A/N:

Hails: I'm glad the chapter was well liked, my friends! I didn't mean to leave you on too much of a cliffhanger. The opportunity was just too good to pass up. That being said, this chapter is full of all kinds of goodies to pick from the basket.

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.

"In the end, you have to choose whether or not to trust someone."
― Sophie Kinsella, Shopaholic & Baby

Chasing out a group of overly curious and unnecessarily sadistic scientists had been the easy part for Homare. Her juniors were subject under every rule that required them to listen to her, even the head scientist whom Lucifer had asked to instigate the entire Awakening process.

Homare watched as Rin struggled against the bands tying him down and was vaguely reminded of a wild animal in captivity. The boy's screams were feral, mortifying in the sense that'd it'd make an environmental conservationist fall back on themselves in horror, hands covering their mouth at the show of caged ferocity. Homare knew better than to approach him, much less touch him, however. She could only observe while Rin thrashed and caterwauled until he tired himself out.

She kept tabs on her watch.

She had asked Lucifer at 12:27 if she could perform the examination upon his second youngest brother. It was now 12:34.

Rin cried out some more, growing less resistant each time he rattled the metal restraints.

12:40

Homare was intrigued by Rin's body structure, how lithe and small he was in comparison to the hosts of the Demon Kings she'd met. Most were inhumanly tall and skinny, almost sickly looking. Rin had a healthy pudge to him. Like most teenagers were supposed to have.

12:49

The sounds of metal clanging against metal, of shouting and growling, slowly began to taper off. There was whimpering, whining, crying, and Rin soon began wearing himself out, despite the fire in his belly and eyes. The blue fire he summoned forth did nothing to free him.

12:52

Rin pushed against the cuffs, sobbing anxiously and eyes going puffy and red. The way he was spread out on the cold, unforgiving surface of an examination table made him feel vulnerable, exposed like parts he'd never show to anyone were being laid out against his will, poked and prodded as though his humiliation and tears didn't matter.

13:01

Homare could only hear the pathetic mewling coming from Rin, barely noticing the way he rolled his wrists, gritted his teeth uncomfortably, and twitched and fidgeted as though otherwise bored of his surroundings. His tail was just as still, if not making occasional, small flicking movements. His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed.

13:05

Homare finally deemed it safe enough to stray closer to the young demon, who tensed and tried to steady his shuddering breaths as her eyes scanned his entire body. Rin made a noise in the back of his throat, lips pursing into a thin line. Absently, he brought his tail up between his legs in an attempt to at least cover up slightly but squawked indignantly when he felt Homare's gloved hand snatch it midway.

"H-hey!" He cried, squeezing one eye shut in embarrassment. "L-let that go! That- that doesn't-" Rin squirmed, stressing down the 'n' of that last word. "Feel good."

Homare spared him a brief, emotionless glance then granted his wish. The tail retracted, choosing to curl up around Rin's thigh instead of adding a bit of decency to his nearly bare physique. He was only in his boxers, after all.

"If I choose to remove your restraints, do you promise to keep still?"

Rin hesitated, plotting out his answer with the utmost thought. "If I say yes?"

"Then you are bound by a promise," Homare said firmly. There wasn't anywhere Rin could go in the first place but Homare didn't want to deal with having to put him back in his restraints should he decide he either wanted to run or fight back. She moved over to the cart that held plenty of shiny, unfamiliar tools. "It is honor by which you will be still as I perform the examination."

"Honor, yeah right," Rin snorted and rolled his eyes. "Like the Illuminati has honor."

"Whether or not you believe it, the Illuminati has its procedures and standards, just like the True Cross Order," Homare said sharply. A deeper, more vexed expression flashed across her face. "I would not be asking for your consent to draw blood otherwise, understand?"

Rin paused, thinking of a response to that. "Why would you want my blood? To further improve your little clone scheme?" Homare cocked an eyebrow, staring at the boy. "Yeah, I know all about the clone thing. Suguro told me! Why the hell would you want to give Satan a body anyway?"

"That is none of your concern,"

"Uh, it's my concern if he and your boss want to destroy the world!" Rin exclaimed. "You know, the place I and every other moron live?! I've got a lot of people to protect and you're pushing the wrong buttons!"

"Silence."

The word was soft but commanding enough that it made Rin clamp his mouth shut. He didn't like this woman, not at all. Homare came across as just awful in his mind and he wasn't even sure, aside from her Illuminati alignment, why the air felt contorted and dark around her. It was like a vacuum was sucking all the happiness out of the room.

"Obviously you have some obedience issues and trouble respecting authority," Homare sighed. She removed her glasses for a hot second to clean them before rebalancing them on the bridge of her nose. "We'll have to see if that can be taken out of you."

Rin swallowed, freezing at the suggestion. He tried not to let the trepidation of such a threat show on his features but by the smirk on Homare's face, he realized he was going to be there awhile. Homare hadn't used her authority to get this far for nothing.

She'd let her brother take interest in the other Okumura.

Yukio paced back and forth at the front of the cell, bitter and seething with rage. He had let his strength go against the bars, ramming into them repeatedly. Much to his frustration, the bars wouldn't so much as budge underneath his newfound power. And as far as grudge matches go, this wasn't the first Yukio had had but it was certainly the most annoying.

'I'm gonna get out of here. I'm gonna get us out of here, Rin. I promise,' Yukio said internally. Perhaps his vow would bring hope or strength, maybe if he tried hard enough he could replicate what happened in the cargo ship. 'I will find you.'

He waited, leaning against the bars and applying a pressure as a sort of stress outlet. His breath was heavy and lethargic, the exact opposite of his beating heart. His mind pleaded with air around him, searched for who he desperately needed to communicate with.

'Rin... where are you?'

It was eerily quiet. The core of the entire headquarters was filled with something. Something dark and lurking. It was quiet, nearly unnoticeable unless one really honed in on the presence. But it was attractive in a way that knit people together without looming threats or fear. It was oddly reminiscent of asphalt, fireplace ashes, and an unidentifiable, metallic substance; all of which reminded Yukio of a tiny church in the middle of the street, nestled in the arms of a vast city. The sensation seeped through the walls and floor like the beginnings of a flood. It dripped from the ceiling in careless leaks. It was homey and welcoming but had its underlying hazards covered in bright yellow warning stickers. It was sticky and rooted into the ground like the bright-headed weeds in an untamed front yard.

It was Rin.

'Yukio, is that you?'

His eyes snapped open.

'Rin!' Yukio said. 'It worked! I can't believe it worked! Where are you? What's happening?'

'Okay, first off, how did you do that? Second off, can you tell this woman if she so much as touches my skin with that needle then I will start screaming!'

'Needle? Where are you? Tell me, I'll come get you.'

'Do you think if I knew I would tell you? I've never been here before, this place is an absolute maze. How do you even plan on- HEY, WATCH WHERE YOU STICK THAT!"

'Rin?'

'GetoffmeyoustupidbitchI'llkillyou!"

'RIN!?'

There was an awfully long pause on Rin's end and it sent unwanted shivers down Yukio's spine. He felt his throat close up and his chest ached with worry.

'I'm okay.' Yukio breathed easy again. 'She just freaked me out a little bit.' Rin paused, bits and pieces of his thoughts spattered about like raindrops falling into a lake. His mind was fuzzy and he was unsure of what to think but Yukio could weirdly enough make it out. It was satisfying to know Rin's brain was as clear he believed it was. As mud. 'I... Yukio, how do we get out of here?'

'I don't know,' Yukio admitted. 'We're gonna figure it out, though. Just stay with me here. I need you. I need your help.'

There was another pause.

'You need my help?' Rin asked.

'Yes,' Yukio said. 'And I know I don't ask for it enough. I just... I need to think for a moment.'

The quietness was far too uncomfortable for Rin not to speak through it, even if Homare's voice on the other end was anything but quiet. He desperately wanted to tell her to shut her trap.

'Yukio, are their pipes in there?'

He looked around, left and right, then up to see that there was a water pipe above him. Not leaky, definitely secure and difficult to get around. But it might be what Rin was asking about.

'Yes, there's a water pipe,' He said. 'Why?'

'You can blow it up with your flames,' Rin said. Before Yukio could interrupt he added. 'Yes, even if it's a water pipe. It's how I got into your old cell back at the Order. Once those go, everything else does. They probably run very similarly to any electrical wiring. If you heat it enough with your flames, the fire magic and the metal conflict with one another and can explode if enough force is given to both sides. It's extra strong if there's water in the pipes.'

Yukio only had one response to that. 'How on Earth do you know that?'

'Shura... might have taught me a thing or two about my Satanic flames.'

"You're only going to get caught if you do that~" A sudden voice sang. "Lucifer's far more intelligent than you give him credit for, brat."

'Who the fuck is that?' Rin asked, unable to refrain from cursing much to Yukio's mix of chagrin and pleasure. Cursing had never set well with him but it did insult Satan so there was that. 'Is that fucking Satan? Are you kidding me?!'

"Heya, pissbaby!"

'Let me reiterate. Are you fucking kidding me? GET OUT.'

"But it's so comfy in here. I think I'll stay."

Yukio could hardly believe this. Satan and his brother were having an argument in his head and at the worst of times to boot. He really wasn't having this so he'd try for whatever nonsense Rin had suggested, probably a lie fed to him by Shura. Pipes? Really? Regardless of Rin's abilities, there's no way magic (see: demonic influences), metal, water, and fire could make something explode.

He placed his ear against the back wall, listening for the location of the pipes with his new enhanced hearing. The water flow in the pipes hissed similarly to the awful, squeaky things in the dormitories. As soon as he was sure he knew the location, he placed his hand on the wall and tried his best to focus. His power thrummed through every part of his being, from the deepest pits of his core and rose through his shoulders, arms, and reached to the tips of fingers. The place he was trying to light up was behind a wall, invisible to his eyes, so he'd have to go off his gut and hoped it worked.

The pipes creaked, straining against something. Yukio focused on the noise and pushed more power past the palm of his hand. The tension and the sound increased until-

BABAM!

He cried out as the water and metal exploded across the room, blowing an impressive hole in the wall and the bars, which had tendrils of steam wafting off them from the blast. Yukio wasted no time in recovering. He hopped up to his feet, careful not to burn himself, though he doubted it would matter, and maneuvered through the hole. The hallway was bright and hard to look at but so yearned for.

The euphoria from using powers for the first time and successfully welled up inside Yukio. It was the strength he'd unknowingly coveted for years. His recent desires brought forth allowed him to summon these powers. Damn, did it feel wonderful?

Yukio instinctively slapped his palm against the wall, following all the instructions of his demonic instincts, which sang louder and more melodic than anything else in his twisted mind. A thin stream of fire appeared on the wall, glowing and leading him somewhere. Almost instantly, Yukio knew it was leading him to Rin. Having these new powers certainly had its quirks, all of which benefitted him at the moment.

"Eh? Look at that, he actually did it."

'Just hold on a little longer, Rin! I'm on my way!'

Hopefully, the blaring red lights wouldn't bring any hindrances.

Getting chewed out by one's mother was arguably the scariest thing about life in Suguro's mind. The Impure King was child's play in comparison to his mother's wrath. Karura's life-sapping energy was a speck. It didn't help that she liked to yank on his ear and hair and tell him off about the piercings and the leather jacket; about how it made him look like a punk. A remark at which he could only roll his eyes.

'We're practically the Yakuza anyway,' He thought, trying to refrain from snarking back. 'We're already pretty close to counter-culture.'

"What if you had died, Ryūji!" Torako shouted, nearly blowing his eardrums out. "What if you had gotten mauled by a bear or killed by a demon?!"

Another thing Suguro considered scary was the aftermath of sassing back. Truthfully, he was more likely to get mauled by a bear in the Garden of Amahara than killed by a demon. But he wasn't about to tell her that.

"You are my only son, my only child! Tatsuma's only child!" Torako went on, releasing Ryūji's ear. He rubbed it, nursing away the pain. "What would we have done if you never came back or if you died out there, risking your life for- for what reason?! And if Konekomaru hadn't been there with you, protecting you and no doubt pulling you out of danger at every second- God, I don't want to imagine!"

Ryūji at least tried to look a little sympathetic towards his mother. She didn't deserve the scare he had given her, he knew she was just worried about him. Truth be told, there were other things on his mind. Like the twins' whereabouts, Sheimi's insistence and newfound determination, and Shima's betrayal to name a few. He hated cluttered thoughts and he hated when his thoughts were cluttered the most.

"I'm sorry, mom," He finally managed to grind out with some semblance of sincerity. "I didn't mean to make you worry-" 'Yes I did,' "However, I knew exactly what I was getting to. I'm dedicated to this. I'm dedicated to making things right. Exorcism is the path I've chosen and as a result..."

Torako's narrowed eyes made Ryūji pause for a few seconds before he ultimately swallowed his fear like gulping down a goldfish.

"As a result, I have been put in danger more times than I'd like to remember. I know the risks, I know what I'm doing. I don't think you treating me like a child who doesn't understand the implications of exorcism isn't... isn't going to have any positive impact."

His mother was silent for a few seconds. When she spoke, her voice was much softer. "Ryūji, this is really what you want to do? My offer for you to take over the inn has been standing since you were born."

"And I will forever appreciate that," Ryūji said. "But I don't want it. Give it to Jūzō and Mamushi. My goal is for the temple's restoration and to take out who destroyed it in the first place."

Torako sighed, pressing a hand against her forehead. "Aya, boy. You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days." She whirled around to her husband, who had simply stood by while Torako yelled at their son. "Tatsuma, do you hear him? I swear I don't know where he gets these outlandish ambitions from. Certainly not me and I know it's not you."

Tatsuma shrugged. "I'm just glad he's safe. And... I have concerns elsewhere."

Ryūji though he knew exactly what Tatsuma spoke of. "Shima isn't here with us. He chose the Illuminati."

"Oh, no, it's not him. I'm sure that boy is getting on just fine. I'm more worried about Fujimoto's kids to be completely honest!"

The cheerful smile on Tatsuma's face didn't do much to deter the shock from hitting Ryūji like a bullet.

"Have some empathy why don'tcha!"

"I'll leave it up to Yaozo to be worried about him. Besides, he's made it this far. I don't doubt he's going places."

Shima was howling with laughter. He bent over, trying to find his breath as the woman monitoring all the security cameras seethed and panicked.

"What the hell?!" She shrieked, tapping furiously away on the keyboards. Before her, half of the screens were fizzing out into static and the other half was just barely connected in real time. "He completely blew up everything on the starboard side of the stern! I can't see what's happening over there anymore!"

The pink-haired idiot, in complete contrast, had to take a moment to gather himself while leaning on his k'rik. "Jeez, Monami, you're really strung up about this, aren't ya?"

"This task was gifted to me by Lucifer and I will not make light of it." The woman, Monami, whipped around and glared at Shima. "How dare you laugh when I am to honor his generosity."

"I honestly think you're taking this a little too seriously," Shima said through the remainder of his stifled giggling. "Lucifer's understanding of honest mistakes. You watch cameras, you aren't down there physically stopping them. Not like I'm supposed to be."

Monami reached Renzō's front in a few long, graceful strides and pinned him up against a wall with a snarl.

"Then why aren't you?!" She grilled accusingly. "Get off your lazy butt and go do something about it!"

She extracted herself from Renzō's figure and stalked out of the room, leaving him slightly amused and slightly more afraid of her.

"Well," He commented to no one. "That was hot."

He hummed thoughtfully, vision sliding over to the wall of monitors. He slipped over to the chair and allowed himself a seat in the chair, propping his feet up on the desk. His eyes narrowed curiously and an intrigued smile danced on his lips.

"And what will you do, teach?"

Rin was surging with hope and it showed all over his face. He was two sunshiney balls of happiness and determination condensed into one supernatural teenager and God knows he was a fool. Those two, unfortunately, did not make a good combination. A grin split his face open and he fidgeted in his restraints, gaining the much-needed traction required to get back at Homare.

"Oh, you're screwed now!" Rin exclaimed. Homare twitched, something akin to fear flashed across her face very briefly but it was enough for him. "That's right, you better be scared! Yukio's got a hold of himself now and there's no stopping him!"

"Be quiet," Homare snapped. "He may have figured out to control his powers to a specific extent however he is far from strong. He is running on euphoria and adrenaline. That alone will not be enough stop us. Mark my words, he will be captured and subjected to the very same tests as you."

"That's if you're fast enough." Rin's smile was still as taunting as it could be. It was like stringing up a treat on a cat toy and baiting an emotional reaction.

"That's quite enough from you. I will not tolerate such disrespect, you-"

"Homare," A staticky voice fizzed in and out of the room from the comm attached her breast. Homare clenched her teeth and answered with a surprisingly calm voice.

"Yes, commander?"

"I require your immediate assistance port side of the ship. We think Yukio Okumura will be approaching from that side."

"I will be there shortly," She said curtly. "What will you have me do with Rin Okumura?"

"Leave him be," Lucifer replied through the speaker. "Those restraints were specially engineered for holding specimen such as him. There is no escape."

"Yes, sir. I will report in as soon as possible."

"I expect nothing less from you."

Homare sighed, shooting a dark look in Rin's direction. He swallowed but his wagging tail gave off enough his emotion for her to know that he wasn't taking her seriously. "You listen here, Rin Okumura. While resistance is futile, I don't want to hear any word from my juniors about you giving them trouble." She tightened her tie and waved the door open through its sensor. "Are we clear?"

"No promises, lady," Rin said mischievously. Homare rolled her eyes and disappeared, leaving Rin alone.

With a deep breath, he pushed against the restraints, trying desperately to break them. If he could snap his cuffs in half a few hours ago, he could certainly do it now. He just needed to focus, find his inner strength and push through it. Like he always did.

He grunted and heaved, tensing his body as much as possible in hopes to wear them out. Persistence was his strength above everything else, not even speed or inhuman healing abilities lived up to that much. The cuffs, however, were a little more adamant about keeping him in place than Rin expected.

Schwoo!

Rin went rigid at the sound, knowing someone was entering. A myriad of panicked thoughts entered his head, each one far worse than the last. All of which was a stiffened wondering of who had decided to join him in his suffering. An officer? Shima? That mad scientist from earlier? The flaming birdman? The psycho lady who somehow, somehow convinced him to let her run a blood test? Lucifer himself?

"Calm down, Rin, it's just me."

Rin immediately let out a sigh of relief as soon as Yukio spoke. The soothing sound of his brother's voice lulled Rin into a far more relaxed state, made him feel like he was less on an examination table and more like he was at home. Even if his bed in the monastery didn't feel like icy steel gnawing away at his skin. Yukio's nimble fingers worked pensively on the restraints, figuring out in record time how they snapped open and close. Once Rin's hand were free, he sat up. Perhaps a bit too quickly because the world spun and his head began to ache. He massaged his wrists, hoping to ebb the faint throbbing from their confinement.

Yukio was already going to work on the restraints on Rin's legs when he spoke. "How did you get past the guards?"

"What, didn't you know? I've very good at sneaking around, stealing things, aaaaaand voice mimicry." Yukio explained, watching with satisfaction as the restraints broke away on Rin's thighs.

"No way!" Rin said, reaching down to help get himself free. The ankle shackles came loose in a thick, dark sound that resembled a Clack! "Since when were you good at that stuff? Actually, since when were you good at being bad in general?"

"Exorcism teaches you thing you wouldn't expect," Yukio said with a smile. "Someone had to learn how to sneak around. You obviously sucked at it."

"I can sneak around!" Rin exclaimed, pointing to himself. With an unimpressed look from Yukio, he insisted. "I totally can!"

"Then prove it and shut up," Yukio said. "If we want to get out of here, we have to be quiet." He was quick to reopen the door, tail swaying back and forth

Rin snorted, rolling his eyes. The reference to their days in the monastery had him miffed more than anything. Yukio didn't need to bring up the fact that Shirō had repeatedly caught him sneaking around when he shouldn't be. "Alright, Mr. Smart-ass. If you're so clever and sneaky, you lead the way."

Yukio smirked. "Gladly."

Suffice to say, attempting to sneak out only got them as far as a couple feet past the door frames. Two square-faced, brutish-looking guards were about to reach up to their comms and contact reinforcements. They looked awfully Nazi-esque in the twins' minds, though they wouldn't say that out loud. Rather, they shared a thoughtful glance with one another and remembered the draft in the room.

'Are we gonna...' Rin gestured to the fully clothed soldiers. 'You know.'

'Oh, absolutely,' Yukio returned.

They cracked their knuckles and turned back to the unknowing soldiers.

Rin grunted, shoving the knocked out, half-naked body of one of the poor men into the room. He flopped gracelessly over his friend, who was in an equal state of knuckle-sandwich induced slumber. The door slid shut just as Rin walked out, brushing at an odd, out of place wet-spot on his dark t-shirt, probably drool obtained from dealing with sleeping people. They had decisively decided to exclude the teal jackets from their new outfits as they had no way to rip the red armband off.

"Well, that happened," Rin said, pursing his lips into a thin line. Truth be told, he could regard that as one of the most unpleasant experiences of his life. Yukio, on the other hand, seemed unfazed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not bothered if that's what you mean," Yukio answered. "It's just skin. I'm used to it. Doctor training does not a squeamish one make."

"Says the bastard who's afraid of needles."

"When I was six!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Rin brushed his brother off, starting forward. "I have no idea how this place works. So lead the way, four-eyes!"

Yukio rolled his eyes, still finding his brother to be as ridiculous as ever. Changing subjects at every conceivable moment and pretending he wasn't an absolute buttmunch when he had no reason to be. If only, for the sake of pissing off his brother, did he decide to do that. Though Yukio supposed to an extent that it would be nice to get some payback once all of this was over.

The hallways flew by in a blur. A newfound adrenaline surged through Yukio's body. Even as an exorcist who could outmatch Rin and Suguro in training, he had never sprinted this fast before. The pride that came with having more strength than he'd ever so much witnessed both growing up and in the past year or so. He veered left on instinct. A bright scent was leaking through the chinks in Dominus Liminis.

Sunshine and fresh air.

Yukio broke out into the bright daylight followed closely by his brother. The breeze assaulted him, dragging him away from the ardent smell of antiseptic and the claustrophobic feeling the colorless, metal walls gave off. He took in the nearly empty area, the massive runways, the sound of four propellors whirring to keep something afloat, and the sound of accusatory voices.

"There they are!" They shouted. Led by them were none other the infamous Homare and Saburōta.

Rin and Yukio immediately dashed in the opposite direction only to find out far too late that there was nowhere to go other than down. And the towering fall did look pleasing in the slightest. Rin, despite his perfect vision, could barely see the ground and gaped in awe. "Whoa..." He swallowed, sharing a concerned look with Yukio before turning around to meet their adversaries.

"It was a good attempt, I'll give you both that much," Saburota said. A sly grin spread across his face as he spoke in his grating sing-song voice. "Though it turned out to be futile in the end."

The twins bared their teeth, growling as the sharp clicks resonated around with the cocking of multiple military grade guns. Things Yukio had only once held and maybe dreamed of seeing up close. Sleek black barrels that threatened to blow their heads off and yet they'd only regenerate it all back in a moment's notice. Satan may even take joy in their physical torment.

Even now, they could hear Satan taunting them. It was a bitter glee that rasped unpleasantly like nails on a chalkboard or silverware on a plate.

"No more resistance," Homare said, her soft voice a mix of commanding and pleading. "Come with us. We can help you."

"That's one helluva 180, lady!" Rin snapped, bracing himself against the railing. "Help us? You chained me to a table! You imprisoned Yukio! You drew my blood!"

"You were both volatile, destructive, we had to subdue you first in order to get you to listen," Homare explained. Somehow she still remained monotone and it didn't settle well with either of the boys. The drag of her tone almost made Rin feel sympathetic. "In your insanity and blood rush, there was nothing else we could have done. And you consented to me drawing your blood." She pointed out.

Yukio froze in place, eyes dragging over to Rin's figure as he tensed further. 'Rin... is that true?'

'I don't know,' Rin admitted. 'I don't remember. One minute I was talking to you, the next she had my blood in a syringe. It's all just a daze.'

Yukio narrowed his eyes, thinking on that. 'What could she have done to you?' He wondered.

"We would gladly accept you among us," Saburota said, a bribe on the tip of his silver tongue. "You would be worshipped among us, given honorary titles and plenty of room to run around and do as you please. No fear of having to be trapped, not by us and not by the Order."

Homare stretched out her gloved hand. "Come with us," She repeated. "Lucifer wished to speak to you."

Bared teeth and more feral growling followed that sentence. Yukio stepped forward, slowly approaching their hunters until he loomed over them. "You're a damn hypocrite." He hissed. "You promise freedom but promote the death and extermination of those who don't agree with you, you speak about truth and enlightenment but your methods are just as shady if not worse than the secrets the True Cross Order hides!" He paused, getting ahold of his rage. His eyes flickered around to everyone surrounding him. Some of them were shaking, many of them were afraid. Good. "And Lucifer doesn't know anything. He is a murderer. He is evil and uncaring of those around him. He is driven by his agenda for a perfect world and blind to the fact that no such thing exists!"

"Lucifer is a leader, he is perfect," Homare said. Faintly, one could make out the tightness of her voice, the strain required to hold herself back.

"LUCIFER IS A DEMON!"

SMACK!

The sound echoed, piercing the air. Silence fell.

Yukio reached up to lightly brush his fingertips across his cheek where an angry red mark was beginning form. His eyes began to sting. A memory began to form in his head, one he had tried so hard to fight back and forget. Who had done this to him? Had his father comforted him? He could vaguely recall one of his superior's voices.

"You insolent brat, who are you to talk back to me?"

Somewhere through the hazy fog that clouded his mind, he could hear Rin calling out for him and the warm squeeze of his hands on his shoulders as Rin tried to bring him back. The warmth left suddenly as Rin marched forward, teeth gritted and ready to tear Homare to ribbons. Yukio could just hear them talking but it was muffled and it couldn't be heard until everything finally snapped back into place and his vision cleared.

"-Did you just say?"

"Must I repeat myself for someone so slow-witted?"

"Excuse me?"

"Lucifer wishes to speak to you, I will not have you running around willy-nilly until he does."

"Who are you to tell me what to do? You're not my mom!"

"You are such a child."

"I take pride in that! Especially since I'm going to beat the ever-living shit out of you in the next few seconds!"

Yukio stumbled forward, his boots shuffling over the metallic ground. Rin brought his head around so fast that he nearly got whiplash. He didn't think twice about placing his palm against the side of Yukio's face or intertwining his fingers with his brother's.

'Hey, you okay?'

'Yes, I'm fine, I'm just... a little shaken up.'

'That wasn't okay with me. She's going to die for that.'

'I wouldn't mind if you did slaughter her but I doubt right now is the proper time for that.'

"You two are outmatched and have nowhere to go. It would be in your best interests to follow me to Lucifer's chambers."

Rin turned to glare at Homare. Yukio's fingers tightened around his, slowing Rin's heart rate. The clarity brought with Yukio's presence calmed Rin's desire to shed blood. It was the least he could do after everything they had been through in the past week. A needle was sewing up their torn relationship and it felt so right to be the foil to one another. Hot and cold opposites in their reactions to something so small yet so large at the same time.

'Rin, I have an idea,'

'I can see inside your head and I already don't like it,'

"Neither of you can survive military grade weapons despite your incredible healing abilities. I won't ask again."

The twins swallowed nervously, tightening their grip on the interlock of their hands. Yukio breathed out, stepped forward as Rin kept close. A mental countdown went off on their heads. Homare seemed to calm down. She and Saburota turned their backs and the militia began to march back across Dominus Liminis. They were so close. So, so close.

The twins whipped around quicker than lightning and bolted back for the railing. Their boots were propped up on the metal railing as they jumped into the air and over the edge of the flying ship. The wind blew past them and gravity yanked them down to the earth. They disappeared through the ocean of clouds, already too late to save.

Homare leaned over the railing, staring in utter shock at how fast they had moved, how stupid they must have been to choose death over salvation. She had no words to properly explain the ocean of emotions that sloshed inside her so she kept quiet until she could think of a reaction that was appropriate for the situation. She straightened herself up as Lucifer's presence made itself known to her. He always seemed to know what to say to soothe the worst of times.

"Fear not," Said he as he watched the puffy white clouds surrounding them. "They will survive and we will get them back. Father will not let them perish so easily."

Homare nodded, following as Lucifer beckoned she and her brother away. They followed closely, both in thought and one a little too smiley for everyone's taste. Lucifer's cold gaze turned to Homare, who found herself staring back at his prompting look.

"Adeptus Major," He said commandingly. She saluted ("Commander?") "I must ask, how is Lord Hachirotaro fitting your needs?"

Her eyes gleamed roguishly. She plucked her glasses from the bridge of her nose and returned his gaze with something hypnotic filling the air.

"He is incredibly helpful in obtaining information and other much needed... requirements," She said carefully. "He suits me rather nicely."

Rin screamed. His voice was lost to the wind as it streamed past him. He and his brother hurled toward the land at incomprehensible speed yet despite the looming fear that any minute now they were going to die, Yukio was eerily calm. Rin wasn't nearly as such and found himself freaking out about everything, especially his brother.

"What the hell, Yukio?!" He screeched, reaching for his brother's shoulders. "What now?!"

"We'll be fine."

"Fine?! We're miles above the ground and we're literally about to die! What about this situation makes you think we're fine!" Rin paused abruptly, going into a horrid coughing fit. His glare returned to Yukio just as soon as it was averted. "And you tell me to think about the consequences!"

"I did think about the consequences," Yukio snapped. "I thought about every possible outcome and this turned out to be the best alternative to everything else."

"Beyond just going with them?!"

"Yes! Look, this isn't the first time this has happened, I promise we're going to be saved."

Yukio's eyes began to glow, a red pinpoint appearing in the center of his pupils.

"Whoa, wait a second! You're not relying on me to do this, are you?!"

"Who the hell ELSE would I RELY ON?!"

"I can't save you this time! Who do you think I am?!"

"You've done it before, you can do it again!"

"I was able to do it before because you jumped off a building, not from five miles up!"

Yukio's eye twitched. "You're telling me you have limits!?"

He really should not have been surprised as he was. The fact that Satan could reach through his eyes, break things, melt bullets, and cushion an attack from the top of a ten story building had made him assume that Satan could do just about anything except physically touch anything or use any of his senses aside from sight. Yet, here he was, arguing with the supposed God of all demons over his own capabilities. So much for considering the consequences.

"EVERYBODY HAS LIMITS, I CAN ONLY EXIST IN THIS REALM FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME!"

"Wait, you jumped off a building?!" Rin gawked with wide eyes. His expression spoke more than any voice could about his immediate shock and the restraint he had to issue in order not to start screaming again. "What the fu-"

"Now is not the time, Rin!" Yukio interrupted. "It's not important!"

"What do you mean it's not important?!"

"We are falling to our deaths, is what I mean, Rin. Jumping off a building is not important right now!"

"Oh, my God, we're GONNA DIE!"

Rin's voice was left behind him as the ground got much closer than before. The trees were really beginning to come into view and he feared he'd see the leaves a little too soon. At least, much faster than he'd be comfortable with.

Whoosh!

Almost as Rin was certain he'd hit the ground, a black mass intercepted his view. The world spun, then slowed as dust, dirt, and grass came to flood his vision. His eyes watered as pain rocketed through his stomach, ribs, and pelvis. He was relieved to hear Yukio groaning in agony beside him. It was nice to know he wasn't the only one who was throbbing from the sudden sucker punch to the gut and that they both were somehow, somehow still alive. His arms shook as he pushed himself up to get a better view.

"Are you okay, Rin?" Rin moaned as a response, fingers digging into the downy fur beneath him. It was so soft he thought he might fall asleep. "I'll take that as a yes."

The voice speaking to him was soft and juvenile but far too familiar for Rin to just forget who it belonged to. He suddenly came into focus, pushing a breath of air out of lungs and bringing his knees underneath him in order to steady himself. He absently hoisted Yukio up by the collar of his shirt. "Kuro? Is that you?"

"Who else would it be?"

"Kuro!" Rin exclaimed, leaning forward on the valiant beast's back. He eagerly held onto Kuro's scruff, noting the rough ends of his fur around there. With that, Rin dissolved into a blubbering mess. "Oh, Kuro, I can't believe you just saved us! The things you must have been through while I was gone! I promise I'm gonna give you one of my homemade buttermilk baths when we get home and clean you up!"

"Waaaa! Buttermilk?" Kuro inquired excitedly. When Rin nodded, he began jumping up and down excitedly, nearly causing Yukio to fall off. "Rin, you're so nice!"

Yukio watched in a mix of amusement and bemusement. They were crying up a rainstorm, sniveling like tiny children as promises were exchanged between the two. Truly his brother and Kuro were something else. Demons indeed.

Oh, wait.

A/N:

Hails: So, the chapter 100 raws came out and I am not okay. I meant to have this up yesterday before then but I was so tired, especially since I had just gotten home from a 3-day church-related leave (it was mostly to help make hygiene kits and organize food to be given to the poor.) I do, fortunately, have some things to say before the post of the next chapter, so I recommend you read these.

Twin Telepathy
I've always been fond of the twins being able to communicate telepathically and I finally got around to incorporating it into my fic. It opens up doors for all kinds of goodies in literature and it must be hella helpful on the field when Rin and Yukio can't communicate out loud or in Morse code without being caught (yes, it's canon the twins know Morse code. Fight me.)

Rin Blowing Up Pipes
This is a personal headcanon of mine. I believe Rin (and I guess Yukio now) can make anything blow up if they focus their flames the right way. Shura just had to give Rin a proper explanation about pipes and shit to get him to come to terms with it. We all know how ridiculous Rin can be sometimes, he probably asks a lot of questions and needs help being guided through the 'why's' of everything in the world.

Yukio's Reaction to Being Slapped
Another headcanon of mine is that Yukio has been physically beaten before. Not a lot but enough that it kinda freaked him out, especially since I also headcanon that Shirō has never hit the twins (maybe thrown a plastic plate at their heads or pinched their cheeks or gave them a noogie, things that are more like play-fight rather than punishment-fight.) That being said, to me it also explains Rin's reaction to being smacked across the face in the first chapter of the manga and why he was suddenly so quiet and obedient.

EDIT: I can't believe I forgot to do this. A special shoutout to guest reviewer Elliot. Your review had me giggling for three minutes straight, it was so funny and I'm glad you love the story!

That being said, be sure to read and support your local authors!

Stay savvy, my friends.
~Hails