Author's Note: Huge thanks to all the people who took the time to leave a review: FlowerFoxWings, Swoab, oldminnie, ukatO Otaku, TheDeadOne28, and F4y! I honestly thought this story would be boring considering I'm -technically- only writing half of it, but you all have proved me wrong. To show my appreciation, here's a mid-week update!

In this chapter, Ammon mentions Heaven, which I've decided to name Shamayim to match with Gehenna and Assiah. I've also named Purgatory Sheol. I'm not sure if any of those have an official name in the manga yet (I'm not completely caught up) but if they do I probably didn't notice because I'm dumb. A quick guide for those who may need it: Shamayim = Heaven; Assiah = Earth; Sheol = Purgatory/Limbo; Gehenna = Hell

Yukio tapped the concealed tattoo on his left arm twice with his middle and index fingers, letting Ammon know that they needed to talk. He gave the demon a few minutes to finish whatever it was he was doing and busied himself with preparing herbs while he waited. Just as he was filling his final vial with ground sage, Ammon entered his room. He swiveled around in his chair to greet him.

The demon obviously knew he was going to be scolded, and approached Yukio reluctantly. "What is it?"

He stared down at the vial in his hands as he spoke. "Rin came home earlier, crying about being attacked. Father Fujimoto was forced to tell him everything about Gehenna and exorcists." Well, he didn't tell Rin everything—the nature of his birth was still a well-guarded secret—but Ammon didn't need to know that. "What happened? Why is my brother suddenly seeing demons?"

Despite his apprehension, Ammon's eyes never wavered from Yukio. "He was attacked by the same group of boys he had an argument with yesterday. One of them was possessed. I exorcised him, and then we came back here."

"That doesn't explain why he's suddenly seeing coal tar."

"I believe the boy was in the process of being possessed, and thus gave Rin some of its temptaint when they fought the day before."

Yukio sat back in his chair with a sigh. There was no reason for him to doubt Ammon, but his story still disturbed him. Rin wasn't supposed to know anything about demons—it was Yukio's responsibility to protect him from that. Or else, he might learn that…

"Master?"

He waved a hand. "You can go now." He turned back to his desk and placed the vial away.

"Actually, I need to talk to you about True Cross Academy."

"Is there something wrong with the Academy?"

Ammon moved to stand beside his chair. "It's too far."

"Too far?" Yukio raised a brow at him. "What do you mean?"

"It's out of my range." He picked up the vial Yukio had just tucked into his bag and examined its contents. "I can only stay out of range for a few hours at best. Any more than that and our contract will be nullified."

"Nullified!?" He turned his chair toward him again. "I ordered you to protect Rin, not hang around me!"

"But Rin isn't what's binding me to Assiah." He tapped Yukio's upper arm with the vial. "I need to be near my active summoning circle in order to continue existing here."

Yukio snatched it out of his hand. "So I'll make a new circle here in the monastery."

Ammon shrugged. "You could do that. But, to tether me to a circle not made of flesh you'd have to send me back briefly."

"And is that a problem?"

"Our kind is very difficult to summon. If you try to bring me back, and all those ridiculously specific requirements for my summoning aren't met, you're going to get…something else instead." He paused for a moment to let it sink in. "I do have a suggestion, if I may speak freely?"

"Like you already aren't?"

Ammon laughed slightly at his response. "Take Rin with you. After learning that his entire family is made up of exorcists, including his twin brother, he feels left out. He wants to get stronger and learn how to protect people, especially you, Yukio." The young exorcist met his comforting gaze. "Rin loves you dearly, and he feels it's not fair you have to do all the work by yourself."

Yukio scoffed and turned away, light from his desk lamp reflecting off his glasses. "He'd make a terrible exorcist."

"You're not listening."

"He can't be an exorcist!" he said firmly, clenching his jaw.

Ammon, startled by his sudden ferocity, stepped back, out of the dim light, his eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. "What are you so afraid of?"

"I…" Yukio hesitated, struggling to regain his composure. Every second Rin spent closer to demons was a second he spent closer to the truth. He didn't want Rin to find out, but how much longer could he hide it? Not long, he assumed; considering he could already see coal tar and possessed humans. But then… Wouldn't it be better to teach him how to fight demons? That way, when he finally learned who he really was, he would be prepared. "I'll talk to Father Fujimoto about it."

. . .

Rin was preoccupied drowning himself in dramatic manga for most of the day, giving Ammon ample time to explore the monastery, (and eavesdrop on a few private conversations.) Bored out of his mind, he went from room to room, searching for any undiscovered secrets and even scaring a priest by throwing a few books off his shelf.

His pranking came to a sudden end when he stumbled across Shiro and a guest in the back room. Ammon had seen this man a few times before, (he was easy to recognize thanks to his strange, flamboyant outfit), but never inside the monastery. He had an otherworldly aura around him, ominous and powerful. It was enough to keep Ammon from approaching. He stepped silently into the room, behind a table holding a potted plant, and listened.

"You want Rin to become an exorcist?" He tossed his head back and laughed heartily. Shiro waited patiently for him to finish his fit, slightly annoyed by his mocking tone. "Hah! Have you lost your mind, Shiro? Do you want Rin to discover who he is?"

"No, but I don't think I can hide it from him much longer. He'll be safer with you and Yukio at the Academy. I'm a busy man; I can't always leave my duties to get him out of trouble."

Ammon stepped to the side to get a better look and relaxed, lowering his guard. He didn't always need to hide his presence, and sometimes it was more beneficial for him to save his energy than exert himself trying to hide from everyone. From this angle, he could see Shiro's guest had neat, purple hair under his large hat and piercing, green eyes. He looked like a demon, and Ammon was worried that was exactly what he was.

He moved even closer, curiosity consuming his rationality.

"Most interesting! I quite like it! First, we…" He hesitated and turned around, eyes immediately locking with Ammon's.

He stepped back behind the plant and quickly threw up his barrier, concealing himself.

What was that? How could he possibly know where Ammon was? Even the demon of rot from yesterday couldn't sense his presence until he decided to reveal himself. There was no way this man was human or a normal demon. Then what was he? A demon king? But why would Shiro, a priest and the Paladin, consult with...

No. Impossible. Ammon cut off the thought before it had a chance to fester.

"Mephisto?" Shiro followed his gaze, but couldn't see what it was that had bothered his friend. "What is it?"

He turned back to the priest with a smile. "Hmm? Oh, it's nothing. As I was saying…" Ammon took the opportunity and left the room, terrified.

. . .

That night, after everyone at the monastery had gone to bed, Shiro sat alone at the kitchen table, a blank sheet of paper in front of him. He pulled a pen out of his pocket and clicked it. "Come out, come out, where ever you are…" He began to slowly write a name in a strange, demonic language.

"Stop it!" Ammon snatched the page from him as he was finishing the second syllable and tore it to pieces. The shreds caught fire as they fluttered to the floor around him. "Are you trying to kill me?"

Shiro leaned back in his seat and tapped the pen against his chin contemplatively. "It's true; you come when your name is written. Aba—"

"Ammon!" he cried desperately, almost breathless. "My name is Ammon." He glared quietly, fists clenched hard at his sides, and a tense silence filled the empty seconds between them.

"So you're A Moon, huh? Never heard of a Harbinger before."

"You're not supposed to know we exist."

"Right—Yukio told me everything." He placed his pen down gently and drew in a long breath. "I'm…surprised, to say the least."

"What do you want?"

Shiro smiled at him, but it did little to relax Ammon's rigid posture. "I have a favor to ask. But, first, I have some questions. You will answer honestly, or I will write your name on every available surface of this building. Understand?" Ammon hesitated, but eventually gave him a short, stiff nod. "Who summoned you?"

"I can't tell you that."

"And why are you following Rin?"

"I'm protecting him."

"From what?"

Ammon opened his mouth, but no words came out. He didn't know why he was protecting Rin, just that it was part of his contract. So long as Rin was safe, he was free to use True Cross Town as his feeding grounds. If he didn't keep his end of the deal, he would starve. He never once bothered to question his master's motives. "From everything. I want him to be happy."

"That's very…generous of you." Shiro was obviously unconvinced, but, given how long Ammon has been with Rin, he didn't have any reason to suspect him of anything malicious. Yet. "Are you a demon?"

"Yes and no." Shiro raised a brow questioningly. "We're somewhere in between—too pure for Gehenna but too tainted for Shamayim. Our manor lies in Sheol."

"And you devour human souls?"

"If they're ready for us, yes. Shamayim is overpopulated, and only very special spirits are allowed in these days."

"Better your digestive tract than Gehenna, I guess." He grinned. Ammon didn't find his dark jape about his lifestyle funny.

He scoffed, disgusted. "Is that all? Or do you want to mock me more?"

"Don't be such a tight-ass." Ammon hardened his expression, forcing Shiro to change the subject. "Will you be accompanying Rin to True Cross Academy?"

"Yes."

"Good." He paused, tapping his fingertips against the table, trying to figure out how to word his thoughts. "I always thought you were malevolent. I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "You're not the first and you won't be the last."

"Right," he sighed and stood. "Now about that favor. Follow me." He gestured and walked into the storage room adjacent to the kitchen. Ammon followed through the wall, startling Shiro as he suddenly stepped in front of him. "…That must be a convenient power to have."

"More than you know, Father."

Shiro grinned playfully at him and unclasped a key from around his neck. "I want you to take this sword and guard it with your life." He inserted it into the lock of a trunk in the corner. "Don't let Rin get his hands on it. God knows what kind of chaos that idiot will cause if he draws it." He removed a beautiful, blue katana with golden accents decorating it. A red case and black strap were still sitting inside the trunk. "It's a magic sword; known as the Koma sword or Kurikara." He held it out to Ammon handle first.

He reached out for it, hesitated, and then quickly snatched his hand back. "Wh-what is that?"

His smile and playful demeanor instantly vanished. "What?"

"T-that seal on the scabbard..." He took a cautious step back and swallowed hard, his hands trembling at his sides.

Shiro was beginning to get nervous. "I told you; it's a magic sword."

Ammon shook his head slowly, his breath coming in short, panicked rasps. "That's not magic."

He snorted. "Like you would know. Here, take it." He thrust it at the boy, causing him to scream and stumble backwards.

"Keep that thing away from me!" he shouted, struggling to maintain his balance as he scrambled away. His heart pounded violently in his chest, and it seemed like his entire body was shaking with fear. "I will protect Rin without question, but I refuse to harbor a portal to Gehenna."

Belatedly, it dawned on Shiro that Ammon didn't know who Rin's real father was. He returned the sword to the trunk and locked it. "Fair enough." He would have to ask Yukio to take it.

. . .

Ammon stood in front of Rin's bedroom window, watching the early spring breeze ruffle the newly budded leaves of the trees. "It's strange to see you this active so early in the morning." Rin stopped packing long enough to give him a disquieting glare.

"Don't start. I've heard enough from the old man—I don't need it from you too." He tucked a pile of folded shirts into his bag and zipped it up. "There. Let's go."

"I'm just happy to see you so excited about something." Ammon followed him out into the hall.

"Do you think I'll make a good exorcist?" he asked. Something in his voice expressed doubt, but Ammon was confident with his answer.

"The best."

Rin paused and turned around to point accusingly at him. "That is a load of bull."

Undaunted, Ammon laughed. "No, it's not. You may not realize it, but, once you pour your heart into something, nothing can stop you. Just look at how quickly you learned to cook. No one can make sukiyaki better than you now, Rin."

He smiled and continued to the main entrance, where Father Fujimoto was waiting for their ride. "You think I'll be better than Yukio one day?"

"One can only hope."

Before Rin had a chance to ask Ammon what he meant, Father Fujimoto pulled him into a rough hug. He dropped his bag and flailed helplessly against the man's powerful grip. "Ack! Get off of me, you old fart!"

"Never thought I'd see the day when you were ready before Yukio!" He ruffled Rin's hair with his free hand, much to the boy's dismay.

He shoved him away with an unhappy grumble and rearranged his hair. "Stop doing that! I'm not a kid anymore!"

"You're right." Father Fujimoto grinned affectionately, arms crossed against his chest. "I guess I have to start treating you like an adult."

"That's right!" Rin puffed out his chest and stood tall with confidence, (or was he just full of himself?) "And not just any adult—an exorcist!"

He laughed. "Nice try; but you've got a long way to go before you catch up to your little brother!"

All of Rin's confidence disappeared and his posture quickly deflated. As if on cue, Yukio walked up to them, bag in his hand and a red sword case slung over his shoulder. "Sorry I'm so late." He smiled. Ammon stepped back into the road to get away from the demonic seal.

"Whoa, is that a katana?" Rin gestured to the red case with an excited grin. "Do I get one?"

"Absolutely not!" Father Fujimoto pulled on Rin's earlobe, earning a surprised yelp. "I wouldn't trust you with a butter knife let alone a sword!"

He rubbed the pain away from his ear. "You trust me with knives when I cook!"

"That's different!"

"What!? No it's not!" He snarled. "I thought I was an adult! Adults get to have cool swords!"

"Only responsible adults get cool swords!"

"You liar!"

"Um," Yukio timidly interrupted their little argument, "our ride is here."

Rin turned in time to watch a bright pink car fly up to the monastery at an incredible speed. It was headed directly toward Ammon, who was still standing idly on the side of the street. "H-hey! Look out!" The vehicle came to an abrupt stop, with half of Ammon's ghost-like body inside its hood. "Uhh, o-oh…" He always seemed to forget that Ammon's entire being was permeable.

The boy shrugged apologetically, and Rin buried his face in his hands to hide his embarrassment. Strangely, neither his brother nor Father Fujimoto commented on his random outburst.

Mephisto stepped out of his car, a wide, exuberant smile stretching his demonic features. "Ah, what a beautiful day! Perfect for a new beginning, no?"

Father Fujimoto shook his hand. "Thank you for agreeing to take Rin as well, Mephisto."

"Don't be so cordial, Shiro!" He waved away the priest's polite remark and then turned to the twins. "Have you two said your goodbyes? True Cross Academy is a boarding school—you'll only be able to return home on the holidays."

Rin shrugged. "I'm good. You?" He glanced at Yukio.

"Yes, I'm ready."

"Splendid! Then, let's be on our way. There's no time to waste!" He hopped back into his car and left the door open for them.

Rin picked up his discarded bag and hesitated. He placed it back down, and wrapped his arms around Father Fujimoto in a tight hug. "Thanks for everything, old man." Surprised by this sudden embrace, the man stood in stunned silence for a few extended seconds. He eventually returned the gesture, trying desperately to keep his emotions under control, at least until the boys were gone. "Are you tearing up?" Rin cocked a brow mockingly.

"Get out of here." Father Fujimoto pushed him toward the car weakly, and turned to offer Yukio the same emotional hug. "Make sure to get plenty of sleep; eat well and play hard. I'll keep your rooms tidy so you can always come back."

As the car began to drive off, Rin stuck his head out the open window and waved. "Bye, dad!"

Father Fujimoto choked back a sob and did his best to wave back. "Good luck out there you two…"