Chapter 13: Questions arise. Enemy newcomer of Kuoh.
(Opening 1: Sequentia - Asriel)
Aristides was sending a letter to Yasaka to report about the killer. Since confronting Freed, both he and Kunou wanted to finish the fight with him before heading back home. However, they soon began feeling the need to finish their education.
'It's strange how we're suddenly feeling the need to finish our education here in Devil territory when we can head to Kyoto for school.' Aristides mused in thought.
Kunou noticed a mirthless smirk on Aristides, noted by his bitter expression.
"I understand what you're thinking, Aristides-kun." She sympathized.
"I don't have to point it out... It's strange how life makes changes for one to see. But I'm still young, barely reaching 17 years old." The demi-god stated.
"Life isn't meant to be easy for anything, whether we like it or not. We just have to cherish our times together as we celebrate our years together." Kunou wisely said.
Aristides smiled in response. He and Kunou went to their bedroom and fell asleep for the night.
######
(Play Final Fantasy VII OST - Cloud's theme - Orchestral version)
Aristides and Kunou woke up in a peaceful morning. They were walking their way to school.
"It's starting to get warm. Summer might be early this year." Aristides remarked.
"It might be the case. I feel bad for the yuki-onna back in Kyoto. They can't handle the heat very well." Kunou commented.
"I'm sure they have some way to help them tolerate the heat. Though I sympathize their inability to handle warm weather." Aristides sulked.
Kunou gave a brief giggle as she understood why. She held his hand as they walked their way to Kuoh Academy. Since it was still early in the morning, there were few students that noticed them. The couple didn't paid any mind to their classmates as they walked their way to school.
"Oh, Miyamoto-san, Inari-san." A familiar male voice called out.
Issei was seen running to the couple. Aristides and Kunou didn't mind him joining with their walk to school.
"You two are early people?" He asked comically.
"You can say that. I just feel refreshed when the sun rises. I'm not much of a night person though." Aristides answered.
"I prefer the sun as well. It's like a new time to come for everyone." Kunou said.
Issei gave a smile in response, understanding the couple's words. The walk to them was somewhat long, considering they live a decent distance away from the school building itself.
"Hey Hyoudou-san..." Aristides said.
"'Issei' is okay if you want to call me that." Issei said.
"Then, Issei... What made you decide to come back to Kuoh? I recalled that you mentioned in your class that you moved back after some time." Aristides asked curiously.
"Oh. I was overseas for a few years, but I had been to a school before coming back here. I kind of felt homesick after not coming back here for a few years." Issei said.
"Where though?" Kunou questioned.
"I was in Hawaii, in the main island of Kilauea. It has some cultures related to Japan, but it felt somewhat foreign to me. My parents wanted to move there, while at the same time, understand life in general. It was essentially an island paradise that was soothing to the mind." Issei explained.
"Wow, you've been to Hawaii? That sounds like a nice place to go to, especially when Summer is about to hit." Aristides remarked with surprise.
"I know. I get that a lot from my neighbors when they asked me where I moved from." Issei chuckled.
Aristides and Kunou also joined Issei, laughing as they got to know each other. Their walk to the school seemed peaceful, something they took noticed and enjoyed it.
"I got to ask this though... How is Kyoto?" Issei asked curiously.
"It's a nice place to go to. It is considered a historical landmark of Japan, due to many buildings relating to its ancestry. Overall, I find it rather nostalgic as it represents Japan's amazing history." Kunou explained.
"I can vouch for Kunou's explanation. Many visitors are often surprised about the landscape when they first saw it. It's due to first time tourists that makes it fun to see." Aristides said, recalling several people visiting Kyoto that were human.
Issei gave a laugh in response from the couple.
"I've wondered how it feels to have a lot of people visit where you guys live." He said jokingly.
While the trio walked their way to school, Rias and Akeno were watching them like hawks. Both were acting like immature stalkers as they watched the group walking. They were mainly eyeing at Issei.
"We have to find a way to recruit that boy to join my peerage... My time of avoiding him is running out." Rias said with desperation.
"You're not thinking of setting up a scenario that awful, are you Buchou? That is not how one should recruit potential members." Akeno remarked with a frown.
"I know, but my options are becoming limited. I still haven't found any source of hope." Rias answered.
Akeno could only shake her head in response. She understood Rias was about to be in an unfavorable situation. All she could do was sympathize.
'The real problem is getting that boy away from the Greek demi-god. He will prove to be a powerful adversary in my hopes to recruit Issei.' Rias thought.
Akeno noticed Rias looking at the group making their way to school. More specifically, she was staring at Aristides.
'She's trying to find a way to bypass Aristides in order to get a potential recruit. Buchou, don't make this mistake...' She thought with concern.
Unknown to the two Devils, Aristides and Kunou sensed them. They briefly turned their heads at them, giving a leering glance at them.
(Cloud's theme ends here)
######
Inside the school, Aristides, Kunou, and Issei were idly chatting. None of them paid any attention to the classmates near them.
"So you're saying that Hawaii is a popular place for people to see?" Kunou asked.
"Of course. There are many spots to see at the island. Since the volcano is one of calmest around the world, there's a park dedicated to it." Issei explained in response.
"Wait, you're telling me that there's a park that allows you to travel on a lava bed that was created from previous eruptions? That sounds exciting." Aristides replied with shock.
"I know. I was also surprised when I was up close to a lava stream at the volcano." Issei laughed.
Soon, the teacher came in. Everyone remained silent the moment his presence came in the classroom.
######
Lunch period came in. The trio were eating lunch peacefully.
"Who would have thought we ended up knowing more about Hawaii? Maybe it would be worth going there." Aristides said.
Kunou giggled, knowing what he was thinking. Issei also gave a wordless chuckle, understanding Aristides's curiosity.
"Maybe if you two are able to afford the trip to Hawaii, you two will know. I managed to save up enough money for a return trip for the summer." Issei said.
"Then we don't have much to worry about money. We do plenty of jobs so we are able to afford it." Aristides said.
Their moment of peace was interrupted by Kiba, who walked to Issei. Aristides and Kunou glared at him in response, forcing him to freeze upon getting close.
"Hello, Issei-kun. How are you doing?" Kiba asked.
Issei noted his friends' expressions. He could tell there was some hostility, but there was nothing he knew about.
"I'm doing okay for the moment." Issei replied.
His friends soften their expression, but still kept a leer at Kiba. The blonde student felt the glares and felt nervous. He shrugged it off and focused on Issei.
"That's nice to hear. In any case, Buchou wants you to come over at the old school building. She runs the Occult Research Club and would want to see you." Kiba explained.
Aristides immediately knew what he was suggesting. This made his glare sharpens harshly, staring at him would be equivalent to cutting one's mentality. Kunou also followed, making her pupils glow with blue flames. Issei noted their expressions, seeing them looking more hostile.
"I'm afraid I must decline." Issei responded.
Kiba was surprised of what he said. He could attribute to the demi-god's expression on influencing his choice.
"Alright then. It is your choice to make, but feel free to visit the club any time." Kiba said before leaving.
Aristides's and Kunou's gaze never left Kiba till he was out of sight. They both breathed calmly to release their tension. They then looked at Issei.
"Issei..." Kunou paused with a serious tone.
"Whatever you do, don't go to them. They're not to be trusted." Aristides followed.
Issei was surprised of their tone. Questions began to arise from his mind, but he paid no heed. However, he wanted to ask them in a later time.
"Let's head to the library to study in after classes. I'm sure you have to catch up." Aristides said, mentally avoiding Issei's questions.
######
Classes were over for the day. It was currently sundown. Issei, Aristides and Kunou began to leave the school premises before their walk home was interrupted. The cause? A sudden sensation, akin to a dreadful chill, permeated around the school.
"What is this feeling...? It feels like I'm watching death in its real form..." Issei shivered.
Aristides and Kunou also shivered. Having no choice, they quickly went outside, only to realize the school was deathly quiet. The solitude proved to be nerve wracking for Issei as he couldn't take the sensation around him. The area began to turn black as though it was already night.
"I have a bad feeling about this..." Kunou said with a stutter.
Soon, a disembodied, demonic roar got their attention. Issei couldn't take it and lost his sensation in his knees. He collapsed in fear.
"Pull yourself together, Issei! This is not the time to be screaming in fear!" Aristides shouted.
The unearthly roars grew louder. Immediately, they looked outside but saw nothing. Kunou used her senjutsu to sense anything but she couldn't find anything.
'The roars are loud, but I can't sense what is roaming...' She thought in slight concern.
Aristides kept his guard up, looking around the room. Issei remained paralyzed in fear. The room was deathly quiet, allowing sounds of their heartbeats to echo.
"We're not alone..." Aristides dreaded.
Soon, a being emerged from the darkness. It was a ghastly being, bearing horns of a goat with orange glowing eyes. It had brick red skin with black fur. Issei collapsed in response, but Aristides and Kunou kept their hold.
(Play FInal Fantasy VII OST - Fight on!)
"A demon? Who summoned you here?" Aristides said.
"That is none of your concern, demi-god. I was summoned to take that boy." The demon said.
Aristides looked to where it was pointing, specifically, at Issei.
"I see... So you intend to capture him to place him with the Devils... Fat chance." Aristides said, equipping his Fusion Sword.
Seeing Issei struggling, he gave Issei his shapeshifting sword in its sealed/pen form.
"Issei, press the button on the pen! Do it quickly!" Aristides said.
Issei, against his logical thought, pressed the button. Soon, the pen morphed into a katana.
"What is this!?" He exclaimed.
"That's something we'll talk later! We have to fight this demon!" Aristides shouted.
He then charged forward, intending to take the beast down. However, he was pushed back from the brute strength of the demon.
"Ugh... This one's tough..." Aristides grunted.
Kunou soon unsealed her sword in response. Her sword manifested in wisps of fire.
"Eat this!" She shouted.
She created a concentrated ball of fire and it shot out from her sword. It encompassed the demon, but it barely did anything to kill it.
"Dang it... There has to be a way to destroy it!" Kunou angrily snarled.
Seeing there was no other way to use direct physical contact, Aristides channeled his holy aura in his Fusion Sword to create his signature attack.
"Judgment of light!"
A wave of light was exerted in a crescent shape. The wave traveled and hit the demonic beast directly. Smoke covered everyone's view, blocking off any who're watching.
"Did that work, Aristides-kun?" Kunou asked.
"No... I don't think it did..." Aristides dreaded.
The smoke cleared and the demonic beast was shown. It only suffered superficial cuts, but it hardly took any damage.
"I'll admit, that attack has some potential. Too bad it was not strong enough to pierce my draconic armor." The beast said.
Not knowing his better judgement, Aristides pulled out the White Materia. He began to focus on it, causing it to glow in a bright red color.
(Fight on! ends here)
Ending 1: (Gundam Seed Destiny OST - Kimi wa Boku ni Niteiru)
Note: I'll let you readers take a guess which summon will come from the Materia. Please bear in mind that the Materia'a true color surfaces when using its ability, hence why it was white.