Memories

True Cross Academy stood tall and proud. Large gates at the very boarder of the prestigious school guarded against human intruders. They were the only visible entrance to the immense mass of brickwork and plaster. And inside? A quality of learning that could be envied throughout the world. Pupils with grades of the highest standard and family lineage of upper class, privileged families. Food cooked to perfection by Japan's top star chefs.

This well established school was a learners paradise. And this was all thanks to one very charismatic gentleman by the name of Sir Mephisto Pheles, or Samael to his close family, Chairman and Head of the exclusive academy. Those that have seen him on a good day would probably notice his strange dress sense and happy-go-lucky attitude to anything and everything. He wore clothes that seemed to come from a high class noble from medieval times, though others may say that they look more like the attire of a clown. He could be easily recognised by his top hat and crisp, white fabrics.

The second thing that would be noticed by any new passer-by is his smooth curve of his check bones and his unusually bright smile that was so deeply embedded into his face that he would appear happy, even when not. His eyes were both wild and calm, and lit up any room he stepped in. Truly the eyes of a mischievous child, and not those of a stern adult. Some would call him handsome. Others would give him at least give him their respect.

There were a few though, hidden from public eye and knowledge, that sought to bring the entrepreneur down and condemn him based on pure superstitions for what he, in actuality, was. Luckily, Mephisto always stayed one step ahead. He had what they wanted. What they needed. Information. Power. Ability. Loyalty.

And all this strife came from being a demon. Distinct from his relatively normal features were ears that pointed at the tips and long canines which overlapped his bottom lip ever so slightly. And, though hidden exceptionally well, a thin sensitive tail extended from the base of his spine. According to the very laws of nature, he was part of the race most feared by humans, an enemy of Man. The very thought of it brought bile to the back of his throat. But Mephisto was not one for feeling negatively. Aside from the obvious differences, this demon found humans to be quite interesting.

These short lived two-leggers somehow were able to evolve their culture at a dramatic rate and could adapt to situations that could be considered unbearable, or so different that even he himself would not know what to do. And most importantly, they survived. Something about these weak, frail creations of God was somehow ensuring the race's survival. It puzzled him to no end.

But it was one human in particular that held his interest. Out of all creatures that came from the Earth, not one would show such compassion to demon spawn as this one. A man by the name of Shiro. Mephisto had watched him go from a youth to an exorcist, to a priest, to a middle-first class, and finally to a paladin. When younger, this human seemed to be like the others but he suddenly changed one day. His despisal towards his kind softened and, in time, he was able to accept the similarities in attitudes and opinions. Both races had good and bad. As those from Assiah had wars and greed and murderer and discrimination, Gehenna also had evil. However, it was only the evil that most chose to only see. Shiro never truly understood up until old age; he merely felt pity for his enemy.

This changed dramatically when an old friend turned up at his door. She was having husband issues. Her marriage seemed to be going well until the stress began to build up. The husband had spent less and less time with his partner, and finally had one day left and hadn't returned. Shiro welcomed her to his humble livings and aided her as much as he could. Unfortunately, this gave the enemy a great opportunity. The devil himself decided to use the girl in her weakened state to attack the paladin.

Her husband appeared in an almost drunken state one day and raped her. In truth, he had been possessed. Blue vibrant fire lit up his body. Fujimoto had been away at that time at a meeting. The fire left the husband in a crumpled, burnt, and bloody mess on the floor. His body disappeared mysteriously. It was reported that it simply ceased to exist. Satan's possession, though short, had also done ample damage to the woman.

A test came back positive. She was pregnant. Shiro had tried to keep the news from the Grigori, but to no avail. He had been ordered to terminate the child and mother through any means necessary. This order he refused to follow. But the strain on her body was too much. She died a little before her due date.

Mephisto remembered the pained eyes of his associate, which he kept hidden behind a false scowl. Not only had he lost a friend, but also her child. Or so he thought. Upon inspection of the body at the scene, two heartbeats were discovered by the equipment. Shiro prayed to God. He thanked him for this miracle; that mother and babe were spared their fate that day. But it was not the mother to whom the second heartbeat belonged.

Without a second thought, Mephisto punctured the woman's stomach with his claws and pulled out one screaming baby. Little blue flames danced on his skin, much to his surprise. Shiro was at a loss for words. Probably from the mutilated body of the mother more than anything. He had yet to notice the small, red creature in his associates arms.

Mephisto then went back to the dearly departed to repeat the process one final time. Shiro watched him now. He watched a tiny limp body emerge from the womb. It dangled lifelessly from Mephisto's hand. Blood splattered beneath it. Shiro took the child gently from him and tapped the chest to encourage it to breathe. It took a while but soon the younger of the twins was breathing on his own.

And that's where he left. The future of the two orphaned boys rested with the paladin. What he didn't expect was Shiro's decision to raise the twins himself. In respect for his actions, Mephisto helped him seal the demonic power within the eldest twin in a holy sword. This would allow the children to be brought up as humans and live a fairly normal life.

Or at least that was what was supposed to happen. What he hadn't predicted was the tiny seed of power planted when Satan possessed the mother to grow and mature as the boy grew and matured. The youngest twin, Yukio, was discovered to have the ability to see that which normal humans could not, and trained to be an exorcist by none other than Shiro himself. Still, the seal held firm until fifteen years on. But that was when the problems began to occur.

Shiro updated Mephisto with the news the month that it had started to weaken. Occasionally, vibrant blue flames appeared when his adopted son's emotions went haywire. The hormones were expected with a teenage boy. The flames, however, were not. Unfortunately, it was the eldest boy's emotions that became Shiro's downfall. For the longest time, the paladin had kept up a barrier within himself to block Satan's possession, but that wall crumbled at the eldest child's rejection. The flames consumed him and he died a horrifying death. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, Rin, the older twin, took the sword and pulled it from the scabbard, undoing the seal and transforming him into a full fledged demon.

Mephisto met him for the second time at the funeral. The small baby had grown into a young man. In honour of his friend, he granted Rin the ability to choose his path. Either he would follow the path of his own destruction, or he would struggle up the path of survival. The latter was chosen. The eldest twin would join the youngest twin at his school to learn the art of exorcism; the skills to exterminate his own kind.

This was necessary.