Profession

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Ink Burns

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

This is a work of fanfiction, produced according to the principles of transformative fair use as put forward in US copyright law, and abiding by the custom and practice of fan-produced work in Japan, where the source texts were created. No author is in any way affiliated with any of the creators of the source texts, nor with the companies who distribute their products, nor any other rights holder, and these stories were not authorized by either the creators or the producers. Ink Burns is a fan site and the material here is freely provided for the enjoyment of fellow fan-community members; there is no commercial infringement.

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Published on 2005-01-06 15:21:29.

Attributions can be made by author's name and a link to the archive.

This ebook edition was published on May 16, 2012 by the Ink Burns fanfiction archive.

Profession

Belial chats with Sakaki, who turns out to be an old 'friend'. Drama with Humor, I-3

Sakaki Tarou paused on his way across the grounds of Rikkai Dai to visit his contemporaries on staff, and watched the junior high tennis team practicing. This team was always worth watching, but this time something specific caught his attention. Something about them had changed, since the last time he'd observed these players. It was most notable in Yukimura-kun, and Tarou sighed faintly as he contemplated the inherent disorder of what he was seeing.

"Taken," a light voice stated next to his ear.

"Belial," Tarou greeted his ex-associate. He didn't move at all as a very sharp edge scraped against his throat.

"There are, at this time, exactly two people permitted to call one by one's old name, and neither of them is you. You may call one Mad Hatter." The sharp edge vanished, and Tarou turned his head far enough to see Belial... Hatter, lounging against the fence, from the corner of his eye. "As one was saying, Yukimura Seiichi is taken. Signed and sealed, though a significant delay in delivery was part of the deal. And, as the rest of them belong to him, you can just keep your hands to yourself where they're concerned, too."

Tarou knew better than to cross a Demon Lord without better backup, and Hatter was clearly serious despite the teasing tone. His silence gave his answer.

"Delightful." Hatter pushed off the fence. "After all, it wouldn't do to have your boys notice anything odd about their dear mentor's associates and pastimes, would it?"

Tarou didn't even bother to glare at the implied threat of revelation. "They don't ask," he said, levelly, tucking his hands into his pockets. "I'm simply their tennis coach. And music teacher."

Tarou waited, with scant patience, for Hatter to stop snickering and go back to her humans.

End