Chapter Text
Rin went home early.
Lizzy sighed. "Are you sure you'll be okay home alone? I have to go back to work."
"I'll be fine," Rin said, "It was just a flashback. Nothing to worry over."
Lizzy smiled softly. "I'm always going to worry, Rin."
"You shouldn't." He frowned. "You're not my mother."
"Maybe not," Lizzy said, her tone hardening. "but I sure as hell won't ignore you. I care, Rin. More than I ever thought I could."
Rin hesitated, eyebrows furrowing. "I'm sorry if I sound rude. I'm just not used to people caring."
"I know. I'm sorry, too."
Danny took a shaky breath. "Jazz, what would you do if a friend of yours was hiding something? Something potentially dangerous?"
Jazz sighed. "Danny, when did this happen? What do you mean?"
"A new kid, Rin," Danny said, "Tucker, Sam, and I met him around a month or two ago. He came to school just today and had a panic attack or something. His guardian said something about PTSD."
Jazz frowned. "PTSD means Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It's very common. There are more than three million cases per year in the U.S. It can't be cured, but treatment may help. It can last for years or lifelong. The definition is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or seeing a terrifying event. Many military soldiers suffer from it. I can't imagine what happened to Rin if he suffers from it."
"So, he did have a panic attack?" Danny asked.
"No, more like a flashback," Jazz corrected.
"What kind of flashback could trigger him to be so...violent?" Danny wondered.
"Something very traumatic happened to diagnose him with PTSD. That's probably why he acted so violently. Don't let it get to you, Danny. He's your friend, right?" Jazz asked.
"Yeah," Danny answered.
"Then help him, be there for him." Jazz smiled.
"Thanks, Jazz," Danny said softly.
"No problem, little brother."
When Lizzy came home, what she expected was for Rin to be screwing around or cooking, keeping in mind that she would have preferred him to be resting after his outburst in school.
Instead, she found an empty house. She knew Rin had a tendency to wander off, but for some reason, this time's disappearance unnerved her.
She drew a deep breath and shook off any unease she felt.
This was Rin. He would be fine.
Right?
Rin was not fine. From from it, actually.
This was not possible! It couldn't be!
And yet, it was without a doubt true. The proof swarmed before his eyes.
Coal Tar swam through the air calmly, normally.
Rin swallowed, but the lump in his throat refused to go away. Why were there demons here? Rin had refused to make a Gehenna Gate for this particular reason!
Rin quickly grabbed onto one of the Coal Tars' tails. He pulled it toward him and glared at it, his eyes staring into its red ones. He bared his teeth and hissed. "What in the hell do you think you're doing here?"
The Coal Tar tried to wriggle away, but it was no use. It squirmed, and when Rin growled at it, it stilled immediately.
"Answer me!" Rin hissed.
A small, squeaky voice answered. "Portal. Like ones in other world." Rin scowled, but let the Coal Tar go. "If you even think about causing trouble, I will burn your asses back to Gehenna!" Rin knew that while Coal Tar were mostly harmless, they could be poisonous if in huge groups.
The Coal Tar squeaked in reply and swam away.
Lizzy looked out the window of her bedroom.
Rin wasn't back yet.
Where was he?
She needed to find him.
Rin didn't like this.
Coal Tar, and now a Naberius!
Rin glared at the demon. "Why are you here?"
"A portal. I also smelled strange scent. Dead, yet alive."
Rin frowned. That sounded like Danny's scent, maybe Vlad's.
"What did it smell like?" Rin demanded.
"Bitter, rotting." The Naberius replied.
Rin quickly lifted his shirt and pulled Kurikara from the seal that resided on his stomach.
He willed the flames to cover the sword and slashed the Naberius through its chest.
It burst into flames and was sent back to Gehenna.
Rin sighed and shoved the sword back into its seal.
What was Vlad doing near portals from Gehenna?
When Vlad got back to his mansion, he did not expect to come face to face with the boy he'd bet a while ago on the streets.
The boy who gave him the creeps.
The boy who stood up to Vlad Plasmius.
"Tell me, why are you in my house?" Vlad asked calmly.
The boy stared at him blankly. "Tell me, Vladimir Masters, why were you near a Gehenna portal?"
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand." Vlad frowned.
"Maybe you don't. I guess that'll make this a bit easier for you," the boy said, "but it does not excuse the crimes you've already committed, does it, Plasmius?"
Vlad's eyes widened. "How do you know about that?"
"Details, details." The boy waved carelessly. "Onto other important matters, you will tell me what you've been up to and what you're planning. If you do not, I will have to take drastic measures."
"You may know my secret, but you are still a child. Threats do not scare me." Vlad rolled his eyes.
"They are not threats, they are facts. You have been messing with demons somehow, Vladimir." The boy hissed.
"Demons do not exist," Vlad said.
"Then am I a figment of your imagination?" The boy drawled.
"I suggest you leave. Breaking and entering is illegal." Vlad smirked.
"You're one to talk." The boy laughed.
Vlad growled, but the boy just laughed harder.
"It's a pity that you'll be in Gehenna after death. If you weren't such a bad guy, I'd say you'd be a good comedian." The boy grinned mischievously.
"I'm not above ki-" Vlad suddenly went still as a flaming-blue sword was pressed dangerously close to his neck.
"Killing me? I'd like to see you try." Rin scoffed.
Vlad tried to turn intangible, but for some reason, he wasn't able to.
Rin saw this and smirked. "That won't work. This sword was made for slaying demons and ghosts."
Vlad suppressed a scowl. "You're suggesting you are a demon? Prove it."
Rin chuckled. "With pleasure."
Rin was in his demon form in seconds, tail swaying lazily, blue flames dancing around him, horns and all, teeth sharper, ears longer, pupils red and slitted, irises jagged, and nails sharp.
Vlad gritted his teeth, fear washing through him unwillingly. "I knew there was something off about you."
"It's too late to go back now, Vladimir. Tell me what you've been doing that involves demons," Rin demanded.
"What's it to you? Surely you wouldn't go to all this trouble just for some demons." Vlad gulped.
"I am a demon," Rin said.
"Exactly. Why worry for some other demons? You don't need to, especially if they're evil." Vlad tried to reason.
"The demons, every single one, are my responsibility. Whether or not they are good or bad is not my concern at the moment. When the time comes, I will deal with that." Rin growled.
"Your responsibility? I don't-" Vlad choked as the sword was pressed deeper into the flesh of his throat, drawing a bit of blood.
"I am the King of Gehenna, Vladimir. Hell, if we're putting it in human terms. Do not defy me!" Rin hissed.
"You're S-Satan?" Vlad choked in a shocked manner.
Rin internally scowled. He was not Satan! Still, Rin was not going to go into an explanation right now. It was the last thing he wanted to get into and it was technically true, since he did kind of represent Satan now.
To Hell with it. "Correct. Now, are you going to tell me, or are we going to have a problem?"
"Power," Vlad said, "I heard of Gehenna from the Ghost Zone. I didn't know it was Hell, I swear! I wanted to use demons to gain Daniel as my son and Maddie as my wife."
"You realize that in doing so, you would most likely have been torn apart?" Rin asked, pulling the sword away and backing away to get a full view of the man. "Demons do not obey any random mortal, whether they are half ghost doesn't matter. Only tamers may control demons, and only the ones they are able to summon, showing that even they are limited in their power to control us. Any power you think you may gain from this is a fantasy. Continuing with this any longer is just a death wish."
"You can not tell me-" Vlad barked back weakly, but was cut off by Rin.
"Vladimir Masters, your soul is dark, and you have already set foot on the path to Gehenna. I suggest you listen to me or when you do die, I will make sure you suffer in Gehenna," Rin threatened.
Vlad froze. "Fine."
"Good." Rin smiled calmly and put Kurikara back into its seal. He willed his flames away, and his human form took the place of his demon. "If I find out you disobeyed me, I will come back."
Vlad shuddered at Rin's tone and next words.
"And I will not be so nice as to have a calm chat with you again."
The demon disappeared in a swirl of blue.
"Rin, I thought you were hurt! I had a bad feeling!" Lizzy cried as she found Rin halfway into the trees.
"I'm fine, Lizzy." Rin laughed. "I'm just taking a walk."
"Well, let's head back. Dinner's going to get cold." Lizzy smiled in relief.
"Food!" Rin cheered. "Race ya!"
"Rin! Get back here! I'm too old for this!" Lizzy called, but a smile still graced her features.
"Catch me if you can!"