Devil You Know

by Surarrin

My day had started on a down note. First Elaine had been sick, then I found out my mentor wanted to shove me in a straitjacket. It shouldn't have been a surprise when I died. But, nothing could have prepared me for my life being saved by a devil—or becoming one myself. Still, the magical girl was the biggest surprise.

10. Chapter 10

—~—

"What do you mean we've reached the limit?" I demanded to know.

"No, I said we've reached the limit of what we can do without better quality materials." Bob said back to me patiently. "If you'd just call your sugar daddy and get some money we'd be done by now and you'd have an even better foci."

I couldn't help but glare at the inanimate skull. "I told you to stop calling her that."

The pinpricks of orange light in the empty sockets of the skull rolled. "I'm just calling it as I see it. You're basically her bitch anyway. That's what you get for dying in the first place. It could be worse, she's pretty cute."

I took a deep breath before exhaling, sitting back in my seat and folding my arms across my chest. I refused to be dragged into that conversation again.

It'd been two weeks since I had died at the hands of the monster that Justin had sent to kill me, and twelve days since I'd taken on a Fallen Angel to save a Holy Maiden. Life had gone a lot smoother after those two days, thankfully.

I let out a faint sigh and shook my head. "We'll get back to it later Bob," I told the skull that sat on my bedroom table. "I have school in an hour. I can't be late or I'll never hear the end of it."

"You should just sleep with her already," The skull insisted.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." I said to Bob as I began to pack away the various tools and materials in front of me.

"You just responded." Bob pointed out dryly. "That right there was a response."

I rolled my eyes and picked up the storage box I had shoved everything into and slipped it under my bed. I stood up and stretched for a moment, working out the kinks in my muscles.

Making the magic happen took a lot of effort, and a lot of sitting in one place for a few hours. It was a killer on the back.

As I stretched, I took a moment to admire my room. It wasn't anything fancy by anyone's measure, but it had begun to take shape. I'd begun to buy bits and piece from the allowance that I had begun to receive from Serafall.

The thought of that strange devil girl brought a smile to my lips. Our meeting wasn't the stuff of fairy tales—or maybe it was? It was pretty surreal no matter how you looked at it. But, the day after I had been dropped off she had appeared again and begun to spend some time with me, in between the time she spent harassing her sister.

She was actually a pretty nice girl, after you got over the whole 'literally Satan' part.

I'd found myself confiding in her a lot when she popped around. I felt oddly at ease when talking to her. I told her about Justin, Elaine, about my mother dying in child birth, my father dying when I was five. I told her what it was like growing up and learning magic. I told her about my love of Star Wars, and how distraught I had been when I broke the Lightsaber I'd stolen from Freed after it had all ended.

I couldn't help but give a faint chuckle at the memory of how she reacted when I told her what had happened with Asia and Raynare. I had thought Sona and Rias had been over reacting when they said she was liable to attack the Fallen Angels if she heard they had done something.

They had been entirely serious, and it was only due to quick thinking on my part, and exaggerating how much of a beat down I had laid on them, that she relented, deciding that I, her servant had dished out enough punishment on her behalf.

She apparently liked the thought of punching someone hard enough that their body broke the sound barrier and had vowed to re-enact the feat.

As I thought about her, I found my eyes being drawn to the pride and joy of my room. There, on the wall opposite my bed, framed and mounted, was an original limited edition, mint condition, signed, Star Wars: A New Hope movie poster.

And when I say signed, I didn't just mean Mark Hamill.

I meant everyone.

I'd almost broken down right then and there when Serafall had shown up with it and asked her to marry me. She'd already gotten her hooks into my soul, I hadn't known what else to offer at that point other than my undying love.

"Harry," Bob called out to me from my desk. "You're doing the staring thing again. It's creepy."

I snapped out of my stupor and shot Bob a dirty look. "You wouldn't understand." I told him as I stepped over to my closet. I pulled out one of my academy blazers and slipped it on.

It still marvelled me, weeks later at how perfectly everything fit me. I was only slightly ashamed to admit that I had avoided buying other clothes, simply because of how comfortable they all were.

There was a gentle knock on the door and a soft, muffled voice came through it. "Harry, are you awake yet?"

"It's open," I called back through the door as I adjusted the cuffs of my blazer.

The door opened and a blonde head of hair peeked in with a bright smile. "Good morning!" Asia chirped happily.

"Mornin' Asia," I greeted her back with a warm smile.

Rias, true to her promise to Asia, had arranged things so she could live with me.

Asia had changed a lot over the last two weeks. I didn't mean physically, she looked the same as the day I met her. The same soft angelic features, long blonde hair, and eyes that sparkled with an inner glow.

What changed was how she acted. She'd been timid before, and at times she fell back into the same behaviour when confronted with something unexpected, but…she seemed genuinely happy now, and a lot more open.

I hadn't noticed it when I first met her, but she had forced herself to smile no matter how she felt at the time. It had been a coping mechanism for her, one she sorely needed when confronted with being excommunicated from the Church.

I grimaced. "Is breakfast ready?" I asked Asia as I walked over to her, picking up my bag from the end of my bed as I went.

Asia nodded with a smile. "Yes, are you hungry this morning? " She blinked. "Oh! I was told to tell you that you're not allowed to skip breakfast this morning!" Asia told me, giving me a reproachful look. "She was very insistent, Harry. I think you're hurting her feelings by constantly avoiding it," Asia confided in me.

"What she serves is not breakfast," I told Asia flatly and stepped out of my room, shutting the door behind me. "Toast is breakfast, cereal is breakfast. Pancakes are breakfast. That is not breakfast," I said vehemently.

Asia blinked owlishly at my sudden outburst and tilted her head. "But… it's a traditional Japanese breakfast," she said after a moment. "Isn't it appropriate since we're in japan?"

I stared at Asia, feeling betrayed. "But…it's fish and beans…" I uttered dejectedly as we walked through the hallway, before shutting up as we reached the kitchen and lounge room.

"Good Morning, Harry," A cool, calm, collected voice said to me from dining room table.

"Good Morning… Sona," I said with a forced smile on my lips.

There, at the head of the table, Sona, the younger sister of Serafall, my 'devil master' sat. She was already dressed in her school uniform and as usual, her short dark haired bob styled hair looked as if she'd only just stepped out of the hairdressers.

Imagine my surprise, to have had Rias declare that she had found a place for Asia and I to live in, only to be dropped off at a very lovely house a mere five minute walk from school. Imagine my further surprise, to have knocked on the door and had it opened by the Student President and for her to look like she had been expecting us.

"Would you like some breakfast?" She asked me, raising an eyebrow and gesturing to the spread of dishes on the table. "I'd prepared enough for everybody."

"I'm not too hungry," I told her, eyeing the various Japanese dishes on the table. I'd learned the names for half of them, mainly the ones I could stomach eating.

"I insist," Sona said, and stared at me for a long moment over the red frame of her glasses.

I took a deep breath through my nostrils and gave her a tight smile. "Alright, since you're so insistent." I walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of orange juice.

I took a moment to admire Sona's fridge. It was a fancy new model apparently. Double doored, polished chrome body and even an ice dispenser. Had I been even five feet away from it a few weeks ago, it would have probably exploded in a massive conflagration.

That all changed when I had become a devil. I could actually open a fridge up without worrying that it would burn out. I could even watch television! I could play games. I could go to the movies and sit up the back near the projector instead of having to slum it in the first row and hurt my neck from constantly looking up at the screen.

The ability to watch television had far out weighted the other perks of becoming a devil, like the super speed and night vision by a significant mile.

I poured the juice into a cup and walked back over to the dining room table, a smile on my lips despite the upcoming 'breakfast' that I had to endure.

I stepped over to the dining room table, set my bag down by the side of the chair, and sat down, placing my glass of juice beside my plate. The food had already been served, and in front of me sat a bowl of rice, a small plate of broiled fish, a bowl of fermented soybeans and a rolled omelette.

Asia dropped into the seat opposite Sona's and gave the student president a beaming smile. "It all looks so delicious," She said to the stoic president.

"Thank you, Asia," Sona replied with a tiny smile on her lips. "It is a relief to know that my cooking is appreciated."

I winced slightly at the shot directed at me. "…S'not my fault…" I muttered under my breath quietly.

"I heard that, and yes it is."

I grimaced and gave Sona a sheepish look. "I"m sorry," I said to the dark haired devil.

There were some things I still hadn't gotten used to, crazy devil senses was one of them.

Asia blinked in confusion from the other side of the table, having missed what I had said due to her only being human.

"Where is she?" Sona asked suddenly, looking to Asia. "It is getting late and if we do not begin soon, I will have to leave before we finish eating."

Asia looked like a deer caught in the headlights as Sona looked to her directly. "W-well, she was still getting dressed when I told her it was breakfast," Asia answered, her cheeks tinging a faint pink.

Sona was quiet for a moment as she regarded Asia. "Define getting dressed."

The blush on Asia's face began to spread. "She was ah… naked."

"Was she putting on clothes?"

"Not…exactly."

Sona inhaled deeply through her nose and closed her eyes.

Our other roommate was the only person I knew of, aside from Serafall herself that was capable of getting an honest reaction out of Sona. But, while Serafall was capable of making her flustered, our other roommate seemed to only be capable of infuriating her.

The dark haired devil exhaled through her mouth softly. "I will be back in a few moments," Sona said as she opened her eyes again. She pushed herself out from the table and stood up. "Do not leave before I get back, Harry," she warned me as she turned and went to fetch the absent breakfast attendee.

I glanced over at Asia, whose face was still red with embarrassment. "She was touching herself again, wasn't she?" I asked her, my voice filled with amusement.

Asia's blush intensified and she looked down at the plate in front of her, refusing to make eye contact with me.

I couldn't help but shake my head.

"I said I was coming!" A voice protested from the hallway. "I was just getting dressed!"

A second later Sona reappeared, dragging a third girl by the arm over to the table. "Sit down," Sona commanded, and the new girl flinched, before obeying and sitting down opposite me.

"…Morning," she mumbled and glanced over at Asia and I, her cheeks flushed, though not with embarrassment as Asia's were.

It had taken some getting used to, the idea that it wasn't Raynare looking at me out of those violet eyes, but I had eventually stopped being on perpetual edge around Issei, once I had realized that she wasn't going to snap and try and kill me, at least, unless I actively tried to piss her off.

"Good morning Isebella," I said cheerfully, offering the girl a bright smile.

I received a pouting glare in return for me pleasant greeting. "It's Issei," she muttered under her breath petulantly, giving me a dirty look the moment she thought Sona wasn't looking.

"Is that anyway to talk to a friend?" I said to her, my voice filled with mirth.

"…I hate you," Issei said to me flatly, folding her arms across her chest, or at least attempting to, before realising the circumference of her bust wouldn't allow the action without some strain. She dropped her arms a second later, giving me another dirty look.

"You need to start acting like a proper lady," Sona told Issei firmly as she sat herself back down in her seat. "That means no… inappropriate activities such as that before school, or if at all possible, at all." There was a note of steel in her voice as she said that, and she gave Issei a warning look.

Issei winced and looked down at her plate, but didn't respond.

She didn't need to. In the nine days, since she had begun living with Sona, Asia and I, they'd had this conversation a dozen times over. It always started the same way; with Issei getting caught fondling herself and ended with her being chewed out by Sona for her inappropriate behaviour.

Don't get me wrong. I love tits as much as the next man, but not… as much as Issei did apparently. Though, to be fair, she had an amazing pair of them, even if they weren't originally hers.

It had all started the day after Rias had woken her up. After having had the situation explained to her, she'd been enrolled in school under a pseudonym.

Isebella.

I'd come up with the name after realising how much effort it would have been to get Issei to answer to something completely dissimilar. I'd jokingly tossed it out, having expected a laugh or two, but apparently Rias had been delighted with the novel concept and had convinced Issei to go along with it.

As for why she was living with us, that honour went to her distinct lack of control over her hands at school. It had taken less than a day for her to be sent to the disciplinary office for 'inappropriate behavior', and by the end of the third day she'd been sent another five times.

Sona had been livid with the bad example that a devil was setting for the school.

I wasn't certain who it was between her and Rias who had the genius idea to have Issei move in so she could temper the girl's inhibitions, but somehow I felt it wasn't Rias by how personally Sona had begun to take Issei's inability to control herself.

"Let's enjoy a nice peaceful breakfast," Sona said after a moment, giving both Issei and I a brief look that was far too intimidating for someone of her size, or level of cute.

"…Thank you for the food Sona," I said to her, offering her a smile.

"You're quite welcome," She said in kind as she began to go about eating.

Asia and Issei followed in suit, and I begrudgingly began to as well, starting with the rice and loading it up with bits of everything.

It wasn't that the breakfast was bad, or unpleasant—some parts were, obviously, such as the weird miso soup stuff, but the main complaint I had was simple.

It just wasn't breakfast

Thankfully though, it went by quickly and with a glass or three of water, I even managed to eat everything that had been served before me.

Say what you would about the not-breakfast, but it was definitely filling.

"Thank you for breakfast," Asia said happily after finishing off the last bits of her meal. "It was delicious as always!"

Sona smiled briefly. "Thank you, your words are too kind, Asia." She said bringing a napkin up to her lips and gently dabbing it upon them elegantly. It was at strange surreal moments like that, that I had no problem at all believing that she, like Rias was some sort of Devil Princess.

She caught my look and turned toward me, a perfectly manicured eyebrow raising. "Is there something upon my face still?"

If it had been anyone else in the entire world, I probably wouldn't have even hesitated to mess with them. But Sona wasn't the type of girl to find a little messing around to be funny, and no doubt would express her disapproval at such.

"No, nothing," I said after a moment, offering her a smile. "I was just thinking how proper you were," I paused for a moment and gave a meaningful glance toward Issei. "Especially compared to some."

Issei, having missed the entire exchange, looked up as she noticed that I had glanced at her. "What is it?" She asked.

"You have a bit of…" I pointed at the corner of my lips.

Her eyes widened and she brought her hand up and rubbed the back of it viciously against her mouth. "Is it gone?"

"…Perfect," I said soberly, receiving a appreciative smile in return from the hoodwinked girl.

Sona's lips had set into a faint frown at my indiscretion, but none the less, after a few moments, they formed into the ghost of a smile. "Yes, well, we're getting there," she said reluctantly after a few moments and stood up, beginning to collect the plates from the table.

I rose with her and assisted, piling the plates on top of each other and helping clear the table.

"You do not need to assist, Harry," Sona reminded me as she stepped away from the table, plates in hand.

"You cooked breakfast, it's the least I could do," I said back to her with a smile, following right behind her with my own stack of dishes.

Even if I hadn't particularly enjoyed it, she had gone out of her way to provide breakfast. She was the epitome of a gracious host. It would have made me feel bad to not have offered to help.

Sona placed the plates into the sink and mine quickly followed. She turned on the tap and waved her hand over the sink. In the air beneath her palm, a faint azure magical circle appeared and the water streaming out of the tap leap to life, spasming in the air and surging over the plates, striping all the grime and leftovers from breakfast.

I couldn't help but admire the ease of control that she had over water. She had a control over water magic that I personally would never know. Water just wasn't my thing. I could do little things with it, but compared to the relative ease I felt with fire and force it was lacklustre.

I knew that technically what she was doing was different to my own wizard magic, and that I, if given the time of day could use my demonic power to achieve similar results, but for some reason I didn't want to. I couldn't explain the feeling, or the why.

I went back to the table to collect more plates, only to find Issei and Asia up and getting ready to leave.

Asia smiled as she saw me reappear from the kitchen. "Ready to go, Harry?" she asked me happily.

I shook my head. "I'm going to help Sona finish cleaning before I leave," I told her.

The blonde nun blinked a few times before nodding and giving me a beaming smile. "You're so kind, Harry."

"Aw shucks, you're going to make me blush," I said back to her with a grin, reaching down and collecting a few more plates off the table.

"Come on Asia," Issei called out from the hallway, her head poking around the corner. "Aika said she'd gotten something really cool to show me!" She made eye contact with me briefly and gave me a cheeky I-know-something-you-don't smile. "Bye Harry!"

I maintained a neutral expression at the mention of the strange perverted girl from our class. I had not been surprised in the slightest when I found out that Issei and Aika got along like two peas in a pod.

"R-right!" Asia turned back to me briefly. "I'll see you in class, Harry!" Asia chirped out before chasing after the possessed fallen angel turned reincarnated devil. My face scrunched up just thinking about it.

What had surprised me though, was how well the Issei and Aika got along with Asia. The girls innocent naivety meant a lot of the lewd roundabout references the other two made went right over her head. It was like seeing two particularly horny cats get along with a dove and somehow not attempt to eat and or molest it.

I shook my head, clearing away those thoughts from my head and returned to the kitchen, dropping off the rest of the plates. "Did you want me to do anything else, Sona?" I asked her as I set them down into the now empty sink.

"No, that's quite alright," Sona said to me, casting a glance at me as she once more moved her hand and power-cleaned the dishes with her magic. "Why don't you go catch up with them?" She suggested to me. "I'm almost done and Tsubaki should be here soon."

"Alright, thanks again for breakfast, Sona." I said to her with a smile.

Sona's eyes widened a fraction for a brief moment before going back to normal. "…thank you for having breakfast with us this morning," Sona said to me. "I know you don't particularly enjoy the traditional Japanese breakfast."

Her lips thinned out and she turned to me, "May I confide in you?"

I didn't let my surprise show on my face. "Sure."

She looked to debate internally over what she was about to say for a moment, before she finally spoke. "Between us, it is not one of my preferred ways to start the day, either. But it is customary to adhere to the practices of a country that you are residing in, is it not?"

For the briefest of moments, that I could have sworn I had imagined, I thought that she was looking at me to attempt to dissuade her of the notion. The moment passed and she shook her head slightly. "I'll see you at school, Harry," she said to me and turned back to the dishes, beginning to set them upon the rack one by one.

I took that as my queue to leave. "I'll see you around, Sona," I said to her awkwardly and turned away, quickly making my way out of the kitchen and grabbing my bag as I passed the dining room table.

I slipped my bag over my shoulder and headed out the front door, before breaking out into a light jog to catch up with Issei and Asia. It took me less than a minute to catch up to them and less than another four for us to arrive at school.

The first half of school proceeded as usual and by the end of the last class before lunch I was already over it. The only thing that kept me going was the knowledge that Sona had eyes and ears all over campus, and that if I was caught slacking off I was in for a mouthful regarding the privilege that school was, and how wasting my time there was an affront to everything she stood for.

In other words, it was easier to endure the classes, do my best and get high marks rather than face the music when Sona found out I had half-assed it. The music being Sona expressing how disappointed in me she was to her older sister when she appeared.

It'd happened once before.

Once.

I never wanted to experience it again. For how awesome Serafall was, she was utterly terrifying when Sona mentioned her dissatisfaction over my efforts at school. I couldn't remember what had happened exactly, but I couldn't help but give a shudder every time I tried to remember the… displeasure she expressed.

It was entirely possible that I was suppressing the traumatic experience.

Lunch was over far quicker than I would have liked, and before I knew it, the sun had begun its descent and the school day was over.

"You coming to the clubroom, Harry?"

I glanced over to the source of the voice, and found Issei standing a few feet away, her bag already on her shoulder and looking like she was itching to get going.

I gave the dark haired devil a brief smile and shook my head. "You go on ahead, I'll be there soon enough, I need to take care of something first," I said to her.

"Oh, okay." She gave me another pretty smile that made me feel things in places that it shouldn't, considering that I knew who was behind it. She turned away and called out to Asia. "Asia, let's go, Harry said he'll be there eventually."

Asia looked over to Issei from where she was talking with one of the other students who, for the life of me, I couldn't remember the name of. Her eyes flickered to me briefly and I gave a shrug of the shoulder at the question in her gaze.

Asia blinked once at my response, but didn't question it. She nodded to Issei and gave me a wave before leaving with the transgendered girl.

"How can you pass on spending time with a cute girl like Isebella?!"

"Yeah! Have you heard the rumours? She likes groping herself in public!"

I suddenly found myself accosted with the male equivalent to Issei and Aika. Issei's former friends, Baldy and Perverted Glasses, and immediately regretted not taking my chance to leave with the two girls.

I let out a slow and looked up at the two boys that had stepped up to my table. Ever since I had declined their friendship and it became apparent that I was on good terms with who they dubbed 'the most popular girls in school', they'd taken the time to come harass me at some point during the day.

They'd been oddly quiet lately, so I should have expected it.

I regarded the two with a dispassionate look. "You know, she's not really into guys, right?"

They looked like a deer caught in the headlights as realization struck them as hard as the dodge ball I had hurled at them in our last P.E class. "W-what?" Baldy—or Matsuda as he was normally known— stammered.

I took the chance to stand up and begin to make my escape. "Just think about it," I told the duo with a serious look, leaving them to gape in a mixture of devastation and sudden fascination at the suggestion that one of their classmates batted for the other team.

As I left, I realized that I probably should have felt a bit bad for spreading rumours like that about someone who was technically my friend. Should have, being the key words. Issei would probably end up thanking me if it meant a bi-curious student found their way to asking her out.

In fact, if you thought about it, I was doing the girl a favour.

I left the classroom and turned left only to suddenly find myself running face first into a familiar head of crimson hair and blue-green eyes and barely managed to avoid running over her.

One of the downsides of being as tall as I was, aside from the gawking stares of your average student, was that sudden changes in direction, or acceleration, had be liable to take a tumble.

"Hello Harry," Rias Gremory, the devil of both my dreams and nightmares greeted me from less than a foot away.

"Jesus," I swore, and immediately winced as a lance of pain pierced through my temple. "…dick move God," I muttered under my breath, bringing a hand up to my head and rubbing the sudden aching spot.

Rias' lips quirked into an amused smile at my sudden impromptu holy retribution from above. "Hello Harry," Rias repeated, her smile widening a fraction. "How are you today?"

"I'm good, Rias," I answered, giving her a polite smile. "How are you today?"

"Wonderful," she exclaimed, beaming at me happily. "How pleasant of you to ask, are you going to be coming by the clubroom today? I know that you're not technically a member of the Occult Research Club, but I do enjoy it when you stop by, you know? It's almost as if you've been avoiding us."

"I've been busy," I mumbled, averting my gaze from anywhere near hers. The truth was I had been avoiding going there. Rias, Kiba, Koneko and even Akeno—on the very rarest of occasions—were all lovely, but I felt distinctively out of place when I hung around them.

Issei had fit in easily, despite her eccentrics, and they'd begun to properly induct her into the ways of the devils. They'd included me as well in the start, but it I couldn't help but feel like sixth wheel at times.

"With what?" Rias asked, her eyebrows raising up in honest curiosity.

"Well, you know, wizard stuff," I said to her awkwardly.

"Like what?" She asked, her smile widening a fraction and her head tilting to the side ever so slightly.

"It's complicated," I told her, doing my best to hide my discomfort.

She stepped closer to me, and moved to my side, threading her arm through mine gently, trapping my arm between hers and the warmth of her bosom. As she got closer, I couldn't help but notice the lovely fragrance of her rose-scented perfume. It was the same smell she had when she had been in bed naked with me in the first few nights that I had arrived at the Academy.

She set her other hand on the bicep of my arm. "Why don't you take the time to uncomplicate it for me, while we go meet up with everyone else?" She suggested with a beaming smile and gently patted me on the arm, before beginning to drag me off.

I would have tried to free my arm and make a break for it, if doing so wouldn't have been entirely lame and shamed me in front of the various onlooking students. It was entirely that, and not that she, if she wanted, could break my arm like a twig.

"Uncomplicate it," I murmured, my lips setting into a frown as I let Rias escort me from the main school building.

I hadn't technically lied when I had said I'd been busy with 'wizard stuff'. In fact, I'd spent most of my free time the past week in my bedroom talking with Bob over the magical theory involved in creating strong magical foci. I had assumed that I had a pretty good grasp on what was required to get a good result. Bob had disabused me of the notion within half an hour.

I noticed that Rias had a look of expectation on her features, and was patiently waiting for me to 'uncomplicate it'.

"I'm making a staff," I finally relented and told her.

"A magical staff?" Her eyes widened a fraction and took on a hint of excitement. "How fascinating."

"Tedious," I corrected Rias. "It's tedious, and time consuming." I shook my head. "You wouldn't believe the amount of stuff you have to do to make a good one."

"I take it that is the complicated stuff?" Rias asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe," I told her. "For starters you have to pick the right material for the body, and it can't just be any old piece of wood you have lying around, it has to have some significant event to produce something that is capable of channelling magic." My nose crinkled. "I mean, technically you can start from scratch with a blank piece of wood, but then you have to take a few months to properly attune it to conducting magic."

I took a moment to actually think about it. "That can be a good way to start, it allows you to customise the way it handles magic, but at the same time it's a lesser quality than a naturally occurring phenom. I mean, you could always summon lightning and blast a piece of wood with it, but it wouldn't hold the same level of quality as if it was naturally struck during a storm—or even better outside of a storm. That would definitely be best."

I realized after a few seconds that I had begun to ramble, and looked at Rias. Intending to apologize to her, only to find her listening attentively.

"Have you found the appropriate body for your staff?" Rias asked politely.

"Not…exactly," I admitted after a few moments and shook my head. "I found a few lightning struck trees in the woods behind the academy," I admitted. "And a pine needle tree that was grown in the ashes of its mother, but," I screwed up my face. "They weren't right," I said after a moment.

They weren't right for me at all.

Maybe I was just racist against Japanese trees? Stranger things have happened to me. Just the other day I was called a 'giant red-neck yankee thug' by a member of one of the local gangs that I had had the misfortune to run across.

My rebuttal was 'at least my nose wasn't broken'.

The punch line didn't hit him until a few seconds later when I did.

It had been very satisfying.

"Perhaps I can help?" Rias offered. "My family has a large property back in the Underworld, I am certain if given time we could find something suitable there for you."

Did they even have wood in Hell? Wasn't it all fire and brimstone? I decided that the better part of valour in this case was not asking or knowing.

"Thanks, but I think it's something that I need to find for myself," I said to Rias, giving her an apologetic smile. "I don't think I'm going to find what I need here in Japan, or in Hell."

"The Underworld," Rias corrected me patiently. "It's very different from Hell, from what I've heard, I assure you."

"I'll take your word for it," I told her, unable to help raising an eyebrow sceptically.

Soon enough we found ourselves arriving at the old dormitory that the Occult Research Club made it's home in.

"You're not going to run away are you, Harry?" Rias asked, giving me a teasing smile as she finally let go of my arm. I couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. I had enjoyed the closeness.

"I'm here, aren't I?" I pointed out dryly. "That has to count for something."

Rias gave me an amused smile and shook her head before she led the way up to the clubroom. She pushed the doors open and entered first.

I briefly considered taking the moment to accidentally lose my way, but in the end, despite how uncomfortable I felt, decided to endure it for the moment. It seemed to mean a lot to Rias to have me there, for some strange reason.

I entered the room after her. In the few days since I'd been there last, it hadn't changed at all. Right down to the other members of the club sitting on the victorian style couches.

On the coffee table between them sat a tray laden with cups, a jug of milk, a pot of tea, and a plate of a variety of biscuits.

"Afternoon," I greeted everyone with a wave of my hand.

"Good afternoon, Harry," Kiba greeted me with a smile from where he sat.

Next to him the diminutive, white haired Koneko sat and glanced at me briefly, not uttering a greeting but none the less acknowledging that I was in fact in the room as she continued to nibble on what looked to be an oreo.

She was a strange one. Not Issei strange, but still strange.

"Oh my, how wonderful to see you again, Harry."

I resisted the urge to groan and affixed a static smile to my lips as I turned to the third member, and Queen of Rias' peerage. "Akeno," I greeted, my voice exuding the enthusiasm I felt. "How've you been?"

The busty dark haired devil-wench sat on the couch opposite Kiba and Koneko, her hands demurely set upon her lap. She was the epitome of poise and grace—and a total bitch.

Akeno gave a faint laugh and continued to smile. "Quite well, I take it from your lack of attendance that you no longer need tutoring?"

I couldn't help but give a wince at that.

I may or may not have lost my cool and said a few expletives to her the last time we had met up for my Japanese tutoring. It also may have been the breaking point for me starting to avoid coming around.

It had just been the two of us around when it happened. Considering I hadn't heard a single peep about it from anyone else, I could only assume that she hadn't told anyone it had happened. Unfortunately that meant that I couldn't take the high road, and if I wanted to continue receiving her help, I would be forced to apologise to her.

I closed my eyes briefly and took a deep, soothing breath. "…I would appreciate some further assistance from you," I said slowly, giving her a weak smile.

Her violet eyes flickered with an inner amusement. "I am of course happy to continue helping," Akeno said to me politely, her lips settling into a pleased smile.

"You're so kind, Akeno," Rias said from beside Akeno, giving the taller and more developed girl an admiring look.

I suddenly realized that there was a face missing from the room. "Where's Issei?" I asked, looking to Kiba.

"She was suddenly called for a contract," Kiba explained with a smile. "She's become rather popular in the last few days." He gestured to the space beside Koneko, who sat in the middle of the couch beside him. "Why don't you have a seat, Harry?"

I gave him a smile of gratitude and did exactly that, dropping down next the young white haired devil beside him and immediately reached for one of the oreos on the tray in the middle of the coffee table.

The moment my fingers came close, a tiny hand reached out and clamped down on my wrist. When I say clamped down, I don't mean figuratively. I mean her fingers dug into my arm almost painfully and stopped my attempt at pilfering the cookies in its tracks.

"Mine," Koneko said quietly, looking up at me, her face expressionless except for a warning in her eyes.

I blinked slowly and regarded the small devil girl with the vice grip on my arm. "Can I have one?" I asked her politely.

"One." She agreed after a moment and released her death grip on my arm.

"Thank you," I said to her with a smile before reaching down and taking one of the cups off the tray and filling it with a small amount of milk. I picked it up along with a single oreo, before dunking it and closing my eyes as I took a mouth-watering bite out of it.

You missed the little things in life sometimes.

A tiny finger prodded at my side. "Why?"

I opened my eyes to find the young devil girl beside me staring at me, her eyes demanding answers. It took me a moment to realize she was asking me why I had dunked my oreo.

"You've never dunked before?" I asked her, surprised.

She shook her head.

"Here," I offered her my teacup.

She regarded it for a moment, looking between the half eaten oreo in her hand and the milk inside, before she finally decided and went for it.

She chewed for a few seconds before swallowing and gave me an odd look, as if asking 'is that it'.

"Philistine," I said, sniffing in disdain. "You just can't appreciate the old classics. Have you at least tried this?" I asked, before casually reaching down and picking up another oreo, before she realized what I was doing.

I twisted the two halves and pulled them a part before devouring the delicious white layer of stuff. I finished off the two sides afterwards and downed it all with the rest of the milk in my teacup.

I looked to Koneko, only to find her giving me an annoyed look. "Wasteful," she told me.

"I ate it all didn't I?" I pointed out with a raised eyebrow before reaching down to steal another one.

She gave a sharp intake of breath through the nose, and I suddenly got the distinct impression that if my fingers did touch another oreo, they were going to be broken by the little girl beside me.

I suddenly noticed that it had gotten very quiet all of a sudden, and as I looked up, I realized that everyone was staring at me. "What?" I said defensively.

Akeno across from me broke out into a faint laugh, bringing a hand up to stifle herself. She was followed by Kiba, who let out an amused chuckle and even Asia who was barely holding back a smile.

I rolled my eyes and gave the white haired girl beside me a pointed look. "Squirt."

Koneko's amber eyes narrowed and she brought a hand up, pointing back at me. "Philistine," she said, her voice firm and tone meaningful.

I held back my retort as I realized that I wasn't going to win a one word debate with her. She had the uncanny ability to convey far too much intent with a single word.

It took me at least five to get to my point across.

"If you're quite finished Harry," Rias said from over by her desk. She had reclined in her chair and had her chin propped up on her palm, a languid, amused smile on her lips as she watched us. "I was hoping to discuss the reason I was so insistent that you accompany me here today."

I found myself looking back at Rias, the levity draining from my features as I suddenly found myself the centre of attention and oblivious as to why it was happening. "What would that reason be?" I asked after a brief moment of collecting myself.

Rias' eyes glimmered in the faint orange glow of the various candles that dotted the room. "I wanted to formally invite you and Asia to the Occult Research Club, of course." She said to me, her lips curving into an amused smile. "While neither of you are a member of my peerage, I speak for everyone when I say that we enjoy having you both around."

I blinked rapidly. "Wait, that's it?" I ask in surprise, before realizing how that sounded. "I mean, I'm flattered, but with that build up, I thought it was going to be something else."

"Like what?" Rias asked, her lips set into an amused smile at my reaction.

"I have no idea," I admitted honestly, before hesitating for a moment. "You said everyone, didn't you?" I couldn't help but glance at Akeno briefly, only to find her posture rather stiff, and her lips set into a rather impressively strained smile.

"You really want me to stick around that badly, Akeno?" I couldn't help but ask her, my lips set into a smile that was in the verge of breaking into a full blown grin, followed by laughter.

Akeno stared at me for a long moment, her expression briefly flickering between the set smile and a grimace. "Nothing… would make me happier, than to constantly have you around," she said to me slowly.

"How can I say no to such a lovely face?"

Beside Akeno, Asia's eyes widened in excitement. "You'll really join?" she exclaimed, her voice full of excitement at the prospect. "T-Then I'll definitely join also!" she declared happily.

The way she phrased it made it sound like her decision to join had hinged on me agreeing to as well. I suddenly couldn't shake the feeling that the 'decision' to invite me hadn't been entirely selfless on Rias' part.

There was a tugging on my sleeve and I was drawn out of my thoughts to find Koneko looking up at me, and holding out another oreo. "For you," she said to me, her voice as quiet as ever.

I couldn't help but stare down at her in surprise. This was the first time she'd actually offered me one of her snacks without me having to steal or otherwise trick her out of it.

My features softened and I couldn't help but smile down at the unusually quiet girl. "Thank you, Koneko," I said to her. "I'll bring you something nice tomorrow, alright?"

For the first time, I watched as the young girl's lips twitched ever so slightly into the barest of smiles, for the briefest of moments. A moment later it was gone and she returned to nibbling on another oreo, though, I noticed that she took the time to separate it and clean off the white stuff on the inside.

I let out a faint laugh and shook my head, a genuine smile on my lips. I couldn't bring myself to be suspicious any more after that, and if I was being honest with myself, I was just looking for another reason to stay away from the strange group of people that I would tentatively consider to be the closest things I had to friends in the entire world.

I felt a sudden rush of nausea as I realized that, despite everything I actually considered Akeno of all people to be something of a friend. I imagined that the sense of sinking unpleasantness in my stomach was what she had felt when she had agreed to let me join their exclusive little club.

For a brief moment I actually felt sympathy for her. Thankfully, it only lasted a second. Any longer and I may have had an existential crisis.

Despite my reservations about it all in the beginning, I found myself smiling and enjoying myself as I spent the rest of the afternoon with Rias and the others. I even enjoyed the backhanded compliments that Akeno threw my way and the ensuing banter that followed between us.

I couldn't help but wonder if the entire thing had been in my head. Had I really spent the last week feeling awkward with them, while they'd all been enjoying my company? It made me feel silly.

A sudden red glow overwhelmed the orange glow of the candles in the club room as the magic circle that had been engraved in the floor came to life.

Issei suddenly appeared in the middle, her eyes closed and her clothes and hair fluttering in an invisible wind that was quick to die down as the glowing circle beneath her faded. Her eyes opened after a moment and I immediately found myself being stared at by familiar violet eyes.

The reincarnated devil's features burst out into a bright beaming smile. "Harry!" she exclaimed in delight and bounced over to me—or rather, skipped, only part of her bounced.

As she got closer, I couldn't help but notice that her clothes were dishevelled. Her corset wasn't fully buttoned up, the ribbon around her neck was undone, as was the top most button of her shirt and more importantly, she had lipstick on, and I didn't mean on her lips.

She stopped beside the couch and without a word threw herself on me.

I found myself suddenly enveloped in a disturbingly feminine and warm hug, my face being pressed into a warm, soft chest that immediately had me teetering on the edge of deep psychological trauma considering who it belonged to.

"You're the most awesome friend ever!" She exclaimed and pulled back, beaming down at me. "If you need anything at all, you just tell me!" she insisted and looked like she was about to hug me again.

"…Oh my." Akeno tittered from the other couch.

It took me a few moments to snap out of a sudden daze that took me. "Not… that I'm not appreciative, Issei, but, what the hell?"

Issei stared at me for a moment in confusion. "What are you talking about? It was you that told everyone that I liked girls right?"

It took me a moment to realize what she was talking about and I couldn't help but groan. Those two perverted bastards. I should of known saying even a single word to them was trouble. Thankfully though, from the look of it she seemed more excited than mortified.

"Yeah, yeah that was me," I admitted after a moment. I hesitated for a moment, before asking. "You're not upset?"

"Are you kidding?" She asked incredulously. "I got summoned to make out with a cute girl! I could kiss you!" She paused for a moment before backtracking. "Which I won't, because you're a guy and I only kiss girls," she reaffirmed for herself.

"That's wonderful Issei!" Rias spoke up, sounding delighted, her lips set in a happy smile. "So you managed to get them to sign a contract?"

Issei froze for a moment and her features shifted into a nervous look. "W-well not exactly." She fidgeted and gave Rias a sheepish smile. "I-I mean she wants me to come back later so maybe then…"

The delight that was on Rias' features melted away after a few seconds and a look of disappointment found its place there instead. "Issei…" Rias sighed and shook her head. "At this rate I'm going to become concerned about your future as a devil if you can't even get a single contract signed."

I could practically see Issei deflating before my eyes. She'd been so excited and up beat when she'd arrived, buzzing in the afterglow of her make out session with her 'client'. I'd had the carpet ripped out from beneath me once before after a killer make out session. It wasn't pleasant.

"If it makes you feel any better, Issei," I said to my suddenly depressed roommate. "I haven't gotten a single contract signed either."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, Harry, but isn't that because you refuse to?" Rias pointed out dryly, one of her eyebrows raising up in response.

I shrugged a shoulder. "Doesn't mean it isn't true," I pointed out. "I was just trying to make Issei feel better."

Rias ignored me and instead focused on Issei. She was silent for a few moments and it looked like she was taking the time to choose her next words carefully. "Issei, if you aren't able to successfully create contracts with your clients, you won't be able to realize your dream of a having a harem, you understand this right?"

She spoke it. The dreaded 'H' word. Normally when it is uttered Issei seems to drift off into her only little world. This time however, her complexion drastically paled and a look of utter horror seemed to freeze her features at the mere suggestion that her dream wouldn't come true.

"Though, in this case it may be fortunate that you did not contract your client," Rias admitted. "The sun is still up, and it is considered to be inappropriate to contract a human during the day time."

Rias gave Issei an encouraging smile. "Next time when they summon you, be sure to go through the correct procedure, alright, Issei?"

Issei nodded quickly, her features regaining the pleasant peach complexion that they usually held.

Finally, after dealing with Issei, the crimson haired devil turned her gaze to me. I couldn't help but notice the amusement that found itself on her pretty features. "As for you, Harry. I'm well aware that you haven't even begun to hand out leaflets to enable humans to summon you. Aren't you eager to begin gathering renown for yourself?"

I considered being honest with her for a brief moment. I considered telling her that I had no intentions whatsoever of attempting to contract any mortals to gather power for myself. I may have become a devil, but that didn't mean I wasn't human anymore.

Technically it did, but I still considered myself to be, and I wasn't about to change camps.

Actively attempting to increase my power as a devil by using humans wasn't something I was willing to do yet. Bob had already stressed the dangers of actively using a devils power and I didn't want to chance slipping further down that slope until I was certain I could climb back up.

On a purely theoretically level, I found the whole concept of creating contracts to be very fascinating. There were a lot of levels to the process that I hadn't realized. For starters, in the last few centuries, the devils had begun to develop ways for mortals to contact them—such as the leaflet that had been handed to me prior to my conversion to Devildom.

The reasoning for them adopting the new method was surprisingly simple and ingenious.

With the advent of the last century peoples belief in the supernatural had waned, and with it, the ability to create the proper summoning circles. It wasn't like your average Joe was too interested in contacting the supernatural either. By distributing a method to contact them, not only did they provide a means for it to happen, they also encouraged it.

It had apparently gone hand in hand with the 'Evil Piece' system that allowed them to reincarnate humans as devils. It worked as a sort of ladder climbing system. Get enough contracts under your belt and you jumped up the demonic social ladder. Get high enough and you were granted the right to create your very own little legion of devils.

That was what Issei was apparently banking on. Becoming a High-Class Devil and using the evil pieces that she would receive to create her own personal harem of devil girls. It was definitely an interesting goal to strive for.

But, that wasn't for me.

"Serafall hasn't given me anything to hand out," I pointed out to Rias calmly, "and it's not like missing a few weeks will matter in the long run." I frowned, considering something briefly. "Wouldn't I be cutting into your market share if I started handing out fliers, anyway Rias? The city is only so big, after all."

Rias blinked and fell silent for a brief moment, as if she was surprised by my reasoning. "How thoughtful of you, Harry," She said to me, her lips twitching slightly.

"I try," I said lightly.

"You know," Rias remarked, straightening up in her chair. "Since you're now formally a member of the club, I believe it is appropriate for you to address me as Buchou."

I couldn't help it as my eyebrows raised sceptically. I had thought Kiba was kidding when he had said that she insisted on being referred to specifically as Buchou. "I'm not calling you that, Rias," I said to her as politely as possible.

"Why not?" Rias asked, her eyebrows raising in response. "It is only proper, as you are aware, even if it is only during school time.

"How about a compromise? How does Red Leader sound" I suggested, keeping my face as straight as possible.

Rias' lips slowly morphed into a faint frown. "Are you certain I can't convince you? It would make me very happy if you would."

"No can do, Red Leader," I said to Rias, maintaining my composure.

Rias just stared at me, before she let out a sigh and shook her head. "Very well, Harry. I will relent on it for now."

"Roger, Red Leader," I acknowledged with a serious nod.

Rias ignored me and turned to Asia, offering her a smile. "Asia?"

The blonde nun blinked a few times before realizing what Rias was prompting her for. "Y-Yes, Buchou?" she said politely.

Rias gave Asia a beaming smile. "Wonderful!" she exclaimed, actually looking quite delighted that Asia had responded as she had wanted. "I'm relieved at least one of you is reasonable."

"It's not too late to rescind your offer, Buchou," Akeno said to Rias, her smile as placid as ever.

"I'll forgive Harry this indiscretion," Rias said to Akeno, a vague amusement evident in her words. "I'm certain given enough time he'll come around."

I rolled my eyes but didn't respond. There was no need to continue the conversation. I didn't call Sona 'Student President' so there was no way I'd indulge Rias. If word got back to Sona it was possible that she may end up demanding the same treatment.

"If that's all," I began to say. "I might head back home. I have some stuff I need to take care of."

"Complicated stuff?" Rias teased lightly.

"Complicated stuff," I agreed and moved to stand up. As I did, I noticed a conflicted look upon Asia's face, and realized that she wanted to stay a bit longer with everyone. "Why don't you hang around until Issei comes back?" I suggested to her with an encouraging smile.

"Is that alright?" Asia asked, surprised at the offer apparent on her features.

"Of course," I agreed easily. "It's better that way, anyway, right? I'm just going to be stuck in my room. You'll have much more fun here."

Asia's smile turned grateful and she nodded happily.

"I'll see you all tomorrow," I said, giving Kiba and Koneko a smile. After a brief moment of internal debate, I decided to not be petty and turned to Akeno, intending to wish her a good night.

"I'll escort you out," Akeno said to my surprise, and gracefully stood up with me.

I found myself momentarily at a loss for words at the offer. "Super," I finally said awkwardly. I shook my head and looked to Rias. "I'll see you tomorrow Red Leader."

Rias' lips pressed into a thin line and her eyes narrowed.

I couldn't help but break into a large grin at the irritation she displayed.

"You'll address me appropriately one day," Rias informed me, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that I wouldn't ever willingly call her that silly little name she liked. "Sure thing," I agreed and stepped around the couch, making my way to the door. "Eternity's a long time, anything is possible." I said, utterly serious, giving Rias a meaningful look.

I didn't look back as I left the room with Akeno in tow.

The moment the door shut behind us, I burst out into laughter, unable to hold it in any longer. The look of petulant irritation on her face had been too much.

"Was that really necessary?" Akeno asked coolly, folding her arms across her chest as she regarded me with her cool violet gaze.

"No, but it was funny," I answered, sobering up quickly in the face of her stern disapproval and beginning to make my way down the hallway. "I wouldn't expect someone with a sense of humour like a brick to get it."

"No, I understand," Akeno said calmly as we descended the stairs. "Rias extended an olive branch to you, after you've been avoiding her and the club, and you decided to slap her in the face with it."

I couldn't help but frown and take that comment personally. "Just because I refused to call her 'Buchou' doesn't mean—"

"—Yes it does," Akeno interrupted me forcefully, glaring at me angrily. "She went out of her way to invite you to the club to make you feel welcome and you couldn't find enough humility in your entire gigantic body to return the sentiment."

I couldn't help but stare at Akeno, my lips parted in shock at the sheer vehemence she spoke with. Had it been that big of a deal for Rias? She'd taken it in stride and good humour from what I'd seen. I felt it was twice as likely that Akeno was just taking offence at something good natured for the sheer sake of it.

"Look," I said to Akeno as I stepped onto the ground floor. I turned to face her and folded my arms across my chest. "If Rias had a problem with that, she'd have said something." I told her bluntly. "She's a big girl and she doesn't need you to hold her hand in case the big mean boy says she has cooties."

If possible, Akeno's features became even stonier and the cold anger in her violet eyes became almost a physical sensation.

"Look me in the eyes and say that," Akeno said to me slowly and stopped on the last stair. It might just have been my imagination, but I could almost feel a static pressure beginning to fill the air.

"Pass," I said flatly. I had no interest in seeing the festering hellhole that made up whatever constituted for her soul, if she even had one. I'd had my fair share of traumatising experiences seared into my brain from soulgazing Stan as he died.

It took a bit of effort and self-control, but I managed to turn away. I was going to be the bigger man about this and end it before it escalated any further.

Or at least, I tried to. A firm grip wrapped around my arm tightly and stopped me before I could.

"Did I say you could leave?" Akeno practically snarled at me, her fingers tightening around my arm.

I inhaled through my nose deeply and held back from yanking my arm out of her grip. I took a moment to exhale and as calmly and gently as I could, I reached down to her hand and pried her fingers off my arm, turning back to face her.

"I don't make it a habit of hitting women," I told Akeno calmly. "Frankly the thought of it disgusts me. But between that man-grip of yours and your attitude, if you keep up, you and I are going to throw down, and you won't be getting back up."

"Big words, for such a small man." Akeno said, her voice chilly. Her violet eyes were narrowed as she glared at me through her dark bangs. Her head was tilted up ever so slightly, as if she was looking down at me, despite her vertical disadvantage.

My jaw clenched and for the longest moment I found myself worried that I wouldn't be able to hold back from lashing out at her. Humans had two basic instincts in a stressful situation. Fight or Flight, and I was firmly set into the former.

My muscles were strained, tensed and coiled tightly. It was a physical effort to hold myself back. It took me a few moments to realize that what I was feeling wasn't normal. I froze briefly as a sudden clarity hit me. This wasn't productive, and she wasn't worth it, or truly deserving.

I took a deep breath, before exhaling slowly, letting out all the tension I felt. Releasing all the anger that bubbled inside of me that was directed at the girl in front of me.

"I am sorry," I said to her slowly, before falling silent as I carefully chose my next words. "I did not mean to offend you. I will talk to Rias tomorrow and clear up any misunderstanding and apologize to her if I need to. Does that sound alright?"

Akeno's glare slowly faded and downgraded from 'frosty bitch glare' to 'simmering angry bitch glare', before vanishing completely and being replaced with something akin to emotionally drained.

"I expect you to be here tomorrow evening for your Japanese lessons," Akeno told me, her voice steady and barely managing to stay level. "You missed the last two, and if you miss this one, I will track you down and force feed you the textbook."

"Just you try it," I said to her, forcing myself to give her a strained smile. "Good night, Akeno."

"Good night, Harry, have a safe trip home, or don't. I don't care." She told me bluntly, before turning and making her way back up the stairs to the club room.

I turned around and left the dormitory immediately, not bothering to even glance back at her as she ascended the stair case. I shut the large wooden doors behind me and kept walking along the path back to the Academy itself.

I didn't trust myself to even think until I was well away from the building and half way through the school grounds and in plain sight of the few remaining stragglers who had yet to leave the school grounds, despite twilight well underway.

My fists clenched at my side, but I did my best to keep my breathing calm. Words could not express how much that girl infuriated me. You would think after two weeks I'd learn to just ignore her and walk away. Unfortunately it seemed like I was a slow learner when it came to girls, especially ones as deranged as she was.

Despite attempts to clear my head of the anger directed at Akeno, I couldn't. I ended up stomping all the way home, the thoughts brooding inside my head and forming a perpetual scowl upon my lips.

This happened every single time we were left alone. I wasn't arrogant enough to assume I was blameless, but it seemed like every single time it happened, she was the one who kept needling me with what she thought I had said, or done wrong until I snapped and and a vicious cycle began.

Every single time it had been me that had taken a step back and attempted to calm the situation down.

Every. Single. Time.

I was getting sick of being the bigger man. I fully expected the reason that she was so happy to start arguments was that she assumed that I would always be the first to back down. The sheer arrogance that she possessed couldn't be put into mere words. One day very soon she was going to find out the hard way that there was a limit to how much she could push before she got shoved back, hard.

She was seriously beginning to make me hate that little voice inside my head that told me that hurting girls was plain wrong. Clearly the voice hadn't taken into account someone like Akeno existing.

I was so wrapped up in my negative thoughts toward the raven haired devil that I almost walked past the convenience store that laid on the road to Sona's house.

I had a sudden intense craving for chocolate.

A few minutes later I stepped out of the shop with a half-eaten chocolate bar hanging out my mouth and a bag containing bits and pieces in my hand.

To my relief, the chocolate seemed to sooth my agitation and I managed to pull my thoughts away from a certain devil. It didn't do to dwell on the negative, not when I was so close to being ready to craft the prototype magical focus that Bob and I had been developing.

Despite the lack of resources that I had available to me without asking Serafall, I was confident that whatever came out of my efforts was going to be worth it, and it wasn't like I was going to be stuck with the result. If it didn't turn out well it was as simple as going back to the drawing board.

It was another few minutes' walk before I arrived at Sona's. The lights in the house were off. It made sense, it was a rare occasion that Sona got back before I did. Between her obligations as the Student President and managing her own peerage she was always busy.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the only time I really saw her was in the morning and occasionally late at night when she got home if I was still up. I could count on my hands the number of times we'd even spoken in the past week. I couldn't help but start to feel a bit guilty as I remembered that Sona had actually thanked me for having breakfast with her and the others.

I hesitated in entering the house, and after a moment decided that I was going to do something nice for Sona. She'd gone out of her way repeatedly to help me out, despite having made it clear that she wasn't too excited about me being around.

I backtracked to the convenience store and purchased a few extra things using wisdom gained over the last two years from my relationship with Elaine. Sona may not have been my girlfriend, but I was fairly certain a lot of the things Elaine liked were the same things other girls liked. I was banking on it translating to devil girls as well, but then again, devil girls were weird.

It took me even less time to get back to Sona's the second time around. I unlocked the front door and stepped inside, flipping the living room and kitchen lights on out of habit more than anything. I really hadn't had any issues seeing in dim light since I'd found myself a devil.

I slipped my shoes off at the door as had been heavily, heavily drilled into my head by Sona after I had walked in the first time and left my shoes on. I didn't dare walk in with my shoes on. If Sona discovered a shoe print that matched my size there would be hell to pay, or at least a very long winded lecture about proper etiquette when visiting Japanese households.

I made my way to the kitchen and unloaded the groceries I had picked up into the fridge and cupboard, careful to squirrel them away behind some other big items so Sona wouldn't notice when she got home.

I'd bought enough for the other two girls as well, though I wasn't entirely sure how much interest Asia would have due to her unique background, or if Issei would even bat an eye, considering she used to be a he, before he died.

I scrunched the plastic bag up that I had carried everything in and tossed it into a waste bin.

I turned and made my way out of the kitchen and stepped into the hallway, not bothering to turn on the hallway light. As I walked along, I suddenly noticed a faint dim light from under the edge of my door, made all the more obvious by the lack of ambient light in the hallway.

My concerns over my roommates were suddenly replaced with a more pressing question; who the hell was in my room?

I crept closer to the door, careful to walk as softly as possible and found that in this particular instance, the lack of shoes had come in handy.

I slowed my breathing and strained my ears to pick up any sounds from beyond the door. I could make out the faintest murmurs that were muffled by the door and couldn't help but frown. Why would anyone even bother to try and steal anything from my room? The only things I had of any value was…

Bob.

My eyes widened as a sudden surge of panic rushed through me. Without hesitation or a second thought, I reached over and yanked the door open.

A girlish cry of surprise met me as I stepped into my room, ready to lay the metaphysical smack down on whoever had been stupid enough to try and steal from me.

I faltered after a foot as I found myself staring at a familiar pink clothed figure holding an equally familiar skull in her hands.

"S-Serafall?" I stammered, my eyes wide in shock at the sight before me.

The Great Satan, Serafall Leviathan, my Lord…Lady? And Master, laid upon my bed. She looked as young, lovely and quirky as ever, with her unique taste in fashion, and her flawless complexion.

A brief look of shock briefly appeared upon her face before her bright blue eyes widened in recognition. "Harry!" she cried out in delight and summarily tossed the Bob the skull aside side without a thought.

A brief surge of panic hit me, and I barely held myself back from diving forward as the skull bounced onto my bed, once, and then twice, and then almost rolled off the edge.

"Be careful with that!" I practically yelped as I moved forward and grabbed it before it could fall to the ground. I let out a faint sigh as I clutched the skull in my hands.

"Why?" The young looking devil on my bed asked curiously, her head tilting to the side.

"Because it's fragile," I said carefully, giving her a brief smile as I stepped over to my desk and set the skull back down on it.

"No it's not," Serafall disagreed easily. "It's pretty much impossible to break that thing without actually getting serious. Believe me, I tried!" she told me helpfully, giving me a beaming smile.

"…Why would you do that?" I couldn't help but stare at the young girl on my bed in muted disbelief.

Serafall continued to lay there on my bed, her blue eyes steady on me. "Because the dumb air spirit inside won't talk to me!" she told me, pouting, kicking her legs in the air in annoyance.

I stared at her some more, dumbfounded. "I…uh…what?"

She twisted upon my bed and pulled herself up into a sitting position, her legs dangling off the bed. The act caused her already short skirt to bunch up slightly. I had to force my eyes to stay focused on her face to avoid looking down at her strawberry-print panties. The fact that I knew what type they were said enough about the level of success that I had.

"The air spirit inside," Serafall repeated, her brow furrowing. "I tried to get it to talk to me, but it didn't say anything." She folded her arms across her chest petulantly and glared at Bob again. "I was going to blow it up and force it to come out, but Sona told me that I shouldn't break other people's property," she explained to me.

"I…" I found myself at a loss for words and after a few seconds of my mind remaining utterly blank and useless, I sighed and looked to where Bob sat on the table. "Bob, you can speak," I said to him.

Immediately the eye sockets burst to life as the orange glow of his eyes took shape. I could practically see them zooming in on Serafall's exposed panties.

Serafall immediately perked up, her blue eyes going wide with excitement and she leaned forward.

"Hello little spirit," Serafall said cheerfully, peering into the skulls eyes.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Leviathan," Bob said respectfully, or at least as respectfully as he could while he was burning a hole into Satan's crotch with his gaze. "I'm a big fan."

"That's an interesting little shelter you have there," Serafall remarked, lifting a hand up and prodding the skull with her finger. "Until I actually saw it I hadn't even realized you were hanging around my cute little sidekick."

Bob's eyes flickered up from their locked position on Serafall's crotch. "He's been pretty secretive about me," Bob admitted. "I keep telling him to introduce me to cute girls like you and your sister, but he's holding out on me."

Serafall's head tilted ever so slightly to the side. "Now, what are you doing with him? You seem to be an air spirit of intellect. I hope you're not filling his head with anything bad. If you are I'm going to have to make you explode."

Bob's eyes flickered to me again and I could practically see the panic in them, which was a feat in itself considering he didn't actually have eyes. "W-Well," Bob stammered nervously in the face of potential obliteration. "I'm teaching him about magic!" Bob said quickly. "We've been going over the basics of magical focus items over the last week and are about to—"

"Hold it!" Serafall said suddenly, and turned her head toward me, her blue eyes suddenly wide in awe. "…You're making magic wands?" She whispered, before she blinked as a realization hit her and she jumped off my bed. "You're making a magical wand and you didn't invite me?" She set her hands on her hips with an outraged look upon her features.

"He is!" Bob interjected quickly. "I told him to tell you so he could make one for you as well, but he said he didn't want to bother you!"

I looked toward Bob in disbelief at the sudden betrayal.

Serafall stared at me, her lips parted in shock, her eyes wide in disbelief. "H-Harry, how could you! You know how much I love magical girls! I want you to make me a real magic wand!" She said to me firmly. "Right now!"

"I…ah…" I found myself at a loss for words again and it took me a few seconds to recompose myself. "First of all, I'm making a staff, not a wand,."

"But… you can make me a magic wand, can't you?" Serafall pressed on.

"Well, yes, but—"

"Then as your master I command you to make me one!" Serafall declared triumphantly, pulling rank on me.

I gave Bob another dirty look. I'm not certain if it had been his intention from the start, but he'd pushed me into a corner with Serafall and I couldn't see her backing down until she got what she wanted. She was that type of girl, and I imagine, when you're a one of the four Satans, you don't usually take no for an answer.

"I'd love to make you as happy as you made me when you gave me that poster," I told Serafall honestly and pointed at the Star Wars poster on my wall. "Nothing would make me happier but…" I grimaced. "I just don't have the materials to make one that I would be proud to give you," I told her truthfully.

I stepped over to my bed and crouched down, reaching under it and pulling out the box containing the bits and pieces that I had wrangled together to help make my first staff.

I opened it up and showed her the contents.

She peered in and a moment later screwed up her face. "What's this junk?" she asked, reaching in and pulling out a whittling knife.

I gave a faint grimace at the casual way she classified my efforts as 'junk'. "It's for carving runes," I said to Serafall, watching as she dropped the knife back in and pulled out a bag of marbles next. "…Uh, a focus element," I reluctantly admitted, my cheeks going a bit red. "…I can't exactly afford diamonds or rubies," I joked.

Serafall dropped the item back in the box and a thoughtfully frown overtook her lips.

She stood there quietly for a few moments, looking like she was deliberating on something. Suddenly she burst out into a great big smile and looked up at me. "I've decided!" she declared. "Both of us, together, we're going to make us both the best magic wands ever!"

I couldn't help but stare at Serafall in surprise, before I registered what she had said. "I think I'll stick with a staff, actually," I said to her.

Serafall's lips compressed into a thin line.

"You're going to get a magical wand and you're going to like it."

—~—