Chapter 21
Their meeting had started a bit different as most people, who knew the situation, would have imagined it...
with Ravel literally tackling and throwing her arms around him.
"Issei, I am so happy to see you again," she called out.
"Well, technically it seems I was here the entire time, as it looks like," Issei pointed out, giving a look to his counterpart.
"Yes, but he is not the same Issei... and he has his own Ravel, as you see," she replied, smiling. "By the way, my parents have given their agreement. That means we can be together. Actually, they sounded quite enthusiastic about the idea of me being with the Red Dragon Emperor." She grinned. "Even if I will be only one of many."
Next came Murayama, who was a bit more reluctant, but then draw him into a hug as well.
"It is good to see that you are back," she said. "And? Was your mission a success?"
"To be honest, it was a complete disaster," he replied. "We were outnumbered. The reason we came back here is because we were... well, running for our lives. That is also why we have brought them with us."
The four Exorcists in question had said nothing so far... and were looking quite uneasy. No wonder. After all, they were surrounded by a group that consisted not only of exact doubles of themselves, but also to a great part of Devils, Fallen Angels and even creatures they had not even heard of. Not to mention that one of Issei´s doppelgangers had just been proposed to by a Devil.
"There is no need to be afraid of us," Darien addressed them. "Nobody here will harm you. Azazel and the Maou Lucifer will tell you the same thing."
"Azazel? Sirzechs Lucifer? the Exorcist Issei said, recognizing them. "Who are you?" he asked Darien.
"That question is a bit complicated to answer. We will explain everything to you. For now, you should just know, I am in charge of this base," he told them. "You are a member of the Green Lantern Corps," he was looking at Silar.
"Yes. I was accidently sent into the same universe your group here was scouting, along with the creatures you call the SHA," she responded.
"I see. We have heard about the incident, but we didn´t know what happened to you," Darien told her. "You better come with me. We will contact your superiors and we will inform them about the situation." He turned to the Issei, Raynare and Irina and the others who came from the future timeline.
"And you should get acquainted with your other selves now," he said to them with a look of their Issei´s Guardian team, "- tell them everything you told us."
A moment later, he, the alien Silar and Odin - who had come back from the Asgard of Issei´s world, as he had heard about what had happened in Kuoh as the new group arrived - disappeared.
The others did what Darien had suggested.
But the first thing they did was giving their Exorcist counterparts a brief explanation about the multiple universes and about `who´ they were.
"Hold on for a second, I remember now. I know you as well," Exorcist Issei said, as he looked at Raynare. "Your the girl who had asked me out. Yuuma, wasn´t it? But you looked at bit different back then. And you certainly had different clothes," he added, his eyes wandering over Raynare´s revealing leather outfit.
"You like what you see?" she asked him. "By the way, what had happened then?" Raynare wanted to know. "You are still human as I see?... and given my plans were to kill you? " she suggested. "Has someone resurrected you? Or did you kill me instead in your world... after a fierce duel in the sundown, that we two had?" she nearly made it sound as if the idea were somehow romantic.
"What? No. Nothing like that happened," he responded. "I just turned you down and left. I sensed that you were a Fallen Angel and thought dating you was not a good idea. A short time later you ambushed me and tried to kill me. But I thought you off, until the Devils suddenly arrived a few minutes later and you retreated. I never saw you again afterwards."
"Wait... you - you mean you had actually turned me down? Me?" Raynare stared at him outraged.
"Ahm, really, you had just suspected that he had killed your other self and you didn´t seem that bothered by it," Irina remarked. "But you find out that he didn´t want to go out with you and you act as if it is the worst thing in the world?" she asked incredulous.
"Hmm, if he had killed me, defending himself, it would be understandable. But this... I am a Fallen Angel. He should have been fallen to his knees at the mere chance to be with me," she said in a clearly exaggerated tone. It was obvious to them that she wasn´t completely serious. "He should be overwhelmed by the idea that I would even look at him. He... Augh!" she suddenly cried out, as Irina had suddenly slapped her over the head.
"Why did you do that?" she asked irritated.
"You told me that, whenever you started to act like an arrogant bitch, I should do this. I am only doing what you want." Irina smiled at her `innocently´.
The others in the room couldn´t help themselves and started to laugh. Even the older Raynare from the parallel future started to fall in.
"It seems you have actually found a way to keep me under control Issei-kun," she said laughing.
After a few moments, the younger Raynare was starting to smile as well.
xxx
Someone else who now greeted Issei and his returned team, was Kuroka.
"Issei-kun, how nice to finally meet the you," she greeted him. "I am Kuroka, Shirone´s older sister... And one of your lovers in our world," she added by laying forward and whispering into his ear.
He had, of course, heard about Koneko´s - or Shirone´s, as her birth name. By what he had first heard from Rias peerage, she was a crazy murderer. But after seeing the recordings from a few of the parallel realities and his own experiences, he always had his doubts there. He knew Devil servants didn´t need to be crazy to kill their masters, the opposite, in many cases.
And given that both Koneko´s here were now completely relaxed around her, she was clearly not a killer.
Kuroka was wearing her usual kimono, that was hanging nearly open around her upper body and with a complete show of her cleavage. And no visible bra.
Issei´s eyes were, being who he is, wandering to her boobs. Since he had been recruited by the Guardians, he had learned greater self control, instead of just blindly following his urges... and to actually think things through for the most part. But he was still Issei Hyoudou.
Kuroka, of course, noticed as well where his gaze had turned to.
"You can touch them if you want," she said, gripping her own breasts, lifting them up a little, so that they nearly burst out of her clothes and presenting them to him.
What had he just thought? No, he was taking it back... She definitely was a killer.
xxx
A short time later
"So Rizevim Lucifer? Vali´s grandfather? He is the leader of Khaos Brigade?" Issei murmured, after hearing about the events that happened in their world.
"Well, technically it is still Ophis right now," Rias Gremory´s newest double responded, "but she is more of a figurehead for their actions. Even in this time."
"And he is planning to release an invincible monster that could destroy the world?" Irina asked.
"Yes," `future´ Issei confirmed.
"This has to be the being Crocel had mentioned," Raynare commented. "The one he was planning to control."
"That is quite sure," Gaeriel said. "Trihexa. I have heard about it before. A monster created by Ahriman, to serve as his manifestation in our worlds, after the last one vanished."
"Does that mean this creature also exists in our world?" the Exorcist/Holy Sword-weilder version of Issei asked, asked.
"That is very likely," Gaeriel replied. "Since our worlds are all so close to each other historically."
They all had heard the story that they're - as they heard, time-travelling - counterparts had told them. War, terror, destruction, the attacks of Khaos Brigade and then Trihexa and the Dark Order themselves, it was all what could happen in their own future as well.
"Ahriman... " Issei said the word. The force that was standing behind the Lords and the Dark Order. He had heard about it a few times while he was here. But it had mostly been talked about like a distant threat - just like the Lords for the most part. And now he heard that he had actually manifested himself in a world very similar to his own. It was a frightening thought. "... He - the Dark Order and their Agents," he murmured.
"Yes, shortly after Trihexa, they were beginning to appear everywhere," `Sona´ from the future timeline stated. "Aside from beings actually working for the Dark Order, it was also people who were - well, possessed. Countless people died alone through them. But they were not the only ones."
"Beings like Loki or Kokabiel formed a pact with them," future Rias told them. "Even - even some Devils were working for the Dark Order," she said a bit hesitatedly, remembering her own role, that was all but graceful.
"They formed a group called the Four Horsemen. They were running attacks and spreading, even more, terror everywhere, until we managed to stop them," future Raynare explained. "But in the end, they were only a symptom of the true threat."
"It was stopped in the end," future Issei told them, "and Ahriman drew back from our world. But it was hardly because of us..."
"Our world returned to normal, more or less," future Sona resumed. "But what was left of the Three Factions and the entire Supernatural World were even more weakened. To that came that during the battles, the existence of the Supernatural had been revealed to the humans. Many of them blamed all of us for the destruction."
"It is not only that Sona," the future version of Rias said. "Think about it. We have taken over some of their cities - places they had built- and declared them `our territory´, without even telling them. We have taken members of their race and turned them into ours for our own gain, also often without even asking or when they were in a desperate situation when they couldn´t say no... and then demanded from them that they serve us, and threaten to hunt them down and kill them if they refuse. Fallen Angels, in turn, targeted and killed humans if they possessed a Sacred Gear, while we `just´ transformed and enslaved them. Some of us had even kidnapped and tormented them for sport. And the rest of us never made any real effort to stop them.
We acted as if their world belonged to us and they had no say in it. And now it came all back to us, when they had kicked us out of our reality. In some sense, we got exactly what we deserved."
All of them were looking stunned at what they had just heard her saying.
"And you are sure that you are truly Rias Gremory?" the present version of Raynare asked her sarcastically.
"Believe me, even I can learn. After the metaphorical and practical ultimate ass-kicking your counterpart and some others gave me back then... and the things that happened afterwards. Trust me, I know how it is when someone treats you as if you are below them." She told them that with an expression that was nearly frightening... at least to her younger self. "You should know one thing, I have learned to hate the person I have been," she said, giving a quick sharp look to her younger counterpart.
After this, they had begun to talk with each other about their own lives as well. Issei - all three of him - had to admit what they heard was quite interesting... and in some cases shocking.
xxx
"So do I get this right? Raynare, Irina, Asia, Xenovia, Rias Gremory, Akeno, Koneko, Koneko´s older sister, Ravel, one of Vali´s teammates and a few other girls I don´t know anything about?" Issei exclaimed. "Wow, you are truly the Harem King I always wanted to be."
His counterpart only grinned at him.
"By what I have seen, you are not doing so bad yourself. Your relationship with Raynare-chan is going far better than mine had been in the beginning So much is clear," he said. "And then you have Asia, Irina and Gaeriel... and now Ravel, as it looks."
"Not to mention what me and Issei did last night," Kalawarner stated suggestively.
"You and Kala? Now that is a surprise," Raynare´s counterpart commented. "Or when I think about it, not so much. Her breast-size is quite your thing, isn´t it Issei-kun?"
"You say it," he replied happily.
"Has my other self ever told you how sorry I am about killing you?"
"Yes, many times," his own Raynare said sharply.
"Good."
"Hold up! Does that mean you have slept with every single member of the group for this expedition?" Murayama suddenly questioned. "That means with all female members of our team, except Xenovia and me?"
"Yes," Issei said smiling. "What shall I say? I am a teenaged boy. But Xenovia is Kiba´s girlfriend after all."
"Well, does that mean I will be your next target?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"I will be next, human," Ravel declared. "Besides that, who said that he even likes you?"
"He certainly does. Otherwise, he wouldn´t have been peeking on me so often in school," Murayama scoffed.
"Oh, he `likes´ everything that had legs and especially a pair of boobs," Future Raynare pointed out. "But he only loves a few of us, right Rias?" she said with a side-look at her version of the redheaded Devil and a grin.
`Rias´ only showed an unreadable expression in response to her words.
The four Exorcist counterparts of Issei, Irina, Xenovia, and Kiba were just listening slackjawed. `Issei´ could barely believe what kind of a life his two doubles had. Okay, he admitted he certainly had his kinky sides, but this two...
"They are both complete perverts," he exclaimed.
His three comrades were similar shocked. Secretly, however, their Irina, standing next to him, was also fantasizing about the two Issei´s - who were obviously far more perverted than their own - would do with her, given the chance.
xxx
"If you want to, you can also do it with me Issei." the Xenovia from the parallel future spoke up, addressing the Guardian Issei.
"Xenovia!" the Irina from the same world, standing next to her, said loud.
"What? We are all technically the same persons, right? So he is still Issei. And since the `me´ of this world is with Kiba, I wanted to give him a chance to try me out as well. To see how it feels doing it with me."
"Xenovia!" all three Irina´s shouted this time.
"I mean, when we are all the same, it wouldn´t be cheating, right? We could, for example, try it with two Issei´s at once. That would be interesting, don´t you think? Or maybe he with two Raynare´s or Rias or maybe even with two Irina´s and then..."
"Xenovia!" all the girls around shouted now outraged... even the other two Xenovias.
"Well, maybe we should at least keep the idea in mind," the future version of Akeno spoke up, grinning. "Having two Issei-kuns have their way with me at the same time would surely be something completely different."
"Akeno!" most of the girls shouted now instead.
"Or maybe we could double-team one of them. What do you think, younger me? I promise you, Issei-kun knows how to treat a lady like us. Oh imagine, seeing myself in pain and pleasure," she purred and smiled wickedly at her other self.
They all saw that the younger Akeno was actually blushing deeply... and it took a lot to cause her of all people to blush.
"That is truly enough Akeno," the older Rias said. The others noticed that she was red in the face as well.
xxx
"Well, your doubles are maybe the ones who have several women Issei at once, but the girls are the ones who are all too willing to go along with it, right?" Kiba´s counterpart pointed out, "and they actually seem to be quite happy with it."
"Very right Kiba," Issei said.
"Why are you calling me Kiba?" the blonde haired boy questioned. "My name is Isaiah."
Issei was confused for a moment.
"The name Kiba Yuuto was actually given to me by Buchou, after what happened to me in the Holy Sword Project," the Kiba from the Gremory peerage - the one from this time - informed him. The still remaining anger was clear to him for everyone around.
"And you became a Devil," his Exorcist counterpart stated.
"Yes, Rias Gremory saved my life by transforming me. And after what happened I certainly didn´t want anything to do with the Church anymore," he said grimly.
"So you joined a group that can be less trusted?" his double responded.
"Rias isn´t like most Devils," Kiba said. "She is one of the few who actually treats her servants well and with respect."
"Before or after she tricked them into serving her in the first place?" Isaiah asked him sarcastically.
"Tell him," the older Rias said to her younger counterpart.
"What?" the younger one called out.
"Tell him the exact circumstances how he came to serve you. It has taken me far too long to come clean myself... about many things."
"What is she talking about Buchou?" Present Kiba asked her.
Rias gritted her teeth. She knew she would have some explaining to do and she had to thank her other self for that fact. She could only hope that Yuuto would understand why she had acted that way back then. If she had known that Valper and his henchmen would kill everyone... but she didn´t and in the end, she had waited too long.
xxx
"You know? I agree with you Issei," the Xenovia from the Exorcist group said. "These girls seem to be just as perverted as your doubles, especially the ones who claim to be from the future. Maybe it is a side-effect of being turned into a Devil."
"But not all of them are Devils," their Irina reminded her. "One of my doubles is even an Angel."
"She must have become corrupted," `Xenovia´ speculated. "The only question is why she hadn´t fallen yet."
"Maybe you two have just been closet perverts from the beginning," Akeno suggested smirking.
"Oh yes, they truly are," Future Akeno said. "You should see the things their older counterparts are doing with Issei-kun. And how they are always screaming for him when he is doing them."
"No, it´s not... that," `Irina´ stammered. At the same time, however, she was trying to push down fantasies about Issei doing the same things with her,
Xenovia next to her was blushing deeply as well.
"Of course not," Akeno countered sweetly.
"I think that is enough," Issei, the one from the Guardian group, stated. His voice was suddenly dead serious. "It was nice getting to know each other. But we all still have a great problem to take care of. I don´t know what these SHA are planning, but by all what I have heard about them, it can´t be good."
His Exorcist counterpart nodded.
"I hate to admit it, but we had no chance," he stated. "We were not only badly outnumbered, I also had the feeling that the few of them who were actually fighting us were not even serious. If you hadn´t come, we would have been dead."
"We have also not shown everything we can in this fight," present day Issei admitted. "But you are right, there was just too many. And we don´t even know much about these guys."
"Well, we might have never heard about the SHA, but we have met and fought the Hero Faction," Future Issei spoke up. "We know them and can help you prepare for them."
"We might even be able to help some of you to develop your powers somewhat further," Future Raynare said. "At least for a few of you. After all, we are basically the same as you, with more experience and extra powers we had picked up on the way."
"You want to help us train?" Irina asked.
"Not only that," she replied. "I have been thinking about it for some time now and I think it might be possible for us to share some of our powers with you. I am thinking in first line of me, Issei and Rias here."
"Wouldn't that make you weaker?" present Rias questioned.
"Not necessarily," she replied. "If we simply transfer some energy to you, our own should just replenish itself after a short time. And certain aspects of our power, we should be able to share with you, without actually loosing anything ourselves. At least as long as we get something in return. Issei-kun," she turned to the Issei from her world, "I am thinking here about some of the energy I had absorbed from you and Ddraig, as I was bodiless. Or a bit of the flesh you had received from Great Red to heal you. Or the magical connection me and Rias share with you."
Future Issei nodded.
"I also sense some pretty unique powers in mine and Asia´s counterparts. I see what you mean," he said. "If we do this right, we might all turn out stronger than we have been before. That doesn´t mean, however, that we shouldn´t also try to train in the usual way."
"Train? Sharing Powers? Don´t you all forget about something? We have no time," Present Issei pointed out. "The SHA and these `Hero Faction´ of the Khaos Brigade are still in their world." He pointed to his Exorcist counterpart and the others. "And while we are standing here, they are for sure already working on whatever they are planning."
"You know Issei, I think this is where I can calm you down," Gaeriel told him. "The time-flow between the universe, you should know, doesn´s necessarily have to be completely parallel. Actually, it is in fact quite independent from each other... to a degree at least... as the presence of our `visitors´ here should demonstrate. It should be possible for us to stay here for at least a few days and then travel back to the other universe at the same point in time when we have left it."
"That is possible?" Xenovia asked stunned.
"As long as we don´t change events that had already happened from the P.o.V of our own worlds, yes," she answered.
"Cool," that was all Xenovia said to that.
"By the way, the SHA and their allies... does any of you have an idea what their plans might be?" Issei questioned, looking from Gaeriel to his Exorcist double and his group and back.
"This Kheron and Cao Cao had told us that they are planning to bring the human race to the place they think it deserves... and free them from the influence of the Supernaturals," Exorcist Issei stated.
A few of the others - especially the ones from the future timeline - were looking a bit insecure at his words, some even a bit ashamed. Just like the older Rias had said, they knew all too well that their races treatment of humans in the past was nothing to be proud of.
"That probably means they plan to go against the Supernatural World, especially the Three Factions," Gaeriel speculated.
"But they are still only a handfull of people, no matter how powerful," present day Sona stated. "How could they hope to achieve that?"
"By revealing the existence of the Supernatural to the humans and turn them agaisnt us," Future Sona pointed out. "After the appearance of Ahriman, that was more or less what happened in our future."
"Not that this would take much," Future Raynare commented sarcastically. "Like `Rias-chan´ here said, the way we have treated them for the most part, we shouldn´t be surprised."
"That might be." Present day Raynare frowned. "But I think it changes very little for us right now. We might know what they are intending, but we don´t know how."
"Right, all what we can truly do, is returning to that world and trying to stop them," present Issei confirmed.
Suddenly they all sensed another presence manifesting itself on the planet close to them, an incredibly powerful presence. Moments later the figure of a young girl appeared in the room before them.
"Ophis," several of them called out.
"I see you are back," Future Issei greeted her. "Ahm, this means... are you the Ophis that came with us or the one of this time?" he asked.
"I am both," she replied. "I have merged with my counterpart from this time period," she stated. "That means I now know about the events of both realities and I am of course also back to my full power."
"Ahm well, that is good," Future Issei replied a bit unsure. "What are you planning to do now?" he wanted to know.
"I will of course still follow my goal to find a way to remove Great Red from my home in the Dimensional Void," she stated.
'Of course', they thought. Issei and the others weren´t sure if they liked that thought. But this was Ophis, they would hardly be in any position to change her mind,
Ophis emotionless look wandered from one of them to the other.
"But I admit that there are other threats out there that are more important," she added a moment later. Her voice sounded far less emotionless than it was usual for her, nearly with a hint of intimidation. "I don´t want this future I have seen to repeat itself either."
This surprised most of them... except the ones of them who came from the future timeline and knew what they were dealing with. But they all knew, all that could scare her of all people even the slightest, was more than worrisome.
"But Issei Hyoudou, you impress me now even more as you already did before," she stated, "both versions of you. I will keep an eye on you and your comrades." With those words, she vanished once again.
"Well, I am not sure if I should be happy about this," Issei said.
"Believe me, I know what you mean," Future Issei commented.
"And you issei you want to help us as well?" Exorcist Issei asked.
"Yes, we can start to train together if you want. If there isn´t anything else?" their future counterpart replied.
"Actually, there is one thing," Rias - the one from the present - said. "I have a request. I have been thinking about this for a while now. Issei, I want to join your team."
"What?" Issei said in surprise.
"I know we have not always been getting along... okay I have been a real pain for you, with my attempts to recruit you or with my family trying to blackmail you," she corrected herself.
"You can say that," he responded.
"But please give me a chance. You can need any help you can get right now. I promise you won´t regret this," she asked him. "And if I get out of line, you can always have Irina or Xenovia beat me up as well, right?" she said with a side-glance at Raynare, who only rolled her eyes.
"If you want to join them, I will as well," present Akeno spoke up.
"And I as well," Kiba said. "I will not leave you alone Buchou... even if you owe me a few explanations." This was not his only motivation for wanting to join Issei´s group. It would actually make it much easier to see Xenovia regulary.
Rias however gulped.
"Thank you... but I am not sure if you will still be as eager to follow me when you know everything," she admitted.
"Have you not forgotten anything," Sona stated sternly. "What about your position in Kuoh? You can not just leave everything behind."
"Normally you would be right Sona," she replied. "But you oversee... I have actually a `perfect´ replacement for the position at hand," she said, looking at her completely surprised older counterpart.
xxxxxxx
The evening of the next day
They were walking together through the streets of the futuristic version of London, where the Guardian HQ was located close by - four humans, one Fallen Angel and one young Devil. The little group was strolling through the town of the 27th century, trying to get a look at everything.
They were nobody else than Issei, Raynare, Irina, Asia, Murayama and Ravel. Like Gaeriel had said, they had a few days before they would have to return. So they used the chance to take a closer look at the place. Days that they mostly used to prepare themselves... mostly. They had once again spent an entire day training in the facilities of the Guardian HQ, this time together with their future counterparts.
Their counterparts of the Exorcist group had decided to stay back at the mansion for today. But they too had said they were interested in seeing the town. Of course, a city of the far future is not something you see everyday, even for people like them.
With the exception of Ravel, they had all been in this world before. But so far they had only actually visited the town once before, during their last trip to this world.
Right now, however, they were just spending some time for themselves. Ironically, the Issei, Raynare, Irina and Akeno from the future timeline had told them that they had also spent some time in the last days exploring the town.
In the background behind them was the Big Ben tower, that had been, as they had heard, completely restored about a century ago and was looking subtlely different than in their's, however only one of the many differences they noticed.
"Do - do you really think that is a good idea?" Irina asked the others. "I mean, Gaeriel said we had a few days, sure. But shouldn´t we better use all of that time to prepare ourselves?"
"You know perfectly well, we all have already pushed ourselves to our limit," Murayama pointed out. "Not to mention Future Raynare´s idea to share their powers with you. We would only strain ourselves, but not making any progress if we tried."
Of course, Murayama was also eager for the chance to finally actually see one of the parallel worlds she had heard about in detail and even more a future world like this - especially since she had been left out from the last mission.
"Since you have so much experience fighting other schoolgirls with wooden sticks," Ravel remarked sarcastically.
Murayama glared at her for a short moment.
"I am practicing Kendo," she pressed out irritated, "thank you very much... little bitch," she murmured under her breath
"You know she is right Devil girl," Raynare interrupted them. "We pushed ourselves as far as we could right now. Tomorrow we will then try what our counterparts had offered. Then we will spend some time getting used to whatever powers they plan to give us... And the day afterwards... we will return and deal with those lunatics once and for all."
xxx
They were just standing in front of a futuristic version of a cinema, where a movie was being shown they had never heard of before. It was actually a `historical´ film, that played during the so called Cyberdroid Crisis in the first half of the 21st century of this Earth. Before they had been declared full citizens, around 2159, the early Androids and AI´s had been trying to free themselves from the control of the government and the corrupted company that were creating them - that meant about 700 years `ago´.
It was actually a romance story about a man who is working for the police forces and who finds out that the woman he had met and he has fallen in love with, is actually an Android and was working for an AI resistance movement. Okay, finding out that your girlfriend isn´t human was definitely something Issei could perfectly relate to.
As Issei had been told during his time here, it was actually secret intervention from the Guardians, that had helped to keep a conflict from breaking out, while at the same time, the Lords and some of their agents had been trying to provoke the parties involved into an open war. It was one of many events from the history of their organization he had heard about during his first two weeks in this world. Back then, the existence of the Guardians and their enemies had not yet been known to the wide public. The movie mentioned their involvement only on the side. Still, he found it interesting and decided to invite his girls... and Murayama of course... to watch it.
xxx
"Issei-kun, say, what do you think about Rias offer?" Irina asked him.
"It is a bit surprising," he admitted. "But like she said, we can use any help we can get. And we have been working well with her before, right?"
"As much as this Devil get on my nerves sometimes, I have to agree," Raynare stated.
"Issei, I want to ask you something," Irina said. "I want to spend some time with you, just you and me." The noticed the eyes of the others having turned to her.
"Look, it is not that I dislike you," she said to them." I actually care about you. I think we are going along great... for being a harem and all... But. It - it is not that I want to have Issei-kun just for myself, but I would like to at least for a few hours."
"Are you asking him out for a date?" Murayama questioned.
"Yes - Yes I do," she replied. "So can we...?"
"Of course Irina," Issei answered. "If you want to, you and I can spend the rest of the evening together. After we have watched the movie together of course."
"Okay, she can have you for this evening," Raynare stated. "But tomorrow, after our training ends, you will have another date with me. Don´t worry, I won´t even kill you this time." She grinned. "Unless of course, you have developed a fetish for it and actually want me to. But then I would need someone at hand to bring you back."
"Ray-Raynare, how can you say something like that? Asia called out.
"Don´t worry. He knows I am only joking. He knows I love him, right Issei-kun?" She took one step closer to him and kissed him.
"I know, but I still hate it when you say it like that. Your sense of humor is sometimes simply evil my dear," Issei said.
"It was a horrible thing to say, Raynare-sama," Asia repeated.
"Issei can always punish me later for being bad," the Fallen Angel said playfully. "Would you like to help?"
Asia blushed.
"I guess you will want to go to a date too?" Issei asked her.
"Y-yes," she replied.
"Good, then I will spend the first part of tomorrow's evening with Raynare and the second with you. Okay?"
"Yes."
"I want a date as well," Ravel now said firmly.
"You can have your turn after we return from this mission," Irina exclaimed. "That means... if that is okay with you Issei?" she asked him.
"Of course," he grinned. "You know, I would never refuse a date with a cute girl... especially if it is one of you."
xxxxxxx
One other of the many alternate realities... a Dark World - Kyoto, Japan
A large transport jet was landing in front of the giant sinister looking palace, that was standing in the center of the city, that would in another world have been one of the cultural hearts of Japan.
The town also played an important role in the history of this world. But the most glaring difference to most other realities was, the inhabitants of this town weren´t human. They also weren´t Fallen Angels or Devils either. They were part of another race, similar, but quite different... and far older than the creatures generally known as the Devils.
The transport had just landed. It was a mix out of modern technology, augmented with magic.
The locks of the vehicle opened... and a line of armed guards stepped outside, leading a group of shackled prisoners, slaves.
The prisoners, members of the species that was in many other realities known as `Devils´... their guards consisted of Fallen Angels and a number of human Mages and Bounty Hunters.
At the gates of the large palace-like estate, they were greeted by two heavily armed figures. They were both members of the demonic race that were ruling this town... and this part of the world.
"I see you have brought the Halfbloods his Majesty had requested," one of them said.
"As Lord Dagon has ordered," the leader of the Fallen Angel group replied, trying to hide his distaste about all this. He was Baraquiel, one of the leaders of the Grigori. He knew what was going to happen here and he didn´t like it at all. But he had orders.
"Good, bring them inside," the guard said.
The point where their history diverged so drastically from most others, was during the time of the Great War. But the actual roots of the events went far further back, during the beginning of the known history of the Underworld.
What very few people knew... eons ago the Underworld was being ruled by another race of Ancient Demons - a race that, in this world, had returned and taken back that had once belonged to them.
xxxxxxx
In the beginning, the Realm known as the Underworld was being populated by the Ancient Demons, who were often said to be descended from the Oldest Ones and ultimately from the Darkness itself. There had also been other old races, like the Angels of Heaven, born from the Light and from God, who opposed them.
It was like that in the beginning, but soon things became more complex.
The Archangel Lucifer made and attempt to become equal or even greater than God, by forging a pact with the Forces of Darkness and after starting a war in Heaven itself, were banished from their realm. So the Angel race itself became first tainted and the first Fallen appeared.
Lucifer had been the leader of the `Satans´, a Heavenly Accuser, who tested other creatures in the name of God, their faith and their convictions and their resistance to sin. Besides his brother Michael, he was the oldest and most powerful of the Angels.
He did his work faithfully, until the day he discovered the other dimensions and realities of the Multiverse... and he realized that his creator, who he had thought was all powerful, was in fact only a manifestation of an even greater force. And even more, he found out that there were beings in the cosmos, like Ophis, who actually surpassed his God.
It was something he wouldn´t accept. So he researched, explored, all for an attempt to actually reach and summon this higher force - the true form of God, like he called it. But in the end he no longer cared if it was truly the Light of God, that he contacted... or the Darkness... and he was corrupted and consumed by the forces he had unleashed.
At the same time, the human race had developed on Earth and spread over the planet. From all races God had created so far, they had the hardest access to supernatural powers and energies and were so often weaker than the others. But they were also the most independent and had the most free will. That awoke the interest of many of the supernatural born species... Angels and Demons alike.
While many humans searched God and so followed the one or the other religion, others instead dealt with the Demons and many formed pacts with them for power.
It however also came to relations of a completely different kind. Over time many humans and Demons had intercourse with each other. Some even came into actual relationships and quite often produced offspring. One of the earliest and most known examples was the infamous Lilith - who later became the progenitor of the modern Devil race - a human who made a demonic pact and was as a result transformed into a demonic being.
Over a few centuries, these crossbreeds were becoming more and more and mixing into the population of the Underworld. At the same time, however, they were mostly considered what would later be called `2nd class citizens´. The positions of power were only be held by the old Demons, while their part- human offspring were mostly servants and laborers.
But at the same time, the Demon Lords were relying more and more on these servants, who often came from the lines of these half bloods and on humans and other creature they had recruited. With other words, they had become soft, lazy and corrupt.
Until finally it came to an uprising.
Lilith, who had risen to one of the leaders and the spokeswoman of the half-bloods, formed an alliance with Lucifer and his exiled army and together they waged war against the Demons and took over the Underworld. These events repeated themselves across several parallel realities in similar details.
The surviving Demons, being faced with total destruction, fled from their world into the Dimensional Void and were not seen again.
The half bloods, together with Lucifer´s forces, meanwhile cemented their hold over the realm they had just conquered and build up a new society. They also took a new name and were calling themselves from that point on with the more modern term Devils.
Lucifer - whose Angel wings had been lost through his enormous exposure to dark powers and replaced with demonic ones and was barely recognizable as an Angel now - became one of the new rulers. His former angelic title of Satan was fused the titles Maou and `Devil King´.
Soon the new rulers saw themselves as nobility and did not longer want to remember that they were not the original rulers of the Underworld... and that they weren´t the original Demons. They just started to pretend that it had always been theirs... and after a few more centuries, all but the oldest ones had actually forgotten that it had ever been different.
xxx
The surviving Demons, however, had encountered Ophis when they set foot in the dimensional void, who demanded them to leave her home and after hearing their situation and that they couldn´t return, had decided to send them to another, empty, dimension. So landed Demons from various different parallel realities in a so far empty world and started to rebuild their civilization... and they never forgot.
The Demons realized their earlier mistakes and decided to completely reform their own society, to once again concentrate and the things that made them what they were. Things like compassion, tolerance for failure and weakness were being banned. They would never be weak again.
They as well gave their race a new name... the Erebos Demons, the Children of the Dark... and they swore eternal revenge on their enemies - the pretenders - who had cast them out.
They cultivated both, their power and their hatred and build up new armies and resources, until they were even stronger than they had been before.
As, after some more centuries, they were ready to leave the world they had been exiled to and return to eradicate their old enemies, they discovered that their old home realities had by now splintered into hundreds of new timelines and universes... and in all of them, the Underworld was being ruled by the Devils. So they found out that their self-given task to destroy them all was far harder than they had expected.
But they also found something else... opportunities. As they scouted the various worlds, they found out that in many of them the Devils were at war, not only with Heaven, but also with a new breed of Fallen Angels... the Great War as they called it.
The Erebos Demons chose one of this worlds, one that seemed promising, and decided to intervene in this war. In a ironic reversal of history, they contacted at the time hard pressed Fallen Angels - who had the lowest population of the Three Factions of the war - and offered an Alliance. It was an offer they could hardly refuse.
Within just a few weeks the war was turned around completely in their favor. The new Alliance conquered not only the Underworld, but also parts of the Earth. The Forces of Heaven were being pushed back... and now it was the Devils who faced complete extinction, by an enemy who knew absolutely no mercy, especially if it came to them.
And in another ironic twist, it was their enemies - the Fallen Angels - who held their new allies back and saved the Devils from being completely annihilated. Whatever animosities they had with them, it could not even compare to the unlimited hatred the Erebos felt for their, as they called it - degenerated off-shots.
The Demons however knew that they still had some uses for the Fallen Angels and decided to stay their hands... at least for the moment. But for many of the conquered Devils, life became soon worse than death.
xxxxxxx
Today
As they walked through the corridors of the building two slave-girls, dressed in maid outfits, opened the doors to the main hall. They were both young looking and very attractive and their clothes were cut to show this off. One had brown hair and the other deep red. Just like the prisoners, they were half-blood Demons... or, like they were calling themselves, Devils.
Both of the girls were frightened to the bones, but they did everything they could to not show it. They knew what was about to happen to their kind that was just being brought inside. They had already witnessed this two times.
In other realities, they would have been Princesses of the Gremory and the Bael Clan. But here they were nothing. Their names were Rias and Venelana Gremory. The only reason they were allowed to be here - or even to live - was to take care of the tasks in the house and of the needs of their master, the governor of this town... and for his personal pleasure.
Of course, sexual relations to half-bloods of any sort were not exactly gladly seen. But they happened nonetheless.
Still, today a person was here who the two female Devils feared even more than their master.
The guards now led the group of prisoners through the hall and before the throne... the Fallen Angels bowed respectfully and the two Demons kneeled before the person sitting on it, Dagon - current Maou and Emperor of the Erebos Demons. Similar to the Devils, however, he was not the first bearer of this name, but one of his descendants. It was said that his bloodline went back to the legendary Old Ones themselves.
Standing next to him was the governor and the actual owner of this castle. But for the moment the Emperor was on a visit and had decided to make this place his temporary residence.
"Pazuzu has contacted us and informed us that he had eliminated another universe and a possible target," he informed his ruler.
"Has he? Well, I am sure he will explain the reasons for his decision for us in detail when he returns," Dagon replied casually. "There are many other possible worlds out there that can be chosen. Don´t worry about it. If our work here is a success, we will soon not to have to worry about `picking promising targets´ anymore. Our enemies will meet destruction wherever they are."
"My Lord, the new group of subjects that you had requested have arrived," one of the kneeling guards said to him.
"Baraqiel," he greeted the leader of the small group of Fallen, "It is good to see you again."
"Yes, Lord Dagon, I feel the same way," he replied. Despite what he said, he did not truly mean it.
Over time, many of the Fallen Angels came to see more and more that they were actually the Junior Partners in this alliance they had agreed to... and that their `allies´, given the circumstances, could just as easily turn against them, when against the other powers.
"Bring the Halfbloods in the center of the room... and then leave them," Dagon announced. "The ritual is about to begin."
This was only one of the other reasons why Baraquiel and many of the others of the Fallen came to distrust the Erebos, this deal Dagon had made with some sort of malicious alien creature a few weeks ago.
The frightened Devils, 13 altogether, were being left alone. But only for a few moments. Then something manifested itself in the room between them and their captors. It had the form of a bizarrely glowing mist of energy, that was slowly surrounding them. Then it began...
It happened in a matter of only a few seconds. The incorporeal glowing mass was, for a moment, taking a humanoid shape... and at the same time, the bodies of the assembled slaves started to dissolve in a horrible process. Their skin was drying out and falling apart. Their flesh was starting to burn and literally being ripped from their bodies, as at the same time their life energy was being sucked out of their bodies and being absorbed by the monster that had just manifested itself.
For a few moments, the entire room was filled with terrible screams. Then, seconds later, it was over. All that was left of the prisoners, were burned up blackened skeletons and ash.
Venelana and Rias had also been watching the entire process in complete horror. They also both knew, if it were not for the `fondness´ their master had for them - as much as they hated it - they would have probably also been sacrificed like that.
"It was a full success," Dagon, however, declared, as he saw that the glowing of the formless creature before him has intensified. "Our honored guest is satisfied... for the moment." He smiled.
"Thank you Baraqiel, that was everything," he addressed him and his team, who bowed quickly and were leaving the room.
One of the Fallen Angels, a dark-haired young woman, had a frown on her face and send a dark - barely visible - look back to the room and what she and the others had just witnessed here. Her name was Akeno Himejima and she was, in fact, Baraqiels daughter, together with a human woman... and she shared a similar mindset about all this as he did. After a short moment, she followed her father outside.
xxx
A few minutes later, Dagon ordered the others out of the room as well and he was left alone... alone with only one other being.
"Lord Galid," he said, "have you been satisfied with the sacrifice for this day?"
"Yes my friend, I am," a bodiless voice answered him from the seemingly empty room.
Dagon remembered how he had discovered the being who had entered their dimension a few months ago... and especially as he had found out who exactly this creature was - and that he was willing to agree to a deal. He remembered how the being had told him how it had traveled between the stars and through different universes for many years... searching for a way to restore itself.
"But I need more," the creature said. "If I shall restore my old power I need more energy - more lives - far more."
"You will get them," Dagon declared. "I don´t care how many of these filthy Halfbloods I have to sacrifice. As long as you fulfill our agreement."
"You don´t have to worry," the formless being answered, "I remember my promise. And besides that, you know I can not do it without you. As soon as, with your help, I will take a new physical form - as soon as I am back to what I once have been - we will share this power. You and I will be one... and your enemies - our enemies - in all universes, will be destroyed."
Author notes: The same backstory for the Devils that I had already brought up in `Gods of Darkness´ and a new enemy, are here described in more detail.
The mentioning of the `Old Ones´, is of course a reference to Lovecraft. Just as the name Dagon, which I have also based more on Lovecreaft´s ideas, than on the babylonian god with the same name.
xxx
The creature appearing at the end is the same one that the Guardians and the Green Lanterns had been looking for, across several dimensions, in the last chapters... who had now found new allies.
xxx
A short notice about the alternate version of Akeno. In this world the death of her mother, that led to the fallout with her father, never happened.
In the normal world, the Himejina Clan are followers of the Shinto Religion (that might have been a great part in the motivation for killing Shuri). But since in that reality, the Demons and the Fallen Angels have conquered Japan, the Shinto Gods have gone into exile and the Fallen and Demons are in charge instead. So the Himejima aren´t Shintoists and Shuri wasn´t a Shrine Maiden.
xxx
The `Historical Event´ of the movie Issei and the others were watching, is actually a reference to the Anime `Bugglegum Crisis´, that plays in the 2030´s. The so called `Boomer´ Androids have actually the name Cyberdroids, but are in-universe mostly called by the slang term Boomers.