There was once a kind stranger with soft eyes and a warm smile.
And surely he – this man, was different than the others.
Surely he - was capable of feeling what was unable to be felt –
True compassion for the small, shivering boy at his feet.
When the kind stranger spoke, a soothing voice mellowed the most tense of nerves.
When the man patted the child's head, there was a tender rush of happiness.
'Poor zing.' He would say.
'Poor zing, 'ou must be so frightened of people.'
And his eyes, oh, the man's harmless blue eyes proved to be quite harmful after all.
"I WOULD RIP 'ZEM OUT!"
"S-sister?"
It was too damn bright, and the dumb scent of grass engulfed Arisu's senses. The girl rubbed her sinuses and looked at the boy next to her. Where am I…?
"A – ah…sister….?" A timid voice spoke to her in French.
"Um…ah…oh! I am sorry, Aidyn!"
There was no denying it, the girl had zoned out again. As one may have deduced earlier….this was a regular occurrence. However, it was not the putrid body in the water this time…and for that Arisu was grateful. Her mind didn't sink into a deeper state, it only wandered…and perused the past. Either way, Arisu's brother was safe by her side.
Only a few moments ago the young girl was thinking about that time – the one that changed everything and convinced her of humanity's true nature.
"A -a -are 'ou o-okay?"
"Aww, of course I am, Aidyn! Do not worry about me…. Ahhh…. Where are we?"
"I-i-in z-ze c-court yard… B-brozer told us to w-wait until after 'is c-class… "
Arisu mumbled to herself bitterly.
"Tch! Of course 'e did…"
She remembered now…Isaac didn't want her in the same class as the Exwires. He signed her up for traditional academic classes, then set up a separate class for her as a page. He said she was 'inexperienced', and would 'distract ze students wiz 'er childish behavior.' It was all crap, the man just wanted to make her miserable. Isaac knew about the girl's strange obsession in demons… He was there her entire life.
One might say that Isaac practically raised her. Arisu's father was dead and her mother was an extremely busy woman. She simply didn't have the time to look after a shrieking child in lace tutus. Being the only adult figure about, it was expected for Isaac to look after the child (Even if he clearly did not do a good job).
The man knew cram school would be the only form of education Arisu would ever pay attention to. After years of trouble with homeschooling – skipping lessons, day dreaming, disobeying the instructor, screaming about how she needed to play with Aidyn – one might've thought Isaac would've been happy that Arisu wanted to learn something.
So here she and her brother were, sitting on the grass of some large school property…fun. Then again, it could've been much worse. At the very least that Okumura boy wasn't anywhere in sight. He was a good actor, that one…and persistent too. Arisu hadn't run into anyone like that since….since the man with blue eyes…
"Ah…s-sister…?"
"Yes? What iz it Aidyn?"
Arisu patted the top of her brother's fluffy white head. The boy shifted uncomfortably, feeling guilty about what he wanted to say.
"R-Rin… 'e…'e…"
The girl's voice hardened…though she could not hide her shock.
"We 'ad zis conversation. 'Ou do not talk to zat boy."
"I know… b-but – "
"But 'e iz like ze ozers Aidyn! 'Ow many times 'as zis happened? I know 'ou want to believe zat 'e means well but 'e does not!"
The boy hunched over sadly and stared at his knees.
"Sorry…"
The sister's stomach became tangled in knots of guilt. She wrapped her firm, protective arms around her brother and spoke softly.
"Aidyn…It iz not zat I don't want 'ou to 'ave friends… It iz zat I'm only trying to protect 'ou…"
The timid child did not look up…He only mumbled 'okay' under his breath.
Arisu was fairly surprised at her brother. The boy would normally do whatever she's said, (not that the girl wanted her brother to be a pushover…she just knew what was best for him) but this time…there was a mild defiance. For some reason, Aidyn had a huge fixation on Rin Okumura. She didn't understand why he wanted to trust this student so badly. After everything that had happened to him…he was usually so cautious –
An immense patch of darkness crept over the girl and her brother, interrupting these thoughts. Aidyn shrieked and ducked behind his sister. Arisu's eyes trailed up the shadow until she reached its source.
The hallway gorilla… Pinky….and….uh….some other short guy. All three wore some kind of hospital mask on their faces. As expected, the gorilla spoke first.
"The two of you shouldn't be out here – "
Arisu interrupted his lecture.
"What iz wiz ze dumb zings on ze face?"
She could see the irritation in the monkey's eyes, which was exactly what she wanted. He was dumb, it was as simple as that.
"Shouldn't you know? Considering your brother's teaching the class."
There was an edge of resentment to his voice… like his statement had a second meaning.
"It iz still dumb."
"Yeah, well, you know what else is dumb – sitting outside when a PLAGUE is going around!"
"What? What? I do not see a plague – where ze 'ell iz a plague? Oh – maaaybe it iz under zat rock over zere."
"Well you're not gonna physically see a virus walk straight up to you!"
"We are in a closed environment stupid! Zere iz no virus 'ere! Well maybe if we are lucky ze plague will come 'n take 'ou out first! Zat way I wont 'ave to 'ear 'our annoying voice."
"DID YOU JUST WISH DEATH ON ME?"
No, she didn't. Arisu just had a tendency to come out with extremely harsh things…
Aidyn squeezed Arisu's arms and spoke in her back.
"S-s-sister please… n-no…"
The gorilla's friends were also against the argument.
"Bon, just let it go, don't take her seriously." The Pink One calmly stated.
" She's trying to get you mad." The Short Guy added with a concerned tone.
Gorilla faced his friends.
"She's ALREADY accomplished that in the past!"
He turned towards her.
"REMMEMBER?"
Arisu snorted.
"What? No. Get out of 'ere."
"THE HALLWAY!"
"Awww veiry good 'ou know what a 'allway iz!"
"GRRRAAAAAAHHH!"
Pinky and Short Guy were forced to hold him back.
"Bon – Bon relax! She's less than half your size – you can't fight her!"
The girl could tell his teeth were gritted behind that mask.
"Just who the hell do you think you are anyway? Are you really trying to become an exorcist? The only reason you're here is because of your brother's title – isn't that right, Arisu!"
His pink companion blinked with confusion.
"Arisu?…Isn't that name Japanese? I thought she was French…"
"My mozer iz eccentric!" The girl stated boldly. By her tone, one could tell she thought highly of the woman.
"That's not what's important!" Gorilla retaliated.
"The important thing is that you don't belong here!"
"What? Az I have stated before BRUTE - BOY, 'OU are incapable of using 'ALLWAYS!"
"THAT WAS YOUR FAULT AND YOU KNOW IT!"
" 'OU WERE IN MY WAY!"
"NO – NO SISTER – NOOOO!"
When Aidyn screamed his face was revealed to the three boys. In an instant, the campus was reduced to an eerie silence. The small bald boy eventually broke the quiet atmosphere with a trembling remark.
"W-wasn't t-that the guy with Okumura…"
DAMMIT, Arisu thought.
Zey saw 'im. Three people ganging up on Aidyn…not good… 'n wiz zat gorilla's size…
She burned a death glare at the large brute. Weirdly enough, she noticed he was trying to pay attention to her…but his eyes would flicker towards Aidyn after every other word.
"You – the two– YOU SHOULD GO BACK INSIDE!"
And with that he stormed away, the two friends following after him.
Arisu and Aidyn were left alone and confused in the campus – expecting a brawl that did not occur.
The kind stranger stared at down at the two children.
'Ze two of 'ou? Looking for démons? What a strange 'obby.'
'I am not scared!' retailed the little girl – full of arrogant pride.
Her brother standing by could only stare, entranced the man's playfulness.
'Of course 'ou are not!' the stranger laughed.
'But 'our elder brozer would not want 'ou to go out alone.'
With an elegant bow, the stranger spoke as though he was addressing royalty.
'Allow me to attend zis démon hunt.'
The little girl laughed gleefully and the three went out on their happy adventure.
More adventures followed.
Each day was full of excitement and wonder.
Arisu and Aidyn became fond of the kind man.
He was different.
He cared about Aidyn.
There were times when the stranger hold Aidyn's hand, or let the boy ride on his shoulders.
He loved him like a father.
Arisu thoroughly enjoyed those lovely blue eyes that looked down at her brother.
Then, one beautiful night – the man told the two he found a fascinating démon.
'One at a time.' He said 'One at a time. If zere are too many people around, ze creature will get scared and run away.'
Looking down with those gentle blue eyes, the man took Aidyn's hand.
' 'Ou first' He said. And then he led her brother away.
She waited….
…And waited…
….And waited….
….…And waited….
And waited…
Until the little girl finally realized her brother was not coming back.
With tears in her eyes, Arisu screamed for her mother.
By sunrise, they found a bloody Aidyn full of bruises and cuts by the river.
He cried, saying the stranger only pretended to be his friend.
The man wanted her brother's death.
Arisu never asked how the her brother lived –
She didn't want to think about him running for his life–
And the man chasing with a sharp knife in hand…
The little girl sobbed into her brother for days - weeks - months.
Following this tragedy –
There were many others who attempted to become 'kind strangers' as well –
Only this time Arisu could see right through them.
She could see the lust for blood and violence beneath their smiles.
Some killers were smarter than the others – most attacked Aidyn at first sight –
But others knew how to get close.
The little girl began to carry a sharp little dagger in her shoe –
She vowed to shield her brother from the world.
The blue eyes may have been gone for all those years –
But now –
Now they have been reborn in someone new…
That someone being Rin Okumura.
A/N: 'And some short guy'….Poor Konekomaru…
