CHAPTER 2 REMASTERED
The night was stormy that day. The rain pounded upon the streets and the roofs of the houses hard. The fog concealed almost all of the vision of those who tried to see. The streets were lonely and dark, until two figures ran out of the mist of the fog: a young boy and a grown woman.
They seem to run from something. Their faces show that they are in peril. Then, something stirs within the fog. A humanoid figure lurks through.
"Someday…You will be mine…" it chuckled.
Then a hand magically appeared out of nowhere and started to strangle the kid and the woman to death.
"STOP, DON'T DO IT!"
The grip was getting tighter and tighter and even tighter…
"STOOOOP!"
That is when the dream ended. Ribenji quickly got up, gasping for air and putting his hand to where his heart is. That dream always wakes him up. And almost every single day, it keeps on getting worse and worse. He puts a hand on his face and grits his teeth.
"Are you okay Taoreta?" he heard.
"Yes I'm fine…" Ribenji replied and turned to face the voice. "I was having a…HUH?!"
Ruby was sleeping next to Ribenji, almost naked. The only thing that she is wearing is her underwear…um; Ribenji doesn't know what the term of underwear is for ladies.
"Huh…Oh, good morning…" she yawned.
"WHA-WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Ribenji gasped and covered his eyes.
"You were saying someone's name and it were yelling…" Ruby explained. "So when I came in the room, you stopped yelling so I decided to sleep right next to you."
Ribenji looks at her with a raised brow, and shakes his head.
"Oh, sorry about that…Wait, get dressed! What am I saying…"Ribenji said with a sigh. "What time is it…?"
"Five o'clock," Ruby answered.
"Oh, that's early. Thanks Ruby," Ribenji beamed.
"Oh…No problem…" giggled Ruby.
Ribenji walked into the kitchen room after descending from the second floor. He took two eggs and some ham from the refrigerator. Then, he took a frying pan and started cooking. He heard Ruby walking behind him.
"Mister Taoreta…That is my duty to—"
"Ruby, I hereby excuse you from your duty."
"What?!" Ruby exclaimed.
"Yes, you heard me."
Ruby went on her knees, put her hands on her face and began to express deep, yet playful sorrow. Tears leak from her face like a raging river destroying the country side.
"I guess I'm not good enough. WAAAAHHHH!" she sobbed.
Ribenji scratches his head and sighs. He crouches and smiles.
"Oi, you let me finish" Ribenji beamed.
"Huh?"
"To be honest, I do not want to see you as a maid. You and I have equal human rights and I won't violate that. So then Ruby, you can come to the same school as me: Kuoh Academy."
"Really, you would do that for me?" she said and gasped. "I wasn't allowed to have a very formal education. I was just a toy to others…"
"Yes, how about it you go to school from now on and make friends?" Ribenji proposed. "You can go shopping and even go out with them to movies or something like that."
"But how can you? Are you like my father or something?" she said with a frown. "I can take care of myself."
The looks away and folds her arms. She looks back at Ribenji and blushes a bit.
"Oh forgot to ask, where are your parents?" Ribenji asked. "You never really introduced yourself that well."
Ruby stayed quiet after I said that.
"My parents died a long time ago," she started, "And ever since their deaths I tried to earn some money. Most of the people I served treated me badly. But you…are the first one that actually treated me this way."
"Don't sweat it! Trust me, I—"
Ruby suddenly hugged Ribenji. This is the first time that someone hugged Ribenji, so he was surprised about the kind gesture. The two then looked at each other, eye-to-eye contact, and it looked like they were about to kiss.
"Um Ruby, you know that I'm cooking right?" Ribenji pointed out.
"Oh I'm sorry!" she apologized and let go of Ribenji. "What are you cooking?"
"Some ham and eggs," replied Ribenji.
Ribenji prepared the table: laid out two plates, spoons, forks and chop sticks, and put the cook items onto the plates.
"Who's the second plate for?" Ruby asked.
"For you silly," he laughed.
[After Breakfast]
"Get home safe Mr. Taoreta!" Ruby yelled at the door way.
"Alright!"
Today is Ribenji's second day of school. He never expected such an outcome yesterday. It is a surprise that Kuoh Academy is treating him this well despite the stares he had. However, he obviously knew that demons lurk around here; as a matter of fact, this is demon territory. He can sense the dark energies swirl around here. They aren't the only ones: fallen angels are around too.
"I thought I picked the right town…" Ribenji grumbled. "Hopefully nothing bad happens today…"
Ribenji closed his eyes for a moment and enjoyed the weather and the nice breeze of this season. Then, he felt something push his shoulders and heard the tumbling of books. He opened his eyes and turned around.
"Ow…"
A girl fell to the floor. Her body is slim, has a bit of a curve to it and has the appearance of blonde hair and green eyes. Her cheeks were bright red, with her eyes closed. She sat down on the floor with her knees touching each other.
"Oh sorry," Ribenji apologized. "Here, let me help."
Ribenji helped the girl up along getting her books with his other hand. Without her permission, he dusted her off from the shoulders.
"Oh…Um, you are…"
"Name's Ribenji, sorry what I did early."
"It's fine…I wasn't looking so I must have bumped into you," she beamed.
"Ha ha, I wasn't really looking too," Ribenji admitted.
He looked at her uniform and realized that girl goes to the same school as him.
"Now that I've thought about it, I think she's in my math class…" mumbled Ribenji.
I looked past her and saw two figures running to this vicinity. It's a boy and a girl, and the two look familiar too.
"Asia!" the boy called.
The boy and the girl ran and then stopped by her side. Oh, Ribenji notices the boy is Issei, and the other…
"Hello Issei, you travel this path as well to school?" Ribenji beamed.
"Yeah, so you live around here?" he questioned.
"Yup, wow, I guess we are street friends now huh?" Ribenji chuckled. "Issei, why won't you introduce your friends here?"
"Oh okay. This is Asia and Rias," Issei said. "And this is Ribenji."
The Rias girl looks extremely seductive: red hair, green eyes, curvy body and her breasts are pretty big. Of course, Ribenji has been trained to avoid lust so her appearance doesn't really affect him that much. She glared at him while Asia happily waved at Ribenji.
"I see…I hope we will make fine acquaintances Miss Rias," Ribenji said, putting his hand out.
"Yes, that would be good," she agreed, shaking his hand.
They shook hands, yet they still held on longer. The tension between them intensifies. An imaginary dark, purple flame can be seen to represent the resent of one other.
"You have a strong grip Miss Rias," Ribenji pointed out.
"You also have a strong grip too Mr. Taoreta," she said.
"I hope we wouldn't have any future conflicts, is that right?"
"I agree."
Issei laughed nervously.
"Hey guys, we are going to be late for school am I not right?" he came in.
The two let go of their grips after what Issei said.
"Then we should leave Issei. I meet you at school, Ribenji…" she smirked.
The trio left for school, leaving Ribenji to stand there alone in the street.
"Hmph, so this is how the princess of Demons acts," Ribenji thought. "Well, I do say, she acts though. I see that the rumors are true: she's gathers her minions at the school. Hmm, I'll sort this out later."
[Lunch Break]
Ribenji sighed as he stared down upon his lunch: ramen noodles. He never wanted to get popular in the first place and for a school filled majority of girls, it can get pretty tiring. The girls horded at the table where he sat, staring at him while he is eating his noodles.
"Look, he's going to eat again!" a girl squealed.
"Really? I want to see him eat!" another piped.
Ribenji's eye twitched. He is getting a bit irritated.
"Can I please eat my food in peace girls?" Ribenji said to them.
"Oh…His voice turns me on!" they said together. "Marry me Ribenji-senpai!"
"My, what a bother," mumbled Ribenji. "Now I see why my mother home-schooled me…"
Soon after he mumbled, the horde of girls giggled away as a familiar figure sat on the table. It's Issei!
"Thank the heavens, did you shoo them away?" questioned Ribenji.
"I just asked if I can sit here then they just walked away" said Issei.
"Thanks Issei."
"No problem?"
"Your power to get girls away from you is extraordinary! Tell me your ways friend!" Ribenji remarked.
Issei's self-confidence is shattered with Ribenji's comment. Issei, in great pain, sat next to Ribenji and a manly tear swept across his face in shame.
Ribenji and Issei started to eat their lunches and talked.
"So Issei, you do anything for a living?"
"Err…Besides school, I guess not," he confessed.
"Hmm…People have been using this word so unfamiliar to me."
"Which is?" Issei curiously questioned as he drank he school milk.
"Porn."
Issei almost spat the milk out of his mouth and gave Ribenji a confused look, which Ribenji replied with the same gesture.
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS?!" Issei shouted out.
"Heh?" Ribenji said with a prickle of sweat coming down from his cheek.
"Ooooh that, I got to show you that. It's something I can't explain."
"What do you mean you can't explain? Everything has an explanation you know," said Ribenji.
He stuffed his mouth with noodles and quickly drank the soup.
"Well, I have some friends here that share the same interests as me. Let's meet them!"
"Meeting…place?"
[The Girl's Gymnasium Locker Room]
Ribenji's eye twitched when he realized where Issei has taken him. He never expects Issei to be into this…
"Well we have to go through here quickly," said Issei.
"Um…Isn't this violating someone's privacy?" blurted Ribenji. "There are laws that—"
"What are you talking about man, we are men! We surpass the privacy of women!" Issei cheered.
"So as you say," Ribenji said and nervously sighed.
"Come on, let's go!"
Issei grabbed Ribenji by his coat and pulled him inside.
"WAIT ISSEI WAIT! I DON'T THINK I'M—"
Ribenji and Issei stopped dead in their tracks as they went inside too late. They can hear the giggling and the conversations from the entrance. The girls have entered!
"Crap, there is no going back now!" Issei grumbled.
"What do we do now?" Ribenji asked.
"There's a corner I use all the time. Don't worry, they are just preparing for next class," Issei replied.
Ribenji nodded and took lead, guiding Issei through the lockers stealthily. He gave Issei hand signals whether to stop or to follow. However, some girls were in the way from their position.
"Damn, the corner is just over there," Issei said, pointing at the place.
"Hmm…These girls are in the way. Wait, I got an idea."
Ribenji looked around and saw two pencils next to him. He took them and with precision, hit the door leading to the gymnasium with the pencils with the pencil erasers.
"Hmm, who's knocking the door?" one of the girls said.
The group of girls left their lockers to inspect the sudden noise.
"Nice one Ribenji, let's go!"
They rushed to the corner and hid behind there. Just in time too, for the girls went back to their locker rooms.
"Look at her man…I would totally wreck those racks bro…"
Ribenji turned to see two people also hiding in the same place they are.
"Matsuda, Motohama," Issei called.
"Oh Issei, you came too?" the guy replied.
There is another boy right next to Matsuda. He had glasses and kind of looks smart, which Ribenji concluded to be Motohama. He suddenly got a nose bleed and fell to the floor as if he had a seizure.
"HER BOOBS IS OVER 9000!" he squealed.
"LET ME SEE IT!" Issei gasped and looked.
The three got a nose bleed and acted if they had a seizure. Ribenji sighed and took out some handkerchiefs for them.
"This is really disappointing…" Ribenji commented with disappointment.
"BUT WE ARE PROUD RIBEJI!" Issei cheered. "WE JUST GOT A FIRST HAND-"
"Hey Issei, is that the new kid?" Motohama asked.
"It is Motohama!" exclaimed Matsuda. "How did you get so popular among the girls so fast?"
"Don't ask me friend," Ribenji said with a shrug.
"We aren't your friends…" they growled.
"Um…acquaintances?" Ribenji nervously laughed.
Matsuda and Motohama stood up.
"EEEEEEEEWWW GUYS!" they yelled.
As soon they said that, they completely disappeared.
"Oi, Issei, are you—"
Ribenji's mouth drops as he found out Issei left him. He scratches his head, wondering where he went.
"Oi…Issei?" he called out.
"Oh…I thought you were a nice boy…You know what we do to beautiful bad boys like you?" one said.
Ribenji turns around and saw the crowd of girls' hording around him. He laughed nervously as they show menacing faces around him.
"We are going to do a lot of things to you…" they snickered devilishly.
[After School]
"Aw come on Ribenji, how many times I have to saw sorry."
Ribenji folded his arms and looked away from Issei. He had a bunch of kiss marks all over his cheeks and lips. Lip stick markings stained on his face and clothes.
"Haha, to be honest I was jealous. No guy I ever knew got kissed by so many girls like that," said Issei.
"Are you escaping the fact that you ran away without me?" growled Ribenji.
"No no, nothing like that. Look, I'm sorry for the tenth time alright?"
Ribenji sighed and he stopped for a moment. Issei thought that he is still angry so he didn't want to talk until he did first.
"I forgive you Issei."
"Eh?"
"You heard me" Ribenji beamed. "Now come on, let's go."
Issei and Ribenji walked together home without saying anything else. Then, they stopped at his house.
"Huh, funny," blurted Ribenji.
"What's up now?" Issei asked.
"I live across the street," answered Ribenji.
He pointed at the house right across from Issei.
"WAIT WHAT? YOU ARE MY NEIGHBOR?" Issei exclaimed.
"Ha ha, I guess I'll see you tomorrow neighbor."
Ribenji patted Issei's back and went to his house. Issei couldn't believe it: the guy they're going to capture is just across the street!