Okumura Rin's Descent

The River Crawls

-
Suguro and Rin were positioned opposite each other, Rin on one knee whilst Bon stood, one leg a bit behind him, as if he had backtracked. His eyes were both surprised and horrified by something he had seen, or thought he had seen, and Rin could practically hear the sound of his heart hammering against his chest cavity. Bon had seen and recognized the flames Rin had summoned, but had he made the connection between the source and the product?

"Wh-what happened?" Apparently not, or he was unsure, or maybe just unwilling to except what it was that he had seen. Rin didn't know, but that did little to deter him.

"Shiemi was attacked by..." Rin's eyes flashed over towards the charred and flaky remains, trying to think of the best descriptor for them.
"Demon bugs? That's what they looked like. What are you doing here?" Rin asked, turning the tables and opting to Question Bin rather than the other way around.

"I heard a yell and came over to check in Shiemi," Suguro explain, glancing down towards her unconscious form.
"I just hope she isn't hurt. You're not, right? None of those things touched you?" Suguro asked, concern falling into his voice. Rin shook his head to show that no, he hadn't been injured.

"I'm all good, and I don't think she's any worse, just knocked out." He responded. Bon sighed in relief, seeming to relax slightly for a brief moment. Shiemi's eyes flashed open, and he body jerked straighter.

"AHH!-?" She screamed, but calmed when no agony found her. She was-surprisingly-fine. She blinked large, confused eyes, before throwing herself on Rin's form, having come to the correct conclusion that he had been the one to save her. 
"I was so scared!" She cried out finally. She tightened her arms for a few moments, breathing heavy breaths for a few moments, deep and slow-a calming technique Kamiki had taught her to help steady her nerves-before releasing Rin. She smiled sheepishly.
"I'm sorry, I guess I...uh...overreacted. Sorry!" She told him, blushing from embarrassment. Had she dreamt the attack? Had nothing really happened? She grew more flustered as uncertainty clawed deeply within that which she remembered. Bon knot his brow in concern and confusion, trying to figure out what had happened, before remembering that the others were waiting him. He sighed, offering a hand to the downed girl. With her now standing, he gestured for the two of them to follow him.

"We found one of the lanterns, but....there are a few complications." Bon told, leading the way to the aforementioned lantern. They came into a small clearing where an immensely large lantern-like contraption was set. Konekomaru and Shima both turned towards them as they neared, Kamiki not bothering to greet them as she continued to stare at the lantern, deep in thought.

"It's....pretty big." Rin noticed. Bon grinned in response. Rin raised a brow, why had he been led to what hey had all sought after when there was a limited number of the lanterns?
"And...you want my help moving it?" He asked slowly, as if unsure. He knew he could do it, it would be easy, but they really wanted his help in a competitive activity such as this? Konekomaru nodded.

"We need you to move it into that cart-" He pointed towards the mentioned cart, which lay just a small ways away.
"We've figured out the rest already, but you're probably the only one who can carry or move it." He continued. Bon sighed, sensing Rin's skepticism.

"Part of the test is teamwork, we'll all pass if we do it together so long as we have the lantern." He explained. Rin made an 'O' shale with his mouth, finally grasping the idea.

"Ah, I get it." Rin said, moving swiftly as he relocated the large lantern onto the cart. As a response, the others moved swiftly to apply seals on it, preventing it from moving, and Bon and Konekomaru began to chant.

"Alright, I think we can go now." Konekomaru told, although he appeared nervous.

"Onwards, my steed!" Dan exclaimed from within Rin's mind, an illustration of Dan sitting overtop what appeared to be a panther rearing up onto its hind legs, the creature having odd resemblances to Rin in fur color and tail, popped into Rin's mind. It was amusing, and he complied. There was a cry of surprise as the cart jolted forwards, but everyone remained on the cart nonetheless.

After a good half hour, Rin noticed an odd sound, one that grew ever so slightly louder the farther forwards he went. It was the sound of a hundred thousand insects crawling, whiting, intertwining, and moving about each other, and it was growing close.

What looked to be a river of insects ran along the earth, slicing it in half directly before them. Rin jammed his heels into the dirt beneath him, causing the cart to come to a screeching halt. Bon smashed into the cart, having not slowed for a stop, but was otherwise unharmed. Pulling his face away, he looked to Rin with pained anger, his face reddened by the collision.

"What the HELL!?" He demanded, noticing the odd river and peculiar bridge the moment after.
"Oh." He said flatly, understanding. They were all silent for a few seconds, the sounds of insects being the only thing preventing true quiet. Rin broke the incomplete silence with a clap of his hands, rubbing them together eagerly.

"OKAY, what are we going to do?" He asked, turning his gaze to the bridge and sizing it up for a second time.
"That thing's too small to put this on." He added, turning back around and gesturing to the cart and lantern. Konekomaru thought for a moment more before responding.

"Do you think you can carry it?" He asked, a shot in the dark. Rin contemplated this, sizing the lantern up and guessing its weight.

"Ehhhhhh" He said, his voice reflecting his uncertainty. Konekomaru sighed, scraping his first idea for a second.

"Alright, if that's the case, then we'll just have to do this:"

-

Rin carried the now empty cart, trudging through the living river, before setting the contraption aside and returning to the others, for they, too, needed to be carried. Kamiki, for her part, had refused Rin's assistance, opting instead to force herself across. She cringed as she lowered herself, feeling disgusted as the many bugs surrounded her exposed and clothed body. She gave one final shiver before steeling herself, making her way across.

"Yeah, I'm not doing that." Shima said in a flat tone, his facade of relaxation evaporating instantly. Rin returne to the creepy crawlies, Shiemi holding tightly to his back. He sighed, turning towards the pinkette, and opened his arms towards Shima.

"Come 'ere." Rin said, rolling his eyes at his fellow student's fear.

'Really, they're just bugs, no need to look so freaked out.' Rin thought. He felt Dan narrow his eyes.

"You better keep me away from those bugs, mister, or else your'e sleeping on the couch!" Dan told. Rin wanted to roll his eyes again, and responded calmly.

'You don't have a couch, neither do I.' Rin deadpanned. He felt his body move, as if it were automated, through the river for the second time. Kamiki had gone behind the cart, out of their sight, to keep face and avoid watching eyes. She was, most likely, searching herself with a disgusted and grossed out expression that betrayed her feelings towards the low Class demons she had just passed.

"Then, you'll sleep on the ground!" Dan shot back. Rin's mouth curled upwards slightly, having almost reached the shore, and tilted one side of his hip exaggeratively, allowing the insect to just barely miss Dan's protective casing. Dan was about to cry out and retort to this teasing when a sound interrupted their conversation, for the lit lantern had just escaped from its confines, seeming to lung out behind him.

"WATCH OUT!"