MORE AONO IDIOTS

[barriermaiden]

[Idiots. All of them.

Bon was tired. After a day of tending to the sick, as well as tending to family obligations, there was not much else to do but take a bath and sleep. But there was so much to worry about: the mess with Todo, where this sickness was coming from, Rin's demon heritage...

Bon frowned. Rin was a constant worry. As if there weren't enough troubles in Bon's life already, now there was one more idiot to worry about. He was lazy, he was stupid, and he happened to be the son of Bon's sworn enemy, the one Bon was going to defeat.

But somehow, Bon couldn't be mad at him. Mad at the lies, yes, but not at Rin's heritage. He couldn't help it, right? It wasn't like a child could do anything about who their parents were. Rin was at fault just as much as Bon was at fault for the Suguro family problems.

Speaking of family problems...

Bon looked left, then right. Nobody else was in the changing room. Good. Carefully, Bon lifted up the sweater and shirt, and carefully pulled them off. The bindings on her chest were still holding strong, though they were becoming uncomfortable as time passed. She was growing, she figured. Pretty soon she would no longer be small-chested enough for bandages, and she would have to use actual bras.

It wasn't that she was uncomfortable with being a girl. No, Bon was fine with that. But what she wasn't fine with was all the assumptions that went along with it. Girls did this. Girls did that. Girls didn't get their ears pierced, or dyed their hair, or acted in the way Bon always had.

Bon wasn't about to change who she was just because society told her to, but the pressure was on her. Especially since she was a scholarship student, too: Nobody expected a tomboy to be tough and smart. So, it had just been easier to hide her gender under bandages and pants. It was only three years, after all. Once she graduated and got her Meister, how she acted wouldn't matter at all. Once she was an exorcist, nobody could take that away from her. She could be who she wanted.

But for now, she could pretend to be a boy. Shima and Koneko knew, by virtue of having grown up with her. Her teachers (including Yukio) and the staff at the school knew, since her actual gender was listed on her school records. But everyone else? They had no clue.

At least, as long as nobody saw her topless, they wouldn't know. Hopefully no idiot boys would wander in to the changing room and stumble upon her in her half-dressed state.]

Comments

[keepsthefire]

[You picked a great time do start doubting, Bon. Considering what Rin went through in that fucked up jail of Mephisto's, and just how much he's doubting himself right now...

But he has to try. For his friends. He wants them to survive, he wants everyone to survive.

He wants to see Kyoto, in all it's glory, not ruined by the rot of the Impure King.]

We can do this!

[barriermaiden]

[Yeah, she's just holding onto him, trying her best not to fall off of Kuro's back.]

We're just students! What if we mess up?

[Sure, Bon's got the barrier, and Rin's far stronger than most students, but what if it's still not enough? What if the Impure King gets out anyway?

Rin still can't draw his sword anyway, so once Bon gets the barrier up, they'll be stuck.]

[keepsthefire]

[He can't right now, and yet... yet he's still smiling that pained smile. He won't look at the negatives, even with the rot all around them, and his sword still stuck in it's sheath.

He shakes his head at Bon.]

Everyone's probably... workin' hard, and doin' their best. So we gotta do our best, too! C'mon, Princess Suguro! Just focus on gettin' the barrier set up!

[barriermaiden]

[Somehow being called that just makes her indignant.]

P-Princess?! What about me screams 'princess' to you?

[But hey, suddenly she's not so worried about her doubts, so maybe that was a good idea?]

[keepsthefire]

[Just as planned.]

Haa... you're right, you're too crude to be a princess~ I wouldn't wanna be a knight to some one who whines as much as you!

[Rin you are an ass.

But an affective one.]

[barriermaiden]

What- W-well I wouldn't want to be rescued by someone as stupid as you!

[Now they're both idiots. And Bon might be punching Rin, a little.]

[keepsthefire]

Ow--!

Then prove it! Prove you've got what it takes to be the kind of exorcist that doesn't need to be rescued!

[Says the idiot who's clearly shaking.]

[barriermaiden]

Instead of being rescued, I'd rather just fight on a team!

[Because watching out for someone while they watch out for her is infinitely better than both being rescued and standing alone.]

[keepsthefire]

[Rin is glad for that, and he grins even more.]

We are a team! And we're gonna get through this together!

[barriermaiden]

We better! Because I'll never forgive you if you don't pull your own weight!

[That's just Bon being Bon.

She does get the barrier up with no problems, though. It looks like it doesn't matter if she's a son or daughter, as long as she carries the right bloodline in her.]

[keepsthefire]

[Rin may be a slacker in the classroom, but when it comes to the safety of his friends he's more than willing to pull his weight and everyone else if need be.

So the barrier gets up, and they're where they need to be to do... something except that Rin still can't the sword out, and the longer they're up there the more frightened he's becoming. What if he can't pull it again ever? What if this is really the end because he can't pull his confidence out of whatever hole it's gone in to?

He's shaking, they've been knocked around several times, the miasma and rot is everywhere and it looks like they're not going to make it...

But Rin turns to Bon with a pained grin and declares loudly.]

I wanna go to Kyoto Tower!

[barriermaiden]

[She had been focusing on the barrier, on keeping it up, and on yelling at Rin whenever the miasma got too close. Because she knows that if she's compromised, the barrier will fall. She really does need Rin to be her knight right now.

But he can't draw his sword, and he's really fighting a losing battle here-]

Wh-what? Why Kyoto tower?!

[keepsthefire]

I wanna go! I wanna see it, I wanna see everythin' awesome about Kyoto!

[A losing battle, and yet there he is, declaring something so... pointless.

Except it's not pointless to him, and that becomes obvious as he turns to look back at the looming, imposing mess that is the Impure King.]

I gotta... save everyone... so we can all go together...

[barriermaiden]

...Idiot!

[Yeah, she's been thinking that all night. But it's time to finally say it.]

There's more places to see than Kyoto Tower! So go be the hero, and I'll show you whatever you want to see.

[keepsthefire]

What's what I wanted to hear.

[Shaking hands, rattling sword case, palms sweaty, body aching...

But he had to do it. He had to pull the sword out or else this was all going to be for nothing.]

[barriermaiden]

[Whatever Rin is waiting for, he better get to it quick. The Impure King is moving in, and already the sickening mass is climbing up the rock to where Bon is, searching out the person who's got the barrier up.]

Okumura, you better hurry!

[keepsthefire]

[And Rin's hands continue to shake as he keeps tugging on the sword, heart racing and breath coming in short gasps.

Something nearly comes crashing down on Rin, but Kuro leaps in to take the hit.]

KURO!

[But the blade is still not coming out...

Even after all this... with everyone in danger... I still can't... ?!]

[barriermaiden]

[Bon tries to hold on, she really does. She tries to give Rin as much time as a he can. But ultimately, she knows she won'the last. And she doesn'the want Rin to die up here too. ]

Okumura...just go. Try to get away, I'll keep the barrier up as long as I can.

[keepsthefire]

[Rin stared at her, eyes wide, mouth open.

She was telling him to run. To get out.

Sacrificing herself so he could flee.

No! Bon! Why--...

Old man... why... why did you save me...

His hands went back to his sword, holding it in front of his face as he gritted his teeth hard, shaking hands turning in to shaking arms as he tried to force the blade out.

His flames started to appear around him as he growled and struggled against the stuck weapon.

Why... was I... saved?!

Suddenly the blade inside budged, and with a kick and a woosh of flames it came free in an arc of blue.]

[barriermaiden]

[Well it's about damn time!

Okay, that's not Bon's first thought. It's the second, maybe, but not the first.

Her first thought is "Why isn't he running?"]

Okumura-

[But she cuts herself off, as she sees those blue flames. He finally did it. He finally drew that damn sword.

The tone in Bon's voice changes drastically, as her hope grows.]

-Kick it's ass!

[keepsthefire]

Don't gotta tell me twice!

[Rin turns the blade with a click, charging forward and leaping from the rock as he launches flames and sword at the nearest rise of rot from the Impure King. Flames cut through it easily, sending it crashing down.

But that only does so much. There's a lot of rot, and the Impure King doesn't show any signs of slowing down it's growth even as it sputters and makes noises at Rin's flames doing any sort of damage.]

[barriermaiden]

[This isn't going to work. Rin is going to run out of steam before he gets to the center. He's trying to do too much at once and if he doesn't aim for the right spot-]

Don't just burn everything! Try to find the core! Burn right to the center and destroy that!

[-and that sure is some blue flames licking at the grass.]

And watch what you're burnin'! It won't do any good if you burn us to a crisp while burnin' that thing!

[keepsthefire]

I know that! I know-- shit!

[An "arm" of the Impure King attempted to slam down on them, narrowly missing Rin as he jumped out of the way, feet sliding on the slick rock.]

Where is it?! I can't see shit with all this in the way!

[barriermaiden]

It's in the center! God, how can you just-

[And then she gets an idea. Even Karura, who has this mindlink bullshit going on at the moment, thinks it's an interesting one, but he warns her that it would be a one-shot thing.]

Okumura, can you take flames inside of you and use 'em?

[keepsthefire]

[Being able to see the center would be helpful here, Bon.]

What?! I-- ... I'unno maybe?! How the fuck should I know?!