Chapter 10: Passing of a gift
Author's note: Again, a reminder that this story is working only off the first season of the anime.
I could go and read the manga from start to finish, as I know that there are various plot points and revelations that I could include, but I'm honestly scared to with how my brain works. If I get familiar with the entire canon before finishing this story, I know that I'd try to Frankenstein those elements into a story not made to fit them, inflating the size of this story and getting things needlessly complicated.
Starting off, Stolen Child was intended to just be a small and contained story, a departure from the long Miraculous Ladybug stories I have running, where I don't write 6,000-word chapters, but not my one-shots either, where I don't have to try very hard for each chapter. Just a short, and hopefully enjoyable read. And I intend to finish this story the same way.
Though, after this story is concluded, I likely will read Blue Exorcist in full, as I have a crossover idea with Madoka Magica that I'm really getting into, that's going to be a long one, so I'll need to be more familiar with the lore.
There was only one other time that Shiro could recall feeling horror as strong as he did as he raced home, and that was when Rin had been kidnapped all those years ago.
So, learning that Mami had come for Rin again almost stole the life from Shiro.
He almost hadn't heard the relieving news that the demon hadn't succeeded.
"Rin!" Shiro burst into the room.
Rin looked up as his dad entered, quickly finding himself scooped up into a tight hug.
"You're alright. You're alright." Shiro said, either to comfort Rin or comfort himself, he didn't know.
Rin wove his hands into the folds of Shiro's clothes and gripped them tightly, but said nothing.
"Rin." Shiro pulled away to look at his son.
Rin only clung tighter and tried to pull himself closer to his dad.
"He's been like this since it happened. I think he's in shock." Izumi told Shiro.
Looking down at his son in concern, Shiro hoped that his fellow priest was right.
The idea that Mami could have alright done something to Rin while trying to take him sent ice right through Shiro.
"Ah, found you." Shiro turned around as Coraline appeared in the doorway, panting heavily. "You run fast. We barely caught onto what was happening."
Seeing the stranger, Rin immediately hid in Shiro's clothing as best as he could.
This caused Shiro to frown.
Rin had never been the type to be shy with strangers.
"Anyway, the rest of the team are here, questioning your priests and scouting the area." Coraline explained.
"Okay, thank you." Shiro sighed.
"So, this is your son." Coraline looked at Rin. "Nice to meet you, I'm Miss Jones."
Rin continued his silence.
Coraline didn't seem bothered by it, turning her attention to Izumi.
"So, the Beldam tried to come and take Rin?" She asked.
Izumi nodded. "We didn't even realise until Kuro woke us all up with a loud yell, we went outside and found him guarding Rin from the Beldam and two other children, and joined in driving her off."
Shiro turned to Kuro, who was sitting on the bed.
"Good boy, Kuro." Shiro pet his familiar.
He was extremely grateful that he'd thought to bring Kuro home. If he hadn't, then Rin would have been taken without anyone realising until it was too late.
"And Rin walked out on his own?" Coraline asked.
"I think so." Izumi answered. "I mean, he didn't seem to be bound or anything. Though, it's strange, because Rin also clearly didn't want to go with the demon."
Coraline hummed. "Rin is strong enough to realise that the Beldam is dangerous, but still under her sway to a degree, for her to draw him out in the first place."
"Rin, why did you leave the monastery?" Shiro asked his son.
Rin remained stubbornly silent, electing only to hold Shiro closer.
"What did she do to him?" Shiro asked.
"I don't believe this is a direct cause of the Beldam." Coraline advised. "It's a common effect of trauma. 'If I don't speak, they won't find me', or perhaps Rin speaking played a roll in events and he doesn't want them to happen again."
Shiro took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying not to get angry with his son still in his arms.
"So, what's the next move?" Izumi asked. "Do we keep Rin here, or move him somewhere else?"
"I'll work it out." Shiro rubbed under his tired eyes.
He then went to hand Rin to Izumi, only for Rin to hold tighter to his clothing.
"Rin, it's alright." Shiro tried to comfort. "I just need to speak privately with some people for a moment.
Rin silently shook his head, not letting go.
"Rin, I'll only be going into the other room. And the demon won't try to take you while we're here." Shiro told his son.
"We thought that Mami would try to target your home at all with her current level, and look what happened." Coraline pointed out.
Rin flinched in Shiro's arms, causing the man to fix Coraline with a glare.
Coraline pulled an 'oops' face.
"Sorry." She said.
"Listen, Rin." Shiro turned his attention back to his son. "What if I called Yukio? Would you feel safe with him here while I'm in another room?"
Rin didn't rely at first, but then slowly nodded.
"I'm willing to bet that Yukio will be coming back anyway, once we tell him what happened." Izumi commented. "Ah, speaking of which. I should call him now."
Izumi left to go call the former-youngest-now-older brother.
Shiro sat on Rin's bed while resting Rin on his lap, suddenly finding himself very tired.
Standing awkwardly, Coraline fiddled with one of the necklaces she wore, suddenly brightening as an idea occurred to her.
Coraline couched down to be at Rin's level.
"Hi, Rin." She said to get his attention. "You know, I used to be in your situation when I was a kid."
Rin turned slightly towards Coraline in interest.
"She called herself my 'Other Mother' and wanted to take me away from my family too." Coraline explained gently.
Rin flinched.
"But I managed to fight back, lock her away and return to my family." Coraline continued. "And I know that you can do the same, because we're both strong. Aren't we?"
Rin looked a Coraline unsurely but nodded anyway.
Coraline smiled at the young boy.
"Here." She said, grabbing one of her necklaces.
She pulled it out from under her clothing, revealing a stone with a natural hole in it, the necklace chord threaded through the hole.
"When the Other Mother tried lure me to her, I was given this to protect me. It kept me safe from her sway and allowed me to see what she didn't want me to see." Coraline said, holding out the stone to Rin. "So, it looks like your turn to have it."
Slowly, and reluctantly, Rin released one of his hands from Shiro's clothes and reached out to take the stone, pausing just before he touched it. It took him a few seconds to take the stone by the string, bringing it closer to himself to look at it.
Rin eventually took hold of the stone itself and brought it up to one of his eyes, looking out through the hole.
Rin frowned when nothing seemed to look different through the hole.
Coraline laughed, familiar with the reaction.
"Don't worry, it's be there for you when you need it most." She smiled.
Rin looked at the stone again before putting the string around his neck, resting it neck to the charm Yukio had made for him.
"Thank you." Shiro said to Coraline.
"No problem." Coraline waved off. "So, any idea for what do with Rin's living situation. I stayed in the same house the Beldam tried to take me from for a while, but I also had the ability to lock her away, unlike this one."
"I have somewhere I think Rin can be safer." Shiro looked almost pained to Coraline. "Though, I'm not very sure about it."
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