Yuma Tsukioka often attended his appointments alone.
It had become routine for him, really. Arrive approximately twenty minutes early after being driven in silence by his father to the oncology clinic. Then, be shown in by oncology nurse, Ayame, who would insert the IV into his arm. Lastly, when treatment was complete, be picked up by his father, who was usually a lot more communicative by that point.
Every Wednesday, this would occur. Every Wednesday it would continue, so long as Chemotherapy was recommended.
Yuma had grown used to this. Having been diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia at just eight years of age, his life had become a series of treatment cycles, remission and relapse. Yuma was fifteen when he most recently relapsed. He was hospitalised for months, his future as uncertain as the weather on any given day. It was his worst turn yet; not a positive sign for a young man who had been in remission for two years, believing that the worst was over.
So, a year later, they were still pursuing chemo as the most effective course of action. Yuma was on the fence about the whole thing. There were days he felt as though he fought a losing battle, but there were also days where he felt confident that he could finally be rid of ALL. There were days where the side-effects of chemo were almost unbearable, and other days where he felt perfectly fine. He had not been in hospital for nine months, which had to be a reasonably good sign. In addition, he had his family, especially his sister Su, who was a year younger than him. She was his rock, and although he wished he didn't have to, he depended on her significantly.
As Yuma entered the oncology ward, he noticed the small coal tar demons floating around, but as soon as Ayame turned on the light, they dispersed. Coal Tars were low level demons which possessed dirt. They were often attracted to dark places, plus the room smelt a little damp. Even Ayame screwed up her nose, cursing under her breath.
"If the damp smell is too unbearable, I can move you," she said. "The air conditioner is broken and sometimes it leaks."
"I think it will be okay," Yuma said. He would rather be in this room alone then go into the other rooms, where there were probably other people getting treatment.
"Suit yourself," she said, motioning for him to sit on the chair to the left of them.
Ayame couldn't see demons, so she didn't know about the Coal Tars. Probably for the best. They were mostly harmless in such small numbers anyway.
Yuma had been seeing demons since he was about four years old. He never really knew what they were, and was often confused when other people could not see them. His 'visions' were often dismissed as childhood fantasies, and so he had learned to ignore them. But after he was hospitalised following his relapse, he met a man who changed his entire perspective. His name was Mephisto Pheles, and he was probably the most eccentric person Yuma had ever met. But he was fun and interesting, and most of all, he believed Yuma, believed in his visions. He explained when they first met that his organisation, the Order of the True Cross, not only saw demons, but hunted them and prevented them from consuming the human world, which he called Assiah.
That was how Yuma learned of the existence of exorcists.
Mephisto told him all kinds of stories. About Assiah as well as the demon world Gehenna, about the Order and what they did, about how many humans had some level of demon blood in their veins. Mephisto's stories were interesting, and even though they sounded farfetched, even crazy, Yuma believed every single word of it. He had a new ambition now: to become an exorcist and hunt demons like the people he had heard so much about.
Finally, he worked up the courage to ask Mephisto about it. It was the day before he was discharged from the hospital.
Mephisto had smirked at him. "Ah, Yuma! I was wondering how long it would take you to ask me. Why, becoming an exorcist is a long process, and it is extremely hard work, but with the fortitude I have seen in you, I have no doubt that you could do it."
Yuma had wondered at whether mental fortitude was enough. He had assumed that exorcists were physically strong and fit, and he was neither of those things. Mephisto had assured him that it wasn't a problem.
"I am glad you are serious about this, for I, the chairman, have taken the liberty of submitting and accepting an application in your name to the Exorcist Cram School, as well as the main True Cross Academy."
"Before I even asked?" Yuma queried. "Do you often go behind people's backs?"
"I would be lying if I said no," Mephisto said, winking.
"Have you been planning this for a while?"
"Since before we met, Yuma Tsukioka. Now, I must go, but I shall be in touch with you in the coming weeks. I have sent your official acceptance letter out with your sister Suzuka's. It will be waiting for you when you are discharged from this hospital, which, by the way, will be sooner than you think."
Yuma yawned. "Even you can't know what I'm thinking," he said.
"Of course, you are correct, Yuma, but I, Mephisto Pheles, tend to have a very strong intuition about these things."
Yuma knew that even though his symptoms would be stabilised to the point where he could leave the hospital in a matter of weeks, his treatment would need to continue for many years yet. He knew Mephisto would make allowances for the need to undergo treatment, most likely chemotherapy; that was not the issue. His major issue was whether those he was training with, or indeed the higher-ups of the True Cross Order, would see him as a fit addition to their ranks.
He wanted to be an exorcist now more than ever, he just wasn't sure if he could. He supposed that time would tell. His self-doubt would not stop him from trying.
"Yuma-kun?" Ayame's sweet voice brought him back to the present. "Wake up, Yuma-kun. You're all done."
Yuma could still smell the damp within the treatment room, though he could not see the Coal Tars anymore. He looked down at his arm to notice that Ayame had already taken out the IV line. He didn't usually fall asleep during chemo treatment; his exhaustion must have gotten the better of him. He had not slept well the last few nights. It was only a few days until the beginning of the semester, and he was nowhere near ready, because he had not even managed to muster the energy to get anything prepared. He still had to get books and other stationery, plus Mephisto had arranged for him a place at one of the boarding houses, so he still had to pack clothes and other things. According to his father, Yuma would be living in one of the older boarding houses where only a few students lived. He did not have a roommate, in fact the other students in the building did not even live on the same floor as him. He was to be isolated, so as to keep his condition as low-key as possible. There were apparently going to be medical staff stationed close by to attend to Yuma's needs, despite his assurance that he could take care of himself. Mephisto had already arranged his weekly transport to the oncology department for chemotherapy treatment, as well as an agreement with his teachers to provide for him any homework he missed during that time. Surprisingly, the chairman did not explain to the teachers why this agreement was necessary; they merely did his bidding without fuss.
"He sounds like he is very influential," Suzuka said with admiration when their father had mentioned this. Yuma had nodded in solemn agreement. Sometimes there was such a thing as too much power, but since this worked in his favour, he did not dare question the authority of Chairman Johann Faust V.
Suzuka was already well-prepared for her first semester at high school. Her bags were packed, she had most of her supplies already and she was planning to move into her new room on Friday. She would be living in the main female dormitory building, which was modern and heavily populated. She would probably form study groups and friendship groups with her roommate, or students on her floor and in her classes. Most importantly, she would no longer have the responsibility of looking after Yuma. She would no longer be playing the big sister to a brother who was actually a year her senior. She would no longer have to put up with his weakness, nor his guilt for being so weak. She wouldn't have to lie about not minding it anymore; Yuma knew she did.
Yuma had fallen asleep in the car on the way home. He felt terrible about it, because those car rides home were a rare opportunity to spend genuine quality time with his father. But his father had carried him inside the house and laid him down on his bed. He had gone back to work after that, but when Yuma woke, he found he was not alone. Suzuka had come in, wriggling herself into his arms and falling asleep there. She was still wearing her glasses, which were slightly square-shaped and had deep blue rims. Yuma gently slid them off her face, reaching behind him to place them on the bedside table.
Su stirred. "Nii-chan," she murmured. Big Brother. She turned over, burying her face into his chest, just below his shoulder.
Yuma smiled. That meant she wasn't planning to leave any time soon. He closed his still-tired eyes, letting his sister's warmth and the lack of pain he felt at present soothe him back to sleep.