Yukio had a very black and white perception of the world. There were demons and there were humans. There was good and there was bad. But he couldn't figure out where to put himself anymore. He wasn't human or demon and unlike his brother, he didn't work his way into one group or the other. He wasn't even sure if he was good; he almost contributed to the destruction of Assiah...

"Yukio Okumura, you are being summoned for trial by the vatican."

"On the grounds of what?" He was sure he already knew the answer, but he wanted to be sure.

"Crimes against the Vatican. Supporting Satanic forces in the fight for Assiah. Aiding Egin in overthrowing the Grigori." Yukio closed his eyes, he had expected this.

The door to his classroom creaked open and Bon Shima and Konekomaru walked in. It's been exactly a week since he was told of the trial, and he has informed no one of it. His brother had asked him several times what had him so spaced out all the time, and he always responded the same way, "it's nothing. I just have a lot to deal with right now," and he would smile at his brother.

Rin and Shiemi walked into class together a few minutes after Izumo. Yukio was gazing out the window absently and Shiemi and Rin shared a worried glance. They both felt that something was going on with their friend, but he continuously pushed them both away.

"Mr. Okumura's been distancing himself from everyone more than usual," Konekomaru said quietly to Bon.

"He's a very busy person. Teacher, student, and Rin's guardian he's probably doesn't have time to socialize." Bon reasoned.

"I don't care how busy I am, I'll always find time to socialize with girls," Shima said, eyeing Izumo. She scoffed at his persistent nature and continued to ignore him the rest of the class.

That day, Yukio spoke very monotone, very apathetic, and he almost seemed sad all of class. Rin nudged Shiemi telling her it was time to go.

"You go on, I'm gonan talk to Yuki for minute," Rin nodded and left, hoping she would have more luck than he had.

"Do you need something Shiemi?" Yukio asked, not even looking up from his papers at her.

"Are you doing alright?" She asked, her hands clasped in front of her chest, showing her worry.

"I'm doing well, thank you for your concern," he said rather dismissively. She put her hands on his desk and he looked up at her.

"Yukio don't lie to me!" She said rather shrill. She was afraid her friend was in some kind of trouble and wasn't letting anyone help him. He looked at her, wide eyed, having never seen her like that. He sighed, realizing he had to tell her something or she would not leave his classroom.

"Let's just say my involvement with Satan did not go unnoticed," and once he said that, he went back down to his papers. Shiemi walked around his desk and threw her arms around the young teacher.

"You are a good person Yuki!" She said with determination.

"Look out for Rin, will ya?" He said as she pulled away, trying to keep the tone light hearted.

"O-okay." Shiemi was confident he was hiding something very important from everyone, and she was scared of what it might be.

Yukio opened his top left drawer and took out the little glass vial with the good luck charm Shiemi had given him on his first run to the supply shop. He tucked it into his jacket pocket and looked at the clock; it wasn't too long until the hearing. He pulled out the last paper he had to grade, and all be damned if it wasn't Rin's. 'This is going to make me worry about him more,' he thought.

"Oy Yukio!" Shura called into his classroom cheerfully, completely unaware of what plagued the boy's mind.

"Hi Shura," he said, still not looking up from the papers he was proceeding to grade. She looked down at his planner.

"Damn, you've got the whole course planned out already?"

"And all current papers are now graded," he said as he dropped the final paper on the stack with a grimace. Shura saw it was Rin's paper, and had a grade of 32 on it.

"Was this out of 100?" Yukio pushed up his glasses and nodded. She shook her head, realizing she had not even gotten to what she came to him for. "You've been distant. Rin's asked me about you three times, and Shiemi's asked him about cha."

"It's nothing. I just have a lot to deal with right now," he gave her the same line and smile he'd been giving Rin the past week. The week following Satan's attack on Assiah, that Yukio aided.

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Shut everyone out. You may not think it but you need help kid." She plucked a hair from his head, "see? You're already balding at 15."

"I'm not balding you pulled my hair out," he said as he massaged the spot on his scalp she'd ripped the hair from.

"We both know I'm the closest you've got to a friend here. I can read ya better than yer brother can and you hate my guts."

"Where are you going with this Shura."

"I care about ya kid. You can talk to me and I'll try," she winced at the thought of her next words, "not to call your four eyes, chicken or scaredy.. too much." At any other time he would've smiled at her effort, but he just couldn't force himself to do it.

"Thank you Shura," he looked up at her with his teal eyes and smiled, "but really I'm ok."

"You know, for some unknown reason I have a hard time believing that," she said, crossing her arms and eyeing him suspiciously. "I can't fathom why," she said sarcastically as she kicked his chair.

"Yes, I kept some things from you and Rin recently," he admitted shamefully.

"So why in the hell would I believe ya now? I've never seen you act so stiff in the eight years I've known ya, and I was there on your first mission! You may not think much of me but you could at least give me some credit," she said as she walked away from the stubborn kid. Yukio sighed.

"I think an awful lot of you, Shura," he said to himself.

"Shura Krigakure?"

"Oy, what do you want, baldy?" She said, already pissed by the presence of the paladin, Angel.

"You are summoned to testify at the trial of Yukio Okumura."

"What?!" She said, taking a step back from the irritating blonde man.