Chapter 3: Off the Clock

The once empty school grounds was now bustling with new and returning students. Teenagers poured out of the bullheads, carrying weapons beyond the imagination. Some students knew or found out where to go and bee-lined for the auditorium. Others were not so lucky. A red-hooded girl and blonde knight would soon get lost following each other. But in the present, a certain human-demon hybrid was pushing his way through students.

"Excuse me."

"Hey!"

"Coming through."

"Watch it!"

"Sorry."

"Hmph!"

Rin had finished his kitchen training with Terra not long ago. He switched into his True Cross uniform minus the blazer. Rin thought back to his conversation with Oobleck earlier. Rin understood little about this world, and the role he was trying to play. As Rin made his way through the crowd of students, he wondered why he was even bothering with this whole charade. At best, they wouldn't believe him. "Hi, I'm from a parallel world," would have sounded crazy to him before he got drawn into the world of exorcists. He doubt it would go any different here. At worst, he would be put in a mental asylum, waiting for Yukio and True Cross to come find him. That is, if it was even possible. Would the True Cross Order even want to find him? Thinking more on that question, he was reminded of a previous, even worse case scenario.

Images flashed in Rin's mind of his trial with the Grigori. He remembered Arthur cutting off his foot to keep him from escaping. He remembered the debate about whether to execute him.

Rin shook his head. Keeping his secrets was better safe than sorry. And if he wanted to maintain the lie, there was one immediate problem Rin had to solve. Rin was working at a school that trained teens to hunt monsters called Grimm. His fake backstory involved Rin encountering the Grimm. The problem was that Rin has never seen nor fought a Grimm before. He had to get to his room, get Kuro, and fix that right away or else he might accidently blow his cover.

Rin was so focused on these thoughts, he didn't see where he was going.

"Watch out, Velvet!"

Rin smashed into another person. The two of them fell down, legs intertwined. Rin lifted his head. Below him was a girl with brown hair, brown eyes, and bunny ears?

"C-can you get off me?" said the girl.

"Oh!" Rin said. He untangled his legs and stood up straight. "I'm sorry! I wasn't looking where I going-" Rin said.

"No, I'm sorry! I was too distracted and didn't hear Coco's warning-" Velvet said.

"Which wouldn't have been needed if I wasn't rushing-", Rin said.

"I'm sure you have a reason to be in a hurry-" Velvet said.

"Alright, you're both sorry," said another voice. Rin looked around and saw three other people flank Velvet. The voice came from a brunette girl in a cocoa shirt. She wore a beret, sunglasses, shoulder bag, and to the perplexment of Rin, a belt lined with bullets. The buckle was a golden crosshair. Next to her was a man that looked to Rin as tall as a mountain. He wore a long green robe, armor on his left arm, and Rin could see a giant sword carried on the man's back. Finally, there was the third person, another male, who looked small relative to the other guy. He had dark skin, copper hair, and was wearing an orange vest. The girl in the beret was peeking at him above her sunglasses, her eyes looking at Rin in suspicion.

"Uh," Rin said, "I'm Rin. Rin Okumura."

"Velvet Scarlatina," Velvet said.

"Coco Adel, leader of Team CFVY," the other girl said. She pushed up her sunglasses.

"Yatsuhashi Daichi," said the tall man.

"Fox Alistair," said the other man.

"Nice to meet you all," Rin said, bowing. He turned to Coco. "Team Coffee?"

"First-year students like yourself who pass Initiation are grouped into teams of four. The team name is an anagram of the first letters of the members' names," Coco said. They think I'm a student? An idea popped into Rin's head.

"So that would make you upperclassmen then?"

"Second year students," Coco said.

"Then you would know where to find some Grimm near Beacon?" Rin said. Coco raised an eyebrow. "You know, for practice and live experience."

"That's what missions in your second year are for," Yatsuhashi said.

"Gotta get a headstart on the competition," Rin said, scratching the back of his head. The team, except Coco, gave Rin confused looks.

"Look, if you wanna fight Grimm in your downtime, it's not my business," Coco said. Her mouth formed a smirk. "Emerald Forest is infested with Grimm. I'll give you directions, for a favor," Coco said.

"What kind of favor?" Rin said.

"Don't know. I'll let you know when I want to cash it in," Coco said. Rin's eyes flitted between Coco's smile, and Velvet gesturing to say "no."

"Deal," Rin said. Velvet dropped her arms.

Are you sure you know where you're going?

"Yes, Kuro. According what Coco told me, we should be in the middle of Emerald Forest," Rin said.

But we've been walking for a few minutes now, and there hasn't been one of these 'Grimm' in sight!

"Maybe they're sleeping?" Rin said.

Really, Rin?

"Well how am I supposed to know? I was raised as a normal human until recently. Why don't you know anything about these creatures?" Rin said.

Because I'm only familiar with you & Shiro's side of Assiah.

"Different side? I thought we were on a different world than Assiah?" Rin said.

Assiah is the material plane, where humans live. Gehennah is the demon plane, a mirror of Assiah. Remnant may be a different world than what you call 'Earth,' but both are a part of Assiah. Both are populated with humans, albeit with different technology.

"So I'm not on Earth anymore, but I'm still on Assiah," Rin said.

Right!

A noise interrupted them from behind. Rin grabbed Kurikara. Kuro leaped off of Rin's shoulders and stood in front of Rin. The bushes rustled. Kuro hissed. Out of the bushes, a hare popped out. Rin and Kuro relaxed.

Why are we even out here, when you could just ask someone at the school?

"Because we're trying to not to raise suspicion, everyone on this world already knows what a Grimm is," Rin said.

And your sword hasn't already raised suspicions?

"Mephisto and Shura warned me to not lose Kurikara. What am I supposed to do, leave it in my room? Someone could sneak in and steal it," Rin said.

Not with me guarding it.

"It took me ten tries to wake you up when I got back," Rin said.

Suddenly, Rin heard an object fast-approaching him from behind. Rin flipped around and held his sheathe in front of him to block. A crow smacked him in the face and flew away. "Why is there a crow in the middle of a forest at night. Aren't they day animals or something?"

Face it. We're not going to run into any Grimm tonight. I say we go back. You should play with me to make up for this.

Rin sighed. "I think you're right. Let's go," he said.

The bushes to Rin's right rustled. He heard a growl from the same direction. "Let me guess, stray dog," Rin said.

The source of the growl cleared the bushes. The figure looked like a werewolf, with pitch black fur. Rin could see a part of the creature's spine. Large bones jutted of its back. It moved with a slouch, its claws ready to pounce. A white and red wolf mask covered its face except for its yellow eyes.

A voice entered Rin's head. I smell human-Ow! The creature held its nose in pain. Rin pulled back his sheathe.

"Take that!" Rin said as he hit the creature again, "and that! And that!"

I'll kill you!

Rin, I think that's one of the Grimm.

"Why do you think I'm hitting it!" Rin said.

I'll make you cry in pain, you stupid human!

"I am not stupid! I'll have you know others say I have above average intelligence," Rin said.

Who?

"Other people," Rin said.

Wait, you understood what I said?

"Yeah. I understood everything you've been saying so far," Rin said.

We must take you to Salem!

"Who?"

Did he say "we?"

The Grimm howled. Rin and Kuro heard growls all around them. A pack of Grimm who looked like the one in front of him stepped out of the shadows, surrounding them. Rin clutched his head in pain as several voices spoke in unison. We must take you to Salem!

"I think I'll pass," Rin said. One of the Grimm jumped at Rin, jaws opened wide. It bit down on Rin's arm, and dashed forward when it landed, dragging Rin along the ground. "Ouch!" Rin said as a branch hit his head. "Watch where you going! Ouch!"

The ground shook. Kuro grew until he was as tall as the forest. He smacked one Grimm after another, sending them flying between the trees. He turned toward the direction that Rin was taken. Kuro charged. Don't worry, Rin. I'm coming!

Against the rushing wind, Rin pulled his sword arm toward him. He stuck Kurikawa's handle in his mouth, holding the sword with his teeth. Rin slammed his now free hand onto the Grimm's head, and released his blue flames. The Grimm's head lit up on fire, and the fire then spread across its body. It cried in pain, releasing Rin, who tumbled across the ground. Kurikawa landed a feet away.

Rin lifted his head and saw he was in a clearing. The Grimm was running around on fire. Several of the bushes caught on fire. The screaming Grimm ignited the grass with every step. Rin grabbed Kurikawa. He was about to unsheathe his sword and finish it off, when a flying tree impaled it. The creature started to dissolve into black smoke, and the tree caught fire. Rin spun around.

"Glynda?" Rin said.

"Mr. Okumura," Glynda said, her voice cold as ice. As soon as she finished, a giant Kuro came from the trees. He saw Glynda and tried to halt his momentum. Glynda lifted her riding crop toward Kuro. As if by magic, Rin saw Kuro stop almost dead in his tracks. Kuro's face was only inches away from hers. "I see you've ignored our 'No Pets' policy," She said. Several trees caught on fire. Rin gave a halfhearted grin.

"Uh, I can explain?" Rin said. His face was tinted in blue light from the giant forest fire spreading around him.

A/N: I am experimenting a little with the format to make Rin and Kuro's conversation smoother, and make their "conversation" with the Beowolf clear.

Next chapter probably will come out at the end of April/early May, depending on finals.