Chapter 26
Mephisto watched the spectacle from above, taking great pleasure in the humans' plight against the demon. Running around like chickens with their heads cut off. None of them really knew what they were up against. The Impure King had been sealed for so long, that no one was familiar with it anymore, and no one who still knew about it was powerful enough to seal it, forget destroying it.
The head priest did a fine job holding it back, but a single old man could only do so much. With the True Cross in such trouble, who ever should they turn to?
Of course, they imprison the only one with enough power to stop the creature in a cell. Humans really are just dumb little creatures sometimes. They can't see a blessing when it's bright and shining right in front of their eyes. Quite literally, in the case of Rin Okumura.
Mephisto sighed. Maybe those exwire students managed to free him, and maybe they didn't. If the boy manages to keep his flames in check, any exorcist or demon of any intelligence knows that flame will defeat rot. That's just the way it is. It shouldn't take a genius to see that their best weapon against the Impure King is an exorcist-to-be with the third most powerful flames that demonkind has ever seen. Okumura is willing to work with them, but they are too proud and stubborn to see what a pwerful gem they possess. Although...
The forest just below Mehpisto suddenly exploded with blue fire, quickly increasing its radius from the centre of the Impure King, no doubt where Rin Okumura was positioned, destroying the creature. Of course, all he needed to do to spare his life would be to defeat the Impure King, but cleaning up the rot and miasma as well? That's well and beyond the expectations! Mephisto's plan for the youngest hell king was falling into place more perfectly than he had intended.
"Magnificent! A veritable bonfire! Ahahahaha! A Blue Exorcist is born, who is destined to kill his own kind! Hee hee hee ha ha!
I felt my strength waning and heard the flames around me slowly pull back in, until the pillar that shone above me was extinguished. I knelt and panted with the effort. I could only hope I was successful, or I'll be executed. I might be executed anyways...
The purification is complete. I will leave now. Uchuusma spoke, I wonder, which are you? Human, or demon? The time will come when you must decide.
The flame demon vanished in a spiral of flame, and left me to my thoughts. Human or demon? I thought that the answer to that was already clear. I'm a demon. I'm too bad, too evil to be a human. I'm not the same as them, I've never fit in. I am too much a demon to even keep a single friend. Everything I do hurts someone else around me, even when I try my hardest not to. My efforts are always in vain and never recognized beyond my demonic abilities and how much of a monster I am. I have to decide between being human and demon? No, that's wrong. I already am a demon. There was never any human to begin with, just a demon trying to fit in with humans. That's all I am.
"Okumura!" I hear Bon calling me. I'm glad he's alright. Maybe that means that I was successful and didn't burn anyone else? I shouldn't get too hopeful. I know how much of a fuckup I really am. But I can't show that right now. Gotta keep him happy, gotta make him smile, can't let anyone see me scared.
"Suguro, Shura, I... I did it! I controlled the flame!" I put on a huge smile and sheathed my sword, "It still needs some fine tuning but I can burn some things and leave others untouched!"
"You've done that before..." Shura commented.
"But this time it was fully intentional!" I turned to see another group of exorcists walking towards us, Shima and Konekomaru in the front. That reminds me of what I said to Konekomaru yesterday.
"Konekomaru! I can finally control my flames! I controlled it so it only burned the Impure King!" Maybe now, we can be friends. I guess I still do feel a longing for the companionship of others, so now that I've proved I won't hurt them, they'll trust me, right?
Maybe, maybe not. I mean, they can at least trust me not to hurt them, but they won't be trusting me not to keep secrets from them any time soon...
"That blue flame purified everyone else who encountered the gas, as well as the fungus. That power... I can't thank you enough." I don't know who that is, but that exorcist guy seems pretty nice. I can't believe that someone is actually thanking me! For the first time ever... Someone who says thanks... I don't even know what to call this feeling. I just know that it feels really good.
My face went bright red, "C'mon, all this praise is embarrassing..." I stared down at my feet. Even if he's complimenting me now, he could still be a threat later.
"Okumura, thank you." Konekomaru said, tears falling from behind his glasses, "You've got to forgive me!" He bowed. I'm confused, what does he need to be forgiven for? Treating me like the demon that I am? I just went over to pat his head. He doesn't seem to like it that much, but teasing him is kind of fun.
"Yukio!" I turned and saw my brother in the crowd of exorcists, "You're okay too!"
"Shura, why is Rin out of solitary confinement?" Yukio turned away from me. That stings a little, but I guess he's still not too happy with me. I mean, between the self-harm, using my flames recklessly, getting tossed in Mephisto's stupid prison, using my flames again just now... way back, he told me not to use them at all, so I guess I disobeyed him. Again.
Anyways, now's not the time to keep brooding. Gotta keep up my act! "I saved everyone here! I bet you're so surprised that it made your jaw drop off! It won't be long before I surpass you!" I hope I'm not overdoing it. I sound like how I used to act before Yukio found out about my secret habits.
Then he punched me. In the face. I knew he was mad, but does he have to take it out that way? I know I'm meant to be hated, but it still hurts. I know that Yukio hates me and he has every right to. I still care about him, and as much as it hurts that he hates me, at least he doesn't hate himself. I'd rather be his scapegoat than have him have to feel that way. It sucks, I know that. As much as he hates me, I still hate myself more, and I still care about him.
"Stop joking around! Do you know what sort of situation you're in?" Yukio shouted.
"Yes I do. I am Satan's child. I've always been afraid to accept my power, but I don't have a choice. I have to face it and accept it. How it was before, I was wrong..." Just why did Father Fujimoto save me?
Shura shuffled Yukio off with most of the other exorcists, while a couple of doctors stayed behind to tend to Bon, Kuro, and me. I guess she didn't want the situation to get any more tense between the two of us. The doctors put some bandages around our wounds and gave us some medicine to drink. I think it had a sedative in it, because I started to feel really sleepy after drinking it. I heard them say something about helicopters, and I passed out.
I woke up, I don't know how much later, back at Bon's mom's inn. And Shiemi was sleeping right next to me. Please don't tell me that she got hurt too...
Just then, she opened her eyes and saw me. "Rin, you're awake! I'm glad."
"Why are you sleeping here? Are you injured?"
"Oh, no. I came in to change an IV drip and I fell asleep watching your face because I'd been up all night yesterday. Good job Rin. You and Suguro saved these guys."
"I guess it got pretty hairy, but I just thought about you and Paku and the other people who believed in me and it kept me going. So, thanks."
"Really? I was helpful to you?" Shiemi suddenly sat up and started speaking with animation, "I was able to help?"
"Uh, yeah, a big help actually..."
"Shiemi turned away and looked back at me, crying. Shit, I made her cry again! Why am I so dumb! "I'm so happy!" She grabbed my hand and held it in between hers, "Listen Rin, from now on, no matter what happens, I'm your friend. We're friends forever and ever!"
As happy as that makes me... I've just been delegated to permanent friend status. Now I have less than the slightest chance against Yukio for her affections. Damnit!
Then I heard some giggling behind me. Was Shima listening? The. Whole. TIME? "I'm here too, you know." Izumo called.
"Bon and Koneko have their own rooms." Shima explained, "Word is, we've don't head back to Tokyo for a couple of days, so Miss Kirigakure said that we could have tomorrow off. So, if it sounds like fun to you, wanna be a tourist?"
A little while later, I wandered around to try to find some food. It looks like most of the other exorcists that were called here have already gone back to whatever cities they're from. I saw Yukio sitting in a chair, dozing. He didn't smell like fresh blood right now, so I can only take that as a good sign. Although, I don't know how much longer he'll stay that way...
"Yukio! Your clothes, have you been up since yesterday?"
"...Yeah." he replied. He sounded really tired.
"Then get in bed! You can't just lie around here. You're exhausted from being so tense all the time..." I noticed that he had fallen back into a doze. He probably didn't hear anything I just said. I walked towards him and ran my hand through his hair, "Take it easy. I need to talk to you, bro, so don't go anywhere." I walked away and left him where he was. I know he probably didn't hear me, but I really do need to talk to him. Shura was right, we do need to talk some things out. I want answers from him, and no doubt he want answers from me.
I have a few people that I still need to talk to. I need to talk to Shura, she probably comes first, and I would like to talk to Izumo again. Paku too, it I can. Then Bon, I really need to ask him about what was up with him and his dad, and how his brain works. Seriously, he wasn't mad about me being the son of Satan? And he was only upset because I didn't talk to him? We need to sort that out. Yukio, I'm pretty sure, will be last. He'll be the hardest to talk to, and the most important. Yukio was with me at the beginning of all this, whichever point in time might be considered the beginning, and he's still going to be here at the end. It fits nicely that way, all tied up in a neat little bow. Until then, tomorrow we've got a vacation. We get to be tourists in Kyoto! And maybe I'll get to see the Kyoto tower...
I walked back to my futon with a huge grin on my face. Just the thought of the Kyoto tower put me in a better mood. I'd even forgotten that the metal bits I'd nicked from Mephisto's prison were probably trashed with the clothes I was wearing when we were brought back here. I had no materials with which to injure myself, and I still felt okay.
Shima and Konekomaru took us around to a lot of tourist traps in Kyoto. I guess Bon thought he was too cool to be a tour guide, even if he always assumes he's the leader in any other situation. Izumo wanted to see some shrine, Shiemi and Takara wanted to eat sweets, and I really, really wanted to see the Kyoto tower. Bon picked on me a little, but whatever. I'm pretty sure he was just teasing me...
Kuro had a lot of fun with us too. We got to see the tower, look out from the top, browse the gift shop, (they even had Kyoto tower dolls in various sizes!), and I wanted only one more thing.
"H-Hey guys, I have a request..." I don't know if they'll be okay with that or not. I mean, We've only just accepted that we can hang out as a group, so maybe this is a little forward of me...
"What is it, Okumura?" Konekomaru asked.
"Well, it's just the way I am, and you don't have to, but, um I just, uh, can we take a group shot right here?" I pointed to a photo stand with a tall Kyoto tower doll on it.
"Tch, I don't wanna get burned to a crisp." Bon commented.
"If Satan's brat orders it, then..." from Izumo.
"That sounded like a threat, so..." from Shima.
Konekomaru clapped his hands and bowed, "As Satan's child wishes."
"Isn't this considered bullying?" I asked, not sure if they were serious or not.
"We'll never let it drop. Don't let who you are go to waste!" Shima said.
"Besides, you don't need to ask." Bon patted my shoulder and walked forward to the picture stand. I can hardly believe that people can be this nice to me. It's such a good feeling, and I don't even know whether I should smile or cry.
I guess since we're taking a picture, I'd better be smiling. We gave the camera to another tourist and asked her to take the picture for us.
Rin! Don't forget to look at the camera!
"Thanks Kuro." I picked up my favourite little buddy and we posed. It was a lot of fun, and I'm still having a hard time believing that I've got friends like this. This vacation might only last a day, but I don't want it to end just yet. I hope we can stay friends for a long time, not just for duration of this mission in Kyoto.
In case you missed the foreshadowing or didn't read my profile, there are only 3-4 chapters left in this story! Thank you so much to everyone who has been following this story (through fav'ing, following, or just clicking on it every time you se an update) and a special thanks to anyone who left reviews. They were all helpful in some way or another, whether it was to keep me motivated or to point out errors or how to fix the story from drifting too far off on a boring course. I want to have this fic done by the end of summer break, but September, hopefully at the latest. I'll see you in the next installment (if you intend to stick around). Cheers! - Shippo704