The Apprentice




Dawn was just sneaking over the horizon when two soul collectors entered into the mansion. One was a very old and experienced demon who was a master in the ways of the collector....yet even he could not train this 'Rookie'.




"Hey, Old Goat! What are we doing here?" said the young, disrespectful soul collector who was not like any demon he'd ever trained in his long 500 years.
"Were here Rookie because if my greatest pupil can’t train you, NO ONE can," the seasoned collector said with bitterness in his tone as he gave the young demon a cold stare.
"Ooooh~ I’m shaking in my leather boots," snickered the cocky demon, "I bet he won’t even last a week training me." He flashed a toothy grin.
Shaking his slightly pepper haired head, "You better hope your wrong about that boy. There are far more worse punishment you could never imagine."




The old demon stride up the stairs with an eerie phantom likeness in his step as he opened up the huge oak wood door, and went inside.




"Tsh- Whatever," the boy entered not too far behind with his hands clasped behind his head.




When the old demon looked around the mansion, he noticed there was a little something...'different' about it. Scratch that. He noticed a big difference around the place, as he observed the cleanliness and cheerful like atmosphere of the place. 




'Why the hell does he have a dog?' the old demon’s eyes looked at the Doberman.




Some soul collectors actually did take in some animals, and altered their DNA to assist in the hunting of soul eaters...yet this was just an ordinary dog. So why?




His eyes brows knitted together as he collected the information around him. His eyes narrowed in on the bedroom where his once former star pupil was sleeping.




"Heh, you’re sure this is the same ruthless demon you told me about?" as the rookie kneeled down and scratched the Doberman’s ear. 




He didn't know why he did it, but he felt drawn to do so like he'd done it many times before. The Doberman simply closed its eyes as she pressed her head more into his hand, not even bothered that they were being ear scratched by a different demon.




"*Huff* You go into the kitchen and STAY there, while I go talk to him," he pointed to the kitchen.
"Aw~ You forgot to say please," but he did as he was told when he heard a dangerous growl coming from the 'old fart'.




The seasoned collector was walking up to the door. He and his formal pupil still had resentment towards each other after their last 'training', but at the moment the seasoned demon really hoped he wouldn't bring that up. He already had a head ache dealing with the green horn. (A.N. literally XD)




Knock! Knock!




"Hey asshole! Get up! We gotta talk!" There. That out to wake him up. He headed towards the library.(E.N: Just when Damion was about to do Sophie XD)




(Cliffhanger! XD Sooooo what do you think so far???)
(I have RETURNED >D So you see?! It’s not me you should me mad at, it was the 'Old Fart' soul collector you should be mad at for ruining their moment XD. OH! and Editor, I hope to see some more of your E.N. during the story, it makes me laugh X3)
(E.N: YAY! I’ve been mentioned XD)




~~~~~~~~Back to Damion~~~~~~




Damion quickly shut the door behind him as he went to the library where his 'former' mentor was. He could feel the older demon’s aura as he got closer with each step, and was thankful that most of his mentor’s senses were heavily damaged over the centuries or else he might have noticed Sophie's aura and both have them would have been caught. 




He slipped on his stoic mask as he opened the door to the library; there he was, his mentor, as the old demon sat in 'his' chair already pissing him off.




"What brings you here...teacher?" Damion hated that he had to call him that again. It leaves a bad taste in his mouth.




"We need to talk," the old demon leaned on his elbows as he placed his chin on his joined hands.




"I know. You already told me that much," Damion tried not to show his irritation in his voice as he spoke. It was much harder to control his emotions know that they felt more natural to him.




'Was I always this cold?' thought Damion as he stared at his mentors cold, emotionless face.




"Sit," his mentor pointed to the chair across from him. 




As his former pupil sat across from him, he noticed a faint scent of vanilla and lilacs clinging to him. ‘Strange?’




"Well?" Damion tried to get the conversation going and get it over with. The sooner 'he' left the better.




"I am here to inform you that you shall be taking on an apprentice," the mentor noticed Damion's left eyebrow twitch for a second. 




"What?" Damion asked emotionlessly, but on the inside he was thinking 'WHAT!?!?' He gripped the arm of his chair a little tighter as he waited for the old bastard to explain.
(E.N: And thus was the day of major cock blockage XD)




~~~~~~Sophie~~~~~~




The young woman kept fidgeting as she waited in the bedroom. What was going on, and who exactly was here? Sophie's nerves were getting the better of her as she peeked out the door. There was no one in sight besides Ruby as she continued to lie in front of the fireplace.




A grumble came and a complained noise from the girl’s stomach. She looked at the clock to inform her that it will be time soon to start breakfast.




'Hush stomach! You’re going to get me in trouble!'




But as the grumble continued she decided that the only to stop it was to quickly grab a bite to eat and come right back to the room.




'Just go in, get a little something, and get out. Simple right…?' Sophie slowly and silently crept her way towards the kitchen.




When Sophie reached the kitchen, she began to rummage around looking for a piece of fruit or something to take back with her, not noticing the neon green eyes staring at her.




She smiled in victory when she found and pick up a blue berry muffin from the batch she baked last night. She turned around, getting ready to head back to the bedroom. 




Sophie nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw another soul collector staring back at her as he continued to sit at the table.




Startled vibrant green eyes met annoyed neon green eyes as they stared at each other.




"...Boo!"




"Eep-" Sophie quickly covered her mouth to stifle her voice and nearly dropped her muffin in the process, but caught it before it hit the floor. 




'Phew~' She sighed in relief as she looked up at the odd soul collector.








(E.N: She seriously got scared when he said Boo after she was startled? Lol)
(A.N. She froze, so when he scared her she snapped out of it.)
(Cliffhanger! What will happen now?!?! I wanna hear what you think will happen XD)








He blinked once at her, she owlishly blinked twice at him.




"Draw a picture. It will last longer," the young demon was starting to get annoyed by this strange little human.




"O-oh! I’m sorry I didn't mean to stare. You’re just the second soul collector I've ever seen." 




"What are you doing here, human?" Rookie was being too curious about why a human would be in a soul collector’s home. Weren't humans supposed to be afraid of demons.




"I live here with Damion. My name’s Sophie by the way. You?" 




"...Soul collectors don't have names...and whose this Damion?"




Sophie wanted to mentally slap her forehead, 'Right I forgot they aren't given names.' "Damion is the soul collector that took me in."




"Why would he do that?" the young demon was starting to wonder if this soul collector behaved like him.




Sophie shrugged, "Don’t know but we've become like family, and he’s a great guy once you get to know him." She gave her guest a warm smile, as she tried to make him feel welcomed. "So why are you here?"




"*Snort* The old goat said he was bringing me here to try and be train by his supposedly 'star apprentice'," he said sarcastically as he waved his claw hand dramatically in the air.




"From what I've seen he’s really great at what he does. I bet you could really learn a great deal from him," the young woman’s eyes shined a little bit more when she thought of her dark warrior.




When the young demon looked away, he seemed to be in deep thought and almost a little...lost. Sophie felt a little bad for him even though she didn't know why, but she wanted to try and cheer him up.




She looked down at her muffin, "Hey, I bet you’re hungry from your trip." 




Sophie grabbed a napkin and placed the muffin on the table in front of the demon. He poked it with a clawed finger as he stared at it curiously.




"What am I suppose to do with this?" the demon asked as he started to poke the muffin.




"Huh? Don't you eat?"




"Demons don't eat in the underworld."




"Really? You came all the way from the underworld?"




"Hm," he slightly nodded his horned head.




"How old are you?"




"Twenty-eight...days old."




Her mouth gaped open like a fish, "You’re just a baby!"




"Am not!" the demon’s ears actually flared red at her comment.




"Eh, I mean you’re 'very' young when you look so much older then what you are."




"Were not born like humans if that's what you thought."




Before Sophie could ask another question, Rookie raised his hand to keep her quiet as his pointed ears began to twitch. He could hear the demons wrapping up their conversation and would soon be having a talk with him.




"You better hide human before the old goat sees you."




"Oh right!" Sophie quickly grabbed another muffin as she quickly headed back towards the bedroom, "And it was nice meeting you," she said as she closed the door behind her.




'What a strange human.'




Then again, she was very nice towards him even after he scared her and was a bit rude. He actually felt a little bad about it, which was not cool of him. He shouldn't feel bad! Yet he felt like it. 




'Crap!' Rookie definitely didn't like this feeling. He usually loved being the prick.




Then again, maybe it wouldn't be bad being trained by this 'Damion' if only for a little while. Anything would be better than to be trained by the old goat. There was a chance that this 'Damion' would not accept to train him, so the question was how to get him to?




~~~~~~Back to Damion~~~~~




"He is too difficult for me to train, and he acts...very different from any demon I've seen."




"How so?"




"You'd have to see him for yourself," the old demon stretched his slim neck as he tried to work the kinks out of his tired muscle.




"Why should I have to train him?" Damion’s claw finger began to tap impatiently against the chair arms.




"Because you are the only one who’s ever beaten me in training. So naturally you'd be the best replacement in his training."




'I knew it! He getting back at me for breaking his damn horn!' Damion began to ground his teeth together.




"And if I refuse?"




"Are you refusing a request from you teacher?"




"Last I recalled you are my 'former' teacher. I have the right to refuse."




The older demon narrowed his eyes, "True, but would you at least take a look at him. You look like you could use the extra help around this town. There seemed to be a growth spurt of soul eaters at the moment."




Damion inwardly growled as he loathed his mentor’s logic. 'Is this how Sophie feels when I outwit her...no we have far too much fun when it comes to out witting the other.'




He nearly jumped out of his seat when he heard Sophie's unmistakable 'EEP' in the kitchen. What the hell was going on?!




"Where is this 'Rookie'?" he tried not to sound panicked.




"I left him in the kitchen where he should be."




'Craaaaaaaap!' "Fine, let’s go see him," Damion headed for the door first. If that demon did anything to Sophie, he would discover a whole new hell. He speed walked down the hall and straight for the kitchen.




(Cliffhanger X3 I think I did a very good chunk tonight ^U^)
(I’m back XD what will poor Damion go through next?!)




When Damion reached the kitchen, he immediately smelled Sophie's fresh scent in the room. His intense gaze stared deadly at the Rookie who was looking at him with a mischievous smile...wait... mischievous smile! Damion thought he was the only one that could express... Apparently he was wrong.




His former mentor would be joining them shortly and he needed answers NOW!




"Where is she?" Damion growled in a low voice.




"Relax 'Damion', your human’s fine," but the look on the little punk’s face told Damion that he was up to something.




"What do you want?" he spoke venomously.




"Oooh it’s simple really. You take me as your apprentice and I won’t tell the old goat about your little secret," he pointed to the bedroom door. "However, if you refuse then I'll tell the old goat, sit back, and watch the show unfold. Either way, it will be entertaining for me." Rookie put his arms behind his head and lifted a boot onto the corner of the table in a cocky manner.




'The little punks trying to black mail me! Fucker!' Damion clenched his fist.




It looked like Damion had no choice at the moment. However, he was going to make the prick regret he ever messed with him!




"Ah, it’s about time you decided to grace us with your presence old goat," Damion could hear his former mentor growl lowly as he suppressed the urge to smack the brat over the head.




"I see what you were trying to explain to me, teacher." 




"Hm, so will you reconsider the challenge?"




Oh he considered it alright; he was going to make this 'boy' wish he stayed with the old goat.




"I accept the challenge, teacher," Damion continued to stare daggers at the brat.




"Good. I'll return in one month. If you haven't been successful in his training...well I'd prefer that to not happen.




"I understand teacher."




The seasoned demon took one more look at the odd little demon, "Good luck boy. You’re going to need it." He began to head out the door, and with each step his body slowly began to disappear.




Damion's head instantly snapped back to the brat as he continued to smile innocently back at him. He would get back at him, but first things first.




"Sophie."




He watched the door crack open a little and a blond head poke out nervously. She most likely heard everything, and was now worried how much trouble she was in. The demon wiggled his finger for her to come out of hiding and face him.




"I’m sorry," Sophie whispered softly as she kept her eyes on the floor.




And just like that his anger deflated, he hate making her sad. "It is fine."
"And you!" As Sophie's head shot up and pointed at Rookie, "That was a very low move! You have no right to manipulate him like that! You should be ashamed of yourself," she began to get flustered as she chewed out the Rookie, whose face actually looked a little shocked from her sudden change in mood.




"Hey, it was the only way that I could officially get him to train me."




"You could have asked nicely!" Sophie crossed her arms as she scowled him like he was a child; which technically he was.




"*Snort* Demons don't ask ni-"




"Enough Rookie!" Damion was beginning to get a head ache. He shoved Rookie's feet off the table as he sat down across from the brat as he took in all that happened.




"Here," a mug of hot black coffee was presented to him. He was going to need it; he'd been up the whole night without a second of sleep. He wouldn't have minded if things turned out differently from what he thought was going to happen. (E.N: You know the almost ‘bow chika bow wow’ moment?)




Damion accepted the strong drink from Sophie as he nodded his head in thanks.




"You look so tired," she felt so bad for Damion and knew she was part of the reason.




"I'll be fine," he took a few gulps as he tried to resist the urge to show his fatigue in front of the green horned brat.




(Cliffhanger ^U^ It’s Valentine’s Day in a few hrs!!! How you all find your <3 ones ^U^)
(I’m back and I’m so sorry I didn't update last night, I wasn't feeling too well. But I’m better so let’s continue!!!)




Damion watched as the young demon continue to poke at the muffin and was beginning to get annoyed again.




The young demon began to shiver as he pulled his black hoody closer, "Brr~! Is it always this cold up here?"
"Get use to it Rookie. There are a lot of things you’re going to be feeling now that you’re in the mortal world. Soon you'll have to eat, sleep, and shit. (E.N: W-What?) So why don't you do yourself a favor and eat the damn muffin already."




"Or..." As Rookie lifted the muffin in his hand, "Maybe I should shove it up your a-"




"Okay! Breakfast’s ready," Sophie placed three plates on the table while trying to change the subject to a more pleasant one.




"Hm," the demons said in synchronism.




Damion and Sophie ate silently while Rookie continued to look at his plate as he became deep in thought. 




Rudy entered the kitchen and went to her water bowl. When she finished she sat down in front of the demons. 




Damion looked at the dog with slight annoyance, 'Some guard dog you are!' The dog just sneezed and shook her head at him as she moved over to sit closer to Rookie's leg. 'Traitor!'




Damion became somewhat shocked when Rookie began to pet the Doberman's head gently; he looked like he didn't even realize he was petting her. How odd.




"So, what are you two doing today?" asked Sophie as she tried to break the silence as she cleared the table.




"One, I'll have to show him around and two, see what he knows already in his training. Simple really," Damion downed the last of his coffee.




"Great. While you make him feel at home, I’m going to take Rudy for a walk on the beach. You two have fun," Sophie grabbed her cloak as she headed towards the door.




"What! You can’t leave me here alone with the prick!" 




"Damion, you’re a skilled warrior who has slain thousands of soul eaters. I think you can handle this," she gave him a sympathetic smile, "Besides, I'll probably just be in the way." She still felt bad about earlier.




Damion walked up to her as he lifted her chin up to look at him. "I’m not angry with you. You didn't know he would pull something like that on us. You’re not to blame."
"Thank you Damion. I just need some fresh air and a walk, and I'll be back before you know it. Promise," still, Sophie appreciated his words as he walked her to the door. "But Damion, could you please not be too harsh with him like they were with you in your training," when she recalled all his scars.




Damion was honestly not surprised at Sophie's request. No, he wouldn't use real weapons on the Rookie. He didn't think he could use those tactics on the young demon...didn't mean he wouldn't give him a few lumps on that thick skull of his though.




"I promise the prick will still be breathing when you get back," he lightly joked with her to bring out a smile.




Damion watched them go as Sophie and Ruby walked farther and farther away and headed towards the beach. The demon wished he could join them, but was a little satisfied to finally get a chance to knock some sense into the prick. He'd teach the brat it wasn't wise to upset his Sophie and use her to blackmail him.




"Well Rookie, let’s see what my teacher has taught you," Damion headed towards the training room, with Rookie right behind him.




(Cliffhanger X3 looks like there might be a show down. WHO WILL WIN!? XD)
(E.N: Sorry for the lack of editing. Was busy with a crap ton of essays.)
(I’m back and apologies for not typing last night; I was invited to a valentines dance. It was fun but I was exhausted when I got home. My feet are still killing me XD)




"So, what weapons will we be using today as we attempt to spill the other’s blood?" Rookie looked at the wall that was decorated with every kind of weapon you could imagine. 




"We won’t be using weapons. Catch."




Rookie spun around to catch a pair bamboo sticks. 'Oookay, this is different.' "What? Afraid to stain your walls?" 




"Trust me, Rookie, you don't want to face me with a real weapon just yet. Now defend!" Damion used his demonic speed as he charged Rookie head on.




'So fast!' Rookie couldn't believe the speed this demon possessed. It was nothing compared to the old goat's speed.




He began to panic when Damion was towering over him now as his bamboo stick began to come towards his head. Rookie couldn't think as he shut his eyes and prepared for the impact. Seconds ticked by when he dared to open his eyes to see the stick just inches from his face. A bead of sweat rolled down Rookie's face as he looked at Damion's face, whose eyes were looking disapprovingly at him.




"That was pathetic Rookie. Obviously my teacher is losing his touch if that's the best you can do," Damion’s hard gaze looked down at Rookie as he saw the fear clear in the boy’s eyes. 




It reminded of him of the time when he startled Sophie when he checked her injuries the first day she was brought to his mansion. He hated that look even on this brats face. Something seemed to change inside Damion.








"Again Rookie," the older demon turned his speed a few notches down to give the boy more time to defend.




This time Rookie was able to move his arm to block the blow. The impact of the bamboo smacking his arms stung like hell though; he hissed from the pain and knew it would leave a serious welt later.




"Hold the stick like this when blocking," Damion adjusted the stick in Rookie’s hand properly. This time when Damion launched another attack, Rookie was able to use the stick to block as it made a loud smack from the impact.




"Better" 




"I don't get it. Why are you doing this?" all the other demons he had to train against used real weapons. They never hesitated to land a blow, and they NEVER gave advice and encouragement.




Damion's face darkened, "When I was once a rookie, I had to fight or die. I've slain soul collectors younger than you without a second thought when my life was on the line. If I wanted to I could have killed you already with just this stick-"




"Then why are you even wasting your breath if I’m 'so' pathetic!" Rookie clenched the stick in his hand as he became pissed by Damion's confidence.




"Because Rookie!" The older demon snapped for being interrupted, "I don't want any more blood on my hands if I can help it. I’m just now starting to feel emotions, but you have been like this from day one. I am trying to be more than what they want me to be. If I have to train you, I will train you my way; which involves not cracking open you skull.




Rookie was actually dumbfounded. Damion really did feel and behave differently like him; he wasn't alone.




"However," Damion grabbed Rookie by the collar and flipped him up and slammed him hard on the ground. Rookie gasped for air as he stared up at Damion crouching above him, "If you ever pull that shit on Sophie again I will not hesitate to take you out."




"*Cough!* Oh I see. The humans got you whipped, huh?" Rookie tried to chuckle through the pain.








The older demon narrowed his eyes on the little prick, "It seems you haven't had enough training yet. Again," Damion stood up and waited for the first move.




"Tsh! I’m just getting started," Rookie began to get up and stand on wobbly feet as he faced his new mentor.