A.N. A shout-out of thanks to all of you who reviewed! Here's chapter two: Envy.
"You all fail."
Yukio Okumura's adamant words threw the class into a state of turmoil.
"Jeez Yukio, that's going a bit far even for you!" Rin crossed his arms at his chest and chose to avert his angry gaze from his teacher. Having known the teacher as his brother for a long time, Rin knew that such tactless approaches seemed to work better than straight out anger.
Suguro agreed, running a hand through his blonde locks. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but Rin's got a point. Give us another shot, eh teach?" Suguro adopted Rin's manner of avoiding eye contact with the professor as he spoke.
"Please, Yuki?" Shiemi peeped, suddenly clasping a hand over her mouth. This was class, she had to be formal! After letting her hand slip from her mouth, she tried again, unsteadily saying, "I-I mean, p-please, Mister Okumura?" In contrast to Suguro and Rin, Shiemi kept her gaze steadfast on Yukio's.
The teacher's sigh of defeat was inevitable. "Fair enough. I suppose it is my fault for subjecting you all first to the strongest of the seven," he deduced while taking all the blame. Regardless, he was still quite bothered by how quickly all of them were taken in by Pride's temptation. They may only be Exwires, but…he decided to blame their generation as a whole rather than mull over detailed reasons. "Let's move onto the next one, shall we?"
Shiemi shifted uncomfortably in her seat and Rin took notice, asking her what was wrong. She shook her head at his question, answering, "I'm worried what is next. I don't want anything to overcome me again. I…" she paused and swallowed hard, "…I wasn't myself."
Rin suddenly gave her a single pat on the back, probably hitting her too hard if her sudden cough was any indicator. "Don't worry," he assured her. "If anything goes wrong, I'll be here to save you."
Shiemi smiled at this, but it soon faded as she asked, "But what if it overcomes you again too?"
His heroic disposition crumbled instantly and he turned his attention to the teacher's lecture, giving the timid girl next to him a reply consisting of frustrated grumbling; neither of them were aware of the burgundy gaze—brow furrowed in discontent—set firmly on the two.
"Ah, yes." Yukio's words brought all of the students out of their reveries. "Envy will be next." He poked his thumb with the needle again, reopening the previous wound. As his eyes surveyed the class, he warned, "Envy can be hard to overcome, so prepare yourselves accordingly. Shelter your mind from your greatest desire and any jealous thoughts." As he finished, blood dripped from his thumb and onto the page, causing to erupt from it a whirlwind of demonic magic. A content smile sat upon his face as small demons rushed from the page.
The class seemed to be struggling, although it appeared to be fruitful struggling as many seemed to be warding off the temptation of the demons. Rin, in particular, seemed to have no problem doing so, as did Shiemi; the former surprised Yukio, but the latter came as no surprise whatsoever. Innocent Shiemi probably hadn't a single drop of envy in her now that she had made so many friends.
Konekomaru seemed the most content out of everyone in the room. The nigh bald boy sat in his chair with his hands folded in what looked like prayer as his eyes remained closed. Using Aria verses would be against the rules of the test, however his closed mouth made evident that he was not doing such a thing.
Shima had already become possessed. The pink-haired teen seemed to be throwing a tantrum. "It's not fair! It's not fair at all!" He stood from his desk and began stomping the ground. "Why is it that other guys get chicks so easily, yet they pass me up without even a single look?!"
Suguro had lost concentration due to the fit and burst out laughing. "As if we didn't see this coming!" he exclaimed, one hand to his stomach and other used to point at his envious classmate while doubling over in laughter.
Rin took notice and joined in his laughter. "Shima, just accept it! No girl is ever going to try for you!"
The laughter provoked their envious classmate and suddenly a chair was tossed at Rin who managed to pull Shiemi into a ducking motion with him; the chair bounced off their desk before colliding with the ground. "And you have room to talk, hotshot?!" Envious was one thing, but what Shima clearly was now was enraged.
"Shima!" Yukio called out. It did nothing to grab the student's attention, and instead grabbed Suguro's.
"Hold on, teach," Suguro stated. "It won't do us any good if you just intervene if something goes wrong. This is a learning experience, so let us learn." His statement was full of crap; he just wanted to see Shima and Rin duke it out. Nevertheless, Yukio abided the situation with reluctance and Shima and Rin burst into argument, with Rin throwing the first comeback.
"I've had loads of girlfriends!" Rin shouted matter-of-factly. He pointed to his brother, stating firmly, "Just ask my brother!"
The brother in question did his best to stifle his chortle.
It was everyone's expectation that Shima would be the one to snap back at Rin, but when an angry female voice joined the fray, things took a turn for the worse.
"What?!"
Rin looked down at Shiemi, thinking it was her at first, but the girl who still remained in his protective embrace simply shook her head. That left only one other; when Rin turned his head, his eyes grew wide as saucers and his jaw dropped in fear before he scooted back in his seat, pushing the desk back with him while also pulling Shiemi along. Izumo was leaning down in front of him, hands on her hips and scowl on her flushed face with glazed eyes.
"Izumo?!" Rin called to her in confusion.
The girl clenched her fists and bit her trembling lower lip. Suddenly her seething anger erupted. "First it was Shiemi, always Shiemi, and now you're telling me you're some sort of chick magnet playboy?!"
Konekomaru, who had been concentrating really hard on staying calm and defending himself from temptation, suddenly lurched and let out some sort of odd grunt. He obviously had lost all concentration.
"Pl-playboy?" Shiemi repeated the foreign word with hesitation. Her innocent and worry-filled gaze landed on Rin's face. "What does she mean, Rin?" Her hands gripped his shirt gently; the action caused Izumo to twitch.
"Why are you holding her like that, Rin?" Izumo suddenly questioned hastily, completely changing the subject. "Why does she get all your attention, hmm?" Before he could muster a reply, Shima chimed in.
"Oh my dear Izumo, why do you run to Rin and not me?!" His plea went unanswered.
Rin stuttered for a response to the fuming tamer. "I, well I, I mean, well Izumo it's…why are you even acting like this?!"
Izumo had been trembling before from what seemed to be sheer anger, but at Rin's response the truth came out as she burst into tears. "I hate you, Rin! It's always Shiemi! You never show me any care! Is it because you just don't care?!" She suddenly tore Shiemi from his embrace and threw her to the ground, then kicked Rin in his chest, sending him toppling over the desk behind him before falling awkwardly on the previously thrown chair that lay on its side.
Amongst all the commotion, Suguro had weaseled his way up to the forgotten teacher Yukio. With a whistle indicating he was impressed, Suguro stated, "What a great show."
Yukio remained silent, his head hung low and shoulders slumped. In one sudden motion his body stood erect and he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Shut up!"
A voice on equal tone and volume followed suit. "Nemu Takara agrees! What is this insistent squabbling? You all should be envious of the greatness that is I!"
The classroom was as still as a painting, all eyes on the puppet guy, save for Yukio's which surveyed the scene: Rin lay on top of a sideways chair, his limbs tangled amidst its legs, while on the floor Shiemi reached out for the demon boy who was being threatened from above by one Shima Renzo whom held a chair high above his head, ready to bash it into Rin had Konekomaru not been restraining him, while still adding to the fray was a crying Izumo collapsed to her knees at Rin's side.
"Suguro," Yukio called in a whisper, "help me with the verse against Envy."
Suguro chortled. "Do you really need my—" His mouth clamped shut and he nodded after seeing Yukio glare at him. Never in his life had Suguro seen a visage more threatening and frightening, and he was certain that even the face of Satan couldn't match what he'd just seen.
A.N. Heh, that's another sin down! I hope you enjoyed it and laughed a few times!