Chapter 12: Matters of Morality

Day 44

Asia's recovery was slow-going, but there was progress, no doubt about that. It was thanks to his immense amount of patience that Orion was able to work through the blonde-haired girl's recovery and still see light at the end of the tunnel.

Issei, by contrast, was far more impatient, a holdover from being so young and inexperienced when it came to himself. With time and effort, he would improve and he would become better. Good things to those that perform and perfect.

For now, the priestess was spending her time indoors, being fed and hydrated as well as provided with any means of keeping her mind occupied. Be it literature, a companion, or anything else.

Rias did offer her own assistance, even agreeing to shelter the nun in her own residency if need be. Even if she was not of any angelic or demonic origin, she was still in possession of a sacred gear, which instantly made her a target.

In the end, Asia requested that she be placed with Orion and he had, with some reluctance, agreed to shelter her for the time being. It was not that he disagreed with helping her. It was quite the opposite, infact.

His hesitancy stemmed from a lingering doubt in his mind. As he was, he was ill-equipped to deal with the new adversaries that he was facing. To top it off, he was fighting with only his instinct and years of battle experience to guide him.

In the end, the only thing the former Autobot leader could do was trust in himself and his abilities to see him through whatever conflict would arise, be they big or small. This human girl trusted him and he had to prove worthy of that trust.

And so the once-lonely Pax residence had one new occupant for the foreseeable future. Further plans as to where Asia would go would be discussed later. For now, her safety and her health had to be attended to.

Today was not a particularly busy day. There was no urgent business at school nor were there any events concerning the supernatural. It was just another day of forging a life in the human world.

Orion was currently attending to his abode, cleaning and maintaining order with all of his possessions. Although he had a rather spartan living space, he did well to make sure that all items were easy for him to find. This was a habit carried over from his war days. Knowing where everything was at any time was the difference between life and death.

Even though he was no longer in a combat zone, it was still important to be organized. It would make life much easier. Knowing where things were meant not having to be frustrated or stressed when he was in need of anything.

It also gave Orion something to focus on and focus he did right until he heard a knock at his door. He quickly finished arranging his shelves before making his way to the front. Upon opening the door, he was greeted with a familiar face.

"Hey, Orion." Issei greeted him. "What's up?"

"Hello, Issei." Orion greeted his friend. "You are here to see Asia."

"Yeah." The brunette nodded his head. "Is now a good time?"

The former Autobot stepped to the side. "There is nothing urgent taking place, so you are welcome."

"Thank you." Issei stepped into the house. "Excuse me."

The usually unreserved and outgoing boy was very timid and uncertain. It would seem that when it came to places he wasn't familiar with, he was quite a bit more reserved, a small detail to notice.

"Asia is currently resting in one of the upstairs guest rooms." Orion gestured to where he was referring to. "It will be the first door you come across."

"Thanks." Issei said. "Do you... need me to do anything?"

"If I think of something, I will let you know." Orion replied back. "Go speak with her. She will appreciate the company. I will join you shortly."

The young boy quickly made his way upstairs and it became quiet for a moment before voices upstairs began to sound. True to his word, the cybertronian-human hybrid quickly made sure there was nothing urgent to attend to before making his way to his friends.

He entered the room to see Asia, who was now sitting up speaking to Issei, who had taken a seat next to the bed using a chair from a nearby desk.

"And how are you both?" Orion asked a question to make himself known.

Asia smiled brightly. "We're well. Issei was just talking about school."

"Yeah, it's actually kind of nice to just be at school." Issei rubbed the back of his head. "No pressure, no life and death stuff, just being a kid."

"That is good." Orion joined them, taking a knee. "And I am sorry to do this, but I believe we need to discuss how we plan to move forward in light of what has happened."

Both the teenagers adopted a crestfallen expression, the boy being more angry-looking while the girl appeared merely saddened.

"Yes, I suppose so." Asia sighed. "Where to begin?"

"How you intend to move forward." Orion looked out the window for a moment. "What can you tell me about your relationship with the Fallen Angels?"

Asia appeared dismayed. "Not much, I'm afraid and it's a rather lengthy story. I am reluctant to speak of it, though. The wounds are still fresh."

"It's okay, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Issei gave a questioning look to Orion, who merely shook his head, which prompted the former to try and prod more softly. "We just want to help you. Any info you can give us is good for us all."

"I know, I really do." Asia had her hands clasped in front of her, her green eyes downtrodden. "I'm being selfish and I'm letting my fears get the better of me, but I just don't know how to control them or move past them."

"We do not expect you to recover from trauma easily." Orion spoke in the softest tone he could muster. "Especially when you have not had the proper experience or training to deal with trauma to begin with. All we ask is that you do not conceal what it is that you feel."

The quiet that followed was filled with the blonde-haired girl appearing to mentally weigh her options. She stared at her hands, taking breaths in and out deliberately. Then she looked out the window to witness the sun.

Another minute passed, and then she looked to the two other occupants in the room. There was a desire to trust both of them, but she still didn't say any words.

Asia looked afraid. "I want to trust you two. I want to believe that you two will help me, and yet…"

This was a mentality that Orion knew all too well. Being faced with betrayal once was enough to shatter trust, but dealing with it again? It could be considered a miracle that this girl was still willing to believe in trust.

Was it right to be questioning Asia like this in light of her mental state?

"You can trust us." Issei was eager and failed to see the problem. "We would never do anything to hurt you."

After those words were said, one look at the girl said it all; she simply wasn't in a proper state of mind to dispense with critical information.

Better to back off for now.

Orion quickly placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. When their eyes met, the only thing that the elder male did was give him a hard stare and a small shake of the head. It looked like they would have to abandon questioning for now.

"On second thought, we can wait." Issei quickly switched his position. "No pressure or anything."

Asia faced them with a sad smile. "Thank you, both of you. I appreciate the kindness being afforded to me."

If this were a more urgent situation, Orion would have to be more hasty and more driven. As long as things didn't escalate any further than they had, he was sure that he could be more easy-going.

"I will leave you two to speak with each other." The former Prime took his leave. "Excuse me."

This move was done partially to give them room for whatever private subjects the two of them wished to discuss. The other aspect was preventing himself from saying something that could potentially be unproductive at this juncture.

As much as Orion was trying to respect boundaries, a sense of urgency and impatience did gnaw at him, a byproduct of being in combat. To a degree, Issei could understand this feeling, but not Asia.

"The initial shock has yet to wear off." He concluded to himself. "For both their sakes, I pray that they adapt swiftly."

One did not necessarily have to be the strongest or the smartest to thrive.

In Orion's experience, adaptability, resilience, and luck were more critical.


High School DxD - - - Transformers


Issei spent about an hour or so talking with Asia. Most of the topics they covered were small talk stuff. The weather, the area around town, anything but the elephant in the room. Maybe it wasn't the best idea, but in light of the blonde's mood, he didn't want to talk about it because he had a lot of things to consider too.

Murder was supposed to be a bad thing, but with Raynare's blood and death on his hands, he felt anger and satisfaction. The contradiction between what was right and what he had done was something that he continued to process. Even now, his feelings on the matter were unchanged, plain and simple.

Everyone knew about what Issei had done, but none of them blamed him or accused him of being evil, yet he wasn't sure Asia would view things in the same way. The girl was much too kind and forgiving to hold grudges or resentment for anyone. It was simply in her nature and that left the high school boy unsure about whether or not to tell the nun about his part in the mission to save her.

Actually, now that he thought about it, the wielder of the Boosted Gear was sure that he was going to tell her. Just like it wasn't in her nature to hate, it wasn't in his nature to lie. He wore all of his emotions on his sleeve. It was more a matter of finding the right time to tell her. He wanted her to like him when all was said and done.

Issei considered that maybe he was overthinking things just a little bit. In hindsight, a lot of his better moments came when he stopped overthinking and just committed to taking action. It didn't matter what he did so long as he took action. So far, he was alive and intact more or less. Changed perhaps, but still capable nonetheless.

It was so hard to be a capable person socially speaking, especially when his many years from puberty onward were all about describing the female body to his friends and to the entire world. That wouldn't go away in a short amount of time, but due to recent events, he had spent much less time fixating on sexual stuff.

Moreover, the Red Dragon Emperor took one look at Asia and felt that any lewd thoughts towards the nun were wrong. She was a pure, kind, and earnest soul who was simply using her gifts for the good of others. Fantasizing about her breasts just felt wrong, but immoral or not, he still thought about them.

Issei felt that maybe Orion had an opinion about what to do regarding these rampant thoughts of boobs and butts. The guy was in full control of himself, or so he appeared to be. Whatever the case, the brunette wanted that sort of discipline. He certainly didn't have it and nobody in the past had taught him.

Thanks a lot, dad. Issei, despite loving his father, cursed the man.

His eyes momentarily drifted to the opposite side of the bed where he thought no one was.

And there instead was a small girl with raven-black hair and equally black eyes… or were they silver.

"A most interesting development." The girl spoke with a frown on her face. "My big brother has gained a female companion."

"Eh…" Issei froze, his mind trying to process. "...um…"

"You are confused." Those eyes stared at him now. "Cease being so."

"Um…but… how did you…" Asia also appeared greatly confused. "When did you-"

"I wished to appear here and I did." She spoke as if it were something for him to accept easily. "My name is Ophis."

"...oh." Issei felt on edge, but curious as well. "Wait, who's your big brother?"
"Orion Pax." Ophis appeared to smile at his name. "He is my big brother and that is final."

So basically another girl that liked Orion.

That sounded about right.

"When did you two meet?" Issei was curious about their circumstances.

"Not long ago." Ophis stared at him rather blankly. "I saw him, a beacon that shined brightly and I knew at that moment I had to know him."

"Bright light?" Issei did wonder about that wording. "Meaning what, exactly?"

Ophis adopted a thoughtful look. "He is something holy… no, he is far greater. He is closer to God… to a deity."

"A god?" Asia appeared fixated on that aspect. "Orion is a god?"

Ophis was swift in correcting him. "No, but perhaps he was crafted by one. Or maybe he was imbued with holy properties. It is most puzzling."

It seemed like the mystery that was the brunette's newest friend could only grow. Of course, this girl could be talking out of her ass, but judging from her tone, she sounded certain about her assessment. If nothing else, she believed that she was right. Still, her words weren't necessarily unbelievable.

"She exaggerates greatly." Orion had made his back into the room, having heard their conversation. "I am nowhere near close to the power that a deity would wield."

"Still closer than the rest of us." Issei committed without hesitation. "I mean, I could believe it."

"Reality is often a much different thing than fiction." Orion shook his head in disagreement. "I am many things, but holy is not one of them."

Issei might be overanalyzing, but that sounded a lot like an unwillingness to discuss the topic further. Then he decided it wasn't worth pursuing, so he shrugged his shoulders.

"Holy or not, you are most certainly comparable in strength to god." Ophis rose from her position and quickly stood in front of her proclaimed elder sibling with much adoration and affection in her eyes. "Perhaps you might be the strongest one here."

"... how strong are you, Ophis?" Asia asked the burning question.

Ophis gave a sideways glance. "Enough that nobody here save for one poses a significant threat."

"If you intend to make friends out of anyone here, threats are not advised." Orion immediately moved to scold her. "No matter how veiled they are."

"I came to see you, big brother." Ophis grabbed his hand. "Not them. I do not intend to be their friend."

For some reason, the disapproval of a child was more than a little upsetting for the brunette and he silently felt his heart crack a little bit at the pressure. It didn't matter that she was talking like a smart person or that she was more powerful than him. It still kind of hurt him.

"Issei?" Asia gently laid a hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"

But there was someone that still gave him compassion and for that his tears began to flow endlessly.

"Asia!" Issei felt himself get carried about. "Bless your kind soul for caring about a perverted good-for-nothing loser!"

"Um, it's no problem." Asia sounded like she didn't know how to accept his overly enthusiastic response.

"I do not know why you find such company appealing, brother." Ophis voiced yet another displeasure. "They are beneath you."

"Whether that is true or not is irrelevant." Orion put a hand on his adopted little sister's shoulder. "The belief that an individual is superior to others simply because he or she possesses a particular affinity or talent for a skill is dangerous. It can lead one to delusions of godhood and invincibility when there are none to be found."

Issei took a moment to figure out all the fancy words, but once he did, he couldn't help but silently ponder on this nugget of wisdom. It actually sounded like something he should listen to, even if he didn't really get it completely.

Ophis too appeared to absorb his words. "I see. Then I will endeavor to temper my words, but I will not stop from speaking honestly about those that I meet."

"And you should never cease doing so, but mind your words. Depending on your verbiage, benefits can be gained or lost from others." Orion looked her straight in the eye. "Do not forget that."

Issei could get that sentiment. Assholes loved saying that they were being honest when they insulted people. It was a poor excuse to cover up the true intention of being haters while trying to dodge responsibility. The boy was truthful himself, but he never apologized for being the way he was. That would be lying, and that wasn't his style.

"So, um, yeah, great lesson." Issei nevertheless wanted to talk about something more casual. "Also, when did you get a cute little sister?! Where can I get one of those?!"

Orion gave him a look. "I am not sure what answer you wish to give me."

"Don't give me one!" Issei recanted his words. "The truth is probably gonna hurt! It's already hurt me!"

Oh, that harem dream was looking a little farther away than he liked.


Transformers - - - High School DxD


Ophis made it a habit to state what she thought about each and every individual when she met them. Only one could truly challenge her in terms of power, so it was well within her ability to state truths, however harsh they might be. Many beings, devils in particular, made it a habit to flaunt their superiority to others. The difference between them and her was that she had the ability to back up whatever she said.

The Red Dragon Emperor might have the potential to overcome her one day. In theory, the ability to double power indefinitely was incredibly powerful, but Boosted Gear was currently in its infancy, thus rendering it an insignificant threat at best at this time. Further compounding this was the fact that its current wielder was nothing short of a short-sighted child who relied heavily upon others for self-worth.

Such company did not belong in the presence of her beloved elder sibling, yet Orion would not be persuaded to break off his friendship with the young human boy. Neither could he be convinced to reconsider about the nun carrying Twilight Healing. She understood that it was in his nature to give all people dignity and respect, but that didn't mean she liked it or agreed with it.

Still, the mere fact that he chose to be exhibit such kindness even knowing the dangerous individuals in the world left her to wonder just how powerful he truly was. What sort of power granted so much assurance that its wielder could afford to dispense pleasantries to all that he met?

Ophis, more than anything, wanted powerful individuals at her back. Her time with Big Red was drawing close. He was the last obstacle before her silence was obtained and she would have it one way or another, but before that could be done, she needed to consolidate her power base, ensure that the Khaos Brigade did its job.

In short, she didn't like it when other people meddled in things that weren't theirs to begin with.

This case being one Issei Hyoudou taking the attention of one Orion Pax. He was HER brother and no one else's.

The mere notion of jealousy in her heart was both interesting and absurd. It was such a petty emotion, so easy to exploit and humans were so quick to succumb to its effects, but that was exactly what she felt. Whether or not she would act upon it would depend on her brother's companions, what they did.

Neither of them were bad people, that much Ophis could see. Hyoudou and Argento were merely fools with too much naivete. Luck and powerful allies had saved them so far, but sooner or later, they were going to die if they did not learn to fend for themselves. Quite a few eyes were on them and neither children had any idea.

Then again, Orion likely did not know either, but unlike them, he could deal with whatever threat came his way.

"A word, Ophis." He motioned to the door leading to the hallway. "If you please."

"Okay, big brother." She could only comply with his request.

With a gentle hand, he ushered her away from his guests, leading them downstairs and into the kitchen where they would be able to converse without distraction.

Thus, he began "The presence of my newest friends seems to have unbalanced you."

"I am merely assessing those closest to my big brother." She did not appreciate this interrogation. "Is that so wrong?"

He seemed unimpressed by her words. "Perhaps… if that was your only intent."

"... no, it is not." She saw no reason to lie. "I find myself ill at ease with them here."

"They will not cause harm. They are not capable of doing much harm as they are now. That is why they are here."

"Be that as it may, I do not trust them."

She sounded like a child and despite that being her appearance, she had her reasons internally.

"... I understand. I will not pry." Orion was reluctant to drop the subject, that much was clear.

"Thank you." It was the first time in a long time that Ophis had expressed gratitude to anyone.

She gave him a hug and he slowly returned the gesture with a single arm. The gesture was slightly difficult given their statues.

"You seem to have been busy in my absence." Orion was the first to separate from her.

Ophis nodded her head. "I have been busy meeting with people and discussing the future. Plans are being made, that is all I can say for sure."

"If I asked you what you were doing, would you be willing to divulge?" Orion crossed his arms.

Ophis had the decency to at least appear sheepish. "I do not think it would be appropriate at this time."

She should have expected that clever little maneuvering from her big brother. He was strong in body and in mind. It was her inexperience as a being with emotions that was her main source of conflict.

"Then perhaps I might enlighten you, little sister." Orion put his hands behind his back. "It is clear to me that you require more interactions with people in order to develop a method of communication that appears less childish and more formed."

Ophis could only scoff at such a notion. "There are no others like me. I have no need to play nice with those that are beneath me."

"And mind that arrogance as well." Orion's tone hardened considerably. "A self-inflated belief in oneself can lead to delusions of invincibility."

She always knew that her brother was something of a wise individual, but the philosophy that he spoke was clearly thought out. It had to come from prior experience because no young human would know such things, at least not based on what she had seen from the human world so far.

"I will bear that in mind." That was the best that Ophis could promise.

Orion appeared to be satisfied. "Was there anything else that you wished to speak to me about."

"Nothing that is important as of this moment." Ophis said, then took a moment to rethink her response before making an addon. "Actually, there may be something."

Orion was expectedly attentive. "And that would be?"

"There have been whispers from Heaven and Hell about a warrior of holy origins meddling in their affairs." Ophis knew plenty about the going-ons in all the known realms and the latest gossip was interesting to say the least. "Many eyes are upon you, big brother. I would advise that you be cautious, although I have doubts about any true harm befalling you."

"Are there any names that I should be aware of?" And also unexpectedly, he was diligent in his desire for deeper knowledge.

The Infinite Dragon God appeared lackadaisical in her childish form. "None that warrants your immediate attention. None of the players in question are going to threaten you… at least not in the immediate future."

"All the same, I will remain alert." By contrast, the enigma before her appeared unequivocally serious. "Those two trust me to take care of them; I must make good on my promises to them."

Dutiful people were hard to find nowadays; selfishness and cowardice were the norm now and it showed in the current generation. It wasn't even restricted to Fallen Angels or Devils, ,the classic examples of evil or fallen good. Angels or those who were associated with Heaven were just as guilty.

Ophis found it refreshing, just like ice cream. "I want some ice cream."

"I have some in the freezer." Orion seemed to anticipate her desire. "Unfortunately, the flavor is not for you to decide."

"Very well." Despite a bit of dismay, Ophis thought better of issuing a complaint, feeling that it wouldn't be welcome. "I'll eat it regardless of flavor."

Arguably the most powerful Dragon in all of existence found joy in something as simple as a frozen treat. This was something that only her big brother knew about. Not even her closest associates in the Khaos Brigade knew anything about her private matters.

The sight of the disguised little girl eating an unhealthy food item was so contradictory to her words. A being of her caliber ought to do away with such insignificant desires and pursue her true goal more religiously. At least, that is what some of the more single-minded people she knew would do.

Which was exactly what most people got wrong. Unlike all other life on Earth, Ophis was born from literal nothingness. She simply came into being without cause and imbued with sentience and intelligence. The latter told her that all these pitiful creatures were so weak, fragile, and fleeting. Ultimately, all of their accomplishments were done for no other reason than for selfishness, hidden under the guise of rationality, logic, and morality.

Experience was necessary for her to better understand her surroundings.

Plus, she just liked ice cream.

And her big brother.


High School DxD - - - Transformers


Orion regarded Ophis with great interest. Her appearance of a little girl belied the true character that was lurking underneath. It was nothing sinister or evil, but it was highly untrained, unhoned, and undisciplined. It was clear as day with how she spoke, how she conducted herself, and how she appeared to others.

He had known that from the moment that he met her, but out of respect for her and his curiosity partially feeding his interactions toward her, he said nothing. Now, this more radical shift in their interaction made him a little bit more aware of the kind of person she was. No doubt she had great power in herself.

What gave Orion pause was how her power and her attitude did not match. True colors were revealed when someone obtained absolute power. Megatron proved that point well, but often forgotten were the individuals that had power, but were not abusive with their power, merely arrogant of their superiority over others.

Ophis fit into that belief, yet at the same time, she was among humans, performing mundane acts like eating, smiling at the simple joy. That did not sit with the vision of someone powerful. He was beginning to wonder if her being humanoid was even her true physical form. Did she even have a set physical form?

In all honesty, Orion was more comfortable when dealing with mortal things. Although he was intimately familiar with Primus and Unicron to a lesser degree, he was never versed enough to even begin understanding the realm of deities. Their goals and motivations were known to him, yet he did not fully grasp them. Being a Prime was as close to godhood as he would ever get.

Everyone here on this Earth, they mistook him for some sort of higher power. None of them knew about his origins. Absolutely no one knew about the Matrix of Leadership that he was still somehow connected to. In order to preserve the secrets of the Cybertronian race, he would do everything in his power to ensure that as few as possible knew about where he came from. He did not want to endanger his home and his people, intentional or not.

However, Orion was also wise enough to recognize that concealing information from allies and friends was dangerous. If he was found out, it could lead to alienation and other serious consequences. Plus, his intuition told him that his new bunch of friends were the type to go snooping around or at the very least they were curious.

It was understandable for all of them. They were young and naturally, they wanted something that would challenge them. Even amongst the gods and devils that populated this world, they were all young in comparison to the lives of Cybertronians, so different.

But not so different. War affected them all equally, as did the disparity in power, social class, and mentality.

Maybe it would not be so hard to reveal all that he knew with time.


Don't mind me, just busy in the U.S. Army. You don't realize how much times passes until you look back. Also, I haven't been uploading all that much, so I thought I'd finish up a chapter and put it up.

So I took a look at High School DxD in earnest. The man appeal for the series, at least for me, is the humor and over the top stunts. Even the fan service feeds into this. It just makes me laugh because either it's really good or it's so bad that it's good.

I don't want to lose that core element in my story, even with the seriousness that I usually am known for as a writer. To that end, I will try to be a little more lighthearted whenever it seems more appropriate.

Thoughts on this chapter? Reviews and feedback are greatly appreciated.

Also, if any of my concepts story ideas are of interest, check them out and vote for them on my profile.

Thanks for reading.