Before I begin...
Just as with the last grand epic of Danmachi, it was about here, when the story starts to get off the ground, that I look at the task ahead... And wonder if I can do it. Anyhow...
Let us see how Kodori deals with the addition of the ULTRA-PERV Issei. Who isn't really that bad a person, just... kind of extreme. Like that guy from Heaven's Lost Property, except with an ancient dragon in his fap hand.
Also, that exploit seems to be fixed. At least, one of you helpful readers sent a message about it. Thanks again.
Chapter 4
It didn't matter that after Akeno had (very thoroughly) brushed my tails, I felt so emotionally wasted, I almost didn't remember to have a shower. I only remembered when I rubbed a hand through my hair (which, to the joy of my wife, was just long enough for a respectable pony tail now) and had some dried blood flake off onto my hand. After that, I once again tended to my leaking breasts, not bothering to try the new device I'd picked up at the store, and collapsed into bed at around 2:00AM. I woke, as usual, just before sunrise. Sigh.
The wings were just where Akeno and I had left them, and to my surprise, didn't smell. The ends had dried, like normal blood, but they still seemed to have a little... I dunno... life in them. I pondered what I should do with them, as I went through my usual morning stretches and light exercises. The curious vitality they still had reminded me of my tails.
Should I pull the feathers off and make something of them? I'd need a proper workshop, and forge, and a place to get good materials... For all the dangers of the dungeon, I was missing it already.
Without anyone to talk to, since everyone I knew, minus the fallen angels, were in class, I spent the morning making food. Bread, more cookies, pasta, fruit juice, a very small roasted ham... By lunch, I felt like I had actually had a proper meal, instead of just a bunch of cookies and tea.
After doing dishes, and putting the pile of actual rice flour cookies into a container for later, I put my new clothes into the washer to get the new car smell off them, and sat on my bed. Communication with home. I needed that. More than just to see if they were okay, something in my very soul needed to hear the voices of my Familia.
But how? The occulus was far far FAR out of range, and too delicate to simply force magic into, like I had done with a few of my other enchanting projects. It would either melt, crack, or explode. All three options were bad, but I didn't buy safety goggles, so the third was probably the worst. As an enchanter, I was still a rookie. I'd made a few interesting trinkets, and certainly had the innate magic ability to become a very good enchanter, but... I just lacked the experience. And without a workshop, this was all just brainstorming.
Then I felt it.
A little hand. Not just a Hestia little hand. But a tiny hand. With fingers just big enough to identify as fingers. Then there was another. And another. All over my back and shoulders, breasts, throat, face, even my nose.
Then, I felt Hestia's hand. Where it usually was, right in the centre of my back in that one spot I loved to have scratched, then, over top of it, I felt a second hand, just a little bigger than my Goddess's.
Closing my eyes and letting the ghostly little touches fill my mind and heart, I stopped thinking about 'just brainstorming'. Getting the notepad and pen from the little drawer of the night stand, I simply buckled down and got to work.
A tap at the door snapped me out of my focused state. All around me were neatly stacked sets of paper. Drawings, notes, diagrams, ingredient lists. Even as the person at the door knocked again, I found I hardly remembered everything I'd written down. I would review it later.
"Enter." I called out, standing up and finding I was still in my boxers and sport bra. "Unless you're Kiba." I added.
"Ara ara." Akeno said as she opened the door and stepped inside. "Still not dressed?"
"Been thinking, and hadn't bothered." Plain forgotten really, but I didn't say. "School's out for the day?" I looked at the clock, 3:35PM.
"It's time for club activities, but otherwise, yes." She said, her nod making her long hair bob amusingly. "Feeling any better?"
"Of a sort." I replied. "I suppose that means Rias is calling a meeting?"
"The President never needs to call." She smiled, "But you are invited."
"I'll bring cookies." I said, "Oh, what do you think?" As we were chatting, I'd entered the laundry room and pulled some things out of the dryer. One of them was a simple pair of black track pants. With a pair of scissors, I'd cut a 'V' in the back, under the draw string, so my abundance of tails could have someplace to go without me needing to have the pants hang down too far. The other, was a black t-shirt, that said, in Japanese, 'Number 1 Dad'.
"I'm afraid I don't... get the joke?" Akeno replied, a little puzzled.
"Ah, Rias hasn't told anyone else then." I nodded, "It's obvious I'm a mother, but..." I lowered my voice for effect, "I'm also a dad."
She sort of froze in place, as I put my gauntlets on and picked up the container of cookies, and on impulse, a small loaf of bread and a knife to cut it. She only reacted when I did my very best 'Ahem', an imitation of Eina Toole, my first mentor for the dungeon, and a wonderful teacher. "But, what... ara..."
"You asked how I learned to speak in that voice, but not what I was researching." I replied, "Now, if you would be so kind?" I motioned to the door.
"So you have a..." She walked towards the door, opened it, and stood in the hall, waiting for me to lock up.
"Occasionally." I replied. "But, I am the mother of three, father of four."
"She does have nicer hips." She commented, covering her mouth when she realized she had said it. My wedding ring was my most determined enchantment to date, and it had the clearest mental picture of any memory stone I'd made.
"I think so too." I replied, "I wonder if Rias found me an anvil yet..."
"She hasn't said." Akeno replied, opening the door to the O.R.C. "Ah, Koneko, early as always."
"Hm." was the only reply. Today, she was snacking on something that looked like mini rice balls. Dango?
I nodded to the quiet white haired girl, and sat next to her, making sure my tails were on the opposite side again. "What are those?" I asked.
"Rice dango." She said quietly, "nom."
"Trade you one for a cookie." I offered, "Or bread. Tried making some, not sure if I like it or not."
Wordlessly, she slid her plate over. Taking exactly one, I put my two containers down, and popped off the plastic lids. Expertly, she cut a thin slice of bread off, and put it in place of the dango I took. Akeno seemed highly amused at the exchange, and took a cookie as well.
"Good?" I asked Koneko as she nibbled at the slice.
"Hm."
The door opened, and Rias stepped in, smiling slightly, "Ah, starting without me?"
"Just sat down." I said, "I tried making bread. Koneko approved."
Sitting on the third couch that hadn't moved since last night, Rias leaned forward and cut her own little slice. "Impressive, with ingredients so simple." She said after a nip, "Not as good as your cookies though."
"Is Hyoudou Issei going to be joining us then?" Akeno asked, standing behind the couch like an attendant to Rias.
"Yes. Kiba-kun is fetching him as we speak. I do wish I had time to shower however..." Rias said, "My poor pawn occupied my night, and I couldn't return home for a shower before school."
"Guess I wasn't the only one with a busy night." I said, thinking the cookies needed a little... something. Maybe I'd try and add some fruit next time.
"Would you mind telling us about it?" Rias asked.
"On the way to the store, oh, reminds me, I owe Sona some cookies. Saji was very helpful." I scratched one of my ears a little, "I felt like I was being watched. On the way back, I felt it again, so I called out to who ever it was."
"How did you know?" Akeno asked, though, I'd told her more or less everything already.
"I could just feel it. And I knew it wasn't any of you. Different energy. But, she revealed herself, I told her to go away, she attacked, I flattened her, told her to go away again, she attacked some more, so I flattened her again, then pulled her wings off." Explaining it now, so plainly, made it sound... kind of horrible. I probably didn't need to go so far, but...
Rias on the other hand, looked a little shocked. "Pulled... Really?"
"They are on my floor in my room." I said, "A second one showed up, and after making a little show of it, I scared her off too, taking the wounded with her. Mittelt? I think the second one was called? The first one didn't give me a name."
"You are just full of surprises." Rias commented, "And you aren't hurt at all?"
"I let her tap my gauntlet, just to see if it would stop it." I offered my hand, the tiny scratch didn't even catch her fingernail when she ran it over the mark.
"I am quite impressed." Rias nodded, "It truly is a shame I couldn't ask you to join my peerage."
"Here we are." Kiba said as the door opened. "Welcome, Hyoudou-kun, to the Occult Research Club." He entered ahead of a second person, his black school uniform almost portrait perfect. He was probably popular with the girls, looking like that.
The other one however, looked a little bit like a slob, now that he wasn't laying on the ground with a giant hole in his chest. Messy brown hair, a red undershirt that wasn't tucked in, a belt that was a notch too loose... Then again, I was much worse when I was his age. He stood at the door as it closed behind him. The look on his face was hard to describe. Shock maybe? His eyes darted from Rias, to Akeno, to me, then back to Rias.
"What a lewd face..." Koneko mumbled quietly. I had to agree, but everyone in the room, myself as well, I suppose, looked good.
"Issei." Rias got his attention with a single word, though his mouth was threatening to start drooling. "Welcome. Please, sit down."
Kiba had already taken a seat across from Koneko and I. And Issei reluctantly sat beside him, though his eyes were pretty much hyper focused on Rias and Akeno. I was tempted to wave a hand in front of his face, but resisted the urge.
"Introductions." Rias said, "You already know who I am... Considering I stayed at your place last night..."
She was trying to break him, I swear...
"I am Akeno Himejima." Akeno said, hands folded in front of her while she gave a short bow. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Koneko." Koneko said, picking up her plate and holding it closer.
They all looked to me, so I shrugged, "Kodori Haruhime. Just Kodori, please." I also nudged the tupperware container towards him, "Have a cookie." Through all this, I noticed my tails were very very still.
"Thank you." He said, taking one. "So... Not that I mind at all, but why am I here?"
"To be as direct as possible." Rias started, "We're all devils."
"Except me." I added.
The disbelief on Issei's face was plain. "Um..."
"You were attacked last night, by a man with black wings, correct? That was a fallen angel." Issei's face changed to one of... realization. Like something suddenly made sense. "The fallen used to serve God, but resorted to wickedness, and fell to Hell. Except, we devils rule Hell. We have been at war with the fallen since ancient times."
"This sounds..." Issei scratched his head, then helping himself to another cookie.
"We devils gain power by making contracts with humans, for a price. Fallen Angels coerce humans into rejecting us devils. Then, the Angels occasionally receive orders from God, to eradicate us both. A three way deadlock." Rias continued, "With us so far?"
"It's a little... over my head. I'm just a high school student..."
"The O.R.C. Is just a front, where we devils meet." Kiba added.
Issei was about to say something rude to him, but Rias 'ahem'ed. "Look at this." She took a picture, an actual photograph, from a pocket, and handed it to Issei, "You know this girl, correct?"
Issei's eyes widened, "This is Yuuma-chan! Where did you get this? No one remembers her..."
"She exists, and she is a fallen angel." Rias said, "After killing you, it looks like she tried to erase any records of herself."
"Killed me? But I'm obviously not dead... And why would she kill me in the first place?"
I leaned forward slightly, now we were getting to new information. Why would they want to kill some average looking kid who didn't even look like he could do a dozen push ups.
"Sacred Gear. You have one, and the Fallen saw it as a threat." Rias replied.
"I feel... like I've heard that before." Issei mumbled.
"Sacred Gears are special abilities that some humans possess. They might be superbly smart, or exceptional at sports. Geniuses. But some times, there are people with Sacred Gears that can threaten the Fallen or us Devils." Akeno explained.
"And you, Issei, have one someplace inside you." Rias added, pointing at him.
"Wait..." The boy blinked, and I could see him connecting dots in his head, "NO! Can my Sacred Gear be my manhood? Oh no! A war is going to start over my junk! This is terrible!"
I couldn't help but do a facepalm, as Koneko mumbled "Vulgar pervert..."
"No no... sigh..." Rias stood, and went to the open space in front of the door, "Come here..." Issei stood and obeyed, standing in front of Rias, "Now, try and focus yourself, take up a stance, and release your power."
Obviously unsure, the young man crouched down a little, like he was about to launch a Ha-do-ken or something. "Like this?"
"I suppose..." Rias mumbled, "Now try and release all your power."
"Drag...on...WAVE!" Not quite like the arcade game, Issei thrust his hands forward, then clutched his wrist suddenly, the skin of his left hand turning red, then expanding. Hardening and gaining sharp angles, and topped with a green gemstone that covered most of the back of his hand...
A gauntlet. A fully articulated red metal gauntlet. Sharp fingertips, edged knuckles, thick scales that went part way up his forearm... It was a wicked looking thing.
"Whoa... Is this real...?" Issei wiggled his new fingers, the edges quietly clicking off each other.
"Yuuma saw that Sacred Gear as a threat, and killed you for it." Rias said, smiling.
"But, I'm not dead." Issei repeated, still looking at his hand.
"Akeno? A simple magic seal?" She motioned to Issei, and Akeno stood, handing over a bit of paper. I only caught sight of a little of it, but it had an interesting looking pentagram on it. "You were on the verge of death, and called out to me. That's how I found you."
Issei took the paper, frowned, then his eyes went wide. "I've seen this before. Yeah... A pretty girl handed it to me..."
"You see, I told you that we devils gain power by making contracts with humans. Except, the knowledge of how to summon us has all but vanished from the normal world. So, we hand these out to people, so that we can be summoned, grant a wish, and gain something of value from them." Rias explained, "It was your dying wish, to die in my arms."
Issei was sweating, his eyes darting back and forth. I knew that look. I'd had it myself, more than once, trying to remember, or actually remembering, something traumatic. "I... I wanted to die in the arms of a beautiful woman..." He looked at me, "But, then, I actually thought of you." He then looked at Rias."
Something clicked into place for me, and I heard the wooden arm of the couch creak as my hand tightened around the carved surface. Someone had tried to take a piece of the dungeon. Except... Before it could get to them, Issei's wish had diverted it.
In a way, he had potentially saved me from what ever fate this bit of the dungeon was about to go through. But he also stopped me from seeing who was responsible. If they were strong enough to bring part of the dungeon across dimensions, it was likely I couldn't handle them alone... But if I could have...
Rias snapped me out of my little thought loop, "Allow us to introduce ourselves again." The others stood, and went to stand beside her at the door, leathery black bat wings spreading out from behind them all with a little ruffle.
"I'm second year, Yuuto Kiba, I'm a devil, pleased to meet you."
"Koneko Toujou, first year, also a devil, it's a pleasure."
"Akeno Himejima, a third year, and vice president of the research club. I am also a devil."
"And I am their master, Rias Gremory. My house's rank is Duke. We welcome you, Issei."
He looked at the four of them, wings popping out from his own back. Then he looked at me.
"I'm from a different dimension, and I'm not a devil." I said with a shrug.
Rias was trying to convince Issei that being a devil was a good thing. I listened in until he mentioned being a harem king, then shook my head and went back into my own thoughts again. Nibbling a cookie, I thought of possible 'could have been' paths, shaking my head at each one.
Fact. A piece of the dungeon was stolen. I just happened to be along for the ride. Had I managed to get out of the circle in time, or kept my balance and not fallen against the wall, I'd still be in Orario.
Fact. The magic circle that brought me here is unlike any I'd seen so far. Rias's circle used something that looked similar to old English, the Fallen Angel I'd fought looked Latin or something. But the one that brought me looked to be Norse.
Speculation. Issei, who was still laughing about being the best devil he could be so he could have a harem, might have diverted the bit of dungeon I was riding, from where it was going.
Speculation. The dungeon was acting very upset before I'd left. Were more bits taken? Since this bit of dungeon wasn't vanishing back into dust like other broken off dungeon bits usually did, did that mean the dungeon basically had an open wound?
Fact. The dungeon hated people thoughtlessly breaking bits off it. And tended to spawn irregulars when it happened. Ryuu, my sister by choice, had her Familia basically wiped out by such an act.
Then someone very carefully pet my ear, and I and my thinking melted to a stop.
"Huh?" I managed after a moment, looking up at Akeno's face after spotting her arm near my head.
"There's a little more explanation to go." She said to me with a smile, motioning with her other hand towards Rias, who was now standing in front of a whiteboard.
"Making pacts with humans, and exchanging something of value, is how a devil gains power. So, if you can produce results, then you can raise your rank and maybe get servants of your own." Rias said.
"Devils have ranks?" Issei asked.
Helpfully pointing to a pyramid drawn on the whiteboard, Rias kept explaining, "Low level devils are just that. Newly reincarnated or born. That's where you are right now." She gave Issei a pat on the head when he looked suddenly downcast. "Now now. My house holds the rank of Duke, giving me the same rank, by right of birth. But, there have been devils who started where you are, and risen on their own merits to something far greater."
"How can I raise my rank then?"
"First, I'm going to put you to work." Rias replied with a smile, handing Issei a little stack of papers, more of those magic circle flyers. "You can start by handing these out."
Issei took them, and Koneko suddenly thumped a couple of massive boxes next to him. "This many?"
"Yes." Rias nodded, while Akeno did a quiet 'fu fu' laugh next to me. "It is your first step to becoming a powerful devil, by making a pact with a human."
Rias and Akeno sat across from me, the others having either gone home or gone out to hand out flyers. "Well, did that answer some of your questions?" Rias asked.
"A couple of them, yes." I nodded, wincing as I shifted a little on the couch and trying not to think about feeding time. "I am still a little curious about the Fallen. It sounds like you have four of them nearby."
"Indeed. It is a little worrisome." Rias replied, "To move so openly in my territory... Especially with a truce in effect." She looked down at the table, and took the last little slice of bread. "A little off topic, but, how is it that these are so tasty?"
"If I had to guess, aside from being a decent cook, if I do say so myself," I started, holding out a hand for a volunteer and getting my golden tail to flop over my palm, "It's probably because I shed magic like people shed dried skin."
They both looked a little shocked, "To do that, you'd have to have..." Rias started.
"She does have six tails." Akeno noted, "Such soft and fluffy tails."
"You've made six friends for that, by the way." I said, "But yes. I just happen to be... well... Hm. I'll explain my ranking system, in return for you explaining yours."
"Ideal payment for a question answered." Rias smiled, sitting up attentively.
"We adventurers gain experience, just like a video game. Swing a sword all day, you get stronger, take punches all day, you get tougher. When you gain enough, you can level. But!"
"There's more to it then?" Rias asked, remembering my half hearted explanation from when I arrived.
"It needs a catalyst. Something the Gods themselves would recognize as a worthy deed." I nodded, "At the bottom, we have the level ones. Just starting out, to just about to level, these are the bulk of adventurers in the city. Make no mistake though, the most average of them could break most every physical world record in the book here. Obviously, time and experience is a factor, but generally, the more they do, the faster they gain ability. Still, they are called 'low class' adventurers."
"There is no substitute for experience." Rias nodded.
"Level two, is where the guild, the balancing factor in the city, recognizes you as a proper adventurer. Anyone level two or above is considered 'high class'. But, level two is also called 'third class'. Levels three and four, are 'second class', and level five and up, are 'first class'." I explained.
"But to gain a level?" Akeno asked this time.
"It could be one of many things. A fight that seemed impossible to win. A great discovery. Mental growth." I said, "For example, my Familia's smith, Welf Crozzo, reached level two, after finally admitting he should make magic sword."
"Magic sword?" Rias raised an eyebrow.
"Not really important." I waved my hand to clear the topic, "But he overcame a great mental block of his, and saved a great many people while doing it. A heroic feat."
"I see." Rias nodded, looking at the now empty cookie container.
"I'll make more later." I said, earning a smile, "Another example, is my second, though I suppose when I became a parent, he took the spot as captain. He defeated a Minotaur, alone, even though it was considered a level two monsters. Overcoming his fear and past trauma of them as well, he protected myself and others while doing it."
"My my... What were you doing then?"
"Going into shock after getting cut almost to the spine by the Minotaur." I replied, raising a cup of tea to my mouth while they both went pale.
"So what about yourself?" Rias asked after also taking a sip of tea.
"I've done all those things. Earlier that same day, I broke my arm, but crushed the skull of a drake, with a punch. They are about two bus lengths long just for reference. My coat is made out of some of those scales. I was also level one at the time. I reached level three after intense training, and planning a battle that no one thought possible to win, using every scrap of skill I had available, from both myself and my Familia."
"I'd like to hear more about that." Rias said.
"That would be another question." I said.
"Later then."
"Very well." I nodded, "My next level, was gained in defence of my Familia, beating someone who was two levels higher, using my magic to bridge the gap. Something I'm willing to bet has never been done."
"Oh dear... That will be two questions then..."
"And lastly, discovering, or rather, re-discovering, a potion that allowed my wife and I to have children together. Befriending a God to gain the book, then through bargaining with three different Gods, learning Hieroglyph, the God's written word, and finally, having the children themselves. Though, I did gain my level just before they were actually born."
"That means..." Akeno's eyes went wide.
"Yes. I'm level five. And I'm willing to bet that I am within the top five percent, of the strongest in Orario."
The two of them sat there, a little stunned. I'd already proven that I was capable. Having not just survived but brought back proof that I'd beaten a Fallen with no trouble. And I had confidence I was actually that strong. With my magic allowing me a boost to my own stats, and all the training I had done with a literal God of War, I might have been able to stand up to any of Loki Familia level sixes. Until my magic ran out. Then I'd be toast. But I'd gotten much better with efficiency, since I first started.
"Returning to the topic of the Fallen Angels..." Rias recovered, sipping her tea and looking to Akeno, who went to make more for us without complaint. "Having four of them here presents a bit of a problem."
"Would you like my opinion?" I asked, finishing my tea, and nodding to Akeno when she returned with the teapot (which, I will note, was traditional Japanese clay, not gold plated ceramic.)
"Please."
"Something like this, in Orario, would mean two things. They are here to invade. Or at least cause trouble for you, simply because they either view you as an easy mark, or weaker than them." She frowned, and I found the expression didn't suit her at all. "Second? They are here to DO something. There is something, or someone, here, in your territory, that is important to them, and they are here for it. I could only guess at what." I shrugged, then sipped my tea, nodding to Akeno in approval.
She stopped frowning, and nodded, "We have already proven ourselves to be stronger." She said finally, "But... What could they want in this town?"
"What do they want in any town?" I replied with a question of my own. "Money? Territory? A place to set up shop?"
"Akeno? Set up a meeting with Sona. Perhaps we need a few more feet on the floor for this. But quietly."
"Yes, President."
"And, I have a full chemistry kit for you." Rias said to me, "Though, I hope it doesn't take time from your baking."
The two of them, before going to bed, had helped me set up the little chemistry set. A sturdy desk, some beakers, hot plates, and an honest to Hestia alembic. Made of proper ceramic. Certainly not a modern distiller, they smiled when I nodded my approval.
"Before you go." I said, "I'll show you something interesting." I got some tap water and turned on one of the hot plates. "This, is a magic stone. I pocketed it to hand over to my supporter for later, but ended up here."
They both looked at it, but didn't touch it. "I can feel... It's almost like a living thing."
"It was. Every monster from the dungeon has one. Usually near its heart. Without it, they simply dissolve into ash. Break or remove it, and it dies. Though, broken ones are usually worthless." I touched the side of the beaker, and nodded, "They have a wide amount of uses back in Orario. Making the place almost like modern day, here." I carefully dropped the stone into the water, watching it bob a moment, almost touch the bottom of the glass, then float exactly in the middle of the beaker. "Perfect. Neutral buoyancy." I felt a little fuzzy feeling, seeing at least I could use this modern setup.
"Interesting... The magic in it has... shifted?" Akeno leaned down towards the glass.
"A silly way to explain them... If you know what you are doing, its like cheese." I got a few of the other chemicals Rias had brought with her. Simple stuff that was like what I used back home, but in pure powder form.
"Cheese?" Rias watched me measure out things using a tiny little spoon.
"You eat it warm, it tastes like so, and is soft. You eat it melted, the taste is different as well as the texture. Bake it, another change. Make it into sauce? Different again. Clean the bit of melted cheese from a grilled cheese sandwich from a frying pan? Again, a new taste and texture." The water was steaming, the crystal inside the beaker gently spinning in place with the bubbles from the bottom. "The magic stones are the same. Boil like so, and you get a mist that is basically magic steam." Condensation was running up a glass pipe I had over the steaming water. "Chill it, and if you're careful, you can chip useful bits off." I was carefully adding the powders to various stages of the glass assembly in front of me, the steam turning back to water, though it was a pale blue now, and dribbling into the next little beaker, "Put a magic stone in dirty water, and warm it just a little, and it will purify it."
They watched as I carefully heated each of the little pools of liquid as they reached the next stage of the glass works. "This is kind of exciting..." Akeno 'fu fu'ed into her hand, "What are you making?"
"Three guesses. I've told you what a magic stone is." Naaza, the one who taught me, did the same little test on me as well. The mix, as it neared the end of its little journey was a deep blue, even though I'd been adding white powders along the way. Orario had much less in the way of refining, though these were the same elements. Just with less things like... leaves or monster bits.
"Well, if the stone is the magical heart of a monster." Rias started, her body moving so she didn't have to move her neck as she followed the steam from the beaker. "And you are condensing it, distilling it again, adding more, the distilling that..."
I put the open alembic on the last hot plate, though it was off right now. Dark blue, the darkest I'd ever seen in any of my mana potions, dripped steadily from the last pipe.
"A magic potion?" Akeno asked, then quickly added, "As in pure magic. Not... Oh dear, I never play those games..."
"Gold star for you." I said, "The ingredients here are much more refined, so I honestly don't know how well it will work, or taste..." I turned off the first plate, "As you can see, the stone has exactly the same shape, but is just... a little smaller. Like a bit of rock candy."
"But why the alembic?" Rias asked, giving a little pout as Akeno made a 'V' sign at her for guessing correctly.
"I find it more efficient to make pills, instead of downing an entire bottle at once." I replied, adding a little something to the alembic as the last drop dribbled into it. Turning the hot plate on, I went to my coat and got a healing potion, or rather, a healing 'pill' bottle. "Same effect as a whole bottle, but why use a whole bottle, when a drop or two will do?"
"My, that's interesting..." Both of them peered into the bottle, "For free." Rias said, "If you could make these, they'd be worth a small fortune to the devils. The only real healing we have, aside from raw magic or our own increased toughness, is the Phoenix Tears. But only one family of devils can make them."
"This stone might make three more potions like this." I said, looking at the last bottle, as beads of dark blue dropped into it from the alembic.
"Very valuable." Akeno said, "But, why are you using it now?"
"Four fallen angels are in your territory, and I," I nodded to the wings that were still on my floor, "Have made them my enemies as well."
"It's good to be ready." Rias nodded, "But you've already proven you'd have no trouble with them. It is, honestly, a little frightening."
Akeno looked a little shocked at Rias admitting that, but I shrugged, "Treat every monster as if it could kill you. Even I might get hurt if I let a goblin stab me in the eye or something. Or my ears." My ears twitch-twitched when I mentioned them. "Pride has no place on the battlefield."
My words seemed to disturb them, faces going a little grim. But it was true. Pride in a combat situation could get you hurt. I was rescued from dark thoughts when Akeno very politely yawned, "My, it is a little past my usual bed time." She said, "How do you think Issei-kun did?"
"He took all of my pawns. I have high hopes for him." Rias replied.
The two of them looked at me, and I realized they wanted my opinion. "He will need training. Real training. Even I could feel the power from that... sacred gear?" They nodded, "But, he has no skill."
"Very harsh, Kodori sensei." Rias smiled.
I shrugged, "He was much like I was, when I arrived in Orario. I didn't have a clue, but I tried hard and gained skill as I gained power. Right now, he has power. Lots of it. Even my tails were still at just how much there was. But he'd lose to a goblin the way he is now."
"I don't want to force too much on him so soon." Rias said, "But, I will consider your words."
I nodded, taking the now full potion bottle out from under the alembic and corking it. "Now if you ladies don't mind... I have one more thing to do before bed, or I won't be able to sleep.
They nodded, both smiling that same smile they had when they found out what went into my cookies, and I ushered them out. After locking the door behind them, I eyed the innocent looking box on the counter. "Now lets hope I can read the instructions..."
Notes!
And so, Kodori starts to shape those around her, with her wisdom, (and not her fists). Not much new here, save the real introduction of Issei. And the start of plot.
Questions and comments are welcome, unless you don't have an actual Fanfiction account. Then I can't actually reply to your reviews and questions. (Like that one guy on my last story...).
See you in five days. :)
