"So?" Renji asked, as Genichirou and Seiichi returned to the courts.
"How did the drawing go?"

"We’re on the same side of the chart as Seigaku," Seiichi answered
with a small smile.

Renji chuckled. "Well, then."

Genichirou made a disgruntled sound. "Tezuka cornered me to ask if we
were sure we knew what we were doing, getting mixed up with a demon, especially
this one." He glanced at Hatter. "I can’t imagine how you got such
a reputation."

"No, you probably can’t," Hatter murmured, looking away. Renji sighed.
She’d been in a distant and cryptic mood all day.

Seiichi frowned and touched her shoulder. "Belial?"

"One is not kind," she said, very precisely, without looking around.
"Nor benign. One has corrupted lives and souls and cities. Most recently,
one provoked the Host to attack an ally and caused the destruction of Kurai’s
kingdom and people. One led Kurai herself into a marriage that would have
sacrificed her life, by lying to her at nearly every turn. You should remember
this."

Seiichi was silent for a long moment. "There must be some reason Kurai-san
has forgiven you."

"She is a queen and a demon," Hatter answered, coolly. "She
understands expedience." Her hands were clasped hard enough to whiten
the knuckles, Renji noted. "Our lord was gone," Hatter added, far
more quietly. "One did what was necessary to preserve Hell. Whatever
was necessary"

Renji was not entirely surprised to see Genichirou pause, arrested.

"Yes," Genichirou said, at last. Hatter glanced at him. "I understand.
We won’t forget."

Hatter looked at him, head to one side. Finally she nodded.

Genichirou crossed his arms. "Watching tennis isn’t about to calm you
down, today, is it? Come on." He turned away and then looked back over
his shoulder. "Live blades, if you want."

For the first time that day, Hatter smiled.

End