Sweet Like Candy

Keep It Simple

"Keep it simple."–Frank Zhang, Heroes of Olympus (Rick Riordan)

One of my favorite and very underappreciated book characters. Sometimes, it really is that simple. Things don't need to be as complicated as they're made out to be, whether it's you or whatever you're facing overthinking things.

Something I wish we saw in Blue Exorcist is Rin coming up with simple plans that actually work and completely ignoring a super complicated plan Yukio came up with. I wish we had that comparison to make. But, its always Rin being too dumb to come up with his own stuff and Yukio making plans and then the rest of the ExWires improvising when things inevitably go wrong. It makes it seem like the only thing Rin is good for is literally having blue fire to use only when given instructions. He's not independent at all and it baffles me. This is the kid who was neglected by his father who, in his eyes, chose to raise his better half instead. The kid that hung out in the streets all day until he'd skipped so much school that if he skipped anymore, he'd be expelled. There's no way you don't grow up with some independency in that scenario. Furthermore, Rin should have some huge authority issues. Instead, he's like a mindless drone.

Anyways, to the chapter!!!!

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Was Rin's plan super simple, perhaps absurdly so? Yes. But did that stop them from acting on it? Hell no, it didn't. Yukio hung back in the tree line while Rin went back to her soon-to-be betrothed(ugh), Shura made her way behind Hachiro from the left, and Shima made his way around Hachiro from the right.

Rin flared her blue flames around her, keeping her sword from flickering too noticeably by diverting the flames from the blade to herself instead while Shura creeped around.

"Why are your weapons drawn, my betrothed?" Hachiro wondered.

"It's a show of power and trust. My humans didn't agree with me, so I showed them my power over their flames. Their flames belong to me just like they do. Oppose me and I take away the flames they love to fight with so much." She bluffed, pushing her chest out and tilting her chin up confidently. A convenient and chilly breeze blew past them, blowing her hair out around her face. She hoped she looked as good as people said she did when she did this.

"Ah. Yes, my warrior goddess. I quite enjoy you, Lovely." Hachiro grinned. Why did that endearment sound so charming coming from Mephisto, but make her suppress a disgusted shudder when it came form this hydra? Maybe it was the fact that Mephisto had class, style, and was smoother and sweeter than honey when he talked to Rin. As opposed to this snaky brute who literally saw her and started drooling. The bastard even left his long-time flame to marry her!

"That's sweet. Too bad I don't feel the same, Babe." Rin snarled, pulling back Shura's fang with Vusa inside feeding off of her blue fire and stabbing him through the heart. At the same time, Shura and Shima stabbed him through the back– Shima with his staff through Hachiro's head and Shura through his stomach. The Hydra's eyes all fluttered seperately, looking like a confusing flurry on the top half of his face as he hissed in pain, blood drenching him, Rin, and the two behind him. They poured everything they had into weakening the ancient Demon Lord and slowly, he began to shrink as the flames burned him away savagely. He shrank until he was a short red and white snake, writhing in a pool of his own blood and trying to slither away. Rin snatched the reptile up before Shima could reach it and he gave her a rueful smile and a shrug. Couldn't blame a spy for trying, she supposed.

"Motherfucker, it was that easy?!" Shura finally cried into the silence.

Yukio made his way to them through the snow, guns holstered. He looked down at Hachiro skeptically. Ultimately, he looked relieved. He hugged his sister, uncaring of the mess of blood and some guts and possibly brain juices on her, just glad things went smoothly. His plan that he'd been forming in his head was much more messed up and convoluted. He was glad Rin's worked.