Before I begin.
Thank you very much to those who have tossed a coin (or three) my way. Surprising me greatly, I might be able to get some art commissioned fairly soon at this rate. I know some of you have wondered about that, so I'll look into it for sure, since my art is writing, not drawing. x.x. If you missed the details to donate, they'll be at the very bottom of every chapter from now on.
Now lets deal with politics. (bleh)
Chapter 99
While it wasn't my job to care they were here, only to get them off the lawn if they caused a problem, I still gave Rias a text. Just a simple 'Vali and his gang are here, and behaving'. Her reply was a simple 'Noted'.
Suppose that was all the permission they needed.
They left in the middle of the lunch rush, with Kuroka making a small scene at the door when Koneko came to replace Gasper. It was kind of funny to watch the little cat girl as she dangled, face expressionless, in Kuroka's arms as she gave Koneko a huge hug. But at least she didn't react like Sona when Serafall gave her a hug (or tried to). You know, by running away screaming.
Kiba came to replace Saji, and Akeno to replace Tomoe. And since it would likely be the busiest time, we also had someone else show up. It shouldn't have surprised me as much as it did, but well...
"Magical Levia-tan will take your order now!"
Thankful I was incapable of dropping anything, I leaned over to look out the plate window, "Seriously?"
"Yes." Kiba (who was dressed as a shinsengumi member like his sword teacher) replied, though he didn't lean over to look back at me, "She arrived along with the Lord Sirzechs and Lady Grayfia. Young Lord Milicas is here as well."
"They'll have news about the games I'm guessing. While using the festival for cover." I mused, "Clever way to do the work, while putting off the paperwork."
"They do seem to like a more personal touch." A pause, "That will be 1000 yen. Thank you for your support." There was the clicking change, "Sensei, we might have to take your cookies off the menu. They've been very popular."
"Just so long as the normal people don't start throwing fireballs with my cast off mana..." I sighed.
"Matusda... Is that really the Ghost Big Sister, working in the kitchen?"
"I think it is Motohama." I looked through the plate window and gave them a wave with a spatula, "She seems to have taken off her tails today."
"Now now, please don't disturb the chef." Kiba said calmly, "Or else she might vanish like a ghost, and then we'd have no more chef."
Thump
"Take the cosplay club president to the infirmary!"
"Oh, let me buy a cookie first."
The festival came to a close, but my kitchen was still open for one last meal. The last ones in the door before it was closed to the public, were the entire ORC, the student council, as well as our guests from the underworld. We also had Kunou, Azazel, Leonardo the two Oni, and Kurin come in as well. Oddly enough, we were exactly at capacity for all the tables and chairs.
"Well, I hope you brought your appetites." I said from the doorway to the kitchen, "Because I don't have anywhere to put leftovers." I paused as everyone looked at me, "I'll take your orders now too."
"After all your hard work today, we can wait a little longer to discuss... politics." Sirzechs nodded, "And to be fair, I am rather hungry as well."
"Is it really that bad Lord Sirzechs?" Rias asked, just barely stopping herself from calling him 'big brother'.
"It's more bothersome than 'bad'." He replied.
"Stupid paper pushing no good bureaucrats..." Serafall grumbled, "If I could sparkle at them and not have yet more paperwork to do, I would!"
There was a little nervous laughter.
"Well, pick a representative for your tables, and bring me your orders. The entire menu is open, and unless you all order the exact same thing I shouldn't have a problem. Kurin, a word?"
While orders were being brought in, Kurin entered the kitchen looking like she was about to get in trouble with a teacher or something. "Y-yes Kodori-sama?"
"No need to hide. How's the shrine? I know it was a day off for all of our 'pay with food' labour, but still."
She stopped looking terrified and straightened up, "The ones who did come to help, regardless of whether they got lunch or not, helped us clean up the buildings. I am sure we could put all the walls in place, as well as the doors, without issue."
"And the exposed wood?"
"All painted with the varnish you made." She nodded.
"Good job." I nodded, "You've been a great help."
"It wasn't... I..." And back to looking like she was doomed again.
"Relax. Now go get the two Oni's orders and come back. Looks like I'm about to have some serious cooking to do."
Akeno helped me make tea while the cooking got done, and just so happened to have the right kind of tea made for the person the plate of food was going to. Some secret Miko power no doubt, to know who liked green tea over earl grey.
Finally, I sat down with them, a bowl of Witch's Stew (really just a hearty stew with oddly shaped potato bits and baby carrots) in front of me.
"So, what's the problem Sirzechs?" Azazel asked, his face a little red after eating the Dante's Inferno Curry (no I didn't add even more spice, honest.) "I thought all the games were planned. I mean, with all the delays, you'd think this would be done by now."
Sirzechs, after pushing his empty plate of Angel Vein Pasta (really just very thin spaghetti noodles in sauce) away, replied with "The arenas are done, the guests have been invited, the various channels have been set up for viewing. But the major houses lending the land to us for the games are arguing about who is playing where."
"It's so stupid!" Serafall grumbled, snarfing down the last of her 'Frozen Blood' (red bean ice cream). "If it wasn't for some of the teams being from the Pillar families, we could have just had the games in barrier spaces or on neutral ground, you know, like always."
"Now now." Sirzechs tried to calm his fellow Satan, "Grayfia?"
The picture perfect maid pushed her little empty plate away (Brain muffin. Normal bran muffin with cooked apple on top), and returned to her usual spot behind and to the left of Sirzechs, "Part of the issue is the recent attacks. With highly secured barrier spaces being compromised, terrorists attacking, the old Satan faction and other such incidents, the high ranking families have made a bid for where the games are to be held."
"Father did mention this." Rias nodded, putting her now empty plate of Devilled Eggs on top of the other empty plates at her table, "But I wasn't sure he was going to bother."
"He didn't." Sirzechs shook his head.
"No, Lord Gremory relented to the Sitri Family. The Sitri Family have the best medical facilities in the underworld. Barring the use of phoenix tears, they have the most advanced facilities and treatments available." Grayfia explained, "One of the rating games will take place on their lands."
A few eyes went to Sona, who smiled a tiny smile, but made no comment.
"This left us with the Bael and Agares clans." Grayfia continued, "Agares is the second most powerful clan in the underworld, just below the Bael clan, so any chance to take or earn glory is... hotly contested."
"What was decided in the end?" Rias asked.
"Agares won the bid for the honour of hosting the match. And while Lord Bael seemed to not care, he very much wanted the game hosted on his land." Sirzechs sighed, "It's for the best however that it didn't happen."
"This is so confusing..." Issei mumbled, drawing eyes to him, "I mean, is it really that big a deal where these happen? Devils have television too! Would it even matter if we had the games in some fancy place or in a little room someplace?"
Some sighed, others laughed. "Politics." Sona said, "The hosts earn glory, as well as show off how creative they can be when it comes to setting up a venue."
"Not to mention being able to show off just how well they care for the lawn." Azazel chuckled, "Think of it Issei, you want to invite a girl out and show her two pictures. One's a fancy restaurant, the other is a fast food place."
"I guess..." Issei grumbled, "I think I'm getting why everyone says 'politics' like a swear word now."
"So what's the problem?" I asked, "You have the venues, you have the teams, you even have the dates, so long as nothing happens, again." Something occurred to me, "Ah, something about the teams themselves?"
"Sharp as always." Sirzechs nodded, "Agares of course wants their heir to play on their field. And the Sitri want their heir to play on their field. A home team so to speak."
"Another chance to show off." Azazel sighed, "This is for the kids! Let them fight without all this garbage hanging over them."
"I agree. We all do." Sirzechs motioned to Serafall, "And while letting Bael have a field would have solved our problem, it might have caused problems all their own as well."
"Indeed." Grayfia picked up again, "While distasteful, Sairaorg is considered a failure by his family, all but disowned by the clan as a whole."
"Since he didn't inherit the clan's power of destruction." Rias explained to Issei who was about to interrupt.
"Just so." Grayfia nodded, "Sairaorg is considered the strongest of the young kings, and this upsets the Bael clan somewhat. They would much rather his younger brother rise in power over the 'exiled' son of the Bael clan."
"And if they hosted Sairaorg's match with Rias, and he won, it would be seen as an embarrassment instead of a triumph. Right?" I asked.
"Yes." Grayfia nodded.
I frowned and went back to eating my stew before I said something rude.
"In the end, we decided to let the two kings in question decide for themselves." Sirzechs said, "If you wouldn't mind heading to the underworld Sona. Seekvaira will be there, and you can decide."
"Maybe she'll ask for a game of chess." Sona mused, "Doubtful, but yes, I agree to this."
"As well, Rias, there has been a request for your retainer to visit a certain someone in the Sitri medical ward." His tone, and him not speaking to me directly meant this was 'official' devil business.
"Sensei? Do you have time tonight?" Rias asked.
"Sure. Just have a couple things to check in the lab and the like first." I replied, "I can be ready in about a half hour..." I looked to Sona.
"Cleanup will be handled by those not going."
"Fifteen minutes then."
Leonardo, silent and mostly ignored to this point yawned cavernously, Azazel saving him from falling into what was left of his curry (normal curry, not super spicy).
"I agree kiddo." Azazel said, lifting his hand off Leonardo's shoulder, "If you need me, you know the number. Let me know who's playing where, so we can get their security up to snuff."
"Don't jinx it Az-az." Serafall sighed.
They gave me a half hour anyhow, and I spent most of that time cleaning up the alchemy lab. There was no way I was going to be able to put it all back in place right now, but I could at least store the crystals eight in all, that had grown while the students took a tour of the glowing/bubbling/steaming/crystallizing liquids that went through the glass. Only one of them was a 'failure' an artificial ruby I wanted to use for a magic focus of some kind. At this point I was really just making things so I'd have them if I needed them. With how crazy things had been getting, I knew I'd need to constantly innovate and improve not just myself, but my tools, so, I was making base components as fast as I could for when I'd need them. As for the failed ruby, I put it into a jar and poured a dissolving agent over it. I could boil away what ever impurities had caused it to fail and try again later.
Among the grown crystals was a lump of artificial emerald. Thankfully who ever was watching over the room payed attention to the one hour limit, because I was just barely able to get the chunk of green crystal out of the beaker without breaking it. I chuckled as I looked at the other crystals... I was starting my own lightsabre crystal farm.
Locking and putting my very first paper sealing charm on the door, (a mystical version of a 'do not enter' sign), I went to my room, noted the chains were already gone, and opened the door.
"Umm, Delly?"
It was like someone had made my entire room into a cotton candy machine. Everything but the door, sink, bed, Jiru, my alchemy desk and light switches were covered in all kinds of web. Sheets of it.
"Ya boss?" From somewhere under the sheets of web, "It's not as bad as it looks, honest."
"What happened?" I closed the door behind me.
"Don't freak out or anything, okay?"
"Freak out? Why freak out? Weird stuff happens all the time." I paused, "I'm more... puzzled. How did a single fist sized spider make... like... a million times his own mass in web, in eight hours?"
"Well that's kind of the thing." There was some movement under the web, from behind the island counter between the kitchen and living room, "See... We were just taking a break, playing fetch while he digested right..."
A pair of fuzzy legs worked its way through the webbing, letting Delly out into open air again. The thing was however, they were as long as my forearms.
"Phew." She had a bit of web dangling off her hair and her tail needed to be brushed, but otherwise she was still the same wolf/fox eared Delly. "Well, I missed a throw, and the toothpick landed on your alchemy bench."
The legs were followed by two more legs, and a familiar looking eight eyed spider head.
"Well, instead of bringing back the toothpick, I think he ate a couple of your magic stones." Delly continued, "Then well, this happened."
Mr. Skitters was no longer a fist sized adorable fuzzy brown 'hell weaver' spider. As he wiggled the rest of himself through the gap in the webbing, his body was now about the size of my torso. Aside from being many times bigger, he was still kind of cute. I knelt down as he finished shaking his big round abdomen off.
"Is this true?" I asked him.
He lowered himself to the floor, and put his two front legs over his face.
"You have no idea how dangerous that might have been."
He backed up a tiny bit. Even made a little pouting noise.
"You fed him berries too?" I looked at Delly, who was also backing up a little, though without the pouting noise.
"Well, he needed a little more than the crickets... We're out of crickets by the way?"
I reached out paused for a moment, and poked Mr. Skitters between his collection of mandibles and eyes, "Your punishment, is to clean this up." Yes, I just booped the snoot on a giant spider. "I'm going to the underworld tonight for a short visit."
"Aww..." Delly pouted.
"As well, the reason for Mr. Skitters becoming Sir Skitters is to never leave this room. Ever." I sighed, "Come here, and hold still."
Sir Skitters taptaptap'ed closer, and I put my hand over the middle segment of his body, just behind his eyes, "What are you doing?" Delly asked, "And be gentle, he's still a good boy."
"Trying to feel his Ki. I mean, that's what it really is, not just feeling for his magic pulse... Huh... Yes, you really did become part monster..." I mimicked the 'pat behind the eyes' I'd seen Delly do, and Sir Skitters shivered happily, "By some fluke, or property of the magic stones. I really hope no one else figured this out before I got the dungeon bits back... You know, like Loki."
"Maybe it's because he's sort of your familiar as well?" Delly tapped her chin with a finger.
"Wait what?"
"Well, Jiru is like that too."
"Blup!"
"You feed him mana, take care of him, and all that, so he's connected to you. Kind of one step under where I am, since we're bound by formal contract and I can actually hide in your mana." Delly explained, "Here, in this room, you put out a lot of... magic noise. It's your territory, and your presence kind of leaves a mark on it. I mean, I thought you knew, since that's what you're doing with those ostrich eggs."
"I didn't know it was so... wide spread." I replied, because yes, that was exactly what I was doing with those eggs. They seemed to need a mana rich environment, if the exploded eggs were any clue.
"Huh, well, now you know? I mean, if you really wanted to, I'd bet you could promote him to a real familiar."
Sir Skitters did a little circle in place, then raised his front legs up and swayed side to side.
"And he seems to like that idea." Delly added, hovering down and patting his head.
"After I get back. You two need to clean up, and I need to shower before I head out with Sona... You didn't bury my coat under this stuff did you?"
"Oh, coming with?" I asked as I stepped into the ORC. Rias, Issei and Sona were there and having a bit of tea.
"Yes." Sona nodded, "Our families get along, and while we are rivals, I extended the invite to them."
"I'm... really curious actually about what other parts of the underworld are like. I mean..." Issei scratched the back of his head, "I'm supposed to learn about it, since I'm a devil now right?"
Rias smiled slightly, nodding, "Yes, and it has been a long time since I visited. It wasn't quite a second home, but it was a lot of fun." She looked at me, "No fancy dress? What happened to it?"
"It exploded when I changed into house sized fox." I replied, "And there hasn't been enough time for Riser Fashion to make me another." So yes, I was dressed in my nice black trench coat, hat and gloves.
"Oh? You can shape change now?" Issei asked excitedly, "Why haven't you during our sparring?"
"I'm not very good at it yet." I shrugged, "And I'm only most of the way to figuring out how to put my clothes away when I do it. Akeno had to make several dozen outfits for me while I got the basics down."
"Ahem. While it is not a school night, one of our games it tomorrow evening. We have little time." Sona set her tea cup down, "Since you have monopolized Sensei's time, I would like to return to training as soon as possible."
Now that I was more connected with the land, I could actually feel the effect that the teleport circle had on the ley lines. In the grand scheme of things, I only really noticed the power it used since I was curious and was watching for it. But, it took a lot more power than I could draw from the land just on my own. However, it didn't take more than I could produce on my own, but it would not be a comfortable trip if I were the only power source for such a long range teleport.
"Sensei is thinking again." Issei commented.
"I'd imagine her new perspective on things has opened her eyes to something new?" Sona asked.
"Yeah. Since... Since I accepted what I am, I can see more than I used to. Like youkai. But also the dragon veins. I almost don't need these glasses anymore..." I nudged my sunglasses up my nose a little.
"Well, don't stop wearing them. They go well with your coat." Rias commented, "It's a shame about your dress. But since this isn't a formal occasion..."
"Well, if you don't mind all black, I could change into it. I still can't do colour." I shrugged, "And no, I wear underwear under it."
"Damn." Issei mumbled.
We raised out of the floor to an open underworld sky. Cloudy as always, with the omni-directional lighting, it still felt like the dungeon. "The rooftop? Why here?" Rias asked.
"Don't you like to show off to your guests as well?" Sona smiled slightly.
The rooftop seemed to be the highest point within sight, and past the railings of the fairly large square platform, almost like a helicopter pad with Victorian railings, I could see lush forests and darkly sparkling rivers. We followed Sona to the edge of the platform, and looked over it. With the mildly ominous feeling in the air, and the lively sprawl of forests, it reminded me of the eighteenth floor of the dungeon.
Directly below us was a large, though not insanely so, building. Like a mix of 'haunted mansion' and 'hospital', done with the sharp steeples of a gothic church (without the crosses) it had the air of an old insane asylum. Just needed lightning in the background really...
"Ah, this is the hospital?" I asked, not turning to look at Sona as I took in the scene, "Oh, must be." I pointed to the unmistakable white uniform of a nurse pushing a wheelchair, no doubt helping the poor person in the chair take in the fresh air of an amazing garden/fountain square in a nice wide courtyard.
"Indeed. Seekvaria agreed to meet us here, since we would both like to get back to training. She wishes to break her losing streak, and I wish to keep mine." Her tone was without heat, but I could tell Rias was about to say something.
"True." I put a hand on Rias's shoulder, "So, lead on then."
The creepy exterior aside, the inside looked almost how you'd expect. The carpets, while nice looking, were a thin 'resist everything' type you'd find used for doormats. The walls were painted with a soothing grey that I could tell was stain resistant. The wood panelling was a nice dark colour, with a hard varnish over it, again to resist stains. They kept the style of an old asylum, but made it as sterile as possible while doing it. As much as devils didn't really get sick, they were at least trying to keep things clean.
Nice wide hallways with many rooms both private and shared, uniformed nurses and doctors hustled from place to place, barely sparing us any attention. A few of the staff seemed to know Sona, but even she got no more than an occasional nod. Another sign that these devils were professionals, putting the job above the politics.
Good. I could respect that.
"Here we are." Sona said, putting a finger across her lips for silence and opening the door quietly.
"Ah, thank you for coming." A quiet exclamation from inside as we followed her in, "I was unsure if you would be coming Lady Sona."
Just as quiet, she replied, "You may not ever by my subjects, but you are my guests. I would never turn my ears away from a request like this."
He was a tall and slender grey haired man dressed in a perfectly pressed butler suit. He had a neatly trimmed beard as well that matched his hair uniformly. While he had no outward 'devilish' features, I could tell by his Ki that he was. "Lady Rias, thank you for agreeing." He said to Rias with a deep bow, "News only reached me recently, and as you can see, we are slowly becoming more desperate." He straightened up, then looked at me, "This is her?"
He must have really been living under a rock if he didn't know me... I mean, everyone else in the underworld seemed to know who I was by now... I swear, beat up one high class arrogant devil, and suddenly everyone knows about you...
"Yes, this is Kodori Haruhime." Rias replied quietly, "I hardly had to be asked to be brought here, or for her to come."
I took a moment to give the room a better look. If there were a 'luxury' room in an asylum, this would be it. Almost as big as my apartment, it had a massive window overlooking the forest, nice smelling potted plants, a small 'clean area' with a sink and place to store surgical tools, and a massive bed.
In the middle of that bed, hooked up to a small machine and one of those I.V. bags, was a frail looking woman. Thin faced framed by long brown hair, she looked like she had been here a while now, and was simply wasting away slowly.
"I'll help if I can." I said looking away from the woman, "Tell me about it."
"I will take my leave to meet Seekvaria." Sona said quietly, brushing a hand through one of my tails when it went to visit her.
We waited until she left, then turned back to the old butler, "It's... An uncomfortable story."
"I have no care for politics." I replied, "And I hardly think Rias will care about any... painfully true words you might say."
"I will start with 'who' then." He said, looking relieved, "This is Lady Misla Bael, formerly of the Vapula clan. First wife of Lord Bael, she is Young Lord Sairaorg's mother."
I put the two faces side by side in my mind, "He has her nose." I nodded, "Though he's probably had it broken a few dozen times."
"Yes, Young Sairaorg is very much his mother's child, yet, he did not inherit the Bael family's Power of Destruction." He looked at Rias for a moment, then back to me, "When it was apparent he did not..." He took a deep breath, his next words making him look older, "She was considered a failure as a wife, and he a son."
Behind me I heard Issei grumble and Rias say, "This is a hospital Issei."
"To be direct, Young Sairaorg was essentially banished to a small corner of the Bael lands, to be forgotten. But instead of staying by Lord Bael's side, Lady Misla followed him. Staying by her son's side while the rest of the family tried to forget about him." He sighed, looking at her, "Devils almost never get sick. Those who look as I do, choose to out of a sense of personal style. As the years wear on us, yes, sometimes we even start to age without truly realizing what is happening. No, when a devil falls ill like this, it is usually out of despair. Several years of the two of them, struggling to survive at the edge of the Bael wild lands, cut off from her family, shunned by her husband, with only her son, myself, and one other to rely on for even basic needs. It wore on her."
"I'd very much like to kick Lord Bael in the shin." I said, startling the butler, but making Issei and Rias laugh quietly, "Suffering from a broken heart and over work huh..."
We all looked at the sleeping lady for a moment, while I thought about what I could even do here. I mean... If she was injured, I could make a potion for that. If she was simply sleeping, or unconscious, I could make something for that too. But a full coma?
The door opened behind us quietly, "Oh, this is unexpected."
We turned to see Sairaorg come into the room, closing the door behind him, "Young Lord." The butler bowed, "Forgive me for reaching out, but..."
"It's fine." He waved it off, "Actually I'm happy you did. She doesn't get enough visitors." He came to stand by the bed with the rest of us, "Yeah, this is mom." He nodded, "'Just because I can' isn't the only reason I plan on being a Devil King." He knelt and put his two big hands around the the hand with the I.V. line in it carefully, "Even when I was tossed out on my ear, she followed me instead of staying in the castle. She encouraged me to improve in every way possible, even if I didn't have much magic power, or the 'family' ability." He said 'family' much how I said 'kick Bael's shin'. "I owe her everything."
He said that like he meant it, making me think of how I spoke of Hestia. Adorable cream puff of a Goddess that She was, She was so much more than how I got my status updated. Even bringing me out of the darkest places, when even my wife couldn't.
"She gave me life, she made sure I survived until I could take care of myself, she gave me another path to become strong on my own." He put her hand down, though he kept on hand over it, "I owe both the Sitri and Gremory a lot. For taking care of her, and helping us survive until now. But above all, I owe my mother everything."
"We're cousins. It's the least we could do." Rias replied.
"But. I don't want you to feel any sympathy for me. Or her." He let her hand go finally and stood, looking at us, "I want to fight you all seriously. I'm going to win, and keep winning, and prove my mother was right to stay by my side."
He shed the grim atmosphere like a cloak, his smile back in place, "She gave me this body, and I will use it, in her name, to prove that neither of us are failures."
"We have no intention of letting you win." Rias said.
"I knew you had your reasons for getting so strong, Sairaorg-san." Issei nodded, "But I promised President I would never lose again."
"We'll see who's will is stronger then." He nodded, looking at me, "Why the face? I wasn't including you in that by the way." He grinned while rubbing the spot where I'd almost punched him.
"Rias. I'll be back in the morning." I put a hand on Sairaorg's elbow, "I'm gonna follow him home."
"What?" From Rias.
"What?" From Sairaorg.
"What?" From Issei.
"I'll be back in the morning."
Rias shook her head to get rid of the surprise, "If you're too late, you can just follow Sairaorg. There's going to be a little press conference tomorrow morning."
"Not another meet and greet?" Issei groaned, "I felt so... awkward..."
"That will be after." Rias gave his shoulder a pat.
"Oh right." Sairaorg sighed, "The usual chest beating before a match."
"Sure. I'll let you know either way." I nodded, "I've already given you my notes about his peerage, so I won't be bringing any new information with me." Basically saying I wasn't going to spy on him for her.
Rias frowned a little but nodded, "Understood. Let's go Issei."
"Yes President."
Hand still on his elbow, I looked up at him, "Well?"
"Being a bit forward aren't you? Thought you were married?" He grinned, not at all put off by how close I was, or how forward I was being. "What's your deal here?"
"I've got an idea." I nodded to his mother, "You wouldn't happen to like fishing would you?"
"Na, too boring."
"Oh good."
We used a different teleport circle than the one on the rooftop. Much like the Phoenix Inc. Hospital we went to after the game with Riser, this place also had a dedicated ground floor room for such travel.
"Already done your homework about us then?" He grinned as the floor lit up around us and we sunk into the floor.
"Every match you've had, and what little we could find publicly. I'm not much of a spy, but I'm good at strategy." I admitted flatly, "Aside from your pawn, they know everything anyone else could figure out."
"Yeah, he's a bit of an odd one. But that's okay." He laughed, the sky changing above us as we started to raise out of the ground, "My queen is the one with that job. Oh boy... hope she doesn't misunderstand."
"Potential missus then?" I teased, taking a look around.
It wasn't much really. There was a respectable log cabin that was in good repair. A small cleared area around it for things like chopping logs, a garden an the like... Typical 'cabin in the woods' feeling.
He didn't rile to the teasing, "Well, you are from the opposing team's camp. The first assumption most people would make-"
I suddenly felt VERY heavy. Like my entire body had abruptly tripled in weight. The ground cracked under my feet as the effect increased, and I strained to brace myself properly lest my legs break at the sudden shifting of downward force. My body instantly went into full combat readiness, as something almost exactly the same as Mikoto's gravity magic pressed down on me.
"is to expect trouble... Hey! Knock it off! She's a guest!"
Uncaring about petty things like 'gravity' a pair of car sized foxes shook themselves out of my tails. They were my eyes as I focused on keeping my feet. From the edge of the clearing, a wood cutter's axe over his shoulder, was a tall blond haired man in reasonably functional half plate. They stood between me and the new face, ready for my command. I took a step towards him, my foot cracking the ground like a pane of glass.
"Yes M'lord." Liban blinked, and the effect ended slowly, easing off instead of cutting off, letting me keep my balance without any trouble. He bowed slightly, setting the axe down, "My apologies, Demon Fox. I had assumed trouble before asking."
I dispelled the foxes, stood up straight and turned slowly to look at the blond knight directly. "Liban Crocell." I said, "Knight. Has the ability to increase the gravity of an object." This was about all I knew of him personally, aside from his usual weapon being a sword and not a wood axe.
"Figured this might happen, sorry." Sairaorg sighed, "We're all kinds of battle maniacs here. Always ready. Speaking of, where is everyone?" He asked Liban, who had picked up the axe again and approached the cabin, setting beside the door.
"Most of us are on the field. Warming up for the game. I lost a bout with Buruka, so I had tree duty before dinner." Liban explained, "When I felt the unfamiliar presence, I left the tree and came here directly."
"Right, well, lets get you introduced before someone else takes a shot at you." He shrugged and chuckled, "I'm real glad you're not the angry type. Good grief. Aside from the free tears we get for a rating game, none of us are any good at more than first aid."
"I've gotten a little calmer recently." I nodded, "Lead the way."
'The Field' was exactly as advertised. A giant, open field. Mostly flat it was covered in many small craters and other such signs of 'heavy use' by super powered people. While fairly large, it was at the edge of what looked like an semi-active caldera. Past the field was blasted ruined land, a true 'out of a book' hellscape. The butler wasn't joking when he said 'edge of the territory'.
The field itself was in use, with his entire peerage present and performing some kind of exercise be it with another or solo. All except one.
"Master!" A short boy with spiky bright orange hair popped up from behind a nearby boulder. His clothes looked fairly fancy, much like Sairaorg, but while the King of the peerage wore his dressy white shirt and slacks with his own style, (open at the front to show off the washboard abs under his black undershirt) this kid seemed to wear the fancy clothes... kinda because he had to. Like he was told 'wear something' and wore the first thing given to him.
Reminded me of Wiene actually.
"Hey Kiddo." Being nearly two metres tall, Sairaorg towered over the kid, but he greeted him with a pat on the head, "I brought a guest." He used the hand on the boy's head to turn him to face me, "This is Kodori."
Without replying, he ducked his head away from his King's hand, and moved towards me. His posture was deliberate, his eyes curious, like an animal wondering if I was something to play with, or hunt. "She smells pretty." He said after a moment, halting just out of arm's reach, "Ohhh is that Cerberus hide?"
I raised an eyebrow at him, then nodded, "Yes." I didn't think he'd be a handshake kind of person, so I gave him a little bow, "You must be Regulus." The only one of Sairaorg's peerage that I didn't have more than a name and face for. He had been present at the games, but never participated, aside from just showing up.
"Cerberus taste terrible." He replied.
"Manners." Sairaorg put a hand on the kid's shoulder, "Sorry. He's a bit of an oddball. But yeah, this is Regulus." He applied a vigorous hair ruffle, making the kid laugh, "And stop sniffing the guests, seriously."
"I'd rather smell pretty and someone say so than dirty and have no one mention it." I laughed, "So who threw the rock at you?" I asked Regulus, noting that the boulder he'd appeared from had the distinct skid mark of a heavy thrown object.
"Oh that was Gandoma." He replied breezily, "He said he needed a target and that I was being lazy."
Gandoma himself was approaching us. Of all the Devils I'd met so far, he was the least 'human' looking. Huge, at nearly three metres tall, with a solid physique... He looked like one of his parents was an earth elemental. The colour of his skin was that of grey/brown stone, and he had all kinds of rocky protrusions all over his arms face and torso. Maybe if The Thing from the Fantastic Four had a son or something...
"Lord Sairaorg." Gandoma's voice was mountain deep like his body suggested it would be, "He was napping during training again."
"Naps are serious business!"
"Come on, we have a game this weekend. No slacking off." More hair ruffling followed.
"Finnnnne."
"I see we have a guest." Gandoma looked down at me, "Your match with Riser was inspiring."
He didn't even glance at Sairaorg to question my presence, and instead gave me a short bow, "It was an interesting day for sure. Unlike some I've met, you're perfectly suited to be a Rook." I returned the bow, "You put in some real work in your match against Seekvaira."
He nodded thanks, and behind him I could see the others approaching us. The first to arrive was a knight. Equipped in a full set of plate armour, riding a frost grey horse who was also in plated barding, he was both a Knight and Knight chess piece. Beluga Furcas, Sairaorg's second knight looked like he was right off the jousting field, complete with a metal lance, braced point upwards with the butt of the lance held in a little leather cup near his saddle stirrup.
He used no word or tug at the reins to stop the horse, the great beast stopping a respectful distance away and holding steady while he dismounted. "Lord Sairaorg." He greeted, "The Demon Fox herself as a guest? An interesting day it has been."
"She followed me home after I visited." He didn't seem to need to mention who he visited either, getting a nod from Gandoma and Beluga both.
Next to arrive were, two woman and a young man. His two bishops and queen. In the lead, dressed in a blue 'business' one piece (never liked these things, way too short of a skirt) was a blond haired lady. Despite her dress (like seriously... in combat?) she was wearing sensible (still classy) leather boots. I knew her name and class, Coriana, Bishop. And from the games I'd seen, she was a dab hand with ice magic.
Next, dressed in a blue shirt, shorts and a white cape, was the young man. He reminded me a little of Gasper, and if I didn't know better I'd have thought he was a she. Though, the green hair and violet eyes and slight build didn't help. This was Misteeta, Bishop. And from what I'd seen, an ace with fire magic.
Last was Kuisha. Another blond beauty, she was far more... refined than Coriana. Hair done up in braids instead of loose, dressed in a more sensible shirt and pants (though her shirt exposed a lot of cleavage...) she just had a more... noble look to her. She noticed me noticing her, and her eyes took on the exact expression that Akeno's would when she was amused at something. She had all the same bearings as the queen of the peerage, and from the matches I'd watched, had a respectable mastery of magic, and a lot of power to back it up.
"Lord Sairaorg." The three of them said at once, "Welcome back."
"Thank you." He nodded to them, "As you can see, we have a guest for dinner. And while I still don't really get why she's here, she's on the up and up, so be nice to her."
They all looked at me with varying degrees of raised eyebrow, but nodded, "Kodori Haruhime." I said, "I just wanted to get to know him a bit better. He seems an interesting fellow."
Regulus's stomach grumbled like someone ten times his size hadn't eaten in a week.
"Yeah might as well break for dinner then. Our match is either tomorrow or Sunday."
"It'll be tomorrow." I said confidently, "Sona won't care where her match is, just that she can get another day to get ready."
They all looked at me, then Sairaorg laughed, "Hadn't thought about that. Doesn't matter. Who's turn was it to hunt something?"
NOTES!
And so we meet 'the opposition'. There isn't much to go on for them. Like most people in DxD, unless they are Issei and the gang, they get one hot second in the spotlight, then fade into the background. Sad really, but it gives me some space to imagine what they're like.
Party on. See you next time.
Ko-fi, Daeore. All donations welcome.
