Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Fairy Tail or Blue Exorcist

True to pattern, more time passed and Rin fell into a new daily routine. Living with Yukio again was exactly the reason he'd come back, and to that extent, he was happy. He had his brother back, and while Yukio could be annoying and pushy about getting work done, it didn't change the fact that his real family was by his side. Yet, it also was a major source of stress. Hiding his tail was difficult when he shared a room with his brother. He couldn't change without waiting for Yukio to leave the room, which led to a few weird excuses for not bothering to change on days when Yukio never left.

Classes went by like usual. He learned the names of the other students, and quickly discovered that Bon was actually even more annoying than Izumo. That guy seemed to think he was some know-it-all when it came to exorcism, and he heralded his knowledge over Rin like it made him better than everyone else. The guy might've actually been doing better than Rin in the class, but he hated people who shoved it in his face like that. He was trying hard too, damn it! Though, he supposed his motivation for being there wasn't all that strong.

Shiemmi was probably his source of calmness when it came to them. She was kind, always looking out for everyone else in the class. Even when Izumo tried to use her like a servant, she just smiled and moved forward, insisting that they were the best of friends. Eventually, because he was friends with her, the others gradually began to accept him too. They'd work on class projects together, and talk about different jobs the others had taken during their time as exwires. Apparently, they didn't usually go out into the field without an official exorcist to supervise them. They talked animatedly about their exam, talking about some camping trip they'd taken out into a forest with all kinds of demons inside. They'd gotten out just fine, but it had been creepy when weird moth-like demons targeted them the whole time.

Kuro hadn't heard a whole lot, but the cat kept trying to learn more. From what Kuro had heard, he'd agreed that something was going on with the exorcists. However, it was a secret being kept by people higher up in the organization that actually didn't trust Kuro being near them. Apparently, one of them had even tried targeting the cat when he was spotted. Rin was worried about the danger to Kuro after hearing that, but Kuro had refused to stop. He said that he was still the only one able to hear details about it, and that he'd figure out exactly what was going on. Last Rin had heard from Kuro, he'd confirmed that they were trying to open a Gehenna Gate somewhere, in order to destroy the other world. Yet, how they intended to do that was still unknown.

Either way, it didn't change the fact that Rin still felt out of place. It had been months now, months of going to class and hiding what he was. He hadn't touched his demonic powers since starting at this school, and it was actually bothering him. It was such a drastic shift that he felt like those powers had more more involved in his life than he realized. He'd relied on them daily, from anything as simple as sparring matches with guild members to actual jobs where they'd saved his life. Those flames were a part of him, and it felt…wrong to just stop using them so suddenly. If that wasn't the only thing, he had to keep listening to constant lectures on how to kill demons…like him. Yukio had tried to cheer him up, claiming he'd get the hang of it and get used to school again. However, Rin's brother hardly knew the real reason behind him being so upset.

Right now, things were at least looking a little bit more interesting. Rin, having been behind the rest of the class, was going to take his exwire exam off campus for a change. That was why they were all sitting around at some old campsite, with the others looking rather irritated. "I still don't get why we all have to come just because Rin hasn't completed this exam yet. Seriously, I hate being outdoors like this with all the bugs and everything." Izumo was annoyed, like usual.

"Just stop complaining and enjoy it for a change." Bon scowled at her, sighing. "It's not like we didn't already go through this once before too."

"Yeah! Plus, we're here to support Rin. It was hard on all of us the first time we did this ourselves." Shiemmi smiled over at him, making Rin nod in return.

"All I know is that we're going to have fun" Shima grinned at them all, wrapping his arm around Konekomaru. "Camping out like this is always a blast with friends, and we're going to make the most of it. I brought stuff for smores, and Mr. Okumura is going to actually join in with us this time with the fun, right?"

Yukio sighed, shaking his head at them. "No, I'm here to watch over Rin's exam, not relax like the rest of you. You're all here in the event that Rin is incapable of handling what he faces out in the forest. As exwires, it is unusual for you to be on such a job, but this forest doesn't have anything beyond low level demons to face. For you, it should be simply enough to respond to the flare, if Rin chooses to use it. Just make sure you leave in groups, and do not leave the protective barrier alone."

Around the camp, they'd set up a circle that repelled demons. Rin knew what he was supposed to do, though it likely was easier with everyone involved. Somewhere in the forest, there would be a lantern. He'd have to light it and return to camp with the lantern still lit. It sounded simple, which made Rin question exactly what he was missing in terms of how it functioned. The test to become an official page had been surprising, so he thought this one would be the same.

"I'm not gonna use it, so you guys just have fun!" Rin grinned at them, while they rolled their eyes.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll chicken out soon enough. Once you realize exactly what this job is, you'll realize it isn't as simple as it looks."

Rin shrugged, moving out despite Izumo's words. He'd already heard plenty of whispers about how they thought it was impossible to do this alone, after their experience with the lanterns. Rin wasn't sure if he believed them or not, but he was going to be cautious. "We'll be waiting for your return, Rin. Do not be afraid of signaling for help if things get bad. Maybe it does prevent you from taking this exam again in the near future, but it is always better to fail and live than to be too stubborn and die."

Nodding at Yukio's advice, Rin walked out from the circle alone. It was dark out, and he only had a few simple supplies to use while on this task. He had his sword with him on his back, always sheathed, and a single match that could either light the lantern, or the signal flare he'd been given if he got into trouble. They might not realize that he had more fire than they thought going into this task, but it wasn't like he could use it on anything. With how dark out it was, it'd be obvious if somewhere started lighting up with blue flames all of the sudden.

A few of the moth-like demons he'd been told about before were interested in him for just a moment, before quickly seeking out some place with more light. Really, the path to the lantern didn't have many problems overall. He was wondering what the issue really was when he finally saw the massive lantern in front of him. It was huge, and looked large enough for Rin to actually sit inside of it. He frowned at the sight, wondering how he could believably haul it back without revealing his demon strength. Yet, as he was thinking was when a voice called out to him. "Finally! It took you long enough to get here, little brother. I've been waiting to play with you for so long."

Looking upward, Rin frowned. Sitting on top of the lantern was what looked like a young boy, with green hair, a brown jacket and pants, and odd green leggings and long fingerless gloves of the same color. "I don't know who you think I am, but you've got the wrong guy. Just get out of my way." He needed to get that lantern, and he didn't have time for some weird camper.

The man laughed, clasping his hands together. "Oh? So you're not Rin Okumura, half-human son of Satan?" That made him stiffen, glancing up at the man. Who was this guy? "You are! Yay, I really do have the right boy then. A little birdie told me you'd be looking for this thing…though I can't fathom why. These lanterns are boring, and they're no fun to play with. You can play with me instead, alright?"

Stepping back, Rin glanced around. He was getting a sinking feeling about this guy…wondering exactly what his taunts meant. He'd greeted Rin as his little brother, and if he actually was looking for Rin…it meant this man was a demon, like Mephisto. "I'm not here to play games, especially not with some weird-ass demon like you."

"Shame. I guess I'll have to force you to play instead." With that, the man jumped off of the lantern, flipping and landing on the ground. Rin didn't know what he meant, but he braced himself for whatever this demon meant as play. Yet, he still wasn't prepared for what happened. The demon became a blur, charging forward faster than Rin could follow. Instantly, he felt something throw him backward, and he went flying into the trees behind him. When his back finally collided with one, Rin felt it knock the air out of him. A cracking noise screeched into the air, and the tree behind him snapped and bended, falling over from the force. The soreness in his back was already throbbing, and Rin questioned if something in him had broken from the hit. Yet, he didn't have time to question it since the demon was already coming after him again. Rolling out of the way, he just barely dodged the flying man who seemed ready to literally pounce onto him.

Scrambling to his feet, Rin began to run. He could get back to the lantern later, after this guy was gone. "Oh, you want to play tag? Well, that's fun too! Wait for me, little brother!" The voice called after him, laughing the entire time. He caught glimpses of the demon in the trees, and it only took moments for him to actually be ahead of him instead. "You're it!" That was emphasized with a massive punch to the gut, sending Rin back into more trees again. He coughed, grimacing again. Running wasn't going to cut it against this guy…but he couldn't fight without illuminating the whole forest in his flames.

"Aww…are you not going to chase after me too?" Rin only glared at the demon, slowly trying to delay and let himself heal from the damage this demon had already done.

"I told you before, I'm busy. Go bother someone else."

"But I've been waiting to bother you. After all, I get the feeling you're holding back on me, Rin. Why won't you show me those pretty flames of yours? I hear you managed to impress Astaroth with them, after all, and even Father bragged about the sight. If you impressed even him, then you must be something special…but you seem boring to me after all."

"Yeah? Well, I really don't care about being special right now." He glared at the demon, scowling in irritation. "So, why don't you go crawling right back to the hole you came from?"

"Because that wouldn't be fun. I haven't gotten to come out in play for ages, and I'm not going to leave until you've finally shown me what you can do!" With that, the green haired demon charged forward. Rin ducked to the side, trying to think of what he could do. Sure, he could send the signal flare…but that would put the others in danger too. They were skilled, but this was someone on Mephisto's level, someone directly related to Satan. From what he'd seen in the past, this demon was massively more powerful than anything they'd faced before.

Running again, Rin moved towards the lantern. He had to figure something out, and getting farther away might at least give him some kind of a chance at using his flames for defense. Yet, the demon was still faster. "Why are you running? You're the one that's it!"

Breathing heavily, Rin ducked behind the lantern again. Yet, the demon smashed through it like it was made of paper, shattering it completely and leaving Rin surrounded in rubble. There went his chances of passing. "Hey! I needed that, you bastard."

"If you played, maybe I wouldn't have broken it. But, you're boring me right now." The demon reached forward, grabbing Rin by the shirt and lifting him into the air. "Maybe I'll take that little sword on your back and have even more fun." With his eyes widening, Rin leaned back. He didn't have a choice, if he wanted to keep Kurikara away from this freak. For a brief moment, he ignited, letting flames surround him completely. The demon yelped, with his hand getting burnt, dropping Rin. Landing on his feet, Rin quickly reached behind himself, grabbing the sword and holding it tightly in his hand. The flames died away quickly, but they had still been bright for that moment. "So, you really do have those flames. I was starting to think they were all just toying with me, but I guess you really are my brother after all."

Trying to lose some weight, Rin dropped his bag as well. He didn't need those supplies in a fight like this. Yet, the demon oddly seemed interested in them. Seeing that, Rin started backing away, yet he noticed without even looking up. "If you think you can sneak away, go ahead. I'll find you again once I'm finished seeing what you have in here." He pulled out the match, holding it up in his hands to the moonlight. He frowned, eventually shrugging and tossing it aside. Then, he found the flare, blinking at it. "Oooh! Does this bring more players to our game? I bet it does!"

"Shut the hell up and leave it alone. You're targeting me, right?"

The demon nodded, holding the flare out by his side. "Sure, but it's always more fun when the stakes are higher. Want to protect your friends, little brother? Then start playing with me for real."

With those words between them, Rin tensed. Either this freak would summon the other exorcists, or he'd have to fight with his demonic powers once more. Part of him longed to do so…yet it also would mean a signal of a different sort for them. Debating, he finally sighed, pulling Kurikara from its sheath. "Fine. Drop the flare, and come get me."

"Finally!" The flare was tossed aside, forgotten as the demon noticed Rin's flames lighting up their surroundings. "Now, there's a real challenge for someone like me!"

With a weapon in his hand, Rin was now able to push back against the demon's next attack. "Like you, huh? Who the hell are you anyway?"

The demon paused, tilting his head. "Did I not introduce myself? Oops, my bad." He held out his hand with a grin, as if this was a pleasant meeting between friends or something. "I'm Amaimon, King of Earth."

Batting his hand away, Rin sent a spiral of flames shooting towards the demon. Amaimon pretty much danced around them, twisting around nimbly and laughing the whole time. When the flames died out, he remained perched on a tree, scratching his chin for a moment before focusing on Rin. Then, the demon launched himself forward, tackling Rin to the ground despite the flames surrounding the boy. "Wow, they really are as hot as Father's! Burn more, let me feel just how much you can do!"

Shoving the demon away, Rin backed away and scrambled to his feet again. Yet, Amaimon wasn't done. He ran forward again, flicking Rin in the head and proving who really had superior strength alone. Rin went flying back, breaking another tree in the process. Getting back up, he grimaced as he realized his breathing was a bit more difficult. Everything in him hurt, and this was starting to vaguely remind him of the way Grim's master had constantly outclassed him in some way before. Wiping away at his mouth, Rin rose to his feet, taking a deep breath. He needed to focus then, and do something unexpected. Amaimon didn't belong after all…so maybe he could send the bastard back to the world he belonged in.

Raising his hand, Rin shakily prepared himself. He was weak, so this would probably take away the last of his energy. Yet, Amaimon was charging forward again already, eager for the fight. Before Rin could cut his wrist, he was forced to use the sword to block instead, slashing out at Amaimon and cutting into the side of his stomach. The demon glanced down, frowning in confusion. "You cut me." He touched the wound, playing with the blood before looking up and smiling. "You actually cut me! Oh, how exciting! You might actually give me some proper entertainment before I win."

"It's coming from over here!" Rin heard a shout, making his head turn. Izumo…they were coming, because of the flames. Glaring at Amaimon, he slowly sheathed Kurikara, killing them instantly.

"We're done. You saw what you wanted, and you had your chance to fight."

"But I don't want to be done." The demon actually had the nerve to pout, placing his hands on his hips. "If you don't pull that back out, I'm gonna shout as loud as I can…and maybe send a few of my friends after yours. Which group do you think is stronger? My friends or yours?"

Rin had never met his friends, but there was no doubt what they'd be. "Rin…" A breathless voice shouted out from between the trees nearby. "What the hell are you doing idiot? Did you see that weird blue glow?"

"It looked like the same glow from the temple…like Satan's flames." Konekomaru was by his side, swallowing. "Wait…who's that?"

"Oh, I'm Rin's older brother."

"Like hell you are, you freak!"

Blinking, Amaimon tilted his head. "Didn't we already discuss this? I thought you said you were Rin Okumura, the son—"

"Shut up!"

Amaimon laughed, clasping his hands together. "Oh, now I get it! You want to tell them yourself, right? Or maybe you decided you're ready to keep playing? Because I'm getting bored with all this drama with your friends."

Glaring at him, Rin clutched the sword in his hand tightly. "Bon, Konekomaru…get out of here. I don't care what you see or what it looks like is out here…you just stay the hell away."

"Rin, what exactly are you planning on doing? This freak is just taunting you, together we can probably take him."

"He's only interested in me. If you guys leave, you'll be fine."

"Bon, there you—-wait, Rin is here too? Who's the guy with the weird hair?" Izumo joined, with Shiemmi following behind her. There were too many of them here. Rin didn't know what to do.

Frowning, Amaimon shook his head. Yukio was just catching up as well, but only in time for Amaimon to charge at Rin again. Seeing him move, Rin rushed forward himself, shouting into the air and trying to shove him back. "Well, that's a stupid approach. Clearly, I'm going to be stronger than you. It's just a fact of nature." Amaimon threw Rin back, into another tree and making the other exwires blink in shock.

"What the hell—"

"Rin!" Yukio charged forward, before Bon could do anything. He aimed at Amaimon, sending a few shots towards the demon directly. Yet, Rin was getting back up with a grimace. Amaimon dodged the bullets, only proving he was as fast as Rin had thought before. "Where the hell did he come from? That's Amaimon…"

"Amaimon? As in the demon king of Earth, that Amaimon?" Shima blinked at him, while Yukio slowly nodded.

"He's after me. If you guys run, he'll leave you alone."

"Rin…we're not doing that."

Getting back up, Rin sighed. He really had no choice then, if Yukio and the others were going to be so stubborn. "Then I guess you better just stay the hell away from me too." That made them blink, as Rin walked forward. "Amaimon…can I trust you to keep your word? If I keep playing this game with you, you'll leave them alone?"

"Hmmm…I suppose. Though, I can't guarantee I won't react to getting caught in the crossfire."

"Rin, you can't do this. He's a demon and can't be trusted." He heard Konekomaru's warning, and it made Rin smiled sadly, holding his sword. Yet, he ignored the man and kept walking towards Amaimon instead.

"Sorry guys. But I'm a demon too." Rin pulled his sword out again with those words, igniting in flames again. He didn't look back to see how they reacted. Right now, he needed to act fast before Amaimon moved to attack again. This time, Rin didn't even hesitate as he dragged his wrist across his sword, holding out his hand and meeting Amaimon's gaze steadily. "Are you just gonna stand there? I'm ready whenever you are." He could feel the calm energy mixing with the heat of his flames, pouring out alongside his blood. Rin tried to stay steady, but he could feel exhaustion weighing on him as this drew out even more power. At his feet, the blood was slowly flowing, moving to form a circle while Amaimon's gaze locked on him.

"Okumura's a demon? But that means Mr. Okumura—"

"Whatever the case is, we need to stay back." Izumo interrupted Ban, before he could say anything. "Those flames are Satan's power, and that means we can't get anywhere near him."

"Why would he do this now?" Yukio joined them, yet Rin still didn't turn.

With a gleeful laugh, Amaimon charged forward, falling for Rin's taunt. The half-demon smirked, pulling his bleeding hand back and readying Kurikara. Below him at his feet, he saw the grotesque sight of a Gehenna Gate, newly formed and ready. Standing his ground, he braced himself for Amaimon's attack, coming just as he stopped in front of Rin. Getting punched in the gut again was just as unpleasant as before, only this time it had the added effect of his classmates diving out of the way of his path. Getting back up, Rin focused on Amaimon, who blinked down at his feet. "This is…" He glanced up at Rin, his eyes wide. "Only Father can create this. How on Earth did a brat like you get this power?"

"I inherited his flames. Did you really think this wouldn't come too?" He walked closer, watching Amaimon sink down further.

"What's that by Rin's feet?" Shiemmi was asking the others.

"A Gehenna Gate…but I thought only Satan had enough power to create a gateway between world." Konekomaru frowned.

"Yeah, well it looks like that was just as much of a lie as the blue flames being only his too."

Turning towards Ban, Rin sighed. "I figured you'd all react this way." He sheathed his sword for a moment, trying to catch his breath. He still had to destroy the gate, but Amaimon was pretty much out of sight already. "That's why I couldn't say anything. It took me a long time to get control of this power, and even now, people like you just get terrified of it…because it means I'm nothing but a demon, right?" They didn't respond. Konekomaru looked away, his hands shaking by his sides.

Rin! A shout interrupted his thoughts, making him turn towards the forest. Why was Kuro tracking him down out here? You have to hurry. They're…when you guys get back, they're planning on starting it.

"Already? I thought you said they had no idea how to get through!"

Kuro appeared, running forward and startling the others. "He's talking to a cat?"

"Kuro is a demon…actually, it makes me wonder if Rin has actually been able to talk to him this entire time." Yukio watched them, sighing. "Even knowing who our birth father was, I never realized he'd actually been stupid enough to draw that sword and break the seal. This is beyond anything we ever thought he'd be able to do."

"And you aren't like him?" Shima frowned, turning towards his instructor. Yet, Rin wasn't focused on them as Yukio began explaining away their heritage, their mother, and how he hadn't inherited any of the demonic traits Rin had. No, he was focused on Kuro.

That's why it is only just starting, Rin. The man running it…he's your grandfather, one of the survivors of the Blue Night. He hadn't realized there were survivors, after he'd learned about it in class. He doesn't care about what remains of his family, only about destroying the place that took his daughter from him. Rin…he said he's going to use Yukio to do it, saying he can get Yukio to do whatever he wants with the right persuasion. Opening the gate…one of the size they want…it's going to kill him.

Looking towards Yukio, Rin froze. "No…he wouldn't. They wouldn't let that happen."

I'm sorry Rin…but they agreed. They think demons are too dangerous to let wander around…and that the sacrifice of one life is worth the benefit it will bring.

Closing his hands into fists, Rin turned around and faced the small gate still open in the grass. If he didn't close it soon, demons would likely be breaking through and into their world. Yet…he might need it to get away, sooner than he thought. Behind him, he could still hear the other exwires, turning on his brother and on him for their heritage. Turning towards them, he took a deep breath. "You guys can't stand us now, can you?" They blinked, while Yukio turned towards him with wide eyes.

"Rin, I'm only explaining the situation. While not everyone knows the truth about this, it doesn't mean we can't live normal lives."

"Yuki is right." Shiemmi stared at him, holding her arms close to her chest. "We're all friends, and we can figure this out together."

"But…their father is responsible for all of it…for the Blue Night, and everything that happened at the temple." Konekomaru stared at them, before looking away quickly. "It…I just don't think you can be trusted."

"Well, all things considered, he did save us from that Amaimon demon. I don't think any of us could have gotten rid of him so quickly." Izumo shook her head, sighing. "As much as it pains me to admit it, I think Rin really was just trying to help. Plus, Mr. Okumura has been teaching us since we started on the path of becoming exorcists. I don't think he'd have gotten by this long if he had any kind of demonic blood in him."

"See?" Yukio turned towards Rin, who closed his eyes. "They're all on our side, Rin. We can make this work—"

"Can you just stop trying to make it sound like we need to stay?" Yukio went silent, and Rin turned his gaze on him. "I get it, alright? I see that I can make friends here, that maybe I can actually be accepted too…but that doesn't change the truth about this place. Exorcists hunt demons, Yukio. Satan is their greatest enemy, and I'm his son…with all of the powers that come with that. Do you really think they're going to just sit back and do nothing when they find out I'm here? They'll order everyone to kill me, and when they don't, they don't seem like the kind of group that'll just sit back and let that go unpunished. Yukio, the exorcists aren't going to judge character first…not like my classmates will."

"Where would you even go?" Ban stepped forward, scowling at him. "It's a hard path, I get it, but that doesn't mean you have other options. Stop complaining, suck it up, and just get it through your head that this is your life now. I don't know what brought you to True Cross, or what made you want to be an exorcist in the first place, but it you leave, I'll personally hunt you down and drag your ass back, Okumura."

"Even if it's the only thing that keeps me alive?"

Ban went silent, while Yukio frowned at him. "What do you even mean, Rin? We aren't reporting this to the Vatican or anything, so there's nothing to worry about. Your secret is safe, just as it has always been."

He hadn't even realized Yukio knew, but that didn't matter right now. Glancing at Kuro, he realized he didn't have another choice. "They're planning on killing you, Yukio." His brother went quiet, his eyes wide. "The Vatican wants to destroy Gehenna in one blow…and to do that, they need to open a Gehenna Gate larger than anything we've seen before. Now, I know you only saw me do it once, but can you think of what might be necessary to open a gate in the first place?"

"I don't know Rin, it's not like exorcists are trying to strengthen the connection between our worlds. Stop trying to make it am mystery and just explain it properly."

"Blood." Izumo spoke, folding her arms over her chest. "You cut yourself on your sword before the gate opened, so I'm guessing it needs blood to form."

Nodding, Rin turned back around. "And the larger the gate, the more blood it needs. If they kill one of us to form the gate…well, that's the only way to get what they want, Yukio. I even made sure I wasn't insane for thinking this too, having Kuro look into it for me."

"The cat's been spying on people? That's awesome! I can't believe I didn't realize before, how our feline companions could listen in on even the most private of conversations—" Shima was speaking, before Konekomaru nudged him to make him stop. "Sorry." He rubbed the back of his head, looking away.

Kuro looked pleased, however, nuzzling Rin's leg after Shima's comment. "And why exactly am I only hearing of this now, Rin? There are other ways to deal with these things other than running away."

"But that doesn't mean it will stop the hatred towards us." He turned towards Yukio, thinking about what he knew of Earthland. Could he get there? Thinking, he slowly began to smile. Maybe he would be able to arrive after all. There was someone rather keen on keeping him in that world, at the very least. "Look, it isn't ideal, Yukio…and I know you don't think it is right…but can't you see we don't have any other options? We need to get away from the exorcists, before they try and hunt us down for one reason or another. All that sticking around will do is get us used or killed, or both. After everything I've been through, I really can't say I'm fond of the idea of either of those options, Yukio."

"As much as I hate to admit it, Rin does have a point." Izumo looked over at Yukio, sighing. "If I hadn't known Rin for months before this, I probably would be freaking out right now. Even with knowing him, you can see Konekomaru isn't taking it well."

"I'm taking it just…fine." Konekomaru looked at his feet, closing his eyes. "Really…I'll be…okay. It's just different, that's all."

"But you'd still be more comfortable if the sons of Satan weren't roaming around Assiah, right?" Shima smiled at him, patting his shoulders. "You can admit it. Rin himself already said he figured we'd hate him, so I doubt he'd be offended or anything. Plus…as much as I want them to stay, I don't want them to be at risk to do so. Wouldn't you rather make it easier for them to make this choice?"

They were helping him. Rin didn't know if it was them selfishly trying to get them away, or not, but he still smiled at them nonetheless. Yukio was listening, closing his eyes and taking slow breaths. "You want to just leave now? Where do you even think we'll go?" He pointed to the gate on the ground, meeting his eyes. "That gate brings us to Gehenna, Rin, a world of demons. If you think it does anything else, you're wrong."

"It was a Gehenna Gate that brought me to Earthland in the first place…combined with a bit of magic, though." Rin rubbed the back of his head. "It…might be a bit of a risk, but I can bring us back right away if it doesn't work. It's just…I have this hunch, that he'll still interfere if I go through the gate again. Maybe I'm wrong, but this guy is pretty dead set on reaching his goal, and last I heard, he was pretty desperate for me to help him get there."

"You want us to go through a Gehenna Gate on a hunch?" Yukio looked like he was ready to explode with that suggestion, while Rin nervously bit at his lower lip.

"Uh—"

"Actually, I think you should go, together." Shiemmi spoke quietly looking over at Yukio. "I know it'll be hard, and we'll all miss you two very much…but I don't want anyone to get hurt. Even if that gate doesn't bring you to the world you want to see, it will still bring you to a place where the exorcists that are afraid of you won't be able to reach. And, if it doesn't work out, Rin can always bring the two of you back, right?"

Grinning at her, Rin nodded. "Right."

Yukio watched her for a moment, gazing out over the others. They were smiling, giving him nods of encouragement or an occasional comment to try and help. Yet again, Rin didn't know if he would call it selfish or not…but it looked like they might actually care, unlike he expected. They weren't like he thought they were, so blinded by hatred for demons and unable to see the truth of who someone was. If he'd stayed, Rin might have actually opened up for a change and become friends with them. Yet, he had a different home to get to, with friends that had been waiting far longer to see him return.

Slowly, Yukio nodded and walked towards him. "Alright, Rin. I'll trust you. Just…please, be careful if this goes wrong. I don't want to get separated in Gehenna, if that's really where we end up."

I'm coming too! There's no way I'm sticking around with those exorcists planning to kill every demon alive. Rin laughed, crouching down and picking up Kuro in response.

"Of course you are. You ready?" Rin glanced towards Yukio, who nodded. "Then stay calm. I'm actually pretty good with this stuff, so it won't burn you unless I want it to." That seemed to make Yukio's eyes widen as Rin unsheathed his sword with his free hand, stepping towards the gate. "See you guys later! Thanks for everything…really." They nodded, giving him a thumbs up. Shiemmi was crying faintly, with Shima trying to hide the fact that he'd joined her. Ban gave him a characteristic scowl, keeping his arms crossed over his chest and refusing to look at him. Izumo had already written them off, focusing on her nails instead, yet it was still the group of people he'd gotten to know again in his own world. They weren't that bad, of course, but he had a place that felt like family waiting for him elsewhere.

With Yukio's hand in his and Kuro now climbing onto his shoulder, Rin stepped into the gate. His flames danced around his body, and as he sunk down, he waited. Rin really didn't know how far gone he had to be to be 'stuck' in the gate, but it really didn't matter too much. When he figured he was far enough gone, he reached upward with his sword, stabbing through the head of the gate and destroying it for anyone else seeking to use it again. Flames erupted from the spot his sword stabbed through, surrounding the gate and burning it away from existence. Meanwhile, Rin, Yukio, and Kuro fell together into a void of darkness, while Rin felt a familiar pull gradually tug him away from the world Yukio expected them to see.

I always thought Amaimon was a fun character, so I couldn't resist including their little fight here. Still, I've now accomplished my goal of bringing him back to Earthland, this time with Yukio and Kuro! Feel free to review and tell me what you think!