After you are done with the chapter read the AN. I have some announcements to make.
Issei was standing by the door. His eyes widen in shock of the woman on the floor in front of him.
" You are..." his shocked face turned that to anger and rage.
" What the hell are you doing here?!" but then he notices the half eaten corpse of Manami, which was laying on Raynare's lamps.
He puts his hand by his mouth, barely holding not to puke by this disgusting site.
" What is this?" he asks in horror and anger.
Raynare can't speak. She wants to, but no matter how much she tries no words come out of her mouth. The despair she is feeling is too much. Too much to stand on her feet. Too much to even speak, to explain. She just sits there with a blank expression.
" You... you killed these people?!" Issei shouts. " Of course you did. You have done it twice already, so what's stopping you?!"
' No... this isn't right. It wasn't me. It wasn't. I wanted to save them... to protect them. But... I was too late. They are dead.' she says in her head, but again no words come out.
" Why?! Why did you do this?!" Issei's anger manifests to a red aura that covers his body. His gauntlet had appeared already. He wants answers, but Raynare can't provide them.
" What did you do to Yumi? If you have done anything to her..." he says tightening his fist.
But then he notices something that he hadn't seen before. A locket necklaces around her neck. It was silver and in the shape of a heart. It was the one he gave Yumi.
" Why... why do you have this necklace?!" he asks furiously. But Raynare stays quite looking at him and the dead Manami on her arms.
" Answer me goddammit!"
Raynare avoids looking him in the eyes. How can she say that she tricked him again. That she lied to him again. That she made him fall in love with her. No she thinks. Not with her, but with Yumi. He fell forYumi, so how can she tell him that the person that he hates the most is the one he loves?
" No. it can't be. It can't." Issei mutters as he falls on the ground grasping his head.
" How did this happen? How was I fooled again, by you?! Why do you have to ruin and destroy everything I care for?! Raynare!" He stands up, clearly upset." I loved you. You were my first girlfriend. But you betrayed me. You hurt me. But that wasn't enough for you. You then killed my friend. Do you have any idea what I went through?! Do you know how it is to not be able to save your friend, even when they are right next to you? No! You don't. Asia suffered because of you. She was hurt. Her mean to do good for the people around her, was gone. You took it! But she didn't give up. She fought and she found new powers. All because of her friend that stood besides her."
Raynare hears Issei story. So that's what happened to Asia during that time?
" We had finally stood on our feet. Everything was going good. For the first time, everything was fine. I even found another girlfriend. She was sweat and good. I had finally let go of you. But no. you were still there to hit me back down again. Did you enjoy tricking me for the second time with the same trick? Just what do you want from my life?!" Issei shouts at her.
' I didn't trick you. I am not the same person anymore. I didn't want to deceive you. I really cared for you. I am sorry for what I have done, both you and Asia. I know how it feels to lose someone important. To not be able to help them, to save them. Even though you are right there." she looks at Manami's corpse. ' I never wanted to cause this pain to anyone.'.
Inside her head she is crying. But on the outside she isn't. She has a cold expression. Aftershock is affecting her more than she thought.
" You even killed these people that were your so called " friends"." he says looking at Manami. " Just what do you want to accomplish? Do you want to bring as much suffering as possible?" he questions her, without expecting an answer though.
His gauntlet releases huge red aura waves. They envelope him and transform into a armor.
" I will not allow you to hurt my friends... no... to hurt anyone anymore!" he says taking a fighting stance.
Is he going to attack her? That's just shows how much he hates her she thinks.
The only thing she can do is look at him. She has lost everything she had built in her short normal life. So what difference does it make. He hates her. He isn't going to listen to her anyway.
Completely overtaken by despair, Raynare doesn't move or say anything. The weight of her feelings don't let her.
Issei however doesn't hesitate a moment. With incredible speed he lunches himself of the ground. In mere instants he had closed the distance, punching Raynare in the face. The force of the punch pushes her away. She passes through several walls before she lands on the floor.
Her head is bleeding, but her body reacts by itself and begins healing her.
Issei soon lands close to her. Whatever regret or doubts he may had where instantly gone as soon as he sees Twilight Healing. His rage building up again.
" That ability... is not yours." he tells her. Slowly walking close to her.
Raynare can't do anything. More like she doesn't want to do anything. She has already hurt that man far too much. She just wants to give up. Everyone close to her keeps getting hurt. Everyone she cares about, ends up dead. The world would be better without her. One that has brought only misfortune to the people around her, shouldn't exist to begin with.
So she sits there waiting for Issei's punishment, to let him feel the joy of beating the one who caused all of his problems.
But then suddenly, a flashback. She sees Yumi sitting in her hospital bed with herself opposite to her. They are talking about something that she can't hear. However, she heard her say something very important.
" You mustn't give up Yuuma. No matter what happens. Remember even if the situation seems hopeless, always remember that you have people that support you. Even if they aren't there with you. I remember for example myself. Every time I had to do a surgery, I always felt hopeless. But then I remembered my dad and mum. How they would want me to live and push on. How they would want me to fight. And that's what I did. As a reward I have you now. A friend that..."
The flashback ends there. It did its purpose.
' What are you trying to tell me? That I should fight back. That I should live on? But I have nothing left. I lost everything once before, I got back to my feet and started anew. Only to lose everything again. There is no meaning to all of this. Its better if I just end it here.'
' That's not true. You must go on.'
' Who said that?'. Inside Raynare's consciousness a figure is formed. It is Manami.
' Manami? What are you doing inside my head?'
' You created me of course. Your consciousness is telling you to fight back. But because you don't listen to it, I was created to persuade you.' she says with a smile.
' It is no use don't bother.'
' Why do you say that. This wasn't the Yumi I know.'
' And you are right, this isn't Yumi, this is Raynare' she says with a frown.
' You know what I mean. This isn't like you. You are a fighter. You don't let life push you down, you are the one who comes on top. And what is this crap about, the world being a better place without you? Believe me, there are far worse people out there that are doing just fine. You made a mistake, you chose a wrong path. But you managed to get back on track. There aren't many people that can say they pulled something like this of. You are an amazing person. You must live and move forward. If you are really sorry for your past deeds, this is the time to repay them. Get up and fight. Don't let Issei fall on the same path as the old you.'
" You are right. I am gonna fight!" she says as she stands up, her spear ready and in a defensive stance.
" Talking to yourself now?" A voice is heard echoing through the building. The source of the voice soon appears at her far right. It was Rias. She has a calm expression and even with her remark, she can't hide her anger and worry.
" So not only you were hiding all this time right under my nose, but you tricked my little Issei to fall for you once again! You even killed some students from my school. They were messing with things beyond their powers. But they didn't cause problems. They were easy pray right?"
" That's not true!" she shouts at her, catching her by surprise. " I didn't kill them! They were my friends!"
" Stop with the lies. Your sweat talks don't work anymore. I know that everything that comes from your mouth is a lie." Issei says.
" Please Issei. You have to believe me. I didn't kill them."
" And why should I do that. You haven't told me a singe truth since the day I met you. The lies on our first date, on our second meeting. You made me feel sorry for you, so that you can make me your little puppet. No more. You are a two faced bitch. You said you loved me, but it was just another lie. You made me worry about you. Even though you have done all those things to me. I am never going to forgive you." he said charging right at her.
She swings her spear at him. He dodges and tries to counter but another spear is heading his way. He raises his arms to protect himself. The spear hits him. The impact pushes him back to his team.
" When I said I loved you I meant it." she tells him.
Issei is caught by surprise. He wants to believe her words. Bu he can't, the lies she has told him are way to many.
" That's enough. Stop playing with our friend's feelings you stupid crow." Kiba says pulling his sword out.
" That's right. Senpai might be an idiot but he wont fall for this trick." Koneko says joining alongside Kiba.
It seems like her words wont reach him. Then he will have to listen, if she beats him.
" Thanks guys but, this is my fight. Stay out of it." Issei says while charging towards her.
She flies up in the sky. Raising her arm in the air, four light spears are formed. She brings it down and with that move the spears fly through the air.
Issei dodges the first two but the third and fourth ones hit him in both shoulders. But he picks them up and throws them on the ground. Completely unscratched.
" What the... how? This light is supposed to be like poison to your kind." Raynare questions. But then she sees that the spear barely pierced his armor. It is really tough she said to herself.
But Issei doesn't stop there. He lunches himself of the ground and to her.
' He can fly?' Raynare realizes in shock. She lifts her spear just in time to meet Issei's punch.
The clash pushes her back, but she soon finds balance again.
He is still continuing his assault. On punch after the other. She blocks every single one of them. Eventually her spear breaks and Issei's punch passes through. She is hit in the stomach. After that a punch follows on her face. She is about to fall down but Issei hits her with an uppercut and repositions her. His assault continues.
After a lot of beating he finally lets her go. However, TH activates itself again. Healing Raynare while she is mid air. With her consciousness regained she throws a spear in Issei's stomach. This one pierces his armor. She can tell because blood sputters from the wound.
" What was that? Was it TH? But how?" Kiba asks Rias.
" Every person uses his abilities in a different way than their predecessor. I think Issei is a prime example of this." She answers him.
Issei falls on the ground. Holding his bleeding wound. Raynare lands on her feet and she glares at him. She then walks towards his way.
He stumbled back. What is she trying to do? He was thinking, as Raynare sat on her knees infront of him. Her hands touching his open wound.
Issei makes a sound of pain. She can see the fear in his eyes.
Don't worry. I will heal it. Now will you listen to me? She wanted to say to him, but the moment she opened her mouth a hand covered in red aura had pierced all the way through her body.
She looks back and sees that red hair devil. She takes away her arm, blood sputtering everywhere. She then hits her at the side of her head, sending her flying to a nearby wall.
With the sound of " crash" another sound of " splash" was heard. The wall immediately turned red by Raynares blood.
" I am sorry Issei that I had to involve in your fight. But I can't let her kill you." she tells him with a sweat expression.
Asia that was watching all this silently, quickly rushes to Issei's side. She waves her hands and a green magic circle appears. After a few moments Issei's wound had closed. He stands up.
" Thanks everyone. She has grown stronger." he apologizes.
" Don't worry about it. After all she doesn't seem like she can do much now." Kiba says while nodding over at her side.
Raynare was laying on the floor, her back leaning on the wall behind her. A huge line of blood splattered at the area she had just crushed to.
She was standing there, breathing heavily with difficulty. That attack had damaged her inner organs. The TH was too busy trying to heal them that it didn't have time to fix the rest of her body. She was completely immobilized.
" I think it is time we finish this." Rias says to Issei as she moves closer to Raynare. Her hand covered with the power of destruction.
' No. Stay away!' she screams inside her head. She tries to shout, but her mouth filled with blood, only manages to make a squire sound, along with blood spilling on the floor.
She tries to get up but her body wont listen to her.
She is coming closer.
Raynare looks at Issei, who has fallen on the floor, and is now being treated by Asia.
' Issei. Please. Listen to me... please.' she says in her head, again not being heard by others.
Tears start falling on her cheeks.
' Why? Why wont you listen to me? Why wont you give me the chance to show you that I have changed, to explain.'
Rias is now infront of her, looking down on her.
" Fallen angel Raynare. This is my first time meeting you. But through the stories of my servants, I am sure that you are a threat to be eliminated." She says coldly. But Raynare sees an evil grin underneath.
" You had fooled my Issei twice. Hurt Asia, as well as killed four students of my academy."
' That's a lie! I didn't kill them.' she tries to speak but again fails.
" So, now I will deliver the proper punishment. If that's ok for you, Issei." she says turning around to look at Issei, who had finally stood on his legs, supported by Kiba.
He looks at her, still unclear for what to do. Inside his mind pictures come and go, flashbacks, memories. Memories of him and Raynare. At their first date, at her smile back then. At the times of their second date at that amusement park. At the laughs they had. At their first kiss in that remote lake. He remembers his feelings for her. But then he also remembers the pain she has caused him. The happy memories turn to those of betrayal and pain. His death by her hands. Asia being tortured right in front of his eyes. Her laughing at his pain. Her remarks about her dead friend. How she said she was fooling him from the beginning, how she was just playing with his emotions. Was that the case with their relationship afterwards? That must have been it. He says to himself.
' She is a two faced bitch. She will betray, kill, for her amusement.' he thinks to himself.
Everyone is looking at him, waiting for his answer.
Raynare is watching him deciding her fate. She wants to talk to him. To apologise for everything she had done. To tell him that she has changed. That she truly loved him. That she cared for him. That this whole thing was just a huge misunderstanding. But she couldn't. The only thing that managed to come out was a low " Please...".
With tears felling her eyes, Issei looked away as he stated his decision.
" Boucho, please... it is too painful. Please end this.".
Rias nods in approval. She raises her hand, ready to finish the job.
Raynare stays quiet. She can't do anything to change her fate.
' So... this is how much the world hates me? To die like this, without even having a chance. Is this what they mean by saying that the past will always come back to hunt you?" she looks up at the ceiling." I guess I was the foolish one... for thinking that I could escape from my past deeds. That I could live a normal, happy life. I guess it was never my fate to do that. I was doomed to die alone.'
' You are not alone Yuuma, Yumi. No, Raynare.'
Her eyesight has gotten black and inside this black, four figures appear. It is Yumi, along with Manami, Hiroshi and Kasumi.
' What are you doing here?'
' Isn't it obvious?' they say in one voice.' We came to pick you up. We are your friends after all. We can't let you go through this alone.'
' Also Yuuma, or Raynare at this point. Didn't we promise that we will go together in the afterlife? Be it heaven or whatever you want to call it.' Yumi speaks.
' You are right. Thank you everyone...' she says with a smile in her face, but with tears in her eyes.
They are giving her their hands, all with a warm smile.
She goes out to reach them.
At that moment she feels a heat, and then she feels nothing. Her gaze going black, her life slipping away. Her very existence vanishes. At her place only a pair of rings remain, glowing a warm green colour.
Rias picks them of the ground. She goes to Asia and gives them to her. She then gives on last look at the depressed Issei, before giving the order.
" Come on, lets go home."
THE END
That was the end of my Fanfic " A New Me" thanks to Terrence Noran for giving me the idea.
There are some things I would like to address to.
Firstly, when I started this story I wasn't planing to end this like this. The idea was that Raynare was going to die in the battle against Loki, where she would have already become friend with Issei and the rest. But then things changed. I became used to writing so what I wanted to do wasn't create a fanfic, but my own book. I had an idea with a friend about a book, light novel style. We had talked about it a lot and had made a very good story. But none of us was so good at writing. However, in this story, noone said anything about my writing, which made me believe that I am not so bad after all and it would be a great idea to actually try it. And tha's what I am going to do.
So that left only one problem. How could I write both what I wanted and not let the people who follow me and like my work disappointed. Then it came to me. I will write it with as little affect to the canon one as I can. Make Raynare's story, but without changing the canon one. So what I ended up with was a side story. Which makes no difference whatsoever to the main one. Issei still has a psychological problem, this time better explained so as not to seem like a crybaby. Asia ended with her TH again and everything else returned to their original place. Even the Ocs that I created are no longer.
However, even though I say that this is the END it is not. There will be an alternative ending. This will be the main one and the other will be a little special.
Another thing I want to talk about is my new book. If you like my style or even if you are curious I am going to publish it in fiction press, so whoever wants to, can read it. It will mean a lot to me if you did show your support. But I wont upload until I am finished here.
Now to some story parts. Some of you may wonder why did Issei kill her this time. The situation was different from the canon one. Here he had more information to work with. And to that I say this. Anger and hate are stronger emotions than love. When both are present the last one is heavily overcome by the other two. That's why we have murders happening between families.
That's all guys and girls. See you again next time.