Third Person

~

"Her name was Ms. Hills, she helped me get rid of everything and gave me a story to feed my parents and the cops if they ever came along," Jade continued, "'I didn't see him when I went downstairs so I went out to find him,' it wasn't that far fetched, Jason wondered out all time and kids went missing even more frequently, the case was closed after a couple of months of not finding any traces."

"That's...a lot," Kira bit out, unsure of what she could say to ease the burden of grief Jade was possibly holding in her heart, hiding from the world beneath her cool, nonchalant facade.

"Consequences of toying with forces you shouldn't have," Troy said stiffly, earning a disapproving look from the other two, still he went on, "Yet even after that, you still refused to leave it behind."

Jade shrugged, a wistful smile gracing her features, "I guess you could say that. Magic's like a drug for some people, once you get a taste of that power, it's hard to stop going after it. Ms. Hills did her best to train me, but there are limits to how much control you have over a curse."

She pulled out the necklace from her top, and a blue jewel sat comfortably at the center of a hexagon-shaped gold ring, "Without this, I'd freeze people, on contact, gloves gradually stopped working after a while so she had to find the relics to make it. I can use my powers but only on a large scale, if I try to do little things with them I'll just lose control and freeze everything around me.

"Took two whole years for her to whip this thing up, by then I'd lost everyone around me, a rumor went around school that I used my brother for one of my experiments but my parents paid the cops to shut up. I couldn't interact with anyone at home because I was scared of them finding out. By the time I got this, everything was too broken to be repaired."

She pushed off the wall she'd been leaning on, walking past Kira toward the exit to their little hiding spot, "You don't need to feel sorry for me, just had to air everything out for you, before I turn down your offer to join your team."

"How did you..."

"It's written all over your face, Kira," she turned around to face Kira with her eyes, "Stop looking at me with those hopeful eyes like I'm some hero. I found out about you guys a while ago, if someone knew what to look for, your sloppy first week of trying to find your feet would have given all of you away. Be careful and don't drag me into it, I've had enough of the dangerous shit to last a lifetime, I'm not like you three...besides, I have what I want already."

Kira was about to argue that when Momo's shrill call reached them from outside.

"Jade! Kira! This isn't funny!" She whined.

"What if they were kidnapped?!" Haru's shriek joined in.

Kira noticed the way Jade's eyes softened considerably as Momo's shadow paused outside the door before turning around the corner probably.

Oh.

She dropped her hands back to her sides, conceding if only for a little bit. She wanted to say something, anything, to get Jade to rethink things.

She couldn't count the number of times she'd told herself she wasn't like Kuro and Troy. The truth was that it didn't matter, what mattered was that she couldn't turn her back on the danger. She was far too deep already, and if she had the power to do something, she'd use it.

Even so, one thing she'd never do was force someone to fight, this war was filled with monsters, murderers and more stakes than any of them could wish for. She wouldn't want to drag anyone she cared about into that if she had a choice.

"Jade, at least think about it," Kuro piped up, his cheerful grin exchanged for a more solemn look, "I could probably figure out a means to control your power if you gave me some time."

"We don't have time to waste on other things when Nightmare's still a threat brat," Troy snapped, "Besides, she still wouldn't help, right Keller? What are you really afraid of?"

The air was filled with tension thick enough to cut through. The question seemed to have struck something in the dark-skinned girl because she flinched

She peered at them from over her shoulder, "Wouldn't you love to know?" She'd started walking again but Kira stopped her by grabbing onto her shoulder.

"Wait,"

"Kira I already-"

"I know but promise me this," Kira fixed her with a firm look, green orbs blazing with emotion, "If anything should happen to three of us, that we're gone for too long, or heck, that we don't even come back... promise me you'll look after everyone. My family, Momo and Haru?"

The other girl's eyes widened, before narrowing slowly, "You're asking a lot, Kira."

"I know, but I just hope you'll accept," she hissed, "You don't have to tell anyone anything, just go about every day as usual but keep everyone safe."

Jade pried her hand off, and moved toward the exit, "I'll do what I can," she said before leaving.

The trio was left in silence, Troy still glaring after her.

"You seriously need to chill out," Kira nudged him in the side drawing his attention to her.

"I still feel we should try to convince her," Kuro voiced out. He couldn't get the events of the few hours before out of his mind, "You should have been there Kira, taking down a Hikegani isn't something just anyone can do."

"Judging by what she told us, she probably hadn't used that ability for a while," Troy added.

Kira could see what they were hinting at. That type of raw power could be very useful, as well as dangerous.

"I know, I know, but we can't force her- no, Kuro, we can't," she stressed before he got his suggestion out, "Besides, you heard what she said, she can't really control, hence, she could be a danger to everyone around as well, unless she goes through a lot of training."

The people and the city came first, if Jade's ability would do more harm than good then maybe, it was for the best she was left on the sidelines. She turned to the exit, unable to keep herself from wondering if Troy was right, was there really something more that Jade was afraid of?

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***

The heat of flames.

Air tinged with the putrid smell of blood and smoke.

There was pain everywhere, he could feel it in the air, taste it on his tongue. Why had they failed?! He'd done enough, hadn't he?!

The scenes kept changing. At times he was on his knees, unable to move. Other times, he was running but Kira and her attacker seemed to only get farther away, the distance growing with each step. In another vision, he was the one at the end of the staff but Kira shoved him away before he do anything.

'Run!' She screamed as his hand reached out in a futile attempt, 'Run, Troy, run!'

***

Troy blinked his eyes open, waking to the real world after that specific vision always left him disoriented. He dropped the hand that had reached out unconsciously in his sleep and brought it to his face to rub the dreariness from his eyes.

As usual, very little made sense but from what he could tell, he was the one that caused their failure. Kira was the key to stopping Nightmare, but she saved him instead.

He placed his other hand to his chin, thoughtful. He had no idea when the vision would take place. He had no idea how this current Kira would develop into the future one. At this stage, he wasn't sure if she would risk her life that idiotically for him.

His death should be his own problem, all she had to do was focus on her own part of their mission.

She couldn't die for anyone but herself and it seemed it would be his job to get that point across. The best way to do that would be more intense training, that way, she'd realize they all still had a long way to go.

With an assured nod to himself, he pushed off the covers and got to his morning routine, reminding himself over and over that failure wasn't an option.

***

Kira groaned, unable to pick herself out of the pile of debris she'd crashed through. She was sure she'd been blasted through at least three mountains of scrap metal.

And yet Troy was still calling for her to get up, lightning arrow already trained on her.

'He won't actually shoot right?' She asked in her mind.

Before either of the Demons could reply the arrow soared toward her.

'Shit!' she cursed out loud scrambling to her feet.

"Overboard much?" Kuro mused down at Troy from his perch, watching as the blond released more arrows toward Kira who was doing her best to deflect them with the chains and her staff.

"We all need the intensity, the pace we've been moving at is too slow for what we're up against."

"If I didn't know better, you'd sound like you have an idea Angel boy," Kuro stated, flying down to poke at the other's cheek before staring intensely.

Troy paused to smack his hand away, "It'll be your turn soon and I won't go easy."

***

Kira slammed her head onto her desk as she arrived at school Thursday morning. It had been almost a week after the Hikegani incident and the discovery of Jade's abilities.

A week since they started Troy's intense training regimen thing and after losing finals two days ago, she really wasn't in the mood to be pushed around the coming evening.

Her muscles still twinged from the workout he'd woken them up for at exactly four in the morning.

'We regenerate faster than regular humans, sleep is unnecessary.'

'Faster Vermillion!'

'Your sloppiness will get you killed.'

'Eyes on the target always.'

'Be aware of your surroundings.'

It was slowly driving her nuts. She was the leader for crying out loud, she didn't have to take this.

She pulled her hand out of her hair and slammed it on the desk, attracting looks she'd yet to notice because of the burning irritation and embarrassment that simmered within her.

'We don't gotta take shit from that pretty boy!' Mammon bellowed.

'Yeah!'

'We're the ones in charge!' Lucifer seethed.

'Right!' She clenched her fist.

The next time he gave her that condemning look of his she'd form her scythe and shove it up-

"Kira," Jade coughed a bit loudly under her breath drawing the brunette's attention.

The brown-haired girl looked up to eyes on her, including those of her teacher. She chuckled nervously, making a small show of digging through her bag to find her books.

When she looked up once more, everyone had gone back to their own business, except Troy who gave her a disapproving head shake before turning away.

Her pen snapped in her tight grip. He was asking for it now. Who was he to judge everything she did?

Her teammate? Yeah.

A friend? Debatable.

Was he important? In a way, yes.

But that didn't mean she had to sit down and take blow after blow to her ego. She quickly decided she wasn't going to be cool-headed about this until he opened up and made her feel respected.

History class dragged on, and by the end of it, Kira was significantly less irritated. Probably because she'd gotten a good nap in when the lecture lulled at some point.

She sat up straighter, stretching a bit as the sun, a bit brighter now, washed over her desk.

Maybe the day wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Pick your partners for the assignment and submit your names to the class president so they'll bring it to my desk before the end of the day," their History teacher yawned making his way toward the door.

Kira felt her heart plummet almost immediately. A pair project? Why did the universe have to do shit like this to her?

She looked up to see Troy already walking towards her, his icy wall keeping away all the other eager girls and guys that flocked to his path.

He stopped in front of her desk, "I'll go put down our names. Honestly if it wasn't for our situation I wouldn't bother to put up with you for more time than necessary," he scoffed.

"Then don't," she hissed in a tone of finality, meeting his gaze.

They glared at each other.

"Did I hear you correctly, Vermillion?"

She stood up, pointing an accusing finger, "I said then don't put up with me. If I can't seem to do anything right then find yourself a partner that does. I for one am tired of taking complaints."

"Says the one who doesn't hesitate to complain at every single task."

They had well stepped out of the realm of schoolwork by now.

"Oh yeah, well at least I'm not blaming my failure or every other person's tiny mistake," Kira jabbed his chest, "You're only sticking to me because I'm the only one here who'll bother. Go make some friends and do shit right if I'm just that bad."

He scoffed, watching as she marched over to jade, snatching up the purple-haired girl's elbow, "From now on this is my partner for everything!"

There! She'd picked the only other person with magic abilities. Let Troy suffer through the awkward cancellation of plans with his new partners and she wouldn't change her mind until he fixed his attitude.

"That escalated quickly," Jade sighed, manga falling unto her table, how had she gotten wrapped in this now?