vatheon | 10: whoops I accidentally the whole ocean

Huh?

[Rin had been sitting on the couch in the living room, playing something on a hand held game system that looked similar to a Nintendo DS (though it was clearly more Vatheon-themed) when Shiro approached. He tilted his head back to look at his father, blinking owlishly at him.]

I'unno, things kinda got interrupted for a while. Uhm... we did the lantern lesson during summer break... after the crap with Grandpa and the school was put back together, we were gettin' close to the yearly exams...

[Another blink.]

Why?

I'm trying to see where you are, academically wise. If I'm going to be here, then I might as well make sure your lessons are going well.

[He did teach at the cram school for a million years, after all.]

Had you already started on seal work? Or were you still back on things like classifying demons and making holy water?

[Lessons? Ugh. Groan.]

No, we didn't get to seals. We were still on clasifyin' demons and demon pharma-- farmu--uhm... the shit Yukio teaches.

[Don't groan at that young man lessons are important!!1]

Pharmaceuticals?

[But Daaaad they're boring and he won't remember anything when he goes back!]

Yeah that!

Heh, that fits him perfectly. You know he takes after me in that way, right? Dragoon and Doctor were my strongest subjects when I went through the cram school.

[But less reminiscing, more learning.]

C'mon. I need to see if blessings are working again anyway, so I might as well teach you how to make holy water.

[You know that groaning from earlier? Yeah, now it's getting a nice eye roll along with it.]

A demon ain't gonna be able to make holy water, Dad.

'sides, I'm off work until Wednesday, can't I just relax?

[Never mind that he spent an entire week doing just that.]

That is actually not true: as long as you have some human in you, you can make holy water. You just have to be careful not to burn yourself with it.

[Oh Rin, you underestimate his power of parental manipulation. He sighs and looks a little disappointed.]

I was going to go up above water and train some too, since it's starting to warm up. But if you're too tired and worn out to come along, I guess I can understand that.

Yeah see that all sounds like a really bad idea.

[Huff. Damn it, Dad...]

I ain't tired...

[He still doesn't fully see the point of training. He wants to get stronger, to get better, but there's always that little voice telling him that it won't matter if he goes back home.

But he might be saving his game and turning the system off anyway.]

[Success~

He'll be grabbing his little bag of doctor-supplies, as well as the normal swords he picked up just before he went training with Hubert. Then he'll wait for Rin by the front door.]

[Yeah yeah enjoy your victory. Rin still isn't going in to this looking terribly happy about it.

He vanishes for a bit, to change his shirt in to something short sleeved and grab his sword so they can leave.]

[Psh, be grumpy all you like, Rin. You know you like spending time with dear old dad.]

I wonder if your friends could learn any of this as well. Maka and Kid would make interesting exorcists.

[He does. But his dislike of lessons almost outweighs that.]

I'unno. Kid and I talked once about learnin' some of their stuff... I doubt I'd be any good at it though.

Oh? Why not?

Maka keeps sayin' I got a good soul, but...

[He trails off, though the doubt is pretty obvious in his voice.]

But you're not sure if you can manage it?

[Always with the self-doubt, Rin.]

[Yup, always.]

It's pretty complicated, the things they can do... way outta our ideas of "normal", and that's even comin' from worlds like Assiah and Gehenna.

'Normal' is overrated. If Maka thinks you have the ability, then you might as well try. The worst that could happen is that you can't do it, right?

I haven't actually brought it up with Maka. It was just that one time Kid and I were talkin'.

[Rin shrugs, stopping when they reach the elevator to wait for it to come down.]

It sounds awesome, but I've only had two experiences with the things they can do - one time when I was switched with Maka's body and I tried to use her soul perception. I sucked at it, by the way.

And the other time... she reached out to me when I was in a bad spot. I don't remember much but it knocked me outta my rage pretty damn good. But it kinda hurt, too. Like her soul was... too bright, or somethin'...

[And the more he talks about it the stranger it sounds to him.]

[It does sound kind of weird, with the whole soul-touching and stuff like that. But he remembers the talks he's had with Stein about soul theory and it lines up pretty closely with what he's heard.]

Well, she's also had training, so of course she would be better at it than you. You would be better at exorcist things than her.

I didn't know someone's soul could be bright, though.

Maka's is.

[As terrible as that day had been, seeing what Maka was capable of, that she could bring him back from the brink like that had been one of the good things about it. Feeling her soul, even if it did hurt him, was a memory he actually enjoyed recalling. No matter how much she doubted herself, he knew from what he saw and felt how good of a person she really was.

But no matter how many times Maka and Kid told him his soul was just as good as theirs, he struggled to believe it. Being told you're the son of the worst being known to your entire world tends to shake your world view up pretty badly.]

It even has little wings. At least... the way they see souls, they have a shape. It kinda... shows a person's personality? And other things, too.

[Oh hey elevator is finally here.]

[Oh hey elevator! Shiro will go ahead and step in before continuing the conversation.]

Little wings, huh? She sounds like an angel.

[Shiro's never met an angel, but that's what he imagines one would be like: bright, warm, and with wings.]

Stein told me what meisters do in their world. It fits with the imagery of angels, the whole 'guarding spirits' kind of thing.

She kinda is.

[Rin can't help but grin at that, even blushing a little. He's been doing that a lot when Maka comes up in conversation, and even though it seems impossible they've certainly been closer and more affectionate since the trip to the island.]

He did? That's good. Makes talkin' about this a lot easier.

[That's been making Shiro wonder just what happened on the island, but he's at least got enough sense not to go looking for answers he doesn't want.]

I can't say I've seen any of their souls, though. Or felt them, I guess.

But don't sell yourself short, I bet you could learn how to give soul-hugs if they taught you.

[If you get really curious, Shiro, go as Yuri. He actually told her, after much prodding.

But it's really not what you might be thinking it is, Shiro. Seriously they're ridiculously innocent for a couple of teenagers.]

I'm surprised Stein didn't poke around in yours. ... unless he did and you didn't feel it?

["Soul hugs" makes him snicker a little.]

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