《Vanilla Smoke (Blue Exorcist)》Chapter 16
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"I don't understand, so are you killing a dragon, or a man?"Yukio asked, Shuku's answers were only bringing more questions, and the dark look in her eyes betrayed nothing other than her hatred of this 'Dragon'.
"To understand that, how much do you know of the Holy Moon Hunters?" Shuku asked, her eyes focused on the tip of her steak knife as it glistened in the dim restaurant lighting. She really hated talking about them, but if Yukio wanted answers, Shuku trusted him enough to give him them.
"Well, I've only heard rumors about them. There supposed to be an elite group with similar powers to the Knights of the True Cross, except they've been around longer and are much smaller. But they're strong enough that they could create a war between the Hunters and the Exorcists that could cause serious damage. But at the moment, there is a truce so they Exorcist and Hunters can cooperate-" Yukio summarized before Shuku cut him off.
"To searching for me. I have put myself in a fragile position by being here so close to the Knights of the True Cross. If I was to be discovered and taken into custody, then the Hunters could demand my return as an officer of their ranks, me being a high figure, which is why my disappearance caused so much change. If the Exorcists refused to return me, and use me for my abilities instead, then a full-scale war could break out over my custody. I didn't need that type of problem while I was accomplishing my goal, so I ran away."
"So, where did all of this skill of yours come from? I'm going to assume the Hunters." Yukio asked, staring at the space Shuku, her eyes betraying that she was lost somewhere in the past.
"I was raised and trained by the Hunters, that's why this Exorcist training is no big deal to me, I've done it already. Except for the program, the Hunters use is much more dangerous." Shuku fiddled with a knife, looking at it as she explained.
"Those blades you carry around, Sir Pheles had said something about the Hunters then. Did you get the blades from them?"
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"More like, I permanently borrowed them on my way out. They taught me everything I know, from simple stuff to how to correctly perform high level incarnations like my forbidden ones. As much as I hate to admit it, most of my skill is thanks to them, even if I almost died in the process, but I guess that was a part of training as well."
"They taught you how to use forbidden incarnations?!"
"After I showed that it was my specialty. I'm the only one in both Exorcist and Hunter groups that can perform incarnations of that level without the risk of death. That also gives the Hunters another reason to come after me. If had stayed longer, for maybe another year or two, I probably would have a high Hunter status, and be one of their strongest."
"So, the training they put you through, how did it almost kill you? No one has much information on the Hunters other than rumors." Yukio asked, genuinely interested, this could also answer how Shuku acts and her skills.
"Harsh. There are no classroom teachings when it come to Hunters. Were drilled to remember every detail. And no teamwork either, we were often at each other's throats for what they liked to call, healthy competition. Hunter's work alone, and it would be a lie if I said no one had died in training at the hands of another disciple. In fact, it would be a lie if I said I'd never killed another student in my class. There, were trained to kill both demons and people." Yukio looked up at Shuku in shock. Her face was void of emotion, much like how she was when she'd first been at the academy.
"That shouldn't be allowed. What about the kids family? Wouldn't they be hurt if their child was killed by another student?!" Yukio asked, shocked really that Shuku had killed someone, someone who would even have been considered a class mate by exorcist standards.
"That's just the thing," Shuku smirked, but it wasn't a happy one, "No one cares if you die. The Hunters don't want weak men, only the best survive, survival of the fittest. We don't have families. Hunter candidates are selected at a certain age from 7 to 10 then taken into custody. They also take in orphans or problematic children. The ones with family only get to see them again if they don't die." Shuku said darkly, a shadow covering her eyes.
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Yukio stared at Shuku for a second before saying anything, "Does that mean you don't have any family? If you're the priestess, then what would they do if you died?" He asked. This conversation had gone dark fast, just to show, there was still more to Shuku than one could tell.
"They wouldn't have let me die. They took extra measures to make sure I would survive in any circumstance. Extra training, they like'd to call it. They would throw me in a forest infested with low and mid level demons, and make me fight for my survival. I got no supplies other than my weapons, I ate what I found, I also learned survival skills and the clothes on my back. They would return a week later to see if I was still alive. " Yukio watched Shuku.
Even dressed nice, at the moment, Shuku was giving off the same feeling that she used to, the one that said to be afraid. If Shuku was still here, that meant she had accomplished her missions and had survived with a whole population of mid level demons. He had seen nothing from her yet. If she had been tested alone, her results might've been the highest thing reported from the Exwire exam, then why hasn't she shown her true skill in the exam.
"No exorcist alive have gone through training like that, I doubt I could survive all by myself, with no back up, and only my guns and ammunition. I would be dead before dawn. Though there are exorcist much more skilled than me. What about your family?"
"You were raised by Father Fujimoto right? I do wish I had someone like him." Shuku said, obviously changing the subject away from her, at least for a little.
"You met dad before?! I never knew that. I've only been to Moon Temple once before with him, he had called it an educational field trip." Yukio said, letting her change the subject slide.
"Mhm, I saw you too. He was kind to me when we met. It was official business but he treated me like an old friend, he was honestly a good man. If I had been in a different situation, I probably would've left that day with you and him." Shuku looked sad. She should have accepted the offer he had given her, and none of this would have happened.
"I don't remember much, but dad had gone off to talk with this other guy, and had left me in the shrine with a girl my age. So that was you?" Yukio guessed.
"Who else would live in a shrine and recite a prophecy every now and again?" Shuku replied smartly.
"So, if you have any family, do they care about you?" Yukio asked, getting back onto the topic Shuku had avoided before.
"Family?" Shuku scoffed then let out a light laugh, but it was cold and emotionless.
"My mother died after childbirth, me her only child, and as for my father... he can burn in hell till I get there. My father... he's the one. The strongest, the one I need to... the one who has made me suffer... the one who leads the Hunter's... like the paladin of the Exorcists, my father... he's the Dragon of the Hunters. Kazuko Mujona.. and he's going to die at my hands." Shuku growled a look of bloodlust filling her eyes and the air of the room. The contacts seemed to do nothing for the bright glow of her scarred eye as the warmth seemed to drain out of the room.
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c'est la vie
written thoughts
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