==========================================================

                "He is alright," the nurse stepped out from behind the blue curtains that surrounded Alvad's bed. "You can take him back to class now, but keep an eye on him . . . Just in case."

                    She wiped her hands with a white towel, and left us alone. I was not eager to stick around Asmodeus, who kept on sending me the most unnerving smiles. Shoving the blue fabrics to the side, I walked in, only to spot Alvad sitting upright on the white bed, with his blond hair tied into a tiny ponytail.

                   "Ah Yuna," he smiled weakly upon taking notice of my presence," sorry for . . . Losing control back there."

                  I sighed, and face palmed myself. Why are demons nothing more than trouble? " Let me make it up to you," Alvad interrupted my thoughts, with a boyish grin on his face. "Um, is there anything you want to know, or that I can help with?"

                  For a second I took in his offer, but then again he is a demon. I eyed him carefully for any slight signs of hidden trouble, but the boy just kept his toothy grin on. Better ask something simple, and not result in me regretting anything. "How has Luke been doing lately here?" I asked, sitting on a nearby chair, but our conversation was cut off swiftly.

                   Asmodeus stepped in, with a rose in hand. "May I ask what heated topic you two are discussing?" He smiled cheekily, "or did I interrupt something else?"

                  A scoff left my lips, as I pushed past him and Satan, before leaving the clinic. My fingers plucked out the paper note from Diavolo, and ran my thumb over it. Tracking an over grown reptile . . . Can get my mind over a few things. With a satisfied smile on my face, I walked around the deserted halls, and past classrooms; hoping to find Luke or Simeon along the way.

* * *

Three hours later . . .

                 " Ehhhh?? A Basilisk at Phlegethon River?!" Luke was not pleased with me bailing out on the exchange program from the first day, and was even more annoyed when I told him about my first task, as an exchange student. " What if it swallows you whole?!"

                  Luke and Simeon's class had ended a few minutes ago, giving us sometime to chat in the empty classroom, about my future trip to the Phlegethon River. I pulled out on of my perfectly curved daggers, and balanced its pommel nut on the trip of my index finger. "You know . . . Some of three demons here . . . " Simeon and Luke eyed me warily." They are . . . Peculiar . . . And more troublesome than I thought they would be."

                 "Aw, I see your getting along with them then?" Simeon cooed, making my mind flicker with awareness at his words.

                  "Yeah, I don't think so," I spat quickly, glancing at Luke to back me up. . . Which he did.

                 " Simeon if I did not know better, you spend more time sipping tea with Lucifer and Diavolo, that you barely hangout with me!" he whined, sitting in his chair cross-legged. "Yuna can you stay with me? I don't what to be alone in a school filled with demons!"

                "Aren't you with Yuki sometimes?" I turned my gaze go Simeon curiously.

                "Yuki? As in the girl, who is living at the House of Lamination with the seven demon brothers?" The question left me, before I could think twice. " What's a human doing in a house full of demons?!"

                A smile made its way to his lips, and Luke seemed to shift uncomfortably in his seat,"She is the decendant of their sister, Lilith."

                Simeon's answer made me want to get swallowed by a shadow soul. "They should work on getting more wrinkles if they are going to be her great-grandparents," I snickered,  before turning back to Luke. " Do you know a place here that sells something good? I'm starving!"

                  Luke pondered for a few minutes with his arms crossed, before jumping from his seat, and pulling out a small, white pouch from his belt," Yesterday I was cooking, since someone was at Diavolo's castle sipping tea with two demons!"

                 I glanced at Simeon, but he seemed to struggle hiding his regret. "Come on Luke, you know I care for you too," Simeon tried reasoning, but the younger boy pouted, before tugging Yuna's sleeve.

                 "Yuna I will go with you to the Phlegethon River, since Simeon will probably understand to abandon a friend," the small-blond-boy adorably smiled, while pulling me of the desk I was sitting on, and made his way to the class' exit door.

                Looking back at Simeon for a second, he waved politely and sent me a soft-smile. "Honestly Yuna, you should eat more," Luke chirpped, pulling out a slice of Apple pie from his pouch, and handing it to me."Eat up!"

               I smirked cheaply, and took a bite of the sweet, dessert;  savoring the delightful taste of the juices seeping into my mouth. . . Delicious. "Your desserts never get old," a moan left my lips, as I took the last bit, with Luke chuckling heartedly at my reaction.

               " Anyway, about that basilisk . . . " Luke started, his cheeks puffed, as he tried to avoid eye-contact," How do you plan on doing with that basilisk? Do you even know how big this one is? Any pics or written info? Do you even know your way there?!"

              I licked my fingers, and what small crumbs were stuck in my nails. "Nah I would not worry too much, the only problem was me being away from you for too long," with a chuckle; I nudged the short, angel boy, and ruffled his blond locks." I already have an escort, so don't worry about me getting lost."

                "A human exchange student?" he tried guessing, smacking my hand away childishly.

                 "Nope!" I clicked my tongue, before pulling out the small, plastic bag that Simeon in gave me when-we-were in the Celestial Realm, and pulled out a treat from among the catnip mixed inside with my snacks." Found this kid called, Alvad. Heard of him?"

                   "Pfft! Why would I know him?" He laughed, which made his sarcasim even more transparent.

                  He awkwardly fiddled with the few strips of string dangling front he center of his beanie hat, before accedently locking eyes with me, and letting out a fake cough. "Maybe I have seen him around  a few times helping Belphagor carry his books around, even though he doesn't seem that buff if you ask me," the young angel pouted, kicking what little dust was on the floor. "My guess is either you gate his guys, but is a better choice than others, or that you getting soft like Simeon."

            "Yeah, right," I chuckled, shoving a handful of years into my mouth. "Between you and me, I nearly slitted some of their throats on my first day."

               Luke awkwardly laughed, probably unsure whether that is a good or bad thing. "By the way, shouldn't you be heading to the Phlegethon River?" he questioned, changing the topic.

                "Yeah," with a heavy sigh, I slipped my small bag if treats back into the pocket of my shorts, and turned back to Luke," but . . . Where is Alvad?"

               "Here," I turned around only to face the dirty blond demon, a smirk rugged the edge of my lips.

                "Let's go then, I need to check just how big this river snake is," I spoke, resting a hand on my daggers. "Lets just hope nothing . . . Unpredictable happens."

                  "Like what?" Belphagor walked up to us with Beelzebub tagging behind him.

                 The last thing I wanted was more demons coming along, so I grabbed Alvad's wrist, and yelled out, "Nothing! Hey Luke come on we should getting going quickly, before Simeon starts looking for us!!"

* * *

                   It was until we found ourselves standing at the banks of the Phlegethon River, in front of the reptile's dark burrow made from solid walls of stone red, purple and black. Crystals  . . . pure white crystals decorated the entrance, and there she was . . . Through the deep, black shadows of fromtbhe inside,her threatening blue eyes pierced through our own. . . As if staring us to enter her grounds.

" Definitely not a small-snake."