Disclaimer: Ao no Exorcist/Blue Exorcist belongs to Kazue Katou. May Yang, Quian Li Yang and all the new demons are invented by me.
I would like to thank Poisonsnake23 for beta-reading this chapter and making some suggestions/corrections.
NOTES:
I use the cursive style for quotes taken from the manga's chapters/quotes taken from this same fanfiction's chapters. Whenever you come across these quotes, think of of them as sort of "flashback" moments. Also, this story mainly consists of dialogues and lacks almost any description of the characters' emotions, thoughts, etc. It's an intentional choice. In my head, I pictured this story as actual manga chapters, so what I tried to do is merely to describe the "actions" and the "expressions" I imagined the characters would do or make if they were drawn on paper.
The quotes I use are taken from the Viz's BE scanlations. I'm aware that there are other scanlations out there and that they differ from each other, but these are the ones I chose to use as reference for my fanfiction as they're the official ones.
Chapter 2 - Reunion
A memory from the past
"Father! Where are our real parents? What were they like?" little Yukio asks Shiro.
"You really wanna know? Well then... I guess the time has come. I found you under a bridge on the cold morning of December 27... so I don't know your parents. Anyway, I found you. So don't sweat it." Shiro explains.
"I'm sure you know! Why won't you tell us?"
"He says he doesn't know, so he doesn't know. And I don't want to know." little Rin declares.
"Why not?"
December 24th - True Cross Academy, Japan Branch
"Rin... don't you want to know about our birth?... According to the Knights of the True Cross, Yuri Egin's the apostate who bore Satan's sons. Most data on her is classified... But I want to know about her... What circumstances surrounded our birth? And why is it all kept secret?... But you don't really care, right?"
"That's right... I'm sure it's not a good story. So what good could come from knowing it?... On our birthday, we learned that she was pretty and kind... and that's enough for me."
"Give me a break!... Our birthday?! We don't even know what day we were born!... You always rush in headlong... so why... Why are you so hesitant about this?!"
"Wh-What are you so angry about?!... It's just...What's the point of knowing?! Why are you so interested?!"
"Why?..." and Yukio's anger suddenly steams off. He lowers his gaze in defeat, "That's right... We're brothers, but we're completely different... Sorry, I forgot that..." and he makes his way toward the exit of the room. Rin, as Yukio's walking past him, tries to stop him by grabbing him by his unbanded arm.
"Where are you going?"
"Just leave me alone..." Yukio coldly demands him, freeing himself from Rin's grip. The moment their bodies disconnect, Rin catches a glimpse of something he never saw before in Yukio's eyes. He decides to let him go. Yukio reaches the door and walks outside the room. Rin stares into the void, unable to understand his brother's reaction.
December 28th - True Cross Academy, Japan Branch
Rin is sitting at the Academy's cafeteria, thinking about that night, when a girl takes a seat next to him.
Godaiin approaches him, "Okumura!" he calls him. Upon hearing the name 'Okumura', the girl turns her gaze toward Rin, "Hey, what are you going to do on New Year?" Godaiin asks him.
"...Hm?..." it takes Rin a couple seconds to snap out of his thoughts, "Oh, sorry, it completely slipped my mind it was already that close. So... I haven't planned anything yet." he plainly answers.
"Oh... Yeah, your exorcist exam is approaching. You must've been so focused on studying that you lost the cognition of time. I've not been seeing you around a lot lately." Godaiin points out and he stares at Rin, noticing his distant gaze.
"Yeah..."
"Me and a few guys from our course are planning to go to the Meiji Shrine. If you want, you can join us."
"...Thanks, Godaiin. I'll keep that in mind." and Rin smiles at him. In that moment, a bell rings.
"My next class is starting soon. See you around, Okumura!" Godaiin smiles back at him.
"...Okumura?" the girl calls him to get his attention.
Rin turns to look at her, "...Yes?"
"Are you... related to Yukio Okumura?" she asks him with a shy tone.
Rin's eyes blink a couple times, "He's my brother."
The girl recalls an old memory.
"I'd say... my Father... and my brother."
"How do you know him?" Rin asks her.
The girl turns on her seat to fully face Rin and introduces herself, "...I'm May Yang. I'm an exorcist from the China Branch of the True Cross Order. I met Yukio almost two years ago..." at these words, Rin's eyes blink once more, "Our temples in Shanghai were under attack by some demons and the Japan Branch sent the Paladin and a few more exorcists to help fight them. Yukio was one of those exorcists. He... saved my life..." May states with a bright smile, "...At the time, I was an exwire. I've been training to become a Dragoon for a long time, but my fear of the demons would always hold me back... That day too... But, Yukio... He... showed me how to overcome it... Since then, I've been looking up to him. He's the reason why I decided to start training again... I promised to myself that the day I'd reach my Dragoon Meister then I'll meet him again and show him the person I'd become thanks to the inspiration he gave me. And... here I am!" Rin is astonished by the girl's words and stares at her with wide eyes, "I'm glad I met you, his brother... You must be very close..."
A memory crosses Rin's mind.
"Just leave me alone..."
May notices that Rin's face suddenly changes expression, "Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine." Rin stutters.
"Is Yukio away on a mission?" May asks.
"I don't think so." Rin answers while looking for his phone inside his pockets.
"We of the China Branch have been pretty busy lately. The number of demons breaking out of the barriers keeps increasing by the day... At a time like this, I wasn't supposed to be allowed to come here, so I asked my grandmother, the Arch Knight, to be assigned as a-"
Rin can't find his phone. In that moment, an explosion occurs in a nearby section of the Academy. Rin and the girl simultaneously turn toward it.
May recognises the familiar reaction, having seen to many lately, "That's... A barrier has just been deactivated! Demons will start coming out of it!"
In a moment, Rin grabs his sword and starts running toward the explosion, "I'm gonna go there! You wait here!"
"Please, let me come with you!" May begs him. Rin stops midway and turns to face her.
"That looks like the work of a high-level demon. In situations like these, high rank exorcists are usually dispatched to handle the fight." and she takes another look to the place where the explosion occurred, "If he's there now, this could be my chance to help him. It's not much, but I'd do anything to repay him for saving me."
After a few moments, Rin nods to her and they run toward the explosion together.
Once they reach the section of the Academy where the barrier has been deactivated, one of the exorcists, Kawanaka, walks toward Rin, "Oy, Okumura! We've been trying to call you like... three times! Where the hell do you keep your phone?!"
"Sorry!" Rin apologises in a rushed tone.
"As soon as the barrier came down, we've been assaulted by a pack of small demons! We could handle that, but in a matter of seconds that big one appeared too!" the exorcist motions toward the biggest demon, "We contacted hq, but the back up squad was taking too long! So we thought about asking for your help!"
"I'll deal with it! Leave it to me!" Rin declares. Before taking his leave, he quickly turns to look back at May, "Is Yukio here too?" he asks Kawanaka.
"Yes, he's over there!" the exorcist answers while pointing out at his location, "He offered to act as a decoy so to give the wounded enough time to withdraw and take cover!"
May takes a look around till she finds him. She instantly grabs one of her guns, preparing to go to assist him.
"Be careful!" Rin advices her, before leaving.
May nods and starts running too. She approaches Yukio and helps him take down a few minor demons.
In that moment, Yukio takes notice of her presence, "Stand back! It's dangerous here!"
"Don't worry, it's okay!... I'm not afraid anymore." she tells him, smiling.
Yukio recognises her and his eyes widen in surprise. They keep fighting the low-level demons, while Rin takes care of the high-level one.
Once the battlefield is cleared, Mephisto makes his appearance popping out of thin air.
"Sir Pheles!" Kawanaka calls out.
"Phew, I finally managed to fix it..." Mephisto exclaims while walking toward the exorcists. The moment he's in front of them, he bows in apology, "Everyone! Please, accept my most sincere apologies for this inconvenience." and he slowly raises himself up again, "Unfortunately, I failed to notice that one of my barriers was about to collapse."
"How could a demon of that level manage to crawl out of it, though? It never happened before!" one of the exorcists wonders.
"...Well, it is the first time it happened here. But foreign branches have already been dealing with this kind of incidents for a while now... It was only to be expected that our turn would come too." Mephisto takes a look around until his gaze falls on May. He grins to himself and walks toward her, "Well, well, speak of the devil!... An exorcist from our fellow China Branch... What business brings you here?"
"My name is May Yang, Junior Second Class." she answers with a cold tone.
Yukio stares at her, remembering that at the time he met her for the first time she was still an exwire.
"Oh, I see!" Mephisto exclaims, "You are the Arch Knight Lucy Yang's granddaughter."
"I've been sent here as a representative of the China Branch... Given the current increasing in the number of demons breaking out of our barriers, the Vatican's council has agreed on giving the China Branch the permission to host this year's field tests of the Japan Branch's exorcist certification exam. I've come here to-" and she reaches for her bag in order to grasp a folder.
"I'm already aware of the council's decision, so there's no need for further explanations... I'm surprised that the China Branch would entrust such a fresh exorcist like you with this kind of task." May stares at him without saying anything. Mephisto breaks into a little grin again, "Well, all the highest rank exorcists must have their hands full nowadays so, probably, this is not that surprising at all." May's gaze turns even more cold, "...Mr. Okumura... As the man in charge of the exwires, I grant you full freedom to handle all the technical aspects concerning this matter with Ms. Yang, as well as with the rest of the teacher personnel... Is that okay?"
"...Understood."
"Perfect, then it's settled." Mephisto states and he turns to leave, but stops midway, "Oh, but before that... Since you're already here, would you please help the other Doctors tend to the wounded?"
"Sir..." Yukio sighs.
"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me..." and Mephisto walks away until he disappears from everyone's view.
"...Sorry, I'll try not to take too long." Yukio turns to face May.
"It's okay. Don't worry." she smiles at him.
"I can have her wait at our dorm, if you want." Rin offers. Yukio, surprised, turns toward him, "I mean, after you're done here, you're gonna need to go back there to grab a change... right?" Rin asks while staring at Yukio's dirty uniform.
"...Fine..." Yukio walks away. May keeps staring at him for a long moment, smiling.
Rin takes May to the dorm. They go to the kitchen. May takes a seat at the table, while Rin begins checking the contents of the kitchen's cupboards, looking for something to offer her to drink.
"Is oolong tea okay?"
"That's my favourite." May smiles.
"So... during that mission you met the Paladin too?"
"Yes, he was so great too. He could deal with a high-level demon on his own..." she comments, while Rin starts brewing the tea, "Forgive me for asking..." May begins, "Has something happened between Yukio and you?" at this, Rin stops moving, "Earlier, when I mentioned that you must be close... I noticed that your expression suddenly turned sad. And when you offered me to wait here for him... it felt like..." May lifts her gaze and notices that Rin's expression changed again at her words, "Sorry... It's just... I remember that Yukio told me that he looked up to his brother, so I wasn't expecting to feel such tension between the two of you..."
At these words, Rin is taken aback. Yukio looks up to him? He never heard this before.
"It's... It's not like we're in the middle of a fight or something." Rin tries to cover up, resuming his movements.
"I shouldn't have asked..."
"It's okay..."
After a while, Yukio gets back and walks into the kitchen of the dorm. As soon as he enters the room, Rin catches sight of him and the mood instantly turns awkward and tense.
"I'm gonna go train with Shura. So I'll leave you alone now." the half demon grabs his sword and carries it on his shoulder.
"Thank you, Rin." May thanks him.
As Rin walks past Yukio, they don't even look at each other. May senses that same feeling of tension between them again.
"...So, about that-" Yukio is about to talk, but May suddenly stands from her chair, walks toward him and stares at him straight in his eyes.
"I'm May Yang. Junior Second Class. Age seventeen... After three years of training as an exwire, I finally became a full-fledged exorcist a few days ago. And... I could make it only thanks to you..." Yukio is startled by the statement, "Everyone had given up on me since a long time... I was weak, I was the shame of my clan. I couldn't even properly hold a gun. I was scared of the demons. No one could understand what I needed when I was feeling like that... But that day, the person in front of me could. He said that he was scared of the demons too. Yet, he didn't run away, he didn't hesitate. He fought to protect me. He showed me that fear can be turned into strength... That day... you didn't just save my life. You... gave me a new one." Yukio is left totally speechless, "You're my hero..." May declares with a warm smile, "And I-"
"Stop it." Yukio interrupts her. May notices that he is starting to tremble, "You don't know what you're talking about. That person doesn't exist... It never existed."
May is shocked by Yukio's cold tone, "How can you say that?"
Yukio remembers Lucifer's words back when they met.
"You are weak."
"Because I'm not strong."
After a few moments, Yukio walks toward the table of the kitchen, places his briefcase on it and starts talking again, "Now, about the exorcists' exam... Unless further changes, the Japan Branch has planned to perform the official written tests within five days starting new year and to perform the official field tests within the following week. In regard to the field tests, in these exceptional cases the hosting branch is always given the freedom to assign a supervisor, so if the China Branch has already-"
May slams a folder containing some documents onto the table, right in front of where Yukio was idly staring. He is startled by her sudden reaction.
"All the details are in there. You just need to fill the form and have all the teachers sign it. Then you'll have to hand it to the head of your Branch. The rest will be up to him." May states and then walks toward the door of the kitchen. She stops one step before it, "I don't care about what happened to make you believe that." May clutches her fists, "...All I know, is that you're wrong..." and she turns to face Yukio with a determined look on her face, "That day, you helped me... This time, I'll help you remember who you really are." and she walks away.