only my life as simple as yours and I could find happiness at my local Gucci shop." Knight takes queen. "Check." Tap. "Well, we can't ALL be neurotic gun-totting lesbian washouts." Tap. "No," retorted Amy, "we can't." Knight takes pawn. "Checkmate." 'Click', the clock was turned off. Yasuko frowned and studied the board in dismay. "What the hell?" Amy Angeleye leaned back in her seat, contented with victory. Smiling at her opponent's disbelief, she added, "And just for the record I'm a neurotic gun-totting _bisexual_ washout, you shoe-shagging whore." "Whatever," sighed Yasuko. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ They came from all sides, formless figures moving at unreal speeds, each unleashing volleys of attacks that could kill a mortal with a glancing blow. Yuri was powerless against them, her weapon lost at the beginning of the battle. Now all she could do to stay alive was to keep moving and dodging and running.... "No!" squeaked Yuri, skimming past another blow from her myriad attackers. "Come on Yuri!" cheered Leilei, helplessly stranded on the sideline. "I believe in you!" But it was useless, there dozens, no *hundreds* of them and only one of her. No one could help her; Amy, Craig, and even Ki had been taken down (it seemed) hours ago. Bala was across campus, too far away to help even if he wanted to. Yuri was doomed and she knew it. "YURI!" screamed a near-unconscious Amy, fighting against the darkness brought on by her injuries. "NINE O'CLOCK!" It was too late. The offending sphere, traveling at hyper-realistic speeds, crashed into Yuri's exposed midriff. The force from the blow was so great it picked the girl off her feet and threw her across the battle-scarred landscape. Her friends, braving certain death, rushed to Yuri's aide. Truncheon blew his whistle. "Game over!" he shouted. Turning to a young cactus-like being at his side, he grasped the thing's appendage with gloved hand and raised it triumphantly into the air. "Winner: Red Team!" A cheer erupted over the grassy field, echoing from the throats from half the freshmen gym class. Blue Team, meanwhile, sulked over to its final casualty. Craig gave the girl a thumb's up. "You were *awesome*!" "Are you alright Yuri?" asked Leilei, brushing a clump of sod from her friend's hair. "Five... more... minutes... mom," the young Mikagami mumbled, and then sank into blissful unconsciousness. "She'll be fine," assured Amy, smiling in relief. The pink-haired girl frowned. "How would you-" Amy tapped her forehead. "Oh yeah," said Leilei, "'Angeleye'. Right." Dropping to the ground, Amy sighed. "I... on the other hand." "Suck it up Angeleye," instructed a rat-faced lad, "it's _just_ gratuitous blood loss." A female tentacle demon nodded. "Yeah, at least you got off easier than Ki." She shook her slimy head. "Poor little fella." Yuri opened her eyes. "I... I...," she stuttered, hopelessly exhausted. The group leaned in closer, eager to hear the words of their longest lasting (by twenty minutes) player. "I... HATE... dodgeball!" ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Ki sighed; he hated the Nurse's Office. Every time he came in Nurse Sybil would give him a lollypop, (sneeze), braid his hair, (sneeze), try to seduce him, (sneeze), go all drill-sergeant on him, and then sneeze repeatedly. It was enough to make a man commit ritual suicide, even if he only had a spork handy. "Okaaaaaay Mister Tamaida," cheered the now-chibi nurse, "I heard you have a boo-boo on your noggin! That's so sad! What happened?" "I was injured in mortal combat," he lied. The little girl covered her mouth with her hands in horror. "Oh my, why would you do such a thing?" "Family hon-" "ACHOO!" Ki rubbed his head tenderly; standing before him was a voluptuous blond woman whose figure was barely contained by her uniform. Nurse Sybil eyed Ki like a starving man would a stake. "So, are you going to let me take your... temperature?" The scion of the Steel Thorn Clan pressed himself against the wall, waiting for the inevitable sneeze to come. "Uh, okay?" The blond smiled demurely. "Good, but first things first," the nurse drew a _very_ cold metal stethoscope out of nowhere, "let's check your breathing." Ki sighed in defeat; from experience, he knew it was useless to struggle against Nurse Sybil, regardless of her form. All he could do was sit down and take it. "Now breath in," she said. He did so, wishing to be anywhere else. "And breathe out." Again, he did so. "Goodness," said Nurse Sybil, brushing a curly lock away from her eyes, "you're a little nerves, aren't you?" "Er... yes?" At this point the nurse whipped out a tongue depressor and a needlessly anachronistic oral thermometer. 'Sneeze', mentally urged Ki, 'SNEEZE!' "You have to learn to *relax*," insisted the blond. "Otherwise, with the way your heart's fluttering, you might have a panic attack." She reached for Ki's cheek. "Now I can think of a-" Ki grabbed the woman's hands. "What did you just say?" Nurse Sybil frowned. "About relaxing?" "After that." "Just that your heart's beating very quickly Tamaida-kun," explained the buxom nurse. Ki stared, bug-eyed. The blond cocked her head to one side. "Is something wrong?" The dream... The headache... The cologne... The break-in... The Scion of the Steel Thorn Clan grasped his own wrist; sure enough, there was the steady --- and alien --- beat of flowing blood from a working heart. "Oh no!" whispered Ki. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Author's Notes: This is a bit on the short side, but I really didn't want to throw in too many big plot points. One of the complaints I got from my prereaders last time was that I focused too much on action and not enough of the character's time at school; I tried to keep this more along the latter's lines. Also, I finally got to use Yasuko ;) Ki may seem a bit OOC but you chalk that up to his newfound (as the Apprentice aptly put it) 'Jekyl-for-Justice' mindset. The idea that Ki's cologne might be affecting him strangely has been running through the last few chapters, and since he just saved Tomoyo for no reasonable reason I figured it wasn't too much of a leap for him to blindly pick up a magical hammer. Sadly, for him, it seems the hammer is stranger and more powerful than he thought it'd be... Not much else to say, aside from the fact illness kept this part from sprawling into something longer. On the plus side, this part's vary shortness allowed me to edit it more carefully. I hope you enjoyed reading it; I did writing it. I've said it once and I'll say it again: DHH is a stress-free write and most definitely the funniest I've had the chance to write for. Go! Go! Go sign-up! Thanks must go to my prereader: The Apprentice. Also big thanks to Lawrence Chu. ~Doublemint ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Sakura Arts buzzed with activity; hundreds upon hundreds of teenage girls rushing to and from various classrooms, teachers hastily preparing to instruct their students on the finer points of goodness, and a gentle feeling of purity heartened the souls of everyone. Everyone, that is, save Vice-Principle Ringoshima. "So Lily," the golden-haired woman whispered to herself, holding a picture frame in one hand and a drink in the other, "it had to end like this. You just had to go and... die... on me." She knocked back her drink. The Vice-Principle glared at the picture. "But you couldn't even do that right, could you? Lily Ringoshima, reduced to a shade in the basement of Dark Heart High." Violet started to cry. "Why can't I stay *angry* with you? After everything you did, after what you said, I can't hate you for what happened." She narrowed her eyes. "But I can hate *HER*... and that's enough for me." Knock. Knock. "You can come in," Ringoshima said, not bothering to hide her drink. The woman entered. The Vice-Principle sat her daughter's photo on the desk, stood up, and shook hands with her guest. "Thank you for coming on such short notice Councilwoman." "It's alright Violet," the middle-aged woman replied, taking a seat, "I would have visited anyway." "Yes," whispered Ringoshima. The woman crossed her legs. "But I don't think you invited an old friend just to talk about Lily." Violet winced. "Very perceptive, just like always." A shrug. "It's who I am." The Vice-Principle reached for a folder on her desk, one that had been in hand's reach since her daughter's untimely semi-death. Then handed the folder to her friend to inspect. "'Yuri Mikagami', I assume you've heard of her." "Yes," said the councilwoman, frowning. Violet sipped her drink. "This monster goes to Dark Heart High, and, in this school year, has managed to embarrass and humiliate your alma mater and the Knight School on any number of occasions. Recently, she and her accomplices have gone so far as to... kill students of rival schools, my Lily included." The woman studied the file. "Something needs to be done about this 'problem' before it develops into something serious," continued the Vice-Principle, reaching for a second file on her desk. She handed it to her friend. "There's more, her main ally is a former student of this institution..." "'Amy Angeleye'," said the councilwoman, reading the name off the cover of the file. "...yes," spat Violet. "In fact, it has been demonstrated by a reliable source that she was the main culprit in the death of Lily. A fact that I --- and, may I add, the school --- can no longer overlook." "And you think I'm the person to... what? Bring Amy back into the Sakura Arts fold?" "That's not an option anymore," said Violet. "Another school might accept her, perhaps Zero Academy?" She shook her head. "It doesn't really matter to me, so long as she's... pacified." The other woman frowned. "I really think that's up for Amy to decide." The Vice-Principle narrowed her eyes at the councilwoman. "You're her mother, aren't you?" "More than you were to Lily," retorted Andrea Angeleye. "Your daughter killed my daughter!" burst Violet, slamming her fists on the desk. "You *owe* me, so I *own* you!" Andrea was silent. "Now," said Ringoshima, calming her temper, "do we have a deal? Will you take care of Amy, or do you want to outlive her like you did her father?" "If you hurt my daughter, I'll raze Sakura Arts to the ground." "I don't doubt you would," replied Violet. "So I take it we have a deal? You'll keep Amy out of sight, and I'll keep her out of mind?" The elder Angeleye glared at her former friend, restraining the growing urge to vaporize Violet where she sat. Only the certain knowledge that Amy wouldn't live to see the sunset stayed Andrea's hand from such action. The Vice-Principle frowned, growing irritated at the silence. "Well, what's it going to be? Do you agree or disagree?" If Amy and her friend were going to have any chance at a decent future, Andrew Angeleye knew she needed to buy time. "I agree," said the triclops. "Amy will no longer be a concern." Violet smiled. "Good." Slowly, hidden where Vice-Principle Ringoshima couldn't see, Andrea Angeleye carefully uncrossed her fingers.