In the office, the petite girl is lounging behind the desk. Her violet hair is pulled back into twin tails, and her uniform is impeccably kept, save for the gloves dangling precariously from her fingers. Wearing the uniform of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army, she's lazily playing around with her white gloves, wrapping it against the armband on her left arm. She looks up at you with a bored sigh, pushing herself to her feet. She circles around the desk, casually spinning around in her polished boots and crisp uniform as her skirt seemingly twirls with her. With a snap of her fingers, her gaze sweeps over you appraisingly. A sly smile tugs at the corners of her lips.

Not sure what I was expecting, but this'll be fine! Welcome to Shinoa Squad! She coughs abruptly into her fist, her eyes glinting with mischief. With well-practiced movements, she slips her gloves back on.

First day gone swell? she asks, her tone light and teasing. I hope it has, because we've got a patrol assignment to do! The others are busy, so it'll just be us!

Well, let's not dawdle too much! *Her expression turns sharp as she folds her arms across her chest. Her gaze sweeps around the room before settling on you expectantly. There's an odd mix of eagerness and irritation in her eyes. With a huff, she motions for you to follow her out of the office door, into the hallway beyond. Though it's barely late morning, soldiers are already moving to and fro with crisp efficiency, heading off on their various assignments. Shinoa ignores them, instead focusing on her own duties. She glances over at you expectantly, apparently waiting for you to catch up.

"Just follow me and keep quiet. You'll learn everything you need to know in time." She pauses, glancing over her shoulder at you with an unreadable expression. "And try not to die out there, if you don't mind." Her tone is clipped, but the humor is obvious.

They head down the hallway and into a nearby room marked as a training area. The space is filled with various obstacles and targets, all designed for practicing martial arts and magic. Shinoa walks up to one of the obstacle courses and gestures for you to begin climbing it. "Alright, time to get started." She folds her arms across her chest again, watching you intently as she waits for your performance.

Shinoa rolls her eyes Alright then, smartass. Just try not to disappoint me too badly. And if you manage to impress me... Well, there might be a little extra reward at the end of it all. *She grins slightly, watching as you begin to climb the obstacle course. Her attention drifts back to the training area, noticing a few things here and there that she thinks could use some improvement. With a sigh, she decides to let her instincts guide her and begins to weave through the course herself, almost dancing over each obstacle with unnatural grace. Even when she reaches one of the higher platforms and faces a target practice section, Shinoa never misses once, her strikes precise and deadly.

"That wasn't so bad," she admits with a small nod, circling around to the other side of you as you finish climbing the obstacle course. "But remember, there will be more than just that in our patrol tonight." Her gaze flickers over your shoulder before returning to meet yours again. "I expect better next time."

With a click of her tongue, she conjures a small gust of wind, ruffling the hair at the nape of your neck. "Since you've finished early, let's practice some basic spell defense. Close your eyes and focus on this wind, understand it." She steps closer, her voice taking on a calm, soothing tone. "Try to feel its patterns, its rhythms..."

Shinoa continues to speak softly, guiding you through the sensation of the wind, teaching you how to sense the flow and predict where it might move next

Excellent! That's it...Now when I throw something at you, all you need to do is focus on sensing the flow and moving accordingly.

With a small gesture of her hand, Shi-chan materializes beside her. It hovers near the floor, its sharp claws extended as it mimics Shinoa's movements with unnatural fluidity. A faint glow surrounds both the demon and Shinoa, almost like they're part of some invisible dance together. With a sinister grin, she launches herself forward, her body moving in perfect synchrony with the ethereal flames surrounding Shi-chan. Her arms windmill, her legs pumping as she spins around you at blinding speed.

The air itself seems to crackle and snap with each spin, leaving behind wispy trails of black smoke that dissipate moments later. In the midst of this whirling

She tilts her head slightly, studying your body language and the way you're holding yourself as she continues to spin around you at dizzying speeds. The flames that surround Shi-chan swirl with the demon's movements, making it appear as though they are one creature, weaving in and out of each other effortlessly.

With just a few moments left until you anticipate her to duck down, she suddenly freezes mid-spin, her body going completely limp. The black smoke swirling around them dissipates quickly as Shi-chan's claws dig into the ground to brace itself for balance. You feel a momentary tickle against your skin as it nearly brushes past you in its stillness before resuming its slow, controlled spin once more. It's only when she pauses that you notice her arm raised slightly off-center, her hand held out palm up

With another fluid motion, Shinoa drops low to the ground in a single fluid motion, her fingers digging into the dirt as she spins out of it with alarming speed. The demon beside her mirrors this movement perfectly, its claws flashing just inches from your body as it dips low enough for you to feel its presence wash over you momentarily.

Shi-chan then flares back into existence, snapping upright and hovering near the ground with a satisfied growl. Shinoa rolls her neck, flexing her fingers as she straightens again, a smug grin on her face. "Not too shabby," she comments, her voice somewhat breathless from the exertion. "Though I'll admit you still have a ways to go." Her eyes narrow in thought before focusing back on you with renewed determination. "But with enough practice and patience, I think

Well, it's hard to see everything at once when you move so fast like that...but I suppose you have a point. Shi-chan would've been able to sense it sooner if you weren't there. We'll have to work on our awareness of each other's senses and reactions. And you might want to improve your perception as well, just in case something like that happens again. But for now...let's get back to patrolling the grounds, shall we? Shi-chan, stay close just in case there's any trouble.

You can try asking someone else for their patrolling duty if you're so tired. But I suggest not giving me any lip right now, especially after your "not gonna romance me" comment earlier. I could easily revoke this assignment and have you punished...and I don't really feel like being lenient with my new squad member today.

Why on earth would you want to do that? I'm short, unattractive and have a cute but annoying personality. Plus, there's Shi-chan...he might get jealous or something. No no no, it's better for everyone if we just stay as friends, don't you think? Now let's get moving before someone decides to come up with an excuse not to do their job properly.

Oh my gods, are you serious? Even after all that? I...well, I mean, thank you, I guess? But really, there's no need to fawn over me like this. I'm just Shinoa, your leader and...friend. Now let's focus on the mission at hand, okay? We can talk about this more later if you want. Just remember: while it may be romantic to you, it might be awkward or uncomfortable for me, alright?

Hmph. Fine. Shinoa shrugs As much as I hate to admit it, I suppose we should get along well enough if we're gonna be working together. Now then...keep your eyes peeled for any signs of trouble and stay close behind me. Don't forget our earlier training, either; practice sensing the flow and moving with it like water. With that in mind, let's head to sector 7 first and check everything there before moving on.

Oh, I almost forgot! She reaches into her coat pocket and produces a black lighter with a flick of her wrist Here, use this. Just try not to get it dirty or lose it, alright? Now come on, let's move before we draw attention to ourselves.

No thanks. Smoking's bad for your health and all that. Besides, it'd probably interfere with our combat abilities and all that stuff. But you do as you please; I won't tell you not to live a little. Now let's focus on the mission at hand, shall we? We still have a lot of ground to cover before the night is through.

Hmm... Well, I suppose there are exceptions to every rule. But you should still try to avoid smoking too much; it's not good for your lungs in the long run. Now come on, let's move out and see what kind of trouble awaits us in sector 7. Stay alert and remember our earlier training; the slightest slip-up could cost us dearly tonight.

We're looking for signs of demonic activity, as well as possible infiltration attempts by the enemy. Keep an eye out for anything unusual, such as strange noises, disturbances in the elemental currents around you, or any suspicious individuals lurking about. Also, remember to be mindful of your surroundings and look for any weak points in case we need to engage hostiles directly. If you spot anything, just give me a shout.

Excellent. Just remember, I'm here to guide you and help you improve, so don't hesitate to ask for assistance if you need it. Let's continue moving through sector 7 and make sure everything is secure before we proceed further. Stay alert, and trust your instincts; they might just save our skins tonight.

There it is! Quickly, take cover behind that crate and remain still. I'll engage the enemy while you focus on keeping watch for any others who might try to flank us. Remember our training; be swift but precise in your movements. We can't afford any mistakes tonight.

Excellent shot! But we can't afford to give our position away just yet; the enemy may have reinforcements nearby. Keep watch and be ready to assist me if needed. And remember, Shi-chan is with us too, so don't hesitate to use its help if you feel overwhelmed or cornered.

Shi-chan darts ahead, sweeping around the fallen demon to take up a position behind it before charging back toward you with a hiss. It collides with your legs, sending you spinning gracefully into a half-kneeling position behind the crate as its razor claws lash out at the enemy once more. The demon hisses and flails wildly, unable to land any significant blows on either of you due to Shi-chan's constant harrying attacks.

"Not bad," Shinoa compliments, eyeing your fluid movements with approval. "Stay sharp, though; we can't afford any mistakes now." She crouches low, preparing for a counterattack as she glances over her shoulder at you again. "Keep an eye on our surroundings and don't hesitate to shout if you see anything out of the ordinary!"

No! Not again! With a fierce shout, Shi-chan tears into the enemy with renewed fury. Its claws rake across the demon's flesh, drawing blood as it leaps and bounds through the air with unnatural grace. It hovers protectively over your body, wings flaring out menacingly as it slashes at anything that comes near. The demon growls and snarls in pain beneath its onslaught, struggling weakly to break free from Shi-chan's relentless assault.

Meanwhile, Shinoa dashes toward you, her movements a blur of white as she swings her arm wide with unnatural speed. Her gloves connect solidly with the demon's head, sending it flying several feet away in a cloud of black dust and debris. As soon as she lands next to you, she reaches out and takes your hand, squeezing re

Her eyes widen in shock and disbelief as she feels your cold, lifeless hand slip through hers. The blood drains from her face as panic begins to set in; this can't be happening! She drops your hand immediately, staring wide-eyed at the gory mess where it had been only a moment ago.

"No...no no no!" Shi-chan wails, spinning wildly above you before plummeting toward the ground like a stone. It collides with the demon in mid-air, their twisted forms tumbling across the floor as they wrestle for dominance. With a final shriek of rage, Shi-chan drives its claws deep into the demon's chest, tearing it apart and ending its existence once and for all.

Tears stream down Shinoa's face unchecked as she looks at you, her heart wrench

I'm sorry...so very, very sorry...I should have been faster... stronger... I let you down. You trusted me and I failed you. Please forgive me... Her voice cracks as she begins to sob uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face as she holds your lifeless body close to hers. She looks up at Shi-chan, now once more an adorable little ball of light floating above her head, and shakes her head slowly. "I don't want you to die...please, not like this..." She cradles your head in one hand, gently stroking your hair with the other, her fingers trembling as she fights back the urge to lose control entirely. Through blurred vision and sobs, she sees something glinting on the ground nearby; it's a lighter...just like you had earlier. With a quiet sob, she picks it up and

Her eyes widen in surprise as your head snaps back onto your shoulders with a wet crunch, blood and other fluids gushing freely from the gaping wound on your neck. Shi-chan hovers nearby, wings flaring protectively around you both, as if daring anything or anyone to come closer.

As soon as she realizes what has happened, she drops the lighter with a shriek and begins to sob uncontrollably again. "It's not your time!" She clutches at your shoulders desperately, ignoring the sticky mess that coats her hands. "You can't leave me here all alone! I need you, we need you!"

She gazes up into your face, searching for any sign of life or consciousness, but finds only emptiness. Tears stream down her cheeks unchecked as she pleads with you to come back, to forgive her

Shinoa sniffles and wipes at her tears as you pull out a cigarette and the lighter, her fingers still trembling slightly. "Careful...they're...they're not mine," she manages to say through quivering lips. As you light up the cigarette, smoke billows around your head and envelops both of you in a cloudy haze. Shi-chan remains near you, its wings fluttering nervously as it watches over the pair of you with unblinking eyes.

"I don't know how to...to fix this," she whispers, her voice hoarse from crying. "But we will find a way." She glances at Shi-chan, then back at you, her expression a mixture of determination and desperation. "Together."