Chapter Text
"It’s time to finally put the 'in training' part of Exwires in training to good use!" Father Fujimoto announced. His arms flung wide to show off the sprawling amusement park behind him. It was gaudy, covered in bright colours that strained the eyes and smelling vaguely of burnt sugar. "We’ve gotten some reports of a ghost haunting this park, and we’re going to split into two groups to search it out and send it on its way. Since we have two teachers, you’ll either be on my team, or Yukio’s team."
Izumo wished she could cross her fingers close her eyes and pray for landing a spot with Okumura. He was a total stick in the mud, but he was bearable. She was still sore from Noriko’s confession and she knew Fujimoto’s prodding would probably send her over the edge. As it was, she could only keep her arms crossed over her chest and her gaze distantly bored.
The Paladin paced back and forth before the clump of students—all trying to look awake and alert despite the early hour. "Alright, let's see here...Moriyama, Okamoto, Shima, and Yamada, I think you'll have a good time hanging out with Yukio today!"
In the peace of her mind, Izumo let the foulest curse she knew fly freely in her thoughts. Okumura led his group into the park in his own rigid way and that left her and three other poor fools with the Paladin. Suguro the stubborn jerk, Takara the silent puppet freak, and Konekomaru who couldn't stop mumbling to himself all the time. The only saving grace of this group was that both she and Suguro were the top of the class.
Their professor looked them all over with that weird appraising gaze of his. "Now then, this ghost is the naughty type. The kind to pinch arms and flip skirts. A perfect starting point for you students. How would you like to handle it?"
Izumo rolled her eyes, though Suguro ended up being the one with the guts to speak up. "Sensei...shouldn't we be following your lead here? You are the Paladin after all. Uh, sir."
Fujimoto simply shrugged and adjusted his glasses. "That I am, but I'm not a teacher who likes to micromanage his students. You should all have opportunities to make your own decisions. Especially now, while it's safe and you still have powerful senseis around to make sure you don't die horribly."
She and Suguro traded glances. She wasn't sure if he'd clocked the underlying message there. The ghost they were sent there to address probably wasn't the only thing they'd have to watch out for at this theme park. She toyed idly with one end of her hair. It was a bad habit that she relied on far too often, but it helped her keep the act up. "Then, is the part where one of us suggests we split up?" She said. She glanced up and caught Konekomaru looking sheepish. Called it.
"It- it might be beneficial since there's so much ground to search." The teen in question said. Well, squeaked may be more accurate.
Takara's head lolled to one side as he thrust his puppet forward. "As if I'm going to be stuck wandering around with my thumb up my ass with these nobodies!" More than anything Izumo was just surprised he spoke.
Fujimoto chuckled to himself. "Have it your way Takara. No one's forcing you to befriend your classmates. Even if it would be strictly to your benefit."
The boy didn't bother replying. The puppet crossed its arms and threw its nose all the way up in the air. "Follow me and I'll kill ya!" He announced, already walking away from them.
"I guess that's that. Koneko, we going?" Suguro said, clearly eager to get a move on.
Izumo's brow pinched, she hated the shape of the social math happening right before her eyes. "Now wait just a second-"
"Good idea, Suguro-kun." The Paladin interrupted. "We'll investigate whichever direction you don't go."
Izumo opened her mouth to interrupt again but she made the fatal mistake of catching Fujimoto's gaze. From the side like this, she could see his eyes unguarded by his rosy glasses. They were a shade of red she'd only ever seen in her own reflection. If asked, she couldn't say what it was that killed the voice in her throat. They almost reminded her of-
She shuddered, suddenly cold despite the late spring humidity pressing in close to her skin. She hadn't even noticed Suguro and Konekomaru walk off. She watched their backs as they got further and further away.
"Feeling alright there, Kamiki-chan?"
She brushed a hand through one of her pigtails to hide her jump. She'd forgotten herself. "You know, if you keep making excuses to get the two of us alone together people might get the wrong idea."
The Paladin finally glanced away, muttering. "What is it about surly teenage girls and platonic bonding?" He cleared his throat and when he turned back to her, he made sure to face her head on. She wasn't sure if she was glad for it. "I just wanted a chance to ask you if you've given my offer any thought."
"Some," she admitted, "the small, fleeting kind."
If he was bothered he didn't show it. "I see, I see, and what did Okamoto have to say about it?"
She considered deflecting but it wouldn't do much good now. However, she was still in control of the flow of information here, it wouldn't hurt to bend it slightly in their favour. She sighed, setting her jaw. "He's a little too eager, if you ask me. He likes you, and I can't see why. Whatever you've said to him, he trusts you."
She watched his smile soften as his focus unconsciously drifted. Bingo. He let his expression broaden naturally into something a little too smug to be fond. "And you don't?"
"Forgive me for not immediately jumping for the first hand extended my way." Izumo really wished she could get away with bearing her teeth at him but settled for glaring.
Fujimoto snorted. "All's forgiven. I don't have any great proof of my trustworthiness on hand though, I'm afraid."
"You could start by being honest with me." Izumo said immediately. "Fully, and completely."
"Wow, you're a toughie, huh?" He mumbled, scratching at his chin. "Okay then. One question, and I'll answer it with total honesty. I swear on the cross." He placed one hand over the True Cross pin on his cassock.
She let her glare linger a moment longer. She had to be strategic about this. She took in a breath and steeled herself to ask. "If someone's been possessed for a long time, is there any chance they could survive the exorcism?"
He blinked, clearly not expecting that question. His confusion was quickly replaced by true thoughtfulness. "It's possible," he said after a long moment, "but not likely. The human body isn't built to fight demons for all that long. If they do end up surviving their ordeal, it won't be without its costs. Their body will likely retain traces of the demon's shape. Their mind may not be all there. And they may not live for very long afterwards."
Izumo swallowed harshly. She'd known this all already. She'd repeated the odds of getting her mother back from Inari over and over in her mind. But it was another thing entirely to hear it confirmed by someone else. "But it's possible?" She couldn't stop herself from asking.
"It's possible." He said.
She forced herself to meet his horrible gaze. "Could you do it? Could you guarantee survival?"
Fujimoto looked at once very young, and very old. His smile had gone crooked, but it was real. "I'd have the best chances of it. And I'd try as hard as I could to make it happen."
Izumo hated that she believed him. She'd made the mistake of trusting too-kind adults with their own motives before. But the part of her that was still stuck in a body too small wanted to stamp her feet and declare, he could, he's the Paladin! It was child's logic. Loud, and far too persuasive. She might've even agreed to be his double agent on the spot if not for the ear-piercing crash of metal twisting into itself.
They both jerked towards the sound. A large cloud of dust engulfing what should have been the rollercoaster a few blocks away. At once, Izumo was no longer looking at her teacher Fujimoto. The Paladin of True Cross stood firm in his place. The ground shook under their feet and there was the tell-tale crack crack crack! of gun fire.
"Go find Suguro and Konekomaru. Stay together." He ordered.
"Right!" She nodded sharply and didn't wait for his acknowledgement before running in the direction she'd seen the two boys go. Though she didn't want to acknowledge it, she was nervous. Somehow, she just knew Rin would be at the centre of whatever was going down deeper in the park. She just had to trust that he'd be able to handle himself.
Please Rin, she thought, skidding around a ring toss booth, don't do anything stupid.
///\\\///\\\
"All I'm sayin', is that if this ghost is going around playing pranks then we should get into better clothes for being pranked." Rin said.
Okumura grit his teeth, firmly marching their team deeper into the amusement park. "I fail to see why that means we should stop searching to go source skirts."
Rin wanted to roll his eyes so hard they'd physically come out of his head. He also wanted to have his tail free so he could lash it. "Dude, right now, Shiemi is the most likely to get pranked by this ghost. She's totally bait!"
The guy in the hoodie who Rin had never gotten a name from shrugged one shoulder. "Then lets use that." He suggested.
"No!" Okumura said, actually turning around to show how wide his eyes had gotten. "No, no that's- that's, we can't do that to her."
Shiemi, who had so far been content to take in everything about the theme park, looked like she was doing her best to keep smiling despite the new crease to her brows. "Um...I don't mind being the bait if that's...what would be best."
"Bullshit," Rin snorted, "and anyway we'd have better chances of finding the damn thing if we all look the same!"
This was the point where Shima finally failed to hold back his laughter. He bent double with it, his face a perfect match for his hair. "No, no, wait guys lets," more uncontrollable laughter, "lets hear him out! I think he's got a point!"
Rin huffed, crossing his arms and looking at a passing tea cup ride for the excuse of looking for the ghost. "What's the big deal? It's just clothes."
Shima's laughter devolved into fitful coughs. When he had enough control over himself to breathe, he dropped an arm over the demon's shoulders. Which Rin did not ask for. "Yeah, but they're girls clothes, you know? When guys wear them it's kinda..."
Rin waited for him to finish his sentence. He didn't. "Kinda what?"
"Geez, you're dense, huh?"
"Alright, that's enough of that." Okumura called. He did a good job of putting himself back together after losing his composure. And of mimicking a teacher's sternness. It was a little uncanny hearing it from someone who Rin considered his peer. "Okamoto, drop it, we're not using your idea. It'd take too much time. For now, we fan out. Each of us will take a lane and follow it to the edge of the park. Once there, we rendezvous and comb back towards the centre of the park. Understood?"
They grumbled their mutual assent. Shiemi bit at her bottom lip before blurting, "and- and what if we find the ghost?"
Okumura had the decency to smile. "Good question. Should you encounter the ghost, exorcise it any way you feel is best. If it starts to overwhelm you, run to the nearest lane to find backup."
The blonde nodded seriously. Jeez, Rin really wished they could at least do this in duos. Then he could try and ask Shiemi how she felt about Izumo.
But his opinions had been swiftly discarded. The five of them broke off from the middle of the carnie games and Rin found himself facing down the kiddie ride path. Or, at least he was assuming it was the kiddie ride area. Everything there looked like it was built for little humans with colourful mascots and big letters.
He made sure to flip off as many "Mepphys" as he could spot while doing his sweep. Seriously, where did Samael find the time to build all this crazy shit? Ah, wait, he'd answered his own question there. King of Time, duh.
At the very least, he had a sword on his back now. A wooden one, but a sword nonetheless. He'd certainly made do with worse, and its long blade would be an excellent conduit for his flames. If he'd ever have to use them, that is. He kicked a stray rock on the path at a fuzzy pink bunny statue standing behind a cotton candy cart. It bounced harmlessly off its plush face with an honest to Satan squeak.
"This is the lamest mission I've ever been on." He grumbled. He continued trudging along through the empty theme park when the faintest shuffle behind him hit his ears. He paused, and turned. Behind him was the path he'd walked. A mirror maze to his left and a corndog stand to his right. The pink bunny behind the corndog stand. Everything checked out.
Rin blinked, shrugged, and turned back around. "Man, I must be goin' crazy from hanging around mini-four-eyes-sensei so much lately. Hearin' shit." He chuckled to himself and kept walking.
Not a minute later, he heard the shuffle again. He whipped around, hand at his sword's hilt. The park was just as empty as he'd last left it. Except for the rabbit, now stood perfectly still in the middle of the walkway.
Rin closed his eyes, counted to three, and when he opened them, the rabbit had outstretched its hand towards him. He drew his sword with an easy grin. "Alright wise-guy, hop out of the bunny suit and lets dance."
The rabbit didn't so much as twitch.
Well, alright then. Let the records show that Rin tried to be nice about it. He bared his fangs at the ghost tucked inside a rabbit costume and made sure to lower his voice into the hum of demons. "I said, stop hiding."
This time, the pink fur bristled and shuddered. Looking almost like a bag of marbles being rolled around under soft skin.
Rin pointed his sword straight at the haunted object and a tiny ghost came tumbling out. Its spectral arms flailing wildly in the air and tears that smelled like bleach rolling down its cheeks in thick globs. The suit slumped into a pink heap on the ground.
The ghost wailed, shivering in the sunlight. "You meanie! You bully! You no-good stink face! I just wanted to have some fun for once!"
"I hear you, I hear you. How about this!" Rin couldn't keep the slightly feral grin from his face if he tried. "Lets play tag! I'm it!" He thrust his sword forward towards the ghost and it shrieked as it thrashed through the air to avoid the strike.
"You're cheating!" The ghost said, darting towards one of the thinner alleys between rides.
Rin eagerly gave chase, vaulting over the corndog stand to save time. "Then that just means you need to get better at running!" He called back.
The ghost yowled in frustration, flying straight through the ride controls for a carousel. Rin sprinted past it just as the ride sputtered to life. Slightly off-tune carnival music drifting up into the air.
While Rin was faster, the ghost had the advantage of being able to just fly through the things that he had to avoid. Still, it was only a matter of time until it ran out of places to go. The demon ducked under yet another tacky statue, springing back up and letting his sword follow the natural flow of his body. Curving up and out in a wide arc that neatly cut through the centre of the ghost child.
The smell of bleach burned heavier in the air as the spirit shrieked and wailed. Its body flaking apart along the seam Rin had cut into it. It sobbed, little arms grasping uselessly at nothing. "Wait, mama, I don't wanna-" in between one hitching breath and the next, the ghost crumbled away from Assiah.
Rin rubbed at his stinging nostrils, the joy of the chase swiftly fading. Was that really all they had come out here for? All of them to chase that little thing? It was pretty sad that this was supposed to be a challenge for True Cross's next generation of exorcists.
"I guess you weren't kidding." Okumura said.
Rin very nearly jumped straight out of his skin. Sure enough, the boring, rigid mini-sensei was just a few feet away near the entrance to the rollercoaster, one hand on his gun. It took a good few seconds for him to figure out what the four-eyes was talking about. When he did, Rin relaxed into a grin, his hands behind his head. "Oh! Yeah, that was nothing. If I had a real sword, it would've been over way sooner."
Slowly, Okumura let go of his weapon. Not so much relaxing as stepping back into dubious caution. "Well, good job, Okamoto."
"Don't hurt yourself with that one." Rin snickered, watching Okumura's face pinch even further into itself.
The teen in question sighed, adjusting his glasses and moving to brush past Rin. "Anyway, we should regroup with everyone else. I'm sure they'll be glad to know we can leave earl-"
The wind shifted. Rin threw an arm across Okumura's chest to stop him dead.
Okumura scowled. "What is it now?"
"Hold on," Rin said. He tasted the air and grimaced. He'd hoped he smelled wrong, but it was unmistakable. The tang of freshly wet earth, something green and bitter on the tongue. He cursed under his breath. He knew Samael liked to keep his pet close by, but he hadn't expected this. Okumura couldn't face this threat, and Rin knew he couldn't either if he wanted to keep his cover intact. "We've got company."
"Spoilsport," a flat voice drawled. As one, Rin and Okumura jerked their heads up to see a grungy looking man hunched on top of the golden Mephisto statue.
"Amaimon," they growled in unison.
The Demon King of Earth blinked down at them slowly. His muddy eyes vacant. "Woah, that's freaky. How'd you do that."
Rin shared a quick glance with Okumura. Both of them faintly surprised. Rin found his footing again faster, pointing his sword up at the lazy demon king. "Oy! I've got a better question. Why don't you scram before we kick your teeth in, huh?"
With a huff, the demon king slumped down the statue. When he landed, the ground buckled under him. Okumura's safety clicked off in the resulting silence. Amaimon stood and fiddled with a sucker he pulled from his pocket. Discarding the wrapper on the ground, he brought it between his teeth as casual as he pleased. "No thanks. I'm only here to play with one of you. I didn't agree to a double battle."
Rin felt the hairs of his tail bristle where they were crammed under his shirt. He'd been trained extensively for running into Amaimon with Lucifer. But he knew that kind of battle would get very big, very fast. Something he couldn't afford right now. Not when Izumo still needed him by her side. His brain was tipping into overdrive, trying desperately to come up with some plan for the inevitable battle that could actually work and would keep his head attached to his shoulders.
Okumura straightened, his aim true and unwavering. He had balls of steel, that's for damn sure. "And which one of us is that?" He asked.
"Yukio, go get your dad." Rin hissed, adjusting his stance so he could ever so slightly step in front of the other teenager. Okumura made no move to leave and Rin properly growled. "Yukio, your dad."
Amaimon trailed his gaze back and forth between them. One dank, green clawed finger coming up to point. "Eenie...meenie...miney...you." That accusing finger had landed. And it was pointing right at Yukio.