Disclaimer: I do not speak Japanese, possess a Sacred Gear, own Highschool DxD, nor make profit from any fan-written work based upon or derived from it.

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Incantation"

('Albion, mental')

(Albion Speaking)

A companion fic to my main story, Holy Inferno Dragon.

Future Taking Flight

"It's not fair! I wanna go!"

"Take me with you!"

Issei snorted with amusement as he tied up his boots. He'd been given his marching orders from Grayfia in person only that morning, a devil had gone stray and an alarmingly powerful one at that. A former demihuman from Greece, and as fate would have it the Greek pantheon seemed to have the overwhelming notoriety in infamous monsters. This one had been applying for high-class evaluation too, another mark for caution.

"Life isn't fair," the eldest dragon finished lacing his boots and stood, grabbing a leather jacket from the closet near the door. A gift from Xenovia, who not only was a brilliant fighter but overtime had became quite the fashion guru. "The sooner you realize that, the easier it'll be the next time."

"But you always go alone and we never get to watch!" A childish stomp echoed on the hardwood floor. "We're not babies! We can take care of ourselves!"

Issei snorted once more and looked down at his two sons. Ex and Kurenai were right; they weren't babies anymore. Still, ages four and five respectively weren't exactly combat ready.

"This is a dangerous hunt, not 'bring-your-kids-to-work' day." Issei knelt but even then the two heads of crimson and midnight hair had to look up to meet his gaze. "I don't have the luxury of devoting vital attention to keeping my rampant offspring alive in a high combat situation."

Both boys glares at him. The Power of Destruction flared in Ex's palm, while Kurenai called upon his family's inherited Holy Lightning to dance from his fingertips. Both then reached up to punch him in the face as best they could.

Issei made sure to crane away his neck ever so slightly so that the impact lessened on tiny knuckles. Not for his safety, they weren't nearly strong enough to leave more than scorch marks yet, but to make sure neither broke their hand in the attempt.

"I don't see why you're complaining." Issei shrugged the jacket on. "You two have the hard jobs to keep your mothers distracted. As well as keeping your siblings entertained."

Truly, the Hyoudou mansion in Kuoh had undergone several renovations. The nursery in particular. If these two were here, they'd had to escape their seven siblings, the watchful eye of their caretaker and any of their mothers present. Points in their favor for making it this far without being detected. Granted, Xenovia and Rossweisse might consider combat exposure to be a wonderful learning opportunity, but superior numbers had vetoed that idea before.

"Don't wanna," was the chorused reply from his eldest sons. Issei resisted the urge to facepalm; had he been like this as a child? He couldn't remember giving his parents his much grief. Gods only knew how he hadn't driven Hikari mad with his other antics though.

"Tough luck." He grunted as he motioned for them to leave the entry hall. "You're not old enough to be anywhere near actual fighting."

"We can fight!"

"Ex, you still have a band-aid on your knee from when Kurobara bit you for stepping on her tail. If your baby sister can do that even limited to crawling, you aren't nearly prepared as you might think, to say nothing of how Airi rallied the others to sit on you."

He turned to Kurenai who was failing to hide his snickering at his brother's chastisement. "And don't think I haven't forgotten that you're still grounded. Prank or not, Robertina is terrified of thunder now, so you aren't going anywhere."

(Listen to your father, hatchlings.) A voice echoed in the hall, emanating from the dragon's back. (Like it or not, you're staying.)

"Grandpa! Please!" Both trying to appeal to the Heavenly Dragon. The time honored tradition, when a parent says no, seek the permission of a grandparent or in this case, many-great's grandfather.

(Absolutely not. I've had enough trouble with your father's teenage years. You will be staying or no stories for a month. Try and sneak out and even if you survive your mothers' wrath I'll make it two.)

Both boys clammed up at the threat. In terms of stories, Albion surpassed nearly all their relatives in storytelling due to how ancient he was. He had probably forgotten more tales and poems than their immediate parents could tell, making bedtime stories with Issei as the proxy that much more enjoyable. And their absence would be nothing compared to the creative ideas nine women could collaborate upon without crossing into corporal punishment.

Ex and Kurenai both looked up at him somewhat forlornly before whispering their goodbyes and good-lucks. Then they both turned to head deeper into the mansion, back to studies, snacks, and naptimes.

To their surprise, they were both picked up by the scruff of their necks and found themselves sitting on a shoulder of their father. "Aw, what the heck. I'll catch Hell from your mothers for this, but one quick flight before I leave shouldn't hurt anyone."

"AWESOME!"

With both boys repositioned to look over each shoulder, Issei quietly moved outside before shutting the door. Flesh wings spread wide, it only took one downbeat to bring them high above Kuoh, a testament to how time and training had done their work.

Making sure the two were holding on tightly, Issei began his near daily aerobatics. Pulling out of a tremendous dive only to flare his wings fully, he looped upside down and sideways, pulling tight turns that stunt pilots could only dream of. Spiraling upward, the three broke the cloud layer to find themselves in a sea of bright setting sun and glowing white.

"Ex, if you would do the honors," Issei bumped his shoulder up to get the attention of his son who was still shrieking in joy. The redhead shook himself, took a deep breath and roared. Black and red flames, his mother's Power of Destruction roiled forth and Issei watched with pride as the torrent lasted six seconds, a record for the boy, while clearing the wisps of vapor from before them for roughly ten yards. It was a quiet roar, much less flashy than his brother's composed of Lightning, but he was yet young. Without the clouds, all of Kuoh lay for them to see, lights beginning to form as the night began to set in.

"Here we are...," Issei grinned.

"... rulers of the sky!" Kurenai finished as he made a fist and pumped it in exhilaration.

Ex cheered in agreement with his brother, but Issei wasn't paying attention anymore. There was a distinct voice coming from below.

Down, it said. Now.

Instantly and without warning Issei flipped, grabbing his sons and holding them close to his chest as he dove. From that height, reaching terminal velocity wasn't difficult, and after his course was set he stowed his wings of scale and bone in exchange for fresh ones of metal and light. With the greater speed they afforded, he took care not to give his children whiplash from the sudden declaration as he crossed over the gates to their home.

Setting them down, he and the little ones looked at the open doorway. Two women stood there, looking as if they hadn't aged a day since graduation. Hands on her hips, one looked irritated, while the other demurely covered her mouth to hide any laughter.

The Crimson Empress of Annihilation tapped her foot. "Inside you two. With the others. Now."

Though their wings were still underdeveloped, both boys practically flew inside, though the Priestess of Lightning and Thunder gently tousled her son's hair as he passed. Akeno's gaze turned to him as the facade fell.

"Why must you make things difficult," she complained. "Can you go a single day without caving to their demands."

"You make it sound easy!" Issei pointed at the hybrid Fallen. "Don't tell me you can deny every request!"

"We have to. You spoil them too much," Rias stabbed him in the chest with one pointed finger. "You take them flying. You take them to get ice cream, to the movies. Bedtime doesn't exist in your vocabulary and you even painted your ScaleMail red and let them all use their powers to take their anger out on the family rival to keep them from arguing."

"And it hurt me to bring myself to deface my armor like that, but such are the lengths I go for them," Issei nodded solemnly as it was the greatest sacrifice he could make.

"You complete moron," Akeno pinched his cheek, but there was no malice in it. "How can we get a chance to spoil them rotten when you take every opportunity yourself?"

"Akeno! Don't take his side!"

Issei couldn't help but laugh, at the look on their King's face when she whirled upon the other woman. Picking them both up in his arms, he spun in place.

"Issei! Put us down." Rias squeaked in an unladylike manner. "The children are watching!"

Nine little heads were lined up in the nursery window, though they ducked out of sight when Issei looked up and he reluctantly let them down. Still, Rias and Akeno didn't move, both holding an arm to wrap around them.

"You have to go," Rias sighed wistfully.

"You know I do." Issei kissed the top of her head. "As much as I care for her, your sister-in-law knows just how to find the hardest assignments and keep them reserved for me. The longer I wait, the more time this one has to harvest more innocents."

"Then go," Akeno whispered as she reluctantly removed herself from his grip, Rias mirroring her motion. "And hurry back."

"I'll be back by morning." He quickly kissed them before activating his armor. Instantly nine little heads were back, noses pressed to the window to watch. Knowing he had a captive audience, Issei straightened. "Give my love to the others."

Using a minute amount of his power, he rocketed upwards in a perfectly vertical takeoff. Fast enough for the blue trail of his wings to form, but not too fast so that the same trails didn't disappear too quickly. Though they were miles away now, Issei grimness she heard the excited cries as his children watched him ascend.

Koneko and Rias would call him a show off. Akeno, Kuroka, Xenovia, they'd tease him for showing off to the kids. Ravel and Rossweisse would both worry for endangering the supernatural world's secrecy. Asia and Irina would watch, gazing up to the heavens even hours after he had departed. And all would worry, after all, the dangers of the world, the dangers even Strays could unleash upon the world were so much more than what they had fought together years before.

But that didn't matter. Though he was leaving even if only for the night, it was to keep them and the world they lived in that much safer. The thought of defeat never even crossed his mind. Eighteen souls flickered, eighteen hearts beat, eighteen voices prayed for his safe return. So long as his wives and their children were safe, he would, no, must return.

But for now, while on this hunt, it wasn't the loving father that was needed, nor the loving husband. Right now, to fulfill his objective and ensure his safe and successful return, he needed to be the warrior twenty-five years of conflict and struggle had forged him to be.

"I, who have awoken…"

This is what happens when I'm stuck. Literally stuck. Progress on the lemon scene since August? 500 words remain after multiple self edits and revisions decimated about several times that. Writing smut is hard.

Fu-reiji, Shirou Fujimura, LordxS, Shad0wReaper133

If any of you guys are able and willing to help me co-write the scene I'd appreciate the help. Seriously, the damn scene is the only thing keeping the next few chapters, some of which are, if not very close to being finished and beta-d, from being posted.

Regardless, this is something that I've wanted to write for a while. A future based on Holy Inferno Dragon past the events of the current volume 21 but long before the time travel bringing the kids back to the present in DxD EX. In fact, this might actually be more than supplemental filler content. I'll probably be introducing concepts and facts and mythology here that I draw from/ incorporate into HID. Ish. I'm still debating on that. 50/50, with similar odds on it being a two-faced coin.

Point is, I needed something to show progress and I really wanted to give you guys something. Hence this work that I've done my best to avoid spoiling anything in the main fic that you guys can't put together on your own with the hints and clues I've made sure to give you.

Some of you, and you know who you are, are insanely good at making connections. I think I've done a fair job of not spoiling anything for the general audience, but for those of who you figure it out, as usual please refrain from posting any speculations in the reviews, to avoid spoiling it for those who avidly search for comments like that.

Notice how this chapter's less than 2k and unbetad? Unbetaed? Not submitted to my wonderful beta Shad0wReaper133? That's cause without the usual bulk or need to follow current storyline or a lemon scene I could knock this out this in less than the 2 hours I have between classes. Yeah. I need help.

Hoping that the next time I update, it's the update you've all been patiently waiting for.

Later! Wish me luck!

-G1Splicer