Well, boys... I'll keep it short and sweet.
Grab your popcorn, go get yourself a drink and take a seat. Oh, and make sure you review. And no flames, please.
Special thanks go to Daemon of Wrath, who helped me get this puppy out of production.
Also, keep your eyes peeled out on my profile page for the next couple of days. If you are a fan of bloodshed, vampires and a certain crimson fucker, then I can assure you, the next story that will appear will be one you will most certainly enjoy.
"Normal speech"
"Stray Devil Speech"
'Thought bubble speech'
[Heavenly Dragon Speech]
High School D×D Alternative
Volume 1: The White Dragon Emperor's Arrival
Chapter 1: The White Devil of Kuoh
It was the dead of night; the wind was chilly and the moon was in full splendor, golden and hanging beautifully for all to see.
Unless, of course, you were a young teen about to be killed by a monstrosity that was six feet tall with the head of a deformed wolf.
The street was thrashed. Concrete was cracked to pieces and street lamps bent out of place. In the air was a teen with silver hair, wearing a black jacket and red jeans with shining blue wings stretching out from his back, dancing around what could only be identified was a monster. Its form, while human, was large. Its fingers were curved like sharp talons, the lower half of its body was reminiscent to that of a beast: fur covered its lower half, legs shaped like those of an ox yet with the feet of chicken. Its head, however, was that of a wolf or a dog of some sort, albeit warped. Its jaw was longer and unhinged, making it look as if its mouth was constantly open. It had no left eye, as the left side of its face was scarred terribly with burned flesh.
"Gwoooooaaaaaagh!"the beast roared as it leaped up from the ground, jaws poised to devour the teen whole. He glared back in defiance and darted away, becoming a flash of light that avoided it completely and reappeared behind him, folding his wings around his body. Orbs of blue light began to swell along the surface of the wings before he spread them out to full splendor, releasing the spheres and sending them flying straight at the beast, exploding against his exposed back. It let out a cry of pain as it was thrown out of the sky, landing harshly on the ground, a crater proof of its fall. Rising back to its feet, it shook its head and glared back at the teen. "You are strong, half-breed!" it snarled in a booming voice. "Your life energy will serve me well! Now, hold still so that I may devour you!"
In response to his words, the teen snorted. "If you think I'm going to roll over and die just so you can remain alive, then you're clearly delusional." he said as he folded his arms. "Also, do you think you're the only Stray Devil who's tried to eat me?"
"But you have yet to face a High-Class Devil like Artrius Gratch!" the Stray Devil declared with pride before its form was overwhelmed in demonic energy, which began to gather in its mouth. "Behold! The might of a Devil who surpasses even Lucifer! Extinction Blaze!" With a loud declaration, the energy was released and exploded like a flooding torrent, streaking across the sky and aimed to obliterate the silver-haired teen.
He was not impressed, as he shielded his body with his wings. The blast consumed him, but continued forward as it reached to the limits of the sky. After several seconds, the energy blasted faded away. At first, the Stray Devil was smug, believing that it had successfully killed the teen. Then its only remaining eye threatened to bulge from its socket, seeing the azure blue wings completely unharmed, much less tarnished as they unfurled, revealing the silver-haired "half-breed" to be unharmed.
"H-how?! Not even my former Master was capable of surviving such an attack!" it cried in disbelief, unable to accept the truth that half-blooded trash could withstand its ultimate attack.
"What is it with cliche villains and calling out the names of their attacks?" he asked, mostly to himself before he addressed the Stray Devil. "And your Master must have been quite the weakling. You claimed to be High-Class, but that was more along the lines of a Low-Class. Strong, but still weak." He then smirked, revealing a few fanged molars before he raised his hand, calling upon his own demonic aura. Blue light began to flow into his palm from his wings, adding to it. "Let me show you real power."
The Stray Devil watched as a mixture of blue and black energy began to mix together, increasing in size. It started at the size of a softball, but slowly increased into the size of a giant sphere that eclipsed the view of the moon. The power behind it was enough to make the Stray Devil shake uncontrollably. "W-what? What is this power? High-Class? No... Ultimate-class?!" it asked in fear, involuntarily taking a step back. "W-what in the world are you?!"
"Your end." he answered simply before he brought the ball of energy down on his prey. It came down like a meteor, slow but ominous and leaving his foe paralyzed with fear. It stared as its destruction was brought down upon it. Soon, the ball of energy fell upon it, engulfing and tearing apart its being, down to the very strand of its existence, before it imploded upon the street, releasing a powerful explosion that destroyed the concrete pavement and tore apart the surrounding area. Windows shattered from the resulting ferocious wind, stone tiles lining the sidewalks were pulled from the earth and sent sky high. Mailboxes were torn out from the ground.
The resulting devestation soon faded. All that was left was a smoldering crater of ashes, destruction and debris, all held within a sizable crater. In the distance, a loud and obnoxious chorus of car alarms rung out. The silver-haired teen looked upon his work with some satisfaction before he frowned in distaste.
"This makes the third time today..." he muttered, putting a hand to his chin. "This is getting ridiculous."
[It can't be helped, Vali.] a deep, booming voice echoed in the back of the teen's mind. As it spoke, the wings on his back flashed in intervals. [They are drawn to your power. To Youkai and other beings, you are a dangerous threat and an unwelcome guest in their territory. To Stray Devils, you are a meal and a means to become stronger. The only upside to this is that, with each encounter, you grow stronger.]
"Even so, this is becoming tiresome." the now-named Vali responded, clicking his tongue. "I love a good fight, but this? This is becoming ridiculous." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose before he shook his head. "At any rate, we've overstayed our welcome in this town. We should probably leave."
[I agree. If I may make a suggestion, let's head to Kuoh.]
Vali raised an eyebrow. "Kuoh?" he inquired. He had heard of that place before. It was a small, rural town, not big enough to be considered a city. There wasn't anything of actual interest in that city, aside from the fact that it was the shared territory of the younger sisters of two of the most renowned figures in the entire Underworld. "Why there?"
[Well, for starters, it makes an excellent hiding place. Since its under the protection of those two, the odds of someone targeting you there, aside from the occasional Stray, are next to none. Plus, I've heard there's a school there.]
At this, the teen groaned. "Seriously?" he questioned. "Why are you so insistent that I have an education?"
[Because I will not allow my host to be all muscle and no brain.] came the swift and serious response. [And don't forget who's got control of these wings of yours, boy.]
"Fine..." Vali grumbled, clearly not happy. "But, the moment things get hairy, we're out of there." The voice let out a grunt of agreement.
With sirens blaring in the distance, it was a matter of time before the police arrived. The last thing he needed was for someone to see him here, standing in the air with glowing blue wings and in front of a crater no less. With a beat of his wings, Vali took high into the air before he shot off like a speeding bullet, becoming an azure blue streak across the night sky.
In our world, there are forces that exist. Forces that are beyond the comprehension of man. Beasts, mythical creatures, gods and angels, demons and spirits...
Yes, it is inhabited by such creatures.
In years past, during the days of when the third kingdom of man was but a mere infant, a great war had been waged between three sides: between the angels and their righteous god, the devils and their lords and masters - the Maou, and the angels who fell from grace with their strongest at the helm.
It was a long and brutal conflict, with many casualties. Many beings were drawn into the war, and many deities were slain. With each passing day, the pantheons that ruled over man waned. Eventually, however, the conflict ended and a ceasefire was declared.
In the present day, the three greatest factions: Heaven, the Grigori and the Underworld, all strive for dreams of peace. However, that road is long and arduous, for each step threatens a terrible fall for those who dare to pursue what lies at the end. For even the slightest provocation from any side could result in a renewal of the Great War.
It was a prospect that none of them could afford, as a continuation would result in mutual destruction.
Recent events, however, in the world of man, are beginning to occur. Events that will tip the scales. Whether they kindle the flames of peace, or reignite the flames of war, shall be decided by two young men.
One, a drifter who seeks battle. And another, who seeks love in the most bizarre of forms.
This is the story of the two Heavenly Dragon Emperors, who's actions shall decide the future.
ONE MONTH LATER...
"Everyone, I would like to introduce a new student to our class today. He's recently transferred from Okinawa, so he's still adjusting to life here in Kuoh. Please treat him, kindly! Now then, Vali-kun, why don't you introduce yourself?"
The familiar scene of desks lined with boys and girls was not a sight Vali had particularly been fond of. For as long as he could remember, being inside of a classroom was anything but fun for him. He likened it to prison: forced to listen to pointless lectures for hours on end, with your only reprieve being bathroom breaks or skipping out entirely. He preferred the latter action, but if he did that, he would be forced to listen to his partner's griping until he was forced to return.
Being the new transfer student also meant that he would be attracting the attention of students as well. Vali didn't mind the attention, actually, but he didn't like it either. If anything, he ignored the opinions of those around him. He didn't care what others thought of him, given that he had been moving from town to town for pretty much all of his life, trying to find a decent fight while living a semi-ordinary life.
Sighing and rubbing his neck, Vali stepped forward and addressed the fellow students of Kuoh Private Academy. "The name's Vali. I'm new here, so I might get some things wrongs. It's nice to meet you." There. Short and simple and straight to the point. The teacher clearly expected more, but he stated everything that needed to be stated.
"O-okay, then..." the teacher sweatdropped at his nonchalant attitude before turning back to the class. "Does anyone have a question for Vali-kun?"
"I've got one!" someone in the back of the class asked. For a reason that Vali didn't understand, all the girls in the room groaned and eyed the person with a large degree of disgust. Not that he blamed them. He looked quite shady, what with the glare of those glasses of his. "What's your favorite type of woman?!"
Vali gave him a flat stare. "Don't have one." he answered. "I'm not interested in girls."
...why did it feel like he just gave the wrong answer?
[You are a dense one, indeed my host.] Albion commented blandly.
Vali ignored him as those within hearing range snapped over to him with gobsmacked expressions. The girls were blushing up a storm as their minds drifted off into BL territory.
Either way, he didn't like how they all stared at him like that.
"O-okay then!" The teacher, in the hopes of ridding herself of her own perverse thoughts, clapped her hands. "Why don't you take a seat beside Murayama-chan, Vali-kun?"
Vali nodded and proceeded down the isle, going straight for his desk. Murayama looked to be around his age or so, with brown eyes and hair done in pigtails, held in place a red ribbon. She seemed to be fixated on him for some reason, though he paid her little mind. Pulling the chair back, he took his place and slouched, a hand on his chin.
'And so, I'm subjected to boring school life once again.' he thought dryly. 'So tedious... Perhaps I'll go out Stray hunting once classes are over and done with.'
[Need I remind you who is in charge of this territory, Vali?] Albion questioned him, wondering if he was actually serious. [A small misstep, and they mistake you for a Stray, or a Devil intruding upon your territory.]
'But, if I kill them, I'll get the chance to fight the Maou, right?'
He was sure that, if he was facing Albion right now, the dragon would be glaring daggers at him with his fangs bared. [Vali...]
Vali sighed again. 'Fine... I won't do anything rash. But I am going to go look for a fight. I can't stay sitting around in one place.'
[Then slake your lust for battle on the local hoodlums. At least then you won't attract the attention of those two!]
'You're asking me the impossible. There is no way normal humans will be enough to satisfy me. They are so weak. So fragile. Did I mention weak?'
If there was one thing Vali enjoyed, it was fighting. Growing up by drifting through towns and being chased by monsters had him developing a thirst for opponents. That said, he didn't like the idea of picking fights with humans. It wasn't that they were too weak. It was just that they were too fragile. Easy to break. They weren't supernatural beings of any sort, so their bodies could break without him even trying. If they could maybe withstand a few hits, maybe Vali would try his hand at them.
Albion groaned. [We really need to limit your blood lust, partner.]
Classes had been a relatively boring affair, as he expected, aside from the fact that almost every girl was staring at him strangely. Vali usually didn't pay it any mind. Often times, their gazes would usually be something like infatuation or a school girl crush, but their gazes were different. A bit bizarre...and off-putting.
[That's what you get for not choosing your words carefully.] the dragon deadpanned. [Honestly, Vali, have you never given the idea of women a second thought?]
'I have.' Vali replied. 'At least strong women. Women who can get my blood pumping and fight me on equal ground.'
[...so, you're an Amazon Chaster. I should have figured.]
If he could, he would give the dragon a flat stare. 'I meant I like fighting strong women, just like any other opponent. You think I have any time to try and find a woman, Albion?'
[Well, given your circumstances, probably not. But it couldn't hurt to try, right? It will at least keep you more or less grounded.]
'As if I need any inhibitions. I'm perfectly fine with what my life has to offer now.'
That being said, he could deal without the more weaker foes who tried to hassle him. The fights usually ended far too quickly. As he made his way towards the rooftop, in the hopes he could get some peace and quiet with no interruptions, Vali felt his body suddenly tense as he felt a presence approaching. It didn't take him long to find the source, as it was coming towards him. The presence was a woman, about a year older than him or so with chin-length black hair and violet eyes, hidden behind a pair of thin-framed glasses. Her form was slender and lithe, radiating a sense of authority and academic success.
Not surprising, since she was the Student Council President.
"...Kaichou." Vali greeted plainly.
"Vali-kun." Sona Shitori, or rather Sona Sitri, one of the territory rulers of Kuoh, responded evenly. "I didn't expect to run into you so soon. Tell me, how are you enjoying Kuoh Academy, so far?"
"It's still the first day." he reminded her. "But so far, nothing unusual. Aside from someone in class asking me what my type of woman was."
"I see. Well, I apologize for the invasion of privacy, but some of our students can be rather...forward." She apologized. "Also...regarding that student, do you recall his name?"
Vali raised an eyebrow. Sona looked quite peeved for some reason, if the intense glare behind her glasses was of any indication. Hell, he could even see the faintest outlines of her wings forming behind her. Whoever that student must be, Sona must have had it out for him or despised him with a passion, much like every other female in his classroom. Seeing no reason to decline, he answered, "I didn't catch his name. I only know he wore glasses and that's about it."
"I see. Thank you for that. Actually, that reminds me. If possible, please steer clear of two students named Motohama and Matsuda." At Vali's confused look, Sona explained it to him. "They're referred to as the Perverted Duo, and for good reason. Almost every day, without fail, they're reported to be peeping on the female students while they're changing in the locker rooms, bringing erotic material with him and displaying it full view or discussing lecherous topics, even when in earshot of others. To put it simply, they are shameless perverts."
'Sounds no different than that one Stray we met.' Vali deadpanned, recalling one encounter from a year or so ago. He had been passing through a territory controlled by youkai, who had been surprisingly pleasant with him...so long as he did them a favor. Simply put, he was to eliminate a Stray Devil that had been causing trouble in their territory. Said Stray, as it turned out, had made its base of operations in a geisha house of all things.
"...I'll keep my distance, then. Is that all, kaichou?"
The girl nodded. "Yes. Please enjoy the rest of your day, Vali-kun." she said, bowing before she walked past him to her destination. As she left, Vali glanced at her back before turning away, making his way to the rooftop. Unknown to him, however, Sona had shortly stopped in the hallway and glanced back at where she had stopped to speak with him, eyes narrowing slightly before she adjusted her glasses. "Hm..."
"Thinking about our newest resident, Sona?"
"I was wondering where you had been. It's unusual for you to be late, Rias." the girl addressed the woman behind her, who was leaning against the wall. She was beautiful, around the same age as Sona but far more filled out with a body that many women would kill for. The most striking feature about her was her vibrant crimson red hair that spilled over her shoulders, which only accented her beautiful blue eyes.
Rias Gremory smiled apologetically. "I was dealing with some stuff from home." she said, not elaborating but giving Sona enough to figure it out on her own. "So, what do you think? Do we need to keep an eye on him?"
"Possibly. It's unusual for a Devil to wander into our territory unannounced, but something about him feels...off." Sona confessed. Her meeting with Vali had already given away his true nature to her. Like them, he was a Devil. Yet, somehow, he also felt human. It was not in the same way a Reincarnated Devil felt, as their original presence, be it youkai, human and otherwise would feel heavily diluted. Vali's presence was an equal balance of both. "I wish to observe him more."
"I see. Well, I'll be sure to let my Peerage know so that they can do the same if they come across him." Her friend offered his assistance.
"Thank you."
The roof, surprisingly, already had two occupants by the time Vali had arrived. One of them was the glasses-wearing student who asked him about his preference of woman and the other was a baldy with squinted eyes. Actually, he was pretty sure the eyes were closed. He couldn't quite make it out, but he didn't care. They hadn't noticed him when he entered, so Vali was free to make his way to what was the highest place here, which was ironically the small square entrance leading up to the rooftop in the first place.
"At least the wind up here is nice." Vali remarked with a smile as he laid down flat on his back, hands behind his head. "And so far during the month, not a single Stray. I'm getting a bit restless."
[Well, this is the territory of the younger sisters of the Maou.] Albion reminded him. [Anyone who tries anything funny here must have a death wish. And hopefully, you will not be among their number.]
'Maybe. But it doesn't change the fact that things are still boring.'
[Better to remain quiet than risking our lives against the possibility of facing off against two of the four Maou. Especially when one of them is Lucifer.]
'But fighting against even one of them would've been a golden opportunity. It will be the fight to satisfy my cravings.'
That, and the prospect of fighting a Super Devil was just too tempting. Were it not for the fact that he was supposed to be laying low and try and live a normal life, like Albion wanted him to do, he would attack Rias Gremory and get Lucifer to come here at once so he could fight him. A powerful opponent like that was worth the effort, and it would show him just how far he could go. Unfortunately, Albion immediately put that thought down with a growl, warning him of the dangers. With reluctance, Vali banished the idea and went back to staring at the blue sky.
Sitting around was so stifling, yet staring at the sky at this angle...he wasn't sure why, but it always managed to put him at peace somehow. Maybe he simply liked watching the clouds pass by, or there was another meaning that he didn't quite understand. Yet Vali couldn't help but feel content, just by staring up at the azure blue sky.
For the next several minutes, Vali and Albion spent their time in silence. After a while, Vali brought up something. "...when do you think we'll encounter him?" he asked.
Albion hummed. [It's hard to say. From what we learned a few months ago after getting involved with the Fallen Angels, it sounds like Ddraig and his hoist have allied themselves with them. Perhaps he has joined the Grigori, or a sub-group within the faction. Outside of the Grigori, there are quite a few groups of Fallen Angels, such as the Watchers.]
"But the odds of him with the Grigori are high?"
[Possibly.]
Vali smirked. "Good."
"...hey, man. Why're you sitting up here by yourself?" Vali looked to the side, finding the baldy and glasses wearing student staring at him in curiosity. "Hm? Oh, wait! You're that transfer student! The gay one!"
A pause hanged in the air before Vali's brain rebooted. "...what?"
[This is why I warned you of choosing your words carefully.] Albion admonished his host.
Vali ignored him as the two students looked at him like some sort of weird science specimen. "To think there would be a gay bishonen here..."
"Hey, shouldn't we be worried?"
The silver-haired teen felt his eyebrow twitch. What in the hell were these idiots babbling about? [They're worried that you, the supposed homosexual male, will be after their chastity] His partner responded as bluntly as possible.
'Thank you, Dragon Obvious.' Vali sarcastically thanked him. While he was willing to admit that he could be rather dense in some areas, he was fully aware of what these idiots were thinking. With a scowl, he addressed the both of them. "For the record, I am not gay. And secondly, how in the hell did you even come to that conclusion?"
"Because you told the whole class that you weren't interested in girls!" the glasses-wearing student retorted. "And while we're on the subject, how the hell can you not be interested in girls?! You do know where we are, right?"
"Kuoh Private Academy."
"And years ago, Kuoh used to be an All Girls Academy!" the baldy went next, his face oddly contorting with fiery passion. "And do you have any idea who the The Great Onee-samas are?!"
"Nope. And for the record, I entered this school because it was closest to home." A lie, but not that they needed to know that.
They promptly ignored him and continued on heedless. "Rias Gremory, a foreign beauty with fiery red hair, heartshaped face, and enormous boobs! Akeno Himejima, silky black hair, slender legs, and even bigger boobs! They're the Great Onee-samas of our school and our prized third year students! How could you NOT have heard about them?!"
'...ah.' Vali thought plainly. 'So these two are Motohama and Matsuda. The perverts kaichou warned me about.' He gave a small internal sigh as he debated what to do. 'Suggestions, Albion? Because at this rate, they'll drone on and on.'
[Well...] Albion pondered. [Since they're perverts, and the Sitri girl obviously dislikes them... She shouldn't chastise you for clocking them, right?]
Vali gave a toothy grin. That was music to his ears. Just as the two were about to continue, Vali sat up and delivered a solid five knuckle punch to their heads, obviously with restraint of course. He didn't want to kill them. That said, he did exert enough force to knock the bastards out with massive welts on their heads as they lay on the ground, face pressed against the floor. Satisfied with his work, Vali laid back down.
Hopefully, the day had no more interruptions.
"Excuse me."
And his hopes had died as quick as they came. Why did he even bother? Irritated, he tilted his head up, greeted with the upside down view of a pair of legs. Since he saw a skirt, he automatically assumed it was a girl. Following the path of those legs, he saw a girl clearly a year older than him with jet black hair tied back into a thin ponytail. She peered down at him with a faint smile, though it was one with the faintest hint of mischief.
"Can I help you?" Vali asked bluntly.
"Would it be okay if I sat here?"
"Do I look like I own the place?" he scoffed before he shrugged and went back to sky watching. "Knock yourself out."
"Thank you very much." She smiled as she sat on the hard surface next to him. "So what brings you up here of all places?"
"I like the peace and quiet and lack of people. And you? What brings you up here?"
"For the peace and quiet here, of course." she replied, still smiling. "That, and the view here is spectacular." Vali didn't reply because he couldn't truly deny that statement. He had been focused on the blue sky and lazy rolling clouds. Of course, this had been the first time he shared it with somebody else, even if they were just a stranger. "By the way, the two boys passed out in front of the entrance..."
"They were being annoying." he told her bluntly. "So I knocked them out."
"Ah! Shitori-san will be happy to hear that, then!"
A few hours later, Akeno Himejima had returned to the Occult Research Club clubhouse, which was located just behind Kuoh Academy. In truth, nobody was aware of the fact that it was actually the home base of the most sought-after club in the whole school. Many people, mostly boys, had tried to apply to the club, but none could ever find it for whatever reason. And they didn't dare come near the haunted old school building, on account of the many ghost stories that had been circulated throughout Kuoh Academy.
In reality, however, it was a beautifully crafted camouflage on the Devils' part. Through many spells and enchantments, humans were naturally dissuaded to enter the grounds leading into the clubhouse. The enchantments worked like this: if a human came too close to entering the grounds, the enchantment would implant a suggestion or thought that would affect their mental constitution. It wasn't too severe, however. If anything, it was more along the lines of a hypnotic suggestion. Thus far, the enchantments had worked like a charm, thus allowing members of the Gremory Clan's peerage to enter without problem.
Akeno entered the main office, which looked as if it belonged to a five-star hotel room. There were two comfy lounge chairs seated across from one another, separated by a coffee table with sofas on either side. Lavish furniture, aside from seating arrangements, were also present, such as paintings by the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gough, a delicately designed flower pot with a bouquet of fresh flowers. At the far end of the room was a finely made desk, created from sleek black wood and golden markings. Behind said desk was a painting, far bigger than any other, depicting a shrouded figure in royal black and red robes. The shadows of the room hid his face, yet it only added to the allure.
"Buchou?" she called out. "I'm back."
"I'll be right there." A voice called out from behind a shower curtain.
Yes. A shower curtain. There was an actual functional shower stall in the corner of the room.
Akeno didn't question it, really. The Gremory Family was filled with all sorts of questionable quirks, such as sleeping in the nude for starters. Waiting for her Master to finish cleaning herself, Akeno went about making the two of them some tea, grabbing a black teapot from underneath the cabinet in which the vase of flowers was sitting on, as well as a few tea bags. She then proceeded to fill the teapot with water. Once it was filled, she set it down and moved over to another cabinet, procuring a few cups.
As soon as she finished the process, the curtain opened to reveal a fully dressed Rias Gremory, her clothes a bit damp from the recent shower. By the time Rias had already sat down, Akeno had finished the tea, pouring her Master a cup. "Thank you." Rias smiled, gratefully accepting the cup. "So, how did your first meeting with our newest addition go?"
"Uneventful, if perhaps a bit too comfortable." Akeno replied with a grin. "I found him on the rooftop, not long after he knocked the Perverted Duo unconscious. I must say, he's a bold one~! Waltzing into yours and Sona's territory so brazenly~"
"I know. Either he must be very confident, or very reckless." She sipped her cup. "However... He is interesting." A sharp knock came to the door. Rias didn't even bother to hazard a guess who it could be and instead yelled, "It's open, Sona!" The door opened to reveal the Student Council President herself, accompanied by another girl, who had waist-length black hair and mismatched eyes: one violet and the other light brown, both hidden behind a pair of glasses.
"Sorry for the intrusion." Sona apologized as she and her Queen, Tsubaki Shinra, took a seat once Rias gestured for them to do so. "I hope we're not interrupting something."
"Oh no, not at all." the red-haired Devil waved a hand. "We were simply discussing Vali-kun. I assume he's also the reason why you came here?" Sona smiled thinly, pleased to know her friend was already aware of her visit. She then set something down on the table. Said something was a manila folder carrying several sheets of paper, with a paper of a young teen attached to the front. It was Vali, albeit much rougher with his hair in dismay and a band-aid on his cheek, with the uniform he wore completely ruffled. "This is Vali's records. It didn't take much work to get it, though there isn't much."
Rias took the folder, opening it up. Next to her, Akeno peered down and examined what was written, shortly expressing surprise. "Oh, my." she remarked, hand over her mouth. "He's moved around quite a bit. Before coming to Kuoh, he's attended at least six different schools."
"But what's surprising is that the last school he had attended had been about 2 years ago." Sona said, adjusting her glasses. "And he was recorded to be a second-year student. Same as here in Kuoh Academy."
"Well, he is a Devil." Rias pointed out, flipping to the next document. "Using memory manipulation would help matters. Still, quite curious as to why he would attend school." She paused briefly, examining the current page she was on before she pursed her lips. "And it seems he's a known troublemaker. In the first two schools he attended, he was seen getting into fist fights with the local gangs. He apparently earned a reputation as a delinquent, known for frequently ditching class." A cat-like smile touched her face as she looked up at Sona. "I can see you having problems with him already, Sona!"
"Tell me about it." She sighed. "That being said, he was considered to be studious. In his freshman year, he was the top of his class. However, after his transfer from the second school, he's continuously repeated life as a second year student, meaning he has been on the move for quite some time."
"I wonder why that is the case. Could he be on the run from something?" Rias pondered thoughtfully. "Could he be a Stray Devil?"
"It could be a possibility." her friend conceded. "However, if that is the case, then he is remarkably in control of himself. When a Stray Devil has distanced themselves from their Peerage and King, their Evil Piece grows out of control before they are unable to withstand the overflow of dark energy. On the other hand, it is a possibility he is a runaway. I've yet to hear anything about a runaway from anyone back home." Sona tilted her head. "Have you, Rias?"
She shook her head. "No, I haven't."
"My my," Akeno giggled. "Our new kouhai is certainly proving to be quite the mystery, isn't he?"
School had ended fairly quick. Before he had realized it, he was outside of Kuoh and already back home, or what passed for it anyway. [I still fail understand why you insist on having us squat in this dump.] Albion huffed in disapproval. To call this place a dump would be an understatement. It was a condemned building, just shy of the border leading out of the city. Not only was it dilapidated, it was rotting and possibly ready to collapse. Cracks and debris were practically everywhere, no matter where one looked. [We have enough yen to stay a hotel. And there are plenty of abandoned houses. So why this place?]
"Which are people more likely to find me in, old friend?" Vali asked with a small grin as he gathered magical energy in his hand, forming it into a tiny ball before he slung it like a baseball player, shooting it at one of the empty glass bottles and tin cans he lined up on a fallen pillar of concrete. "A place where almost anyone is likely to enter, or a place that is going to be demolished, sooner or later and wouldn't go anywhere near it or think twice about going in?"
[...hm. Touche, partner.] the dragon conceded. [Still, it is far from healthy.]
"It'll be fine. The situation is only temporary, remember?" He shot down another empty container. "After all, I'm just here to lay low for a while. In the meantime, I can see if anyone knows anything about the Welsh Dragon." A glass bottle shattered when he shot at it, albeit partially as he only managed to destroy the neck of the bottle. "This is supposedly his home town, right?"
[Yes, but do keep in mind that we heard it from a Fallen Angel. For all we know, it was a lie.] He paused before snorting. [Though I suppose that does little for him now, since you blew him to oblivion. If it does turn out to be a wild goose chase, though, I imagine you'll want to find something durable to beat the shit out of.]
The half-Devil chuckled as he threw another ball of energy, destroying the glass bottle this time around. "You know me so well."
[I'd have to. I'm stuck with you. On the other hand, you could spend your time looking for a girlfriend.]
Vali's aim was a little off. He missed his target entirely. He blinked, wondering if his hearing was still in working order. "...what?"
[You heard me. Find yourself a girl. Explore the female society! Learn to appreciate the feminine physique.] Albion chimed happily. [Heaven and Hell knows you need to learn to appreciate some romance.]
"I've told you before, Albion." his host huffed, crossing his arms. "I'll only give some thought about this whole romance business when I fight my rival."
[And what will you do if either you or him somehow dies? You would be cutting your opportunity short.]
If he could, Vali would give him a deadpan glare.
[...okay, what if he dies?] Albion corrected himself. [What will you do then? Out of all the people you want to fight in this world, he's the one who drives you forward the most. What'll you do if he dies?]
The silver-haired teen couldn't answer that immediately. Instead, he was left to think. "...then I move on to the next strongest opponent." he said after a moment of debate. "And wait for the next Red Dragon Emperor to be born. Then I wait for them to get stronger, and fight them."
The dragon groaned. [But that would take years to happen!]
"I'm a Devil." he retorted. "I have plenty of time. And there is no shortage of powerful opponents in the world for me to face, either."
[Yes, but let's face it, partner. Your patience is like that of a fuse attached to a stick of dynamite. It isn't very long.]
"Maybe so. But like I said, there's no shortage of opponents for me to fight. It will make good to pass the time."
The only real problem was finding them. Shiva, the Hindu God of Destruction, was a mystery in that he had long since left the Three Heavenly Realms without informing anyone of where he was going. Ophis was leading a group called the Khaos Brigade, but Vali had little information on that group. The Four Great Satans were easy to find. It was getting to them that was the trouble. Hades would be a difficult challenge, for few could challenge the Greek God of the Dead while in his domain.
With one last charge, Vali tossed a magic ball into a tin can, obliterating it. Looking on, he frowned slightly as he noticed he was all out of targets. Sighing, he rubbed the back of his neck before it fell back to his side.
"If it will get you off my back, I'll at least try to form a romantic relationship with someone. But only someone of my choosing." he said.
If he could, Albion would have smiled. [That's all I'm asking for. And I don't think you'll have much trouble. Females are naturally drawn to those with incredible power.]
"I know. You told me of this before. The issue would be choosing someone out of that lot." If he were to choose, though...
Huh. Now that he had time to think, he didn't exactly know what his type of woman was. The vanishing dragon snickered. [Knowing you, they'd either have to be strong or have a finely-shaped posterior.]
"Don't you start that, Albion." Vali snapped. "Otherwise, we will be having a long discussion..."
Unknown to Vali, however, the Devils were not the only ones interested in his arrival. Though he had been as discreet as possible in his presence here in Kuoh, there were a few individuals who caught sight of him. His presence was unfamiliar, thus he was not someone who was affiliated with the territory rulers. It had taken a few days, but they had eventually received all the information they needed. At the same time Vali had decided to hit the hay, the group had gathered together to discuss their current plans.
"So, we're going through with this?"
"From what I gather, the boy is a mere Stray. A Stray with impressive control, yes, but a Stray nonetheless. No one will miss him."
"He also has a Sacred Gear! Azazel-sama will be happy when we retrieve it for him, won't he?"
"How will we get close to him?"
"Hmhmhm~ Leave that one to me."
"Planning the same trick you used on Hyoudou-sama, eh?"
"It worked, didn't it?"
"Yes, but only because he was a hopeless pervert with a strange fascination for breasts. From what I've read, the boy seeks battle. Not breasts."
"You worry too much, old man. Just relax. All you guys have to do is set up a Boundary Field around the park when its time, and then bam. One Stray Devil dead and one Sacred Gear. Easy as pie."
"If only we shared your confidence, Raynare..."
The next day at school, Vali blinked rapidly. "The White Devil of Kuoh?" he questioned as he stared at Sona inquisitively, wondering where in the hell this had come up. "What kind of name is that?"
"One that the school has taken to calling you, it seems." she answered with mild irritation. Whether at himself or at someone else, he was unsure. "It seems someone had started to spread rumors about you. From the outlandish details alone, I can hazard a guess as to who. If I may ask, did you encounter the students I warned you about?"
"That all depends, is one bald and the other one wears glasses? If so, then I clocked them both when they pestered me up on the roof."
1"Then that would be explanatory. It would seem that due to their traumatic encounter, they were the ones who devised such a nickname."
Vali continued to stare. "...and just what kind of rumors did they spread to have me earn that kind of nickname?" he asked out of genuine curiosity.
"Some along the lines of how you are a bloodthirsty maniac who feels no emotion outside of physical combat. And other such vulgarities."
...well. They weren't wrong on the bloodthirsty maniac part. That being said, he did feel emotion outside of battle. It was just that he was bored most of the time, what with so much free time on his hands living a normal life. Sona sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Earlier today, I found the Student Council Room's door open. They must have snuck in and found your old school transcripts. My apologies about this, Vali-kun. All student information is meant to be confidential."
"It's fine, kaichou." Vali assured her. "It doesn't affect me much, anyways. Besides, it will spare me the headache of people trying to mess with me."
"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure of that." the woman said mysterious, making Vali raise an eyebrow. "You'll find that such traits will only make the students more curious about you. You'll understand, in due time." How cryptic. What was she? A magician, now? Well, then again, the Sitri were known for their advanced magical arts, so perhaps there was indeed a bit of truth there. "Anyway, I'll have to go. I have other business to attend to."
Vali nodded, watching the Student Council President leave his classroom. As she left, the class became filled with chatter, several people shooting glances his way. Snorting, Vali turned away and looked out the window just in time to see a girl near the school entrance staring up at him.
Ordinarily, this wouldn't be of any cause of concern, if the girl was human. The fact of the matter was that she was not human. Being a Devil, he could sense her true nature, and it piqued his interest. 'A Fallen Angel?' he thought in mild surprise. 'Here? In the middle of Devil territory?'
[And here I thought you were a brave soul.] Albion remarked, slightly impressed. [I would say she's looking at you in contempt, but I recognize the look in her eyes. That girl is full of malice and trickery.]
'And knowing my luck, she'll have her eyes on me.' he thought. While this would be cause of concern, it only made Vali grin. 'It seems my time here won't be so boring after all! If she attacks me, then me killing her will be considered an act of self defense, won't it?'
[Well, yes, but that is if she attacks you first.]
'Well then, I may just have to convince her to do so.'
[You play a dangerous game, my host.] the dragon warned. [Need I remind you that your predecessors have played this game before? And quite a few had been dealt a bad hand and lost because of it. Do not bite off more than you can chew.]
The grin on Vali's face reflected how he felt about such words. 'Then I'll be sure not to lose.'
As it turned out, Vali didn't need to have a reason to make the Fallen Angel go after him. By some stroke of luck, she came to him of his own volition under the pretense of asking him out on a date. Having dealt with this sort of tactic before, and having always managed to get out of it, Vali accepted while anticipating what kind of opponent she was. She introduced herself under the name of Yuuma Amano, but he knew it was a false name. Plain as day, even!
It would be about two days before the date, leaving him listless and growing mad with anticipating, wishing Sunday would already arrive. For once, he took Albion's suggestions to heart and vented some of his frustrations out on the local gangs, though he made sure to hold back. It didn't help much, but it did help some. He wasn't quite as antsy. Plus they amused him somewhat. Really, who talked like a stereotypical delinquent who had an Elvis style haircut and repeated everything they just said while getting up in your face?
Vali was quick to learn, however, that in doing so, his reputation as a delinquent had skyrocketed. Yet despite quite a few people giving him a wide birth, the majority of the female students looked at him with the same look of affection and curiosity as they had on the first day, making him think back to Sona's words.
Then, during Lunch on Saturday, he encountered a Devil named Yuuto Kiba, surrounded by a gaggle of girls and then realized the meaning of what Sona told him. A fact that was only reinforced by the apparent number of students, females included, who ogled Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima as they walked through the hallway. It seemed that, because of the presence of so many Devils, all the students were easily swayed by their emotions, like Lust and the like. His presence was not helping matters, having a had in the influence.
When Sunday rolled around, he was barely able to hide his excitement. Finally. A good fight. Or at least he hoped it was a good fight. He could always hold back to make it seem more interesting, but he risked dying that way. It was better to go all out with the intent to kill from the start.
He stood waiting in the middle of the park, keeping an eye out for Yuuma Amano. He arrived early to carefully observe her upon arrival and try to peer through any chinks in her facade.
[...Vali.]
'I know.' his host replied. 'We have an audience. It seems the Devils are interested in this as well.' His eyes shifted over to the edge of his peripheral vision in the direction of a small, distinct, Devil aura. No doubt one of the Devils assigned their servant to keep an eye on him. 'Since there's a Fallen Angel in the midst of their territory, I'm assuming they'd want to keep a close eye on them. That is, assuming that they aren't here on business. And even then, I doubt they'd allow them to roam freely.' He smiled somewhat to himself as he fiddled with the coin in his hands, spinning it around in his hands and flicking it around his fingers. 'What should we do?'
[Do you even need to ask?] Albion huffed. [Chances are, she wants to kill you. We're acting in self defense, are we not? Of course, that being said, we must also take into account that she may be under orders as well. Or the possibility she has conspirators. In the end, the result is the same: we spring the trap.]
Vali grinned. "Good." Finally. Something exciting for once. Hopefully the Fallen Angels will give him a challenge.
At that moment, the Fallen Angel had arrived.
The Fallen dragged him all around town, with the majority most being done inside of stores. Most of the time she was trying to look for clothes that suited Vali. He didn't exactly hate it, but he did find it annoying after a while. After that, they went to the arcade and played a few games. And after that was the amusement park, where they went on many of the rides, such as the roller coaster and ferris wheel. They finally stopped at a cafe, where Raynare ordered a strawberry sundae while Vali just had a cup of coffee.
Honestly, Vali thought of it all to be boring.
It was finally sunset where he and the Fallen arrived at the park. Almost immediately, Vali sensed the barrier that was present around the perimeter. To be more exact, a Boundary Field. As of now, whatever happened in this space would go completely ignored by everyone else, even if they passed by the area. In this tiny space, everything would be hidden. No one could get inside. And no one would get out, until the one who erected the barrier removed the Boundary Field.
"I really had fun today, Vali-kun!" the Fallen told him with the biggest smile on her face. It was also the biggest fake smile he had ever seen. He had to admit, she would have been a good poker player in terms of faces.
He faked a smile of his own. "I had to admit, it was a bit fun." he lied through his teeth. "We should do this again sometime."
"Mm!" she nodded in agreement. That was when she suddenly developed her original shy behavior when he first encountered her. "S-say, Vali-kun... There's... something I really want. Will you listen?"
[Vali.] Albion warned Vali, who nodded. He could sense their presences a mile away.
"Sure, what is it that you want?"
"...Will you die for me?"
At that moment, at least three different energy signatures belonging solely to Fallen Angels flared to life, springing into action and sending out Light Spears, all poised to skewer him alive. Without batting an eye, Vali called upon Divine Dividing. Azure blue wings spread out from his back, curling around his body and protecting him from the spears before blowing them away with a flap, diving up into the air.
"Impressive...somewhat. If I were a normal being, I would've been killed by that ambush..." Vali remarked dryly as he dusted off his clothes that were kicked onto him shortly after he escaped. "Still, I'm disappoint! Only four of you? I would have thought there would be more of you!"
"So it seems our information was correct. You truly are a holder of a Sacred Gear." The one who spoke was a fairly old man, dressed in a suit and trench coat with a fedora hat. "I've never seen a Sacred Gear like that before. Where, exactly, did a Stray like you obtain such a thing?"
"Does it matter where he got it?" the blonde girl dressed in the frilly goth lolita attire asked with annoyance. "Let's just kill him and be done with it!"
"Stray?" Vali snickered. "Is that what you think I am?"
A woman with dark blue hair frowned heavily. "What else would you be? You reek of human, therefore you're Reincarnated. And the fact that we know all the Sitri and Gremory servants means you're not with them. The most logical conclusion is that, if your Master hasn't come to save you, you must be a Stray Devil. And that means..."
"No one will miss you." Yuuma finished with a toothy grin as a pair of featherly black wings popped out from her back. "So be a good Devil and just die quietly. We don't need the trouble."
"Unfortunately, that won't be happening. And I must say, I'm grateful for you all appearing before me now..."
"Grateful? You mean you ask for death?"
"No. On the contrary, I grew rather bored with a lack of worthy fights, I hope you will all entertain me now... But before we get to it...may I know your names?"
"Very well, seeing as you are so eager to die. My name is Kalawarner." Said the blue haired fallen.
"Mittlet." Replied the blonde.
"Dohnasheek." Spoke the lone male fallen.
"And I am Raynare." Yuuma introduced herself properly as she rose into the air, joining her comrades. "And since we've given our names, what is your name? So that we know what to carve into your tombstone, filthy Devil?"
"Vali." the silver-haired teen responded with a mysterious grin. "Or if you prefer, you can call me Albion. The vanishing dragon. Or, perhaps, you can refer to me as the White Dragon Emperor." He took great pleasure in seeing the shocked faces of the Fallen gathered together in attendance as he gathered magical energy into his palm, holding it up while glaring at the four. "Now then... Let's enjoy this banquet of violence. I know I certainly will!"
In the next second, the sounds of battle echoed loudly in the confined space of the Boundary Field, black feathers blowing into the wind...
TO BE CONTINUED
Preview:
"They may have been Fallen, but we were tasked with investigating them."
"What business does the White Dragon Emperor have in our territory?"
"I do hafta pay you back for killing my sexy tight ass of a boss, you know~!"
Next Chapter: The White Devil of Battle