Kira

~

"I am so sorry about my daughter, she has a little bit of a temper."

"A little, Mr. Vermillion?" The principal, Ms. Tsukahara, was a stern-faced woman with deep brown hair and narrow grey eyes that conveyed her irritation at me very clearly. Her nails clicked on the table as she spoke to Ares who had been called in due to, "She destroyed an entire sink, Mr. Vermillion, I don't think her temper is just a little."

I opened my mouth to speak and point out that, once again, it was an accident. I was cut off by Ares' foot hitting mine under the table. He shot me a look.

We were seated across from her and she was looking right at me, probably trying to read my heart's secret through my eyes.

'That's a bit dramatic.' Lucifer huffed in my head.

"Shut up," I whispered.

"What was that?" She asked coolly.

"Nothing." I flinched.

She gave a grunt of disapproval before finally turning back to Ares, "Destruction of school property at Hamada High is a serious crime. Our students here are meant to come from prestigious homes and elite families. We don't tolerate behavior that can be compared to that of a hooligan."

I moved uncomfortably in my seat. I could feel Ares' anxiety as well, we both didn't like where this conversation was going.

"And what do you suggest is a fitting punishment for Kira?"

"Why of course, the only option is exp-" A knock on the door cut her off she scowled. "Who's there?"

"Kamamoto, Ma'am." The voice of her assistant replied, "It's important."

"A moment." She said to us before walking up and heading to the door.

I sighed heavily, when got home after this, Ares was going to kill me. How did things get so bad?

"What...that much? Those Vermillions? Are you sure?"

Wait, they were talking about us? I made to turn around but Ares reached out and turned me to face him.

"Shh."

I nodded.

A few seconds later, Ms. Tsukahara walked back to her seat. She sat down and looked from me to my stepdad for a while before letting out a sigh.

"Perhaps suspension is too big a punishment."

I felt my shoulders slump in relief, but just as it left, the tension rolled back in, "Wait, why did you change your mind?"

She turned to Ares, "This one talks back too much, teach her some manners. Thank you for your kind donations at last month's fundraiser, consider this a means of repaying that kindness."

"I should be the one thanking you." He said the tightness seemed to have left his voice.

"She will still receive a punishment, she will pick up dirt from the grounds every closing time for a week starting next week since the first week is essential to the start of a student's academic success. That is all."

Ares dragged me to my feet and pushed me into a bow, "Say sorry and Thank you, Kira."

I grumbled, "I apologize, and Thanks for letting me stay...or whatever." I righted my stance.

"I'll have an eye on you child." Was all she said with a dismissive wave.

I stepped out of the office and into the hallway with Ares at my side. The silence between us was filled with bad emotions from what had happened earlier in the morning and now this.

He stopped and I turned to face him, the disappointed look with the folded arms was enough to crush my resolve.

"I'm sorry." I said quietly, looking anywhere but directly at him, "For what I said earlier and for getting in trouble."

He looked about ready to drag me into a hug but I guess he knew better than to do that in public. I kinda wish he did hug me though.

"Why did you break that sink though?"

"I was...angry?" It came out more questioning than I wanted it to but I hoped he didn't notice.

"We'll talk about everything at home, I have to get back to work now." He ruffled my hair, messing up the brown strands that I had worked so hard on. "Stay out of trouble, I doubt you'll be let off the hook next time."

"Yes sir." I huffed straightening my hair. He waved and made his way toward the school exit. I was about to climb the stairs that led back to the floor of my class when suddenly the piercing sound of the bell echoed through the corridors.

It was time for a break.

I had missed three whole periods on my first day. Filled with grief and annoyance at myself, I resisted the urge to fall to the ground.

Why was today turning out so badly?

'At least you're not dead.'

'Right, I'd forgotten about you for a minute.' I looked around, watching students exit their classes one by one or even in groups, chatting silently as they walked passed me.

It took about three minutes to finally reach my classroom and the few students that were in immediately turned to me. I expected that they'd know but did they really have to be so obvious?

Moriko approached me without much fanfare, her brown eyes bright with excitement, as she opened her mouth to start questioning me.

"Shut it, Blondie," Jade says lightly shoving her. She turns to me, "I'm heading to the library, you can come along if you want to borrow my notes."

I look between both of them, they must be really close for Moriko to shut up on command like that. The blonde was still pouting though. A wave of relief floods through me that no one would directly come up and ask right now.

God knows I have no explanation to give anybody.

I grab my bag and tail the two girls to the library, Moriko's rapid speech acting as a bit of background noise while Jade explained what was said in class.

Maybe keeping these two around wouldn't be so bad.

On getting to the library, we grab a seat at the same table, Moriko quietly complaining about how we're meant to be out enjoying the free time instead of being here. Jade told her numerous times that she could leave whenever. Moriko still stayed to complain.

Their banter quickly faded to a low thrum around me as I copied the notes Jade took down. Trying desperately not to think of the fact that demons were dwelling within me.

I continued writing, growing more anxious as I remembered more and more details of my conversation with Lucifer.

'How do I become stronger?' I asked finally, in my head.

'I don't instruct weaklings, human.' His voice sounded low and bored. Being a demon prince must not be as interesting as I'd thought it be.

'Listen here douchebag, I am not giving up this life I've worked so hard to have, I'll have to die before that happens-'

'Then please do-'

'I won't, and you're gonna tell me how to prove I'm serious. I don't expect you to understand what it means to have people who care about you but to me, that's the most important thing.' My grip on the pen tightened.

Ares was the most important thing to me. I couldn't leave him, he'd beat himself up for who knows how long, thinking he hurt me or did something wrong.

My mind was silent for a long time, almost making me believe I had totally screwed up any chance of pleasing the prideful demon.

'What you're supposed to carry out won't be easy you know?'

'Bring it.'

A cold sense of foreboding fear washed over me like a freezing bucket of water had just been dumped over my head.

'Oh trust me Kira Vermilion, you will come to regret those words.'

At the end of the school day, I had no idea whether I should be happy or sad.

Happy because that nightmare of a first day was finally over. Or sad because now I had to go home and listen to what Lucifer wanted me to do.

I was walking with Moriko and Jade once more, Moriko was thinking of starting a Demona fan club on school grounds for when club activities would start the next week.

"Bad idea." Jade simply.

"But why?" She asked unmoved.

"First of all, it's cringe. Secondly, it sounds so childish I'm sure no one would come."

"Not true, you'd come, right Kira?" She turned, asking me.

I laughed nervously, "I already plan on joining the girls' Volleyball club."

"You play Volleyball?" Jade asked.

"Yup, I played regionals back home," I said proudly.

"That's awesome, considering you look a bit out of shape," Moriko said simply.

"You calling me fat?" I felt a tick on my cheek. I was pretty average in my opinion. I wasn't thin or slim in any sense but I definitely wasn't fat.

"Don't listen to her, she hardly thinks before speaking," Jade said as we reached the gate. " See you two tomorrow then. Straight home for me."

We waved as she started down the street. Moriko tugged on my Blazer sleeve, "I'm meeting up with some friends at a popular ramen place, come along so I can introduce you to everyone."

As much as I would have loved to spend the rest of the day acting like a normal teenager, I had a cocky demon to prove my worth to.

No pressure.

"Some other time," I said simply.

"I'll hold you to that." She winked before bounding off towards some other group, pigtails swishing with the wind.

I took a train home. Entering the house to find Kat having a video chat with one of her friends whose name I'd forgotten.

She gave me a side eye before turning back to whoever it was she was talking to. Sometimes I did wish we could be normal sisters but so many of her terrible memories were probably attached to me. Just like mine were tied to Japan.

Unlike her though, I could bury the past. Never speak of it till it faded to the deepest recesses of my mind. I could forget and keep forgetting, all because I wanted to be happy, I wanted to move on.

'Selfish.' An echo of Lucifer's voice could be heard.

"Shut up," I muttered under my breath as I fell face-first into my bed.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. I needed to focus. If I succeeded, Lucifer would train me. The stronger I became, the easier it would be to protect everyone from the shadows until I could finally pass it down.

'Douchebag, you available?'

'Show some respect human, your life is going to be in my hands in the next couple of hours, best not to anger me '

I shut up, I could practically hear the pure delight in his tone as if waiting for me to screw up.

'As Demona, you have one main enemy. His name is Nightmare. He wants to steal the Seal because you're a threat to his goals.'

"Which are?"

'I'll tell you in due time, that is, if you survive.' A chilling chuckle preceded his next statement, 'He uses human souls to give the vengeful spirits who work with him more power. Demona protects humans and helps yokai when needed.'

He had turned serious, 'He has humans being held and he's about to transport them. The Jorōgumo killings were just a cover so it would be assumed anyone missing was dead, causing the police to take it a bit less seriously.'

I listened, wondering if once again I might be going crazy. This sounded like something out of some weird fantasy story. "Let me guess, you want me to free the humans?" I got up and began to take off my school clothes.

'If you can.'

Not the answer I was expecting. I put on a loose shirt and a pair of shorts.

'You succeed in carrying out this simple task, I train you. Sounds pretty fair on my side.'

I put on some workout music and began to stretch.

"When do I leave?" I asked.

'A few hours from now. Nighttime is when it's best to carry out bloody deeds in this cursed city.'

I looked out my window which stared out into the bustling afternoon streets full of cars and people.

'You said you'd sooner die than give up on a regular life, Kira Vermillion, that death might come much sooner than you think.'

"I don't plan on giving up you crazy psycho, just tell me what I have to do and just you watch, I'm not useless or stupid when it comes to fights," I said jogging on the spot.

'Trust me, Kira, I know all your deep dark secrets, what lurks behind the face you wear for others and I hope to bring it out. But remember, Pride does come before the fall.'

The irony of that statement couldn't be more obvious but right now, I had work to get ready for.