Chapter 9-
Chapter warnings- graphic descriptions, blood and violence.DISCLAIMER- I do not own Blue Exorcist
"So, tell me…" the voice drawled, green eyes cold as he stood uncomfortably close to the teenager. "What could possibly be making that boy so sick? That no treatments by my brother's doctors have been successful."
The teen swallowed thickly, trying not to portray any emotion. "No one is really sure."
"Hmmm. I am curious about the boy, and if the chance should arise to collect him… I want him. Your task is to bring him over, with Yukio Okumura at his side."
Shima Renzou breathed out shakily as the Commander turned away from him and he swallowed painfully with a dry throat.
"Yes sir."
Ryuuji sighed, shifting Rin carefully on his back. Rin had slept most of the trip, waking to groggily request food, water, or a bathroom. It was his turn to carry Rin and the long road they walked alongside was daunting with the heavy half-demon. The trip had so far gone without a hitch but Ryuuji refused to relax. And he firmly ignored the gaping hole in his chest where Renzo had been. Maybe if he paid it no mind… no. Who was he kidding? It was festering and painful.
Renzou.
Rin mumbled against his back and he worriedly shifted the half-demon up on his back a little higher from where he had slipped down a little. "What do you need, Rin?"
"Yer heart is racing." Rin opened groggy blue eyes to squint at Ryuuji blearily.
"I'm fine." Staring down the dusty path, Ryuuji glared at the sunlight streaming over the grasses to either side. He knew exactly what Rin had picked up on and he didn't want to talk about this at all.
"Mmm…" Rin tucked his head against the back of Ryuuji's neck, his hand reaching up and patting at his boyfriend's elbow feebly. "We will get Shima back." His voice was a soft murmur for his ears alone.
"Hush. You don't know that. He's a… traitor." Ryuuji almost choked on the word, even as he couldn't bear it to be true when all evidence pointed to it. He didn't want to lash out at Rin, either. Not now. Not with him doing so poorly, and just what the hell was Mephisto thinking allowing Rin to come with them? Even as he thought that, he also couldn't stand the idea of leaving Rin in that Clown's care.
Rin squirmed, forcing Ryuuj to set him on his feet and Ryuuji stopped to comply with a short huff, his arms protested the change, it would only be worse later. Rin reached up to grasp Ryuuji's sleeve, his hand trembled as he smiled up at him. Affection glimmered in his eyes even with the fever burning through him. "Isn't he your friend? Your family?"
"He was but--"
"No. No buts, you fight for your family." Rin breathed, panting lightly with exertion. "Sometimes they make stupid mistakes…" his voice trailed off, and he took a moment to catch his breath. "But that just means you need to fight harder." Rin's tone was firm, his eyes earnest even through the wavering strength of his voice, and Ryuuji felt moved by his conviction.
Ryuuji studied Rin's face, suppressing the anxiety he felt churning through him. This wasn't something he wanted to argue about. "If you're right… ok. But if you're wrong, I'll kill him." And myself after you die. Ryuuji wouldn't say it aloud.
Rin peered up at him, head tilted and eyes squinted. "Alright." His fingers threaded into Ryuuji's hand, squeezing gently and tugging him along.
"Hey, shouldn't I be carrying you?" Ryuuji asked.
"I feel ok." Ryuuji blinked at the bold straight-faced lie. He looked anything but 'okay.' Rin looked ahead to where Yukio spoke with a stranger. "What's the plan?"
"No idea yet." Ryuuji ran his thumb along their joined hands, his tension easing with Rin so animated again, talking to him, and hearing him speak. It felt… Nice. Comforting. Familiar. Like how things were at the beginning of school.
Rin grimaced suddenly, running his tongue over his teeth as his nose curled. "And I don't know which of you did it, but whoever fed me that sandwich, it tasted like grass."
Ryuuji snorted, glancing around to make sure Shiemi didn't hear him. He wasn't wrong but the girl was sensitive.
Their arrival in Shimane was not one Rin was expecting. A theme park awaited them. The activities and sounds of people had a headache threatening his vision. The lights were harsh and some flashed in intervals, bathing them in multicolored light.
Yukio looked puzzled at their surroundings, and retrieved his phone from his pocket. "I need to call Sir Pheles." His teal eyes came to rest on Rin's face as Rin leaned against the nearby railing. "Suguro, get Rin some pain killers please."
Rin huffed, annoyed at his own fragility. Ryuuji turned to him, his brow crinkled with concern. "How many do you need?"
"None." Rin growled softly, picking at the medical bracelet.
Ryuuji sighed, lifting a hand to drag it through Rin's tousled hair. "You say that but you look uncomfortable. At least take two." Ryuuji pulled the bag off his shoulders to pull the rattling bottle of painkillers out.
"Ryuuji," Rin whined, "I don't want to take them. I don't want any drugs in my system if we have to fight." Rin insisted, sounding for all the world like an obstinate child refusing to eat their vegetables.
"I'll feel better knowing you aren't going to collapse from pain." Ryuuji thrust his hand out, two small pills in his hand. Off to the side, Shiemi stood, offering Rin the water bottle in her hand.
"Take it Rin." She nudged his hand. He eyed the small girl, a mulish look in his eye that softened after a moment. He couldn't bear to make her upset.
"Fine." Rin didn't want to be a liability at all, but he would just have to cope with the changes.
"Sir Pheles wants us to scope out the area… Where'd Takara go?" Yukio came back to them, eyes scanning around.
Ryuuji set the pills into Rin's hand and replied, "As always, before we know it, he's gone."
Yukio's eyes were worried and Rin found himself feeling sorry for his brother. Yukio didn't exactly have things going well right now. "Oh… well. I guess we'll just have to ask around ourselves. Everyone stays close together. Rin, I gave everyone a small emergency kit for you if we get separated but try to stay close to me."
Speaking of liability. Rin huffed inwardly. Ryuuji's hand grasped his in a reassuring squeeze.
"Well, I'll be!" The loud voice made Rin's sensitive ears ring slightly. "Ever since I came here, I've felt so good I couldn't help coming back again!"
"You too? I'm having so much fun! I wish I could stay here forever!"
Yukio tilted his head, eyes narrowing for a moment before turning to the elderly people. "Um, excuse me. Is this place really that great? It's our first time."
Rin snorted in laughter as the pair closed in on Yukio, babbling away about how great everything was, how the food was spectacular and the entertainment was just so wonderful. But more so, he had to try the food here. Yukio's eyes were wide and he pulled himself away with a nervous chuckle. "Uh… ok."
The whole interaction just rubbed him the wrong way, something about the couple set Yukio on edge and he couldn't place his finger on what that feeling was.
To say the food was delicious would be an understatement. It was absolutely divine. Rin's appetite came out of nowhere and he found himself eating more than what he had been able to stomach for quite some time. He took advantage of his seemingly endless stomach and just kept eating. It was a relief. Maybe he was healing finally? He certainly felt a bit stronger. There was a giddiness that he could feel in his fingers and down to his toes, and as he rode on the silly children's fox on the playground, he continued to munch down on the rice ball filled with the savory meat and vegetable mixture.
Taking another bite, his tail squirmed under his shirt from excitement as he rocked back and forth on the riding fox.
"Rin, you need to slow down. You'll make yourself sick." Ryuuji was hovering, his hands in his pockets. His boyfriend kept an eye out, watching for trouble as he eyed the tourists milling about through the stands and he noticed something else rather strange, they were also eating food. Everyone had food in their hands, eating it as they wandered in a near daze. Their eyes bright with glowy bliss as they explored the shops lining the road.
Rin looked up at his boyfriend, he could see Ryuuji was still unsettled and stressed. Rin shoved the rest of the rice ball into his mouth and dusted his hands off to stand carefully from the playground fox he had claimed as his.
"I think you should sit down and relax for a second." Rin tugged on Ryuuji's hand, making him sit sideways on the fox. Ryuuji snorted, looking down at the plastic children's toy creaking under his weight.
"Now, rest." Rin demanded.
Ryuuji didn't get the chance to rest for even a moment as Takara showed up with a fox doll in tow. He had information on Izumo, and as he listened to the young man, his thoughts ran darker. Is this what Shima had joined? An organization that did these things to people? Looking out at the tourists with new eyes, horror shot through him, and he wasn't alone. Konekomaru and Rin eyed the people trapped here with trepidation.
Rin was on edge again. Ryuuji could see it in his body language. As soon as they had stepped into the lobby of the Dream Town Inari, which appeared to be a vacant shopping mall, Rin had tensed. His lips pulled back into a snarl, his shoulders hunched, his low threatening growl sent chills through the group. His clawed hand trembled around the tight grip of his sword, his face was flushed, and his eyes began to glow with a faint red tint.
"What do you sense?" Yukio tried to catch Rin's wandering gaze.
"Something is here. Something… cold." He shivered and his tail lashed. His fire spat and danced aggressively around him as he glared out at their surroundings.
"Stay calm…" Yukio's voice was low and his eyes flickered to the shadows… could he sense something as well? Between that and Rin's unease, Ryuuji was feeling anything but calm. His heart was racing and he noticed Shiemi and Konekomaru inching closer to Rin's flame-covered form.
"We came from the front entrance, they're sure to show up." Takara's puppet told them.
"Stay together and look for the underground entrance." Yukio's voice was continuing to drop.
The group only seemed to search for a moment, shuffling around in a wide arc. Yukio kept Rin by his side, sending Ryuuji to take the other side, keeping a careful eye on Konekomaru and Shiemi. Ryuuji was heavily reminded of their losses. It felt… wrong without Shima, Izumo and even Shura.
To his left, Rin gagged loudly, making Ryuuji whip around to his boyfriend. Rin's nose was wrinkled, his face a tad bit green and his head turned.
"God… what is that smell?" Rin's eyes, sharp and slit-pupiled, locked in on something moving behind a wall of a nearby shop facade. "Hey! You!"
Ryuuji turned to look and instantly regretted it. He heard Yukio inhale sharply and Shiemi whimpered. A figure shuffled towards them, eyes almost pleading, skin peeling away and blood pouring from the rotting flesh. A white hospital gown, identical to the ones Rin had been forced to wear recently, was stained in the dark blood. A tag like collar was wrapped around the thin throat. A gaping mouth, full of teeth and demon fangs gurgled at them. Ryuuji felt a small jolt as he realized she was coming straight for them.
Ryuuji rushed to Rin's side, ready for Yukio's instructions.
"It's a Ghoul." Yukio lifted his gun but froze as the creature's mouth moved.
"... hunnnngrrrryyy…"
Yukio pulled the trigger. His expression tightened as his mood soured even further.
"Did… did it just speak?" Shiemi's voice was soft. Her eyes wide as she stared down at the body with morbid curiosity.
"It did… so it was probably a zombie." Yukio eyed the corpse with distaste, stepping over to investigate.
Rin shook his head, closing his eyes as his medication began to kick in, with just the worst timing possible too. "Wha's the diff-rinse?"
"Well, a ghoul is dead and a zombie isn't quite dead yet, but it won't survive much longer." Konekomaru explained reluctantly. He knelt by the corpse, reading off the tag. "Experiment body no. 6411… what kind of "experiment" does this?"
The zombie's hand shot out, grabbing hold of Konekomaru. A mouthful of teeth lunged for his face with a roar. Yukio lifted his gun, firing right into the zombie's head as he yanked Konekomaru behind him. The smaller boy was trembling, eyes wide.
"That's odd. I pierced its brain stem…" Yukio kept his gun on the zombie.
Rin, who had been in a drug induced daze jerked, whipping around with a snarl. More zombies were approaching in varying states of decay.
"Wh-where'd they come from?" Rin was beginning to sway and his skin was beginning to heat up with a new fever. Ryuuji pulled Rin closer, allowing him a moment to rest his flaming forehead against Ryuuji's chest. "I don't feel good. They smell really bad."
"Mr. Okumura!" Konekomaru's voice was raised in panic.
The zombie Yukio had just shot was lifting up her steaming head. The left side of her face was blown apart from Yukio's most recent shot. More zombies were behind her as she staggered to her feet. They all groaned and snarled. Some garbled out wet sounding words.
"What is going on?!" Yukio exclaimed, his eyes wide as his gaze darted around the rapidly encroaching mass of zombies. He lifted his gun once more, but he knew it would only hold them off for so long… What was Mephisto thinking sending a bunch of Exwires into this? He seriously needed to demand a raise for this. Cursing under his breath, Yukio lowered his guns. There was no point in shooting them, they were only going to come back up again, and he'd rather aim at something that wouldn't get up again.
Creeping and shuffling even closer, the group could only watch in horror. Their numbers were in the dozens. The stench and heat was too much. Rin's breathing was escaping him in harsh gasps, broken up with low growls. He shook his head violently, something inside his mind urged him on. His hand released his sword and the clatter made Yukio risk a look back at his brother just in time to see Rin's pupils shrink down into slits. Rin roared, bounding forward in a blur.
Yukio could hear the others calling out to Rin. The flames exploded outward, warm to them but they incinerated the zombies. The zombies shrieked and howled as Rin sliced through them with claws outstretched. The flaming half-demon left no zombie close to the Exwires.
"There's no use fighting them. Find the lab entrance!" Yukio called out to the others. Ryuuji took up Rin's discarded sword. "Rin! Rin, come on! Follow us!" He didn't know if Rin could hear him or not. Rin seemed to be delirious, fighting with an unbridled rage.
The group ran, and Yukio was relieved to hear Rin keeping close to them. Yukio remembered something his father had said once about demons. Wounded or sick demons would lash out violently, especially when their family and themselves were being threatened. Rin rushed by in a flurry of blue sparks, his tail slapped at Yukio's hip as he went.
"It's no use! They're everywhere!" Ryuuji yelled. The group slid to a stop in the center of the mall. The zombies were stumbling closer in a disarrayed horde.
Rin looked back at them from where he crouched, his fangs too large for his mouth and dripping with saliva. His breathing was worsening, coming out in fast and shallow pants. The color in his face was disappearing at a rapid pace.
"We will have to clear a way." Konekomaru croaked, glancing around.
"Should I use my bazooka?" Ryuuji lifted it but kept his hold on Rin's sword.
"It isn't strong enough…" Yukio turned in a circle, searching for the weakest point, the most decayed zombies, the ones starting to fall apart. Rin crumpled suddenly with a wounded bellow, landing in a heap on the floor.
"Rin!" Yukio rushed to his side, noting how Rin's muscles began to tremble violently. "No, not now. Rin! Come on."
It wasn't a good idea to move someone having a seizure but as the zombies continued to close in, Yukio didn't have a choice. He put away his guns and lifted Rin up into his arms, wincing as bloody froth slid down Rin's chin.
"What do we do, Yuki?" Shiemi asked.
Ryuuji's eyes lifted from where he was worriedly watching Rin. They were all looking to Yukio for guidance. What could he tell them? They were going to die here? The zombies were too close, with no exit in sight and no confirmation of reinforcements arriving anytime soon. Yukio didn't have another trick up his sleeve. It was just… him. He shut his eyes for a moment, hoping to collect his thoughts even as he struggled to hold onto Rin's thrashing form.
Boom… the ground dropping out from below him had his eyes flying open. The floor had sunk suddenly in a set groove, and was now… opening up. What was seemingly solid flooring was actually something else. The others with him shouted with fear and confusion. He didn't even have time to look down around Rin. Then they were falling. Their screams bounced off what seemed to be a metal funnel leading down into a pitch black hole. Rin slipped from his hold as he fell and Yukio frantically reached for him. Grasping onto Rin's arm, he inwardly flinched as Rin slammed into the side of the funnel and slid down.
"Rin!" Ryuuji cried out, clinging to the flickering sword. Yukio watched each of his students fall, enveloped in the darkness below.
He clung to Rin, unsure of what awaited them. Then they were in the dark and falling faster, the black tunnel branched off, causing them to tumble sideways. The impact was as bad as he had dreaded. There was no cushioning Rin, who collided against the hard concrete with a sound similar to a watermelon hitting the ground. A flash of burning heat radiated from Yukio's hip as he landed hard. Yukio blinked, finding that they were in complete darkness, he shifted, attempting to sit up. Searing pain in his side had him gasping, biting his tongue hard to stifle any other sounds. Gingerly he rolled onto his back, eyes clenched shut as his hip throbbed. Hot blood was spreading along his jacket and pants. With a trembling hand, he found the source of his pain. The knife that had once been locked into a special compartment on his flashlight had broken loose, and had cut into his hip.
"Fuck." He murmured, his fingers nudging around the sharp blade, easing it away from the rip in the side of his pants where blood was oozing. The dark was suffocating and the silence around him had him on edge, he panted shallowly finding it hard to breathe through the searing pain in his hip. Reaching out, he could feel Rin's arm but he couldn't see much except a shimmering blue silhouette. With a grunt, he pulled out the flashlight slick with his own blood, and attempted to turn it on, his fingers kept slipping on the surface and he grimaced. His thumb caught, and he pressed the button.
Click.
Blinking, he tried to make sense of the darkness. Where was the light? Didn't he push the button? No. It wouldn't turn on… He growled, smacking it against his hand with a wet thump, and clicking the button again rapidly. Of course it was broken! Now of all times. It had been by his side since his ninth birthday when his father got it for him. It had never broken through all the missions, all the years and now… when he needed the light most, it had failed him. He shook his head, shaking off the thoughts. First he had to check on Rin.
Yukio panted heavily, dragging himself closer to Rin's faintly glowing form. Hot blood ran down his leg as he forced the wounded limb to work, the blood cooling as it trickled down his knee. Peering over at his brother, Rin seemed to be completely limp. Yukio reached his hand out and ran it over Rin's face, feeling that his ears had shrunk and his mouth lacked the extra large fangs. His body had reverted back to its more… human appearance.
Yukio placed his hand under Rin's nose, unable to tell if he was breathing. The puff of air was shallow and slow but still there. Yukio leaned closer, intending to set his head on Rin's chest. Then he realized he could smell bile and blood. Rin's shirt was covered in it, and his questing fingers darted about almost frantically to discover Rin's neck wet and liquid leaking into his hair.
Yukio jerked, sucking in a horrified breath, his hands roving faster in the dark, searching for the source of the blood. His right hand trailed down Rin's left side and dipped into the sopping wet crater in his ribcage. Yukio growled, lifting Rin's shirt to expose the battered rib cage underneath. Yukio cursed, his hand blindly finding the basal cancer seeping blood from the fall. He didn't have any bandages big enough for it, so he reached down, ripping the bottom of Rin's shirt into long strips to use instead. When he was as satisfied as he could be with the makeshift bandage he set his head against Rin's chest. The sound that greeted him had his heart pounding. Wet sticky breaths. An awful rattling sound.
Dammit… What do I do now?
Rin had aspirated and Yukio wouldn't be able to get it out on his own. Or could he? It was like a heimlich maneuver. But a bit more horizontal. Designed for when the person needing help was unconscious. Moving quickly, because every second mattered, Yukio dropped to one knee, ignoring his pants sticking to his leg from the cooling blood. For once, it was a good thing Rin was such a short kid. Turning Rin over, Yukio lifted him by his pelvis and draped his body on his knee, letting Rin's head rest on his other knee pressed against the floor.
After lining up his hand between Rin's shoulder blades, he slammed an open palm down with frantic energy. Rin wasn't responding. Not even a twitch, and the lack of activity out of him bothered Yukio. Clenching his jaw, he curled his hand into a fist, and hit even harder. "Come on, Rin!"
Breathe! He slammed his fist down again. "Come on, Rin!"
Nothing. He again slammed his fist down. Why wasn't it working? Why wasn't Rin doing anything? That's all he ever did. Nothing. "Damn it, Rin! Just fucking breathe!"
The lights blared to life around him and he squinted in the sudden light. Rin was limp and now that Yukio could see, he almost wished to be blind to the damage around them. Splatters of blood and bile covered the ground, Yukio's own blood was smeared from where he slid across the floor. Rin's face was frighteningly pale, where it laid against the floor, his overactive tail limp.
Yukio brought his fist down again, trying to keep the panic at bay. The sound of metal on metal made him growl, looking up to see a gate being lifted at the end of the room. Then something horrid began to make its way out of the cage. The creature was distorted and had too many arms, mouths and eyes. The bulging body seemed to bubble and shift before his eyes.
"Ffff….ooood." it moaned, taking a step forward with an unbalanced stumble.
Yukio slammed his fist down against Rin, urging him to expel everything in his lungs. "Dammit Rin! Eat too much, now you can't breathe!"
The zombie was getting closer, Rin wasn't responding, Yukio's options were running out. Rin was going to die down here without help! Isn't that what you wanted?
No! Not like this. Not like this! Yukio swallowed as the zombie came too close to ignore. Regretfully, he lowered Rin to the floor, and got to his feet unsteadily. "Hang on Rin."
His wound throbbed and he grit his teeth, pulling his guns from his holster. He stood tall, ready to protect Rin with everything he had left.
Lucifer had arrived to come see for himself the twin sons of Satan fight the Chimeras Gedōin had manufactured, his curiosity burning to see the fighting style of the one who carried the noble Blue Flames of their father. It would surely be a spectacular sight. As he was guided into one of the closest chairs, Gedōin clicked on the lights and set the cages to begin to open.
Surprisingly, the twins had gotten into the same box but the sight was disheartening. The younger but larger twin was pounding on the older twin's back, panic in his face. As the gate rose, the boy raised his head, a fierce snarl lifting his lips. Lucifer frowned, leaning closer to peer at Rin Okumura draped over his brother's knees. The boy was pale, blood and stomach bile stained his face, neck and shirt. His eyes were sunken and hollow, lids closed and he was motionless and unresponsive even as Yukio Okumura slammed his fist into his brother's back.
"How dare Samael send him?! Does he have a death wish for the child?" Lucifer wheezed with disbelief. He trembled slightly as he turned to Homare. "Prepare a medical team. I am intervening."
Lucifer had been willing to follow Samael's wishes before but his youngest brother and one of the vital pieces to their studies was falling apart before his eyes. Lucifer lifted his gaze back to the younger twin, remembering Todo going on and on about him. The child was panting, cheeks flushed and eyes going back and forth between the approaching Chimera and his brother. It was fascinating… Lucifer could almost see the thought process as Yukio settled Rin back onto the floor. As he stood, Lucifer could see that not all of the blood was Rin's. Yukio had been injured in the fall as well.
The following fight was impressive. He had heard about the Naiad summoning circle the boy had made from bullets alone. But as the boy fought the Chimera then bound it to the floor on the molecular level, Lucifer knew he had to have both brothers. Yukio alone would be a catch and a worthy soldier, scientist… anything. The boy adapted and his intelligence, his cunning abilities had Lucifer thrilled over the prospects. The boy may not have inherited the Blue Flames but it seemed he had inherited something from Satan. Lucifer watched the boy clamber on top of the Chimera with quick movements to keep the strange flesh from attaching to his skin. Standing on top of the experiment, he fired into it relentlessly. Lucifer breathed in sharply as he watched the younger twin utterly destroy the Chimera he faced, and in that moment he decided Yukio looked truly demonic.
"I must have Yukio Okumura." Lucifer looked back at the young pink haired soldier. The boy had been staring at the screen with an unidentifiable expression. As Lucifer turned back, another screen caught his eye. A broad shouldered boy was facing off against his own Chimera Zombie. He had piercings and a ferocious grin as he lifted a blue flaming sword. The sword's flames were dancing actively and bathed the boy in shadows and blue light. The Chimera Zombie was cowering back, afraid of the stunning blue fire.
"Who is this?" Lucifer recalled seeing the boy standing close to Rin Okumura, holding onto and shielding the half-demon from his sight.
"That is Ryuuji Suguro." Shima informed him.
"Ahhhh… the carrier of the Phoenix." Lucifer watched the boy, smothered in blue flames, standing tall and yet unafraid. "What is his relation to Rin and Yukio Okumura?"
"Oh… uh. He has been dating Rin for a bit." Shima shifted as Lucifer allowed the information to sink in. So Rin had chosen a mate. A human mate.
Lucifer leaned back, not exactly surprised. "Good bloodlines. It is a shame neither are female. I would be interested in a child from them."
Shima stifled a giggle behind his hand and Lucifer rolled his eyes at the child. Lucifer watched the flames interact with the human. They seemed so calm compared to Father's. One ribbon of flame ran up the boy's arm, ruffling his hair without burning him.
"Sir. The medical team is ready." Homare had returned with a bow.
"Good. Let us go greet them." As he was taken from the room, he glanced back to see the boy looking at each of the screens. "Come Shima."
Yukio's leg trembled from use, his pant leg saturated and stuck to him with his own blood. His hands gripped his guns tightly and he was panting heavily. The zombie under his feet continued to twitch but seemed subdued for the most part. The loud creak of a heavy door opening startled him and he turned, guns raised.
A tall blonde man, with bright green eyes and a softly placid expression stepped into the cell, he had a long pale blonde tail that reminded Yukio of a lion and his clothing appeared well-kept. Lucifer. Yukio could feel the raw power coming off of him like beams of heavy sunlight. Weighing him down and freezing him in place. It felt… terrifying, in the way a single direct solar flare from the sun could cause all sorts of damage around the globe.
"Hello Yukio Okumura." It was unnerving to be in his presence. Behind Lucifer, a group of Illuminati people in white coats began to rush towards Rin carrying duffel bags.
Yukio snarled, attempting to break free from whatever hold the Demon King had on him, his eyes had a strange hypnotic quality that made it difficult to move or look away once he had you.
"Fear not, Okumura. They are quite experienced. We are here to help." His voice was low and soft, gloved hands outspread as he approached. Yukio's eyes flickered over to Rin who was now surrounded by the medical team. One of them withdrew a long clear tube with a deflated donut shaped ring near the end. Another pulled Rin's mouth open, then the tube was disappearing down his throat.
Yukio's stomach lurched and he leapt down off the zombie. The landing jarred his wounded leg, fresh blood layering on top of the dried as he dropped to one knee before forcing himself to his feet and stumbling toward them. "Don't hurt him!"
Even though he knew they were just trying to help, Yukio panicked at the sight of something so intrusive being done so suddenly with little introduction. He made as if to limp around the Demon King Of Light but was blocked as Lucifer stepped in his way once more.
"Be still, child. You too are wounded." Yukio raised his eyes, meeting the soft gaze of the demon.
"What do you want?" Yukio responded hoarsely. His hands shook as they gripped his weapons. "Why are you helping us?" His eyes darted over toward his brother on the ground and back to the Demon King. His heart was pounding, and he could hear how it thundered in his ears.
"My brother has good intentions, but young Rin can not be left as he is without perishing."
"Why do you want to help us?" Yukio pressed, any good thing came with a price. Especially with the Demon Kings. Breathing heavily, Yukio clenched his jaw as he stared the King down. The Light King could kill them both. Right here, and it wouldn't even tire him out. Lucifer frowned at him, tilting his head lightly as he regarded the younger boy.
Approaching the younger boy with carefully measured steps, Lucifer came toward him. Bringing his hands up very gently to cradle Yukio's face, Lucifer stared into his eyes with an unfathomable expression. Yukio exhaled harshly, and then he could barely breathe. He couldn't even muster the strength of will to move. "I want you, Yukio Okumura. Both you and your brother."
Yukio gasped and tried to draw away, his muscles tensed and he stood rigidly before the Light King. Lucifer was still holding onto him though, and Yukio's body refused to move, his heart was beating rapidly in his chest and he couldn't look away from him.
"You brother need not suffer this way. I will not take you now, though." Releasing him, Lucifer straightened. "When the time comes, I would be deeply honored for you and your brother to come to me of your own free will."
It took all of Yukio's will power to remain standing as the Light King turned away from him. With another few softly spoken words, another medical professional was at his side, guiding him to sit down to receive care. Lost in a daze, Yukio could only comply with the man's prompts as he looked over at Rin on the floor.
Lucifer was approaching Rin now. His strides were slower and he was removing his gloves with languid movements. Yukio looked back at Rin, who was now curled onto his right side, being held by the doctors. His face still lacked color, even as the team of doctors worked to expel the contents of his lungs. Lucifer's cloak billowed out, blocking Yukio's view, the Demon King knelt down in front of Rin's face.
"I am going to help your brother to the best of my ability, Yukio." Lucifer half turned his face to meet Yukio's wide eyes. "It will not kill him, so you must not interfere."
Yukio leaned forward, trying to keep himself from lunging to his feet, as Lucifer slipped his hand into Rin's hair almost comfortingly before gripping onto Rin's scalp with an unyielding strength. His other hand pulled away the makeshift bandage on Rin's side and Yukio could see it had worsened. Rin's rib cage was slightly exposed and the skin was an angry hot red. Lucifer didn't flinch away at the sight, but settled his long thin fingers around Rin's decimated rib cage, his fingers fitting perfectly in the dip of each rib.
Rin seemed so much smaller laying before the most powerful Demon King, tube hanging from his mouth and so vulnerable. The doctors stepped back, giving their leader space. Distracted by what was happening before him, he almost didn't notice the doctor at his side cutting away at the fabric practically fused to his leg. Glancing down at the medic at his side, he met their gaze warily. If this was a trap, or if they were intending to poison them, it was definitely the longer route. Yukio let him work, choosing instead to watch the Light King carefully.
Lucifer's shoulders trembled for a moment before a stillness settled over him. The air charged with the scent of ozone and all of Yukio's hair stood on end, unnerved as what appeared to be heat waves began to distort the air over the Demon King. The waves ruffled Rin's hair and water vapors were suspended in the air before evaporating entirely.
Rin's mouth dropped in a silent scream. His body twitched, tail swishing before wrapping tightly around his leg. His hands spasmed, shifting weakly to attempt to dislodge the hands pressing against him. The claws on his left hand made a rough grinding noise as they scratched slow yet frantically at the concrete below. His legs kicked out, trying to shove away from Lucifer, who kept him pinned. His eyes snapped open, tears welling up as he stared up at Lucifer, pleadingly.
Yukio panted heavily, his jaw clenched. This was impossible to ignore. He forced himself to his feet and hissed, discovering that the doctor at his side had begun to stitch the wound. Only two stitches were completed. "Wait, hold on! You're killing him!" Yukio attempted to rush forward but was held back. He struggled to get up, and his arms were quickly locked behind his back. He was forced to the ground with demoralizing ease to keep him from using his weapons. "RIN!"
"Don't interfere! The Commander is giving him a gift!" The medic hissed in his ear, and Yukio's expression tightened with fear as he clamped his mouth shut. They were stitching up his leg again, ignoring his grunts of pain as they moved quickly to finish the task their commander gave them.
Hurt… pain… burning…
Rin needed to get away. Everything was burning. He tried to scream but he couldn't make a sound. Something was clogging up his throat. His body refused to move correctly. He could feel a power forcing him to submit and keeping him immobilized. A hand in his hair, not comforting or loving like he was used to, seemed to be part of his pain. He could feel his hands grappling about, absolutely useless. Forcing his eyes open, though they ached to close against the power of whatever this was… this fire that rippled invisibly.
Intense green eyes blazed down at him with an emptiness born of concentration. He could hear Yukio. Yukio was screaming. Were they hurting Yukio? Rin forced his eyes to look away from the burning green gaze and found Yukio being restrained by people in white coats and dark outfits underneath. He could faintly smell Yukio's blood, the red staining some of the white coats. Yukio was hurt, he was bleeding. They were making him scream!
"RIN!" Yukio's voice was desperate, filled with something like fear. Yukio shouldn't sound like that. He was usually so level headed. Where were the others? Ryuuji? Shiemi? Konekomaru?
Rin clenched his eyes tight against the continuous searing pain. It burned with an intensity he'd never felt before. His repressed flames writhed under his skin, held back to such a point that Rin felt another layer of panic rake jarringly through his being. What was this? His hands clenched around nothing, longing for his sword. Where was his heart? The absence of his blade near him nettled at his feeling of safety.
Rin's flames bucked and thrashed easier than his physical body could, grappling with the Demon King of Light. The strain was far greater than Amaimon and the Impure King combined. But both times he had had his sword in hand. They must have taken it from him. He looked back to Yukio, terrified. Yukio's teal eyes were too bright with unshed tears.
Rin gave another soundless scream, his throat spasmed and he felt like he was drowning. The flames inside him seemed to roar for him, he could feel the shift coming. Lucifer swayed, his power waning.
Get away… I can't breathe… this hurts so bad… I must… Save Yukio.
Rin distantly noticed the look of shock on Yukio's face and the grey hue of Lucifer's skin before everything turned blue. His thoughts shutting down, overwhelmed by panic.