A/N: Alright, so I'm finally writing a Blue Exorcist fanfiction. This is my first time writing one, so it is not guaranteed to be good but I would like it if you give this story a chance. Let this first chapter be your sample.

Notice! This story takes place threeyears after the anime. I will not be following the manga or anime for this story, so things will be different.

Just remember to leave me a review at the end of this chapter! I want to know what you think about it. Thank you and I hope you would enjoy this!

Below is the original summary for this story. Since there is a word limit for the summary used in this site, I had to come up with two summaries – a (shorter) cover summary which you saw outside this page, and a full summary.

Full summary:

The first went missing in school. The second disappeared from his home. The third went for a jog… and never came back. One moment they were there, and the next… gone.

Whispers of demons and spirits spread like wild fire, and everyone seems convinced of the presence of the supernatural.

But not Ishigumi Tsubaki. When her best friend becomes the latest victim, she starts to investigate and finds that all clues lead to the mysterious transfer student Okumura Rin.

Devil Beside Me

#01

Strange Phenomenon

Year 2012. Germany – Western Berlin.

The rain bore on endlessly, pounding on the rooftops and turning the sidewalks and roads into vast lakes of dull, muddy water. Dark gray clouds covered the sky, only letting a few rays of feeble sun slip past the barrier. The monotonous sound of raindrops beating on the sidewalk blended in with the occasional whoosh of the breeze through the treetops. Everything was bleak, gray, and dreary - even the atmosphere. People dressed in heavy coats and bearing large umbrellas walking quickly with purpose, not stopping to look at anything or anyone.

All were rushing to find a shelter, away from the rain droplets beating mercilessly on their backs or umbrellas.

Except for five– three males and two females –grown-ups who were huddled together under the pouring rain, least bothered by it. The heavy coats which were meant to help them blend in, had lost their purpose in the rapidly emptying street. They were now just pieces of meaningless cloths that were clinging onto their backs, useless and literal heavy burdens.

But that was the least of the fives' concerns.

"This is bad," The male whose dull red hair was plastered rather unflatteringly down onto his face, eyed his comrades, who did not look any better, grimly. "It seems like that something is really going on here."

"Jon is right. Things are definitely looking bad." A thin line appeared between her eyebrows as the woman beside him tugged a loose strand of her wet caramel brown hair behind her ear. "Do you think that what the American branch had alerted us about could be true?"

Her question was, however, only met with dreadful silence. Even the loud pouring rain they stood under was not enough to break it.

The dark-haired man across her crossed his arms and looked at the grave expressions his comrades shared before letting out a sigh, breaking the little moment of silence between them. "I'm afraid it is likely to be. I mean, demonic activity has indeed spiked ever since the last two months afterall. Something big is definitely brewing. " He narrowed his eyes. "Damn Satan…"

With the privacy the weather had provided them, there was no effort made in trying to tone down their conversation regarding such confidential issue.

"Then if what they warned us about is true, we better return to the headquarters as soon as possible." The man with red hair spoke up again. "The faster we hand in our mission report to the Head, the faster we can pass along the information we obtain to the other branches, especially the Japanese one."

"I can sense a war ahead of us," The three turned to their only brunette who punched a fist into his other hand fiercely as he declared, "We, Exorcists, will need to brace ourselves for that."

The other woman in the group who had not spoken a single word during their talk nodded in agreement. "Exactly, Aaron." She turned to the others. "So right now, we should head back to the hotel to change out of this attire and we shall leave for the airport once ready." She looked at them with a steady, measured look. "London is about two hours away, so we have plenty of time to discuss this on the plane."

A grin broke across the brunette's face. "Looks like Roxy is still the most practical one in our team afterall!" He slapped her on the back and turned to the redhead. "So what do you think, leader?"

"It's getting really cold!" The man's serious face relaxed. "Like she said, we should waste no more time and head back right now. C'mon, let's go!"

Not another word, the group sprinted down the street and disappeared around a corner. The street that should have been emptied minutes ago had become truly deserted, now that they were gone.

Year 2013. Japan– Eastern Kyoto.

Ishigumi Takahiro thumped on the door with a closed fist once and twisted its knob. His daughter's bedroom greeted him behind the door he pushed open. The weak morning sunrays behind the drawn blue thin curtains was doing a poor job brightening up the dark room, because he nearly tripped over a shoe while he groped around for the light switch.

The middle aged man smiled delightfully when he felt the object he was looking for.

The light above him flickered on and the room was suddenly in a bright, clear view much to his relief, since he nearly tripped again over another shoe he suspected was the first's other half. Quickly reaching to the dimmer, Takahiro adjusted the brightness of the light that he knew was too blinding for his daughter's eyes. Once the light was bearable, he turned to the bed and could see her hazel brown hair peeking out from the thick cover she was slumbering under.

Shaking his head disapprovingly, he padded forward. "Good morning, Tsubaaaaaki!" He shook the sleeping girl. "Time to wake up for school!" When the man saw the twitches behind her eyelids, he thanked god that his daughter was a fairly light sleeper who he needed to wake up with little effort.

Tsubaki grumbled incoherently and groggily opened her eyes. "Dad?" Despite still being sleepy, she was quick to identify the one who had interrupted her sleep. "What time is it now?" She sat up.

"Goodness! It's already seven," Takahiro turned back to her the moment he caught sight of the time from her alarm clock. "You don't want to be late for that prefects' meeting, don't you?"

"Oh alright, I'm up now." She sighed, putting up both hands up as if she was surrendering, before shuffling over to her wardrobe. "Wait a second, Dad," She paused with one hand placed on the wardrobe door and threw narrowed eyes over her shoulders. "What did I say about entering your seventeen year old daughter's bedroom?"

Takahiro blinked once at her and burst into chuckles. "You will always be my little girl no matter how old you are! Plus, your mother is busy making breakfast so who else is going to wake you up?" He turned as if to go, but paused partway toward the door. "Get changed and come down for breakfast. I don't think a cold breakfast would be as enjoyable as a warm one!"

With that, the door to her room closed behind him.

.

.

.

.

.

"….And now on to more recent news. Another 17 year old high school student from Seiko High has been reported missing last night." An image of the school briefly appeared on the screen.

"Sugimoto Daichi was reported to have disappeared from his room at approximately 8pm last night. His parents have said that he had left for his room at around 7:30pm to do his homework, and when Mrs Sugimoto went up to check at around 8pm, her son was gone. There was no trace of him leaving his room, and scattered books and stationary implied that Daichi had been in the midst of unpacking his bag when he was kidnapped."

"This is the second kidnapping case of a Seiko High student, with the first student being 16 year old Kizuma Saaya who was kidnapped in school while cleaning up her classroom last Monday." Pictures of the students as well as their names appeared on the screen as the reporter continued the report.

"Her classmate, Takahashi Naoki told the police that she had simply stepped out of the classroom for a moment, and when she returned, Saaya had disappeared."

"According to her, it was impossible for Saaya to leave the classroom through the doors without being seen so it was as if she had 'disappeared into thin air'. Police investigations have been ongoing, and they believe that this is the work of a serial kidnapper as both students have disappeared in what police term as 'locked room'."

It is believed that the kidnapper is targeting high school students, and as of now the police are unable to confirm if it is a coincidence that both missing students attend Seiko High School.Police are seeking help from the public to come forward with any information they have, and have advised students to not travel alone anyway, and to call the police hotline if they were to witness any suspicious activities…"

.

Tsubaki paused in the process of picking up her cup of tea to look at the pictures of the two students flashed on the television screen and sighed sympathetically. Those poor students and their families. She knew them from sight although they weren't exactly friends.

Kizuma Saaya was a freshman who lived near her, and was always friendly enough to greet her with a 'good morning' whenever they bump into each other near her house on the way to school.

She knew Sugimoto Daichi through the Student Council, and he seemed nice enough though they didn't interact much since they were under different departments in the prefectorial board.

Taking a small sip of her tea absentmindedly, Tsubaki pondered over the rumors she had heard in school. The students had been gossiping and coming up with different theories behind the 'locked room' kidnappings, and so far the most popular theory was that the students had been 'spirited away' by ghosts and demons and what not.

She scoffed quietly.

Even though Tsubaki grew up in a shrine surrounded by family members who supposedly deal with the supernatural for a living, she didn't believe in the existence of the supernatural. She had grown up learning about the duties of a shrine maiden, including how to exorcise demons and spirits, but she still didn't believe that they were real. The only reason she had even agreed to learn was because she didn't want to disappoint her parents and grandparents who were earnest about her taking over the family business.

"…That darkness I felt over this town since two weeks ago…." At that, Tsubaki snapped out of her musings and glanced over to her muttering mother who she had sat through the news report with her. "…I knew something bad was bound to happen." The older woman sighed.

"Mum, are you okay?" She watched her mother with a frown.

"Huh? What?" Ishigumi Haruko snapped out of her stupor and glanced over at her daughter with a puzzled look. "Oh yes yes, I'm fine!" She took a glance at the clock and turned back to Tsubaki. "Shouldn't you be on your way now, dear?"

Tsubaki took a glance of the time and quickly rose up from her chair. "Oh right!" She should be leaving the house now if she wanted to early for the prefects' meeting. Placing the dishes into the sink, she grabbed her bag and wore her shoes after giving her mum a peck on the cheek.

"Hey Tsubaki dear, I want you to be careful and come home straight after school today okay?" Her mother placed a hand on her shoulder. "I've been sensing a dark aura that's been hovering over town since two weeks ago and it's making me nervous." Golden eyes much like her own shone with worry, and for a moment she thought she saw a flicker of another emotion in her eyes.

Tsubaki rolled her eyes playfully at her mother. "Another one of those shrine maiden's intuition thing? I'll be fine, Mum! If you keep worrying you'll develop more wrinkles, and imagine how horrible that would be!" Giving her mother a hug and a promise that she would indeed come home straight after school, Tsubaki then left for school.

Ishigumi Haruko let her smile drop as she stared worriedly at the door.

Her intuition was rarely wrong, and when she saw the news this morning about the missing boy, the feeling of forbiddingness intensified. She had sensed a disturbance over town last night, a strong negative presence that sunk heavily on her senses. It was also disturbingly familiar, and brought her back to a night over ten years ago. A night she did not want to remember.

Please let it not be what I think it is.

Eastern Kyoto – Seiko High School.

Most of her classmates were already in class when she reached her classroom. They were scattered in clusters, discussing aloud about the latest news she had watched on the television at home. The case had been all over school ever since the first victim. It was no surprise that the second one would be the hot topic of her class, like what she had predicted on the way from the prefects' meeting.

All Tsubaki wanted to do now was to rest her sore feet. Striding past the heated discussions to the center row, she plopped down on her chair the moment she reached her desk and sighed, utterly relieved that the draggy meeting was finally over. Once Tsubaki had took out the necessary materials for the first lesson, the girl leaned fully into her chair and relaxed, sweeping a glance across the bustle around her.

Tsubaki's wandering eyes paused at the three girls by the window and was quick to spot her best friend amongst them. She could see a familiar red head bobbing about as the girl babbled on with animated gestures and an expressive face which almost looked comical to her.

She first met Matsumoto Mei during their first year together in middle school. Mei's bubbly personality drew her in like a moth to a flame, and before she knew it, they were best friends. Having a friendship of five years with Mei, she knew those actions only appeared when the bubbly girl was either excited or scared…or both.

Shaking her head fondly, Tsubaki couldn't help but snicker at the myriad of amusing expressions she knew so well flash across her best friend's face.

Mei who had obviously failed to notice her entering their classroom earlier brightened up when she spotted Tsubaki. "Morning Tsu-chaaaaan!" Her emerald eyes sparkled with excitement as the redhead bounded over to her and tugged her arm urgently. "C'mon, don't just sit thereee! Join us!"

"Hold on, Mei–"With a strength surprisingly for a petite person like Mei, Tsubaki found herself dragged to the front of the classroom.

"Hey Tsubaki-chan, how was the prefects' meeting?" Another pair of hands latched onto her other arm excitedly when she entered their circle. "Did you watch the news today?"

"Nothing much, just that Hibari-san ordered us to increase the frequency of patrols to include evening time for the students that stay back for their club activities. You know how protective he is of the school and its students, especially since there's this kidnapper going around kidnapping our students."

The girls gasped and the class representative Shikikawa Kaoru quickly said "But it isn't safe for you guys either! What if the kidnapper takes one of you instead?"

Tsubaki nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah that's what I was thinking too, but Hibari-san paired us up with another prefect so we won't be patrolling alone. Plus don't forget that Hibari-san made all the prefects take up at least one martial art to ensure that we're well-suited to deal with any trouble!"

She gave a quick laugh at the thought while all her friends sweatdropped and murmured to each other.

"I never did understand why Hibari-san insisted they all knew how to fight… just because he's a crazy bloodthirsty guy doesn't mean that all of his prefects need to take after that weird quirk of his."

"Yeah, didn't you hear about that rumor that most of the prefects that are most loyal to him used to be delinquents? I heard that he beat them all up and they all swore loyalty to him after that!"

Mei burst into laughter. "No way, guys! I bet that's just a rumor to make Hibari-san sound scarier than he is!"

"Mei's right. That must be just some silly rumor!" Kaoru rolled her eyes dismissively. "I think the scary one right now is that kidnapper! I hope he will take no more victims away."

Tsubaki felt her stomach gave an uneasy squeeze and heard nervous laughter coming from the girls around her upon hearing 'more victims'.

"Speaking of rumors, did you guys hear the rumor about the missing students? They're saying that it's the work of a demon!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if I find out that Nakazawa Kenichi was the one who started that silly rumor about demons." Kaoru rolled her eyes. "So typical of him. He is–"

"There were only three copies left at the stand!" A copper-haired boy dashed into the classroom, waving a newspaper above his head. "But I've got a copy for us!"

Tsubaki shook her head at the boy and turned back with a wry smile. "Speak of the devil."

"A very loud one." Mei giggled.

"Nakazawa!" Kaoru, like the class representative she is, whipped around with an admonishing glare. "How many times must I remind you not to shout in class?" But this fell onto deaf ears as their classmates had already flocked around him, talking noisily over the newspaper.

Exchanging looks, they walked over and peered curiously over shoulders to see a bold headline, 'Seiko High's Vanishing Act'and the picture of Sugimoto Daichi sharing the front page of the paper.

"This is obviously no ordinary vanishing act." Kenichi flicked his hair with a smug smirk and stabbed a finger at the paper. "It's definitely true – I'm sure this must be the work of a demon!"

He was met with silence and incredulous looks.

A shot of irritation shot through Tsubaki. "Nakazawa-kun, you can't be serious!" She sighed and shook her head crossly. "Stop joking around, why would the culprit be a demon?

"Tsubaki-chan is right!" Kaoru turned sharply to the boy with a glare. "You should stop reading those stupid demon stories of yours! Disappearing students are not joking matters you know!"

"How dare you call them stupid!" Kenichi shot back. "And of course, they are not joking matters! What–"

"Actually, I think it's possible!" Mei spoke up suddenly, "I mean… how is it be possible for someone to disappear from their room?"

"…What? Not you too, Mei!"

"Exactly, Matsumoto!" Kenichi jutted his chin smugly, eyes gleaming with a sort of determination. "Also, what about Kizuma-san from Class 2-B? They say that Takahashi-san was right outside the door so there was no way that anyone could enter or leave from there undetected. Furthermore, the class was on the third floor, getting out through the window would be impossible. Unless you are telling me that the kidnapper had jumped out of the window with Kizuma-san!" He scoffed rudely.

There was a wave of murmurs from all around. Some still looked unconvinced, while some were nodding away in agreement.

"I think he's right!"

"Oh my god, then do you think it's true?"

"But isn't it just a rumor…? I hope that it'll stay as one…"

"This is scary…"

"Actually, Tsubaki-chan…" Kaoru looked over at Tsubaki with a wavering look of belief. "…I think they do have a point." She said shrugging.

"Of course, we do!" Kenichi who happened to overhear that over the discussions, jumped in. "C'mon, Ishigumi! You out of everyone here have more reasons to believe that this could be a supernatural case. Don't tell me that you haven't experience anything unnatural at your family shrine!" He leaned in with a skeptical look on his face.

"No, I have never encountered a single 'supernatural' thing before." Tsubaki folded her arms, a distinct sting of sarcasm noticeable in her voice. "It is just a rumor. There is no solid evidence to prove that it's true. Don't be ridiculous, Nakazawa-kun. Things like this does not exist! Maybe the kidnapper is just really skilled, and somehow made it look like the two just disappeared without a trace."

Kenichi gave a long-suffering sigh.

"Well, she has a point too." Kaoru said, shrugging flippantly. "That rumor was probably started by some supernatural geeks like you. Maybe you should form a club with them." The class representative drawled blithely.

"Tsu-chaaan," Tsubaki tore her eyes away from them and found herself staring at Mei's huge glittering green eyes that were staring earnestly at her. "Don't you find this case veryyy interesting? I kind of want to see a real demon myself!"

"Mei," Tsubaki sighed. "Didn't I say that demons aren't real, you silly girl?" Tsubaki hit her lightly on her head, earning a pout from the redhead.

Rubbing at the spot where her mean best friend hit her, Mei glanced around the classroom. Everyone was gathered around Kenichi's table gossiping about the case, except for the new transfer students.

Mei frowned.

"They are really quiet, aren't they? Even though it had already been two weeks long since they joined us, I've barely spoken a word to them outside of class!"

Tsubaki glanced at where Mei was staring, and found herself looking at the two students huddled together at the back row of the class.

"Okumura-kun and Kamiki-san? Maybe they are just uncomfortable talking to strangers?"

"I wish they could talk to us…"

Mei sighed and looked up with a light blush on her cheeks. "Hey Tsu-chan," Her voice was reduced to a whisper. "Don't you find Okumura-kun kind of handsome and cool? Even Suzuki-chan and Ayame-chan think so too!"

"Hmm," Tsubaki blinked at her, thinking for a moment. "I guess he's okay, but I'm not so sure about the 'cool' part." Her lips formed a sly smile. "Don't tell me someone has a crush on our new transfer student from Tokyo…?" Tsubaki raised an eyebrow suggestively at Mei who grew even redder.

"Tsu-chan, stop teasing me! I don't think it's a crush, I just think he's pretty cute." Mei paused as she gazed at the two transfer students. "Do you think Okumura-kun and Kamiki-chan are… you know, together?"

"Nah, they don't look like a couple, but who knows? Looks can be deceiving." Tsubaki shrugged nonchalantly.

"Mei-chan!"

Tsubaki looked up to realize it was Kaoru, and nudged Mei who had a faraway look on her face. "Hmm?"

"Mei, Kaoru-chan is calling for you."

"Huh? Oh, coming!"

Folding her arms behind her back, Tsubaki rested against the wall as Mei hurried away, idly observing the two students she and Mei was talking about.

They were interesting people at the least. From what she had observed so far, they were very private people and it wasn't uncommon to see them huddled over discussing something. Or arguing over something would be a more appropriate way of describing it.

Kamiki Izumo said something angrily in a low hushed voice, throwing her long dark purple ponytail over her shoulder with a glare that could probably burn through steel.

Tsubaki glanced over to the recipient of her glare, Okumura Rin, who didn't seem the least bothered by her glare.

The boy with dark blue–almost black– messy hair was seated at his assigned desk by the window and he returned a glare of his own though less intense, while saying something back in a similarly heated tone. He looked a little impatient and annoyed.

Tsubaki wonder what they were arguing about. They've been doing that ever since they transferred over to Seiko, and recently it had seemed to be more intense than usual.

She shrugged and told herself not to dwell too much on it, knowing it was none of her business.

Snapping out of her train of thoughts, Tsubaki realized that while she had been lost in her thoughts and staring absentmindedly in their direction, Rin had switched from glaring at Izumo to staring at her curiously with his intense blue eyes.

Her face burned in embarrassment to have been caught staring and she immediately turned away, pretending to be occupied with listening to her classmates blabber about demons and whatnot.

She noticed in her peripheral vision that Rin and Izumo had stopped talking and were staring at her.

Rin had noticed someone staring at him while he was arguing with Izumo, and had turned to find himself looking at one of their classmates.

Ishiki…? Ishigaki…? Ishigami…? Ishigumi!

He only remembered her name because he had detected something slightly off about her on his first day. It was faint, and if not for this well-tuned senses, he would have missed the lingering traces of demonic presence that clung to her. His eyebrow furrowed in concentration. And if he's not wrong, he could also detect traces of spiritual energy from her, though it didn't feel like her own. She must have been constantly exposed to someone with spiritual energy for it to leave a residual trace on her.

"Hey Kamiki. Do you think there's something off about Ishigumi-san?"

Izumo stopped in the middle of her tirade to give Rin a questioning look. "Who?"

Rin inclined his head in Tsubaki's direction and Izumo turned to give her classmate a quick look.

"She's human, but there's some spiritual residual on her, probably from being in contact from someone with spiritual powers. Maybe she lives in a shrine like me? I think I heard someone say something about that just now."

Rin paused in his assessment to look at Izumo. "You don't sense that trace of demonic energy on her? It's faint and kind of faded, but it's there alright."

Izumo shook her head. "No, I didn't sense anything demonic from her."

Rin frowned. He was sure that he sensed something, but why couldn't Izumo sense it? Or was it just his imagination?

"Do you think she has something to do with that demonic presence we have been sensing over town these two weeks?"

Now it was Rin's turn to shake his head. "No, I don't think she's involved in this."

"We can't be so sure, can't we?"

Rin sighed and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Urghhhh, this is getting really annoying. We've been here for two weeks since The Order first detected the demonic presence, and we even had to infiltrate the school after that first girl got kidnapped, and we haven't found anything! Where the hell is that stupid demon! I thought this was supposed to a short assignment - find demon, exorcise demon, go home, the end."

"Quit whining, Okumura." Izumo crossed her arms, glancing down with impatience gleaming in her dark, red eyes. "Behave like a Meister, will you? Neither Moriyama, Konekomaru nor I are complaining about this!"

"Whatever, Eyebrows," Rin huffed and stretched out his arms lazily, with a contented smile forming across his face. "This is actually kind of nice, you know? I haven't been to a normal school in a looooong time!"

"I wouldn't count this school normal with all these going on." Izumo snorted rudely and gave him a dry look. "Okumura, you're an idiot."

Rin glared at her and was about to retort with an insult of his own, but was interrupted by the entry of their teacher. He settled for a glare as his classmates all hurried back to their seats.

A/N: This is all for the first chapter! So? How was it? Okay? Terrible? Painful? Please do leave me reviews; feedbacks from readers are very crucial to me when it comes to writing. I would be really grateful if you reviewed. Please tell me how it is because I have no clue. BWAHAHA.