Issei knew something was wrong the moment he woke up. Ever since he's become a devil, he's been seeing the world differently. In a world where devils, angels, and monsters roam free, Issei began to wonder if all the things he had read about as a kid were true. If whether or not there was a tooth fairy, or vampires or werewolves. This world, the world of the supernatural, was brand new to him, yet he felt as if he had been living in it for years.
"Issei-San," Asia tugged at his arm. "Are you feeling okay? You seem pale."
Issei rubbed his forehead. "Sorry Asia, I just didn't get much sleep." It was partially true. Today was the anniversary of Ryusei, of his brother's death. It's been five years to the day, when Ryusei went on that cruise ship to study abroad. Looking back, Issei wished he had stopped Ryusei before he could ever set foot on that ship.
The only people who know about Ryusei are Issei and his parents. Not Asia, not Rias, not anyone. Ryusei was always studying abroad, he was the family's golden apple. Perfect grades earned him spots in the top schools all over the world. He was on his way to America, to attend Holy Cross Academy, one of the top private schools in the world. His family could never even afford half of the rent if it wasn't for his full ride scholarship.
Issei stopped in the middle of the street and looked up at the sky. Every year, he would take today off, but he decided to go school today anyways. He would join his parents after school and go to visit Ryusei's grave. Every year, on the anniversary of his death, Issei visited his grave and would tell him all about the year he's had.
The sky was cloudy, Issei couldn't even see the sun shine. It was the same every year. It was as if the Heavens were weeping as well. Issei shook his head to clear his thoughts. "C'mon, let's go." He and Asia hurried to school.
It's been about two weeks since he became a devil. He would have a lot of explaining to do once he went to visit Ryusei. How he became a devil, how his first ever girlfriend tore a hole in his stomach, how he rescued Asia. A lot of incredible stories, but he doubted Ryusei would ever believe him.
School was boring. Afterwards, he and Asia walked to the Occult Research Club. Of course, it was a farce for the House of Gremory devil family. Rias Gremory, the next heir and daughter of the Gremory family. Her queen, Himejima Akeno. Her knight, Kiba Yuuto. Her rook, Toujou Koneko. Her bishop, Asia Argento. And her pawn, Hyoudou Issei. He thought it was weird how the devil system incorporated chess pieces, and him being a pawn wasn't so great either.
On the way to the club, Issei's phone rang. He picked up and answered. "Hello? Mom?"
"Issei. Come to the hospital. Now."
"Mom? What's wrong? Is dad okay?"
"Yes, yes honey he's fine. It's a miracle." His mom was brought to tears. "Your brother. Ryusei's come back to us honey."
Issei dropped his phone. "Issei-San? Are you okay?" But Issei didn't answer. He took off to the hospital.
Kuoh General Hospital was the biggest hospital in the city. It was a few miles away from school, but now that Issei was a devil, his basic athletic abilities were doubled, maybe even tripled. He ran to the hospital like it was nothing, not caring who was in his way.
He ran past the entrance and into the emergency waiting room. Standing there, in front of the glass, were his mom and dad. His mom was holding her mouth, crying her eyes out. His father was holding her, but stared through the glass in disbelief. Issei walked slowly to the glass, and looked inside.
Sitting on the bed, being examined by the doctors was a boy with medium length brown hair. His hair was the same color as Issei's except it was longer and slicked back, with a single strand over his forehead. From the reflection on the window, he could see his face.
The boy wore green scrubs. He was still being examined as the doctor walked to the door and talked to he and his parents. "Mr and Mrs. Hyoudou, before you talk to him, there are a few things I must tell you."
"It's our baby boy? It's really him?" His mom asked, still weeping.
The doctor nodded. "Yes, however…" He sighed. "Over 40% of his body are covered in scars. Burn marks, cut marks, bruises, a few broken ribs, yet his body isn't that of a 16 year old boy."
"What are you saying doctor?" His father asked.
"You need to prepare for the fact," He said. "that the boy they found, may not have been son that you lost."
Issei walked through the door, and slowly walked to his brother. "Ryu? Ryu, is that you?"
The boy turned around. The doctor was right, he didn't look like the same Ryusei who went off on that cruise ship. His face was structured, high cheekbones and dark green eyes. His jawline was firm and his lips curved into a smile. "Hello brother."
Issei moved over to the boy and hugged him. "It's you. It's really you. It really is you."
Ryusei hugged him back. "Yeah, it's me."
Issei let go, and let his parents look at him. "Mom. Dad." Ryusei smiled and hugged his parents.
"Can we take him home?" His father asked the doctor.
"Yes, however it would be best if he stays and take-"
"Doctor," His father said. "My son has been gone for five years, we want to take him home."
The doctor nodded. "Yes, I understand."
His parents had rented a car, which they all took home. Ryusei had brought with him a trunk, a green trunk with an arrowhead. When Issei tried to pick it up, to carry it out with him, Ryusei stopped him. "It's okay, I got it." He said.
Issei sat next to Ryusei on the ride home. As his mother and father were in the front seat, the brothers sat back. Every so often, Issei glanced at his brother. There was great sadness in his eyes, an unexplained sense of despair in his eyes. Not once, in the entire ride home, did Ryusei look at either him or his parents. Ryusei's eyes were focused out the window, watching as they passed the streets.
He couldn't believe it. Five years, five years since he was gone, and he hasn't said a single word since they left. His parents kept on talking about the current events. Everything major he may have missed, everything from sports, to music, to political news. As they went on, Ryusei never even paid attention. He seemed to be in his own world. Issei didn't know how to help him, what to say. All he knew was that whatever happened to him, it changed him.
…
"It's okay, brother, I can carry it myself." Ryusei grabbed the trunk as he and his family walked into their house. The one thing he missed the most about being home, it wasn't the bed or the people, it was the food. The homemade food his mother makes, there was nothing better.
His room was still the same, as was much of the house. Same furniture, same T.V, same everything. His parents haven't changed a thing. His room was small, with a bed by the corner wall with a desk adjacent, right below the window. A drawer next to the closet, where his old photos were. One of he and Issei, one of he and a childhood friend they played with as kids.
"We never had the heart to move anything." Issei was leaning against the door.
Ryusei was still dressed in the clothes his parents brought along to the hospital. A pair of jeans, a white fitted T-shirt, a pair of sneakers. His hair was loose, he cut it every few months but liked the length.
"Thank you," He set the trunk down by his bed. He felt the cushion of the bed, the softness. "You have questions."
"Yeah, but we don't have to talk about it until you're ready." Issei smiled. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. You must be-"
"They found me on an island." Ryusei said, sitting down. Issei walked over and sat down next to him. "The name of the island is Lian-Yu, it's Mandarin for purgatory."
"So you were literally in hell." Issei sighed. "The things you must have seen. We can talk about it anytime you want."
"Thanks, thank you brother, but I wish to leave the past in the past." Ryusei said.
Issei took his hand. "You're going to be okay. You're home now, you're still my kid brother and I will do whatever I can to make you feel at home."
"Thank you, brother." Ryusei smiled.
Issei left Ryusei to himself. Closing the door, Ryusei sat on the ground, in front of the trunk. Etched, or rather engraved, on the corner were Chinese symbols. Together they spelled the "harmony". Opening it, Ryusei removed the cloth and stared at the image inside. It was the only thing keeping him going, those col ad lonely nights on the island. It was a picture of three kids. A girl that Issei and Ryusei played with when they were young, Issei, and Ryusei. They were smiling at laughing. Looking at it, he was reminded of better days. When he was ignorant of the world. Now, he knew better. Living on the island changed him. In order to survive, in order to live to see tomorrow, in order to come home, he had to change. The island held many dangers. Most of which normal mundanes could never even hope to comprehend. In order to survive, Ryusei had to change. He had to cast off the shell of who he was once was, and forge himself into a weapon who could live and survive, and one day come home.
Now he was. Now he wasn't the boy who was shipwrecked. Now he was a man. The man who will change his city.
…
Lian-Yu, Five Years Ago
Hyoudou Ryusei woke up when he felt the cold, freezing waters brush up his legs. His eyes shot open and his body crawl up the sandy beach. Looking up, the sun nearly blinded him. "Hey kid, are you okay?"
Ryusei looked up. It was a boy in his late teens, long black hair and dark eyes. His white T-shirt and jeans were torn, but he reached down and helped Ryusei up. "I'm okay."
"We have five survivors." The boy said. "C'mon, we made a little campfire. I'll walk with you."
Ryusei looked out, into the ocean. There was a fire, burning in the ocean. Smoke rising from a rubble of broken ship parts. His memory was coming back. He was on a ship, a cruise ship, headed towards America, to Los Angeles. He was supposed to arrive in a month, maybe two, and to attend Holy Cross Academy. There was a malfunction with the engines, and the ship exploded. He was thrown overboard, if he had stayed, he would've died. The boy…he saved Ryusei's life.
"I'm Kaito." The boy said. "Your memory might be hazy, my name is Imari Kaito. We met on the ship."
"I'm Ryusei." He said, taking Kaito's hand and walking through the beach. The sand going in between his toes.
Further back, towards the base of a cliff, was a small campfire. Sitting there were four people. Two girls, who looked to be around 17 or 18. One had long dark hair dyed hazel. The other had brown hair and matching eyes. There was another boy around Kaito's age, and an older man, maybe in his thirties.
"Kaito-Kun, did you find anyone else?" The girl with hazel hair walked forward.
"No, just Ryusei here. He was passed out, he's probably hungry. Can you get him some food?" Kaito asked, but it sounded more like an order.
The girl brought him over to a log, where she sat him down and handed him a cup of soup. In a pile, were a bunch of cans. Food, drinks, etc. "My name is Krissy, by the way. You're Ryusei, right?"
Ryusei nodded. She smiled and ruffled his hair. She was pretty. Kind eyes and a gentle smile. She wore a dark T-shirt and a skit, ripped and torn.
"Where are we?" Ryusei asked.
She didn't answer. None of them answered. Ryusei knew the answer. He was going to die. They were all going to die. They were shipwrecked on an island, and these were the survivors. They were going to die.
Author's Note - I know the first chapter is short, but I'm still writing the story. This is pretty much my own version of Arrow, the story and everything. I'll mix in a lot of DxD elements into the story, but one major thing is that Ryusei will NOT be a devil. He will be allied with the three factions, but he will not be on anyone's side. Let me know what you guys think, and if I should continue these flashbacks like on the show. Thanks for reading guys and please leave a review, I could use some input. :)