Magnanimous (Blue Exorcist ~ Yukio Okumura)

Chapter 67

Nearly an hour passed before my phone rang. I answered it immediately.

"Hello?"

"Akilina, Rin isn't around, is he?" Yukio sounded a little more stressed than usual.

I stared around, knowing Rin was sitting right next to me. I lowered my voice a little, then moved the phone to the other side of my face so Rin could hear. "No, not anymore. What's going on?"

"Neuhaus was arrested by the Vatican, not just by True Cross. We think he was tampering with necromancy and resurrection studies."

"That's- that's like an actual thing people can do? Without demon possession?"

Yukio went quiet, and all I heard for a few seconds was static. "I have no idea. But his wife is alive, who was killed years ago. He admitted to it, but he won't say anything else."

Rin's phone started ringing. He slapped his hand over the speaker to mute it. I nodded at him, and he left the room to answer it.

"So, you're sure it was him?"

"Honestly, I don't know anything. Her name's Michelle, and we know she'll die within a few days, she might be possessed, but we can't know for sure. But we know Neuhaus isn't to be trusted."

"Okay, please be careful, Yukio," I reminded him quietly.

"I will," his voice was lower now, too. "Akilina, just remember not to go anywhere."

"Yukio," I trailed off a little.

"Just don't, please. I know you, and I know you want to help. Just stay inside with Rin."

I felt bad for lying to Yukio, I really didn't want to. But I knew him just as much as he knew me, and he always liked to downplay everything so that he could keep his family out of the fight. "Yeah."

"I have to go," Yukio hung up without another word.

When I looked up, Rin was standing in front of the couch I sat on. This time, he had that red bag over his shoulder that he put a sword in. "Shiemi found something. What'd Four-Eyes say?"

I kind of had to ignore the joking insult at his brother. "The whole necromancy thing, but they don't know exactly what Neuhaus is and isn't telling them. Just that his dead wife is alive and whatever, probably possessed. What did Shiemi find?"

"Dunno, but we gotta go help her." Rin's brows tilted down more in determination.

I followed Rin out the door, and he was immediately sprinting. I could barely breathe when I tried to keep up.

The boy led us to Shiemi's home, surrounded by all the flowers and trees and vines. Rin knocked on the front door. There was silence.

"Oi, Shiemi!"

There still wasn't any sound. Rin tried to open the door, but it was locked.

I turned my head, and there was a tiny little Greenman by our feet. It had a little pink flower on top of its bushy head. The Greenman made a squeaky noise at us. Rin turned his head at the tiny demon.

"You know where Shiemi is?" I asked the baby Greenman.

The demon squeaked again, jumping. It turned its back to us, and jumped down the steps. Rin and I stared at each other before we followed the Greenman around the back of the house.

Shiemi was in the middle of her fenced garden, hunched over a woman. Rin and I stared at each other before we ran through the gate. Shiemi was laying leaves on the blonde woman, and she turned her head up. "Rin! Akilina!"

My forehead creased as I stared at the woman, half-passed out and covered in little flowers and leaves. This wasn't right.

"Shiemi," Rin started off, a little growl in his voice. "What're you doing?"

"This is Michelle," Shiemi nodded. "I- I can't help her myself."

Without another word, Rin pulled out his sword. Blue flames covered his body. His ears pointed up more. My eyes went a little wider.

"Get back," he told Shiemi. He stepped towards the woman, who was slowly blinking awake. He angled his sword towards the woman.

"Rin!" Shiemi threw herself between Rin and Michelle. "Stop it! I called you here to help me, she's not bad."

"Rin," I called, pointing to the blonde woman on the bed of flowers. "She might be right."

The gentle little flower demons who usually swarmed Shiemi were tending to Michelle. The woman was staring at the people in front of her. I didn't feel threatened by her, but something still didn't feel right. 

Rin stepped back a little. I turned my back and opened my phone. "Stay here."

I looked back, and the blonde woman was still eyeing the two suspiciously. Rin had a sword out. "Actually, Rin, you go call Yukio."

"You sure you wanna get Four Eyes in-"

Michelle yanked Rin's sword from his hand. A yelp left Shiemi's mouth. She was held tight against the taller woman, the blade to her throat. "Stay back!"

"Don't do it," Rin shrieked. 

"Michelle," I called loudly, gun pointed towards her. I couldn't get a clear shot. 

"My life was ruined by you!" Michelle held a tighter grip to Shiemi. I was beginning to side-step around so I could get a clear shot. "Everything I cared about was burned down by your flames!"

"Michelle," I called again. "We can help you, but only if you put the sword down."

"As if I'd want help from someone who sided with Satan," she grimaced. 

"Then consider this a threat," I bit down on my back teeth. "Let Shiemi go or I will not hesitate to put a bullet in the back of your head."

Michelle was shaking now. "Satan took everything from me. I will take all that's precious to you in return, I don't care what it takes."

I saw her legs just barely crumble. Her knees gave out until she fell on the flower bed again. Rin's stolen sword dropped to the grass.

"Shiemi," I knocked the girl back. She fell on her butt feet away from the woman. I stared down at the unconscious blonde. "Stay back."

"Akilina, stop!" Shiemi crawled back up towards me, blocking me from Michelle. "I called you for help! She's scared and wounded!"

I bit down hard again. "Rin go call your brother. Shiemi, help her if you want, but keep your space... Won't do much good to help her, though."

"I don't care if you think she's bad," Shiemi argued, "Helping her will do good."

"She's already dead," Rin commented, almost off-handedly, as he sheathed his sword and picked up his phone.

The blonde girl stared with wide eyes until I gave the briefest elaboration. "She was resurrected, probably by Neuhaus. Assumably to get revenge on Satan. Help her if you want, but keep distance between you. I'll help."

Shiemi's eyes stayed wide for a moment before she got a determined look on her face. She nodded once. I heard Rin walking out towards the front of the building to call Yukio. 

"Shiemi, we're going to need yarrow. I assume you have some?"

"Nii, bring out some Airam-san!"

.

A/N: it's been.... close to ten months since I updated. I am SO sorry. I have always had huge plot and story intentions for this fic, but never got the motivation to finish. This is a small update, and I'm going to continue soon (as well as soon cutting this book to its end and beginning a sequel immediately). Happy reading! Thanks for sticking with me for well over two years on this :)