Given that I have not seen any crossovers yet between DxD and Sekiro, I doubt this will reach the light of day. Butt to those who have found this and given this chance, thank you. Also, before I forget again, disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Edit: Hello one, hello all, how do y'all do on this fine day? So based on many criticisms, I have decided to fix, or at least make try to make it a little better for y'all. As you will soon see, I have not just changed a few sentences and dialogue, butt I have reworked a whole bunch of scenes. I told y'all I'd be fixing this before I continued. :[
Anyways, I hope this is to your likings, and it's better than before. I really appreciate all of the support I've garnered, and I really appreciate all of the criticisms I've gotten. With that being said...
He was floating, like a butterfly wafting through the winds. He didn't flutter his wings to carry him anywhere. No. He had no direction, no purpose, for he was simply...existing. His eyes were marred with failure. Failure, once again. And every time he looked down, he saw his left arm and saw even more failure.
He was once described as a shinobi with no lord, no will to live, no will to fight. It was humorous when he snuck past them, and killed them all in the end. Now, those words never rang truer.
With the last of his Divine Confetti, he wrapped his arm and completely covered it. No point in having an extra reminder of his failed life, when he could remember it every day.
A wise owl once told him that confronting his memories was the way to become stronger.
"It enhances your mental fortitude. Forces you to confront your most difficult foes once again. Teaches you the error of your ways, so that you may know better by your next fight."
His words echoed in his mind. He could not, for the life of him, confront that memory.
The sound of chipping wood, followed by scraping reached his ears, as he saw dust fly into his dark, desolate room. The Sculptor was right. This was therapeutic.
He kept at this for hours, the features of the sculpture finally coming together after another night of no sleep. His trained eyes inspected yet another creation of his Buddha. It didn't look...bad, though in his defense, sculpting with one arm was hard. He couldn't use his left hand to hold the block of wood stably. So the result was the same as the last five he'd made.
Another empty and lifeless face on the Buddha, along with accidental chip marks that marred the sculpture's body. Damn. That was his last log too.
He was going to have to remember to throw this one out. Not like the others were perfect anyways.
Light finally began filtering in from the window. The sun was finally rising, and its rays shone through the cracks in the trees and the leaves, leaving a silhouette on his wall.
Slowly, he stood up, still holding his chisel, and he walked across his room, sliding open his closet, and placing it gently in front of a gleaming bronze statue of Buddha.
His mind turned to the rest of his day. School.
He sighed, reaching deeper into his closet for the familiar set of clothes that he'd been wearing for the duration of his stay. He slipped them on with struggle. It was hard to do everything with one hand, and every time he did, he wondered why he put up with it.
He'd been attending school for the past six months, and he honestly saw no point in it. It was the same thing every hour, every day, every week. It seemed like he was on autopilot now. Still, he did it at the behest of that man.
"You failed, didn't you?" the man with long flowing red hair asked, seemingly appearing out of thin air. He might as well have. It was another night of sleeping in that dark alleyway. And he didn't hear any footsteps prior to his approach. Eyes filled with failure stared at the hand the man offered.
Withdrawing it, he continued. "But you are strong. I see a wolf who failed his objective, but I can still see...a glimmer of fight. What do you fight for?"
He responded with silence. There was nothing left to fight for.
"I can give you back that fight. I only ask that you do one thing for me."
His words sunk in. He was silent still, but his eyes clouded with failure made way for something new. Curiosity. "...How?"
The man beamed, his red mane flowed in the night breeze. "Go to school for me. You'll see."
And he did. For six months, he saw nothing. Though, he did get this shitty shack in the process. Something about needing an address of residency. The man offered him many buildings. A mansion. A manor. An apartment. A house. Something called a brothel. He wondered why the man even offered something like that. He could hear every sound with his trained ears.
In the end, he settled for this...shack. This shack that seemed to call to him, to beg to him to stay, like he belonged here. It was very small, very cramped, very minimalistic. The only thing he asked for was for a statue of Buddha, which the man obliged kindly. He offered even more than the Buddha. Something called a television. Something called a radio. Something called a blender. He refused all of it. It was all too much.
Yes, six months in, and he was still getting used to this era. Lights that turned on with a flick of a switch. Sounds that blasted through a wall. Mechanical contraptions that could transport people faster than the wagons and horses ever could.
This era was so different, he couldn't believe that this was Japan in its twenty-first century. Sometimes, he even wondered if he was in Japan at all.
Yet, despite his situation, despite this incredibly futuristic Japan he now found himself trapped in, this place...Kuoh...held an air of familiarity. Like he'd been here before. It was impossible, of course. Damn Buddha.
Though despite the fact that he, for once, wanted to shake, scream, and curse at someone (that damn god in particular), he knew that he had no choice. Wherever it was that he communed to was not a place for humans.
He remembered teleporting into a vast expanse of darkness. And the moment he opened his eyes, he died. Every time he reopened his eyes, he would die the second after. He hoped that he hadn't just given the world another pandemic.
Eventually, he found a lonely temple, floating amidst the vast darkness, and inside, sat a man. A very familiar man. The exact same man that sat as still as he did back in the Dilapidated Temple. The same man that abandoned Japan
back then.
"Buddha…" his words escaped his lips involuntarily.
"A young cub makes its way to my den." Majestic eyes opened to greet his dull one. "Welcome to a place that no human, nor being should ever be in."
"Where am I?"
"Space. A space between space and time."
"Yet you are here."
"I am a god, young cub."
"Please, help me get back."
"Not even I can do that. If you can even leave here, there is only a slight, sliver of a chance. A percent of a percent that you can return to where you came from. You might go to the future, you might go to the past."
"I will take that chance."
"And if you don't get what you want?"
"Then...please help me accomplish my lord's wish. Take my immortality."
The Buddha smiled at his resolve. "I will take your immortality, though should you return to whence you came, I believe it will be of use to you until you can complete whatever it is that you have completed."
A hand extended forward, palm upward, and in it, a crystallized tomoe appeared. A beautiful pink aura emanated from it. His eyes widened in recognition.
"You recognize this. This is where your immortality will lay. Dormant. Until you need it again."
"Are you ready?"
He nodded. "I am."
"What happens from this moment on will be up to chance. Perhaps you will go back in time, back to when you were but a fetus in your mother's womb. Or perhaps you will move forward in time, to an unrecognizable world, yet one all the same. Or perhaps you will travel to a completely different dimension altogether. Are you prepared for that risk?"
He was. He was, until he came here.
His hand subconsciously caressed his cheek, still wanting to believe that none of this was real. And like every other time he caressed his cheek, no longer could he feel the rough stubble. No longer could he feel the definition in his cheek or jaw. No longer could he feel the natural wrinkle of a constantly furrowed brow. All he felt was the soft, youthful skin of seventeen.
Into the future of Japan, and thrown backwards in age. His unseen aid failed him.
Times were stressful. Rias was slowly withering against her unfair battle with life. She didn't know how much more she could take, and she was getting desperate. She still had eight pawns, a bishop, a rook, and a knight left. At this point, she might as well just take any eleven students and ask them to join her peerage, regardless of them wielding a Sacred Gear or having a special ability or not.
But no. That was plan C. Plan A was still in progress.
Currently, her sights were on a boy. A boy well known amongst the student body as the scum of all scum. The piece of dirt on a freshly bought pair of shoes. The boy who…
"I want a harem!"
Right. The one who wanted to acquire what none could ever seem to acquire in the human world. A harem.
She giggled from the window, as she watched the boy who shouted to the sky his dream. She found it endearing and wanting. She wished for a life where she could follow her dreams. Where she could do what she wanted to do. Where she could follow her best interest, and not the clan's.
The bell rang throughout the school, and soon the mostly empty hall she decided to stop by became filled with a cacophony of footsteps, mindless chatter, and unceremonious praise and compliments from the students that walked by her, but she paid no heed. She didn't feel like leaving just yet, though she noted that her source of entertainment had disappeared in the sea of heads that flooded into one of the buildings.
Eventually, as students filed into their classes, she realized that the hall was not yet entirely empty. Amongst a few who still loitered around the halls, most likely ogling her, as far as she knew, there, a distance away stood a boy, who too was facing a window, albeit with his eyes closed.
She really should get to class. With Sona and her peerage gone, the leadership of the student body fell on her shoulders. Just another burden piled on top of another one, but she did it to help her friend.
So, she walked towards the lonely boy, wanting to make sure he went to class.
As she got closer, she studied the boy with calculation. His uniform was incredibly messy, like he just threw it on without a care in the world. His hair was tied into a short high tail with a noticeable white streak that ran along the hair by his temple. This was that new student, she realized. This was the first time she'd ever seen him.
Rias had heard about him, who everybody claimed appeared out of thin air. He'd been attending for the past six months, apparently, yet nobody knew him. Nobody talked to him, nobody hung out with him. He was a loner and he kept to himself. Despite that, rumors still sprouted about him anyways.
Things like being an ex-Yakuza, because of his noticeably long scar running down his left eyebrow. Or things like being a survivor of a four way car crash with three trucks, because of his clean lilac colored gauze that covered almost all of his left arm. Or things like being a chuunibyou, because of that streak of white hair and the combination of the other two visually noticeable things about him.
He was an enigma. And this piqued Rias's interest.
Finally reaching him, she stopped a short distance away, and she spoke. "Class is in session, you should be heading to class now."
"Sure," he replied dismissively, before sighing. His eyes remained closed at the sudden intrusion of his peace.
"Rias-oneesama! Please, you shouldn't bother yourself with a delinquent like him!" she heard one of the students who still loitered the hall say. She diverted her attention to the student. One of the few males of the school.
Inwardly, she grimaced at the judgment the student made on the lonely boy. Why do people judge others based on their surface? Though then again, the same applied to her. It was their surface judgment of her beauty and outward personality that earned her and her Queen the title of the Two Great Oneesamas of Kuoh, despite not having done anything significant to earn such a title.
"No, it's quite okay," She replied, offering him a kind smile, "Someone needs to make sure everyone follows the rules, especially with Sona-kaichou absent."
"Y-you're right!" He relented, bowing repeatedly. "So sorry for bothering you! I'll be going to class now!"
Footsteps echoed away rapidly as she turned back to the boy who rested by the window. Still, the boy paid her presence no heed, and the two remained in their spot in silence.
She frowned, as she opened her mouth, about to repeat her earlier sentiment, but before she could, he spoke.
"What are you still doing here then?" he asked, opening his eyes as he lazily turned his head to meet Rias.
Her blue cerulean eyes stared into his brown ones that seemed deprived of sleep many times over. They say that the eyes were the window to the soul. She was told once before that hers showed that she was confident, optimistic, and ambitious. That if she worked hard enough, she would be able to get what she wanted. Those words from her brother, so long ago, was the driving force in her constant resistance against this marriage.
But his...his were deep, painful, and empty. Like he lost everything. Like he had no purpose. Nothing to live for.
She heard his question a moment ago, but the question seemed lost in the wind, as her voice refused to come out.
After making eye contact for what seemed like ages, the boy opted to turn back to face the window, studying the environment outside.
"What's your name?" she found herself asking.
His gaze flickered back to her, and he remained silent for a while. She was beginning to expect that he wasn't going to answer.
"You didn't answer my first question," he responded flatly.
She frowned, everything within her seeming to finally turn back to normal, and she replied, "I was supposed to be making sure you were going to go to class. So...your name?"
He sighed, and he remained silent once again, though he seemed to be lost in contemplation.
With the amount of pauses occurring between sentences, Rias felt like this was one of the most prolonged conversations she has ever had.
Hesitantly, he replied, "...Wolf."
Upon hearing his response, the crimson haired princess looked at him skeptically. Was he playing her?
"Wolf? What kind of a name is that?"
"Just a name. Like whatever yours is supposed to be."
She looked at him in shock, her brows raising incredulously. He didn't know who she was? She wasn't one to brag, but she was one of the most well known students in this academy. Nearly everyone talked about her, whether she was within earshot or not.
She shook herself of her shock. "S-sorry. My name is Rias. Rias Gremory."
"Rias Gremory...huh," her name escaped his lips like a whisper, and he gazed back at her.
Rias felt like she was being picked apart and studied, as his gaze lingered. While she was aware that many people did do that to her, his gaze felt...different. Like she was suddenly put under a microscope and was being studied by
multiple scientists all at once.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, she saw him break his gaze, turning around and walking away.
As she watched his retreating form, she could have sworn she heard him mutter something as he walked away,
but it was so low, even her ears failed to coherently pick it up. But it sounded something like…
"...like his."
Finally disappearing from her view, she reflected on the past few moments.
His name was Wolf. She wondered what kind of parents would give the boy such an uncaring name, as if he didn't deserve the comfortability and luxury of being able to have a name that was unique to him and him only. Though in fairness, many names weren't unique to one person.
She remembered that before her knight became Kiba Yuuto, he was Isaiah. And she knew there were a lot of Isaiahs around the world. But still, it was the family love that came with being given an actual name. Wolf...it sounded devoid of that.
And then his eyes. Full of emptiness and pain, like he had no direction in his life. Or maybe he lost that direction. She knew he had gone through something. Something that dramatically changed his way of life.
While she was fortunate to not have something traumatizing happen to her on that scale, she couldn't say the same for her best friend, her rook, or her knight. They had gone through their fair shares of horror, and their stories were like horror stories to her. Her best friend's mother being killed by her own family, before turning on her? Her rook's sister going mad with power before killing her master, ultimately ending with the neigh extinctinction of her race? Her knight being the sole survivor of a horrifying project? They were all terrifying, but they all recovered, but it affected who they were today.
So she wondered. What was his story?
She was beginning to think that he really did appear out of thin air six months ago.
He was sure of it. Her crimson red hair matched that of the man that visited him in the alleyway that night. That night, almost seven months ago.
Was she what he meant? It only made sense, right?
He shook his head. There was no way to tell. If anything, it could just be a coincidence that she had the same colored hair as him. After all, he noticed that many people had many shades of colors for hair in this era. Maybe it was just a...what did Emma say about people wearing kimonos that had multiple slits at their hems…? It was a...a...a fashion trend.
Yes, he remembered visiting the Sculptor once, and there she was, wearing one of those kimonos instead of her usual attire. It was disgusting.
"I was told it was a fashion trend that many girls were trying lately, so…"
He furrowed his brow, dispelling that memory, as he returned to his objective at hand. He didn't want to look back at those times. He wasn't ready yet.
He found himself staring out of the classroom window, deciding to ignore the supposedly important piece of paper on his desk. He saw no point in doing the...pop-chapter test, his teacher called it.
His cheek rested on his right hand, as his left hung limp to the side.
His gaze turned to his left arm, and he attempted, much like how he had attempted each day for the past six months, to twitch a finger. He saw a very slight, if not unnoticeable movement within the confines of the Confetti.
'Progress,' he thought, as he attempted to elicit more movement from the prosthetic. Then, ever so slowly, he tried to lift his prosthetic with his elbow. Instead, however, came a sharp jolt of pain, that rocked his arm, and he immediately relaxed it, returning to gazing out the window to not draw attention to himself.
He didn't know why he couldn't move it. Or rather, he could, but doing so caused him excruciating pain. Phantom pains from his actual arm being severed, he assumed. Maybe it had always been there, and he just didn't notice it back then. But that was during a time when he swung through the trees and the rooftops. During a time when life and death was but a hairwidth away.
Now, with calmness surrounding him here, in a few time periods past one of constant danger, he was finally able to remove some of his attention from the wariness of his surroundings. There weren't any Senpou rats ready to take the jump at you in a moment's notice, nor were there gigantic genetically modified chickens that could sneak up on you as if they were master shinobis themselves. Such was the life of a civilian, he supposed. Though he wondered if the civilian life here was the same as civilian life back in Ashina.
Still, his predisposition as a shinobi kept him alert towards the menial things, no matter how peaceful it was. For example, the eyes boring into him at the back of his head was something he had been noticing for nearly thirty minutes now.
His cheek left his palm, as he turned his head to survey the room. At every desk, students were preoccupied with the papers on their desk. The sound of pencils scratching on paper and erasers aggressively rubbing against the surface filled the air. All were performing some derivation of the actions described above. All except for one student sitting a few rows behind him, and he locked on and gazed at the one who had been triggering his senses. A girl with raven black hair, tied into a long ponytail and held together by an orange ribbon. That was all the information he could obtain for now.
With hawk-like vision, he could see that she mimicked the actions of the other students, but she was already done. Her quiz, from the angle he was staring at, was already completed. At least, he assumed so, based on the scribbles of writing that were present under every question.
He imperceptibly shook his head before returning to his previous position, yet once he did, the feeling of eyes boring into him returned.
"Okay, the time for the exam is over," the teacher said suddenly, and groans replaced the previous sounds that occupied the air. The teacher walked by, collecting tests from each desk.
"When I have your papers, you may leave!"
When the teacher walked by to collect his test, he looked at it before sighing in disappointment, shaking his head. As he should have been.
He hadn't written anything on his paper. Not even his name.
"Are you not going to do any work in this class?" the teacher asked with a stern look. Funny, not even the teachers bothered learning his name.
He simply shook his head, not bothering to meet the teacher's eyes. That was weird. The teacher actually talked to him today.
The bell rang right after, and the teacher turned away, announcing that he would return the graded pop-chapter exams in a couple of days.
Sounds of bustling quickly filled the room as students eagerly left the class. Those sounds were quickly drowned out by the sound of footsteps that were honing in on his position. He had yet to get up. But before he could...
"Ara ara," a voice came from behind, "you didn't even bother to do the exam."
Then, as if someone turned down the volume, the noises began to cease, as the shinobi felt more than one pair of eyes on him. Hushed whispers began to fill the room.
"No," he merely said, turning to look at the owner of the voice. It was as he suspected. The girl from before, with a long ponytail that nearly reached her knees.
Finally getting a clearer look at her, he thought that she, objectively, was beautiful. Like those Yamato Nadeshiko he'd heard of in old Japan. He never believed it, but here was one now, standing in front of him.
His eyes narrowed imperceptibly. She was too beautiful. With a generous figure that seemingly accentuated her curves, and unnatural violet eyes that held a calculating gaze. It made him suspicious.
His shinobi senses tingled and drew him to the conclusion that Rias and this girl were connected somehow. After all, why would she talk to him after Rias had, when he'd been in her class this whole time?
Though had he paid more attention to the gossip around these parts, he would have known he was talking to the second half of the Two Great Onee-sama's of Kuoh.
Finally, he stood up, as his chair scraped along the floor. Without sparing a second look back at the ravenette, he headed towards the exit.
"Wait," she called out, as she caught up to him, "allow me to walk with you."
For the millionth time today, he sighed, though he made no attempt to shake her off. There wasn't any point to. He didn't have the energy for it anyways.
As they walked down the halls, murmurs erupted amongst the students who watched them. Normally, he paid no mind to them. They had, after all, been doing this since day one. Though this time, he listened in.
"...Akeno-oneesama...walking with the delinquent?"
"Impossible! He must've drugged her or something!"
"What does that piece of garbage want with our Akeno-chan?!"
Oh, how information can come without asking.
He walked silently, facing forward and not bothering to check back on the girl who walked alongside him, fidgeting as if she couldn't stand the silence.
"Are you…" Akeno started, staring at the boy who made no effort in talking to her, "not going to say anything?"
He shook his head once. "You chose to walk with me."
"Ara ara, your social skills are incredibly immaculate...er..." she paused, and he sighed. She was going to ask for his name, wasn't she?
"Wolf."
She tilted her head curiously. "Wolf...san?"
He nodded in response.
"Is that...really your name?"
"Yes. Is that so hard to believe?"
"It's like...someone being named 'Chocolate' or…'Black'," she muttered, and guilt surged in his chest.
Black. A translation of his name. Just another example of his failures.
"Why?"
She looked at him curiously, "Why what?"
"Why are you talking to me? You were staring at me earlier too."
"Ara ara, what baseless assumptions, Wolf-san. If I didn't know any better, it seems like you're trying to start a scandal~. You didn't even ask for my name, ufufu," she teased, suddenly latching onto his arm. He stiffened at the contact, not used to the closeness of the girl pervading his space.
"Your name is Akeno," he stated, shaking his head.
"Oh, and where did you hear that from? Are you a stalker, perchance?" she asked cheekily, tugging on his arm, and he sighed again. The incessant murmuring became louder.
"No. Everyone else told me your name already," he said, nudging his head towards the many students that were gawking at the two.
The two continued to walk in silence. He felt her gaze multiple times throughout the trip, and eventually, the two neared an old building. One that seemed a bit run down, yet taken care of at the same time. With nature creeping against its walls, and tiles that looked like they were ready to slip at a moment's notice, it reminded him of the Dilapidated Temple that housed a certain orangutan.
"This is my stop, Wolf-kun," she said, as he eyed her with a raised eyebrow at the peculiar change in honorifics. Though he said nothing, opting instead for a grunt.
"Thanks for walking me~!" she removed herself from his arm and walked towards the building, disappearing from his field of view as she shut the wooden door behind her.
After she left, he walked away, not before feeling two sets of eyes on his back. Imperceptibly, he glanced back and saw a pair of blue and violet eyes watching him from the second story window of the relatively dilapidated building.
"I knew it."
The two great ladies watched the boy walk away with a piqued interest.
"Would you like for me to make tea?" Akeno offered.
Rias smiled and nodded. Leave it to her to help her relax.
Reciprocating a nod, her Queen disappeared from view, and shortly after, she heard the clinking of glass being set upon glass, and water running. Akeno made some damn good tea.
In the meantime, Rias decided to relax on one of the couches, leaning back into the soft cushions, as she let out a content sigh, and she began to think.
Wolf certainly opened up the possibilities to new ideas. He was an enigma. A wildcard. A gamble. Maybe he was special, maybe he wasn't. Rias didn't know. But the mystery surrounding the bot was enthralling. Maybe she could move Plan D to Plan E. Maybe shift a few plans around.
She shook her head. No, that wouldn't do. She was jumping the gun on Wolf being something special.
She shook her head again, disapproving of that thought. Everyone was special in their own way.
She heard the sound of steam whistling from the kettle, and Rias hummed. ETA for tea was five minutes.
"This boy…" she heard Akeno start, her voice echoing slightly from the kitchen. She paused, and Rias knew that the little scouting mission she sent her Queen on didn't seem as fruitful as she thought it would be. "He's...nice."
Rias raised her head from its relaxed position and turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "...nice? That's it?"
She didn't see it, but she knew that Akeno pouted. "Mouu, that's all that I can say. He's not...the most social person."
That she could agree on. Her first encounter with the loner wasn't...the most social. She was sure there was more silence than there was words.
"Mmm. He's pretty perceptive though," Akeno said, and Rias flipped over, leaning over the couch, as she stared at her Queen, waiting for her to continue. "He knew that I was staring at him in class today. I almost got caught too. I think he might even be under the suspicion that we're in cahoots with each other." she continued cheekily, pouring the hot tea into two small teacups.
That was surprising. She knew that Akeno was very discreet and just as efficient at gathering information as her resident spy, so for her to be admitting that she got caught truly spoke volumes about his perceptiveness.
"So his name really is Wolf, huh…?" Rias asked. She still found it hard to believe that there was somebody actually named Wolf. That was like...someone being named Mercedes or Northwest. "Humans are so weird sometimes."
"Though getting a closer look at him, I can see why people would come up with such rumors about him. That scar, his hair, his arm…" Akeno said, her voice becoming louder as she approached her King with two cups of tea.
"His eyes…" Rias commented, relieving a steaming cup from the ravenette's hand, as she nodded gratefully. "His eyes looked so heavy. Like he's holding himself accountable for something."
"Maybe he blames himself for someone's death?" Akeno pitched in, taking a seat on the couch across from her.
"Possibly," Rias replied, blowing on her tea before hesitantly taking a sip. She scrunched her nose, as she felt the small amount of liquid enter her mouth. It was still hot.
Outside the window, she heard a soft rustle come from the bushes below. Setting her tea down on the coffee table in front of her, she walked over to the window and peered out to see what could have caused it.
She heard Akeno set her tea down as well, and she felt her Queen's presence behind her.
"And that other boy, the one who potentially has a Sacred Gear? Are they still...dating?" she asked.
Down below, Rias stared down at three heads huddling together, panting as if they had just run for their lives. She honed in on one head with brunette hair. She could only assume what it was they were previously doing.
'Again? You would think that just because he got a girlfriend, he'd stop with his habits…' she thought, releasing a sweatdrop. She was sure that her best friend was thinking the same thing too.
"According to Koneko, yes," Rias replied, unmoving from her position, "she did ask him on a date. In two days time. I'll have to make sure he gets a flyer the day of."
"Ara ara, Buchou, an elaborate schemer as always," Akeno giggled.
Rias only sighed in response. She was becoming desperate. She didn't want to gain a peerage member this way, but this was the only option at this point.
Cutting off her thoughts, she moved away from the window, and her eyes flickered between the hot cup of tea and the shower. Maybe she should let the hot liquid cool off a bit more, lest she burned her tongue again.
Deciding on her course of action, she turned to Akeno who was looking at her curiously. "Shower first, then I'll finish the tea."
After all, drinking tea fresh out the shower seemed more relaxing.
"Of course, Buchou," Akeno replied, smiling.
With that, she walked towards the shower, Akeno closely following behind, and she undressed, giving her clothes to her friend before stepping into the shower. Why there was a shower in the building, out in the open like this, she didn't know. Whoever designed this building must've had something planned.
The hot water running down her back soothed her, as she relaxed into the slight pressure that the showerhead produced. Hot showers were the best at providing a lapse of peace in her currently chaotic situation. The date kept being pushed back, and the closer it got, the more her mind was reducing itself into a stressful mess.
She thought about the perverted brunette who she believed would be the key to her way out. She thought about the forced marriage, and what would happen to her and her peerage if she couldn't. Then, unsurprisingly, she thought about Wolf, who, she thought, lived a peaceful and lonely life. How she longed for one. Minus the loneliness, that was. She thought, for a split second, about inviting him to join her peerage.
Though it was cruel. Here she was, willing to play someone's death to get them to join her peerage, while asking cordially to another to join. Maybe that would be Plan B.
It was a peaceful night, where stars twinkled in the clear night sky like a gleam from diamonds refracting light. Because diamonds don't shine. They refract. It reminded him of the countless nights under the clear Ashina sky, where he would stay perched amongst the rooftops, the tree tops, or the cliffs and bluffs of the valleys. He reminded himself that this was still Japan. The same Japan; just not his.
He walked slowly through the streets, a bag of logs swinging in his hand, as lights flickered from the streetlights above, illuminating his path. Cars zipped by and the sounds of them passing formed a peaceful rhythm. That was, until a screech and a sudden honk tore through the peacefulness. He looked at the close call, and shook his head. The driver seemed to be shouting with a flurry of curse words.
And then, he felt it. That shift in the air from peaceful to murderous. It was almost suffocating. Almost. He'd fought opponents before that exuded much more and much stronger of this foulness that reeked in the air.
Shouts of panic rang in the nearby park, and he saw...light. Light, seemingly out of nowhere illuminated the night sky, and it shot from the air and into the ground, like a shooting star, and that was when he noticed.
With his night eyes, he could make out a figure hovering above in the sky, wings outstretched, as light was conjured again before being thrown at the target on the ground. A boy with brunette hair. One that he'd seen in passing a few times at school.
So he ran, dropping the logs in a loud clatter, as it spilled onto the sidewalk. He ran towards battle like a naive Ashina soldier who was a week old in the ranks.
He didn't know what caused him to do it. Ever since that day, everything had felt thrown off. His mind flashed back to the red haired man who shared the same hair color as Rias. Was this what he was talking about?
As he got closer, he made out finer details of the assailant above. A woman in skimpy black clothing. Very little armor. Feather-like wings. Capable of aerial assault, though very prone to an anti-air deathblow. This would've been over in a second or less, had he had his sword. Though, he supposed that he could toss a shuriken at her to knock her down. The thing that caught his attention was her ability to conjure light. That must have been what she was throwing. They looked like spears. So she was dangerous in the sky and on the ground.
His right arm torsioned onto his left waist, where he kept a small pouch and he unclipped the button keeping it closed. He reached in, the pouch almost enveloping his whole hand. He could reach deeper in, given that it was enchanted with Buddha's infinite storage, but he managed to find what he was looking for without having to go too far in. He supposed he should keep his pouch on his right from now on for easier access.
Out came a small object. A disk in the form of a four pronged star. Exactly what he needed. And with finesse, he swung his hand outwards, in the direction of the woman in the sky and the star went flying with incredible speed.
It cut through the air as it spun rapidly, approaching its target with speed rivaling that of the light being thrown at the woman. The woman, though distracted with her objective on the ground, was able to catch a glimpse of the sharp projectile incoming, and she blocked with her held light, barely in time before the spinning projectile could cut through her face.
Her face contorted from that of a predator toying with her prey to pure rage, as she looked at the newcomer, who was closing the distance rapidly.
"Why, you!" She shouted, as she threw her spear in his direction, hoping to halt his advancement.
He rolled to the side with ease as the spear struck the ground. Any second later, and he would have been impaled by her equally fast, if not faster, moving object.
Though, he did not retaliate, instead rushing over to the boy downed on the ground, who was scuffed with dirt and blood from diving into the ground too many times.
"Are you alright?" he asked, as he stood facing the black winged angel in the sky.
"I-I'm fine," the boy replied, panting, "just tired."
"Rest." he simply said, and he kept his eyes trained on the danger in front of him.
She hovered, closer to the ground, and spoke, "So, the pathetic piece of trash finds help from another pathetic piece of trash. Though I'll admit, you caught me by surprise. Unfortunately, you lost that element long ago."
"I don't need surprise anymore," he replied, his hand returning to the inside of his infinite storage. Grasping another shuriken, he threw it, once again with blinding speed, and immediately after, he jumped forward, disappearing from his spot as he trailed after the soaring projectile.
Once again, she blocked barely in the nick of time, though she wasn't able to block a follow-up kick from
the Wolf himself.
He kicked twice in rapid succession, the first hitting her stomach, and the second, her face. She spun in the air, and finished his combo by flipping off of her and landing back on the ground.
It had been a while since he'd done that. The Senpou
Leaping Kicks. It left him more winded than usual.
He panted, as he looked up. The woman was still up and about.
"You dare let your filthy human body touch me?!" Rage clouded her eyes as she lunged with her spear with incredible speed. Though he knew that type of attack anywhere.
He let a small smirk escape onto his face. Big mistake.
As she got closer to him, she reeled her spear back, ready to thrust, and when she got within striking distance, she lunged the spear forward.
With finesse, he stomped on the spearhead, and the point struck the ground with a resounding boom.
Mikiri Counter. He still got it. He couldn't help but let his smirk grow wider as the woman's eyes widened in shock.
"H-how?"
"Doesn't matter," he said, as he stepped off the spear and went for a quick jab. The crunch as his fist met her cheek sounded pleasing to the ear as she stumbled backwards onto the ground.
He remained, unmoving, and on guard as he stared at her downed form. She didn't get up.
After waiting for a few more seconds, he dashed back to the boy, who watched the whole thing in shock.
"Y-you…" the boy stammered, trying to comprehend what just happened. "You're that student, right?"
"Yes. Are you okay?" he asked, as he held his usable hand out. The brunette gratefully took it and hoisted himself up.
"Y-yeah...thanks."
"Who...or what was that?"
His answer came in the form of excruciating pain, as a spear erupted through his chest. Blood splashed onto the boy's horrified face, as he fell back in shock. The shinobi grasped the handle of the spear that poked through, horribly attempting to gasp for air.
"I...am Raynare," she introduced, pushing the spear further through his body, "and I am a fallen angel."
With that, he fell to his knees. He didn't know if a spear being shoved through his body hurt more than a blade cutting his arm off. Blood leaked, like a waterfall, as he fell onto his knees before dropping onto the ground. He could only helplessly watch as Raynare approached the afraid teen.
"Back to business," she said, looming over her original target.
He wanted to yell for him to run. To escape. But the only thing that escaped his mouth was a gargled groan.
Raynare summoned another spear of light, and she held it far above her head, aiming the tip at the brunette's chest.
"Any last words?" she asked mercifully, though the evil glint did not leave her eyes.
"W-why…?" was all he could ask, and she shoved the spear into his body. He let out a pained shout, as it penetrated through his body. As though adding insult to injury, she stepped on his stomach, and more blood gushed out from the hole in his body.
"Blame the God that put that thing inside you. Goodbye now, Issei." she responded, snarling at his name, finally taking her foot off his body. She watched in satisfaction as the boy, named Issei, crumpled, his body shaking from the pain.
With that, she flapped her wings and disappeared into the black sky, leaving a trail of black feathers in her wake.
Eventually, Issei stopped shaking.
"Sh-should've...run," the shinobi managed to say. The two laid in silence, with Issei staring at the blackness of the night sky, and Wolf staring at the dying form of Issei.
"H-how can you...talk…? This hurts...so much…" Issei struggled to let out.
The pain slowly left, as his body began to become enveloped in a numb feeling. A feeling he was very used to for being subjected to it many times before. With a weakening voice, he replied. "Numbness...it's...setting in."
"Hehe…" Issei coughed, and a spike of pain forced him to groan, "I didn't expect...to die with a dude."
"Hm."
"I...never got your name…"
This again. He stayed silent, thinking about it, and a small smile, one that he rarely let out, engulfed his features. Maybe he could use that name.
"...Sekiro."
"Seki...ro...huh. I finally know your name…" Issei let out a weak chuckle, before speaking again. "I'm…"
Sekiro shook his head. "Save your breath...
I know your name. Issei."
Information really did come to him without asking for it.
Issei nodded gratefully, giving the shinobi a bloody smile before speaking. "We go...to the same school, don't we?"
He nodded.
"Yeah...I've seen you around. You're my...senpai aren't you…?"
Sekiro's eyes widened slightly. The first time he'd been recognized, and he didn't hear anything about those damn rumors that somehow spread throughout the school. Though, the boy was dying, and maybe that just wasn't on his mind at the time.
Regardless, the rare smile from before greeted his face again. "Yes, I suppose so."
"You know...Sekiro-senpai...if I was going to die...I'd at least...want to die...in a beautiful girl's arms…"
He watched the boy convulse a bit, before finally stilling, signifying his passing in life.
Sekiro stared at the unmoving boy's form. He was dying. Actually dying this time. There was no resurrection to bring him back this time. His thoughts traveled to the crystalized droplet in his pouch. Should he use it?
No. His time was up. His time was finally up, and he would gratefully accept death with open arms.
'Was this it? Was this that fight that you mentioned…?' his thoughts, once again, traveled back to that man. That man with the crimson red hair. The crimson red that reminded him of the blood pouring out from their bodies. The crimson red that reminded him of the other girl with crimson red hair.
A final thought crossed his mind.
'Maybe I should go too, it's better this way. But...first…maybe...I can help him.'
Yes. This must be that purpose that man was talking about. He tried grasping at his pouch that was trapped on the other side of his body. He should have put his pouch on the right side of his waist.
He attempted to push himself up, his weight becoming hard to handle with the loss of blood, and he fell over to his side, more blood oozing out from his gigantic wound.
"Damn…" he weakly muttered. The idea of sleep was becoming more enticing as time passed. But he still had fight.
Pain flared and added to his state of torment as he forced his mechanical arm to move, grasping a patch of grass, but he paid no mind. He dragged himself, switching with his other arm, as he dragged himself again. Closer and closer he got, smearing blood onto the ground, as he moved. He pulled against the tides of sleep, which became heavier and harder at his movement. He was so close now.
Suddenly, blinding red light exploded in front of him, and he shut his eyes in reflex. For a second he thought they weren't going to open again, but alas, it did, and he looked up.
Blue eyes filled with optimism and concern stared down at him.
Rias.
"Your eyes…," he heard her speak, a softness present in her voice, "I didn't know what it was, when I looked at them before, but now I see. Your eyes are filled with failure…"
With as much mental energy he had, he scoffed inwardly. He heard those words before. He didn't think he would hear them again.
"...and determination."
That last part, he hadn't heard those words in a long long time. He audibly chuckled at that, eliciting a gasp from the girl in his presence.
"I haven't heard...those words...in a long….time," his voice trailed off. Damn. He could feel it now. Sleep had a firm grasp on his neck, ready to perform a deathblow. He should have put more energy out into giving Issei that droplet. Even if...even if he might gift that accursed immortality to someone. Maybe...
He heard a clap, and the last words he heard was, "Right! There's only one thing left to do."
Light struck his eyes mercilessly, begging for them to open. Sekiro grunted, forcing them to keep shut. Not yet. He hadn't had such peaceful sleep in a while. The comfort of a bed was a luxury to him.
Even in his own pathetic excuse of a shoddy little shack he managed to acquire for living arrangements, he slept on a mat. There was no need for a bed, so long as whatever he slept on allowed him to rest. He could've even ditched the mat, and slept on the floor if he so pleased.
That thought caused him to open his eyes suddenly. He didn't own a bed.
His eyes were greeted with a small, tidy room. It was relatively bare, save for the single bed that hugged the wall and a small dresser that contained a pair of folded uniforms. Sunlight filtered in from the window's blinds. He glared at the window with murderous intent, hoping it would shut itself and remove the light that filtered in, so that he would get some rest.
He lifted his body, and hunched over, allowing the blanket that covered him to fall to his lap. Whoever brought him here removed his clothes. He gazed at his left arm, glad that the lilac colored bandages were untouched. Then, his gaze traveled to his body. His brow furrowed as he looked at his torso. There was something wrong.
The hole that signified his death was gone. All that was there was repaired muscle.
"What happened?" he asked himself. The sheets shuffled, though not by his doing. His eyes widened, as he felt a shift beside him and a light groan.
Red hair was splayed over the right side of the bed.
'That's…' he thought. His eyes followed the red hair to its roots, and finished his thought for him.
Rias slept along his side, undisturbed by Sekiro's movement. His eyes traveled from her sleeping face, downward.
If anyone saw his face, they would have laughed. Every single Ashina soldier, Senpou monk, Isshin Ashina, and even his damned father, would have laughed. Hard.
For on Sekiro's face, after realizing how close he was to a naked body (and a beautiful one, at that, though he had nothing to base his assumptions off of), for the first time might he add, was a huge red blush.
In his defense, he'd never undergone...what did they call it? Anti-seduction training?
With as much vigor as possible, he willed for the blood to wash away from his face, and he turned his head away from the sleeping beauty beside him. He brought back his thoughts to the real matter at hand.
"Where am I…?" he asked aloud to himself.
His response was a soft yawn, and more shuffling. Feet kicked up in the air, as he heard a stretch. He turned his head to the soft commotion occuring beside him.
Rias slowly, supporting herself onto her arms. Her breasts jiggled in the sunlight, as she rubbed her sleepy eyes.
"Good morning, Wolf-san," she greeted groggily. She gazed at him cutely, and he quickly swiveled his head away in embarrassment, remembering her current state of dress. He missed the smile she shot at him.
"Good...morning," he replied. Never had he thought that he would be uttering those words.
"How was your sleep?"
"Good. It was good," he replied simply.
There was a long pause.
"Why...why am I alive?" he found himself asking.
She tilted her head in curiosity and, possibly, slight concern, "Were you expecting to die?"
"I was," he replied matter of factly. He shook his head soon after. "It doesn't matter though."
Theories ran through his mind about his current predicament. He was alive. Did that mean he used the droplet? No, he was sure he didn't. He was adamant about not using it on himself, so why…? Maybe she used it? Did she even know about it? He highly doubted so; she would've brought it up by now.
In his mental run through, he was ignorant of the curious gaze she held on him.
"Wolf-san?" she asked, snapping him out of his inner turmoil, and he turned to look at her. "Where did you get that scar?"
Sekiro remained silent at her question. He closed his eyes, and released a sigh. "It's...been a while."
"Do you remember?"
She was going to be persistent, wasn't she?
"My...father gave it to me."
She gasped. "Wh-why…?"
"He's not my real father. I don't know my parents. I was an orphan."
"Oh!" She yelled, and before he could react, he felt her arms wrap around his shoulder, and he felt her chest squish against his arm. "You poor thing…," she said, her voice muffled against the nook of his neck.
Danger instincts kicked in at the girl's lunge, but quelled them at the last second. She was this close to getting jabbed in the throat.
Instead, he was...shocked. He had never truly received any sense of heartfelt warmth before. Certainly not from his father, nor from that demonic old hag of a teacher. So being thrust into a closeness like this without warning was...surprisingly not unpleasant.
Still, he didn't know how to react. So, as she continued to hug him, he did nothing but...sit. Hesitantly, however, he raised his usable arm and wrapped it around her in his own awkward little hug.
'The big bad wolf giving hugs. I could see them laughing now,' he thought. Giving a hug was also something he never thought he'd be doing as well. There's a first time for everything, he supposed.
Eventually, she raised her head to look up to him, signs of tears forming in the corner of her beautiful blue eyes.
"I'll make everything better, I promise," she said sincerely. "Whatever it was that hurt you, I'll be there to help you get past it."
His brow furrowed, searching deep into her eyes. Could she really?
A grappling hook hooked around one of the many ledges at the top of a castle. Landing with a thump, he saw...them…
A gigantic owl and a zombified samurai, standing over his bleeding young lord. A blade, emitting the blackest and foulest of auras held in the samurai's hand.
"You're late," came the rough and deep voice of the owl.
Could she really?
He searched harder into those blue orbs of hers. They spoke of optimism and ambition, but of naivety and innocence. Could she really?
He broke eye contact with her, and turned his head, escaping the alluring gaze of warmth. A frown overtook her features.
"There is a reason why I am alive, isn't there?" he spoke suddenly.
"There is." he heard her say confidently, and he turned back to look at her, his gaze strong and unwavering.
Hearing those words, he realized that this was it. This was what those six months led up to. This was what that day was. This was what that fight with that...winged person led up to. This was what dying led up to.
"I see," he closed his eyes, relenting her from his gaze. "Then...thank you."
She smiled, and shook her head rapidly, blinking away the tears that were about to spill.
"Okay!" she all but shouted, trying to clear the mood. "I need to inform you of some things first. You," she pointed at him, "are now a devil."
His brow furrowed in thought upon hearing that.
"A...devil," he reiterated. "Fair enough."
He nodded, and she looked at him with confusion.
What? This was the man who fought a gorilla that came back to life after beheading it with the sword already in its chest. If that thing could run around with its head in its hands with a gigantic centipede taking control of it, then being reincarnated as a devil meant nothing.
But it was interesting to note that the supernatural existed this far into the future of the world. This made him wonder. If devils, and possibly angels exist now, did they exist back then too?
"That's...it?" she asked incredulously, and he nodded again.
"No questions or anything?" He shook his head.
"At all," she pushed. Why was she so persistent?
"You're way too calm about this," she slipped out, seemingly voicing her thoughts if slapping her hands over her mouth indicated anything.
He merely raised an eyebrow at her. "Did you want me to not be calm? I've accepted it. If this is my way of life now, then so be it."
"Sorry, it's just...it's been a while since someone new has joined my peerage, and I forgot how people would react. Well, I've heard stories…" she started rambling, and her eyes started trailing away from him. He stopped her by placing his able hand comfortably on her head, and she looked at him again.
"That's enough. Don't worry about it. Just continue with what you were saying."
He took his hand off her head and allowed her to continue.
"Right. So you're a member of my peerage, and what that..." she sighed, opening her mouth and closing it repeatedly, like she didn't know how to explain what she was about to say. "What that means is that you're my servant, and I'm your master. BUT! I will treat you as anything but. I treat my own peerage like my own family, so you don't have to worry about me forcing my will onto you...for the most part."
"I see."
She looked at him in exasperation.
Suddenly, he stood from the bed and faced her, the strong and unwavering gaze from earlier returned, and she fidgeted. He kneeled on one knee and bowed his head.
"From this day forth, I live to serve you...my lord."
Sincerity, loyalty, and conviction emanated from his voice and action, which stunned Rias into silence.
"No, no, no, you don't need to do that for me!" she shook her head and waved her arms vigorously, accentuating the fact that she did not want that relationship with him.
Wolf bolted his head, looking at her with confusion. "...Why?"
"Because," she got up and kneeled in front of him, their faces inches apart, and she continued softly, "I just want to be treated as someone for who I am. Not as royalty, nor as someone who I am expected to be. I just want to be Rias."
"...I see, but—"
She placed her finger on his lips, hushing him, "How about this? As your lord, I command you to treat me, and everyone like family. Does that work?"
She removed her finger from his lips, and awaited his answer. He remained silent, as conflict flickered in his eyes.
With hesitance, he replied, "I...will try...Rias-sama."
She smiled and she stood up, breasts jiggling at her momentum. "Hmmm. Just Rias is fine, but we'll work on that. Now, get up. It's time to get ready for school."
At her command, he stood, and looked around the room once more. "You never told me where we were. And also…" he turned his head, hiding a soft blush from Rias, "Why do we not have clothes on?"
His blush did not go undetected by the red head.
"What was that? I couldn't hear you when your voice is being projected the other way," she teased, seemingly aware of his awkwardness.
His head twitched, as he slowly turned his head to face her, his blush growing fuller by the second as her naked body came into view. Though with great persistence, he managed to wash away his reddened cheeks, and his usual stoic face returned.
She pouted in response, before finally relenting.
"We are currently in the old building at school," she explained, turning to retrieve the uniforms on the dresser. She handed Sekiro his pair, which he gratefully took. "I took you here last night, because I couldn't find where you live. As for why we were naked, that's just how I heal. The more physical contact we have, the stronger my healing capabilities are."
Sekiro nodded in satisfaction, as he slipped on his uniform. His boxers and pants, he was able to put on with relative ease. Though the rest was a different story. It was hard to button his shirt and tie a tie with one usable hand after all.
Rias, already finished with changing, watched with amusement as Sekiro struggled to form the knot for his tie. Though, what got her attention was his lack of use with his left arm.
"Why don't you use both hands?"
Sekiro allowed the tie to fall limply against his chest.
"I can't. My left arm is defunct."
A look of concern washed over her face, as she stepped towards him, reaching for his lilac colored arm.
Sekiro, noticing this, jerked his left arm back before she could come into contact with it.
"Don't," he said, and her hands fell to her side. Hurt formed on her face from his rejection and she bowed her head, and though he hardly dealt with emotions, even he knew when to apologize. Especially to his new lord, no less.
He spoke with a softness that surprised him. "Forgive me for offending you. It's...not necessary. It's been like this for a while. I'm used to it, so please don't worry about it."
He softly placed his working hand on top of her head and gave her a soft ruffle. It was something that quelled Kuro from sadness, so he took a chance and wondered if it would work on Rias too.
Fortunately for him, she looked back up, a smile growing on her face, and if he didn't know better, a victorious one at that.
He shook his head, and sighed at whatever antic she was playing. "Let's go."
And with that, he exited the room, tie be damned.
So as you can see, yes. This is the end of rewritten chapter one. Please continue to give me more criticism. I find it hot.