Third Person

~

Kira huffed out a breath as she stalked through the hallways. Kaito and Coach had called for a meeting during the first break period, just what she needed to get her mind off what happened in class a few periods prior.

Momo whined petulantly, a slight tease in her voice as she tried to diffuse the tension, 'No fair best friend stealer!'

'You'll be fine on one project without me, Blondie, right?' Jade shrugged shaking Kira off her arm while the brunette and Troy were still locked in their stare-down.

'I guess,' Momo pouted, before grabbing Troy, 'Then I guess Troy will be my partner.'

Kira could almost see the flicker of protest on Troy's face, but he said nothing, probably understanding it was between Moriko who he knew, or some other chick in class that was obsessed with him.

She smirked, unable to stop herself from taking that as a win.

Kira pushed open the door to the empty clubroom reserved for the volleyball team's meeting. She should feel satisfied, but vindictiveness had never been her thing.

She wasn't an overly nice person, but grudges were just so tiring to bear. She took a seat, taking stock of those that were already in the room, almost everyone.

A few others trickled in after and she realized it was only the Captain left. Come to think of it, she hadn't seen the senior since their match. Coach allowed two days for them to recover, stating that more will be said at the meeting.

Kaito clapped loudly to gain everyone's attention, and started talking once the girls had quieted, "You girls really gave your all and did an amazing job on Tuesday, even if we didn't win, Coach and I are proud," he started, "However, this loss doesn't mean the end of the road for us, other tournaments are coming up and we'll do well to practice for those, but for the meantime, after school practice is suspended until semester exams are over."

"That's a pretty long time Kaito-san," Kira couldn't help but gawk.

"Barely three weeks, airhead," Sasaki scowled, using one of her feet on the desk to push the other girl's head.

Kira turned back to glare, how hadn't she noticed who was sitting behind her?

"Focus on your studies, all of you," Coach Makino cut in, "We don't need someone being suspended for poor grades."

The girls' echoed their agreement before someone called out a question asking about the Captain.

Kaito chuckled, a bright amused sound, "She decided to punish herself by sitting out in the rain, after the loss, she's very unreasonable when she can be. Got herself a cold but she'll be back in action soon."

Kira could almost imagine it, probably because she'd almost done the same if not for Kuro dragging her home and keeping her inside her room after patrol that night.

"Tell her we'll be waiting for her," she said softly, earning approving echoes sentiments from their teammates.

The meeting ended and she still had a few minutes left before the next period, she'd have to tell her friends she'd have way too much free time on her hands with no practice.

She sighed, the next couple of weeks were going to be very boring.

***

"My house, after school," Jade said smoothly once Kira had made her announcement at their lunch table in the cafeteria.

"For what?" Haru asked.

"She and Kira are partners," Momo chirped, informative as she unwrapped her bento.

Haru looked between the four of them, a questioning thought obvious behind his bright silvery eyes, "Yeah...but isn't it usually-"

"It usually 'was'," Kira corrected pointedly, earning a mute, exasperated look from Troy.

"Troy and I are partners now," Momo beamed, "We'll meet at the usual cafe after school to get started, right?" She turned to the male blond. He merely nodded.

Haru turned his questioning look to Jade for a probably more detailed answer, other than Kira, she was the other person he'd grown closer to because of her calmness.

"Not worth it," she said simply glancing up from her pack of sandwiches.

Haru resisted the urge to scribble nervously with his chopsticks, he decided he'd ask Kira about it when she was in a better mood. Until then, he'd just have to bare with the uncomfortable atmosphere.

***

"What's got Angel boy so riled up?" Kuro asked at the gates as they made their way out after closing hours.

"You can tell?!" Momo asked, turning to see Troy looked exactly as he would if nothing had happened.

Kuro nodded, "The scowl is a few degrees deeper, and Kira's giving him dirty looks."

"They fought," Haru answered nervously before blurting out, "We got the History project too and Sasaki-san is my partner. Have to find her before she gets mad." He waved sweetly, before turning to find the girl.

"We have to get to our projects as well, looks like we won't be hanging out today," Momo moaned sadly.

"It's no biggie, I had plans but since I was close by I decided to stop over," his eyes moved from Kira to Troy meaningfully, "Just be careful you two."

Kira didn't like that tone in any way, had Kuro picked up on something, she turned to the younger boy to ask but he was already walking down the street and Jade was swinging an arm onto her shoulder, dragging her off.

They boarded a bus to the purple-haired girl's home, the ride being silent but not tense. Kira had expected the other girl to ask, to push. But like always, Jade was the epitome of minding one's own business.

She held her bag closer to herself, trying not to think about anything in particular, thinking was too exhausting these days. Mainly because there was too much to think about; her friends, her family, school, the city, and so much more. She hated thinking because it dug up all she'd done prior to now, how many deaths had led up to where they were now.

How many more would come in their quest to stop Nightmare, and if she'd be able to bare the weight time came. She knew she shouldn't be afraid because had people looking out for her.

Unfortunately, that didn't seem enough to quell the all-encompassing feeling of dread and dark loneliness from keeping her in its embrace. Like something was slowly sucking at her.

'The path of the Keeper is one that must be often walked alone,' Lucifer had told her once, 'The stronger you grow, the more attachment to your predecessor's memories and emotions.'

She played with the cold metal of her bag's zipper, if these truly were Hikari's feelings seeping into her skin, she felt no shame in saying she despised them and she wouldn't let them in.

"We're here," Jade said, calling her out of her reverie to the present. They were walking up the steps to a simple-looking house in a bustling neighborhood.

It was pretty plain compared to what she'd expect from a student coming to her school.

Jade pulled out the key and opened the door to let them in, "I'm home!" She said pushing a button near the door that caused red lights to flash in every room in view.

Kira flinched, as she'd just taken off her shoes, "What's up with the lights?!"

"Just in case, my mum's home she'll know, I doubt it but she usually drops in unexpectedly," the darker-skinned girl shrugged.

Kira had just been about to ask how that corresponded with the lights when steady footsteps coming down the stairs reached her enhanced hearing.

She turned to see a woman, much older than Jade but with the same deep, brown skin tone and a welcoming smile, unlike Jade's smirk. There was a mature air to her and Kira bowed before she could get carried away by it's elegance and forget.

"Good afternoon and nice to meet you, Ma'am," she greeted.

When no reply came, she peeked up to see the woman smiling softly at her while making some weird hand signs to Jade.

"I didn't say anything because I'm usually the only one home at this time," Jade said to her mum.

The woman frowned at her, and more hand signs followed.

Jade rolled her eyes, "Missed you too, her name's Kira Vermillion. Kira my mum says 'Hi'"

The woman stepped forward and gave Jade a more menacing look. More hand signs. By now Kira was starting to get a good picture of what was happening.

"Fine, she said, 'Hello dear and welcome to our home.'" The other girl repeated, "Kira, this is my mum, Grace Keller, she's deaf so if you want to tell her anything, let me know."

Oh, so that's what the lights were for.

Mrs. Keller have an amused smile and a sheepish blush made it's way to Kira's cheeks as she nodded.

"We've got homework so we're going up to my room, don't bug us," Jade said as she signed.

Her mum signed back.

"Snacks sounds fine, how was Paris?"

Her mum beamed, hand signs coming in faster.

"Cool, push the lights if you need me for something, take a break while you're home."

Kira suddenly wanted to know how Paris went too but she kept quiet and followed Jade up the stairs toward her room.

"What was your mum doing in Paris?" She asked almost breathlessly when they were out of sight.

"She's a fashion designer, one of the big ones, they had some show I guess," Jade replied.

Kira slapped her palm to her head, Jade's name had sounded awfully familiar when they'd first met, but there were numerous 'Kellers' in the states and over the world.

"Your mum's a fashion brand?"

"You're just realizing that now?" Jade chuckled, she pushed open the door to her room, "But yeah, she is. Watch your step."

Kira halted and looked down to see she'd almost stepped on a stray tube of acrylic paint.

She set her foot down and looked up, it was a pretty standard bedroom considering Jade's personality. A desk sat in a corner beside the window, a board pinned with sketches and cutouts hung over it.

On the floor, pushed to one side were paint tubes, canvases, and brushes. Not far from the bed, a stand with an unfinished piece of warm vibrant hues sat waiting for attention once more.

"Sorry 'bout the mess," Jade muttered as she gestured for Kira to stay at the desk. Kira nodded, watching Jade take the painting down and move it and the stand to the corner, "Now for cushions."

"The chair's fine," Kira tried to protest.

"But you'll be more comfortable on the floor right?"

Kira couldn't lie, it was just a habit and she really didn't mind the chair. Jade continued to dig through her closet for cushions either way.

Kira gave up and turned to study the papers on the desk. Manga sketches. She really shouldn't be surprised.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

She settled onto the cushions once jade brought them out and shrugged off her blazer as well.

"Your paintings are nice," she complimented pointing at the recent seeming one that was on the stand previously. It almost looked like a tropical sunset.

Jade seemed to stiffen, "Thanks but that's not mine," she stretched out her legs, "It's the one Jason was working on during the incident, I've been trying to finish it for a while now, he didn't like things being half done, you know?"

"Do you really have to though, it was the last thing he left behind, maybe leaving it as it was would have been better," Kira couldn't help but say. If someone she loved left something behind after death, doing more to it from then would seem like tainting the memory.

Ridiculously sentimental as it might be, she wouldn't want anyone touching it.

"You're probably right, but I stared at it for years, and it always felt wrong, as the one who killed him, I probably don't have the right touch it, but it didn't feel right for it to just sit there. Every time I see it..."

Jade's eyes snapped from the painting and rested back on Kira with a sad, apologetic look, "But we didn't come here to talk about paintings, research on some old Japanese dead guy demands our attention."

Kira smiled softly, understanding but the dep down she sched for Jade to say more. Pushing things down did little to help, but maybe just like Kira, Jade wasn't sure who these feelings were to be said to.

***

If Troy were some human without tact or a means of self-control, he might actually have resorted to throwing something by now.

He stalked past Xie Ren, offering no explanation for his bitter mood because it was no one's business but his.

Leave it to Vermillion to ruin everything when he was clearly doing it for everyone's best interest. Not long had they sat down to discuss their project Kobayashi sprang up from her seat, running out of the store with some screamed apology of how they'd meet tomorrow and how she forgot she had to see her mother, quote-unquote, ASAP.

Now he had to delay something he would have finished on his own otherwise so he wouldn't seem rude to Moriko and strangely, she was the only other human that made him want to be genuinely nice to them.

Ever since that first meeting. It wasn't a crush or whatever dumb emotion humans would assign, he was very well aware of his own feelings. What he felt towards the blond girl was a strange familiarity. She had a bright untainted aura about her, that struck up a feeling of nostalgia.

And carved a hollow feeling in his chest like he was missing something. Weird.

He entered his room, ignoring the dark-haired menace perched at his desk.

Leave it to Xie Ren to let people into his personal space without his consent.

"So what's up with you and Kira?" Kuro asked as Troy got to putting his things away.

"Aren't you meant to be with your little friend?"

Kuro nodded, "I went over but he's in a pretty dark mood and doesn't want me around."

Troy pretended he didn't hear the hurt in the other's voice, or much rather, he'd grown used to it. This wasn't the first time Kuro had confided about being sent away to him. There were words he could say to make things better, but they'd be a false attempt at comfort.

"You sounded unusual at the school, is something wrong?"

Kuro gave an exaggerated pout, "You're a terrible friend you know that? I come to you all sad and needy and you just turn me away."

"Kuro," The blond folded his arms, warning.

The younger male sighed, and gave a nonchalant wave, "While out on patrol last night, I felt a strange aura sort of just...appear in the city. You guys were probably too far but it wasn't too far from where I was. It sort of just flared, like it was letting me know it was there, before vanishing."

"Nightmare?"

Kuro shook his head, "No but definitely Dark Magic."

Dark magic didn't always mean bad, a lot of exorcists made exchanges with Demons because their abilities were pretty powerful. Then again, a lot of exorcists viewed Dark magic as tainted. So more often than not, Dark magic spelled disaster.

"I felt it this afternoon as well, on the way to your school just as I boarded the train. I'm not sure if I should be worried or not."

Troy could feel the worry seep into him as well, "Let's investigate the area."

***

Jade's phone broke the silence, the taller girl smirked on seeing the name on the screen and showed it to Kira.

'Blondie.'

Jade swiped the screen and put it on the loudspeaker.

"HOW DARE YOU JAY-JAY? I TOLD YOU I HAD TO MEET WITH MY MUM OR SHE'D GROUND ME?" Momo's voice blasted out.

"Guess I forgot!"

"Mean! You're so mean!" The blond's voice huffed out, albeit a bit distorted through the speakers, "Anyway, I'm almost there so bring Kira. I'll need moral support- and maybe ice cream, when I get through that trainwreck."

"Hey, ask nicely," Jade teased.

"Jade,"

"Fine, fine, we'll be there, right Kira?"

"Yeah Momo, see you soon."

"Was I speakerphone?! What if I'd said something embarrassing?! Jade!"

Jade ended the call, "You cool with picking this up tomorrow?"

"Yes please!" Kira slammed the book shut.

After saying bye to Jade's mum and another one of her siblings, a younger sister named June who'd come back from school a while after them, the two left.

"Are we heading over to her place?" Kira asked as they waited on the platform for the train to arrive.

"Nah, her mum's Commissioner of police, their HQ isn't far from school," Jade answered.

Demona, on her way to visit the police station, not something you saw every day.

***

They arrived at the HQ building in charge of those in the precinct after a thirty-minute train ride. It was a large imposing building even with just two floors. Polished stone and glass windows gleamed in the dimming afternoon light.

The female receptionist with tied-back dark hair, smiled on seeing Jade, making Kira guess this wasn't the other girl's first time here.

"She should be in her mother's office," the woman informed.

"Thanks, Kaneko-san, we'll just wait out the door for her," Jade replied before pulling Kira along.

They took the stairs and Jade led her along while giving a short explanation of things, "Momo and her mum don't exactly get along well, Mrs. Kobayashi is what you'd call overprotective and yesterday Momo stayed out late at the docks trying to find clues about Troy and Kuro's little rescue."

They'd barely stepped onto the landing when voices could be heard.

"You never listen to me."

"Moriko, be home by seven, that's my verdict, there's nothing to listen to."

"Kobayashi-sama I need to know if you'll be available for the press conference this Saturday."

"That's this Saturday?"

"The press can't be calmed considering the events that transpired on the shore."

"You're ignoring me again mum!"

"Moriko, this is not the time!"

"You called me here!"

Three people came into view drawing the attention of all those in the hall and even some heads peeking out of their cubicles in the open floor plan space.

Momo was briskly trying to keep up with a very tall blond woman who was in a conversation with another man in uniform.

Kira assumed the older blond was Mrs. Kobayashi, then again Kira couldn't imagine Momo growing into a disciplined, straight-faced adult at any stage in life.

"Curfew isn't even until 10 pm, why do I have to be home a whole three hours early?" Momo pushed.

"You're a student, that's explanation enough," Her mother argued back, "With those terrorists and more strange things happening the safest place for you is home."

"Demona and her friends aren't terrorists, stop calling them that. They're... they're superheroes."

Kira watched Mrs. Kobayashi pinch the bridge of her nose wearily, like the argument was costing her more brain cells than it was worth, "Moriko, Superheroes don't exist."

"They're superhumans doing good then," Momo said hotly, pulling out her phone to show an article. From where they were standing and with some enhancing her eyesight Kira could make out the headlines.

'Two Angels Save Capsizing Ship.'

"Almost everyone on there said they were angels, and others online say they've noticed three shadows traveling the city at night. They're real and I want you to stop treating them like they're not."

"Honey," her mum raised a hand to probably touch her cheek but Momo shifted back and the woman seemed to catch herself. In a much sterner voice, she continued, "They're just some hooligans that got their hands on some advanced technology. We don't know what they're planning but we can't pretend that they're not dangerous."

Kira could see Momo wasn't convinced, if she actually wasn't Demona, she'd have thought Mrs. Kobayashi was right.

Tech was getting more advanced every day, it wasn't exactly a stretch to think people could use it to fly or do other incredible things.

She was about to tune into the Kobayashis' conversation again when her ears caught another discussion about the incident at the sea.

Or more specifically, Angels.

Two chattering officers walking by while keeping their voices to a whisper.

"Heard about a similar incident myself before I even began training for the force," the woman said to her comrade.

"It was all over the incident, I remember too, there was even a video about it but it disappeared after a while," the other said.

"Where was it again? London I think, Angel in a storm or something."

Kira was contemplating walking up to ask if what they were saying was true when several more loud shouts came up.

The receptionist, Ms. Kaneko appeared, running past Kira and Jade to the two arguing Kobayashis.

"Kobayashi-sama, there's been a break-in of sorts," she said, trembling.

"Of sorts? Speak clearly, officer," the woman demanded.

Ms. Kaneko seemed even more afraid now, "There was a man, he came in talking about how he wanted to see the Senior Commissioner. I asked if he had an appointment and he said no. I told him to get an appointment and come back but he just said he'd see you himself and proceeded to vanish right there."

Kira's eyes widened, that did not sound good.

"This is no time for jokes," Mrs. Kobayashi strained.

"It's no joke, Ma'am, other people witnessed it and I came up because he said he was after you."

The Commissioner looked about ready to argue when a new voice breached the conversation, instantly spreading an air of fear and confusion over the room, "Your subordinate is in no way joking Commissioner, I'm right here."

They turned in the direction of the voice, to see a young man in rugged black clothes, a red bandana of sorts hid the lower half of his face, revealing only menacing eyes of dark amber. He was seated on a large desk at the end of the room.

Handguns were out immediately, all trained on the stranger in the room.

Kira stared, she hadn't noticed the use of magic energy within the last few seconds. Whoever this was, they were strong and probably skilled.

Not good, she concluded, and from the tensing of Jade at her side, she knew the other girl thought the same.

"Who are you? What do you want? And how did you get in here without our notice?" Commissioner Kobayashi snarled, pulling out her own weapon and pushing Momo back.

"Merely someone who wants the same thing as you. You may call me Arius, One of Plagues and my Master has sent me to help rid you of the vermin known as Demona." He said, voice clear and brimming with disgust through the covering over his mouth.

Kira really didn't like the sound of that, probably another of Nightmare's goons. But this guy wasn't a demon, or at least, he didn't feel like one. Why was he referring to Nightmare as Master then?

Then it clicked, a disciple, maybe. If Nightmare had disciples and demons ready to do his bidding, that only meant they had more to worry about.

Mrs. Kobayashi opened her mouth to say something when she was stopped by Arius.

"Before you make a choice, let me make it clear, we will get what we want, whether you like it, or not. Only the strongest make decisions, the weak's compliance only makes things easier."

"Tough luck, we don't make deals with suspicious criminals."

"And what may I have done to warrant me as a criminal before your lowly eyes?" He growled, amused.

"Trespassing, I was informed you weren't allowed in, arrest-"

"Everyone look outside!" Someone screamed.

"What are those things?!" Another scream joined.

Kira ran to the window against her better judgement, peering out to see various flying shapes swooping down onto those of the street. Picking up screaming civilians and throwing them about.

Large, bug-like creatures with green drooling mandibles and ruby-red eyes were everywhere. She had to do something, but she had to find a way to slip away first

"What's going on?!" Mrs. Kobayashi screamed approaching Arius.

"It's my ability, The Eighth Plague." He answered, laughing darkly, "And I won't stop until Demona and her angels of destruction reveal themselves!"

He launched forward, too quick for the human eye, and took the commissioner by the neck, raising her off the ground, "This is the beginning of a new era, you either work with my Master or you're against him."

All too suddenly, a loud smack sounded through the room, Kira stared in horror, how the hell had Moriko gotten over there? The blonde's hand was still on Arius' face, her slap had hardly moved him.

"Then I guess I'm against him, now leave my mum alone," she said, brown eyes burning with rage.

Mrs. Kobayashi's gurgled version of her daughter's name barely left her lips before she was thrown across the room crashing into a cubicle. The room went up in a panic.

"Mom!" Momo screamed turning to go after the woman but Arius grabbed her arm, and turned her around to return the slap, stunning and weakening her before tossing her over his shoulder.

"Let her go!" Jade screamed but Ms. Kaneko was holding her back with pleas that she could get hurt as well.

"Your girl's got guts Commissioner, I like that, it means I'm less likely to kill her and she'll make a great hostage while we cooperate." There was a loud crash from the window, glass soared through the air as one of the many insects outside came through.

Arius hopped onto its back, "Once Demona and her Comrades show up, attack them to show your loyalty to Master Nightmare. Help me bring them down and your daughter will return to you in one piece."

Momo's cries of fear and protest had grown louder the farther up the bug flew before taking off outside the broken window.

***

Nightmare's lips curled into a smirk in the dark depths of his warehouse hideout as the potent smell of chaos and disarray reached him, coating his tongue and sending his servants around him into a frenzy.

He waved, a gesture instructing them to calm down, it wasn't time for his plan yet, but the time for his enemy's downfall had come.

He glanced over to the numerous colored eyes around him, all shrouded in the darkness, he was yet to give them bodies but he could feel their presence in this realm, their eagerness to join him.

"My loyal followers, in time, this city will be ours but until then, see this as a step forward," he stood from his throne, Kirai glanced up from his perch on the dias step, "The time for operating in darkness, has come to an end."