Okay, first and foremost, hi to everyone! This idea was suggested by 27kirune12. I'm basing this off the manga, and it's actually just a retelling of parts of the Kyoto Arc with a few parts tweaked. Hope that you'll enjoy it!

PS: I was supposed to give it a, I dunno, manlier name? but I just decided to go with this instead.

PPS: I know that you wanted more Rin whump but honestly, I can't bring myself to make him hurt himself more than he already did. I wanted to stop after his leg got torn apart, but then I remembered your request wanted more blood, so I made him hurt his arm too and I just can't-I had to stop. Sorry…

PPPS: This is just the first chapter, I was supposed to post it in a full one shot but then I'm going away for the weekend so a little something to leave you hanging XD

Daddy

"Don't you be acting all fatherly!" Suguro Ryuji roared after the man he called his father as he turned, back bent, brow furrowed, an old man. "If you're going to brush this off without saying anything…"

"You just don't want to play at being father anymore! Just admit it!" Unshed tears, hidden lies, explanations to be made, holes in the heart-

"I'll never acknowledge you as my father, NEVER! Not until the day I die!" Ryuji screamed.

"Don't you ever act like you're my father again!"

The High Priest turned to go. "I must leave. Please pardon me…"

No time, no time, I have to protect them, protect my son-

Rin moved before he knew it, grabbing the High Priest's robe. "Hold it."

No more regrets, no more love, Shiro bleeding out onto the floor, all his fault-

"Why are you walking away? Aren't you Suguro's dad?" Rin asked, a note of pleading in his voice. Don't let this end like it did with my dad last time, I must stop this, I have to stop this. I couldn't stop it last time, but I can't stop it this time and damnit Suguro-

"And." Rin turned towards Ryuji, then punching him in the face. "Suguro, you bastard!"

I want my dad back more than anything, despite what I said to him. You have the chance to take it back so take. It. Back!

Priests moved to Ryuji's aid, some noting that something blue flashed before them during that nanosecond. Rin stood his ground, firm, unwavering. "I don't know the details," and he didn't need to, "But I'll say this, because I know you're going to regret it if I don't. Listen. Apologize to your dad! Do it while you can!"

One more chance to fix things

Ryuji was still fuming. "This has nothing to do with you! Shut the hell up!"

Rin got mad. "Don't cut off your father so nonchalantly! He's your FATHER, DAMNIT!"

Flames burst out and ran wild, licking the floor as Rin yelled Ryuji's name and charged at him, as the familiar blue illuminated the walls of the temple for the second time in sixteen years. Ryuji could only stand and stare in shock.

"Stop it, Rin!" Shura yelled, pushing her way to the front. She was pretty sure that someone had tried to use the opportunity to grope her buttock but she could always chop him to pieces later.

Then Ryuji regained his senses and started to form a prayer, though he had absolutely no idea what could stop the blue flame, aka a raging mad son of Satan. He used the quickest chant he knew and actually managed to stop Rin in his tracks, though Rin pounded his fists on the barrier and glared at Ryuji through the barrier. Ryuji had no idea what set Rin off. A bad day? The fight between himself and his dad?

But then, it's not any of his business. If anyone should be mad, it should be me. Ryuji thought, strengthening the barrier and looking to the people beyond for help.

Then Rin smashed the barriers and grabbed Ryuji's collar. "I didn't freaking choose to be a son of Satan!" Was that a note of desperation? Longing? "But you…" Fujimoto Shiro, loving father and honored priest. "You're different! Aren't you?" Don't walk down the same path I did, you still have the choice.

Juuzo came to Ryuji's rescue, leaping in between them and knocking Rin's hands off the rumpled collar. "Sorry for butting in." He looked apologetically at the still blazing Rin who was trying to pick himself up from the floor, but then his expression hardened. "Anyway, for now, please run." No one knew who those words were directed to. Rin, whom was likely to be executed now? Ryuji, who faced danger from the son of Satan?

This boy…Renzo's friend…son of Satan? Juuzo's head was swimming. Before he could take any further action, Shura classified the situation as 'dangerous' and activated the bind on Rin's tail.

"UhgggGAHHH!" Rin collapsed to the ground, almost knocking himself out. Ryuji reached out a hand reflexively, then pulled it back. "Okumura?"

Shura took opportunity of Rin's weakened state and crouched down beside him. "Rin. Rin. Did you forget the conditions that were set at the trial? The next time you let out your flames and go wild, you will be executed. No sympathy, no trial. So you need to calm down."

"…this is important." Sweat trickled down Rin's face. "Get out of my way…ugly bitch."

Shura finished the mantra in response.

"GYAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Rin's tortured screams began anew, and he finally fell unconscious.

"What happened to your face, Bon?" Shima half shrieked when Ryuji entered the room.

Ryuji pressed the cold cloth to the forming bruise. Damn, Okumura sure packed a hard punch. "The Right Eye has been stolen from the branch office." He chose to leave out Rin's fight with him and his own fight with his father. "Okumura has been detained. He let out his flames and everyone saw."

"Eh?" Of course everyone was shocked. Despite the fact that he was a son of Satan, Rin had acted so normal and cheerful that the sentence dangling over his head had slipped their minds completely.

"Then what's going to happen to Okumura-kun?" Konekomaru inquired.

"…I don't know."

"Umm…he's put himself in quite a spot, eh?" Shima said nervously, noting that Shiemi was starting to shake.

"…Rin…" Shiemi twisted her hands together.

The door opened.

"Yuki-chan?!" Shiemi's head shot up faster than everyone else's. "Is Rin okay? Where is he now? Are they going to kill him?"

Yukio didn't answer Shiemi's questions, facing Ryuji instead. "Nii-san doesn't know what he's doing. I apologize to you in his place for the time being." Yukio lowered his head, though his glasses flashed ominously. Ryuji could imagine Yukio dragging Rin and making Rin apologize to him properly by aiming a gun at Rin's back. But then Yukio lifted his head, and Ryuji saw aqua eyes laced with worry and tinged with a hint of bitter sadness.

"Sensei, there is no need to apologize. This is Rin's burden to bear, not yours." Konekomaru told Yukio.

"Yuki-chan! Just tell me if Rin's okay!" Shiemi's voice was rising in desperation.

"Sensei, is there any way Okumura can get out of this?" Shima asked. "I need him alive if I'm going to climb onto his top ten cool guys list!"

"Do you have any idea why Okumura acted the way he did?" Izumo cut across the rest of them. "We need to know what's more likely to set him off so one, we know his verbal weaknesses in battle, two, we can avoid sensitive topics, and three, for his own damn protection."

"…" Yukio looked at the ground, trying to decide how to phrase it best. Then he started.

"No one knows what happened on the night Father Fujimoto Shiro died. Only four people know exactly what transpired. The rest of us, we can only guess. Those four people are God himself, Satan, Father Fujimoto, and Rin himself. Rin doesn't talk about it. From what I've been able to deduce…

"Nii-san didn't know he was a demon for the past fifteen years. The day he found out, he was attacked by a gang that threatened his life and made Rin terrified enough to unleash his power. The leader of the gang turned out to be one of the Eight Hell Kings, Astaroth."

"The King of Rot." Izumo said, as if they were in a lesson. "Ghouls and Coal Tars are the most common demons under his domain. He also possesses an affinity for mushrooms."

Yukio hid a smile. "Very good, Kamiki-san. My brother met him in person and would be unlikely to be able to provide that much information."

Shima broke in. "Um, sensei, not to be rude, but isn't this kinda diverted from the main topic? We wanted to know what Rin doesn't like, so that we can avoid those in the future. So why are you sharing this with us? It sounds, I dunno, private?"

"If Yuki-chan wants to tell us, Yuki-chan must have his reasons! Let him finish!"

Yukio half-smiled at the blonde. So she still made the choice to stand by Rin. He was glad for his nii-san.

"Father Fujimoto, meanwhile, had discovered that the seal on the Koma sword sealing Rin's powers was starting to melt, and worried, went after Rin. He exorcised Astaroth-"

"Amazing!" Chimed Shima and Konekomaru.

"-and took Rin home, where he explained the best he could and told Rin to run to somewhere safer. Nii-san, being the idiot he is, refused to leave, and when Father Fujimoto insisted, he yelled at Father." Yukio lowered his eyes at that point. Never, once, had Rin repeated those words in his dreams. He'd yelled in fear, shock, defiance, sadness, begging, pleading, but never once had he said those mystery words that broke the wall. "Father…was the strongest Exorcist. Satan had craved his body for a long, long time. So when Rin yelled at him-his mental barriers broke down and-"

Yukio couldn't talk for a long time. Ryuji recalled his own words to his father.

Don't you be acting all fatherly!

I will never acknowledge you as my father again!

Then his voice turned into Rin's, laced with desperation and fear and doubt. He imagined the late Paladin collapsing to his knees, Rin screaming for help, Rin…crying…

Apologize to your dad! Do it while you can!

Because Okumura Rin already lost his chance once…

He's your FATHER, damnit!

And he didn't want Ryuji to go through the same pain and regret he did…

Yukio choked on his own tears, bringing the story to a sudden halt. "-and Father died. I arrived too late. I was too late, I couldn't help, I was supposed to protect them. Oh God, I was supposed to protect nii-san…and I didn't see the signs…Rin called Father 'daddy'. He called him daddy. He called him daddy."

Wordless, Izumo lowered her head, along with Konekomaru and Shima. Shiemi gave Yukio a gentle hug. Ryuji stared off into space.

Daddy…

"Daddy, daddy, teach me that sutra! The Purifying Buddha Sutra!"

"Oh my, again? That's the fifth sutra this week! Ryuji is growing into a little genius!" Strong hands lifted him and spun the little boy around, giggling and laughing. "Very well!"

"Yay! Let's go, daddy!"

Daddy…

An image of Rin flashed into his mind, Rin, clutching at a faceless, dead, bloodied body, screaming 'Daddy,' with tears streaming down his face, blue flames flickering around them, and he knows that its partly his fault that his father died.

I didn't freaking choose to be the son of Satan!

Daddy…

Miles away, Suguro Tatsumi tore up a mountain.

Ryuji was embarrassed.

Let it never be said that he had trouble remaining dry eyed after a teacher's tale about his brother, and the word 'daddy'…

Though you can be sure that Ryuji will never, ever use that as teasing leverage over Okumura Rin, unless he had a death wish. If he did let it slip out accidentally, there would be four ways of dying. One, by Rin's hands. Two, by Yukio's hands. Three, Rin would look all hurt and somehow manage to soften up his heart and that would be the day Ryuji died. Four, suicide to avoid all of the above.

Shura entered the room, breaking their trains of thought. Everyone stood quickly, awaiting the news she was about to bring them. Izumo wondered why she was carrying a stack of clothes though. Shura and the image of the dutiful household wife washing clothes didn't really fit very well.

"Rin's been sentenced to execution for letting out his flames by the Vatican." She broke the grim news.

There was a sharp intake of breath from Shiemi and Ryuji. The rest of them, they'd expected this.

"Suguro-kun." Shura addressed Ryuji, holding out the Kurikura that housed Rin's flames. "I'm entrusting this to your care. Or rather, I'm entrusting it to you on behalf of Rin. And the letter your father left Rin, its contents informs us that Rin's power is necessary if we are to defeat the Impure King. Rin…" Shura smiled. "Is willing to help. So. The million dollar question. Will you help Rin?"

Shura met Shiemi's determined eyes and realized that a verbal answer was never needed. She threw down the stack of clothes she was carrying onto the floor. "Rin's execution in inevitable unless he does something meritorious. If you want to help him, take these camouflage ponchos. They should be able to camouflage you well enough for you to get past the guards and into Rin's solitary cell."

Someone knocked on the door. "Captain Kiragakure! Hurry up!"

Shura glanced towards the door before continuing in a more hurried tone. "I'm still under the employment of the Order, so I've gotta put up a convincing front. I'm counting on you guys, and so is Rin. I'm leaving everything to your judgment and discretion."

The knocking grew more urgent, and Shura gave them all one last look before disappearing through the door. "Coming~Nya, what's up?"

Ryuji grasped the letter in his hands. His father's styled writing, each brush and stroke carefully made, addressed to Okumura Rin. The smell of ink and paper was pleasant. The stack of clothes lay in the middle of their little group, untouched.

Shiemi grasped the first poncho. "Le-Let's all go to save Rin!"

Surprisingly, Shima was the voice of reason. "But if we go, that would be like we're waging war on the Vatican."

"Bu-But if we never get to see Rin again," Shiemi's decisiveness seemed to grow by the second. "I'm sure all of us-all of you will regret it!"

"…"

Never seeing that goofy smile again? That innocent soul, touched but uncorrupted by the world? The boy who cried, 'daddy,', never see him again?

Ryuji grabbed a poncho too. If Shiemi were go to alone, and he believed that the little blonde would do so if she had no other choice, she would get lost and most likely caught. She needed someone who knew the way. "The solitary cells are this way," he said, putting on the poncho, already taking off at a run.

"Bon?" Konekomaru said.

"Suguro-kun!" Shiemi smiled sweetly. They had the same smile, Ryuji realized. Shiemi and Rin. Both of them. "Thank you…"

Konekomaru muttered something under his breath, grabbing another poncho.

"Koneko-san? You're joking!"

"I've got to protect Bon…" Konekomaru didn't face him. "Besides, I know that I would regret it if I didn't…Shiemi-san was right."

"What the-aren't any of you scared of Juu-nii?" The idea of his big brother discovering them trying to sneak into the highly guarded solitary cells was terrifying at best.

Then Izumo walked past him to pick up another poncho.

"Ehh…? Izumo-chan, you too? What's wrong with you? You'll die!"

No one looked back.

They were all willing to take that risk.

Twenty minutes later…

"…is that a singing door?" Shima asked, rubbing his foot. The one troublesome thing that came with being invisible is that you couldn't see each other either, which meant lots of bumping into each other and stepping on feet.

"That's a raving mad door…guess we gotta fight it." Ryuji readied his prayer beads.

"Hehehehe…" The door cackled madly as everyone was frozen in their tracks, all except Shiemi.

"I can stop the movements of anyone who approaches me with a hostile intent! That's why I have such a strong defense!"

Ryuji's eyes would have widened at the new information, except that he was still frozen. As the door and Shiemi exchanged words, he practiced the deep breathing technique taught to him by his father to calm down. Then he intoned the words of the Merciful Buddha in his mind over and over again, willing his hostile intentness to disappear.

After what seemed like a century, Ryuji could move again. He laid Kurikura into Konekomaru's hands. He knew that Konekomaru distrusted Rin at first, but he was starting to see past the flames too. Not just past the flames. It was accepting the flames as a part of Rin, coming to the realization that this was Rin's flames, not Satan's.

Shiemi had already disappeared into the door, and it automatically clanged shut after her. Hesitating, Ryuji opened the door too, and entered.

"Like hell I would die in a place like this!" Rin kicked another piece of junk away, letting out his fury. He panted furiously, looking around him at the endless wasteland. What kind of stupid cell is this? "As if I would die…"

Die, huh.

He remembered Mephisto and Yukio's words. Neuhaus-sensei. Bon. Konekomaru. Shima. The terrified screams of people when they saw his blue flames. He'd tried so hard not to let those words haunt him back then, but they were bound to resurface sooner or later.

You can obediently let the Order kill you, or hey! You can even kill yourself! So that makes it three options then!

Just die, please.

What the hell is the son of Satan doing in True Cross?!

Why are you acting like nothing's wrong at all!

Satan's flames are evil, everyone knows that.

There will be more, like me.

Those flames killed my family! They took away all I had! My wife, my children…they all died screaming!

Was Shiro's sacrifice really worth it…?

Maybe, for once in his life, Fujimoto Shiro had made the wrong choice in saving the son of Satan.

I might actually hurt someone for once…I was always lucky before.

Maybe, Fujimoto Shiro's heart was just too kind.

Wouldn't it be better, if I just…died?

Maybe, Rin's only remaining job on Earth, was to rectify that mistake.

Will I die without actually doing anything good?

Rin collapsed to the ground. A sharp piece of metal pierced through his left thigh, sending a sharp bolt of pain through his body, and Rin jerked forward but made no sound.

I wasn't even able to make my peace with everyone…

Ruby red blood splattered the ground along with glistening, crystalline tears. His blood was red too, just like everyone else's.

Why was I saved?

"Old man, why was I…" Rin clenched his teeth, hands curling on the edge of the metal, yanking it out with nothing more than a hiss and more tears. "…why did you?"

He drew the metal across his left arm, spilling more blood. Blood that carried life. Life that his old man didn't have anymore.

"Tell me!" Rin's right hand was starting to bleed too. The wound on his leg was struggling to close, and growling in frustration, Rin dug the metal into his leg again, as if spilling more blood would give Shiro back his life. To exchange a life for a life. "Tell me!"

Rin tossed the metal aside, curled into a ball, and started to cry.

Blood mingled with tears that blew away in the wind.

Tell me, why did you exchange your life for mine?

A life for a life.

A saint for a sinner.

Why?

"Why the hell does this place have to be so big?" Ryuji roared, kicking away a piece of debris and barely avoiding stepping on a rusted nail. Damnit, this place is dangerous! The sky was a familiar blue, the bluest blue he had ever seen. A. Shiemi was a few yards in front of him, moving much more slowly and with more care, given that she wasn't kicking everything out of her way and just charging blindly forward like Ryuji.

"Oi, Moriyama! Wait up!"

Shiemi turned, surprised. "Suguro-kun? You came? But how? The door said that it would block all of you with hostile intents…"

"So I got rid of mine." Ryuji gave her the shortest answer possible, trying to ignore how her eyes sparkled.

"Wow, that's amazing! How do you do that? Of course, it's Suguro-kun, so I really shouldn't be surprised…"

Ryuji tried to ignore her, at least. But as the cute little blonde rambled on, he couldn't help but feel a blush creeping on his cheeks. She claimed that she was clueless about interacting with people, but her innocence and freely given praise made others comfortable around her. He understood why Rin treasured the girl so much.

Why are you acting like everything's okay?

Then again, when the sweet blonde got mad, it meant something pretty serious.

"Moriyama-san, how about I look on the left side and you on the right? We advance slowly. This place is big, so we need a few landmarks in case we get lost. How did a place like this form, anyway…?"

Man's worst prison is within his own mind.

Ryuji's eyes widened. He scanned the dry desert land littered with useless rubbish.

Was this…a reflection of Rin's mind?

Shiemi spotted Rin first. Or rather, she saw the first clue that led them to Rin. She yelped when she first saw it.

"…blood…?!"

Then she took off in a run at the general direction. Ryuji followed, trying to imagine the various scenarios that could make Rin bleed onto the ground.

Maybe the idiot wasn't looking and stepped on a nail…or he fell, or he got a nosebleed, anyone would in this stupid hot weather.

"Rin!"

"Okumura! Oi! Idiot! Monkey!"

"Rin! Rin! Rin! Are you okay?"

Rin lifted his face, streaked with tears and dirt only to stare in surprise at the two newcomers. Shiemi had already knelt down beside the boy, one gentle hand placed on his arm, whether to give him comfort or to keep him in place Ryuji didn't know. Ryuji stood in front of the half-demon who had his knees pulled to his chest, casting a shadow over the boy. Rin was just so…small. Terrified wide eyes looked up at him, and Rin started to back away with his hands, biting his lip and more tears gathering at the corners of his eyes, from…fear? Sadness?

…pain?

"Okumura…what did you do?"

"Rin! What did you do to your leg?"

They noticed the gaping wound at the same time. There was a thick scar like a worm on Rin's left arm, and blood still stained his right palm. But the wound in his thigh…Ryuji could see a flash of bone, and muscle and tissue, blood and fabric were all mixed together.

Shiemi didn't wait for an answer, instead ordering Rin to relax his muscles and got some kind of sweet smelling flower from her summon. "Smell this." She ordered. "It'll lessen the pain. I'm going to pull the fabric away and clean the wound properly, okay?"

Rin nodded, barely perceptive.

As Shiemi worked to clean up the mess Rin somehow managed to make in a barren wasteland, Ryuji knelt down beside Rin as well, frowning at the vacant look he had adopted. His right hand was shaking as he held the flower.

"Oi, Okumura."

Rin flinched.

"…I want to thank you." Ryuji didn't know what else to say. "When I was fighting with my dad…you tried to stop me. Thanks for that."

"…but you were mad." Rin whispered, jolting as Shiemi's deft fingers started wiping the juice of another herb across the wound. It stung a little. "You were really mad, and, I thought what happened to the old geezer would happen again, so I tried…but the old geezer…he shouldn't have died…"

By the 'old geezer' Ryuji assumed that he was referring to the late Fujimoto Shiro. "Yeah, I was mad, because I didn't know anything then. I was stupid, and you saw it. Thanks."

"But you would have understood anyway. You're clever, you'll figure it out. Not like me, I was stupid, I didn't see…I couldn't control myself, I just yelled. It took for him to die for me to finally understand and he really shouldn't have done it…it was like he just traded himself for stupid old me." Rin looked up to the sky. Ryuji realized that the sky was the exact shade of blue Rin's eyes were. "He never did tell me why…"

Ryuji was silent for a few seconds.

"I don't think Rin is stupid." Shiemi finally looked up, determination shining through her like a candle. "I think Rin is an idiot sometimes, and I'm still a little angry at you for keeping it a secret, but it's okay, Rin. It's okay. I got angry at my mother too, and Rin fixed it. Suguro-kun got angry at his father, and Rin fixed it too."

Ryuji decided that, if for nothing other than Rin's sake, he was going to make up with his dad. But not just for Rin either, he realized. For his dad, his mom, for…himself.

Rin smiled.

The wind blowing stopped, and the debris cleared. One straight, shining path led towards the door.

Shiemi finished winding the bandage around Rin's thigh. "Can you stand?" She asked worriedly. "I don't know if I did a good enough job, but it should hold…"

Gingerly, Rin stood, supported by Ryuji. He flashed his brightest smile at Shiemi. "You did a good job! I can barely feel anything!"

Shiemi slipped under Rin's left arm.

Right arm around Suguro Ryuji, left arm around Moriyama Shiemi, his friends, whom he actually helped, Okumura Rin slowly limped towards freedom.

And maybe a whole new understanding.

"…"

Bubbles, tentacles, or whatever you call them strange gooey stuff otherwise named miasma was sprouting everywhere. Literally.

A bubble spouted a glob of miasma which brushed past a tree-ten seconds later the tree wilted. Even the ground was covered in it, choking every blade of grass and every little flower. It was spreading, fast, and it was already the size of a tiny forest. An archway was starting to rise from all the goo.

Nope. Not gonna think about what it would be like at full power.

The Exwires sprinted through the forest on a rapidly closing path towards the forest.

"What the hell is that? How the hell are we supposed to defeat something that large?! Is this the apocalypse or what?" Shima yelped, running as the last one. Rin, fueled by adrenaline and the desire to not weigh down the others, was running at full speed behind Ryuji, who led the way. Shiemi was behind Rin, looking worriedly at the random blood splatters on the ground while following the brunette doggedly.

Ryuji wiped some sweat from his forehead. When had he started to take such short breaths? Damnit, all his morning exercise regimens seem to have gone to waste. He was really tired too. "Okay! This is where we start searching. Don't go too deep into the thicket."

"Okay!"

"Got it!"

They spread out a little and started to search. Rin limped along, the steep mountainside starting to prove a challenge for his leg, and it really frustrated Rin that the wound still wasn't closing. Shiemi looked ready to let her motherly instincts take over and tell Rin to lie down. All that walking wasn't doing any good for the wound. If not for Rin's demonic healing abilities, which were already almost stretched to the limit, Shiemi suspected that the wound would have torn apart even further and maybe even cause permanent damage to the muscles.

To their left, Ryuji was ignoring his own advice, crashing through the thicket.

Please, give me a chance to rectify my thoughtless words…

Izumo saw something and gasped. Ryuji turned.

I'm sorry, I really am…

"DADDY!"

Not caring that the rest of his friends froze in momentary shock at the term he used to call his father, Ryuji rushed to his father's side.

"Daddy, look!"

"…oh my, Ryuji, those robes aren't for you yet."

"…huh…"

"You do look very handsome in them though. My young little high priest~!"

Blood stained the once holy and pure robes. Light orange flames illuminated them.

Wait…where did the flames come from?

More flames erupted from Suguro Tatsuma's body and finally took form. I am Karura. Servant of the Head Priest of the Myoudha Dharani.

"The Head Priest's familiar?" Izumo identified the flaming bird.

Formerly so, now no more, as the secret no longer remains as such. I am now fulfilling the private, individual contract that binds both Suguro Tatsuma and I.

The High Priest shuddered at the mention of his name and more blood bubbled up from his mouth as he coughed. "I…Ryuji…? Why are you…all the children here? Reckless children…you have always been so, Ryuji."

Your wounds may have closed, but you can't move just yet, Tatsuma. Karura advised.

"Karura? You sure have gotten small…I thought we were both dead…" Tatsuma smiled tiredly. Ryuji's heart shuddered. Had his father come that close to having Ryuji's last words to him being about disowning him as his father?

I am also a phoenix. I would just reincarnate if I died. Besides, I still have one last contract left with you. I can't just let you die like that. Karura's words bore a tone of bored amusement.

Tatsuma's eyes roved over the group, until he finally found Rin within his blurry vision. "Ah…Okumura-kun…! Did you read my letter before coming here?" He frowned as he noted that Rin looked a little worse for wear. The boy must have taken quite a beating to get here. A silver of guilt ran though him before he shook it away. Okumura Rin was the son of Satan, and if he were to try to coexist with humans this can't be avoided.

Rin nodded. Shiemi couldn't take it anymore and gently pressed Rin down onto a flat rock. They were still high enough in the mountains, a part where the miasma hadn't touched yet.

"I read it too." Ryuji informed his father.

"What?"

"All of us came here with a rough understanding of the situation. Please tell us everything. No secrets."

"No secrets. Understood." Tatsuma smiled. This, he could do. "I will tell you how to defeat the Impure King. There is a scroll. Passed down from Head Priest to Head Priest. The Impure King can and will continue growing…until it is as big as a city."

"City?!" Everyone choked on their saliva.

"Shortly after, a big sporangium will form within it. When it matures, it will rupture and release lots of toxic spores, a thick miasma. One hundred and fifty years ago, forty thousand people were killed during the rupture. Now…the number would be even greater. We have to prevent that."

Shima pointed upwards, at the round structure rising from the goop. "Is that the sporangium?"

"Yes."

"So we just have to defeat it before the sporangium ruptures, right?" Ryuji confirmed.

"It isn't that simple." If only it could be. "The Impure King only has one known vital spot, known as the heart. It's located within the sporangium itself. Fukaku, the great warrior who fought the Impure King one hundred and fifty years before, had split the heart into two and sealed it away."

Something clicked into place. "And those pieces…the left and right eyes?" Izumo asked.

Konekomaru saw something even worse. "But that means…if we don't get to the heart before the sporangium ruptures, we will never be able to get at the heart, right?"

"Yes." He then proceeded to explain how his contract with Karura had been to transfer his living years into flame, and burn away the Impure King. How he planned on sacrificing himself to set up a barrier. How he wanted Rin to burn down the Impure King.

Rin looked down, clasping his hands together around the hilt of his sword. "…I…I'm sorry…"

Tatsuma sighed wearily but in understanding. "It's natural. I'm asking you to put your life on the line here." The boy was looking paler by the second, and maybe Tatsuma should just lay off him. He's Ryuji's age, and whenever he looked at his son, he remembered the little boy who laughed while calling 'Daddy, daddy!'. So young, the two of them…this is a great burden to bear. I shouldn't…

"No, it's not that. It's just…right now I can't seem to unsheathe my sword…" Rin answered a little sheepishly.

"…eh?!"

"I've been trying to get it out of the damned scabbard since just now, but I just can't." Rin pouted, struggling with the sword once more. "I don't really get it, but seems to be some kind of psychological problem?"

"Huh? The hell-Really?"

"I'm worried too…but I can't do anything about it either. I'm really sorry, Suguro's dad!" Rin bowed a little.

"I see…that's worrying too." Psychological problem? Psychological problem? Was it possible that the boy's subconscious had deemed his flames too dangerous and plain refused to let them out? "If so…at least, I'll do what's possible to protect the people here!" He started to get up.

Impossible, Tatsuma. You have lost too much blood.

He collapsed a brief second of thinking that he might just be able to do it after all.

You have lost too much blood. Karura repeated, frustrated. Stubborn men, all of them. If you chant the Kekkai spell like that you will surely die.

"I just need to hold out for a short while!" He countered. "Just enough time for them to get away…My life isn't the only one that's in the balance here!"

"Dad, isn't anything else we can do? Anything else other than this?" Ryuji asked desperately. "There has to be something!"

You are Tatsuma's son, aren't you? Good. The Gouhaen…it can be transferred. But only between people related by blood. Karura offered the alternative which Tatsuma had been withholding. With good reason, too.

"NO! This…Ryuji is still a child! He should not be involved in this! I will cut these ties within my generation, and allow it to pass no further! I swore that upon my life!"

I understand now. Why he always kept his distance…telling me to call you father instead after a couple of years…daddy…bearing that cross on your back all alone…

"Hah…what are you talking about?" Ryuji had spoken aloud and Tatsuma understood exactly what he son was trying to convey, but feigned ignorance instead. "I did all of that of my own will, and what more, I am dying now, might as well finish the job."

"I won't allow it! Let me take that cross too-Don't stop me! I've learned…sons are meant to be their fathers' crutches, aren't they?"

Tatsuma looked firmly at Ryuji. "No." Clear and firm.

Tatsuma, you know your son is smarter than you are.

"And that is precisely why I didn't want to involve him! No, Ryuji. As your father, I forbid you from doing this." Tatsuma made to stand again.

"Not this again. Please." A soft, broken voice drifted over the squelching sounds of the miasma and the slight crackle of Karura's flames.

He is my son, and I'm taking him back!

Tatsuma squinted over at Rin. "I'm sorry…but I love my son. I can't allow him to do this."

Rin looked up, blue eyes intense. "And what about the son's feelings? I'm a son! I have-had a dad! Someone I used to call daddy! And no, it's not that flaming creep, but my real dad. I know why my dad did what he did, but please…think of your son. He'll probably blame himself for your death for the rest of his life, like the idiot he is, even though he isn't really responsible for it. He'll have sadness eating away at him for the rest of his life! He'll probably have to dye his hair black again to mourn properly-every Father's Day he will spend the day talking to a cold slab of stone! I've been through it, I should know!"

Tatsuma lowered his head. The flames continued to crackle. Flames that could burn away one's life. Izumo didn't even 'tch'. Shima's expression was strangely somber. Shiemi looked worried but didn't dare to move. Konekomaru's phone continued to beep as there was no signal but he made no move to shut it. Ryuji bit his lip and waited.

Unspoken permission was given.

Well, I shall then commence the succession of the Gouhaen. He who is of the blood of the current owner Suguro Tatsuma, show proof of your lineage.

Seeing no other alternative sharp object other than Rin's sealed sword, which lay beside its overly bright-eyed owner, he bit into his finger. Flames swarmed around the wound immediately, startling him, but Ryuji held his ground.

You are indeed of the blood of Suguro Tatsuma. Your lineage has been confirmed. Suguro Ryuji, you are now the owner of the Gouhaen.

"Red flames!" Shima marveled at the hypnotically dancing flames that now enveloped their friend.

"Ryuji." Tatsuma sounded tired and worn. "Come here. I will teach you to strongest Kekkai spell, one that is passed only to the Head Priests. There is a seal that even you have yet to see. Watch closely while I draw it." He demonstrated, dragging his finger lightly across the soil. "Got it? I can only…do it once. I know that you can remember it after you've seen it once. Tie the seal with Chiketsu, on kirikiri…"

"Ryuji." A hint of exasperation and amusement as Ryuji's attempt to sneak in was noticed. "Didn't I tell you not to come in here?"

"…daddy…"

"Guess that I can't say no to you, eh? Come here."

Ryuji had a lump in his throat that won't go away.

Spend every Father's Day talking to a cold slab of stone…

"Hey, geezer." Rin knelt down before the grave, in the black, somber suit once more. "It's Father's Day today, you know. We never really celebrated properly…we didn't even go out for sukiyaki. It's just the three of us, and presents that I don't think you really liked. I wanted to get the good stuff, those magazines that I saw you eyeing before. Yukio won't let me get them though, and instead I had to just get you another bottle of shoe polish. Still better than Yukio's tie though, and books. I found those books when we were cleaning out your room during the holidays. They were gathering dust. Did that mean that you just never read them, or you just weren't around long enough to-?"

Rin swiped at his eyes, and made himself comfortable before the grave. "Remember Shiemi? We never met her together, but I met her with Yukio, and from what she says I think you met her too, though she was always too shy to say anything. She's better lots now though. She even tried to make friends with Izumo. Can you imagine? Did I ever tell you about Izumo? She's a really strange girl with even stranger eyebrows. She acts weird to everyone though, like she hates the world but Kuro told me that she was really struck with him. She went all weird and caring. Maybe she had a soft spot for animals, or maybe just for Kuro…? Anyway, don't let Kuro hear that, it'll make his ego grow even more. Kuro's been doing okay, though he misses your silver vine sake. I never managed to get that nasty taste the same as yours, no matter how I try. Honestly. Kuro told me you drank it with him and actually managed to drink enough to get drunk. Was your taste so bad?"

Rin's boots tapped the stone in a slow, unsteady rhythm. "I should really stop this, you know? Just mourn properly and move on with life. Talking to a stupid boulder isn't like talking to you. I try to, but your voice is fading. I'm scared. What if I wake up one day and I just can't remember what you looked like anymore? I know I'll probably never forget how you looked, bleeding out onto the floor, but, that isn't how I want to remember you. I want to remember the old man who liked big boobs and ate omelets with the eggshells still in them, not you after Satan. I want-I want you who I can call 'daddy' properly. Satan told me to call him daddy, you know? I don't know whether you could hear us but I'm telling you anyway. I'm telling this to a cold slab of stone, and maybe you're listening somewhere up there. As if I'd ever call him daddy. Don't get your hopes up, old man, I'm not going to go 'daddy, daddy' all cutesy like when I was little."

He closed his eyes, remembering his dad's laugh. Deep and warm, so…'daddy-like'. He adjusted his position so that he was leaning against the gravestone instead of facing it. The sky was a light blue, with fluffy clouds everywhere. Someone out there, fathers were receiving messily drawn cards from toddlers, or gruff hugs from teenagers, or going out for a lavish dinner that for once, was paid by their children.

Only Rin was here, celebrating Father's Day in a graveyard.

He stayed like that, eyes closed, but feeling and smelling the scents nearby, of the wind, of the rustling leaves. And he liked to imagine that when a leaf brushed against his cheek, that was Shiro caressing him, and when the wind enfolded him, he was sharing a hug with his dad.

"…then you need to touch the ground for the kekkai to unfold." Tatsuma pressed a shaking finger to the ground and keeled over, having reached the end of his tether and having completed his mission in teaching his son to set up the barrier.

"Dad!" Ryuji wasn't fast enough to catch his father, who now gasped for breath on the ground. Ryuji took control immediately, despite his evident panic. "Moriyama-san, Kamiki-san, please stay here with my father."

"Okay!" Shiemi immediately replied, nodding earnestly. Finally, she could help!

"Got it." Kamiki didn't look as excited, with good reason.

"Shima, Konekomaru." Ryuji continued his instructions. "Find Shura-san and the rest of the Myoudha. Tell them what happened."

Konekomaru had a rough guess on what Ryuji was about to say next, but asked anyway. "What about you, Bon?"

"This kekkai forms with the touch of the finger to the ground as a center. So I have to set it up as close to the sporangium as possible." He was resigned, determined, even. He was going to finish his dad's work. He will make his dad live to see it continue.

"You're saying that you're going to go in there?" Konekomaru asked shrilly, pointing at the bubbling mass in the distance that popped again as more of its city began to take shape. "That's too reckless!"

Once again, Shima had to play the voice of reason. "Bon. I've always kept my mouth shut and listened to you even if it's a pain in the neck. But this time, with lives on the line, I need to say this. One day, you're really going to get yourself killed, and the bloodline of the priests will end with you. There will be no one to carry this temple on."

"It's okay! I can protect Suguro." Rin leapt up, not to be forgotten. "Its fine, isn't it?" He asked as Ryuji let out a disbelieving snort. "I can't unsheathe the sword but I can use some flames! And the point is, I'm strong. Leave it to me, okay? Don't worry, Konekomaru, it'll be alright."

"…" Konekomaru looked down as Shima asked about himself. Then he made his decision and tore down the path they had come from. Shima yelped at being left behind and chased after the shorter boy.

With only five of them left, Ryuji looked at Shiemi and Kamiki. "Please…take good care of my dad."

"We will!" Shiemi promised.

"Now…let's go." Ryuji said to Rin, who was standing. He felt a flash of worry as he noted that Rin seemed to be favoring his right leg, but decided that current matters were more pressing. Nevertheless, he offered his right shoulder for Rin to lean on.

"Be careful…" Came Tatsuma's weak voice from behind them. "I'm really sorry. Ryuji…please forgive this worthless father of yours."

With Rin leaning a little on him, Ryuji wanted to turn but couldn't. Instead, with his back to his father, he said, "I…have always liked hearing you chant the sutra. So no matter what…please live another day…daddy…"

Tatsuma closed his eyes, savoring what might as well be his son's last words to him. When he opened them, Ryuji and Rin were gone.