"Peace and harmony, those were the attributes that governed the dimension of Caelum when it was still young. It was in this dimension where God resided with his three sons, the eldest, Lucifer?now commonly known as Satan? God's "morning star" who would wake the light and life in all of Caelum. The middle child, Michael, who stood by God's side through thick and thin and tried to become the perfect child like that of his elder brother. Finally, the youngest son, Buer, the son who provided God with knowledge of philosophy, logic, and ethics. Each of these sons became Archangels of God in their right by providing him with anything that was needed for the purpose of peace and harmony to be given to all. And peace and harmony reigned for a millennium.*
At the end of the first millennium, it was then when the Morning Star began to court a young angel with the name of Yuri?￢ﾀﾜthe light of God." Lucifer became entrapped with not only her beauty but her mind, the way she described the feeling of being able to serve their creator or the way she would help any Angel no matter the circumstances. But most of all he adored the way she acted when she became worried about others, like a mother who worried about her children when they were injured or depressed. In fact, he became so entrapped, that more than half a decade later wedding bells sang throughout the dimension of Caelum as the first son of God and the leader of the Archangels married. The celebration lasted for two days and three nights, but none paid mind to it as a celebration such as this would possibly not come again.
On the third night of the celebration, God and his other two sons, congratulated Lucifer and Yuri as they were ready to depart on their honeymoon.
"My son, may you two live prosperous and bring forth a new era soon." God had told them.
"Father, may you guide the new era we bring to peace and harmony, as we will help teach them your way of life." Morning Star replied.
"May you guide us on this path, my lord," said Yuri.
And with those words, they departed for three days and four nights, away from the bustle of the center of Caelum, and to the peaceful expanse of the outer dwellings.
Upon arriving at their destination Yuri turned to face her husband with a smile and a thought.
"My love," she began. "I wish to create something, something that will show our Creator the love we hold for him. I wish for his word to be shared by many, not just us Angels, but for something more."
"Something more? Whatever do you mean Yuri?"
Yuri gave him a soft smile as she shook her head, not knowing how to answer the Archangel in front of her. The gift she wished to present to the father of the Archangel she married would not exist until ten millennia have passed.
It was a decade after their marriage that they were given the news of Yuri bearing a child. A child! However, even though this news was one that called for rejoicing, it was one that brought sadness into Lucifer. An angel who gives birth to a child always dies after they are born, and are reborn only after a century has passed. By the time Yuri is reborn, the child would have already reached the age of immortality and begun intermediate magic lessons.
It saddened them both knowing this. Yuri would miss their child's first step, word, magic spell, and first flight. But the thought of giving the man she loved a child gave her strength, plans for future began to transpire in her mind, and the gift she wished to present to God would come with this child.
Now understand, pregnancy for humans, demons and angels are different from one another. While it may take a human an average of nine months to give birth, it is doubled for demons and angels. While human children only have to worry for the basic humanoid formation, demons and angels must watch for other appendages (e.g., wings, tails, scales, etc.) to form for the offspring.
And it was eighteen months later when the first child of the Archangel Lucifer and the light of God was born. It was a day of celebration on the part of the others, but it was also a day of mourning for Morning Star.
A boy, with blonde locks and golden eyes, was born to both of them, Yuri took one look at her first born and had whispered, "My little bearer of light."
And thus the first born was named after his father, the one who woke the light to shine upon others, while his son would be the one to bring light to his father and shine it upon him. And light he did shine upon his father, but not only had their first born bear pure white wings, but also a thin tail that shined as bright as the sun at the end of it. However, they paid it no mind, as it was not uncommon for Angels to be born with them.
"I'll be reborn again love until then, wait for me, as I will be waiting for the day you will find me again," Yuri whispered to her love in a hoarse voice.
"I will my love." He had whispered back, and with one final kiss, Yuri died with baby Lucifer still in her arms.
This cycle would continue seven more times, each child born with different powers that would change the world of Caelum."
"And you kept the promise?" Satan looked at his ten-year-old daughter through the looking glass. An exact image of Yuri, from her raven-blue hair to her pale skin and Caspian blue eyes that were filled with curiosity and knowledge.
"Yes, child. It was my duty as a husband and as God's Archangel to never look at a woman who was not my betrothed. Of course, there were moments that I truly believed that she was gone, but her soul was not yet ready to come back to me, not yet at least. You understand that your brothers and yourself were born under different circumstances correct?"
"Yes, father. Amai-nii told me that even though we all share the same mother, they were born while she was still an Angel. However, I was born while she was human. Do you think she'll be reborn again?" I asked with hope-filled eyes.
My father looked at me through the mirror, "I wish I could answer that my Princess; however, I sadly cannot. It is unclear whether or not your mother, Yuri, will return to our family again; after all, it took me a while to find her again before you were born. Until then, be patient, your mother will always be by our side."
"Alright, father."
"Now, go back to your studies, you'll need them in the future. This also includes your school studies." Satan gave a stern look with his gold eyes. The look of a father reprimanding his daughter.
"Yes, father." Rin gave him a small wave before the image of her father disappeared.
"Shall we begin Rin-chan?"
"Yes, Sammy."**
My eyelids fluttered open as the conversation I had with my father ended. It's been five years since we've had that conversation, and there has still been no sign of mother; why am I so attached to her? I haven't even met her, I've felt her, but I have yet to actually see her, hear her, hug her. I sat up in my bed looking around my room. It was close to the same size room Yukio and I had shared back at the monastery, if you removed the second bed and desk from our shared room. A room all to myself, no roommates to bother me, no annoying brother asking me repeated questions, and most importantly no one to question my whereabouts. The perks of being the freshman Fine Arts representative and sister to the Dean of True Cross.
It's been three days since the hobgoblin incident. It's been three days since Yukio questioned me how I got them under control. It's been nine years, one month, and three days since I refused to tell Yukio the truth. The lie was simple and easy and not entirely a lie, Mephisto and I scared them, and we (read: I) decided to keep one in order to make amends with Yukio. He bought it, humans love to hear only what's convenient for them when they need it after all. Yukio had given me a strange look, but I ignored it I've stopped caring about his own thoughts when I found out his secret long ago.
Tossing off the blue covers that were on me, I glanced at the blinking red numbers on top of my desk. 07:50, I had enough time to just sleep again, but Yukio would probably ask me to join him for breakfast and the apparent tutoring I needed. I smirked at the idea of me needing to be tutored, my work had already been completed, I had a new cuisine picked out to make, as was instructed by my teacher during orientation. The homework Yukio had provided for us during our first class session and other materials provided by my other exorcist instructors have been completed. Honestly, how is that material called homework? It's too freaking easy, then again what they know about demons is just the freaking tip of the iceberg.
Getting up I made my way to the window overlooking the park that was occupied with some late joggers. I giggled at them, why do humans worry about their physical appearances? It's so much easier to accept who you are, and not let the social norms decide what you should or should not be. After all, demons don't mind their physical appearances, they have long ago embraced who they are inside and out.
Raising my arms toward the ceiling, I could hear everything pop right into place and begin to feel myself finally waking up. I smiled in bliss, as I continued my morning stretches when I was interrupted by my phone ringing, and there was only one person who I had given that annoying ringtone to. Yukio. Sighing, I grabbed my phone and accepted the call, but before I was able to even get out a good morning, Yukio had begun to speak.
"Nee-san, would you like to have breakfast with me this morning? I understand that you probably still haven't woken up yet, so I'll send you a text message telling you where we should meet up. Oh! Before I forget, bring the materials that you received in the first three days of class, knowing you, you probably have to start any of them. After I hang up don't you dare fall asleep, you'll be awakened by your phone ringing again anyways. See you later Rin."
I could feel my left eye twitch at my brother as he hung up, and not even a second later the message he had promised to send arrived into my inbox.
From: Four Eyed Mole Face
To: Nee-san
Subject: Breakfast Information
Message: Location - Votre Choix Café. When - 0830. Materials - Yourself, Komaken, and cram school homework. Please DO NOT be late.
What the heck? Seriously, what the double fuck?
Inhaling my anger at my dear brother's message, I held it for a few seconds and exhaled it as I loosened my grip on my phone. I placed my phone back to its usual spot on my desk and went to the adjourning half bathroom; another perk, I get my own bathroom, but without the bathtub.
Less than ten minutes later, I had on crimson combat boots, denim jeans, a gray belt, a black shirt with a white hooded jacket on top. Grabbing my phone, keys, Kurikara, and backpack, I made my way out of the dorm and toward my destination. Along the way, I encountered other classmates who I wished good morning to and a smile. I even stopped to give advice to a few who were having trouble on figuring out what cuisine to create for their first assignment.
As I left campus, I came to find myself in the bustle of True Cross' morning rush, adults holding cups of coffee or a piece of bread as they rushed to work, businesses opening up for the day, and random tourist here and there. I smiled as the smell of food from different restaurants began to fill the air surrounding me, the smell of the bakery just three blocks away mixing in with the smell of brewing coffee began to fill me up with glee. Food, any food, it's smell always made me and my brothers melt right on the spot, the perk of being a demon, we have a refined palate, but sometimes our curiosity of being able to try new things lead us to try disgusting food that makes us barf. And not in a pretty way.
Looking down at my wristwatch I read the time, five minutes until 8:30, awesome plenty of time left. I began to make my way through the throng of people on the sidewalk as I made my way to the café with the fresh smell of ground coffee beans. As I arrived minutes later in front of the cozy corner of the café, I looked through the window to see Yukio already sitting in one of the corner tables reading a book over pharmaceuticals. Entering I came to see a few True Cross students spread out with their group of friends, some either on their computers others with a book in hand. Going up to the barista I quickly ordered for a Red Eye, as I needed a major jump start for the day, paying I turned around and made eye contact with Yukio who had placed his book on the side as he saw me enter.
"I have a Red Eye waiting for Okumura-san," said the barista who had rung me up.
"Thank you!"
Grabbing my drink I made my way toward Yukio was located and plopped myself in the seat across from him. He raised an eyebrow at my choice of drink, but I just shrugged as he waited for an answer. After all, I can't just say that the only reason I got this drink was in order to deal with whatever bullshit Yukio was probably going to throw my way in any second. Before I uttered a word at his direction I took a sip out of the steaming warm cup that was before me. Oh gosh, the taste, the smell, the smoothness of the drink as engulfed it made all my senses go into hyperdrive. Such deliciousness can only truly be known as heaven. The crisp and pleasant aftertaste brought me to a state of bliss and the aroma of its freshly ground coffee beans gave me my own type of high. Yeah, I can start the day like this.
Looking toward Yukio I could see an amused expression right across his face, he was trying not to laugh at the expression I had made for sure, but who cares, I got coffee.
"I'm planning on visiting the old man this weekend." As I said that, Yukio's expression became serious and quite.
"Okay."
At least one discussion was out of the way, or so I thought.
"I want to talk about dad."
Oh gosh, he's going to ask me about what transpired that night, isn't he? I looked him straight in the eyes as he asked his question.
"What was he like? That night I mean."
What? What was he… I looked at Yukio and looked back down to the cup of coffee I still had in my hands. I stared down at the disappearing foam, thinking long and hard on how to phrase my next statement. I couldn't exactly say that the old man was weak against Father, nor that what he did was in vain. No. This was my brother I am talking to, meaning this is just another lie that I had to make on the spot. Is it a bad lie? No, it's a simple white lie, a lie that doesn't provide the whole truth, just a truth that by younger twin wishes to hear.
"He was damn cool," I say silently. "He's in a coma because he protected me."
I raised my hand in order to stop him from talking.
"It's not because of revenge or anything like that, that I decided I to be an exorcist. I just...want to be someone strong, so when the old man wakes up, I'll be the one to protect you both."
A shadow was cast over Yukio's expression as I tried to it. I then looked at his shadow, and to my surprise, it was smiling. Not in a demeaning or cynical way, but one of relief and guilt.
"In that case, I was the same way. I became an exorcist to become stronger."
I looked at my twin and smiled, "I guess that makes us the Idiot Sibling Duo!"
"Yeah, no thanks."
Well, there was one matter out of the way, now a billion left to go.
"So why did you call me here today Yuki?"
And so our conversation began from talking about Father Fujimoto to how the hell I completed all my homework without a flaw. And to say the least, it wasn't all that bad. Not the way we began to bicker over small details of how coffee should be taken or how my handwriting could be improved upon.
By the time we were heading out of Votre Choix Café it was close to 10 a.m.
"You going somewhere after this little bro?"
"Yeah, actually. A request came in, so I need to go and handle it, also I'll be taking care of some shopping while I'm at it."
"A request? You mean, an exorcism!"
Yukio nodded.
"Take me with you!" Yukio looked at me in total shock at my exclamation. "C'mon! You know I learn better when I see this kinda stuff in action. That's how I got all of my assignments out of the way anyways. I've also already been on the field, technically, so screw any authorization needed just because I'm just a Page." I declared.
"I do suppose you have a point there." Yukio gazed at my direction before letting out a sigh of resignation. "I will allow you to observe, but only if you do exactly what I say."
I eagerly nodded my head, with a giant smile evident on my face as I followed Yukio to the closest locked door.
"This is the supplier's key, one of the few keys only qualified exorcists are allowed to possess."
Um… Qualified? Oops.
I watched as Yukio had turned the small key into the keyhole of the wood door. On the other side, I saw an expanse of blue clear skies, a walkway that is probably 300 meters or so above the ground below us. The brick walkway led to a Japanese style house sitting on top of a tower-like structure with trees, flowers, and grass being vibrantly visible from what I could see. The landscape was beautiful, sure it wasn't on par with Amaimon's garden of Amahara, but it could easily be second best.
As we came to a halt at the end of the brick steps that led to the home, Yukio turned around to look at me.
"I'll be heading in to complete both the request and buy a few a things, so you wait here for a few minutes, okay?"
I literally came all this way for no damn reason. Gee, thanks, Yukio, I love how much trust you have in me. I appreciate it.
As if sensing my complaint he further explained how the shop was only open to exorcists and above as well as spewing nonsense of "no wandering about" and "don't touch anything."
Honestly, he can't exactly expect me to listen to him, I'll do the freaking opposite what he just asked me to do. Stupid Yukio, I'll show you what happens when you treat your older sibling as an annoying brat.
Crossing my arms as I stood there waiting for Yukio to hurry his butt up, I glanced toward my right to see a different path leading to a black iron gate. Along the gates border, was laid a protective ward to fight off against demons. Beyond that, stood something closely resembling that of Amahara, except, this was only made from Japanese vegetation and with less wildlife. Amai-nii has a competitor in the business of Earth it seems. I perked up as my eyes went to look at a young girl, most likely my age, as she tended to the garden. She had on a brightly colored kimono with a colored haori, an apron that was not covered with dirt and grime, and a blissful smile that indicated that she enjoyed her work. She was surrounded by yellow and purple bulbs that she was beginning to plant in front of her. I was too caught up in the pureness and simpleness this human showed that I barely even registered that I had grazed the gate with the tip of my fingers until a burning sensation ran through my body.
"Shit!" I cried as one of the gate doors fell apart.
The girl looked up at the sounds and stared right at me before giving out a shriek of her own. "Demon," she started. "A demon!"
"Huh?" I looked at her in confusion until I remembered the ward I seen earlier. "What the heck? I ain't no demon! Sure I may not exactly be all human, but that doesn't mean you should go deciding things like that." I whispered the end at the thought of my Father's true term for demons. We are not demons, we are fallen angels, angels who were cast down by God, we are the exiled. Demon is just a term that humans created in order to distinguish Angels from Exiled Angels.
I watched as she began to back up, shrieking in fear; however, I noticed that instead of standing up and running, she crawled away almost as if…
"Hey, is there… Is there something wrong with your legs?"
"Huh?" She turned her head to look at me, I could feel her confused gaze at me as I stared down at her bare feet. Her bare feet were dirty from the soil and fertilizer, and there was something greenish-brown wrapped around her ankles. This was probably the request that Yukio was asked to complete while we were at Votre Choix.
"Your legs. Can I take a look at them? Those injuries look familiar."
The girl turned around as she watched as I slowly crouched down to her level. Looking straight into her eyes, I assured her that she would be okay, no harm would come to her if she allowed me to look. Seeing her nod, I gently grabbed her ankle and slowly raised the bottom of her kimono to the end of her knee. There I saw that the traces reached the top of her feet and extended to her knees. Roots, that's what they are, more specifically a mashou from a demon, a Dekalp. I looked around us to figure out where the annoying demon was. That's when I spotted her, right behind Shiemi, in the form of a Viola wittrockiana, a purple pansy. I glared at the young thing, barely even two centuries old, and she was already wanting to try and possess a human, how pathetic and utterly stupid of it. Well, someone was going to be getting a harsh talking to from their King.
"Um…"
"Oh! I am Moriyama. Moriyama Shiemi, sorry." I looked back at her and smiled.
"Moriyama-san, have you been talking to anyone or anything for the past couple of days? From what I can tell, these are injuries that can only be produced from a Dekalp. These types of injuries can lead the Dekalp to possess unsuspecting victims. So, please, have you been talking to anyone lately in this garden?"
She looked me dead in the eyes and shook her head as if to deny what I was saying. I looked back, and gave her a stern look, asking her not to lie to me.
"After," she started with hesitation. "After my Grandmother died, I kept hearing a voice, a voice that would help me get through it. The voice would talk to me, reassure me that I could protect this garden, Grandma's garden. She promised to give me all the power I needed to protect this garden. I just. I just want to protect this garden, Grandma's precious treasure. It's my fault she died after all. She died because I went looking for the Garden of Amahara rather than stay and help tend to covering up the grapes. Because of the promise we made with the voice, I can't leave."
Amahara? The Garden of Eden. The garden Amai-nii had created for God, in honor for the peace and harmony he loved. Why was she looking for it? Unless… No, she wouldn't. Her shadow shows no malice, she's too, pure.
"You want to leave right? You don't want to spend the rest of your life here, do you?
"What is it you really want to do? You want to find the Garden of Amahara don't you? Or, do you think that granny of yours would tell you not to go?" I demanded.
"No. No. No, she wouldn't. Oh gosh! How could I be so stupid! And now, my legs won't move, they won't move!" She cried in desperation as she hugged my waist, her tears began to soak through my black shirt as she attempted to calm down. However, that failed. Unsure of what to do, I wrapped my arms around her shaking figure in an effort to comfort the pure child. I looked up to the young Dekalp behind Moriyama, as it kept shaking in anger and fear as I glared at it.
'You may still be young, but you should know better than to possess humans, especially ones who have yet to be corrupted by God.' I said to it mentally. 'You will get a lesson over this situation from your King. Do you understand?'
The small demon vanished from the flower as it saw my eyes turn a hue of red, and I smirked.
Glancing down at Moriyama-san's legs I noticed that the injuries had vanished.
"Moriyama-san. Look, I think the demon heard your plea."
By this point, her sobbing had decreased as she pushed herself from the tight hug that she was given me. Looking down, she noticed that her once injured legs had healed.
"Do you think I can-"
"Why don't we try Moriyama-san." I stood up and held out my left hand towards her. "Come on."
She looked at me, then at my outstretched hand before she took a breath, held it, and exhaled. Grabbing hold of my hand, I helped hoist her up to her feet.
She smiled as she noticed she was able to stand up on her own with her own two feet without falling down due to exhaustion.
"I'm fine. I'm fine! Thank you so much!" Her smile, it's too freaking pure, but then it fell again.
"What?"
"I just remembered, I don't even know your name."
"Okumura Rin, but you can call me Rin It's nice to meet you, Moriyama-san."
"Okumura? Are you related to Yukio in anyway?" Her eyes lit up when she mentioned Yukio's name to me. A light filled with extreme admiration toward a guy who lied to his sister. She has a crush on him, doesn't she?
"Yeah, he's my younger twin."
"Wait. Younger? I thought… I thought you were the younger one."
"Heh. Why don't we get your bulbs planted."
"Yeah!"
My lesson: Promises are strong bonds, but family is stronger.
*This website has a list of Fallen Angels so I'll be using it…sometimes: /lists/list-fallen-angels/
**Yeah I started off a flashback, took me a bit to plan it all out, but it came together quite nicely if I do say so myself.
Sorry for the delay guys, I hope the chapter length makes up for it. I feel as this is going to be the longest chapter I will ever write for this series. I guess most of it was from the flashback, no, wait, the flashback was about two pages long, everything else about 6 pages long?
This note is for you all on FanFiction who leave comments:
I will be answering your comments on my Tumblr page very soon, I just need to actually have time to get it. Sorry for the delay on that.
Word Count: 4,693