Kira

~

I watch Ryoichi leave the scene, his last words to us...me more than anyone else, plays over and over in my head like a broken record until the escalating noise of Troy and Kuro's argument draws me back to reality.

There are mind games involved here, I can feel it but I also can't let him split us up before we had a chance to show our worth.

I turn back to see they're standing close, sparks flying off Troy's form in readiness to fight in case Kuro's verbal questioning turns rough.

"Why the hell are you so quick to trust a random stranger huh?! Answer me damn it!" He tries to shove the blond but Troy dodges the blow.

"I have my reasons, he's obviously worthy."

"Bullshit!"

I'm not in the mood to come between them myself so I call forth Mammon and Lucifer, and probably in the nick of time too because the demons appear just as Kuro is going in for another strike, this one obviously more forceful that a punch which would lead to an actual fight and I had way too much on my mind already.

Councils? Trials? Secret apprentices? Why was all this coming to light now of all times?

Mammon stops Kuro's punch and Lucifer halts Troy's charge, the boys turn to me and I merely give them a look I hope conveys my annoyance.

"Angel boy was asking for it," Kuro huffs while shrugging off Mammon's grip.

"I know, but you both could have waited until he left before giving him more reason to look down on us," professionalism, if there was such a thing in Demon fighting, wasn't our thing but breaking into fights and down-talking each other in front of a rival is the last thing I thought I'd have to explain to them.

"Put the barriers back up before we start talking?"

"What exactly is there to talk about?" Troy pushes Lucifer to the side and walks up to me. I stand my ground.

"Let's ignore the fact that you kind of sided with the enemy and focus on while no one told me about these Overseers. What's their deal with us and why are they only calling for us now?"

"We've already said they deal with the paranormal business in Tokyo," the blond answers.

"They also set the standard for exorcism in all of Japan, it's a pretty big network though they're very efficient with spirits an artifacts, they're also understaffed so most of the time shit flies under their radar," Kuro elaborates, "With how quickly we became a team and everything after that I guess it just slipped my mind...I don't have a friendly history with them."

I turn to Troy, waiting for his excuse on why he left out this vital piece of information in all our time of being fort of friends and teammates, "Well?"

"I didn't think it was important, everyone knows The Overseers and other councils like them let Demona do as they please, it's been a thing for centuries. I never expected we'd be summoned like this."

I sigh heavily and then face the Demons as well, but they're busy staring off in the direction Ryoichi had left. I notice the fleeting glances they cast at each other, probably communicating by telepathy; and not with me.

I'm not petty but it takes a great deal of restraint to not call out and ask what they were discussing without us. I hated being kept out of the loop and the events of tonight are slowly showing me I've been left out of more than I'd ever expected.

"What do we do about the lack of discretion and property damage nonsense then?"

"I'm pretty sure we can get convince them to let it go," Lucifer says distantly, "It's not like they were in time to do anything themselves."

"We do all the hard work and they barge in to ruin it with all their rules," Kuro huffs.

"Rules and procedures are there to keep people safe," Troy throws back.

"Guess That's a good reason to side against your team, cause some rule-abiding boy showed up?"

The blond ignores Kuro and turns back to me, "Vermillion?"

"What do you want me to say, Troy? The Demons say we shouldn't trust him."

"And after all that's happened you still trust them? Think Vermillion, they just want to use you because you're the quickest means to an end."

"Watch your mouth kid," Mammon hisses while cracking his knuckles.

"It's the truth, if she wasn't told about the restriction, you guys would have let her keep going until she became the monster you want her to be."

I try to cut in, "I don't think-"

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"It's better than the alternative, that boy can not have the seal," Lucifer stresses.

"You really don't like this guy?" Kuro asks.

"Call it instinct but his aura's been off for a while now, even before Hikari left him to come here. He's always been a cocky little shit, but ever since-"

"Mammon," Lucifer nudges him roughly, immediately halting his explanation. Lucifer's amethyst eyes turn to me, "We don't trust him, and that's final."

"Really now?"

Their explanation has obviously done little to clear Troy's skepticism. To some degree, I also wasn't deeply convinced of their story but deep down, I knew they weren't lying, they were just as confused as the three of us but they had to trust their instincts, just like so had to trust mine.

Mammon speaks up before I do, "Come on, Angel boy, we want to take down Nightmare just as much as you kids do."

"Ryoichi is the best talent for a Keeper so far, we wouldn't throw that away for nothing," Lucifer adds.

Something inside me snaps quietly, I guess I should have expected this, really. Everything always had to come back to me not being worthy. I thought I was fine with that but hearing the Demons put it so bluntly really puts things in perspective.

Sure, they had used it to mess with me several times before but back then, I knew that was their objective; to get into my head, throw me off, make me miserable but I knew they'd come around because I didn't back down.

"Kira?"

I'm called back to the present by Kuro's voice, the air around me is whipping violently and kicking up dust along with tiny shards of metal. I get a grip on my emotions and give the others a smile I hope is less strained than I actually feel.

"We're all really stressed right now, we should turn in," I suggest, I notice Lucifer and Mammon about to say something but I sever the connection keeping them here and tune out their voices so they can't speak to me. They can discuss their plans without me this way if that's what they wanted so badly.

Troy appears in front of me, "You're running away, Vermilion."

"I need to think without people discussing how disposable I am like I'm not even there," I shoot back quietly before dashing off, I hear them call out but the further I get from our training ground, the more apparent it becomes they didn't follow me.

Good, I needed the space.

I don't go straight home, instead, I let my feet carry me mindlessly through the rooftops. The air is warm and I know I'll miss the breezy chills of the stormy spring weather. It's always easier to think with the cold while I soar past buildings.

Nights like these always make me feel like I'm in a dream, it's hard to believe how far I've come since the first day I discovered my powers. How far we had all come since then; it's all at stake now, I'd come to treasure every moment with the boys and the Demons and now it was going to be taken away because once again I wasn't strong enough, and I was never going to be.

I'm frustrated and angry but I have no one to blame but myself.

Especially when it's painfully obvious giving Ryoichi the Seal was the right thing to do for the world.

A pulse of magic through the air startles me out of my steady rhythm, I catch myself before I can trip on a ledge and let the winds guide me over until I'm standing on the flat roof of a tall skyscraper.

I scan my surroundings, and let out a tentative call, "Who's there?" It's obviously not the guys, they'd have no need to hide from me. Forming my staff, I whirl around in time to the chill of terror that floods my system.

I meet Ryoichi's cool grey orbs paired with the smirk he'd given us back at the scrapyard.

"Why are you following me?"

"Your emotions were all over the place so I managed to sense you, rough night 'Keeper'?"

"You're the reason it's been so rough, now if you don't mind I've got places to be and I don't need you tailing me," I March past him hoping he'll take the hint and leave me be but to my misfortune he tags along, and not very quietly.

"This isn't your destiny, 'Demona', why don't you just hand the Seal over now and I'll put in a word good word for you three at the trail. Think of it as saving us all some time," he calls after me in a patronizing tone which I ignore, "You're not pure of heart so why hold onto the Seal so fiercely, hand it over and go back to living the rest of your life in peace."

"I'm not special, I get it but that doesn't mean I have to give you anything 'cause you think you are," I shoot back over my shoulder.

In a flash, he's before me on the ledge, looming over me and pushing his face into my personal space. My trepidation is heightened and I try to step back but he grabs the arm of my cloak.

"And why is that? Because the lovely, kind, and amiable Demons told you so? Wake up Demona, they're always looking for weak-willed humans to manipulate, and trust me, they've found the jackpot with a no-one like you. They're scared of a real master, someone who will wield them like the tools they are. If I continue to let you prance around with your delusions of grandeur they'll eventually drive you to your death, just like they did to her?"

I tear my eyes away from his and wrench myself from his grasp, "Who is 'her'?"

"Hikari of course, tell me, did they ever inform you that she was cursed?"

Cursed? I never had any idea, and I made a mental note to grill Lucifer and Mammon when this was over. Why hadn't she said anything while I was at the Pavilions?

"She wasn't supposed to use her powers anymore or it would wreck her, but the Demons spurred her on to come to Tokyo and fight, no wonder the Jurogumo easily defeated her, she was probably on her last leg, just like you'll be if you don't listen to reason?"

"You know about the Spider ladies?"

"Word travels fast, Demona, there are far greater powers at work you don't know about. Give me the Seal and spare us all a troublesome and embarrassing confrontation."

He holds out his hand, and I stare at it for a long thoughtful moment. Several weeks ago, I'd have handed the Seal over without a second thought. He's Everything I'd ever wanted in a replacement; Strong, talented, blessed, and overall, he knew what he was doing.

Now though, I was unable to take his words at face value, when Things seemed too easy in this world, a catch was always waiting somewhere in the corners.

I pulled away and watched his scowl deepen as I did so, if only there was a way for us to work together without handing the Seal over, I was certain he could be a very valuable ally but as of now, he was my rival.

And as Kuro's put it a crybaby that whined to the higher-ups.

"Very well then, prepare yourself for when we meet next, before the Overseers...one last chance to accept your fate as inferior to everyone around you and hand over the Seal before you become a mindless Demon, feasting on the corpses of those you love dearly..."

"I'd rather die than let that happen."

"Demons don't let go of their puppets so easily Keeper, You're clearly not the Master here."

I'm left standing on my own beneath the starless skies, unable to quell the sinking feeling in my gut that told me he was right.

I wasn't a Master.