When Rin awoke, he was in a hospital bed. The air was heavy with silence, and the whole place seemed eerily empty. He tried to sit up, but found that he couldn't. Instead, there was a stabbing pain in his arm. He looked over and saw an IV sticking out of him, some kind of clear liquid pumping into his veins. The intense confusion was numbed slightly by anxiety that clenched in his stomach as he tried not to think about what it was. He managed to reach an arm out over the side of the bed. A bright spark of light and he whipped his hand back, feeling a severe burning sensation. Some kind of circle was probably surrounding the bed, that's why he wasn't handcuffed, something which he had only just noticed. He laid back down into the bed and tried to collect his thoughts. For whatever reason, they seemed to be running away from him, but he regained some memory of what had happened last night. Only seeing Yukio, him sheathing the sword and then blackness. The only thing really imprinted on his memory was the cold feeling of the gun on his head. His gut twisted with guilt. He had been holding Kurikara at his own brothers throat. He felt his own clamp shut and his eyes stung with tears. Now, everyone knew. There was no way Yukio could keep this a secret from his superiors, and there was no way his classmates wouldn't find out.
"Well, look at you! You've had quite the brotherly spat haven't you?"
Rin's heart sank to his stomach. There was no one else it could be.
"Mephisto." It was practically a growl. Rin spat it at him like it was an insult.
"Well, that not a very friendly way of greeting someone who just saved your life, now, is it? Nicht sehr nett in der tat!" The Clown's patronising tone brought on a wave of something much more than annoyance in Rin. Fury. Intense, hot, fury. It didn't even occur to him if it was an overreaction or not. Rin, growled ferociously, a deep, guttural sound that reverberated around the room. But Mephisto simply grinned. His smile setting Rin off even more. Not dropping the smirk, he mumbled, "Territorialen Instinke... How interesting..."
"Well, if that's the case, I'll just leave you to you're own devices! I just came by to make sure that you were still breathing. Also, I would keep that temper in check, you may get visitors! Auf wiedersehen!" Another puff of that pink smoke, that Rin now could now associate with anger and confusion. He hadn't answered any of his questions! None!

Gritting his teeth, Rin pushed and finally managed to sit up in bed. Driven by the fury inside him, he lashed out at the barrier. Another bright flash of light, but this time, Rin didn't withdraw his hand. He pushed further for a couple of seconds, before yanking his hand back towards his body. Pain gripped him and he saw his hand smoking and blackened. Growling again, he tried to tip over the IV, but it appeared to be outside of the circle, and he just ended up burning the other hand. Panting from the pain, he resigned himself to snarling until his anger finally faded. Completely worn out, he quickly collapsed onto the bed. Not quite awake, but not really sleeping either. He could just think. Mainly, about how a simple conversation with Mephisto. He hadn't quite heard what he had mumbled, but it sounded like more German. Why couldn't the damn Clown just speak English, and answer his questions while he was at it?! Anger began to well up again, but it quickly died away as fatigue took over. All Rin could think about was questions, and he let his anger, guilt and sadness stew inside him into a big, emotional mess. He wondered if anyone would actually visit him in the hospital, but the only answer was painfully clear. They would never forgive him for what he was. Pain squeezed his chest, breaking through all other emotions. That's right. No one would ever forgive him for what he was. Demons would reject him because he was too human, most likely, and humans would kill him for being half demon. Rin spiralled down into his dark thoughts until all that remained, was unconsciousness.

How many times had he passed out in the last couple of days? It just kept happening. To be honest, it was getting to be really annoying! Rin was swimming, yet again, into the world of the living, when he heard the voices. He recognised some immediately. Yukio was there, and Shiemi, but there was also two other voices, completely unfamiliar. He wanted so desperately to open his eyes, but the remorse that haunted him clamped his eyes tight shut. All he could do, was listen.
"What are you going to do to him?"
"The trials that decided whether he lives or dies have finished, but there will be more to come to a conclusion on that matter."
"So, are they going to execute him?"
"For the moment, he will live, but he will remain here. When he has recovered, there will be another trial, one which he will attend, to decide his fate from there."
"So, how will he be treated while he's here?"
"I do not believe that it is your concern Mr Okumura."
"He's my brother! If I do not have the authority to know as an exorcist, then I have the right to know as a family member!"
"Umm, and I would like to know too. Maybe I could help, I-"
"No, Miss Moriyama, your services will not be authorised or required."
"Oh..."
"You haven't answered my question."
"To be quite frank with you, Mr Okumura, I'm not entirely sure why you care. Needless to say, he's a danger, but he attacked you, and we have sufficient eyewitnesses that saw your dear brother right in the centre of the Horde! We are still trying to exterminate all who came through!"
"You may be right. But he is still my brother. I made a promise that I would be there for him, no matter what. Even if my own feelings are conflicted, I will keep my promise."
Silence. Rin was pretty sure that they had continued talking, but the words he had heard were stuck, repeating over and over in his head, like a record. They had left him with more confusion than Mephisto! What Horde? But the loudest ones were Yukio's last words. It was obvious that he meant a promise to the old man, but he had said, "if my feelings are conflicted.". That's what he had said. Yukio wasn't helping him because Rin was his brother. All he cared about was having a clear conscious. Just so that he could say, 'yes, I kept my promise'. This had nothing to do with Rin! Sorrow gave way to anger, and anger gave way to betrayal. It wasn't his fault that he was like this! He had never asked to be the son of Satan! He could feel his stomach boil, Why wasn't Yukio the one who inherited the flames? Why did he have to deal with this? It wasn't his fault!

There was a flash of blue light.

Not again.