Hey guys! I wasn't planning on starting a new story so soon after The Phantom of New York ended, but I've had this idea in my head for a while and I want to get it into words. Because I am not Japanese, nor do I speak the language, I will not be using honorifics. Also, I'm not really sure whether (P?)parasite should be capitalized or not. Unless someone tells me otherwise, I'm going to capitalize it. If any are reading who have not read/seen Parasyte, I only explain the basics. I'm not going to explain all of what went down with Nobuko (Shinichi's mother). I'm going to refer to Shinichi's dad as Kazuyuki most of time because it's less awkward-sounding than saying 'Shinichi's dad' all the time. Sorry if this chapter is a tad dull but this is essentially just here to set up the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Parasyte: The Maxim or Blue Exorcist

Onwards!

1

Moving Day

Izumi Shinichi was lying on his bed, wondering what was going to become of his dad. Ever since his mother's death, his dad had never really been the same. He had fallen into depression. The Izumi Kazuyuki the neighborhood had known before was replaced with a shattered man. He kept up a façade, but Shinichi knew that he was definitely not okay.

"Shinichi, come down for dinner!" yelled his father from downstairs.

"Coming!" Shinichi yelled, getting off of his bed. "Migi, quit reading for thirty minutes so I can go eat dinner."

Now there was something very unusual about Izumi Shinichi. Just mere months ago, a new species had shown up to Earth. This species killed people and took their skin as their own. They took over the body's control center, the brain, and killed it, leaving the shell of a person inhabited by this creature. They were simply called Parasites. In Shinichi's case, a parasite had tried to take over his brain. However, Shinichi had cut off his circulation with a tightly wrapped pair of ear buds. Thus, said parasite matured in his right hand. Shinichi called the parasite "Migi." Migi had become an ally of sorts; Shinichi relied on him at any rate to take care of Parasites.

"Alright," Migi said blankly as he reverted back into Shinichi's right hand. "I'm going to go to sleep soon anyway."

That was just one of the things that set Parasites apart from regular humans. They had the ability to change their skin and stretch it to an extreme degree as well as produce blades.

Shinichi hurried down the stairs to sit down with his father. As they ate in silence, Kazuyuki began to mumble to himself quietly, but Shinichi could hear him perfectly well with his enhanced hearing.

"Nobuko was always a better cook than I ever was," he muttered, keeping his eyes downcast.

"Shinichi, I have news," Kazuyuki said, absentmindedly picking at his peas with his fork.

"Oh?" said Shinchi, eyeing his right hand.

"We're moving."

Shinichi nearly choked. "Moving? What about the-uh-what about Murano? Why are we moving?"

Kazuyuki gave Shinichi a hard look full of longing and said, "The memories are too much."

There was a silence for a moment before Kazuyuki spoke up again, this time with a tone a tad lighter. "Relax, we're staying in Tokyo. We're just moving to a different part. We're going to a neighborhood near True Cross Academy, the high school that you will be attending."

"Isn't True Cross Academy that enormous, prestigious school?"

"Yes."

"But that school costs a lot of money!"

"Even though your grades started to slip this year, they're still good enough that you got in on a scholarship."

"I see. I'm going to go to my room," said Shinichi, promptly getting up and walking off.

"What are we going to do about the Parasites here? Will I be too far away to protect Murano?" Shinchi started stressing aloud as he ran his left hand through his hair.

"True Cross Academy is on the other side of the city," said Migi. "It would not be prudent to make the trip every day, never mind the fact that being gone for so long could arouse suspicion in your father. I know you're not here a lot for Parasitic reasons, but you're always home for a period of time, usually in the evening when Parasite activities have died down. If you made the trip every day, you would barely be here at all and your father would certainly notice such lengthy absence. It would also raise suspicion with Murano."

"I know, but I can't help but worry," said Shinichi, sitting down at his computer to do a little research of his own on True Cross.

"I'm going to sleep. Stay inside until I wake up," said Migi.

"Really, Migi! You always pick-" Shinichi started before he realized that he was just talking to his hand now. He grunted in frustration and typed away at his computer.

Two weeks later, moving day came. Murano had shown up to help pack away the remainder of the Izumi's belongings and to see off Shinichi.

"Thanks for coming, Murano," said Shinichi as they packed away the last of the boxes into the truck.

"It's no problem at all! I just wish you didn't have to leave, Izumi," replied Murano shyly.

"I don't particularly want to leave either, but I have to go with my dad," he said.

"I understand," Murano said, a little sadness seeping into her voice.

"Shinichi, the truck is loaded so let's get going!" yelled Kazuyuki climbing into the driver seat.

"Coming!" Shinichi yelled back as he turned to Murano. "We'll keep in touch, right?"

"Of course, Izumi. Every day," she said softly.

"Be safe!" said Shinichi over his shoulder as he walked away.

"You be safe too!" she said as she turned to go back to her own home.

"We are starting with a clean slate," said Kazuyuki as Shinichi got into the truck. "Make the most of it."

If only I could start with a clean slate, Shinichi thought as memories of Parasites like Tamiya Ryoko and Mr. A flashed through his mind. But now that my heart is like this, now that I've collected all these scars, there's no going back. There's no starting anew. There's only continuation of what has happened already.

Once Shinichi and Kazuyuki arrived, they immediately set to work on unpacking everything. Kazuyuki had the movers set aside Shinichi's belongings so he could start unpacking and set up his room the way he wanted it to be.

"When am I going to be starting at True Cross?" asked Shinichi as he lifted the first box. It seemed awfully light to him but he knew that was just his enhanced strength.

"Next week when we're more settled in," replied Kazuyuki, lifting up his own box.

"Just how much of this did you do in advance without telling me?" asked Shinichi.

"Some," replied Kazuyuki vaguely as he went inside.

Shinichi sighed and went inside. He knew that Migi would ask him to get to know the area for quick escape and such. He had a long week ahead of him, and on top of that starting at an entirely new school.

True Cross can't be that bad, though Shinichi. I just hope no one gets hurt because of me.