A/N:

Hails: *clears throat* AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!

Sorry... I read Blue Exorcist chapter 96 last week and I am NOT OKAY. I guess that's what this AU is for.

On a slightly more boring note, buckle up, guys. This chapter is an info dump.

I disregard any claims to the characters, setting, or plot of Blue Exorcist/青の祓魔師, which are a property of the mangaka Kazue Kato. I'm just borrowing them for a little non-profit fun.

"Whenever you are examining someone else's belongings, you are bound to learn many interesting things about the person of which you were not previously aware."

― Lemony Snicket, The Blank Book

Sei Godaīn had had a normal day in comparison to the nightmare this week had become. Aside from finding out demons were taking over the world and that most of his friends had run off, Okumura becoming a fugitive had been hard to stomach. Even if he barely knew the guy. His disappearance had incited countless officers from the NPA, the Special Assault Team, and the Vatican to set up boundaries around campus.

But again, Godaīn was having a normal day. So see one Noriko Paku snooping in on the gossiping Myōō exorcists wasn't far from that. Though it kind of creeped him out.

"Ms. Paku, what are you doing?"

Paku made a startled noise, standing straight up like a soldier before dissolving into a blubbering, stuttering mess of excuses.

"Nothing! I was just curious and wanted to see what the exorcists were up. I mean, have you ever seen a hobgoblin get shot up by a ton of people with assault rifles?! Those things are scary! Boy am I glad they're impossible for citizens to get ahold of in this country, otherwise, I think I wouldn't even be alive! Glad I am for gun laws, what about you?"

"Ms. Paku..." Godaīn trailed off, eyebrows furrowing in concern. "This isn't about trying to find Ms. Kamiki is it?"

Paku stared, blinking occasionally before sighing in defeat. "You caught me." She admitted but immediately perked up seconds afterward. "But why are they hiding things from us? I have a right to know how the investigation is going. Izumo is my best friend!" She paused. "I mean, aren't you worried about Okumura too?"

"Well, of course, I am," Godaīn tried with uncertainty. "But these guys are resourceful. They know what they're doing far more than we do."

"Maybe so," Paku said, clasping her hands together. Nervous habit, she supposed. "But that's no reason to keep us in the dark. Even if it's note of some progress, a little update, some itty piece of information aside from 'we're working on it, give us more time,' and I'd be satisfied. I want to be put at ease and being a minor shouldn't deter my right to do so."

"I get it, really I do," Godaīn said slowly. "But we'll just get in the way. We're just slowing them down and-"

"You didn't hear them talking, did you?" Paku interrupted, pressing her lips into a frown. Godaīn didn't say anything, allowing Paku to continue. "Mei. She was talking to Mr. Sato and Ms. Dreary about something the three judges said. All of them are going to be charged with treason, regardless of how they defend themselves in the hearing when they return. I've seen the Vatican rulebooks. Treason is punishable by death!"

Godaīn's eyes widened and he swallowed nervously. "Then I guess that's why they haven't told us all the details. They don't want us getting in the way. It's like the plot of a tv-show. We get involved then they deal with an outrage. Haven't you seen them getting after Yukio Okumura's fangirls, telling them to detach themselves? I understand very well they might die, I'm worried too. But there's not much we can do."

"Only if you stand on the sidelines," Paku suddenly spoke. "If slowing them down is how we save them, so be it! I'll do anything for Izumo. You're either with me or not, pick one. Your help would be greatly appreciated but if you don't want to get sucked into the fray, say now and I'll handle it myself."

Godaīn exhaled with an air of defeat. What on Earth was he doing?

"No way!" Koneko suddenly exclaimed, eyes nearly bugging out of his skull as he stared at the screen on his phone. "Ms. Kirigakure was hospitalized?!"

The group of teenagers, who had returned to the nest of the trees with Lilith's permission, started gawking and screeching at the news.

"Everybody, shut up!" Konekomaru exclaimed. All fell silent as he held up a hand and continued reading. "It says 'As of last week, Shura Kirigakure, according to exorcist officials, entered combat against a flame demon to protect her fellow comrades, who were incapacitated at the time due to an earlier jailbreak of the assault shooter, 18-year-old Yukio Okumura, and was hospitalized after the fight.' There's nothing confirming her opponent in the battle but assumptions are pointing towards, and I quote 'Okumura's fraternal twin brother, Rin Okumura, who, as a half-blood inherited pyrokinesis abilities.'"

"18-years-old?" Yukio mused, eyes narrowing and face contorting into one of inference, sleuthing.

"They're probably trying to make us all seem like adults," Izumo surmised as she took a spoonful of the brothy soup she was in the midst of consuming. "So that way they don't have to deal with actual grown-ups getting up in their faces about how we're only children. They'll treat us like adults regardless of whether or not the public knows, so I don't see why they're bothering."

"No one likes public backlash, Kamiki," Konekomaru pointed out. "And really, imagine the protests about child discipline being lined up outside all of True Cross headquarters. That does not paint a pretty picture. And listen, there's more. 'An investigation was performed shortly after the battle, proving, unfortunately, that the colleagues Kirigakure was fighting so hard to protect, had been cremated almost beyond recognition. All of them were pronounced dead Wednesday afternoon.'"

"You've got to be kidding me," Rin breathed, eyes wide with horror and appall. "All of them... are dead?"

"What's worse is that suspicions are pointing at you being the culprit," Suguro added.

"But I didn't do anything to them!" Rin protested, leaning in forward in earnest.

"Maybe not, Rin," Yukio said, following Suguro's reasoning. "But the public doesn't know that. And the public is spoonfed everything like toddlers. They won't see the big picture, only what those in power want them to see. It's ridiculous but it's the truth."

Rin groaned, rocking backward on his rear and throwing his gaze up to the sky as if to say: 'Dammit, world. Why?'

"This sucks balls," Rin murmured under his breath (making Izumo choke because she somehow heard him.) "What are we gonna do?"

"You're the leader, here, Okumura," Suguro uttered carefully. "You gotta figure that out."

"I'm taking suggestions!" Rin declared.

Suguro was about to speak up, make evident that that's not how leadership works but was interrupted by a cough and a discouraging shake of the head from Konekomaru. He shut his mouth, deciding against getting into a squabble with Rin at this time.

Shiemi cleared her throat. The sound was delicate and dainty but enough to draw attention to her. She looked at Lilith with some kind of urgency and spoke.

"Ms. Lilith, how long have you lived here?"

"Years, child," Lilith answered. She chewed on a tidbit of rice from the soup. She had, for some unknown reason, decided to use her own utensils. Ones she had carved herself. "I have remained a sentry of the Garden of Amahara for longer than I can remember. It was the first garden on Earth to be created, an experiment before moving onto far greater things. Eden was the second."

"Eden?" Shiemi queried, tilting her head cutely. "What's that?"

"You've never heard of the Garden of Eden?" Rin asked suddenly, shooting her a confused glance. "I thought it was common knowledge... or maybe that's just me." He motioned to Yukio. "We were raised in a Catholic Monastery, after all."

"Yes," Yukio agreed. "We were reared with this knowledge of the Bible."

"Yeah, though I can't decide if we were fortunate or not because of it." Rin made a face as if remembering some words of wisdom that had been jammed into his head as a child. Perhaps he couldn't recall the memories. Scriptural ones never stood out to him.

"Call it a headstart, Rin," Yukio chided. "Everyone else had to learn that in class. I guess that's why you aced that one test. One time."

"Oh, don't start with me about homework and testing now, four-eyes." Rin pouted as he shoved an accusing, threatening finger in Yukio's face. The younger twin batted it away in annoyance.

"What's the Garden of Eden?" Shiemi asked again.

Rin paused, pursing his lips and thinking of answer when Lilith beat him to it. "It's a magnificent garden, with vast stretches even more gorgeous than Amahara. The first humans ever created lived there in heavenly bliss. One day, a serpent tempted Eve to partake of the only fruit in the garden she and Adam weren't allowed to eat. Eve then convinced Adam to eat the fruit with her. As a result, a great power banished them, struck them down so they would forever live in Assiah."

"Wow!" Shiemi exclaimed, starry-eyed. "It sounds lovely."

"It is," Lilith said quietly. Her dark, sullen eyes fell as if mourning something from a time forgotten. "But I wouldn't start getting excited. The same greater power that banished Adam and Eve also removed Eden from the surface of the Earth. It is considered Paradise, now."

"Oh." Shiemi ducked her head in embarrassment. How silly of her, to assume it was nearby. She shook her head and slapped her cheeks. "That's okay! I'm here in the Garden of Amahara instead. To me, it will always be the most lovely."

"You have proper taste, girl," Lilith told her. Shiemi blushed at those words, hiding behind her kimono. "No matter what anyone says, the first garden holds the greatest amount of beauty."

"So would the first wife, it seems," Yukio quipped, unable to stop the words from leaving his lips. Lilith shot him an irritated look.

"Was that a compliment, boy?" She interrogated. With Yukio's tone of voice, it was kind of hard to tell.

"It was closer to an accusation," Yukio corrected. "Are you not Adam's first wife?"

"I am," Lilith confirmed, setting her bowl on the nest's floor. "Born from the same dirt of Adam, I was created as his equal. However, when I refused to be subservient, when I refused to stay beneath him, he grew wrathful with me and I left."

"Legend claims you are the mother of all succubi and that your children steal away and kill infants," Yukio continued. He adjusted his glasses by the bridge. "There are other legends but by the look on your face, I'm going to assume you find this horribly amusing and do not actually do that."

Indeed, Lilith was smiling and soon laughing boisterously at the allegation. "Oh, dear. I'll confirm, I did mother all existing succubi for a time. I had many sons and daughters by covenant, however, not womb. I am alone now in my years and I spend my time caring for the Garden of Amahara. I travel many miles over each region and tend to the plants, balance the rivers, and see to it that every life cycle, no matter how small, is where it needs to be."

Everyone awed and gaped, stunned yet amazed all the same by Lilith's tenacity, how long she had lived and how hard she had worked. Truly marvelous.

"You know," Yukio wandered cautiously, swallowing the information like a pill getting stuck in his throat. "There are other tales suggesting you married the Arcangel Samael-" Izumo choked again. "Or at least took him on as a second lover. Is this true?"

"It is," Lilith affirmed. Her gaze swept the circle of giggling, wide-eyed students. She grew suspicious. "What are you all laughing at? This is supposed to be a teaching moment."

"I'm sorry-," Shima gasped, slapping a hand over his mouth and unfortunately flopping backward on the ground in a fit of cackling. "It's just- It's jus- hahaha! I'm wondering what Sir Pheles would do if he saw you-"

"Who the hell is that?"

"Sir Pheles, Mephistopheles, Samael: King of Time and Space," Yukio specified. He didn't even have to motion before Konekomaru brought up a picture of the academy's headmaster on his phone. Lilith's jaw dropped.

"My God, that bastard is still alive?!" She exclaimed in horror. "And he's still as young as ever!"

The students dissolved into fits of laughter, clutching their stomachs and trying to stifle themselves with little success. Lilith ranted and seethed, making wide, livid gestures to portray her utter revile and ire for the man. By the time she was finished screaming about him and cooled down, so had the others allowed themselves to relax. But smiles and heavy panting still hung around the circle. It was a peaceful alternative to the tension strung around them most days.

"Maybe we should change the subject," Shiemi opted, shrugging her shoulders and holding her hands out in a giving gesture. "I don't mean to pry or snoop but when Rin, Shima, and I found your... small house," She said for lack of a better word. "I noticed things similar to what my grandma kept in the shed at home. A pentacle and a blessed ash, herbs for creating both white magic and black magic. I don't want to sound rude but... are you a witch?"

"Sorceress, enchantress, witch, ancient one, sage, soothsayer," Lilith listed off the names without a second thought. "Despite their differences in terms of witchcraft categories, they all mean the same thing to me: one who wields magic. So I suppose, yes, I am a witch."

Shiemi's mouth shaped into an O as she stared at the women in soft wonderment. Her grandmother had been a witch, her mother was a witch, and Shiemi is a witch. Although her magic wasn't nearly as spectacular as Lilith's or her grandmother's. What Shiemi had lied in lucid dreaming and visions, taming and helping flora grow. Small magics she had barely begun to master with guidance from her mother.

For her sole purpose in life.

It was discouraging, knowing she was unable to become an exorcist because of this purpose. She, above all, wanted to support her friends and family. She could do that from the supply shop while she still had time.

Well, if she ever actually went back to the supply shop at all.

"What magic do you use?" Shiemi queried curiously.

"Many types," Lilith responded. She traced a circle on the floor with her finger, leaving a trail of golden, honey-like energy wherever it went. It faded as soon as she lifted her finger from nest floor. "I am most proficient with life magic. The energy of giving and taking away life to create a natural balance within the world."

"That's so cool!" Shiemi exclaimed brightly. "Does that mean you're a healer too?"

"I am, child. I can heal anything with the proper tools and medications, sometimes in seconds. A sore throat cured in five seconds, a common cold virus vanquished in five minutes, a sprained ankle in fifteen, a broken arm in twenty," Lilith eyed Yukio's cast as she spoke those last words. The twins' breaths hitched in their throats, they shared a look and Rin couldn't stop his eyes from jumping to the cast his brother sported.

"Just twenty minutes?" Yukio asked unbelievingly, leaning forward as if to test for a bluff. "That's incredible. How did you manage such a thing? To be able to heal a broken bone in just twenty minutes is decades beyond Assiah's current medical technology. I'm not sure I can comprehend this as the truth."

"Do you want me to prove it?" Lilith pointed at Yukio's arm. She stood, turning towards the exit. "Come with me and I can heal your arm. You'll be able to use both without any troubles."

"There's no catch?" Yukio asked suspiciously

"None at all."

"You should go, Yukio," Rin said, grasping Yukio by his arm as he got to his feet. He nudged Yukio forward gently, who almost seemed skeptical of the sorceress. "This could be a perfect learning opportunity. And you can get your arm healed."

"I don't know, Rin," Yukio murmured with uncertainty dripping off his words. "Forgive me if I'm... hesitant. But-"

"No buts," Rin chided, giving a slightly harsher shove in Lilith's direction. "Go with her. I'm sure you won't regret it."

Yukio bit his lip but another assuring nod from Rin sent him off to follow the witch.

The Blightseed sniffed the earth anxiously. For the past hour, it has been curious, cautious. Its freedom had come so sudden and with such pride, even with the mangled, ashen bodies it'd left behind. It had rented and slashed it's prison so he could never be trapped again, it had taken extra precautions to avoid embroilment this time. Now, after so long, after just its bit of exploring, it knew. It was truly free to rip the Earth apart without any remorse.

With a hefty, mighty roar directed towards the heavens, it took one step, another, then another until it was walking, trotting, then galloping fiercely and swiftly. An unbearable scent was stuck in its head and it knew exactly where to go. An invisible trail was guiding it to where it must go, to where it must begin to break Assiah like an egg and release its fellows.

The apocalypse was upon all and there would be no survivors.

Its bellowing caused earthquakes and every step it took made the grass and dirt rot beneath him with mold and maggots. It killed the grass, turning it an ashy black and the death seeped into the roots and spread to every plant. Trees died and fell, bushes and leaves turned to dust, animals keeled over so suddenly, becoming half-eaten carcasses in so little time.

Men began to fight amongst each other. Fear, sorrow, doubt, and rage burrowed everyone's hearts. The sky became blacker than the void as the creature devoured every color and killed it mercilessly.

There wasn't any time to cry.

There wasn't any time to scream.

The end of the world was approaching.

Scent. Smell. Odor. It bought the Blightseed's attention. It was like scotch, roses, and a sweet-smelling tilling of herb that could be brewed into white tea. The creature couldn't identify what particularly those scents were but it was intoxicatingly delicious and the Blightseed wanted it destroyed. He wanted it to decay beneath its feet and suffer, whine like a trapped prey that was bleeding out on the forest floor.

It could hear an enlightening voice behind it.

'I have released you,' It claimed. 'Now go forth. Destroy.'

"Yes, master."

And so it would eternally repay the demon that brought forth its freedom.

"Hold still, brat!"

Yukio squirmed and cried out as Lilith tried to straighten his arm out to its full length. The pain was unbearable, especially around his joints, and Yukio was close to kicking something—the bucket filled with a putrid herbal mixture was a good candidate—over to help ease his anxiety and the throbbing in his arm.

"It hurts!" He bit back at the elder, who glared at him disapprovingly and pulled his ear. This caused him to shout out repeatedly until Lilith released him. "Owowowowow!"

"It's going to hurt for a little bit, this my method of reparation!"

"I'm beginning to regret letting Rin talk me into this!" Yukio hissed through grit teeth. His toes curled in his converse and his spine went absolutely rigid. He tried with the utmost resilience not to hold his breath because according to what his father told him, that was the last thing you should do in a doctor's office.

Except, this wasn't a doctor's office and Lilith wasn't your usual doctor. This was a witch's apothecary and Lilith was administering to him the real-life equivalent of a skele-gro potion from the Chamber of Secrets.

Yukio tried not to wince as Lilith yanked his sleeve up and lathered his arm is a cool salve which his skin seemed to absorb. The ointment chilled him to the bone and made his skin feel tight. There was a sickening crack and he grunted, gritted his teeth, and squeezed his eyes shut as the pain rocketed throughout his forearm, elbow, and shoulder. Lilith snapped her fingers multiple times, making Yukio's eyes open. She held a bottled concoction up to his lips, which he parted unwillingly.

"What the hell is that?" He said with a strained voice.

"It'll speed up what the salve is already doing, now drink," She demanded sharply.

Yukio's fingers curled around the neck of the glass bottle. He tipped his head back, downing the moss-colored contents at Lilith's behest. He spluttered halfway through, coughing and hacking and trying to resist bending over with Lilith's palm on his chest. "Breathe, Yukio. Take the rest."

"It tastes like wheatgrass mixed with rotten milk and sweet potato shōchū," He wheezed.

Lilith raised an eyebrow as she steadied the boy. "You know what chūhai tastes like?"

Yukio didn't answer. Instead, he snatched the bottle from Lilith's hands and chugged the rest to get it over with. When he finished, Lilith took the bottle from him and put it on a shelf. She then snatched up a cloth and shoved it in his face, wiping off what had unfortunately dribbled down his chin as if she were cleaning up a small child who didn't know how to. He huffed as Lilith held out his arm, running a massaging set of fingers over it. He gulped when Lilith pressed down on the crook of his elbow.

"Wait like this," she said.

With that, she turned back to the counter and began a new herbal mixture, mashing together grasses and ferns and fungi with a mortar and pestle. Yukio, ever observant, kept his eyes on Lilith's rough movements, how each ingredient added became fine powder underneath her calloused hands. She poured some thick, yellowish oil into the mixing bowl and it became a creamy, thick mixture. She then funneled it into an empty bottle then turned around the stare at Yukio, who suddenly became self-aware of himself.

"You're a lot more childish than you let on," Lilith pointed out. Yukio seemed kind of miffed by her words but didn't do anything to prove them. He didn't pout, he didn't grumble, he didn't duck his head or blush or get embarrassed. He refused to even speak and try to discredit himself. He remained stone-cold, poker-faced until Lilith sighed and continued. "That's not a bad thing."

"How so?" Yukio said the words before he could stop himself. He cleared his throat nervously.

"Aren't you a child?" Lilith inquired.

"I try not to be," Yukio answered. "I've spent too much of my life being a grown up to just start acting like a child again."

"Oh, you are so young." Lilith shook her head and crossed her arms. "You shouldn't have had to grow up so quickly."

"I made the choice to do that, I underwent my own training," Yukio explained. He stared at her intently, testing her, daring her to say something out of line. "I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"I wasn't born a baby, Yukio," Lilith chastized. "I didn't get a childhood. So you're right, in a sense. I wouldn't understand your trauma but I somewhat understand where you're coming from. Even then, you can be soldierly, orderly, and still act juvenile at the end of the day. There's no shame in it."

"Maybe not to you."

"Oh, but it's so boring being grown up."

Yukio couldn't find a response to that. If he were to examine all the evidence, it was the truth. Being an adult was dreadfully boring. "You should loosen up a bit, cut back. Choose to be a child, live as lightly as you can, and be completely honest with yourself." She said sagely. "Oh, I know what that face is. You've heard this before, haven't you?"

"I have," Yukio muttered bitterly. "And it's annoying."

"It's only annoying in this context because you know it's true."

'Is it, though? Do I really deserve to act like a child after all I've done? After all the people I've hurt, after all the damage I've caused. I'm nothing but a nuisance and a danger. I don't deserve any reward for it. I don't deserve to be saved.'

Yukio thought about this in silence, mentally punishing himself over and over, beating himself up until he felt his chest squeeze tightly. Rin was a fool for saving him, Shiemi was a fool for going along with it. He hurt people, that's just who he was. Why did he even bother apologizing? The forgiveness he'd been gifted was unmerited.

"Bend your arm," Lilith commanded, snapping Yukio out of his stupor. He did so, finding that much to his pleasant surprise, it didn't hurt. He repeated the action—repeated it, repeated it, repeated it.

'Incredible...' Yukio marveled at the ability to move his arm again. He tested out a couple more actions; extensions, flexing, and punching motions, ending with a left hook. 'And it was just twenty minutes like she said. The abilities of the supernatural are truly amazing.'

Yukio stood up, bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Ms. Lilith. I'll take this debt and pay it forward."

"Don't bother," Lilith waved him off. "Just go. I'll see you again soon."

Yukio decided not to ask why those words seemed so ominous.

He was as nameless as a blade of grass in a mammoth-sized field. He was as nameless as a particle in the open air. One that would be used and never thought about twice but still imperative to push the battle forward. With every ticking second, the festering Gehenna Gate grew and grew beyond even the highest power's control. Exorcists were dropping dead left and right and the exorcist couldn't even place a name on most of them. Teammates were all he knew them as.

Even in the midst of the foggy, miasma-filled air, the battle raged forward. Demons of every shape and size poured out of the gate, the drums of war and the singing strings of violins that echoed around every unwitting one of them. The screaming of unholy creatures made their ears bleed. More dropped like flies and still, the show must go on.

"Chief!" One of the nameless' subordinates screamed at him as a black wind whipped around them with the force and power of a tornado. He knew by gazing at the terrified woman that it was time to beat a hasty retreat. But he wasn't ready to leave just yet. Not when he could potentially throw it back and buy them time.

"Hang on, Missus," He commanded. Without a second thought, he bolted for the nearest tower of the town currently being invaded and began climbing. He could hear his juniors calling him back but he declined, making motions for them to retreat. Missus had to be dragged away kicking and screaming, ugly tears staining her pretty face. He gave a silent apology, hung on to the spire and summoned forth a flame demon.

With a Latin chat, his life burned to ashes within the roaring flames...

And the Gehenna Gate was blown back severely.

Lightning grinned as the priests' glares landed on him. The tension was strung so thick and tight around everyone's neck that one wrong move could send everyone into a tumultuous catastrophe that would only set both the A-Team and B-Team back significantly. Lightning did nothing to acknowledge the bitterness he caused but he did point curiously at a picture of the twins on the mantle in the living room.

"Ay, this them when they were kiddies?" He asked curiously.

None of the fathers answered or said anything, really. However, Nagatomo did decide to place the picture back in its rightful place when Lightning tried to pick it up.

"Don't. Touch." Nagatomo ground out.

"Aight, my bad, my bad," Lightning said with an all too innocent tone as he raised his hands and backed away.

Shura cleared her throat and met Nagatomo at the halfway point. "I apologize for my colleague's… brashness." She sent a black scowl at Lightning as she said this. "I don't know if you'll recognize me because it's been so long and we've only met once when I was a little girl. My name is Shura Kirigakure, Shirō was like a father to me. He trained me before adopting the twins."

She paused, aware of the mistrusting look on Father Nagatomo's face. "Before they disappeared, I was Rin's mentor and Yukio's superior. Despite what you may think, they mean a lot to me. I only want to bring them back safely but we need as much information on them as we can. Will you help me?"

No one spoke as Shura's words hung in the air. She swallowed the growing lump in her throat, waiting for a response that didn't seem was going to come. Then, much to her relief, the Holy Father smiled softly.

"I'd recognize you anywhere, Ms. Shura," Father Nagatomo reached out a warm hand which Shura clasped tightly in hers. 'He's like Shirō,' Shura concluded. She pushed that thought from her mind. Any reminder of the man was a stab in the chest that only brought her close to tears once more. "It's been awhile. You really grew up, didn't you?"

"Yes, I suppose I have," Shura beamed, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Now, about Rin and Yukio-"

"Straight to the point, I see." Nagatomo shook his head. "There isn't much I could tell you about them currently. However, perhaps something from their childhood might give you a hint?"

"Please share," Shura requested, motioning to her colleagues to follow as Nagatomo beckoned them to the chapel. There was an eerie silence emanating from the holy father and Shura suspected Nagatomo wasn't thinking of sweet and fluffy things in concerns to the late Paladin. After all, even Shirō tossed her aside in favor of Rin. And Shura suspected Nagatomo thought the same way.

They entered the abbey, cautious as if to see anyone was praying or had come for confessionals. It appeared it was empty and unmonitored. All the better for this conversation.

"I can't really say much of Fujimoto's motive and I won't lie," Nagatomo murmured turning to the trio. "Shamefully, some of us played favorites. And I get the feeling that my favorite didn't coincide with Fujimoto's."

"Do you really think Fujimoto didn't love Yukio?"

"Who can say?" Izumi suddenly piped up, taking a place next to Nagatomo. "I liked both of them. They were good kids. But I honestly don't know as much about them as I wish I did. And I hardly knew Fujimoto either. Whether or not he loved them equally is... up for debate."

Izumi hesitated but then quietly added. "I couldn't even say if he was raising weapons, sons, or one of each."

"You'd be so quick to diss Father Fujimoto like that?!" Kyōdō exclaimed, making an accusing gesture at the youngest priest. "He's a good man. He doesn't deserve your slander!"

"I'm not saying he does!" Izumi protested. "But I don't know him as well as the rest of you did! Shouldn't it be that we should keep an open mind and be prepared for anything? There's no guarantee saying Fujimoto loved them equally-"

"How dare you!?" Kyōdō exploded, taking a step forward as if threatening to rain down justification on Izumi. "Fujimoto was nothing less than a caring person and a loving father. Sure, he might have been harsh on Yukio but he had to be. He had his reasons for raising him as an exorcist!"

"But were those reasons justified enough that the end results led to Yukio literally shooting someone?!"

"Naoya! Lee! That's enough!" Nagatomo barked. He forcefully pushed them apart, enough so they would stagger. "Now is not the time to be arguing amongst each other. We have no evidence of Fujimoto's feelings towards either of them. He always closed himself off when the topic of the twins' fate came up. I'll admit, thanks to Mephisto his original intention was to raise them as weapons. Whether or not the thought of being a father grew on him and he came to love them both or just one cannot be decided by how little information we have.

"I don't deny it. Fujimoto was caring and kind but some of his actions are questionable at best and abusive at worst. If he had a motive then maybe things would be different. Even then it doesn't excuse how Yukio turned out, regardless of his intentions."

"You can't just say that about him, Nagatomo. Fujimoto was amazing. He did so many great things. And you expect me to just accept that he wasn't that great of a guy?" Kyōdō inquired, appalled and unbelieving.

"We are servants of God, Naoya," Nagatomo reassured, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We know nothing and we humble ourselves to open-mindedness. I was as close to Fujimoto as any of you were. If he were to turn out as such, my heart would ache with sorrow just as yours would and just as Izumi's and Maruta's would. For now, I fear for Rin and Yukio. That is what these people are here for. To help them. Do you understand?"

Kyōdō looked guilty but he nodded, sighing and accepting the answer.

Not everyone is as they seem.

Tōdō's gaze swept the abandoned cafeteria with a sly, fanged smile. He was intrigued, curious, and the air around him held powerful waves of time energy. Samael had done something here. Whether directly or indirectly, well, that was still up for debate.

"You're desperate to avoid the inevitable end, aren't you?" Tōdō murmured. "And it took me so long to get here. Where could you have gone, I wonder?"

A hoarse, threatening hissing filled the room and Tōdō looked around for the source of the noise before his eyes landed on a black ball of fluff on one of the neighboring tables. Its large green eyes were threatening and feline-like, it's sharp fangs were revealed, and the fur on it's hunched posture stood up.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Kuro jeered testily. "Leave at once! This isn't your territory."

"My, look at you," Tōdō smirked, stepping towards the terrorized Cat Sith.

"Stay back!"

Tōdō ignored him. His footwork was slow, traceable as he came closer to Kuro. "You seem like an obedient pet. Mind doing me a favor and leading me to your master?"

"I would never do such a thing!" Kuro seethed. "I'm not just some token cat, you heathen!" With a puff of smoke and the exertion of power, Kuro grew ten times his size. His vehemently snarling penetrated the air as the smoke cleared and Tōdō only let his lips curl into a smug grin. "If you think for a second that I would ever take you to Rin, you're highly mistaken!"

"Ah-ah," Tōdō chided, wagging a finger as Kuro lunged for him. In his palm appeared a searing red flame which grew in heat and size. Kuro only had a moment to process the information when it exploded, destroyed much of the surrounding area, and flung him back across the floor. He had gone down back to his original size, whimpering and weak.

Tōdō scooped Kuro up off the floor by his scruff. He was weak, broken, and his fur was singed. He mewled, sad and scared, staring with wide, tired eyes.

"I know you're quite protective of your master but do me a favor, won't you?" Tōdō dropped the Cat Sith onto the floor, who landed on his feet unsteadily "And go running back to Rin Okumura with your tails between your legs."

Kuro's body shook vehemently, he swallowed and leaped away.

"MEPHISTOOOOOOOOO!" He cried, bolting from the room.

Tōdō followed suit, always keeping the Cat Sith within view.

"Now things have certainly gotten interesting!"

Yukio sighed, watching from the foliage as Shiemi laid by a patch of bluebells, Nii close by and popping up every once and awhile. He owed her an apology and a long, heartfelt one at that. None of his half-assed attempts at evasion or an explanation just... an apology. There was no guarantee Shiemi would forgive him after what he'd done; after he'd hurt her.

Maybe he could make an impression. Maybe if he gave her something, girls like gifts as a form of forgiveness, right? He looked around, biting his lip in contemplation when his eyes landed on a red rose. He went to pick it before a thought entered his mind and he immediately stopped.

"Ah, no!" His berated himself quietly. "Don't pick any flowers, they'll just die. Jesus, come on. Shiemi wouldn't like that."

He continued whispering, brushing his hands off and trying to think of something else to ease his anxiety.

"Yuki?"

The boy made a noise between a yelp and a shout. He jumped, having been taken by surprise when Shiemi had heard him and decided to investigate.

"Shiemi!" Yukio exclaimed, wide-eyed and heart pounding in his chest. "Hi, Shiemi! Hi. I didn't see you there! I- uh, how are you?" He asked suavely, only to miss the tree he was going to lean on and falling over ignobly. Shiemi giggled, reaching into the trees to help Yukio up and pull him into the light. He grumbled, folding his arms and averting eye-contact with the sweet blonde.

"Oh, wow!" Shiemi marveled, taking Yukio's hand in hers and gawking at how well his limb functioned. "Your arm! It's all healed!"

Yukio spluttered nervously, face heating up as Shiemi intertwined her fingers with his. "That's incredible, I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you..." Yukio murmured, cautious of looking into Shiemi's bright, beautiful eyes. He swallowed, trying not to think of the many times he'd gazed into them before and found solace, compassion, and unconditional platonic love. He tried not to think of the many times he'd suddenly become a stuttering, flustered mess in front of her, especially at thirteen years old. Shiemi somewhat understood him, understood that the world was cruel and unkind yet she brought an air of peace with her. It felt as though her cooling tranquility could tame even the most monstrous of beasts.

Well, maybe not the most monstrous. She certainly couldn't tame his inner demons—jealousy, bitterness, lust, fury. Yukio would know, he watched his beasts overtake her in the supply shop just over a week ago. Not that it was her job to fight them in the first place. It was his job, especially in concerns to change and maybe taking the low route for a bit. If a millennia-old witch full of empowering wisdom were to tell him so, then maybe a twenty-seven-year-old witch with a drinking problem had the right idea.

He sighed. Demons did indeed live in the human heart.

"Shiemi... about what happened at the supply shop, when I pushed you," The gardener's expression turned to one of agony as Yukio spoke. He winced, knowing this would be one of the trickiest conversations he'd had with anyone. "You didn't deserve that and... I'm sorry. I completely overreacted to something so small. Rin has always been worried about me so I shouldn't have... flipped my lid."

"It's okay, Yuki," Shiemi said softly, pressing for a gentle smile. "You were just scared, and hurt, and angry. You had a split-second reaction and I wasn't ready for it. Friends come in all shapes and sizes and personalities. You're always so stiff, rigid, I noticed this and I didn't do anything about it. It was only a matter of time before you blew your top and I should have been there to help."

"I didn't want your help," Yukio replied.

"Maybe not at the time. But now is different, right?"

"Y-yes. Now IS different."

Shiemi smiled again, squeezing Yukio's hand comfortingly. "I'm just glad to see that you're doing better."

Yukio opened his mouth to respond but was cut off abruptly by Konekomaru's shouting.

"GUYS, COME QUICK! Lilith is gonna tell us about the Spirit World entrance Moriyama found!"

Yukio and Shiemi shared a look then took off after Konekomaru to meet the tantalizing information in the next of the tree.

A/N:

Hails: Tōdō, you asshole!

I don't know if you could tell but I made a subtle jab at Fujimoto in this chapter. (Goddamit, can we have a good anime father with a son for once?!)

Knowledge whale here to bestow something interesting upon you.

*Chūhai is an abbreviation of shōchū highball. Shōchū is a type of alcohol made from rice, barley, buckwheat, or sweet potatoes. It's generally served in tall glasses, mugs, or cans and less of a social drink, unlike beer and wine which can be shared more openly. Sounds a bit like Shura, ne?

I think you know where I'm going with this.

*I had an alternate title for this chapter, called 'Cool motive; still murder' and I don't even know why.