Chapter 6

Yukio

"Nii-san!" Yukio pulled out his gun and fired a bullet at the gigantic feline. It dodged and the bullet nearly hit Kagura who was still unconscious on the ground.

"Watch it!" Rin yelled, diverting his attention from the cat. "You nearly hit—" his words were cut off when the cat pounced onto him. It bared its sharp teeth at him while one of its paws crushed his abdomen. Blue flames came to Rin's help as they burnt the cat off him. Rin charged at the cat with his sword but it opened its wings and flapped. A force of strong wind pushed the boy to the wall while Yukio tried to remain his stance.

Yukio gritted his teeth. He put away his gun and took out a holy water bomb. It detonated when it was thrown at the cat. But the cat didn't even budge from the bomb. It was as if holy water had no effect on it. Or was it even a demon to begin with?

His brother charged again. After a few missed attacks, Rin was able to grab the cat's tail and tugged on it. The cat fell and Rin jumped onto its body, one of his legs pressing against the cat's stomach. It struggled under his feet but the pressure on it was strong. Blue flames of Rin's scorched the cat's fur and it cried a loud roar. Rin raised his sword aloft, threatening to kill the cat; albeit Yukio thought the cat should be left alive so that the questions in his head can be solved.

What is it? Why is it here? What does it want with Kagura?

Yukio wanted to halt Rin when the sword was falling to kill the cat. However, the sword stopped just right before it slashed the cat. The sharp tip of the sword was just inches away from the cat's head.

"Leave before I change my mind. I don't want to take your life. It's not my right to do so," said Rin as he took his sword back.

Yukio was relieved. He should know better that his nii-san was not a merciless murderer.

Suddenly, he spotted a blue streak dashing towards Rin from the edge of his eye. He took his gun but the blue streak had hit Rin on his stomach and yet again sent the poor boy flying to the wall.

"Nii-san!" Yukio turned to look at his brother and then at the blue streak that was floating above the white cat, seemingly defending it. Then he realized the blue streak was nothing but a tiny blue cat with wings, floating in the air.

"Get away from her!" the blue cat yelled at Rin and then glared at Yukio.

One cat was trouble enough. Now there are two. And it also talks and flies. What has the world turned into now?

"What the hell are you doing here?" the white cat roared, chiding the blue one. "You're not a Warrior! Get out of the way!"

"I maybe just an Acolyte, but I can fight too!" the blue cat yelled back, but it had its eyes fixed on Rin and Yukio. It growled at the two. "Come any closer and I'll show you my fury!"

However, Yukio still aimed his gun at the white cat, watching its every move. Compared to the blue one, the white cat was more lethal and dangerous. He released the safety lock of the gun and prepared to shoot if it retaliates. "Get out of here or else."

The white cat hissed and growled. "I am not leaving without Kagura." It stood on its four paws now while its white wings stretched behind it, making it look fearsome. But Yukio was less intimidated. He was not afraid to stand against the enemy when Kagura's life was at stake.

"Goddamn it!" Rin yelled. "How many times do you have to do that?!" He rubbed his aching back. Blue flames still danced around his body.

"You should leave us be!" the blue cat yelled. "We will be gone once we fulfill our purpose!"

"As long as it involves Kagura, our friend," Rin emphasized on the phrase 'our friend'. "It will be our business!"

There was a glaring contest between the cats and Rin. The intensity between them was phenomenally increasing. The situation was like a timed bomb, either side was packed with exploding rage and was ready to be unleashed at each other. The cats growled and hissed. Rin's flames raged along with his anger.

Yukio was the only one who calmed down and used his mind to analyze the situation before it gets worse. "Can you at least tell us what you want with her?"

The white cat turned to glare at him. "I don't talk to demons or humans. And in this case," it turned to glance at Rin. "Half-demons too."

At the other side of the room, Kagura, who was unconscious throughout the battle, woke up with a headache. She scanned the area and gaped. Her room was a mess. Rin was having a stare down with two cats, one blue and one white. Then she remembered what happened before she passed out.

"Kagura!" Yukio was the first to notice her and rushed to her to give her medical attention. "Are you alright?"

"Head hurts…" she muttered. "But I'm fine."

Rin diverted his attention to her. "Hey, what did those cats, especially the WHITE one did to you?!"

"I did nothing to her! She passed out!" the white cat retorted.

"Then why would she pass out like that?"

"It's okay, Rin. They did nothing." Kagura stood up. She rubbed her temples. "I'm fine."

"But—"

She turned to look at the cats. Her face was suddenly aghast. Her butt fell to the ground and she struggled to get away from the cats. "Get away from me… w-wings… get away…"

"Wings?" Yukio looked at the wings the cats had.

"GET AWAY!" she screamed. As she did so, white aura coated her and she unleashed a strong force that pushed the others away from her.

Rin sheathed his sword and rushed to her to comfort her. Yukio ran back to his room to get a sedative just in case. The white cat and the blue cat glanced at each other knowingly and kept their wings.

"Oi, Kagura!" Rin yelled and shook the girl. "Snap out of it! It's okay now!"

Kagura covered her face in her palms. "No it's not okay. They are all gone because of… wings… cursed wings…"

"There are no wings here! No wings!" Rin muttered softly. "Stop panicking and calm down."

"No… wings?" Kagura looked up at him. Tears welled in her jade green eyes. He nodded.

"Good…" and once more, she fainted in his arms.

Kagura

When she woke up, she was puzzled to find Rin, Yukio and two cats in her room.

"Whoa…" Kagura rubbed her head. "Are you guys having a party in my room without my consent?"

"You mean you don't remember anything?" Yukio asked.

"I do remember seeing a white cat," she glanced at the large white cat in the corner of her room, glaring at Rin and he glared back.

"What about your panic attack?" Rin asked but his eyes fixated on the white cat.

"What panic attack?"

Yukio remained silent. He was deep in his thoughts.

"Yukio?"

"Oh. It was probably nothing."

"But she fainted!" Rin yelled.

"I'll just get you some vitamins. You are insufficient of them. That's why you fainted."

"But—"

"Nii-san, could you please be quiet so that Kagura-chan can rest?"

Rin pouted his lips and shut his mouth up. He grumbled something under his breath.

"Anyway…" Kagura said. "Why are you cats doing in my room? What do you want? And how can you talk?" She remembered meeting the white cat which talked and completely surprised her.

The blue cat jumped onto her bed. "Well… we're here for you. We want you. And we can talk because… we can talk."

"That does not make much sense!" Rin yelled.

"You shut the hell up. He's not talking to you," the white cat chided the boy.

"Oi! I'm not done with you yet! You shut up!"

"Why don't we take this outside?"

"My pleasure!"

"ENOUGH!" Kagura roared. "You guys better be quiet before I make you."

Rin snorted and the white cat ignored him.

"What I meant was we are your Guardians," the blue cat continued. "We are here to give you guidance and protection."

"Eh?" Rin, Yukio and Kagura were confused.

The blue cat sighed. "Don't you know anything of the Guardians of the Ang—" it was interrupted when the white cat grabbed its tail, pulled it to it and then stuffed some unknown object into its mouth.

"Actually," the white cat continued while the blue cat was muffled. "Aoife Barachiel sent us. We are here to… become your familiars. We are… her welcome gifts to you. Right?" the white cat nudged the muffled blue cat. It managed to release an 'aye'.

"That's far-fetched," Rin grumbled.

"Aoife Barachiel?" The one that father mentioned?

"She… sends her greetings to you."

"So you're now her familiar?" Yukio asked.

The blue cat spit the object from its mouth. "Aye!"

"My… cats?" Kagura still did not believe it was happening.

"Aye sir!" the blue cat jumped onto her lap. "We are your familiars now! You're our master!" The white cat too nodded.

Rin suddenly yelled. "Kagura, don't trust them! They're… EVIL!" Now Yukio had to admit his brother was exaggerating.

"I think they're nice. And I like cats."

"No! Just look at this one!" Rin pointed at the white cat. "It tried to kill me! Look at its fangs and talons and—" suddenly, he realized the cat became tinier than before, less vicious and ferocious. It was now the same size with the blue cat. "How did you—"

"That was my battle mode. I can turn into one or back if I want to," the white cat explained. "Not that an idiot like you will understand."

"WHAT?!"

Kagura smiled. "Come on, Rin. It's just a joke."

"Oi, Yukio, say something in this!"

Yukio rubbed his temples. "I am speechless."

"Oi!"

The blue cat spoke with a gleeful voice. "So… we're your familiars now?" Kagura nodded.

"Aye! Let me introduce myself. I am Happy! And the pretty white cat there is called Asteri(1).

Kagura grabbed the cat and hugged it. "You're so adorable!"

Rin however glared at Asteri. "I have my eyes on you."

"Be careful that I'll gorge them when you're asleep."

"See! EVIL!"

"He's an idiot, isn't he?" Happy asked.

"You can say that," Kagura replied while Yukio sighed and nodded a little.

"HEY!"

Asteri smirked.

Rin suddenly remembered something. "Kagura, did you know? Yukio is an Exorcist too! He teaches my class!"

"I know that a long time ago."

He felt like he was struck by lightning. The truth was surprising and horrifying…

…that he was the only one who didn't know the truth about his family of Exorcists. His face blackened and emanated dark yet sad aura. "How… how can you do this to me? Why am I the only one who didn't know anything until now?!" He yelled particularly at no one but the ceiling.

"He is a knucklehead, isn't he?" Happy asked again.

"I'M RIGHT HERE!"

They laughed, including Yukio. Then, Kagura spotted something about her room. She yelled. "YOU BROKE MY DOOR?!"

"It was an emergency! You screamed!" Rin raised his hands in defense but he was unable to dodge the punch that came in contact with his jaw.

"Fix it! And my room too!" Kagura yelled furiously.

Yukio sighed. Told you she'll skin you.

The cats have finally arrived! Sorry this chapter took so long! But I compensated with a longer chapter this time. Forgiven?

Come on guys. I know you can do more than just 12 reviews. Pretty please with sprinkles on top?

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. The next one would probably take a few more weeks so please be patient.

Many thanks to nekoshooter, Kyoichi Amaya and those who loves this story.

Love you guys!

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