This issei isn't canon isse reee
Oh please. If I stick into canon logic, Tiamat will be mostly useless because she has to watch some Games, Serafall will be a pink joke, Sirzechs an incompetent leader, Lavinia practically a nobody, and the Devils as a whole a complete hack who I won't even trust to put away books to a bookshelf in alphabetical order.
What I'm saying is; fuck the canon.
You want that canon? Yeah, exactly. Shut the hell up and enjoy the ride, or get out of the car and spare us all the incessant whining. Well, mostly me. I'm the dad driving the car here. Or mother. You'll never know
Next arc is Old Kyoto confirmed. It won by a whopping 15% margin to no.2 which is Roygun Belphegor with 13%. Sairabro Bael and Latia tied on third place, with Hades shadowing in close fourth. I'm betting people who voted for Roygun had read Refugees, which is very cool to know
But damn. I didn't know Yasaka is that popular. Just so you know, I'm changing her appearance a tiny bit. As in her bangs AND eyebrows. She'll be like an actual older Kunou with no wormy eyebrows. Why? Because they remind me too much of a certain war criminal with rabbit ears and carrots stuck in her hair
No i'm not lewding a 13 years old Kunou you sick fuck ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͠°)
Every story could always use a little sister character... THAT ISN'T A ROMANCE PARTNER GODDAMMIT
A Tale of Flame and Frost
[Chapter 5]
||Necessary Evil||
"Your face's long. What's up?"
A seemingly rude remark followed with a question of lenient concern failed to lift Serafall's fouling mood.
"...I don't know," she grumbled, lips pursed into a pout and eyebrows furrowed from mild annoyance. "But I feel like we just skipped the sex."
Issei had to pause a few seconds to register what she meant. He failed anyway, and asked an incredulous, "Wat?"
"It's like… it sorta feels like in one of your comic books, y'know? The non-lewd ones. The ones where there's two characters, being lovey-dovey with each other, verymuchlikeyouandmewhennooneelseisaround," Serafall prodded his dimple-less cheek with a finger, nudging the hard teeth behind the thin wall of flesh. "And when things are starting to get good, and they're seriously going to get it going, like, you can totally tell they're going to smash; the chapter ended there. And in the next chapter, there's no continuation whatsoever. Like a time skip! The sexy scenes are implied, but never shown that kind of thing."
Issei turned his head that was laying in her lap, the roars of the Rating Game displayed in the huge display screen before them becoming quieted as he shifted his whole attention to the Satan, so he could properly give her a sincere look of 'what in the Seven Heavens are you on about'.
"Perhaps the sexual deviant implies she's yet to be sated, Issei," one Lavinia casually slid into their conversation, casting her usual comments about whatever she thought might bring potential amusement. Which had been no less than abundant during her stay in the Underworld.
Devils and their egos were just so fun to pick apart. First she only had the supposedly strict maid to tease… Serafall was too unfortunately carefree and had become desensitized to her verbal japes, as made apparent by her blunt couldn't-care-less attitude. But now she had a feline and a begrudgingly tamed dragon, each would be a fine grinding stone for her to keep her tongue as sharp as her mind.
Presently, they were all seated on their own personal sofa, totaling four velvety sofas placed in a semi-circle in this luxurious home studio - except more regally and palace-y. Of course, Serafall demanded Issei to sit with her, while she and poor Grayfia were kept away.
But Lavinia wasn't so selfish or clingy to want him around her all the time, unlike Grayfia who was somewhere else having to arbitrate the entire Game.
He was free to love and be loved by anyone who valued him as a person, as was she. Fortunately for him, there had only been two people who had ever managed to catch her eyes and captivated her. First being her former Master; the Grandmaster who murdered her advances before it could even bloom. A sad tale indeed, ending with her first ever heartbreak.
Even so, when Mephistopheles entrusted the boy to her as her Apprentice, she had never given up on him. So intent to keep her heart frozen for one Devil… only for it to be thawed by a human.
Granted he was her first Apprentice… so perhaps she was a little biased.
That said, Lavinia understood the necessity of personal time and space. Even she needed some, from time to time, away from anyone including him. Not so she could brood alone, but solely for having a quality alone time.
"That one your sister?" she asked as a white-haired reincarnated Devil came to view, entering a gym along with two of Sona's Rooks.
"Nye," replied Kuroka as she sat up straight, excited and worried.
"Hmmn… Who'd ever thought."
"Why's that? Is it our hair?"
Lavinia's sapphire blue eyes trailed onto the Nekoshou's low-neckline black kimono that only concealed half of her ample chest.
"Genetics can be so unfair," the Wizard said with a ladylike giggle.
Kuroka 'oh'ed in realization. "Mrwell Shironye's still growing. I was her size once."
There was a beat of complete silence between the five people. Well, four because Tiamat had no interest in socializing in the first place; she was here under the order of her new Master. Partaking in meaningless conversation wasn't a part of the deal.
"No shit?" Boobs were interesting to him and therefore he should join this interesting topic. "From that to those?"
"No way. I call bullshit." Even Serafall was amazed. Scratch that, Lavinia was flabbergasted; hence her stunned silence instead of following up with a snark.
"Nyes way," Kuroka narrowed her eyes, starting to feel and sounding a bit defensive than she intended. "Give her four years tops and she'll have her kittens."
"What's the magic here… drinking milk and massages are still a myth right?" asked Issei.
"No magic, just genetics doing their stuff."
"And hormones," Lavinia added, her voice trailing. "...Though I've never seen one whose growth would be so… visibly extreme."
"Hah! Like you're one to talk with you and your oxen udders!" lauded Serafall with a tone fully intended to offend.
"Puberty was inordinately kind to me," Lavinia said with a thinly veiled irritation. "Unfortunately, it is surprising one's growth can be so stunted, appearance-wise… Ended too early during her late-teen. An anomaly between the mature Satans."
Oof. Age. A low blow for Serafall. Though he felt an invisible maelstrom brewing in this room, Issei was brave enough to stay round and watch with his head still laying on Serafall's lap, now cushioned with a pillow however, since the earlier attack of pins and needles.
"That's cuz I'm eternally eighteen! Both spirit and soul!" Serafall countered, before continuing in a hushed voice only Issei could hear and laugh at, "...season two… shut up Hyoudou. Don't you dare smile."
"To be fair, you're not the oldest in the room for once." And to be fairer, Serafall was only a couple of years older than his previous Master. Then again, he saw anyone above the age of 18 as either adults capable of making decisions for themselves, or children with the age of a young adult who had yet to be able to fly on their own.
"...What's with that backhanded compliment?"
"It's not a compliment. Just an observation with a sting."
"..." Serafall silently smacked his forehead. He deserved that much. "Whatever. I still have the ideal size for a chest. Neither too big nor small," she continued to breathe life to the conversation that should have died four sentences before.
It didn't help that it riled another individual, who entered the ring with a scoff. "All boys like them big. Bet he does too nyan."
"Current evidence supports that statement," Lavinia hummed. "Though I am certain he sees us more than simple objects with a pair of strangely attractive mounds of flesh, his preference isn't something to be ashamed of."
"As if size matters the most," Serafall declared vehemently. "Elasticity and perkiness matter, and mine happen to be the least saggy, not to mention the least painful to carry around and fit in his hands. "
The screen displayed a heated battle between the Knights and the supporting Pawns, but for some reason, its heat failed to match the one in this very room. It didn't help that Issei had said nothing so far, observing wordlessly with a barely suppressed smile. He wanted to see how ridiculous this already ridiculous verbal battle could go.
"I see you fail to mention sensitivity," Lavinia said with a crack of a sinister smile. The demeaning kind all antagonists would do when they gloat. "Explains as to why he rarely pays extra attention to yours, no? As though understanding different women requires different approach?"
Issei peeked upwards, and saw Serafall's clenching jaw. Lavinia got her good there.
He supposed it was time he should interject. "True, I love 'em big, but not huge," he began sagely, causing a smirk to appear on Lavinia's lips, and a frown on Serafall's. "But sizes don't matter if they're not accessible anyway and not either of yours. Since they're attached to you two, I love them; they're my favorites by a mile. And not just by association either, they're made sexier because of the connection we have, hence I fucking love them, and think of them whenever I'm having a bad day."
Heat crept up to both of their cheeks as love swelled in their heart.
Lavinia cleared her throat. "Well… I suppose that's one way to douse the flames."
Sadly, Serafall liked to play with fire; hence her attraction to him, and her intent of sparking the dying embers back to life by bending over to kiss his lips and have him groan into her mouth, pressing her tongue against his. It tasted like the lighter, more watery version of skin, but much more nicer and intimate.
The corner of Lavinia's eye twitched briefly.
"Hey, keep things that should happen in your bedroom in your bedroom nyan," groaned one Kuroka. "Or at least when there's no other participants."
"The noises you are making are distracting me," came another complaint from the casually dressed Dragon; Tiamat who started to be immersed by the Rating Game. "Tone it down."
They broke apart, but not without Serafall clicking her tongue.
"Hop on in the wagon then," Issei then bluntly said to the cat, diffusing the tension between the Satan and the Ice Princess in one fell swoop by redirecting their attention to him.
He knew. Oh he knew. He wasn't so dumb as to disregard their icy glares as loving stares.
Meanwhile, an opportunity to provoke two flaunting birds in one go? A cat would never miss that. Since her sister wasn't on the screen, Kuroka clambered towards the handrest of her couch, placed her hands there, and rested her chin on top of them. Two large and fuzzy feline ears flicked once, while her two tails remained hanging in the air as she observed him.
"Mnnwell, you don't look half bad. Could tell you're not clueless on the bed where it counts. I never really got the time to totter around one place for long… Never had the chance to settle down… But that should be taken care of if I wasn't being lied to," she shot a brief half-lidded stare at Serafall, then back at him again. "Making strong wizard babies doesn't sound so bad. A contribution to my nearly extinct species~ or maybe contributions mmnnya? My sister is still too young and too slenderly-shouldered to bear that kind of responsibility, nee~?"
Kuroka added a nice, melodious, up-down-up playful tune at the end of her sentence. Issei couldn't lie, he liked the way her notes rippled through his ears.
"Well... I did say Wizards and Black Cats often go hand in hand. Why not in bed?" He said. Fully in a joking manner, of course, not at all flirting. Exactly like what Kuroka just did; blowing up flames under the feet of the two ice-related women. "What? Why're you two looking at me all weird?"
"If you could hit him in the head with a reasonable amount of force; that would be greatly appreciated."
Serafall did just that. He firmed it without magical enhancements, knowing it was deserved. The conversation finally died away as the actions picked up as Grayfia's emotionless voice announced the retiree. So far, three of Sona's Pawns and two of Riser's Pawns and one Knight. No casualty from Rias' side yet, but considering how exhausted Yuuto Kiba looked after getting bombed by the Bomb Queen.
"...Horrendous nickname, in all honesty," he commented, just as the blonde Knight toppled down from his wounds.
[Rias Gremory's Knight, Yuuto Kiba, has retired. Three points to Riser Phenex.]
"I mean her magic revolves around explodey things, so it fits her," Serafall muttered, so very articulate with her impressive word-stock. "What else? Explosion Girl…? Bomberwoman? Magical Girl X? Maybe an animal… But is there even an animal that explodes?"
"Donkeys," said Issei.
Serafall gave him an odd stare. "Donkeys don't explode."
"You haven't been to the Middle East."
"...What?"
"Terrorists are already outgunned. They make up with creativity, I tell you. It's either that or kids."
"That's horrible!"
"Then why is everyone laughing." Aside from the Dragon.
A snort came from the Black Cat. "One of my failed capturers said people called her the Nightblade… just because she's wearing all black and has some bladed weapons. Nyan. It's so very devil-like to get nicknames like collecting stamps nyan. Except one can be sold for a pretty high price if given time, while the other gets lamer and lamer once they grow up."
Not that Issei had faced any Devils before in his life to confirm or deny it… but he wouldn't mind the experience. Broaden his horizon. Maybe when that Khaos Brigade finally made their first move… The Grandmaster and the Governor had been keeping a close eye on their movements.
"Hey, it's not our fault we don't have anyone to train with, and the Contracted Magicians are too damn secretive!" defended Serafall, who quickly saw the error of her statement. "...Alright, it's our ancestors fault, but not us!"
Kuroka slinked back to her seat, splaying her body all over. "Eh. I forgot to care."
"Wh—" Serafall was taken aback, wincing physically. "Why is everyone around me so sassy? Even Grayfia's picking it up lately when we're alone. No thanks to either of you... or you, damned cat."
Kuroka flicked the tip of her black tails, somehow making the simple gesture appear so cheeky.
"If everyone around you acts the same way… then perhaps self-introspection shall be in order?"
"What're you on about," Serafall scoffed at Lavinia with a smug look. "I'm as perfect as I can be."
A proud statement that made Kuroka snicker. In a demeaning, is-she-for-real kind of snickering.
"Oh how your overconfidence greatly shadows your humility…" Lavinia hummed, shaking her head with a fond smile. She had quite missed the Satan and her unrivaled, albeit ridiculous, self-confidence. "Ah, that reminds me…" Lavinia whispered, "how did you avoid capture all this time, Kuroka? How long was it again? Three-four years constantly on the road?"
"Ee~h… it's stupidly easy to get away from basic headhunters," Kuroka replied, eyes on the screen, her face beaming as her sister sent some kung fu gal towards the wall. "And they're a Devil so it's even easier. They're good at their own magic but crap at repelling others."
That put Serafall into her thoughts. "How do Youjutsu and Senjutsu work? That Touki thing I can kinda get since Sairaorg uses it… using your own life-force thingy."
"Mmmmn secret~ Not telling ya unless you abuse your Satany status."
Serafall might have felt the first second-guessing towards her new Bishop.
"Her rejection aside, excellent illustration as always. Your words never fail to paint a clear picture in my head."
"Ohohoho~ shut it you bookworm. I'll freeze your tongue."
Lavinia was unimpressed. Disappointed, in fact. "Surely you can do better than that."
"...I'll make you Hokus your last Pokus."
"Mmn… a bit childish, but a significant improvement due to effort alone."
"If it's plural, is it Hoki Poki?" Issei asked, momentarily distracted from all the fighting noises. He tried to look at Lavinia whose couch was next to his and Serafall's. She seemed to have no idea either. "Huh… a thought for the Grandmaster."
Nobody really followed up on that one as the match appeared to be reaching its peak. Both sides had suffered losses. Riser had lost all of his Pawns and several of his Major Pieces, but he and his Queen had kept harassing their opposition. Sona's were nearly the exact opposite; she had lost all her Major Piece aside from Tsubaki and Saji, both who weren't looking that great after their earlier clash against Riser, whose Phoenix Regeneration power had given him a seemingly unfair advantage.
Rias only had Akeno and Koneko with both of her Knights and Pawns taken out. Those two new Devils did as well as expected… Who were they again? Murayama and Nimura? Well… they each took down one Pawn before being dispatched by Riser's Queen. However, that Lint kid managed to take out three Pawns on her own and severely injured one Knight before she was out of the game. Impressive, considering her young age.
Serafall mentioned she was a former Exorcist too, which explained why she had a Holy Sword.
Genshirou Saji was expectedly crucial to the match, given his Boosted Gear's Scale Mail- which was the very reason why Tiamat was no longer paying attention to the conversation around her. In fact, Issei had felt the room temperature dropping a few degrees; but the girls didn't pay it any mind since they were both accustomed to the cold. Since they could bring Winter whenever.
Kuroka didn't show signs of discomfort, but she was too enraptured and gripped by her sister's performance to care about other things.
All in all, the Rating Game was largely undecided, the favor equal, but if Rias and Sona failed to think up a way to take down Riser within the next minutes, then the outcome should be clear.
[Riser Phenex' Queen, Yubelluna Phenex, has retired. Eight points to Rias Gremory.]
Announced Grayfia as the Queen with Terrible Nickname dematerialized into particles of pretty blue lights.
"Oh, that's huge—"
[Rias Gremory's Queen, Himejima Akeno, has retired. Eight points to Riser Phenex.]
"—nevermind." Serafall's excitement died as quick as it lived.
'Boy.'
Welp. The show was good while it lasted, but now his mind had to be somewhere else. Or rather, communicate with someone else.
Namely his Grandmaster, whose spellcasting capability was able to travel through Realms if he wanted to make the effort. Issei could cast Message; delivering words to a creature if he had met them once, but only when they shared the same plane of existence. Then again, he was only twenty-or-so years of age, whereas the Grandmaster had been around long enough to be considered a living relic.
'Am all ears, Boss.''
'I haven't received a word from either you or Lavinia for nearly a week. Tell me you're making progress with the Underworld instead of loitering around.'
'Happy to hear your faith in us, great wizard.' Issei replied blandly. 'At the moment, we're determining which weed to pull out and which ones to let grow so others can pull out and feel good about it. Very much still in the middle of the first phase, Grandmaster.'
'We agreed on our usage of formality; when it's unnecessary, ditch it.'
Issei suppressed a smile so Serafall wouldn't instantly think he was making fun of her precious little sister on the screen.
'Just thought I'd be polite to the headmaster.'
'You've rid me of Lavinia, now spare me the wisecracks, boy. ' the voice griped, more from annoyance than anger, which quickly dissipated anyway. 'I see she helped you capture a Dragon on the side.'
Issei could picture the headmaster reading a parchment describing the contract of his new Familiar. He glanced at said sky-blue-haired Dragon, who was at the time complaining about the way the Devils fought inefficiently. Displayed by the screen was a fight between the Rooks from both sides in a football field, where Riser's Bishop and last Rook were barely holding out against Rias and Sona, supported by Tsubaki and Koneko.
Their defeat was imminent, but Issei couldn't care less. 'She's a bit rough on the edges…' he continued, 'but surely you already know about Dragons and their code of honor.'
Mephistopheles laughed once. It was an utterly mocking sound fitting for a Devil. 'Honor… an idealistic nonsense. A trick all Creations use—'
'To justify their actions whereas the world never operates on honor.' Issei completed the statement, saving him from a lecture. 'We've gone through this rant of yours more than enough, Grandmaster; you're starting to sound like a bitter old man.'
'I am a bitter old man,' Mephistopheles laughed, this time more heartily.
'Well I'm not denying anything,' replied Issei, cracking a smile just as Serafall's fingers idly caressed his lips, still paying her attention to the screen. 'She'll listen to me but it's impossible to rely on that alone. She might look for loopholes. In the meantime, maybe give her a plot of dirt to look after. Maybe throw in some artifacts for good measure… I just showed her where Saji is to test my rein on her. Not looking too great. I might catch a cold one of these days.'
'Still holding grudges against the halfwit Heavenly Dragon?'
'Dragons never forget and rarely forgive... They're like elephants with wings, with scary breath and poor temper management. Isn't that what you told me and practically every student who listens?'
'Nonetheless an important lesson to know in case the need to dispatch them ever comes, which I believe has come to fruition as made evident by your new Familiar,' the Grandmaster said with the hardness of steel but with the wiseness of someone who was there before Hell was what it was today. 'You can handle Tiamat. She's manageable, is what you are saying?'
Issei mentally nodded. 'More than less. I'll find a way.'
'Good. Patrolling the Gap will suit the both of us just fine. It's an expansive place even for a Dragon to sweep,' the Grandmaster murmured thoughtfully. 'That aside… one Great Dragon King might be the right catalyst to finally put the Dragons to heel.'
'Or we can just leave them doing their own thing. Like the Devils do.'
'The Devils…' the Grandmaster scoffed harshly. 'They are too prideful and mindlessly trusting in their oligarchy to ever consider the possibilities beyond working with themselves. They are clouded with the stubborn belief that they remain as great as they were a thousand years ago, realizing they are not once it's all but too late. It's the very reason why they struggle to gather allies.'
'And because of what the Old Satans do, don't forget that,' Issei reminded. Serafall would say the same. 'Those stains were pretty difficult to scrape off. I mean rebelling against a God? What were they thinking? No wonder you cloaked yourself to start all over again.'
He heard a brief sigh. 'Not all mistakes of the past can be corrected by the present. But the past should bear no more importance over the present.'
'Are you telling me that specifically for me, or are you talking to yourself, Headmaster?'
Now he heard a scoffing sound. 'You're too sharp for your own good.'
'Strange that. I thought being sharp and making witty comments was my entire purpose of being.'
'That, and ensuring the Empire will be brought down to heel.'
'Of course,' said Issei with a tiny smile, masking it as a sign of appreciation as Serafall started to fiddle with his brown locks out of nervousness. Sona and her Queen were fighting the Young Phoenix at the moment. Her worry was easily transparent. 'That is if they didn't cause the entire thing to tumble.'
'Elaborate.' Now the Grandmaster sounded deeply invested. His grinning smile practically transcended between Realms like his voice.
'Supposedly there's been a Cold War between the Houses. They're divided to those that favor the Reincarnated Devils to be granted their own household; as in, their own Peerages, becoming an actual Pillar, being a Lord or Lady and all that stuff. Even getting their own name in place of the extinct ones. It's an unpopular idea, by the way. The odds are three to one.'
'Fascinating…' Mephistopheles muttered. 'It surprises me more that they're willing to consider it in the first place. It is insulting for the deceased, but they care little for the dead. The root of their rejection is their hubris.'
'Mainly hubris. There's a pinch of racism in there too, and a strong want to maintain their feeling of superiority.'
'Yes, exactly. They pride themselves too much. Exactly how did you learn of this?'
'Just a day ago. Serafall told me after another of those biweekly meetings. It's been an ongoing topic for some weeks, apparently.' Issei winced as Sona had just received a flaming fist into her gut and was now reeling on the ground. The wince wasn't caused by that alone, but largely due to Serafall subconsciously tugging his hair.
"But he didn't speak up. Better to let her focus entirely on the Rating Game rather than him during his peculiar exchange with another Devil. 'Coincidentally, the Houses who do support the notion are the Houses with the least… egotistical leaders, so to speak. By that I mean as humble as Devils willing to go.'
'Mmm. They put their Family above all else, no matter how altruistic.'
Issei nodded absently. 'Or their House as its own separate thing. Lord Bael immediately comes to mind.'
'Ah, yes… the cub of the Black Lion. Hasn't change his mindset to his own sons then, I presume?'
'Nope. Still believing his sons are walking disappointments.'
'He's a lost cause then,' the Grandmaster simplified. 'A stubborn plant. Especially considering his status to the gardener… Unless Zekram plans to retire.'
'Not anytime soon, I don't think. I doubt the replacements are willing to throw away any greenery until they're visibly rotten. The other suitor is Lord Bael himself and his backers.'
'And Rizevim?'
'No news from him. Guy might already be dead for all we know,' Issei mused, his eyes watching without understanding. 'Neither option is any good, really. One's just less awful than the other. Honestly have no idea what'll happen once the Great King steps down.'
'Perhaps a momentous time for me to tend my old garden.'
He couldn't resist raising an eyebrow. 'Oh? What's this? Are you finally going to get off your ass from that dusty desk with scattered tomes? Will you change your name again this time as you did last time? What's it gonna be then… Louis Cypher? Lucius Sephar? Lew Siffer? Or Mr. Lux?'
'It's harder to tell whether you are being stupid for amusement sake or if you were simply dropped in the head as a child.'
'Well it's not like you didn't toss me away like some hot potato to the hands of two human Mages who's had three failed pregnancies, never telling me until I got suspicious and snooped around, because why on earth would a human son born from two perfectly ordinary Magicians receive that much leverage? Taken in by the brightest Archwizard at the time as her own Apprentice, granted full access to the Grand Library and its collection of Spells... Lightly reprimanded while I should've been expelled for shattering that phylactery even if it contains the soul of just one Demon. Being 'scouted' by the Governor himself… A millennia old Devil approving everything I asked for seemingly out of the blue?'
There was silence. It seemed his sarcastically said observations were taken as a complaint. 'I never expected my curse to wane, boy. Even if Dad's been dead for ages. The Hyoudous raised you far better than I am capable of. Rizevim is still one of my greatest failings; as made evident by how he treated that poor grandson of his. The monster of a Devil is of my lineage. I refused to make the same mistake again.'
'I was joking, dad,' Issei said, preventing himself from getting too immersed in the talk, therefore blowing his cool. 'You're making things awkward here with you going sentimental.'
'I'm well aware,' Mephistopheles replied sullenly with an ironic chuckle. 'Still, I shall make no excuse like my Father did. Being a father has sadly never been my greatest trait. Hereditary, I suppose.'
Issei couldn't contain his snicker, earning a look from Lavinia who wasn't too absorbed by the fights as much as the rest. He gave her a quick wink along with a telepathic Message clarifying who he was talking to at the moment. Unlike him or their Grandmaster, Lavinia didn't know who they truly were.
She didn't even know she was a pawn in Lucifer's game of personal chess, but Issei had a feeling once she did learn of this; she wouldn't care too much. Her feelings to him were real, and so were his to her. She'd understand why he kept certain things hidden even from her was to avoid unnecessary complications.
'Well. All things aside, you still felt bad about Grandad. That counted for something.'
'Because He's never meant to die,' the former leader of the 'Greatest Rebellion Ever Amassed' seethed, the bitterness still tasted the same even after a thousand years. 'It's not Him I wanted dead, despite everything that was wrong with me at the time stemmed from His decision to banish me. It's those who saw and did nothing but watch and agree along like mindless fools, as if seeing every decision He made was always Good.'
In other words, the five Archangels that survived the Great War. '...Hmm...I was wondering when I'll ever meet my uncles and aunties.'
'Preferably never,' Mephistopheles chortled. 'But they matter not. Not now. Focus on the Devils, my boy. My return perhaps won't be necessary if they're perfectly capable of fixing their own faults.'
'M'kay. Whatever you say.'
'Continue doing what you're doing boy.' Which included tidying up the Devil's fuckups and smoothen their roads with several other Factions, thus when Lucifer truly intended to return to his seat, Issei wouldn't have to deal with them. 'There's a great storm coming. Other factions will have surely taken note of Dad's absence. Perhaps the moment will soon arrive where I must unseal the strengths you inherited so it isn't just my dry wit you possess.'
Hair or eye colors - how he appeared was easily changed. His personality and taste in humor, however, strayed too far from his human parents. Miki and Gorou were both kindred people, but they were far too kind. Far too… humane, Issei supposed, for their son to be this pragmatic and calculating.
It played a part in raising his suspicion that led to the discovery of his birth.
And that one time his pupils turned into slits. Or that time he crushed the aforementioned phylactery when he was just trying to grab it.
'Let's not get too paranoid here…' Reasoned Issei just as Kuroka shot up straight, declaring she'd kill the Young Phoenix whose flames had caused her sister to be retired from the Game. 'I can't hide my Devil-side from a bloody Satan. They'll freak out. It'll ruin their trust in me, which, mind you, still shaky at best. I'm finally allowed some insights to their core problems here, dad.'
'Of course. But you will leave for Old Kyoto soon, no?'
Issei would've furrowed his eyebrows if possible, just as Sona submerged Riser in her watery serpent, dousing his Phoenix flames and causing him to keep regenerating his torn flesh while a wounded Rias pelted destructive bullets at him.
'Yes, tomorrow,' he replied idly, refocusing. 'Won't be a long stay I don't think. Why?'
'Oh? You haven't heard?'
'Evidently not, otherwise we won't be having this conversation. Heard of what?'
'I thought Lavinia would've already informed you of this. She wasn't yet told then,' 'Mephistopheles said with a low voice, 'but you're aware of the Hero Faction from that Brigade oafs? The ones very vocal with their desire to 'rid the world of Evil'.'
'The simple-minded idealistic morons; yes…' Issei muttered, also in a low voice, whilst cringing internally. He'd only heard of them from Azazel and Lavinia but already could tell they were all a pain in the ass. 'Why am I suddenly feeling a foreboding that they're going to cause some trouble in the place I was planning to go?'
'Because they have been eyeing Yasaka for some moments. What for specifically? I have no idea. Azazel has no idea. We just know it won't be anything pleasant - taking their stupidity into account. Their leader, Cao Cao -some prat with a stick-, although moronic, holds the True Longinus and shows it off like a peacock showing off their tail.'
Ew. A showoff. That's not revolting at all. 'Is that why he's so hard to find?'
'Not for the moment. They're in Old Kyoto as we speak, lingering in the shadows.' Unaware that the Morning Star had them in his sight.
Issei could picture several TV-like screens in front of the Grandmaster. He used to use crystal balls for scrying, but switched to digital because of technological advancement and ease of access became a thing even for the Grey Wizards.
'Alright… Good to know. So what's the game plan here?'
'Let them expose themselves and deal with them swiftly. Azazel has Vali's group and Tobio ready to go, but that spear must not belong to a fool's possession or anybody for that matter. Dad's influence has been waning through the ages,' as explained by Azazel when he first succeeded creating his first Artificial Sacred Gear. 'and whether that'll weaken the spear or the other way around; it must be destroyed.'
'Ooooh. Azazel won't like that.'
'He'll dislike what he dislikes. The danger isn't worth his curiosity. Longinuses shouldn't be tampered with,' the Grandmaster chided. 'Steer clear from Cao Cao; you'll know who he is once you see him. Let Vali handle him. In the meantime, ensure the so-called Heroes as a whole perish.'
He could see to that. He hadn't had to kill in a while. Nothing gets his blood pumping as sweet justified murder. 'If both Vali and Tobi-boy are there… Are we expecting an army or something like that?'
'They're all one man army, boy.'
'The odds are even then.' Serafall, Tiamat, Lavinia, Grayfia… each a monster in their own regards. 'Are you going to tag along?'
'If necessary.' The Morning Star said vaguely. 'Regardless, be mindful of them when you're there. Relay this to Lavinia, but DO NOT bring this issue to the fox or anyone else. Not even your Devil. This is strictly business; this is our chance to permanently sever one head off the hydra.'
[Riser Phenex has retired. Rias Gremory has won the Rating Game.]
"YESSSSS! Go Sona-tan~! Fully expected from my dear sister to win her first unofficial Rating Game, mfufufu~ neheheh~!"
Issei smiled as he lifted his head off her lap so she could jump around in excitement, her twin-tails flopping up and down like the ears of a dog.
'Sure thing,' he replied, returning Serafall's hug and letting her bounce while hugging him. 'We'll be leaving tomorrow morning.'
'Excellent. Make an example from these Heroes. Break their body and their spirit, or they'll just come back and potentially be more annoying.'
'Yes, yes; rip and tear, rip and tear...until they're finished.' At that, Issei felt their mind link completely shut out, and he was instantly back to focus on the world before him, where only Serafall was cheering in celebration and not feeling put off one bit.
He had three to four days of full rest with the girls. But tomorrow promised something more exciting. A shame about Yasaka having to be kept in the dark, but what's necessary is necessary. He did what he had to do with no questions asked. Especially when ensuring the safety of the entire supernatural world relied on it. If Yasaka was informed, then she'd surely put her daughter in an extremely safe place and increase her guards. Too unnatural.
The Devils' diplomatic visit might just be the right amount of push to spur whatever plans the Heroes had into action.
Necessary evil, so to speak.
To be continued...
( ͡ʘ ͜ʖ ͡ʘ)
ur a bad person isseu cuz ur not against doing anything to 'make the world a butter place'
well at least he gets shit done without unnecessary complications so how about that. Mass Effect Renegade
Spoiler alert, the Heroes' plans is not to 'bring Great Red here cuz omegalul we're heroes and heroes slay dragons yo'
Why? Because that plan is completely retarded and unbelievably shallow you'd think they're a C-movie tier villains. Which they aren't; they're lower than that. We gotta have standards here. It's my shitpost, but they have -admittedly low- standards
I could've written an entire subplot that will last through the majority of this story about Issei's true heritage… but after thinking about it, I said fuck that, that's fucking long. Interesting as it may be, 'learning the truth' has never been my favorite kind of plotline, especially considering that this 'Issei' is justifiably smarter. Everything fell too perfectly for him for it to be a coincidence. Well, now you know it's not.
It's a decision made before the first chapter is written, just letting you guys know the reasoning because it's out in the open now.
Apparently no one suspected the bread crumbs I laid out; his charisma, his wit, his decision-making, his 'hawk-like' eyes. Seems all too perfect for a normal human eh? But I guess that's because in most fics, issei was already that perfect, so no blaming here
Did you like it? You like twists? Well then give my Fates Reforged a read. There's so many major twists there that Issei being Lucifer's kid was nothing compared to them.
Review ye? Give me something to read in return while I'm in the middle of this break. It's going well, by the way. I can feel my accumulated stresses already fucking off piece by piece
Can't wait to get back into writing again :^)
There's still one more chapter for this story in the storage, so don't you worry about having to sit around and wait for an update for an entire month
REEE GREY WIZARDS EVIL BECAUSE THEY MANIPULATE YASKA NINETAILS REEEE!1!1
Oh spit out that pacifier and grow up.