Chapter 4: Surprise, Surprise

Disclaimer: ArthurDragonpen does not own Blue Exorcist

A/N: I will apologize in advance. This chapter is sort of short. And this is for two reasons: One: it was meant to be an intermission between episodes three and four and as far as I was concerned, there was no real reason Arianne could have gone with Yukio and Rin to see Shiemi. Plus, she would have needed a key to get there, which was just another complication. Second: I needed to explain Arianne's demons and her duty a little bit more as well as get here started on her training. Because that was all this chapter was about, it was exceptionally shorter than anything I could write if I stayed on the topic of the original episode. Still, I hope you enjoy it!

If this had been any other day, I would have scolded myself for the scene I was making. But at this point, with Rin's face this close to mine, after believing that I had left him back home, well, I was through being the shy girl. Plus, I was curious. What had happened that night, I still knew nothing about. But, I had taken care of the ghouls so this shouldn't have happened. Oh man, was I doomed to be a failure before I even received my first task as Exorcist?

Rin, of course, was just as confused as the first day we had met. He blinked at me, trying to comprehend what I was doing here. He tried to form the words but no sound came out. And me, I was burning up, too angry to even consider any other possibilities. What had happened to him was my fault. He lost his father because of… my eyes widened and I let him go, stepping back. I was starting to feel my mental shields recompose themselves and I instantly reverted to the shy girl. Breathing deeply, I rushed to the second to last table at the back of the class and sat down, refusing to meet anyone's gaze. A second after, the door opened and in walked our instructor.

Frankly, I shouldn't have been surprised, what with Rin showing up out of the blue and all, but even I had to admit this was bizarre.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Yukio Okumura, a new instructor teaching Anti-Demon Pharmaceuticals."

Rin jumped out of his seat at the same time as I had. "Yukio?" we questioned in unison. Rin looked back to me and I blushed a bright red before taking my seat and trying not to call any more attention to myself.

A girl with long purple hair and circular eyebrows repeated Yukio's greeting politely, followed by the small mousy girl sitting next to her. Rin, however, couldn't get over this fact. Don't get me wrong; I was reeling from this unexpected surprise but at least I had enough self-control to not jump two people in one day. And technically, this was the first time Rin was the one making the outburst, which makes our similarities even more noticeable.

"What the hell, Yukio?"

Yukio still stood in the front the room, as if nothing at all was wrong. "Is there a problem?"

"What do you mean, is there a problem? The question is: What's your problem?" Rin's voice had escalated a bit and I bit my lip to keep from voicing my complaints as well. None of this was making sense…

Yukio looked to the rest of the class, slightly apologetic. "Sorry, although I'm actually the same age as you all, I've been studying exorcism since I was seven and I finished all of my courses two years ago." Directing his gaze mostly at Rin, he added, "So just to be practical, I'd appreciate it if you called me "Teacher" in this class."

Seven? Well, that cleared up a couple of things. Yukio was here because he was already an Exorcist. I can get that off my chest. But, it still doesn't explain Rin. And judging from Rin's expression now, this was the last thing he was expecting as well.

"Now that the pleasantries are out of the way," Mr. Okumura said, "Is there anyone who still hasn't received a Temptaint?"

The hooded boy behind me raised his hand. Mousy Girl tentatively raised a hand. The final person to comply with the question was a guy sitting on the other end of class. He had a rough exterior as well as a small goatee on his chin. His expression seemed to be permanently stuck on stern and downright scary. His hair was dark brown except for the blond streak that ran down the middle and he had multiple piercings in his ears. Something about him just told me that the two of us were not going to get along.

As Yukio looked around the room at the three hands, he nodded and continued, "In that case, we'll start with the Temptaint Ritual." He opened his briefcase and took out a small vial. "The fact is normally this class isn't used and it's now a den of goblins – a certain type of demon."

Mousy Girl stuttered out, "Oh, is this place safe?"

Yukio smiled. "Perfectly safe. Goblins are a low-level type of demon, only capable of mere mischief so they're perfect for ritual use."

All of a sudden, Rin shot out of his seat. "H-Hey Yukio!"

Yukio's smile dropped and looked down at the contents of his briefcase. "Class is in session. Please sit down."

He goes on as if nothing had happened, explaining that rotten animal blood was sure to attract more goblins. Rin interrupted again but Yukio chose to ignore him as he moved on with the lesson.

Rin had had enough. Jumping from his chair and sliding around his desk, he walked up to Yukio and in an angered voice yelled, "Hold up, I said! Yukio! Come on! Talk to me!"

Yukio was expressionless. "About what?" His tone was clipped and abrupt.

Rin wasn't taking any crap. "Don't play dumb with me!"

The rest of the class was looking on in surprise except for Mr. Unapproachable, whose scowl only deepened.

Yukio sighed. "I see that I have no choice." Turning his words to the rest of us, he politely directed, "Class, as I need to discuss something with Rin Okumura, I must ask you to wait in the hall."

Mr. Unapproachable snorted. "Jeez! That guy is a pain." Oh, yeah like you're any better. If I had a backbone, I probably would have said it out loud but there's no need to be making enemies on my first day so I bit my tongue and got up without complaint. As I closed the door, the last glimpse that I caught of the two brothers was Rin in Yukio's face, growling as if he were just about to throttle him.

After the hallway intermission, we returned to see the room in disarray. Yukio was at his desk, eager to get on with the ritual. And Rin was leaning against one the tables as if he had challenged Yukio to a brawl and had won. Who knows, maybe he had.

After the Cram school classes, I was sent off to look for my dorm. As I searched the campus, I came across Rin, who, again, was too shocked to say a word to me. I felt like saying so many things to him but I didn't know how. After a moment of the two of us looking hesitant, I turned on my heel and walked away.

"Wait, Arianne!" I stopped at the sound of Rin's voice and took a deep breath before turning back.

He stood there, staring intently at me. I squirmed under his gaze, looking away when his eyes sought mine out. Finally, he looked away. "What happened to you that night? After you were knocked out."

I knew exactly what he was talking about and told him everything. "My u-… guardian Alastair carried me home." I explained in greater detail but when I got to the part about my family legacy, I glossed over it, deciding it was better left unknown. "So, basically, the reason I was avoiding you all this time is because…" I trailed off as the tears came to my eyes. I tried again and maintained a firm composure. "I was avoiding you because I believe that it was my spiritual energy that led the ghouls to you. To your father. I'm sorry." I said, my tears threatening to spill over.

Rin looked at me, his face suddenly unreadable. I couldn't stand it anymore. I made as to leave but Rin grabbed my arm in his grip and pulled me back. "This is my fault, Arianne, not yours. Don't every let anyone tell you any different. You aren't to blame for my problems and my mistakes. So quit it with the crying. It's making me uncomfortable."

I rubbed away my tears and dried my eyes. I gave him an amused glance. "So, demons can storm your house but the only thing that makes you uncomfortable is a girl crying in front of you. Can we say, awkward?"

"I'm awkward?" Rin was appalled. "I'm surprised you had the nerve to say that, Ms. All of my Friends are Animals." It was a jab but it seemed quite playful in contrast to what I was used to. So I played along.

"Well, believe it or not, most animals are better at being friendly than humans are. I respect them because of it." I looked thoughtfully at Rin's physique. "However," I said getting closer and peering into his face. Finally, in a grand gesture, I pulled at one of his ears. "I definitely don't remember these being so pointy. You're like an elf out of a fantasy game." An elf rockin' some amazing animalistic features.

Rin slapped my hands away. "Knock it off, that hurts!"

I chuckled. Rin got mad at me for laughing but it was too funny. It was the same way Sirchade had acted before I figured out what he really was. In a way, Rin seemed more animal than human. For most people, that was an insult. But coming from me, that's a pretty big compliment. There were some bumpy spots in our friendship but I think this was a sign that Rin and I would get over them. And for now, that's all I can really ask.

"Get out of bed, you lazy bum!" Sirchade's annoyed voice mewed that next morning. After making up with Rin, I had found my dorm room and went straight to sleep. Sirchade was being his usual know-it-all self and I was trying to remember my passion for animals so that I wouldn't do something I would regret (like say, strangle him, for example).

"Ugh… five more minutes…" I mumbled, desperate for a little bit more shut-eye.

"No, I forbid it. It may be a weekend and technically your day off, but we have yet to get started on your training." Sirchade said.

"No offense, Sirchade, but any training I need to become an Exorcist, I can receive during class times." I deigned to sit up this time and look the cat demon in the eye.

Sirchade sighed. "Well, no offense to you, but your Exorcist Training is the last thing on my mind. For now, you must learn the names and abilities of the other demons in your possession as well as the trials you must face under my tutelage."

I shook my head to clear away the sleepiness. Seems like I've got two choices: Either I go back to sleep and wait for a day when I'm not physically and mentally tired or I take my chances and learn what being a Guardian of the Worlds is all about. With the first choice, I get my rest and rejuvenation. Still, the second choice seemed like "big picture" stuff and as much as I wanted to become an Exorcist, it might be best to at least have some extra training before I officially start.

I sighed. "Give me five minutes."

"You're late." Sirchade's tone was clipped.

"How in the world am I late? I said to give me five minutes." I was exasperated with this cat and we hadn't even done anything yet.

"When you say five minutes, I expect five minutes. Not five minutes and ten seconds." Sirchade's voice was stern. He wasn't taking any nonsense. But, then again, neither was I.

"That's ridiculous!" I grumbled. "Besides, time shouldn't mean so much to you, should it? What do you even do during the day that's so important?"

Sirchade huffed. "I... am a cat; that's all you need to know. Now act accordingly and follow me; we're wasting time as it is." He padded away and I had to bite my tongue to keep from spitting out my next insult. He's so stingy.

Hey, no one said I couldn't say it in my head.

"Now the first thing you need to know is that to complete the quest your ancestor has set for you, you must tame five demons." Sirchade looked out at the school grounds, sparing me a glance only once. "Because Laurie was your sister, she was therefore, part of the same generation and all of the demons she managed to tame are now yours."

I listened on in rapt attention. Once he got to the explanation, it was a little bit more interesting and I found myself getting even more invested in the predicament I found myself in. Still, it was something I had to learn. Might as well start now. "Alright, how many demons did she collect?"

"Four."

"Four?" I was sort of surprised. Laurie had been so close to completing this on her own. But in the end, she only made it to four, a fact I found unsettling. "Hmm… well okay. I already have an idea about what you can do. But what about the rest of them? What powers do they possess?"

Sirchade licked his paw for a moment as he considered how to answer this. Then, he replied, "Let us start with Haristum: Laurie's second demon. Haristum is a medium-level demon with strong power over pyrotechnics. Whether it be defending against flames or projecting them, if there is a flame nearby, chances are he can control it."

I nodded, keeping my awe brief. I had a feeling I would hear a lot of awe-inspiring things before he was done. "Next, there is Verrine, the only she-demon Laurie was able to capture as well as her third demon. Verrine's power comes from all the knowledge of others and yourself combining to give you strength, courage, and the motivation to achieve all things. Because of this, you could say that Verrine makes it easier for one to make choices."

Good choices or bad choices? I guessed only time would tell. He explained the final one in great detail. "The final demon that Laurie was able to tame before her death is Sustugriel. A high-level demon, he is a wandering fox spirit who has the ability to bring order to all familiar by the side of his master. Plus, it is through his strengths that you will in time come to learn powerful magical spells."

"Hold on, I can use magic?" This was new.

Sirchade shook his head. "You misunderstand. Laurie tamed these demons and earned their trust. The same cannot be said of you. Because they are already tamed, that part has been taken care of. But if you wish to use your familiar's powers in battle, you must first prove yourself worthy of them."

"And how do I do that?"

"How?" Sirchade purred. The 'w' rolled off his tongue and he seemed highly amused. "How you earn their trust will have to something you ask them the moment you meet. For now, you must focus on summoning them. The trust comes later."

"Um… okay." I had changed into a training top and sweat pants. I had already known that my training today would have something to do with some type of athletics. At least, now I knew what. "Which one should I call?"

Sirchade answered, "When all else fails, follow the chronological order and go from there."

I opened my mouth to ask but Sirchade cut me off with a swipe of his tail. "Remember how you called out my name and Sacred Spell despite not knowing what they were? The same applies here. Just say whatever comes to mind. Chances are you'll be right. And if not, that's why we're here. Training."

I sighed and got into position. When I was sure I was ready, I began to rack my brains, trying to figure out the right words. Threading the pieces together shouldn't be hard. I was a Tamer. I had known the words for Sirchade. I should be able to figure this one out as well. But how to start… a phrase came to me in my head and I went from there.

"Ancient demon…" I trailed off and started again, saying what sounded right. "Ancient demon… of the lava pits, come to me in my time of need… and lend me your power." I stopped there, not wanting to call Haristum forward just yet. Turning to Sirchade for confirmation, I was relieved when he nodded. I had seen it right, despite not even knowing the words a minute ago. Now, I just needed to call him to my side. And so I began training.

Juggling the life of a regular schoolgirl, an Exorcist-in-training, and a Guardian of the Worlds was… hell (and I mean that in every possible respect of the word). As soon as I got up each morning, I got my breakfast and went to regular classes. After the normal school day was over, cram school began and went on well into the night. Once we were dismissed from cram school, Sirchade would come to me and I would follow him to training. For now, he had restricted me to memorizing the Summoning chants. But today was different. Or should I say tonight? Because Sirchade wasn't sure how much time I'd get before my destiny reared its ugly head, he decided it was time for my first summoning.

"To summon Haristum, it will not only take an abundance of spiritual energy, it will also require a few drops of blood deposited on this summoning circle." Sirchade gestured to the summoning circle in the middle of the clearing. His tail was wrapped around the handle of a blade and sometime later, I would have to ask how he even got his paws on it.

Thoughtfully looking over the circle, I asked, "What about when I summoned you that first time? I never needed a circle then."

Sirchade countered by saying, "Technically, you hadn't summoned me. I was already there. But I will concede that you don't really need a summoning circle to summon your tamed demons. Once you reach a certain level, you will be able to summon demons through sheer force of will. But, because you are nowhere near that level, we must use the mundane technique other Tamers are used to. Now…" he held the blade out to me and took it.

Pricking my pinkie finger, I ignored the pain and let a few drops fall unto the circle. Remembering the words I had committed to heart, I began to chant, "Ancient demon of the lava pits, come to me in my time of need and lend me your power! Show yourself, Haristum!"

I was expecting nothing. And if not nothing, maybe a spark or a shining light. The summoning circle bursting into flames? That was something I wasn't prepared for.

As the final words had left my lips, a spiral of flames had risen up from out of nowhere and devoured the circle. Snatching my hand back from over it, I watched as the flames grew higher becoming a flame cyclone. It whirled dangerously close to me and I stepped back, suddenly afraid. As soon as I had, the flames dispersed and the circle faded away until nothing was left.

Out of the corner of my eyes, Sirchade was eyeing me. I took a deep breath. "What?"

Sirchade yawned. He licked his paw once before padding away. "Go to bed, Arianne. We'll pick this up later."

I was bewildered. "H-Hold on! We only just started and now you want to call it quits?"

Sirchade padded to a stop before turning to narrow his blue eyes at me. "I will be blunt: This is the first time I have seen a complete novice almost summon a demon on their first try. You may not believe that there is anything wrong with it. But I know better. My training regiment won't test you the way I have it now. So, until I have it right, you are dismissed from all of my classes."

I was thoroughly confused but then he added, "However, because you have little to no training, you are still in some danger. As long as demons can still sense your spiritual presence, they will always come after you. And so I have a present to give you…"

Sirchade closed his eyes and a bright light descended upon the clearing. Something seemed to have appeared in my hand but it was still too bright to make it out. When the light had faded, I finally got a good look at the item in my hand. It was a silver cross necklace. Encrusted with diamonds and a ruby on each end, it was quite the beautiful accessory.

Sirchade interrupted my thoughts. "Though you think that this is an accessory alone, look closer. The cross is one of the sacred symbols of God. It can mean many things but in this case, it offers divine protection to whoever wears it. Plus, if you were to come across a situation where divine protection isn't enough or you wish to protect someone else, all you need to do is stab this in the ground at their feet and it will act as a shield propelling all demonic presences away. Or at least, most."

I placed the cross around my neck and a pleasant feeling descended upon me. It felt like I was receiving a pat on the back from an ocean of feathers.

Sirchade had noticed my relaxed expression and rushed to amend his statement. "Be warned: Because the cross holds so much spiritual energy, it will only be useful enough for one charge. Meaning if you use it to protect someone else, it will drastically drain the energy and soon it won't have enough energy to protect even you. So remember, if you wish to protect someone else, you will only get one chance. After that, the charm is useless."

Sirchade slinked away until his form was swallowed by the shadows and I was alone.

A/N: And that ends this chapter. Next, The Boy from the Cursed Temple. Something I have been looking forward to for quite some time. You have just been introduced to the demons that Arianne must gain the trust of. FYI, for Haristum and Verrine, their names sound exactly as they are spelled. But the final demon... the way you pronounce his name is (Sa-stu-Gri-EL). Not too confusing really just takes some time to get used to. Please review, favorite, and follow. And so,

ArthurDragonpen signing off!

P.S: I almost forgot. I would appreciate it if some of you could give me a couple of ideas involving the final demon because I haven't yet thought about it and I'll need him if I want to complete this fanfic. Please and thank you!