*Disclaimer* - I don't own 'Ao No Exorcist'. Nor the characters. This story is purely for entertainment purposes only.

Chapter 1: How to Be

(Vitamin String Quartet - Numb - Tribute to Linkin Park)

"I've become so Numb, I can't feel you there"

I watched listlessly as the trees passed by outside the car window. Each tree was blurring into the next and became undefined the more I stared. Every now and again I would catch glimpses of buildings through the foliage. They stood erect and ascended up towards the skyline almost as if to reach out to the heavens. The sun shone brightly, but didn't lift my spirits in the slightest for my upcoming school year. I was neither eager, nor was I terrified of the aspect of attending True Cross Academy. I'd say I was indifferent, if anything.

I could still remember the shock I received answering the calls in the shrine to find such a flamboyant man dressed head to toe in white-purple attire with a wretched, yet knowing smirk plastered on his face. He had been holding a formal letter between his thumb and index finger, and hung it in my face for me to take. Upon opening it I found an acceptance letter stating that 'the cheque had gone through' and 'your daughter's application has been looked over and accepted for the Exorcist School'. It was then that I had realized that my parents had signed me up for the school with out my knowledge. I had nothing else to say or do, but to nod my ascent and begin to pack for the following day – since travel time was long from where I was heading out from.

I breathed heavily on the window, causing it to fog up. I was exhausted and couldn't even begin to imagine how much the ride to the Academy was going to cost me. My pocket felt lighter already.

"So, how much longer till we get there?" I inquired the driver.

I saw the back of his balding head jerk up in recognition of my voice, "Oh, the school is right here, girly."

Girly? Really old man? I sighed inwardly and smiled brightly on the outside. "Oh yeah? Which building is it?"

I looked out at the vast amount of buildings I had been able to see through the trees spread across vast skyline and couldn't decide which one would be the school. I would've liked to say that they were ugly piles of crap, but I would be lying. They were all large and elegant in appearance, I couldn't make up my mind as to which one was the school I'd be attending. They all looked more than decent enough. Maybe a cluster of them were the school?

"You don't know, eh? All of them," He laughed hoarsely. I could tell he was a smoker – wait?

"What do you mean 'all of them'?" I asked, slightly confused.

Before I could say anything more, my door flew open and I looked up, shocked to see Pheles-sama again. He smiled down at me and shooed me out of the vehicle. He then proceded to duck into the car, somewhat.

"So? How much is it, sir?" He asked enthusiastically, pulling out a wad of money from his wallet.

"Uh, wait!" I shrieked, waving my arms hysterically, "I can pay it, really!"

I watched uselessly as he paid my fare for me and stood there smugly as the driver pulled my suitcase from the trunk. I couldn't help a small facial twitch from taking over. Pheles-sama looked me straight into my eyes and shrugged.

"No matter, come, come, school has started and you aren't even settled into your dorm!"

He waved at me as he walked off without waiting for me. I grabbed my suitcase and frantically made my way after him, slightly put off.

"What do you mean school has started? I got my acceptance letter three days ago I can't be that late!" I argued.

I noticed Mr. Pheles walked with a skip in his step and he responded without even turned to face me.

"Simply you were a late entry!" He laughed.

That isn't funny! You damn jerk! "How late am I, Pheles-sama?" I pushed, but I successfully left out my exasperated tone and kept it neutral.

"My my, Pheles-sama, I do like the sound of that. You ask so many questions!" He paused, placing a finger to his chin and looking thoughtful he added, "Well, I believe it is now a week into classes!"

Lovely. Just fucking lovely. I gritted my teeth tightly and bit back a spiteful remark. Chewing out the principal of the exclusive school your parents fought tooth and nail to get you into on the first day would not be a good idea in the slightest. For now I had to put up with such disgusting behaviours.

I had been led towards the girls dorm and he directed me to my new room that I was to share with another girl, he discretely informed me that she was not aware of the Exorcist School, so I was to not say anything of it to her. Was he trying to make my life more difficult as this day passed? No matter, as soon as I had placed my things into the room I turned to see him shoving a key and envelope into my hands, I fumbled with them as to not drop them and looked at him with a look of slight disgust and confusing.

"Now this key can be used on any door and gives you access to the Exorcism school wherever you are," Pheles-sama explained, "Try the key on that door over there, now first years have their classes in room 1106, I must be going. Enjoy your time at True Cross Academy!"

With that, he left grandly, leaving me to stand dumbfounded with a letter for the teacher and a key. I took off the chain from my around my neck and looped the key onto it. I watched as it slid into the two rings already on the chain and sighed.

"Well, here goes nothing," I placed the key into the keyhole in the door of my dorm room and turned it. With a click I opened the door to find a long hallway filled with doors. I looked at all the numbers on them and made my way down the hall.

1098, 1100, 1102, 1104… "Room 1106," I muttered to myself. I took hold of the cool metal and preceded to turn the door and entered the room. To my surprise there were very few people in the room and thankfully class hadn't started yet, since everyone was talking. I felt a little uncertain as nine pairs of eyes turned their attention to me. I looked back, hopefully impassively and took a few more steps in. I saw that one boy in the front was about to say something when I heard footsteps from behind me and the door click shut.

"Ah, I see we have someone new joining us today!" I turned to the voice and saw a boy my age with a pair of glasses balanced precariously on his nose. I noticed that he must be the teacher since he had the badge to prove it. I handed him the envelope with a smirk.

I allowed some time for him to read it over when he nodded and smiled at me. "Since we are all here, you might as well introduce yourself. Firstly, though, I am your Anti-Demon Pharmacology Teacher, Yukio Okumura."

"Huh, nice to meet you!" I turned on my heel and faced everyone with my fake look of confidence and pleasantness, "Hello! I am Aya Miyamoto and I'll be joining you all in your future endeavours!" I bowed humorously low as if to show deep respect.

"Cute!" I heard a male voice screech and someone muttering 'shut up'. I peeked up to see a group of three male students and I allowed myself to survey them.

There was a small meek looking boy with a shaved head with glasses. I compared him to a Buddhist monk. The second one I noticed was a taller slim boy with a silly expression. I almost sneered at his ridiculous pink hair. The third I coined him to be some sort of idiot bully type with the piercings and notorious skunk stripe hair.

I was rather aware of how hypocritical I was being about his piercings, since I myself had a large bar going through the top of my right ear twice and the two other studs I had in the bottoms of both earlobes. I thought he looked rebellious, while mine was done tastefully.

I smiled brightly as I finished straightening up. Being little Miss cheery might not be that easy. Change of plans, I'll just be annoyingly humorous. I can do that.

"Ha ha, I know, right?" I laughed.

"Well, Miyamoto-san, you may take any seat you like," Mr. Okumura said.

I took a look around the room and closed in on a table two seats back from two girls and nowhere near anyone else. There was a mysterious hooded figure of a boy seated somewhat nearby, but he seemed more interested in his video game then what was going on around him. Before I headed off towards the seat I had set my hopes on, the pink haired boy jumped from his seat.

"Come here and sit with us, Aya-chan!" He practically begged.

Why is he being so familiar? Aya-chan? This is so stupid. I frowned inwardly, but outwardly quirked my brow at the three boys. The rebel-boy looked almost angry enough to tear the boy to pieces. As much as I'd love to see that –

"Thanks for the offer, but I don't think sitting next to a human-skunk hybrid would be good for my health. By the looks of it he may have a little bit of rabid badger mixed in with the previous! Ha ha!" I laughed good-heartedly. I heard a few other people snicker along with me.

"What did you just say! Stupid woman, come here and say that!" The rebel-boy stood up and was attempting to make his way over to me while his two friends held him back.

"Hey, Bon, c'mon she's just playing!" The pink-haired boy said.

The monk-boy was also holding back, "Bon, violence won't solve anything!"

"Shut up!" He stopped struggling and just glared at me.

"Enough! The four of you take your seats!" The teacher announced in a harsh tone, snapping us from the distraction I had caused.

"Sorry, Mr. Okumura," the boy I know now as 'Bon' apologized as he sat down. His two friends – or should I say henchmen – followed his example.

I still stood looking at the three of them, chewing my lip out of habit. Saying nothing I sat down in the seat I was going to sit in at the beginning of the little outburst. Once seated Mr. Okumura started his lesson and I idly made notes, not quite understanding what or why I was writing down what I was writing down.

All I could think of was: Why would that rebellious boy 'Bon' apologize to a teacher? Did I not have him pegged as a bully-type?

I bit the end of my pen. Doesn't matter.

"Now, we are going to do a quick in class test to see what you know, Miyamoto-san, I apologize, but you are required to take it. I assume you should know a few of the simpler questions." Mr. Okumura announced.

I just looked up at him from my notes, "Of course, wouldn't have it any other way."

Forty-Five minutes later our tests were done and graded, surprisingly quick I must say. I wasn't doing much as Mr. Okumura was grading the tests. In fact, all I managed to accomplish was finding the perfect angle to lean back in my chair at to the point where it balanced perfectly. I looked to the ceiling and mentally measured the pipes. For no reason, of course, other then the fact that I loved mathematics.

"Now then," Mr. Okumura stood up with the sheets in his hand, I mildly paid any attention, "I'll hand back the results of the test."

I figured this would give me a chance at learning everyone's name. I leaned forward slightly which caused the two front legs of the chair to slam and scratch the floor with such noise that I got a bit of muttered profanities from Bon.

"Shima-san," I watched as the pink-haired boy walked up to get his test, he was neither happy nor sad so I assumed he was someone who just aimed at getting average grades.

"Kamiki-san," Next I watched a girl with peculiar eyebrows that sat in front of me go up to get her test. She seemed pleased, smug even, about her marks. So I pegged her as the arrogant type.

"Moriyama-san," I noticed a small blonde girl stand up. She wasn't wearing the regular school uniform, but rather a formal kimono and she seemed a little nervous. "It's all very well coming up with your own name for different plants, I just hope you will use proper nomenclature next time!"

I watched as she figuratively deflated and I muttered an absolute, "Air-head," low enough that no one could hear me. I watched as she sat down beside a boy who seemed to be laughing at her.

"Okumura-san," Okumura? I wonder if there's any relation… I watched as the teacher silently scolded him and as he turned around I made a quick judgement on the facial structure, Definitely related.

"Suguro-san," I watched as Bon stood up and made his way over to the teacher. I saw how he gave Okumura a look of disgust and he seemingly muttered something to him, which resulted in the other boy to look back at him with an equal expression.

"Excellent job!" I heard from the teacher. Excellent? Are you kidding me?

Bon walked up to Okumura and gave him a smug look while holding out his paper. It wasn't a difficult feat to hear Okumura's outburst.

"What!" He yelled, "N-n-no way! A guy with an attitude like yours getting ninety-eight percent! That just – That kind of thing just doesn't happen!"

Bon looked furious as he crumpled his test tightly within his fist. "What did you say?" Bon responded loudly, "Listen, Okay? You wanna know why I come to these classes? To do some serious studying and earn the right to become an Exorcist!"

I watched as things became more heated, Okumura had a change of expression as Bon continued, "It isn't just me! Everyone here is here because they are serious about becoming an Exorcist, yeah! And half-assed punks like you should just get the hell out of our sight!"

I tilted backwards on the two back legs of my chair again and watched with mild curiosity as Okumura-sensei began to look agitated. As the other Okumura stood up from his seat again and confronted his insulter.

"Wh-What gives you the right to say that, stripe-head?" At least I'm not the only one who noticed the guy's odd hair colouring. "I'm working to become an Exorcist just like the rest of you!"

I began to drift my attention back to the ceiling and tuned out Bon's henchmen and Okumura-sensei's involvement in breaking up the fight. Hmm. That pipe has a dent in it. Not to mention that one big pipe has a loose screw…

"…besides, Rin-san isn't the one with the lowest score." I heard Okumura-sensei state. I looked back over to see him twitching slightly and both Bon and – the boy whom I assume is named – Rin looked extremely shocked. When Mr. Okumura made his way over to my desk and placed the paper on my desk.

"Eh? Zero?" I said in a moderately shocked voice.

"You have the correct nomenclature, but none of them were written in the appropriate places! I don't understand how you could know absolutely nothing!" Okumura-sensei stated as if I should've known all the answers.

Stupid four-eyed bastard… "What do you mean? You said I had the correct nomenclature, how could you say I know absolutely nothing, sensei?" I placed the back of my hand over my mouth and gave off an endearing chuckle while I looked up at him through my eye-lashes.

He looked down at me as his glasses flashed and with a slight tap to the back of my head, my seat was again back on all four legs. "I don't condone smart-aleck remarks."

"Fair enough," I blanched.

I heard someone laughing hysterically and looked up to find Rin laughing, "I wasn't the worst! Ha! In your face, stripe-head!"

I looked on as the fighting continued and watched as the henchmen pulled Bon away from Rin and towards the door. It was only then did I notice that the puppet boy, hooded guy and the two girls ahead of me were gone from the room. I assumed class was over so I gathered my things and quietly made my way out of the room.

I took out the class schedule to see what it was that was next, Practical Athletics? Why do we need some sort of P.E. class for Cram school? I made my way to where the class was to be held. All thinking of how interesting this school year would be. I was always so used to doing home schooling with my cousins back at the shrine, so to be in a real school setting – and a rich one at that – was different. These people fought all the time, some got along.

I remember when I'd be in class with my cousins and there would be an argument. He always knew how to break up a fight. Not like Okumura-sensei who allowed the fighting to go on.

He would've stopped the fight.

FLASHBACK –

Miyamoto Shrine – Myodo, Japan (Three years ago)

I was the first to arrive in the small room. I looked at the old chalk board, then to all the rickety old desk and chair combonations. I was sure that my own parents once used the same premises for their own homeschooling. I was distinctly aware of the many initials and hearts carved into the surfaces that were oddly the same initials as my parents.

I was seated for no longer then a minute when I watched Megumi and Kenta attempt to shove past one another, most likely having just engaged in a race of sorts to see who was faster. They both stumbled inside and glared at each other in anger.

"Tch, I hate math!" Megumi, my younger cousin complained. She threw herself into her desk and pulled at her kimono in frustration. I could only help myself from laughing at her attitude. She was twelve years old, and yet she was still as immature as an eight year old.

"Shut up Megumi, no one wants to hear you complaining!" Kenta muttered in annoyance.

He was always frustrated with Megumi, especially on days when people visited the temple and asked if him and Megumi were twins. Being cousins and both possessing the pale blonde hair, rather then the dark brunette colouring everyone else in the family had, they were subjected to the question on a daily basis, and knowing Kenta, he hated the fact visitors saw him that way. He despised Megumi.

"No one asked you, Kenta!" Megumi whined, still pulling at her kimono. I had settled in my seat and began to feel frustrated. I only wish that one day we'd all just get along. Instead I had to deal with daily bickering.

"No one asked you to blab about nothing, either, dumbass!" Kenta sputtered, his face tinged red.

Megumi stood up from her seat as the rest of our cousins entered the room. Kenta's sister Hana, and the brother-sister duo of Takashi and Haruna all walked in quietly and sat in their own seats. It was Takashi's last year of homeschooling and he was finally going to leave the temple and find better things. We weren't expected to continue tradition; only if we wanted to.

I watched as both Kenta and Megumi began to pick up random objects and chuck them across the room. I watched as Takashi cheered for Kenta and Haruna was laughing hysterically as Megumi got a face full of chalk dust. Hana was yelling at Kenta and Megumi to stop fighting and giving disapproving looks at the other two. I sat quietly, pretending I was anywhere but here when I heard the familiar sound of a squeaky tire.

I turned to the door to see Osamu sitting in his wheelchair. My beloved elder brother looked sickly thin and quite disappointed at the scene before him.

"Osamu-kun!" I shouted as I sat up straighter in my seat.

Megumi stopped mid throw of her text book and turned her chalk covered body towards the door. She exhaled a mass of chalk dust at Osamu.

Kenta's face was as red as a tomato, either out of embarrassment at his actions or rather he was still angry at Megumi.

Hana gave a sigh of relief, knowing that if anyone could calm the situation at hand, it was him.

Haruna hiccupped, finally done with her hysterics and slouched slightly in her chair, unable to make any eye contact with anyone.

The only person to speak up after myself was Takashi, who greeted Osamu pleasantly.

"Hey there Osamu-san! You are looking well, good to see you out of bed!" Takashi smiled.

"Yes, well, I'm starting to reconsider coming out here," Osamu coughed, "To think I'd find my own cousins in the midst of battle. It's shameful of not only family dynamics, but to our temple! And over such trivialities."

Kenta swallowed hard, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

I watched as Megumi, miraculously, agreed, "Yes! We both are!"

Osamu turned his tired eyes to the two youngest in the room, "I don't understand why you would apologize to me. Rather you apologize to each other."

They seemed to look rather uncertain as they begrudgingly said their 'I'm sorry' s to one another. Osamu, looking pleased, wheeled his way over to my desk and stopped. I watched the look in his eyes turn from pleased to something unreadable.

I could've sworn it was something akin to sadness.

END FLASHBACK

"How wrong was I?" I asked myself dryly.

"Wrong about what?" I was snapped out of my reverie to see Rin looking back at me. I had managed to make my way to the classroom with out realizing.

I looked at him blinking rapidly, unsure of how to respond. Shit, uh let's see… "I was wrong about how many pipes there were going to be in this room. Could've sworn there'd be more. Ha ha!"

Rin gave me an odd look and laughed, "You're weird, you know that?"

I gave him a smirk, "So I've been told." Dumbass.

This class had its ups and downs, no doubt about that.

The teacher had broken up the class earlier after arriving back to find Rin covered in toad slobber and a cry baby Bon on the ground. He managed to straighten everything out and had dismissed the class, yet no one made the first move. I smiled slightly to myself, hoping to throw a metaphorical wrench into the quiet and serious atmosphere.

"I found this class very exciting, I must say. Thank you!" I said towards the silenced group. The majority gave me peculiar looks, "Very entertaining."

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Bon-san yelled, "Whatever, I don't even care! Shima, Konekomaru, let's go!"

I watched as the three boys left the Practical Athletics room followed by Kamiki-san and her friend, whom I still have no name for, as well as hooded guy and puppet-boy. Rin-san and Moriyama-san left soon after, not before giving me a polite wave good-bye. I didn't return it.

The class was truly amusing. To watch Bon-san nearly get mauled by a giant toad only to have Rin-san – to whom he'd been fighting with constantly – rescue him and announce he was going to 'kick Satan's ass'. What a hilarious thing it was to have these two meagre boys having the same ambitions. Laughable and truly pathetic as it was; was it admirable? Far from it.

I didn't have any respect for what they wanted to do in life. Becoming an Exorcist is merely the wishes of my parents. I'm not being an obedient child. On the contrary, I didn't really listen to my parents much, in all truthfulness. I loved them dearly. I just felt that they never really gave me a chance at finding something I wanted to do in life. They always told me to do what I wanted and then I find out after all that, they had sent my application to an Exorcist school! It was ridiculous! If I had it my way, I wouldn't even be here!

Yet I couldn't help, but feel obligated to go.

I sighed miserably and bit my lip as I made my way out of the room.

After all, the last things I said to them were, "I hate you!" All because of what? Wanting to go to public school? To meet new people outside the temple? Why was that a bad thing?

I'll never know the answer, yet I got what I wanted. Am I happy about it? Not at all.

With the ending of my thoughts, all I could really hear was my footfalls echoing down the long lifeless halls of the Exorcist school.

Author's Note - "For those who stuck through it, thank you! I wanted to write an Ao No Exorcist story for so long, but couldn't figure out a good way of starting it. Conception is a difficult thing *chuckles*. It was initially going to be Bon/OC, yet I kinda see my character more befitting of Yukio. Besides, he's a cutie. Anyways, hopefully you all will continue you read, I will be diverting from the original plot, and add my own 'arc' into the mix, probably after the whole Rin being outed as Satan's son. I want you all to know that Aya* may come off as a Mary-Sue, but I like my idea. I'm downplaying a lot of the shit she went through in order to better fit what I would think Yukio could get along best with. :)

*To clear up her personality, because I feel like she doesn't come across the way I imagine her as: Aya is pretending to be nice and stupid around people. She is smart, in some ways (she's good at math, art, and deception - yes, it's a form of intelligence!) Basically she is actually extemely bitter and bored. She comes off as not liking people, yet she was raised to be polite, so you won't see her referring to anyone without an honorific. She has strong beliefs in respect and has a short fuse. She is only really good at deception, to the point that she finds herself decieving herself. I also want to make it clear - as to not surprise anyone, she has NOT had any training in Exorcism. She truly has no knowledge in anything to do with it.

Happy Readings!"

- soeki :)