Chapter 11: Mephisto's Mission

Disclaimer: ArthurDragonpen does not own Blue Exorcist

A/N: Greetings, my fellow writers and esteemed readers. Just finished my next update and it's a doozy. Without spoiling too much, I will be taking a break from the anime storyline but only for this chapter and the next. After these two chapters, the rest will stay within the anime if not for a few chapters that contain minimal backstory. So, there's that warning. Hope you guys enjoy the twists and turns of this particular ride. Ladies and Gents, Chapter 11!

"It's been a while since I've heard your voice, Talis," A mature female voice hissed from the darkness. "Refresh my memory; If I recall correctly, it's been at least two, no ten or maybe…"

Talis smirked and sank to one knee in a reverent bow. "If I may, it has been exactly one millennia since our last conversation. I've longed to speak to you, my Lady."

"Still quite the charmer, aren't you?" She giggled. "At least that hasn't changed."

Talis knew she was eyeing his impeccably disgusting human form and questioning his liability. But, so far, it was all going according to plan.

"So tell me, young demon, what brings you to my lair at this hour? What could you want at this time?"

"Isn't it obvious, my Lady? I want nothing more than for the Old World to be restored."

He could not see her face but he could sense her hesitation. "The Old World?" The sarcasm in her voice made up for her weakness, though. "As if that could ever be realized."

"You've been in these caves for a while, Your Excellency. So long in fact, you may be pleased to realize that the Tekuto line has in fact come to an end."

Silence. Then:

"Is what you say true, Talis?"

"Yes, the final Guardian of the Tekuto line has been born and now she must play her part in the Day of Reckoning. That is, if she lives long enough to do so."

"And what is it that you have come to ask of me?" Her voice was rich with malice.

Talis smiled. "Your reputation as the queen of beasts precedes you. To keep the last Guardian from her goal, we must be vigilant in our plans to make her life a living hell."

"Interesting," Talis could not see her face but he knew she had begun to smile. "But if I were to undertake this favor for you, what shall I get in return? Be warned: there isn't much you can say that would catch my attention so speak wisely."

Talis got up from his bow and said in a rather clipped voice, "Do I mention that Sirchade will be there?"

A surprised intake of breath was heard, hastily covered up by a cough. Despite how surprised she might have been, he knew her interest was peaked.

"Oh, I see," She laughed again but this time, the laughter was real. Almost jovial. "My, my, playing a dangerous game, are we? Still, what you've said intrigues me. Come, we have much to discuss."

The sound of steps leading further into the darkness caught his attention and he hurried to catch up.

Another headache invaded his mind and the sound of yelling reached his ears. With no remorse, Talis closed his mind and reinforced the walls governing his mind until the cries were just a slight buzzing in his ear.

I've done too much to get this far. And remember, you chose to become part of something greater. Talis laughed to himself and his prisoner. Don't worry, once my plan is complete, I'll release you from your servitude so that you may marvel in the world I have created. And maybe I'll grant you a merciful death as well.

The voice in his head fell silent and Talis was sure he wouldn't speak again.

Now, the demon thought to himself and himself alone, the real game begins.

Arianne

The setting: True Cross City

The characters: The Guardian, The Son of Satan, Shiemi, Ryuji, Yukio, Neko, Shima, Izumo

The enemy: All of Gehenna

Our chances of winning: Slim

"Yukio!" I cried, alerting him to an attack.

It was too late. A massive swarm of demons overwhelmed him. He let out a strangled cry before he was lost in the sea of bodies. Red liquid began to flow on the ground and my breathing hitched. A scream was lodged in my throat but I could do nothing but look on as the beasts feasted on my friend's body.

"Arianne!" There was the shout and the shove and soon I was skidding across the ground to safety. I looked up to see Rin, uniform tattered, sword in hand and blue flames ablaze. He was hacking away at the demon who had surprise-attacked me and as I rose to my feet, he nearly had it dispatched. Out of the corner of my eye, all of my demons was in a fight all their own. Sirchade was in his almighty tiger form, biting and clawing through enemies. Haristum and Verrine were using a tag team attack to lessen opposition: Verrine got their attention and Haristum burned them to a crisp. And then there was the final demon. It was a kitsune with black fur and bright red eyes and five tails brightly lit by purple fox fire. As enemies descended upon it, the fox fire expanded, catching two to four enemies at a time before blowing them all apart.

Ryuji was reciting one Fatal Verse after another in an attempt to lessen their forces. The other Exwire were helping as well. But it did no good. Neko was quickly overwhelmed. As was Shima. Izumo lasted for a long while but she was quickly subdued. And then there was Shiemi. She fought valiantly but her familiar was defeated. I tried to get to her, to lead her to safety but she was too far away. Soon, I lost her in the crowd entirely and all that was left was a high-pitched scream that shook me to the bone. No, please God, no…

I didn't stop the tears from falling. I couldn't. Rin, Ryuji, and I were all that were left.

"Arianne!" Rin was running towards me and I backtracked to his position. Ryuji broke free of another swarm and made his way towards us.

"Rin!" I cried, tears trailing down my face. "Ryuji!" He shook his head, his eyes wide with grief.

He reached me and hugged me close. "Stay close to me, Arianne, I can't lose you too."

Rin unsheathed his sword as the demons began to advance once more and one by one, my familiars all formed a circle around me, watching as the demons surrounded us.

"Is this what you want, Arianne?"

The only voice that can strike fear into my heart: the boy appeared from the mix of demons and stood in front us. This boy was no normal boy.

The silver haired purple-eyed teen pointed a gun at my head and chuckled slightly. "So, enjoying your future?"

The demons converged on us and all I could do was scream.

"ARIANNE! WAKE UP!"

I bolted from my bed as if I had been trying to run somewhere. But, then I remembered my dream and my joints stiffened. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. My breathing and heartbeat were erratic and my brain throbbed like hell. Off to the side, Sirchade stood with a concerned look on his usual snarky face.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

I shot him a Look and he gave me a dry smile despite the situation. "Ok, dumb question. Do you want to talk about it?"

I didn't know how to answer. I had forgotten how to answer. But slowly, I found the words. "It was just too much."

"Too much?"

"Too much fear. Anger. Sadness. Despair." I brought my knees to my chest and buried my face in my arms, trying to stifle my sobs. "I saw them all. Rin, Ryuji, Shiemi, Neko, Shima. All of them dead in a matter of minutes. All my fault… All my fault." I shivered. "What was that? A dream?"

"Most likely a vision. Of future events." Sirchade mused.

I bit back a gasp and tried to remain calm. "Future events. So… that's my future? To lead all of my friends to their untimely undoing?"

Sirchade sighed. "I said it was a vision, not a prophecy. If that had been the outcome foretold of by past generations, you would have much reason to worry. But, since you are only getting this dream now, it would stand to reason that the person who did this wants nothing more than to scare you."

"Well, they have my congrats. They succeeded."

"This vision you have seen is indeed a possible future but that basically means that if you play your cards right, that future can be changed. Exchanged for something better."

"So how do I do that?" I lifted my head to peer into Sirchade's glowing blue eyes. "Exchange the futures?"

Sirchade shook his head. "I have no answer for you. We can only wait and see."

I'd only just walked into the room when Mr. Okumura told me that the director had requested my presence in his office. I stared at him blankly for a moment before realizing he was talking about Mephisto. Frowning, I exited the room and made my way to his office. At some point, Sirchade had appeared by my side and padded alongside me. It was quiet with only our footfalls as background noise. But, soon the silence had become unbearable.

"Do you know what this is all about?" I asked him.

"As of the moment, no. Just so we're clear, I'm not sure what Mephisto knows of your secret. But, he is a sly one. I wouldn't be surprised if he knew all of it, including what you are ordained to do. We must be careful right now."

My thoughts were amass right now. Could Mephisto really know my whole destiny? Maybe Sirchade wasn't the only source of information I could ask.

As if reading my mind, Sirchade snorted. "Don't even think about it. Mephisto may not seem it but he is very calculating. If he gives you something you desire, he'll be expecting something of equal worth. And there are only so many things you can give him."

I shut up after that and soon I found myself outside a large pair of wooden double doors. A sign labeled "Director" was placed on top of the doors and inside I could hear the muffled sounds of a conversation taking place.

Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the smooth wood of the door and the talking ceased. A formal voice said, "Enter."

Taking hold of the knob, I opened the door and walked in.

"Arianne?" Two voices said in unison.

Huh? Rin was standing in the corner, looking at me in shock. Ryuji sat at one of the seats, also a bit surprised. What the…

Mephisto smiled. "And now the three have been brought together… Marvelous! I believe you all are acquainted. Rightly so too. Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, let's move on to business."

I frowned, confused by this new revelation but didn't question it. Instead, I took the initiative and took the chair on Ryuji's right. I figured we'd be getting an explanation soon enough. And look how right I was.

"Ever heard of the town Rightridge?" He asked us.

I opened my mouth to reply but he continued along. "Of course not. I wouldn't expect you to. Recently, there have been reports of increased demon activity. But, it is believed that this information is nothing more than rumors. Still, as this town lies under the jurisdiction of the Academy, it is up to me to choose who undertakes this mission. And I have chosen the three of you."

The room was quiet. Then Rin wrenched himself free from his spot on the wall and stalked over to the other side of the desk. Beside me, Ryuji stiffened. Rin seemed beyond angry for some reason.

"What the hell's the big idea? Something about this doesn't sound right."

I stepped in to give my own two cents. "Rin's right. Wouldn't a more advanced squadron of Exorcists be better suited to this task?"

Mephisto smiled. "I have thought about that. But, please remember. Earlier, I said that the reports of demon activity were based on rumor only. We have no real proof. The Exorcists of this department have no time for investigations if there is no substantial proof." He deigned to look at each of us as he went on. "Normally, I wouldn't choose Exwires for a mission such as this one. But, I think we can all agree that of the Exwires we possess, the three of you have the most talent and potential."

At this point, I knew that Mephisto must have been referring to Rin's "Son of Satan" powers and Ryuji's determined dedication. And as for me… perhaps he was hoping that I'd be able to keep the two of them in line. God knows what would happen if they went on this mission alone. All heck would break loose. And then some.

"Just so we are clear, this is a mandatory assignment and is not up for debate." Mephisto got up from his seat and turned to face the window. "Now if you understand that, I suggest you get on with it."

We turned to leave, all of us feeling majorly bewildered, until Mephisto spoke again. "Miss Tekuto, I'd like a word with you." His tone told me that this was not a request.

Rin and Ryuji both looked at me with protective glances. I gave them a smile. "Don't worry. You guys should go and get packed and ready for the trip. This shouldn't take long."

They must not have liked this but in the end, they left, the door clicking shut behind me. Mephisto was still facing the window.

"You wanted to talk, Director?" I asked politely.

"Yes, I did," Mephisto pulled back one of the curtains as he answered. "Is that alright, Guardian?"

So he did know about that… "I take it that since you're using that title, this is something that has to do with me?"

"You're a smart one. Yes, well, you are right. The information I told both Rin and Ryuji were lies to get them to help you. The real information is that folder on my desk. You're free to take it with you when I dismiss you."

I picked up the folder and leafed through its contents. But, my mind was still on other things. "But why? Why are you dragging them into my conflict?" I whispered. "They could die!"

"And so could you… as Director, it is my job to take care of the Exorcists of my branch but truthfully, none of them will be saved if you die. And because this is a problem you must deal with, I have no choice but to give you proper back-up."

What he said made sense but only slightly. My eyes began to water but I hastily wiped at them. "Well, why not send two First Class Exorcist with me? Then, I'd still go on the job and wouldn't have to involve my friends."

"Impossible… despite what your cat may or may not have told you, those boys are essential to your destiny. It is imperative the three of you go together."

Essential to my destiny? "How are they essential? Tell me right now!"

Mephisto gave me a smug smile. "I have said all I've wished to say. You are dismissed."

I opened my mouth to protest but he fixed me with a glare. "Leave while you have the chance. If you don't, I have a feeling that even Sirchade will be unable to help you."

Was he threatening me? My legs trembled. As calm as I could, I walked to the door, mumbled a polite, "Thank you for your time," and exited the room. Then without a second thought, I ran as soon the door clicked shut.

We met at the train station and went from there. Because I wasn't expecting to be there long, I had decided to pack an extra change of clothes, my toothbrush, a book or two and some extra snacks.

Rin and Ryuji had similar ideas, with Rin one bag and his sword sling over his shoulder and with Ryuji carrying a bag and a Bible.

Once we were sitting comfortably in our chairs, I eyed their contents more carefully. Of course I was never the stealthy type and soon, Rin noticed me staring. "What?"

I frowned. "Just figured you'd pack more than a weapon."

Rin snorted. "I'll need it, won't I?"

Not if I can help it, I thought. To his face, I said, "You heard Mephisto. All of the proof they have is speculation at best. Rumors and not real fact." I reached into my bag and pulled out a folder, handing it to Ryuji.

"What's this?" He asked.

"A file he gave me on our current assignment. In it, you'll find out about what we were sent to do."

Rin eyed me before turning to look out the window. "But, why did he give this to you? Or mention while we were still in the room? What were the two of you talking about anyway?"

I'd already set up a cover story for this line of questioning. "He was giving me some advice for the road."

From the look in his eyes, Rin was thoroughly unconvinced. "Mephisto was being helpful for once? I don't buy it."

"Whether you buy it or not, that's the truth," I lied through my teeth. "For better or worse, he's made me the leader of this team. And it's our job to represent the Academy while we're working on this."

Ryuji thought about my words before coming to a quick decision. "Alright, so what's first on the agenda?"

"Mephisto said that with so much increased demon activity, it's a possibility someone else is pulling the strings. We don't want the culprit to know that the Academy is on to them. So, we're going to have to go into this incognito."

Rin grunts. "Well, this just keeps getting better and better. Anything else?"

I took the folder back from Ryuji and skimmed through the pages until I came across the right page. I pointed to the image in the picture on the top right hand corner. "This is our first place of investigation."

"Is that a hotel?" Rin asked. His brows furrowed as he scrutinized the image.

"According to the file, ever since a couple of weeks ago, there have been strange unexplainable sightings of mysterious creatures and most of the guests have started to get scared out of their minds."

Rin looked at the file thoughtfully. "I think we all know what these mysterious creatures are. The one thing I do not understand is how normal people are able to see them without a Demon's Temptaint."

"Well," I sighed, closing the folder and placing it inside my bag, "I guess that's what we're here for."

"What? How come Ryuji gets to go and I have to stay?" Rin whined.

I glanced over to him and sighed. Of course he wouldn't be okay with this plan. Especially since it involved him sitting around and doing nothing. Still, I kept my composure cool when I answered. "Before we enter the hotel, we need some answers. Which is why we're doing recon. One of us needs to gather information on the situation and report back." Pulling out a scrap of paper that I had been scribbling on for the majority of the train ride, I handed it to Rin and continued. "I've already calculated everything there is to think about and realized that either of us could have done the recon but it needed to be someone who could take care of themselves and someone who could leave the other two alone without them getting into a meaningless fight. As you can tell, the results became stunningly simple."

Rin was unconvinced. "But, why me? Why do I have to stay behind?"

Alright, enough was enough. I frowned. "I could give you a lot of excuses as to why I don't think you're the one for the job but there really is only one: you tend to go off on your own and do your own thing and basically, I don't trust your judgment and self-control or lack thereof." My tone was so matter of fact that even Rin was stunned into silence.

Quickly, I turned to Ryuji, telling him we'd keep in touch with our cell phones and that he was to call every thirty minutes to check in. He nodded once and then disappeared into the crowd.

It had been a total of twenty minutes later and I could still feel Rin glaring at the back of my head but I didn't turn around. Instead, I inspected the area. There were a few shops of interest, as well as a town hall but nothing that looked remotely like a rest stop.

"That was uncalled for."

I glanced at Rin, who was still staring, anger evident in his eyes. "Don't know what you mean…" I knew what he meant. I knew full well.

"What was with all that crap about not trusting my judgment?" Rin asked.

"I don't know. What's with you always going off and doing things on your own?" I snapped back.

"I don't always go off on my own."

"You do when it counts. Where were you during the Exwire Exam?" I asked rhetorically before answering my own question. "Off on your own."

"I did that to help you guys escape. It wasn't some superiority complex or anything like that. I was trying to keep you safe."

Huh? Did he just say…

"Keep me safe? What about everyone else? Shiemi was putting her life on the line and all you were thinking about was me?"

His cheeks burned red. "Y-You know what I meant."

I gave him a thin-lipped smile. "Yeah, I know. Look, I'm not trying to persecute you or anything." I sighed, trying to release all the pent-up tension from within. "It's just that now more than ever, we need to be careful. We aren't under the watchful gaze of the Academy anymore. If one of us gets hurt – in any way – we only have ourselves to blame. So we need to stay vigilant and be on guard. Understand?"

Rin opened his mouth and then closed it, nodding once. I smiled and continued my search for a rest stop until a familiar voice called out to me.

"I bring you news, Arianne."

I had been expecting Sirchade to show up for some time now. It was highly likely he had been doing his own kind of recon. Plus… this might have been my imagination but it seemed he felt obligated to look after Ryuji since it was in my best interest to keep both of my friends safe.

"Sirchade, there you are!" I knelt so that he was at eye level and beamed at him. He simply snorted and looked over my shoulder at Rin, who finally seemed to have noticed the cat.

"Oh, it's that white cat from before… Sir Sun Glade, wasn't it?"

Sir Sun Glade… I had to bite my lip from cracking up right at the spot. Of the entirety of name blunders I could come up with, even I couldn't be that wrong. I tried to stifle my laughter but I doubt it worked since I was laughing in my mind and the two of us were linked telepathically.

He glared at me so hard, I was sure if he turned his gaze towards a mountain, it would split in half. Speaking of which… note to self: get him mad at a later date and see if that actually works.

Finally, he puffed his chest out and addressed Rin drolly. "For your information, young man, my name is Sirchade. Now, be quiet. I wish to speak to my master and I would love to do so without a word out of your mouth."

Rin was ready to protest but Sirchade turned his back on him and padded back to me. I smiled apologetically over Sirchade's head but he was pouting and no longer paying attention. Meanwhile, Sirchade gave me a list of things to look for and areas to check out. And, like I had previously thought, he had checked up on Ryuji's location and assured his safety.

"In conclusion, yes, there has been much demon activity within the town and our next course of action would be to locate their lair or lairs. In this case, it might be the hotel you were planning to visit but it might not be. If I were you, I'd wait until your other friend returns before you try to investigate."

I smiled widely. Just like him to worry about my safety while idly skimming over the subject all together. But, I knew him well enough to know that the more time he spent away from me, the more worried he became. And though I was flattered, I'd taken it upon myself to protect both Rin and Ryuji in this Guardian-related case and make sure they came back unharmed.

"Thanks, Sirchade. I know you want to keep an eye on me but I need you to look after Ryuji. So, please take care of him, alright?"

Sirchade regarded me searchingly, his blue eyes too clouded for me to make out any one emotion. Finally, he sighed and walked off. "I don't like it but at least you said please."

I watched his retreating figure when Rin said, rather nonchalantly, "You know you're not like other Tamers."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

Rin scratched his head. "Well, just that you don't act stuck up or overly confident or treat the rest of us like dirt. You know, that sort of thing."

I frowned. "Um… okay, first just because we have dealt with some bad Tamers in the past does not mean that all Tamers are like that. Second, what in the world is so different about me?"

Rin was being put into a tight corner with no way of escaping the question but I didn't really care. I wanted to know what he meant, if it was an insult or a compliment.

Rin sighed. "It's kind of weird saying this but you seem to be friendlier to your demons than most people would be. I mean, you ask instead of order, have regular conversations and they don't even address you as 'Miss' or 'Master'."

Was that all? Really? I laughed. "Well, it's not a dictatorship. They have lives too. They're intelligent and witty but also very close friends. Sometimes, I feel that the human race could take a leaf out of their books. They're pretty fun to be around." When Sirchade isn't giving me needless information or trolling me relentlessly.

"Your demons are your friends?" Rin said unconvinced. I could see him biting his lip and somehow, I figured out what the topic of this conversation was really about.

"Of course, there's no reason to discriminate against them, just because they're a different species. And they've had my back more times than I can count. I'd be lost without them." I reminisced about my meeting with Sirchade, Haristum and Verrine. Each of them was eccentric and over the top but they had my best interest at heart and most of the time, I felt that was all that mattered.

"So let's say that hypothetically, you had a friend, who turned out to be a demon, what would you do?" Rin asked his voice soft.

And finally, we've made it to the hypothetical question. "Truthfully, I would be confused. The person who struck me as human for the longest time is a demon and I never knew it. And maybe I might become slightly scared." I could sense Rin stiffening beside me. "But, that wouldn't make me like them any less."

Rin's breath caught and he struggled to adapt his silence into a half-believable cough. "Sounds insane to me."

"Well, maybe I am insane." I paused as I thought about the next few words. "But, if I knew this person as well as I thought I did, then there would be no reason to feel frightened or troubled because I trust them."

I smiled brightly and quickly changed the subject. "But, this is all purely hypothetical and not something I'm expecting to happen anytime soon." I checked my phone for any messages from Ryuji but none had appeared. Odd. Trying to keep the mood light, I asked, "What brought about that particular string of questioning anyway?"

Rin gave me a half smile. "Uh, nothing. Just trying to get a feel for your character, your personality."

"You do realize that there are easier ways to do that, right?"

Rin smirked, as if he were sharing an inside joke with me. "Maybe…"

I rolled my eyes and took out my phone again. Still no messages from Ryuji. I called his number and waited as the dial tone went off. One ring, two rings, three and four. No one picked up. I tried again. I paced my breathing and tried to keep calm but so far, I was only able to look cool as a cucumber.

After the second try, I was starting to get chills down my spine. What was going on? Why wasn't he picking up?

I dialed his number again but was interrupted by another call. A call… that was coming from Ryuji's cell. I sighed with relief before flipping open my cell and proceeding to shout at him. "What the hell, Ryuji? Why didn't you pick up the first time? I was starting to get worried sick. You better have been doing something important or so help me, I will kick your butt into next week."

Rin was standing off to the side, looking bewildered and perhaps quite relieved that he wasn't the object of my anger.

The line on the other end was silent. "What do you have to say for yourself?" I asked him, mentally preparing myself for any half-assed excuse he made.

"I'm sorry; I'm afraid your boy-toy can't come to the phone right now. He's rather busy."

My breathing caught in my throat and I almost dropped my phone. No, not him. Not here too.

I gulped and tried to stay calm. "Where is he? Talis… Where. Is. He?"

"If I just told you, we'd have no game to play. And I just love to play games. Don't you?" I could just imagine Talis licking his lips in glee and anticipation as he laughed at the scared look on my face.

"Cut the bull crap and tell me where Ryuji is," I hissed into the receiver.

"I think not. It defies the game's rules. You want him so badly, come find him." He laughed a short manic laugh before the line went dead and I was left staring at my phone in dismay.

"Arianne? Hey, what's happened? Are you alright?" Rin came up from behind, worried about me but I waved him away.

I thought back to the words I remembered hearing in my dream: "Is this what you wanted, Arianne?"

No, this wasn't at all what I wanted. But, somehow, without my knowing, the future had snuck up on me. And I'm not sure how to stop it.

A/N: Yes, I'm fully aware that I'm a horrible person to leave the chapter at a cliffhanger like that. But, in all honesty, the chapter was getting rather long and I needed something to lead back into the first part of the chapter anyway. Looks like the mystery woman won't stay hidden for too long. What connection does she have with Sirchade? And how does she know Talis? Speaking of Talis, what's all this about a prisoner in his midst? Well, whatever the case, I guess you'll have to tune in for the next installment to get the rest of the story. Review, favorite and follow if you want to voice your thoughts or tell me what you thought of this update. So until next time...

ArthurDragonpen, signing off!