Chapter 6. Rules of the Game.
"Brother?"
"What is it, Amaimon?" Johann sighed heavily as he was leaning over the amounts of paperwork on his desk.
"Tell me, what is it about this girl that intrigues you so?" Amaimon inquired while tossing a lollypop around in his mouth. He rested on the large window sill of the University office, as if the builders' intentions were for it to be a bench, examining the students in the courtyard; some were walking, on their way to classes or dorms, while some were sitting and resting near the fountain or beneath the trees on the outskirts of the square.
Smirking to himself, the headmaster placed his pen down casually and sat back in his chair, looking up towards the exceptionally high ceiling. He crossed an arm below his elbow, and began to stroke his goatee with sharp black nails, thinking back on all the many years he had been in Assiah, the women he had been involved with, and the time he had spent watching this very girl develop. He sat in silence for quite some time before moving, lost in thought as his mind replayed certain points in his lifetime, and searching for the right words. Amaimon waited rather impatiently, tapping his toes on the glass of the window with a plain expression. After a while, Johann exhaled, deciding to finally answer his younger brothers' question.
"Every now and then, an exceptional human is born." He started, folding his lengthy digits together and resting his elbows on the chair arms. "And occasionally, we demons become drawn to these particular beings for reasons we are at times unaware of. Be it their strong will, an innocence, a natural-born gift of theirs, or their being more keen to certain things – sometimes it's just a combination that we can't even figure out. If you had spent more time in Assiah playing the game as I have, instead of destroying everything, you'd know this by now Amaimon," he lectured, turning to the green haired boy who was still studying the humans below. "And as demons, you know we do love a challenge."
"Sort of like how father pursued that priest friend of yours who raised our youngest brothers, because he was the only human he couldn't possess. Still, I prefer the challenges of real opponents."
"Humans are fascinating to say the least, but all too easy to trick. I can't count how many I've convinced to wager their own souls; it's hardly any fun anymore. But…" he paused, a smirk curling on his lips. "The ones who aren't so simple minded prove to be quite the opponent - in a sort of battle of the wits."
"So, what are your plans for this one in this game of yours, Mephisto?" Amaimon questioned plainly.
"Simple, my brother." He answered sharply. "If she is indeed so strong willed, it will be an amusing contest for someone as skilled as I to break that will. I will merely corrupt her adorable human heart."
"Sounds like a lot of work for a human," Amaimon muttered, cocking his head to the side. "Still," he spoke more clearly: "I do see what you mean, she is rather striking. Maybe I should try my hand at this little game of yours, hm?"
Mephisto spun around in his chair and snarled at his brother. "Would you like me to send you back to Gehenna? I will make her mine, and you will not get in the way of that."
"Would you be worried I would win, brother?" Amaimon questioned, looking back at his elder brother with an un-embellished visage. "Besides," he said while placing his index finger on the window, "it appears our youngest brother may also be drawn to this little one."
The headmaster scowled and sprung from his chair to see what the green-haired nuisance was pointing at. He followed the direction of Amaimon's finger down into the courtyard, the air around him growing graver by the second until he laid eyes on them: the girl, walking through the courtyard, with Rin. Mephisto glowered as he observed Rin tease her, causing her to laugh.
"You might need to watch out," Amaimon harassed, sneering ever so slightly through tired eyes.
There was an uncertain knock on the office door. Instead of promptly answering as he normally would, Mephisto ignored it, continuing to watch the interactions between the two in the piazza with a dark expression. There was a second set of knocks, this time more insistent. Finally the administrator called out in a gravelly tone to the person beckoning him without breaking his stare, basted in loathing: "Who is it?"
There came a cough. "It's Okumura – Yukio Okumura, Sir."
Amaimon gave his elder brother a pleading look, as if to say he didn't want to go back to Gehenna. Lifting his head slowly while still keeping his dis-pleasured eyes on Rin, Mephisto snapped his fingers. There was a puff of smoke, and a green hamster plopped onto the window sill. "Come in, then," he spoke brashly.
The door creaked open as Yukio entered, and he quietly closed the door behind him, trying his best not to obviously distract the head of the True Cross Academy, and the Japan branch of the True Cross Order, as he looked deep in thought by the window.
"I'm very busy Okumura – what is the meaning of this visit?"
"I have a special request for you. Shiemi Moriyama would like to join the cram school."
Mephisto turned away from the window finally to address Yukio. "Moriyama, the little blonde girl from the supply shop?" he asked, raising a brow. How interesting, he thought. "And what is your opinion on the matter, teacher?"
"Yes, I was called out to exercise a demon from her; she has received a temptaint and requested a special consideration to allow her to join. Personally, I feel she would do well once she realizes her own strength."
Mulling it over, it took the administrator few minutes to reply. Remembering Rin's expedition to the supply shop that he had overshadowed the prior day, and how the young demon acted towards the girl, he thought this might be a perfect distraction for his younger brother. "Alright then, fine. She will not be a University student however, and will not receive a dorm room. I can't keep giving out scholarships to anyone who wishes to join, now can I?" he said, poking at Yukio and his brother, who were at the University on scholarships as well. "You will be in charge of her well-being at the cram school, since you wish her to be here so much." Quickly snapping his fingers, a key appeared in his hand, which he held out for the young teacher.
Yukio bowed. "Thank you, sir Pheles. You will not regret this." After taking the key and heading toward the door, he paused, palm gripping the handle and beginning to grow slightly clammy. "One more thing, Sir," Mephisto sat down in his chair and propped his legs up on his desk. "Having that girl wait, for whatever reason, to receive her temptaint may hinder her studies and ultimately hurt her progression in the program. I would like to request that you allow me to go through with the Temptaint Ritual, as she is now the only student yet to receive one."
His face coiled in disapproval. "I think you are but all out of special requests for now, boy. Leave her Ritual to me."
