Chapter 2

Rin's Memories

~ooOoo~

It was his sixth birthday and he had been summoned by his "father". It was his first time entering the main house since he had been brought to the Okumura clan a year ago, he felt nervous but, not afraid. He would never fear anything again. He entered the room slowly clutching to his chest the katana he inherited from his mother.

The room was large and designed in a traditional Japanese style. The table setting was in the shape of an upside down U with his father right in the middle. To his father's left was the Okumura clan heads, they all eyed Rin warily. Glancing at them dispassionately, Rin felt a seething hatred and anger bubble in his gut. To his father's right was the Kuronuma clan heads. The dinner was currently being held because the Kuronuma clan wanted to make peace with the Okumura clan after their 4 year war that resulted in the death of many members of both clans. Tired of all their children dying the old, stuck up clan members decided on a truce, the details of which would be discussed today.

Sharply turning away Rin looked at his father and tried to rein in his anger. How dare he let this even be suggested? He should kill them all for killing mother! His father on the other hand looked completely calm he wore a navy blue yukata and the Okumura clan cat mask that had the clan's symbol on the forehead. His long silver hair was tied in a pony tail that rested on his right shoulder.

Not being able to even stand the sight of his father he turned to the woman that was heir to the Kuronuma clan who had arranged the death of himself and his mother. Yuka Kuronuma was young but older than his father by about ten years. Her hair was dyed blonde and cascaded down in her back in waves. She wore heavy make-up that only made her look older and ugly rather than younger and beautiful. Her dress was strapless and so low cut it looked like she would spill out at any moment.

Desperate much? Rin thought with a sneer as he looked at her.

Yuka's ruby-red lips stretched into an unpleasant smile as she glared at the boy.

If she had had her way I wouldn't be seeing my sixth birthday. I guess if would upset anyone to see someone they thought they had killed. Rin thought noticing the hate in her eyes.

Plastering on a fake smile on her face, Yuka leaned forward to speak, "Rin-kun you have been summoned because both clans have reached a decision to ensure peace would be for me and your father to marry. I'm going to be your new mother!" She said this with false cheer but there was a triumphant gleam in her eye.

She had always wanted Rin's father and when he had married some woman she had decided that one day no matter what happened she would have him. She found the perfect opportunity when two years after their marriage the war broke out between their clans. After he hid his wife and son Yuka planned to have them killed. Rin only knew this because he heard it being discussed between his father's second in command and his nanny/caretaker Shiro.

Glaring at her Rin tilted his head defiantly, "I can't believe the old man would willing marry an old cow like you unless he was forced by the clan's decision so don't pretend to be anything special. You old Hag." he sneered.

Rin's father laughed and then tried to cover it up by coughing and frowning to appear as if he disapproved of what Rin had said.

Both clans were unsettled by the cold delivery and knowing look in the six year old's eyes. They all knew the truth of what had happened to the former Lady Okumura but, the boy couldn't possibly know. Could he?

Yuka's jaw had dropped in shock but she recovered and smirked, "Now little boys shouldn't speak like that to their elders. Now should th-"

"Shut up. You horrid bitch" Rin said with exasperation and he tilted his head back and rolled his eyes.

She really won't quit being so fake when I was so honest with her. I guess I should be a little more truthful about what I think of her.

"If I had my way you would be dying, unable to move, unable to even beg for your life as you bled out." Rin said it conversationally, like he would if he was talking about the weather.

Everyone had gone silent as they watched the boy glare at Yuka and Yuka shake in anger and fear at the promise in his eyes. She straightened and glared at Rin with narrowed eyes, gesturing with her hands in s flippant manner, "Truly no manners. Even so I will give you a chance boy to get your way. I issue a challenge. To the death to ensure you really get what you want."

Everyone gasped at this. A challenge this serious could not be retracted and if it was accepted one of them would have to die for the challenge to be officially over. The fact that a grown woman would challenge a six year old child was unheard of. They all waited for Okumura-sama to stop this madness but, he just nodded and said and drawled, "Do you accept the challenge boy? If you decide to accept know that one of you must die."

Rin glanced at him coldly, "I accept the challenge understanding how it must end."

"Excellent." Yuka hissed as she jumped up while garbing a katana with a red handle and Kuronuma crest. While she stepped into the space in front of the tables and headed towards him, Rin set down his katana and two kunai slipped out of his yukata's sleeves and into his hands.

Yuka stopped her advancement at the sight. In surprise she laughed and sneered, "You might want to use the sword boy. You would be better off with that than those puny blades."

Rin looked at her with a offended expression. Then in a voice dripping in contempt he said, "Kurikara is too big, I would be unbalanced and would not be as well as I am with my kunai.". He twirled the two blades and took a step forward.

"Also I plan to use Kurikara for the killing blow to avenge my mother."

Yuka smirked and rushed towards the child swinging her katana in a wide ark meant to decapitate Rin. He stood still until the last possible moment when he quickly ducked and stepped to the side. The wide swing left Yuka unbalanced when it didn't hit her mark and she stumbled forward.

Rin quickly stepped forward and sliced the back of her ankles with the kunai, astounding the clan members in the room with his speed and agility. Yuka fell to her knees screaming in pain, she tried to stop the bleeding with one hand and slash at Rin with her katana. After avoiding one of her strikes Rin kicked the blade out of her hand before she could bring it back to hit him. The blade flew from her hand and landed five feet from where she sat. Screeching in anger and fear Yuka tried to drag herself away.

"You little fucking bastard get the fuck away! AWAY! AWAY!" Yuka cried in frustration when she tried to get up but, her legs buckled because Rin has severed the arteries in her ankles.

Rin frowned and wondered what he should feel. He knew he felt relieved that the evil bitch was about to be removed from the world in a very painful manner. But, there was also a sense of sadness. He had lost most of his innocence when his mother had been brutally murdered in front of him and now he would lose the rest by killing this woman. A single tear rolled down his cheek.

Yuka stopped screaming staring at him in surprise and looked a bit disturbed. Rin's father stiffened and leaned forward, a small frown marring his perfect and calm appearance. The clan members began to mummer uneasily at the display of emotion from the boy they had to come to see as inhuman and cruel.

"You have taken everything from me, my family, my innocence, my home. I have nothing left to mourn for but, I do mourn for my tainted spirit. I'm sure you will be the first of many to taint it red but, yes I feel enough to see the sadness surrounding what I am about to do."

Rin spoke gently with a tone that expressed regret. Everyone shifted uncomfortably at his words and his father's hands clenched and his frown became more pronounced.

Yuka paled and turned to look at her father seated next to her empty seat. She cried in despair and real fear, "Father help me! Help me!"

Kuronuma was a fat, bald man with blotchy cheeks and a bulbous nose with slanted eyes that always looked half open. Frowning and shaking his head he said with much regret, "My daughter the challenge is binding. Nobody can help you now."

Shaking her head in denial, Yuka turned to look at Rin. He walked forward to grab her hands and kicked her in the stomach until she was lying down and coughing blood. Stretching her hands above her head Rin drove one of his kunai through hands.

"Aaaaaaah...ugh-NOOOO!"

Slapping her lightly in the face, Rin grabbed her chin so she would look into his eyes. They were merciless ice blue, no pity or regret remained. After being assured she understood his feelings he left to retrieve kuirkara, while unsheathing the blade he turned to look back at her. Her body rocked with tremors and her breath coming out in sharp pants. Smiling at Yuka Rin skipped towards her dragging the blade behind him. In a chirpy voice he giggled, "Don't worry Yuka your whole family will be joining you and those in the Okumura clan who betrayed the location of my mother and myself."

With the smile still in place Rin drove the blade through Yuka's heart, cutting off her screams for help as she died instantly when the blade pierced her heart. Her body twitched before it stopped moving completely. Rin yanked the blade out and wiped it on her body before sheathing it. He then watched the blood pool out and blossom on the mats. After a minute of staring at the blood he smiled and giggled. Rin shook his head and skipped out of the room only pausing to wonder if he would still get cake for his birthday when he returned to the branch house.

Most of the occupants in the room had shivered at the innocent and childish sounding giggle. It surprised and scared them to hear that type of noise come from a child they had just witnessed killing a woman with no mercy, who had been begging for her life.

The head of the Okumura clan sighed and rested his head on his hands. "Call someone to clean up the body."

"Yes Okumura-dono," a man to his right replied as he stood up and bowed before leaving the room

ooOoo

Rin sighed as he stretched in the water. He had taken a shower to get rid of the blood that had covered him and now relaxed in the bath. Playing with the bubbles by shaping them into animals Rin briefly wondered if he would have enough time to do his homework and take a nap before Yukio and the others came over. Rin's face became flushed and he slid deeper into the tub to cool the heat that had rushed through him at the thought of Yukio.

Argh! Why am I reacting like this to the thought of some green-eyed, gorgeous, hunk of a dude?

In shock at what he just thought Rin slid into the tub. Sitting up quickly Rin coughed out some of the water he had swallowed during his plunge and face-palmed.

Gorgeous? Why would I think another guy is gorgeous, sexy, and handsome.

Not seeming to notice he had added more adjectives to his description of Yukio, Rin stepped out of the tub and grabbed a towel to wrap around his hips as he walked into his room. He nodded to both of his guards before dropping the towel and putting on a casual cream coloured yukata and white obi. Lying on his bed he rolled to study both of his guards. One had short, black hair that curled in crazy arcs around his head and mask. He looked to be about 6'6 and had a lean, wiry build. He also had a habit of slouching and making jokes when nothing too serious was happening. Though this only seemed to annoy his other guard who had long silver hair in a high ponytail. The one with silver hair looked about 6'7 and was pretty built for what Rin thought must be a really old man to have all that silver hair, although he could just be another kid in the clan that had dyed his hair silver in honour of his father. Rin snorted at the thought.

I'll never be able to understand why so many people liked him. Then again I never really payed any attention to anything anyone would say once he was mentioned.

Staring at them intently Rin frowned, "You know you two have been my shadows for over a year and I haven't even asked you two what your names are." With a slight wave Rin encouraged them to introduce themselves.

With a nod and grin the one with curly hair made a two finger salute, "Tetsou at your service my Lord."

Smirking he leaned against the wall, "I'm so happy you finally care enough to want to know are names." He wiped away an imaginary tear. Rin grinned at Tetsou's antics before turning to the silver haired one.

The man calmly folded arms and said in a bored voice, "Ginta at your service Dono." before bowing elegantly.

Rin smiled, "Well at least now I don't have to refer to you two as guards in my head anymore. It was starting to get kinda awkward even in my own mind." With a laugh he rolled on to his back. While stretching on the bed he asked, "Eh. What time is it you guys?"

"Its 2:30 Rin-sama," Ginta replied sounding amused.

"Hmm. Wake me up at 3:30 so I can do my homework, OK?"

"Yes Sir!" was Tetsou's enthusiastic reply that made Rin laugh before he slipped under his covers and closed his eyes.

As he fell asleep, all he could think about how much he was actually looking forward to the Kyoto kids coming over later that day.

Funny I actually really want to know them better. Maybe even become their...friend.

With that last thought Rin fell asleep.

ooOoo

Yukio tiredly took off his glasses and frowned at the "kids" in the living room. They were currently debating what they should where when they went back to Blue Blossoms tonight. Yukio thought they were all being ridiculous, considering they were going to see the Okumura boss and not hanging out with Rin. Shiemi thought they should wear something formal to appear professional but, Shima thought they should go casual becomes it's more comfortable. Bon thought they were being stupid and was currently expressing that verbally and very loudly. All in all it was starting to grate on Yukio's nerves and he had to grit his teeth to keep from yelling at them to shut up.

With a strained smile Yukio calmly waved his hand to catch their attention. When this didn't work he slammed the folders in his hands on the coffee table. At the resounding bang everyone turned to look at up at him in shock.

"So glad I finally have your attention. Now down to business, I agree with Shima that we should wear more casual clothing because we don't want Okumura-sama to be suspicious of us since we are trying to appear to be normal teenagers. Also Bon-san I do not believe that yelling is really necessary to...express your ah...frustration about Shima and Shiemi's argument." With a thin smile Yukio sat down and picked up the first folder from the pile.

"Ah ha! Even Yukio-kun thinks I'm right!" Shima happily bounced happily before turning to Yukio with a big grin.

"Yes Shima-kun, this will be one of the few times I will have to say that." Yukio said this with a small sarcastic grin before pushing up his glasses and opening the folder with a small frown.

Shima looked offended but quickly got over it as Yukio continued.

"Now I found some information on what some of the first things the new leader did when he gained power a year ago. The first thing he did was annihilate a clan called Kuronuma, this is strange because even though there was some bad blood between the two clans about 9 years ago a truce was formed. There was no big incidents after this truce that would make the new leader do this but, the word on the street is that it's because there was some old grudge between him or her and someone in that clan."

Sighing Yukio flipped through the folder with a frown before looking up at the others, "Any thought?"

Bon frowned and ran a hand through his hair, 'Well we know this new leader must be older than us because he had a grudge against this clan for nine years."

Miwa nodded and fiddled with his glasses, "I think we could also infer that they are the type to um...punish everyone because the whole clan was killed."

Yukio nodded and looked down, "That's true, not one person survived the fire that burned down the house during Christmas while the whole family was visiting. It was a complete purge."

Shifting to lay his hand under his chin and resting his elbow on his knee Yukio picked up a different file. "After his ascension the new leader got rid of all the extra, small gangs in the area. The petty crime rate has decreased in the area which is slightly ironic, since he must be responsible for the rise in the mass murders that have been occurring in the last year."

With a frown Bon folded his arms and leaned forward trying to get a look at some of the photographs in the folder. "What kind of murders? I mean the types of people he's been killing."

"They are all mostly drug dealers, petty thieves and pimps. But, most have been linked to betraying the Okumura clan in some way. Though it seems he was doing the world a favour getting rid of these people. All of them have records for rape, assault, even murder."

With a serious attitude most of them were not accustomed to seeing in Shima, he reached out to grab the folder in Yukio's hand after a moment of reading the contents he looked up and frowned, "It looks like most of these deaths were either straight forward kill shots or brutal deaths. I think the more vicious ones may have been times he was looking for information."

Bon growled in frustration, "What kind of information could these low lives offer him?"

Konekomaru picked up the other files, "Are these the ones on who he killed." Yukio nodded. Miwa took some time looking at them and then comparing them. Yukio and the others waited with interest clearly displayed on their faces. Looking back up Miwa said, "All of these people have something in common, other than the fact that they are involved in some pretty sketchy business."

"Like what?" Yukio asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Shortly before they were killed they all did dealings with a man named..." checking the documents in his hands Miwa continued, "A man named Amaimon is mentioned repeatedly."

Bon closed his eyes in concentration, "That name sounds familiar; I just can't recall where I've heard it before."

Shiemi gasped, "Isn't he the one who works for that man named Mephisto? I swear he's his brother or something."

"Hmm... we know we have people who make deals with Mephistopheles and then wind up dead because these deals usually end up with them trying to mess with the Okumura clan in some way."

Pausing to think it over Yukio nodded to himself, "There seems to be a little battle between the two that hasn't become a full blown war. Although it may be just a coincidence and I'm blowing the whole situation out of proportion." Yukio sighed before leaning back and resting his arm over his face as he thought about the situation. It may actually be nothing but if it turned out to be serious Suguro-sama may want to pick which side to choose now just to be safe. Sitting up Yukio turned to Bon, "You might want to inform your father about this new information, also tell him we are going to be meeting the leader tonight."

With a nod Bon got up and left the room. When Yukio heard his door slam he turned to the others, "Miwa and Shima, I want you two to look over these folders and try to find something we may have looked over."

Miwa nodded and silently started reading through one of the folders. Shima on the other hand groaned and slumped in his seat. "Oh come on! That sounds so booooring Yukio-kun, can't I do something else?" He whined as he swung his feet onto the coffee table.

With a cruel grin Yukio turned to him, "It's that are you can clean the whole house including the bathrooms."

With a pout Shima grabbed a folder and started reading it. Miwa smiled at him before he went back to reading the folder in his own hands.

"Wha-what do you want me to do Yukio-kun?" Shiemi stuttered while her face tuned completely red.

Frowning at her Yukio stood up and grabbed the keys to his car, "You should lie down, you don't look very well and I need you to be alright for the meeting later. But, after that I want you to look at the folders marked with a green X." Running a hand through his hair Yukio picked up his coat.

"Those folders contain deaths related to poisons. I want you to figure out what was used and where he would buy stuff like that, OK?"

With a bright smile Shiemi nodded and grabbed all the folders with a green X before dashing upstairs. When she reached the top step she called down, "I'll be finished with these by the time you get back, so you won't have to worry I'll be useful Yukio-kun!"

Looking a bit worried about her enthusiasm Yukio shrugged before slipping his jacket on. "I'll be back soon."

"Ok! See ya later Yuki!" Shima waved happily before returning to the papers in his lap.

ooOoo

Sighing Rin turned to the piece of shit in front of him that his men had brought to him. To say he was pissed from being awakened from his nap would be an understatement. He was seething mad and cranky. Unfortunately for the man cuffed to the chair Rin had no patience or pity for his situation and wanted him to be dealt with as soon as possible but, he had to first extract the information need from the man.

The man was sweating and shaking from fear, his eyes shifted quickly from each stone-cold face man in the room before scanning the room again as if looking for a way to escape.

Too bad he's not likely to find one. Rin thought with a smile as he watched the man get steadily more afraid and desperate.

This was true since the room was underground with the only door placed very conveniently behind his captors. Rin leaned against the wall in a lazy manner before yawning and settling to look at the man coldly.

"You have five minutes to start talking about what you know about Mephisto's plans before we...ya know. So start...NOW!" Rin couldn't really contain his frustration and it showed in the way his right eyebrow twitched in anger and how he grit his teeth to keep from yelling.

The man stared up at him with frantic eyes and shook his head frantically in dismay. "I can't he'll kill. Please understand I can-"

"Stop"

It was one word but, Rin's eyes said so much more. They reflected cold anger and the promise of a very painful death. A voice filled with unfeeling impatience.

The man stopped talking with a sob. With a whimper he hung his head.

"Now start again with what I wanna hear."

Edited-08/21/14