"Summer vacation is only a month off but remember before the break you all will be taking the Exwire exam."

It's been some time since Rin enrolled in true cross and he was enjoying his time here more than he thought he would be. He's made friends, surprisingly. Suguru and his gang were pretty nice to hang around even when Bon acted like he still hated Rin. His studies were getting better but he still didn't pay attention to a lot of things.

"What's an Exwire?" He asks Shiemi with a confused look on his face.

"An Exwire is a student exorcist, they are able to go on non combat missions."

"What's the point of being called an exorcist if you don't kill demons?" Rin said frustrated and confused. Shiemi was about to answer him but Yukio interrupted her.

"As an Exwire you will be subjected to more specialized combat training and the test won't be easy. So to help you prepare we will be holding a training camp in one week."

Yukio handed out sheets of paper to everyone in class with the words meister and a blank space below it.

"The camp isn't mandatory so be sure to sign this if you're going and write down what Meister or title you want to have."

Rin looked over to Shiemi who looked to be contemplating something. "You gonna come to the camp?" She looked startled when she heard Rin's voice, and she turned to him with a nervous smile.

"I don't know I'm not training to be an exorcist, I'd probably just be in the way."

"It's your choice Shiemi."

"Yo Okumura."

Shima was waving him over to his table where Konekomaru was also waving while Bon was slightly glaring at him. As Rin walked over Shiemi looked at his back saddened but oddly determined.

'I can't keep relying on Rin as my only friend.'

"So Okumura what Meister are you going for?"

Rin readjusted the sword in his back with a grin on his face. "The knight obviously." Rin sat down next to shima and ignored Bon telling him not to.

"Oh yeah you always carry around that sword." Konekomaru said, eyeing the red case curiously. "Yeah it was a gift and now it's a keepsake." Rin had a faraway look in his eyes as he remembered the training he endured under Benimaru. He wondered where he was right now. If he knew he was becoming an exorcist would he approve or would he be angry?

"Anyways, what about you guys?" He asked the three temple boys who were eyeing him strangely. "Well me and Shima are going for Aria."

"Aria?"

"You know what a Knight is but not the aria?" Bon asked him, outraged. Rin scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile on his face. "Well… I only really cared about the one that used swords so I don't know the others."

"You really are a weird guy, Okumura. Aiming to be an exorcist but you barely know anything about them. Hahahahah."

"Yeah yeah. Can you just tell me?"

"An aria is someone who uses words and scriptures to combat and exercise demons. A dragon is someone who uses firearms, a tamer summons demons to battle. And lastly, a doctor is well… just that."

"Oh wow Konekomaru you're really smart. So you guys are gonna use fatal verses and stuff." The three titled three heads at the selective knowledge the boy had on the world of exorcism. It was strange to know the phrase fatal verses but not know what an Aria was.

"Yeah but they do more than that, they can even cast spells and make barriers and even enhance attacks with chants." Konekomaru explained to him. Rin's eyes lit up when he heard they could cast spells.

"Wow, so they're like wizards huh. Sounds awesome."

"Yep and Bon here is going for Aria and Dragoon because he's so hardcore." Shima teased his yellow haired friend.

"Wow that's bon for yeah."

"Don't call me Bon!"

The rest of the class didn't last long and they were already in their next one. Demonology. They had traded Yukio out for a man wearing an eye patch and bandages up both his arms. Rin thought the guy was weird, and for some reason he always had a metallic scent on him. His name was . Instead of the usual lesson about demons today they were doing things differently, they were going to test to see if they had the talent for demon summoning. Rin could see that Eyebrows was smirking the whole time, she must be confident.

"To summon a demon you need your blood and a suitable chant."

"Son of Typhoeus and Echidna, hear my call and show yourself."

The teacher dropped some of his blood on the magic circle he drew and after his chant fog started to come from it until a dead looking dog appeared from it. Bon and Konekomaru looked at it with awe while Shima covered his nose.

"Is that a Naberius?"

"Ewe sulfur."

"To be able to summon a demon is one thing but to tame it you need a strong will and unshakable nerves. Talent is also valuable. Earlier in class I handed you all pieces of paper with a magic circle on it. Place some blood on it and chant whatever comes to mind."

Eyebrows wasted no time and she bled herself immediately and started what sounded like a chant she's said a hundred times.

"I humbly appeal to thee oh goddess inari, grant my request, leave not my prays to be unfulfilled."

In no time at all two white foxes flew out of the paper and stood by her. Her cocky look grew worse but Rin had to give her credit where credit was due. "That was awesome."

"Me next, me next." Shiemi said excitedly

"Here boy here boy. Or something."

When nothing happened she looked saddened but then a green ball of light appeared from the paper and floated into her hands.

"That looks like a baby Greenman. Excellent miss Moriyama. Excellent."

"Hi there, nice to meet you."

The little Greenman jumped and took its place on the top of shiemi's head. Shiemi happily turned to a less than smiling izumo.

"Look miss kamiki, I did it too."

"Yes it looks so small and…cute."

Anybody could hear the sarcasm and passive aggressive nature of her words but Shiemi wasn't anybody. "You think he's cute." She said with a big smile on her face. Rin shook his head, he wanted to let Shiemi figure things out on her own but sometimes it was hard too. But he knew if he interfered all the time it wouldn't do her any good so he didn't.

"Ok so only two of our students have successfully summoned a familiar."

"Oh no, I haven't tried yet." Rin said, making all the attention move to him and that made him step back nervously.

"Well what are you waiting for, try it so we can watch you fail." Bon mocked him while Shima laughed.

"I had to think of a chant you rooster!" Rin fired back at him, making Shima laugh harder. Rin wasn't lying, he really didn't know what to say but then he remembered he had the perfect chant. He bit his thumb drawing blood and swiped over the magic circle.

"No Blood. No Bone. No Ash!"

Flames burst from the paper much to everyone's shock, even Rin's. The flames swirled around the room for a while before they died down and everyone's eyes widened in shock at what they saw. A lion? A tiger? No it was both in one. It had pitch black fur and red stripes from its face down the rest of its body. It's tail was split into two and when it breathed small sparks of fire fell from it's mouth. It's paws singed the floor. And it's body produced a constant heat. When it noticed who had summed it the creature took baited steps towards Rin. It gave a few cautious sniffs of him before it tackled Rin.

"Rin!" Shiemi yelled in worry and everyone looked ready to jump into action until they heard Rin laughing. "Stop licking me."

The class was dumbfounded at what they were seeing, never had a fully grown demon taken to its summoner in such a way this quickly.

'Prince!'

Rin was glad his face was hidden by the demon because he had pure shock on his face. He heard a happy and almost child-like voice in his head, seemingly happy to see him. The liger tilted his head at him curiously and rubbed his head against him to check if he was okay. 'Was that in my head?'

'Are you okay Prince?'

Rin looked around to see if anyone heard this but it looked to be only him. He thanked whatever God exited that the liger was covering his face or he might have garnered some odd looks. Rin hurriedly picked himself up from the ground while his new familiar watched the room of humans with deadly eyes. Somehow the demon was talking to him through his mind.

'Who are these people prince? Enemies?'

'NO!'

Rin didn't know how but he was able to talk to the demon through his mind. The liger tilted his head confused but listened to Rin and laid down at his feet.

"Holy shit Okumura you just summoned a high class demon on your first go round!" Shima yelled, breaking the people out of their trance. Once the shock dyed down the room had various reactions. Bon was too in shock to speak but his eyes held a fire in them. He crunched the summing paper in his hands, he knew he wouldn't let this stand. Konekomaru was awed as was Shiemi and paku. The puppet kid had no reaction the same as the hoodie wearing guy. Izumo had a clear cold and calculative look in her eyes as she looked at Rin and his Familiar.

'I guess I shouldn't ask her to be my study buddy after this.'

"Well done Okumura. Taming a high rank on your first try is a rare talent." Rin didn't notice the inquisitive look in the teacher's eye as he complimented him as he was too in shock at what was going on.

"Thanks." Rin chuckled nervously but he had an embarrassed blush on his face as he accepted the praise.

"It seems we have our tamer candidates for this class, the ability to control demons is rare and that makes you valuable. Now a demon will not follow a master they view as weak and they will attack you, so if you ever feel like you're in danger just break the seal."

'I'd never attack you Prince, don't worry.'

With a simple swipe from his foot on a small part of the circle made the naberius disappear. Izumo ripped the paper and the foxes disappeared while Shiemi decided to keep her baby Greenman who she named Nii. Rin looked at the liger who was staring back at him curiously. "You wanna stick around? But you are kinda big. I can't walk around with a giant tiger lion." In response to Rin's hesitation the demon shrunk from a fully grown liger to a small cub.

'Please don't send me away Prince. I wanna stay with you!'

'Fine'

"Rin, can I pet him?" Shiemi shyly asked him. Rin was sure he could see stars in her eyes when she asked him, and her hand was already stretching out.

"Uhh sure."

Shiemi pet the liger cub and he accepted it with shakes of his tails while he purred like he did with Rin. The bell rang and class was dismissed, as Rin gathered his things the cub followed him around. He was planning on asking Eyebrows to tutor him but he was pretty sure she hated him after today.

"So what are you gonna name him Okumura?" Konekomaru asked him as they all walked out of class. Rin looked down at the cub who had an excited look as it followed the four boys down the hall. "I'm still thinking about it. But I'm leaning towards Ace."

'I like it Prince.' He said as he danced around Rin's feet. "Well Ace it is them."

Rin was outside waiting with Yukio, the training camp started today but he wasn't in as good of a mood as he thought he would be. It was Shiemi. She had been trying to be friends with Eyebrows but somehow she needed up being her gopher. Eyebrows had her running all around doing whatever she said and even carrying her things like she was some sort of princess and Shiemi was her maid. Rin decided to stay out of it as he thought Shiemi could use the experience to grow but he didn't think he could take it anymore.

'You okay Prince'

Ace was next to him as always. The cub had been with him the past week and wasn't planning on leaving, not that Rin minded he liked his new familiar. And he loved the look on Yukio's face when he showed him he was able to summon a demon and he wasn't. It felt good to be better than him at something dealing with exorcism. He was just annoyed at one thing Ace did constantly.

'Stop calling me prince.' Rin told him, sounding very frustrated.

'Would you prefer Young master?'

'Just call me Rin'

'Rin? Okay Rin-sama!'

Rin just shook his head in disappointment.

'At least it's not prince'

"So why are we having the camp here?" Rin asked Yukio.

"Because this place has a lot of space and we are the only ones using it."

"Good morning your class has arrived."

The class showed up, announced by Shima and Rin could see that they had less than stellar reactions about where they would be staying.

"This looks like the beginning of a horror flick." Bon said as his face gave away his nerves.

"Wow, it's so creepy and ugly. Oh here." Izumo said as she held her bag out for Shiemi to take. Rin scowled as he watched Shiemi take Eyebrow's bag with no hesitation and a smile on her face.

'Do you want me to burn the fox girl Rin-sama?'

Rin sighed as he thought about it, the girl was an asshole but she didn't need to be hurt. 'No it's fine.' Yukio led the class into the building and immediately popped a quiz on them. Rin and Shima both moaned in complaint but Yukio didn't budge. Rin did a little better than he thought he would have. 'I guess all that studying really is paying off.'

"Ok pens down and turn over your test please." Yukio said and everybody breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm gonna go get some air." Rin said as he stood on shaky legs to take a walk.

"Paku, let's go take a bath." Izumo said as Shiemi and Paku followed after her.

"The girls are taking a bath, what do you say us guys follow our instincts and take a peek."

"Shima you're a monk ya know!?" Bon reminded him.

"Your evil ways are starting to show."

"Oh come on, you guys are just as interested." A clearing of a throat brought their attention to the corner of the room where Yukio was sitting.

"I'll remind you your teacher is here."

"Oh come sensei you may be a teacher but you're a teen just like us." Shima tried to cox him into following him.

"It's my policy not to engage in frivolous pursuits."

"Oh man, you're such a hard ass teach."

Rin had just come back from getting air and juice when he saw Shiemi in the hall. "Yo what's up Shiemi."

"Nothing just… just going to get some fruit milk." She said as she tried to walk away from him but Rin grabbed her.

"Cut that out."

"Cut what out?"

"Acting like her errand girl."

"I'm not her errand girl, I'm just helping out my friend!" Rin almost growled in anger, he knew Shiemi couldn't be this stupid so why was she doing this.

"I'm your friend aren't I? But you don't see me having you run around everywhere do you."Shiemi looked like she had no comeback for what Rin had said but she still had her reasons for following Izumo around.

"I'm just tired of being the one who always needs help. I just want to… I want to be strong enough to help someone else for a change. You don't get it Rin you've always been strong and you've always had friends." She said as he ran from him.

"Hold it!"

Rin paused and debated on whether or not to go after her or not but he decided to in the end. "Get back here." He chased her all the way down the hall and when he finally caught up to her they heard a screen coming from the bathroom. "That sounds like kamiki and Paku."

"I got this! Go tell Yukio!"

Rin said as he took off down the hallway, he didn't bother knocking and he burst right into the bathroom just in time to save Izumo from her familiars with two punches. "Rip up the paper!" She looked stuck for a moment before she realized what was happening and ripped the paper. "Good. Now stay back. I got this."

Rin pulled his case from his back and revealed his sword much to Izumo's amazement.

"Beautiful."

She said quietly but Rin heard her and turned around with a smile and stars in his eyes. "I know right, it's amazing." He said completely forgetting about the demon in front of him for a second.

"Focus you idiot!"

"Oh right."

"Rin!" Rin turned around to see Shiemi run into the room out of breath. He looked at her with shock and a little anger.

"Shiemi what are you doing here I told you to get Yukio!" Shiemi ignored him though when she saw the state Paku was in. "Rin you take care of the ghoul I'll get Paku. Come on, don't just stand there."

"Wow, way to steal my thunder."

Rin quickly dashed to the demon with a slash but it dodged back into the showers and Rin followed.

'Young Prince I'm sorry I only do as my master commands'

Rin was shocked for a moment but he remembered he was in a battle and kept his guard up. He dodged its attack with a side step and got a clean cut on its arm severing one of its limbs.

"AAAAAAAA!"

In response it jabed at him with its Sharpe tail and Rin dodged backwards into the bathroom wall. "Crap no space!"

The demon charged him but Rin jumped over it and it rammed the wall breaking it. The demon easily shook off the damage and turned around to engage with Rin another time but it was shot in the side.

BANG BANG BANG

Three bullets made their way into the demon at the arrival of Yukio and the demon jumped at Rin making him roll to the side. But it wasn't attacking him, it was escaping through the window.

"Get back here!" Rin was prepared to jump after the demon but Yukio stopped him.

"Rin it's over for now the thing's probably long gone."

"Tch." Rin kissed his teeth in frustration but he agreed with Yukio and sheathed his sword and put it away. "Shiemi, how is Paku?"

"Umm good I think."

"You did good, who knows what might have happened if you weren't here." Shiemi looked like she didn't know how to take the compliment Yukio had just given her. Rin was ready to leave; he had things on his mind and wanted to get some fresh air to think. But as he was walking out he came across Eyebrows crying behind one of the shelves.

"Hey you okay?" She curled up tighter once he saw her.

"Don't look at me. I'm so ashamed I can't let anyone see me like this. I couldn't even help the only friend I ever had and now she hates me!" Rin couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He knew what not being able to help someone you care about is like. He took off his shirt and tossed it on her. She looked up at him with a small amount of shock.

"Just put it on and get going okay."

It was the early hours of the next morning and Rin was lazily brushing his teeth in one of the hallway sinks.

"Morning." He heard from behind him and he looked to see Eyebrows walking down the stairs. "Mohningh." He said incoherently as She came to stand right next to him and Rin was mildly confused at the fact she didn't have a toothbrush on her.

"Listen you are not to tell anyone you saw me cry yesterday." Rin looked at her with a raised eyebrow even more confused than before. "Why would I tell anyone?"

"Just shut up and promise okay?!"

"Okay fine fine I promise."

Izumo nodded her head with a small blush on her face before she reached into the bag she was holding and handed him his shirt he let her borrow.

"Thanks for letting me borrow it and thanks for yesterday. If you hadn't shown up who knows what might have happened to me and Paku." Rin could see this interaction wasn't normal for her but he thought it was kinda cute how she tried so hard to be sincere.

"Oh wow you washed it for me too. I guess you aren't such a bad person after all. I was wrong about you Eyebrows." Rin said smiling at her and it made Izumo blush harder.

"Wait, what do you mean you were wrong about me and what's with that nickname?!"

"Well you were being an asshole to Shiemi and everyone else in class. And the nickname well you've got cute eyebrows Eyebrows." Izumo looked like a deer caught in headlights when Rin said his last sentence. Nobody had called her eyebrows cute before.

"Yo-yo-you think my eyebrows are cute?" She asked with her head down and her hands fiddling together. "Well yeah at first I didn't like them but after a while they grew on me." Rin leaned in close to her with an inquisitive look on his face. "And seeing them up close like this I can see they really fit your face well." Rin kept leaning in closer, not noticing what he was doing to Izumo. She looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown, never had she received this many compliments from a guy in such a short time span.

"Morning."

Izumo and Rin jumped out of their skin once they noticed a third party in the hallway with them. Tuning to the stairs they noticed a curious Yukio standing on the stairs.

"Yo Yukio, what are you doing here?"

"I'm going to go check on Paku. And you two?" Yukio asked what they were doing but Izumo paid no mind to any thoughts the young teacher might have had forming in his head.

"Can I come with you?" She asked immediately. Yukio looked like he wanted to acquire more information about the scene he had just walked in on but he decided against it. "Of course Miss Kamiki."

The two followed Yukio into Paku's room where she was resting beneath a cover sweating. She must have had a fever, Rin thought. Yukio took out his medical kit and shot her up with something Rin had never seen before.

"Your fever should be gone in about three days or so." The smile Yukio had on his face as he treated her made Rin think about all the times he was patched up by him. He wondered if that will ever happen again, or are those days long gone.

"Thanks a lot sensei." She told him with a warm smile on her face.

"Get better soon."

"Thank you Rin."

The two brothers left the two friends in the room together and Izumo sat there awkwardly. "Hey don't you think Rin is cute? And he's kinda cool." Paku said out of the blue. Izumo's face lit up like fire when she remembered the interaction she just had with the boy.

"Are you crazy!"

"I think sensei is cool too but… those two don't seem like twins you know. Hahahaha." Paku laughed as best she could before her face grew sad but serious.

"Izumo I really am going to quit."

Izumo knew she couldn't say anything to change her mind especially not after what happened yesterday, she couldn't even protect her like she had promised. If Rin didn't show up they both might have… And worst of all she wasn't even someone Paku would want to be around anymore, not after how she treated Moriyama. Izumo's eyes flared up with tears at the idea of loosing her only friend.

"I'm sorry, if I was a better person…"

"Oh come on don't be silly. I'm doing this because it was best for me, it doesn't change the fact we are friends. I like you just the way you are."

Izumo wiped the tears quickly before she started to sob. She sat down on Paku's bed with a bigger smile than anyone had ever seen on her.

"You know Rin called my eyebrows cute."

"Oooo does Izumo have a crush?" Paku teased her and Izumo blushed head to toe.

"No it was just a stupid compliment!"

"So that demon yesterday what happened?" Rin asked with a serious tone, one Yukio didn't hear from him often.

"We're in the process of finding how it got in."

"I thought you said the school protects against stuff like that, that guy wasn't a small fry."

"The school does but sometimes these kinds of things happen. We should all keep our guards up."

"My guard is always up."

'Oh crap I forgot to ask Eyebrows to tutor me!'

At the same time Rin and the others were waking up for the second day of their training camp a male student was making his way back into his dorm room. As he closed the door one of his roommates woke up.

"Yo Reiji, where have you been man?"

The boy's roommate asked him curiously as he had been out all night. The purple haired male chuckled somewhat nervously. "Oh you know me just hanging out with some chick."

His roommate laughed and looked at Reiji with admiration. "Well next time try not to be out all night I had a hard time covering for you."

Reiji nodded his head at him and went to the bathroom and hastily shut the door. He went over to the sink and checked out his appearance in the mirror. His purple hair was now more of a white, one of his eyes was gaining a reddish hue to them and his teeth were sharper. But the thing that stood out the most was that he had one goat horn sticking out from his head.

"See I told you I could give you power. If we work together I could make you a king."

One half of his mouth moved and spoke to him in a voice that wasn't his. Reiji looked almost scared but his eyes were glazed over with euphoria and his blood burned with adrenaline. "I killed those guys." Looking down at his hands they were stained red, he remembered the strength he had as he tore through the bodies of the so-called exorcist. He had never felt stronger, more in control. He felt like he was the apex predator and nothing could stop him. It felt like he had real power for once.

"Yes you did and you liked it. Remember what I told you Reiji I can give you everything you want. Money, power, and respect. The women will throw themselves at you while everyone else will bow to you in fear. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Reiji looked at his hands and they were shaking but he had an excited and almost crazed smile on his face. Small Black demons started to coil around his body as he let out a laugh filled with madness.

"And what about Okumura you said you had plans for him?" The voice returned and this time it held bits of malice and envy. But overall it dripped with amusement as if Rin was a new game or toy he couldn't wait to try.

"Do not worry Reiji, we will deal with him in due time. For now let's just have some fun. Are you with me?"

Reiji smiled gleefully at himself in the mirror, but he wasn't looking at himself anymore. Instead what he was seeing was a goat faced creature staring at him with the same amount of glee.

"I'm with you Astaroth."