Moonlight filtered through the clouds, through gaps in the canopy of trees, casting horrible, dark shadows on the undergrowth around him. He was standing alone on the outskirts of a dense forest, an endless chasm at his back. Overcome with disoriented fear, he stumbled forward, toward the safety of the trees, but a sudden sensation of dread stopped him in his tracks. Something was there, writhing in the shadows, and he knew it, whatever it was, wanted to kill him.
Amon took a cautious step back, his hands trembling, his breath shallow and quick. He was in a complete, crippling state of panic, incoherent thoughts slipping through his mind like grains of sand. The boy could only watch as...something, twitching and misshapen, dragged itself out of the darkness.
It was a horrifying monster made of black smoke. Thick mist drifted lazily across the ground from somewhere behind it, pooling at its unseen feet. Around its body was the long, black exorcist uniform, accompanied by the familiar red-and-blue sigil on its left breast. Its face was completely consumed by the shadows, its only defining features a wide-toothed grin and sunken eyes engulfed in a terrifyingly familiar blue flame. Two shiny, loaded guns – it didn't cross his mind how he knew they were loaded – hung loosely in either hand.
"You're a failure," it growled, though its mouth didn't move.
"No," Amon was surprised how easily his voice came to him, "No, you're wrong. I... I'm not-"
The monster's expression was suddenly so livid it cut him off mid-sentence. It stepped forward, dragging its body, and raised a gun. "Failure!" It roared and pulled the trigger.
Chapter One
Nightmare
He flew upright, his heart pounding so hard he feared it would erupt from his chest. His hasty movements made the world spin and he gripped his throbbing head until his vision returned to normal.
The blaring of his phone's alarm had been the gunshot that roused him from his sleep. Feeling silly, he turned it off and drew in a long, deep breath, held it for a few seconds, then released it slowly.
Just another bad dream...
He seemed to be having them a lot lately; nightmares of a black monster in exorcist garb. But their memories often faded into the back of his mind before the morning was over, so he never concerned himself with their meaning. They were just pointless dreams that emphasized his worry for attending True Cross Academy, that's all. He pushed the thought aside and got out of bed.
Thin light of approaching dawn filtered into his room through deep, sea green drapes. He pulled them back, opened his window, and gazed groggily at the unspoiled beauty of his garden, allowing it to calm him. A chilly, gentle breeze carried the faint scent of lilac. The backyard was dotted with budding flowers of various colors and out of season plants that had no trouble blooming beautifully in his presence. He knew why his garden blossomed so eagerly, even in the winter months, but he tried his best to ignore it.
After ridding his mind of the smoke monster's frightening effects, he showered and stared at himself in the mirror.
Amon had a kind face, just like his late mother, apparently. He had round cheeks with wide, brown eyes and eyebrows that turned upward naturally. His body wasn't toned or even slightly muscular, but thin and lanky. 'Squishy' was the term dad often used when he described him. His most defining, (and disturbing), feature was his hair – it had two colors: black on the bottom and a light shade of green on the top, separated by a jagged line that wrapped all the way around. Atop his head sat an upright spike that leaned slightly to his left, branding him as the son of Amaimon. He ran his fingers through his damp hair, smoothing it back. A few seconds passed before it sprung back up, glaring at him, a permanent reminder of what he was.
A demon.
He sighed heavily and finished dressing into his new uniform. When he exited the bathroom, he was greeted by the light sounds of clanking dishes. "Morning," he called, searching the refrigerator for something sweet to drink.
"Morning," Asterius-niisan returned his greeting.
Asterius was impressively muscular and, as a result, massive. At almost seven feet tall, his human host left little to the imagination. Amon vaguely remembered what he looked like as a minotaur and, aside from the bull head and hairy legs that ended in hooves, there wasn't much of a difference.
He lived with Amon as his half-brother and legal guardian. They looked similar at a distance – brown eyes, black hair – but they weren't really related. Asterius, kin of Iblis, was gifted to him as a bodyguard on his eighth birthday. Amaimon demanded that they pretend to be brothers in Assiah to prevent suspicion. Neither of them understood who they were hiding from, but they played their roles regardless, even when not in his presence.
"Where's dad?" he asked, pouring himself a tall glass of apple juice. Today would be his first time in a high school, and he wanted dad to be here to offer some form of comfort for his frayed nerves.
"He already left."
"Oh." He sighed, trying to smother his disappointment. "Okay, then." He hesitated, staring blankly at the juice in his glass.
Asterius noticed his discomfort. He was trained to be tuned to Amon's emotions – to know when to protect him and when to let him protect himself. "You'll be fine." He tossed strips of bacon into the heated pan, earning a disgusted frown from Amon.
"It's a school full of exorcists – someone is going to recognize me." He flopped down at the table and tentatively took a sip from his glass. "And then word will spread and I won't be able to make any friends or..." his voice trailed off and he let the thought hang unspoken in the air. Amon drew in another shaky breath, a futile attempt to calm himself, and ran his fingers through his hair again. It was an action he did when he was nervous, as if smoothing the spike down would hide its existence from the rest of the world. He cringed inwardly when he felt it bounce back up.
"Amon," Asterius-niisan growled at him in a way that was not unkind. "You need to stop worrying about it. True Cross is a big school – If you meet any exorcists who pick on you, just avoid them."
He let out a stubborn groan and rested his chin in his hand. "Easier said than done."
"Stop complaining," he demanded, placing a plate full of freshly sliced Manticore tail before him, "More than half that school has normal students who won't know or care what you are." He let out a short, irritated sigh when he noticed the boy wasn't listening, instead nibbling the edge of his thumb in thought. "You're just like your father." Amon gave an innocent smile that Asterius-niisan only glared at.
Amon's shoulders slumped when he turned back to the stove. He picked up his fork and pushed around the dark pink slices for a moment before deciding to eat elsewhere. "I'm going to have breakfast in the garden – Maybe the fresh air will help clear my head."
"Fifteen minutes," Asterius-niisan called to him without turning around, waving his chopsticks to add emphasis to his words.
Their backyard had been converted to a rich palette of flowers, shrubs, and fruit trees divided into sections which were divided even further by seasons. A white cobblestone path weaved between each bed of flowers and plants, allowing him to admire his work up close. Off to his left was an elliptical bed of almost a dozen different species of roses – his favorite – accentuated by a small, granite pond that was home to both frogs and koi. Two bird feeders could be found on either side of the main path, always busy with flapping wings. Their singing, accompanied by the gently swaying buds in the April breeze, erased all fear from his mind. It would come back to him, he knew it was inevitable, but, for now, he didn't have to worry about how he would be perceived at school.
Everything seemed better when he was here – the world was distant, fading under the sound of leaves rustling in the wind, he could breathe easier, not weighed down by apprehensive thoughts, even dad's mood seemed to improve when he gazed at the garden.
Amon lazily lifted his eyes to the treetops, scanning them for any sign of Amaimon, some hope still lingering in his mind. But he couldn't see or feel him, so he returned to his peaceful breakfast, left to wonder where dad had gone.
He dragged his hand through his hair for what felt like the hundredth time that morning. His fingers weaved through the spike, pressing it down gently. Despite his attempts to hide it, Amaimon's reputation clung to him, sometimes ruining opportunities that would have otherwise been given easily to him. He loved his father and often wondered why no one else could see what he did. Amaimon was a demon, not a monster. He wasn't abusive or mean or neglectful, he just didn't know how to raise children. He did his best to be a father, but he wasn't any good at it, so many people – mostly exorcists – misunderstood his intentions.
Dad would be here by the time the entrance ceremony was over, Amon reassured himself, and he would be eager to hear all about how much he liked his first experience with school.
"Amon," Asterius-niisan's hard voice ripped him from his thoughts. "Hurry up! You'll be late!" He walked back into the kitchen, letting the door swing shut behind him.
"Okay," he released a slow breath and spoke quietly to himself, "It's okay, Amon. Don't be scared – You can do this. If someone recognizes you, just ignore them and walk away." Another sigh. "You've always wanted to be a normal student and, now, here's your chance. Don't screw it up!" He stood with renewed energy and stretched his arms high above his head before gathering his empty dishes.
The train station that would take him to True Cross Academy was only a block away from his house, but he often took an alternative route, both for the exercise and the excitement.
The bike's spokes rattled against the hard wind as he flew down the hill as fast as he could. Over the years, Amon has learned that the best way to handle fear is to forget about it. So he rode his bike down the slope near his house, feeling the wind ruffle his hair, the sun on his skin, the crisp scent of the ocean, and the unexplainable exhilaration as he avoided oncoming cars. But, all too quickly, the downhill fun faded and he was on flat road.
Amon slowed his pace when he rounded the corner and noticed another student with the academy's uniform on a bike waiting for the crosswalk. Excitement burned away his anxiety and he boldly pulled up beside the blond, smiling politely. "Hey! Are you going to True Cross Academy too?"
The boy looked up, relief briefly shown on his face. His eyes were immediately drawn to the lopsided spike on Amon's head – something he was used to – and his expression faltered. "O-Oh, uh... Yeah." He turned away, his grip tightening on the rubber handles of his bike until his knuckles were white.
At that moment, all of his fears about attending True Cross returned to him. Amon sighed to himself and faced forward, eagerly wanting the light to change so he could escape the awkward atmosphere he had created. As soon as it did, he sped off, not offering the other boy a glance. He didn't stop or slow until he was at the station. Breathless, Amon fumbled roughly with his bike's lock, trying to suppress the emotions welling up inside him. Going to a school filled with exorcists when all he wanted was to be left alone was such a bad idea. He wished he had the courage to refuse, but dad was so adamant that he attend this school and not a public one as Amon had wanted. He took his frustration out on the lock and kicked it once it clicked. The blond student from earlier approached as he was leaving, obviously trying to avoid eye contact.
He picked a seat near the front of the train and flopped down with a huff after pulling the window open. Amon kept his eyes locked on the ocean for the entire ride, trying to lose his frustration in the wind and shimmering sunlight reflecting in fractals on the surface of the water.
The train ride was shorter than he hoped and he still felt angry when he exited the station, but the amazing, opulent sight of True Cross helped chase away any remaining irritation. It was as spectacular as it was confusing – Amon didn't even know which buildings belonged to the school. The sidewalk was crowded with students wearing the same uniform, some marveling with him, others greeting their friends, but everyone seemed to be talking over someone else and laughing.
He realized he was gaping and closed his mouth with a snap.
Amon followed the flow of students pass those who were checking into the dormitories and into the main building. It took a bit of effort to push through the congested group that had gathered around the bulletin board, but he managed to note down his classroom number before he was shoved aside.
Thanks to the alternate route he had taken to the train station, he didn't have enough time to meet his teachers or climb the stairs and search for his class. He did, however, have time to stop and stare at the brightly-colored posters on the walls – advertisements for school clubs. They were after school activities that anyone could join, even a demon. Before he entered the auditorium for the orientation, Amon decided on track and theater.
The entrance ceremony was boring and uneventful. There was a brief introduction by the president – Johann Faust – another short speech by their class representative – Jin something – followed by a long, drawn out talk about the school. Amon didn't pay much attention; too busy daydreaming about running cross country or decorating a stage.
When it was finally over, he followed the crowd back to the lobby and decided to take a tour of the rooms open to first year students. The cafeteria instantly reminded him of Hogwarts with its high, arched ceiling, long, widely spaced tables, and hanging chandeliers. Near the counter which led to an open view of the kitchen was a group of glass cases displaying various types of food and their prices. He examined the dishes with disgust, surprised to find that such a wealthy school didn't have anything edible for their demonic familiars.
He would sooner starve than eat Assiah food – apples and certain processed sweets were the only exceptions.
Bored with the gaudy decor and repulsing lunch options, Amon made his way up the right staircase where the four classrooms for first year students were located. He hesitated outside the door to his class, muffled sounds of conversation heightening his anxiety. How many students would recognize him? How many parents would shoot him dirty looks or usher their children away?
Amon held his breath, a futile attempt to force these thoughts into the back of his head, and pushed the door open. Immediately, he was greeted by a cacophony of voices, the large room's acoustics causing them to echo and seem more disorienting than they already were. A few students turned to eye him as he entered. He ignored them, fighting with the urge to hide and run.
Stop it! He screamed at himself. Not everyone is going to know. You have to overcome this! Amon tried to distract himself by wandering around the room, mindlessly admiring the intricate design of the windows for about ten minutes.
"U-Um, hello." He tensed and turned to find a cute, petite girl fidgeting with the hem of her sweater.
"Oh, u-uh..." he stuttered slightly and cleared his throat. "Hello."
She flushed, avoiding eye contact. "Are you...new to the area?"
"Yeah. How...how did you know?"
"Well... I am too and, um, you don't seem to know anyone..."
Amon glanced around, noticing for the first time that almost all the students had someone to talk to or laugh with. "Yikes, is it that obvious?"
She giggled and smiled at him. "I like your hair."
"O-Oh, I-I...uh," he hesitated and ran his fingers through his hair, feeling his face grow hot. "Umm... Y-You, uh... Re-Really?"
She nodded.
Overcome with the sensation of relief, Amon started to introduce himself and the girl – Hamada – to other students until she departed. Though nearly all of them raised a brow at his hair, most of them seemed to like him, and a few even commented on his 'cool hairstyle'.
He didn't even notice an hour had passed until his phone vibrated. Amon didn't recognize the number, but still excused himself from the noisy room to take the call. "Hello?"
An eager, strangely familiar voice greeted him on the other end. "Ah, hello! Thank you for waiting! Cram school is about to begin and I see you're running a little late. Please meet me by the courtyard fountain and I will escort you!"
"Huh? Who's this?" No response. "Hello?" Amon glanced at his screen only to find that the call had ended.
Confused and slightly concerned, he returned to the classroom and grabbed the attention of the first person he saw – a girl with rather messy hair. "Uh, e-excuse me, do you know where the courtyard fountain is?"
Her already dour expression seemed to darken as she eyed his hair. "Amaimon had a kid?" She scoffed.
He tensed and instantly lost his friendly disposition. "Tell me where the fountain is," he spoke slowly, enunciating his words venomously and failing to control his flaring temper.
She raised a brow at his sudden change of tone. "Go through the double doors behind the right staircase."
Amon spun on his heel and left quickly, anger heavy in his footsteps. Guilt struck him as he descended the staircase, washing away all irritation he felt for the cyan-haired girl. It wasn't entirely her fault, but her demeaning tone had made him snap. He was sick of everyone telling him how to feel or that he was dangerous or that his father was too childish to raise a son properly.
But if he continued to respond like this, then it would only prove their suspicions about him and demons in general.
If he saw her again before the day was over, he would apologize for his hostile behavior.
The courtyard was mostly empty, with thick, green grass and strategically placed bushes around a large, stunning fountain. It had two tall tiers at the bottom with thin crevices where water flowed down from the smallest tier at the top surrounded by statues. He frowned at it as he sat on the lowest base, disgusted by the overly decorative design of absolutely everything at the school.
While he waited, Amon stared at the unknown number on his phone's screen and chewed his thumb, as if that would somehow reveal the caller's intentions.
"Ah, there you are!" A strange man dressed in white – gaudy to match the school's extravagant atmosphere – approached him, swinging a pink umbrella accentuated by sweets in his left hand.
Amon knew immediately that he was a demon. Not only was it obvious to the naked eye – his overly confident gait, his otherworldly fashion sense, his sharp eyes, his immaculate skin – but demons, (especially those hiding in hosts), emitted this subtle, vibrating aura that he could feel if he concentrated hard enough. The longer and more drawn out the pulses of the vibration, the higher up the demonic hierarchy they were. With this rather pointless ability, Amon knew the man was the demon king of time and space and someone he had to be careful around. He slumped forward and tried to make himself appear as small and inferior as possible.
It was only when the man was a few feet away that Amon finally recognized him. "P-President Faust!?"
"Please call me Mephisto Pheles." He winked.
"I-I, uh," Amon cleared his throat with apparent difficulty and thought it would be more appropriate to stand. "What do you want with someone like me?" he asked, trying to appear pathetic, just like how dad had taught him.
President Faust looked at Amon and smiled gently, a ghost of a smile that he might have missed had he not been looking directly at the demon. "There's no need to act so formal in front of me, Amon." He jumped, startled that the demon king of time knew his name. Should he be worried or grateful? "Don't you remember? I'm your uncle! You lived in my mansion while you were recovering from miasma poisoning."
Amon suddenly noticed the blaring similarities between Uncle Mephisto and Amaimon: the slightly pointed ears, the high cheekbones, the subtle fangs, even the permanent, dark circles under his eyes, a trait Amon was thankful he didn't inherit.
"I don't remember." He spoke the truth – he could clearly recall the fiery pain in his lungs, but not his surroundings. Besides, Amon was a poor liar and it would be a terrible idea to lie to a demon king.
Uncle Mephisto regarded him with pitying eyes, his eyebrows drawn in, his mouth turned down at the corners. "Forgive me, Amon. You were very ill – I'm sure it's difficult to remember."
Amon took his fictitious apology with an awkward shrug that led to a thick silence. He chewed his thumb anxiously under Uncle Mephisto's scrutinizing gaze until he could no longer stand the lack of noise. "Why did you call me, Uncle?"
"Ah, yes!" He snapped his fingers, as if he'd just forgotten and remembered. "You are late for cram school!"
"Cram school?" Panic settled in his chest. "B-But I passed all the entrance exams."
He raised his brows briefly in amusement and grinned. "This cram school is for exorcists!" Amon's stomach twisted in knots at the sound of that word and it took everything he had not to flinch. "And, recently, for half-demons wanting to learn how to better their abilities!"
"O-Oh. I, I-I'm not-" Amon's breath hitched in his throat. He wanted to say something, refuse maybe, but he was too stunned to move or form any coherent words.
"I understand you're not a half-breed, but let's keep that a secret between us!" He winked yet again, unpleasantly cheerful.
"Why?" It was all he could manage.
Uncle Mephisto became serious, if only a little. "Amaimon told me you were having trouble developing your powers on your own, so we figured it would be best to place you in an environment where they would be forced to emerge."
He narrowed his eyes at the demon king, his voice suddenly steady and stiff. "But I don't have any powers to develop!" He spoke rudely considering his position compared to the king of time, but he didn't care anymore. "I've never been able to do the things my father can – the best I can do is make plants grow. It would be a waste of time and resources to send me to cram school."
"Nonsense!" he laughed, "You are my nephew, of course you have power!" He leaned forward, his grin widening. "Even more than Amaimon, I hope." He stepped back and tapped Amon gently on the head with his umbrella. "We just have to find it and bring it out!"
He might have laughed again, but Amon couldn't be certain of that because all he could hear was the blood pounding in his ears. It should be no surprise that Uncle Mephisto didn't believe him – after all, he was the son of Amaimon, a demon king. Surely it's impossible for someone like Amon to not have any powers, any strength, to be so utterly human.
Now he understood why Amaimon picked True Cross Academy, because even he couldn't believe that his son was so worthless.
Amon had never had to worry about how incompetent he was – he had even grown comfortable with his lack of abilities around his father. But now he would have to show how much of a failure he was in front of an entire class filled with half-breeds far more powerful than him, a full-blooded demon. At that moment, he realized that this was far worse than his previous fear of being recognized as a monster.
"Let's hurry – Class has already started!" Uncle Mephisto spun on his heel and began prancing his way out of the courtyard. "You'll love the Self Defense teacher, Amon. He's a half-demon – ah, but not the type you'd expect..."
He sighed heavily and dragged his trembling fingers through his hair. There was no point in arguing, so he gave up and reluctantly followed.
Author's Note: Hello! I hope you like Amon! I worked stupidly hard to make him a well-balanced character despite being well...completely normal by human standards. Let me know if there's anything about him that you think I should change!
I know not many people are interested in this type of story, so thank you for reading and giving this a try! Also thanks to tarballGZ for helping flesh out the plot! This story wouldn't be as good without your help, so thank you! And of course thanks to everyone who submitted characters for me to use! I hope I wrote them well.
Rin and Yukio are estimated to be in their early twenties in this story.
Blue Exorcist belongs to Katou Kazue and Co.
Illustri belongs to Kizmuth
Jinx and Jun belong to Aneki Okumura
Yata belongs to tarballGZ
