So I decided to take a break from my other story to make this one. I hope you enjoy, and if any improvements need to be made, feel free to say so. Please read and review!
Sprouting Flames Of Shadows
Chapter 1-The New Kid
Rin had fallen asleep in class. Again.
He lent on his hand, snoring away the lesson. A small amount of drool formed in his mouth as his jaw hung open. Yukio strode over to his older twin, and slammed a book down on the demon-kid's head. Hard.
Rin's eyes snapped open, and he jerked to attention, knees hitting the underside of his desk.
"Wha-what! What did I miss!" He cried, before coming to his senses. His hand dropped. "Oh. Crap."
"Rin, you have to start paying attention in class!" Yukio lectured. Rin breathed a sigh of resignation.
"Yeah, yeah. I got it." The teacher gave a half-smile at his brother's antics, and shook his head before continuing with the lesson. Shiemi glanced over at Rin.
"He's serious, you know." She reminded.
"When isn't he?" Rin asked sarcastically, leaning on his hand again.
"You're always sleeping in class." Shiemi continued, ignoring him.
"Yeah, I know." He sounded bored.
"And you barely do your homework." She finished.
"Hey, it's not my fault that I have trouble with these kinds of things!"
"Because you learn better when you're in the field." Shiemi said for him. "You always say that, Rin."
"Because it's true." She smiled and shook her head, turning back to her work.
Rin was just starting to doze off again, when the door flew open and Mephisto walked in, a young girl just behind him.
"Hello, my lovely students!" He said, dramatic as usual. "I have a new friend for you!"
The girl looked about 16, with light chocolate-coloured skin, and slanted brown eyes flecked with gold. Her long silvery-white hair was tied in a loose ponytail, and long bangs dangled past her chin, miraculously out of her eyes. She wore a grey t-shirt with pale pink sleeves stretching out from underneath, baggy and flexible light-denim jeans, and ankle high combat boots. One hand rested on the strap of a large shoulder bag filled with her books, the other clutching a sheathed katana.
"May I present to you, Whitney Star! She just moved up from page, so she's an exquire like you!" Whitney gave a short wave as way of greeting, before taking a seat behind Rin as the principal of the school left the classroom.
"And if you don't mind," she said, putting her things down next to her seat, "I'd prefer it if you called me White."
"Hey, if you're an exwire, what maestro are you going for?" Shima asked, captivated.
"Knight." White replied simply, quickly raising her sheathed sword so he could see, before putting it back down. Bon groaned.
"Great. Just what we needed! Another Knight!" He growled, and Shima patted him on the back.
"Hey, come on, Bon!" He tried. "If she's anything like Rin, she's sure to know how to use one!"
"That's what I'm afraid of..." Bon muttered. "Another one like Okumura..."
"Hey, at least she's a girl! And she doesn't look half bad..." Shima glanced sidelong at White, and Rin guessed he was attempting to flirt. He lent back in his chair and sighed.
"Shima, you know it's not gonna happen." He pointed out obviously.
"I can dream, can't I!?" Shima retorted. Yukio sighed.
"If you two are done, may I continue with the lesson?" He asked, pushing his glasses up his nose. He got no answer. "Right, as I was saying..."
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
"And that, is how you fire a gun properly." Shura said to the class, slamming her gun down on the table in front of her. Beyond it, was four targets, bullet holes close- but not quite- to the center. "Not that I should be teaching this..." She muttered, more to herself than to the class. She was much more comfortable using her sword.
Shima and Rin stood in the back of the group, muttering about how useless this was.
"I mean seriously." Shima said. "Some of us aren't even going to use guns!"
"That's probably not gonna stop them from teaching us, though." Rin reminded. Shima sighed.
"Yeah, I know. But it's still unfair!" He cried. Shura heard, and smirked.
"If it's so unfair, why don't you have a try?" She mocked. The class turned to face him.
"Hey, why me!?" Shima protested. "I'm not even gonna use one!"
"Because-" She was cut off, by a voice off to the side of the room.
"I'll have a go." Whitney announced. Shura smiled, and put a hand on her hip.
"Well, at least someone has guts!" Rin had a feeling that comment was directed at Shima. He, however, was too focused on White to hear. He frowned as a thought crossed his mind.
"Hey, you gonna tell her about...you know, the whole 'demon thing'?" He asked, keeping his voice low. Rin shook his head.
"No." Shima was confused.
"Why?" Rin gestured to Whitney, who was accepting and loading the gun.
"Look at her. She's innocent and naive." He explained. "Someone like that won't last. And what she doesn't know, won't hurt her when she leaves."
"What makes you say that?" Shima asked, confused. Rin gestured to her- again- as she aimed the gun. Her fingers trembled with nerves as she lifted it to the targets.
"She's vulnerable. If I tell her, what's to say she won't get hurt before she goes?" Shima nodded his understanding.
Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.
"Yeah, but I wouldn't be so sure..." Rin frowned in confusion, and glanced back at White.
As if hearing Rin's comments, Whitney had hardened up. Now she stood confidently, her hands no longer shook, and her breaths were even. She had fired her shots, and the rest of the class stared as she lowered the gun.
Four bulls-eyes. The absolute center.
She was better than the teacher.
Shura had been listening in on their little conversation, sipping beer as her students had their turn.
"Never underestimate women." She advised, taking another drink. Still in shock, Rin and Shima only nodded slowly.
"And then she completely owned the targets!" Rin told his younger brother, as they headed back to their dorm. Yukio simply nodded.
"Seems to me that you don't like her." He replied. The demon scratched his black hair.
"Well, I wouldn't say that, but..."
"But what?" Rin didn't have a chance to answer. Instead he heard footsteps following them. He glanced back, and saw Whitney behind them, trying to catch up to them.
"Um, Yukio?" He asked. Yukio smiled.
"Yeah, she's staying in our dorm." He said, and Rin's face fell. He sighed.
"Welp, better keep my tail in." He remarked as White caught up.
"Sorry, did you say something?" She asked.
"Oh! Uh, it's nothing." He tried to change the subject. "So, your name's Whitney, right?"
"Yeah." Her voice was naturally soft, but her amber eyes seemed to darken. "But please, call me White. I'd...prefer it." They way she said it sent warning shivers up Rin's spine, but he smiled anyway.
"Well I think it's a lovely name." He remarked. (In case you get the wrong idea, I'm not shipping it.) White just inclined her head slightly in thanks, and continued to walk in silence. Rin frowned. He just couldn't shake the feeling that there was something...off...about this girl. Then he shrugged it off. It's probably just paranoia. He thought to himself.
To Rin's relief, they reached the dorm soon after. White paused outside.
"Yeah, it's not much." Yukio said. "But it's the only dorm left free at the moment."
"Wait, if she only moved up from page, then doesn't she already have a room!?" Rin cried. His brother frowned.
"He has a point, you know." He told White. She didn't answer, instead walking inside. Rin and Yukio exchanged looks, before following.
"Until now, we were the only ones in this dorm, so feel free to pick any room." Yukio told her when they were in the hall. Then he noticed how little she carried. "Hey, where are your bags?" He asked.
"I already have everything I need." White replied softly, and set off down the hall. The twins saw her enter the third door down on the left. A moment of silence followed.
"Something's...not right." Rin said finally. Yukio nodded his agreement.
"Yeah..."
