Chapter 16 - Different rules apply to each, teach'
A thunder rolled in the skies above and the rainfall intensified, causing Thea to clutch her umbrella tighter in preparation for another downpour. The blonde loved summer storms - the fresh, moist air they brought, the beautiful spectacle the lightning performed among the fluffy clouds, the strong contrasting light against the dark night sky. Usually, she would stop to admire all of it for a moment, but she did not want to be late for her second date, so she rushed on instead, maneuvering between the puddles. "OK, now to the right and then… at the end of the alley to the left, and then…" The girl rechecked the directions which were supposed to lead her to a restaurant Mephisto had specified in his yesterday's call. Fortunately, she had managed to wriggle out of the proposal to be picked up and driven to the place in his limousine. "Are you sure, dear? I was under the impression that you took quite a liking to my car." the annoying, suggestive, but admittedly pleasant voice sounded in Thea's head. "Geez… I borrowed it once and he will just not let it go!" she pouted.
"Hello there. So, you are the strange girl my big brother keeps talking about." a curious, young man's voice interrupted Thea's thoughts, followed by a sudden yank as the male grabbed her at her locks, pulling her head from under the umbrella. The blonde yelped, then her eyes widened in a terrible realization - the brutish touch alone was enough for her to get a feel of the tremendous, greenish aura, marking the individual as a demon. "Hey, don't yell, stupid!" he clasped his clawed hand over the girl's mouth and tilted her head roughly to face him, pinning her with an intense stare. In an instant, his clothes started charring and the skin of his hands burning painfully. The demon pulled his hands back instinctively, letting go of the girl, and before he could react, a collapsed umbrella landed on his head with a loud smack. He barely noticed the impact, but it completely ruined his hairstyle. "M-my hair!" he said, gingerly reaching for it and his expression darkened - he was quite touchy when it came to his hair. "How dare you!" He grabbed the umbrella with an annoyed sneer and broke it with a slight movement of his thumb, just as easily as a pencil. However, the girl's pathetic move turned out to be only a distraction, because soon, a shockingly powerful surge of energy burst out in front of him. Then, the strange blonde set off running down the alley away from him at a deadly speed.
Amaimon looked at his charred hands and clothes curiously. "What is this?" the Lord of Earth wondered in a stunned silence while the rain kept pouring, further ruining his hairstyle, but also pleasantly cooling his burnt skin. "I've been… hurt?" came a sudden realization. That did not happen to one such as him very often. True, Rin did manage to deal some damage to him during their little game, but he was a half-demon, his half-brother who inherited Satan's own flames. This girl, however, was a mere mortal. "Why? Why am I not healed yet?!" he thought with a hint of rising panic, willing his regenerative abilities to work. Only the most serious wounds seemed to be closing, and even that was happening at a terribly slow pace. "It does work, but not nearly as fast as it should… I see… So that's why big brother is so interested in this mortal! She is strong. Just what is she? I wonder… I must go and play with her a little. Yes. I must see for myself." he nodded to himself in resolve and prepared to jump up on the roof to follow her - she couldn't have run too far and she would be easy enough to sniff out. Suddenly, Amaimon's golden eyes widened in disbelief as he struck an invisible barrier in the middle of his jump, then ended up back on the floor with his clothes scorched even more than before. The dimly pulsing runes forming a circle on the ground prevented him from leaving his current position. "Satan's Flames! Be gone with you!" the Lord of Earth gritted his teeth and started pounding at the barrier in a futile attempt to break free from it. Nothing. His annoyance rising to dangerous levels, he poured almost all he had into one powerful strike in hopes to tear it down. And failed.
OoO
"Ten seconds." Mephisto kept hypnotizing the entrance door of the restaurant he has been sitting in, his fingers entwined to keep his hands from twitching. "If she is not here in ten seconds, safe and sound, I will…" a loud thump interrupted his countdown as the door flew open, revealing his panting and soaked lady. "Na endlich…" The Lord of Time closed his eyes and let out the breath he did not realize he had been holding since he had felt Thea's energy spike outside, a few blocks away. The waiter gave the blonde a strange, skeptical look, then finally escorted her to their table on the balcony in the secluded part. Mephisto's eyes narrowed - has the waiter perhaps noticed something that escaped his attention? The demon regarded Thea closely as she walked through the sections towards him, checking for any signs of a fight. Her hair was disheveled and the absence of high-heeled shoes in favor of sneakers indicated that this time, Thea had been in charge of her outfit, although Ayami had definitely supplied another matching piece of jewelry. For reasons he could not phantom, the demon found himself liking Thea's choice better - the white blouse and navy-blue trousers truly suited her, even though they clung to her body, dripping slightly. Or perhaps it was because of it? "Honestly now… What on Earth am I thinking? Focus!" The Lord of Time scolded himself inwardly, directing his thoughts towards the intended search for potential injuries. Fortunately, she seemed to be unharmed.
"My lady." the demon stood up smoothly and kissed her hand. Thea's cheeks took on a pinkish shade after hearing those words. "'My lady', huh? Yes, that gentlemen's persona of his is definitely my weak spot…" she gulped, then smiled, unsure how to call him in such a situation. Then again, at least she remembered to call him by the name he went by in public - at least in front of the waiter. "Hello Johann." "Thea, are you alright? You are soaking wet." he remarked with a questioning look. "Ah… yes, I just kind of lost my umbrella on the way here… I am fine, everything's just fine…" the blonde waved him off with an innocent grin, then her expression became one of a focus, as her eyes searched the spacious room from the entrance door up to the high windows. "My, my. You have just arrived, yet you are already searching for a way out? You are hurting me, dear." the demon put a hand on his chest in feigned lament and smirked.
"Huh? I am not… oh." Thea snapped out of her alert mode and giggled. "Aaaaw, no worries. You see, it's the other way around - I am making sure that we will enjoy a nice, undisturbed evening." she winked at him secretively. "I just ran into… one troublesome demon. But nothing I couldn't han… ha… achoo!" "Gesundheit." the demon chuckled while his mind was already at work, trying to puzzle out Thea's encounter. "Interesting. Considering how much she tries to avoid demons, she certainly seems to attract them a lot. That is probably also the reason why she seems to be well accustomed to their attacks." Mephisto's eyes suddenly played with amusement - Thea was a magnet for trouble, but that also meant that things got way more interesting when she was involved. "Now, maybe next time, you will think twice before rejecting my kind offer and have my chauffeur drive you." he tapped her nose. "Riiight. Thanks, but no, thanks." "Well, I'll let you think about it. Just for the record, I had the car bar restocked with some sweets." the demon said offhandedly, fully aware that he had also made it a point to include Thea's favorite ones into the selection. "Yeah right, keep offering the girl some candy, then she will get into your shiny car for sure…" Thea giggled, shooting Mephisto meaningful glances, until his eye twitched in a strange mix of amusement and irritation. "Oh, that little… Making me sound like some kind of a pervert. To think that I actually went to Salzburg to fetch another batch of Mozartkugeln…" "Well, maybe she will. After all, could she truly resist gummy bears, Kinder Überraschung or Mozartkugeln?" The demon stroked his beard, eying her sideways, then a wide grin spread on his face as he saw the blonde clasping her hands to her cheeks, her eyes sparkling. "Really? Mozartkugeln? The golden-red ones or the silver-blue ones?" came an eager question which obviously played an important role in how Thea would perceive the demon's taste in sweets. Mephisto let out a low chuckle, then winked at her. "You would need to find out for yourself, dear."
"Well, maybe I… achoo!" Mephisto's brows furrowed and a strangely serious expression settled on his face. "Are you getting a cold, dear?" "No, of course not. I don't really get sick and when I do, it's usually gone overnight. So, you see…" before she could finish the sentence, she suddenly felt the demon's forehead on hers, his hands gently holding her head in place and his forest-green eyes concentrating. "Hmmm… it does not seem like you have a fever. Then again, your cheeks are burning…" Thea could indeed feel a wave of heat burning in her cheeks, but for completely different reasons. She pulled away, her face positively redder than before. "T-that's not a fever!" she blurted out, covering her face in embarrassment, when suddenly, a soft fabric enveloped her. "In any case, you'd better dry yourself off." Mephisto said, shuffling her hair with his jacket. "Whoa, hold it… not with your jacket!" the blonde protested - knowing herself, she would probably forget about it and leave with another piece of the demon's wardrobe without even realizing it. Well, not this time! "Oh, do you have a better idea, then?" he cut a disarming smile. "In fact, I do… Listen, how about you give me two more minutes? I'll just go to the restroom and use the hand dryer. And maybe some towels… I'll be right back, promise." she said quickly, then ran off. Mephisto just shook his head in a slight puzzlement, then his eyes burnt with determination. "Ein~Zwei~Drei!" the clatter of tableware subsided, and the murmur of silent discussion died out with a snap of Mephisto's fingers, as the time came to a complete halt. "I'll be back this very instant, promise. As if I never left…" The demon lord waved towards Thea with a low chuckle, then turned on his heel and set off to investigate before the daring individual who had decided to disturb his beautiful evening managed to escape.
He did not have to go very far - he could feel Thea's pulsing power just a few blocks away, over the corner at the end of the valley. His eyes almost popped out as he reached his destination, which revealed his little brother standing in Thea's binding circle, frozen right in the middle of what seemed to be a furious attempt to demolish an invisible wall, undoubtedly cursing in the process. His clothes were charred and soaked at the same time. However, the situation was even worse than he had anticipated - Amaimon's hairstyle was completely ruined and it did not seem to be a work of the rain! Mephisto's low chuckles slowly echoed through the street. His mind was a turmoil of thoughts and hypotheses, each one of them competing with the other to be addressed with priority. Before he could decide which one was the most burning one, the sheer absurdity of the situation caused him to burst out with laughter. "Dear Lord, that girl is one little, oblivious troublemaker! 'Nothing she couldn't handle', was it? Honestly now, as if trapping the Lord of Earth in a binding circle was a minor feat, not even worth mentioning… What on Earth is going on?" He shook his head, racking his brain for answers. He had already checked her background, he had been in regular touch with her teachers, monitoring her progress at the True Cross Academy, he himself had tested her powers in the Warding Room. And yet, there was still no clear answer to her ridiculously inconsistent power level.
"Have you considered the fact that she might be well aware of her 'inconsistently strong' power?" Gin's words suddenly sounded in his head, stirring his emotions, providing a new wave of alertness. "Well, the only time her powers seemed suddenly so much stronger was when the situations were life-threatening. Not during a class or a training session, but rather during truly dangerous occasions, which might hint on… No!" Mephisto put a stop to that disturbing train of thoughts and shook his head in what the secretary would probably call a stubborn denial. "Besides, no one is such a good actor. No one." Then again, the demon had not lived for such a long time thanks to looking through rose-tinted glasses. Metaphorically speaking - he had in fact a pair or two such pieces in possession. "It would seem that I need to make the investigation regarding Thea's powers my number one priority after all." The Lord of Time concluded, then let the time flow for his brother.
"Well, hello, little brother. Is there any reason why you are outside of the Academy grounds, not to mention causing ruckus and interfering with my evening?" Mephisto eyed Amaimon with an arched eyebrow, assuming his usual nonchalant demeanor with a hint of scolding. "Big brother!" The green-haired Lord of Earth called out, relief written all over his face. "Brother, quick! Help me out of this cursed thing, before the human girl's trail disappears! The rain is washing away her scent and I have to catch up with her!" Amaimon said with urgency. "Oh my, I know that determined, predatory look in his eyes… Honestly, I should have known that Amaimon would want to battle and test his powers against any being who manages as much as scratch him… He could be so competitive! I really need to do something about that reckless attitude, else Japan can ready itself for another earthquake…" Mephisto just shook his head - the list of tasks he had yet to address seemed to be growing every day. "My dear brother. Why is it you ended up in that 'cursed thing' in the first place, hmm?" he leaned in from under his umbrella, careful not to get too close to Thea's circle, half-expecting it to suck him inside as well. Irrational nonsense, of course, but one could never be sure around that girl. "I have no idea. I simply came to say hello, and she just screamed, smacked me with that umbrella thing, and then ran away. Humans are just so strange… Just how do you get along with them so easily?" he shook his head. He was never able to figure out those creatures his brother seemed to like so much.
"All right, this is hilarious…" the Lord of Time thought with silent amusement as he imagined the whole situation. "...but also potentially dangerous. And as ridiculous as this might sound, the one in danger could actually be Amaimon. Well, I will not share that little detail with either of them… Still, Amaimon needs a lesson. If my little brother wants to stay with me at Assiah, he must realize what he did. He has to understand the ways of humans and the amount of power he is allowed to use around them, lest he wants to accidentally crush them…" Snapping out of his musings, Mephisto pinned his brother with an uncompromising, scolding look. "I see… Do you also recall why she screamed?" A guilty expression appeared on Amaimon's face. "Good." the demon lord thought with a hint of satisfaction. "I am… not quite sure." The Lord of Earth started thoughtfully. "She was kind of hiding under the umbrella, so I just pulled her out by her hair to take a better look at her."
Having seen the irritated twitch in his brother's eyes, Amaimon gulped and swiftly added. "No worries, brother. I was careful, I swear! I did not break her or anything! Besides, she was strong. I can tell. Is that why you are keeping an eye on her, big brother? Oh, oh, will you let me play with her like with Rin? I am sure she will prove quite an interesting opponent and, oh, I just can't wait to…" before Amaimon could finish his list of questions, Mephisto pointed his umbrella at him. "Listen well, Amaimon. There will be no more hair pulling, no chasing and definitely no fighting unless I say so." "But…" "Is that clear?" "Y-Yes, brother…" Amaimon sulked, unable to argue with Mephisto any further on that topic. "Splendid!" the principal cut a satisfied grin. "Could you at least get me out of here?" Amaimon pleaded with his older brother. A smug grin appeared on Mephisto's face, his fangs flashing as he stroked his beard in thought. "Oh, I certainly could, but you see, I am having dinner tonight and I do not care for any further disturbances. I suggest you use the time and think about what got you into this situation in the first place. Think about it as a training session." Mephisto said in his usual carefree demeanor, then his white cloak flashed as he was leaving his younger brother to deal with the problem on his own, knowing that Amaimon would probably spend the whole night trying to break free from the circle. An unpleasant and just slightly concerning thought suddenly crossed Mephisto's mind. "I am not bluffing, am I? I could break him out of there, for sure…"
Upon entering the restaurant, the Lord of Time suddenly felt as if he too just got trapped in one of Thea's binding circles, frozen in place. "Was um alles in der Welt…" a small bead of sweat ran down his spine as he regarded the blonde who was strolling around the restaurant, curiously poking the arm of one of the waiters, looking him up and down from every angle, nodding to herself thoughtfully. "Oh, Mephisto! Finally!" she exclaimed the moment she noticed his presence, then smiled sheepishly. "I, uhm… When I returned from the restroom, you were nowhere to be found. I got pretty bored, so I at least looked around." Mephisto gulped, his mind racing, all senses alerted, his powers at ready. "That girl… How is that possible?! I stopped time for everyone. Everyone…" When no answer came from the demon, Thea fidgeted nervously. "Hey, you can't really blame me… I just got curious, OK? Maybe next time, when you decide to sneak out during our date and freeze everyone in place, you could at least let me know. Honestly, that was so impolite! Humph!" she said with a half-feigned displeasure, cheeks puffed up and arms folded in front of her meaningfully. Mephisto just gaped, still unable to process what has just transpired. "And yet… here she is, free from my spell, strolling around without a care in the world, berating me for being impolite… Wahnsinn!"
The Lord of Time suddenly felt a soft pull on his sleeve and twitched slightly, still unable to mask his surprise, let alone form a coherent sentence. "Mephisto? Have you frozen yourself in time as well?" Thea giggled, but seeing the demon's perplexed expression, she looked him in the eyes and said apologetically. "Hey, come now, I didn't mean to sound angry… Well, actually I did, but that was just me joking around a little. The truth is that I just… I got a little worried, OK?" Mephisto just blinked. "You got a little worried? You?! Honestly… Am I dreaming?" "I see. My apologies, I didn't mean to make you worry." the demon finally said, cupping her cheek softly, reassuring himself that he had not been seeing things and the girl free from his spell was indeed there. The remnants of his power were still slightly present on her. "Could she… Could she be unaware that she broke out of my spell?" When Mephisto assured himself that Thea was truly standing in front of him, he tried to sell it off as a hopefully romantic gesture. Judging from her slightly flushed cheeks, he has done a good job of it. "I merely wanted to make sure that the area was indeed secure, so we can enjoy - as you put it - 'a nice, undisturbed evening'." he slipped back into his nonchalant behavior. "Besides…" a mischievous smirk spread on Mephisto's face as he added smoothly. "... I was under the impression that women usually take their sweet time when in the bathroom, adjusting their make-up or hairstyle. Seems like you are in no need of such things though, considering your natural beauty. I should have known better." he shook his head in feigned lament. Another blush appeared on the blonde's face, then she grinned. "Aaaaw, well played, you gentleman. Alright, you are forgiven. So, how about we finally order something to eat?" she giggled and Mephisto just shook his head in amusement - she truly had her priorities straight. "With pleasure." he smiled fondly, leading his lady back to their table, so they could finally enjoy the evening.
OoO
"Wow, Mephisto! I knew you would have an excellent taste in wine, but this is really delicious." Thea praised, taking small sips from the glass. "I am glad you like it. I figured that you might appreciate the sweet sort." "Well, I certainly do, thanks!" the blonde smiled pleasantly, playing with the glass. "So, may I also assume that I made the unfortunate start of this evening up to you?" the demon leaned on one hand, holding her gaze. "Oh please, that's nothing, really. Trust me, I had far worse starts… Or just… dates in general…" Thea cleared her throat, taking a gulp, rather than a sip. His interest already spiked, Mephisto arched an eyebrow. "Worse? I find that hard to imagine. Do tell!" he encouraged, eager to learn something more about her. "Ach, fine… For example, there was this guy who did not even bother to show up in the first place - turns out that pantomime is actually a huge turn off." the girl laughed softly, rubbing her temples, leaving Mephisto confused. "Pantomime?" he inquired curiously. "Yeah… the day before he stood me up, we had gone out for a date and suddenly, those little goblin demons had attacked us. And so, I had done my best to fend off the creatures my date couldn't even see… That's why I was simultaneously trying to sell the whole fight off as some crazy pantomime. You know, Jackie Chan style or something… Looks like he was not a fan, though." came a sour chuckle and the demon tried not to burst out with laughter as he imagined that bitter-sweet, completely ridiculous situation in which Thea had been boxing with air, saving her date and getting dumped for it. And so, Mephisto tried to moderate his reaction to massaging the bridge of his nose, pursing his lips and closing his eyes. "Oh, come now, no need to hold it, I know it's hilarious. Well, it wasn't before, but I can laugh about it now…" she laughed melodiously and Mephisto soon joined her. "Oh dear, it looks like I am not the only one whose romantic outings usually turn out so disappointingly."
Thea perked up at that commentary and leaned in, waiting for him to share more. "Really? I wouldn't have guessed so. After all, you are just so… you know, gentlemanly and everything… You always have things planned out so nicely and pay attention to every detail... " she gestured at his attire, the beautiful white flowers he had given her a few moments ago, then at the whole room they were sitting in. And yet again, the girl managed to bring a fond smile on the demon's lips thanks to the attentive compliment. "Thank you dear, it's nice to be appreciated." he nodded his head in acknowledgement. "However, my dates also paid attention to every detail, including the one little detail marking me as a demon of high standing." Lifting his finger with importance, the demon continued. "That also happens to be the second most occurring reason for dating me, and simultaneously the most common reason for a breakup." he shrugged. "Wait a moment… I think I am a little lost here. They wanted to date you because you are a demon, right? It does sound a little strange, but isn't that a good thing? I mean dating you, fully knowing who you really are?" the blonde asked perplexed. "That depends on the perspective, I believe. You see, most of them turned out to be assassins, exorcists or demon hunters, who wanted to use the opportunity to… take care of me…" he intoned meaningfully. "... or gain political favors, perhaps even some kind of a voucher for free deals with a demon or something like that… They sure were creative in that particular aspect."
Thea's eyes widened, then her hand found her forehead with a loud smack. "Oh God… Mephisto, I am so sorry… That did not even… Damn!" she covered her face to mask her emotions, but the demon just chuckled. "How did you say it? Ah, right. No need to hold it, dear." He wanted Thea to laugh with him at the absurdity of their dating experiences, and apparently, the girl did not hold back the laughter at all. However, she also seemed to be genuinely sorry and also… worried? "Thea?" the demon inquired cautiously, slightly taken aback by her reaction. "You know what?" she asked, back to her witty, charming persona. "I'm actually starting to believe that if things can work out between me and someone, then that someone could really be you." She giggled and Mephisto's breath got caught in his throat as the girl offered him a sincere smile which he couldn't help but find heartwarming. "Oh?" That simple, utterly inarticulate question was all the demon could muster in that moment, still speechless after hearing Thea's strangely encouraging words. "And why is that?" he finally managed to formulate. "Because you are a demon, duh!" she answered, as if it was the most obvious fact in the world. Mephisto ran his fingers through his hair, trying to puzzle out the strange claim while moderating his heartbeat to some reasonable pace. "I… I'm going to need a little more, dear…" he cleared his throat and Thea caught up enthusiastically, lifting her finger as she counted out. "Well, first, you will not call me crazy because I can see you and talk to you." she grinned. "And second, when I say 'I'm going to take care of you', it means with bandages and my healing powers. And maybe with a piece of cake, too." she held his gaze mischievously. "Careful though, I might just assassinate your taste buds with that last one." she added with a wink, then started laughing all over. "So, it seems that the charming blonde lady has already stolen two things from you, dear master. ... She stole your car… and your heart!" Gin's words sounded in Mephisto's mind again, and this time, there was no stubborn denial which would meet them.
OoO
"A private training for Miss Heilbrunn?" Yukio's expression became thoughtful as the headmaster voiced yet another special request. "That is correct." Mephisto grinned from behind his wooden desk. "As of Monday, you shall tutor her in the mastery of the Doctor and Dragoon specializations." "Why that sudden decision, Sir?" "Why, she has a lot to catch up since she has decided to go for both masteries, so we need to take a more intense approach." "More intense approach?" came a surprised question. "She is already taking advanced Doctor's classes and I have also assigned some of the most crucial materials on Dragoon mastery to her to study before the new school year starts. Also, if I am not mistaken, she is preparing for her final exams at the university at the moment. With all due respect, Sir, this might not be the best timing for a concentration training." the young teacher counted out, a hint of frustration entering his voice - there was only so much he could push the students, no matter how talented they appeared to be.
The demon entwined his fingers thoughtfully. "It would appear that the time is of essence here. As always, these days…" a low exhale escaped his lips, then he stood up dramatically, fully back to his nonchalant demeanor. "Very well. You have four days to walk her through the basics of the Dragoon mastery - anything you find crucial, from laying traps to handling weaponry. As for the Doctor mastery, test her and do not lose the time with subjects she proves to be already knowledgeable about. Drop the basics and go for demon anatomy and direct healing techniques, potions and poisons and the like. I'll leave the details to you. You may also include your colleagues, that should provide a versatile enough learning environment." the demon stroked his beard, nodding to himself in satisfaction. Adjusting his glasses, Yukio cleared his throat. "All of that in just four days? That sounds rather… challenging. Honestly, I do not think it attainable, Sir."
"Oh, I beg to differ." The headmaster grinned broadly, tapping Yukio at his shoulders. "After all, you are the youngest person who has ever become a teacher of this prestigious academy, all that while also achieving two masteries." he waved his two fingers in front of the teacher meaningfully. "I have my full confidence in your capabilities." "Uhm, well, thank you, Sir." the teacher's cheeks flushed slightly at the compliment. "Besides…" the demon continued with a hint of amusement in his voice. "...training area no. 12 will be at your full disposal." Yukio's mouth fell open - he knew that place, although it sometimes seemed to be just a legend, really. The staff was rarely allowed to use it. "But Sir, four days… that would mean… almost a month in another dimension!" "Indeed. Why the surprised expression? You needed more time, so I provided it. Now, I should hope you will dedicate the upcoming days to preparation for this special training." Yukio nodded with a strange mixture of excitement and disappointment. "There goes my weekend again…" he thought a little solemnly. "Are there any special instructions?" "Why, thank you for reminding me!" the demon exclaimed, banging his fist into the palm of the other hand. "Apart from a few points I will share with you via the usual assignment form later on, there is one very important instruction." his eyes gleamed with an intense, almost predatory look, which made Yukio's skin crawl. "Push her to her limits. Or better - push her until you discover her limits."
OoO
"It's really nice you came to see me off, guys, but you don't need to wait here if you have other plans…" came Thea's apologetic voice. Then again, the one who was making them wait was no one else than their headmaster. "Seriously… how come the guy is always late? He can manipulate the friggin' time!" Thea rolled her eyes inwardly but couldn't get the smile off her already beaming face. She was silently happy that he too would come to see her off before the announced special training with Yukio began. True, it had been no news to her to hear that she still had a lot to catch up, but the sudden urgency to speed up her studies had surprised her. "Hey, no biggie! It's not every day you get to leave for a special training." Rin grinned widely, patting the blonde energetically at her shoulder, his tail twitching as he was simply unable to restrain his unfortunate habit when too excited. "That's right, Thea. We came to cheer you up, so we are staying until you are on your way." Shiemi joined Rin. "As if we let a chance like this slip." Izumo added, her expression strangely focused and curious. A smug smirk spread on Bon's face as he poked the twin-tailed girl. "Looks like somebody can't wait to finally learn the way to the rumored training area no. 12." "Oh please, as if you too weren't dying from curiosity." she retorted with flushed cheeks. "So, when is the principal planning to show up, anyway? It's been good twenty minutes…" came an impatient question from Konekomaru, who also struggled with hiding all the excitement. Already used to the headmaster's terrible lack of punctuality, Yukio just shrugged and leaned on the wall of the high tower they have been waiting in. He had no doubts that the headmaster had picked the unusual place for their departure for the mysterious effect, rather than for safety and confidentiality reasons. "I honestly can't tell. You know the principal, he's always so unpredictable…" the young teacher trailed off when he heard energetic steps echo in the hall.
"Finally. Annoying demon, making us all wait like that…" Shura mumbled, her arms folded meaningfully in front of her. She hated waiting, even if the person happened to be the headmaster. Or maybe especially because of it… Thea recognized the sound of approaching steps, but she did not dare look his way. Not when her heart started beating like crazy. This was the first time she got to meet Mephisto at the Academy grounds since they had started dating. She bit her lip nervously and shifted in place. "Calm down, calm down. Just act normally. Remember, at the Academy, he is your headmaster." she reminded herself of their agreement to keep their personal relationship private, and kind of secret. "Oh God… Should I greet him first? Should I still call him 'Sir Pheles'? Yes, of course, I should. That would make sense. Dammit! What am I so nervous about? It's OK. You can do this, Thea. Just act normally. Let him greet everyone first, then just join in. That's right. Just be cool." the blonde decided and focused on Rin who was standing right next to her and acted as if she hadn't noticed the headmaster coming yet. "Ah, Sir Pheles." Yukio stood up properly and approached him. "We've been waiting for you, Sir. Everything is…" Yukio was slightly taken aback when the headmaster completely ignored him. The demon's trademark white cloak flashed past him as he took a straight path towards Thea, then scooped up the unsuspecting blonde and put a kiss on her lips. "Thea, my dearest." Mephisto said with a triumphant smile, then put his left arm around her torso, pulling her closer. "Hello everyone. ~" he grinned in his usual nonchalant demeanor.
Silence. A stunned, astonished silence. For approximately five seconds which seemed to last for minutes, one could hear a pin drop in the whole corridor. "WHAT?!" a collective exclamation finally tore through that maddening silence. "M-Mephisto?!" the blonde with cheeks flushed red as never before stuttered, her eyes wide, her mind trying to process the turn of events. "What the hell?!" Rin stepped out completely abashed and started waving his (for the time being) sheathed sword at the headmaster. "I'm friggin' gonna kill ya! Let go of her, ya old creep!" Shura gritted through her teeth in amok and rolled up the sleeves of her jacket, threatening the demon with a fist while Yukio desperately tried to hold the woman in place. However, the demon ignored them completely, his full attention directed towards the absolutely charming, surprised blonde in his arms. "Na endlich! You are not the only one full of surprises, you know?" The Lord of Time grinned inwardly, victoriously. "I… But… What about the agreement? I thought that… at the Academy… in front of the others, we…" Thea tried to formulate some coherent sentence but failed miserably. "The others?" the demon asked feigning a surprise, his hand on his chest. "My dear, this is the 'Cram School', and these are the Exwires. Why, we are like a family!" he grinned mischievously, fully enjoying the girl's abashed expression, ignoring the slightly charred fabric of his sleeve. He must have really thrown her off balance. Good. "Seriously?! Wordplays again? He's such a… head-idiot-master-demon…" Thea giggled, her heart suddenly as light as a feather. Their agreement was completely reasonable, and she couldn't but agree to it. And yet, for some reason she felt delighted that he broke it and acknowledged their relationship in front of their 'almost family'.
"WHAT?!" came another collective cry, followed by a twitching eye here and mouth wide open there. "Is he being serious?" Izumo squeaked, holding onto Bon to steady herself while he just gaped with his hands buried in his hair. Konekomaru started polishing his glasses - either they were smudged, or his sight was failing, playing some ridiculous tricks on him. Shiemi chose not to look at all, then couldn't resist and peaked from behind her hands which were covering her beetroot-red face. "So, let me get this straight - you two are a thing now?!" Rin kept waving with his sword, unable to comprehend the series of events. "Bravo! ~ What was your first clue?" The headmaster shot him an amused, slightly mocking smirk, his fangs flashing. "But Sir… what about the Academy rules? Isn't dating the students against the Code?" came Yukio's voice of reason and significant concern as soon as Shura managed to rein in her temper. "Damn right it is!" Shura continued with her threats, but the demon just smirked self-importantly. "Oh, I have a perfect grasp of the Academy rules. After all, I have written most of them." the demon winked. "Could you perhaps refresh my memory and remind me what subsection 4, paragraph 7 of our Code of Conduct says?" Yukio adjusted his glasses and racked his brain for the exact wording of that section. "Teachers are forbidden to engage in romantic relationships with their students and…" "Indeed." Mephisto interrupted him with a smug grin. "It says teachers." he raised his finger meaningfully, then continued. "It does not say anything about the headmaster. And although I sometimes choose to give lessons, nowhere in my contract is specified that I am also a teacher at the Academy. So you see, I am just a mere principal, at your service." he said lightheartedly, then put a hand on Yukio's shoulder, pinning him with a doom-promising look hidden by his nonchalant mask and whispered. "So hands off, teacher." A shiver ran down the teacher's spine after hearing the silent threat. "This is ridiculous! But he obviously means it. God, he means it! And he sends me to train her?! One slip, one mistake… Man, I sure hope the fiasco of that camping night will not repeat itself, or I am finished, I just know it…" Yukio started panicking.
"Shhh, Thea…" Rin pulled at Thea's arm, urgency in his voice. "Have you baked those crazy muffins again?" "Huh? Crazy muffins?" the blonde eyed her friend, confusion written all over her face. "Thea, it's cool. Just tell me. If it's the muffins, maybe you just snapped again…" Blinking away the confusion, the girl still couldn't phantom what Rin's been talking about, so she just waved her hands in front of her defensively, trying to calm the situation down. "Guys, guys, stop it. It's fine. Mephisto is telling the truth. We, uhm… we really are… dating. And… and I really should be going now." she looked at the demon with slightly flushed cheeks, smiling. Another moment of stunned silence passed as everyone got the chance to witness their headmaster's fond smile he returned. "And right you are, my dear. Very well - everyone, please step aside." The demon spread his arms theatrically, then cleared his throat and recited his incantation. "Ein~Zwei~Drei!" A huge gothic door suddenly manifested itself out of the thin air in the middle of the corridor, pulsing with purple, golden and black hues. A pattern which resembled a clockwork adorned it's surface. Then, the Lord of Time pulled out a key from the chain on his neck, inserted it into the keyhole and turned it to open. The clockwork sprung to life, cog wheels of various sizes started turning and moving the whole mechanism until the hour hands stopped at twelve. The door opened with a sound of bells announcing midnight, revealing a strange violet mist. Behind it, a barren land outstretched for as far as they could see.
"It's a portal!" Izumo suddenly gasped, trying to take a better look. "Indeed, Miss Kamiki." the headmaster nodded in satisfaction. "Where does it lead to, though?" Konekomaru asked, eager to learn as much as possible from the short demonstration. "To another dimension. Or so you could say." the demon grinned mysteriously, making it fairly clear that no more questions would be answered on that matter. "So, that's why I couldn't find this place in the True Cross Academy map. You need to open it first…" Thea peered through the mist obscuring her view, trying to moderate her heartbeat. "Correct. Now then, Mr. Okumura, if you please." the demon gestured towards the entrance. Yukio nodded, flung the huge cargo-bag with various supplies on his shoulder and approached the portal. "All right. We will return in four days. Until then, you all remain under the supervision of Mrs. Kirigakure." he shot a meaningful glance towards the sparsely-clothed teacher. "Yeah, yeah, no worries. I'll make sure they'll get some serious training, too." she waved him off, already looking forward to seeing the Exwires' progress. Yukio nodded, then vanished with a flash of light, appearing on the other side. He was covering his eyes because a strong wind was blowing there, mixing with dust and sandy earth. "Well, I'll be off. Thank you for coming and seeing me off." Thea smiled and waved, slowly approaching the portal. A hand suddenly took hold of her arm. "Thea." Mephisto said, then kissed her hand courtly. "Take care, my dear. Viel Glück." "Danke, Mephisto." the blonde smiled, completely encouraged, then took a deep breath and followed Yukio through the mists. The demon closed the huge door with a flick of his wrists, locked it and let it disappear into the thin air. "Well then, you heard your teacher. Please follow Mrs. Kirigakure and resume your studies. See you around. ~" the headmaster tipped his hat, then simply walked off, his snow-white cloak rustling behind him.
"What… what just happened?" Bon scratched his head in disbelief. "Do you think it's really the truth? Are those two…?" Konekomaru asked, but found himself unable to finish the sentence, so he just ended up gesturing with his hands awkwardly in the air. "I mean, yeah, Thea is like twenty-five or something, but I always thought about her like one of us… but she is already an adult, ain't she?" he adjusted his glasses. "Well, if they are dating, then I know one thing for sure… Thea is one brave girl." Rin gulped, pursing his lips in a strange combination of nervousness but also admiration. Izumo snorted, shooting the half-demon a displeased look. "Brave?! More like crazy… I mean, what on Earth is she thinking?!" A tiny, shy voice answered. "I think… I think it's quite romantic." "Shiemi?!" The group looked at their classmate whose cheeks were flushed and eyes dreamy. "That's enough, ya brats. Let's go! You've still got hella work to do on the sealing techniques I taught you last week." Shura ordered the students before they could start yet another discussion on that topic, while she thundered furiously inside. "Damn… Just what game is that annoying demon playing?! Aaargh… so irritating!"
OoO
"That was quite a show, Sir. What a passionate soul you are! I'm touched." the secretary praised with a hand on his chest as he joined his flamboyant master on his way to his office. "I'm passionate about many things, Gin. About the investigation you are supposed to be running for me, for example. And yet, you waste your time here…" the headmaster remarked flatly, pinning his spy with a questioning look. The spy almost burst out with laughter - his master could be so touchy when it came to his lady. "All those years in his services and it would seem I have not seen all of him just yet. Tsk… women…" Gin shook his head in amusement and continued with a smile on his lips. "Why, that was a part of the investigation, of course." "Oh? Care to elaborate?" "I took the liberty of sending out my little servants to keep an eye on anything suspicious your lady might do or try." the secretary said with an air of achievement. "Ah, so you managed to slip your scarabaei through the gate during all that commotion. Clever." Mephisto nodded approvingly, his lips curling up.
"Speaking about 'commotion' - you might have stirred the waters significantly by revealing your relationship to the girl, Samael. Once the spies learn about it, the other parties are bound to act…" Surprisingly, the headmaster just shrugged and brushed it all off with a single reasoning. "They would learn eventually. The more I would try to hide it, the more interested they would be when they do find out. I am in a much better position when I have the control over the information that gets out to the public." the headmaster explained. "Besides, there are already too many people in Thea's life who try to keep her very existence a secret. I refuse to be one of them." Adamant resolve burned in his eyes as he mentally added the other reason for revealing the nature of their relationship. "Calculating as always." Gin chuckled, then continued. "I agree completely. However - and I know you do not favor this particular scenario - what if she truly turns out to be a spy? Or perhaps an assassin?" An annoyed grimace appeared on Mephisto's face. "If that hypothesis proves to be correct, then it is all the better I now present her as my lady. It will make the spotlight-environment much more difficult for her to maneuver in."
"And how does the sudden concentration training fit into all of this?" Gin inquired carefully. "Oh, it fits just perfectly. If she is a spy hiding her abilities, then we need a controlled environment to find out. A place where she can be pushed to her limits. A place where she might let her charade slip due to the dangers. Or perhaps a place where she feels she does not need to restrain her powers all the time because nobody is looking too closely…" came a well-thought-out explanation. "Well, if that's the case, then rest assured that my scarabaei will be there to witness any unusual events." Gin assured, silently thankful that his master did not disregard the theory after all, despite how obviously unpleasant the idea was for him. Then, a thought came to his mind. "And what if she is no spy?" Mephisto stopped in his traces, ran his fingers through his hair and smiled genuinely. "Then she hopefully learns to protect herself better. Those skills might come in handy, especially if she is indeed being targeted by someone…" "... or if she is dating me, which is dangerous enough…" The Lord of Time mentally added the other reason again.
OoO
"As I said, Rin's training is progressing and he's gradually learning to control his flames." "Thank you, Mrs. Kirigakure. Is there anything else we should know about?" an authoritative voice echoed in the large oval hall positioned in a huge tower structure. A voice that belonged to one of the three figures sitting at pedestals high above her with their faces obscured by ceremonial, ornamented cloths. "Nothing I could think of at the moment, really…" Shura scratched her head. The truth was, she just wanted to be finally done with the report and head off home. It almost seemed that her regular reports to the Vatican have become longer and longer with her every visit. Also, there was no telling what seemingly insignificant piece of information turned out to be of importance to the authorities. "Well, it's more of a gossip, really, … The principal of the Academy is currently engaged in some strange 'romantic' relationship with one of the students." She did not expect the Grigori to stir nervously in their places, inquiring after the name of said student. "It's Althea Heilbrunn. She is also one of the individuals whose personal files had gone missing during the invasion incident I mentioned during my last report." Shura explained, but to her surprise - no, astonishment - her words faded in the sound of gasps and sudden murmur.
"No way!" she heard one of the Grigori breathe out. "So, the demon has been aware of the prophecy, after all…" a concerned conclusion reached her ears. "He must be - that is probably the reason for why he deceived the girl in the first place." another voice confirmed the assumption. "Then we might need to act sooner than we have thought." the third member of the Grigori assembly said with a hint of panic. Panic! "Excuse me…" Shura cleared her throat, confused by the whole turn of events. "...what are you talking about? What prophecy? Is there something I should know regarding my mission?" "No, child. You may return to your mission. We need to discuss matters of importance right now." came a sudden dismissal. "But… wait a moment, what is going on here?" the Exorcist pushed with the last remains of her politeness and composure. "Mrs. Kirigakure, this is a matter exceeding your rank. Now, return to your mission. Keep a close eye on the Son of Satan and keep us posted about his progress." The red-haired woman almost exploded, but she managed to rein in her temper and moderate her tone to a formal one. "With all due respect, I am a member of the Angelic Legion. Surely I can…" A loud voice reverberated the hall, carrying a hint of threat. "That is enough, Mrs. Kirigakure. You will not question our decision on this matter. You are dismissed." Bowing low, Shura scurried off the place. "What on Earth is going on?! The Grigori… they looked almost… worried. And what was with that strange question? It's almost like they didn't care for that stupid demon dating his students, but for him dating Thea. It's true that she joined the Academy under very strange circumstances… But what could Mephisto possibly gain by… deceiving her? And there's a prophecy now, too?" Shura massaged her head in frustration. "Dammit all! What the hell is going on?! What game are you playing, you scheming demon?" she thundered inwardly, irritated by the fact that she was kept in the dark about all of this. She was missing something. Well, no matter. After all, she was a spy. She would find the answers for herself in the end.
OoO
Disclaimer: Blue Exorcists belongs to Kazue Katō. Please, do not re-post or publish my story without my consent.
Author's note: Another chapter of my FF is finally here! Thank you again very much for all the views, favs and comments - I am always so surprised to see how many of you are reading my work ^^ Recently, I received some messages which lead me to write this note: Although this is a FF and in essence a romantic story, in no way does it end just by Mephisto and Thea simply falling in love (and into each other's arms). The story has a much deeper plot that is just starting to unfold :) The story is also fully finished in my head, so I know where I want it to go and how it ends. I just need to work out a few details and put it on paper - so to speak. Having said that, nothing is carved in stone and I would be very happy if you reach out to me with your comments, suggestions or feedback. Well, thank you for your patience and stay tuned! There is a lot more to look forward to :)