A/N: I'm sorry for the long wait! Things have been very busy and I hadn't had the chance to write!

Thank you Hartanna, wildkurofang, and Kanrei for your comments!

It means a lot for someone to say I keep every one in character! Thanks! And haha! Yes! Isaac does have a stick up his ass! He inserts one every morning! Yea Arisu does have a brother complex like Yukio! I never thought about that. Hehe… the accent does get a little tedious to write at times. I just hope readers can understand what the characters are saying. OMG! Aidyn's supposed to have an accent! That was a mistake on my part thanks for pointing it out!


At exactly 3:00 o'clock PM, the hallway echoed with screams.

And Rin heard it loud and clear –

Damn, to think that the day was going smoothly before all of this. The teen was two days in his second year of high school, and he intended on showing four-eyes that he could be responsible. Not that he wasn't before! All Rin did was help some guy out! – Geez! Even so, Yukio just wouldn't listen to him…come to think of it…the guy barely listened to anything these days… Rin's kid brother would normally go on nagging, saying things like - 'studying is essential'- and - 'you should take cram school more seriously'.

But lately… nothing.

During Rin's grounded week (which he was still in at the moment) all Yukio did was tell him to stay put.

Then he'd leave –

Just like that Yukio left to work on the virus….nothing else…no more. That was it. Oh, he also kept the door locked –

Seriously? He doesn't trust me so much that he has to LOCK me in the dorm?

Despite how irritating the situation was Rin was more worried than pissed. His brother's behavior was strange. The times he was in Rin's company all he did was stare off into space or scribble notes on a piece of paper. He stopped taking care of himself too. Rin noticed Yukio go through his days with frazzled hair and a messy uniform. His brother seemed to be going insane…Four–eyes kept this creepy faded look on twenty – four – seven.

Rin knew Yukio was under stress, and he completely understood why. The adolescent felt it too, the anxiety, those damn troubled nights with no sleep. All he'd think about was that sickness, Aidyn…Aidyn, and that sickness…the safety of his friends… Rin knew that his brother was working his ass off for a cure –

But…he wished he'd get a little more sun…and sleep…

While the nights were restless, the days were gloomy. For the past days, Rin dragged himself sluggishly between classes. All he wanted to do was get through the day. Rin hadn't seen Kuro either…not since he met the L'Écarlates. The teenager was filled with grief, exhaustion and worry.

He knew Yukio felt the same way…if not worse…

The yelling continued.

Rin followed the sound through the corridor. It was getting louder…He began to make out what was being said –

"YOU BITCH! YOU DAMN BITCH! GET IT OUTTA HERE! GET THE F*CKING THING OUTTA HERE!"

"OH SHUT UP! 'OU WERE ZE 'ON ZAT STARTED IT! I ONLY FINISHED IT!"

It was a French accent, a female French accent…It could only belong to the one and only Arisu L'Écarlate. Yep, it was her…Rin got a clear look at the scene, books scattered everywhere, shredded paper on the floor, and Aidyn – on his knees. There was another guy facedown on the ground. Arisu stood over him with her foot on his back. Rin had no clue what the hell was going on, but he did know that Aidyn was in some kind of danger.

"Hey!" He yelled.

Arisu's head shot up to him, her eyes narrowed with suspicion. Rin didn't care, he was more concerned with Aidyn.

"Hey – hey! What's going on?"

The trembling figure stared with disbelief as Rin kneeled beside him.

"…Ah…a – a – ahh…R – Rin…"

Rin smiled widely.

"You remember me!"

His grin quickly faded once he noticed the gigantic bruise on Aidyn's arm.

"Hey…where did you get that?..."

He gestured towards the injury. The boy flinched and covered it with his palm.

Rin's gut tightened. With gritted teeth, he snapped at the guy on the floor:

"DID YOU DO THIS? DID YOU HURT THIS KID?"

The man spat back with full force.

"YOU'RE ALL FREAKIN' CRAZY! JUST CRAZY! WHY PROTECT THAT THING?"

Rin stood up, there was an edge to his deepened voice.

"Why – YOU – "

Something caught his arm… It was Aidyn. The guy shivered wildly as he clung on.

"No! No! No! No Rin! No hurt – no!"

Sympathy replaced rage. Rin once again kneeled down beside the defenseless boy.

"H-hey…You…okay…?"

"O-okaaay…."

It was just like beforewhen we first met…People abuse this guy for no reason….why?

Arisu glared at Rin through the corner of her eye. When the punk on the floor shifted to his knees, she turned her attention on him.

"Get ze 'ELL outta 'ere!"

With decent force, the girl kicked the guy strait in the ass. He got up, spouted more curses at Arisu, and ran away.

After he was gone, she ran over to her brother and rudely nudged Rin away.

"Get out of 'ere! Go."

"What? Are you serious?"

"VEIRY – now leave."

"Why you – I just wanna see if Aidyn's okay! Maybe you haven't noticed but that bastard back there gave him huge bruise."

Arisu eyes widened with anger.

"Do not tell me 'ow my brozer iz! Zis had nozing to do wiz 'ou – so LEAVE!"

"NO! Not until I know Aidyn's okay!"

Before the girl could respond, a blunt voice cut her off.

"Honestly girl 'ou cause trouble at 'ome and 'ou cause trouble in school as well."

Rin looked up confused.

"Huh…?... !"

It was…AIDYN! Wait – no – wait – it wasn't… The guy just looked like him. Like…an older version… Arisu wasn't nearly as surprised.

"Oh – shut up! Zis iz none of 'our business eizer!"

The man didn't bat an eye.

"Hmph, 'ou are late for my class."

He turned towards Rin.

" 'OU as well. Get up boy."

The teenager stared dumbstruck. Who is this guy? He didn't remember True Cross having a teacher with an accent… Unless…

"Huh – wait – are you Isaac?"

"That is Meester L'Écarlate."

"Uh…well – uh Mr. – uh…I don't really attend regular cram school anymore…I'm supposed to work on my fla – "

"I do not care for what ever curriculum 'ou were taking before. I do not make exceptions for any students."

Rin didn't know whether he should feel insulted for be treated like an idiot or happy for being treated like an idiot human student. Isaac didn't seem afraid of him…

He knows about my identity right?

" W- wait…if you're Mr…"

He glanced at Arisu and Aidyn.

"T – that means you're their….brother. Aidyn was just bullied two seconds ago! He –"

Rin did not expect a slight smile to appear on the man's face. He felt a stab of shock and pain though his chest.

"H – HEY! You're Aidyn's BIG BROTHER! You should be WORRIED ABOUT HIM!"

Isaac's smile faded. He answered Rin with a dry yet icy remark.

"Do not question me. 'Ou are merely a child. A dumb one at zat."

"HUH?"

The entire time Arisu gaped stupidly at Rin. Nothing else processed in her brain except for the lines ' 'Ou are late for my class'… and… ' 'Ou as well.'

Instantaneously she blurted out -

"NO... No – no – no – no! Zis boy iz not seriously training to become an exorcist!"

Rin immediately struck back. With his thumb, the teen pointed to his chest.

"HELL YEAH I'm becoming an exorcist!"

Feeling cocky, Rin's eyes burned back as he stated –

"Not only that but I'm gonna become Paladin."

With a blank expression, the girl blinked for two seconds then came up with a response.

"Dumb."

"What? Why you – ARG! And YOU think you'll be a better exorcist?"

At that moment something clicked in his mind. The teenager cocked his head towards Aidyn.

"Wait – Does that mean you're gonna become an exorcist too? That's great! We – "

"My brozer is not becoming an exorcist – I AM!" Arisu spat.

"What? Just YOU? WHY? I'm sure he could do it – "

"ENOUGH!" Isaac snapped.

Aidyn squealed in fear and ran behind his sister.

"I 'ad enough of zis child's play. 'Ou will be attending Anti – Démon Pharmaceuticals, in SILENCE."

For the five – millionth time, Rin was stunned.

"Wait… Anti – Demon…Yukio teaches that! What are you – "

" 'E came to me in person 'n asked to take over ze class."

"But…why would he…"

"Ze sickness, boy."

"…Oh…."

Rin entered the class around 3: 20.

Arisu did not join him…which he was extremely grateful for. The girl was a bitch. Hands down. Even if she were to have class, Rin wasn't sure if it would be his…Arisu was a page after all… one rank beneath him. (It felt good to be higher than her…made him feel like he'd accomplished more.) But, Isaac was kinda weird… He did let the child of Satan enter his classroom after all. (Which, by the way, didn't go very smoothly with the other students. ) Why not someone of lower rank?

The moment he set foot in the room, heads turned and stared. Rin wasn't sure who to make eye contact with. Finally he gathered up the courage to glance at Sheimi. She stared back with tense worry…

Sheimi…

Before she could attempt to smile back, Rin cast a look at Suguro. The guy was clearly pissed. Rin could tell by the way his mouth gaped, then clenched into a surge of aggression. He was sure Suguro was going to get up and start something, but the chance passed when Isaac entered.

"SIT," he ordered sternly.

"Uh…where – "

"Anywhere."

"…Uh….'kay…"

He wanted…wanted so desperately to sit next to Sheimi or one of his previous companions. But he knew they didn't want him…

Rin took a seat at an empty table in the back.

"Now," Isaac stared as he wrote his name on the board.

"I am ze substitute for meester 'ukio Okumura."

Suguro's hand shot up and the teacher nodded.

"Mr. L'Écarlate…why is Mr. Okumura absent? It seems like the faculty have been worried about something..."

"Indeed…zey are…zere iz much to be worried about, 'n we must take extra precautions."

"If that's the case then why…?"

Suguro turned and faced Rin. His expression had confusion, rage, and betrayal written all over it.

The man did not respond to the question. Instead, he discussed his plans for the lesson.

"Zese are serious times 'n my class iz going to cover why zey are so…. We are going to learn about 'Noire Du Sang'…. A deadly virus zat is currently plaguing eaivry corner of ze earth."

The class shifted into mild chaos. Everyone turned towards each other and began speaking. After a few minutes of worried chatter, Suguro and Kamiki raised their hands. Isaac picked of Kamiki.

"What exactly are the symptoms of this virus?"

"Vein blackening, plasma exposure from ze wounds, strange 'n violent behavior." Isaac stated this as he wrote on the board.

"What's the cause?"

"What else could it be? A démon."

Rin felt an extreme wave of intensity. Almost every one in the class turned and glanced at him… at least for a millisecond. He wanted to plead with them, let them know he didn't want to be a demon…

Shima raised his hand with closed eyes and a smile that tried to make it look like he was calm… He wasn't.

"What kind of violent, strange behavior are we talking about?"

"Murder, slaughter, torture, 'n a joy for committing it."

Suguro's eyes narrowed, the arms folded on his chest tightened. After minutes of silence, he raised his hand again.

"When you say 'plaguing every corner of the earth'… Do you mean…"

No one liked Isaac's response.

"Yes. Zat goes for True Cross 'n True Cross Academy as well. No one iz safe from zis illness. In fact, it is possible for 'our fellow classmates to be contaminated at zis veiry moment."

"Whoa! Whoa!" Shima jolted back and pulled the collar of his shirt over his mouth. Konekomaru let out a terrified cry. He stood from his chair and yelled out -

"W- w – why weren't we t-told about this sooner!"

The professor was the only one unaffected by the conversation. He answered bluntly.

"Ze Vatican wanted to make it look like zey were in control for az long az possible. 'Owever… zey cannot afford to do zis any longer. A dead student is worth more zen silence."

Konekomaru grew faint and slumped back into his chair. He looked like he was going to throw up or pass out. Suguro attempted to comfort him. He placed a firm hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Koneko…"

Isaac pulled out a box from the desk and placed in on Kamiki's table.

"Pass zese out. Zey are masks to put over 'our nose and mouth. 'ou are to wear zem all ze time. Even at night."

Rin's classmate nodded and did what he said. The teacher continued to speak.

"We are first going to review safety precautions zat can secure our health – "

There was a massive THUMP in the room.

"NEKO! NEKO!"

"WHOA! Hey man – hey! You gotta take it easy!"

The yelling came from Suguro and Shima. Konekomaru passed out. Rin jumped from his seat and ran over.

"Hey! Is he okay? – "

"Stay BACK!" Suguro snapped.

Rin stopped in his tracks, hurt. Shima was busy fanning Konekomaru with a notebook.

Rin glared at his classmate.

"I asked if he was okay!"

"And I'm telling you to stay back! This doesn't concern you!"

The teen felt instant déjà vu. Only this time it was Surguro and Kenekomaru instead of Arisu and Aidyn.

He was truly unwanted…

In the next minute everyone surrounded the three. Rin remained floating in the background…They wouldn't want me close-by anyway…

Konekomaru's eyes opened slightly and he sat up.

"B-Bon…sorry…I…"

Suguro spoke calmly. "Just relax. You're going to be fine."

"I…I'm worried about you…"

"Koneko…"

"Hey…what about me?" Shima pointed to himself sadly.

"Zat is enough," Isaac walked over.

"Mizz Moriyama please take ze boy to ze academy infirmary. (Zere must be one somewhere in ze school.)"

Sheimi's eyes sparkled with determination; the apples of her cheeks dyed a strawberry pink.

"R-right!"

Suguro turned towards Isaac.

"Mr. L'Écarlate, if you don't mind I'd like to go too."

"Take 'our seat."

There was a startled sound in the back of Bon's throat. Clearly, he did not expect such a cruel response.

Rin's legs were frozen, useless. He couldn't move, couldn't do anything to help his friends. All he could do was stand there, as they all got hurt. Yukio was working on a cure…He was doing something. What was Rin doing?... Nothing. Was that everything? Was he going to remain some street thug that every one was afraid of? No…he wasn't a thug anymore…he was a demon.

And worst of all…without meaning too…. Suguro and the others blame him for the virus.