Hey, readers who still follow and who knew I would be back one of these days. Good news; I'm back! And with a new laptop so I can finally come back to uploading stories and a pretty much free schedule! Finally, right? No w I can get back into to completing these fics. y goodness, thank goodness for that! ^^ Honestly, I was really frustrated when I couldn't type or upload anything. Honestly, it was absolute torture to me, and I know it wasn't any more fun for all of you D: I really am sorry. But, good thing is I am back and I am ready to get back into action! ^^

Alrighty, now lets get this chapter rolling!

Disclaimer: Never owned Blue Exorcist. Never have, never will.

Chapter Twelve: Celebrations and Uncertainties

Acts of Love will Never be Scorched

"Hey, does anyone notice how quiet it is today?"

Bon and Shima looked up from the manga Shima had bought to class with him that day, both still trying to register the fact that their best friend since they were toddlers was actually a girl. It was harder to the both of them to get used to Konekomaru's hair choppily growing back on her head, her short, dark brown curls reaching her ears in a sort of pixie-cut. Konekomaru even decided to switch to the girl's uniform, despite flushing in embarrassment when Shuichiro ogled at her legs on occasion.

She looked cute. And even better, she looked happy. And that was OK with Bon and Shima. It was just hard for them to get used to the new change for the last few months.

But that is another topic for another time.

"Yeah, you're right," Bon nodded, looking around the nearly empty classroom, a slight chill in the air due to winter vacation chasing after them, like a dog eagerly ready to play fetch. "It's weird, since this place is usually noisy."

"That's because Rin-chan and Yukiko-sensei aren't here," Shima pointed out, slipping the manga back into his school bag. "Whenever we get here, they're either arguing with each other or Rin-chan's complaining that she should have gotten a better grade on her last test. Think something happened to them?" He asked.

The door was suddenly kicked open, a stack of boxes swaying to and fro as Shuichiro lugged them over to Yukiko's desk, setting them down with a grunt.

"Alright, kiddies, gather around," Announced the blonde-and-redhead, the students looking up from their activities. "I got an assignment for all of you to handle and it has to be perfect! If any of you screw up on this, I'm marking you all down one letter grade!"

"What?!" Isamu stood up right at the moment Bon did, the both of them looking in rage. "What do you mean mark us down one letter grade?!"

"Don't play jokes around with us here, teach!" Roared the mullet man, the teacher giving him a lazy grin that only boiled them over with more anger.

"Keep your panties out of a twist and just listen up, guys," He said, the two of the angriest students finally calming down enough for the young swordsman to explain. "Now, as I'm sure a lot of you are unaware, we got winter coming up. And when I realized that the weather dropped, it reminded me of a very important holiday."

"Do you mean Christmas, sensei?" Asked Shiemi with a raised hand. "But we don't celebrate the holiday much around here."

"While that is a good holiday, that aint the one I'm talking about," Said Shuichiro, pulling out a light blue banner from one of the boxes on the desk. "Nope, I'm talking about a holiday I always celebrated with Yukio ever since I first met her as an Exwire." He unfolded the banner, big blocked letters reading "HAPPY BIRTHDAY YUKIKO" along with a crudely drawn in "AND RIN!" printed across it with designs of party balloons and and party streamers. "Rin and Yukiko are going to be turning sixteen on the twenty-seventh. And our job as a class project is going to be a birthday party thrown for them."

"A party?" Asked Shima, looking a little excited. "It sounds fun, sensei. I didn't really know you'd celebrate a party, let alone one for Rin-chan and Yukiko-chan."

"Yeah, when did you suddenly feel like being the "givy-feelies" guy?" Asked Bon, throwing a suspicious brow. The redhead threw his hands up in defense, chuckling a little sheepishly.

"C'mon, guys, cut me some slack! I care about my girls just as much as the rest of you." He laughed aloud when Bon glared at him, the young student always so touchy when it came to Rin in a conversation. "And anyway, I figured that the two of them had been through a lot this year, so the both of them deserve a little party for all that's happened so far. C'mon, don't you guys feel the same?' He persuaded, seeing that he was swaying everyone's decisions with a smirk. "Glad to see that all of you are in full cooperation! Alright, guys, lets get this party made!"

'I remember so much of the past whenever I think about the monastery. What I can really remember was whenever Rin was home. If I was ever home early or if she had come home late, you could always tell when she was there. Because whenever she was not, the whole place was distinctively quiet.'

"I'm home!"

The dark room Yukiko saw before her eyes was suddenly a lit with joy and happiness. The serious faces of the hosts and her father melted away once they saw the familiar black hair and dark blue eyes of her sister.

"Rin!"

"Welcome back!"

"You're late because you got into another fight, right?"

"Piss off." The older sister scoffed, shuffling over and giving her sister a one-armed hug before she took a seat at the table and served herself some food, Yukiko holding back a smile as Fujimoto slapped Rin's hand for a spoon, snapping at her to say grace before she reached for food, another argument sprung between the two. It wasn't a serious argument, so Yukiko knew not to worry.

'If it weren't for the events that took a little of a couple of months ago, I would have thought that all those happy memories would remain safe in our old home, like the fairy tales our father once read us. I always thought that once the two princesses returned to their castle, then everything would be like a happily ever after.'

The rain puddles across the sidewalk were rippled by two pairs of feet, one clad in black, knee-length boots and the other in old worn sneakers. Their breath was crisp and foggy in the cold December air, the two dressed in their winter uniforms, the dull colors clashing tragically on the colors of red and green. With hurried breaths and frantic eyes, the running fraternal twins booked up their running. No matter how much their lungs strained and no matter how much their legs wanted to give out, they just kept on running until they saw the memorable glow of the lanterns of their old home.

They were only stopped briefly by men in black robes, telling them that they couldn't cross the yellow tape around the place. Two other men came out and escorted the two young ladies into the sacred pace, all of their steps quick and mismatched as a group. When they entered the church of the place, the sisters let out gasps in unison, almost frozen in their spots.

'Little did I know that my sister and I's castle was beginning to crumble under the spell of a terrible dragon's breath.'

"What the Hell happened here?" Rin chocked out as she and her sister surveyed the scene, the place they knew once so dearly now in a complete mess. Cobwebs of sorts covered every wall and pew, the alter completely in shambles. This no longer looked like the home they so fondly remembered. It looked as if a nightmare had sprung from a box and took every last good memory back into said box. Spotting a commotion near the front, Rin and Yukiko ran over to the people gathering there, gasping.

"Kieyodo!"

"Nagatomo!"

The two friends they knew since they were in primary school were wrapped in the strange silk that was draped allover the room, IV needles stuck in their arms and heart transmitters attached to their chests. Rin looked the other way and recognized the other bodies there.

"Naruta and Izumi, too. . ."

The doctor at the scene stopped Rin before she or Yukiko could take another step closer. "They're alive, but I need you two to stay back," He said firmly, catching the surprise on their faces. "I'll explain everything later, I promise, but I need to check all of them out without the bodies being disturbed."

"Seriously. . ." Rin breathed as she and Yukiko did as they were told, looking around the ruined place. "What happened here?" She asked herself, her pointed ears pinning to her skull in anger and fright.

"Rin, look," Said her younger sister, the both of them now spying an odd form of gibberish scrawled across the opposite wall. "Its in Polish. . ."

"'I won't forgive anyone related to Satan'," Translated the doctor.

"You know who they're referring to, right?" Sighed Yukiko, Rin jumping when her sister and the doctor eyed her.

"Me?" She asked, looking back at the writing. If all these attacks were because of her, then she felt horrible. It wasn't right for such good people to get hurt because she knew them in some sort of way. It was an occurrence Rin never wanted to face. "Who did this?" Growled the child of Satan, her hands turning into fists.

"We're still trying to figure that out," The doctor sighed through his health mask. "When we came through the door, one of the victims was still conscious. Barely though. He was mumbling something about a man in a mask."

"A man in a mask?" Asked Yukiko, noticing that some of the other exorcists on the scene were finally investigating the odd silk hanging off the walls.

"This sort of thread was constructed by demotic power," A host observed, placing the piece of thread in a plastic baggie. "It's harden into a cement-like sentiment around the victims' bodies."

"Will they be alright though?" Asked another exorcist.

"There's a thin, protective barrier around them," Explained the lead exorcist of the room. "They must've started reciting holy verses before they were attacked. The barriers are keeping them alive but that won't last for long." He looked gravely at bodies. "I'd say for about eight hours."

"The estimated time is until 2:00 AM tomorrow." Yukiko muttered as she eyed her wristwatch. "We don't have-" Her words were cut off when Rin shoved her out of her way, the younger sister regaining her footing and saw her sister run out of the church as if her legs were on fire. "Rin!"

Rin would have made it down the street had Yukiko caught up with her, catching her by her arm.

"Rin-!"

"Lay off, Yuki!" Hissed Rin. With her own growl, Yukiko grabbed her older sister by the front of her blouse and shook her.

"Snap out of it and get over yourself!" She snapped, shoving Rin to the nearest wall. "If you're out in the open now, you'll only be falling into their hands! Whoever did this knows you would go ballistic!" She glared back into Rin's widened eyes, her own demotic growl rumbling in her throat. "I promised dad that I'd do whatever in my power to keep you safe, on his grave no less! Why can't you just trust me to protect you?!"

"Don't give me that!" Spat the oldest daughter of Satan, her voice mixed with an otherworldly rasp. "I don't need my littler sister looking out for me! I can take care of myself, damnit!" She shouted, her whole body engulfed in flames while one of her eyes was surfaced with it, her fangs and claws sharpening.

Yukiko released her with a gasp, Rin mirroring her surprise. These days she was able to control the flames of her bloodline, even without Kurikara. But there were also some days they would appear, especially when Rin was frustrated, angered, or scared. Hissing again, Rin retracted the deadliest assets of herself and ran away again, ignoring Yukiko's cry of her name.

'Where is he?!' Rin's mind screamed as she raced into a maze of buildings, her ears ringing at their loudest. She could tell that something not human was in the dark shadows, lurking and waiting. "Come out and fight me! Damnit, I'm the one you want! C'mon, you useless piece of shit!"

Rin then caught the sound before it even took a step. She spun around and took a leap back, glaring at the cloaked figure than tried to impale her with a spear. "It's you, isn't it?!" She snapped, her hand twitching to grab a hold of her sword and decapitate her target. "You've been after me this whole time, right? I'll make you pay for what you did to them. . ."

"Soon you will know how it feels. . ." The princess flinched and took a step back as the figure revealed it's covered face, its voice rasping behind the old hag mask it wore. "The pain of loosing the ones you love so dearly. . ."

"Shut up!" Roared Rin, making a grab to deploy Kurikara, but stopped when the masked assassin spun a silver-white thread and threw it at the hilt and sword, stopping the blade from escaping its scabbard. Rin gasped as her sword was knocked away and her entire self was cornered by the sharp and crooked limb of the being who gave a hoarse chuckle.

"Don't worry, little princess. I won't kill you now," It said gleefully, spiders crawling out of it's old eye-sockets. "At least, not until you feel the insufferable agony I have been through." It laughed it's raspy sneer, Rin hissing when the pointed edge nearly drew blood from her waist.

"Rin!"

Said demon blinked and snapped her head in the direction of her name, the figure catching the movement. "Little sister comes to the rescue!" It giggled as another web grenade was blown at the younger sister, Yukiko barely dodging it before she shot at it with her holy pistol. The web sprang like a flytrap and prevented Yukiko from entering the empty lot.

"Yukiko!" Rin whipped her head to the figure and growled protectively. "Leave my sister out of this!"

"Don't count on it, princess!" Sneered the mysterious web-spinner as it ran in another direction, disappearing as it used its web to crawl on top of another building and vanish over the tops of True Cross square.

"Get back here!" Shouted Rin, running at full speed to catch up with it as she scooped up Kurikara, but stopped when Shuichiro blocked her way with his sword. "Sh-Shuichiro?!"

"Easy there, Thing One," Huffed her trainer, the school girl throwing him a warning look. One was thrown back at her. "Save the glares when you don't get a bunny for Christmas. The Vatican goes after my ass if I don't keep yours in line, savvy?"

Before Rin could yell at him to get out of her way, both student and teacher jumped back when Yukiko ran past them, reloading her pistols.

"Damnit, Yukiko! Get back here!" Shouted Shuichiro, cursing as his outburst fell to deaf ears

Once far away and separated from Rin and Shuichiro, Yukiko stepped inside the old clock tower of True Cross, an abandoned building she saw the assassin run into. With her hands gripped around the handles of her guns, she quietly climbed up the steps of the old clock tower, keeping a sharp eye out for any movements in the dark or any broken steps she could fall through. When she reached the top of the steps, she gasped and took her stand as she held one of her guns out at the ready.

"Noihaus-sensei," She muttered, his name like venom on her tongue as the Naberius summoner looked back at her apathetically. "So it was you, wasn't it? Was it a part of your revenge?" Her hands nearly trembled as the anger within her began to bubble, remembering the cocoons that were once the loving hosts that looked over Rin and herself for so many years. "You're the one who attacked the monastery, weren't you?!"

"What are you talking about, Okumura-sensei?" He sighed in boredom, Yukiko's glare intensifying.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about!" She shouted, her finger trembling on the trigger. Her eyes landed on his shoulder, sealing her conclusion. "That spider web on your shoulder. It was spun by demotic powers!" She aimed her gun for his head. "The monastery's covered in it, so there's no doubt that you have something to do with it!"

The older man sighed at her. "You fail so epically." His words made Yukiko's face drop. "Your deduction is flawed at best. You can find cobweb like this anywhere. Even in here."

"Spare me your excuses," Yukiko gave with a warning shot at the the flower pot at the window of another building, the clay shattering. "The message left on the walls at the scene of the crime was written in your native tongue." She reloaded another bullet, the smell of gun smoke filling the air. "Polish. And since you know that my sister and I are the known offspring of Satan that live in the area, that leaves you as the prime suspect."

"You cannot hope to see the truth when your vision is clouded by the fog of suspicion." Drawled out Igor, looking at Yukiko as if she wasn't worth even a grain of rice.

"Say what you'd like, but you're coming with me," Yukiko muttered with narrowed blue eyes. "We'll find out what the truth is at the academy."

"Oh?" The man raised his brow as the ground beneath them began to tremble, Yukiko gasping as the whole place seemed to be falling apart. "And if I refuse?" The youngest daughter of Satan was only given that response before the head of the tower began to collapse, the glasses-wearing girl making it out in time as she stood on top of a nearby building, cursing under her breath

"He got away. . ."

"Goddamnit!" Rin yanked and pulled with all her might, falling back on her bed when she nearly dropped Kurikara. "Shit, what the Hell is this sticky-stuff made of?!"

"Noihaus, huh?" Rin looked over to Yukiko and Shuichiro as they sat on the floor of the twins' dorm, the both of them pondering over what Yukiko had witnessed. After the three had regrouped, they made it back to the academy to have privacy in the girls' room. "I heard he bailed on his post at the academy and went to wherever the Hell he came from. Makes no sense why he's back, though." Sighed the red-and-blonde-head.

"It should be obvious," Yukiko looked back at Rin, who looked away when worry was evident in the younger girl's eyes. "He's after Rin to resume his revenge."

"I dunno, Yukiko," Shuichiro held a flask of watered-down liquid in his hand, giving a brow that did not look convinced. "From what you told me, I think there's something else that Noihaus could be after. Maybe he's the one who made you-know-what?" He casts his eyes at Rin but quickly darted them back to the younger royal.

"The lab. . ." Yukiko considered whatever idea she and Shuichiro shared, nodding as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You might be on to something."

"What is he on to?" Rin sat up, her tail wagging in interest. "C'mon, guys! I wanna be in on this, too!"

"So are you going to go scope it out? See if Noihaus has been spawning any Naberius?" Rin growled as she was ignored, watching as her sister nodded and placed her gun on her holster.

"It's the only lead we have so far," Sighed the brunette, pushing her side ponytail aside. "I'll be sure to round up a few instructors and some exorcist with Sir Pheles's permission, of course," She heard a sound of movement and gave a glare to Rin, stopping her older sister before she could take a step out the door. "And just where do you think you're going?"

"After that bastard, what does it look like, Yuki?" Growled Rin, trying to take a side-step but Yukiko once again stood in her way. "Listen here, nii-chii-"

The barrel was pointed directly at her with the sound of the safety trigger unlocking as eyes as blue as her own warned her to stay where she was. "No, you listen here, Rin," Yukiko growled, removing her glasses just to show that even if her body couldn't spout with millions of dancing flames, she still had fire in her eyes. "For once, this is where you're going to have to do what I say. I want you to stay here. In the dorm. No going outside. I can't have you risking your own safety like the last time."

"Yuki. . ." Rin glowered at the pistol, as if disgusted by it. "I fucking told you to never point that thing in my face. Stop being a brat and step aside!"

"No!" The younger sister barked back, unafraid. "I'm through having you see me as the inferior sister! For your own safety, I'm asking you to stay put." Her eyes turned into slits as she bared her teeth. "Unless you think you have enough control of those flames of yours to take me on. Then by all means, make me move, big sister."

"Whoa, OK," Shuichiro stood with dilated eyes of his own, shocked by how Yukiko was acting. "Yukiko, you've gone far enough. You've proven your point, so put that fucking thing away before you hurt someone!"

Taking her sister's momentary distraction, Rin made another break for the door, hissing as a bang was heard and something was lodged into the tender area of her back, a wave of numbness stilling her every movement as she fell to the floor.

"Yukiko, what the actual fuck?!" Shuichiro exclaimed, the younger sister casting a brow in his direction.

"Relax, I only hit her with a tranquilizer," She said as she blew at the orifice of her beloved weapon of choice. "It should keep her in place for the next few hours."

"Still a little too much, don't you think?" Huffed her colleague, the young man bristling when Yukiko brushed him aside like he was nothing. She had never done that to him, at least not without a witty remark.

"It's time I take matters into my own hands," She replied as she walked over to the door, opening it as the December winds billowed her coat. "How I deal with my sister if she becomes too much of a nuisance is none of your concern, Kirigakure-sensei," She looked back at him, then her sister, nearly losing face before it came back with narrowed eyes. "I'll be back soon. Stay put." She said as Rin's eyes began to darken, her mind succumbing to the effects of the tranquilizer.

"Yuki. . . Ko. . ." She breathed before falling unconscious.

Something sweet yet foul entered Rin's nostrils the next second, the latter sitting up, looking enraged.

"Who in the name of Hell is burning good food?!" She roared, looking insulted that good food ingredients were going to waste. She hissed as the rest of her body caught up with her, her head head feeling as if it were splitting open. As her headache began to dull down, she looked at the direction of her door, the source of the terrible smell. With great care, she stood up and padded to the door in her socks, pushing open the door and soon learning that the smell was coming from the kitchen.

"Mephisto better not be messing with mine and Ukobach's kitchen or so help me I'm chopping his fingers off and placing them in the next soup." She muttered into her breath before entering the kitchen, tilting her head.

"Um. . . Why the HELL are all of you guys in my dorm?!" She shrieked, Shieme and Bon nearly dropping the layers of burnt cake they were throwing out, Isamu and Paku quickly trying to hide whatever they were making with construction paper, and Konekomaru and Shima pushing something large and blue under a table, earning a look from the shocked Hell princess.

"Yo! Morning, Sleeping Beauty!" Shuichiro laughed with a bottle of liquor in hand as Takura was checking off a list for him. "You slept for a real long time! Thought we were going to make cock-a-doodle-do over here kiss you good morning!" He laughed.

Rin and Bon blushed, both making sure to avoid eye-contact from each other as the girl cleared her throat, crossing her arms over her chest. "Y-You still haven't explained to me why you guys are here."

"I invited them for a little "project," you could say," The senior exorcist chuckled and patted his trainee's head. "Don't sweat it and let them do what they need to do, 'kay? By the way, how are you feeling? Yukiko hit you pretty hard with that tranquilizer."

"That's right!" Rin gasped, remembering what had happened earlier before she growled and let her anger out. "Where the fuck is my sister?! I'm gonna go and and drop a loogey over her face, just to get her back!"

"Huh, your sister shoots you and you want to go hit her with spittle. Seems fair," Shuichiro didn't sound like his joking self though, giving a firm look at his student. "Listen, I know she's acting weird, but she still told me to keep an eye on you while she went and handled business. And she had her, "I'm-so-serious-that-if-you-disobey-me-I'll-chop-off-your-balls-and-feed-them-to-you" look." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, I got no idea whats gotten into her either."

"Well that's more than enough of a reason for me to go out and find her," Rin spat. "Give me my sword, Shuichiro."

"Hell no," He easily caught the fist that was going to sock him in the nose. "Ah-ah-ah, you didn't even say please. Bad princess, minus ten points," He shook his head when Rin growled. "Remember what I said a few months back? Unless you can control your flames, you won't have full rights over your sword." He crossed his arms over his tattooed chest. "Besides, even if you went rushing out that door without it, you'd be pretty useless."

"Say that again, I dare you to!" Rin hollered, her trainer unfazed.

"You heard me, princess. The bad guys are gonna keep jerking us around unless you get control of those flames!" Rin's face turned into one of confusion, Shuichiro sighing at it. "All you have to do is learn to control them. Then you won't scare your friends . . . Or make them worry . . ."

Rin could feel the eyes on her already. She looked up and noticed all of her friends were giving her their own looks of worry, some well-hidden than others but there nevertheless. Rin's heart squeezed in her chest, so shocked that she almost couldn't breath. "Or make anyone else suffer because of you, like your friends back at the monastery."

"Rin. . ." Sheimi smiled kindly. "We know you can do it."

Rin flinched, taking a step back. "I-"

"Yeah, we know it must be scary for you. Hell, we'd all be scared if we went through what you were going through." Shima admitted with a sheepish grin, but was backed-up by Konekomaru.

"But what you need to remember that you have friends that are here to stand by you and encourage you to control your flames," She smiled sweetly. "You're so brave and always so willing to go all-out. I always thought that was the kind of girl you were. But seeing you right now, when even you look afraid-"

"-It's like you're human. I-I mean you are human! Definitely human!" Bon corrected himself quickly, almost making Rin laugh. "What I mean is that you don't have to be afraid anymore." He suddenly took her hand, a move no one thought he would ever made in the past almost-year they had known each other. Rin herself was blushing brightly, hoping no one was catching her heart beating like it just went through shock therapy. "I already told you this at the camping trip. You aren't alone anymore, Rin. You got all of us here who are willing to give you that extra push you need," He squeezed her hand, looking into her ocean-blue eyes. "All we need you to do is control those flames. Doing that will bring you one step closer to kicking Satan's ass, right?" He grinned knowingly.

As if that grin were contagious, Rin shot one right back at him, nodding back determinedly.

"You mean it'll bring us one step closer to kicking Satan's ass."

Everyone laughed at Rin's statement, Bon's placed on hold when Rin kissed his cheek, the very same spot turning red under it.

"Thanks, Bon," Rin smiled, walking to the hallway door, looking back at them all with a smile. "Thanks to all you guys. I know what I have to do now." She looked right at Shuichiro. "Right, sensei?"

"Yeah," Nodding, the blonde-and-redhead looked back at the kids. "I want all of you to continue your projects back at your dorms. Head on home now, its pretty dark." The nods in return were all he needed before he followed Rin out, the both of them set on getting her training done. If they were ever to cross the masked person again, they had to be ready.

Little did they know that they had to be ready soon. For what occur an hour later took a turn for the worse.

Grunting, Yukiko ran past the people who flanked around the academy's boys' dorm, Tsubaki right on her side as they ran over to an exorcist in the guise of a police uniform. Yukiko was only at the old lab that was once used by the Vatican for human and demon experiments, thinking that she and the instructors she bought with her could find Noihaus before he made another attack. Unfortunately, one of her own men was attacked and they got recent word that another attack was happening a True Cross, so they rushed there as soon as possible.

"Did you evacuate everyone yet?" Asked Yukiko once she got word from the exorcist that it was indeed the masked man.

"Not quite. Students from the cram school were reported to be taken hostage." He said, Yukiko cursing under her breath, worried for her own students.

"Has it made any demands?" Asked Tsubaki.

"It has, and it said that everyone must stay out of the building if they want the hostages live. Also," He sighed, looking over to Yukiko with grave look. "It will only release them if we bring it the daughter of Satan." All three of them were silent, Yukiko never knowing that she could feel both frustrated and scared at the same time.

"To think that it would attack my academy," No one had even realize Mephisto had appeared near them, not looking like himself with an annoyed smirk on his lips. "A rather bold move, wouldn't you say?" He ignored the gasps and exclaims they let out, sighing as he tipped his top hat. "I'll make it regret the day it makes demands with me. It will not touch a hair on my sister's head. . ." Raising his closed umbrella in the air, he slowly drew circles in the air, a pentagram of fire filling the nighttime sky. "Eins~ Zwei-" His flames were doused down by a spray of water, the director giving away a surprised look. "What the-?!"

"You shouldn't be playing with fire at this time of day, Mephisto." None other was it Angel with the school's emergency fire hose, an evident tick mark forming on Mephisto's head but one dared to point it out.

"Ah, it's you again," Replied Mephisto as he lowered his umbrella. "And to what do we the owe the pleasure of your visit, Angel?" He asked, not even flinching as the Paladin appeared before him in the flash of a step.

"The Vatican has issued a warrant for your arrest," Chuckled Angel, smirking as he knew this was what he was waiting for so long. "The Vatican charges you, Mephisto Pheles, for suspicions involving the illegal involvement with artificial life form study."

"I have no idea what you speak of." Mephisto replied coolly, his toxic-green eyes filled with anything but fear.

"If you have anything to say, you can say it from your prison cell," Angel looked at the exorcists he bought with him and simply jerked his chin. "Arrest him and take him away." The men grabbed at the purple demon, the latter making no struggle as he only needed to vanish into smoke, appearing a little bit of a few feet away.

"I shall not be arrested, nor shall I resist," He said, looking over a tree branch. "But I did promise my little sister we'd go for a walk this evening. Anima, let us be on our way."

"Coming, aninue." No one would have suspected to see a young girl jump from the tree and run over to the headmaster, her bright yellow skirt designed with light green skulls and crossbones and her black and purple blouse in a spider-web pattern with white knee-high boots another skull and cross bone related accessories on her person. As she took the older man's hand, she looked back at the surprised people and hissed, baring her fangs before smiling brightly at Mephisto, walking with him as her dark and light green ponytail swung in the breeze and as she popped a few lemon drops in her mouth from a little pouch she carried.

"After them, you simpletons!" Bellowed Angel, the exorcists he hired right on it as they chased after the duo. In the mix of the confusion, Yukiko snuck into the building, set on rescuing her students at any costs.

But Yukiko didn't even manage to get so much as a scratch on the masked attacker when she threw her holy water grenade to release her students, finding herself trapped in the monster's bound as it walked over to the temple trio, Bon daring it to make a move while Shima tried to calm down a tearing-up Konekomaru.

"Now isn't this a wicked predicament?" Said the masked monster in a bemused tune as it swung its weapon around. "I can either kill the little princess's knight in shinning armor or her beloved little sister. What to do, oh what to do?"

"You won't be doing nothing, Michael Myers reject!" It turned and met it's balde with the scabbard of Kuirkara, the other end attached to a boiled-over Rin.

"Rin, no . ." Yukiko whispered.

"Rin, yes!" Laughed It as it blocked every blow Rin tried to ram with her sheathed sword, every throw and swing blocked. "Ha! Pathetic, little princess! None of your attacks do any damage! How d you expect to win with a sheathed sword-" The curved edge of a green gem-baring sword stopped its rant, Shuichiro smirking behind it as other exorcists ran in on the scene with their holy-bullet-loaded pistols held ready.

"How abut my sword, then?" Shuichiro growled. "Give it up pal. You're completely surrounded."

"Am I?"

Shuichiro's smirk dropped at that moment, yelping when black widows traveling along the demon cobwebs fired their own dosages of webs at him and the other exorcists, trapping them all and a few stray shots targeting after Rin. Every dodge and flip she made was close, a final one wrapping around her ankle.

"Let go!" Rin shouted, her entire body flaring once with flames, charring away the web and causing the demon to gasp.

"The flames burn them away," Shuichiro realized with wide eyes. "Rin, don't just stand there! Roast this guy to ashes!"

"No! Don't listen to him, Rin!" Yukiko begged, fear in her eyes. "You can't control your flames yet! You'll burn-"

"-Everyone alive? Heh. . ." A smirk graced the blue-flamed royal's lips, Yukiko's words stilled on her tongue. Something was diffeent with Rin. hat she thought was a smirk was actually a serene smile, one that even the fires of Hell could rival. "I won't be doing that, Yukiko. I'd never do that to the people I care about." The blue veil around her glimmered like the rarest of sapphires, so warm and unique that no one could fathom the beauty forged from it. "This power is my own power. It's mine to control. I won't let the bad guys jerk me around anymore. For now on. . ." She looked at the growling creature, the thing ready to charge at her. "I use these flames for my reasons alone!" She shouted as she ran back at the thing, pulling Kurikara back and swinging it at full-force, it sent crashing through the window and flying to the ground far below. Knowing that Shuichiro would handle the rest, Satan's daughter bared her fang before her and released her flames, everyone yelping as little flecks of flames caught onto the webs and burnt them away.

"I did it," Rin smiled with her whisper, happy to see everyone was fine as the flames died away, all of them free from their bindings. "I knew I could do it. I just needed that little push. . ."

"Rin . ." Yukiko was hunched over, not damaged, but a look of pain and anger on her face. She was holding back the rage she locked inside her heart, her older sister respecting her space. "I. . . I thought I could protect you."

Rin only spared a smile and flashed a peace sign.

"Better luck next time, nii-chii." And she soon hopped out the window to join Shuichiro in the commotion, Yukiko balling up her fists before pounding at the tiled floor, leaving a nasty dent on the floor.

"Yowch!" Izumi mocked shaking his hand as the blue flames died away, throwing a look at Rin "Easy there, Rin, you nearly burned me into an over-cooked dango!"

"Nuh-uh!" Rin stuck her tongue at him playfully as they stood in the monastery, Rin bought there to release every one of the hosts trapped in the cobwebs. All of them were well and fine, according to the doctor. They just needed some rest before they could go back to their duties. "I saved your butt, mister! It looks like you owe me a good time! I expect movies and lots of popcorn the next time I come back here!"

"Be still my heart!" Izumi sat back and covered his hand with his heart. "I get to go on a date with royal! Oh, somebody pinch me!" Everyone laughed with him before he smiled kindly at Rin. "You've grown up to a swell little lady, Rin. Father Fugimoto would be so proud of you."

Everyone noticed the sad smile that crossed the girl's lips at the mention of the deceased, but she merely stopped it with a brighter smile, nodding in agreement.

"Hey, Rin" One of the hosts in the front popped his head inside the church. "Some boy is here to see you."

"What? A boy trying to steal away our Rin?" Izumi joked, he and the other hosts sharing mischievous looks. "No way! Tell him to buzz off! She's already leading on twenty other guys!"

"Piss off." Rin scoffed, ignoring the collective, "Oooh"s she got from the hosts before she thanked the messenger and walked outside, stopping when she saw who was on the front step. "Bon."

"Hey," Replied her classmate, raising his hand awkwardly before putting it down, scratching the back of his head. "Hey, um . . . You said you lived here before so I decided to look around and see if I can find it. . . Then find you," He cleared his throat, looking more awkward than his words gave him away as. "So, listen. . . Can I talk with you for a second?"

"Sure," Rin sat with him on the top step, staring at him for a long time as they sat there, side-by-side, under the moon and the stars. The swordswoman never knew that the temple child could be so quiet. It was starting to freak her out.

"Stop staring at me." Muttered Bon, feeling his insides squirm. Rin glared.

"You're the one who wanted to talk! I'll freakin' stare at what I want to stare at!"

"Geez!" Bon looked at her, annoyed and shocked. "Learn to not swear in church, Okumura! Didn't they teach you that here?!"

"As if I gave a flying shit if they did!" The both of them realized what they were doing; arguing like they used to. Something they hadn't done in forever.

After another break of silence, Bon finally sighed. "I didn't come here to argue with you, Okumura."

"Then what did you come for?" Asked Rin, biting her tongue to stop herself from letting out an embarrassed squeak as Bon took her hand, just like he did back at the dorms. It wasn't the friendly warmth she remembered feeling before. It was the passionate, white-hot sensation she felt when they shared that almost-kiss back at the training camp. The heat rose to her cheeks, her voice in a whisper. ". . . Bon?"

"I know you said you wouldn't let this happen until you got things sorted out. I respected your wishes and waited for months, almost a year, just to see if you had figured things out and considered returning my feelings for you. But . . ." He squeezed her hand, more tightly than the last time. "After what we just saw today, I know that there's still so much more than you need to handle. That why I say we should-"

He was stopped. Not by a slap on the face or a shout for him to stop talking all together. This pause was much more quick and gentle, leaving his lips with the taste of cherry-flavored lip balm. Bon would have thought that if a million demons attacked him then, he wouldn't have cared. He had already died and went to Heaven by that sweet kiss Rin had planted on his lips.

"I know," Rin said, turning pink as she could not believe what she had just done herself. "I know its going to take me much longer to sort things out before I can deal with what normal girls deal with. All I ask of you. . . Ryuji. . . Is that you wait a little longer. Could you do that for me?" Her eyes begged him not to give up on what they had, her heart never have beaten so quickly, her body trembling like a leaf. "Please. . . Wait for me.. . ."

Bon needn't another request. He nodded, ready for anything that would try to break the promise he made, ready to take it on and charge through it to win the girl of his life's heart. With that promise, he pulled Rin into his arms by her waist and pressed their foreheads together, Rin's breath fluttering across his nose. The smell of cherries was very tempting now.

"I'll wait the rest of my life if I have to," He swore, knowing that Rin believed him as tears of relief filled her eyes. "I love you, Rin Okumura."

Rin sniffled, smiling back as she pulled the young man in for another kiss.

"I love you, too, Ryuji Suguro."

She fixed the obi around her waist for the last time. Yukiko couldn't remember the last time she wore a kimono, but she remembered as a child that they were used almost for any day in a traditional Japanese family. However, she knew better. She knew that this meeting she was summoned to was anything but ordinary. No ordinary meeting would request her hair by curled elegantly and the kimono designed with the finest silks that no regular person could find. Having Shuichiro escort her in his own kimono was not helping her anxiety either.

"Don't be nervous," She was surprised by his sudden words as they stepped to the grand door before them, the young man dressed handsomely in dark red and black kimono, his log air well-groomed. "I'll be right out here in case something happens."

She scoffed at him, the lighteen and white silks of her kimono glittering with silvery butterflies. "I don't need you protecting me," She muttered, ignoring the hurt look on his face. "I can take care of myself." She replied curtly as the doors opened for her. She walked in without another word, leaving Shuichiro to stand there with the other exorcists guarding the door.

Once inside, Yukiko sat herself before the man sitting at the only desk in the room, her suspicions raised as the man bore a white mask. His expression held no warmth, but his eyes looked at her as if he knew her.

"Look at you," He sighed, "You look just as beautiful as your mother did in that kimono," He acted as if he didn't hear her gasp, standing as his white hair glowed by the candle's light along with the deep blue eyes that peers through the mask's eye sockets. "My name is Ernst Frederik Egin. . . And you are my grandchild, Yukiko Okumura."

To Be Continued...

And with that, Hell's Blue-Flamed Princess resumes and will be completed by the end of Summer! ^^ Ah guys, I cannot tell you ho happy I am to get back into fanfic writing after so long. It took forever to get where we are now, but now that we're near the end, lets all give ourselves a good old pat on the back and a huge cheer for Rin and Bon, now that they FINALLY started to say, "I love you." It's about freakin' time, I know! Well, more of the romance, the action, and the fun will be headed your way so be sure to keep an eye out! Also drop a review since I love to ready your comments, and I'll come back with you all in the next chapter ^^ Thanks so much again guys! Till next time!

This is me saying, Peace!