Bell, Book and Candle for WittyPhantom!
Title: Bell, Book, and Candle
Author: dark_angel_998
Recipient: Wittyphantom
Characters: Atobe and Mizuki
Rating: G
Warnings: Religious overtones
Disclaimer: I don’t own Prince of Tennis and I make no money from this
Summary: Atobe and Mizuki are exorcists
Notes: I have taken some liberties with the actual rite of exorcism.
Night fell upon the hallowed hallways of Hyotei. The sprawling school was empty save for the echoing sound of two pairs of feet traveling down them. That and the sounds of a haughty voice complaining loudly. “I can’t believe the Diocesan expects me to work with you. You of all people. I have this perfectly handled.” After all, Atobe was used to such strange occurrences at his school. Hiyoshi was far too interested in the occult. It had only been an matter of time until he managed to summon something that he couldn’t control or send back.
Beside him, an equally arrogant voice answered. “You are not my first choice of partners. To think, me, teamed up with some dirty Protestant.” He paused for a moment. “Did you hear something, Atobe?”
The owner of the first voice turned and made a soft tsking sound. “Only the sound of your horrendous sweater. Must you wear such tacky attire in my presence. Honestly, your tastes make me question your abilities.” Perhaps he was being a bit too prickly because this was his territory. His turf. His kingdom. Mizuki was an interloper. He was a worthless Catholic from Saint Rudolph. If his Diocese hadn’t ordered this joint mission between the two schools of exorcism, he would never have given the dark haired teen the time of day.
“Nfu.” That annoying little laugh and Mizuki reached up to play with a curl in his hair. “So you say. But I have seen your odious collection of purple frilly shirts. Frills? Really Atobe. Could you be any more out of fashion? The 1600’s called and they’d like their poet shirts back.”
Atobe turned and glared, icy gaze piercing and harsh. “I’ll have you know that those are the finest silk and cost more than your entire wardrobe, including your cheap excuse for cologne.”
Mizuki just raised an eyebrow, seemingly unaffected by a stare that could put most mere mortals in their place. Mizuki knew his place and his greatness. Despite the whispers behind his back that he was just a ‘Poor Man’s Atobe’ they were equals. No. He was obviously greater and he would prove that tonight by expelling the demons that had made this school their home. “I’ll have you know that I really couldn't care less. No amount of money makes those any more fashionable than they were before. Now if you would kindly be quiet, I know I heard something.”
“How dare you.” Atobe seethed. “You don’t know who you’re talking to.”
“I’m talking to Atobe Keigo, head of the Hyotei’s Anglican exorcist division and I’m asking you politely to hush. You might be in love with your own voice, but I am not.” The Catholic boy pressed a finger to his own lips at Atobe’s attempt to protest, making shushing sounds.
Down the hallway, the sound carried to him. Demons, obviously. A dark, heavy pattering of feet that must have been possessed by something. “There. What do you see, Atobe?” As much as he hated to admit it, Mizuki knew his limitations. He might be brilliant but he did not have Atobe’s eyesight. All he could see was a silhouette of a hulking figure moving down the hallway. It was moving quickly.
Atobe’s eyes narrowed as he stared into the darkness. His hand clutched the holy book in his hand. An original copy of the King James Bible. 400 years old and a gift from Sakaki when he had taken his vows as an exorcist. He clutched it tighter as he focused on the shadowed figure. It was moving so quickly. Soon, he would lose it around the corner.
“So.” Mizuki whispered beside him. “What is it?”
This time, it was Atobe that made the shushing sound. “Be quiet, I’m trying to focus. This isn’t easy in total darkness.” He raised a hand to his face and stared harder. He dropped his hand when the figure vanished. “It’s probably Kabaji…” There was a small sound of pain in his voice that he could not mask. As much as it hurt to know that he was probably right, it still cut him deeply. It made sense of course. His best friend since early childhood was such a pure soul. He was an innocent in a way few were these days. Atobe knew his large, simple friend was a perfect target for possession from the forces of evil.
A well manicured hand lit on his shoulder for a fraction of a second. Atobe shrugged it off and started forward quickly. He didn’t want to hear apologies. He didn’t want to be comforted, least of all by Mizuki. He wanted to drive whatever devil had been called from his friend and from his school and back to hell or where ever it came from. As he went he ordered, “Light the candle.”
Mizuki was forced to hurry to catch up to him. Imagine, him, rushing for anything. Utterly ridiculous. Atobe would pay if he broke a sweat. “Not yet. The Blessed Light only works in sight of the demon. If I light it now, the blessings will burn off before we reach the source.”
Atobe merely moved faster. Such silly rules. The Catholics making things so complicated. “This way.” He moved down the hall where he had thought he had seen the figure move. One of the back doors was open. From where they were in the hall, he saw the hulking figure again, starting to make its way across the perfect lawns of Hyotei. His back was turned but Atobe knew. Atobe knew deep deep down from how he moved, how he stood… He was going to make Hiyoshi pay seven fold for doing this. He needed to get there before Kabaji got outside the school completely. If he got into the city… if he hurt someone…. “Out there. Light the candle. I’ll start reciting. We don‘t know what‘s in there,” some sort of demon, but what. What had Hiyoshi called this time. “I won‘t risk my friend.” He opened the book to a marked page.
Atobe started to recite from the Book of John, his voice clear, strong and commanding. His flawless English echoed through the school as he approached the doorway that led outdoors. Behind him, a match was struck and he could smell the scent of roses. A rose scented candle? Really? He turned, words on his lips. Mizuki shoved the candle at him and pulled a small silver bell from his pocket along with a vial of water. Atobe could have bet his entire fortune that it was also rose smelling.
“You’ve done your job, Anglican. It’s my turn now.” His own verses, Latin, started to spill from his lips. Unlike Atobe, Mizuki didn’t need a book. He had it all memorized. It wasn’t that hard to do if one had half a brain. As he spoke, he tried to shove past Atobe.
“Not so fast, Catholic! That’s MY friend in there.” He pushed back, shoulders trying to force Mizuki back. They weren’t even through the door yet. He returned to his own scriptures, trying to out volume Mizuki as they pushed and shoved and tried to muscle their way to be the first through the doorway to get to the poor possessed soul making his way across the school grounds.
“He’s not your friend anymore. He’s a demon. Stop getting in my way.”
“I’m not in your way. You are in my way. Stand aside and let me work!”
“I will drive it out and banish it.”
“You will not. He’s my friend. Mine.” The two of them shoved and pushed and were wedged in the doorway for a moment. “You won’t get this one, Catholic.”
“This isn’t a contest, Anglican! Now stop being so pig headed and let the expert take care of this.”
“Expert in what? Poor taste? I think not.”
Far ahead of them, the possessed male paused, looking towards the door they were trapped in. He smiled a gruesome smile and turned towards them. How like a beast he was, claws and teeth and blood red eyes. The exorcists were still fighting amongst themselves, weapons forgotten in their hands in their effort to get through the door.
“Stop trying to stop me!” Atobe elbowed Mizuki in the ribs as the thing masacarading as Kabaji approached.
“You’re in the way!” Mizuki yelled back, pushing harder.
“You’re BOTH in the way!” Came a hard voice behind them. There was a hard shove and the two of them spilled from the door. Misbalanced they hit the ground. From above them came a rush of air, the feel of a person leaping over their prone bodies.
“AKURYO TAISAN!” The shout pierced the darkness and Atobe looked up to see Sanada, clad in his onmyouji regalia slapping an ofuda onto Kabaji’s forehead. There was an unearthly scream and then Kabaji fell, demon driven from him. Behind him, another Japanese exorcist put away his Prayer Beads.
“Well done Sanada. Let us move on. More demons lurk tonight.”
“Of course, Tezuka.”
The two prone teens stood, mouths agape, watching the two vanish into the night. Blue eyes narrowed and a hand went to play with dark curls. “We can’t let those two beat us…”
“Of course not. Let’s go, Catholic.”
“Lead the way, Anglican.”
Author: dark_angel_998
Recipient: Wittyphantom
Characters: Atobe and Mizuki
Rating: G
Warnings: Religious overtones
Disclaimer: I don’t own Prince of Tennis and I make no money from this
Summary: Atobe and Mizuki are exorcists
Notes: I have taken some liberties with the actual rite of exorcism.
Night fell upon the hallowed hallways of Hyotei. The sprawling school was empty save for the echoing sound of two pairs of feet traveling down them. That and the sounds of a haughty voice complaining loudly. “I can’t believe the Diocesan expects me to work with you. You of all people. I have this perfectly handled.” After all, Atobe was used to such strange occurrences at his school. Hiyoshi was far too interested in the occult. It had only been an matter of time until he managed to summon something that he couldn’t control or send back.
Beside him, an equally arrogant voice answered. “You are not my first choice of partners. To think, me, teamed up with some dirty Protestant.” He paused for a moment. “Did you hear something, Atobe?”
The owner of the first voice turned and made a soft tsking sound. “Only the sound of your horrendous sweater. Must you wear such tacky attire in my presence. Honestly, your tastes make me question your abilities.” Perhaps he was being a bit too prickly because this was his territory. His turf. His kingdom. Mizuki was an interloper. He was a worthless Catholic from Saint Rudolph. If his Diocese hadn’t ordered this joint mission between the two schools of exorcism, he would never have given the dark haired teen the time of day.
“Nfu.” That annoying little laugh and Mizuki reached up to play with a curl in his hair. “So you say. But I have seen your odious collection of purple frilly shirts. Frills? Really Atobe. Could you be any more out of fashion? The 1600’s called and they’d like their poet shirts back.”
Atobe turned and glared, icy gaze piercing and harsh. “I’ll have you know that those are the finest silk and cost more than your entire wardrobe, including your cheap excuse for cologne.”
Mizuki just raised an eyebrow, seemingly unaffected by a stare that could put most mere mortals in their place. Mizuki knew his place and his greatness. Despite the whispers behind his back that he was just a ‘Poor Man’s Atobe’ they were equals. No. He was obviously greater and he would prove that tonight by expelling the demons that had made this school their home. “I’ll have you know that I really couldn't care less. No amount of money makes those any more fashionable than they were before. Now if you would kindly be quiet, I know I heard something.”
“How dare you.” Atobe seethed. “You don’t know who you’re talking to.”
“I’m talking to Atobe Keigo, head of the Hyotei’s Anglican exorcist division and I’m asking you politely to hush. You might be in love with your own voice, but I am not.” The Catholic boy pressed a finger to his own lips at Atobe’s attempt to protest, making shushing sounds.
Down the hallway, the sound carried to him. Demons, obviously. A dark, heavy pattering of feet that must have been possessed by something. “There. What do you see, Atobe?” As much as he hated to admit it, Mizuki knew his limitations. He might be brilliant but he did not have Atobe’s eyesight. All he could see was a silhouette of a hulking figure moving down the hallway. It was moving quickly.
Atobe’s eyes narrowed as he stared into the darkness. His hand clutched the holy book in his hand. An original copy of the King James Bible. 400 years old and a gift from Sakaki when he had taken his vows as an exorcist. He clutched it tighter as he focused on the shadowed figure. It was moving so quickly. Soon, he would lose it around the corner.
“So.” Mizuki whispered beside him. “What is it?”
This time, it was Atobe that made the shushing sound. “Be quiet, I’m trying to focus. This isn’t easy in total darkness.” He raised a hand to his face and stared harder. He dropped his hand when the figure vanished. “It’s probably Kabaji…” There was a small sound of pain in his voice that he could not mask. As much as it hurt to know that he was probably right, it still cut him deeply. It made sense of course. His best friend since early childhood was such a pure soul. He was an innocent in a way few were these days. Atobe knew his large, simple friend was a perfect target for possession from the forces of evil.
A well manicured hand lit on his shoulder for a fraction of a second. Atobe shrugged it off and started forward quickly. He didn’t want to hear apologies. He didn’t want to be comforted, least of all by Mizuki. He wanted to drive whatever devil had been called from his friend and from his school and back to hell or where ever it came from. As he went he ordered, “Light the candle.”
Mizuki was forced to hurry to catch up to him. Imagine, him, rushing for anything. Utterly ridiculous. Atobe would pay if he broke a sweat. “Not yet. The Blessed Light only works in sight of the demon. If I light it now, the blessings will burn off before we reach the source.”
Atobe merely moved faster. Such silly rules. The Catholics making things so complicated. “This way.” He moved down the hall where he had thought he had seen the figure move. One of the back doors was open. From where they were in the hall, he saw the hulking figure again, starting to make its way across the perfect lawns of Hyotei. His back was turned but Atobe knew. Atobe knew deep deep down from how he moved, how he stood… He was going to make Hiyoshi pay seven fold for doing this. He needed to get there before Kabaji got outside the school completely. If he got into the city… if he hurt someone…. “Out there. Light the candle. I’ll start reciting. We don‘t know what‘s in there,” some sort of demon, but what. What had Hiyoshi called this time. “I won‘t risk my friend.” He opened the book to a marked page.
Atobe started to recite from the Book of John, his voice clear, strong and commanding. His flawless English echoed through the school as he approached the doorway that led outdoors. Behind him, a match was struck and he could smell the scent of roses. A rose scented candle? Really? He turned, words on his lips. Mizuki shoved the candle at him and pulled a small silver bell from his pocket along with a vial of water. Atobe could have bet his entire fortune that it was also rose smelling.
“You’ve done your job, Anglican. It’s my turn now.” His own verses, Latin, started to spill from his lips. Unlike Atobe, Mizuki didn’t need a book. He had it all memorized. It wasn’t that hard to do if one had half a brain. As he spoke, he tried to shove past Atobe.
“Not so fast, Catholic! That’s MY friend in there.” He pushed back, shoulders trying to force Mizuki back. They weren’t even through the door yet. He returned to his own scriptures, trying to out volume Mizuki as they pushed and shoved and tried to muscle their way to be the first through the doorway to get to the poor possessed soul making his way across the school grounds.
“He’s not your friend anymore. He’s a demon. Stop getting in my way.”
“I’m not in your way. You are in my way. Stand aside and let me work!”
“I will drive it out and banish it.”
“You will not. He’s my friend. Mine.” The two of them shoved and pushed and were wedged in the doorway for a moment. “You won’t get this one, Catholic.”
“This isn’t a contest, Anglican! Now stop being so pig headed and let the expert take care of this.”
“Expert in what? Poor taste? I think not.”
Far ahead of them, the possessed male paused, looking towards the door they were trapped in. He smiled a gruesome smile and turned towards them. How like a beast he was, claws and teeth and blood red eyes. The exorcists were still fighting amongst themselves, weapons forgotten in their hands in their effort to get through the door.
“Stop trying to stop me!” Atobe elbowed Mizuki in the ribs as the thing masacarading as Kabaji approached.
“You’re in the way!” Mizuki yelled back, pushing harder.
“You’re BOTH in the way!” Came a hard voice behind them. There was a hard shove and the two of them spilled from the door. Misbalanced they hit the ground. From above them came a rush of air, the feel of a person leaping over their prone bodies.
“AKURYO TAISAN!” The shout pierced the darkness and Atobe looked up to see Sanada, clad in his onmyouji regalia slapping an ofuda onto Kabaji’s forehead. There was an unearthly scream and then Kabaji fell, demon driven from him. Behind him, another Japanese exorcist put away his Prayer Beads.
“Well done Sanada. Let us move on. More demons lurk tonight.”
“Of course, Tezuka.”
The two prone teens stood, mouths agape, watching the two vanish into the night. Blue eyes narrowed and a hand went to play with dark curls. “We can’t let those two beat us…”
“Of course not. Let’s go, Catholic.”
“Lead the way, Anglican.”