"C'mon Momo," Reina Trueblood complained. "Can you stop? You're acting really childish right now!"
Momo Morgenstern stopped in her tracks. Night had fallen in Kuoh after they had successfully freed Hyoudou Ryusei from his crazed rage from Trishula. She remembered the rage she felt in her chest when she saw Ryusei again. Her blood began to boil and her mind thought of nothing but violence. What had come over her back then…she was never the type of person to lash out in anger like that…why had she done something like that?
She balled her fist. Captain Hyoudou…he was forced to draw the Ryujin-Ichimonji during their fight. Did it really come to such a thing? Should Momo feel happy that she had grown so much? If the Captain was forced to draw that sword in her fight, did it mean that he thought he had no chance of winning?
"Do you really think we should stay, Reina?" Momo asked.
"Well…I don't know about you Lieutenant," Reina scratched her head. "But I don't really hold any grudges against the Captain."
"You know what he did, don't you?" Momo asked. "How can you forgive him for that?"
"You know Captain Hyoudou as well as I do, Lieutenant," Reina sat down on a park bench. "Does he really look like the type of person who would do such a heinous thing?"
Momo and Reina had walked all the way to a local park. The trees hid the two of them from sight and since it was night, there were hardly any people around. Momo wished she could have gone back to Masyaf with Captain Kurogane, she didn't want to be here around Captain Hyoudou as much as she knew she should be.
"What are we going to do about shelter?" Momo asked. "We're not exactly swimming in money."
Reina scratched her head. "I haven't really thought about it."
Momo walked over and sat next to her. "Was I…too hard on him?"
"Pardon?"
"Ryusei…" Momo played with her fingers. "Do you think he hates me?"
"The Captain?" Reina asked. "I'm not sure he's someone to ever hate anybody, Lieutenant."
Ever since Ryusei left the Order, she dedicated herself to growing so she could kill him. She watched as dozens of her comrades died that day, lives that could never be returned. She should be furious with him, she should be wanting to kill him with every fiber of her being, and yet…she couldn't bring herself to see him as anything but her Captain when she saw him. The Captain that had inducted her into the execution squad, the Captain who saw the potential in her she never knew she had…
"Do you think Captain Kurogane left us here so we could mend things?" Momo asked. "It's like him to pull an underhanded move like that isn't it?"
"You're telling me," Reina sighed. "There's gotta be a limit to how much he meddles."
"Should we talk to Ryusei?" Momo asked.
"Might be too late for that."
Momo widened her eyes. She looked to her side to see Ryusei. He was changed into casual clothes, wearing just a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. His hands were in his pockets as he looked at them. Momo automatically shot to her feet and faced him.
"W-Why are you here?" Momo asked.
"You need a place to stay, don't you?" He asked. "C'mon, you guys at stay at the loft."
Reina stood up. "Loft?"
"Kamiya-Sensei renovated the hideout with a few beds and even walls so it feels like a big apartment complex rather than a hideout now," Ryusei sighed. "Are you guys hungry? We have some food back there."
"Why are you helping us?" Momo asked. "We're your enemies."
"What are you talking about?" Ryusei raised an eyebrow. "We've been friends for years haven't we?"
Momo froze up. "Friends?"
Reina jumped at Ryusei and wrapped her arms around him, cuddling him from the side. "As expected of a former Captain."
"C'mon, it's late," Ryusei turned around. "Let's go home."
Momo followed Ryusei and Reina as the two caught up with each other. Momo listened in as he talked about the current situation he's in. He needed to broker peace with the surrounding Shadow World clans to form allies. The Devils have been moving forward with their plans, they needed to be prepared.
"Oh, Momo," Ryusei glanced back. "How's your brother? Is he doing okay?"
"Brother?" Momo asked. "Yes, he's doing fine."
"That's good," He smiled. "He's always so cold and stern, I'm glad to hear he's okay."
Why is he always like this? The situation is dire, they could be attacked by several groups and face death at any time, so why is he so calm? Why is he more worried other people and not himself? She never understood where that kindness came from.
"Captain, what are we going to do now?" Reina asked.
"Well I suppose we have to start by making allies anywhere we can," Ryusei put his arms behind his head. "We'll start with the Kuoh wolf pack. I'm heading there tomorrow and I'd like the two of you to come with me."
"Why us?" Momo asked.
"Well aside from Celeste and Sensei, the two of you are the only ones who are versed in diplomacy and espionage," Ryusei explained. "You'll be acting as my bodyguards tomorrow so you'd better play the part." He winked.
"Please," Momo scoffed and crossed her arms. "As if you of all people need bodyguards."
"Well it's the easiest way for me to bring along help," Ryusei's tone suddenly grew serious. "There's a storm coming, and we need to be prepared."
They walked the rest of the way in silence until they arrived at the loft. Indeed Kamiya Mizuki has renovated the place. The edges had wooden walls framing the entire loft with separate rooms built into it. The main living room was just a straight walk from the front door with bathrooms and closets along the way. A large table lay in the center of the living room that acted as a meeting place for everyone. To the left was a miniature kitchen and to the right was a training area with dummies and weapons.
"You weren't kidding when you said she renovated this place," Reina said. "I can't believe it looks this different from just a few hours ago."
"You guys can use the bedrooms over there," Ryusei walked towards the kitchen. "After you get shower and get changed, I'll make some tea for us."
Momo was still hesitant about all of this. She wasn't exactly sure Ryusei was to be trusted, but her gut was telling her to despite how her head was on guard. She and Reina undressed and entered the bathroom. There was a single large bathtub where Reina just jumped straight in. Her purple hair was braided over her shoulder and relaxed in the tub.
"Oh man this feels great," Reina sighed in relief. "What's wrong Lieutenant?"
Momo covered herself with a towel and sat down by the faucet. "I can't forgive him, Reina. I just can't."
"That's…understandable," Reina pulled her knees to her chest. "Merrick and Alicia were among the dead, weren't they?"
Momo nodded. Merrick Malitar was Momo and Eiji's first teacher. He taught them a lot when they were kids and was their inspiration for becoming assassins. He was a Captain of the execution squad who retired to being a member of the Council and promoted Ryusei to the rank of captain. It was during Ryusei's time as Captain that the execution squad rose through the ranks and Momo,Eiji, and Ryusei became the known as the top team.
"Do you know what happened?" Momo asked.
Reina shook her head. "I was out on a mission, but when I came back…"
"Merrick and Alicia sealed Trishula into the Ryujin-Ichimonji," Momo explained. "The sealed sword of fate. They gave it to Ryusei for him to tame it's power. But during one of their training sessions…"
"I lost control." Ryusei voice echoed through the bathroom.
Momo looked to the door to see Ryusei's back leaning against the tinted sliding door.
"C-Captain!" Momo instinctively covered herself and fell back towards the tub.
"It was my fault," Ryusei said. "They told me that I wouldn't be able to handle Trishula's full magic release, but I wanted to prove them wrong. So I loosened Trishula's seal a bit…"
"You were taken over," Momo realized. "Just like earlier."
"Yeah," Ryusei said in a grim voice. "Trishula's power overwhelmed me and the Guard Squads rushed to deal with me. I killed all those people, and Merrick and Alicia sacrificed themselves to tighten Trishula's seal once again."
Momo had no idea that's what happened. She was in Masyaf at the time, but she wasn't near the site of the incident. Once she arrived at the scene, a field of corpses lay at her feet with Ryusei the sole survivor with Ryujin-Ichimonji in his hand.
"Soon afterwards, the Council decided to execute me for my actions," Ryusei said.
"So you decided to run?" Reina asked.
"If I died, it would mean that Alicia and Merrick sacrificed their lives for nothing," Ryusei curled up. "So I took the notebook that Alicia left behind and returned to Kuoh. To cross off every single name on that list, so that I could at least atone for my sins."
"But Captain…" Reina said. "It doesn't sound like you did anything wrong. It wasn't your fault."
"It was," Ryusei said. "I killed them. I killed Alicia and Merrick."
"Captain…" Momo said.
"It'd be better off if I was dead," Ryusei said with a snicker. "I always thought that if I stayed to die instead of running, maybe things would have ended differently. You two would still be in Masyaf, Eiji-San would run the squad in a way I couldn't…"
Momo got up and opened the door, Ryusei falling backwards and looking up at her. Why was she crying? He was admitting it, it was all his fault, he killed all her friends…so why was she…
"Don't say that…" Momo balled her fists. "Don't you dare say that."
"Momo…"
"You were the one who saved me…" Momo fell on her knees as Ryusei got up to face her. "You were the one who saved me that day, so don't say that you should be dead…"
"You should kill me, Momo," Ryusei said. "At least that way, I know you'd be at peace."
"Peace?" Momo was trembling. "What kind of girl would be at peace if she killed one of her closest friends?"
She cuddled up to Ryusei's chest and cried in his arms. Reina stood up from her tub with her hands on her hips and stared at Ryusei.
"You know Captain," Reina said. "I know this is a touching moment and all, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't come into a woman's bath and act like nothing happened."
"Oh please," Ryusei said. "It's not like I've never seen girls naked before."
"Oh?" Momo got up and stared down at Ryusei. "So you've seen girls naked before, have you?"
Ryusei widened his eyes. "W-Wait, Momo. That's not what I meant…"
Momo's towel covering her body flopped open and fell down. Her face turned beet red as Ryusei stared at her naked body.
"Y-You…" Ryusei gulped. "You've grown up since the last time I saw you, huh?"
"Captain!" Momo covered her chest as she round house kicked Ryusei in the face hard enough that he flew right through the bathroom door and landed in another wall.
"L-Lieutenant…" Reina got out from the tub. "That would kill a normal man."
"S-Serves him right," Momo picked up her towel and cover herself.
Was she really okay with this? For a whole year Ryusei's been her enemy. She's trained herself so she could kill him. What was this feeling in her chest?
…
The next morning Ryusei, along with Momo and Reina, walked to the den of the werewolf pack. They were all dressed in casual clothes but still had weapons concealed on them. Reina in fact had an old weapon the assassin's used, a blade hidden on her bottom forearm. Ryusei heard that the assassins in ancient times used them to kill their targets in broad daylight, even in crowded areas when their presence is concealed.
"Do you guys know anything about the wolf pack, Captain?" Reina asked.
"You might wanna stop calling me Captain, Reina," Ryusei said. "I"m not your Captain anymore remember?"
Reina scratched her head and laughed. "Yeah sorry Ryusei. I guess I'm just way too used to it."
"Their alpha is Leonidas Wolfbloom, isn't it?" Momo asked. "I've heard stories about him even in Masyaf."
"What have you heard?" Ryusei asked.
"He's a pacifist," Reina continued. "He's a true alpha in every sense of the word. He's probably the best leader the wolves of this town have ever had."
"Why do I feel like there's more," Ryusei sighed.
"He's an extremely talented tactician," Momo said. "Though his laid back personality may not show it, he has the brightest mind in the human and supernatural world. We should be wary of him, Captain."
"I said not to call me that," Ryusei sighed.
"R-Ryusei…" Momo fidgeted with her fingers.
They were approaching the wolf territory. It was located in the eastern parts of Kuoh. This was the central hub for all the commercialism coming in and out of the city. Most werewolves worked in the stalls and shops here in order to make money and build relations with humans and Shadow World denizens alike. Ryusei had to be honest, he hadn't been here in years so he didn't exactly know what to make of it all now.
Setting foot in the district was like stepping into a festival ground. It was early in the morning so there weren't that many people, however there were a few dozens humans roaming about and checking out the stalls. Numerous amounts of stalls and shops were beginning to set up, however their eyes were fixed on Ryusei, Momo and Reina. So they noticed their presence after all.
"Hey mister," A rather large man walked up to them from a shop. He was easily over six feet with large muscles and a beady look in his eyes. "Can I help you with something? Looking to explore or did you wanna visit anywhere in particular."
"Actually, I was looking for a man named Leonidas Wolfbloom," Ryusei said. "Can you tell me where he is?"
He was a warrior, even Ryusei could tell. His skin was darkened with scars all over his arms. He was a battle hardened warrior not to be messed with.
"What do you want with our boss?" The man asked.
"Vinny!" A feminine voice called the man from behind. From the utter dread on the man's face, Ryusei figured it wasn't anything good. Popping up from behind him was a girl half his size with long blonde hair and cold gray eyes. "What do you think you're doing? Get your shop up in ten minutes or else we're going to have promise."
"Y-Yes, of course my lady," The man, the huge mountain of a man, bowed to the girl and hurried off.
The girl sighed and looked to Ryusei and the girls. "Sorry about that, he's a giant but he's actually just a pushover. Can I help you with anything? It's still early so not a lot of shops are open yet."
"We're looking for a man named Leonidas," Momo said. "Can you tell us where we can find him?"
"Leo?" The girl raised an eyebrow. "He's up in the penthouse…" The girl finally noticed Ryusei and observed with him with her eyes. "Wait a minute…I've seen you before."
"We met in the court room a while ago," Ryusei smiled. "I'm Hyoudou Ryusei, it's a pleasure."
"You're the doofus who's caught in between the factions, huh?" The girl slightly smirked. "Follow me, I'll lead you to Leo."
"Thank you," Reina smiled.
Ryusei's group followed the girl through the district. He was amazed at how well this place was doing. They were selling basic festival food and goods but they were starting to attract a lot of people.
"R-Ryusei…" Reina tugged at his shirt. "That takoyaki looks really good…"
"Save it for later will ya?" Ryusei sighed. "We're here on business."
"Try and be more professional Reina," Momo said in a serious tone, however the growling of her stomach betrayed her. Her mouth dropped in an embarrassing pout.
"See? You're hungry too!" Reina laughed.
"Shut up! We're on business remember?" Ryusei growled. "Can you two try to at least act professional?"
"I-It's not my fault if I'm hungry!" Momo shot back.
"Then just admit it!" Reina smirked.
The girl in front of them giggled. "You guys sure are a lively bunch, aren't you?"
"They're a pain in the ass is what they are," Ryusei sighed and scratched his head. "Sorry, I don't think I got your name."
"It's Luka," The girl smiled. "Luka Wolfbloom."
"Wolfbloom? Does that mean you're related to Leonidas?" Reina asked.
"Not exactly blood related," Luka explained. "The bond between an Alpha and his pack is far stronger than that of blood or love. There isn't really an human word I can think of that can properly explain it."
Ryusei never knew much of werewolf traditions, but the Alpha and pack bond sounded pretty amazing.
The penthouse was actually more of an old apartment building that was slightly renovated. The top floor of the building had a great view of the entire district that was easily as big as his own hideout. In each corner were training areas for different wolves and sitting behind a desk in the far back was a man in his early twenties with long silver hair and gray eyes. He had a few people around him who were talking to him while he was filling out some paperwork.
"Leo!" Luka cried. "You've got some visitors!"
"Can it wait?" Leo asked without even looking towards them, rushing through the papers. "These stupid stalls are costing us money and with this stupid festival coming up, we've gotta pump out product by the second."
"I think you're gonna want to talk to these people Leo," Luka led the three of them through the room.
All eyes in the room suddenly were fixed on them, even the guys who were punching sandbags and wrestling each other stopped to look. If things went bad, getting out of here was gonna be a pain.
"My Lord is busy at the moment, Luka," A girl with long teal hair crossed her arms and faced the group. "Try coming back later."
"Cut the crap Saya, you and I both know I have authority over you," Luka gave her a smirk.
"I like her," Reina giggled.
"What did you say?" Saya growled.
"Cool it you two," Leo sighed and finally look up. "Ryusei-Kun! You're finally here!" Leo got up from his desk and hurried over. "Celeste told me you'd be dropping by soon. What can I do for you?"
"Is there somewhere we can talk alone?" Momo asked. "We're here on business after all."
"Insolence," Saya growled. "What gives you the right to demand an audience with our Lord?"
"Relax Saya," Leo waved his hand. "Alright everybody! Can you give us the room for a few minutes? Sorry for the sudden interruption!"
The wolves began to clear the room one by one. "You guys can leave two," Leo turned to speak to the two girls. "I'd like Luka to stay however."
"B-But My Lord," The other girl, with shorter teal hair, said.
"I'll be fine, don't worry," Leo smiled and patted their heads. "I'm counting on you guys to make sure things are okay out there. Report to me if anything happens."
"M-My Lord," The two bowed before vanishing.
The doors closed, leaving only the five of them in the room. Leo had Luka with him while Ryusei and Reina and Momo at his back. This was his first diplomatic negotiation, surely it can't go that bad.
"So?" Leo asked, leaning back against his desk. "How can the Alpha of the Kuoh wolf pack help you? What brings you three out here?"
"We'd like to discuss a potential alliance between our two forces," Momo was the first to speak. "As you know, we're in quite the predicament as of yesterday. I'm sure you're well aware."
"The Dragon God being unleashed, albeit temporarily," Luka said. "We had to set up several layers of protection around our district in order to avoid the conflict. I can't believe you guys actually managed to regain control."
"There isn't a lot we can tell you unless you agree to a treaty between us," Ryusei said. "However I can tell you that something much worse is headed to Kuoh."
"The Reaper," Leo said to Ryusei's surprise. "I'm very well aware of the threat we face, Hyoudou Ryusei. However I won't put my people in the line of danger if I can avoid fighting."
"So you're going to turn tail and run?" Reina asked.
"In almost a hundred years of life, I've learned quite a few things about this world," Leo smiled. "Jumping into a battle without any knowledge of who your opponent is or what they can do is a guarantee of death. Do you really want to do this?"
"I don't have a choice," Ryusei balled his fist. "We have enough to deal with at the moment, and the Reaper coming here is just making things worse. The conditions with the Devils are at an all time low-"
"They want you dead, don't they?" Leo asked. "I can tell you that the Crimson Ruined Princess has nothing to do with this. If anything, it's the Devil King Lucifer who's pulling the strings."
"We're aware," Ryusei said. "So will you help us?"
"If I say yes," Leo smirked. "What would you like me to do?"
"Nothing," Momo said. "You don't have to do anything or change your way of life. However the Alpha of the Kuoh wolf pack agreeing to a peace treaty with us would set a good example for future endeavors."
"So you're going to use us as a stepping stone, huh?" Luka asked, with a maniacal look on her face.
"So we won't have to fight?" Leo asked.
"Not at the moment, no," Ryusei said. "Do we have an agreement?" He reached his hand out and smiled. "I've heard the Alpha of the Kuoh pack is a man of his word, is he not?"
"This is interesting indeed," Leo returned his handshake. "Very well. The Kuoh Wolf Pack shall work with you, you have our support."
"It was that easy?" Reina asked. "I thought you'd put up more of a fight."
Leo laughed. "I'm not that mean of a person, don't worry. However I'll give you a heads up, just because I agreed to this treaty doesn't exactly mean my men will. Proceed with caution, Ryusei."
"I appreciate the heads up, Leo," Ryusei smiled.
"And also another thing," Leo said. "There's a certain village in the outskirts of Kuoh that the wolves have been protecting for a long time. Legend says that they're blessed by the gods with elemental powers. You might wanna go talk to them too if you're planning on expanding your ranks."
Ryusei narrowed his eyes. "A village…with elemental powers?"
…
Issei stood alone in the forest just on the outskirts of town. The trees shrouded him from human sight as well as hid his training. He's been out here ever since the break of dawn, taming his demonic power and trying to master the Boosted Gear.
According to Ddraig, the Boosted Gear holds more power than simply boosting the user's own power. So far, Issei's only been able to boost his own ability every few seconds, but he had to try and take it to a new level. That power he used when he was fighting Momo in those last few minutes, when his body transformed into a dragon…he had to draw out that power once again.
"Clear your mind partner," Ddraig said once again. "Imagine my body through your mind, and use the Boosted Gear to manipulate your own body. Imagine anything you'd like."
Imagine…anything…he'd like. Issei closed his eyes and imagined it. The image of Ryusei when he was taken over by Trishula. The ice covering his body and the dragon on his arm. If Ryusei could do it…so can he.
Issei felt his body begin to tingle. His Boosted Gear manifested and the orb began to glow a brilliant green. He felt a sudden change come forth…
The pain was mild, but he still felt it nonetheless. His arms transformed into talons, his legs arched and turned into claws, a pair of dark wings sprouted on his back and his teeth turned to fangs. Issei unleashed a powerful roar that pushed all the trees back and elevated the wind.
"You did it partner!" Ddraig laughed. "To think you'd achieve a partial Balance Breaker. I'm impressed."
"Balance Breaker?" Issei asked.
"The final stage of a Sacred Gear achieved through a powerful surge of emotion. The bond you and your brother share, as well as your desire to protect him…I'd imagine those were the two forces that paved a way for your Balance Breaker," Ddraig explained. "However it will take more training if we want to achieve a full Balance Break. Keep at it partner."
"Obviously," Issei smirked.
His Balance Breaker...Issei wouldn't admit it, but he was envious of Ryusei's power. Aside from Trishula, he was talented in combat and cared so deeply for others. Issei wondered if he would ever be able to be like his brother. How pathetic, it should be the older brother who sets a good example for the younger one, not the other way around.
Issei held out his arms and concentrated. The move that Momo did…the Burning Phoenix Blade, maybe he can do that too. His demonic energy pulled itself into spiraling waves around his forearms, and slowly concentrated into smaller waves as he brought his hands together in front of him. The green energy pulled together into a small orb as Issei brought it to his side. He unleashed the attack towards the trees, blasting a powerful beam of light that eradicated everything in it's path. The trails of the attack left nothing but completely burned trees and hollowed out grounds.
"What the hell…" He felt so powerful. It was as if adrenaline had been shot in his heart, he felt invincible.
"Issei…" A voice said to him from the trees.
Issei turned to see Rias. She walked forth from the trees and smiled at him. "You've gotten so strong in just a few days."
"P-Prez…" Issei erased his transformation and returned to his normal body. Now that he was out of that form, he felt like his energy was fading. He fell to his knees as his legs gave out.
"Issei!" Rias ran over and helped him up, pulling him towards a tree and setting his head on her lap. She stroked his hair and smiled at him. "I guess I was right to choose you after all. I'm so proud of you, Issei."
"B-But I…" Issei gritted his teeth.
"You stood up for what you believed in, Issei," Rias said. "You stood up against me to stand with your family. I couldn't be more proud of you."
But you're my family too…
"Issei, I'm afraid this isn't just a friendly visit," Her voice grew cold. "My brother…the Devil King Lucifer, he seems to have gone mad."
"W-What?"
"He's ordered the capture of Hyoudou Ryusei by any means necessary," Rias informed him. "He has us, as well as Sona's peerage scouring the entire city. They have orders to attack on site."
Issei mustered up his strength and sat up. "Why is he going so far? What could he…"
"Probably…that sword," Rias said. "We were ordered to investigate the accident yesterday, however an angel intervened and ordered us to stay back. She fixed the town as well as altered the memories of any human who witnessed the attack. What Ryusei did, it's casted the last domino Issei."
"The last domino?"
"Up until now, I've been able to keep him from making any rash decisions because I've been able to convince him that maybe Ryusei could be an ally, however after that attack, he has been deemed a threat to the three factions," Rias explained. "A meeting will take place soon between the three leaders of the Devils, Fallen Angels, and Angels to decide on how to deal with Ryusei. If all three factions agree that he's a threat, he'll have the forces of all three factions on him. I doubt that even someone of his caliber will be able to hold them back."
Why was all of this happening? Issei gritted his teeth. There was just way too much to deal with right now. What was he going to do? His mind began to grow blank. Would he able to help? How though? He wasn't nearly as strong as everyone else. What good was he to them?
"We'll be able to handle it."
Issei turned to see Irina and Xenovia. Where had they been all this time?
"Rias Gremory," Irina said. "You underestimate the influence that Ryu-Kun has on the people he's touched. He's not so alone as you would think. If he can't win by himself, we'll fight by him."
"I-Irina….Xenovia…" Issei gulped.
"We've been ordered to stay as Hyoudou Ryusei's observers, and as such we can't allow him to die just yet," Xenovia said.
"Do you really think you can do it?" Rias asked. "Things are going to get very complicated soon, Issei."
Issei stood up and took in a deep breath. "Whatever comes our way, we'll handle it somehow. Don't worry about me Prez."
Rias stood up with a grin on her face. "You've really matured in such a short amount of time, haven't you Issei. I couldn't be more proud."
"Prez…"
"I'll keep you updated whenever I can, Issei." Rias smiled. "Be careful, and good luck." She disappeared in a magic circle.
Issei fell to his knees as felt the life leave his body.
"Issei-Kun!" Irina ran to his side.
"Why is all of this happening?" Issei balled his fists. "Dammit…"
"Stand, Hyoudou Issei," Xenovia said. "Don't falter here. Grow in strength and confidence. We will train with you, just as all of your friends are."
"My friends?"
Irina nodded. "Kamiya-Sensei is training Asia to heal long distance as well as enhance the scope of her Twilight Healing. Celeste Clearwater is training Emi-Chan to use magic. Even Ryu-Kun is training with Momo and Reina to become stronger. That means so will you."
Issei balled his fists. How pathetic…everyone's working so hard and here he was complaining about how hard things were. If he couldn't stand here, he has no right to stand by Ryusei's side.
"Let's do this," Issei said.
…
Ryusei sat in the Central Park with Momo and Reina. What Leo said about the village of people with the ability to manipulate the elements began to weigh on him. He had heard about them from Alicia…back on Lian-Yu.
"Ryusei? Are you okay?" Reina asked. "You've barely eaten your crepe."
"I'm fine," He mustered a smile. "Just beginning to think about what we should do now."
"Who should we approach next?" Momo asked. "I don't think we should affiliate with the vampires for awhile."
"How about the Fairies?" Reina asked. "Oberon and Titania are fairly open minded, plus we could use the Fairies on our side in the future."
"Agreed, but there's something else on my mind," Ryusei said. "Hiro and Hina…I wonder what they're up to right now."
As if on queue, a voice pierced through the crowd and took Ryusei by surprise.
"Senpai!" Hina shouted and waved her hand.
Hiro and Hina were across the street, wearing casual clothes and carrying bags. They must have been out shopping. He hadn't seen them since the science club…
"Senpai, are you okay?" Hina asked. "I haven't seen you since yesterday…"
"Ryusei…" Hiro said. "Are you really that guy in the mask who saved Hina?"
Dammit…
"Yeah," Ryusei said, hiding his face. "I'm sorry Hiro, I never wanted you to find out. I wanted you and Emi to live as humans, not get dragged up into this stupid world. I thought…at least I could protect the normalcy in your lives."
Hiro dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around Ryusei, to his complete shock. Speechless, he watched as Hiro began to tremble and cry.
"Thank you…" Hiro said. "Thank you for saving my little sister…Thank you so much…Thank you…"
"Hiro…" Ryusei pushed him back and grabbed his shoulders. "Listen to me, you cannot tell anyone about this. We're caught in something…complicated right now. And I have a feeling you're going to get dragged in too."
"I don't care," Hiro said, taking Ryusei's hand. "I'm going to help you, Ryusei. Hina and I will do whatever we can to help you, even if it's not much."
"W-What?"
Hina popped to the side and smiled at Ryusei. "You're my hero, Senpai. I'll do everything I can to help you as much as I can."
"By the way," Hiro whispered. "Who are the two beauties?"
Ryusei became flustered. "T-These are my friends from back in the day. Momo, Reina, this is my classmate Hiro and his younger sister Hina."
"It's a pleasure," Reina smiled and stood up.
"I'm pleased to be your acquaintance," Momo bowed with a hand over her chest.
"Please to meet you," Hina smiled and took their hands.
"Do you guys wanna join us for some lunch?" Hiro asked. "We were about to go to a cafe nearby."
"Can we really?" Reina asked as her eyes lit up.
Ryusei smiled and got up, following his friends new and old as they walked on the street. An image of Merrick, Alicia, Momo, Eiji, and himself appeared in his mind. He wished that these moments of normalcy could last forever…if he only ever knew…
Author's Note - Sorry for the long wait, but I'll be focusing more on Asia, Issei, and Emi next chapter rather then Ryusei and the others. It might be a good chance for me to further the world building since I'm adding new elements into this story that weren't in the original. Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter and I'll see you soon :)