And Also With You ~The Tooth And Claw Books #3

Chapter Five: The Trial of the Living Saint

----- March 29th, 2010 -----

Me and Yuguchi were currently in the pit together, we only really spared with each other no one else, since no one else knew Nekoashi we couldn't really train with anyone else. I quickly dived under her next strike, only for her to leap over me, flipping around and bringing her training blade down hard, I barely had enough time to block the blow. I quickly brought my leg around and tripped her, she hit the mat hard and the breathe was knocked out of her lungs.

"That... that was dirty..." She panted swatting me in the chest.

"Says the person who used the exact same trick on me last match." I replied reaching my hand out to her, and pulling her up off the mat. 

She just laughed at the comment and the pair of us began walking home. It was a fairly quite night as things went, which was nice, and unexpected. Something in the air though made me uncomfortable, just feeling in my gut, Changxi felt uncomfortable too, like there was some unseen danger which neither of us could perceive as of yet. I shook my head dismissing it. We were literally about to step into our living room when the intercomm. summoned, us Akio and Jasmine to mom's office.

"Dear Balansufirudo," Akio snapped emerging from inside. "We just got back from a mission what the bloody hell is it now?"

"I don't know, but let's get going. I have a shift in the infirmary in fifteen minutes, and if I'm going on a mission I need to tell them." Jasmine replied giving me a very warm smile.

I swallowed and we walked into my mother's office, the atmosphere on the other side of the door was tense, so tense you could probably cut it with a knife. My mother was in the center of the room, standing at the Communicatio lapidea, gripping the edge of it with both hands, her anger barely contained. The other Grand-Master's were in the call, and they all looked at us as we walked in, Grand-Master Le Fay locking eyes directly with Jasmine.

"Now that the Retainers are here, would you like to repeat you allegations?" Mom asked, making little effort to hide her angered tone.

 "A member of the Custodies Veritas came to me with disturbing information." Grand-Master Le Fay began to speak, crossing his arms. "They have accused the Living Saint Jasmine Godspal of being able to use Tainted-Magic."

"These are heavy allegations." Akio spoke, knowing full well what it meant, but trying to deny it. 

"I had the same thought," Cut in Grand-Master Dionysus. "However, the evidence is undeniable." 

"Allow me to show you." Grand-Master Le Fay, spoke a wicked grin over his face.

Instantly it began to display, a holographic recording of the Incident in New York, specifically, the view after the attack. It showed Jasmine using her Divine-Touch, to heal the Sanctified-Magic injuries inflicted on the Vampire.  That was concerning in of itself, given how carefully we hid that side of her powers, but what disturbed me more was where the footage was from. It was from my point of view, my lenses. I shut down  those feelings for now and just looked over at Akio.

"I cannot deny the evidence, however she is under the authority of The...." Akio began.

"I'm going to stop you right there, Retainer Talidus." Grand-Master Le Fay cut in. "If it was most of your little squadron I would not be able to argue, however, she was a member of the Custodies Veritas first, there for she is bound by our laws, not the agreements of the Alliance."

The other Grand-Masters, even my mother, had to nod in agreement, although in mom's case she did it begrudgingly. She sighed heavily, and pinched her nose in stress.