FUN AND GAMES

(Ao のExorcist)

BONxOC. After her mom collapses, Nagahara Chie comes across a ryokan. After an attempt to steal firewood, she finds herself asking for shelter for at least her mom. Permission is granted after a certain person sets an argument. Six years later, certain events cause Chie to leave; saying goodbye to the people who took care of her, Chie heads for True Cross Academy- where her father works. Now, things heat up when people reunite and new events and plans unfold. To make it more complicated, Chie is in love with a childhood friend from the ryokan! Does he love her back? But, even if he does- can they survive whatever fate has in store for them?!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN Ao の Exorcist! (THOUGH I SERIOUSLY WISH I DID!)

Deals and Goodbyes

Thank you Serpiroyal for your review, fave and follow. You made my day~

Ready |-^Ȱ-Ȱ^-| Start

"Tatsuma-sama, there is a guest for you." A guy that Yaozō had asked to take us to this 'Suguro Tatsuma' guy, said with a slight bow. Yaozō and I stood behind him, waiting.

A bald old guy turned to us; his eyebrows were like nothing I had ever seen. Just two splotches on his head. His mustache was the same. Beside him was a kid. Black hair, narrow eyes. He had a childish air, the kind that was innocent and curious.

"Yes?" the bald guy spoke. Yaozō nudged me but it didn't move me. I mentally prepared myself for rejection. I gritted my teeth and dropped to the ground, my head and hands on the floor in front of my knees.

"MY NAME IS NAGAHARA CHIE! I SEEK REFUGE FOR MY MOTHER!" I shouted sternly. What seemed like an eternity passed but I didn't move a muscle. My eyes were closed, silently begging for a favorable response.

"Just your mother? What about you?" a small voice piped up. I tensed. "Don't you want to have a warm place to sleep?"

"I don't care where I sleep. Mama needs a warm place to rest her head, not me." I replied, not moving from my bow.

More silence before I heard feet hitting the floor. I felt a hand on my head and a warm voice said to me "But won't that be lonely?"

After hours of waiting, Tatsuma came clomping into the room that Yaozō had me wait in. He had a kind expression and his body language didn't show any aggression. I was still cautious. I mean, I really don't want to keep mama here. She won't want to stay either. But I came to the realization that I just couldn't care for her alone. If these people can help her more that I can, then so be it.

I looked at the bald guy as he came closer to me. He smiled and looked back.

"Nagahara-san, I have been made aware of your mother's condition. It seems rather serious." He gave a chuckle. "I have discussed you issue with the other people residing here, they have unanimously decided that as long as you have a service to provide in exchange, your mother and you may stay." He chuckled again.

I felt overjoyed, I leaned forward.

"I can keep this place safe!" I exclaimed, giving my service. Tatsuma stared at me with some sort of shock. "I may not look it, but I have contracts with not only the element deities, but I also have smaller contracts that can be of use!"

"Is that so?" Tatsuma said, holding his chin with his fingers. "Very well then, we have a deal."

"I see. So, you have settled a contract of sorts with the people here, Chie?" Mama said; her arms folded over her chest.

"Yes, ma'am." I replied my head bowed slightly. I didn't really want to look at her and see what kind of expression she was making. It was most likely one that could make a blind baby cry. I heard some kind of shuffling, possibly the sheets that covered her. I expected to be whacked upside the head but instead, I felt arm arms wrap around me.

"You do too much, Chie." My body froze for a second but then relaxed. "This old woman couldn't have asked for a better daughter." I felt warmth on my shoulder and realization washed over me.

"Mama, why are you crying?" I whispered, gently tugging at the kimono she wore to pull her back.

"It is my fault that you wouldn't come to people sooner, isn't it? And even now, you didn't want to. Forgive me for putting you through all of this."

"There's nothing to forgive, mama." I smiled and pulled her back for a hug.

I met Yaozō's kids and Tatsuma's wife, along with the other people who lived there. A boy named Miwa Konekomaru was a resident after his parents died on the Blue Night; a night seven years ago that simultaneously killed dozens of prominent clergymen. Yaozō had three sons that I met, Jūzō, Kinzō and Renzō. Then there was Tatsuma's son, Ryūji. Everyone called him Bon, so I began to as well.

Mama had started to get better not long after we began to live there, but not long after, her health began to decline once again. News about my father came through one of his employees that mama didn't really take well. The people at the ryokan didn't know about the news, so the sudden decline was a shock. It came to the point that one of the doctors asked me what her condition was, exactly.

"It's not something that can be fully healed." I explained to the person in charge of medicine there. Tatsuma, Yaozō and Bon were there as well, Bon had just so happened to be with me when they asked. "It began in her blood stream, and slowly worked its way out. Her major organs are all rotting from the inside out." My eyes rested on her face.

"Is there anything that can be done to at least stop it from progressing?" Yaozō asked with his arms crossed.

"There is an herbal mixture that can slow the process. But it won't stop it." I sighed.

They bombarded me with questions regarding the mixture, but I couldn't give them the answers. I knew how to make it, and I knew what the ingredients were. But if I had told them what they were, they would have tried to go and get them. And that'll end up killing them.

Weeks passed and the topic of the mixture died down. I refused to talk to them about it.

Years passed after that, and the first chance to really keep them safe had arrived. Other than a few minor demons and rampaging guardians, it had been relatively quiet.

I was now twelve, and a nice-fish had been found. Tatsuma had offered to send exorcists after the mid-level demon, but I shot it down.

"That would only leave a mess for me to clean up."

"Hey, ugly." I walked up to the humanoid demon that was having a seemingly 'good ol'' time and smirked. His face had boils all over, some were popped and leaked steam and black puss. Drool trailed down his chin, dripping onto a growth coming from his neck. He had almost no nose, and what he did have was crusted with green, some dribbling down and onto his teeth, which were exposed due to there not having a top lip. He held a person from the inside of their chest. He shook his hand out and beady eyes turned to me, a green tinted steam poured from his mouth as he exhaled deeply.

"So they send a big girl to come and play with me, eh?" he giggles.

"Yup, wanna have a tea party?" I laughed back.

"Sure princess, but first, why don't we dance a lil'?" rocks flew behind him as he surged forward, his claws reaching for me. I jumped and planted my foot on his face, using it as a trampoline.

I spun in the air, my left pointer and middle fingers pointed out at him. I pulled them to my chest, "一 『One』"

I pointed to the sky and sliced down "二 『Two』"

From the left to the right, I went through the middle of my vertical motion "三 『Three』"

Bringing my fingers back I smirked, "四 『Four』"

My movements shot power through me, my feet connected with a tree. Pushing down to gain momentum, I sprang forward. My arm went out to the side and when I reached him, I hooked my arm around his neck.

I felt the crack of bone and his head flew backwards. He was still alive but if he hadn't of been a demon, he wouldn't have been. He dropped to the ground and started to pull his head upright. I took advantage of the delay and made a spear-like shape with my right fingers.

My hand came out of his back, his heart clenched in my fingers. A tight squeeze and he died.

After a while, I had cleaned up and discarded my bloody t-shirt. Bon came behind me and tapped my shoulder.

"Guessing it went well?"

I smiled and turned to him, he has always been shorter than me, but now he's almost as tall. He still had narrow eyes; people often mistake him for some Yakuza member.

"Of course!"

He turned his back to me and started out the sliding doors that lead outside. We were in a room that was assigned as a 'basic cleaning station'. Pretty much, it was a bathroom without a toilet. If you got something on you, you went there to wash it off.

"The sun's setting." Bon ever-so-slightly turned to me. He continued out and turned left.

"So it is." And I followed him.

Bon and I have had a strange kind of relationship. We were best friends, some of the residents teased up about dating. Bon would always blush and deny it. I would too, but I really hated to.

It wasn't a lie, we weren't dating or anything. Although, I wish we were. I really wish we were. We had a place that we'd go on Saturdays when the sun set. A small root tunnel in the south side of the forest led to a hidden lake.

We went and sat on a rock formation that looked out over the water. The warm glow of the sun washed over the liquid filled crater and made it sparkle. Birds flew into the light, making various forms of calls before disappearing from view. I sighed and Bon looked at me.

"What's up?" he inquired, not looking at me.

"Just thinking about some complex stuff." I grinned. Sighing himself, he turned to me and folded his legs criss-cross.

"Sounds tough. Wanna share?"

I tried to keep a smile on my face, but failed. He noticed and reached out his hand. The calloused skin of his palm rested on my face, he slid his index finger over my ear and his middle under it; the other fingers fanned out under my jaw-line. He began to rub softly, his eyes looked straight into mine and he smiled gently.

"Keepin' it all in'll end up making you old faster. Ya' don't need wrinkles before you're fifteen." He teased. I gave a sad smile. I knew he meant well, but this made me want to die. I couldn't tell him that by him trying to comfort me made me love him more.

"I'm leaving here soon. Mama doesn't have much more time. She's told me that herself." I replied, slowly inching away.

"Leaving?" he repeated, moving his hand.

"Yeah, leave-"

"You can't!" he shouted but quickly started to try and change the focus. "Wh-where would you go?"

"True Cross Academy. My father works there; he said he has work for me after mama dies."

"True Cross… Your father!?" he stood and looked at me hard. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was glaring at me.

"Yeah, he and I haven't been on speaking terms in years but I can't stay here after my reason for being here dies." I stood myself and started towards the tunnel. Bon just stood there, looking out at the water. The sun was almost completely gone, the night was starting to settle in.

Mama died the next day. A week after that, she was buried. I said good-bye to the people there and left.

"Welcome, to True Cross Academy!" a purple haired clown said, a goofy-ass grin plastered on his face.

"Yeah, good to see you're still as annoying as ever- ya' gaudy old coot." I muttered, glaring at my dad's shoes.

"Who is this girl?" a white haired priest asked, he was smiling as well.

"Why, my daughter of course! Who else could she be, Shirō?"

"Hmm? Could be anyone, seeing as it is you…" Shirō grinned wider. "Sir Mephisto Pheles."

Okay~ that concludes Chapter Two: "Deals and Goodbyes" Whadd'ya'll think? If ya'll lik'd it, tell me so~ I don't bite! (maybe) :3

Okay, this chapter took me a while to write because I actually forgot I was even writing it. Kinda sad, but it happens (to me at least). So thank you Serpiroyal for reviewing and all that cool jazz cuz' if ya' hadn't, I would have totally forgotten that I had this story going on. :p

Also, thanks to this lapse in memory, the story I had in mind plot-wise has gone completely out the window (down the street and half way to the moon). So whatever I had planned, I can only take a stab at. I know the basics of what I want because some miracle happened and I actually wrote down ideas. *gasp*. Told a friend of mine about this and she laughed, saying that the apocalypse is coming sooner than she thought. *sigh* she's so mean to me.

Anyway, thank you to those who read this.

NEXT TIME:

Chapter Three: "Time Skip! Trauma n' Recollection!"

Chie joins the cram school, but why does she not have a license? And if she doesn't have a license, why does she do missions. What's more, she leads them?

「"Ever heard of the 'Diggers'?"」