Well, hey there! It's been a while hasn't it? Just got back from being abroad for my work and now I have a bunch of shit to post. Wifi tre sketch where I was. Plus, I've just been so damn busy lately with RL. A pain but hey, got to eat!
Anyway, I hope this wets your appetite because boy am I JUST getting started!
I would like to thank all of you for reviewing and just been so damn great, I'm happy this idea is something a majority of people want to see!
Now onto the show!
Chapter Three: The Trouble With Running Away From Things; IE: They Tend To Find You Later
2:21 AM; Ninth Circle; Upper Tier…
When Rin finally made it to the top of the stairwell, he immediately noticed the sky. It seemed as if it was nighttime but that did not explain why the clouds were a deep purple or why the sun seemed to be a small, dim blue sphere in the sky. He may have not payed attention in class all that much but skipping classes to cloud watch taught him that the sky was most definitely blue and the sun a bright yellow in the morning, a deep orange at noon and a burnt red in the evening. He had seen the sky pink before with the setting of the sun but this color of purple so reminiscent of amethyst was just plain weird, pretty...but weird. It wasn't natural.
Neither was the fact that there was nary a star in the sky, just a blank cloud covered expanse that looked more painted on then actual air.
Shaking his head at the strange sight, the navy-haired teen turned to take in his surroundings as well, only to catch a glimpse of the mayhem that he had inadvertently caused.
There were Demons everywhere. Human-looking and otherwise. With horns, extra appendages, extra eyes, even some of the more humanoid ones were strange in their proportions ranging from midgets to towering giants...
Feeling like whiplash could be his middle name he peeked past the smoking rubble crater of what used to be a brick building of some kind and watched as a not-so-small crowd began to form around what looked like a fortress of massive proportions, gibbering, chattering, and squawking in the hubbub of life of the strangest kind. The tall, grey stone structures with thatched roofs of straw and metal sheeting surrounding it were demolished almost completely.
Globs of the Phantom Train were strewn about, interspersed with the wreckage. They pulsed weakly, now a pale shade of lilac as they struggled to reconstitute themselves back into one form. The wiggling was futile though. Being shredded once and expecting to be able to heal itself was tricky but not impossible. Twice? That was a sure-fire death sentence.
Blinking with his mouth wide open, Rin stared at the destruction he had—without meaning to—caused.
I'm sooooo dead. Shoulders slumping and tail whipping in despondent dread Rin didn't notice that he was attracting quite a few stares from the few onlookers that were not affected by the destruction.
Hearing muffled whispers in his direction he caught sight of a gaggle of woman who were without a doubt Demonnesses. Eyes bugging out at the sight of their pale skin, pointed ears and curly tails—among scales, feathers and animal-like features—he coughed back his surprise and smiled sheepishly, a blush coming to his face as they giggled behind their hands whispering even fiercer then before to each other. Deigning not to say anything—women were women were women—he merely nodded in their direction and high-tailed it away from the underground entrance to the train station lest he be caught by the curious on-lookers or the law enforcement of the area for some silly reason or other.
Mind still trying to come to terms with all he had seen after coming out of the tunnel Rin cradled his Koumaken close and slipped the hood of the black cowl he wore in hopes to minimize all the stares aimed at his direction. What was so special about the way he looked anyway? Jeeze, not here even an hour and people are already looking at me funny! They're the funny looking ones!
Was there even such a thing as a normal-looking Demon?!
Sneaking past most of the milling crowd the ExWire noticed that the road was made out of roughly hewn cobblestone put together half-hazardously and that a thick layer of dirt was partially obscuring that as well.
In fact, the clothes that everyone was wearing were petty shabby too. The woman all wore ankle long skirts and ruffled blouses smudged with coal and dirt. The men weren't much better. They wore rough looking pants and tunic-like shirts of various muted earth browns and dirty greys. When you could tell the gender at all that is. Almost everyone had a cloak much like his, some more dirt splattered or red streaked then others.
Just by looking at what they were carrying and their dirt-crusted clothes he could tell he was in some sort of mining or factory area. The only question was where could he go to disappear and fast. The longer he pushed through the growing number of onlookers the more glances and stares were being thrown his way.
Which wasn't good at all.
If Forras knew who he was almost immediately then who knew who else would. He didn't need to attract anymore attention to himself. Especially that of the dragging-his-ass-straight-to-Satan kind. Not getting eaten was high on that list as well.
Batting away the near hysterical thoughts about how he was so fucked rising in his chest Rin ducked into a nearby alleyway to gather himself. There was little doubt as to whether he was in Gehenna anymore. Now he just needed to find some much-needed cover from all the stares he had attracted trying to move away from the scene of destruction before he completely lost control. He couldn't afford to flare up out there in the open of all places.
Just in time too, because as he turned the corner, the sea of Demons parted in haste as a group of five armored men came racing down the street. Metal chest plates and chain-mail woven from silver clanked and clanged as they moved down the road towards the disaster zone.
Peeking from his hideaway behind a serious of mauve, hanging sheets that were little more then rags, he noticed the finer quality of their uniform that consisted of dark and light blues as well as something etched deep into the metal covering their chests.
Unable to make out what it was and scared yet slightly curious about the world he was now in Rin hitched a leg up onto a broken window seal and using his Demonic strength hauled himself up to the roof of the building he had been hiding behind. Wrinkling his nose at the smell of dirt and mold that clung to the straw of the roof he shimmied across it's slopped surface until he came to the primitive clay built chimney which was smokeless at the moment and hid behind it.
While not great, the view the roof offered allowed him to see what was happening while at the same time keeping him out of the limelight. That was all he could ask for at the moment so he contented himself with sitting back and watching as the guards arrived at the scene of the crash. It helped that the voices of everyone in the square carried.
But what he saw made him wish he had hightailed it a bit further then just the measly block away he was.
Out of the rubble, a large shape emerged covered in dust but otherwise unharmed. He just happened to be pissed to all holy hell as well.
"JUST. WHAT. DO. YOU. THINK. YOU'RE. DOING!" In one ham-sized fist the minotaur-esqe mountain of a Demon hauled the remnants of the Phantom Train up from the wreckage by its jaw.
It screeched in pain, trying to wiggle its way out of the bronze-skinned Demon's grip and Rin's jaw dropped.
Sneering, the giant shook the train-shaped Demon violently while growling, "You fucker, you ruined my house!" The grip around its jaw tightened until something broke and with a horrendous squeal the train stopped moving, becoming deathly still.
Teeth barred the man/beast wheeled back his hand and with a flick of his wrist tossed the corpse of the Phantom Train off to the side careless of all the other Demons in the way.
The navy-haired teen watched in horror, looking away at the squelching sound of the train's death. That was two lives he had inadvertently ended that day. Sick to his stomach and a bit more then just disturbed, he bit his lip and peeked past the chimney again just in time to catch a glimpse of the person who had just thoughtlessly murdered another living creature. A spike of recognition flared through him and the image of another day and place came to mind.
Wide-eyed, Rin swallowed, hard. It was just like Amaimon. That creature was actually a Demon he knew. Specifically, the one who had tried to drag him back to Gehenna. The one that had attacked his home and nearly killed the clergy men that lived there. The one that had possessed that pigeon-killing thug Shiratori. Astaroth... Staring intently the blue-eyed Demon thought back as hard as he could for anything he could remember about the man below. A Demon King like Amaimon and Mephisto...
Things didn't look good. At all. So that's who Forras was talking about! If he had tried to kidnap him before in Assiah there was literally nothing stopping him from doing so now. Hell, the guy even had a home-field advantage! Stupid! I need to get out of here!
Just as he was about to turn tail and get the hell out of dodge, further commotion down below caught his attention and unable to resit Rin stopped, peering down again.
Out of the rubble the guards had dragged someone out from a large slab of debris and proceeded to throw them on the ground at the feet of the Demon King.
In that minute Rin knew there was no way he could just leave. Not if it meant sentencing the man to death. That seemed like the type of the thing the lavender-haired Demon would do on a whim. He seemed mad enough for it too.
At the King of Rot's feet lay a Demon with steel grey hair matted with blood. Forras had survived. But just barely.
Blood stained, his already shabby-looking clothing were blotted a dark, wet brown and mangled skin could be seen underneath the left over rags where the Phantom Train had bit into his side, crunching down on his ribs.
Without waiting Astaroth grabbed the man by his long hair and lifted him up to eye level heedless of the others injuries.
"Well, well, look who we have here! Forras! Where have you been skulking around these past few days?! Ain't the Chief Watchman of the Ninth Lower Tier suppose 'ta, ya know, report in a timely manner?!" He let out a sound of disgust and released the other, letting him fall to the ground amid the rubble and debris. "You better have a good explanation of why a fucking INFERNAL TRAIN crashed into my house you worthless piece of garbage! And make it good! I might just rip off only one or two of your limbs!"
Shaking, from either fear or blood loss the gold-eyed man rose to his knees in a spastic manner, and covering his wound stood, bowing deeply while not looking up. He managed to croak out, "M-my liege, I was only on patrol wh-when a section of the tunnels caved in."
"And?! Finish so I can get started mutilating your useless skinbag!"
Daring to look up Forras coughed, blood leaking down his chin as he stared straight at his superior. "My King...the Phantom Train had suddenly appeared in the tunnels. It-it was badly injured. I investigated for nearly a day and night for the cause...when I stumbled upon a s-survivor."
Furious whispers broke out amongst the crowd of onlookers.
Annoyed with all the noise Astaroth roared, "Shut your fucking traps, you bags of festering trash!"
That shut up everyone real quick and with a hand combing through his hair the Demon King took several steps forward, every time he did so, his form twisted and shrunk until a skinny, yet tall man with dark, olive skin draped in fine fabric and gold jewelry stood before the injured guard.
"Now," He grabbed the bruised chin of the Demon before him and twisted it up till his throat was fully exposed. "A survivor?" Red eyes narrowing Astaroth snarled, "You lie." Barely moving, he backhanded Forras sending him sprawling to the ground.
Turning towards the crowd, he spread his arms out wide, the golden bangles around his wrists clanking while he addressed the wary on-lookers. "A SURVIVOR HE SAYS!" Whirling around in a dervish of silk and heavy satin, he spit in the man's direction, yelling, "DO YOU TAKE ME FOR A FOOL?!" Barefooted, he stalked over to the crumbled form of the other and kicked him in the ribs exactly where the Phantom train had nearly ripped him in half causing the man to spit out a mixture of saliva, bile and blood.
"NO ONE SURVIVES A TRIP IN THE BELLY OF AN INFERNAL TRAIN!"
Harshly, he gripped the collar of Forras tunic and lifted him off the ground, not caring to hear anymore from the gravely wounded man.
Gasping weakly past the blood pooling in his mouth the silver-haired Demon tried to speak despite the choking grasp around his shirt. "B-but my King-"
"Be quiet!" Shaking his head, the prince of decay spat, "A survivor! You have a death wish. Spouting such trash! TO ME! Should I sever your tongue first or allow you to beg for mercy?" Cocking his head he grinned nastily, showing his wicked long fangs and serrated teeth before licking his lips. "OR...maybe I'll feed you to the other idiots who dared defy me. I'm sure if I leave you in dungeons tonight I''ll find nothing but a blood smear left in the morning! Hell, they may even lick that up too!" He threw his head back and laughed as if that was the funnest thing in the world. And nearly choked on his own tongue at the muttered words that left Forras mouth.
"His name...was Okumura Rin! He carried...a sword... It reeked of power... From Assiah..."
Still hiding behind the chimney, having listened to the entire conversation Rin swore, reeling back. So much for saving Forras! His own ass was now in the fire! Thinking about what to do he stood, ready to leap off the roof and back into the alley. He didn't blame Forras for saving his own ass but damnit! If he catches me... All the teenager could think about was the mad cackling of his deranged "papa." And shivered. Ah, hell no! I'm not going anywhere near that insane maniac!
"I gave him my cloak... in case he escaped so I could track him."
"Fuck!" Realizing that he had been tricked since the very beginning Rin unfroze and ripped off the cloak, throwing it as far away from him as he could. Without waiting to see where it would land he whirled around, forgetting he wasn't exactly on a smooth surface. His foot slipped and in a bid to catch himself from falling off the roof he dug his nails deep enough into the clay of the chimney that he ended up breaking off a sizable chunk of it in his hand by accident.
Surprised gasp stifled, he let go of the clay in surprise, feeling it give way underneath his weight and leaned away from the falling rock almost stumbling off the sloped straw and metal roof anyway. He hadn't counted on it creating a fault line of cracks throughout the base of it. With one action he had unintentionally succeed in finding the structural weakness of the chimney and before he could let out a curse the entire thing wobbled and then crumbled in on itself with a clatter of stone and groan of wood.
Having it rained down on the civilians below definitely caught some attention but it was the fact that that particular street happened to lead to the square where Astaroth, the Demon King of Rot stood with Forras in hand that completely screwed Rin over.
"GUARDS!"
Shit shit shit shit!
There wasn't time to scramble away as there was suddenly a cloud of Coal Tar in his face. Batting at the little nuisances that were crowding around his eyes, trying to blind him he lost his footing again.
And tumbled straight off the roof.
Hitting his face on something hard he rolled, landing violently on the roof of another house before flopping onto the canvas of a street stall directly below that due to his momentum. When he finally came to a stop he was spread eagle on his back, legs dangling above his head with a cast iron sauce pan embedded into his face. Tail wilting, Rin groaned in pain and derision. Nothing ever went his way did it?
A shadow appeared above his head and suddenly he was hauled to his feet by the scruff of his neck only to come face to face with a certain Demon King.
Who looked royally pissed.
"So...we meet again, eh . ?"
The blue-eyed boy winced, face still red from where the pan had hit him and chuckled weakly, waving a hand while his tail curled in fear around his leg, Kurikara's fuduka strap dangling precariously in the crook of his other arm. "E... Hello?"
Teeth flashing in a menacing grin the taller Demon narrowed his eyes and brought the younger male closer till he was so close he could smell the rancid stench of the others breath. "Oh, what a prosperous turn of fortune!~ Happy to see me ain't cha little prince?! Heheheheh!"
Remembering that the others tongue was just as long if not longer since the last time they met when it scraped a path along his neck up to his cheek leaving a trial of repulsive saliva in its wake Rin shuddered, struggling weakly against his iron hold in an attempt to wipe it off. "Gah! What the hell?!"
Foregoing an answer to the others flailing in disgust Astaroth looked behind him frowning and barked out over his shoulder, "Guards! Clean up this fucking mess! And as for the rest of ya fucks- GET BACK TO WORK!"
Saluting, the chain-mail wearing Demons began to yell orders and beat back the already scattering crowd leaving both of Satan's sons alone.
Turning back around, the frown melted into a self-satisfied smirk that Rin knew well. One that made him want to beat the snot out of the guy all over again. Ya know, if he wasn't like a full head taller then him.
Spotting the glower and pout aimed at him from his captive the lilic-haired man snickered meanly shaking the child he was still holding, "Now, now don't you worry. I'll make sure ya don't escape this time. In fact, I'll drag ya to Pandemonium myself! Satan-sama will be very pleased to have his youngest back! Kye~hehehehe!"
Narrowing his eyes, Rin gave the older man the middle-finger salute and growled, "Not a chance in hell!"
And then Astaroth was hit with the full length of a frying pan across his face courtesy of the navy-haired, half-Demon's tail.
"NYGAA! Ug-!" Stumbling backwards the Demon King dropped the smaller male and tried to staunch the bleeding of his broken nose, tears and anger hazing his vision a misty red. The blood splattered across his face didn't help.
"UW ITTLE MASTAD!"
Tongue sticking out Rin scrambled away from the bellowing Demon and broke out into a full tilt sprint hauling ass like the devil himself was on his tail. Which if he didn't get away would be far more literal then anyone would have wanted it to be.
"OKUMURA RIN!"
He was two blocks down and several hundred Demons deep by the time a chunk of building came hurling out from around the bend behind him, crushing several pedestrians and stalls in its path.
The Half-Demon swore and kept running regretting that there was people in the way but damnit he was so not going to see Satan face to face even if it killed him.
Koumaken slapping his leg as he pushed his way through the crowded bazaar he looked back only to see a cloud of Coal Tar hot on his trail. Squeaking in terror the teenager pushed his legs to run faster, head whipping around for somewhere to hide from the manic chasing him.
Along the way he bumped into several Demons all carrying an assortment of dirt, dish wear and some odd looking food. He didn't have time to stop and help the ones he plowed into though and yelling a muffled sorry, he kept going leaving a wake of angry Demon merchants and customers behind him.
"STOP HIM!"
The shout did the opposite in the large crowd causing people to stop and stare at the raging Demon King, allowing Rin to slip into an alleyway away from his pursuer.
He didn't stop running until he could no longer hear the sound of the others rage filled screaming. Considering how loud the others shouts of rage were that was pretty damn far.
Gasping, Rin wobbled and leaned against a crumbling wall, face scrunched up in despair. It hardly mattered if he managed to get away from the Demon King. The fact was, he knew he was in Gehenna. It was only a matter of time before Satan himself came looking.
And Rin knew he didn't have a chance in Hell in hiding from him.
Cursing, he smashed a fist against the brick and mud wall, sliding down to sit on his knees for a breather—he wasn't winded, just terrified out of his mind and that made his heart race. What was he going to do? I'm dead! I mean, sooner or later someone's going to catch me...
Biting his lip, the child curled into himself. He was alone. In a world he knew nothing about, filled with every possible human child's imagined monsters. One had already tried to eat him damnit!
How did things end up like this? All he had to his name was a sword he couldn't use and no doubt once the word spread, soon the entirety of Gehenna hunting his heels once the Demon god knew he was here. He didn't want this! Hadn't he been through enough?! But in the end... Why...
Kusojijii... Had his foster father died for nothing?
Just why?
Why was I...?
"Mister?"
Head snapping up Rin sniffed weakly, eyes wide, only to come face to face with large, gold irises not a foot away from his.
"Gyah!"
Scrambling backwards the Half-Demon's back hit the wall with a smack and spine snapping forward he cradled his stinging head in his hands. "Damnit!"
Eye tearing up in frustration Rin looked up again at the stranger standing not two feet from him.
Who was about three feet high...and very, very human looking.
Blinking in confusion, Rin wiped his eyes and took another look just in case he was hallucinating.
The little girl—because what else could it be?—dressed in a black and white petit fours monstrosity blinked back with baleful golden eyes, twirling a long braid of crimson-colored hair around her small fingers. Confusion marred her face and scuffing a bare foot against the dirt she asked again in that universally sarcastic yet innocent child manner, "Mister, are yous a dirt crab?"
Still staring in confusion they both just stayed still neither quite knowing how to deal with each other.
"D-dirt...crab?"
Brain stalling at that logic Rin tilted his head before looking down at himself. Through his journey—read: escape—from Astaroth he had managed to cover himself head to toe in red dirt and dust. A little mud was mixed in there too. In all actuality, it was the best disguise he could have asked for.
Understanding now what she had meant Rin pouted and wiping the dirt from his face—and only managing to smudge it more—he muttered, "Not a dirt crab."
The girl's mouth went "O"-shaped and she giggled.
Unable to be mad at her, the other child smiled wanly and catching on to the fact he had another Demon who didn't look they were in any mood to chase him he asked, "Ne, I'm a bit lost." More then just lost... "Could you tell me where I am?" Hopefully-
Titling her head cutely, she parroted, "Lost?" And then jumped onto that statement with all the enthusiasm of a child that she looked like.
He allowed his chest to fill with a bit of hope at her sudden understanding.
"Cools! I'm lost too!"
She said it with such a blindingly wide smile on her fanged face Rin couldn't help but grin back. Even if it was more then a bit of a grimace. And what felt like a two-ton weight pressing down on his chest from depression. Just great!
"But I'm sure Willas can help yous! I was playings hide an' seek with hims but now I can't finds my way backsy..." She looked down at the ground mumbling, "I'm always getting losts, it makes Iggy mad a lot."
The lisp was quite frankly adorable but Rin refrained from saying so. Girls got weird when you called them cute, no telling what a Demon one would do. Plus, she was like...half his age. "I...Iggy? Is that your dad or something?" Standing up he dusted off his pants bewildered by the fire-hydrant red the girl suddenly became.
"Ig-?..." Her eyes became as big as saucers as she realized what she had said. "DADS?!" Squealing she whirled around hands clapped over mouth in horror. "MGHH!" Shaking her head and causing her braids to fan out around her she refused to look at him, shoulders slumped and despondent.
Face falling the blue-eyed teen wondered what he had done wrong. "O...k. Um, so Willas you said?"
Glaring at him through her red hair she nodded but didn't take her hand away from her mouth.
Eye twitching, Rin grumbled, "So... I guess we have to find him first eh?" Scratching the back of his head, he looked around muttering under his breath, "Troublesome..." He needed to figure out where he could set up camp for that night before another Demon stumbled onto him that was less then friendly but he wasn't about to just leave the little girl all alone, Demon or not she was just a kid! Eyes widening, he slapped his forehead before peeking back at her and asking sheepishly, "Um, what's your name?"
Peering at him in suspicion and with a pout, she hesitated before deciding something in her own mind. Removing her hands from her mouth, the golden-eyed girl grinned suddenly and did an odd little spin that ended in a curtsy, her maid-esqe dress flopping about. "It's Wisp! Ig-" Shamefaced, she finished, "I means, his highness made me."
Before the full impact if that statement could hit him, something else, something heavy knocked into his upper back knocking him flat on his face for what felt like the tenth time that day.
"Haha, the greata Willow has foun' ya's Wisp!"
"Willas!"
Groaning in pain the teenager lifted his head out of the dirt to glower at the new arrival.
Who was standing on his back proudly. No more then eight years-old looking, he had pale almost translucent skin and wet, shaggy teal-colored hair that swayed much like his namesake. He was dressed much like a concierge from a black and white movie, a tiny hat tilted rakishly included.
Eh? Another kid?
And then a voice like a volcano screamed bloody murder. "COME BACK HERE YOU BRAT!"
A flock of something that looked like a mutated crow crossbred with a pterodactyl exploded out from behind a building startled by whoever was after the new addition to the back ally.
"Ah! Wisp hida me!" The child jumped off the ExWire's back and clung like a barnacle to the little girl's arm.
Sending an unimpressed look his way she stomped her foot imperiously nagging, "Willa, yous idiot! Whys his wateryness mads at ya now?!"
Rin could only watch as the little girl proceeded to box the other kids' ears in a very violent manner that reminded him of a certain sword wielding, ninja woman.
"Umm, hey-"
"Yous always causing his Highnesses and Highnesses grief!"
"Wahhhh! Wisp! Stop being mean! I didn't mean ta! I really didn'ta!" He scratched the back of his head and then smiled roguishly as he ducked one of her flailing arms, "At leasta not this time..."
And got hit upside the head for his troubles. "Yous a dingbat!"
"Whata?! Don'ta go acting all higha and mighty Wisp! I'm older then ya!"
Getting the distinct feeling of being ignored Rin let his raised hand flop to his side, an annoyed frown crossing his face as he watched the kids bicker like an old married couple. He resisted the urge to cover his ears as the argument reached a crescendo with Wisp yelling at the top of her lungs, "I hope their Highnesses flays ya alives Willas!"
And...
Then it hit Rin that her use of Highnesses was a lot like Forras with his "King" this, "King" that.
Wait... No- "I'm the Chief Watchman for the Ninth Lower Tier. I serve my King and make sure that his domain remains secure from outside forces. Be it from beyond the walls or in this case…"
And one second after that he remembered that the kid, Willow was being chased.
Face falling in almost tired resignation the blue-eyed Half-Demon whimpered, "Shit."
Well, shit.
Things are about to go DOWN! Who was chasing Willow! Will Wisp ever find her way home? More importantly, is Yukio having a complete and total mental breakdown?!
All this and more in...
Chapter Four: Trials and Tribulations and Tag
Tarry a while. Thou art so fair. ~ Wild