『 I Won't Run Anymore』

Part 23 - Memory

The events that had happened within the last few days had left me reeling, but I was more than thankful for the peace I received following Lucifer's departure. Mephisto hadn't said much of anything after; perhaps he was disappointed in me for leaving the town? Did he think I was going to flee again? Who knows... and right now I just didn't care about what the eccentric demon thought about me as I stared down the page in front of me, flipping it over to the next before flipping it back once again; holding the paper firmly in my thumb and index finger as I stared down the words; eyes briefing over what I had already read a hundred times in the past but forgot from new data drilled into my skull.

"Uh, to send a demon back to Gehenna you have to either recite its fatal verse, slay it or remove its lingering attachment."

"Excellent. And continuing from your latter statement; what King are the ghosts affiliated with?"

"The... King of Spirits."

"Correct. Now, as you know not all demons have fatal verses, nor can their hearts always be soothed to rest. So slaying may very well be the only option, tell me a demons weak points."

"Their... heads? Ah, no... uhm..."

I fiddled with the paper in my fingers as I stared down the thin ivory page I held, determined not to look this up. Cutting off the head would be obvious... but I guess I played one too many zombie games and I know that's not right... demons... weaknesses... thinking of the demons I know...Mephisto... Amaimon... And Rin... Well, I know Rin has a tail and...

"T-tail! You have a tail!"

"Huh?"

"Rin, will you put that away! ... ... Please try not to be afraid. My name is Yukio Okumura and I'm here to help. You are Miss Alice if I'm not mistaken... ... Miss Alice, please try to calm down... ...Please come out of the corner. It looks awfully cramped."

A small nostalgic smile crossed my face as I released my vice hold on the paper, moving my hand to let the ivory sheet fall, closing the book before me. I ran my fingers idly over the worn leather cover; feeling its indents and creases of age under my touch as my smile increased slightly.

"One is their tail."

"Er... yes..."

I looked up to meet the blue eyes of the youth that sat beside me after hearing his confused tone, watching his equally confused expression with my own smile still present. But, why did he sound confused? I got the question right after all.

"What?"

"You've looked puzzled through this whole lesson; I'm assuming you're happy you found something you remember?"

He smiled back at me upon this assumption which caused me to giggle at his innocent analogy, my body relaxing a little as I continued to look at my tutor.

"Yes and no. I was remembering the day we met."

"The day we met? Ah, yes... I recall it."

"I had remembered when I first saw Rin's tail... I remember how stern you were with him and the others for scaring me, and how you comforted me that day. If I'm honest I didn't believe you were a teenager... I was shocked when I saw you in my cooking class. But your information showed you were an adolescent; even though you were the adult and I the child that day... I never did thank you for that, did I?"

"There is no need for thanks; I was merely doing my job."

I smiled brighter at the young man; he really was an adult... far more adult than a man of his age should be acting. He straightened himself up as I picked up the closed book I had been looking through to lay it in my lap.