"Alright, quizzes are being handed back, please listen for your name. Suguro, good job." The teen retrieved his quiz and smiled at his score.

"Izumo, nice work."

"Konekomeru, nice work."

"Shiemi, you need to study a bit more, but overall, good progress."

Shima, you still can't get anything higher than a C."

Snickers around the classroom along with a sigh from Konekomeru.

"Aw, teach, that's not fair!" Shima whined. "It's not fair that I have to suffer through grading your work either." The exorcist easily replied back. "Yeah, his Knight skills need a lot of work too." Rin grumbled from the teachers desk. "When did you get here?" Bon asked. "While you were talking about Shima's failures." Rin shrugged.

"Oh come on! I'm not that bad!" Shima complained. "Which is actually why I'm here. Let's go kid." Rin got up and grabbed Shima's arm, dragging him to the door. "Class just started. You can't take him out now." Yukio pointed out.

"Alright, I'll take him out, but I'll help him study for his classes." Rin proposed. "Deal." Yukio answered. And with that, Shima was taken away for training.

§~•~§~•~§

What's distracting you from your classes, Shima?" Rin wondered. "Anything could be distracting in classes that boring, man. Mostly girls, though." Shima answered easily. "One girl in particular? Izumo's interesting, but not that interesting. Even you have to take the hint and back off eventually, Shima." Rin countered. "Unless you can't?"

Rin felt the spike in the boy's body temp even though he showed no change of emotions outwardly. Nervousness?

"I like how feisty she is. I swear I'll get to her one day. Just gotta soften her up until then." Shima shrugged. He wasn't lying, but there had to be something else with how suspicious their files were.

"You're working for Mephisto? Or maybe Angel?" Rin guessed. Direct was the next best option.

Shima stopped and tilted his head, looking unsure. His calm expression faltered and Rin felt his body temperature spike even more. Nervousness showed itself in Shima's eyes even though he tried to hide it. "Something like that." Shima told him after a moment. Rin growled and lunged with his sword. The boy yelped and hastily blocked. Rin kept coming at him, Shima barely able to block each time and trying to stumble away from the onslaught.

"I don't really have anyone to tell, you know? I'm the best at keeping secrets. That's how I've kept my job this long, kid." Rin tried again, gritting his teeth and striking again with his sword. It sparked against the staff.

"Whatever your job is, I'm sure it's important. Mephisto wouldn't let you stay here otherwise. I won't rat you out. You'll at least have someone to tell and talk to then." Rin continued.

"It's not a good idea, Senpai. You could get mixed up in everything." Shima warned him. Rin stopped his onslaught to laugh bitterly. "Trust me, I was mixed up in everything the day I formed in my poor mother's womb, kid. You'll know me when you become an Exorcist." Rin told him.

"I kinda already do....." Shima muttered. "Good for you. Do ya see why everything is the way it is for me now?" Rin questioned. The teen nodded.

"So, tell me. I'll probably be the only one to listen that won't judge you. Perks of being what I am. No friends, no relationship with my brother, no life outside of killing demons and letting myself be used as a weapon. Paradise, right?" Rin shrugged one shoulder.

Shima hesitated before sighing.

"I'm a double spy. I work for both the Order and the Illuminati." He said honestly. Rin raised a brow. "Hm. Why? Isn't that dangerous for a First Year in high school?" He asked.

"Eh, it keeps things interesting. And it's a way to make sure I always come out on top. I'm valuable to either side, so they'd try their damndest to save me, at least for the information I might have." Shima answered.

"What makes you feel the need to be that important? Is it because you're, what, the fifth son in your family?" Rin recalled. "Did you read my file?" Shima asked incredulously. "Gotta stay on top of things. If someone is suspicious enough for me to notice, I'll check, yes." Rin admitted. "Unbelievable." Shima shook his head.

"Its more than just being the fifth son. It the fact that I was saved by Take-nii that I can't stand." The teen sighed. Ah, the dead eldest brother.

"Why?" Rin pried. "He saved me as a baby and died on the Blue Night. He's dead and everyone still says he's the pride of the Shima family. My father and my brothers all tell me that I have to honor his sacrifice by wielding his weapon and being just as good as he was to live up to expectations. Everyone says I look just like him." Shima explained bitterly.

"Ah. So you dyed your hair and decided to be as lazy as you could get away with to piss em all off, eh?" Rin realized.

"You're not your brother. Even if everyone wants you to be, you're not and you never will be. Satan and I, though we have the same flames, are nothing alike, despite popular belief. He fights to kill, steal, and destroy. I fight to spare everyone his wrath and to keep my world safe. Even though I'm kept like a Pet, I still fight. It might mean having to kill myself one day since I'm the only suitable body for a vessel, but it hasn't come to that yet." Rin told him. "Though I don't know why I haven't just given up and let my will to live leave so I could rot in a cell in peace until my body withered away in silence...." Rin muttered after.

"Do you consider him your father?" Shima wondered. Rin shook his head. "All he is to me is the monster I train to take down one day. He killed the man I called my father a week before my First Year here started."

"And your mother?" Shima pressed.

"A fool. I've seen the events of the past. She could've left him behind and yet she stayed and decided making kids with Satan would be a good idea. She was branded as a witch and I agree with that. She's nothing to me. In my mind, I'm an orphan. And that's fine." Rin said cooly.

"I can understand that in your situation. I don't hate my family. I just hate everything they want from me. Hate the way the treat me like I'm supposed to be their perfect Takezo. He's gone. I don't understand why they think they can force an entirely different person to be their lost son and not not see much that hurts." Shima sighed.

"You and me are the only ones that'll understand that. Don't let either of your bosses know that I know. My mere presence in any situation like that complicates things more than it needs to." Rin instructed. Shima nodded in agreement.

"So you won't out me?"

"No. They'll find out one day, but it won't be from me. And if you ever want to quit, I can help you. Just say the word." Rin added.

"Thanks Senpai."

"No problem, kid."