Monica and Hope walked through the hallway of Mystic falls high, although they stopped upon hearing an announcement. "Monica Monroe and Hope Marshall to the principal's office." The two girls shared a glance before Hope ordered, "Let's go."

They entered the office, with Hope closing the door behind them. Monica crossed her arms before she said, "PA system? It's a little dramatic, don't you think?"

"Not as dramatic as the message Landon left me, saying he had something urgent to discuss. Anything you want to share?" Alaric asked them. "Only that I'm pretty sure the monsters are after him this time." Hope said as Alaric frowned, "And you didn't think that that's something I should know?!" He growled in response. "More like she was afraid of what you were gonna say after that." Monica piped up as Hope frowned at her.

"Hope, Monica. You both need to go back to the Salvatore School. Not for your sake— For theirs. Maybe Landon isn't that important to you guys. But if Malivore wants him, we need to want him more." The headmaster insisted as the girls shared a worried glance. "Look, I will take care of it, but from a distance." He added but they didn't look anymore relaxed.

Alaric eyed the duo, curiously. "Okay, what am I missing here, Hope? Monica? Hmm? You told me the truth, and everything worked out fine." He said. "Not the whole truth." Monica admitted awkwardly, wishing they weren't about to have this conversation. "Hmm?"

"It's not Landon I'm bothered about." Hope began. "Ruby and I we were in love. Like, real love. Epic love, if that even exists." Hope began to explain as she hated the vulnerable feeling she felt as she talked about this. "I can assure you it does." Alaric nodded in agreement.

"Now she's with Maya, and they don't know what we were to each other. And I'm just afraid that if I tell them, she's gonna hate me forever... or I'm gonna hate myself because I made us all miserable. So I can't tell them. Not yet." Hope decided. Monica opened her mouth to speak, as Alaric turned to her. "Uh. Would now be the right time to tell you that I was dating Lizzie?" She asked as Alaric blinked in surprise as he processed this.

"Sorry to interrupt." The door was open now with Sheriff Mac standing in the doorway. "No, it's okay. We were just leaving." Monica decided before Hope added, "I will see you at the pep rally."

"See you there."

❤︎

"I'm sorry." Josie finally came out with it, as she stood in front of Ruby, at the Old Mill. Ruby just looked at Josie, as she spoke. "I just... I really like Jordan... and I'm worried that another pretty girl might take his attention..." She admitted, realising that it sounded quite sad.

"If Jordan really likes you too, then he won't be staring at other pretty girls Josie. Besides, I'm literally not interested in him.. I'm a lesbian." Ruby reminded the Saltzman as she nodded embarrassedly. "I know this sounds silly... I shouldn't have seen you as a threat."

Ruby reached out snd took Josie's hands, as they made eye contact. "Josie... can we please make a vow?" She asked, as Josie nodded quickly. "Can we promise... to never let our love interests, or partners... get in the way of our friendship, ever again?"

Josie nodded, before she pulled her hands out of Ruby's so she could throw her arms around the pinkette. "Of course."

❤︎

Dorian sat on one side of the gate while an Asian man with a samurai sword, stood on the other side, yelling to the Williams. "Dude, I'm gonna find someone who can understand you, but I need to know.. you're not gonna go stabbing—"

"Konichiwa." Josie called out, as she and Ruby approached the gates. The Japanese man understood Josie, and decided to talk to her instead. Dorian just looked at Josie with surprise, "Since when do you speak Japanese?" He asked her. "Since Lizzie's old therapist was next to a Japanese language school."

The man started talking, and Ruby asked curiously, "Uh what's he saying?" Josie struggled to understand him, "..He's crazed?"

"Kurutta. Oh, I think that's his name. Also, another word for crazed." Josie explained to the pair. The samurai continued to try and explain himself as Josie die her best to translate what he was saying. "He's a demon hunter? Looking for an Oni, which is like a demon-ghost-monster kind of a thing." Ruby blurted out in realisation, "Sounds like that's our next Malivore monster."

"Then the Oni's probably wherever Landon is." Dorian suggested as Josie shook her head. "Uh, he said he followed his sword here, and it glows around Jintsu-riki? Oh, oh, supernaturals. Okay. Makes sense why he wound up here."

Dorian and Ruby looked at the sword, before Dorian said, "But I've never seen one of those."

"He said that we wouldn't know if the Oni was here or not. It possesses people, and it could be anywhere. In anyone."

❤︎

"Sorry, demon hunter coming through." Ruby called out, as Ruby, Josie and the samurai walked through the hallway of the Salvatore school. "A demon hunter... is that a new faction?" Jordan asked as he stopped in front of the pair.

Josie laughed. "Hey Jordy." She then said in a chipper tone. Jordan was still unhappy about Josie breaking Ethan's arm, so he didn't return the chipper tone as he said, "Hey."

"So.. explain." The Montgomery demanded as he moved to stand beside Ruby. "He is a samurai slash demon hunter who lost his oni and the only way we can kill it is with this demon bashing sword before it carries Landon into Malivore." Ruby explained to the Luna witch.

"Oh cool... just an average day at the Salvatore school." The raven haired boy suggested before they continued to walk.

The group passed Lizzie, who looked at them intriguingly. Ruby decided to give her a quick rundown on what was happening. "Do you want to come?" Jordan asked. Lizzie shrugged, "Well, I suppose if I reschedule my date, it would give this rash some time to clear up."

Ruby frowned as she looked at the rash on Lizzie's arm, "How did this happen?" The Waithe asked as Lizzie's eyes darted to Josie for a moment, before they landed on Ruby again. "Josie used dark magic in the game yesterday... and magical twin powers mean because of it I have this rash." She huffed in annoyance.

Jordan frowned as he glanced at his girlfriend to realise that she used dark magic to break Ethan's arm, which didn't just harm him but also herself and Lizzie. Josie felt herself shrink with his stare.

"Kurutta."

Lizzie frowned at the samurai before looking to Josie, "He's talking about me, isn't he? He's calling me crazy." Lizzie assumed as Josie shook her head, "No. No, he's talking about the Oni. It possesses people, makes them act crazy."

Lizzie crossed her arms, "Well, then I retract my offer. My mental health is the most precious thing that I have, Jo. A rash I can deal with, but I cannot risk crazy. I'm sorry." Lizzie decided before she walked away. "Honestly, respect." Ruby shrugged.

❤︎

Monica stopped in the hallway upon seeing Landon there. "Mophead?" She blurted out, as Landon looked up at her and frowned as he didn't recognise her from his time at Mystic falls high. "Excuse me?" He asked in confusion.

Monica shook her head before she walked over to him, "What the hell are you doing here?" She demanded. "I'm... looking for Dr Saltzman." He answered. "Oh— I'll uh.. take you to him. I don't want to go to class anyway."

Monica reached out and grabbed Landon's arm, before leading him towards the principals office, where Alaric and Hope were.

❤︎

Ruby, Jordan, Josie and the samurai had found Landon's location after doing a locator spell. With that, they were walking through the hallway of the Salvatore school. "I hope Maya doesn't see us walking through her school... I don't know how I'm going to explain this to her." Ruby chuckled as Jordan laughed also.

As they were leaving, they found Alaric, Landon, Hope and Monica, putting Rafael in the back of Dr Saltzmans car. Ruby quickly moved over to them, "What the hell are you doing!?" She demanded instantly.

"Josie? Ruby, Jordan? What's going on?" Alaric demanded as Ruby was stopped by Monica, who stood in her way. "Get out of my way." Ruby growled at Monica, who didn't budge.

Ruby then looked to Hope, "And who the hell are you, mystery girl? Why am I suddenly seeing your face everywhere?" She asked in annoyance, although Hope stayed quiet. The pinkette looked to Landon for answers but he only shrugged in response.

Jordan walked up to Monica now, "Yeah I'd like some answers too..." He decided as he eyed the blonde. She frowned at him unaware that he fully remembered their conversation from the other night.

"Why don't we start here." Alaric began, catching everyone's attention before he looked to Kurata. "Who the hell are you?" He asked.

Josie sighed, before she began to explain what was going on. "He said we came to protect the bonsai headed boy." She referred to Landon.

"Alright next.. who are these two?" Ruby asked, referring to Monica and Hope. "This is Monica Monroe and Hope Marshall. They'll be helping us with this situation." Alaric explained to them.

"Monica Monroe?" Jordan asked with surprise not only growing more confused because now she was using his mother's surname.

Monica nodded, "That'd be me." She said as Jordan frowned, "Dr S... doesn't it seem quite strange considering my mothers maiden name is Monroe?" He asked as he kept his eyes on the blonde. "Well, it is a common surname. There's a Monroe family in Mystic Falls." Alaric lied, hoping the Luna witch would just drop it.

"Guys. We don't have time for this." Hope insisted. "Fine." Ruby decided, as she kept her eyes fixed on Hope. "But this conversation is not over."

"Look, I will take all the help I can get. Even from him." Alaric spoke up, as he looked to Kurutta. "So ask him to tell us everything we should know."