Those who Favor Fire
Disclaimer: Characters and premise are the property of Kazue Kato. I'm just borrowing them for a little non-profit fun.
Chapter Six: Rising Sun Girl
"Don't they ever get tired of this?" Rin complained a few days later as he scattered a number of cherufe reinforced by several ifrit with a wave of flames from his sword. Angel moved in to take out the survivor. Caliburn's blade glowed red as he cut down the one ifrit that managed to dodge Rin's flames.
"You wouldn't have normally used blood for one ifrit," Bon observed with a frown.
"Blood and hair both require time to regenerate," Angel explained. "I'll stay on my feet longer if I put off the point where I only have blood left to offer as long as possible."
Rin noted that Angel's hair, which normally fell to his belt, was now only just brushing his shoulders. He remembered that Bon was down to his last three cartridges of ammo even though the Aria-Dragoon was using them very sparingly. "They're wearing us down," he realized.
"Yes," Angel agreed flatly.
Bon started to say something then paused as he saw a fire-drake dive bombing them. His eyes narrowed and he chanted a quick barrier spell. The drake struck the barrier, dazed, it hung in mid-air. Bon's voice dropped to a low growl as he made a fist and the barrier collapsed on the demon crushing it.
"Picking up some stuff hanging out with Kinzo?" Rin asked. Where Bon was notable for the strength of the barriers he could create, Kinzo had a reputation for creativity. The singer's attention to and control over tone allowed him to adapt his barriers with great fluidity and precision.
Bon shrugged. "Being stationed in Tyoko is getting his band in wider circulation and your two schedules are complimentary." While Rin was up before dawn for his apprenticeship with the True Cross' chef, Kinzo was out till after midnight playing gigs. Still, Bon sometimes felt like he had to justify accepting Kinzo, for accepting and even encouraging Renzo to find his own path instead of following the one their families had laid out for them.
"If they're trying to exhaust us what I don't get is why they're letting us sleep at all. It's not like they're shy about throwing cannon fodder at us," Bon said bringing the conversation back on track.
"Don't give them ideas," Angel said but throughout the day his thoughts kept returning to Bon's observation. Iblis was trying to wear them down with a steady stream of attacks. So far the attacks had come from mostly minor demons that were barely a threat supported by a just enough of their more powerful brethren to make any barrier that would keep them out too expensive to erect. Iblis was conserving his resources while making the three of them exhaust themselves dealing with lesser threats. But in spite of that they were being allowed a few hours of undisturbed sleep each time they tried to rest before a demon powerful enough to break Bon's shields was sent after them. 'Suguro is right, it doesn't make sense,' Angel was forced to conclude.
"I'll take the first watch," the Paladin stated when they set up camp at the base of the cliffs. Rin and Bon agreed and quickly arranged themselves sleeping back-to-back as had become their habit.
Two hours passed and Angel decided against waking one of them for the next watch, 'They seem to get more benefit from it,' he thought grimacing as he was reminded of the vivid flashbacks that had been plaguing his sleep. At five hours he admitted he couldn't maintain alertness any longer and woke Rin. "One hour, then wake Suguro for a second hour if we haven't been attacked by then," he murmured before moving off to find a comfortable spot.
"You kept me waiting... Who did you choose Paladin?"
"The Paladin is urgently summoned to a meeting with Baltazar the Reactionary just few hours after everyone saw Rin-kun prove that he should be your successor as the Knight-Adapt. Should we be sending Zi's opinions on Rin's fitness to the Myodha?" Lightning asked. He'd been sitting up, waiting for Angel to return to the apartment they shared while stationed in Japan.
"Rin's standing as an Exorcist is the least of our worries," Angel replied bitterly. "The Kallikantzaros are apparently still hard at work this year. Pheles has provided the means for us to enter the proper Underworld." He handed Lightning one of a pair of matched ebony keys. "Muster the Battalion. I'm to scout ahead with Okumura and Surugo. The Grigori have their analysts assembled for you to interview. We'll rendezvous at the Bloody Hell Pond at o-six-hundred."
"Got it," Lightning said.
Angel turned to leave. "You're right, Rin did very well in this afternoon's trial," he remarked. Lightning's head jerked up, his eyes going wide at the non sequitur. "Do you think he could overcome Caliburn's Last Extreme?"
"Now Arthur? Why?"
Angel shook his head. "Politics. I'm expressly forbidden from discussing my orders, I've probably already said more than I should. I warned Baltazar that I'm horrific at this sort of thing."
"The Arc Knights and the whole Battalion will stand behind you if you refuse." Lightning shrugged, "We're yours to command. Rin's become popular with the everyone as well, if you tell them the orders you're refusing they'll fall over themselves getting in line to tell the old fart to go screw himself."
"I'm no Fletcher Christian, I won't firment a mutiny!" Angel snapped. "Don't even suggest it."
Lightning sighed. "No," he said tiredly. "Rin had a great showing today, but he can't do what you want. He may have inherited Satan's flames but his heart wouldn't be in it. Caliburn would prevail, neither honor nor obligation would be satisfied."
"Tell me, who did you chose?"
Angel groaned. His orders forbade answering that very question, his mind skirted away from betraying them. Unable to ignore the demand outright his mind misinterpreted it.
As Angel filed into the briefing room the senior exorcist in charge of the mission glanced at his uniform then asked, "Failed the Exam or has your paperwork not gone through yet?"
The sixteen-year-old forced himself to come to attention as everyone in the room stared at him. "I failed the Exam Sir," he reported willing his voice to remain steady. It was only the second time he'd failed Angel reminded himself. In the chaos following the Blue Night the previous year's Exorcist Exam had been canceled.
The senior exorcist who, ten years later, would be named to the Grigori as Baltazar grimaced. "We've never been more short-handed and you're a damn good fighter even if you've got shit for brains. Under the circumstances I'd think they could have made a special provision."
Angel flushed with shame. He took a seat without replying.
A few minutes later the last stragglers filtered in and the briefing began. "We've located a new manifestation of the House of the Rising Sun," the future-Baltazar stated. "For those who aren't familiar, the House appears at sunset and anyone still inside when the sun next rises will be damned to Gehenna when the House vanishes. The prostitutes may be succubi or victims lured into the House on earlier nights. The apparent clientele will also be a mixture of victims and incubi."
"We will strike at sunset, before any new johns arrive and hopefully before the incubi leave to search for new victims to lure into the House."
"Be wary, it will be difficult to differentiate between the demons and their victims. Some of the victims may have emotional attachments to the demons who have seduced them and will fight on their lover's behalf. The demons are, I repeat, incubi and succubi. They specialize in luring in humans and may attempt to play on your sympathies rather than attacking openly. Treat everyone in the House with extreme caution. Capture when practical but do not hesitate to defend yourselves. We don't have enough exorcists left after the Blue Night to lose anyone because they were thinking with their dick instead of their head."
"Also remember, we are dealing with the Kingdom of Time. We have from dusk to dawn to get this job done, but once inside the House do not trust your sense of time. If you get the order to pull out, you go. I don't care if you feel like you've only been there for an eye-blink or a lifetime, when you're told to go, you go."
"You will be broken into three squads. The assault team composed of knights and small-arms dragoons will hunt down the demons in their lair, weakening the colony. Once they're done a unit of arias and heavy ordinance dragoons will destroy the House itself. The third group is containment, nothing walks away from that House until we verify that it's human."
The senior exorcist paused in assigning teams when he came to Angel's name. "Exwire Angel, I'm assigning you to the assault team despite your rank. Of the people at my disposal you're one of the best suited for close combat. We are undermanned, step up and serve as a full exorcist in this coming year and I'll see what we can do about making an allowance on the Exam next January."
"I would request that you do not," Angel replied, standing. "I will happily serve in whatever capacity you see fit but I will also pass the Exorcist Exam on my own merits."
The interior of the House was drenched in shadows interspersed with pools of light in a variety of colors that seemed to originate from nowhere. Angel crept forward cautiously, Caliburn hung sheathed over his shoulder while he held his falchion at ready. "Choosing that plebian thing over me again?" Caliburn pouted.
"It may be common but it doesn't thirst for my blood or my soul," Angel murmured. "Now hush, I have work to attend to."
Caliburn sniffed haughtily but did quiet as the sound of battle grew closer.
In front of them a door flew open spilling lurid red light and an embattled exorcist into the hall. Angel took two rapid steps forward. Putting momentum behind his heavy blade he cut through the torso of the incubus who came after the exorcist. The demon turned to face Angel, it's eyes widening with surprise even as it's upper half toppled over. It's clubbed tail twitched a few times then it's lower half crumpled to the floor as well.
Angel flicked the blood off his blade then offered his free hand to the fallen exorcist. "Are you injured?"
"I'm fine," the man said, allowing Angel to lever him back to his feet. "Just lost my footing." The middle second class exorcist sounded faintly shamed at having been saved by a mere exwire.
Angel nodded. The pair continued down the hall, Angel clearing the rooms on the right side of the hall while the ranked exorcist took the left. Five doors down Angel found a branching hallway behind his door.
"The place is a damned maze," the middle second class exorcist remarked. "It bends space as much as time."
"I've been following the right-hand wall since I entered," Angel said.
"Better plan than wandering at random," the exorcist allowed. "You good to take that new hall on your own if I keep advancing here?"
Angel refrained from reminding his superior of who had saved who. "I am capable."
"With me you could level this whole place for nothing more than a few drops of your sweet blood," Caliburn volunteered.
"I told you to hush," Angel reminded the sword as he turned down the new hall and left the other exorcist behind.
The hall continued for another hundred yards and several inexplicable turns before ending at a locked door. Angel kicked the door just below the knob, the wood around the lock splintered and the door burst inward. From the shadowy depths came the sound of muffled sobs.
"Come out into the light," Angel ordered warily.
The sobs caught as if their source was trying to stifle them, fearing discovery.
"Come out here now," Angel commanded.
Soft shuffling footsteps answered him. Angel backed away from the room raising his falchion to shoulder height. A pale girl stepped out of the shadows. She held the tattered remains of her dress to her chest, for all the good it did. Long strawberry-blonde hair hung around her face in matted tangles.
Angel's mouth narrowed as he caught sight of dark, hand-shaped bruises around her waist. He lowered his sword. After a quick glance up and down the hall, he leaned it against the wall while he quickly removed Caliburn's harness and then his True Cross Academy jacket. "I'll escort you to safety," he promised as he draped the jacket over the girl's shoulders.
The exwire's jacket, which fell just past Angel's hips, covered the girl almost to her knees. She pulled it closed over her breasts as she stared at Angel with wide green eyes like a startled rabbit. Angel settled Caliburn back in place then sighed and buttoned up the jacket for the girl so it didn't gape open at her hips.
"Thank you," the girl whispered as he stepped away and picked up his falchion.
Angel hesitated remembering the senior exorcist's warnings, then gestured for the girl to fall in behind him. In her state of dishabille it was clear that she wasn't hiding a tail and while he was frequently credited with a complete lack of intelligence Angel could easily look at the bruises on the girl's waist and envision where the being who'd caused them had to have been in relation to her. He started retracing his steps through the house. After several minutes Angel felt the girl tangle her fingers in the back of his shirt. His first thought was to yell at her back off but she wasn't obstructing his arm movements and it let him know exactly where she was so he said nothing. Angel made the trip out quickly and turned the girl over to the leader of the containment squad then he returned to his assignment.
Twenty minutes before dawn the withdrawal order was given. The knights pulled back and the arias who had encircled the House began chanting while dragoons armed with flamethrowers moved in on it.
The House screamed like a living thing and seemed to writhe as it burned. A thick, choking black smoke obscured the dawn.
The next day Angel checked in with the head of the containment squad. "The girl I brought in, the pale red-blond I gave my jacket to, she checked out as human didn't she?"
The upper second class exorcist flipped through the stack of documents on his desk. "Oh yes, her. Daphne she said her name was, couldn't remember anything else. She might have some demon-blood but nothing significant. What she had by way of clothing was Victorian but with time manipulation there's no telling how long she's been there subjectively. We sent her over to the hospital."
Angel started to leave then stopped. "Do you think she still has my jacket?" he asked.
"I could have someone at the hospital check."
"You don't have to bother," Angel said quickly. "It's my jacket after all and I left it with her. I'll just drop by and ask."
The older Exorcist shook his head and snickered as Angel left.
"Room number for Ms. Daphne Doe, brought in from the Rising Sun mission," Angel requested trying to sound official.
The lower ranked exorcist manning the admissions desk gave him a disinterested look and started thumbing through her records.
"It's just, I left my uniform jacket with her," Angel volunteered. "She wasn't decent and it was the least I could have done. But it is my uniform jacket so I thought I should get it back. Now that she has clothes- She does have clothes correct?"
The exorcist stopped. With her finger resting on the room number she gave Angel a longer look and sighed. "Kid, I know it's a not worth the breath I'm wasting to tell you this but… Turn around and go home. Your job ended when you pulled her out of that House. Making anything more of it will bring nothing good, either for you or her."
"The room?" Angel repeated, his chin raising stubbornly.
"313," the Exorcist said. As Angel walked away he heard her mutter, "Well, I tried."
Room 313 was painted an unattractive shade of salmon that clashed with the girl's light reddish hair. The late morning sunlight streaming through the high window left her looking pale and washed out. She was holding Angel's jacket and when she saw him a tremulous smile lit her face. "Sir Knight, you came back," she exclaimed.
Angel flushed to the roots of his hair at the naked gratitude in her eyes. "Arthur," he stammered. "Um, that's who I am. My name is Arthur. And you are Daphne? That's a pretty name. They said you didn't remember?"
Daphne nodded, her gaze sadly downcast. "Everything is so strange to me," she said. She waved her hand toward the digital pump attached to her IV pole. "The physicians and all their devices. I cannot think what I was expecting, but not this. When I think back all I remember is that dreadful place." She smiled timidly up at Angel. "And you saving me… Arthur."
"I was just-" Angel stammered. Then flushing, he cut himself off. "I'm glad I was able to be of service to you."
"Oh, your jacket," Daphne said. She held it out reluctantly. "I'm sure you need it back."
Angel accepted the jacket feeling like he was taking a toddler's security blanket. "Once you're released would you like me to show you around?" he heard himself offering.
Daphne's eyes widened, "I don't know how to thank you," she said. "I've almost been afraid to leave. Everything is so strange to me. But with you beside me I know it will be alright."
For the rest of the week Angel was a daily visitor at the hospital, coming as soon as his classes let out and staying late into the evening. He cut classes on the day Daphne was discharged so he could be there for her.
Daphne yelped in surprise and leapt backward when a cab pulled up to the curb outside the hospital to meet them.
Angel smiled kindly and put an arm around her shoulders, "It's all right," he said. "I tried to arrange rooms for you on campus but only students are allowed. So I made arrangements for you to see a few apartments. They aren't much, but it would be a place for you to stay while you sort things out."
For a moment Daphne looked taken aback. Then she asked, "You're not taking me home with you?" in an almost teasing tone.
"I wouldn't!" Angel exclaimed. "That would be completely inappropriate. I'm living in the Boy's Dorm."
"You're quite the gentleman my knight," Daphne giggled. Then she looked worried, "But truly, I have no means of paying for housing."
"It's taken care of," Angel said avoiding Daphne's gaze. He opened the cab door and offered her his hand, helping her in. Then waited until she'd tucked her long skirt around her legs before shutting the door. He walked around to the street side to get in himself.
The first apartment was on the sixth floor of a modern building near the city center. Daphne grabbed Angel's arm tightly when the elevator began to move. Angel patted her hand indulgently. When the realtor opened the door, Daphne stared at the spacious loft with wondering eyes. "No, no," she protested. "This is much too fine for the likes of me."
"Nonsense," Angel replied.
"I'd never feel comfortable here," Daphne insisted. "And, and, the hospital was close to your campus wasn't it? You always walked. I, maybe it isn't meet, but you're the only person I feel I can depend on. I don't want to be so far from you."
Angel proudly produced a boxy cellphone. "I programed in my number."
Daphne took the phone and turned it over in her hands curiously. "What is it?" she asked.
"It's a cellular phone," Angel said and received a blank stare. "Er, a mobile? A phone you can carry with you." He demonstrated the speed dial and showed her his own phone when it rang. "You'll be able to reach me anytime," he promised.
Daphne clutched the phone close to her, "Still, this place is much too grand… And… And odd," she admitted gesturing to the very modern furniture and the large television dominating one wall of the apartment.
"Ah, I should have thought," Angel said. "Perhaps someplace not so new?"
Daphne smiled gratefully, "And closer to your school."
The next apartment was in an older neighborhood and much closer to the Vatican City and the True Cross Academy of Rome. The windows were small and there was a wall radiator beneath one of them.
Angel winched at the recently remodeled kitchen with it's polished stainless steel surfaces, but Daphne appeared not to notice. She ducked into the bedroom and giggled. "The bed's so soft. Come see Arthur."
Angel glanced at the realtor then quickly looked away. Daphne leaned out of the bedroom. "This is near your dorm isn't it?" she asked.
Angel led her back into the mainroom. He leaned up against the window, guiding Daphne to do the same. "See that tower?" he asked pointing to a sliver of a building just barely visible due to the angle. "That's one of the campus buildings. My dorm is on this side of campus, just a twenty minute walk from here."
"Then I'll take it," Daphne proclaimed.
"Not her," Angel mumbled in his sleep. "Mistake."
Rin glanced over at him, wondering if he should wake the Paladin from what was clearly not a good dream or let him sleep. To his eyes Gehenna was having a much worse effect on Angel than on the rest of them. Even compared to Bon, who was also fully human, Angel looked run ragged from the past few days.