Four faces turned to face Reiko as she stepped through the doorway. Sitting in desks at the front of the room were two boys and a girl, while in the back of the room an odd man dressed in a white and pink top hat and a matching cape lounged on top of a desk. He looked up when she entered.
"Hmm? Who is this, I wonder?"
"I'm Reiko Kawa-"
"This is the fifth. She will be going with the others," Angel cut her off as he walked into the room behind her. He looked at one of the boys who sat in the desks. "Yukio Okumura."
The boy looked up. "Yes?"
"I'm under orders to give this to you," Angel said with distaste. He held out something on a chain.
The boy named Yukio took it from him. As it dropped into his palm, Reiko saw with a start that it was a large obsidian stone. She knew without seeing that a crack ran along the edge of the stone. It was the amulet in which her demonic heart was sealed.
She must have gasped, because Yukio glanced at her before asking, "What is it?"
"I'm sure Reiko here can explain later," Angel said. "I'll take my leave now. I don't wish to spend any more time here than I need to." With a last sweeping glance over the room, Angel whirled and left.
Yukio immediately turned to her questioningly. "What is it?" he asked again.
Reiko looked away. "It's-" Suddenly she was worried about what these people might think if they knew she was a demon. Angel has always shown an open hatred of her. What if they were the same?
The man in the back of the room smiled when she hesitated. He stood up, twirling an umbrella she hadn't noticed before, and went to stand in front of her.
"I understand," he said, staring down at her. "You're a demon, aren't you?"
Her stomach turned to ice. She looked down at her feet, avoiding his gaze. "I-"
"And your powers are sealed inside this stone. I see," he said. She looked back up to see him take the stone from Yukio. He examined it, then held it out to her.
"Take it," he said.
Her eyes widened. "But… the Grigori said you were supposed to keep it," she protested, switching her gaze to Yukio. To her surprise, he did not seem angry or scared in any way, just curious. She looked at the other two people in the room. They seemed surprised, but nothing more. There was no disgust. No fear. But why?
"Don't you use this to fight in some way? Where we're going, it'll be important for you to have access to your power," Yukio said.
"Fight with it? Where do you get that idea? How am I supposed to fight with a necklace?" Reiko asked incredulously.
"You don't know how to unseal your powers?"
"No." Reiko looked down at the hunk of obsidian sitting innocently in the man's outstretched palm. "I have to unseal them to fight?"
"How else?"
Reiko said nothing.
"Take it anyways," the man said, tossing it at her. Startled, she caught it. "You may need it for something," he added vaguely as he turned towards the boy and girl who still sat behind them. "Bon, Shiemi, this is…" He stopped and glanced back at her.
"Rekio Kawaguchi," she supplied.
"Yes. She'll be going with you into Gehenna."
There it was again. Gehenna!
"Gehenna, that's what the Grigori said!" Reiko said quickly. "Why in the world-"
"That's what we'd like to know, too," said the boy – Bon. He frowned. "Mephisto wouldn't tell us until we were all together." He had streaked hair and pierced ears. Coupled with the frown, Reiko thought, he must always look angry.
"I don't like to repeat myself," the man said. "Oh, I haven't introduced myself, have I?" He did a mock bow, his umbrella held dramatically out to the side. "Mephisto Pheles, at your service."
"Mephisto…" Reiko hesitated, then went on. "Are we really going to Gehenna? Is that even possible?"
"I'll explain everything once Rin is here," Mephisto said, a little irritated at having to repeat himself after all.
"Where is Rin?" asked the girl, Shiemi. She looked at Reiko and grinned. "He'll be excited to meet you!"
"Huh? Why? Who's Rin?"
Just then the door burst open, making Reiko jump. She turned to see a boy with black hair and blue eyes run in, panting slightly. A covered sword hung over his shoulder, and-
Reiko's eyes widened. For behind the boy curled a black, furry tail.
A demon. She wasn't alone.
"Sorry I'm late," the boy managed to say after a few seconds of wheezing. "I got lost-"
"How did you manage to get lost when you have a key which brings you here from anywhere?" Yukio asked, raising his eyebrows in irritation.
"Well, you see, I went past the cafeteria, the food smelled so good that I didn't think about where I was going, and then I thought I saw you, so I-"
"No, never mind. I don't want to know."
"Huh? Well, okay." He seemed to notice Reiko for the first time. "Wait, who are you?"
"…Reiko Kawaguchi."
He grinned widely. "I'm Rin Okumura. Nice to meet you!"
"Rin!" said Shiemi. "Reiko's going with us."
"Eh? Going where?"
Mephisto smiled craftily. "Gehenna. You all are going into the realm of demons."
"What?" Rin growled, "Are you crazy?"
"It wasn't my idea," Mephisto went on smoothly. "But of course, if the Grigori will it to be done, who am I to question their wisdom?"
"But that's-"
"A very bad idea? Probably. But it's for an important cause." Mephisto smiled. "A quest to save the world! How dramatic! I can't wait to see how this goes."
"What do you mean, to save the world?" Bon demanded. "We're all here now; explain."
"All right. Unfortunately, I must talk quickly. The sooner you all leave, the better. So I'll tell you bluntly: Satan has appeared twice in the last week." He paused, expecting some sort of reaction, but they all were silent, too stunned to speak. Mephisto went on. "Three times the amount of exorcists killed on the Blue Night were killed, along with a dozen normal people who were worshipping at the time."
Bon found his voice first. "Is he looking for a suitable host again?"
"Perhaps. Or maybe he is simply becoming more active, using his power to kill people more efficiently. Perhaps it is both. Who can say? Whatever the case, the Order is in grave danger."
"So you send a few inexperienced exorcists to Gehenna? To stop Satan?"
"Not to stop Satan. He is far too powerful for any of you. No, your mission is to retrieve something, something taken to Gehenna a long time ago."
"And what would that be?" asked Yukio.
I doubt any of you have heard of it. It is called the Grey Stone. It was stolen from the Order hundreds of years ago, and taken to Gehenna. With its power, we could all but chain Satan to Gehenna. There would be no more Blue Nights, no more massacres."
"No more deaths," Bon murmured.
"But how will we find it once we're there?" asked Shiemi, "What does it look like? Where will it be?"
"Good questions." Mephisto pulled something out of his cape and set it on a desk. They all leaned closer to get a better look.
"What is this? A toy?" Rin scoffed. Indeed, when Reiko looked at it, it was a small, wind-up bird. Rin picked it up and tried to turn the key.
"It doesn't even work," she said dubiously, setting it back down. "What is this supposed to be?"
"Of course it doesn't work. It won't function in Assiah, because it's linked to the Grey Stone. Once we're in Gehenna, wind it and it will lead you to the Stone."
"A tracker?" Shiemi picked it up and held it at eye level, then smiled. "It's cute."
"Do you think so? I fashioned it myself," Mephisto said as Shimei slipped the bird into her pocket.
"How will we even get into Gehenna? The only one who can create the Gehenna Gate is Sa-" Bon began to say.
Mephisto waved his hand and turned towards the door. Twirling his umbrella, he said, "You'll find out tomorrow. For now, have some dinner and go to bed. You'll need your rest tomorrow!" With that, he left the room.
No one said anything for a moment. Then Rin spluttered, "Tomorrow? We're leaving tomorrow?"
"I don't understand," Shiemi said, "Why us? Why not send someone stronger?"
"Who knows?" Yukio sighed. "I suppose we'll find out tomorrow. For now, let's do as Mephisto says and get some rest while we can."
Sorry it took so long. I had to rewrite this three times to get it right! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: [See previous disclaimers.]