Disclaimer: I do not own "High School DxD."
{Chronostrasza}
[Yserastrasza]
{Spoken Draconic}
PoV: Shoichiro
Finally, it's the day.
My very first Rating Game as a Devil Lord against Riser Phoenix.
In my very first public event as a devil, I have the unenviable task of facing off against the so-called "rising star of the Rating Game."
A guy who I could wipe the floor with in a one-on-one fight.
Seriously... I could turn him into a smoldering scorch mark and be done with it. That would have been enough to guarantee Rias' freedom for sure...
... so why the fuck didn't I just do that? Why did I bother challenging him to a Rating Game to begin with?
Believe it or not, I've spent a lot of time awake late at night thinking about the answer to that very question. And as it turns out, the answers - plural - weren't nearly as complicated as I thought.
It turns out, the answers to those questions are as self-serving and arrogant as I've become since realizing my true nature as a half-human, half-dragon bearer of an ancient dragon spirit.
Had I simply fought Riser one-on-one, that would have been following lockstep with Lord Lucifer's plan. And if there's one thing I'm starting to absolutely revile, it's being used and manipulated. I followed along with it in becoming a devil lord in the first place out of a sense of gratitude for his and Lord Beelzebub's help with the Dragonqueen. It's the reason why I wake up a lot of mornings next to Asia, instead of whatever possible alternate fates could have resulted from the now-defunct Covenant of the Aspects. But it's starting to get really old, really quick.
The other reason is because I feel like I need to prove myself in this new universe I've been drafted into. No two ways about it, beating Riser in a one-on-one fight would prove impressive enough to be sure, but nowhere near as much so as beating him at his own game - this 'Rating Game.' I tried to tell myself that was more about proving I had the stronger team - and don't get me wrong, I honestly believe I do - but in the end, it's still all about me. Me trying to prove I can be a better devil after one month than someone who's been a devil their entire lives.
And of course, Riser isn't the only pure-blood devil I have to prove something to.
Nope... it probably goes without saying that the one person I have to impress more than anyone is the crimson-haired Ruin Princess who is most likely wandering the halls of my mother's castle as I speak - well, think.
Rias Gremory.
I had plans for Rias, make no mistake about it. Plans predicated on first and foremost winning this Rating Game, because none of those plans involve (or are even sustainable using) the bride of a Phoenix noble-douche.
And then, she goes and does something that could torpedo my entire scheme.
She KISSED me!
That was not supposed to fucking happen! At least not tonight, anyway...
It would have been different had we just won the game and she was awash in gratitude. Then she throws herself into my arms and we enjoy a night of hot, passionate lovemaking as her way of saying "thank you," and then we just continue life as friends who occasionally flirt with each other until I'm actually ready to confess my love and add her to my growing harem of wives.
Oh, shit...
Fuck my entire life...
I just said it, didn't I?
I love Rias Gremory... and as relieved as I am to finally admit that, even if it's to nobody but myself - Chromie still can't hear my thoughts unless I actually grant her access - it comes at the least inopportune time.
Because as confident as I am that we will win today, I haven't bothered preparing for the reality that comes along if we don't.
If we lose this game, then I lose Rias forever for all intents and purposes. Even now I don't even bother contemplating what that could-slash-would mean and resolve that simply put, that is not something I can allow to happen.
Although... now that I think about it, there is something I should probably tell her before we go on to the game.
The sun is starting to rise, which means I haven't slept at all tonight. Oh well... I'll just get a nap later or something, but for now I kind of want to enjoy this moment with Asia...
...if I can find her, that is. She's not in her room, which is odd. There's only one other place I can think of that she would be, so I go to check Lysandra's room.
My lovers are nothing if not predictable, it seems.
For in Lysandra's bed are laying, not only her and Asia, but Kalawarner as well. She seems to fit right in, oddly enough. They're all in nightclothes, and the room is relatively put together and doesn't absolutely reek of sex, which can only mean Kalawarner got here first. 'Cuz I'm pretty sure Lysandra would have tried to rape Asia otherwise... that woman's a bigger pervert than me, which if I'm being honest is one reason I love her the way I do.
I scrap my plans of waking Asia up to enjoy the sunrise - there will be plenty more in the future. For now, I snap a stasis field into place, climb into bed with my three loves, and go to sleep.
PoV: Rias
Finally, it's the day.
My second - and last - chance to get out from under the thumb of that peacock prick of House Phoenix.
If we fail, that's it - no more delays, no more distractions, no more of my brother's scheming and manipulations. I have to become Lady Rias Phoenix on the fucking spot.
The thought alone is enough to make me vomit - it's a good thing I'm on the roof, and nobody has to worry about cleaning it up.
I've gotten so used to spending time here at Lady Arceus' castle, I can't stand the thought of never coming here again.
She's been so kind and supportive letting us train here, not to mention helping me improve my magic skills.
Something about which bears mentioning to Shoichiro before this game gets underway, now that I think about it.
Her children are fantastic as well, doing whatever they've been asked to in order to bring the absolute best out of all of us.
Even Haruhi has helped in her own ways... when her half-brother-slash-adopted-son isn't drilling her into the dirt along with the rest of the team.
Which brings me to the problem child of the Black Rose clan.
Shoichiro. Fucking. Seiryuu.
He's arrogant, self-serving, inflexible to a fault, a know-it-all, a show-off, domineering.
Oh, I almost somehow forgot - he's also a malicious and murderous sociopath who not only ripped the wings off a fallen angel before trapping him inside a burning building, but also snatched my still-beating heart from my chest and crushed it in his bare hands after forcing me to watch him slaughter my three best friends...
...yet whenever he's around, I just can't help but feel safe. Like somehow, some way, everything is going to be okay.
Does that make me the strange one?
Of course, that only makes me kick myself even harder for how I treated him when I first met him. I hate to admit, but I made the same mistakes my brother is making now. I sometimes wonder if I could have warned him about Shoichiro's penchant for going off-script, but he is the Great Devil King Lucifer after all. He probably would have listened to his little sister, but I think the fact that I didn't speaks more to the fact that I am his little sister and that we think more alike than I'd like to admit.
Granted, none of that matters right here and now. Between the two of them, we're staring down the barrel of this Rating Game, at the end of which lies my complete liberation or my utter devastation.
What's really strange is, losing offers me more certainty than winning. If we lose, I marry Riser and probably die of sheer boredom within a year. But if we win, then I'm free to do whatever I want...
...with whomever I want to do it with...
...and it goes without saying that Shoichiro Fucking Seiryuu is at the top of that very short list - or is it fucking Shoichiro Seiryuu?
Although he did seem pretty shocked when I kissed him tonight, so I wonder if he just doesn't feel the same way I do... no, that can't be. The way he touched me after his hide-and-seek challenge, it wasn't just some perverted groping. It felt warm, caring, secure.
Safe.
The sun is starting to come up - how have I possibly been up here that long?! - which means I haven't slept at all tonight. Some rest might do me some good, but... as sad as it sounds, I don't really want to sleep alone.
I make my way down the hallway where all our rooms are, and I just catch the sight of a door closing. Maybe Shoichiro has been up all night as well.
I follow in behind him and - wow.
Asia, Lysandra and Kalawarner are all laid out across the bed, and Shoichiro is laid out up among them.
I won't lie, being a part of... whatever this is, doesn't exactly appeal to me. It feels like a cheesy harem anime... and yet it doesn't at the same time.
I've seen the way he dotes on Asia, how he holds Lysandra in such high regard, and even how he cares for and protects Kalawarner.
I can't help but wonder if he could find a place for me... but that can wait.
Speaking of waiting, he's stopped time on the room. Presumably so he can get some sleep without losing real time... it feels like genius and cheating at the same time.
That's why I decide to strip naked and climb in bed with them all - the only reason.
3rd Person PoV
Arceus walked up and down her guest hallway, her frustration growing with each empty room she found. She was looking for Shoichiro, but his room was empty as were Rias', Asia's, even Kalawarner's. Finally she reached Lysandra's room and sensed the telltale energy of a stasis field. Inside she found her son in a loose tangle with not one, not two, not three, but four young ladies. Thankfully all but one of them were clothed, although she found it weird that the only one person undressed was the one person her son hadn't yet slept with...
...or had he?!
In any event, now did not seem like the appropriate time to press the issue. "Shoichiro, you and your flock should probably get up and get moving."
Shoichiro groaned like a typical teenager. "Do I have to?"
"Your team is going over their equipment now, and Asia and Lysandra have something special prepared for you and Rias so you should all do the same. I also had something made for Kalawarner."
"Ugh, fine... but before you go: what the hell's a 'flock?'"
"A dragon and their consorts, now get moving!"
"All right, I'm moving!" The only actual movement he made was to pull a blanket over his head, so Arceus just sighed and left the room.
Moments later, the blanket was ripped away and a flood of water burst through the room. Shoichiro looked up in shock to see Haruhi standing there with an empty bucket. "Mother said get moving."
Shoichiro glared at his sister, who merely smirked in reply before she walked away.
"I take it that's something that happens often at your house?"
"When I was younger, that's how she'd wake me up if I slept in too long," he replied. "Except she'd usually just wring a washcloth out over my head, not toss an entire pail of water over my bed."
"You mean my bed," Lysandra seethed.
"The bed I was occupying at the time," he dismissed. "Anyway, let's get moving... you can get the staff to come in and fix things while we're gone. I guess you should go see my mother, Kala-chan."
"Aww... do I have to?" She slithered closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. "It feels like you just came to bed."
He gave her a firm spank on the butt, causing her to moan out load. "Yes, you do... consider it an order from your Master."
"All right... if my Master orders it, I have no choice. But you owe me."
"I owe you? Do you really want to roll those dice?"
"You know I do," she grinned as she finally got to her feet and sashayed out of the room.
Shoichiro couldn't help but let out a slight chuckle. "Asia, Lysandra, you too."
"I should probably take a bath before I get dressed. Asia, would you care to join me?"
"Sure... but only to bathe."
The two went into Lysandra's private bath, but she stuck her head back out to address Shoichiro and Rias. {I really hope that one is less of a tease than this one.}
Shoichiro just facepalmed as he looked up at Rias, who was still soaked and trying to cover herself. "I can only imagine what you must be thinking right now."
"Try me."
"I'd rather change the subject." He grabbed her a robe and offered to escort her to one of the common baths. "I was thinking last night, about the training you did with my mother for your Rating Game."
"Oh really? So was I."
"I remembered the duel we fought at the end. It was impressive, to say the least."
"Even though I lost?"
"Even though you lost. But it occurred to me that my mother didn't train you to defeat Riser Phoenix."
"You think so?"
"I could tell from the way you fought that day. The techniques you used, you didn't develop those with winning that Game in mind."
"Then what did she teach me?" Rias had come to the same conclusion, but she wanted to hear Shoichiro verify it.
"She was trying to teach you to defeat me."
"You're right... I didn't realize it until last night, but it's true. She kind of hinted at it, because she said you pitied me back then. She wanted me to be able to earn your respect."
"Well, she wasn't wrong... but I think there's another reason she trained you the way she did."
"What's that?"
"I think that she thinks that I'm stronger than Riser, and by -"
"Wow, you really are full of yourself, aren't you?"
"I'm serious, hear me out! By that logic, if you could beat me, then you would be strong enough to beat Riser."
"That makes no sense."
"Of course it doesn't... to a devil. But it's perfectly logical to dragons, who respect and value strength above all else."
By now they had reached the bath, but Shoichiro had one final comment before he took his leave. "My mother trained you with the faith that I'm capable of beating Riser Phoenix. Do you have that same faith?"
"I -"
"Yes or no, Rias."
"...yes."
Shoichiro smiled. "Good. That's all I needed to hear."
After lunch, almost everyone was completely dressed and making last-minute adjustments to their equipment. The seven archers had their angelic armor, the original Occult Research Club members had their school uniforms with the exception of Akeno, who had a shrine maiden aesthetic going on. Haruhi and Kalawarner each wore a cheongsam-style dress; Haruhi's was black with gold tribal patterns and reinforced with a light layer of plate, while Kalawarner's was white with black roses and dragonhide
Asia pulled Shoichiro into his bedroom with a box. "Lady Arceus told me about a tradition among dragons: that before a battle, the lords and commanders would be dressed by their consorts, as not only a symbol of their status but also to help them relax their bodies and focus their minds."
Shoichiro went pale at that. "Umm... as awesome as that sounds, I have no status to speak of. I'm not a lord yet; I don't deserve this."
"Oh... well, will you let me do it because I love you?"
Dragonqueen's grace, can I just marry this girl already?! "Yes, I will," he said with a smile he could hardly contain.
He stripped down to his underwear at Asia's guidance, and she started with a pair of baggy knee-length shorts. They were white along one leg, black along the other, with gold patterns and black roses stitched throughout. "Your mother said these are made of dragonweave, and reinforced underneath with hide to protect certain vital human anatomy."
"Really? The hide doesn't cover much of the femoral arte- goddamn it!"
"What's wrong?!"
"Nothing! Just... please, keep going."
"Oh... all right."
Next were a pair of black leather boots that zipped along the sides, reinforced with shin and knee protectors. The pads had his last name 'Seiryuu' etched in gold Draconic lettering on the shins, and a black rose with three wings pointing behind him.
The torso garment - if it could even be called a garment - was a black sleeve covering his left arm with more of the same gold patterns stitched on. At his shoulder was a magnificent steel plate with a king's crown etched in gold, and his hand was covered by a gauntlet identical to his Sacred Gear. On his head went a gold circlet with a diamond in the center.
"Wow... who came up with this outfit, and how?" Shoichiro marveled. "It's plenty comfortable and offers excellent mobility, but I don't feel it offers much in the way of actual protection."
"Your mother said this was the uniform for rank-and-file soldiers in the Bronze Dragonflight."
"They must have gone through a hell of a lot of these 'rank-and-file' guys, then..." He let out a long sigh before continuing. "But, for what it's worth we aren't facing anything nearly as strong as a dragon. Plus, minus the fact that my entire torso is exposed, it actually looks pretty damn good. So... thank you. I really appreciate this."
Asia held her hand over her nose and mouth as they walked down to the common room; no need to tell him that particular bit was her idea.
"Also, what's this little zipper pouch on my wrist here?"
"That's something special Sakuya and I have been working on. We figured it might come in handy."
"...I see. Could be useful."
By the time Shoichiro and Asia made it back to the common room, Lysandra was waiting for them in her leather-and-lace getup she had worn to visit the Dragonqueen. "Oh, good, you're finally here," she said. "May I present... Lady Rias Gremory!"
She made an elegant flourish to a nearby door... but nothing happened.
Everyone eyed Lysandra in silence, so she cleared her throat and repeated herself, this time with a hint of agitation in her voice. "May I present... Lady Rias Gremory!"
"Umm... I'm not exactly comfortable coming out dressed like this."
"What are you talking about? You said it was fantastic!"
"That was before I actually put it on!"
"Rias," Shoichiro called out annoyingly, "you do remember I just saw you naked about an hour ago, right? What could possibly be worse than that?"
"I don't care! I'm not coming out there!"
"Then I'm coming in!"
"Fine!"
Shoichiro, Asia and Lysandra all entered the room Rias was in, and were stupefied by what they saw.
She was in a similar outfit to Asia's, except it was black, red... and completely ill-fitting.
"Now you see why I didn't want to come out there?" Rias whined.
Shoichiro could do nothing but nod in agreement, while Asia noticed the problem right away. "Lysandra, did you tell her to clap it?"
"Of course I told her to clap it... you did clap it, didn't you?"
"What?"
Asia and Lysandra both facepalmed. "She didn't clap it," they said in unison.
"What the fuck does that even mean?" Shoichiro asked, his annoyance growing by the second.
"Dragonweave is self-fitting, but it needs a sample of the wearer's blood to conform to the body. That's why there's a pin in the gloves that's activated by clapping them together." Lysandra stared daggers at Rias as she gave her explanation. "I thought I explained that well enough, but apparently not."
"Oh... so you mean, like this?" She clapped the palms of her hands together and felt a sharp stab in each one, which magically set the garment off. Everything began shrinking and adjusting until the robes hugged her curves exactly as they were meant to. "Wow... now this, I could get used to. I even feel my magic getting stronger!"
"That's one of the magical properties of dragonweave," Lysandra continued. "It was meant primarily as a 'second skin' for mages and casters."
"Can I keep this after today?"
{Only if I can keep you,} Lysandra grinned, earning a reproachful glare from Shoichiro. {What?! If you don't want her, I damn sure do!}
{Can we at least get through today before you start perving on her?}
{If you absolutely insist,} she huffed, while Asia tried to hide her laughter.
"Asia, can you explain to me what they're saying?" Rias asked.
"Honestly... I think it's for the best that I don't."
Later that evening, everyone was gathered in the headquarters of the Occult Research Club.
As Grayfia arrived to transport everyone to the arena, Shoichiro imparted a few last words of inspiration to his team.
"Remember there's no shame in going out and fighting and getting your ass kicked, but there's no honor in not fighting at all. And we are damn well going to fight. And we may get our asses kicked in the process, but we are not going to lose. We are better trained than them. We are more disciplined than them. And believe it or not, we have absolutely nothing to lose."
A throat cleared loudly next to him, but he continued undeterred. "I've been asked about our plan for this match; truth be told, there isn't one. There is no plan, because no plan survives getting punched in the mouth. Fortunately, I have the perfect response to getting punched in the mouth: punch first! Punch first, punch hard, and punch a lot! Then when you think you've punched enough, keep punching! No matter what, KEEP PUNCHING!"
"Keep punching..." someone repeated, barely above a whisper.
"KEEP PUNCHING!" Shoichiro yelled in response. The more he yelled, the more people repeated after him, and the louder they got.
"Keep punching!"
"KEEP PUNCHING!"
"KEEP PUNCHING!"
"KEEP PUNCHING!" Shoichiro was now pounding his chest with every chant, whipping his team into a frenzy.
{This is interesting,} Chronostrasza observed silently. {Not only is his power level rising, he seems to be triggering my amplification powers... this is something we'll have to work on together at some point.}
By now, the entire team was confident in their impending victory for no other reason than their commander was speaking it into existence. They were in a jubilant frenzy, calming down only when Grayfia almost yelled that it was time to go. She teleported them to the arena and left to take her position after pointing them through the only door in the room. Shoichiro stepped through first, and was awestruck by what he saw.
"This is... not at all what I was expecting."