Vanilla Smoke (Blue Exorcist)

Chapter 31

Hello! I'm facing the eternal issue that I can't watch anime and edit theses chapters at the same time XD. Sorry, but this chapter is unusually short. Normally, I wouldn't publish something like this, but... since I wrote this almost a year ago, I have no time or will to rewrite at rest of this book. This chapter is 1097 words long, not counting these ANs. Enjoy this frustratingly short filler chapter!

Shuku walked down the steps from the main school at a slow, steady pace, her hood up in a nonchalant manner. The regular students were about to have their "Summer Break" as the teachers put it, signaling the end of the first semester. Shuku had had personal tutors her entire life, so the aspects like breaks were still slightly foreign to her. Why was school even split into semesters anyways. All of it was really easy, why did they need a break to just forget it all? Though, apparently, Shuku was ahead of the game, not having breaks from her lessons meant she had already learned everything in less time and at a faster, more rigorous pace, and she could probably apply to a college, though that was out of the question.

Shuku looked up, with her hands in her pockets, she examined the school front. Cars lined both sides of the streets, the regular students started climbing in and leaving. Shuku watched as some of them greeted relatives and parents lovingly. What was that like anyways? Shuku had never been hugged, no one really likes her that much. She also had a weird instinct in her that never liked being touched, battle instincts where touching met death unless you were the one serving the blow, not taking. Hugging made her feel trapped and vulnerable, she didn't like hugs.

Shuku spotted four familiar boys standing at the bottom of the steps. With nothing better, or more important to do, Shuku sauntered down the steps taking and vaping from her trademark pen. It had become more than a thing to mess up her visions but had become habitual for multiple reasons.

The first was how often Shuku did it. Every few hours, Shuku would take it out and use it. Second, was because of the vanilla scent and taste, even just the basic habit of it soothed Shuku's, nowadays, very active nerves and jumpiness. It kept her head clear, not unfocused, but helped her slow down and rethink, and clear her mind.

The vapor pen was also a good battle necessity since Shuku could lite the smoke vapor on fire, which she did with an unspoken incantation that was really easy and simple, not the tip of the pen like she made it look like. She just used the metal from the tip of the pen to create a quick spark to ignite the highly flammable smoke. It did take more energy and fluids from the pen to create the bigger fires though. The bigger the trick, the more energy it took, it was a basic rule. The hard, complicated stuff, like the light incantations the former priestess took pride in, were top notch stuff that was not only complicated but dangerous and difficult to manipulate.

That's why it was her most distinguishable ability, no one besides her uses incantations of that level. That was also why Shuku swore she wouldn't use any big incantations above her supposed exorcist level, at least not in front of the 'new teacher', in fact, no teacher other than Yukio, since he knew. And if Mephisto was the staff lurking about, she'd shoot him instead. Sorry, not sorry.

"Sup." Shuku greeted them in a casual manner.

"Oh, hey Shuku." Rin greeted, a big smile on his face.

"Shuku, I never got to ask you, but those knives you use, What are they?" Konekomaru asked Shuku rather suddenly. She blinked in surprise, not expecting that.

"Oh, their kunai knives, you know, like ninja stuff." Shuku shrugged.

"You know, a knife isn't exactly ideal for fighting larger demons, especially in close combat." Ryuji argued, trying to make a point, "What metal are they made from?"

"Holy silver. The things with these knives are that they're designed for throwing. Their not the only weapon I can use, but you know that don't cha Bon. You did intrude on my training session after all." Shuku shrugged, smirking.

Meanwhile, Rin was confused as fuck. What happened? Did Bon stalk Shuku or something?

"Plus I have my pen I can use as well as some of my party tricks." Shuku took a long breath from her pen and blew the vapor in all of their faces, enjoying them quickly trying to blowing away, as if Shuku would light it on fire.

Rin's gaze wandered and it landed on a solemn looking Polka-brow and Chipmunk, who had left cram school a while ago. She was probably leaving for the summer. Shuku followed Rin and the three other boys to the two girls, taking her time and smoking. Shuku didn't pay attention to their conversation at all. She had this... feeling. Something was going to happen, and soon.

'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'*'

Shuku stared at Glasses and the redhead behind him as he went over what they were doing instead of going home. Apparently, there was a forest with a bunch of 'tamed' demons in it, and they were going camping there. Shuku didn't like the idea one bit. It reminded her too much of the survival tests, alone in a forest with a bunch of demons... Shuku shuddered at the painful memories playing just beyond reality.

"I'm sure you're all excited about summer vacation... well, you'll have to hold that thought." Nothing to hold Glasses, you know this, Shuku thought in response to Yukio's statement.

"Because for the next three day, you lucky Exwires will participate in the training drill at the academy's training camp in the forest." Not feeling the luck at all.

"Of course I'll be coming along, and so will Ms. Kirigakure." Yukio explained with a closed eye smile.

"Yahoo." Shura said, gaining her attention and recognition, and a glare from Shuku.

"Now the purpose of this drill is to determine or not if you're ready to go out on missions." Kinda already did that, "So, stay sharp." The other students gave a cheer, but Shuku stayed stoic as ever. Yukio managed to catch Shuku's gaze, and see how... unhappy?... she was in this situation.

He had been told of the survival tests that the Hunters had put her through, and from the way she'd described them, nearly stuttering, it hadn't been pleasant. Being sent to a demon infested forest with nothing but your weapons and your knowledge. Not only was it inhuman, but to be able to survive such circumstances, only left the top.

Shuku, with her gaze down, went back to her dorm room to get her things with a dark look in her eyes. A cloud of vanilla scented vapor left behind in her wake.

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Hello again! OMFG!! How the F*** did this story manage to receive over 1k reads?!?!?! This is flipping amazing, and I'm almost to 100 votes as well! Thank you lovely readers!

So I have a question... does anyone have any anime's that they want to recommend me to watch? I have already watched Rosario+Vampire(Manga's better), One Piece, Bleach, Fairy Tail, The Devil's a Part-Timer, Black Butler, Naruto, Darker than Black, Attack on Titan, Blue Exorcist, Sword Art Online, Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, My Hero Academia and I'm currently watching Durarara!!. those listed above are all good animes and I have watched all sequels and seasons. if you have an anime that is not on the list above and would like to recommend it to me, please do so in the comments, I'm facing a lack of good anime to watch.

    I've tried to watch Tokyo Ghoul, but I couldn't get through the first two episodes, and Soul Eater wasn't really my style. I also have a vendetta against sports animes and extremely pervy ones.

   Pretty please recommend me an anime?  

~A person unprepared for summer.