Chapter 18: I Don't Do Bugs, and Shima Pisses Himself

Here's another chapter, much sooner than expected!

"So!" Yukio announces, standing up and brushing imaginary dirt off his pants. "Now that we're all finished with dinner, I'll explain our training." I grip my katana in it's bag so tight, my knuckles turn white. If my vision does come to pass, I have a horrible feeling it'll be soon.

Next to me, Rin scoots closer and takes my other hand. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asks, his eyebrows knitting together in that adorable way they do when he's worried. I can't hide the truth much longer. I hate lying to him. I sigh, making a tough decision.

"I'm okay right now. I'll tell you what's bothering me later," I promise him, intertwining our fingers as Yukio scolds Shura for drinking on the job. He seems mollified for now, and my shoulders relax a little.

"Now then! All of you will depart from camp in different directions," Yukio explains, and I nudge Rin to get him to pay attention. "You are to find and light a lantern hidden deep within this forest. Everyone who accomplishes this and returns safely with their lantern to camp will be awarded the right to participate in real combat missions."

Provided my vision doesn't come true, this should be a piece of cake. I'm not too fond of having to work against Rin and our friends, though.

"However, there are only three lanterns. The only thing we will tell you is that the positions of these lanterns are within a radius of five hundred meters from the camp. So in other words, you only have three lanterns to find and return to camp to win the right to take part in real combat missions," Yukio explains, reaching for one of the shoulder bags we were all given before we entered the forest. "Now I will brief you on the contents of your shoulder bags: three days' worth of food and water, a sleeping bag, a towel, a pack of tissues, daily necessities, etc., a compass, a flashlight, a firework for eliminating demons, one matchstick, and many other things that will help you traverse the forest. As I said earlier, this forest becomes a nest for lower level demons at night. At your current strength, you will barely make it through." I scoff. That's encouraging.

"If you believe you are in danger, please make use of your firework to eliminate the demons. withing two minutes, either Kirigakure-sensei or myself will come to collect you," he continues.

"There's only one matchstick?" Konekomaru questions, examining the matchbook from his bag.

"In other words, if you use the firework, you will not be able to light the lantern," Yukio confirms, "so think carefully before using it. Also, the lantern is made in such a way that we will know when you light it. Now, if you wait until you are closer to camp before lighting the lantern, you will be disqualified. If the lantern's light goes out on your way back to camp, you will also be disqualified. If you use your firework, that will be considered giving up, and you will be disqualified. So think about your strengths, use them to the fullest, and you will be able to clear this camp!" Yukio smiles at us all, clearly having faith in everyone's abilities.

"So," Rin starts, looking deep in thought, "all we have to do is find the lantern, light it, and bring it back to camp? That sounds simple!" Shura grabs him by the back of the collar and hauls him just far enough away that the rest of the class won't hear them. She gestures for me to join them.

"Do you understand?" she asks him. "Don't do anything stupid like during your last exam. In this dark forest you'll be easily seen. Don't let your flames out! I'm still here as an inspector, don't you forget. If the truth about you comes out, I'll have to report it to the higher-ups. If that happens they'll likely come to kill you."

"I won't let that happen," I growl, and Rin looks at me worriedly.

"'Rena, they'd kill you too!" he says, clearly horrified at the thought.

"Actually, they'd probably take her captive," Shura murmurs thoughtfully. My eyes widen and my head snaps to look at her. Does she know? My heart pounds so hard, I feel it'll burst out of my chest.

Rin looks at her too. "Why?" he asks, sensing that she knows something we may not. Well, something he may not. I give Shura a pleading look, hoping she doesn't mean what I think she does. Shura's face is suddenly serious, the drunken flush now gone from her face.

"I'll let girlie tell you that one," Shura says, releasing Rin and leaving the two of us alone. He looks at me expectantly.

"Later," I promise, spotting Suguro approaching us. "We'll meet up in the forest after we leave here. We can work together."

"Where's all that energy from earlier, Okumura-kun? You're awfully pale now," Suguro teases Rin. "You scared?"

Rin looks at him, his face still a picture of worry. Suguro's face turns serious.

"This training was devised to separate us from each other. Once this starts, we'll be working to destroy each other," he warns, and I frown, a thought occurring to me. Rin spots my frown and opens his mouth to say something, but I shake my head. Suguro walks off to take his starting position, and Rin and I follow, taking positions directly next to each other.

"It doesn't make sense that we'd train to work together just to be forced to work separately," I tell Rin under my breath. "I think everyone else is missing the point of this exercise."

Rin nods. "Together, then?" he asks, grinning at me.

I smile back at him. "Together."

After Yukio fires the shot signalling our start, Rin and I take off in seemingly different directions as originally instructed, only to meet up a few meters later.

"So what was Shura talking about, you being taken captive?" Rin asks as we run.

"My mother-" I start, and we suddenly hear a girl's scream.

"Shiemi!" we both shout. We look at each other for a split second.

"You keep looking for the lantern! I'll help Shiemi!" I bark, already heading towards her scream.

Rin gives a short nod and keeps on on the direction we'd been travelling. I pull my flashlight from my bag.

"Shiemi?" I call. "Are you okay?! Shiemi!"

Large moths nearly the size of my head start swarming around me, likely attracted to my flashlight, and I swat them away. Shutting my flashlight off, I shove it back in my bag and hope my demon senses will help me find Shiemi in the dark. I shove branches out of the way, wincing as my leg is scraped on a thorn bush. The moths, which had thinned out a bit after I shut my light off, return nearly tenfold and swarm around my now bloody leg.

"Great, fucking vampire moths!" I gripe. Before I can start debating whether or not to burn some of them away with my flames, I come across Shiemi, lying unconscious on the ground, her magic circle torn in half.

"Shiemi!" I gasp, rolling her over onto her back. I can barely see her, the moths are so thick around us.

"Fuck off!" I growl, letting myself flare up, turning the moths surrounding us into ash. The ones that remain start screeching and fly away.

"What the fuck was that?!" I hear someone shout, and I freeze, my heart stopping. Was I seen?!

I turn to see Suguro, worried and wide-eyed. He spots Shiemi. "Is Moriyama-chan okay?"

I release the breath I'd been holding. "She's okay for the moment. She has a head wound but it doesn't seem too serious," I say, feeling my heart start again.

"Good," Suguro replies, looking relieved. "So anyway, what was that red light just now? Did you see it? It nearly blinded me, it was so bright, and I couldn't make out what it was."

I shrug. "No idea. Nearly blinded me too. Could have been another student setting off one of their fireworks," I suggest, and Suguro nods, buying the lie.

"Well I heard Shiemi scream so I figured I'd come help her, but it seems you beat me to it," Sugro continues, and I raise my eyebrows in surprise.

"And yet you were the one saying none of us should help each other," I say teasingly. Suguro's a big softie, just like Rin.

"Shut up!" Suguro snaps, looking away. "You heard that scream, she sounded like she was gonna die!" I chuckle.

"Where's Okumura-kun, anyway? I figured you two would be working together out of everyone," Suguro asks, frowning.

"When we heard Shiemi scream, we split up. I came to help her and he should still be looking for a lantern," I explain, and beside me, Shiemi stirs.

"Shiemi!" Suguro shouts, and she groans. I help her start to sit up.

"Serena-chan? It's so dark..." She suddenly bolts upright, her eyes wide. "Nee-chan!" She looks around wildly and spots her torn magic circle. She sniffles, tears in her eyes.

"You can summon the same familiar with any magic circle," Suguro reassures her.

"Oh! I see!" Shiemi says, starting to look through her bag. "Hmm, some of my things are missing. They must have fallen out of my bag when was attacked."

"You were attacked?" I ask. "What happened?"

Shiemi looks up at me, her pale green eyes wide. "Those moths I think, something hit me on the head as soon as I turned around and knocked me out. It looked like a giant moth, though."

Suddenly, a beam of light shines through the darkness, and I hear the jingling of metal on metal just before a staff swings at my head. I act instinctively, grabbing it and using it to swing the person holding it onto their back, and I hear the wind being knocked out of them.

"Shima!" Suguro exclaims, looking down at the pink-haired figure lying on the ground.

"Bon?!" Shima manages to gasp, coughing as he stands up.

"Turn your light off, you idiot!" I hiss, spotting more moths heading towards Shima's flashlight.

"Huh?!" Shima shouts, looking at me, suddenly realizing that I'm the one who had flipped him. "What are you all doing here?!"

"I could ask the same of you!" Suguro shouts. Shima groans.

"A swarms of moths surrounded me...I don't remember much after that. I think I blacked out," he says sheepishly.

"Oh, right, you hate bugs," Suguro says, just as all of our phones go off.

I pull mine from my pocket to see a text from Rin on the screen.

Rin: You were right, we definitely have to work together. This thing is huge! It's a straight shot from where we started at camp. Konekomaru is here too.

Serena: I'll be there ASAP. Have Suguro, Shiemi, and Shima with me. Shiemi's ok.

"Rin found a lantern!" I say at the same time Shima and Suguro say, "Koneko found a lantern!"

I pull Shiemi to her feet, and we all head on, swatting at the fucking vampire moths.

Shura downs another beer, cackling at the look on Yukio's face.

"Who'da thought it'd be the girlie to use her flames first?" she says, crumpling up the can and tossing it to the side as she reaches for another one.

Yukio's eye twitches, and he pushes his glasses further up the bridge of his nose in an attempt to hide it.

"But it's okay," Shura continues, "it's too dark to make out what that blinding light was anyway."

Yukio sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "I can't hide them much longer," he says, worried.

"You're getting old. You used to be so cute three years ago," Shura says, cracking open another can. "Now you're like a worn out businessman." She cackles again at her own joke.

"Would you leave me alone?!" Yukio snaps at her. "What are you still doing here, anyway? Why aren't you reporting them to the Vatican?"

"I'm gonna teach Rin how to use a sword, and Serena how to refine her technique," Shura says in a singsong voice. "My report's on hold."

Yukio lets out an exclamation in surprise. "Really? Why?" he asks, curious about the older exorcist's reasoning.

"Rin said he's gonna become the Paladin, and Serena wants to kill Satan in revenge for her father," Shura says simply, shrugging as if it should be obvious.

"Paladin?! What is he thinking?" Yukio says, exasperated once again with his older brother. Shura lets out a laugh at that.

"What can I say?" she says, tilting her can up only to find it empty. "Aww. I like boys with ambition. But when Shiro asked me, I was like, 'No way!"

Yukio's ears perk up at the mention of his father's name.

"Father Fujimoto?" he asks. He'd known Shura had been his father's apprentice, but had never known he'd asked her to train Rin.

"But Rin's such a noob. I can't work up the motivation. And Serena is helping him control his flames anyhow," Shura says, tossing her empty can behind her in disappointment. "I hate to say it, but I think I agree with him when it comes to how we should toughen Rin up." She looks over at the two shadowy figures perched in the trees, chuckling to herself at the fact that they think they're hidden there.

"Hmph!" Amaimon huffs. "She's noticed us, the brat."

"Amaimon, did you say hello to the Lord of the Forest?" Mephisto asks of his younger brother, using his currently bat-shaped umbrella to float alongside him.

"Yeah," Amaimon affirms. "They killed a bunch of his kin, so he'll cooperate."

"I think I'll watch this time," Mephisto says, calm as always. Amaimon continues on as if he hadn't heard his older brother.

"But that girl's hiding the Koma sword. How can I get Rin to snap?" he wonders, more to himself than anything. "The girl's in the way."

Mephisto lets a frown cross his features. "I'm glad you're so fired up, but this time, do as I say," he warns. "Don't let things get out of hand."

Amaimon continues watching Shura and Yukio, gnawing on one of his long, sharp fingernails.

Mephisto scowls at his younger brother. Of course he isn't listening...

"Serena?" Rin calls as we approach. I run ahead and hug him, and he picks me up and spins me around, squeezing me tightly.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he says, setting me down and looking me over for injuries. I smile at him.

"Of course I'm okay," I say, reaching up to cup his cheek. "I had to make it back to you." I lean in and kiss him.

"Yuck!" Shima says. "You two are gonna make us all hurl with the sweetness."

I stick my tongue out at him, and Rin retorts, "You're just jealous because you're not getting any!"

I blush at the implication, and Suguro laughs at the look on Shima's face. Then he spots the lantern and says, "I see. One person can't carry that."

I turn and look to see a stone lantern about half the size of a car. "It's huge!" I exclaim. "I wasn't expecting a demon lantern!"

Rin gives me a confused look. "Demon?" he asks.

"It's a peg lantern," Suguro explains. "It's a demon that waits at night for people to light it, then attacks them and eats them for fuel. It especially likes women."

I give Shima a sideye. "Looks like it's got something in common with you, then," I joke. He gives me a broad grin in return.

"It stops at dawn or when it runs out of fuel," Suguro finishes.

"As soon and Rin and I found it, I knew we had misunderstood the rules," Konekomaru says. "Rin says that Serena had told him at the start that us having to work against each other didn't make any sense after it was drilled into us before that we had to work together."

Rin grins at me and slings an arm around my shoulder. "That's right!" he exclaims proudly. "Yukio said there were three lanterns, he didn't say only three people could win."

"Why didn't you say anything?!" Suguro bursts out. I shrug.

"Wasn't sure you'd take me seriously, and I wasn't a hundred percent sure," I say honestly.

"Well for future reference, I would take you seriously. You're one of the smartest students in the class," Suguro says, and I can't help but blush a bit at his praise. "Anyway, I like cooperating, so this is good! Does anyone have Kamiki or Takara's phone numbers? This would be easier with more of us."

Konekomaru raises his hand like we're still in class. "Um, I've thought up a way for the six of us to move the lantern," he offers. "First we put the peg lantern in the cart, then we seal it so it can't move. We'll use a seal from the surrounding posts, and chant the sutra that goes with it. Bon will do that because he's memorized it. Before we light the lantern, we'll gather chuchi for fuel. The lantern will go out if it runs out of fuel, so we have to keep feeding it. That'll be Moriyama-chan's job. The light will grow brighter, causing more chuchi to attack. Shima, Serena-chan, and I will handle that. And the person with the most horsepower will pull the cart!" Of course he means Rin. I trade him my sword for his wooden training one, so I at least have something to defend myself with without having to use my flames.

He slings my sword over his shoulder. "It's safe with me," he promises, giving me a kiss and getting ready to pull the cart.

I pull my magic circle from my pocket and bite my thumb with one of my fangs. "Children of the ancient kings, hear my cry! Obey me!" I call out as I spread my blood across the circle. My two silver wolves appear, ready to strike. We're ready.

Rin takes off, and Shima shakes his head in wonder. "Amazing! What planet is he from?" he asks in disbelief.

We haven't been moving very long when we see one of the bottle rockets shoot up in the air.

"Did somebody give up already?" Shima says, swinging his staff in a graceful arc around him in an effort to keep the chuchi at bay.

I twirl the wooden sword around, knocking the chuchi out of the air, and one of my wolves gives the dead ones to Shiemi while the other attacks the chuchi I can't hit.

"It must be Kamiki-chan or Takara-kun," Shiemi says, seeming worried.

"Uh oh!" Rin exclaims suddenly. "There's a bridge!" We all stop short. It's a rickety old bridge with hardly any solid slats left at all, leading over a pit filled with a dark, writhing mass.

"What are we gonna do? There's no way this cart is gonna roll across that!" Rin shouts. Before anyone can say anything, Shima seems to realize what's in the pit.

"GAAAAAAAAHHH!" he screams, his whole body shaking like a chihuahua in need of a sweater. "D-down there! Bugs! Lots of bugs!" We all look down and see that yes, the pit is filled with tons and tons of bugs.

"Oh, shit...I think I'm gonna piss myself..." Shima rambles, looking absolutely terrified.

"Maybe you'll feel better if you do?" Rin offers.

"Okumura-kun, don't say that!" Konekomaru scolds. "Peeing yourself is the beginning of the end!"

Suguro distracts everyone from that wonderful conversation by snatching Shima's staff and seemingly using it to measure how deep the pit is, all the while chanting the sealing mantra. I can't lie, I'm impressed by the dude's ability to continuously chant while he apparently comes up with a plan.

Konekomaru looks up at the rope going across the arch of the bridge. "Something is sealed here," he says, pointing up to a slip of paper with a symbol on it. "Don't disturb the seals or the rope!"

A tapping noise take our attention away from the bugs and seals. We look over, and Suguro has a notepad with something written on it.

Got an idea.

Lantern crosses by itself.

"How?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh!" Konekomaru exclaims. "I think I get it!"

Poor Rin looks as clueless as I am. "Can someone explain please?"

I'll draw a diagram.

Konekomaru translates the following pictures for us.

"First, Koneko and Okumura take the cart across. The pit is shallow, so you can walk across. Konekomaru will wait on the other side with a seal. Over on this side, Shima will put Moriyama on his shoulders. I'll remove the seal and set the lantern free, and put Hayatashi on my shoulders. Shima will carry Moriyama across the bug pit to the other side, and I will carry Hayatashi. The lantern will follow Hayatashi and Moriyama since it likes women. Then, I put a seal on it," Konekomaru finishes. Rin's eyes boggle at Suguro's drawings, which truth be told, are really good.

"You're really good at drawing!" he exclaims.

Damn straight.

I frown. I'm not too sure how I feel about having Suguro's head between my thighs. Shima voices similar concerns.

"Me? Cross the bug pit? With my head between Moriyama-chan's thighs? That'll kill me in more ways than one," he whines, practically crying.

"Dying might purify you of evil desires," Konekomaru says jokingly.

Rin sighs. "Bon, you carry Shiemi then, I'll get Serena. If only so I don't have to listen to Shima's whining anymore..." I laugh quietly, knowing he's slightly jealous of the idea of Suguro carrying me anyway. Suguro nods in agreement.

Konekomaru crosses the bridge as Rin carries the cart across, and I cringe at the squishy sounds of the bugs underneath his feet. In any other situation I would insist on doing things myself, but I'm majorly grossed out at all the bugs. Rin crosses back over to our side and crouches down so I can get on his shoulders. I tuck his training sword into his belt so I can hang onto him better.

"Hang on, I'm gonna stand up now," he warns, and I fist my hands in his collar. "This isn't a bad place to be, y'know, aside from the bugs," he teases, and I blush for what feels like the thousandth time today.

"Count yourself lucky I don't wear skirts very often or you'd be even worse off," I tease back, and I can practically feel the heat rolling off of him as he growls at me. I get that feeling in the pit of my belly again, and I suddenly wish we were back on the roof of our dorm.

Meanwhile, Shima has crossed the bridge and he and Konekomaru are waiting on the other side. "Okay, we're ready!" Konekomaru calls.

Rin clambers down into the pit and signals to Suguro that we're ready too. He gets Shiemi on his shoulders and prepares to take the seal off.

"All right, GO!" he shouts, ripping off the seal. The lantern seems to spot me and starts heading straight towards us.

"Run!" I shout at Rin, and he takes off.

"Get ready, I'm going to throw you when we get there!" he warns, and I brace myself to aim to the side of the cart just as Rin hits the wall of the pit and throws me. I land in the grass and see Konekomaru slap the seal on the lantern and immediately start chanting the sutra. Suguro and Shiemi climb out of the pit next to Rin. Shima reaches down with his staff.

"Grab ahold, Rin," he says, and Rin shakes his head.

"No thanks," he says with a wide grin. He leaps up, his training sword in the air...

...and he breaks the seal.