2016-09-06
That's why I love hanging out with you guys. Why shoot something once, when you can shoot it 46 more times.
-Lieutenant Alexander Williams
Past and Present
2025 A.D. April 1
"Wait". Issei shouted to Lucifer and Beelzebub. They both turned to look at him.
Issei walked over to the prisoner and kneeled behind her and removed the psionic handcuffs.
Lucifer and the devils looked at Rachel and Issei in alarm while Asia didn't even bother to glance their way. Instead making her way over to Rias. Asia tried to gently squeeze Rias on her right shoulder to comfort her, but that made Rias flinch instead. So, she whispered something into her ear that Issei couldn't hear though he did frown at her flinching away from Asia. Issei got up from his kneeling position and glanced at Beelzebub. While handing the cuffs over to one of the specters from Asia's team.
"You can take her now". Issei said with ice in his voice.
Lucifer looked back at Issei. "Can't she use Psionics now?". He asked. The question that most devils were thinking about. Issei blinked a few times before glancing at the prisoner and then moving on to Lucifer. "Of course not. She can't use or even access Psionics anymore. We made sure of that". Lucifer fixed him with a stare which he matched, before motioning Beelzebub to leave with the prisoner.
Issei watched the magic circle form underneath Beelzebub and Rachel before both disappeared.
Issei looked back at Satan Lucifer again with a neutral expression. "So. Just out of curiosity. What are you going to do with her?".
Issei saw the cold hate in Lucifer's gaze. Not directed at him though. No Issei could guess Rachel would get what she had coming for a long time. "I'll drop her of into a specially constructed prison in the lowest parts of the underworld. Have her sweat there for a few weeks in total darkness!". Issei watched with fascination as Lucifer's expression transformed from somewhat neutral into something morbid and maniacal as he continued. "Then I'll have her tortured for all she is worth. When she is begging for death I'll make sure she understand that death is only a release for the worthy ones. Since she is worth less than the dirt under a minotaur's hoofs, that will have their way with her whenever they want. She will never die. I'll make sure of it. I'll make sure to be the one to whisper that into her ear when she begs repeatedly for release from her mortal bonds. Before I let the minotaur's at her again and again and again".
Satan Lucifer laughed manically a booming hollow voice that echoed throughout the building. Crimson energy played inside his eyes. "Then when she is broken. Mind, body and soul. I'll make sure she understands that this is what she has to look forward for all of eternity". Lucifer had both hands in front of him crimson energy jumping between them and growing in power. The devils except Leviathan were all covering because of the pressure their leader released. Until it suddenly ended. The energy disappeared and the current leader was kneeling and grabbing his head in pain. Behind him was Grayfia the annihilation queen, who had teleported back in the middle of his rant. Right hand stretched out in front of her. She had smacked him on the back of his head. "That's enough from you". Her cold voice told her husband. Though her eyes said something else. She agreed with him. Issei blinked.
"B-but Grayfia" Came the whiny voice from the current leader of the underworld. Issei couldn't believe it. The right side of his lips twitched. He had to use all his considerable will power to not laugh openly. He failed somewhat. His head looking straightforward but both his eyes glanced to the right, the right side of his mouth opened and he released a light puff of air. Before schooling his features again and looking back at Lucifer who was getting up. Issei looked at him with a thoughtful expression. "Well for whatever it's worth". He glanced at Grayfia before locking eyes with Sirzech Lucifer again. "I'd do something similar if anything happened to anyone I cared about". Issei conveyed that he was serious with his eyes and posture. "For example, if anything happened to Asia". Issei didn't see Asia's cheeks turn red at his proclamation as he continued, the others did. "I'd be… hard pressed to keep control of my actions, emotions if anything… bad befell her". Issei eyes narrowed into slits his eyes turned cold. His teeth grinding. Issei wasn't the one to show emotions often. Especially negative ones. He had been forced to learn through training to suppress or keep a tight lid on them as often as possible, not that it always worked and lately it had been harder than ever to do so.
They could see him struggle to push his negative emotions back. Issei hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. After a few moments, his features schooled and his breath became even as he opened his eyes and stared at Lucifer. "So, I'm not going to be the hypocrite and tell you I wouldn't do the same. Since I would. Without a single doubt and without regret". He looked around the room and smiled lightly as he settled on Asia with his gaze before turning back to Sirzechs after a few moments. "Which brings me back to my third point. I need you to bring Asia and her team with you to the underworld to install the gate-beacon and to scout out the area". Issei didn't feel like using subtle threats to make his point come across of what would happen if anything happened to her. Issei had always been blunt, almost to a fault. It was easier that way, no possibilities of anything misinterpreted or figured out wrongly that way. Issei could be subtle if he had to, he just preferred being frank.
To his surprise Sirzech Lucifer smiled and shrugged before he answered. "I figured as much". Issei saw him look at Asia then back at him. "I'll make sure she and her team gets treated well". Issei tried to see if he could spot any deceit. He couldn't. He nodded. "I guess that's all the businesses we needed to conclude for now". He turned around and walked towards Asia to brief her and her team on their next assignment. He stopped halfway over on looked over his shoulder at Lucifer. "And I'll be staying at this school as a student. If you or anyone need to contact me. You know where I'll be". He saw Lucifer nod before he turned around and went over to Asia and her team.
DxD:C
Artemis followed the humans down the tunnel. Easily slipping past the sentries guarding the entrance, silent as a cat. Staying in the shadows. Becoming one with them. The slight throb, she had felt in her chest when the child had gone inside. had compelled her to follow. She scanned the dirty cave walls and ceiling. Easily keeping pace with the humans. Always out of sight and reach. Snippets of talk could be heard. The armor the bulky humans used had lights built into them that illuminated the tunnel. The humans without armor had flashlights in their hands. Tense minutes passed as they traversed the passage. Artemis extended her right hand and felt the rugged cave wall. Cold to the touch. She saw the human at the front hold up his hand and sign for them to halt. She could see the tunnel end and expand in front of them into one big wide area. Few armored humans in the back walked passed the others with crates in their hand. She watched them put the crates down at the end of the tunnel before entering the new area that was fifty meters wide and fifty meters long and fifteen meters high. Opening them. A few of the unarmored humans started to unpack the content. Following the directions of the human female that was leading them. While another two armored humans carried another bigger crate between them. Issei as she knew the child as now. looked around the room his father standing close to him and their personal guards slightly behind them.
Something was wrong she knew. She had felt the illusion spells shatter. seen the flare of purple when they did so, slightly after the loud discharge of one of their weapons echoed down the tunnel. The humans walked passed the illusions like they didn't even exist. Spells that Hades himself had created to make the passage feel and appear bigger, longer, darker and scarier than it was. To make sure that the mere minutes that they traveled felt like hours even days with their nerves on the end all the time. Yet these humans simply walked by them like they didn't even exist. Artemis didn't know what to think. She snuck past the humans and made her way into the new open wide area. While the tunnel was natural rock. This area was created, designed. The walls, the floor and the ceiling was smooth. Wrought iron wall sconces with torches in them. Sat at an even distance between them and at the same height. From the ceiling chandeliers hung and was evenly placed to cover the entire area with light. In the center of the room stood two square pillars with a height of ten meters each. with an interval of five meters between them. The base around the pillars was raised and extended a meter in diameter around both pillars. Artemis could hear the humans chatter excitedly. While a few humans went about lighting the torches on the walls. The others were setting up a camp. Six floodlights activated, illuminating the area. So that was what the crates had contained and the bigger crate had contained some kind of power generator that she didn't recognize.
DxD:C
Akeno violet eyes tracked Issei as he made his way over to the Spectre team that had gathered close to the shattered windows. Constantly vigilant, watching. She saw the strongest queen quickly exchanging words with Lucifer before a magic circle teleported her away. She struggled with her own feelings. While Serafall Leviathan clamped onto her sister like it was a day like any.
She didn't know how to approach Issei. Her only real friend before her life had transformed completely. Her mother's death flashed before her eyes. The shrine burning. The blood and her escape. The days after before her current friend and master found her. She had at times entertained herself with thoughts of what could have happened if that terrible night hadn't passed. Would she and Issei still had been friends or would they have been enemies because of her fallen heritage. Not that humanity had been in conflict with the Grigori. A frown appeared on Akeno's face. Now that she thought about it. She never heard of humanity being in a conflict with the fallen or even in a skirmish with them. 'Maybe they weren't in a conflict with humanity?' She thought while looking around the room.
Most of Rias peerage had started to clean up the mess inside the clubroom. Akeno saw Koneko sticking close to Kiba their knight who was flipping the couch back and into position. She saw that Koneko was glancing at the specters from time to time. She acted like she was hiding from them. Her frown deepened. Why was their rook acting so meek? She followed their rooks line of sight and it feel onto one of the other Spectre that had arrived with Asia. The Spectre looked like she was about to spring into action at any moment towards Koneko, her body was like a coiled spring ready to pounce onto it's intended target. She turned to Rias too ask her what she thought that was about, but noticed that her friend was contemplating something herself. So, she decided to not ask her right now.
Akeno turned to look at Issei. Surprised he was looking right back at her with a contemplating expression. Akeno watched him like a hawk now. In interest. 'What is he thinking about while looking at me with such intensity? Like I'm going to disappear if he turns away briefly'. She rubbed her thighs against each other. She chuckled lightly her heart was beating faster. Just like when they were younger. His presence had always made her hearth race. That hadn't changed with time. She chuckled again moving her right hand in front of her mouth to cover it up. She was somewhat glad for that. Even if that was just out of old sentiment of happier times. It felt like a lifetime had passed since then. Her musing was interrupted. She saw Issei nod absently to himself like he had decided on something while looking at her. She saw his head turn towards Rias brother again after giving her one final pointed look. His voice rang out clearly across the room. Akeno had always liked his voice when they were young. She liked it even more now after all this time. He had matured quite a lot. She liked what she saw and heard, his voice deeper now. "Before I forget. There are actually two more things that I think you should stay for Lucifer since it likely will affect your actions in the future". She frowned as did Lucifer and the other devils. "What else could there be?" Akeno heard Satan answer back.
Issei glanced back at her and surprisingly at Koneko as well before turning back to Lucifer and clearing his throat. "Well...". He paused casting a quick glance at them again before continuing. "I wasn't sure we should do this. Not now at least. Not this early after our first meeting". She saw him glance at the Spectre that was about to pounce towards their rook. But froze in place as Issei glanced at her. Akeno eyebrows furrowed. She saw Issei's eyes narrow before he continued. "But the decision has been made for me". As he said that he turned his head back to Sirzech locking eyes with him. "There are two people here that would like to meet with Koneko Toujou and Akeno Himejima respectively. Well one is here. The other one will be here any minute now". As the end of his sentence the scream of engines could be heard. The wind picked up. Or that was what it felt like. It was due to the engines from the Apod-33 dropship making its way over and landing outside in front of the building and extending it rear ramp after touching down. Only the Spectres saw the six marines leave the confines of the ship with a small female form between them since they had gathered close to the windows. The devils only caught the sight of the ship as it landed.
Issei smiled lightly as he looked outside Akeno noticed. Before he turned back to Lucifer the smile still present. "let me introduce you all with…" Akeno watched him take a deep breath. "Kuroka Toujou". He gently gestured towards the person in question. The silence was deafening.
The Spectres hostile environmental suit flickered away on the person in question and in its place, was a beautiful and attractive young woman with a voluptuous figure, enormous breasts. long black hair with split bangs, and hazel gold eyes with cat-like pupils.
Dressed in a black kimono with a red interior and open shoulders, a yellow belt, a set of golden beads and an ornately detailed headband. If anyone was in doubt who the person was. The black cat ears and the two black tails dispelled that illusion quickly.
Akeno could hear the light knock on the door. She watched Serafall Leviathan push both the doors open wide. Akeno's eyes widened her mouth trembled. Her hearth jumped wildly inside her chest when she noticed the person standing in between the power armored soldiers. If she had glanced at Issei she would have seen his gentle smile cast her way. His voice broke something inside her before she fainted and crashed on the floor. The last thing she heard was Issei's voice saying "Shuri Himejima" before darkness overtook her.
