Yeah, well that was hard~ I'm pumped! I just put out my second fic'd! Whooohoo~ And needless to say it really is a better piece...and really? It will be very lemony~ Haha, yep it's another MephistoxRinxAmaimon! Can't get enough of those fools! Well, it's called Phoenix rising and the second chapter will be up soon~ So if you have the time to go read and review, well thanks! But without further ado here ya go!

Chapter 13

/ "Of course not. Whatever you say, Professor." /

Yukio knew that this mission was going to be hard. It wasn't that the mission really had anything to do with it. As he told the exwires earlier it was going to be easy. Really, the mission would just take a toll on him because in all consideration, Angel was being a complete douche. 'Ughhh, calm yourself Yukio…the mission just began! Don't shoot him, don't shoot him, don't-'

"If you are ready Okumura-sensei, why don't you set the parameter? Can you do that, hmm?"

Yukio's left cerulean eye and the side of his mouth twitched as the younger of the two curled his hand around his clipboard that currently had a map clipped to it. The exwires watched as they heard a slight whine come from the piece of wood as the force their teacher was exerting on the poor thing threatened to snap it in two. They rarely ever saw their sensei get mad, besides the occasional shout at his older sibling. Though, they could see him struggling not to say anything right now. The two group leaders were at definite odds with each other, the three Kyoto monks disliking the flaxen-haired Paladin as well, but not as vigorously as their sensei did.

'Che, if this is how things are going to go for the next few days then we're all screwed…' Bon glared at the noisy, chattering couples and park viewers with disdain as they walked past their supposed center point. He glanced up at the bright cardinal shade of the shrines torii wondering if the rest of the exwires and Kirigakure-sensei were right under their feet.

It was now close to 1:10 in the afternoon and the boys' group had grabbed transportation to the Park, in the form of a short walk to the bus station from their hotel and rode on the Inokashirakoen to the Park's entrance. They then walked to the center of all their troubles and loitered around the opening of the Benzaiten shrine on the small piece of land that overlooked the lake. Under the red torii on the path leading to the walkway, they stood looking back at the dense vegetation practically smothering the view of the shrine away from the public.

The two Exorcists stood in the road talking about the best ways of reconnoitering the area while arguing about which direction to start in and how exactly they were going to split up the territory to search for clues.

The True Cross Academy after hearing the plea from the Benzaiten sect took over the investigation of the murders and shushed up the operation from the public. As it stood, the park was still open creating a sense of safely for the homicidal demon on the loose.

Despite the various newspaper reports on the few murders that had been leaked to the public before the hush-up ,there was still a few passerby's on their way to wash their coins in the dragon statue well, perhaps in hope that it would bring them luck.

'Tch, all those victims probable never stood a chance, I doubt a few sprinkles of water could change that sort of shitty luck.' The exwire monk shook his head in distaste at his cynical thoughts.

"Bon!"

The striped-haired Bon-bon turned from his observations and growled at his rosette-haired companion Shima. His glare turned down a notch, he addressed him roughly.

"What?"

Their buzzed and almost bald friend, Konekomaru chimed in,

"Do you think Rin and the others are alright? Shouldn't they have contacted us by now?"

Seeing the worry evident in his friends face, Bon calmed down a bit and reassured him in his own gruff way.

"With Okumura in their group, yeah right! Che, they probable already have more of a clue to what's going around here then we do. That guy—girl," the exwire corrected himself and looking away towards the bit of the verde lake he could see, stuck his hands in his pants pocket, pushing his black jacket back while scrunching his nose in annoyance. "Well, she's a practical trouble magnet, no doubt that their probably going to run into the culprit before we do. Then we'll hear from them. In the mean time?" He shrugged his shoulder. "We just wait and follow those two's instructions and hope nothing goes wrong."

Instead of reassuring Konekomaru as to their teammate's safety, it only ended up making Shima and himself worry about what sort of trouble would likely befall their classmates. 'Ah, Bon has a point, Rin's like, a spotlight when it comes to dangerous things. Really, I'm kinda glad she's with the girls group…' Shima knew it was wrong to think like a coward, but he really did not want to die. No, not before he even went on a date with a pretty girl.

During this time, Takara stood by a tree glancing around the place watching the foliage move in the light wind. He spoke softly to his left hand where he's companion rested, who happened to be talking back to him. They both ignored the bickering from the two elder Exorcists and the Kyoto trio. They had other things to focus on. Like how the shrine was located on a tiny rip in the planes separating Gehenna and Assiah. That was troublesome. And it looked like a pretty new tear. Less than 50 years old, maybe even younger. If Takara and his puppet had to guess it may even had been no less than15 years since it opened. 'The Blue Night, huh? Still causing trouble even after all these years…'

While this deduction went on, Yukio and Angel ended their strained conversation and had finally settled on an attack plan, turning around to reiterate it to the exwires. Snapped out of their thoughts by a rough cough from their be-spectacled sensei, Bon and his friends, plus the sandy-haired Takara turned to face the two giving them both their full attention.

"Well, seeing how the homicides where committed around the shrine and not anywhere else in the park we will be concentrating on this area. For now my group will search around the initial site which will include the west area towards where the land connects to the second bride we saw. Angel's parameter will be everything to the east including the bridge we came across. We will switch this arrangement everyday in hopes of combing the entire area thoroughly so that we have a double layer of detection around the shrine. This will cover more ground and in case of trouble, give a greater chance of running into each other. Plus, it will keep us in sufficient range to communicate with the wireless mikes. Any questions?"

Takara unusually raised his hand. Receiving a surprised nod from his professor he asked via his rabbit puppet,

"What about contacting the other idiots? Shouldn't we wait to hear from Dumpling-sensei?"

It took a few seconds before the nickname took hold in the young teacher's mind. He sweat dropped hearing Shura called a dumpling and answered back as normally as he could at the younger's rude way of speaking.

"I suppose so, but I doubt that they have cell reception underground. This, means in this case we really don't have the luxury of conferring with Shura-san's group. So for now, no, we will not contact the girls' group. Till we hear from them this is what we will do, now if you and Bon will follow me."

That was that. With a huff Bon trudged after the brown-haired Exorcist and Takara fell in to step with him as they made their way towards the opening of the shrine under the vermillion torii.

Konekomaru and Shima shared a glance before looking towards their leader. The blonde-haired Paladin was adjusting his sword and fixing his mike. Afterwards he turned to the two exwires and gave them his nice-guy smile. It was sort of charming but they both still felt a shiver go down their spines as Angel gave them his full attention.

"Well, I suppose we ought to get started."

He pulled out of his pristine white jacket two sets of mikes and handed them to the two Kyoto boys.

"If they are starting around the shrine then I suggest you two go in opposite direction around the bridge. I will start here and met you halfway then we will switch, understood exwires?"

They both nodded internally sighing thanking Kami-sama that he didn't say anything else. He suddenly turned and walked away leaving them alone.

"I suppose I'll take the left path?"

"And I'll take the right? Sure, but seriously I really don't want to die, so if I see the thing I'm jumping into the lake."

Konekomaru sweat dropped and nodded. Route confirmed they went their separate ways placing their wireless mikes on.

[Later that day…]

"Ahhh, this place really is amazing!"

Rin could barely contain her excitement as she practically skipped through the halls lined with tapestries. They showed all sorts of scenes from slaying of gigantic demons to varying depictions of Benzaiten in human form. All of the stitched art showed in one shape or form a bright green jewel illuminating some part of the picture.

Rin slowed down not at all in a hurry to get to the main chamber room where they had first met Shimizu-san. As she quietly hummed to herself she glanced around more carefully at where a series of crossroads parted the corridors. She tilted her head gripping her sword strap tighter.

"Umm, I'm not lost am I?"

She sweat dropped twisting around to face the direction she had just come from. After Shimizu-san had shown them their separate rooms she left them to their own devices as the put away their luggage. Then promptly left them to find there way back to the underground opening where the crystal sat. Shura and the rest had finished earlier then Rin and left shouting that they would meet her in the crystal chamber. Now the dark cobalt-haired teenager was lost in the endless passages trying not to panic.

"Che, seriously? Where the hell am I?"

She grabbed her hair yanking on it as she kept walking—taking a left into a smaller corridor. She soon started to notice how the walls were not covered in as much tapestries as the hallways were earlier. 'Huh? Is it just me or are the walls getting narrower?'

She continued to walk forward, her black jackets swirling behind her as she advanced toward the end of passageway. The exwire finally reached the end of the hall that held only a ratty old piece of cloth hanging from the wall. It was so big that you couldn't even see the ash grey stone behind it. Rin "harrumphed" and sighed tugging on her forelocks as she started to turn around in confusion fixing to go back and find another way to the main entrance.

But something made her stop. Call it intuition or simple curiosity, but she twisted towards the dead end and peered closely at the stitching on the cloth. The picture looked like a battle raging between the woman figure, who the young exwire took to be Benzaiten and a giant white snake. The green jewel was in the middle between the two glowing and generally taking up the entire thing. Though Rin wasn't paying attention to the picture, she craned her head closer and through one of the thread barred parts of the once magnificent tapestry she saw a filter of cerulean light leaking through it.

The exwire recoiled in surprise as she poked the hole and found no hard surface behind it. Blue eyes blinking, she poked the cloth again actually expecting stone to appear behind it. Instead her hand pushed the fabric inward and eyes widening in alarm she continued to press her entire arm against the heavy tapestry until she lifted the bottom and went under it to the other side. She gasped as she stepped into a wide circular room with a low ceiling. The entire room was bathed in a watery greenish-light.

Rin walked forward to the middle of the wide room staring up at the ceiling. The entire thing instead of grey stone was made out of what looked like stain glass. The refracted light was coming from above the water with a few shadowy blotches moving about above the somewhat see through ceiling. A solitary fish swimming past came close enough to see through the warped glass. Needless to say Rin was gaping wide in disbelief before her azure eyes starting to sparkle and she held her arms wide, spinning in her own amazed fantasy world.

"Wahhhh? It's—it's, so beautiful! Ahhh, how the hell did they make this?"

She was so enamored with watching a school of fish pass by that she never saw the pedestal in the middle of the room—until she hit it.

"Oomph!"

Seeing how it was level with her chest it struck her in the diaphragm knocking the air out of her lungs. She fell back onto her jet black jackets as her rear violently made contact with the floor. Spiffed, the cobalt-haired child moaned and rubbed her backside.

"Man, I really should have been looking where I was going!"

"Yes, you should have."

Quick as lightning Rin spun around back on her feet, hand gripping her sword through the crimson fabric. What she saw made her slump and stand up, straitening out of her battle posture. 'Huh? A little kid?'

Before her stood a short brunet-haired child that was about three or so inches shorter then herself. A black cut short kimono with a green obi crossed her chest with a flimsy white shirt down to her white-sandaled feet. Her eyes matched the piercing forest green much alike another similar-clothed girl's. 'Ah! She looks like Leiko-chan!'

Her musing was cut off when the smaller of the two crossed her arms with an icy expression on her face and spoke chillingly in a soft whisper,

"What are you doing in here? And who gave you permission to dance around like a fool in one of the sacred chambers?"

The emphasis was on the fool part and Rin winced in shock at the venom in her voice. The little brat was rude beyond belief! 'Though I kinda was acting like an idiot…' The exwire sweat dropped deciding since she was really then one at fault to apologies before the twerp started to shout. She didn't need a member of the Benzaiten sect mad at her before the mission even began.

"Look, I'm sorry. I guess I was acting improperly. I just kind of got lost and wandered into what I thought was a dead end. Then I found this room and it was just so amazing! But, um, sorry about that."

The demonic twin rubbed the back of her head below her messy ponytail in consternation. 'Wow, Yukio would be proud of that apology!'

The ice in the jade gaze glaring at her didn't melt, if anything it got harder. In a cold voice she replied still just as much hostile as the first time,

"Does it look like I care? Get out!"

Jumping, Rin blinked rapidly surprised that even after her sincere apology the brat was still on her ass. Sneering, the taller of the two growled out,

"Fine! Sorry~, I didn't know you had a pole stuck up your ass!"

The blackish-blue haired exwire stomped past the younger gritting her teeth the entire way. With a force that could have ripped the hanging cloth off of the ceiling she swept it out of the way with Koumaken and quickly disappeared around the corner leaving the brunet Leiko look-alike to stew in her own bitchy-ness.

"Sheesh, stupid, whiny little-gahhh!"

Rin threw up her hands in aggravation and continued down a series of hallways practically steaming from the encounter that seemed happened seconds ago as she grabbed her hair in frustration placing Kurikara haphazardly back onto her right shoulder. It was probably a God-given miracle that the next hallway she stalked down lead to the gigantic chamber that housed the giant emerald gem.

She froze dropping her hands that were previously tangled in her long inky hair and slowly descended the stair well that could put an Aztec temple's to shame.

"Really? Really?"

Head hanging in shame she continued in that fashion till she reached the bottom of the stairs making her way to a slightly annoyed Shura.

Tapping her foot, the ruby and flaxen-haired Exorcist made her displeasure known as a vein stuck out on her head. As the indigo exwire neared the humongous jewel dominating the room, Shura growled over the soft roar of the mini waterfall next to them,

"I said meet us in a few minutes, not a full half-hour later! Jeez Louise, what happened? Got tangled in yer hair or something?"

Rin pouted and crossed her black-clad arms in rebellion. She walked the rest of the way to the small group of exwires and flopped down on the ground facing the rippling water ignoring Shura and resting her aching feet.

"Rin? Is something wrong? You look angry…"

The fair-haired botanist couldn't resist trying to help her friend. A soft smile played across her otherwise worried face. It took a second, but Rin turned to her classmate and offered a likewise small smirk as the rage faded from her cobalt eyes.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ignore ya Shiemi."

Not really worried at her usual teammates grumpiness Izumo huffed, stalking over to the frothing waters edge and arms crossed, demanded,

"Pray tell us, why your all riled up? You got lost didn't you?"

Rin blanched, a blush flashing across her face as she jumped up stuttering in embarrassment,

"H-how did you k-know that!"

The plum, hime cut fox-summoner smirked in victory but before she could gloat Shura interrupted.

"So ya did get lost. Thought so. Yer really easy ter read ya know that?"

Rin balked and her face flushed a deep red turning away from the three other females to see the form of the white haired high priestess of the Benzaiten sect.

Glancing warily, Shura turned to the elder women fast approaching their meeting spot.

"It is good to see you all again. I'm sorry about my sudden departure but I went to see our chief about lunch preparations Kirigakure-san."

The exwires sensei only nodded in assent before turning to face the main centerpiece of the room. Without hesitation she quickly pointed at it and began,

"So that is the Honzon."

It was a statement, not a question. Shimuzu-san blinked politely and spoke in confirmation with a little bit of a strained purse of the lips. The Exorcist continued on.

"And we," She pointed back at the exwires and herself, "are the True Cross team meant to protect it."

It was another statement and realizing this Shimizu-san humored the younger female.

"Yes. Yes, you are."

Abruptly turning to the grandmother of Leiko, Shura sneered happily,

"You are the High Priest of the Benzaiten sect. Your granddaughter is Leiko, who is the miko of the sect."

Shimizu-san grimaced good-naturally and bent her head adding in,

"One of the miko, yes."

Shura frowned and asked,

"One? Would the other perhaps be this sister of hers, Kagami?"

Shimizu-san smiled voluntarily concurred with a simple dip of her head.

"Soooo…besides you three, how many others are stationed here?"

The old woman took a second then responded,

"Besides us? Well, let me see…" Taking her kimono covered hand she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Suddenly, she was nodding as she apologized,

"Sorry about that old age and all, wouldn't you agree Kirigakure-san?"

The Upper First Class Exorcist's violet left eye twitched but she answered back sweetly,

"Nah, I'm just the lazy type. I could run circles around my students all day if I wished."

A similar attitude was used to answer her back but curtly. The exwires noticed a diffident spark igniting between the two.

"I see. Well, I do believe that without counting me or my granddaughters there is our stern cook, Nao Umeko, and our somewhat mysterious keeper of finances and sacred texts, Nori Hisa."

Shura immediately whipped out a small red notebook and flipping it open began to write everything down. Everyone else blinked and waited for the scantily-clad women to finish writing. Tucking the pen and notebook back into her black Exorcist jacket Shura grinned.

"Well~ Thanks for that info! Now as soon as possible, I would like a set of blueprints from this Nori Hisa, I believe she would know where they are? I also want ta interview all of them including yourself and yer granddaughters sometime soon."

Checking her watch the Knight/Tamer noted the time—it was almost four o'clock in the afternoon. 'How time flies—not. It feels like it has been days since that bastard assigned this mission when it really was just this morning Mephisto was briefing us…' "I'm going ta head back to talk ta the other two leaders ta notify them we got here safe'n sound. Since we have no cell reception in here—I checked earlier while stashing my bags, I'll have the exwires start setting up protective barriers. After their done they can eat have lunch. After I'm done conferring with the rest of my team I'll exchange details with ya later. I'll be taking Rin with me though. Ok?"

This all spewed out incredibly fast and before Shimuzu-san could do more than nod in confirmation at Kirigakure Shura she was already skipping back over to her group of exwires. Who, in the mean time were not even listening to the conversation anymore were debating heatedly between each other—Shiemi was quietly but ferociously adding in her comments only to blush and whisper the end of her sentences shyly on how big the jade crystal really was.

"I'm telling you that it's probably half in the ground and half out. So it would be, like twice the size it is now."

"But that would make it l-like huge…"

"She has a point Rin. It can't get any bigger than it already is."

The navy-haired exwire scowled and glowered at her classmate before huffing and turning away. Izumo smirked, but her silent gloating was cut short when Shiemi hurriedly defended the others view.

"Well, I mean it could be possible…"

Before the violet-haired Tamer could retort Shura came flouncing over. Pushing Rin in the back she began addressing them, not caring when the would-be Knight nearly fell over.

"Ok~ Kiddos time for some fun. Izumo!"

Said girl immediately looked away from the angry knuckle-cracking exwire to their sensei.

"Hai?"

She pointed at Shiemi and her while grapping the growling faux female next to her around the neck forcing her to stoop down. 'Didn't I already go through this once?'

"Ya two will make a giant protective circle around the small lake behind us encompassing the Honzon.When yer done I want ya both ta set charms around that barrier and set up several anti-demon traps around the parameter. Make sure the steps we came down also have wards and alarms so we'll know if one of the traps is triggered. Wouldn't want ta bag the demon then find out it managed ta escape before we thought to check them~"

Izumo stood straight dutifully listening to instructions and accepting her duties asked curiously,

"What about you and Rin?"

The fiery-haired Exorcist chuckled mirthlessly.

"We will be going up top ta find the rest of our mission group. We'll be back some time tonight. I've instructed Shimizu-san to let ya guys eat after your done. So if yer starving hurry up!"

Chuckling ruthlessly, Shura watched Shiemi and Izumo rush to get started at her command. She sighed lazily, not dropping her iron grip on Rin the entire time. 'Ahh~I love being a teacher. It's so rewarding.'

Rin on the other hand was mentally and somewhat out loud cursing said teacher from hell to heaven and back again as she struggled in the elders grasp. 'Why…must…she always…do this? I can't…breathe!' Hearing the demonic giggling from above the angry teen let out a Yukio-like sigh in exasperation only realizing a second alter that she now didn't have in air in her lungs.

Shura finally took an interest in the blue-haired exwire after she started to go limp in her grip. Glancing disdainfully at the younger Shura huffed and rolling her neon purple eyes, let go.

"Really ya don't have to melodramatic about it."

Rin wheezing dropped her hand from her throat and stood up waving her arms in the air gasping out angrily,

"I could have…been killed! What's wrong with you…ya crazy son of a-"

Shura knocked her upside the head and started walking toward the stairs leading up to the world above. She twisted her head around to face the now clutching her head in pain. Another round of eye rolling and Shura turned back around yelling out,

"Come on, we don't have all day. Get yer ass in gear or I'll leave it behind. Then ya'll miss yer chance ta ask me about earlier."

Pain abruptly disappearing, Rin ran to catch up with the Exorcist already halfway up the stairs.

"Wait for meeeeeee!"

Izumo and Shiemi looked up at the shout after agreeing that one of them would mark the spots where the protective spells would be put down while the other would run to their rooms and snatch the necessary equipment. Though as Shiemi saw Rin leaving she raised her hand and voice shouting out enthusiastically,

"Bye Rin!"

Said girl stopped and grinning over her katana holding shoulder waved goodbye while shouting out the same reply.

"Bye! Don't let eyebrows boss you around!"

Izumo turned beet red shaking her fist in her direction.

"Don't call me that!"

The azure eyed teen laughed manically and vanished up the stairs.

"Hehe, I'm glad Rin's in a good mood."

Izumo glared balefully at the platinum blonde next to her and began to walk away towards the steps leaving the blonde to her devices.

Noticing this Shiemi smiled and bid Izumo farewell. The other just huffed and muttered under her breathe as she stomped up the stairs.

"Every last one of them!"

Well, here were are another chpater down and almost done~ Can't wait really. I have an idea where things will end and such and there will be a lemon before the end as well as the unveiling of Rin as his normal self. But for now let us go! Onward! Please feel free to review. I enjoy hearing from everyone. I personally don't care if your to lazy to log in to review, just do it anonymously!

Tarry a while. Thou art so fair. ~Wild