Responding to reviews 101
Just to note, I won't respond to reviews without a name anymore.
Have A Little Feith: Now you're making me feel bad, given how today's the 28th for me. bu anyway, Happy belated Birthday! And yes, life did get in the way.
DINO CRISIS 1: For Point 1, it is a flaw. A flaw that many writers are willing to abuse. When it comes to point two, I do believe I've stated that Rias isn't bad to her peerage members. She also isn't the kindest person out there, just like the current situation she's gotten herself into because of the way I potrayed it here. I don't think I made Issei a bigger loser here. It's just that if you consider it, Akira's pretty much an Endgame boss, while Issei isn't past the starting point by a wide margin. Honestly, not going to lie, he's only got the Boosted Gear going for it and let's be real here for a second, that's something he gets by sheer luck. He's like the guy who rolls an SSR with a single free ticket in FGO.
Karibanu: I do agree that devils make for interesting characters simply because they are inherently different from humans.
Siegfried XIII: This is my answer to my own question I posed to myself, to see if I could redo it differently. I wouldn't say this one is better, it's more correct to call this different.
Gamelover41592: No, this isn't Rias bashing, This is exploring the difference between a devil and a human's mindset, see how their ideologies clash.
Maxim7: For one, he has the right to be smug. He knows what he's going up against and honestly, he doesn't have a good idea of a Satan's firepower just yet. And yes, I may perhaps interpret him differently from you.
"So the shitty devil's gotten quick enough to dodge this one, eh? But can you dodge this one?"
Holy fuck he's fast. He can barely dodge this one as well. His eyes finally catch a glimpse of the culprit behind the assault. "You're that insane priest!"
"Yes, yes I am. Glad you can remember me. Now, DIE!" How is he moving so fast? The last time they fought, he didn't have this kind of speed. He can't dodge this slash, should he just tank it?
As usual, Ddraig provides a tip for him. [Use your dragon arm to block! That's a Holy Sword!] Shit! Any Holy item that has to do with the guy upstairs apparently hurts devils real bad. He braces himself, as it cuts past the cast and into his arm slightly, as expected. It hurts like how it would hurt if a sword cut into him. He doesn't want to find out what would happen if it cut into any part of his body that's not his left arm, given how he's still a Devil.
"You aren't screaming in pain? Did that shitty old man lie to me?" Shitty old man? He's going to have to keep in mind those words. Who's that old man he's referring to? Did he give the sword to Freed? And what kind of Holy Sword is that exactly?
[Boost!] "You won't get me like this!"
Clang!*
A slash from his fellow Knight who appears out of nowhere provides him a bit more breathing room. "Kiba!" He's glad that Kiba showed up at the right time. [Boost!]
"Stay out of my way!" Wait, what? He's pretty sure that the blonde bishounen has never shown such anger before, so why show it now? No, there's no point in thinking now. He's got to stop getting distracted by everything. They clash a few more times, but it's clear that Kiba's Knight speed doesn't appear to be as swift as whatever is making Freed move so fast.
[Transfer!] His Boosted Gear transfers whatever he has to Kiba, giving him the speed to match up. Right now, it would be overkill to activate Balance Breaker, so being support is more fitting.
"Tch, so you've got a few tricks up your sleeve, eh? Well, playtime's over!" Freed pulls out a canister, the pin already pulled out and throwing it onto the floor. A smoke grenade! He had used that same tactic to retreat last time. "See you next time, shitty devils!"
And it's too late to stop him, as smoke spurts out of the canister, obstructing their vision as the priest sneaks away under the cover of the smoke.
"Damm it!" Kiba slams a fist into the nearby wall the moment the smoke clears, showing no sign of their previous battle. Why is Kiba mad? There's no way it's just because the priest escaped, right?
"Thanks for helping me, Kiba." The encounter had been short but intense. He didn't want to find out what getting cut by a Holy Sword was like.
Kiba's oddly distracted for a moment before he replies, returning to what Issei deems 'bishounen mode'. "No problem. I just didn't expect a stray priest to have the audacity to attack you. Why are you out here so late? Shouldn't you be at home resting?"
"..." He had hoped that Kiba wouldn't ask that question. "I decided to come out for some fresh air." He lies.
"Alright then. I'll head back first." As Kiba begins to walk away, it is at this point in time that Issei realizes something. Kiba didn't push any further when he was lying. For one, he's a pretty shitty liar. All his friends tell him that, so there's no way that Kiba wouldn't have noticed him lying. It can only mean one thing.
Kiba doesn't care enough to ask what's the matter. He doesn't blame the Knight.
Issei does not know his peerage members very well either. Sure, they interact in a friendly manner when they are together. Akeno occasionally teases everyone in the ORC. Kiba is there smiling and often responds as well. Koneko simply sits there and speaks a word or two at any given time. And Buchou...
But once the ORC and devil-related matters are taken out of the equation, however, it suddenly feels like he doesn't know them very well. Why is Koneko so silent all the time? Why does Kiba not accept any girl's confession? Why does Akeno like to tease everyone? Why did Buchou come to Japan in the first place?
All of them, they surely have stories of their own, but he has yet to even delve into them. He has only scratched the surface. Everyone's hiding something, he's sure of it. And it seems that no one wants to pry into each other's matters. It feels like the bond between them isn't very strong, once you take out the two things that bind them together. It's something that could definitely use some work. Should he make an effort to interact with them outside of devil-related matters?
With a deep breath, he makes his decision. "Hey, Kiba. Mind if we talk?"
Akira's POV
Shit's going down, he can feel it.
Perhaps the duo standing across the street might be able to provide some answers for him, provided that the two of them are not ordinary by any means and he's met one of them before already. The fact that both of them are here and approaching him means that something big is going down.
His knife slides out, at the ready as a precaution while he stares across the street. On one end, it is him standing, ready to engage at any moment as his fingers immediately grasp the handle of his trusty weapon. On another end, there are two people. One of them is Raynare. He isn't worried about her, she's proven to be rather weak so there's no point in focusing her on now.
The man that's next to her, however, is another can of worms. Even if he looks sleazy and shady as hell, Akira's not going to judge based on appearance alone. "Who are you?"
"Man, I'm sure that there's no need for hostilities, right?" True. That statement would be true. If it wasn't for the fact that his Third Eye is also activated. While the Third Eye may not have much utility in battle, analyzing people like this is no problem. It is highlighting that blonde man with the colour of red alongside the aura of tainted light surrounding him. Red, typically means a dangerous opponent and he should consider if taking him on as an enemy is worth it or not. A Fallen Angel, no doubt about it. As to which fallen angel? In fact, he had a good guess already as to who he is, given how the several Personae that fall under the category of Abrahamic faith have reacted the moment he appeared.
"It doesn't help that she over there was the one who nearly killed me and the nun." The blonde man winces slightly, as well as Raynare.
"Look, if you put the dagger down, I'm sure we can have a nice and amicable talk." He doesn't let go of his knife.
It is foolish to let go of his primary form of defense that is not his Persona. Plus, it would take time to rip off his mask so his knife can help to buy a bit of time as well. "Surely you can say whatever you want to say over there, Azazel of the Fallen."
"Come on, don't be like that, Satanael."
"...I am Akira Kurusu. Not Satanael."
"Alright then, Kurusu-san. May we have a proper talk? I swear on my honor as the Governor of the Grigori that I just want to have a talk with you." Should he consider it?
"Lead the way."
Azazel seems to be quite familiar with the town, if his ease of navigating to a nearby cafe is anything to go by. Akira makes a mental note of this.
"Alright, first of all, I would like to apologize on behalf of my subordinates for their treatment of you."
He doesn't immediately accept the apology. "I've got a few questions of my own. Why did they try to extract a Sacred Gear from an innocent person?"
"That... is difficult to answer." Raynare, at the side, does not dare to make even the slightest of sound, probably in fear of angering him. "But to put it simply, it was an order that had been passed down wrongly."
"I see. And why would someone falsify an order?"
Azazel grimaces. Clearly, this is a much more sensitive topic than he imagined. "Before I tell you this, do you mind agreeing to a request of mine?"
"Why should I?"
"You can consider it a mutually beneficial exchange. Plus, this request will help lead to the perpetrator."
"Tell me about it."
"Can you change a heart?"
He knows. Azazel knows. "How did you know?" He frowns, trying to not show how much that revelation affected him.
In response, Azazel laughs. "Oh come on, you think I wouldn't keep track of such an interesting incident? I mean, it was highly possible that it had been done with the aid of a Sacred Gear even if there's no previous record, which is why I kept track of it. The change in heart, as you call it, caused too much of an abrupt change to your targets, to be done with just simple magic, unless the target has been hiding the fact that he was close to breaking down already, which I highly doubt it.
If you truly used simple magic to manipulate the people, it would simply wear off in time, a change of behavior that hasn't been reported in any of the victims. The moment the fourth instance was reported, I immediately had several men keep track of the proceedings. but there wasn't any point going after it in the end, since it clearly wasn't a Sacred Gear that did it in the end." So he's trying to research Sacred Gears?
"And what made you think so?"
"Simple, really. The last reported instance by my men was in December. After that, no more instances popped up, which only meant two things. One, either the cases had been moved overseas, which was highly unlikely given how none of my people overseas reported anything. Or two, you simply couldn't pull it off again because you lost the means to do so. There's no way you wouldn't stop doing it, after all and there were no Sacred Gear extractors that were missing from the inventory at that time. You, however, were marked as a person of interest." There's more to the last few words. This fallen angel is frighteningly sharp. Azazel is correct. If the Metaverse still existed after Yaladbaoth's death, there was a high chance that he would have continued to use it.
Azazel must have a separate record of the case files, in that case. So Futaba's measures failed against the Grigori. Not exactly the worst-case scenario, since he doesn't appear to be hostile. The only question is, will he try to touch anyone involved in the case? If he did do his research, then he should have been able to link together a number of people to him. If someone like Sae can already find out the people he's frequently come into contact with, surely it would be a piece of cake for Azazel. The good thing is, due to the number of people he has associated himself with, it becomes harder for Azazel to narrow it down and his regular meetings with his team members can be simply written off as a clique meeting up together.
"I'm afraid it's the latter." He admits. It's the easiest way to go. Takes away any suspicion from his team.
"So you can't change the heart. Very well then. In that case, my request is for you to bring someone in."
"Before that, I want to ask a question."
"What is it?"
"If you had me marked as a person of interest, then why was I never approached? You had plenty of opportunities to approach me. Not only that, but there are also probably other factions who would have seized the chance to approach me as well." Those words from earlier left him rather unsettled.
"You'll be surprised at how easily some things are overlooked sometimes. And since you did not perform the act again, naturally many would lose interest over time. Anyway, back to the request. I want you to bring someone in, preferably alive."
"I have one more question that I'll like you to answer later on. Is that fine with you?" With a nod from Azazel, they get back to the main topic of the conversation. "So who do you exactly want me to bring in? And on what grounds?"
"Well, the person in question is trying to start a Great War all over again. I'm sure you know what that means." Great War? So that's why. Great, so he's going to be interfering with the supernatural's version of politics. And he pretty much has to, if he wants to stop a war from happening once again that could no doubt destroy the everyday status quo. Most humans were no doubt ignorant of the supernatural, that's for sure. That alone should be more than enough reason for him to do this request. "As for your target, his name is Kokabiel. You know him?"
Should.
"A Fallen Angel?"
"Not just any Fallen Angel." Azazel corrects. "He's the Star of God. He was one of the few Cadres of the Grigori, a ten-winged fallen angel to be precise. He's trying to reignite past feuds by using stolen Excaliburs from the Vatican." So, basically a political issue. His mind begins to link several things together. Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri are basically devil royalty that have a high standing in devil society, being siblings of two of the leaders of Hell.
If Kokabiel were to murder them with what is considered Church property, the- "Hold on. Did you just say, Excaliburs? As in plural form?" He wasn't sure if he heard it right. Within him, he can tell that Oberon is both equally confused and angry, as the fae has been the safe keepers of the Promised Sword before.
"Oh right. Excalibur was broken and it was reforged into seven different swords. Six of the parts are kept by the Church, while the last is said to be missing." He tries to contain the overwhelming emotion within him, as this is news for him and Oberon as well. He manages to process this in a logical manner, not allowing the emotions that his Personae feel to overwhelm him, thankfully. There are several issues with this.
The elephant in the room. How can a sword like Excalibur be broken? Excalibur, it holds a level of fame that is comparable to its power. Oberon can testify to it.
"Excalibur is an unrivaled blade. When it was left in our care, we blessed it before it was handed to the Lady of the Lake."
And the other glaring issue. How can it still deserve the title of Excalibur if it's already broken? It was broken down, meaning those seven that were reforged could never even become Excalibur. For one, the Church was the organization to reforge it. Even if they try to slap the label onto it, those seven blades are not on the level of Excalibur.
"It also lacks our enchantments."
Oberon sounds rather smug at that statement. Fae magic, huh.
"It is a blade that has been tempered in the breath of the planet itself."
A blade sheathed in the breath of the planet? As much as it is intriguing, he has no time for Oberon's lesson on Excalibur. 'Enough, Oberon. We will talk about this when we encounter the blades.' There is a high chance that they will encounter these fragments. He can reserve the judgment for when the encounter happens.
"So... you're saying that this Kokabiel was the one to steal the Excaliburs, and he wants to use it to start another war? He was also the one who ordered her to extract the Sacred Gear of the nun?"
"Got it in one."
"So why would I help you? I'm not exactly a vengeful person, nor do I see any other point. You can probably even do it yourself if you wanted to." He isn't a hero. He isn't some sort of vigilante. Ok, that might be a bit off the mark, but he isn't exactly someone to perform heroic acts just because an opportunity presents itself. He isn't someone who will willingly throw himself in harm's way for complete strangers. The Phantom Thieves thing was mostly a one-time gig, something that he did when he didn't exactly think it through until he found himself too deep to stop.
"For one, Kokabiel might be odd but he's no fool. He acted as God's strategist at one time and his title is the Watcher of Stars, which is saying a lot. If I show even a hint of catching onto his plan, he will either ditch the plan or go through with it so fast that we would have no time to respond. Not only that, if I tried to move any of my agents that are already not here in Kuoh in, but he would also notice it. The devils would also take it as a sign of aggression.
The only advantage I have right now is that I have figured out who his spies are, allowing me to control the flow of information much more easily, which is why he hasn't caught on and acted much earlier than expected. The bad news is, at best, we've got two weeks tops before he enacts those plans. You are perhaps the only neutral party within Kuoh who is not exactly hostile with the devils and can provide the firepower to take him down." Those... are remarkably good points. He can't actually find a way to refuse. "Plus, it's not like I'm asking you to do this for free." That gives him an idea.
"Alright then. Say if I do this task for you. Do you think you can dig up information on what the Hero Faction is?" Azazel's face darkens at the mention. It's clear that he knows what the Hero Faction is. Interesting. "So you know about them."
"They are a part of a bigger group that I'm currently investigating. Not much is known about them." Azazel stops there. Clever. So no dice until he finds the target. But the fact that they are part of a larger organisation is more than enough information. Which means they probably have access to more resources and allies.
"I see. And I assume I'll get the rest of your information once I bring in Kokabiel?"
"Naturally. Now, ask your question."
"If you marked me as a person of interest, surely you must have seen me or at least have an account of me summoning the fallen angel. We both know that the events on the day before Christmas Eve couldn't be hidden so easily, especially with you having admitted to monitoring me. You clearly had more than one opportunity to approach me as well. Why didn't you do so?" Throw in another factor to his previous question and suddenly it becomes more important.
"Let's just say, politics. Tokyo counts as part of the land belonging to the Shinto, even if they are more focused in Kyoto. Now let me ask you something. Who exactly are you, to be able to hold and summon forth the soul of a fallen angel?" Azazel leans forward, clearly interested in hearing an answer.
"... I am a human."
All smiles are gone, every single pretense from him is shed. Azazel is agitated. Why? Do Satanael and Azazel share a bond that no one could ever break? "No being from any race, much less a human could possibly summon and control a fallen angel just like that." Of course, Azazel isn't saying it like he's putting humans down. Rather, it appears to be more of a fact. How about he disproves that notion?
His next response is to bring forth the fallen angel in question, with his Persona's agreement of course. Azazel won't let this topic drop, judging by how passionate he sounded a few moments earlier. He's weighed the options. Is bringing Satanael out truly worth it? It's not just to make sure that Azazel will bugger off. It also means that he can get a few more answers. How does Satanael relate to the Grigori? Why has Azazel been searching for him? Why did he call Akira out as Satanael?
In a burst of blue flames, Satanael appears behind him.
"If everyone says it's impossible, that just means that they haven't seen a possibility yet."
"How?! You were missing. Considered dead by all of us!" Azazel towers over Akira as he stands up, slamming his hands on the table. Out of emotion, no doubt. He can feel what Satanael feels. Seeing an old comrade, it is akin to nostalgia. But Satanael doesn't respond. It is up to Akira whether he wants to reveal his powers or not, after all. Raynare, at the side, shudders upon seeing the Persona once more, clearly remembering how easily she got dealt with in the past.
"I summoned him. It's my ability, as a human." He decides to confess. He keeps track of Azazel's response. Why is it so shocking?
"How are you emitting the presence of a fallen angel while you have Satanael summoned? It isn't as simple as just mimicking the presence of one, which can be easily done with various spells and artifacts. Hell, how can you summon him like that? The first possibility that comes to mind is something tied to the soul, but it's a field of study that is rather tricky to delve into. And he's already supposed to be dead! No one knows where the souls of the fallen go after they die, but there he is, sitting right next to you!" The fallen angel slumps down on his chair, his earlier outburst done, waiting for an answer.
Persona. The one magic allowed to Akira Kurusu. What exactly defines a Persona? Is it truly just based on the legends that humans have crafted around them? What is exactly the Sea of Souls? Are there other factors to take into consideration when it comes to manifesting a specific Persona? Most importantly, he's also what's called a Wild Card, meaning he can hold more than one Persona, unlike the rest of his teammates. What is the limit? With the World Arcana, he's capable of housing more than a hundred Persona. Can he have even more? Well, he didn't think that he would have been able to house so many Personae up till now. Those are just some of the multiple questions that even the user himself has yet to answer.
"It is based on the soul, yes. A soul, in the end, is still a soul. Even fallen angels have souls, do they not?" His response does little to sate the curiousity of Azazel. For one, they all came from a place known as the Sea of Souls, but it's not like he knows where or what exactly it is.
As for the way his powers work, if he were to properly describe it, it would be his soul taking on the property of a certain Persona to manifest the Persona, while becoming the Persona in the process. But it also has its own drawbacks. For one, if he's not careful enough when manifesting Personae that have very differing mindsets, then it would be up to him to maintain a level of decorum to keep himself from acting out of character.
For example, Pixie is mischievous in nature, a trait that does not deviate too much from his own character as he can easily offset it by teasing others or playing small pranks. But someone like a Demon of the Ars Goetia that brings out the darkest parts within him would require a lot of control, lest it overwhelms him. Despite his mental fortitude, it slips out at times. The only reason why he can manifest Satanael with ease is that Satanael is the one that he's awakened to(technically it was Arsene), as well as being the most attuned to. He dismisses Satanael, who vanishes in a flash of blue again, leaving him as a human once again.
"That's the most radical line of thought I ever heard. If so, then that would mean manipulation of the soul down to the very base level! You can't just change a soul like that!"
"Well, I'm here in front of you, aren't I?" It would take nothing but a single thought to become a God, as well as another to become a Demon. Quite literally. Hell, he could be more than just that. Oberon, Fae. Seiryu, Dragon. Asura, well, Asura. To place emphasis on his words, Satanael retreats to the back of his mind, reverting his presence from that of a fallen angel back to a human to place emphasis on his point even further.
"You have no idea how much I want to drag you to my lab right now." Akira's gotten a pretty good grasp on his personality, at this point. He's slightly unnerved by the look that Azazel gives him, which is a mixture of curiosity, glee, and disbelief as if he was a 8-year-old that got a Christmas gift early.
"You would also be left with no one to deal with Kokabiel." He points out.
"Well, I could take a risk..." Azazel begins.
Akira cuts in. "But is it worth dragging me to your lab? Or is having a guaranteed chance to stop a potential war more important? Also, fair warning, I won't go willingly." It perhaps wouldn't be too hard to stop the rogue Fallen Angel. The only variable is, how strong is Kokabiel?
"Bloody spoilsport." Not the first time he's been called one, but there are priorities.
"Is there anything else you'll like to say?" It's getting late, for one.
"How do you think Raynare over here should be punished?" The subject of the current conversation perks up, before drooping as she realizes his words.
"...Why me? I thought a good scare would have been enough."
Azazel shakes his head. "She risked starting another Great War without declaring her presence in Kuoh and killing a Sacred Gear on Devil Territory."
"Her Wings should have been the price."
Another Persona wants to give his input. Now that Metatron mentions it, had the one he summoned in the Church been an Angel, the event would have a rather nasty conclusion.
"... Her wings would have been clipped instead. Would you prefer that?" Raynare flinches at that, for good reason.
Wings are the symbol of the Devils, Fallen Angels and Angels, despite their differences. It is one of the things that make a Fallen Angel a Fallen Angel. The same concept applies to other races who have a racial trait. Much like how Dragons have a reverse scale, for example. Not only that, but the wings are also where magical energy is more concentrated, and it acts as part of the system within the body that allows them to channel their racial energy, light for the angels and fallen angels and demonic power for the devils for example.
Take the wings away they're so proud of away, they're no better than a human, at best they will have a better body. There has been no known recovery method for such an injury, hence many try to avoid getting their wings damaged, or reinforce their wings to the point where nothing short of an Ultimate Class attack can damage it.
There are some who take more pride in their wings as compared to others. But even so, every single one of them has some degree of pride for their wings. To them, losing the wings that give them dominance over other races can be said to be a fate worse than death. It would cripple their ability to make use of their racial energy, due to the system that channels energy in their bodies being incomplete and being unable to form a full cycle.
"Explain."
Metatron doesn't speak anymore. "She would have died. She could have been subjected to the worst psychological torture that anyone could have experienced and forced to live on until the end of her lifespan." He lists down various other ways it could have gone down. If it was neither an Angel nor a Fallen Angel that was summoned, there was a chance that the entire church would have gone down with it, after all. If another Persona took the place of Satanael that night when his emotions were running wild, their very nature could possibly make him perform untold actions.
"What makes you say that?"
The Governor seems to have considered a possibility, his eyes widening. "You can summon more than just Satanael. If you summoned someone else, there's a chance that he or she wouldn't have been as merciful as Satanael."
It wasn't a question. As for how Azazel had arrived at this conclusion, it was easy, given how he knew Satanael well enough that he wouldn't senselessly kill someone despite being slighted. Just as how Satanael knows Azazel well enough, even if said Persona is not willing to expose more. If it was Akira himself fully in control, even he himself might not be as merciful as just scaring her away. Not to mention all the other voices in his head.
"Yes." He didn't try to deny it. Azazel would have easily called his bluff.
"Who are you? Who are you to be able to manipulate your soul just like that? Only beings that have a domain in life and death can truly make such a thing possible, but they are bound by strict laws. It's easier to manipulate a soul on the surface level through things such as Pacts and Geass scrolls but anything beyond guiding the soul is... How would it even be possible to summon someone just like that?" The Governor looks like he's done with life as he rambles on in a confused manner, whipping out a tablet out of nowhere and rapidly typing on it.
Granted, he did just find out that a human didn't follow the laws of the world that he himself had been following for the past few... however long he's lived. Despite his power, it's clear that he was forced to abide by those rules, while a mere human that's not even in his twenties can already bend some of those rules.
"I'm just a human." He didn't find it in his heart to tell Azazel that there were people like him who could use Personae. There's also a chance that there are also people who hold the power of a Wild Card like him, as Igor has hinted that he isn't the only guest at the Velvet Room and only Wild Card users can seem to access the Velvet Room for its services.
It's not just for those people's protection, but also it would probably shatter Azazel's worldview. Much like Sae's.
"You don't need to follow me, you know?"
Of course, Azazel had to dump Raynare on him. To quote his exact words, "You can do whatever you want to her, that sound good? Also, watch out for the Shinto. I'm probably not the only one to have kept track of you." Before he had any chance to respond, Azazel teleported out, leaving him, a Fallen Angel and of course most importantly, a bill so happens to be presented to him moments later. While it barely put a dent in his bank account, it still partially miffed him that Azazel abandoned him like that. Not to mention, his words sounded so wrong on so many levels that it was wide open for misinterpretation.
The worst part is, Azazel only left him a single trail to follow. The Excaliburs. Other than that, no clue at all.
"But my punishment is to be your follower." To think that's how she interpreted it. The most surprising thing is, Raynare is rather accepting of it about it, clearly. That's why he decides to ask. "You've proven yourself to be powerful. It's not like I could go against you." As expected, she sounds somewhat bitter.
He doesn't exactly want this arrangement either, but Azazel's essentially dumped her on him.
At the very least, he knows what he's going to have to use Raynare for. As much as he doesn't want to use people like a person plays chess, this would be a quicker way to go around completing Azazel's task than trying to fish blindly for information. "Come. We're going to get an apartment and then see Rias Gremory." Hopefully, the devil's recovered by now.
The next order of business was to secure an apartment that has at least a kitchen and two separate bedrooms.
There's no way that Akeno will welcome a Fallen Angel into her abode. She seems to shun that part of her, given how she has never revealed that self of hers to him despite having interacted with her so many times. Plus, it's not like renting out an apartment could deplete his bank account that quickly and he didn't ask to stay with Akeno in the first place(not that he disliked it).
How the Metaverse and bringing Metaverse yen/objects into the physical world worked, he didn't know but it yielded so much cash that even after splitting some of it amongst his friends, it was impossible for him to figure out how to spend it. Despite its shadiness, the yen still spent just like normal yen would. Not only that, but he also did work part-time jobs throughout the entire year which added up even further to his already sky-high bank account. He could buy a PC with some of the highest specs to game with Ryuji and Futaba, even go to that 10,000 yen buffet that Ann loved several times over or go on a luxurious holiday and still barely feel the pinch. Ok, that last one might be a bit of a stretch, but still. None of that seemed to really appeal to him, however.
Anyway, it wasn't hard finding a good apartment, as due to Kuoh Academy's prestigious reputation, there were several property investors who saw it fit to invest in the area, hence allowing him to find one in record time. Still, it felt too convenient, to be honest. Too convenient. It was not too far from school, had good access to the mall area and the apartment itself has some soundproofed walls. It was as if someone was watching out for him and he didn't like it. If it wasn't for the man looking like he was an honest person, he wouldn't be here.
"This apartment's only 35,000 yen per month. With electricity, a toilet and pre-installed furniture. Ain't a bad deal, eh?" It IS a good deal. Considering that rent in an urban area like Tokyo is around twice as much and Kuoh isn't that far off from the capital, this might just be a steal. There are definitely some people who stay in this town for the cheaper cost but take the train to work in Tokyo.
"..."
"Tell you what, I can throw in a 2000 yen discount. For you and your lovely girlfriend. You two are looking to move in together, right?" Raynare blushes, clearly embarrassed.
"We're not together, Tanaka-san. She's just someone left in my care." He tries to correct, but it appears that the landlord is not having any of it.
Tanaka has a surprisingly strong grip for a 40-year-old man, managing to bring Akira's head down to his level to whisper. "Let me tell you something, kid. You should marry her while you can. Before you regret it."
"I'll take the apartment, but seriously, we're not together." He tries to forget how Raynare blushed at the man's words.
"So you're moving out?" Of course, he didn't bring Raynare along to the shrine, leaving him alone. Morgana and the new cat, Kuro, are sitting in his bag, waiting for him to finish. Seems like they got much closer than before.
"I got my own apartment. I didn't want to stay on somebody's generosity." That's not exactly the truth, but not a lie either. After all, as he's learned, the best lies have a hint of truth to it. Such as when he 'died' once.
"But what if I don't mind?" She whispers, but his sensitive hearing picks it up.
"I'm sorry, but it doesn't sit right with me." He says with finality. Yes, Akeno is a beautiful girl. Heck, most of the guys in his school would probably kill to be in his position and never move out for as long as they could help it.
While he doesn't mind having Akeno as a housemate, to live on the generosity of others is not the way to go. There's only so much generosity that someone can give before they're fresh out. At the very least, when he was under Sojiro's care, that issue was easily solved by him covering Sojiro at the cafe when needed. He's not exactly sure what to do when it comes to Akeno. Giving her money would most likely cheapen their relationship and be an offense to her. Their weird friendship(?) if it could even be called one, is something that shouldn't be defined by money. Yes, money makes the world go around but it is at best a small aid to forming a genuine friendship.
"You look troubled." Before he came in and announced his departure, she already looked troubled. It was only his words that startled her out of her thoughts. Her earlier words hinted at trouble too. "Want to talk about it before I go?"
Akeno takes up on that offer, pouring him a cup of tea. "Some guy worked up the courage to confess to me. Said I deserved better. As if he knew what I wanted." She sounds rather bitter about it. There's probably some hidden issue about it that she doesn't want to reveal, so fair enough. He could understand where Akeno is coming from.
He sees the problem. "What do you want?" Akira decides to try and probe her.
"I already have what I want. I have a family in the form of Rias and her peerage. I have enough money to live comfortably. I have a long lifespan to do whatever that is I wish to do. That boy, he thought he could just win me over with just some flowery words and a poem. Does he really think that little of me?"
Even now, she thinks he couldn't see through the facade? It isn't hard. When one is given a title, it gives the person a way to associate the mask with that title. In fact, that mask becomes glued onto people as more people associate the title with the person who has the mask on, which in return causes the mask to be present even more. It becomes to the point where some people find it impossible to remove and they become that mask instead, losing their original, true self. It's a similar case to Mishima, who was so focused on his role as administrator of the Phan-site to the point where it distorted him completely. Akeno is well on her way there now.
"I didn't ask one of the Two Great Onee-samas of Kuoh Academy what she wants. I asked what Akeno Himejima, a girl, wants, from the bottom of her heart. Under the mask, you're still just a person."
Akeno has no answer for him. She stares blankly into space.
It takes a while for him to muster up the courage to break the silence with an apology. "I'm sorry for pushing too much." It wasn't really wise to push Akeno that far given how their relationship isn't probably that deep despite living under the same roof.
"No, you're right. I've been hiding behind that title for so long that I started to forget myself." It's rather surprising that she'll come out and admit it herself just like that, because he's sure that most people would need more than just a single push to understand where he's coming from. "You mind giving me some time to think?"
"You don't have to answer to me." He shakes his head. "It's an answer for yourself. Even if you take a long time to think, as long as you can answer that question confidently, you'll be set for life."
School, Morning
Talking to Kiba had certainly been enlightening. For one, he never knew that Kiba was an orphan. Kiba still refused to tell him why he attacked Freed with such a passion last night, but he did shed a bit of light surrounding the circumstances of his reincarnation. He was dying, and she offered him a chance for revenge against those who wronged him.
It sounds like the same tale as him. But to think it was revenge that would fuel him to live all these years.
"I do not think that Buchou is inherently a bad person." Was what he said when he asked about Rias. Is she? Who knows. Of course, he didn't fully inform Kiba about his situation.
[The weak mourn for what could have been. The strong move on. Which one are you?]
Ddraig is right. As much as he doesn't want to put down his fellow Knight, letting a grudge fester that like without end has to be unhealthy.
But that word of advice applies to him too. "I suppose so." Rias Gremory would apologize when she is ready. If she doesn't, so be it.
[Now, I suggest you do something about the two exorcists standing outside your school.]
Exorcists? There's two people with swords, the same kind of sword that Freed attacked him with last night. But it doesn't appear as if they have any hostile intentions.
"Is that you, Ise-kun?" It's been a while since a girl greeted him warmly, and he sure as hell didn't remember having interacted with a girl this cute. Did he hit his head or something to forget such an encounter?
"Hold on, Shidou. This boy is a devil." Ah shit. Spoilsport.
A/N: Yes, I'm finally starting on the Excalibur arc.
First of all, sorry for not updating for a while. I did try to get this chapter out before the end of June, but life is out for my blood.
Now, onto the story itself. Yes, this is more of a filler chapter, the encounter with Azazel and such. Why is Azazel so shocked? Because a human messing around with the soul of someone who is already dead is impossible unless they've got Sephiroth Grail. Even so, at best you can interact with the dead in a limited manner with it, at least from what I read. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong in this aspect.
Anyways, I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter and leave a review if you guys think that there's room for improvement that you think is possible! Feel free to PM me if you want. On that note, peace out people!
322n