Memories define a part of who we are. What we remember, what we have experienced…they all shape a part of us.

You know someone trusts you when he shares his deepest memories with you.

But…sometimes…memories can be shared unwillingly.

Memories and Trust

Amaimon scowled, settling on the window sill as he waited for his aniue to return from his headmasterly duties. He didn't like this at all.

Mephisto opened the door, chanting, "Eins, zwei, drei!" in a sing song voice. With a 'poof' pink confetti settled over Amaimon's green hair, clashing horribly. "Aniue…" Amaimon whined. "I'm bored. Play with me."

Mephisto frowned. "I don't have time." He fibbed easily, knowing that Amaimon would never fall for that. After all, he was the King of Time and Space. "Go play with our dearest little brother, eh?"

"Rin doesn't want to play." Amaimon stated, absent-mindedly ripping one of Mephisto's beloved anime posters to shreds. Mephisto noticed it, too late, and shrieked, lunging at Amaimon. Amaimon danced out of his older brother's reach and scattered the shreds outside the window, letting them float off into the wind.

"Noooooooooooooooooooo!" Mephisto grabbed a pair of scissors which appeared out of nowhere. He took one step towards Amaimon, who took another step back, suddenly looking terrified. "No, aniue, I promise! I will find replacements! Just don't cut off my hair!"

"Good." Mephisto snapped his fingers and the scissors disappeared. Amaimon slumped, looking immensely relieved. "Now, tell me about our little brother."

When Amaimon finished describing how Rin had responded to his attacks only half-heartedly, and only on the defensive with no spirit or fight at all and let himself be whacked around by Amaimon like a ball, Mephisto sat back in his puffy chair, deep in thought.

"Aniue! Play!" Amaimon insisted.

Mephisto hushed him with a wave of his hand, as the scissors suddenly appeared. Amaimon obeyed instantly. "Hmm…looks like I'll have to intervene after all. Human souls are so delicate."

"Can we play now, aniue?" Amaimon asked hopefully when Mephisto rose.

Mephisto's answer was a 'poof' of pink smoke that left Amaimon buried in neon green confetti.

Bon, Konekomaru and Shima were sitting in a circle, staring at each other blankly. Izumo sat at the far corner of the room, arms crossed and mouth turned down. Shiemi looked unhappy, her eyes wandering about to rest on the sniffling boy before them. The young boy with electric blue eyes, dark hair and those familiar features that froze their hearts.

Two weeks after that disastrous camping incident, it was just a normal day in class when all of them fell asleep and somehow got into a room that looked like it belonged in a daycare center. Fluffy toys and blocks lay scattered all about. There were a few kids there, just playing normally, and one word echoed through the air.

Demon!

Chaos erupted as Shiemi screamed. A box of toys went flying as one of the boys tackled the other three. His elbow knead into the first boy's stomach, knocking him out cold as his fists punched the second boy's face mercilessly. Blood splattered everywhere from the broken nose. The third boy tackled the demon boy from behind, ripping his fingernails across his face, but the demon boy snarled and lashed out, breaking his arm.

The three injured boys were quickly carried out, but no one dared to go get the demon boy, now in a full blown rage, hurling toys about. One chair flew through Shima's head.

Shima froze. "I-it-the chair-" He turned to Izumo. "Kamiki-san! Please tell me that I exist!"

Izumo looked bored as she dodged a flying ball. "Renzou Shima does not exist."

"He looks familiar…" Konekomaru commented about the man who entered the scene, batting away a chair as he did so.

"Look…Rin."

So the demon boy was Rin then. Bon recognized the white-haired man who had spoken as the recently deceased Paladin Father Fujimoto Shiro. Rin paused for a while.

"Daddy…?"

"Do you understand what you have done?" Father Fujimoto questioned sternly. "You beat up your friends, and they're suffering in a hospital now!"

"They aren't my friends!" Rin screamed back.

Shiro looked calmly at him. "What?"

"It's their fault!" Rin yelled, his voice nearly at its limit. "They called me a demon! They called me a monster and they bad-mouthed me!"

So the little brat believed that he was right for beating up three kids and putting them into the hospital just because of a couple of bad names. Bon 'tched' at that. "No wonder he's the son of Satan."

"O-Okumura-kun is really violent." Konekomaru was starting to shake. How would he face Rin after this, knowing that Rin would just punch him at the slightest insult? How could Konekomaru defend himself against the son of Satan?

Shiemi just looked down and said nothing.

"It's your fault for being so violent!" Shiro's words were like a whiplash through the air. Rin reacted immediately, growling and starting to throw things again.

The caretakers were starting to whisper behind the relative safety of the walls. Well, at least they thought they were whispering since their whispers were audible enough for Rin to hear.

"This is dangerous…" One of them said, looking fearfully at the child.

The other was much more straightforward. "How do you raise a child like this? He is a demon!"

Shiemi ran forward, trying to reason with the two caretakers that no, Rin wasn't always like this, she'd seen his more docile and gentle moments, she knew how Rin would stroke Kuro's fur gently without causing discomfort to the cat, how Rin handled her plants (before he started smashing them, that is). But she also remembered how Rin had smashed rocks to pieces, and burnt trees down to cinders.

"Don't bother, Moriyama." Bon growled.

"They can't hear you anyway." Izumo said.

"Please stand back." Shiro told the two of them, knowing that if they didn't leave Rin would take his rage out on them soon. "This is dangerous." He echoed their words.

Rin was trembling with rage and fear when Shiro wrenched him into a hug.

Surprised, the boy reacted the only way he knew-he struggled so hard that every Exwire could hear the sound of bone cracking. His glasses were shaken off by the sheer force of it and splintered as it connected with the floor.

Shiemi's hands sprang to her mouth. "Rin!"

Konekomaru was trembling with fear as well. Shima just stared, whether in awe or fear no one knew.

Rin stopped, eyes wide as his father started to shake. "Da-daddy…" He asked hesitantly, a little concerned now.

"Ahahahaha!" Shiro laughed, though everyone knew he was just putting on a façade for Rin. "As if your little punches can hurt me! I'm just kidding you! Got you scared, huh?"

Shiro released his hold on Rin long enough to look into Rin's eyes for a moment, before pulling him into the hug again.

"Listen, Rin," Shiro's tone suddenly grew serious. "If you keep on like this, you'll be alone. Use your strength for something else…for a gentler purpose. I want you to become a really cool guy, with lots of friends, and most importantly, loved by the girls!" He chuckled a bit at that last bit.

"What do you mean? How can I be like that?" Rin asked, looking down. He would've preferred it if daddy had just yelled at him or even hit him, but this disappointment was worse. He wanted to make daddy proud.

Shiro smiled victoriously, well, at least as victorious as a man with broken ribs could be. He was finally getting through to Rin. He knelt down properly so that he was on eye level with the child. "Struggle!" He said with conviction. "If you try hard to be nice to people, one day you will become like that."

Rin stared up at him, blinking, trying to process that he, Okumura Rin, might be able to become someone like that.

Then Shiro's face turned blue and he collapsed. "I can't take it…call an ambulance!"

"Daddy!" Rin shrieked.

And thus they ended up watching a younger Rin watch his father being carted off to the hospital, trying to make Rin feel better the whole time.

Once Shiro was out of sight, Rin had started to sniffle and finally burst into tears as the ambulance disappeared into the distance.

Then when the caretakers started herding the kids back into the daycare center, Rin took off running and everything faded.

"Whoa. What was that?" Shima was the first one to speak.

Bon had already gotten up, examining the room they were in. "This doesn't make any sense. There're absolutely nothing in this room that could create an illusion or hologram quite that real…that means this has to be some kind of demon trickery. It could be Rin himself pulling the strings."

Konekomaru started planning. "Right. So we need a strategy to get out of here. Let's evaluate our inventory first. I have a notebook, my pencil case and a water bottle. What about you guys?"

"Well, I have lots of candy. There're lollipops, fruit flavored snacks…" Amaimon listed, ignoring the screams of the other Exwires as he dropped in all of a sudden.

Izumo had summoned her Byakko in a flash. "What do you want?"

Amaimon chewed on his candy. "Hmm…could you get me more candy?"

"If you get me out of here, yes." Izumo's gaze swept over the Demon King.

Amaimon tilted his head, as if considering, but then said, "Nah. Aniue would kill me if I did. I'm only here to explain some things your fuzzy human brains can't understand."

"Is that an insult?" Bon's eyes narrowed.

"Bon! It'd be suicide to take on a Hell King by yourself with no weapons! Calm down!" Shima and Konekomaru grabbed Bon simultaneously.

Amaimon stared at them, disinterested. Then he started to recite a speech tonelessly, with no emotion at all. "Greetings, dear Exwires. Today I have gathered you here to witness several of Okumura Rin's memories. Judge him after you have seen his deepest wishes and desires. You shall be allowed half an hour of rest after traumatizing memories, in order to digest what you have seen. There will be necessaries provided if necessary. During this, give Okumura Rin the benefit of doubt. This message shall be delivered by-" Amaimon's nose wrinkled. "Aniue…" He whined. "I can't say those words!"

A large pair of scissors appeared before Amaimon and he choked on the last words before getting them out. "-my adorable baby brother Amaimon."

"ANIUE!" Amaimon howled, and made a rather large crack in the floor before disappearing.

"…" The Exwires were speechless at the eccentric display from Amaimon.

"Our thirty minutes are almost up." Izumo observed, looking at the cuckoo clock that appeared on the wall behind Shima. The minute hand struck six, and the cuckoo dressed in a strangely familiar style popped out and cawed.

With it, everything faded.

"Daddy…so what did our mom look like?"

Shiro closed the cupboard, turning around. He should have anticipated this question. Thankfully he already had a story ready to ward it off and yet still not let his sons believe in a lie.

"Well, I told you. It was mid-winter, and I found this huuuuuge watermelon floating in a stream. I picked it up, and I didn't know which way to cut it, so I accidentally cut you into two!" Shiro guffawed loudly at the end of the sentence. Yukio looked up from his textbook as Rin protested. "No way that was what happened!"

"It's true!" Shiro shrugged, grinning. The laughter slowly faded away with the scene.

Color returned a few seconds later, and they found themselves in a park.

The swing creaked gently as it swung lightly.

"…daddy?"

Rin's voice. The Exwires looked in its direction, and saw Shiro piggybacking the child. Rin had obviously just gotten into another fight, though from his looks, it took more out of him mentally than physically.

"Yeah?" Shiro's tone was kind and gentle, a tone that only a father would use.

"Why am I so different from the others? Am I really a demon child?" His voice was small, childish, and accepting. Once upon a time, Okumura Rin was a child too. An innocent child.

A child of Satan. Bon reminded himself.

"No." Shiro was firm and unyielding. He didn't even hesitate. "You're a human child."

"Okay." Rin trusted Shiro without even a questioning glance. They faded into the background.

He's a child of Satan. He's a child of Satan. He's a child…

The room slowly turned back to its original pink, and the cuckoo clock was back once more.

Shima blinked. "Wait, what? That wasn't traumatizing at all."

"He wants to prepare us for the more traumatizing part." Konekomaru theorized, taking a deep breath. He didn't want to know what Rin did when he awakened. Did he go on a rampage and kill everyone in sight? Did everyone around him erupt in blue flames, just like the Blue Night?

A few minutes passed in silence.

Shima was the first to break the silence again. "If no one's gonna talk, I'm going to seduce Izumo then."

Izumo blushed, throwing a textbook at Shima. "Don't you dare."

Shima sighed. "I guess I'd have to go for Moriyama-san then. What do you think, Shiemi?"

Shiemi jumped at the mention of her name, then blushed to the roots of her hair. "I-I am sorry, Shima-kun, but I don't feel that way about you. Gomen!"

Bon sighed. Honestly, Shiemi was too gullible sometimes. After seeing a few memories from Rin's childhood, he'd bet that Shiemi would be back to sitting by Rin's side tomorrow.

"So…what do you think?" Shiemi ventured after another few moments of silence.

"About Okumura-kun?" Konekomaru looked down for a few minutes. "I…I don't know what to think. Okumura-kun seemed so human, but he's the son of Satan, and that day in the forest…" He shuddered. "Satan killed my parents." He spoke more quietly. "I-I'm not sure I should like the son of my parents' murderer."

Shima grew serious too. "Our temple suffered heavy losses. Father expects a lot of me because my older brother died trying to save me from the blue flames. And here I am, studying in the same cram school as the wielder of my would-be murder weapon. Okumura-kun is a great guy, but you can never forget that he can lose control anytime, and destroy everything in his path."

Bon didn't speak. He remembered how hard it was for him.

Child of the Cursed Temple.

Don't go near him, you might be cursed too!

Demon child!

He's dangerous!

"I…withhold my opinion for now."

Izumo snorted. "My honest opinion? You're all idiots. He's the son of Satan. So what? He isn't Satan. He even has a stupid dream to kill Satan. He wields the blue flame. True. And he killed demons with it. He has violence tendencies. Only when protecting something dear to him. Through and through, Okumura Rin is human. Now shut up, there's a new memory."

The nauseating pink faded, and was instead replaced by a fist smashing into another boy's face.

"Shiratori Reiji?" Shima asked in disbelief. "He lives just on the opposite side of the corridor!"

"I thought I told you to shut up." Izumo hissed as the boys ran away from Rin, whose blood was dripping on the ground from a nosebleed.

"I'm a demon?" Rin scowled at their retreating backs. "You are a lot worse than I'll ever be."

He looked at his skinned knuckles before sighing. "Guess I'm going to get another talking to again…got into another fight…"

One of the pigeons the boys had been shooting at before took flight into the sky, into the orange hue of the sunset.

Rin's eyes followed its passage.

"Just what am I playing at…?"

Bon couldn't believe his eyes. Rin got into a fight because of…pigeons?

"I'm home~" Rin sang, taking off his shoes as Yukio opened the door for him.

"Welcome back." Yukio greeted his older brother with a smile. "Where have you been?"

"I'm hungry." Rin ignored Yukio's question completely. "Is there any food?"

"Yeah, but-"

Rin took a seat at the dining table as the six clergymen greeted their young member. Shiro looked up from his meal. "Ah, Rin. You're home. You left for the job center this morning, and didn't get back until now. Now that's what I call diligence. Did you find yourself a job?" He asked with the look of a man that knew perfectly well what had transpired.

"Ahh…" Rin replied, a bit sheepish. "Well…"

"You've been fighting again, nii-san. You're injured." Yukio observed.

Shima sniggered at the look on Rin's face that said busted.

"Whaaat?" Shiro leapt up and tossed a plate at Rin's head. "How many times have I told you to think with your head, not your fists?!"

"Like you're one to talk!" Rin yelped as the plate connected with his head.

"Not exactly setting the best example there…" Bon muttered.

Shima laughed. "I had no idea that our previous Paladin was such good fun. I bet that he's not boring like Bon or Koneko~"

"The previous Paladin had Meisters in Dragoon, Aria and Tamer." Konekomaru said with a raised brow. "His Aria skills are legendary. It is said that he could exorcise even a Hell King with its fatal verse."

Shiemi's eyes widened. "Rin and Yuki-chan's dad is really awesome!"

Yelling drew their attention back towards the memory.

"Foolish boy! You think that with your lack of qualifications you can just sit around and pick what job you want? As your legal guardian, I have a responsibility to raise you into responsible adults! Do you understand? Someday, you will have to make it out there on your own!"

"I'm not stupid…" Rin's face hardened. "Of course I know that!" The stove behind them erupted in blue flames.

There were a few surprised gasps from the priests.

"The stove…it just exploded!"

"Whew, that scared me…"

"Are you okay?"

"No…the stew!"

"Father Fujimoto…" Another priest entered, startling Shiro from his thoughts. "There's someone here to speak to you."

"I see." He answered. Then raising his voice, he said, "Yukio! Treat Rin's injuries for him, would you?"

"Okay." The scene faded.

Izumo frowned. "I see nothing traumatizing about a father disciplining his son."

Bon couldn't shake off the foreboding feeling he'd had since the stove erupted. "No. This is just the beginning."

"Stupid old geezer…" Rin sighed and hissed in pain as Yukio wrapped him up. "Yukio…when are you starting high school?"

"Soon." Yukio replied, busy bandaging Rin's wounds.

Rin grinned. "Ahh…True Cross Academy, an ace elite school. You must be awesome! Makes me proud to call myself your twin brother!"

Yukio laughed quietly. "I'm just working as hard as I can…because I want to become a doctor, that's all."

"And I know you can do it!" Rin smiled.

There it was again. The trusting and innocent smile that nothing in the world can ever go wrong as long as Yukio and Shiro were there.

"I'll do my best." Yukio replied, finishing up.

"After all, you're an expert at this stuff already!" Rin held up his perfectly bandaged hand.

"Only because you're always getting into fights…" Yukio frowned.

Rin sighed. "Yeah, and I'm succeeding at being a screw up."

Yukio's expression turned stern. "What do you actually plan to do?"

Rin jumped. "What, you're giving me another lecture?"

"I'm only worried about you. And the same goes for Father, you know…"

Rin studied his bandaged hands. "…I may not look it, but I care about it too…I really want to grow up, get a decent job, make myself a place in society…but I dunno…I just can't find the chance…"

Job problems? Job problems? Wasn't Rin some sort of rich kid who got in the academy because of special privileges?

Well, maybe those privileges were just because he's the son of Satan.

Yukio saw the chance and grabbed it. "Well, here's a thought. Why don't you try going to that interview tomorrow? It's not a big deal anyway."

A priest entered and tossed Rin a box containing his suit for the interview. Being attacked on two fronts, Rin had no choice but to submit. Especially as meat was promised.

The scene darkened again.

Something was wrong, Bon could feel it. It was in the air.

Rin was strangling himself with his tie.

"How the hell are you supposed to get it into that shape?!"

"Okumura/Rin doesn't know how to tie a tie?" Everyone gasped in unison, shocked.

"Then how does he come to class with that tie every day? Did he get Okumura-sensei to knot it for him?" Konekomaru asked in disbelief. Tying a tie is like the basis of going to school! Then again, he supposed that Rin's school uniform didn't consist of a tie.

Rin exited the room, finally giving up on the tie. He overheard his father talking to another client at the gates.

"Thank you very much, Father." A man's voice.

"No problem…nothing to worry about at all. Here, take this." Shiro knelt down before the little girl who clung to her father tightly. "This, is a four-leaved clover charm. It'll ward and protect you from demons." He ruffled her hair slightly. "You're a lucky girl, you know? You have your daddy and mommy to look after you. If anything goes wrong, just cry out and they'll be there for you. And if that isn't enough…well, that's going to be my job."

Shiro waved to the duo as he bade them farewell. "Sleep well, eat well and play well!" Then he sighed to himself. "Ah, it's tough being both a priest and an Exorcist…"

Rin entered the courtyard too. "I dunno, it's just getting rid of stuff that doesn't exist. It's basically just counseling, isn't it?"

Another shock for the Exwires. "Wait, he didn't know?"

"No wonder he's such an idiot at all those stuff…" Bon muttered.

"Demons exist all right. They're inside our hearts." Konekomaru started thinking about Father Fujimoto's opinion on demons. They're inside our hearts… Could he mean that the only true demons reside in our hearts and what we call demons aren't actually demons? Is that the Paladin's opinion on demons?

"What's with that get up anyway?" Shiro scanned his son from head to toe.

Rin started. Of course the old man would tease him about that. "Well…uh, I thought I might just go check out the interview…so I borrowed this. Figured that it doesn't suit me, but at least I look a bit more respectable…right?"

Shiro smiled. "…that you do. But what about the tie?" And the father-knows-all look surfaced again.

"Oh! You know, it's just the…smart-casual look! You know…casual-formal?"

Shiro smirked. "You just don't know how to do it, do you? Give it to me, I'll do it for you."

Rin obliged.

Shiro started to reminisce as he started to knot the tie. "…dear me, your body certainly has being growing up…even if the rest of you hasn't."

Bon and Shima chuckled. Rin's face went tomato red but surprisingly he didn't say anything.

"You know, when you were little, you used to be so cute." Izumo agreed with that privately, though she didn't say anything. Izumo actually had a secret weakness for cute animals and children. "You used to go 'Daddy, daddy!' all the time."

Having just seen Rin's memories from his childhood, Shiemi had to agree with that fact too. She'd met Yukio when they were both younger, but she didn't even know that Yukio had a twin brother until Rin barged into her garden. Let's just say that Shiemi will always remember that as the most memorable first encounter of her life.

"What are you talking about?" Rin protested. "I can't be cute as an adult either! It'd be creepy!"

"Adult..?" Izumo and Shiro snorted at the same time.

"Where? I don't see an adult!" Shiro put up a show of looking everywhere before looking back at Rin and laughing.

"Shaddup!" Rin growled. "You're no better!"

At last, Shiro finished knotting the tie and ruffled Rin's hair like he did when Rin was younger. "There you go. All done. If you don't like it…then why don't you try showing me how much you've grown up, hmm?"

"What's that supposed to mean?! Don't treat me like one of your clients! Dumbass…"

"Rin!" Shiemi was mortified. How could he address his father like that?

"Damn right I'll show you! You don't have to tell me that! So you'd better peel your eyes out so that you don't miss a thing! Get it?!" Rin yelled. Konekomaru started to laugh quietly. Of course Father Fujimoto would use that tactic on Rin to motivate him.

"Peel my eyes out? That sounds painful." Shiro grinned.

Rin grew frustrated. "Whatever…forget it! Just you watch…" He absent-mindedly flicked away a coal tar.

Shiro's expression was the picture of shock. Watching Rin wander away, wondering what expression should be used in place of 'peel your eyes out', he crushed the Coal Tar in his hand.

"…Rin…"

"He's awakening." Konekomaru whispered as the scene changed. "The son of Satan is awakening."

Rin waved his hands here and there, trying to ward off all the little black Coal Tars. Rin pinched his nose, obviously wondering whether this was just a figment of his imagination. Then he heard a familiar voice.

"Okumura-kun~" Every syllable was punctuated carefully, in a sing song manner. Rin looked behind him only to see the pigeon killers from the day before. Konekomaru froze up, recognizing the signs of possession. So that was what made Okumura-kun unlock his powers in desperation?

Shiratori Reiji offered a totally insincere smile. "Sorry bout that encounter, eh? Are you okay? We weren't thinking straight, you see. We apologize. So…could you lend us a moment of your time?"

Rin looked shocked at the sudden additions of horns and a tail, but idiotically, as kindly pointed out by Bon, agreed.

"That…idiot dumbass stupid monkey…" Bon was cursing as Shiratori and his minions led Rin into a back alley.

The first question out of Shiratori's mouth was, "How much do you want?"

Rin was obviously confused. Shiratori elaborated. "Do I honestly have to spell it out for you? My parents have quite the rank in society, and I'm going to be starting at True Cross Academy soon. So it'd be pretty bad if weird rumors about me started spreading, eh?"

"Oh, so you're going to the same school as my brother? I think I get what you mean. Nobody would really want to deal with a bunch of idiots who think it's fun to chop the legs off pigeons."

Shiemi gasped. "That's cruel! How could they do that?" She shuddered, imagining the dying caws of the pigeons. No wonder Rin had to step in to help them. All of a sudden, Rin was looking like a hero to her.

Shiratori laughed. "Okay, so just a little something to keep your lips sealed, eh? I'll pay up, so let's just keep it between you and me."

"Take it!" Shima cheered. "Free money!"

"…I don't need it, and I'm not going to say anything." Rin declined the offer, causing Shima's mouth to drop open. "Is that all? I've got somewhere I need to be."

The demon's attitude turned nasty immediately. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, what's that? Are you trying to act all tough and cool? No need to hide it! You guys are so poor that you can't even afford a proper education, don't you? Just take it! I mean, your brother, Okumura Yukio…"

From the look on Rin's face, Izumo knew that this was heading into dangerous territory fast.

"…he had to work his ass off just to get a scholarship into True Cross, right? You're like, in debt! Poor guys…just consider this charity and put it towards your fees, yeah?"

Rin punched him. Izumo sighed as Shiemi gasped. The Kyoto trio was straight-backed and alert.

"You asshole…" Rin cursed. "Say whatever the hell you'd want to about me, but, DON'T YOU DARE GOING AROUND BADMOUTHING MY BROTHER!"

Shiratori raised himself from the ground, laughing maniacally. "Man, that hurt. Don't get cocky, you filthy little beggar! Get him!"

His two cronies lurched forth and the command, grabbing Rin from behind and wrenching him to the ground as Shiratori directed them. "That's right, hold him down on the ground, where he belongs! Be careful with him! He's a monster and a demon, after all…hmm?" A piece of paper fluttered to the ground, and he picked it up. "Job interview, huh? Oh, so that's what the fancy suit's for? You really are a miserable little thing, aren't you?" He patted Rin on the head. "Even the guy who everybody called a demon back in middle school…once he graduates, he's just another job hunter. When it comes down to it, you're just the scum of society! Ehehehehehe…"

Konekomaru gasped when he saw the knife.

"If you're looking for a job, you'd want that head shaved! Well, I'll just help you out!" Shiratori cackled.

Even his two goons were starting to have doubts. "Eh, Shiratori…are you sure about this? I…I mean, this is a real crime. We don't have to go that far, do we?"

"Shaddup!" The now fully possessed Shiratori punched the bigger boy in his face. He yanked Rin's head up by the hair. "Now, don't get mad if I cut open your head instead, eh? People make mistakes, and after all, I'm just an amateur! Hey, maybe your brains will end up spilling out too…now wouldn't that be a sight to behold? After all, I had no idea that you even had brains!"

Rin was starting to panic more and more by the second. Shiemi had already covered her eyes, shaking her head, trying to block off the sounds. Rin was going to get cut, Rin was going to bleed, Rin was going to-

Rin burst into flames.

"AAH! What the-" The three boys-or rather, two boys and demon jumped back.

Rin stared at his burning fingers in shock. "Wha…what is this?!"

"This is too much! Run for it!" The boys screamed, running for their lives. Shima silently approved of their choice.

Bon's fist clenched as Shiratori approached Rin with a greedy smile on his face. Despite knowing that the Demon King couldn't harm him, that this was a memory and Rin was perfectly fine now, the sense of danger was still there as he watched the scene unfold. Rin knelt on the ground, panting and terrified. Konekomaru finally identified this Hell King as Astaroth, a son of Satan, and King of Rot.

"Looks like I was right about you!" Astaroth did a frightening combination of laughing and snarling. "Those blue flames are the real thing! The famed 'Flames of Satan'! Ohh, I've been waiting so long for this day! I have been searching…searching…searching…so long, for you, Young Prince." Astaroth knelt down before a confused Rin. "Now…let us set forth! Satan-sama awaits us!"

Rin looked like he was about to pass out at any moment. "Sa…satan?"

"…evil dwells within this heart. O, Lord, let each be judged according to his deeds. Let sinful conduct beget retribution. Let each pay for that which he has taken. Bring thy justice down upon them. Smite them that they shall never rise again." The gravel crunched beneath the Paladin's boots as he calmly walked forward, though his eyes were burning with fury directed at the demon who dared try harm his son.

Astaroth noticed him the moment he began chanting. His face twisted in fury. "AN EXORCIST!"

"Blessed be the Lord." The glare reflecting off Shiro's glasses only made him seem all the more dangerous, and coupled with that confident smile he had, there was no doubt that this man was indeed the most powerful Exorcist of all.

Shiemi dared to peek through for a moment, but another glimpse at Astaroth's maddened face as he charged towards Shiro, roaring was enough to make her cover her eyes again.

"I'll tear that accursed mouth off your face, damned priest!" Astaroth bellowed as Shiro continued reciting. "My prayer has been answered. The Lord is my helper…" Shiro ducked a swing from Astaroth. "…and he is my shield." He slammed Astaroth to the ground. "Demon…perish where you stand!"

Flame embers died out on Rin as Astaroth was exorcised from Shiratori's body.

"Are you okay?" Shiro asked Rin. It has been a long time since Rin allowed plain, naked fear to show on his face.

Izumo tugged lightly on Shiemi's hands. "It's over. At least I think it's over."

Shiemi removed her hands from her eyes, shaking.

"It would appear that your power can't be suppressed by Kurikura any longer." Shiro murmured.

"Is that guy all right?" Rin finally managed a coherent sentence. The Coal Tars were still swarming around Shiratori, though in lesser numbers than before.

Shiro gently laid Shiratori down. "He's fine. I've exorcised the demon from him. It appears that he has only recently become possessed. However, demons tend to possess those similar to themselves. If this boy does not change, he might become possessed again."

"De-demons…" The very thing that he had just denied its existence that morning.

"I think you can see them now." Shiro blew away a Coal Tar.

Rin flinched away from them immediately. "This are demons?!"

Shiro started to explain the basics-Assiah and Gehenna. A sixty seconds lesson before they had to run. Bon understood now that what seemed like every day stuff to them was all new to Rin. So that was why he was lagging behind in classes. The terms the teachers expected them to know automatically was never explained to him. How they expected him to pass the Exorcist Exam in six months was a mystery. Maybe Bon could help…but was it the right thing to do? Rin looked as human as any of them, but Bon still had doubts.

As for Izumo, seeing Rin as a kid had only strengthened her resolve to help him. Rin had a childhood too, an innocent and mostly carefree one. He'd been raised to be a strong, kind and gentle person. And they should treat him like that.

The scene that did Shima in was how Rin kept feeling inferior to Yukio. The son of Satan is jealous of his brother. Shima had to suppress a laugh at that. Immense power, the ability to burn worlds to ash and draw everyone's attention…and all Rin wanted was to not make his father worry. Shima had never harbored any ill feelings towards the son of Satan, albeit a little shock, but Rin never acted any differently from before. He didn't 'show his true colors and murder everyone in sight'. Rin was the son of Satan, true. He's the son of Satan when he ran off to defeat a Naberius on his own to keep his classmates safe. He's the son of Satan when he saved Bon from that Leaper. He's the son of Satan when they joked together and formed a friendship.

Konekomaru was starting to relax a little. Not completely though. That was before his demon blood fully awakened, and who knew what transformations Rin would have gone through then.

"Get up." Shiro instructed Rin. "Thanks to what have happened, they are already aware of your awakening. All kinds of humans and demons will come after you with different purposes. You must be hidden before they find you." He started to yank Rin up from the floor and away from the scene.

"Wha-wait! Hide? Awakening? What the hell are you talking about? Hell…what the…what the hell am I?" Rin asked, terror evident.

Shiro couldn't face Rin as he answered the boy. "You are the son of a demon. Born of a human impregnated by a demon. Not just any demon either…"

The truth was about to crash down onto Rin's head.

"You are the son of Satan."

Shock, horror, fear, and disgust flitted over Rin's face.

The scene darkened and turned into that obnoxious pink again.

This time Bon was the first to break the silence, by slamming a fist down onto the floor.

"How can the Grigori set a condition like that?!" He raged. "Okumura will have no chance of surviving! The examiners are going to hate him, I'm sure, and they'll make the exam as hard as possible! Okumura doesn't know shit about the Exorcist world and he isn't that bright in the first place either! I'm going to personally wring their necks for that! I'll withdraw Myodha from True Cross as the first act I take when I become High Priest! This is a pathetic excuse for humanity!"

"Bon, calm down, please. Badmouthing them isn't going to do anything right now." Konekomaru tried to reason with him. "This is all politics. We need power and friends in high places at our disposal. Think, Bon. Who do we know?"

Shiemi raised a tentative hand. "I'll double the prices?"

"Idiot!" Izumo scolded. "That's not going to do anything but pinch their purses a little. I can tutor Okumura, if Okumura-sensei isn't doing so already. I'm pretty sure that controlling his flames is going to be like controlling a familiar too, so I can help there too."

Shima laughed, putting both hands at the back of his head and lying down on the floor. "I may not be of much help, but maybe I can pull some strings with my dad."

"Mephisto!" Shiemi had a sudden brain wave. "He's the principal, right? And very involved in politics? So if we can get him to help…"

"What can we offer him?" Bon joined in the political talk. "A reputation for True Cross Academy?"

They continued like this for quite some time, before coming to rest on the sad conclusion that other than talking to the higher ups, they actually had close to no say in this. They could request a hearing, they could sue the Vatican, but in the end the results would only be the same. The all powerful Vatican would get their way as usual, and Okumura Rin will die.

The cuckoo clock chirped.

"More?" Shiemi didn't feel quite ready for it.

"More." Izumo sighed grimly.

Clothes were hurriedly stuffed into a bag. Shiro zipped it up when it was full and flung it at Rin. "You must leave this monastery."

"Leave?" Rin asked, shocked. Shiro ignored him. Time was running out, and there were so many things to tell him. He took off one of the many chains around his neck. This particular one had a key dangling from it. Shiro slotted it into a nearby keyhole in a chest of drawers. "This is the Key of Vanishment. It can be used to hide anything in a given location." He turned the key and pulled out the drawer.

"It's the sword Rin was carrying around!" Shiemi exclaimed.

"The Koumaken. Kurikura." Bon said.

Shiro took it out and gave it to Rin. "The Demon-Slaying Blade…also known as the Kurikura. This blade has been passed down since Time Immemorial. Your powers are sealed in this sword, and kept there by the scabbard. If you draw it, you will return to your demon form, and most likely, never be able to live a human life. Never draw it! Never let it leave your side! When you must, use this key to hide it." Shiro took out another phone and gave it to Rin too, who was looking increasingly frustrated. "Once you leave the monastery, use this. There's only one number stored in its memory. It's the number of one of my friends. I doubt you will be able to live like you have done until today, but my friend can at least protect you. Now, go!"

"…S…Screw that!" Rin flung everything to the floor.

"Rin!"

Rin finally cracked. He'd been through a strange few hours, and confusion didn't even begin to describe it. "Wha…What's going on all of a sudden? Demons, demons, you're actually telling me that they exist? This has to be some kind of joke! Hell…what about Yukio?"

Shiro gave Rin the same explanation Yukio had given the Exwires that day. Rin looked so frightened that it broke Shiemi's heart. "…B…But that's just…How the hell…" He seemed to struggle to find words. Questions swam around in his head, and he didn't know which one to ask. Finally, he settled on the most painful one. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Shiro looked resigned. "I wanted to raise you as an ordinary human. As long as you remain human, that is."

"What about the interview?" Rin brought up the topic that seemed so ordinary and out of place in his situation. "You tell me I need a job, but the moment I stop being human or whatever…you just send me off god knows where and throw all that stuff out the window?"

"It's for your protection!"

"Protection?" Rin's voice cracked, filled with hurt. Every doubt about himself, every single shred of self-doubt, surfaced at that moment. "You're just getting rid of me! Don't give me that crap! After all…I'm just some random kid…I'm not like Yukio! All I do is cause trouble for you! I've been a burden on you my whole life! You just don't want to play at being father anymore! Just admit it!"

Shiro was silent, receiving every word of anger Rin flung at him. He could take this. People had said far more hurtful things to him before. Rin had every right to yell at him. Shiro shouldn't feel that hurt…there are worse things Rin could tell him. This wasn't the first time Shiro got yelled at. He could take this…but then…why did his heart hurt so much?

Shiemi was starting to cry.

Then Rin hurled out the fateful words.

"Don't you ever act like you're my father again!"

Simultaneous gasps could be heard from everyone as Shiro slapped Rin.

Cut short in his rant, Rin couldn't move. Shiro had never laid a hand on him before. Friendly cuffs on the head, dishes flung at him, maybe. But not like this. Never like this.

It pained Shiro to do this, but there was no time. If Rin wanted to survive, he had to go. Now.

"It's not the time for these. Just do as you're told!"

Through clenched teeth, Rin said a word. "…fine."

He leaned down to pick up the bag, the sword, the key and the phone before turning to go without another word, head down.

Then everything really went wrong.

Shiro collapsed to the floor right after Rin turned away. "Ngh…this can't be!"

Despite his angry outburst earlier, Rin still had concern for the man who raised and nurtured him. "What is it?"

"Ah, no, no! To think that I could…"

"Seriously, what is it?" Rin had no intention of leaving by now, despite Shiro yelling for him to go.

The Exwires were just as confused as Rin, except for Izumo. "Damn it, no…" She recognized the signs of fighting back possession. She had an excellent study subject when she was younger. Her own mother had been possessed by the Nine-Tailed Fox too.

"Quickly!" Shiro was making a last ditch effort to save his son. "Just go!"

Rin ignored what could possibly be his Father's last commands to him, kneeling down beside him. "Hey, get a hold of yourself-"

Shiro looked up at him. His expression was cold, hard, twisted. Ice crept into Rin's heart in abrupt realization. "…son…of mine…"

Shiro's mouth pulled into a snarl, revealing rows of jagged, sharp teeth. Too sharp. "How have I waited for this moment!"

Then the priest's body twisted back, and threw itself into an arched position as blue flames flared up and roared around it, throwing Rin to the ground as the demon cackled maniacally. "Gaahahahahaa, JUST KIDDING YAAAAAAA~! GYAHAHAHAHA!"

Rin's face was a shade paler than before, if it was even possible. The demon addressed Rin as the half-demon scrambled backwards, his back hitting the wall. "Hey there, son! Doing good? That's right, your old man himself has come all the way out here just to see his cute little boy! So at least look happy for your dearest daddy, eh?"

Bon stared in mute horror. Rin had encountered Satan himself…and survived.

"Y-You're…a demon…" Rin could only stutter. The very being whose existence he had denied that very morning.

"The name's Satan." He gave Rin what Bon supposed was his best fatherly smile. "God of demons, and your one and only father. You can call me 'Papa' if you like! Ahahahahaha!"

What was with Satan and his laughter? Shima wondered, cringing as blue flames licked around them but didn't harm them, reminding them that it was only a memory. Seriously, that dude can stop laughing once in a while…would do wonders for his sanity.

"Now then…I'd like to stay around and savor this touching reunion…but I'm afraid that this body won't last much longer…" He casually tore off Shiro's fingers, splattering blood everywhere.

Rin screamed a wordless scream.

"Hehehehe…" The blood dripped down onto the floor slowly, forming a rectangular black mass. Heads floated in it. Satan started to chant something. Rin watched on, his ability to scream seemingly already torn away from him.

"I'm the only demon with the power to create this." Satan informed Rin lovingly. "The Gehenna Gate!"

"Now then, let's go. Gehenna's waiting!" He picked up the Kurikura, which had lain forgotten on the floor until now. "Of course, I'll have to destroy this irritating blade. I'll release you from that curse!"

Konekomaru yelped as more blue flames flared around Rin. "FUCK OFF!" The teen screamed, finally recovering his senses. Shiemi hadn't stopped crying yet, and Izumo was tentatively prodding the Gehenna Gate to make sure that this was only a memory. Bon was the only one remaining in his position as blue flames raged around them. Shima and Konekomaru had retreated to a corner of the room, where the blue flames hadn't touched yet.

Satan laughed at his son's pathetic flames. "Pfft. What do you call that? Did you piss your pants or something? It's time for you to regain your true powers as a Prince of Gehenna!" He grabbed Rin by the back of his suit.

"Get off!" Rin yelled at the self-proclaimed God of Gehenna. "I…I'm a human…" Rin's voice grew smaller as he saw his own reflection, blazing in blue flames, eyes bulging and face twisted in horror.

Is this me? Am I really…?

Satan was oblivious to Rin's horror at seeing his demon self, instead continuing his self absorbed rant. "I am a perfect entity with infinite power. But there's one thing, just one little thing that I do not possess. Do you know what that is?"

Naturally Rin didn't answer his question.

Satan answered himself. "A substance in this world strong enough to contain me! Anything I touch in this world is doomed to destruction. Just like this body. Just like your mother. It's Assiah that I want! So out of mere boredom, I created you…but now I realize, this is a masterstroke! You exist in the world of Assiah…and yet you bear the blood of the God of Gehenna! You," He flung Rin into the Gehenna Gate as if the boy weighed nothing. "Are exactly what I need to make Assiah mine!"

Rin was starting to sink. Shiemi had started a mantra of 'Help Rin, help Rin, help Rin'. Bon blindly tried to yank Rin back but his hands passed through Rin, reminding him that it was just a memory.

Just a memory, nothing more. Okumura survived. Bon sternly told himself. And yet, as Rin yelled for somebody, anybody to come to his aid, Bon couldn't help but doubt whether all of the boy had survived.

"Gyahahahaha! Lovely music! You are about to be reborn, my son. Happy birthday! And welcome to Gehenna!" Satan cackled.

Time stopped and pink appeared.

"You can't do this." Izumo stated calmly to thin air as the cuckoo clock reappeared.

"Rin." Shiemi could only say one word. "Rin. Rin…"

Bon yelled and broke the cuckoo clock, venting his rage. Hell, he didn't even know who he was angry at. Satan? Rin? The Vatican? Everything messed up in this world? Or…himself?

He remembered every angry word he sent Rin's way. He remembered the hurt expression Rin would quickly hide. He remembered the frigid silent treatment he had given Rin. The Son of Satan. When did he go around judging others by their parentage? He'd spent half of his life trying to escape his parentage. Adopting a punk hairstyle, getting piercings and going to an Exorcist school…all those were just to avoid his inevitable fate of becoming just another Myodha head priest. Rin was just as human as any of them. They kept focusing on his half demon side, but no one remembered that he was half human.

Konekomaru was remembering Kuro. When Rin came back from the summer holidays with a new familiar by his side Konekomaru just assumed that he'd summoned it over the holidays. It wasn't until that day that he heard a few Exorcists mention how cruel it was for the Cat Sith and what it would mean for them.

"The son of Satan is to be executed six months later." An Exorcist with ginger red hair and yellow eyes informed her colleagues. This particular Exorcist is also a half demon, born of a middle class demon and a human. "To be honest, I think that it's a big waste. The Vatican says that they're going to give him a chance, provided he passes the Exorcist Exam in six months time. That's as good as a death sentence. I mean, who passes the Exorcist Exam on the first try? And that's taken in a year!"

"…that poor demon." One of them, the one with black hair in a ponytail and black eyes sighed. "Just a few months ago it discovered that its previous master was dead. Now it's going to lose its master again."

The first Exorcist eyed her quizzically. "What demon are you talking about?"

Another fellow colleague elbowed her friend. "You can be so dim sometimes. The Cat Sith, of course! Don't you remember the rampage it went on during the summer? Thankfully it was during the summer holidays, and no one was hurt thanks to Okumura Rin. Come to think of it, no one can be sure what would happen if it loses another master."

The ginger Exorcist sighed. "The same thing that happens once the contract between Master and Familiar is null, of course. The demon runs free, destroys a few things to celebrate its freedom and returns to Gehenna."

The Exorcist sporting a ponytail cuffed the ginger over the head lightly. "No, stupid. We meant the grief. It went on a rampage because it couldn't accept the fact that its master was dead and the only way it knew to express its grief was the destroy everything in sight. You're half demon, Yitaki. You should understand that better than anyone else."

Demons have feelings too…

And it helped that Kuro was so adorable.

Maybe, just maybe, he could try to become friends with Okumura Rin again.

Shima stared blankly at the wall, the after images of blue flames flickering across his vision. No, he wasn't afraid of Okumura Rin. He didn't dislike Rin either. If anything, Rin actually helped him relax. So why was he avoiding him?

Because everyone should hate the Son of Satan.

But Shima didn't hate Rin. The Son of Satan shouldn't be anything good. The Son of Satan should represent everything that is evil. So why is Rin representing the opposite instead?

Maybe…we should just look at him and see Okumura Rin instead of the Son of Satan.

Shiemi's thoughts were jumbled up right now. She'd never hated or disliked Rin. Yes, she was angry at him, very angry indeed. But then…what gave her the right to yell at Rin when she called him a demon upon their first meeting? If Rin told her the truth from the start, Shiemi wouldn't have gotten to know him better, to make another friend. It was Rin who drew her out from her shell. Especially after seeing Rin's memories…Shiemi would have to apologize.

Izumo knew that Rin must have had a terrible experience before he came to cram school. The shadows in his eyes, the strain under his smile, it was all so obvious. But she never knew it would be something like this. Something similar to what happened to her own mother…

All of them sat in silence, contemplating their own thoughts, broken only by Shiemi's occasional sniffle as she tried to clear away her tears. The cuckoo clock chimed instead of chirping, seemingly also affected by the somber mood.

The first thing they saw was of Shiro collapsing to the floor with a sharp object embedded in his heart.

Satan, naturally, was furious. "Why, YOU DAMN EXORCISTTTTTTT!"

"Old man?" Rin felt relieved now. Shiro was going to yank him out of this situation again, like he had always done in the past. Except…

"This boy is my son!" Shiro gritted out through clenched teeth. "And no one is taking him away from me!"

Satan took over again, but too late. Bon stared in awe as Satan cursed Shiro for all he was worth, but yielded nothing. No one had ever fought off Satan before, not through sheer willpower. Even if all Shiro bought was a few seconds, but that fateful move in stabbing himself in the heart was enough to save Rin.

The body collapsed into the gate, and Rin struggled towards it as fast as he could, clinging to Shiro's lifeless body like it was a lifeline. "Old man! Hey! Just…hang in there, okay? Somebody…somebody help!"

Rin struggled to get out of the Gehenna Gate, but its pull was too strong for Rin to both get out and drag Shiro with him. Rin wasn't giving up on that old geezer yet. He isn't going to die. "Shit…"

Then Rin's eyes landed on the Demon-Slaying Blade. Rin remembered what Shiro had told him what seemed like a lifetime ago, yet was only minutes ago. Rin looked resigned, almost sad.

…and most likely, never able to live a human life.

Never draw it.

"Stupid geezer…" Rin hugged Shiro closer before grabbing hold of the Kurikura. "I still haven't shown you anything! Don't. You. Dare. Die!"

Rin yanked the blade out.

Power exploded. Brilliant blue flashed all around as Rin screamed, his demonic characteristics forcing themselves upon him.

The Gehenna Gate was smashed to bits before disappearing completely.

Rin slid the sword back into the scabbard with finality, letting out a breath.

Shiemi stared at the dead body on the floor. Konekomaru let out a strangled gasp.

This boy is my son! And no one is taking him away from me!

Bon's fists clenched as he lowered his head. Shima and Izumo couldn't make a sound.

Rin's first impressions of demons were bad at the very least, traumatizing at the very worst. The first demon he met had wanted to drag him to Gehenna, the second one Satan himself, and they daresay Satan didn't give a good first impression. And yet…to even stand the slimmest chance of saving his father, Rin was willing to sacrifice his humanity.

Rin clenched his jaws tightly together as he saw Shiro on the floor, still bleeding. An almost peaceful expression on his face. His last moments spent in the embrace of his son.

Where? I don't see an adult! Oh, ahahahahaha!

Peel my eyes out? That sounds painful.

Why don't you try showing me how much you've grown up, hmm?

"Daddy!" Rin screamed as tears spilled from his eyes.

Pink didn't appear this time as the scene faded away. Shiemi was crying as hard as Rin was, and Izumo was facing the wall, pretending that she wasn't crying as her shoulders shook. Bon's nails were digging into the floor. Konekomaru for once couldn't process any thought, numb. Shima wasn't smiling.

Black and white replaced the previous scene of tears, dust and death. It seemed that even the room was in mourning.

No, it was not. There was more.

Rain splattered to the ground before them. Graves lined the room. Rin stood there, the sword strapped to his back, letting the rain pound on him for all it was worth. He was going to have to take the suit to the dry cleaners, but he doubted that he would ever dare to wear it again. This was the suit that he wore when his father died. The same suit that had seen the blue flames, the same suit that was soaked with Fujimoto Shiro's blood-

Rin halted his thought process right there, instead taking out a phone. The phone. Shiro's last legacy.

Rin dialed the number.

A ring tone started to emit from a nearby phone. Rin started, his head jerking up as Exorcists surrounded him. Rin almost backed away to find another one behind him. Bon growled through clenched teeth. Desperation was clear on Rin's face.

"Mephisto…?!" Shima exclaimed.

He was carrying a small, puffed umbrella that didn't do much good in keeping away the rain. He wore that ridiculous pink and white outfit he always wore, and didn't even bother to tone it down a little for the funeral. He switched off his phone with a beep. "My sympathies and condolences for what you've been through."

"Just make a run for it!" Bon roared at Rin. Honestly, did the idiot have to be so dim sometimes? These people obviously weren't here for the funeral. They are here to exterminate the Son of Satan.

Then he remembered that this was just a memory, and felt stupid for yelling.

Rin hesitated before asking. "Are you guys…Exorcists?"

"We are known as the True Cross Order." Mephisto informed Rin coolly.

"…the old man said that you'd offer me protection." From the tone Rin used, it was already clear to him that Mephisto intended to offer the exact opposite of that.

"Ah. I am afraid that as a Honorary Knight, I have certain responsibilities. I cannot confuse public and personal interests. You are the Son of Satan." Rin winced as his identity was presented outright. "You must be exterminated before you present a threat to humanity. You have two options remaining to you. Either you allow yourself to be killed by us…or you kill us and flee. Ah…There is also the option of suicide. So it makes it three then. Now then…which will it be?"

Shiemi had a horrible creeping feeling that Rin would choose suicide if there was really no other path available. Rin could never kill.

Rin made his decision.

"Let me join you."

Mephisto's eyes boggled.

"I don't care what you say." Rin continued barging on. "I'm not Satan's son…I have no relation with him! My only Father…is and always will be Fujimoto Shiro!"

Mephisto looked amused, albeit still in shock. "And what would you do if you became an Exorcist?"

Rin didn't even hesitate. "KICK SATAN'S ASS!"

Mephisto laughed. Even Bon managed a smile. This is Rin. Konekomaru snorted and Shima was laughing as hard as Mephisto was. Shiemi smiled through teary eyes. "Baka Rin." Izumo just hmmphed.

"Oh, this is the best laugh I'd had in ages. You can't be serious!" Mephisto wiped away the tears in his eyes that came from laughing too hard.

"What's so funny?" Rin protested. "Your outfit's the funny one here! I am serious!"

Mephisto giggled a few more times before finally calming down. "Satan's son…an Exorcist…I like it! Very well!"

The Exorcist behind Mephisto was shocked. "Sir Pheles…?"

"However," Mephisto pinned Rin under a serious stare. "The path you have chosen to take is a long and treacherous one. Do you still profess that you will take it?"

"I am not a human or a demon. There is no other choice left for me. So…"

"I will become an Exorcist!"

Bon jolted awake as Yukio cleared his throat loudly. "Students? Time for classes to begin. I'll give you a five minute break to wash up and freshen yourselves before-"

BAM.

Rin charged into the classroom, nearly knocking over the desk in front of Izumo. Izumo stared at Rin.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Rin picked up the table by one leg and quickly set it right, knocking over another chair in the process. "I'm sorry! I'd set five alarms and-holy shit, am I in the wrong classroom? Yukio?"

Yukio sighed, pushing up his glasses. "Shura-sensei is going to be absent today, so you are going to attend classes with us. I told you that this morning when you were preparing for school, nii-san. Weren't you listening?"

Rin looked around the classroom nervously. Shiemi was sitting in her usual seat beside Rin's old desk, Izumo in the corner where she had always been. The Kyoto trio sat together at the back of the classroom. Finally making a decision, Rin took the seat behind Shiemi. Shiemi looked hurt for a while, but then she remembered how she had changed seats when Rin attempted to sit beside her only a few days before. Shiemi lowered her head, clenching her fingers and taking deep, steadying breaths as Yukio continued. "Now, all of you, to the bathrooms. Wash your faces and at least try to stay awake. Rin, stay here."

The Exwires filed out of the room to the bathrooms as Yukio talked to Rin about something concerning holy water and how Rin should learn how to look out for it. Rin's sleeve slipped a little as he scratched the back of his head and Konekomaru caught sight of what looked like a burn that had started scabbing over.

When they had finished freshening up and concluded that no time had passed at all while they were viewing Rin's memories, they reentered the classroom.

Shiemi walked to her seat. Then she took another extra step, stepping over to the seat beside Rin, stepping over the invisible boundary that separated the two of them and breaking it. Rin's eyes widened as Shiemi put her bag onto the seat beside him and promptly plopped into it, nervously looking at the floor. "Hi-hi, Rin."

Rin's eyeballs nearly dropped out of their sockets. He knocked his pencil case off the table and leant down to pick it up, accidentally brushing Shiemi's legs in the process and nearly fell off his chair. "Hi. Hi!" Rin was rambling. "How's Nii? How's your mom? Is your garden still okay? I mean, sorry! Well, actually-"

Shima snickered. "Nice move, Okumura." He called from over the room as Yukio tried futilely to get his students' attention. Rin blushed even harder and kept stammering. Izumo casually flicked a bug in Shima's direction. Shima screamed and nearly fell off his chair. Konekomaru had to catch the bug for him.

Rin laughed as Shima finally dared to raise his head from under the table and started protesting that having bugs thrown at him was way unfair. Bon smiled as Yukio gave up and instead started to furiously write on the board, giving them homework. Rin and Shima simultaneously groaned.

Bon threw a paper airplane at Rin. In the paper airplane was a new hairclip for him, since the old one had been broken none other by Bon himself five days prior when Rin plucked up the courage to ask him about a homework assignment that he couldn't figure out. Bon had roared at Rin and smashed the clip underfoot.

As Rin grinned in delight at the new hairclip and flashed Bon a nod of thanks, Bon thought that, maybe, just maybe, one day Rin would be the one to share those memories with them himself.

And then the trust between them would be unbreakable.

This fanfic is based off the manga, with a few scenes taken from the anime. I hoped that you enjoyed it. Thank you! It has been requested by a reviewer from a guest during May last year. I'm SO sorry! Anyway, here it is.

Both good and bad memories make real memories. ~Okumura Rin to Usamaro in Blue Exorcist: The Movie.