#shikito luma

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 31: Death

The instant the spore sac burst, life became much harder. The miasma was blinding; I could barely see three feet in front of me. It became much harder to breathe as the toxic demon to oxygen ratio increased significantly. Not to mention the smell; imagine rotting fruit mixed with dirty laundry, BO, and any other revolting scent you could think of. 

After the initial burst, some of the miasma died away and I could see Rin and Ryuji to my left. “Is... Is that?” I heard Ryuji stutter. “The Impure King’s heart?” But suddenly, he was overcome with a bought of coughing; it was his body trying to eject the miasma from his lungs. The finger connecting the fire barrier to the ground trembled.

“Hey!” Rin turned toward his friend. “Are you all right?”

However, it was then that the rest of the miasma faded, revealing the horrifying sight that had been hiding behind Ryuji. The Impure King loomed up in front of us; his body now a bulbous mass, with rows of what looked like talons running up his front. And he was almost right on top of Suguro!

“Suguro!” Rin yelled, ready to launch into action.

But Ryuji wasn’t dumb. He raised his hand to his face and shouted, “Karura! Protect me!”

A voice spoke (it sounded like it came from his finger), “As you wish.”

The monk was suddenly encompassed in a whirlwind of flame that spiraled up, all the way to the top of the barrier. The Impure King instantly backed off, terrified of the heavenly flame. We had kept him away.

For now.

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #rin okumura #ryuji suguro #fanfiction #shikito luma

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 29: Barrier Spell

“We’re gonna die!” Ryuji’s shouts were almost lost over the wind streaming past us as we flew up towards the Impure King. The monk was riding on Kuro with Rin while I was close by with Yukiokami. 

Both creatures touched down only to leap up again, but even with just the second of contact, the Impure King engulfed the spot where we had just been. 

When I touch down it comes after me, said Yukiokami in my head. 

It looks like a building, but it’s a Sudama! That was Kuro speaking. 

Karura, who was perched on Suguro’s shoulder added, “There’s no place I can center the Touch Earth Sign.”

“And no chance to chant the spell,” Bon stated. 

“Kuro!” shouted Rin over the wind. “Is there any place to land near the spore sac?”

I’ll look!

In the time it had taken us to claim that much ground, the spore sac had grown huge. It loomed up large and bulbous in front of us. It looked like it could burst at any second. 

I could hear Rin and Bon arguing next to me, but I was mostly focusing my demon senses on the Impure King. As my eyes scanned the monster, I spotted an outcropping of rock right next to the spore sac that remained untouched by the demon.

“Rin!” I called out. When he looked over at me, I pointed to where I was heading. “There’s a boulder over here!” Both Kuro and Yukiokami launched themselves towards the rock. They both landed with a thud, and I surveyed the area. The outcrop remained bare as the Impure King lapped around its edges. But it didn’t look like the demon was going to come any closer.

I turned, determined. “This is where we should make our stand.” Rin nodded, gripping his sword tightly, but Ryuji remained silent. After a moment longer, he faced Rin. “You’re not giving up hope, are you?”

Rin practically laughed in his face. “Of course not! Not yet, anyway. Besides, you’re the one quaking in his boots!”

Bon’s eyes widened and he looked as if he had a good retort to throw back, but Rin continued, “I bet everyone is doing what they can right now, so we will too! So start working on that barrier, Princess Suguro!”

I felt so insane to be stifling my laughs in this life-or-death situation, but here I was anyways.

“Let’s get to it!” I shouted, wielding my sword in front of me. “We can do this, everyone! Ryuji, get started on that barrier! Rin and I will fight off the Impure King!”

And with that, Bon bent down and began reciting his sutra as Rin and I left into the fray that was the Impure King.

The fighting was insane. It was like the Impure King could sense every movement I made. The spores would seek out my location and attack. Thankfully, Kuro and Yukiokami had joined in fighting as well. Between the four of us, we were doing a good job of pushing back the demon. 

I could spy Rin out of the corner of my eye standing on his own. But a section of the Impure King was approaching from his blind side. “Rin!” As I shouted his name, I was already moving. I drew out one of my guns and fired, hitting the demon head on. Rin turned at the movement and realizing I had just saved him, shot me a thumbs up.

I jogged over to him. “We should fight back to back,” I panted. “Protect each other.” He nodded and we took our positions. 

The fighting continued to be intense, but it was easier with Rin by my side. After what felt like an eternity, I felt a rush of energy behind me. I glanced back to see Ryuji, two fingers pressed to the ground with Karura hovering over him. Right before my eyes, Karura turned into a beacon of light that shot straight up and began to form a dome over the entirety of the Impure King. 

Suguro had done it. He had put up the barrier spell.

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #rin okumura #ryuji suguro #fanfiction #shikito luma

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 28: Crimson Lotus

Rin, Ryuji, and I trekked through the forest a while longer, when suddenly we stepped into a clearing...

“What the?”

We all gasped in shock at the sight before us. The Impure King loomed high over our heads, but it wasn’t the actual demon that had taken us all by surprise. It was it’s shape. The Impure King’s massive body had begun to shape itself into a full-blown city. Buildings, towers, bridges, etc. And it was still continuing to grow!

“Wow,” the word escaped my lips.

“Crap,” Suguro muttered. “If we don’t hurry this could be bad.”

We were about to take off again, when we heard a rustle in the bushes to our right. My weapon was instantly at the ready. The sound came again, and suddenly something appeared...

Rin recognized him first. “Kuro!” 

“Rin! Run, run!” Only Rin and I could hear Kuro’s speech, so Ryuji just stood there confused. 

“This mountain is possessed by a Sudama!” Kuro continued. “It really stinks, it’s dangerous!”

“You mean the Impure King?” Rin hitched a thumb behind him towards the demon. “I know I should run, but that ain’t happening! We gotta go defeat it!”

Kuro’s eyes almost bugged out of his head. “What??? It’s too dangerous! You can’t deal with that thing!”

“But someone has to.” Rin was firm.

Kuro shook his head. “You idiot, Rin!” He suddenly grew into his normal demon  size so that he towered over all three of us. “It’s dangerous so I’ll take you!”

Ryuji was staring in the horror at the giant cat that now stood before him. “Kuro, you’re the best!” Rin praised. But seeing Kuro had given me an idea.

“Give me a second guys,” I said. A moment later, Yukiokami appeared. The number of incredibly large demon animals had just increased to two. 

Rin hopped onto Kuro’s back as I climbed onto Yukiokami. Ryuji looked disturbingly pale as he gazed at both demons.

“Come on, Ryuji!” I shouted, teasingly. “Would you fancy riding on the big cat or the big dog!?” 

I’m a wolf, thank you very much, Yukiokami said in my head. I rolled my eyes and scratched him between the ears as an apology. 

I made eye contact with Rin, and we smiled at each other. Time for things to really get interesting.

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #rin okumura #ryuji suguro #fanfiction #shikito luma

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 27: Battle at Kongo-Shinzan

Kongo-Shinzan was a mess. In a matter of hours, the Impure King had grown to the size of a building. It dominated the mountainside, rising up and looming over us like a giant storm cloud. Only if the storm cloud spewed dangerous demonic fumes instead of rain. And instead of running away from it like any normal person would do, myself and the exwires were running towards it!

“What even is that thing!?” Shima shouted from the back of the group. “How can we beat something so huge! It’s the end of the world!”

I brought the group to a halt, so we could all catch our breaths. Everyone’s eyes were locked on the demon; it was impossible to look away.

“So that’s the Impure King,” Rin muttered.

“It’s like a fortress!” said Ryuji.

I took in our surroundings. “Suguro, how far are we from Goma Hall?”

He looked around then said, “Not very.”

“Then let’s start searching here,” I commanded. “No one stray too far, and if you notice anything, alert me immediately.” The group nodded and dispersed.

As I watched them go, I thought back to my conversation with Shura. As soon as we had sprung Rin, I called her to tell her.

“Good job, Shikito. I’m proud of you, you’re a rebel now.”

I ignored her jibes. “What should we do now? Head straight for the Impure King? Or should we try to meet up with you? They might just throw Rin in custody again.”

“No, don’t do any of those,” she said. “Go look for Tatsuma.”

“What? Why?”

“He isn’t where Mamushi last saw him, and we’ve scoured the area. He’s probably run off, so he can’t be far, but we’re tied up here. Find him and ask about the letter. Don’t engage with the Impure King, not yet.”

“Ok,” you agreed.

“And Shikito?”

“Yeah?” Shura was silent for a moment. Then she said, “Good luck. And be careful.” The line went dead after that.

I was snapped out of my flashback by Izumo calling out, “Hey! Is that your dad?”

Everyone instantly turned and headed towards the girl. We followed her line of sight to see a figure lying unconscious in the grass. Dried blood coated the front of his robes.

Bon was at his father’s side in an instant. “No, no, no, no, no,” he chanted to himself, inspecting his father’s still figure.

“Ms. Luma, what do we do?” Koneko asked in a panicked tone. 

“Call Shura,” I instructed, kneeling down on the other side of Tatsuma. “Let her know we’ve found him.”

But before Konekomaru could dial the number and before I could check his pulse, Tatsuma’s body began to glow a golden orange. The light suddenly dissipated from his body, shooting up to form a glowing orb in front of Suguro. The orb took the form of a small bird. My eyes widened in shock. This was...

“I am Karura, servant of the Myo-o-dharani head priests,” the bird announced. 

“Karura!?” Suguro was shocked as well. “My dad’s familiar?”

“I was,” said Karura. “But the secret was revealed and the agreement was broken. Now I am bound to him by a personal agreement.”

It was just then that a wheezy intake of breath emerged from Suguro’s father. A sigh of relief went around the group at the realization that he was, in fact, alive. 

“Father!” Ryuji completely ignored Karura to pay attention to his dad.

“Ryuji...” Tatsuma murmured groggily. He took in the rest of the group. “What are you all doing here?” 

“We came to help.”

Tatsuma weakly tried to sit up and lean his back against a tree trunk.

“So reckless,” he muttered. 

“I healed your wounds, but you must not move,” ordered Karura. 

Tatsuma just seemed to notice his familiar. “Karura? You’re so small. I thought we were both dead.”

“I am the immortal bird. I am always reborn,” the familiar spoke as if its words were obvious. “Besides,” it continued, “The agreement for the Aeon Wave Flame still stands. I will not allow you to die.”

As the demon was speaking, Tatsuma’s eyes landed on one specific member of our group.

“Rin!” he exclaimed. “You read my letter!” 

“We all read it,” I told him. I had shared it with the exwires before saving Rin. 

“Everyone here understands the basic situation,” added Ryuji. “Now tell me everything.”

At first, Tatsuma was surprised by his son’s severity. But finally, he closed his eyes in surrender and said, “All right. I will tell you how to defeat the Impure King.”

“According to ‘The True Way of the Impure King’, known only to Myodha’s head priests, the Impure King will grow until he is the size of a castle. Then a giant spore sack will form in the center.”

“Spore sack? You mean that? That round thing at the top?” Shima pointed to where you could just see the Impure King over the tops of the trees.

“Yes, that’s probably it. If it matures and ruptures, spores carrying a potent poison will spread in gaseous form. 150 years ago, those spores killed 40,000 people. Casualties in modern-day Kyoto would be much worse. We must prevent that!”

“So we have to defeat it before the spore sac bursts,” Ryuji’s words were more of a statement than a question. 

Tatsuma shook his head. “It’s not that simple. The Impure King’s only weak spot  is its ‘heart’, which is inside the sac. When Fukaku fought the Impure King 150 years ago, he had no choice but to split the heart in two and seal the pieces.”

“And those are the right and left eyes,” Izumo finished.

Koneko spoke up in a trembling voice, “In other words, we can’t hit the ‘heart’ without breaking the sack?!”

Tatsuma nodded solemnly. “That’s right.”

Suguro cursed under his breath. “That’s tricky.”

“Fifteen years ago,” Tatsuma continued, “I made a deal with Karura to use the Aeon Wave Flame. It converts one’s lifespan into flames. One great flame to release at the end of my life... I planned on using it to completely destroy the Impure King, but I used it only fifteen years later to hold him in place. There isn’t much.” 

Karura flew over into Tatsuma’s hand. He clenched his fist, giving him control of the flame. “With the remaining flame, I will stop the gas from spreading when the sac ruptures.”

He opened his first and Karura resumed its bird shape. “Rin,” Tatsuma addressed my friend, “I want you to use the Koma Sword and destroy the heart of the Impure King.”

Rin’s eyes widened in shock, but then dropped to the ground in shame. “I’m sorry, but-” 

Tatsuma cut him off, “I know. You could die, but-”

“Huh? No,” Rin interrupted back, as if him dying wasn’t at all an inconvenience. “I can't draw my sword.”

I mentally face palmed. Of course Rin wouldn’t care about the fact that he could die. But he still couldn’t draw his sword? This wasn’t good.

“I’ve been trying but I can’t?” To prove his point, he tugged on the sheath, but it wouldn’t didn’t budge. 

“Why not?” Ryuji demanded.

“I don’t know. It’s some sort of mental hang-up.”

“Are you serious?” someone groaned. 

Rin held out his sword in defeat. “Even I get worried sometimes! So I’m no use right now! Sorry, Pops.”

Tatsuma sighed. “I see. That is a problem. But I can at least put up the barrier.” He attempted to stand up, only to collapse back over with a gasp of pain.

“You must not, Tatsuma,” Karura said. “You have lost too much blood.”

Panic rolled off the priest in waves. He bent forward trying to regain himself.

“I healed your wounds, but you nearly bled to death,” Karura explained. “If you attempt a barrier spell now, you will surely die.”

Despite his familiar’s warnings, Tatsuma was still trying to get up. “It doesn’t have to be for long,” he reasoned. “This is more important than my life!”

Ryuji cursed again. 

“Konekomaru,” I turned back to the exwire. “Have you gotten a hold of Shura yet?”

He shook his head. “It’s nothing but static.”

“Shit. The gas must be too thick.”

“Dad, is there anything we can do?” Suguro turned to his father. 

“Oh?” Karura’s voice held a tone of interest. “You are Tatsuma’s son? That is perfect. I can transfer the Aeon Wave Flame to one of the High Priest’s blood.”

“No!!” The outburst came from the high priest himself. “You can’t! He’s still a child! Don’t involve him! These fetters end with me! I swore upon my life! Anything but that!”

I could see on Ryuji’s face and in his mind that he was putting the puzzle pieces together. Why his father had always been so distant. Why his father didn’t want him to become an exorcist. Why he had secluded himself from the sect all those times.

Tatsuma was panting from his outburst, which had weakened him even further. 

Suguro addressed his father, “You’ve carried this burden all alone until now.”

The priest wheezed out something that sounded like a laugh. “I did it because I wanted to.”

“I won’t let you!” Suguro cried, tears beginning to dot the corners of his eyes. “I’ll bear it too! And I won’t let you say otherwise.”

Karura moved to it’s masters ear. “Tatsuma, your son is wiser than you.”

He made as if to protest, but then hung his head in defeat. “That’s why I didn’t want to involve him.”

Karura floated out into the group until it stood right in front of Ryuji. “I will now transfer the Aeon Wave Flame.” 

We all watched in shock as Karura’s flames grew brighter, until it was nearly blinding.

“If you are indeed the child of Tatsuma Suguro, prove your blood.”

Ryuji brought his thumb to his mouth and bit down hard. Karura’s flame eagerly latched onto the blood that arose, making the bird disappear. 

“You do indeed bear the blood of Tatsuma Suguro.” Then right before our eyes, the flame spread from his finger, down his whole hand as if he were wielding the fire himself. The golden orange color changed to a darker shade of red-orange. I was reminded of my own red ice.

The flame left Suguro’s hands and reformed into Karura. “Ryuji Suguro, you now possess the Aeon Wave Flame.” 

We were shocked out of our awe, by Tatsuma speaking up again, “Ryuji, I will teach you the strongest barrier spell known only to the Head Priest. Come here.” He turned his back to his son and motioned for him to sit down. “Some of the signs will be new to you. Watch closely how they combine. I can only do this once. Watch, listen, and memorize.”

As the head priest began his lesson, I felt nostalgia in both of their thoughts. My heart warmed at the memories and at the sight of father and son, sitting together again.

It took a few moments to get through the whole spell, but as Tatsuma was finishing the lesson, he keeled over and collapsed. We all rushed to his side. I observed the priest; he was breathing heavily and covered in a fine layer of sweat.

“Shiemi, Izumo,” I addressed the girls. “Would you stay here and look after him?” Both of them nodded, already up to the job.

“Shima, Konekomaru,” I turned to them next. “Go find Shura and the other exorcists and tell them everything that’s happened here.”

“What about Bon?” Miwa asked.

I turned to Ryuji, indicating that the decision was his. 

He glanced at me for a moment, then nodded. He turned back to his friend and said, “I’m going to put up the barrier. It’ll spread around the touch earth sign, so I have to get close to the spore sac.”

Shima and Koneko’s jaws dropped. “You’re going to get close to that?” the latter exclaimed. “No way!!”

Shima was calmer, but still concerned. “Bon, I’ve always kept quiet because of your parents, but I’ve got to say something. You’re gonna die, you know that?”

“No, he isn’t,” I tried to say, but as soon as I spoke, someone else said, “Don’t worry.”

I looked over. Both Rin and I had stepped forward. I indicated that he should go first. He nodded and said, “I’ll protect him!” Everyone looked pretty skeptical, so he continued, “I can’t draw my sword, but I can still use my flame a little! Anyways, I’m strong!”

I nodded and addressed Bon’s concerned friends. “I’ll go with them. My ice powers aren’t going to do much against the Impure King, but my combat skills will still come in handy. We’ll keep him safe.”

Rin looked straight at Koneko. “Will you trust him with me?”

The boy was silent, seemingly making up his mind. From behind, I heard Shima mutter, “Aren’t you gonna ask me?”

Instead of answering, Koneko’s eyes began to water, so he just nodded, turned and took off into the forest.

Shima was shocked by his friend’s sudden departure. He called after him, but when Miwa continued to run, he groaned and took off after him. “You guys better not come crying to me later!” he shouted as he disappeared into the underbrush.

Ryuji looked at the girls. “My dad is in your hands.”

Izumo nodded firmly while Shiemi said, “You can count on us!”

That left me, Rin, and Ryuji. “Let’s go,” I said, unfurling my sword from my wrist.  Both boys eyes widened and I realized they’d never seen me in action before. Oh boy, were they in for a sight. 

As we made to leave, a frail voice spoke behind us, “Be careful.” It was Tatsuma, and he was mostly addressing his son. “I truly am sorry. Ryuji, forgive your worthless father.” 

The boy paused, but didn’t look back. When he spoke, his voice was thick with emotion, “Dad, I always liked the way you chanted sutras. So you better not die on me.”

With those final words, we made towards the Impure King. Towards the biggest fight of our lives.

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #rin okumura #ryuji suguro #tatsuma suguro #izumo kamiki #shiemi moriyama #renzou shima #konekomaru miwa #shura kirigakure #fanfiction #shikito luma

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 26: Fire of the Heart

“Rin, you have totally lost your confidence.”

“Uh-uh… No.. no,” Rin’s panicked stuttering only confirmed my conclusions. “N-now just wait a second. Would that stop me from drawing my sword?”

Seeing him this frantic just made me sad, so I stood and gazed at Yukio instead. He was staring disappointedly at Rin.

“Rin,” he said, “Give back the sword.”

Rin’s panic became even more frantic; his stutterings came more often and he began panting between each sound. But suddenly, a voice came from out of nowhere, “Well, well.”

All our heads snapped around, but there was no one there. That was when we noticed the tiny white dog sitting by our feet. As soon as we were alerted to his presence, the dog turned into the one and only, Mephisto Pheles.

“Howdy!” he greeted.

“Mephisto?” Shura’s voice had instantly turned defensive. “What do you want?”

That was a very valid question. I was wondering the same thing myself.

“What do I want?” He was as elusive as ever. “Don’t be rude. Oh please, I’m here to clean up your mess.”

All of our faces betrayed our confusion, but Mephisto proceeded to snap his fingers and count, “Eins… Zwei… Drei!”

On “Drei”, a large metal cage door appeared on the front of Rin’s cell door in a large puff of pink smoke. 

“Das Stärkste Gefängnis!” Mephisto announced grandly. 

The door opened, but from Rin’s side. A large metal claw appeared and grabbed him, knocking the sword straight out of his hand and right into Mephisto’s. 

“Vatican Headquarters just sent word,” Mephisto stated with a hint of mischief, his eyebrow quirking up at one corner. “Due to the recent “incident” involving Rin’s unruly behavior, a majority of the inquest committee headed by the Grigori has voted to put Rin to death.”

I felt my stomach drop. The world threatened to turn around me. Both Shura and Yukio had froze next to me. Terror gripped my body and my gaze instantly searched out Rin’s. The last thing I saw were his fear-filled, desperate eyes before the claw pulled him into the cage and slammed shut with a sickening thud.

“Th-that was fast!” Yukio was the first to break the silence, his statement referring to the Grigori’s decision. “Really?”

Mephisto brushed his cape back and sniffed at Yukio, “I’m not so bored that I would come here just to tell lies.”

Yukio didn’t say anything, just dropped his gaze to the floor. 

I tried my best to snap out of my shock to comfort my friend. It kind of worked, but it still felt like an out-of-body experience. “Yukio,” I placed a hand on his shoulder. “Are you ok?”

He never got the chance to answer me though, as Mephisto interjected, “But what is important right now is taking down the Impure King.” He went to say something else, but stopped as a sneeze wracked his body. He pulled a tissue from his pocket, tossed Kurikara at me, then proceeded to obnoxiously blow his nose.

“How do you know about the Impure King?” Shura accused him, but he simply continued to just blow his nose. Now she was angry. “If you know so much, why aren’t you helping out?” she growled. 

“Me?” Mephisto pointed innocently at himself, but still continued to wipe his nose. “Out of the question. I can’t abide uncleanliness. I’ve got allergies, my nose is already…”

I tuned out his words and tried to tune into his thoughts. I normally didn’t like doing this, but Mephisto was avoiding this fight for a reason. His thoughts, however, were incredibly empty. The only one I could really pick up on was his thought that he needed to get softer tissues.

I focused back on his words in time to hear him say, “The Impure King will grow rapidly, and once he matures, Kyoto will become a city of death.”

Well, that wasn’t good. 

“Defeating the Impure King will take a lot of manpower,” he continued. “Here’s a little present.” With a poof, a large lump of fabric appeared out of nowhere and landed in my arms, almost making me drop the sword. I glared at Mephisto, but he only winked and said, “I hope it helps.”

With a final “Good luck!” and a puff of pink smoke, he was gone with no further explanation. I gazed at the fabric in my hands. These were… My eyes widened as I realized what they were. What did Mephisto want me to do with these? I counted them and felt the gears begin to turn in my head. Mephisto was too clever for his own good.

I turned back to Yukio and Shura, my mind set on consoling my friend and sharing my plan, but Yukio’s face was emotionless and he was all business. “For now, let’s just do what we can,” he said. “They’ll be calling on us to suppress the Impure King.” Then he stalked off down the hallway without even a glance back to see if we were following him. 

Shura turned to me. “He’s bad, isn’t he?”

I nodded, worried for Yukio. I didn’t need to be a mind reader to know just how upset he truly was.

“What are those?” she indicated to the bundles of fabric.

I explained what they were and what I thought Mephisto meant for them. I expected her to instantly try and stop me, but she just shook her head.

“You’re crazy, you know that right? I’m the Order’s dog, so I can’t help. And neither should you.”

I shook my head at her. “I don’t care. I care about Rin. Even if he hates me; I abandoned him once before, I won’t do it again. Even if it means losing my status as the Arch Knight. I will save Rin. No matter what.”

——————————————————————————————-

The whole temple was in chaos as news of the Impure King swirled through. Exorcists were everywhere, being given orders, collecting weapons, and preparing for the fight. However, it didn’t take me long to find the group I was searching for. 

“Guys!” I shouted to the exwires. “Come here!”

“Ms. Luma?” said Suguro. 

“I need your help,” I stated, deciding to get straight to business. “Rin has been given a death sentence for using his flame, and the Vatican’s orders cannot be overturned.” I felt everyone’s shock pass through me, but I proceeded anyways, “Suguro, I’m giving this to you.” I handed him Kurikara. He seemed surprised, but didn’t say anything. 

I also passed him the note. “And here’s a letter your father wrote to Rin. It says we need Rin’s power to defeat the Impure King. Rin wants to help… So I need you guys to help break him out. He’ll have to prove himself if he’s going to escape execution.”

I dropped Mephisto’s gift into the middle of our group. “Take these camo ponchos; they’ll hide you, so you can reach the solitary confinement block without the guards noticing.”

“Do you really expect us to be able to do this all on our own?” said Shima.

“No.” I stood my ground. “I’m coming with you.”

“Won’t that get you in serious trouble with the Vatican?” asked Suguro.

“Most likely,” I shrugged. “But Rin is my friend. I will do anything to protect him. I just figured you guys would do the same. It’s your call, but I’m going with or without you.” I grabbed a poncho from the pile, turned and headed back towards solitary confinement. 

I began to plan out how I would accomplish this on my own when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned and was surprised to see Suguro right behind me, Kurikara and poncho in hand. I stopped and waited for him to join me, but soon everyone was coming around the corner. Konekomaru… Izumo… Shiemi… and finally Shima. Everyone had decided to come save Rin!

“All right,” I addressed them. “Let’s go get our friend.”

——————————————————————————————-

Once we got closer to solitary confinement, I indicated to everyone to slip on their ponchos. As the fabric slid over their heads, they vanished; even my demon eyes couldn’t locate them. Before I put mine on, I pointed to where Rin was, then pressed a finger over my lips.

We (not that I could see them) started down the hall. I held my breath as we passed the two guards, praying they would’t detect us. Suddenly, I heard a sharp intake of breath behind me. I turned, but the guards only seemed to be confused. It had been one of us!

I prayed whoever had made the noise would be quiet and continued creeping towards Rin’s cell. The guards began bickering, but they didn’t seem alarmed. That was good at least. I kept moving, hoping the rest of them were right behind me. Once we were out of the guard’s line of sight, I slipped off my hood, making me visible once again.

“Ow, Koneko stepped on my foot!” I heard a bodiless voice say. A moment later, Shima’s pink hair appeared. Konekomaru’s bald head followed. “Sorry, Shima.”

Soon everyone was visible. The whole party was accounted for. Bon stared at the Das Stärkste Gefängnis. “Is that it?”

Almost as if in response, the giant cell door began to speak! Well… More like sing. 

“Toodle dee doo! Wee hee hee! I am Das Stärkste Gefängnis! I unlock from the outside, but not from the inside!”

I wracked my brain trying to remember how to beat this demon. I had learned this in my exorcist lessons, so many years ago…

“Why am I so strong?” it tittered. “Fight me and see! Wee hee hee!”

Everyone assumed a fighting stance as soon as I remembered that lesson long ago. Fight me it had said. The pieces clicked in my brain... Oh no!

“No, don’t!” I shouted, but it was too late. Everyone had frozen into place. “Damn!” I said, out loud. How was I going to do this by myself!? I wracked my brain trying to think of a plan when a tentative voice asked, “Ummm, Ms. Luma? What happened?”

It was Shiemi! In that moment I could have jumped for joy; I wasn’t the only one not-frozen. 

“Ms. Luma? What’s going on? Why is everyone frozen?”

Das Stärkste Gefängnis answered for me. 

“Wee hee hee! The answer is because I can freeze anyone who approaches me as an enemy! That’s why they call me the strongest! Mwah ha ha!”

“But then…” Shiemi addressed the demon. “Why didn’t I freeze?”

It laughed in her face. “You aren’t an enemy! You are weak and unarmed! Wee hee hee!”

In the moment that I saw her cheeks get red and her eyes get teary, I pulled her aside, away from the cell.

“Shiemi,” I consoled her. “Don’t listen to that thing. It’s trying to get in your head. It didn’t think of you as an enemy just like it didn’t think I was an enemy. Because we both had no malicious intent towards it when it told us we had to fight. It’s not because you’re weak. You’re actually one of the strongest people I know. It’s because you’re kind. You support your friends in ways I could only hope to. Don’t let some stupid demon let you think you’re no help.”

Despite my adversity to her, I was surprised that I truly meant every word that I said. Maybe Shiemi wasn’t so bad after all. 

She sniffled, but smiled at me anyways. “Do you really mean that, Ms. Luma?”

I smiled back. “Of course I do. And please, call me Shikito.”

She nodded and glanced back at the cell. “So what are we going to do?”

I thought about it for a moment. “Well,” I said, “Das Stärkste Gefängnis is unlocked from the outside, but not from the inside. I’m going to go in and try to find Rin. I want you to wait out here for fifteen minutes, then open the door back up. Do you think you can do that?”

She nodded vigorously. “Rin is my friend,” she said. “I haven’t been there for him lately and I want to make it up to him.”

I felt my heart constrict at her words. 

“Me too, Shiemi. Me too.”

——————————————————————————————-

Das Stärkste Gefängnis was a trash heap. The minute I passed through the cell door, it was like I was standing in the middle of a landfill. Would I be able to find Rin in the fifteen minutes? Maybe I could just tell Shiemi to wait a little longer when she opened the door again?

I climbed the mountains of trash, looking for any sign of human life. My demon eyes scanned the horizon… There!

Rin was on his knees amidst one of the larger trash piles. 

“Rin!” I shouted his name and began running towards him. It took a few calls for him to hear me, but when he did he raised his head slowly, like he was tired. He stared at me, but no animosity came from his direction. Just…

I gasped. Pain.

“Rin!” I was finally within a few feet of him. 

“Are you hurt?” He didn’t answer me, so I continued. “Come on, we have to get out of here,” I panted. “Shiemi will be opening the door soon. Let’s go.”

“No.”

Even my demon hearing had a hard time picking up the whisper.

“What?” I raised an eyebrow. I took a step forward…

“Stay back!” he shouted, loud enough that it startled me. Then softer, he continued, “I-I don’t think I can use my flame anymore. I’ve been getting by on enthusiasm so far, but that’s not enough.” The last part was a whisper again, “Maybe I’d be better off dead after all.”

His words made my heart constrict in pain. Tears sprung to the corners of my eyes. I took another step forward despite his warning. “That’s not true!” I argued.

“Why do you care!?” His sadness instantly turned to anger. He shouted at me with all the fury in his body, “Why do you care whether I live or die?! You left! For 10 years! You left me alone!” He gradually became surrounded by his flame as he became more heated. “If you really cared about me, you would have come back! Or you could have tried to contact me! But you didn’t!”

I felt his sadness and anger evolve into something else: self-loathing. His voice quieted down again, but maintained its bitter edge. “Although, I see why you left.” He gazed sadly at the flame surrounding him. “I’m a monster… Who would ever want to be friends with a demon like me? You were right to leave. So just… Go.” He hung his head and didn’t look back up.

While he’d been shouting at me, certain things became very clear. All the hostility he’d shown me since I revealed my identity… All because I left him… But he thought that I didn’t care…

Without really processing what I was doing, I threw myself at him, straight into the flames, and wrapped my arms around him. He stiffened in surprise, but didn’t push me away as I clung to him.

“I’m sorry,”  I cried. The tears flowed down my cheeks against my will. “I left because I had to! But I missed you so much! I’ve missed you every day for the past ten years I was gone!”

“Bu-but,” he stuttered. “You didn’t call…”

“You think I didn’t try to get in contact with you?” I asked, pulling back from my embrace to look him in the eye. “I tried countless times. But every time I got caught. And then when I saw Yukio again, I thought it meant I would get to see you again. But no. No matter how many times I asked, the Grigori always said no. They were worried being near me might alert you to who you truly were. And then they put me undercover as Yuujin... And I was so excited. I was finally going to get a second chance at being your friend again. I’m sorry for lying to you, but my hands were tied. You’re not a monster, Rin.” I indicated to the flames that engulfed us. “Look, I’m not hurt. At all. You did that. If anything I’m the monster for leaving you behind, then lying to you about it. I’m so sorry, Rin. Can you ever forgive me?”

His eyes were wide with shock. “I.. I thought you hated me?”

I laughed morbidly, wiping tears away. “Of course not, you dummy. You’re my best friend; you always have been. I thought you hated me!”

“I did,” he confessed. “I hated you for leaving. It just made me think that I really was incapable of having friends. I hated you for making me feel like that. But now that I know you had no choice…”

I shook my head. “It still doesn’t make up for what I did. Even if it wasn’t my fault. But I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you, if you’ll let me.”

He gazed back at me and for the first time in ten years, he smiled at me. “I’m glad you’re back, Shikito. As you this time,” he joked. “I mean Yuujin was cool and all, but he was nothing compared to you.”

I laughed again and  threw my arms back around him, hugging him tight. I was even more grateful when he reciprocated the action. “Glad to be back, Rin.”

——————————————————————————————-

Shiemi opened the door right on time. As soon as Rin and I passed through it, everyone unfroze. His eyes widened when he saw the whole group. “You all came to help?” 

“I wouldn’t like it if you died,” Koneko said, begrudgingly. “I know you’re not dangerous, so let’s be friends.”

Rin’s eyes teared up again at the monk’s kind words, but Miwa wasn’t the only person who had something to say.

“Just so you know, I’m only following Ms. Luma’s orders,” Shima added. 

Izumo muttered, “I didn’t want to come, so be grateful I did.”

All the words were negative, but Rin and I both knew they were all really glad to see him.

The warmest welcome came from Suguro, who literally drop-kicked Rin.

“I lost my head,” the priest’s son apologized for their earlier fight. “You were right. But only about my dad. You need this if you’re gonna fight, so here.” He passed Kurikara back to Rin.

Rin accepted it graciously. “Sorry I hit you,” he added to the apology.

But Bon was back to business. “I’ll take you to Kongo-Shizan.” That was the mountain. That must be where the Impure King was. “Then you can do whatever you want. I’ll fight on my own.” He turned and began walking back up the corridor when Rin stopped him. 

“Suguro. you gotta trust me. I can’t help it that I’m Satan’s child, but I’ll use my flame for us! So please, trust me!”

Bon didn’t turn around, but he started to speak. “Who cares about that?! What I can’t forgive is how you take everything on yourself. You’re the one who pushed us away! Why should I trust a guy like that? Am I the only one who thought we were friends!?”

We were all shocked by his passionate words. Rin was the one who snapped out of it first. “No! That’s not how I meant it!” But Ryuji kept walking down the hallway, so Rin continued. “Anyway, that’s your reason? That’s why you were mad?”

At this point, Rin was just sort of rambling, so I turned and faced the brave group of exwires who had come to help me in my time of need. I looked at Rin and felt warmth fill my chest when he smiled at me, genuinely smiled at me. There was hope for us after all.

“Alright,” I commanded. “It’s time. We head to Kongo-Shinzan in Rakuhoku to defeat the Impure King!”

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #yukio okumura #rin okumura #shura kirigakure #mephisto pheles #shiemi moriyama #ryuji suguro #renzou shima #konekomaru miwa #izumo kamiki #fanfiction #shikito luma

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Fanfiction

Prologue 

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4 

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #shikito luma #fanfiction

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 25: Impure King

On the Blue Night, I learned all of Myodha’s secrets. A truly horrible secret. 

Upon my father’s death, A great flame came out of his chest and took the form of a bird.

“I am Karura,” it said, “Servant of the head priests of Myo-o-Dharani. Are you the grandson of Fukaku? Prove your blood!”

I cut my finger and presented it with my blood. “Indeed. You are of Fukaku’s blood,” it said. “Then I serve you now, Tatsuma Suguro.”

Instead of Karura residing in Kurikara, the head priests had been using its power.  I asked it what it required in return for its service.

“What I desire are secrets,” it said. “You must keep secret my existence and the end to which you have employed me. To be exact, I am born of making things secret. I feed on lies and suspicion. In exchange for those secrets, I will lend you my flame for sealing your enemy.”

I wondered what enemy could it mean? The only threat to Myodha at the moment was the illness. And Fujimoto had already saved just about everyone. 

That’s when Karura told me. The worst, dirtiest secret Myodha kept. And for good reason.

“The Impure King,” Karura broke the news. “The enemy who has slumbered for 150 years beneath this temple.”

Yes, you have read my words correctly.

The Impure King was never killed. Fukaku simply used Karura to subdue it by plucking out both its “eyes” and sealing them away. That is how Karura left the Koma Sword and went to serve the head priest. And now the Impure King lies dormant under Kyoto.

I believe this is part of Todo’s plan. I believe he plans to reawaken the Impure King and unleash his terror. I am on my way to his location now, in hopes of stopping this nightmare.

If the situation arises, please. Please, Okumura, use the Koma Sword to defeat the Impure King. 

I know this is an unreasonable and reckless request. But if, like the man who raised you, you have even the slightest charity in your heart, I appeal to it.

Tatsuma Suguro.

Thank you for reading until the end.

Yukio finished the letter. We were all silent as we absorbed the words we had just heard.

Shura was the first to break the silence. “Ha,” she laughed, humorlessly. “It’s all crap, just like I thought.”

“But,” Yukio spoke next, “While I hate to disappoint Suguro’s father, we don’t know if Rin’s flame will work against the Impure King. We don’t have any reason to let him use his sword.”

“No,” I disagreed. “It’s true that we don’t know if his flame will work, but it’s the best bet we have at the moment. I say we let him try.”

Shura plucked the letter out of Yukio’s hands and slid it through the cell bars towards Rin. “This letter was addressed to you,” she said. “What do you want to do?”

I knew his answer to the question before he even said it. Not because of the mind reading, but just because I knew Rin. 

Of course, Yukio overreacted to Shura’s question. “Why are you asking him!?” he exclaimed.

Rin ignored his brother’s outburst and confirmed my thoughts. “I want to help,” he decided.

“Rin!” Yukio was livid. I was surprised at how intensely he was reacting. “Do you understand your situation?!”

Rin was silent for a moment. We were all frozen, waiting for him to speak.

“Father Fujimoto saved my life,” he finally said. “So if it will help, I want to fight! That’s just my hope though.”

“Well, I won’t allow it,” Yukio retorted.

I hated to go against one of my best friends, but I truly thought Yukio was in the wrong here. “That’s not your jurisdiction, Yukio, it’s mine as the Arch Knight. If Rin wants to fight, I’ll let him.”

Yukio turned to me, and I could feel his shock coming off him in waves. “It is too my jurisdiction,” he hissed at me. “Rin’s my brother, my family. Father Fujimoto put me in charge of his protection!”

“He made me responsible for Rin’s safety too,” I rebuked. “And Shura too!” We both turned to the red-head who had been uncharacteristically silent, and our eyes popped wide as we realized what she was doing.

Shura was summoning the sword from the seal on her chest. 

“Shura!?” Yukio’s voice cracked. “What are you doing?!” “If he says he wants to fight, we should check before deciding. So let’s have him draw the sword,” Shura said nonchalantly, sliding the sword to Rin. But Yukio caught it before his brother could grab it.

“Shura, moments ago, he was raging out of control! It’s crazy to give him the sword now! Next time, they’ll put him to death!”

It was then that I finally understood Yukio’s perspective. He was being so hard and so strict on Rin simply for his protection. Right now, Rin’s life was hanging in the balance. And Yukio was going to do anything he could to keep him alive at all costs. But that still didn’t stop me from thinking Rin was still our best chance at this fight.

I placed a comforting hand on Yukio’s shoulder as Shura explained. “Listen up. The Vatican knew the moment I chanted the imprisonment spell. They can already put him to death. It’s too late to wimp out now. Or is that what you want?” She had begun tugging on the weapon trying to lodge it from Yukio’s steel grip. “If the Impure King has returned,” she continued, “We have more dangerous things to worry about. Besides, you know as well as I do that his flame has worked on demons before. It can’t hurt to try.”

She finally yanked the sword from him and passed it through the bars to Rin. “Draw the sword,” I ordered. Rin glanced at me and for once, it wasn’t completely filled with loathing. No, this look was filled more with determination. He placed one hand on the hilt and the other on the sheath. Then, it looked like he tried to unsheathe it, but nothing happened.

“What’s the matter?” asked Shura.

“What are you doing, Rin?” questioned Yukio.

“It’s just…. ughrhrhrr,” Rin was grunting and desperately struggling with the sword. “I don’t get it,” he grumbled, obviously frustrated. “I can’t draw it.”

“Why not?” Shura didn’t seem alarmed, but my mind was frantic; searching for the solution as to why Rin couldn’t draw his sword. 

“I don’t know,” Rin shouted. “It won’t budge!”

“Then I’ll draw it. Give it here.” Shura stuck her open hand through the bars in Rin’s direction, but he instantly clutched the sword closer to his chest. 

“I’ll do it myself.” He was suddenly not making eye contact with any of us. “It’s just hung up somewhere. That’s gotta be it!”

It was then that the lightbulb went off in my head. I knew exactly why Rin couldn’t draw his sword. I kneeled down, so I was eye-level with him through the cell.

“Rin,” I said gently. “You’re afraid. Of course you are.” 

His eyes shot over to meet mine and I could see the shock and (I was completely correct) fear in his gaze. 

“Even though you managed to light the candles,” I continued, “Moments later, your emotions took over and you freaked out. Emotionally, you’re back where you started.” 

I could see the sweat starting to bead along his forehead, but I knew I had to finish what I started. 

“’What will happen to me the next time I draw my sword?’ ‘Maybe I’ll lose myself again.’ ‘Maybe I’ll hurt someone.’ That’s what you’re thinking.”

I dropped the bombshell of the conclusion I had come to.

“Rin. You’ve completely lost your confidence.”

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #rin okumura #yukio okumura #shura kirigakure #tatsuma suguro #fanfiction #shikito luma

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 24: Empty Sword

“Just keep reading. Do it!”

Yukio pushed his glasses up his nose, glanced at me worriedly, and continued.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And that was how I met Shiro Fujimoto, the man who raised you.

Now I digress for a moment. The Koma Sword is the magic sword also known as Kurikara and Myo-o Dharani’s principal object of worship. One hundred fifty years ago, a pestilential demon called the Impure King appeared and ravaged Japan. A Myodha monk named Fukaku summoned a fire demon known as Karura into the sword and used its power to defeat the Impure King. For generations Myodha had preserved the sword and kept the Right Eye sealed away from the world. 

Then smirking as if mocking it all, he appeared. 

He refused to give it back and mocked us, claiming the sword was empty- that it housed no demon. Of course that infuriated Yaozo, and he attempted to attack the intruder. 

However, your father was actually gravely injured from his fight with the demon and fell unconscious right then and there.The other priests wanted to kick him out, throw him off the mountain, some even wanted to kill him. But something made me hesitate.

Instead, we brought him into the monastery where we treated his wounds, and we returned the sword to its rightful place. 

Once he awoke, I questioned his motives. Why steal our main object of worship? He claimed he was following orders, but he suspected that he was going to end up killing a child with the sword. 

Of course this outraged me and I was beginning to regret my decision of saving him. I attempted to fight him, but he feigned my attacks and took off into the monastery. I gave chase, but he had stumbled right into the sick bay.

I’ll never forget his look of horror as he gazed at the hundreds of sick and wounded being treated by nothing but Buddhist chants. He stormed in and immediately took over, demanding he needed this root and that. 

It wasn’t long before everyone started to recover. The Hojo’s, the Shima’s... They all made full recoveries. He had saved them all. He even saved my dear Torako and our unborn child. For that I will always be grateful.

This gave me a shocking reality check. I had dedicated my life to prayer, believing it could solve any dilemma I might have faced. But then here came a mere bandit who could heal hundreds within the span of days when we had been trying for months.

At this point, my opinion of Fujimoto had changed completely... Until he demanded the sword as payment for his help. I outright refused and he made to go look for it himself, but my father appeared and attacked him. Fujimoto fled into the forest with the guards giving chase while I tried to reason with my father. Of course he refused to hear any of my arguments, sticking true to ways he’d always known.

It was then that I decided I was different. I was going to be different than my father, then any priest Myodha had ever had.

I stole the sword and followed Fujimoto into the forest. Once I found him, I tossed him Kurikara and offered to show him the way off the mountain. He questioned as to why I had changed my mind and I told him the truth. 

I once secretly drew the Koma Sword as a child. I wanted to see Karura. But I didn’t see Karura or a flame or anything. I’d known it all this time. I was done worshipping that empty shell. I finally felt like fighting. 

He reminded him of his task to kill a child, but I shook my head at him. A man like Fujimoto... I knew he wouldn’t do it. Before he left, he called me his ally. That is something I will never forget.

And that’s the end of my tale about Fujimoto. A few months later, the Blue Night occurred. Father made me the head priest, told me Myodha’s secret, and died. 

And that secret was truly horrible.

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #rin okumura #yukio okumura #shura kirigakure #shiro fujimoto #tatsuma suguro #fanfiction #shikito luma

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 23: The Father’s Story

“We must find Saburoto Todo and Mamushi Hojo- and fast!”

“We’re looking for them,” Yaozo’s voice was drained of all energy. “But they disappeared like mist. We haven’t found a trace. To prepare for the worst, we should request support from the doctors and other divisions.”

The meeting began dissolving as people went about their own jobs. I was going to talk to Yukio, but he seemed preoccupied with his own thoughts, so I turned to Shura instead. I was surprised to see she was holding a letter.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“That pervy old priest slipped it into my pocket when he felt me up. It’s addressed to Rin.”

She handed me the note. I inspected it as Yukio approached us, apparently done with his moment.

“Sorry about that. Shikito, on the phone you said there was trouble. Why do I have the feeling it has something to do with my brother?”

Shura raised an eyebrow at me. Of course, she would make me be the one to break the news.

“Uh… There was… An incident.”

——————————————————————————————-

They had moved Rin to a cell in solitary confinement. Thankfully, being the arch knight meant I had automatic access.

“You two go first,” I said, passing the note to Shura. “It’ll be better that way. He still hates me, remember? And he probably blames me for putting him in here.”

Shura just nodded, but Yukio placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

So I hung back as Shura placed herself in front of the cell, Yukio coming up next.

“You cool down yet?” I heard her say. So he was awake.

She plopped down into a sitting position and began talking. I saw her pass him the note. They continued talking, but instead of showing himself Yukio stood next to me.

“Come on, Shikito. You can do it. He doesn’t need to have this power over you. You’re stronger than this.” I gazed at my best friend, letting his words fill my mind and my determination.

I sighed, “You’re right. Let’s go.”

As we approached I heard both Shura and Rin complaining that they couldn’t read Tatsuma’s note. Yukio took it from Shura and inspected it.

“It’s in cursive script; I can read it. Rin,” he turned to his brother. “You said you were going to surpass me. But here you are in a cell. Is this what you meant by surprising me so much my jaw drops off.”

I was shocked by how vehemently Yukio was speaking. I placed a hand on his shoulder. “Just read it, Yukio. There’s a reason Tatsuma gave Rin that letter and I have a feeling it’s really important.”

I glanced at Rin, but instead of looking at me with hatred (like normal), the gaze that met mine was just full of sadness. I had to look away.

Yukio cleared his throat and began reading, “Dear, Rin. It’s a pleasure making your acquaintance. I am Tatsuma Suguro, a monk living in Kyoto. I am writing this letter because I must ask an important favor of you. You must wonder why a complete stranger is writing you, so I will start at the beginning. I’m no good at writing, so please forgive my disorderly account. I will start a short time before you were born.”

——————————————————————————————-

I was still young then. My wife became ill while pregnant and grew weaker with each passing day. I was beside myself with worry. 

My father reprimanded me for neglecting my work. I tried to get him to change his mind, but it was of no use. My father continued to fulfill his duties to Myodha even after my mother died and he himself became sick. He told me to continue praying and to clear my mind. If Torako died, I was to find a stronger bride. Powerless, I simply accepted his words.

“He was right. I am seventeenth in the line of Myodha head priests. The monks work tirelessly to preserve that blood line. I must fulfill my own responsibilities with a clear mind. That will save Torako and our child as well as Myodha.”

This I all said to myself as we tended the sacred fire and presented Myodha’s main object of worship.

But then… From out of the sky…

A giant demon fell from the sky and crashed onto the fire, shattering it. The beast was covered in blood and appeared to be dead. The smoke from the demolished fire clouded my vision. Enough so that I didn’t see main object’s case come flying and hit me in the head.

I was knocked back into the snow. I looked up only to see a man on top of the demon. He began complaining about this and that, acting as if the situation was entirely normal. I was only occupied with making him pay for what he had done.

As we tried to apprehend him, we all gazed in horror as we realized that he had obtained Myodha’s sacred object. The Koma Sword. He slung it over his shoulder and announced that he was going to take it. Of course, we were all horrified.

And that was how I met Shiro Fujimoto, the man who raised you.

——————————————————————————————-

Yukio took a break from reading as we all absorbed the information.

“I never knew Shiro knew Suguro’s dad,” I muttered.

“So that’s how he got the Koma Sword,” Yukio stated. 

Rin stayed silent, but Shura anxiously said, “Just keep reading. Do it!”

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #rin okumura #yukio okumura #shura kirigakure #shiro fujimoto #tatsuma suguro #yaozo shima #shikito luma #fanfiction

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 22: Flare-Up

“All of it is your fault!” 

Everyone was shocked into a silence at Ryuji’s words. His hands still clenched his father’s robes. 

“…Is Mamushi right?” he muttered. “Have you betrayed us?”

“Of… Of course not,” the high priest stuttered.

“If that’s true, then tell me the truth. Right here. In front of everyone!”

Tatsuma’s features widened in shock. “The truth?”

His stunned expression quickly turned into a sheepish smile. “It’s a secret. I can’t even tell my own son. It’d be better if I never had to tell you, so…”

Suguro’s hands fell limply to his sides. He stared at his father as if he was looking at a complete stranger. “Despite all this, you still won’t tell me?”

Tatsuma waved the words away and turned to walk away. “Anyway, I have to go after Mamushi. Ryuji, listen to your mother and your teachers, and be a good boy. Ok?”

“Enough with the caring father act!” Suguro exploded. “If you leave without telling me, I will no longer recognize you as my father!”

His words stayed suspended in the air, but without a second glance, Tatsuma turned and walked away, throwing an apology his son’s way. 

However, he didn’t get very far.

My eyes widened as I saw Rin grab a hold of the priest’s robes and haul him back towards Bon.

“Why are you leaving?!” he was demanding to know. “You’re Suguro’s father! And Suguro.”

He turned to his classmate and before I could even blink, Rin sunk his fist into Bon’s jaw, sending him to the floor; a bright blue spark accompanied the blow. 

“Rin, stop it!” I shouted, but he ignored me.

“I don’t know what’s behind all this, but you’ll regret it later! Got it?! Now apologize to your father!”

“This is none of your business!” Bon shouted back. “So shut it!”

“You can’t disown your father!”

“Like you’re one to talk! You say you’re going to defeat Satan!”

Tatsuma tried to stop the two boys, but there was no stopping them once they’d started.

“Get lost,” Ryuji growled. “And never come back!”

In a bright flash of light, Rin’s flames went crazy, flaring up like a halo around him. 

Everyone began shouting in a panic. I tried to run up to Rin, but I was pushed back as the exorcists jostled around me; some trying to run away, others trying to get closer for a better look. I tried calling his name, but it was of no use. To my right, I could see Shura also pushing and shoving to get to Rin.

Rin went to throw another punch at Suguro, but the boy blocked it by reciting a mantra. 

As I struggled against the mass, steadily making my way towards the front, I heard Rin shout, “I don’t want to be Satan’s son!” The mantra’s disappeared, and Rin grabbed two fistful’s of his classmate’s shirt. “But you’re different, right? Right?”

Suddenly, Juzo leaped between the boys, sending Rin jumping back. He held his K’rik protectively in front of him and Bon. His stance was full of tension; ready to spring if Rin made another move. Small sprouts of flame still covered Rin’s body. 

Just then, Shura managed to burst through the crowd ahead of me. She quickly recited the containment chant, which activated the ring on Rin’s tail. The ring was a religious object, capable of disabling Rin in the case of an emergency.

Once the chant was finished, Rin shrieked in pain, collapsing to his knees. I ran forward and kneeled down next to him.

“Rin,” I muttered. “Have you forgotten the conditions of your release? If you lose control, they’ll exorcise you. You need to calm down.”

Sweat was pouring down his face, and his whole body was trembling. “I’m trying to have an important conversation,” he growled. “So back off.”

I went to say something else, but instead, he gasped in pain again and fell to the floor. I looked up to see Shura chanting again.

“What the hell, Shura!” I shouted, turning my attention back to Rin, but he was already out cold. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Shura looked down at me, her eyes sympathetic, but her stance firm. “My job,” she responded.

She turned back to the group of exorcists. “Hey, someone,” she called. “Help me seclude him. Don’t worry, he’s out like a light.”

After sharing a few words with Yaozo, Shura finally turned to me. “You need to pull it together, Shikito.”

“I have it together,” I shot back. “You’re the one who decided to completely incapacitate Rin.”

“Because it was the only thing to do. He finally managed to do that stupid candle trick, but he just lost control in front of practically the whole Myodha sect. Something had to be done or else it was going to fall on both of our heads. You need to stop treating Rin as the little kid you once knew and start treating him as what he really is.”

Fury bubbled up inside me, partly from Shura’s words, but mostly because I knew she was right. I was going to argue back when suddenly someone asked, “Are you Rin’s guardians?”

Tatsuma Suguro was standing behind Shura. His hand was also resting right on Shura’s ass. 

“Take good care of him,” he smiled, then jumped out of the way before Shura could roundhouse kick him. And then he was gone.

That cut our argument short. Shura was still grumbling about the pervy old man when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. It was Yukio.

“Hey, Yukio. How’s the recovery operation going? We’re having trouble here too…”

“Shikito.” Yukio’s voice was urgent in my ear. “I’m at the field office. I need you and Shura to meet me as soon as possible. It’s urgent.”

——————————————————————————————-

We met Yukio at the front of the field office along with a few other exorcists and Yaozo. As soon as I saw the other Okumura brother, I ran up to him and hugged him tight. 

“Yukio, things aren’t going well.”

We pulled back and he grimaced. “Not on our end either.”

“What are you doing here?”

“We couldn’t call ahead. Our communications was down. You said there was trouble?”

Before I could answer, Yaozo interrupted us and directed us to a couple of tables where we could sit and discuss what everyone knew. 

Yaozo explained everything that had happened at the Deep Keep and how Mamushi and Todo were now on the run.

Once he was finished, the head of Yukio’s operation gave his report. “I see. Then the enemy now has both the Left and Right Eyes. The vehicle we followed was a decoy. We found two dead exorcists inside. The enemy even jammed our communications. They were buying time, so we may assume that Todo has the Left Eye.”

Panicked mumbles rippled through the group.

“This is bad. Really bad,” I muttered to Yukio.

He nodded and stepped forward. “Director Shima, I apologize for interrupting, but what exactly are the eyes?”

Yaozo sighed and bowed his head. “For over 150 years, Myodha has kept secrets within secrets. Even those of us at the top did not know their location. Others didn’t even know they existed. The only one who knows all the secrets and protects them is the high priest, Tatsuma Suguro. According to Myodha legend, when the Right and Left eyes come together, a new and potent poisonous gas results.”

More anxious murmurings. Among them, I heard, “Uh oh.”

“Spreading a new highly poisonous gas; is that their goal?”

“Since it’s an unknown substance, the Order may not be able to handle it alone.”

A new poisonous gas, depending on the potency, could wipe out the whole of Kyoto. This was turning into a cataclysmic event. Something had to be done and quickly.

I slammed my hand on the table, silencing the chatter in the room. I had the room’s full attention. 

“We must find Saburoto Todo and Mamushi Hojo- and fast!”

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #rin okumura #ryuji suguro #tatsuma suguro #shura kirigakure #yukio okumura #juzo shima #yaozo shima #fanfiction #shikito luma

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 21: Calamity

I sighed as the two candles melted in a hot flash of blue flame. “Damn! Why can’t I do it?” My student grumbled. Rin was still struggling to not completely obliterate the candles.

“Try again.”

“Maybe you should start acting like a teacher instead of just sitting there ordering me to light candles!” He turned on me, a finger pointed accusatorially towards my chest. 

“Controlling your flame has to come from within, Rin!” I shouted back. “If I could just tell you how to use it, we wouldn’t be doing this!”

The tension between the two of us had only increased since Rin had told me he hated me. Instead of being sad, I found myself becoming more and more angry at how coldly he was treating me. It wasn’t like I asked for this.

“Pshh, you say that,” he rolled his eyes. “I’m sure you can’t even do it. That’s why you won’t tell me. You’re setting me up to fail on purpose. That’s not surprising from you.” 

That sent my temper over the edge. I stood up from where I had been sitting on the roof. I located my target: three candles that were still untouched by Rin’s flame. 

Using as much effort as it would have taken to blink an eye, I simultaneously froze over the wicks of the outside two, leaving the center one untouched. Rin’s eyes widened at the sight of the red ice.

His anger momentarily forgotten, he blinked and stuttered, “W-what..? H-how..?”

“How? I stopped whining and complaining and I worked my ass off to be able to control my power. I suggest you do the same.” With my final statement, I turned and leapt off the roof, avoiding the look on the boy’s face. I needed to get as far away from Rin as possible before I said something really stupid.

——————————————————————————————-

I walked through the corridors of the Field Office trying not to overanalyze the fight. I stopped abruptly as I turned the corner and ran smack straight into Ryuji. 

“Sugu-?” Before I could finish, he had slapped a hand over my mouth, motioning for me to stay quiet. My eyes widened in anger, but they softened as I looked further around the corner. Juzo was standing further down the hallway, gazing out the window. I was about to ask Ryuji what the hell he was doing when two more exorcists appeared at the end of the hall.

“Done for the day?” they called. “We heard the Myodha higher-ups met today. Is something going on?”

“Why? Were there rumors?” Juzo had instantly gone on the defensive. I looked into his thoughts and all I could see was the Deep Keep. Why was he thinking about that?

“Just that the director summoned the senior exorcists of the Keep’s defenses. That there was a meeting or something. But wouldn’t that leave defenses thin?”

Juzo smiled amicably. “I’ll talk to the director about it.”

The two exorcists bid him farewell and disappeared again. Instead of going back to the window, he turned the opposite way. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as he pulled the key to the field office out of his robes and slid it into one of the doors in the hallway. Then he was gone.

I could feel in my gut that something was very wrong. Suguro had taken his hand off my mouth and made to follow his clan-member, but I grabbed him by his collar.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I hissed. 

“I’ve got to follow him.” Suguro was straining against my hold. Thank god for demon strength.

“You can’t. It’s too dangerous. I can’t go putting you or any of the other exwires in danger or I could get in big trouble. I’ll go investigate, you go back to work with the others.”

I released him and made to walk away, but he grabbed my arm. “With all due respect, Ms. Lu-. Shikito. This is my family we’re talking about. I have a right to know what’s going on. Plus I know this place better than anyone. That door Juzo went through is locked now, but I know where it leads to. You need me to help you navigate. And please. I need to know what’s going on.”

Suguro’s words moved me. I could feel his pain and what was happening to his family. And he was right. Every word he said had been right.

“Fine,” I sighed. “But stay behind me at all times. Don’t move, don’t blink, don’t even breathe unless I do it too.”

Suguro’s spirits lifted and he got a glint to his eye. “All right. Let’s go.”

——————————————————————————————-

Ryuji told me Juzo’s path would lead him downstairs towards the Deep Keep, confirming my suspicions. He had led me to the elevator down, however, once the doors opened, I instantly drew my bow.

Unconscious exorcists lay everywhere, slumped against the walls and thrown across the floor. Suguro sprinted up to them and checked for signs of life. 

“They’re alive,” he sighed. “But did Juzo really..?” his voice trailed off. 

“I don’t know, but we have to keep going.”

We took another elevator down into the Deep Keep. The doors opened into utter black.

“Stay behind me. Here,” I hissed and unfurling my sword and handing it to him. “In case you need to defend yourself.”

We crept forward, staying low to the ground until we could see Juzo’s form crouching over another unconscious exorcist. He was standing right near the eye of the Impure King.

“What are you doing…” I tensed as he began to speak. Had he spotted us?

“…Mamushi?” My body went numb as I realized there was one more person in the room. My eyes shifted over to see the Hojo girl standing at the foot of the pillar for the eye. I closed my eyes as the reality set in. Mamushi Hojo was the traitor among the Myodha ranks.

“So it was you,” Juzo said in contempt. “I knew your behavior was suspicious. I… never did like you… but I admired your dedication to Myodha. So why are you doing this?”

Mamushi stayed silent.

“Say something!!”

“To wake up Myodha,” she finally spoke. “The real traitors are Tatsuma Suguro…” I felt Bon stiffen beside me. “…and the President of the Japan Branch, Mephisto Pheles.”

“Mephisto? What are you talking about?”

“Eight years ago, soon after entering the cram school, Mr. Todo told me about it. He explained that Mephisto was hiding the Left Eye in the Deep Keep for himself and the Right Eye existed as well. He came to me because I knew Myodha’s history. That’s when I began to have doubts. Mr. Todo had expected Mephisto for a long time and wanted to expose him. I decided to cooperate. Mephisto. The Impure King. Tatsuma Suguro. I’ve been investigating them for years. I didn’t have anything solid, but one week ago, when the Vatican investigated Mephisto, I gained conclusive information. Mephisto had secretly raised the child of Satan.”

Uninvoluntarily, I breathed out, “Rin.” Bon glanced at me, so quickly I wasn’t sure if he actually did it. 

“What?” Juzo was incredulous.

“And to do that,” the girl continued, going into a fighting stance. “He used Myodha’s principle object of worship. I knew she meant the Koma Sword.

“No… And you have proof?” Juzo was fighting to stay calm. 

“Not here, but all will be clear soon enough. We cannot trust our superiors.”

Her hands suddenly transformed into snakes. I tightened my grip on my bow and told Suguro to stay down.

“Mr. Todo will seal the Left and Right Eyes somewhere safe!” Mamushi had a mad glint to her eye that I didn’t like the look of.

“Stop, Mamushi!” Juzo shouted, preparing his K’rik. “Don’t do anything stupid! You need to reveal what you’ve learned to everyone!” “Hmph, Tatsuma remains the leader of Myodha. The upper ranks will never accuse him of anything! Even Father won’t do it! And the Shima’s are the worst! They’d just laugh and tell me I’m imagining things! And there’s no time for that!” 

I could feel Suguro’s growing apprehension behind me, and I prayed that he wouldn’t do anything stupid. I knew it wasn’t going to be long before I had to get involved. 

“No one understands,” Mamushi’s voice had grown dark, but it suddenly rose as her snakes launched themselves at Juzo. “I’m doing this to save Myodha.”

Juzo leaped forward to meet the blow. “If you’re serious about this, then as an old acquaintance, I must stop you!” That was my signal.

I stood up, bow pulled taught, a red ice arrow ready to fly. “Stop right there! Both of you!”

However, as both exorcists turned to look at me, the ground began to shake. “An earthquake?” someone shouted. No, it wasn’t an earthquake. That’s when I saw the ceiling above the eye start to crumble. One of Mamushi’s snakes had wrapped itself around the eye.

In a large explosion, the roof came down, sending bits of rock and rubble everywhere. I gasped as I saw a figure coming down with the debris. It was Todo. I tried to shoot him, but I couldn’t get a good enough aim with all the rocks. 

“It’s been a while, Mr. Shima!” I heard him greet Juzo.

“Todo! You devil! Why are you tricking, Mamushi?!”

Todo laughed maniacally. “Devil? Ha! I like that! I’ve simply enlisted her cooperation.”

Mamushi’s snake had grabbed a hold of the eye and brought it to its master. “That’s right,” she stated. “I chose this.”

“Mamushi, he’s lying to you!” I shouted. The girl looked surprised to see me there, but she just shook her head. Suddenly, a loud suction noise filled the room. The eye’s bottle began trembling. I knew what that meant.

“Mamushi, no!” I ran forward, but it was too late. She had removed the eye from its containment unit. She held the small sphere up to her own eye.

“You’re the ones being fooled,” she murmured before she forced the demonic object into her own eye socket. In a dark flash, both she and Todo vanished.

“Damn it,” I cursed. Ryuji was behind me, but behind him stood a larger group of people. They must have arrived during the commotion. Among them I noticed Shura and Rin. A bald head moved along the back of the crowd towards the door. Ryuji noticed this too and had took off before I could say anything.

Suguro grabbed his father by the back of his robes. “Long time, no see, Pops!” he growled.

“Ah! Ryuji!” the priest smiled sheepishly. “It has been a while… Your mohawk sure has grown…”

“Where are you going?” his son demanded to know. 

“I’d love to talk, but I need to go after Mamushi,” he said, conciliatory. “So let me go, ok?”

Bon’s grip only tightened. “Go after Mamushi?” I could feel the boy’s rage growing. This wasn’t going to end well.

“But Mamushi turning traitor and this mess we’re in! All of it is your fault!”

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #rin okumura #ryuji suguro #juzo shima #kinzo shima #mamushi hojo #saburota todo #tatsuma suguro #fanfiction #shikito luma

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 20: Traitor

I emerged from my room the next morning, eyes still puffy from all the crying. It had taken me forever to fall asleep; Rin’s sharp words cutting into my memory like a knife. But being an exorcist meant getting the job done, no matter what one’s own personal circumstances may be.

I dressed in my more casual exorcist gear, which involved black pants, black boots, and a black racerback. My bow slid comfortably into my boot. I inspected my face in the mirror and groaned when I saw how awful I looked. The skin around my eyes was puffy and swollen and I had a pimple growing on my chin. Just perfect, I thought.

I made myself a cup of coffee and hesitantly made my way to the dining hall. Unsurprisingly, Rin was there, his eyelids drooping, and his bedhead all over the place. It gave me a sick satisfaction to see that he looked as bad as I did. He was sitting with Shima and his two brothers, Kinzo and Juzo. 

I steeled myself up, put on my best teacher face, and marched over to the boys. Kinzo whistled at me as I approached. “Damn, Shikito. Rough night?”

I glanced at Rin, who was blatantly not looking at me, and took a sip of my coffee. “You could say that.”

“What brings you to our table? Are you so desperate to see me this early in the morning,” Kinzo’s attempts at flirting were lame; they always were, but that didn’t stop him from being a good friend/exorcist.

“It’s not actually,” I retorted. “But it is a bonus. I’m actually here to talk to Rin.” He looked up at me mutinously, but I kept a brave face and my voice steady. “I have to go to the Myodha meeting today, so you’ll be training with Shura. Go find her after you’re done eating.” All I got was a slight nod to acknowledge my words. 

“Then I’ll be off,” I waved goodbye to the other boys and then did my best to not run out of the room.

——————————————————————————————-

The meeting was held in the Nightingale Room of the inn. All the exorcists sat around a long table; each had tea in front of them, but I was still nursing my second cup of coffee. I sat across from Ryuji and next to Konekomaru. They both seemed surprised to see me, but neither said anything. Yaozo had asked me to come to the meeting; he said I should probably hear what he had to say.

However, while my presence had alerted some people, the lack of a certain presence had caused even more of a stir. Tatsuma Suguro, Ryuji’s father and the leader of the Myodha sect, was no where to be seen. Mutinous comments were being thrown around the room, but they were quickly cut off as Yaozo entered the room, supported by his son, Juzo.

Yaozo did not look good. He was breathing heavily, and he was drenched in sweat. If Juzo hadn’t been there, I was positive that the man wouldn’t have been able to stand on his own two feet. Whatever he had to say must have been incredibly important that he would put that much stress on himself.

Everyone gasped as they took in his condition. Yaozo waved off their concerns, settling into his spot at the head of the table. “I must tell you something,” he announced. “I just received work that Ossama is busy and will not be attending.” I could sense Ryuji’s disturbance of emotions as he processed the news about his father. But Yaozo continued on.

“Today I have called all the family heads, everyone involved in the affair of the right eye, and an impartial party whom I trust.” I assumed that I was the impartial party.

“There is a traitor in our midst.”

The room was silent as Yaozo dropped the biggest bomb no one had expected. Then chaos broke out as shouts of surprise, anger, and fear broke out. “Silence!” Yaozo tried to control the situation. “Only members of Myodha were present during the incident.”

“And only someone from Myodha could break the seal,” added the head of the Hojo family, Uwabami Hojo. “Juzo, give your account of the day’s events.”

Juzo told us the story of how he had called Ossama to help him and Mamushi Hojo, the head daughter of the Hojo family, look over the Sacred Fire in the Monk’s Seat, one of the relics in the Deep Keep. Mamushi had began berating Tatsuma about not joining the exorcists when the fire had suddenly gone crazy. Tatsuma began reciting sutras to keep it under control as Mamushi ran to protect the Right Eye. She managed to reach the eye as the seal began to melt. The force of the fire sent her flying back and Juzo went to help her. Yaozo soon arrived, but the pressure from the melting seal and the fire became too intense and set off a minor explosion, which had caused the majority of everyone’s injuries.

The room fell into silence as Juzo finished his story. “In other words,” Uwabami spoke up. “The only ones near the right eye were my three daughters, Juzo, Yaozo who ran into help, and the high priest Tatsuma. Six people. I have a document here regarding the person involved from stealing the Left Eye from the Deep Keep at the Japan Branch. Saburoto Todo, former warden of the Deep Keep,” he slid a piece of paper across the table. “Juzo… Mamushi… You had Magic Circles and Seals with him in Cram School.”

“What are you suggesting?!”

“Father!?” Both of the people named flew into hysterics. “Do you suspect me?” Mamushi faced her father. “You’re the only ones with ties to Todo,” Uwabami stated, cooly. “He was just my teacher,” she whined. “That doesn’t mean I…” She quickly turned to Juzo. “I mean Shima was much closer to him!”

“Huh?” Juzo’s face was filled with confused fury. “I just liked his classes! That doesn’t make us close!”

“I’m just stating a fact.”

“Anyway, Mamushi, you’re the one who approached the magic bottle!”

“Yeah, I did it to protect the Right Eye!”

“How did you know it was in danger? Ossama told us to run, but instead you…”

“What are you trying to say!”

“I’m saying that your behavior was suspicious!”

“Father! You have to believe me!” Mamushi turned in desperation. “He’s just trying to avoid suspicion by-”

“Mamushi!” Uwabami cut her off. “We’re still deliberating calm down!”

The Hojo girl hung her head in shame, pointedly staring at her hands. “That day…” she murmured. “When the Sacred Fire started moving… It looked like Tatsuma was controlling the flame! He was chanting a mantra I’d never heard before.”

The room was silent until another exorcist hesitantly added, “It did look like he was spurring on.” However, once he realized what he had said, he tried to redeem himself, “But just because it looked that way…”

Uwabami ignored him and asked, “Anyway, why was the Left Eye hidden from us?”

“Did Master Tatsuma know about it?” someone called out.

“Well, it would be strange if he didn’t know, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes, I suppose so…”

“But surely you don’t suspect Tatsuma of…?”

The room was quickly dissolving into fits of argument. I had stayed silent during the whole ordeal, not reading anyone’s mind, but just testing the emotions in the room. The only intense ones had come from Juzo and Mamushi when their connection with Todo was brought up.

The arguments in the room quickly silenced as Konekomaru exclaimed, “Stop it! Enough wild accusations!”

“Come to think of it,” one of the exorcists turned condescendingly to the Miwa heir. “You and Tatsuma get along quite well.”

This only caused the room to break into conflict once again. 

“Stop it!” Yaozo slammed his hand on the table causing everyone to quiet down. “This isn’t going anywhere! I brought Luma here…” At this, he gestured at me. “…to act as a third party. We’re all aware of her mind reading talents, so I ask that she interrogate each and every one of you. That will be the quickest way to sort this mess out. Luma, will you do this?”

I didn’t hesitate to agree. I didn’t like using my power against people’s will, but this situation could easily put someone’s life on the line. I nodded. “I will personally interrogate all members here, including Ossama. However, I will do so tomorrow. I think it only fair that if the traitor wishes to step forward sooner and confess, they shall receive a lesser punishment than when I discover who it is.”

Yaozo nodded, agreeing with my decision. “Then I guess we’re done for today.”

——————————————————————————————-

I climbed the ladder to the roof of the building and observed the scene in front of me. Melted candle was everywhere, but what caught my eye were the three upright candles, blue flames flickering on the outside two. Shura lay off to the side nursing a beer. Rin was no where to be seen. 

“He did it?” I asked astonished, pulling my whole body onto the roof. 

“Ha, yeah, by accident,” she snorted. “He kept failing, so I told him to go cool off, and as he slinked off the two lit up. Kid didn’t even notice.”

“Hmmm,” I contemplated, expecting the candles.

“What happened between you two?” Her question caught me off guard. I felt my heart constrict as it forced me to remember last night’s events.

“He hates me. Said so to my face.” My voice wavered, tears teasing the corners of my eyes.

“Damn, I really thought he would come around. I’m sorry, Shikito.” I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I shook my head. “There’s nothing I can do about it now. This is just the way it has to be. Rin may hate me, but I won’t let that stop me from teaching him to become an exorcist.”

Shura removed her hand, took another swig of her beer, and looked me dead in the eyes. “Just don’t sacrifice your feelings and happiness for his sake.”

But I still thought to myself, After all I’ve put him through, isn’t that what I deserve?

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #rin okumura #ryuji suguro #konekomaru miwa #renzou shima #kinzo shima #juzo shima #shura kirigakure #yaozo shima #mamushi hojo #uwabami hojo #tatsuma suguro #shikito luma #fanfiction

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 3: The Garden of Amahara

I woke up feeling groggy. I looked over at the clock next to my bed. It read 9:30 a.m. I groaned and rolled out of bed. I located by key chain, found the right key, and inserted it into my dorm room door. When I stepped through the other side, I was now in my own personal bathroom. Mephisto had arranged this because it would have really given me away if Rin had walked in on me in the washroom. You can't really hide... "Those" when you're naked. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was back in my own room, now fully dressed in my disguise. I got ready to leave, when I heard a commotion from my neighbors. I went over and knocked on the door. When it opened I noticed Yukio in his exorcist gear and Rin in his uniform. "Hey guys, what's up?" I greeted. "Hey, Yuujin," responded Rin. "Yukio and I are headed out on an exorcist mission." Yukio turned and smacked Rin. "You weren't supposed to tell him. Now he's going to want to come with us." 

"Oops." Rin scratched the back of his head. "Can I come with you guys?" I asked tentatively. If Rin was going on a mission, I definitely needed to be there. 

Yukio sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Fine, you can come with us. But only because I assume you'll behave. I stepped into their room, and Yukio inserted a key into the door. When he opened it, I immediately recognized the path to the supply shop. Oh, so it wasn't really an exorcist mission, just Yukio picking up some supplies. 

"Whoa! We're up pretty high!" exclaimed Rin. "That key opens a portal or something?!" "The academy is an important location for exorcists and the Knights of the True Cross," Yukio began explaining how keys and the magical barriers work at True Cross Academy. I zoned out and focused on my surroundings.

 I had always loved this place. I remember just coming to sit out here and look at the town. We all walked up the steps to Futsumaya, and Yukio turned to look at me and Rin. "I need to buy some supplies first." First? So we were here for something else? "You wait out here." I nodded but of course Rin complained, "Can't I go in?" 

"You have to be an exorcist or higher rank," explained Yukio. "I'll be right back." I smirked to myself. I could go in if I wanted to. I shook my head. No, Shikito Luma could go in if she wanted to. Yuujin Faust was still a page and not allowed in the exorcist supply shop. 

Yukio was halfway up the steps when he turned and shouted (mostly to Rin), "No wandering around! And don't touch anything!" 

"Tch," Rin muttered. "He treats me like a child!" He then broke into a spot-on Yukio impression. "'No wandering around! Why are you reading manga?' Is he my mom or something?!" I bent over laughing at Rin's impression. He chuckled with me, until a black gate caught his attention. "Hm?" He bounded up the steps towards the gate, as soon as I recognized the gate. 

"Rin!" I called out. I ran up till I was a few feet behind him. "Stay away from-" Rin's hand touched the gate, and it gave out a pulse of energy. Suddenly, both halves of the gate fell forwards into the garden. "That," I finished my sentence a little to late. I recognized the shop owners daughter, Shiemi, in the garden. 

I'd met Shiemi before (as Shikito of course), back when I first started my training. I didn't know why, but I had never liked her. There was just something about her that really pissed me off. Rin started stuttering as Shiemi glanced up and started to tremble. "D-Demons!" she cried. Both Rin and I looked at each other in surprise. Of course; one half of the gate must have responded to Rin and the other half responded to me. Crap. 

"No, you don't understand!" began Rin. "The gate is a ward against evil! It only reacts to demons!" Rin looked at me strangely. I shrugged my shoulders and said, "It just broke, we didn't do it." Rin turned back to Shiemi, but she leaned away. "P-please, just leave me alone! Don't come in here!" I was fine with turning around and leaving but obviously Rin wasn't because he stepped into the garden and yelled, "I... I'm not a demon! I'm not exactly human either, but... (He muttered this part to himself) Don't judge me!!" 

Of course this only freaked Shiemi out more and she proceeded to crawl away from Rin screaming, "Stay away! Someone, help!" Wait, why was she crawling? Had something happened to her? She fell face first in the garden, which caused me and Rin to run over to help. "Are you all right?" asked Rin. She didn't answer so I asked, "Is something wrong with your legs?"

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I don't know how, but we ended up helping Shiemi with the garden. Rin and I fixed the gate that we may or may not have broken while Shiemi placed fertilizer around the plants. "Thanks!" said Shiemi. "With my legs, I hardly get anything done. You guys have been helpful." 

"Helpful?!" exclaimed Rin. "You called us demons then put us to work!" 

"Sorry about that. I was just surprised," apologized Shiemi. "Well, we broke the gate, so that's all right," I added. I still really disliked Shiemi, which made me feel bad because she was such a nice person. But oh well, I couldn't help how I felt. 

"Shall we make up?" I was pulled out of my thoughts by Shiemi extending her hand towards me and Rin. "I didn't know you guys were so nice." Rin blushed and looked down, "Nice... Hm? I.. I guess I don't mind, but," Rin looked over at me expectantly. "Yeah, I guess it's cool." Shiemi grinned broadly. "Really? Good! I'm Shiemi Moriyama! What are you names?" Rin shook her hand and answered, "Rin Okumura." I avoided the handshake (she had just touched manure, no thank you) and settled for a head nod. "Yuujin Faust." Rin then realized the manure situation and stared at his hand in horror. 

"This garden," stated Shiemi, "Belonged to my grandmother. She taught me a lot here. I loved my grandmother and I love this garden. She died in an accident last winter. She's gone on ahead to the garden of Amahara. I hope so anyway." I had already heard this story from my past trips to the supply shop but obviously Rin hadn't. Shiemi began to explain when Yukio and Shiemi's mother stepped out of the shop. 

"Rin! What are you doing over there?!" chastised Yukio. "I can't look away for one minute! And Yuujin, you too! Rin now you're just being a bad influence!" Rin smiled and waved. "Hiya, bro!" 

"Yuki!" 

WOAH, WOAH, WOAH, HOLD UP! Did she just call him Yuki?! B-But I thought I was the only person who called him that! That was Yukio and I's "thing" when we were friends! So why did Shiemi call him Yuki?! These thoughts were swarming around my head, so I didn't hear the next part of the conversation. 

Only until Rin touched me on the shoulder and said, "Yuujin? You ok? You look a little sick." I was gonna retort that I was fine, but then I saw that Yukio was holding Shiemi's leg, which were distended with roots. I used that as my excuse and said, "Yeah, Rin. I've always had a weak stomach. I'm gonna go sit down ok?" 

Rin patted me on the back. "'Kay dude, hope you feel better." I walked out of the garden and back to the bridge overlooking the town. Was I just jealous? I didn't know but right now I wanted to stay as far away from Shiemi as possible.

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I don't know how long I stayed looking out at the town. As my butt started to grow numb from sitting there, I heard the sound of fighting coming from the garden. I jumped up from my place and ran towards the shop, ignoring the numbness in my legs.

 When I arrived I saw Yukio setting Shiemi on the ground and Rin holding his sword. I noticed that the roots on Shiemi's legs were gone. "Did you guys defeat the demon?" I asked, breathless from my run. "Oh, Yuujin. There you are," said Yukio. "And yes we did." Then to Shiemi he said, "You should be able to stand now." Shiemi's mother then appeared around the corner. I widened my eyes in shock when Rin smacked Shiemi in the back of the head and said, "Go on!" 

"Rin!" exclaimed Yukio. "Be gentle!" Rin's face softened. "Go apologize to your mom. If you don't, you'll regret it later." Shiemi approached her mom who then engulfed in a giant hug. They held each other, crying, as I joined the Okumura brothers.

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"This is Shiemi Moriyama, your new classmate," announced Yukio. "P-pleased to meet you!" Shiemi stood, sweating at the head of the classroom. 

Shit, I thought to myself. What was she doing here?! She took a seat on the other side of Rin, and explained, "Mr. Okumura had Yuujin's dad let me enroll. This'll be fun." Great, another thing to yell at Mephisto about. "I'm a big scaredy-cat, so I came here to toughen up." Rin and I looked her over. "You okay?" I asked. "You're all tense." 

"I'm surprised you even made it here!" continued Rin. "I owe it all to you! Thank you!" Rin blushed and my hate for Shiemi increased by a point. "I always wanted to see Yuki teach!" Another point.

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #rin okumura #yukio okumura #shikito luma #yuujin faust #fanfiction

[ao-no-exorcistfanfiction]

Chapter 1: The Mockery of Satan

"Alright. Hogo-sha (K’rik): check! Jiki and Eien (pistols): check! Tsukiakari (sword): check! And finally, Koori (bow): check!" I gathered all my weapons, and put them in their correct spots in my bag, except for my bow. That got folded up and got slipped into my boot for quick access. 

I bounded down the stairs of the Vatican only to bump into my best friend, Shura Kirigakure. "Woah, short stuff!" She exclaimed as I almost ran her over. "Where you heading off to." Shiro had asked me to keep quiet about the whole "mission-thing," so I made up a lie on the spot. "Off to True Cross Town for some shopping. I'm trying to find some baggier clothes, so that it's easier to hide my tail." 

I knew that she didn't believe me (mind-reader, remember?), but she didn't press the matter. I had turned into a pretty good liar over the years, but the only one who saw through all of them was Shura. She ruffled my hair (which she knows I hate), and smiled. "Have fun kiddo. Don't get into too much trouble." 

"I won't." I smiled, not knowing that I was going to get into SO MUCH trouble later in the day.

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I was silently making my way through the streets of True Cross Town. I had memorized the way to the monastery, even after all those years. I was trying to stay unnoticed until I heard a commotion over to my right. I heard the sound of skin on skin, like someone was being punched. That's when I heard voices. "Yikes! This guy's nuts! Seriously nuts!" I heard one boy yell. "He's a demon!" I heard a different voice shout. I perked up at hearing the word "demon."

 I quietly leaped up into a tree overlooking a small courtyard. There were four boys total, three of them were staring at the forth in horror. Dead pigeons were scattered on the ground.  "Let's get outta here!" The three boys ran off away from the other who took a step forward, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. "Who you callin' a demon?! You guys are the real demons!" said the forth boy. 

Wait a minute. 

I KNEW that voice. 

The boy's back was facing me, so I couldn't see his face. The boy looked at his knuckles to see blood on them. "Aw, man," he groaned. "Another fight. I'm gonna get another lecture." The boy turned and I almost fell out the tree upon seeing who it was. When I almost fell, I startled a pigeon who flew away past the boy's face. "What is my problem?" I heard him say. I couldn't believe my eyes. After 11 years, 11 long years, there he was. Right in front of me. Rin Okumura was standing right in front of me, and I couldn't be happier.

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Shiro told me not to let Rin see me. When I never showed up again, Shiro told me Rin was heartbroken. Shiro used the excuse that I had moved away, but Rin didn't buy it. He wanted to go visit me and find me. The only way to stop him, Shiro had said, was to give him the most heartbreaking news possible. He told Rin that I just didn't want to be his friend anymore. I hated hurting Rin like that, but it was the only way to keep him safe. I followed him to the monastery, where I decided to wait. I found a comfy spot, high in a tree, where I could see into the monastery. I sat and waited for night.

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I jerked in surprise when I heard a door slam shut. Crap, I had fallen asleep. I groggily looked over to see Rin and Shiro standing in front of the monastery. Rin was wearing a suit and Shiro was tying his tie for him. I smiled seeing them like that. 

I leaped out of my tree and onto the roof, so I could hear what the two were talking about. "...A cute adult would be weird!" I heard Rin exclaim. I laughed quietly as Shiro looked around, mockingly. "Adult? Where? I don't see one! Ha ha ha!" I used my hand to muffle my laughs, so they wouldn't hear me. I missed what Rin said next, but I saw Shiro ruffle Rin's hair and send him on his way. 

Rin turned to leave and I widened my eyes in surprise to see a coal tar float by him. Shiro noticed it too and crushed it in his fist. I jumped down from the roof, landing lightly behind Shiro. "Hello, Shikito." I could hear the smile in his voice. I came up and hugged him. "Hey, Shiro." 

"How long have you been following him?" I shrugged. "Since the morning, I think." He looked over at me, raising an eyebrow. "You think?" I scratched the back of my head. "It was when I first got here, and you know the time difference from the Vatican threw me of-" He cut me off with a roll of his eyes. "You and Rin are still so much alike. You've noticed his demonic presence, correct?" 

As part-demon, I could sense when other demons were nearby. Now that he mentioned it, I had noticed that throughout the day, Rin's aura was steadily increasing. Shiro sighed. "Kurikara can't contain his powers for much longer. The time is approaching where I can't protect him anymore. Then it's you and Mephisto's turn to watch over him." (Yes, I've met Mephisto but that's a LONG story) I nodded. 

Then something shifted within me. Obviously Shiro felt it too because at the exact same moment, we looked to each other and said, "Rin's in trouble."

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We got there as soon as possible. Shiro told me to stay out of sight unless things got really out of control. I hid behind some trash cans and looked at the scene before me. Crap, this was not good. Astaroth, King of Rot, had possessed some poor boy who Shiro was now exorcising. But what really worried me was the fact that Rin was engulfed in blue flame.

 "...Be destroyed!" Shiro completed Astaroth's deadly verse, and the demon left the boy. At the same time, Rin's flames diminished. I heard Shiro begin to explain to Rin what the hell had just happened. I, on the other hand, began checking all of my weapons. I wouldn't be using my K'rik or sword unless I had to, but both of my guns were loaded and I whipped out my bow and slung it over my shoulder. I didn't know when I would need it next. I turned back to see Shiro grab Rin's arm and start to drag him back towards the monastery. I heard Rin shout, "What am I?!" 

No, Shiro, don't tell him. 

"You are," Shiro began. "The child of a demon. Born of a woman, fathered by a demon. And not just any demon." 

Shiro, NO! 

"You are the bastard child of Satan himself." Damn it, I silently cursed to myself. Shiro, what have you done?!

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Shiro had sent me thoughts telepathically, telling me to stay outside and guard the monastery from other demons who would try to attack Rin. I had my bow at the ready, waiting for the little bastards to show themselves. I was surrounded by the rest of the exorcists from the monastery. At first, all of them had smiled and hugged me and told me it was good to see me again. Now we were all standing in a line waiting for all Hell to break loose. And believe me it did. 

I started off pretty easy with a couple of hobgoblins trying to break through. I quickly shot those down with a couple of arrows. Then Astaroth's little pets decided to show up. Apparently they were pissed that we had destroyed their "Daddy." Coal tars and ghouls of all shapes and sizes began to flood in. Overall, it was an easy fight, but I did get badly wounded by a ghoul who had possessed the corpse of a dog. The stupid thing and bit my tail when I wasn't looking. So to return the favor, I shot an arrow through its head. The wound healed fairly quick though, thanks to my super demon healing. 

The fight was pretty much over, but there was a last weak wave coming through. I braced myself to fight when all of a sudden, a great blue light erupted from the monastery. A feeling of dread settled into the pit of my stomach and I shouted at the rest of the exorcists to keep fighting while I checked it out. 

When I opened the door, I almost cried out but I caught myself just in time. The floor of the monastery, well, it wasn't even a floor anymore. It was completely consumed the Gehenna Gate. And in the Gate lay the still body of Shiro and Rin, who was struggling through it, using the Koma sword as an anchor. I stood frozen in shock for a moment, before I realized the Rin was getting ready to unsheathe the sword.  

"Rin!" I yelled as loud as I could. "Rin, no! Rin! STOP!" But either he didn't or couldn't hear me. He slowly unsheathed Kurikara and he erupted into blue flames. I was thrown back against the wall by the blast. I groggily lifted my head to see Rin bring the sword down onto the Gehenna Gate causing it to disappear. Only until then did I notice just how still Shiro's body actually was. His ears were slightly pointed, there was blood coming out of every crevice on his face, and his exorcist pin was protruding from his chest. I put the puzzle pieces together and realized that Satan must have possessed him. But how, he was the Paladin. The strongest exorcist ever. There was no way. 

But Shiro was dead. I turned my attention from Shiro to Rin. I covered my mouth with my hand to keep from crying out. Rin looked like me. The pointy ears, the sharp teeth, the tail. 

Rin was no longer human. "Father." I heard Rin cry. "Shiro." I whimpered. We both started crying at the same time.

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At the funeral, I stayed out of sight for the most part, but I did say hi to Yukio before I left. I was leaning against a tree, under my umbrella, a couple feet away from Shiro's grave. Rin stood there, in the rain, looking down at it. I wanted so much to go over to him, but I knew I couldn't. Mephisto would be here soon to kill him. There was nothing I could do about it. Believe me, I had tried. I was the Arch Knight now, since Shiro had died. You think I would have some say in the matter, but apparently not. 

All of sudden, I was surrounded by Mephisto's henchman. I looked up calmly and stated, "I'm not here to interfere. I just want to see what happens." They looked wary of me, but they moved back till I could see. I had missed the first part of the conversation, but I did hear Mephisto say, "...Or you kill us. Whoops. I suppose you could kill yourself. So which will it be?" I closed my eyes and waited for the worst to come. "Let me join you!" My eyes flashed open in shock. "Whatever you guys say, I'm not Satan's son! My true father was Father Fujimoto!" Rin exclaimed. "Why would you want to be an exorcist?" questioned Mephisto. "So I can kick Satan's ass!!!" My eyes opened even wider. Rin? Kick Satan's ass? That's impossible! I wasn't surprised when Mephisto burst out laughing. "You must be nuts!" laughed Mephisto. "No, I'm serious!" Rin said, defiantly. "Heh heh heh, the son of Satan an exorcist?" chuckled Mephisto. "Most interesting. I like it!" By then my eyes were pretty close to popping out of my head they were so wide. Mephisto wasn't going to kill him? He was going to let him actually become an exorcist?! "So it's ok?" Rin obviously didn't believe it either. "You have chosen the thorny path," stated Mephisto, "But if that's what you want." Wow, Rin was going to become an exorcist. Hmm, we would just have to see how this playing out. "I'm not a human or a demon." Rin stood up to his full height. "But I will be an exorcist!!"

#ao no exorcist #blue exorcist #shikito luma #shura kirigakure #rin okumura #shiro fujimoto #yukio okumura #mephisto pheles #fanfiction