True enough, the situation between Eira and Peerage was now a bit more complicated than one might have expected. Given Eira's own tendency to be directly involved with the lives of those around her, particularly in preserving their happiness, she felt really odd at the idea that she wouldn't be able to directly interfere. As if he meant to offer her a bit of encouragement in this endeavor, Leishi's rhetoric was that which she could take to heart, at least a bit... "I suppose you're right, Lei-shi~" the young woman said seemingly in good spirits. If she had anything else to say, it'd be cut off by the first of what she knew to be a great many snores. This particular individual did seem to enjoy his naps, and having reached supreme comfort on the couch Eira was quite surprised he had lasted as long as he did. "Sleep well, arigatou ne~" she whispered as she left this place once more, closing the door behind herself so that he could enjoy his nap. She headed back to her own apartment where she meant to catch up with most of her Peerage and let the days continue to pass until the eventual waking of Takumi.
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The day following Takumi's return to consciousness, he returned to school for the first time in two weeks. The newest addition to Eira Gremory's peerage, Sairevil, was able to experience his first day of human school - something he found surprisingly enjoyable in spite of what the human children thought of it. The two would properly meet again for the first time since the previous night, only when the school day was at its end. They met up by chance outside of the Occult Research Club building, where Takumi found Sairevil wandering as if in search of something/someone. "Oh! Red Dragon Emperor. I'm guessing I have the right place then," said the half-blood Devil of the Gremory clan. He had looked at this building multiple times without entering, but he'd yet to see anyone else outside, so he kept himself from getting too close before confirming the location as his destination. "Hai," Takumi replied. "This is where the club meets. I guess most of the others are inside already..."
"Phew! I thought I was gonna go into the wrong building and have a bad time!" Sairevil clarified. He was very relieved to have gotten the right building. "Arigatou gozaimasu! Let's go!" he said, throwing an arm over Takumi's shoulder while pushing for an entry to the building. Takumi didn't necessarily agree with this, but he couldn't actively disagree. As such, he was reluctantly dragged through the front door.Comment
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Strangely, the ever present Eira was missing from her usual perch within the upper windows of this building. Unlike times prior, she wasn't watching patiently for the coming of her Peerage members, instead she was inside, and not even visible within her usual perch of a throne. Eira was presently in the shower. The sound of running water could be heard in the distance and Eira herself would soon be heard but not seen. She was singing, in the shower, apparently a habit she had as it was one of few times in her day where she was alone. She behaved this way because the sound of her voice while she sang, had the potential to hypnotize those who heard it. Still when she was alone, she could enjoy one of her favorite activities. As such, she finished her shower and song rather happily. Its melody was chipper but the words were rather strange.
"So I swear you’ll never be alone
WHEN YOU’RE LOST, HERE I AM
“FOREVER” WITH YOUR SOUL
We can make it through, if you believe - If you believe in me~"
The last note of this would be heard for several seconds before the sound of running water ended and Eira herself stepped out of the shower wrapped in a towel with one around her hair as well. "Yare yare, that took longer than I expected... Youmu should be here pretty soon," she said aloud to herself as she dried off. Only a second passed before the advanced nature of the time made her dress with magic. She donned her little black dress and high tying shoes as well as the long sleeves. A few seconds after this, she tossed around slightly damp locks with her towel before discarding that as well. She fully expected to still be alone for several more moments given the sorts of after-school activities the rest of her peerage got into. In fact, none of the female members of the peerage had made it to this place just yet, and Eira would enter the sitting room to claim her throne.Comment
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"Sugoi! It's so cozy in here," Sairevil said. Though he was used to much larger spaces in the Underworld, he was actually intrigued by the special appeal such small buildings offered. He took his sweet time enjoying the atmosphere and decor of the place while approaching the stairs that would lead to the upper floor. On the way upstairs, Takumi's ears gradually registered the echoing voice of Eira as she sang from within the bathroom. He had nothing to say, but his attention was somehow taken entirely by what he heard. Soon after he began listening, though, everything fell silent until he and Sairevil set foot in the meeting room.
"Oi!" Sairevil called out the moment he stepped into the room, even though he became able to see Eira in that exact moment. "I found the place! Well... I thought I found the place, but... the Red Dragon found the place, and I found him! Where's everyone else? I thought I was late."Comment
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Eira as she claimed her chair heard the voice of her nephew and smiled in turn. She paused her activity and looked towards him and his being accompanied by Takumi. His words to her caused a brief pause while she looked over the pair, wondering how long they'd been there. Sairevil at the very least seemed to be himself enough that she didn't worry that they'd heard her for too long. "Oh, well Youmu is at Kendo Practice, it should be over in a minute or two. Miyuki had tennis practice with the same timing. Izuna has extended soccer practice so he likely won't show up unless it is super late anyways. Maiko will drop by likely properly late because she had to turn in some photos for the school newspaper. And now that the Host Club is open Hiroki might be a little later than normal," explained Eira about the whereabouts of the rest of her peerage, who all had other after school activities before they came to the Occult Research Club. Beyond this, Eira was on top of the activities boasted by everyone, and she was happy they found things to amuse themselves. "I meant to be waiting for you, but... my shower took longer than I thought it would~ Okaerinasai~" she greeted the pair of lads, finally taking her seat.
As she did this, Youmu appeared glowing into existence through the wall before taking a seat on the left side of Eira's throne. Hearing the greeting meant for the lads she took it for herself as well. "Tadaima, Buchou." Youmu was as apathetic as ever, but still she had a bit more to offer. "Miyu-chan, will be here shortly, as will Maiko, surprisingly," she mentioned. This made Eira's eyes widen. "Sugoi! Maiko won't be late? That's awesome!~" A few moments there after, Miyuki came in to the sitting room as well, taking up the spot on the couch to Eira's right, looking to everyone with a quick bow of her head. "Hello everyone. Tennis practice was fun, do we have a group activity today, Buchou?" she asked knowing that since she'd become apart of this group they'd done a great many things together. Maiko also entered hopping over a couch to the left and taking her seat as well. "Buchou!~" she said a wide grin breaking across her face, with Eira being the only person she properly greeted in the room for a moment. "DAMN! It's been forever since I said that last! I'm pumped, what's the deal today?" she asked. "Ufufufufu~ Everyone's so excitable today~ Maiko~ I'm not the only one in the room you know~" Eira mentioned which made Maiko's eyes widen slightly. "Yo, minna!" she said to everyone else, managing to look a tiny bit sheepish.Comment
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"Sou ka. If that's how it is, I could have just found and asked one of them instead of walking around outside this building for fifteen minutes," Sairevil replied as he finally let go of Takumi. Eira's words led the younger Gremory to believe there would be some time before anyone other than the existing three entered the room, but that was not truly the case in the end. Youmu arrived shortly after Eira spoke, and Miyuki and Maiko appeared shortly after that. Hiroki also stepped into the room, albeit with a bit of delay since the others' entries. "Ohayou gozaimasu, minnasan," he said just as calmly as ever. Once Hiroki was present, Izuna appeared out of thin air against the right arm of Eira's throne. Once again, he had been here all along, patiently and silently awaiting the arrival of everyone else in the peerage. "Ugh, finally! It's boring being here by myself. So what's the deal today?"Comment
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"Well, they just have a lot of things going on... I'm sure you'll eventually find something else you like too~" she said to Sairevil. The lad was new to all of this so she didn't expect an immediate acclimation or anything like that. It was actually within her normal plans to introduce everyone to the things they didn't know. "Alright everyone is here then~" she chimed giving a nod to everyone present and then a playful nudge to Izuna. "If you want people to speak to you, show yourself~" she chided playfully. "For today, I don't have much of anything planned. We don't have anything big we are all needed for but, I think it is about time for general lessons," said Eira, which likely hinted of general plans to all who'd already experienced them. "Youmu and Izuna I'd like you two to give the crash course on Devil Life to Miyuki and Takumi," she said. Miyuki after her recent bouts in Rating Games had mentioned an interest in the important bits, so it was clear to Eira she was interested. And Takumi while he didn't express any particular interest could use the information to further settle himself into his Devil lifestyle. "Sairevil was born a Devil like me so he already has that information. Instead, I think he'd benefit a bit from being apart of the training session with Hiroki and Maiko. Given he doesn't have the human background you two do, I figure you could fill him in on the little things, and get a bit of variation to your physical practice," she said knowing that this would likely be fine. Normally it would be assumed that Eira would be joining one of these two groups for their afternoon activities, but she had something else in mind for herself. "Questions, comments, constructive criticism?"Comment
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"Doesn't matter if nobody's here when I show up. I'll just keep waiting." Izuna yawned after speaking his retort. Eira went on to mention the time for 'general lessons' as she called it. Izuna knew well what this meant for the group. He and Youmu were charged with the responsibility of teaching two of the three new acquisitions. Since he had taken on Takumi as a pupil of sorts in all other aspects, he figured this one was best left to Youmu. Aside from this, he considered her a better teacher than himself, so he was content to take on the member who would have at least some natural understanding of Devils and their history beforehand. As such, he stood up and gestured for Miyuki to join him.
Sairevil was to join the training sessions that had been regularly occurring between Hiroki and Maiko. He nodded to show his acceptance of this, and Hiroki smiled. "I think that's a great idea. We've been making a lot of progress lately; it'd be a nice extra challenge for both of us to throw in someone else and mix things up a bit."Comment
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Eira watched as Izuna seemed to understand this part of this, strangely enough he motioned Miyuki towards himself and she nodded her understanding. "Hai, I'll do my best!" she chimed joining Izuna for Devil lessons. Meanwhile there would still be Takumi whom by virtue of who Izuna had chosen would be having Youmu as a teacher. This was also a good idea to Eira as she was good for this sort of thing and had good understandings of people and their motivations. Actually, Eira herself often went to Youmu for more solid advice, and Youmu took a different kind of advice from Eira. "Takkun..." Youmu said the lad's name while placing a single hand on Eira's shoulder before she moved from her spot beside the young woman. And headed towards the smaller sitting room with a chalk board and a desk for Takumi and a larger one for her, which she intended to give this lesson from.
Maiko was also excited about the possibility of fighting with someone different. "Yosh! I'm also cool with it. I get to kick two asses today!~" she said before receiving a raised brow from Eira. "What? I'll answer his questions too!" she said happily. Whatever the case, it seemed that training could take place as it needed to, so Eira herself was fine. "Arigatou Gozaimasu~ Have fun everyone!~" Eira said. And with that she'd excuse herself to do something else unrelated for the duration of this training session.Comment
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"Haihai," said Izuna, who led the way for Miyuki into an old classroom downstairs. This room in particular was one he had reorganized himself to be more of a living room, complete with two comfortable couches and a television. In the meantime, Takumi was taken aback, but eventually stepped up to follow Youmu nonetheless. "H-... hai. Onegaishimasu," he said before entering the smaller room she guided him to.
Hiroki was left laughing at Maiko's antics, while Sairevil chortled specifically because of her confidence toward obtaining some sort of victory. The crimson-haired male believed himself to be the likely victor if they were to face each other again, and perhaps they would even be able to find out today. "It's my turn to pick the venue," Hiroki said. He would then lead the way for the trio, heading toward the courtyard via the nearest window. These three groups would go about their individual and collective development henceforth, carrying on with the pattern for quite some time...Comment
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With all three groups busy taking care of themselves. Eira was left to sort through the things which she'd been leaving undone while her Peerage recovered from their last couple of weeks activities. She came across several requests for her own presence from several people who had contracts with her, as well as reviewed recent contract completions by all of the members of her Peerage who had contracts going. Everyone seemed to be making good progress, and if the low murmurs and sounds of this building presently were any indication they were still busy with the activities they had going. 'Everyone's coming along well. Even our participation in Rating Games seems to be well on track...' she thought to herself as she allowed her Peerage to mentor and befriend each other.
Youmu after delivering a brief history of the Underworld, explained to Takumi how devils were ranked, the types of jobs he may have to complete, and why making himself stronger for Rating Games was the best option for potential progress. And as such was why Eira had chosen to participate. Now she sat atop her own desk with an empty tea cup beside her and had but a single suggestion for the lad. "Takkun, a devil's life, is potentially very long. It would be good to give yourself some goals, either long term or short term to help you manage it," she said with a nod, advice she'd once gotten from Eira herself. "It doesn't matter how simple or complex, but something you could potentially do will go a long way in focusing your attention, and helping with your adjustment." Surprisingly enough, through this session, the apathetic and normally quiet Youmu had been fairly talkative, and at least she'd hoped a bit engaging.Comment
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Takumi took in more information than he expected to receive in a single sitting. Much to his instructor's credit, though, even concepts and history that were foreign to him were made easy enough to grasp mentally. He now knew enough about the Underworld's history that he understood at least things like the purpose of the Rating Games and Devil Reincarnation. Following the history lesson, Youmu started explaining the approach to hierarchy among Devils. She recommended that he keep goals in mind for the future, but in truth, Takumi had already done this long ago. Only during the Rating Game two weeks ago did he come to realize the promise he'd made to the world in the past. Now that he had it in mind, though, he was content to pursue it. "Eto. I... I already have goals..."Comment
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Youmu's suggestion that this young man get himself a goal, was countered by the idea that he already had one. For the first time since her match with Serde, Youmu managed to look surprised by that information. Though she was a now a bit curious, she wasn't nearly as pushy about this as some of her fellow members of this Peerage. "Sou ka, that's good..." she said, finding his resolve to be quite different. When she considered herself, she'd not had a goal for a very long time after her past, and it took her a while to figure out her own goal was still attainable. There was also the fact that in addition to her own goals, she decided it to be her best course of action to help with Eira's goals. "Unless you have any questions. I am sure I've given you more than enough information for a single day." This was the completion of Takumi's lesson, as she'd told him everything he'd need to know about his potential climb in the Underworld.Comment
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"Hai," Takumi said. His goals were in mind at present, and the lesson seemed to be wrapping up. He rose from the desk he'd been sitting at, but paused his movements when Youmu offered to answer whatever questions he had. Takumi gave this much thought, wondering if he should even ask what he had in mind. Youmu was a very interesting individual who never seemed much for talking, but she had spoken quite a bit in teaching him today. Perhaps, then... it was worth asking his question after all. "Senpai... do you have goals as a Devil? You seem more disinterested than everyone else. All the others are so hyper, but you... You've been different somehow."Comment
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Takumi seemed content enough with his lessons and this was fine with Youmu. Surprisingly the lad did have a question and strangely it wasn't one directly related to the lesson. It was instead about Youmu's goals as a Devil, complete with an explanation of why he'd decided to ask the question. Apparently, he found her different from everyone else, less hyper and disinterested. A small smile came to her face in this moment, because it wasn't often that her disposition was pointed out to her. "I am different from the others, it is probably a matter of age," she said, knowing that she'd already lived an almost full life by the time she met Eira in the first place, though she maintained the appearance of someone in their late teens. "I decided I want to cut everything..." she said knowing it would likely need an explanation she continued. "That goal, isn't particularly noble, but I've trained with swords my entire life, and that has been longer than six of yours..." she mentioned, casually alluding to the fact that she was over ninety years old. "When I met Eira, I was at a low point in my life. I thought, I had nothing left to accomplish. I was hunted and detached from my life and everyone else's," she finished. "But, she let me see I could still have goals... that life didn't have to be exclusive to the way I'd been raised, or what I'd been doing before," she said with a small smile. "Youth is strange that way, it burns. I've never envied life, nor properly considered death. This makes me an excellent swordsman, because regardless of the situation... I can calmly see it through. But there is a fire here..." she said pointing to her heart. "And a desire to find all things I can cut. So with this Devil life I will do that. And while I serve Eira, I'll help her with the skills I develop... that was the first decision, I'd made on my own, in my life," she said. The explanation of her goal, was also the overarching story of her service to Eira, but these two things were entwined. She strove to cut everything, and her membership in Eira's Peerage allowed her to do this, while lending her insight to someone young and so full of ideas she might need a bit more direction. It was a beneficial coexistence.Comment
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