Beyond the Rabbit Hole Ch. 10
'Akashi get back, now!'
Before either of them could act the sudden light and the force of the doors suddenly being open threw them backwards. Their body crashing into the rock wall, as a cry of pain left the teen the moment his back collided against the solid mass. His eyes squeezing shut at the numbing pain rolling through his body before the huge light suddenly vanished. Something that caused the teen to open his eyes in confusion, only to find the doors to the gate open. A dark abyss resting past them as Akashi carefully got to his feet and picked up his scythe. His other half deathly quiet, as he carefully walked forward till he was ten feet from the open abyss.
A never ending silence filling the air, as Akashi kept himself and his weapon at the ready, until huge gold eyes suddenly flashed through the darkness. A hitch in the teen breath echoing through the space, as he tightly gripping his scythe and those huge gold eyes suddenly shrunk in both size and height. The sound of tapping feet echoing back toward them as the shape of a large man started to come into view. The teens other half on edge and ready to take over when Akashi needed him, as the huge shape finally stepped out of the darkness and into the same space as the teen.
A demon the size of a full grown man stepping out of the darkness as bright gold eyes studied the teen and long mangled black hair hung in the creatures face. His body covered in dark black scales as he stopped only two feet from the gate and his tail swung to a stop behind him. Huge black wings folding behind him as the demon took a sweep of the area, ignoring the teen for the moment, before he noticed the rabbits pocket watch in the lock of the door and chuckled.
"So the son of that keeper came for revenge, huh?" The man spoke, as he turned to the teen again and looked him over. "And I see you've grown as well. Let's hope you pose more of a challenge than you're mother or father."
A deep growl left the teen, before he felt his other half pull on his consciousness to calm him down.
'Akashi, don't! He's trying to bait you!'
'He disgraced our parents!' Akashi yelled back into his head, as the demon smirked at him and reached into the pocket of his tattered pants.
Taloned claws retrieving a golden pocket watch and holding it up for the teen to see, before it swung around to the front. The teen's blood running cold as the emblem of Wonderland's keeper flashed amongst the dim lighting as Akashi felt himself stepping backward. That was his fathers watch, his keeper watch, the watch that made that very gate.
"I will give your father some credit though. He lasted longer than your mother." The demon spoke, as he turned the pocket watch toward him and looked at it as if he was proud of it. "Fought him for three days straight till he couldn't fend off my attacks any longer and I burnt him to a crisp. You should've heard the screams, music to my ears."
"You bastard!" Akashi yelled as he gripped his scythe tightly and bolted for the demon.
'Akashi, no!' his other half screamed, as he tried to gain control of their body and found the teens anger blocking him out. 'AKASHI!'
"You're dead!"
A smirk spread across the demons face as his golden eyed glowed and the pocket watch was shoved back into his tattered pants.
"Bring it, brat."
Fast heavy footsteps thundered through the air as Rin tried desperately to keep up with the cat ahead of him. The earth quaking beneath his feet doing absolutely nothing for him, as he stumbled every few steps, before he could take off again, and cursed at himself every time. His demon half as quiet as ever, as the smell of dry earth started to fill the air and the trees started to thin. The soft forest earth hardening under his footsteps, before the forest suddenly disappeared and a vast desert stretched out before them.
"The hell-?"
"Don't just stand there! We have to keep moving!" Chess yelled, as the teen turned and glared at the stopped teen.
Rin quickly nodding, as he started running after the cat once more. A huge rock canyon appearing on the horizon with every step, before a dot in the sky caught his attention. The black spot suddenly growing a bit larger when it's wings spread out, as the teen felt his blood ran cold.
'Our mate let out the dragon.' The teens other half spoke, as Rin growled and picked up his pace.
The teen suddenly running past the Cheshire cat, as he pulled open the messenger bag on his side and rooted around inside of it.
"Rin! What the hell are you going?"
'What are you going to do? We're not close enough to do damage.'
"Trust me here, I know what I'm doing." Rin muttered, as he pulled out a few holy water grenades and the gun from his bag.
The canyon now in full sight, and the dragon bigger in the sky than he thought it would be, as he caught sight of the teen he was hoping he would find fighting the thing in he sky. Akashi's figure slightly leaning to one side from the distance, and his scythe held at the ready, as the teen glanced back up at the sky and noticed the dragon heading straight for his mate.
'Rin-'
"I know!"
Without hesitating the teen threw the holy water grenades toward the dragons path and aimed his gun. His mate only a few yards away, as he focused all his energy in his legs, before he shoot at the grenades and grabbed his mate. A gasp leaving the teen now smashed against his chest, and the bullet blowing the first holy water grenade up, as they quickly rolled away from the explosion and away from the dragon.
A roar of pain leaving the dragon, as Rin carefully rolled them to a safer space and shot at the grenades surrounding the beast. Each blowing up in turn and sending the dragon into a roaring fit of pain, as it quickly got up and flew away a considerable distance from them. Heavy panting reaching his ears as he turned to the teen laying in his eyes and paused, noticing the teens eye color was switched. His right eye now purple and his left red, instead of their usual red and purple, as Rin frowned.
"Akashi?"
'Rin, let me take over.'
"But-"
'Trust me.'
A small nod was all that was given as he let the presence in the back of his mind take over. The teen finding himself in his demon half's room as he turned to the screen to watch as his demon gently brushed Akashi's hair out of his face.
"Hasaki does anything hurt?" The demon spoke in worry as the teen in their arms nodded and leaned against them.
"Damn thing dislocated our shoulder again and we were barely keeping up. I think our left leg is messed up." The injured teen spoke, as Rin frowned at the screen.
"Hasaki? The hell?"
"Hold still, I'll check for damage." A nod left the small as his demon carefully checked for further damage and gave a small smile of relief. "Nothing permanent. Now let's get you back on your feet before that thing gets back."
"Thank you, Nir."
It was only then that it finally clicked for the teen. Akashi's demon was in control, and their demon halves had taken their hosts names and pronounced them backwards. They gave each other names.
Of course I was only when they were on their feet that the dragons roar filled the air and they looked to the skies to see the dragon coming back toward them.
"Nir, there's holy water grenades, several holy water bullets, and a mantra book in the bag." Rin spoke to the screen, as he watched his demon half root around the bag and check the contents.
"Thanks, Rin. Now sit back and relax. Me and Hasaki will take care of the beast."
"You better."
Nothing more was said as his demon half unsheathed their sword and let the blue flames light across their body. His demon half reaching out and touching his fingers against Hasaki's forehead.
"I'm connecting our consciousness's together." And before anyone could speak a blue light enveloped them and the room the teen stood in.
The light fading to reveal a new remodeled room filled with the same chairs Nir seemed to favor and a nice looking coffee table in front of a huge tv screen. The image showing both teens' bodies on the battlefield as Rin felt the presence behind him before he heard the voice.
"R-Rin?"
"Nir I-"
"Apologize later, Hasaki. Your human let that thing out and it's now our job to kill it." Nir interrupted, as the demon beside him cringed slightly and relocated his arm. "After this over you can explain yourselves. Just make sure you don't screw up."
A small weak nod left his mate as he grabbed his scythe and readied himself for the dragon heading their way. Nir not even wasting a second, as he pulled out a holy water grenade and threw it toward the beast. The dragon quickly reacting as it moved to dodge the object and into the path Nir created for himself. The demon running straight for the beast, with his sword at the ready, as he jumped and swung his sword out. Blue flames erupting from the blade and setting the dragon ablaze as the demon hit the ground and turned back toward his mate.
"Now Hasaki!"
A nod was received as the teen thrust his arm out and focused. The keepers brand suddenly appearing on his outstretched hand, and the ground shaking around him, as his eyes glowed.
"Yksi, kaksi, kolme!"
The next instant the ground burst apart and white roses started wrapping around the fallen burning beast. The specials flower immune to Nir's flames as they tightly wound around the dragon and left him immobile. The dragon roaring at them as Nir stood up and dusted himself off, walking toward his mate as he sheathed his sword and let his flames disappear.
"That should hold him for a bit so we can question him." Nir spoke, as Hasaki remained quiet at his side as he watched the dragon. "What's wrong?"
"It won't hold him, he was testing us." The demon spoke, as a chuckle left the dragon and Nir looked back over at the beast as huge yellow eyes fell on them.
"Is that all your capable of? I thought the son of Satan and the son of wonderlands keeper would be stronger than this." The huge dragon spoke, as he stretched out his wings and the roses and vines holding him down snapped with ease.
"How-?"
"I told you he was faking." Hasaki spoke as he readied his scythe and looked at him. "Now instead of following your plans trust me and follow mine."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Nir demanded, as Hasaki ignored him and pointed toward the dragon's neck and the pocket watch wrapped around its neck on a huge gold chain. "I need Naroshi's pocket watch. Just help me get it."
A scoff left the other demon as he unsheathed his sword and let his flames ignite across his body.
"Fine, just don't let the dragon beat he crap out of you again."
From the distance Chess stared at the scene before him in utter shock and horror. The earth split apart, flames running rampant, and the dragon standing above the two teens letting out a mighty roar that made even the air around them shake.
"Wonderland will fall. We're doomed."
The moment Rin turned around he found Akashi looking at him in slight fear. A hand gingerly resting on his right shoulder and the teen keeping his weight off his left leg as he roughly bit his lip and his tail hung limp behind him.
"I-I'm sorry." The teen softly spoke as his gaze fell to the floor and his grip tightened on his sore shoulder, causing him to wince. "I thought Hasaki and me could kill him."
A heavy breath left the son of Satan as he watched his mate. Every painful movement, every breath that seemed to hurt the teen and the shame waving off him.
"Why did you think you had to come alone, Akashi?" Rin demanded. "I could've come with you. I could've been here right from the start. Instead of you leaving me in the middle of the night without a proper good bye. Hell do even know what it felt like when I woke up and you were gone?!"
Across from his Akashi flinched as he squeezed his eyes shut. The shame turning into pain as he opened sad eyes and looked at him.
"I'm Wonderland's-"
"Don't use that keeper bull crap in me, Akashi!"
"But it's true! I'm Wonderland's keeper!" Akashi yelled, as tears welled up in the teen's eyes. "I should've never have let Chess and Rabbit take me to Assiah! I should've been right here with everyone taking care of them and killing the dragon! I'm their keeper, their protector, and guardian! They look up to me, and I left them! And now…and now we're all gunna die because I wasn't strong enough. I'm useless. I don't deserve the title of keeper."
By the end tears were rolling down the teens face as Rin stated at the teen In shock. Shock because he never knew Akashi felt this way, shock because he had never yelled at him like this, and shock because he now realized just how much of an idiot he was. Here he was upset because his mate left him to fight off some dragon, when in reality Akashi was trying to do his best to live up to the expectations of Wonderland's citizens. He couldn't let them down, not after Akashi had been separated from them for so long.
"It's true, w-what Chess told you." Akashi spoke between sobs. "The demon killed my mother, father tried to avenge her and had to create the gate to save wonderland, and I was left alone without parents. Chess and Rabbit had to raise me, but uncle Mephisto lied about how many years father disappeared. I was five when it happened."
In response Rin stared at him in shock and Akashi continued.
"They tried to raise me there the best they could, but it became too much. They weren't demons, and they couldn't teach me to control my new forming powers, so Chess took me to Assiah. We found an exorcist school in Finland and one of the teachers took me in. She helped me learn to control my powers and in turn I helped her teach her classes…th-that is until the Vatican found out." Akashi shivered as he wrapped his free arm around himself and tried to hold back the tears. "They murdered her right in front of me, before they tried to kill me themselves. That's when my keeper brand appeared and the paladin ordered them to let me live.
Only because it's forbidden to kill a keeper if there's no successor. Their gate would collapse and their dimension would implode, possibly destroying the world they're in as well.
So they tried to capture me, b-but the dragon's minions came out of nowhere and tried to nab me as well. A huge battle erupted and before I knew one of them attacked me and my keeper weapon formed for the first time…"
Tears fell from the teens eyes as he rapidly shook his head and sobbed" his eyes squeezed shut as if he hopped it would rid the memories from his mind but did nothing more than make them more vivid.
"I killed them all. Every single one of them." Akashi spoke as his voice cracked. " I murdered them all and without even realizing it. Ch-Chess later told me wonderland's madness might have been the cause, but it didn't change the fact I killed so many. And even after I escaped and tried to find shelter more people came after me. They never stopped, neither the exorcists nor the demons, I was constantly followed and hunted. Given limited time to recover and limited time to rest. It wasn't even till I ran into you guys that I felt safe for the first time in years, but that's when everything caught up to me.
I remembered Wonderland and everyone I left behind. The dragon still locked behind the gate with my father, my dead mother, all of wonderlands people that were waiting for me. I remembered what I was born for and what my duty was and by then I was on too deep in love with you. I took everything I had to leave you to come here, and now it still hurts."
In the silence that follows only Akashi's sobs were heard. Rin staring unbelievably at his mate, as he harshly swallowed and took a step toward the other. One step turning into another, before strong arms suddenly wrapped around the keeper and his head collided with Rin's chest. The rapid beating of his heart thundering against his ear, as he shakily looked up at the other to see hurt and shameful eyes looking down at him.
"I'm the one that should be apologizing. I had no idea you went through any of this or you felt like this. I'm so sorry." Rin spoke, as he tightly held the teen against him and Akashi gave him a small smile. "Can you forgive me for yelling at you?"
"Only after we kill the demon." Akashi spoke, as he took the other hand and traced the metal ring on his finger. "We're not the only ones that need to talk."
A small nod left the teen as he gently kissed his mates forehead and smiled.
"Then let's go kick some ass."
Scarlett: *waves to the camera happily* Hey my cute little fans! Awesome news!
Akira: Your no longer single? *a huge book slams into the back of his head* OI!
Scarlett: *frowning, eye twitching* no, I'm still single you dolt.
Akira: *hold his hands up* at least kuro loves you
Scarlett: *slumps* on good days he does. *perks up* anyway! Heres the awesome news. I finished typing Beyond the Rabbit Hole last night! *beams* got into the grove last nigth after i watched the new Supernatural episode and I didn't stop till i finished. So expect the last 2 chapters in the next 2 weeks as I edit them. *bows* as always, if anything needs to be changed/edited let me know otakugirl251. *stands up, beaming* Enjoy my cute little fans!
For more information and Updates about my fanfictions, coming straight from me, visit my author page and look under the Progression and Important Information section. I have updates about my current Ao no Exorcist fanfictions and a new ones that are going to be posted in the future.
Rin and the gang do not belong to me. They belongs to Kazue Kato.
Akashi, however, belongs to otakugirl251.