Chapter Seven: Amami's Choice and Rin's Hidden Pain

Part One: Amami's Prospective


I can't believe that this is happening. One minute I'm eating lunch with Rin then mom suddenly appears and drags me a way. Why did God think I deserved this life? It pissed me off. Mom was just as bad as Dad was when he was a live. The difference was that Dad was murdered nearly ten years ago.

I shook my head and cleared up these thoughts from my mind, "Mom, what's going on?"

"I want you to sit and talk to Author about becoming an exorcist. I also want you to meet a girl from the Cram School." Junko said as she dragged me further a way from Rin.

"I don't want to talk to the Paladin about becoming an exorcist. Besides Father Shiro said I didn't have to become an exorcist so I'm good." I said on the verge of screaming.

Mom, just tighten her grip on my wrist then dragged me in to Mephsito's office. Mom threw me in to the room; I landed on my hands and knees, "That hurt."

"Here let me help you up." A cheerful voice said as a gentle hand wrapped around my right forearm pulling me up slowly.

"Thanks. I'm sorry for the trouble." I said as I turned to my right to see my helper. What I saw was so freaking weird… Short blonde hair, big green eyes, a big smile, and an infant Greenman demon on her shoulder; I blinked she fitted the description of Yukio's crush all right.

"It's no trouble at all. My name is Shiemi." The blonde haired girl smiled at me.

"I'm Amami Kobayashi; the new kid in school." I said unable to stop myself from smiling back.

"I'm glad that you girls seem to be getting along." Mom suddenly said from behind me.

I sighed, "We just introduced ourselves. That doesn't mean we're going end up being friends you know."

Mom suddenly tackled me with a hug, "Amami! I thought you missed being around your friends so I'm trying to make you happy!" I just put a hand on mom's face and pushed her off of me.

"Save the fake tears for someone who cares." I said letting my annoyance be known.

"You two seem close." Shiemi giggled at us.

I was suddenly blushing none stop because I honestly forgot that she was there. It was embarrassing to say the least; Mom on the other hand was unaffected in the least.

"I guess you could say that we're close but I wouldn't really say so." I said mostly of out annoyance.

"Ice, ice, ice baby. Amami you don't have to be so cold." Mom scolded in her own special way.

"It's fine; I know it's hard to adjust to new things." Shiemi said trying to play the role of peacemaker.

I merely shrugged because Yukio wasn't the only one who told me about this Shiemi girl; Shima told me all about her and that Rin seemed to have a huge crush on her. Needless to say that Shiemi knew nothing about me but I knew nearly everything about her. I was not too sure that I was happy about meeting someone who could be leading Rin on (I don't care if she meant to or not; Rin doesn't deserve to be treated like some sort of toy).

"Well… I don't really want to be here." I stated bluntly and coldly. I could not be nice to some one I didn't really know but at the same time I knew I was being judgmental.

"Yuki said that you'd be weary of me at first." Shiemi said with a sad smile.

"Oh don't worry about Amami. She's always been like this except with Rin." Mom mused out loud. Annoying habit of hers'.

Shiemi and mom were silent as I sat down rather ungracefully on the yellow-stripped couch; I couldn't help but to be annoyed. Everyone wanted me to go Cram School… Everyone but Rin; he wouldn't want me to risk my life fighting demons. Actually Rin doesn't seem thrilled to have near him at all.

'Could it have anything to do with him being a half-demon? Or his powers awakening?' I thought with panic and worry seizing my every thought as it did earlier this morning.

"Amami… Are you alright?" mom's sweet voice said snapping me out of my thoughts.

I nodded as I realized that both Shiemi and mom had started to stare at me. I felt myself to overcome with embarrassment but I didn't have to be embarrassed because all of the sudden the door to Mephesito's office was invaded by Angel and Mephesito arguing about something idiotic.

"You goodie-two-shoes!" Mephesito yelled at Angel (the Paladin).

"At least I am good!" was Angel's response.

Shiemi and I exchanged a look before mom spoke up all of the sudden, "Will you worthless morons get in here before I get really annoyed?" Mom's whole demeanor had changed so drastically that I flinched at her thinly veiled threat.

Both men stopped their brincking and quickly found a way to quickly enter the room at the same time. It was amazing that even Mephesito found mom to be more threating than him self. Yet she was the first woman who was suggested to be the Paladin and she refused the job so maybe mom was stronger than what I gave her credit for.

Mom took control of situation rather quickly by stating, "Now that everyone is here I want to make one thing clear: Amami is going to Cram School."

"You're making her go to the Cram School?" Shiemi said with slight quiver in her voice.

Angel responded first, "There's no choice in the matter; she was attacked by a Demon King."

"What Angel forgot to mentation is that Amami has to be protected." Shura said as she walked into the room. We all looked at her as she made her entrance; Shura was nearly menacing as her pink eyes locked with mine.

"Now, now everyone relax. Would anyone like some tea?" Mephesito asked everyone.

Part Two: Rin's Prospective


I couldn't focus at all in my afternoon classes. All I could focus on was on Amami's face when Junko suddenly appeared. 'Maybe Amami thought her mom was gone… No that's not it.'

"Okumuar!" Mr. Tsubaki yelled at me; which was unusual in his class.

"What?" I said blinking several times before registering the fact that I sounded groggy from sleep.

"I have no idea how anyone could fall asleep in my class but somehow you managed." Mr. Tsubaki scolded me.

"Class is dismissed." Mr. Tsubaki said addressing the whole class.

I headed to the guy's locker room, 'Well, I guess I just learned how to sleep standing up.' I thought to myself.

"Rin, what are you trying to do? Get yourself killed?" Bon said as he put me in a headlock.

"Wahah!" was the only sound I could make.

"C'mon Bon, let him go." Shima said in his usual laid back tone.

"Whatever but he's making the rest of us look bad." Bon complained as he released me from the headlock.

I shook my head, "I ain't mak'ng anyone look bad." I said even though I know that I just made myself look real bad. After that everyone just changed back in to their uniforms and headed to the next class.

I walked toward the last class of the day: Anti-Demon Pharmacology. The class that Yukio teaches which means I have to stay awake, if I asleep Yukio is gonna make me wish I was dead later.

Sighing I walked into the classroom, "Hey." I said to no one in participial.

"Good afternoon. Where's Miss. Kobayashi?" Yukio questioned in response to my general greeting.

"Junko wanted to say good-bye I guess because she dragged Amami off somewhere." I said shrugging. Yukio knew this but he asked anyway.

I glanced behind my shoulder at Bon, Shima, and Konekomaru all of them were listening; I wasn't sure if they were interested in the conversation that Yukio and I were having or wondering where was Amami. I faced forward quickly as Yukio began roll call.

'Amami has been gone for a while. I wonder if she's okay. She is, isn't she?' I thought to myself before shaking the thought out of my mind.

"Alright looks like everyone is here but Moriyama and Takara." Yukio said as he finished roll call.

I couldn't really focus on what Yukio was saying for some reason. Something just didn't seem right; what if Amaimon wasn't after Amami because she knew me. 'What if that freak just wants to kidnap Amami?' I asked myself.

Just then there was a loud shout from out in the hall. Everyone looked toward the door, "I'll go check it out." Yukio said as he started to open door. Within seconds of opening the door Yukio was on his back with Shiemi on top of him; Amami had threw Shiemi in to the room (which explained why Shiemi was so dizzy).

"What's-" Yukio said as Amami shut the door and shh-ed him.

"No one makes a sound or moves." Amami said enough loud for everyone in the room to hear.

I took a good long look at Amami; she looked the same as she did at lunch except Amami wasn't wearing a shirt. Amami was wearing a dark blue bra and nothing over top of it. I blinked a few times before I decided that I wasn't dreaming; this was actually happening.

"What's going on?" I whispered at Amami, which earned me a silencing glare from her.

Amami was behind pissed she was furious. Amami's eyes were a dark brown color; not a good sign, it meant she was at her boiling point. I wanted to know what was going on but I had a feeling that I was about to find out.

Part Three: Amami's Prospective


After glaring at Rin I turned my attention towards the door; I quickly and carefully place my ear against it to listen to what was going outside in the corridor. I held my breath as I heard those two maniacs coming closer. I instinctively grabbed the doorknob and pushed against the door for all I was worth.

"AMAMI!" Mephsito's and Angel's voices mingled in a crazed possessive kind of away.

"GO A WAY!" I screamed through the door as I pushed all of my weight against it.

"OPEN THE DOOR!" Mephsito and Angel responded at the same time.

I felt a thud against to me on (my left side) of the door, I turned and looked real quick Shiemi was helping me. "Why are they doing this?" Shiemi asked me.

"I don't know; if we make it out of this a live we should go shopping together. Sometime." I said hoping that we really weren't about to be trampled to death.

"Sure." Shiemi smiled hopefully at me.

Suddenly the banging from the other side of the door stopped; I let go of the doorknob and embraced myself. "Charge!" Mephsito called as he transformed from his dog form into his human one.

"Shit! Shiemi brace yourself." I yelled as we went flying a crossed the room.

"Ouch!" I said as the wind was knocked out of me. Shiemi landed with an "omhf" next to me.

I got up slowly as I noticed that I was lying on top of someone. I looked behind my left shoulder and saw that I was indeed lying on someone; Shiemi and I went flying with Yukio as well as Rin apparently. Shima and Bon pulled Shiemi and me off of the Okumura brothers.

"What is going on?" a girl with dark hair long pigtails asked as she and Konekomaru made their way over to us.

"Amami has to dedice! Right now!" Mephsito answered the girl as he narrowed his dark green eyes on me.

"Hold on a minute! Amami doesn't have to dedice on anything right this second." Angel nearly sneered at Mephsito.

Within seconds the so-called "adults" were arguing again. Seriously, how could either one of them say that they were grown men? "Alright I had enough of this." I said walking towards both of them.

"Amami! Wait, are you sure about this?" Shiemi said taking a step toward me.

"Yeah. I have to be the one to end this." I sighed. I started to run toward the two idiots as fast as I could.

Before anything could be said or done I knocked both of them out with one kick to the head, "You two are going to behave now." I said glaring down on them.

Part Four: Rin's Prospective


I just saw Amami kick the Paladin and Mephsito out of the door. I mean she literately kicked them out of the door. I didn't think Amami could fight at all. I mean I haven't even seen her kill a fly and I just saw her kick two of the strongest people I know like it was nothing.

"You two are going to behave now." Amami said looming over them, it didn't fit at all with the image I had of her. The Amami I know is shy, graceful, insanely smart, and most of all fragile.

"Amami!" I called her name just like she has done for me before. Amami froze like a deer caught in the headlights; she slowly turned and then quickly walked toward me as Amami got closer she ran into me.

"Are they calmed down now?" Amami mumbled in to my chest.

Sighing I said, "Yeah… For the most part their still on their butts." There was much let's to say.

"Who is this girl?!" I heard Izumo ask someone.

"She's my friend and a former exorcist candidate." I heard Yukio answer in his usual calm and collected tone of voice.

"Amami? Were you really going to be an exorcist?" Sheimi asked as she gently pulled Amami a way from me.

Amami shook her head and just started to cry uncontrollably. "Correction she was an exorcist." Shura stated bluntly as she walked in to the room; everything froze like time had stopped.

"Shura…" Amami said weakly in a threatening tone.

"What? You were an exorcist and you made that rank when you were only three years old." Shura said matter-of-factly.

I couldn't believe this: Amami? An exorcist? None of this made any sense. Especially considering that Amaimon had attacked her… If she was an exorcist then why didn't she fight back?

"Amami is that true?" I heard myself say with pure bitterness.

"That's more than enough; Yukio take Amami to the training room." Junko said walking in to the room looking furious and serious.

"I… Yes, right a way." Yukio agreed to follow Junko's sudden demand.

I focused on Junko instead of the fact that my little brother just grabbed Amami's hand and was leading her away from me (okay so I looked how could I not?). Junko was wearing a totally different outfit then before; earlier she was wearing a light purple shirt and black dress pants with black high heels to match, but now Junko was wearing the same pants and shoes. Junko was wearing a bright yellow bikini-top, which relieved the fact that Junko hides the actual size of her boobs quit well; she was nearly spilling out of the top. Shura and Junko could pass as sisters if you focused on their boobs only.

"Rin sweetie, time to focus." Junko said as she released her long blonde hair from the bun she usually wore it in.

"Right…" I said trying to focus on what was going on. Which was hard since Junko clearly was acting like an adult for once.

"Hey, Okumura is Junko always this like?" Bon asked me. I turned and noticed that he wasn't the only one who seemed interested in my response.

"No… She's usually really immature and only acts serious when there's anything medical related involved. Well… Except maybe when Amami gets angry." I said in a weird dazed kind of voice.

"Yeah but why is that?" Konekomaru suddenly chimed in.

"I've got no idea… You just have to understand that Junko and Amami has been through a lot together." I said shaking my head. 'That and the fact Junko never mentioned anything about being an exorcist.' I added in my mind.

"You four boys get over here. NOW!" Junko yelled at Bon, Konekomaru, Shima, and myself.

I watched as Junko gave us strict orders about what to do with the mess and how to carry Mephsito and Angel into the classroom to be treated. Junko also had Shura, Izumo, and Shiemi busy too; she had the girls preparing an area for the two slightly injured men to be treated at. 'This has to be what she's like at the hospital when she's working.' I thought to myself.

"Rin, what do you think about what teach and Amami are doing right now?" Shima asked the one question that I didn't want to think about.

"No idea." I lied. Truth was that I couldn't think about it. I just could not think about what they were doing right now.

It just hurt too much.

Part Five: Amami's Prospective

Setting: The Cram School's Training Room


I wasn't sure why Yukio led me here; I remembered almost nothing except Rin's scent, ash and water lilies. That smell always made me think of him. Why wasn't Rin here? Rin…

"Amami! Snap out of it!" Yukio growled at me in a rare out burst of angry. I blinked at him.

"Yuki… Yukio? What did I do?" I asked in a pained voice. For some reason my throat was scratchy and sore like I had been crying quite hard.

"Nothing. All you did was kick Mephsito and Angel. Remember?" Yukio answered as his angry slowly turned into sympathy.

"I'm sorry." I said as I looked down at my boots. All I could see the mostly black titles of the floor underneath me as I hoped that Yukio wouldn't respond to my apology.

"It's alright. You were angry Amami. These things happen." Yukio said as he took a step closer to me.

I blinked before looking up to see what expression Yukio's face held; looking up I realized that we were the Cram School's training room. My head hurt from the crying so it took a minute to let this sink in. Yukio and I were in the training room….

"Where's Rin?" I demanded from Yukio even though I was actually thinking 'You four-eyed freak, why did you drag me a way when Rin was holding me?!'

Sighing Yukio answered, "He's back in the classroom. Your mom told me to bring you here." Yukio pushed up his glasses before adding, "Why are you nearly naked anyway?"

"Oh… Well… It's embarrassing." I admitted because Yukio knows when I'm lying.

"What happened?" Yukio demanded knowing this was the only way for me to tell him what really happened.

``````````````````````````````````````````Several Hours Earlier``````````````````````````````````````````````

I listened as everyone debated what I should or shouldn't, well not everyone Shiemi was on the quite end of things but clearly thought it was wrong for me to be forced to go to the Cram School. I did not belong here at all! Actually I wasn't sure where I belonged but I was definitely sure of where I wanted to be at and it was not here in Mephsito's office. I wished I were with Rin, even though I had no idea where that was.

"Amami my dear, please do say something. I mean we are discussing your future." Mephsito said snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Uncle Mephy, can I go now?" I pouted in response to Mephsito's backhanded comment.

"You aren't going anywhere, young lady." Mom said in a sharp tone of voice.

"I see that you let your child call that "uncle" but allow her to call me "Paladin" all the time." Angel suddenly pointed out while pointing a figure at Mephsito.

Mom shook her head and said with an enraged tone of voice, "Mephsito is her god-father so there's not much I can do about it unless you would like me to point out that you haven't actually spent time with Amami before now!"

"Let's all enjoy the wonderful tea." I blurted hoping that would prevent any misdoing but it just added fuel to the fire.

"Yes let's." Mephsito said with sweet but mischievous tone. Mephsito rose from his over-sized desk chair and walked over to a severing chart that Ukoback had brought in to the room before Angel and Mephsito made their entrance; Mephsito apparently decided to serve everyone some tea personally.

First Mephsito served Shiemi some tea then he served Shura then mom and then Mephsito presented me with a scarcer with a simple white teacup on top of it; the teacup was filled to the brim with black Earle tea. "Be careful Amami, it's quite hot." Mephsito warned as I accepted the tea.

"Amami, I was wondering what kind of relationship do you have with Rin?" Shiemi suddenly asked as she stared in to her tea.

'Well, we've made out exactly three times, twice before his father died and once after I was attacked by one of the most powerful demons in the world.' Sighing I answered, "We're just good friends that's all."

Everyone just stared at me for moment before Shura locked eyes with me, "You're lying and you know it."

I blushed in response and before I realized what was happening I split the tea that was in my cup all over my shirt. Then all hell broke loose.

`````````````````````````````````````End of story and back to the present```````````````````````````````

"What the hell?!" Yukio exclaimed as his teal eyes darken slightly. (A clear sign that Yukio is angry.)

"Well that's what happened." I said folding my arms across my chest.

"Then why are you running a round half naked?" Yukio demanded with a heavy sigh.

"Uncle Arthor and Uncle Mephsito insisted on washing it then they got in a fight over who was going to wash it but then Shiemi offer to loan me a spare shirt and they got jealous when I agreed to borrow one from her." I said in quick breath, Yukio calmed down and laughed for five whole minutes.

"Stop laughing! Yukio we almost died!" I yelled at him; for being the youngest exorcist in history he could be quite insensitive.

"Hm-hm. Sorry." Yukio said in his warm but guarded tone of voice.

'I wonder if he's guarded because he was bullied so much as a little kid.' I smiled, "It's fine Yukio. Really we're cool."

Yukio nodded and sat down on a bench by the batting cages (not that it is an actual batting cage but more of a training tool). I looked up at the ceiling and closed my eyes this is not where I wanted to be; this place held many painful memories as well as some good ones.

"Yukio, where's Rin?" I asked with a sudden wave of remorse. I always wanted Rin by my side when I start to remember those things, those memories.

"I'm not sure; want me to call him?" Yukio answered with a warm-hearted tone. I looked at him then to find him smiling up at me.

I shook my head, 'If you did that then he'd wonder why I didn't call him myself.' I thought to myself, no use in starting a pointless argument over nothing even with Rin.

"Amami, if you have something to say then just say it." Yukio said as if he could read my thoughts.

"I've got nothing to say." I insisted because I didn't want to say anything.

Part Six: Rin's Prospective

Setting: Classroom


"Junko, what the hell is going on?" I said because I was sick of answering all of the questions myself.

Junko stopped lecturing Mephsito and Angel then she set her sights on me. I gulped as she started walking toward me; Junko looked totally furious like a mad dog looking for its food. "You've got a problem with something punk?" Junko asked as she stopped right in front of me.

"Where do you get off calling me a punk? And what's going on?" I demanded.

Sighing with annoyance Junko answered, "You are just like your father; trying to get all of the answers without thinking about what comes afterward." Smiling she added, "Rin you're almost exactly like Shiro in every way."

"I… What?" I asked completely dumb founded.

"Don't worry about it right now. Let's focus on Amami; after all she must be terrified out of her mind right now." Junko said as she took back the control of the situation.

This was Junko always a step and leaving everyone else in her dust. Junko had always found a way to make her point with out actually making her point. Junko had a point though we did need to focus on Amami right now. Amami was scared and I needed to figure out why.

"Let's go find her then." I said as a grin found its way on my face.

"Now that's more like it." Junko laughed.

After everyone agreed to come with me to find Amami, we headed toward the training rooms. Which one was different (Yukio mentioned it once) because which one was meant to challenge a person's strengthens as well as their weakens; a twisted teaching method if asked me. I learned that the hard way.

"Rin, do think that something's wrong with Amami?" Shiemi asked from behind me.

I stopped walking to answer her, "I'm not sure and that's what worries me." Shiemi looked by at me with a confidante look in her eyes.

"We'll help her. We'll help Amami; won't we, Rin?" Shiemi said smiling at me before she run up to catch to Izumo.

Something deep in the back of my mind told me it was going to a challenge to help Amami with whatever demons that was haunting her from past and maybe even her present. 'Amami couldn't be in any real trouble, could she?' I asked myself as everyone stopped in front of me.

"Rin get over; you've got to see this." Bon said suddenly pulling me forward and pushing everyone else out of the way.

When I got to the front of coward and I was shock to find Yukio and Amami in some sort of shooting battle. I was totally dumbfounded, "What the hell is going on here?!"

Yukio and Amami froze for a moment. I just couldn't believe this even if I did see with my own two eyes.

Part Seven: Amami's Prospective


While Yukio and I were talking about our past experiences in this very room we were in, Yukio got a wonderful idea in his head for a bit of fun. Yukio thought it was a good idea to teach how to shoot a gun just in case I needed to shoot one. Finding no reason to disagree with him, I ended up agreeing to learn how to shoot a gun. And that's when Rin, mom, Shiemi, Shura, Mephesito, and everyone else stood there for a moment as if they all saw a two-headed dragon or something.

"Well, isn't this a surprise to see everyone here." Yukio said smiling as he turned off the training machine.

"Yeah, it's a real surprise to see that." Rin said angrily as he looked between his brother, and me suddenly I felt embarrassed and shamed for some odd reason.

"Um, what Rin means to say is that shocking to see that you're no longer in distress." Shiemi said as she gently pushed Rin out of her way. Shiemi hesitated for moment as if to give a chance to remember.

'Distress?' I asked myself. I didn't remember being distressed but given the circumstances being what they were I couldn't argue with Shiemi. "I was… distress?" I wondered out loud.

"Yes, don't you remember?" Shura said as she walked right over to where Yukio and I were standing.

I risked a chance and stole a quick of Yukio. He was calm and collated as I should be as well. We did not do anything wrong so I must act as though we did by letting my childish fears show.

"I remember being confused not distressed." I said looking Shura in the eyes. Shura held her glaze before turning around and briefly looked at the group surrounding the doorway.

Sighing Shura said, "Junko why don't you take it from here." And with that Shura turned and walked over the lockers lining the walls, she was leaning against them as if she in were deep in thought.

"Um, Miss. Kirigakure have you thought this through?" the girl with the pigtails asked with slight arrogance in her tone.

"Yes. I have." Shura said with a heavy sigh.

"Alright then but if this doesn't work then I'm taking you down with me." Mom said smiling with some smugness in her tone.

"But I-" the girl with the pigtails started before Shiemi raised her hand.

"It's alright Izumo. I'm sure whatever Ms. Junko is planning is going to be just fine." Shiemi said smiling happily at her.

"I don't know about that." Rin, Yukio, Uncle Author, and Mephsito said all at the same time.

I couldn't help but laugh at them. They acting as if mom was going to hurt or something; I laughed Shiemi, Shura, Shima, Konekomaru, and Bon started to laugh with me. I wasn't sure why we were laughing but it was nice to laugh with everyone.

"I don't see what's so funny." Izumo said crossing her arms over her chest.

"You will in a moment." Mom said striding over to me.

"Junko, what are you doing?" Yukio asked her as grabbed a hold of my wrist and then throwing me in to one of the batting cages near where Yukio and I were standing.

After hitting the ground I sat up and slowly to see that Shura had threw a wooden sword to my mom. Rin was on his over to where I was when mom stopped him and everyone else as she threw the sword in to the batting cage like she had just did with me.

"Mom, what are you doing?" I asked pulling myself on to my feet.

"Making you remember something your father once taught you." Mom said smiling at me as she pushed the buttons to set the level of difficulty for the machine that spat out the balls for training.

"Mom. What? You." I asked as she took a step back and closed the door to the cage.

"Infinity mode as been activated." The machine sounding voice said over the loud speakers.

"If I were you Amami, I would pick up that wood sword." Mom said smiling smugly.

I turned a way from my mother and walked over to where the sword was lying and kicked up in to the air. I closed my eyes as the sword started to fall back down that's when the first ball came flying out of the machine.