Do you ever wonder what happens when you die? Do you picture the people at your funeral or the decorations they set up? Who would say something and who would collapse?

It's probably not a normal thing to do to constantly think about life and death.

Then again, life and death to me and my brothers was as common as breathing.

Oh I know the usual rant or talk about how teenagers who barely have hair on their chest or around their balls can't know shit the adults do but you don't see the world or do amazing things by being put down by others.

Course, sometimes, it's the safer option to stay in the cage than go out to explore.

But then there are the moments when you realize, no place is safe.

Gahahahah~

Issei~

Hello~

You. Are. My. Puppet~

Never forget your place~

God damn it.

Ow. What the hell? Did the voice in my head do that?

I guess it was only a matter of time before the voices inside my head became real….though they usually tell me to burn stuff…not this.

Oh listen to me prattle on, you people came here for a story, not a teenage boy squabbling with the voices in his head about nonsense.

=D=X=D=

"...Do you recall anything?"

"Everything. Vividly."

"So why is it that your school cannot?"

"I...I don't know. I know for a fact I introduced her to everyone. I made a big show of it, I did my best to rub it in while keeping embarrassment and public discord to a minimum."

"THEN WHY CAN'T WE FUCKING FIND THE BITCH!"

I, Hyoudo Issei, was calmly sipping a cup of green tea as two of the few men in the world that I honestly loved with all my heart plotted whole sale murder and burial of a certain girl. I didn't flinch or even blink at the ravings of my cousin and leader as they both started to get creative with their different forms of torture in store for that 'no-good-fucking-slut' who had the gall to stab me twice.

And break my heart...but that's another story.

"No seriously," Oga Tatsumi growled, "Short of having Kenshin hack into national databases, we really can't find any trace of this girl. I mean, we remember her clearly but certain people at your school apparently don't anymore so obviously she went and did some fuck ton magic and erased herself. Hell, I'm sure even some of our guys forgot too."

"Judging by the scale of the work too, it appears that she's based in something more than just some witch or magical girl type. It could be that she's gone into hiding and gave you a false name but the fact remains that not even through general description could we find her. Bottom line, this is possibly bigger than just some hit hired by people who want our family to suffer."

I took a small sip of my tea but didn't taste it. I sloshed the liquid around in my mouth for a little before swallowing.

"I don't know what to do."

"Neither do we. I sent our best boys with tracking skills on the scent and they can't even get past the school. I had Furuichi personally ask his dad to take a sniff and all he could say was 'faint'. Your god damn cousin here can't even use his biological pulse to find her either. Someone, please, tell me, WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?"

"There's nothing we can do until the rest of our contacts turn up something. For now, I believe it best that we keep some close surveillance on Issei and hope that when the girl realizes that she failed, we catch her before she does anything serious and then demonstrate what happens when you mess with us."

"Guys."

"Oh I'm all for strapping Issei down with enough metal to make clanking noises whenever he breathes but that's not going to help if this bitch can go underground this deep. Sure we can bait her out again but there's no guarantee that Issei can last long enough or even report her before she fucking guts him. Hell! She might not even come back! It might be someone else!"

"Guys!"

"No matter. I'll bring down the entire might of the Ancients itself if I have too. I'm not going to let such an act of terror go unpunished. I will-"

"GUYS!"

Both of the squabbling teens whipped their heads so fast to me that I'm surprised that there wasn't a loud crack.

"I'm fine. The hospital was paid off, the injuries I sustained have been ruled superficial despite your," I pointed at my cousin Tsukune, "instincts," I said with quote marks, "And I'm making it a personal goal to not leave home without my handy dandy flag. So if you don't mind, I would like the final say on what happens next."

Tatsumi glanced at Tsukune who was fixing me with one of his infamous blank looks. The kind that whipped newbies to attention and forced horrors from beyond the veil to kneel. He's been doing that a lot but I got so used to it that it doesn't work. He keeps doing it though and I never had the heart to tell him so I just slowly inch my eyes to the right of his face and speak again.

"I don't know…what any of this meant. I don't know why Yu- she did it or who she was and how. I honestly can't bring myself to care. There are times when I wake up and just flash back to it and go through it all over again. In the end, I just can't do anything about it. What's happen has happened and it's in the past. Let's…just move forward already."

Tatsumi and Tsukune shared another look before Tatsumi shrugged.

"Your call Tsukune. I'm all for going on a witch hunt."

Tsukune turned his stare back to me. What he said next cut deep.

"Don't worry, it's going to be all right."

In all my time that I've spent with Tsukune and all the adventures that we've gone through, this was the second time he's ever said those words to me. This was a guy who rarely said a positive thing in his life. Tsukune had been born a child and died young. He come back as a warrior, someone who had all the optimism beaten out of his body.

If he had a headache, it was either tumors or someone trying to suck out his brains. If it drizzled, it was going to be a tsunami and everyone was going to drown. If Oga Tatsumi had shown mercy, Hell had frozen over and zombies were going to raise.

This was his way of controlling his surroundings.

It was a lifelong ability that he developed to come out ahead in dire situations.

What was scary to hear from my cousin was this phrase because it clearly meant one thing. It meant that in his eyes, the current reality was dire and going to be a fatalistic state. He believed that within something like this, it meant there was nothing to do but charge straight at the danger head on.

"Don't worry, everything is going to be all right."

I blinked twice before his words caught up to me and I nearly recoiled in shock. Knots in my stomach twisted themselves tighter and I felt a very cold chill envelop me before I felt shivers.

=D=X=D

The last time I heard that phrase, I had been knee deep in a muddy trench, firing sporadic shots at the encroaching invaders while my brothers desperately rushed to the aid of those in need. I had been in the vanguard and held the duty of breaking the enemy momentum and putting them into a standstill.

I succeeded in my first task but lost half the troops I was given. I was looking to finish the second task with barely anything left.

That day, it truly dawned on me just how much of a burden it was to lead. I could never be like the men in history who were reported as benevolent rulers or generals who valued their soldiers' lives and did their best to ensure they survived. I could only rush as hard as I could and take down any bastard in front of me so when the time came, there was an established foothold for my brothers to come in and wreck everything.

My cousin Tsukune had been in that trench with me that time and he was struggling to keep calm and endure the bombardment. He was bloody and tired and I'm pretty sure I was the same. The two of us had chosen this role because we knew that anyone else might have messed up.

There we were, huddled together, readying to make one final last stand when all of sudden he said his first words that day.

"Don't worry, it's going to be all right."

And for once, he was right.

The enemy never made it past our trench. The powers that Tsukune were trying to control suddenly stopped rebelling and he let loose. Our brothers, successful in evacuating the wounded and civilians, came back and smashed into the enemy like a hammer of justice and then immolated the pieces.

In the end, we were all alive and victorious.

This was a conflict that I faced when only 13 years old. Some of us were even younger. I don't remember who was the cause for an invasion force like that but it had been covered up so only those directed involved knew about it.

Thank God too.

Ow! Okay that's getting old. Anyways!

I don't think I could deal with the consequences of being known as a skilled killer.

Still, I took the time out of the next few meetings we had to tease and make fun of my cousin. He took it in stride and even joked along sometimes but he was dead serious about one thing. He declared that only something much worse than that day in the trenches would make him ever repeat the phrase.

=D=X=D=

The shivers that went down my spine were very real. Tatsumi, for once in his life, picked up on the mood and tensed. He was like a lion, rearing back and ready to pounce on anything that would threaten what was his. Tsukune was giving me a rueful smile, like he was making a joke and it was funniest thing in the world.

I stared back at him for a short moment before my own mouth twisted upwards and I matched his grin.

"Yeah…I guess you're right cousin."

Say what you will, even if the odds were stacked against us; it didn't change what we were or how we acted. If Tsukune truly believed in what he said, then who was I to refute him? The dark bastard hasn't led me astray yet. If he truly believed that the current situation was bad and deteriorating, I would not run.

I would accept what was coming.

=D=X=D=

The brisk night air was a refreshing taste when I stepped outside of my home. I was still wearing my school uniform but it didn't matter. The meeting of That-Bitches-Killers or TBK as I called it ended only minutes ago and all I got out of it was listening to many creative ways on how to torture a woman and Tsukune telling me that he was afraid of what I was going through.

I don't know what day it is but it's getting the title of second worst day of the week. It's not getting the first because nothing ever beats Mondays.

God damn Mondays.

Ow! Great, I'm ever getting migraines now.

Anyways, a thing that I realized between yesterday and today was that my body has been enhanced. Nothing major but I guess I'm more inclined towards the nocturnal than I was before. For example, I'm no stranger to pulling late nights but usually while I slowly lose my energy and eventually black-out, I instead now can go nearly all night without a moment of rest. I took a punch from Tatsumi too and unlike before where I'll go flying, I managed to stay my ground. Something has happened to my body but I don't know what exactly.

Man, all this stuff is annoying. Ever since I got stabbed…everything for me has changed and turned upside down. I mean, I'm not saying my life was perfect but it already had routine. I was used to just living my way through school, taking the occasional moment to perv around like a healthy teenage male should be wont to do.

That and eventually refine my fighting and leadership techniques and be able to lead an invading force that would be outnumbered and outgunned and win with minimal casualty. It wasn't that big of a dream but it was my dream and I aspired for it wholeheartedly.

"Oh? What an interesting specimen."

I startled but regained my composure. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't feel it at first but now I can sense it all around me.

Danger.

"I don't sense your master or any of your comrades nearby…so you must be a stray!"

I spin on my heel and coolly regard the speaker. It's a man dressed up in a purple hat and a trench coat. He has the hat blocking most of his head and what features I can make out are generally normal and common.

Tough but he should be traceable.

Though I should probably be more worried about the fact that he's giving off the same vibe like the creature from last time. Some dark energy that bore danger at the fingertips. I wasn't exactly sure what I was going up against currently but I knew that if I hesitated or panicked like last time, I wasn't going to live long.

Damn it! I knew I should have listened to Tsukune when he said he could live in my shadow for a week and keep an eye on me like that.

"Well, if you die, it shouldn't cause any problems. Hehe, goodbye scum!"

Last time I saw someone create a lance of pure light, it cost me my life.

This time, I was fully ready for it.

The man threw his weapon at me at a fast speed, something most humans wouldn't be able to dodge. Too bad for him I wasn't exactly human anymore.

I kicked off hard to the left and broke into a sprint, hoping that he couldn't recreate another one quick enough to nail me with my back turned. I zig-zagged my route, making sure to duck low and roadie run through many obstacles like narrow streets, backyards, and trees.

When I could no longer feel the danger around me, I rolled into a stop and panted hard. It was strange, doing what I just did. I was out of the game for nearly 3 weeks and yet I was probably performing better than before. I don't know the exact distance I just sprinted through with my head ducked but it had to be pretty far.

…Oh damn it all.

I might have gone in circles on instinct in hopes of losing any chaser because I had to end up here of all places. I somehow ended up back at the park where I was first stabbed. Hell, I think I'm even standing in the exact same place.

"YOU ARE WEAK!"

GAH! WHAT THE HELL?!

"TAKE HIS LIFE!"

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FU-

"EVEN WITH WINGS HE IS NAUGHT BUT FLESH AND BONE!"

GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD!

I collapsed to the ground, clutching my skull as a thunderous headache tore its way through my brain. I didn't know what was happening or who was mind raping me but I was defenseless against the onslaught. It was as if something was driving nails into my very brain, hammering away like I was just a piece of construction.

"Did you really think you could run away from me?"

Oh great now that fucker is back!

If I wasn't in my current state, I could probably run away again, maybe even fight back.

Alas, it wasn't meant to be.

I've been stabbed many times before. It's not a feeling you forget. Especially when the sharp object in question is a SPEAR OF LIGHT!

I coughed up blood and felt my very insides burn and recoil in pain.

"SKREEEEE!"

…My headache and the mind assault is gone…

Huh, interesting. I now have regained enough of my senses to know that I'm no longer suffering from someone attempting to mind rape me and realize that yes, I'm currently bleeding out from yet another stab wound to the stomach.

"Oh tsk tsk. I apologize for such pain. I missed all your vitals!"

"Stay away from the light!"

…This voice…

The burning spear through my stomach is suddenly twisted and yanked out, making me cough out even more blood. Strangely, I'm at peace. Not with death, no I'm not going to die.

"Feast on his flesh!"

I'm ready to fight back.

"FEED ME!"

"I'll be accurate this time! I'll kill you for sure!

*DING*

Just as he's about to plunge the spear into my heart, I bought my steel enforced flag pole to bear and block his spear.

"What?!"

"WeAkInG!"

I don't know what happened to my body exactly but I could feel a slithering blackness explode from my heart and travel everywhere. My throat constricts and contracts before I feel as if someone has taken control of my vocal cords for their own use.

I pushed up and threw the birdman off balance. Before he could recover, I swung the pole hard and managed to clock the damned bastard in the face with the business end of the pole with the flag. As he sputtered and growled as the cloth blinded him, I bought the other end of the staff to bear and executed a perfect three hit to the face before sweeping his legs and slamming the pole down into his gut.

The choking noise the feathered bastard emitted was music to my ears.

"NoW tElL mE wHo YoU aRe!"

"Get off me you monster!"

Something was wrong.

I felt…wrong.

I was…what was I?

"Die!"

I let out a loud inhuman screech as another spear of light pierces through my leg. My hesitation has cost me. I let this bastard make another spear and jam it through my leg!

"STAY AWAY FROM THE LIGHT!"

"ShUt Up!"

I flew backwards, favoring my left side as…some black ichor forces itself out and through the spear, shoving the thing away before holing up around the gaping wound in my leg. I pant like a wild animal, staring at my prey. His attacks are my weakness but he has not expected me to fight back to such an extent. Right now, we're at a deadlock. He knows that he can keep fighting me but he's not sure what I am anymore. What I can do.

I smile, revealing a mouth full of sharp and pointy teeth.

"FoOd!"

The winged fool throws another spear of light at me, face set in a grimace. I swing my staff horizontally, deflecting the projectile. I build upon the momentum, letting the staff continue to spin in my hands and building up enough speed to create a small modest gust.

"It seems I underestimated your strength. You may be a stray but apparently you have gained enough power off humans to survive."

This winged man, whatever he is, he no longer wishes to play. He stands up, gait straight and strong before two spears of light appear in his hands and he settles into a stance for fighting.

"My name is Dohnaseek and I will destroy you!"

My mouth lets out an inhuman chuckle. Let him come. The meal tastes better when you fight for it.

I get ready to throw my staff, intent on tenderizing his face before tearing him limb from limb!

*BOOM*

GAH!

GAH!

A bright red explosion engulfs the man and blinds me. I didn't realize it but my eyes had also transformed during the fight and reinforced my sight. This small bonus had turned into a curse though because the searing burning sensation in my retinas nearly made me pass out.

"That boy is mine. If you dare touch him, I'll make you pay."

Such…beautiful…red.

I didn't know what had possessed me earlier but it had faded now. I could no longer feel myself upright and I was acutely aware of all the painful stabbing sensations my body was reminding me of. I gasped out another choke before I felt a warm presence envelop my head.

Am…I dying again?

"Oh my poor cute servant. Don't worry, your master will take care of you."

I'm…no one's…slave.

With that last thought, I pass out.

=D=x=D

"If you don't wake up right now, I'll have to cut you into pieces and then bury them all in different spots~"

I still don't know why I have an alarm clock that switches between dere personalities. It's like the most random of things that I could have yet here I am, waking up to a yandere girl in my clock that is making rather graphic threats on my being.

Par for the course on any other day though.

…Except I'm usually not completely naked. I at most only sleep with boxers on…aw man did I sleep wank or something and forget to pull them back on?

"Mmm."

I froze. That…was a female voice.

I slowly crane my neck to the left and see…Rias-senpai…from school…naked…in my bed.

…

…

WHAT THE BLOODY FUCK DID I DO LAST NIGHT?!

"Issei? Are you awake?"

Oh no.

"I was in the neighborhood so I decided to stop by and check on you. You didn't answer my calls last night either."

No, no, no, no!

I scramble upwards and start flailing around, looking for any of my clothes. WHERE ARE MY PANTS?!

"You made your cousin worry too! Your mom said you were fine though so we didn't jump the gun and call in the search team."

NO DON'T COME IN!

"Hey man, are you still sleep-"

Tatsumi Oga boldly opened my door and took in the situation before him. I could see it in his eyes. I'm standing upright, my hands covering my shame. Clearly visible is my senpai who is softly snoring on my bed.

Her ass is also clear to see…what a fine ass.

GAH, NO! BE PEVERTED LATER.

"…WELL GOOD DAY TO YOU TOO BROTHER! SEE YA LATER!"

With that, Oga slammed the door and promptly stomped his way down. I heard my dad question on his way out and Oga just responded with something along the lines of don't worry, be prepared to be a grandfather, don't murder me for going interracial, and tell Tsukune he's going to have more family soon. He was speaking in a rapid fire tone that took me minutes to understand and by the end of it, I could hear his voice outside my bedroom window as he screamed into his transceiver for the rest of the gang.

…Well crap. Of all the people to walk in, it had to be the leader of the gang. Course it could have been worse if it was mom or dad…but still.

"Mou, is it morning already?"

I go rigid before slowly turning around with my eyes closed. I slowly approach the bed, pat around for the blanket, apologize meekly for touching her slender legs, and then threw the covers over her body before opening my eyes again and using every ounce of willpower to force them to stay focused on her face.

"Senpai, I have no idea what went on last night or what crazy turn of actions led to these events but I swear I will take full responsibility and do everything I can to-"

She silences me with her finger on my lips and a giggle off hers.

"Oh my dear little servant, you're thinking too dirty for me."

I blink wildly before she shimmies out of bed. My eyes nearly drop and zero in on the goods before I painfully force myself to turn around.

"Oh? What's wrong? You don't want to look at my breasts?"

OKAY NEVERMIND COMMENCE OOGLING TO FULL POWER AND COMMIT TO MEMORY!

I whirl around, ready to partake in the feast of eye candy.

Rias-senpai has just finished getting dressed in some lacy undergarments. I fall backwards in shame and disappointment.

"Oh my, you're just so adorable," She says with a giggle. She stops making noise for a moment before speaking, "So how does your stomach feel?"

I snap to attention and then go for the injured area. Her question jogged my memory and…oh man…

"I can see the emotion on your face. No it wasn't a dream and yesterday's events did indeed happen. Are you all right?"

I palmed my face and rubbed my forehead roughly. That…that…it nearly happened again. I nearly got killed by another one of those freaks…only this time my brothers don't know about it. That means that someone else found me and saved me. That means…

"Senpai," I state with a serious tone, "What are you?"

"Hmm?"

That was a bullshit response. I can see it in her body language. She's tensing lightly. Either I said something I shouldn't have or the dangers not over completely yet.

"You show up…not once but twice when I'm at death's door. You do so both times and you're the last thing I see before I wake up completely fine. You're either a very skilled doctor of some sorts or you've trapped me in some sick twisted illusion where I die everyday but don't remember it until now because you chose to make it so!"

Rias stares at me for a long moment before she lets out a light giggle. With her angelic voice, I nearly forget that she could be a major danger to me right now.

"My, what a vivid imagination my servant has! You're so cute!"

I barely get to react in time before I'm smothered in an embrace into her chest. Normally I would gladly accept marshmallow hell but not if it's some evil bitch who's controlling my life!

Gently cupping my face and bringing our eyes together, Rias-senpai calmly rubs soothing circles into my cheeks before speaking in a motherly tone of voice.

"I am Rias Gremory. I am a Devil."

What?

"And I am your Master. Nice to meet you, Hyoudou Issei-kun. Can I call you Ise?"

WHAT.

=D=x=D

When I was born, my father told me that big things were in store for me.

I never really understood what he meant until my first battle.

See, I had warrior's blood. I had the natural ability to face physical conflict with an unflinching mind and beat it into submission. There have been moments where I get my ass kicked but who doesn't?

Anyways, what I'm trying to say is, I'm used to crazy shit.

Growing up with people who go beyond the supernatural, I learned that there is never a moment of true peace in my life.

The only time I get to rest easy is when I die.

But as I was soon going to find out, not even death was going to stop whatever sick higher power up there that wanted me to keep fighting for their amusement. I know this for a fact because I have met higher powers above that control the lives of their subjects to fight for their amusement.

I have beaten these very same powers into submission.

I'm still trying to find the one in control of mine and do the same.

"You will never escape the darkness! It flocks to you!"

I also have to find out where THIS VOICE is coming from and make it shut up too.

God, my life is a mess.

Ow!