Birds were singing, flowers were blooming, the sun shined in through the window above his bed.

And the infirmary held new guests.

[hr][u][b]Rick Brackwall[/b][/u]

With a yawn Rick rose from his sheets, the bed crinkling as he moved. The top of his bed was covered with blank white paper sheets which he slept upon. While most would find this uncomfortable and noisy he found the layer of paper over his bed to provide excellent comfort. It conformed to his body, the crinkling was of little note to him and he got to wake up to the smell of a new book. He certainly found paper had worked itself into his life in many ways both large and small.

He began his morning with a shower before dressing up in his standard issue uniform and preparing himself breakfast. His meal was a buttery salmon fillet with a side of toast and a refreshing mint tea. After eating he checked his phone to look up the latest news from the WDL's main board. While he often bemoaned the use of technology surplanting good old fashioned paperwork it did save him a bit of time as this way he didn't have to go down to the offices first to find out where else he was needed.

Navigating his way past the piles of papers that filled his apartment, piles which were stacked taller than he could see past and were so numerous that they only allowed for single person-width passageways between them, he made his way over to the door.

_
After leaving his apartment he made his way down over the bridge and on towards the infirmary. Since the morning was young the sounds of folks about the base were still low as many people were yet to finish their morning routines. Rick had made sure to get up early since he was expecting this arrival.

[i]A shame this latest sibling should be arriving to our medical center as opposed to our greeting center.[/i] The thought crossed his mind as he approached the infirmary.

Rick entered the infirmary's front double doors. The place held all the hallmarks of a medical recovery facility, from the scent of disinfecting cleaning fluid in the air to the sounds of ailment. He approached the front desk where a nurse sat.

"Hello. I wish to see the patient that arrived four hours ago."

"Ah, hello Rick. You'll find him under Eine's care up in room 7C."

With a nod and a "Thank you." Rick proceeded over to the elevator where he proceeded up to their floor. Walking with a strong stride, not one of pride but of a focus to business, he eventually made his way up to the patient's room.

_
Inside the room, a very focused nurse was sat with her fingers pressed firmly against her temples.
Of all the things to have happened, this could possibly be the worst. She only hoped that none of the other children had to suffer these injuries on their way to their new home.
It would make an awful impression.
It did, however, mean that Eine was able to familiarise herself with her new charges.
And do what she did best.

She reached out and pressed both hands against the unconscious Jojo's temples. Looking over the clipboard in her hand once last time, she let out a loud, annoyed hiss and closed her eyes, focusing on the boy's body as she activated her powers.
"Shattered right shoulder with a puncture wound that exits the other side,
torn tendons in both arms,
two puncture wounds in his throat, barely missing his jugular vein,
a fractured left tibia and outright broken right fibula,
severe bruising and swelling on his left side and left side of his back,
minor internal organ damage- slightly healed via his own regenerative abilities kicking in to respond to the trauma..
a total of eight cracked ribs,
a minor concussion,
a small jaw dislocation,
minor impact damage to his spine and back, bruising around his right ankle,
several lacerations around his entire body, ranging from small and shallow to small but deep..
severe envenomation via injection through the neck, Tsuchigumo venom, treated upon arrival with possibility of relapse..
Mein Gott, someone certainly tried their best to kill you, didn't they, little Jonathan?"

_
"Indeed. For one so inexperienced he faired quite well, all things considered." Rick added, stepping into the room after he had made his presence known. He had caught her recap of his wounds as he was right at the door when she recited them. Rick gave a short nod to Eine before stepping aside to the corner of the room. "I do apologize for dropping in. I shall keep from distracting you any further."

With that said he looked over the body of the young man over from his side of the room as he waited for Eine to proceed with the mending, his arms behind him as he stood with almost military formality.

_
Eine turned, unsurprised, and gave Rick a small smile.
"Please, Rick, your presence is always welcome."
She sat for a while, marking down all of Jojo's injuries on the clipboard in her hand with remarkable speed.
Somehow her handwriting was very clear, something not many doctors could attest to.
"He did very well, indeed. He seems to be the frontline guard type. A Templar in his future with us, perhaps? He singlehandedly fought off a rather dangerous Youkai while also fighting off the venom coursing through his veins for several hours at least. It seems having that gives one quite a potent bonus."

Standing up, Eine reached over and brushed Jojo's hair from his face with a small smile. She shifted herself, reaching over and clamping both of her hands against his temples once more as tightly as she could while remaining gentle.
A final check to make sure nothing was missed.
And, indeed, nothing had been missed.

Eine's closed eyes narrowed a little but she began chanting under her breath, a soft and steady melody that made the skin beneath her palms glow ever so softly.
"Please forgive this trespass, but it is for your own good."
Dropping back into her chanting, the green glow began to shoot through Jojo's exposed torso. His body was covered by a sheet from the waist down, but he was mostly exposed otherwise.
Rick, due to this, would be able to watch as the green glow spread through his body to the injuries he'd sustained, pausing there and growing brighter. Large clumps of green under Jojo's skin began to glow brighter.
There was a crack as the glow in his left leg suddenly vanished, sparkling brightly before fading out. Jojo's broken leg and the bruising around it had been fully healed.
In a realm of her own, Eine slowly, one by one, healed Jojo's wounds. She even healed a scar on his chin where he'd cut himself shaving to be nice.
Several minutes passed before all of the green glow on Jojo's body vanished and Eine slowly sat back, reaching over to the bedside table and grabbing a small cup of water, taking a sip.
Putting it down and swallowing, she turned to Rick with a small smile.
"Now, Rick, how may I assist you?"

_
Rick watched with due interest as she performed her healing arts. Her skill and ability were both quite the treat to witness no matter how often they required. Indeed, They were required often. He had been fortunate in only occasionally requiring her services. One's first demon hunts were rarely ever clean kills, a standard which held true for even Rick himself.

"I had come to check on the condition of our new arrival here. It seems we were slow to the punch in retrieving him given the injuries he sustained." He briefly looked down at Jojo's unconscious form before looking back to meet Eine's own eye.

"In any case is there a possible estimate as to how long before he awakens? I wish to greet him and bring him up to speed at the earliest opportunity, especially given the circumstances of his arrival."

_
Eine reached up to stroke her bandaged chin, casting her gaze over to Jojo for a moment before looking back to Rick.
"Physically, he'll be fine to awaken any time after half an hour from now. Mentally, he may require at least another six hours rest. He's been through a lot, after all. If you'd like I can alert you as soon as he awakens? It wouldn't be much trouble at all."

_
"That would be ideal. Given the time projected I'll attend to another matter for now. I should be available long before he emerges from his rest if all goes accordingly." Rick walked over, seemingly scanning his body with a look of some concentration.

Such potential... All tucked away inside an unassuming body.

Returning from his thoughts he turned back to face Eine. "I suspect we'll be expecting more arrivals. With any luck they should be retrieved significantly less maimed than this one. I will be free until otherwise noted by my superiors as this situation takes precedent over my other duties."

_
Eine gave him a quick nod and a small smile.
"I do hope you enjoy meeting your new, ah, friends. I too, hope they will be arriving with less injuries. While I am confident in my ability to heal them, I am sure they would much appreciate not having to be healed in the first place."
The German accent was much easier to handle now, having become used to speaking English instead of her native German.
"As for you, Rick, how are things? I do hope you have been taking good care of yourself lately. Miss Illusion tells me you are working on a super secret project that even she is not informed of."
There was a coy smile on her face now as she reached for the cup of water again.
It really was true that the Principal had an odd way of knowing things.
She was also a chatterbox, which wasn't the best trait, but it was Illusion so it was forgivable.
At least by some people.

_
Rick had always found her accent easier to navigate given his background. Despite that due to his long years in service to the WDL his accent was more Italian than German by now however.

"I do have some side projects underway. Testing the results of my studies is an endeavor without end as there will always be need for more understanding. As for anything else I cannot confirm nor deny what she may or may not be referring to." Rick paused to allow her a moment to drink her water.

"How fairs your work lately?  Have we been improving on our mission casualty to success ratio as of late?"

_
Eine smiled.
"Now that Medics are officially allowed to attend the battlefront due to the extra training on Defensive Magick, our casualty rate has dropped quite well. However, there are still those instances where death cannot be avoided. Those instances, I expect, will be handed over to you and your new, erm, soldiers." She paused on that last word.
Soldiers.
None of them asked for this, did they? Did they sin in past lives so badly that these lives were tainted before they were even born?
Surely not even the worst sinner deserved what these poor children were going to suffer through.
Especially if..

"Rick, I would like a personal favour. How is your knowledge on the Despair War?"

_
Rick's expression did not change from his usual calm and collected self but his smile did fade to a neutral line of a more serious nature. In truth he was vaguely taken aback by her sudden interest in his knowledge of the war.

"I have studied the Despair War to a thorough degree. What is it that you require?" His tone inflection was a subtle change towards a note of curious concern. He knew Eine well and would happily carry out most requests issued by her but it was rare of her to ask.

_
"If you happen to come across any Demons coloured blue and black, please notify me immediately."
Her soft tone was gone, replaced by harsh and cold words that came through tight lips.
Her gaze cast down towards the floor as she slowly stood up, adjusting the collar of her lab coat before looking Rick dead in the eyes.
"If there are any remaining, the coming times would be a chance for them to become prominent once again. I pray that you make sure that none of your companions fall to that particular darkness. We were given a warning, and our time is almost up. Please exercise caution, Rick. You missed the war, but the aftermath may still claim you yet. Abyss Demons, if anything, are cunning and remorseless."

_
Rick nodded, taking the seriousness of her request to heart.

"I shall bring any indication of such demons to your attention in immediate measure. Be they the real deal or simply shadow demons of a similar appearance I'll show no less than full diligence in keeping yourself as well as both Arthur and Illusion apprised of their sightings."

He stepped up to Eine, still only just within arms reach.

"There is few matters I regard more seriously than the due date we were issued. The fact that my siblings are showing only highlights the gravity of this upcoming situation. Make no mistake, I am looking into this to find out just why this is all coinciding as it is and by who's hands it's being set into motion by."

With one glance at the clock his expression switched back to a mildly friendlier one, his smile returned.

"Alas, I do enjoy speaking with you but I must be off to a meeting while our friend here is still in recovery."

He began towards the door, his hand on the knob as he looked back to Eine.

"If no more people show up with critical injuries don't forget to unwind. Such opportunities might be scarcer in the future."

_
Eine let a soft chuckle escape her lips.
"Trust me, Rick, I know. Make sure to follow your own advice, however. Even a hero needs a break sometimes."
She gave him a quick wave and nod as he left, settling back down into her seat to finish off the information on the clipboard before getting back to her usual workday.
Eine's reaction to Rick's mention of the potential puppetmaster only surfaced after his departure, a long, tired sigh dragging itself out of her throat as she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, her hand darting up to her forehead.
"Lord please don't let this turn into another Despair War."

[hr][u]Last Night.[/u][hr]
A soft knock on the door of one of the WDL's premier Exorcists and winner of the 'Most Conveniently Placed Child of the Devil' award was the very quick indicator that a visitor had arrived at his own little slice of Eden.
Well, maybe not Eden, but something like that.

Illusion was usually the type to ignore doorbells and knocking considering she could quite easily transport herself to any inch of the compound's three sections with ease but in this case she felt a bit of respect for one Rick Brackwall's privacy was an important part of their good relationship.
It wasn't easy to convince someone in his situation that not all Demons were bloodthirsty, murderous monsters.
Illusion had tried her best however.

Standing at the entrance to the doorway she reached up and idly tucked an annoying bit of hair back into place with a pout upon her face.
Patience wasn't one of her virtues, however.

_
Rick sat as his desk, leaned over a small rectangle of card paper. While writing was never necessary in most circumstances given he could just fake the motions and have the words appear under his pen in this case it was strictly necessary as the process required a physical medium to complete the enchantment. His focus on the etching of arcane symbols was as keen as a surgeon's operation. There was a knock at the door.

He sighed. He was three quarters of the way through with what was both a difficult and delicate process. He hadn't written a spell this small before, the smallest prior was about the size of an envelope. He couldn't be so rude as to ignore a guest at his doorstep however and so against his first inclination he released hold of his pen, the tool remaining upright in the exact position he was holding it when the knocking began, and stood up from his both finely carved and thoughtfully padded chair. Walking from his desk he navigated the towering stacks of papers which formed a veritable maze across the area of his entire apartment all the way over to his door.

Standing proper, still dressed in his finely pressed WDL uniform for the evening, he took a quick peak at the door's peephole to confirm it wasn't the wrong demon waiting on the other side for him before opening the door.

"Hello Illusion. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?" He answered the door, a voice strong yet airy. He was ever polite with a cool level tone to his voice. While it might not of been readily clear there was a pleasant undertone to his words as he was usually quite happy to see her. Though often strange she supported him throughout the hard times such training has brought him over the years. A veritable kindness he was keen to repay someday.

_
Illusion looked up at the man before her- something she'd found more than a little funny. She'd watched him grow from slightly taller than her to a height that made her the perfect level for him to lean on.
She certainly hoped he wouldn't do so, however.
The undertone of his voice didn't go unnoticed, however, and Illusion's already wide smile grew into a wider grin.
"Ricky! I'm sorry to bother you in such a busy time, but I do come on business. May I come in?"
Of course she wasn't hindered by any 'vampiric laws' that prevented her from walking in but she was a respectful and courteous person nonetheless. She wouldn't make her move until Rick had invited it.
She slowly levitated up so that she was on better height terms with him, she didn't want to strain his neck after all. It's one of the most important parts of the human anatomy after all.

_
Rick nodded, smiling pleasantly as he stepped aside to allow her passage inside. "Of course. I'd be remiss to put lesser matters before a visit from yourself." Of course she wasn't the only one who took precidence over his work. They were few but each equally important both to him and in the scope of things as he saw it, either by the station they held or by the knowledge which they dealt with.

_
Illusion casually floated past Rick, a small smile on her features as she looked through the room and made sure not to knock over any of the many stacks of paper that were nearby.
Nearby meaning everywhere.

She floated a little further into the apartment before turning midair and giving him a formal bow.
"We've found more of you. Arthur and I have agreed that you should be informed so you may prepare for their arrival which could, ah, really be any time from now. I wouldn't exactly rush them, but.. well, you know how it is with Demons casually sliding into their lives and deciding to eat their neighbours and all that nonsense."
She gave Rick a moment to process the information and interject. He was a curious man and she knew that he'd have at least some questions. It was her job as a Principal to make sure any queries were answered.
It also helped that she actually enjoyed her time with Rick unlike the time she spent with a certain other Exorcist's mood swings.

_
After all this time of complete silence from the world at large after his arrival the sudden news of the discovery of new sons and daughters of the devil left him a bit stunned. It only showed in a slight raise of the brow as he took a moment to consider her meaning.

With a small gesture, not unlike the turning of a page in a book, the door gently closed behind them. The face of the door from the interior wore a veritable mesh of scrolls which were hung from the door by thin strips of clear tape. These scrolls were primed to harmlessly incapacitate mundane intruders and trap more supernatural entities. It was a likely needless measure given the WDL's wards and general security but for Rick nothing was ever a guarantee. It was better to have a defense that never saw use than to lack a defense when it counted.

With the room closed off to the possible roaming listener he felt it appropriate to continue the discussion. "I see. I appreciate the forewarning. I also suspect you know that I'll have a number of questions regarding them." He leaned back on seemingly nothing, letting the scrolls he kept under his suit support him as a wall would. Awaiting Illusion's response he placed the tips of his fingers together, bridging his fingers against each other in a small arch for the time being.

_
Illusion gave Rick a small smile.
"Six, including yourself. We even have files on them courtesy of an, uh, a new acquaintance of mine. That's also what allowed us to bypass our lovely little Demon sensors if you're curious about that. I'd recommend going out and seeking her out when you have the time, she might be able to offer you a rather nice deal." Illusion's eyes sparkled with amusement.
"If you're so curious.. I can have the files with you by tomorrow morning if you'd like to peruse them yourself. It'd be much better for you to read those than for me to spend time going into each and every detail of their life and, yes, trust me, I have them under surveillance as we speak." Illusion looked to the side as one of her portals appeared- a tiny, fingertip-sized portion of reality itself cracking and peeling away like shards of a mirror and, behind it, there was two people standing inside of a busy fast food restaurant. "Any other questions I haven't thought up? I'd rather not grab them before we need to, however, so kidnapping them is out of the question completely."

_
Rick closed his eyes and listened close as she relayed the details to questions she had apparently already thought up. Yet another one of those times where her reasoning as to these convenient coincidences left something to be desired. Though the thought of using mental magic to intrude brought a vile feeling to his gut it had passed his mind more than once the possibility of looking inside to see where she pulls these insights from.

Rather than be distracted by a reoccuring concern he decided to turn his mind back to graver matters. Having spent so many years as the only one of the seven to have been found he had mixed feelings towards the idea of finding the others. On one hand it would accelerate Arthur's plan of turning the seven into a weapon against the forces of hell and subsequently allow them to help these poor souls learn to appreciate the peace that order brings. On the other hand it was prophesized that with the coming of the seven children the apocalypse would begin. While helping his new siblings was a task of great importance he had hoped that unlike him the other six would never be discovered and thus be allowed to disappear from the earth without any cause for turmoil. The risk that their souls might be intrensically tied to hell where they'd become tools of the devil was present but so was the risk that they'd all be gathered in one place, setting terrible machinations into motion.

As it stood the latter seemed to be the most likely to occur now that they were found. It was simply a matter of time.
"There is no need to show our hand. Let them enjoy their lives free of the strife hell is bound to offer." A firm statement. His hands slipped past each other, elegantly snaking one arm over the other as he crossed them. He opened his eyes to look directly into Illusions own scarlet irides.

"It is imperative we are ready to act should hell's own find any one of those five." He broke eye contact, looking aside while taking his right hand and giving a quick circular spin gesture as a means of dismissing any potential intensity from his serious as it was far from necessary given the present company. "Naturally I'd like to see the files on my half-siblings as soon as possible so I can get ahead on preparations. Also, given how resourceful your acquaintance is a meeting with her would be of great interest as well."

Letting his left arm drop to his side he took his right arm and set it across his chest, closing his eyes and issuing Illusion a standing bow. "Though one such as I orders not one of your esteem. It is but the suggestions and requests of your humble exorcist."

_
Illusion chuckled softly under her breath. "Trust me when I say that once Hell enters their lives it won't be pretty. After all, it's always nice to go for a trip to Greed and watch people get melted alive in molten gold." Illusion cocked her head to the side slightly. "Well, Ricky, you know how quick I can be." Slipping her hand into a small portal beside her as the prior one 'repaired' itself Rick would feel a quick tap on his shoulder from behind before Illusion pulled her hand free and the portal shut itself on both ends. "I might personally be involved in the act of snapping up all of your new brothers and sisters. A kind of safety net if you will. You'll be able to see the files soon, although if you head over to meet our new mutual acquaintance you'll find the source of those files ready and willing to give them to you to peruse.. and perhaps another deal might be headed your way. A particularly special one."

The smile that split Illusion's features made no attempt to hide the amusement.
"Feel free to request as you will, Rick. You're very dear to both Arthur and myself and your station has only increased considering the, ah, coming events. I've no real clue what the Devil plans for you and your new siblings but I'll be trying my best to avert the Apocalypse alongside everyone else here. That includes ensuring the safety of you and everyone else here."
Illusion paused for a moment, reaching in to yet another portal and pulling forth a very familiar sword. It was a lovely thing, Excalibur, and it seemed to radiate its very own light as Illusion brandished it.
Well, she didn't brandish it, she sat it on her lap, still in its sheath, and watched it for a few moments.
"I believe we can avoid the end of the world. If we can prevent someone like that Demon God then I'm sure we can stop Devi." Her eyes flicked up to match Rick's own.

_
Rick met her own eyes in return.

"There is little doubt we'll succeed." He then turned and proceeded towards the windows in front of his desk. Beyond the lovely silhouettes of roman architecture the moon hung high up in the night sky. It was as luminescent as it was round, currently at it's fullest for this one night of the month. He gazed up at the moonlight, his mind left to wonder of matters well out of his control.

"The question remains: Is time with us... or against us?"

[hr][@Kuroakuma]