Chapter Fourteen - Whenever you're ready

"Is…something wrong?"

"Yes, something's wrong! What're you doing to Issei?"

She blushes, being taken aback by the question. "I don't believe that question concerns y…"

"It concerns me when you're taking advantage of my best friend, using him like your own personal clown to mock and laugh at! How could you just embarrass him like that this morning? Is that why you helped him? Because you're just some sick, sadistic, little daddy's girl who gets her kicks out of helping others only to turn around and torture them yourself?"

She gulps down some saliva. What can she say?

"It isn't like that," responds a voice from behind. It's Yuuma.

"And how exactly would you know? Let me guess. You two know each other?"

"No, we don't. But there isn't time for that. His life may be at stake and every second counts. Whatever dispute you two may have can be settled after this is over. If nothing else, look at it this way. If he really were nothing more than a clown to her, do you honestly believe she'd have come all the way here?"

Aika meets the question with an angry look, but in absolute silence.

"Good. We have to get moving, now. So everyone, stick together and follow me."

She raises her hand, swings it downward in a slicing motion, and a shaft of lavender light begins to appear. It opens, revealing a tunnel of sorts.

"Now then, let's get moving."

One by one, they begin entering the portal, but before she goes in, she looks at Rias.

"He's too good for you, you know? But a princess like you probably wouldn't know the the first thing about the difference between deserving something and just being lucky enough to have it fall to your feet from the sky. I might not fully understand what's going on or who you, President Shitori, or Amano might be; but it doesn't matter. I'm saving Issei."

She walks into the portal, leaving a stunned Rias behind to contemplate. On the other side however, our two sojourners successfully arrive and are greeted by the panorama of the park fountain and a multi-colored sky dressed in a bounty of invernal hues. The two of them walk toward one of the park benches and find sitting there a man with a trench coat and a fedora. Nonetheless the most captivating of his qualities is not his choice in apparel but the enormous, black, angel-like wings which, observing him from the front, one would be led to believe protrude from around his shoulder blades, if not from the bones themselves. His mug is most striking with eyes shut firmly and a stark frown so disapproving that he gives the impression of being indescribably distressed about some personal matter. Yet as our two walkers between the worlds approach him, his gaze is revealed and his eyes fall directly upon, "Issei 'João Nakamura' Hyoudou."

"..."

"What's the matter, boy? No more perspective? Are you running short on philosophy?"

"..."

He immediately stands up and walks over to Issei's side. Standing in front of him, he scowls right into his eyes.

"Where's all that big talk from before, huh? What's wrong? Has the horror of what's about to happen finally dawned on you? Has the fear left you speechless? Or are you still holding onto that foolish illusion that your principles and virtues make you better than me?"

"...you said it, not I," is his only response as he meets his scowl with a disinterested gaze.

He roars, turning his back on the boys and pacing back and forth.

"Aren't you even the least bit curious?" he asks. "I know you're in a relationship with her, but haven't you wondered as to the precise reason for all this?"

"I've got a pretty good guess."

"Well it's not because of your relationship with her."

"Really now? Well darn, looks like I was wrong. Guess I'll find out in death."

"Do you honestly have no interest?"

"Are you honestly going to keep tracing circles around the subject until I beg an answer out of you out of sheer, unquenched curiosity? I feel like I'm tip-toeing on the length of the world's longest needle."

"I don't comprehend your analogy."

"That's because it's a metaphor, not an analogy."

"Well then what's the metaphor?!"

"The meta is for the self-reference of a creative work."

"What creative work?"

"The act of tip-toeing on the length of the world's longest needle."

"Can we just skip the needle and get straight to the po…?"

"..."

"Out of all the humans I've ever killed, you will undoubtedly go down as the most condescending; but also as the most clever."

"Very well; but it changes nothing."

"Fair enough, Hyoudou. Fair enough. Still, before I take your life, I guess I can afford myself one luxury."

"And what would that be?"

"I want to see you enraged!" he announces in full bravato.

"...I'm afraid I don't follow."

"Why are you so emotionless? So indifferent? Does death at the hands of a divine being really have no effect on you in the slightest? Earlier you were talking to me about dreams. About goals and ambitions. These concepts are practically alien to me yet you spoke of them with such zeal that I can't help but to think there's something, a regret you'll leave behind in this world the moment you meet death's embrace. I'll be honest, I'm curious as to what that may be."

Issei raises his eyebrow. "Why does this interest you? You of all people? You just got through berating me for my existence alone and now you choose to show interest?"

"What can I say? Yours is a stark juxtaposition to the previous inheritors of the Red Dragon Emperor's awesome power. They were all hot-headed and stupidly impulsive, succumbing to their primal rage like savage animals with no sense of reason or discipline. Granted their tenacity was enough to rival even the fiercest beings in all of creation, they all fell victim to the Dragon's rage; but you. Why would the Welsh Dragon be inherited by one so cavalier about his own fate? It's downright illogical. Illogical, that is, until you take into consideration what caliber of choler might be secretly scorching within the very soul of that person? The very thought of it is almost enough to chill my blood, but not enough to stamp out the flame of my interest."

He thinks back to this morning's dream. Is it true? Does he harbor such hot ire?

"If you say so," responds Issei. "But I'm afraid you'll cull no anger from me. Mayhaps a tear or two, but no anger. I'll confess that I often feel lonely, and that mine is a broken heart; but I'd never lash out blindly against the world. How could I? I've known pain. I've known hurt. But I've known mercy. And I've known love. I've known opprobrium. I've known disesteem. But I've also known goodness. And I've known integrity. If this ancient anger which seeks to threaten the world is reason to blot me out from it, then so be it. If it can end with me, or even be stopped for a time, then I will take that death in earnest. But I'd be lying if I said I there isn't something I wanted to do, a dream I wished to make come true, before saying goodbye forever and taking my place among oblivion."

"I see. So then, Hyoudou. Tell me. What is this dream you wish to make come true?"

"It's right here. Tucked tightly under my arm."

He gestures toward the notebook in his possession. Taking a few steps forward, Dohnaseek slips the book and writing utensil out from under Issei's arm. He opens it up to a random page.

Allusion:
To call something into mind without stating it explicitly. Distinct from analogies, allusions are implicit instead of explicit.

Flipping through the pages, he goes to the very first page and finds a childish drawing of a stick figure spouting words to the thunderous applause of a crowd of people.

"An orator?" asks Dohnaseek. "You wish to carve your name into the pages of history through the art of speech?"

"Yes," says Issei, nodding his head.

"I see. And this drawing. When did you make it?"

"I was only twelve years old at the time."

"So you've worked toward this ambition for five whole years, I'd take it?"

"Yes. It's all I truly desire."

"And how far would you go? Would you fight till the very end for it?"

"Given a chance, I would do whatever it takes."

Dohnaseek rubs his chin as he flips through the pages. "Just a chance, you say. Yes, indeed. A chance is all it truly takes after all."

In that moment, he shoots his arm forward and opens his palm over Issei and Shiina. "I release you both from your bonds," he says.

"DON'T TRUST'IM, HYOUDOU! YOU GOTTA GET BACK YA NOTEBOOK!" a voice rings out.

Issei twitches in surprise from Shiina's shout, raising his arms in a defensive stance. Their eyes widen in realization of what's just happened.

Dohnaseek gives a hardy laugh. "Yes, that's it! A chance! A chance for the both of you! So how about this? I propose a friendly little wager!"

"A wager?" asks Issei.

"Don't trust'im, Hyoudou. He ain't nuffin' but a two-timin' crook, ya hear?"

Issei looks over to the boy.

"Ya gotta believe me. All dat shit I did was because o'him. He had me unda his control or sumfin. He used some weirdass magic spell and had me walkin' and talkin' like some puppet. Don't trust'im. He's a fuckin' rat."

Dohnaseek laughs at Shiina's plight. "So I'ma rat now, is that it? Hyoudou, might I remind you that this is the same person who just last night was beating you to a bloody pulp, smashing you against the steel beams of an abandoned warehouse, trying to appropriate your words, though quite horrifically, all in a ploy to steal her heart? Be honest with yourself. Should you really be trusting him of all people?"

"What da? How'd you find out 'bout…"

"Complete access to your memories, boy. And I must say, I've met my fair share of rotten apples, but you are just absolutely putrid. Come now, do you truly believe a boy like him could change in just one night? He's lying through his teeth and he knows it. Just look at him. You can see it plastered all over his face, he's completely aware of how disingenuous his whole charade is."

Issei examines the distressed look on Shiina's face. He knows that look all too well. Well-intentioned, but misunderstood. Made to look bad by past deeds.

"When we spoke this morning. Did you mean it? Do you truly wish to change for the better?"

"I meant every last word of it. I know I ain't been nuffin' but an asshole as da school's guardian, and dere prolly really ain't a way I could make up fo' all da unfo'givable shit I put'cha frough last night; but if dere was eva a moment in my life when I was bein' honest, it was den when I spoke to ya. Ya ain't like most people, Hyoudou. Believe you me, I just found dat out da ha'dest way possible. I can't even begin to process half o' all da shit dis dude just said. Talkin' 'bout muhfuckin' dragon emperas and shit. I don't know 'boutchoo, but dat shit's way above my pay grade, ya feel me? But what I toldja dis mornin', I meant it. And I put dat on my life."

"Oh, well isn't that heart-warming? Once bitter rivals turned allies by a common enemy. I guess the truest friendships really are those born from enmity. Nonetheless I still say you're making a mistake. But anyway, about that wager. You've yet to give me a definite answer."

"How about elaborating on it instead of just trying to pique my interest out of ambiguity alone?"

Dohnaseek gives a surprised look and then chuckles to himself. "Ah, yes. I've forgotten how tired you get tip-toeing on the lengths of needles."

He holds the notebook forward before Issei and Seiji. "Tell me something, Hyoudou. If you were to leave this world behind with nothing more than this notebook to serve as a memento for your life, what would you like to have done with it?"

Issei begins to think about his answer. "Publish it. I'd like it to be transcribed onto a manuscript and then published into the world with nothing more than my name and photo. That way I'd be able to rest easy knowing that even if I wasn't able to become the world's greatest orator, someone would come along, take from my life's work, and do it in my stead."

"So though you'd be dead, your words would live on for you?"

"Yes."

Dohnaseek cackles heartily at this declaration. "I see. Even from the depths of futility, you still find a way to cling onto hope. What we angels call faith. But I should warn you, boy. He who knows faith is condemned to cross paths with failure. Nevertheless you must be tenacious enough to overcome that failure. And I know for a fact you harbor such tenacity. So here's my wager."

He snaps his fingers and an hourglass appears at his side.

"You'll have one hour to best me and take the notebook back from me. If you can do that then I will free you and let youlive, Hyoudou. However, should you fail, your fate shall be with me. Make your choice. The other one's already outlived his purpose. He may do as he pleases. But if he gets involved, I can't say there isn't a slight chance I might accidentally kill him."

"I suppose you'll be taking your leave then, Shiina. I don't blame you. This isn't your…"

"LIKE HELL IT AIN'T!"

Issei twitches in surprise as his eyes widen to meet Seiji's gaze.

"Listen 'o me, Hyoudou. As fa'z I'm conce'ned, I gotcha into dis mess, right?"

"Well, to be fair it…"

"Which means I'm da one responsible fo' all dis. So I'm pretty su'e dis is my problem. And if I can't solve my problems, well den dat's a pretty big fuckin' problem."

Issei can't help but to smile at Seiji's words.

"I'm not really comfortable with having someone else fight in my battles with me, but I'd have to be the most untimely wastrel in the whole world to say that I don't appreciate it from the very bottom of my heart. But you know what's at stake, right? You could die."

Seiji chuckles. "Listen, Hyoudou. Guys like myself, we don't dese've to live. So befo'e I plummet into da depfs o' hell, lemme do sumfin' good fo' once in my life. Lemme leave dis wo'ld on a high note befo'e I take my place in da one from down below."

"Shiina," says Issei in surprise. "That was…unexpected, to say the least. Have you been…?"

"I wanted to impress ya a bit at lunch time today. I know it needs some wo'k, but it's a sta't, right?"

"Yes. It's most definitely a start. But enough 'bout dat," he says as he turns to Dohnaseek and produces a pair of brass knuckles from his pockets. "Let's getchoo dat notebook back."

Dohnaseek laughs at the sequence of events. "Now won't this just be fun? I've got an even better idea now. I won't use my hands to try and directly block you. Consider it a gift out of pity. Now then," he says as a starting line is magically drawn in front of the two boys and the hourglass is turned over without the sand dripping yet, "whenever you're ready."

Is this character development? No, I'm being serious. Is this character development? Did I do this right? Does this feel shallow? I don't know. I hope you can tell me. Once again suffering from my habit of just discovering the story as I go along, I feel as though I'm taking much too long to get to the climax of this. I feel like I'm doing what Akira Toriyama did for the Buu Saga. A lot of cool things that got put in, but that didn't really affect the overall finale of the story. Maybe I can fix that with the final chapters (of this arc, not the story. Don't start breaking out in a nervous sweat on me yet. Please.) So, how is everyone? I hope you all find yourselves well. I'm going to confess that I had this chapter ready last night, but I didn't post it immediately this morning because, and I wish I were kidding, I got caught up in playing Majora's Mask. In my defense, I'm doing it in French as a form of practice. Je suis enfin rentré dans le Temple de la Grande Baie. (Rentré ou entré ? Je n'en suis pas si sûr.) But anyways. I hope you enjoy the chapter and the story thus far. And we'll see each other in the next chapter.

FUN FACT ABOUT THE AUTHOR: I was raised in South Florida. I am a Florida man.