Seventh Night: Visitors

Allen sighed running a hand through his hair. All day Rin had been trying to ask Allen something. To say that Allen knew what he was going to say would be wrong. What Allen did know was that whatever question Rin wanted to ask him, was not something he wanted the young half-demon knowing. The teacher rambled on about Aria's and the passage she had assigned to the class to memorize, she paused for a moment then asked Izumo to recite the passage. The girl stood reciting the passage with confidence. All of a sudden she stopped.

Izumo hung her head with shame, "I don't remember."

Both teacher and class were shocked. Not that she couldn't remember the passage, but that she had not even gotten the first verse. The teacher picked on Bon next. He stood with a smirk, closing his eyes he recited the passage flawlessly. Not ten minutes later the teacher left their classroom. There was a moment of silence as the class waited for Yukio to come. That was until Bon decided to make a smart comment about Izumo not being able to memorize a few verses. Their fighting escalated until they were shouting at each other with Rin in-between. Rin stood as Bon grabbed Izumo's collar.

Having already been slapped in the face Rin had no desire to be in-between them as they fought. "If you two are going to fight take it outside!"

It was in that moment that Yukio entered the classroom. He twitched anger written across his face. Moments later found every member of the class kneeling on the floor each with a Bariyon on their lap.

"You all need to learn to get along! Exorcist do not go into battle along." Yukio said sternly. "we fight in groups of two or more. It covers all your weak points. The reason you came to this boot camp was to improve so you can become exorcists. Part of that is getting to know each other." Yukio smiled slightly. "so cool off and get along." He looked down at his watch, "I have to go, I'll be back in about three hours, so I'll lock up."

Bon looked slightly confused, "But what if we have to get out?"

Yukio smiled, "You shouldn't need to I'll only be gone for three hours." Yukio repeated, he waved and left. It was then that the students looked down and realized that they would be stuck with rocks (that were getting heavier by the minute) for the next three hours.

Bon turned to look at Rin, "And to think you're related."

Rin hung his head, "He's a nice guy I promise." Rin looked around the room and suddenly remembered. "Hey Allen, what did the ghoul mean when he called you 'Master Noah'?"

Heads turned to stare at Allen.

Allen smiled and tilted his head as if confused, "I'm not sure what you're talking about Rin."

Bon was about to called Allen on his bluff when the lights went out. Abruptly the students stood rock demons forgotten as they poofed away.

"Is it a blackout?" Rin asked.

Shima shook his head, "Nah there are lights on outside."

"So just our building went out?" Bon asked.

Shima stood making his way to the door he made a comment on how he loved this haunted house type of thing. He was just about to open the door when Allen's eye activated. Allen launched himself forward knocked Shima out of the way of the arm that made a hole in the door. They ran back to the others, Allen taking a protective stance in front of them as the demon broke the door down.

Rin gasped, 'It's the same demon from last night. But why is it back?'

The ghoul turned, it stared at them for an instant before the head on it's left shoulder started to pull at itself like it was trying to opened. A moment later the 'stitching' burst open as the demon's fluid sprayed over everyone.

Shiemi looked down at the little greenmen that was her familiar, and whispered a request. Large roots sprouted from the greenmen impaling the ghoul as it covered the room. The other student looked in awe of the girl they previously thought to be useless.

"Quick thinking Moriyama!" Bon praised. "I think you can drop the barrier now."

"No don't." Allen scanned the root system, "It's still in there and it's splitting in two."

Bon frowned, "How do you-" Bon coughed. Not more than a second later everyone else was coughing, most sank to the floor. Shiemi among them.

Rin looked around confused, "Are you guys alright? What's happening?"

Izumo looked up at the boy confused, "It's the ghouls fluid. Aren't you affected?"

"Uhh." Rin reached into his back pocket and started calling Yukio, "Where is he?"

The ghouls started hacking at the roots Shiemi summoned.

Bon set his jaw, "I'm going to recite a passage."

Izumo looked at him like he was insane, "Are you crazy! You don't know it's fatal verse! They'll be drawn to you the moment you start!"

"I'm not going to sit here while Moriyama is busting her butt trying to save us!" Bon stated. "Besides it fatal verse is somewhere in the gospel of John, I've got the whole thing memorized."

"But that's like twenty chapters!" Shima protested.

"Actually it's twenty-one." Konekomaru corrected, he turned to Bon, "It's not much but I have the first ten chapters memorized."

Bon nodded his thanks and the two sat down and started to quietly chant.

Allen turned to the others as the demon's renewed their efforts to get through the roots. "That barrier won't hold much longer. After it breaks we need to do everything we can to protect Bon and Konekomaru."

Rin and Shima nodded. Rin unsheathing his sword, and Shima pulling a K'rik out from underneath his shirt.

Allen turned to Izumo, "You're job is to protect Shiemi."

Izumo nodded weakly and made her way over to the other girl.

Allen stared at his glove, before taking it off. 'I don't want to use my arm but if I have to I'd rather not replace my glove. It's not like they'll notice the difference in this light.'

They waited. Tense in the near silence, as the ghouls attacked the barrier Bon and Konekomaru chanting in the background. Minutes later Konekomaru stood.

"Are you almost done?" Shima asked nervously.

Konekomaru nodded, "Bon's on the last chapter now."

CRACK!

The barrier of wood dissipated as Shiemi fell to the floor. Both ghouls lunged desperately towards Bon Rin and Allen intercepting them. Both pushed the ghouls back as far from Bon as they could. Rin ducked as his ghoul lashed out his tongue slicing upwards with his sword as he stood cutting off it's tongue. On the other side of the room Allen dodged and wove around the demon, as it tried it hardest to hurt Allen to no avail. Rin dodged another attack shoving his sword into the ghouls stomach. The ghoul stumbled back as Rin pulled the sword free of it's current sheathe.

"Rin!"

Rin threw his sword to Allen who caught it with ease. In a smooth uppercut the ghoul lost an arm. Both ghouls rushed towards Bon. Two white foxes intercepted them for a moment as Bon finished the verse and they dissipated. Allen handed Rin his sword, and before he realized his mistake Rin had seen both his left arm and his eye (which had yet to deactivate).

Allen turned away and pulled on his glove.

Not a moment later the lights turned back on and Yukio came running into the room. "Is everyone alright?"

For an instant everyone in the room (with the exceptions of Shiemi, Takara, and the Hooded Person) stared at Yukio in disbelief.

Rin was the first to snap out of his trance, "Yukio! Where were yo-" Rin was interupped by a foot kicking the back of his head. "Mephisto!"

Bon raised an eyebrow, "The Director?"

"Congratulations! You've just finished your exwire exams!" Mephisto announced. "I know its rather sneaky, but we do what we must. You're test results should in within the next few weeks, after I receive reports from our undercover staff." More teachers appeared from the walls, floor, and roof. "Exorcists with doctor credentials tend to the wounded."

Rin looked confused, "So we were never in any danger?"

"Of course not! I can't have prime candidates for becoming exorcists killed before they graduate!"


Allen gave a sigh of irritation as they were ushered to another room. Everyone with the exceptions of Rin and Allen were hooked up to IV's. Shiemi was resting on one of the beds, the boys and Izumo sat on chairs scattered around the room, or on the other bed. They discussed the test for a few minutes each wondering if they passed or not.

Izumo clenched her fists, "Remember what Mister Okumura said before the exam about teamwork? In that respect no one did worse than me."

Bon sighed, "You've got to cut yourself some slack you helped out in the end." Bon glared at Takara and the Hooded Person, "Unlike those two who just sat around!"

The Hooded person ignored Bon commenting on how he/she just got to a new level on his/her game.

Takara turned moving the mouth of his puppet, "We don't want anything to do with you so shut your pie hole!"

RIn stood shouting his disbelief, "Those guys have been mysterious since day one! And that guy's awesome at ventriloquism!"

Bon gave Rin a skeptical look, "If you ask me Allen's the real mystery around here."

Allen looked up at the mention of his name and frowned. "Why would you say that?"

Bon rolled his eyes, "The only thing we know about you is your name, and that you can fight." A thought seemed to occur to Bon, "And that some demon called you Master Noah."

"Oh by the way, what happened to your eye while you were fighting the ghoul." Rin asked.

'What's that phrase? Out of the frying pan and into the flame? Eh, something like that.' "I'm cursed."

Rin blinked, "Say what now?"

Allen sighed, "My eye is cursed so I can see the soul of demons. My curse is also why my hair's white." Allen moved his hair so they could see the rest of the scar.

Shima gave a whistle of appreciation. "Who cursed you?"

"….Who?….." 'I curse you Allen!' "I suppose you could say I cursed myself…but the person who gave me the scar…that was Mana Walker."

There were gasps of shock, eyes widened in disbelief as silence overtook the room.

"Was he your father?" Rin asked.

"Maybe." Allen stood abruptly, "excuse me."


Allen walked quickly towards his room. The moment he entered his room he summoned a gateway to the Ark, stepping into the soft white glowing doorway Allen arrived in the Mediterranean style city. It's white building's and stone road leading to places beyond imagination. For a long time Allen sat waiting for Rhode (who had entered the Ark) to find him.

"Allen!" Rhode glomped him, making him fall off his chair.

He gave a half smile and returned the hug. "It's nice to see you Rhode."

The Noah frowned at his lack of enthusiasm for a moment then brightened, "Ne Allen? Can I meet your new exorcist friends?"

Allen paled, "I don't think that's a good idea."

Rhode pouted, "Aww! Why not! I won't get in trouble!"

Allen grimaced, "It's not you I'm worried about." Rhode was about to reply when Allen stood up abruptly dumping her on the ground, "Someone else is in the Ark." Allen extended a hand towards Rhode and helped her to her feet. "Who's coming to the meeting?"

Rhode dusted her skirt, "Tiki, Sheryl, the Twins, and Wisely. The rest had other plans."

Allen nodded and walked through the streets with confidence despite his navigational impediments. A few moments later they stood at the central tower of the Ark. On the top floor at a white table sat Tiki, Sheryl, the Twins, and Wisely.

Allen smiled, "Welcome to the Ark. It's been a while."


AN: Just a few quick note's for those of you who read this. They are speaking Japanese so every time the word demon is used, Akuma is what's being said...I probably should have mentioned that earlier...oh well! Also Allen doesn't get lost in the Ark because he is linked to it so he just has to focus on where he's going, if that makes sense.