Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Doing this will use up a tremendous amount of my power.” Mephisto explained. “My body will immediately disintegrate. Not only that, but messing with the natural order like this will have severe consequences. You must bear them alone.”

“Are these ‘consequences’ worse than things are now?” Rin asked.

Mephisto was silent for a moment, thinking.

“No.”

“That’s good enough for me.”

————————

Rin woke up suddenly. His heart is thundering loudly in his ears, drowning out any other noises. He struggles to remain silent as he attempts to control his breathing and slow his heart beat. As the roaring of noise in his ears faded and Rin slowly relaxed, he was able to start observing his surroundings. After how he had awakened, there was no use in pretending to be asleep. He opened his eyes, but otherwise stayed still. Moonlight filtered gently through the thin curtains covering the window. Soft, slow, and familiar breathing filled the room. Yukio. His brother. It had been so long since Rin saw him sleeping so peacefully. He turned his head slightly to look at him. His eyes were still blurry from sleep, but still… Yukio looked young. Like a child.

Rin finally sat up, wiping the dust from his eyes. He climbed out of bed, stumbling slightly. Right, this was before he had his tail. He stumbled to the bathroom and flicked on the light. He winced slightly at the sudden brightness. Rin stared at himself in the mirror in shock. He’d gone farther than they’d intended. Staring back at him was his twelve year old face.

“Damn that clown.” Rin grumbled quietly. “I thought we’d agreed on fifteen, damnit. I look like a toddler.”

Rin sighed. Well, there was no going back now.

Rin turned off the light and staggered back to his room. Yukio was still sleeping soundly. Rin took a minute to study his brother’s face. Now that his eyes were no longer blurry, he was able to get a better look. Yukio looked more like a toddler than Rin did in the mirror. Maybe it was his expression? He looked so innocent. After everything that happened, it was a foreign look on both of their faces. A look, that if Rin decided to stay, he would have to learn to fake.

Rin sat down on his bed, facing Yukio’s sleeping form. Yeah, there was no way he’d be able to hide how much he knows from Yukio, let alone…

He’d have to leave. Before anyone woke up. Rin was a terrible liar, and a worse actor. There’s no way he’d be able to make it a single day without acting suspicious. His chest clenched at the thought. He hated the thought. He desperately wished he could see his dad again. The last time Rin saw him… tears started filling his eyes. Damnit, he didn’t have time for this.

Rin stood up. What could he take with him? If he took any personal items, clothes, hell even putting on shoes before he left, they’d know he’d ran away. And that could complicate things, if they knew he’d gone willingly. Well… maybe slipping on shoes really quick wouldn’t hurt… it’s not like he wanted to run around the city barefoot.

Rin shook his head. No, it’s best to stick to the plan. He had to make this look like he didn’t leave willingly.

Rin took one last look at his brother’s sleeping face. Then he forced himself to look away. He purposely walked out of the room. Yukio didn’t stir.

The chapel was dark and silent at night. Rin opened up the secret passage, wincing at the noise. He hoped no one was woken up. He panted heavily from the exertion. Rin may have been strong for a human, but compared to the strength he had after his heart was unsealed, he felt weak. Hell, even his senses felt dulled. Rin never realized how much he had been missing being so cut off from his demon heart. He walked down the stairs and approached the red chest of drawers. Right, he needed a key. That fact had slipped his mind. He needed something to pick the lock, or he could force it open, but that would make a lot of noise. Thinking quickly, Rin left the small room. He quietly hurried back to his and Yukio’s bedroom. Thankfully, his brother was still soundly asleep. Rin retrieved a metal hair comb from their shared dresser. He spared one last wistful glance at his brother before rushing out.

Rin broke off a few of the metal teeth from the comb. He stuck them into the lock of the dresser and wiggled them around. After a few seconds, Rin thumped his head against the wood. He had no idea how to pick a lock. He’d seen it in movies, so he’d thought he could imitate it. Apparently it was a bit harder than it looked. Go figure. Rin resisted the urge to groan. All these years and he was still a complete idiot. Oh well, at least he was good at improvising.

Rin dropped the pieces of the comb. With all of his strength, Rin reared back and punched the damn thing. All these anti-demon wards, but the thing was still just wood. It shattered easily. It was loud, but Rin would be out before anyone could come looking. He pulled away the shattered pieces of wood and retrieved the Kurikara sword. The moment it touched his fingers, Rin could feel the barest hint of his heart returning to him. He unconsciously gave a small sigh of relief.

With all the noise that Rin made getting the sword out, there was no point in attempting to stay quiet anymore. He sprinted up the stairs and burst out the church’s front door with wild abandon. Rin sprinted out onto the street as quickly as possible, putting as much distance between himself and the church as fast as possible. He needed to get out before anyone saw him. Tears burned his eyes as he ran. He thinks he stepped on a shard of glass at one point, but that didn’t slow him down. He could probably go faster if he drew the sword, but the blue flames would only make it easier for others to find him. Rin’s lungs burned as he ran.

Buildings and roads eventually turned to trees and dirt. The city slowly disappeared behind him as Rin fled. Only once the sun started to rise did he finally slow down. He was far enough away from Mephiso’s domain by now. He stopped and collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. His bare feet ached, and were covered in cuts. They’ll probably get infected. Rin groaned, and rolled over to sit instead of kneel. He leaned back on his hands and gazed at the fading stars. After some time, he finally managed to catch his breath.

He picked up his sword off the ground. Mud streaked across the sheath. The seal was still intact, but Rin could tell it was deteriorating fast. Faster than it should be. Maybe it was because of the whole time travel thing? Whatever, it didn’t matter. Rin smoothly drew the sword, breaking the seal. Blue flames flared up around him. Rin let them dance around him. The warmth of the flames settled comfortably in his chest. Rin smiled as he felt a piece of his heart settle in place. He sheathed the sword, the blue flames going out.

Rin sat there, breathing in the cool forest air. The sun steadily rose over the horizon. If they hadn’t woken up when he made all that noise getting the sword, Yukio and the priests would be waking up soon. They’d find him missing, and the sword too. Rin wonders how they’d react. Would they panic? Or stay level headed? Rin sighed. He wished there was some kind of water around. After that run, his throat ached from thirst. Rin stood. Oh well, he’ll find something eventually.

Rin sat there in that forest for a long time. He was restless sitting still for so long, but unfortunately it was his best option at the time. He did eventually find a river to drink from. The water tasted dirty, literally, Rin swallowed a mouthful of dirt at one point, but it wasn’t like he could go strolling into a city at the moment. Once he had his drink, he sat back and waited. And waited. After a few hours, Rin finally heard footsteps.

“Finally.” Rin said. “It took you long enough.”

“Oh?” The person stopped in their tracks. “You were expecting me.”

“Samael pulled his usual bullshit, blame him.” Rin dismissed.

“Ah, I see.” The man said, grinning. “I assume that means there’s no need for introductions, my prince.”

“Just call me Rin.” He grumbled. Rin stood, cracking his joints. “Whatever, Astaroth. Let’s just get going already.”

“Go where?” Astaroth asked, grinning.

“Don’t act dumb, dumbass.” Rin snapped, already tired of his half brother. “Take me to our father.”

Astaroth’s grin widened slightly. He bowed, a hand across his chest. “Of course, my prince.”

“I just said to call me Rin.” He grumbled, but followed Astaroth anyway.

Chapter Text

The phone rolled over to voicemail once again. Shiro Fujimoto growled quietly as Mephisto’s annoying ass voicemail message played for the millionth time. He pulled the flip phone away from his ear just far enough to glare at it.

“Damnit, pick up you asshole.” He hissed under his breath.

“Dad?” A voice came from the doorway.

Shiro turned in his chair to see Yukio standing in the entrance to the kitchen. His face softened with worry when he saw how distraught the younger twin was.

“Hey kiddo, come here.” Shiro said. He stood up, extending his arm towards Yukio in the gesture of a hug. Yukio rushed forwards, slamming into his dad’s grasp, burying his face in his chest. His glasses were pushed up his head, narrowly avoiding being crushed.

Shiro held his son as he cried. He sighed. God, he wished he had a cigarette right now. Or a drink. Or both. Both is good.

Shiro had woken up in the middle of the night to the sounds of crashing. When he went to investigate, he found the church doors wide open and the Kurikara sword gone. The chest of drawers it was held in smashed to pieces. Splinters were scattered across the stone floor, the red paint looking almost like blood in the light of his flashlight. His immediate response was to burst into the twins’ bedroom. Yukio was startled awake, but Rin… Rin’s bed was already empty.

The other priests had woken up as well by this point, and together they tore apart the church. When that turned up nothing, they expanded the search to outside the church and the surrounding block.

“Dad.” Yukio said when Shiro returned to the church. “Sir Pheles isn’t answering his phone.”

“Damn that clown.” Shiro grumbled.

“We need to call the police.” Yukio stated.

“Huh?”

“If we don’t make a missing person’s report, the regular authorities are going to get suspicious.” Yukio explained. He looked down and away. “We… if this is demon related, we can’t afford that kind of attention. It-it’ll be a hindrance if Rin… if his demon half…”

Shiro pulled his youngest son into a hug. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. We’ll find him. Rin will be okay. You’ll be okay.”

Yukio sniffed, but no tears fell.

“If we can’t find him by morning, then we’ll call the police.” Shiro said. “We should investigate as much as possible before involving outsiders.”

“Right.” Yukio sniffed.

“Did you find anything in the church?” Shiro asked.

Yukio pulled out of his father’s hold, his posture straightening, automatically standing at attention. “I thoroughly inspected the room where the Kurikara sword was kept. I found this.”

Yukio pulled out a cloth from his pocket and unfolded it. Inside were several pieces of a broken comb.

“What’s this?” Shiro asked, leaning down to see it better.

“It’s my comb.” Yukio said. “The good metal one.”

“Huh, interesting.” Shiro mumbled.

“And the lock on the front door is broken.” Yukio continued, walking to the open doors. “It was forced open from the inside. And all of the demon wards are intact.”

“Did you check the locks on the windows?” Shiro asked. “The back door?”

“All locked. No signs of tampering.” Yukio said.

“Okay. Good work.” Shiro said.

“I was trying to think of what could have happened.” Yukio said, starting to pace.

“Maybe Rin got up to use the bathroom, or get some water.” Yukio said. “Maybe he heard something, and grabbed the nearest object to use as a weapon, the comb. And then… and then…”

“Yukio.” Shiro said, putting a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from pacing. “You did everything you could. This isn’t your fault, okay? Why don’t you sit down, and rest a little. I’ll handle things from here, okay kiddo?”

Yukio stiffly nodded, then sat on one of the church pews. He held the broken comb in his hands, staring at it intently.

Shiro ran a hand down his face. This was going to be a long morning.

Two hours after they had woken up, the other priests had all returned to the church. None of them had found any signs of Rin or high level demon activity. It was around 5am when Shiro decided to call the police. The police were about as unhelpful as Shiro expected. While it was obvious there had been a break in, they were fixated on the theory that Rin had simply run away. He was the problem child after all. They left after a few hours, when the regular folks were beginning to leave their homes for work and school. Shiro called Yukio and Rin’s school to tell them they’d be absent. Yukio complained, saying that his education was still important. Shiro firmly put his foot down.

“You wouldn’t be able to focus anyway.” Shiro said softly. Yukio deflated at that, finally giving in.

Despite Shiro and the other priests begging Yukio to get some rest, the child insisted on inspecting the entire property, both inside and out, for clues. Of course, he didn’t find anything. While he did that, Shiro dealt with the police report, sent a message to the Order, and continued to leave voicemails on Mephisto’s phone.

It was around noon when Yukio came into the kitchen. Shiro just held his son, trying to stay strong for him. Hopefully Mephisto would get back to him before the Order did, but it was looking like that wouldn’t happen.

Shiro stood in the kitchen, holding Yukio for what felt like forever while his son cried, when his phone chimed. While holding onto Yukio with one arm, Shiro checked the message. His eyes widened when he saw who it was from.

b there soon - m

“Mephisto is on his way.” Shiro announced.

Yukio sniffed hard and pulled away, wiping his eyes.

“About time.” He mumbled under his breath so quiet Shiro almost didn’t hear it.

“Sorry for being so late.” Shiro and Yukio both jumped, turning to face the intruder.

“I’ve had such a long night.” Mephisto said. He looked awful, Shiro noted. Bags could be seen under the demon’s eyes, and he wasn’t in his usual attire. He was in just a dress shirt and slacks. The shirt wasn’t even tucked in properly. His coat, hat, and umbrella were missing. He clearly had gotten dressed in a rush.

“Where the hell have you been!” Yukio yelled, taking a step towards the demon. Shiro put a hand on his shoulder, silently reminding the boy to calm himself. “We’ve been trying to get you all day!”

“I’m aware.” Mephisto snarked. “I’ve been looking for your brother all that time.”

“And?” Shiro asked evenly.

Mephisto sighed. “I’m afraid someone else got there before me. Astaroth took him to Gehenna.”

Yukio gasped, tears filling his eyes once again. He clenched his fists in anger. “You…”

“Yukio, calm down.” Shiro said, squeezing his shoulder. “Mephisto, we need more details. What happened? Why now?”

Mephisto pulled out a chair from the dining table and took a seat. He sighed, resting his head on his hand. Shiro and Yukio silently followed, taking seats of their own.

“Someone has been trying to distract me.” Mephisto started. “And it worked. I didn’t notice what was going on here until after the sun had come up.”

“Whoever took Rin had the foresight to distract you first?” Shiro asked.

“Yes, and I think we both know there’s only one person who knows about my involvement with this situation.” Mephisto said, looking directly at Shiro.

“Right.” Shiro said, silently wishing for a cigarette.

“Satan, right?” Yukio asked. “This was his plan?”

“Yes.” Mephisto nodded. “I don’t know the full extent of his plan, or how he pulled this off, or how he even found you.”

“But…?” Shiro asked expectantly.

“There’s no but.” Mephisto said. “I’m as in the dark about this whole thing as you are.”

Shinto’s eyebrows raised as high as possible. “Seriously?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Damnit!” Yukio yelled. He slammed his fists on the table.

“Yukio.” Shiro tried to soothe. Yukio stood up, knocking his chair to the floor and storming out of the room.

Shiro turned back to Mephisto. “Alright spill. You’re the King of Time for fuck’s sake, how did someone manage to pull one over on you? What kind of ‘distraction’ kept you so busy?”

“Someone was messing with the timeline.” Mephisto said.

“And who has that kind of power?” Shiro asked.

“Very few.”

“Hmph.”

The two sat in silence for a few seconds.

Shiro sighed. “Is there something else you want to tell me? Or do you just enjoy my company?”

“I suggest you keep a close eye on Yukio.” Mephisto said. “Since only Rin was taken, he may not be on Satan’s radar, but you never know.”

“Ya think his life might be in danger?” Shiro asked.

“I think…” Mephisto said. “That Yukio would make the ideal vessel for his father, or any of the demon kings for that matter. It’s likely they know about his existence, but his lack of demonic powers makes him a much better choice of vessel than Rin.”

“Got it. I’ll tell him.” Shiro said solemnly.

Mephisto shook his head. “No no, you’ll just scare him. He’ll have a better chance of resisting if you don’t tell him. Just keep an eye on him, mmkay?”

“Fine.” Shiro grit his teeth.

Mephisto stood up. “Well, I have my own duties to see to, so I’ll be off now. Ta ta!”

Mephisto disappeared in a puff of smoke, in his usual dramatic fashion. Shiro stood up, his old joints cracking. He’d better find Yukio.

“Oh Yuri…” Shiro whispered to himself. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect him.”

Chapter Text

After the night Rin disappeared, things were rough. Yukio was always an anxious child, but that stress skyrocketed after that night. Shiro did what he could, but in the end all he could offer was empty words. The police actually managed to find some evidence to Shiro’s surprise. A witness, a homeless man who happened to be awake at the time, saw a young boy matching Rin’s description sprinting, barefoot, in his pajamas, sprinting down the street as if he was running for his life. The man said he was holding something long and thin, but the kid’s speed made it hard to see. But with no new leads, the police eventually had to stop searching.

Shiro and Yukio deduced that Rin was being pursued by whatever demon who had broken into the church that night, but since the homeless man likely didn’t have a temptaint, he was unable to actually see the demon. The object Rin was carrying had to have been the Kurikara sword. This piece of evidence raised many questions. Why was Rin fleeing? How did he come to hold the sword, did the demon hand it to him in an attempt to awaken Rin’s powers? Or did Rin manage to take it by force? If the witness didn’t see anyone or anything pursuing Rin, then that could mean the demon that broke in wasn’t possessing anything, which was odd. How could something like that not only get through the church’s wards, but also break through the wards on the chest of drawers where the sword was being held if it had no physical presence?

When Yukio heard the police report, he started obsessively going through every detail to try and piece together what had happened. Shuro should often find him surrounded by books about demons, scribbling furiously in a notebook. He would often have to remind the boy to eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom. Shiro hadn’t felt this exhausted since the twins were infants.

While Yukio’s behavior was concerning, Shiro didn’t try to stop him. This was his way of processing grief, and he didn’t dare interrupt that. Sometimes Shiro would help, picking up a book, going through and looking for a species of demon that could have pulled off the heist. He didn’t have much luck.

Eventually, things began to return to some semblance of normal. Life didn’t stop for anyone or anything, so everyone did their best to move on. Shiro would occasionally find Yukio writing in that notebook, but it became less and less as time passed. Without any new clues, it was impossible to determine what happened. Shiro refrained from telling Yukio that, in the end, it didn’t matter. Satan had Rin, and if he had gotten into the church undetected once, he could likely do so again. Shiro knew Yukio was likely aware of this, but he didn’t want the kid to freak out more than usual, so he kept his mouth shut.

Years passed, and there was no sign of Rin. When Yukio was fifteen, he was accepted into True Cross Academy on a full scholarship. Shiro also let Yukio take over his position as the Pharmaceutics teacher at the cram school as well. Shiro wanted him to have a normal high school experience (at least, as normal as possible considering his job as an exorcist). However, Yukio had nagged him and begged him about it until Shiro gave in.

The night that Yukio left for True Cross Academy, Shiro had trouble sleeping. After all, the last time one of his boys had left him… he shook his head to clear it. Shiro wandered into the kitchen, grabbed a cup, and shuffled over to the sink to fill it with water. Moonlight fell through the window over the sink. Shiro took a long sip from the cup. He looked out the window, his eyes still a little blurry from sleep.

Shiro spotted a figure standing on the other side of the fence. Now on high alert and wide awake, he rubbed the blurriness from his eyes and quickly put on his glasses. As he looked at the figure properly, Shiro gasped out loud and nearly dropped his cup. Standing there, gripping the fence, was Rin.

Rin was looking at the ground, tears falling from his chin. The boy was older looking, as it had been almost three whole years since he had disappeared. His ears were also pointed, but were short enough that they could be ignored as regular human ears.

“Rin?” Shiro whispered. He slammed the cup down on the counter and sprinted towards the door. He flung it open and, since he didn’t have the key to open the metal gate, climbed over the church’s fence. He landed roughly on his feet, pain shooting into his knees, but Shiro didn’t stop moving. He ran to where his son was.

“Rin!” Shiro shouted.

Rin looked up, expression going from forlorn to shock, then fear. As Shiro got close, Rin bolted.

“Shit. Rin, wait!” Shiro yelled, giving chase. From this angle, he could see that Rin had a long and thin black tail. It had a puff of unkempt black fur at the end. It lashed wildly as he ran.

Rin was much faster than Shiro, and eventually he lost sight of him. Shiro stopped, out of breath.

“Damnit. Damnit!” Shiro cried, slamming his fist against a nearby wall. If he was younger, he might have been able to keep up for longer. But it was clear that Rin’s speed was a result of his demonic half. He was much faster than a human should be. Despite the changes, Rin was still his son. He was Shiro’s son, and he was right there! And he lost him. Again. Tears threatened to form in Shiro’s eyes, but he didn’t let them.

Shiro had no way to track Rin, so he was forced to return to the church. He scaled the fence again, and shut and locked the front door. He knew he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep now. Not after that. As soon as he got back to his bedroom, the first thing Shiro did was pick up his phone and call Mephisto. Surprisingly, the demon picked up.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Mephisto answered with a yawn.

“I saw Rin.” Shiro stated bluntly.

“Oh?” Shiro could hear the shifting of clothes through the phone. That had Mephisto’s attention.

“Do tell.” Mephisto purred.

“He was outside, looking at the church.” Shiro said. “He was crying. When I went outside, he ran. He looked like he was scared of me.”

“Hmm.” Mephisto hummed. “He’s probably aware of your status in the Order, as well as what actually happened on the Blue Night. I believe that he thinks you would kill him, given the chance.”

Shiro sighed. “I was afraid of that.”

“Yes. Who knows what he was told.” Mephisto agrees. “For all we know, he hates humans now.”

“That seems unlikely.” Shiro immediately defended his son.

“Maybe, but it’s still a possibility.” Mephisto said. “From his reaction, I doubt they completely wiped his memories, but we truly don't know.”

“Fuck.” Shiro said, massaging his growing headache.

“Wiser words have never been said.”

“Fuck you.”

“Mmhm. Well, I’ll keep an eye out for him.” Mephisto said. “Although that might be an issue. I didn’t detect his presence in the city at all, which means he’s concealing himself. But, if he ever uses his demonic powers in my domain, I’ll know immediately.”

“Great, thanks.” Shiro said irritably.

“You’re welcome!” Mephisto hummed cheerfully. “Later!”

The demon hung up. Shiro looked at the phone in his hand and sighed deeply. He wondered if he should tell Yukio.

————————

Gehenna was… dark. That was Rin’s first impression of it. And well, he could see why demons liked it. He could also see why so many demons chose to live in Assiah instead. How should he put it… Gehenna was a great place to live for beings without a physical form. It wasn’t as nice for those who did have physical forms, but whether or not it was better than Assiah depended on the species of demon and the demon’s personal preference.

“This way, my prince.” Astaroth grinned. He motioned towards the entrance of the massive castle.

“Nice digs.” Rin commented.

Despite all that had happened in the timeline that Rin had escaped from, not once had he set foot in Gehenna. There was no reason to. Besides, so many Gehenna gates had been opened that Assiah and Gehenna had been starting to merge, which was a disaster for everyone. At first, there had just been more demons around than before. Then, once enough gates had been opened, reality itself began to warp in certain places. That wasn’t a fun experience. But now he had the chance to prevent that. He could stop it. Rin could stop his friends from dying again.

Rin’s sire was waiting for him at the entrance of the castle. The demon was nothing more than a blue flame, but when Rin approached, he attempted to shape himself into a humanoid figure.

“Hello Rin.” Satan said softly. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, my son.”

“Hi.” Rin said, mentally kicking himself. Seriously, couldn’t he say something else than just freaking hi? He needed to convince Satan to go along with this plan or else he was totally screwed, and the only thing he said was hi? Rin really needed to expand his vocabulary.

“My name is Rinka Satan.” He continued. “I am the king of this land, and of demons.”

“Right, uh, imma stop you there.” Rin said, interrupting. “I’m actually from several years in the future, well my mind is, I uh already know who you are.”

“I see.” Satan nodded.

“But like, I don’t know you that well, ya know?” Rin said, trying and failing to not be so awkward. “Well, uh, I, sorry for changing subjects a bit, anyway, I came back in time because the world was ending, and so many people were dying, both humans and demons, and I need to fix it and if I don’t then we’re all going to die, you too, and-”

Rin was cut off by Satan approaching him.

“My son, why don’t you come in so we can talk?” Satan said solemnly. “You look so much like your mother. You are so beautiful, just like her.”

“Aw shucks!” Rin said, trying not to blush. He wiggled happily at the comment, his tail flicking back and forth.

“Come, my son.” Satan said, beckoning Rin further inside. “Come in, make yourself at home. We shall discuss the future, and how to save it, hmm?”

“R-right!” Rin said, smiling. This had gone much smoother than he could have ever hoped.

The castle was… sparse. There was no furniture except for a throne that Satan had created for himself. Figures, without a physical form there wasn’t a use for furniture. Rin just sat down on the steps leading up to the throne. The blue flame that was Satan simply hovered next to him. At some point he had given up on forcing the flames into any particular shape. He just was. Many eyes blinked at Rin from within the flames.

“So, the future, huh?” Rin began awkwardly.

“You say that things have gone wrong.” Satan said. “That I died?”

“Oh, not yet, but if it had gone on for any longer then reality would have collapsed, destroying both Assiah and Gehenna and everything in it.” Rin explained. “At least, that’s what Samael said. He couldn’t see any future timelines where reality didn’t end.”

“How? How did this come to pass?” Satan asked.

Rin took a deep breath, then began to speak.

————————

Three years later, Rin steps foot in Assiah for the first time since he left. His first stop was the church. It was probably a dumb idea to head straight into Mephisto’s domain. But he hadn’t seen Yukio in forever, and he hadn’t seen his dad in longer. Rin was willing to risk it.

He stopped at the fence. Rin didn’t dare go in, he wasn’t sure if the wards would break if he entered. It was night, so no one should see him. Rin wandered around the outside of the fence. He stopped when he saw his dad in the window. He was in the kitchen.

Rin took a step forward, grabbing the bars of the fence. It sparked slightly under his grasp. Rin looked down at the ground. He hadn’t seen his dad since before. When he died in the other timeline. And now, here he was, alive and well. And yet, he felt so far away. Tears fell down Rin’s face. He missed his dad so much. But he couldn’t go home yet.

“Rin!”

Rin looked up in shock. He had been so caught up in his thoughts, that he hadn’t noticed. His dad had left the kitchen, and was now running towards him.

“Shit!” Rin thought. “He wasn’t supposed to see me!”

Rin ran.

“Rin, wait!” His dad shouted behind him. Rin could feel his heart breaking. He wanted nothing more than to run to his dad, to fling himself into his arms and hold him tight. Rin blinked the tears from his eyes and ran harder.

Rin lost the man tailing him pretty quickly. He was faster than a human, and Shiro was old. Rin heard his dad yell in frustration. He peaked around the corner to watch him return to the church. Rin sighed. That was close, and incredibly stupid of him to get caught like that. Damnit. Rin vowed to be more careful from now on. He couldn’t get distracted again.

Chapter Text

After nearly being caught by his dad, Rin set to work for real this time. He dressed himself in what he called his “prince” outfit.

You see, demons gain status from the amount of power they have. Other demons have the innate ability to sense that power. But the most important factor in determining status is whether or not they can win fights with that power. In Gehenna, it was eat or be eaten, no exceptions. In a colony, the strongest demon is named the king and all the weaker demons defer to it. Respect is earned out of fear, not admiration or love. Satan is called the King of Demons simply because he is the strongest demon. Unlike a human king, he did not make laws or rule. Things like monarchy and centralized government were purely human concepts.

Humans however, function very differently. Status came from many different places, some based on physical ability, and some based on more abstract concepts. But there was no way for humans to exactly tell what someone else’s status was just by looking at them. That’s what clothing was for. Rin always thought that Mephisto was just a pompous asshole, always dressing in that clown suit of his. Now he understood that it was his way of reminding the humans around him of his status. The power that he held amongst demons was meaningless to humans who were blind to it. Accumulating wealth and expensive items were his way to maintain the status he held among demons.

Suits weren’t Rin’s thing. He needed something that would allow him to move easily in battle, but still had that certain look to it. Reluctantly, he summoned his inner Mephisto and did his best to put together an outfit that was much more colorful than he preferred, but would hopefully have the effect he wanted. He wore an expensive looking haori, the main color being the same shade of blue as his flames. It was decorated in an intricate pattern with a palate of blue, black, and white. Underneath was a mostly black colored long-sleeved shirt and hakama pants, tied by a belt at the waist. The pants were tucked into his boots, also black. The materials used to make the outfit had come completely from Gehenna. The fabric was similar to the ones humans used, but different enough that it might be noticeable but not enough to be able to place why. It created a strange sense of dissonance in the viewer, hopefully putting people on edge. Rin was the Prince of Gehenna, he had a certain image that people expected of him. Might as well lean into it a little.

Along with the outfit, Rin also wore a dark metal crown with jagged points, also made with material from ore from Gehenna. He wore a golden mask over the top half of his face, not dissimilar to the one Lucifer wore. It wouldn’t do for someone to notice how similar he looked to Yukio. A single earring hung from his right ear, a bright blue gem sparkling from the silver chain. Unlike the rest of the outfit, Rin had bought this piece in Assiah. He thought it looked cool. And to finally complete the outfit, a sword hung from his belt. It wasn’t the Kurikara sword, but its design took inspiration from it. Rin was sentimental, okay?

The outfit was regal, befitting his status as Prince of Gehenna. Hopefully. Rin wasn’t exactly an expert in clothing. Mephisto had tried to lecture him on the importance of presentation, but it had gone in one ear and out the other.

Rin eyed up the Illuminati base. He could just directly break into Lucifer’s bedroom, but that wasn’t the point. It would certainly be easier, Rin grumbled silently. But alas, he needed to be seen. Time to be dramatic. Two guards stood at the front gate. They were not wearing the Illuminati uniform, likely to conceal the base’s true allegiance. He took a deep breath, schooling his emotions. He needed to focus. Don’t make a goofy expression. Be serious. Be dramatic.

A blue flame flared to life a few feet in front of the guards. They raised their weapons, their eyes wide in fear. The flame grew tall, then immediately subsided, leaving Rin in its wake. He was in his demonic form, white hair and tail, tall horns made of blue flame, and the tip of his tail alight with holy fire as well. He stood tall, posture perfect, the dark crown seemingly balanced delicately upon his head. Rin hoped he looked intimidating.

“W-who…?” One guard dared to ask.

“I am Prince Rinka of Gehenna, Son of Satan.” Rin announced, his voice firm and steady. “I am here to see my brother, Lord Lucifer. Please announce to him my presence.”

The guards looked at each other, then one began to speak into their communication device. Rin’s tail twitched, as if annoyed. He fought with himself not to fidget. Lucifer would already know he was here, his display of power was not just to impress the guards, it was also to let Lucifer know Rin was in his domain. But since Lucifer could not come to Rin, he had to ask permission through his subordinates. Rin only hoped Lucifer was lucid enough at the moment to be able to actually talk to him.

“Um, your majesty?” A guard spoke up, yanking Rin out of his thoughts.

“Majesty is for a king.” Rin automatically corrected. “It’s highness for a prince.”

The guard winced. “Sorry, your highness. Um, you can go in.”

Rin nodded, stepping forward. The gate was opened and Rin entered. He walked confidently, as a prince should, but mentally Rin was kicking himself. Damnit, he knew he couldn’t be able to control his mouth, god that whole interaction was so embarrassing. At least the guards were so scared of him they likely wouldn’t recognize his slip ups. Rin hated scaring people, but at least it worked in his favor this time.

Rin walked up the long road leading to the Illuminati base. He was met at the door by Lucifer’s second in command. She had clearly just run from somewhere in the base to be here when Rin arrived.

“Prince Rinka.” She said, bowing low. “I am the Guard Commander, second in command of the Illuminati, Captain Homare Todo. Commander Lucifer is expecting you.”

“Thank you.” Rin said diplomatically. “Please, escort me to him.”

Homare bowed again, then turned on her heel. Rin followed her into the building. She led him through the winding hallways of the facility until they reached a part that looked almost homey. Almost. It looked sterile and unlived in. A facade of a real living space. Two guards stood at the door of Lucifer’s bedroom. Homare nodded to the pair, then pushed open the door.

Lucifer looked like shit, to put it bluntly. He was covered in bandages, hooked up to several medical machines, and had tubes running into his arm. An oxygen mask covered the lower half of his face. Still, the demon was awake, which was the most Rin could have hoped for in this situation.

“My Lord, Prince Rinka is here.” Homare announced.

“It is… nice to… finally meet you… little brother.” Lucifer wheezed. His breath was labored between each word. He coughed violently at the end of his sentence.

“It is nice to meet you as well, big brother.” Rin said, bowing slightly, his hand across his chest. “I have come here to speak to you, if you will allow it.”

“Of course.” Lucifer said.

Rin glanced over to Homare.

“If it’s not too much trouble, I would like to speak privately.” Rin said.

“Todo.” Lucifer said, turning his head slightly to look at the woman.

“Of course, Commander.” Homare said, bowing. Her face flickered briefly with annoyance before her calm mask returned. She turned on her heel and left the room. Rin turned back to Lucifer, and took a few steps forward, so that he stood at the foot of his bed.

“Lucifer, I am terribly sorry for intruding like this, but what I have to say is very important.” Rin began.

Lucifer barely lifted his hand to wave him off. “You are not intruding, little brother. I am glad that you have come to meet me, even if it is on business. Ah, but I’m so terribly sorry, I do not know your name.”

Rin winced internally. Crap he forgot to introduce himself. “That is my mistake, big brother. I am Prince Rinka of Gehenna, Son of Satan.”

“Ah.” Lucifer said with a light smile. “You are named after our father.”

“Yes.” Rin nodded. Rin knew his name was a very uncommon one. If he had started introducing himself as Rin Okumura, people would immediately be able to connect him to Yukio, which would only put him in unnecessary danger. So he had changed his name. Rin was a shortened version of Rinka after all, so it was a logical choice in his mind.

“I should introduce myself as well. I am Lucifer, King of Light, and Commander of the Illuminati.” Lucifer said. “I am sorry for being unable to greet you properly.”

“It is alright.” Rin said softly.

“You are kind, little brother.” Lucifer said with a sigh. “Now then, what business brings you to me? Has Father become impatient with me? I admit, my research has… not gone as well as I had hoped. I hope I have not disappointed him too much.”

“Actually, I am here to help. With the research.” Rin explained. “And this is my own choice, to come here, not Father’s.”

“Interesting…” Lucifer said. “Go on.”

“I would like to donate my blood to the research you scientists are conducting on vessel creation. I hope you can sense it. My body is the perfect blend of the natures of Assiah and Gehenna. Should you use my body as a basis for your research, I believe that it will help a lot. With my DNA we may yet be able to create a vessel capable of holding your power for much longer than a few years.”

“I see.” Lucifer said. “Your offer is a great boon for my research, and I thank you. But I would like to ask, why have you decided to assist me? Why now?”

“I…” Rin hesitated. It wasn’t part of the plan, to let Lucifer know about the future, but his mouth moved before he could properly think of an excuse. “I have… knowledge of a potential future timeline.”

“Oh?” Suspicion and curiosity colored Lucifer’s voice. “That is Samael’s domain. I did not believe he would work so willingly with Father.”

“It’s complicated.” Rin explained. “I come from a future so bad that even Samael abandoned his schemes and sent my memories back into my younger body.”

“That must have taken a great deal of power.” Lucifer commented. “He would have completely destroyed his physical body. It must have been dire for him to make such a sacrifice. I assume it was my doing?”

“I want to prevent that future from happening again.” Rin said, tactfully ignoring Lucifer’s question.

“I see.” Lucifer said. “Your motives are clear. I assume in that timeline you came from, I was not able to complete my research, and I enacted my… original plan.”

Rin didn’t answer. The silence gave Lucifer the answers he needed anyway.

“It would be terribly foolish of me to refuse your gift, regardless of your… intentions.” Lucifer finally concluded. “Again, I must thank you for this. Is there anything in particular you want in return?”

Rin quietly let out a breath he had been holding. That had almost been a complete disaster. “I would like to officially join the Illuminati if that’s alright, but I also want to maintain the freedom to do as I please. There are many other things I need to do. I need to be able to come and go.”

“Of course, brother.” Lucifer said. “I shall appoint you as my right hand. My army shall be yours to command if you wish, and none shall have authority over you. I only ask that you return regularly to participate in our research, or at the very least inform me of how long you will be gone. If that is all, I will now summon the leadership of the Illuminati and inform them of our arrangement ”

Rin nodded in agreement. He took a step back from Lucifer’s bedside. The meeting had gone relatively smoothly, if not perfectly according to plan. Rin felt his tail flick in excitement. The highest ranked members of the Illuminati were summoned as Lucifer said and he was introduced to all of them. He could tell a few were skeptical of his presence and intentions, but none objected aloud. That was fine, Rin could work with that. Afterwards Rin was immediately brought down to the Illuminati’s main research lab where a few vials of his blood were extracted. The researchers seemed almost giddy at the potential and immediately set to work.

Rin was quickly ushered out of the research lab. He walked with a slight spring in his step. Hopefully, everything would be alright. Hopefully, the rest of this would go as planned.

————————

It took two months for the clone to be prepared with his blood. Rin hovered near the lab the entire time. He was only shooed away a handful of times. While the scientists wanted their privacy, they also didn’t want to anger him. Rin thought it was interesting, watching the clone grow from a baby to a full adult in a matter of weeks. Not a moment after the first vessel was finished, Lucifer possessed it.

“Thank you, little brother.” Lucifer said as attendants rushed to clothe him. “My mind is much clearer. This vessel is much more attuned to hold my power than the previous attempts. This is a wondrous gift you have given me.”

“Aha…” Rin said, blushing. His tail wagged slightly. “No problem, bro!”

“What have you been up to these past weeks?” Lucifer asked. “I have not seen you in that time.”

“Oh, sorry.” Rin said, a little embarrassed. “I was kind of supervising the clone making. I didn’t understand any of it, but I was just making sure… and also I kind of invaded the kitchens and helped cook meals for the staff. And made some adjustments to the recipes that they use. I hope I didn’t overstep too much, sorry.”

Lucifer chuckled quietly. “That is alright, little brother. If the food is not up to your standards, then feel free to change the menu. I can have someone show you how we order supplies, if the ingredients we have are not to your liking.”

“Nah, it’s cool.” Rin said. “I just… I like to cook. I didn’t change too much, I just showed the cooks a few techniques, is all.”

Lucifer nodded, an indulgent smile on his face. “As I said, if you wish to take control of the kitchens, then you shall have them. It is the least I can do to repay you for your generosity.”

Rin was blushing deeply at this point, embarrassed from the barest hint of complements. He needed to work on controlling his expressions, Rin thought. Looking embarrassed was also extremely embarrassing. He was deeply unused to others showing him any kind of gratitude for anything he did.

“Rin, as I understand, you came straight to me after leaving Gehenna, yes?” Lucifer said suddenly.

“Uh, pretty much, yeah. Why?” Rin asked.

“You have family in Assiah, do you not?” Lucifer inquired. “Do you not wish to visit them?”

“I do!” Rin blurted out. “Ahem, I do, I really do but…”

Rin’s tail drooped. “I don’t know how they’ll react. To me. I’m… I’ve changed a lot since I last saw them, ya know?”

“Go, see them.” Lucifer said, smiling indulgently. “I’ll take care of things here, little brother. I’ll be waiting for your return.”

Rin perked up. “Um! Okay! I will! See ya later big bro!”

Rin rushed out of the room, tail flicking wildly. Lucifer chuckled at the sight.

“Ah, to be young.” He said, shaking his head, smiling. “How indecent. I must teach that boy proper manners.”

Chapter Text

Yukio stood in the middle of camp, back straight and arms crossed. Despite the late hour he was wide awake and alert. The Exwires were taking their exam, and Yukio was the only teacher available for proctoring it. If the peg lanterns, or any of the other demons of the forest, proved to be too much for any of his students, he was ready to step in. That being said, he was still a little surprised when he saw the signal rocket fly into the sky.

“That was fast.” Yukio mumbled. He took off towards the direction of the flare immediately.

Yukio jogged through the dark forest. As he approached the location, Yukio could feel paranoia creeping up his spine. There was no sign of anyone, and there was a suspicious lack of the usual demons that lived in the forest. It was unnaturally quiet. Yukio drew his gun, scanning the trees and underbrush for signs of life.

Something crunched behind him. Yukio turned around, his gun brandished, then froze. He felt his grip go slack. His arms lowered, his weapon pointing towards the ground. Blue light filled the clearing as the figure stepped out of the shadows.

“Hey little bro!” Rin said. Leaves crunched under his boots as he approached Yukio. His hair was white as bone. A long white tail waved back and forth behind his legs. His teeth were sharp, like a predator’s, and his ears unnaturally long and pointed. And worst of all, he had horns made of Satan’s blue flames, and the tip of his tail flickered with those same deadly flames. His clothing was a mix of black and the same sickening shade of blue as his flames. He wore a golden mask that covered the upper half of his face. A dark metal crown sat atop his head, a stark contrast from his bone white hair. A longsword hung at his hip.

Despite the mask obscuring half of his face, Yukio would recognize his twin anywhere. His eyes widened in fear and shock. He took a half step backwards, away from the approaching figure. Yukio never thought he would see his twin’s face again. To see it worn by a demon wreathed in blue flame was something out of his worst nightmares.

Rin smiled, his sharp teeth and fangs on full display. “Long time no see!”

Yukio grit his teeth. He re-aimed his gun, his hands shaking, and fired.

————————

The group of five Exquires crossed the camp’s barrier. Ryuji and Konekomaru stopped chanting and Renzo sighed in relief. Yamada dropped the wagon’s yoke, panting heavily from pulling it all this way. Shiemi hopped out of the cart, the peg lantern’s flames dying without her feeding it a constant stream of moths. Izumo and the kid with the puppet were sitting on the ground near their own wagons and lanterns, watching the newly arriving group catch their breath.

“What! We’re the last ones here?!” Renzo complained. “Come on! How’s that fair?”

“Sounds like a skill issue.” Izumo said, studying her nails. The kid with the puppet remained silent.

“Hey!” Renzo shouted, offended. “How’d you even get that thing back here on your own anyway?”

“I had my familiars pull the wagon, it wasn’t that hard.” Izumo said, still sounding bored.

“Hey, where’s Yukio?” Shiemi suddenly asked, looking around the camp. A look of worry crossed her face as she was unable to find their teacher.

“Hmm?” Izumo looked up, as if she’d only just noticed. “I dunno. He wasn’t here when I got back.”

She turned to look at Takara. “Was he here when you got back?”

The kid with the puppet shook his head.

“Wait, he got here before you?!” Renzo whined. “What the hell!”

“Shut up, Shima.” Ryuji chided. “Just because you’re a slacker doesn’t mean everyone else is.”

“Awww.” Renzo grumbled, pouting heavily.

“Wait, I just remembered, I saw someone use their emergency rocket earlier.” Konekomaru said. “Mister Okumura must have gone to help. But if we’re all here, then who sent that signal?”

“You’re right.” Ryuji said sharply. “Something’s not right here.”

“Wha-what should we do?” Shiemi squeaked.

Just then, a distant scream suddenly tore through the air, startling everyone. Everyone looked in the direction it came from. The dark forest somehow looked even more foreboding than before at that moment.

“That’s got to be Mister Okumura!” Ryuji yelled. “We have to go help, c’mon!”

“Wait, Bon!” Renzo yelled, grabbing Ryuji’s sleeve. The other yanked out of Renzo’s grip, but stopped in his tracks and turned to face him. “If Mister Okumura can’t handle what’s out there, what makes you think we can?!”

“I don’t know, but if there’s enough of us we can beat whatever it is!” Ryuji yelled back. “The strongest demons that live in this forest are at most mid-level. They wouldn’t schedule the test here if it was actually that dangerous. Mister Okumura probably just got caught off guard. That’s why exorcists are always supposed to work in groups, so stuff like this doesn’t happen.”

“Yeah, but there are like a million demon moths out there!” Renzo shrieked, his legs shaking in terror. His K’rik jangled loudly in his hands. “If I have to cross a second pit full of bugs I might actually die of fright! You don’t want me to die, do you Bon?”

“Do you want Mister Okumura to die instead?” Ryuji asked. “He could be in real trouble right now! We need to go and help!”

“I-I’ll go too!” Shiemi yelled. Her familiar, Nii, squeaked in response.

“Me too, Bon!” Konekomaru said, looking less than thrilled at his own decision, but determined to see it through.

“Ugh, fine, I’ll come.” Izumo said, standing up. “But only so I can laugh at our teacher when we see what low level demon got him to scream like a little girl.”

Takara stood up as well, but remained silent. Yamada made no visual or audible indication of whether or not he would go, but didn’t sit down either.

“Ahhh, fine!” Renzo yelled. “Fine fine fine! But if we die, it’s your fault.”

The group of students ran towards the scream, with Ryuji at the front leading the charge. The group followed the sounds of yelling and… laughter? They skidded to a stop when they finally found their target.

“N-no way.” Ryuji stammered quietly.

“Are-are those…?” Konekomaru whispered.

Yukio was being held from the ankle by a humanoid demon. Said demon was perched on the branch of a tree, laughing at their teacher’s misfortune. Yukio was missing his glasses and both of his holsters were empty.

“Blue flames.” Konekomaru finished quietly.

The demon tormenting Yukio looked up. “Oh? Are these your friends Yukio?”

“No! Don’t touch them!” The scream that tore from Yukio’s throat was rough and desperate. “All of you! Run!”

No one moved, frozen in fear. The demon dropped Yukio to the ground. He landed on his stomach with a thud, all of the air rushing out of his lungs. The demon jumped from his perch, landing with one foot on the ground and the other on Yukio’s back.

“Allow me to introduce myself.” The demon said, grinning. His pure white tail wagged wildly behind him. He gave a small bow to the group. “I am Prince Rinka of Gehenna, Son of Satan. It is so nice to meet all of you.”

A few of the students gasped, but no one moved, frozen in fear. From the back of the group, Yamada moved. He removed his usual gray hoodie, tossing it to the ground. He pushed to the front of the group. The others gaped at Yamada. The classmate who they all thought was a teenage boy was instead revealed to be an adult woman. She had long red and yellow hair tied into a ponytail. She wore a thin bra and had a tattoo that trailed from her chest to her abdomen.

“Devour the eight princesses!” Yamada yells. The tattoo on her chest began to glow. She reached up and pulled a purple katana from between her breasts. She brandished it in front of her, ready and prepared to fight.

“Oh?” Prince Rinka tiled his head. His grin somehow managed to grow even wider. His fangs glittered in the blue light of his flames. “You want to fight? Sounds like fun!”

Yamada lunged at the demon with a mighty war cry. Prince Rinka jumped away with a laugh. Yukio scrambled to his feet, running towards the group of students. The sound of sword on sword rang out through the forest. The demon cackled loudly as the two fought.

“Is everyone here?” Yukio gasped.

“Are you okay Yuki?” Shiemi asked worriedly.

“I’m… I’m fine. We need to run, she can hold him off but not for long.” Yukio said, glancing over his shoulder.

At that moment, Yamada was thrown to the ground. She rolled a few times before stopping. Prince Rinka stopped a few feet away. Yukio turned and spread his arms slightly as if to shield the students from danger with his body.

“Aw man, I’d thought you’d be stronger. Sorry.” Prince Rinka said, a frown on his face. In his hand was a sword wreathed in blue flames. With a flourish, he sheathed the blade, snuffing out the flames in one smooth movement. Yamada started to push herself up, glaring at the demon. Prince Rinka simply watched, hands on his hips.

“You want to keep going?” Prince Rinka asked. “Or would any of you like to play instead?”

Yukio took a step back as the demon’s gaze shifted to him. His hand automatically went to his empty holster. His glowing blue eyes seemed to bore into Yukio.

Before anyone could react, a cloud of smoke erupted between Yamada and Prince Rinka. It cleared quickly, revealing Sir Mephisto Pheles. The demon’s cape fluttered dramatically behind him. He held his umbrella in front of him, his hands resting on the handle.

“Prince Rinka.” Mephisto purred. “How lovely to see you here.”

“Samael.” Prince Rinka greeted. “Nice to finally meet you.”

Yamada dragged herself to her feet, readying her sword once again, but staying behind Mephisto.

“Yes, nice to meet you.” Mephisto said through gritted teeth, clearly ticked off. “I hate to be rude, but it appears that our father hasn’t taught you any manners. It seems it falls to me to educate you.”

“You’re as big of an asshole as everyone says.” Prince Rinka sneered.

“Hmph.” Mephisto huffed. “Lesson number one: it is incredibly rude to trespass on another’s domain without permission. So, I’m afraid I must ask you to leave.”

“Is that so?” Prince Rinka tilted his head, a calculating look in his eyes. He was no longer grinning. “And if I say no?”

“In that case I’ll have to use force to remove you.” Mephisto said, voice dangerously low.

The corner of Prince Rinka’s mouth curled upwards. He shrugged nonchalantly. “Alright. I’ll see you all later~!”

The demon waved cheerfully at the group behind Mephisto before being engulfed in blue flames. They died out a second later, and the Prince was gone.

Mephisto let out a sigh. He brought up a hand to his face, resting his chin in his palm. His other hand crossed his chest, supporting his elbow. His umbrella somehow stayed standing upright on its tip. “Oh dear, what a predicament.”

“Is he gone?” Yamada asked.

“For now.” Mephisto replied, turning towards her. He dropped his arms. The demon grabbed his umbrella again, pointing it accusingly at the woman. “Ah, but Miss Kirigakure, it was fortunate you were here, but I have to ask- how did you get here so quickly?”

“The Vatican had me keeping an eye on the class.” Shura explained, resting a hand on her hip. “We can discuss details later, in private.”

“I see.” Mephisto nodded. He dropped the umbrella to the ground again and turned to Yukio. “Well Mister Okumura? Your students were supposed to be taking a test, correct? What do you plan to do now?”

“Uhm.” Yukio unconsciously touched the bridge of his nose, pushing up glasses that were no longer there. He still seemed a little shaky from the encounter. “If you’re confident he won’t return, we should go back to camp. Stick to the schedule.”

“Yes you should be safe.” Mephisto nodded. “I do need to speak to you and Miss Kirigakure in private as soon as possible.”

“I’ll escort the students back to camp, then I can come.” Yukio said.

“In that case, I’ll see you tomorrow. Farewell!” Mephisto said with a grin, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Shura approached the group. Her sword was held loosely in one hand, a small object in her other. “Here, four eyes. I got your glasses, but they’re broken. I didn’t see your guns anywhere though.”

Shura handed the broken glasses to Yukio. His shoulders dropped in disappointment. “Oh, thanks Shura.”

“Um, excuse me.” Konekomaru spoke up. “Who exactly are you?”

“Shura Kirigakure, Senior Exorcist First Class.” Shura announced, flashing her badge and ID card to the students. “Like I said earlier, the Vatican asked me to keep an eye on this class.”

“Why?” Konekomaru asked.

“No offense kid, but you don’t have the clearance to know that.” Shura said bluntly.

“O-oh, of course, sorry.”

The group trudged back to camp, thoroughly exhausted. Yukio went for his notebook, opened it, and sighed heavily.

“Hey Shura?” Yukio asked weakly.

“Hm? Oh, can’t see, huh? Want me to write for you?” Shura asked. Yukio nodded forlornly, looking thoroughly defeated. Shura sat down next to him, taking the notebook and his pen.

“Right, go ahead four eyes.”

The group settled into camp. Shura and Yukio sat together against the largest tent, going over Yukio’s instructor’s notebook, Shura reading and Yukio whispering back what to write. The majority of the students gathered around the fire, except for Takara who sat near the edge of the protective circle with his puppet, staring into the dark forest.

“The son of Satan.” Ryuji said. “I don’t believe it.”

“He looked around our age.” Konekomaru stated. “Do you think he was born on the Blue Night?”

“You might be on to something there.” Renzo sighed. “I’m exhausted, but I don’t think I can sleep tonight. Not after that.”

“Me too.” Konekomaru said, hugging his knees to his chest.

Silence fell over the group.

“I’m going to turn in.” Izumo announced standing up. “If you all want to stay up telling ghost stories, feel free, just don’t talk too loud.”

Izumo entered her tent, zipping the flap shut behind her.

“Um, I think I’m going to go to bed too.” Shiemi said, standing up and following Izumo to their shared tent.

That left the three boys sitting around the campfire. Konekomaru shivered as a breeze blew through the camp. He pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs.

“Damnit…” Renzo moaned quietly. “I hate this.”

“I’m going to kill him.” Ryuji declared. “I’m going to kill him, and then I’ll kill Satan.”

“Sure buddy.” Renzo said, patting Ryuji on the shoulder.

Chapter Text

Well that could have gone better, Rin thought. Yukio was absolutely terrified of him and Rin was unable to convince him he wasn’t going to hurt him. Rin had never been good with words, so he resorted to what he knew best: teasing and tormenting his little brother. Yukio hadn’t appreciated it (obviously). And then! His friends, the cram school students, had showed up! Rin could barely hold himself back from throwing himself on them and hugging the life out of them (not literally, of course). And then Shura came at him with her sword, and it felt just so much like old times that he drew his sword and sparred with her. But he was much stronger than he was before and accidentally went a little too hard. Rin hoped she would be okay, but thankfully she looked like she would be fine. And then of course Mephisto had to appear and ruin his reunion. Really, it was a complete mess.

Now here Rin was, crying about his problems to Lucifer. The two were sitting at a small round table in a room where one wall was taken up entirely by a window. The view was taken up entirely of blue sky, a layer of thick white clouds down below. An elegant and expensive looking teapot sat in the center of the table. Honestly, it looked more like it was made to be a decoration rather than a functional object. In Rin’s oh so humble opinion, it was worse at pouring tea than the cracked ceramic teapot his dad and the other priests used back at the monastery. Lucifer sipped from his cup slowly as Rin monologued. His new vessel had black hair, just like Rin used to have. Although once Lucifer possessed the body, the hair began growing in white. There were pale white hair at the roots, but the rest was still black. Lucifer now actually looked like he was related to him and Yukio. Rin almost expected to see Yukio every time he caught sight of the demon. It was almost uncanny looking at him. Rin tried not to look at him too long while he was ranting, but every so often he would catch a glimpse of Lucifer out of the corner of his eye. He startled every time, his mind subconsciously thinking it could be Yukio, his little brother, who just so happened to be the subject of his current rant. As he talked, Rin’s tea was left untouched and grew colder every passing minute.

“He has a point you know.” Lucifer said, interrupting Rin’s whining.

“Heh?” Rin said, stopping his ranting.

“Mephisto.” Lucifer clarified. “Your manners are truly atrocious.”

“No fair!” Rin complained. “I know a “gentleman” is supposed to keep his tail hidden or whatever, but it’s so uncomfortable having it tucked! And it throws my balance off! And why the hell are you taking that asshole’s side anyway, huh?!”

“You mean you have been tucking your tail in your clothes?” Lucifer asked with an almost mocking smile, as if Rin was an idiot. I mean, he is, but he didn’t appreciate being called out on it. “Oh dear brother, has our father taught you nothing?”

“Heh?”

“Here, allow me to show you.” Lucifer stood up. He turned, letting Rin see his tail. The fur was a mix of black and white, giving it a salt and pepper look, like an old man who was still in denial that his hair was no longer as dark as it once was.

“Here is my tail, exposed for anyone to grab.” Lucifer said. Then all of a sudden, it was gone. “And now it has been tucked away! Quite simple.”

“Oh.” Rin said, feeling a little stupid.

“Don’t worry, I will teach you little brother.” Lucifer said, sitting back in his chair. “The next time you meet our brother, I’ll have made you into a true gentleman.”

Rin gulped audibly. Oh no, he thought. He didn’t like the look on Lucifer’s face at that moment. Rin glanced towards the door. It may be too late for him to run.

————————

Mephisto sat at his desk, playing on his handheld game when someone knocked on the door.

“Come in!” He called not looking up. Yukio and Shura entered and approached the front of the desk.

“One moment please.” Mephisto said, focused on his game. After a few seconds, he paused and set it down, and looked up. “Well? Do you have your report for me?”

“Sir.” Yukio started, standing at attention, his face a carefully practiced blank expression. “I was administering the exwire test to my students when I saw the emergency flare used to call for extraction from the exam. When I got there I was confronted by the demon who introduced himself as Prince Rinka, the Son of Satan. I engaged in combat with the demon. He… very easily disarmed me, but did not kill or maim myself. He simply toyed with me. My students then appeared, having been drawn by the noise of the battle. At this point, Senior Exorcist First Class Kirigakure revealed herself and engaged in combat with the demon. She was defeated within seconds. Then you, Sir Pheles, appeared and chased the demon away without engaging in combat. End report, Sir.”

“Very good Mister Okumura.” Mephisto purred. He accepted the paper copy of the report from Yukio, glancing at it disinterestedly. “And your report, Miss Kirigakure?

“Me and the cram school students heard Yukio screaming like a little girl, and they all decided to go and help. I followed because I was ordered to keep an eye on the class by the Vatican. When we get there, the Son of Satan is dangling four eyes by the ankle from a tree. I’m forced to blow my cover while trying to scare the guy off, but like Yukio said he just bats me into the dirt. He was saying something about playing? I don’t really know. Then you show up, and you know what happens next.”

“I see.” Mephisto said, taking her report as well, placing it on top of Yukio’s.

“Well? Got anything for us?” Shura asked, crossing her arms.

Mephisto remained quiet for a few seconds. “From what I can tell, the Son of Satan is a first generation nephilim. Not only that, he’s young. I’d say, oh… maybe fifteen?”

Shura narrowed her eyes. “He was born on the Blue Night, wasn’t he.”

“I couldn’t say!” Mephisto declared. “It is mere speculation at this point. However, based on how young he looks, it is very much a possibility.”

“Damn it Mephisto!” Shura smaller her hands on the desk. “How did you not notice this shit!”

Mephisto hummed thoughtfully. “When you report to the Vatican, tell them this. The Son of Satan is able to conceal himself from detection quite well. In fact, I can only sense him when he’s using his demonic powers.”

“So you’re saying he can just pop up out of nowhere whenever?” Shura asked.

“More or less.” Mephisto confirmed.

“Damn it. The higher ups aren’t going to like this.” Shura muttered.

“You can say that again!” A cheerful voice came from behind them.

Shura and Yukio both whirled around in surprise.

“Ah, Paladin Fujimoto.” Mephisto greeted. “You’re early, for once.”

“When the hell’d you get here?” Shura asked.

“Just now.” Shiro replied. “Yukio called me, so I thought I’d pop in.”

Shiro approached the boy, ruffling his hair. Yukio attempted to duck away from the affectionate touch, physically removing his adoptive father’s hand from his head. Yukio glared exasperatedly at the man, smoothing his hair back to normal, and rolled his eyes at him.

“Nice to see you again Shura.” Shiro waved.

“Pft, whatever.” Shura scoffed. “I’m out, I gotta make my report to the Vatican.”

“See you later!” Shiro called after her waving. Shura ignored him, leaving without a word.

“Mister Okumura.” Mephisto said as soon as the other exorcist had left. “Is there anything you would like to tell me? Something you didn’t include in your official report?”

Yukio was silent for a few seconds. “I… the beginning of the report was true. I saw the emergency flare and went to investigate. When I got there, I didn’t see anyone at first, then Prince Rinka appeared behind me. He acted… friendly.”

“Did you engage in combat first or did he?” Mephisto questioned.

“I did.” Yukio admitted. “Then…he got mad, destroyed my guns with his sword. It wasn’t the Kurikara sword, but it was similar in design. Then he… he just started taunting me.”

“Interesting…” Mephisto pondered. “Do you believe he retains his memory from before he left?”

“I don’t know.” Yukio said, averting his eyes. “He acted more… violent towards me than before? But otherwise, his actions and words were very… Rin.”

Shiro wrapped an arm around Yukio’s shoulders and pulled him close. Yukio stiffened a little at the touch, but didn’t pull away.

“Interesting.” Mephisto said. “It is too early to tell if Satan wiped the boy’s memories, but you would say that his personality is more or less still intact?”

“Yes.” Yukio replied. “That is… an accurate assessment.”

“That bodes well for us.” Shiro said. “If he’s still the kind boy he was before, we could probably turn him to our side, memories or not.”

“Perhaps, perhaps…” Mephisto mused. “But alas, it is mere speculation at this point. You boys keep an eye out for him. I have a feeling this won’t be the last we see of him, especially you, Mister Okumura.”

“Yes sir.” Yukio said, snapping to attention, shrugging his dad’s arm off his shoulder.

“If that’s all, Yukio and I should get going.” Shiro said. “I think, after this, we’re gonna need to take the rest of the day off.”

“Dad, I have class.” Yukio protested.

“I’ll exempt you.” Mephisto said, waving his hand.

“Hear that Yukio? You’re gonna be playing hooky with me today!” Shiro laughed, steering his son towards the exit. Yukio continued to protest as they left.

“Oh, by the way…” Mephisto suddenly spoke, causing father and son to turn around. “The Grigori are calling for a meeting of the high council about this. Expect your invitations soon.”

Chapter Text

Several days after the Exwire exam, Yukio found himself standing before all of the highest ranked members of the True Cross Order. The three Grigori, the Paladin (his father), Sir Pheles, and all four of the Order’s Arc Knights, Arthur Angel, Lewin Light, Osceola Redarm, and Lucy Yang. Yukio stood at attention, arms at his side, looking directly ahead. His uniform was pristine and was perfectly within regulations. His face was carefully clear of any emotion, to hide his nervousness.

Shura, on the other hand, was the complete opposite of Yukio. She stood next to him, shoulders relaxed, hand on her hip, glancing around the room. Her face was the picture of boredom. She had her badge clipped to her short shorts, the bare minimum of requirements for official exorcist business. The Order allowed a certain amount of freedom when it came to making adjustments to the uniform, considering the many exorcists with non-human features. Shura however had pushed that rule to the extreme and simply wore whatever she wanted, with the badge clipped on as an afterthought. She claimed that clothing only restricted her movements and shirts made it difficult for her to access her sword. So, she stood in front of every single one of her superiors in as little clothing as she could get away with.

The comparison between them, Shura with her lack of clothes and Yukio, who was practically covered head to toe, only served to make Yukio more nervous somehow. Despite this, Yukio gave his report on what had happened the night of the Exwire’s exam. Shura gave hers as well, only slightly more formal than what she reported to Mephisto.

“I’ve gotta ask, why was Miss Kirigakure planted in the cram school class?” Shiro asked. “What exactly was she investigating, and why wasn’t I made aware of it?”

“She was sent to investigate if you had any kind of connection to Satan.” Lewin Light said. “She was keeping an eye on your son, to see if he knew anything.”

“Uh huh…” Shiro clenched his jaw.

“Of course, she didn’t find anything.” Lewin continued. “But what I want to know is why the Son of Satan chose to make his debut when he did. Why Yukio Okumura? What’s so special about him?”

“I believe I can answer this one.” Mephisto announced.

“I’d also like to know how the Son of Satan got on True Cross Academy’s campus without you noticing.” Lewin said, turning his focus onto the demon. “Or maybe you invited him in?”

“I did no such thing!” Mephisto exclaimed in offence. “If you would allow me to speak, I can explain.”

“Go on then.” Lewin said.

“From my quick assessment of the Son of Satan, I can say several things about him with certainty.” Mephisto announced. “One, he is as he says. The boy carries the blood of Satan in him, and can accurately claim the title as his son. Not only that, but he is the only one of Satan’s children that can wield the blue flames. Two, the boy is half human. And three, he is young. I’d estimate fifteen years old.”

“The Blue Night was fifteen years ago.” Lewin stated.

“Astute observation, Arc Knight!” Mephisto congratulated. “Yes, the birth of the Son of Satan would have been highly noticeable, and the last time I felt that kind of power was on the Blue Night. Considering the boy’s age, it is highly likely that is the night the boy was born. Also, he is well trained. If he had used his powers in Assiah, someone would have noticed, so I must conclude that all of his training took place in Gehenna. He must have been taken there shortly after his birth. But to bring a physical body to Gehenna would mean opening a Gehenna gate, which is something only Satan can do.”

“So is the Son of Satan the one responsible for the Blue Night?” Arc Knight Lucy Yang asked.

“Not directly.” Mephisto answered. “Although Satan’s rampage may have been triggered by the boy’s birth. But without more evidence, we can only speculate.”

Shiro discreetly rubbed the bridge of his nose.

“Now, as I said, the boy is half human and half demon. Meaning he has the instincts of both.” Mephisto continued.

“What does that mean?” Lewin questioned.

“It means he will have a combination of human and demon instincts and behaviors.” Mephisto explained. “From Mister Okumura and Miss Kirigakure’s reports, and my own observations, I can say with confidence that the Son of Satan wasn’t trying to start a fight, but he was instead simply looking for a playmate.”

“A playmate?” Lewin murmured. “Interesting…”

“Mephisto, please explain yourself.” Arc Knight Arthur Angel demanded.

“I will try to keep this as concise as possible for now, but to put it simply, humans and demons are incredibly different from one another. For instance, demons have no innate concept of friendship.” Mephisto explained. “Lower level demons tend to form groups to increase their chances of survival, but upper and king class demons, the kind of demons Prince Rinka likely interacts the most with, are rather antisocial in nature. This is important, because humans are incredibly social by nature, humans literally wither and die if left alone for too long, and this is true of most nephilim as well. While they may not crave social interactions as much as a full blooded human does, they need those social connections more than the most social of demons.”

“So you’re saying that the Son of Satan is lonely.” Lewin stated.

“Precisely!” Mephisto declared, pointing dramatically at the Arc Knight.

“Great. So why Yukio Okumura?” Lewin asked.

“I have no idea.” Mephisto said, smiling knowingly. “However, I can speculate.”

“Go on.” Lewin said.

“To reiterate a little, demons do not have an innate concept of friendship. Young demons do engage in play, however, mostly play fighting. Engaging in this manner of play would only barely fulfill his human desire for social contact. Young Prince Rinka would likely attempt to make friends with his demon playmates, only to be rejected over and over. So the next logical step is to seek out humans to befriend. However, humans are incredibly fragile and weak compared to demons. If we assume that Prince Rinka is aware of this fact, he would seek out a human who is able to withstand playing with him.” Mephisto explained carefully.

“To change subjects a little, we can also assume that all of Prince Rinka’s information about Assiah and humans comes from his father. Which is how he would learn of the existence of the Order.” Mephisto continued. “Young demons play by fighting, so an entire organization of humans trained to fight demons would be enticing for the Son of Satan. But out of all of them, why Yukio Okumura? Let me narrow it down a little.”

“First, Prince Rinka would exclude any adults. I doubt there are many children who prefer to play with adults instead of others their age. This narrows his choices down by a lot. There are only a dozen or so licensed exorcists in the Order of that age. Second, he’d need someone who speaks a language he knows. We know he speaks Japanese and the language of demons, but we don’t know if he knows any others.”

“Wait, pause, the language of demons?” Lewin interrupted.

“Yes, it’s a purely telepathic language, since not all demons have bodies they can use to produce speech.” Mephisto explained. “It’s less words and more… shoving your emotions into someone else’s brain? That’s the best I can describe it.”

“Okay… did he say anything to you that night in the demon language?” Lewin asked. “You didn’t include it in your report, but he must have. How else would you know he speaks the demon language?”

“There’s no direct translation for what he said, but it basically boils down to, “I’m very annoyed with you right now.” It wasn’t important, nor do I think he intended to actually tell me that. You how children are, they just blurt out whatever it is on their mind.” Mephisto explained.

“I see.” Lewin mused.

“Ahem!” Mephisto cleared his throat. “So! Prince Rinka is looking for a playmate who is human, is trained to fight demons, is similar in age, and can speak the same language as him. The last and final criteria is that Yukio Okumura is the son of the Paladin, Father Shiro Fujimoto.”

“How is this my fault now?” Shiro asked sarcastically.

“Like I keep saying, humans and demons are fundamentally different from one another.” Mephisto explained. “When a demon has a child, it is expected that the child will have the same powers, and eventually, become as strong as the parent. It becomes a little more complicated when there is more than one parent, but you get the idea. It is no secret that Yukio’s father is the Paladin, the title that is reserved only for the most powerful exorcist in the Order. Since Mister Okumura only has one parent, Prince Rinka likely assumed that when he is fully grown, he will become as powerful as the Paladin, since that is how it works for demons.”

“To summarize…” Mephisto continued. “I believe that Prince Rinka is unfamiliar with humans, and assumes they are more similar to demons than they actually are, which is what led him to single out Yukio Okumura as his choice of playmate.”

“However!” Mephisto declared, turning to look at Shura and Yukio. “While Mister Okumura proved to be… a poor choice, so to say, he found someone else that day.”

“Huh? Me?” Shura asked, suddenly paying attention, a shocked look on her face. She pointed to herself with one finger as she said this.

“Yes! That little fight you had with him? That was just him trying to play.” Mephisto announced. “I believe he’ll try to seek you out again.”

“Damnit, just my luck.” Shura groaned quietly, massaging her head.

“Does that mean he’ll leave Yukio alone?” Shiro asked.

“Unlikely.” Mephisto shook his head. “If Prince Rinka went through all that trouble to specifically seek out Mister Okumura, it’s unlikely he would give up on him that quickly. When a demon fixates on something, they don’t let go without good reason.”

“Speaking from experience?” Lewin jabbed.

“Is there any way to ward against Satan’s spawn?” One of the Grigori asked.

“No, there is currently no ward or spell that humanity wields that can defend against a king class demon. As a nephilim, Prince Rinka is the weakest of the king class demons, but he still counts as one. He could even kill me if he was smart about it and determined enough.” Mephisto said.

“Oh, I almost forgot, how’d he sneak into the school?” Lewin asked. “The wards you put up are some of the strongest in the world. How the hell did he get so far in without you noticing?”

“He’s using a spell to conceal himself.” Mephisto explained. “So long as he doesn’t use his demonic powers, I can’t sense him unless he’s standing right next to me.”

“That’s awfully convenient." Lewin remarked.

“Your report states that the Son of Satan fled from the scene after you appeared.” The Arc Knight Osceola Redarm said. “If he is as powerful as you claim, why did he give in to your demands so easily?”

“Yes, with a proper plan and enough determination the Son of Satan could kill me.” Mephisto said. “That being said, I am still stronger than him. A fight with me simply wasn’t worth the effort at the moment.”

“I see. Thank you.” Redarm said.

“You’re welcome.” Mephisto accepted the thanks gracefully. “Are there any more questions?”

“Actually, I have one.” Lewin spoke up. “You said earlier that to bring the Son of Satan’s physical body to Gehenna, a Gehenna gate needed to be opened. Can you sense when that happens?”

“Yes.” Mephisto said.

“So in order for him to go from Gehenna to Assiah, another Gehenna gate needed to be opened.” Lewin continued. “So if you could feel that happen, why didn’t you report it?”

“Ah, you see, dear Arc Knight, I did report it.” Mephisto purred.

“Oh really?”

“Yes. You see, while Satan is the only one capable of creating Gehenna gates, natural Gehenna gates open and close all the time.” Mephisto explains. “I report them when I sense them, although I admit if it is small and only stays open for less than five or so seconds I will neglect to report it.”

“Hmmm…” Lewin hummed to himself.

“Sir Pheles.” One of the Grigori spoke up. “Considering the situation, we would appreciate it if you could start including the smaller natural Gehenna gates in your reports as well.”

“Very well.” Mephisto agreed. “In the meantime, might I suggest the Order focuses its research on wards that can effectively contain king class demons and nephilim?”

“If something works on you, will it work on the kid?” Lewin asked.

“It depends.” Mephisto said. “Wards don’t typically work on humans the same way they work on demons. In fact, there are very few anti-human wards in existence, but they do exist. To contain Prince Rinka, you might need to ward against both humans and demons.”

“I see… sounds like fun!” Lewin announced. “I want in on the ward research.”

“Very well, Arc Knight Light.” One of Grigori said. “Since Sir Pheles is the only demon in the Order classified as a king class demon, he will need to be involved with the project as well. The research will have to take place at the Japan branch.”

“Splendid!” Mephisto exclaimed. “We can have the cram school students participate as well. Since their teacher is now the subject of Prince Rinka’s obsession, they will have the best chance of being able to test the new wards.”

“I’ll join the team too.” Shiro volunteered. “Although I don’t really know anything about creating spells or wards. I just happen to live nearby. It’d be a waste not to help.”

“Is that the real reason you want to help?” Lewin questioned.

“In my humble opinion,” Mephisto said, lowering his voice as if about to deliver some juicy gossip. “I believe he has a more personal investment in this project. After what happened to his eldest son, I believe he would do anything to keep the other one safe.”

Shiro gave the demon a glare that would have killed any other person.

“Ooohh, I see.” Lewin hummed, looking between Shiro and Mephisto.

Shiro stood up with a loud angry sigh. His chair was pushed back with a loud scrape against the floor. “Are we done here? Or are we just going to sit around and gossip about my personal life all day?”

“I believe this concludes the meeting.” One of the Grigori announced. “Exorcist Kirgakure, Exorcist Okumura, you are dismissed. Please, keep the details of this meeting to yourselves.”

“Yes sir.” Yukio saluted. He turned on his heel and marched stiffly out the meeting room. Shura gave a lazy salute and followed.

“So how you feeling after that?” Shura asked Yukio once the doors closed behind them.

Before Yukio could answer, the doors of the meeting room opened again. Shiro stepped through.

“Hey Yukio, wait up!” Shiro said, jogging to catch up with the two.

He slowed down to a walk once next to Yukio, on the other side of him from Shura. The three continued down the hallway as they talked.

“So, how are you feeling kid?” Shiro asked.

“Why is everyone asking me that?” Yukio wondered, aggravated. Shiro shared a glance with Shura over Yukio’s head.

“It was a rough meeting.” Shura said. “And no one likes it when people talk about you directly in front of you like you’re not even there.”

“Yeah kid, what she said.” Shiro agreed.

Yukio sighed. “I’m fine.”

Shura raised a suspicious eyebrow, but quickly dropped it. “Well, that’s good.”

“C’mon Yukio, why don’t you and I go out and get something good to eat.” Shiro said. “You pick, anything you want, I’ll pay.”

“Really, I’m fine.” Yukio complained.

“And what if I’m not fine, huh?” Shiro asked playfully. “Are you gonna come hang out with your old man to make him feel better?”

Yukio rolled his eyes. “You don’t look very upset.”

“How could my own son say that!” Shiro complained. “Betrayal of the highest order! My own son thinks I’m lying!”

Shiro throws an arm around Yukio’s shoulder, leaning on him. Yukio stumbled from the sudden weight, almost bumping into Shura. She takes a step back from the pair as Shiro playfully hassles Yukio.

“Well, you two look busy.” Shura comments. “I’m gonna head out now. See ya later, four eyes.”

“O-oh, goodbye Shura.” Yukio replies.

Shura branched off from the group, heading in another direction. The two continued to walk in silence for a few seconds. Footsteps echoed down the hall behind them as the rest of the council dispersed.

“Yukio, are you really okay?” Shiro asked, his voice serious now.

“I’m fine.” Yukio stressed. “You don’t need to keep asking, my answer’s not going to change.”

“Alright, alright…” Shiro said defensively. “But if you change your mind later, just give me a call, alright?”

“I’m fine.” Yukio said firmly.

The two were quiet for a moment.

“So, where do you want to go?” Shiro asked. “I was serious about that, I’ll buy you whatever you want, ice cream, sushi, anything.”

“I’d like to go back to my dorm actually.” Yukio said. “I have homework to do.”

“Aw, you’re no fun.” Shiro complained. “Fine, if you want to be alone, I’ll leave you be. Just come and visit your poor old man when there’s not an emergency for once, okay?”

“Okay dad.” Yukio replied.

Chapter Text

Yukio laid on his bed on top of the covers, his eyes closed. His glasses sat neatly on his desk. The lights in his dorm were off, but the curtains were thin enough to allow the sunlight to slowly filter through, illuminating the room to a comfortable brightness. Given the time of day, the dorm was quiet. Yukio was lucky enough to be allowed to have his own room, but the walls were thin. Most of the students were still in class giving Yukio a brief moment of respite. He had intended to use this time to catch up on work, but he had been unable to focus. Despite how still he laid on his bed, his mind was racing a thousand miles an hour. Those moments in that dark forest flashed behind his eyelids over and over. Yukio couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Yukio was devastated when Rin disappeared. It was the reason he applied to get his own room. He couldn’t bear the thought of sharing a room again. It would hurt if it wasn’t with Rin. Despite that pain he had carried with him for the past three years, Yukio preferred it to whatever this feeling was. It was better to not know what exactly happened to his brother. It was better to pretend that Rin had died. It was better not knowing that his brother had become a monster. A demon. It was straight out of Yukio’s worst nightmares. Rin had become corrupted by his demon half. That much was clear to Yukio. He knew that his dad still believed that Rin could still be saved, could be uncorrupted. Yukio, however, was a realist. There was nothing human left in his brother. All that was left of him was demonic instincts and emotions. Or whatever passed for emotion in demons.

Mephisto had been clear in the meeting that Rinka was acting out of some demonic instinct, not a human one. While Yukio begrudgingly accepted that the demon was more knowledgeable on the subject of demon instincts than him, he adamantly refused to believe that Mephisto knew anything about human behavior. Yukio silently scoffed as he remembered Mephisto’s claim that humans needed social contact for survival. That was blatantly untrue. I mean, both Yukio and Rin never had any real friends when growing up and they both turned out fine! But for some reason, no one at the meeting objected or attempted to correct the demon about his misconceptions and thus allowed Mephisto to present his flawed deduction on Rinka’s behavior. Yukio knew he was smarter than the average person, but it completely boggled his mind to think that the leaders of the Order didn’t know such a basic fact about humanity. Or, more likely, they did know that Mephisto was wrong and simply wanted to hear his theory. To see how deep of a hole he could dig himself into. After all, it was well known that the other leaders didn’t trust the demon. They probably just wanted to see if he would reveal anything they could use against him.

Yukio ran over his entire interaction with Rinka in his head, trying to pinpoint anything at all that could give him a hint of his true motivations. He for sure as hell wasn’t trying to “play” with Yukio. So what did he want with Yukio? Maybe he was checking to see if Yukio had developed any of Satan’s power. Rinka could have been in and out, taking Yukio with him before Mephisto could easily react. Considering how long it took the older demon to appear on the scene, if that had been a genuine attempt to drag Yukio to Gehenna he likely wouldn’t still be here. No, it was more likely a test. But why? Why after all these years was Satan going after Yukio? He already took Rin, was it not enough? And what was his plan? Yukio had too many questions and not enough evidence to start speculating.

Yukio's head was starting to hurt. He tried to force himself to think of something else, anything else. He was unsuccessful, his thoughts returning to the moment he met Rinka. Turning around and seeing his brother’s face, older, but the same, wreathed in that sickening blue light. The horror as he realized what had happened to his brother. The way the grin turned from playful to cruel without the demon’s face changing once Yukio realized that it wasn’t Rin, but a demon. Because there was no way a demon would be happy to see him, even if it was once his brother. Demons and humans are nothing alike. Demons do not feel affection or love or any of the emotions that make someone human. That thing wearing Rin’s face was not Yukio’s brother, no matter how much it insisted it was. Yukio wouldn’t fall for its lies. That’s all demons did after all, lie. They lied and they hurt and they killed. And although Yukio wasn’t hurt too badly physically speaking, just remembering seeing his brother’s face being twisted and perverted by that monster made Yukio feel as if his heart was being ripped out of his chest.

For years, Yukio had lied awake at night, wondering what happened to Rin, what was happening to him at that very moment, if he would be the same when he came back, if he would ever come back at all. He imagined all of the things that could have happened and it hurt. Yukio desperately wished he could know what Rin was going through. He believed it would give him some peace, that it would allow his imagination to finally stop running wild and allow him to rest. He had considered the possibility that Rin would be corrupted and turned into a demon, a monster like their sire. Never in a million years did Yukio actually think he would get any kind of confirmation. Now that he had it, Yukio regretted knowing. It was better not knowing what happened to his brother if it meant he could preserve Rin’s memory of who he was before. Seeing Rinka in that forest had shattered that memory, that dream, that Rin could still be human, could still come back home to him. That life could go back to normal.

Yukio turned on his side, facing the wall. He curled his arms and legs towards his center. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter as they grew moist. Yukio was unable to stop a quiet sob from leaving his throat. He brought a hand up to cover his mouth, muffling any other noises. The dorm was silent. There was no one around to hear him cry. But still, Yukio wasn’t a child anymore. He shouldn’t be so damn weak. He knew, logically, that Rin would become this. Yet it was somehow a surprise. Yukio was supposed to be the smart one and yet he was so caught off guard by the most obvious outcome. He wished that his brother had died that night three years ago instead. Then at least he wouldn’t have turned into that monster. Yukio felt disgusted by wishing his brother dead. But that disgust and self hatred wasn’t anything new. He always knew he was worthless, useless, and a complete failure. He was supposed to be strong, to protect his brother, but he couldn’t even do that. If only he could have been strong like Rin then maybe things would have turned out different.

Yukio’s quiet sobs filled the room, unable to stop them this time. A damp patch formed on his pillow case as tears leaked from his closed eyes. Yukio hated not being able to control his own body like this. If only he was stronger. If only he could have protected Rin.

————————

Yukio entered the classroom a minute before the cram school class began. Right on time, not a moment too early or late. The students were all already present and seated. The quiet conversations paused for a moment as they looked towards the door, then quickly resumed. Yukio moved behind the teacher’s desk at the front of the room and placed his bag on the desk. He watched the clock on the wall, waiting for the minute hand to move. Once class had officially started, he cleared his throat, causing all the students to stop talking and look up at him.

“Good morning class.” Yukio said. “I have some announcements to make before class starts.”

“Does it have to do with the Aria research team?” Ryuji asked, raising his hand.

“Yes, Mister Suguro.” Yukio replied. “As you all may have heard, the Japan branch of the Knights of the True Cross Order is hosting a research team. Their goal is to develop a ward or spell that can contain or repel the Son of Satan and king class demons. That being said, this class is expected to play a role in that research.”

“How are we supposed to help? Not all of us want to become Arias.” Izumo complained.

“We will not be helping in making the ward, but testing it.” Yukio explained. “It was determined that the people in this class, myself included, have the highest chance of encountering Prince Rinka. Therefore, if you see him again, you are being asked to test if the ward or spell actually works on him.”

“Woah woah woah!” Renzo exclaimed. “We’re expected to just stand there and chant while he tries to kill us? And what if it doesn’t even work?! That’s literally insane!”

“I’m aware, Mister Shima.” Yukio said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “However, it is a risk we must take. We are likely the only ones he will show himself to.”

“Um, how do they know that?” Konekomaru raised his hand. “How can they possibly predict his behavior with so little information?”

“It is just speculation at the moment.” Yukio admitted. “I can’t reveal all of the details to you just yet, but based on what Sir Pheles told us about the general behavior of king and upper class demons, that is our best guess.”

“I-I see.” Konekomaru stuttered.

“Any other questions?” Yukio asked. “Good. The next announcement is that the Arc Knight Lewin Light will be teaching a class here at the cram school.”

Gasps were heard across the classroom.

“This class is optional and will not cover material on your exorcist exams.” Yukio continued. “He will be teaching how to create new spells, magic circles, and wards. Other exorcists will be attending this class as well. The subject material may very well be above your skill level, but you have all been invited to join.”

“Lightning is coming to the cram school?” Renzo asked. “Man, that’s so cool!”

“Also, we will be having a new teacher join the regular cram school staff.” Yukio continued. “Miss Shura Kirigakure will be teaching swordsmanship, martial arts, and hand to hand combat.”

“That’s Mister- Um! I-I mean, Miss Yamada’s real name, right?” Shiemi asked.

“Correct, Miss Moriyama.” Yukio confirmed. “She was sent to observe the cram school by the Vatican, so she’ll be staying for the time being.”

“That’s wild, to think that hoodie guy was secretly a hot chick.” Renzo said. “Hey, puppet kid, you got any big secrets?”

Takara didn’t answer, or even look at Renzo.

“Cut it out, Shima.” Ryuji scolded.

“Can’t a guy just ask a question?” Renzo grumbled.

“That is all of the announcements I have, so if you are done talking, we will begin class now.” Yukio announced, staring pointedly at Renzo.

“Uh! Yes sir.” Renzo said, burying his face in his textbook.

The rest of class continued without a hitch. The next day as the exwires arrived at the cram school, it was noticeably crowded. Dozens of exorcists crammed into their classroom and many more stood in the hallway outside.

“Man, is everyone here for Lightning’s class?” Ryuji wondered out loud, twisting in his seat to look at the crowded classroom.

“It’s not everyday you get to learn from a master like him.” Renzo shrugged.

“I honestly expected you to skip Shima.” Konekomaru said. “I mean, it’s not like this is going to be on the exorcist exam.”

“Yeah, but I’m still going for an Aria meister.” Renzo shrugged. “Even if it all goes over my head, it might be helpful if I can absorb even the tiniest piece of information.”

“Wow, look at you being responsible.” Konekomaru nodded sagely. “That has to be one of the signs of the apocalypse.”

“Hey!” Renzo protested.

The door to the classroom opened, and the Arc Knight Lewin “Lightning” Light came strolling in. Everyone grew quiet and watched as the man entered the room.

“Wow what a turn out!” Lewin exclaimed. “I can’t believe you’re all here to see little old me! Anyway, let’s get this party started.”

Lewin began class, but as time progressed, more and more exorcists left. By the end, only the cram school students remained. The only one still taking notes was Ryuji. Renzo had passed out and was currently drooling on the desk, a damp patch forming on his notes. Shiemi was dead to the world around her, her head spinning from all of the new information.

“Man, am I that bad a teacher?” Lewin asked when he finally turned around and saw the mostly empty classroom.

“I think all that information made their heads hurt.” Konekomaru said. “My head hurts, and I didn’t even understand most of it.”

“Ah well, it is what it is.” Lewin shrugged. “Hey, I could actually use a favor. I haven’t been to the Japan branch in a while and need some help cleaning out my old room. Preferably someone who can lift heavy things.”

“I’ll go.” Ryuji immediately volunteered.

“Great! So… who are you?” Lewin asked.

Chapter Text

Yukio ducked under the yellow caution tape and approached the exorcists on the scene.

“Exorcist Yukio Okumura, Middle First Class.” Yukio said, presenting his ID card.

“Mister Okumura.” The exorcist pushing back the crowd greeted him. “Right over here.”

Yukio approached two exorcists sitting on the ground that the other exorcist had motioned to. The woman was a doctor, tending to the other exorcist. The man was older, with streaks of gray hair and wrinkles in the corner of his eyes. He looked to be in bad shape.

Yukio introduced himself again to the pair. “Can either of you tell me what happened here?”

Todo looked up at Yukio, a mixture of pain, fear, and guilt on his face.

“Right!” Todo said. He then grunted softly with pain, leaning forward.

“Sir, please take it easy.” The doctor next to him urged.

“I’m fine.” Todo said. He looked up at Yukio.

“I’m Saburoto Todo, Senior Exorcist Second Class. I’m also the warden of the Deep Keep under True Cross Academy.” Todo stammered. “They store dangerous artifacts that can’t be destroyed safely down there. A thief broke in and stole an artifact known as the Left Eye of the Impure King.”

“I thought the Deep Keep has some of the strongest magical barriers in the academy.” Yukio questioned.

“It is, but somehow the thief got in and stole the eye anyway.” Todo replied. “He wore a gas mask and thick cloak so I couldn’t tell who it was. Myself and the highest ranking members of the Keep’s guard tracked them down to an alley nearby, but when we had him cornered… he used a boy as a shield and released the eye’s miasma and escaped. He ran into that building with the hostage.”

Todo looked around at the scene on the street. “The miasma he released is incredibly potent. So far over thirty people have been infected, civilians included. We don’t have enough doctors to treat all of them. That boy was exposed to the full force of the miasma, and if he isn’t already dead he will be soon.”

Todo’s face was contorted in a mix of guilt and fear. Yukio carefully prevented any emotion from creeping into his own face.

“If the thief gets away, it’s all over!” Todo cried. “This is the biggest failure in my entire career! It’s all my fault!”

“Calm down Mister Todo.” Yukio said, carefully keeping his own expression blank. “This was clearly a planned and coordinated attack. I’m sure you did the best you could.”

Yukio turned towards the other exorcist nearby. “Do you have hazmat suits? I’m going to go in.”

The other exorcist pointed Yukio to where the protective equipment was being kept. He quickly got dressed and prepared to enter the building. Just before he could, he was stopped by another person in a hazmat suit running up behind him.

“Wait!” Todo cried. “I’m coming too.”

“Are you well enough?” Yukio asked, surprised. The man had appeared too weak to stand earlier.

“This happened on my watch. I… it’s my duty, I have to fix this.” Todo said.

“Of course.” Yukio nodded. “Stay behind me.”

Yukio took up the wooden cage containing a small bird and entered the building, Todo following close behind him. Coal tars were thick in the air.

“I heard you have an interesting past, Mister Yukio.” Todo said, trying to make small talk. “But also that you've become quite the talented exorcist, and at such a young age.”

“Yes. I’ve also heard about you, Mister Todo.” Yukio said. “Your family has guarded the Deep Keep for several generations, correct?”

“Yes… that’s true.” Todo said. The two fell into an awkward silence after that.

On the second floor, the bird suddenly stopped chirping.

“There’s miasma nearby.” Yukio said, drawing his gun. “Be on your guard. The eye must be nearby.”

The two turned a corner and froze. At the end of the hallway near a window was the thief and the hostage. The boy was lying on the ground, unconscious but breathing. A gleaming glass bottle was grasped tightly in the cloaked figure’s hand. Inside was something small, black, and round.

“Stop! You are under arrest by the authority of the True Cross Order!” Yukio yelled, pointing his gun at them.

The thief held the child against their chest like a shield.

“Be careful Mister Okumura! Don’t hit the boy!” Todo urged nervously behind him.

“Put the child down.” Yukio said firmly to the thief. “You don’t want his blood on your hands.”

Slowly, the masked thief lowered the unconscious child to the ground.

“Thank you, now, please put your hands-“ Yukio started to say, but cut himself off as the thief suddenly started moving forward slowly.

“Don’t move!” Yukio yelled. The thief ignored the warning and continued to advance towards the pair.

“Another step and I shoot!” Yukio yelled again. He was ignored a second time.

Yukio shot the figure. It exploded into black particles and vanished. The glass bottle in their hand fell.

“No!” Yukio yelled and lunged to catch it. The bottle shattered against the floor. Yukio examined the shattered remains and carefully picked up the small object now rolling around the floor.

“It’s a fake.” Yukio said with surprise.

Yukio grunted as a boot slammed into the middle of his back. He ducked into a roll to prevent being pushed to the ground and turned to face his attacker.

“Todo! What do you think you’re doing?” Yukio exclaimed.

“Oops.” Todo said. Yukio couldn’t see his face, but he could hear the grin in his voice. “I guess the jig is up.”

Todo tore off his hazmat suit with a strength greater than what a human should possess. Yukio noted that the man had changed. He had long and furry ears and a thin black tail. His fingernails had turned into claws, his teeth sharp and his canines long like fangs. He was surrounded by a thin black cloud of dust. Likely rot particles, given the situation.

“Still, I can keep you busy for a bit longer.” Todo said.

“Are you possessed?” Yukio asked.

“Nah.” Todo said, his posture casual. He moved with inhuman speed, knocking Yukio to the ground. He swiftly twisted his arm behind his back and pinned him to the ground with a knee. Yukio cried out in pain.

“Anyway, when I saw you outside, I knew I needed to get you alone. So I could talk to you.” Todo explained.

“I don’t give a damn about what you have to say.” Yukio growled.

“You know, when I was your age I was a lot like you.” Todo started monologuing. “My family decided what course my life would take the moment I was born. They didn’t care about what I wanted or who I would become. They didn’t care that I had my own dreams and I never complained. I was a good dog and did whatever they told me to. I took the job they chose for me, I rose through the ranks, I even married the woman my parents chose for me. I lived my life the way I was supposed to. And you know what I have to show for a lifetime of obedience? Nothing.”

Yukio twitched, emotions churning, but he stayed silent.

“I live my entire life the way I was told to, but one day I realized, it wasn’t really my life. Not really, anyway. I was just a dog for the Order.” Todo said. He gave Yukio a cruel smile. “You know, Mister Okumura, you and I are not that different from each other.”

“We are nothing alike!” Yukio yelled angrily, cutting off the last part of Todo’s sentence.

Todo chuckled at his reaction. “Wow, such anger. That really hit a nerve, didn’t it? I was right, you’re also tired of being a dog to the Order, just living your life the way they tell you to, always following orders and nothing else.”

“That’s not true.” Yukio growled. “You know nothing about me.”

“I had nothing.” Todo continued his monologue. “My life was meaningless. I decided the best thing was for me to admit how I really felt. My parents, my siblings, the Order, I hated them all. And once I admitted that I felt wonderful. It was like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. A missing piece of myself had been found and put into place. It was… enlightenment.”

“You’re weak.” Yukio gasped. “You aren’t enlightened, you just gave into the temptations of a demon.”

“Demons are not the only cause of evil in this world. There’s darkness in the hearts of all humans.” Todo explained gently, as if talking to a small child. “Are you afraid to acknowledge yours, boy?”

Yukio didn’t respond.

“Aren’t you tired of being nice, Mister Okumura?” Todo asked. “Aren’t you tired of being the Order’s bitch?”

“You’re insane.” Yukio growled.

Todo’s watch began to beep.

“Looks like we’re out of time.” The man sighed. He stood up, releasing Yukio from his hold. “But before I go, I’d like to say how happy I am to have had this chat with you. If what I said doesn’t make sense to you, give it time, it’ll come to you.”

Todo walked over to the window at the end of the hall.

“When you do, I’ll be here to welcome you, Yukio Okumura.” Todo said, fading into the shadows.

Yukio pushed himself up. After making sure Todo was actually gone, he ran over to the unconscious boy. He was in bad condition, Yukio noted. He had to treat him here or he would die.

Yukio retrieved his tools with shaking hands. He attempted to remove the first boil, but stopped. The gloves of the hazmat suit were too thick, and the air was stale. Yukio felt like he couldn’t breathe. Against better judgement, Yukio unzipped his hazmat suit and removed his mask and gloves. Without them, it was easier to hold his tools, but his hands still shook.

“Get a hold of yourself.” Yukio whispered to himself. His lungs burned from the miasma, but it was still somehow better than the stale air of the hazmat suit.

Carefully and slowly Yukio worked on the boy, removing the boils one by one. Once he was sure the boy was no longer in danger, Yukio packed away his tools, tied the upper half of his hazmat suit around his waist, and gently lifted the boy in his arms. Yukio carried him back into the street and handed him to the paramedics that came rushing forward.

Everything after that was a bit of a blur. The boy’s mother came and gave him thanks he didn’t deserve. The paramedics insisted on treating his exposure to the miasma, despite Yukio’s protests that he could do it himself and that they should be helping someone else. The other exorcists on the scene had seen the thief and Todo fleeing, but were unable to catch either of them. Yukio grimaced at the news.

“What do we do now?” One asked.

“We need to clean up the rest of the miasma and find out what they plan on doing with the eye.” Yukio said. “Find an expert on the subject immediately, but make sure they aren’t also a traitor.”

The exorcist left after that, leaving Yukio in the middle of the street being fussed over by paramedics who refused to let him leave. Once he finally escaped, he returned to his dorm room. He locked the door, then collapsed onto his bed. He was exhausted, and not just physically.

“I’m nothing like him.” Yukio muttered to himself. Even to his own ears, the statement sounded weak.

Chapter Text

“I can believe you got an apprenticeship with Lightning, Bon.” Konekomaru said as he and the others boarded the train.

The three boys all sat together on the third row from the front on the left side of the train. Ryuji sat in the window seat, Konekomaru in the middle, and Renzo in the aisle seat. Izumo and Shiemi sat in the row in front of them. Izumo sat in the aisle seat, and Shiemi squeezed past her to sit in the window seat. The last member of the cram school class, Takara, was already sitting when they arrived. The rest of the seats at the back half of the train were full with an entire army’s worth of uniformed exorcists.

“Me neither.” Ryuji admitted. “I’m still not entirely sure why he agreed to take me as his apprentice, but I’m not complaining. The man is brilliant. I’ve already learned so much from him and it’s only been a few days.”

“Is he coming on this trip?” Konekomaru asked.

“No, Master is staying behind to focus on the research.” Ryuji explained. “Although I would have liked to see him in action for real.”

“You should have been on that phone call when I told our families about it.” Renzo said. “Before I told them it was with Lightning, they basically accused you of whoring yourself out to some rando exorcist.”

Izumo quietly choked on her spit from the row in front of the boys, passing it off as a cough.

“Man, I can’t wait for this trip to be over.” Ryuji grumbled.

“You don’t want to visit home?” Konekomaru asked. “Don’t you miss everyone?”

“I do, but they're just going to be nagging me the entire time.” Ryuji complained.

“Amen to that.” Renzo agreed. “It’s all, when are you going to get your life together Renzo, when are you going to start taking things seriously Renzo, oh Renzo, I want more grandkids but not just yet so be careful!”

“Wait, did your mom seriously say that last bit?” Ryuji asked, shocked.

“Huh? Oh yeah, totally. I mean, sure I go chasing girls a lot, but it’s not like I ever pull any.” Renzo complained. “Seriously, when have I ever actually brought home a girl, huh?”

“So what you’re saying is you’ve got no bitches?” Konekomaru asked mischievously.

Izumo actually laughed at that, catching herself a second too late, and turning the aborted laugh into a snort then a coughing fit.

“Ha ha, very funny Konekomaru.” Renzo rolled his eyes. “And for your information, you don’t have any bitches either. And you neither Kamiki! So stop laughing!”

“Oh please, I can get all the bitches I want.” Izumo bragged, turning to look between the seats at the boys behind her. “I’m just not interested in dating at the moment.”

Renzo sputtered. “Wha- not interested?! Pft, you’re lying, you’re just as maidenless as the rest of us.”

“No, no, she has a point.” Konekomaru considered. “People like the bad girl aesthetic. Tough on the outside, secretly soft on the inside… I mean, look at Paku.”

“What?!” Izumo screeched, turning her body fully and kneeling on the seat so that she could see over the headrest. “Noriko isn’t into me like that!”

“I dunno… he has a point.” Renzo teased.

“Hmm, no it’s more like… Paku has the vibe of someone who used to have a crush on you and later lost those feelings, or someone who thought they had a crush but later realized that’s not what that feeling was?” Konekomaru rambled, his face growing redder and redder as it became clear no one else knew what he was talking about, but finished his sentence anyway because he had dug himself a hole and now he must lie in it.

“The fuck is that supposed to mean?!” Izumo demanded, her face bright red.

“Ah, nevermind.” Konekomaru quickly dismissed, avoiding any and all eye contact with his confused friends and the angered Izumo.

“No, not nevermind.” Izumo insisted. “Explain yourself right this instant!”

The door at the front of the train slammed open. Shura strutted into the train car from the front door, slamming it behind her. She stuck two fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly. A hush quickly fell over the car as conversations came to a stop. Izumo shot one last glare at Konekomaru before dropping back into her seat to listen.

“Alright people! I’m gonna be leading this group, so everyone listen up!” Shura announced. “As you might already know the Left Eye of the Impure King was stolen yesterday by Saburota Todo, former exorcist of the True Cross Order. The Right Eye is apparently being kept in Kyoto. The Kyoto keep was attacked yesterday and they didn’t manage to steal the eye, but a lot of people were injured.”

Ryuji clenched his fists at the news. Konekomaru looked at him with worry.

“If the thief gets their hands on the other eye, they can use it to revive the Impure King. We have orders from the Vatican to stop that from happening at any cost. Oh, and if you find the missing eye, make sure to bring it back, it’s dangerous enough on its own. Uh, yeah that’s all I’ve got.”

Shura dumped herself in the nearest seat, the first row aisle seat, one row in front of where Izumo and Shiemi sat. She immediately pulled out her Switch and booted up her game. The train car slowly returned to conversation.

“Geez, the Impure King? What a drag.” Renzo complained.

“Um, sorry, but what’s the Impure King?” Shiemi asked, peaking over the top of her seat.

“It’s one of the highest level rot demons after the King of Rot, Astaroth.” Ryuji explained. “It’s probably the second strongest rot demon in existence. It was defeated over one hundred fifty years ago by my ancestors and the help of a legendary flame spirit who inhabited the Kurikara sword. But the sword was stolen around the time the three of us were born.”

“Oh wow…” Shiemi said.

“Do you know who stole it?” Shura asked, looking up from her game. “If we can get it back, it’d be a huge help.”

“My father stole it.”

The group turned to see Yukio Okumura walking towards the seats in the front. He scoots past Shura and sits one seat away from her, next to the window.

“Wait, isn’t your dad the Paladin?” Renzo asked.

“Yeah, what the hell Yukio?” Shura demands. “What do you mean the old man took it? Does he still have it?”

“He borrowed it for a mission.” Yukio explained. “And it was stolen from him about three years ago.”

“Damn…” Shura muttered. “I’d ask how you lose something so important like that, but it doesn’t seem very hard given how many times it’s been stolen.”

“What kind of mission?” Ryuji demanded.

“I don’t know, I don’t have that kind of clearance.” Yukio explained. “It was a top secret mission. The only reason I know he had it was because he told me about it once.”

“Do you know who stole it? The second time, that is.” Konekomaru asked.

“No, we never found out.” Yukio shook his head.

“Three years ago, huh?” Shura murmured, side eyeing Yukio. He silently gave her a look of warning. She pretended not to see and went back to her game.

The group sat in silence for a few minutes until another person joined the group, sitting in the seat between Shura and Yukio.

“What’s up you two?” Shiro asked.

Soft gasps could be heard from the exwires behind them.

“Yo, that’s the Paladin!” Renzo whisper-yelled.

“Dude, shut up!” Ryuji hissed back, giving Renzo a glare, warning him not to embarrass himself or Ryuji in front of such a high ranking exorcist.

“I’m just catching up on some work.” Yukio said. “We have some time before we reach Kyoto.”

“Can’t you ever relax for once?” Shiro complained.

Shura huffed, then stood up and moved seats to the window seat across the aisle.

“What’s her problem?” Izumo muttered.

Shiemi shrugged cluelessly.

“Welp, I’m gonna take a nap.” Shiro announced, ignoring everything else happening. “Wake me up when we get there.”

The cram school students were quiet for a few seconds. Of course, Renzo had to ruin that.

“Wait, I just thought of something.” Renzo said suddenly. “About what we were talking about earlier.”

“Which part?” Konekomaru asked.

“Do you think Mister Okumura would be willing to teach us some, uh, tricks? I mean, have you seen how many bitches he pulls in on a daily basis?” Renzo asked.

Yukio burst into a sudden coughing fit. Shiro exploded into a full body cackle at his son’s embarrassment.

“Renzo!” Ryuji angrily scolded his friend, reaching over Konekomaru to grab Renzo’s ear.

“Ow! Ow! Cut it out man!” Renzo yelled. “That hurts!”

“Then stop saying dumb shit in front of our superiors!” Ryuji scolded.

“Fine! I yield! I yield!” Renzo yelled. Ryuji let go and Renzo sighed in relief.

The group was quiet again for a few moments, until…

“So Yukio, how many bitches DO you pull in a day?” Shiro asked. “And do you think you can share your techniques with your old man?”

Yukio gathered his things, stood up, and went to sit next to Shura.

Chapter Text

The group entered the chaotic building. The other exorcists flooded past them and disappeared to their assigned jobs. The exwires stopped at the entrance as the Kyoto exorcists welcoming everyone recognized Ryuji. One even ran off to go fetch others from further inside to come greet the teen. Ryuji was doing his best to escape from the cascade of greetings.

“This is your family’s inn, right Mister Suguro?” Yukio asked curiously.

“Yup.” Ryuji replied, unusually terse, a strained friendly smile on his face.

“Ryuji! Is that you?” A woman called, approaching the group.

“Hi mom.” Ryuji greeted her. He leaned in for a hug. Instead of reciprocating, his mother grabbed the streak of blond hair on his head, pulling on it hard. Ryuji yelped in pain.

“Ryuji! What the hell did you do to your hair!” His mom screeched. “You look like some punk!"

“What! No! It’s cool!” Ryuji retorted, his face slightly red. He grabbed his mother’s wrist, removing her vice grip from his hair. He rubbed the spot she had yanked, trying to soothe the lingering pain.

“Cool my ass! Change it back immediately!” His mother demanded, her face red with outrage.

“No!” Ryuji yelled back. He towered over his mother in a threatening manner, but the woman was not cowed. In fact, onlookers might say that she was more terrifying than her son in that moment despite her lack of muscles and small stature. Clearly the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. “I’m not a little kid anymore mom, you can’t control my appearance! It’s my body and I’ll do what I want with it!”

“If that’s what you think, you have another thing coming!” His mother threatened, grabbing Ryuji by his shirt collar.

“I knew she’d freak out about the hair.” Renzo snickered. His smirk then partly dropped and he sighed heavily. “I am sooo not looking forward to that. Maybe I can get through this without seeing either of my parents and skip the lecture.”

“That’s unlikely.” Konekomaru said, adjusting his glasses, watching Ryuji and his mother continue to argue.

“You’re so lucky you don’t have parents, Konekomaru.” Renzo said, patting Konekomaru on the shoulder.

“Gee thanks.” Konekomaru deadpanned.

“Excuse me, Missus Suguro?” Shiro cut in, saving Ryuji from more nagging. “Sorry to interrupt, but can you tell us where we’re going to be staying?”

“Oh! Paladin Fujimoto! Yes, my bad.” Ryuji’s mother’s demeanor changed drastically when talking to Shiro, going from looking like she was two seconds away from murdering her son to the polite and enthusiastic innkeeper. She released Ryuji and bowed to the group in polite greeting. “My name is Torako, I run the family inn. It is nice to meet all of you. I can show you all where you will be staying.”

“Thanks so much ma’am.” Shiro said. He turned back to the exwires and addressed the boys. “After we drop our things off, why don’t you three take some time and catch up with your families, huh? And the rest of you, meet in the main hall, that’s where most of the wounded are being kept, and help out with whatever needs doing.”

The group all gave nods of confirmation. Torako smiled politely and led them all further into the chaotic inn. The group were led to their rooms to drop off their things. All of the kids, including Yukio, were placed in the same room, a curtain dividing the boys and girls for privacy. The adults were split between the rest of the rooms in the inn. After they had all dumped their bags, most of the group went to start helping out. Torako led Ryuji, Renzo, and Konekomaru to a room in the back.

Torako knelt at the sliding door, speaking into the handle hole. “Yaozo, you have visitors.”

Torako slid open the door. Inside the room lying on a futon was Yaozo Shima, Renzo’s father. The man had several bandages covering sections of his face and a tube running into his arm. He was propped up on one arm, trying to sit up.

“Who is it?” Yaozo grunted, struggling to sit up in his futon and see who was standing at the door. “Bon!”

Yaozo turned to the side and coughed after his surprised exclamation. The three boys gasped in concern. Renzo ran towards his father.

“Dad!” Renzo exclaimed, running to kneel on the left side of the futon next to his father. He put his hands on his father’s shoulders, holding him up as he coughed into his fist. “Take it easy dad. Are you okay?”

The other two boys rushed into the room as well. Konekomaru sat next to Renzo near Yaozo’s feet while Ryuji sat on Yaozo’s right side across from Renzo. Torako entered the room a bit more slowly than the boys, sitting next to her son across from Konekomaru.

“I’m fine.” Yaozo said, brushing off his son dismissively. Renzo sat back on his heels, still looking worried, but now his expression was a little more guarded. Ryuji realized that while the three of them had been at True Cross Academy, Renzo had become a bit freer with his emotions and overall more relaxed than he had been before at home. And it was only now that they had spoken to his father that Renzo was going back to his old mood.

“Although I don’t remember giving you my K’rik so you could go galavanting around with pink frigging hair and embarrassing our family!” Yaozo snapped at his youngest son.

Renzo startled a little at that, reaching up to touch his hair, looking a little ashamed. A rare occurrence for the boy, something only his family could pull out of him. Typically a comment like that wouldn’t get such a rare reaction from him, but Ryuji supposed that he’d been away for long enough to get used to not hearing such things regularly and thus it was hitting him harder than it used to.

“Honestly, you look ridiculous." Yaozo sighed, his tone almost fond but still mostly disappointed.

Ryuji unconsciously held his breath, waiting to be scolded for his own hair style choices once again, but surprisingly it never came. The whole time, Konekomaru’s eyes flickered between Renzo, Yaozo, and Ryuji, watching their expressions closely.

“Yaozo, please.” Torako said. “Lie back down and rest.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not that serious.” Yaozo said as if this was a conversation the two had already had several times before. There was a fondness in his voice that was absent when talking to his own son. “I’m the field office chief, I can’t stay in bed. The sooner I’m back on my feet and back to work the better.”

“How’s everyone doing?” Ryuji asked. He pointedly didn’t look at Renzo, who had a disappointed but resigned expression. They both knew he wasn’t exactly the favorite child, but even after all these years Ryuji supposed it still stung even though he knew Renzo was expecting it.

“Fine, no one’s dead. They just need treatment, is all.” Torako replied for Yaozo.

“That’s good.” Ryuji sighed softly in relief. He may only have a few actual blood relatives in the Myoda, but having grown up in the sect most of the members were like family to him, including Renzo and Konekomaru who were like brothers to him.

“It’s good to see you’re doing all right, kid.” Yaozo said to Ryuji with a smile. Ryuji silently thought that maybe he should have said that to his own son instead of him, but kept that thought to himself. Out of the corner of his eye, Ryuji saw Renzo’s hands curl into fists. The two avoided making eye contact with the other. They both knew that Renzo wasn’t the favorite child in his family, but unfortunately there was nothing either of them could do about that. Ryuji sometimes silently wondered if Renzo was ever jealous that his father showed Ryuji more positive attention than his own son. Ryuji was long used to it; being expected to take over as the head priest of the Myoda, he was always shown a lot more favoritism than any of the other kids. But still, as he grew old enough to understand what was going on, he found it a little strange that Yaozo seemingly preferred him over his own son.

“I’ve heard you’ve been getting into a lot more trouble over at school than we have here.” Yaozo commented.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Ryuji asked, a little confused.

“I heard you boys ran into the Prince of Gehenna, the Son of Satan himself.” Yaozo clarified.

“He didn’t really do much.” Ryuji said, shaking his head. “The attack here was much worse than anything he did.”

“Still…” Yaozo said, stopping to cough into his fist for a second. “They’re saying he’s at the power level of a king class demon. Much more powerful than even the Impure King was at its strongest.”

“He was just after our teacher, Mister Okumura.” Konekomaru said. “At least that’s what it looked like. And the worst the Prince did to him was drop him out of a tree. He didn’t even come near us.”

“Yes, and I hear I have Miss Kirigakure to thank for that.” Yaozo said. “Is it true that she fought Rinka?”

“Yeah, it was kinda epic!” Renzo exclaimed. “But it didn’t last very long, he kinda threw her down pretty hard. That’s when Sir Pheles showed up and shooed him off.”

“I see.” Yaozo said. “Sorry, is there anything else you remember about him?”

“Why?” Ryuji asked, suddenly alert. “Is something wrong?”

“There’s been reports of him lurking about Kyoto.” Yaozo admitted. The three boys gasped in shock, their eyes going wide. “We aren’t sure if he was the one who attacked the keep or if he had a human associate. But he was only spotted because he was using those blue flames to burn away some of the miasma that was released by the Eye during the attack.”

“So he doesn’t like the miasma…?” Konekomaru wondered.

“It seems that way.” Yaozo nodded. “So that led us to think, if he was behind the attack, does he want to use the Eye or destroy it? And for what purpose?”

“Have you tried contacting Sir Pheles at the Japan branch headquarters?” Konekomaru asked. “I heard he’s the source of most of the information we have on Prince Rinka.”

“We have, but he’s extremely busy.” Yaozo said. “You can ask whoever controls my email, but we haven’t heard back from him yet.”

“When did he start showing up in Kyoto?” Ryuji asked.

“About a day after the attack.” Yaozo admitted. “But for all we know he could have been here before then and we just didn’t notice him. Master Suguro caught him stalking around outside of the old temple, burning coal tars and miasma.”

“My dad?” Ryuji asked, surprised. “Did he get hurt at all in the attack too?”

“No, he was a little shaken up but not hurt.” Yaozo said, shaking his head. “He happened to be visiting the keep at the time of the attack and was called down into the vault because there was something strange happening to the sacred flame when the attack started. That’s one of the reasons why we think Rinka may be connected to the attack. Master Suguro managed to calm the flame, but not before people got hurt.”

“That’s good.” Ryuji nodded. “And… where is he now?”

“We don’t know.” Torako said, shaking her head. “If only he agreed to keep a cellphone we could call him. But he’s likely up at the temple at this time of day.”

“Damnit.” Ryuji growled, his eye twitching. “That no-good bald ass slacker. I’ve got a bone to pick with him.”

The group eventually wrapped up the conversation with Torako shooing the boys out of the room and threatening Yaozo into getting more rest. With that, the three were finally put to work with the rest of the exorcists from the Japan branch. Many people were sick and injured and the exwires were stuck doing menial chores. Not that they were complaining, there was more work to do than people, but it was a little repetitive and left no room to take breaks. Shiemi and Izumo were stuck in the kitchens, cleaning dishes and distributing food and herbal remedies to the exorcists. The boys got to work helping to organize supplies and distribute medicine and vaccines to the sick. They acted mainly as couriers, carrying heavy boxes of supplies across the busy building.

Work was eventually halted when a fight suddenly broke out between one of Renzo’s siblings and the three Hojo sisters.

“Security of the keep is the Hojo family’s responsibility!” Juzo yelled. “Your people couldn’t do their jobs and that’s why we’re in this mess!”

“Hold your tongue!” Mamushi retorted. “If your people on the upper level were actually paying attention no one would have even gotten down to us in the first place!”

“Don’t you dare try to pin this on us!” Juzo yelled. “You bunch of ugly ass snake faced hags!”

Juzo spun his K’rik and lunged at the three Hojo sisters. The girls easily dodged the attack.

“You bastard!” Mamushi scowled. She began chanting, summoning her naga familiar to attack.

Juzo threw his K’rik at the demon snake. It dodged, twisting in midair, lunging past the weapon to strike Juzo. He dodged, causing the naga to instead punch through the thin paper wall into the next room. The other patients gasped in alarm.

Ryuji stepped in front of the out of control naga and quickly summoned a shield to block it from accidentally hitting any of the other injured. The demon slammed into the glowing wall, falling to the ground in a daze. It quickly shook it off and slithered back towards its master.

“Bon!” Juzo gasped softly.

“We got the enemy right outside our door so not the time to be fighting!” Ryuji yelled at the four.

“I… you’re right, I’m sorry.” Juzo said, bowing his head in shame. Two of the sisters also had the decency to look ashamed of their actions.

Mamushi, however, just smirked and responded coldly. “Humph. If you feel that strongly about it, Ryuji, go tell that to your father, the so-called master. Instead of behaving as a high priest should, he’s a drunk and the butt of everyone’s jokes. If he is unable to command the respect of the Myoda, what makes you think that you can?”

“Watch your damn mouth Mamushi!” Juzo yelled.

“No.” Ryuji said, causing everyone to look at him in surprise. His voice was no longer angry. He was quieter, just kind of defeated. His shoulders slumped, the fight draining from his body. “Mamushi’s right.”

“Bon…” Renzo said sadly.

“Whatever. Just stop fighting.” Ryuji said, turning away. He stormed off, the entire room watching him silently.

————————

Later that night Ryuji sat alone on an empty porch, eating his dinner. The night was cool and quiet, the sounds of the crowded and busy inn muffled by several layers of walls. Ryuji opened the can of soda Shura had given him earlier. It had an odd taste to it, but he was too wrapped up in his thoughts to really pay it any attention. He picked at the food in his bento box. He felt hungry, but didn’t have much of an appetite. He could feel his thoughts grow fuzzy, his face warm against the cool breeze. Ryuji shook his head, he couldn’t let his anger and disappointment at his father cloud his thoughts like this. Still, his head remained strangely fuzzy. He took another sip of his juice.

Ryuji sat on that porch, glaring out at the garden, and sulked for a while. He was suddenly startled out of his thoughts as Uwabami Hojo, the head of the Hojo family, suddenly approached him.

“Master Ryuji.” Uwabami said. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

“Uwabami! Uh yeah, it’s good to see you.”

“I heard you managed to defuse that fight earlier, I was quite impressed. Thank you for doing that.”

“Nah, it’s cool.” Ryuji waved away the compliment.

“Master Ryuji.” Uwabami looked around, making sure the two were alone, then sat down next to Ryuji, his expression suddenly becoming serious. “I hate to say this, but we suspect that the thief is one of our own. It’s why we’ve been keeping the investigation quiet for now.”

“What?!” Ryuji asked, shocked. “Any idea who it could be?”

“Not yet.” Uwabami admitted. “Everyone’s a suspect, even Master Shima, so I have to act. With any luck I’ll find the traitor soon.”

“Have you talked to my dad about it?” Ryuji asked, looking at the ground sullenly.

“Why?” Uwabami asked, legitimately confused. “This is an internal matter within the Order, the Master has no say in the proceedings of the investigation.”

“He does too!” Ryuji exploded. He suddenly caught himself, his expression changing from anger to guilt. “Sorry, I lost my temper. I’ll help with the investigation, but I want you to bring my dad too, even if you have to drag him, alright?”

“As you wish.” Uwabami agreed. He gave Ryuji a slight bow then stood to leave. “Have a good night, Master Ryuji.”

————————

The next morning, Ryuji stalked around the outside of the meeting room. As usual, his dad was absent. Everyone else, including Yaozo Shima who had to be carried into the room by Juzo due to his poor health, had shown up. The meeting started without him. Ryuji could feel anger bubbling up inside of him. He clenched his fists, trying to stop the anger from creeping onto his face, and remained quiet as Yaozo spoke. He could see Konekomaru looking at him with worry during the meeting. Ryuji tried his best to ignore him. He didn’t need his pity. Hell, Ryuji shouldn’t even be here, he wasn’t the head of his family like Konekomaru was. But considering how little his father did, he people had started coming to him instead of his father for various issues. Ryuji carried out his father’s duties without complaint, he was capable enough to do so from a young age, but still… the thought that he was only doing so because his father was too lazy to do his damn job was infuriating. Ryuji tried to push those thoughts out of his head and focus on the meeting. He looked around the table, gauging everyone’s reactions, and trying not to glare.

Juzo and Mamushi recounted their parts of the story for the rest of the table. Only a few people that day ever came near the Right Eye of the Impure King. No one actually saw the thief, but whatever had happened had caused many injuries among those guarding the keep. Once the reports had all finished, Yaozo revealed the real reason for the meeting.

“I’ve called you all here for one reason.” Yaozo said. “To find out which one of us is the traitor!”

The room exploded into gasps of shock.

“We already know that the Left Eye was stolen by the former exorcist Saburota Todo, the warden of the Deep Keep.” Uwabami said. “We also know that you, Juzo, and Mamushi, had him as a teacher at the cram school. You two are the only ones at the keep that day with direct ties to the man, which makes the two of you suspects.”

The two protested loudly.

“You’ve got to be joking!” Mamushi exclaimed. “All I did was take his class.”

She turned to glare at Juzo. “You on the other hand were on much better terms with him than I was!”

“What?!” Juzo yelled. “It wasn’t like we were friends or anything, I just liked his class!”

“Why are you so upset? I’m just stating a fact.” Mamushi shot back.

“Well here’s a fact for you.” Juzo growled. “During the attack, you were the one trying to get to the eye.”

“Only because I thought it was in danger!” Mamushi protested. “And I was right!”

“Or maybe you already knew that it was going to be in danger, huh?” Juzo accused. “How’d you know that?”

“What the hell are you getting at!” Mamushi shrieked.

“Your behavior is suspicious, that’s what!” Juzo yelled back.

“That’s enough!” Uwabami interrupted. “Both of you, calm yourselves. This investigation is still in progress.”

The two begrudgingly quieted down.

“That day…” Mamushi began again, her anger now directed elsewhere. “The fire of the sacred flame flared up suddenly. It seemed alive almost and from where I was standing it looked like the Master was controlling it.”

Ryuji gasped softly.

“Also he was chanting some spell I’ve never heard before.” Mamushi accused. Her sisters backed up her story.

“I still can’t believe that the existence of the Left Eye was kept a secret from us.” Another of the priests in the meeting said.

“The Master must have known about it.” Another agreed. “But surely he’s not behind this. That’s insane.”

“But the fact is, if he wasn’t involved he’d be here trying to figure out who was.” Another priest jumped in. “His absence today is proof enough.”

The table broke into arguments once again.

“That’s enough!” Yaozo yelled, coughing from straining his voice. “We’re getting nowhere like this. I’ll set up a meeting with Uwabami and the Master to address the issue later. For now this meeting is adjourned.”

————————

Later that night while getting up to get some water, Ryuji caught Juzo Shima sneaking through the dark and empty halls of the inn. Alarm bells started ringing in his head. Ryuji’s expression darkened as he recalled the meeting earlier. There was a traitor among them, and Juzo was acting very suspicious. Ryuji followed him. Juzo snuck down into the entrance of the field office, glancing behind him to make sure he wasn’t being followed. Ryuji felt the pit in his stomach grow larger. When Ryuji finally stepped out of the elevator to the field office, every single exorcist there was lying on the floor groaning. Ryuji rushed to check on the nearest person. Could Juzo really be the traitor?

Ryuji snuck down into the keep after Juzo. He found him crouching over the one guard left inside the keep. He watched as Juzo stood up and walked towards the eye. Juzo raised his K’rik, ready for battle.

“Come out, I know you’re here.” Juzo called. Ryuji tried not to gasp. He was so sure he hadn’t been noticed. Ryuji quickly realized Juzo wasn’t talking to him when another figure came out into the open.

“Mamushi.” Juzo growled. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Juzo.” Mamushi said. “I’m doing what I have to.”

“I knew it. You’re the one who betrayed us.” Juzo growled. “The trick with the Sacred Flame was a nice touch. I didn’t even suspect you until you started pointing fingers at me during the meeting.”

“I know we never really got along, but I respected you.” Juzo continued as Mamushi remained silent and expressionless. “You were one of the most devoted members of the Myoda sect. So what changed? Why’d you do it?”

Mamushi simply stood there silently, her expression unreadable.

“Say something!” Juzo yelled.

“I did it to open everyone’s eyes!” Mamushi finally responded. “There are two traitors. One is Tatsuma Suguro! The other is the head of the Order’s Japan branch, Mephisto Pheles!”

“Mephisto?” Ryuji murmured from his hiding spot. The man certainly was shady, but a traitor?

“They conspired together to hide the existence of the Left Eye from us!” Mamushi said. “Todo and I talked and he told me about the Left Eye. He told me he wanted to expose the branch’s corruption. In our research we found out that Tatsuma Suguro was involved in the conspiracy as well. I’ve been working with Todo for years now to root out the corrupted leaders in both the Order and the Myoda.”

“What?” Juzo gasped. “That’s insane!”

“I did my own research and I didn’t find anything until recently.” Mamushi continued. “I learned that the Vatican had sent several spies into the Japan branch to investigate Mephisto and the Paladin Fujimoto for an alleged conspiracy in connection to Satan. Not only that, but Tatsuma was also allegedly involved. He allowed Fujimoto to take the Kurikara sword, our most sacred relic! And the Vatican believes it might have been used in a ritual connected to Satan!”

“Allegations and suspicion aren’t proof Mamushi!” Juzo yelled.

“It’s enough.” Mamushi said confidently. “Aren’t you tired of being lied to? Having our superiors lie directly to our faces? I know I am!”

“I am loyal to Myoda and the Order!” Juzo yelled. “I’m no traitor.”

“Then you’re a fool and a dog.” Mamushi said. “We can’t trust our superiors anymore!”

Mamushi began chanting, summoning her naga familiars to fight. Juzo gasped, readying himself for battle.

“Todo will take the Left and Right Eyes and seal them away somewhere safe.” Mamushi said.

“You should have just taken this to the elders!” Juzo yelled.

“The elders would never accuse Tatsuma of anything. My own father didn’t. And your father is even worse! I could hand him all the evidence on a plate and he would laugh and say I was imagining things.” Mamushi explained angrily. “I have no choice but to take this into my own hands!”

Mamushi’s naga began to carefully remove the Eye contained within a glass jar from its pedestal.

“You don’t have to do this!” Juzo yelled in a last ditch attempt.

“I don’t need your approval!” Mamushi yelled, finally attacking the other exorcist.

“Fine then! Have it your way!” Juzo responded, fending off Mamushi’s naga.

“Wait!” Ryuji yelled frantically, finally revealing himself. “Mamushi! Juzo! Stop this! Calm down and we can talk this over!”

The ground began to shake. Ryuji stumbled with a gasp. This was no regular earthquake.

“The ceiling!” Juzo gasped. “It’s rotting!”

The ceiling collapsed and a figure gracefully floated down through the hole.

“Why hello Mister Shima, it’s good to see you again.” Todo purred smugly, greeting his former student.

“You traitor! You tricked Mamushi into this!” Juzo yelled.

Todo laughed darkly. “Oh you’re wrong about that. Miss Hojo actually asked me for my help. Stealing the eyes was her idea.”

“Come on, snap out of it Mamushi!” Juzo yelled. Other exorcists started running through the door, filling in the room behind him. “Can’t you see he’s messing with your head?”

Mamushi didn’t respond. Instead she slowly began to pull the stopper on the glass container holding the Right Eye. Shouts of panic rose from the gathered exorcists.

“No! Stop!” Juzo yelled.

“I know what I’m doing!” Mamushi yelled. “You’re the ones being tricked!”

Taking the eye into her hands she lifted it up to her face. In a cloud of dark smoke and particles Todo and Mamushi disappeared from the keep.

“Everyone stay calm!” Yaozo called out. “We must regroup and track them down!”

Ryuji turned to look at the crowd and spotted his dad attempting to exit quietly. He angrily caught up with him, grabbing him by the shoulder and stopped him in his tracks.

“Long time no see dad.” Ryuji seethed. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Ryuji!” Tatsuma laughed, turning around to face his son. “It has been a long time, huh? That’s quite the mohawk you’ve got there!”

“Going somewhere?” Ryuji interrupted him, his voice low and angry.

“Yeah, actually, I’m going after Mamushi!” Tatsuma announced almost cheerfully given the current situation. “Can’t have her out there by herself with the eye ya know, it’s dangerous.”

“Do you know why she betrayed us? Why we’re in this mess?” Ryuji snapped, his voice growing louder. “It’s because of you! It’s your fault! You should have been at the meeting instead of farting around!”

Ryuji grabbed his father by the collar angrily, bringing him close to his face.

“You better start talking now, dad.” Ryuji growled. “Is it true what Mamushi said? That you betrayed us? Huh? Answer me! What have you been up to this whole time!”

Tatsuma was silent for a second, his expression almost guilty.

“There are some things I can’t tell you, Ryuji.” Tatsuma finally said. “I know you’re upset, but this is a secret I can’t tell anyone, not even you, my own son.”

Ryuji let go of his dad in shock. “How can you say that after what just happened here?”

“Yeah well… I’ve got to go after Mamushi. Be a good boy and listen to your mom and teachers, alright?” Tatsuma said.

“I can’t believe you.” Ryuji said in almost a whisper. He continued, louder. “I can’t believe I ever looked up to you! You lazy good for nothing! You’re only ever around when it’s convenient for you! If you bail now without explaining yourself now, then as far as I’m concerned you’re not my dad anymore!”

Gasps echoed around the room. Tatsuma looked devastated. “Ryuji… I’m sorry…”

Ryuji scoffed. “Sure you are. You haven’t been my dad for a while, I’m not sure why I still bother.”

“I… I should really get going.” Tatsuma said. “Try and forgive me.”

Tatsuma walked out of the keep, everyone watching in silence. Ryuji quietly seethed in anger.

Chapter Text

Tatsuma Suguro ran up the mountain to the old temple. His lungs burned in the freezing night air. The urgency of his mission made it slightly easier to not think about… recent events. Things that had been said. He hoped his son would understand one day. He wasn’t naive enough to hope for forgiveness.

“You must hurry, Suguro.” Karura, the phoenix demon, urged him in his mind. “The Impure King has already been summoned.”

“I’m not as young as I used to be.” Tatsuma complained.

He eventually arrived at the now destroyed temple, the Impure King slowly growing larger. Tatsuma’s eyes widened as he watched the demon knock down the walls of the temple. The wooden walls splintered and cracked before giving way, bursting outwards in all directions as the demon grew too large to be contained within the building. Tatsuama grimaced. That temple had stood for centuries and in just a matter of moments it was destroyed. He could grieve later. The temple could be rebuilt and the objects inside could be replaced. People could not. Tatsuma had a duty to the people of the Myoda, not just the temple.

“Damn it, we’re late.” Tatsuma panted, wiping sweat from his face. “We have to use that spell we made, the Aeon Wave Flame!”

“That spell is meant to be a killing blow.” Karura said. She emerged from her hiding place, hovering in the air next to Tatsuma. “It will drain most of your energy. You will not be able to cast another spell afterwards.”

“We have to do it now while we have the chance.” Tatsuma declared. “If we wait it will only grow stronger.”

“Very well!” Karura said.

Tatsuma began chanting, summoning Karura’s power. A stream of flame shot forwards to the Impure King. It twisted and turned, encasing the rot demon inside of a five point star made of pure flame. In a massive burst of power, the spell activated, lighting up the night sky. A massive beam of light struck the Impure King. It screeched, writhing and wriggling. Its form melted and boiled from the blast, the surface fluid and bubbling.

“Did… did we finish it off?” Tatsuma panted. The run up the mountain had been exhausting, but he hadn’t felt this drained of energy in over a decade.

“It is significantly weakened, but its core is still intact.” Karura announced. “It will regenerate soon.”

“We must cast the spell again!” Tatsuma declared, still breathing heavily from the exertion.

“You do not have the strength required to cast the spell again. It will kill you if you try.” Karura said. Her voice was void of emotion, as usual, but Tatsuma knew that she was worried about him. Maybe. Karura wasn’t exactly the kind of demon that enjoyed socializing, but after spending fifteen years with her as his familiar, Tatsuma thought he was able to get a good read on her mood.

“We have to try! We-“ Tatsuma was cut off by a sudden stabbing pain in his back. He fell to the ground, unable to keep standing. He tried to push himself up on his elbows. The pain was excruciating. Tatsuma looked up, looking up at the person who had just stuck a blade in his back.

“What an impressive spell.” Todo said as Tatsuma’s arms gave out and collapsed to the ground. “Your familiar is truly powerful.”

“You!” Tatsuma gasped. Hot sticky blood trickled down his back from the knife wound. “What are you doing?”

“I guess I should explain a bit.” Todo considered. “Since you’re dying, it’s not like it’ll matter.”

Todo had a cruel smirk on his face, as if Tatsuma’s suffering was amusing to him.

“I used the left and right eyes of the Impure King to revive it. It was the only way I could draw out your familiar, the Karura Phoenix. My real target. The thing is, I kind of like this world. I’d hate to see it be consumed by rot. So I let you cast that spell first. A shame it didn’t kill it.” Todo shrugged.

“You are not worthy of my power.” Karura said. “Even if you killed my familiar, I would not forge a contract with you.”

“That’s okay.” Todo grinned. “I don’t need to.”

Todo lunged, grabbing the fire demon. He took a bite out of her, and again, and again. Tatsuma could only watch in horror as his familiar was consumed piece by piece.

Todo licked his lips as the light of the fire demon completely faded.

“Well this has been a treat.” Todo purred. “I’ll be going now.”

Todo turned around and attempted to stroll into the dark forest and disappear. He stopped halfway, doubling over in pain. Flames erupted around his body. Todo screamed. After a few seconds, the flames started to recede back into his body. The man grew quiet, catching his breath.

“I guess… this much power will take some getting used to.” Todo laughed breathlessly, once the flames had started to die down. He stood back up, and limped his way into the forest, disappearing for real this time.

Tatsuma lay on the forest floor, slowly bleeding out around the knife stuck in his back.

“Karura… Karura, are you still here?” Tatsuma gasped, his voice desperate.

“I am.” Karura said, reappearing, her light dimly lighting the clearing. “However, my power is greatly diminished. I cannot heal you.”

“Damn it…” Tatsuma groaned. “I need… to…”

Tatsuma gasped as he heard soft footsteps approaching.

“Who… who is that?” Tatsuma asked. “Who’s there?”

The footsteps stopped at Tatsuma’s side. He tried to turn his head to look, but found his strength failing him. Karura remained silent.

“Here.” A male voice said softly. Blue light filled the clearing. Tatsuma felt something comfortably warm over him.

“Can you heal him now?” The voice asked.

“If that is your wish, my Prince.” Karura replied.

The knife was suddenly removed from his back. Tatsuma gasped in pain. He then felt his body fill with the usual warmth and burning heat of Karura’s flames. He felt the wound on his back close until there was nothing left but an itch. Tatsuma sat up, moving into a kneeling position, looking at the newcomer.

The man was young, a boy really, around his son’s age. He had blinding white hair and flaming blue horns decorating his forehead. A dark metal crown sat on his head. His eyes blazed the same Satanic blue as his flames. Tatsuma’s eyes widened in recognition. He had never met the boy, but there was only one person he could be.

“Rin Okumura?” Tatsuma asked, pushing himself off of the ground.

“Wha…? Hm.” Rin said, brief confusion and fear flickering on his face before realization, then a blank expression.

“Don’t call me that name in front of others.” Rin, no, Prince Rinka said blankly. “You’ll put Yukio in danger. I am Prince Rinka of Gehenna, the Son of Satan.”

“Oh! My apologies, er- Prince Rinka.” Tatsuma stuttered. He turned to look at Karura whose flames now flickered with specks of blue mixed in with her usual golds and oranges.

“What did you do exactly?” Tatsuma asked, twisting to feel the spot on his back. It was mostly smooth, only a few bumps that may have been there before. He couldn’t find any evidence of scar tissue, as was typical of Karura’s healing, but she shouldn’t have been able to heal him at all let alone this thoroughly.

“The Prince graciously lent me some of his power.” Karura said. “It gave me the strength to heal you, as he commanded me.”

“Thank you for your help, Prince Rinka.” Tatsuma bowed to the demon in front of him. “But I’m very curious. Why did you save me?”

“Because I need you.” Prince Rinka said. “And Karura.”

“I see.” Tatsuma said. Nothing in this world comes for free, Tatsuma thought. He didn’t say it aloud, not wanting to annoy the nephilim any more than he already had. He was very lucky to be alive right now. If he wanted the chance to see his family again, then Tatsuma would have to play things very carefully from now on. This version of Rin Okumura was very different from what Father Fujimoto had described. The Impure King was deadly, but Prince Rinka was an unknown, which was infinitely more dangerous.

“What task do you command of us, my Prince?” Karura asked.

“Cast a flame barrier around the Impure King.” Prince Rinka ordered, rising to his feet. “Prevent it from spreading until I can destroy it.”

Tatsuma’s eyebrows raised in shock. He didn’t expect that. How the nephilim knew he could cast that spell evaded Tatsuma. But it was fortunate that Prince Rinka shared the same goals as him. Maybe this could be resolved without any casualties. And maybe Tatsuma will be arrested for associating with Satan’s spawn. But at least his family would be alive in the end. Tatsuma was well past caring about what happened to him.

“With the power you gifted me, we shall only be able to hold the flame barrier for less than five minutes.” Karura said.

“Then I will give you more.” Prince Rinka announced. He held out his hand, a blue flame appearing in his palm. The flames flowed from his palm into Karura’s chest. Her flames grew brighter, the orange turning to gold, the gold turning to blue, and eventually all of her flames turned blue. Tatsuma watched with wide eyes. That same blue flame that had killed his father and so many others. He felt something that might be fear, or dread, or terror. He didn’t like it.

“Can you hold it for thirty minutes?” Prince Rinka asked.

“I can, but I don’t know if Tatsuma’s strength will hold for more than twenty.” Karura said.

“I’ll have to be fast then.” Prince Rinka nodded.

“If I may, your highness, what will you be doing?” Tatsuma asked. He finally stood up from the ground, wiping the mud off of his knees.

“I’m going to be fighting Astaroth.” Prince Rinka announced.

“The King of Rot himself is here?” Karura exclaimed. It was the first time Tatsuma ever heard any trace of emotion in her voice.

“Yup. I asked him to control his pet and he threw a temper tantrum.” Prince Rinka explained. At that moment, Tatsuma thought he sounded like a child complaining about an annoying relative. He supposed some things stayed consistent even across species. “I won’t be able to touch the Impure King until he’s gone. But you must stop its spores from spreading until then.”

“As you command, my Prince!” Karura said.

“Good.” Prince Rinka said. Blue flames completely enveloped him and when they faded a second later he was gone.

“We must make haste Tatsuma.” Karura said. She flapped her wings urgently, scattering blue sparks around her. Tatsuma tried not to flinch as some landed near him. “The Prince has placed his faith in us. We must not fail!”

————————

“The Impure King?” Rin groaned. He let his head drop on the table with a thunk. His forehead rested on the cool surface as he continued to whine. “I don’t wannaaa…”

“This is why you need subjects.” Lucifer told him calmly. “So you can delegate.”

The two were in Lucifer’s favorite meeting room, the one with the massive window that took up an entire wall, having tea, when they received the news. Someone had broken into the vault and stolen the Right Eye of the Impure King. Rin had remained professional as the messenger delivered the news, as per Lucifer's mandatory etiquette lessons. But the moment the two were alone again, Rin was slouched over in his chair, whining like a little kid. He really hated Astaroth and his little pets. He wasn’t looking forward to dealing with the Impure King this time around. Rin had plans to try and stop Todo before he could ever release the rot demon, but he decided not to (cough, he lost track of time and forgot).

Rin huffed, propping his head up on one hand. “Yeah, but this isn’t a task I can delegate even if I had people.”

“I see.” Lucifer said, slowly stirring his tea. The last of his black hair was finally starting to fade, only the tips of the hair on his head and a few spots on his tail kept its original black color. Lucifer looked a lot less like an older Yukio now, which somehow made it much easier for Rin to look at and talk to him. “What do you plan to do?”

“First I’m going to talk to Astaroth, ask him to move the Impure King somewhere else.” Rin said, his tail flicking in annoyance. Lucifer gave him a pointed stare, trying to remind him of the demon etiquette lessons he had forced the nephilim in, but Rin wasn’t looking at Lucifer and thus didn’t see it. “And if that doesn’t work I’m going to bully Amaimon into helping me fight him.”

“You would have a much easier time destroying the Impure King if you didn’t alert Astaroth to your plan.” Lucifer replied. He had the nephilim take a class on human etiquette as well as the demon kind, but Rin had passed it with flying colors. His dad had raised him well afterall. Lucifer had initially thought he was mannerless, but in reality Rin understood what was and wasn’t polite, he just chose not to use those skills in private. This bugged Lucifer, but the demon was currently at a loss for what to do about it. So instead of attempting to correct Rin’s behavior, he simply took a long sip of his tea, contemplating his options.

“Yeah, but he’ll be mad at me if I go behind his back.” Rin said. “I mean, he’ll be mad either way, just less mad if I fight him for it first.”

“I see. You do not wish to burn all of your bridges with Astaroth.”

“Yeah… he’s an asshole and I hate him, but yeah. Best to stay on his good side. Assuming he has one.” Rin grumbled that last part under his breath.

“You should get going.” Lucifer said. “You wouldn’t want to be late for the festivities.”

“Yeah yeah, I’m going.” Rin said, standing up. “I’ll be back in a few days.”

“Remember to hide your tail when fighting, little brother.” Lucifer reminded him. “Astaroth will surely take advantage of that weakness if you let him.”

“I know!” Rin yelled, over his shoulder as he left the room. His tail lashed wildly behind him.

“Oh that child.” Lucifer shook his head fondly. The nephilim’s crassness may bother him to no end, but he found it difficult to not feel some kind of connection to his half-brother. None of his other siblings ever made this much effort to form a relationship with him. Lucifer found it odd, as fostering sibling relationships was not something demons were naturally inclined to do, but intriguing and nice at the same time. The nephilim was a nice addition to his life, Lucifer concluded. If only he wasn’t so prone to attracting trouble.

————————

Rin stood at the center of Astaroth’s territory in Gehenna. The scent of rot permeated the air. It was overwhelming. Rin felt a little nauseous, which only added to his growing headache. He fought with himself to not burn everything in the air around him. That certainly wouldn’t help his current situation. But considering how things were going, he might just say screw it and burn down Astaroth’s entire castle.

“No!” Astaroth shrieked. “My poor poor baby has been trapped for so long! It deserves to take in the fresh air and stretch its wings!”

“I’m not saying it can’t do that.” Rin said, his tail twitching angrily. “I’m just saying you need to move it somewhere else. I have… pawns in that city and I can’t let the Impure King destroy it.”

Rin disliked referring to people as his pawns, but demons didn’t understand the concept of friendship. There was little benefit in it for them. They didn’t have the need to form long-term connections for any reason outside of survival. So calling people his “pawns” was the best way to get other demons to leave his friends and their families alone with the minimal amount of explanation. Even if it left a bad taste in Rin’s mouth to call them that. Not to say that all demons are bad, that’s just not true, they just aren’t social creatures like humans are. They simply have different values. The same could not be said for Astaroth. While Rin understood that humans and demons are fundamentally different creatures, there were some things Rin struggled to forgive. For example, Astaroth was an asshole, by both human and demon standards. It was as simple as that.

When Rin had first learned from his father the differences between humans and demons he had tried to see Astaroth in a more positive light. Rin had figured he had simply judged him based on human behaviors and standards and simply misunderstood the demon. But the more Rin learned about demons and Astaroth specifically, the more he came to dislike him. Even Satan seemed to have a dislike of the demon. Despite all that, Rin was doing his best to be on his best behavior, scraping together all of Lucifer’s etiquette lessons into one. Lucifer would be proud of how polite and distinguished Rin was acting right now. But still, Astaroth clearly didn’t appreciate it and Rin wanted nothing more than to draw his sword and stab his half-sibling. Repeatedly. And then set him on fire.

“Why can’t you just move your pawns, little brother?” Astaroth said, his voice grating and irritating in all the worst ways. “It would be much easier than moving the Impure King. It is quite large after all.”

“Because.” Rin grit his teeth. “If I let the city die, I won’t be able to use them even if they survive.”

“Well I don’t care.” Astaroth said petulantly. “I’m not moving it, end of story. And if you touch it I will kick your ass! I don’t care what Father says! Oh wait, I know! You touch my pet, and I’ll touch one of yours.”

Rin rolled his eyes. He can’t believe he’s related to this asshole.

————————

Amaimon’s garden was located in Assiah instead of Gehenna and was the complete opposite of Astaroth’s domain. It was full of life and it was bright and it smelled wonderful and not like something rotting. Behemoth, Amimon’s pet hobgoblin jumped up from the spot of sun it was laying in as Rin entered the garden. It ran towards him, and leapt into the air to tackle him. Rin braced himself and caught the massive hobgoblin.

“Hey Behemoth!” Rin cooed at the demon. He scratched under its chin. Behemoth whined happily.

Amimon appeared from within the garden, perched on a low treebranch.

“Hey Amaimon!” Rin called. He let go of Behemoth who ran in circles around Rin before darting into the undergrowth.

“Little brother!” Amaimon exclaimed, jumping down from the tree and rushing over to Rin. “You came to visit me again! Are you here to play with me?”

“Actually I need a favor.” Rin admitted.

“Well you are my favorite brother.” Amaimon mused. “What do you need?”

“I need you to help me fight Astaroth.” Rin said.

“Astaroth?!” Amaimon exclaimed, shocked. “No! No no no! Absolutely not!”

“Oh come on Amaimon.” Rin complained. “What happened to me being your favorite brother?”

“You are aware that my element, earth, is weak against Astaroth’s element, rot, right?” Amaimon asked. “And he’s much more powerful than me! And he’s really mean!”

“Yeah but he’s going to ruin my plans.” Rin complained. “He’s being a real jerk to me.”

“Why can’t you ask one of our other siblings?” Amaimon pouted.

“Because you’re my favorite brother?” Rin lied.

“Really? Oh that’s so great to hear!” Amaimon shouted excitedly. “Oh, I see what you’re doing little brother, but I won’t fall for it! Nope! Flattery won’t work on me!”

“Okay, theeeeeen… if you don’t help me I’ll burn your garden down.” Rin said, casually picking at imaginary dirt under his claws.

Amaimon whipped around to stare at Rin in horror.

“You wouldn’t! … would you?”

“Do you want to find out?” Rin asked. “Besides, I’ll make it worth your while if you help me.

Amaimon groaned dramatically. “Fine! But you owe me big time!”

“Deal.” Rin grinned.

————————

Rin stood outside of the Kyoto Branch of the Order of the True Cross. He was dressed in regular human clothes, a hat pulled low over his head to cover his ears, his tail tucked away like Lucifer had taught him, and a spell in place turning all of his hair black for good measure. To anyone that saw him, he was just a regular human tourist. Two days ago, the Left Eye of the Impure King was stolen from the keep at True Cross Academy. Yesterday, the keep holding the Right Eye was attacked. Rin watched as exorcists swarmed the building. Well there was no way he could sneak in and destroy the Eye with so many people watching. He’d have to wait until Todo made his move again and then take both the Eyes from him.

Rin ducked into a dark alleyway and teleported to the nearby mountain. After a few minutes of getting lost, he managed to locate the old temple. He could feel the Impure King’s power coming from underneath. In fact, the entire area of brimming with its power. The temple was swarmed with coal tars. There was even a little miasma lingering in the air. His annoyance with Astaroth flared, as did his flames. Rin burnt away all of the rot around him. He felt a small amount of satisfaction from it.

A soft gasp made Rin whirl around. On the path leading up to the temple was Ryuji’s father, Tatsuma Suguro. Rin’s eyes widened. He quickly teleported away. Damnit, why did he have to suck at stealth so bad? This was exactly the reason why he couldn’t just sneak into the keep himself and destroy the eye. Besides, everyone at this damn temple were ninjas apparently. How else could a man as large as Ryuji’s dad be able to sneak up on him? That’s what Rin was telling himself anyway.

To make himself feel better after that little blunder, Rin teleported to outside Kyoto tower. He bought a ticket and went up by himself. However, looking around, he only felt worse. He missed his friends dearly but none of them even knew who he was. Well, kind of. They knew Prince Rinka, the Son of Satan, but none of them knew Rin Okumura. Rin slouched over the railing, looking down at the city below, trying not to let any tears fall. His heart ached with longing. Coming here was a mistake. Rin wiped his eyes and went back inside the tower. Whatever, he’d go get some comfort food and then chill until he had the chance to get the eye. If he couldn’t be with his friends, at the very least he could prevent them and the ones they love from getting hurt.

————————

“Ugh, the Impure King stinks!” Amaimon complained.

It was nighttime. The forest was dark and full of life, although that life was quickly fleeing, causing the forest to grow quieter and quieter by the second. The Impure King continued to grow larger and larger, consuming everything in its path that couldn’t escape in time, even after the spell Tatsuma had cast. Rin was angry at himself. He had been unable to locate Todo after he had stolen the Right Eye. He had waited for him to show up at the temple, but Amaimon arrived at the worst possible moment and caused Rin to miss Todo and Mashumi from entering the temple. So now the Impure King was revived. Now he had to deal with both it and Astaroth. Typical.

“I know, but it should be gone soon.” Rin said. “Okay, here’s the plan. Astaroth should show up soon. I’ll wear him down, then I need you to just hold him in one place for thirty to sixty seconds. Easy enough, right?”

“If he’s weakened, I guess it won’t be so bad.” Amaimon sighed.

“Great. I’m going to go get my human pawns in place. Wait here, don’t let yourself be seen yet.” Rin said, running off.

“Hmph.” Amaimon crossed his arms, looking put out, but stayed in place anyways. His foot tapped impatiently on the ground as he waited for Rin to return. Soon, a barrier of blue flames surrounded the Impure King, trapping it on the mountain. Rin quickly reappeared.

“Okay, I’m back, Astaroth should be here soon.” Rin said.

“Wow, it’s so pretty!” Amaimon said, admiring the barrier.

“Huh? Oh yeah.” Rin said, distracted. “Look out!”

“Huh?” Amaimon said, then quickly dodged, narrowly avoiding a hit from Astaroth.

“I thought I told you what would happen if you touched my pet!” Astaroth roared.

“Oh yeah? Come get me!” Rin taunted.

Astaroth launched himself at Rin with a roar of anger.

Amaimon landed on a tree branch and settled back to watch the two fight. “This should be entertaining at least.”

————————

The sun had set and the exwires had gathered in the room they had been assigned to sleep in. They hadn’t gone to bed yet when they heard a commotion happening outside. Leaving the room, they were greeted to the sight of exorcists running through the halls, carrying things, and yelling. The majority of people were heading towards the exit. The roar of engines started up as people loaded themselves and supplies into the various trucks and cars.

“Where’s everyone going?” Ryuji asked, grabbing the nearest person.

“The Impure King has been revived near the old temple!” They said. “Everyone’s going to fight!”

The exorcist rushed off, joining the crowd.

“We can’t just stay put.” Ryuji said. “We have to help. And where the hell is my dad! Freaking lazy old man.”

“Your dad was seen heading towards the temple before the Impure King was revived.” Yaozo Shima gently explained to the boy. “He’s already up there.”

“What?!” Ryuji yelled. “Let me come too! I can help!”

“No. You and the other exwires need to stay here and hold down the fort.” Yukio explained, rushing past. “Start preparing medical supplies for later.”

Yaozo and Yukio stepped out of the house, preparing to rush up the mountain, when suddenly a gasp rose from the crowd of exorcists. A blue flame barrier had covered the mountain.

“What the hell?” Ryuji whispered.

“Blue flames.” Yaozo whispered. “This doesn’t bode well.”

“Do you think we can still get close?” Yukio asked.

“We have to try. Let’s move.” Yaozo said.

“God damnit!” Ryuji yelled as the last of the exorcists left the house. “I can’t just sit here and not help!”

“Bon, you heard what Mister Okumura said.” Konekomaru tried to calm his friend down. “We have to prepare for the wounded.”

“That’s just an excuse to keep us out of the way.” Ryuji said. “With all of the injured from the attack, all that stuff is already prepared. They just don’t want us exwires getting in the way and slowing them down.”

“Actually, y’all should come.” Shura said, appearing behind them.

“Miss Kirigakure? What are you still doing here?” Ryuji asked.

“I was checking up on a few things.” Shura shrugged. “Anyway, like you said, all of the medical supplies are already prepared. If you want to be helpful, go grab some and bring it up the mountain. I’m supposed to keep an eye on you kids in case Rinka shows up, cause he apparently likes your class or something? Anyway, I’m going up which means you guys need to come too. I’ll meet you guys there.”

Shura left the house and took off down the path in a sprint.

“You heard her!” Ryuji exclaimed. “Let’s get moving!”

“Um, actually Bon, I think I’d rather stay here.” Renzo said with a nervous laugh.

“You chickening out on us Shima?” Izumo taunted. “I always knew you were a coward.”

“Woah hey!” Renzo protested. “Not wanting to die is not the same as being a coward!”

“Less fighting, more moving.” Ryuji growled, heading back inside. “Make up your mind and let’s go!”

Renzo whimpered pathetically, but followed the rest of the group.

————————

The exorcists were able to pass through the blue flame barrier with no problem at all. The rot of the Impure King, however, was stuck inside.

“Spread out!” Yaozo yelled. “Being the summoning! Dragoons! Keep that rot back!”

Flame throwers roared to life, burning away the advancing rot. Yukio shot fire elemental infused bullets, slowly pushing back the line along with the other dragoons. Out of the corner of his eye, however, he saw a flicker of flame. No one else should be on the mountain right now. Curious, Yukio left his position and went to investigate.

————————

“We brought medical supplies.” Ryuji said as the exwires finally reached the base camp.

“Hmm? Oh good work. Set them down over there.” The exorcist running the medical tent pointed.

The group set down their boxes. Renzo groaned loudly in relief. “Finally! It was so freaking heavy!”

“Maybe you should work out more.” Izumo said.

“You didn’t even carry your box!” Renzo complained. “You made your familiars do all the work!”

“Sounds like a skill issue.”

“You can’t just say that every time-“

“Renzo! What are you doing here?” Yaozo, Renzo’s father, came striding over.

“We brought up some medical supplies sir.” Ryuji answered for him.

“I see.” Yaozo said. “You all should go back down, where it’s safe. I don’t want you kids to get hurt.”

“I told them to come up sir.” Shura suddenly cut in, her voice sickeningly sweet and falsely apologetic. “I’m supposed to be keeping an eye on them, so I figured they should come so I can stay close to them.”

“Fine.” Yaozo relented after a few seconds. “But stay by the medical tent, got it?”

“Yes sir.” Ryuji nodded.

Once Yaozo turned his back, Shura turned to the group. She gave them a quick salute and ran off to join the fight.

“So what now?” Shiemi asked.

“We do what we were ordered. Guard the medical tent and make sure the wounded can rest properly.” Ryuji said.

“At least we’re nowhere near the front lines.” Renzo sighed with relief.

“Stop complaining.” Izumo said. “No one forced you to come here. No one is forcing you to stay.”

Renzo grumbled incoherently under his breath. Izumo rolled her eyes.

“Hey, do you guys see that?” Konekomaru asked, looking not towards the battle, but farther to the side. Through the dark trees of the forest, a faint light shone, flickering like a flame.

“Is there a forest fire?” Shiemi asked.

“It’s possible, but that’s nowhere near the main fighting.” Ryuji said. “Even if a stray spark did start a wildfire, it’s too far away. It has to be something else.”

“Should we go check it out?” Konekomaru suggested. “If it is an actual forest fire, it could help keep the Impure King back, but if it gets out of control then the entire forest could be destroyed! It could even spread to the city if no one can keep it under control.”

“Let’s go.” Ryuji said.

“What happened to following orders and staying put!” Renzo complained. “And if it is fire, what if it’s Prince Rinka? Then what do we do?”

“It’s not blue.” Konekomaru pointed out. “It’s not the Prince.”

“You’re free to stay here.” Izumo said as the group started walking into the dark forest. “Like I said, no one is making you do this.”

Renzo watched as the rest of the exwires walked into the underbrush. Before they finally disappeared from sight, he cracked. “Gah! Fine! Wait for me!”

Renzo ran after the others, leaving the camp behind.

————————

A little closer to the front lines of the battle, a large summoning circle was painted onto the grass. Five exorcists took up places around the circle and began chanting. About a dozen or so others stood and watched, guarding the summoners from the approaching waves of rot. As the chanting reached its end, the lines of the summoning circle glowed orange and gold, then burst into flames. Those flames came together at the center of the circle, forming into a bird-like demon.

“I am Ucchusma the Burning Impurity. For what reason have you summoned me here?”

“We are the descendants of the Myōō Dharani priests you once fought alongside almost one hundred fifty years ago.” Yaozo announced. “We wish to ask for your aid in battle against the Impure King once again.”

“I require the blood of ten priests of descent of the original ten Myōō Dharani priests.” Ucchusma announced.

“Our numbers have greatly dwindled, and there are only five of us left.” Yaozo explained.

“This is not enough!” Ucchusma exclaimed. “However, the Impure King is a long time enemy of mine who I wish to see destroyed. Not only that, but the King of Rot himself has come to his mountain to witness the rise of his most powerful subject. I will help you. I will grant you the power equal to that of five priests. Offer your blood to me to prove your lineage!”

The five priests did as asked, pricking their finger and offering it to the flame demon.

“Very well! Your wish has been granted!” Ucchusma announced. The tips of every K’rik in the area burst into flame. Gasps of wonder filled the crowd.

“And because the King of Rot himself has made an appearance, I shall fight alongside you. Not for any contract, but for my own sake.” Ucchusma announced.

“The King of Rot, Astaroth?” Yaozo asked.

“That is correct. I will not pass up this chance to deal such a blow to my most powerful enemy.” Ucchusma said. “Now let us begin this fight!”

“Right!” Yaozo said. He began barking out orders to all of the other exorcists, guiding them into position. Ucchusma took the lead, clearing away much of the rot. The army of exorcists roared a collective battle cry as they charged into battle, spirits high from the boost given to them by the flame demon.

Yaozo however, was deeply worried. If the King of Rot himself was here, they may not be able to hold the line long enough. He hoped they would be able to reach the Impure King’s core in time. If not, then the entire city, all of his family, and the Myoda, would be consumed by rot.

————————

Yukio carefully and quietly stalked through the forest. He approached the position where he saw the light. In a brief moment, through the branches, Yukio caught sight of Saburota Todo. Todo was wreathed in gold and orange flames, bent over as if in pain. Yukio gasped before he could stop himself. Todo looked in Yukio’s direction and smiled. He stood up, the flames around him dying down.

“I know you’re there, Mister Okumura. Why don’t you come on out?”

Yukio readied his gun, then stepped into the clearing where Todo was.

“Nice to see you again, Mister Okumura.” Todo purred. “Have you given my proposal any thought?”

Yukio responded by shooting the man in the head twice. Todo fell like a sack of rocks. At that moment, Yukio heard something trampling through the underbrush behind him. He whipped around, his gun raised. He lowered it as he recognized the surprised faces of his students.

“Yo teach, did you just kill that guy?” Renzo whistled appreciatively.

“What are you all doing here, I thought you were told to stay-” Yukio began to say.

“Yuki look out!” Shiemi yelled, pointing over Yukio’s shoulder.

Yukio whipped around to see Todo struggling to stand back up. The bullets in his skull fell to the ground. The wound completely disappeared before his eyes, leaving nothing but the blood staining his smooth skin. Not even a scar was left to indicate the wound he had just suffered. Todo used his sleeve to wipe some of the blood off of his face.

“Ow.” Todo said. “That was unnecessary. And rude.”

“What the hell?” Yukio gasped, his eyes wide.

“Huh? Oh yeah, I recently acquired the power of a certain flame demon, a phoenix. One with incredibly powerful regeneration abilities.” Todo said. “Hell, I feel a whole lot younger than before!”

Todo was right, Yukio thought. He was younger. The man looked noticeably different, any gray hairs were now darkened, his wrinkles now smooth skin.

“I guess I don’t need these anymore.” Todo said, tossing his shattered glasses to the ground. “Well since you so rudely rejected my offer, I think I’ll take this time to test out my new powers.”

Yukio fired again, this time hitting Todo in the chest. The man stumbled, but didn’t fall like last time. The exwires behind him gasped in shock.

“That still hurts, but not as much as you’d think.” Todo commented. “My turn!”

Todo lunged forward faster than any human should be able to move. Yukio barely managed to dodge, Todo’s fist slightly grazing his ear. Yukio could hear his skin sizzle from the blow. Todo stumbled and almost lost his balance as he tried to come to a stop.

“Woah!” Todo exclaimed. “Takes a little getting used to, ha!”

“Mike! Uke! Dispel spirit!” Izumo yelled.

The two fox spirits lunged towards Todo. A swift kick sent the first one flying. The second hesitated a second too long, gaping as its sibling was struck. This gave Todo enough time to send a flaming kick to the fox’s face. Yukio fired again, taking advantage of the distraction. The bullets hit Todo’s shoulder. Blood spouted from under his shirt. The man barely flinched. He turned to look at Yukio, a sadistic grin on his face.

Ryuji clasped his hands together and began chanting. Renzo stood guard in front of him, brandishing his K’rik threateningly. The tip was now alight with orange and gold flames. Konekomaru drew a small knife from somewhere, holding it in front of him unsurely. Todo tilted his head towards the two in slight confusion. The spell Ryuji was casting was a short one. When it had seemingly no effect, he gasped softly.

“Heh, that’s cute. Sorry kid, I’m not possessed.” Todo smirked. “If that’s all you can do, then that means you all get to watch while I kill your teacher!”

Todo lunged at Yukio, grabbing him by the throat.

“Nii! Get him!” Shiemi screamed.

“Nii!” The tiny demon squeaked. Thick branches burst forward, wrapping around Todo’s limbs and pulling him off of Yukio.

“Wow!” Todo gasped as branches and vines tightened around his throat. “So… strong…!”

Todo burst into flame, the fire quickly climbing up the branches towards Nii and Shiemi. The girl screamed, holding her familiar close to her chest. Ryuji conjured up a quick barrier spell, barely stopping her from getting burned. The branches that Nii had created turned to ash and fell to the forest floor.

“Still, not enough.” Todo chuckled.

Yukio, having recovered from being choked, quickly fired his gun at Todo. The man was able to dodge this time. Izumo’s fox spirits came running at the man again, only to be kicked away by flaming boots once again. Yukio was able to get a few shots in, but like before they had no effect.

“You kids are really starting to get on my nerves.” Todo said, his sadistic grin starting to fade. “I just wanted to test out my new powers.”

Yukio changed the magazine in his gun, aiming at Todo and began firing shot after shot. Todo dodged each and every bullet, but was unable to actually get close to Yukio due to the combined efforts of Izumo and Shiemi. Still, not a single bullet landed. Eventually, Yukio stopped his assault, seemingly out of bullets.

“You missed.” Todo taunted as Yukio went to reload.

“Think again.” Yukio said. With a quick chant, he activated the magic circle and summoned a group of naiads around Todo.

“Huh? Oh I see, you made a circle with your bullets.” Todo said. “And they’re mid-level too. Pretty impressive for someone who’s not trained as a tamer.”

The naiads encased Todo in a floating ball of water. He floated helplessly for a few seconds. Yukio’s eyes widened as the water began to bubble and boil, then completely evaporate. The summoned naiads took this as their cue to leave.

“Guess you don’t have the skill to control them properly.” Todo smirked. Steam rose from him as the heat from his new powers evaporated the last of the water. “Sucks for you. Anyway, I think it’s time we end this. I feel like I’ve got control of these powers, so I should head out now. It’s been fun, but I’m going to have to kill you kids now.”

“I won’t let you escape.” Yukio announced.

“I’ll give you one last chance, Yukio Okumura.” Todo said. “Join me. We would be powerful together.”

“Go to hell!” Yukio yelled, firing at Todo again.

Todo lunged forward, dodging some of Yukio’s shots and tanking others. He grabbed Yukio by the neck and slammed him against the ground. Yukio’s eyes widened in fear. Several of his students screamed. Shiemi shouted, sending a wave of branches and vines to pull Todo off of Yukio, but they were burnt to ash before they could touch him.

“Any last words?” Todo grinned.

Yukio scratched helplessly at Todo’s arm, fear filling his mind. His chest burned from the lack of air. He didn’t want to die. He couldn’t die. He hasn’t saved Rin yet. Yukio felt something hot behind his eyes, something burning. He screamed internally.

“No!” Yukio yelled. As he shouted, the world gained a slight blue tint. Todo’s face changed from an expression of excitement and bloodlust to fear. He leapt backwards several feet, off of Yukio.

“Woah…” Todo said, the grin returning to his face. This time, it looked forced. “Some instinct made me jump back. Strange. Why is that? What did you do?”

Yukio scrambled backwards on the ground as Todo advanced towards him slowly.

“Stay… stay back!” Yukio cried, his voice filled with fear.

“Nah, I want to know what’s going on with you.” Todo said.

Yukio hit a tree. He had nowhere else to flee. But before Todo could reach Yukio, a figure appeared between them in a flash of blue flames. The blue tint in Yukio’s vision faded.

“Rin.” Yukio breathed.

————————

Rin heard a scream of terror off in the distance. This was different from the screams of battle from the exorcists. This was in the demon language. A very young demon, screaming in fear and pain.

“Yukio!” Rin whispered, whipping his head around to look in the direction it came from.

Astaroth took advantage of the distraction to land a powerful blow on Rin, knocking him to the ground. Rin snarled, wiping blood off his face, and stood back up, now focused back on the fight.

A proper fight between two king class demons causes monumental amounts of destruction to the surrounding landscape. While Astaroth is not the most powerful of the demon kings, a fight between him and Rin could wipe out an entire city. The only reason the mountain had yet to be flattened by their battle was because neither of them were fighting at full power.

The reason neither of them were fighting at full power was simple. Astaroth knew he couldn’t defeat Rin if they were both fighting at full power. He also knew Rin wasn’t skilled enough to not accidentally kill Astaroth when fighting at full power. While Astaroth was angry at Rin for going after his favorite pet, this wasn’t the kind of dispute he would risk his life over.

All that being said, when Rin heard Yukio crying out in demon language, that immediately took higher priority.

Rin snarled. “We’re done here. Leave or else.”

Astaroth hesitated. Rin had given his warning in both Japanese and the demon language to convey his seriousness.

“You wouldn’t dare.” Astaroth hissed.

“Try me.” Rin snarled, out of patience. He then stabbed Astaroth in the chest with his sword and lit it and the King of Rot on fire.

Astaroth screamed. Rin slammed him onto the ground, his sword sinking into the earth. He buried his sword to the hilt, burning Astaroth’s physical body. Eventually he put out the flames, leaving a charred but still living husk. Rin let go of the sword, leaving it buried in Astaroth’s body.

“Stay put.” Rin ordered, pushing his full authority as Prince of Gehenna into his voice.

“Um, is it my turn now?” Amaimon called nervously from the edge of the clearing. Rin ignored him.

Rin teleported across the forest to Yukio. He landed directly in front of Todo, who had been menacing his brother. Rin immediately launched into a roundhouse kick, sending Todo flying across the clearing. Todo attempted to scramble away from the furious prince. Rin picked him up by the throat and slammed him against a tree.

“Touch him again and you’re dead.” Rin hissed in both Japanese and the demon language. Todo being part demon now understood both, not that he realized what the second one was. His face was that of pure terror.

Rin leaned in closer to Todo’s face. “He is MINE. Do you understand?”

Todo attempted to nod, to gasp out a word, but Rin’s hold on his neck was too strong. Rin relaxed his grip, allowing the broken bones in Todo’s neck to heal.

“Yes sir.” Todo was finally able to whisper.

Rin dropped Todo. The older man collapsed to the ground.

“Get out.” Rin ordered, his voice still full of fury.

Todo fled, not sparing another glance towards Yukio or Rin.

Rin then turned to Yukio, his expression finally softening from fury to something else. Yukio however was still terrified. Rin felt a combination of emotions at his expression. Guilt, shame, longing, maybe some nostalgia? As well as several other emotions Rin couldn’t hope to identify. One day, Rin thought, he won’t be so scared of me anymore. Then they could go back to being brothers again, like when they were little. Maybe. Hopefully.

A shout drew his attention to the people behind Yukio. Rin startled seeing his old friends, the cram school students, staring back at him. They looked afraid, confused, and ready to fight. Izumo and Shiemi looked the worst off of the group, aside from Yukio that is. With their familiars, they must have been doing the brunt of the fighting. Rin couldn’t sense any remnants of Yamantaka’s black flames, so Renzo hadn’t called on the demon in battle. And Ryuji and Konekomaru weren’t the battle Arias they were in the previous timeline just yet. They still had a lot to learn, so they likely couldn’t do much to someone like Todo. And Ryuji didn’t even have a weapon. Rin found it odd to see him without one, but there probably wasn’t a reason for him to start carrying one yet. Plus, Rin remembered it took him a while before he was allowed to even practice with his preferred weapon of choice, the rocket launcher.

Rin let his face settle into an annoyed grimace. He couldn’t stay, he still had a lot of work to do. The scent of the Impure King made his throat itch. It was honestly kind of disgusting. Yet another reason Rin disliked Astaroth. Speaking of… he should go before someone tries to attack him. Rin teleported away in a flash of flames. Yukio and the others would be fine, for now. Physically at least. He returned to the destroyed clearing where he and Astaroth had fought. Amaimon had wrapped the burnt body of Astaroth in a thick layer of vines and brambles. Amaimon jumped at his sudden return.

“Hello little brother.” Amaimon said nervously. “What happened?”

“Yukio was in trouble.” Rin said. He yanked his sword from the bundle of brambles. Astaroth hissed angrily from within. The brambles and vines grew over the hole as Rin returned his sword to its sheath. “I… might have gone a little overboard.”

“I see.” Amaimon said, his mouth opening and closing as if he was going to say something else, before deciding that keeping his mouth shut was the best choice for his continued health.

“Bring him with us.” Rin ordered, still slightly annoyed.

“Right!” Amaimon said, levitating the cocoon.

The two ran through the forest. Rin burned a path through the Impure King until they arrived at the center of the flame barrier. Tatsuma looked exhausted from holding two separate flame barriers, one to keep the Impure King trapped, and the second to protect himself from the rot demon.

“Karura, Tatsuma, drop the barrier.” Rin ordered.

“What?” Tatsuma exclaimed. “Now?”

“Yes, now.” Rin seethed. He drew his sword, wreathing it in blue flames.

Tatsuma gulped, shocked at Rin’s terse behavior.

“Right away your highness!” Tatsuma said nervously.

Tatsuma removed his fingers from the ground, breaking the barriers. The Impure King attempted to surge forward and consume the group, but Rin let out a deafening war cry. He plunged his flaming blade into the ground. Blue flames burst from the blade in a raging inferno. The flames rushed outwards from the epicenter, covering the entire mountain and extending to the entirety of the city below. The Impure King shrieked as the blue flames reduced it to ash.

Tatsuma instinctively raised his arms to protect his face when Rinka unleashed his flames. He lowered them in shock as he realized the flames did not burn him, but instead were pleasantly warm.

“Amazing.” Tatsuma whispered. He looked up at Karura. Since she was still blue colored due to Prince Rinka lending her his power, she was almost invisible amongst the blue flames that permeated the air.

“Yes, Tatsuma.” Karura agreed. “The Prince’s power is truly worthy of awe.”

————————

The spore on the top of the Impure King was about to burst.

“We’re not going to make it!” Yaozo yelled.

“It doesn’t matter!” Shiro yelled back. “We can’t give up yet!”

The battle had been raging for what felt like forever. Despite the help the exorcists received from Ucchusma, destroying the Impure King’s rot was slow progress. It just kept regrowing almost as fast as they could destroy it. Even after all this time they hadn’t managed to cut a path through the advancing rot. The line had not advanced, but neither had it retreated.

“Hark!” Ucchusma suddenly shouted, ceasing her attacks. “That power! Humans, take cover!”

“What is it?” Yaozo yelled back as the exorcist forces scrambled away from the front lines.

Not a second later a blue blaze rushed towards them and encompassed the entire army. The exorcists yelled out in fear, then wonder and surprise as the flames didn’t burn them.

“It’s only burning the rot.” Shiro said.

Yaozo touched the side of his face, feeling his boils shrink into nothing.

“These blue flames…” Yaozo murmured.

“The Prince of Gehenna.” Ucchusma announced, looking at Yaozo. The demon looked strange, the outline of his body merging and blending with the blue flames around them, making it difficult to see where his flames ended and the blue flames began.

“What?”

“You asked a question. That is your answer.” The flame demon said, seemingly annoyed at Yaozo’s slow uptake.

“Why’s he helping us?” Shiro asked.

“I do not know.” Ucchusma said. “I am not one to engage in rumor and speculation, but the Prince of Gehenna is rumored to have a rivalry with the King of Rot. I will say no more.”

“This must take immense control.” Shiro noted, looking at his hand through the flames. “To burn only the rot and nothing else…”

“Yes, the Prince’s control is said to be greater than that of his father.” Ucchusma said, unable to resist engaging in gossip despite their claim to dislike the activity. “Although Satan’s power is rivaled by none, not even the Prince.”

“Interesting…” Shiro murmured.

The flames dissipated after a few moments, leaving behind the darkness and cold of the night air.

“I cannot sense any trace of the Impure King in the province.” Ucchusma announced. “However, its heart has not been destroyed. The King of Rot must have saved it from destruction.”

“Where are they?” Shiro asked.

“You can’t be serious Fujimoto!” Yaozo exclaimed. “We couldn’t destroy the Impure King, what makes you think you can take on two demons that are much stronger than it!”

“I’m not gonna fight them, I just want to see what they’re doing.” Shiro explained. “See if we can get some intel.”

“I can sense the Impure King’s heart in that direction.” Ucchusma said, turning in the direction the waves of rot had been coming from before. “My duty here is done, so I shall revoke my blessing and take my leave.”

“Yes, of course Lord Ucchusma.” Yaozo said, bowing deeply to the demon. “Thank you for your help.”

Ucchusma disappeared, leaving the area darker than before.

“Well, wanna go spy on some demon family drama?” Shiro asked, a cheeky grin on his face.

“Fine.” Yaozo grumbled.

————————

Rin caught the Impure King’s heart in his hand. His flames prevented its attempts to revive itself. He pulled out a small glass jar covered in magic inscriptions. He shoved it inside and screwed the lid closed tightly.

“You didn’t destroy the heart of the Impure King?” Tatsuma asked as Rin wandered back to the group. He was still kneeling on the ground, exhausted after holding up the flame barrier for so long.

“Yeah, Astaroth may be an asshole but he’s still family.” Rin said. “I’m going to have to see him again eventually and I don’t want him to be pissed at me forever.”

“Oh…” Tatsuma said.

“Amaimon, you can release him.” Rin said.

“Okay.” Amaimon removed the cocoon of plant matter from around the burnt body of Astaroth.

“You…” Astaroth gasped, ash flying from his mouth in a puff of air as he spoke. Every time he exhaled a small cloud of ash flew into the air.

Tatsuma bit his lip to avoid making any sounds at the sight of Astaroth’s body. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air. He could feel nausea rising in his throat. His eyes were wide, but he didn’t look away. He was unable to.

“Karura, lend me your healing powers.” Rin ordered the flame demon.

“As you command my Prince.” Karura said. She enveloped the King of Rot in a thin layer of flame. Rin placed a hand on her back, feeding her the necessary power to heal Astaroth’s vessel.

Tatsuma watched with his jaw hanging as Karura and Prince Rinka performed a miracle together and restored Astaroth’s body. Of course, they could not restore his clothing, so the demon king was left nude.

“Here.” Rin shoved the jar containing the Impure King’s heart into Astaroth’s chest the moment he stood up.

“Impy!” Astaroth exclaimed happily, his tail wagging slightly behind him. “You’re not dead!”

“You’re welcome.” Rin snarked.

Astaroth turned and glared at him. “Was all of this really necessary, little brother?”

“No.” Rin said. “If you had just listened to me in the first place, none of this would have happened.”

“You’re such an entitled little brat.” Astaroth hissed. “What are you gonna do if I let it out right here and now, huh?”

“You’re going to keep that closed Astaroth.” Rin growled. “I’ve had enough of your shit today. Do not release it near any humans or I’ll kick your ass again and then kill it for real.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” Astaroth said.

“Try me.” Rin growled back.

The two stared each other down for a few seconds. Astaroth finally looked away with a huff.

“Fine.” Astaroth caved. “You apparently have the guts to make good on your threats, so I suppose I should heed them better in the future.”

“That’s right.” Rin growled, slightly less angry now that Astaroth had relented, but still majorly ticked off at the demon. If he had his tail out right now, it would be lashing back and forth in anger. However, he knew better than to reveal such a weak point in front of Astaroth. The fight might be over, but Rin wouldn’t put it past Astaroth to try any dirty underhanded tricks. He was quickly proven right as Astaroth turned to glare at Tatsuma, who was still kneeling on the ground catching his breath.

“The hell are you still doing here, human?” Astaroth growled. With a flick of his hand he sent a dark cloud of rot particles towards Tatsuma. The cloud burst into blue flames before it could consume the human.

“Dude!” Rin yelled. “What the hell was that for?”

“It’s eavesdropping on our conversation.” Astaroth shot back. “Besides, it’s just a human, why do you care so much about it?”

“I let your pet live. The least you could do is leave my shit alone.” Rin growled.

Astaroth groaned dramatically, as if not killing Tatsuma was an unreasonably difficult request for him.

“Tatsuma.” Karura said quietly. “We must leave.”

Tatsuma rushed to his feet. He nearly felt himself black out from exhaustion, but only wobbled a little. He rushed away from the three demon kings, Karura following behind him. Tatsuma heard their conversation quickly turn into a screaming match. Once they were out of earshot, Karura spoke.

“Tatsuma.” Karura said. Tatsuma stopped and turned to look at her. Her flames had finally faded back to their usual orange and gold colors. Not even a wisp of blue flames remained.

“What is it?” Tatsuma asked.

“Now that I have been discovered by others, our contract is broken.” Karura said. “I am no longer bound to you or your bloodline.”

“Oh, right.” Tatsuma said. “I guess this is goodbye then.”

“Indeed.” Karura said. “Goodbye.”

And without any fanfare, the flame demon disappeared.

“Quickest goodbye I’ve ever seen.” Tatsuma laughed quietly. “I suppose it’s not out of character.”

He turned and looked at his surroundings. “Now, where am I?”

Tatsuma wandered around the forest for a short time before bumping into Yaozo Shima and Shiro Fujimoto.

“Oh! Hello you two!” Tatsuma called cheerfully.

“Master, what are you doing out here?” Yaozo asked.

“Oh, I’m the one that cast the flame barrier.” Tatsuma explained.

“The one that was the same color as Satan’s flames?” Shiro questioned.

“Oh… haha… that. Right. Um, the Son of Satan, Prince Rinka, gave my familiar a boost of power so we could hold the barrier up for longer.” Tatsuma explained.

“He’s the one who destroyed the Impure King, right?” Yaozo asked.

“Yeah. I didn’t ask why, but hey! The enemy of my enemy is my friend! Or something…” Tatsuma said awkwardly.

“Is he this way?” Shiro asked, walking in the direction Tatsuma had come from.

“Don’t go that way!” Tatsuma cried, grabbing Shiro’s arm.

Shiro glared, causing Tatsuma to let go. Tatsuma sighed. “Yes, he’s that way. But so is the King of Rot, Astaroth, and the King of Earth, Amaimon. They’re… having a little family spat. It would be best not to get in the middle of that.”

“Cool.” Shiro said. He turned and swaggered confidently towards the direction Tatsuma had just come from.

“Were you not listening?!” Tatsuma cried out in frustration.

Yaozo put a hand on Tatsuma’s shoulder. “Come on, my old friend. Let’s make sure he doesn’t get himself killed.”

Tatsuma sighed heavily, but followed the other two exorcists back into the forest.

By the time that the three got there, Astaroth and Prince Rinka were in a full blown screaming match. The two thankfully weren’t throwing blows yet, but it seemed close. Amaimon was sitting on the ground several feet away, hands clamped over his ears.

“Can you even understand what they’re saying?” Shiro quietly asked Yaozo. The other shook his head.

Prince Rinka suddenly went quiet, his head snapping in the direction of the three exorcists.

“Uh oh.” Shiro whispered, not sounding very apologetic or worried.

Prince Rinka turned back to Astaroth who had also paused in his screaming to look at the humans. “Whatever, I don’t care, you suck, and I’m tired. Bye.”

Prince Rinka flipped off the older demon and teleported away in a plume of blue flames. Astaroth huffed in annoyance and teleported away as well. Amaimon sat up, pulling his head out from between his knees and looked around.

“Oh, they’re finally done.” Amaimon said, removing his hands from his ears. The demon stood up and stretched, then immediately slouched over.

“That was a nightmare.” Amaimon complained. “I’m never doing Rinka a favor again.”

The earth demon finally teleported away, leaving the three humans alone. Tatsuma and Yaozo both let out identical sighs of relief.

“Well that was fun!” Shiro said cheerfully.

“You’re lucky we weren’t killed.” Yaozo said flatly.

“Yeah but we survived, so I don’t see the issue.” Shiro replied cheekily.

“I’m retiring.” Tatsuma sighed. “I can’t keep up anymore.”

Yaozo let out a long sigh. “I feel the same way, old friend.”

Chapter Text

The next day, Ryuji woke before the rest of the exwires. He had only gotten a few hours of sleep, but was unable to fall asleep again. Silently he got dressed and left their shared room, careful not to wake the others. The sun was already up and despite the early hour, many exorcists were swarming throughout the inn. All of the sickness that had been caused by the Impure King’s miasma had burned away over night, so most of the injured were now back on their feet. The majority of the exorcists that had come to Kyoto were either sleeping in or in the process of leaving now that they were no longer needed. Ryuji even spotted Yukio and Shiro sleeping in chairs next to each other in a small sitting area. Yukio’s arms were crossed and his head was slumped against his chest. Shiro had an arm around his son’s shoulders, his head tossed back, and snoring loudly. Ryuji did his best to stay quiet as he bought a drink from the vending machine. He winced as the drink clattered loudly into the collection tray. Yukio startled awake, his eyes focusing on Ryuji immediately. Ryuji gave his teacher an awkward wave and left. Yukio watched him go silently.

Ryuji took his drink and sat on a porch outside, watching as people came and went. It was relatively peaceful compared to the chaos of the last few days. The air itself smelled cleaner than before. The stench of sickness had completely disappeared. Ryuji drank his soda slowly, just trying to relax. It was around mid-morning when he heard soft footsteps approaching from behind. Ryuji turned to see Konekomaru still in his pajamas walking towards him. He quietly sat down next to Ryuji crosslegged to keep his socks from getting too dirty.

“You doing okay?” Ryuji asked.

“Yeah.” Konekomaru said. “How long have you been up?”

“Dunno, an hour maybe?” Ryuji said. “What about you?”

“Not long.” Konekomaru said. “Came looking for you. The others are all still asleep. Except for Takara, his bags are gone too, I don’t know where he went.”

Ryuji hummed in acknowledgement. He took a sip from his drink.

“Have you… have you heard anything?” Ryuji asked. “About what happened last night?”

“I ran into Juzo.” Konekomaru said. “He woke me up. He was coming to tell us that there’s going to be a meeting later today with all of the head priests.”

“And my father?” Ryuji asked, his mood souring.

“He’s around the inn supposedly.” Konekomaru shrugged. “I don’t know where.”

Ryuji sighed. “At least someone’s seen him.”

The two sat there in silence for some time. After a while, Konekomaru got up, saying he was going to go get dressed, and left. Ryuji drank the last of his soda, crushing the tin can in his hand. He sat on the porch for a few more seconds, just admiring the scenery. He got up, looking around for a trashcan. The sun continued to rise slowly. The inn was a bit more lively than before as more people began waking up. Ryuji’s stomach grumbled. He left to go find something to eat. Breakfast should be ready by now.

After eating, Ryuji went to help out with any chores that needed doing. Although the crisis had been averted, there was still a lot to do. Mostly cleanup and tending to the wounded, but it was much more subdued than before. A lot of the tension and stress from the previous days had vanished. People worked a lot more slowly. There wasn’t as much of a hurry as before. A little bit after lunchtime, Ryuji started wandering around looking for his father. If he was going to be on time for the meeting, he’d better start looking in advance. Thankfully, his father had been seen in the inn recently, so it probably wouldn’t be too hard to locate him this time.

Ryuji was walking through a mostly empty part of the inn when he spotted his father. He wasn’t wearing his usual robes, the ones that were worn by the head priest of the Myoda. Instead he was wearing a janitor’s uniform. He was sweeping a courtyard, humming quietly to himself. Ryuji’s eyebrows shot up his forehead in surprise at the sight.

“Dad.” Ryuji said, frozen in his tracks from shock. “What are you doing?”

Tatsuma looked up. He gave his son a big grin. “I’m cleaning!”

“Why? Why are you wearing a janitor’s uniform?” Ryuji asked, bewildered. His eye was starting to twitch in annoyance.

“I retired from being a priest!” Tatsuma answered cheerfully. “I’ve already let everyone else know, but you were still asleep when I made the announcement. Sorry for not coming to find you and tell you personally. But your mom got me a job at the inn! So now I’m a janitor!”

“Are you kidding me?!” Ryuji yelled. “You’re just acting like this is normal!?”

“It’s the new normal…” Tatsuma argued weakly.

“You!” Ryuji seethed. He took a breath to calm himself. “The elders are holding a meeting. You need to come.”

“But I’m not an elder priest or the master of the Myoda anymore. I quit!” Tatsuma tried to say. “I have no right to-”

Ryuji stormed forward and grabbed him by the arm. “You are going to that meeting and you are going to explain yourself.”

Ryuji dragged his father down the hall. Tatsuma didn’t try to break from his son’s grasp. He probably couldn’t if he wanted to, Tatsuma thought. His son had grown a lot stronger since he last saw him.

Ryuji slammed open the door and dragged Tatsuma to the head of the table. He pushed his father into his seat then took his own on Tatsuma’s left.

“Hello all!” Tatsuma greeted cheerfully.

“Why are you… nevermind, there’s more important things we need to discuss.” Yaozo shook his head.

“Yes… I suppose I owe you all answers.” Tatsuma said, his usual cheerfulness gone. “Please, allow me to tell my story and hold all questions until the end.”

“Of course, Master. I mean… sir.” Yaozo said.

“This tale starts at the original battle against the Impure King, almost one hundred fifty years ago.” Tatsuma began. “My ancestor made a deal with a demon known as Karura in order to defeat the Impure King. Karura was the spirit that once inhabited the Kurikara sword. The contract my ancestor made was simple. He and his descendents shall keep Karura hidden within their body and never share the secret of her existence with anyone. Karura grows stronger from secrets and lies. In exchange she would help the head priest of the Myoda contain the Impure King and help in battle should it ever be revived. I learned of her existence when my father died and I became the next head priest. I took over the contract and carried her within me since then.”

Tatsuma’s expression had become serious, an expression rarely seen on the man’s face. It felt wrong almost to see him like this, Ryuji thought.

“When the Impure King was revived I ran up the mountain and together Karura and I cast a spell meant to be a killing blow against the demon. However, it was not strong enough. Then… the former exorcist Saburota Todo came up behind me and stabbed me in the back.”

Gasps were heard from around the table, but no one asked any questions as Tatsuma had asked.

“He had somehow found out about Karura and revived the Impure King in a plot to draw her out of hiding. He… I’m not sure how it was even possible, but Todo then ate Karura.” Tatsuma paused to gauge the reactions of those gathered at the table.

“She managed to survive, but barely. She hid the last of her essence inside my body. Once Todo left, she reemerged but didn’t have enough energy left to heal my wound. I thought… I thought I was going to die there.” Tatsuma’s expression was unreadable. It was a far cry from his usual cheerful nature, which left a bad taste in Ryuji’s mouth.

“That was when Prince Rinka appeared.” Tatsuma said. “He gave some of his power to Karura and asked her to heal me. He then asked me and Karura to create the flame barrier and contain the Impure King for half an hour while he went and fought the King of Rot. That’s why the barrier was blue. Karura didn’t have enough of her own power, so it was powered mostly by Prince Rinka’s flames. I’m not sure how long I actually held the barrier, but eventually Prince Rinka came back along with the King of Earth and an injured King of Rot. Prince Rinka told me to drop the flame barrier, and when I did he… he burned away all of the Impure King’s rot until only its core was left.”

“Prince Rinka had Karura heal the King of Rot. He was… his body was completely blackened, his skin completely burnt away, but he was still alive and awake. It was… horrifying to see. The stench of burnt flesh was worse. I thought I was going to throw up. I feel nauseous just thinking about it.”

Ryuji silently handed his father a glass of water.

“Thank you, my boy.” Tatsuma said gratefully, taking a few sips.

“With Prince Rinka’s power, Karura was able to fully heal the King of Rot. Although she has incredible regeneration and healing abilities, it was nothing short of witnessing a miracle. Prince Rinka then gave the Impure King’s core to Astaroth. I left after that. They started arguing and I didn’t want to get in the middle of that. Once we were far enough away, Karura reminded me that since someone other than myself had seen her, our contract had broken. And then she left, just like that! Then I ran into Yaozo and Shiro and that’s that!”

Tatsuma beamed at everyone sitting around the table, back to his usual demeanor after finishing his story. The table sat in silence, absorbing the insane contents of Tatsuma’s story.

“So… any questions?” Tatsuma asked, breaking the silence.

“A few…” Yaozo finally said. “Why did Prince Rinka destroy the Impure King? When we summoned Ucchusma during the battle, she said that he had a rivalry with the King of Rot, but if that was his only motivation why did he go through the trouble of saving you and having you put up the barrier?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know.” Tatsuma said, shaking his head. “He didn’t explain, and he seemed… to be in a poor mood, so I didn’t ask.”

“I understand.” Yaozo nodded. “Is there anything you remember him saying that could be significant? For the incident report for the Order.”

“Uh… oh! Towards the end, when Prince Rinka and Astaroth started arguing, Astaroth tried to kill me because I was accidentally eavesdropping on their conversation. Rinka stopped him, protecting me. When Astaroth asked why, he said something along the lines of… “I didn’t kill your pet, so don’t touch my things.”” Tatsuma said, looking a little unnerved. “I left immediately after that bit. I… honestly I have no clue why he would say something like that about me. We’ve never interacted before then. The first time I ever saw him was the day after the keep was first attacked, up at the temple. I already told you all about that, heh…”

“Interesting…” Yaozo hummed. “Thank you, Ma- Mister Suguro.”

“I have another question, if you don’t mind.” Uwabami spoke up. “I… would like to know your opinion on the matter. If the Impure King’s core is now in the hands of the King of Rot, what’s stopping him from simply releasing it? And if he does, how are we supposed to fight against it without Karura? Can she be summoned again?”

“Oh, the first part of your question is simple!” Tatsuma responded cheerfully. “It’s Prince Rinka! He basically threatened to kill Astaroth if the Impure King is released near any humans. As for Karura… I don’t think she’ll return. I don’t have a concrete reason why, but it’s a gut feeling. She will be looking for a new place to hide.”

“Thank you.” Uwabami nodded respectfully.

The members of Myoda's leadership slowly filed out after all questions had been exhausted. The last ones to leave were Ryuji and Tatsuma. Konekomaru gave Ryuji a pointed look before he left.

“Dad, wait.” Ryuji said, grabbing his father’s sleeve as he tried to leave.

“What is it son?” Tatsuma asked, smiling.

“I… I’m sorry!” Ryuji bowed low to his father. “I’m sorry for what I said in the keep. I… I hope you can forgive me. I should have trusted you… I should have-”

Tatsuma swept Ryuji into a tight hug, cutting him off.

“Oh my boy.” Tatsuma said softly. “I already forgave you. It is me who needs to apologise. Do you think you can ever forgive me for all the lies I told you?”

Ryuji melted into his father’s embrace.

“I don’t know.” Ryuji admitted. “I understand that you did what you had to but…”

“That’s alright.” Tatsuma said. “I’m sorry, for everything.”

Ryuji didn’t answer.

“I love you, dad.” Ryuji eventually said.

“I love you too, Bon.” Tatsuma replied.

Chapter Text

After the “incident” in Kyoto, all of the exorcists from the Order’s Japan branch were sent back to their homes. Classes resumed as normal for the exwires. None of them talked about the fight with Yukio, and their teacher didn’t bring it up either. No one really talked about Prince Rinka or what he had said that night. It wasn’t that they were forbidden from discussing it, it’s just that no one liked the implications of it. So everyone did their best to ignore it and forget. Still, despite everything returning to normal, Ryuji had his apprenticeship with Lightning. The Kyoto incident had occurred so soon after the apprenticeship had officially started, so Ryuji wasn’t able to shadow him much before then. Now that things had calmed down, he was falling into somewhat of a routine with his new apprenticeship.

That being said, Ryuji quickly learned that his and Lightning’s personalities were incredibly incompatible. The man was everything that Ryuji despised in other people. He was lazy, crass, inconsiderate, and overall kind of an asshole. But he was also absolutely brilliant. Watching the man work was absolutely infuriating and nothing at all how Ryuji functioned. There was no discipline, no organization, and Lighting took breaks as often as possible, not to mention trying to push off as much of his work as possible onto Ryuji. But somehow, the exorcist was able to work miracles when he did decide to focus. It absolutely pissed Ryuji off. Ryuji had always believed that hard work and discipline were the things that would lead to success, but Lightning used neither. It was taking all of his willpower to not explode at his mentor, to yell and lecture him about how he should be conducting himself. Sometimes he felt like the man was doing it on purpose, to see how far he could push Ryuji before he put his anger over his need to be polite to his superiors. If there was one thing he was learning, it was how to manage his anger, that’s for sure. Honestly, the whole thing was shattering every worldview Ryuji held and giving him a massive headache. Still, despite how much Lightning pissed Ryuji off sometimes, he found himself extremely lucky to be in this position. Even if half the time he ended up as Lightning’s errand boy.

Ryuji approached the research facility. He presented his ID card to the guard out front. “Exwire Ryuji Suguro, apprentice to Exorcist Light, Upper First Class.”

“Yeah, yeah, kid, you don’t need to introduce yourself every time.” The guard said, waving him in. “We know who you are.”

Ryuji nodded politely to the guard, but held his tongue. Internally he was angry at the guard’s laziness and trying not to glare. Honestly, rules were made for a reason. They had to be followed. It was what kept people safe, and to see others so casually disregard those rules… but Lighting was just as lazy, and that laziness was clearly the source of his genius. He developed the method to shorten summoning chants because he was too lazy to say the entire thing every time. The two worldviews conflicted heavily in Ryuji’s mind. He had so much to learn.

Ryuji walked through the halls of the research center, eventually pushing open a big heavy door into a large auditorium. The room was filled with many exorcists, some drawing circles, others huddled together discussing something. Ryuji walked over to Lewin. The man was squatting on the edge of a chair, silently observing a group of people drawing a large magical circle in the middle of the room.

“Master! I picked up your lunch.” Ryuji said, holding out the paper take out bag for Lewin to take.

“Thanks kid!” Lewin said, startling out of his thoughts. “Nice! It’s even still warm!”

“Anything going on here?” Ryuji asked.

“We’re about to test the newest circle.” Lewin said with his mouth full, gesturing towards the circle with a french fry.

The circle was massive and much more complex than anything Ryuji had seen before. He didn’t even recognize all of the symbols that had been drawn. At the center of the circle was Sir Pheles, sitting on a plush chair, playing some handheld video game. The demon looked bored, his legs slung over the chair’s armrest.

“Sir Pheles has graciously volunteered to help with the testing.” Lewin said. “Since he’s at a somewhat similar power level with Rinka. But it’s not perfect. Rinka’s a fire elemental demon and Pheles isn’t. Those differences add up a lot when dealing with demons as powerful as these guys.”

“So even if we make a spell that works on Sir Pheles, it might not even work on Prince Rinka?” Ryuji asked.

“Yup.” Lewin said. “Or it could work on Rinka and not Pheles, lots of variables here, ya know?”

Ryuji hummed, nodding as if he understood. Most of this stuff went over his head. Ryuji thought he was already a good Aria, but working with Lewin made him realize how much he simply hadn’t come across while studying. Just being able to watch Lighting and the others work was a dream come true for Ryuji. He was truly blessed to be so lucky.

“Looks like it’s starting to affect him.” Lewin commented, his eyes boring holes into the demon.

“How can you tell?” Ryuji asked, studying the demon himself. He couldn’t see any difference from before.

“He scratched himself.” Lewin said. “Demons like him don’t get itchy.”

“Huh.” Ryuji said.

Over the next few minutes, Ryuji decided to pay more attention to Sir Pheles as the researchers continued building the circle. He noted every time the demon scratched himself and every time he shifted in his seat. Mephisto seemed to be growing more and more irritated as the moments ticked by.

“The circle is complete, Mister Light.” An exorcist ran over to Lewin, startling Ryuji out of his thoughts.

“Thank goodness.” Mephisto sighed, his game disappearing in a puff of smoke. “If I have to sit here any longer I might go mad from boredom.”

“Is it really boredom? Or is it something else?” Lewin asked.

“Hmm? Now that you mention it, I think you might be on to something.” Mephisto hummed thoughtfully. He stood up, his chair disappearing as well. “Now then, let’s get this show on the road!”

The exorcists all took their positions around the circle. Ryuji stayed where he was, eager to watch. He wasn’t allowed to record stuff on his phone or even take notes due to security reasons, but he still tried to memorize everything he could. Lewin took up his own position, then looked around the circle. “Everyone ready?”

The group began to chant. The circle began to glow blue. Tendrils of glowing water shot out of the ground, wrapping around Mephisto’s body. The demon grunted softly, but didn’t attempt to move or struggle. The tendrils pulled taut, but Mephisto didn’t move. The chanting continued, reaching a crescendo, before falling silent. The room was dead quiet, watching Mephisto. The demon finally began to struggle, testing the strength of his bonds. Then, he quickly spread his arms and the tendrils of water holding him burst, pooling on the floor below and washing away the chalk used to draw the circle. People around the room let out sighs and groans of disappointment.

“Well it was certainly better than last time.” Mephisto commented. “It could actually hold me for a little bit. But the moment I pushed just a little bit of my power into escaping, it broke. Also, I suggest you switch to paint instead of chalk if you’re set on using a water based trap.”

“Noted.” Lewin said. “Thanks for the feedback.”

“I can’t tell if that was a success or not.” Ryuji said when Lewin walked back over to where he was standing.

“It was a massive success.” Lewin said. “Last time it fizzled out before it even touched him.”

“That’s good progress.” Ryuji commented.

“Yup!” Lewin said. “These guys here will clean up, I’ve got something else I wanted to look into.”

“Before you go, Mister Lightning.” Mephisto called, walking over to the two. “I wanted to speak with you.”

“What is it?” Lewin asked, his expression suddenly becoming guarded.

“After reading the reports from the Impure King incident, I had an idea.” Mephisto said. “And since you’re the most powerful tamer currently at the Japan branch, you are the perfect candidate to help. You see, all demons are terrible gossips. I want to see what kind of gossip we can find on Prince Rinka.”

“Oh?” Lewin said. “Now I’m intrigued.”

“I thought you would be.” Mephisto chuckled. “Let’s move this to one of the test summoning chambers.”

“Bring my apprentice too.” Lewin said. “He’s real helpful.”

Mephisto nodded and tapped his umbrella on the ground once, teleporting the three of them to another room. Judging by the style of the room, they were likely still inside the research center, Ryuji noted. Outside he saw people passing by that he vaguely recognized. On the floor was a large summoning circle in white paint. It looked like it had been painted a while ago, the paint chipped in some parts, and suspicious stains in others. There was fresh paint in some areas, a quick repair job likely.

“You ever been to one of these rooms before Ryuji?” Lewin asked.

“No, Master.” Ryuji replied.

“These rooms are for when people want to test out new summoning spells and what not.” Lewin said. There's a control panel behind that mirror over there. It’s actually one way glass. There’s all sorts of buttons, most importantly one that triggers the holy water sprinklers and a panic button. You can man the controls for us, alright?”

“Yes Master!” Ryuji answered.

“Wonderful.” Mephisto said. “There should be a manual in the top drawer. Flip through the beginning, then tell us when you’re ready.”

Before Ryuji could agree, Mephisto snapped his fingers, teleporting Ryuji into the control room. He looked around for the correct drawer and pulled out the manual. He skimmed through all of the safety settings, making sure to locate the buttons to call for help and trigger the sprinklers above, both the ones with regular water and with holy water. Ryuji pressed the power button, the control panel lighting up. He leaned forward to the microphone and held the talk button.

“I’m ready on my end!” Ryuji called.

Lewin gave him a thumbs up. “Can you hear me?”

“Yes!”

“Good!”

Lewin turned to Mephisto. “So who do you want to summon first?”

“Hmm. I say we start with the lower level demons first then work our way up.” Mephisto proposed.

“Sounds good to me.” Lewin shrugged.

The two began by summoning lower level demons, starting with a fire elemental demon, then demons of all the other elemental types. Mephisto had to translate for all of them. Some couldn't even speak in complete sentences, just emotions and feelings and instinct. Many of the lower level demons hadn’t even heard of Prince Rinka or Satan. If they did, none of them could give them any information that the Order didn’t already know. Once they began summoning mid-level demons, they got a little more information. Prince Rinka’s official title among demons was Rinka the Merciful.

“His human half makes him soft.” Mephisto commented. “Demons are ruthless. You kill or punish those who disrespect you. Otherwise they won’t respect your authority. But Rinka is bringing human values and concepts into Gehenna. By demon standards, he is merciful, but whether or not he has any mercy by human standards has yet to be seen.”

“Hmm.” Lewin hummed. “I thought the mid-level demons seemed to respect him, but what would a human like me know?”

“It is… strange.” Mephisto admitted. “They do hold some respect for Prince Rinka, but not the kind they should. It is respect born out of admiration, not fear. It is highly out of the ordinary for such low level demons to regard someone so powerful with admiration instead of fear.”

It was once they started summoning upper level demons that they were able to start learning some usable information.

“He played with my spawn for a time.” The upper level air demon said. “But he eventually stopped coming around. Nephilim sure do grow up quickly it seems. It’s tragic, no demon can have a proper childhood in that little time.”

“Prince Rinka?” The upper level rot demon sneered. “He’s a weakling and a coward. I’ve heard that he couldn’t even slay the Impure King. Now that damn beast has taken over my territory. If it wasn’t the King of Rot’s personal pet I would have made it pay severely for its insolence.”

“He’s so strange.” The upper level water demon said, it’s voice like a chiming bell. “I’ve never seen a fire demon consume so much water. Nor submerge themselves in it so willingly.”

“He’s fun!” The upper level earth demon said. “He plays the best games! He even showed us some human games too! They’re a bit weird, but I like them.”

“He is a bright light for all of demon kind.” The upper level fire demon praised. “He is honorable and kind, rare traits for demons. I can only hope to become more like him.”

“That’s nice.” Mephisto said, clearly annoyed. “If that’s all you have to say…”

“Ah, wait. Have you heard of the Rinka Star?” The fire demon asked, clearly eager to gossip.

“No, I have not.” Mephisto said.

“You have not returned to Gehenna for some time, I see.” The demon commented almost disdainfully. “The Rinka Star is a false sun that hangs above the Castle at the center of Gehenna.”

“Satan’s castle you mean?” Mephisto asked.

“Yes. I heard that the Rinka Star was a joint creation between The King of Gehenna and the King of Fire.” The flame demon said. “A mimicry of the great star that illuminates the human world. Apparently, humans cannot live without it, and the Prince fell ill shortly after arriving in Gehenna. The two figured the cause was that his body was missing the light of the sun, and created a false one to illuminate the Castle and the land surrounding it.”

“Fasinating…” Lewin whispered.

“The star does not stay bright continuously however.” The demon continued. “It stays bright for several hours, then goes dark for an equal amount of time. Apparently it mimics the great Star of Assiah, however I have never seen said Star of Assiah myself. I often stray near the edges of King Satan’s territory to catch a glimpse of the magnificence of the Rinka Star. It is quite beautiful.”

“That is quite the impressive creation.” Mephisto said. “Thank you, that was very interesting indeed. Is there anything else you know?

“I’m afraid not.” The fire demon said. “I’ve never interacted with the Prince myself, nor has anyone I know. But I do know that he often plays with the younglings that live near the Castle.”

“Thank you for your time.” Mephisto said. “You may go now.”

The flame demon disappeared from the circle as Lewin scuffed the paint with his shoe.

“Well that was certainly interesting.” Lewin said. “A fake star to simulate sunlight and a day-night cycle?”

“It is.” Mephisto said. “Things rarely change in Gehenna. But something of this magnitude… I’m surprised I haven’t heard of it earlier.”

“Maybe demons are avoiding you.” Lewin suggested. “I was wondering why you asked for my help with this. I know you could have done it by yourself. The only reason you’re making me do the summoning is because no one wants to talk to you. Am I right?”

“Perhaps. It is odd though, I’ve never had this problem in the past.” Mephisto said. “Someone must be urging the more gossip inclined demons to avoid me and those that work for me.”

“Sabotage?” Lewin asked. “Could it be Rinka?”

“It would certainly fit.” Mephisto agreed. “Although it could be Lucifer. I have heard that he’s more… aware these days. In better health than he was before.”

Lewin hummed thoughtfully at that.

He clapped his hands together loudly, the sound echoing through the room. “Welp, I’m beat. I think that's enough summoning for me today.”

“Of course. I’ll put something on your schedule for us to do this again.” Mephisto said. “I believe we should focus on getting information out of the upper level demons.”

“Got it. I’ll send you an email for when I have free time.” Lewin said. “Or actually, I’ll make Ryuji do it. Right kid?”

Ryuji rolled his eyes behind the one way glass. He pressed the button to talk through the intercom. “Yes Master.”

“Great!” Lewin said. “It’s pretty late, the kid has his bedtime, so we’re going to get going now.”

“It’s only seven in the afternoon.” Mephisto said, checking his watch. “But you don’t exactly have a normal sleep schedule either, so I’ll let the two of you go.”

“Later!” Lewin called, leaving through the door. Ryuji turned off the control panel and jogged to catch up to Lewin as he strolled down the hallway.

“You can take off for today, kid.” Lewin said. “Get some sleep, okay?”

“Okay Master. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Ryuji said.

“Hey, before you go, what time do kids your age actually go to sleep?” Lewin asked. “I, uh, don’t actually know.”

“I usually go to bed around ten.” Ryuji answered.

“Oh. I thought kids went to bed at seven or eight.” Lewin admitted, looking slightly embarrassed.

“No, that’s only for toddlers.” Ryuji replied. He wasn’t completely sure of that fact though. He’d have to look it up later.

“Huh, you learn something new everyday.” Lewin said, trying to hide his embarrassment behind his hat.

“Right.” Ryuji said. “I’ll see you later, Master.”

“See ya kid!” Lewin waved as Ryuji left.

It was starting to get dark outside as Ryuji left the research center. He waved goodbye to the guards outside at the gate. The streets weren’t abandoned despite the late hour, but it wasn’t incredibly crowded either. There were a few people walking around. Some shop owners were starting to close for the night. Despite it not being very crowded, someone managed to bump into Ryuji. They muttered an apology. Ryuji felt a familiar irritation rise in his chest, but he refrained from lecturing the person. Seriously, it wasn’t even all that crowded, couldn’t they have at least tried to avoid bumping into him? Still, he shrugged it off with a huff. It was late. He had homework to finish after all.

Chapter Text

The school festival was here and it was all everyone could talk about. Izumo thought the whole thing was overrated. She wasn’t a big fan of large crowds anyway having grown up in such a small town. Still, it seemed like everyone she knew was obsessed with going. But she supposed something like the festival was something normal kids would obsess over. Even Noriko was going, surprising Izumo with the announcement that she had acquired a boyfriend several weeks before the festival with whom she would be attending. Honestly, Noriko was never as interested in dating and boys as the other girls, even less so than Izumo, so it was a little bit of a surprise to see her get a date. Either way, Izumo was happy for her oldest friend.

Noriko seemed a little nervous as she left for the school festival, calling goodbye to Izumo, likely because this was her first official date with her new boyfriend. Izumo waved back wordlessly, not looking up from her homework. She managed to study for less than an hour before someone began banging repeatedly on her door. Annoyed, Izumo threw down her pencil and stomped to the door. She opened it to see Renzo, out of breath.

“Kamiki! There you are! Finally…” Renzo gasped. He was dressed in a suit, wearing a lanyard identifying him as festival security. A wired earpiece was wrapped around his ear. He was holding his K’rik, leaning on his heavily as he caught his breath.

“What do you want?” Izumo asked, crossing her arms. “Aren’t you supposed to be working at the festival?”

“Yeah, but something came up.” Renzo said. He straightened up, gripping his K’rik. “You’re in danger. The Illuminati are here, they’re looking for you.”

“What?!” Izumo exclaimed. “How… nevermind. Thanks for the warning, but I can protect myself.”

Izumo attempted to slam the door, but Renzo stuck his foot in the doorway.

“Wait! Ow…” Renzo said. “Hear me out!”

Izumo yanked the door back open. “What!”

The tip of Renzo’s K’rik was suddenly wreathed in black flames. He stabbed it forward like a spear, the dark flaming point driving right through Izumo’s chest. Izumo’s eyes rolled back into her head. She fell over backwards, Renzo darting forward to catch her unconscious form.

“Sorry Kamiki… it had to be done.” Renzo said, smirking.

Renzo tossed the unconscious Izumo over his shoulder and kicked her dorm room shut. He carried her to an empty courtyard, careful not to be seen by anyone. He laid her down on a bench nearby. He looked around to make sure he was actually alone.

“Whew! Either Kamiki is really heavy or I need to get in better shape.” Renzo complained to himself, wiping sweat from his forehead.

“So you’re the Illuminati spy.” A voice from behind Renzo suddenly spoke.

Renzo whirled around in surprise. “Puppet kid? You can talk?”

“That’s what you're surprised about?” Takara asked. “Whatever, step away from the girl.”

“Nah, I got a job to do.” Renzo said, raising his K’rik.

Before the two could start fighting, the wind suddenly picked up around them. A bright light appeared from overhead. Many other such balls of light were scattered across the night sky above True Cross Academy like the world’s most menacing Christmas lights.

“Looks like we won’t get the chance afterall.” Renzo said, looking up.

A helicopter became visible against the night sky, its camouflage dropping as it began to land.

“Renzo!” A voice yelled. Renzo turned his head to see Ryuji and Konekomaru running towards them.

The helicopter finally landed. The two exwires skidded to a stop, Yukio and Shiemi appearing around the corner soon after and joining the other two boys.

“Is Kamiki okay? What did Takara do to her?” Ryuji asked, walking towards Renzo. He stopped dead in his tracks when Renzo turned his K’rik on Ryuji. “What the… what are you doing man?”

“There seems to be a misunderstanding.” Mephisto said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere behind the other exwires. “Mister Takara is my spy. Mister Shima is the Illuminati’s spy, correct?”

“Correctarooni!” Renzo answered cheerfully.

Two Illuminati guards stepped out of the helicopter and collected Izumo from the bench she was sleeping on. More emerged from the helicopter, followed by a white haired man wearing a golden mask over the top of his face.

“Greetings, little brother.”

“Lucifer.” Mephisto said. “How nice it is to see you in such good health.”

“Enough pleasantries Samael.” Lucifer said. “This is a declaration of war against the Order. The Illuminati is stepping out of the shadows and into the light of day.”

“I see.” Mephisto said, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. He was unusually tense, as if he was ready for a fight. He gripped the handle of his umbrella tightly. Still, he made no move to prevent Izumo from being taken.

“Farewell, brother.” Lucifer said.

“Farewell, brother.” Mephisto echoed.

Lucifer stepped back into the helicopter, followed by the rest of the Illuminati including Izumo and Renzo.

“Renzo!” Ryuji yelled. “You’re going with them!?”

“Well duh.” Renzo shrugged, a smug look on his face.

“This isn’t you!” Ryuji yelled. “Please! Don’t… you can’t do this!”

“Actually I can.” Renzo said. “Very easily.”

Renzo was the last to step into the helicopter. It took flight once more, the camouflage creeping over its surface once more.

“Renzo!” Ryuji screamed at the sky. “You fucking asshole!”

The balls of light in the sky suddenly exploded. The exwires were forced to duck as chunks of rubble rained from above. The noise from the festival turned to screams of terror. Sirens and alarms could be heard wailing throughout the city after the blast. A dark cloud of flying creatures started to fill the sky, moving from the border of the city towards its center.

“Demons…” Yukio gasped. “They have to be at least mid-level.”

“I can’t believe Renzo was a traitor.” Konekomaru said, visibly distressed.

“Now what do we do?” Shiemi asked. “We have to help Miss Izumo!”

“That's quite right my dear!” Mephisto said, turning towards the group of children. “However with the chaos Lucifer just caused, we have our hands full repairing the anti-demon protections and taking care of the damage. I’m afraid we won’t have anyone to send to rescue Miss Kamiki!”

“What!?” Shiemi exclaimed. “But we have to help her!”

“Which is why the four of you will go! Exorcist Okumura, you and these exwires shall rescue Izumo Kamiki!” Mephisto declared.

“What? With no back up?” Yukio asked worriedly.

“These exwires are your back up.” Mephisto said, gesturing to the other children around him. “With the damage that Lucifer caused in that attack, we need all hands on deck. We simply cannot spare any more manpower, and I presume the other branches are in the same situation as us.”

“But-“ Yukio started.

“Don’t argue, Mister Okumura. This is a direct order from your superior.” Mephisto said flatly.

Yukio bit his tongue, stopping himself from arguing further. “Yes sir.”

“I can be their back up.” A voice called, drawing the group’s attention.

“Is that the Paladin?” Konekomaru whispered in slight awe.

“Dad!” Yukio sounded surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“Ah, ya know, just keeping an eye on things.” Shiro said laughing, but shot a quick glare in Mephisto’s direction.

“Don’t you think your skills would be better put to use elsewhere?” Mephisto asked.

“Sure, maybe, but like hell I’m gonna let my son walk into the den of the enemy by himself.” Shiro stated casually, as if discussing the weather. He put a protective hand on Yukio’s shoulder. He glared at Mephisto challengingly.

“Of course, after what happened to your other son, I’d expect nothing less.” Mephisto purred.

Shiro and Yukio both openly glared at Mephisto.

“Well I shall be off, there is much work to do, lots to clean up!” Mephisto exclaimed, disappearing in his usual dramatic puff of smoke.

“Alright kids, you should all get some rest. I’ll handle the travel arrangements, alright?” Shiro said with an easy smile.

The kids just nodded silently, still reeling from everything that had just happened.

————————

Izumo woke up suddenly, immediately on edge. She shot up into a sitting position, quickly looking around. She was in a small room with white walls, floors, and ceiling. She had been lying on an examination table with only the barest hit of padding for comfort. She wore a thin medical gown (thankfully the kind that had a back) and a metal collar. Izumo reached to tug at the collar, noting that it didn’t have any kind of lock keeping it in place, but an actual bolt. All of her other clothes had been removed while she slept. Someone had even changed her underwear. Izumo shivered at the thought of someone touching her like that. Goosebumps rose on her arms. She tried to rub them down with little success.

So the Illuminati had taken her. That wasn’t part of their deal. And that rat bastard Renzo! How dare he! Izumo clenched her teeth, barely containing her anger. They were probably listening, watching her. She could see the security camera in the corner. She wasn’t going to give them anything they could use against her. Izumo tried to force herself to calm down.

The door of her cell opened. A familiar face was the first through the door.

“Hey Kamiki!” Renzo, decked in the full Illuminati regalia, called cheerfully. He walked over to stand next to the examination table. “How ya doing?”

Izumo scoffed at him, but didn’t respond. A few more people came in as well. A few nameless guards, and a woman she recognized.

“Hello Miss Kamiki.” Homare Todo greeted her. “We haven’t officially met. I am Captain Homare Todo of Phosphorus, the Guard division of the Illuminati.”

“What do you want?” Izumo snapped.

“We are here to officially welcome you back to the Illuminati.” Homare said.

“That wasn’t the deal!” Izumo yelled. “I wasn’t supposed to come back until I became a Tamer Lower Second Class!”

A sickening and familiar laugh came from just outside of the cell. Izumo’s breath caught in her chest. Her eyes widened.

“Sorry my dear but there’s been a change of plans!” Michael Gedoin walked into the room, a cruel smile on his face. “You see… your dear mother isn’t doing too well.”

Gedoin snapped his fingers. Izumo gasped as her mother was wheeled into the room strapped to a metal examination table. She was completely covered in bandages.

“I…zu…mo…” the half dead woman gasped. “Save… me…”

Izumo recoiled in a mix of shock, fear, and disgust.

Gedoin let out his disgusting nasally laugh again. “As you can see, her body isn’t holding up too well. She will die soon, and the Nine-Tailed Fox will die with her, and I can’t have that. My research must continue!”

“So unless you want me to have to use your little sister for my research, you be a good girl and cooperate for me, okay?” Gedoin said, barely concealing his excitement.

“No! Don’t you dare touch her!” Izumo yelled.

“Then I expect you to cooperate!” Gedoin said cheerfully.

“… fine.” Izumo mumbled through clenched teeth.

“Wonderful!” Gedoin clasped his hands together. “I can’t wait!”

Gedoin signaled for Izumo’s mother to be wheeled out of the room.

“Oh, by the way, Miss Kamiki.” Gedoin said, licking his lips. “I’ll be giving you a full physical exam to confirm your… readiness for the ritual. We’ll be starting tomorrow. Have a nice night!”

Izumo visibly recoiled.

Gedoin left the room, chuckling to himself. The rest of the Illuminati began filing out of the room.

“Shima, wait, don’t just leave me here alone.” Izumo said desperately. “I mean, you owe me after what you did.”

“Hey boss? Is it okay if I stay behind for a bit?” Renzo called.

“Fine. Don’t linger too long.” Homare said. She was the last to exit the room, shutting the door behind her.

The two sat in silence for a few moments.

“Sooo…” Renzo tried speaking.

“Shut up.” Izumo snapped.

“Oh come on man.” Renzo complained. “If you don’t wanna talk, I’m just gonna go, I have things to do.”

Izumo scoffed. “You asshole. I fucking hate you.”

“Aw, don’t say that!” Renzo said. “You don’t really mean it. If it wasn’t me, it would have been someone else, you know?”

Izumo sighed. “Yeah, I know.”

“Hey, look, your… situation might be pretty shitty right now, but the Illuminati isn’t really all that different from the Order in the long run.” Renzo said.

“The Order didn’t experiment on my mother and me. Or threaten to do the same to my little sister.” Izumo said bitterly.

“Yeah that’s true…” Renzo admitted. “Well, if you need anything I’ll be here, okay?”

Izumo didn’t answer, looking at the floor. Renzo gave her one last pitying look before leaving the cell.

Renzo took a few steps into the hallway when he noticed his boss was still there. Talking to her was none other than the Commander of the Illuminati, Lucifer. Standing behind him, looking incredibly bored, was Prince Rinka. Renzo felt a slight chill run down his spine. Why were the top two members of the Illuminati here? Was it for Izumo?

While Lucifer was wearing the Illuminati uniform, Prince Rinka was in his usual getup. Renzo realized that his mask was very similar in style to Lucifer’s. Was that intentional or was it just a popular style in… wherever demons get their masks? The dark iron crown on Rinka’s head sat askew. Despite his current outfit, Renzo thought he didn’t look very princely. He was currently slouched over, scratching his ass, his eyes glazed over in boredom.

Lucifer glanced over at Renzo as he approached. Renzo stood off to the side, hands clasped behind his back. He knew when he needed to make himself quiet and invisible. Lucifer and Homare quickly wrapped up their conversation. The demon turned to the nephilim next to him.

“Rinka, stand up straight. You look uncivilized.” Lucifer chastised lightly. He straightened the nephilim’s crown and attempted to smooth down his hair. “Your hair is a mess. I suppose it can’t be helped.”

Rinka straightened up, lifting his crown and readjusted his hair, undoing Lucifer’s attempt to tame it. Renzo half expected the nephilim to stick his tongue out at the other demon. Instead, Rinka replaced his crown neatly on his head and stood up straight, his posture elegant and refined. His tail stilled, hanging behind his legs, and the tip burst into flame, casting long shadows on the walls. Rinka rubbed his forehead, his blue flame horns appearing from the spot and growing to their full length. Lucifer nodded approvingly then turned and walked towards the door of Izumo’s cell. Prince Rinka started to follow, but stopped. Renzo felt a knot in his stomach form as he realized the prince was staring directly at him. He made a mental note that Rinka’s eyes were the same color as his flames.

Prince Rinka smirked, his eyes full of mischief. “Hey cutie.”

Renzo felt his face burn. He must have been bright red. His eyes were practically bugging out of his head in utter shock and embarrassment. He stood at attention, his posture ramrod straight, but stared at the floor instead of ahead of him. He wasn’t sure he could keep his composure if he looked at the stupidly handsome and stupid face of the Prince.

“Rinka!” Lucifer called, sounding mildly annoyed. “Please, have some decorum.”

“Uh! Sorry!” Prince Rinka said, startling. He jogged down the hall to join the older demon, who was pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

“Goodness, do you learn nothing in those classes I send you to?” Lucifer muttered. Renzo assumed he wasn’t meant to hear that, so he ignored it.

The two entered Izumo’s cell. Homare started to leave, so Renzo followed. Whatever those two were doing here, it wasn’t his problem. At least, not yet.

————————

Only a few minutes after Renzo had left her cell, the door opened once again. Izumo looked up, thoroughly pissed off. Why couldn’t these assholes just leave her alone? Did they really need to be bothering her at every moment? Izumo was about to snap at whoever was entering her cell when she saw who it was. She openly gaped as none other than Lucifer, the Demon King of Light and Commander of the Illuminati walked into the cell. He was followed closely by Prince Rinka, the Son of Satan.

“Miss Kamiki.” Lucifer said, bowing slightly. “It is an honor to meet you.”

“Um…” Izumo’s brain lagged in real time, struggling to keep up with what was happening. “You too?”

“I am Lucifer, Demon King of Light and Commander of the Illuminati.” Lucifer introduced himself. “And this is my younger brother, Rinka the Merciful, Prince of Gehenna, and my trusted right hand.”

The nephilim gave a small bow to her as well. His blue eyes never left her face. Izumo gulped.

“I’m sure you are probably wondering why we are here.” Lucifer said. “I have come to personally apologize on behalf of the Illuminati for the treatment you and your family have suffered at our hands.”

Izumo blinked in shock, her mouth agape. She just nodded.

“You see, the research conducted at the Illuminati serves a single purpose. To create a vessel strong enough to contain a king class demon without decaying. That is why the Nine-Tailed Fox was sought after by our research team, for its immortality.” Lucifer explained. “However, I have now come to realize I have given those in charge of the research too much freedom. And because of my lack of oversight, you and your family have greatly suffered at the hands of my people, and for that I am greatly sorry.”

“As you may or may not notice, the vessel I currently inhabit is healthy and currently does not show any signs of decay. This is because of knowledge that was brought to me by my younger brother, Prince Rinka.” Lucifer continued. “Thus, we no longer have any need for the Nine-Tailed Fox. Not only that, but the research conducted at this facility has shown no results and serves only to cause pain and suffering. Having lived in pain for so long, I do not wish to inflict it upon others. Thus, this facility will be shut down.”

Izumo snarled. “If you don’t need the Nine-Tails then why the hell am I here? If my mother dies then it dies too you know! You don’t need me here!”

“Your mother may yet be saved.” Lucifer replied calmly. “However the Nine-Tailed Fox must be removed from her body for her to have any chance of recovery. I’m afraid I must ask you to assist in luring it out. However, we have determined that the Nine-Tailed Fox is beyond saving. Once it has been lured out of your mother’s body, Prince Rinka shall step in and sever its connection to either of you, killing it. Only then shall the Fox finally be at peace.”

“So… you’re going to kill it?” Izumo asked, hope faintly rising in her chest. “For good?”

“Yes.” Lucifer said. “It is a terrible thing to take the life of another. It is worse to live in eternal suffering without the hope of death.”

“Okay…” Izumo said. “And after? What happens to me then?”

“We can send you back to the Order, if that is what you wish. You are free to stay or go elsewhere if you so choose.” Lucifer said. “Your mother will stay with the Illuminati for some time to rest and recover.”

“Okay.” Izumo said quietly. Louder she said, “Okay. I’ll help with your insane plan. But I want you to keep that pervert Gedoin away from me, got it?”

“Prince Rinka will be overseeing the entire process.” Lucifer said. “He will make sure that… sadistic pest behaves.”

Izumo raised an eyebrow. Seems like Gedoin wasn’t very popular. That wasn’t very surprising.

“Okay.” Izumo said. “Thanks.”

“I should be the one thanking you, Miss Kamiki.” Lucifer said. “For your understanding and patience.”

“Whatever.” Izumo huffed, crossing her arms. “It’s… whatever.”

“Of course.” Lucifer said, bowling slightly once again. “I shall take my leave now. Have a good night, Miss Kamiki.”

The two demons left the cell, leaving Izumo alone with her thoughts once more.

“Killing the Nine-Tailed Fox, huh?” Izumo scoffed quietly to herself. “Whatever, so long as they hold up their part of the deal I’ll go along with this bullshit plan I guess. Not like I have much of a choice anyways.”

Chapter Text

“Mind if I sit here?”

Renzo looked up from his food. He had just been moving it around on his plate, not really eating yet. The Illuminati cafeteria was busy at this time of day, and yet Renzo was sitting alone. He had chosen a spot far from the other members, and they kept their distance as well. No one at the base trusted him whatsoever, which made networking much more difficult than usual. Everyone already had their friend groups, and outsiders weren’t welcome. Renzo knew he should at least sit near a group, to at least try to goad them into conversation, but he was just so worn out from everything. He needed a break, a guy can only take so much, ya know?

But then, here this guy was, asking to sit across from him. And Renzo was lonely.

The guy was wearing the typical Illuminati uniform, but his black hair was messy and unkempt. The guy looked to be around Renzo’s age, which was unusual. Most active members at this base were adults. In fact, he was the first underage Illuminati member he’s met. He had sharp teeth and slightly pointed ears, and Renzo could spot a tail wagging behind him. A nephilim then. Not too unusual for the Illuminati. They were much more accepting of demons and nephilim among their members than other organizations. The Order was a lot less accepting of nephilim especially after the Blue Night, and especially those with obvious demonic features.

“Oh! Um, sure! Go ahead.” Renzo said.

“Thanks Shima!” The guy said, sitting down across from him.

“Hmm?” Renzo startled. Crap, had they met before? He didn’t recognize him at all! “Um, I’m so sorry, but I don’t remember meeting you? Hehe, sorry, I’m not usually this forgetful.”

“Heh? Oh!” The guy said. “Sorry, I was wearing a mask the last time we met, and uh, my hair’s a different color too, that’s my fault not yours, sorry.”

The guy laughed nervously, a pair of fangs sticking out from his mouth. Renzo thought it was kind of cute.

“I’m Prince Rinka, the son of Satan? But you can just call me Rin…ka. Ahem. Rinka.” He said. “Uh, we haven’t really talked before, but you remember me right?”

Renzo tried not to openly gape in shock at the demon sitting across from him. He blushed slightly, remembering their last meeting. “Oh! Um, yeah I remember…”

“Sweet! Nice to finally meet’cha!” Rinka said, immediately digging into his meal.

“Heh, yeah, you too.” Renzo said, trying to remain cool. The Son of Satan was just sitting here talking to Renzo!? Why!! Why him! Crap, he’d seen him walking with the Commander, did that mean he was his superior? Why the hell would he choose to have lunch with someone as low ranked as him!

Renzo forcibly banished those thoughts from his mind, trying desperately to keep his cool. He wasn’t sure how well he was controlling his facial expressions, so he chose to start stuffing his face with food.

Renzo took a bite of his lunch, and his eyes widened. “Holy crap this is really good!”

“I know right?” Rinka said through a mouth full of food. He gulped it down, then continued talking. “It was literally crap when I first got here, but Lucifer let me share some recipes and techniques with the cooks. It’s way better now!”

“Oh, do you cook?” Renzo asked, trying to remain nonchalant. This feat was actually a lot easier than he’d expected considering how… normal Prince Rinka was.

“Uh huh!” Rinka said, continuing to stuff his mouth with food while he talked. It was a little disgusting, in Renzo’s honest opinion. Not that he’d ever say that to his face, he didn’t want to die. To be fair, the food was so good that Renzo also wanted to shovel it in his face, but he had some restraint. He didn’t want to embarrass himself more than necessary.

“I love cooking!” Rinka continued, his tail literally wagging. “It’s so much fun!”

“I didn’t expect a prince to be able to cook.” Renzo commented.

“Yeah, I get that a lot. At least the cooks have stopped freaking out when I pop in to make myself a snack.” Rinka said. “I grew up around people who didn’t know how to cook, like at all. So it was kind of a necessity. It only got worse when I moved to Gehenna. People don’t really cook their food there, and the ingredients I had access to were very limited.”

“Wait, Gehenna?” Renzo exclaimed in surprise before he could stop himself. He mentally winced. Damn, he needed to recover this quickly. In a curious voice, he asked, “So, uh, what’s it like there?”

Nailed it, conversation saved.

“Mhh, it's fine.” Rinka hummed. “It’s really dark, but that’s really one of the only downsides for me. That and the only thing I can eat there is mushrooms. They’re the only thing that grows there. And meat is pretty scarce, most demons don’t have physical forms there unlike the ones over here. In Assiah, I mean.”

“Oh, wow.” Renzo said, trying to show an appropriate amount of interest in the conversation. It really was interesting, there was very little information on what Gehenna was actually like. No human had gone there and lived to make it out. That being said, it wasn’t anything Renzo could actually use so he wasn’t too invested.

“You wouldn’t like it.” Rinka continued. “It’s not a good place for humans. It’s great for most demons though.”

“Oh I get it.” Renzo nodded. “But if Gehenna is so nice, why do so many demons come to Assiah?”

“Lots of reasons, really.” Rinka said. He had cleared his tray already, and had pushed it slightly forward so he could lean on the table. “Some demons actually prefer Assiah, some move here after territory disputes, and some just are really interested in the goings on of Assiah.”

“And you?” Renzo asked. He hoped he wasn’t over stepping so much that he would get executed.

Rinka grinned. “Oh, a mix of things really. But I guess the main reason is… it’s my home. I grew up here, and I want to stay, no matter how much my father begs me to come live with him.”

Renzo jolted. His father, Satan. Yeah, he’d totally forgotten about that little detail. The guy was just so easy to talk to!

“Haha, yeah, I totally get that.” Renzo nodded. “Um, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but… why did you come sit over here with me?”

“Hmm?” Rinka tilted his head to the side, kind of like a puppy. Renzo briefly thought he looked kinda cute, before immediately banishing that thought to the deepest parts of his subconscious.

“Well… I’m half human, ya know?” Rinka said slowly. “I have human instincts too. I just… well… you’re the only one here that’s around the same age as me, ya know? And, um, I guess what I’m saying is… do you want to be friends with me?”

The Prince of Gehenna looked at Renzo with puppy dog eyes. He looked expectant, and almost hopeful, like someone who had been turned down many times before.

“Uh, sure man.” Renzo shrugged, trying to remain nonchalant. “I don’t really know anyone here either, no one wants to hang out with a kid like me.”

“Sweet!” Rinka cheered. He looked stupidly happy. His tail was wagging furiously.

God, he’s just a kid. The thought forced its way into Renzo’s train of thought suddenly. He may be the literal son of Satan, but he was also just some lonely kid.

“Aw shoot.” Rinka grumbled suddenly. “How’d it get so late all of a sudden?”

Renzo glanced at the clock on the wall and cursed internally. Damn, he was right. He was going to be late too if he didn’t hurry.

“I gotta get going.” Rinka said, sweeping all of his trash onto his tray. “Lucifer has me taking freaking etiquette classes. So not cool!”

Renzo laughed. “Hah, good luck with that man. I gotta go too, I’m gonna be late for work!”

“See you around Shima!” Rinka waved.

“You too man!” Renzo answered cheerfully.

He watched Rinka run off, nearly slamming into someone on his way out. Renzo shook his head in disbelief. Etiquette classes, huh? Yeah, he could see that.

Renzo hurried to clear his own spot, but much slower than the demon prince, as he was careful not to run into others. Still, he was cutting it close, and as soon as he got to an empty hallway, he started sprinting, hoping to make it to his next assignment on time.

“You’re late, Shima.” His boss said as he entered.

“I know, I’m sorry.” Renzo apologized. He decided not to mention why he was late, he doubted she would believe him anyway.

“You’re less than a minute late, so I’ll let it slide this time.” His boss lectured. “Don’t let it happen again.”

“Yes ma’am.” Renzo replied.

“Good. Let’s go.” His boss said, turning on her heel. Renzo fell in behind her.

Chapter Text

The group boarded the train to the airport at dawn, and were in the air not long before noon. The group all sat in the same row, but were separated in different aisles. Ryuji sat on the far right in the window seat. Konekomaru was next to him in an aisle seat. Across the aisle in the same row was Shiemi, then Yukio in the middle seat, then Shiro in the aisle with his familiar Kuro curled up in his lap. Across the second aisle in the left side window seat was Takara, separated from the rest of the group by an empty seat.

“I made food for everyone!” Shiemi announced, handing out wrapped sandwiches. “I made them with herbs from my garden! Um, I don’t know if they’ll taste very good, but they’re super healthy!”

The group said their thanks for the food. Ryuji immediately unwrapped his sandwich and started to nibble at it.

“Um, Mister Okumura?” Shiemi asked nervously, turning to the boy sitting next to her. “I’m sorry if it’s a sore subject, but it’s about what Sir Pheles said last night… um, do you have a brother?”

Yukio’s eyes widened slightly, then his face shuttered, returning to its usual carefully guarded neutral expression.

“I used to have a brother.” Yukio said emotionlessly. “He’s dead.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Shiemi apologized.

“He’s not dead, stop saying that Yukio.” Shiro said loudly, swatting the back of Yukio’s head. He turned to look at Shiemi. “Has an older twin brother, but he went missing three years ago.”

“O-oh!” Shiemi gasped, covering her mouth with her hands.

Yukio sighed heavily. He rubbed his forehead with one hand. Shiemi opened her mouth to ask more, but then quickly decided against it. She looked away from Yukio, blushing from embarrassment at causing the father and son to fight. No one else in the group spoke, the atmosphere growing awkward. The only sounds were that of the other passengers on the plane and Ryuji slowly chewing on his sandwich.

“This looks good, Miss Moriyama!” Shiro exclaimed, having unwrapped his sandwich. “Thanks for the meal!”

“Yeah, thanks Moriyama!” Konekomaru said, unwrapping his own sandwich.

“Thank you.” Yukio said quietly.

“Thanks!” Takara called.

The four bit into their sandwiches all at once. They all reacted to the bitter taste at the same time.

“Waah!!” Shiemi cried, her head whipping back and forth to look at everyone’s expressions. “Is it good?”

“It’s good.” Yukio coughed, turning away to hide his expression.

“How can you keep a straight face while you say that!” Takara shouts. “This sucks!”

“Huh!!” Shiemi shouts. “Miwa? Do you like it?”

“Sorry Shiemi, it’s… not great.” Konekomaru coughs.

“Ah, it’s not the worst thing I’ve eaten.” Shiro said, continuing to munch on the sandwich. “You shoulda seen some of my attempts at cooking!”

Yukio shuddered from some memory.

“Bon, how can you eat that?” Konekomaru asked.

“It’s fine.” Ryuji muttered.

“... are you alright Bon?” Konekomaru asked tentatively.

“No.” Ryuji muttered.

“Is it because of-”

“Of course it’s because of Shima!” Ryuji snapped. “Sorry. It’s just, that guy pisses me off. I never know what he’s thinking! I don’t understand him.”

“I’m sure he has a good reason.” Konekomaru said. “Even if we don’t understand it. Once we rescue him, I’ll help you hold him down and get some answers out of him, okay?”

“Thanks man.” Ryuji said quietly.

The plane eventually landed and the group exited the airport.

“Hey, where’s all the taxis?” Shiro complained. The roads outside the airport were completely deserted. It was a bit odd.

“We’ll have to walk.” Yukio declared.

“Aw man. What a drag.” Shiro huffed.

The group arrived at the town as the sun began to set. A festival was in full swing, the streets lined with decorative lanterns and dozens upon dozens of food vendors selling festival food.

“We should split into groups.” Yukio said. “We’ll cover more ground that way and investigate this place much quicker.”

“We can investigate all this festival food while we’re at it!” Shiro said, taking an obscenely large bite out of a stick of meat he had somehow already acquired.

“Seriously?” Yukio complained, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Can you take this seriously for once?”

“Hey kid, when you work as much as I do, you gotta learn how to have fun on the job.” Shiro said with a mouthful of food. “Otherwise you don’t get to do anything ever.”

“Fine. Whatever. Let’s split into groups.” Yukio sighed.

“I’ll go with Yukio!” Shiemi jumped.

“Huh?” Yukio said, face slightly red.

“Works for me!” Shiro said. “Hey, where’d that kid with the puppet go?”

“He’s gone…” Ryuji said, looking around. “I didn’t notice him leave.”

“Damnit. Everyone, keep an eye out for him as well.” Yukio said, growing even more agitated by the second.

“Guess you two are stuck with me then!” Shiro said to the remaining two boys, patting Konekomaru on the shoulder with his free hand.

The group split up, making plans to meet back up later. After a few hours of searching, they all met up at a quiet location, some distance away from the main festivities. It was properly dark by now, the stars blotted out by the light of the town.

“Anyone find anything interesting?” Shiro asked, still snacking on festival food.

“Nothing.” Yukio said, shaking his head.

“I overheard some people talking about that big apartment complex over there.” Shiro said. “Apparently it's really selective ‘cause everyone wants to live there. I managed to snag a pamphlet on it. It turns out it’s owned by a company called the Light Foundation. And intelligence from the Order says it’s a shell company owned by the Illuminati.”

“Why would they build fancy apartments?” Yukio wondered.

“It’s probably a front for something.” Shiro shrugged. “I bet it has a big secret basement or something.”

Shiro looked away from the group. “Oh hey Takara, where have you been?”

The rest of the group startled, having not noticed the boy approaching. He was holding a large and intricate puppet of a white fox.

“I needed to find a high enough quality puppet.” Takara said. “Here’s the invoice.”

Shiro took the piece of paper from the boy and blanched at the amount, coughing out some of his food. “What the hell?”

Takara ignored him and began chanting. “If there are any spirits who have knowledge of this town and Izumo Kamiki, please come to me! Take this Fox God puppet as an offering and answer my questions!”

The group watched as the puppet came to life, looking around the group.

“Greetings all, I am the fox spirit Miketsu.”

“Izumo’s familiar!” Shiemi gasped. “Do you know if she’s okay?”

“Why would you care, you humans let her be captured in the first place!” Mike huffed.

“We’re here to rescue her!” Shiemi argued. “She’s our friend, and my best friend! We can help, I promise! Please, you have to trust us.”

“… fine. I see no other way.” Mike said. “I will help how I can, for Master Izumo’s sake, not yours.”

“Thank you!” Shiemi beamed. “Um, do you know if she’s doing okay?”

“She has not summoned myself or my brother yet.” Mike replied. “I do not know.”

“Can you tell us where she is?” Takara asked.

“She is underneath the false palace on the hill.” Miketsu replied, turning to look at the giant shining apartment complex in the distance.

“I knew that place sounded fishy.” Shiro commented.

“It is much worse than you know.” Mike said. “The false palace, the people there and in this town, are no longer here willingly. The Illuminati have placed a potion in the town’s food that makes anyone who eats it happy and complacent. They no longer feel fear or sadness. Then they are brought to the false palace where they are taken and used for whatever sick experiments that occur in the dungeon below. And the people walk happily into the trap, their instincts and will to live having been stripped away by the potion.”

“Aw crap!” Shiro exclaimed. “We’ve been eating the festival food all day! How much do you have to eat for the potion to take effect?”

“Only a single bite.” Mike said. “However, I can sense you are all protected by a herbal ward. The potion has not taken effect on you.”

“An herbal ward?” Konekomaru mused. “That must be from Shiemi’s grass sandwiches!”

“I hope you wrote down the recipe, kid.” Shiro said, ruffling Shiemi’s hair. “I’m really curious what you put in there now.”

“Oh! Okay!” Shiemi said. “I didn’t write it down, but I think I remember!”

“We can do that later.” Yukio interrupted. “First we need to find a way into the complex.”

“Do you think it’s safe to take the shuttle?” Ryuji asked.

“I wouldn’t risk it.” Konekomaru said. “They might take attendance, or we could get herded into the same trap as the rest of the residents. Plus, they could get caught in the crossfire if a fight breaks out while we’re still with the group.”

“We’ll have to walk then.” Yukio said. “We better get going, the sooner the better.”

“I will take my leave.” Mike announced. “I wish you all luck. I will await my Master's call.”

The puppet went limp, the fox spirit having left. Takara chanted a short incantation, causing the oversized Fox God puppet to disappear in a puff of smoke.

“I’ll keep the puppet on me, in case we need it again.” Takara explained.

“Got it.” Shiro nodded. “Let’s get going, gang!”

Chapter Text

The group hid in the bushes near the front entrance of the apartment complex. Two guards stood out front.

“How are we going to sneak past them?” Ryuji wondered.

“I sent Kuro around, there’s no back exits.” Shiro said. “This is the only way in or out. That we know of.”

“Not even a back entrance?” Konekomaru muttered. “That’s an odd choice. I guess they’re not worried about fire safety.”

“There may not be anyone actually living in the building itself if the residents are being used for experiments.” Yukio theorized. “A pretty facade made just to lure people in.”

“The only way we’re getting in is through this door.” Shiro said. “There’s only two guards right now, but that will likely change once we get inside. There’s no way to sneak past them, so brute force it is. Are you kids ready?”

The group nodded.

“Great. Let’s go.”

————————

Izumo was escorted down the dark hall, her wrists cuffed together. In front of her was Shima, with his K’rik and obnoxious pink hair. Izumo didn’t recognize any of the other guards. They eventually came to a closed door, the same dull gray as the rest of the hall. Someone punched in a code, opening the door.

Izumo took a deep breath, ready to enact her plan, but stopped when she saw who was just inside of the room. Prince Rinka, the Son of Satan. Crap, she forgot he was going to be here. Her escape plan wouldn’t work with him here. He would easily run her down and kill Mike and Uke, not just exorcise them. Izumo allowed herself to be led into the examination room, her stomach sinking in fear as the door slid closed behind her. She looked around in fear, but that quickly changed to confusion.

“Miss Kamiki.” Prince Rinka said. “As I'm sure you’re aware, Dr. Gedoin is the lead scientist on this particular project. However, due to past… incidents, we have decided to have a female doctor perform the physical examination instead of him. Dr. Gedoin has been completely banned from observing the procedure as well.”

Izumo felt almost lightheaded with relief. That bastard wouldn’t touch her again. At least, not yet.

“Thank you, your highness.” Izumo said quietly.

Prince Rinka nodded silently.

The physical examination went without a hitch in Izumo’s opinion. No one fondled her weirdly and all of the male guards left the room while it happened.

Afterwards, she was led back to her cell. Anticlimactic, but at least she was safe for now. Until the main event that is. Izumo curled up in the corner of the room and placed her head between her legs. She took deep breaths, trying not to cry. She would be strong, she would not let them win.

————————

“God this place is creepy.” Shiro commented.

The bottom floor of the apartment complex was a massive shopping center. The fluorescent lights above were all fully lit, a stark contrast to the darkness outside. Cheery elevator music echoed hauntingly though the deserted space.

“Where are the guards?” Yukio asked. “We weren’t subtle. They know we’re here.”

“It’s a trap.” Shiro said. “Don’t let your guard down, they’re going to ambush us.”

“I hate to say it, but this place is huge.” Konekomaru said. “We need to split into groups again.”

“Right, Suguro go with Miwa, Yukio you’re with Moriyama, and Takara you’re with me.” Shiro announced. “Look for doors, or a potential secret passage or something.”

The group split up once again, searching the bottom floor of the complex. Yukio and Shiemi were the first to find anything out of the ordinary.

“Eek! What is that? A ghoul?” Shiemi shrieked.

“Help… me…” the walking corpse groaned.

“It’s a zombie.” Yukio said, aiming his gun at the thing. “Ghouls and zombies are similar, but only zombies can talk like that.”

Yukio fired two shots directly into the zombie’s forehead. The thing fell to the ground with a thud.

“What’s going on?” Shiro yelled, rushing towards Yukio and Shiemi.

“A zombie.” Yukio said. “There’s just the one for now.”

“Hmm…” Shiro approached the motionless zombie, crouching down to inspect it. “They’re experimenting on zombies? Why?”

The zombie twitched, then groaned again. Shiro jumped back in surprise.

“I thought you killed it!” Shiro yelled.

“I put two bullets in its head!” Yukio yelled, pointing his gun at the zombie. As soon as it sat up, he fired two more shots, causing it to collapse again. This time, it continued twitching and writhing on the ground.

“Great, immortal zombies.” Shiro complained.

Ryuji and Konekomaru finally ran over to the rest of the group.

“Guys! There’s a whole horde of zombies back there!” Ryuji yelled. “I can’t tell where they’re coming from!”

“Huh?” Shiro said, turning to look at the two. “There’s more?”

Shiemi gasped. “Behind you Father Fujimoto!”

Shiro turned again, seeing a wave of zombies that had appeared from around a corner.

“Fuck damnit! Run!” Shiro yelled. The group took off running.

In every direction, wave after wave of zombies appeared. Yukio shot down as many as he could, but they would keep getting back up. Shiro shouted orders to Kuro, who swiped and clawed several at a time. Still, there were too many. The group gathered in one spot, back to back, as zombies surrounded them on all sides.

“What are we supposed to do!” Shiemi yelled. “There’s too many!”

“I’ve got an idea just-“ Shiro began to say. The floor opened up beneath them sending them all falling into a hidden chute below.

————————

Yukio landed on his feet at the end of the chute. He quickly turned to look as he heard the metal door slam shut behind him. He had been separated from the rest of the group on his way down and was alone in this new room. Yukio observed his new surroundings, eyes darting back and forth, his gun held out in front of him. Four white walls, a white floor covered in red and brown stains, and a ceiling covered in fluorescent lights. On the wall opposite him was a massive metal door. Potentially a way out, potentially something worse was on the other side. The metal door began to slowly open. Time to find out.

A massive grotesque beast emerged from the door. Yukio looked past to see that it was another dead end. No way out that direction. The monster swiped a large hand at him. Yukio ducked and dodged, firing at the beast as he went. It roared, but the wounds closed almost instantly. Yukio fired at the thing’s feet, hoping to make it lose its balance. This time when it regenerates, it took a small piece of the floor with it. Or rather, the wound fused with a piece of the floor, using the material to aid its healing, but the beast had to then rip its foot out of the floor.

Yukio took that information and quickly came up with a plan. It absorbs things around it and fuses with them to become stronger. Yukio fired at the feet again, causing enough damage so that it would fuse with a larger portion of the floor. It was unable to unstick itself as easily as before, and tripped and fell. Yukio moved quickly, firing shot after shot, getting the beast to fuse to the floor until it was completely unable to move. Now that the immediate threat was gone, Yukio needed to find a way to escape. He was out of breath from all the running, so he stopped and observed the beast, making sure it couldn’t escape from its prison when he wasn’t looking.

“Okumura!” A voice echoed from above.

Yukio looked up to see Konekomaru sticking his head through a vent he hadn’t noticed before.

“Miwa, you escaped!” Yukio called.

“Can you get out?” Konekomaru called. “I can pull you up, do you have any way to reach me?”

“I’m fine. Go on ahead, Miwa, I’ll find a way out.” Yukio called up to Konekomaru.

“Alright!” He yelled back, running off.

Yukio looked around the room, looking for something he could use. Maybe he could summon something to lift him to the vent? On the other side of the room, blue flames suddenly flared to life, then faded to reveal the Son of Satan.

“Hey Yukio.” Prince Rinka said, grinning.

Yukio gasped, his breath catching in his throat, his eyes widening. He raised his gun. “Stay… stay back!”

“C’mon Yukio, it’s me! Your big bro! Remember?” Prince Rinka grinned, a bit more nervously now.

“No! You’re not my brother!” Yukio yelled. “You killed him! You killed my brother!”

Yukio’s hands shook violently. He took a breath to steady himself, then fired the gun twice in quick succession. The bullets burst into blue flames in mid air, turning to ash. The gun grew blisteringly hot, forcing Yukio to drop it. He gasped, then looked up at the demon wearing his brother’s face. Prince Rinka stood there, his grin now gone. He looked like he was about to cry. An obvious manipulation tactic, one he wouldn’t fall for. Monsters didn’t have feelings after all. Yukio backed up, his eyes wide in fear, until his back hit the wall.

“Yukio…” Rinka said.

“Stay away from me.” Yukio hissed. “Stop… stop looking like a bad copy of him!”

Prince Rinka slowly walked closer. Yukio pressed against the wall, trying to stay as far away from the demon as possible. His eyes darted around the room wildly, trying to find a way out.

“Yukio, it’s me.” Prince Rinka said. “It’s Rin. I know I look a bit different, but I promise it’s me.”

When Yukio didn’t answer, Rinka chanted a quick spell. His hair faded from white to black. Yukio gasped. The demon standing in front of him looked a lot more like his brother than before. The tail was even hidden behind his back. The only thing that broke the illusion was the outfit.

“Is this better?” Rin asked.

Rin. His brother. He looked so much like him. A mix of unidentifiable emotions rose in Yukio’s chest. His eyes blurred with tears. The demon disguising himself as Rin suddenly startled and started walking towards Yukio, his hand outstretched, his expression worried. Yukio felt something hot behind his eyes, the world suddenly turning blue. The door sealing the entrance to the cage exploded in blue flames, creating a hole into the chute from before. Yukio slid to the ground with shaking knees.

“I’ll… let you go now.” Prince Rinka said, stepping back. A quick incantation later and his hair was back to its original bone white. “Oh, and congrats on hitting second puberty.”

“Wha… what?” Yukio gasped.

“Oh, and Yukio…” Prince Rinka continued. “If you ever need anything, anything at all, I’m here if you need me, okay?”

Yukio sat braced against the wall, eyes wide, gasping for breath. The demon in front of him frowned. He opened his mouth, then closed it. He looked deep in thought.

“See ya, little bro.” Prince Rinka said. Then, in a flash of blue flames, he was gone.

The world suddenly lost its blue tint again. The metal tube he had entered from was burning bright blue, but the flames quickly faded. Yukio sat there for a few seconds catching his breath. He heard voices, screaming, coming from above. He couldn’t rest now, he had to go help the others. Yukio staggered to his feet. He stumbled forward, grabbing his gun off the floor. He checked to make sure it was still in working condition before turning and climbing through the hole in the wall. The metal was ice cold despite being on fire not too long ago. The rest of the tunnel wasn’t nearly as cold as the entrance was, it was just the area that had been on fire. Then again, Rinka’s flames weren’t hot, just warm. But still, it was odd for it to have cooled that quickly. Yukio glanced at this watch. He hadn’t spent too much time catching his breath, so maybe there was some other factor that cooled down the metal that he didn’t know about?

Yukio was the last one of the group to escape his cell. The scene outside was chaotic. Another beast like the one he had fought was clawing its way out of another cell, a massive tree had burst from another, and the place had somehow caught on fire. Regular fire this time, not Rinka’s blue flames.

“Finally, there you are.” Shiro said, running to Yukio.

“I’m fine.” Yukio said, batting away his father’s attempt to check him for injuries.

“Look! It’s Kamiki!” Shiemi suddenly cried. “Izumo! It’s us! We’re here to rescue you!”

On a walkway in the distance, Izumo was being escorted by several Illuminati guards. At the front, leading the group, was Prince Rinka. The nephilim was watching the group as he walked. His blue eyes bore into them.

“It’s him…” Shiro breathed.

Izumo and her escort of guards entered a door, leaving the sight of the group.

“We have to follow her!” Shiemi exclaimed, running towards the place where Izumo had disappeared into.

“Moriyama look out!” Ryuji yelled.

The beast had finally broken out of its cell and stood between the group and the door. It roared, causing everyone to wince as their ears rang.

“Oh crap.” Shiro groaned. “Okay, I’ll distract it. Kuro, take the kids over to that platform, and the rest of you follow Miss Kamiki!”

A chorus of “Yes Sir!” rose from the group. The five kids climbed on the back of an irritated Kuro, who launched himself towards the monster, attempting to dance around it. However, a misplaced paw allowed the monster to land a blow on Kuro, sending him and the kids flying. The beast lumbered towards them as they slowly picked themselves back up.

“Crap crap crap crap!” Shiro yelled. “Fuck!”

Shiro loaded his rocket launcher and aimed it at the beast.

“Stay the fuck away from my kids!” Shiro roared, firing his weapon.

Chapter Text

Izumo let herself be dressed in her mother’s old ceremonial garb and led from her cell. Handcuffs were placed on her wrists, but she thought they weren’t necessary. She wasn’t going to resist. It was more of a formality at this point. The traitor, Renzo, wasn’t here this time. The escort seemed to be made up of the same guards as last time though, minus the addition of that pink-haired scumbag. About half way through, Prince Rinka joined to lead the group. He looked… upset, Izumo noticed. His tail twitched like an irritated cat’s as they walked. Izumo didn’t bother to wonder why. It wasn’t any of her business anyways. She was soon led through a door and onto a catwalk that crossed through a much larger room. Said room was currently on fire, the first crack in the Illumanti’s perfect presentation that Izumo had seen. Actually, now that she thought about it, the Illuminati seemed to be having a plethora of internal issues, from the Commander and the Prince stepping in to personally oversee Gedoin’s research to… this. Izumo could hear familiar voices shouting. She briefly glanced their way. She was a little surprised at how fast they managed to find her. Not that it mattered anyway. She wasn’t leaving until the Ninetailed Fox was dead. Izumo looked straight ahead even as she heard Shiemi calling her name. It was fine.

————————

Kuro fell down through the cracks about one level down. An explosion hit the beast that had broken out of its cage. The blast caused it to fall down to where the exwires were picking themselves back up. Shiro yelled from above, frantically looking for a way down to the others. Kuro growled and swiped at the beast. He lunged, attempting to bite the thing, but was swatted away once again, sending the demon flying.

“I can take care of it!” Shiemi yelled. “I’ll encase it inside a tree again! Nii!”

“No!” Konekomaru yelled. “Save your energy! Prince Rinka is with Kamiki, we’re going to have to fight him! You’re one of our strongest, let us take care of this!”

“O-okay!” Shiemi agreed reluctantly, but fell back. Looking around, she ran over to Yukio who was the only one who hadn’t gotten up yet.

“Yukio! Are you alright?” Shiemi called, helping Yukio to his feet. Kuro yowled loudly in the distance, causing Yukio to flinch.

“I’m fine, Shiemi, it’s just a headache.” Yukio said. “Focus on the fight. Don’t get caught off guard.”

Ryuji shouted wordlessly as he fired his rocket launcher. A ball of fire hit the beast, causing it to stagger. Its roar shook the room.

“Nice shot Bon!” A voice called from above. The group looked up in sync. Renzo was crouched on a walkway, watching the fight below with a grin on his face. “But that won’t hurt it. In fact, you’re just making it stronger! It can heal itself by absorbing things around it, and it just absorbed your shot.”

“Shima!” Ryuji screeched. “You fucking traitor!”

“Hey man, I just gave you advice and that’s how you want to thank me?” Renzo complained. “Oh, and you better focus on the fight! That thing isn’t done yet!”

Ryuji suddenly snapped back into focus, narrowly dodging a blow from the beast. He growled under his breath.

“Everyone!” Yukio yelled. “We can defeat it by forcing it to fuse with the ground! Knock it over then deal as much damage as quickly as possible!”

Yukio started shouting orders at the group, instructing them to bring down the beast the same way he had earlier. Shiro finally made it down to the rest of the group, riding on Kuro’s back. Takara had summoned a giant toy robot to join the fight. Shiemi and Konekomaru were mostly staying out of the fight, Shiemi to save her energy and Konekomaru because all he had was a small knife. He could make a few wounds here and there, but it wasn’t much considering the sheer size of the beast. Ryuji made sure to stand a good distance away from the fight, then looked back up at Renzo, who was still watching the fight with a lazy smirk on his face.

“Shima!” Ryuji yelled, grabbing Renzo’s attention. “Why? Why did you do this? Why did you betray us? Is it… is it because of me?”

“Nah man, I did it for myself.” Renzo shrugged. “Look, you guys seem to have this all covered, so I’m going to go now. It’s been nice knowing you Bon. I hope I get to see you guys again, but it’s unlikely. Bye now!”

Ryuji seethed as Renzo sprinted away. He loaded his second to last rocket into his rocket launcher. He waited for the perfect time to fire, but it never came. Yukio’s plan to force the beast to fuse with the building seemed to be working, but the structural integrity of the building was severely compromised at this point. The floor creaked ominously. Then out of nowhere, the horde of zombies from earlier started to rain down from above. The floor shifted under the added weight of the bodies, then started to buckle. Shiro grabbed Yukio by the back of his shirt, pulling onto Kuro’s back. Within a few seconds the floor collapsed underneath them, and all of them were in free fall.

————————

The elevator down to the lab was dead silent. It finally stopped, deep below where she had been held. The doors opened with a soft chime of a bell. Prince Rinka stepped out, leading Izumo and the Illuminati guards into the lab. Izumo’s eyes widened when she saw her mother, bound to that same metal examination table as before. The woman somehow looked worse than the day before. Although she appeared to be conscious, she was barely standing upright and her hands and head hung limply in their bindings. Izumo was placed in front of her mother, and her handcuffs were removed. A mechanical fox mask was placed on her head, and the ceremonial tools pushed into her hands. She could hear Gedoin over on the side of the room, behind the protective glass. She deliberately ignored him.

“Now then, Miss Kamiki, are you ready?” Gedoin’s slimy voice came through the loud speaker. “Please begin the ritual.”

Izumo grit her teeth, but did as she was told. She began to dance the way her mother had all those years ago. The familiar motions brought back painful memories, memories of when she was young, when the only thing she had to worry about was her mother’s laziness and lack of responsibility. Tears formed at the corners of Izumo’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Out of the corner of her eye, the Nine-Tailed Fox began to emerge. Its fluffy white tails fell from under her mother’s medial gown. Ears grew on top of her head through the bandages. Her mother’s whimpering turned to growling, her teeth turning into fangs.

“Come on, take the bait.” Izumo thought angrily. “You know you want it.”

Izumo finished her dance, bowing gracefully. She gasped as the Nine-Tailed Fox invaded her mind.

“That’s right you bastard.” Izumo growled inside her head. “Take it.”

“Foolish human.” The Fox hissed. “Do you really think you can resist me?”

Izumo cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground. She felt the Fox’s features grow onto her body. Her head throbbed with pain as the demon pushed through her consciousness.

“Wait!” Gedoin suddenly cried out. “What do you think you’re doing?!”

Izumo felt someone gently lift her head. She opened her eyes to see the Prince of Gehenna. The golden mask that covered his face did nothing to hide the sadness in his eyes. Izumo was shocked at how human he looked up close.

“You poor beast.” Prince Rinka whispered. “You cannot escape your pain. Your crimes may have been great, but no one deserves to suffer this much.”

“I did not deserve it!” The Fox wailed. “I wasn’t the one in the wrong! It was their fault!”

“I’m sorry. Imma put you out of your misery now, okay?” Prince Rinka whispered.

“Thank you!” The Fox cried. “Let me take this body! Let me walk free once more!”

“I’m sorry.” The prince whispered. Tears dripped down his chin. “That’s not what I meant.”

Blue flames engulfed Izumo. Both she and the Fox screamed in tandem.

“Why?!” The Fox wailed. “Why must I be punished like this?!”

“Your mind is too fractured. You could never live without pain, even if you were freed. And you are too dangerous to go free.” Prince Rinka explained softly. “This is the only way you can really be free.”

“I don’t… under… stand…” The Fox moaned, slowly turning to ash.

“I’m sorry.” The prince whispered one last time.

Izumo panted as the blue flames around her died out. Her mind was empty, the Fox gone as quickly as it had come. She could taste ash in her mouth.

“Is it… really gone?” Izumo asked.

“Yes.” Prince Rinka nodded, blinking away tears. “They’re gone.”

“No!” Gedoin screeched from across the room. “My research! You’ve ruined it completely!”

Prince Rinka stood up, letting go of Izumo. She barely caught herself from collapsing back into the cold floor.

“Oh right, no one told you yet.” Prince Rinka said with an air of dismissiveness. “We’re shutting this place down. Everything has to go.”

He carelessly tossed the mechanical fox mask to the man. Gedoin barely prevented it from falling to the floor.

“What!” Gedoin shrieked. “How dare you, you insolent boy! On whose authority was this approved?!”

Before Prince Rinka could respond, the ceiling of the lab caved in. The rest of the scientists fled in fear as bodies, both zombies and the exwire rescue team fell to the floor from above. A giant Cat Sidhe ran through the air, the Paladin holding on to its horns. Yukio sat behind him, holding tightly onto him. The demon caught Ryuji and Konekomaru before they could splat against the floor. Takara had a giant toy catch him and lower him to the ground. It shrunk back to normal size, dropping him a few feet to the ground safely. He picked up the toy, frowning deeply as he attempted to quickly and unsuccessfully reattach its broken limb. Shiemi was encased in a ball of vegetation, which bounced as it hit the ground and rolled. The branches shrunk away revealing Shiemi curled in the center.

“You cowards!” Gedoin yelled after the fleeing Illuminati scientists. “I’ll have all of you fired!”

“Izumo!” Shiemi cried as she saw Izumo lying on the ground, Prince Rinka standing above her. “We’re here to rescue you!”

Prince Rinka retreated as Shiemi commanded her familiar to attack. Spears of wood shot forward and pierced the place where he had just been. Prince Rinka landed by the control panel in the corner of the room, a few steps behind where Gedoin was currently shaking with unrestrained anger.

“Izumo!” Shiemi called, running over to Izumo and helping her sit up. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, just a bit tired.” Izumo said, shakily rising to her feet.

“Can you fight? We might need your help.” Shiro said, firing his rocket launcher at the horde of zombies. He quickly handed her a pair of paper slips with pre-drawn summoning circles.

“I’ve got this.” Izumo said. She began to chant. “I humbly appeal to thee oh Goddess Inari! Grant my request, leave not my prayers to thee unfulfilled! Miketsu! Ukemochi!”

The two fox spirits formed in front of their Master, ready for battle. Their elegant forms circled protectively around her before standing guard in front of their Master.

“It’s about time.” Mike sniffed.

“Don’t worry us like that again, you hear me?” Uke reprimanded Izumo lightly.

Izumo smirked. “That's enough, you two. Get ready to kick some ass!”

“No!” Gedoin screeched. “No no no! My research! I won’t let it end like this!”

Gedoin shoved the mechanical fox mask on this fat head. “I-I’ll summon a demon! And force it to possess me and then I’ll use its power to destroy you! I’ll destroy you all!”

Gedoin cackled maniacally. Izumo prepared to send her familiars into battle. She grinned. After all this time, she would finally get her revenge. She would finally kill that bastard. She would destroy that little bastard no matter what monstrosity he summoned. Izumo wouldn’t let anyone stop her, even if it meant fighting the Son of Satan himself.

The insane scientist’s deranged cackling was suddenly cut short. Time seemed to move in slow motion. All sound seemed to fade from the world until all Izumo could hear was the ringing in her ears. Gedoin’s head landed on the floor with a sick splat. It rolled slightly, leaving a trail of blood behind it. His body followed soon after. It tilted forwards in slow motion, then fell to the ground with a wet thud. Blood continued to pool out of his neck. Izumo gaped, her mouth hanging open. Her eyes were fixed on the fat toad-like body of the monster from her nightmares. Then her eyes flickered upwards, to the person who had just sliced off Gedoin’s head in a single moment.

Prince Rinka flicked the excess blood off his sword. “Sorry, Miss Kamiki. He was starting to piss me off. I should have let you have him.”

“… it’s fine.” Izumo responded eventually, frozen in shock, staring as the lifeless head of her tormentor and abuser rolled slowly across the floor. She found it hard to believe that after everything, it was over just like that.

“I think it’s time to end this.” Prince Rinka announced. His blade was engulfed in blue flame, burning away all traces of blood on the weapon. He plunged the blade into the ground, filling the room with his flames. The exwires and company screamed as they were suddenly engulfed by the warm blue flames. The zombies turned to ash around them, falling into scattered piles across the room. Izumo watched as Gedoin’s corpse was burnt to a crisp as well. The blue flames quickly disappeared, retreating back to their source, engulfing the prince then dying out completely. In the blink of an eye, along with his flames, Prince Rinka was gone, leaving nothing but ash in his wake.

The room was dead quiet. No one dared to speak. The only sounds were that of heavy breathing. Izumo collapsed to her knees, tears gathering in her eyes. Someone yelled, rushing over to check on her. It was finally over.

Chapter Text

The Order swarmed the Illuminati base. Helicopters circled above, spotlights shining down, illuminating the dark. Exorcists captured or killed any Illuminati members who were unable to flee the base in time. The remaining zombies that hadn’t fallen into the lab below were trapped behind improvised barriers until they could be properly contained. Izumo’s mother was taken away by helicopter with some of the Order’s doctors. Izumo watched as the vehicle disappeared into the dark sky. Hopefully she will see her mother again. They never had the best relationship, but still. Only once she could no longer see the helicopter did she allow her own wounds to be tended to.

The kids were taken to the medical tents set up outside. Thankfully, there were no injuries that time and rest couldn’t fix. Once he’d made sure the kids were all looked over properly, Shiro reluctantly let himself be checked over by a doctor. Out of the corner of his eye, Shiro spotted Kuro wander off into the forest. He followed, the sounds of the crowds growing less and less. Eventually, Shiro came to a stop, his eyes wide in shock.

Shiro’s eldest son, Rin, was crouched, petting Kuro. He was dressed in modern clothes this time instead of his haori and crown. He wore a simple pair of jeans and a dark hoodie, the hood pulled up over his head, partly hiding his face. His tail was wagging slowly behind him. Although Shiro couldn’t see the top half of his face, he could see Rin smiling softly. Kuro was purring up a storm. Rin was gently petting his cheek and the side of his neck. That was Kuro’s favorite spot to be scratched.

Shiro took a step forward. He winced as he stepped on some foliage, the noise causing Rin’s head to shoot up in alarm. Kuro meowed in protest as he was no longer being scratched.

“Rin, wait!” Shiro called desperately, but quietly so as to not draw any unwanted attention.

Rin sprang to his feet, ready to bolt.

“Rin, don’t go!” Shiro pleaded. “Please!”

Rin was tense, ready to flee at a moment’s notice, but stood still, waiting for Shiro to speak or make a move. His eyes darted about, checking to make sure it was just the two of them. Kuro let out a quiet mrrp and rubbed up against his legs, purring loudly.

“Seems like he likes you, huh?” Shiro said with a nervous grin, trying to break the tension.

Rin looked down at the Cat Sidhe, some of the tension draining from his body. He picked Kuro up. The demon immediately jumped up to sit on his shoulders, rubbing his face against Rin’s. The nephilim gave a soft smile, reaching up to stroke the demon’s fur.

“Heh, yeah…” Rin agreed.

Shiro swallowed the lump in his throat. It had been three years since he’d last heard Rin’s voice. His son’s voice.

“So, uh, how’ve you been doing?” Shiro asked awkwardly.

“I’m good.” Rin replied, just as awkwardly. Shiro could see tuffs of black hair peaking out from under his hoodie. A spell maybe? He couldn’t have dyed his hair that quickly. It had definitely been white before. His tail was black now too. His eyes were still that same shade of unnatural blue however. The same shade as his flames.

Shiro took a few steps towards Rin. The boy tensed, but didn’t move away thankfully. Shiro gently took Kuro off of Rin’s shoulders, placing him on his own instead. Thankfully, neither of them protested.

“Rin…” Shiro started. “Why don’t you come home? I miss you. Yukio misses you. We all do.”

“I…” Rin trailed off. Suddenly, he was pressed into Shiro’s chest, arms wrapped tightly around him. Shiro's breath was knocked out of his chest as Rin slammed into him.

“I miss you so much Dad!” Rin sobbed into Shiro’s chest.

Shiro automatically wrapped his arms around his son, holding him tight. He rubbed soothing circles into his back. His chest felt tight with emotion, but he tried not to let his eyes mist up. He had to comfort his son. He had to remain strong and composed for him. He couldn’t break down right now. If Shiro played his cards right, he might be able to convince Rin to come home.

“Hey kid, it’s alright, I’ve got you.” Shiro whispered fondly. “You’ll be okay. You can come back home. It’ll be just like before, whaddya say kiddo?”

Rin sniffed. He shook his head no, effectively wiping his tears and snot on Shiro’s robes. Shiro didn’t mind, he was long used to it by now, although it had been a while since either one of his kids had gotten tears and snot all over him. Yukio wasn’t one for crying. It reminded Shiro of when the kids were little, when they barely came up to his knees. This version of his son only came up to his chest, a few inches shorter than Yukio. He had grown a lot since Shiro had last seen him, in more ways than one. Shiro hoped that he could still provide for his son the way he had before. He hoped that he could make this work.

“I can’t.” Rin said mournfully, his voice muffled in Shiro’s robes.

“Why not?” Shiro asked. He felt as if a stone had dropped in his stomach. He couldn’t lose his son again, not when he was so close!

“You know why.” Rin snapped.

“Sorry, your old man’s getting a bit slow in his old age.” Shiro said. “Mind explaining it to me?”

Rin turned his head to the side, so that his voice was no longer muffled, but still leaned against Shiro’s chest.

“Because of the Order.” Rin sneered.

“They don’t have to find out.” Shiro said, rubbing circles into Rin’s back gently. “You can stay hidden, I’ll protect you I promise.”

Shiro’s voice was almost desperate as he made promises that he only half believed in. Rin never had the best self control as a child, who’s to say that’s changed over these past three years? Shiro had no clue how Rin’s demon half functioned without it being sealed away by the Kurikara sword. He could clearly hide his demonic features somewhat, but for how long Shiro wondered. If Rin came home, how long would it take for him to be outed? How long would it take before Satan came looking? There were too many questions, too many variables, but Shiro didn’t care. He just wanted his son back.

“I can’t stay hidden forever.” Rin said. “And when they find out it’ll put you and Yukio in danger. Especially when Yukio’s demon half starts showing.”

“What?” Shiro asked, startled. “What do you mean? Yukio is completely human, he’s never shown any signs of… you know…”

Rin shook his head. “He’s just a late bloomer. He…”

Rin suddenly pulled away. “Someone’s coming.”

Shiro quickly turned around, instinctively trying to block Rin with his body. A light shone through the trees. A pair of voices slowly grew closer. Shiro turned back to Rin, only to find him no longer there.

“Damnit.” Shiro whispered. He pressed himself against a tree, hiding from the coming patrol. The patrol didn’t come too close, and eventually moved out of sight.

Shiro relaxed a smidge. He looked around the dark forest for any sign of Rin.

“Rin!” Shiro called quietly. “Rin, are you still here?”

Shiro was met with silence. Only the creatures of the forest answered him.

“Damnit Rin…” Shiro sighed quietly. “What did you mean? What’s happening to Yukio?”

————————

A couple days later, Izumo sat in the hospital with Noriko. Izumo had just gone to visit her sister. Apparently she had been living with a family associated with the Order this entire time. They had even changed her name and identity to keep her hidden from the Illuminati. But when Izumo tried to talk to her little sister…

“She doesn’t remember me!” Izumo sobbed into Noriko’s shoulder. “My baby sister! She didn’t recognize me at all!”

“Oh Izumo….” Noriko comforted her friend.

“I mean… she was three the last time I saw her.” Izumo sniffed. “It’s not surprising, but…”

Izumo broke down crying again. Noriko silently comforted her friend.

“Tell me how you’re doing.” Izumo finally sniffed. “I don’t want to think about her right now. It’s too much.”

“Okay…” Noriko said. “What should I talk about?”

“I dunno…” Izumo replied unhelpfully.

“Um, how’s your mom doing?” Noriko asked.

Izumo sniffed. “They took her to the specialized exorcist hospital for demon related wounds. She has her own room there and everything. I haven’t gone and seen her yet though… I’m not sure if I want to…”

“Oh…” Noriko said, unsure of what to say.

“How’s your boyfriend?” Izumo asked, changing the subject away from her problems, wiping her face with the back of her hand. “How are you two getting along?”

“I broke up with him actually.” Noriko said quietly.

“What? I thought you two were doing good?” Izumo asked. “What happened?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all.” Noriko said.

“Huh? What do you mean?” Izumo asked.

Noriko was quiet for a few moments before she began speaking.

“I asked him out because I heard rumors that he liked me.” She admitted. “He’s nice, and good looking I guess, and I liked him, but… I didn’t really have any feelings for him. I thought that if we started dating, romantic feelings would finally develop. But they didn’t. Nothing happened. And he wanted to take the next step in the relationship and I… I just saw him as a friend.”

“Oh Noriko…” Izumo sighed.

“I thought I had a crush on you in elementary school.” Noriko admitted.

“Huh? Wait, what do you mean you thought you did?” Izumo asked.

“I… I thought they were romantic feelings. But they’re not. I love you, Izumo, but as a friend. I thought that was the same as romance, but apparently not.” Noriko confessed.

“Yeah, no.” Izumo said. “They’re totally different.”

“So you know what romantic feelings, um, feel like?” Noriko asked.

“I know that it’s different from friendship.” Izumo said. “I’ve had a few crushes, but nothing serious.”

“I see…” Noriko said. “I don’t think I’ve ever actually felt romantic feelings. I think there’s something deeply wrong with me.”

“Don’t say that!” Izumo exclaimed. “You’ll find someone eventually, I know you will!”

Noriko looked away. “Yeah, maybe.”

“Hey, it’s okay.” Izumo tried to comfort her. “I know what it feels like to feel broken. Try not to let it get to you, okay? And… you can always talk to me about it if you want.”

“Okay.” Noriko whispered. She looked at the floor, her expression carefully blank.

Izumo internally cursed. That clearly wasn’t what Noriko wanted to hear. Izumo desperately wanted to ask her what she had said wrong, but she stayed quiet, not wanting to make things even worse. The silence stretched on for longer than Izumo wanted, but she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Izumo wondered if that made her a bad friend.

Chapter Text

The cram school classroom was silent and downcast. It was the first class after rescuing Izumo from the Illuminati that all members could attend. Izumo had just been released from the hospital, being the most injured out of all of them. Mostly it was just exhaustion, but it had left her stuck in bed on doctor’s orders for a few extra days than the rest. The only one still missing was Renzo.

“It’s so weird without Shima, huh?” Konekomaru said, trying to break the silence.

No one answered. Konekomaru squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. Then, the classroom door swung open.

“Hey guys!” Renzo called cheerfully. “Surprised to see me?”

No one answered. Izumo glared at him and Shiemi gaped in shock, but otherwise none of the other cram school students acknowledged him.

“Wow… such a cold reception.” Renzo laughed, taking a seat next to Shiemi. “Did you guys miss me? Anyone?”

“I did!” Shiemi replied truthfully.

“Don’t talk to him, Moriyama.” Izumo snapped, not even bothering to look over at them.

“Oh, okay.” Shiemi agreed.

“Wait, no, you can talk to me!” Renzo said a little frantically.

Shiemi looked like she wanted to respond, but looked away quickly, purposely avoiding looking at him, even though he was sitting right next to her.

“Oh…” Renzo groaned pitifully.

Yukio entered the classroom and set down his things. He began taking attendance.

“Kamiki?”

“Here.”

“Miwa?”

“Present.”

“Moriyama?”

“Here!”

“Shima?”

“Uh, here!”

“Suguro?”

“Here.”

“Takara?”

“Here.”

“Great, let’s begin class.” Yukio said, not wasting any time.

“Wait!” Renzo cried out. “Is everyone really going to pretend like everything is normal?!”

“What do you mean, Mister Shima?” Yukio asked.

“Wha-!” Renzo huffed. “I just betrayed you all and no one is going to say anything about it?”

Ryuji slammed his hands on the desk loudly and stood up.

“Of course I’m fine with the silent treatment.” Renzo quickly backtracked as Ryuji stormed over. Ryuji grabbed Renzo by his shirt collar, looking incredibly pissed off. He literally snarled at Renzo. Shiemi jumped up from her seat, skittering backwards, and tripping into Izumo’s lap. Izumo gently shoved her to the side, eager to watch Renzo’s impending doom. Shiemi stood awkwardly behind Izumo, also watching, but unlike Izumo, she looked worried for Renzo.

“I’m sorry!” Renzo cried, flailing uselessly in Ryuji’s grip. “I didn’t know they’d send me back to class after screwing all of you over like that! I thought once the mission was over I was never going to see you all again, I promise!”

Ryuji pulled Renzo into a tight hug, causing the other to go quiet.

“You asshole. I’m glad you’re not dead.” Ryuji growled. “But you better start explaining yourself fast.”

“Oh, heh, you see I was just, um… going through another rebellious phase!” Renzo said.

Ryuji stared at Renzo in disbelief. With all of his strength, Ryuji headbutted Renzo, breaking his nose. Renzo screamed, clutching his face. He stumbled backwards into Izumo.

Izumo summoned her familiars. “Mike! Uke! Dispel asshole!”

The two fox spirits flung the screaming Renzo across the room. He landed hard against the wall. Ryuji, Konekomaru, and Izumo all crowded around him, bloodlust in their eyes.

“Ahaha…” Renzo whimpered. “Don’t hurt me?”

“I think we should tie him up from the ceiling, and hit him like a pinata.” Konekomaru suggested picking up a broom and holding it like a weapon. “We can see if he drops candy when he breaks open.”

“Koneko, what the fuck?” Ryuji said, the shock snapping him out of his anger filled haze.

“H-hey guys, how about we all just chill, okay?” Renzo whimpered.

Izumo scoffed. “Don’t think we’re gonna let you off the hook just like that.”

Konekomaru was the first to strike, a loud crack echoing through the room as he hit Renzo with the wooden broom handle. Ryuji joined in, sending a swift kick to his stomach. Yukio watched impassively as his students beat up Renzo, neither interfering nor joining in.

“Ow! Shit!” Renzo yelled.

“Guys stop!” Shiemi cried, running over.

“Moriyama, my savior!” Renzo cried.

“Nuh uh.” Izumo said, holding out an arm blocking Shiemi from getting any closer. “Not yet.”

Renzo whimpered pitifully.

“As entertaining as this is to watch, I’m afraid the festivities must come to an end.” The group looked around to see Mephisto standing by the door.

“Sir Pheles!” Yukio exclaimed.

“All of you are needed in my office.” Mephisto said. With a snap of his fingers, the group was teleported from the classroom to the plush chairs of his office. Renzo patted his newly healed nose, wiping the blood off on his sleeve.

“What’s this about Sir Pheles?” Yukio asked.

“The Vatican wants to make sure Mister Shima’s loyalties are in the correct place.” Mephisto said. “And you all are here as character witnesses.”

The door of the office opened and Lewin Light walked in.

“Looks like I’m late to the party!” Lewin said.

“Not at all, you’re right on time.” Mephisto said.

Lewin sat himself in the chair that was placed directly across from where Renzo was sitting.

“Renzo Shima.” Lewin began. “Sir Pheles little spy. The Order’s never been able to successfully infiltrate the Illuminati until now. The problem is none of the higher ups trusts Sir Pheles, and by extension you either. So I’m here to make sure we can trust you.”

“Sir, what happens if you decide you can’t trust him?” Konekomaru asked.

“Well then I’ll have to torture him for information.” Lewin said cheerfully. “I think we’d all like to avoid that.”

Renzo gulped nervously.

“So! First things first.” Lewin said. “Why’d they send you back here?”

“Oh! They said I’m useless to them if I can’t spy on the Order.” Shima said. “It was the original reason they sought me out. They said to win you all back over and keep sending them information.”

“So you’re a double agent, huh.” Lewin mused. “That’s a tough spot, kid.”

“To be honest, I don’t think the Illuminati trusts me very much either.” Renzo said.

“Eh, don’t worry about it. You’ve got this kid.” Lewin said. “I mean, they haven't even killed you yet!”

Lewin laughed at his own joke. Renzo laughed along nervously.

“And what about the rest of you guys?” Lewin asked “Do you still trust him after he betrayed you all?”

“Yes!’ Shiemi responded instantly. “Please don’t torture him!”

“I trust him.” Konekomaru answered slower. “I’ve known him his whole life. I could tell something had changed, but I wasn’t sure what. I never would have guessed that he’d become a spy. But I still trust him.”

“He’s a rat bastard for pulling that stunt and kidnapping me.” Izumo said. “But I trust him. He’s still a complete rat bastard though.”

Takara remained silent, not joining in.

“I trust him.” Yukio said. “He betrayed us, yes, but that’s only because he was spying on the Illuminati for us. He had to make them believe he was on their side.”

“Great, great.” Lewin said. “Sounds like high praise. You all must really like this kid. And what about you Mister Suguro, my apprentice? You’ve been awfully quiet this whole time. I’m sure you’ve got an opinion on all this.”

Ryuji was quiet a few more seconds before answering. “I’m angry at him. I’m angry I didn’t notice something was going on with him, I’m angry that he betrayed us like that, and I’m pissed off at his whole attitude for the situation.”

“Oh?” Lewin said.

“I’m angry at him, but I still trust him.” Ryuji said. “I… I’ve known him my whole life, I know everything about him. I know he won’t actually betray us like that. You can trust him.”

“Aw thanks you guys!” Renzo said, wiping away fake tears. “I’m so touched you all think so highly of me!”

“It certainly is higher praise than I expected.” Lewin admitted. “And what do you have to say for yourself? Can I trust you?”

“Yeah!” Renzo said, nodding enthusiastically. “I’m totally on the Order’s side, I promise.”

“That’s good, I’d hate to have to torture you.” Lewin said.

Renzo gulped nervously.

“Cool!” Lewin said. “Well, that’s all the questions I’ve got.”

“Did I pass?” Renzo asked.

“Yup! For now.” Lewin said. “I’ll see you kids around!”

Lewin stood up and left the room. Renzo collapsed back in his chair, sighing with relief.

“Thanks guys!” Renzo said. “I had no idea you all had so much faith in me!”

“I lied.” Ryuji said.

“Huh?” Renzo said.

“I don’t trust you.” Ryuji said. “I just didn’t want you to get tortured.”

“But…” Renzo sputtered.

“Same.” Izumo said.

“Wha- really?” Renzo said, looking around the room as the others all nodded. “What about you Shiemi?”

“Um…” Shiemi looked away, unable to meet Renzo’s eyes.

“Oh man…” Renzo groaned.

“Well this has been enlightening.” Mephisto interrupted. “But that’s all I need from you. Ta ta!”

Mephisto snapped his fingers, teleporting most of the cram school out of the office, leaving just Yukio and Renzo.

“Before I let you two go, I need to get your opinions on something.” Mephisto said. “In situations like these, I often find that most humans cower and hide. But not those ones down in the courtyard.”

Renzo walked over to the windows, looking down at his classmates who were still recovering from the sudden teleportation.

“Instead, they stood up for you without fear. They are a rare breed, don’t you agree?” Mephisto asked.

“Yeah, and no one appreciates them more than I do.” Renzo said fondly.

“Do you now?” Mephisto purred. Renzo glanced at him, unable to identify what the demon was implying, but didn’t say anything.

“Oh, one last thing, Mister Okumura.” Mephisto said, looking at Yukio. “Mister Shima may be pulled out of his classes at any moment for missions, so I expect you to help him with any classwork he misses.”

“Yes sir.” Yukio responded.

————————

The two were forced to take the stairs to exit the building. When they reached the outside, Renzo groaned dramatically.

“Man, I am totally wiped out.” Renzo complained. “I feel like I just completed some kind of purification ritual.”

“I’ll see you in class.” Yukio said politely and started to leave.

“Oh hey teach, wait up.” Renzo called. Yukio stopped and looked at him curiously.

“I almost forgot.” Renzo said, a slight smirk on his face. “You had a meeting with the Prince, right?”

Yukio felt his blood run cold. “What are you talking about?”

“You know, Prince Rinka, the Son of Satan and Prince of Gehenna?” Renzo said. “You’ve met him before. He asked me to give you a message. He wants you to seriously think about what he said. And when you’re ready, he’ll be there for you.”

Yukio froze, lost in thought. His heart suddenly felt like it was racing, echoing loudly in his ears.

“Hey, teach?” Renzo waved hand in front of Yukio’s face. “You good man?”

Yukio startled out of his trance. “Sorry.”

“Nah man, sorry if I spooked you.” Renzo laughed. “I’ve got a job to do, or else the Illuminati will fire me or worse, ya know?”

“You can tell him…” Yukio said quietly. “That he can shove his offer up his ass.”

“Damn teach!” Renzo laughed. “I didn’t think you had it in you!”

Yukio scoffed. “Shima. Are you still loyal to the Order?”

“Hmm? Oh yeah totally! One hundo percent-o!” Renzo grinned. “And it’s because I’m on your side that I’m telling you this. You should really talk to someone about whatever’s going on with you.”

Yukio snarled wordlessly. Renzo raised his hands in mock surrender.

“Seriously, teach. I gotta remain neutral, so letting you know is all I can do. See ya!” Renzo said. “Good luck~!”

Renzo strolled away as if without a single care in the world. He left Yukio standing alone, grappling with the multitude of emotions running through him. Yukio shivered. He felt oddly cold.

Chapter Text

Ryuji pulled on his running shoes and stepped outside into the cool morning. The sun barely peaked over the horizon. The streets were practically abandoned at this time of day. Only a few others were even awake at this time, let alone out and about. Ryuji began his morning jog. The cold air burned his lungs pleasantly. It was peaceful like this. The only thing that could ruin his mood were his thoughts, but running helped him keep them clear. This proved to be false as he saw Renzo jog around the corner in front of him. There goes his peaceful morning.

“Hey Bon!” Renzo said, slowing his jog as he approached him. Ryuji didn’t answer, nor did he slow down. Renzo changed directions, catching up with Ryuji and running alongside him.

“C’mon man, are you still mad at me?” Renzo asked.

“Yes.” Ryuji snapped.

“Hey, since when do you get up this early?” Renzo asked, ignoring Ryuji’s clear signs of wanting to be left alone.

“I always go jogging this early.” Ryuji replied.

“Oh, okay cool!” Renzo said. “Hey man, look, I’m really sorry I couldn’t tell you about the spy thing, but I’m really happy with my choice, ya know? Like, spying is my calling or something.”

Ryuji finally stopped jogging, turning to glare at Renzo.

“The hell is that supposed to mean?” Ryuji growled.

“Like how you want to kill Satan? Like… it’s my purpose in life, the thing that makes me want to keep on going, ya know?” Renzo said. “I know it probably sounds crazy to you…”

“It is crazy!” Ryuji yelled. “It’s insane!”

“Hey man, I don’t question what motivates you to get up in the morning, do I?” Renzo argued.

Ryuji huffed, crossing his arms. He was silent for a moment, his expression becoming less angry but more upset.

“Why’d you become a spy?” Ryuji asked. “Was it… was it because of me? Was it something I did? Or something I didn’t do?”

“Nah man, you already asked that.” Renzo said. “And my answer’s the same. I did it for me.”

“Renzo.” Ryuji growled. “I need a serious answer.”

Renzo was quiet for a moment. “It wasn’t anything you did, or said… but in a way, I guess you could say I became a spy because of you?”

Ryuji glared at Renzo harshly, his expression thunderous.

“That sounds bad, let me explain!” Renzo rushed out. He took a deep breath to settle his nerves, then began speaking again, much slower this time.

“I… when I was about seven or eight, I realized…” Renzo took another deep breath, steadying his resolve. “I realized I had a crush on you!”

Ryuji’s eyes widened, surprise and utter shock written clearly across his face. “What?”

“I don’t anymore!” Renzo said quickly. “You’re like, totally not my type, ya know?”

Renzo laughed nervously. He quickly became serious again.

“I realized then, that I liked guys.” Renzo said. “And I really liked you.”

“Renzo… I had no idea…” Ryuji breathed.

Renzo laughed humorously. “That was kind of the point. I realized three things that day. One, I liked boys and not girls. Two, I… really liked you Bon, and who wouldn’t? You’re so confident all the time. And the third thing… I realized that no one could ever know. That… I couldn’t tell anyone about it, ever.”

Renzo looked at the ground, refusing to make eye contact with Ryuji.

“So then I started playing this game with myself. I pretended that I was a spy on a super secret mission, and I had to create a fake identity and protect my real one, like some kind of action movie, ya know? Around then was when I started flirting with every girl I could find that wasn’t related to me.” Renzo admitted. He finally looked at Ryuji. “Do you remember when we were little? And girls started to flirt with you for the first time? And I acted all jealous, and said I wished they would flirt with me instead.”

“Yeah, I remember.” Ryuji nodded.

“Well, that was a lie of course.” Renzo admitted. “Secretly I was… kind of envious? I was envious of those girls, that they could flirt with you so openly, and I had to hide. I was envious that you could give them your attention so freely, even though you were never interested in any of them. I just hoped that, maybe you’d look at me for once instead?”

Ryuji remained silent.

“Um, eventually my feelings for you went away.” Renzo said. “I guess I gave up on that dream. I knew it was… hopeless. And then for a while I had a crush on Konekomaru, but that eventually went away too. After that, it was just some brief empty crushes on male celebrities. But after a while, I realized that I had been lying for so long that I didn’t know who I was. I thought that maybe I didn’t even have a real personality. Because, like, chasing after girls was my defining personality trait, and that was completely made up! So without that, who am I really?”

“Renzo…” Ryuji started to say, but Renzo interrupted, continuing his speech.

“When I realized that everything about me was fake, a lie that I had made up, I started feeling… empty inside. I felt like that for a long time. And as I got older, everyone started having more and more expectations for me. I tried to pretend I cared, like how I pretended I cared about dating girls, but I just couldn’t keep it up. I just, I was so tired of pretending to be something I’m not. Something had to give, you know?” Renzo continued to rant. “It’s just, I wondered what the point of living was if I couldn’t even be myself, do what I want. The rest of the family upholds all these traditions because they want to, because it gives them purpose. But me? I just felt like I was just… following along, just doing what I’m told because it’s what’s expected of me. I pretended to like girls because it’s what was expected. And I was so damn tired of having things being expected of me!”

Renzo paused for a moment to catch his breath.

“I… I felt like my life had no purpose, you know? Like, there was no reason for me to even exist.” Renzo said softly. “I was planning on killing myself. I… the plan was to go to True Cross Academy, see if I could find something that I liked, that could give my life a purpose, or even just a goal of some kind, anything to fill the emptiness inside me. And if I couldn't find that, then I was just going to end it all.”

Ryuji’s eyes widened. He inhaled sharply.

“But then!” Renzo continued much more cheerfully. “I got this spy gig! At first I was like, hey I’ve been a spy my whole life, might as well make it official. But then I actually thought about it more, and for the first time in years I finally started to feel like myself! I felt like I had found my purpose in life, my reason for living!”

Renzo grinned at Ryuji. “My entire life has been a lie, but then I realized, hey, that’s just who I am. A liar! And I’m okay with that, because at least I’m not lying to myself anymore. Who knew that lying to everyone I see could help me be more honest with myself, ha! At least… now, for the first time in my life, I know who I am, and I’m excited for my future. I… I want to live Bon! And it’s the greatest feeling in the world! So, yeah. That’s why I wanted to become a spy.”

Renzo looked at Ryuji expectantly, waiting for his response. Ryuji was quiet for only a few seconds, which felt like an eternity for Renzo. Then Ryuji suddenly lunged forward, grabbing a surprised Renzo, and pulling him into a tight hug.

“Renzo… I had no idea. About any of that.” Ryuji said, his voice cracking with emotion.

“Yeah well, what kind of spy would I be if I let people know my true identity, ha ha.” Renzo laughed, trying to break the tension.

“Thank you. For telling me all this.” Ryuji said, pulling back. “It… must have been difficult for you to tell me all of that.”

“Oh… yeah…” Renzo said, rubbing the back of his neck, embarrassed. “Hey, look, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone. About me being gay that is. Or… any of that really…”

“Of course.” Ryuji nodded solemnly. He would take Renzo’s secret to the grave.

“You’re… kind of the first person I’ve told.” Renzo admitted. “And also the first person to find out about it.”

“Really?” Ryuji asked surprised.

“Yeah. I’m planning on telling Konekomaru soon. I don’t want secrets between our friend group, you know?” Renzo said. “Well, no more secrets than necessary.”

“Do you even plan on telling your family?” Ryuji asked. “Sorry, I don’t want to pressure you, I’m just curious.”

“You’re good man, I get it.” Renzo said. “I currently don’t have any plans to tell them. I always assumed I’d end up sleeping around and I’d get some girl pregnant by accident and have to marry her to keep the peace or something like that. All a part of my secret identity. Assuming I lived that long, that is. But considering I could never get any girls to actually date me, I figured I’d just end up alone. I think they could all sense that I wasn’t really into them or something.”

“I’m pretty sure they all turned you down because you came on too strong.” Ryuji teased lightly. “You’re kinda a pervert around women you know.”

“Ha! You’re probably right.” Renzo laughed. “Overdid my secret identity a bit, huh? Actually I did have a girlfriend once, but it was for literally five seconds. Remember that girl I took to our middle school dance? She asked to be my girlfriend and I said yes. Then she asked to kiss me, and the mental image of kissing a girl grossed me out so much that I panicked and said no. She broke up with me immediately and we never spoke again. So… yeah.”

Ryuji shook his head in disbelief. “Whatever man. You’re still the same idiot as ever.”

“Hey! I kept my cover intact for almost a decade! And no one would have ever found out if I didn’t just tell you!” Renzo protested.

“You keep telling yourself that!” Ryuji teased, continuing his morning run, leaving a pouting Renzo behind.

“What a jerk.” Renzo mumbled halfheartedly under his breath.

He watched Ryuji jog around the corner.

“But he does have a nice ass.” Renzo sighed. “Hate to see them leave, love to see them go.”

Renzo turned and jogged in the opposite direction that Ryuji went. He eventually stopped underneath a bridge, pretending to rest and stretch.

“Have you regained their trust yet?” The Illuminati contact lurking in the shadows asked.

Renzo stretched his arms in a way that covered his mouth, so no one could see him talking.

“Almost. They’re still a little suspicious, but it’s mostly back to where it was before.”

“Good. Continue your mission.”

“Yes sir!” Renzo grinned. He started jogging again, quickly breaking into a full sprint.

For the first time in his life, Renzo felt truly alive. For the first time, he was excited about his future. He had told Ryuji the truth earlier. Being excited to live really was the best feeling in the world.

Chapter Text

Renzo pulled up his hoodie against the wind, burying his hands in his pockets. It was very windy that day, a chill blowing in as the weather started to grow colder with the seasons. But a little wind wasn’t going to stop him from enjoying his day off. He had surprisingly little homework and no urgent missions of any kind that weekend. Normally he’d call Ryuji or Konekomaru to hang out, but after the week he’d had, Renzo was due for a little alone time. He wandered around the student marketplace, looking at all of the expensive junk for sale. Renzo had wandered into the more touristy part of town, but that was fine. Less likely he’d run into anyone he knew this way.

Noon rolled around and Renzo started to feel hungry. There was a good looking ramen stall at the end of the street that he had been meaning to try. The street was crowded this time of day, but not so crowded that people were pushing each other. Still, Renzo managed to bump into someone.

“Oops, sorry man…” Renzo started to apologize, but his voice trailed off. The guy he’s bumped into wore a ratty black hoodie and jeans, his hood pulled up to cover his face. When Renzo bumped into him however, the guy looked up at him, letting Renzo see his face clearly.

In the middle of True Cross Academy was Prince Rinka himself.

“Uh… y-uh…” Renzo sputtered. Prince Rinka’s hair was black instead of its usual white and his obvious demon features such as the tail and horns were gone, and the hood covered the pointy ears. From the outside, the nephilim looked completely human. His eyes were still that unnatural shade of blue, but any normal person would just brush that off.

Prince Rinka grabbed his arm and dragged him into a dark and empty alleyway. Aw great, Renzo had hoped he would go out in a blaze of glory, not shanked in a dark alley behind a dumpster. It was just his luck that something like this would happen. There were literally a hundred people here, how the hell did Renzo manage to bump into him of all people!?

“Pri- so, uh… weird seeing you here?” Renzo squeaked.

“Dude, can you chill?” Prince Rinka said, pulling his hood farther over his face. The nephilim had even trimmed his claws short in an effort to appear human, Renzo noticed. “I’m trying not to be recognized here.”

“Sorry.” Renzo said quickly. “I just… what are you doing here? If you don’t mind me asking, sir.”

“Don’t call me that!” Prince Rinka hissed. “Just… call me Rin for now, okay? And I’m just… I had some free time, okay? I wanted to… I dunno, do some normal human teenage things.”

“Oh…” Renzo said. “Yeah, that’s cool.”

The two were quiet for a few moments.

“Do you wanna hang out with me?” Renzo offered. “I mean, I did say I would be friends with you. You know, back at the base.”

“Huh?” Rin looked up, surprised. “Uh, yeah sure man! That sounds like fun!”

“Cool.” Renzo said. “There’s this ramen place down the corner I’ve been meaning to try. Wanna go check it out?”

“Sure!” Rin nodded quickly. “I can pay for both of us, by the way. Lu- my brother insists on paying me and I don’t really have anything else to spend it on.”

“I won’t say no to a free meal.” Renzo said. “Uh… actually, I wanted to talk about something with you first.”

“Hmm? What is it?” Rin asked, his head tilted to the side like a puppy.

“About… at the Illuminati base, you called me cute?” Renzo squeaked, his face turning red. “Did you… actually mean anything by that?”

Rin’s eyes widened. “Oh! Oh my god, I’m so sorry, it was a joke, I mean you are pretty cute, but I was just joking! Ya know, I have no filter, ha ha…”

“… you think I’m cute?” Renzo said.

“I’m sorry, I should have kept my mouth shut.” Rin started rambling nervously again. He shoved his hands deep in his hoodie pockets, looking down at the ground.

“You’re kinda cute too…” Renzo mumbled quietly, half hoping the nephilim wouldn’t hear.

“Uh. What?” Rin said, blushing heavily himself. “I thought you…. um…”

“I said you’re kinda cute!” Renzo said louder and much quicker.

“Oh! Um…” Rin hesitated. “If you want… we could, I dunno, make this a date? If you don’t that’s totally fine and we can completely forget all of this even happened and-“

“Sure!” Renzo said quickly, cutting off Rin’s rambling. “We can… we can do a date. Just, um… make it subtle? I don’t want anyone to know I’m… ya know…”

“Into guys.” Rin finished for him. Renzo nodded, embarrassed. “That’s fine. I’m cool with that. But if anyone that might recognize me shows up, I’m going to have to bolt.”

“Sure.” Renzo said.

The two fell into an awkward silence.

“I should introduce myself properly.” Rin suddenly said. He held out his hand for Renzo to shake. “I’m Rin Okumura, nice to meet you.”

Renzo took his hand and shook it. “Renzo Shima.”

The two were quiet again, the unasked question hanging in the air.

“So! Um, ramen?” Rin finally said.

“Right!” Renzo said. “It’s this way.”

Renzo led the shorter boy through the crowds to the small ramen shop. The two sat at the very end of the counter, Rin on the very end by the wall and Renzo on his other side. Renzo pushed his hoodie off, no longer needing the protection from the wind. Rin kept his on, to hide his face from any passersby. They ordered their ramen and sat in awkward silence for what felt like several minutes.

“So… you hair…” Renzo said, cringing internally.

“It’s a spell.” Rin said. “It’s… I used to look like this before I… moved in with my father. My hair changed and I… grew a lot.”

“Oh, cool.” Renzo said.

“I didn’t even know that… that side of the family even existed until I was… until I was twelve.” Rin admitted.

“Really?” Renzo asked. “That’s… odd.”

“Yeah.”

Their ramen came. The two stopped talking as the cook placed the bowls in front of them. They eventually began talking once no one was nearby.

“So… just to confirm, you didn’t know demons existed until you were twelve?” Renzo asked.

“Yeah. My demon half was sealed away.” Rin explained. “I became… all demon-like when it was unsealed.”

“Right…” Renzo said.

The two fell quiet as they took a moment to shove piping hot ramen in their faces.

“So, uh, I gotta ask man…” Renzo said. “Your last name is Okumura? Any relation to…”

“We’re twins.” Rin replied. “I’m the older one.”

“What!” Renzo exclaimed. He winced at how loud he was. He looked around to make sure no one was watching them, then leaned in to whisper to Rin. “Seriously? He looks so… uh, nevermind.”

“He’s… a late bloomer.” Rin said. “If you see anything… report that to me, not Mephisto, okay?”

“Okay…” Renzo agreed easily. “Does… does the Paladin know? About you and Yukio?”

“Yeah.” Rin said. “He raised me. For most of my life, anyway. He’s… I still consider him my dad.”

“Damn…” Renzo said.

The two fell quiet again, focusing on their bowls.

“So, um, do you read any manga?” Renzo asked, changing the subject.

“Oh yeah!” Rin said, eagerly jumping at the distraction.

The two talked about various hobbies and interests for a while. Their ramen grew cold without them noticing. Renzo was laughing at something Rin had said when he heard a familiar voice.

“Renzo?” Ryuji called. Renzo turned around, his eyes wide in panic. He quickly schooled his expression as Ryuji and Konekomaru walked over to them.

“I thought that was you.” Ryuji said. “Hmm? Who’s your friend?”

Renzo turned to Rin, who had pulled his hood completely over his face and had turned towards the wall so as not to be seen. He swiveled around in his seat, trying not to look like he was panicking.

“Bon!” Konekomaru suddenly yelled, causing both Renzo and Ryuji to jump. “We, uh, forgot to do that thing!”

“Huh? What are you talking about? We-” Ryuji started to say.

“That- that thing! It’s really important! Come on, Bon, we have to go!” Konekomaru said, pulling Ryuji towards the exit.

“What? Wait, hang on!” Ryuji protested.

Renzo mouthed thank you to Konekomaru. The smaller boy winked at Renzo, pulling Ryuji out of the shop.

“Do you think they recognized me?” Rin asked, still trying to hide his face.

“So… good news and bad news.” Renzo said. “Good news is I don’t think they saw your face. Bad news, Konekomaru totally knows we’re on a date.”

Rin snorted. “Of course he knows. Did you tell him about… you? Or did he figure it out on his own?”

“Both actually.” Renzo said, chuckling at the memory. “That was a terrifying conversation. I think I nearly passed out when Koneko said he already figured it out.”

Rin laughed softly.

“What about you?” Renzo asked. “Does anyone know that you’re…”

“I haven’t actually told anyone…” Rin said. “But I haven’t been trying to hide it either. When it comes to… my father’s side of the family, no one really cares, you know? That kind of thing is normal. Plus, most demons can see souls and that kind of thing is obvious.”

“Oh, cool cool cool.” Renzo said. “All the demons know I’m… uh… yeah. Totally not terrifying at all.”

A thought suddenly occurred to Renzo.

“Hey, can your brother see… that?” Renzo asked.

“I don’t know.” Rin said. “Probably not yet. If he can, he probably doesn’t know what he’s seeing. Well, it’s not something you see, I’m just saying that because humans don’t have a word for it. It’s more like… sensing it. It’s pretty disorienting getting used to a new sense.”

“Yeah…” Renzo said.

“Um, hey.” Rin said, playing with the straw in his drink. “Sorry to bring up work again, but you’ve been keeping an eye on Yukio, right?”

“Yeah, why?” Renzo asked.

“He’s… there’s no good way to say this.” Rin said. “Yukio is a suicide risk.”

Renzo choked on his saliva.

“So if he… tries anything, I want to know.” Rin said. “I mean, I got my own spies and everything, but if you see something tell me. And report it to Mephisto and my dad as well. I might not be able to help Yukio right away but my dad, sorry Father Fujimoto, can send him to therapy or lock him in a mental hospital if it comes to that.”

“You got it man.” Renzo said. “You can count on me.”

Rin smiled at Renzo. His heart fluttered in his chest. So cute, Renzo thought, his face bright red.

“Thanks man! You’re the best.” Rin said.

“No problem!” Renzo said, looking away slightly. He had the feeling that if Rin’s tail was visible, it would be wagging back and forth like a puppy.

The two chatted a bit more until their bowls were finally emptied.

“We’ve been sitting here for a while.” Renzo commented. “I think the boss is glaring at us for taking up these spots for so long and not getting seconds.”

“Yeah, we should probably go.” Rin agreed.

The two paid for their meals and left the restaurant.

“You want to do anything else?” Renzo asked. “I’ve got nothing else to do today.”

“Me neither, but…” Rin bit his lip. “I’m worried we’ll run into someone else again.”

“That’s alright man, I’m good to call it here if you want.” Renzo replied. “Today’s been fun.”

“Yeah, same.” Rin said.

“We should do this again.” Renzo said.

“Yeah.” Rin echoed.

“Sounds good.” Renzo smiled. “This place was pretty good, so I think I’ll stop by here for lunch on my days off from now on.”

Rin smiled. “Maybe I will too.”

“Oh hey!” Renzo said, pulling out his phone. “Since we’re friends and all now, do you think I can get your phone number? If you’re, uh, comfortable with that.”

“Yeah sure.” Rin said, taking Renzo’s phone. After a minute he handed it back. Renzo saw two new contacts in his phone.

“Fun R and Work R.” Renzo said, raising an eyebrow.

“In case you need to contact me for work.” Rin explained. “Uh, you can change those, I couldn’t think of anything good. Rin’s a pretty unique name and someone will definitely recognize it so don’t use that.”

“Sure man. I’ll text you real quick-like so you have my number.” Renzo replied, texting the Fun R contact.

Rin’s phone buzzed and he pulled it out to check the message Renzo had sent.

Rin rolled his eyes. “Really? The demon emoji?”

“I thought it was appropriate.” Renzo said cheekily.

“Whatever man.” Rin said, setting the contact in his phone. “I’ll see you later.”

“Later!” Renzo waved as the nephilim disappeared into the crowd. He started walking back to his dorm, a happy smile on his face.

God, Renzo couldn’t remember the last time he felt like this. Probably back when… when Renzo was nine, and Ryuji had hugged him. Renzo couldn’t remember why Ryuji had hugged him, but that memory stuck anyway. It was slightly soured now after everything, but it was still one of his favorite memories. Guess he had a new favorite memory. The thought of Rin’s smile had Renzo feeling like he was floating. Renzo quickly changed the “Fun R” contact to a series of heart emoji’s. He contemplated throwing the demon emoji in there as well, but decided against it. It took every last drop of his self control to not squeal like a little girl.

Later that night, he met up with Konekomaru and Ryuji in the dining hall.

“So…” Konekomaru said, his voice low, a conspiratorial grin on his face.. Renzo gulped at the look in his eyes. “How was your date, Renzo?”

Ryuji choked on his food. Renzo quickly slapped his back, trying to help dislodge the food from his lungs.

“Your what!?” Ryuji whisper-yelled.

“You seriously didn’t notice?” Konekomaru asked. “At the ramen shop, earlier today.”

“That was…?” Renzo could see the dots connecting in Ryuji’s head.

“Oh… I feel so dumb.” Ryuji groaned, burying his face in his hands.

“So…?” Konekomaru asked, kicking his feet like a little kid.

“It was pretty good.” Renzo said. “I… had a lot of fun.”

“Come on man! I need details!” Konekomaru complained. “Do you plan on introducing us?”

“Aha…” Renzo laughed nervously. “He’s not… out yet. He… We’re trying to keep things quiet, you know? I don’t think he’d be comfortable if I told people his name yet. Also, I’m not totally sure if there’s going to be a second… uh, meeting.”

“That’s cool.” Konekomaru sighed. “As long as you’re happy.”

“Yeah…” Renzo said, smiling down at his plate. “I really am.”

Ryuji and Konekomaru shared a look.

“That good man.” Ryuji said. “I’m really happy for you.”

“Thanks!” Renzo said. “Now let’s change the subject before someone overhears us.”

Chapter Text

“So, Ryuji, what do you know about the Blue Night?” Lewin asked.

“Not much.” Ryuji replied. The two were walking through a part of the Vatican that Ryuji had never seen before. Although it wasn’t like he had seen very much of the Vatican in the first place. That day when he had arrived at the research lab for his usual scheduled time for his apprenticeship, Lewin had dragged him through a door and portaled them into the Vatican saying they were going on a little field trip.

“My friends and I think that Rinka may have been born that night?” Ryuji said. “It lines up, assuming he’s as old as he looks.”

“That’s correct actually!” Lewin said. “Well, according to Mephisto, there’s a 99.9% chance of that being the case. Is there anything else you know?”

“Not really.” Ryuji said. “I was just a baby at the time, I don’t actually remember it. A bunch of people from my temple died that night from the blue flames, including my grandfather.”

Lewin hummed. “Right, right…”

Lewin finally stopped at a large door. He pushed it open to reveal stacks upon stacks of shelves filled with binders and folders.

“So, this may come as a bit of a surprise, but very few people actually know what happened on the Blue Night.” Lewin said. “As in, why it happened in the first place.”

“Did it have something to do with Rinka?” Ryuji asked. “I’ve always assumed that Satan was the one who killed all those people…”

“And you’d be correct there.” Lewin said. “I remember those flames being hot! Rinka’s are known to be just warm, plus he was only just born, I doubt he could have done much, Son of Satan or no. Plus Mephisto confirmed that it was Satan trying to possess people but failing. That’s why people started bursting into flames. The question is why? Why did Satan suddenly need a body?”

Lewin led them further into the stacks and sharply turned down one of the rows.

“I’ve been going through the records that the Order has on that night, and there’s surprisingly little.” Lewin said. He pulled a file from the stacks. “It’s almost as if someone has done their best to cover up or destroy all information about the Blue Night. It’s suspicious really. Take this, for example.”

Lewin handed the file to Ryuji. He opened it, his eyebrows raising slightly when he saw only two sheets of paper inside, both of which were heavily redacted.

“Yuri Egin?” Ryuji asked. “Who’s she?”

“As far as I can tell, that’s Rinka’s mother.” Lewin said.

Ryuji startled, almost dropping the file. “What? But there’s so little about her in here!”

“Uh huh.” Lewin nodded. “She was an exorcist, Lower Second Class Tamer, the lowest class of exorcist. She joined when she was a kid, but all information about her parents or relatives is completely missing. All information about where she worked or what missions she went on is gone too. And most important of all, how she managed to get Satan to have a kid with her.”

Ryuji read over the first page, which was just Yuri Egin’s personal information. The second page was an execution order.

“It says here that she was supposed to be executed, but it doesn’t say when.” Ryuji said. “Could that be why Satan went on a rampage?”

“Maybe.” Lewin shrugged. “What’s odd is that nothing on that page is censored, yet it doesn’t name a time or date for the execution. And the reason for the execution is sketchy too. It says that she’s a witch who colluded with Satan, but it doesn’t list any specifics of what exactly she did. Almost like even the Grigori themselves don’t want people finding out what happened.”

“That is weird…” Ryuji mumbled. He looked up to see Lewin pulling thicker binders full of folders off the shelves.

“So I did some more digging, and it turns out that the witch known as Yuri Egin was working on a project at a secret facility called Section 13. It was located at the Japan branch in True Cross, but the location is either lost or classified.” Lewin said. “A lot of what they did there is classified and even I don’t have access, but this room contains most of what I can. So we’re going to go through these files and write down the names of all of them that survived the Blue Night.”

“Why do we need that information?” Ryuji asked.

“Because my research led me to believe that Section 13 was the epicenter of the Blue Night, so to say.” Lewin said. “I called you in now because, all of this? This is not a one person job.”

Lewin gestured to the shelves around him with a sweeping arm. “And if any of these guys are still alive, then that means we can just go up and ask them what happened that night!”

“Wait, isn’t Paladin Fujimoto a survivor of the Blue Night?” Ryuji asked. “He was a part of the Japan Branch even back then, wasn’t he?”

“I already asked him.” Lewin said with a shrug. “He told me to fuck off. I probably should have brought you along for that, he has a soft spot for kids. Not to mention you’re better with words than I am, I’m not too proud to admit that. I’m pretty sure I managed to fuck it up so badly that even if I asked you to go he’d probably tell you to get lost too.”

Ryuji rolled his eyes at his master’s rambling. He opened up the first binder. It was stuffed full of file after file.

“I’ll set a timer so we don’t lose track of time.” Ryuji said. “We’re probably going to have to come back later anyway. There’s too much to go through in just one sitting.”

“See, this is why I made you my apprentice.” Lewin said. “You’re always coming up with smart things.”

Ryuji rolled his eyes again.

————————

“After cross referencing the lists of people involved with Section 13 and the Blue Night, there are a very few people who appear on both.” Lewin explained. “And even less are still alive after the Blue Night.”

“So who are we investigating first?” Ryuji asked.

“Tadashi Misumi. He’s a part of the monastery where the Paladin lives.” Lewin said, pointing at the name on the list. “He helped raise your teacher, Mister Okumura.”

“I see…” Ryuji hummed thoughtfully.

“The Vatican once suspected that the Paladin might have been involved in some conspiracy that was related to Satan.” Lewin explained. “That’s why Miss Kirigakure was sent to spy on your class. Nothing ever came from the investigation. But why was that suspicion even there? What evidence did the higher ups have to even authorize that investigation in the first place?”

“You’re right.” Ryuji said. “It is suspicious. Even if they’re not guilty of some kind of conspiracy, they might have been withholding information about the Blue Night. But he’s an exorcist so why? On whose orders is he acting on?”

“You’re picking this stuff up quick!” Lewin praised.

“Thanks, Master.” Ryuji replied.

The two stopped outside the gate of the small church.

“This is it. The home of the Paladin and the childhood home of Yukio Okumura.” Lewin announced.

Lewin pushed open the gate and the two walked towards the front door. Before he could knock however, the two’s visions were suddenly filled with blue flames. The flames died down a second later, revealing a completely different scene than before.

“What the hell?” Ryuji exclaimed, looking around wildly.

“We’ve been teleported.” Lewin concluded. “And by those flames, it was either Prince Rinka or Satan himself. Someone doesn’t want us getting answers, but also doesn’t want us dead quite yet.”

The place they had been teleported to was the patio of a large and expensive looking house. Sliding glass doors gave them a view into the place. Ryuji pressed his face to the glass, his hands shading his eyes so he could see in. The furniture was covered by white sheets, and the sheets covered in a thick layer of dust. Snow laid thick on the ground, coming up to Ryuji’s ankles. The area outside of the house was a field of white. There were no other signs of human activity to be seen. The two men could see their breaths in the cold air.

Lewin looked at the clear blue sky above them, using his hand to shade his eyes from the sunlight. “We’re in a different time zone. It’s about mid morning wherever we are.”

Ryuji shivered heavily, bringing his hands up to rub his bare arms. The weather back in Japan had been warm for the time of year. Ryuji had been wearing jeans and a light jacket, but Lewin was wearing his usual short sleeves and cargo pants.

“We should get inside, see if there’s a fireplace or some coats or blankets.” Ryuji said. “We’ll freeze to death at this rate.”

“Hmm? Oh yeah totally.” Lewin said, not really listening, still looking around.

A flash of blue flame suddenly flared to life beside them. Ryuji squawked in surprise, nearly tripping over his feet in his haste to move away. Lewin reacted much more calmly, observing the newcomer with intrigue.

“Hello boys.” Prince Rinka said. “Let’s get down to business, shall we?”

The nephilim was a lot less… vibrant? Outgoing? than the last few times Ryuji had seen him. He seemed more serious, more cautious than before. Ryuji didn’t think that was a good thing for him and Lewin. He had seen what the Prince could do when he wasn’t taking things seriously. He had seen what he could do when he was pissed off. Ryuji wasn’t sure what to make of this cold, calculating, and cautious demeanor.

Prince Rinka walked over to a small snow covered garden table. With a flash of blue flame, the snow on the table and chairs, as well as the ground around it in a perfect circle, melted and the water vaporized.

“Sit. We need to talk.” Prince Rinka said, pulling out one of the chairs and sitting down.

“Excuse me, your highness, but us lowly humans can’t tolerate this cold weather.” Lewin said with obviously exaggerated respect. “Surely that must have crossed your mind.”

Two small blue flames appeared under two of the metal garden chairs.

“There. That’ll keep you from dying. Now sit.” Prince Rinka said impatiently.

Ryuji gulped quietly, but followed Lewin as he sat down. It was surprisingly warm and comfortable and not at all like he was being slowly roasted from underneath. Ryuji suspected that if Lewin pissed the nephilim off too much that would change and the two of them might just become human barbecue.

“So, why’d you bring us here?” Lewin asked. “Where are we anyway?”

“We’re in Russia. This place is a vacation home gifted to me by Lucifer.” Prince Rinka explained. “I set a trap outside the monastery. If someone intends to do harm to those that live there, the trap would bring them here. I have plans for them, you see.”

“Do those plans have anything to do with Yukio Okumura?” Lewin asked.

Prince Rinka smiled. It wasn’t a nice smile.

“Look, I know you have questions and you’re not going to stop poking your head where it doesn’t belong.” Prince Rinka said. “So I’ll answer whatever you want. You get one question.”

Lewin thought for a few moments.

“Tell me everything you know about the Blue Night.”

“That’s not a question, that’s a demand.” Prince Rinka replied. “Try again.”

“Tch, fine.” Lewin said. “How and why did the Blue Night occur?”

Prince Rinka smirked. “Because that was the night my mother went into labor.”

The table was silent for a moment.

“Wait, that’s it?!” Lewin exploded, leaning out of his chair. “C’mon, you’ve got to give me more details!”

Prince Rinka laughed. “I said you could ask one question. I never promised a good answer.”

Lewin sat back down with an annoyed huff.

“Fine.” Prince Rinka sighed. “I know you’ll only keep digging, so I’ll answer for real.”

“Thank you, Prince Rinka.” Ryuji jumped in. “For your generosity.”

Prince Rinka merely raised an eyebrow at Ryuji. He gulped nervously as the nephilim turned his gaze towards him. Prince Rinka leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. He was silent for a moment, thinking, then he opened them again. He began his story.

“The story of the Blue Night is a tragic love story.” Prince Rinka said. “My mother, an exorcist, and Satan fell madly in love with one another. One thing led to another and my mother became pregnant with Satan’s child. The Order found out, of course, and labeled her a witch and ordered her execution. However, she was protected by something called a Cradle Barrier. A magical barrier that protects the mothers of first generation nephilim. Any harm done to the mother, be it physical or magical, will be doubled and reflected back onto the assailant. The doctors were even unable to administer certain medications without triggering the Cradle Barrier’s effects.”

“The night my mother went into labor, an army of two hundred exorcists waited in the delivery room.” Prince Rinka continued. “All just to kill little old me. The moment I was born they attacked me. I don’t remember any of this personally, but I fought back. I protected myself and my mother from being executed. I’m told I killed over two hundred people before I was even half an hour old.”

Ryuji bit his tongue, trying not to make any noise or interrupt. His nails dug into the palms of his hands.

“Satan wasn’t staying idle for all of this.” Prince Rinka continued. “He was trying to get to my mother, to save her. But he had stayed in his body for too long. It wasn’t strong enough to hold him and was decaying quickly. He used too much of his power trying to find my mother and his body completely disintegrated. After that he frantically searched for any vessel that could hold him. First among the exorcists, then any holy person in Japan. Some were destroyed instantly. Others went insane from the pain and attacked those around them. My mother eventually bled out, my father unable to save her in time.”

“How tragic indeed.” Lewin replied scathingly.

Ryuji stared down at his lap, trembling softly. He forced his hand to uncurl. His palms had marks from his nails. They had almost broken skin with how tightly he was clenching his fists.

“I have one more question, if you don’t mind.” Lewin said.

“I clearly said you only get-“ Prince Rinka began. He was cut off as Lewin flung a flask of holy water on him. The nephilim shrieked, lurching backwards, knocking over the chair he was sitting in. The flames underneath their chairs disappeared, the bitter cold air rushing in. Ryuji stood up and backed away from the table, knocking his own chair over in the process.

Lewin clasped his hands together and began chanting quickly. Ryuji recognized it as one of the spells the research team had been working on. The holy water vaporized, steam rising from the pissed off nephilim. Prince Rinka lunged forward, batting the table to the side and grabbing Lewin by the neck. He slammed the exorcist on the snow covered ground. Ryuji gasped as he saw the white snow beneath Lewin’s head slowly stain red.

“Fuck, you’re annoying.” Prince Rinka growled, shaking the last drops of holy water off.

“What’dya gonna do about it, kill me?” Lewin taunted.

Prince Rinka’s face twisted strangely.

“Wait!” Ryuji yelled. He immediately regretted it when Prince Rinka turned his glare to him instead.

“Your highness… please. He… my Master didn’t mean it. Please spare him.” Ryuji begged.

Prince Rinka snorted. “Oh he definitely meant it. But since you asked so nicely…”

The nephilim turned back to glared at Lewin. “Apologize.”

Lewin didn’t answer, his hands scratching uselessly against Prince Rinka’s grip.

“Master.” Ryuji said. “Do what he says. Please.”

“Sorry.” Lewin croaked out. He didn’t sound very apologetic.

“Good enough.”

Prince Rinka released Lewin. The man gasped for breath, coughing violently. Ryuji stiffened as Prince Rinka stood up and walked towards him.

“I’ll see you around, Bon.” Prince Rinka said.

In a flash of blue flame, Ryuji and Lewin were teleported away from the snowy landscape. Ryuji instinctively brought his arms up in front of him to block and his eyes squeezed shut. The flames were pleasantly warm. As soon as that warmth faded half a second later, Ryuji opened his eyes once again and looked around, scanning for any signs of danger. They had appeared on the edge of True Cross City. It was a little bit chilly, but it felt warm compared to the bitter cold of the snow. Ryuji had never teleported like that before. It was nothing like the portals the Order used to get around. It felt as if the space around him had changed instead of himself being moved somewhere different. He looked around, spotting Lewin lying on the ground, the same distance away from him as before they had been teleported.

“Master!” Ryuji called, running towards the other man. “Are you alright?”

Lewin sat up, lightly touching the back of his head and wincing. “It’s just a concussion, no biggie.”

“You’re bleeding a lot.” Ryuji hovered worriedly.

“It’s fine, head wounds bleed a lot.” Lewin said, trying to push Ryuji away.

“Looks like we’re right outside True Cross Academy’s magic barriers. Damn, that means we’re going to have to walk all the way back.” Lewin complained.

Ryuji helped Lewin to his feet and slung the other man’s arm over his shoulder.

“I can walk fine, you know.” Lewin said, but didn’t attempt to push Ryuji away again.

“I’m calling for someone to come pick us up.” Ryuji said, pulling out his flip phone. “In the meanwhile we should get somewhere safe.”

“Whatever you say.” Lewin said. “Lead the way!”

Chapter Text

Yukio carefully snuck out to the abandoned part of the city. He walked until he could no longer hear the noise from the city proper. It was dark and he made sure he wasn’t being followed. It was cold that night, and even Yukio’s favorite coat, the Order’s uniform coat, couldn’t keep him warm. It was as if he was slowly freezing from the inside out. Yukio ignored it. He had more important things to worry about.

That power, the one that came to him on the night the Impure King was revived and the night they broke into the Illuminati base, he had to know. Fear gripped his heart. Ever since Rin had disappeared, Yukio committed himself to performing tests on himself regularly. They all showed that he was negative for any traces of Satan’s power. Even when he increased the tests to every single day, then multiple times a day. It didn’t make any sense, unless that power wasn’t Satan’s. But it had to be. Nothing else had that distinct blue color, that color he kept seeing.

Yukio started drawing a summoning circle on the ground of the abandoned building. The power had only come to him in times of primal fear. When he believed that he was about to die, or worse. If he could replicate that… then maybe he could discover what that power was. Where it was coming from. Yukio stood in the middle of the circle, summoning the naiads. They raised their arms, engulfing him in a prison of water. He felt his chest become tight. His lungs burned, desperate for air. His vision blurred. He kicked and flailed with no effect. He tried to scream, but all he accomplished was swallowing and inhaling the water around him.

“Come on!” Yukio thought. “Show yourself already!”

Just as Yukio was about to pass out, the spell collapsed. The naiads disappeared and Yukio dropped to the ground. He coughed uncontrollably, spitting water onto the ground. He retched, his vomit joining the puddle of liquid on the ground. Yukio sat there, soaking in the mix of water and his own vomit. He panted heavily, coughing up the remains of the water.

“I’m playing this too safe.” Yukio thought, desperation clouding his mind. “I need to do something else. Something more drastic.”

Once he was able to stand, Yukio slowly climbed the steps to the roof of the building. Every step was an effort. He finally made it to the top. The wind whipped around him, pulling him in several directions at once. He staggered to the edge. He stopped, holding tightly onto the railing, looking at the ground far below. Carefully, he climbed over the railing and stood on the very edge of the roof, holding on to the bitter cold metal rail. The ground seemed to be miles away. Yukio felt nauseous just looking down.

“I need to do this.” Yukio thought. “I need to know. I have to do this! Stop being a coward!”

Yukio jumped. Wind whistled past him. The ground grew closer and closer. His resolve was torn away by the wind.

“Wait! I made a mistake!” Yukio thought. “I don’t want to die!”

He closed his eyes as he was about to hit the ground. There was pain, then everything went dark.

————————

Yukio woke up slowly, his head pounding. He was freezing cold. The pain faded quickly however. Yukio sat up, blinking his eyes open. He struggled to remember where he was. His breath caught in his throat as he noticed blue flames flickering up and down his body. They faded along with the rest of his pain, plunging him into darkness. Why? Where had those come from?

Yukio clenched his jaw and stood up, looking around. His glasses were shattered, the frames mangled and bent, but he ignored them for now.

“Show yourself!” Yukio screamed. “Where are you!?”

He was greeted only by the echo of his own voice and then silence. Yukio panted heavily, his head on a swivel. In this dark and without his glasses, he couldn’t see anything. Luckily he had planned for this. Yukio was nothing if not diligent and prepared. He took the protective case out of his pocket, replacing his glasses. He tossed the broken pair on the ground. There was no use for them. Still, the darkness of the night made it difficult to see. Yukio took out his phone and turned on its flashlight. He shined it around, but saw nothing but the empty and abandoned buildings. Then he looked down.

Yukio gasped, taking a few steps back. He had been standing in a puddle of blood. His clothes were covered in it as well. It had to be his. From the fall. It hadn’t been here when he’d entered the building, and Yukio had made sure to pick a spot with no signs of life. So he had been hurt by the fall, but something or someone had healed him.

Yukio clenched his teeth in anger.

“If you won’t show yourself then I’ll make you!” Yukio yelled. He retrieved his gun and pointed it at his temple, his finger on the trigger.

“Why didn’t I just do this first?” Yukio laughed hysterically. His hands shook violently. “It’s so obvious…”

He closed his eyes and steeled his nerves once more. He had to do this. He would find out what was wrong with him even if it killed him.

Yukio pulled the trigger.

————————

Renzo ran to the ledge of the roof, his mouth open in shock. A loud crack echoed through the empty streets as Yukio hit the ground. Renzo watched as his body was engulfed in blue flames.

“Oh fuck, I’m so dead.” Renzo whispered to himself. “The boss is actually going to kill me. Fuck.”

With trembling hands, he pulled out his phone and texted the contact Rinka had given him for work. He stared at the text, waiting for a response. Minutes passed by. The blue flames below continued to burn.

Renzo was eventually torn away from his phone as Yukio began screaming.

“Oh thank fuck.” Renzo sighed. He quickly fired off another text, then sprinted towards the stairs. Hopefully the rest of Yukio’s mental breakdown would wait until he got there. If not, then Rinka would probably kill Renzo with his bare hands.

————————

Yukio’s ears rang. He opened his eyes, surprised to be alive and such little pain considering…

Yukio looked up, and saw a pale hand holding the barrel of the gun. It had been pushed away at the last second. The bullet had fired right next to his head, but didn’t hit him. Oh. That’s why he wasn’t dead. But considering the look on his b… no, on Prince Rinka’s face, he might be killed very soon.

“You fucking idiot.” Rinka snarled. His flames flared, his horns growing larger, illuminating the dark street. His tail whipped back and forth angrily. The entire end of his tail was engulfed in flame, the tuft of fur at the end completely consumed by the flames.

Yukio’s face contorted into one of pure rage. He roared and swung a fist at the demon wearing his brother’s face. He moved quickly, dodging the punch. Rinka knocked the gun out of Yukio’s hand, tossing it into the shadows. He quickly pinned Yukio’s arm behind his back, pressing him to the ground. The ringing in Yukio’s ears had fully faded, but he was too focused on the demon currently pinning him to the ground to notice.

“Let me go!” Yukio howled. “You bastard!”

“No.” Rinka said, his voice burning with rage. “God Yukio, you’re such a fucking idiot!”

Yukio snarled, but didn’t respond. He simply screamed, thrashing wildly.

“I’m not letting you up until you calm down.” Rinka said.

Yukio resorted to slamming his head against the concrete road. If he couldn’t shoot himself, he could find other ways.

“Yukio! Shit!” Rinka cursed, letting go of his arm to grab a handful of Yukio’s hair. “Don’t fucking do that!”

With his arm no longer restrained, Yukio drew his second firearm and twisted onto his side. He could feel some of his hair rip out of his scalp from the move. The sudden movement shocked Rinka, causing him to hesitate a moment too long. Yukio pumped several shots into the demon’s abdomen. Blood gurgled out of his mouth. His grip on Yukio slackened. Yukio pushed him off and staggered to his feet.

“Ha…” the demon winced. “Should have seen that one coming.”

Yukio raised his gun and pressed it to Rinka’s forehead.

“I need answers.” Yukio hissed. “And you’re going to give them to me. Or I’ll put a fucking bullet in your head.”

“Anything for my little bro…” Rinka coughed, more blood spilling out of him.

“You’re not my brother.” Yukio yelled. “You… you’re just some demon wearing his face!”

“Is that what you really think?” Rinka asked.

“Tell me the truth.” Yukio growled. “Three years ago my brother, Rin Okumura, was taken from our home in the middle of the night. Then you show up with his face and his voice! But the Rin I know would never side with someone like Satan or Lucifer.”

Rinka laughed humorlessly. “The Yukio I know wouldn’t throw himself off a building or try to shoot himself in the head, but I guess that makes two of us who are disappointed.”

Yukio narrowed his eyes at that. “How long have you been watching me?”

“Personally?” Rinka said, pretending to think. “I just got here. But I’ve had my spies watching you for years. Since I couldn’t come and check on you myself, I had to send others. To make sure you were doing okay.”

“That’s the other thing.” Yukio said. “The Rin I remember would have come back the moment he could. He never would have willingly stayed away from me.”

Yukio put his finger over the trigger. “So start talking. Now.”

Rin smiled. It was full of sadness. Yukio thought it looked a lot like pity. That made him even more pissed off than he already was.

“Okay.” Rin said softly. “When I was twelve, Astaroth came and took me to our f- our sire. I lived in Gehenna, in Satan’s castle for three years. He trained me to use my powers, to control them, and helped me recover my demon heart from the Kurikara sword.”

“The sword broke when I was about thirteen?” Rin said. “There’s no day or night in Gehenna, not really, so it was hard to keep track of time. In between training, Satan told me about the Order, what they did to our mom, to us when we were babies, everything.”

Yukio clenched his jaw even tighter.

“You said it didn’t make sense that I didn’t come home.” Rinka continued. “But after the Kurikara sword broke, I couldn’t go back to pretending to be a regular human. I wanted to come home, Yukio, I really did. It hurt not being able to see you and dad everyday. Like it used to be. But if I did come home, the Order would have found me out. That would’ve put you in danger, as well as dad, and the other priests. The Order would have executed all of you for treason.”

“You don’t know that!” Yukio yelled, his voice cracking. “You could have hidden! We… we could have been a family again!”

“No I couldn’t!” Rinka yelled. “Do you know what it’s like Yukio? To know that something is seriously wrong with you not know why? That shit sucks ass! I tried talking to dad about it, but he just told me I was normal. That I was just like everyone else. In hindsight, I know he was lying, trying to comfort me because there was nothing he could do about it without telling me the truth. But I was just a kid at the time so I believed him! And I grew up my whole life wondering how everyone seemed to be handling all that shit so much better than me. But I knew that dad would never believe me. He always tried so hard to make me feel that I was the same as the other kids, that I wasn’t different, but that only made things worse. I knew I was different and nothing could ever change that! So I grew up thinking that I was cursed or just making it up for attention. But the thing is, people who make things up for attention know that they’re faking. So I tried to pretend it didn’t exist, that I was just imagining things, because that’s what dad and everyone else kept fucking saying. I got so used to it that I forgot it was even there. It was so constant that I didn’t even know what not being in pain felt like.”

“When my demon half was unsealed, it hurt.” Rin said. “It hurt so much, and I wanted nothing more than to be able to hug my dad, or have my brother there with me. Change hurts Yukio, there’s no escaping it. But once I was able to fully merge with my demon half, all the pain that I felt my entire life was just gone. It was fucking gone! Not even the pain of losing you and dad could get rid of the absolute relief of not being in fucking pain all the fucking time!”

“Rin…” Yukio said, lowering his gun.

“You feel it now too, don’t you.” Rin said. “It’s been building your entire life so you probably don’t even notice it. Hell, I didn’t even notice it until it was gone. But just look at you. You’re just as angry as I was. That feeling is why I could never control my emotions. I was already at my tipping point, all the damn time, and things that wouldn’t bother most people would just send me over the edge.”

Yukio’s hands shook. His breathing came quick and shallow. This couldn’t be happening.

“Your demon half is finally starting to show itself.” Rin said. “That's what I meant back at the Illuminati base. Your demon half is finally starting to mature or whatever. And the longer you keep pretending it doesn’t exist, the worse this’ll get.”

“I’m not a demon!” Yukio yelled. “I’m human! I’ve always been human!”

“You’re a nephilim!” Rin yelled. “We aren’t demons but we sure as hell aren’t human either!”

“No… I don’t believe you.” Yukio said, his voice wavering. “You’re lying.”

“It doesn’t matter if you believe me.” Rin said. “This is happening whether you like it or not.”

Yukio could feel himself breaking. He had to do something, quickly. He raised the gun to Rin’s head again.

“Earlier, you said something. About our mother.” Yukio spat. “Tell me everything. How were we born? Why?”

Rin laughed. “Honestly, I thought that’d be your first question. But no, I won’t.”

Yukio could feel his sanity slipping. “Tell me or I’ll shoot!”

“Yuki, I’d love to tell you.” Rin said. “But Mephisto doesn’t want you to know, and I’m in no condition to be able to fight him on that right now, no thanks to you.”

“Wha… what the fuck does Mephisto have to do with any of this?” Yukio hissed.

“Considering he’s been watching us for this entire conversation, I’d say a lot.” Rin said.

Yukio’s eyes widened and he turned around, looking for any sign of the demon. Rin took the chance to teleport, leaving Yukio seemingly alone in the abandoned street. Darkness fell once again.

“Fuck.” Yukio hissed. “Fuck! God damnit!”

Yukio fell to his knees, his energy spent. Tears rolled down his face. He didn’t try to stop it. He was just so tired.

Blue light filled the street once again. Rin was back. He had a hand pressed to the wound in his stomach. Blood soaked his fingers, but it was no longer oozing like before.

“Yukio.” Rin said. “You can’t keep doing this. Go home. Talk to dad. See a fucking therapist or something.”

Yukio didn’t respond.

A wave of… something invaded Yukio’s head. Emotions. Love and fear, longing and worry, and a little bit of pain.

“What are you doing to me?” Yukio asked. The wave being pulsed into his head suddenly cut off.

“You could hear that?” Rin asked, his voice quiet.

“What was that?” Yukio demanded.

“The demon language.” Rin answered, closing his eyes. “You couldn’t hear it the last time we saw each other. Back at the Illuminati base.”

“What?” Yukio asked.

“Only someone with demonic blood in them can hear it.” Rin explained. He stared directly into Yukio’s eyes, as if he was looking into his very soul. “Like it or not, you’re not going to be able to pretend to be human for much longer.”

“Fuck you.” Yukio growled.

Rin looked at him, his face full of something that Yukio thought looked like pity. He teleported away, leaving Yukio in the dark one last time. Yukio grit his teeth. The next time he saw Rin, he would wipe that look of pity off his face. The thought of putting a bullet hole through his twin’s head made him want to vomit. Whatever. Yukio could be strong. He had to be. There was no other way. Yukio swore would prove Rin wrong, no matter the cost.

————————

Renzo watched the entire scene unfold. After Rin finally left, he watched Yukio stand up, sway from side to side, then fall back to the ground. He didn’t move. Renzo watched as Mephisto strolled out of his hiding spot and picked up the unconscious nephilim.

“Mister Shima.” Mephisto called, his voice echoing through the empty street. He stared directly at Renzo’s hiding spot.

“Uh, yes sir?” Renso said, stepping out from his hiding place. There was no use in continuing to hide, so might as well.

“It would behoove you to forget everything you just heard.” Mephisto said. “But I know that’s not exactly a reasonable expectation. If I catch you discussing any of this, I will have you silenced.”

“Yes sir.” Renzo said.

“Good boy.” Mephisto purred. “Have a good night, Mister Shima.”

Mephisto teleported away, leaving Renzo stranded in the abandoned part of the city. He sighed, realizing that he would have to walk all the way back. He definitely wasn’t getting any sleep tonight. Not after that. It didn’t even involve him and he was somehow still stressed. This is why he only looked out for himself. Renzo had enough to deal with on his own. He didn’t need other people’s drama in his life. Caring about other people was hard. Especially when they had family drama like this.

Chapter Text

Renzo glared at his phone. He had just received a text from Rin’s work phone. He was planning on staying home and sleeping today, but that was apparently too much to ask for. Renzo face planted into his pillow and groaned. No rest for the wicked.

Renzo dragged himself out of bed and forced himself to look presentable. Konekomaru walked back into the dorm room, about to leave for the day.

“I thought you were going to stay home sick.” Konekomaru commented, grabbing his bag.

“I was but I’ve got work.” Renzo complained. “I’m just going to take the detention for skipping class if I get caught out, I don’t care anymore.”

“Oh.” Konekomaru said. “Well, good luck.”

“Thanks man.” Renzo said. The heavy door slammed as the other left their shared room.

Renzo quickly got ready, then left. He stopped on his way to pick up a cup of coffee. The barista looked a little afraid as he ordered the legal maximum amount of espresso in his coffee. He drained the cup in only a few minutes, then slapped his face to try to make himself look more awake. Once he was satisfied with his appearance, he began to track down his target. Unfortunately, someone else found him first.

“Hey kid, it’s Shima right?” Lewin said, startling Renzo.

“Huh? Oh! Mister Lightning!” Renzo chuckled nervously. “I didn’t see you there.”

“Clearly.” Lewin said, bemused. “Whatcha doing, sneaking around outside the lab?”

“The lab?” Renzo asked, pretending not to know. “What lab?”

“Don’t play dumb kid.” Lewin said. “You’ve been watching people go in and out for a while now. You wouldn’t be doing that without a good reason, especially during school hours.”

“Haha, I guess you caught me!” Renzo said, cheerfully.

“So, what are you looking for?” Lewin asked, leaning in a little too close for Renzo’s comfort.

Fuck it, Renzo decided. “I’m looking for the Paladin actually.”

“Really?” Lewin asked, his eyebrows raising high up his forehead. “What for?”

“Sorry, can’t tell you.” Renzo shrugged. “But if you’ve seen him, I’d appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction.”

Lewin cackled loudly at that. “Fat chance kid! I’m not helping with your spy work.”

“It was worth a shot.” Renzo shrugged.

“Sure kid, whatever you say.” Lewin said, turning to leave.

“Hey, wait a second.” Renzo said. “Since I told you why I’m here, I’d appreciate it if you could keep it to yourself. Just for today at least.”

Lewin snorted. “Sure. But only cause I want to see what you’re up to.”

“Thanks sir!” Renzo called cheerfully. “Have a nice day!”

“You too kid.” Lewin waved as he left.

Renzo’s cheery demeanor dropped the moment the man was out of sight. He refrained from calling the older exorcist names under his breath. He wasn’t stupid enough to believe that Lightning had left without having a familiar spy on him. But for this particular mission, that didn’t matter. Lightning could watch for all he cared.

After some time, Renzo saw his target finally approaching the lab. The Paladin was late, no more researchers were entering the building at this time. He was walking leisurely, in no rush at all. What a life. Renzo hurriedly dropped from his vantage spot into position. He turned the corner, pretending like he had just been walking normally, and suddenly “recognized” the Paladin, making eye contact.

“Oh hey! Mister Paladin!” Renzo waved. Shiro slowed down and stopped, smiling at the boy.

“Hey kid. You’re one of the cram school students, right?” Shiro asked. “What are you doing out and about, playing hooky? Don’t worry, I’m not a snitch.”

Renzo laughed. “Nah, I wasn’t feeling too well. I’m on my way back to the dorms right now.”

“Sorry to hear that.” Shiro said. “I’ll get out of your way now. You hurry back. Rest is important.”

“Actually, I wanted to ask, is Mister Okumura okay?” Renzo said. “You know, after what happened last night?”

The look on Shiro’s face switched from relaxed to a mixture of fear and worry.

“What? Something happened to Yukio?” Shiro demanded.

“Oh, you didn’t hear about it?” Renzo asked, also looking worried. “I thought you were his dad?”

“I am.” Shiro growled. “What happened?”

“I’m not really supposed to talk about it.” Renzo said, looking worried. “Sir Pheles said-”

“I don’t give a damn what Mephisto said.” Shiro growled. He took a deep breath, then spoke more calmly. “Tell me what happened. I’ll tell Mephisto I ordered you to talk. You won’t get in trouble, I’ll make sure of it.”

“He fell off a building.” Renzo admitted. “Actually, he jumped. But Sir Pheles was there and he took Mister Okumura with him. He didn’t tell you about that?”

“No. He didn’t.” Shiro said, looking furious. He looked at Renzo, who was doing his best impression of a kid worried that the adult in front of him was going to be angry for being the messenger of bad news.

Shiro’s expression softened. “Thanks for telling me. You did a good job, kid.”

“Thanks sir!” Renzo said, his expression immediately brightening.

“You run along now.” Shiro said. “Go home and rest. Self care is important, especially when you’re sick.”

“Right, of course sir.” Renzo said bowing to him. He rushed past the older exorcist, hurrying out of sight. He watched over his shoulder as the Paladin stormed off, not looking back at Renzo. He smirked to himself, satisfied at another successful mission. He sighed loudly. Now he could finally go home and sleep. Hopefully now there would be no more hurdles between him and his bed.

————————

“Tell me why the fuck I had to find out from your goddamn spy!” Shiro roared, slamming his hands on Mephisto’s desk.

“It’s suspicious timing, don’t you think?” Mephisto mused, unfazed. “After I explicitly told him not to talk about it. It makes you think. Perhaps the Illuminati is trying to drive a wedge between me and the Order.”

“I don’t give a damn about whatever orders he got from the Illuminati.” Shiro growled. “They wouldn’t have had the chance to pull that kind of shit if you had just told me in the first place! You have no right to keep information on my son’s health from me!”

“Thanks to his newly developing demonic abilities, his body was healed of all injuries in under an hour.” Mephisto said. “His health is no longer in danger, so there was nothing to report. Besides, he asked me not to tell you. He’s all grown up, he can make his own choices, can’t he?”

“That doesn’t matter if he’s making dumbass choices!” Shiro yelled. “Just because he’s physically fine doesn’t mean he’s right in the head! No one in their right mind tries to kill themself!”

“I thought he seemed fine.” Mephisto shrugged. “Besides, with our current situation, we can’t spare any exorcists. We’re understaffed as it is.”

“I don’t give a shit!” Shiro yelled. “Yukio is in no condition to work! If he goes out into the field he could get himself or others hurt or killed!”

“Fine.” Mephisto sighed. “Schedule Mister Okumura for a psych evaluation. But if he’s cleared for field duty, there’s nothing else I can do.”

Shiro scoffed. “I don’t believe that for a second. I don’t know what you’re planning, but if Yukio gets hurt again because of it, you better believe I’ll exorcise your ass so fast, damn the consequences."

“If you say so.” Mephisto said.

Shiro was about to storm out of the office, but stopped. “Wait. Wait a damn minute. You said Yukio has demonic abilities?”

“I was wondering if you heard that.” Mephisto said, smirking. “Yes, it does seem that his father’s heritage is starting to show.”

“What the fuck…” Shiro whispered. “So… wait, no, hold up. Yukio’s been testing himself every goddamned day for Satan’s power and not once has he gotten a positive! He’s shown me the results for fuck’s sake! How can he have demonic abilities now?”

“It’s simple.” Mephisto shrugged. “It’s not Satan’s power that Mister Okumura possesses, but his own. He is testing for the wrong thing. That’s why all of his test results are clean.”

“Damnit.” Shiro muttered. “Fuck. Why didn’t we see this coming?”

“Yes, the future is a mystery to us all.” Mephisto nodded. Shiro just glared at the King of Time, but didn’t say anything.

“Fuck you, asshole.” Shiro said. He rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes, lighting one right there in the office.

“What do you think you’re doing!?” Mephisto exclaimed. “You’re going to get smoke all over my furniture!”

“Eat shit, I need this.” Shiro mumbled. He turned and left the office anyway without another word.

————————

“Hey kid!” Lewin called cheerfully. “How’s it been going?”

“Do you need something?” Ryuji asked, used to his Master’s antics. If he was bothering with small talk and pleasantries, that meant he wanted something from Ryuji.

“I need you to ask your friend Shima what he said to the Paladin.” Lewin said.

“Alright, I’ll ask next time I see him.” Ryuji said, nodding. “Did something happen?”

“I caught Mister Shima loitering outside the lab.” Lewin admitted. “I got him to confess that he was looking for the Paladin, but he wouldn’t tell me why. Then the Paladin shows up late and in a bad mood and won’t tell me why. And none of my familiars could get close enough to hear their conversation, so I’m at a loss here.”

“I see.” Ryuji said. “I’ll ask him, but I can’t guarantee he’ll tell me.”

“Atta boy!” Lewin praised.

Ryuji rolled his eyes.

————————

The next day, the cram school class was taught by Paladin Fujimoto instead of Yukio. He explained that Yukio was out sick and was temporarily filling in for him. After the class, Ryuji cornered Renzo before he could disappear.

“What’s up man?” Renzo asked.

“Master asked me to talk to you.” Ryuji explained. “He wants to know what you said to Paladin Fujimoto to make him so upset yesterday.”

“Does this have anything to do with where you were the other night?” Konekomaru asked, butting into the conversation.

“Look guys, even if I did know, I wouldn’t be able to tell you.” Renzo said. “I didn’t become a spy by running my mouth, you know.”

“Yeah but-” Ryuji tried to argue.

“Look Bon, Lightning already asked me about it himself, and I told him no.” Renzo explained. “If he wants to know so badly, he should ask Father Fujimoto himself. You guys are my best friends, but I can’t just give out information to anyone who asks.”

Ryuji huffed, mildly annoyed. “Fine. I understand.”

“I knew you would Bon!” Renzo flashed him a blinding smile. “See ya later!”

Once he was gone, Ryuji turned on Konekomaru. “What happened the other night?”

“Huh?” Konekomaru panicked slightly as Ryuji turned his full attention to him. “O-oh, Renzo was out all night, he only got back after I woke up. But he left again a little after I went to class. Said he had work.”

“Thanks.” Ryuji said, running off himself. “You’re a life saver man!”

“Geez, Bon, I’m not…” Konekomaru sighed. “I need normal friends.”

Chapter Text

Yukio was back in class the next day as if nothing had happened. When questioned he simply said he had been cleared for active duty by a doctor and left it at that. At the end of class, Yukio handed out packets to the class.

“These are some of the most recent incantations and sigils from the research team.” Yukio said. “While it is recommended to use them together, things don’t always go as planned in the field. If you can only do one or the other, that’s fine. Remember to record the effects it has and report back to me or someone on the research team as soon as possible.”

“We haven’t seen Rinka since the Illuminati base.” Izumo complained. “And no one even got the chance to use these damn things even then. Why are they still making us carry this stuff around?”

“Because everyone in this class has interacted with Rinka the most out of anyone else in the Order.” Yukio explained. “Not only that, but we recently discovered that he has been sending spies to watch some of the people in this class.”

“You mean like Shima?” Izumo asked, raising her eyebrow. “We know Rinka’s his boss.”

Yukio sighed. “We think there may be other spies. So please stay vigilant.”

“Well that’s only slightly terrifying.” Izumo muttered under her breath. She shoved the incantation sheet in her bag and started to leave the classroom.

“Izumo wait up!” Shiemi called. “I don’t want to walk home alone!”

“We don’t even live in the same dorm!” Izumo argued, but slowed down for Shiemi to catch up.

As the two left, Renzo turned on Ryuji.

“Yo man, Konekomaru and I have been talking.” Renzo started.

“Have you now?” Ryuji said.

“We want to see the research lab.” Konekomaru said. “I’m really curious about what goes on.”

“Guys, I can’t just-”

“Yes you can, they don’t even check your ID.” Renzo said. “Hell, I went through the effort of stealing your ID back in chapter 14 and making a copy and they didn’t even check!”

“What?”

“That’s how I stole your snacks out of the break room the other day.” Renzo continued. “Sir Pheles asked me to test the security by the way, I wasn’t up to anything nefarious.”

“That was you?” Ryuji exclaimed. “Seriously? How petty can you be? I sure as hell aren’t sneaking you in now that I know that.”

“Come on Bon, I really want to see it too!” Konekomaru begged. “We can ditch Renzo if you really want to-”

“Hey!”

“- but I haven’t done anything to you lately.” Konekomaru finished. “Besides, it’ll be educational! We might stand a better chance if we know how these things work. It’s not really fair that you’re the only one of us who gets that advantage.”

Ryuji sighed. “It’s not like I can understand half of what’s going on, it’s a much higher level than what we learn here. But fine, we can go take a look. They shouldn’t be in the auditorium today, so we can take a peak I guess.”

“Woohoo!” Renzo cheered. “Let’s go!”

Ryuji led his friends through the front door of the lab, waving to the guards out front. They literally waved at the three and didn’t try to stop him or the others, nor did they attempt to check their identification like they were supposed to. Ryuji held in a disappointed sigh.

“I can’t believe the security is so lax.” Konekomaru commented once they were inside. “I thought we’d at least have to go in a side door.”

“You’d think so, but nah.” Renzo said. “The research here is highly specialized, so it’s not like anyone else would want to use it. And with no less than three of the highest ranked members of the Japan branch hanging out here regularly, sabotage is practically impossible without getting caught.”

“I don’t like the way you said that.” Ryuji commented.

“I was asked to break in to test security.” Renzo protested. “That’s why I stole your food. I couldn’t touch anything else.”

“Asshole.” Ryuji muttered under his breath. Konekomaru chuckled quietly.

“Here’s the auditorium.” Ryuji said. “This is where they do most of the testing.”

Renzo stood on his tip toes, looking through the windows on the door. His eyes widened. He grabbed Ryuji’s arm, stopping him from pushing the door open.

“Hey man, I think you should look at this first.” Renzo said, slightly panicked.

Ryuji peeked through the window and his eyes widened as well.

“Crap! That’s the Son of Satan!” Ryuji whispered. “How’d he even get in here?”

“We need to go get help.” Konekomaru whispered.

“Wait! This room has some of the new binding circles drawn on the ground.” Ryuji hissed, grabbing Konekomaru’s arm, stopping him from leaving. “If we can surprise him, we might be able to trap him in a circle.”

“We need more people for the big circle, don’t we?” Konekomaru hissed back. “We need to go get help, or we’re dead.”

“We need someone to stay and distract him.” Ryuji whispered. “So he doesn’t leave before backup arrives.”

“I’ll do it.” Renzo cut in. “I have an idea, you two go.”

“Are you sure?” Konekomaru whispered. “What if he-“

“I’ve got this, I promise.” Renzo whispered back. “He knows me from the Illuminati, he’s not going to kill me immediately. Go!”

“He’s right, he’s the best option here.” Ryuji whispered. “C’mon, I just saw Lightning down the hall.”

“Right!” Konekomaru nodded.

The two ran from their hiding spot as quietly as possible. Renzo took a deep breath then stepped through the doors.

“Heya boss! Fancy seeing you here!” Renzo smiled, posture relaxed. He waved with one hand, the other in his pocket.

“Hello Shima.” Prince Rinka purred. “What kind of distraction do you have planned for me?”

Renzo froze. “Heh, you… you heard that?”

Prince Rinka grinned, his sharp teeth on full display. “Yep. I’ve got much better hearing than your average human.”

“Oh… ok… welp! Guess I failed!” Renzo shrugged, trying to remain casual. “You should probably go before they get back, Lightning’s no joke.”

“I’m aware.” Prince Rinka said, stalking slowly towards Renzo. “I’ll make my escape at the last second, just to be dramatic.”

“That confident huh?” Renzo said, his casual mask slipping as the demon prince continued approaching him.

“Uh huh.” Prince Rinka said. He continued walking forward until he was in Renzo’s space. Renzo took a step back, only for Prince Rinka to step closer again.

“But what should I do with you? Hmm?” Prince Rinka asked thoughtfully.

“What… what do you mean, sir?” Renzo asked nervously, his calm facade fully gone.

“You said you were going to distract me until reinforcements arrived.” Prince Rinka explained. “You were going to lure me into a trap. That kind of sounds like treason to me.”

Renzo’s back hit the wall. “Boss, I, I-“

“I think…” Prince Rinka said, standing very close to Renzo. “That I can’t ignore that, hmm?”

“Hey, I-I gave you a way out.” Renzo protested. “Remember?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t punish you too much.” Prince Rinka grinned mischievously. “I’ll just embarrass you in front of your friends a little.”

Renzo’s brain short circuited. “Huh?”

Renzo took a proper look at the demon prince, ignoring the fear that had begun to cloud his mind. By his body language he wasn’t angry, but instead… amused? He suddenly realized that the grin on Rinka’s face wasn’t meant to be intimidating, but instead the nephilim was barely holding back laughter.

“Oh come on!” Renzo complained. “I thought you were going to kill me, not play a stupid prank on me!”

Prince Rinka cackled. “Oh! Your face!”

“Yeah yeah, laugh it up.” Renzo grumbled, turning his head away.

Prince Rinka chuckled softly as he caught his breath. Then, in one smooth motion, he picked up Renzo, wrapping his legs around his waist, his back leaning against the wall for support.

“There. This is a sufficiently compromising position, don’t you think?” Prince Rinka asked, his eyes filled with mirth.

Renzo could feel his face burning. “Huh- wha-“

“They’re almost here, by the way.” Prince Rinka added, leaning in close.

Renzo startled out of his gay panic at that. Crap, they’re almost here! In a moment of either pure genius or pure dumbassery, Renzo quickly grabbed the prince’s head with both hands, leaned in, pulling the demon’s head close to his, and kissed Prince Rinka on the lips. The demon was surprised at first, but quickly leaned into the kiss as well. Less than a second later, the door to the room burst open, exorcists flooding in.

Prince Rinka jerked away, dropping Renzo on the ground. Renzo sat in a daze on the ground for a few seconds, mourning the loss of the prince’s warm body. Not long after, someone else was by his side.

“Renzo!” Ryuji yelled. “Shit, what happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m… I’m fine.” Renzo forced himself to say. He shook his head trying to clear it. The room was full of shouting and noise. It was hard to get his thoughts straight.

“Get him out of here, Bon!” Konekomaru yelled.

“Right!” Ryuji scooped up a startled Renzo in his arms and carried him out into the thankfully quieter hallway. Not quieter by much, that is, but still less chaotic.

“Mister Okumura!” Konekomaru yelled, approaching their teacher who was running down the hall with the other exorcists. “Renzo needs help!”

“Put him down.” Yukio ordered. “What happened?”

“We left him to distract Prince Rinka, to stop him from leaving.” Ryuji explained, gently placing his friend on the floor. “But now he’s really out of it.”

“Physically he seems fine.” Yukio muttered. Louder, he said. “I think he’s just in shock. I’ll take him to the medical checkpoint.”

“Right, thanks.” Ryuji nodded. He turned to Konekomaru. “C’mon, let’s go!”

The two ran back into the auditorium. Inside, Prince Rinka was standing in the middle of the circle, surrounded by chanting exorcists. Water elemental familiars circled the outside of the circle. The prince snarled at them, but didn’t move from where he was standing.

“That’s the most recent circle, right?” Konekomaru asked.

“Yeah.” Ryuji nodded. “It hasn’t been tested yet though, but it should at least hold him for a few seconds.”

“We’re here!” Shiemi called out, waving at the two boys. Izumo ran slightly behind her. They gasped at the sight of the demon at the center of the room. “Woah, did they trap him?”

“I don’t really know.” Ryuji shook his head.

“He must be.” Izumo said. “Otherwise he would have run or attacked by now, right?”

The exwires watched the senior exorcists chant. With nothing they could do to help at the moment, the group just stood on the sidelines, waiting. Ryuji felt his mind start to wonder. He couldn’t get the image of when he burst into the room out of his head. The Son of Satan, holding Renzo against the wall. His hands planted firmly on the underside of Renzo’s thighs, his fingers pressing into his flesh hard enough to bruise. Renzo, holding the Prince of Gehenna’s face, eyes closed, his lips locked with those of a demon’s. Prince Rinka’s tail wagging back and forth like an over-excited dog.

Ryuji suddenly recalled that day he ran into Renzo on his morning run. The confession… Ryuji shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. It was just part of his distraction, Renzo wasn’t actually interested in doing those kinds of things with a demon, let alone the Son of Satan himself. Hell, whose to say Renzo even had a choice in the matter? Ryuji quickly banished that though, trying to avoid spiraling during a battle. He could worry about Renzo being assaulted by a demon later, he needed to focus.

The exorcists finished their chant, the magic circle finally activating. Glowing tendrils of water emerged from the ground, tightly binding the demon in the circles, dragging him to his knees. He screamed with pain, and the exorcists began chanting the second half of the ritual. The first chant was to imprison the Son of Satan, the second was to kill him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ryuji spotted the Paladin and Yukio. The father and son stood next to each other, watching the ritual intensely. The expressions on their faces were unreadable. Ryuji saw the Paladin wince as the demon’s shrill screams grew louder.

The circle glowed with a blinding light, water encasing the fire demon in the center. The water began to boil, causing some of the exorcists in the room to gasp. The chanters didn't falter or stop however. In a rising crescendo, the chanters finished the ritual. The Son of Satan collapsed to the ground as the water restraints disappeared. He breathed heavily, the blue flames that made up his horns and decorated his tail, extinguished. The room was completely silent.

“He’s not dead yet!” Lightning yelled. “Try it again!”

In the dead silence before the exorcists could start chanting again, the Paladin suddenly bent over, clutching his head and screaming. Blue flames suddenly erupted from his body, his ears growing longer, and the tip of a tail peeked out from under his priestly robes. Intense heat radiated from the Paladin who snarled angrily at everyone around him.

“It’s Satan!” Someone yelled. The room exploded into panic. All of the demon familiars in the room started acting out, panicking and running wild. Some forcibly unsummoned themselves, returning to Gehenna, leaving their tamers behind. Others turned and attacked their tamers instead. Others chose to cower in the corners or flee, ignoring all orders.

“Nii! What are you doing?” Shiemi yelled. Nii encased the girl in a thick bramble shield, muffling any noise she may have been making.

“What?! No way I’m running!” Izumo protested, her own kitsune familiars facing her, their ears flat against their heads and their tails fluffed out in fear.

“Stay… away… from my SON!” Satan roared. He rushed forward into the circle with blinding speed, kneeling down to his son on the ground. With a surprising gentleness, the King of Gehenna gathered his unconscious son into his arms and lifted him off the ground.

“Start chanting now!” Lightning yelled. The chanting started up again, this time faster and more panicked than before.

Satan roared. Several people faltered in their chanting. Blue flames erupted in a wide area around them, turning the floor and white paint below him into ash, destroying the circle. The part of the floor where the circle used to be was reduced to a small indent in the floor filled with ash. Using his flames, he cut a path through the crowd, burning a hole in the wall and fleeing, his son limp in his arms. Satan ran directly through the corridor flames, which burned any attacks flung at the two, but left him and his son unharmed as they passed through.

“Don’t let him get away!” Lightning yelled. “After them!”

Some of the braver exorcists followed Lightning as he charged through the destroyed walls. Most however, remained frozen in place, or attempted to flee.

“C’mon let’s go!” Ryuji yelled, motioning to Konekomaru.

“No Bon!” Konekomaru yelled, pulling on Ryuji’s arm. “We’ll just get in the way!”

“I can’t just stand here and do nothing!” Ryuji yelled back.

“Then go check for injuries!” Konekomaru argued. “Someone must have been hurt when he destroyed the circle right? And all of the familiars are still going wild! They could actually hurt someone if no one takes care of it!”

“Fine!” Ryuji relented. “Fine. Kamiki!”

“What?!” She yelled back crankily, pushing away her familiars.

“Help us calm down everyone’s familiars before someone gets hurt!” Ryuji explained.

Izumo glared back down at her own kitsune familiars. “You two! Behave yourselves this instant! I’m not going after Satan, and I doubt he’s coming back so calm down already!”

The two kitsune gave the Tamer some space, but their ears remained flattened against their heads.

“Look, we gotta get this place under control, alright?” Izumo explained to her familiars. “Just stay cool, and we’ll be fine.”

Having gotten the two under control, Izumo nodded to Ryuji.

“Right, let’s get started.” Ryuji declared.

————————

“Let me in, you insolent human!” Satan roared in his head. Shiro remained stoic, not bothering to respond to the demon. He watched, his face completely void of emotion, as the Son of Satan screamed and writhed in pain at the center of the room. Shiro could hear Yukio next to him, his breaths quick and uneven.

“Human.” Satan said, much more calmly than before, clearly switching tactics. “You still view Rin as your son, don’t you?”

Shiro’s eyes widened slightly. Rin wailed louder, the sound ringing in his ears.

“How can you sit by and watch them kill your son, exorcist?” Satan hissed.

“It won’t kill him.” Shiro replied in his mind. “Rin’s stronger than that. I know he is.”

Satan laughed humorlessly. “Who are you trying to convince, me or you?”

Shiro didn’t respond, but they both already knew the answer to that question. Rin wails stopped, collapsing to the floor as the ritual ended. Shiro flinched at the thud his body made as he hit the cold stone floor. It was the chink in his armor that Satan needed.

“Let me in.” Satan persuaded. “So that I can save our son.”

Shiro jolted at that. Our. Not his, not Satan’s, ours. The momentary distraction was all it took. Satan rushed in, pushing Shiro away from the controls and taking his body.

“Damnit!” Shiro cursed as he felt himself being restrained to a back corner of his mind. He watched as Satan took control of his body. “DAMNIT!”

Unlike the last time he was possessed by the King of Gehenna, Satan didn’t laugh. He didn’t spare any time monologuing, simply ripping through the defenses, freeing their son and busting through the nearest wall.

A part of Shiro didn’t want to stop Satan. A part of him wanted Satan to get away, to save Rin. Shiro’s struggles were half hearted, despite his best efforts. A voice in his head urged him to completely give in, he wouldn’t be able to push Satan out in this condition, that saving Rin was what he wanted anyway, and he should just let him have his body.

“Not today Satan.” Shiro grit his teeth.

Satan laughed in his head. “That’s not me. You should listen to your own instincts, exorcist.”

Now out in the open, Satan slid to a stop. Standing in the middle of the courtyard, was Satan’s second oldest child.

“Hello father.” Mephisto said.

“Samael.” Satan growled. “Move or die.”

“You won’t risk that kind of fight, not while your son is within blast range.” Mephisto said confidently.

“And you won’t risk my taking revenge.” Satan growled. “You know you won’t survive.”

“You have a point.” Mephisto mused, as if thinking through his options. “But why haven’t you left already? I’ve given you plenty of chances.”

“For a demon who can see all of time, you really are blind.” Satan snarked.

“Hmm? Ah, I see it now.” Mephisto hummed, looking up at the sky.

Illuminati helicopters descended from the sky, dropping their camouflage as they prepared to land. Lightning and the other exorcists finally caught up to the demons, but were stopped by Mephisto teleporting in front of them.

“Hold your fire, Arc Knight. He has backup. This is not a fight we can win. Nor is it one that I could fight without leveling the city.”

“What?!” Lewin exclaimed. “They got in again? How did you let this happen?”

“Lucifer is much more powerful than I. To sneak past my wards is like child’s play to him.” Mephisto explained, turning to watch as the helicopters finally landed.

Satan stepped up to one. The door opened and Lucifer stepped out.

“Father…” Lucifer said, bowing.

Satan cut him off, holding Rinka’s limp body towards him. “Take him. I can’t stay in this body for much longer. Don’t let this happen again.”

“Yes Father, I understand.” Lucifer said, taking his younger half brother into his arms. He boarded the helicopter once more.

As soon as the door of the helicopter was closed, Shiro suddenly managed to regain control of his body. He swiftly grabbed a knife hidden in his robes and plunged it into the side of his neck.

“Damnit!” Satan yelled. He quickly left Shiro’s body. The blue flames enshrouding Satan’s body dissipated. Shiro’s ears returned to normal length, his teeth became dull, and the tail under his robes disappeared. The Paladin stumbled, swayed on his feet, then fell over backwards. A loud crack was heard when his head hit the stone ground. He did not get back up. A pool of blood began to form like a halo around his head.

Just as soon as they had arrived, the Illuminati made their retreat. The sounds of the helicopters were gone within seconds.

“Dad!” A guttural scream tore its way out of Yukio’s throat. He rushed to his father’s side and started checking him for injuries with shaking hands. Shiro didn’t move. Doctors ran towards the pair. They slid to a stop when Yukio and Shiro suddenly burst into blue flames. Yukio let out a guttural scream, his head tossed back, his eyes fixed on the sky. The air around them suddenly grew colder.

“Crap! Is Satan back?” Lewin asked, his position shifting into a fighting stance.

“Oh my…” Mephisto commented with surprise. “No, this is something else.”

Yukio screamed, his breaths coming heavy and labored. He bent forward, his eyes screwed shut in pain. Any tears that formed were instantly vaporized. He gripped his father’s arm tightly. So tightly, in fact, that blood started to appear where his nails dug into his arm. The pool of blood around Shiro’s head stopped growing larger. The older man’s breathing became deeper. His eyes flickered open.

“Yu…kio?” Shiro gasped. He clumsily reached up to the knife still stuck in his neck and pulled it out. The wound healed in seconds. The exorcist doctors who saw it gasped loudly.

Shiro sat up. His eyes widened comically large. “Yukio!”

Yukio had begun to change as well. His ears were now pointed, his nails had become claws, and a long, thin, black tail grew from his backside. His screaming had turned into a mix of sobbing and wailing in pain.

Shiro grabbed Yukio by the shoulders. “Yukio! You need to calm down!”

Yukio sobbed. “Dad… help me… please… it… it hurts… Dad please!”

Shiro hugged his son tightly. “It’s okay, I’ve got you Yukio. It’s okay.”

Slowly, the blue flames surrounding the pair died down. Shuro continued to rub circles into his son’s back while whispering words of comfort.

“This is very interesting.” Lewin commented. He had a sly grin on his face. He looked up at Mephisto. “Did you know anything about this?”

Chapter Text

“Mephisto Pheles, you are accused of several accounts of conspiracy involving Satan, endangering the lives of humans by withholding information, and treason of the highest order. The Paladin Shiro Fujimoto is accused of the same. How do you plead?” The Grigori announced.

Mephisto smirked. “Guilty on all charges.”

The courtroom immediately burst into gasps of shock, hushed conversations, and shouts of anger.

“He admitted it!” Arthur Angel yells. “He is working with Satan!”

“Silence!” The Grigori yells. “Order in the court! Sir Pheles, are you admitting to working with Satan?”

“No, of course not.” Mephisto replied. “Yes, I am guilty of conspiracy and treason for concealing the existence of the Sons of Satan, but please allow me to explain my reasoning.”

“Go on.” The Grigori allowed.

“First, if the court allows it, I am curious as to why Paladin Fujimoto is not present for his own trial.” Mephisto said.

“It was deemed too risky to remove him from containment at this time.” The Grigori said. “Until we can be sure Satan will not possess him again, he will remain where he is. Since the two of you face the same charges, any evidence you present shall count towards his defense.”

“I see.” Mephisto said.

“Please present your case, Sir Pheles.” The Grigori said.

“You see, I intended to use the boys as weapons to fight against Satan!” Mephisto declared. “The Order cannot hope to stand against Satan’s power should he ever decide to wipe us all out. Even I stand no chance against him. However, when his sons were born I had an idea. The older one held a great amount of Satan’s power and I believed that with enough training that he could one day be strong enough to fight Satan and win!”

“The younger son, however, was born with none of his father’s power. None that could be detected anyway. In recent years the boy started testing himself everyday for any sign of Satan’s power. Those tests were all negative. I myself could not detect any trace of demonic powers in the boy until that night. For the entirety of his life Yukio Okumura was functionally completely human. This is why the boy was trained at such a young age to become an exorcist. So that if the older ever lost control, the younger might be able to exorcise him.”

“That’s outrageous!” Arthur yelled. The rest of the courtroom broke out in shouts of disbelief as well.

“Your plan failed.” The Grigori said. “The oldest son is working for the Illuminati.”

“Yes well… that was an unexpected hiccup.” Mephisto agreed. “But there is a way we can still salvage this.”

“What are you scheming now?” The Grigori asked.

“As we all know, Prince Rinka is obsessed with Yukio Okumura.” Mephisto explained. “He still holds a great amount of love for his twin. Mister Okumura may be able to lure him into a trap or even turn him to our side.”

“That’s a big if.” The Grigori said.

“Yes.” Mephisto nodded. “I believe a better use of Satan’s younger son is for the ward research. Until now, the research team has been testing their creations on me. However I am very different from Satan and Prince Rinka. The most recent wards had little effect on me, but nearly killed Prince Rinka.”

“You want to experiment on a child?” Arthur gasped in shock.

“It won’t be the first time the Order has done so.” Mephisto said. “And besides, Yukio Okumura isn’t human. He’s a nephilim.”

“That doesn’t-” Arthur started to yell.

“Quiet!” The Grigori yelled. “We have heard enough information. Unless the defendant has something else to add, we will take a vote to determine the appropriate fate of Mephisto Pheles, Shiro Fujimoto, and Yukio Okumura.”

“I have nothing to add.” Mephisto said.

“Then we shall reconvene shortly.” The Grigori announced. The three stood from their seats and retreated to the area behind the balcony.

Mephisto descended from the witness stand in the center of the courtroom. Arthur Angel and Lewin Light stood on the stage in front of the stairs. Arthur scowled at Mephisto, moving slightly to the side to bodily block the demon’s path to the exit. Lewin, however, studied Mephisto with a slight gleam in his eyes.

“So… the Order is now openly admitting to human experimentation now?” Lewin asked.

“What happens in this courtroom will stay in this courtroom.” Mephisto replied. “I doubt anything other than the Grigori’s decision will be made public knowledge.”

“I see.” Lewin said.

“You knew about it?” Arthur asked Lewin, aghast.

“I’ve been investigating it.” Lewin acknowledged. “It stopped after the Blue Night. That means whatever experiments they were doing caused it, right?”

“I can neither confirm nor deny.” Mephisto replied diplomatically. “The Order is already furious enough with me as it is. I am not about to make my situation worse by spilling confidential secrets.”

Arthur quietly seethed with rage, his fists clenched tightly.

“Hm.” Lewin hummed.

The Grigori eventually returned to their balcony. Mephisto took the witness stand once again to hear their decision.

“We find the accused Mephisto Pheles and Shiro Fujimoto not guilty on the accounts of treason. We find the accused guilty on the accounts of conspiracy and withholding of information from the Order. As punishment, Shiro Fujimoto will be stripped of his rank as Paladin and return to Senior Exorcist First Class. Mpehisto Pheles shall be allowed to keep his position, but shall have his wages garnished. Both of the accused shall be placed on probation and full surveillance until they can prove they can be trusted. The youngest Son of Satan, Yukio Okumura, will be completely stripped of his rank as exorcist. Authorization shall be given for experimentation on Yukio Okumura to further the research into methods to contain or destroy king class demons and nephilim born of king class demons.”

Mephisto descended from the witness stand as the courtroom erupted into chaos once again.

“Seems like you got the lightest sentence of all, huh?” Lewin commented.

“They need me.” Mephisto said, seemingly unbothered. “They know they can’t fight against Satan or Lucifer without me.”

“What about the research team? They’re making good progress on wards that work on king class demons.” Lewin said.

“They’re making progress on wards that work on Prince Rinka.” Mephisto said. “They don’t work on me. The demon kings may be similar in power, but that’s where the similarities end. A spell or ward attuned to one of us will have little effect on another.”

“But we could easily make one that works on you.” Lewin argued. “We have the means.”

“You forget, I am the King of Time.” Mephisto said. “I can see all of time itself. The Order may distrust me until the day it ceases to be, but there is no timeline in which those in power turn on me.”

“It probably helps that you’re the one overseeing the research.” Lewin commented.

Mephisto laughed. “Very well said, Mister Lightning. However, it won’t be necessary for me to meddle with the research team.”

“Oh really?” Lewin said, his eyebrows raising. “I can’t wait to see what happens.”

————————

After the trial, the highest ranked members of the True Cross Order gathered for an emergency meeting. The incident that had taken place at the Japan branch research center had to be properly discussed, and the Order’s next actions had to be decided. The room was in absolute chaos, people throwing accusations around the table, others trying desperately to regain control of the meeting.

Eventually Mephisto stood up and blew on a whistle he had conjured, causing everyone to cover their ears. Once everyone had stopped talking, Mephisto stopped, the whistle disappearing in a puff of smoke.

“Thank you, Sir Pheles.” One of the Grigori said.

“No problem.” Mephisto bowed slightly, sitting back down.

“Now then, let’s begin the meeting.” The same Grigori said. “We will be discussing the incident at the ward creation research lab at the Japan branch. Sir Pheles, please begin your report.”

“I arrived at the scene after Satan had exited the lab.” Mephisto began. “He was possessing the body of the former Paladin, Shiro Fujimoto, and carrying the nephilim Prince Rinka. I confronted Satan, but did not engage in combat. And before you ask, I do not have the power to defeat him, and if I chose to fight to stall him, the ensuing fight would have leveled the city, so I refrained from combat at that moment. Not long after, three Illuminati helicopters arrived at the scene along with Lucifer himself. It was at this time the Arc Knight Lewin Light made his appearance, pursuing Satan and his son. I stopped him and the other exorcists from attacking, knowing it would only lead to unnecessary casualties. Satan handed Prince Rinka off to Lucifer and the Illuminati helicopters left. I was unable to track them once they left the borders of True Cross Academy.

“Around the time the Illuminati fled the scene, Father Fujimoto managed to regain control of his body and stabbed himself in the neck. Satan vacated the body quickly after that.” Mephisto continued. “Yukio Okumura ran to his adoptive father and spontaneously combusted, revealing his relation to Satan, and healing Father Fujimoto of all injuries. Medical examination also revealed that Father Fujimoto’s general health has greatly improved. They were most impressed by the disappearance of his arthritis. The rest of the details are in his medical report. Also, since Satan was able to take control of his body so easily, he has been placed in a holding cell until we are sure Satan cannot possess him again. There were no deaths that night. There were a few injuries caused by Satan’s flames, but the rest of the injuries that night were caused by panicking familiars. That is all I have to say.”

“Thank you Sir Pheles.” The Grigori nodded. “Any questions?”

“How come you didn’t sense the Son of Satan sneaking into the research facility?” Lewin questioned immediately.

“I don’t know.” Mephisto snarled, clearly angry with more than Lewin’s mistrust and questioning. “He apparently has a very powerful concealment spell. I only noticed him when you all started the ritual.”

“That is highly concerning.” Arthur Angel said.

“Yes, very.” Mephisto agreed.

“How did the Illuminati get there so quickly and how did they know the Son of Satan was there? Are they working together?” The head of the Chinese branch, Lucy Yang, asked.

“I can confirm that the Son of Satan is working with Illuminati. The former Paladin, Father Fujimoto has confirmed this fact for us. It was in a mission report while back. I reported it separately as well.” Mephisto explained. Arc Knight Yang nodded.

“As for your other questions, I don't have definitive answers, but my assumption is that Satan may have informed Lucifer of the situation and ordered him to come as quickly as possible.” Mephisto concluded.

“Does this mean the Illuminati and Satan are working together?” Arc Knight Yang asked.

“It would appear so. At the very least, they are amicable with one another.” Mephisto confirmed. “Anyone else?”

“I’d like to know how Satan was able to possess Paladin Fujimoto so easily.” The head of the Mexican branch, Arc Knight Osceola Redarm asked.

“We are still waiting on that report.” Mephisto said. “However I would like to remind everyone that Paladin Fujimoto was possessed by Satan once before during the Blue Night. Back then he was able to break free and slit his throat, forcing Satan to leave his body. He only survived due to the former Grigori Moriyama who used her connection to Shemihaza to heal him. That being said, Paladin Fujimoto has reported repeated attempts by Satan to possess him again for the last fifteen years. Paladin Fujimoto is old, so it’s no wonder his resolve eventually cracked. As for why now when Satan has failed to possess him for the past fifteen years, I assume that the incident provided Satan with the right motivation. Not to mention, Paladin Fujimoto has a soft spot for children, especially the two he raised. Seeing the boy that used to be his son in such pain likely caused him mental anguish which Satan would have been able to take advantage of easily.”

“Thank you, Sir Pheles.” Arc Knight Redarm said.

“If there are no other questions for Sir Pheles at this time, we shall now hear Arc Knight Light’s report.” The Grigori said.

“Right.” Lewin said. “I was in a meeting when my apprentice, Exwire Ryuji Suguro and his friend Exwire Konekomaru Miwa came in and said that Rinka is in the testing auditorium. They left Exwire Renzo Shima behind to distract Rinka and make sure he didn’t leave before they could get back up. Oh, and Renzo Shima is Mephisto’s double agent with the Illuminati by the way. I hit the panic button and tell everyone in the branch to get their asses there immediately. I get there and… well Shima sure is distracting him!”

Lewin laughs at the memory. “Rinka had the kid up against the wall and the two are making out. Like, they’re really getting into it. Rinka hears us come in and tries to book it but gets stuck in our newest circle. He’s hissing and growling but isn’t attacking at all for some reason. We start chanting and it goes well and at the end he’s down on the floor, his little flame horns are gone, but he’s still alive. We try to go again but that’s when Satan possesses the Paladin. He goes and gets the kid, destroys the circle, and burns a hole in the wall to escape. All of the familiars people have summoned start going crazy the moment Satan possesses Paladin Fujimoto. Some fled or hid and some attacked their tamers. I go after Satan with whoever was brave enough to follow me. We get outside, see the Illuminati helicopters, Mephisto stops us from charging in blindly, and they all get away. Uh, end report.”

“Thank you Arc Knight Light.” The Grigori says. “We will now open for questions.”

“That research lab is supposed to be locked up tight. How did Prince Rinka get in?” Mephisto asked.

“Ain’t that your job?” Lewin asked. “I don’t know, the lab door was unlocked when I got there. We’re doing a full security check now. Again, this should have been your job.”

“I left the lab in your hands, Mister Light.” Mephisto said. “The security of the campus as a whole is my job, but it is your responsibility to secure the lab itself.”

“Pah.” Lewin dismissed.

“How soon will research be able to start again?” Angel asked.

“As soon as the holes in the walls are fixed.” Lewin responded, with a lot less malice than when he answered Mephisto.

“And this Exwire, Renzo Shima, do you have his report?” Angel asked.

“Yeah, I got it here, but I had my apprentice drag him down here so we can call him in if we need to.” Lewin replied, briefly waving the paper report for everyone to see.

“Very well. Send him in.” The Grigori said.

A few minutes later, a very nervous Renzo Shima stood in front of the table.

“Please give us your report of the incident, Exwire Shima.” The Grigori ordered.

“Right!” Renzo said. “Myself along with Exwires Ryuji Suguro and Konekomaru Miwa were in the lab where they were doing the ward research when we saw Prince Rinka inside the testing auditorium. Um, I’m a spy for the Order, Sir Pheles hired me to infiltrate the Illuminati, and the Illuminati want me to spy on the Order for them. I’ve encountered Prince Rinka in the Illuminati base, he knows my face, so I figured out of the three of us I’m the one he wouldn’t kill on sight.
Well, I hoped he wouldn’t. So I go in, and we talk, but he wants to leave so I… switch tactics?”

Renzo’s face is bright red at this point. He is staring at the ground, avoiding all eye contact.

“He called me cute once when he passed me in the hall at the Illuminati base so I took a chance and started flirting with him. I flirt with lots of girls! All the time, anyone can tell you that! And, um, so I started flirting with him like… um, and he was really into it and um, he pushed me against the wall and we started kissing, and I-I was just going with the flow! Just, trying to keep him there, ya know? Keep him in the room, that is. And then Lightning and the others come in and he drops me on the floor. And then my friends, uh, Exwires Ryuji Suguro and Konekomaru Miwa, they pull me out of the room and make me go to the medical checkpoint at the end of the hall. And yeah! That’s it. Um, end of report!”

“Do you have any romantic feelings towards the Son of Satan, or anything similar?” Lewin asked.

“No! No, uh, I like girls, not boys.” Renzo said, shaking his head.

“Just checking.” Lewin said. “Last time someone had feelings for a powerful demon, Satan produced children. And you’ve seen how disastrous that has been for us so far.”

“Aha… right…” Renzo said awkwardly.

“Oh, and what were the three of you doing in the testing auditorium anyway?” Lewin asked.

“Um… exploring?” Renzo said with a slight wince.

“I see. Well, if a little rule breaking led to us being able to test our work on the Son of Satan, then so be it.” Lewin said grinning. “I’ll let it go this time.”

Renzo laughed nervously.

“Are there any other questions?” The Grigori asked. “Very well. Exwire Shima, you are dismissed, but please stay outside until the meeting is over in case we have more questions for you.”

“One more thing before you go, Mister Shima.” Mephisto said. “Let’s see… there’s no good words to describe this accurately in the human language, but you smell like Prince Rinka.”

“Huh?” Renzo exclaimed.

“He has essentially scent marked you.” Mephisto explained. “Well, it’s not a smell per se, most demons don’t have a sense of smell, but it’s a way for demons to let others know who their chosen mate is. Lower level demons may flee from you until it wears off, and your familiar may be more obedient as well.”

Lewin snorted in amusement. Renzo looked like he wanted to crawl in a hole and disappear off the face of the Earth.

“That is all, Mister Shima.” Mephisto said. “You may leave now.”

“Y-yes sir.” Renzo bowed to the table, then quickly evacuated the room.

“He was lying.” Lewin announced the moment the door closed behind him.

“What do you mean?” Angel asked.

“About not liking boys.” Lewin clarified. “I think young Mister Shima discovered something about himself that day, but is too embarrassed to admit it. That being said, when someone has an… let’s call it an awakening? When someone has an awakening, it’s inevitable that they form some kind of feelings for the person that triggered it. Or, that’s what I’ve read. That being said, given Mister Shima’s and Rinka’s respective anatomies, I doubt we will be seeing a grandchild of Satan anytime soon. Unless you have something to add, Mephisto?”

Mephisto hummed, thoughtful. “It’s never happened before, a male nephilim and a male human having a child. However, Prince Rinka may be able to reproduce asexually. That is, without the need for a partner. But given his age, I don’t think it will happen anytime soon, or anytime in the next century for that matter.”

“Great.” Lewin said.

“I think that’s enough speculation about the Exwire Shima’s personal life.” The Grigori said. “Sir Pheles, please keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn’t turn traitor because of any… feelings he may have.”

“I can assure you, I keep a close eye on him. He is our only spy to have successfully infiltrated the Illuminati after all.” Mephisto said.

“The next thing on the agenda is the matter of Father Shiro Fujimoto.” The Grigori announced. “Mephisto, you said that you are still waiting for his full medical report?”

“That is correct.” Mephisto confirmed. “Physically, Father Fujimoto is in perfect health. His mental state has yet to be assessed. He is being held in our most secure anti-possession cell, however I doubt it could stop Satan from entering.”

“I see. Send us the report once you get it.” The Grigori said. “Last but not least, we must vote to choose a new Paladin. There are currently four Arc Knights eligible and two have requested to be removed from consideration for the position. That leaves this council to vote between the Arc Knights Arthur Angel and Lewin Light for the position of Paladin.”

“Arc Knight Angel, Arc Knight Light, please leave the room while we vote.” The Grigori asked.

The two stood up and left the meeting hall. As the grand doors opened, the attention of the two exwires sitting on the floor outside snapped towards the pair as they exited the room.

“Is the meeting over Master?” Ryuji asked, standing up.

“Nah, they’re voting on who’s gonna be the next Paladin.” Lewin said. He turned around and crouched over, pressing his face to the lock on the door.

“What are you doing?” Arthur asked incredulously.

“Trying to look through the keyhole.” Lewin said standing up. “No luck though, they switched to a modern lock since the last time.”

“When were you… nevermind I don’t want to know.” Arthur sighed, thoroughly exasperated.

“So are you two the candidates for Paladin?” Renzo asked, still sitting on the ground, leaning against the wall.

“Yup!” Lewin said, stretching. “It’s probably going to be Angel. I’m uh… not exactly well liked.”

“That’s not true.” Arthur protested. “You are just as qualified as I am. This is not a popularity contest. The position will be chosen based on who they believe can perform the duties of Paladin the best.”

“You’re so cute Angel.” Lewin said. “Never change.”

“Uh…” Arthur blushed lightly, looking away.

Roughly thirty minutes of waiting later, the two were summoned back into the meeting room.

“We have come to a decision.” The Grigori announced. “Arc Knight Arthur Angel, you have been selected as the Order’s next Paladin. Congratulations. The ceremony will be held next week. Details will be sent through email.”

“Thank you all, for placing your faith in me. I shall serve the Order to the best of my abilities.” Arthur said, bowing slightly to the table.

“If there are no other questions, that concludes this meeting.”

Chapter Text

Rin wakes up, his head pounding. A beeping noise came from somewhere on his right. Rin pried his eyes open, if only to do something to make the beeping stop. His vision was blurry. Bright lights assaulted his eyes, sending a stabbing pain straight through his head. He shut his eyes.

“Your highness.” A familiar stern voice said.

Rin opened his eyes again, forcing them to adjust to the light. At the foot of his bed, at a respectable distance, stood Homare Todo, the Captain of Lucifer’s personal guard.

“Your highness, are you awake?” Homare asked.

“Mhm.” Rin hummed.

“You are currently aboard the Dominus Liminis in the Commander’s personal medical chambers.” Homare informed him. “You were caught by the Order. They managed to injure you badly before you could be rescued.”

Rin recalled the scene in his mind, he remembered messing with Renzo, he remembered getting stuck, he remembered pain, and then… he blacked out after that. Rin closed his eyes. He should have just destroyed the circle while he could. He had perfect control over his flames, he wouldn’t have hurt anyone. But still, after all these years, Rin still feared losing control. He was afraid that he would hurt someone. That he would finally become the monster that everyone thought he was.

“Your highness?” Homare called again, tearing Rin out of his thoughts. “I can call for Commander Lucifer, if you wish to see him.”

“Wan’ mm dad.” Rin slurred.

Homare tensed. “Your father isn’t here, my Prince. However, I can fetch your older brother-”

“No’ muh fah’ter.” Rin interrupted. “Wan’ my dad.”

“I’m not sure I understand, your highness.” Homare said.

Rin closed his eyes.

“Mmm tired.” Rin said. “C’n you… turn off th’ lights please?”

“Of course, my prince.” Homare bowed.

The room became blissfully darker. The beeping of the machines was still incredibly annoying, but with the amount of drugs Rin was probably on, he was able to quickly drift back to sleep.

————————

“He woke up earlier.” Homare reported quietly. “He was asking for his father.”

Lucifer hummed softly. “Did he ask for his father or his dad?”

“His dad.” Homare confirmed.

“I see…” Lucifer said, gently brushing Rin’s hair as he slept. “He longs for human comfort, then.”

“Sir?” Homare asked.

“Forgive me. When the young Prince speaks of his Father, he is referring to Satan.” Lucifer explained. “But when he speaks of his Dad, he is referring to his human father. The one who raised him.”

“Yes sir.” Homare nodded.

“Please, give him what I cannot, Captain.” Lucifer said, turning to face the woman. “I know I have no right to ask this favor of you, but there is no one else I can trust to take care of him right now.”

“Yes, Commander.” Homare bowed. “I will try my best.”

“Thank you.” Lucifer whispered. “I am in your debt.”

“Think nothing of it, my Lord.” Homare responded. “It is my duty. I am loyal to you and the Illuminati. I shall follow you to the end of the earth.”

“I don’t believe that will be necessary.” Lucifer said. “But thank you.”

————————

Rin woke again, this time in a darkened room. The machines next to him continued their everlasting noise. His head was feeling much clearer this time. Rin opened his eyes, and looked around the dark room. His night vision allowed him to see clearly even in the darkness. This time he was alone. Rin sat up, struggling a little. He tugged the needles out of his arm, the machines blaring alarms as he removed the sensors. Not long after, the door of the room slammed open, light spilling in from the hallway. He winced as the person flipped on the lights.

“Prince Rinka!” Homare exclaimed, striding towards him. She looked a bit frazzled, which was the most emotion Rin had ever seen her show. She quickly smoothed out her expression, returning to her usual blank face.

“My prince, it’s good to see you awake.” Homare said. She shut off the machines, plunging the room into blissful silence.

“How long have I been out?” Rin asked, yawning.

“You slept for four days, only waking up once.” Homare said.

“Damn, they really did a number on me.” Rin said. “Gotta look out for that in the future.”

“The Commander was quite worried about you.” Homare said.

“How’d I get out?” Rin asked. “I, uh, don’t remember.”

“Your father possessed Paladin Fujimoto and was able to remove you from the facility.” Homare explained. “Before that, he alerted the Commander of your predicament and ordered us to come to your aid. King Satan handed your unconscious body to the Commander and we were able to extract you via helicopter. The Order did not give chase.”

“Oh. Cool.” Rin said.

————————

Yukio sat in his cell, his face buried in his hands. How did it come to this? What had he done to deserve this?

Yukio sniffed. More like, what hadn’t he done to deserve this. He knew that everything he’s done, all of his sins, would catch up to him eventually. It was only a matter of time. He wrapped his arms around himself. The only good thing about all of this was that he didn’t feel cold anymore. In fact, the room was slightly warm. Ever since the Illuminati base, Yukio had slowly become colder and colder. No matter how many layers he wrapped himself with, it didn’t make a difference. And then that night, when those blue flames had engulfed him in front of what was basically the entire Japan branch, he had felt like he was freezing to death. Even his dad had been shivering violently. But now he was warm. He was barely wearing anything, just a thin medical gown (strangely, it was exactly the same as the ones worn by the zombies at the Illuminati base). And Yukio knew from experience that the Order’s facilities weren’t heated very well. It didn’t make sense. Yukio had a theory, but he was reluctant to test it. Not only because of the threat of holy water sprinklers in the ceiling, but mostly because he didn’t want to see those blue flames again.

He dug his nails into his arms until he drew blood. Yukio looked at the bright red color on his fingers. It was jarring against the white and greys of the cell. His nails were much sharper than before. It took very little effort to break his skin. Or maybe that was his increased demon strength. He still couldn’t control it very well. Either way, it was the same outcome. This was what he deserved. He was a monster. He couldn’t escape his heritage.

Someone entered Yukio’s cell, causing him to look up. They had taken his glasses, so he couldn’t really make out their face at that distance. Another oddity. All of his other senses seemed to have gotten better with the exception of his eyesight. The exorcist didn’t speak and neither did Yukio. They cleaned the blood off his arms, but didn’t use the bandages they had brought. The wounds had already healed. They clipped his nails and then turned to leave. Yukio managed to force out a quiet thank you. He couldn’t see their expression, but he imagined it was one of disgust.

After that, he was left alone again. It was what he deserved.

Meals were pushed through the bottom of the door at scheduled times. Yukio ate, then placed the tray next to the door for the guards to retrieve. When he wasn’t eating or using the bathroom, Yukio sat on the small cot he was given silently. When the lights eventually turned off, he laid down, but was unable to actually fall asleep. Partly because of his thoughts but also because of his new… limb. His tail made it impossible to sleep on his back and sleeping on his stomach or side was strange and uncomfortable. Not to mention, he kept forgetting it was there and he would flinch every time it touched his leg. After a few hours, Yukio was eventually able to make himself pass out. With his anxiety through the roof, sleeping was much better than being alone with his thoughts.

The next day was the same. Eat, sit in silence, then sleep. The third day brought some change.

“Hey there kid!” Lewin Light said cheerfully as he entered the cell. “How’ve you been doing?”

“What do you want?” Yukio said, forgoing any pleasantries and small talk.

“The Vatican has approved us to start researching you.” Lewin explained. “So we’re going on a little field trip, okay?”

“Okay.” Yukio said, standing up. His tail hung limply behind him. Yukio tried to ignore how it twitched.

“Oh, and I’ve got these shiny bracelets for ya.” Lewin said, waving a small object. “Not my choice, but the higher ups want you to wear them.”

Yukio silently held out his arms in front of him. Lewin didn’t move for a second, then took a few steps closer to Yukio.

“How uh, how well can you see without your glasses?” Lewin asked as he cuffed his wrists.

“Not well at a distance.” Yukio admitted.

“Right.” Lewin huffed. “Gonna have to find those. And some slippers or something. Geez, who approved this outfit?”

Lewin led Yukio out of the cell. There were other guards to escort him as well, but Yukio didn’t bother looking at them. It didn’t matter. Nothing really mattered anymore. Eventually they ended up at what looked to be a medical office. Most of the guards stayed outside. Lewin left, leaving Yukio mostly alone with the Order’s doctors.

Yukio let the doctors guide him onto the examination table. They drew several vials of blood, took pictures of his new features, and scanned him with various machinery. Yukio silently complied with all instructions he was given. The people examining him didn’t try to make conversation, so Yukio kept his mouth shut. Lewin eventually came back with Yukio’s glasses, sliding them onto his face.

“There we go!” Lewin said. “That’s better.”

Yukio finally looked at the others in the room. He vaguely recognized them, all of them people he had worked with in the past. They avoided making eye contact when Yukio looked at them. A natural decision. No one wants to be seen by a monster.

The doctors continued to run a multitude of tests on him. They started with every single physical test under the sun that could be easily completed, then they moved onto tests more supernatural in nature. They tested his resistance to holy water (low), his regeneration abilities (high), and his reaction to several different kinds of herbs and holy symbols. The worst part by far wasn’t the burning sting of the holy water or anything that caused him pain, but was the examination of his new tail. It was incredibly sensitive and moved without his input. Yukio loathed it. He wished he could just make it disappear, along with the rest of his problems. Eventually he was led back to his cell.

“Night kid!” Lewin called as he left. “Sleep well!”

The door of the cell shut and the lights dimmed. It was already time for him to sleep. Yukio had been in that lab for several hours. He curled up on the cot. He eventually fell into a restless sleep.

————————

“So… if Yuki is gone, who’s gonna teach his classes?” Shiemi asked

“I heard the former Paladin, Father Fujimoto, was going to take over.” Konekomaru said. “He used to teach those classes before Mister Okumura anyway.”

“Oh…” Shiemi said.

“I can’t believe it.” Ryuji said, shaking his head. “This is crazy.”

“Do you know what they’re doing with him?” Renzo asked. “Did your “Master” tell you anything?”

Ryuji looked away. “I’m not allowed to talk about it.”

“That’s bullshit!” Izumo exclaimed. “He was our teacher!”

“And now he’s not.” The class looked towards the door to see Shiro entering the room. A scowl was fixed on his face. “Remember that kids, you betray the Order, you disappear without a trace.”

“Do you know what happened?” Konekomaru asked.

“If I did, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.” Shiro scoffed. “All of you get back in your seats, class is starting.”

The lesson started. Shiro was short tempered and snapped at anyone who dared to ask a question. As soon as class ended, he was out the door without a word.

“It must be really bad.” Shemi said. “I’ve never seen him so upset like that.”

Ryuji looked at the ground, his expression dark.

“You’ve got to know something Bon.” Renzo said. “I don’t care if you’re not supposed to tell us, just… is he okay?”

“I…” Ryuji clenched his fists, avoiding eye contact with the others.

“Bon.” Konekomaru asked tentatively. “Is… are they using Okumura for experiments?"

Ryuji remained silent, but the expression on his face answered for him.

“What!?” Izumo exclaimed. “The Order doesn’t experiment on people! That’s… that’s insane! That something the Illuminati does, not…”

“Just because you haven’t heard of it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.” Takara spoke up, butting into the conversation. “The Illuminati has its fair share of secrets, but so does the Order. You just haven’t heard of this kind of thing before because you’ve never been involved before.”

“So you mean… the Order’s been experimenting on people?” Renzo openly gaped.

“Like I said, the Order’s got its secrets.” Takara said. “And you should be careful where you talk. The walls have ears, and this kind of conversation can get you in trouble.”

Takara left the room, leaving the group in stunned silence.

“What are we going to do?” Shiemi asked. “We can’t just leave him there!”

“We can’t do anything.” Renzo said. “Not without committing treason. So unless you want to join the Illuminati, we can’t do shit.”

“I hate to say it, but it’s starting to look like a viable option.” Izumo admitted.

“That was a joke!” Renzo screeched. “Don’t! Ha, don’t actually do that.”

Konekomaru stood up, his books in hand.

“Takara is right, we need to be careful.” Konekomaru said. “And you all heard what Father Fujimoto said at the beginning of class. Those that betray the Order disappear. If we’re not careful, we may not make it out in one piece, if at all.”

Konekomaru left after that. Slowly, the rest of the class followed. Ryuji was the last to leave, hesitant to go meet up with Lightning. He was afraid of what he would see.

————————

“Rinka.” Lucifer said.

“Yeah?” Rin replied. He had finally gotten dressed and was back to full health. It had taken him three days to fully recover after waking up. His healing ability was insanely good, but whatever the Order had done had really taken it out of him. It had been a full week since he had snuck into the Order’s lab.

“There is something I haven’t told you.” Lucifer admitted. “I am deeply sorry for keeping this from you, but it was to protect your health. You would have neglected your healing had I told you sooner.”

“What happened.” Rin asked, his voice flat.

“The night you went to True Cross Academy, your younger brother, Yukio, unleashed his demon half in front of many exorcists.” Lucifer said. “He was taken into custody. Our spies have reported seeing him in the research lab that you found. He was… being used for their research.”

“What!” Rin screamed. Blue flames burst to life around him, roaring around him violently. “You had no right to keep this from me!”

“I had every right.” Lucifer explained calmly. “Our younger brother may be in harm's way, but the Order will not risk letting him die. He is too valuable for that. If I had told you sooner, you would have likely gotten yourself and him killed trying to rescue him.”

Rin growled wordlessly, instead expressing his emotions through the demon language. Lucifer sent him understanding, pity, and non-apologetic. Rin forced himself to calm down, putting out the flames around him.

“I’m going to get him.” Rin said.

“I know. Please take a helicopter and a team with you.” Lucifer said. “It will be safer than teleporting. I don’t know if Mephisto will try to stop you this time. Plus, you may need the medical assistance right away.”

“Fine.” Rin growled. “I’ll take the damn helicopter. But I’m still pissed at you.”

————————

Ryuji watched as Yukio was led into the auditorium. It was a different one from the other night, there was no hole in the wall, but it was similar. Yukio was led to a spot in the middle of the room.

“You can sit here.” Lewin said, dropping the lead attached to Yukio’s handcuffs. “They’re gonna take a while to draw the circle.”

Yukio simply nodded and sat as he was told. The researchers started to scurry about, quickly drawing the circle around the silent nephilim. A see-through divider had been set up as protection between where the circle was being drawn and a cluster of tables that made up an improvised desk. Papers and cups of coffee were strewn about its surface. Ryuji stood behind the barrier, watching the proceedings. His brows were deeply furrowed, his arms crossed. He was joined by Lewin and Mephisto to watch.

“Mister Suguro.” Mephisto suddenly asked, startling Ryuji out of his thoughts. “How are your classmates taking Mister Okumura’s absence?”

“They’re all worried about him.” Ryuji answered. “They all know about what happened and they’re worried about what’s going to happen to him.”

“I see.” Mephisto said.

Lewin watched them out of the corner of his eye, but didn’t intervene. He stood at the edge of the barricade, calling out instructions through a megaphone. He had the researchers add the layers of the circle one by one, each time stopping to ask Yukio questions. Did he feel any itchiness or discomfort? Could he step out of the circle? The first few layers had no effect on the nephilim. As more were added, Yukio began reporting discomfort and had difficulty leaving the circle before being completely stuck inside.

“Right…” Lewin muttered to himself. “Next is to start the chants.”

“Wait.” Ryuji suddenly interjected, his head whipping towards Lewin. “Is this the same one that was used on Rinka?”

“Huh? No, it’s a much weaker version.” Lewin explained. “From his medical examination, we know that Mister Okumura is much weaker than Rinka. This shouldn’t kill him, but it might hurt a little.”

Ryuji bit his tongue to stay silent. He recalled the conversation from earlier. Those that betray the Order disappear. Would Ryuji be killed if he spoke out? Or would he be forced to participate in the Order’s secret research? The chanting began and the circle lit up. Glowing blue tendrils emerged from the ground and wrapped around Yukio, dragging him to the floor. He grunted in pain as his knees hit the floor. He began shaking as the ritual continued, grunting in pain. Sweat dripped down his forehead. Eventually he couldn’t stay silent. Yukio screamed.

“Oh dear.” Mephisto said. “That’s not good.”

“What’s wrong?” Lewin asked.

“Prince Rinka has just entered True Cross Academy.” Mephsito said. “And he isn’t bothering to hide himself. In fact, he’s practically given me a declaration of war. I can sense it from here. He’s incredibly pissed off.”

“Well fuck.” Lewin said.

“Well said.” Mephisto nodded. “Sound the alarm and brace for impact.”

Chapter Text

Rin could hear the alarms start to blare as they grew closer to the lab. He doubted any of the humans on board the helicopter could hear them over the noise of the propellers. Not that it mattered. Rin would fight the Order’s entire army for Yukio, without question.

“Drop me over the lab!” Rin yelled.

The helicopter stopped directly over the lab and prepared to descend. Rin didn’t wait, leaping out of the vehicle. He landed on the roof, causing the stone to buckle and crack. Not wasting any time, Rin drew out his flames, burning the ground below him to ash. He fell to the floor below. People around him screamed. Rin let his flames blaze through the building, destroying everything that wasn’t living. He realized he may have gone a little overboard when the entire first floor of the building turned to ash around him. Nah, these assholes deserved it. Rin burned through each floor systematically, destroying the walls, everything inside, then the floor below and fell down to the next level. Eventually, as the last floor crumbled to ash below his feet, he saw the reason he came here. Yukio. He was lying unconscious in a very familiar looking circle. Rin burned with rage.

Whoever did this would pay. Rin’s horns grew taller with his rage. The tip of his tail was completely engulfed in his flames. Rin would become the monster they all feared. He could become that monster that he feared he would always become.

————————

Alarms wailed throughout the lab. Some people ran for the exits. Others stayed, trying to gather as many things as they could carry. Mephisto stood still amongst the chaos, his eyes closed. Ryuji could hear screaming from above him. He looked at Lewin, who was simply observing the chaos around him. Ryuji felt dust fall into his eyes. He looked up and his eyes widened in shock. The ceiling itself was crumbling into dust. No, not dust. Ash.

The ceiling gave way to the sky, and several bodies fell from the upper floors. They landed with a sickening crack, their bones snapping from the impact. Ryuji gasped, watching as blood pooled around the nearest body. They must have been on one of the upper floors when it burned. For some reason, Rinka had burned everything except the people. But the ceiling of the auditorium was high. Not many could survive that fall uninjured. And who knows how many floors they had already fallen.

Mephisto snarled, finally bursting into action. He snapped his fingers, erecting a pink wall of a shield in front of him. Lewin pulled Ryuji behind Mephisto as flames roared through the room. The flames rushed past, hitting the walls then flowing upwards towards where the ceiling used to be. Ryuji watched in horror as the furniture and all of the research notes turned to ash. Everything behind the shield remained unburnt, leaving a strange clean cut of protected area.

“This is highly inappropriate, little brother.” Mephisto chastised.

Prince Rinka roared wordlessly, standing over Yukio’s unconscious body protectively, brandishing a flaming sword. Ryuji noticed that Rinka wasn’t wearing his mask this time. It was the first time he had seen him without it. This was the first time he was able to get a good look at the nephilim’s face. Rinka’s face was twisted in a snarl, but it did look similar to Yukio’s. They definitely weren’t identical twins, but they did share a familial resemblance. No wonder he had covered his face. Someone would have definitely noticed the resemblance eventually. But now, there was no point in hiding his face.

The flames that had swept through the room had burnt away Yukio’s clothing, leaving him much more vulnerable than before. In fact, anything the flames touched were burned, and everyone caught in the crossfire gaped helplessly as their weapons and clothing turned to ash around them. Stacks of papers turned into piles of ash. Ryuji watched as everything around him crumbled and turned to ash. Mephisto took a half step backwards, his eyes wide.

“Doesn’t look good.” Lewin muttered to Ryuji. “Stay behind me.”

Mephisto snarled. “I’ve had enough of this disrespect! You cannot simply come into my territory and behave like this! It seems it falls to me to teach you the meaning of respect!”

Rinka lunged, snarling wordlessly. Mephisto snapped his fingers. Rinka was encased in a pink bubble, freezing midair. The room was dead silent. The flames in the room suddenly vanished, allowing the air from outside to rush into the area. Since the entirety of the building above had been reduced to ash, there was nothing but clear sky above them. After a few seconds, the bubble began to crack. Those cracks began to spread. Blue flames started to leak from the cracks. The nephilim inside twitched.

“That’s not good.” Mephisto muttered. “Thought I’d have more time.”

Mephisto summoned his umbrella and pulled a hidden lever. He aimed the tip at Rinka, holding the umbrella in both hands, braced for action. The pink bubble finally shattered, releasing Rinka. Flames rushed throughout the room once again. People screamed in terror as they were engulfed in blue flame once again. Rinka struck Mephisto’s shield, causing it to shatter upon impact. A loud bang echoed through the room as the umbrella shot a mini cannonball at Rinka, hitting him in the stomach. The nephilim fell to the ground.

Without the protection of Mephisto’s shield, the flames filled the rest of the room, burning Ryuji and Lewin’s clothing. Lewin cursed as the slips of paper in his hand with summoning circles drawn on them crumbled to ash. And yet, Ryuji marveled as the flames licked his skin, uncomfortably warm yet not burning. It was as if Rinka was incapable of burning living humans with his flames, no matter how pissed he was. The only people in the room left with unburnt clothing were Rinka and Mephisto. Lewin grabbed Ryuji by the wrist, dragging him away as the two demons engaged in battle.

Rinka got back up, snarling. His tail lashed furiously back and forth. Mephisto fired his umbrella cannon again. Rinka deflected the shot with his sword. Suddenly all the flames in the area pulled back into Rinka, then reformed as a wall around the unconscious Yukio, creating a protective barrier. The flames were so tall and thick that no one could see the nephilim at its center. Once Rinka had finished creating the barrier, he turned back to his opponent. He lunged forward in the blink of an eye. Mephisto parried the incoming strike with his umbrella with an inhuman sounding hiss. Rinka howled, launching attack after attack with his sword. Mephisto parried or blocked each attack. With each step, Rinka advanced, pushing Mephisto towards the edge of the room and away from Yukio.

“He’s not fighting back.” Ryuji said quietly.

“A fight between two demons this powerful could wipe out the city.” Lewin explained quietly. “They both know that, but Rinka is so pissed that I don’t think he cares. If Mephisto does anything, we’re all dead. The best he can do is wait for Rinka to tire himself out then let him escape with Okumura.”

Ryuji grunted in acknowledgement. The fight continued for a few more seconds. Eventually, Mephisto leapt into the air, landing farther away from Rinka so that he wouldn’t be pushed into a corner by the nephilim. He leveled his umbrella towards Rinka, but didn’t fire, simply holding it up as a warning. Rinka paused, his chest heaving. It looked as if he was about to go after Mephisto again, before quickly changing his mind and sprinting towards Yukio instead. Rinka charged into the flames. For a second, no one moved. Then the flames went out and the two nephilim inside were gone.

Mephisto lowered his umbrella with a heavy sigh. The weapon disappeared in a puff of smoke. He slowly surveyed the room. The auditorium had been in a sublevel, and since the walls and all floors above were now reduced to ash, that meant they were basically in an ash and dirt filled hole in the ground. With the stairs having been turned to ash as well, they were stuck there for the time being as well.

Ryuji shivered. He looked up at the sky. Without Rinka’s flames or clothing, the night air was freezing cold without. He wrapped his arms around himself tightly. His entire body was covered in ash and itchy. He looked down, noting that the ash completely covered his feet, coming up over his ankles. Trying to unbury his feet was useless, as he would just sink back in no matter what. Mephisto and Lewin started arguing about something or other. Ryuji wasn’t really paying attention. He looked around. The air smelled like blood and ash. Some people were trying to assist the injured. Some were simply sitting in the ash, staring at nothing. Some people weren’t moving, probably already dead. Mephisto eventually teleported away, saying he was going to fetch a rescue team. Lights from above suggested that people had already discovered the remains of the lab, shining flashlights into the pit below. Ryuji shivered as a particularly cold breeze blew through, stirring up the ash. He sneezed as the dust and ash blew up his nose.

“God, what a nightmare…” someone muttered.

Chapter Text

“Well this is certainly a mess.” Mephisto said, his hand over his face.

“All that research, gone.” Lewin agreed. “I remember you saying something at your trial. It makes me wonder if you saw this coming.”

Mephisto chuckled. He quickly changed the subject. “Have you finished the incident report?”

“Yeah, I got it here.” Lewin said, dumping a thick file on Mephisto’s desk.

“Long story short, Rinka showed up, burnt down the building, and made off with Yukio Okumura.” Lewin said. “No one was burned by the flames, but many people died when the ground they were standing on suddenly turned to ash and they fell several stories. Also since Mister Okumura was being kept on a sub level of the facility, that basically left the survivors in a dirt hole with no way out for several hours.”

“Was anything able to be recovered from the lab?” Mephisto asked.

“Nope.” Lewin replied. “Those flames burned everything that wasn’t alive. Anyone who didn’t die from fall damage or suffocate in smoke or ash was fine, but all paper, computers, and everyone’s clothing was all destroyed.”

“A shame.” Mephisto sighed.

“Yet somehow you don’t look all that upset.” Lewin observed. “Almost like you didn’t want those research notes to survive. In fact, the only bits of it we had left were the samples we gave to the exwires for testing. And somehow those also mysteriously disappeared.”

“How fascinating." Mephisto purred. “But surely you’re not implying I had anything to do with this?”

“I think you saw an opportunity and used it to get rid of a threat.” Lewin accused.

“I see.”

The two glared at each other silently.

A knock sounded from the door, breaking the tension.

“Come in.” Mephisto called.

Renzo stepped into the office, looking sheepish.

“Hey boss! Other boss.” Renzo greeted. “Sorry to interrupt, but the Illuminati want me back. Don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”

“Very well.” Mephisto sighed. “Good luck.”

“Right, later!” Renzo said, leaving quickly.

“Strange timing to be calling him back to base.” Lewin mused. “Makes you wonder what they’re up to.”

Mephisto sighed. “We will have to wait for him to report back. In the meantime, you better not hand off all of your paperwork to your apprentice. He’s not qualified to handle it.”

“He’ll be fine!” Lewin said, standing up.

“That’s not the point.” Mephisto sighed.

“Later!” Lewin called, slamming the office door behind him.

————————

After packing, Renzo got on the train to the next city. There he was picked up by an Illuminati contact and driven to a private airfield. And then from there, he got on a helicopter and off they flew. He could barely keep his jaw from dropping as his destination came into sight. The Dominus Liminus. A massive airship above the clouds, hidden from the ground below. The main headquarters of the Illuminati. Renzo hadn’t ever been here before. He had heard about it, rumors and whispers, but nothing else. He gulped, wondering what he’d done to be brought here like this. After landing, Rezno changed into his Illuminati uniform and met up with his boss, Homare Todo. The woman led him to a very expensive looking wing of the airship, stopping right outside a pair of doors at the end of the hall. None other than Lucifer’s personal meeting chambers.

“Shima.” Homare said, actively glaring at him. “When you speak to the Commander, mind your manners. Do NOT speak casually in his presence.”

“You got it boss!” Renzo said cheerfully.

Homare glared at him one more time before pushing open the big double doors into the room.

“Mister Shima.” Lucifer said, standing as Renzo and Homare entered the room.

“Commander.” Renzo said, his voice serious for once. He gave a small bow.

Lucifer approached him. Renzo straightened up as he stopped in front of him.

“You are my little brother’s chosen mate, are you not?” Lucifer said.

A panicked expression crossed Renzo’s face.

“Uhhh, sir I’m not sure what you’re referring to?” Renzo stammered out, his sentence ending in a squeak.

“Prince Rinka.” Lucifer said. “I was unaware the two of you had made things official, but I can sense his claim on you. There is no mistaking it.”

“O-oh, that…” Renzo laughed nervously, his face bright red.

“Please, walk with me.” Lucifer said, walking past him out of the room.

Renzo fell in a step behind Lucifer as he walked down the hall.

“I’m sure you’re aware of recent events, yes?” Lucifer asked.

“Yes sir.” Renzo answered quickly. “Um, which recent event are you referring to exactly?”

“Rinka recently extracted our younger brother from the lab in True Cross Academy.” Lucifer said. “Since then, Mister Okumura has been in poor health. Rinka will not allow anyone to enter the room, and I am worried he is neglecting his own health to care for his brother.”

“Okay… and what do you want me to do about it?” Renzo asked.

“Rinka will not let anyone near his brother, because he does not trust anyone here.” Lucifer said. “Not even me. But as his chosen mate, he trusts you. Convince him to let you in his nest and make sure he does not neglect his own health in favor of Mister Okumura’s.”

“Got it, boss.” Renzo replied. He winced internally, remembering Homare’s strict instructions to not act so casual in front of the Commander. Oops.

“Here.” Lucifer said, stopping in front of a door. “This is Rinka’s quarters. Good luck.”

Lucifer left swiftly. Renzo gulped nervously, then knocked as loud as he could on the door. After what felt like an eternity, the door finally cracked open. Renzo tried not to jump as the Prince of Gehenna fixed his glare on him.

“Hey man!” Renzo wave. “How’s it going?”

“Renzo? What are you doing here?” Rin asked, opening the door a little wider.

“Your big bro asked me to come here.” Renzo explained. “He wants me to make sure you’re not forgetting to take care of yourself.”

Rin’s expression darkened. “I’m fine. Tell him to fuck off.”

Rin tried to slam the door, but Renzo stuck his foot in between the doorstop. He winced slightly.

“Hey man, just hear me out.” Renzo said. “I heard that Mister Okumura was hurt really bad. And you’ve been taking care of him all alone. That must be a lot huh?”

Rin growled quietly.

“And look man, I won’t go near him if you don’t want me to!” Renzo said. “I can clean up and go and get food, or if you want I can watch Yukio while you go to the bathroom or take a nap! We can work in shifts, ya know? Come on man, let me help!”

Rin glared at Renzo for a few seconds.

“Fine.” Rin said, opening the door. “Just don’t touch anything.”

“Great!” Renzo smiled. “Knew you’d come around.”

Renzo entered the room. It was a fancy modern looking living room. Elegant couches, false windows with heavy looking curtains, and a massive television over the fake fireplace. The furniture had been pushed out of place to make room for a bed and about a dozen medical machines. Yukio lay unconscious, tubes and wires hooked up to every part of him. Renzo looked over at Rin. The nephilim had large bags under his eyes. He looked exhausted, like he hadn’t slept in days.

“What do you need me to do?” Renzo asked, an easy smile on his face. He leaned his K’rik on the wall next to the door.

“Nothing.” Rin snapped. He sighed. “Sorry, I… nothing needs to be done right now. Yukio’s on a lot of drugs right now, he probably won’t wake up anytime soon.”

“In that case why don’t you take a nap or something man?” Renzo said. “You look dead on your feet.”

Rin glared at him.

“Look, you won’t be able to take care of anyone properly if you’re half asleep all the time.” Renzo reasoned. “I’ll wake you if anything changes, okay?”

Rin collapsed on the fancy and immaculate couch. He didn’t lie down, just tilted his head back and closed his eyes. He was snoring in seconds, mouth wide open. His crown fell off his head and clattered loudly to the floor. Rin didn’t even twitch. Renzo snickered quietly. He looked around the room, looking for something to occupy his time. The room was a mess, the furniture pushed to the sides of the room haphazardly, the expensive looking rug bunched up in places. The entire room looked impersonal and frankly uncomfortable.

Renzo looked at Yukio. He was the same as before. Confident that nothing would change anytime soon, Renzo decided to explore the rest of the suite. A doorway led to a nice sized kitchen. Unlike the previous room, it looked used. He checked the fridge. Mostly empty, just a ton of ingredients and condiments. And a single opened can of soda. Next was a large stocked pantry, then an area for doing laundry. Renzo headed back into the main room. The first closed door he went through was a bedroom, the bed messy and unmade. The clothing hamper was empty, but wrinkled and dirty clothes were strewn on the ground. There were some personal objects, but not many. There was a massive closet and bathroom attached to the bedroom. The next closed door connected to the living room was a guest bathroom. And last but not least, a closet stocked with extra linens and cleaning supplies. Renzo grabbed a blanket and tossed it over Rin. After a moment’s hesitation, he carefully moved Rin to lie down on the couch. His neck would hurt if he slept like that. Renzo studied the nephilim’s face as he slept. He already looked so much less stressed.

Renzo put himself to work. There were various pieces of trash scattered about the floor, bandaid wrappers, an empty chip bag, and scattered piles of ash. Rin’s sword had been tossed haphazardly on a coffee table, partly out of its sheath. All the while the two twins slept peacefully, Renzo quietly cleaned up. He placed the crown on the coffee table next to the sword and slid it fully back into its sheath. He found a broom in the closet and swept up the ash and litter. Once the room had been cleaned, Renzo went into the kitchen. Maybe there was a box of noodles in the pantry he could cook? Preferably something with instructions on the side. The pantry was fully stocked, but there was precious little junk food in there. A few bags of chips sure, but it was mostly things like dried rice and pasta, bags of flour, literal wheels of cheese, jars of various sauces, and an unholy amount of spices.

“Come on…” Renzo muttered. “Not a single instant ramen? How am I supposed to be a good wife if I can’t make my man a meal?”

Renzo froze, his face burning as his brain finally caught up with his mouth. He promptly turned on his heel and marched out of the pantry and back into the living room. His eyes landed on the sleeping nephilim on the couch. Somehow he became even more embarrassed.

“What the hell’s gotten into me?” Renzo sobbed quietly into his hands. He took a deep breath to calm himself.

“Maybe whatever horny teenage demon hormones Rin’s putting out is affecting me. Yeah, that must be it. Considering every goddamned demon I meet can smell them, they must be pretty strong.” Renzo rationalized. “Uh huh! It’s his fault! That’s… that’s totally it…”

Renzo nodded to himself, ignoring the massive leaps in logic he just made to assure himself he wasn’t going crazy. Putting the whole “making food” thing to the side, Renzo desperately looked around for something to do. Anything.

He checked over Yukio, but carefully didn’t touch any of the equipment. Renzo was unfamiliar with basically all of it, but there were no flashing warning lights or alarms going off, so he figured everything was good. Renzo eventually dumped himself in a chair. Despite how fancy it looked, it was hard and uncomfortable. He tried not to fidget. The Illuminati had taken his phone before he got here, turning it off to prevent it from being tracked. He hadn’t been given it back. With nothing to do, all he could do was wait. Maybe he could find a book or a game in the bedroom? No, going through a pissy nephilim’s things without permission sounded like a terrible idea. At least there was a clock on the wall, to let Renzo know how slowly time was moving.

For the next two hours, nothing changed. Renzo felt like his brain was going numb from boredom. He didn’t dare close his eyes, a little afraid of what Rin would do if he caught Renzo sleeping on the job, leaving no one to keep an eye on Yukio. A little after the two hour mark, Renzo heard a noise coming from the sleeping Rin. With nothing better to do, he got up and walked over. The nephilim was twitching in his sleep, his eyes moving quickly under his eyelids. A dream, then.

“No… please…” Rin muttered, his voice laced with fear.

A nightmare, Renzo realized. Should he wake him? Or let him sleep?

“Don’ go.” Rin mumbled. “Yuki… don’ leave me…”

Blue flames started to lick up and down his body, but not quite engulfing him entirely. Renzo grimaced. Would that start a fire? Since Rin was asleep, Renzo figured he probably couldn’t control what they could and couldn’t burn. Renzo reached towards him to shake him awake, but quickly pulled his hand back. Probably best not to touch him. He didn’t want to accidentally get burned.

“Rin!” Renzo called loudly. “You’re having a nightmare! Wake up!”

Rin jolted in his sleep, snoring loudly. His eyelids flickered for a moment, but he stayed asleep.

“Rin!” Renzo yelled louder.

The nephilim shot upright, ready for a fight. His eyes landed on Renzo and a second later he relaxed.

“Morning. You were having a nightmare.” Renzo said

“Uh, sorry.” Rin apologized.

“The hell you apologizing for, man?” Renzo asked incredulously.

“Right, sorry.” Rin said. “How long was I asleep?”

“Not long, only two hours.” Renzo said. “You should probably get more sleep.”

“No.” Rin said, shaking his head. He wiped the drool off his face with the back of his hand. “I’m good.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Renzo said, sitting on the couch next to Rin, but still several feet apart. Just like two bros, on a couch, five feet apart.

“… no.” Rin said.

“That’s cool.” Renzo said.

“Do you want to change?” Rin asked suddenly, changing the subject. “That uniform looks really uncomfortable. You can borrow some of my clothes if you want.”

“Sure. But only if you change too.” Renzo said. “I’d feel out of place if only one of us is dressed up.”

Rin looked down at his outfit like he’d forgotten what he was wearing.

“Yeah, okay.”

Renzo ended up going with a teeshirt and shorts, all of the sweatpants were a few inches too short. He very deliberately refrained from making a joke about Rin’s height. Rin threw on pajama pants and a hoodie that looked like it had seen better days. Rin gave Renzo a pair of house slippers that had the Illuminati’s crest on them that looked like they hadn’t been touched once. Rin’s slippers had plush black cats on them.

The two collapsed on the couch and fell into silence. Rin brought out his phone and started scrolling. Renzo leaned over his shoulder, purposefully being obnoxious.

“The heck you doin’ man?” Rin asked.

“They took my phone.” Renzo complained. “They don’t want the Order tracking me. I’ve been sitting here for two hours doing nothing!”

“Sucks to suck I guess.” Rin said. “Want to watch something on the tv?”

“Sure, got anything good?”

Rin’s recommended shows were a mix of cooking shows and fast paced action thrillers. They ended up watching a cooking show where the objective was to bake the most realistic looking cake. Throughout the show however, Rin kept glancing over nervously at Yukio.

“Hey man, there’s something that’s been bugging me.” Renzo said, trying to distract Rin.

“Hm? What’s wrong?” Rin asked.

“It’s your hair.” Renzo said. “And the horns and tail. They’re only sometimes there. And sometimes your hair and tail are black instead of white? What’s up with that?”

“Oh.” Rin said. “Uh, so the horns and the flames on my tail and the rest of me only come out when I’m like, all pumped up or excited or when I want them to. I have a spell to turn my hair and tail black, they used to be like that when I was younger, but turned white later. It helps when I want to go places without being recognized. And the tail thing…”

Rin rolled his eyes. “God freaking tail thing is some dumb demon bullshit. It’s, like, super sensitive so most demons hide their tails, especially in battle, there’s this thing I can do to make it disappear, but it’s so much more comfortable to have it out! I don’t care that it’s supposedly indecent or ungentlemanly or whatever! If I have hear about it one more time Lucifer and Mephisto can shove their fucking manners up their asses!”

“Woah, sorry man, didn’t mean to bring up a sore subject.” Renzo laughed.

“Nah man it’s cool.” Rin said. “I’ve been holding that rant in for a while now. Don’t really talk to people much…”

“Oh really?” Renzo asked. “Why not?”

Rin’s mood suddenly dampened. Renzo cursed internally as all of the progress he just made came crashing down with just a single slip up. Seriously, what the heck! That was probably the worst question Renzo could have asked!

“I don’t really… have friends.” Rin admitted, pulling his knees up to his chest. “Everyone at the Illuminati just sees me as their boss, demons don’t do friendship, and I can’t really interact with kids my age very easily. I… I don’t want to hide my demon half, it’s part of who I am and I’m tired of hiding. But most people don’t believe in demons and those that do are afraid of me or want to kill me. ‘Cause of my flames.”

“Well, you have me.” Renzo said.

Rin smiled sadly at him. “Thanks man.”

The two sat in silence for a while until the episode ended and the next one started. Rin suddenly stood up.

“Where ya goin’?” Renzo asked.

“I’m going to cook something, it helps me relax.” Rin said. “I’m sure you’re hungry, I know I am.”

“I can help if you need.” Renzo said, standing up and jogging to catch up with Rin.

“Renzo, my man, I love you, but stay the fuck out of my kitchen when I’m cooking.” Rin said. He promptly turned around and disappeared into the kitchen. Renzo hoped he didn’t notice the intense blush spreading over his face.

After taking a few deep breaths to try and make sure his face was no longer noticeably red, Renzo leaned on the kitchen doorframe, staying just outside but close enough to talk.

“What’re you gonna make?” Renzo asked.

Rin opened the fridge. “I dunno.”

He slammed the fridge door.

“What do you want?” Rin asked.

“Oh, whatever’s good.” Renzo said.

“Please pick something man, I don’t want to think right now.” Rin whined.

Renzo panicked a little, trying to remember what was in the pantry. “Um… pasta?”

“Okay.” Rin said. He disappeared into the pantry and came back with an armful of ingredients. He hesitated, looking over at the door where Renzo was standing.

“You good? Am I making you uncomfortable by watching you cook?” Renzo asked.

“Uh, no that’s… not it.” Rin said.

“I can see Yukio from here.” Renzo said. “I’ve got a clear line of sight. But I can go and sit closer to him if that’ll make you feel better.”

“No, it’s… it’s fine, so long as you can see him.” Rin said.

“Alright cool.” Renzo said, giving Rin a thumbs up.

Rin started cooking. The TV continued playing in the background. Renzo turned to look at the show playing in the other room. He wondered if Rin could hear it from the other room. Well, the nephilim did have good hearing. It was probably fine. There was no change in Yukio, as expected. Renzo had his head on a slow swivel as Rin worked. He would watch the contestants on the show cook then turn to watch Rin as he cooked. Kind of like watching two cooking shows at the same time. Not really, but kind of.

Rin finished much quicker than Renzo expected, carrying two steaming bowls towards the door. Renzo smiled and went and sat on the floor in front of the coffee table. Rin set down a bowl in front of him.

“Yo! Mac and cheese!” Renzo exclaimed. “I didn’t know you could make this without a box!”

“It’s pretty easy.” Rin said, his mouth full. “Fresh pasta is too much work and literally the same as dried pasta most of the time, so I just boiled a big pot of noodles. And for the sauce you just have to make a roux and add cheese.”

“I don’t know what a roux is but I’m sure it’s some kind of cooking magic.” Renzo said, shoving the cheesy goodness into his mouth.

“Nah, it’s just flour and water really. Maybe a little butter.” Rin said.

“Magic.” Renzo whispered.

Rin rolled his eyes.

The two sat and watched various TV shows for the rest of the day, sometimes talking, sometimes sitting in silence. At some point, Rin fell asleep on the couch again. Renzo grabbed a blanket and tossed it over him and turned off the lights. It was late and the guy needed sleep. He shut off the TV as well, but didn’t fall asleep. He had promised to watch Yukio for Rin, but he wouldn’t let his own boredom disturb Rin sleep. Renzo sat down on the couch next to Rin and settled in for a long night.

Renzo doesn’t remember falling asleep, but he startled awake from a particularly loud snore from Rin directly into his ear. Rin was still fast asleep, drooling on Renzo’s shoulder. Renzo grabbed Rin’s phone to check the time, carefully trying not to disturb the sleeping nephilim. It was morning. Renzo carefully removed Rin from his shoulder and got up, stretching. He quickly checked on Yukio, who was still the same as before. He retreated to the bedroom and put his Illuminati uniform back on, desperately smoothing it down to try to remove the wrinkles from sitting on the floor all night. He gave it a sniff and shrugged. It wasn’t too dirty, so Homare probably wouldn’t yell at him for it.

Renzo reentered the living room to find Rin rubbing his eyes.

“Where’re you going?” Rin asked, still half asleep.

“You were complaining about not having any fresh food yesterday, so I figured I could go and get some from the kitchens.” Renzo explained. “I was going to wake you up before I left.”

“Wait.” Rin said, scrambling to his feet. “Let me make a list first.”

Renzo waited patiently as Rin found a notepad and pen and quickly scribbled a near illegible list. He shoved the paper into Renzo’s hands.

“Here.” Rin said. “This is what we need.”

“You got it boss!” Renzo saluted lazily. He grabbed his K’rik from where he had left it next to the door and left. A quick trip to the kitchens later, he was pushing a cart full of food back down the hall. He stopped as he saw Lucifer hovering outside of Rin’s room.

“Mister Shima.” Lucifer nodded.

“Commander.” Renzo bowed. “Is there anything you need?”

“How is… how are they doing?” Lucifer asked.

“Mister Okumura is the same as before.” Renzo said. “And I managed to get Prince Rinka to eat and sleep so there’s progress.”

“Good.” Lucifer nodded. “Thank you.”

The demon left quickly after that, not sparing Renzo another glance. Renzo simply shrugged and knocked on the door. Rin let him in.

“I got groceries!” Renzo announced.

“Thanks.” Rin said.

The two put them away together, Rin showing Renzo where everything went. Despite the chaos of the rest of the living space, Rin’s kitchen was a well organized machine. Everything had a place. Afterwards the two collapsed on the couch again.

“So…” Renzo began. “How long do you think it’ll take him to wake up?”

“I dunno.” Rin said quietly. “I woke up after a few days but it took a whole week to fully recover. And Yukio’s… his demon half is a lot weaker than mine. His body may heal fast, but that’s only if his demon half is able to function. The circle almost completely drained my demon half, but the only effect it had on the human half was trapping me in the circle.”

“I heard they used a weakened circle on him.” Renzo said. “They didn’t want to accidentally kill him.”

“I won’t let that happen ever again.” Rin snarled.

“Hey, you did destroy the entire lab.” Renzo pointed out, trying to calm Rin. “And most of their research was there. Afterwards I went and stole all of the copies they gave to the exwires and destroyed those too. I dunno if they noticed it yet.”

“Thanks.” Rin said, discretely rubbing his eyes. “Wait, why did you guys have copies of the research?”

“Since we were the ones who run into you the most, they gave us their most recent projects to, uh, test if we saw you again.” Renzo admitted.

Rin rolled his eyes. “Dumbasses. I saw the incantations, there’s no way any of you could have gotten through the whole thing in time.”

“Yeah, I think Konekomaru tried pointing that out.” Renzo said. “No one listened of course.”

Rin rested his head on Renzo’s shoulder. He stiffened, unsure of what to do. He could feel his face start to heat up.

“People should listen to him.” Rin said quietly. “He’s pretty smart. Notices things most people don’t.”

“Oh yeah?” Renzo said, keeping his voice light. “You stalking him or something?”

“I guess I’m technically stalking the whole cram school class.” Rin admitted.

Renzo looked at him weirdly. “Oh. Okay. Cool.”

The rest of the day was similar to the last. Rin broke out a video game and they played for a little bit. They watched TV, Renzo watched Rin cook, and Yukio stayed asleep. It was… homey. Renzo wondered if this was what being happily married was like. What having a normal life was like. It wasn’t something he’d ever wanted, but if it meant he could spend the rest of his life with Rin…

Renzo shook his head. No, bad thoughts. Rin would never like someone like him. He wouldn’t want to stay with just a regular human. Especially one who told so many lies that even Renzo couldn’t tell the difference between them and the truth.

No, Renzo was destined to be alone. But for now, he could just pretend.

Chapter Text

It’s the middle of the night. Renzo is awake, watching over Rin as he sleeps. Technically he was supposed to be watching Yukio, but it was whatever. Normally, Rin slept peacefully, drool slowly dripping out of the corner of his mouth. But as Renzo returned from a bathroom break, he noticed Rin moving more than usual in his sleep. He was making distressed noises too. At least he wasn’t on fire this time.

“Hey.” Renzo whispered, shaking him gently. “It’s just a nightmare. Wake up.”

Rin opened his eyes, grabbing Renzo’s wrist. Renzo winced in pain from how tightly he gripped his arm.

“Woah man, it’s just me.” Renzo said.

“R- sorry.” Rin said, letting go.

Renzo inspected his wrist. That was definitely going to bruise later.

“Want to talk about it?” Renzo asked softly, expecting Rin to turn him down again like before.

Rin was quiet for a moment.

“... okay.” Rin said. It was so quiet Renzo almost missed it.

“You don’t have to.” Renzo said. “It’s alright. But I’ll listen if you need me to.”

“You’re a good friend.” Rin said.

Renzo’s heart only broke a little at the unintentional friendzone. He smiled anyway. “That’s what friends are for!”

Rin was quiet for a long time. Renzo sat in silence next to him. The only sounds were their breathing and the monotonous beeping of the medical devices.

“I’m from the future.” Rin eventually said, not making eye contact. The room was dead silent except for the monotonous beeping of the medical devices. “Mephisto sent me back in time into my younger body. So that I could fix things.”

Renzo remained silent, unsure of what to say.

“It was really bad.” Rin continued. “Lucifer… he was in so much pain he decided the only possible course of action was to destroy both Assiah and Gehenna. It’s the only way an immortal being like him could commit suicide. Not that it justifies anything he did, that's just why he did it.”

“Everyone was dying. You were dead, B- Ryuji was dead… the world’s population dropped to around four billion I think.” Rin said. “Lucifer, in his madness, had forgotten a promise he made to Satan. So Satan created an army of demons and used them to wage war on both the Order and the Illuminati. It was like… a three sided war? I don’t know what it’s actually called. Um… all the regular humans got caught in the middle. A lot of people joined the Order once governments started officially recognizing demons, some made their own anti-demon militias… I’m pretty sure the Illuminati did a bunch of recruiting too.”

“Sounds like a nightmare.” Renzo said, trying to keep his voice light and casual, but failing.

“It was. None of us made it out unscathed. You and Ryuji died, I think I already said that, Yukio killed himself, Konekomaru was so badly injured he became blind and couldn’t walk very well. Izumo lost a few fingers and Shiemi… well, Izumo and Shiemi actually did pretty well. They became extremely powerful Tamers and could wipe out entire squadrons on their own. Izumo also ended up becoming a Knight too.”

Rin looked sadly at his unconscious brother. For the first time, his tail was motionless, drooping on the ground.

“How’d I die?” Renzo finally asked after a few moments of silence.

“After your dad died… you started being more reckless, volunteering for more and more dangerous missions. The last time I saw you, we got into a big fight. I… your dad died fighting with me. We were in the same squad that day. I couldn’t protect him. I’m so sorry Renzo, there was nothing I could do. It was my fault-“

“I’m gonna stop you right there.” Renzo interrupted. “If this war really was as bad as you said, I’m sure you did everything you could to help. And two, you did help him. My dad is still alive because of you, so thanks. And stop feeling sorry for yourself. If I was a jerk then, I was probably still really upset and it was my fault, or future me’s fault, for acting that way, okay?”

“Thanks Renzo.” Rin said, wiping tears from his eyes.

“Where was Ryuji for all of this?” Renzo asked. “I’m sure he had something to say about me being so reckless.”

“He was already dead at that point.” Rin said. “He died pretty early on. It hit us all pretty hard. It was like… the beginning of the end, I guess. That’s what it felt like.”

“How’d he die?” Renzo asked softly.

“Badly.” Rin said. “We found him torn into little pieces.”

“Oh geez…” Renzo said. “I’m sorry I asked. Do you know who did it?”

“Lucifer.”

“Oh.” Renzo said.

“I think… we’re definitely not on that timeline anymore.” Rin said. “I’ve been helping with the Illuminati’s research to make a better body for Lucifer. It’s already going well, but it’s not finished yet. If we can’t finish it, we might slip back into that timeline or a similar one. I don’t know if I can do this all over again.”

“Were we friends?” Renzo asked. “In the other timeline?”

“Yeah.” Rin nodded. “I was actually an exwire in the cram school. I was friends with the rest of you.”

“You joined the Order?” Renzo asked, surprised. “They didn’t kill you immediately?”

“They didn’t know at first.” Rin admitted. “They found out during the exam in the forest. Mephisto sent Amaimon to test my skills and I lost control. There was a big trial, but they let me live. So they could use me as a weapon against Satan.”

“Damn…” Renzo breathed.

“And for a few years I was the Order’s attack dog.” Rin said. “It took me a long time to get control over my powers, but I never burned or killed any humans until the war started. I didn’t have a choice. It was their life or my friends.”

Renzo remained silent.

“You never told us about… you liking guys.” Rin said. “I had no idea. You died when you were seventeen, but you never told us.”

Renzo hummed.

“Things are pretty similar to the previous timeline.” Rin said. “Apparently, the timeline resists being changed or manipulated. Even though there are endless ways the timeline could go, according to Mephisto, it hates being manipulated with. I’ve only made small changes, but they’re only now starting to make a difference. Yukio was never able to use his demon powers like this. People conveniently forgot that he was the son of Satan too. I don’t know why. I know it was triggered by stress this time around. But… I wonder if Yukio did start showing signs but I never noticed. I wonder… if that’s why he killed himself.”

“Hey.” Renzo said quietly. “You shouldn’t focus on that stuff. It’s not even real anymore. Look, Yukio is right there and he’s still breathing. You can still save him. You can still save me.”

Renzo blushed slightly. He hasn’t meant to say that last sentence.

“You want me to save you?” Rin asked, smirking despite the tears in his eyes.

“Oh, uhhhh…” Renzo said, blushing even more furiously.

Rin laughed quietly. “You want a dashing prince to sweep you off your feet?”

“Maybe?” Renzo squeaked, incredibly embarrassed. “You can be my prince. If you want?”

Rin stopped, tilting his head. He was also blushing furiously now. “Oh. Cool. That’s cool.”

“I like you.” Rin said after a moment of silence. “I… I didn’t feel this way in the other timeline. I was into Shiemi actually, but she wasn’t into me. I’m not into her anymore! Not for a while. But yeah, she just wanted to be friends. She never said anything about it, but I think she liked Yukio.”

Renzo and Rin looked at the sleeping nephilim.

“I don’t know if Yukio liked her back.” Rin said. “He was so closed off those days. After our dad died. The old man, Father Fujimoto, not… you know. I think he was too messed up emotionally to even consider dating. Me and Bon tried kissing each other once, just to see what it was like. Neither of us had ever kissed anyone before that. It didn’t go past that, but as a joke we kept calling each other names and slapping each others’ asses when we passed each other. I remember… you looked kind of weird when we did that. I just kind of ignored it then but… now I know you like guys…”

“I- the other me- was probably super jealous.” Renzo said. “Bon was my first crush, and my longest so far.”

“Yeah.” Rin said. “That makes sense.”

The two fell silent again.

“Do you… still have feelings for him?” Rin asked.

“I don’t think so.” Renzo said. “I kind of… have a new crush these days.”

“Oh… me too.” Rin said.

The two looked away from each other, both of their faces bright red.

“Rin.” Renzo said suddenly. “I really like you.”

“Me too.” Rin said. “But… I’m scared. I don’t want you to get hurt. Everyone near me always gets hurt or killed.”

“I can protect myself.” Renzo said, taking Rin’s hands in his.

“No, you can’t.” Rin said. “You’re just a weak, soft human.”

“So?” Renzo said. “I’m not going to just give up. I’ll keep on fighting. I will do anything to stay with you.”

Renzo’s eyes widened. He dropped Rin’s hands, looking away at the floor. “S-sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“I want to stay with you too.” Rin said. “I’m just… scared.”

“Me too.” Renzo admitted. “Not for the same reason. If I… if we do… this… I’m scared my parents, my family… Ryuji and Konekomaru won’t… they’ll never want to see me again.”

“Because I’m the son of Satan?” Rin asked.

“Because you’re a guy.” Renzo admitted. “Because we’re both… boys. I was never the kind of guy to care about tradition and family and duty, but I still… for some reason I still want their approval.”

“That’s natural I think.” Rin said. “I know how you feel. I was always getting in trouble, but I kept trying so that my dad and my brother would be proud of me.”

“Yeah…” Renzo said.

“I have an idea.” Rin said. “If you want to tell them, I have a gift I can give them to sort of… ease the blow?”

“What is it?” Renzo asked.

“The Kurikara sword.” Rin said. “My demon heart was sealed inside of it. It’s broken now, but I still have it.”

“I think you should hold onto it for now.” Renzo said. “Wait for the right moment.”

Rin smiled. “Whenever you’re ready.”

“So… does this mean we’re officially together?” Renzo asked.

“I think we skipped a step.” Rin said.

“Huh?”

“Renzo, will you be my boyfriend?” Rin asked.

“Yeah.” Renzo said, grinning from ear to ear. “I’d love that.”

“Cool!” Rin said.

“So cool.” Renzo echoed, unsure of what to say.

Yukio suddenly started coughing. Rin leapt up, running to his brother’s side. Renzo followed at a more reasonable speed. Looks like his time here was up. Renzo hoped he wouldn’t be sent away. He hoped he could spend more time with his new boyfriend. A strange and unfamiliar emotion fluttered in his chest. He wanted to feel it again.

Chapter Text

Yukio woke slowly. He heard people talking but couldn’t make out the words. He… hurt. His head throbbed, his throat was dry and scratchy. His thoughts felt like they were full of cotton. He coughed, and felt someone holding his hand. The words were incomprehensible. He opened his eyes, the world blurry.

Yukio blinked slowly at the person above him. Where was he? Who is that?

Yukio closed his eyes. He was tired. And the voice talking to him was loud. He would deal with it later.

————————

Yukio woke again, this time his head much clearer. He wondered if the last time was just a dream. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. This wasn’t the Order’s lab. Where was he? Had he been moved for some reason?

Yukio suddenly remembered. The circle, the pain, passing out. He didn’t remember anything after that.

“Hey, teach.” A familiar voice called.

Yukio looked slightly to the side. Renzo Shima grinned at him from his bedside.

“What’s going on?” Yukio finally settled on.

“Rin found out the Order was torturing you for research so he broke you out.” Renzo explained. “You’re in the Illuminati’s base.”

“I see.” Yukio said, turning his head straight, looking back at the ceiling.

“You feeling okay?” Renzo asked. “You’ve been sleeping for a few days.”

“I’m fine.” Yukio said. “Just tired.”

“Cool, that’s good.” Renzo said. “I’ll let Rin know you’re awake.”

Yukio didn’t answer. Renzo wandered off. He heard a crash, then the slapping of bare feet against the floor.

“Yukio!” Rin yelled.

Yukio winced. He looked at the blurry face of his brother. “Please don’t talk so loud.”

“Sorry.” Rin said quickly. “Are you okay? Do you need anything?”

Rin grabbed his hand. Yukio pulled away. Rin looked distraught, but didn’t try to take his hand again.

“I’m fine, just tired.” Yukio said.

“Okay…” Rin said. “If you need anything at all…”

“There’s something under me.” Yukio admitted. “It kinda hurts.”

“Can I check?” Rin asked.

Yukio nodded.

Rin slowly slid his hand underneath Yukio. Yukio flinched as Rin touched a part of him that he had forgotten was there.

“I think it’s just your tail.” Rin said. “I’ve tried to turn you over whenever I can but I had to keep you lying on your back.”

“I see.” Yukio said.

“Want me to take these machines off?” Rin asked. “I don’t think we’ll need the monitor or IV anymore now that you’re awake for real this time.”

Yukio nodded. Rin carefully removed all of the stickers and needles from his body and switched off all the beeping machines. Yukio closed his eyes, trying to go back to sleep. He heard Rin leave. He heard Rin and Renzo whispering to each other, but he could still hear them clearly. They were talking about him. Yukio slowly faded into sleep once again.

————————

Yukio woke to the smell of fish. Specifically, Rin’s hamburger fish steak. His mouth watered. Yukio got up and followed the smell.

“Morning teach!” Renzo greeted. He was wearing a hoodie and sweatpants that were a few inches too short for him.

Rin’s neck cracked as he turned away from the pan on the stove. “Yukio!”

Yukio just stared blankly.

“I made your favorite.” Rin said, gesturing to the pan on the stove.

“... smells good.” Yukio said.

Rin smiled brightly. “It’ll be done soon! Why don’t you take a seat at the counter?”

There was a line of bar stools on the opposite side of the kitchen island. Renzo sat in the one on the end. He waved to Yukio with a smile. Yukio sat on the stool farthest from the boy. He was eventually startled out of his thoughts by Rin placing a plate in front of him. Yukio ate. It was the best thing he ever tasted.

“Hey, slow down Yuki.” Rin said. “Your stomach’s been empty for a few days, you might throw up.”

Yukio paused. “I’m fine.”

He began to eat slower anyway.

The next few days Yukio felt like he was on autopilot. He let Rin guide him around, feed him, and ignored his and Renzo’s burning stares. He tried to ignore the changes, the new body parts. He could feel the flames under his skin. He wished they would just go away. He wished everything could go back to normal. But no, a monster like him didn’t deserve things like normal. He deserved to be hunted down and killed before he could hurt anyone. Yukio dug his claws into his arms. The wounds healed almost instantly. The blood stayed. He cleaned it off before Rin could see.

Rin was… he was the same. The same as he was when they were kids. He fussed over Yukio the same way he did when they were little. The white hair and tail were the only things that reminded Yukio of everything that had changed. Renzo was… also there. He left and brought back fresh food every now and then. He cleaned up Rin’s messes, did the laundry, fixed the furniture when the medical cot and machines were taken out. When he wasn’t doing something he just… watched. Yukio wondered what his goal was.

“Rin.” Yukio said. “I… need to ask you something.”

“Sure, what’s up?”

Yukio glanced at Renzo.

“Alone.”

Rin turned to Renzo.

“It’s cool man, I’ll come back in an hour? Is that good?” The last sentence was asked to Yukio.

“That’s fine.”

“Cool. Later dudes.”

Renzo left.

Yukio turned to Rin.

“That other night, you mentioned our mother.” Yukio said. “You said that Mephisto didn’t want me to know, so you couldn’t tell me. He’s not here, so tell me now. How were we born?”

Rin smiled sadly.

“Okay.”

Chapter Text

Rin explained everything to Yukio. How they were born. The time travel. His plan to fix things. Yukio was quiet for the rest of the day. Rin let Renzo back in eventually. He didn’t ask questions, just gave the two their space.

The door closed behind Renzo as he was unceremoniously kicked out. He sat down on the other side of the hall, his back against the wall. He closed his eyes and waited. He looked up when he heard footsteps approaching some time later.

“Mister Shima.” Lucifer said.

Renzo stood up. “Commander.”

“Is everything alright?” Lucifer asked.

“Those two needed to talk alone.” Renzo said. “I’ve been temporarily evicted.”

“I see.” Lucifer said. “Now is not a good time then.”

“Probably not.” Renzo said. “Is there something you needed?”

Lucifer hummed thoughtfully. “When they are both in a good mood, ask if Mister Okumura would be willing to donate a vial of his blood to the Illuminati’s research.”

“Got it.” Renzo nodded. “Anything else?”

“No, that is all.” Lucifer said. Without another word he pivoted on his heel and left the way he came. Renzo watched him leave. He sat back down.

————————

“What did Lucifer want yesterday?” Rin asked.

“When was he here?” Yukio asked in alarm.

“He stopped by while you guys were talking.” Renzo said.

“I could sense him.” Rin said. “He just stood outside for a bit then left. I can still sense him, he’s in his room.”

“Oh.” Yukio said. “That’s what that is…”

“Did he say what he wanted?” Rin promoted Renzo.

“Oh, yeah. He wants to know if it’s okay if he can take a vial of Yukio’s blood for research purposes.” Renzo said.

“No.” Rin immediately snarled.

“Don’t make decisions for me!” Yukio blew up at Rin.

“Sorry.” Rin said, deflating.

“So?” Renzo asked after a moment of silence.

“Why does he want my blood?” Yukio asked.

“The main goal of the Illuminati is to create physical vessels for the demon kings, specifically Lucifer.” Rin explained. “They’re so powerful that they burn through their bodies super quickly. And apparently it hurts a lot. I’ve been donating my own blood and they’ve been able to make a lot of progress with that, but you heal a lot quicker than I do. It seems like your flames are better suited for healing and regeneration than mine are. That would really help with the research.”

“I see.” Yukio said. “And… he only wants one vial?”

“For now.” Rin grumbled. “Soon enough he’ll have you giving blood every week. Or hair. Or skin or nails. I drew the line at fecal matter.”

“I’ll think about it.” Yukio said.

“Okie doki!” Renzo said cheerfully.

————————

“Yukio.” Rin said. “Do you want me to teach you how to use your flames?”

Yukio clenched his fists. “No.”

Rin drooped slightly, but didn’t argue with his brother. “Oh, okay.”

“But I want… I need to be able to control them.” Yukio continued. “I don’t want to use them, but I have to be able to control them. So I don’t…”

“I get it.” Rin said softly.

“Do you?” Yukio asked sharply. “Your control is incredible. Did you ever struggle with it?”

“Oh yeah, all the time.” Rin said. “In the beginning I burnt down an entire forest on accident.”

“... oh.” Yukio said.

“But you don’t have to worry about that!” Rin said, trying to comfort his brother. “I mean, you don’t have nearly as much fire power as I do. You probably wouldn’t be able to do that yet.”

Yukio clenched his jaw. He wasn’t weak, no matter what Rin said.

“Show me how to control it.” Yukio said.

“Okay! Let me go get my candles.” Rin said. His tail flicked behind him as he ran. Yukio watched it. He felt his own tail twitch. He forced it to remain still.

————————

“Wow!” Rin said, grinning. “You’re picking this up a lot faster than I did!”

Yukio watched the blue flames dance. He extinguished them, a pale hint of smoke rising in their absence. The room grew colder when the candles were lit. Warmth returned when he put them out. For some reason, he preferred the cold. Yukio wasn’t sure when he had started to prefer the cold, but he could take a guess. The flames under his skin burned cold, after all. Yukio would have thought that it would make him feel cold all the time, but instead he was basically immune to the cold instead. The warmth of Rin’s flames were still comfortable despite the heat.

“I kept completely melting the candles.” Rin continued. “It took me forever just to light the wicks and nothing else.”

“We have opposite problems.” Yukio said. “You have too much flame. I have too little.”

“Huh?” Rin said, tilting his head. “No, I think it's… my flames are more suited towards destruction. Yours seem to be more suited for healing. Like a phoenix! I mean, you are a doctor so it’s fitting.”

Yukio hummed. “Can you show me how healing works with the flames?”

“Oh, I actually can’t do that.” Rin said, his tail drooping. “That’s all you buddy.”

“I think I’m starting to understand it now.” Yukio said, lighting the candles once again. “Demons who use the element of fire can be split into two categories. One where fire is the element that consumes and one where fire is the element of life. Offense versus defence. The two sides were split between us.”

“Sure!” Rin said, not really understanding, just happy that Yukio was starting to accept his demon half. It wasn’t much, but it was progress.

A knock came from the door. Rin got up to answer. He opened the door, then immediately shut it again.

“It’s Lucifer.” Rin said to Yukio. “Do you want to talk to him?”

“Fine.” Yukio said. He extinguished the candles again.

Lucifer entered the room.

“Greetings, little brother.” Lucifer said with a slight bow. “It is nice to finally meet you.”

“Hello.” Yukio said.

“I apologize for the intrusion.” Lucifer said. “I would like to formally invite you and Prince Rinka to dinner this evening, if you are well enough.”

“Okay.” Yukio said tersely.

“Good with me.” Rin said, giving Lucifer a thumbs up.

“Thank you.” Lucifer said. “I anticipate seeing you both tonight.”

And just like that, he left.

“He’s always like that.” Rin said to Yukio. “He doesn’t really do casual conversation. He prefers to just get to the point.”

Yukio just hummed in acknowledgement.

“So do you want to get back to the candles?” Rin asked, sitting back down on his spot on the floor.

“Actually, I was thinking.” Yukio said. “If I am going to be staying here for a while, is it possible for me to get my own room?”

“Huh? Oh, sure.” Rin said. “There’s a couple of suites in this part of the base, you can pick out whichever one you want.”

Rin then turned to Renzo. “Hey, do you want your own room too?”

“I’m cool with whatever.” Renzo said.

Yukio looked between the two. “Okay, what’s going on with you two?”

“Oh…” Rin blushed deeply.

Renzo walked over to Rin and grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers. “We’re dating now! Surprise!”

Yukio just looked at them. He face planted, sighing deeply. “Why am I surprised?”

“It’s pretty recent actually.” Rin said nervously. “We, uh, got to talking while you were asleep. And we actually went on a date before, but only now we made it official and everything.”

“I understand why Rin would be… interested.” Yukio began. “But I thought you only liked women, Shima?”

“That’s what I want people to think.” Renzo explained, his face red. “But I’m like, totally gay. Uh, but like, don’t go telling people okay? I mean, I’m not embarrassed about dating Rin, but I haven’t really told anyone about me liking guys? Only Bon and Konekomaru, no one else knows.”

“I see.” Yukio nodded. “I won’t tell anyone your secret.”

“Thanks, teach.” Renzo said. “I mean, I’m going to tell my folks eventually, but I want to be the one to do it, you know?”

Yukio just nodded.

————————

That evening, Rin is dressed in his Prince of Gehenna outfit, the crown and fine clothing. Yukio wore one of his spares of the outfit. It was slightly different, the haori he wore had a different pattern, but otherwise it was the same. Lucifer wore the Illuminati uniform, all decorative pieces and all. Lucifer sat at the head of a long dining table, with Rin seated on his right and Yukio on his left. The meal was served by others in the Illuminati uniform. They left after serving the meal, bowing to the siblings at the table. The room was an elegant and expensive dining hall, the decorations opulent and borderline gaudy. Like someone with too much money who chooses the decor based on price rather than any real sense of design. Not that it looked bad, per se, just… unfamiliar, considering the humble upbringing the twins had. The meal was made from expensive ingredients as well, continuing the theme that Lucifer apparently preferred. Yukio assumed that he held himself in high regard, that a being such as him deserved only the best, regardless of actual personal preference. Assuming he had a real preference.

The show of wealth was more of a display of power, one that humans would be able to understand. Humans and demons were vastly different afterall. Now that Yukio’s demon half was growing stronger, he could sense things he hadn’t before. One such thing was the power level of demons. He could sense Yamantaka hovering around Shima. The demon was powerful, but it was a drop of water in the ocean compared to Rin’s power. Lucifer was much more powerful than Rin, Yukio could sense. And the two of his siblings were much more powerful than Yukio himself. Although Yukio thought that he was stronger than Yamantaka. Humans couldn’t sense the innate power that demons held. If power was status in Gehenna, it made sense that a demon as prideful as Lucifer and even Mephisto would choose to surround themselves with as much opulence as possible. To maintain their rank across the dimensions.

“Mister Okumura.” Lucifer spoke after the three had been eating in silence for a few minutes. “I would like to officially welcome you to the Dominus Liminis, the main headquarters of the Illuminati, and my home for the past few years.”

“Thank you, Lord Lucifer.” Yukio said politely.

“I am pleased to finally meet my youngest brother.” Lucifer said. “Prince Rinka has spoken about you at length. It is clear he has a great respect for you.”

Yukio looked at his twin. Rin was blushing, looking at his meal.

“I see.” Yukio said. “May I ask, why do you call me Mister Okumura and Rin Prince Rinka? As the second son of Satan, would I not also be a prince?”

“Prince is part of my name, not my title.” Rin said, looking embarrassed.

“Indeed.” Lucifer nodded. “Demons do not have concepts of government or structured society in the same way that humans do. A monarchy is a purely human concept. To demons, a king is simply someone who holds great power compared to others. The leader of a colony is called a king. Our father is the most powerful of all demons, which is why he holds the title of King of Demons.”

“I see.” Yukio said.

“Do you wish to change your name as well?” Lucifer asked. “I know that Rinka only changed his so as to not draw attention to his previous life.”

“I think I’m good for now.” Yukio said.

“Very well.” Lucifer nodded.

The table fell silent once again. Lucifer spoke after about a minute had passed.

“Have you given any thought to the request I made several days ago?” Lucifer asked.

Rin immediately scowled, but didn’t say anything.

“I have.” Yukio said. “I would be willing to give just one vial of blood. If you want more, you will have to convince me.”

“Thank you, little brother.” Lucifer said. “I am deeply grateful for your generosity.”

Yukio didn’t answer. He simply took another bite of his food. Rin sighed quietly.

“There is one more issue I would like to address.” Lucifer mentioned. “Some time ago, the Illuminati managed to create a man-made Gehenna gate.”

“Fuck, I forgot about that.” Rin said, rubbing his face.

“The gate was unstable, so the lab was abandoned. The Order found it and Samael has been containing it within a bubble of frozen time. However the containment will not last long.” Lucifer explained. “However I believe we may be able to force it closed.”

“I remember sensing that Mephisto was looking a little… drained the last few times I saw him.” Rin mentioned. “I can go and check it out, see what I can.”

“The Order is keeping close watch on the gate.” Lucifer said. “The new Paladin, Arthur Angel, is stationed there as well. You will not be able to get close very easily. You are not suited to stealth, little brother.”

Rin grumbled under his breath.

“We could create a distraction.” Yukio said. “Lure away the guards.”

“I dunno…” Rin said. “It’d have to be a pretty big distraction, wouldn’t it?”

“Then we have no choice.” Lucifer declared. “This will be the first official battle between the Illuminati and the Order. I will make preparations and gather our army.”

“That’s not going to go over well.” Rin mumbled. “People are going to die if we do this. Damnit, I didn’t want it to come to this. There has to be another way, we can’t just jump straight to war.”

“The Illuminati has already declared war on the Order.” Lucifer argued. “Wars are not won without loss.”

“Yeah but I’m trying to make sure there’s as little as possible.” Rin snapped. “This is the complete opposite of that. This is why I prefer the whole cloak and shadow approach to this shit.”

“I understand.” Lucifer said. “But we are running out of time. If you can present a better alternative, then we shall use your plan. If not then I will move forward with battle preparations.”

“Yukio, you’re the smart one between us.” Rin said, a hint of desperation in his voice. “Do you have any ideas?”

“Could we convince Mephisto to drop the barrier somehow?” Yukio asked.

“He won’t go for it.” Rin said. “He gets away with a lot, but he’s not going to purposely risk his reputation with the Order. He’s already on thin ice when they found out he hid our existence. He won’t be doing us any favors anytime soon.”

“For the best results, you would have to close the gate as soon as the barrier drops.” Lucifer said. “There is no telling how quickly the gate will grow once it is able to.”

“And the Order will investigate the moment the barrier falls.” Yukio said. “Which means we need something to prevent them from interfering while we are closing the gate. Hence, the army to act as a… a deterrent? A barrier?”

“What if we make our own barrier?” Rin suddenly asked. “Like, to keep the Order out while I’m working on closing the gate?”

“Neither of us have the ability to create such barriers.” Lucifer said. “Your flames will not keep humans out and my vessel simply isn’t strong enough yet for such grand displays of power. And Mister Okumura doesn’t have enough power to sustain such a barrier. And, as I recall, after the incident with the Impure King, I believe that both Amaimon and Astaroth will be unwilling to assist us.”

Rin grimaced. “So… okay, so I need to be there when the barrier falls. And there’s going to be a lot of exorcists in the area, so we need something to stop them from stopping me. I’ll… I’ll figure something out. Maybe if I ask Father to help out on the other side…”

“I suspect with how unstable the gate is, this will be a two person job.” Lucifer said. “There will need to be one person on each side of the gate. And I do not think Mister Okumura has enough power or control to complete the job. It will have to be you and Father who does it.”

“What about a demon army?” Yukio asked. “Are there any demons we can summon to create a shield?”

“Demons are people too, Yuki.” Rin said. “That would be just swapping one army for another. Either way, people are going to get hurt, whether they’re human or demons.”

Yukio hummed.

“Let’s… let’s come back to that. I’ll think of something eventually.” Rin said. “Um, we also need to figure out how we’re going to drop that shield. I mean, we don’t have to “convince” Mephisto to get rid of it in the traditional sense. If we do enough damage to his vessel he’ll drop the barrier to focus on healing himself. But that runs the risk of him getting pissed off at us and doing something petty out of revenge.”

“So we send an assassin.” Yukio said. “What about Shima? He’s good at getting into places he shouldn’t.”

Yukio refrained from adding “like your pants” to the end of that sentence.

“He’s not an assassin.” Rin said. “He’s just a spy. I don’t know if he could do it.”

“I believe your feelings towards Mister Shima are clouding your judgement.” Lucifer observed. “However, it is a normal reaction to having one’s mate be sent into the den of an enemy.”

“He’s not my… nevermind.” Rin muttered, looking away, blushing furiously.

“I think I have a plan.” Yukio said. “We gather an army at the Gehenna gate, like we intend to do battle, but just have them stay there as a distraction. Then someone takes out Mephisto. In the chaos, in between waiting for the army to attack and trying to apprehend the assassin, there will be less attention on a small party entering the facility. Rin and I could sneak in and close the gate.”

“In that case, we could gather the army in a different location.” Rin said. “So they think we’re attacking somewhere else and pull some of their forces.”

“I’m not sure that will work.” Yukio said. “They may pull the higher ranking exorcists watching the gate, but the majority will stay. If they have the current Paladin himself watching over it, they won’t risk leaving it without protection.”

“I still don’t like this whole army business.” Rin grumbled. “I think we could just sneak in without all of that.”

“After what the Order was able to do to the two of you, I won’t allow it.” Lucifer said. “Even if you did have the necessary skills for a stealth approach, which you do not, it is too dangerous. The research lab was destroyed, yes, but it is highly likely some of the research materials were kept safe in a separate location. Father has entrusted your safety to me, and I will not fail him again.”

Rin growled, quiet and low.

“I’m sorry little brother, but I will not allow you to take such a risk.” Lucifer said, not sounding very apologetic. “We must create a distraction before you infiltrate the facility. The moment the barrier drops, they will send their forces to investigate. We must not allow them to interrupt your work.”

“How much time do we have until the barrier collapses naturally?” Rin asked.

“I am unsure.” Lucifer said. “However, we must be there when it collapses. I will give you a week to come up with a different plan. If not, then we shall engage in battle. I understand that the loss of life causes you distress, little brother, but you know that it is not always avoidable.”

Lucifer rose elegantly from the dining table. “I bid the two of you goodnight.”

Lucifer gave the twins a small bow and left the room.

“... he didn’t even finish his food.” Rin pouted quietly. “A freaking caveman. And to think he lectures me on manners.”

Yukio simply stared at Rin judgingly.

“Fuck it, I’m taking it with me.” Rin said. “I’m not letting it go to waste.”

Chapter Text

“I don’t know what to do!” Rin groaned. He collapsed on the couch, rubbing both of his hands across his face. “It seems like no matter what I do, nothing actually changes!”

“I believe in you.” Renzo said, sitting down next to Rin. Their legs were close to touching. “Maybe you can bounce some ideas off of me?”

“It’s not just the whole war thing.” Rin said. “No matter what I do, the timeline resists change. I knew it would be like this, I just…”

Rin grabbed a decorative pillow off of the couch and buried his face in it. He groaned loudly into the pillow in frustration. Blue flames flickered across his body. He sat back up, pillow in his lap.

“The only thing I’ve managed to accomplish is making sure my friends and my brother completely hate me!” Rin said. “I knew that would be the price of saving the world, but nothing is different! The Order and the Illuminati are marching to war just like last time and I don’t know how to stop it!”

“Well, think about it this way.” Renzo said. “You’ve been taking all this time to make sure Lucifer has a vessel that won’t cause him pain, right? So he won’t have the melt down that makes him want to destroy the world.”

“The research isn’t even complete.” Rin mumbled. “It’s at a better point than last time, but I don’t know if we can finish in time.”

“But it’s really close, isn’t it?” Renzo prompted. “That has to count for something, right?”

Rin sighed. “Yeah, I guess.”

“And did you close the Gehenna gate in the last timeline?” Renzo asked.

“No, I didn’t know how.” Rin said, shaking his head. “Plus we were too busy trying to stop Lucifer from opening more.”

“So if you can close the gate, which you seem pretty confident you can, that's a tangible change!” Renzo pointed out. “It may have taken a while, but things are different. They’re better, all because of you.”

“Maybe…” Rin said quietly. “What about you? Why are you still here? Don’t you want to go back? See your friends and family? If I can’t come up with a better plan, they could die in this battle. A lot of people will die.”

“It’s fine.” Renzo said. “They can hold their own. And besides, the only ones I really care about are Bon and Konekomaru. And since you care about them too, you won’t let them die even if the Order lets them fight.”

“Hmm?” Rin hummed, looking at Renzo confused. “What do you mean? Don’t you care about your family?”

“Not really.” Renzo admitted. “Look, I know people are supposed to like their family, but the way I see it, why should I have to love someone just because they happen to be related to me? I don’t owe them anything, I didn’t choose to be born.”

“That’s a little harsh.” Rin said. “But I guess I know what you’re feeling. Sometimes I wish I could be something other than the Son of Satan. Sometimes, I just want to be… just Rin.”

“Yeah. Besides, I know they don’t like me all that much.” Renzo continued. “I don’t feel the need for things like duty and responsibility, and they kinda hate me for that.”

“That’s not true!” Rin said. “They don’t hate you!”

“Why?” Renzo asked scathingly. “Because they’re family? Because they’re blood? I know you don’t like all of your siblings.”

“Uh… sorry.” Rin said, looking a little embarrassed.

“To be honest, I never understood why people always felt that way about family.” Renzo said. “I mean, even between married couples. So many people seem to hate their spouses, even the ones that supposedly fell in love and chose to get married! It never made sense to me why anyone stayed.”

“Did something change?” Rin asked.

Renzo looked away, a little surprised that Rin had picked up on his hidden meaning. He looked back at Rin, a little nervous about his answer. Rin sat there quietly, waiting until Renzo was ready to give his response.

“Rin.” Renzo said, his eyes full of emotion. “These past few days have been… I don’t know how to even describe how I feel. Even though we haven’t really known each other very long, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I’ve… never felt this way about anyone ever.”

“My whole life, I’ve always been told what my future would hold, what I would do, and how I should act. I guess some people are comfortable being told what to do, but I hated it. I hated not having a choice. It was always responsibility this, duty that. I never understood the concept of duty. Why should I have to be loyal to someone or something just because of how I was born?” Renzo scoffed.

“I didn’t want to live like that. Maybe in another life, if I had been the one to choose my path, I could have been happy in that life. But it just wasn’t for me. I never understood why Bon felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, why he felt like he had to carry the hopes and dreams of the entire Myoda on his shoulders, or why those people would put all of that on a freaking kid! I never understood why Konekomaru mourned his parents. He never even knew them. Hell, me and Bon were his real family! I didn’t understand why our parents couldn’t just love him as their own kid! And me! I was chosen by Yamantaka, that’s just what happened, but everyone always expected certain things from me just because I happened to be in the right place at the right time. No one ever considered what I wanted! What I needed! They only thought about what was best for themselves!”

Renzo took a deep breath. “Maybe it would be different if I actually liked them. I mean, I love Bon and Konekomaru. But the rest of my family? I could always feel they had barely hidden disgust for me. Because I didn’t work hard enough. Because I didn’t want the same things they wanted. Because I was different.”

Renzo spat out the word “different” as if it tasted foul in his mouth.

“How could I ever be loyal to people like them? Or even the Order? They never did anything for me, so why was it supposedly guaranteed that I should join them and give them my life and my loyalty?” Renzo continued. “I just wanted to run away from it all. I was loyal to myself first, and no one else. Even in all this spy business. People keep asking whether I’m on the side of the Order or the side of the Illuminati. It’s neither! I’m on my own side! I mean, I still care about Bon and Konekomaru, and I wouldn’t leave them to die or anything. But if it came down to it? I’d put myself over them in a heartbeat. I’d hate to lose them, but I am more important than anything we had.”

“I’ve tried to explain this to Bon once.” Renzo said. “I barely got anywhere before he started blowing up, yelling about responsibility and what not. That’s Bon for ya! I knew he wouldn’t understand, but I wanted to just tell someone. When I talked about it with Konekomaru, he tried to explain how he and Bon feel about the whole thing. I couldn’t understand it then, it was like trying to understand a foreign language you’ve never even heard before. But I think I’m finally starting to understand a little. I’m starting to understand why they care so much about family and loyalty. And it’s because of you, Rin.”

“Huh?” Rin said, visibly startled. He hadn’t expected to be addressed during Renzo’s rant. “Me?”

“Yeah.” Renzo nodded. “I… really like you, Rin. I want to be with you. For the first time in my life, I can say that I would put someone else’s needs above my own. I WANT to put you before myself. I want to be there for you, to take care of you when you need it and even when you don’t. And it’s really weird, ‘cause I’ve never…”

Renzo stood from his position on the couch only to immediately kneel down on one knee at Rin’s feet, his eyes shining as he looked up at Rin. He grasped the other’s hands in his own. “Rin, my Prince, from now on I want to give my life, my loyalty, to you. Screw the Order, screw the Illuminati, hell screw the Myoda. My loyalty is to you first, and myself second. I will follow you into the darkest depths of Gehenna if you ask me. I want to spend the rest of my life in your service, if you will let me.”

“That’s so gay.” Rin whispered.

“Oh come on!” Renzo whined. “You completely ruined the moment!”

Renzo stood up, sighing heavily. He let go of Rin’s hands, letting them fall into his lap. His expression was downcast, but resigned, as if he’d expected to be rejected. Rin tossed the pillow on his lap to the side and stood up. He stood very close to Renzo, wrapping his tail around the taller human’s waist.

“Sorry.” Rin snickered. “I love you too, Renzo.”

Renzo smiled. “I love you too.”

Renzo let his arms rest on Rin’s shoulders. The nephilim stood up on his toes, trying to make himself taller, leaning on Renzo to keep his balance. Renzo could feel his heart beating wildly, as if trying to burst from his chest. He leaned down, his face close to Rin’s. The two paused. Renzo could feel Rin’s hot breath on his face. They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity. Rin was the first to move, closing his eyes and pursing his lips. Renzo quickly reciprocated. The kiss was awkward and stilted and was over faster than either of them wanted. Neither wanted to cross a boundary with the other and ruin things before they even started. After they pulled away, the two just… looked at each other, not talking. Their faces were both bright red and burning.

“Hey are you hungry?” Rin suddenly said, a bit louder than he should be.

“Uh, sure!” Renzo said.

The two pulled away from each other.

“So, uh, what do you want to eat?” Rin asked. “I can make anything you want! Haha…”

“I’m totally cool with anything!” Renzo said. “Anything is good! I’m not too picky!”

“Cool!” Rin said. His face was bright red. His tail lashed nervously. “I’m! Going to go do that! Right now!”

“O-oh! Sorry!” Renzo said, moving out of Rin’s way.

“Cool!” Rin said. After a second he darted away into the kitchen. Renzo didn’t move, internally screaming, his face just as bright a red as Rin’s was. He was glad no one was here to witness that awkward mess.

Chapter Text

Despite Rin’s best efforts, a week after the dinner with Lucifer, the Illuminati’s army gathered near the unstable man-made Gehenna gate. The Order’s forces burst into a flurry of movement immediately, other exorcists from all over coming to join the outpost. Many demons had gathered around the barrier, many of them mid or upper level. They could all sense Gehenna through the barrier, but were unable to actually reach it. Many decided to settle in the area, watching and waiting. However, this many demons of so many types in one area was a recipe for disaster. It was a miracle that an all out battle hadn’t taken place yet. That didn’t mean there wasn’t a lot of demon on demon violence. The weaker demons were easy food, after all. And territorial disputes were inevitable as well, despite the temporary nature of said territories. But considering the solitary nature of demons, it was strange how so many of them tolerated being so close to the other demons. Even the demons who didn’t possess the ability of conscious thought knew that something was… different. The allure of Gehenna was too strong for some demons to resist. And so, they waited and watched. Keeping a close eye on the barrier, waiting for it to fall.

Rin stood on the edge of the Illuminati’s camp, staring at the giant purple and pink bubble. Snow fell from the sky in gentle flurries. The area was covered in a blanket of white, muffling the sounds of the gathered forces. The facility was located within a valley, the Illuminati’s camp sat on the rim overlooking it. The Order’s camp sat opposite of it, barely visible through the barrier. Rin was lost in thought, memories of the war in the alternate timeline flashing through his mind. Before this day, Rin had gone back to Gehenna and asked Satan to wait on the other side of the Gehenna gate. His father had readily agreed to help close it. Apparently it was causing problems in Gehenna as well. It was far enough away from Satan’s castle to not cause him any problems personally, but it was slowly and steadily growing larger despite the time lock on this side of the portal. Still, Rin was unsure if they would be able to close it. The two had only ever closed Gehenna gates that they had made themselves. This man-made one was incredibly unstable according to Lucifer. Would it even be possible? Or would it continue to grow and consume both Assiah and Gehenna?

Rin’s worried thoughts were interrupted by someone coming up behind him. The other pressed up against his back, resting their chin on the top of Rin’s head.

“Hey man.” Renzo said. Rin could feel the vibrations of his voice in his skull. “Whatcha thinking about? You look so serious.”

Rin leaned back onto Renzo, happy to have his warmth. “Nothing.”

“Oh yeah?” Renzo hummed.

“Yeah.” Rin echoed.

Renzo wrapped his arms around Rin. The two just stood there silently for some time.

“Are you scared?” Renzo asked.

“Are you?” Rin asked.

“Nah, I’ve got my big strong man.” Renzo replied cheekily.

Rin snorted, mildly amused.

“Well, that’s not completely true.” Renzo admitted. “You’re not that big.”

“Hey!” Rin protested, twisting out of Renzo’s hug. “I’m not that short!”

“Dude, I can literally use you as a chin rest.” Renzo laughed.

Rin grumbled angrily under his breath, but was smiling anyway.

“So…” Renzo said. “Are you ready? I’ve got your mask by the way.”

Renzo dug the small golden mask out of his pocket and held it out to Rin.

“No, I don’t need it anymore.” Rin shook his head. “I was only wearing it so people wouldn’t see me and figure out me and Yukio are related. But now that everyone knows he’s the Son of Satan too, there’s no point.”

Renzo hummed in acknowledgement.

“Well, if you don’t need it anymore, what do you want to do with it?” Renzo asked.

Rin took the mask from Renzo. He looked at it quietly for a moment. Then, out of nowhere, he snapped the mask. Rin tossed the fragments off the cliff, falling into the snow far below.

“I’m done with hiding.” Rin said. “I’m tired of running. I want… I just want this to all be over. I’m tired.”

Renzo squeezed his shoulder. “Hey, when this is all over, we can just… go wherever. We can take a break. And I’ll be here, I promise.”

Rin looked at Renzo. “I hope you can keep that promise.”

————————

Renzo trekked his way across the snow covered wasteland. Someone had managed to scrounge up a coat for him from somewhere, one that was a piece from the Order’s official uniform. It was a little big for him though. He approached the Order’s camp, calling out to the guards. After a little arguing, trying to prove that he was actually on their side, Renzo was eventually led to a tent. Inside was his target, Sir Pheles, along with the rest of the Order’s top brass.

“Ah, Mister Shima, you’ve returned.” Mephisto said. “I presume the Illuminati have a message for us if they’ve sent you back to us now?”

“Yes sir!” Renzo chirped. He pulls a rumpled envelope out of his coat pocket, handing it to the demon. “From your… brothers. Your eyes only.”

Mephisto used a claw to break the seal on the envelope and removed the letter. His eyes quickly scanned the page.

“It seems they want to meet with me.” Mephisto informed the rest of the room. “And I’m supposed to bring Mister Shima along too.”

“It’s clearly a trap.” Lewin said.

“Obviously.” Mephisto said. He placed the letter back into the envelope, folded it, and stuffed it in a pocket. “But is it worth it?”

Lewin hummed thoughtfully. He turned a critical eye towards Renzo. “Hey kid, do you know what they’re planning?”

“I heard that the Prince wants to close the Gehenna gate.” Renzo said.

“And what does Lucifer want?” Lewin asked.

Renzo shrugged unhelpfully. “I dunno. I think this is Rinka’s doing. But the Commander is here. I saw him myself.”

That put the people in the tent on edge.

“So they’re clearly feeding the kid fake info, to try and get us to lower our guard.” Lewin concluded. “That much is obvious. But what do they want with the gate? Why make it in the first place? What’s their end goal?”

“At this point I am unsure.” Mephisto admitted. “In the past, Lucifer confessed to wanting to destroy both Assiah and Gehenna, but I’ve noticed that in these past few months, he has… changed. I no longer believe he wishes to do so. However if that is the case, then I have no clue as to what he wants the Gehenna gate for.”

“Changed how?” Lewin asked.

“Ah, Mister Shima!” Mephisto suddenly exclaimed as if he was just remembering the boy was there. “Why don’t you go rest, change into something more appropriate for this weather, hm? There’s a supply tent nearby, tell them I sent you.”

Mephisto ushered Renzo out of the tent. “If the Illuminati want you back soon, you’ll need your strength! Let us work out the details for now, we’ll fill you in later.”

Renzo was pushed out of the tent back into the freezing cold air. He wrapped his arms around himself, shivering heavily. Still, he did as he was told. He made his way towards the back of the camp, where the supplies and medical tents were located. He was able to fetch an insulated version of the Order’s uniform, one that fit better than the coat he had, and made his way towards the back of the camp. As he left the supply tent, Renzo noticed a familiar face in the distance, carrying a stack of firewood.

“Hey Moriyama!” Renzo called, catching up to the girl.

Shiemi turned, her face lighting up in delighted shock.

“Shima!” Shiemi exclaimed. “When did you get back?”

“Just now actually.” Renzo said. “Hey, need some help carrying all that? It looks heavy.”

“Oh, thanks!” Shiemi said, letting Renzo take half of the firewood. “I asked Nii to make a bunch for everyone! I’m bringing this back to where me and the other cram students are staying! I’m sure they’d love to see you.”

“Lead the way, Miss Moriyama!” Renzo chirped.

Shiem and Renzo walked through the camp, eventually arriving at a small firepit, the other exwires huddled around it, trying to stay warm.

“What’s up, party people?” Renzo said cheerfully, dumping the firewood on a dry patch of ground.

“Renzo!” Konekomaru exclaimed. “You’re back!”

“How’d it go?” Ryuji asked.

“Pretty good I’d say.” Renzo said, squatting on the ground between Izumo and Ryuji. “Prince Rinka is officially my boyfriend now, by the way.”

“What?!” Izumo screeched. “You’re fucking joking! You don’t even like guys!”

“But the Prince likes me.” Renzo said, a smirk on his face. “Really, it’s just all in a day’s work for a spy.”

“Oh wow…” Shimei said, sitting on Izumo’s other side. “I didn’t even know guys could like other guys like that.”

Izumo looked at Shiemi weirdly. “That’s… seriously? That never occurred to you? That… makes a concerning amount of sense actually, now that I think about it.”

“Huh?” Shiemi squeaked. “What does that mean?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not a bad thing.” Izumo said.

“Oh- okay…” Shiemi said.

“Renzo.” Ryuji said. “Did he… are you okay? Did he do anything to you?”

“Hmm?” Renzo tilted his head towards Ryuji. “Nah, I’m good, man. We kissed once, cuddled a little, but that’s all. No need to worry about me, I’ve got it under control.”

“If you say so.” Ryuji said.

“Um, is Yuki- I mean Yukio, okay?” Shiemi asked. “I heard he was hurt pretty bad.”

“He’s doing alright.” Renzo said. “A bit more demon-y than before, but physically he looked okay. Mentally though? I’m not so sure.”

Shiemi looked down, an expression of worry on her face.

“Can he use the blue flames?” Konekomaru asked.

“A little.” Renzo admitted. “Nowhere near Rinka’s level though.”

The group sat around the fire for some time, sometimes chatting quietly, sometimes sitting in silence. They were eventually joined by Takara. No one asked where he had been, and he didn’t volunteer any information either. He remained quiet, not joining in any of the conversations. Without anything to do, the group was doing their best to not let the current situation stress them out. That being said, tensions were very high. Relaxation of any kind was nigh impossible.

“So, you gonna stick around for the battle?” Ryuji finally asked.

“I’ve got to go back soon…” Renzo explained. “I’m the messenger apparently.”

“So the Illuminati are willing to negotiate? Do you know why?” Konekomaru asked. “No one we’ve talked to knows why they’re attacking like this.”

“Sorry, can’t say.” Renzo shrugged.

“Can’t or won’t?” Ryuji asked bitterly.

“Does it matter?” Renzo asked.

Ryuji sighed. He didn’t answer. The fire crackled and popped, filling the silence that followed.

Shura approached the group, carrying several boxes. She was wearing a puffy coat and tall boots, but still had the same shorts that she always wore.

“Damn teach, aren’t you cold?” Renzo asked. “I’m wearing more than you and I’m freezing my ass off!”

“Eh, I’m used to it.” Shura said over the stack of boxes in her arms. “Also pants restrict my movement. They’re a real pain in my ass, literally.”

Renzo was the only one who laughed at that.

“Anyway, I brought you guys dinner.” Shura said, handing out the bento boxes. “It’s nothing good, but it should fill you up though.”

Shura dumped her ass on the frozen ground between Izumo and Renzo. She unwrapped her wooden chopsticks and began shoving food into her face. The rest of the group followed suit much less enthusiastically.

Shura looked up from her bento box, glancing around at the group sitting around the fire. She swallowed her mouthful of food in one big gulp. “What’s gotten y’all’s panties all in a twist? You all look like you’re gonna be sent to your deaths.”

“Isn’t that exactly what’s happening?” Izumo said, stabbing a chunk of unseasoned meat with a chopstick. “We’re just canon fodder in this war. I mean, why else would they bring untrained kids to the front lines?”

Shura sighed. “That’s not true. Hell, you guys probably won’t even be sent onto the battlefield. Like you said, you’re untrained. You’d just get in the way. But the camp always needs extra hands to do the chores no one else wants. You guys’ll be fine, I promise.”

“And if they do make us fight?” Konekomaru asked. “Then what?”

“Then… stick together and stay on the outskirts.” Shura said. “I’ll protect you guys, okay? As your teacher, y’all are my responsibility. I won’t let you get killed on my watch.”

The group ate in silence after that. The stress made it difficult to do much of anything. Everyone was thinking the same thoughts, but no one was brave enough to say them aloud. Eventually a messenger came and asked for Renzo to return to the war tent. He shoved the remaining pieces of food into his mouth and wiped the crumbs off on his sleeve. He stood up, placing his empty bento box and used chopsticks on the ground where he had been sitting.

“Wish me luck guys!” Renzo said, giving the group finger guns.

“Be safe.” Ryuji said, looking Renzo directly in the eye, his expression intense.

“You know me Bon, I’ll be fine!” Renzo said. He looked around the fire once again. The others just looked at him passively. Konekomaru was the only one actively avoiding eye contact with him. Renzo wondered how much he had figured out. He wondered how much Konekomaru would actually tell the others. He was always a lot more perceptive than the others, but didn’t have the courage to be able to back it up. He had definitely come a long way since they were kids, but something like this… yeah, Renzo didn’t need to worry. By the time Konekomaru managed to gather up the courage to admit to both himself and the others, Renzo would be long gone. He pivoted on his heel and walked away.

“You wanted to see me sir?” Renzo asked, ducking through the tent flap into the war room.

“Yes, Mister Shima.” Mephisto said. “I know the Illuminati are likely anxious for my reply, so I have another message for you to deliver. Come back here if you are able. If not, try to sabotage as much as you can and delay the inevitable. We need all the advantages we can get.”

“Yes sir.” Renzo said, carefully tucking the letter into a pocket.

“One more thing.” Lewin said. “Is there anything else you want to tell us? Something about the Illuminati that could help us? … anything at all?”

“Actually…” Renzo said. “I was going to mention this earlier, but I got kicked out too soon. Buuuuut… Prince Rinka and I are officially boyfriends. He asked and I said yes. I figured it would put me in a better spot to get info, ya know?”

“No wonder you are covered in his stink.” Mephisto said, waving his hand in front of his face as if trying to disperse a foul smell. “I was quite curious as to what on earth you had been getting up to over there to have so much of his scent on you.”

“Are you still loyal to the Order?” Lewin asked. “Would you put us over your new boy toy?”

“Actually it’s the other way around, I’m his boy toy.” Renzo replied cheekily. “And of course, I’m with the Order all the way, don’t worry!”

“Just checking.” Lewin said. “Can’t be too careful.”

“I get it.” Renzo said. “If you don’t need me here anymore, I’ve got a letter to deliver.”

Renzo patted the pocket containing the letter.

“One more thing.” Lewin said. “The next time you’re in bed with Rinka, slit his throat while he’s sleeping, okay?”

Renzo’s casual mask broke at those words. Real emotion started to creep onto his face. He quickly got it under control, his expression twisting into something closer to a grimace.

“Sir, with all due respect, I’m a spy, not an assassin.” Renzo said. “I don’t know if I could pull something like that off.”

“Eh, well just give it your best shot.” Lewin said. “I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

“Ignore him, Mister Shima.” Mephisto cut in. “Your role as a spy is much more valuable to us than your… proximity to Prince Rinka. Do not compromise your position unless necessary. You provide us with valuable intel, so don’t forget that. And neither should you, Mister Lightning.”

“Hey, it was just a suggestion.” Lewin shrugged, grinning. “No need to get all upset about it. Run along now kid. Go do what you need to do.”

Giving a short bow to his superiors, Renzo quickly rushed out of the tent. The tent flap fluttered in the breeze behind him. A few snowflakes fluttered into the warm tent, melting the moment they hit the ground.

“Do you think he was telling the truth?” Mephisto asked. “About being loyal to the Order.”

“I have no damn idea.” Lewin said. “And that fucking terrifies me! That kid is a master at lying. I wish I had his skills.”

“Don’t count yourself short, my dear Lightning.” Mephisto purred. “I think you are quite good at lying through your teeth.”

“Takes one to know one, huh?” Lewin retorted.

“Ladies, you’re both pretty, now stop flirting and sit your asses down.” Shiro called from the other side of the tent. “We still have a battle to plan.”

“Why are you even here, you’re not the Paladin anymore.” Lewin shot back. “You’re just a regular exorcist, even if you’re senior first class.”

“Because I’m still one of the best you’ve got.” Shiro said. “Now sit your ass down. Actually, you can stand for all I care. Just do your damn job, alright?”

Lewin grumbled petulantly, but did as he was told. He put his snow and mud covered boots on the war table, smirking at Shiro, in an obvious attempt to get a reaction out of the older man. Shiro, having raised twins (who were literal sons of Satan, one of them being Rin Okumura) was used to this kind of behavior, and just ignored him. Mephisto wandered over to his seat slowly, looking around towards the tent’s entrance distractedly.

“Is there something wrong, Pheles?” Lewin asked, raising an eyebrow at the demon.

Mephisto’s attention snapped onto the exorcist, his expression becoming mildly disgusted. “The only thing wrong here is your manners. Honestly, get your nasty feet off of the table. No one here wants to see that.”

Shiro sighed heavily as the two began bickering again.

Chapter Text

It was dark when the meeting finally came to a break. Mephisto walked out of the tent into the cold night air. He could see his breath in the air. He didn’t need to breathe, but he found that people tended to trust him more if he put forth the effort to appear human. Which was the reason he opted for heavier clothing at this particular moment. He was immune to the cold, he would not fall ill due to a little bit of snow, but no matter how hard he had tried he was unable to prevent his vessel’s automatic shivering when exposed to such cold climates. Plus, it was uncomfortable to be cold. Such are the downsides of a physical body, Mephisto mused. But being able to have access to all of the joys that those same senses gave him was well worth the discomfort. Mephisto looked up at the night sky, smiling a little. Yes, all of this was well worth it. But first, he would have to experience a little more discomfort.

Mephisto began walking towards the edge of the camp. You see, as the demon King of Time, he had the ability to see every possible timeline laid out in front of him. However, although he could see the outcomes of each path, the finer details were lost on him. For example, the best outcomes would come from him lowering the barrier he erected around the man-made Gehenna gate. There was a high likelihood that Rinka would actually close the gate, but there was still a significant chance that he would fail. Should he fail, the outcome would be the same as if he keeps the barrier up as long as possible, so there is no real reason for him to do so. However, while this wasn’t something Mephisto had foresaw, per se, but should the Order discover that he willingly lowered the barrier, he would be in hot water once again. After everything he had done recently, adding conspiring with both the Illuminati and Satan to that list may just push them over the edge. Mephisto was quite comfortable in his current position and would like to keep it for as long as he needed. That left just one way out. Allowing the Illuminati to “sneak up” on him and deal a nearly fatal blow to his vessel. The barrier drops, the battle begins, and Rinka gets the chance to close the Gehenna gate. However, Mephisto had no idea how this would happen. That was one of the “finer details” that Mephisto was unable to predict. But as time passed, it became increasingly clear that the barrier would drop one way or another, which meant that the Illuminati had already dispatched their assassin. Now it was up to Mephisto to simply make their job a little bit easier.

Mephisto stood on the edge of the camp, pretending to observe the massive barrier. It was truly one of his better works, in his humble opinion. Maintaining it had taken a lot out of him. But in the vast majority of timelines, he would be able to heal his vessel eventually. In the meantime, Mephisto allowed his senses to spread, searching around him for his would-be assassin.

“Oh?” Mephisto spoke. “I thought you said you weren’t an assassin, Mister Shima.”

There was a pause. Renzo stepped out of the shadows. Were Mephisto a regular human, he would have never noticed the boy. But considering the traces of his power that Rinka left on the boy, spotting him was child’s play.

“I’m not.” Renzo said. “Was I really that easy to spot?”

“If you weren’t covered in my little brother’s scent I don’t think I would have even noticed you.” Mephisto admitted, not turning around to face Renzo. “If I were human, I wouldn’t have known you were there.”

Renzo snorted, his face pink. “Well that’s a little embarrassing. I’m guessing you know why I’m here then?”

“I don’t actually.” Mephisto admitted. “I can see the future, but I’m not all knowing. But please, enlighten me. Why haven’t you delivered that message to the Illuminati yet?”

Mephisto heard the snow crunch under Renzo’s boots as he grew closer. Then, a few feet away, he stopped. Mephisto turned to face the human. He startled slightly in shock. Then he began laughing.

“My dear boy, you aren’t going to convince anyone you’re not an assassin like that!” Mephisto chuckled. “Where did you even get that?”

Renzo held a pistol aloft, pointed directly at the demon. His hands shook slightly. “I got it from the supply tent, you know, the one you gave me permission to raid. And besides, none of my usual weapons are effective against physical beings. Yamantaka’s flames only burn the soul and demonic energy, and the flames Rin lent me don’t burn humans. So, a regular old gun it is.”

“My boy, do you even know how to use that thing?” Mephisto asked, smirking.

“Wanna find out?” Renzo asked.

“Oh please.” Mephisto said dismissively. “You wouldn’t last a second in a fight against m-”

A loud bang echoed through the night. Mephisto felt the bullet make its home in his skull. He fell backwards into the snow. His ears rang. The dark sky loomed above him, the stars blotted out by the light of the camp. There was shouting in the distance.

“Damn, I was aiming for the chest.” Renzo grumbled, tossing the gun to the ground. “Oh well, that works too.”

Renzo walked forward, giving the fallen demon a wide berth. He continued forward, sliding down the snowy slope. He could hear shouting from the camp behind him, and the wheezing labored breathing of the King of Time. The barrier started to slowly crumble, the massive clocks falling to the ground in slow motion. It was like watching an avalanche. The demons nesting in the area exploded in a flurry of noise and movement. A dark cloud of demons took flight, those incapable of flight scattering across the ground. Some ran away from the disintegrating barrier. Some ran towards it. And others ran to avoid being trampled by the stampede. A wave of humans flooded down into the valley from the Illuminati’s camp, a thunderous war cry echoing all throughout the valley. The Order scrambled to assemble its forces, alarms crying out, sending them scattering like rats. Renzo grinned. What a time to be alive!

————————

Once Renzo left the Illuminati camp, Rin found a spot close to the barrier and hid. And waited. The sun started to dip over the horizon. It was absolutely freezing, but Rin’s flames kept him warm. He was sure Mephisto could sense he was here, but so long as he wasn’t actively attacking the barrier, Rin was confident the demon would leave him alone. All of the other demons in the area didn’t dare to get this close to the barrier, despite the call of the Gehenna gate inside, so he was safe from ambush on that front. But if the Order sent humans to patrol the area… it was unlikely, but the off chance that he would be caught kept him on edge. His outfit stood out against the snow, so despite the cover of the natural terrain he would be rather easy to spot if seen from the right angle. It grew even colder as night fell. The stars above twinkled silently. Rin watched them, wishing that he could be as far from his problems as the stars were from earth.

If only things had gone right the first time around, if only he was born human, if only… Rin sighed. If only his problems could be solved so easily. He wished that he could simply wash away his sins, right the wrongs he had committed. It didn’t matter that he was an infant the first time he killed, it didn’t matter that he was protecting himself and his mother, that he was working only on instinct back then. Even if he could atone for everything that he had done that night, his father’s sins would still follow him. He wasn’t his father, but with his flames, no one would be able to completely separate the two of them. With Satan being so unreachable, Rin would be forced to bear the consequences of his sins. He has been forced to carry those consequences for his entire life, even before he knew who his birth father was. Rin used to think that was unfair.

Rin was startled out of his thoughts by a loud crack. The barrier had begun to fall. Renzo had completed his mission. Rin reached out with his senses. When he found Renzo’s soul, still alive and well, he let go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding, breathing a sigh of relief. He could sense the human moving towards him, and by the looks of it, he wasn’t being followed. A cacophony of noise flooded into the once silent valley. Demons and humans alike descended into chaos as the barrier fell.

As soon as the cracks in the barrier were large enough for Rin to slip in, he stood up and sprinted inside. Time slowed around him, but it was quickly speeding back up to normal pace as the barrier continued to crumble. Rin ran into the research lab, quickly locating the tear in reality. It was honestly disgusting. He could feel the wrongness of it from the moment he entered the barrier. Standing so close to it made him feel almost nauseous. The jagged edges of the Gehenna gate slowly started sluggishly spreading, consuming everything it touched. Rin knelt as close to the edge of the gate as he dared. He reached through with his senses. His father, Satan, was waiting on the otherside. Satan sent a warm greeting in the demon language through to Rin, and excitement for battle. Rin sent back calm, serious, and scared. Satan responded with comfort and reassurance. Rin asked if Satan was ready. He received agreement, as well as a short explanation of how they should proceed. It was the same as they already discussed beforehand, but Rin appreciated the reminder. He was already incredibly nervous. If he couldn’t close the gate, then reality itself would begin to unravel at this spot. That was what had happened in the other timeline, when so many Gehenna gates had been torn open and left to fester. Rin took a deep breath to calm himself, and he began.

Rin closed his eyes, feeling the energy around him. Creating and closing a Gehenna gate usually felt like cutting a door into a wall, opening that door, then shutting it behind him. Then the universe would come and plaster and paint over the door, making it appear as if the door had never existed in the first place. Okay, so the metaphor kinda fell apart at the end there, but that was the general idea. Reality tore all the time and like a living being healing a small cut or scrape, the universe would automatically seal it up again. But a wound of this size needed outside help. Like someone who needs stitches to close a gaping wound. The process of closing the man-made Gehenna gate was almost light sewing in a strange way. Rin and Satan created a thread of blue flames and together they wove it through the edges. And the needle was… okay, there wasn’t really a needle in this comparison, but it’s whatever. Rin would take the “thread” and pierce it through, Satan would grab it on his end and send it back through. Slowly but surely the gate began to close. It wasn’t perfect, the edges of the gate were too rough and jagged for a clean stitch, and the gate struggled against them as they worked. It desperately wanted to spread and consume. Rin could tell that it wasn’t a conscious thing, but rather a defect that only grew bigger because of regular wear and tear. A weak point that yielded under the smallest of pressure.

Rin could hear creatures moving around him, demons drawn by the gate. He flared his power a little, warning them to stay away. He felt them reluctantly skitter backwards, hissing and growling, some of the braver ones making their displeasure known. But he could tell they were all incredibly on edge and impatient. They wouldn’t stay back forever. All Rin could do now was focus on closing the gate.

————————

Yukio pulled on a thick white jacket. The character for doctor was printed on the back in large black font. It was a part of the Illuminati’s field doctors. Yukio knew that the majority of exorcists wouldn’t attack a medic, regardless of which side they were on. So long as he kept the thick hood pulled up, no one should recognize him and he could move about the battlefield unhindered. He pulled a mask over the lower half of his face for extra anonymity anyways. He had been told to stay put, to stay safe, but screw that. Not only was he a trained doctor, but his new powers allowed him to heal people. If he was ever going to make up for the sin of being born, making sure as many people as possible survived this battle would be a first step (although, Yukio knew that no matter how many people he healed, he would never be able to cleanse himself of his sins, the blue flames under his skin were a sure sign of that. But to be fair, that wasn’t the real reason he was doing this. He saw how desperately Rin tried to stop this battle from happening, how heartbroken he was when he couldn’t stop it. If only he could have been more like his older brother. Rin may have inherited Satan’s power, but Yukio inherited Satan’s evil nature. It was the only explanation. Yukio may have been born with sin, but Rin was surprisingly pure, even after the horrors he had witnessed. Yukio knew, if Rin had been born human, his soul would be the purest of all).

Yukio slid down the hill into the valley. The snow had turned to mud here, after the entire Illuminati army had just charged in. His shoulder bag bounced against his side as he ran towards the chaos. The forces of the Illuminati and the Order had finally collided in the middle of the valley. Even from this distance, Yukio could detect the scent of blood in the air. All of his senses had grown much sharper ever since he had unlocked his flames, except, strangely, his vision (both Rin and Lucifer found this odd. Lucifer even had him checked for curses with no luck. It seems he was simply fated to have bad eyesight. However, his night vision did improve a little bit).

Yukio slid to a stop near the edge of the battle. It was overwhelming, everything was too loud, too cold, too… smelly. The scent of sweat and blood and demons burned his nose. Still, he couldn’t just leave, not now. Following the scent of blood, Yukio found his first patient. An Illuminati soldier with a bleeding leg. Not a fatal wound, so Yukio chose not to use his flames. Although it would be much easier to do so, he… didn’t want to. Not only would it give away his identity, he loathed using Satan’s flames. No matter how useful they were. So Yukio simply bandaged the wound and moved on. He continued to do this, helping any humans he could find. He even ran into an Order doctor that he recognized, that he had been almost friends with before. They didn’t recognize him. They looked up when he approached, nodded silently, and allowed Yukio to help patch up the wounded exorcist. No words were spoken between them. Once the job was finished, Yukio simply got up and moved on. He just had to keep moving.

But then, Yukio stopped. He smelled blood all around him, but there was a particular scent that was… familiar somehow. Although the scent was familiar, Yukio wasn’t able to place where he knew it from. And it was coming not from within the battle, but towards the edge of the forest. Despite everything, curiosity overtook him. Yukio looked around, then started running towards that scent.

————————

The exwires had reluctantly gone to bed when the sun finally set. Shura had shooed them into their assigned barracks and made sure they were all tucked in before grabbing a cot near the entrance, to make sure none of them snuck out. Ryuji had been staring at the roof for what felt like hours when the alarms started blaring. He was the first out of the group on his feet, blanket tossed on the ground, slinging the bag containing his rocket launcher over his shoulder. Shura was up on her feet as well, looking like she wanted to block Ryuji from leaving. He stopped in front of her, daring her to stop him. She had a look of pity on her face. This stare down lasted for only a second. Shura’s expression hardened into something unusually serious. She turned without a word and led them to the medical tent.

The medical tent was chaotic, like the rest of the camp. The doctors were packing up bags and rushing out, pushing past the exwires. Shura grabbed one of the doctors, stopping them.

“Hey, where the hell is everyone going?” Shura demanded.

“We have orders to help on the battlefield.” The exorcist said. “Only the bare minimum are allowed to stay, just the old guys who can’t move quickly. Even the exwires are supposed to go.”

“They’re kids!” Shura shouted angrily. “They can’t go into battle! They’re… they’re just kids!”

“Everyone has to go.” The exorcist shrugged. Shura released him, and the man scurried out of the tent.

“Damnit.” Shura swore under her breath. She turned towards her students. “Okay, here’s the plan. Stick to the back, and stay near me. I won’t let you kids die out here, got it? Not on my watch.”

The group set out, sticking to the back of the army as they descended into the valley below. People gave Shura dirty looks, probably for not heading to the front lines, but no one said anything about it. The two armies met in the middle of the valley, shouts and screams ringing out over the snow. A few demons charged in from the undergrowth, some trying to push past to the facility, others simply eager to join the fight.

Shura stopped the group at the edge of the valley and observed the battle for a few seconds. Ryuji grew impatient and tried to push past her, but she grabbed him by the collar of his jacket and stopped him.

“Hold your horses big guy, we’re not joining the party.” Shura said.

“But we have to!” Ryuji argued. “We have orders to-”

“Who cares!” Shura yelled. “I’m your direct commanding officer so you listen to me first, got it?”

Ryuji gaped at her outburst, the fight slowly draining from him. Shura released him.

“Look, the higher ups say you can’t stay in camp, you have to come and help out here, but they said nothing about you kids fighting.” Shura explained. “So we’re not gonna join the main fight.”

Shura pointed towards the edge of the forest where demons were streaming out. “Someone’s gotta do something about that, right? All those demons are looking to get to that old lab and they’re gonna barrel straight through the battle trying to get there. And that’s gonna cause a whole lot more injuries. So I figured we can go and set up some barriers or wards or something on the edge of the battlefield, stopping any more of them from coming in and mucking things up, you know?”

“How is that supposed to be less dangerous than joining the fight?” Izumo snapped.

“Have you ever killed a human before?” Shura asked, her voice ice cold. The exwires looked away, not answering.

“You’ve all been trained to fight and kill demons, but it’s a whole lot different when the enemy looks and acts and sounds like a person.” Shura explained. “Because the enemy out there? They’re all pure blooded humans. I know you kids, your hearts are too big for your own good. You’ll hesitate out there and hesitation will get you killed. Fighting demons isn’t new to you, even if these guys are a bit higher level than what y’all’re used to. Just stick close to me and do what I say without question or hesitation and I’ll make sure you all get out of here alive, got it?”

The group all nodded mutely. Shura gave them all one last look. She unzipped her jacket and drew her sword from her chest. “C’mon, let’s go.”

As they reached what Shura deemed a suitable distance from the main group of fighting, she pulled the quick-drying chalk-paint that the Order typically used to paint circles on the ground. A quick spell from Ryuji cleared out a chunk of snow from the ground. Shura quickly painted the first ward, telling Konekomaru and Ryuji to memorize it. Shiemi and Izumo fended off the majority of demons that approached them. Thankfully they only encountered mid-level demons for the moment. Once it was done, they moved to a new spot. Konekomaru and Ryuji took up drawing and chanting for the rest of the circles, Shura joining the other girls in protecting the Arias as they worked. The group moved and worked with efficiency, but the valley was large and it was unlikely they would make a sizable dent before the battle concluded. Everyone knew that doing this was just Shura’s excuse to keep them away from the main fight. It was a flimsy excuse, but no one protested.

For the most part, the demons actually ignored the humans. They were more focused on getting to the facility at the center of the valley. A few demons stopped to try and fight them, but Shura was able to make quick work of them with her sword. This whole thing was going unexpectedly smooth and none of them had been injured yet.

Of course, that was the moment that disaster struck. Ryuji had put down his rocket launcher so he could paint faster. Konekomaru stood on the edge of the snow-cleared ground, already chanting the incantation. That was when a large demon burst from the forest, charging straight for them. The demon resembled a rhinoceros, a large dangerous-looking sharp horn on its face. The girls leapt into action, trying to divert its path to no luck. Shura was unable to slice through its thick skin and it easily broke through the vines that Shiemi had summoned to divert its path. It was charging in a straight line towards the laboratory and Konekomaru and Ryuji were directly in its path. Konekomaru stopped chanting and sprinted out of the way, tripping and face planting in the snow. Ryuji wasn’t as lucky. He stood up, trying to dodge, but the horn grazed him, throwing him to the side. The demon continued its charge, ignorant of the damage it had just wrought, or simply didn’t care.

“Shit!” Shura yelled, running to Ryuji. There was a large gash in his side and it was bleeding heavily. She dragged him under the cover of a large boulder and propped him up against it. “Damnit, I said I was gonna get you out of here alive and I’m not gonna go back on my word now!”

Shura took off her jacket and pressed it to Ryuji’s side to try and slow the bleeding. Ryuji yelled in pain. Sweat dripped down his face, his eyes squeezed shut in agony.

“Moriyama!” Shura barked. The girl jumped in surprise. “Can you summon any kind of, I dunno, an herb that slows bleeding?”

“Oh, um, I…” Shiemi stammered, tears forming in her eyes. “I don’t think there’s an herb that can stop that much bleeding… it’s too much…”

“Damnit, just give me something!” Shura yelled. “Anything!”

Konekomaru knelt in the snow next to his childhood friend.

“Bon… please, just hang on!” Konekomaru wailed. “You can’t die here! Don’t leave me alone Bon!”

Ryuji didn’t answer, clearly in too much pain to properly respond. Or perhaps he had already lost too much blood. His muscles were starting to lose tension and relax.

“Damnit kid don’t fall asleep!” Shura yelled. “Don’t… don’t you dare fall asleep! Open your eyes! Fuck!”

Izumo grabbed Shura’s bag, pulling out the medical supplies the exorcist had packed. With shaking hands, she pulled out a roll of bandages and handed them to Shura. Shura tossed the blood soaked jacket to the ground and started wrapping the white bandages tightly around Ryuji’s midsection. They bled through the second they touched the wound.

“Damnit, it’s too deep.” Shura cursed.

“There’s a needle and thread in here.” Izumo said, pulling out a small plastic box. “Can we sew up the wound?”

“No, the edges are too rough and a chunk of skin was taken out.” Shura said. “It won’t hold.”

“What if we cauterize the wound?” Izumo asked.

Shura sighed in defeat. “No, that’ll just kill him faster. We… we need to stop the bleeding somehow. Do we have any more bandages or gauze?”

“No, that was all of it.” Izumo said, digging through the bag.

Konekomaru was openly sobbing by now, clutching tightly onto Ryuji’s arm. Tears were streaming down Shiemi’s face and even Izumo looked devastated. Shura herself looked like she was about to start crying herself, but was still looking around, for anything she could use. But despite all of her training there she couldn’t think of anything. Ryuji wouldn’t make it back to camp and there were barely any doctors that had been left behind. Logically Shura knew there wasn’t anything she could do in this situation, but she had promised these kids that they would all make it out alive and she refused to give up on that promise now.

Shura startled as she saw someone in the distance running towards them, wearing all white.

“Hey!” Shura yelled, waving an arm in the air. “Over here!”

Izumo and Shiemi turned and looked where Shura was waving.

“The hell?” Izumo muttered. Her eyebrows widened. “Wait, that’s an Illuminati uniform!”

“Who cares!?” Shura yelled. “The only thing that matters now is if they can help!”

Izumo looked unsure, but didn’t argue. The figure came to a stop a few yards away. They wore the white jacket and pants of the Illuminati uniform, the organization’s logo printed over the right side of the chest. The person wore a mask over the lower half of their face, and the upper half was covered by frost covered glasses. They had a bag slung over their shoulder, unzipped. The person wore blood streaked blue latex gloves over the white winter gloves. The front of the uniform was splattered with blood as well.

“Are you a medic?” Shura asked, quickly analyzing the outfit. The person nodded hesitantly, his gaze evidently landing on Ryuji. “Great, do something.”

Instead of walking forward, the person instead reached up towards their face and pulled down their face wrap and thick hood.

“Yukio!?” Shiemi squeaked in surprise.

Izumo was instantly on guard, her familiars growling at the nephilim in response.

“Wait, please…” Yukio said, holding up his hands in surrender. “I can help, I-”

Konekomaru stood up, drawing his knife. “Why?”

“... what?” Yukio asked.

Konekomaru stalked closer to Yukio, holding his knife at his side. “Why do you want to help us? The Order tortured you. They tried to kill you! What do you gain from this!? Why help us!? We’re your enemy, aren’t we?”

Yukio was quiet for a few moments, looking at Konekomaru with an unreadable expression.

“You aren’t the real enemy here.” Yukio finally said. “Please, just let me help.”

Konekomaru’s hands shook. After a few moments of mental deliberation, he stepped out of the way. “Fine.”

Yukio lowered his hands and rushed over to Ryuji. Shura scooted out of the way so Yukio could kneel where she had been, her hands still pressed against Ryuji’s side.

“Did you pack the wound?” Yukio asked. He stripped off his latex gloves and replaced them with a clear pair from his bag.

“No. Fuck, I knew I forgot something.” Shura cursed.

Yukio moved Shura’s hands and jacket off the wound and quickly unwrapped the bandages. “In my bag, get packing material, bandages, and…”

Yukio trailed off as he saw the full extent of the wound.

“Can you save him?” Shura asked.

“I…” Yukio stammered. “I might…”

Yukio slowly took off his gloves, then with shaking hands, he pulled off the thick winter glove on his left hand. He looked at it for a few seconds, then took a deep breath. All of a sudden, Yukio’s hand was wreathed in blue flames. The air somehow grew colder.

“Woah! Yukio, what are you doing?” Shura exclaimed in surprise.

The flames in Yukio’s hand extinguished as he felt the cold bite of sharp metal against his neck. Konekomaru grabbed Yukio’s hair to prevent him from leaning away from his knife.

“Don’t you fucking dare.” Konekomaru hissed.

“Woah, hey, why don’t we all calm down a bit.” Shura said, trying to diffuse the situation. “Yukio, explain yourself.”

“I have healing abilities.” Yukio explained. “The wound is too large to heal without more advanced medical care. He’s lost too much blood and I don’t have the right supplies in my bag to give him what he needs.”

Konekomaru’s hands shook.

“Miwa, I just want to help.” Yukio said softly. “Do you trust me?”

A few tense seconds went by. Konekomaru finally released Yukio, letting the knife drop to his side. “No, I don’t. But he’ll die either way. Just… do what you have to.”

“Thank you.” Yukio said. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The flames burst to life around his hand once again. Yukio opened his eyes and slowly pressed his flaming hand to Ryuji’s side. Ryuji groaned, but otherwise didn’t react. The wound slowly started to close, skin growing and stretching to cover the hole in his side, the bleeding finally stopping. Everyone held their breath as Yukio finally extinguished the flame. His hand was now covered in Ryuji’s blood. He made a half hearted attempt to wipe it off on his pants. Ryuji’s eyes flickered, then opened.

“Bon!” Konekomaru yelled, pushing Yukio out of the way and throwing himself on his friend. He wrapped his arms around Ryuji’s shoulders and held him tight.

“Ack!” Ryuji choked. “Can’t… breathe…”

Konekomaru let go quickly, but otherwise didn’t move. “Sorry! I was so worried! Are you okay? Does anything hurt?”

“No, just… wait, Okumura? When did… what happened?”

“That demon came charging out of nowhere and got you good.” Shura explained. “Yukio showed up right around then and used his fancy new powers to heal you.”

Yukio pulled his glove back on, standing up and taking a step back.

“Wait, how did you know we were here?” Izumo asked, incredibly suspicious. “We’re nowhere near the fight and you came straight for us!”

“Um… I could smell Mister Suguro’s blood.” Yukio said.

“Heh?” Shura exclaimed. “The hell is that supposed to mean? How’d you know it was Suguro anyway?”

“I… my senses are better than they were before.” Yukio admitted, embarrassed. “I thought it smelled familiar and I came to see what it was.”

“... right, sure.” Shura said. “Doesn’t make sense to me, but I don’t really care. All that matters is that you were able to stop the kid from bleeding out.”

Ryuji stood up, brushing the snow off of himself. His hand hovered over the bloodstained tear in his jacket. Konekomaru clung to Ryuji’s arm on his non-bloodied side.

“We should head back to camp.” Konekomaru said. “You’ll freeze to death with your clothes like that.”

“The battle’s not over yet.” Ryuji said, shaking his head. “We can’t just leave.”

“Hey, speaking of…” Shura said. “Yukio, what the hell is going on here? None of us were told jack shit. I know that the building over there was some kind of Illuminati lab at one point, but what’s in there that’s got every human and demon wanting to get in? What is the Illuminati protecting?”

“It’s a man-made Gehenna Gate.” Yukio said. Everyone gasped sharply in surprise. “It’s unstable, that’s why Sir Pheles put that barrier up around it. But Rinka wanted to close it. So he’s in there now trying to close it.”

“And you trust him?” Shura asked. “You’ve only known this guy for what, a few weeks? Do you believe he’s actually trying to close it and not, I dunno, make it bigger? Make it stable so it can stay open forever?”

Yukio didn’t respond.

“Can we really trust what Okumura believes?” Izumo asked. “I mean, sure he healed Ryuji, it’s hard watching someone you know die, but would he really help us outside of that? I mean, we’re with the Order after all.”

“I trust Yuki!” Shiemi exclaimed. “I’ve known him my whole life! Even if he has demon powers now, I don’t think that he would just change like that! I believe he will do what is right, no matter what! That is the Yukio I know!”

“So kid?” Shura prompted. “Do you trust Rinka?”

“... no.” Yukio finally admitted. “I… I honestly don’t know what is the truth and what isn’t. I want to believe that he’s in there closing the gate, but…”

“Trust, but verify.” Konekomaru said.

“Yeah, that.” Yukio said.

“So we have to get in there somehow.” Ryuji said, determined.

“Like hell!” Shura yelled. “I brought you kids out here so you wouldn’t be caught up in all the fighting! If the Order’s entire army can’t get through the Illuminati, then how are we supposed to?”

“I might be able to teleport us there.” Yukio admitted. “I… I haven’t teleported more than myself before, but I’ve seen Rin…ka do it. I know it’s possible.”

“You can…! nevermind.” Shura said, shaking her head. “Are you sure it’s safe?”

“I think so?” Yukio said, nervousness creeping into his voice.

“That doesn’t sound very reassuring…” Izumo said.

“We have to get in there one way or another.” Ryuji declared. “Just get us in as close as possible, okay?”

“I don’t like this.” Konekomaru said.

“Me neither.” Izumo agreed.

“Well in that case you can both stay behind!” Shiemi yelled. “I believe in Yukio! I don’t care if it’s dangerous! If there’s a threat to the entire world in there, we might be the only ones with a chance to stop it! I’m going to take that risk!”

The group all looked shocked at Shiemi’s outburst. The girl was normally so mellow and nonconfrontational.

Yukio cleared his throat. “Everyone who wants to go, hang on to me.”

Yukio extended an arm towards Shiemi who took it and held on tight. Shura grabbed Yukio’s hand. Ryuji held Yukio’s upper arm. Grumbling, Konekomaru grabbed a part of Yukio’s coat that wasn’t bloodstained. Izumo sighed, and grabbed Yukio’s shoulder with one hand.

Yukio took a quick breath. “Everyone ready?”

Everyone nodded. Yukio closed his eyes and focused. The group was engulfed in blue flames and disappeared from the spot. The flames didn’t even melt the snow that they touched. Silence fell over the clearing, leaving nothing behind but the remains of Ryuji’s blood that had spilled onto the snow.

Chapter Text

The group landed on a metal floor with a loud clang. The room was dark, illuminated only by blue light coming from a platform above them. Yukio stumbled and fell backwards. Blood gushed from both of his nostrils. Shura caught Yukio before he could hit the floor. Everyone else scrambled backwards away from Yukio as quickly as they could.

“Yukio! Shit, he over did it.” Shura said. “He’s out cold. Imma find somewhere with cover and draw a barrier spell. The rest of you, try not to die or I’m gonna beat your ass.”

The group looked around at their new surroundings. Demons of all kinds lingered in the shadows, growling and hissing and spitting at one another, but keeping their distance.

“The hell?” Shura said. “What’s keeping them back?”

“I think it’s him.” Konekomaru said, pointing upwards. On a catwalk high above, a figure was kneeling, wreathed in blue flame. And above him was an unsettling black void that looked… wrong. There wasn’t any better way to describe it than just plain wrong, like reality itself had a hole ripped in it. Everyone was immediately set on edge as they saw it, anxiety spiking even higher.

“Shit.” Shura said. “I can’t tell what he’s doing, but I don’t like the looks of it.”

“You stay here, we’ll go.” Ryuji said.

“And do what?” Shura barked. “He kicked my ass when I fought him, what makes you think you can do anything?”

“We can at least distract him, interrupt whatever he’s doing.” Ryuji shrugged. “And I still have the last spell the research team produced memorized. I can injure him if I have enough time to draw a circle under him.”

Shura looked unsure, but eventually relented. “Fine, just… stay down here, okay? So long as the circle is underneath him, it shouldn’t matter how far above he is. The longer it takes for him to realize we’re here the better.”

Ryuji nodded. Shura dug into her bag, grabbing the leftover chalk-paint. She split it half and half between herself and Ryuji, then the two groups split. Shura dragged Yukio off to a quiet corner and began drawing a protective circle around them. Ryuji took the chalk in hand, looking up to find a spot where Rinka was directly above him. He quickly marked it as the center of the circle, and was about to start barking orders to the other exwires when something caught him and the others by surprise.

“Hey Bon!” A cheery voice called from above. Everyone looked up to see Renzo leaning over the railing of a catwalk. It was the one lowest to the level that the exwires were on. He was close enough for them to see his smirk. “Long time no see!”

“Renzo?” Ryuji exclaimed.

Renzo jumped over the railing and landed with a heavy thud on the metal floor. The rings of his K’rik jangled loudly. He stood up, facing the others, his posture relaxed. The inside of the abandoned Illuminati facility was much warmer than outside, so Renzo had unbuttoned the top half of his standard issue Order coat, revealing the Illuminati uniform underneath. Ryuji’s eyes darkened as he saw it.

“Who’s side are you on?” Ryuji asked angrily. “Are you with the Order or the Illuminati?”

Renzo snickered, then burst out into a full belly laugh. He doubled over, clutching his stomach, tears forming at his eyes.

“This isn’t a game, Shima!” Ryuji yelled. Renzo stood up, his laughter fading back into chuckles and stopping. He wiped the tears from his eyes.

“I know that Bon.” Renzo said, smirking. “The Order… the Illuminati… I couldn’t give a shit about either!”

Ryuji gasped.

“Honestly, it’s hilarious that you still think that those are the only two sides anyone can be on.” Renzo continued.

“So who’s side are you on?” Ryuji asked. “Are you with us? Or are you just doing this for yourself, like you keep saying?”

“Actually… for the first time in my life, I’m not doing this for myself.” Renzo admitted, a strange look coming over his face.

“Then why?” Ryuji asked. “And what the hell are you doing? Are you with us or against us?”

“Bon…” Renzo said. He spread his arms wide and grinned. “I’m in love!”

“... huh?” Ryuji asked, his anger fading into complete confusion.

“Yeah, I totally didn’t see that one coming either.” Renzo admitted. “I never thought anyone could ever like a liar like me, but Rinka? He doesn’t care. And I love him for it. For the first time in my life, I’m not doing something for myself. I’m not on the Order’s side, I’m not on the Illuminati’s side, I’m on Rinka’s side and no one else’s.”

Ryuji sputtered, his anger returning. “Rinka!? Are you insane?!”

“Probably!” Renzo said. His cheery demeanor suddenly shifted into something more serious. “And let me say, I heard everything you said. I won’t let you attack him, got it? You and Koneko may be like brothers to me, but you’re currently third on my list of priorities, under myself and Rin. I don’t want to hurt you, but don’t think I won’t if you make me.”

“He’s lying to you!” Ryuji yelled. “Okumura said that Rinka’s supposedly trying to close the gate, but what motivation does he have? Wouldn’t it benefit him if his and Satan’s armies had a permanent gate between Gehenna and Assiah? Can’t you see he’s manipulating you?”

Renzo scoffed. “Okay, I have no idea where you got that idea, and I know from experience that no matter what proof I tell you, you won’t change your mind. So I’m not even gonna try! But let me get one thing straight. Lying might be a dealbreaker in a relationship for you, but I’d have to be the biggest hypocrite in the world to let it turn me off. Rinka and I, we’re both liars, and I’m never going to find a human who’s okay with someone like me. I don’t care if he’s lying to me cause I’m probably lying to him without realizing it! Bon, I’ve been lying for so long that even I don't know where the lies end and the truth begins. I don’t know who I really am anymore! And you know what? He’s okay with that! And I’m not about to just give up something so good. I don’t care if you don’t understand, I won’t try to make you understand. I’m not moving. So leave before I have to do something we’ll both regret.”

Ryuji gnashed his teeth angrily. “Renzo… you fucking asshole…”

Renzo simply smirked. He twirled his K’rik in his hand and slammed the end against the ground twice. The ringed end burst into blue flames. The others gasped, all of them finally dropping into combat stances.

“Oh, and he gave me this little gift earlier.” Renzo grinned. “To make sure I can protect myself. And if you want to hurt him, you’re all gonna have to go through me first.”

Ryuji was the first one to move, letting out a war cry. He lunged towards Renzo with nothing but his bare fists. His rocket launcher bounced against his back. Renzo ducked under the first punch, nailing Ryuji in the side with the non-burning end of his K’rik. Renzo’s eyes widened as he finally noticed the blood on Ryuji’s side. He jumped back away from Ryuji.

“Shit, Bon! Are you okay?” Renzo asked, genuine worry in his voice. “That’s a lot of blood!”

“I’m fine, Okumura healed it.” Ryuji growled. He lunged again. This time, Renzo twirled out of the way, dodging instead of fighting back.

“Mike! Uke!” Izumo yelled. “Get him, but watch out for the flames!”

The two fox spirits lunged, their fangs bared. Renzo expertly twirled his K’rik, the two spirits having to swerve to avoid the blue flames.

“Nii! Hold him down!” Shiemi yelled. Her familiar squeaked and vines burst forth from it. They quickly surrounded Renzo, but he simply touched it with the flames and suddenly all of the vines were being consumed by the blue fire.

“You better watch out! If those flames get all the way to your familiar they’ll kill it!” Renzo sing-songed, dodging and weaving to avoid the onslaught from Ryuji and the fox spirits.

“Nii! Release, quickly!” Shiemi yelled. Nii dropped the vines to the ground moments before they were fully consumed by the blue flames and turned to ash. She held Nii close to her chest, grateful that it hadn’t been burned. She watched the fight, but didn’t jump in again.

Renzo swung his K’rik low, the flames just barely grazing the fur of one of the fox spirits. It howled in pain, retreating from the fight.

“Mike!” the other fox yelled.

“No!” Izumo yelled. “What have you done!?”

The fox rolled on the ground, attempting to put the flames out. The flames did finally die down, but a black scorch mark was left on the spirit. It had not just burnt away the fur, but a chunk of the spirit’s body as well. It was as if a chunk had been taken out of its side, leaving behind a charcoal black divot.

“Mike, are you okay?” Izumo asked frantically.

“Nothing rest can’t fix.” Mike said. “I’m afraid… I will have to drop out of this fight, Master.”

“Okay… you go rest.” Izumo whispered.

“I will stay and protect you.” Uke said. “But I’m not going near that maniac again.”

“That’s fine.” Izumo whispered. Mike faded back into the ether, leaving just one fox spirit behind. Tears formed in Izumo’s eyes, but her sadness quickly turned to anger. She could no longer attack with her familiars, but she was seconds away from attempting to punch Renzo in the face like Ryuji was currently trying to do. But unlike Ryuji, she would be smart about it and not just flail around hoping to hit him.

Ryuji on the other hand had switched from punching to swinging his rocket launcher like a blunt weapon.

“Come on Bon.” Renzo teased. “Why don’t you use that thing like you’re supposed to?”

Ryuji simply screamed wordlessly in rage.

“Gee, guess you’re not the type to banter, huh.” Renzo remarked. With a swift twirl of his K’rik, he swept Ryuji’s legs out from under him, causing the larger teenager to fall with a heavy thud. His head slammed painfully against the metal floor with a loud clang. Renzo winced at that, but didn’t try to help out. He took a few steps away from Ryuji and watched as he struggled to get back up.

“Does anyone else want to try?” Renzo asked with a smirk.

Konekomaru walked forward slowly, his knife in hand. He wasn’t brandishing it, but it was simply hanging at his side, his grip loose. Renzo leveled his K’rik at him, a smirk on his face.

“What’dya got for me Koneko?” Renzo asked. “You gonna try and stop me with just that little knife, huh?”

Konekomaru didn’t answer, just continued to approach. Renzo stood his ground, the blue flames pointed directly at his old friend. When Konekomaru was within arm’s reach, his arm shot out and before Renzo could react, he grabbed the main ring of the K’rik His hand sat directly in the blue flames. Everyone watched with a mix of terror, shock, and confusion. But instead of screaming in pain, Konekomaru remained silent. In fact, everyone was silent, watching as Konekomaru’s skin remained unburnt and unblemished. Konekomaru smirked.

“Woah, hey!” Renzo exclaimed, trying to pull his K’rik from Konekomaru’s grasp unsuccessfully.

“I knew it.” Konekomaru said.

“Uh, what the fuck?” Izumo exclaimed. “Care to explain?”

“You said that Rinka was the one who gave you these flames.” Konekomaru explained, maintaining direct eye contact with a panicked Renzo. “Rinka’s flames don’t affect humans.”

“Yeah, but I could have been lying!” Renzo shrieked. “What if I was lying, huh? Would you really just stick your hand in and hope they were Rinka’s and not, I don’t know, Satan’s?”

“Okumura’s flames were cold.” Konekomaru explained. “Whenever we encountered Rinka, his flames were warm, but only around room temperature at most. And that night Rinka broke into the lab, the flames around Father Fujimoto, Satan’s flames, they were hot. When I got close, I didn’t feel the heat that I felt that night, so I knew it had to be Rinka’s flames.”

“You’re fucking insane.” Renzo said. “And also way too smart. Man, I was hoping to get through this without having to resort to actually dangerous methods.”

Renzo finally yanked his weapon free from Konekomaru’s grasp. Konekomaru raised his knife, ready to fight. The blue flames on the K’rik changed from blue to black.

“Looks like I’m going to have to get serious.” Renzo said, all traces of humor gone from his voice.

“You finally managed to learn how to control Yamantaka?” Konekomaru asked.

“Eh, being the boyfriend of the Son of Satan made him a lot more cooperative.” Renzo shrugged. “But yeah, I did. I didn’t want to do this, but you leave me no choice. You really are too smart for your own good, Konekomaru.”

Ryuji finally managed to drag himself off the floor, shaking his head. He definitely had a concussion or something, but he couldn’t let that stop him. Seeing Renzo, he unzipped the bag holding his rocket launcher. If Renzo wasn’t holding back anymore, then neither would he. The five children prepared for a real fight this time.

And then something above them exploded.

Chapter Text

Rin was struggling to concentrate on the task in front of him when he heard footsteps approaching him. He let his awareness spread. It was a human, to be specific, it was Renzo. Rin felt warmth fill his chest. Satan sent a questioning tone through the Gehenna gate. Crap, Rin didn’t mean for him to hear that. He sent through a mental image of Renzo, explaining that he was a friend. Satan’s response was teasing and proud and… images of a human woman. It took a moment for Rin to place where he’d seen her. He felt his face grow warm at what exactly his father was implying. Rin screamed shut up over and over in the demon language until Satan started laughing. Rin shook his head, trying to regain focus. He and Satan continued to weave their power through the Gehenna gate, slowly pulling it shut. Renzo stood nearby, just watching, for a while. Eventually, he wandered off to another part of the laboratory.

Rin wasn’t sure how long he had been at it when he felt Yukio’s power flare inside of the lab. Rin felt a pang of worry. What was Yukio doing here? He was supposed to stay at the camp. It would be fine, Renzo could take care of him. Rin just had to focus. He could hear human voices echo throughout the building, but the meaning of the words were lost on him as all of his concentration was focused on closing the gate. He felt a pull on his demon heart as Renzo activated the gift Rin had given him, a piece of his flame that he could call on at any time. Rin ignored it. He had to stay focused.

The gate was almost finished. He could barely hear Satan’s voice through the gate anymore. It was becoming more and more difficult to thread their power through the fabric of reality to sew it up. But that seemed like a good thing, Rin thought. It meant that reality was becoming less thin in this spot. It was still extremely thin, much more than normal, but that should heal on its own. Probably. When Rin could no longer hear Satan’s voice through the gate, Rin decided to tie off the end of the “thread” and wait to see if their patch job would hold. For a moment, it seemed like it would burst and the Gehenna gate would just break open the flood gates. But then the seams of reality started to merge back together, reality able to finally fix itself with the blue flames helping to hold it together as it healed. Rin could feel hope soar in his chest. This was really actually working! Slowly the tear in reality closed and then… it began to shake.

Rin felt that hope in his chest plummet and die. If it reopened now… fuck, this wasn’t good. Rin inspected it closer. The Gehenna gate had closed, but by “sewing” it shut with the blue flames, he and Satan had poked a bunch of tiny holes in the fabric of reality. And now that the big gash was gone, it was trying to heal those tiny holes. Except the blue flames were still threaded through those holes. Rin watched as the “thread” shuddered and convulsed. And then all at once it was expelled from the fabric of reality.

A massive explosion whipped past Rin, throwing him from the platform. Rin slammed against the wall behind him. He dug his claws into the metal, stopping his descent. He hung from the wall, staring intently at the space where the Gehenna gate used to be. The veil between Assiah and Gehenna there was unnaturally thin. Typically it only got like this right before a natural Gehenna gate was about to open, and it didn’t stay like that for long. But although the man-made Gehenna gate was sealed, the gash in reality healed, it was still raw. It needed more time to go back to normal, if it ever went back to normal. This area might just remain a thin spot between Assiah and Gehenna forever, but as long as no one messes with it anymore it should be fine. Hopefully.

Rin looked down where he sensed Renzo and Yukio earlier. His eyes widened at the scene. Chunks of building material engulfed in blue flame were raining down on the group of humans below. The demons that had come for the Gehenna gate were all trying to flee, but the humans were stuck. And it wasn’t just any group of humans, but Rin’s friends. Shiemi, Izumo, Konekomaru, Ryuji. Shura was there too, holding a limp Yukio. And Renzo had pulled out Yamantaka. In fact, all of them looked ready to fight Renzo who was currently backed into a corner, unwilling to hurt his friends. What the hell had happened while he was fixing the gate? There was no time for that now, he had to get everyone to safety. But between the burning building and the horde of demons still inside the building, there was nowhere for them to go.

Rin teleported down to the ground next to Renzo and grabbed him by the arm. He teleported the two of them over to Shura and Yukio. Shura had drawn a protective circle around them. She pressed a wad of bloody bandages to his nose. She looked up when he teleported next to her, jumping in surprise at his sudden appearance.

“Fuck!” Shura cursed.

Rin strode forward, but was forcefully stopped at the edge of the circle as if he’d just speed walked into a wall. He took a step back, shaking his head. Renzo stepped forward cautiously, testing to see if he could walk through. Once he’d made sure he was able to pass through, he fully stepped into the circle.

“Excuse me, Miss Kirigakure.” Renzo said, kneeling next to Yukio. “We can take him from here.”

Shura hesitated for half a second, her eyes flickering towards Rin’s face, before pulling away. “Whatever, just take care of him.”

“Of course.” Renzo said. He lifted Yukio into his arms. Rin placed a hand on Renzo’s shoulder and teleported the three of them outside. The battle outside was still in full swing, but utter chaos as demons stampede out of the building through the battle itself and the Illuminati forces attempting to retreat.

“Wait, you’re not gonna leave them in there?” Renzo asked.

“No, of course not.” Rin said, shaking his head. “It’ll be easier for me once you two are out of the way.”

“Right.” Renzo nodded. “Tell them I begged you to save them. So you can keep your bad boy reputation.”

Rin rolled his eyes. “I don’t plan on keeping that up anymore, but sure, that works.”

Renzo smirked. “Go get them babe.”

Rin’s grin was blinding. He teleported away before he could say anything stupid. Back inside of the building, Shura had joined the rest of the group. The ceiling was beginning to collapse under the combined heat of Rin and Satan’s flames. Now that Rin was no longer keeping the demons back, some were starting to approach the group. They all stood back to back in a circle, weapons raised. With a flick of his hand, Rin summoned a wall of flame around the group. Then he formed a long path providing a safe passageway through the horde of demons all the way to the exit. Rin smirked, then teleported between his old friends and the passage he made.

“Hello you all.” Rin grinned.

“You!” Ryuji growled, barely holding himself back from lunging at him. Some things never change even across timelines, Rin supposed. The only reason Ryuji wasn’t trying to attack him was because he believed Rin to be dangerous. Shura pushed herself to the front of the group, dragging Ryuji behind her and using her body to physically shield the exwires from Rin. That made his heart break a little to see them fear him so much, but maybe once this was all over that could change.

“Your good friend Renzo Shima insisted I help you all get out of here.” Rin said with a shrug. “So, when you live to see tomorrow, remember to thank him. I may be called Rinka the Merciful, but I am also Rinka the Fair. I do not tolerate those who hurt those I care about and the Order is on my shit list.”

With a dramatic flare, Rin teleported away. He watched from a concealed perch as they all looked around for him, but were unable to find him. They eventually started running for the exit as another chunk of building crashed to the ground. Once he was sure they were out of the way of immediate danger, he returned to Renzo and Yukio. Renzo had set Yukio down on the ground. The nephilim was still conscious, but it looked like his nose was no longer bleeding.

“Hey.” Renzo said. “Are they good?”

“Yeah, I got them out.” Rin said. “I told them to thank you for getting them out, so heads up for next time you see them.”

“Assuming I do see them again.” Renzo shrugged.

“Hey, don’t talk like that.” Rin said, his tail flicking in worry.

“I betrayed the Order for real this time.” Renzo said. “That’s not going to stay quiet. I literally shot the head of the Japan Branch in the face. They’re not going to forgive that.”

“I’ll talk to Mephisto.” Rin promised. “For now, let’s get back to camp. It’s freezing out here.”

Renzo nodded and picked up Yukio once again. Rin placed his hand on Renzo’s arm and teleported them away.

————————

About a month after the battle, Rin teleported to the edge of Mephisto’s territory. Instead of just entering and going wherever he wanted as he usually did, Rin stood just outside of the border. He sent a pulse of power into Mephisto’s domain, formally requesting entry. Rin didn’t have to wait long. Belial, Mephisto’s demon butler, appeared less than a minute later on the inside of the border.

“Prince Rinka, Master Pheles has been expecting you.” Belial said. “Please allow me to escort you to his abode.”

“Thank you.” Rin said politely, stepping over the border and into Mephisto’s domain.

Belial teleported himself and Rin to the entryway of Mephisto’s manor. He led Rin through the winding halls until they finally reached Mephisto’s office. Belial knocked. Mephisto called from within, and Belial opened the door for Rin and bowed deeply. Once he entered the demon butler shut the door behind him.

“Little brother, so nice of you to finally come and visit me.” Mephisto purred. “Please, take a seat.”

“Lord Samael, it is nice to officially meet you too.” Rin said formally.

“There’s no need to be so formal with me, we are brothers afterall, aren’t we?” Mephisto said.

Rin sat down in the plush office chair across from Mephisto without a word.

“So, little brother, why have you come to visit me?” Mephisto asked. “I assume this is not a social call.”

“I’ve come to request that Renzo Shima be allowed to walk free.” Rin explained.

“Oh?” Mephisto intoned, an eyebrow raised. “The Vatican has ruled that the boy be expelled from the Order and executed upon capture. That is a lot to ask, even from me.”

“I know.” Rin nodded. “But I know you are able to get a lot of leeway with the Order simply because you are a king class demon. The Order would fall without you. Tell them that if they remove the execution order and allow Renzo Shima to live his life as he pleases then I will not seek revenge for their many transgressions against me.”

“I see…” Mephisto chuckled. “And… is that all you’re asking for?”

Rin tilted his head in confusion.

“Allow me to elaborate.” Mephisto said. “Let’s assume Mister Shima is able and willing to return to school here at True Cross Academy. What will you do? And what about Mister Okumura’s education?”

“I… haven’t thought about that.” Rin said, his formal mask slipping.

“I have a proposal.” Mephisto said, smirking the way he always does when he believes he has the upper hand. “I can probably convince the Order to leave Mister Shima alone. But if you promise not to cause trouble, I might be able to enroll you and your twin at True Cross Academy for the next school year. How does that sound?”

Rin nodded slowly. “I… yeah, sure. I’ll have to talk to Yukio about it first, but… sure.”

Mephisto smirked. “I thought you’d agree. You know, before you so rudely disrupted the timeline, you would have become good friends with the members of the cram school, the class that Mister Okumura taught ironically. And judging by your actions, you came from a timeline where they were your friends, am I correct?”

“Where are you going with this?” Rin said, now openly glaring at the demon.

“Well I only offered to enroll you here at True Cross Academy because I thought you’d appreciate the chance to become their friends again.” Mephisto said. “I don’t know why the version of me from your timeline thought it was necessary to send you back, but I can’t complain about the results. This went so much more smoothly than my previous predictions.”

“Lucifer’s vessel isn’t perfect yet, but it’s getting close.” Rin said. “But it’s close enough that he’d probably be fine if I moved out. I’ll… I don’t know what you’re getting out of this arrangement, but I’ll think about your offer. Just make sure Renzo won’t be hunted down by the Order, okay?”

“Of course, little brother.” Mephisto smirked. “It would be my pleasure.”

————————

Rin and Yukio sat on the couch in Rin’s suite on the Dominis Liminis. A spread of official documents were spread over the coffee table, including both of the twins’ birth certificates. Yukio held the application for True Cross Academy in his hand, just staring at it. Renzo was lounging on Rin’s shoulder, scrolling on his phone.

“So I confirmed the details with Mephisto.” Rin said. “First, Renzo is being kicked out of the Order, but other than that he’s getting off scot free for betraying them. He’s being allowed to return to school and whatever, but he might be required to get a different roommate for next year since he’s no longer attending the cram school.”

“Sweet.” Renzo said, not looking up from his phone.

“As for us, Mephisto managed to make a loophole.” Rin explained. “Rin and Yukio Okumura are known as the Sons of Satan and the enemies of the Order, but if we change our last names we should be fine? I don’t really understand it, but basically Mephisto said that by changing our names he can get the Order to just ignore us? Like, they’ll just pretend we’re completely different people so long as we don’t use our blue flames or act up in public while under our new identities. Anyway, he said we can enroll at True Cross with our new names and the Order will have to leave us alone. I’m gonna sign up, by the way.”

“People will recognize me. They’ll find it odd if I suddenly have a different name.” Yukio said.

Rin nodded. “Yeah, but you don’t have to go back if you don’t want to. Mephisto said you can enroll in the online course or you can go to a different school entirely if you want. Lucifer is stupid rich, you can get into any school in the world if you want.”

“The online courses are fine.” Yukio said, putting the sheet of paper on the coffee table. “Do you have any ideas for our new names?”

“A couple.” Rin said.

“You can take my name if you want.” Renzo said to Rin flirtatiously. Rin grinned, turning to face his boyfriend, leaning closer to his face.

Yukio flicked his wrist, teleporting Renzo out of the room. The doors of Rin’s suite opened. Renzo stuck his head in and yelled “Rude!” before slamming the doors again. Rin rolled his eyes as he heard his boyfriend storming off.

“So I was going to go with Rin Egin.” Rin said. “Take our mom’s last name, you know? But you don’t have to have the same last name as me, but I’m still putting us down as twins on our new papers.”

Yukio hummed. “I don’t know… do you have any other options?”

“Well…” Rin said, a mischievous look on his face. “You could always go with Yukio Satansson.”

Yukio glowered at his sibling. “No.”

Rin snickered. “Don’t like that one, huh? The only other one I could think of is Yukio Fujimoto.”

Yukio was surprised by that one. “Fujimoto?”

“Yeah!” Rin nodded quickly. “I mean, he IS our dad. He raised us. Besides, he won’t mind. I know he won’t, if that’s what you’re worried about. In fact he’ll probably cry tears of joy if you pick that one.”

“Yukio Fujimoto…” Yukio murmured. “I like that.”

Rin grinned. “Great! So we just gotta write that down, uh the paperwork is somewhere here…”

Rin began to dig through the piles of paperwork on the coffee table, searching for the correct form. Yukio leaned back in his seat. A soft smile spread over his face. Yukio Fujimoto. He really liked the sound of that.

Chapter Text

Konekomaru unlocked the door of his dorm room after a long day of classes. The first thing he noticed upon entering the room was the sound of snoring. The second thing was a pair of boots placed directly in front of the door causing him to trip and stumble. The third thing was the K’rik that definitely didn’t belong to him lying on the floor next to his roommate’s bed. And the fourth thing, the obvious cause of the previous things, was Renzo Shima, fast asleep in bed. Konekomaru stood over him, staring with a blank expression on his face. Considering the last time he had seen him, Renzo had betrayed the Order and there was a warrant out for his arrest, Konekmaru was in utter disbelief at his presence. But if he was here, that meant Renzo likely had managed to work his way out of the mess he had made. Typical. Renzo was lying on top of the bedsheets and fully clothed. Konekomaru went to put his bag down by his desk. It was only then that he noticed a piece of paper lying in the middle of the neatly organized desk. Konekomaru recognized Renzo’s handwriting.

“Hey Konekomaru, the bestest and most amazing friend and roommate in the world! So you’re probably wondering how I can be here without the Order coming and knocking down the door of the dorm! Basically long story short my boyfriend Rinka managed to successfully threaten convince the Order to not execute me (yay) but I have been totally kicked out. But they said I can come back to True Cross, just not attend the cram school or become an exorcist anymore. If you don’t want to be roommates with me anymore I totally understand just let me know and I’ll submit the request right away and if you don’t want to talk to me just leave me a note, again I totally understand, you’re probably super mad at me right now. I’m really sorry for betraying you again and I promise I will make it up to you! I really hope me and you and Bon can all still be friends if you guys want, but it’s totally cool if you don’t, I totally understand.

Your friend favorite roommate, Renzo”

Konekomaru put the letter back down. He walked back over to Renzo’s bed. He was still fast asleep. Konekomaru picked up the K’rik off the floor. He raised it over his head and brought it down swiftly. Renzo woke up with a scream.

“Gah! Konek- Ow! I’m sorry!” Renzo shrieked. Konekomaru continued beating Renzo with his own weapon. Once he was satisfied, he tossed the weapon to the floor.

“Owww…” Renzo moaned.

“Never do anything like that again.” Konekomaru said.

“You got it.” Renzo said weakly, clutching his midsection.

Konekomaru sat at his desk and began to pull his homework out of his bag and work on it. As if he didn’t just beat his roommate with a metal staff.

“So I guess this means you’re mad at me, huh?” Renzo asked, sitting up on his bed with a wince.

“I was.” Konekomaru said. “But I think I got it all out now. I’m… I’m glad you’re not dead. Or going to be executed.”

“Oh… thanks.” Renzo said. “If you want to talk about it, I’m willing to tell you anything you want.”

Konekomaru turned in his chair to look at Renzo. “So I’m guessing since you’re no longer in the Order this is the end of your spy gig?”

“Yeah.” Renzo sighed. “It was fun while it lasted, but all good things come to an end I guess. But hey! If you ever need information, I’m your man! I can do spy jobs for you free of charge! Think of it as me paying you back for the whole… betrayal thing.”

Konekomaru snorted. “It’s fine. I already got what I wanted. I’m not mad at you anymore, really. Although I won’t say no to that offer.”

Renzo laughed nervously. “Well there is one more thing I need to tell you. It’s probably gonna make you even more mad at me to be honest…”

Konekomaru narrowed his eyes at him. “What did you do?”

“This is totally not my fault!” Renzo said quickly. “But um… next semester Rinka is going to enroll at True Cross Academy. As a student. In our year. Which means he’s going to be in some of the same classes as us.”

Konekomaru didn’t react for a moment. Renzo watched him closely, a sheepish look on his face. Finally, Konekomaru reached into his bag and pulled out his knife, tossing the sheath on the floor. Renzo bolted, flinging open the door of the dorm and disappearing down the hallway, Konekomaru hot on his tail.