"My servants have informed me that you demanded an audience with the Duke of the Abyss himself." the sound of slow, deliberate footsteps echoed through Abaddon's throne hall. He wore a rich robe adorned with gems and embroidery, which provided him with an air of a true ruler. Just as it should be - he had had just enough of the plain suits his 'master' made him wear when in Assiah. Now, when he was finally allowed to restore order in his realm, he would do so as a proper overlord. "So, tell me, demoness - why is it you find yourself important enough to barge into my estates unannounced? And I am warning you, think well about your answer, for I am in a particularly foul mood today." the red-haired demon grated, looking down at the probably soon-to-be-exemplary-executed visitor. The demoness bore an appearance of a woman in her early thirties, long, jet-black hair framing her oval face with cat-like, violet eyes and thin lips. She was dark-skinned, short, and rather thin, the black cloak completely hiding her figure. The nightshade embroidery on her cloak was the only distinctive mark, hinting at her association with the Alsumu clan - the poison-makers. "My Lord, please forgive me for my insolence - I am but your humble servant, bringing important information to your attention. Information related to your current search for the missing essence of your insect servants, the Apocalypse Rai…"
Before she could finish the sentence, she found herself pinned to the wall, her throat in a firm grip of her lord. "How did you learn about the search?! Speak!" Abaddon demanded in an uncompromising voice that promised a slow death, should the answer prove unsatisfactory. "M-my Lord, I swear on Satan's Flames t-that I learned only by accident. The reason… ngh... t-the reason is that I have been searching for a very similar thing for some time by myself." she spoke with a strangled voice. Abaddon's grip slightly loosened. "Explain yourself." "S-she purified some of your Apocalypse Riders a-and their life essence is nowhere to be found. A mortal. A young girl... with golden hair and eyes, r-right?" A displeased, sinister expression appeared on the demon's face. "So, the Riders were foolish enough to share her description, as well…" the Lord of Abyss gritted out, his claws pricking the demoness' skin again. "N-no, none of your servants betrayed t-that to me. I s-speak from my own memory - I know about the human girl, for I have met her before and… and s-seen with my own eyes what she can do." the demoness met Abaddon's eyes meaningfully, earning herself freedom from that nasty grip. "You have my attention, demoness of the Alsumu. Tell me everything you know."
OoO
"Go to Shura's weekend house tonight? Sir Pheles, what kind of an assignment is that supposed to be?" Yukio frowned at yet another of the ridiculous demands of his extravagant headmaster. "You heard me, Mr. Okumura. Your students are having a get-together tonight and I wish you to join them." the demon smirked at the young teacher from behind the huge wooden desk. "But Sir, I have already declined the invitation. Our search team is meeting tonight to go through the personal data which might connect the students whose files have been stolen. Surely, that is more important than…" Yukio tried to explain, but Mephisto stepped in smoothly. "Ah, about that - you have been temporarily reassigned from the search team. Tonight, you shall join your students at the campsite. Your assignment is to keep an eye on Konekomaru Miwa and Miss Heilbrunn and ensure their safety."
"Are they in danger?" Yukio adjusted his glasses, his pose suddenly at ready, his left hand subconsciously resting on the holster of his gun. "That's the spirit." the demon grinned inwardly, satisfied with his choice of Thea's tonight's bodyguard. And the bodyguard of the other kid, of course… "They both are on the list of the individuals whose personal information was stolen during the invasion. I have every such individual watched as a precaution, and these two will be your responsibility. At least for tonight..." Mephisto explained. "I understand, Sir." "Splendid!" Mephisto exclaimed, clasping his hands. "Now, I suggest you go prepare yourself. You do not want to arrive empty-handed, do you? Especially after you changed your mind about camping so suddenly..." he winked and started arranging and folding some documents. "I am counting on you, Mr. Okumura. Keep them safe." the headmaster added, fixing Yukio with a serious look, which earned him a most startled expression from the teacher. "Of course, Sir Pheles. I'll be on my way." Yukio bowed and turned to leave.
As soon as the demon heard the door close, he checked the documents on his desk one more time, then went over the list of destinations and details in his head again. "Now that all has been taken care of for tonight, it is time to depart." he nodded to himself and changed his outfit to a less eye-catching one with a snap of his fingers. "Something simple, decent, yet still expensive-looking. Maybe a pair of glasses, too? Perfect." he smirked at his new apparel in the mirror, then the 'ein-zwei-drei' incantation brought him to Europe. To be more precise, Hannover, Germany. There, in the city of fairs, he had his own investigation to run. Too many unanswered questions revolved around one of his especially troublesome students and it was about time he checked her background thoroughly…
OoO
"OK, the fish-sticks are ready guys, so let's dig in!" Rin called out enthusiastically, waving with one of them over the camping fire. "Yey!" came a collective response from the group of Exwires who were preoccupied by various activities - from chopping some vegetables for the salad side-dish to setting up the table. "Rin, those look just delicious!" Shiemi clasped her hands in delight, causing the half-demon to blush furiously. "Oh man, I could cook for her every day… I must remember all her favorite foods!" he thought, already imagining Shiemi falling in love with him thanks to all the yummy meals he would prepare for her. "After all, the way to your love's heart is through the stomach." Rin grinned victoriously, fully aware of his superb chef skills.
"Finally, real food! I am starving..." Izumo rushed in with some plates, which she almost dropped as Bon bumped in her shoulder. "Shush, idiot. Don't you see she's already feeling down?!" he berated the twin-tailed girl. "Oh, please, so she can't cook. Big deal…" she rolled her eyes, glancing sideways at Thea, who looked as if she would rather hide herself in the bushes for the rest of the night. "Don't listen to her, Thea. It was not that bad. Really." Konekomaru patted the blonde at her back sympathetically. "Are you serious? You forced yourself to eat it and then threw it up!" the blonde buried her face into her hands. She couldn't believe it - all of her vegetable curry had to be thrown away because, apparently, it was inedible! "Were the ingredients spoiled? Maybe the coconut milk was old… or maybe… Oh, who am I kidding? It was simply terrible… My whole life has been a lie!" the blonde girl sulked, the illusion of her cooking genius completely destroyed. And as everyone was getting hungry, there was no time to go back to the city and buy some food, so the students decided to search the stock in Miss Kirigakure's weekend house. Unfortunately, there was not much to use apart from some rice and seasoning, because apparently, their teacher's shopping list consisted mostly of liquor. And so the boys just caught some fish in the nearby pond for Rin to prepare.
"Well, yeah, but my stomach had already been upset from today's lunch. Honest! And you healed it in a blink of an eye, so no damage done." "That's right. Maybe your hand just slipped, and you put in more salt or something…" Bon assured, scratching his head nervously at the obvious lie. "Well then, how about you try at least the cake? Even Ayami swears I couldn't spoil anything sweet." Thea offered with puppy eyes, but Konekomaru's and Bon's faces paled at the prospect of trying yet another of her creations. "Pfff… you mean the same Ayami who somehow convinced you that that 'vegetable curry' was her 'favorite'? Hey, ouch!" Izumo yelled as Bon pulled at one of her twin tails. "You just can't give it a rest, can you?" the classmate growled. "Excuse me? If you haven't noticed, I just pointed out that this Ayami must be a really good friend! Whoever is willing to eat that stuff must be willing to suffer for you greatly - that's a true friend quality right there, tested and proved." "Come now, don't argue, you guys. Rin is ready with his cooking." Shiemi tried to calm down the situation, but as always, her soft pleading voice simply had no effect over her friends. "Alright people, shut it! I'm going to try it!" came Yukio's irritated proclamation, which left everyone speechless. "Are you serious, teacher?" the blonde asked with her eyes sparkling. "Yes. Now, bring it on! I… I mean… what is it you baked, again?" Yukio asked nervously, adjusting his glasses. Maybe if he ate at least the sweets and managed to act cool enough, she wouldn't feel so down tonight. "Also, it is my responsibility as a teacher to make sure none of my students die of food poisoning… Not to mention that Shura will kill me if they try the cake and puke all over the place. She would never let anyone use her small cottage. Not ever again…"
Thea hesitated for a while. "What if Ayami lied about my sweets, too? That would mean… oh no! I gave my cake to Mephisto, too! No, no, no… Way to make an impression, Thea! But… but he said it was delicious, didn't he? Or was he just pretending, too? Gosh, I really am useless… I can't do this to Yukio. Maybe…" the blonde searched in her bag and fished out the little sack with muffins - Mephisto's donation to the party. "Here, try these." she offered. "Wow, what an… unusual color…" the teacher remarked with a nervous smile, carefully picking one greenish muffin from the sack. "It's all right, I am a Doctor, after all. I can always use one of my universal antidotes…" he tried to encourage himself. "Well, here goes nothing!" he said and took a bite. Surprisingly, the strong urge to puke was not present this time. The taste was quite strange, perhaps a little bitter-sweet, but much better than anything he has tasted tonight so far. "Hmm… you know, Miss Heilbrunn, these matcha-muffins are actually quite tasty. Thank you." he smiled earnestly and walked off towards Rin to pick one of those delicious-smelling fish sticks. After all, his brother's cooking was still the best. The blonde exhaled and helped herself to one of the muffins, as well, a slight blush appearing on her face as she remembered her today's visit in the Warding Room.
"Rin, man, you sure outdid yourself this time!" Bon exclaimed, patting Rin at the shoulder, munching at his fish stick. "We bring you fish from a pond and you just do your magic and miraculously turn them into this!" "Ah, it's nothing. You should see what I can do with salmon!" Rin grinned and soon, everyone was sitting around the warm, crackling campfire, enjoying the splendid feast the young half-demon prepared. Thea couldn't agree more with all the praise. "Dear Lord, I can't decide if your cooking is like a piece of heaven or just devilishly good!" she giggled and let herself finally relax, all the stress which managed to build up during those crazy weeks slowly leaving her.
"So, Miss Heilbrunn, how long has it been? About half a year you have joined us at the Academy?" Yukio asked. "Ah, almost… August has just started, so… about five months, I think. Five crazy months." she laughed, shaking her head, as all the memories flashed in her head in little snippets. "And? How do you like it so far? Are you keeping up with both of your studies?" "Yeah, how does it feel like to be the oldest student at the Academy?" Rin grinned at Thea, then he suddenly felt Yukio's palm smacking his head from behind. "Don't you have any sense of tact, stupid?" Yukio scolded him before the girls' piercing gazes could drill a hole into his brother's head. One did just not point out a woman's age - he knew at least that much! "Ah, it's fine, no biggie…" Thea waved it off as unconcerned as she could. "I mean, maybe it is a little strange… OK, it is really weird! But I got used to it. Even though most of the people I meet at the Academy assume I have had to repeat the last grade. For about the fifth time…" she laughed nervously, but obviously not convincingly enough, because Shiemi jumped in to save the situation once again. "Ah, don't say that, Thea. You started late, but you are already catching up. Why, you are already so skilled in healing! And you are studying at the university! To me, it seems like you are in the exact opposite situation - sitting here at the campfire with a bunch of kids…"
"Ah, but I do not think of you as 'kids' at all! How could I - after all those difficult training sessions and dangerous fights? You have already been through so much in your lives, that you are more mature than most of my soon-to-be doctor colleagues." the girl said honestly, trying to convey the respect she felt towards her friends. "Though, I do admit that having to work your butt off just to catch up with a bunch of teenagers does lower your self-esteem." she sniffed and shook her head - it sure has been some time since she had felt like a complete rookie. "You know, Shiemi is right." Konekomaru stepped in with his piece of encouragement. "Not everyone could study at two schools simultaneously, not to mention at a university. Speaking of which, this is your last year, right? See? You will soon become a doctor! Now, that is admirable!" he said enthusiastically, expecting Thea to regain some of that lost self-esteem she had been talking about.
"Oh, about that…" the blonde's shoulders slumped more, if that was even possible, and she continued in a solemn voice which bore a hint of resignation. "Actually, I need to prolong my studies for another year… and that's the optimistic scenario..." "What?! Why?" Rin exclaimed, voicing the exact question everyone wished to ask. After all, Thea was really smart, how could a person like her need to study longer? "My thesis is due tomorrow night, and well, there is just no way I can finish it in time. So, instead of trying to rewrite it, I kindly asked my student department and professor to extend the deadline, and I decided to join you tonight. You know, to get some fresh air and positive thoughts…" she shrugged, feeling even more embarrassed for yet another failure in front of the 'bunch of teenagers'. "But Miss Heilbrunn, I don't understand. Didn't you mention that your thesis had already been finished and only needed some final polishing touches?" came a puzzled question from her teacher.
"Ah, I really hoped he wouldn't remember that little detail…" Thea thought and, with a heavy heart, nodded. "You are right. But I kinda… ah, I threw my bag to the Abyss that time at the hospital… Inside, there was my laptop with all my work." she sighed. "But you sure had a backup, right?" Yukio inquired further, unable to process the unfortunate events - surely there was something they could do to save the situation! "I had… but that does not help you a bit if you keep your USB and all the notes in the same bag as the laptop…" the girl's voice faltered as she remembered the hours spent on her research, not to mention the additional hours she had invested into a fruitless attempt to rewrite her thesis from scratch. There was simply too much work to do. To rewrite it in less than a week? Not only was it impossible, it was beyond impossible. It had been a work of her last two years, for God's sake! She folded her legs and pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face into her arms, swiftly brushing off the building-up tears in the process. She would not cry in front of them! She already felt pathetic enough.
Suddenly, she could feel a pair of arms enveloping her, squeezing the breath out of her lungs. "Gosh, Thea, I'm so sorry!" Rin said apologetically and Thea was happy, that for once, her unfortunate reflexes did not kick in to ruin the moment. "You did that to save me! I remember. If there's anything I can do, tell me! Maybe it's not lost yet! Yes, we can still save it! I will... I will go to Gehenna and find it for you! Maybe…" the half-demon trailed off as Thea gently patted him at the back. "Rin, that's alright." she said, thoroughly touched - this was nobody's fault, it just… happened. "I doubt it has survived the fall, anyways. I mean, I don't know how deep hell really is, but…" she joked around, trying to brighten the mood. "There are worse things than prolonging my studies, Rin. It's just another year. The important thing is that we survived the attack - maybe even thanks to that bag! When you think about it, my thesis had saved two people before it was even published! Now, that's what I call a contribution with real, life-saving applications!" the blonde started laughing wholeheartedly, finally breaking the tension.
"All right, folks! No more talk about school or academy stuff." Izumo ordered, deciding that Thea deserved a break from all those annoying school-related topics. Besides, there were more interesting questions to ask. The teacher was right, the blonde has been studying with them almost for half a year and they still knew next to nothing about her. "Change of topic! Thea, you are from Germany, right? Well, tell us something about your life there." "Oh boy…" the blonde's palm met her forehead with a loud smack. To get some extra time to consider her answer, Thea untangled herself from Rin's embrace and took another big muffin from the sack. She then held it out for Yukio in case he would like one too. He took it without hesitation - at this point, he would probably risk food poisoning and eat that 'vegetable curry' of hers - if he thought it would cheer her up, that is. Anything to make her a little more comfortable.
"So, what is it you really want to know? Because I have a suspicion that there is something very particular on your mind." Thea winked at the twin-tailed girl, who flushed a little, but her bold nature soon dismissed any doubts. "Tell us about your mashō experience." Izumo fixed her classmate with a firm look and the eyes of others soon rested on Thea in anticipation. "Ah, you mean the tempt-taint? I am sorry to disappoint you, but I don't really remember anything about it." she shrugged innocently, biting into the sweet treat. "Hey, what's with that answer?!" Izumo asked, her hands on her hips and expression almost... angry? OK, she was definitely angry… But why? "Ehm… is something wrong about not remembering it?" the blonde asked curiously, brows furrowed in puzzlement. "Thea, receiving a tempt-taint is probably the strongest, most intimate memory a person with spiritual powers could have..." Bon said with a serious expression. "Oh… is that so?" she blinked in surprise, and everyone in the group nodded. "Thea, we've been through a lot together. No need to be secretive around us. You can trust us." Konekomaru assured. "But I am telling you the truth. I honestly have no idea." "But how is that even possible?" Rin gaped at her, scratching his head. In that moment, Thea flushed a little and exhaled, readying herself to open a topic she had long believed closed. "Well, the 'treatment' at the asylum might have helped take care of that particular detail of my past…"
OoO
Mephisto double-checked the address, then looked around again, collecting details. "A historical mansion in the city center, and judging from the short peek inside through the huge windows - a most interesting collection of antiquities, too… Yes, definitely high class. I should not be surprised. According to the records, both of Thea's parents are high-achieving members of their social circles. A finance advisor to the bank, who is also involved in local politics and owns shares in many businesses worldwide, and the director of the Historical Museum. Hmm… How curious that Thea would live in that small dorm room together with her friend..."
He adjusted his tie and rang the bell on the door of the well-maintained townhouse. A short lady in her late twenties wearing a uniform-like dress opened the door. "Guten Tag, Sie wünschen?" she eyed him curiously. "Guten Tag, I am Dr. Faust. Is this the house of family Heilbrunn, please?" Mephisto slipped in fluent German. "Yes, that is correct. Do you have an appointment?" "Ah, unfortunately not. You see, I am here on an urgent matter - would it be possible to speak with the Heilbrunns at the moment? It concerns their daughter..." the demon said smoothly, utilizing his undeniable persuasion skills he had honed to perfection over the years. Surprisingly though, his words did not have their expected effect. The housekeeper, as he assumed the lady to be, looked at him with confusion and distrust. "Their daughter? I am afraid you have the wrong address, sir. The Heilbrunns do not have any children." Mephisto's brows furrowed in thought, his mind attempting to puzzle out the strange claim.
"Maybe you should…" before the assumed housekeeper could finish, a strong male voice came from the hall. "Simone, who's at the door? I don't remember having any appointments scheduled for today." a man in his late fifties walked towards the door - he was almost as tall as Mephisto, had blonde, slightly graying hair and blue eyes. "Ah, Mr. Heilbrunn, I think this is just a mistake and Dr. Faust here has the wrong address - he claims that he needs to speak to you regarding your daughter…" she looked towards the hall expectantly, emphasizing the reason behind Mephisto's visit. The man's eyes instantly hardened, and a bitter, almost angry expression settled on his face, though he managed to control his voice and overall demeanor perfectly. "Thank you, Simone. You are right, Dr. Faust here has the wrong address. However, I think I know how to point him to the right direction." he cut a smile which never touched his eyes. "Why don't you go and prepare the rest of the equipment for our trip?" "Certainly." The housekeeper nodded with satisfaction and disappeared in the hall. Mephisto's lips curled up - Thea's parents were supposed to be his strongest lead and one of them seemed to be lying to him with a completely straight face.
"Now, Dr. Faust…" the man started in a cold, firm voice as soon as the housekeeper was out of earshot. "…I know who you are searching for, but there is nothing to talk about in regard to that person. She no longer lives here, and our family has no contact whatsoever with her. Is there anything else you would like to discuss?" From all the scenarios Mephisto had played out in his head before this visit, this had certainly ranked considerably lower in probability than being welcomed with open arms. "And what was with 'that person'? Now, that is a strange way to refer to your only child…" Mephisto thought curiously. "Ah, Mr. Heilbrunn, but I am afraid that this is a matter of utmost urgency. You see..." the demon tried to persuade the man.
"Tobias? Is that true?" a woman's voice came from the spacious hall, as she rushed to join her husband. She had long, honey-brown hair, brown eyes and, despite her age, a slim, hour-glass figure. Thea indeed resembled her mother, but the whole air around the woman was completely different. None of the parents had the same curious, twinkling eyes. And although their lips were similar, Mephisto could not quite imagine the woman to have a smile of the same kind. "Melissa, it's alright, no need to come." Tobias tried to wave her off, but Mephisto swiftly used the opportunity and outstretched his hand towards Melissa - the woman might be easier to work with. "Ah, and you must be Thea's mother, correct? The resemblance is striking." he cut one of his best smiles. The woman froze in her steps and regarded him quizzically, completely ignoring his hand. "So you do know her…" "Melissa, that's enough." Tobias looked at his wife meaningfully while Mephisto's mind was racing. "Now what is going on? Well, at least I know how Thea always manages to throw me out of my game by her unexpected actions - must run in the family… Although, these two give it a whole different meaning…" Mephisto frowned inwardly. "But of course. As you probably know, your daughter is in her last year of medicine studies at Tokyo University in Japan, and our hospital is thinking about offering her a position to finish her practical training and earn the approbation. Now, I am just running a short background check to see if…" "That's enough, Dr. Faust! The person you are looking for is no longer associated with our family." the man cut in sternly.
"No longer associated…" The demon was completely puzzled. "Pardon?" he asked. "You heard me, Dr. Faust. Now, unless you want to get into trouble with authorities, you'd better leave. Also, I strongly suggest you not question our neighbors about the girl - she is not known around here and we intend to keep it that way." Tobias said in a silent, almost threatening voice while Melissa simply nodded. The demon's eye twitched in irritation - he certainly wasn't used to such insolent treatment, but unfortunately, the situation required it. And so, he played his role. "I see… thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Heilbrunn. I will be off then. My apologies for the trouble." he bit out curtly and turned on his heel to leave, trying to maintain his composure after the unpleasant encounter. "Dr. Faust…" Melissa suddenly called out and the demon arched an eyebrow - was she ready to talk, perhaps? "Please consider it well - I mean hiring her to your medical team. Someone like her… should be the one being treated, not the treating one… I am telling you this for the good of your patients. Have a good day." she said a little solemnly, then let her husband close the door.
Mephisto's pace was brisk and his fists were clenching and unclenching, as he was analyzing the peculiar series of events and information he had managed to gather. True, he did not find out anything about the part of Thea's past which bore the greatest interest to him, but he did learn about the part of Thea's past which turned out to be of big importance. "The housekeeper seemed to be telling the truth - she did not know of Thea's existence. The parents though… not only do they not acknowledge Thea as their daughter, they want to keep her very existence a secret… And just what did the mother mean by the last-minute warning? Thea is a perfectly healthy girl, after all, if a little clumsy… Could it be..." a wave of realization washed over the demon as he considered other possibilities. He briefly thought about going back and using a spell on the parents, so they would spill the truth, but just the thought of meeting the lot again brought a sour grimace to his face. Besides, he had already heard enough to draw a conclusion about what Thea's parents would call her special abilities… And so, he set out to search for his next lead - Sophie Athanasiou, Thea's grandmother.
OoO
"Asylum?" Bon asked cautiously and Thea just nodded quietly. "But that's where all the crazy people go!" Rin blurted out, and this time, he realized what the backhand from his younger brother was for. "Eh… sorry, I meant… what would you be doing there, right? Heh…" the half-demon rubbed the lump on his head nervously, looking at his friend. "That depends on the definition of 'crazy', Rin." Thea exhaled, smiling gently. Just how could she explain this to the people whose everyday life was full of out-worldly events? "You guys… have a different experience when it comes to the 'supernatural'. You all come from families with a strong spiritual background - monks, priests, healers, even half-demons… Spells, powers, exorcism - this is simply a part of your everyday life. But surely you know that this is not what one would consider 'normal', right? Even you, Rin - you had no idea about the demon-spirit stuff, and you are a half-demon yourself. You too would probably have considered a girl claiming to see demons crazy..."
The lot sitting around the fire nodded one by one, until Yukio spoke. "Yes. That is the reason our Academy has special members who are always on outlook for any individuals claiming to have seen something supernatural, or even slightly out of place. People who claim having gone through a strong spiritual experience, but also parents who do not know how to handle their child's imaginary friend or the monster under its bed…" the young teacher mused, scratching his chin in thought. Thea just smiled fondly at that note – Mephisto really did think about just everything when running the Academy. "Well, that might be the case here in Japan - you people seem to be quite open to the spiritual. Germany, however, well, we might have Brother Grimm and their fantastic fairy tales about werewolves, sorcerers, even demons, but that is all they are – good-night stories for children. "…If you could call those quite disturbing and frightening tales a 'good-night' material, that is…" the blonde thought. "In real life though, this is all just pure superstitious nonsense. We are quite pragmatic and down-to-earth people. Even a little too much playfulness and unvented energy could earn a child the ADHD-stamp and secure it a year-long stay in a 'special class'. So, what do you think happens to children who are 'attacked by demons'?" the blonde smirked, a mix of long-forgotten bitterness and hurt stirring inside of her. "My parents came to the only rational conclusion, really - that I was mentally ill. And so, they sent me to a psychologist. When that did not seem to help, it was the psychiatrist's turn to treat me and put all that nonsense out of my head. But as you probably can imagine, I was quite a stubborn child, so special facilities were the way to go… All of that in a span of three days..."
OoO
"So you know Thea?" the eyes of Thea's grandmother, Sophie, sparked with joy and enthusiasm despite her old age. According to Mephisto's information, the old lady was diagnosed with Alzheimer about sixteen years ago, resulting in her being placed into the nursing home the demon was visiting at the moment. "Yes, I do, Mrs. Athanasiou." Mephisto nodded and he finally learnt after whom had Thea inherited that beautiful, sincere smile. "Ah, my sweet Thea. It's been so long… so long... She was about this tall since I had last seen her. Is she well? She did call some time ago, but… ah, so long…" The demon thought for a moment. "Of course, your granddaughter is just fine. Apart from the fact that she is juggling two studies at the same time while also being targeted by a group of persistent demons…" he smirked inwardly – Thea's strange sense of sarcasm must have been rubbing onto him. "She is healthy." the demon said at last.
"Ah, good, good." Sophie put a hand on her chest. "I hope she's doing well in school, too. Such a hard-working little thing she is. Always trying to catch up with the rest of the class… said it was hard to remember things… now look at her." she mused while Mephisto's brows furrowed in thought. "Thea? Catching up with the rest of her class? But… she is such a quick learner…" The demon mused, remembering how she usually caught even the slightest of details and often managed to surprise him with her observation skills. "Hmmm… the medication must have played a role in that particular aspect…" he considered, his lips forming a sour grimace. "Indeed. Now she is about to become a doctor. And that is the reason I am here, Mrs. Athanasiou. You see, our university would like to offer Thea a position as our intern." "Oh, you would?" Sophie interrupted. "Then please, sir, take care of Thea. She's a good girl, you'll see! Such a hard-working little thing. Ah, but then… she can't be a doctor. Barely ten years old she is…" Mephisto blinked away the confusion - the Alzheimer must have robbed the old lady of many memories, including the time-flow perception. "She is about to become a doctor." he repeated. "However, we must make absolutely sure she is up to the job and that is why I need to learn more about her past." Mephisto emphasized again – speaking to people with Alzheimer sure was tiring. Maybe he should try a different approach… "I visited her parents, but I was…" "Bah, those two will tell you nothing!" the grandma cut in and Mephisto had the impression that he finally managed to get through.
"Sent her away, they did…" the old lady suddenly whimpered, tears rolling down her face as she caught Mephisto's hand. "Why did they… why send her away? So far away… She was still so young. Just about this tall…" she showed again with her trembling hand. The Lord of Time had spent his fair share of time in Assiah interacting with various humans, but talking to old, unstable, and mentally ill ladies was apparently not his forte. So far, he has managed to cycle the conversation twice and bring the poor lady to tears… And so, he did the only thing he could think of – the thing his charming blonde lady would probably do in his place. "I see…" Mephisto patted the old woman on her hand uncharacteristically in a poor attempt to comfort her. He needed her to focus if he were to gain some useful input. Strangely, he also didn't want probably the only family member, who seemed to care about Thea, to cry. "So, why did they send her away, Mrs. Athanasiou? What happened?"
"Send who away?" Sophie inclined her head and the demon took a deep breath. "Thea - your granddaughter. You said she was sent away. Why?" "Ah, my sweet Thea… They sent her away, far away from me…" "Why, Mrs. Athanasiou?" Mephisto tried again. "She just saw them… saw them everywhere. Said they were waiting for her; she was so scared." Sophie shook her head, clasping one hand over her mouth. "Saw whom?" Mephisto pushed a little more, even though he already had a good idea what the lady was speaking about. "Them." came a simple answer. "Who is 'them', Mrs. Athanasiou?" "Them… the ghosts, and evil creatures…" the old lady explained and, as if expecting him to doubt her, she added swiftly. "I believed her. How could I not? I already believe in God! So why not ghosts or the Devil himself? I saw them too, ... once… so long ago, so long… Do you believe in God, good sir? And the devil?" she fixed him with an expectant look, causing Mephisto to smirk inwardly at the irony – he couldn't possibly deny his own existence now, could he? "Ah… I certainly do, my dear… However, Thea's parents do not, correct?"
"Oh, those two… my own daughter… They sent her away! She was scared, she did not want to sleep alone, to be alone. And they sent her away! To doctors and to hospitals… Where she was alone! They were so ashamed of her; thought she was ill-minded. So they sent her far away. Kept giving her strong pills… and… Why did they do it?" Sophie's voice trembled again and Mephisto could see another stream of silent tears trailing down her cheeks. "Why indeed… Tsk, humans. Only they can pray to thousands of deities, wage wars to prove the counterparty whose god is the only true ruler of the universe, but as soon as one claims to have actually seen anything related to the spiritual, asylum awaits…" Mephisto frowned at yet another inexplicable paradox mankind brought to its world. "You did not want her to leave. So, what did you do?" the demon tried to nudge the old lady to the right direction. "I… I did not. I wanted her to stay. I did everything I could… but one day, my Thea came to say goodbye… I hugged her tightly, gave her a goodbye kiss… Some money and jewelry. And she already had my precious earrings, too. Something to remember me… Oh, Thea…"
The demon tried to comfort the graying old woman again, while sorting through the confused, sentimental scraps of information she has just shared with him. A number of things suddenly made sense, then again, none of the memories even hinted to the origin or character of Thea's powers. Well, it was not completely surprising – sometimes, various powers simply manifested themselves, occurred without previous history. However, the old lady did mention that she herself had already seen ghosts, as well. She just seemed too old and unwell to remember the events properly. Well, he could take care of that little detail… "I am sorry to hear that, Mrs. Athanasiou. Please, do you remember when was it that Thea started to see these 'ghosts'? Could you share that memory with me?" Mephisto asked cautiously, trying to gain the lady's willful permission to enter her mind. Her memory might be clouded, but he was the Lord of Time – he could view the past events clearly and wholly. At least those directly connected to him or the past events of people who agreed to share their memory with him. A nifty skill, that.
"Aye, Thea was nine when she first saw them. She must be about twelve, now… I remember… she even came to visit me in the hospital with Melissa and Tobias. You see, the doctors told me that I had collapsed. But Thea… she has just been so different since then… Oh, my sweet Thea…" Before Sophie could fall into another grieving moment, Mephisto quickly stepped in, determined to uncover the bits of the past himself. "No need to worry, Thea is just fine." the demon assured Sophie. "Now then," the demon recited his short incantation in mind, altering the time flow in a way that he could gain enough room to spend a few hours rummaging through the past Thea and her grandma shared.
"Aaand in we go…" Mephisto looked around – the place he appeared in was almost idyllic - a cottage-house built on a green meadow, with a flower garden and many fruit trees lemming it. "Thea! Come here sweetie, I've got something for you!" a sixteen years younger Sophie Athanasiou called out and a little girl with short golden locks and big brown eyes came rushing to the bench where her grandmother was sitting. She was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt with shorts, and a few first-aid plasters here and there. "Oh dear Lord… just when I think she couldn't get any cuter…" the demon covered his face with his hand, as he regarded the smaller and younger version of Thea. "What is it, grandma?" she asked with that melodious voice of hers. "I have a present for you." Sophie said mysteriously, holding something behind her back. "But grandma, I don't have a birthday today…" "Yes, I know, but grandmas do not have to wait for birthdays to give a gift to their little cutie-pies." The grandma smiled and winked at Thea knowingly. "Oh, I see… What is it, then?" Mephisto could see Thea's face brighten as she laid her eyes on the plush sheep present, then clutched it tightly to her chest. "Ah, so that is why she likes those fluffy creatures so much… Pfff… it is almost as big as her!" the demon chuckled. "Grandma, he's so beautiful! Thank you! I promise I will take good care of him!" she said, hugging both the new companion and her grandmother. "I will call him…"
Suddenly, a strong surge of blinding light enveloped the grandmother as she was hugging the girl, and Mephisto's breath caught in his throat when he realized just what kind of light it was. Blue flames were blazing all around, and he could hear the twisted, grating voice of the King of Gehenna. "A vessel! I need a vessel! Must possess a body!" it bellowed in anger as Sophie's body twisted in pain. "Grandma! Grandma, what's wrong? What's happening?!" Thea cried out, her eyes full of terror from the sight. "T-Thea… run…" a soft plea was all her grandmother could muster while releasing the hug. "No… grandma!" she shook her head stubbornly but found herself being lifted by her T-shirt into the air by an inhuman strength.
Mephisto took a subconscious step forward, until he realized his absolutely useless and foolish attempt to free Thea from Satan's grasp. "So noisy… you should obey your elders, little human." Satan spoke through a crazed version of Sophie's voice, laughing terribly, shaking the girl. "Tsk…" The Lord of Time gritted his teeth at the sight, and he could feel his claws piercing the fabric on his gloves, his powers dangerously close to bursting through his barrier. "No! Please… grandma…" the little girl pleaded, trying to wriggle her way out of the grasp. Abruptly, her eyes shone brightly and hues of brilliant golden light enveloped her body. Satan cried out in pain and Sophie managed to unclench her hand from her granddaughter's T-shirt, causing Thea to drop down. "What is this?! What have you done, you little worm?!" the demon king demanded, looking at his hands with confusion through Sophie's eyes, his flames weakening. "Thea, run!" came Sophie's voice again, as she pushed the demon's presence back. "No… Get back here, you brat!" Satan reached forward through the possessed body, but it resisted. "No! I was so close, and yet… another useless vessel!" Satan screamed again, as he could feel the vessel weaken, blood trailing down the human's nose and body trembling all over from the exertion put on it. "Go!" Sophie yelled through ragged breaths and this time, Thea pulled away, picking up the scorched sheep toy from the ground swiftly. Then, with tears streaming down her face, she set off running…
… One memory replaced the other, and the Lord of Time stood in the very same room of the nursing home where Sophie was accommodated - only about ten years ago. The old lady was lying in her bed, looking at the young, fifteen years old Thea with a sad, solemn expression. "Thea, sweetie, please don't go." Sophie clutched her granddaughter's hand with her own spindly one. "It's for the best, grandma. You know my parents, they never believed me. I have had just enough of psychologists and psychiatrists… of all the time spent in asylum…" the blonde shook her head, eyes full of resolve. "Father is taking me to Japan. You know how much I wanted to visit that country, don't you grandma? Now I can live there. I will have the time of my life!" she smiled, as if trying to persuade both her grandmother and herself. "But Thea, Japan is so far away! When will I see you again?" Sophie's voice trembled at the prospect of Thea leaving.
Thea bit her lip and blinked away the building up tears. "I… I don't know, grandma. I should be back here on Christmas and on your birthday, too. In any case, I will call you, I promise. I love you, grandma." Thea hugged her grandmother tightly and Mephisto could see that she was using her powers, making the whole room feel cleaner, purer. When she released the hug, color returned to the previously white and sagged cheeks of her grandmother, her eyes seemed keener and body stronger. "Thea, no… I am sure I can do something… I will talk some sense to Melissa, she will listen to me, you'll see…" "Thank you, grandma, but no. This really is for the best." "But it is so far…" "Grandma… I will be fine." Thea put her hands to Sophie's cheeks, apparently using her powers again to calm the old woman down. "You know what? I will always wear these, so you will always be with me." She said, tapping her earrings with her fingers. "Goodbye, grandma."
The scenery changed again and Mephisto returned back to the presence, then let the time flow normally again. "Thank you kindly, Mrs. Athanasiou." the demon said earnestly. "And who would you be, good sir?" Sophie inclined her head in confusion, putting her hand to her lips. Mephisto's shoulders slumped a little as he exhaled. In his mind, he recited a small incantation, then his forest-green eyes met with Sophie's chocolate-brown. "A doctor. I just gave you something to sleep. Please, close your eyes..." he said softly while putting a gloved hand on her cheek, causing the lady to slip into a slumber. "I'd better be on my way…" the Lord of Time nodded to himself, setting off to the asylum where Thea had been treated.
OoO
"I remember it as clearly as if it happened today. I first met her sixteen human years ago. To be more precise, just a day after the 'Blue Night'." The dark-haired demoness started explaining to Abaddon in a hushed, secretive voice. "Her lifeforce was… remarkable. Her soul shone like a beacon, every demon in the vicinity was drawn to it. So was I and my mate. A little human child like her was supposed to be an easy prey. And so, we struck…" a soft noise of gritting teeth reached Abaddon's ears. "Then, the ardent light came, and my mate vanished within it, purified. Apparently, the brat had been gifted with serious spiritual powers… Powers, which turned out to be strong enough to exorcise even demons of our level, despite the fact that they had just manifested themselves and the girl was unable to control them properly." the demoness grimaced, angered by the shameful debacle she had suffered.
"Tell me about the power. Everything you know." The Duke of the Abyss demanded impatiently. "There was something particularly unsettling about that light of hers. It felt… peaceful, tranquil even." she shivered unwillingly at the memory. "I managed to escape the outburst of her purifying energy and decided to keep my distance until my mate would respawn in Gehenna. He should have come back to life long ago, however, his demonic essence has yet to reappear. All these years, I have been searching for his essence, but without success. Slowly, I came to believe that maybe, I would never find it, simply because there is nothing to be found. I shared my theory with other members of my kin, but the idea of 'permanently ending' a demon's life was simply preposterous… Until now." the demoness looked her lord in the eyes, determined. If she could gain the trust of one so powerful, she would be able to continue her search with completely different resources.
"I see… What is your name, demoness?" Abaddon eyed the unexpected visitor. "I am Zahar, my Lord." she lowered her head. "Very well, Zahar of the Alsumu clan. Your information proved useful, after all, so I will overlook the unannounced audience. In fact, I shall reward you." he tapped his lips with his finger in thought, but a soft, careful voice interrupted his musings. "My Lord, if I may… I would be honored if I could serve you. There is more I can offer. There is an… anomaly in your very realm, which I think might be connected to the girl. I have been looking into this matter for the last decade and a half. In exchange, I only ask to be allowed to exact my revenge on that human filth who killed my mate…" The Duke of the Abyss grinned victoriously - he certainly did not expect to gain so much information, not to mention another loyal servant.
"I accept your pledge of servitude. However, you must find a more subtle way for your vengeance. If what you are saying proves to be true, then the human has to stay alive, for I still have use for her. Do you understand?" the demon fixed Zahar with a stern look which gave no room for argument. She gulped nervously, then nodded reluctantly - the offer was still far more than she had ever hoped for. Yes, the demoness had to be honest with herself, the girl's powers were simply too unpredictable both in nature and in strength for her to take any action unaided. The support of one such as Abaddon, though… Yes, at least there was a chance now, and that was enough. "I do, my Lord." "Then we have a deal, Zahar." a malicious grin appeared on Abaddon's face as his plans suddenly took on a realistic course.
"Here, you may use the information my spy managed to acquire." Abaddon handed over the folder with Thea's personal data. Zahar took the files carefully, briefly flipping through the pages - it truly was the girl. However, another important piece of information came to her attention. "She's… she's studying at the True Cross Academy?" "Ah, yes, unfortunately. That is one of the reasons why getting my hands on those damned documents proved quite challenging." "That might be true, my Lord, but for one such as yourself, certainly not an unattainable feat." the demoness bowed, emphasizing the compliment. "Indeed. You see, the Grigori are also interested in the human girl - that is why they made a deal with a demon to bring them some useful input. Little did those fools know that the shapeshifter they hired also happens to be one of my vassals." the Duke of the Abyss grinned devilishly at the lucky happenstance. "And so, when my vassal infiltrated the Academy, I also ordered him to take more folders at random - now that should stir the waters." his lips curled to reveal the sharp fangs.
Zahar gulped, but managed to cut a smile as well. "I see… how very prudent of you, my Lord. I can already see Samael running a completely useless investigation, trying to find a non-existent connection between the people whose folders went missing." she forced a low chuckle. "Indeed. Now then, let us plan…" Abaddon started pacing, already fully immersed in devising a strategy while Zahar's mind was racing. The reason she asked about the Academy was not quite connected to the girl. It was the demon who ran the Academy that made her skin crawl. Samael, the Lord of Time himself, was in charge of that place. Not only that, the whole Assiah was practically his realm - every demon knew that. After Abaddon had failed to usurp more power in Gehenna for himself, he was punished by becoming Samael's vassal. Now, the very same vassal seemed to be trying to double-cross his master in some dangerous play for power. "Just what have I gotten myself into…" Zahar gulped again, then swiftly joined her lord in planning.
OoO
Disclaimer: Blue Exorcists belongs to Kazue Katō. Please, do not re-post or publish my story without my consent.
Author's note: So, as promised, here is another chapter of the beautiful 3-pack ^^ And finally - a little sneak-peak into Thea's past! It was quite a challenge to put all those parallel stories into some coherent unified 'one', but I really hope I managed :) Enjoy and stay tuned for chapter 14, which is basically a direct continuation of chapter 13. I'll just say that I have hiiigh expectation of that one :D.
P.S. Your thoughts and feedback are, as always, very welcome :) They help me what I do right and what I can do better. So thank you all for your reviews and messages!