"Can we go back now? We've been here for hours," Izumo groaned, leaning her head back against the seat. They were sitting in a waiting room outside Mephisto's office, the exwires sprawled across the seating provided, trying to stay awake. Shima had long ago succumbed to sleep and was drooling a little, slouched down in his chair.

"We can't leave until Pheles and the other exorcists are done interviewing everyone, and you know that. So stop complaining already," Bon growled, but he was growing restless as well. Logan, Yukio, Okumura and Rin had been inside Mephisto's office for over an hour now.

"I hope everything's okay," Shiemi murmured, looking anxious.

"You don't think they'd blame Okumura for anything that happened, right? He was being controlled, after all," Konekomaru asked, clutching his hands together worriedly.

After the group had stumbled back into True Cross City, Yukio had immediately alerted a group of exorcists to the situation at Fujisan. A response team was dispatched to the mountain to investigate, check up on everyone who had been kidnapped, and discover what had become of the excess demons in Aokigahara as well as the two goddesses. Okumura had wanted to return with the other exorcists, but Mephisto had summoned them all for debriefing.

Everyone had been interrogated and given their versions of events after a health inspection, then told to wait.

Inside, Rin was perched on a giant bean bag decorated with anime characters, looking utterly bored, his tail flipping back and forth. Logan was lounging in a puffy red chair, Yukio sitting on the arm, while Okumura stood in front of Mephisto's desk.

Mephisto himself was stirring a cup of instant ramen with a pair of purple chopsticks, eagerly sniffing the steam puffing up from the noodles. He looked up and saw Yukio's annoyed expression and frowned.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want some too? I have plenty."

"You can't just say something like that and leave us hanging, sir," Yukio said, trying to keep his voice even.

Mephisto shrugged, "There's not much more to say. After hearing everyone's reports, the Order has decided to reopen Rin's case. He's being regarded as a threat once more - if Kono-hana hadn't patched everyone up, Rin's execution would probably be ordered for immediately."

Logan sat up a little straighter, "Whoa, whoa, wait. Execution?"

"Of course. After all, it's only been pushed back. No one ever really canceled the event in the first place. I've just been stalling them."

"You can't kill Rin, he's just a kid!"

"A child, yes. A child of Satan, in fact."

"He was under the control of Iha-naga - he couldn't be blamed for that," Yukio said from her place at Logan's side. Mephisto merely slurped up some noodles.

"He can't be blamed for who his father is, either. That won't stop the Grigori."

Yukio clenched his fist, then glanced back at Rin, "How can you be so calm at a time like this?"

Rin shrugged and looked away, "It'll work out."

Logan raised a brow at this comment, but Mephisto had finished the ramen in record time and made the cup vanish with a snap of his fingers. Interlacing his fingers, he leaned forward on his desk, expression growing serious despite the seemingly permanent grin.

"I would advise you to lay low and play it cool, as I said last time Rin ended up losing control. But this time around, people were hurt, and Rin's true capability for a weapon against humanity was revealed. If he was so easily controlled by a forgotten goddess, what's to say he would be able to resist the power of his father?"

"He will! Rin would never let Satan -"

"You can't say that anymore, Okumura. You saw with your own eyes how easily someone took control of your brother."

Yukio glanced at Rin again, but his brother was disconnected from their conversation. Why wasn't he fighting back? He usually was eager to pick a fight with Mephisto - Yukio was usually the one trying to calm Rin down. Had he given up?

Damn it. If Rin was giving up, it would make it that much easier for the Grigori to kill him. Yukio had made a promise, and he intended to keep it.

"What should we do, then?"

Mephisto's grin widened, "I think it would be best if the Order forgot about Rin for a while. Got some distance from the situation."

"What are you talking about?"

"We need to give the Order time to relax, time to cool their heads. Right now, they're afraid, and fear makes people hasty. They'll do anything to exert their power and show their superiority to the powers of Gehenna."

"You mean kill the kid," Logan stated flatly.

"Yes, an execution of Rin Okumura would be a brilliant show of power. However, given some time, I'm sure they will reconsider. However, while they cool their heads, I think it would be best for Rin to dissapear."

"You want to hide my brother away? Lock him up?" Yukio's voice was angry, but he couldn't help but think it was a good plan. Locked away, Rin wouldn't be able to hurt anyone, and no one would be able to hurt him. Protecting him would be much more feasible.

"Hide him, yes. Lock him away, no. I want to send him to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters."

Yukio merely furrowed his brow, confused. Logan jumped to his feet, nearly toppling the chair.

"You wanna do what?"

Even Rin seemed interested now, a little frown appearing on his face.

"I did some research on you, Mr. Logan, while you were away. Especially your time with the X-Men. I think this school would be an excellent place for Rin to hide while we take care of the Grigori, as well as a place to learn to control his powers. I especially think this Professor Xavier would be a great help to our young demon."

"Charles Xavier is dead," Logan growled, but Mephisto shook his finger in the air, clucking.

"Au contraire. Your friend is alive, Logan."

"How? That's impossible!" Logan shouted. A devious spark glowed in the principal's eyes.

"You'll just have to go back and ask him yourself, won't you?"

"Stop! What are you talking about? A school? Professor Xavier?"Yukio slammed his fist on the desk.

"I'm sure Logan can tell you all about it. Right now, I have to go to Mt. Fuji and help clean up your mess. You're dismissed."

"Wait! You want to send my brother off, and you're not even going to tell me where?"

"Xavier's School is a reputable institute for people with certain powers and abilities, abilities no normal human possesses."

Finally, Rin spoke up, "But they're just mutants. They're not demons, like me."

"You and Logan share more in common than you think, Rin. Maybe you can learn something from him, and others like him. I'll be back in the morning, and we can talk more about it then. But make a decision quickly, or it will be too late for me to do anything." With a poof of lavender mist, Mephisto was gone.