Devils + Vampire (Post-DMC 5 X Rosario + Vampire Fanfic)

[LinkOnScepter]

The Qliphoth Tree.

A Demonic Tree that grows in the Underworld.

It feeds on the blood of humans to nourish itself. And when it has been fed enough, it produces a fruit once every thousand years. Legend has it that if a demon were to consume this Qliphoth Fruit, then it will gain immense power. The last demon known to have eaten this fruit was Mundus, the Late Lord Of The Underworld.

Before, the Tree was kept at bay. By separating the Underworld from the Human World, The Legendary Dark Knight Sparda cut off the Tree's food supply. It languished and starved for two thousand years. Then, the barrier between the two worlds was broken. A new Demon Lord, Urizen, arose and planned to grow another Qliphoth Fruit. So that he may become the new Lord Of The Underworld.

But his plan failed.

He was defeated.

But the Tree remained.

Its roots grown fat off the consumption of human blood, they began to spread without end. Through both the Human World and into others. For the Qliphoth's hunger is endless and will not stop at only one world. It will attempt to reach into and drain all worlds of their life.

It would grow unending...save for one fact.

That being the twin streaks of red and blue light that just cleaved the entire Tree in half.

As the Demon Tree began to fall, its roots and branches either disintegrating or falling to the ground alongside it, the streaks of light headed towards the ground. They landed in an opening between the crumbling roots, scorching the flesh-like ground as they hit the floor. In a bright flash of red and blue the two lights revealed who they were.

The children of The Legendary Dark Knight.

Sparda's Offspring.

The Twins who have surpassed their father's power.

Dante and Vergil.

"And that's that," Dante laughed while casually brushing some root dust off his shoulder. His deep crimson coat fluttered in the air generated by the Tree's rapid descent. Around him demons ran in every direction, loping, hopping, or skittering away from the destruction wrought by the two brothers. Any that got too close were swiftly cut down by an errant flick of Dante's sword. The Devil Sword Dante, an obsidian blade that was as wide as Dante's torso, moved faster than its size would indicate in his hands. He rested the weapon across his shoulders, white hair falling around his stubble covered face as he turned to his twin brother, "So, we still counting that as one? Cause if so, then I'm in the lead."

Vergil, his dark blue coat the polar opposite of his younger brother's own, shot an angry glare at Dante. A fleeing demon passed too close to the older Son Of Sparda and soon found itself horizontally split in half. The click of Vergil's sword, the Yamato, returning to its scabbard followed its body parts falling to the ground in bloody heaps. He turned towards Dante and spoke in a self-serious tone of voice that contrasted his brother's own jovial tone, "We will not include the Qliphoth Tree as an enemy. It is inanimate. Thus it shouldn't be considered a part of our count. And what do you mean by in the lead?"

Dante tilted his head while turning towards his brother, "You sure about that? I certainly recall that thing's roots climbing out of the walls to try to kill me. I'd call that animate. And, yeah, I'm in the lead. I killed that Fury back there before we took out the Tree."

"You did not. My swords pierced its flesh before you even reached it. If we count that, then I'm the lead. And even if we did count the Qliphoth as an enemy, we both struck it at the same time. Thus it adds to neither of our counts," Vergil said, the frown on his face deepening as he looked at his brother.

Dante raised an eyebrow, walking closer to his brother as some debris from the Qliphoth fell behind him. He ignored the dust as he gave his brother a cocky smile, "Really? I could've sworn I hit that thing long before you even got there. Maybe getting your ass-kicked by your son messed up your understanding of distance?"

There was a clicking sound and Dante suddenly felt something poking his side. He looked down to see the guard of the Yamato against his hip. Completely nonchalant, he raised an eyebrow at Vergil. The older brother scowled up at Dante, "Perhaps you'd like another demonstration of my abilities? I don't think we ever settled our score from before, after all."

"No, I don't think we did," Dante's voice gained an excited edge to it as he stared his brother down. Then he raised a finger, "But, I think we should postpone it. Because of that."

He pointed up towards the disintegrating Qliphoth Tree. Vergil followed his finger with his eyes.

And beheld the rapidly approaching avalanche of dust and destroyed roots heading their way.

He huffed then sheathed the Yamato, "Fine. We shall hold off on finishing our bout. For now...,"

"...lets get the hell outta here!" Dante finished with a yell. His Devil Sword Dante disappeared in a flash of red as the started running away from the avalanche. Vergil matched his pace easily as he did the same. The two Sons Of Sparda made a mad dash away from the approaching devastation behind them. Any demon that dared get in their path was either cut down by one of Vergil's Summoned Swords or shot dead by Dante's Pistols, Ebony and Ivory. Neither slowed down for any reason. Even when the ground below them started to give way. They simply jumped over the holes in the floor or "Tricked" their way passed.

Dante looked back and saw that the avalanche was still on their tail. Cursing under his breath, he summoned one of his newest Devil Arms. His body flashed red as the black and silver forms of the Cavaliere buzzsaws appeared in his hands. He hopped into the air and slammed the two together, both weapons forming into one.

A motorcycle with chainsaws for wheels.

Vergil groaned and shook his head, "Really?"

"Hey, you have a better way to move faster than our running speed?" Dante said as his new ride ate up the earth below him. He kept it at a steady pace and jerked his head behind him, "Now hop on! Unless you think you can outrun gravity."

Vergil pursed his lips. He looked behind him at the approaching avalanche, then down at his own two feet, then at Dante...then back at the avalanche.

He didn't answer until he could feel the debris of the avalanche nipping at his heels. With a loud "Fine!" he teleported onto the back of Dante's motorcycle. He kept one foot on Dante's back while the other was on the back edge of the vehicle. His right hand was on the guard of his blade, while his left held the weapon's scabbard. Blue Demonic Power flowed from his arms into his weapon while his stoic eyes focused on the path in front of them.

"Cool," Dante revved Cavaliere, the motorcycle exploding forward as lightning and fire shot from his back. Its wheels destroyed ground while running over or through any demon that got in the way. They managed to get away from the advancing avalanche, but it was still coming faster and faster. And they couldn't keep moving forever. Especially with the ground below them disappearing faster and faster.

Making a mental note to get back at Vergil for having his foot on his back later, Dante glanced back at his brother, "Don't know how much longer we'll have road to eat up. You got a plan to get us home?"

"The Qliphoth Tree's roots were fed with enough human blood to let them reach into other dimensions," Vergil began as the Yamato's scabbard started to glow with a bright blue light, "With its destruction, those dimensional rifts will become unstable and shut themselves. Before that happens, I can use the Yamato to cut a rift open."

"And that'll take us home?"

"...."

"Vergil?"

"There is a chance it will."

"A chance?"

"If I had more time to concentrate, I would be able to choose our exact destination. But as it stands," Vergil glanced around at the chaos around them, "I'll only be able to open a rift."

Dante shook his head but kept a smile on his face, "So, it's a roll of the dice then? Figures. Well, anywhere's better than this place. How long do you need?"

"Three seconds," Vergil took up a stance, "Just keep going straight."

Dante nodded and turned his attention back to the road in front of him. The ground started giving way around them, taking away all their alternate routes. Demons fell screaming into the darkness below. More roots and branches fell around the brothers. The avalanche behind them started to catch up.

Yet Dante never once blinked.

Which let him see the road in front of them crack...and then turn into a ramp over a bottomless dark pit.

"Now!" Vergil shouted as Yamato flashed out. Faster than the eye could see, an azure wave of energy flew towards the space just in front of the newly made ramp. It hit an invisible wall, which soon turned into a large blue rift.

"Full Throttle!"

Cavaliere roared into motion, its speed increasing tenfold as Dante pushed the weapon to beyond its limits. The motorcycle flew up the ramp and over its threshold towards the rift.

Time seemed to stop.

The Sons of Sparda were frozen in mid air. Dante had an excited smile on his face. Vergil was frowning as he gripped Dante's shoulder for dear life.

Behind them was the avalanche made of the remnants of the Demon Tree.

In front of them was the blue rift that would take them to parts unknown.

Then, time resumed.

The brothers flew through the rift.

Then the avalanche consumed it.

---

Nurari, the Nurarihyon Bus Driver of Youkai Academy, suddenly smiled.

"Well, now," he spoke to his empty bus, "This is interesting. I should let him know."

---

Yep. This is a thing now.

What Is This?: A new Crossover Fanfic I'm writing. Specifically, it's a Devil May Cry Crossover with Rosario + Vampire.

Why Are You Writing This?: Because I haven't managed to find any good DMC Crossover Fanfics that match my criteria:

1. Takes place after DMC 5.
2. Stars both Dante and Vergil, so that the two of them can actually be brothers for once.
3. Doesn't Nerf either of them, separate them, or otherwise make them weaker/take them away from each other.
4. Writes how the two of them fight while taking into account how Stylish they both are in different ways.

So, I figured I might as well do so. And this particular plot bunny has been nibbling on my head for a while now. So, I figured, fuck it. Why not?

What Should We Know Going In?: Here's the list:

1. There will be spoilers for both DMC and Rosario + Vampire in this fanfic. If you don't like that, stay away. Heck, there will be spoilers in this Author's Note. So, stop reading here!

2. I have only read the first part of the Rosario + Vampire Manga series. Up until the part where Tsukune heads home because the school got destroyed. I figured I could get by on just that and only focus on the story up until that point. But...well...then I looked at the Wiki to find the Bus Driver's name. And realized there's a lot more. So, it's gonna take a bit for the next Chapter to get written while I read the second part of the Manga series.

3. I'm not 100% sure how the Rosario + Vampire Cast stack up to Dante and Vergil. But this will be the two of them after the end of DMC 5. And I don't plan to nerf them whatsoever. So, expect them to be breaking faces and canon left and right. If you don't like seeing characters from one fic stomp another fic's characters, or don't like it when canon events are fucked with, you probably don't want to read this fic.

4. THERE WILL BE NO SHIPPING WHATSOEVER! From a personal perspective, I just don't like Shipping in Fanfics. It always feels like it's taking away from the story of the fic and never feels natural to me. From a character perspective, Neither Dante nor Vergil would ever want to get with any of the women of Rosario + Vampire. Dante sees himself as a freak and wouldn't pass his curse off to anyone else, and Vergil experienced what its like to deal with Nero. He's not going through that again. There will also be no specific character shipping of the Rosario + Vampire Characters, cause I don't really care for that stuff. All canon relationships will remain canon.

I believe that's it. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask them.

With that outta the way, Lets Get This Party Started!

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Youkai Academy.

A high school made for Monsters/Youkai.

Here they go through their years and classes for one specific purpose: To learn how to be human. How to keep their powers hidden, how to act/understand humans, all so that they can eventually live freely in the human world. To ensure they are able to do this without interruption, a barrier was erected around the site over two hundred years ago. This barrier keeps the world hidden from the human world, prevents any human from entering without an invitation, and allows for the Monsters to travel all over the Youkai and human world.

This barrier, created by the Three Dark Lords, has withstood the test of time for years. Thanks to it, Youkai Academy has managed to remain a safe place for Monsters to come and learn how to be human.

It has remained intact for years.

There are few forces in the world that can hope to pierce it.

Which is why, when a large blue rift opened in the air a few miles from Youkai Academy, Nurari, the Nurarihyon Bus Driver of the Academy, immediately made to tell the Headmaster.

One of the Three Dark Lords that sealed away the Shinso Vampire Alucard, Tenmei Mikogami.

And, once the message was relayed, the two immediately made their way to the location of the rift.

---

"Woo-Hoo!"

Dante yelled as Cavaliere rocketed out of the rift. He pulled at the motorcycle's break lever, the blades under the wheel's screeching as they ate up dry earth. He pulled to the side as it skid to a stop a few feet away from the rift. The moment he stopped, Vergil hopped off the back of the vehicle. The older twin's hair had come undone from the ride. It fell around his face in a mirror of his younger brother's hair style.

"That look suits you better, Verg," Dante said as he dismissed Cavaliere. The weapon dispersed back into Dante's personal arsenal space. There it awaited alongside every other weapon he had accumulated over the years. Waiting to be used once again. He stepped over to his brother, leaning in with a hand on his chin, "Hmm, yeah. You should keep it. We could do that thing where we switch places and see if anybody could tell the difference."

Vergil huffed, one hand going to his forehead. He pushed his hair back and it swiftly returned to its usual, slicked back look. He focused his attention on the rift he had made, watching as the blue energy swirled within. It remained floating in the air, a blue tear in the fabric of reality that lead to a now destroyed Demonic Tree.

Then, moments later, it winked out of existence.

"Good. None followed us," Vergil nodded at the rift's disappearance.

Dante turned to the empty air where the rift used to be, "Hmm, really? Guess that means we really did bring down that overgrown weed. Though I doubt that'll dissuade any demon and devil from trying to mess with the human world."

"If they do, then it is none of our concern. Unless they decide they wish to reckon with the Sons of Sparda," Vergil responded, his voice stoic and cold.

"Maybe it's none of your concern," Dante pointed an accusing finger at Vergil, "But that's cause you're not the one who makes a living off killing demons for people. And after what you did for our first family reunion, business had been booming. Well it was. Until you came back."

Vergil shot a sideways glare at Dante. He opened his mouth, but held his tongue for a moment. He stared his younger brother in the eyes...then turned away before replying, "I see...I...apologize...for that."

Dante's eyes went wide. He shook his head in disbelief.

Then a smug smile came over his face.

He put a hand over his ear and leaned closer to Vergil, "What was that, big brother Verg? I don't think I heard you correctly? Did you just say 'I'm sorry for summoning that tower and the tree, messing up the human world for who knows how long?' Is that what you just said?"

Vergil frowned then turned away from his brother. He bit down the urge to smack Dante with the Yamato and focused on examining their surroundings. He only spoke up after his observations were complete, "Believe what you wish. But I suggest you forget any hypothetical ideas you may have, and instead take a look around us."

"What's that, Vergil?" Dante continued, though he did turn to look in the same direction Vergil was looking, "Are you too embarrassed to admit that your younger brother Dante is right? Well then ju-"

Dante's response died in this throat as he finally got a look at where the rift had dropped them.

When he did, he gave voice to exactly what both he and Vergil were thinking.

"What the hell is this?!"

He opened his arms out to wave at the grim environment they found themselves in. The ground was cracked, dry, and covered in sand. The few bits of vegetation that grew from it were gnarled and black. The trees had no leaves, their top halves had been ripped off, and numerous crows sat upon the intact branches. While the sky above looked normal, they could both see a storm raging in the distance. Alongside a building that was silhouetted against the sky a fair distance away from them.

Dante looked around at their current location. Then he turned towards Vergil. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "This isn't our world, is it?"

"It likely is not," Vergil answered, his focus on the building in the distance.

Dante groaned. He placed a hand behind his head, "Aaahhh, for...great. Looks like the kid's gonna need to hold down the fort for a bit longer. Gonna make another rift for us to jump through?"

Vergil raised the Legendary Sword Yamato up. He hummed, feeding some of his demonic energy into it. An azure glow began to suffuse the blade for a moment. Then he looked up and around at their surroundings.

He hummed again, "Interesting."

"What? Don't tell me you can't do it? Don't tell me you can't 'concentrate' when we're not being chased by a crumbling weed?"

"It is not that," Vergil stated as he turned towards his brother, "This dimension...I feel that it is rather far from our own."

"Huh?" Dante tilted his head in confusion.

Vergil rolled his eyes, dreading explaining this to his brother. He pinched the bridge of his nose before beginning, "This is merely conjecture on my part, but I believe that there are dimensions other than our own. And the Yamato could open up pathways to them...however, even a blade such as this has a limit. That being distance and the amount of differences between the worlds."

He unsheathed his blade and pointed it towards the east as far as he could. Then he did the same with his scabbard, but pointed it towards the west, "If two dimensions are an extreme distance from each other, then the differences between their worlds will be significant and obvious."

He brought his scabbard and blade together, the end of his scabbard meeting the tip of his blade in front of his chest, "And if they are close together, then the differences will be miniscule and subtle."

"Hold up, let me guess," Dante held up a hand, "The world we're in right now is one that's totally different from the one we know?"

"It is very likely."

"Which means that you can't just create a portal, cause the Yamato's power can't reach that far even if you put your all into it?"

"...As loathe as I am to admit it, yes."

"And if you used Sin Devil Trigger to do it, you're just as likely to overshoot us way beyond home and into a completely different world?"

This time Vergil simply nodded.

Dante's hand met his face. He moved it towards his head while sighing, "Great. So, we're stuck here?"

"Not exactly," Vergil sheathed his blade then turned towards the building in the distance, "There is one way...but as of now it is merely a theory. I will need time to research and investigate certain topics before I can give a definitive answer."

"And how long will that take?"

"That depends on whether that building has a library or not. Let us get moving," Vergil started walking towards the silhouette in the distance.

Dante watched his brother walk off. Then he shrugged and started following behind him. He placed his hands behind his head, moving at an even pace with a grin on his face, "Ah well. Guess that means we get to continue this brotherly reunion of ours for a bit longer. Though, it's too bad you won't get to spend some more time with your son, huh?"

Dante tap a fist on Vergil's shoulder. The older Sparda Brother remained silent but his gaze turned towards the sky. It was surprisingly normal with white clouds rolling along through the air. A frown came over his face as he thought about how he left his son behind. He sighed before shaking his head, "That...that is true."

He went silent after that.

Dante was as well.

Then he clapped his hands together, "But, know what you can do?"

Vergil looked at Dante with a raised eyebrow, "What?"

"Tell me how you met his mother."

Vergil smacked Dante across the face with Yamato.

Dante stumbled back a bit but kept a smug grin on his face. He easily caught up to the Vergil, who was starting to fast walk down the path they had chosen.

"Ah, come on, Vergil!" he said while moving from one side of Vergil to the next with is arms out wide, "Gotta give your little brother the dirty details? What kind of woman was it that managed to catch the eye of my ever aloof older brother?"

"As I said, that was a long time ago," Vergil sped up, his grip on the Yamato tightening as he walked faster, "That is all you need to know."

"Like hell it is! I ain't gonna pass up the chance to learn the type of woman that my brother likes?" Dante stated proudly, "Now spill it, what was she like?"

"Be quiet!" Vergil slashed out towards Dante.

Dante ducked under the swing and appeared on Vergil's left, "On a scale of one to ten, how pretty was she?"

Another slash, this one Dante jumped over. He flipped onto Vergil's right and turned around. He pointed twin finger guns at Vergil as he spoke, "Was she the fiery type? The quiet type?"

Another slash.

Dante slid around to Vergil's front, "Was she a brunette? You seem like the type of guy to like brunettes."

Vergil scowled and put his hand on his sheathed sword. He fed demonic energy into the blade, its sheathe sparking with a bright blue as he spoke, "Be silent!"

His strike moved faster than the eye could see. A bubble of distorted space appeared where Dante stood. From within multiple slashes appeared, all moving faster than sound as they made to rip their target apart.

Dante's body glowed red before he "Tricked" out of his brother's Judgment Cut. The attack tore up the ground, creating multiple large slashes in the dirt road. Dante landed with a small hop. He chuckled at his brother, "Ah, come on, Vergil. Can't you tell I'm just having a little fun?"

"Your 'fun' is annoying. And distracting. We have company," Vergil stood up while dusting some dirt off his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. They've been watching us for a while. Figured we'd give them a bit of a show," Dante shrugged before turning around. He brought a hand to his mouth and spoke, "Come on out! If you don't, my brother here's gonna get mad. And then he'll do that to you too."

He jerked a thumb at the lines that had been carved into the ground. A few moments later, a thick mist surrounded the Sparda Brothers. From within it stepped two humanoid figures.

One was a skinny male wearing a dark blue bus driver outfit. The upper part of his face was hidden beneath the lip of his hat. The only visible parts were his glowing yellow eyes. His mouth seemed to be fixed into a permanent smile while a cigar hung smoking between his lips.

The other was a man in a full priest habit. A rosary hung from around his neck, with the rest of his defining features hidden by his outfit. His eyes glowed the same yellow as the first man's, with only his smiling mouth being shown to the world.

The two walked side by side, stopping a few feet away from the Sons of Sparda. Vergil moved up to be side by side with Dante. Both sides stared each other down for a few moments. Dante was the one to break the silence.

He put a foot forward and gave the two stranger's a cocky grin, "Hey there! Don't suppose either of you know where the nearest bus stop is? We're a bit lost and could use some directions."

"Lost you say? That's strange. The barrier should prevent people from getting 'lost' around here," the white robed man said, his voice both old yet mischievous.

"Ah, well that's just the thing. We have a knack for getting into places that we really shouldn't. Ain't that right, Vergil?" Dante glanced at his brother.

Vergil took a step forward, one hand lifting his blade up, "We are not here to play around, demons. If your goal is to take our lives, then reveal yourselves and let us begin."

There was silence between the four for a moment.

Then Dante placed a hand on Vergil's outstretched arm. He pushed it down while shaking his head, "Now, now, big brother. We don't start pointing our weapons at everyone just cause they're demons. If they don't attack us first."

He turned back to the newcomers, ignoring the glare Vergil sent his way, "Forgive my brother. He's a bit trigger happy. Now, about those directions."

The two men looked at each other. The white robed one waved a hand towards the twins, "They know what we are?"

"Indeed. Yet...I can't tell what they are," the bus driver said, pulling his cigar from his mouth. He stared at the brothers and hummed, "They look human. Smell human too. But...there's something else there. Something about them that's different. Different from any Youkai I've seen."

"That's surprising coming from you."

"Well, as old as I am, I haven't seen everything yet."

Both men shared a wistful and knowing chuckle. Then the white robed one stepped forward, "While I am not sure how you know what I am, I can tell that the both of you are powerful. And, believe me, the last thing I wish is for this meeting to come to blows. Thus, I have a suggestion."

He turned and pointed towards the building in the distance, "That is Youkai Academy. A school for Youkai and Monsters to learn how to live in the human world. If you are heading in that direction, then my associate and I can lead you to it. He happens to be the bus driver for the Academy."

"It is a pleasure to meet you both," the bus driver said with a short bow.

Dante stepped away from his brother. He placed a hand on his chin in thought, "Hmm, sounds like a good deal Yellow Eyes. But I need to consult with my brother before making a decision. What do you think, Vergil?"

Vergil frowned at his brother. Then he glanced sidelong at the two strange men. He gripped the Yamato for a moment...then he let it disappear into his own storage.

"Fine," he said, turning to face the two men, "We will accept your offer. However, know that any hint of subterfuge will cost you your lives."

Dante shrugged at the two men, "Best you're gonna get outta him guys. Lead the way!"

Dante pointed towards the Academy. The two men turned and started to walk into the mist. Dante and Vergil made to follow them.

And thus did the Sons of Sparda arrive at Youkai Academy.

And thus would their presence would change this world's fate forevermore.

---

So, due to what others have said, I will fully explain exactly what I meant by the Shipping statement. Neither Dante nor Vergil will be shipped with ANYONE. They will remain single throughout the whole story. Granted, other Characters (Non-Canon/OC/Canon) may gain an interest in them. But it will never be reciprocated, nor will it ever go beyond a crush.

As for Tsukune and his Harem, they will still exist. Tsukune will have his Harem. I'm not changing that. Mainly cause I hate stories where one of the major plot points is ruining/changing canon relationships. Especially with crossover characters that are presented as "better" than the canon one. However, I will not be planning to "push" Tsukune towards a specific girl. None of his Harem are getting any special treatment from me. So, any and all lovey-dovey focused stuff between Tsukune and his Harem will remain mostly the same as canon.

Now the actual relationships between Tsukune and his Harem...that's probably gonna change. Cause Dante and Vergil's presence, while it won't be there all the time, it will certainly effect Tsukune and his Harem. Changing who they are as people. That much I can say for certain.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

"Pretty nice digs here, Gramps," Dante said while putting his feet up on the altar the Headmaster used as a desk. He leaned back in his chair, lifting its front legs off the ground a bit as he did. He looked around at the room they were in, whistling at the extremely bare room, "Cozy. Really gives off the 'Old Demon Pretending To Be Human' vibe."

To his left Vergil sat in his own chair, glaring at Dante's poor posture. He sat with his back straight and the Yamato laid across his lap. He kept the Headmaster in his peripheral vision but did not speak to the man. Only glared at him with his cold, gray eyes.

The Headmaster chuckled, shining eyes focused on Dante. He placed his elbows on the altar and put his hands together, "Well, what can I say? I like to look and play the part. And it helps keep the students on their toes. Mysterious and enigmatic Headmasters are all the rage nowadays."

Dante raised an eyebrow, "That why you got all those seals wrapped around your chest?"

Mikogami's smile faltered for a split second. Anyone else wouldn't have noticed the change. But Dante did, and he smiled at catching the old Demon Lord off guard. He snapped his fingers, "Knew it. Don't worry though. I won't tell a soul that doesn't already know."

"You're...certainly perceptive," Mikogami quickly regained his composure. He turned his attention to Vergil, "Can I assume your brother is aware of my...precautions as well?"

Vergil merely nodded in response.

Dante jerked a thumb in his direction, "Don't mind him. Vergil's got a perpetual stick up his ass when it comes other people. Which means it's down to me to be sociable one."

"I'll have you know I am perfectly capable of interacting with others," was Vergil's indignant response, "I simply don't see a reason to engage in inane pleasantries, and prefer only speaking of the primary subject at hand."

"And that's how you got the Kid's mom in bed then? Walked on up to her and skipped to the 'primary subject'," Dante made air quotes with his hands. Vergil's response was to take a swipe at Dante with his sheathed sword. Dante kicked off the altar and let his chair lean back until it was almost touching the floor, which let the Yamato soar harmlessly over his head. He used his leverage to push himself back to a sitting position, acting as if his brother trying to hit him was a regular occurrence.

Mikogami stared at the twins, surprised at their seeming readiness to hurt each other. Then he started to chuckle, "Hmm, you two are more energetic than your seeming age would suggest."

"Just cause you're pushing fifty doesn't mean you can't still enjoy your life. Though we have to thank our old man for the reason we still look good," Dante rubbed at his chin, rustling the stubble on his face.

"Oh," Mikogami became genuinely curious at the mention of the boys' father. He leaned forward in his chair, "Would either you mind me asking who your father was then?"

"The Legendary Dark Knight Sparda," Vergil answered immediately. He watched Mikogami's expression with a critical eye, waiting to see the Demon's reaction.

Mikogami tilted his head to the right, "Am I supposed to know who that is?"

The Sons of Sparda groaned at the same time.

"Welp, looks like you were right, Vergil," Dante nodded his head with a sad grin on his face.

"I anticipated as much. This is simply confirmation," Vergil shook his head, eyes narrowing as his mind began to race, "I will need to adjust my original plans then."

"Excuse me," Mikogami raised a hand, "but it is rather rude to have your own conversation while speaking to someone else. Who is this Sparda, exactly?"

Dante raised a finger, taking his feet off the altar. He put them on the floor while leaning forward until his arm was on the altar, "Before that, how about we get some of our own questions answered, Gramps? Communication is a two way street and all that."

Mikogami hummed in thought before nodding, "I suppose. But might I ask one thing that has been bothering me since we met? How did you two get here? As I said before, there is a Barrier around the Academy that stops regular humans from getting in without an invitation. I can tell you two aren't exactly 'normal humans'. But if you had used any of the tunnels to the rest of the Yokai World, I would've been the first to know."

Dante and Vergil shared a look. The younger Sparda waved a hand at the Headmaster, "Ball's in your court, Verg. This stuff is more your department."

Vergil narrowed his eyes. He looked the Headmaster up and down, frown deepening as he observed the old Yokai. Then he spoke, "I will tell you...on one condition."

"That might depend on the condition itself," Mikogami replied.

"Does this Academy of yours have a library?"

"Indeed it does."

"How extensive?"

"The one open to students has everything they could need to pass their classes, as well as learn about the human world and how it works."

"And is there one not open to students?"

Mikogami's smile seemed to widen, "Of course. My own personal collection."

"Then my condition is as such; Allow me full access to both what is open to students and your collection for my own usage. Only then will I tell you how we managed to arrive here."

Mikogami blinked twice. He kept staring at Vergil, expecting the man to say he was joking.

Vergil did no such thing.

He turned back to Dante, "You were correct. His conversation skills do need work."

"Have to deal with that everyday," Dante chuckled while waving a hand at Vergil, "Though he has mellowed a bit. Usually, he'd tell you to give him what he wants or die. This time it's just 'Give me what I want or else I won't tell you what you want to know.'"

Dante tried his best to imitate Vergil's expression. Mikogami had to admit it was a very good imitation. Though he mainly chalked that up to fact that the two were brothers. He leaned back in his own chair, humming in thought. Then he looked towards Vergil, "I believe I can arrange to give you what you wish for, Vergil Sparda. But I request we save that until the end of our conversation. In return, the two of you may ask me as much as you'd like. What do you say?"

Vergil huffed but nodded, "Fine. I will hold you to that, Demon."

Dante jerked his thumb at Vergil, "What my brother said. So, to start with, you keep saying that this Yokai place is separated from the human world. How separated we talking here?"

"There is a tunnel that will take any who ride the Bus Driver's bus to the human world whenever they wish," Mikogami explained.

"So we can just hop on Smokey's whip and we'd be able to get to the human world? Sweet," Dante nodded with a cocky grin.

"What human nation is this Academy of yours closest too?" Vergil asked, though he believed he already had the answer.

"The island nation of Japan."

Vergil hummed, "I anticipated as much."

"Oh?"

"Yokai is an eastern term for all manner of supernatural creatures. They use it for monsters, demons, etc. etc. In addition, based on its silhouette, your Academy is based on Japanese High Schools."

Dante whistled at his brother, "Look at you, Verg. Being all cultured. When did you find the time to learn all that, huh?"

"Unlike you, I was not content to simply remain in one place, Dante. I traveled the world and focused on learning more about the culture my weapon is based on," Vergil straightened his posture while placing both hands on Yamato's scabbard.

Dante's eyes widened. He pointed at Vergil's face, "Hey, hey, hey! Is that...is that a smug grin? Is my oh so serious, big brother Verg actually feeling smug?!"

Vergil turned away from Dante, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You totally are!" Dante voice held more elation than annoyance, "The Kid really did beat some actual emotions into you!"

Mikogami began to laugh. It was a heartfelt and wistful one as he beheld the two. He was suddenly reminded of when he was younger. When he and two dear friends went off to face a powerful adversary. Those were the days.

"Well," his voice shook the twins from their spat, "any other questions from the two of you?"

Dante moved his outstretched hand to his chin, "Hmm...can't really think of any. Outside of some that you've already answered by letting us in here."

"The only question I have is whether you will fulfill my condition," Vergil stated.

"Then we have come to the all important part of our conversation; What happens now?" Mikogami placed his hands together as he observed the brothers. He smiled as he spoke, "After speaking with the two of you, I can tell you are at least not threats to this Academy. Thus, should you wish to leave, I will not stop you. Merely say the word and I can have Nurai drop you off in the human world. Free of charge."

"Rather generous of you, Gramps. And while I can say I'm a pretty nice dude, mind me asking what makes you think we're both stand up people?" Dante pointed at himself then Vergil.

"Truthfully? You even bothered coming to this meeting. While I don't know exactly who or what you are, I remember seeing that little display from when we first met. The one that left those large sword slashes in the ground," Mikogami's voice shifted to a serious tone, "Anyone who can do that is without a doubt powerful. Yet, rather than come here and begin making demands of me, you bothered to entertain my request for a meeting, Even going so far as to answer most of my questions while expecting little in return."

"Rather naive of you," Vergil said bluntly.

Mikogami shook his head, "Perhaps. But I like to think I'm a good judge of character. And you have done little to make me think otherwise so far."

Dante hummed, "Guessing you're gonna offer us something other than sending us to the human world then? Considering you didn't just tell us to pack our stuff and go kick rocks."

Mikogami nodded, "Indeed. If what you and your brother have said is any indication, you both have some experience with living alongside humans. You also look and smell similar to humans. Truth be told, I would've mistaken you for humans if Nurai had not told me you weren't precisely that."

He leaned forward with his still pressed together, "Taking into consideration the dangerous nature of our job, we could always use more staff to help us teach and handle the students. Thus, I offer you both this: You join our staff and become apart of Yokai Academy. In return, you will receive a fair wage and full benefits. Including full access to the Student Library and books from my own personal collection. You will also be able to go to and from the human world at your leisure."

He held both his hands out to Dante and Vergil, "So? What do you think?"

Dante narrowed his eyes. He began considering the idea.

On the one hand, everything Gramps had said pretty much confirmed they weren't in their world anymore. Add to that the fact that the guy is a demon and doesn't know who his dear old man is, and he doubted that The Devil May Cry Service even existed here. Meaning he'd need to find a new job to make sure he wasn't out on the streets. While he may (according to Nero) look like a "dirty hobo dad" he certainly didn't want to live like one. And here this guy was willing to give him a Full Time Job just for watching over some teenagers.

On the other, he had just gotten done with that whole Redgrave business and getting his brother back. The last thing on his mind was watching over a bunch of hormonal high school kids. And that was without getting into the fact that they were all monsters. The things he was an expert at killing. Would probably lead to a lot of awkward water cooler conversations if anybody ever found that out.

He looked over at his brother who's face had returned to its normal state of indifference. He opened his mouth, preparing to ask Vergil what he thought.

"I request the position of Patron Librarian."

His words died on his lips.

Dante's mouth hung open as he stared at his brother in awe. Seeing his brother's astonishment (and taking no small amount of pleasure from it), Vergil raised an eyebrow, "Is there a problem, brother?"

"Uh...I guess not," Dante scratched the back of his neck, "Just didn't see you as the teaching type, Verg."

"There is much you do not know about me. And much I do not know about you. Hopefully, we can rectify that. Now, will you accept the demon's deal?"

Dante turned back to Mikogami. The demon had the same smile on his face. Dante pursed his lips, making a show of rolling the proposal around in his head. Then he stared the Headmaster straight in the eyes, "Do you have pizza or Strawberry Sundays here? If not, can I order as much as I want if I say yes?"

"...I will see what I can do."

Dante snapped his fingers, "Good enough! You got yourself a deal, Gramps! Where do I sign?"

Mikogami clapped, "Give me a moment. I will go get the paperwork."

He stood up from his seat and walked out the room. When the door behind him closed, Dante got up from his seat. He started walking around the room, nonchalantly looking for any sign of listening devices of mundane or magical nature. When he found none he turned to Vergil, "So, why'd you say yes? No offense, but the last few times you interacted with a teenager was your son. The first time you ripped his arm off, and the second time he beat your ass."

Vergil huffed, turning in his seat to look at Dante, "The knowledge I require will not be found in the human world. Such techniques and power will only be found within the tomes of supernatural creatures. Only through their arts will I be able to find a way to return us to our world. This is the easiest way to go about it without shedding unnecessary amounts of blood."

"Unnecessary amounts of blood?" Dante smiled at his brother, "You really have changed."

Vergil turned away from Dante, "Believe what you will. I am simply trying an...alternative method for now. If it proves fruitless, I will not hesitate to take what I need by force."

"Ah. Then I guess I should help to ensure you find what you need. Wouldn't do to have another brotherly spat while we're supposed to be protecting teens now would it?"

"No, I suppose not."

Both brother's nodded to each other.

Dante walked back to his seat and sat down. He placed his hands behind his head and yawned, "Huuuuh. Wonder what job I'll get? Hope it's something easy. Like Janitor or something. Anything that makes it so I don't have to spend too much time around the students."

"You could become my Assistant Librarian," Vergil offered.

"Hard pass. I ain't gonna be stuck in no dusty old Library getting bored all day long."

Vergil scoffed, "Your lack of enthusiasm for the literary arts is one of the main reasons your skills degraded during our first bout."

Dante waved his brother off, "Whatever you say, guy who kept a poetry book from when we were kids in his pocket for decades."

Before the two could continue their bickering, Mikogami returned to the room. In his hands were two bundles of blank papers and pens. He walked back to the altar and placed them both in front of the Sparda brothers. Dante picked his pen up and sped through the documents, while Vergil carefully read each and every piece of paper.

"And there we are," Dante said as he signed off on the paper. He grinned as he looked back at the employment forms, "All filled out. Dante is officially a....Teacher's Assistant!?"

The very next moment, Mikogami took the documents from Dante's hand. The younger Sparda was paralyzed, face ashen as he realized what he just signed off on.

This time, Vergil didn't bother hiding the smug grin on his face.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Shizuka Nekonome was sitting at her teacher's desk in her first year class room. She was leaning back in her seat, a piece of raw fish she had gotten from the human world in her mouth. People who didn't know the Nekomusume would believe that she had no care in the world. That she was simply waiting for the first year students to come in and start their journey through high school.

Anyone who knew her, however, could tell that she was extremely nervous.

"Nyaa~," she whined over her early morning meal. Usually, she wouldn't be eating such a delicacy this early in the day. But she needed some way to calm her nerves after what the Headmaster told her today. And it was sitting right there in her lunchbox!

Her ears, the same blonde color as her hair, drooped as she swallowed a piece of her meal down. When she had arrived at Yokai Academy, she thought it would be a simple year. She'd come in, say high to the shining faces of her new first years, and get started on teaching them about the wonders of the human world. Instead, she was called to the Headmaster's Office the moment she arrived. There he told her that there was a new Patron Librarian, and that she had a new Teaching Assistant effective today, and that she would be in charge of showing them the ropes!

Not that she minded doing that.

But why did he have to drop it on her right when the school year started? If she was going to have an Assistant, then wouldn't it have been better to tell her before the students showed up? So she could give them a tour of the Academy and help ease them into things?

She shook her head while putting the half-eaten fish back in her lunch box. She wanted to keep at least some of it for later. Her tail hung low behind her, the white tip almost touching the floor below. Her eyes remained closed yet she could still see the empty seats in front of her. Seats that would soon be full of young Yokai all waiting to experience the best years of their lives. Students that she would be able to guide towards a brighter future...alongside a total stranger that she hadn't even met yet.

Uncertainty began to enter her mind. It wasn't that she doubted the Headmaster's decision. She had been here at long as Nurai, so she trusted Mikogami to know what he was doing. But there was always the small chance that he had made a mistake. What if they turned out to be a bad influence on the students? What if they was actually a delinquent who would extort the students while she wasn't looking? What if they were older than her and-

Shizuka shook her head, lightly slapping her cheeks to get her thoughts in order. No! No! Bad Shizuka! Don't think that way about your new Assistant. You need to be confident and ready to show them the ropes. Just like any good senpai! In fact, she shouldn't be sitting around waiting for them. They're probably wandering around the school in a total daze with no idea where to go! She should be finding them and giving them a warm welcome to Yokai Academy!

"Right!" she stood up from her chair, pumping her fists as a determined glint entered her eyes. She walked over to the door, back straight and tail flailing behind her. She placed a hand on the handle and said out loud, "Don't worry, my new Assistant! Your reliable senpai is on the wa-Nyaa!~"

Shizuka ran into something the moment she tried to walk out the door. She wasn't sure what it was, but it felt as solid as a brick wall! She stumbled back, tripping over her own feet as she went. A frightened "Eeek!" left her mouth as she started falling backwards...only to be saved by a hand on her back.

"Woah there, Kitty Cat," the man Shizuka had run into said with a smile, "What's the rush? I'm right here. Bright and early for our important lesson."

Shizuka was speechless as she stared up at the man's face. He was clearly older than her, but he wore his age well. He had a "Cool Older Uncle" look that the few wrinkles on his face enhanced. He was clean shaven, with only a hint of stubble on his chin. His silver hair fell around his face in an uncontrolled mess, but that only seemed to make him look cooler. A red coat over a black shirt with matching pants seemed to flutter in an invisible breeze. His teeth were pearl white with no a speck of yellow on them, and his breath smelled minty fresh.

He looked down at her with sharp gray eyes.

When she met his gaze she felt her cheeks heat up.

Then she started to flail around in a panic, "Waah! Waah! Uh, um, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to...I-I-I mean I was looking for....I-I-I mean...uh."

She covered her face in embarrassment, ears flicking back and forth atop her head. The man simply chuckled and helped her get to her feet. He patted her on the head, easy considering he was a head taller than her. Then he shrugged, "Don't sweat it. Can't exactly blame ya for not expecting me. From what Gramps told me, you ain't exactly had a Teacher's Assistant before."

"Teacher's Assi...oh yes!" Shizuka started to rush passed the man, "I need to find my new Assistant before class starts! I need to make sure they meet the students!"

The man held out a hand, stopping her in her tracks. She looked up at him in confusion, but he merely smiled, "No need to do that, Kitty Cat. You're looking your new Assistant dead in the eye."

"Wh-Wh-What?"

The man's grin widened. Then he spun around on the spot, seeming to pull a rose in full bloom from thin air. He bowed while holding it out to Shizuka, "Hello there, Ms. Nekonome. The name's Dante. I'll be your Assistant from this day forth. For you."

Shizuka took the rose in a daze. Without a word she brought it to her nose and took a sniff. Her eyes widened at the very real scent that hit her nose. She looked at Dante, expression one of shock, surprise, and curiosity.

This man was her new Assistant?

...Well...he certainly would influence the students.

But she didn't think that would be a bad thing.

---

As you can tell, this isn't the full Chapter. It's just a Sub-Chapter that I wanted to add before going to bed. Hope you all enjoy it. When the full Chapter is ready, I'll post it as a Threadmark and add a Title.

Also, no, no shipping here.

Dante is just that good.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Shizuka Nekonome was sitting at her teacher's desk in her first year class room. She was leaning back in her seat, a piece of raw fish she had gotten from the human world in her mouth. People who didn't know the Nekomusume would believe that she had no care in the world. That she was simply waiting for the first year students to come in and start their journey through high school.

Anyone who knew her, however, could tell that she was extremely nervous.

"Nyaa~," she whined over her early morning meal. Usually, she wouldn't be eating such a delicacy this early in the day. But she needed some way to calm her nerves after what the Headmaster told her today. And it was sitting right there in her lunchbox!

Her ears, the same blonde color as her hair, drooped as she swallowed a piece of her meal down. When she had arrived at Yokai Academy, she thought it would be a simple year. She'd come in, say high to the shining faces of her new first years, and get started on teaching them about the wonders of the human world. Instead, she was called to the Headmaster's Office the moment she arrived. There he told her that there was a new Patron Librarian, and that she had a new Teaching Assistant effective today, and that she would be in charge of showing them the ropes!

Not that she minded doing that.

But why did he have to drop it on her right when the school year started? If she was going to have an Assistant, then wouldn't it have been better to tell her before the students showed up? So she could give them a tour of the Academy and help ease them into things?

She shook her head while putting the half-eaten fish back in her lunch box. She wanted to keep at least some of it for later. Her tail hung low behind her, the white tip almost touching the floor below. Her eyes remained closed yet she could still see the empty seats in front of her. Seats that would soon be full of young Yokai all waiting to experience the best years of their lives. Students that she would be able to guide towards a brighter future...alongside a total stranger that she hadn't even met yet.

Uncertainty began to enter her mind. It wasn't that she doubted the Headmaster's decision. She had been here at long as Nurai, so she trusted Mikogami to know what he was doing. But there was always the small chance that he had made a mistake. What if they turned out to be a bad influence on the students? What if they was actually a delinquent who would extort the students while she wasn't looking? What if they were older than her and-

Shizuka shook her head, lightly slapping her cheeks to get her thoughts in order. No! No! Bad Shizuka! Don't think that way about your new Assistant. You need to be confident and ready to show them the ropes. Just like any good senpai! In fact, she shouldn't be sitting around waiting for them. They're probably wandering around the school in a total daze with no idea where to go! She should be finding them and giving them a warm welcome to Yokai Academy!

"Right!" she stood up from her chair, pumping her fists as a determined glint entered her eyes. She walked over to the door, back straight and tail flailing behind her. She placed a hand on the handle and said out loud, "Don't worry, my new Assistant! Your reliable senpai is on the wa-Nyaa!~"

Shizuka ran into something the moment she tried to walk out the door. She wasn't sure what it was, but it felt as solid as a brick wall! She stumbled back, tripping over her own feet as she went. A frightened "Eeek!" left her mouth as she started falling backwards...only to be saved by a hand on her back.

"Woah there, Kitty Cat," the man Shizuka had run into said with a smile, "What's the rush? I'm right here. Bright and early for our important lesson."

Shizuka was speechless as she stared up at the man's face. He was clearly older than her, but he wore his age well. He had a "Cool Older Uncle" look that the few wrinkles on his face enhanced. He was clean shaven, with only a hint of stubble on his chin. His silver hair fell around his face in an uncontrolled mess, but that only seemed to make him look cooler. A red coat over a black shirt with matching pants seemed to flutter in an invisible breeze. His teeth were pearl white with no a speck of yellow on them, and his breath smelled minty fresh.

He looked down at her with sharp gray eyes.

When she met his gaze she felt her cheeks heat up.

Then she started to flail around in a panic, "Waah! Waah! Uh, um, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to...I-I-I mean I was looking for....I-I-I mean...uh."

She covered her face in embarrassment, ears flicking back and forth atop her head. The man simply chuckled and helped her get to her feet. He patted her on the head, easy considering he was a head taller than her. Then he shrugged, "Don't sweat it. Can't exactly blame ya for not expecting me. From what Gramps told me, you ain't exactly had a Teacher's Assistant before."

"Teacher's Assi...oh yes!" Shizuka started to rush passed the man, "I need to find my new Assistant before class starts! I need to make sure they meet the students!"

The man held out a hand, stopping her in her tracks. She looked up at him in confusion, but he merely smiled, "No need to do that, Kitty Cat. You're looking your new Assistant dead in the eye."

"Wh-Wh-What?"

The man's grin widened. Then her spun around on the stop, seeming to pull a rose in full bloom from thin air. He bowed while holding it out to Shizuka, "Hello there, Ms. Nekonome. The name's Dante. I'll be your Assistant from this day forth. For you."

Shizuka took the rose in a daze. Without a word she brought it to her nose and took a sniff. Her eyes widened at the very real scent that hit her nose. She looked at Dante, expression one of shock, surprise, and curiosity.

This man was her new Assistant?

...Well...he certainly would influence the students.

But she didn't think that would be a bad thing.

---

Ririko Kagome walked down the hallway with a smile on her face. All around her, the new first years were moving through the halls. Their faces were covered in bright smiles, their heads were held high, and they all were looking forward to their new year at Yokai Academy. She could feel a mixture of feelings welling up within her heart as she beheld the coming student body.

The first was pride at seeing so many new faces, all willing and able to learn from their teachers this year.

The second was anticipation.

Which only grew whenever she felt the eyes of the first year boys on her body. She could already tell she'd be having no shortage of students to tutor this year. So many young minds to give knowledge to. She was certain that she would be getting many offers to come to her private lessons this year. After all, the students' education came before everything else.

And she was certain they would agree with her after a few sessions.

She smiled, pushing her dark auburn hair out with one hand and sending quite a few boys swooning over the motion. Her dark pencil thin skirt complimented the white v-neck shirt she wore. She adjusted her circular glasses, eyes locking onto her destination for the day: The Library.

She still had sometime before her own classes began. And she would use that time to look into something that had piqued her interest. The Headmaster had been telling the teachers that two new monsters had joined their team. Two new Staff Members? Just when the new year was about to start? They must've had impressive credentials to be able to pull that off. She had hoped to speak to at least one of them to confirm that fact for herself.

One was a Teacher's Assistant who would be with Shizuka's class right now She didn't wish to interrupt the Nekomusume's lessons and stop the students from learning. That would go against her purpose as a teacher. She would just wait until the Assistant was assigned to her class for the day.

So, that left her with the other one. The one assigned to be the Patron Librarian in the Student Library. She would be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to this a little bit. The air of mystery surrounding the two strangers had managed to piqued her curiosity. And the perfect way to satisfy it was getting closer to her.

She opened the door to the library, letting a first year boy who was leaving pass her by. His eyes remained on her for a few moments before he left with blood leaking from his nose. She grinned after him, committing his face to memory for later. Then she stepped into the library.

The first thing she noticed was how quiet it was. She was in a library, yes, but it was a library filled with high schoolers. First year high schoolers who are likely just turning sixteen. They're some of the most hormonal and rambunctious people in both the human and Yokai worlds. Even if a library is supposed to be quiet, it always had a little bit of noise going on in the background. Either because students naturally wanted to socialize, or troublemakers were getting to know other troublemakers for delinquency reasons.

But this library?

It was completely silent.

She swore she could hear a mouse squeak with how quiet it was. Slight surprise came over her face as she walked into the room. She saw a few first years sitting at desk and reading through books of all kinds. Boys and girls alike had their heads down with their mouths firmly shut. Any other time, she would be feeling ecstatic at seeing so many children choosing to get a head start on their learning.

But this...felt strange. Something about the atmosphere in the room was wrong. This didn't feel like students trying to get a head start on their education. It felt more like...fear. And when she thought of it like that, she started to notice more signs to prove that hypothesis.

Sweat dripping down one young man's brow as he read through a math book.

A girl walking as slowly and silently as possible, her eyes focused straight ahead with a small blush on her face.

Even a young man who hardly fit into the chair he was sitting in, was diligently reading through a Novel without making any noise.

What was going on here? Why were-

"Can I assist you?"

Ririko nearly jumped at the unfamiliar voice. She had been so caught up in her musings, that she hadn't noticed where her steps were taking her. She ended up walking all the way to the Patron Librarian's desk where a-

She suddenly found herself at a loss for words.

The man sitting behind the desk was clearly an older gentleman. In his early fifties at least from what she could see. His silver hair was slicked back in a style that drew the eye to his face. Chiseled, clean shaven features surrounded sharp gray eyes that were focused on a slender book held in one hand. His dark blue coat had white tassels on each sleeve, and covered up a type of shirt she hadn't seen before. It was made of multiple light blue sections that seemed to clip together. Below that were black pants and suede shoes that completed the man's elegant look.

Ririko felt her cheeks heat up and heart start beating faster. She suddenly was more conscious of what she was wearing and how she looked. Had she remembered to put her perfume on this morning? She was wearing the right clothes, right? Was it always this hot in the-

"If you do not require assistance," his chilling, stoic tone brought her out of her musings. He spoke without taking his eyes off the book, "then either leave the Library, or find a book to read. This is no place for loitering."

Ririko blinked once. Then she frowned at the stranger. She crossed her arms under her chest as she spoke, "I could understand taking that tone with a student, sir. But I am Ririko Kagome. I teach the first years' mathematics classes."

"Ah, you are one of my colleagues then? Well met. I am Vergil, the Patron Librarian," the man tilted his head towards Ririko. His eyes were still on his book as the spoke, "And I will have you know that my rules apply to both students and teachers. If you are not in the library for an explicit reason, then I bid you to leave."

Ririko's frown remained. She leaned forward, very much aware of how the man could look down her shirt if he wanted. A false smile was followed by a flirty tone as she spoke, "And you're certain you can't make an exception for me?"

Vergil didn't even glance at her. He remained completely silent, the only sound being him turning a page in his book.

Ririko's frown returned as she stood up straight. She huffed before turning on her heel, "Well, fine then. Good day, Vergil."

She shook her head while skulking away from the man's desk. The nerve! While he may be good looking, that didn't give him any reason to be rude. All she wanted was to say hello to him. And he couldn't even muster the effort to give her the time of day! If this was how she was with her, then who knows how he would treat the students? She needed to find some time to speak to Mikogami. She had to let him know about-

The sound of someone groaning with effort interrupted her train of thought. She looked to her left and saw an interesting sight. A girl who she recognized as the first year, the witch Yukari Sendo, was standing on top of a step ladder. She was trying to reach a book on the topmost shelf of an aisle. She one of her tiny hands kept trying to tap away at the book's spine, while the other was keeping her hat on her head. Her face was twisted in concentration, tongue touching her upper lip as she got to her tip-toes...which was right when her weight made the step ladder start wobbling.

Yukari began to panic which only made the situation worse. Seeing she was going to fall, Ririko made to save the girl.

Then something...strange happened.

One moment, Ririko was heading towards the falling girl, Yukari moving in slow motion as the teacher ran towards her.

Then there was a flash of blue and the sound of air being cut.

And the next thing Ririko knew, Vergil had grabbed the girl under her arms and placed her on the floor.

"You must be more careful," he stated, voice much softer than when he spoke to Ririko. Yukari looked up at him, eyes wide with as much confusion as Ririko had. She hadn't even seen him move from his desk! How did he get there without her seeing him?

Vergil didn't seem to notice the girl's distress. Instead, he reached up and grabbed the book she was looking for. Then he handed it to her, "Are you planning to check this out?"

"Y-Y-Yes," Yukari answered, still not sure what had happened.

"Then come along. I will put you into the system. Be sure to return the book before two weeks have elasped," he said while walking back to his desk.

"I-I-I know!" Yukari started pouting while following after the Patron Librarian.

Ririko's mouth hung open. Even as she left the library, she couldn't help but feel like she gained more questions than answers from that.

However, she did learn a few things from that experience.

Vergil was a handsome man.

He was also a rather rude man.

But he seemed to actually cared for the students.

And, for now, that last point would have to do.

---

Alright. Might want to get ready. Canon's gonna get started next Chapter. And Dante and Vergil are gonna fuck with it.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

The first class of this new year had barely begun, and Dante could already tell that something was up with this whole situation.

His first clue was when Gramps gave him the Teacher's Assistant position without even a how do you do. He didn't make a fuss about it. Tantrums had been something he left behind way back when he still in diapers. But he did start grilling the guy about why he gave him the position. If there was one thing he knew, it was himself. And one of the major things he knew about himself was that he had no experience with kids. Especially hormonal teenagers, that happen to be monsters of various types that he's killed before.

Gramps' response?

"It would be a good experience for him."

In Dante's experience, the only people who say that are those who have some kind of hidden agenda. And it just so happened that he and Vergil were apart of it. Made him glad that his older brother hadn't told Gramps the whole story behind how they got here. He just said that he used his sword to open that portal. If Gramps ain't gonna tell them everything, that they ain't gonna tell him everything.

But whatever. It's not that big a deal. He just had to hang out in a couple of classes, help the kids with some math or something, then it's off to get pizza and sundaes while Vergil figures out a way home. He would help his older brother out every now and then, obviously. While he wasn't as well versed in the whole "Dimensional Travel" stuff, he did know a thing or two about arriving in other worlds. Well...one other world. He's still wondering how that Fiend kid is doing now. Killing the God of your world isn't something you can just walk away from without some consequence biting ya in the ass.

Either way, everything he'd seen of the place so far hadn't rung any alarm bells. Other than the fact that he could smell monsters of all types all over the place. And when he said "all types" he meant it. Mermaids, cyclops, tanuki's, some of those weird umbrella monster things. He never really expanded the Devil May Cry outside of the Western Hemisphere, so a lot of the names of the monsters that exist here escaped him. He'd have to ask Vergil to give him a better run down when they got a moment.

Upside was they all seemed to be following one of the major rules of the place: Don't drop your human disguise. Wouldn't really be learning how to blend in with humans if you couldn't look the part. Though he did see a few kids that needed to be reminded of that rule. Which he took the liberty to do. It was his duty as one of the Faculty.

Though, that brought him to the second clue that leads him to believe Gramps has something cooking in the background. He remembers how the old Demon mentioned that no human could through that barrier without an invitation. And if his own experience didn't fail him, he would bet money that the only people who would have access to those things would be him and the Bus Driver.

So, he had a hunch that the two of them were responsible for the human currently pissing his pants in this classroom filled with monsters.

And if his hunch was right, then he was gonna have some words with the two of them later.

But right now, he had to make sure that the kid didn't get into too much trouble. Cause from where he was sitting? The boy wasn't supposed to be here in every sense of the word. Dante was sitting next to Kitty Cat's desk, leaning back in a fold out chair with the Faust Hat on his head. He had it deactivated with the tip tilted down to cover his eyes. He pretended to be asleep when in reality he had scoped out the entire classroom the moment it had started. Which was how he was able to see the black haired human kid pissing his pants right now. He wasn't even being subtle about it. His mouth was wide open while his eyes had turned to white dots. Dante was surprised that none of the other students seemed to notice his panicking. If they had, they'd probably have jumped the kid by now.

It only got worse as Nekonome reiterated the fact that this school was exclusively for monsters. How humans had taken over the planet and how the monsters had to learn how to live with humans to avoid conflict. She hadn't introduced Dante yet, at his request, of course. If this was gonna be his job for the foreseeable future, then he needed to be sure he made a good impression on the students. The best way to do that was to make his own entrance. He originally planned to do it after Kitty Cat made the typical spiel all first years high schoolers got. But, now that he knew that one of the students was just some schmuck who got caught up in the machination of a Demon Lord, he was inclined to move the time up just a little bit. He was at least willing to let Kitty Cat finish her introduction.

"Do you understand?" the cat girl in question said to the gathered students, "It's a matter of being able to disguise yourself well as a human! This is the foundation of coexistence. You are never to allow any of your fellow students know your 'true form'. Understand!?"

Dante smirked. Pretty simple rules. But if his earlier analysis of the students told him anything, it's that there were more than a few bad apples in this bunch. And one of them was about to say something in three...two...one...

"Hey, teacher," came an arrogant, gruff voice that carried a hint of growl in it, "Wouldn't it be better for us to eat up those puny humans? And in the case of beautiful girls, better to molest them?"

Right on cue. Dante had to choke back the urge to scoff. This kid wasn't even trying to be subtle about it was he? He'd have to get the kid's name from the roster. Keep an eye on him. Like a responsible Teacher's Assistant.

"Oh! Incidentally, here at Youkai Academy, the teachers and students are alll monsters. There are no genuine humans here!" Nekonome said, seemingly ignoring what the kid actually said. She raised the pointer stick in her hand up as she continued, "Since this Academy is within a secret sacred world! To those humans who come to know of our existence, we will bring them death or something."

Aaaaannnnndddd the human kid was panicking.

Alright. 'Bout time he got in on this.

"Woah, woah, there Kitty Cat. I think that's a bit much don't you?"

All eyes in the room immediately turned to Dante. Some of the students looked like they had only just noticed him. Including the single human kid. In fact, Dante could spot a hopeful glint enter his eyes. Hiding a grin beneath his hat, Dante leaned forward in his chair. The Faust Hat still kept his features hidden as he spoke, "If the students here are supposed to learn how to live with humans, then telling them to kill one just cause they happened to take a wrong turn isn't the way to do it."

"Uh," Nekonome looked at Dante nervously. Her eyes flicked between him and the students who were watching the two of them with confusion written on their features. Her ears drooping a bit, she replied, "Then what would you supposed we do, my Teaching Assistant?"

Dante's grin grew wider. He placed a hand on the brim of his hat, "Well, if you were to ask me? We should..."

He threw his hat into the air. At the same time he jumped from his seat, sending the chair skidding backwards. It hit the wall and, somehow, neatly folded itself back into its original form. He landed right in front of Nekonome, the cat woman letting out a loud, "Nya!~" as he hit the floor. The students closest to the front leaned back in their chairs in surprise. Dante stood up as his had fell onto his head and activated. A long, golden scarf materialized around him in a flash of crimson. All the students gasped at the display as their eyes focused entirely on Dante.

"...give them a winning smile," Dante flashed a grin that sparkled in the morning sun. The girls in the room suddenly swooned as he twirled in place. He stopped, holding his hand out to the door as another student walked in. This one was a girl with pink hair and flowed down to her thighs. The entire room seem to take notice of her, with that one human kid taking particular interest.

The new girl stumbled upon seeing Dante, but the Son of Sparda acted first. He stepped forward and took one of her flailing hands in his, pulling her towards him until she stood next to him.

"Offer them a friendly handshake and pat on the back," he proceeded to do exactly that to the pink haired girl. She coughed a bit as his hand hit her back, the cross hanging from her neck jingling as her body shook. He kept his grin on as he started walking her to the only empty seat in the room...which happened to be right in front of the human kid.

"Then, we lead them over to where they're supposed to be. In the case of a human, right out the door they came in from. But in the case of this lovely little lady," he gently placed her down in her seat, "we take her to the best seat in the house."

He made an exaggerated bow, then back flipped back to the front of the classroom.

"Hey there Little Chickens!" Dante pointed twin finger guns at the class, "Name's Dante! Party animal and a professional when it comes to all things related to humans. I'll be your Teacher's Assistant for the foreseeable future. If you need anything, don't be afraid to stop on by."

He kept his gaze on the entire class, who seemed to be in various stats of infatuation. The girls were all blushing, the guys were clapping, and even Nekonome had dropped her pointer in astonishment. The only ones that weren't enamored at his performance were the exact people he expected.

The pink haired chick. She was too busy hugging the human kid.

The asshole who had suggested molesting girls. He was alternating between staring at the pink haired girl, and glaring daggers at Dante.

And then there was the human kid.

Who was staring at Dante with his mouth open. But, though astonishment was in his eyes, it was drowned out by another emotion.

Hope.

---

"Uh, M-M-M-Mr. Dante?"

Dante grinned as he sat up in his seat. He tilted the brim of his hat up to see the human boy standing in front of him.

"I-I-I-I c-c-could use your a-a-advice," he was shaking like a leaf and had his hands clasped in front of him. Sweat dripped from the top of his head, getting into his brown eyes and making him blink them reflexively.

Dante nodded, "Sure thing...Aono, right?"

 

[LinkOnScepter]

The first class of this new year had barely begun, and Dante could already tell that something was up with this whole situation.

His first clue was when Gramps gave him the Teacher's Assistant position without even a how do you do. He didn't make a fuss about it. Tantrums had been something he left behind way back when he still in diapers. But he did start grilling the guy about why he gave him the position. If there was one thing he knew, it was himself. And one of the major things he knew about himself was that he had no experience with kids. Especially hormonal teenagers, that happen to be monsters of various types that he's killed before.

Gramps' response?

"It would be a good experience for him."

In Dante's experience, the only people who say that are those who have some kind of hidden agenda. And it just so happened that he and Vergil were apart of it. Made him glad that his older brother hadn't told Gramps the whole story behind how they got here. He just said that he used his sword to open that portal. If Gramps ain't gonna tell them everything, that they ain't gonna tell him everything.

But whatever. It's not that big a deal. He just had to hang out in a couple of classes, help the kids with some math or something, then it's off to get pizza and sundaes while Vergil figures out a way home. He would help his older brother out every now and then, obviously. While he wasn't as well versed in the whole "Dimensional Travel" stuff, he did know a thing or two about arriving in other worlds. Well...one other world. He's still wondering how that Fiend kid is doing now. Killing the God of your world isn't something you can just walk away from without some consequence biting ya in the ass.

Either way, everything he'd seen of the place so far hadn't rung any alarm bells. Other than the fact that he could smell monsters of all types all over the place. And when he said "all types" he meant it. Mermaids, cyclops, tanuki's, some of those weird umbrella monster things. He never really expanded the Devil May Cry outside of the Western Hemisphere, so a lot of the names of the monsters that exist here escaped him. He'd have to ask Vergil to give him a better run down when they got a moment.

Upside was they all seemed to be following one of the major rules of the place: Don't drop your human disguise. Wouldn't really be learning how to blend in with humans if you couldn't look the part. Though he did see a few kids that needed to be reminded of that rule. Which he took the liberty to do. It was his duty as one of the Faculty.

Though, that brought him to the second clue that leads him to believe Gramps has something cooking in the background. He remembers how the old Demon mentioned that no human could through that barrier without an invitation. And if his own experience didn't fail him, he would bet money that the only people who would have access to those things would be him and the Bus Driver.

So, he had a hunch that the two of them were responsible for the human currently pissing his pants in this classroom filled with monsters.

And if his hunch was right, then he was gonna have some words with the two of them later.

But right now, he had to make sure that the kid didn't get into too much trouble. Cause from where he was sitting? The boy wasn't supposed to be here in every sense of the word. Dante was sitting next to Kitty Cat's desk, leaning back in a fold out chair with the Faust Hat on his head. He had it deactivated with the tip tilted down to cover his eyes. He pretended to be asleep when in reality he had scoped out the entire classroom the moment it had started. Which was how he was able to see the black haired human kid pissing his pants right now. He wasn't even being subtle about it. His mouth was wide open while his eyes had turned to white dots. Dante was surprised that none of the other students seemed to notice his panicking. If they had, they'd probably have jumped the kid by now.

It only got worse as Nekonome reiterated the fact that this school was exclusively for monsters. How humans had taken over the planet and how the monsters had to learn how to live with humans to avoid conflict. She hadn't introduced Dante yet, at his request, of course. If this was gonna be his job for the foreseeable future, then he needed to be sure he made a good impression on the students. The best way to do that was to make his own entrance. He originally planned to do it after Kitty Cat made the typical spiel all first years high schoolers got. But, now that he knew that one of the students was just some schmuck who got caught up in the machination of a Demon Lord, he was inclined to move the time up just a little bit. He was at least willing to let Kitty Cat finish her introduction.

"Do you understand?" the cat girl in question said to the gathered students, "It's a matter of being able to disguise yourself well as a human! This is the foundation of coexistence. You are never to allow any of your fellow students know your 'true form'. Understand!?"

Dante smirked. Pretty simple rules. But if his earlier analysis of the students told him anything, it's that there were more than a few bad apples in this bunch. And one of them was about to say something in three...two...one...

"Hey, teacher," came an arrogant, gruff voice that carried a hint of growl in it, "Wouldn't it be better for us to eat up those puny humans? And in the case of beautiful girls, better to molest them?"

Right on cue. Dante had to choke back the urge to scoff. This kid wasn't even trying to be subtle about it was he? He'd have to get the kid's name from the roster. Keep an eye on him. Like a responsible Teacher's Assistant.

"Oh! Incidentally, here at Youkai Academy, the teachers and students are alll monsters. There are no genuine humans here!" Nekonome said, seemingly ignoring what the kid actually said. She raised the pointer stick in her hand up as she continued, "Since this Academy is within a secret sacred world! To those humans who come to know of our existence, we will bring them death or something."

Aaaaannnnndddd the human kid was panicking.

Alright. 'Bout time he got in on this.

"Woah, woah, there Kitty Cat. I think that's a bit much don't you?"

All eyes in the room immediately turned to Dante. Some of the students looked like they had only just noticed him. Including the single human kid. In fact, Dante could spot a hopeful glint enter his eyes. Hiding a grin beneath his hat, Dante leaned forward in his chair. The Faust Hat still kept his features hidden as he spoke, "If the students here are supposed to learn how to live with humans, then telling them to kill one just cause they happened to take a wrong turn isn't the way to do it."

"Uh," Nekonome looked at Dante nervously. Her eyes flicked between him and the students who were watching the two of them with confusion written on their features. Her ears drooping a bit, she replied, "Then what would you supposed we do, my Teaching Assistant?"

Dante's grin grew wider. He placed a hand on the brim of his hat, "Well, if you were to ask me? We should..."

He threw his hat into the air. At the same time he jumped from his seat, sending the chair skidding backwards. It hit the wall and, somehow, neatly folded itself back into its original form. He landed right in front of Nekonome, the cat woman letting out a loud, "Nya!~" as he hit the floor. The students closest to the front leaned back in their chairs in surprise. Dante stood up as his had fell onto his head and activated. A long, golden scarf materialized around him in a flash of crimson. All the students gasped at the display as their eyes focused entirely on Dante.

"...give them a winning smile," Dante flashed a grin that sparkled in the morning sun. The girls in the room suddenly swooned as he twirled in place. He stopped, holding his hand out to the door as another student walked in. This one was a girl with pink hair and flowed down to her thighs. The entire room seem to take notice of her, with that one human kid taking particular interest.

The new girl stumbled upon seeing Dante, but the Son of Sparda acted first. He stepped forward and took one of her flailing hands in his, pulling her towards him until she stood next to him.

"Offer them a friendly handshake and pat on the back," he proceeded to do exactly that to the pink haired girl. She coughed a bit as his hand hit her back, the cross hanging from her neck jingling as her body shook. He kept his grin on as he started walking her to the only empty seat in the room...which happened to be right in front of the human kid.

"Then, we lead them over to where they're supposed to be. In the case of a human, right out the door they came in from. But in the case of this lovely little lady," he gently placed her down in her seat, "we take her to the best seat in the house."

He made an exaggerated bow, then back flipped back to the front of the classroom.

"Hey there Little Chickens!" Dante pointed twin finger guns at the class, "Name's Dante! Party animal and a professional when it comes to all things related to humans. I'll be your Teacher's Assistant for the foreseeable future. If you need anything, don't be afraid to stop on by."

He kept his gaze on the entire class, who seemed to be in various stats of infatuation. The girls were all blushing, the guys were clapping, and even Nekonome had dropped her pointer in astonishment. The only ones that weren't enamored at his performance were the exact people he expected.

The pink haired chick. She was too busy hugging the human kid.

The asshole who had suggested molesting girls. He was alternating between staring at the pink haired girl, and glaring daggers at Dante.

And then there was the human kid.

Who was staring at Dante with his mouth open. But thought astonishment was in his eyes, it was drowned out by another emotion.

Hope.

---

"Uh, M-M-M-Mr. Dante?"

Dante grinned as he sat up in his seat. He tilted the brim of his hat up to see the human boy standing in front of him.

"I-I-I-I c-c-could use your a-a-advice," he was shaking like a leaf and had his hands clasped in front of him. Sweat dripped from the top of his head, getting into his brown eyes and making him blink them reflexively.

Dante nodded, "Sure thing...Aono, right?"

"Uh, it's Tsukune Aono, actually," he manages without stuttering. Though he was still shaking like a leaf in a strong wind.

"Oh, right. You guys do that whole 'Last Name instead of First Name' thing," Dante shook his head with a sigh. He mumbled to himself, "Vergil's gonna talk my ear off about this stuff when I get back to him."

"What was that?"

"Nothin' you need to worry about, kid," Dante said as he pushed himself off the wall next to the door. The rest of the class had passed by normally. Monsters they maybe, but the students were still just that. High school kids. He didn't really have to do much save pass out the odd worksheet or take attendance. So, he just stayed leaning against the door until Kitty Cat needed him. When the class let out, he made sure to give each student a flashy goodbye. Guys returned his gesture, while girls giggled as they walked out. The only ones that were different were the three he expected.

First was the obvious troublemaker, Komiya Saizo. He made to walk directly in front of Dante, planning to pass off stepping on the Son of Sparda's foot as an "accident". So, Dante decided to give him a special goodbye. He grabbed him by his hand, patted him on the back, and told him to not cause too much trouble. Wouldn't want to get sent to the Principal's Office on the first day of school, did he? Whether the student got Dante's hidden threat or not, it did make him leave the class rather quickly.

Then there was the pair of Tsukune Aono and Moka Akashiya. And yeah, Dante meant pair. Anyone with eyes could see that there was some kind of spark between the two. Not in the "Destined Partners" sense. But more in the "It's clear these two know each other and have formed an attachment" sense. Course, for teenagers who probably haven't had a serious relationship in their lives, those two are probably the same thing. Dante could just see how the girl stayed by Tsukune's side. And, despite knowing she was probably a man eating monster, the human boy wasn't as nervous around her as he probably should've been.

Something that would probably complicate things.

"So, kid, whatcha doing hanging with me? Shouldn't you be going to that girl you're sweet on?" Dante jerked his head at the door. He could still hear the pink haired vampire (he was surprised for a moment when he figured that out) humming outside the door.

The human in front of him immediately started shaking his head, "N-N-N-No! What-What-What are you talking about?! We're not together or anything and-"

Dante raised a hand, "Alright, alright, calm down kid. I was just yanking your chain. What did you need?"

Tsukune took a moment to calm down again. Then he looked around, trying to see if there were any other students watching them. When he was certain no one was there, he leaned forward and whispered, "Uh...so...that stuff...that stuff you said about h-h-humans. Did...did you really mean it?"

Dante raised an eyebrow, pretending to be confused, "!00%. Why you asking? Cause you're human?"

Tsukune backed up and started waving his hands through the air, "No! I'm not human! I'm totally a-"

"Yeah. You are human. I knew from the moment I saw ya," Dante tapped his nose, "Don't have the same smell as the rest of them, kid."

Tsukune's face went pale.

Dante put a finger to his lips, "Ah, ah. Don't you worry. My lips are sealed. Besides, I'm human too. Well, kind of."

"Wait...really?!" Tsukune suddenly grabbed one of Dante's hands. The young man's eyes were pleading, "Please help me! I don't know how this happened! My parents got this invitation, then I got on a bus, then Moka-san ran into me, then she sucked my blood and I-"

Dante put his free hand over the boy's mouth. He looked around to be sure that no one had heard them. When he was sure they weren't overhead, he took his hand off the boy's jaw. Then he shook his head, "How about you start from the beginning, kid?"

Tsukune, once he had calmed down, proceeded to do exactly that. He told Dante everything that had happened up to that point...minus the part about him touching Moka's inner thigh. Dante just took the whole story in stride while nodding along with the boy's words. When he finished talking, Dante nodded, "So, put simply, your parents got an invitation for you to go a high school...and just decided to send you there without even looking into it?"

"Ye-yeah. Essentially," Tsukune rubbed the back of his neck.

"Then if you know this, why aren't you leaving?"

"Huh?"

"Kid, I understand the whole 'fish outta water scenario is appealing', but you're basically a fish sent into a ocean filled with sharks. If you don't get outta here soon, you're gonna end up hurt. And it'll be worse than some girl snacking on your neck," Dante tapped his own neck for emphasis.

"It-It's not like I haven't thought of it. But...it's just that-"

"Tsukune~," a cheery, extremely girly voice came from the door next to them. Moka poked her head into the room, her face the picture of innocence, "are you still talking with Dante-sensei?"

"Moka! Uh, well, I," Dante looked at the human boy...and sighed.

He muttered "Called it" under his breath. Then he waved a hand at the vampire, smiling as he said, "No need for the 'sensei' stuff, Fangs. Just call me Dante. Oh, and your friend here will be right with you in a moment."

"OK! Thanks, Dante-sensei!" she ducked out of the room as quick as she came.

Tsukune let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in. Dante shook his head, "Really, kid? I mean, I know you're a teenager. But are you really sure your life is worth getting a girl? There are plenty of girls out there that don't have 'Is a man-eating monster' as a major factor in terms of dating them, right?"

"Dating?! Me...me and...me and Moka-san-"

Aaaaannnnddd he's panicking again.

This is gonna be a bit of a pain.

He'll need some help for this.

Dante grinned then threw his arm around Tsukune's shoulder. He pulled the kid closer and said, "Don't you worry, Lover Boy. As your reliable Teacher's Assistant, I'll be sure to keep you safe and give you all the advice you never wanted."

"Uh, but...thanks, Dante-se...I-I mean, Dante. But...what are you going to do?"

"First, we're gonna go get someone else involved in this. Someone who's assistance will ensure my guidance sticks inside that malleable head of yours. Someone who, while not as good as me, is still a damn good teacher."

---

"And here's you book. Be sure to return it before the two week deadline."

"Yes, Vergil-san~" a disguised lamia said, a dreamy look in her eyes as she picked up the book Vergil had given her. Vergil ignored it and turned back to his own reading. He had three books on his desk.

One was a book on Magical Theory and Practice. The first thing he needed to learn was how the magic in this world worked. For that, he needed to study the basics. Thus the reason for reading through the entirety first volume of the three volume serious. What he had discovered had been enlightening. This world's magic was based off a type of energy called "Yokai Power". This power circulated throughout all monsters, allowing them to use it to perform impossible feats of strength. However, this power was different to the one Vergil and Dante called upon. And, in many ways, far weaker. Many of the Yokai's own magic came with severe caveats and drawbacks. Such as summoning causing the summoner harm in return for using their summoned creatures. These things would be useful to know for both getting them home, and to help them against any Yokai they may need to fight.

Another was a book detailing the history of the Academy itself. It was a sparse book, one that Vergil managed to finish reading in an afternoon. And one that he was certain had it's history modified to paint a different picture of the school. After all, it only detailed the fact that the Headmaster founded the Academy, then constructed the barrier keeping it hidden. A rather short description for a place such as this. The Headmaster's own collection of books would likely tell him more.

And lastly, the book he was currently reading was a poetry book.

He gave his over to his son.

Thus, he needed a replacement.

He leaned back in his chair, enjoying the silence of the Library around him.

Then that silence was broken by the door being pushed open.

"Hey, Vergil!"

Vergil's ears twitched. Of course, he would show up now.

Out the corner of his eye, Vergil saw his brother walking towards his desk. At his left was a young man, clearly human, who looked white as a sheet. His eyes kept darting between Dante, Vergil, and the other students in the Library. Sweat dripped down his body in rivers. Latched to the human's arm was a pink haired vampire girl. She didn't seem to really understand what was going on, if the innocent smile on her face was anything to go by.

Vergil could tell that the human was the primary reason Dante had appeared. Which meant that he was expecting something out of him.

With a groan Vergil closed his book and turned to face his brother, "What do you want, Dante?"

"Oh, come now, is that anyway to greet your little brother?" Dante held his arms out to his sides.

Ignoring his words, Vergil shot a glare at the human boy. He jumped back with an "Eep!" that made Vergil scowl. The vampire seemed to notice the boy's distress and started trying to calm him down.

Vergil turned back to Dante, "I have no interest in whatever it is you're doing here, brother. Please, leave my Library."

"Don't be so dismissive. All I was gonna do was ask if you could help me out with Lover Boy here," Dante jerked a thumb at the human in question. He leaned forward until he could whisper into Vergil's ear, "Kid's not gonna last a year here without some help. Figured I'd come ask you to lend a helping hand."

"Why would I ever wish to do that?" Vergil said in response.

"Cause you're one of the staff here, like me. And if we let one of our students get killed under our watch, which you're now apart of since you know he's human like I do, we'll probably get axed. Which means you lose access to all these books you like."

Dante waved his hand at the Library around them.

Vergil glared at him.

Dante met his stare with a cocky one of his own.

The two's staring contest went on for minutes on end.

Tsukune and Moka stopped to stare at the brothers, neither one willing to give an inch. Tsukune felt sweat drip down his brow, while Moka looked between the two with a confused expression on her face.

"....Fine," Vergil finally relented, "But know that I will make you regret this."

Dante patted Vergil on the shoulder, "Course you will, older brother. Now then, Lover Boy. Here."

Dante tossed something at Tsukune. Caught off guard, the boy fumbled his catch, but managed to grab what Dante had thrown at him out of the air. He pulled it close to his face...and then somehow went paler than ever.

"Uh....D-D-D-Dante? What is this?"

"That's one of my babies, Ivory. You're gonna learn how to defend yourself, Lover Boy. And the first thing we're gonna try, is teaching you how to use a gun."

"....WHAT?!" Moka and Tsukune shouted in unison.

"Be silent in the library!" Vergil hissed at the two of them.

They both clammed up.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

"I-I-I'm not sure about this, Dante," Tsukune said, his arms feeling weak and heavy. His body shook in the surprisingly warm light of the sun. He looked around the roof of Yokai Academy, sweat falling from his head like rain as his blank eyes turned back to Dante, "I-I-I-I don't think I can do this."

Dante, standing off to one side of Tsukune, shook his head, "Look, Lover Boy. If you're planning to stay at this school, you're gonna have to learn to defend yourself. The first thing we gotta try is the easiest way for a human like yourself to stand up to monsters."

"With a gun!?" Tsukune said, having difficulty holding Ivory in both hands. Partially because of how heavy the gun felt, and partially because he was scared out of his mind. When the high schooler had first learned that Dante wanted to help him, he was completely ecstatic. The fact that there was someone in this school he could turn to for help comforted him greatly. Especially when he learned that Dante was human like him. It meant he wasn't completely alone in this school for monsters.

That changed when Dante handed him a gun, led him up to the school roof, told Moka-chan to stay in the school, then told him to shoot his gun at Dante's brother Vergil the Patron Librarian!

Now?

Now, Tsukune thought Dante was insane.

And, judging by how Vergil didn't seem bothered at all by the fact that Dante, his own brother, told Tsukune to shoot a gun at him, he was certain that Vergil was just as insane.

As the high schooler stood on the roof, knees knocking together as he held Ivory in both hands, Vergil shook his head in frustration. He turned to his brother, "This isn't going to work, Dante. The child clearly doesn't have the stomach for this."

Dante dismissed his brother's concerns with a wave of his hand, "Don't count him out yet, Vergil. He hasn't even started aiming yet. Here, let me help ya out there."

Dante got to his feet and walked over to the trembling high school student. Tsukune didn't dare flinch lest the gun go off in his hand. Dante took up position next to Tsukune, gently grabbed his right arm, then helped him move it up. The entire time he was instructing the kid on how to properly hold a firearm.

"See, holding a gun like this one handed? That's not gonna work for you. What ya gotta do, is hold it in both hands. Have them covering the grip on both sides, while your finger's on the trigger. Stay away from the slides, and watch out for this here ejector. If your fingers or thumbs are anywhere near that, you'll lose 'em," Dante kept slightly adjusting Tsukune's stance. Only when the boy's shaking had calmed somewhat and he was properly gripping the weapon did Dante let go.

Dante made a rectangle with his fingers and thumbs, centering Tsukune in his vision. He nodded as he did so, "Alright, you're good kid. Now pull the trigger."

"What?! No!" Tsukune shook his head, his shaking coming back.

Dante rolled his eyes, "Lover Boy, listen. You want to stick around here, right?"

"No!"

"Then you're alright with leaving Fangs alone without any friends?" Dante jerked a thumb towards the entrance to the roof.

Tsukune understood that he was talking about Moka. He audibly gulped as he answered, "M-M-Moka-chan is a-a-a vampire. I'm sure she'll make more friends here. In a school of monsters."

"Maybe, but she wants to be friends with you," Dante pointed at Tsukune. The boy's expression turned into one of confusion. Dante clicked his tongue, "Don't tell me you didn't notice it, Lover Boy? Even after I tossed ya one of the ladies, she didn't leave your side for a second. She likes you. And if you leave, she'll be pretty dang sad."

"And it is obvious you carry similar feelings, boy," Vergil said in support of Dante. It caught Tsukune off guard, to the point where the boy flinched at the sound of Vergil's voice. Vergil rolled his eyes, "If you wish to ensure your connection doesn't come to abrupt end, then you must gain enough power to defend yourself. Without it, you will die here."

Those words made Tsukune's face go pale.

Dante groaned, "Damn it, Vergil. You were supposed to be encouraging him, not scaring him even more."

"If the truth scares him, then he will not be able to continue at this school," was Vergil's harsh reply.

"Don't worry about my brother, Lover Boy. Just point at him and pull the trigger," Dante pointed a finger at Vergil then made a "bang" noise with his mouth.

Tsukune looked between the two brothers. Then his eyes centered onto Vergil. His breathing became rapid, he could feel sweat dripping down his palms, and his legs wouldn't stop shaking. He could hear his heart beating in his chest as time seemed to slow down. His shaking finger kept tapping on Ivory's trigger...

With a gasp he fell to the floor, dropping Ivory while both hands went to grasp his chest. The gun slid across the ground until it stopped in front of Dante. Tsukune kept shaking his head while mumbling, "I...I can't. I can't. I can't...I can't."

He slowly looked up, expecting to see Dante and Vergil looking at him with disappointment. His expectations were only half-right. Vergil was looking at him with disappointment, but Dante had a grin on his face.

He picked up Ivory and turned it over in his right hand. Then he pointed it at Vergil and pulled the trigger...only for the click of an empty magazine to sound across the roof.

Tsukune looked at Dante with shock on his face, "It...it was empty?"

"Yep. You didn't seriously think I was gonna give a high school kid a loaded gun, did you?" Dante said while twirling his gun in his hand. He settled it into the usual grip style he used, nonchalantly looking the object over, "Though, that's only partially true. The other part? Hey, Vergil. Think fast!"

In the blink of an eye Dante pointed his gun at Vergil and pulled the trigger. This time a bullet flew from the barrel along side a spent casing hitting the tiles below.

Just as quickly, Vergil knocked the bullet away with a swipe of the Yamato.

Tsukune couldn't even keep up with what happened. All he knew was that he saw Dante pull the trigger, then Vergil moved and the sound of metal bouncing off something echoed through the air. He scrambled onto his backside, head whipping around as he tried to figure out exactly what happened. Dante's gun hadn't been empty? But...he didn't see him put anything in it. And it had clicked empty when he pulled the trigger before. And what did Vergil do? Did he...did he block the bullet?

Dante's shadow fell over Tsukune. He offered the boy his hand. Not knowing what else to do, Tsukune took it. Dante pulled him to his feet as Vergil walked over to join the two of them. Then Dante began to speak, "Alright, Lover Boy. The second part was a test. Trying to see if you had the stomach to actually shoot somebody. Truth be told, I'm kind of relieved you didn't do it. Any normal human who can just pull a trigger on some random guy cause someone else told them to ain't right in the head."

He tapped his temple for emphasis. Tsukune looked at Dante in confusion, "So...you're not mad?"

"Not at all."

"So, I didn't do anything wrong?"

"Nope. In fact, you did everything right."

"Then...why did you give me your gun? In fact, where is your gun?" Tsukune's eyes went wide as he started looking Dante up and down, searching for Ivory. Which was nowhere to be seen on Dante's person.

Dante patted Tsukune's shoulder, "Don't worry about it, kid. I'm sure she'll show up again at some point. As for why I did that? It's cause I'm trying to figure out what to do with you."

"What to do with me? Aren't you going to protect me?"

"Foolish child," Vergil responded with an unamused tone, "We are not your bodyguards nor your parents. As I stated before, the only one who can be responsible for your own safety is you. If you wish to live in this school, then you need to get enough power to do so."

Tsukune flinched away from Vergil, "What? Me!? But I can't...I...I'm just-"

"A normal human. Yeah, we know," Dante said with a shrug, "But there's plenty of ways that normal people can stand up to monsters. This place wouldn't exist if there weren't. The first, and easiest, is the tried and true method; A fuckton of firepower. There's a certain human woman I know who manages to be a damn good monster hunter. Possibly as good as me. All just by having a crap ton of weaponry and ammunition. So, that's what I was gonna do with you."

"Something that I already knew was doomed to fail. We are in Japan, Dante. This nation has stricter gun laws than the western nations. Even if this child had the will to pull the trigger, you would have no way to help him get the weapons he requires," Vergil explained with a shake of his head.

"Couldn't have told me that earlier, Vergil?"

"I had expected you to know it. But I suppose the hope that you would actually research the laws of the land we are in was in vain."

Tsukune was speechless. He kept looking between Dante and Vergil with both shock and fear in his eyes. These two were talking about guns and killing monsters like it was an average everyday occurrence for them. Who the heck were they? Were...were they really human?

Dante waved off Vergil's concerns. He turned back to Tsukune and raised up two fingers, "Well, with the 'give you a bunch of guns' plan shot down, that leaves me with two more ideas for how to keep you safe. The first is to teach you martial arts. And none of that fake 'self-defense' stuff. I mean the kind of stuff that lets you run up walls and punch people through them."

"Wait...that stuff's real?!" Tsukune was honestly surprised.

"Yes, though likely can't be done by humans of this world. Not naturally anyway," Vergil explained, "Based on my research, supernatural techniques are limited to those who can utilize Yokai Energy. Which are primarily monsters."

"Thankfully for you, Lover Boy, me and my brother here are experts at breaking the rules," Dante explains while placing his hands behind his head, "Course, the training is gonna be harsh and take a long ass time. We'll probably need to spend days and nights figuring out how to open you up to the real stuff."

Dante shadowboxed at the air for a bit. Tsukune remained silent, completely stunned by what was happening. He turned his attention to Vergil, the older brother looking at him with an neutral expression. Vergil shook his head, "While I usually wouldn't get involved in this, my brother has clearly taken an interest in your safety. For the sake of stopping him from bothering me about this again, I am willing to offer my own ways to help you gain power. But where my brother's training may focus on the physical, my training will be far more difficult."

"H-How?" Tsukune asked, though he dreaded the answer.

"If you wish to train with me, then your training will focus gaining magical might and spiritual fortitude. We shall induct you into the arcane, so that reality itself will bend to your will," Vergil held out a hand before curling it into a closed fist.

Dante rolled his eyes, getting out of his boxing stance, "Really, Vergil? You're just gonna scare the kid again if you talk like that. And, 'inducting you into the arcane'? What are ya? An old dude with a white beard in charge of a magic school?"

"It is more likely to work than your suggestion of martial arts training. And, for your information, the way that author depicts magic in her works is far different to mine. Do not compare what I can do to such writing," Vergil responded with a sense of pride in his voice.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Tsukune put up his hands, making both brother's go silent. He shook his head, expression one of exasperation and fear, "Martial Arts? Magic? Wh-why would I need to do any of that? I'm just a normal high schooler. Why can't I just go home and forget all of this?"

"Oh, you can," Dante said while crossing his arms, "Just say the word and I'll take you right to the exit myself."

"Well then let-"

"But, do you actually want to? And I mean that seriously, kid."

Tsukune went silent. He wanted to say yes. Every fiber of his being was telling him to take Dante up on his offer. To just pack his stuff up and leave the Academy behind. Go to a normal school. With normal kids. Where he doesn't have to worry about being eaten. Or having his blood sucked. Or having to learn martial arts or magic from two crazy people.

But...

"I...I don't know," Tsukune said, turning away from Dante.

"That's the thing, Lover Boy. I would love nothing more than to take you outta here...but that's only if you want to leave," Dante said while stretching his arms into the air, "Wouldn't want to get to the exit, then have you turn around cause you suddenly had a change of heart."

"But...why do I have to make this decision? I'm just a first year high schooler!"

"One who is currently residing in a nest of vipers," Vergil responded while jerking his head towards the entrance to the school, "In such a circumstance, one must grow up quickly. Lest one lose their life."

"Hate to say I agree with my brother there, but he's right," Dante said with a shrug, "The decision is yours, kid. No one else's."

"Well...then...I-"

"Tsukune!"

The two men and one high schooler were suddenly interrupted by a girlish scream. All three turned towards the entrance to the roof, seeing Moka pushing the door open. Her eyes were wide as she focused on the human student. Then she rushed over to him.

"Moka-san!" Tsukune exclaimed as the pink haired vampire ran behind him, "What's wrong?"

"Hey, come back! Don't you want to play with me?"

Tsukune felt a chill run down his spine. From the entrance he saw the student that said he wanted to kill humans in Ms. Nekonome's class come through. His dyed blonde hair was slicked back and his uniform's blazer was open to reveal his white undershirt. Tsukune remembered his name as Komiya Saizo and, judging by the glare the taller boy leveled at him, the delinquent remembered him too. Tsukune tried to step back, but felt Moka holding onto the back of his uniform. He was forced to remain in place as the taller student stalked towards him.

An evil smirk came over Saizo's face, "Oh, it's you. That asshole who's hogging Moka-chan to himself. What are you doing up here?"

"We-well-well I, uh, um," Tsukune stammered out as the other student got closer.

Saizo let out a mocking laugh, "What's wrong? Scared of little old me? If that's the case, how about you move aside? I need to talk with Moka-chan. Isn't that right, cutey?"

Moka only pressed herself closer to Tsukune. Seeing this, Saizo grimaced and started reaching out towards the boy. Tsukune felt his heart skip a beat as the student's large hand got closer.

That was when Dante appeared and grabbed Saizo by the wrist. All eyes turned to the Teacher's Assistant, who wagged his finger in Saizo's face, "Now, now, Blondey. You know what they say: Nobody likes a bully. And Fangs here clearly doesn't want to go with you. So, how bout you run on back to class?"

Saizo grunted, not moving his hand back but turning his other into a fist, "Don't try to lecture me, teach. Don't you know that the only rule in this place is might makes right?"

"Hmm, pretty sure Kitty Cat didn't say anything like that," Dante tapped a finger against his chin, "and even if she did, I don't think anyone should necessarily follow that philosophy. I'm more of a free love kind of guy myself."

Saizo gave a cocky smirk, "Oh yeah? Well then, let me be the first to intro-"

Five seconds.

That how much time passed between Saizo lifting his free arm to swing at Dante, and Dante laying him out on the floor.

First, Dante increased his grip on the student's wrist. That was one second.

Then, he grabbed the crook of Saizo's arm and stomped on the student's right foot. That was two seconds.

Lastly, he turned around and put the student's arm over his shoulder before pulling forward and throwing him to the ground in a practiced Judo Throw. That took the last two seconds.

When it was over, Moka, Tsukune, and Saizo could only stare at Dante in awe.

Dante, hand still on Saizo's wrist, helped the student get to his feet before guiding him towards the door to the roof. He patted the student on the back, cocky grin still on his face, "You should be more careful there, Blondey. They just polished this roof. Real easy to trip and fall if you don't pay attention. Good thing your responsible TA was here to help you out. Now, run along to your next class."

Saizo, pride injured at how easily he had been dispatched, pulled away from Dante with an angry huff. This time Dante let him go. He sent a glare at Dante, before turning it towards Tsukune. He spoke through gritted teeth,"This isn't over."

Then he walked through the door and down the stairs.

"That, right there," Dante said, pointing a thumb in the direction Saizo went, "That's why you need to learn how to defend yourself. But, me and Verg won't force you into it. Partially cause it's gotta be your decision, and partially cause it's almost time for class. We're gonna head off to do our jobs. You spend some time with Fangs and try to figure out what you're gonna do, Lover Boy. Come to one of us when you've finally figured it out. Come on, Vergil. Lets go before anyone starts missing us."

Dante waved for Vergil to follow. Rolling his eyes, Vergil nonetheless followed after Dante. The two brothers soon left the roof. Leaving Tsukune and Moka alone.

Tsukune was, once again, completely speechless.

He didn't know what to think. Everything had happened so fast. He got to this school, found out Yokai exist, ran into two crazy people who were (supposedly) also humans, and now had to choose between getting superpowers or leaving the school? What kind of choice was that? How did he life get so crazy so quickly? He found his mind swirling with so many thoughts that he started feeling dizzy.

That is...until Moka pulled him into a hug and pressed his head into her chest.

All other thoughts left his head.

Mainly because he started thinking about how he couldn't breathe.

"I was so scared!" Moka cried, holding the human tighter against her, "Thank you for protecting me, Tsukune-kun."

Tsukune mumbled something inaudible into Moka's chest. Realizing she couldn't hear him, she released her hold on him somewhat. After getting his breath back, Tsukune spoke with a blush on his cheeks, "What-what are you talking about? Dante was the one who stopped Saizo."

Moke nodded, "Yeah, but you were the one who didn't run away when he started acting scary. You...you protected me just as much as Dante did. And for that....thank you."

Tsukune was about to argue...but Moka's innocent expression and cute smile made the words die in his throat. He could do little save stare at Moka in shock. That shock only grew as she started to draw her face closer to his. Her lips were pursed and her eyes started to close. Tsukune felt his heart beat fast as he thought she was going to kiss him.

...Then her mouth turned towards his neck.

She bared her fangs and bit down on his skin.

He cried out in pain, but no one could hear him.

---

"Why are you trying to help that boy, Dante?" Vergil asked his brother as the two of them walked through the halls of Yokai Academy, "If he gets himself killed, that is of no concern to you."

"That's where you're wrong, Vergil," Dante said while keeping his hands behind his back, "Lover Boy is in a pretty bad position right now. He's a human in a school full of monsters that will eat him if he gives them half a chance. Not because of anything he did, but because he's being used as a chess piece in someone else game. I couldn't in good conscious let him get himself killed knowing that."

Vergil turned to regard Dante with the slightest amount of surprise, "Then you have also realized that the Headmaster is plotting something?"

"Not hard to figure out, if you take into account everything he told us," Dante admitted with a shrug, "Don't know the details, but I hate it on the principal that an adult shouldn't be involving kids in their long reaching plans."

Vergil nodded, "I admit, I underestimated you, brother."

Dante didn't bother hiding his smug grin, "What? Did you think I wouldn't figure that out? Looks like I managed to get one over on you, dear brother of mine."

Vergil scoffed then adjusted the collar of his cloak, "Either way, I am not very concerned about how that boy connects back to the Headmaster's plans. Rather, I'm certain that the Demon has come to include us in those plan as well. And that is something I cannot abide."

"Then I'm guessing we're both planning to go give Gramps a call when classes let out for the day?" Vergil's silent nod was all the confirmation Dante needed. His smile only grew as he walked side by side with his brother.

---

Finally got it in.

Also, I have now finished the Manga.

So, the spoilers thing has been lifted. As I already have plans on how I'm gonna handle certain things in the future.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

"And you're sure that'll work, Dante?"

Dante smiled at the student as he wiped down Ms. Nekonome's desk. He nodded his head at the disguised "Kappa" standing across from him, "Sure it'll work. Just go up to her and tell her how you feel. Worst thing she can say is n-"

Dante stopped himself. He looked at the floor to hide the frown that appeared on his face. He had just remembered that he was giving this kid, a monster, advice on how to get a female monster to date him. There were, actually, plenty of things that she could do to him that were decidedly worse than just saying no.

When he got his smile back he met the kid's eyes and shook his head, "Scratch that. Just go on and live a little, kid. But remember that getting a date ain't worth losing blood over. Alright?"

The kappa nodded his head, green matted hair barely moving as he did so. A goofy smile split his face as he started heading towards the door, "Alright! I'm gonna go talk to Misuki-chan right now! Thanks, Dante-senpai!"

"Don't mention it," he shouted without watching the kid leave. When he heard the door close, he sighed with a shake of his head. He put the dust cloth into a drawer in Ms. Nekonome's desk before leaping over it. He landed on the other side, picking up a bag that had been left for him as he did so. He started to walk along the room, reaching into the bag every now and then to get a clean cloth out. Then he used it to dust off the students' desks as he passed by.

He had been with her for two more classes now and nothing really interesting had happened. He made sure to give both of the new groups of students a different greeting from the one with Lover Boy in it. Mainly to keep things interesting for him and the kids. Now he had some free time, but Kitty Cat asked him to clean up while she went off on her own. He didn't really mind that much. It gave him some time to himself. Let him consider a few things.

The first thing on his mind was what he was gonna do for lunch? Obviously he would drag Vergil along. The two hadn't had a family dinner together since...forever. So, he figured it would be a good idea to have one. Especially since, technically speaking, they didn't have to worry about demons destroying the world anytime soon. Though, he was worried that Vergil would get him to go somewhere really fancy. Rather than accept the simple pleasures of finding a pizza joint or a ice cream shop and enjoying each others company. Well...in a way that didn't involve them trying to kill each other.

As he walked down the rows of chairs, he spotted a crumbled up wad of paper on the floor. With a cheeky grin, he kicked the paper ball up onto his foot. He kicked it a few extra times to keep it in the air. Alternating between feet he eventually managed to get a rhythm going. Once he counted up to fifty kicks, he did one more that sent the wad into a trash can next to Kitty Cat's desk.

"It's good," he said to himself with a chuckle. Then he went back to cleaning the room.

The second thing on his mind concerned Lover Boy. Specifically, how he was gonna manage teaching the kid anything. With the "Give him a bunch of guns" plan scrapped, he had to actually put in some work to help him out. Which was easier said than done. Dante was good at a lot of things. But something he had never had to do was teach someone else how to do...anything really. Well, someone who wasn't already at his level or near it like Nero was. He had no frame of reference for how he was gonna actually show the human kid how to fight. Not to mention that most of his own skills were more instinctual than anything. He had trained to ensure that his fighting prowess was at the pinnacle, sure. But, usually, he just "got" things when it came to fighting. The best ways to use his Devil Arms came naturally to him.

That's not to say he's completely without a paddle when it came to training the human. At the end of the day, Martial Arts was, at its most basic, finding the best way to block and throw a punch or kick. Something anyone could learn with enough repetition. Granted for a normal person that repetition will usually take weeks or even months of study and practice. But it was possible. So, leading the kid through some basic moves to both take and throw a punch would work at the start. From there, though...he wasn't entirely sure.

He frowned while wiping down one of the desk. When the dust cloth seemed to be getting too dirty, he replaced it with a new one. Then he went back to cleaning.

Teaching the kid normal Martial Arts was easy. It was getting into the "real stuff" that would be difficult. Him and his brother had the luxury of their own demonic power sources to draw from for their abilities. And, unless Lover Boy was hiding something, he didn't have that. Or that "Yokai Power" stuff that Vergil was talking about. Meaning Dante would need to figure out some other way to get the kid into the Supernatural side of Martial Arts.

Loaning the kid a Devil Arm was a possibility. But that was-

Dante stopped what he was doing. He looked up from the desk he was wiping down and turned his attention towards the door to the classroom. The next moment a student, clearly a third-year if Dante remembered the uniforms each class got correctly, stepped into the room. He was taller than any of the students Dante had met so far. Actually came up to Dante's neck. Kid looked like he was almost old enough to drink. He wore a black version of the Academy's uniform, with dark brown hair that fell down the back of his neck. He wore glasses over his dark brown eyes, and stepped into the room with a air of curiosity about him.

His gaze met Dante's a second later. The student straightened up and bowed deeply in greeting, "Oh, so you are in here. Greetings. My name is Kaneshiro Hokuto, the Student Council President of Yokai Academy. Would I be correct in suggesting you are the new Teacher's Assistant that was recently hired?"

Dante put on his trademark grin. He put his dust cloth in the bag and leaned against one of the desk, "That would be me. Name's Dante. Just Dante. Don't really do all that honorifics stuff you kids like to do."

"So, you are a foreigner, then?" Kaneshiro asked while straightening himself.

"Yep. Born and raised in a little hole in the wall somewhere in the west. Can't hardly remember a thing about it though," Dante shrugged before heading over to the student. He stopped a respectable distance from Kaneshiro, "So, what's Mr. President doing here? Shouldn't you be off at one of your official meetings?"

Kaneshiro shook his head, "Oh, no. We're not going to be meeting this week. It's meant to give us sometime to get used to the new year. And say hello to the incoming first years."

Dante nodded, "Ah, alright then. But, sorry to say, you're a bit late to say hello to these first years. They've all gone off to do their own things."

Dante waved an arm at the empty classroom. Kaneshiro chuckled, "I can see that. But, no. I came here to greet you."

"Really now?" Dante raised an eyebrow.

Kaneshiro stood straighter and looked into Dante's eyes as he spoke, "As Student Council President, I am devoted to helping Yokai Academy reach its full potential. To ensure that the students here grow up safe and happy. So, that they may go out into the human world and become model citizens. In order to accomplish this, I must ensure I speak to all the Staff of the Academy. That way I am able to make the correct decisions to improve the lives of the students, while making things easier on the faculty members."

"Thus, why I came to speak with you. I wanted to let you know that, if there is anything you believe needs to be done in regards to improving the school, then you can come to me about it," Kaneshiro ended his speech with closed eyes and a warm smile.

Dante whistled, "Quite a speech there, Mr. President. But why give it to me? I just got hired and don't know much about this place. Still need to go on a full tour of it."

Dante walked over to Ms. Nekonome's desk. He leaned his back against it and stretched his arms towards the ceiling. He closed both his eyes but waved a hand to show he was still listening to the third year. Kaneshiro continued, "That's actually a boon in my eyes, Dante. Your inexperience with the school can offer new insight that someone who has been her for years couldn't give. Especially due to your origins. Such as, if you don't mind my asking, what is something that western schools do that would improve this Academy if we were to implement it?"

"Do you guys serve pizza in the lunch room?" Dante was quick to ask.

Kaneshiro blinked. Then he cleared his throat, "Um, I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?"

"Pizza. You know? Round, hot, covered in cheese, tomato sauce, and all kinds of toppings? You serve that here? I didn't get an definitive answer when I asked Gramps. So, I figured you'd be the next best person to bring it up to," Dante explained.

"Gramps?"

"Your Headmaster. The guy who hired me."

"Oh," Kaneshiro looked at the ground. He placed a hand on the back of his head as he thought about Dante's question. Then he answered, "I don't believe so. Do you think that would improve morale among the students if we did so?"

"100%," Dante's voice was filled with confidence, "There's not a single person on this planet that doesn't like a good pizza pie. Serve that at lunch? The students will be going crazy for it."

"I see. I will...see what I can do," Kaneshiro said before looking up at the clock in the classroom. He nodded his head, "I think it's about time I left. Thank you for giving me a moment of your time, Dante. I hope we can speak again later."

"Sure thing, Mr. President," Dante said while waving the kid off. Kaneshiro had just put his hand on the door when Dante called out to him, "Oh, but one more thing before you."

Kaneshiro stopped and turned to give Dante his full attention. His eyes were closed and his grin was back, "Did you need something from me, Dante?"

"Not exactly. Just wanted to give you some friendly advice. As thanks for listening to my proposal."

"Ah. Well, I'd welcome anything you have to tell me. I'm certain it'll help me improve the school. What did you wish to say?"

"If you try to hurt others because you're hurting, it doesn't make the pain go away."

Silence fell between the two.

Dante had opened one of his eyes and had it locked on Kaneshiro.

Kaneshiro still had his grin on his face.

After a few seconds of silence, the third year spoke, "Forgive me, Dante. But I'm not sure what you mean by that."

Dante shrugged, "Just giving you some pointers. I know a little something about wearing masks to hide your true feelings, kid. And let me tell you, yours is paper thin. I don't know what happened to ya to make ya like this. But making a bunch of other people's lives miserable because yours was won't make you feel better. Trust me."

Dante saw Kaneshiro's lips twitch. His mask cracked just a little bit. Then it came back as the Student Council President hummed, "I see. I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Thank you, Dante."

"No problem. Oh, and tell that friend of yours that he's not as sneaky as he thinks he is. I knew he entered the room before you, and saw him move into the shadows over there," he pointed a finger in the direction of a corner of the classroom. His eye locked onto it, then followed along as the invisible student in question left the room before Kaneshiro.

Kaneshiro pretended to not see anything. He just tilted his head in confusion, before excusing himself and leaving the room.

Dante let out an exasperated sigh, "Great. Another thing to add to the plate. Kid'll probably be going after Vergil next."

Dante chuckled, "Wish I could be there to see that."

 

[LinkOnScepter]

To give information on Dante's Arsenal for this Fic....

First he has every weapon he had by the end of DMC 5. So:

- The Devil Sword Dante (replaces Rebellion and The Devil Sword Sparda)
- Cavaliere
- Balrog
- Faust Hat
- Ebony And Ivory (though he always has those)
- Coyote-A
- The Double Kalina-Anns (AKA Two Rocket Launchers)
- King Cerberus (The Version With Ice, Fire, and Lightning)

Next are the ones he's picked up over the series:

Melee Weapons:
- Nevan (Cause, obviously. She'll be making an appearance eventually)
- Gilgamesh (DMC 4 Gauntlets)
- Lucifier (He still uses its rose, and honestly, the weapon is just so Dante)

Ranged Weapons/Guns:
- Pandora (The Multiple Purposes Weapon From DMC 4)

Powers/Abilities:
- Devil Trigger
- Sin Devil Trigger
- Quicksilver
- Doppleganger

And that's about it for him. You could technically count Vergil's weapons too, but Vergil ain't gonna be lending those to Dante any time soon. Ifrit has basically been replaced by Balrog and he sold Agni and Rudra cause they wouldn't stop talking. Alongside Artemis and Spiral to pay the bills. I'm not counting any of his weapons from DMC 2, cause technically that was just a sword. Most of his explosive ranged weapons were sold as the Kalina-Anns are just better. Same with the submachine guns cause he can fire Ebony and Ivory fast enough to make them obsolete. I'm guessing Alastor was sold too.

As for Vergil...he has what he's always had in all his playable appearances:

- The Yamato
- Mirage Edge (Replacing Force Edge)
- Beowulf
- Doppleganger (he still has his normal Devil Trigger but he doesn't use it as much now. Because he's Vergil. Of course he would drop a previous form once he got a more powerful one)
- Sin Devil Trigger

 

[LinkOnScepter]

"And you're sure that'll work, Dante?"

Dante smiled at the student as he wiped down Ms. Nekonome's desk. He nodded his head at the disguised "Kappa" standing across from him, "Sure it'll work. Just go up to her and tell her how you feel. Worst thing she can say is n-"

Dante stopped himself. He looked at the floor to hide the frown that appeared on his face. He had just remembered that he was giving this kid, a monster, advice on how to get a female monster to date him. There were, actually, plenty of things that she could do to him that were decidedly worse than just saying no.

When he got his smile back he met the kid's eyes and shook his head, "Scratch that. Just go on and live a little, kid. But remember that getting a date ain't worth losing blood over. Alright?"

The kappa nodded his head, green matted hair barely moving as he did so. A goofy smile split his face as he started heading towards the door, "Alright! I'm gonna go talk to Misuki-chan right now! Thanks, Dante-senpai!"

"Don't mention it," he shouted without watching the kid leave. When he heard the door close, he sighed with a shake of his head. He put the dust cloth into a drawer in Ms. Nekonome's desk before leaping over it. He landed on the other side, picking up a bag that had been left for him as he did so. He started to walk along the room, reaching into the bag every now and then to get a clean cloth out. Then he used it to dust off the students' desks as he passed by.

He had been with her for two more classes now and nothing really interesting had happened. He made sure to give both of the new groups of students a different greeting from the one with Lover Boy in it. Mainly to keep things interesting for him and the kids. Now he had some free time, but Kitty Cat asked him to clean up while she went off on her own. He didn't really mind that much. It gave him some time to himself. Let him consider a few things.

The first thing on his mind was what he was gonna do for lunch? Obviously he would drag Vergil along. The two hadn't had a family dinner together since...forever. So, he figured it would be a good idea to have one. Especially since, technically speaking, they didn't have to worry about demons destroying the world anytime soon. Though, he was worried that Vergil would get him to go somewhere really fancy. Rather than accept the simple pleasures of finding a pizza joint or a ice cream shop and enjoying each others company. Well...in a way that didn't involve them trying to kill each other.

As he walked down the rows of chairs, he spotted a crumbled up wad of paper on the floor. With a cheeky grin, he kicked the paper ball up onto his foot. He kicked it a few extra times to keep it in the air. Alternating between feet he eventually managed to get a rhythm going. Once he counted up to fifty kicks, he did one more that sent the wad into a trash can next to Kitty Cat's desk.

"It's good," he said to himself with a chuckle. Then he went back to cleaning the room.

The second thing on his mind concerned Lover Boy. Specifically, how he was gonna manage teaching the kid anything. With the "Give him a bunch of guns" plan scrapped, he had to actually put in some work to help him out. Which was easier said than done. Dante was good at a lot of things. But something he had never had to do was teach someone else how to do...anything really. Well, someone who wasn't already at his level or near it like Nero was. He had no frame of reference for how he was gonna actually show the human kid how to fight. Not to mention that most of his own skills were more instinctual than anything. He had trained to ensure that his fighting prowess was at the pinnacle, sure. But, usually, he just "got" things when it came to fighting. The best ways to use his Devil Arms came naturally to him.

That's not to say he's completely without a paddle when it came to training the human. At the end of the day, Martial Arts was, at its most basic, finding the best way to block and throw a punch or kick. Something anyone could learn with enough repetition. Granted for a normal person that repetition will usually take weeks or even months of study and practice. But it was possible. So, leading the kid through some basic moves to both take and throw a punch would work at the start. From there, though...he wasn't entirely sure.

He frowned while wiping down one of the desk. When the dust cloth seemed to be getting too dirty, he replaced it with a new one. Then he went back to cleaning.

Teaching the kid normal Martial Arts was easy. It was getting into the "real stuff" that would be difficult. Him and his brother had the luxury of their own demonic power sources to draw from for their abilities. And, unless Lover Boy was hiding something, he didn't have that. Or that "Yokai Power" stuff that Vergil was talking about. Meaning Dante would need to figure out some other way to get the kid into the Supernatural side of Martial Arts.

Loaning the kid a Devil Arm was a possibility. But that was-

Dante stopped what he was doing. He looked up from the desk he was wiping down and turned his attention towards the door to the classroom. The next moment a student, clearly a third-year if Dante remembered the uniforms each class got correctly, stepped into the room. He was taller than any of the students Dante had met so far. Actually came up to Dante's neck. Kid looked like he was almost old enough to drink. He wore a black version of the Academy's uniform, with dark brown hair that fell down the back of his neck. He wore glasses over his dark brown eyes, and stepped into the room with a air of curiosity about him.

His gaze met Dante's a second later. The student straightened up and bowed deeply in greeting, "Oh, so you are in here. Greetings. My name is Kaneshiro Hokuto, the Student Council President of Yokai Academy. Would I be correct in suggesting you are the new Teacher's Assistant that was recently hired?"

Dante put on his trademark grin. He put his dust cloth in the bag and leaned against one of the desk, "That would be me. Name's Dante. Just Dante. Don't really do all that honorifics stuff you kids like to do."

"So, you are a foreigner, then?" Kaneshiro asked while straightening himself.

"Yep. Born and raised in a little hole in the wall somewhere in the west. Can't hardly remember a thing about it though," Dante shrugged before heading over to the student. He stopped a respectable distance from Kaneshiro, "So, what's Mr. President doing here? Shouldn't you be off at one of your official meetings?"

Kaneshiro shook his head, "Oh, no. We're not going to be meeting this week. It's meant to give us sometime to get used to the new year. And say hello to the incoming first years."

Dante nodded, "Ah, alright then. But, sorry to say, you're a bit late to say hello to these first years. They've all gone off to do their own things."

Dante waved an arm at the empty classroom. Kaneshiro chuckled, "I can see that. But, no. I came here to greet you."

"Really now?" Dante raised an eyebrow.

Kaneshiro stood straighter and looked into Dante's eyes as he spoke, "As Student Council President, I am devoted to helping Yokai Academy reach its full potential. To ensure that the students here grow up safe and happy. So, that they may go out into the human world and become model citizens. In order to accomplish this, I must ensure I speak to all the Staff of the Academy. That way I am able to make the correct decisions to improve the lives of the students, while making things easier on the faculty members."

"Thus, why I came to speak with you. I wanted to let you know that, if there is anything you believe needs to be done in regards to improving the school, then you can come to me about it," Kaneshiro ended his speech with closed eyes and a warm smile.

Dante whistled, "Quite a speech there, Mr. President. But why give it to me? I just got hired and don't know much about this place. Still need to go on a full tour of it."

Dante walked over to Ms. Nekonome's desk. He leaned his back against it and stretched his arms towards the ceiling. He closed both his eyes but waved a hand to show he was still listening to the third year. Kaneshiro continued, "That's actually a boon in my eyes, Dante. Your inexperience with the school can offer new insight that someone who has been her for years couldn't give. Especially due to your origins. Such as, if you don't mind my asking, what is something that western schools do that would improve this Academy if we were to implement it?"

"Do you guys serve pizza in the lunch room?" Dante was quick to ask.

Kaneshiro blinked. Then he cleared his throat, "Um, I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?"

"Pizza. You know? Round, hot, covered in cheese, tomato sauce, and all kinds of toppings? You serve that here? I didn't get an definitive answer when I asked Gramps. So, I figured you'd be the next best person to bring it up to," Dante explained.

"Gramps?"

"Your Headmaster. The guy who hired me."

"Oh," Kaneshiro looked at the ground. He placed a hand on the back of his head as he thought about Dante's question. Then he answered, "I don't believe so. Do you think that would improve morale among the students if we did so?"

"100%," Dante's voice was filled with confidence, "There's not a single person on this planet that doesn't like a good pizza pie. Serve that at lunch? The students will be going crazy for it."

"I see. I will...see what I can do," Kaneshiro said before looking up at the clock in the classroom. He nodded his head, "I think it's about time I left. Thank you for giving me a moment of your time, Dante. I hope we can speak again later."

"Sure thing, Mr. President," Dante said while waving the kid off. Kaneshiro had just put his hand on the door when Dante called out to him, "Oh, but one more thing before you."

Kaneshiro stopped and turned to give Dante his full attention. His eyes were closed and his grin was back, "Did you need something from me, Dante?"

"Not exactly. Just wanted to give you some friendly advice. As thanks for listening to my proposal."

"Ah. Well, I'd welcome anything you have to tell me. I'm certain it'll help me improve the school. What did you wish to say?"

"If you try to hurt others because you're hurting, it doesn't make the pain go away."

Silence fell between the two.

Dante had opened one of his eyes and had it locked on Kaneshiro.

Kaneshiro still had his grin on his face.

After a few seconds of silence, the third year spoke, "Forgive me, Dante. But I'm not sure what you mean by that."

Dante shrugged, "Just giving you some pointers. I know a little something about wearing masks to hide your true feelings, kid. And let me tell you, yours is paper thin. I don't know what happened to ya to make ya like this. But making a bunch of other people's lives miserable because yours was won't make you feel better. Trust me."

Dante saw Kaneshiro's lips twitch. His mask cracked just a little bit. Then it came back as the Student Council President hummed, "I see. I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Thank you, Dante."

"No problem. Oh, and tell that friend of yours that he's not as sneaky as he thinks he is. I knew he entered the room before you, and saw him move into the shadows over there," he pointed a finger in the direction of a corner of the classroom. His eye locked onto it, then followed along as the invisible student in question left the room before Kaneshiro.

Kaneshiro pretended to not see anything. He just tilted his head in confusion, before excusing himself and leaving the room.

Dante let out an exasperated sigh, "Great. Another thing to add to the plate. Kid'll probably be going after Vergil next."

Dante chuckled, "Wish I could be there to see that."

---

Vergil was feeling slightly annoyed.

When his own break had come around, he had chosen to pay the Headmaster a visit. He was looking to make good on the demon's promise, and obtain a book from his own personal stash. The demon had acquiesced to that. But when Vergil specified the book he was after, it seemed to get defensive.

The book Vergil had asked for?

A book detailing sealing magic.

While what happened to the human boy didn't concern him, he had taken notice of the rosary on the vampire's chest. Specifically, because it was the same type that the demon had around his whole body. Knowing only fools would believe that a coincidence, Vergil took it upon himself to discover the connection between the two. Partially because the nature of sealing away certain parts of yourself for personal reasons was something he was familiar with. But primarily because he was certain that it had something to do with whatever plan the demon had for the school. And by extension, Dante and him.

Mikogami did end up giving Vergil the book he asked for...after trying to suggest other "more interesting" books. But even then, Vergil could tell that this was meant to limit his research. The book was tilted "A Dissertation On Sealing Magic". Which was less a book filled with explanations about what sealing magic was, and more a book filled with theories and guesswork as to what sealing magic could do. It was clearly meant for someone who had expert knowledge in regards to such magic.

Something that the demon clearly thought he wasn't.

He was, of course, mistaken. But Vergil saw no reason to let him know that.

However, the demon's attempts to stonewall his studies weren't what annoyed Vergil. He was already a fourth of the way through the book, though he wasn't any closer to figuring out what the connection between Mikogami and the vampire were. But, he knew he'd figure it out sooner or later. He had already begun drawing parallels between the two rosaries. If his hypothesis was correct, then Mikogami either created or some how got a hold of both is own rosary and the one Moka wore. It was just a working theory at this point though.

No. The reason he was annoyed was because of the various people who were currently interrupting his reading.

"Go on! Talk to him," said one of the five females currently tailing his every step. They thought he hadn't noticed them, but he knew they'd been following him since he left his Library. From what he could sense at least two of them were beast type Yokai, while the others were simple magic users. Likely witches like that one girl he helped get her book. They had been trying to get one of their own to come speak with him for sometime now. Though she had yet to come forward.

While he doubted any of them could cause him harm, he kept his guard up the entire time they were following him. Unlike his brother, he did not wish to take chances of being attacked from behind. Thus, while he appeared to only be paying attention to his book, he was keeping an eye on the five of them. In a sense.

Though they weren't nearly as annoying as the male who had decided to walk alongside him.

"Dude, come on. You see that, right?" the werewolf on his right stated while pointing behind Vergil. His ink black hair flowed around his light green eyes as he looked between the girls and the Son Of Sparda. He spoke in a questioning tone, "You've got some serious lookers following your every move. Aren't you gonna, I don't know, turn around and say hi?"

Vergil remained silent. He turned the page in his book while rounding a corner. The werewolf refused to leave him alone, however. He moved to stand in front of Vergil, walking backwards while trying to see over his book, "Cause if I were you, I'd be taking all five of them out for lunch. You know? Have a little fun with some hot girls and-"

"Then why do you not go speak to them?" Vergil cut the man off while keeping his eyes on the book, "I have no wish to fraternize with students. If it bothers you that much, then go have your own 'fun' with them."

Vergil pushed passed the werewolf, leaving him with a stunned expression on his face. He was barely aware of the man turning around and yelling, "Fine. Be a dick. See if I care!"

Vergil simply rolled his eyes. He hoped the werewolf would take his words to heart. If only because it would get the women off his back. Then he could proceed to read his book in pea-

Vergil tossed his book into the air and unsheathe the Yamato. He struck out at the wall to his right. He immediately felt resistance, but his weapon's blade cleaved through it without issue. He pulled it to a stop when his target dropped his invisibility. It revealed a silver haired boy in the uniform that the Academy's third years wore. He had a red vertically slit left pupil eye and a green horizontally slit pupil right eye. Both of which stared at Vergil with a mixture of excitement and fear. Looking to his left, Vergil saw that what he had sliced through was the boy's hand. He apparently attempted to block the strike with his bare ha...no, not bare hand.

"A shape-shifter of sorts?" Vergil posited as he looked down at the boy's bubbling flesh. It seemed to be trying to repair itself. But, judging by how the boy's eyes widened when he beheld his still missing hand, it was taking longer than usual. Vergil kept his blade where it was while turning his head to his right. There he saw another third year, but this was similar to the human boy.

No...wait...only a part of him was human. The rest was similar to the one with the Yamato to his neck.

The part-human's eyes had widened behind his glasses. He looked between Vergil and the shape-shifter, clearly distraught at the turn of events.

"Y-You know," the shape-shifter began, "Staff aren't supposed to hurt students."

Vergil cut his eyes at the boy, "And you believe I care about such things?"

The shape-shifter's nervous smile widened, "Well now...um...I'll admit. I'm not sure whether I should be scared out of my mind, or really really excited right now."

Vergil scoffed before pulling his blade away. He let the boy dropped to the floor, one hand on his missing stump. Then he sheathed Yamato, reached his hand up, and grabbed his book before it hit the floor. He opened it up to the last page he was at, before walking away from the shape-shifter. He spoke as he moved, "Consider this a warning to both of you. I am unsure of what plans the two of you have, but I wish no part in them. Do not approach me again. Unless you wish to die."

He walked passed the other third year with nary another word.

Hakuto Kaneshiro could only stand there, eyes wide, and his cold heart beating like crazy. He rushed to Kiria's side, holding his comrade's severed hand to its stump. However, while the flesh of the stump reconnected with the hand, it still took more than a minute to finish healing. Kaneshiro's eyes widened further as he began to realize exactly who he was dealing with.

"Kiria," he tried to keep his voice professional and calm, "What do you think of those two?"

Kiria, despite being injured and breathing heavily, still had the perpetual smile on his face. He looked over at his comrade with a full toothed grin, "Being honest? They are so interesting. Maybe a bit too interesting. Even for me."

"So you're saying that-"

"Alone? One of them could completely ruin our plans. Together? We stand no chance."

---

Just a bit more set up. Next Chapter we'll have some more of the brothers together, then they meet a certain white haired vampire.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

"So, this is where you ran off to?"

Vergil's chopsticks stopped halfway to his mouth. His already sour expression seemed to get worse as he let his hand drop. His lunch break had just started and he had chosen to leave the school to eat. The primary reason being the students. He was accosted on his way out of the library by numerous female students, who were all trying to ask him to go eat with them. When he turned away and left them behind, he was then met by numerous male students. Who were all trying to challenge him to a duel of some sort.

Another time, Vergil would've taken delight in showing them their place.

As it stood?

He simply wanted to eat in peace. But it seemed his brother had other plans.

His utensils gently hit the black plastic bowl that he had in his lap. Looking up at the familiar voice he had heard made him sigh in frustration, "Why are you here, Dante?"

Dante shrugged, "Didn't see you in the student's lunch room or the Teacher's Lounge. So, I went looking and found you sitting out here on a bench. Looking to all the world like a sad old man who's family doesn't visit anymore."

The younger Sparda brother chuckled while lifting the square cardboard box he held in his right hand up. He tossed it up a little, letting it land on his finger before pushing one of the edges. Like his brother, he had been accosted by numerous students on the way here. Unlike Vergil, though, his students were mostly young men. Who were all asking him for relationship advice, or how to be "cool" like he was. He did what he could to answer their questions, but needed to slip away to meet his brother for lunch.

The box began to spin on his finger while Dante stared down at Vergil. He looked at the bowl in his brother's lap then frowned, "The heck are you eating?"

"Some of the local cuisine. A bowl of ramen noodles with egg and chicken broth," he lifted some of the still hot noodles with his chopsticks for Dante to see, "It is supposed to be rather filling. And gives me an excuse to practice using chopsticks."

"Pfft, seriously?" Dante rolled his eyes. He sat down next to Vergil on an empty side of the bench and placed the box in his lap. He made a show of lifting the lid while staring Vergil in the eyes, "How about you put the sticks down and enjoy a little taste of home with your brother? Feast your eyes on this baby."

He popped open the box's lid. From within a large waft of steam flew into the air, along with the smell of Dante's favorite dish; A pizza from the human world with everything on it...except olives.

Dante took a deep whiff of the cheesy concoction. He let out a happy sigh as memories of home began to surface, "Oooohhh boy. Been too long since I had a slice of this good stuff."

He picked up a slice and immediately bit into it. Vergil watched his brother's sloppy eating with disgust on his face. He scoffed before going back to his own meal, "Must you put such horrid things inside your body? Our demon blood does much for us, but we must still take care of ourselves."

Dante, after licking what was left off his fingers, glanced at Vergil. He raised an eyebrow, "You sure about that? I've been eating this stuff since I was a teen. And my body hasn't slowed down on me yet."

"Yet," Vergil countered.

"Like you're one to talk. Based on what the kid told me, before you got your new bod, you were limping around like a 100 year old man," Dante leaned forward while placing a hand on his back. He spoke in a poor imitation of an older gentleman, "Oh, Nero. Ya mind helpin' out your old man for old times' sake? Aye just be needin' to borrow your arm for a second. Just need to take the Yam'a'to and split myself into two beings. Nothin' too crazy."

Vergil groaned at his brother's antics. He was thankful that no one was there to see them. The two fell into silence for a moment. The only sounds being either one eating their respective meals.

"So," Dante broke the silence. The pizza was already half gone when he started talking again, "what do you think Nero's doing right now?"

Vergil stopped eating for a moment. He slowly moved his chopsticks down while turning his head up towards the clouds. His expression became softer as he thought of his...son. He had since accepted the fact that Nero was his offspring. But...

"I...I believe he is doing fine," Vergil replied.

"Don't sound like it," Dante said, taking a slice of pizza out and offering it to Vergil. Vergil moved his head away from the offered food. Shrugging, Dante put the pizza back in the box and closed it. He leaned back against the bench while sighing, "Sounds more like you're still unsure about how you should feel about the kid being yours."

"I assure you that is not the case."

"Really? Then what's the first thing you're gonna do with your son when you get back?"

"...."

"That's what I thought."

Vergil huffed while glaring at his brother, "Then enlighten me, dear brother, what should I do with Nero we return to our world? Since you seem so knowledgeable about him. Certainly you know his likes and dislikes?"

Dante looked up at the clouds, "Hmm. Well, a good first step would be talk to the kid about his mother. Maybe explain why you hooked up with her."

"Is this your attempt at getting me to speak of that night?"

"So it happened at night did it?"

"Urgh," Vergil groaned and turned away from the grinning Dante. He shook his head as he replied, "As I stated, that was a long time ago. And I have no interest in talking about it with you."

"OK," Dante's expression hardened, "But I'm being serious about the kid. Never told me straight up what his life was like, but couldn't have been fun. You and I both know what it's like to grow up without parents."

Vergil flinched at Dante's words. He hung his head while steepling his hands together, "Yes. You are...correct. But at the time I...I didn't know how long I had left. Remaining in one place was...foolish."

"But you left the Yamato?"

"If I couldn't be there for my son in body, then perhaps I could be there in spirit. And it ensured that, should anything happen to one of us, Sparda's lineage would continue in some manner. Hopefully a better one than either of us have left behind."

"Hey now," Dante turned to regard Vergil fully, "I hope you're speaking for yourself there. I'm not the one who put the world at risk not once, but twice."

"And what have you been doing outside of living in a dingy, rundown building, barely able to keep paying for your electricity?" Vergil raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, I fight demons for a living. It just so happens we were in a dry spell before you showed up," was Dante's reply.

"That is not what that human Morrison told me," Vergil didn't smirk, but Dante could hear the smugness in his brother's tone of voice.

Dante waved his brother's words off. He chose to change the subject, "Speaking of home, any progress on finding us a way back?"

"It has been less than a day, Dante. Did you honestly believe I could make any significant progress within that amount of time?"

"I do have a pretty high bar set for you, older brother."

Vergil huffed and shook his head, "I must disappoint you then. I am making progress. But nothing concrete yet. Simply theories and basics on how the magic of this world works."

"Alright...oh, did the Student Council President come talk to you?"

"That depends. Do you speak of the part-human with an invisible shape-shifter as an ally?"

"Part-human, eh? Thought he smelled weird," Dante shook his head, "If I were a betting man, I'd put money on the two of them having some big evil plan in mind. And I'd wager the two of us are gonna be some mighty big wrenches in it."

"You can choose to be. I will not be getting involved. As, if they are as intelligent as they believe themselves to be, they will not bother me with their plans," Vergil stated without a hint of emotion.

Dante shook his head, "Should've seen that coming."

The two lapsed into silence.

"You know, I think this is the first time we've managed to talk without trying to kill each other afterward."

"If you do not consider our childhood...then you would correct."

"Huh...feels pretty good."

"...I agree".

More silence.

"So, about the kid's mother..."

"No."

---

Dante yawned as he walked towards the entrance to Yokai Academy. To his right, Vergil was walking with that same book from before in his hand. Yesterday had come and gone after lunch with little fanfare. The only other teacher that Dante ran into was a woman named Ririko. A woman with a taste in outfits that reminded him of Trish. That class wasn't nearly as eventful as Kitty Cat's. Though that might just be because it was math. He kind of blanked everything after his introduction out of his head.

When school finally let out, he and Vergil had to confront something they both forgot about: Where they would be sleeping. Bereft of any options, they decided to go to a few empty dorm rooms in the male dorms. Gramps said it was fine so they went with it.

The result?

"So, when are we getting our first paycheck?" Dante asked, rubbing one of his eyes to get the sleep out of it.

Vergil answered without looking up from his book, "The end of this week. So we have five more days before we receive any monetary compensation."

"Wait, five?" Dante looked at this brother in confusion, "Doesn't the weekend start in four days?"

"Japanese schools do not consider Saturday a weekend break day. Only Sunday," Vergil explained without looking up from his book.

Dante sighed while shaking his head, "Great. Guess we're gonna be sleeping in those crappy dorms for a bit longer...unless Gramps wouldn't mind us taking some trips to the human world to see about getting our own places."

"That's assuming we will be able to gain yen without performing illegal actions. Unless you're suggesting we look into stealing money from others," Vergil, in spite of his tone of voice, did not actually mind the idea of taking money from others for their own benefit. It wasn't like he hadn't done it before.

Vergil leaned away to avoid Dante's attempt to pat his shoulder. Dante spoke regardless, "Don't you worry about that, brother of mine. Even if this place doesn't have any demons or devils to hunt, it is still a world filled with supernaturals and humans. Which means that there are people out there who need help dealing with some bad supernatural creatures. And we happen to have sets of skills particularly suited to that."

Vergil hummed and glanced up from his book. He tilted his head forward and to their left, "A fair point. But if you plan to investigate such things, I suggest you handle your current 'project' first."

Dante looked in the direction Vergil indicated. There, walking along with his head down and focusing on something in his left hand, was Tsukune Aono. In his right he carried a bag that probably had all his school supplies in it. Even from afar Dante could tell the kid was troubled. He was dragging his feet and mumbling things into the wind.

"Good point, Vergil. But you did forget one thing; That kid is 'our' project. Come on now," Dante managed to get his arm around Vergil's shoulder. Vergil tried to escape but Dante held firm. He just about dragged Vergil over to where Tsukune was. Then he put his other arm around the human boy's shoulder.

Tsukune let out a yelp before turning and seeing Dante's smiling face. He stammered out, "D-D-Dante?"

"Morning Lover Boy," Dante said, ignoring how Vergil managed to escape his grasp. He focused his all on Tsukune, eyes falling on the paper in the kid's left hand. He pointed a finger at the paper, "What's that ya got there? A love letter from you know who?"

Tsukune blushed fiercely while shaking his head, "No, no, no, no! It's...it's a withdrawal notice. I wrote it up last night. I was...debating whether I should give it to the principal."

"If you wrote it, then you must intend to give it over, boy," Vergil said without looking up from his book. He scoffed, "I thought you would've decided to leave. This school is no place for one such as you."

Tsukune's mood soured but he still spoke up, "Um, well...that's the thing. I...I'm not sure if I want to leave. I mean, yeah, this place is scary. But...but Moka-san...she really likes me. And she seemed so lonely so-"

Dante held up a hand, "Say no more, Lover Boy. I gotcha. Don't necessarily agree with your thought process, but I'm not here to force you into anything. But I hope you understand that, while my brother could've said it better, choosing to stay will put your life in serious danger."

Dante let the boy go. Tsukune started to rub the back of his neck with the back of his hand, "I...I know. But-"

"No, seriously, kid," Dante lowered his voice and narrowed his eyes at the human, "You could honestly die if you stay here. Be 100% certain before you make a decision. Alright?"

Tsukune yelped again when he saw Dante's face. He managed to shake it off before turning his head back to the withdrawal notice in his hand. He silently walked alongside the Sons Of Sparda for a few seconds. Then he started to speak up, "I...I want to-"

"Hey, wait up, Lover Boy."

Tsukune's body tensed up at the familiar voice. He stopped walking, Dante and Vergil following suit. They all turned to see Saizo leaning against the trunk of a broken tree to their right. The taller student stood up straight and started heading towards Tsukune. He did nothing to hide the threatening tone in his voice, "Looks like you had a lot of fun with Moka Akashiya yesterday. And you're gonna pay for it today!"

Tsukune backed up from the sight of the clearly angry student. But Saizo closed the distance between them quickly. He reached out for Tsukune's collar...only to be greeted by Dante's hand grabbing his wrist.

"This again, Blondey?" Dante chided the student while shaking his head, "Didn't I tell you to cut this out already? What made you think you could do it again just cause it was a new day?"

Saizo growled, pulling his arm away from Dante. Dante let him go while moving to stand in front of Tsukune. Saizo focused on the shorter boy, watching him cower behind Dante, "So, you're one of those kind of monsters huh? The weaklings who hide behind the coattails of others? You think you are worthy of a beauty such as Moka?!"

Tsukune made an attempt to reply, but all that came out was incoherent stammers. Dante spoke up while patting the human on the head, "Nothing wrong with asking for help from someone you trust. Especially since, you know, I'm a Teacher's Assistant? Students are supposed to come to me for stuff like this. Now, how about you run along to class Blondey? Do that and I won't bring this up with the Headmaster. Wouldn't want to see you expelled, now would we?"

Saizo laughed while flexing both of his hands, "You're rather naive teach. What makes you think I'd let you even get that far?"

Dante tilted his head, "Is that a threat, young man? You know you're not supposed to threaten faculty. It's against school rules."

Saizo laughed even harder, "Pfft, fuck school rules! It only matters if I get caught. And I won't get caught as long as I tear you apart!"

His body tensed as he prepared to charge at Dante. Tsukune made ready to yell a warning...when Dante disappeared.

Tsukune blinked.

Then Saizo blinked.

Then both turned to see Dante standing beside Saizo.

With the blonde monster's right hand in his own.

A smug smile was plastered on Dante's face. He shook Saizo's hand before speaking, "Seems like you need some serious punishment young man. In the form of TA Dante's Remedial Lessons."

"What the fuc-let go of me!" Saizo said, trying to pull away from Dante. This time Dante didn't let go.

Dante looked back at Vergil and Tsukune. He tilted his head towards the forest at the edge of school grounds, "Hey brother of mine? Mind taking over for me and watching over Lover Boy while I deal with this ruffian? Thanks. See ya!"

"I have agreed to no such thing," Vergil looked up from his book to yell after Dante. But his younger brother was already walking off, Saizo digging his heels into the ground as he tried to get away. Dante merely waved without looking back at Vergil. Then he and Saizo disappeared into the distance.

Tsukune and Vergil watched them go. Tsukune with confusion and awe on his face, Vergil with annoyance.

Then they both became aware of footsteps heading their way. They turned around to see Moka rushing their way.

Vergil felt his annoyance grow as the vampire girl threw her arms around Tsukune in a form of greeting.

He made a mental note to add this grievance to his list of things to get back at Dante for.

---

Saizo was a Monstrel. Also known as an Orc in some human mythologies.

He was a monster of mixed lineage, with his father and mother being two different types of monsters. His exact race is so muddied that calling him an Orc isn't entirely correct. Thus the title "Monstrel" among the monster races.

Despite this he is still a powerful monster. With immense strength that he has used to, by his own admission, molest other human women before coming to Yokai Academy. While not the strongest, this power is something that he takes pride in.

That pride was currently being shattered as Dante landed another punch that sent the kid flying into a tombstone.

And then through it.

And then the five other tombstones behind it.

"High score!" Dante cheered while pumping his fist in the air. He had dragged Saizo away from school ground and into a graveyard that no one seemed to be visiting. At least, he guessed no one had visited it. The plants overgrowing some of the grave markers were a bit of a giveaway. Point was that he doubted anybody would be coming by to check this place out any time soon. Which meant he was free to cause a bit of a ruckus.

Across from him, trying to get his feet under him, was Saizo in his true form. A massive monster with sickly brown skin, bone spikes sticking out of his shoulders, long messy blonde hair on his head, and a long tongue sticking out of a mouth full of fangs. His pants, miraculously, had remained intact despite his sudden growth spurt. Unlike his eyes that had turned into white voids with no pupils in them. He grunted in pain as he stood up, legs trembling beneath him.

Dante dusted his hands off while staring at the monster, "Your legs are shaking, Buck Teeth. What happened to all that bravado and confidence from earlier? Did it go out of with my first light jab?"

Dante mimed jabbing his right arm forward for emphasis. Saizo stared at the Teacher's Assistant, mind racing as he tried to make sense of what was going on. He spoke, voice barely steady as he asked, "What the hell are you? How...how can you be this strong...and not even be in your true form? Are...are you an SS Rank Monster?"

Dante shrugged, "Don't know nothing about no ranks. Just know that I'm a pretty strong fella. Been in my fair share scrapes and come out on top every time. So, how about you give up and come with me to the principals office? I'll tell them to go easy on ya."

"D-Don't mock me!" Saizo roared before stomping towards Dante. He uses one clawed hand to dig up dirt and toss it in Dante's direction. Then he sped through the debris while swiping towards his target's right.

Once more, he heard a loud "Ding" and saw a flash of red. Then he felt pain shoot through his abdomen as he was launched back yet again.

Dante stood in the cloud of dust, no worse for wear. He brushed the dirt off his clothes as he spoke, "Careful with the jacket, Buck Teeth. I've only got the one."

"This...this doesn't make any sense," Saizo panted out as he got to his feet, "You're...if you're this strong...why the hell are you protecting that fucking weakling Aono!?"

"Like I said. I'm a Teacher's Assistant. I'm just doing my job," Dante crossed his arms, "Besides, no one likes a bully. Specially not me. Now, this'll be your last chance, kid. Stand down."

"Fuck you!" Saizo roared before charging at Dante again. His muscles bulged obscenely as he prepared for one last attack. He shouted as he charged, "Try and survive this attack! If I put my all into one strike, I'm strong enough to crush steel! You're done!"

Dante stood his ground while rolling his eyes. He figured the kid wouldn't stop unless he was brought down. He looked down at his hands, flexing them as he checked the amount of energy he had built up from the exchange. It only been going on for about four minutes. With Saizo doing the same thing over and over again. Attacking Dante, being blocked by a Royal Guard parry, then Dante hitting him with an unpowered jab to the stomach. By his count, including the previous time he parried, he had blocked the kid about five times now. From that he could feel that he had stored up about...a fourth or third of his maximum Royal Release power?

Should be more than enough to knock big, mean, and ugly here.

His decision made, Dante waited for the kid to attack once again. He bent forward while making a "Bring it" gesture with one hand, "Come on! Show me what ya got!"

Saizo growled in frustration. He closed the distance and swiped at Dante with both of his claws. The massive hands were far wider than the Devil Hunter's body, and came at him from both sides. Anyone else would be panicking or looking for a way to dodge.

Dante simply grinned. He took up his stance, waited for the last second before the attack connected, and then he parried. As the red aura of Royal Guard encompassed his body, he curled his right hand into a fist and extended it towards Saizo's face. Then he released all the energy he had stored up.

Saizo didn't truly understand what happened next. All he knew was that, one moment, he had seen that strange red light again. But this time it seemed to grow brighter.

The next moment, a fist had connected with his jaw and sent him flying into the air. He fell unconscious before he even hit the ground with a thump. Dante, smile on his face, dusted his hands again. He placed them on his hips as he stood triumphantly looking down on Saizo's knocked out form, "And that's that. I'll leave ya to cool off a bit, Buck Teeth. Don't worry though. I'll tell Kitty Cat where I left ya. She'll come pick you up after that. I, in the meantime, need to get back to my bro-"

A large explosion of power came from behind Dante. He slowly turned around, head tilted in confusion as he beheld a large pillar of energy shooting into the sky. Bats flew around the pillar, chirping in delight as if they had found an all you can drink human buffet.

"...That's where Vergil is, isn't it?" Dante groaned out. He shrugged while walking back towards his brother, "Better go see what he's done this time."

As Dante head towards the Academy, two other figures made their way out of the forest. They headed towards the unconscious Saizo. One grabbed the Monstrel's legs and began to drag him away from the area.

---

"...Well, I didn't expect this."

Dante crossed his arms as he looked upon the sight before him. It turned out that Vergil had taken Tsukune away from school grounds as well. The pillar he had seen had disappeared after a few moments, but the source of the energy hadn't disappeared. Which is what allowed him to find the three of them.

Yeah, three.

Apparently, Fangs had decided to tag-a-long with the two of them. Likely to say hello to Lover Boy. But something seems to happened. Dante wasn't sure what that "something" was. But he could certainly see the result of the event.

That result being?

Tsukune sitting on the ground with his mouth gaped open in stunned silence.

Fangs, now with silver hair and looking far more aggressive than before, staring at his brother with the same expression that Tsukune has on her face.

And Vergil.

Who was staring at something in his right hand.

While his left arm was easily blocking what was clearly a kick from Fangs.

---

Fun Fact about Saizo for those who are Anime Only:

His parents? Complete creation of the Anime. They don't show up at all in the Manga. The guy actually tries to fight Tsukune and Moka again, this time teaming up with the (not yet known) ANTI-THESIS in an attempt to kill the (now a Ghoul/Vampire) Tsukune and molest Moka. He, of course, fails....and then gets killed by the leader of this branch of ANTI-THESIS for his failure.

Yeah.

Quite a change from having a fat ass mother and father.

Said father being a former harem protag who Kuramu and Mizore's mothers attempt to get with. Only for him to choose a third, completely unrelated girl.

But yeah.

Next Chapter: Vergil goes off on Tsukune and Moka, Inner Moka gets humbled, and Vergil gets angry at the Headmaster.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

"I have agreed to no such thing," Vergil looked up from his book to yell after Dante. But his younger brother was already walking off, Saizo digging his heels into the ground as he tried to get away. Dante merely waved without looking back at Vergil. Then he and Saizo disappeared into the distance.

Tsukune and Vergil watched them go. Tsukune with confusion and awe on his face, Vergil with annoyance.

Then they both became aware of footsteps heading their way. They turned around to see Moka rushing their way.

Vergil felt his annoyance grow as the vampire girl threw her arms around Tsukune in a form of greeting. She spoke in her normal, kind tone of voice, "Morning, Tsukune! If we don't hurry, we're gonna be late."

With a scoff, Vergil elected to walk a few paces ahead of the two. He would stay close enough to hear the two, but otherwise would try to ignore them. He had not agreed to watch the two while Dante was gone. Thus he wouldn't go out of his way to keep them in sight. Mentally adding this to his list of grievances against Dante, he began to focus his attention on the book in his hand. He had managed to reach a chapter discussing the possible uses of sealing magic.

"Uawww," Tsukune couldn't hide the uncertainty in his face as he stepped away from Moka.

Moka hummed while staring at Tsukune, not hiding the curiosity in her eyes. Her gaze fell onto the letter in Tsukune's hand. She leaned over his shoulder to get a closer look, "What's that? Is it a letter to someone?"

Vergil hummed as a particular passage caught his interest. The book detailed how sealing magic could, in theory, be used to seal away more than simply a Yokai's strength. Other possible uses included sealing away memories, body parts, even someone's personality could be locked away. However, the book stressed that such things could only be done by someone skilled in the art of sealing magic. And those were few and far between. Even among Yokai. And everything it stated was merely theoretical.

Vergil committed the knowledge to memory anyway. He wasn't sure how this world's magic would affect him and Dante. The last thing they needed was for someone to seal them away. While he doubted it would hold them forever, it would increase the amount of time they spent in this world by months at the least.

He was briefly brought from his musings by a loud gasp from the vampire. He frowned as she spoke with surprise and worry in her voice, "A withdrawal notice!? Why...is something wrong, Tsukune?"

Tsukune turned away from Moka to look at the dusty earth beneath his feet. A nervous chuckle left his mouth as he spoke, "It's...I...I can't help it, Moka! This school is just too scary for me! I'm thinking of leaving and going to a human school."

Vergil clicked his tongue at the boy's foolish statement. He should be thankful that the vampire likely misconstrued his words. Otherwise she'd have figured out what he actually was.

As if to confirm his thoughts, Moka shouted to Tsukune, "No way. You can't go off to some human school. I hate those humans!"

"...Huh!?" Tsukune sounded schocked by Moka's words. Vergil kept walking, starting to get further away from the two. They had made it halfway to the school gate by this point, and Vergil had already decided to leave the two behind. They had made it to school. They should be safe enough that Dante couldn't complain if he left them behind. He caught Moka speaking of her time at a human middle school where they insulted her for saying she was a monster. After that, he got far enough away that he couldn't hear them anymore.

At least when they were speaking at a normal volume.

But he could still hear the human boy when he yelled, "I am a human! Through some kind of mistake I ended up being let into this school, but I'm different from you!"

Vergil had to resist the urge to drag his free hand across his face. He knew the boy was stupid, but this exceeded all of his original expectations. No matter how much he may like that girl, yelling that he's a human at a school for Yokai is asking for death. He should be glad that they took so long getting to school that most of the student body are in the building already. Otherwise, he would've been torn limb from limb...or Vergil would've had to intervene. If only to stop Dante from making a fuss over the death of his student.

He heard more shouting but put it out of his mind. He was ten paces away from the entrance to the school. That's all he needed to focus on. That and his book. Just a bit more and he'd be back in-

"Vergil-sensei!" he felt someone slam into his back. He hardly moved while they fell backwards into the dirt, "Ah! Ow!"

Knowing it was the vampire, he stopped walking but didn't turn to look at her, "What is it?"

Moka quickly got to her feet and ran to Vergil's front. Her eyes were wide with panic as she spoke, "I need your help! Tsukune he...he just ran off towards the school gate!"

"Yes....and?" Vergil didn't sound the least bit interested.

"We-we need to go after him! We need to stop him from-"

"Why? Isn't he one of those humans you said you hated?" the vampire flinched at Vergil's cold tone. He didn't bother looking at her as he started walking towards the school again, "If he is leaving, then all the better for everyone involved. He isn't in danger of dying, while you and your fellow monsters can rest easy knowing he's gone."

Caught off guard by Vergil's blatant dismissal, Moka took a moment to get her breath back. When she did, she was quick to yell after Vergil, "But-but-you-you're one of the staff! Shouldn't you stop him!?"

"I am a Librarian. Not a teacher. It is not my place to ensure a student who does not want to be here remains," he was seven paces from the school now.

"But what if he really does leave?"

"What would be the harm in that?"

"Then he'll go to a human school!"

"I still fail to see the problem."

"But if that happens then...then...I won't ever see him again!"

Vergil stopped three steps away from the school's threshold. He didn't turn to look at Moka as he spoke, "Then was what you said before not true? Do you not truly hate humans?"

Moka, surprised that he actually stopped to listen to her, took a moment to realize what he said. When his words registered she found her original worry replaced by uncertainty. She started to fidget in place while looking at the ground, both of her hands curled into fist in front of her chest. Her voice trembled as she spoke, "That's....I....I mean....I don't know."

"Is it just him then? Are you willing to make an exception for that boy?"

The thought of Tsukune gave Moka a little courage. She looked up and nodded her head, "I...yes. Yes, I am."

"Why?"

"Because...because he was the first person to accept me for who I am. Not what I am or what people think I am. At the human school, everyone made fun of me for being a monster. Everyone hated me and treated me like I was delusional. I thought coming to Yokai Academy would change things. And while I certainly feel more welcome here...it hasn't exactly been what I thought it would be."

She bit her lip as she gathered her thoughts. Vergil stood patiently awaiting her next words. Her tone grew steadier as she spoke, "When I tell the other students that I'm a vampire...they all start treating me differently. Boys want to go out with me, girls flock around me and give me gifts, everyone treats me like I'm someone really special. I know I should feel grateful for the attention, but I can't help but feel like nothing's changed. Everyone's still treating me differently. No one's accepted me for me...except for Tsukune."

Moka placed a hand over her heart as she continued, "When I told him I was a vampire, he didn't run away. At first, I thought it was because he was a Yokai with a kind heart. But now, knowing he's human...it actually makes me happier. He knew I was a monster. Someone who feeds on human blood...but he didn't run away. He only ran away when I said I hated humans. He was willing to be my friend despite what I am. So, that's why...that's why I want to keep going to this school with him. So, please help me, Vergil-sensei!"

Moka performed a full body bow to Vergil's back. Vergil remained silent for a few moments. Then he spoke once again, "You must know that, should he continue going to this Academy, his life will be in danger?"

Moke looked up at Vergil's back. When he felt her staring at him, he continued, "This is a school for Yokai. Many of these Yokai are known to kill and eat humans. Sometimes for sport. That Saizo student that my brother dragged away is but one of the aggressive kind. There will be more. Some that aren't as obvious as he was. Even if they don't learn that he is a human, Saizo has proven that students are willing to attack each other and staff to get what they want. If Tsukune stays here, there is a high chance that he will die."

"But you and Dante-sensei-"

"I am not that boy's guardian. And my brother will not always be there to protect him. Knowing that, would you still ask for him to stay? If so, then what will you do to ensure his survival?"

Moka went silent. She was at a loss for words. If Tsukune died because she wanted him to stay, could she bare knowing that? That she was the reason he had lost his life? Her mind raced with worry, panic beginning to set in. How was she supposed to answer Vergil? What could she say to him? How could she keep Tsukune from-

"I'll protect him."

She was stunned even as she said the words. Yet she continued to speak, "I-I-I can't fight. But I'm a vampire. I'm really strong. And-And while I don't like to hurt people...I don't want to let Tsukune get hurt. Not if I can do anything about it!

"And if your strength turns out to not be enough?"

"Then I'll get stronger! However I can! If it means keeping Tsukune safe, then I'll get strong enough to protect him from everything. So...so...please, Vergil-sensei!" Moka went back to bowing, closing her eyes as she awaited Vergil's answer.

Vergil was silent for two minutes. Then he closed his book in a single motion, "Passable. Foolish. But passable. I shall assist you."

"Really?!" quick as a flash Moka straightened herself up. Her eyes snapped open to see Vergil turning around to face her. She ran forward to hug him, "Thank you so much, Vergil-se-"

Vergil stopped her by putting his hand on her face. She backed up while holding her stinging nose. Vergil stared at her with indifference, "Do not touch me without my permission. Now I suggest you follow close behind. We must catch him before he reaches the bus to the human world."

Orders given, Vergil wasted no time fast walking in the direction Tsukune went. It was easy enough to follow the boy. He had done little to disguise the footprints he left behind. Moka, still massaging her nose, followed Vergil while yelling for him to wait for her.

---

Just got this done tonight. Have it to prove I'm still in this.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Tsukune stood at the bus stop with his bags in his hands. He didn't even bother with the withdrawal notice. He just ran to his dorm room, got his things, then headed towards the bus stop. His fear of the school had come in handy, as he hadn't bothered to unpack any of the bags he brought with him. Made it easy to simply grab them and rush his way towards the bus stop.

This was it. He was going to wait for the bus, get on it, head home, then get his parents to put into a normal school. He didn't belong here and would be much happier somewhere else. Somewhere that didn't have students that wanted to kill him at it. It would be fine.

Yet, even as his mind kept telling him that, he found himself turning his eyes back towards the Academy. An image of Moka flashed across his face. The pain in her eyes when he had run off. The way she shied away from him when he said he was human. What she had told him on the roof about her rosary.

...He would be better off leaving...right?

He shook his head and turned back towards the dark tunnel that would lead him home. He leaned forward, frowning down the tunnel. The bus should've been here by now. What was taking it so long? It's not like there was another bus stop anywhere near here. Unless that bus driver was hiding something from-

"Tsukune!" the human boy nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned towards the school to see Moka rushing towards him. One of her hands was held up as she ran, an expression of panic on her face. Behind her, Vergil was walking at a leisurely pace with a bored expression on his face. He ran a hand through his hair when an errant breeze blew a lock out of place.

"M-M-Moka-san?" Tsukune unconsciously stepped towards the vampire as she ran towards him. He moved forward, mouth gaping as he watched the pink haired girl close the distance between them. Then he noticed that she wasn't stopping even when she was ten paces away from him. His eyes went wide and he threw his hands up, "Waitwaitwaitwai-"

His words went unheeded as Moka tackled him to the ground. He felt the wind get knocked out of him as he experienced the vampire's physical power. The two hit the ground in a heap, Tsukune losing his grip on his luggage and it hitting the dusty earth along with him. He saw stars for a moment, before his breathing was suddenly cut off as Moka hugged him close to her chest.

"Don't go!" she shouted, while pressing the human closer, "I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it. I...I don't want you to go! Please stay Tsukune!"

"Hmmmmmppphhh!" was his muffled reply. His arms flailed around as he struggled to breathe around Moka's strength and assets. She didn't seem to notice and increased her grip on the boy. Tsukune's flailing got worse but he had no way to get out of the vampire's grasp.

He was saved by Vergil grabbing the vampire by her shirt collar. The Son Of Sparda carried Moka in one hand, holding her like one would a small dog with little difficulty. Tsukune gulped down lungfuls of sweet air, while Vergil stared disapprovingly at Moka. The Son Of Sparda spoke in an unamused tone of voice, "Be wary of your own strength. You do not wish to crush the boy, do you?"

"N-no," Moka said while pressing her fingers together, "Sorry, Vergil-sensei. Yo-You can let me down now. Please?"

Vergil unceremoniously let the vampire drop. A cute squeak left her mouth as she hit the ground. She got to her feet while dusting off her skirt and legs. Vergil turned to the still gasping Tsukune. His tone didn't change even as he addressed the human, "She wishes to speak with you, boy. I'd suggest you listen."

"Wha-what?" Tsukune got to his feet as he glanced between Moka and Vergil. He eventually settled them onto Moka. Her cute face and bubbly expression made him flinch. He turned away from her, frowing as he spoke, "What more is there to say? I'm a human, remember? She wants nothing to do with me."

A hurt expression came over Moka's face. She turned to Vergil but found no help there. The Son Of Sparda merely rolled his eyes before waving towards the human boy. Gathering her courage Moka straightened herself up. Then she bowed deeply to Tsukune, "I'm sorry! I...I think about what I said. Tsukune you...I...I don't hate you. I can't bring myself to hate you. Even if you are human."

"Why?" Tsukune didn't sound upset, but truly curious as to her answer.

"Because...because you didn't run away," Moka straightened up to look Tsukune in the eyes, "You didn't run away when I told you I was a vampire. You didn't care about that. You just...you just wanted to be my friend. And I...I want to be your friend too. Even if I'm a vampire, and you're human. I...I want it to work between us. Because I've never...I've never really had a friend before and you...you..."

"She wishes to become your companion," Vergil cut in when it was clear Moka was going to make this far harder than it needed to be. Both of the high schoolers went silent as he stepped forward. He waved a hand at Tsukune, "You believe the same, do you not? You have told Dante and I multiple times that being this girl's friend is enough to keep you in a Yokai infested Academy. While that is not nearly sufficient enough in my eyes, I will not stop you from making that decision. And if this vampire wishes the same, then why not reciprocate?"

Caught off guard by Vergil's sudden interruption, Tsukune was temporarily stunned. He blinked twice as he stared in confusion at the Librarian, "Vergil-sensei. But...I thought you didn't care-"

"I do not," Vergil pointed a finger towards Moka, "But she has shown that she has the will and resolve to protect you while you are here. Or at least the start of it."

Tsukune felt a combination of surprise and gratefulness fill his heart. He slowly turned to look at Moka. She turned her eyes away while kicking at the ground, cheeks red in embarrassment. Feeling his own face getting hotter, Tsukune turned back to Vergil, "She...she said she would...protect me?"

"And I see that as enough reason to help her convince you. Of course, another question remains: What will you do?"

"Huh?"

"If you choose to stay at this Academy, do you plan to allow this vampire to defend you forever? Do you believe that she can overcome every obstacle that will come your way? Are you willing to sit back and be protected while she faces danger after danger?"

"N-N-No! I don't want to see her hurt," Tsukune bit his lip, "But...but I can't fight. I'm just-"

"Then do as she has said she would. Gain power," Vergil lifted his hand up, palm first, then started curling it into a fist, "Consider your options. Discover the best way to improve yourself. Then take it. Get stronger. Obtain the power you need. For power is-"

Vergil stopped.

In an instant he remembered what happened during the times he followed through that statement. Every time he gave up everything for the pursuit of power.

He defeated Dante in their first battle...then lost in their third.

He lost to Mundus and was forced to become a servant to that Demon.

He managed to survive, stole his son's arm, then used the Yamato to split his two halves apart. His demonic half became truly powerful, even managing to defeat Dante yet again...but even after he devoured the Qliphoth Fruit, he still lost to Dante.

It was only after he accepted his human side that he managed to match him. And even then he still lost to his son.

All his plans were foiled time and time again. He lost to his supposedly weaker brother time and time again. And, at the end, was pursuing power at all cost truly what gave him the strength he had now?

No...it was acceptance.

Acceptance of his once thought weak human half.

In the present, Vergil let his hand fall to his side. He remained silent long enough that Tsukune and Moka started getting worried. He briefly hummed as he thought of what to say to the boy. Eventually, he spoke with uncertainty in his voice, "Power...is not everything. Simply seeking it...will not bring you happiness or fulfillment. Do not seek power for its own sake. Down that path lies little but ruin. Seek power to defend those you care for."

"Vergil-sensei," Tsukune reached out a hand to grab Vergil's shoulder. But Vergil stepped away from him and turned his back. Tsukune pulled his hand back then frowned. He thought about the Librarian's words for a moment. Then he closed his eyes and nodded, "Alright. OK. Thank you, Vergil-sensei. I'll...I'll be sure to get stronger. For Moka-san's sake."

"You mean...you're going to stay?!" Moka said, hoping beyond hope that it was true. When Tsukune nodded she surged forward and pulled him into another bone crushing hug, "Yaaaayyy!~ Tsukune!~ Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Y-Y-You're wel-come-Moka-san," Tsukune managed through the vampire's crushing embrace.

Vergil shook his head while keeping his back turned to the students. Dante was starting to rub off on him. He sighed before taking his book back out and holding it in his left hand. Perhaps now he could read in peace. He opened it to the last page he was on and continued to read. The text continued detailing the theory of how sealing magic could be used on things other than powers. It discussed how, even if the user was skilled at sealing magic, sealing requires an object to act the primary "Lock" alongside a "Key" for what has been sealed. Any object will do, but ones considered "holy" or "supernatural" work best. This includes prayer beads, paper talismans, rosaries, pendants and-

Vergil paused on that last sentence. He went back to how it mentioned rosaries. Images of the rosaries across the Headmaster's body flashed through his mind...then he remembered who else has a rosary on their person.

"Thanks for helping me, Vergil-sensei," Moka said with a bow. The rosary on her chest shook as she stood up. Tsukune was standing on her right, rising from his own bow. The two began to walk passed Vergil's right side, "We'll be heading back to class now. We'll see you later."

"Hold," Vergil reached out and grabbed Moka's rosary. The vampire gasped as the Son Of Sparda pulled her over to him. He lifted the rosary up while putting his book away, "I must examine this."

"Aaahh! Vergil-sensei, what are you doing?" Moka said while trying to pry Vergil's hand off her rosary, "Please don't touch that! It's important to me."

But Vergil didn't listen. He kept his eyes focused on the object in his palm. With a thought he fed some of his own demonic power into the object. It seemed to spark for a moment but nothing else occurred. He grunted, "Hmm. Perhaps it requires a specific key? What could that be?"

"Le-L-Let her go!" Tsukune appeared at Vergil's side and grabbed the older's man's wrists. He tried to pull Vergil away but accomplished little save for making his own arms hurt. Moka, seeing Tsukune try to help her, redoubled her efforts to no avail. The situation was almost comical, in a way. Two high schoolers, one a pink haired vampire girl, and the other a normal human boy, failing as they attempted to pull an older man's hand off a rosary.

Seeing that the rosary wasn't going to be removed easily, Vergil let the object go...just as Tsukune put his right hand on top of Vergil's. When Vergil moved his hand away, Tsukune's fell onto the rosary.

It came off with the sound of a latch being unlocked.

Instantly, the immediate area around Moka exploded into a huge pillar of energy. Bats appeared from no where, while birds took the skies in a panic. Moka's body floated in the pillar as her hair shot straight up towards the sky. It quickly changed color from pink to white as power surged through her form. Tsukune fell onto his backside, eyes wide as dinner plates as he watched Moka transform.

Vergil paid it no mind.

He immediately grabbed the rosary while it was mid-fall. Then he turned his back on the transforming Moka and began to examine the object. His brows furrowed as he started feeding demonic energy into the rosary. This time he received some feedback. It wasn't much. Just bits and pieces of what the seal on the object was like. But he could tell that something was different about it. That this was no normal seal.

"M-M-Moka-san?" Tsukune said, eyes watching as Moka landed on her feet. She had on hand on her hip, while her now red eyes stared examined her surroundings. They temporarily landed on Tsukune, making his heart skip a beat as he locked eyes with her. He briefly felt like a fly standing before a hungry spider. Unable to move as his body locked up in fear.

Then Moka turned away and he returned to normal. He asked himself if this was really Moka-san. She felt...different. Stronger. More confident. As if she knew she was the strongest person in the room just by virtue of being herself.

"Hey, you," she pointed a finger at Vergil's back, "I don't know what the big idea is, but I'd suggest you give that back. Right now."

Vergil didn't even bother turning around. He kept his eyes firmly on the rosary.

Moka scowled, "Hey, I'm talking to you."

He didn't turn around.

A cocky chuckle escaped Moka's lips, "You must think you're pretty strong. Turning your back on a vampire who's speaking directly to you."

Still no response.

"Look, just give me back the rosary, and I'll let everything go. We can forget this ever happened."

No response.

Moka grit her teeth, "Fine then. Have it your way!"

In an instant, Moka kicked off the ground and launched herself at Vergil. Yokai power surged into her leg as she aimed it directly at the side of Vergil's head. Tsukune felt the earth shake as she attacked, the power of a vampire making him shiver in fear. Moka's blow flew towards Vergil at speeds that made her leg look invisible to Tsukune.

Vergil raised his left arm up to block.

And the attack instantly stopped.

There was no shockwave.

There was no rustling of Vergil's clothes.

He didn't even look at Moka to block the attack.

He just stopped it.

Moka and Tsukune stared in disbelief at what just occurred.

It was at this point that Dante finally returned.

---

Another sub-chapter, because I'm not done yet.

As stated, we have Moka's Humbling to go through, then the two getting mad at the Headmaster.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

"I have agreed to no such thing," Vergil looked up from his book to yell after Dante. But his younger brother was already walking off, Saizo digging his heels into the ground as he tried to get away. Dante merely waved without looking back at Vergil. Then he and Saizo disappeared into the distance.

Tsukune and Vergil watched them go. Tsukune with confusion and awe on his face, Vergil with annoyance.

Then they both became aware of footsteps heading their way. They turned around to see Moka rushing their way.

Vergil felt his annoyance grow as the vampire girl threw her arms around Tsukune in a form of greeting. She spoke in her normal, kind tone of voice, "Morning, Tsukune! If we don't hurry, we're gonna be late."

With a scoff, Vergil elected to walk a few paces ahead of the two. He would stay close enough to hear the two, but otherwise would try to ignore them. He had not agreed to watch the two while Dante was gone. Thus he wouldn't go out of his way to keep them in sight. Mentally adding this to his list of grievances against Dante, he began to focus his attention on the book in his hand. He had managed to reach a chapter discussing the possible uses of sealing magic.

"Uawww," Tsukune couldn't hide the uncertainty in his face as he stepped away from Moka.

Moka hummed while staring at Tsukune, not hiding the curiosity in her eyes. Her gaze fell onto the letter in Tsukune's hand. She leaned over his shoulder to get a closer look, "What's that? Is it a letter to someone?"

Vergil hummed as a particular passage caught his interest. The book detailed how sealing magic could, in theory, be used to seal away more than simply a Yokai's strength. Other possible uses included sealing away memories, body parts, even someone's personality could be locked away. However, the book stressed that such things could only be done by someone skilled in the art of sealing magic. And those were few and far between. Even among Yokai. And everything it stated was merely theoretical.

Vergil committed the knowledge to memory anyway. He wasn't sure how this world's magic would affect him and Dante. The last thing they needed was for someone to seal them away. While he doubted it would hold them forever, it would increase the amount of time they spent in this world by months at the least.

He was briefly brought from his musings by the loud gasp from the vampire. He frowned as she spoke with surprise and worry in her voice, "A withdrawal notice!? Why...is something wrong, Tsukune?"

Tsukune turned away from Moka to look at the dusty earth beneath his feet. A nervous chuckle left his mouth as he spoke, "It's...I...I can't help it, Moka! This school is just too scary for me! I'm thinking of leaving and going to a human school."

Vergil clicked his tongue at the boy's foolish statement. He should be thankful that the vampire likely misconstrued his words. Otherwise she'd have figured out what he actually was.

As if to confirm his thoughts, Moka shouted to Tsukune, "No way. You can't go off to some human school. I hate those humans!"

"...Huh!?" Tsukune sounded schocked by Moka's words. Vergil kept walking, starting to get further away from the two. They had made it halfway to the school gate by this point, and Vergil had already decided to leave the two behind. They had made it to school. They should be safe enough that Dante couldn't complain if he left them behind. He caught Moka speaking of her time at a human middle school where they insulted her for saying she was a monster. After that, he got far enough away that he couldn't hear them anymore.

At least their normal volume.

But he could still hear the human boy's yell, "I am a human! Through some kind of mistake I ended up being let into this school, but I'm different from you!"

Vergil had to resist the urge to drag his free hand across his face. He knew the boy was stupid, but this exceeded all of his original expectations. No matter how much he may like that girl, yelling that he's a human at a school for Yokai is asking for death. He should be glad that they took so long getting to school that most of the student body are in the building already. Otherwise, he would've been torn limb from limb...or Vergil would've had to intervene. If only to stop Dante from making a fuss over the death of his student.

He heard more shouting but put it out of his mind. He was ten paces away from the entrance to the school. That's all he needed to focus on. That and his book. Just a bit more and he'd be back in-

"Vergil-sensei!" he felt someone slam into his back. He hardly moved while they fell backwards into the dirt, "Ah! Ow!"

Knowing it was the vampire, he stopped walking but didn't turn to look at her, "What is it?"

Moka quickly got to her feet and ran to Vergil's front. Her eyes were wide with panic as she spoke, "I need your help! Tsukune he...he just ran off towards the school gate!"

"Yes....and?" Vergil didn't sound the least bit interested.

"We-we need to go after him! We need to stop him from-"

"Why? Isn't he one of those humans you said you hated?" the vampire flinched at Vergil's cold tone. He didn't bother looking at her as he started walking towards the school again, "If he is leaving, then all the better for everyone involved. He isn't in danger of dying, while you and your fellow monsters can rest easy knowing he's gone."

Caught off guard by Vergil's blatant dismissal, Moka takes a moment to get her breath back. When she does, she's quick to yell after Vergil, "But-but-you-you're one of the staff! Shouldn't you stop him!?"

"I am a Librarian. Not a teacher. It is not my place to ensure a student who does not want to be her remains," he was seven paces from the school now.

"But what if he really does leave?"

"What would be the harm in that?"

"Then he'll go to a human school!"

"I still fail to see the problem."

"But if that happens then...then...I won't ever see him again!"

Vergil stopped three steps away from the school's threshold. He didn't turn to look at Moka as he spoke, "Then was you said before not true? Do you not truly hate humans?"

Moka, surprised that he actually stopped to listen to her, took a moment to realize what he said. When his words registered she found her original worry replaced by uncertainty. She started to fidget in place while looking at the ground, both of her hands curled into fist in front of her chest. Her voice trembled as she spoke, "That's....I....I mean....I don't know."

"Is it just him then? Are you willing to make an exception for that boy?"

The thought of Tsukune gave Moka a little courage. She looked up and nodded her head, "I...yes. Yes, I am."

"Why?"

"Because...because he was the first to accept me. At the human school, everyone made fun of me for being a monster. Everyone hated me and treated me like I was delusional. I thought coming to Yokai Academy would change things. And while I certainly feel more welcome here...it hasn't exactly been what I thought."

She bit her lip as she gathered her thoughts. Vergil stood patiently awaiting her next words. Her tone grew steadier as she spoke, "When I tell the other students that I'm a vampire...they all start treating me differently. Boys want to go out with me, girls flock around me and give me gifts, everyone treats me like I'm someone really special. I know I should feel grateful for the attention, but I can't help but feel like nothing's changed. Everyone's still treating me differently. No one's accepted me for me...except for Tsukune."

Moka placed a hand over her heart as she continued, "When I told him I was a vampire, he didn't run away. At first, I thought it was because he was a Yokai with a kind heart. But now, knowing he's human...it actually makes me happier. He knew I was a monster. Someone who feeds on human blood...but he didn't run away. He only ran away when I said I hated humans. He was willing to be my friend despite what I am. So, that's why...that's why I want to keep going to this school with him. So, please help me, Vergil-sensei!"

Moka performed a full body bow to Vergil's back. Vergil remained silent for a few moments. Then he spoke once again, "You must know that, should he continue going to this Academy, his life will be in danger?"

Moke looked up at Vergil's back. When he felt her staring at him, he continued, "This is a school for Yokai. Many of these Yokai are known to kill and eat humans. Sometimes for sport. That Saizo student that my brother dragged away is but one of the aggressive kind. There will be more. Some that aren't as obvious as he was. Even if they don't learn that he is a human, Saizo has proven that students are willing to attack each other and staff to get what they want. If Tsukune stays here, there is a high chance that he will die."

"But you and Dante-sensei-"

"I am not that boy's guardian. And my brother will not always be there to protect him. Knowing that, would you still ask for him to stay? If so, then what will you do to ensure his survival?"

Moka went silent. She was at a loss for words. If Tsukune died because she wanted him to stay, could she bare knowing that? That she was the reason he had lost his life? Her mind raced with worry, panic beginning to set in. How was she supposed to answer Vergil? What could she say to him? How could she keep Tsukune from-

"I'll protect him."

She was stunned even as she said the words. Yet she continued to speak, "I-I-I can't fight. But I'm a vampire. I'm really strong. And-And while I don't like to hurt people...I don't want to let Tsukune get hurt. Not if I can do anything about it!

"And if your strength turns out to not be enough?"

"Then I'll get stronger! However I can! If it means keeping Tsukune safe, then I'll get strong enough to protect him from everything. So...so...please help me, Vergil-sensei!" Moka went back to bowing, closing her eyes as she awaited Vergil's answer.

Vergil was silent for two minutes. Then he closed his book in a single motion, "Passable. Foolish. But passable. I shall assist you."

"Really?!" quick as a flash Moka straightened herself up. Her eyes snapped open to see Vergil turning around to face her. She ran forward to hug him, "Thank you so much, Vergil-se-"

Vergil stopped her by putting his hand on her face. She backed up while holding her stinging nose. Vergil stared at her with indifference, "Do not touch me without my permission. Now I suggest you follow close behind. We must catch him before he reaches the bus to the human world."

Orders given, Vergil wasted no time fast walking in the direction Tsukune went. It was easy enough to follow the boy. He had done little to disguise the footprints he left behind. Moka, still massaging her nose, followed Vergil while yelling for him to wait for her.

---

Tsukune stood at the bus stop with his bags in his hands. He didn't even bother with the withdrawal notice. He just ran to his dorm room, got his things, then headed towards the bus stop. His fear of the school had come in handy, as he hadn't bothered to unpack any of the bags he brought with him. Made it easy to simply grab them and rush his way towards the bus stop.

This was it. He was going to wait for the bus, get on it, head home, then get his parents to put into a normal school. He didn't belong here and would be much happier somewhere else. Somewhere that didn't have students that wanted to kill him at it. It would be fine.

Yet, even as his mind kept telling him that, he found himself turning his eyes back towards the Academy. An image of Moka flashed across his face. The pain in her eyes when he had run off. The way she shied away from him when he said he was human. What she had told him on the roof about her rosary.

...He would be better off leaving...right?

He shook his head and turned back towards the dark tunnel that would lead him home. He leaned forward, frowning down the tunnel. The bus should've been here by now. What was taking it so long? It's not like there was another bus stop anywhere near here. Unless that bus driver was hiding something from-

"Tsukune!" the human boy nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned towards the school to see Moka rushing towards him. One of her hands was held up as she ran, an expression of panic on her face. Behind her, Vergil was walking at a leisurely pace with a bored expression on his face. He ran a hand through his hair when an errant breeze blew a lock out of place.

"M-M-Moka-san?" Tsukune unconsciously stepped towards the vampire as she ran towards him. He moved forward, mouth gaping as he watched the pink haired girl close the distance between them. Then he noticed that she wasn't stopping even when she was ten paces away from him. His eyes went wide and he threw his hands up, "Waitwaitwaitwai-"

His words went unheeded as Moka tackled him to the ground. He felt the wind get knocked out of him as he experienced the vampire's physical power. The two hit the ground in a heap, Tsukune losing his grip on his luggage and it hitting the dusty earth along with him. He saw stars for a moment, before his breathing was suddenly cut off as Moka hugged him close to her chest.

"Don't go!" she shouted, while pressing the human closer, "I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it. I...I don't want you to go! Please stay Tsukune!"

"Hmmmmmppphhh!" was his muffled reply. His arms flailed around as he struggled to breathe around Moka's strength and assets. She didn't seem to notice and increased her grip on the boy. Tsukune's flailing got worse but he had no way to get out of the vampire's grasp.

He was saved by Vergil grabbing the vampire by her shirt collar. The Son Of Sparda carried Moka in one hand, holding her like one would a small dog with little difficulty. Tsukune gulped down lungfuls of sweet air, while Vergil stared disapprovingly at Moka. The Son Of Sparda spoke in an unamused tone of voice, "Be wary of your own strength. You do not wish to crush the boy, do you?"

"N-no," Moka said while pressing her fingers together, "Sorry, Vergil-sensei. Yo-You can let me down now. Please?"

Vergil unceremoniously let the vampire drop. A cute squeak left her mouth as she hit the ground. She got to her feet while dusting off her skirt and legs. Vergil turned to the still gasping Tsukune. His tone didn't change even as he addressed the human, "She wishes to speak with you, boy. I'd suggest you listen."

"Wha-what?" Tsukune got to his feet as he glanced between Moka and Vergil. He eventually settled them onto Moka. Her cute face and bubbly expression made him flinch. He turned away from her, frowing as he spoke, "What more is there to say? I'm a human, remember? She wants nothing to do with me."

A hurt expression came over Moka's face. She turned to Vergil but found no help there. The Son Of Sparda merely rolled his eyes before waving towards the human boy. Gathering her courage Moka straightened herself up. Then she bowed deeply to Tsukune, "I'm sorry! I...I think about what I said. Tsukune you...I...I don't hate you. I can't bring myself to hate you. Even if you are human."

"Why?" Tsukune didn't sound upset, but truly curious as to her answer.

"Because...because you didn't run away," Moka straightened up to look Tsukune in the eyes, "You didn't run away when I told you I was a vampire. You didn't care about that. You just...you just wanted to be my friend. And I...I want to be your friend too. Even if I'm a vampire, and you're human. I...I want it to work between us. Because I've never...I've never really had a friend before and you...you..."

"She wishes to become your companion," Vergil cut in when it was clear Moka was going to make this far harder than it needed to be. Both of the high schoolers went silent as he stepped forward. He waved a hand at Tsukune, "You believe the same, do you not? You have told Dante and I multiple times that being this girl's friend is enough to keep you in a Yokai infested Academy. While that is not nearly sufficient enough in my eyes, I will not stop you from making that decision. And if this vampire wishes the same, then why not reciprocate?"

Caught off guard by Vergil's sudden interruption, Tsukune was temporarily stunned. He blinked twice as he stared in confusion at the Librarian, "Vergil-sensei. But...I thought you didn't care-"

"I do not," Vergil pointed a finger towards Moka, "But she has shown that she has the will and resolve to protect you while you are here. Or at least the start of it."

Tsukune felt a combination of surprise and gratefulness fill his heart. He slowly turned to look at Moka. She turned her eyes away while kicking at the ground, cheeks red in embarrassment. Feeling his own face getting hotter, Tsukune turned back to Vergil, "She...she said she would...protect me?"

"And I see that as enough reason to help her convince you. Of course, another question remains: What will you do?"

"Huh?"

"If you choose to stay at this Academy, do you plan to allow this vampire to defend you forever? Do you believe that she can overcome every obstacle that will come your way? Are you willing to sit back and be protected while she faces danger after danger?"

"N-N-No! I don't want to see her hurt," Tsukune bit his lip, "But...but I can't fight. I'm just-"

"Then do as she has said she would. Gain power," Vergil lifted his hand up, palm first, then started curling it into a fist, "Consider your options. Discover the best way to improve yourself. Then take it. Get stronger. Obtain the power you need. For power is-"

Vergil stopped.

In an instant he remembered what happened during the times he followed through that statement. Every time he gave up everything for the pursuit of power.

He defeated Dante in their first battle...then lost in their third.

He lost to Mundus and was forced to become a servant to that Demon.

He managed to survive, stole his son's arm, then used the Yamato to split his two halves apart. His demonic half became truly powerful, even managing to defeat Dante yet again...but even after he devoured the Qliphoth Fruit, he still lost to Dante.

It was only after he accepted his human side that he managed to match him. And even then he still lost to his son.

All his plans were foiled time and time again. He lost to his supposedly weaker brother time and time again. And, at the end, was pursuing power at all cost truly what gave him the strength he had now?

No...it was acceptance.

Acceptance of his once thought weak human half.

In the present, Vergil let his hand fall to his side. He remained silent long enough that Tsukune and Moka started getting worried. He briefly hummed as he thought of what to say to the boy. Eventually, he spoke with uncertainty in his voice, "Power...is not everything. Simply seeking it...will not bring you happiness or fulfillment. Do not seek power for its own sake. Down that path lies little but ruin. Seek power to defend those you care for."

"Vergil-sensei," Tsukune reached out a hand to grab Vergil's shoulder. But Vergil stepped away from him and turned his back. Tsukune pulled his hand back then frowned. He thought about the Librarian's words for a moment. Then he closed his eyes and nodded, "Alright. OK. Thank you, Vergil-sensei. I'll...I'll be sure to get stronger. For Moka-san's sake."

"You mean...you're going to stay?!" Moka said, hoping beyond hope that it was true. When Tsukune nodded she surged forward and pulled him into another bone crushing hug, "Yaaaayyy!~ Tsukune!~ Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Y-Y-You're wel-come-Moka-san," Tsukune managed through the vampire's crushing embrace.

Vergil shook his head while keeping his back turned to the students. Dante was starting to rub off on him. He sighed before taking his book back out and holding it in his left hand. Perhaps now he could read in peace. He opened it to the last page he was on and continued to read. The text continued detailing the theory of how sealing magic could be used on things other than powers. It discussed how, even if the user was skilled at sealing magic, sealing requires an object to act the primary "Lock" alongside a "Key" for what has been sealed. Any object will do, but ones considered "holy" or "supernatural" work best. This includes prayer beads, paper talismans, rosaries, pendants and-

Vergil paused on that last sentence. He went back to how it mentioned rosaries. Images of the rosaries across the Headmaster's body flashed through his mind...then he remembered who else has a rosary on their person.

"Thanks for helping me, Vergil-sensei," Moka said with a bow. The rosary on her chest shook as she stood up. Tsukune was standing on her right, rising from his own bow. The two began to walk passed Vergil's right side, "We'll be heading back to class now. We'll see you later."

"Hold," Vergil reached out and grabbed Moka's rosary. The vampire gasped as the Son Of Sparda pulled her over to him. He lifted the rosary up while putting his book away, "I must examine this."

"Aaahh! Vergil-sensei, what are you doing?" Moka said while trying to pry Vergil's hand off her rosary, "Please don't touch that! It's important to me."

But Vergil didn't listen. He kept his eyes focused on the object in his palm. With a thought he fed some of his own demonic power into the object. It seemed to spark for a moment but nothing else occurred. He grunted, "Hmm. Perhaps it requires a specific key? What could that be?"

"Le-L-Let her go!" Tsukune appeared at Vergil's side and grabbed the older's man's wrists. He tried to pull Vergil away but accomplished little save for making his own arms hurt. Moka, seeing Tsukune try to help her, redoubled her efforts to no avail. The situation was almost comical, in a way. Two high schoolers, one a pink haired vampire girl, and the other a normal human boy, failing as they attempted to pull an older man's hand off a rosary.

Seeing that the rosary wasn't going to be removed easily, Vergil let the object go...just as Tsukune put his right hand on top of Vergil's. When Vergil moved his hand away, Tsukune's fell onto the rosary.

It came off with the sound of a latch being unlocked.

Instantly, the immediate area around Moka exploded into a huge pillar of energy. Bats appeared from no where, while birds took the skies in a panic. Moka's body floated in the pillar as her hair shot straight up towards the sky. It quickly changed color from pink to silver as power surged through her form. Tsukune fell onto his backside, eyes wide as dinner plates as he watched Moka transform.

Vergil paid it no mind.

He immediately grabbed the rosary while it was mid-fall. Then he turned his back on the transforming Moka and began to examine the object. His brows furrowed as he started feeding demonic energy into the rosary. This time he received some feedback. It wasn't much. Just bits and pieces of what the seal on the object was like. But he could tell that something was different about it. That this was no normal seal.

"M-M-Moka-san?" Tsukune said, eyes watching as Moka landed on her feet. She had on hand on her hip, while her now red eyes stared examined her surroundings. They temporarily landed on Tsukune, making his heart skip a beat as he locked eyes with her. He briefly felt like a fly standing before a hungry spider. Unable to move as his body locked up in fear.

Then Moka turned away and he returned to normal. He asked himself if this was really Moka-san. She felt...different. Stronger. More confident. As if she knew she was the strongest person in the room just by virtue of being herself.

"Hey, you," she pointed a finger at Vergil's back, "I don't know what the big idea is, but I'd suggest you give that back. Right now."

Vergil didn't even bother turning around. He kept his eyes firmly on the rosary.

Moka scowled, "Hey, I'm talking to you."

He didn't turn around.

A cocky chuckle escaped Moka's lips, "You must think you're pretty strong. Turning your back on a vampire who's speaking directly to you."

Still no response.

"Look, just give me back the rosary, and I'll let everything go. We can forget this ever happened."

No response.

Moka grit her teeth, "Fine then. Have it your way!"

In an instant, Moka kicked off the ground and launched herself at Vergil. Yokai power surged into her leg as she aimed it directly at the side of Vergil's head. Tsukune felt the earth shake as she attacked, the power of a vampire making him shiver in fear. Moka's blow flew towards Vergil at speeds that made her leg look invisible to Tsukune.

Vergil raised his left arm up to block.

And the attack instantly stopped.

There was no shockwave.

There was no rustling of Vergil's clothes.

He didn't even look at Moka to block the attack.

He just stopped it.

Moka and Tsukune stared in disbelief at what just occurred.

It was at this point that Dante finally returned.

---

Dante approached his brother first. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew that Vergil was likely at the center of it. Moka let her leg fall, not once taking her eyes off Vergil. His brother simply let his arm fall without saying a word. Both Tsukune and the new Moka noticed Dante approaching from Vergil's side.

He waved at the two of them, "Sup, Lover Boy? Digging the new look, Fangs. Silver and white are all the rage you know."

He used both of his hands to send his own white hair flying for a second. Moka blinked at the younger Sparda brother. Then she scowled before turning back to Vergil, "Whatever. Just tell your damn brother to give me back my rosary!"

Dante hummed before stepping to Verigl's side. He placed an arm over his brother's shoulder while wagging his finger, "Now, now, dear brother of mine. What did mom tell us about taking important objects from pretty girls?"

"Not now Dante," Vergil said while looking over at his younger brother, "I have discovered something that has taken my interest. I need to study it post-haste."

"That's fine. But you should be asking Fangs if you can do it first. Rather than just taking stuff from her," Dante jerks a thumb in Moka's direction. The vampire was tapping her foot against the ground with her arms crossed.

Vergil frowned. He prepared a response, but took a moment to reconsider his actions. Instead of speaking, he presented the rosary to Dante, "Would you mind taking this and feeding some of your power into this? I believe it will help you understand what I am doing."

Dante smiled then took the rosary in his hand, "Alright. But if I don't find anything, I'm giving this back to Fangs. Got it?"

Vergil nodded. Deal made, Dante fed some of his own demonic power into the rosary. He stood up to give the item back to Moka...but then paused. His expression changed to one of curiosity as he turned to look at the rosary.

"Well, would you look at that," Dante said while rubbing his chin with a hand.

"What? What is it?" Moka asked as she let her arms fall.

"Hey, Fangs. Where'd you get this thing? Doesn't look like something you find at regular jewelry store," Dante asked the vampire, tossing the rosary up and down in his hand.

Moka bared her fangs at him, "What-Who cares? Just give it back!"

"Yeah, I'd love to. But I think my brother might be on to something. This thing's got weird written all over it. Promise you'll get it back in a minute. Sound good?"

"Or I could just take it back!" Moka launched herself at leaping up for a spinning high kick.

Dante simply ducked under the girl's attack. She flew over him and landed behind him. Her leg kicked out in a sweep that Dante jumped over. She tried to hit him with a rising flip kick, but he flipped out of the way.

"Vergil! Go long," Dante said as he threw the rosary back to his brother. Moka got to her feet and dashed for the flying rosary. Its silver metal shined in the morning sun as it flew through the air. Then a flash of blue caught Moka's eyes as Vergil appeared directly in front of the rosary. He grabbed it as he fell to the earth. Moka raised up her leg, readying a kick to catch him before he fell. As she struck out, Vergil's own foot came down and clashed with hers.

Moka, to her surprise, felt a jolt of pain shoot up her leg. She hissed as she backed away from the Sparda Brothers. Dante landed a second after Vergil, both huddling together as they looked at the rosary.

"What do you think?" Vergil asked Dante.

"Eh. Not much. I'm not one for making or analyzing seals. More about breaking them. But I can tell you that this thing is some strong stuff," Dante tapped the red jewel in the middle of the rosary's crosses, "You're book say anything about this stuff?"

"Not much, but I can extrapolate based on the text. Only someone who is skilled in sealing magic would be able to building something like this."

"Any idea who that would be at this Academy?"

"There is only one person. The one who gave me this book."

"Stop ignoring me!" Moka shouted as she leaped up and aimed a flying axe kick at Dante and Vergil.

The Sparda Brothers remained still as Moka came hurtling towards them. They continued to talk and discuss the situation, even as her shadow fell over them. Tsukune, finally getting out of his fear induced stupor, stood up and ran over to Dante and Vergil. He ran around to the front to grab the rosary while shouting, "Enough already! Just give it back to-"

"You! Look out!" Tsukune turned around and looked up at the sky. He immediately felt both a great amount of embarrassment and fear as he saw Moka's raised leg coming towards him. He froze on the spot, unable to move as Moka bared down on him.

Then he saw red and blue blurs dash passed him.

Dante and Vergil appeared on Moka's left and right side respectively. They both grabbed hold of Moka's arms, arresting her movement in mid-air. Dante put the rosary back into Moka's hand, while Vergil moved around to her back.

"Here you go, Fangs. Sorry it took a bit. If you end up late to class, don't sweat it. I'll write you and Lover Boy an excuse," Dante saluted Moka before teleporting down to the ground. Vergil, placing a foot on Moka's back, gave her a light kick towards Tsukune. With a short yell, she landed on top of the human, sending him to the floor and stars swirl in his vision...again.

Vergil tricked over to Dante and then turned to look at his brother, "I trust you understand what our next objective is?"

"Go speak with Gramps about this?" Dante said while putting his arms behind his head, "I suppose. But why are you so interested in this?"

"Because, after seeing what happens when that rosary is removed, I believe I have an idea of what that Yokai has done. And if I am correct," Vergil didn't finish. Instead, he increased his grip on the Yamato.

Dante saw this, but said nothing. He simply nodded while shrugging his shoulders, "Alright. If it'll make ya feel better. See you ya around, Fangs! Take care of her, Lover Boy."

"Hey! You two! Come back here! We're not done yet!" Moka shouted while getting to her feet. But Dante and Vergil paid her no mind. The younger Sparda simply waved without turning to look at her. She grit her teeth while clenching her fists tightly.

That....that couldn't have been real.

Those two...they didn't even take her seriously.

They were toying with her.

Her!

An SS Class Monster. Made a fool of by those...those...whatever they are!

"Urrrgggghhhh," the sound of the human boy groaning from his place on the ground caught Moka's attention. She turned to look down at Tsukune, who had blood coming out of his nose. His face was locked in an expression of happiness, while stars swirled in his eyes.

Moka blinked at him. Then her gaze turned to the rosary in her hand. She sighed while shaking her head, "No. I shouldn't let that get to me. I'll get another shot at them some other time. Right now, I need to let you out. Have fun, me."

She snapped the rosary back on just as Tsukune started waking up. He pushed himself into a sitting position, one hand rubbing his head, "Oh, my head. What happened? Where did everyone-"

"Tsukune!" Moka tackled Tsukune, hugging him from the right side, "I'm so glad you're alright. I didn't hurt you did I?"

"N-N-No! I'm fine! Really! So you don't have to get so close!" Tsukune said while trying to ignore the soft things pressing against his right arm.

"Oh, thank goodness. I'm so glad," Moka said, turning her eyes up to look into Tsukune's. For a moment, the two stared each other down. Tsukune felt his heartbeat faster. Moka started to move her face closer to his and-

Tsukune froze up.

Hold on.

Hadn't this happened be-

"Wait, Moka! Don't-"

But it was too late. Moka bit down on Tsukune's neck.

He let out a yell as his blood was drained.

---

Huh. Guess I was able to pull through after all. Hope you all enjoy!

Also, I think this quote perfectly encapsulates how the Sparda Brothers fight:

"Sons, you can't just defeat evil. You gotta WRECK evil. You gotta break evil's spirit. Disrespect it. Do it dirty in front of its whole squad without ever, once, acting like this is anything less than either beneath you or fun for the whole family. Make evil question the very laws of physics, the basic realities of what should be impossible even for demons, and make ABSOLUTELY SURE your hair is on point. The monocle is optional, but encouraged."

-Sparda, teaching his twin sons the core philosophy of his combat style

 

[LinkOnScepter]

When Saizo woke up, he was unable to see anything. His entire body felt like it got hit by a runaway freight train. He groaned in pain while trying to get his feet under him. Yet, for some reason, he couldn't feel his arms or legs. He could tell they were still there. He just couldn't move them for some reason And, based on the feeling on his face...

"Did someone blindfold me?" he spoke aloud, part of him hoping that whoever did it heard him. Maybe it would make them panic and get the blindfold off. He could still move his head at least. So he lifted it and shouted out, "Hey! Whoever did this better let me go! If you do, I promise to make it painless."

Silence was the only response.

"I know someone's out there! Say something ya piece of shit!"

More silence.

He growled while preparing to speak again, but he felt something prick the back of his neck. A warm liquid fell down his neck. He recognized the familiar scent of blood.

"Ah, good. You shut up. I was getting annoyed," the voice sounded light and playful. Like whatever was happening was a game to it. Saizo tried to turn his head but felt the sharp object press deeper into his neck.

"Tell us what happened in your fight," a different voice, one deeper and with a serious tone compared to the other. But it had an edge to it that made a shiver run up Saizo's spine. The voice spoke again, "Do you remember how your opponent fought?"

"What...you mean that fucking Teacher's Assistant? Why? Is he here? Tell him to come over here so I-"

More pressure and more blood.

"Answer the questions. Before I get bored and split your neck open like a fat cow in a slaughterhouse."

Now thoroughly aware of the situation he was in, Saizo felt much of his pride and arrogance desert him. He started to speak, "I-I don't know nothing! What the fuck do you want me to say?"

"How did he fight? What weapon did he use? What powers?"

"I don't fucking know! He just turned read a couple of times. Then it feels like I'm trying to cut through something...harder than steel somehow. Then he punches me once and it sends me flying!"

"That's it?"

"The fuck you expecting me to say? It wasn't exactly a drawn out fight. I don't know what that guy is, but he's gotta be double or triple S at least. Why the fuck do you care anyway? Who the hell-"

Saizo felt something hit him on the back of the head. Then everything went blank again.

---

"I told you this was going to be a waste of time," Kiria said while dragging the unconscious Saizo away with one hand. His other was slowly shifting from its organic blade form back into a normal arm. He stared at Kaneshiro's back as the two walked through the empty forest and back towards the school. He walked with a swagger to his step as he followed behind, a smug smile permanently on his face. His voice carried that smugness in his tone of voice, "This guy didn't just got beaten. He got humiliated. And he's too stupid to try to analyze anything about his opponent."

"It wasn't completely useless," the Student Council President said, adjusting his glasses as he led the way back to the school, "We have added onto our growing pool of insight into these two brothers."

"Sure we have," Kiria didn't sound convinced. He tapped his chin with a finger from his now normal hand, "Lets see, what do we know? We know that both of the brothers are sharp and can see me even when I'm trying to hide. We know that the blue one is on a hair trigger and has a sword that can slow my regeneration. We know that both of them are aware of our plans, even if they don't know what they are. Oh, and the red one turns red when he does something with his powers. That about right?"

Kaneshiro turned around and raised an eyebrow at Kiria, "Is something bothering you, Kiria? You sounds uncharacteristically upset about all this."

Kiria waved Kaneshiro's words off, "Oh, no, no. I'm not upset. Really. Not like thinking about how strong those two are individually is enough to send shivers down my spine or anything. Not at all!"

Kaneshiro sent a glare Kiria's way. Kiria raised his hand up placatingly, speaking with a playful tone in his voice, "Scary~! You've got a scary look on your face, Kaneshiro! Don't worry. I'm not getting cold feet or anything. It's just something I've been thinking about a lot."

"Then you would do well to stop," Kaneshiro said as he began to walk again, "No matter how strong the two of them are, they won't be able to stop us. Vergil has stated that he doesn't wish to get in our way as long as we leave him alone, and Dante won't be able to do anything until it's too late. Our plans will already come to fruition."

Kiria nodded his head in response to Kaneshiro's words. But, despite what his comrade said, he couldn't help the pit of doubt that had formed in his stomach. His right hand still throbbed from when it was cut off by that strange weapon. He wasn't sure what it was about that sword, or the way that Vergil person wielded it. But his body, something that could usually recover any wound easily, couldn't seem to adapt to a wound from this weapon. Most injuries he suffered only took a few minutes to heal. Even those inflicted by magic or Yokai Power. But that weapon? The wound it inflicted?

Two hours.

It had taken two full hours for him to heal from.

And, for some reason, he could tell that it wasn't going to change. His cells couldn't adapt to whatever it was the weapon did to him.

He didn't know how he knew it. He just did.

And that made him understand something: Vergil could kill him.

For good.

And whenever he thought of that, he could always feels two emotions towards it.

Excitement...and genuine fear.

---

"So, you've learned nothing?" Mikogami asked the Bus Driver who was standing in front of his desk.

Nurai shook his head, "Nothing at all. I've called up every contact I've got in the human and Youkai world. Not a single person or monster has heard of 'The Sons Of Sparda'. Nor who or what this 'Dark Knight Sparda' is or was."

Mikogami hummed, drumming his fingers against his desk, "Then what about the two themselves? I'd imagine twin monster brothers as strong as those two would make some waves. Especially in the human world. They don't seem like the types to keep themselves beneath others' radar."

"You'd think that, but no," Nurai shook his head again, replacing his cigar with a new one. He lit it with his lighter and blew a ring of smoke out of his nose before he continued, "Couldn't find a single thing about a Dante or Vergil either. Well, nothing that wasn't about a certain duo that supposedly traversed the nine circles of Hell."

"Hmm...do you think-"

"Nope. They'd be older than either of us if they were one of those two."

"Good point," Mikogami leaned back in his seat, "Lets put the question of who they are to the side for now. Instead, do you have any ideas as to what they could be?"

"You mean the kind of Yokai? My best guess? Oni," Nurai took his cigar from his mouth and tapped a finger on Mikogami's desk, "They match up pretty well. Dante wears red, is energetic, tends to be impulsive, and usually acts based on his emotions. Guy came up to me and had me get him Pizza from the human world just cause he was craving it. So, he certainly fits that mold."

"And his brother is the exact opposite. Cool, collected, quiet, and clearly the more thoughtful of the two," Mikogami replied as the image began to take shape in his head. He nodded, "If you're right, then we may need to stock up on sake."

"For the brothers to keep them docile, or for yourself when they start giving you headaches?"

Both men shared knowing smiles.

Nurai tilted his head while putting his cigar back in his mouth, "Good to talk with ya some more, old friend. 'Fraid I need to get back to work though."

"As do I. We'll talk later, Nurai. And keep me informed in case you learn anything new," Mikogami waved goodbye to the Bus Driver. Nurai did the same, walking through the only door that lead in and out of Mikogami's room.

For a few moments, Mikogami was alone with his thoughts. His mind went back towards his various plans. He had made good progress on speaking with the governmental official of Japan. It would take a bit more work, but he was certain he could get them to listen to him if the worst case scenario came to pass.

He also hadn't heard anything from Anti-Thesis so far. But he doubted that would last forever. Those troublemakers would make their move sooner or later. And when they did, he would be ready to take care of them. Hopefully.

Then there was his biggest gamble: Tsukune Aono. That human boy that he had let into the school. He could only hope that the child managed to survive his years at this school. His survival was tantamount towards proving coexistence between humans and monsters was possible. However, he knew he couldn't do much to help the human teenager. Any hint of favoritism from him may cause complications. Either with the young lad or the rest of the school. He would have to watch from the shadows and-

The door to his office was forced open with a loud bang.

Mikogami looked up just as Vergil stomped into the room. His eyes glowered at Mikogami as he made his way across the room. Mikogami put forth an image of calm, but one of his hands went to one of the Holy Locks on his body. Just in case.

"Patron Librarian Vergil," Mikogami said as the older Sparda brother stopped in front of his desk. He smiled up at the blue-clothed man, "Can I help you with something?"

"What did you do to the vampire named Moka Akashiya?" Vergil's question was clear and concise.

Mikogami didn't let his surprise show on his face. He merely smiled wider, "Why, whatever do you mean? Who exactly is thi-"

"Do not try to deflect, demon," Vergil raised his Yamato but didn't take it from its scabbard, "I am in no mood for your games. Answer my questions or else."

Mikogami's grip on his Holy Lock tightened. In his mind he was already thinking about what to do if Vergil pulled his sword. He knew the man was fast, skilled with his weapon, and strong. Extremely strong. If he made one wrong move, he could end up on the floor bleeding from ten different cuts before he could blink. But if he could get the first move off, he could possible trap Vergil in a barrier and hold him in place to get off a blow of his own.

The two stared each other down.

The tension in the air thickened with each passing second.

Then it was cut in twain as Dante appeared and pushed Vergil out the way. His easygoing smile helped to calm Mikogami down, "Sorry about that, Gramps. Told you my brother was a bit trigger happy. Don't let it get to ya though. If he tried anything, I'd give him a good spanking as punishment."

---

Shit...again?

Sorry everyone. Didn't mean to take so long. It's just been hard for me to get myself to sit down and write recently.

Hopefully this Sub-Chapter makes up for it.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

When Saizo woke up, he was unable to see anything. His entire body felt like it got hit by a runaway freight train. He groaned in pain while trying to get his feet under him. Yet, for some reason, he couldn't feel his arms or legs. He could tell they were still there. He just couldn't move them for some reason And, based on the feeling on his face...

"Did someone blindfold me?" he spoke aloud, part of him hoping that whoever did it heard him. Maybe it would make them panic and get the blindfold off. He could still move his head at least. So he lifted it and shouted out, "Hey! Whoever did this better let me go! If you do, I promise to make it painless."

Silence was the only response.

"I know someone's out there! Say something ya piece of shit!"

More silence.

He growled while preparing to speak again, but he felt something prick the back of his neck. A warm liquid fell down his neck. He recognized the familiar scent of blood.

"Ah, good. You shut up. I was getting annoyed," the voice sounded light and playful. Like whatever was happening was a game to it. Saizo tried to turn his head but felt the sharp object press deeper into his neck.

"Tell us what happened in your fight," a different voice, one deeper and with a serious tone compared to the other. But it had an edge to it that made a shiver run up Saizo's spine. The voice spoke again, "Do you remember how your opponent fought?"

"What...you mean that fucking Teacher's Assistant? Why? Is he here? Tell him to come over here so I-"

More pressure and more blood.

"Answer the questions. Before I get bored and split your neck open like a fat cow in a slaughterhouse."

Now thoroughly aware of the situation he was in, Saizo felt much of his pride and arrogance desert him. He started to speak, "I-I don't know nothing! What the fuck do you want me to say?"

"How did he fight? What weapon did he use? What powers?"

"I don't fucking know! He just turned read a couple of times. Then it feels like I'm trying to cut through something...harder than steel somehow. Then he punches me once and it sends me flying!"

"That's it?"

"The fuck you expecting me to say? It wasn't exactly a drawn out fight. I don't know what that guy is, but he's gotta be double or triple S at least. Why the fuck do you care anyway? Who the hell-"

Saizo felt something hit him on the back of the head. Then everything went blank again.

---

"I told you this was going to be a waste of time," Kiria said while dragging the unconscious Saizo away with one hand. His other was slowly shifting from its organic blade form back into a normal arm. He stared at Kaneshiro's back as the two walked through the empty forest and back towards the school. He walked with a swagger to his step as he followed behind, a smug smile permanently on his face. His voice carried that smugness in his tone of voice, "This guy didn't just got beaten. He got humiliated. And he's too stupid to try to analyze anything about his opponent."

"It wasn't completely useless," the Student Council President said, adjusting his glasses as he led the way back to the school, "We have added onto our growing pool of insight into these two brothers."

"Sure we have," Kiria didn't sound convinced. He tapped his chin with a finger from his now normal hand, "Lets see, what do we know? We know that both of the brothers are sharp and can see me even when I'm trying to hide. We know that the blue one is on a hair trigger and has a sword that can slow my regeneration. We know that both of them are aware of our plans, even if they don't know what they are. Oh, and the red one turns red when he does something with his powers. That about right?"

Kaneshiro turned around and raised an eyebrow at Kiria, "Is something bothering you, Kiria? You sounds uncharacteristically upset about all this."

Kiria waved Kaneshiro's words off, "Oh, no, no. I'm not upset. Really. Not like thinking about how strong those two are individually is enough to send shivers down my spine or anything. Not at all!"

Kaneshiro sent a glare Kiria's way. Kiria raised his hand up placatingly, speaking with a playful tone in his voice, "Scary~! You've got a scary look on your face, Kaneshiro! Don't worry. I'm not getting cold feet or anything. It's just something I've been thinking about a lot."

"Then you would do well to stop," Kaneshiro said as he began to walk again, "No matter how strong the two of them are, they won't be able to stop us. Vergil has stated that he doesn't wish to get in our way as long as we leave him alone, and Dante won't be able to do anything until it's too late. Our plans will already come to fruition."

Kiria nodded his head in response to Kaneshiro's words. But, despite what his comrade said, he couldn't help the pit of doubt that had formed in his stomach. His right hand still throbbed from when it was cut off by that strange weapon. He wasn't sure what it was about that sword, or the way that Vergil person wielded it. But his body, something that could usually recover any wound easily, couldn't seem to adapt to a wound from this weapon. Most injuries he suffered only took a few minutes to heal. Even those inflicted by magic or Yokai Power. But that weapon? The wound it inflicted?

Two hours.

It had taken two full hours for him to heal from.

And, for some reason, he could tell that it wasn't going to change. His cells couldn't adapt to whatever it was the weapon did to him.

He didn't know how he knew it. He just did.

And that made him understand something: Vergil could kill him.

For good.

And whenever he thought of that, he could always feels two emotions towards it.

Excitement...and genuine fear.

---

"So, you've learned nothing?" Mikogami asked the Bus Driver who was standing in front of his desk.

Nurai shook his head, "Nothing at all. I've called up every contact I've got in the human and Youkai world. Not a single person or monster has heard of 'The Sons Of Sparda'. Nor who or what this 'Dark Knight Sparda' is or was."

Mikogami hummed, drumming his fingers against his desk, "Then what about the two themselves? I'd imagine twin monster brothers as strong as those two would make some waves. Especially in the human world. They don't seem like the types to keep themselves beneath others' radar."

"You'd think that, but no," Nurai shook his head again, replacing his cigar with a new one. He lit it with his lighter and blew a ring of smoke out of his nose before he continued, "Couldn't find a single thing about a Dante or Vergil either. Well, nothing that wasn't about a certain duo that supposedly traversed the nine circles of Hell."

"Hmm...do you think-"

"Nope. They'd be older than either of us if they were one of those two."

"Good point," Mikogami leaned back in his seat, "Lets put the question of who they are to the side for now. Instead, do you have any ideas as to what they could be?"

"You mean the kind of Yokai? My best guess? Oni," Nurai took his cigar from his mouth and tapped a finger on Mikogami's desk, "They match up pretty well. Dante wears red, is energetic, tends to be impulsive, and usually acts based on his emotions. Guy came up to me and had me get him Pizza from the human world just cause he was craving it. So, he certainly fits that mold."

"And his brother is the exact opposite. Cool, collected, quiet, and clearly the more thoughtful of the two," Mikogami replied as the image began to take shape in his head. He nodded, "If you're right, then we may need to stock up on sake."

"For the brothers to keep them docile, or for yourself when they start giving you headaches?"

Both men shared knowing smiles.

Nurai tilted his head while putting his cigar back in his mouth, "Good to talk with ya some more, old friend. 'Fraid I need to get back to work though."

"As do I. We'll talk later, Nurai. And keep me informed in case you learn anything new," Mikogami waved goodbye to the Bus Driver. Nurai did the same, walking through the only door that lead in and out of Mikogami's room.

For a few moments, Mikogami was alone with his thoughts. His mind went back towards his various plans. He had made good progress on speaking with the governmental official of Japan. It would take a bit more work, but he was certain he could get them to listen to him if the worst case scenario came to pass.

He also hadn't heard anything from Anti-Thesis so far. But he doubted that would last forever. Those troublemakers would make their move sooner or later. And when they did, he would be ready to take care of them. Hopefully.

Then there was his biggest gamble: Tsukune Aono. That human boy that he had let into the school. He could only hope that the child managed to survive his years at this school. His survival was tantamount towards proving coexistence between humans and monsters was possible. However, he knew he couldn't do much to help the human teenager. Any hint of favoritism from him may cause complications. Either with the young lad or the rest of the school. He would have to watch from the shadows and-

The door to his office was forced open with a loud bang.

Mikogami looked up just as Vergil stomped into the room. His eyes glowered at Mikogami as he made his way across the room. Mikogami put forth an image of calm, but one of his hands went to one of the Holy Locks on his body. Just in case.

"Patron Librarian Vergil," Mikogami said as the older Sparda brother stopped in front of his desk. He smiled up at the blue-clothed man, "Can I help you with something?"

"What did you do to the vampire named Moka Akashiya?" Vergil's question was clear and concise.

Mikogami didn't let his surprise show on his face. He merely smiled wider, "Why, whatever do you mean? Who exactly is thi-"

"Do not try to deflect, demon," Vergil raised his Yamato but didn't take it from its scabbard, "I am in no mood for your games. Answer my questions or else."

Mikogami's grip on his Holy Lock tightened. In his mind he was already thinking about what to do if Vergil pulled his sword. He knew the man was fast, skilled with his weapon, and strong. Extremely strong. If he made one wrong move, he could end up on the floor bleeding from ten different cuts before he could blink. But if he could get the first move off, he could possible trap Vergil in a barrier and hold him in place to get off a blow of his own.

The two stared each other down.

The tension in the air thickened with each passing second.

Then it was cut in twain as Dante appeared and pushed Vergil out the way. His easygoing smile helped to calm Mikogami down, "Sorry about that, Gramps. Told you my brother was a bit trigger happy. Don't let it get to ya though. If he tried anything, I'd give him a good spanking as punishment."

Vergil glowered at Dante, poking him in the side with the Yamato's pommel. Dante didn't act like it bothered him, putting one of his elbows on Mikogami's table and leaning his head into the palm of his hand. Mikogami, feeling the tension in the room disappear, let go of the Holy Lock. He sighed and shook his head, "Yes. I see now that you weren't...joking about that. But, whatever could've caused him such distress?"

"That's actually something I agree with my brother about. I'm pretty sure you know exactly what it is. And don't try denying it," Dante held up his other hand. He began to count off on his fingers as he spoke, "This school is completely undetectable by humans unless they get an invitation to it. But, somehow, a human teen's parents just so happen to run into a random monk that dropped an invitation onto the floor for him. Parents who just so happened to be looking for a high school for their son, and were desperate enough to not question the situation at all. Said human then runs into a vampire who wears a rosary, and can take it off of her to turn her into a silver haired form."

Dante pushed himself off of Mikogami's desk and shook his head, "One of those things happening? Random chance. Two of those things happening? Coincidence. But all those things happening in sequence? All to the the same kid? Within a few days? Yeah, that's evidence of things being planned out and manipulated. And in our line of work, the only people who do this level of planning are old guys with too much time on their hands and something to hide, or monsters who are planning to take over the world and have waited hundreds of years to do so. So, Gramps..."

Dante placed both of his hands on Mikogami's desk. His smile was thin and predatory as he spoke, "..why the heck are you trying to make a bunch of kids do your dirty work, huh?"

Mikogami stared at Dante with surprise clearly present on his shadowed face. He let out a brief chuckle, "You are more perceptive than I expected, Dante."

"Eh, I've just been around the block enough to see through stuff like this. Same with Vergil over there," Dante jerked his thumb at his brother. Vergil simply cut his eyes at Mikogami.

The headmaster nodded then leaned back in his chair, "Would I be correct in assuming neither of you will leave this room unless I tell the truth?" Both Dante and Vergil nodded. Mikogami sighed, "Fine then. But I hope you don't mind listening to an old man ramble."

"Being honest, I'm kind of surprised you're just telling us. This is usually the part where you say 'you'd never understand' and then try to fight us," Dante said, grabbing a chair leg with his foot and pulling it over to himself. He then sat down before grabbing another with a hand and tossing it to Vergil, "Heads up, Verg!"

Vergil caught the flying chair with a hand then placed it down in front of the desk. He spoke in a frustrated tone as he sat down, "Be warned that if you try to lead us astray, demon, we will not hesitate to put you down."

"I expected that. What do you two want to know?"

"Everything," Vergil was quick to say.

"Within reason. Still got other stuff we need to do," Dante pointed out.

Mikogami nodded. Then he began to tell them. About how he and two others defeated the legendary Alucard. About how Moka's mother was forced to seal away the monster at the cost of her own life. About her daughter and what the rosary around her neck truly was. About how he was hoping Tsukune would be the one to prove monsters and humans can live together in harmony. About his own role in all of this.

"As it stands," he said, placing both of his hands on the table, "as long as the seal keeping the Outer Moka alive remains intact, Alucard will stay slumbering. However, as time goes on and the rosary is removed, the seal will weaken. And awakening will come closer and closer. When that day comes, I plan to be ready to face him and ensure the survival of both the Youkai and Human Worlds."

Dante and Vergil stared at Mikogami with indifferent looks on their faces. Each had remained quiet during the demon's explanation. Dante because he wanted to hear the whole thing. Vergil because he was trying to see if the demon was lying to them. Mikogami waved his hand at the two, "Only you two, the Bus Driver, and myself know of any of this. Right now, I'm just waiting for Anti-Thesis to make their move, while watching over the Aono boy. So, any questions?"

Dante raised his hand, "Yeah, I've got one. What the hell is wrong with you?"

At Mikogami's surprise, Dante tapped a finger against the man's desk, "Gramps, based on what you just told us, a lot of deadly battles are gonna be heading this world's way. And, rather than try to get together a bunch of people who actually know what the fuck their doing, you're just gonna sit back and let a bunch of teenagers who aren't even out of high school handle your shit for you? Without telling them anything, or giving them a single boon to help keep them safe? Just gonna send them up shit's creek without a paddle?"

"They are our future, Dante. They need to be able to handle the hardships that come with that burden."

"Yeah, so what? That excuses you leaving them to handle their own shit without even a lick of guidance? We're not talking about fighters here, Gramps. We're talking about kids. Kids that should be allowed to be kids. Not groomed into hardened warriors," Dante's jovial expression was gone. In its place was a hard frown that stared into Mikogami's eyes, unwavering in its judgment of the old demon.

Mikogami shook his head, "Then, please, tell me where I can find some that could take their place? I doubt there are many out there able to do what needs to be done to stop a monster like Alucard. Only someone of his line with a human who truly loves her could handle such a beast. I should know. I fought him with my two best friends and we barely managed to defeat him." He felt his chest throb at the memory of the battle with Alucard.

Dante smiled, "What are you talking about, Gramps? You're lookin' at 'em."

"Excuse me?"

Dante stood up and posed, "Allow me to properly introduce myself. Dante, owner, proprietor, and employee of the Devil May Cry business! We're professional demon, devil, and monster hunters! If there's a monster you need slain, then just call our name! And we just got our new member. My very own brother, Vergil!"

"I am not affiliated with your business," Vergil said without a hint of hesitation.

"Ah, don't be like that, Vergil. You'll bring your dear brother to tears," Dante put an arm around Vergil's shoulder. Vergil shoved him away with the Yamato. Dante rubbed at his side but didn't look worse for ware.

Mikogami tilted his head, "Forgive me, but I doubt the two of you alone could defeat Alucard. He is...he is the original Shinzo Vampire. A being unlike any other. The only person I know of who could even match him was Moka's mother, Akasha."

"That's cause you've never met us. Trust me, Gramps. We've dealt with plenty of monsters that were supposedly strong enough to end the world ten times over. Killed them too," Dante boasted with a smile on his face.

Mikogami hummed. Then he shrugged, "Well, if you're certain. I wouldn't say no to new allies. Though, for now, could I ask that you keep your operations to this school? I still have work to do with getting the human governments on my side. It's the only way to ensure casualties are kept to minimum should Alucard ever awaken."

"Fine by me. Gives me time to train Lover Boy to get him ready for what's to come. Oh, and no promises on keeping all of this secret from him. If he asks me what's going on, I'm gonna tell him," Dante said with a hint of finality in his tone.

Mikogami let out a frustrated sigh. Then he turned to Vergil, "And your thoughts on all of this?"

"I care little for any of it. You can deal with your conspiracies, Ancient Vampires, and secret organizations yourself," Vergil waved his hand through the air dismissively. Then he focused his gaze onto Mikogami, "All I care for it what you have done to Moka Akashiya. You have not simply created a secondary personality. You have implanted the soul of Moka's mother into her body. The outer form is merely a clone of her mother."

Mikogami was actually taken aback by Vergil's declaration. Even Dante looked shocked by his brother's words. Knowing that both were shocked by his words, Vergil explained, "While I examined the rosary, I noticed that there was still a soul within the object. One that refused to converse with me but was there nonetheless. If this was simply a seal meant to keep Moka Akashiya's memories or original personality locked away, then a soul within the rosary would be unneeded. It would be superfluous and run the risk of one soul dominating the other."

Vergil leaned forward and pressed his hands together, "In addition, while Moka Akashiya's true form did have some power, the soul within the rosary was far stronger. But its strength had weakened over time, and its general demeanor was ill suited to combat. I was unsure of who's soul it could be, until you explained that Akasha Bloodriver was Moka Akashiya's mother. If Alucard was as dangerous as you say he is, and Akasha Bloodriver was able to put him to sleep, then it would be trivial for someone such as her to live on in such a way."

Dante whistled, "Wow. Go Vergil. I knew something was up with that rosary, but I didn't even consider your idea. Leave it to my brother to know all there is to know about souls and splitting them."

Vergil huffed but a smug grin did pull at his lips. He turned back to the still stunned Mikogami. Pushing his hair back, Vergil spoke, "Do not worry. I don't plan to inform Moka Akashiya of the truth. However, know this; I am not going to simply allow such a thing to stand. Moka Akashiya deserves to live the life she wishes to have. Not the life her mother wishes to have. That is all."

Vergil stood up from his chair and turned to walk out of the office. Mikogami called for him to wait, but Vergil ignored him and left through the still open door. Dante looked towards Mikogami, shrugged, then followed his brother out. As he left, he pointed two finger guns at Mikogami, "Don't ya worry too much, Gramps. Me and brother know what we're doing. You just keep looking pretty, and don't keel over on us before it's all over. Talk to ya later."

With that the two brothers were out of his office.

Mikogami blinked.

"Hmm, well, I suppose them being Oni is out of the question. No Oni would be smart enough to figure all that out," Mikogami shook his head with a sigh. A hand went to his head, "Looks like I will be needing that sake to help with this headache."

---

"Soooooooo, what exactly is your plan, brother of mine?" Dante asked Vergil as the two left the headmaster's abode. Dante held up his hands and made a chopping motion, "Gonna go cut Fangs in two and get those souls split from each other?"

"No. That would be foolish," Vergil said without looking at Dante.

Dante raised an eyebrow, "How so? Isn't that what you did for yourself?"

"When I did it to myself, I split my human half from my demon half. While separate, both parts were still 'me' in a way. The only side effect being that my human half was slowly dying due to the separation," Vergil lifted the Yamato up with a frown on his face, "Moka Akashiya's circumstances are different. The souls are two different beings that share a body. When the rosary is around her neck, the soul of her mother is in control. When the rosary is removed, the original Moka Akashiya is in control. If I were to simply split them with the Yamato, at least one soul would be left without a body."

"And we don't want that cause the soul would vanish into the ether, dying for good?" Dante ventured. At Vergil's nod he sighed, "Can't be easy, can it? So, what is your plan?"

"As of now? Gather materials. I'll need 35 liters of water, 20 kilograms of coal, 4 liters of ammonia, 1.5 kilograms of lime...," Vergil started to mumble as he continued counting off the materials he'd need.

Dante simply smiled and left his brother to his pondering.

Welp, now they knew the score.

All that's left was to watch out for those Anti-Thesis guys, get Lover Boy ready for a fight, and beat up that Alucard guy when he showed up.

Shouldn't be too hard.

...Maybe he could get the Bus Driver to get him a sundae next time?

---

Finally got it done. I hope you all enjoyed. Next Chapter is when Kuramu shows up, and she's gonna find that the Sparda Brothers don't care for her tricks.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Two Days Later

The doors to the Youkai Academy library opened and closed as students entered and exited. Now that the school year had some what started, the more diligent students were attempting to get a head start on their reading assignments. The less diligent were simply looking for a place to relax and try to forget about their homework assignments for a bit. Though these types usually left the library early after being reprimanded by the new Head Librarian. However, three students in particular were standing outside and to the left of the library door. They were huddled together, trying to appear subtle...and failing at it.

"OK, everyone remember the plan?" the leader of the trio of male students said as he turned to his two companions. He wore the standard greenish Youkai Academy uniform, but with a white coat hanging off his back. On it the kanji for "Battle" stood proudly in red ink. The student was taller than his companions but he was on the leaner side. His muscles were nearly non-existant at a glance.

His two companions were mirror images of him. With the main difference being one wore glasses while the other held a large kanabo that he got from somewhere. Where exactly he wouldn't tell anyone. The two other students looked at each other, then back at their leader, confusion still on their faces. The one with the kanabo spoke first, "I thought we were just gonna go in the library and beat up that new librarian."

The leader's palm hit his face. His voice was muffled as he spoke, "We are gonna do that. But we're gonna be smart about it. We can't just run in there and expect to get him. Not to mention we'll only get one shot at this and we can't afford to mess up our revenge now."

"Y-Yeah!" the one with glasses shouts enthusiastically. He pumps his fist in the air as tears start to fall from his eyes, "I-I'll never forgive him for taking Sakura's away from me! He'll pay for enchanting her with his evil wiles!"

The kanabo wielder scratched the side of his head, "But...I thought you and Sakura were just friends. How could he steal her if you weren't going out?"

"We-We weren't going out yet," glasses is sure to correct his fellow. His tears flow in an ever increasing amount as he speaks, "bu-bu-but I was planning to ask her out when the time was right! But I can't do that as long as he's in the way!"

Kanabo shrugged, "I just want to get back at him for throwing me out while I trying to hit on a girl."

"Look it doesn't matter!" their leader stated with finality, "Point is that we all have a reason to get back at this Vergil guy. And we have a better chance of doing it together than separate. So, what we're gonna do is go in there, challenge him to a duel, then when he starts walking towards us, you hit him with your kanabo! Then we all kick him while he's down!"

"Yeah!" the other two shouted in unison.

"You two ready!?"

"Hell yeah!"

"Then lets g-"

"Excuse me, boys?~"

The three men all froze on the spot. Slowly, they turned their heads in the direction the feminine voice had come from. When their eyes fell on the newcomer, they all felt their hearts skip a beat. The blue haired high school girl took a single step forward, leaning forward to accentuate her large breasts. She pouted as she started up at the three comrades with a sad look in her eyes. She started to sob while stepped closer to the three of them, "It's just...I'm so lonely here. No one wants to be my friend. And I...I don't know why."

The three immediately moved to surround the girl and started to bow to her. Their leader stepped forward, chest out and hands on his hips as he spoke with confidence, "Don't worry, young lady! We honorable gentlemen will gladly be your first friends!"

"Wait but what abougggh!" the kanabo wielder was elbowed in the stomach by the one with glasses.

Glasses stared at the blue haired girl, eyes not going above her neck line as he spoke, "Ye-Yeah! We'll be great friends! Uh, what's your name, cutey?"

"K-Kurono Kurumu," the now named girl looked up at the men and met their eyes. Within moments all three started to blush. The kanabo wielder dropped his weapon as a dopey expression came over his face. His comrades followed suit, all staring at Kurumu with a lustful fervor. But they didn't move towards her at all. They simply stood rooted to the spot without taking their eyes off her.

Kurumu's disposition changed within moments. Her sobbing stopped and there was no wetness around her eyes whatsoever. She flipped her hair with one hand while turning towards the door to the Library. She didn't even say anything to the three students that were now under her "Charm". She merely waved a hand and they followed after her obediently like loyal dogs. Despite the clear use of her power, none of the other students called her out. Mainly due to the fact that most of the males were completely enraptured by her beauty.

She chuckled, feeling her plan get closer to fruition. It would only be a matter of time before every male student in the Academy was her slave. Her Yokai Academy Harem Transformation Plan was foolproof! No student at the school could resist her succubus "Charm". One look in her eyes would be all it took. And for some she wouldn't even need to go that far. A confident smile remained on her face as she entered the library. However, her glee only lasted for a few moments. Then an ugly thought came to the forefront of her mind. The fact that, despite her looks and efforts, there was one huge wrench in her plan.

The Vampire, Moka Akashiya.

Her hands tightened into fists at the thought of the girl. While she could get the males here with her "Charm" they were all dreaming about that damned vampire! Why? She clearly had far more feminine charm than that twig could ever hope to have!

She huffed, before her lips started curling into a smile. A hand went to her chin as she started talking to herself, "And I'll prove it too. I know exactly how to humiliate that Moka, while getting one step closer to accomplishing my goal. That boy that's always with Moka. Tsukune Aono. I'll steal him from her. Proving once and for all-"

"Excuse me," Kurumu nearly jumped out of her uniform at the sudden voice. It was cold, firm, and clearly direct at her. She stumbled back, finally taking notice of the shadow that looming over her...and its owner. Her eyes widened as she came to face to face with the new Head Librarian, Vergil.

And the first thing she noticed was, for an old man, he looked good.

She'd never go for him. Her plan only involved the Student Body. None of the teachers or staff. But she couldn't deny that any other succubus would probably be head over heels for him. And who could blame them? That professional aura that hung around him, the smooth yet chiseled facial features, that slicked back white hair and dark blue outfit. If someone were to look up "Cool" in the dictionary, Kurumu had no doubt his picture would be rest next to its definition.

Of course, the thing that really caught her eyes were his eyes.

Namely, the sharp glare that he leveled at her. She felt a chill go up her spine as he stared her down. He held up a finger as he started to speak, "Firstly, you are speaking too loudly. This is a library. Be quiet."

Kurumu blinked in surprise at his admonishment. She looked behind her, wondering why none of her slaves were coming to defend her...only to see all three standing at attention. Her jaw dropped as she saw that each one was staring at Vergil with fear in their eyes. They were still under her "Charm" she could tell that. But something was...overriding it?! How was that-

"Look at me when I speak to you," Kurumu's head darted back around to look Vergil in the eye. That same chill ran up and down her spine as he continued, "And second, you have clearly been used your powers on these young men, succubus. Though it may have occurred outside my library, you are now inside my library. Release them. This instant."

Kurumu frowned at the taller man. How dare he try to order her around? He may good looking, but that didn't mean he could just tell her what to do! Even if he was a staff member. She opened her mouth to retort but paused as she considered something. Then she narrowed her eyes at Vergil, looking him up and down while humming to herself. While he wasn't her type, he was still a man. And if she were able to get someone like this under her thumb, then she could lord it over Moka! An unappealing girl like her could never manage to get one of the staff to follow her every whim!

Hiding her smug grin beneath her hand, Kurumu put on her best pouting face. She made her body shake while placing both of her hands together. Her lips were quivering as she looked down at the ground. She started to sob as she spoke, "I-I-I"m so sorry, Vergil-sensei. I-I-I didn't mean to-to-waaah!"

She dashed forward and pressed herself against Vergil's body. She only came up to his lower chest but that was enough. Pushing her chest as close to his body as she could, she looked up at him and in a husky voice, "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

When her eyes met his, she activated her "Charm". She couldn't stop her lips from curling into a smile as Vergil stared into her eyes. Within a few moments he'd be all hers. Then she'd get him to-

Then something Kurumu didn't expect happened.

She thought that Vergil would show her the same dopey expression the other students she had charmed had.

Instead, his face contorted into an expression of absolute disgust.

Before she could question it, she felt him grab her by her hair. She yelled as he pulled her off him then threw her towards the other students. The three she had charmed moved to cushion her fall, catching her before she could hit the ground. She got up and glared daggers at Vergil, "Hey! What's the big-HEY!"

Kurumu felt her hackles rise as she beheld what was happening in front of her.

Vergil had taken a handkerchief out of his pocket and was using it to wipe off where she had grabbed him.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Two Days Later

The doors to the Youkai Academy library opened and closed as students entered and exited. Now that the school year had somewhat started, the more diligent students were attempting to get a head start on their reading assignments. The less diligent were simply looking for a place to relax and try to forget about their homework assignments for a bit. Though these types usually left the library early after being reprimanded by the new Head Librarian. However, three students, in particular, were standing outside and to the left of the library door. They were huddled together, trying to appear subtle...and failing at it.

"OK, everyone remembers the plan, right?" the leader of the trio of male students said as he turned to his two companions. He wore the standard greenish Youkai Academy uniform, but with a white coat hanging off his back. On it, the kanji for "Battle" stood proudly in red ink. The student was taller than his companions but he was on the leaner side. His muscles were nearly non-existent at a glance.

His two companions were mirror images of him. The main difference being one wore glasses while the other held a large kanabo that he got from somewhere. Where exactly he wouldn't tell anyone. The two other students looked at each other, then back at their leader, confusion still on their faces. The one with the kanabo spoke first, "I thought we were just gonna go in the library and beat up that new librarian."

The leader's palm hit his face. His voice was muffled as he spoke, "We are gonna do that. But we're gonna be smart about it. We can't just run in there and expect to get him. Not to mention we'll only get one shot at this and we can't afford to mess up our revenge now."

"Y-Yeah!" the one with glasses shouts enthusiastically. He pumps his fist in the air as tears start to fall from his eyes, "I-I'll never forgive him for taking Sakura away from me! He'll pay for enchanting her with his evil wiles!"

The kanabo wielder scratched the side of his head, "But...I thought you and Sakura were just friends. How could he steal her if you weren't going out?"

"We-We weren't going out yet," glasses is sure to correct his fellow. His tears flow in an ever-increasing amount as he speaks, "bu-bu-but I was planning to ask her out when the time was right! But I can't do that as long as he's in the way!"

Kanabo shrugged, "I just want to get back at him for throwing me out while I trying to hit on a girl."

"Look it doesn't matter!" their leader stated with finality, "Point is that we all have a reason to get back at this Vergil guy. And we have a better chance of doing it together than separately. So, what we're gonna do is go in there, challenge him to a duel, then when he starts walking towards us, you hit him with your kanabo! Then we all kick him while he's down!"

"Yeah!" the other two shouted in unison.

"You two ready!?"

"Hell yeah!"

"Then lets g-"

"Excuse me, boys?~"

The three men all froze on the spot. Slowly, they turned their heads in the direction the feminine voice had come from. When their eyes fell on the newcomer, they all felt their hearts skip a beat. The blue-haired high school girl took a single step forward, leaning forward to accentuate her large breasts. She pouted as she started up at the three comrades with a sad look in her eyes. She started to sob while stepping closer to the three of them, "It's just...I'm so lonely here. No one wants to be my friend. And I...I don't know why."

The three immediately moved to surround the girl and started to bow to her. Their leader stepped forward, chest out and hands on his hips as he spoke with confidence, "Don't worry, young lady! We honorable gentlemen will gladly be your first friends!"

"Wait but what abougggh!" the kanabo wielder was elbowed in the stomach by the one with glasses.

Glasses stared at the blue-haired girl, eyes not going above her neckline as he spoke, "Ye-Yeah! We'll be great friends! Uh, what's your name, cutey?"

"K-Kurono Kurumu," the now-named girl looked up at the men and met their eyes. Within moments all three started to blush. The kanabo wielder dropped his weapon as a dopey expression came over his face. His comrades followed suit, all staring at Kurumu with a lustful fervor. But they didn't move towards her at all. They simply stood rooted to the spot without taking their eyes off her.

Kurumu's disposition changed within moments. Her sobbing stopped and there was no wetness around her eyes whatsoever. She flipped her hair with one hand while turning towards the door to the Library. She didn't even say anything to the three students that were now under her "Charm". She merely waved a hand and they followed after her obediently like loyal dogs. Despite the clear use of her power, none of the other students called her out. Mainly because most of the males were completely enraptured by her beauty.

She chuckled, feeling her plan get closer to fruition. It would only be a matter of time before every male student in the Academy was her slave. Her Yokai Academy Harem Transformation Plan was foolproof! No student at the school could resist her succubus "Charm". One look in her eyes would be all it took. And for some, she wouldn't even need to go that far. A confident smile remained on her face as she entered the library. However, her glee only lasted for a few moments. Then an ugly thought came to the forefront of her mind. The fact that, despite her looks and efforts, there was one huge wrench in her plan.

The Vampire, Moka Akashiya.

Her hands tightened into fists at the thought of the girl. While she could get the males here with her "Charm" they were all dreaming about that damned vampire! Why? She clearly had far more feminine charm than that twig could ever hope to have!

She huffed before her lips started curling into a smile. A hand went to her chin as she started talking to herself, "And I'll prove it too. I know exactly how to humiliate that Moka while getting one step closer to accomplishing my goal. That boy that's always with Moka. Tsukune Aono. I'll steal him from her. Proving once and for all-"

"Excuse me," Kurumu nearly jumped out of her uniform at the sudden voice. It was cold, firm, and clearly directed at her. She stumbled back, finally taking notice of the shadow that loomed over her...and its owner. Her eyes widened as she came to face to face with the new Head Librarian, Vergil.

And the first thing she noticed was, for an old man, he looked good.

She'd never go for him. Her plan only involved the Student Body. None of the teachers or staff. But she couldn't deny that any other succubus would probably be head over heels for him. And who could blame them? That professional aura that hung around him, the smooth yet chiseled facial features, that slicked back white hair and dark blue outfit. If someone were to look up "Cool" in the dictionary, Kurumu had no doubt his picture would rest next to its definition.

Of course, the thing that really caught her eyes were his eyes.

Namely, the sharp glare that he leveled at her. She felt a chill go up her spine as he stared her down. He held up a finger as he started to speak, "Firstly, you are speaking too loudly. This is a library. Be quiet."

Kurumu blinked in surprise at his admonishment. She looked behind her, wondering why none of her slaves were coming to defend her...only to see all three standing at attention. Her jaw dropped as she saw that each one was staring at Vergil with fear in their eyes. They were still under her "Charm" she could tell that. But something was...overriding it?! How was that-

"Look at me when I speak to you," Kurumu's head darted back around to look Vergil in the eye. That same chill ran up and down her spine as he continued, "And second, you have clearly used your powers on these young men, succubus. Though it may have occurred outside my library, you are now inside my library. Release them. This instant."

Kurumu frowned at the taller man. How dare he try to order her around? He may good looking, but that didn't mean he could just tell her what to do! Even if he was a staff member. She opened her mouth to retort but paused as she considered something. Then she narrowed her eyes at Vergil, looking him up and down while humming to herself. While he wasn't her type, he was still a man. And if she were able to get someone like this under her thumb, then she could lord it over Moka! An unappealing girl like her could never manage to get one of the staff to follow her every whim!

Hiding her smug grin beneath her hand, Kurumu put on her best pouting face. She made her body shake while placing both of her hands together. Her lips were quivering as she looked down at the ground. She started to sob as she spoke, "I-I-I"m so sorry, Vergil-sensei. I-I-I didn't mean to-to-waaah!"

She dashed forward and pressed herself against Vergil's body. She only came up to his lower chest but that was enough. Pushing her chest as close to his body as she could, she looked up at him and in a husky voice, "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

When her eyes met his, she activated her "Charm". She couldn't stop her lips from curling into a smile as Vergil stared into her eyes. Within a few moments, he'd be all hers. Then she'd get him to-

Then something Kurumu didn't expect happened.

She thought that Vergil would show her the same dopey expression the other students she had charmed had.

Instead, his face contorted into an expression of absolute disgust.

Before she could question it, she felt him grab her by her hair. She yelled as he pulled her off him and then threw her toward the other students. The three she had charmed moved to cushion her fall, catching her before she could hit the ground. She got up and glared daggers at Vergil, "Hey! What's the big-HEY!"

Kurumu felt her hackles rise as she beheld what was happening in front of her.

Vergil had taken a handkerchief out of his pocket and was using it to wipe off where she had grabbed him. She pushed herself away from the three she had charmed, eyes blazing with indignation at Vergil's actions. She stomped forward, readying a scathing remark against the Librarian...but then he turned his attention back to her. Immediately, she froze on the spot as what could only be described as barely restrained fury washed over her. Her pupils shrunk as Vergil's glare seemed to bore into her.

"Understand this, succubus," Vergil stared her down while folding his handkerchief into a square, "The only reason you still have legs to walk on, is because I do not wish to stain my blade with your foul blood. But your actions have made my patience for you run thin. Leave my library, and do not return unless you are here on assignment or ready to act with decorum and respect. This is not a request. It is an order."

He turned his back to her and started to walk away. Kurumu, regardless of how much she wanted to retort, found any and all words she could come up with stuck in her throat. After a few false starts, she eventually settled for glaring at Vergil's back. Then she turned around and marched her way out of the Library with her slaves in tow.

She muttered to herself as she walked out, "Whatever. I'm not after his approval anyway. Now then, where is that vampire?"

---

"You know, my tutoring invitation will always be open for you, Da~nte~," Dante turned around at Ririko Kagome's flirtatious voice. The math teacher winked at him while leaning resting her head on her desk.

Dante responded by wiping a student's desk off with his washcloth, quickly turning it into a rolled-up ball, then throwing it toward the bag next to the teacher's desk. Without watching it as it hit entered the bag in one shot, he returned the teacher's wink with one of his own, "Good to hear that, Glasses. But you don't need to worry about little old me. Graduated top of my class back home."

He head towards the door to the class, waving goodbye to Kagome as he left the classroom. She watched him go, a flirty smile on her face the entire time. When Dante was out of the room, he picked a direction and started walking. Students would stop to say hello to him as he walked by, and he did his best to return their greetings. After a certain point, one of the male students started following him each vying for his attention.

"Hey, Dante-sensei," the student held up multiple papers in his hands, "I'm trying to decide which club I should join. Which one do you think sounds best? Chess, swimming, or kendo?"

"Would joining one stop you from joining the others?"

"No."

"Then join one, if you don't like it, drop out and pick another."

"Of course! Thank you, sensei!"

"No problem," Dante shouted after him as he ran off. Dante wasn't alone for long though. More students replaced that one, each asking for his advice on one thing or another. Dante gave them the best advice he could, but his mind was elsewhere as he walked.

He still hadn't come up with a good way to start training Lover Boy. Outside basic martial arts and combat training, there was little he could do to help the boy. At least without putting him in danger. He could teach him all the Martial Arts he wanted, wouldn't help if the kid didn't have the strength to back it up. Bulking him up wasn't an issue. Doing it with time to spare before shit starts hitting the fan was.

Then there was Fang's whole situation. He didn't know what Vergil was planning to do with all that crap he needed. But he had the strangest feeling that things would get pretty complicated if he managed to pull it off. He doubts Fangs would be happy learning her mom's been using her body as a vessel for who knows how long. Who knows how she would react? Not to mention old Mommy Dearest suddenly finding herself among the living again. Especially since she gave her life to keep that Alucard guy sleeping like a baby. Probably won't be happy to know that her seal is undone.

Lastly, there was whatever the Student Council President was planning. Honestly, that seemed kind of small-time compared to this Alucard guy. But that didn't mean that it wasn't dangerous or a cause for concern. Especially since him accomplishing his plan was far more likely to happen in the near future. Meaning that he probably needed to start thinking of how to deal with that sooner rather than later.

Dante sighed while putting his arms behind his back. He started to rub the back of his neck while talking to himself, "Man, wish Morrison was here. He could do a lot of the prep work for me."

Then he shrugged, "Ah well. I'll just have to pick up the slack. At least it'll keep me busy."

He figured he'd leave Vergil to the whole "Mom's taken over her daughter's body" thing. He'd focus on Lover Boy and keep an eye out for when the President made his move. As he considered how he would actually accomplish that, he found himself drawn from his thoughts by a gathering of students in the main entrance hall. The yelling and whispers he heard got him curious, so he walked on over to see what the big deal was. The students opened a path for him when they noticed his presence. He made sure to thank everyone who let him come on in. Getting to the center of the gathered students, he saw what had captured everyone's attention.

Which turned out to be Fangs getting yelled at by a blue-haired succubus.

Dante raised an eyebrow, watching as the succubus started yelling about how she was better than Fangs and otherwise that he drowned out. Figuring that he shouldn't let two students fight it out in the middle of school like this, he whistled to get everyone's attention. When all eyes were on him he started walking toward the Fangs and the succubus. He held his arms out to the side while smiling, "Hello there, ladies. Sorry to interrupt, but classes are still going on. I'm gonna have to ask you both to get going before your both late."

"Dante-sensei!" Moka shouted as he approached. The succubus' eyes widened as she looked between the vampire and Dante. Moka ran over to Dante and bowed in apology, "I'm so sorry. But Kurumu-san stopped me and started talking about taking Tsukune away all of a sudden."

Dante's eyebrow rose as he turned to regard the succubus. He crossed his arms, "That so? Haven't you ever heard the phrase 'three's a crowd', Kuru?"

"I-Kuru?" Kurumu was temporarily stunned at the nickname Dante gave her. Then she shook her head, regaining her composure, "I mean, stay out of this whoever you are. This is between me and Moka Akashiya! I will prove that I'm the better woman. Then this whole school will be mine!"

Dante nodded along with her speech but his expression didn't change. Moka looked completely lost as to what was going on. And it was at this time that Tsukune walked into the entrance hall from the side Kurumu was on. He looked at the assembled crowd, confusion also on his face, "Uh, Moka-san? What's going on? Why is Dante here?"

"Tsukune!" Moka started heading towards the human, but Dante could already see Kurumu moving to intercept. Her arms were outstretched, clearly aiming to hug Tsukune for two very specific reasons. Those reasons being attached to her torso.

Seeing where this was gonna go, he decided that it was his duty as a member of the staff to ensure nothing untoward happened between these students. His body flashed red as he dashed forward, passing Moka and landing between Tsukune and Kurumu before anyone noticed.

He grabbed Kurumu's outstretched arms, twirled her around, and lightly pushed her away from Tsukune. The succubus stumbled but righted herself before long. Moka stopped next to Tsukune, the two looking as Dante faced off against the succubus. Dante raised a finger and moved it from side to side, "Don't think so Kuru. I don't remember seeing you in the same class as those two. So, how about you run along while I take Fangs and Lover Boy to their next class?"

"What is it with white-haired old guys getting in my way?" Kurumu said through grit teeth.

"Oh, so you met my brother," Dante's smile widened.

It took all of Kurumu's will to steel her anger. She instead smiled and started to walk toward Dante. Her eyes began to glow as she prepared to use her "Charm" on him. But then she paused. She held up a hand as her eyes narrowed, "Hold on...did you say, brother?"

Dante nodded, "Yep. Though I'm not surprised you didn't notice. I was the one that got the family's good looks."

He started rubbing his chin, turning his head around until his eyes met with Tsukune and Moka's. Still smiling, he jerked his head to the side, silently telling the two of them to get going. Unfortunately for him, neither Tsukune nor Moka understood what he was trying to do. He sighed before walking over to stand behind the two of them. He grabbed both by their shoulders and then started to lead them away from Kurumu, "But, like I said, can't be late for class. Later, Kuru!"

"H-Hold on! I'm not done! Get back here!" Kurumu started chasing after the three of them.

"Dante, what's going on? Why is Kurumu here?" Tsukune asked, trying to look behind them as Dante led the two around a corner.

Dante gave the boy a wink, "Why, it's another of your admirers Lover Boy. Honestly, I'm not that surprised. A kid like you was bound to attract more than just one girl. But be careful, OK? One boat can only hold so many passengers."

"Wha-what-what?" Tsukune's voice made it clear he was even more confused.

"Tsukune! Kurumu said she was trying to steal you. What did she mean?" Moka asked, innocent eyes staring into Tsukune's soul.

The human started blushing, holding up both of his hands while shouting, "I...I...I don't know! I only just met her today and-"

Dante started drowning them out while continuing down the hall. Hmm, hopefully, that succubus would get tired eventually.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Vergil placed the last returned book for the day back on its shelf. He stepped away from the shelf then took a moment to look at the arrangement of the books. They were all non-fiction, each with detailed histories on the various Yokai races. Exactly what the tomes entailed depended upon the author. Some had the tone of research papers. Books made to tell history without any embellishments or bias to be had. Others were, more or less, primarily focused on detailing how "amazing" and "wonderful" the lands of Yokai used to be before humans or other Yokai showed up.

He had read through them in his off time. Mainly for information gathering. Seeing if there was any point in this worlds history where someone from a completely separate dimension arrived in it. If there were, then Vergil could further look into them and see if and how they got back to their world. See if there were any hidden methods to make pinpointing the exact location of their home dimension easier.

Sadly, he was proven wrong. Though he was upset, he was certain Dante would make light of the situation. He would smile and point out how the two of them were "The first unlucky bastards to be sent to this place from somewhere else!"

Vergil grimaced, turning away from the shelf when he was certain all the books were in alphabetical order. He heard the school bell ring twice, indicating that it was time for the students to go to class or lunch. For him, it singled his lunch break for the day. He easily made his way towards his desk, briefly adjusting his collar with a hand. It wasn't hot, he just felt the need to do so. He easily slid into the seat behind his desk and opened up one of the drawers. With a hand he pulled out a bowl of "Instant Ramen" that the lunch lady had given him for some reason. He wouldn't complain about being given sustenance for free. While he may not necessarily need to eat, doing so would ensure that his body remained energized for future conflicts.

He got up, the bowl of readily made ramen in his hands as he made he way towards the exit. None of the students in the library got in his way as he walked passed them. None even bothered looking at him. They only continued to read their books as their backs shook with fear. Vergil paid them no mind as he opened the library doors.

"Now then," he said to no on in particular, heading towards the nearest microwave he knew of, "To the Teacher's Lounge."

"Um, excuse me?"

Vergil kept walking but slowed enough to let the owner of the voice catch up to him. He glanced to the side to see one of the female students keeping pace with him. Her face was red and she kept staring at the ground. Her brown hair bounced with her every step, alongside the tied box lunch in her hand. She kept her gaze on her feet as her mouth opened and closed, no words leaving her lips. Vergil chose to ignore her after the fifth time she failed to communicate what she called out to him for. He began to speed up when he heard more footsteps coming up from behind him.

Taking a step to the right, he let another female student fly passed him. She skidded to a stop in front of the two with two bagged lunches in her hands. She was barely hiding her true nature. She wore gym clothes and her face was that of an actual dog's. She stepped in front of Vergil and held out both of her bags, "You! Me! Lunch! Together!"

Vergil gave the girl points for directly stating what it is she wanted with him. But, that didn't mean she was going to get a pass. He held his ramen up in one hand, while his other summoned the Yamato out of thin air. Ignoring the surprised gasps of the two girls, he gave the Inugami in front of him a firm strike on the head, "You are meant to maintain your human form at all times. Consider this a warning."

The Inugami whimpered, backing up and both hands going to her head as Vergil walked passed her. He heard a "poof" behind him, followed by more footsteps. The Inugami appeared at his side, her face much more human than before. She holds up both of the bags, "Done. Now will you come-"

The other girl moved over and interrupted the Inugami. Her nervousness seemed to disappear in the fact of a potential rival. She started to speak, "Mitsuki-san-I-I got here first! I was going to ask him to eat with me."

"I saw, and you were kind of sucking at it, Iji" Mitsuki said matter-of-factly, "So I was gonna do it instead."

The newly named Iji gasped in shock. She began to form a response to Mitsuki, but Vergil didn't hear it. As he had already turned the corner and made it to the door to the Staff Room. Said room was what he expected from a school based off Japanese High Schools. Multiple desks with a few dividers here and there for privacy. He saw a few of the teachers there, usually in human form eating lunch of their own. Thankfully, the microwave wet up against the wall on a counter top wasn't occupied at the moment.

Without skipping a beat, he placed the bowl in his hands on the counter near the device. He had almost taken the covering off when he realized that he had forgotten something. Water. Fresh water. Not tap that he could get from the nearby sink. Water that was kept in a bottle and, preferably, not refrigerated so it would be at the perfect temperature for this purpose. He cursed under his breathe, admonishing himself for forgetting something so basic. Especially with how he managed to prepare for this the other day.

He admonished himself while thinking of what to do. But his thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of a plastic bottle hitting the counter. His eyes moved to his right to see a bottle of water, not yet opened and free of any condensation, sitting next to his ramen bowl. One eyebrow rose as he turned to regard the one who had placed the water bottle there. It was a female teacher who seemed to be in her early 30s or late 20s. And while Vergil had known that the dress code for teachers was rather lax, he doubted even Dante would think what she was wearing was appropriate.

A tube top with slim jeans, pumps on her feet, a golden necklace, and a bandana over her long braided hair. All of it didn't really seem appropriate for a teacher. He's certain he would've mistaken her for a student if she wasn't in the Staff Room. The only part of her ensemble that he understood was the long trench coat she wore. And that was only because of the paint stains that covered the article from top to bottom.

"Seems like you forgot something," her voice was light and teasing, one of her fingers pointing towards the water bottle on the counter, "so, I thought I'd help you out."

Vergil stared the woman down. He didn't even acknowledge the water bottle as he did so, "What do you want?"

The female smiled smugly, "I want to give you some water for your ramen."

"That is not what I meant and you know it, Medusa," the woman blinked as Vergil called out her species. He turned so his full body was facing her as he spoke, "What do you expect me to give you return for this 'gift'."

---

Finally managed to start working on this. I would've written more, but my brain decided that now was time for a headache.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

"That is not what I meant and you know it, Gorgon," the woman blinked as Vergil called out her species. He turned so his full body was facing her as he spoke, "What do you expect me to give you in return for this 'gift'."

Her expression fell but she kept the smile on her face. She turned to fully regard Vergil one hand still on the counter, "You're one of the new guys, right? The Librarian? I think I saw the other guy stop here and carry out a whole pizza once. You know him?"

"That would be my witless brother. Why do you ask?"

"Brother?" the female looks shocked. Then her eyes narrow as she looks Vergil up and down. Realization dawns on her as she snaps, "Oh yeah. Now I can see the resemblance. Though, I'd say you got the looks of the fam-"

"Enough with idle pleasantries and platitudes," Vergil didn't even hide his annoyance, "What do you want?"

The female's expression fell further. Her smile disappeared as she pushed herself off the counter. She shrugged, "Fine. Fine. If you're gonna be rude about it. My name is Hitomi Ishigami. I'm the Art Teacher here. My specialty is stone carving. I was wondering if you or your brother would be interested in being a new model. Perhaps this weekend when the students are in their dorms?"

Vergil considered the woman's suggestion. He looked at the bottle of water, then at his ramen, then at the clock on the wall in the Lounge. His break was only meant to be half an hour. Cooking the ramen should take about three or so minutes. Then it would take him a minute to find a suitable place to eat. Some place secluded, without others to bother him, and with enough ambiance to allow him to think clearly about his next moves. If he took the woman's offer, that would shave minutes off his time. If he said no, he would have to either settle for boiling tap water or search for a water bottle of his own. The latter would likely take him longer.

"...Fine. But I request that we do so tomorrow after school."

Hitomi blinked in surprise, "So soon?"

Vergil turned towards the electric kettle, took the top off, then grabbed the water bottle off the counter. He spoke to Hitomi without looking at her and unscrewing the top, "Unlike you, I have important matters I must see to this weekend. Thus I'd rather we finish our deal as soon as possible. Unless you cannot acquire the supplies you need despite being the Art Teacher?"

He glanced at her out the corner of his eye while pouring the water into the kettle. He had already set the temperature perfectly, so now all that was needed was waiting for the water to boil. Hitomi's mouth opened wide at how Vergil so casually dismissed her, while also agreeing to her proposal without issue. All for a bottle of water. She shook her head then cleared her throat, "Um, yes. I can. I shall see you tomorrow then."

Vergil hummed without looking at the Art Teacher. She stuck around for a few moments until she realized that he was not going to give her any more of his time. Clicking her tongue, she turned and walked out of the Lounge. Vergil was aware that a few of the other teachers had stopped to stare at his back, but he didn't care. He was focusing on his rapidly heating water.

Precisely three minutes later, he had a bowl of ramen ready to eat along with chopsticks. He calmly made his way out of the Lounge and through the halls...dragging a folding chair behind him. He would need a place to sit after all. He was accosted by a few more female students, and one or two males trying to challenge him to a duel. He ignored or avoided these people. He had a lunch to get to. In his search for a place to eat, he ended up finding the perfect spot. A place that was far enough from the school that no one would bother him, but close enough that he wouldn't be completely off the grounds.

He easily unfolded the folding chair so that his back was to the school. He sat down and opened up his ramen. The still-hot meal let out steam that carried the scent of pasta, egg, and broth with it. He sighed with contentment as he took his chopsticks and grabbed a long roll of ramen in between them. He pulled it up towards his mouth then-

"Comin' through!"

Instincts honed from years of fighting demons kicked in. He quickly sat back while holding his lunch up as high as he could. A few feet away from him, Dante came speeding passed with the human boy and Moka Akashiya under his arms. He looked to the side and winked, "Hey Vergil! Bye Vergil!"

Then he was speeding away as fast as his legs could carry him.

Vergil shook his head with a sigh, "That brother of mine."

He brought his ramen down, ready to get back to eating it-

"Get back here!"

Once again, he raised his ramen up to protect it.

This time, Kurumu came racing by right in front of Vergil. Her passing kicked up sand, pebbles, and dust that fell over Vergil's body. The succubus didn't even slow down as she continued to chase after his twin. Vergil let out a sigh, lowering his ramen while ignoring the dust on his clothes. He'd deal with that later. Right now, he had food to eat.

He reached for his chopsticks with his right hand...only for a few pebbles that got into his sleeves to fall into the broth.

"...."

Vergil stared at his now ruined lunch.

Then he stood up, held the bowl in his left hand, summoned the Yamato in his right, then slowly made to follow the succubus and his brother.

---

"Get back here!"

Dante rolled his eyes, skidding to a stop near one of the walls of the main part of the school. He put Lover Boy and Fangs down, the two teens falling to their knees after being carried by Dante for who knows how long. As Tsukune started to cough and Moka shook the dust out of her hair, Dante turned around to face the rapidly approaching blue-haired succubus.

"Does that girl know when to quit?" Dante shook his head with annoyance. He had been planning to give Blue the slip way earlier than this. But the girl just wouldn't stop following them. He doubted she was actually as fast as he was, but he couldn't exactly go full speed carrying Lover Boy and Fangs with him. Didn't wanna give them the worse case of whiplash ever. He was going to just drop them off at their class, but then the Lunch Bell rang. Just his luck.

So, he decided to take this outside. Hoping that the wide open space would give him more room to lose the girl. But apparently, she held one heck of a grudge. Or her succubus nature gave her a GPS when it came to guys. He'd have to ask Nevan about that later. Right now though, he needed to find a way to handle this.

"H-H-How about...we just talk to her?" Lover Boy suggested, getting to his feet. He placed both hands on his knees, words coming out between heavy breaths, "I'm...I'm sure she'll listen...if we just try."

"I'd-I'd like that," Moka said, brushing dust off her skirt. She looked up at Kurumu and frowned, "As long as she doesn't get too close to Tsukune though."

"Already marking your territory, huh Fangs?" Dante said with a smirk. The girl and boy both blushed while he turned to face the oncoming Blue, "But I don't think she's gonna listen to us. No one runs like that unless they're possessed of some great purpose."

"And what purpose is that?" Moka asked him.

Dante shrugged, "Heck if I know. But it probably has something to do with Lover Boy over that. You do anything to get her attention?"

Tsukune wilted under the combined stares of Moka and Dante. His mind went back to earlier when Kurumu had done...something to him. He could only remember his mind getting hazy and her pressing her b-boobs against his chest. He didn't really know what happened after that...save for how Moka ran off looking upset. He turned away while laughing nervously, "I-I-I have no idea. Hehehe...heeeee."

Dante shook his head again. Any further conversations were interrupted by Kurumu finally catching up to them. She skid to a stop, her arms flailing about while she tried to regain her balance. She nearly fall over but managed to right herself on one foot. She planted both of her feet, then started panting with her hands on her knees. She pointed her finger towards the three, "F...F...Finally, stopped running like cowards have you!"

"Look, Blue," Dante started while waving a hand through the air, "How about you just forget this and head on to lunch? Don't want to miss out on the good eats in the lunch room. Heard they're gonna have pizza one time."

"Really?" all three teenagers asked in unison. Moka looked excited, Tsukune's mouth was watering, and Kurumu actually let her angry expression fall. But that only lasted for a second.

She shook her head then took a stance while pointing a finger at Moka, "No way! I'm not gonna let you trick me! I've come too far to let this chance slip up now. I will prove I'm better than you Moka Akashiya."

"Uh, Kurumu, I don't really want to do this. Why can't-"

"Shut up!" the succubus snapped, making Moka shrink back. Her reaction only made Kurumu angrier. She seemed to point at Moka even harder, "See? You're supposed to be a vampire, yet you're shrinking away from a direct confrontation. How could any be attracted to you and not me?"

"H-Hey, leave Moka alone!" Tsukune spoke up, though his cracking voice made him sound less confident than he meant to. He still continued to speak up, "She's fine as she is. I-I like her just fine. A-A-As a friend!"

Moka smiled at Tsukune's words, but Kurumu just got angrier. She stomped her foot, "That's exactly what I'm talking about! Oh, that's it! I'm done being nice."

Dante felt power start gathering around the succubus. He shook his head and called out, "Don't do it, Blue. You'll regret it."

Kurumu ignored him as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her fingernails grew into long thin claws, while bat-like wings sprouted from her back. A spaded tail came out from her her skirt while the air around her whipped into a frenzy. She flapped her wings and took to the air, brandishing her claws with an angry scowl on her face, "Everyone's getting in my way today. First, it was that Librarian, then Moka, and now whoever the hell you are! I've had it! I'm taking Tsukune and beating Moka Akashiya if it's the last thing I do!"

Tsukune started panicking, arms flailing as he looked up at the now airborne Kurume, "Wha-What-What is going on?"

Moka moved to stand next to Tsukune, arms held out while she stared up at Kurumu. When Tsukune stopped panicking to look at the vampire standing in front of him. She kept her eyes on Kurumu while she shouted in a trembling voice, "I-I-I'll protect you Tsukune!"

"Moka-san," Tsukune's voice was filled with awe. Dante nodded at the vampire, while he got ready himself. He didn't want to hurt the girl, obviously. He was just gonna give her a good disciplinary chop to the back of the head. That should be enough to-

A chill ran through the air.

Kurumu froze in midair.

Moka and Tsukune felt their blood run cold.

Dante face-palmed. He groaned as he turned his gaze toward the path they had come from, "That's not good."

"Wh-Wh-What is that? What is this feeling?" Moka's trembling had grown worse. Her knees were knocking together and her whole body was shivering in fear. Her, Tsukune, and Kurumu all had their eyes focused on the path they had come from...and the slowly approaching figure in the distance.

"That?" Dante said, jerking his thumb in that direction. At Fangs and Lover Boy's nods, he turned back, "That's my brother. And he's pissed."

 

[LinkOnScepter]

Vergil placed the last returned book for the day back on its shelf. He stepped away from the shelf and then took a moment to look at the arrangement of the books. They were all non-fiction, each with detailed histories of the various Yokai races. Exactly what the tomes entailed depended upon the author. Some had the tone of research papers. Books that were made to tell history without any embellishments or bias to be had. Others were, more or less, primarily focused on detailing how "amazing" and "wonderful" the lands of Yokai used to be before humans or other Yokai showed up.

He had read through them in his off time. Mainly for information gathering. Seeing if there was any point in this world's history where someone from a completely separate dimension arrived in it. If there were, then Vergil could further look into them and see if and how they got back to their world. See if there were any hidden methods to make pinpointing the exact location of their home dimension easier.

Sadly, he was proven wrong. Though he was upset, he was certain Dante would make light of the situation. He would smile and point out how the two of them were "The first unlucky bastards to be sent to this place from somewhere else!"

Vergil grimaced, turning away from the shelf when he was certain all the books were in alphabetical order. He heard the school bell ring twice, indicating that it was time for the students to go to class or lunch. For him, it singled his lunch break for the day. He easily made his way towards his desk, briefly adjusting his collar with a hand. It wasn't hot, he just felt the need to do so. He easily slid into the seat behind his desk and opened up one of the drawers. With a hand, he pulled out a bowl of "Instant Ramen" that the lunch lady had given him for some reason. He wouldn't complain about being given sustenance for free. While he may not necessarily need to eat, doing so would ensure that his body remained energized for future conflicts.

He got up, the bowl of readily made ramen in his hands as he made his way towards the exit. None of the students in the library got in his way as he walked passed them. None even bothered looking at him. They only continued to read their books as their backs shook with fear. Vergil paid them no mind as he opened the library doors.

"Now then," he said to no one in particular, heading towards the nearest kettle he knew of, "To the Teacher's Lounge."

"Um, excuse me?"

Vergil kept walking but slowed enough to let the owner of the voice catch up to him. He glanced to the side to see one of the female students keeping pace with him. Her face was red and she kept staring at the ground. Her brown hair bounced with her every step, alongside the tied box lunch in her hand. She kept her gaze on her feet as her mouth opened and closed, no words leaving her lips. Vergil chose to ignore her after the fifth time she failed to communicate what she called out to him for. He began to speed up when he heard more footsteps coming up from behind him.

Taking a step to the right, he let another female student fly passed him. She skidded to a stop in front of the two with two bagged lunches in her hands. She was barely hiding her true nature. She wore gym clothes and her face was that of an actual dog's. She stepped in front of Vergil and held out both of her bags, "You! Me! Lunch! Together!"

Vergil gave the girl points for directly stating what it is she wanted with him. But, that didn't mean she was going to get a pass. He held his ramen up in one hand, while his other summoned the Yamato out of thin air. Ignoring the surprised gasps of the two girls, he gave the Inugami in front of him a firm strike on the head, "You are meant to maintain your human form at all times. Consider this a warning."

The Inugami whimpered, backing up and both hands going to her head as Vergil walked passed her. He heard a "poof" behind him, followed by more footsteps. The Inugami appeared at his side, her face much more human than before. She holds up both of the bags, "Done. Now will you come-"

The other girl moved over and interrupted the Inugami. Her nervousness seemed to disappear in the fact of a potential rival. She started to speak, "Mitsuki-san-I-I got here first! I was going to ask him to eat with me."

"I saw, and you were kind of sucking at it, Iji" Mitsuki said matter-of-factly, "So I was gonna do it instead."

The newly named Iji gasped in shock. She began to form a response to Mitsuki, but Vergil didn't hear it. As he had already turned the corner and made it to the door to the Teacher's Lounge. Said room was what he expected from a school based on Japanese High Schools. Multiple desks with a few dividers here and there for privacy. He saw a few of the teachers there, usually in human form eating lunch of their own. Thankfully, the kettle set up against the wall on a countertop wasn't occupied at the moment.

Without skipping a beat, he placed the bowl in his hands on the counter near the device. He had almost taken the covering off when he realized that he had forgotten something. Water. Fresh, clean water. Not tap that he could get from the nearby sink. Water that was kept in a bottle and, preferably, not refrigerated so it would be at the perfect temperature for this purpose. He cursed under his breath, admonishing himself for forgetting something so basic. Especially with how he managed to prepare for this the other day.

He admonished himself while thinking of what to do. But his thoughts were soon interrupted by the sound of a plastic bottle hitting the counter. His eyes moved to his right to see a bottle of water, not yet opened and free of any condensation, sitting next to his ramen bowl. One eyebrow rose as he turned to regard the one who had placed the water bottle there. It was a female teacher who seemed to be in her early 30s or late 20s. And while Vergil had known that the dress code for teachers was rather lax, he doubted even Dante would think what she was wearing was appropriate.

She wore a tube top with slim jeans, pumps on her feet, a golden necklace, and a bandana over her long braided hair. All of it didn't really seem appropriate for a teacher. He's certain he would've mistaken her for a student if she wasn't in the Lounge. The only part of her ensemble that he understood was the long trench coat she wore. And that was only because of the paint stains that covered the article from top to bottom.

"Seems like you forgot something," her voice was light and teasing, one of her fingers pointing towards the water bottle on the counter, "so, I thought I'd help you out."

Vergil stared the woman down. He didn't even acknowledge the water bottle as he did so, "What do you want?"

The female smiled smugly, "I want to give you some water for your ramen."

"That is not what I meant and you know it, Gorgon," the woman blinked as Vergil called out her species. He turned so his full body was facing her as he spoke, "What do you expect me to give you in return for this 'gift'."

Her expression fell but she kept the smile on her face. She turned to fully regard Vergil one hand still on the counter, "You're one of the new guys, right? The Librarian? I think I saw the other guy stop here and carry out a whole pizza once. You know him?"

"That would be my witless brother. Why do you ask?"

"Brother?" the female looks shocked. Then her eyes narrow as she looks Vergil up and down. Realization dawns on her as she snaps, "Oh yeah. Now I can see the resemblance. Though, I'd say you got the looks of the fam-"

"Enough with idle pleasantries and platitudes," Vergil didn't even hide his annoyance, "What do you want?"

The female's expression fell further. Her smile disappeared as she pushed herself off the counter. She shrugged, "Fine. Fine. If you're gonna be rude about it. My name is Hitomi Ishigami. I'm the Art Teacher here. My specialty is stone carving. I was wondering if you or your brother would be interested in being a new model. Perhaps this weekend when the students are in their dorms?"

Vergil considered the woman's suggestion. He looked at the bottle of water, then at his ramen, then at the clock on the wall in the Lounge. His break was only meant to be half an hour. Cooking the ramen should take about three or so minutes. Then it would take him a minute to find a suitable place to eat. Some place secluded, without others to bother him, and with enough ambiance to allow him to think clearly about his next moves. If he took the woman's offer, that would shave minutes off his time. If he said no, he would have to either settle for boiling tap water or search for a water bottle of his own. The latter would likely take him longer.

"...Fine. But I request that we do so tomorrow after school."

Hitomi blinked in surprise, "So soon?"

Vergil turned towards the electric kettle, took the top off, then grabbed the water bottle off the counter. He spoke to Hitomi without looking at her and unscrewing the top, "Unlike you, I have important matters I must see to this weekend. Thus I'd rather we finish our deal as soon as possible. Unless you cannot acquire the supplies you need despite being the Art Teacher?"

He glanced at her out the corner of his eye while pouring the water into the kettle. He had already set the temperature perfectly, so now all that was needed was waiting for the water to boil. Hitomi's mouth opened wide at how Vergil so casually dismissed her, while also agreeing to her proposal without issue. All for a bottle of water. She shook her head then cleared her throat, "Um, yes. I can. I shall see you tomorrow then."

Vergil hummed without looking at the Art Teacher. She stuck around for a few moments until she realized that he was not going to give her any more of his time. Clicking her tongue, she turned and walked out of the Lounge. Vergil was aware that a few of the other teachers had stopped to stare at his back, but he didn't care. He was focusing on his rapidly heating water.

Precisely three minutes later, he had a bowl of ramen ready to eat along with chopsticks. He calmly made his way out of the Lounge and through the halls...dragging a folding chair behind him. He would need a place to sit after all. He was accosted by a few more female students, and one or two males trying to challenge him to a duel. He ignored or avoided these people. He had a lunch to get to. In his search for a place to eat, he ended up finding the perfect spot. A place that was far enough from the school that no one would bother him, but close enough that he wouldn't be completely off the grounds.

He easily unfolded the folding chair so that his back was to the school. He sat down and opened up his ramen. The still-hot meal let out steam that carried the scent of pasta, egg, and broth with it. He sighed with contentment as he took his chopsticks and grabbed a long roll of ramen in between them. He pulled it up towards his mouth then-

"Comin' through!"

Instincts honed from years of fighting demons kicked in. He quickly sat back while holding his lunch up as high as he could. A few feet away from him, Dante came speeding passed with the human boy and Moka Akashiya under his arms. He looked to the side and winked, "Hey Vergil! Bye Vergil!"

Then he was speeding away as fast as his legs could carry him.

Vergil shook his head with a sigh, "That brother of mine."

He brought his ramen down, ready to get back to eating it-

"Get back here!"

Once again, he raised his ramen to protect it.

This time, Kurumu came racing by right in front of Vergil. Her passing kicked up sand, pebbles, and dust that fell over Vergil's body. The succubus didn't even slow down as she continued to chase after his twin. Vergil let out a sigh, lowering his ramen while ignoring the dust on his clothes. He'd deal with that later. Right now, he had food to eat.

He reached for his chopsticks with his right hand...only for a few pebbles that got into his sleeves to fall into the broth.

"...."

Vergil stared at his now ruined lunch.

Then he stood up, held the bowl in his left hand, summoned the Yamato in his right, then slowly made to follow the succubus and his brother.

---

"Get back here!"

Dante rolled his eyes, skidding to a stop near one of the walls of the main part of the school. He put Lover Boy and Fangs down, the two teens falling to their knees after being carried by Dante for who knows how long. As Tsukune started to cough and Moka shook the dust out of her hair, Dante turned around to face the rapidly approaching blue-haired succubus.

"Does that girl know when to quit?" Dante shook his head with annoyance. He had been planning to give Kuru the slip way earlier than this. But the girl just wouldn't stop following them. He doubted she was as fast as he was, but he couldn't exactly go full speed carrying Lover Boy and Fangs with him. Didn't wanna give them the worse case of whiplash ever. He was going to just drop them off at their class, but then the Lunch Bell rang. Just his luck.

So, he decided to take this outside. Hoping that the wide open space would give him more room to lose the girl. But apparently, she held one heck of a grudge. Or her succubus nature gave her a GPS when it came to guys. He'd have to ask Nevan about that later. Right now though, he needed to find a way to handle this.

"H-H-How about...we just talk to her?" Lover Boy suggested, getting to his feet. He placed both hands on his knees, words coming out between heavy breaths, "I'm...I'm sure she'll listen...if we just try."

"I'd-I'd like that," Moka said, brushing dust off her skirt. She looked up at Kurumu and frowned, "As long as she doesn't get too close to Tsukune though."

"Already marking your territory, huh Fangs?" Dante said with a smirk. The girl and boy both blushed while he turned to face the oncoming Kuru, "But I don't think she's gonna listen to us. No one runs like that unless they're possessed of some great purpose."

"And what purpose is that?" Moka asked him.

Dante shrugged, "Heck if I know. But it probably has something to do with Lover Boy over that. You do anything to get her attention?"

Tsukune wilted under the combined stares of Moka and Dante. His mind went back to earlier when Kurumu had done...something to him. He could only remember his mind getting hazy and her pressing her b-boobs against his chest. He didn't really know what happened after that...save for how Moka ran off looking upset. He turned away while laughing nervously, "I-I-I have no idea. Hehehe...heeeee."

Dante shook his head again. Any further conversations were interrupted by Kurumu finally catching up to them. She skid to a stop, her arms flailing about while she tried to regain her balance. She nearly fall over but managed to right herself on one foot. She planted both of her feet, then started panting with her hands on her knees. She pointed her finger towards the three, "F...F...Finally, stopped running like cowards have you!"

"Look, Kuru," Dante started while waving a hand through the air, "How about you just forget this and head on to lunch? Don't want to miss out on the good eats in the lunch room. Heard they're gonna have pizza at some point."

"Really?" all three teenagers asked in unison. Moka looked excited, Tsukune's mouth was watering, and Kurumu actually let her angry expression fall. But that only lasted for a second.

She shook her head then took a stance while pointing a finger at Moka, "No way! I'm not gonna let you trick me! I've come too far to let this chance slip up now. I will prove I'm better than you Moka Akashiya."

"Uh, Kurumu, I don't want to do this. Why can't-"

"Shut up!" the succubus snapped, making Moka shrink back. Her reaction only made Kurumu angrier. She seemed to point at Moka even harder, "See? You're supposed to be a vampire, yet you're shrinking away from a direct confrontation. How could any be attracted to you and not me?"

"H-Hey, leave Moka alone!" Tsukune spoke up, though his cracking voice made him sound less confident than he meant to. Nevertheless, he continued to speak up, "She's fine as she is. I-I like her just fine. A-A-As a friend!"

Moka smiled at Tsukune's words, but Kurumu just got angrier. She stomped her foot, "That's exactly what I'm talking about! Oh, that's it! I'm done being nice."

Dante felt power start gathering around the succubus. He shook his head and called out, "Don't do it, Kuru. You'll regret it."

Kurumu ignored him as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her fingernails grew into long thin claws, while bat-like wings sprouted from her back. A spaded tail came out from her her skirt while the air around her whipped into a frenzy. She flapped her wings and took to the air, brandishing her claws with an angry scowl on her face, "Everyone's getting in my way today. First, it was that Librarian, then Moka, and now whoever the hell you are! I've had it! I'm taking Tsukune and beating Moka Akashiya if it's the last thing I do!"

Tsukune started panicking, arms flailing as he looked up at the now airborne Kurume, "Wha-What-What is going on?"

Moka moved to stand next to Tsukune, arms held out while she stared up at Kurumu. When Tsukune stopped panicking to look at the vampire standing in front of him. She kept her eyes on Kurumu while she shouted in a trembling voice, "I-I-I'll protect you Tsukune!"

"Moka-san," Tsukune's voice was filled with awe. Dante nodded at the vampire, while he got ready himself. He didn't want to hurt the girl. He was just gonna give her a good disciplinary chop to the back of the head. That should be enough to-

A chill ran through the air.

Kurumu froze in midair.

Moka and Tsukune felt their blood run cold.

Dante face-palmed. He groaned as he turned his gaze toward the path they had come from, "That's not good."

"Wh-Wh-What is that? What is this feeling?" Moka's trembling had grown worse. Her knees were knocking together and her whole body was shivering in fear. Her, Tsukune, and Kurumu all had their eyes focused on the path they had come from...and the slowly approaching figure in the distance.

"That?" Dante said, jerking his thumb in that direction. At Fangs and Lover Boy's nods, he turned back, "That's my brother. And he's pissed."

Kurumu turned around, eyes going wide as she saw Vergil walking towards her. His pace was slow but the sheer aura of anger he was exuding was immense. To the point where, despite being more than twenty paces away, she still felt like she was in danger. Forgetting about Moka for the moment she prepared herself for whatever he was planning to do. She told herself it would be fine. While she wasn't sure what the man was, she didn't think he had wings. She just had to stay in the air and she'd be fine.


Her eyes locked onto Vergil, watching and waiting to see his next move. Then he stopped when he was twenty paces away from her. She braced herself as his head tilted upwards. His anger-filled gaze met hers and sent shivers down her spine. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off when a blue object appeared right next to Vergil's head.

She blinked and it flew toward her. Panicking, she slashed at the air with her claws when it got close enough...only to gasp as the object suddenly turned into Vergil. His weapon flashed and she cried out as his sheathed sword shattered her nails with a single strike.

Her shock only lasted for a second.

And that's because within the next the air had been driven from her lungs as Vergil hit her directly in the stomach with his sheathed weapon. His attacks didn't let up. Despite being in mid-air he managed to launch a flurry of sheathed sword blows at the airborne succubus. An overhead strike knocked her head down, followed by an upward swing that sent her chin upward. A horizontal blow to her right side that she knew would bruise. A diagonal blow rocked her left shoulder and made one of her wings go limp.

The entire time, Tsukune and Moka could do nothing but watch from below as Vergil beat Kurumu ceaselessly in mid-air. Not only because it was happening in front of them. But because neither of them could understand it. Moka pointed a shaky finger up at the two, "V-V-Vergil...he's....he's-"

"Beating the crap out of Kuru? Yeah," Dante said already, rushing forward, "And I'm gonna go stop him before he goes too far. You two stay put. This is a family matter."

"Wait! Wait! Dante!" Tsukune, worry filling his heart, started running after Dante. Moka called his name and began running after him too. But neither of them were fast enough to keep up with the red-cloaked Devil Hunter. Still, they managed to move quick enough to get within ten paces of where Vergil was. Above them, Vergil grunted while slamming his sheathed blade down on the succubus' head. This time he didn't bother stopping her as she plummeted toward the ground. She landed with a grunt of pain, folding in on herself while her hands cradled her stomach.

Tears fell from her eyes, blurring her vision as she tried to push herself up. She only managed to get to all fours before the pain made her freeze in place. She turned her head up at the sound of footsteps, finding Vergil towering over her with his baleful gaze locked onto her. She heard her heartbeat quicken as he put the bowl (that he had held onto the entire time he was beating her) onto the ground.

"I told you once before," his tone was ice cold and made Kurumu's body temperature plummet. It only got worse as he pulled his blade from its scabbard, "The only reason you still had legs to walk on, was because I didn't wish to stain my blade. However, considering what you did to my lunch. I will make an exception."

Kurumu's eyes went wide. Her life flashed before her as the Yamato's blade shined in the mid-morning sun. She couldn't do anything save close her eyes as it flashed down.

The sound of steel hitting steel rung through the air.

Kurumu opened her eyes in shock and saw two things that made her heart stop.

The first was Dante, wielding a giant blade of obsidian in his hand. He held it casually while holding the Yamato back.

The second, and thing that took up her focus, was the sight of Tsukune and Moka standing with both arms out to the side. Protecting her from Vergil's attack.

"I think that's far enough, brother of mine," Dante's tone was light, but there was an edge to his voice. He leveled his stare at Vergil, not even cowed by his brother's glare. One of his eyes moved to the side to look at Tsukune and Moka, "Thought I told you two to stay put. What are you doing here?"

"He-He was gonna k-k-kill her!" Tsukune shouted. His entire body was trembling and sweat fell from his head like a waterfall. He couldn't take his eyes off the blade in Vergil's hand, but he still yelled, "I-I had to do something!"

"Y-Yeah! And staff shouldn't hurt their students!" Moka said though it sounded more like she didn't know what else to say. Kurumu, either from the pain or shock, couldn't say or do anything. She just stared at the three people standing between her and certain death.

Vergil ignored the two teens standing in his way. He instead focused on Dante, "Dante. Move."

Dante shook his head, "No way. While Kuru's kind of a pain, I'm not in the business of sitting back and watching kids die. Especially not when my brother, who is supposed to have turned over a new leaf, is about to do it for seemingly no reason."

Dante took a step forward, his Devil Sword scraping against the blade of the Yamato. The tension in the air was palpable as the two brothers stared each other down. Dante showed his teeth as he spoke, "Now, how about you tell your little brother what started all of this?"

Vergil frowned, then his eyes fell to the ramen bowl in his left hand.

A few silent moments passed by as he contemplated what had happened.

Then he closed his eyes and let the tension in his body fall. When he spoke, it wasn't with the same anger he had before. It was with an immense amount of shame, "She ruined my lunch."

Dante blinked.

Moka and Tsukune both shouted, "Huh?!"

Kurumu fell forward onto the ground. Not from the pain of her injuries. But the shock of the reason behind why she had gotten them.

Dante blinked again.

Then he smiled, put his sword up, then walked around Vergil, and patted him on the back. He spoke in a carefree tone of voice, "Vergil. Brother. Twin. Older siblings. Pal of mine. Father of my nephew. You do realize that I'm not gonna let you live this down and that I get to do something punishing to you for this right?"

Vergil remained silent.

"I'll take that as a yes."

He then sucker punched Vergil in the jaw.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

A knock on the door brought Kurumu out of her medicine induced fugue. Her uniform ruffled as she pushed herself up with her elbows, wincing as her body throbbed in pain. Her frame was covered head to toe in white bandages, matching with the white sheet of the bed. Her wings, tail, and claws were hidden, making her look like a normal student. Her tone was anxious as she called out, "C-Come in."

The door slowly opened up a crack. Once it was wide enough, Tsukune poked his head through the opening. He glanced around the room before his eyes fell onto the only occupant, "Kurumu?"

"Tsukune?" Kurumu replied, sitting up straighter. Her eyes sparkled a bit, "You came to see me?"

He nodded and Kurumu's great mood only improved. That was until another person made themselves known. Poking her pink haired head through the crack, Moka stared right at Kurumu with a bright smile. She waved at the succubus, "Hi, Kurumu! We both came to see how you were doing."

Kurumu's mood fell slightly. She slumped a bit as her eyes narrowed, "Oh, you're here too Akashiya."

Tsukune pushed the door open to let Moka inside. He followed the vampire in, closing the door behind him and being careful not to drop the plastic bag in his arm. Kurumu glanced at the bag curiously, but her attention was soon taken by Moka standing at the side of her bed. The vampire looked her up and down, side to side, and even pulled the cover up a bit to look underneath. The injured girl pulled the blanket away and glared at Moka, "What? You looking for something to make fun of? Well too bad. The nurse said that I'll be fine as long as I take it easy."

"So...you're gonna get better?" Moka asked, completely ignoring the annoyed tone in Kurumu's voice.

"Of course I will! No thanks to that white haired jerk! Who does he think-urk!"

Kurumu was suddenly pulled into a crushing hug by the vampire. Caught off guard, she was unable to react as Moka started to rub her cheek against her own. She held the succubus tight with her eyes closed as she spoke, "Oh thank goodness! I'm so glad you're gonna be alright, Kurumu!"

"H-H-Huh?" Kurumu asked, totally confused by the vampire's actions. She remained still, eyes blinking as Moka continued to hug her close. Tsukune walked to the other side of the bed, pulling out a chair to sit in as he watched the girls with a small smile on his face. After a few moments, Kurumu's eyes moved to look at Moka. Her confusion was evident in her voice, "Wait you're...you're happy I'm gonna be OK?"

Moka pulled away from Kurumu, tilting her head in confusion, "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because I'm your rival? I tried to kill you earlier. And I said I was gonna take Tsukune away from you," Kurumu pointed out, making note of how Moka's arms were still around her shoulders.

Moka pursed her lips and tapped a finger against her chin. Her brows furrowed as she thought about Kurumu's words. She slowly nodded, "Yeah. That...did upset me."

"Then why-"

"Because," Moka interrupted, eyes closed as her smile returned full force, "I want to be your friend."

"Friend? But...I'm your rival! I'm trying to prove I'm better than you," Kurumu said, not understanding Moka's words in the slightest.

Moka just shrugged, "But that doesn't mean we can't be friends, right? I'd really like it if we were. Because you seem like a good person, Kurumu."

Kurumu's mouth hung open as she stared at the beaming smile on Moka's face. She swore the vampire was glowing so brightly that she had to shield her eyes from the radiance. She turned to look at Tsukune, as if he would have an answer for why the vampire was being so kind. But all he was look sheepish at the succubus' stare. Wanting to avoid looking at the confusing vampire, Kurumu spoke to the boy, "Then why are you here?"

"Well...I was worried about you. Just like Moka was," Tsukune said while rubbing the back his neck, "Especially after what happened."

The mood in the room turned sour. All three students turned their gazes toward the floor. Kurumu's hands gripped her blanket as she thought back to what happened. After Dante punched Vergil, he grabbed the Librarian by the collar. Then he told Tsukune and Moka to help Kurumu to her feet. He led them to the nurse's office and told her what had happened. When she heard the explanation, she seemed almost ready to lunge at Vergil with the scalpel in her hand. She only reason she didn't was because Dante promised that he would make sure Vergil was "properly punished for pulverizing one of his precious pupils." Tsukune and Moka left her in the room, while Dante took Vergil off to who knows where.

"A-Anyway," Tsukune said, reaching into the bag he was carrying, "We know you probably missed lunch. So, we decided to bring it to it."

"Huh?" Kurumu's confusion only grew. Then it turned to surprise as Tsukune pulled a medium sized square box out of the bag. When he opened it up steam wafted out of the cardboard with a familiar smell following it. Kurumu gasped as she recalled the delicious scent, "P-Pizza?"

Indeed, within the cardboard box was a medium sized pepperoni pizza. Completely intact and ready for consumption. Floored by the revelation, Kurumu turned her gaze onto Tsukune. The boy smiled, "Turns out, Dante was telling the truth. They put pizza on the lunch menu. Though, they said it would only be for today and special occasions. So-"

"Me and Tsukune got one for all of us to share!" Moka said as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

Kurumu could only stare at the two students with awe. Her body wouldn't listen to her, nor would her heart stop beating in her chest. She could only ask one simple question of the two, "Why? Why are you doing this? Why are you being so nice to me?"

Moka and Tsukune shared a look. Then they both nodded with smiles on their faces. Without hesitation they both said aloud, "It's what friends do, right?"

Kurumu froze in place. For a moment, she didn't react to their words. Tsukune and Moke shared a worried look, wondering if they had said something wrong. Then the succubus body started to shake. The two other students quickly asked her if anything was wrong. But Kurumu simply shook her head. Then she raised her head and gave the two a bright smile as tears of happiness streamed down her face.

"Th-Thanks you, two," she managed through her sobs of happiness, "I'd...I'd love to be friends with you two."

Then she reached forward and grabbed a slice of pizza. With smiles on their faces, Moka and Tsukune did the same.

The pizza tasted three times as good to them all.

---

"Could you please, repeat that, Dante? Why did you drag Vergil by his collar to my office?"

"Because, Gramps," Dante said while patting his sulking brother on the back, "He nearly killed a student because she ruined his lunch."

Mikogami blinked in disbelief.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

"Could you please, repeat that, Dante? Why did you drag Vergil by his collar to my office?"

"Because, Gramps," Dante said while patting his sulking brother on the back, "He nearly killed a student because she ruined his lunch."

Mikogami blinked in disbelief. He looked between the Sparda Brothers sitting before him. Dante had the smugest grin he had ever seen on his face, leaning back in his chair with a sparkle in his eyes. The red cloaked man seemed happier than Mikogami had ever seen him. Which, admittedly, wasn't saying much since he had only known the man for a less than a week. But Dante did little to hide the absolute glee he felt at the current circumstance. Mikogami was pretty sure his smug grin could be seen from space.

A complete contrast to his hunched over, scowling brother Vergil. The older brother was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and hands on his chin. The expression on his face was a strange fusion of frustration and shame, eyes locked onto the floor and avoiding Mikogami and Dante at all cost. Even his hair looked deflated from where Mikogami was sitting.

Mikogami took a moment to think on what Dante had just said. Then he shook his head and mumbled, "I might need to reassess my original theories."

"What theories you talking about Gramps?"

Mikogami shook his head, "Oh, nothing, Dante. Nothing at all. Ahem. So, you're saying that Vergil attacked a student?"

"Indeed he did. All because she got some dust on his noodles," Dante shook his head while patting Vergil on the back, "Real shame he let that get to him. My brother's always been about keeping a cool head. But I guess that somethings you just can't let go of. Can you, Vergil?"

Vergil didn't respond to his brother. He did lift his head to look at Mikogami, eyes narrowed in shame. With grit teeth he reluctantly bowed his head to the headmaster, "It is with great shame that I admit my brother is...correct. As Patron Librarian I have...allowed my emotions to get the better of me."

"Ain't that the understatement of the century. But don't you worry brother of mine," Dante started to tussle Vergil's hair, "I promise that I will hold this over only as long as I'm on this earth."

Vergil cut his eyes at Dante but he didn't say anything against his brother. Dante just kept on smiling as he turned back to Mikogami, "But I don't think that's enough punishment for my older brother. Assaulting a minor with intent to cause significant harm is a serious crime after all. So, what should we do with him? Gonna take away his coveted Head Bookkeeper position? Gonna make him scrub the floors until they're good enough to eat off of? Or how about you make him my assistant for a while?"

"I wouldn't be adverse to any save the last punishment!" Vergil's tone was suddenly very insistent.

Dante clicked his tongue and wagged his finger, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Dear brother, you should know that the one getting punished doesn't get a say in these matters."

"I was not speaking to you, Dante."

"Oh, what? You gonna try to cut my legs off next?"

Sparks flew as the two brothers stared each other down. Mikogami could feel that the two were moments away from fighting each other. Wanting to stop such a thing from occurring, Mikogami cleared his throat to get the two's attention. Once both moved their eyes onto him he spoke, "I believe I understand what has happened. In which case, I believe that the best thing to do is give Vergil a write up before he goes back to work."

Dante and Vergil went silent. Slowly, they both turned their heads to look fully at Mikogami. Confusion and anger was clear on Vergil's face, while Dante still had his confident smile. However, Mikogami could swear he saw something sharp in the younger Sparda's eyes. Dante put his arm on Mikogami's desk and leaned forward. He cleared his throat, "Ahem. Uh, I don't you heard me there, Gramps. Vergil nearly cut a high schooler's legs off because she messed with his lunch. Don't you think that deserves something a bit more severe than what amounts to a 'Oops, don't do it again!'?"

Mikogami shrugged, "It's not as bad as you may say, Dante. This is a school for monsters, after all. There are bound to be instances were the students try to use their powers against teachers and vice versa. Whether it be for self-defense or otherwise. If I punished everyone for such a thing, then I doubt that-"

"Shut it," Mikogami clammed up at Dante's words. He met the Son Of Sparda's eyes and nearly pulled off one of his Holy Locks on reflex. Dante hadn't moved or done anything. He simply stared at Mikogami with his flat gray eyes. But the thing that got the Headmaster to suddenly go on guard was what lay beneath those eyes.

A frown.

Dante's jovial tone was nowhere to be found as he aired his grievances to Mikogami, "Monsters or not, fact of the matter is that they're kids, Mikogami. High schoolers. High schoolers who hardly even know what they're gonna be doing once they grow up. They shouldn't have to worry about whether or not they'll be killed by one of the faculty because they stepped on the wrong toes."

"Uh, but I assure-"

"No, no, no. Shut it," Dante repeated himself, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms, "Unless what you're about to say is how you're gonna punish my brother for nearly maiming a student, I don't wanna hear it."

Still stunned by Dante's words, Mikogami looked toward Vergil. If he was looking for support from the older brother, he was dead wrong. Vergil actually looked more angry than Dante did, his glare burning a hole into Mikogami. Vergil sat up straight, his shame forgotten as he joined Dnate in berating the Headmaster, "If that is truly how you plan to run this school, then you have created a place where no one has to fear reprisal from an authority figure. Your position as Headmaster is an empty one. So much so, that I feel the need to punish myself if you will not."

"You heard the man himself and me myself," Dante said while tapping a finger on the table, "So, either you start doing your job or else we're out. And, considering how dangerous this Alucard guy is, I don't think you'd want to lose any good assets you have, now would you?"

Mikogami flinched, "You're certainly acting shrewd, Dante. Never would've expected this from you."

"I can be pretty dang obstinate. Especially when kids' lives are on the line," Dante stated without taking his eyes off the Headmaster.

Mikogami's eyes flicked from one brother to the next. Both were glaring at him with barely contained anger. Neither looked like they would back down from this course of action. And Dante's frown had yet to abate. The entire situation made the Headmaster feel trapped by the brothers. Like if he made one wrong move, they'd strike without mercy. Even if he did unleash his full power, something told him that it wouldn't be enough to stop the two in front of him. Tense minutes passed as he thought over their conversation. Then he finally answered, "Very...very well. I will...see about being more strict when it comes to punishments."

Dante's frown disappeared as quickly as it came. Vergil's shoulder dropped.

Instantly, Mikogami felt the malice in the air abate. He resisted the urge to pant while letting go of his Holy Lock. After taking a few minutes to compose himself, he continued speaking to the two, "As for Vergil's own punishment...hmm...I may have an idea."

"Lay it on me, Gramps," Dante said with a wave of his hand, "How do you think my brother should atone for his crimes?"

Mikogami hummed while turning his gaze to Vergil, "Your knowledge of Japanese Culture is extensive, is it not?"

"I know more than the average person who isn't from Japan would," Vergil admitted, even as he felt a small chill go up his back, "Why?"

"I was just wondering...do you know what a dogeza is?"

 

[LinkOnScepter]

A knock on the door brought Kurumu out of her medicine induced fugue. Her uniform ruffled as she pushed herself up with her elbows, wincing as her body throbbed in pain. Her frame was covered head to toe in white bandages, matching with the white sheet of the bed. Her wings, tail, and claws were hidden, making her look like a normal student. Her tone was anxious as she called out, "C-Come in."

The door slowly opened up a crack. Once it was wide enough, Tsukune poked his head through the opening. He glanced around the room before his eyes fell onto the only occupant, "Kurumu?"

"Tsukune?" Kurumu replied, sitting up straighter. Her eyes sparkled a bit, "You came to see me?"

He nodded and Kurumu's great mood only improved. That was until another person made themselves known. Poking her pink haired head through the crack, Moka stared right at Kurumu with a bright smile. She waved at the succubus, "Hi, Kurumu! We both came to see how you were doing."

Kurumu's mood fell slightly. She slumped a bit as her eyes narrowed, "Oh, you're here too Akashiya."

Tsukune pushed the door open to let Moka inside. He followed the vampire in, closing the door behind him and being careful not to drop the plastic bag in his arm. Kurumu glanced at the bag curiously, but her attention was soon taken by Moka standing at the side of her bed. The vampire looked her up and down, side to side, and even pulled the cover up a bit to look underneath. The injured girl pulled the blanket away and glared at Moka, "What? You looking for something to make fun of? Well too bad. The nurse said that I'll be fine as long as I take it easy."

"So...you're gonna get better?" Moka asked, completely ignoring the annoyed tone in Kurumu's voice.

"Of course I will! No thanks to that white haired jerk! Who does he think-urk!"

Kurumu was suddenly pulled into a crushing hug by the vampire. Caught off guard, she was unable to react as Moka started to rub her cheek against her own. She held the succubus tight with her eyes closed as she spoke, "Oh thank goodness! I'm so glad you're gonna be alright, Kurumu!"

"H-H-Huh?" Kurumu asked, totally confused by the vampire's actions. She remained still, eyes blinking as Moka continued to hug her close. Tsukune walked to the other side of the bed, pulling out a chair to sit in as he watched the girls with a small smile on his face. After a few moments, Kurumu's eyes moved to look at Moka. Her confusion was evident in her voice, "Wait you're...you're happy I'm gonna be OK?"

Moka pulled away from Kurumu, tilting her head in confusion, "Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because I'm your rival? I tried to kill you earlier. And I said I was gonna take Tsukune away from you," Kurumu pointed out, making note of how Moka's arms were still around her shoulders.

Moka pursed her lips and tapped a finger against her chin. Her brows furrowed as she thought about Kurumu's words. She slowly nodded, "Yeah. That...did upset me."

"Then why-"

"Because," Moka interrupted, eyes closed as her smile returned full force, "I want to be your friend."

"Friend? But...I'm your rival! I'm trying to prove I'm better than you," Kurumu said, not understanding Moka's words in the slightest.

Moka just shrugged, "But that doesn't mean we can't be friends, right? I'd really like it if we were. Because you seem like a good person, Kurumu."

Kurumu's mouth hung open as she stared at the beaming smile on Moka's face. She swore the vampire was glowing so brightly that she had to shield her eyes from the radiance. She turned to look at Tsukune, as if he would have an answer for why the vampire was being so kind. But all he was look sheepish at the succubus' stare. Wanting to avoid looking at the confusing vampire, Kurumu spoke to the boy, "Then why are you here?"

"Well...I was worried about you. Just like Moka was," Tsukune said while rubbing the back his neck, "Especially after what happened."

The mood in the room turned sour. All three students turned their gazes toward the floor. Kurumu's hands gripped her blanket as she thought back to what happened. After Dante punched Vergil, he grabbed the Librarian by the collar. Then he told Tsukune and Moka to help Kurumu to her feet. He led them to the nurse's office and told her what had happened. When she heard the explanation, she seemed almost ready to lunge at Vergil with the scalpel in her hand. She only reason she didn't was because Dante promised that he would make sure Vergil was "properly punished for pulverizing one of his precious pupils." Tsukune and Moka left her in the room, while Dante took Vergil off to who knows where.

"A-Anyway," Tsukune said, reaching into the bag he was carrying, "We know you probably missed lunch. So, we decided to bring it to it."

"Huh?" Kurumu's confusion only grew. Then it turned to surprise as Tsukune pulled a medium sized square box out of the bag. When he opened it up steam wafted out of the cardboard with a familiar smell following it. Kurumu gasped as she recalled the delicious scent, "P-Pizza?"

Indeed, within the cardboard box was a medium sized pepperoni pizza. Completely intact and ready for consumption. Floored by the revelation, Kurumu turned her gaze onto Tsukune. The boy smiled, "Turns out, Dante was telling the truth. They put pizza on the lunch menu. Though, they said it would only be for today and special occasions. So-"

"Me and Tsukune got one for all of us to share!" Moka said as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

Kurumu could only stare at the two students with awe. Her body wouldn't listen to her, nor would her heart stop beating in her chest. She could only ask one simple question of the two, "Why? Why are you doing this? Why are you being so nice to me?"

Moka and Tsukune shared a look. Then they both nodded with smiles on their faces. Without hesitation they both said aloud, "It's what friends do, right?"

Kurumu froze in place. For a moment, she didn't react to their words. Tsukune and Moke shared a worried look, wondering if they had said something wrong. Then the succubus body started to shake. The two other students quickly asked her if anything was wrong. But Kurumu simply shook her head. Then she raised her head and gave the two a bright smile as tears of happiness streamed down her face.

"Th-Thanks you, two," she managed through her sobs of happiness, "I'd...I'd love to be friends with you two."

Then she reached forward and grabbed a slice of pizza. With smiles on their faces, Moka and Tsukune did the same.

The pizza tasted three times as good to them all.

---

"Could you please, repeat that, Dante? Why did you drag Vergil by his collar to my office?"

"Because, Gramps," Dante said while patting his sulking brother on the back, "He nearly killed a student because she ruined his lunch."

Mikogami blinked in disbelief. He looked between the Sparda Brothers sitting before him. Dante had the smugest grin he had ever seen on his face, leaning back in his chair with a sparkle in his eyes. The red cloaked man seemed happier than Mikogami had ever seen him. Which, admittedly, wasn't saying much since he had only known the man for a less than a week. But Dante did little to hide the absolute glee he felt at the current circumstance. Mikogami was pretty sure his smug grin could be seen from space.

A complete contrast to his hunched over, scowling brother Vergil. The older brother was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and hands on his chin. The expression on his face was a strange fusion of frustration and shame, eyes locked onto the floor and avoiding Mikogami and Dante at all cost. Even his hair looked deflated from where Mikogami was sitting.

Mikogami took a moment to think on what Dante had just said. Then he shook his head and mumbled, "I might need to reassess my original theories."

"What theories you talking about Gramps?"

Mikogami shook his head, "Oh, nothing, Dante. Nothing at all. Ahem. So, you're saying that Vergil attacked a student?"

"Indeed he did. All because she got some dust on his noodles," Dante shook his head while patting Vergil on the back, "Real shame he let that get to him. My brother's always been about keeping a cool head. But I guess that somethings you just can't let go of. Can you, Vergil?"

Vergil didn't respond to his brother. He did lift his head to look at Mikogami, eyes narrowed in shame. With grit teeth he reluctantly bowed his head to the headmaster, "It is with great shame that I admit my brother is...correct. As Patron Librarian I have...allowed my emotions to get the better of me."

"Ain't that the understatement of the century. But don't you worry brother of mine," Dante started to tussle Vergil's hair, "I promise that I will hold this over only as long as I'm on this earth."

Vergil cut his eyes at Dante but he didn't say anything against his brother. Dante just kept on smiling as he turned back to Mikogami, "But I don't think that's enough punishment for my older brother. Assaulting a minor with intent to cause significant harm is a serious crime after all. So, what should we do with him? Gonna take away his coveted Head Bookkeeper position? Gonna make him scrub the floors until they're good enough to eat off of? Or how about you make him my assistant for a while?"

"I wouldn't be adverse to any save the last punishment!" Vergil's tone was suddenly very insistent.

Dante clicked his tongue and wagged his finger, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Dear brother, you should know that the one getting punished doesn't get a say in these matters."

"I was not speaking to you, Dante."

"Oh, what? You gonna try to cut my legs off next?"

Sparks flew as the two brothers stared each other down. Mikogami could feel that the two were moments away from fighting each other. Wanting to stop such a thing from occurring, Mikogami cleared his throat to get the two's attention. Once both moved their eyes onto him he spoke, "I believe I understand what has happened. In which case, I believe that the best thing to do is give Vergil a write up before he goes back to work."

Dante and Vergil went silent. Slowly, they both turned their heads to look fully at Mikogami. Confusion and anger was clear on Vergil's face, while Dante still had his confident smile. However, Mikogami could swear he saw something sharp in the younger Sparda's eyes. Dante put his arm on Mikogami's desk and leaned forward. He cleared his throat, "Ahem. Uh, I don't you heard me there, Gramps. Vergil nearly cut a high schooler's legs off because she messed with his lunch. Don't you think that deserves something a bit more severe than what amounts to a 'Oops, don't do it again!'?"

Mikogami shrugged, "It's not as bad as you may say, Dante. This is a school for monsters, after all. There are bound to be instances were the students try to use their powers against teachers and vice versa. Whether it be for self-defense or otherwise. If I punished everyone for such a thing, then I doubt that-"

"Shut it," Mikogami clammed up at Dante's words. He met the Son Of Sparda's eyes and nearly pulled off one of his Holy Locks on reflex. Dante hadn't moved or done anything. He simply stared at Mikogami with his flat gray eyes. But the thing that got the Headmaster to suddenly go on guard was what lay beneath those eyes.

A frown.

Dante's jovial tone was nowhere to be found as he aired his grievances to Mikogami, "Monsters or not, fact of the matter is that they're kids, Mikogami. High schoolers. High schoolers who hardly even know what they're gonna be doing once they grow up. They shouldn't have to worry about whether or not they'll be killed by one of the faculty because they stepped on the wrong toes."

"Uh, but I assure-"

"No, no, no. Shut it," Dante repeated himself, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms, "Unless what you're about to say is how you're gonna punish my brother for nearly maiming a student, I don't wanna hear it."

Still stunned by Dante's words, Mikogami looked toward Vergil. If he was looking for support from the older brother, he was dead wrong. Vergil actually looked more angry than Dante did, his glare burning a hole into Mikogami. Vergil sat up straight, his shame forgotten as he joined Dnate in berating the Headmaster, "If that is truly how you plan to run this school, then you have created a place where no one has to fear reprisal from an authority figure. Your position as Headmaster is an empty one. So much so, that I feel the need to punish myself if you will not."

"You heard the man himself and me myself," Dante said while tapping a finger on the table, "So, either you start doing your job or else we're out. And, considering how dangerous this Alucard guy is, I don't think you'd want to lose any good assets you have, now would you?"

Mikogami flinched, "You're certainly acting shrewd, Dante. Never would've expected this from you."

"I can be pretty dang obstinate. Especially when kids' lives are on the line," Dante stated without taking his eyes off the Headmaster.

Mikogami's eyes flicked from one brother to the next. Both were glaring at him with barely contained anger. Neither looked like they would back down from this course of action. And Dante's frown had yet to abate. The entire situation made the Headmaster feel trapped by the brothers. Like if he made one wrong move, they'd strike without mercy. Even if he did unleash his full power, something told him that it wouldn't be enough to stop the two in front of him. Tense minutes passed as he thought over their conversation. Then he finally answered, "Very...very well. I will...see about being more strict when it comes to punishments."

Dante's frown disappeared as quickly as it came. Vergil's shoulder dropped.

Instantly, Mikogami felt the malice in the air abate. He resisted the urge to pant while letting go of his Holy Lock. After taking a few minutes to compose himself, he continued speaking to the two, "As for Vergil's own punishment...hmm...I may have an idea."

"Lay it on me, Gramps," Dante said with a wave of his hand, "How do you think my brother should atone for his crimes?"

Mikogami hummed while turning his gaze to Vergil, "Your knowledge of Japanese Culture is extensive, is it not?"

"I know more than the average person who isn't from Japan would," Vergil admitted, even as he felt a small chill go up his back, "Why?"

"I was just wondering...do you know what a dogeza is?"

---

"Wait up, Lover Boy, Fangs."

Tsukune and Moka paused within the crowd of students. They shared a confused glance, before turning around to see Dante walking toward them. He threw his arms around their shoulders, looking at each high schooler in turn. His smile is wide and his eyes sparkle with happiness, "How's my two favorite students doing?"

"Uh, we're fine, Dante," Tsukune said, trying his best to keep eye contact with Dante. It was actually rather hard with the man's arm around his other shoulder. He rubbed at his cheek, "We were just about to go to see what clubs are open right now."

Dante hummed, looking out at the sea of high schoolers in front of him. There were enough to them to literally fill the school hallway from end to end. Most were either walking around and looking for a club to join, or were simply hanging out while talking about which one they should join. He nodded before taking his arms off the two kids, "Good to see so many students taking what Kitty Cat said to heart. And speaking of hearts, how's Kuru doing? She up and moving after my brother gave her a bit of trouble yesterday?"

"Kurumu? Yeah! The nurse said she'd be back to normal by today. I bet she's looking for a club too," Moka nods, smile as wide as Dante's.

Dante chuckled, "That so? Good to hear, cause I need to make sure my good brother Vergil takes his time to make things right,"

"Is he going to apologize?" Tsukune asked, wincing as he thought back to what happened yesterday. He still couldn't believe a staff member just assaulted a student like that.

Dante's smile seemed to get even wider. He barely stopped his chuckle from turning into a full blown laughing fit. Instead he patted Tsukune on the shoulder before letting both of the students go, "Oh, will he ever. But you two shouldn't worry about that. How's about you come with your friendly Teacher's Assistant to the wonderful Club Expose going on?"

Dante waved a hand at the numerous stands that had been set up by various clubs. All of which had students at them, jockeying to catch the eyes of as many other students as possible. Moka perked up and grabbed Tsukune's shoulders. She turned him to face her with a big grin on her face, "Hey, Tsukune, which group should we enter?"

Tsukune placed a finger on his chin as he frowned in thought. After a few seconds, he spoke with a smile, "How about the swimming club?" He didn't catch Moka stiffening as he started to explain, "Well, actually, my parents made me take swimming classes until grade school, so.."

"Err...but I-" Moka didn't finish, making Tsukune look at her questioningly.

Dante walked in between the two, head shaking as he did so, "Ah, that's no good you two."

"Huh?" both high schoolers said in unison.

Dante turned his gaze to Moka first. He put on a faux "Teacher Accent" as he spoke, "Fangs, being someone's friend doesn't just mean being a quiet doormat. If they say something that's bothering you, you need to be upfront about it. If they're a real friend, they'll understand."

Once he saw Moka look down at the floor in surprise and shame, he turned his gaze to Tsukune. The human boy flinched under his scrutiny but Dante didn't relent, "And shame on you, Lover Boy. Why would you suggest a vampire join the swimming club?"

"Uh-huh-we-" Tsukune stuttered, not wanting to admit that part of him wanted to see Moka in a swimsuit. His face turned red as he tried to think of an excuse.

Dante cut him off, putting a finger in front of Tsukune's eyes, "Tell me, how much do you know about vampires?"

"N-N-Not a lot...," Tsukune admitted, not sure where Dante was going with this.

"Figures. Lover Boy, vampires can't touch water. It's one of their biggest weaknesses. You basically asked Fangs here to join a club that would hurt her to participate in."
"Wh-What?! Is-is that true, Moka?!" Tsukune focused his wide eyed gaze on to the vampire.

Moka avoided his eyes, touching her fingertips together in front of her. After a few moments she answered, "Y-Y-Yes."

Tsukune felt his shame increase tenfold. A lump formed in his heart as the realization hit him, "Bu-Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't want to disappoint you. I want to join the same club you're in and...," she trailed off while looking at the floor. But her actions only made Tsukune feel even worse. He looked up at Dante, trying to see if the older man could offer any advice. Dante kept silent, arms crossed while shaking his head at the human.

Realizing he wouldn't be getting any help from Dante, Tsukune did the one thing that came to mind.

"I'm so sorry, Moka!" he shouted, bowing until his body was at a full ninety degree angle. He closed his eyes and grit his teeth, "I-I didn't take your feelings into account. I promise, I won't let that happen again."

"Tsukune it's-" Dante interrupted Moka by taking her by the shoulder. Then he grabbed Tsukune's collar and pulled him up straight.

His face returned to its usual joviality, Dante patted the teenagers on their backs, "Now, isn't that better? Take this as a free lesson from your helpful TA; Communication is one of the most important parts of life. For both humans and monsters."

He then took them both by the hand and turned toward the clubs, "Now, lets find you guys a club!"

---

FINALLY! For God's Sake!

Sorry, I don't know why, but I haven't felt like writing ANY of my Fanfics recently. But I finally managed to get this one in. Hope you all enjoy.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

The thought process behind students joining clubs was a simple one. Humans have multiple types of activities that they have in their schools. One of the most important parts of being at Yokai Academy was learning to be human. So, having the students get involved with club activities was meant to help them learn how to be human. Thus the reason why it was pushed so much for the students to do so.

Many simply walked around and chose a club that interested them. Unfortunately for Moka and Tsukune...

"Why are there nothing but weird clubs?!" Tsukune shouted as he and Moka ran away from the throng of students. They managed to get free and stopped just outside the hallway filling group. Tsukune's hands went to his knees as he tried to get this breath back. Worried, Moka gently patted him on the back to comfort him. Tsukune thanked her while straightening up. His face was sweating from the stress of dealing with all the clubs that approached them. A spirit Photography Club that asked for nude pictures. A Chemistry Club that wanted to make love potion powder. An Acupuncture Club run by literal mummies. The only club that seemed normal was the Swimming Club, but he avoided it outright considering Moka's issues with it. Though it did hurt to skip out on seeing the pretty girls.

"Urgh, it doesn't look like it's gonna be that easy to find a club, Dante," Tsukune looked up but was confused when he didn't see the Teacher's Assistant near him. He looked around, "Dante?"

"He's back there," Moka pointed toward the throng of students looking for clubs. Tsukune turned around to see where she was pointing. What he saw was Dante walking through the sea of students while being accosted on all sides by various clubs. Including the ones that he and Moka had just run through.

Dante kept smiling but waved each one of them off, "Sorry, kiddos. Need to keep myself open in case Kitty Cat needs me. And I've never been the kind of guy to slack off on a job."

He did point some finger guns at a few of the clubs he passed by. They were upset but most went right back to trying to recruit more students. The main thing was when he started passing by the swimming club. As he passed in front of it, Tsukune and Moka saw the girl in front of the club's stand make her way to him. She got close and tried to throw her arms around Dante's arm...only for Dante to spin on his heel and dodge her. As the girl blinked head turning to follow Dante's movement. Dante wagged a finger at the girl and shook his head, "Now, now, young lady. You shouldn't just hug teacher's like that. While it's a nice gesture, it is also inappropriate for this school environment."

She pouted, "I was just trying to get your attention, Dante-sensei. The Swimming Club is only girls, but we'd love to you as an adviser. I'd put in a good word for you as the Club's Captain."

She smiled, a bright sight that made multiple male students immediately decide to sign up for the Swimming Club. Dante, meanwhile, just shook his head with a shrug, "Nice offer, but I'll have to decline. Though it certainly looks like you got plenty new people to join up."

He winked at her, walking backward while waving goodbye. The Captain continued to pout but her attention was swiftly taken by the other students who were interested in the Swimming Club. Once she was gone, Dante around and walked over to Tsukune and Moka. He stopped in front of them, "So, see anything ya like? I'm pretty sure that club where they swing those wooden swords is open. Might be good for ya, Lover Boy."

Tsukune looked away from Dante and shook his head, "I...don't think so. I wasn't really able to find any...normal clubs. What about you, Moka?"

Moka placed a finger on her chin and hummed in thought. Then she shrugged, "I want to go any club that you want to go to, Tsukune."

Her beaming smile made Tsukune blush. He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. But Dante rolled his eyes, knowing that the two were gonna go back and forth with this. He tapped his foot against the floor while looking around the room. He could remember but the clubs, but figured that most of them wouldn't interest the two teenagers in front of them. Especially since most of them aren't exactly "normal". Though considering where he was, expecting a club to be normal to a human isn't a good idea.

Dante smiled then walked around the two to put his hands on their shoulders. He looked down at them with a smile, "How about we leave that for later? Instead, lets head off while classes are out to get started on our little project?"

"Project?" Tsukune and Moka said in unison. Then Tsukune's face turned pale, "You don't mean-"

"Yep!" he turned the two of them around and started walking them away from the clubs, "Time to get back to training!"

---

Sorry it's been a while. But I just got a new laptop that I've been using to write more. So, hopefully, I can get more chapters of this written.

 

[LinkOnScepter]

The thought process behind students joining clubs was a simple one. Humans have multiple types of activities that they have in their schools. One of the most important parts of being at Yokai Academy was learning to be human. So, having the students get involved with club activities was meant to help them learn how to be human. Thus the reason why it was pushed so much for the students to do so.

Many simply walked around and chose a club that interested them. Unfortunately for Moka and Tsukune...

"Why are there nothing but weird clubs?!" Tsukune shouted as he and Moka ran away from the throng of students. They managed to get free and stopped just outside the hallway filling group. Tsukune's hands went to his knees as he tried to get this breath back. Worried, Moka gently patted him on the back to comfort him. Tsukune thanked her while straightening up. His face was sweating from the stress of dealing with all the clubs that approached them. A spirit Photography Club that asked for nude pictures. A Chemistry Club that wanted to make love potion powder. An Acupuncture Club run by literal mummies. The only club that seemed normal was the Swimming Club, but he avoided it outright considering Moka's issues with it. Though it did hurt to skip out on seeing the pretty girls.

"Urgh, it doesn't look like it's gonna be that easy to find a club, Dante," Tsukune looked up but was confused when he didn't see the Teacher's Assistant near him. He looked around, "Dante?"

"He's back there," Moka pointed toward the throng of students looking for clubs. Tsukune turned around to see where she was pointing. What he saw was Dante walking through the sea of students while being accosted on all sides by various clubs. Including the ones that he and Moka had just run through.

Dante kept smiling but waved each one of them off, "Sorry, kiddos. Need to keep myself open in case Kitty Cat needs me. And I've never been the kind of guy to slack off on a job."

He did point some finger guns at a few of the clubs he passed by. They were upset but most went right back to trying to recruit more students. The main thing was when he started passing by the swimming club. As he passed in front of it, Tsukune and Moka saw the girl in front of the club's stand make her way to him. She got close and tried to throw her arms around Dante's arm...only for Dante to spin on his heel and dodge her. The girl blinked, head turning to follow Dante's movement. Dante wagged a finger at the girl and shook his head, "Now, now, young lady. You shouldn't just hug teachers like that. While it's a nice gesture, it is also inappropriate for this school environment."

She pouted, "I was just trying to get your attention, Dante-sensei. The Swimming Club is only for girls, but we'd love to have you as an adviser. I'd put in a good word for you as the Club's Captain."

She smiled, a bright sight that made multiple male students immediately decide to sign up for the Swimming Club. Dante, meanwhile, just shook his head with a shrug, "Nice offer, but I'll have to decline. Though it certainly looks like you got plenty of new people who want to join up."

He winked at her, walking backward while waving goodbye. The Captain continued to pout but her attention was swiftly taken by the other students who were interested in the Swimming Club. Once she was gone, Dante walked over to Tsukune and Moka. He stopped in front of them, "So, see anything ya like? I'm pretty sure that the club where they swing those wooden swords is open. Might be good for ya, Lover Boy."

Tsukune looked away from Dante and shook his head, "I...don't think so. I wasn't able to find any...normal clubs. What about you, Moka?"

Moka placed a finger on her chin and hummed in thought. Then she shrugged, "I want to go to whatever club that you want to go to, Tsukune."

Her beaming smile made Tsukune blush. He chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. But Dante rolled his eyes, knowing that the two were gonna go back and forth with this. He tapped his foot against the floor while looking around the room. He could remember the clubs but figured that most of them wouldn't interest the two teenagers in front of them. Especially since most of them aren't exactly "normal". Though considering where he was, expecting a club to be normal to a human isn't a good idea.

Dante smiled then walked around the two to put his hands on their shoulders. He looked down at them with a smile, "How about we leave that for later? Instead, let's head off while classes are out to get started on our little project?"

"Project?" Tsukune and Moka said in unison. Then Tsukune's face turned pale, "You don't mean-"

"Yep!" he turned the two of them around and started walking them away from the clubs, "Time to get back to training!"

---

"Hiyaa!"

Tsukune's right hook landed on Dante's chin. Dante...didn't react. While Tsukune pulled his hand away and started to hiss in pain. He held his injured hand while his arm trembled from the impact.

"Tsukune!" Moka shouted, running toward the injured human. She grabbed his hand and started to rub it with her own, "Are you alright? Do you need me to get some ice?"

"N-N-No, thank you though, Moka," Tsukune tried his best to smile through the pain. But his rapidly reddening hand proved him wrong. And the tears that were threatening to fall from his eyes. Moka noticed and turned to Dante with a frown on her face.

Dante's response was to shrug and sigh, "I didn't do anything there, Fangs. Hmm, figured that you needed some work, Lover Boy. But this is a bit more than I expected."

"W-What is all this for anyway?" Tsukune said while looking around at their surroundings, "And why are we back on the roof for this?"

"No one seems to come up here often, and it's wide open enough for us to do stuff like this," Dante spread his arms out wide to show what he meant. His words rang true. No one else was around and the roof was wide enough for all of them to move around in. He put his hands on his hips and spoke, "As for what all this is for? I'm tryin' to gauge what Lover Boy's current level is. Will help me figure out the routine he needs to follow."

"Level? What are you talking about?" Tsukune asked as he straightened up.

"I'll explain in a moment. Fangs, you're up next."

"Wh-What? Me?" Moka said, shocked that he even considered her.

Dante nodded, "You said you were gonna start protecting Lover Boy, right? Well then, you should start training. Unless you can suddenly dye your hair white on command. But something tells me that won't be happening without a trigger. Am I right, Silver Fang?"

He bent over and put a hand on his ear as if he was waiting for a response. Tsukune looked confused, but Moka grabbed her rosary and lifted it up, "Are you...trying to talk to her?"

"Yep. Figured she could hear us, but was too shy to speak up. So I wanted to give her an in," Dante explained as he waited for the Other Moka to respond.

The response never came.

Moka shook her head and let the rosary fall from her hand, "Sorry, Dante-sensei. I haven't heard anything from her since last time."

"You mean, when I pulled the rosary off?" Tsukune asked. Moka nodded in confirmation. Tsukune went quiet as he thought back to that Moka. The silver-haired vampire that had fought against Dante and Vergil. She looked like the Moka he knew, but her aura was totally different. It was oppressive. Powerful. Dominating. As if she knew she was the strongest creature in the world and didn't try to hide it. Not to mention her way of fighting meant that...

Tsukune turned away as his nose started bleeding. Moka didn't notice as she turned back to Dante, "So...I just have to...hit you?"

Dante smiled, straightened up, then gestured for Moka to come at him, "As hard as you can. Don't worry about little 'ol me. I may not look it, but I'm sturdy as heck. So, come on! Hit me with your best shot!"

Moka hesitated as she spread her legs out. Swallowing audibly, she cried out while dashing toward Dante. Dante stood there with his hands against his hips as Moka came close...then pushed him with both of her hands.

Dante didn't move an inch.

"Huh?!" Moka and Tsukune said in unison.

Dante dusted his chest off then nodded, "Hmm...I think I get it now. Listen up, kiddos, here's your TA Dante's Official Analysis Of Your Combat Capabilities."

He pointed at Moka, making her flinch back as his finger pressed against her nose, "You, Fangs, have the power but lack the will and technique. You can hit as hard as your other self...if you wanted to. Problem is, you don't have the guts to actually throw a punch at someone and hurt them. And even if you did, you wouldn't know the first thing about throwing a punch. You have no form, no foundation, and no skill with it."

"I-I-That's just cause-"

"Cause ya don't want to hurt anybody. Trust me, I get that," Dante held up both of his hands, "But if you're serious about protecting your friend over there, you're gonna have to be willing to get your hands dirty."

As Moka considered his words, Dante turned to Tsukune. He snapped his fingers to get the boy's attention then pointed at him, "As for you, Lover Boy-"

Tsukune looked up, worried about what Dante would say about him. But he figured it couldn't be that bad...

"You're even worse off than Fangs here."

STAB

"You don't have the technique, power, or the will."

STAB STAB

"Personally, if I didn't care about keeping you alive, I'd tell ya to just stand behind Fangs and let her do all the work."

STAB STAB STAB

Tsukune fell to his knees, tears running down his face from Dante's barrage of word shivs. Whatever pride he had before was barely holding on. He stared at the ground while a sad chuckle left his mouth. Moka walked over to him, poking his back while calling his name in concern. Dante followed and continued, "But considering I do care about keeping you alive, can't let that happen."

He stood in front of the two students and clapped his hands together, "Taking all that into account, I have come up with a foolproof plan to get both of you into shape. Fangs, you're gonna start learning how to fight with me. Don't worry, I'll go easy on ya so you can learn."

"O-Okay?" Moka said with a raised eyebrow.

"And as for you, Lover Boy?" Dante reached down and pulled Tsukune to his feet. He kept a hand on his shoulder as he smiled, "You and me are gonna hit the gym."

---

Kurumu stopped dead in her tracks. She felt her body tense up as she saw a familiar man slowly approaching her. Her eyes widened and her body began to shake. She dropped the basket of sweets she was carrying as every instinct in her body told her to run away. But her muscles wouldn't move. She was completely stunned.

She screamed internally as the gravity of the situation hit her. She had just gotten out of the nurse's room. Her injuries had only just healed up. She was hardly even done observing all the open clubs! Yet, here he was again. The same man who was responsible for putting her in the nurse's office in the first place.

Vergil.

And he was walking toward her with his head held high and shoulders held back. His intense stare was directed right at her. His sword was nowhere to be seen, but she had no doubt he could pull it out at any moment. She swore his footsteps were moving in sync with her beating heart. None of the students got in his way, most moving to the side to avoid him. He didn't even bother looking at them. He only seemed to have eyes for her.

Which only made things worse.

She stood stock still, a dear in the headlights as Vergil got closer and closer. He stopped when he was three steps away from her. She trembled before his gaze while raising one of her arms defensively. If Vergil noticed her fear he didn't let it show. He stared her down, his sharp eyes making her feel very small as she stood before him.

"Kurumu Kurono?" his tone was ice cold and sent a chill down her spine. She swallowed and slowly nodded, while her body trembled before him. She waited as Vergil continued to silently stare at her without moving. So much time passed that she noticed something. That he was...shaking?

His hands specifically. They were shaking. Not out of fear like she was but...something else? The revelation made her calm down somewhat, her arm falling a bit as she examined him further. The tense atmosphere remained and only grew worse as Vergil's sword appeared out of thin air in his hand. Kurumu prepared to run but stopped when she saw him crouch down and...put his sword on the floor. Then he got down to one knee and stood there for a while. She noticed that his head was still held up and focused on her face. He didn't break eye contact with her for a single moment. His face and body seemed stiff, while his eyes were filled with conflicting emotions. He remained kneeling for a few moments...then punched himself in the leg he was leaning on. That leg went under him as he got down on all fours then slowly, ever so slowly, lowered his head to the floor.

"I...urgh," he choked a bit as he spoke. She heard him audibly swallow as more students gathered around to see what was going on. They muttered to themselves but Vergil didn't pay them any mind. Well...she didn't think he did. Though the way his ears twitched suggested otherwise. He took a few moments to speak again, "I...I...IaskforyoursincereforgivenessforanypainIinflicteduponyouoveramisunderstanding."

Kurumu blinked, "Huh?"

Vergil winced and took a moment to regain his nerves. Then he repeated himself, slower this time, "I...I ask...that you...forgive me...for any pain I inflicted upon you...over a...misunderstanding."

Kurumu's eyes widened even further. A part of her wanted to take advantage of this moment. Of having Vergil bowing down to her while in front of a bunch of students. Humiliate him for what he did to her. Make him suffer at least a fraction of what she suffered.

Then she remembered how he almost killed her because she ruined his lunch.

Feelings of revenge were swiftly drowned by survival instinct.

"I-I-I do?" she carefully ventured, closing one eye as she waited to see Vergil's response.

The Head Librarian swiftly grabbed his sword, got to his feet, and then quickly walked away from her without another word. Students made to move out of his way, with a few watching him as he walked off.

Kurumu watched him go, not entirely sure how to feel about what just happened.

---

"Damn, can't believe I missed it!" Dante complained as he and Vergil walked through the empty hallways. School was out and the students had all gone to their dorms for the day. Dante turned to Vergil and scowled, "Why'd you go apologize to her without me, Vergil?"

Vergil held a book in front of his eyes as he walked, "It was meant to be a punishment. Not a chance for you to be entertained, Dante."

Dante threw up his hands, "Who? Me? Want to see my older brother on his hands and knees with his head on the floor for entertainment? Perish the thought. I just wanted to be there to give you some pointers and give you confidence."

"Hmph, whatever you say, Dante," Vergil rolled his eyes while continuing to read his book.

Dante lets his hands fall. His tone becomes more serious as he speaks, "But being serious for a sec? I wanted to see how far you've come. The Vergil I know would never, ever, do something like that. He'd sooner take someone else's limb instead of supplicating himself before somebody else. And would never admit when he's in the wrong."

Dante stretched his arms toward the ceiling, "Honestly, makes me feel real proud of you, Vergil."

"As if I need your approval for anything," Vergil snapped his book closed as he glanced at Dante, "However, the compliments are appreciated. And I suppose that apologizing to that Succubus was not so bad. At least she had the wherewithal to not attempt taking advantage of the situation."

Dante chuckled, "Oh yeah. That would've been a huge mistake on her part. If she thought you were mad before, she ain't seen nothin' yet."

Dante continued to chuckle as the two brothers made their way down the empty hall. Eventually, Vergil came to a stop in front of a classroom with a plaque saying "Art Room" in front of it. He looked up at the door, "This is the place."

"We here? Cool," Dante came to a stop next to the door. He leaned against the wall and raised an eyebrow, "The Art Room, huh? So, why are we here again?"

"I struck a deal with the Art Teacher. She is a Medusa, and wished to see one of us after school for her modeling."

"Oh, Vergil. You sly dog-"

"Do not start."

"I'm not, I'm not. So, we're both gonna head in there and let a woman oogle our bodies?"

"Not we. You," Vergil turned and walked away from Dante.

Dante pushed off the wall, "Wait, what?! You said-"

"That she requested to see one of us. Not both of us. And considering you are not doing anything productive with your time, I shall leave you to it. Good luck, Dante," Vergil didn't even wave goodbye to his younger brother.

"Now hold on a-" Dante was interrupted as the door to the Art Room opened up.

Ishigami stood in the doorway, smiling in anticipation as she caught sight of Dante, "Oh good, you're here. Um...Dante, right? Come on in and we can get started."

She moved to the side to let Dante in the room. Dante turned to see Vergil, but his brother was already gone. Muttering a "That son of a-" under his breath, he cleared his throat and turned to the Art Teacher. Putting on his trademark smile he snapped his fingers, "You got it, Slithers. Don't mind if I call ya Slithers, right?"

He stepped into the room, eyes immediately adjusting to the darkness. He quickly took note of all the unused canvases, unopened paint cans, dry paint brushes...and the two life-like stone statues in the room. They were replicas of female students, both their faces locked in expressions of horror. The only other thing he could make out about them was that one had short hair, while the other had long hair. Outside of that, they were nearly identical. He stepped toward the statues and leaned forward to examine them. He placed one hand on his chin and whistled, "These are pretty lifelike, Slithers. Mind telling me how you made 'em? Or is that a trade secret among you artsy types?"

"Oh, there's no need to worry," the sound of multiple snakes hissing followed Ishigami's statement, "You'll find out soon enough."

Dante felt something bite his other hand but didn't make it obvious. He nonchalantly straightened up and looked down at his left hand. A dark black snake had bitten him and had just let go of his hand. It retreated toward its owner, Ishigami, who had removed her bandana and was posing in front of the door. A multitude of snakes sprang from her head, hissing and biting at the air in a frenzy. She licked her lips as her eyes met Dante, "You see, Dante, I tend to collect beautiful things. And the most beautiful things in this world are destruction and my stone statues. I've already started my collection with those foolish girls you see behind you. And soon, you and your brother will join them."

As she began to laugh, Dante looked down at his left hand. Sure enough, his skin was slowly turning to stone. He could feel the appendage getting heavier and heavier by the second. Ishigami could only laugh as she watched. It was only a matter of time before Dante succumbed to her ability. Once she managed to bite someone with her snakes, it was all over for them. He would start panicking and begging her for help any second now.

However...

"Ha, neat trick," Dante's tone remained nonchalant. When he turned toward Ishigami, his gaze held no mercy within it, "Want to see mine?"

With a single flex of his demonic power, Dante shattered the stone that was encroaching upon his hand. The dust around his feet flew up as the force of his power fell over the room. The stone that was on his hand fell to the ground and shattered like falling boulders. All of Ishigami's snakes stopped hissing and retreated to hide behind her head. They whimpered as Dante's power fell over them all. Ishigami had stopped laughing. She was now trembling in fear. Dante casually walked over to her, pulling out Ebony and Ivory while clicking his tongue, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, now Slithers. You should know that teachers are supposed to protect students. Not treat them like your own personal art gallery. Those two girls didn't deserve nor volunteered for this. Don't you worry though. I'll be sure to get them the help they need. But before that..."

"P-P-Please," Ishigami fell to her knees and bowed her head in supplication, "Please don't kill me! T-Take me on instead! I'm a powerful Youkai! If you let me work for you, I'll do whatever you say! If we work together, we can rule this school! Mikogami won't-"

"Won't stand a chance against us, yadda, yadda, yadda. Heard it all before, Slithers," Dante pointed both of his guns at the back of the woman's head, "And, let me tell you, my answer is always the same. Never gonna happen. Now, just keep your head down and think of England."

Ishigami tensed up as her heart froze in her chest. She realized, then and there, that she was going to die.

Her hands curled into fists as she released her claws.

She grits her fangs hard enough to make her jaw creak.

Her eyes widened as the adrenaline filled her body.

"YOU BASTARD!" she lunged at Dante, snakes coming out to surround and attack the Son of Sparda all at once.

Dante aimed both of his guns at her open mouth.

"Jackpot."

---

BANGBANG!

Vergil halted in his tracks.

Then he shook his head in annoyance, "Urgh, damn it, Dante."

---

Mikogami shot from his seat, hand going to his Holy Lock. He whipped his head in the direction of where Dante's release of power had come from. Sweat fell from his brow as he audibly swallowed the spit that had gathered within.

"That-That's just one of them? Then...then they weren't kidding," Mikogami slowly sat back down, arms trembling as his mind raced with a single question.

What the hell are those two?

---

Kaneshiro and Kiria turned their heads in the direction of the Art Room.

"Kiria, do you feel that?" Kaneshiro asked, his grip on his pencil becoming so hard it snapped in between his fingers.

"Kaneshiro," Kiria lifted a shaking hand to his face, covering up one of his eyes and half his smile, "I'm pretty sure I can taste that."

 

[LinkOnScepter]

"Tsukune!"

The human boy was almost knocked over when Moka collided with his back. The two were making their way to Yokai Academy, walking down the main path that led to the school's entrance. When Moka saw Tsukune, she immediately ran to him with excitement on her face. As she hit the boy, he cried out in surprise and pain, his aching body screaming in agony. Upon hearing this, Moka pulled away, her eyes widening with worry. She started hopping around Tsukune as he doubled over in pain, saying, "I'm so sorry, Tsukune! Are you alright?!"

He weakly lifted one of his arms, the appendage shaking as it rose from his knee, "I-I-I'm f-f-fine. Ju-Ju-just d-d-don't touch m-me right...now."

"What happened?" Moka leaned over, resisting the urge to go for Tsukune's very vulnerable neck.

Tsukune slowly straightened himself, flinching with each movement. When he straightened his back, he started walking again, "Yesterday happened. Dante took me to the gym after my last class. He made me run ten laps around the gym, do ten sets of twenty push-ups, and then made me lift two twenty-pound weights! I was exhausted by the end, and he still wanted me to walk all the way back to my dorm. He walked with me but left as soon as I reached my door. I got into bed, but when I woke up, I was sore all over. I barely managed to put on my clothes today. I'm just lucky I'm not late."

Tsukune started walking again, wincing every third step. Moka followed him, standing close but not touching him to avoid aggravating his soreness. However, she had to bite her finger to restrain herself from attacking his neck. It was a battle against her instincts, one she was trying to win. Tsukune didn't notice, as he was too preoccupied with resisting the urge to lie on the ground and rest his aching muscles. He shook his head as he spoke, "Urgh, this hurts. I might see if the teacher will let me rest in the nurse's of-"

He was interrupted when a different girl approached from his left and immediately wrapped herself around his arm. The gentle warmth that suddenly enveloped his arm was, unfortunately, completely overshadowed by an acute spike of pain that shot through his entire body. A whimper escaped his throat as he nearly toppled over, only stopped by Moka grabbing his right side.

"Good morning, Tsukune~!" Kurumu shouted, pressing herself as close to Tsukune as possible. Her bright smile was directed squarely at Tsukune as she looked up to see his face. She then gasped when she saw the pained expression on his face, "Oh no! Tsukune, what's wrong?! Are you alright?"

Tsukune could only respond in a tiny, tiny voice, "I'm just fine. Please let go Kurumu, Moka."

"Kurumu-san! You're hurting him!" Let go!" Moka said, though she immediately pulled at Tsukune's arm. This made him whimper at a higher pitch due to the pain. Upon seeing this, Moka quickly released Tsukune and stepped away. Kurumu did the same, giving Tsukune a chance to cool his muscles. He stood in the middle of the two girls, both his arms out like a scarecrow, as he waited for the pain to subside. He kept whimpering as he lowered his arms while Kurumu and Moka stared at each other.

Moka stared at Kurumu with disappointment, causing the succubus' eyes to widen in confusion, "What? What did I do?"

"You grabbed Tsukune while he was hurting!" Moka pointed out.

"So did you!" Kurumu said indignantly.

"Only to get him away from you. He's still sore from his training with Dante-sensei!"

"That's... wait, training? With a Teacher's Assistant? Why were you training with him?"

Tsukune, once he regained his composure, replied to Kurumu, "He-He wanted to help me toughen up a bit. Wants to help me get stronger."

Kurumu frowned and crossed her arms, "Well, if you ask me, he's planning something bad. If he's anything like his brother, he's just waiting for a chance to do something horrible to you. Especially if it's just the two of you after school."

Moka and Tsukune shared a worried, knowing look. They both chose not to answer Kurumu's declaration and simply kept walking to the school in silence. That is until Kurumu moved to stand as close to Tsukune as possible without touching him. She looked up at him with a bright smile and said, "And if you ever need someone to help you out, just come to me, Tsukune~. I'll take good care of you, I promise."

Tsukune could only stutter at Kurumu's words and the cute smile she shot his way. He had neither the experience nor the understanding to know how to respond. Seeing what Kurumu was doing, Moka stepped closer to Tsukune's right side and said, "You-You can count on me too, Tsukune! I'll do whatever I can to help you."

She confidently pumped both her hands in the air while smiling up at Tsukune. The boy looked between both girls, Moka smiling confidently up at him, while Kurumu glared at Moka. He didn't understand what was going on, but something told him that others would be jealous of his situation. Though he couldn't really enjoy it with the intense ache reverberating across his entire body.

The three students eventually made it to their school. As usual, there were numerous students heading inside with them. But upon entering the front gate, the three of them realized that the air felt... strange. Groups of congregated students talked openly amongst each other, asking questions that drew Tsukune, Moka, and Kurumu's attention. Namely, they discussed the need for a new art teacher and wondered who would replace her.

"We need a new art teacher?" Tsukune asked, looking between Moka and Kurumu, "We didn't have one at the start of the year?"

"I thought we did," Moka said, placing a finger on her chin in thought, "Though I haven't had art yet, so I don't know who it was."

"I'm pretty sure it was a woman. Someone named Ishigami, I think?" Kurumu said with a shrug, "I never had her, but I did hear gossip from some boys about her. She was supposed to be really pretty and seemed very interested in beautiful girls. Wonder why she never bothered to come for me."

Kurumu huffed and crossed her arms in indignation. Sweat fell from Tsukune and Moka's foreheads at Kurumu's words. The three of them were halfway to the entrance when they heard something that made their blood run cold.

"So, Ishigami-sensei is dead?"

Tsukune, Moka, and Kurumu all stopped dead in their tracks. Faces pale and eyes wide, they all turned to the left to see a group of female students conversing with each other. They didn't bother to lower their voices as they spoke, "Yeah. Someone heard gunshots and went to check the art room. When they got there, she was on the floor without a head."

"No! Who would do that?"

"From what I've heard? The new Teacher's Assistant."

"Dante-sensei!? But he's so handsome! It couldn't have been him."

"He was in the room with two smoking guns in his hands. And standing over two other female students. The girls told everyone that the art teacher had turned them to stone and he saved them. But there are rumors that someone is lying to cover for him."

"The only ones saying that are boys who don't like Dante-sensei. We shouldn't bother listening to them."

"Where is he now?"

"Last I heard, he's been suspended from school and is off in the forest somewhere. He's supposed to be gone for two days."

Moka and Kurumu were speechless. They turned to look at each other, hoping that one of them would have an answer for what was going on. But neither of them said anything. Neither could say anything. Then they turned to Tsukune and grimaced at his pale face. His eyes were wide, and his mouth hung open in total awe. He slowly shook his head, unable to believe what the three of them had just heard.

Then, without warning, he suddenly turned around and sprinted towards the forest. Moka and Kurumu called after him as they followed suit.

---

Dante whistled to himself as he sat with his back against a nearly dead tree. He had both of his hands behind his head, and his legs were crossed in front of him. His closed eyes completed his nonchalant look. The look of someone who had no worries and didn't care what the world thought of him. He was totally relaxed and completely calm. The wind was blowing, and he didn't see a reason to get up that day.

That was until he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. He cracked his left eye open and looked straight ahead. A few seconds later, he spotted Tsukune running through the area and nearly passing his resting spot. Not wanting the kid to get lost, Dante whistled to him, "Hey, Lover Boy. How's it hanging? Shouldn't you be in class right now?"

Tsukune stumbled to a halt when he heard Dante's voice. He turned his head up to look at Dante, letting the Son of Sparda see the anguish and uncertainty on his face. Dante paid it little mind, leaning further back against the tree as he started closing his eyes again, "Don't mind me. I'll be there in a bit. Just need some time to rest up, and I'll be-"

"Did you do it?"

Dante stopped talking. He opened both of his eyes and locked them onto Tsukune. The human boy clenched his hands into fists, his body shaking as he tried to keep his eyes on Dante. His breathing was heavy, and his lips quivered with each passing second. Dante saw Moka and Kurumu come into the clearing a few moments later, but neither moved to get in front of Tsukune. They both stood behind him, keeping an eye on Dante. The Son Of Sparda stayed quiet for a few moments. Then he sat up and shrugged, "Gonna have to be specific, Lover Boy. I've done a lot of stuff in my life."

"Ish-Ishigami-sensei. Di-Di-Did you really k-k-kill her?" Tsukune couldn't hide his apprehension at saying those words. This was a completely new situation for him. He always had a feeling that Dante was dangerous. And he didn't seem to have a problem with wielding weapons. He even shot at his own brother. But nothing happened then, so Tsukune figured that he had known. He never thought that Dante would...would actually kill someone.

Part of him hoped he was right.

But then Dante said his next words.

"Yeah. I did."

Tsukune, Moka, and Kurumu all stiffened in fear. Moka gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as her face turned pale. Kurumu tried to step in front of Tsukune to protect him, but something made her stay in place. She looked down at her legs and gasped when she saw that they were shaking. Tsukune swallowed and said, "Wh-Wh-Why?"

Dante rolled his eyes. He grunted while pushing himself to his feet, "Aaaalllrrright. I don't want to drag this out, so I'll make it quick. Slithers was turning students into stone statues with her powers. Tried to do the same thing to me. Didn't work. So, to make sure he couldn't do it to anyone else, I put two bullets through her skull. Nothing too fancy."

Dante shrugged, completely casual about his admission of guilt. Tsukune, stunned by Dante's words, could only take two steps forward before halting to ask, "But...did you really have to kill her?"

"Maybe, maybe not. But this is, or well was, kind of my job, kid. Whenever assholes who refuse to listen to reason start causing trouble, they call me to put them down for good," Dante said as he circled Tsukune. His hands were behind his head as he continued, "And she seemed to be one of those kinds to me."

"But-wait, you've done this before?! And it was your job?!"

"Paid well too. Always some monster or other threat out there that needs to be put down. No biggie," Dante's words made Moka and Kurumu feel on edge. But if he noticed, he didn't show it.

"Bu-But that-"

"Kid, listen. I know it sucks. But fact is that there are some assholes out there who can't be reasoned with. Only cure for that is a bullet to the head," Dante mimed shooting at a tree with his finger guns. With that declaration, Tsukune fell silent. The only sounds that could be heard were the wind whistling by and Dante's footsteps. Neither Moka nor Kurumu could think of anything to say. Both were still trying to process the fact that Dante had not only killed their art teacher, but who knows how many other monsters before he got here. Fear started to seep into their hearts the longer they stared at Dante.

That is, until Tsukune spoke up without any hesitation in his voice, "I don't believe that."

Dante stopped walking. He turned until he was facing Tsukune directly, while Moka and Kurumu looked at the human with their mouths agape. Tsukune's body was still shaking, but his eyes were filled with determination. He took a breath to steady himself, then spoke again, "E-E-Even if what you say is...true...I can't accept it. I won't. I...I don't know what you've been through, but I just can't...there just has to be a better way than killing someone!"

Throughout Tsukune's speech, Dante was steadily moving closer to him. Moka and Kurumu tried to get in Dante's way, but his body flashed a bright red. He "Tricked" in front of Tsukune and behind the girls, making everyone step back in shock. Whatever expression he had on his face was obscured by a dark shadow. He didn't say anything to Tsukune at all. Merely loomed over the teenager without making eye contact. Tsukune felt his heart start hammering in his chest. His knees felt weak, his arms were shaking, and sweat was running down his face. Every part of him wanted to run away, but at the same time, he couldn't move his legs. Neither could Moka nor Kurumu move to intercept Dante. It was as if an invisible force was keeping them in place. Dante reached his right hand out for Tsukune. Tsukune closed his eyes and waited for what would come next...

...only to feel Dante's hand rubbing his head.

"Good answer, Lover Boy."

"Eh?"

"Eh?"

"Eh!?"

Tsukune, Moka, and Kurumu all said the same thing simultaneously. Tsukune opened his eyes and looked up to see Dante smiling at him. Dante moved his hand from the boy's head, stepped around to his side, and then threw his arm around Tsukune's shoulder. He poked the young man in the chest and said, "I was just telling you why I do my thing. Just cause that's how I see things, doesn't mean you should see things that way. We've all got our own ships to sail in this big open sea called life. So, sail however the heck you want."

"Oh...what?" Tsukune looked at Dante as if he were crazy.

Dante shook his head and then answered, "I'm saying, if you believe there are ways to handle this stuff besides killing people, then that's totally fine. I'm not gonna be changing my mind about that anytime soon, but you're better off not following my advice. Go do your own thing. Walk to the beat of your drum and all that stuff. That's your TA Dante's Advice for today. Got it, Lover Boy?"

"Uh...I think so?" Tsukune looked at Moka and Kurumu for support. Both of them could only shrug. They were just as shocked as Tsukune at how the conversation had shifted.

"Good. Now, get along, you three," Dante pushed Tsukune toward the girls and moved to hustle the three out of the forest, "You'll be late to class at this rate. And I can't help you while I'm suspended. Say hi to Kitty Cat for me, alright?"

He pushed the three of them away before turning and heading back to his tree. The teenagers exchanged confused looks before beginning to walk back to Yokai Academy. Dante cracked his neck as he walked back to his tree. He sat down and leaned against it once more. He remained in that position for a few minutes before saying aloud, "Great. Now I'm bored. Hmm... wonder if Vergil would be willing to keep me company?"

---

Meanwhile, back at Shizuka Nekonome's class...

"I refuse," Vergil made a beeline for the exit door.

Shizuka grabbed him by the arm and started to pull, "Please! Please! It's only until Dante's suspension is over!"

"I will not join your 'Newspaper Club' just because my foolish brother made a mistake," Vergil's tone brooked no argument, and he easily started to drag Nekonome with him as he walked toward the door. He didn't bother to shake her off, choosing instead to open the door while speaking, "He made his decision, and it is not my duty to make up for any mistakes he leaves in his wake. I'd suggest finding someone who is willing to waste time with thi-"

Vergil paused and shifted to the left as he opened the door to the club room. His sudden movement shook Nekonome off of him, causing her to fall onto her backside. She yelped as she landed, surprising Moka, Tsukune, and Kurumu as they walked into the room. As the three entered the room, Kurumu flinched away from Vergil when she caught his eye.

"Ow," Shizuka whimpered, one hand rubbing above her tail while the other massaged her temple. She opened her eyes and saw three of her students standing in front of her with confused and worried expressions. She quickly got to her feet and tried to appear fine, "H-H-Hello you three! What are you all doing here?!"

"Dante-sensei asked us to say hello," Moka said while tilting her head, "What are you doing here, Nekonome-sensei?"

"Uh, I'm the President of the Newspaper Club. I've been getting things ready for us and-," Nekonome went silent while dusting herself off. Her ears perked up as her lips curled into a mischievous grin. Her eyes shined as she stepped toward Tsukune, "Say, have any of you chosen a club yet?"

"Uh, no?" Tsukune said, confused.

"I haven't decided," Moka admitted with a shake of her head.

"I was in the nurse for a while, so I wasn't able to think of one to join," Kurumu shook her head and crossed her arms.

Nekonome's eyes shone even brighter upon hearing their answers. She dashed to her desk, grabbed three of the club's application papers, and gave one to each of the students. She smiled and put her hands together while saying, "Then you all can join my Newspaper Club! You'll be our first members!"

All three students were surprised by Nekonome's sudden attempt to recruit them. They all prepared to give some kind of response, but one glance at the teacher's radiant expression made them reconsider their words. After a moment, Tsukune sighed in resignation and signed the application. Moka and Kurumu both followed soon after. They all handed their applications back to the teacher, who accepted them with glee and exclaimed, "Great! Your first task as new members is to convince Vergil to become our Vice President!"

"What?!" all three students said in unison. They all slowly turned to stare at Vergil, who was halfway out the door. Tsukune shouted for him to wait, and surprisingly, he did. But he was still one foot out the door.

"Give me one good reason why I should have anything to do with your inane school club," they could almost feel the eye roll Vergil did as he responded to them. He was paying them so little mind that he pulled out his book and started reading it.

Kurumu opened her mouth to say something, but memories of Vergil attacking her made her go quiet. Moku kept starting to say something, only to shake her head and mumble, "No, that won't work". Tsukune kept looking all around the room for inspiration, and then his eyes landed on the book in Vergil's hand.

"What if... What if we let you write in the newspaper?" Tsukune ignored the confused exclamation from Nekonome. He kept his eyes on Vergil, waiting to see what the Librarian's response would be.

Vergil kept his back to Tsukune but did speak, "You would give me my own column then?"

"Ye-Yeah! Sure!"

"And I'd be allowed to write whatever I wished?"

"You'd be the Vice President-"

"Temporary! Dante's going to be the actual Vice President once his suspension is over," Nekonome clarified with a shout.

"-so, I guess you could!" sweat dripped down Tsukune's entire body as he waited for Vegil's answer. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as their eyes were locked onto Vergil.

After a few seconds, Vergil snapped his book closed. He stepped back into the classroom, turned to face Tsukune, and said, "I will have my own poetry column that will be in each issue of the paper. Front page. Times New Roman font. Appropriately spaced, and I am the only one allowed to write for that column. Understood?"

"Deal!" Tsukune said before rethinking his words, "I-I mean...Nekonome-sensei?"

"Uh, I'm fine with it," Nekonome said, sounding both relieved and worried.

Vergil turned and stepped out into the hallway, "Then let us head to our clubroom and get it prepared for the day. Move it!"

"Y-Yes, sir!" the students and teacher, caught up in Vergil's orders, immediately left the classroom. Nekonome led the charge to the clubroom, a smile on her face, pleased to have gotten what she wanted. Vergil, meanwhile, had taken out a notepad and was already writing poems for his column.

---

"Kuyo?"

"Hmm? Student Council President Kaneshiro. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Have you heard about the recent suspension of the newest Teacher's Assistant?"

"Of course. While it's regrettable to see a staff member breaking the rules, it is only for killing another Yokai. Such things are the norm in our world."

"Indeed...but what if I told you that the Teacher's Assistant...wasn't a Yokai?"

"...Explain."

---

Finally! Sorry it took so long. I don't know why, but I couldn't bring myself to continue writing this. It's not that I didn't want to write it. I just...couldn't bring myself to put words on paper.

Also, sorry to my readers here. I know that this isn't as long as you probably wanted. But, I really just wanted to get this finished already. I'll try to make the next chapter better.

And, to be clear, no, Kaneshiro doesn't know that Dante is only Half-Demon. But Kuyo doesn't know that he doesn't know. So...

 

[LinkOnScepter]

The room for the Newspaper Club was, as expected, an empty classroom. Which made the fact that they were the only members really sink in for Tsukune, Moka, and Kurumu. Sweat dropped from their heads as they realized exactly what Ms. Nekonome meant by "first members". And despite how excited their teacher was about that fact, the three of them were more worried than anything else. It didn't help that their Vice President had taken a seat in the middle of the room, and was already writing out poems for his column. The sound of his pencil writing away on a notebook echoed through the room, only ever being interrupted by him flipping a page every now and then.

"Now then, everyone," Ms. Nekonome quickly took control of the situation, her enthusiasm for the club shining through, "Let's begin our club activities for today!"

Tsukune raised his hand, his voice nervous as he asked, "But, Ms. Nekonome, is it really just the five of us? I hadn't heard of this club until today so..." Tsukune's concerns were echoed by Kurumu and Moka.

The teacher shook her head, "Oh, no! I'm not the actual President of the Club. Just the faculty member who oversees you all. The real President should be here in a moment-"

As if on cue, the door to the classroom opened and a young man stepped through the door. A white headband sat below his inky black hair. Black bangs slightly hung in front of his light green eyes. He wore a standard male Yokai Academy uniform, except his was open a bit more at the chest. This showed a tie and wolf pendant that hung from his neck. His lips were curled into a bright, charming smile and he carried two rose bouquets in his arms. He spoke with an overly polite accent, "Greetings! I'm the President of the Newspaper Club, Morioka Ginei."

Tsukune was completely floored by the appearance of the actual club president. And it only intensified when the man gave the two bouquets to Moka and Kurumu while calling them beautiful. Vergil, meanwhile, drowned everything out while working on his column for the newspaper. Mostly he was noting down different concepts or premises for poems that he could attempt to write. His mind constantly compared what he was writing to the various poetry books he had read since he was a child. Accounting for possible rhyming styles and their meanings, sorting through the feelings and events in his life, and seeing how to put them all down into words.

This intense focus was, unfortunately, ruined when Ginei (or Gin as he preferred) called out to him, "Hey, you! I'm trying to explain how the club works around here! You should-"

Gin went silent when Vergil cut his eyes at him. Not out of fear but recognition. Gin snapped his fingers and pointed at Vergil, "Oi! You're that guy I met in the hallway! The one that had his face in a book the whole time."

The three first years looked between the second year and Vergil. Then Moka pointed at Vergil while looking at Gin, "You know him, Gin-senpai?"

Gin shrugged, "Kind of? We just happened to pass each other in the hall. Don't know what he's doing here."

"He's the Vice President," Kurumu stated as she crossed her arms.

"Temporarily. Until the actual Vice President comes back," Tsukune corrected.

"That so? Well, where's the guy who's supposed to be here?" at Gin's question the entire room suddenly tensed. None of the first years met his eyes, all three of them looking at the wall or grimacing at something only they could see. Gin's eyebrow rose, not unfamiliar with this type of atmosphere. He idly remembered hearing about a faculty member getting suspended for, supposedly, killing one the teachers here. While he had his own suspicions, he chose to keep them to himself. No need to make the mood in the room worse. So, instead, he clapped his hands together and put a smile on his face, "Well, I'm sure I'll meet him eventually. For now, let me continue explaining what we at the Newspaper Club do."

He leaned onto the desk at the front of the room and spoke clearly, "Our goal is to, well, publish the school newspaper! Most of your activities will be reporting on all kinds of things going on inside the Academy and putting them in the newspaper! We'll be put into dangerous situations time and time again for the sake of reporting. I'll tell you right now, this ain't gonna be an easy ride! Once you've joined you should prepare yourself."

While the three first years took in Gin's words, he looked over at Vergil, "That goes for you as well...uh...hmm. Sorry, don't think I ever got your name."

Vergil rolled his eyes then looked back at his notebook, "Vergil. I am the Head Librarian and this club's Temporary Vice President."

"Oh, is that so? Well, nice to-"

"Please save your pleasantries," Vergil flipped a page in his notebook then kept writing, "I am only here because I was promised my own Poetry Column in the newspaper. I am already making drafts of possible candidates. I will submit them long before the first issue is in development, and expect a second opinion before they are considered ready for print. Is that understood?"

Gin blinked and scratched the back of his neck, "Uh, well, we've never really had a Poetry Column before-"

"You do now," is all Vergil said before going back to his work. Sweat drops fell from all the student's heads as they watched him casually disregard any concerns Gin may have had. With him very clearly ignoring whatever else the group had to say, Gin decided to get back to business. Starting with having Tsukune, Moka, and Kurumu put up some of the club posters on the back wall. The four grabbed some chairs to reach above the blackboard and headed in that direction. Moka and Tsukune both bowed to Vergil as they walked passed him, while Kurumu gave him a wide berth. Gin winked at him but Vergil continued to ignore them. Inspiration had sparked in his mind and he was already writing out his first poem. He just needed to concentrate, write it out in flowing meter, and-

"Senpai! What are you doing?! Please stop!" Tsukune's shrill shout made Vergil flinch and threw him off his game. He cleared his throat, centered his mind, then tried to regain his focus-

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Gin sounded completely nonchalant despite Tsukune's outburst.

"Please don't pretend you don't know!" Tsukune shouted again, once more throwing Vergil off his writing. This time the young man didn't stop, "You were just looking up their skirts, weren't you?!"

Gin waved Tsukune's accusation off with a smile, "Heh, nonsense! There's no way I'm the kind of guy who'd do something so lame."

"WHHHAAAA-?!" Vergil's shoulders were shaking at this point. He, once more, tried to find his center and calm down. He tried to drown out the sounds he was hearing. Tried to focus on his notepad. Tried to get his feelings out onto-

"Huh? What's going on?" Kurumu and Moka asked, eyes moving between Tsukune and Gin.

Gin shrugged and, without losing his smile and pointing at Tsukune, said nonchalantly, "Oh, well , this dude...says he got an eyeful of your panties!"

Vergil's eyes shot open when the girl's both shrieked in surprise. He slammed his hand onto the table, taking everyone's attention as he shot out of his chair, "ENOUGH!"

He whirled on the group of students, Kurumu quickly hiding behind Tsukune, her body aching where Vergil had hit her last time. The Son of Sparda stomped toward the group his eyes burning with rage. Gin sidled up to Tsukune and put an arm around the boy's shoulder. His smile remained as he pointed at his younger classman, "Ah, sorry about that, Vergil. It just seems that Tsukune here can-"

"Silence!" Vergil grabbed Gin's arm and pushed him away from Tsukune. Gin's eyes went wide as Vergil shot him with a deathly glare. The man was so shocked that his smile faltered and he started to stammer. Vergil ignored him and turned to the three first years. All three flinched back as he began his tirade, "Will you all, please, be quiet! I am trying to concentrate!"

"S-S-S-Sorry, Vergil-sensei!" Moka said, idly covering her face with her arms, "B-B-But Gin sai-"

"Oh for....come here, boy!" he grabbed Tsukune by his arm and pulled him to his side. He roughly forced the young man into a standing position, holding his arms at his side while keeping his back straight. Tsukune's eyes were filled with panic as he looked between Moka and Kurumu. Vergil shouted, "Look at him! Look at him and tell me he's the type of person to look up women's skirts! Do you get any little inkling of that from a meek specimen such as him?"

"Meek?" Tsukune muttered, clearly offended but not willing to shout lest Vergil hear him.

Moka slowly lowered her arms while nervously shaking her head, "W-W-Well, no. Not to me anyway."

"I-I-I mean, I wouldn't think so," Kurumu said while pressing her fingers together.

"Next question!" Vergil shouted, making both girls jump, "From what both of you have seen of this boy, do any of his actions suggest that he would ever take advantage of a position like that?!"

Moka and Kurumu both shook their heads in the negative. Moka spoke up, "Not at all. Tsukune has been really kind to me. I don't think he would do something like that."

"Neither do I...though, I wouldn't necessarily mind," Kurumu blushed while cupping her cheeks in her hands.

Tsukune's lips curled into a smile. He felt his fears evaporate upon hearing that his two friends believed in him like that. But then Gin coughed to get everyone's attention. He stepped around Vergil and spoke again, "Well, sure, but-"

"I said silence!" Vergil interrupted, stomping over to the second year while letting Tsukune go. He loomed over Gin, having more than a head over the other man, and made no attempt to hide his disdain, "I will not allow you to poison the well with your words! If I am to have silence so that I may work in peace, then I need you to remain silent and simply do your job!"

"H-Hey, you can't talk to your President like that!" Gin said, trying to recover from Vergil suddenly getting up in his face.

"Oh, I can. President or not, you are still a student. And I am faculty. Thus my authority supersedes yours. But, as I do not trust you to not attempt this again..." Vergil walked over to the desk with the posters and grabbed up five of them. With a keen eye and precise movements, he tossed all five at the wall above the blackboard. Each one landed on the wall, before quickly being followed by pins that he threw at them. Each one hit their mark and perfectly held the posters in place.

He walked back to his seat while ignoring the shocked expressions the students sent his way. He spoke without looking at them, "There. Now, begone! I must have peace and quiet to be able to write my poetry."

He sat back down, picked up his pencil, then tried to regain his muse. Stunned and completely floored by his actions, Gin didn't say a word. His mouth remained open as he stared at Vergil. He tried to parse what just happened while Tsukune, Moka, and Kurumu all walked to the stack of posters in a trance. Moka tapped Gin on the shoulder to shake him from his own trance. He shook his head and tried to regain his composure. His voice sounded weak as he said, "A-A-Alright, Vergil. Um, we're gonna go put up the rest of the posters. You stay here and work on your column, okay? Okay. Come on, everyone."

They all followed Gin out the room. Though Tsukune idled behind, his eyes locked on Vergil with a frown on his face. He opened his mouth to say something, but Moka's call interrupted him. He followed her, taking one last glance at Vergil before leaving the room.

Vergil sighed and shook his head, "Annoying. You'd better hope your suspension ends soon, Dante."

---

Dante threw his fifth rock at a tree and sighed, "Goddamn it, can't this suspension end already?" His sigh turned into a groan as he continued to walk through the empty forest. He ran a hand through his hair and looked up at the sky, "I'm so fucking bored!

He groaned again and shook his head. He knew he sounded like a whiny brat, but it was true. He didn't think it would be this bad after he met Mikogami to report on what happened. The old demon wasn't angry at him for what he did. Especially when he told him about how the woman was turning students into statues. Apparently, he was taking Dante's advice in regards to Vergil attacking Kurumu to heart. Which Dante had no problem with. But that also meant he had to punish Dante in order for it to be fair. Even if it was justified, wouldn't exactly send the right message if he just let the new staff member kill an older one with no consequences.

And, again, he got that.

But he could've at least given Dante some kind of direction on what he could do or where he could go while he waited! The dorm he was sleeping in was boring and too close to the campus. He knew he could leave the barrier that Mikogami put up around the school at anytime to go see the human world. That wasn't an issue. The issue was getting back inside. Vergil got here using the Yamato, the bus driver had his bus, and he was certain Mikogami had his own way of entering and leaving the barrier. What did these three things have in common?

They were all able to enter the barrier without causing any damage to it. Dante knew himself. And one thing he knew about himself was that he tended to be...hard on barriers. Specifically when it came to getting inside them. Not that he couldn't find the "proper" ways to get through a barrier. But usually that involved grabbing one thing from one place then moving it to another place. Or pulling a switch. Or killing a couple of demons. This though? This was a barrier that was specifically put up to keep the worlds of Yokai and humans separate. If he damaged it in anyway, who knows what kind of trouble he'd bring upon this place?

There were alternatives, sure, but each one came with a big caveat. The Yamato? Vergil's sword. And even though he's cooled off, he doubts he'll simply give him the Yamato if he asked. Vergil would just tell him to fuck off. But he'd probably give it up for a fight...hmm. An idea to go in the back pocket, because that is unfortunately predicated on whether or not Vergil is on the clock. Considering how serious his brother can be? He doubts he'd be willing to take off to have a match with his dear old younger brother.

Next was the bus driver. Old smokey was willing to get Dante a pizza, so perhaps he'd be willing to drive Dante to the human world. Issue? He had no clue if the guy would bring him back. He is suspended after all. As far as he knew, that meant he couldn't ride the bus into Yokai Academy, but could ride it out of Yokai Academy. Meaning he'd be stranded out there until his suspension was over. Which wasn't that bad...except for the fact that Lover Boy would still be on the other side of the barrier. Completely vulnerable to the monsters because the likelihood of Vergil helping the kid when he needed it was slim. And while he didn't doubt Kuru and Fangs would protect him, he didn't want to put so much pressure on them.

Which left him with the last alternative, Mikogami. And that was already right out. The old demon probably wanted to keep whatever secrets he used to move between the human and yokai worlds to himself. At least for now, cause he didn't think the old guy trusted him enough yet. And even if the old demon was willing to share his know how, it would probably cost Dante a favor of some kind. Not sure if he wanted to owe a sneaky guy like Mikogami a favor this early in the game. The only other option was seeing if he could get an invitation like Lover Boy. But that was out too.

For one thing, he bet those things were personalized or at least not easy to come by. Which meant that Lover Boy's would only work for him and him alone. Which would mean he'd have to go to Mikogami, and that means he'd be back to square one. So...

"I'm basically stuck until Vergil gets done with school," Dante stopped to put his hand against a dried up tree and lean against it. He scratched his head while looking around at the empty area around him. He heard something creak and looked over at the tree. Turns out, its trunk was actually rather weak...and had started listing to the side. He took his hand off it but it was too late. The bottom of the trunk broke off from the roots and the rest of the tree soon hit the ground with a dull thunk. Dante stared at the destroyed tree then shrugged, "Well, if no one else is around to see or hear that...wasn't me!"

Cracking a small smile he started walking again, though his mind was still on how he was going to spend the rest of his suspension. Or, at least, whatever time was left before Vergil got off work. He let out another sigh as he continued to walk. Idly he started to kick at a nearby rock hoping that maybe it would keep his mind busy while he tried to think of something. And...it sort of worked. It did make him start thinking of something. Specifically, how things were going back home. Oh, he had no doubt that the kid was handling things just fine. He's a chip off his older brother's block...just without all the "sacrifice the world for the sake of power" thing. Not to mention that new arm of his, both the fleshy and metallic ones, were great at killing demons. And Lady and Trish would make sure he didn't bite off more than he could chew. Hopefully.

Still, he couldn't help the little voice in the back of his head that said he would be a bit more concerned about the kid. Especially since there was still no indication that Vergil would be getting them home any time soon. Granted it had only been...a week or so since they got here. So he supposed he shouldn't be too-

Dante suddenly stopped and leaned back, letting something hit the bare tree he was just about to pass. The object, which was revealed to be a sticky white web, punched a hole straight through the tree trunk. It wrapped around the tree trunk then pulled taut, ripping the tree from its roots and pulling to towards its owner. Dante raised an eyebrow while his lips curled into a small smirk. Finally, something to calm his boredom.

The webs retracted into the hand of their owner, a girl with long purple hair in a black button up coat. The part that was supposed to cover her midriff was unbuttoned, and she wore a pencil skirt which only covered her upper thighs. Her small violet eyes were sharp, making her face look like it was in a permanent sneer. Her lips were curled into a wicked smile that she directed at Dante. However, while she certainly looked dangerous, Dante could tell that she was just the lackey. It was the guy standing in front and to the right of her that was the big boss.

Tall, lanky, pointy ears, shit eating grin, eyes that seem to always be looking down everyone around him. Yep, Dante could tell what this guy's deal was from a mile away. And judging by his black jumper and shirt with white trimmings and insides, he had no doubt that this guy was one of the classic kind of bad guys. The ones that think they're so high and mighty. That they can just judge everyone else inferior and do whatever they want to them. Because they're the strongest, or the smartest, or the yadda yadda yadda. Kid probably thought he was being really clever with that whole attack thing.

Ah well. At lease things wouldn't be boring anymore. And, hey, maybe he could give a show to the one other was watching them from afar. Hmm, based off the smell, this was that Student Council President guy's invisible friend. Probably set this up for one reason or another. Hmm, well, he'd hate to disappoint him.

Whistling, Dante made himself look impressed by the girl's actions, "Nice shot there, Legs. You hit that tree dead center. Though, if you wanted to snare me, ya could've just asked. Suspended or no, a Teacher's Assistant is always ready to help his students."

A short and mirthless giggle from the girl was the response he got. She said no more while looking over at the lanky guy. Said man stepped forward, shit eating grin worn proudly on his face, "Hmm, you did manage to dodge it. Good, that bodes well for your trial, Dante."

Dante had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Muttered how he "Knew it" he held out his arms and nonchalantly started walking to random spots in the area, "My trial? Didn't realize I was being accused of something, Judge. Might telling me what crime I have committed to have your magnanimous gaze placed upon me? As well as who you might be to render my judgment so?"

And, like all people who love listening to themselves talk, Judge took the bait. He stood up straight and adopted a self-serious pose that he no doubt used on a daily basis, "I am the leader of the Yokai Academy Public Safety Committee, Kuyo! I have been tasked with the greatest of duties in the world; To render justice upon all evil doers who exists within our fair school! I have rendered judgment upon all who would pervert or insult justice, and brought them to the justice they thought they could so easily avoid! None are immune to nor beyond my all-encompassing gaze. Not even the faculty of this school."

Dante nodded along, only half listening to the guy talk. Not cause he didn't want to hear him. But because he could guess exactly what the guy was gonna say to a letter. Once he was done talking, for now, Dante looked at him, "Rrriiiggghhhttt. And I happen to have hit your radar. This about what I did to Slithers? Cause if we're talking about 'justice' then I'd say me putting a pair of bullets through her skull for turning students into statues was pretty just."

Kuyo huffed, "Other than your foolish assertion, as only I may decide what is truly just in this Academy, you are correct that Hitomi Ishigami was performing acts that went against justice. Thus why I have not come to judge you for that."

"That so? Then to what do I owe the pleasure, dear old Judge?" Dante asked while spreading his arms out wide.

Kuyo's lips curled down as his hands curled into fists, "A concerned party has brought to our attention a very severe accusation to us. One that, if it were true, would lead to your immediate execution. That accusation is that you are not a yokai...but a human."

Kuyo spat the word human out like it was a curse. Which was all Dante needed to figure out what was going on. Kaneshiro went to this guy, suggested that he was human, which made this cackles rise. Now he's out here to test him and Kaneshiro is waiting in the wings to watch and see how Dante handles it. Likely planning to see if there's anything more he can learn about him in case whatever plan he and his friend has gets on Dante's radar. Clever, clever. If only he hadn't sent the invisible guy to watch what happened. Maybe he could've gotten away with it. As it stood though...hmm....well he might still. Dante did need something to entertain him. Just needed to be careful about what he showed off and revealed here.

...Or not. Not like he had any reason to hide other than keeping a low profile.

He remained as nonchalant as ever while keeping one eye on Kuyo, "That so, Judge?"

"Yes. However," Kuyo relaxed his posture, "you have shown proof that such accusations are likely false. No weak, lowly human would've been able to sense us nor dodge Keiko's attack before it was far too late. Yet, you managed to do both. Thus, I am disinclined to believe that you could be a human at all. Consider this meeting an introduction and a warning. For while I will look over your actions for now, if you ever get in the way of justice, I will not be so lenient."

Without saying anymore, Kuyo turned his back to Dante and started to walk away. Keiko, the purple haired girl, cut her eyes at Dante before making to follow Kuyo. However, not wanting this to end just yet, Dante decided to stir the pot a little. Smiling he put his hands behind his head and spoke, "That's mighty kind of ya, Judge. Though I have to admit that the guy who told you that wasn't entirely wrong."

Kuyo and Keiko stopped moving on the spot. The leader didn't turn around but his voice made it clear Dante had his attention, "Is that so, Dante?"

Dante wiggled his hand in the air, "Yeah. I'd say they were fifty-fifty in terms of accuracy. See, I do have some monster blood flowing in my veins. Got it from my dad's side of the family. Along with my good looks, of course."

Dante rubbed his chin with a hand while staring at the sky. Kuyo still hadn't turned around, but he could hear the anger in the young man's tone, "And your mother's side of the family."

"Why that's the beautiful part my young man," Dante span in place then pointed both his fingers in Kuyo's direction, "My mother...was a true blue human! Making me half-human."

Next thing Dante knew something had pierced through his chest. He looked down, still smiling, and saw a long, orange and black spider leg going through his torso. Right where his heart was supposed to be. Looking up, he saw that the girl had lifted up her shirt, revealing her mid-riff to the air...which had split open to reveal six long spider legs. She was now looking at Dante with a sinister and violently happy look. As if she had been waiting for this to happen.

Wanting to make this look convincing, Dante let his body go limp. He slumped over and pretended to be out while Keiko lifted him up into the air. He heard Kuyo say something about "disposing" of him. Then he heard him start walking away before his presence left the area. He could still feel the presence of the invisible kid, though. So while he fooled Judge, he guessed he couldn't fool that kid as easily.

Keiko brought Dante's limp body close to her face. With a creepy, tooth-filled smile, she reached up and rubbed Dante's face, "It's a shame. You're such a handsome man, too. But Kuyo's orders are absolute. Though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't gonna enjoy ripping your body to pieces."

Dante let what she said hang in the air for a few minutes. Then, just when he felt her start pulling her leg out of his chest. When it was halfway out, he tensed his body and grabbed her leg before it was gone. The shocked look on her face was absolutely priceless as he lifted his head up to look her in the eyes. His smile hadn't left his face at all and his voice was jovial as ever when he spoke, "I'm flattered, but I like my women a bit older."

Completely shocked, Keiko quickly pulled her leg out of Dante's chest. Blood and more came with it as he let the appendage go. However, it only made things worse. Her face went pale as she watched the hole in Dante's chest regenerate before her eyes. Bones, muscles, organs, and flesh all knit themselves back together. Even his shirt, somehow, repaired itself back to its original state. She looked from her leg, to Dante's chest, then to his face. Dante dusted his chest off before putting both his hands on his hips, "Ah, right. I didn't say what my dad's side of the family really was did I? See, dear old dad was a Demon. Really strong dude named Sparda. Got a lot of my powers and stuff from him. But that was a nice shot. If I were anyone else, probably would've killed me."

Keiko took a step back, her body shaking as she tried to make sense of what just happened. She stuttered out a response, "Y-Y-You...how...that...that doesn't make sense. Even Kuyo can't just...but...how can you be half-human?!"

Dante shrugged then got into a boxing stance. He shadow boxed the air a bit then said, "That I am. Now, I believe what you just did counts as assaulting faculty. So, you're gonna get a spanking by your friendly TA. Free of charge."

Keiko's mind raced as she tried to think of what to do. On instinct, she struck out with one of her legs, aiming for Dante's neck. Dante's fist came up and punched it away making her cry out in pain. When she next looked at her spider leg, she saw that the upper half was broken. Fear growing by the second, she shot some webs out of her mouth and hands. Dante's fists flew, grabbing and ripping the sticky threads apart without missing a beat. He weaved to the left and right to make sure not a single strange of web got close to him. Panic starting to set in, Keiko cried out in fear and anger. She launched a flurry of webs and legs at Dante, hoping to overwhelm him.

Dante merely smiled as his body flashed red.

His punches, somehow, got faster. They moved so quickly that they became a blur. Keiko couldn't keep up with the amount of lefts and rights he was throwing out. And with each attack she heard more and more cracks echo through the forest. Eventually, the pain became too much and she cried out in pain. She stopped her assault and backed up away from Dante. Then she surveyed her situation...and felt her whole body stiffen with fear.

Dante...was completely unscathed. Around him were the torn up pieces of spider web that he had ripped apart. He wipes his hand off on his jacket, smile still on his face.

Keiko....well...

All her legs were broken, her body was shaking from fear, and she hadn't accomplished anything save lightly inconveniencing Dante.

Taking that into account, her next course of action was obvious.

She ran.

Or, at least, she tried to run.

But Dante appeared right in front of her, a red light trailing him. He frowned and shook his head, "Done already? Ah, too bad. Well, then, guess I'll end this."

Keiko's eyes widened with panic. But faster than she could react, she felt something hit her in the back of her neck. She lost consciousness in an instant. Dante made sure to grab her and lift her in a princess carry. With a smile on his face, he stared into the distance, "Hope you enjoyed the show, kid! Tell Mr. President I said hello when you see him.":

He felt the presence move deeper into the forest. Then it disappeared without a trace.

Smile still on his face, Dante started walking back toward the Academy. He hummed in thought, "Wonder if Mikogami would be willing to lessen my suspension if I bring him a student that was trying to attack faculty? And tell him about the Committee causing trouble in the school? Oooohhh, boy. Bet Lover Boy would love to hear about this. His good old TA Dante being a proper hero. Hmm, hope and him Vergil are getting along."

---

"Vergil-sensei! Please, teach me how to use magic!"

Tsukune bowed to Vergil and the older Sparda brother stopped writing in his notebook. Vergil remained silent for a few moments. Tsukune felt sweat fall from his brow, but he didn't back down.

Then Vergil stood up in his seat and said in a neutral tone, "So be it. Let us go retrieve Dante. We will need him."

"Really!?! Thank you so much! But...what will we need Dante for?"

"Protection."

---

Finally got it done. Hope you all enjoy.