Chapter 28
Lunch. I was out in the forest, looking for lunch.
Why?
Because I had the extreme desire to beat something up, skin it, cook it, and eat it. Mostly the beat something up part, but with all the energy Rias's peerage was using for training they needed something more than potatoes.
I was also getting a little tired of potatoes.
Now, by no means was I an expert hunter. Nearly all of my skill at tracking was either meant for the dungeon, or over 25 years out of date. However, I had one big advantage most humans didn't. I could be silent. Stalking through the mountainous forest, looking for the more obvious tracks. I was starting to worry I wouldn't find anything more than a few squirrels, but then, as I started to move from my most recent hiding spot, my hand fell into a small depression.
A footprint... Big, heavy, five claws in front of an oval...
Anyone who knew what this was, and had a shred of common sense, would move in the opposite direction of this size 12 paw print. But, I wasn't just anyone.
"Urg! What's that smell?" Maki asked no one in particular as she peeked into the small shed I was in. "Sensei? What... oh gross..."
Apparently, even devils went hunting occasionally, and the lodge had an actual place to dress a kill. Like the rest of the place, it was spacious and had all the things I needed to gut, skin, carve, hang and smoke what I had caught.
And what I had caught, was a pair of black bears. The hunt, and kill, compared to the dungeon, was... boring really. I'd followed the tracks for about a half hour, and found a mother bear and her cub, fishing at a mountain stream. The mother of course, spotted me and stood up on its hind legs, trying to be threatening. Then, it died as I jumped forward and punched it in the chest, just below its rib cage. Just like I'd do with a monster in the dungeon, it was a half second's work to find and crush its heart. The cub, maybe a year old, as it was the size of a small pony, died much the same way, though I had to jump over the mountain stream they were fishing at first, since it had started running.
I'd taken a little time to get as much of their innards out of them and washing up a bit before putting them both over my shoulders and returning. The trip itself took about three hours, which meant I had just under two hours to get them to the lunch table.
"Oh come on." I replied, "You're a fox, surely you've hunted before."
"Nothing more dangerous than cup-noodles." She replied, staying at the doorway of the smoke house. Holding her nose, she then got a little closer, "Bears? And... I thought you couldn't use weapons?"
I was holding a skinning knife, and, just as Lilly taught me, was skinning the bear. She was right though, it smelled horrible. Bear meat needed a lot of work to make edible, but I was confident. "I can use tools. Now, if I accidentally touched the blade to my finger or something, yes it would break."
"Is that what we're eating for lunch?" Her eyes were actually starting to water a bit too, "I thought you liked us."
"Don't worry. If you want to help, then go to the kitchen and get..."
Thankfully, with the use of a lot of spice, my own skill, and what had to be the divine guidance of the crafting skill etched upon my very soul... Lunch was pretty good. Even though it was just sandwiches.
BLT's to be exact.
"Again? Why? Why the smell?" Maki asked, this time, as she entered the workshop. "It's even worse than before too!"
I had the two bear pelts stretched out on hastily made bamboo racks. I'd just made sure they were both clean of all the little organic bits you didn't want left over on them, and was applying some chemicals to treat them.
"Bit of trivia for you." I started, pointing with my wide paint brush to a small box of disposable dust masks, like the one I was wearing at the moment. "Ever hear the term 'piss poor'?"
She only replied after putting the mask on, "I'm not much of an English buff, but yeah I've heard the term."
"Well, tanneries needed a lot of chemicals to treat leather. One of them was ammonia, a natural waste product of a living body. So, when a family was really really poor, they'd sell their urine to the tannery."
"You know, that's kinda funny... I mean, gross, but still funny."
"Well, modern leather treatment still smells bad. Unfortunately, if I want this ready for the game... No sleep for me." There were many steps, and even with more modern chemicals and techniques, and even a little alchemy, I'd have to do each step as soon as it was ready. "Especially since I don't want it to smell bad."
"No kidding... Eww... Just eww." She watched me a moment longer then, "Are we giving up on the handguns?"
"I don't want to. But we might have to. Unless we can get it working by tomorrow morning..."
"I'll go over the notes the until you're ready?" She asked.
"Good idea. I shouldn't be long."
Bear pelts now soaking up yet another batch of treatment chemicals, outside the shop so Maki and I could work without our eyes watering, or our noses clogging up out of sheer desperation to not smell it... we were now working on the gun.
"Have you thought of actually giving it ammo?" She asked as I put the prototype back together after having swapped most of the enchanted bits with a new set.
"Not seriously, no." I replied, a little feeling of satisfaction that it was all fitting exactly. "Why?"
"Well, all of the problems, and as your tester, I am keeping track of those... All seem to be due to power. Not enough, too much, backfiring..." She clenched her right hand, the one that had taken most of the freezing.
"True... But..."
"But what? You make metal that soaks up magic. A single measured charge will keep the one thing that's consistently kept..." She took hold of my golden tail and started petting it, "Messing up. Here's one for you. Do you know why snipers use bolt action rifles?"
"Recoil. But also to keep the firing conditions the same."
"D...Drat?" My wife's tail didn't try and boff her, "You do know. So yeah, that's my suggestion."
"Very well, then where do we put the... well, I suppose it would be a 'battery' at this point..."
"Well, I took the time to do some drawing while you had that smelly carpet in here..." She took out a notebook and sat down next to me on the workbench.
"So, I have... no, we have." Maki grinned next to me, as we addressed a bunch of tired looking young adults at the dinner table. "We have exactly one working handgun. Due to the way its made, and my now sudden lack of some key components, it's all we are going to get."
"Unless you want to field those exorcist guns." Maki added.
"No." Rias said flatly, "While yes, we would be allowed to bring them, it would be... poor form, even with our disadvantage in numbers and experience." She frowned, "If this were an open fight for territory, or against a stray devil, it would be a different story."
Maki and I both had other reasons for not wanting to field the holy weapons, but I didn't comment on that. "Very well. As King, you get to pick a willing volunteer to learn to use it."
Rias looked around the table, then, "No, I'll do it." She said, "You've gotten them to learn how to fight at range, and I have to admit, I have the shortest range with my magic, and Issei still needs to work on the basics."
"Very well. At first light tomorrow, you will follow Maki's instruction to the letter. If she thinks you don't have a handle on it, then you will not use it for the game. We have three days left, two, if you count the last day being mental prep and making sure you have enough energy to actually have a good showing." I swept my eyes over all assembled, noting the edges of fatigue on all of them. They were doing well, trying hard, but they weren't from Orario, they weren't used to waking up at dawn, training, fighting for eight or more hours, then returning home, only to do it again the next day.
"The new equipment is holding up perfectly, Kodori-Sensei." Kiba said, "Though, we are still getting used to working with it."
"I'm a little more tired than usual..." Asia said, sounding unsure if she should complain, "But I think I've figured out how to use the shield you made me."
"It is a little different than my normal barriers." Akeno said, "And it only really seems to work against plain physical force. My lightning, or the President's magic are only... muted somewhat."
I did notice that Koneko's shoulder length white hair was sticking up in a few places. "Hurts less..." She said, "But still hurts."
I frowned, but nodded, "I wasn't expecting that... I'll have to work on it when I have a chance."
"I know you have a lot of work to do... but are you sure you are going to skip your bath tonight?" Akeno was once again peeking into the workshop, though this time she had a hand over her nose and mouth.
"Things to do, and little time to do them." I replied, my own voice muffled by a wet towel wrapped around my nose and mouth. "Your gauntlet? Wand? No problems?" I had one of the bear pelts in a big basin of chemicals, swishing it around to get it to soak in.
"None at all." Her eyes told me she was smiling, "Just as you told us, all reports are complete."
"Good good. Don't worry, I'll get a bath after I get these pelts into the second last wash."
"I hope so... I'm sure you don't need to be told just how awful this smells... Who are you making those for?"
"Honestly... I'm not sure. Koneko and Asia would fit the smaller one. And they'd both look adorable in a bear outfit." I had this sudden image of Asia sitting at the dinner table, raising a paw and saying 'rawr'. "The other one... could fit anyone else really."
"Welllll, I'm not a fan of fur, if that helps."
"Really?"
"Well, I do enjoy your tails. But I'm more for silks and cottons." She winked at me, "Kiba? Issei?"
"I think Kiba would rock a bear warrior outfit." I nodded, "But, if nothing else, I can use the bigger one for a rug until later. Treating them is really important, no matter when I intend to use them."
"Well, be sure to take a bath later, even if you intend to stay up all night."
I was just getting out of the bath, my skin feeling nice and scrubbed, and the reek of half a dozen different chemicals finally out of my tails.
"Ready Asia?" Issei's voice, coming from around the corner of the lodge.
"Y-yes!" Asia replied, determined.
My tails tingled with the use of magic nearby, and as I rounded the corner, I saw Issei put a hand on Asia's shoulder. She was dressed in an old styled long dress and shirt, that looked to have been handed down a dozen times before getting to her. Issei was just in his school uniform, and his sacred gear was active.
Issei stepped back, a faint glow of a small magic circle on Asia's shoulder. "Break!" He shouted.
And Asia's clothes... exploded. With a dozen different ripping noises, her long sleeve shirt, dress, vest, apron, socks, bra, panties... They all just spontaneously shredded themselves.
"The heck?" I said, stopping in my tracks. The destruction of her clothes wasn't quite complete, but I resumed walking and draped my slightly damp towel over her shoulders to help preserve a little modesty, even as she herself covered her chest with her arms.
"Kodori-Sensei!" Issei looked like he wanted to run for a moment, then shook his head, "Asia-chan and I are working on my new spell."
"Yes." Asia added, "Its... very embarrassing... But I want to help!"
On the one hand, this was a whole new level of perverted. I knew Issei's nickname as the Pervert King at school, but this...
On the other hand, the fact he had almost no magic, and was still accomplishing this, was kind of impressive.
"Are you sure you volunteered?" I asked Asia.
"Yes! He said he needed my help, and to bring my old clothes..." She paused, "I kind of wish it wasn't this revealing..."
"I couldn't ask and of the other girls." Issei said. "Koneko-chan would kill me. Akeno-san might fry me, and the President..." He paused, then shook his head, "And Maki-san said she'd shoot me."
"Well, just to be clear, if you use that on me, I'll pull your arms off." I said seriously, making him gulp, "But... Why not just try and strip a tree of its bark or something? This is the same spell as the potato and onion disaster?"
He mumbled something I couldn't quite make out.
"Pardon?"
"Cause trees aren't sexy..."
I did a facepalm.
"It's part of the motivation!" He explained, "It feels like there's no..."
I waved for him to stop, "Just... just stop." I looked to Asia, "Don't catch a cold, and yell if he gets too grabby, I'll be in the shop." I looked to Issei, discarded the first words I was about to say, then, "Try not to stay up too late." I sighed.
"Yes Sensei!" They both bowed.
"I'll go get some more clothes." Asia said as I walked away.
Day 8.
Trusting everyone to know what to do by now, and leaving Rias in Maki's capable hands for firearm training, I headed to the shop. The pelts were treated, and hanging to dry now, and I had a few minor projects left. Now that I thought about it, I was actually ahead of schedule. Since Maki and I had discarded a 'guns for everyone' idea after I'd run out of materials, the only big project I had left was the smaller pelt. It would go to Koneko, since I'd treated it how I'd treat any fur or leather I'd be taking into the dungeon. Fire, acid, cold, cuts, blunt force... Thanks to my alchemical ability and some slightly more modern techniques, I'd trust that simple bear hide down to maybe the fifteenth floor when it came to 'elemental hazards'. Like hellhounds.
I was just starting to mix up some more ko-steel, sprinkling in some of my brushed out fur into the molten iron, when a shadow fell across the floor of the workshop.
A big shadow... That knelt down, putting its hands on its knees, before a tremendously deep voice said, "Hello."
Hands frozen in mid-sprinkle, I turned to look at the garage entrance, "Hel... Okakai?"
"I am." He replied. Not much had changed since last I saw him, save that instead of being shirtless, he was wearing a sort of undyed linen vest over a deep red t-shirt. There was a simple cross inside a circle on each breast of the vest.
"No need to kneel."
"A show of respect to one who has beaten me, and done me a great service." He replied formally, his voice deep enough to be felt through my boots. "And I am taller than the door, and it is impolite to not face the one you are speaking to. I'd also feel silly talking to the wall."
"Well, if you grant me a moment or two of impropriety..." I motioned to my molten pot of metal and handful of fur.
He remained silent, so I finished putting in the fur and started to stir the mixture.
"So, now that I'm not mixing up an alloy... What brings you by? And didn't you have business with Maki first?"
"I did not want to reveal myself to the devils without your permission. She is with the strongest of them right now, working with a strange handgun."
"I'm under that one's employ." I replied, "Rias Gremory." He turned his head slightly, one eye squinting slightly before he shook his head, "She's the leader of a small group of other devils, and they are training for a war game a couple of days from now."
He nodded, "I have seen the others. The one with blond hair is trying to cut down trees with throwing knives, and to my surprise, succeeding. There is a small one with white hair, who is throwing stones hard enough to chip a boulder an arrow's shot away. One with hair like yours is teaching another how to fly. And there is a tiny one with blond hair, working with a strange barrier."
"That's them." I nodded.
He remained silent for a moment, so I turned back to my bubbling crucible. "I find you strange." He said finally, just as I was about to pick up a pair of heavy tongs to pick up the white hot pot.
"How so?" I asked, moving over to a workbench and tipping the pot over into an ingot mould.
"All the kitsune I've known live in remote places. Temples, shrines, caves. They live as minor gods. Soft lives afforded to them by the power they hold."
"I did the soft life once. Wasn't very interesting." I gave the mould a tap to get any air bubbles out of the metal before it cooled, "How many kitsune do you know?"
"Four. Though, it has been many many years since I talked to any of them save one, who is more local than the others." He shrugged slightly, "And after my defeat at the hands of that hunter, I doubt we will speak again."
"A shame. I would have asked you to introduce me."
"You... might not be welcome either, considering your tails. You would likely be seen as a rival, or criminal."
"My wife is still alive." I said, giving my golden tail a pat, "Maki had the same first impression though..."
"Understandable. Most of us Demons can gain power by devouring other demons in some way shape or form... Wife?" He raised an eyebrow.
I sighed, stood, and walked over to him. Dusting off my hands, I held out my left hand. "Use both hands to touch the ring, and close your eyes. It's faster if I explain like this, than with words."
He didn't question or hesitate, putting one huge hand over, then one huge hand under my own. Closing his bright blue eyes, he instantly started to show the signs of 'seeing' the memory in the ring. He didn't stay like that long though, opening his eyes again, shaggy black eyebrows furrowing a little as his broad flat face frowned. "I feel like I am intruding upon something personal."
"It is personal. But?"
"The first ray of light of a new day." He replied, "And proof your odd tail is a gift, not a trophy."
I nodded, sitting back down with a sigh, "Yeah. That's her."
"Why are you apart?" He asked, "Had I a mate whom lit my heart as she does for you, I'd likely never leave home." His chuckle felt like it might shake the tools off the walls.
"Well... Not to put too fine a point on it, I'm an outsider. Not of this world. While I work on this, I'll give you the short form." I motioned toward the hanging bear pelt.
"I will listen." If my claim to being from another world bothered him, he gave no sign.
"Want a drink or something first? My knees are starting to itch looking at you kneeling there, and this might take a little while if you have questions."
"Ara? Talking to yourself, Sensei?" Akeno peeked into the workshop about an hour later, stopping me in mid-sentence, "You might need a break. Did you even sleep last night?"
I looked to Okakai, who was sitting there with his two big hands together fingers linked into a strange pattern, then to Akeno, "Just entertaining a very shy local. You might meet them, if they ever wanted to introduce themselves." I looked back to the space the Oni was still kneeling in, giving him a meaningful raised eyebrow.
Not seeming to notice my look into empty space, "Well, lunch is soon, and we were wondering if you were going to break form and actually let someone else cook."
"As your trainer, that would be poor form." I said, "I might be bringing a guest too, so don't be too surprised."
"Oh? It's good to see you making more friends. There may be hope for you yet."
She left with a little spin, making her hair swirl around her prettily, before walking away, her track suit somehow not managing to mute all her curves. I counted to ten, then, "How do you do that?"
"A simple trick almost all Demons know. It is how we have survived the tide of humanity taking over our old lands." He raised an eyebrow, "You mean you do not know?"
"My magical training has either been by trial and error, guesswork, or words of guidance to help me figure it out myself." I started putting tools away, "I'll make you a deal. Join us for lunch, introduce yourself, and I'll tell you the rest of the story of how I ended up here. They're decent people, and Maki wanted to talk to you too."
For someone who could clean the gutters of a two story house without a ladder, he looked conflicted about something so simple.
"I could make it a formal request? Or arm wrestle you for it."
"A tough choice." He chuckled, "But I will join you. I am interested in hearing more."
"Good. Meat? Vegetarian? What do Oni eat anyhow?"
It was the weirdest thing. While I made lunch, with people coming in and out of the kitchen, chatting with me, with each other, until finally I shooed them out so I could finish, Okakai simply knelt in the far back corner of the kitchen. No one noticed him. No one seemed to notice me looking at him occasionally... It was as if he only existed to me. It didn't stop there either. Asia actually walked past him, avoiding him as if she 'knew' he was there, but didn't realize it.
Gathering up a few plates of sandwich fillers, I looking over to him finally, "Well? If you're going to eat..."
Without comment, he stood up, bowing his head slightly so he wouldn't hit the light fixtures, and followed me out of the kitchen.
"Now, don't be too surprised." I said, placing things down on the table. Everyone looked to me expectantly, even if they were already looking a bit worn out, "Meet Okakai."
I felt his presence loom behind me, as everyone at the table paused in ingredient gathering for their sandwiches, and looked up... and up... annnnnd up. "Greetings." He said simply.
I then fell to one knee, reacting without thinking as a honey coloured comet dressed in cutoff shorts roared its way from the end of the long dining table towards the red giant behind me. "BASTARD!" Maki shouted as I rolled to my feet a and watched as she finished her jump, little fist socking Okakai right in the side of his lantern jaw.
Hardly moving his head after the impact, he stood there stoically as Maki rained punches and kicks against him. Everyone else started to stand, but I held out a hand to stop them. This went on for at least a full two minutes. The comparatively tiny girl starting to run out of steam, even as she tried to claw the Oni's eyes out. The demon himself, simply took it, closing his eyes so she didn't actually hook a finger into one, but otherwise standing his ground.
Finally, Maki was simply leaning her forehead against his stomach, arms over her head and weakly thumping his chest, "Damn it... fight back. Do something... you stupid..."
He put a hand on her shoulder, held her in place while he backed up a half step, and knelt. Once on his knees, he removed his hand and bowed further, horn touching the carpet of the floor, palms flat to the floor. He waited there, motionless, while the rest of the room save Maki, held their breath and waited for her to do something.
Even me. From the vague hints he had given, and what I'd read and been told, I doubted he would move, even if Maki picked up the knife on the table behind her and tried to kill him with it.
Slowly, Maki got her breath back, took a deep breath, then said, "We'll talk later. It's lunch time and I'm hungry."
Aside from the rather comical sight of the Oni quietly kneeling next to the table to eat, as far away from Maki as he could get, lunch passed in silence. Many MANY covert looks were had towards myself, Okakai, and Maki. But for the most part everyone simply did a crash course in plate study.
"Are you sure?" Okakai looked at me, then Issei. "He seems a little... delicate."
Issei looked like someone had kicked his ego, but remained silent.
"Asia will be here, just in case. Just don't kill him." I replied, "Issei, you did ask for this, remember."
He nodded, "I feel a little less confident now... But please Mr. Okakai, don't hold back too much."
Asia was making worried kitten noises, trying not to complain about just how stupid an idea this seemed, but the Oni looked down at her and said, "Don't worry, I don't eat things with an IQ." This did nothing to ease her worries, as Asia grabbed one of my tails at random and held onto it for comfort.
Giving her a headpat, and retrieving my tail, "Back to the shop for me, don't die."
"Pretty cold Sensei." Maki groused as she held the bear pelt steady, "You know I'd have been happy never seeing him again."
My fingers started sewing, stitching a cut mesh of kevlar to the underside, "True. And for the rest of his life, he'd have regretted never saying sorry to your face." I paused my work a moment to mumble in english, "I wonder if they've started mass producing that silicon fabric..."
"That what now?" She asked, "My english is terrible." She shook her head, though, her hands remained steady, "Don't try and confuse me. The hunter only got his hands dirty once while I was held hostage."
"Doesn't surprise me."
"Has anyone ever told you you can be a pain to talk to?"
"Many times, for different reasons." I looked up from my work, "Question is, what are you going to do? You didn't kill him, even though you could have. Even shared a meal with him."
"That's..." She looked back towards the workshop door, where Okakai was kneeling, horn touching the floor. And had been for about two hours now. He'd probably exhausted Asia from healing Issei, and considered his duty done for the afternoon.
"All you have to do is talk to him, forgive him, or not, and send him away, or not. He's only looking for an answer."
She growled, but didn't reply.
"Hey, keep your hands steady." I admonished.
"Sorry."
"How's this? After dinner, sit down and have a talk with him. He won't go away until you do." I raised my head a little to look at her, "If nothing else, he'll stop clogging up my doorway."
"I'll think about it." She mumbled, "Wow you work fast. I've seen sewing machines slower than you."
"Think she'll like it?"
"I hope so. It looks adorable. Even if you did just make it bulletproof."
Day nine.
"What do you think, Kodori-Sensei?" Rias asked.
"Depends." I replied.
Rias, surprising me completely, was already in the kitchen when I arrived to make breakfast. Considering she and her peerage were only two days away from basically deciding her future, she looked a little nervous.
"I know you are still angry with me, but please, don't make this difficult." She frowned, "Are we ready for the game?"
"For the record, I'm not angry with you. I just won't blindly trust you. As for the upcoming game? I'm honestly not sure." This answer obviously didn't satisfy her, so I added, "Since I haven't seen any of them fight, and no one has given me any records or information about them, I don't know how skilled they are."
"But?" She asked hopefully.
"You are pretty much as ready as you can be without more time. If you fail, it won't be because you didn't do your best." I gave her a light punch to the shoulder, "Now, I'm only the one directing your training. So, take today, all of today, to get to know what your peerage can do now. You're the King. You need to figure out how your pieces work, and work together." I turned and looked through the cupboards, "Now, since you're here, you've just volunteered to help me make breakfast."
"Pancakes?"
Holding one of my tails, I spoke to it, "The king has demanded pancakes." Letting it go, it, and the other five, started grabbing things from nearby cupboards and counter tops.
After breakfast, I returned to my room, fishing out a certain bit of paper from my coat. From there, I found my way into the attic, which to my surprise, was perfectly clean. Aside from the odd bit of stored furniture, complete with white dust sheet over it, it was pretty empty too. Sitting in the middle of the floor, out of site of any windows, I put the sheet of paper on the floor and touched the intricate magic circle with a fingertip.
"Grayfia. By name I call you. Grayfia, Queen of Sirzechs Gremory, I Kodori would ask to speak with you."
No sooner than the edges of the circle started to glow, did a small holographic image of Grayfia, from about the knees up, pop into existence above the paper. Surprised, I took my hand away. "No need for alarm." She said calmly, "This too is another function of the advertisements we use, though not everyone knows about it." Her hands smoothed down her perfectly tailored maid uniform, her hands coming to a rest, left over right in front of her, and she bowed slightly, "How may I help you, Kodori-san?"
Kneeling formally, I bowed in return, "I'm seeking information. As officiator of the game, how much do you know about the venue?"
Her face betrayed nothing as she replied, "You are asking this now? You surprise me."
"I've been busy." I just barely restrained myself from shrugging.
"I do know where the game is being held, yes. But, as one of the interested parties to the outcome of the game, it would be against the rules to simply tell you."
I nodded, expecting as much, but... "And being the professional that you are, I'm sure you are above bribery."
"Just so. Though, I do keep meticulous notes of all things of import." She nodded, "This is mostly to keep me from forgetting things, though occasionally, I forget where I may have left the notes themselves." Her tiny image had no trouble giving me an intense look, "Speaking of notes. You wouldn't happen to have kept any on your projects?"
"I've filled several notebooks in the month I've been here." I nodded, "I should get a shelf for my room, instead of leaving them on my alchemy bench. Speaking of, I finished a copy of notes for what might have come across with me, aside from that big bit of stone in the ORC room."
"As part of your agreement with Lady Rias, I will spread the information to my informants."
"Very kind of you, Grayfia-san." I bowed again.
"It is no trouble." She bowed, then stopped, "How are they doing?"
"They are very motivated, even after eight days. I've done almost all I can for them otherwise."
"Do you think they can win?"
To Grayfia, I could give an honest answer, "If they can take down Riser, yes. His peerage is nothing without him. At least, as far as I can tell."
Not commenting, she looked thoughtful for an instant. "If that is all then?" She asked.
"Yes. Thank you for your time."
"The Gremory house appreciates your service." She returned, giving one last bow before her little holographic image blinked out.
"Koneko, Koneko!" Issei called out, "Say 'rawr'."
"Don't wanna."
"But Koneko-chan... You look adorable." Akeno said, looking like she was just barely able to restrain herself from hugging the white haired girl.
"And it fits perfectly." Rias commented, looking at me, "You really do good work."
"Still don't wanna."
"I agree." Kiba started, "It looks good, and functional too. It's not too warm?"
"I added a layer to the underside to help with ventilation." I said, admiring my own work, "We have fire caves in the dungeon too, not to mention how hot you can get fighting all day."
"No... not gonna."
Dressed in the newly worked bear pelt, complete with the head acting as a hood, though I didn't leave the face attached, just the top with the fuzzy ears, Koneko stood in the middle of the rest of us. Like a one piece bit of sleepwear, she was totally covered in bear hide. With my treatment of it, including some alchemical stuff, it was even soft to the touch.
As well as mostly fireproof, highly acid resistant, good against cold, mostly waterproof, would probably stop a bullet from a small handgun, and non-conductive.
And really adorable.
Poor Koneko was starting to pout a little, especially since even Asia looked like she wanted to ask her to give in to everyone's demand.
With a sigh, she raised one of her gauntlet clad fists, and said "Rawr." While clawing timidly at the air in front of Maki.
"It's perfect." Maki grinned, giving Koneko's bear ears a pat.
Realizing that this would be the last day of training, I decided to do something special. Even if it wasn't a Friday. Shutting down the various machines in the shop and setting my enchanting projects down into the iron circles, I went to find someone to inform. It didn't take long, and I found Issei and Kiba, sparring under the supervision of Rias. Kiba still had a huge speed advantage over Issei, but Issei's defence was really solid. I watched in silence with Rias until Issei managed to catch Kiba's sword... Only to be punched in the chest by Kiba's other hand.
"Almost." Issei grumbled, his right hand only half way to blocking the punch. Otherwise the solid strike didn't even seem to effect him. Letting go of Kiba's wooden sword, the two boys separated and bowed to each other.
"Kodori-Sensei?" Kiba started, "Something amiss?"
"I'm just stepping out for a couple hours or so. Going to go shopping for dinner. Something special planned, though dinner will be a little late since I have to wait for Saji's shift."
"You've been spoiling us with all your home cooking." Rias said with a smile, "And now you say this will be special?"
"I'm looking forward to it." Issei grinned, Kiba nodding beside him.
"Get back to work then, and build up an apatite." I continued on, making my way towards the path down the mountain.
Since I had a little time yet, I didn't bother doing any tree jumping on my way down the mountain path. Now, a casual walk would have taken two hours, so I jogged at a reasonable pace to cut the time down a bit. It was almost full dark now, around 8:pm, when Saji's shift started, when I got within sight of the familiar pair of vending machines.
"You have GOT to be kidding me." I said with a sigh. Standing/sitting around/on the two vending machines were... Riser's entire peerage.
NOTES!
Yes, this just happened. No, Kodori isn't going to have to beat them up.
The game is ON, next update. Yes, finally. :P
