Chapter 2
Mephisto Pheles walked slowly around his office, feet clicking against the hard wooden floor, lightly tapping his cane against all things: books, shelves, paintings, his stuffed toys and precious dolls that he so adored. He was humming a slow, sad tune, a song he didn't quite know, seeming to fill his entire soul, helping clear his unwanted thoughts. But what were his thoughts? Mephisto didn't know.
He looked towards the window; it was getting dark, the sun was gone now, the sky purple and showing its first stars of night. His stared at his top hat which sat still on the table, his cape resting sleepily behind his chair. He could get similar things in the other world, but it wasn't the same. Earth, as it seemed, was… much more exciting. He eyes roamed his over-crowded office. Dolls, toys, light up lights, stuffed bears, stuffed pillows, colors of bright blinded anyone who looked on it, a mesmerizing scene of vibrant movement; and yet now they all sat still, peering out from the darkness like little puppet eyes, their colors somehow faded in the night, their movements stopped. Mephisto smiled. Earth was… exciting in the sense that he could find things such as these, discover things… and humans, humans were so creative! Who would have thought of making this… this! He picked up a bobble-head rabbit that sat on his desk; it bounced around when he shook, its head dangerously close to falling right off. He shook it harder. Mephisto could help but shout out in laughter at the thing; hysterical!
Oh such were all his toys! Such fun... fun!
He threw his arm back and smashed it right through the window. So fast that the glass didn't quite have time to fall before the toy was on its way down a hundred miles out. Birds flew up outside in shock at the disturbance.
Mephisto breathed heavily, leaning on his desk for support. He need calm… calm! But his mind was far from calm, buzzing, a ringing that wouldn't stop growing louder. If anyone were in the room at that moment, they wouldn't have been prepared for the storm of rage that Mephisto threw next; He screamed, tossed books down from their shelves, ripped toys open, slammed over his entire desk in bitterness; so strong was Mephisto that the desk didn't just overturn, but smashed and broke to pieces against the opposite wall. One of his squeaky rubber ducks lay on the floor in front of him unscathed… a quiet rage. Mephisto, in a movement too fast to be seen, raised and stabbed straight down with a sword he hid in his cane. A sharp cry sounded the room, its pain reverberating through Mephisto's ears. Slowly the rubber duck deflated, its final voice gone, leaving only an empty shell of its former body; no more would it cry, no more would it float happily in the bath. He dug his cane into the wall and began carving a line around his office as he continued his march of destruction. Ripping paintings off, slashing the door, nothing was left unharmed. What did Mephisto think? He didn't know. No light could be seen now, darkness spread like felt fabric across his window. His black hair, falling lightly down to his shoulders, blended him into the still silent room which now was finally complete; without light; without order. Nothing moved. Mephisto continued to stare out his window, his cane sticking out of the wall, he hummed his sad tune, knowing what was to come, knowing how it had to be. This night, how he wished it had never happened.
The street was quiet. Something silver pasted; a pin shot down by Rin's foot, casting him into a smothering fog; denying him all air, denying him sight. What was happening? The demon let go of his arm, screaming in agony behind the clouded curtain somewhere nearby. Rin didn't move. He didn't know where the demon was, nor did he know where he himself was. And besides, he didn't want to run into the thing that could make such terrible sounds, a screech of high that echoed down the empty street. But he was saying things as well. Rin couldn't understand, it was a just jumble of screams… until he distinctly heard, louder and clearer than any other, and at the same time more frightening as the demon ripped his throat: "EXORCIST!"
Yet through all the screaming and fog, Rin could hear another, softer voice. It sang through the chaos, a slow melody drifting through the wind, its sweet tone carrying over the scene. And no matter how much the demon screamed, the song became louder and clearer still, filling Rin with hope as he recognized its owner.
Father Fujimoto appeared through the clearing mist, his slow rhythmical words still pouring fourth. The demon lunged, but the father was too quick for him, throwing him on his back with apparent ease. The father had finished his song, the finality of his words seemed to cause panic as the demons eyes lit up; he struggled to get away from the father's grasp, run far from the scene, but too soon was he engulfed in a blackness, an energy spewing from every pore of his body; a release of death. He let out one final high bloody scream before falling over and collapsing onto the pavement. There now laid the body of the boy, the bandaged wrap still on his face; no more did he bear the features of a horrible monster, no more did he scream.
"He's fine now… though I suppose if he doesn't change his actions he may be possessed again." The father bent down to examine him, not looking at Rin.
Rin was confused. What the hell was going on? First the demon, which was hard to believe in itself, then flames, and now his father is an exorcist? Since when can people can be 'possessed'? Rin was never a believer of these sorts of things… but now…
"I'm sure you have no idea what's going on, do you?" He asked Rin's question for him. "You can see now, can't you?… demons, that is. The world is… like a mirror. We live here in the world of Assiah… but there is another side… a much darker place; the world of Gehenna which we cannot see, another dimension so to speak. Normally neither side can interact… however, demons have learned the art of possession, and can enter this world by possessing things that exist within. A flower, a person… all things can come under threat. But that's enough explanation for now Rin. We have no time to lose…" And the father took Rin's hand and started to run.
"Where are we going? What… what the hell?" Rin yelled as he was pulled once again down the streets.
"They know now, they know you've awoken– we need to hide you before they can find out where you are!"
"What d'you mean? What is all this? What… what am I?" The question slipped out of his mouth; ever since the flames on his body, ever since the demon and his talk… he had to know. It felt strangely as if he had never really known himself at all, and his whole life had just been a dream; a lie. This… this was the moment to finally understand.
"You…" The father slowed down, coming to a halt. They were in the busy shopping street, stopping in time as all other things moved. Darkness was settling in, the winds turning, clouds slowly covering as night started to befall.
"…are the son of a demon. Born from a human who was impregnated by that demon… but not just any demon; Rin, you are the son…"
The last words came as a whisper, but Rin felt them chill down his spine. His whole body felt cold and weak. He was aware of everything, and at the same time oblivious, his eyes staring blankly at the back of his father. No, not anymore? Rin had always known he was adopted, but even through that, he had considered him his father. But now…now what should he think? Could this even be possible? What… what was going on?
The father started to pick up pace again, Rin following silently behind. He didn't understand how he was supposed to believe all this. But concerning the evening events, Rin had no choice but. They raced on, darkness sweeping over fast, Rin not thinking of anything. He felt nothing, heard nothing, not even when his father told him they were near the house. Only one thing played in his mind… over and over again, the words of his father still sounding as haunting as when he first whispered:
"…of Satan."
"You must leave this house straight away." The father began shoving Rin's clothes into a backpack, not noticing his bemused expression as he watched. It was filled and thrown into his arms in less than 10 seconds.
"You must go into hiding- here, this is a cell phone of mine." He placed it in Rin's hand, "There is only one number, a friend of mine who can take care of you. And this…" He took out a key, and in one swift movement headed over to the dresser and pulled out a sword. "This is the key of Vanishment, it can open anything so long as you wish it. This' He held up the sword, 'is Kurikara… a demon-slaying sword. Your powers are locked within… never open it, unless you no longer wish to remain human.' He shoved this too into Rin's arms, finishing with a long hard stare, making sure he understood.
But Rin didn't understand. Everything about his life in the last 2 hours had been forced onto him, reversed and now he was supposed to accept; he couldn't handle it. And he definitely couldn't handle his father now telling him he must leave, must bear all this on his own. And…
"Well what about Yukio! What about him?" Rin didn't mean to sound so accusing, but he felt pain that he was the only one going through this, that no one was telling Yukio he was a demon or that Yukio had to leave or suddenly run off to who knew where.
"You are fraternal twins–Yukio was too weak and the blood rejected him, it passed only to you. Now hurry and go!" He pointed to the door, but Rin stood still. He felt angry, sad… betrayed. Why should only he go? Why was he suddenly being forced out of his home; was he unwanted? Now that the secret was let out, did no one want to put up with him anymore? Was he too dangerous for them? Or perhaps… the real reason was that he had failed too many times for them… he wasn't like Yukio who was good at everything…
"I get it now…" Rin could feel himself losing it. He was on the verge of breaking down; he bit his lip to prevent himself from crying,
"You only don't want me around… I get it, I'm not good enough for you, is that it? …I mean, we aren't even real family, so its ok to throw me out right? I get it… but…but!" Rin's voice raised, and without looking him in the eye, he shouted, "You've always hated me, I know. I'm always a failure to you! You're glad to get rid of me now right? Fine, but don't! Don't ever act to me like you're my father ever a–!"
Rin was slapped across the face.
There was silence. The father was breathing heavily, his arm still raised; this was the first time he had hit him. And yet, Rin had never seen him look this tired… or pained. Rin felt guilty. He hadn't meant to go that far, but the moment had gotten the better of him, giving way for his bottled up emotions. Rin stooped to pick up his bag, getting ready to leave. He understood that this was the way it had to be, that his father wasn't going to change his mind. He had turned away from Rin, perhaps to let him leave without saying good-bye. Rin dragged his feet slowly to the door, when suddenly many things happened at once. A loud noise, the door blew shut in front of him from an unknown wind, and the light above shattered into pieces, casting Rin into confusion and darkness. He heard a voice, the voice of his father, strained and exhausted coming from behind,
"No…not– now! It's… Rin! Go– hurry and leave! It's–!" but his voice cut off sharply, sending the room into an eerie quiet.
"What's wrong…?" Rin shouted into the blackness. He had dropped his bag. He could feel his heart beating, staring into emptiness… something was wrong, there was something... And he could feel… a coldness unconnected to the room steep into his body as he stepped a few cautious steps towards his father's outline.
"Father?" Rin asked uncertainly as he came towards his figure, for he was standing now, looking over the room and then at Rin.
"Son…" Rin stopped, fear settling in his stomach as he looked up at him. His voice… it was different. A hollow tone, cracked and chilling like ice. Rin knew this wasn't his father… it was someone… something else.
But before Rin could think any further, the room lit up, blinding him into blue light. Flames erupted all over the room, the walls, ceiling and floor, causing Rin to squint at the brightness of it all. He had backed right up to the door, unable to do anything but stare at the man across from him, a man who resembled someone he knew, but now covered in flame and staring right back, a fire in his eyes.
"My son… my son, how I've waited for this… so long!" He walked over to Rin, who had fallen to the ground, unable to comprehend what was happening, what had happened to his father. In mere moments, everything had changed.
"How are you? Its so good to see you at last, fifteen years!" He stood over Rin, overshadowing all else.
"Don't you think this reunion is long overdue? Father and son, meeting for the first time…' His eyes lit with excitement, laughing at Rin's expression. He smiled a horrible smile, maniacal, a smile in which no way complimented the body he was using. He continued speaking, blood slowly trickling from his mouth and nose,
"The name's Satan, in case you didn't know? Actually, you can call me father. Or how about daddy? Aha…"
Rin cringed at the idea of ever calling this horrible monster 'daddy'. He had always had an imagination of his real father... but now that was completely shattered, replaced by the thing that stood before him; blood was oozing of every particle on his body: his ears, eyes, nose… hands. Rin nearly puked when he saw him rip off his fingers; or actually, the fingers of his once father. As the blue flames were still flickering around the room, the monster moved backwards into the room, contemplating his bloody state while he let the red substance of his fingers drip over the floor.
He was saying something, and Rin knew whatever it was it couldn't be good. Like when the demon from early had spoken, a twisted tongue, a foreign language… calling from an unknown world.
And Rin was right.
Not long afterwards, the ground beneath started to shift. It shook as he watched in horror as tiny skulls boiled upwards like water, like a pit of play balls rattling the tone of death. Eyes appeared, black eyes. Rin didn't know what it was until it had completely formed, and even then it did not make sense; it was a giant pool, a bath full of black heads and eyes that watched from all directions. Rin felt it was even more horrible when he saw the eyes blink, heard the skulls speak and laugh in tiny whispers.
"I'm the only one who can call this… the Gehenna Gate, the only thing that can allow the passage of worlds. Now…"
He turned back to the unsuspecting Rin and grabbed him by the hair.
"It's time you came back home… Rin? I heard it was… A pitiable human name… we shall have to think of a new one... And this sword…" He picked it up as he dragged Rin around the room. "We shall need to destroy it… release you from the binding…"
"Let–go of me!" Rin tried to speak, but he had lost his voice; it came out strained and unheard, his small blue flames that started to spark out of his body the only sign of resistance.
He dragged Rin over to the pool, tossing him inside with the sword, the skulls immediately grabbing hold of him. Rin panicked as he felt himself attach to the laughing heads, he feet swimming in an endless bottom…
"I am the God of Gehenna… but do you know? I have but one flaw… one tiny flaw that makes me useless! Power! Nothing, nothing in this world can sustain my power! While mere fly demons can last an eternity in this world, I, I the God of demons cannot! Everything I touch destroys… look at this body, no more than minutes and its already falling apart… look what happened to you mother… but…' He came over and rubbed Rin's cheek with his hand of missing fingers, making Rin shudder and feel cold.
"You were an accident… I'll admit… …a game created for fun. But … I have since realized the true potential of your very existence…! You… you are the key I need to attain my desires! You see…"
He bent down close, looking Rin in the eye as he fought in the pool, "Here you exist in the world of Assiah…and yet you bear my blood, the God of Gehenna! Now let us go and–"
Rin became alarmed when the monster stopped talking. He had a dazed expression on his face, then toppled over into the pool, letting out a scream of pain. He had stabbed himself in the chest with a knife. What was happening? Rin heard a voice, familiar, soft and so sweet in this desperate situation, his father whispered, his truer father, spoke ,
"You think… I'll let you take him? He's my son…"
His voice changed again, coming back to the monster, arguing to someone still inside. Blood was spluttering out and his voice crackling as he yelled,
"You damn… exorcist! But it doesn't matter… he can't… escape ...now…!"
And with that everything in the room became still. The flames had disappeared all at once, bringing Rin back to a darkness, causing him even more panic than when it was bright. At least then he could see the things grabbing at him. His father was now drifting lifelessly round with him, his body a slow moving lump in the pile of skulls. Oh god!
Rin called out to his body, trying to reach him before he sunk completely. He hoped against hope that he wasn't dead, though Rin couldn't feel that hope deep down. With an effort, after seeing his father's last fight, he grabbed his sword and pulled, not thinking twice about the consequences; not thinking about what his father had just told him about leaving it intact. He thought only of saving the man who had always saved him, who protected him till his last dying breath. The skulls squealed as blue flames, so much like the ones that just left the room, spread over his entire body, lighting the room once more, blinding him till he could see no more. He felt a change; his body felt better than it had in a long time, power coursing through his veins. Something crazy was exploding within him… his teeth bore fangs, he could feel a tail growing from behind… he was turning into a demon at the price of everything.
The gate disappeared. Rin had destroyed it.
He had put the sword away now, his flames retreated. But that couldn't bring back the one who lay in front of him, now officially dead. Seeing his body, tortured, cut, and yet peaceful, an expression of satisfaction on his face, Rin finally let himself go. Before he knew it, tears were streaming down for everything that had happened, for everything that didn't happen… everything he wished had happened while he were still here. He sat crying till dawn.
The funeral was held on Monday. In the backyard of the church, the father's body was put to rest.
It was raining. Rin didn't attend, instead he was waiting until the formalities were over with; he couldn't stand to be around anyone else now. For sure they blamed him… after everything. He was watching from a far, watched as they lowered the casket deep into the earth. He saw Yukio, standing still in the small crowd. Rin couldn't read his expression. It was sad, and yet… blank.
When everyone had finally gone, Rin headed over to the grave. He didn't know how long he had stood there, wishing so badly he could take everything back, wishing he could go and change something. On his neck he wore the key, on his back he carried the sword. He took out the phone his father had given him, looking at the number of the only place he probably had left in the world. He couldn't stay here any longer.
The rain slowly patted down on his head, his black hair dripping into his face. It was good that it was raining…
He pressed the numbers on the phone and waited. It was ringing…
"Hello, Rin Okumura correct?" He heard the voice echo from in his hand and right beside him. He turned to look, only to be slightly shocked at who was standing before him. The strangest man he had ever seen, dressed in a purple cape and hat, long black boots and an umbrella just as fancy as his clothes. He was speaking into his phone.
"Mephisto, Mephisto Pheles, you can call me." He nodded his head to Rin. Could this man really be his father's friend? He had black, shoulder length hair and dark circles beneath his eyes; perhaps from late nights gone without sleep. He smiled, so strongly it almost looked as though he may burst out laughing. There was a blaze in his eyes too… though the next moment Rin thought he must have imagined it, for his eyes now held nothing but cold blackness.
"He said… you'd help me." Rin said shortly. Somehow he couldn't bring himself to say his name… nor say anything really.
"It is a duty to him I wish to repay. However, there are much greater duties…I am still bound to …" He looked at Rin with a stone face, spoke fast and monotone, and yet Rin almost thought he saw a smile… as if he was trying to tell him something, some sort of secret…
"What is it you wish to do now? Run away? Be killed? Or perhaps…"
"I wish to be like him. An exorcist, I want to become an exorcist."
Mephisto's eyes rounded, looking like he could hardly believe what Rin had just said. Then, for the first time since they had started talking, Mephisto released his barking laugh, doubling over, holding his sides, nearly crawling on the ground as he wiped away his tears. He laughed for so long it almost looked as if he had gone mad.
"Oh OH! This is too great, too great! Hehe… you wish to be an exorcist, you say? Satan's son an exorcist? Especially…Oh he would love that, now, wouldn't he? Hehe…aha-ha!"
Rin couldn't really see his humor. He really couldn't laugh at anything anymore. He waited until the strange man finished, got back to his feet, and, as he did so, quite surprisingly, immediately stopped laughing as though he had never laughed in the first place. He looked at Rin seriously, his stone face coming back, his black eyes searching Rin for truthfulness,
"Do you mean that? Really mean it? And… what would you do... if you became one?"
"Defeat Satan." Rin said bluntly.
This caused a very wide smile to cross Mephisto's face, like he had just seen something very interesting, and wished to cherish the moment. He took out a cane from seemingly nowhere, as if it were in his hand all along, and poked Rin in the chest as though making sure he was suitable enough for the task.
"The road of the exorcist is a hard one, my dear Rin, and no doubt you will have many more…troubles ahead if you choose this...he will not be happy, let me tell you… However!" Mephisto suddenly shouted, making Rin jump, his choice becoming something of a celebration, something that was finalized.
"Let us begin you now on your important journey! We have no time to waste, an exorcist you have decided, no stepping back now! Cross academy, that is where you shall start… of course,"
He stepped closer to Rin, examining him at different angles.
"You will have to hide your…origins, and…" He looked around for Rin's tail, which Rin had hid well since the incident, "keep your features underneath, flames especially…the rest, such as teeth and ears can be passed for slight oddness. Oh and don't worry about getting into the academy." He guessed at Rin's open mouth, "You see, I'm the principal of Cross academy…one word of mine is enough."
Rin couldn't believe this. The principal? This crazy, purple, laughing man was the principal of the best school in the country, no, one of the best in the world? The place where Yukio was also going… but he couldn't pass up this opportunity; more than anything he had ever wanted in his life, more than anything he had ever known, he wanted to be an exorcist, he wanted to be strong enough so no one further die. He could go through hell and back, but he couldn't lose anyone else; he needed to be stronger.
Seeing the look of defiant determination on Rin's face, Mephisto curled and licked his lips, his black eyes shining, and with a final look towards the grave of father Fujimoto, he took Rin by the shoulders and off to Cross Academy, deeply pleased with how things had turned out...and a malicious smile deviling across his face.
