Chapter 2...
"Wh-what?" Issei stuttered as he eyed the crimson spear of light that was aimed at his head.
"I want you to die for me. Can you do that?" She repeated with an evil smile.
"Wh-why?!" Issei demanded.
"I don't expect a lowly human to understand, but I must get my hands on the weapon before any nuisances show up to claim it." She explained.
"Alright, alright, alright! Just take it instead!" He offered it freely.
"Hmhmhmhm, sorry, but it doesn't work like that. Either way, you've seen my wings. I can't let my identity be revealed to a mere human." She pointed out. "Plus extracting the Red Dragon's power will end up killing you anyway." She shrugged, with little care.
"No way..." Issei was shocked. Was this how he was gonna go out?
"So, thanks for the help human. I'll be sure to remember your kindness. Just know that you had the honor to die by Raynare." She said and thrust toward him. Time slowed while his heart beat was only heard. It was like his life flashed before his eyes. But going in reverse. The years he spent in Oni, the influence of everyone he met there, the day he met Yuka, his parents...his parents death happening in front of him.
"...why...why couldn't I save them?" He thought while her spear inched closer to his head. The voice suddenly spoke to him in his final moments.
"It'S BEcAusE yoU'rE OnlY HuMAn."
"..."
"YOu WerE BorN to DIE."
"..."
"I WilL TaKE YOUr PlaCE. UsE ME-"
((RAISE YOUR HAND, ISSEI HYOUDOU!))
"..!" Issei snapped out of being frozen. Another deep, commanding voice drowned out the other one. He just barely raised his hand in front of him to block the spear. As he did, a green flash of light appeared, prompting Raynare to widen her eyes. Her spear tip was stuck on a small, armored, red plate that manifested on the top of his hand.
"Wha-!?" She exclaimed before, a green energy forced her back. Issei was wided eyed, and surprised beyond belief.
"Wh..what is this thing?" He questioned. He was curious what this red gauntlet was. It had a green orb-like jewel embedded in it. And he oddly enough felt power coming from it.
"D-damn it! You activated it!?" Raynare seemed stressed. A look of anxiousness washed over her.
"...ergh!" Issei quickly got up and ran out his room then dashed down the stairs. He ran towards his door, and then outside into the night. He caught a glimpse of light out of the corner of his eye and he just barely dodged Rayare's spear of light. But the explosion sent him skipping across the ground in a painful display. He grunted in pain and looked back, with shock.
"That...blew up the road!? If I got hit by that, they'd be sweeping me off the street!" Issei was flabbergasted at the level of that destructive power. The gauntlet disappeared, much to his surprise.
"Don't make this any harder than it needs to be, boy!" She shouted as she flew above him. She summoned another one and was chasing him down.
"Damn it! I can't block that! If I try to run, she'll just catch me..."
"FoRM...SHapE! BloCK oUT The LIght!"
The voice urged him suddenly.
"What!? I can't block that!...wait." Issei was gonna protest, but he had an idea. If he couldn't outrun her, he could try that teleport he always used.
"You're mine now, human!" Raynare proclaimed while she threw another spear at him from afar.
"Just focus...somewhere safe." Issei was thinking about a particular place away from them. And right before the spear made contact he disappeared in a black flash. Raynare was wide eyed.
"What!? He can do that!? He hasn't even used the Sacred Gear yet! It can do that!?" Raynare was baffled. She looked all over but didn't see him, but turned around and saw him back at his house on the roof. "You're not getting away!" She immediately flew towards him.
"WHY THE ROOF TOP!?" Issei couldn't help but be angry at this curse. It made him jump to high places for safety for some reason. But the more likely case, was that he thought of the roof top last second, since the last time he teleport.
"MemorieS haVE InfLUence oN-"
"Oh, just shut up!" Issei barked.
"Who are you talking to?" Raynare floated idly by in confusion.
"?!" Issei turned around and was very wary of her.
"No matter. You're not escaping this time." She suddenly summoned several spears of light.
"Multiples!?" Issei gasped.
"It seems you require more than one. So be a good boy, and just roll over and die!" She demanded.
"There is no need for that!" Issei held his hand up in defense.
"If I don't kill you, then the Devils will take you. And as a Fallen Angel, I can't allow that to happen." She explained briefly.
"What are you saying!? Why would...Devils take me!?" Issei couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. He never thought that sentence would be uttered in this life time. Regardless of how ridicules this was. But then again his ability to teleport and use that dark energy defied common sense.
"You wouldn't understand! A lowly human like yourself is holding onto something that can change the war! If anyone possessed you...I can't afford to let you go!" She gritted her teeth and then fired a barrage of light spears at him. He jumped off the roof of his house and crash landed on the ground.
"ARGH! He grunted in pain. He slowly got up and shook his head. "At this rate...she'll just chase me down." He thought it was futile if this game of cat and mouse continued. She could throw spears of light that could explode for crying out loud.
"Finally..." Raynare said, and was panting. She floated down to the ground and the look of frustration could be seen on her. "You...can't...run..(Pant)..." She was breathing heavily. It would seem she had not fully recovered. The bandage around her body was bloodied from moving around.
"You're wound opened up..." Issei mentioned.
"Doesn't..matter. So help me, I'll make sure you don't fall into enemy hands!" She tried to summon a light spear in her hands, but it was futile. Her energy was exhausted. She fell to a knee and her vision was a little fuzzy. "Damn it! Not...I can still..." She was getting tired by the minute. Issei took the opportunity to reason once more.
"Look, Raynare-"
"Don't say my name!" She hissed.
"It's your name, what am I supposed to call you?!" He threw his arms up in disbelief.
"Your executioner!" She tried once more to lounge at him, but she totally missed and fell face first into the wall of his house. Issei cringed at the sound of her head making contact with the wall. She held her face in her hands. "OW! Quit dodging and die already!" She whined.
"This is ridicules! Just calm down, and lets just talk-" Issei didn't want to fight, and was doing his best to show he had no ill will toward her, but it was like talking to a patient with anger management issues.
"TALK!? Why should I have to talk with a insect like you!?" She argued.
"Because you're hurt, and I don't wanna die! And I'm guessing you don't either, if you made an effort to show up at my front door, and asked for help!" Issei countered.
"This is not a negotiation! I came here to kill you!" She fired back.
"Why!? You have yet to tell me! You say I won't understand, but you won't even try to explain it to me!" Issei shook his head and could not believe how sour her attitude was. Maybe beneath her beautiful exterior was that hidden intent he felt before. And this confrontation confirmed it.
"Shut up! You're just an easy assignment! How dare you try to bring me down to your level! Were it so, I would have blown you to bits a long time ago!" She was childishly complaining while pointing at him.
"..this girl.." Issei couldn't help but feel annoyed despite the fact he was in a life, or death situation. He tried reasoning the entire time! Yuka always told him that reasoning was the most effective solution when it came down to conflict. But finding middle ground with a Fallen Angel that tries to kill you? They never covered this part in his sessions. "Look. I am not going to hurt you. If I was gonna be a threat to you, don't you think I would have attacked you by now?" He tried a different approach.
"You? Attack me?! What a joke! You didn't even know Fallen Angels existed, and you think you would have the gall to actually threaten me!?"
"Apparently I do, if you're trying to kill me." Issei looked away and said out loud. Raynare had a giant tick mark form on her head.
"I heard that!" She shouted.
"...is there anyway I can change your mind?" Issei spoke up.
"Die." She bluntly put.
"Besides that." Issei sighed.
"No. You either die here, or die somewhere else." She said as she stood.
"...look, if you don't stop...I WILL fight back." Issei suddenly said as the air changed around him. He had a serious look on his face.
"..w-wh-what!? You're just a lowly human...you don't have the balls for that-" Raynare was thinking maybe she should consider not trying to provoke a response after she was nearly diminished in terms of light power.
"You're right...I'm just a weak human...I can't do anything...let alone protecting my family.." He began to say and clenched his fist. "I know I seem insignificant to you, but I don't care. Even being superior to a human...there are limits to what beings like you can do." He suddenly said, recalling the demon that killed his parents. "And I won't let it slide like last time!" He declared, and held his hand open at her. Suddenly a dark ball of energy began gathering, and it was turning into a well of darkness. Silent screeching could be heard as it formed.
"Wh-what the hell!?" Raynare took a step back nervously. That endless black that seemed to be drawing her towards it was getting bigger. Issei was now glaring at her.
"So decide carefully what your next move is." He coldly said. Inside he was trembling. It wasn't like him to be this cold, but he knew she wouldn't give up unless he showed some force.
"What is that!? I've never seen that dark power before! How can you possess the Longinus, and this...this..." She couldn't help but feel terrified. It was just a well of darkness, but something about it just seemed completely...empty.
"...I never killed anyone...but I realize now it would be easy, because you aren't human." He said as he walked toward her with the well in hand. It was acting like it was going to suck her in forever.
"Wait! Stop! I'm sorry! I won't attack, I'm sorry, please don't kill me! I won't try to kill you anymore!" She begged for mercy as if her life, and it did, depend on it. She lowered her head, and bowed quickly. She kept her head planted on the ground and had a terrified look on her face. She was clearly a coward, now that she was pushed back. Issei took a moment to debate before making his answer clear.
"...you fear dying." He ordered simply.
"Y-yes." She said as her voice trembled. "Damn you!...even though you're just a lowly human..!" She growled.
"Good. Because this is what every 'lowly' human feels every time when faced with a superior existence. Helplessly just watching for the inevitable, cursing how unfair life is as its taken from you while the other guy is just smiling at how easy it is to take it. I guess we have that much in common." He made the well disappear. Raynare slowly looked up with a fearful display.
"You're...not going to kill me?" She slowly asked.
"Only if you don't attack me again." Issei said with a frustrated tone.
"...fine. You win." She hesitantly said. She was out of moves.
"Okay...come back inside. We need to change your bandage." Issei said as he looked around to make sure no one saw them.
"...huh?" Raynare was confused.
"I said we need to change your bandage." Issei plainly put.
"...but-I tried to kill you..?" Raynare was glad she wasn't meeting the maker a second time, but was baffled by his show of mercy.
"Yes, I am well aware." Issei said groaned. All this running all over the place was making his body sore.
"And you still want to help me-"
"I never wanted to fight in the first place! I just want to know what the hell is going on!" Issei shouted at her angrily. "Maybe I'm just crazy, maybe this is all just a bad dream, but all I know is that a weird, red, gauntlet appeared on my hand, a girl with black wings tried to kill me, and I have NOTHING to go on! You're all I got to go on for information!" He stared her down as she was just looking at him with surprise.
"..." She stayed silent and looked away with a frown.
Elsewhere...
"They got away. But Raynare couldn't have gotten terribly far. Not with a wound like that." A young blonde man said who was examining a black feather that was on the ground. He was wearing the Kuoh Academy uniform, and was accompanied by three other girls wearing similar uniforms. One of them was the petite, white haired girl that was watching Issei earlier.
"Ara, ara, to think they would just turn tail when we nearly got rid of them. What a shame." One of the girls said. She had a large bust and long, black, hair tied up to a long pony tail. She had pink eyes, and a gentle demeanor. She was equally beautiful as the red haired girl that was beside her.
"Exterminating them wasn't really my intention this time. I was just making sure Raynare didn't get any funny ideas about the newcomer." She said as she stroked her hair back and said with a smile.
"Issei Hyoudou, was it? Koneko? You've been watching over him, what do you think he's like?" The blonde asked.
"...he's very wary of his surroundings. He seems to keep to himself all of the time. Raynare was the only one to approach him." The silver haired reported.
"That so? Perhaps I should introduce myself to him. It would probably help, if he had another acquaintance ." He suggested.
"Perhaps I was right about him. I suppose preparations should be made, in the event of his death. However, it will be up to him." The red head smiled and they began to walk away in the night.
Issei's house...
Issei was finishing up his treatment. Raynare and Issei were in his room, and hadn't said a word since he started. While Raynare just sat on the bed with her back facing him, Issei swallowed nervously. He didn't think he had it in him to be that angry, but Oni was no longer there to keep his anger in check. But the reason he was like this was because he was recalling all the times that Jace, his psychologist, and other staff members, even his uncle thought he was just projecting images of a demon onto the murderer's face.
But if the supernatural was now proven real, then that would mean he saw a living, breathing, demon.
"...okay, that should do it." Issei said to the best of his ability. "Just don't go throwing anymore bolts of light at me, and you should be fine." Issei sarcastically put.
"You're too kind, human." Raynare said with a dry tone. She then turned around, and then faced him. Her face looked like it went through a change. It was like an older looking Yuuma. "So what now?" She asked curiously.
"Now...I don't know." Issei sighed and sat down on the floor against the wall. His hands raking through his hair. He was feeling all sorts of confusion. He sighed deeply and was thinking where to start. "Actually, you probably need some clothes." Issei realized she was still stark naked. He got up and went over to his dresser, and was looking for a shirt. He found his thick, green sweater and decided to go with it. He tossed it over to her and turned around.
"Put it on." He said.
"I don't care if you look." She shrugged and began slipping it on.
"Well I don't think a girl should be thinking like that." He said as he blushed slightly and had his back toward her.
"Oh, I'm sorry that your just a little shy. Virgin. " She scoffed.
"...man this girl is annoying." Issei thought. He wasn't really offended by being called a virgin, but her attitude was so arrogant.
"Hmm, its kinda comfy." She had to admit.
"That's my favorite one." Issei said and turned. It really hugged her body, especially around her chest. Heck, anything she put on would probably look good, he thought. "Okay. So...are you doing okay?" He referred to her wound.
"I should be fine. I just wasn't expecting to run into a group of Devils." She sighed.
"Devils?...no, you know what? I'm not even surprised anymore." Issei face palmed. "What have I gotten myself into?" He wondered aloud. He suddenly realized something and had a serious expression. "Hey Raynare?"
"Hm?" She asked while leaning back against his bed. They were sitting on the floor. This being the reason it was easier for Issei to do something this time, if she got any funny ideas. He didn't trust her yet, but she was the only source of info he had.
"That weird red gauntlet aside, when you were talking about you weren't the only to notice this...god-killer, who were you referring to?" He felt there was so much more to this than he thought.
"It's known as a Sacred Gear...well, apart from Fallen Angels, there's also Devils, and Angels. Basically we've been locked in a state of war for thousands of years. There's also all sorts of monsters, spirits, you name it. Take everything you humans thought were only fairy tales, myths, and legends. It's all true." She said while bringing her knees up to her self, and wrapped her arms around her slender, curvy legs.
"So everything that humans thought didn't exist-"
"Yep." Raynare nodded. "Most of the factions do best to not involve the human world in it. So it's really a neutral place in regards to the Three Factions. Most of the conflicts take place in the underworld, and the borders of heaven, but rarely they will involve themselves with the humans. Battles used to take place in this realm, but that was a long time ago." She thought back . "So now through certain processes the Three Factions recruit humans to help replenish the losses incurred by all sides. My faction, the Fallen Angels, have the least amount in terms of numbers. We're on the brink of disbanding if we continue to lose more of our kind." She sounded depressed about it."If it wasn't for the treaty that everyone agreed to, we'd be the first ones to go. It's not as bad as before, but conflict always takes place, and securing advantages is now a must, currently."
"..." Issei just stayed silent. "Is that why you were sent to kill me?" Issei suddenly brought up. Raynare was soundly looking troubled.
"Uh..." Raynare was not prepared for that question.
"What?" Issei asked.
"..n-nothing." She cleared her throat.
"What? You thought I was just going to ignore the fact of why you came at me?" He looked a bit more cautious.
"I..wasn't...technically...INTENTIONALLY, supposed to kill you. Just, watch you..." She sounded a bit sheepish and she slowly began turning away.
"What!? Then why!?" Issei demanded an answer.
"I couldn't risk the Devils getting close to you at school! They would have taken you in, and used you against us!" She defended herself.
"Why would I even agree to that!?"
"They're Devils! It's what they do! They would have tried to get to be your friend, then use you!" She fired back.
"YOU WERE DOING THE EXACT SAME THING!" Issei protested.
"THAT'S NOT-!...th-th-that's...I-I'M FALLEN ANGEL!" She corrected, but it was just the pot calling the kettle black.
"Maybe I should have sent you to the abyss after all." He formed the black well of despair in his hand, and Raynare panicked. He had threatening eyes when he said that. Not only was she arrogant, but an idiot as well.
"W-W-W-W-Wait! I'm not going to attack you anymore!" She waved her hands in desperation.
"...geez." He groaned and made it disappear.
"Wh-what is that?!" She shouted, while cowering under his sheets.
"I don't know. I had this power ever since my parents died. It's been with me ever since. He just won't shut up..." He said while feeling his head.
"LiGHt...ErASE It ALL."
"He?" Raynare asked curiously.
"(Sigh). Doesn't matter. You said you were attacked by Devils. And they were at my school. How many are there?" He asked.
"Probably a large portion. That place belongs to the Sitri, and the Gremory's. Since I was in their territory they attacked me and my friends. We got scattered when they attacked us." She said.
"How many of you? And when were you attacked?" Issei suddenly asked.
"Four of us total. About 10 minutes after I came to your house. If any luck they're still alive, the devils will just hunt them down." She guessed.
"..." Issei was suddenly deep in thought. Raynare was wondering what he was thinking. After a minute of silence, he reached a conclusion. "So the only reason they attacked you was because you were in their territory?" He confirmed.
"They also know about you possessing a Sacred Gear. So they may have reacted to me associating with you." She tilted her head.
"...so if we can just convince them that you aren't going to be a threat they should back off, right?" He said.
"...ahahaha! THAT'S what you were thinking of?" She suddenly giggled.
"I'm serious." Issei nodded.
"You? A mere human is going to negotiate with Devils? And convince them to stop attacking Fallen Angels. You might as well tell them to start reading the bible every Sunday." She callously said with a hint of humor.
"No. Just you and your friends. I don't wanna be a part of this conflict you guys are in. If what you said is true, then a neutral party would have more luck convincing them." He reasoned.
"..you're serious?" Raynare stopped laughing. "Why...would you go to that trouble?" She seemed taken aback. Why would this human even care? She thought he'd want to get rid of her, but she was still alive and well.
"I have my reasons for this." Issei said and got up. He grabbed one of the sheets off the bed, and took a pillow. "You can have the bed, I'm sleeping downstairs. " He said and grabbed his notebook and pencil.
"Wh-I can sleep here?" She was surprised.
"I didn't help you just to kick you out." Issei said before going down the stairs. She looked down at the sweater she was wearing and gripped it.
"..." She shrugged.
Issei was on the dinner table and writing down what was on his mind. He finished and went to go lay on the couch, and turned off the lamp. What he wrote in his journal was the following.
"So I guess I can throw the book of common sense out the window. A girl I met recently was actually a Fallen Angel. And turns out that there is more to this world than meets the eye. Devils, Angels, Fallen Angels, God knows what else exist. But I guess if I have this weird ability it was only fitting that supernatural beings existed. Tomorrow I'm gonna try to meet with these Gremory's and Sitri Devils that Yuuma, aka Raynare, was referring too. Maybe I can convince them to not kill Raynare and her friends. As Yuka once told me, a circle of comfort is meant to be stepped out of, but whatever this is it's clear that I'm gonna have to step out for quite a bit. I gotta keep this secret from Yuka at all costs. And my uncle and aunt. Raynare will sleep here tonight. I don't think she'll try anything, but she's all I got as far as information goes. As for my situation, if this god-killer weapon, Sacred Gear, I seem to have can make the other three factions want me, I could use it to my advantage. But baby steps first. I gotta find out more about these Devils.
If I can manage to convince these Devils, I might be able to benefit from it.
And make the first step of my plan work.
This all feels so weird.
...I hope I manage to live through this..
Issei stared at the ceiling and just wore a frown. He turned onto his side and was thinking of his parents.
"Say Issei, what are you doing?"
"I'm making a picture of a monster!"
"A monster? Ooo, scary."
"Look, look! See how big I made his horns!"
"Looks like he could just come out and scare you doesn't it?"
"Hehe! He's not scary! He eats scary things!"
"Oh, then I guess all those other monsters better watch out."
"Yeah!"
"I love you...mom. I miss you so much...so much." He clenched his teeth and buried his head into his pillow. He felt sore, and tomorrow was weighing on his mind.
He needed to make this work.
"Hey." Raynare suddenly said which prompted Issei to turn around to her. "Can I talk with you for a second?
"Wh-what is it?" He asked after regaining his composure.
"...are you really gonna get the Devils off my back?" She asked and sat on the couch, while it was still dark.
"I'm gonna try." Issei said after sitting up against the arm rest.
"I don't understand." Raynare said with a confused look. "You realize that they could just force you to do what they want, if they wanted to, right?" She looked at him with a stoic expression.
"Maybe. But I'm not gonna get anywhere if I just avoid them."
"True. I suppose that's fair." She bobbed her head in agreement. "I just...needed to make sure you knew what you were walking into."
"I still don't." Issei said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"I know you said you had reasons, but...well I guess what I'm trying to say is.." She shrugged while reluctantly talking. "It means...something, for sticking up for me. No one really has done that for me before." She admitted.
"...yeah." Issei nodded. "Even if your intentions were underhanded, I guess you got your own things to worry about. If you want, we could try...again." He offered. She looked at him with a raised brow.
"Try...again?" She asked.
"Being..friends." He offered.
"...!" She was surprised he would say that now. After she lied, tried to kill him, call him lowly, and he still wanted to try to be a friend. She never really considered there would have been a possibility. If anything in all her years, she thought humans were just a means to an end. But he was different. "Friends? Yeah, right. I don't think we could..." She smiled a bit with a soft chuckle.
"Worth a try." Issei responded.
"You're a strange on, human." She smiled.
"That I am." He had to nod.
"Okay, I'm going to sleep now." She stood up and went up the stairs. Issei smiled slightly as he made himself comfortable. He closed his eyes with one last thought.
"Guess she's...not that bad."
The next day...
Issei heard his alarm clock upstairs going off, and woke to a little bit of light outside. He yawned and then wiped his eyes of sleepiness. He swung his legs around and sat up straight. He looked at his hand and then generated the black energy. He sighed and made it vanish. "Yep, it's still real." He thought. He then remembered Raynare was sleeping upstairs and then tiredly made his way up. He knocked on his door and then slowly entered. As the door creaked open he noticed that his bed was made, and the dresser was closed. He went to go turn off his alarm clock, so he pressed the button. He didn't spy Raynare anywhere, but he did notice his window was open. He went over to it then shut it.
"Guess she left while I was sleeping." Issei figured. He then turned around, and inches from his face was the missing person in question.
"Boo." She simply said.
"Gyah!" Issei fell back onto the bed in shock. "You scared the hell outta me." Issei took a deep breath of relief.
"Oh, not by a long shot." She corrected with a prideful tone. She was wearing her school uniform, and was standing at attention in front of him. "I need to make sure you follow through. You promised to help me out, so I figured I'd see this through to the end." She explained.
"Right...right." Issei recovered himself.
"And besides..." She suddenly hovered over him, trapping him in place with her arms. "I think I could get used to the idea of sleeping here." She said as her expression turned into an amused one. "Plus I'll need a place to regroup once we find my comrades."
"You're saying you're going to sleep HERE?" Issei wanted clarify.
"Well I can't go back to the church, the Devils will be watching for any of us to return." She reasoned. "So, looking forward to working with you, Issei." She brightly said.
"I'm glad..we could come to an understanding." Issei was feeling like his bubble was being invaded because her face was a mere foot away from his.
"So lets get going, or we'll be late." She said and got off him, and happily trotted down the stairs. Issei just blinked and sighed.
"She's enthusiastic."
Kuoh Academy...
Issei was standing at the entrance while everyone walked in. He was having second thoughts about this, but he knew he was going to be dealing with far more difficult things down the road. This was going to be easy compared to what happens next. Raynare, or rather Yuuma, went on ahead and he had been thinking about what to say when he met one of the two Devil groups.
"Okay. From what she told me the devils make up the majority of the important, authoritative figures here. So I guess that means that any of them that stand out are probably more than likely to be the Devils." Issei was thinking. "She said a red haired girl would be the leader of Gremory. I didn't see any during the time I was here. Maybe she only shows up when-?!" Issei was looking all over, but his eye caught a red head that was looking out the window from the third floor. He was surprised because she was looking straight at him. She had blood red hair, and a beautiful face. She looked as if she was expecting him. He had a concerned look, and he swallowed nervously.
"Well that didn't take long..."
Read/Review/Rate!
Laters!
