Chapter 5: Choices are finite; it's eat or be eaten

Sitting by my side at the breakfast table, Rias Gremory gently blew then softly sipped at a bowl of miso soup, her ocean-azure eyes suddenly sparkling with excitement as her lips met the hot, cloudy broth. "This is just wonderful, mother. Absolutely delicious!"

"Ah… you're very welcome." My foster mom responded, shifting her focus between me and the stranger. Her usual bubbly persona was now suddenly clad with visible disarray and anxiety.

I swallowed and tried not to look her way. This world is full of dangerous beasts—but none quite as frightful and uncontrollable as a mother who's discovered her son has finally flipped off the tracks of reason. To a mother with such a concern, her son will likely run completely amok—like a priest into sex, or a narc-squad cop who suddenly decides to start sampling his contraband.

Both of my parents were sitting across from us with incredulous expressions that were far too complicated and intense to get a proper read on. Usually I considered myself half competent at figuring out these sorts of things, but now I was way out of my element, and straining my brain to try and come up with something to say.

"Issei," Rias suddenly spoke to me. "What are you spacing out for?"

"Huh?" I jumped; my response was like that of a student caught cheating.

A literal, biblical devil—capable of destroying a city block with ease—stared at me with an expression of disbelief, as though I were an inattentive child.

"Your mother went out of her way to make such a wonderful breakfast, so put that sour expression away and eat up," Rias ordered calmly, almost as if she were my older sister. "And don't be so ill-mannered when you eat as well. Slowly enjoy your meal, so you can savor all the flavors. There's no substitute for proper home cooking," she scolded, wiping at the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, as if she were royalty; though her demeanor certainly added to that theory.

"Uh… right. Sorry." I replied and stiffly picked up my own bowl.

"So, Issei," Goro suddenly addressed me. He glanced back and forth between me and my classmate, then smiled. "Would you mind introducing us to your lovely girlfriend?"

I nearly choked on a piece of tofu. Girlfriend? My girlfriend? This is all a very bad show! The urge to shout and profess my innocence, yet, was weighed down by my own self-awkwardness, plus the difficulty that came with swallowing breakfast.

On the other hand, Rias Gremory had no trouble with diplomacy. Putting her chopsticks aside, she bowed towards my parents. "My most sincere apologies for having not introduced myself earlier. Please, Father, Mother, allow me to start over. My name is Rias Gremory. I attend Kuoh Academy alongside your son. It's a pleasure to meet you both." She finished with an elegant, picturesque smile.

"Rias Gremory?" My foster dad spoke her name back, then nodded. "How couldn't I see it from the hair? Ha! Say, your father wouldn't happen to be Zeoticus Gremory, would he?"

My classmate, interested in his response, replied. "Why, yes. Have you two met?"

"Oh, no. No way." Goro laughed and waved his hand in denial. "But, back from my days of press pool, I do know he's quite the wealthy philanthropist, and one of the biggest shareholders of JR Freight. Though, it's surprising to think that our son would know his daughter. Small world, huh?"

Rias glanced my way and smiled. "I suppose that is quite the coincidence."

"We're not dating." I spoke bluntly. "We're… friends."

"To think that I've been friend-zoned," she replied with a sigh infused with a hint of over-exaggeration. "Oh dear, the horror, the anguish. My poor heart just can't take it." She smiled and broke out into a light chuckle.

I felt my face rush with heat and twisted to the side. I didn't know girls could make such cute faces! Hell, I didn't know girls this cute even existed to begin with!

"Rias," my foster mom suddenly said. "Is it alright if I call you that?"

My classmate nodded. "Of course, mother."

"What kind of relationship do you have with my son?" She asked and leaned forward, but Rias acknowledged the query with yet another simple and sweet smile.

"We're just classmates who get along splendidly. Right, Issei?"

"Mm-hmm." I rigidly nodded while downing the last bit of my breakfast soup, trying my hardest to not look back at my parents.

"Last I checked, classmates don't casually share a bed," mom countered immediately.

"Issei said he had been having nightmares," Rias beamed, "so I offered to sleep next to him."

"Next to him?! B-but you were naked! Both of you!"

"Yes, that's how young people sleep nowadays, mother."

"Excuse me?!"

The old man burst out laughing, despite mom's sudden outcry.

"Leave the kids be, Sachiko. I'm sure they were fine, while we were gone."

I looked up from my bowl, surprised.

"But, Goro!" Mrs. Hyoudou pouted, justifiably upset.

My foster dad slowly stood from his chair, squeezing his wife's shoulder in a display of comfort and affection. "It's all okay. Let's save our son the embarrassment for now, and leave it at that." He turned and gave us a wink. "That work out for you guys?"

I said nothing, but awkwardly nodded. That being said, the crimson-haired girl's blue eyes suddenly fell on me, once more, and it looked like she was loving every second of this.

For the first time, I really hoped the dragon would talk again. But he didn't. He was silent.

"Your parents are really sweet." Rias said as we left the house and headed for school.

I knew I was in for one hell of a chew-out later after school, but a stern talk or punishment from my parents were the least of my worries now. "Oh… yeah, well," I cleared my throat, "I've only known them for about a week."

"That so?" She replied. "Are they treating you well?"

I nodded.

She smiled. "That's good. Looking back we can see how indirectly we know the environment in which nevertheless we live. So, cherish your parents; they love you."

"Okay…"

Rias shook her head, giggling. "I don't think I've ever met someone so stiff."

I frowned, lugging my school over my shoulder. "That's rude."

"Rude," she replied, then suddenly stepped right into me. My brain turned into mush as she placed her lips against my ear; the wonderful smell of her hair reminding me that indeed I'd shared a bed with this immaculate being only moments ago. "But factual."

She laughed again as she broke away, and I realized that she had slipped her own bag into my arm. "For instance, yesterday, when I found you climbing up the school staircase like a mummy falling apart by the step. That was some energy you displayed."

"Energy? So, that was you." I nodded. "Honestly, that whole fiasco was like a fever dream."

"Indeed," she responded. "Do you remember anything else?"

"Yeah, that you saved my life. And you call yourself a devil."

Rias beamed. "Both of your statements are correct. I am a devil, next in line to the House of Gremory. However, you certainly had a hand in keeping yourself alive, thanks to your Sacred Gear."

"Sacred what now?" I shook my head. "You mean the voice in my head?"

She stopped walking, suddenly wearing an expression of deep thought. I stopped and stared at her, unsure as to what was on her mind. "Rias?" I spoke her name.

She smiled and waved a finger. "No, no, no. We can't have that now. Understand that there must be a boundary of respect between us. Address me as President, got it?'

"Uh, sure." I was a bit taken aback, but, then again, this was a girl capable of hurling literal explosions. And she was a devil, apparently. "Why, President, though?" I asked, nevertheless.

"Since I operate mostly at the school, I think the name President is most suitable. You'll understand more so, later. Trust me."

"Gotcha, boss."

Hearing this, Rias broke into a truly devilish grin. She looked genuinely happy. "Hee-hee, an excellent response. Very good, Issei. I'll make a man of you yet." With that, she gently stroked my chin with her fingers. "Now, come along. Otherwise, we'll be late."

Everyone stared at us on the way to school that morning—mostly out of patent animosity. After all, Rias Gremory, a girl unrivaled in beauty and class, was leisurely walking at my side, and I was carrying her bag like I was some sort of personal manservant.

"Why is he carrying her things like that…?"

"Are you for real? Rias is walking with a creep like him…?"

From every direction, boys and girls alike cried out with a mixture of bewilderment and frustration; almost like they viewed me as some sort of war criminal recently out on parole, and free to sneer and wander around at leisure.

"Jesus, I hope they're exaggerating," I glanced around, "but I've been wrong about less before."

"Think so?" Rias smiled as we passed through the school's front gate, and made our way to the entrance of the main building. "You're sharper than you look."

"Thanks."

"Here, in the plains of Ku-oh A-cademy," Rias announced in her best David Attenborough impersonation, "we observe the wild students, green with envy and jealousy, target their prey, a young, naive species of goofball, called… an Issei."

"You forgot to mention the apex predator, Rias."

"President," she responded and gently flicked my ear. "Now, hand over my bag. I will send someone for you later. We have business after school," Rias declared with a soft smile.

"Send someone? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like, dummy." She laughed and walked away.

Unsure of what to make of that, I decided to go about my own business. Past the students who were using the entrance lockers, I decided to head upstairs for my classroom; something I failed to do yesterday. The second I opened the door, all eyes locked on me: an orphan in a world without pity. I sighed. It wasn't too surprising. I was a big guy, after all. Plus, I had been seen with Rias.

"Well, don't just stand there like a bump on a log."

Someone spoke behind me. When I turned around, I found Motohama waiting for me and Matsuda beside him. "Live steady. Don't fuck around. Give anything weird a wide berth—including people. It's not worth it." The school reporter by day, supposed monster hunter and gun connoisseur by night, grinned at me. "That being said, long time no see."

I crossed my arms, refusing to budge.

"Right, right." Motohama sighed. "Sorry. Last night wasn't perfectly handled."

The apology was short, yet the sarcasm was heavy. Nevertheless, I smiled. "Glad to see you're in one piece. How's the dog?"

Matsuda chuckled. "Great, man! I really battered that crazy fallen angel bitch good, didn't I?"

I blinked, staring at my bald, cheerful classmate. "What?"

Motohama laughed and lightly punched his compatriot. "Yup, that's right. Good-ole Matsuda, here, is a Lycanthrope; the overly-sized mutt that saved your ass last night."

"Are… are you being serious…?"

"Oh, c'mon. With all the weird shit that happened last night, does that really surprise you?"

His response would've sent any sane person reeling, turning around full-speed and getting the hell out of dodge; escaping town and never looking back. But we were far from going back.

I remember just last week going with my foster parents to a rummage sale at the bookstall, down the street from our house, and finding myself in front of a bin of old hardcover classics. Like it was instinct, I started pulling out titles that appealed to me, or sounded vaguely familiar—books by Ralph Ellison and Langston Hughes, Robert Penn Warren and Dostoyevsky, D. H. Lawrence and Ralph Waldo Emerson. My foster dad, who was eyeing a set of poems by Milosz, gave me a big smile when I walked up with my box of books.

"Ooh, good choices. Especially that one." He said and pointed out the copy of Songs of Innocence and Experience that I'd also managed to grab ahold of.

I'd recently read through the second part, Songs of Experience, just before starting school. In it, William Blake wrote The Tyger, a poem which pondered how God, if he was both all-knowing and all-powerful, could decide to create evil in this world. If you were to have told the past me that I wasn't really crazy, that devils, fallen angels, and everything in-between really, truthfully existed, I would've looked you up and down and then called you batshit-crazy.

What fucking irony.

Class was nothing interesting, and certainly less exciting than what the books I'd read made it out to be. When the English teacher announced we'd be going on break for lunch, the students scrambled like roaches caught under the kitchen light. Motohama, Matsuda, and I, however, found the best spot by the classroom windows, since we all evidently brought our own lunches.

"So, what happened last night? How did you guys make out okay?"

Motohama shook his head. "I've got an idea, but I hope I'm wrong. We woke up right where we crashed and most of our injuries were already taken care of—nothing I couldn't finish, at least. Car's completely totaled, though. Plus, now I'm down a high-powered rifle and several other costly items." He groaned. "Just cause I'm an alchemist, doesn't mean I can just fix stuff on the spot, you know?"

"You're an alchemist?" I asked and opened my lunch bag.

"I'm familiar with alchemy, since my mom was the alchemist in the family. Dad was an exorcist. So, I'm pretty familiar with the supernatural… begrudgingly." He didn't look like he wanted to elaborate on the topic any further. "Class, uh, everything you thought it'd be and more?" He changed tones and asked while unwrapping the clear covering from a rice ball.

I swallowed a piece of my sandwich and shrugged. "Dunno," I responded, "thought there'd be more bells and textbooks."

"Your version fucking blows, man." Laughed Matsuda, who was already on his third milk box.

I thought of Rias and quietly muttered: "I'm getting a serious case of deja vu."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing." I said and shook my head. "So, you're like a werewolf, kinda?"

He shrugged. "Kinda, sorta. Werewolves are like our bigger cousins."

"Uh-huh."

"We're smaller, but can mostly transform at will. Werewolves, the stronger ones at least, can do the same, but are still susceptible to the effects of a full moon."

I nodded. "So, you can transform at the snap of your fingers?"

"Pretty much, but we Lycanthropes have a different issue to deal with."

"Do tell." I respond out of genuine interest.

His wolfish grin was all too similar to that of the canine from last night. "Werewolves can maintain their human form with no effort; hell, some even prefer it. Me, though? Nah. I've gotta continuously focus to keep my human appearance." He balled his fist and tapped his chest.

"Basically," Motohama interjected, "he's one sneeze away from accidentally reverting to his true form. Which is why I always supply him with those cigarettes that you tried."

The thought sent a shiver through me. "Right…"

"Yeah, man. That was my bad." Matsuda spoke and put up a hand. "The shit I smoke is special, and actually lets me chill and not focus on looking human. When I gave it to you, I thought you'd just get a little high, not… Well, yeah. That shit was weird, dude."

"So I've been told."

"Yeah, man…"

We sat there in awkward silence as if we were attending a wake; no one was exactly quite sure who should speak first. That's when we overhead cries of excitement and joy sound from just down the hall, right outside our room. Suddenly, a foreign-looking male student walked into our abode. He was sharp and handsome, with light-blonde hair practically banking on white; and looks that could likely pierce the heart of any girl at the school.

"What's happening, prince-boy? Suddenly feel like hanging out with us, the rabble, for a change in pace?" Motohama spoke rather dismissively, not even bothering to look in his direction.

Our classmate's smile, however, didn't waver. Instead, he turned and reached out a hand to me. I nodded and shook it. "The name's Yuuto Kiba." He said. "I've come on Rias Gremory's instructions."

Matsuda choked and milk came out his nostrils.

"The hell you say?" Motohama's whole demeanor changed as he nearly leapt out of his chair.

I also stood up. "So, you're the one who the President sent for me?"

He nodded. "That's correct."

Motohama spun around, surprised. "President? I thought you didn't know any devils?"

"It's a long story." I explained. "But, she's the one who saved us last night. We were attacked again by fallen angels, after the crash, and she was the one who fended them off. She was crazy powerful. Like nothing I've ever seen before."

"You're kidding?" Motohama's laughter was sharp with jagged sarcasm. He glared at Kiba. "Tell me something, mr. devil. Why would your boss ever think to save our asses?"

"Relax." He raised his hands. "All can be explained. You three just have to come with me."

"Fuck that!" Matsuda immediately replied. "You're just planning to kill us!"

"Matsuda, it's cool." I spoke and gently grabbed him by the shoulder. "Do you really think they'd go through all the trouble of saving us, and even patching up our wounds, just to kill us in-person? I met Rias Gremory last night. She might be a devil, but she's genuine. Honest to God. I think we can trust her."

Kiba lightly chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't go so far as to add God to the equation. That said, we already know everything about you two. Issei, you're a bit of a different story, however."

Motohama grunted, but nodded. "I guess it'd be a little ridiculous to go through so much trouble, only to ultimately kill us. Fine, I'll bite." He shook his head. "Damn, and I thought we were doing a good job of staying underneath the radar."

"Not here, buddy." Laughed Kiba. "You should know us, devils, like to snoop around."

We ended up following Kiba all the way to the opposite end of the school grounds, behind the central building, to a spot hidden behind a nest of darkened foliage and tall trees. Kiba pointed out to me that this was the old school building, which, to the general public, was seemingly deserted.

"The perfect hiding spot." I said aloud.

Kiba nodded. "Exactly."

Motohama whistled as he looked up at the towering, eerie structure. "It feels like there's a hurricane waiting inside there. No wonder it's called one of the Seven Wonders of the academy."

"Seven Wonders?" I repeated. "That's a pretty dumb title."

"Generic," he replied, "not dumb."

"Yeah, whatever." Matsuda replied, standing behind us. "This place gives me the creeps."

We watched as Kiba pushed open the doors. Though old and built entirely from wood, the windows were all intact, and nothing looked damaged. "The president is waiting." He said and waved us inside. "Come on, let's go."

"This is a bad idea, man." Matsuda whimpered. We went inside and climbed the staircase to the second floor, traveling deep into the building. I followed Kiba at the front, while Motohama and Matsuda stayed at the rear. None of the usual hallmarks of abandoned buildings were present. The halls were clean, and even the unused rooms looked completely free of dust.

"No spiderwebs stretched across the ceiling? Not a single blade of grass sprouting through the floorboards? Someone's been keeping the place tidy." Motohama snickered from behind.

"Thanks," replied Kiba. "We try our best."

"Oh, I bet."

I looked away from the freshly-wiped windows and asked: "So, you're a devil too, Kiba?"

"That's right." He nodded. "Though, I wasn't born as one."

"Word?" I replied, as Kiba stopped in front of one of the classrooms. Apparently, we had reached our destination. A nameplate with the words Occult Research Club was ingrained in the door.

"Aren't you guys being a little "too on the nose" with that title?" I chuckled.

"Maybe just a little bit." Kiba shrugged before knocking on the door. "President, I've brought them," he announced from outside the door.

"All right, come in," came a response.

Despite a shared look of apprehensiveness between Matsuda and Motohama, we stepped inside. Surrounding us, every square inch of the room seemed to be filled with strange symbols and glyphs. The floor, the walls, the ceiling—they were all covered with incomprehensible, ancient-looking writings. Just looking at it all made my hair stand on end.

"Wow…" I swallowed.

Matsuda crossed his muscular arms and shivered. "Oh, this is beyond fucked, dude."

"Keep cool, okay?" Whispered Motohama, who was already scanning the spacious place. At the very center of the room was some sort of magic circle. The complex pattern was huge, taking up almost the entire room. "That said, this place could use a bit of cleanup, yeah?" He snickered, despite being visibly anxious—stupefied that he was stuck in this situation.

"Hey… hey, I know that girl over there." Matsuda pointed at a collection of leather sofas near a large, weighty desk. Sitting on the armrest corner alongside a collection of pillows was a short, petite girl wearing our school uniform. "That's Koneko Toujou! She's a first-year, and an amazing up-and-coming kickboxer. I've seen her at a ton of competitions."

Apparently she was a high schooler just like the rest of us, but with her childish face and cat-shaped hair pin, I thought she looked more like an elementary school student, much less a boxer. She wore a deadpan, stoic expression, as she nibbled away at some sort of jellied sweet. Matsuda's comments must have caught her attention, however, since she glanced our way.

"Koneko, these are our classmates: Issei Hyoudou, Matsuda Okami, and Motohama Ken." Kiba introduced us.

Koneko Toujou bobbed her head in response. "Ah, hi."

I waved, but Koneko ignored me and continued nibbling on her snack in silence.

"Guess she's not very chatty…" I muttered, before noticing there was another doorway by the center desk. Running water could be heard coming from the open door, which revealed a custom shower room, hidden only by a large plastic curtain. Through it, I looked carefully and could spot a silhouette; the unmistakably shape of a woman taking a shower.

My damn eyes widened on their own.

Suddenly, the sound of a running shower head died away.

"Here you go, President." An unknown voice spoke from inside.

"Thank you, Akeno."

From the sound of things, Rias was getting changed on the other side of the curtain. My mind raced back to the scene from earlier this morning, and I could feel my face flush with red.

"…What a lecherous expression," someone muttered.

"W-what expression?" When I turned to the source of the voice, I spotted Koneko Toujou. All I saw, though, was the same petite girl nibbling away at her snack. Before I could say something more, the curtain slid open and Rias entered the room with her uniform. Her crimson hair was still dripping-wet, but it made her look all the more incredible.

I could see from their expressions that even Matsuda and Motohama were completely taken aback by the President's undeniable beauty, even if she was an immensely powerful devil.

Rias, however, glanced my way and flashed a joyous smile. "My apologies. I wasn't able to wash up last night since I was staying at your place, so I took a brisk moment to freshen up a little."

"C-completely understandable." I laughed, a little embarrassed.

However, my gaze suddenly shifted to the feminine figure standing just behind Rias. In those few seconds, I noticed all I needed to notice about this girl: the combination of long dark hair, hung in a black ponytail, with dark violet eyes and no lipstick, the everlasting smile and gentle face, the luscious, ample breasts—even greater than Rias's own—and the narrow waist, the exquisitely classic Japanese bearing and paragon of feminine virtue. The sight of her seemed an irresistible attack on my own habits, standards, and ambitions. Something designed to put me in my place for good.

Looking at her and Rias, I was shocked to realize that I was genuinely staring at two of the prettiest girls I've ever seen in my life.

"Oh dear. Greetings, I'm Akeno Himejima. Pleased to make your acquaintance," she said with a polite expression. Her voice was amazing as well.

"S-same here." I nodded. "I'm Issei. N-nice to meet you too." I replied, my heart pounding.

Rias nodded to everyone. "It looks like we're all here now… Gentlemen, we, the Occult Research Club, welcome you to our humble abode."

"Uh, thanks." Motohama swallowed. "You guys don't happen to have a bathroom, do you?"

"So…" Motohama readjusted his glasses as he spoke, but I could tell he was glaring at me. "Rias Gremory spent the night at your house?"

I nodded. "Mhmm."

"Even though you only just learned about devils recently?"

"Yup."

"That right…?"

It took every ounce of strength to not look in his general direction, and thankfully Akeno—Rias's second-in-command from what I could gather—was there to save me from the immense awkwardness. "Some tea?" She asked me.

"Yes please," I graciously accepted. "Thank you."

She brought a cup of tea over to the sofa where I was sitting.

I took a quick sip of the warm drink, surprised by the hint of blackberry. "Wow, it's good."

"Oh my, thank you." Akeno chuckled happily.

We were sitting on the couches in the middle of the room, separated only by a large coffee table that held a number of various snacks and other miscellaneous items. Kiba and Koneko sat together on one sofa, while Motohama and Matsuda sat parallel to them. Rias insisted that I sit beside her.

"Akeno, come sit with us."

"Yes, President," Akeno replied, taking a seat next to Rias.

The temptation to make a "Rias-sandwich" joke was strong, but I somehow resisted.

"Well, shall we get down to business? First, let me say this, we're all devils."

Motohama picked up a pack of strawberry pocky. "Yeah, no shit."

She ignored his comment and looked at me. "Issei, of course you remember the group from last night, don't you? The ones clad with black wings?"

"Unfortunately." I replied and nodded. How could I forget them? Sakura, too.

"They're fallen angels—beings who once served Heaven, but were ultimately sent to Hell as punishment for their evil deeds and intentions. Their kind are our sworn enemies." She crossed her legs and scooted a little more into the couch. "We devils have been at war with the fallen angels since the dawn of history, fighting for control over the underworld known by you humans as Hell. Each of the two factions controls one portion of the underworld. Demons like us build our strength by forging pacts with humans and exacting payment. Fallen angels seek to manipulate humanity and destroy demons."

I shook my head. "That's crazy. Just like it's written in the Bible."

"You're a funny one." Rias chuckled with amusement.

"My, my. He's just like you said, like a dopey little brother." Akeno couldn't contain her gentle laughter either. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that two devils just casually threw out insults.

Rias smiled. "Speaking of the Bible, there are also proper angels as well. They follow the will of Heaven, indiscriminately targeting demons and fallen angels alike. These three factions—the devils, seraphs, and fallen angels—have been locked in eternal conflict." She motioned towards her fellow devils. "Of course, this town is a harbor for devils. The Occult Research Club, here, is just a front. Think of it as my hobby. Its real purpose is to provide a place for devils to meet."

"Harbor?" I looked around at Rias and her associates. "Wait, there are other devils here?"

"Yes. It might sound surprising, but like the members of my club, there are plenty of devils who have chosen to blend into human society. I'm sure you've met more than a handful of us already without even realizing it."

"That's really amazing, actually." I shook my head in disbelief. "How do guys just blend in?"

"Well," Rias nodded, then continued, "some humans are able to detect us, but most can't. Those already affiliated with the supernatural, such as Motohama and Matsuda over there, can pick up on our true nature, given they're skilled enough."

"That supposed to be a jab, lady?" Groaned my bespectacled associate.

Again, she ignored him and continued talking to me. "Humans filled with powerful desires, or who want to make a deal, are better at sensing our presence. They're the type who usually summon us, using magical leaflets that we hand out." She rested a finger on my cheek. "Then there are others like you, who can tell us apart, but can't bring themselves to actually believe we exist. Not until we show them our demonic powers anyway."

I shivered in thought. "That, you definitely did already."

Motohama shook his head and passed the pocky to Matsuda. "Okay, lady. This has been an impressive crash course and all, but I know you didn't bring us here for a history lesson? So, more importantly, why are we here? And why are fallen angels, suddenly, all over Kuoh?"

Rias finally turned to address Motohama.

"We haven't uncovered all the details yet. However, we're certain it's war," Rias declared. "Although they've remained relatively concealed, we're certain they'll be back soon." Rias snapped her fingers, and Akeno pulled a photograph from her pocket, handing it to me.

I was left utterly speechless at what I saw.

"This woman—this fallen angel… She's the leader of those who attacked you three last night."

It was true. The picture was unmistakably one of my missing doctor, the woman who had given me a second chance at life. Just like last night, the picture displayed a pair of jet-black wings sprouting from her back. Seeing her face again provoked an ire within me, and I felt my face contort in anger and hatred. "Where'd you get this picture?" I spoke.

"One of our familiars found her. They search the ins and outs of Kuoh constantly."

Motohama sighed. "Dammit. So, that's how you've known about me and Matsuda this whole time. That also explains how you found us when we crashed into the park. You've been surveilling us this whole time, haven't you?"

"Yes. However," Rias continued. "I've also come to the conclusion that Issei, here, has some sort of role to play in their grand operation."

"M-me…?" I blinked, suddenly feeling a pain creep over my chest.

She turned to me. "When we first met, your power was beginning to flare up. I could feel it."

"You mean, when he got stoned?" Matsuda asked and scratched at the back of his shaven head.

"Yes. Issei, your body is a vessel for a Sacred Gear."

Her words reawakened memories from the hospital, the hourly checkups, the recurring psychiatric treatments and assessments, all of which now began painfully plaguing my thoughts. Was it… was any of my time under psychiatric care real? Was the voice in my head not the result of severe schizophrenia, but something planted in me? Were all the staff members that I'd entrusted my life to nothing but monsters? If so, then what did that make me?

"Oh, please. Just what in the hell are you talking about?" Motohama groaned. "What, am I supposed to believe next that pigs can fly? There's a lot of weird shit in this world, no doubt about it, but Sacred Gears, for one, aren't real."

"That's not true." Kiba suddenly spoke up, explaining: "Sacred Gears are exceptional powers entrusted to certain humans. Several famous historical figures are believed to have possessed them. It's the power of their Sacred Gear that inscribed their names into the history books."

"Oh, give me a break!"

"We exist," Responded Kiba. "So, why's it so hard to believe that Sacred Gears exist, as well?"

"Even today, Sacred Gears continue to appear in the world," Akeno continued. "The many great individuals who play important roles throughout society? Many of them possess Sacred Gears, too."

Rias took hold of the conversation again. "Most of these items aren't capable of much more than making a few waves in human society, but some have power formidable enough to threaten devils and fallen angels. Issei, raise your hand…" She paused. "Issei, are you okay?"

"I'm fine… Rias…" I tried to croak out before collapsing over the coffee table.

"Whoah, dude! What's wrong?!" I overheard Motohama yell.

It became difficult to breathe, and suddenly I was hyperventilating. My heart was racing as I shook like a leaf, feeling like at any moment I was doomed to pass out. Terror washed over me as my right arm suddenly went numb and I felt my control of the situation dissipate.

Partner, the sudden voice ran through me like a jolt. There's no going back from this.

In an instant, my right arm—which felt dead—began glowing, shortly before bursting into a twister of flames and purple electricity. "Agh!" I shouted and latched onto my right elbow, trying to stabilize the process. "I… I don't want to die, please…" I whimpered, terrified.

Suddenly, a pair of familiar soft hands reached out to gently hold and stabilize me. It was just like the first day we met, when my senses filled with the strawberry fragrance of her crimson hair and she cushioned my head against her soft, comforting breasts. Despite my frightening state, Rias opted to tenderly embrace me, resting her small chin right over head.

"It's going to be okay, Issei." She sweetly spoke. "Focus. Give it shape. It's yours to command, not the other way around."

"O-okay, r-right…" I exhaled and tried doing as she said, focusing intensely on the prospect of my arm not falling off. That's when the light began to take concrete form, enveloping my forearm completely. When it finally subsided, I was shocked to see my arm was encased in some kind of red gauntlet. A round, jewel-like object was embedded in the part covering the back of my hand.

"Wh-what the fuck?" I gasped, realizing the pain had completely evaporated.

"This, Issei, is your Sacred Gear, the Boosted Gear. Now that you have manifested it, you can use it whenever you like." Rias gave me a tight squeeze, showing she was proud of me. "Well done."

Motohama took a knee, studying my transformed arm. "This day just gets weirder and weirder…" He grabbed my gauntlet hand to help pull me up. "You good?" He asked me, seriously.

"Yeah," I awkwardly chuckled. Matsuda joined his side, watching me open my hand and flex my fingers. "Well, it feels just like a regular hand."

It was all real. Everything with Sakura, and all this Sacred Gear stuff, too.

"How'd you know I had this thing?" I asked Rias.

"When you stumbled into me yesterday, I knew at once that you were a vessel of a Sacred Gear and that you had been triggered by something." As soon as she said that, I quickly shot Matsuda a look. "But that was where we had a bit of a problem. You were still quite unpredictable, so I patiently waited to see what you'd do next. After your run-ins with the fallen angels, I decided to save your life."

"Right," I flexed my arm, trying to get a better feel for this Sacred Gear. "So, what now?"

"As I mentioned earlier," Rias spoke as she returned to her seat beside Akeno. "We're certain that the fallen angels are here of no coincidence. They understand this is our territory, and I'm certain they're planning something dastardly. Which is why, I'd like to recruit you three as temporary, honored members of my Familia."

Motohama scratched. "Lady, you aren't converging me into your ranks. I'm not becoming a devil. Sorry, I enjoy being human too much."

"That's fine," she replied, "I'm simply offering you a place in our club, until the fallen angels are dealt with. A temporary truce, where we can all work together to better obtain our goals."

Whoosh!

All at once, wings burst forth from the backs of the club members surrounding us. Unlike the black, raven wings of the fallen angels, these were more leathery, like those of bats.

"Let's start over, Yuuto?" Rias volunteered the only male in their club to go first.

With that, Kiba turned to me with a wide grin. "I'm Yuuto Kiba. As you know, I'm a second-year student here like you. Um, and I'm a devil. Nice to meet you."

"...First-year… Koneko Toujou. Hello… I'm a devil, too," Koneko said softly with a bow of her head.

"Akeno Himejima, third-year. I'm the vice president of the Occult Research Club. It's a pleasure. I'm also a devil." Akeno let out a gentle giggle as she bowed in greeting as well.

Last was Rias. With a flick of her long, crimson hair, she proclaimed, "and I'm their master, Rias Gremory, of the ducal House of Gremory. We'll be working together from here on out, gentlemen."

I glanced back at Motohama and Matsuda, but they had nothing to say.

"Pleasure working with you guys from now on." I smiled.

By the time our meeting was finished, my arm had reverted back to normal. I said my goodbyes to Rias and the others, while Matsuda and Motohama suggested we get something to eat after classes. Later that day, I invited Kiba to join us, as we left the school.

"Why's he here?" Motohama asked while elbowing my shoulder.

Kiba waved from the other side. "Miss me?"

"Yeah, like I miss lower back pain." He replied and popped a piece of gum in his mouth.

"Man, that meeting stressed me out." Matsuda grumbled. "You guys are scary."

Kiba laughed. "Why? We're just like you guys."

"You mentioned that you weren't born a devil." I spoke, while tossing my bag from hand-to-hand. "Does that mean that you were once human, like us?"

"Yup. See, just so you know, our underworld society is divided into a variation of what you'd normally associate as a caste-system. The President has a noble title. In our world, one's status largely depends on birth and upbringing, but there are some devils who manage to climb the ladder. Everyone starts on an even playing field and it's up to them to work hard to advance."

"So, you're somewhere in the middle?'

"Still pretty close to the bottom, actually." He laughed.

"That's tough."

He nodded. "Most pure-blooded devils perished in the Great War long ago, resulting in a critical shortage of loyal servants. Without fresh blood, our kind were doomed to perish."

"What, there aren't donor banks in Hell?" Motohama chuckled.

"Just like with humans, there are male and female devils, and they're capable of bearing children. However, it would take eons for our numbers to recover through natural birth alone. Such a thing, as you can imagine, would leave us defenseless against the fallen angels. That's why pure-blooded devils, such as the President, have been working tirelessly in finding suitable humans and turning them into demons—as retainers."

Motohama smirked. "So, you're just some lackey. A stooge."

"For now." He shrugged. "Here's the point. This conversion method only helps increase the total number of lesser-ranked devils. It doesn't bolster the number of powerful ones, so a system was introduced to give reincarnated devils—that is, those who were once human, like yours truly—a chance to rise up the ranks. If a reincarnated devil proves worthy, they will be granted a noble title, regardless of their origins. You'd be surprised, but this system has really boosted the devils' population."

"Wait, so you level up like in a video game?" Matsuda asked.

"Yeah, sorta." Kiba replied and reached into his school bag. "Devils mainly work in making a human's wishes come true. If you don't understand, that boils down to getting summoned, forging pacts, granting desires, and exacting payment." He pulled out a leaflet and handed it to me.

"Check it out," he said as I looked it over. "This is what humans summon us with."

The phrase "Your Wishes Granted" had been scrawled over it like a bad catchphrase. A magical circle was also drawn on the handout. On closer inspection, it seemed identical in design to the huge one in the center of the Occult Research Club.

"The magic circle serves to summon us. Few people actually go through the trouble of drawing summoning arrays like that anymore, so we distribute these flyers for them to use instead. As the President would say, 'they're simple and convenient.'"

"Wow, you've guys got a whole hustle going." I said and handed the flyer back.

For a bit longer we walked, right until Matsuda piped up and suggested we go to the ramen shop across from where we were just strolling. The booths were stationed outside, and just enough space for the four of us. "Konbanwa!" An older chef greeted us as we took our seats.

"I'm starvin, boy howdy." Matsuda licked his chops while scanning the overhead menu.

"You turn into a dog and all," Motohama sighed, "but you don't have to make it so obvious."

The chef took our orders, and we ate heavily.

Carefully, I pulled my bowl closer to me. I smiled and clasped my hands together in thanks. "A well deserved meal, for a strange two days."

"Amen, brother."

"Ouch." We all turned to see Kiba rubbing his head.

"Dead-ass?" Matsuda laughed.

Kiba lightly chuckled. "Yeah, unfortunately. It actually took me some time to relearn bits and pieces of my vernacular, since so many phrases sting."

Motohama took off his glasses before eating. "Sounds annoying." He spoke while blowing and eating his noodles. "That, in itself, isn't worth the change of becoming a devil."

Kiba, for once, seemed irked from that. "Any easier than becoming an alchemist?'

Motohama slurped down his noodles, then moved to retrieve his glasses. He ignored Kiba's question and instead asked: "Are you familiar with Newton's Third Law?"

Kiba, mid-chew, covered his mouth and replied: "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Why?"

"Right," Motohama responded, glancing at the three of us with an expression eerily firm. "Basic physics. Forces always come in pairs—equal and opposite action-reaction force pairs." Continuing to speak, he picked up a salt and a pepper shaker from the counter. "In Ancient Chinese philosophy, there is something comparative to Newton's scientific truths."

He threw Kiba the salt shaker, which the devil caught with a swipe of his hand.

"Good catch," he said, pointing to the tiny glass of pepper in his hand. "Yin and yang is a concept of dualism, describing how obviously opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary and interconnected in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other."

"Dude," Matsuda scratched the back of his head, "what are you getting at?"

Motohama motioned at the elder chef working in the corner. "You get hungry, you go eat. You grow tired from a long day of school, so you go to bed. Cycles of cause and effect control our daily lives, but some are far graver than others."

"What do you mean by graver?" I asked.

He sighed, then pointed the shaker at me. "You."

I blinked, not exactly sure how to respond to that.

"For the greatest catastrophes, there is an equal and opposite reaction; opposite forces that unwillingly become interconnected. Two bombs, greater than anything beforehand, cause unparalleled destruction, so thousands of equally powerful bombs are created to insure that it would be apocalyptic if another goes off. Communism sweeps through the world and is met head-first by Capitalism. Yet in the five days before the real armistice came, though the end of the war had been celebrated, several thousand young men died on the battlefields."

"And what does that have to do with me?" I replied.

Motohama shrugged. "I think you're the push, Issei. We're still waiting on the reaction."

"The reaction?" Kiba asked.

"Does no one find it the least bit alarming?" Motohama put up his hands, then dropped them in a sign of defeat. "A literal Sacred Gear user suddenly shows up out of the blue," he shot me a look, "and suddenly we're all acquainted. Did I forget to mention that Fallen Angels want him too?"

"Yeah, it's definitely been a couple of weird days, but we'll figure it out…"

He looked at me and smiled, as if out of pity. "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster; gaze long into the abyss, the abyss will gaze back."

I lowered my gaze, glancing at my right hand resting on a pair of chopsticks.

"If you knew where your sworn enemy was at, at all times, wouldn't you attack them?"

Kiba stopped eating. Matsuda looked confused. I kept quiet.

"Well," Motohama shrugged, "I certainly would."