Two Sides of Me » ao no exorcist

Chapter 40

Chapter Forty: Impending Doom

{Rin's POV}

I couldn't help but feel a bit left out around True Cross nowadays. Yukio was off doing his own thing, the other students avoided me, and Shura spent her days hounding me to the ends of the earth.

I missed having someone to lean on. Someone to relate to. As the son of Satan that's a rare commodity.

"You're spacing out again! You'll never get control of your flames if you keep daydreaming!" Shura lectured.

"I don't know. I think imagination is key." A voice said playfully. My words caught in my throat. I knew exactly who it was. I just didn't have the nerve to face her.

"What are you doing here?" Shura snapped. There was venom in her tone.

"I thought I'd be welcome here after all this time. You know, Shiro and I were close friends." She sneered.

She's not acting the same. What's happened?

I finally mustered the courage to look her in the eye. She looked drained, exhausted from something I couldn't even begin to comprehend.

"Orphia."

She gave me a soft smile before shifting her attention back to my babysitter.

"I came to make amends. Mephisto cast me out shortly after the incident because I was a threat to Assiah. But I've overcome that. I need people's trust once again."

"Trust isn't just handed over Orphia. Its earned."

Orphia nodded in acceptance. But a small hand on her leg caught my attention.

"Who's behind you?" I asked pointing at the tiny limb. A small girl stepped out from behind her.

She looked like a carbon copy of Orphia.

"Rin, this is Hana. My familiar."

My jaw nearly dropped to the floor. Normally familiars come in the form if animals or other demons. But this was a nearly identical child to her master.

"I made a contract with her shortly after absorbing Satan's flames. She's the key. To release Satan back into my body, Hana would need to die."

I glanced at the small girl skeptically.

"That seems a bit too easy." Shura muttered.

"On the contrary. Similar to Kuro, Hana shifts when she feels threatened. I met her in that form."

"So what happens if you become the vessel again?" I interrupted. Orphia gestured to a flower beside her. Within seconds it erupted into a fury of blood red flames before reducing to ash.

"Something of the similar sort but on a far larger scale."