Author's Note: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter but it's a transitional one. Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed so far! I promise things will pick up and get actiony again soon! xD

~~~GW~~~

Chapter 7: Hopelessly Clawing

"Ehhh? Nii-chan?" Rin shouted in astonishment, looking between an upset Shiemi and the lumbering plant demon.

"That's Shiemi's familiar?" Yukio frowned, eyes wide. "What on earth has happened to it?" He demanded seriously. Shiemi pressed a hand to her chest and looked up at the groaning demon with tear filled eyes. They ran down her cheeks, smearing the mud smudged on her face.

"Those demons started attacking the shop! I called out Nii-chan to help and he grew!" She cried, scrubbing at her tears. "Something's wrong with Nii-chan!" She gulped, pushing herself to her feet.

"I see…so the same thing has happened here…" Yukio muttered.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Rin demanded, watching Nii as it growled and lurched closer.

"That's simple! It's your familiar Shiemi!" Yukio exclaimed, eyes flying wide open. "Where's the seal you used to summon it with?" He shouted and Rin grinned.

"That's right! Just trash the paper!"

"I…" Shiemi looked stricken, tears welling in her eyes again. "I lost it when Nii-chan attacked! It's somewhere in the garden!" She called back and Rin grit his teeth.

"Rin! Keep it busy while I find the paper!" Yukio shouted, tucking his gun into his belt and scrambling in the direction Shiemi was pointing.

"Oy-!" Rin began when he was abruptly struck by a mass of wriggling vines. He flew back, tumbling into Shiemi with a surprised cry before hurriedly hauling them to their feet again. With an agitated growl he sheathed his sword, afraid to use it against the familiar. If he accidentally killed it with his flames he'd never be able to face Shiemi again! He decided with a grimace.

"Rin!" Shiemi gasped, looking up at him with large pleading eyes, hands clutching desperately at his sleeve.

"Tch! I know, I know!" He growled, before softening his expression into a confident smile. "It'll be alright Shiemi! Nii will be fine!" He grinned at her and a relieved expression filled her moon shaped face.

"Mm!" She nodded, releasing his arm. "RIN!" She suddenly shouted in alarm and Rin whirled around, bringing the sheath of his sword up in time to block the whip of vines that smashed into him. He parried the blow as Shiemi moved back and with a grit of his teeth he charged forward. His feet struck the monstrous Nii in the chest, sinking into the mess of foliage and roots and the familiar gave a keening groan, vines spurting from the gap to wrap around his legs. With a shout Rin flailed, bringing his sheathed sword down with a desperate swipe. The leaves parted and he fell to the ground with an oomph, rolling out of the way just in time to avoid being trampled by a massive foot.

Yukio ducked a swipe of vines thrown his way and scrambled away from the twisting roots bursting from the ground. They wriggled in the air attempting to snare his feet and trip him up. Poisonous plants sprouted from the ground, their petals quickly unfurling and Yukio grit his teeth as the ground was quickly swallowed by leafy shoots. He dug his way through the shrubs and haphazard growth, eyes frantically scanning the ground. With a start he spotted something white lying underneath a growing bush and lunged at it. A sudden hiss erupted as the ground pulsated before sharp needles shot from the grass and the gaping mouth of a giant Venus flytrap sprouted from the ground before snapping closed and swallowing the paper summon whole.

Vines twisted around Yukio's ankles and he was abruptly wrenched back with a cry of surprise. He fell to the ground, breath whooshing out of him as his body lurched back, the vines dragging him across the yard and towards the gate where masses of demons still swarmed. The lush thick vines curled around his legs, binding them together and slithering up his body. With a grit of his teeth his deft fingers snapped open his gun holster, barely managing to pull his gun free from the probing tendrils before they claimed his exorcist belt. They twined around his thin frame, squeezing the breath from his lungs and crushing tightly on him. With a gasp Yukio raised his gun, aiming at the Venus flytrap with unsteady hands. He squeezed the trigger and the mouth of the flytrap exploded in a spray of green mush.

Rin tumbled to the ground with a cry, a hail of thorns and shards of shattered pottery peppering the two of them. The thorns pierced Rin's skin, blood welling up from the wounds and trickling down his skin in bright streaks of crimson. Shiemi screamed, raising the sleeve of her kimono in an attempt to block the stinging bits as they rained down.

"SHIEMI!" Rin shouted, desperately blocking another attack with a swing of his sheathed sword.

The vines slithered up Yukio's neck, wrapping around his throat and tightening. His breath caught, white spots popping into his vision as he squinted one eye, aiming for the stalk of the flytrap. One arm was wrenched down by his side and bound tightly to his body and with a steadying exhale of what little breath he had left, Yukio squeezed the trigger a second time and the gun erupted, bullet bursting through the throat of the flytrap and shredding the summons paper.

In an abrupt cease of movement Nii-chan suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke, plants falling limply to the ground. The vines twining around Yukio loosened before slithering to the earth in a pile of green. They sat there for a moment panting before Rin hauled himself to his feet, frowning as he tugged a splinter of wood from his skin and it hissed closed. He opened his mouth to make a cheerful remark when the weak barrier surrounding the garden shattered.

"Let's go!" Yukio shouted, scrambling to his feet with a wince. His ribs felt bruised but he ignored it as he snatched his gun up and made for the door to the shop. Rin grabbed Shiemi's hand and yanked her behind him as Yukio hurriedly fished his ring of keys out of his pocket. With a slight fumble he pulled the key for the academy out and jammed it into the lock, twisting it and forcefully throwing the door open. They tumbled into the safety of the academy and whirled around, Rin and Yukio simultaneously slamming the door shut as it was bombarded with demons. The light around the door faded and Yukio let out a relieved sigh as it turned back into an ordinary classroom.

"What…what will happen to Nii-chan now?" Shiemi spoke up behind them, a worried look on her face and the two of them turned around to face her, Yukio pushing his glasses further up his nose.

"There's no telling Shiemi, we don't know what's causing the demons to go wild." He replied honestly and Rin clapped a hand down on her shoulder. She blinked and looked up at him.

"Nii-chan will definitely return to normal when this is over!" He swore seriously, tousling her hair with a warm smile.

"Ah, you think so?" She brightened, feeling more relieved.

"Definitely!" Rin nodded and Yukio frowned.

"Until then I wouldn't summon any familiars if I were you. It could be dangerous." The younger twin warned her and she bobbed her head up and down in understanding.

"What should we do now?" Rin asked, glancing at his brother. Yukio checked his gun and then returned the look with determination.

"I'm going to go assist with the rest of the efforts." Rin opened his mouth to object, a flash of indignation crossing his face. "You should take Shiemi and evacuate with the others!" Yukio interrupted, stressing Shiemi's name and Rin clamped his mouth closed, glancing down at the girl who fidgeted nervously. "A Tamer can't do much without their familiars. She needs your protection Rin." Yukio continued and Shiemi bowed her head, eyes downcast at how useless she felt. Always needing saving…

"R-Right!" Rin agreed, turning to Shiemi with a serious look. "Let's go Shiemi we can find Bon and the others!"

Amaimon hissed as his hand was violently repelled backwards away from the window. He'd been taken to a room with a bed and ordered firmly to not leave before Camellia had bade him goodnight.

"Tomorrow you'll help us cure the land." She'd smiled at him before leaving. Heal the land his ass! He scoffed, fingernails scraping down the glass pane with a horrible screech so that it left behind thin scratches.

Amaimon sat abruptly on the floor, ignoring the bed in the room, and crossed his legs, hands on his knees as he thought things over. On a spontaneous whim he peeled back the hem of the green kimono he wore and examined the seal on his chest. It had healed immediately and left behind new shiny flesh in the form of scars that made up the seal. He'd already tried to destroy the one located on the girl's body and been unsuccessful. But maybe…

Without batting an eye Amaimon sunk his claws deep into the skin above the mark. Blood welled immediately from the wounds and oozed down his pale flesh, the wounds trying to heal around his fingernails. With a deft jerk of his hand he dragged his claws viciously across the seal, wide gouges splitting the skin open. His mouth quirked into a triumphant grin only to morph into an irritated sneer as the skin stitched itself together with a hiss of smoke and the seal appeared once again. With an angered snarl Amaimon seized a vase near him and slung it towards the window. They both shattered violently, glass in the window giving a slight tinkling crunch noise as it fell to the ground outside. But it didn't matter, it wasn't like it he could leave through it.

Feeling rather resentful and trapped all in one Amaimon crawled on top of a bookshelf that only served to remind him of the one in his brother's office. He curled up there, clawing at the seal a couple more times before finally giving up with an irritated flick of his claws. Dark blood spattered the floor but he didn't care in the least bit.

He wanted to go back to his brother's office, back to the academy where he could come and go as he pleased and no one told him to stay in a boring room and sleep when he clearly didn't need or want to. He wanted that bag of candy he'd dropped outside that town, missed the sweet taste of those lollipops he liked so much. He wanted to kill all of the people in this town and leave.

Down below the earth in the cave Amaimon had been summoned in one lone candle guttered weakly against the intense pressing darkness. The Priest's figure could just barely be seen, white robes practically glowing in the dark as he seemingly conversed with someone. His words were quick and agitated, fear seeping out from him in waves, sweat beading on his skin. He mopped at his forehead and swallowed thickly.

"He's more of a handful than I thought! There isn't much time…" The Priest groaned nervously.

"It will be worth it…" The flash of a wickedly sharp grin. The purr of a voice. "Trust me."

Nails scrapped against smooth stone and a rush of power left the room.

A body slumped to the ground.

~~~GW~~~

Author's Note: Next chapter we see more of Amaimon and Camellia. Things are calming down at the academy, maybe Mephisto will finally get to look for Amaimon? Lol. REVIEWS make me squeal like a cat having its tail trod on…but in a good way!