Co-writer: Shi The Sin of Sloth
Things are getting serious! This chapter doesn't have any fluffy moments at all, as we are now in the climactic moments of this story. Last chapter, the truth finally came out, however, not in the way Issei nor Sona wanted. It was because of a recording played over the entire school, courtesy of Aika Kiryuu. Issei also managed to finally defeat Sona in a game of chess, solidifying his status as Sona's boyfriend. But now, they will face the consequences of their actions! The POVs here take alternate turns in happening, so be sure to be able to keep up with the flow. Before we head on to the chapter, let's answer some reviews some people left for me...
djohagan: Really? Well, thanks!
CrimsonComplex: Happy to make a reader satisfied! Thank you for your support!
quarttzblade12: Oh. Should I feel guilty then?
Bonkey1996: Co-worker, not workers... XD
Neo Infinity: Read through the chapter and you'll find out just how.
theDemonRaksh: Sona giving in to her feelings is easily one of my fave moments here.
diothemage: Read through the chapter! You'll find out! Beware, though... she's gone crazy!
"Normal Talking"
'Thoughts'
Flashbacks
[Ddraig Talking]
{Albion Talking}
Disclaimer: I don't own Highschool DXD... this story originally belongs to bustercall, as I am just translating his Spanish version. Check it out as well if you want to, but if you don't want spoilers, best you tune in here!
It was still just beginning the day, luck did not seem to have accompanied Issei Hyoudou. What he hoped for to happen was a quiet and justified farewell to the place that gave him the opportunity to meet his friends and a new and magical world; instead it had become a disaster, demonstrating to him that what he had done had been a sovereign stupidity which would accompany him the rest of his life, even though he was the hero of the children in the underworld and other nonsense in that style. The fact to have been bullied in such a way at the school with which he shared with other people his age would be a horrible mark that would not leave him alone soon, to say nothing.
Even so, in spite of having run away from the place leaving a lot of questions to both friends and enemies alike, questions, which for them were urgently needed some answers that would give meaning to whatever was happening, the day after had peace, at least for now.
"There's almost no popcorn left…"
Indeed, the… no, not only the, both, Sona and Issei had ran like cowards after the truth, ignoring the incredulous and astonished looks of their closest friends, ignoring everything to simply have a moment to recover. Although Issei was dirty and battered by the public execution, Sona was quite agitated, she tried to keep it secret, but she could not deny that she felt a horrible pressure in her chest having turned her back on everything she had been building since its inception. The school, which is why, the first thing they had done when they arrived at the Sitri's apartment, was to take a bath… maybe it was not necessary for her, but the wide mental disorder of both was enough to help them share the shower, at first just for the purpose of cleaning their battered bodies. However, it was not enough for more than a few minutes under the hot water and a few tired looks to calm them.
"Should I prepare more, then?"
If, after leaving the bathroom, the rest of the day passed in relative tranquility, seeing that the culinary skills of both were not exactly the best, they had to resort to making a delivery. Likewise, neither of them had left the house all day long and just as impressively, none of the Sitri group or the Gremory group had arrived at her house, the obvious place where they would both end up after running away from school. Perhaps none of their companions could still digest the first part of what had happened that morning.
It didn't help much either that even if they were locked up all day, sharing as they casually did on other occasions, neither of them mentioned about what happened at school, nor the public execution, nor the statement, not even about the audio recording of Sona talking to Aika openly accepting that she was the one who had planned everything that she and her partner had been doing for so long.
"No need…" Issei answered, watching the television sitting against the wall of the room on top of Sona's bed. His arms were lying on his chest, both watching one of many series that the Sitri had been commissioned to begin to collect for a while. "My tongue getting stingy for so much salt…"
"So more soda, then?" asked the violet-eyed girl hugging a pillow, leaning against his chest, raising a bottle of soda half finished.
"If you can, I'd prefer more wine…" he joked, resulting on a strong pull of his ears courtesy of his girlfriend who didn't take her eyes off the TV.
"What did we say about the wine issue?" she asked without emotion, making Issei begin to beg for releasing his ear.
"Wine issue? What issue and what wine are you talking about? I do not know what you're talking about..."
With that, Sona left him free to caress his aching ear while they both continued watching that series which had started together during the afternoon, eight chapters run and junk food as their delicacy was the way they invested their time. After they had their lunch and somehow, neither of them was uncomfortable.
"Sona…"
"What?"
Even so, perhaps only the time was needed to cool their heads and the tranquility of the moment to deal with that delicate point, the point of having turned away from everything in a single morning.
"..."
"..."
Even so, where do you start? There were too many things, all with the same importance, all with the same seriousness.
"Thanks for… defending me this morning…" he began, addressing the issue perhaps where it was more fun to do so, as the Sitri heiress simply sighed.
"You don't have to thank me… you were leaving the school in peace without bothering anyone, as president of the student council, it was my duty to answer like that…" After a slight pause, she hid part of her face on her pillow with a meditative look, trying not to blush. "Also, I couldn't let my boyfriend pass over while I was there to defend him…"
"Well, that's right…" he replied, a bit amused, moving quickly to a serious gesture afterwards. "But you did not have to defend me the way you did, you have put yourself in an even more horrible position than the one I was in…"
"I may have, but I don't regret anything…" The pauses between sentences were slightly overshadowed by the slight clicking of a clock on the wall. "You already played a lot for me, and you fulfilled what you had to do… now it was my turn to carry the load that you had. In addition, you won me in the game of chess, so officially, you're my boyfriend."
Issei blinked several times at that, somehow it seemed to have a much more complex meaning than what was simply heard.
"How is that possible?"
"Do you remember the matter with my ex-fiance? With Jericho Barbatos?"
"The guy I turned into a piece of shit to step on?"
A giggle escaped her mouth.
"Yes, that same guy…" she began, returning to her serious face. "I cancelled my commitment by winning in a game of chess; quite simple I must emphasize, in doing so, it was revealed that I was self-sufficient at strategic level as to take advantage of myself without having to depend on a partner, however…" After a pause she continued, blushing fearfully. "Something similar happened when you confronted Riser for the second time, in his last meeting Rias had lost, so Riser had every right to marry her, that, if someone else beat him before his marriage, the right to marry Rias would be that person's right then."
Issei reminisced on what happed back then, coming to interrupt the ceremony with a simple statement.
"Rias Gremory's virginity belongs to me!"
SLAP
In the best style of her partner, a quick facepalm towards evidence of his stupidity and the smile of the Sitri, she also remembered that interesting declaration of war.
"Something similar happens with me, actually. I would be free to choose my partner if I wanted to in the future, however, if someone won me in a game of chess, the method by which I beat my ex-fiancé, that person would have the right to take me for… wife and be the future heir of my clan alongside me."
Issei's eyes widened as his embrace strengthened around his lover, she simply wrapped her arms around her hands.
"Haven't you realized it?" she asked, resting her head a bit embarrassed. "That night in the park I said it as a joke, but, when you win, you have the right to handcuff me as well as you had Rias…"
"Sona…"
"I always said that I would not accept someone who was not more intelligent than me…" she continued, more thoughtful. "However, that would not be the whole truth, my father is a smarter, cleverer man than me, maybe it's the age and his vast experience of life, but frankly I would not be married to someone who had his own personality as abilities, and that makes the intelligence factor lose its merit a little…"
Gently, she turned to caress the face of the chestnut with the backs of her hands, removing a few hair strands from his face.
"If you didn't notice, you did two incredible things in my opinion. First, you grew intellectually and defeated me in the game where I had been unbeaten until now and second, you made me grow as a person as well as you did. Do you realize that with what you have brought to my life, I changed?" After a long sigh, she leaned her forehead on Issei's chest. "That's why, if it's about you, I wouldn't bother that when you felt ready, you married me… if you said that it was at this moment that you wanted that, I would have to ask you to consider it, though. We are both very young, we are devils, and our existence is too long lived, we will live thousands of years and be married before turning twenty is something that we may regret later. However, if things go as they have gone until now… in the future, our commitment would make me very happy…"
Issei silently thought about that topic, and in the past, Azazel had given him an important council.
"Take things easy."
As such, and was a council of incalculable value now that he thought about it. As Sona said, their lives, would be incredibly long, the leader of the fallen angels had told him that in the past many devils and others went crazy or got bored of the existence to hurry and meet their long-term goals with excellent ease. So if he wanted to live at ease, he would have to live enjoying the moment and not rushing to meet his goal of becoming the Harem King.
"I understand… besides, I like how things are for now…" he replied calmly, looking to the side, sketching a somewhat serious gesture. "Although… now that we are talking about these things, I think the best thing will be to clarify things first with the rest…"
At that point they both nodded again, that was something of paramount importance.
"Certainly, despite everything, they are our friends who have remained in the most uncomfortable position, but my servants…" Sona murmured, remembering their shocked faces, including Saji's.
"And I have to clarify things with Buchou and the others…" Rias's incredulous face as the truth was revealed to her was something that Issei could not get out of his mind all day long. "Well, they should understand that things are like that, we can't continue to pretend anymore…"
"Sure," she said seriously. "I am willing to take the consequences of my actions, to be able to do it quietly at least, I must make them understand why we did this… however, we can't expect them to agree completely or even approve, but, our duty is to be honest with them, if they want to accept our relationship or not, it's not our problem anymore…"
A complicit laugh escaped from both their mouths, until Issei remembered a small detail.
"Now that I think about it," he began in a worried tone. "In the audio that Kiryuu played, you said that you were the culprit of all the irregular things that were done, from the uses of school buildings and others… what's going to happen with you regarding the school?
With that question, Sona's mood darkened considerably.
"I'm not sure, but I think that they won't forgive me at all; using important resources of the school, lied to many people, violate school files and so on; and all that just to cover up the secret that was discovered this morning… is a serious violation of many of the school's regulations…" After a slight pause, she sighed wearily. "It doesn't matter if I'm the president of the student council, at least they will do it to me will be to put me a conditional license if they don't expel me directly…"
Issei's eyes snapped open.
"No! Wait! What?!"
That was quite serious, no, bad enough, that there was nothing good that could be rescued from their problem. But nevertheless, she simply hugged her knees.
"It's normal, I told you, I've done something too serious in the eyes of the school… I wouldn't be surprised to be expelled for that…"
"But you're the president of the student council, isn't that worth anything?!"
She sighed.
"I told you, what I've done is too serious, my position as president of the council won't save me…"
"And what about being one of the leaders of the city?!" Hearing those words made her look to the side, thoughtful.
"The directives of the school don't know anything about that topic… we have made them 'collaborate' with certain resources that you and I already know, but they in particular, don't know anything about the supernatural world. At first my sister and Lucifer-sama thought that it would be better that way. Rias and I directing the place from the supernatural point, being supported by others like Kiyome Abe…"
"But then —!"
"Shush Issei, I wouldn't mind leaving school to have to do it…" she sighed tiredly, looking selflessly at the television. "If I have to reorganize the control points in the city to direct my group from outside the school, it's not hard…"
While she sounded quite calm and calm, for Issei, it was not hard to feel the slight tremor in her chest, things were not as flat as she was saying.
He wouldn't say anything at that time to not embitter the night, but he knew the appreciation and affection she had for that place. The delivery as a member of the council, as protector of the city; two years and a little more would lead her to being thrown out, two years where she, despite being an authority figure, had fun on the trip to Kyoto, participated in school festivals and so on and had done so much of pleasant memories.
It was a shame to leave a place like Kuoh.
"I'm sorry," he muttered under his breath, securing the hug.
"There's nothing to apologize for…"
Without more, both continued watching the series, the evil was already done and now it was necessary to deal with the consequences. But at least, at that moment, they could enjoy that for which both had been sacrificing so much, the uninterrupted company of the other in total privacy.
The next morning, each had to take their respective paths. Both had to render accounts to their closest friends, and it was a rather uncomfortable issue. But Issei at least had the confidence of having announced that he had something important to tell them. To all, of course, the warning did not detract from him, so when he rang the bell of his house and was greeted by Asia and his eyes were somewhat hesitant.
"Hello Asia," he greeted nervously.
"Issei-san, welcome home," she greeted him politely, giving way to him to enter his house, as if it were a normal day, to get to his room was well received by a breakfast on the part of the blonde, he had already had breakfast but out of courtesy and to avoid ending up fucking up relationships with his friends he accepted the food.
From the stairs, came down Kiba. Seeing his friend made a smile shine on his face.
"Good day, Issei-kun…" he greeted kindly with his movie heartthrob smile.
"Hey, Kiba…" he replied with the same tone he used on Asia, before the blonde accompanied him at breakfast. After finishing his meal, a smile of relief settled on his face, apparently things were not so bad, although, it should highlight the detail of seeing both blondes with their school uniforms, at home during school hours.
To make the situation more serious, the somewhat thoughtful look of Asia was the first thing that came into view of the Sekiryuutei.
"What are you doing at home at this time?"
That question on the part of Issei made Asia and Kiba look at each other, worried.
"We're taking care of Buchou," replied the nun, causing a wave of fear to wash over the brown-haired boy. "She hasn't left her room since yesterday, and she hasn't even gone out to eat…"
"It seems that she couldn't handle the news about you… and Kaicho… very well," Kiba added thoughtfully. "To be honest, none of us ended up believing, I mean, really, how could you have shown yourself at school during all this time when all the things you did was a lie?"
That question made Issei tremble slightly, forcing him to take a more condescending position.
"In part," he answered with a solemn gesture. "It's not as if we wanted to cheat on you all, but for us it was important to keep… our relationship in secret, that's why I pretended to do some things…"
"Then what about the Evening of Sunset? What about the girls' bathroom in the kendo club?" asked Asia, intrigued and confused.
"Yes, everything was planned…" he admitted. "Every time we were nearly caught, they tied more loose ends, so we had to take more… radical measures…"
A wide silence was formed in the room, both wanted to recriminate him as it was due to Issei that all of this happened, but being there answering these questions seemed to be enough burden for him, at least for the first time. It could be said from his voice alone that he was under pressure.
"When did this whole scandal start?" asked the blonde, maybe Issei would tell them how long were they being played by their colleague.
"Well, our relationship began as simply friends and acquaintances, it started to become deeper when we started opening up to each other, and then the whole school affair began after the matter with Kokabiel… at that point, we knew that we were romantically interested in each other…" he explained with a serene look.
"It's been a long time," Asia added, feeling a bit vulnerable to having been deceived for so long.
"I know," Issei replied, knowing what the blonde girl was talking about, likewise with a determined look, he got up from the sofa. "I will explain in more detail later, but for now, I need to talk with Buchou…"
"I suppose that it will be best to leave this talk for later, it's a priority that you speak with Buchou to make her react, however…" Kiba stated calmly but showing that in effect, he resented against Issei. "Don't expect her to understand you, much unless I forgive you, you also have to explain that to the others, they don't know what to do or what to say at this moment…"
Issei never believed himself to be scolded by the Prince of the Academy. However, this was well received by him, because it was true, anyway.
"I know, in time I'm willing to do what you think I should do to compensate for this…"
Without further ado, he climbed up the stairs to the top floor, where his room and his master's room were.
On the other side of the coin, the situation was somewhat more difficult to assimilate. Sona was in the living room of her home, with Tsubaki sitting in front of her, sitting rigidly with hands in her lap and closed eyes.
"I'm glad you came even during school hours, Tsubaki…" Sona began, taking her hand to her cup of tea.
"It's my duty to attend to the call of my leader… nothing more…" the long-haired girl replied, without opening her eyes, without touching her cup at all.
"It's enough for me," Sona countered, it was not a secret for her that her Queen was not happy at all. "I think you already know why I called for you."
"I'm not sure…" Tsubaki then opened her eyes, showing herself in effect that she was indeed annoyed. "I suppose it will be to explain why you gave us that horrible stab from behind."
Sona's impression was too much to be contained. However, as quickly as she was surprised, she recovered her temper.
"I do not know what you mean by stabbing all of you in the back, I called you here to explain why I had to keep this relationship secret from all of you," showing a defiant look she focused on her right hand. "Also, watch your tone Tsubaki , you are my queen, remember that…"
"I just hope it's a good explanation Kaichou…" replied Tsubaki without diminishing her hostility. "And I hope it is quite convincing and justified. Also, about my loyalty you know that it is more than secured to you, however, the deal does not seem be requited…"
Disregarding her Queen's obvious lack of respect for her by the fact that she had violated her trust, Sona began telling her friend about the beginning of her story with the Sekiryuuetei. Starting from when they first crossed each other's paths, to being intimate and others, without cutting a single detail. Throughout the story, Tsubaki had not moved from her place, even to touch her tea, which by the end of the story, was still full and gone completely cold.
"So that's the story," Tsubaki commented.
"Yes, I told you everything, as you noted. The fact that Issei or I could end up in a very bad position forced us to take these unjust measures with all of you…"
Sona hoped that by explaining to Tsubaki that her relationship with Issei could represent several reverences not only in the school but in the demonic world and that it would be sufficient for her to understand why that secret was hidden from her and the others.
Nevertheless…
"If that's all, I can only ask you one thing Kaichou…" To Sona's surprise, the look of her queen was extremely sharp and torn. "Are you stupid?"
Obviously before such a shot, the Sitri dropped her cup to the floor, breaking into pieces instantly. The impression was too much to handle as well. Her eyes widened slightly.
"Excuse me?" Her tone sounded like she was more incredulous than annoyed.
"Yes, that would be the question in this case, are you that stupid? Do you have such a lack of common sense?" Tsubaki asked, annoyed without saving anything. "Are you trying to tell me he did all those things to us because you two wanted to protect your secret?!"
Sona couldn't finish assimilating what happened. Tsubaki, the most loyal and the most respectful person to her, was really exploding like this?
"Yes, just for that…" replied Sona, raising her voice slightly not to be imposed on her queen. "I will understand that you can't agree with me, but —"
"What about us?" shouted the Queen, interrupting her leader with an irritated tone. "Didn't you ever think about how we would feel at some point?!"
It was true, something she didn't think much of, was about how her servants would react when they realized the truth, when they realized the role they played in that soap opera. Now with that question, she realized the seriousness of the matter, at least to her friend.
"Ruruko and Momo didn't stop crying because of what happened!" Tsubaki continued. "What they were doing was protecting the person they admired the most and then they found out about her being a disgusting and manipulative person! How do you think that do they feel when they learn that they were used by you to be the bad guys in your story?" Her fists tightened even more to a whitish color. "Yura… Yura has not left her room, she hasn't said absolutely anything, her mother told me that she hasn't stopped breaking the things that are in her room screaming at herself that she was a complete imbecile and the worst human being on the face of the Earth…"
For Sona to hear all that was eating her on the inside.
"All of that and why? I understand the situation, seriously, I know that you thought about your safety, about Hyoudou's, even at a point, at ours… but…"
Before she could continue, Sona got up from her seat.
"You don't understand, Tsubaki!" she shouted angrily, the first time that she addressed her queen in that way, not as servant and master, but as two legitimate teenagers who might well seem as sisters arguing. "Do you think this was easy for me? Do you think I don't —"
SLAP
Before continuing, Tsubaki had also risen from her seat, giving Sona a loud slap on the face. Falling silent on impact, the violet-eyed girl did not quite understand what had happened, the strong burning sensation on her cheek and the faint taste of the blood in her mouth were new sensations for her.
"It was difficult, I know…" Tsubaki continued, covering her eyes with the fringes of her hair, with her hand still extended as if she still couldn't believe it. "It was incredibly difficult, I know! Then, why?! WHY DIDN'T YOU TRUST IN US?!"
Sona, still in shock, could only look incredulous at her Queen who had already begun to cry.
"I know yours was a situation with no way out, but why didn't you trust us? Do you think that none of us would support you in your romantic relationship?! On the contrary, we would more than gladly support you in what you had to do! Why?! Because your happiness is something we want with all our heart!"
The blow and the forcefulness of Tsubaki's words forced the Sitri to sit down, astonished in her entirety.
"You've done a lot for all of us; Saji didn't stop saying how impressive you are as a person and as a leader to the whole school… we would gladly have put our hands to the fire for you, so why did you do this to us? Why did you stab us in the back in such a way? Was it better for you to make us look like the worst in the world instead of counting on us to prevent all this from ending that bad?!"
A wide silence settled in the place, while Tsubaki also took a seat, holding her hand, she couldn't believe that she had raised her voice at his leader.
"While you say we have to maintain a certain distance, for us, even for Saji, you are a valuable friend, we consider you the best person we know… or at least we knew…"
Sona could not say anything against that, she had nothing to justify or to refute, at no time had it occurred to her to think about what she was saying, that instead of reacting badly, her peerage supported her as Tsubaki was saying. They would do it, comparing their situation if instead of her it had been Rias, most likely she had told her secret to Akeno and the others, and that they would have helped her even if it meant keeping important things secret…
Tsubaki got up from the couch, drying her face, preparing to head for the exit without even looking at her leader who had her head down with her cheek beginning to swell.
"On yesterday it was logical that it happened, it was obvious that no one in the school would trust Hyoudou or give him the pleasure of leaving chanting as you didn't trust us… I got documents from the school management demanding his presence to clarify what happened yesterday and his well-deserved punishment…" Tsubaki's hand took the door handle opening the front door. "Good luck with that, Sona…"
Without more, she closed the door after leaving, leaving the Sitri heiress in her solitude, touching her cheek which was burning, but it didn't hurt as much as Tsubaki's words, because it was true. Everything that was happening to her, was for his lack of confidence in them, perhaps having noticed and appreciated that familiarity and esteem that her servants had, things wouldn't have went too far.
For a long time, she remained silent, meditating on her mistakes, they were much worse than she believed they would be.
Issei never thought he felt so depressed or so drowned when he was facing the door of his own room, but there was that sea of sensations and nerves that didn't stop him from trembling, he felt even as his heart squeezed his chest that forced him to feel it with his hand.
"Buchou… it's me…" he said, knocking on the door of his room. When he did not receive any kind of answer, he tried to enter, but the door was blocked.
The silence was uncomfortable, not to mention stifling.
"I understand that you don't want to open the door for me, if you don't want to talk to me, but… at least let me be honest with you…"
For him, it was quite hard. Rias had shown herself to him as the most devout person, the person who always held out her hand, who saved his life, who gave meaning to his life and who integrated him into that wonderful world where he now lived.
No, it wasn't just that.
She was the person who trusted him the most and she was always in every moment in which he felt decaying, a loving person with a generous heart. At first he could not grasp it, but, despite all the mistakes he made, now, for him it was obvious that she had feelings for him. That, maybe at some point she fell in love with him in the match against Riser? Perhaps, the important thing was that he had been playing with her in a certain way, lying to her, damaging her friendship with Sona while he was intimate with her.
He felt like the worst kind of garbage at that moment.
That's why that would be his punishment, telling the truth to her and killing the feelings of affection she could have for him.
"What was said at school is true," he began, sitting against the door, looking at the ceiling. "Sona and I have been dating for several months now…"
Some noises were heard in the room being the first signs of life from the beginning of the topic.
"I regret not telling you before, but that's the truth…" Pure silence was his answer and this was killing him, while on the stairs, Asia and Kiba looked at everything with some disappointment. "I suppose you have something to say to me, I'm determined to receive the punishment that I deserve for all this…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Is that all you have to say, Issei?" spoke Rias for the first time. However, the question was too sharp, so Issei could not answer anything really eloquent.
Another silence cut the atmosphere.
"As young girls, Sona and I always played in the gardens of my house since in her estate, the caretakers and servants of Lord Sitri were too strict and rigid…" she began counting as an anecdote. "The 'Sona' of then was quite energetic, quite hyperactive and somewhat rebellious. If you had seen her then you would not believe that they are the same person… in short, she always took the initiative and went for everything she wanted. Many times that was represented in her taking my dolls and I started to hide them, but that was until Lady Leviathan discovered her and scolded her for stealing my toys…" To Issei's terror, Rias' voice became harder and stronger. "She has always been like that, she has always taken the things that I have, even stealing what I love the most!"
After saying those words, the door opened violently, causing Issei to immediately stand back up as he looked at the angry face of Rias Gremory whose eyes were hurt by the constant weeping.
"Tell me Issei! Tell me why?!" She violently pushed him against the wall, sinking her nails into his shoulders.
"Buchou!" Kiba exclaimed approaching to interrupt, however, Issei's hand held high which told him not to get involved.
"Why her?! Why the cool-headed and contemptuous girl?! Why the woman who let you die in the park?! Why the woman who detested you more than anyone?! Damn, why the flattest bitch in the whole fucking school? Didn't you say that you absolutely love big boobs?!"
At that moment, the pure roar of the crimson-haired princess exploded throughout the corridor.
"WHY HER AND NOT ME?! WHAT DOES SHE HAVE THAT I DONT?!"
Tears began to fall down Asia's face while Kiba clenched his fists looking at the floor, never believed to see their leader in such a situation. Much less the pervert of the school, Issei was speechless, nervous, asking to die at that time, because that precise moment, he realized how much damage he had done to the person who had done the most for him.
"Why did you do this to me? Was I not loving enough? I needed to be more dedicated? Do I have to tell you in front of your face how much I love you?! What am I missing?! What was it that I didn't do?!"
After a moment, silence again dominated the place, and by that time, Rias was crying freely supporting his forehead on Issei's chest. He also didn't hesitate to start crying, looking at the ceiling while surrounding his leader with his arms.
"Buchou, I'm sorry…"
"Don't lie," she replied. "I'm stupid, for Satan, I'm so stupid, to have been the puppet of the man I loved and my best friend… being used by you two in such a way, it was fun, isn't it?" she asked with great resentment. "To make us all look like clowns and puppets in your soap opera?"
"B-Buchou, I…"
"I hate you, Issei Hyoudou..."
Nobody could say anything. Issei, Kiba and Asia could only let out a moan at such a statement. Issei, with his eyes open, watched as his King removed her face from his chest, looking at him with contempt. Issei couldn't even notice the slight change in Rias' voice as he was too distracted. Her voice has taken a slight turn into hatred and resent, which obviously meant trouble and disaster for him.
"I hate you so much…" she continued with her commonly beautiful face twisted in a contemptuous gesture. "Go away… I don't want to see your dirty face at this moment…"
Those words shattered the heart of the brown-haired boy who could only babble incoherently as he watched Rias helplessly, locking herself again in the room, closing the door with a loud bang.
"Issei-kun!" exclaimed Kiba, watching his friend lean against the wall with his eyes wide open.
"Issei-san!" said Asia in pure shock. In effect, both blondes were speechless at what they had just seen, it did not help that Issei really was embarrassed and beaten morally, unable to say anything.
It wasn't for less, the person who had held him with most esteem to date, had told him openly that she hated him.
A huge emptiness invaded his heart, the weight of guilt was too much and nothing he could say would fix things.
The Sekiryuutei simply limited himself to go down the stairs and go to the exit door of his house, with his mind made a mess; that vision of Rias telling him that she hated him did not abandon him at any time, not even when he started walking down the street, and not even when he tried to think of other things.
As Tsubaki had said, Sona saw herself for the first time in a vulnerable position in front of the school's directives; it was the first time she saw the whole group of directors meeting, the leader of the parents' association, disciplinary coordinator, academic secretary, other two or three with high positions as well and finally the school principal.
"Miss Shitori, welcome…" the principal greeted cordially with all the professionalism of the world, the black hair assent, standing in the middle of all of them, it was not difficult to see that their expressions were not exactly the friendliest.
"Because I take command of this school to date, it had not been necessary to have an extraordinary counselling meeting…" he began, closing his eyes with his hands together on the table. "I can't believe that the first offense I would hear from you, was because of him… I'm certainly surprised and disappointed…"
The violet-eyed girl did not change her expression, however, she did not go with her poker face to face them, although her gesture was serious, it was also solemn.
"I'm sorry…" she murmured as an answer, it was not as if she could say much more.
"It's funny… I never thought that this kind of situation would arise when making this school a mixed school. In fact, the idea was to give the girls the ability to interact with kids of their age in a healthy environment, I can't believe that it came to this," he said, taking a folder with the relevant documents on the subject Hyoudou-Shitori. "Even so, I can't even understand how the most brilliant and disciplined student of the school, the imposing and exemplary president of the student council, honor roll student since joining… she does this!" He ended up banging the folder against the table, scattering the documents, showing various pictures, certificates and so on.
"it's a shame, miss Shitori, we had a lot of faith in you…" another one of the high command also continued with a touch of disappointment.
Frankly, it was the first time she was also so disappointed in herself, Tsubaki's words had started a spiral of self-reflection that at that moment was becoming much more suffocating. As a student that she was, being there, while they debated about her future in that school and more, she felt how her nerves turned the heat of her body into something unpleasant, her serious look hid the misery she had in that situation.
After an intense battle of debates between them, finally everyone agreed, at no time had Sona moved from her place during the entire discussion.
"About 34 serious violations have been found in the student's regulations and the disciplinary regulations of the school, it is not necessary to list them since many of these are too concrete that I am sure you will remember what they are so I will limit myself to saying that it was also taken consideration, about your services to the school and your higher academic average.
Sona swallowed thickly.
"Souna Shitori, the council has decided that by the seriousness of their faults which includes manipulation of student records, use of school resources for personal benefit, manipulation of active personnel among other things, immediate expulsion from school is necessary."
"Ah…" a slight moan escaped her before that declaration. Something like that was expected, but the one who told her made all that terrible expectation become the horrible fact that she was so afraid of.
"Even so, as we said, what you have contributed to this school will be taken into account, so the following will be proposed…" After a brief pause, the director breathed deeply. "Like Mr. Hyoudou did, we'll pretend to overlook certain… inconsistencies, for you to pass your withdrawal sheet from this school… if you do this way, we will make a letter of recommendation to the school to which you choose to transfer to."
"This Miss Shitori, we are doing it because we know that you had a difficult personal situation which didn't leave you many options and because in the past, from your entry to your first year in this place you raised the academic averages of the place as well as collaborated in the accomplishment of many events."
"Their faults are serious; however, we do understand that what you've shown how is the youth are like these days…" a third one continued. "But, the rules are the rules and they are for a reason… you have a week to consider this proposal, leave quietly or be expelled through the back door…"
"I understand," Sona murmured, as that was the only answer that she could give to such a situation.
"That's all, retire, and we'll await your answer in a week."
Elsewhere, a person lying on the bed of the person she loved, totally shattered and unwilling to do anything. Her eyes, with time, had dried up because of how hurt they were, at that moment she just hugged the pillow with her eyes gone to the side.
It was totally discarded.
Towards a time, nothing else in her life was perfect. Although she had loyal servants, a loving family and the affection of the man he loved…
At what point had all this been lost?
Nothing was more than the audio output of the school revealing the greatest secret ever kept in the school so that her world would collapse completely, and at first the logical thing was to believe that it was a kind of very bad joke. However, seeing them both, Sona and Issei holding hands confronting everyone while the truth still sounded, was overwhelming proof of the obvious.
"Why, why did this happen?" she asked, sunk in her sore sobs "What did I do to deserve this? "
The situation was truly cruel in her opinion, and the many were in their same position. She had been the main focus of the deception of a relationship consisting of her best friend, with whom from the earliest childhood she had been sharing secrets and ties with that were invaluable in their day to day, but being the only person in the world which was subject to the same conditions of her and the boy to whom she had saved his life, at first only for interest, but then when he showed his courage, his determination and showed that in the future he would be a great man, romantic feelings were born into her, for that boy who continually strived to be better and stronger for her… no, basically no longer she thought it was like that, not after the revelation.
The sad thing was not just that, it didn't hurt so much the relationship as such, what hurt was the fact that two of the people she trusted the most had made such an atrocity, a shameless mockery of her good heart and her confidence, knowing that both of them were laughing all the time behind her was simply suffocating.
For that very reason, her heart ached in a way, more than anger was sadness and depression what she felt, one that had intensified more to have shouted what she had shouted hours ago to the man she loved. Emotions were such that she felt like they choked her more and more, and for that reason at that moment, one of the few rational thoughts she had, was something to mitigate her pain, whatever it was.
Maybe on other occasions that would have been simply a desire, but the fact of being plunged into a horrible pain and moral heaviness… added to a certain brand that she had in her left hand which made the difference.
The pain and sadness that was once superior to anger, began to wane and it was slowly growing as if it were boiling and wanted to reach its boiling point.
Her left hand began to glow slightly.
"I can't let myself be defeated…" she began to whisper in a low voice, unaware of the change she was suffering… but being that she couldn't leave things like that, she couldn't lose. She couldn't give up yet, the love that she had was too much for just let it to be like this. She didn't hesitate to lift the pillow she was holding, showing a strange combination of decision and madness in her face.
The temperature in the room began to increase as her condition strengthened due to the power that flowed from her Bael blood.
The temperature increased and the strange mental predisposition of her had another reason, one that was materializing in slight lights that came out of the rune in her left hand, lights that began to shine around her.
"It was always hate…"
"It was always love…"
"Regardless of the reason, you always chose the path of devastation…"
The strange voices went unnoticed for her, while that strange feeling of anger that she felt when absorbing Issei's anger was dominating her little by little. Unlike on those occasions, it gave her a strange sense of enjoyment, almost as if it were a psychoactive powerful effect.
"I will not allow her... to take the hand I love…" she whispered slightly gone, a whisper that was the calm before the storm, as totally out of it and even unconscious at a certain point, she was now oblivious to the person she used to be.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…"
"It was always hate…"
"It was always love…"
She began to laugh in joy as she placed her hand on her forehead, with her eyes dyed a greenish gleam, sharply angled, as an expression of calm and peace washed over her face, as if she had discovered something that was worth studying about.
"Why did I have to cry? It didn't have to, the solution is quite simple really…"
She whispered to herself, rising from the bed, looking at herself in the mirror of the room, ignoring her slight changes, giving herself a satisfying smile.
A smile that could only mean one thing.
The smile of a psychopath. (Read: Yandere smile)
"I have a much better body than her… but it seems like I lack something…" she said, looking now into her closet where a pair scissors of considerable size rested, what she did in her spare time with Asia was sewing.
True, the love she had for Issei was too great and the last days had degenerated her opinion about her old friend, so with her mind working like a rusty radiator, with clumsy and crooked steps, it didn't take long for her to reach a conclusion as she took the scissors and looked at them with some delight.
Perhaps her Issei was simply confused, and that his beloved Sona had used that cunning and sagacity worthy of a viper to cloud his judgment based on gestures and deceptions; that perhaps he was simply with her for appearance issues but what if she had a much better body and bigger tits than the violet-eyed girl?
LISH
LISH
LISH
Strips of reddish hair fell on the floor while she, with certain grandeur she cut her hair without shaking, with the sole intention that this would not stay longer than her neck but also without enough sanity to get it properly fixed. Giving it a few minutes, a somewhat ungainly appearance took over her which could described that she had been attacked with a lawnmower, a perfect image of her adjacent internal madness.
"It's simple really, he likes girls with short hair…" she whispered to herself and then hit her fist against her palm in sign of understanding. "Maybe also girls with glasses, I have to get some glasses…"
That little preamble, little by little, began to degenerate into another chest tremor while her hand shined in green light which radiated power in a more explosive way, finishing setting the savagery of the moment.
"But in the end it wouldn't matter, because in the end, Issei will be mine!" she roared, completely out of herself. "And I will be in charge of convincing him… be it for good, be it for bad!"
An image of Issei appeared in her mind as she began whisper in sultry voice.
"Don't worry, my darling Issei… I'll save you from that woman's hypnotism… we'll be together forever…"
Her chest began to shake with more force as the incandescent and twinkling lights swirled over her, theatrically lighting her smile that was pronounced from ear to ear which gradually began to become a loud laugh that echoed throughout the room. The intensity of her cackle was comparable to the levels of hatred and madness that were intoxicating her from her left hand, exaggerated levels to be contained by a single person, for that reason the curse that was consuming her partly also sought a place where to filter the excess power.
And it found it, in the form of a chess piece, a king precisely.
Due to the time, the entire Gremory group outside of their leader were already deep in sleep.
GUUGGGGHHHHH
That, until all of them without exception, felt a throbbing pain in their chests in the middle of their dream, more precisely in the pieces that were a symbol of their servitude. In fact, only Kiba had the instinct to wake up, feeling an intense amount of energy flowing in him. He could only say his next words to himself before falling into a dark abyss.
'Issei-kun… be careful…'
The night certainly didn't give the shelter that could be desired for such feelings that were embracing the mind and heart of Sona Sitri. After the ultimatum given at school, the heaviness of everything that has happened so far intensified enough as she began to walk absent-mindedly on all sides, and that was how she had been feeling until her tiredness and inertia allowed her to return home.
In a single day, she felt how her world had collapsed as if it had been cemented on pillars of sand, the place to which she had devoted so much effort into was demanding her expulsion, whether voluntary or obligatory, her name was morally wounded and disunited because of her personal failures, hardly any of her servants would see her with good eyes after everything that happened.
And everything happened, was her legitimate fault.
Her moral was in tatters, so much, that her common expressionless gesture was absent in her entirety, leaving in her look only a melancholy expression.
It was not the only one, though.
The noise of the footfall braking almost unexpectedly caught Issei's attention, who was sitting on the platform of the apartment with his arms on his knees, apparently, at a time like this, he was also plunged into his own depression.
It took nothing more than few moments looking into each other's eyes to notice that the other had gone through a horrible day, that what at first would be an explanation, became without warning, some path of thorns which they would walk barefoot through.
Neither of them moved from their place, sitting on the floor, he looked at her sad eyes and her hair waving in the evening breeze was dimly illuminated by the light of the crescent moon while she on the other hand, lost in his eyes, and she watched him sitting in a serene but listless pose, a symbol of tiredness and surrender.
A silent exchange of words in silence, both were saying so much just looking at each other like that without saying anything and that was something that in a certain way, was sad too, but deep down very comforting.
The first one to break that trail was Issei himself, who was slowly rising towards the Sitri, when he was at the propitious distance; he reclined on her, opening his arms, completely closing the distance between them. Just at the moment when she also opened her arms wide, enclosing the hug which was perhaps more comforting than any other hug they experienced both to date. Issei accommodated his chin on her neck with his eyes closed firmly around her back as she hugged him from below raising her hands to his shoulder blades, accommodating also her cheek against his hair.
The warmth of both their bodies was comforting for both, somehow that hug mitigated slightly the pain of the other felt without words.
"It wasn't hard?" he asked without changing his position or his gesture at all.
"In fact it was…" she replied, feeling in her small bust the intimate contact of his warm chest. "It's painful, you know?"
"Yes, I'd say I have no idea how much, but… I think you also had a very bad time…"
"So it is…" she stated, already smiling slightly, it was amazing what Issei could do to revitalize her, even if it was a bit. "I am expelled from school…"
A slight tremor lodged in the brunette's chest.
"Buchou shouted at my face that she hated me…"
This time, the tremor was in Sona's chest.
"Perhaps, we should enter, we deserve to rest a little…"
"I agree…"
After a few minutes, where it was close to an hour, both were already more or less replaced, Sona was organizing something in the kitchen while Issei in turn ,cleaned the room. Both decided that it would be best to treat things as daily as possible, maybe that would take some weight off the subject.
"Then, if that's what Rias said…" Sona began, although she tried to stay enthusiastic, her defeated face was still there. "What does the rest of the ORC think?"
"Kiba and Asia are also somewhat resentful, but apparently they took it better, the rest, not so much…" he answered, turning his eyes to a doubtful side. "What will you do about the school?"
"I only have to accept the proposal of the directors of the school and go somewhere else, leaving everything behind here…" she answered sighing. That sound was particularly hard for Issei, it was the first time he heard her express herself in that defeated way.
"Well, it seems that we will both be in a new school the next year…" he joked, trying to liven up the atmosphere, which seemed to work since the joke took a little laugh out of her mouth.
"Yes, it seems that is the case," she agreed, looking at her partner. "It's sad to know but we will be classmates, I say… that is in case, you pass the exam in being a third-year student but I will be a repeat…"
"Ouch…" he said sarcastically, releasing a few laughs that seemed to infect Sona too, lost in their personal world.
Because it was always like this, it was as if all the problems of the other disappeared simply with words of encouragement from both, with each caress, with each gesture they made, that could make them think easily and rewardingly, that even any sad situation could be overcome by both being together, as long as nothing separated them.
If nothing separated them.
In the middle of the room, at a distance from both, a particularly large magical circle of dark blue color began to shine on the floor, one that had the mark of the Sitri Clan from which two figures began to appear. One of them, was the maid that appeared at Sona's home during the occasion when she had to meet her to father. The other figure however, was someone who the violet-eyed girl never expected to see, so much was the impression that her plate fell to the floor as her gesture was filled with an incipient terror.
Behind his maid, with his narrow, slanted gaze, Lord Sitri looked at his daughter, although his derogatory gesture was his personal mark, this time he seemed to have more strength implying that he really was upset.
"Father?!"
That exclamation made Issei's heart almost overturn, the woman in front of him had a cold and stiff expression and just by looking, she could be equal or more dangerous than Grayfia if he ever opposed her.
Even so, her presence did not compare to that of Lord Sitri. He had recently met Rias' father who had given him the impression of being a man with a fresh and youthful touch, however, the man whose very presence had reduced the temperature of the room showed himself as a fearsome being, dangerous but at the same time so serene and cold, and it was a horribly disturbing feeling.
"Sona, we have been informed of what happened at school…" the maid announced, causing a state of terror to wash over both teenagers. "You will know shortly why we are here…"
While the maid was busy with the black-haired girl, Lord Sitri looked at Issei, who was static, and just looking into that man's eyes made him understand the enormous difference between the powers of both. If it was comparable in size, his was the size of an ant with respect to a whale's.
"Issei Hyoudou…" he spoke without emotion in his voice. "Why are you at my daughter's house?"
Neither could say anything at the moment which didn't seem to affect the patriarch of the Sitri clan, instead turned to see his daughter with repudiation.
"The terms were more than clear, you would be free of Clan affairs as long as you were in school, now that you have been expelled…" he spat. "You have no reason to be here, you will continue education in Lilith and I will make sure that this is strict enough so that this incident never happens again…"
Terror seized the hearts of both teenagers, it was a situation with no way out.
"Wait!" Sona intervened. "I was given the benefit of moving to a new school!" What she tried to sound like an affirmation for her father sounded more like a plea for something else. "Besides, I will not leave my peerage alone!"
"Irrelevant…" responded the man. "The transfer can't care less about your servants and I will see that they are in good hands while you become a fitting king because at the moment, you are nothing but a spoiled and capricious girl who doesn't know what her place in this world is."
Issei's blood, despite the terror he was feeling, began to boil. The use of those words as he recognized them, were the same words that Sona dedicated to him when they first met. So this was her father?! He expected more from him. He was unlike Zeoticus Gremory, in a large number of ways.
"I must protect the city that was left in my custody!" she continued to reason out, waiting somewhere to stop what could not be stopped.
"It's more than obvious that Rias Gremory's group can take care of this city without problems, your attendance is irrelevant as well…"
Sona, who was already speechless, was left totally defeated, limiting herself to stammering while trying to articulate something congruent to say while her eyes were irremediably moistened.
"With no more to say, we're leaving…"
That was a verbal trigger for Issei who, feeling that his instincts warned him not to do it, he stood between father and daughter.
"Hey!" he cried with as much firmness and courage as he could muster in such a situation. "You're her father! Are you really thinking about taking away from his daughter everything she wants?! She cares about her friends more than anyone else, and she has always ensured that this city is safe! I know what we did is wrong, but do you want to take away from your daughter everything she wants and what she wants?!"
The contemptuous look of Lord Sitri settled on Issei who was furiously clenching his teeth.
"You talk as if your opinion has some place in this discussion…"
That was the straw that spilled the glass, almost suicidally, Issei took a step forward facing the leader of the Sitri clan, pointing to himself with his fist.
"Of course I have!" he roared, giving a moan of terror to his partner and causing the maid's eyebrows from behind Lord Sitri to raise slightly. "A few days ago I won over Sona in a game of legitimate chess and because of that, I have the right to handcuff her according to the laws of the underworld!"
For the first time, a gesture which showed some interest came out of Lord Sitri, and this made him look at Issei from top to bottom before looking at Sona.
"Is that true?"
While the Sitri was lagging behind the presence and words of her father, that question could be a light in their dark situation, giving her some courage.
"Yes, it is… two days ago, Issei Hyoudou defeated me in a game of chess, and there were about 43 witnesses in the public park of the city…"
"I see," Lord Sitri added, keeping silent for a few seconds that seemed to be eternal for both teenagers. A silence that was broken as soon as he raised his hand and with his open palm extended on Issei's chest, concentrating a wave of energy and alerting the brown-haired boy for the slight murderous instinct that had arisen. "Although I do not recognize you as the next leader of the Sitri Clan…"
Sona did not delay in screaming in terror, not even the maid named Antonieta remained alien to see her master evoking a considerable amount of power which was concentrated and condensed in an instant.
The last thing Issei could see at that moment was a strange illusion, as if behind that man a huge blue beast had seen him with the eyes of a crystallized lizard, eyes similar to those of Ddraig.
"WINTER ROAR!"
With that order, the wave of energy was fired in a powerful cold air that from the pressure that it sounded like a powerful roar, a hit right at point blank which sent Issei across the roof of the house flying into the air where the last thing he could hear more beyond the mighty roar, was Sona's terrified scream before he lost consciousness.
[Partner!]
[Partner, wake up!]
After Ddraig's constant calls, Issei began to open his eyes again. Dazed and disoriented without being able to remember anything, he began to look around. He was in an alley, reclining on some rubble apparently made by the impact of his body against the wall of those buildings where he crashed into.
"W-W-Where am I?" he murmured weakly while his mind worked to update him about what happened recently. The horrible day, the horrible night and finally the meeting he had with the father of his girlfriend, this memory made him wake up completely.
"SONA!"
Recalling that Lord Sitri wanted to take his beloved girlfriend away, Issei tried to get up from the rubble but the pain in his chest made him fall quickly again while a scream of pain escaped him.
[Partner, calm down, you're seriously injured…]
Looking closely, he saw himself bathed in his blood, his shirt, his jacket, everything was totally destroyed revealing his bare chest, or what should be there since much of his skin hung as if it were clothes and his torn muscles let him see slightly his ribs and part of his sternum.
The sight alone terrified Issei.
"How is it that I'm still alive being like this?" He was aware that in the past he was wounded many times, but this time God would know how long in the open with his chest exposed to his bones, bleeding constantly and everything else.
[This is thanks to the physical damage that the curse has left…]
Ddraig responded while Issei was feeling his bare muscles with his fingers, it was particularly disturbing to feel the stiff flesh in certain parts as if it were stone.
[Part of your muscles and organs are solidified, that prevented a severe hemorrhage and the detachment of them from your system, however you are about to die, you have to go to be cured urgently.]
"I have to go after Sona!" he screamed in an annoyed voice, coughing blood, trying to feel his presence without success causing his stomach to compress. "I CAN'T LET HER BE TAKEN!"
When he got up again, this time he did not fall sore against the floor, however maintaining balance was impossible, forcing him to crawl.
[In your state you can't do anything, you are going to die.]
After a few steps, Issei fell flat on the floor, annoyed with himself. He couldn't move properly because of the pain.
[Don't be stubborn, Partner. Go to Asia Argento, you need to recover before doing anything.]
Growling annoyed on the floor, he looked straight ahead. It was true, in his current state he wasn't even able to walk, he didn't even know if he would be able to get to his house…. and that frustrated him the most.
Defeated and frustrated, he leaned on his knees and elbows on the ground, while his eyes got wet. Lord Sitri had taken his partner before his eyes and he couldn't do anything but be almost killed by her father.
"AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
A scream of frustration and defeat came from his mouth while his tears fell.
After an hour of travel, he finally arrived home, he had to evoke part of his Sacred Gear to materialize his Balance Breaker's breastplate and avoid further damage to his chest region, this would accelerate the poisoning of his body, but if he didn't, he would die before arriving at his house. Curiously to be at dawn, the place received him with all the lights on, although at the moment he did not have time to contemplate that.
For what already agonizing was dropped on the door of his house, falling with his face to the floor since his weight had opened as if he had no insurance.
Despite the measures he took, the blood loss was too much. The cold was intense and the lack of oxygen to his body was already playing with his being to the point that he no longer thought clearly, so he did not think much when he felt how his body without warning was dragged out of his control, and this remained until to a room on the top floor.
A room that he recognized very well.
Although he could not look up, he did not hesitate to recognize his room, and at the foot of the bed was unmistakably his leader with crossed legs.
"Good morning Issei," she greeted with a strange tone underlying between possessiveness and loving for the wounded Red Dragon.
"B-Buchou…" he moaned out, breathing with difficulty, the next thing he heard was the snapping of fingers after which his body was turned until face up allowing him to look at Asia's shadow healing him, giving little by little a bit of relief so that she could afford to faint in that place.
"GAAAARRRGGGGHHHHHH!"
He shouted as soon as he felt a strong tightness in his chest.
"I'm sorry Issei, but if Asia is healing you, I can't allow you to faint until you've solved a small matter…"
In the midst of gasps, he was confused despite that horrible pain in his neck against he turned around enough to look at his leader, this time getting her full figure in his field of vision.
"Buchou?" he asked, stunned.
There was something very weird going on.
Rias Gremory was sitting cross-legged on the bed, looking at him amusingly showing off her exuberant figure. That was the common thing, however, those dark circles around her eyes, not from fatigue but from something darker surrounding her eyes which shone an intense green light, but that wasn't the most shocking. Nothing could get more attention than her change of look, as her long straight hair was now cut short and battered, almost as if it had been ripped.
That made the redhead smile smugly.
"Issei, do you like my new look?" she asked jokingly, oblivious to his pain. "I know you like girls with short hair… I will buy the glasses tomorrow…"
That confused the chestnut too much, so much that a part of his mind went back to work only in the eagerness to understand what was happening. When looking to the sides he could see his friends, Asia, Kiba, Xenovia and Koneko, but they didn't have a change of radical appearance like that of his King. However, their eyes shone in their totality of green and their expressions were neutral, comparable to those of mannequins.
"What's happening?"
"Why do you ask?" Rias asked, showing genuine confusion. "Nothing special, we are healing you, Issei…"
Issei denied it by shaking his head furiously.
"No, Buchou, what's happening to you?"
[Partner, I don't understand how or why, but I strongly feel the hatred of my former carriers from your entire team.]
"What?"
Before the expressions of doubt and fear of Issei, Rias smiled, seeing that he was already healed enough to at least not die at that moment. Rias then ordered the others to raise him high enough, leaving him on his knees in front of her.
"I don't know what you are talking about Issei, but, we are here to discuss a more important topic…" she said jokingly, passing her most serious self despite her insane appearance. "Forget about Sona, you belong to me… we belong together, darling…"
That was something that Issei couldn't understand at first.
"Buchou! What's going on with you?!" he shouted, feeling his hands being tied with ropes. His master's insane personality was being caused by the curse of the Boosted Gear, curse that should have been leaking to her by the rune she used to help him to contain the anger and rage back then. "You're out of your mind!"
"Oh, not at all, dear…" she replied, posing her hand on her chin. "In fact, a long time ago, I didn't feel so sure of myself… it was just a matter of me becoming a little more 'stiff' to act and to think, and for that reason, I order you at this moment, that you forget about Sona and that you come with me instead… I'm better than her, anyway…"
"I can't do that! Sona is my girlfriend! And I must also— GGAAAAAAARGGGGGGHHHHH!"
The brunette fell to the floor screaming in pain from the pressure in his chest, pressure caused by Rias clenching her fist ordering that feeling to his evil pieces.
"Issei, wrong answer… you should've said 'Understood, love'… let's try again…"
"Buchou, please!" he pleaded. "Please, look at the others, they're unconscious!"
Rias clenching her fist even more was his response.
"GAAAAAAARGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!"
Again, he fell face down on the floor, panting heavily.
"Seems that I should train you properly, but tonight we didn't make any progress apparently… Asia, finish healing him and take him to the basement, I think some shock therapy will be necessary to get him back to his senses.
Issei tried to protest, but the situation was more serious than he thought, he was not only facing the abduction of his girlfriend, but also his leader and friends being controlled by the hatred of Ddraig's former hosts, and he had to do something to free them too.
But he couldn't, his body still weighed him and made it impossible for him to resist the force of his friends taking him away from the room, leaving nothing but the sight of Rias smiling at him sickly, and that choked him even more. He couldn't allow that the memory of his master, that person who had always given herself with total affection was lost among a sea of hatred and resentment of which she had nothing to do with.
"BUCHOUUUUU!"
"Bye bye, Issei… we'll talk tomorrow…" she finished, blowing him a kiss in the distance.
Until now, Issei had gone through many bad things to date, not only from his self inflicted punishment for keeping his secret with Sona, but also from those situations to which his role in the magical world had placed him in, but nothing could be compared to his current situation.
"Damn it, I can't stay here… I have to help Buchou and Sona…"
He groaned weakly, tired and even the wounded part of his chest crawled on the ground since his hands and feet were tied by magic strings. His power had also been sealed largely, not differentiating his current strength much from a human's.
It was incredible that his determination had not been reduced after what he calculated the days of him being there, it was difficult to be exact with time when the place didn't have any lighting, it was not that his companions tortured him, they were responsible for keeping him fed and cared for even with the wound in his chest deliberately left to limit the known explosive potential of the Gremory heiress.
If he could count the days by the sessions of his punishment, there were seven days in total. And since then, there have been seven times that Rias had gone to that place to indulge him and spend some time with him; it was a nice time until Issei refused to give up on Sona, at which every time it happened, she increased the pressure on his evil pieces. With increasing force, each time with more anger, as if the anger that dominated her was eating her heart little by little.
"Buchou… please, come back to yourself…" Issei pleaded, tolerating as much pain as he could. He was aware that this was not the Rias he knew, that that degraded presentation of her was the result of the sacrifice she had made for his safety.
"Well Issei, if you really want to help me, join me…"
"I won't…" he responded authoritatively. "I won't take advantage of what is happening to hurt you…" Yes, he had no right to hurt her even in that state, because if his beloved master had been reduced to that state it was precisely because of him. Karma was a cruel bitch, but this was definitely another level. Fate charged his mistakes, but could it not also give a light of hope? What if there was something that would allow him to help his leader to return to himself and also go to rescue Sona, maybe?
"Please, whoever's out there, help…" he whispered to himself on the verge of collapsing before the inside attack of his leader.
It was true, fate was taking charge of many errors, but what he thought about was fair; he had the right to a small beacon of hope even after everything that happened.
Hope did show up in front of his home, in the form of seven people, six women and one man, all preparing for the worst, which could even be a direct confrontation against the Gremory group.
"I think we are clear about our mission, isn't it?" asked the eldest of them, turning to look at her companions.
"Yes…" answered one of the girls, clenching her fists with force. "Our goal is to rescue Hyoudou Issei…"
Another one sighed.
"I can't believe we're going to do that…"
"I know it's difficult…" responded the leader, looking with understanding to his colleagues. "But he is the only one who can help us right now."
"You don't have to explain it, we understand it perfectly…" said the only man among them. "It's just that it feels… strange… after everything that happened…"
"Ok, but…" After that, everyone looked determined at the huge mansion, ready to go inside. "If there's somebody who can save him, it's us…"
Everyone nodded, starting to run towards the building. It was the most important battle for them so far. What made the situation more drastic is that even if they managed to succeed with the rescue mission…
The real battle would come next…
DAMN, WHAT A CHAPTER! So many things happened!
Sona's now expelled from school! Damn it, where would she end up now?
RIAS GREMORY HAS BECOME A YANDERE, LADIES AND GENTS! SHE'S GONE CRAZY!
Sona's dad nearly killing Issei... I definitely don't like that guy...
Who are the people that came to rescue Issei? We'll find out next chapter!
How is this chapter? Good, bad? Leave a review, if you could!
Next chapter: Alliance
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Goodbye... and good night! BANG! *too sweet gesture* (CONGRATULATIONS TO KENNY OMEGA BEING THE NEW IWGP CHAMPION)
-Lance