The next day, he was introduced to the rest of the peerage. As he wasn't a member of Kuoh Academy yet, they had met in a nearby park.

Besides Sona herself, there was Tsubaki, her Queen, Momo and Reya, her bishops. Tomoe, her knight. Tsubasa, his fellow rook and Ruruko, her pawn.

All in all, it was a motley crew and he felt like he'd be getting along well with them. Even if Tsubasa was making eyes at him. Was he that attractive? Sure, his light blue hair complimented his azure eyes well, but he didn't think he was that impressive. Then again, he wasn't a girl, so he wouldn't know.

Either way, he was apparently to be trained to unlock his Sacred Gear. Neither he, nor Sona knew what it was, but he was a bit excited regardless. Maybe it was some awesome sword that could cut through dimensions. Vergil, eat your heart out.

"So," he said as he glanced around at his fellow peerage members. "How do I do this whole Sacred Gear thing?"

"It's remarkably simple," Sona said. "It's all about willpower. You simply imagine something manifesting. It should respond to your call."

He tried really hard not to look skeptical at that. Like summoning a special power could be that easy. But hey, she was the boss, so he'd do as she said.

He concentrated and concentrated and he was fairly sure he looked constipated if Tsubasa's snickers were any indication, but he didn't care. He had to focus! Inner power! The power within!

And then he was blown backward by a massive surge in power. He almost lost his footing. Almost.

"What the devil?"

Laying on the ground where he was just standing were eight cards. Each of them depicting a different kind of warrior on them. He slowly walked over to them and picked them up. They thrummed with power. Power that felt familiar, yet different. "Is this?"

"Yes," Sona said. "That's your Sacred Gear. Though I've never seen anything quite like it before."

"Why not try invoking it?" Tsubaki spoke up. "It seems to me that you've merely summoned it. There's likely to be an extra step."

"A fair point," Sona said. "Girls, set up a barrier around here. We don't want anyone getting nosey."

After the barrier was set up, they gave him the go ahead.

Only, he didn't know how to invoke it.

"Activate!" he shouted.

Nothing.

"Awaken!"

Nada.

"Come forth, Eternal Dragon!"

Zilch.

He was beginning to get annoyed as he glared at the singular card in his right hand. The warrior on the front resembled a chariot driver. He had focused on all eight first, but at Momo's urging, he decided to try and focus on one at a time. It wasn't making things any easier.

I wish this damn thing came with a manual!

His eyes glared at the card, as if daring it to answer and to his utter shock, it did. It spoke! In his mind!

If you're truly worth being my awesome Master, then you need to know the words! Shout it loud, baby! Include - Rider!

He didn't have anything to lose, so he decided to listen to the loud voice in his head.

"Include - Rider!"

He was suddenly surrounded by a massive whirlwind of golden electricity, a pair of black gloves with red studded spikes protruding from them manifested around his hands as memories. Memories that were not his own, flooded into his mind. He suddenly knew how to fight better than he ever did before. And had a strange desire to ride a motorcycle.

He clenched his fist and grinned. It was odd. He felt like himself, but he also felt like someone else. Confidence that he could never ever imagine himself having took hold as he let out a victorious shout.

"Alright! This is what I'm talking about!"

Sona was honestly beside herself. She had expected something to come out of his Sacred Gear, but it was nothing like the spectacle she was witnessing. Not only had his magical power almost doubled, but his personality was a far cry from where it used to be. He was punching the air, doing backflips and whooping and hollering. Could it be that each of these cards held the weapon and personality of a different warrior? It seemed absurd, but it was the only conclusion she could come up with right now.

What were the odds of this? A boy she'd never met saves her life, she helps him out of kindness and he turns out to likely be her strongest peerage member outside her Queen. It wasn't that she was complaining but, oh man. Rias was going to be so jealous.

Speaking of, she had a get-together with her childhood friend tonight. Maybe she should introduce her new member? Once he was done riding the high of his new power, that is.

Heh, ride.

If anyone ever knew that Sona Sitri, the stone-faced Student Council President, had a shitty sense of humor, she'd never live it down. She blamed her older sister. She was such a bad influence.

She shook her head and refocused on the present. If he could learn to utilize all those cards, he'd truly be a terrifying sight to behold.

And he just punched down a tree.

"Kyousuke! Stop destroying public property!"