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If anyone had ever told Renzō that he would have to deal with a drunk, clingy, and affectionate Son of Satan in the future, he would have looked at them if they were insane. In fact, he probably would have told them that outright in the most insulting manner he could think of.
'But oh here I am now...' Renzō sighs, unable to dislodge Rin from where he has plastered himself against Renzō, giggling a bit as he mumbles things to himself. “Hey, Okumura-kun...it's getting late we should head back.”
“Hmmm...naaaah.” Rin says, rubbing his head against Renzō's shoulder. “Hey...hey...did you know what happened on my first mission?”
“Your first mission...that...” Renzō glances to the side at Kuro, who is fast asleep now. “That was where you got Kuro, right?”
“Naaaaah. Lied. That wasn't my first mission. But can't talk about first mission. Not then. But ya know the truth now and you're niiiiiice.” Rin beams at Renzō, a flush on his cheeks. “So ya listen right, right?”
Renzō sighs, but smiles. “Sure. I'll listen.”
“Letssee...mission was with Yukio and Shiemi...damn Yukio. It would 'ave gone better if he listen.” Rin grumbles.
“Damn it!” Rin shouts as he makes his way through a mass of coal tar. It's early morning and they are all in his path, making the half-demon wave his hand to get them out of his way.
He just makes it in time, only so much late. “Heya!” Rin says with a grin to Yukio – who frowns – and Shiemi. “Sorry, did you wait?”
“Yes!” Yukio glares at Rin. “Late for you first mission. Do you really want to be an exorcist?”
Rin ducks his head. “I do! Just...”
“Rin...I was so excited for our first mission that I came here two hours early!” Shiemi declares, her eyes glowing and the girl radiating pure energy.
“Hey! I was so excited I couldn't sleep! And then I passed out cause I didn't sleep...” Rin sighs.
“Like a child before the temple bell rings at midnight on new year's...” Yukio compares it to, making Rin flinch and flush, embarrassed. “Never mind that. We are heading to True Cross Train Station. We need to finish before the first train.”
'So that's why it's so early in the morning...' Rin muses. “So there's a demon at the train station?”
“I will explain it in due time. Now, follow me.” Yukio whirls on his heels and marches off. Rin hangs back a bit, walking beside Shiemi who – thanks to her kimono – goes slower than Yukio.
“Yuki-chan's so cool! Isn't that right, Niichan?” Shiemi says to her familiar, the greenman giving an excited squeal at the thought.
Rin just barely holds back a laugh at that. 'Cool...man, Shiemi has it bad uh?' “Not that I blame her...” Rin murmurs. “All girls like Yukio...”
“Hm? Did you say something Rin?” Shiemi turns to Rin, making him jump and shake his head in the negative.
“You two are so different for twins.” Shiemi remarks after a moment, as they make their way further into the train station and head towards a platform.
“What do you mean by that?” Rin asks her, confused by what she means.
“I mean...Yuki-chan is kind and the youngest exorcist ever. Not to mention our demon pharmaceuticals teacher!” Shiemi beams at Yukio's back. “He's like an adult!”
Rin stares at Shiemi there. “An adult...? Is he...?” Rin glances at the back of Yukio he can see, full of tension. He wonders if he can hear what Shiemi is saying, if he is paying attention. “I'm not sure about that...” He mutters to himself.
“And then you were late for the mission...which is kinda lame.” Shiemi giggles a bit over that.
“Oi!” Rin complains. “I'm not lame!”
“We are here.” Yukio declares at that point, and they both turn to see him now looking at them and that they are now at the train platform.
Rin trails off into a mumble after that, while Renzō blinks at Rin. “What, wait?” Renzō wonders at what Shiemi said there. 'An adult...and kind? Man, what a delusional girl...not that I blame her...Moriyama-san's the kind to think the best of people. I hope she doesn't take it too badly when she finds out who Wakasensei really is...'
“Says Yukio's an adult. Is he? If he is, he don't need me.” Rin turns blue eyes to Renzō in a pleading fashion. “I'm not needed...that's right...that's why it happened that way.”
“You are definitely needed.” Renzō says immediately, before wondering why he said so. “An...Anyways, what happened next?”
“Right...that...it...exorcists aren't supposed to be like that, right?” Rin asks, confusing Renzō before he resumes speaking of the incident.
“Tonight we will suppress a Phantom Train.” Yukio announces immediately. “Do you remember what a Phantom Train is?”
“Uuh...” Rin tilts his head. 'That does sound familiar what is it again...' “A...train...?”
“Rin! We learned that in class!” Shiemi scolds him. “They're demons that possess trains. Also known as man-eating trains.”
Rin slams his fist into his palm. “Oh! That's right.”
“Very good Moriyama-san.” Yukio says pleasantly, a stiff smile on his face. “You have been studying. You could learn something from her, Okumura-kun.”
Rin shoots a look at Yukio, but he ignores it. “Witnesses in the Kanto Region say they have seen one possessing Car Kito 66. My mission is to suppress it. You two will help, without engaging in battle.”
'What does that mean?' Rin wonders silently.
“As long as we follow procedure, it will not be too hard.” Yukio informs them. “Just follow my lead.”
“Yes sir!” Shiemi says cheerfully, while Rin echoes it dully.
Shiemi turns away, now holding Niichan in her hand. “Let's do our best Niichan!”
“Nii-san...” Yukio says softly, getting Rin's attention. “Since Shiemi-san is here, you cannot draw your kōmaken. No matter what.”
“Give it a rest! I know that.” Rin scowls at Yukio, crossing his arms. He doesn't like his tone there. “Blah, blah, can't you say anything else?”
The honking sound of the train comes at that point, preventing Yukio from responding to Rin. The train that pulls up doesn't look in any fashion different or special from the other trains that use this railway. But Rin shivers slightly at the sense of it. It is definitely a demon, and it is a black spot in the aura of the world.
Yukio leads them to the back car, but Shiemi interrupts that journey briefly by crying, “Yuki-chan! In the train...” She's pointing directly at what appears to be people in the train cars, including a little girl.
“...Those are people who boarded the train. They don't know they have died, so their ghosts remain trapped within.” Yukio glances at his watch quickly then. “We have sixteen minutes once it starts moving before it reaches Gehenna. If we don't finish our mission by then, we'll end up like them.”
Rin watches Shiemi's sad expression carefully as the board the train's back car. Soon after they are all in, the train starts moving forward. As it makes its way out of the station, Yukio begins explaining the mission plan.
“The front car is the train's nervous centre. Once we destroy that, it will disappear. But if it disappears with us in it, we will fall to the tracks. So I will go on to the roof, and run to the front car.” Yukio explains, as he pulls down the trapdoor on top, followed by extending the ladder there. “When I get there, I will signal the both of you. Once you see that, you will disconnect the back car from the rest of the train.”
“What about you?” Shiemi asks concernedly, as Rin considers the plan carefully.
'Feels too stiff to me...' Rin thinks to himself.
“I will destroy the front car, and use the Link Key to come back.” Yukio informs her promptly, lifting up the Link Key to show it. “Middle Second Class exorcists and up have Link Keys. It allows you to pass between doors of the same type.”
“All cars connected to the first one will disappear, thus completing our mission.” Yukio finishes. “Understand? Any questions?”
“Um...” Shiemi begins hesitantly, drawing both brothers' attentions to her. “What about the ghosts? They had no idea what was going on when they go on this train. Can't...can't we help them?!”
“No.” Yukio rejects it completely. “It may sound cold, but we don't have time for that. The central cars are the Phantom Train's stomach. If we empty them, it will grow violent. And then we won't finish in time. As leader of this mission, I can not risk it. Sometimes, an exorcist has to make hard decisions.”
'You don't sound like it's a hard decision to you.' Rin thinks, narrowing his eyes. 'Especially since those ghosts...'
“Do you understand?” Yukio asks Shiemi, finally gentling his voice.
“Uuuh...yeah.” Shiemi says, blushing slightly and ducking her head so Yukio can't see her expression.
“Okumura-kun...follow me.” Yukio orders, starting up the ladder.
“Be careful up there.” Shiemi says to Rin as he starts up the ladder once Yukio is ahead enough.
Rin pauses, glancing over at Shiemi. “Shiemi...are you really sure you understand what Yukio said? About everything?”
Shiemi doesn't answer him and Rin turns to climb up the ladder before Yukio notices his delay and starts complaining about him wasting time.
But inside his head, something clicks and Rin makes a decision.
“So that was the plan uh?” Renzō scratches his cheek and gives an awkward laugh. “And of course that's not how it played out, right?”
“Uhuh.” Rin looks down, hiccoughing briefly. “Didn't.”
“Moriyama-san is very sweet.” Renzō says cheerfully, glancing worriedly at Rin. “No way she would just accept the order to let those ghosts go.”
Rin is silent, so quiet that Renzō starts to get a bit nervous. “So...uh...what happened next?”
Rin doesn't say anything for a long moment.
When he finally does, Renzō finds himself truly shocked.
And realizes why Rin wouldn't talk about this mission sober.
Making his way up the train, Yukio doesn't look back until he's reached the front. And thus he doesn't notice until he's finally turns to signal to Rin that he didn't go to the back car as the plan calls for.
“I'm right here!” Rin waves up at Yukio from where he is standing on the next car below, a cheerful grin on his face.
“What are you doing here? Go back to the back car!” Yukio yells.
“Why?” Rin questions. “Why don't we just deal with the front car and detach the others?”
“Were you not listening? It's dangerous!” Yukio retorts.
“So we detach the cars and beat the demon at the same time.” Rin says it as if it is that simple, and from his view it is. Sure, it's a bit more dangerous, but all it is is a matter of timing. Timed right, and the demon will be taken out instantly with the ghosts saved.
Yukio seems to realize why Rin is suggesting this finally. “Don't tell me...you want to save the ghosts too!?”
“Of course!” Rin shoots back. “They used to be alive! We can't just let them die without a funeral or anything.” 'And...those are not demon type ghosts.' Rin silently thinks. 'Probably cause of how the demon works, those are actual real spirits. Yukio probably doesn't really know what he's going to sentence them to if they aren't freed before the demon is taken care of.'
“There's no time! Five minutes have passed! It's too risky!” Yukio sounds almost hysterical there.
Rin rolls his eyes. “Then we better hurry. This is the coupler right?”
It takes a moment for it to register. What that loud sound means, what the ding of metal on metal, the hot smell in his nose. Rin jumps away before he fully realizes it, back on top of the train.
“You...you shot me!” Rin gasps out, shocked.
“That was a warning.” Yukio declares, aiming his gun at Rin. “Next time I won't miss.”
“What!?!” Renzō stands up before he knows it, making Rin fall off the boulder at the loss of his support. “Your...your brother, your own damn brother, shot at you! What the fuck is wrong with him?!!!”
“You...hehe...you're angry.” Rin grins up at Renzō from his place on the grass. “Didn't see that coming.”
“Why the hell not!?” Renzō demands, kneeling down and shaking Rin by his shoulders. “That's...that's fucking twisted! No way...I have brothers dammit and we would never, ever do that kind of shit to each other! Training and roughhousing is one thing, but fucking trying to honestly hurt each other!? What kind of fucking crazy person is he?!”
“Yukio...Yukio was just stressed. Tha' all.” Rin gives a soft smile at Renzō, who feels like he got punched. “But you got mad. You're mad for me, worried too. Thanks.”
Renzō stares at Rin, hands slipping from his shoulders. Rin slowly falls forward, leaning his head against Renzō's chest as he stares off into the distance, trying to comprehend what Rin told him and how he's acting about this.
“What...what happened next?” Renzō asks softly.
Across the moving train cars, the two brothers stare each other down.
“Exorcists exorcise demons!” Yukio declares, his gun not wavering from where it is pointing at Rin. “Our job isn't saving people!”
“Wrong four-eyes!” Rin snarls back, a demonic visage compared to his brother as his demonic power reacts to his rage and frustration, forming horns shaped of flames on his head and turning his eyes demonic. “Exorcists save people from demons! Otherwise, what good are exorcists? I won't let you tell me it can't be done!”
“That's not the kind of exorcist I want to be.” Rin asserts, expression firming up. “Oyaji...oyaji taught me that!”
Yukio flinches back ever so slightly at the mention of their father. But anything he might say next is stopped as the front car beneath him howls, beginning to shift and distort as the demon is enraged by something.
He leaps from the front car to the car Rin is at, turning to look in shock at the phantom train. “Why is it like that? It should be undisturbed since it has a full belly...”
The sound of a hatch clanging opening makes them turn, just in time to see Shiemi climb out of it, a plant in her hands thanks to Niichan having produced it for her. “Yuki-chan! Rin!”
“Shiemi?!” Rin gapes at her. His brother follows.
“Shiemi, what are you doing here?” Rin asks, while beside him Yukio recognizes the plant she's carrying.
“Japanese lanterns...they gather spirits and send them to the next life...amazing...” Yukio whispers to himself, amazed at what Shiemi managed to pull off.
“I gathered everyone. I wanted to help them...” Shiemi admits to them both. “Sorry! I know I shouldn't have!”
Behind Shiemi, the back of the train distorts as well, slowly transforming under the demon's rage.
“Shiemi behind you!” Rin yells, just as Yukio points his gun at the demon and shoots it. Shiemi yelps and ducks, as the bullets clang off of the demon.
“Don't sweat it four-eyes.” Rin pats Yukio's shoulder in condolence, ignoring his angry retort. “I'll jump over and take it down. Back me up.”
“Uh?” Yukio doesn't have any chance to stop Rin, as he's already moving, Kurikara in his hands.
“Shiemi! Jump over here! Yukio will catch you, don't worry! Hurry!”
Shiemi pauses for a moment, then does as Rin asks, managing to make the leap despite her kimono and burden. Yukio catches her, as Rin jumps past Shiemi, drawing Kurikara as he goes. He tosses the sheath back on to the top of the car, and slices through the demon in one blow, vaporizing it almost instantly.
As that happens, Shiemi has recovered and whirls around with worry. “Rin!” She doesn't notice Yukio's horrified look at having witnessed his brother's demonic powers, seeing him take out a demon in one shot. One he couldn't handle on his own.
“I'm here!” Rin waves a hand from the front of the car. “Help me up!”
Yukio sighs, picking up the sheath, and steps forward, holding out the sheath to Rin. “We almost lost you.”
“Huh? What are you mad about? I think it went great.” Rin says, as he uses the offered sheath and places Kurikara back in there, once again hiding his demonic features.
“But your methods...” Yukio protests, only to be cut off almost instantly by Rin.
“If you don't help people, you'll become a demon yourself.”
Yukio looks surprised for a moment, then he face softens. “You're right...” 'I'm the one who was almost lost...'
Soon after that, they return to the station. And so the last part of the mission, is made up of watching the spirits float away free. Rin smiles softly at that. “Good.”
“It's pretty.” Shiemi says with a smile, Rin glancing over at her.
Rin grins. “Yeah. Very pretty.”
Rin slumps forward as his story finishes, his breathing slowing down as he starts dozing off. Renzō is frozen, mind racing over what he was just told.
“...so...that's why you said your first mission was the one where you got Kuro.” Renzō says softly, a strange melancholy feeling sweeping over him. He shakes his head, then glances down at Rin.
Renzō chuckles a bit at how silly Rin looks, drool leaking out of his mouth. “Well, best get you to bed.” Renzō considers things for a moment, then carefully manoeuvres Rin so he can get him on his back. “Up you go.”
Renzō slowly stands up, wavering for a moment before he finally shifts Rin's position to a more comfortable one. He stares up at the sky, considering things once again. “Damn...what the hell...”
“...do ya know why the spirits were special?” Rin asks softly, slowly opening his eyes. Renzō shivers at the feeling of Rin's hot breath on the back of his neck.
“Wh...what do you mean?” Renzō asks, cursing his stutter.
“Were real ghosts. Well, other real ghosts.” Rin amends after a pause. “Not demons. But...actual spirits. Souls.”
“Souls?” Renzō turns his head just enough to get a glimpse of Rin's hair and cheek. His skin looks even more pale by the faded moonlight. “You mean...for real?”
“Yeah...normally...you need a special gift to see them.” Rin yawns, a rather bone-aching long and big one. “But cause of how the demon works...I think...anyone with a mashō can see them. Mashō only lets ya see demons. Nothin' else. But there...”
“If...if they had disappeared with the demon, what would have happened?” Renzō asks softly.
“...they would have been...lost.” Rin answers after a moment. “Lost to the cycle...no innocent deserves that...no one...deserves....”
Renzō waits for a moment longer, but the heaving breaths confirm his suspicions. Rin is fast asleep for good.
Renzō tilts his head up to see what stars are visible.
“That...yeah, you are way too sweet to be the Son of Satan.” Renzō says softly. “Too damn kind and selfless...”
Renzō slowly smiles. “Ya know Okumura-kun...you are pretty cool.”
Despite being asleep, Rin smiles against Renzō's skin and nuzzles him a bit. As if he heard and appreciates it.
A grin now on his face, Renzō starts the walk back to the Ryokan, a strange peace following him all the way there and even into bed after he makes sure Rin is okay.
The next moment he's full of smiles and laughter.
If Renzō can't help but think of Rin's smile on his skin, he doesn't show it.
Or so he thinks.