Thank you very much for the reviews, the comments, the follows and the favos! Noticing that my story is still being read even though it updates rarely really makes me happy. Thank you very much, guys.
-Noctis Lucius Caelum
-Shikkokuakushintei
-Houvdon Lucifer
-UCCMaster
-Zarroc789
-contigoallday
-TheBigBurlyFrost
-Wacko12
I'm sorry because of the mishap (me updating when it's not supposed to). I thought I posted the most recent one—this one—, but it instead posted the unedited one.
Well anyway, take your time, and enjoy your read.
Death's Journey: Smokes and Shadows
Chapter Twenty-Five
||For What It's Worth||
There is no promising if hurt won't come, but the risk is worth it.
That, at least, is promisable.
Dusk dawned steadily as the natural lights dimmed and dimmed, replaced in some way by the street lights and a cigarette's burning cinder. Mothers had taken their children home as the breeze turned colder and mellow. Kuoh's Town Park was mostly emptied, leaving our unlikely protagonist and his adorable puppy alone with his two old pals, both in terms of their age and how long they had known each other.
"Hah... Really, you're engaged to his sister this whole time?" The Governor of the Fallen Angel spoke out his disbelief. "Dang... just what did she sees in you?"
"...Beats me." and the brother of the fiancée uttered, further crushing the Maou Lucifer's confidence without much generosity.
Sirzechs grunted, "Come on now, you two. I just got lambasted back at his house, and now you're going to make fun of me again?"
Azazel and Seifer exchanged brief glances, before they both looked straight at Sirzechs, and answered in perfect unison in the same flat tone,
"Yes."
A gentle wind blew the Fallen Angel's maroon suit as it did to the misty gray vapor that seeped out from Seifer's pale lips. The talk went to an abrupt pause, it seemed. The trio sat quietly, spectating the white puppy who was trying to dig up anything at the sandbox at the playground.
Then the crimson Devil broke the silence. "Say, have you really thought about it? Even if you restarted by taking a minor part, it'll undoubtedly grow heavier and taxing. Getting out of it will be harder than before."
"Yeah. What he said." Azazel followed, glancing towards Seifer.
The young man sighed a whirl of ghastly smokes. "What? You begged me to come and join before, and now you're asking me to reconsider my decision?"
"Yeah. What he said." Azazel followed, glancing towards Sirzechs.
"Can we beat this dickhead first?" proposed the crimson-haired Satan.
"Ignore him. He's here for comic relief only anyway."
His words struck true like sword, but it didn't make much sense for the Fallen Angel, however. "...What?"
Nor it did for the Devil. "What?"
"What?" Seifer asked back, expression flat and would do well in poker games.
"Well, anyway—"pipped Sirzechs, not minding much of Seifer's odd behavior. "Of course I appreciate your help, and you agreeing already are a massive relief during this desperate time..." the appealingly young-looking Devil thoughtfully said. "I don't see the reasons why you want to get dragged back. I mean; why now? Is what I don't understand."
Seifer's brown eyes met Sirzechs' blue-green eyes for several seconds. And then his lips broke into a small smile as his chuckle-like huff slipped out.
"Are you dumb? This is all for them." He said snappily. His two buddies could notice the fond gentleness in his eyes; something they rarely see after this past few months. "It's about damn time anyway."
He can't forever pity himself for everything he lost; Seifer knew this.
Sirzechs cheeks tugged the edges of his lips as he huffed softly. "Heh. I see. You've grown fond of that cat-lady, I'm guessing."
The smoking young man simply hummed, keeping his answer vague. But he added then. "That, and thanks to your sisters and their cunningness, my entire family are Devils. Not just that, Kaori's your fiancé too. What's next, I wonder."
"Ah, but not all of them are. Tiamat isn't one, if I'm not mistaken."
"She isn't; yeah. But her companion-or whatever-is. If you keep her on watch, no way she'll ignore this. She'll get dragged along in no time, if not already."
Sirzechs could only laugh awkwardly at that. "Ah...hahaha... right. We-well... it's not completely us Devils' fault, though... right, Azazel?"
As the two now shared a glare at Azazel, the Governor sulked a little for the trouble his underlings had caused for his two friends.
"N-Now then... It's best to let the past rest in the past. Why cry over spilt milk when you can just buy a new one?" joked Azazel. Not even years of knowing them could reduce the horrible effect of their combined glare. "Speaking of which, I heard your "Mio-chan" got a new boy now eh, Zexy?"
Certainly an unsubtle way of changing the topic, but it worked, nonetheless. And seeing the color draining from their Devil friend's face was fairly amusing, moreover his big brother tantrum.
Sirzechs waited expectantly for an answer, and Seifer delivered with a blunt, unsympathetic hunch of his shoulders, as well as another billow of his cigarette.
"...What?!"
Azazel cackled. "Gufufu. She's already at that appropriate age. This kind of thing is normal, of course."
"You heard the grandpa."
"Who are you calling "grandpa" you mongrel?!"
"Don't get angry." Seifer sagely advised, "You'll get bald quicker that way."
There was no telling on Azazel's expression after hearing that. He seemed wanted to be mad, but Seifer's words could be true. Panicking slightly, Azazel ran his fingers over his gold-tinted black hair.
"H-Hold on... Who's he...?" Who's her boyfriend, was what Sirzechs trying to say. It's just the word would left a bitter taste if he said it.
"Issei."
Azazel blew into laughter. "HAHahaha! Ahh, of course! The obstinate Sekiryuutei... Dear god, this is going to be fantastic..." Sirzechs would definitely be ticked off due to his treasured little sister dating with an otherwise decent boy, a pervert. Or so he assumed.
In reality, Sirzechs appeared calm, smiling gently even. "Oh. Him. It's fine then."
Of course Azazel couldn't accept this. "Oi-oi, what do you mean "it's fine then"? The boy's a huge twisted chump, don't you know?"
"Exactly like you." Seifer swiftly looked away to his pet; blatantly avoiding the Fallen Angel's pissed off glare.
Then Sirzechs' told them his reasoning. "I'm aware of that boy's perversion, of course. And I would be lying if I say I'm not worried at all. Even so, he's shown what he's capable of giving to my sister. He even protected her during your twisted compatriot held her hostage. Him being the Sekiryuutei is just a bonus. I've got to say he's not all bad without redeeming qualities."
And at this Devil's sincere thought, Azazel could only stay silent, before saying his own thoughts. "That's some deep shit."
While Seifer sneered along with Azazel, Sirzechs sighed.
"...I won't bother explaining my feelings to you anymore." Sirzechs stated. "But brushing your stupidity aside—"Azazel gasped, the blow he felt explained on his expression as well as his hand gripping on his chest. "—is it true that your former co-leader is on the rise again? I've been receiving reports as well as complaints about missing Excalibur pieces and dead Priests. If it's true, I'd like to avoid any kidnappings of my sisters, if possible."
"Yes, but drop that kind glare first can you..." the Grigori faction leader pleaded uncomfortably. "But yes. He told me as well. That Kokabiel... I don't know what his plot is or if he's tied with the missing swords, but we can be sure it's to start another war."
The two leaders showed the fitting expressions as leaders of two great factions, troubled, serious, concerned faces that had been appearing quite often as of late.
"...Really now... so it can be him again...?" Sirzechs sighed, leaning back against the park bench that was even still wide enough for two more people. "Seifer, what's your say in this?"
The indifferent young man flicked away the smoke's filter. It puffed away in black inky smoke. "Me? I don't give a damn." Azazel and Sirzechs sighed. Seifer's carefree-ness was not something to be dealt with just a flick of a hand. "I'll let you know if I see him. It won't matter how many feathers he has left as long as he's dealt with, right?"
Slight chills crept upon their spines that evening.
"...And here I thought you've gotten rid of that messed up side of yours."
Seifer huffed lightly, getting off his seat as he called his puppy. Said puppy had successfully dug a hole large enough to bury herself, and had marvelously dirtied herself with sands. Inwardly, Seifer cursed.
He patted off some sands that he could get rid of from her white fluff, before he beckoned the crimson Satan. "Isn't it about time?"
"Ugh... do we really have to make everything up? Why do I have to lie in the first place anyway... and to my own sisters nonetheless."
"Stop whining. I'm not helping otherwise."
Sirzechs sighed dejectedly, "You win."
"Wait. What's going on?"
Nobody answered Azazel as Seifer and Yuki had walked away without goodbye, and Sirzechs as well with just a glance spared, before the magic circle brought him away, leaving the Grigori faction leader as he too, and then left the place, sulkily mumbling to himself as he visited a certain game store.
Break
With casual steps, Seifer walked inside the door of ORC clubroom for the second time of the day. At his entrance, whatever talk they held paused as they all looked at him. He didn't see the blue-haired Dragon Lady, though.
"Welcome back, Shinjiro-kun."
It was Akeno who greeted his arrival nicely, whereas Kuroka had thrown a glare full of suspicion at him. He replied Akeno with a nod and a slightly teasing coy smile.
As he had expected, Satan was there, waving at him while sitting regally on the Victorian couch like the sophisticated person he is as a Maou. Standing with a proper figure behind the couch was none other than the beautiful maid, Grayfia.
On rather unimportant note, Seifer noticed Issei's tenseness as he stood along with some other "servants" behind the chair the Gremory sisters sat upon.
"Hmm, Rias?" He uttered to Sirzechs as he and his dog sauntered inside nonchalantly, eyeing the dumbfounded Devil up and down, before saying with a dull expression and tone. "Where did your chest gone to?"
As he had expected, Rias' face gone scarlet with embarrassment and fury. The other Devils didn't seem to take his blatant jest well either—safe Kuroka—considering the surprise and shock on their face.
It led to a chide from Grayfia.
"Openly harassing Ojou-sama and at the presence of her older brother, have you no shame, Kawamura-sama?" Now this wasn't her going along with their faux actions, but just her doing her job properly.
It was hard for Seifer to resist winking or raising an eyebrow at Grayfia's hard stare, or gave her a smile that certainly would fluster her, or both.
So he succumbed to his temptation, and did both of it.
"Ah, think I dropped it somewhere. Mind looking it up?" Finding a large measure of satisfaction at Grayfia's subtle lip-biting—a sign only he could tell—, Seifer glanced around for a place for his ass to sit on.
"Hahaha! Isn't he tantalizing?" Sirzechs' cheerily uttered, keeping his composure lax like the young man. "That's alright Grayfia. A small joke now and then can't hurt."
"...As you wish, Sirzechs-sama."
Kuroka obviously wanted him to stand next to her, but like hell he'll stand for the rest of this charade. He took a seat, much to her dissatisfaction. Of course the seat he took had to be the one empty spot beside Rias. Meanwhile Yuki had decided to roam around some more to drain her little dog spirit.
He troubled not just the Gremories, it seemed. "Ah-Uhh... Shinji-san, that's the uh... the Maou, you know..."
"Oh." was the dull response he gave to Issei, who had been kind enough to warn him a warning he didn't care.
"...Can you at least show some respect, Kawamura? Nii-sama's not a person you should think of offhandedly."
"Ah." Seifer panned at Sirzechs, then waved his hand in a lazy motion. "Yo."
"Yo!" Lucifer beamed with a charismatic smile—repulsive for Seifer.
"Onii-sama?!" and it was the sister that took the offence. "Kawamura! You—!"
Before Rias exploded, Sirzechs opted to continue the halted talk. "Then as I was saying, Ria-tan, Mio-tan," the nicknames got the sisters attention easily. "because of the recent happenings, a personal bodyguard will be assigned here for the two of you, so—"
"No. I'd have to refuse." Rias stated firmly. "We are able to look after ourselves; we don't need any help, be it from the finest bodyguard or magician. Please tell Father and Mother just that, Onii-sama."
Rias was offended, and that was obvious for Mio. "Onee-chan has a point, Nii-san... If we keep being looked after, when will I learn to lead my own territory in the future?"
Sirzechs' sighed. "I get what you're saying, but that won't do." Despite his casual tone, Sirzechs' expression was grave. "We can't let any more unwanted events from occurring, don't we?" and what he meant was Mio and Issei's kidnapping.
The Gremory sisters noted their brother's hint of exasperation, and their crestfallen looks were the proof.
His face softened, and Sirzechs smiled gently. "Now, now, it's not that we don't trust you—we do. The two of you have done a great job, better than our previous expectations. We don't doubt you at all and we never did. It's just that we're worried. Is it wrong for us to be worried about our sisters' safety?"
As Yuki bounded to Seifer's lap, tired and wanting to rest for a while, Rias surrendered. "...No... "
"Then it's fine, right?" Sirzechs chuckled. "Onii-chan deeply apologizes, but for this one time, won't you please accept our little help?"
After sighing melancholically, the quite stubborn Gremory heiress gave up. "Alright..."
"Hehehe, glad we worked it out, Ria-tan~!" Sirzechs exclaimed, beaming a giddy smile. "He'll be working effectively in two days, so veer out of—"
"W-Wait a second...he? Are we not even allowed to choose our own bodyguard?!"
"Ah, I knew you'd say that. You don't have to worry. The person chosen is the most recommended, out of all of the candidates available. Are you going to pass him up?"
"That's not what I care!" Rias fumed, not aware that her refined tone was becoming more normal and more of a flustered young girl. "We don't even know what this person's capability firsthand, how can we be assured?"
The Maou chuckled lightly, again. "You won't have to worry about that either, Ria-tan. Onii-chan has seen what he can do, and Onii-chan can assure none of you will be disappointed with his choice." Really, this eccentric brother's third person way of speaking annoyed the living hell from Seifer. "So what do you say?"
"...Ummn... I don't really have anything against it. Nii-chan has taken the trouble of looking one up for us." Mio said considerately, putting a smile on her brother's face. "I'm fine if Nee-chan is fine too."
Said "Nee-chan" reluctantly agreed. "...Alright..."
Sirzechs clapped his hands. "Well then~! With that agreement, what do you want in return?"
"Huh...? What do we want?"
"No no no. Not you, Ria-tan." Sirzechs chuckled lightly, and then beckoned towards our particularly laid back character who was casually petting his resting snow-white dog. "I was talking to him."
"...Him...?" Rias repeated, slowly turning her head to look at the nonchalant young man beside her who seemed to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, given his lack of enthusiasm. "...I don't understand."
Again, Sirzechs' chesty laugh resonated in the dimly-lit room. "Now, now, don't be silly, Ria-tan. That's your bodyguard right there. Well. Soon-to-be, I mean."
While all was silent as they processed the information that not even Grayfia could take in an instant, Seifer glanced at Rias and Mio, and with his trademark, godforsaken, faint lopsided smile of his, he hunched one of his eyebrows once to confirm the fact.
In anime, this is the moment where the scenes suddenly shot upwards to the sky and they scream "EEEEHHH?!" in unison. But as there are no cameras to begin with, of course it didn't happen.
Well. Not all of it didn't, anyway.
The dubious "EEEEHHHH?!" was emitted by Issei and Asuka. For the others, it just seemed stuck inside their throat due to the shock. Or they had seen this coming.
"S-Shinjiro-san?!"
"Ka...Ka...Kawamura?!"
"W-wait! Wait a minute!" Looking past his shoulder, he saw a riled up Nekoshou who didn't even bother honeying her irritation. Not at the presence of a Maou she'd change how she act. She was wearing fashionable casual clothes, just so you know. "Hey you, what do you say in this nyan?!"
Seeing her sister this riled up, and because of a man as well. It was slightly... memorable for Koneko to know that even her sister could show this kind of expression too.
"I have, and I agreed, Kuroka." and his statement was said with certain finality. "Besides, the pay's good. Now close your pretty lips."
Kuroka seethed. "Or what?!"
Seifer looked at her directly, eyes easy and unbothered. "I'll do something that involves kissing and other indecent things." And that silenced Kuroka, as well as turning her cheeks red and bright. "I get that you're upset, but we'll talk later, alright?"
For once, Kuroka didn't want to look at his smile. She simply looked away. Seifer could only sigh at this.
"Fufufu... a lover's quarrel... how romantic..." Sirzechs mused aloud, not amusing anyone in particular. "Ise-kun, you can perhaps pick up some skills from him. It's not a bad thing if you can make Mio-tan all red like what he did."
"H-H-Hai! M-Maou-sama!" Issei exclaimed wholeheartedly, causing the same red streak to flash across Mio's cheeks.
"Ah, don't call me that. You can call me by Sirzechs, or Onii-chan for the better." Sirzechs trailed off. Issei didn't know how to respond. "At any rate, I'm getting sidetracked here." So Sirzechs fixed his posture, and looked straight at Rias' new bodyguard. "So then, Shinjiro-san, what do you wish for as your first payment?"
"Wait a second, Onii-sama."
"Gyaaaahh. What now, Ria-tan...?"
"P-Please don't make that embarrassing face." the heiress commented her brother's pouty look. "Nii-sama, how long have you known him?"
At this, Sirzechs made a pondering look. "Hmmm... I'd say... about yesterday? When Grayfia claimed she was sent back by this certain person."
"About yesterday?! And you entrust me to him?"
Kuroka clenched her hands. She didn't understand as yet why they were pretending they didn't know each other, but her King's reckless words—she couldn't stand it.
"Yes. Is something wrong with that? He's not weak; he's proven he's far from that just by defeating the Dragon, and you know that. And he's known you for a month by now, you'll get used to him. Even better that many of your and Mio-tan's families are close to him."
Still, Rias hesitated. "I can see that, but..."
"Whoa, aren't you hard to please." Saying this earned him Rias' glare. He didn't care, as Seifer just kept doing what he was doing; petting his dog.
"Kawamura-sama, please heed your words." Grayfia quietly reminded.
Sirzechs raised his hand briefly. "It's fine, Grayfia." Then as a brother, Sirzechs stared upon Rias, and his stare was pleading. "Rias, I don't really understand fully about your view on him, but please. This is for you and Mio's sake, for your peerages'—your family's sake. Can't you overlook your personal 'vendetta' with him?"
Well, with Sirzechs' genuine expression like that, who could ever refuse?
"...I...understand..."
"And you, Mio?"
"Un." Unlike her sister, Mio was rather welcoming, and trusting, for that matter. All the things his brother said were true, after all.
And gone was Sirzechs' mellow look, and what replaced it was his gleeful expression. "Ah~ finally... I thought I was going to be here all night..." Rias fidgeted at this indirect attack.
"Alright, Shinjiro-san, back with my previous query; what do you wish as your first payment? Money? A house? Or women, perhaps? Fufufu, though I suppose you don't have any problem with the ladies." The future bodyguard (slave?) shrugged. He didn't say no, though. Kuroka wanted to hit him for that. "Or maybe, a housekeeper?"
Seifer's eyes widen slightly with interest. "...Actually, I could use one."
"What? Women?"
And his gaze dulled. "No. A housekeeper. I could use one's help." And because of this, he received weird looks, and one peculiarly unpleasant one from none other than Kuroka. "What? Try to look after five people and keep your whole house clean by yourself, then you all can complain."
Thus, their stares were averted, and turned shameful.
"A maid, I see... That can be easily arranged." Sirzechs said ponderingly. "Any preferences? How you would want your maid to look like?"
"As long as they're diligent and beautiful, I'm fine. I'm out of room, though." Without looking, Seifer could feel Kuroka's piercing glare murdering his back. It felt like mosquito bite—annoyingly itchy. She knew she was joking around, sure, but that won't let him off the hook.
"That's not much of constraints." Sirzechs hummed, "You don't need to worry about where they lodge, that's for certain. They can stay awake twenty-four-seven if need be."
"Eh... That's just cruel."
"Fufufu, but that's why our maids are the best." The crimson Satan chesty laughed proudly. "Then I suppose, Grayfia here will do just fine." The Maou said in a light tune, gesturing towards the maid standing behind his seat.
Surprises after surprises. The Devils seemed just had to adjust themselves with life full of wonders. Seifer, on the other hand, just nodded along with it. Grayfia aside, he really meant what he said earlier, after all.
"B-But she's the head maid of our family!"
"Ah, that's what makes it all fair, don't it, Ria-tan? The best there is to choose for the best we have to offer. What is there needed to be said other than that? Besides, it's not permanently. Only until he's done working for me." And Sirzechs dismissed his sister's refusal flawlessly. "So, Grayfia, are you fine with this?"
"If that is my master's wish, then I have no qualms, Maou-sama. Furthermore, it is him who have possibly saved my life, whether by conscience or not." The silver-haired maid replied with a polite bow, then giving one towards the blasé young male. "Please take care of me, Kawamura-sama."
"Mhmm." Seifer nodded. "Please take care of the people lodging in my house in exchange." Two people were offended at this remark.
"I shall not disappoint your expectations."
If Seifer had to be honest, it felt odd when Grayfia said that to him. It's like some kinky role-play was going on between them. Either way, he's not complaining.
"Very well, I'll assign an interim head maid in your stead." Again, Sirzechs clapped his hands. "And now that it's done and done, I'll be leaving now. See you tomorrow, Ria-tan, Mio-tan."
"And to all of you my sisters' family, please look after them for me." The Devils nodded, with Asuka and Issei replying more energetically and determined.
"S-See you, Nii-sama..."
"Bye, bye, Nii-chan!"
"Ahhh... To be sent off with Mio-chan's sweet smile... I can leave happily now..."
Afterwards, Sirzechs left the room in a flash of bright crimson lights, the usual atmosphere returned. The Devils chatted casually as though nothing of importance had happened. This offhanded air actually concerned Rias for once.
"That took longer than I expected." The man sitting beside her quipped as he looked at his watch, before him, too, took off. "Well, see you bunch later. Yuki, come."
With a bark, the white pupper trotted towards him.
"Wait, Kawamura." Rias told him, and Seifer was being generous enough not to ignore her this time. "Don't you have anything to say to me?"
He thought about it as he gazed Rias. She was mad, for some reason. "Oh." said Seifer with a flat tone. "You look like your brother."
"That's not it!"
"Hmm...? What then?"
'Just what on earth is wrong with him?' Rias wondered. "...Forget it."
The young man smiled at her, throwing her off balance as he kept his stare subtly mischievous. "I will keep you safe, Rias hime-sama, Mio hime-sama."
"—starting in two days, of course."
Seifer would pick her hand and plant a kiss, but that would just push it too far. Besides, he had Kuroka's feelings to be taken care about. He wouldn't want her to leave him for good because of his borderline banters and acts.
"Th-That's—! That's not what I meant either!" Rias chided.
"Um... Thank you, Shinji-san. We're in your care..."
Despite the last bit was unnecessary, and also lessened the effect, it caused a blush to paint Rias' and Mio's face. However, it also caused a different shade of red streak to flash across Kuroka's and Issei's.
"Die handsome! That's my girlfriend you're flirting with!"
And Mio's face reddened a bit more.
"This possessive already? Even though you're just started dating today, Issei?"
"Wh-who cares?! I'll still protect her!"
Seifer nudged at the red-faced Mio. The gesture alone was enough to point out that Mio did care about it, as proven by her luminescent blush. Seeing her, Issei's face streaked red as he replayed the words he said in his head. It sounded even more embarrassing than he had thought earlier.
"Ara, ara, looks like we'll be seeing each other quite often from now on, Shinjiro-kun~, please kindly put me in your care, fufufu~"
"Same with me, Shinjiro-san. I still have much to learn from you." Kiba said to him with his refreshing smile, while Satellizer eyed him cautiously.
"Right, right." Seifer dismissively waved his hand. Nevertheless, he wasn't bothered. Even with Kiba's smile that made him slightly uncomfortable.
"Wait a minute, Kawamura." An urge to groan lumped in his chest. "We're not done yet." the Gremory heiress chided, now standing up as well. This time, however, he ignored Rias completely as Yuki jumped into his hold and Grayfia walking behind him. He had heard enough "Onii-sama" or "Nii-chan" for today.
"D-Don't just brush me aside!"
He only spared a glance past his shoulder. "Ah, but my work starts the day after tomorrow. Right now, I have no reason not to do whatever I want, Rias."
"K-Kh..." As much as she hated to admit, he's right. Why is it always so frustrating when he's right?
The braided beautiful silver maid bowed at her. "I will take my leave, Rias Ojou-sama. Please excuse me."
"Y-Yes..." Helplessly, she could only watch him leave—but then he stopped to look at a certain displeased Nekoshou, who refused to even bat an eye on him. It was quite obvious she was angry with that spiteful look on her face.
At this, Seifer could only sigh, keeping his small smile intact. "Koneko-chan, watch over your sister, alright?"
"H... Hai..." Koneko dipped her head, voicing her reply quietly like a hush. Even if he didn't say that, she would do her best to keep her sister from doing reckless things.
"I can look after myself." the aforementioned sister seethed. "I don't need your worry."
A couple's quarrel can be pretty menacing in its own, after all. Still, Seifer gave her a small smile. "I know you don't, doesn't mean I can't worry about you."
Kuroka tore her look away, regretting why she looked at him in the first place as Seifer strutted away with his puppy and his new housemaid, leaving the Devils to handle the utterly frustrated Nekoshou.
.
.
.
'...Stupid.'
"...Onee-sama...?" Concerned with her sister's ire, Koneko looked up straight to Kuroka's amber eyes. They looked hurt, rather than angry. "...Are you okay?"
In a flash, the usual friskiness reappeared. "Hmm? Ah, Nee-chan's fine~ what are you talking about? That guy's stupid anyway nyan~."
Koneko grasped her uniform, still looking intently at her sister's eyes with a worried glimpse. "...Don't be sad..."
If that couldn't tug her heart strings, nothing would.
"Mmfu~ Shirone-nyan is so cyute~!" now holding a slightly blushing and troubled Koneko, Kuroka decided that thinking of that stupid man was stupid. Let him do what he wants and she do what she wanted, that's what she figured.
But even then, even if she forced that way of thinking, she just couldn't get him or that maid off her head. And that's when she learned, how frustration could stir from anxiety.
"Ne, ne, Ria-tan~"
Rias' eye twitched. "Don't call me that."
"Whatever-nyan." Kuroka huffed, letting go of her sister before she squeezed the soul out of her. "Are we going to beat up some strays? I think I'd like to meet with five or ten right now, nyafufu~"
"Ara, ara... how scary of you, Kuroka-chan."
And Rias thought the only person that could be as terrifying as the sadistic Akeno was Akeno herself. She really should've known by watching the replay of her match again Riser, where Kuroka herself trumped over his Queen without breaking a single sweat, but boy was she wrong.
Break
The man and his new maid arrived at his house, at his living room where there were no lights other than the ones outside, and all sounds were silenced as though they were unable to hear anything other than their own breathing.
But it all changed, when the pup barked.
"...Everything here seems to be in their proper places..." Grayfia muttered as she scanned the room. Like she said, it was neatly arranged and almost spotless. "Do you really need a housemaid, Kawamura-sama?" She watched the young man flipping some switches to turn the lights, bringing up the view of his quaintly furnished house.
"What are you saying? 'Course I do. They're clean because I cleaned it beforehand." Seifer sighed. There was slight stress hidden in his sigh, somewhere. Nothing a nice round of cold beers couldn't fix, however.
Screw his cold, Seifer thought as he harvested one out from his fridge. The beer's bottle cap vanished into smudgy black smoke.
As the lax young man plopped on his couch, Yuki followed his lead and jumping over to the white sofa, spinning around before settling to lie down. He set his not-yet-drank beer on the table as he dully stared at Grayfia, who had yet to move an inch.
"You know you don't have to stand there, right."
"It is within my duty to stand in wait for order, Kawamura-sama."
"Well why don't you sit in wait then?"
"..." A bit unsettled by the unintentional pun, Grayfia still sat beside him, keeping her posture straight and hands on her lap as she did, looking reserved and such.
His eyebrow arched as he smirked. "Really...? You're still going to keep acting as if you're not more than a maid to me, Grayfia?"
"That is who I am, Kawamura-sama."
He frowned faintly, unhappy with her distant answer. "You know that's not true."
Grayfia appeared to be thinking for a moment, considering it. "...Then I suppose, I'd like to ask a question. Will that be alright?"
He nodded. Though her tone was still rather rigid and distant, her less stern posture was a decent improvement.
"Why did you send me away? I can at least help you on defeating her."
At her pressing stare, Seifer returned with one of just the same. "I work alone. You know that, Grayfia."
"Fair enough..." She gritted her teeth. "Did Sirzechs plan this to happen?"
"Honestly, I have no idea he'd drag you into this." The young man rubbed his shoulder as his eyes turned lax. He could use a massage. Really. "But I do need an extra pair of hands."
"...I...see..." And she previously thought he did this all for her to be with him.
She made herself a fool, how reckless of her. Grayfia's steely cold eyes began to harden once again. He knew her well and long enough to notice even the slightest of change in her. Like her trying to forcibly "steel" her defenses—building a gapless wall around her to shut herself in.
"Are you displeased?" he asked in a hushed voice. "Or are you bitter with Kuroka?"
She shot her eyes at him, but not with enough intensity like a glare. "It's not that, but instead, it's..." The young fellow cocked his head expectantly. "Who... Am I, to you that is...?"
"Somebody I care." Seifer answered plainly as if it was obvious. "I did send you back here for that reason too. So why the question?"
"...Is that so?" She uttered bitterly, voice barely a whisper as she averted he vision from him.
"I'm not a person whose desire is to be the only one you look. Even if I am the last in line, as long as I can be with you, I'll accept it. It doesn't matter how long I have to wait. If it's for you, I will wait..."
"But you come and go like a ghost. You were there, then you disappeared. And later, when I thought I have accepted that I won't ever see you again, thinking that I finally can accept you leaving, you came back." Her red lush lips frowned. "When I thought, I'm done with my wait, you told me not to see you..."
"I... I was left on my own... multiple times, Seifer-sama..." and so, Grayfia confessed, seeing his brown eyes with her softened and doleful silvers. "If... If I allowed myself to... love you again, will I end up being left behind again...?"
She sighed. "You care for that woman; I've seen that look in your eyes. You care for her more than you do for me, someone you've known for years, Seifer-sama..." She looked at him. And her look was heartrending. He'd actually forgotten how tangled-up and messy a person could become when they're envious of others. How jealousy could be this venomous.
"...I apologize. That was uncalled for from me..." she admitted, and back she went to her proper maid behavior as though it was a simple case of changing masks. "I'm sorry, Kawamura-sama."
Wordlessly, Seifer kept his gaze on her, not minding his dog that was trying to bite his fingers away until she ultimately gave in.
She did, eventually. "...Is there something you want, Kawamura-sama?"
"Other than you telling what else is on that mind of yours, no." He could ask for her forgiveness, but that won't do. It had to be earned. He had to earn that.
"I have none other thought." The maid ended. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
His eyes travelled towards hers. "I want you, to look at me." She did so obediently, and was about to ask for what he wished more, before he cut her off. "Don't— talk. Just hear me out."
"Look at me, Grayfia." He shifted closer to her, keeping his eyes on her unmoving cold grays. "I can't change that I did leave you, nor did I regret doing that. I've found what it felt to be happy that time. Her kindness showed me what happiness truly is."
Her expressions didn't faze a bit despite the seemingly cruel words he had said to her.
"But I lost her. Her and my daughter; the ones I love more than myself. Because of my own actions, I was forced to understand what true loss means." Seifer continued, smile dimming to just a faint, bitter smile. A weak smile filled with regret and self-loathing.
"I have her now, though. I've found—though small—a delight in helping her to find one. She's lost everything, like me, you, and even Tiamat—that I haven't seen yet. Where is she by the way?"
He trailed off, very unlike him, but Grayfia thought he was simply being concerned with her. Who knows what he had done to the Dragon with his annoying natural allure.
"...She's presently at the Familiar Forest with her companion and a few guards, as Sirzechs-sama has ordered." She said. "Miss Narina also comes with her."
"What for?"
"To do what she can to fix the devastated state of the forest, as Lady Tiamat herself stated. She would be back tomorrow."
The young man hummed. "The Devils hasn't learned of her Dragon King status, right?"
"They haven't. Lady Tiamat left during your meeting with Sirzechs-sama."
"Huh. Good." Seifer hummed, returning the topic back to the one at hand. "Well, as I was saying. If you allow me, I'd like you to find one, even if you can't find it with me. I know I want you to be happy. Not for me, but for yourself."
As Seifer's smile smoothened, and as his eyes gazed at her with such warmth and genuine comfort, Grayfia couldn't find it in herself to stay resolved with her previous decision.
Her eyes, her face, her expressions, her body and lips, they softened as she thawed.
"...You're a cruel person..." she whispered, "...If you said all that, how am I supposed to distance myself from you?"
Seifer tilted his head, and his usual coy smile returned. "Well, don't."
Unused with showing her "weak" side yet, even to him, understandable as she had buried them deep for six years, Grayfia bashfully glanced away, averting her sights at the fuzzy ivory rug.
"...I...don't know what else to say..."
"Then don't say anything until you do." Seifer chuckled softly as he petted the dozing Yuki—just then remembering he should bathe her tomorrow as he felt the grains of sand.
He really did wait for her. While Grayfia could only look as the man patted his sleeping best friend, she thought of what she should think and then say. But it just never dawned to her. What came to her was a question instead.
"If..." she whispered, earning her his attention as he turned to look at her. She met his eyes, this time. "If you... end up... loving her the most, what will become of me...?"
His warm chuckle was rather unexpected. But Grayfia knew better not to take it as an act of looking down on her. More so as he showed her his notoriously well-known half-smirk.
"I can't leave you then, can I?"
Grayfia veered away. "So, I'm just a burden to you? A cumbersome nuisance? Is that what you are saying?"
"It depends on what you think of yourself, Grayfia." and he kept his reply vague. It confused her, a little bit. Then his huffed-chuckle filled the brief pause. "I won't make empty promises, but I'd like to keep safe of all I have now."
Him saying that made her happy, of course. There was the butterfly fluttering about in her stomach, but even so, something else was bothering her.
"What of the peaceful life you wanted? Are you going to throw it all away?"
"Still worried?" He gave her a cocky smile at that.
"O-Of course I do..."
"Aren't you a sweetheart."
Seifer chuckled lightly as he gazed down to his not-so-little pup. Dogs do grow quickly, now that he thought about it.
Yuki's soft white fur filled the gaps of his fingers as he stroked her slowly. "That, hmm? I should've known better from the start."
The silverette frowned. "...You mean...?"
"I've given that up." He glanced at her with a faint smile. It looked unhappy. Of course, for giving up on his own dream, how could he not be unhappy? "I've had a taste of it for six years. Those were the nicest years, I have to admit, but I know it just won't do. Not with the troubles I've gotten myself into."
"...It comes down to the past in the end."
"Yeah. Supposedly so." Seifer chuckled dryly. "Brooding isn't really my thing, so I'll just live with it. I learnt to. Besides, I do want to try what it's like to have multiple lovers. Being fawned all over isn't so bad, don't you think?"
That wasn't a viable excuse. The maid's expression crumpled a little bit, overwhelmed by his blasé declaration of his openness to polygamy.
"...Haven't you experienced polygamy prior to marrying her...?" And a gigantic one at that. Ask Azazel. He'll confirms it.
"I only care about myself."
"And what makes you different than you are now...?"
"Your words can really sting, Grayfia. Do you know that?" Seifer told her. It managed to lift the edges of her red lips up a bit. "I value feelings and affections more, is what I'm saying. Of course, I won't reject an offer to have a little bit of "fun" now and then."
She looked at him wryly. "...I'm not sure if that's an improvement, and I should scorn you for that. Feelings are not something you can attain so easily, Seifer-sama."
He cocked his eyebrow as he huffed. "Of course, that's why they're precious. Like the one you have for me." Flirtatiously smiling, Seifer nudged at her sides. "You still do have it, hmm?"
"What if I don't?"
"I'll get it back." He said assuredly, smiling and slightly grinning. "A piece at a time."
Jesting even at serious times like this. Really, this man's nonchalant behavior knows no bounds. That's what made him lovable for her, oddly enough. Grayfia giggled quietly, even attempting to suppress it to no avail.
"You're being sly, Seifer-sama."
"Shinjiro." he corrected her, and Grayfia stared at him questioningly. "Seifer, too, is a thing of the past. That man is dead, you hear?"
After seeing her usual, sincere smile, Seifer supposed he had done enough. The rest was up to hers, should she fall for him again, he'll embrace her. Should she distance herself from him, then he'll accept it.
"Look at what you've done. I spoke more than ten sentences at once. It's rather vexing." Seifer commented in an offhanded manner as he rose from his seat. He thought it was time to take a long shower, and then a long night rest. He still was feeling like shit, after all is said and done.
Carefully lifting up the resting Yuki, Seifer headed to his bedroom. "Right then, I'm going to take a shower."
Still smiling as she watched the man she had grown fond of over ages walking away, Grayfia decided to return back to her professional demeanor.
"Shall I prepare the bath instead? It is quite cold today, Shinji-sama." Grayfia reasoned as she stood up.
"It's fine." He'll take showers over baths at any time of day, thank you very much.
"As you wish." The maid bowed obediently, politely, accompanied with a kind smile he had been wanting to see. But then, the red lips quirked upwards. "Shall I accompany you?"
And as Seifer turned around at her suggestion, he saw the sight of Grayfia's rarest smile; her sensuous one, coupled with that certain licentious look in her silver eyes.
He replied her seductive smile with a smirk that flashed his pearly whites. "I don't see why not. My back is hard spot to reach anyway."
Break
Due to Rias and Mio's combined peerage's success, they had been assigned with plenty more of Stray extermination. Usually, they would be tasked with one Stray per month, now, the number had increased to three per two weeks.
But nonetheless, the game of "hide and attack" suddenly became a life of "hide or die" for the Strays, it seemed.
To begin with, Kuroka was powerful—and ticked off—enough to tore down one by her own without breaking a sweat, like what she did recently to one unlucky giant Stray that thought brute strength could solve everything. See if he could still swing those burly ugly arms of his with hundreds of mystical bullets lodged in his chest.
What's odd, however, was the fact that there just seemed to be no end to these Stray Devils. Like during this night; the usual two groups were split into five parties to fasten the search of ten Stray Devils.
Rias paired with Kiba, Akeno with Satellizer, the Nekoshou sisters, Mio with Issei and Asia, then lastly, Kojiro and Asuka. They all communicated through the same earpiece they used during the Rating Game.
Nevertheless, her duty, or as Kuroka would say, "important unimportant to-do" for today was done and dealt with.
Or so she thought, until shadows blitzed past her head, leaping from roof to roof. By the time she looked up, she only saw the imperfect moon and the dull top of buildings. That was no imagination, however. She knew, and confirmed it herself as she picked up their senses.
"Nee-sama...? What was that?"
Glancing down, Kuroka saw the troubled look of her sister. She couldn't resist a smile whenever she saw her worried about her like this.
"Mnya~an, you felt that too Shirone? Fufu, you're sharp. Nee-chan's proud nyan~"
"Th-that's not the point..." Koneko shied away. Getting complimented was not something she rarely received from both her sister or her fellow Devil-mates, but that didn't mean she would get used to it.
"Koneko! Kuroka! Are you two alright?!" Suddenly, Rias yelled over the intercom like a worried mother calling her daughters after receiving a worrying text message. "Respond, please!"
Kuroka groaned. "Mmgh—next time you're worried; don't yell."
"We're okay Buchou." The little sister responded.
"Thank goodness..." A relieved sigh could then be heard from Rias. "Akeno sensed an immense holy power heading towards your direction. Did you see anything? Or anyone in this case?"
Admittedly, it was a little strange. To be worried by someone that she didn't really care about. But Kuroka assumed it was due to the famed Gremory's traits, and decided to thought none of it.
Meanwhile, Koneko answered their King. "Hai... There were four people running ahead of us, but I'm not sure which of them radiated the holy energy..."
"There was four of them." Kuroka added, her voice a little curt as she was not really used to all of this "duty" stuffs. "Three humans. Two carried some holy-thing with them. The last one was half-human-half-beastkin nyan. And they're all girls, if that's important. Dunno what they're running after."
"...I—Impressive, Kuroka." Rias said, while Koneko looked up on her sister with an enthralled look. It made Kuroka a little giddy. Nonetheless, the Devils ought to learn to stop being surprised by this ex-criminal Nekoshou and stop doubting her abilities. It's not like she survived on her own because she's lucky.
"At any rate, leave them be. With that insane holy power, it can't be just a mere Exorcist." Deduced Rias, "Good work, we'll regroup at the clubroom, and be careful."
Only Koneko answered, as Kuroka seemed to focus at where the four people went to. Normally, she wouldn't care at all. But in this occasion, she did, albeit only a little bit. Why? Because one among the four, she recognized the flow of her life-force.
She was undoubtedly the person who dared to hurt her while she was weak. The crimson-eyed assassin with black hair and outfit.
"Is something wrong, Onee-sama...?"
If only Koneko wasn't with her.
"Hmm~? Mmmn~ it's nothing nyan~ I'm just bored. Let's head back now~"
And so, the two sisters returned to their headquarters. And they would continue live their life as usual, but Satellizer's rare frightened voice stopped them from doing so.
"B-Buchou! Y-Yuuto, he's—!" the female Knight gasped, a hint that she was running out of breath. "He went off on his own!"
As Kuroka gritted her teeth, her purple sagacious orbs halted from swirling around her and her sister, and faded. With a scowl and displeased frown, she regretted to know that their night might still be young.
Break
Wind brushed against his face and hair as Kiba dashed from corners to corners, leaping up to the top of a building with his wings, and darted towards the source of that unknown power. His swords were ready and held tight, eyes fierce and determined.
After each leap, the power grew closer, and stronger.
There was no mistaking this immense holy power.
He knew it all too well. Too well that it had become a permanent memory—a wound. And that wound had reopened, fueling and reminding him of his old selfish desire. A desire that caused him became a Devil.
A desire that many cloaked as "justice", but to him, he knew it was not something noble. It was a simple craving with many words to describe it; retribution, vengeance, retaliation, payback, but for Kiba, it is simply "revenge".
The density of the surrounding buildings thinned, and his feet now fell against the padded path of Kuoh's Town Park. Eerily empty, it was, and the wind blew like whispers of ghosts.
The air was still, yet he could feel the radiant holy aura coming deeper inside the park. His sharp eyes scanned around the dimly lit area, remaining cautious. He was determined to be aggressive, not reckless.
And then, the unmistakable clashes of steels reached his hearings.
Without a second thought, Kiba set forth, and towards the center of the park he went, where there the ongoing battle happened right in front of his eyes.
Two were girls in oddly designed swimsuit-like outfit, utilizing their unambiguous holy-sword in their own way, defending and attacking another two girls. One was a fine swordswoman, better than him perhaps. The last of the girls was a lady with impressive mane and beast-like appearance.
But neither of them were important. Not to him or his purpose.
Readying himself, Kiba lunged forward in a devastating speed, directly to the heart of the fight.
Almost effortlessly, he alone parried the two attack from the black-haired girl and one of the holy-sword user.
"Whoa there!" Leone shouted, backpedaling a few steps away from this new arrival as Akame did the same. "Another one?! Oh come on!"
The holy-sword wielders leapt away, but simply due to surprise, and not due to fear of how murderous this blonde Knight's eyes were.
"Ehh! What's this? A new opponent? That's not fair!"
"...A Devil?" Xenovia raised a tone of suspicion, her voice cold—the apparent opposite of her partner's gleeful tone. "Who are you? Their ally?" she demanded, raising her Excalibur fluently at Kiba. "If not, then step aside. We have no business with the Devils. Yet."
She was replied with a silent gaze.
Meanwhile, Akame and Leone glanced at each other, and with a simple nod, they scattered away from the spot, ditching the two Church girls for this Devil to handle.
Xenovia and Irina immediately gave chase. "Don't you dare flee!"
But their advance was halted as Kiba nearly cut off their hand, had they didn't move away.
"I dunno who you are, handsome~! But thanks!" and so said the yellow-haired woman to Kiba, quite possibly to rile up the blue-haired Xenovia as well.
Watching her targets leave, Xenovia clicked her tongue, readying her stance to deal with this troublesome Devil. "I don't know if you're allied with them, but you've let them escape—and that's a grave action you just did."
"I don't know nor care who they are, unfortunately." Kiba sneered, showing the two girls his honest expression of genuine hatred. That alone alarmed the holy-sword wielders. And if that was not enough, dozens of swords jutted out from the ground before him. "I simply wish for a simple bout. A spar, only I can't promise you will be alive at the end."
Irina took a step back. "That's just an outright fight to the death! Are you crazy?! Do you want to be sent to God this soon!
The young swordsman simply chuckled with a grin. "I might have."
"But ah, maybe this is His guidance after all... Meeting the enemy of good... I'll guide you back to the right path! Through divine judgement! Amen!"
Kiba ignored Irina's gibberish taunt.
"Whatever. It doesn't matter." Xenovia replied with the same amount of coldness. "You asked for a fight, then a fight you will get."
"Please." He smiled, picking a black-bladed sword from the many of his creations. "Entertain me."
Chapter Ends
Hello again. It's me.
You know, I don't want to put this much chattering in one chapter, but they're all needed so what can I do. If I hurry stuffs up, I just know it'll be shit like the last story I did.
Mio and Issei have become a bit awkward with each other, but as that's what normally happens in normal relationship, it can't be helped. If Issei suddenly go all out and screams "boobies", that won't make sense either because he's "tied" with Mio now. Meaning, his potential haremettes will find it tougher to get in between these two.
Unlike Seifer, who hasn't settled with Kuroka despite how close they are.
Also, next chapter might be a somewhat major change to the canon plot. I dunno. You'll see. Maybe it's a major canon character death scene? Who knows.
Well anyway, I'll be off for holiday, so don't expect a quick update. I'll try to continue, of course, but only when I have the time and when I wanted to. Don't waste your holidays guys!
Wish you all will enjoy a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
This is something unrelated, but do you think the word "definitely" and "absolutely" are a bit... overused in anime/manga? And not only in just one genre. The MC usually says that whenever he's declaring something that is cringeworthy for me. Or is that just me?