Vanilla Smoke (Blue Exorcist)

Chapter 17

Ok, so this arc is really annoying. It was annoying to write and is probably going to be annoying being away from the main plot. But it's very important because it's going to slowly reveal more about Shuku, which is needed. I', trying to make these chapters longer, so you have more to read. So deal with me here, and let's go through this.

"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."

~-~-~-~-~-Flash Back-~-~-~-~-~ The Entrance Exam

A little girl stood alongside several other taller, rougher children. Her small sneakers bounced along with her as she waited, her pent up energy ready to released. She was eager after all, this was a very important moment in her life and would be a turning point in it.

She was 7, her birthday had just passed in mid-December. Her nervous eyes flickered across the other children standing in line next to her. Some were unkempt, hair messy, their clothing was torn up and old, the trouble or unwanted children. Some seemed highly emotional, while others looked determined. The little girl didn't necessarily want to be here, but her father told her to, and she didn't like her dad when he was mad.

The little girl had short, light brown hair, down just passing her shoulders to lay on her back. It was tied back in a low ponytail using a purple ribbon with a small moon crest on it. Her dark green eyes wide as she looked around. Her dad had taken her down here into the training field before, and she was now in the waiting room. Every now and again, two kids would be called up into the arena. Most never came back out, but the ones that did sent chills down her spine. They looked broken, and haunted, and were usually injured.

She knew she was strong for a little girl her age. She could use a knife with a small amount of skill. But lately she had started to study these new words she could speak and they would help her fight, they were called incantations. She could only actually perform one or two of them correctly, but she hoped it would be enough to impress her dad.

That was all she ever wanted, was to impress her father. For him to tell her he was proud, not scold her on what she'd done wrong or when she had a vision and he wanted to know about it. That was the only time she actually really saw him, was when he was watching her practice, or when she was in her seat in his workplace. Her daddy didn't seem to like her, though, always ignoring her, treating her harshly, and blaming her for mommy's death. She had never met her mom before, but when daddy talked about her, there was this tone about it that she didn't like. It was if he didn't love mommy anymore. He said she looked exactly like her too, which she was proud of, and her father seemed to not be. Daddy may not love her, but she loved him with all her heart.

Her daddy was strong, the strongest, and she was proud of him, she just wished he was proud of her. And today, he would make him proud, and become a Hunter. She had to pass the exam first, though, which meant she had to fight someone. She had her knives daddy had given her as a birthday present when he remembered a few weeks later... but she loved them anyway, even if it was a little late.

"Shukura Ryuunome and Tobi Zutoku. Please follow me, to the arena." A tall man walked in, holding a clipboard, his face was hard, and the look Shukura could tell was one most of the adults wore. It was like a mask that they all wore to look cool, she wanted to be strong like the adults one day.

"Yes, sir!" Shukura responded out of habit, getting up from her seat. An older kid, maybe 4 years older than her walked up to the man next to her. He was taller than her and he wore a stained tee with ripped up jeans. His brown eyes were hard, and he was probably physically stronger than her. If she had to fight him, her advantage would be her speed.