Lucky's Prompts and Ideas!
Fire Brigade of Flames (Enen No Shouboutai)
Chp: The horns of the devil sharpened by heroism.
Authors note: I've recently found 'Fire Brigade of Flames' and I've fallen in love. The story is intriguing, the depiction of fire is so…beautiful. I especially like Shinra. A boy with a fanged smile like the devils he fights, but despite his appearance; he still fights for his own dream. It's awesome! I just think…Let's make his powers a bit more…demonic. I'll also add some twists to the story and universe… I hope you enjoy this little one-shot!
Fire…..That was all that he could see… Burning all in its path, its roar silent but louder than anything he had ever heard. The blend of orange, reds, and yellows captivated him; the heat warm and yet mind breaking.
"Mom?"
"Sho?"
The young boy asked, his bed somehow not burning yet. He pulled the covers off of his legs, swinging them down to the hot floor beneath him. He doesn't wince when the bottom of his feet burn and blister, staring into the blaze.
"Mom!"
"Sho!"
The boys yells this, hoping that his mother had heard him or at the very least his younger sister to cry out. He takes a step forward, the flames licking his clothes. He never notices his own eyes glow alongside the flames, voices coming from beyond the flames. He couldn't understand them, body stiffening when the flames in front of him shift unnaturally. The power of the flames drew him in but the…thing in front of him stopped him cold. A wide grin, so much like his own but so different. Black skin, the acrid smell of burning flesh and ash feeling his nose. He looks up, chest feeling as if someone had crushed it in a vice. 2 brightly glowing eyes staring unflinchingly at him, a burst of flame escaping the beings mouth 2 horns proudly displayed from its head. In its hand was the remains of a white cloth, its form slowly being ate by the flames.
The boy sees this, mouth twisting into a mirror grin of the beings in front of him. He feels…something deep in his bones. Something familiar…something that had been with him for as long as he could remember. He fights to stop it, and after a second his mothers voice echoes in his head. "Be careful with your flames honey…They make you someone special and those outside will take you away for having them. You can use them while in the house but please…if something ever happens…Be careful who you allow to see them….And no matter what happens….Know that despite others views upon you; you are the one who decides what those flames do…My little Oni…"
Those words echoed in his head and for a split second….he let it go. Flames erupted from his feet, flesh bubbling underneath them and turning to ash. His hands followed the same path, and with a disturbing grin 2 horns made of the very flames surrounding him erupted from his forehead. He opens his mouth to scream, when the being in front of him grinned wider and the last thing he saw of it was its disturbing grin. A figure appeared in front of him, black jacket with blue lines crossing it. A large number was displayed on its back, silver hair whipping from above it and with a hand far larger than his own, the child felt the heat disappear.
He stares at the flaming corpse of his home, another person coming up and grabbing him from the larger person. He feels his shoulders be covered in some kind of blanket; the larger person that had pulled him from the fire going back into his home. The darkness and coolness of the night around him did nothing to stop the heat growing in his chest, eyes darting around.
Firefighters…They surrounded his home some of them trying to control the raging inferno, others watching the house for…something. The neighbors were out, many of the staring in horror and shock as the home in front of them was quickly reduced to a burning husk.
The person that had pulled him from the fire walked out of the inferno…The boy staring up at a singular sharp green eye, soft features slightly singed, and grey hair blowing in the flames wind. "Your mother and sister are gone.." The woman said, the boy feeling something break as he stares at the woman.
His jaw clenches, an ominous fang filled grin taking over, tears overflowing from his eyes. The woman in front of him raised an eyebrow. "Now…that's an evil looking smile.."
And on that day…the boy known as Shinra Kusakabe bawled while grinning like the very devil he saw within the flames.
Lea Burns stares at the black smoldering remains of the house in front of her, the boy she saved from it holding her hand in a death grip. Her singular eye glances at her brigade members surrounding the area, nodding when they were able to push the neighbors away for a little bit. She stiffens when small embers begin to waft from the boys hands and feet, 2 barely noticeable horns forming on his head. She waits for him to combust, but stares in shock when nothing happens. The boy was still looking down, tears running down his face but nervous grin still present. Lea glances toward her subordinates, seeing that no one had noticed the boys flames and huffs.
"Boy…" She starts, moving her coat so that it covered his body. "I am sorry for your loss but I implore you to get control of your flames. Their…appearance on your person may bring some…unneeded attention."
The boy looked up at her, eyes still wet with tears and he nods. She watches the flames surrounding the boy die out, nodding in satisfaction. Since she had the boys eyes on her. She bends down to his level. "What is your name?"
The boy sniffles, wiping his tears away with the back of his arm, answering after a second. "Shinra…Shinra Kusakabe…."
Lea smiles at the boy, sticking her hand out. The boy, Shinra, grabs it in a shaky grip and Leas moves it up and down. "Nice to meet you Shinra. My name is Lea Burns, Captain of the 1st Fire Brigade. Now then, I'm going to take you to a doctor…."
At that Shinra jolts a little, shaking his head. Lea raises an eyebrow at him. "What? Don't like the doctor?"
"Mommy told me not to let the doctors see my flames…" Shinra mumbled. Lea thinks on it, humming. She nods, picking Shinra up from the ground. He squeaked lightly, but quickly grabbed a fistful of her flame retardant coat. She moves from burned wreckage of Shinras home, taking careful note of his body shaking. She glances down at him, body nearly dwarfed by her coat. His red eyes were dull and unfocused, staring at everything and nothing at the same time. She grunts when one of her subordinates comes up to her. "Captain! No sign of an Infernal nor of 'you know who'. The fire must've been caused by something else…"
Lea nods, Shinra poking his head out of the coat. Her subordinate sees the boy, wincing at his smile. "Woah! That's an evil grin! We sure this little guy didn't activate an 'ignition'?"
The other fire fighters around her laughed, most of them female. "Hah! You kidding? The chances of that happening is slim to none. Everybody knows that women are the only ones that can activate an ignition!"
The male firefighters grumble at the women saying that, Lea huffing. "I'm taking the boy to the nearest hospital for a quick check up. Try to find his closest living kin. Name is Shinra Kusakabe."
She walks past hearing the others bark out a 'Yes ma'am' before setting out to do as she said. After a few minutes of walking, Lea speaks. "How long have you had your flames?" Shinra jumps at her voice, stuttering an answer.
"Since…B-b-b-irth?"
"You've had them since birth?" Lea questions in surprise, thoughts racing. How did no one know of this? If the boy had them since birth, how did his family keep them hidden? Her thoughts land on Shinra's words from before. 'Mommy told me to not let the doctor know about my flames..'
'The boys mother must've known that if the existence of his flames were made public, he'd be…relocated…And she taught him to hide his flames from the population….' Lea's thoughts trailed off. After a minute, she speaks. "When we get to the hospital don't show your flames. Do as your mother told you." Shinra looks up at her, confusion crossing his face. "Will the doctors take me away if they see my flames?"
Leas small frown was all that Shinra needed, nuzzling deeper into the thick coat of Lea. The 2 walk through the sparsely populated streets in silence; Shinra shivering. After a few minutes, the hospital comes into view, Lea humming and entering the building. The receptionists jolts when he sees her, standing up quickly.
"Captain Burns! How may we assist you?"
The mans voice was nervous, Lea seeing his eyes land on Shinra. "A fire broke out in the young lads home. I want him checked for injuries and brought back to me." Her voice was soft, carrying a small hint within it. The receptionist nods quickly.
"Of course! Let me call a nurse."
He retreated from the captain and the boy, pushing a button and calling for a nurse. A minute passes, a young woman walking around the nearby corner and smiling when she sees Shinra in Leas arms. "Hello! Let's get you checked out and give you a nice lollipop. How's that sound sweetie?" Shinra stares at her, grin still present but he nods. The woman smiles, grabbing him from Leas arms. Shinra looks at the captain, eyes watering lightly and Lea simply smiles at him.
Lea takes the time to walk over to the waiting area. She takes a seat, grunting when the chair groans under her weight. With a huff, she crosses her arms and closes her eye. Time to wait..
Lea opens her eyes when she hears soft footsteps coming near her, eye glancing toward the nearby corridor. The nurse was walking toward her with a smile, Shinra beside her his hand in hers. Lea meets them halfway, Shinra immediately jumping in the air. Lea catches him, surprised at his action. The nurse giggles at Leas face, brining up a clipboard from nowhere.
"Hahaha! Now then…Shinra here suffered very little injuries from the fire. Some small 1st degree burns on the bottom of his feet, some small cuts on his arms, and a little bit of heat stroke. Nothing we couldn't fix, nor wouldn't heal by itself. Give him plenty of fluids the next day or so, keep the burns on his feet clean and bandaged and he'll by fine within a weak."
Lea nods and the nurse smiles, bringing out a wrapped lollipop and holding it out for Shinra. He looks at it, eyes twinkling and reaches for it. He smiles when he reaches it and tears the wrapper off. He hums in happiness at the taste of the lollipop, Lea nodding in thanks and exiting the hospital. As she walks away from the hospital, her subordinates come around the corner in an armored vehicle. "Captain! We're here to pick you up!"
She nods, entering the vehicle when it stopped and the door opened. She sits down, ignoring the quiet glances at Shinra from her subordinates. "Take us to the HQ. The boy shall be staying with us for the foreseeable future.."
The others in the van make noises of confusion, but none question her words. The sound of the engine starting makes Shinra jolt, Lea closing her eye and thinking to herself. What shall the future bring?
A few days later
Lea hums, taking a sip of lukewarm coffee. The evening sun was setting, her HQ quiet except for a few people still mulling about. She glances at her door when it squeaked open, dull red eyes staring at her from the dark hallway. She sets her coffee cup down, turning in her chair to the eyes. "Shinra…" She says, watching with a small frown as Shinra walks into her office. He was clutching something to his chest, his flames shining brightly around his hands and feet. She blinks, Shinras form disappearing from the door; looking down and seeing him underneath her desk.
"Shinra.." She warns, voice coming out low and measured. He winces at her voice, mumbling quietly and crawling out from her desk. He shuffles over to the door, Lea watching his feet singe the floor beneath them. As he walked back, she looks at the burnt footprints he left behind him. 'Hmmm…A devils footprints…'
Shinra had returned to the desk, now hiding underneath it. She looks at him, getting a glance of the thing in his arms. It looked like a book. She sighs, bending down at staring into his eyes. "Shinra…Why do you have your flames out?"
Her question made the boy wince, grin coming out in full force. "I…went home…"
His admission makes her stiffen, arms reaching out and grabbing his shoulders gently. "You…went home? At this time of day? With your flames in the open?" Her voice rose a few octaves at the end, Shinra shaking his head wildly.
"No! I went home for this! My…flames stayed hidden…"
Shinra pushed what was in his arms forward, Lea staring at the object in confusion. It was a book….Old bound pages, yellowed do to their age, but still crisp enough to feel the care in which they were taken care of. It had a small title on the front, the only word legible was the word 'Oni'.
She raises an eyebrow, leaning back; allowing Shinra to climb up into her lap. He did so happily, his flames still active. She looks at the book, Shinra opening it and turning to the first page. He stays silent, the flames growing in the intensity and two small horns of fire growing from his forehead. She waits for him to start reading, raising an eyebrow when he looks up at her. "Oh…"
She coughs into her hand, getting comfortable. She begins. "There was once a little oni…Who lived on a lonely cold mountain…Whose spirit wished to be free of the lonely cold and snow…The others of her race were mean and cruel to others; making fun of them and scaring them. The young oni didn't like this; so she tried to make friends with the other races…But none wanted to be her friend. They thought her a monster…So she tried to impress them with her flames but that made them fear her even more. She continued to try and make friends, but none wanted to be her friend. And so, she wore a smile…..a smile full of teeth. She smiled at all that she could see…Hoping that someone would be her friend. But no one did and so she simply waited in silence…"
"But one day…as she waited in the cold…she heard a scream. She followed the scream…finding a child being attacked. It was a giant boar! Its tusks as big as trees, and skin as thick as a mountain. The young oni shivered in fear, but something made her rush forward and protect the child. And with a roar that shattered the heaven, she used her flames to defeat the giant boar! After the fight was done, she turned to the scared child. The child was scared but it thanked her and ran off. The young oni..felt something. Something she couldn't explain but something that she liked…"
"Later…as the young oni rested in her lonely cave; she smelled something. Something sweet…She followed her nose and what a surprise! There at the front of her cave was a basket of sweets. Candies, and chocolates of all kinds, her mouth watering at the sight! And so she ate…eyes catching the scared look of the child she saved; mouth grinning at them. The child smiles and left, so…the children would come and ask for her protection. She gave it….happy to finally have some friends. She realized that…despite her looks…despite her powers…she could still be someone…nice."
At that, Shinra had started to doze off. Lea chuckles, the noise jolting him awake. He looks around sleepily. "Your mother use to read this to you?" Shinra nods, eyes watering at the thought. "She called me her 'little oni'." At that, she hums.
"Hmmm…Well then…How about you become our 'little oni'." At that, Shinra turns to her; eyes still watery but now shining. She smiles at him, giving him a kiss on the forehead. "You'll be with us for awhile and I think having you around will be good for morale. So how about it? Will you be our 'little oni'?"
Shinra vibrates in her lap, yelling out a 'yes!'. His flames brightened with his happiness, rising to the ceiling in a matter of seconds. Lea calls him down with a simple head pat, sighing in her head.
The hustle and bustle of the people around him makes him grin, the sight of it making people shift away from him. He ignores the whispers coming from those around him, walking over to a nearby bench and taking a seat. His backpack weighed heavily against his shoulder, the familiar weight of his books calming his racing minds. This was it…He had finally graduated the academy and had chosen his fire brigade. Heh…Most would think that he would've chosen the 1st brigade and he didn't blame them. Being their unofficial mascot for the last decade made the members his family but…it was decided that it'd be better if he was thrown from his comfort zone. That and somehow…they had kept the secret of his flames hidden from the world. There were a few close calls…but they kept it hidden.
He stiffens, nose picking up a familiar scent. He stands to his feet, eyes darting to the train car pulling into the station. The first few people exit, most of them checking their phones when traces of…ash escape from behind them. Shinra feels his body heat up, the beginnings of flames licking his hands and he grins nervously when the train cart explodes in flames.
People scream, feet rushing and Shinra moves forward the sight of the flames entrancing him. People push past him, but that doesn't faze him. After a second, a black charred hand grasps the edge of the train door. The flaming…humanoid figure eeks past the door, roaring in anger and pain. Someone finally has the balls the yell what they were all thinking. "Infernal!"
At that, Shinra jolts out of his reverie hiding behind the nearest concrete pillar. The infernal screeched horribly, the noise deafening all around it. The acrid stench of burning flesh scratches his nose, Shinra frowning deeply. He grabs his bag, ripping it open and looking inside. There, cleverly nestled between the soft contours of his backpack and his books was a black mask.
He grabs the mask, bringing it into the light staring at the dull face of it. There grooved into the smooth metal, was 2 elliptical eyes the ends of the eyes pointed. In the center of the eyes was a circle, the middle hollow, representing pupils. 2 holes were above the eyes grooves, oddly placed at the forehead. At the bottom of the mask was a grooved sharp toothed smile, looking oddly cartoonish. Lea gave it to him for his 10th birthday, saying it was to hide his face when he decided to…be a hero. He grumbles at that thought, peeking around the pillar.
His eyes widen, sparkles appearing in them. There walking forward to confront the infernal was a fire brigade. The heavy black coats they wear standing out to the bland concrete tiles of the station. He watches them, a police officer coming up and helping control the panicking crowd. "Everybody stay calm! The 8th fire brigade has arrived and will take care of the infernal!"
Shinra sighs in relief at that, mask still in his hand. A deep unsettled feeling passes through him, Shinra putting the mask on. He relaxes at the masks familiar weight, focusing on the deep heat inside of him and bringing it forth. The grooves in the mask glow a deep red, the smile coming into existence first. Then the eyes appeared, their appearance giving those nearby a small shiver. The holes above the eyes burst in flames, horns forming and growing a good foot into the air.
Shinra peeks back around the corner, seeing some girl clap her hands together. He watches in glee as the flames surrounding the infernal disappear, the girl smirking. Another fire brigade member rushes forward, a giant….pile driver on their arm revving loudly. The pile driver is thrusted into the infernals chest, a hidden trigger pulled and the large sharp point piercing the infernals chest. At that, another member of the brigade walks forward, blonde hair peeking through the nuns habit on her head. She had her hands in prayer, eyes closed.
"Latum.."
Shinra mumbled, the mask changing his voice, into a garbled scratchy mess. At that, he sighs reaching up to remove the mask when something flickers in the corner of his vision. His eyes dart to it, the masks eyes somehow following. He gasps quietly, rushing from his position behind the pillar. He starts running toward the blonde haired girl, a…sister if he remembered correctly. He looks up, seeing the large electrical light barely holding on…hanging precariously above the sisters head.
He wasn't going to make it in time! At that, he pushes his flames to his feet; those deep devouring flames. Those flames that took everything they could, giving him their power in return for his own flesh. His shoes turned to ash as the flames rocketed him forward, literally flying toward her. The members of the fire brigade, hearing him come, jerk their heads toward him. He must've looked quite the sight.
As he flew toward the sister, the flames come forth stronger than ever, coming out of his hands and forming long sharp claws. His black hair was replaced with the very flame surrounding his hands and feet, giving him an oddly feminine look. He reaches the sister just in time, her face looking shocked at his appearance. He grabs her in his arms, barely missing the falling light.
She lets out a small 'eep', Shinra taking the time to look around for any other falling debris. When he sees none, he slows down; the flames surrounding his feet dying down to small embers. At that, he turns staring into the barrel of a pistol. He stiffens at the sight, glancing at the person holding it. Short auburn hair, a cold look that made him shiver, and the familiar fire gear. He sees the number on her shoulder, wincing internally.
"Put her down.." The woman said this with her finger hovering over the trigger. He ignores the sisters protests, setting her down on the floor. The girl blinks in surprise, thanking him profusely for saving her. Shinra looks to her, the sister shaking lightly at his masks eyes. At that, the woman with the gun looks ready to speak when someone puts their hand on her arm. Shinra glances at the…large person, whistling under his mask.
"Hold up, Hinawo!"
Shinra stiffens at the voice. A guy? Shinra pondered, looking at the persons ensemble. He…must've been the captain! At that, his eyes sparkle underneath his mask; those around him backing up as the mask produces the same sparkles. The large person, covered head to toe in bunker gear, turns to him reaching up to remove the face plate. Shinra looks at the kind eyes behind the mask, small grin on the mans face and nods in thanks to him. "I'd rather you not…shoot are newest member in the head."
When the guys says this, the now named stern faced woman stiffens lightly and turn to him in surprise. The sister next to him, lets out a little 'ohh', looking at Shinra from the side. The other member walks over to see the commotion, Shinra raising an eyebrow at her hat. He's shaken out of his slight confusion when the large man in front of him, looks at him and speaks.
"Oni? That's what you're called?"
Shinra stands up straight nodding with fervor, and saluting. "Oni reporting for duty!"
At that, the man grins and laughs openly. "Good to have you aboard! Introductions can be had later at the HQ! Let's get back to the matchbox!"
The others give their agreements, walking away from the man and he. Shinra looks at them, flames twisting and twirling behind him, and looks back to the guy. The man was smiling at him, and nods. "Go and grab your things. The matchbox will be outside. You'll know it when you see it, ok?"
Shinra simply nods at the guy, watching the large man follow the others and scratches the back of his head. After a second, he shrugs and dashes over to the pillar with his bag behind it. He grabs it and rushes after them, finding them entering a giant…APC? He stares in shock at the giant metal behemoth, the girl with long black hair popping out a waving him over. "Come on in newbie!"
He nods at her, walking over with his backpack clutched to his chest. He was careful not to let his flames eat it, hands shining a baleful red. He enters the Matchbox, jumping when the hatch closes behind him. He looks at the expectant stares of those in front of him, his hair whipping behind him in an unseen wind. He points to an empty seat next to the sister, the blonde haired girl smiling and nodding. He nods back, the face on his mask changing into a gentler smile. He takes the seat, careful to not let his flaming hair touch the sister next to him.
After a minute, he sighs and looks down at the ground. This was going to be an awkward drive..
10 minutes later
Shinra shifts nervously under the scrutinizing gaze of the people in front of him. The blonde haired sister was smiling at him from her desk, the stern faced woman glaring at him from beside the guy. With the bunker gear off, the mans full figure was seen. He was about a head taller than those around him, black hair spiky and upturned. A confident smirk settled on his face, body laced with the muscles of hard work. He coughs into his hand, the noise making Shinra sweat underneath his mask.
"Alrighty then Oni! Time for introductions. I'm Akittaru Obi; The commander of the 8th Special Fire Brigade. You can call me captain, Obi, or whatever floats your boat." He motions to the stern faced woman next to him. "This is Takehisa Hinawo. She's my second in command and the company commander when I'm not able to do so." He motions for Shinra to lean forward, Shinra doing so with the his flaming hair fading slightly as he does so. "Don't be scared…I think thats the face she was born with."
Shinra snickers quietly at the thought, jumping away when Obi receives a karate chop to the head. He follows the arm, seeing the fierce glare coming from Hinawo. She turns the glare to him, our little oni raising his hands in surrender. She huffs at that, Obi standing up and continuing the introductions. "The little bundle of sunshine over there is our brigades sister. Iris?" Obi called out, the blonde haired girl smiling and walking over. She bows to him, Shinra looking at her in surprise. "Hello Oni. My name is Iris. You may call me Sister Iris, Sister, or just Iris. Thank you for saving me back at the train station." At that, Shinra smiles his signature evil smile; the mask copying it perfectly.
"No problem.." He mutters, the voice changer making him sound like an old radio host. Iris giggles at that, walking back to her desk. Obi nods in happiness at the introduction, jerking his head to a room nearby. "The girl that went through the door? That's Maki Oze. She's a first generation pyrokinetic and your senpai. Treat her well…Her nickname is Gorilla Cyclops.."
At that, Obi is once again smacked on the head; this time by the snarling Maki. "I am not a gorilla cyclops!" Obi just groans from the hit, Shinra swearing he heard something crack when the captain was hit. After a second, Maki turned to him a serene smile on her face. She had shed her bunker gear, now having a simple white t-shirt covering her chest. She was holding something under her right arm, the bright orange coloration making Shinra excited.
"Here you go Oni. Your personal set of overalls. Go and try them on!"
Shinra looks at them, and grabs them from her hands. He nods, looking around in confusion as to where he could change. Maki blinks and laughs. She points to a nearby hallway. "Go down that hallway. The bathrooms are on the left." He nods, giving a quick thumbs up. He dashes to the hallway, hearing someone mutter. "So those are the devils footprints…"
He ignores that comment rushing to the bathrooms, entering the mens side and getting undressed. After a few minutes, he has the overalls on; surprised at how well they fit him. The legs were cuffed just above his ankles, giving the flames around his feet room to breathe and grow. The same was done around his hands, Shinra happily jiggling in place. He runs his hand over his mask, feeling that it was still on firmly. He stuffs his school uniform into his back pack, quickly grabbing it and rushing back to the others. When he arrives, Maki turns to him. She smiles in delight and walks forward.
"How does it fit? I cuffed the legs and arms to make them more maneuverable for your flames. You use them around your hands and feet, yeah?" She smiles and bends down to get a closer look at her stitching work…giving Shinra a perfect view into her rather generous cleavage. He blushes underneath the mask, happy that it hid his face. She seems to sense his discomfort, Obi taking the time to walk over.
Shinra balked as the man was casually lifting weights as he walked over. He hears Maki mutter. "And he has the gall to call me a Gorilla Cyclops…Damn muscle freak.." After that, she steps away Obi smirking towards them. "Don't mess with our newest member that much Maki. The girl must be tired from everything.."
Shinra stiffens at the way he said the word 'girl', sweating nervously. Maki eyes widen in realization, hand rising to her mouth. "Of course! I didn't think about that. Apologies Oni!"
Shinra waves her off, staring at Obi's smirk. After a second, he gasps as the silent conversation between them ends. 'He knows!' Shinra minds race to hopefully think of something to say, but his mouth rushed ahead of him. "You know?" Obi smiles and nods, whistling to Hinawo and Iris to walk over. They do so, Iris tilting her head in confusion. She looks over at Shinra, brining her hands together with a smile. "Oh my! That looks good on you Oni!"
Now at this point, Shinras flames had died down to the point that one could see the red flesh beneath them. After Iris said that, they doubled in size and heat; Shinra blushing wildly underneath the mask. Obi waits for the flames to die down, walking forward and putting his hand of Shinras shoulder. "You can trust us. Lea would've never recommended you to come here if she thought we couldn't be trusted…"
Shinra thinks on it for a second, feeling incredibly nervous about it. Should he really do it? Reveal to them that he was a male? A male with obvious pyrokinetic powers? If he didn't,…how long could he keep the charade up? A day? A week? A year at the most? One day it would be found out by them….These people who would become his new family…
He makes his decision, giving Obi a small nod. The man nods and backs up, taking a seat; the weight still being lifted with his left arm. Shinra looks at the confused gazes of the others, well…Hinawo had that same glare but it still had some confusion in it. He reaches up, his flames dying off as his hand gets closer and closer to his mask. He feels the smooth material of it, shivering lightly as he pulls it off. The once hellish eyes and mouth disappear completely, the flaming hair dying off revealing his spiky black hair to the world. The mask is pulled off completely, hearing 2 shokced gasps and quiet intake of air.
He waits for some words to be said, opening one eye slowly. His other eye snaps open when he sees the shocked but excited look of Maki and Iris. Hinawo was simply staring at him, face hidden beneath a shadow.
"Oni…You're a…" Iris and Maki start, the both pointing at him in shock.
"A guy…yeah." Shinra answers, his voice no longer warped by the mask. As he stares at them, he expects a few things. Some yelling…some hateful remarks…maybe even a few punches to be thrown…but not the excited little squeal to escape the 2 of them? He jolts lightly when the two of them dart forward and grab his hands in theirs, firing off questions faster than he could answer. He just mumbled and stumbled over his own words, nervous tick coming out in full force. The sight of his fang filled smile does nothing to deter the 2 girls, Obi laughing wildly at Shinras face. "Hahaha! There's the face! Lea wasn't kidding!"
At that, Hiniawo walked over to Obi. "You knew about this?" She questioned, Obi nodding. "Yep! When I was contacted by Lea about someone becoming a member of our little brigade, I thought it would be someone who didn't mesh well with her own brigade. We met and talked before she told me about him. At first, I didn't believe her." After saying that, he frowns. "I mean…who would? A man having an ignition ability? That was unheard of. But the more we spoke, the more I realized she was telling the truth." After he finishes that last sentence, he stands up and walks over to Shinra and the girls. He grabs Maki and Iris by the back of their shirts, lifting them off the ground and pulling them away from Shinra. The boy sighs in relief, giving Obi a thankful glance.
"Give the boy some room you two! He hasn't even given you his name yet!"
Maki and Iris blink at that, glancing away embarrassed. Obi lets them go, the 2 of them apologizing to Shinra profusely. He waits for them to stop, Obi nodding for him to start his introduction. He coughs into his hand, standing tall and proud. "My name is Shinra Kusakabe Burns! I am the 1st known male with an ignition ability! I've stayed with the 1st battalion for a large portion of my life and am classified as third generation! I like the color red and I like to dance! I am happy to work with you all!"
After a second, he adds. "My code name is Oni…You can call me that or Shinra…" At the end of that, he does a quick courtesy. Nothing is said, Maki and Iris still staring at him in excitement and awe. Maki turns to Obi. "This isn't a dream is it?" Oni points to himself in surprise. "Why are you asking me? I'm not going in your head." She huffs at that, Iris taking the time to walk over to Shinra and stare at him in surprise and awe. "You…..are you really a boy? Not some really masculine girl?" Shinra scratches the back of his head and shivers at the thought, nodding his head. Iris seems to take his words for truth, taking one of his hands in her own and beginning a small prayer.
He stares at her in confusion, waiting for her to finish. Once she does, she steps back and smiles. "Oh this is such a joyous occasion! The holy Sol must be smiling in happiness upon us this day!" Shinra simply lets Iris does this, looking down at his hand. Iris does the same, gasping in shock at the state of it. The flesh on it had been dyed a deep red, reminding her of blood. The coloration spread from the tips of his fingers to the middle of his forearm; the end of it looking like large flames. The same was happening to his feet, Shinra blushing wildly at the sister holding his hand. "You're injured!" Iris exclaims, rushing over to a nearby medical cabinet. Maki rushes to join her, Shinra raising his hands up.
"Hold up! This is a side effect of my ability! It'll fade after a couple hours.." The girls stop, looking at him worriedly. "Are you sure?" Maki asks, eyes searching his own for lies. He nods his head, Obi stopping his weight lifting.
"Alright! Time for a celebration! Shinra?!"
The boy jumps at the yell, turning to him. "Yes?!" Scared and wondering why his captain was yelling. "What do you like to eat?!" Obi yells back, the girls looking at Obi as if he was stupid. Shinra blinks at the question, taking a moment to think.
"I like sweets! Hamburgers! Ramen!" Shinra yelled back, Obi opening his mouth to yell an answer back. Hinawo decides to end Obis stupidity with a quick karate chop to his head. "Stop that."
Obi takes this in stride. "Okay!" He shakes off the pain and does a little pose. "Everybody! To the buffet!" Maki and Iris does a little jig, the 2 of them taking up positions on Shinra sides. He blinks in surprise, letting them drag him behind Obi and Hinawo. After a minute, he smiles to himself. This wasn't going to be that bad…
1 week later
Shinra hums in happiness, doing some small stretches. He shakes his legs, his bare feet touching the cool tiled floor. Maki was next to him, doing her own training. She was lifting some small weights, Shinra grinning widely. He looks around, seeing a training dummy. The dummy was about his height, in the vague shape of a human. Its body was made of a black gummy like substance; the feel of it reminding him of an eel. He walks forward, taking a small boxing stance. He calms his breathing, letting his emotions run over his senses like water over a boulder.
As he does this, he feels the 'water' turn to gasoline and with a snarl; he ignites. He disappears in a flash; foot impacting the dummy with a powerful hit. The air around him was heating up, Shinra jumping away from the dummy acting as if it struck out at him. He starts to dance around the dummy, twisting and turning in ways that would make a snake jealous. His flames burned bright, coating his hands and feet like angry wolves. They hadn't made it to his hair yet, but the skin underneath his black locks had started to redden. After another second of waiting, he bounds, grabbing the dummy with his hands and ripping it out of the floor. The black material of the dummy held up, Shinra growling in annoyance.
With a yell, he throws the dummy to the ground, the floor beneath it cracking. He raises his foot, the appendage growing in brightness and brings it down on the dummies head. A vicious explosion shakes the training area, Maki letting out a small eep as the wind pushes her back lightly. She covers her eyes as the dust of the explosion pushes past her, and after a second; it is swept away by a clawed hand.
Maki looks at Shinra, his face beset by a furious snarl red eyes glaring down into the small crater made by his stomp. Maki walks closer, feeling the same annoyance as Shinra did. Despite everything he threw at it, the training dummy was barely harmed. The only difference from the beginning was a small crack alongside its head.
Shinra looks over at Maki, blinking in surprise; forgetting that she was there for a minute. She walks closer, whistling lowly at the damage. "Hinawo isn't going to like this…" She murmurs, Shinra hearing this and wincing. He feels the stern womans gaze, he and Maki stiffening. They turn around, the 2 of them moving as if they had been asleep for a thousand years.
The 2 of them let out small 'eeps' Shinra shying away. He starts to sweat, grin coming out in full force. Hinawo opens her mouth to more than likely reprimand the two of them, when the alarm blares to life.
The 3 of them jolt and rush forward, meeting Obi in the hallway. He already had his gear on, the man looking at them and nodding. "An infernal has appeared at the factory! We've been called in! Grab your gear and get in the Matchbox!"
Maki and Shinra nod to each other and salute. "Sir!" They yell, rushing past. Obi nods to them making his way to the matchbox.
Shinra clenches his fists, the dark atmosphere of the matchbox making him growl. He looks around at the others, Hinawo driving past people and other cars. Obi had a grim look on his face, checking his gear as they got closer to the factory. Maki was doing the same, reaching around her side to tighten her belt. Iris was next to him, reciting a quick prayer for them; Shinra joining her for a second. Iris looks at him in surprise, tilting her head at him. "Shinra? You know prayers of the Sol?"
He looks at her surprised she heard his small mutterings. He scratches his cheek nervously. "Yeah…Lea made me study the psalms, and prayers of the sisters just in case I had to use them. I…don't really use them all that much but…I'm nervous…" His proclamation makes them all look at him in surprise. Obi nods his head, reaching over and patting Shinras shoulder.
"Don't worry Shinra. As long as you follow your training and put your trust in your us; we will be fine."
At that, Shinra nods in thanks taking a breath. He looks at his bunker gear, the heavy material resting against his skin. It was modeled similarly to the normal bunker gear, but it was specially tailored by Maki to hide his gender from the outside. His narrower in profile to the others, hiding his body from view while keeping the same defense as the others. His mask was sitting comfortably at his side, the smoothness of the material calming him. The matchbox comes to a stop, Obi looking out of the view port. He nods to himself, standing up. "Alright people! You know our jobs!"
He receives various nods, Obi nodding and bringing his face mask down. He turns to Shinra. "Shinra….During operations you shall answer to Oni. You are to support us as much as you can. But under no circumstances can your gender be revealed to the public. So…please be careful…"
Shinra nods, slipping his mask on. The familiar weight of it comforts, the flames already roaring within his body. The grinning visage of his mask makes Maki and Iris shiver, the 2 small horns burning brightly below his now flaming hair. The quiet nod he gives Obi makes the taller man nod and open the bay door of the matchbox. With that, Maki and Iris follow; Hinawo already out and looking around. Shinra takes a second, releasing a shuttering breath and standing to his feet. He exits the vehicle, looking up at the bright shining sky.
He spies the others near a group of people, Obi talking to a worker of the factory. The factory….his mind muses; eyes glancing up at the daunting structure. Cold metal walls hide the sweltering heat within; his flames dancing to some unknown tune.
Shinra feels something…pull him towards the structure. He frowns underneath his mask…The feeling was familiar to him…in a way that made his bones shiver and flesh boil. He's shaken from his slight confusion when Maki yells him over. He jerks his head over, seeing Obi finish talking to the worker. He runs over, hearing the confused whispers of the gathered crowd of workers and civilians. He reaches the group, following them toward the entrance when a man runs in front of them.
He was an overweight fellow, skin slightly tanned from the factory and slight beard covered in some light ash. He was breathing heavily; his face covered in tears. "Please…" His voice comes out, choked and full of grief. "Please….Make sure she is at peace…Please!" The last part is yelled, Obi looking to the man and nodding. The man sags in relief, letting them pass. As they get closer to the entrance, Obi speaks up. "1 worker isn't accounted for. Our first priority is to find them and get them out safely. After that, we shall begin the purging. Oni!"
Shinra jerks lightly, clasping his hands tighter. "Your job is to get the worker out of here when we find them. Understood?" He nods, Maki making a grim face. "If they're alive. I can feel the heat from here…" No one says a thing at what Maki said, Iris bringing out a rebreather and putting it on. They enter the factory…Shinra stopping in his tracks. The factory was bathed in the glowing flames of the infernal; the once loud machines now quiet. The heat was high…but not unbearably so. The glowing blue lines of the others give a stark contrast to the surprisingly dark interior. They all follow Obi and Hinawo; the stoic woman bringing an SMG to bear. After a minute of nothing, the come across a large door.
Obi walks to it and with a grunt of effort, starts to open it. Shinra rushes forward to help, hands pushing against the hot metal. The first thing he sees when the door is open is….the infernal. Humanoid with skin as dark as night and long flaming hair billowing in an unseen wind. She was crouched on top of a metal furnace, human eyes looking at them. They all stiffen at the infernals gaze, Shinra bringing his flames to bear. The next thing Shinra sees or well, smells; is the familiar smell of burnt human flesh. He jerks his head in the direction of the smell…finding the remains of the worker they were meant to find. The others see it; Obi cursing quietly. Iris offers a quick prayer for the poor soul; their attention solely on the infernal now.
"Hinawo.."
At that, the stoic woman moves forward and aims at the infernal. Her finger was resting on the trigger, Maki walking forward hands ready to dispel the flames of the infernal. Shinra moves closer to Iris, pushing her behind a concrete barrier. He doesn't notice the infernals eyes follow him, but Hinawo did. With a nod, she pulls the trigger of her SMG.
The burst of gunfire makes Shinra jump, looking at the infernal. It…well she had jumped in the air; body curled and flames twisting around her to attack. She disappears in a display of speed that makes Obi curse. "Woah! She's fast!"
Shinra hears this just in time to dodge an uppercut that would've surely knocked him out. The infernal was face to face with him…his masks eyes and hers firmly locked. He retaliates with a swift kick to the infernals chest; sending her flying away.
That doesn't keep her down for long though…quickly darting toward Maki. Obi intercepts by grabbing the infernal. "Hot! Hot! Hot!" Obi yelled, grunting when the infernal kicked him away and retreated back to the furnace. After that, Maki tires to disperse the infernals with her ability; blinking when it fails for a second. Shinra moves forward to help, the infernal disappearing.
He blinks in surprise when a black charred hand grabs the front of his mask, back being slammed into the ground below him. The force of the strike causes him to cough up a little vomit, bones cracking under the strength of the infernal. He feels his vision start to dim, Iris yelling at him. "Oni!"
He clenches his teeth when his vision is filled with that damned smile…The smile of the infernal that took his mother and sister from him…The smile that stared back at him every singly day he looked in the mirror…His body starts to heat up, Shinra not seeing the factory….seeing nothing but darkness. The darkness is replaced by a giant mountain, the peak covered in snow. He stares at it feeling something being brought forth to his soul. He doesn't notice that he had started to walk towards the mountain, stopping only when the bones beneath his skin start to vibrate. He looks down at his hands, bringing them to stare at them. He watches, mute, as the flesh bubbles and pops; flames bursting forth alongside the familiar red coloring he remembers. The flames rapidly devour him, and for the first time since he first unlocked them…he screamed.
(Page break)
Shinra is jerked out of his…hallucination? He questions what he just saw but that didn't matter. Hinawo was looking at him, mouth moving. He groans, getting up and standing to his feet. His mask was still firmly attached to his face, looking to Iris. She had a relieved look on her face. He nods to her, Hinawos voice coming through after a second. "Oni! Are you able to understand me?"
He nods to her, the woman sticking her head out from behind the machine they were behind. Shinra takes the time to ask.
"How long have I been out?"
"A few minutes." Maki answers, Shinra looking at her in surprise. A few minutes? It felt like longer…He shakes his head to clear his thoughts. He looks up, seeing something being thrown towards them. His eyes widen, arms coming up and catching….Obi?! The larger man grunts, letting Shinra place him down. "Thanks for the catch. You okay?"
Shinra gives a nod, Obi rolling his shoulder. Maki walks over. "You okay captain?" Obi grunts his answer, walking over and joining Hinawo in her peeking. "This infernal is a feisty one. Fast, agile, stronger than she looks and has one hell of temper problem. This isn't going to easy…" Shinra hearing this walks over, poking his around the opposite corner of them. He sees the infernal; still sitting on machinery. Once he poked his head out, the infernals head jerked to him and the 2 have a stare down.
Shinra grits his teeth to the point of his jaw hurting. This…feeling! What was this feeling growing inside him?! It felt like liquid metal rushing down his throat, each muscle constricting and snapping with each breath. He doesn't know why but he speaks up…
"I can take her down.."
The others look at him in surprise, Obi staring at him. His mask shows the grin on his face perfectly, all teeth and no nervousness within the smile. Obi nods. "Alright. Hinawo!" The stern faced woman turns to the captain, smg still trained on the infernal. "Give Shinra some covering fire. Maki!" The girl turns to him as well, Hinawo loading a fresh mag. "Keep some of the infernals flames down as he fights."
Maki gives a thumbs up, bending her knees in preparation. Shinra walks out, the infernal following his every move. He continues walking toward the infernal, feeling a need to speak to the infernal.
"You who has become a demon of fire. You that has screamed and raged. Become mine…"
After that the infernal smiles a little, devilish mouth filled with flames. The 2 beings of flames rushed towards each other, a deep growl passing through Shinra as they clashed. He kicked, she punched. He punched, she headbutted. It was a flurry of movement, the 2 jumping into the air, propelled by their flames. After a furtive minute of rapid movement, Maki takes the time to lock onto the infernal.
Shinra seeing this, gives her a nod and prepares for the final move. He stays afloat, the flames coming out of his hands and feet, increasing in brightness and temperature. The flames rampaging throughout the building grow still, Shinra focusing on the odd feeling building in his chest. He grabs it with both hands, and with a grin underneath is mask; he explodes. He throws his hand out, a hand of the very flames burning his flesh forming and flying toward the infernal.
It tried to dodge, body flexing to move when Maki struck. She brings her hands together, the flames surrounding the infernal dispersing with a hiss. The large flame hand grabs the infernal, rising into the air. Shinra grins, ready to manipulate his flame hand and crush the infernal. He starts to clench his hand when a wave of nausea passes through him, causing him to stumble forward. With that the flame hand disperses, the infernal free from its grasp. Shinra seeing this fights through the nausea, igniting the fire pooling beneath his feet. He launches toward the infernal, foot forward. Shinra expects some resistance from the infernal, but it does nothing to stop his path toward it. He finally reaches the infernal, foot crashing into its chest.
Shinra whispers a small prayer, condensing the flames into a small orb and pushing. Maki gives a cheer as the infernals chest erupts, Shinras form surrounded by flames. Obi gives a nod, and walks forward to catch the falling boy.
Shinra lands on the ground, Obi looking at the maksed boy and then to the burnt body of the infernal. No flames licked its body, eyes dull and black. "The infernal is taken care of?"
Shinra gives a nod, Obi smiling and patting his shoulder. "Good job. Bit risky of a plan? But it worked." He turns to the others. "Time to move! Check for any other infernals." He gets a few affirmative, Shinra not moving. Obi gives him a second, walking away.
He never sees Shinra give a shutter, never hears him gasp. Shinra feels a rush of emotions at what was happening in front of him. To his eyes and only his eyes, the infernal is standing in front of him. Though it wasn't really in an Infernal. Shinra stares at the...hallucination? Fever dream? No matter but whatever he was staring at, looks at him with surprisingly kind eyes. The Infernal was overlapped with a human face and form, the 2 giving him a thankful bow and smile before reaching out with a hand. Shinra, in whatever daze he was in, reaches forward and grabs the hand; giving a devil smile to the Infernal. With that, his vision fades and the sight of the frozen mountain glowing with the addition of 1 brightly glowing flower makes him wonder.
'What the fuck?' He wonders, jerking when Maki yells at him. He bounds over to her, never noticing his shadow change and warp into the same shape of the Infernal he had killed. The questions he had could wait. He was so going to call Lea about his first Infernal! A devil grins upon the Onis face was quite a sight...
Chapter end.
Authors note: I had this neat idea about Shinra and Ibaraki Douji from FGO being similar. I like the thought of Shinras flames literally being something like Ibarakis. So I came up with this. Hope you enjoyed it~~~ Leave a comment and like if ya did!
This is Luckyplains13, signing out!