Mephisto didn't even look surprised when Daphne pushed into his office immediately following the exorcism. Rin would have knocked, but Daphne took every opportunity for subtle disrespect that she could. It was kind of hilarious, actually—the way the two of them acted like nobles tossing around some witty banter when really it came off like a couple of kids squabbling.
"We're taking these files," she said, going to the coffee table where they were all still spread out.
"You will leave them right where they are, Miss Lux."
The way those words rumbled actually stopped Daphne dead in her tracks, her arm reached toward the papers. Slowly, Mephisto rose behind his desk. The notebook of their encounters with the demon from Miyajima sat open in front of him, and he closed it before approaching the coffee table. He was smiling, but it didn't look very pleasant.
"You'll think twice before taking back a gift."
Daphne didn't say anything.
"The manifestation we just responded to…" Rin put in. "That demon was there."
"I know," Mephisto replied.
"And what else do you know?" Daphne spat.
Turning his gaze on her, Mephisto cocked his head. Daphne didn't back down, though she did check some of the irritation in her eyes. A moment of silence, then something in his smile shifted.
"I know that the dates on the reports you have provided only go back as far as Miss Akiyama has been stationed at the Hiroshima field office."
Daphne started. "The director?"
"Mm, but she hasn't always been director. I shipped her out to the Hiroshima field office about twelve years ago—after a violation of code." He winked. "It's taken a long, long time to work her way back into good graces. I only made her director last year."
"You think she has something to do with the reports?" Rin asked.
"On the contrary, Mr. Okumura. I am sure of it."
Daphne stepped toward him. "In what way?"
Chuckling, Mephisto threw up his shoulders and hands in a dramatic shrug. "That I'm not so certain about." He walked away, satisfied apparently that Daphne would leave his precious papers alone, and kept talking, making his next announcement like it was casual. "I've arranged for the two of your to return to Hiroshima and…collaborate with Miss Akiyama. Your train leaves tonight."
Rin's mouth fell open. Daphne practically toppled over. "What?"
"This is a ruse, naturally. What I really want is for you to investigate the matter further."
"What you 'really want,' huh?" Daphne scoffed. "I'm so glad—for once—that we know what you 'really want.'" She made a pair of exaggerated air quotes for the last two words.
"Miss Lux—"
"What time is the train?" Rin asked.
Both Daphne and Mephisto regarded him in surprise. He just smiled, ignoring Daphne and looking to Mephisto, waiting for an answer.
"Eight o'clock."
"We'll be on it."
He grabbed Daphne's hand and led her out of the room. Thankfully she was still surprised and didn't really protest until he'd gotten her into the hallway. She pulled her hand free and planted her feet.
"What the hell were you thinking?!"
"There's no point in arguing, Daph," he replied, still walking. "Mephisto would have forced us to go no matter what we said. We might as well just cooperate with him."
"Do I need to remind you what—"
"Akiyama's exorcists died on the same island where we first met that demon," he said as he turned around and regarded her from down the hall. "That's not an accident." Sighing, Rin shook his head. "It's like you said…we have to do something."
"The demon is here now, Rin. In Academy Town."
"And it followed us from Miyajima. There's no reason it won't follow again."
Daphne looked at the ground. Her hair was all puffy from air-drying in the humidity. Places on her clothes were stained with ghoul blood. Faint dark circles shadowed her eyes. She flexed her hands open and closed into fists, wiggling her fingers like she was warming them up. The demon had almost killed her that morning. Had she been less skilled as an exorcist, Rin might have found her body in that tub in the girl's top-floor locker room. But she was skilled. She was strong.
Returning down the hall, Rin took Daphne into his arms and kissed her deeply. She let him, relaxing but not kissing him back.
"It'll be okay, Daph," he said softly.
She sighed. "I'm tired, Rin. I can't do another week in Hiroshima."
Rin smiled. "Then we'll have to crack the case in record time."
Author's Note: Hullo! Sorry it's short. And late. Last week kicked my butt. I'm going to try to stay on top of regular updates, but that might not be possible. Wish me luck!