"Ah, fuck." - Denotes normal speech.
'Ah, fuck.' - Denotes thought.
"So...should I tell Rias you're busy?" - Denotes speech for powerful beings.
"Gonna punch Issei in the balls." - Denotes thought for powerful beings.
[Boost!] - Denotes techniques or attacks or Sacred Gear names.
The words spoken by the staring girl caused Azrael to have a brain fart for a brief second. His mind chugged as he attempted to process everything that had just happened. 'Okay, so I went to homeroom, found out Rias is my partner for Civics and also sits next to me...okay, then I started to head outside to eat my lunch when Rias grabbed me. She dragged me along for a little bit, then we stopped in front of this girl. And she…'
"Wait, what?" was all he could get out as he dimly gazed into the now-smiling girl's closed eyes. The Occult Research Club...that meant she was in Rias' club. Were they really that desperate for members that they'd recruit someone they just met? Why was this girl so terrifying? And why was Rias approaching him? Wait, Rias was approaching him? She grabbed his hand, clasping it between both of hers, staring right into his eyes. He was getting a really bad feeling that this wasn't just a club recruitment, especially thanks to the chill that was lingering in the air now.
"Azrael...I want you to at least hear me out after school. I'll have someone bring you to the clubhouse then." She said, firmly denying him any way out of refusing without acting like a total dick. And Azrael, even in his infinite rage as a teenage boy, couldn't just act like a dick to people. It made him feel like he'd sinned or something. She wasn't begging, wasn't asking like the other girl did...She was demanding this of him. With a heavy heart, the boy sighed and nodded. Her slight smile after his answer did make him feel a litte safer, he had to admit. "Thank you, Azrael. Oh, it completely slipped my mind to introduce my companion here." She let go of Azrael's hands and waved both of hers at the girl next to her. "This is Akeno Himejima, my closest friend and vice-president of the Occult Research Club."
"Lovely to meet you.~ Rias told me a bit about you before you got here." The girl gave a wave, smiling at him as she spoke in a low purr once again. There was something in how she spoke that made him...wary. Not nervous of mad, just a bit on guard. She seemed like a master at getting her way, and he'd have to get very careful. But before he could continue that train of thought, Rias tugged him down into the seat between them. Seeing this, Akeno blinked and then nodded. "But enough about us.~ Tell us about you while we eat!"
Rias pulled out a very well-made bento box from her bag, signalling Akeno to pull out one of similar quality and for Azrael to pull his less impressive one out. Opening it, he revealed his rather meager spread and chuckled. As the three began eating, Azrael gave them a brief backstory. He was born and raised in Kyoto, and had only moved to Kuoh Town in the summer of last year, meaning he had to finish his 2nd year online. The two girls nodded along with his story, chiming in between bites to offer some platitude or another. Finishing his curry, he reached for the apple to begin biting it, but as he was about to dig in, Rias grabbed his hand. Looking up curiously, she winked at him.
"Keep the apple on you. It'll be useful for what I'm going to show you after school." She explained, with Azrael nodding and slipping the apple back into his bag. Glancing at the clock, the trio of third-years shared a look. It was nearly time for the lunch hour to be over. Standing up, Azrael wiped his pants off of any dirt and walked out of their little corner with Rias and Akeno. The redhead and blonde went left back to their classroom, Akeno heading right to hers. What a girl she was. He had a feeling she was going to be an unfortunately large mainstay in his life in the future, though. Ah, fuck.
The next few hours went past like a blur, just like the rest of that morning. Although, the thought of his imminent meeting with the Occult Research Club managed to fall from the back of his mind in order to keep him focused on school. Biology was easy, though he was so very tempted to make a joke about Rias' body every time they talked in between questions. That part did make him feel odd, though. He usually wasn't one to joke like that at all, or even think about things like that. Economics was even easier, since it was mostly just an intro to basics. P.E was…interesting. It mostly involved stretching and working the limbs, but that wasn't the interesting part. Rias seemed to be performing the exercises with immense ease. Sure, Azrael was really fit himself and was moving along at an intense pace...but Rias was outperforming him easily. She didn't seem like much of a buff, though...He put it out of his mind yet again, deciding to ask her at the meeting. Speaking of that, one very important thought entered his mind on the topic of that meeting.
Why couldn't Rias take him there herself?
That thought lingered in his mind the entire rest of the afternoon, even in the changing room as he swapped to his uniform clothes. He walked down the hall of the third floor back to the classroom, dropping into his seat and waiting for Rias' associate to pick him up. She'd already left, it seemed. Guess she really WAS busy. But it was just the Occult Research club, so what was so important? Just as that entered his mind, a second year stepped through the door. He was pretty slim, with dirty-blonde hair and a much more business-like uniform than most of the students here. His eyes traveled around the room until they settled on Azrael's, widening as he took in the third-year's visage. As he strode toward him, Azrael sat up, peering closer at him. There was something about him...he was more than he appeared to be, that's for sure. His voice came out clear and smooth, without an inch of hesitation despite his surprise at Azrael's appearance.
"You must be Azrael Hendo." Simple enough.
"That I am. You're a friend of Rias?"
"Yes, something like that. My name is Yuuto Kiba, and I've come to collect you." Pretty formal, but hey, that wasn't bad. Standing up, the two began to walk. There was a brief silence between them as they headed outside, Azrael breaking the ice in an attempt to stop said silence.
"So, Kiba, you're part of the Occult Research Club?"
"Yes."
"Don't look like you'd be into occult stuff."
"Appearances can be deceiving, Azrael." Already using his first name. He liked this Kiba guy.
"That they can be." As he said that, Azrael noticed that they were standing in front of a pretty old building near the end of the field. It was basic brick and wood, but there was a bad aura about it. His hands started shaking as Kiba led him to the door. As he stepped toward the opened entranceway, he felt himself freeze. Something was telling him not to go in here. That he should run away and never look back. But as he was contemplating how exactly to ditch Kiba, the boy in question smiled at him calmly.
"It probably feels pretty scary for you, doesn't it?" How did he- "I promise Rias took all the needed precautions so you won't be harmed, given who you are." That was a new development.
"Who I...am?" That got a very noticeable reaction out of Kiba. His eyes widened, and he seemed momentarily speechless. "Uh, Kiba?"
"I...I'm fine. You'll understand soon." He said, shaking himself out of it and gesturing Azrael inside. Now VERY confused, the third-year stepped in the doorway and began walking toward the room at the end of this main hallway. Kiba following him only intensified this feeling of immense dread. His hand hovered over the ornate doorknob and he felt that same burgeoning need to question this decision. Deciding that he might as well, since Kiba was blocking his escape route, he gripped the doorknob tight and wrenched it open, closing his eyes as he stepped inside. Waiting for Kiba to close the door behind him, he tentatively opened his eyes. On the couch to the left was a small girl, probably a first year, looking at him as though she were incredibly bored. The couch to the right seated Akeno, who wiggled her fingers at him as he nodded at her. Looking up at Rias, who was seated at the desk up front, he blinked. Standing next to her was a man that looked older than anyone in this room, with the same deep shade of red hair as hers. He had a small smile on his face butHe felt his mouth open to say something, but he couldn't. As he stood there shaking, the man opened his mouth. His voice was even, low, and cool. It was something that Azrael knew he'd just..never get used to.
"Hello, son of Michael. I am Sirzechs Lucifer, and I am glad you decided to accept Rias' invitation. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"M-Michael?" That soured the man's smiling face just a bit before he turned to Rias, who was now wide-eyed.
"I thought he knew."
"S-So did I." As the two redheads exchanged words frantically, Azrael rose his hand to his chest, staring at it as it quivered. Michael? That was his father's name? Why did that sound...right? And how did this 'Sirzechs' guy know him? Interrupting the pair, Azrael's next question was shaky and unsure.
"Rias….W-what am I?"
A/N: Sirzechs makes an appearance in chapter 3! Yes, I know, a bit early, but I think it'd make much more sense for him to explain than for Rias to herself. Stay tuned!~
