Class is really boring. I've been through all this before, plus I'm falling asleep. Rin isn't fairing much better. He's quietly snoring away beside me. As soon as Mr. Okumura's back is turned I flick his arm. He bolts up and yells, "Yes sir." resulting in the entire class laughing their butts off.

"Please try to stay awake Rin." Yukio looks at him tiredly.

"Hehe," Rin chuckles. Really? Can you really be related to Satan? My train of thought is interrupted by my name. Now, this may not sound very terrifying, but anyone who's ever been called on in class when they have no idea what the teacher just asked can relate.

"Rie, can you answer that question?" Yukio looks at me expectantly, "Mephisto said this class might be too easy for you. I'm skeptical, so please, prove me wrong."

Suguro whispers something about me being a spoiled rich kid to Shima. I stutter for a moment before shaking my head.

"I see. I guess Mephisto was wrong about you in that degree."

"And in what degree was he right?" it's hard to ask a question and really look like you don't know the answer. Luckily for me I've been doing it since I was small. Mephisto really has no idea I'm here, and I'd like to keep it that way.

"He said you and Rin would get along nicely and from the look of things he's right," Yukio continues teaching. I study him. They cannot have any idea why I'm really here. If they find out I'll have to draw my sword… and I'm feeling way too lazy to do that right now.

My mind is drifting off into the great blue yonder of sleep when the green hamster bites my hand.

"What the hell?" I go flying out of my chair and stare at it in terror, "What are you doing here?" It squeaks.

"You! What are you doing here?" Mephisto yells as the door flies open.

"Mr. Pheles what's wrong?" Yukio looks confused. So much for keeping my presence a secret.

"Why are you here Rie?" he points a gloved finger at me.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again. I will not be able to take you seriously as long as you're wearing pink Mephi."

"Mephi?" Rin repeats, "Did you just call him Mephi?" He doubles over laughing.

"Shut up, Okumura." Suguro is all steel again.

"Really Mephi, and just as I was gaining their trust too," I sit back down and flick the hamster away.

"Why did they send you? I have everything under control here!" Mephisto picks the hamster up and places him on his hat.

"No one sent me I came on my own. Don't worry so much,"

"If I shouldn't worry why are you being so vague? Just tell me why you came already!" he says exasperatedly.

"You want me to tell you? Right now?" I ask him.

"Yes?" he doesn't sound so sure now.

"I'm here because Satan is coming back." Everyone gasps.

"You can't just say that like that!" Konekomaru stares at me in horror.

"And how would you have me say it? Like I'm announcing armageddon or something?"

"That's not why you really came is it?" This is one of the few times in my life when I get to see Mephisto lose his cool completely. The weird thing about him, when he does lose his cool he does a good job of acting like he is cool. Ie: right now his voice is low and quiet and he's not flailing his arms.

"No it's not. I came because of them," I point at the Okumura boys, "I came to train them to kill their dear old daddy. Right now one of them is weak and the other is strong. In six months if the weak one is not strong enough I'll kill him. Simple as that."

"No way are you going anywhere near my brother," Rin's hand is on his sword. Aw, he's trying to protect his bro-wait a minute. I double over laughing and fall out of my chair. When I've gained enough control over myself to move, I stand up. Rin is blushing and I understand. There's nothing more embarrassing than getting laughed at when you're trying to look fierce.

I wipe away a tear, "You honestly think you are the strong one? Oh no. No, no, no."

"What?" Rin's hand falls away from his sword.

"You see, I'm not talking about physical strength, I'm talking about mental strength. When Yukio got possessed he was able to break away on his own. Despite what you may think, you're yelling at him did nothing. When Satan comes again he'll need a host. Yukio's mind is too strong for him now. You however, are very, very weak. You're a liability Rin, I have to make you stronger or he'll possess you and we'll all have a problem."

"How do you know my mind is weak? What proof do you have?" Rin's voice carries a hint of hysteria.

"You want proof? Summon a demon and I'll show you. You lost control to yourself when your sword broke. Just trust me."

"How did you know that?" Yukio asks.

"The answer to that question would just open up another conversational topic so let's just say a friend of mine told me."

"Okay, then how do you plan to make my mind stronger?" Rin asks. I glance at Mephisto before averting my eyes.

"You can't be serious? How can you even think of doing such a thing?" the hamster squeaks in agreement. Mephisto starts pointing, "I want you, Rin, And Yukio in my office right now!"

I snap and we teleport there. They look at me, amazed.

"This plan, what is it?" Yukio asks me. I take a deep breath but don't start.

"Do you even remember what happened last time?" Mephisto asks.

"Of course. It worked and Satan had no hold in that person's mind again." I look at Yukio and Rin, "have you ever heard that if someone breaks a bone it grows back stronger?"

"What do bones have to do with my mind?" Rin asks me.

"The same thing applies. In order to make your mind stronger I have to break it." I can't stop now, "In order to break your mind I have to mess with your memories. Move them around and make them terrible. When I'm done with that,"

I get interrupted, "He'll be crazy." Yukio glares at me. Like father, like son, "You want to drive my brother mad? What after that? How exactly will he be stronger if his mind is shattered?"

"I was getting to that. When I'm done I'll lock you up and the only person who will be able to see you is me. You'll hate everyone else. After a while, if your mind really can be strong, You'll remember. If not, well the nicest thing to do would be to kill you anyway. It's up to you though. If you don't want to do that you can try to fight me."

"If I'm so weak, why wouldn't Satan try to posses me from the beginning?"

"He wanted you to be on his side. He thought he could make you love him. Satan is lazy. There are other people he can use but when he has the exact location of someone there's no need to go around looking is there?"

"No. I won't let you do this to him," Yukio places his gun on my head. I chuckle and in a flash the gun is in my hand and the magazine is on the floor next to the bullet that was in the chamber.

"I never asked you." I look at Rin and my message is relayed. The atmosphere in the room is cold. Cold and dreadful.

"If I do this, Satan can never possess me correct?" Rin's voice is low.

"Nope, never."

"Okay, then that settles it I guess."

"Rin no, please don't do this. At least if we fight her we can fight together." Yukio looks frantic.

"Hey! I never said that!" no one listens to me.

"I don't have a choice, Yukio. If I don't do this I can never defeat him. The demon who killed our father. I'll do it."

"In that case I would go say goodbye to your friends if I were you. Six months is a long time. Meet me at the interrogation cell tomorrow at eight a.m. Yukio and Mephi, you two are invited as well. To watch from the other room of course. You'd mess everything up if you were actually in the room."


"What?" Suguro explodes. "You're going to let that little bitch mess around in your head on the chance it might work? Are you crazy?"

"Calm down." He's right though. This is crazy. Too late now, I guess. Yukio hasn't said a word to me since I said yes.

"Rin?"

"Hmm?"

"Will we get to see you at all while you're," Shiemi gulps, "In prison?"

"I don't think so. Rie said something about her being the only outside contact I will have while I'm there."

Later in bed I can't fall asleep. Yukio is reading. He came home earlier with a stack of books from the library and still hasn't spoken to me. I watch him closely, trying to sear the image into my brain in case it's the last time I see him.


Everything is ready. I really don't like doing this but I have no choice. I have to make him stronger. The interrogation cell is set and the set pieces make my stomach churn. I'm wearing a black dress/shaal thing that makes me look like the grimm reaper. Rin, Yukio, and Mephisto walk in.

"Before you start," Yukio walks up to me, "I stayed up all night looking through books and never once did I come across anything remotely close to the thing you're about to do. Care to explain?"

"You wouldn't. This technique was discovered by accident. Only a select few know about it." I stare him down.

"Then would you be so kind as to tell me how a sixteen year old ExWire came to know as well?"

I wince. No! Do not think back to that! "Sorry, I'm afraid I'm not feeling that generous. Rin, are you okay?"

His face is a shade of white only found on printer paper and cats, "wh-what's that thing doing in here?" he points a shaky finger to the X-frame on the far side of the room. Just like the one his grandfather used to sacrifice him.

"That is what you'll be strapped to." I whisper. Even I know this is almost asking too much of him. Almost. "Don't worry, I will not hurt you physically in any way but the X-frame is required."

"Wh-why didn't you tell me that before?" Fear is audible in his voice.

"I didn't want that to be the deciding factor."

He squeezes his eyes shut and gulps, "It isn't."

"Well then, I suppose it's time for my part." Mephisto steps forward with gusto and presents a syringe, "This is for removing all of your Satanic power. I just," He plunges it into Rin's chest and pulls up the stopper. It fills with a glowing blue liquid, "Tada! That wasn't too hard was it?"

Rin stumbles forward and I catch him before he falls, "You two need to leave now. Watch from the other side of that," I point to a one way mirror on the left wall.

"Oh dear," Mephisto looks at it with mock worry, "I hope you plan on taking that off with your spare time." he and Yukio exit and the door slams shut.

"Give me your sword, Rin." I hold out my hand and, wordlessly, he parts with it. Now for the hard part. I lead him to the X- frame. Rin's whole body is shaking and his mind is elsewhere. I snap and bring him back to the present. He lets me strap him to it without any resistance. I cross the room and stand behind what looks like a pulpit. It is not. The top is flat. I start to chant, the circle I drew on the floor begins to glow and Rin's memories stream out into the open where I can see them and choose which ones I want to mess with. Then take them to the pulpit.

The one I begin with is one from when he was small. He had gotten angry and nearly destroyed his classroom. It's actually fairly touching. In the end his not-demon-father came in and told him to use his power for good, bla bla bla. That part has to go. I take it out and replace it with his father getting angry with him, yelling and making him feel guilty for breaking his ribs. It still hasn't been replaced yet and Rin knows what I'm doing. He's watching me with a near-broken expression and I haven't even begun yet. I snap and the memory replaces the real one. Rin whimpers and drops his head. A tear slides down his face, the first of many. This job is hard for someone with empathy.


I can feel it, my mind slipping. I know these memories aren't real and yet… how can something that feels so real be fake? All of those times, no, all of those memories where my brother got me in trouble or hurt me somehow, are those real? No! They are not real! They can't be real. If they are why would he have saved me when I was being sacrificed? Why didn't he just let me die? I have to hold on to that one memory. It will keep me sane. But even now while I think about it, I feel anger towards my brother. Him, always making me fight his battles. Always making himself look like the good child while I got in trouble even though he started the fight. If I could just get my sword back… no, it's not true, he saved me. I lift my head to look at Rie. She looks like an executioner. I guess she's mine. I can tell that I'm not going to last much longer. My mind is retreating deep into my subconscious. My eyes zero in on the memory she's playing with and my heart drops. The one where I was being sacrificed. She puts Yukio in the place of my grandfather. She makes him laugh at me and let me die. So if I die then what am I doing here? She raises her hand but something stops her from snapping. She brings her hand down and makes Shiemi take me down. Then she snaps and I cry out. That was the last straw. My mind retreats entirely.


It is done. Rin hangs limply, his body looks frail on the frame. I shed my cloak and walk up to him.

"Rin?" I whisper quietly. His head snaps up and he tries to throw himself at me while growling. Just as I hoped, Rin is completely gone and has been replaced by this… other consciousness. I tranquilize him and take him off of the X-frame. Yukio bursts into the cell and nearly gives me a heart attack.

"I told you to stay out!" I drape Rin over my back and head for the door. All of his friends are waiting for him in the hall.

"What did you do to him?" Suguro growls.

"Exactly what I said I was going to do. None of you can follow me." I descend into the prison block and on the deepest level I find what I'm looking for. The circle of cells. All of them empty. I put Rin in the one on the left. Of course I have to take everything he can hurt himself with; tie, shoes, belt, jacket etc. I leave him on the bed. His chest rises and falls slowly. The clang of the cell door sound final. I can't let that be the last sound…

"Be strong, Prince."


"It's been five months, are you sure there hasn't been any change?" Yukio looks terrified. He knows that I have to kill Rin in a month if he doesn't regain his mental stability. I look out over the river at the people being ferried across.

"I'll tell you again, he's speaking now, he still doesn't like you and aside from that there's no change." I don't have the heart to tell Yukio Rin's real feelings for him. If Rin and Yukio were to meet right now Rin would kill him without any hesitation. It's my fault of course, but I'm not worried. Rin's going to pull through at the last second. I still have one trick up my sleeve. Mephisto walks up to us and bows dramatically,

"Rie, the guards at the prison are requesting that you go quiet your er prisoner. They claim they can hear him yelling from three floors up."

Yukio looks at me pleadingly, just like he has every time I've gotten this news in the past five months. Wordlessly, I walk away in the direction of the prison.

I have Rin's dinner with me. The guards glare at me as I pass, they aren't particularly fond of hearing Rin scream I'll kill him in a continuous loop this often. They all wonder who he wants to kill so badly. Some of them think he's talking about Satan, some of them think Rin thinks I'm a dude, none of them will ask me. Well, it's not like I'd tell them even if they did. How can I tell someone that the person Rin is screaming about is his little brother, the one he protected so many times? Would they even believe me? When I finally get into the bottom layer Rin scurries out of the light. There's so little light considering they never bothered to run electrical wires down here. All of it is provided by torches.

"Rin? Are you there?" I ask.

"Where else would I be?" He growls. His voice is raspy.

"I have your dinner if you're interested," I step up to the door but no matter how hard I try I can't see anymore of him than his shape. The light falls so that there's a triangle of it in front of the cell door and everything past that is too dark to see.

"Slide it through," He rasps.

"Come into the light and get it," I counter. If he doesn't come into the light, he doesn't get to eat. That's how it works.

"No."

"Then you don't get any food," I start to walk away.

"Wait." I turn around and look at the cell.

"Yes?"

"If I eat in the light will you stay until I'm done?" He sounds lonely. His frame shifts in the dark.

"Of course, Rin, all you had to do was ask." I walk back to the door. Rin shuffles to the light and looks at me with broken eyes. His normally short and shaggy hair has fallen slightly past his shoulders. His nails are long and broken. His shirt and pants are torn and dirty. All of the buttons on his shirt fell off a long time ago. His back is hunched painfully. Then there's the matter of his bones. I think I could count all 206 of them if I wanted to. Half the time he won't come into the light so he doesn't get to eat. I don't think he's eaten anything in something like three days. After he takes his food we both sit down with our legs crossed. He devours a bowl of rice before saying a word.

"When I get out of here I'm going to kill him."

"You mean Yukio?" I ask. Rin explodes,

"Don't say his name near me!" I'm pretty sure that he is going to throw his food, but he must be too hungry, "he did this too me! He made me this!"

"Maybe he did, maybe he didn't," At this point I can't contradict him on anything he believes to be true. He has to figure it out on his own.

"He did," Rin's voice breaks and he starts to cry, "Right? I'm not sure of anything anymore," he starts to sob. I reach through the bars and take his boney hand. His sobs gradually slow.

"You know this is the first time I've touched anyone in five months?" he says.

"I had an inkling." I reply slyly. He snorts and crawls back to the shadows. I take that as my cue to leave. When I'm almost to the door Rin speaks up one last time,

"I know he didn't sacrifice me, so are the other memories true?"

"You have to figure that out without me."


I wake up with a feeling of dread. Six months, Rin had six months to figure everything out but I still have to kill him today. There is one more thing I have to try. I manage to drag myself out of bed and get dressed. My sword leans against my desk, the same sword I'm going to use to kill Rin if my last trick doesn't work.

Outside I find Yukio and Mephisto waiting for me. They always seem to attack me in a pair.

"Please, Rie, let me talk to him once before you kill him." Yukio begs me. Strange, six months ago he would have killed me for even implying I would try to hurt Rin.

"Okay." I reply. Mephisto's jaw drops.

"Are you kidding me? That is not a good idea."

"It's fine, Mephi." I lead the two to the prison and down to the lowest level where Rin is being held but I make them wait outside of his view.

"Rin, are you there?"

"You always ask me that but don't you think someone would have told you if I managed to get away?" he chuckles and I see his shape move, "What's this? You don't have any food."

"I brought someone to see you, Rin."

"Who?" The curiosity in his voice is high.

"Yukio." I say calmly. I expect some sort of explosion from him but he just pauses before quietly saying,

"I don't want to see him."

"I never asked if you wanted to see him. He wants to see you so come out please." I Beckon Mephisto and Yukio to follow me in.

"That is not how it works, Rie. You don't have anything I want." Rin backs farther into the shadows, "But did my dear brother really come to see me? Come closer."

I grab Yukio's arm, "You come out. Then you can see. Or, even better, we'll both step out at the same time, deal?"

"Fine," Rin growls, "I'll count. One, two, three."

Rin and the three of us step into the light. He gasps, "I didn't believe you, Rie."

I look at Yukio's face. It's a mask of surprise.

"Shocked? You didn't have any Idea I looked like this did you?" Rin taunts.

"No, what happened to you?" Yukio asks breathlessly.

Rin growls, "What happened to me? You did, Yukio! You made me this," he throws himself at the bars and reaches through to grab Yukio, but his arm is too short.

"What are you talking about?" Yukio looks at me, confused.

"Shut up you know what I'm talking about!" Rin glares from inside his cage.

"Yukio, Mephi, I think it's time for you to go," I block them from Rin's view as they leave. When they're gone I lock the door behind them.

"Huh? This is new." Rin states. I begin to snuff out the torches.

"Rie, what are you doing?" Rin sounds worried. I take the last torch from its stand and walk to the cell door,

"Today, Rin, I am going to do something you've asked for since the day you started talking again. I'm going to let you out." I take out the key and unlock the door, "The catch is, no light." I snuff out the last torch.

"Why? What is that going to do?" He asks calmly.

"It gives me an extra layer of protection of course."

"From what?" His position has changed and I move accordingly.

"From you. When you hear what I have to say."

"And what would that be?"

"You're weak Rin. for six months you've let the idea that your brother put you here rule your life. Six months. Do you know who actually put you here?" I walk soundlessly away from him.

"Who?" He asks. Right now he's genuinely confused but in a moment he'll just be pissed.

"I did, Rin. I messed with you memories and drove you insane, and today I'm going to kill you. How does that sound?" Rin growls and I continue to move silently, "If you were strong you would have figured that out, Rin, but your mind is weak. I know you remember someone messing with your memories. Who do you think did that, hm? Your brother? I know I left that one alone so you made that up all on your own. Or, more clearly, your subconscious did, and as long as your subconscious is making decisions for you it will let Satan in."

"Shut up!" Rin roars and jumps at me. I move and he crashes into the ground.

"You wouldn't do that. You're my friend, Rie. I know you wouldn't do something like that."

"Oh please." I Silently walk away from him, "You don't believe that, I can tell from your voice."

Rin stops moving, "No, I don't. But I think I remember. You, messing with my memories. I was trying to hold on to just one… the one with the sacrifice. You he-hesitated. Why?"

"Well, that one was just a little too harsh."

"Why?" His voice breaks and he starts to cry, "Why would you do something like that? I had so many good memories and you ruined them."

"Don't you remember? Try to remember, Rin,"

"Something about making me stronger, right? Because Satan is coming back?" he gasps and I hear a thud.

"Rin?" I walk to the center of the room and snap. All of the lights turn on. Rin is lying on the floor in front of his old cell crying.

"Rin?" I repeat as I sit down, "Come here." I open my arms and he crawls into them. He cries with his face pressed into my chest, gripping my shirt.

"Why? Wasn't there another way? For six months I've been cursing my brother's existence. Couldn't you do someone else?"

"I'm so sorry, Rin. I had to ruin the person you loved most."

He sobs. My own tears fall into his matted hair. However, I know it worked.


"Well wasn't that fun?" Mephisto sit's down beside me on the edge of the great clock that overlooks the city. The view is spectacular.

"That's one word for it," Rin is happily asleep in his own bed. The tough part is over.

"Well now, I have a little surprise for you." Mephisto says. The clock behind us chimes twelve times, signaling midnight. At that same moment fireworks go off on the other side of the city.

"For you my dear, celebrating your success!"

"You planned for those to go off at midnight, didn't you?"

"What can I say, I love showmanship!" Mephisto gets serious, " How did you do it, If you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh Mephi, I did the same thing you did to me."

Notes: This is purely because of plot bunnies. If you liked it, I would love a review! If you thought it could be better, I am open to constructive criticism. I have the other chapters typed and I'll put them up if anyone wants me to.