Chapter Text
It had been a year since the incident. They had won for now.
At first things were hard to get used to, there was a relief that everything would be fine in the end. That it would be okay, but deep down that thought was an unstable one. The world wasn’t truly free, it was just one win of many that had to be completed. Everyone knew that it couldn’t be avoided. Satan always came back, he was a god after all, he could never truly be defeated. A fact that burned deep inside that no one truly wanted to accept, but soon had to. For now that one win of many gave hope. Hope that it will all end soon.
Yukio has changed, Rin noted, though, of course who wouldn’t? He knew all too well what happens when you become a demon. He sighed, they now truly were more like twins as Yukio had the same ears and tail. It wasn’t a happy note though, but Yukio has gotten used to it just fine. Rin did have hope in that, but it was clear to him that Yukio was unhappy with it, even hiding his demonic attributes when home.
‘What would the old man think?’ Rin thought, leaning back in his chair that was at the desk in the dorm room. Shiro Fujimoto, the old paladin. He was tough, somehow, as if by some miracle he survived the possession of Satan. No one knew how or why, but the biggest question is why was him being alive a secret? Sure, he was in a coma and will be for god knows how long, but still. Rin sighed, ‘That’s probably why it’s affecting Yukio so much, he’s probably worried what the old man would do if he found out Yukio was a demon now like me. Shit, this wouldn’t have happened if I was stronger!’
He pushed his chair back to the floor with a loud thud. He clenched his jaw, his hair covering his face as he just stared at the table in a moment of anger. He closed his eyes taking a deep breath to calm himself down, ‘There’s nothing I can do about it now.’
Right as he thought that, his phone started ringing. Rin shoved his hand into his pants pocket, pulling it out and looking at the caller ID. ‘Mephisto. What does he want?’
Answering the call, Rin replied, “yes?”
“Come to my office, immediately,” Mephisto said in a tone that sent shivers down Rin’s spine as he stood, before he could even get a word in, Mephisto hung up.
‘Damnit, not even going to explain anything!’ Rin glared at Mephisto through the phone even though it would have no effect as the door opened behind him. He turned to see Yukio.
“I’m guessing you got the call too?” Yukio asked, flipping through his keyring. Of course he was still wearing his old exorcist uniform, the slight bag of the clothes made it easier to hide his tail underneath, but the change that was most apparent to Rin was his hair. Yukio always kept his hair tidy and at a specific length, now he grew it out, clearly to hide his pointed ears.
Rin nodded, taking a few steps towards Yukio, “yeah, cryptic as all hell.”
“I do agree with that, it’s weird,” Yukio nodded, finally finding the key that led to Mephisto’s office, “I’m just hoping it has nothing to do with Satan.”
“Agreed.”
Yukio put the key into the hole before opening the door to Mephisto’s lavishly purple office. It was fancy yet overly cluttered as usual, decorations of bright pinks and purples that clashed. Having both Victorian and Japanese aesthetics decorated throughout the place. Rin could swear it gets worse every time he goes in there, hell there’s even bright yellow on some of the curtains.
Mephisto sat at his cluttered desk, but the strange thing was the man standing in front of it. Well, Rin guessed it was a man. He was tall and in a black cloak that completely covered him from head to toe.
“I do agree that it is for the best,” Mephisto said to the man with a nod, sounding more serious than his commonly jester-like attitude, making Rin’s hairs on the back of his neck stand on edge. If Mephisto is sounding this serious, what is going on? Or could this weird cloak guy just be that powerful. Either way, Rin didn’t like it one bit.
“Sir Pheles,” Yukio was the first to speak up in his usual professional voice and tone. The man in the cloak turned to the twins, sending shock waves through both of them. He had no face. The cloak made him completely enshadowed, unable to make out any features on him. Except for a few strands of hair that were auburn in color that made it out of the cloak.
“I’ll guess the two of you are the Okumura twins,” He said in a low voice, “I’ve heard much about you.”
Rin gulped, completely frozen in place, a voice in the back of his head almost chanting, one wrong move, you’re dead. A threat, it screamed louder as the figure stepped closer to them.
“What? Scared?” He tilted his head as Yukio started reaching for his gun holder with shaking hands. Shaking? He almost never shook. Rin moved his hand and swiftly gripped onto Yukio’s arm. Neither of them could look away as the figure towered over them.
“Grim, stop,” Mephisto said in the same tone.
“Well I didn’t do anything wrong, I’m just standing here, going to give them a mission,” the man, Grim, backed up to Mephisto’s desk again.
Yukio cleared his throat, trying to stabilize himself, but it was difficult after hearing his name, “ah, a mission?”
‘Who the hell is this guy?’ Rin gulped, ‘Could it actually be. . . No I don’t think so, why would the grim reaper be here?’
“I shall let Mephisto explain to you,” Grim replied, standing off to the side, hands behind his back.
“We’ve discovered something in Gehenna, a school for upper middle rank and high class demons to blend into Assiah,” Mephisto explained.
“What does that have to do with the mission?” Yukio asked, finally stabilized, but keeping Grim in his peripherals.
“Well, we’re sending Rin there to make sure this school is not a danger,” Mephisto replied.
“What?” The two twins exclaimed at once, both in disbelief but different kinds. Rin didn’t think he’d be able to go on a mission so soon alone, Yukio about the fact they’re sending Rin alone to Gehenna.
“Wait! How would that even work!” Yukio pried.
“Well we can open a small temporary Gehenna Gate but only leave it open a crack for letters, so Rin could send those to us for the information about the school,” Mephisto explained, holding up a finger, “he will send one letter per week about what they are doing at the school.”
“Wait but how would I get back?” Rin asked.
“How can we trust Rin on a mission like this alone?” Yukio asked.
Hearing that made Rin spin to completely face Yukio, “HEY! What’s that supposed to mean!”
“Why are you allowed in Gehenna alone! Gehenna is completely unknown to us, it's too dangerous! It’s Satan’s playground!” Yukio turned completely to Rin.
“So what! As long as I don’t show my powers I’ll be fine!” Rin retorted.
“There is literally the grim reaper here!” Yukio shouted.
“ Enough ,” Grim pried the two away from each other. His grip on their shoulders was deathly cold, showing his hands. It wasn’t skeletal like the depictions but he was deathly pale and thin. The two froze, unable to fight back against him, startled by how silent he moved across the room.
He turned his head to the two, once at Yukio then at Rin. His face still cloaked in shadow, “I was just here to give the information, that is all.”
Yukio opened his mouth to speak but snapped it closed, it would be dumb to fight with the grip of death.
Grim reached into his sleeve, pulling out an envelope before handing it to Rin, “school already started a week ago. You’ll be a transfer student, this is your schedule. This is all I had to deliver, my role here is done.” As he spoke, he vanished in a cold chill of wind.
“One should learn it’s not polite to fight in front of death,” Mephisto sighed, “I just asked him to help us is all because he would be the least conspicuous, he already signed in a different few students. “
“What do you mean he already signed up students?” Rin asked.
“I do not know who or what they are but he is trusted around Gehenna. No matter how far you run he’ll always find you , that’s a common song sung about him,” Mephisto sang with a grin, back to his normal attitude, “I will tell you it is freaky hearing young children sing that while holding hands around a polluted fountain.” He dramatically shivered.
Rin blinked, “why polluted fountains?”
“Oh it was a curse against those that polluted the drinking supply,” Mephisto explained, “some towns need those waters to live.”
Rin and Yukio shivered a bit.
“Gehenna sounds horrible,” Yukio said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Anyway, back to the mission at hand,” Mephisto just brushed off the incident with the embodiment of death, “Rin you will be sent to Gehenna and every week you must deliver a letter to us about your findings!”
“Are you sure we can trust Rin with this?” Yukio pushed.
Rin glared at his younger twin, “do you have no faith in me?”
Yukio pushed up his glasses, “I have little faith in you, not none.”
“Why you four eyed mole face!” Rin shouted.
“Can you two please stop your sibling bickering?” Mephisto’s eyebrows twitched with annoyance.
“My apologies, but you have to understand where I’m coming from, right?” Yukio asked.
Mephisto glared up at Yukio, “Rin didn’t almost cause the premature end of the world.”
Yukio staggered back, his heart sank, glancing away and quieting his voice, “right. . . sorry sir.”
“Mephisto, that’s a bit too far don’t you think, that was a year ago!” Rin defended Yukio.
“A year ago, still a big deal of what he had done and he only got a small slap on the wrist, I did one thing wrong and a specific person wants to murder me,” Mephisto said.
“Even though that’s your view doesn’t mean that you can keep reminding Yukio!” Rin defended.
“Anyway,” Mephisto brushed it off, “if Rin doesn’t send a letter in the time of two months, Yukio will be sent in.”
“There’s the catch,” Yukio mumbled under his breath with a sigh.
“There’s always a catch!” Mephisto grinned, “then Yukio will take over in writing the letters and of course explaining why Rin didn’t send in anymore.”
“That makes sense, I’ll be sure to send in all the letters!” Rin grinned, “I’m sure this’ll be easy, it’s just a school, and if it’s about Assiah it should be easier!”
“What if there are a few things that you don’t know about Gehenna?” Yukio asked.
“I have that covered, Rin just say you’re from Sameal’s domain,” Mephisto explained.
“Sami-who now?” Rin tilted his head confused.
“Don’t worry about it, everyone will leave you alone from any questions they might have,” Mephisto says.
“If it’s that easy, then alright,” Rin shrugged, “Sameal’s domain, got it.”
“So Rin, pack your things, you’ll be moving into the dorms, but those things will be sent directly to your room,” Mephisto explained.
“Wait wait wait, hold it,” Rin stated, “what about Kuro?”
“Would you like to bring him with you?” Mephisto asked, “I’m not sure they allow pets though.”
“We can leave him with Konekomaru, those two like each other,” Yukio suggested.
“Oh! Good idea!” Rin exclaimed with a smile, “I’m glad he won’t be alone.”
Yukio nodded and sighed, ‘Still thinking about others before himself again. . . This is foolish.’
“Welp! I should go pack and call Koneko! Seeya!” Rin slipped his key to the dorms out of his pocket before slipping away to the dorms.
Yukio glanced back at Mephisto, “are you sure this is a good idea?”
He grinned like the Cheshire cat, “why wouldn’t it be?”