Core Pride and Innocent Sorrow

Chapter 20 - The Offer

"Damn it!" Rin hissed. He's sitting on a swing in the local park. He got fired from another job, again. He's shaking with anger and frustration. Mostly towards himself. Why couldn't he do anything right? Why did he keep failing? It just wasn't fair.

"Rin?" A voice a said in front of him. Rin looks up.

It is Allen. He's wearing a deep blue woollen jumper and black gloves. The jumper was one Rin had given him to try and get the quiet boy to open up. His left side of his face is covered in bandages.

"What are you doing out here in the cold?" Allen asked. "Couldn't you find a warmer place to sulk?" He said that part in a shy joking tone.

"Shut up." Rin sighed.

Allen sat on the swing beside him. He had a concerned look on his face, despite the joke he said moments ago.

"I take it the job didn't go so well?" Allen asked.

"What do you think?" Rin huffed in frustration.

Allen stares at him for a few moments. He then suddenly laughs.

"Is me getting fired funny to you?" Rin growled.

"No! No! Its not that." Allen said still smiling. "Its just this reminds me of something."

"Of what?" Rin asked turning a little to Allen.

Allen blinks and hums to himself. Here appeared to be thinking about something.

"A story." He said with a knowledgeable glint in his eyes.

"A story about what?" Rin asked. Allen looked back at him with that glint.

"The story of the Rewinding Town."

*

Aka continues his lectures about the Black Division. The group had explored old rooms used to hold equipment and machines that Allen recalled during his time and then made it to the old training grounds. He and Road lead the way. Behind the Cram students Tyki walks behind them. Making sure no one is too far behind.

"Um, I have a question." Konekomaru said a little shyly.

"Yes?" Aka said looking back at Konekomaru.

"Other then employing other exorcists and destroying demons what else does the Black Division do that's special from True Cross?" Konekomaru asked. "I mean it just seems easier if it was all one entity."

Aka stares at him a smiles. "Good question, but the answer isn't so simple. For one the Black Division is a continuation of the Black Order but until fifty years ago it was completely separate from The True Cross Order, The Vatican and Church. The founders even went out of their way to challenge and rebel against the Vatican."

"But why?" Bon asked.

"A topic for another time." Aka said completely side stepping Bon's question. Bon seemed to get annoyed because of that. Allen looked down. He knows exactly why.

"Moving back the Black Division's purpose is very much like Black Order. We collect Innocence and defeat demons using it. But we also find Noah and protect them from demons." Aka explained.

"Protect Noah?" Allen questioned aloud.

Tyki suddenly cleared his voice. Gaining everyone's attention. The group stops moving to listen to him.

"Since the fall of the Millennium Earl more then a hundred years ago the Noah Family has been relentlessly been targeted by demons. In particular new generation Noah have been the target of demons." Tyki explained. "Every time we find out about a new one a dozen demons have they're sights on them already."