Rias cut a cliche, but romantic silhouette against the sunset. Her chin propped on the heel of her left hand, she gazed out the classroom window with eyes brimming with emotion. She gave a heavy, forlorn sigh, and the air echoed with the squeals of fangirls.

"What the hell's up with her?" wondered Sona, from where she was digging into her lunch at a nearby table. Tsubaki and Akeno sat on her right and left respectively. Usually they would be joined by Rias, but apparently she had forgotten they existed.

"I'm glad you asked," grinned Akeno, rejoicing at the opportunity to cause chaos. "Over the weekend our Rias had a fated encounter!"

Everyone in the room suddenly started listening in.

Sona frowned. "I... I don't understand..."

"A man, Sona, it's a man!" Though both were blunted by their glasses, the looks she got still dripped skepticism. "I'm serious this time!"

"Right." grunted Tsubaki. "And who is it this time?"

"A hobo."

Sono choked on her rice, and had to cough heartily before she got any words out. "What the (cough) what the fu-"

"I know!" beamed Akeno happily. "He was tall, and strong, and the filthiest person I'd ever seen. And his eyes were this burning blue color, as in they literally burned-"

"Hang on," croaked Sona, finally getting ahold of herself. "Why don't we backtrack to the hobo part-"

"Is that discrimination against the homeless?"

"Akeno," murmured Tsubaki, who seemed to be in a state of shock. "Is Rias really hot for a hobo?"

"We saw him beat up a purse snatcher, and struck up a conversation with him." said Akeno nostalgically. "I say that, but Rias did most of the talking. They were off in their own little world, all gooey and lovey dovey. I was the third wheel, to be honest-"

"Akeno." The trio looked up to see the redhead in question, glaring down at them balefully. "Stop telling people about this. It's annoying."

"You mean it's true?" gasped Tsubaki, and Rias turned pink.

"It is not!" she snarled. "Issei and I are just friends!"

Akeno smirked. "So you're on a first name basis?"

Rias blinked for a moment, then turned a little redder. "So what? That proves nothing!"

"So when you were staring wistfully at the window earlier, you weren't imagining his face reflected in the glass?"

"How did yo- I mean no! No I was not!"

"Holy shit!" whispered Sona. "You... A hobo..."

"Stop it!" hissed Rias. "It's-"

"Love." Akeno finished for her. "Nay, DESTINY!"

"It's not!" Rias almost screamed, well aware that her classmates were becoming more interested by the minute. "It's not love, it's not destiny and I'm probably never going to see him again. Now will you all please drop it!"

The door slid open. "Excuse me? Is this Rias Gremory's class?"

Rias froze. That voice, it couldn't be...

It was. There he stood, in all his ragged glory. His clothes were still filthy. His tangled hair was still forced down by that battered fedora. The scarf still hid his face. And his eyes still smoldered with that unexplainable fire, that made her cheeks burn and her throat close up. The awkward self-consciousness returned with a vengeance.

"Ah, there you are!" nodded Issei, weaving through the shocked students towards her. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Issei," she croaked, her lips feeling very dry. "What are you... Why are you..."

Akeno stood up smoothly. "I don't believe we've been introduced," she smiled, laughing on the inside. "My name is Akeno Himejima."

"Issei." said Issei, shaking her hand politely. "Now, Rias, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"What is it?" Her voice cracked slightly. She wanted to talk to him somewhere private, but knew the rumors would be ten times worse if she did.

"Well, I was sleeping in the shopping district yesterday when-" The classroom door slammed open.

"Guys!" shouted a boy whose name she couldn't place. "Did you catch the news last night? A homeless guy took out six armed thugs robbing a jewelry store with his bare hands!" Everyone looked at Issei.

"Right," he nodded. "Well, looks like I don't have to explain about that then." Everyone but Rias (who was still in shock) began to murmur furiously. "The guy who owned the store was pretty grateful, so he told me I could have any one thing from his shop free of charge. I was going to sell it to a fence, when I realized..." A pause. "I don't know any fence."

Rias blinked slowly. She was starting to get ahold of herself. "But what does that have to do with me, Issei?"

He reached inside his coat, which apparently had inside pockets, and pulled out a small, oblong box. It was wrapped in white packaging and a red ribbon. "Here," he said gruffly. "I don't need it."

She took the package and started to stare at it stupidly. Her cheeks vaguely felt like they were about to catch fire.

"That was all I came here for," grunted Issei. "So I think I'll just leave." He leaned towards her, and her cheeks turned even redder. "Your classmates' staring is seriously creeping me out!"

Of course, the whole room heard him.

As he approached the door, the school guidance counselor stepped through to block the way. He was a tall, leathery and heavily muscled man wearing a dark leather jacket with jeans, and the hilt of an intimidating black handgun poked out of his jacket. "The hell?" he barked coarsely. "What's a tramp doing on school grounds?"

"Sorry, sir," said Issei politely. "I was just leaving."

As he tried to move around him, a gun barrel blocked his way. "Now see here," said the counselor, who obviously had more testosterone than sense. "People like you don't deserve to be walking around a nice school like this. Why're you here, anyway? Filthy scum like you, walking around like they own the place - makes me sick, I tell you! Beggars should stay on the streets where they belo-"

There was a flicker of movement. Quickly and gracefully, Issei had raised his hand and inserted his thumb behind the gun's trigger, smoothly barring him from firing it. "Never call me that," said Issei softly. "I am no beggar." The counselor released his weapon and staggered back. Issei calmly pocketed the deadly firearm, then stepped coldly from the room. Rias stared after him for a few moments, then quietly opened the box.

A slim gold chain held the tiny charm in place, and felt strangely silky as it ran between her fingers. The charm was a sliver of red, a gem she didn't recognize that caught the afternoon light in just the right way. A pair of tiny gold wings wrapped around it in a loving embrace, whilst a second pair was spread boldly behind it. For a moment she she held it up, imagining the red gem was her and the embracing wings were Issei...

...when a low gasp reminded her she was not alone. She stuffed the necklace back in its box, put the box in her desk, sat down and stared resolutely out the window until the teacher arrived.

Elsewhere...

"Fuckin' prick." Issei snarled to himself, storming furiously down the street. "Callin' me a fuckin' beggar. The fuck he think he is? Fucker's lucky I'm so fuckin' laid back. If this were back in the day I'd've cut his hands off and burned his house."

"Really?" said Judas, who was actually starting to get a little intimidated. "Don't you think that's a little harsh for calling you a... for calling you a name?"

"Not really," grunted Issei, still trying to calm himself down. "It's a fairly common punishment on the streets. You cut off one or both hands, stuff 'em in a freezer bag and forget about them. That way they can be reattached once you're feeling more forgiving."

Sometimes, Judas forgot how much of a bastard Issei could be. He was good with kids, fought crime and had a strong sense of justice. But after he ditched the Triads he left a bloody legend in his wake. He was kind, gentle, friendly and a ruthless, cold-blooded monster.

Actually, when he put it like that, Judas realized how similar the two of them really were.

"Well, you don't own a freezer, so why don't we go rob an ice cream cart or something and forget all about it?"

"Ice cream... sounds good." nodded Issei, knowing he would feel better afterwards. Following that irritating tune we are all familiar with, they had soon tracked down an ice cream van parked near a preserved, grassy area. A small child was screaming at his mother for a scoop, and as the owner was preoccupied Issei snuck in the back.

Of course, it was right in the middle of his impromptu larceny that Judas screamed in his ear as loudly as he could, "I SCREEEEEEAM FOR ICE CREEEEEAM!"

Issei straightened in surprise, cursing loudly as his head thumped against the ceiling. It was only his superhuman reflexes that let him escape before he was seen, taking a single Magnum Classic with him as he went.

"You asshole!" snarled Issei, once more storming down the street. "You planned that!"

"Buhahahaha!"

"Dickhead!" Issei grouchily tore the wrapper off his Magnum, then carefully disposed of it in a trashcan. He raised the chocolaty treat to his lips-

-then dropped it, dashing forward in a panic.

Issei had been walking towards the rougher part of town (where the fight club and the finger scars could be found) and had been intending on asking Segawa if he had managed to pay back his debt. He found his answer when the man in question staggered out of an alley, blood leaking from his mouth and nose and his right eye swollen shut. He was limping and holding his ribs, and more blood stained his shirt and pants. Segawa straightened as he saw his friend, but his leg gave out under the pressure. Issei just barely caught him.

"Yuuta!" hissed Issei, carefully laying him on the ground. "What happened!"

"Issei," sobbed Segawa. "The money you gave me... It's all gone..." His eyes began to tear up with disappointment, guilt and self-loathing. Issei knew it was because he was a poor fighter. As though not wanting to hurt people made you less of a man. "I'm so sorry..."

"There there," hushed Issei, as Judas only watched in the background. "Just calm down."

"I was going to the casino to pay off my debt, but some people jumped me and took the money." Tears of shame poured from his eyes once more, and Issei cursed inwardly. Yuuta didn't deserve this. "All of it. It's all gone-"

"How did they know, Yuuta!" hissed Issei urgently. "How did they know you had the money!"

"I met my loan shark on the way there," gasped Segawa. "He wanted me to sell my body parts, but I told him I already had the money."

"Then he's probably the one behind this," said Issei darkly. "Tell me his name, Segawa."

"Xin Yi," croaked Segawa. "From the Long Cheng Gang."

"I'll go ask him," smiled Issei coldly. "And if he's behind it, I'll cut off both his hands."

"No, you've helped me enough. I'll pay my debt somehow." grunted Yuuta, struggling to his feet. "The Long Cheng Gang controls the whole area. If you cross them..."

Xin Yi was the treasurer; an important figure in the gang. All the gang's sources of income - drugs, prostitution, extortion - everything was checked by Xin Yi. Even if the head of the gang needed money, he'd have to go through Xin Yi. As such, Xin Yi was highly influential within the gang.

"I don't care." snarled Issei. "I hate people who prey on the weak. I'll end him."

And Judas...

"Oathbreaker!" came the unearthly growl. "Rip his legs off and fuck'm with 'em."

Elsewhere...

"While I admit I'm surprised at your taste in men," said Kiba nonchalantly. "I'm happy for you, Buchou. I was starting to think that no man would ever live up to your standards."

Rias suddenly tripped over herself, then glared over her shoulder at Akeno. "Dammit, how many people did you tell!"

"Everyone!" grinned Akeno. They were walking around in an unused building on the edge of town. Apparently, a stray devil had been luring humans inside to feed.

"...Did he really propose to you in the middle of class?" asked Koneko curiously. A tiny smile crept over her face as Rias turn pink.

"He did not!" she snapped. "He just gave me a necklace is all."

"You mean the one you're wearing right now?" wondered Kiba. She was, indeed, wearing Issei's gift.

"S-so what?" Rias stuttered, clutching the beautiful ornament to her chest. "It's really nice!"

"I doubt she'll ever take it off," smirked Akeno.

"...Pretty." agreed Koneko.

"I will so take it off!" barked Rias. "It's not like I'm wearing it just because it was him who gave it to me."

"Just curious," said Kiba. "But was that a tsundere?"

"It wasn't, no." smiled Akeno, noting with pleasure that Rias was close to blowing her top. "A tsundere is when you're dishonest about your feelings specifically to the person you like. When they're actually together she's as dere-dere as they come. Seriously, they're just so cute together-"

"Akeno stop!" shouted Rias, stomping her foot angrily.

"You should bring him to the clubroom sometime," continued Kiba recklessly. "I would like to see what sort of man my master has chosen."

"...Bring the boyfriend to meet the folks." nodded Koneko quietly.

"That's it!" shouted Rias, finally losing patience and whirling on her amused servants. "The next time anyone brings up Issei or anything about him you're all on flyer duty for a year! Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly." smiled Akeno insincerely.

"Crystal." nodded Kiba.

"...Pity." murmured Koneko, who was genuinely interested.

Without warning, a still-bleeding human torso flopped onto the ground nearby. "Visitorsss," hissed a sibilant new voice. "Sssuch pretty red hair. Sssoon your body ssshall be ssstained the sssame color." A massive figure stepped from the darkness. From the waist up it looked like a voluptuous, nude female, while from the waist down her body became the neck of a huge, quadrupedal monster. The beast half was vaguely feline, with thick black fur, sharp claws and a serpentine tail.

Rias didn't even introduce herself. She just raised her hand, calling forth a huge red magic circle in the air over head. Without fanfare, dozens of orbs of Power of Destruction poured from its center like machine gun bullets. Though the devil was obliterated in the first few seconds the onslaught continued for several minutes, giving Rias some much needed stress relief. When she finally tired herself out, Rias turned to view her servants' reactions.

Kiba looked intimidated, Koneko had no reaction she could see and Akeno had openly started laughing, though whether it was at her master's embarrassment or sadism wasn't certain.

"Let's get the hell out of here," she snapped.

Elsewhere...

The air of the casino was foggy with sweat and cigarette smoke. Numerous men and women dressed in dirty clothing crowded around the various cramped tables, shouting and laughing coarsely as they tried their luck at the various games and challenges on offer. Those not used to it would describe it as a den of sin. Those who were used to it would call it a simple recreational center.

"Issei, let's leave." said Segawa nervously, trailing behind the glowering hobo. Against all suggestions to the contrary, he had decided to see the situation through rather than get his injuries fixed.

"Keep walking." Issei was forced to disobey his own command as three men stood in their way. Four more moved to surround them as a particularly muscular individual (their apparent leader) began to speak.

"Hey buddy," he grunted, trying to look intimidating. "Did Segawa get his money from you?"

"I'm here for Xin Yi," said Issei shortly. "Tell him to get over here."

"Who do you think you are?" said a blonde man with a nasally voice. "You think our boss is free to meet scum like you?" Abruptly, the blonde noticed Segawa hovering timidly behind Issei's back. "Ah, Segawa. You here to pay your debt? Where's the money?"

"Didn't you rob it from him already?" snarled Issei, and the blonde immediately got up in his face.

"What did you just say?" he blustered, poking his finger into the filthy man's chest. "Do you want me to kick you out?"

"Threats count as hostile behavior," said Judas helpfully. "So it's cool if you punch him."

Issei deliberately slowed the punch down, just so his friends could see as he hit the punk in the face. "Anyone else feeling tough enough?" he said coldly, as the thug landed senseless on a blackjack table that quickly buckled under his weight.

"You have guts to start something here!" roared the leader, aiming a straight punch at Issei's face. He caught the blow with his left hand, then casually twisted. The thug screamed as his bones snapped and one of his friends made to help. Without releasing the first man's fist, Issei lunged and kicked him in the gut.

By this point, the entire room had noticed what was going on. Xin Yi's men (along with a good number of patrons) were coming forward to help. Many of them had weapons such as machetes, metal pipes and bar stools. "Kill him!" someone shouted.

"That phrase again." sighed Issei, motioning for Segawa to stay back. "I hate it."

"Well, it loooves you."

Upstairs...

"Sir," said Xin Yi's bodyguard, a typical mook with a black suit and sunglasses. "There's a disruption downstairs. Should I take a look?"

"Meh, not my problem." came the reply, the clinking of an expensive abacus filling the room. After a few moments the sound stopped, and the office's owner leaned his elbow on his desk. Heaps of documents and ledgers covered its surface, seemingly without organisation. "These accounts just don't add up." came a frustrated sigh.

The door burst from its hinges. A full grown man was thrown across the room, sliding over the desk and scattering its contents across the floor. Two men (one injured, one filthy) stepped into the room. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" barked the bodyguard, moving protectively in front of his superior. "This is the Long Cheng Gang, you sunnuva-"

"Wait," said Xin Yi, slowly rising from his chair. "Let's ask him why he attacked our men first."

Xin Yi was a pale, slender young man of Chinese descent. He was in his mid-twenties and had bishounen good looks, with dark eyes and dyed, pixie styled blonde hair. He was wearing slim jeans with a black shirt, the sleeves rolled up to the elbow. Over it he was wearing a blue waistcoat. Both the shirt and the coat had been modified to expose his pectorals. Weak and surrounded by books, he looked like the average company worker. If he hadn't been sitting in the treasury, Issei would never have believed he was looking at the right hand of the Long Cheng Gang.

"Are you Xin Yi." asked Issei.

"Drum roll please." drawled Judas sarcastically.

"An answer is a promise, and a word is a thousand gold." responded Xin Yi, lighting a cigar with a golden lighter. "I'm about credit and the whole city knows it."

"Credit?" growled Issei. "First you rob my friend and then you still want him to repay his debt. Is this your so called credit?"

Xin Yi took a slow puff on his cigar and met his burning eyes without fear. "I'm sorry, but could you tell me the whole story?"

Gritting his teeth, Issei reluctantly told him Segawa's piece. "The Long Cheng Gang is robbing its clients. It's dishonorable, and pathetic."

"Why are you even discussing this? Just kill him and everyone else in the building."

"To me, this seems simple," shrugged Xin Yi. "If our side really is at fault, then we'll pay you back."

"And Segawa's debt?"

"Will remain, until the matter is cleared."

"Bullshit!" snarled Issei. "You let your gang do whatever they like, but still have the nerve to claim credit."

Xin Yi remained calm, but his courtesy turned ice cold. "You break into my territory, attack my men and speak as my equal. You do realize that a word from me is all it'll take to make you disappear forever."

"You trying to scare me?" returned Issei, and Xin Yi clearly saw that he hadn't.

"I like this guy. He's got chutzpah."

"I don't know what happened," sighed Xin Yi, hoping to calm everyone down. "But until I get to the bottom of this, you won't cause anymore trouble."

Issei brought his hand down hard on the desk. "You expect me to believe you?"

"I don't know what happened." repeated Xin Yi, holding his gaze steadily. "If you don't believe me then go ahead and try something."

Neither of them had any intention of backing down. The room was silent, the mood was frozen and tensions rising, until...

"I injured those people." said Issei suddenly. "Don't blame it on him. If you want revenge, it's me you should come after. I'll take the blame for all damages. Now we owe your gang nothing."

"You're backing down? Now?"

"I'm impressed." smiled Xin Yi. "But there will be a bill for the injured, and Segawa's debt is due today." He leaned forward. "I'll let you go for now, but once I find out what happened I will settle this with you."

"That Xin Yi had a pretty nice temper." said Judas, after they'd left. "You beat up all those guys and he just let you walk away."

"Issei," murmured Segawa, his limp less pronounced now that he wasn't focusing on it. "I'm a bad friend."

"Don't say that," said Issei gruffly. "It was partly my fault as well."

"But this all happened because of me..." Segawa eyed his grimy friend out of the corner of his eye. "Why did you back off back there. It didn't seem like you."

"I could tell from his eyes." grunted Issei. "His men tried to stop us when we talked about getting robbed, but Xin Yi was different. He listened, staring me straight in the eye. Unless he's really skilled, he couldn't have fooled me. Most likely, he really didn't know what his underlings were doing."

Judas was silent, as he had figured out what Issei was planning to do.

"We'll have to pay him double," groaned Segawa, rubbing tiredly between his eyes. "For the injuries and my debt."

"Go home and take a shower. By the time you're done, I'll have this settled."

Segawa blinked slowly. "How?"

Issei had his hands behind his head, and was twisting his waist from side to side as though warming up for some strenuous exercise. "Just go relax. Trust me."

As Issei slowly walked away, it would have been far less awesome if Segawa could hear Judas chanting "Fight club! Fight club!" in the background.

Meanwhile, at Kuou Academy...

"Guys," said Rias, after they'd all gotten back from the devil hunt. "Tonight we're going to have a new client. Upon consideration, it's been decided that Koneko will answer his initial summons."

"...Who is he?"

"He has three nieces that have been living with him since their parents disappeared." explained Rias. "Though whether or not you'll be interacting with any of them is uncertain. The summoner's name is Yuuta Segawa."

Elsewhere...

"Asia, this is Freed Zelzan." said Reinare, gesturing to a white haired young man wearing an exorcist's uniform. "He'll be your partner from now on."

"Hiya Asia-chan!" said Freed cheerfully. "Let's be bestest friends!"

"Er, yes," said Asia, who always loved to make friends. "Let's get along."

"Your first mission is tonight," said Donnasiege, taking over the debriefing. "Your target is a devil summoner."

"A devil summoner!" gasped Asia. "Are you sure I can handle someone so awful?"

"Mah, mah, Asia-chan," chuckled Freed. "I'll be doing all the dirty work, don't you worry."

"The target's name," continued Donnasiege, annoyed at being interrupted. "Is Yuuta Segawa."