Phase 1 - Gula

Chapter 5 - Derision


Heavy rain fell from the dark skies. The cold shower cascaded down so strongly it seemed like the place was covered with humid static.

It was hard to see past one's feet. Momentary flashes of lightning evaporated the darkness. The light lasted for a short interval before it subsided again.

Three shadows strolled within the night. They were completely obscured, but whenever a new thunderbolt illuminated the city, they could be briefly recognized. They were Ayame, Issei, and Akeno.

The two boys walked alongside each other, dead silent, downcast. If they were completely still too, someone might've confused them as walking cadavers.

On the other hand, Akeno moved from one place of the street to another. Her feet gracefully skidded across the wet ground. They softly splashed against pools of water as she did some distant semblance of ballerina performance. One leg extended to the limit of its length as she balanced herself on the tiptoes of her other leg. She did some masterful spins both on the ground and in mid-air. Her precise motions and unrestrained movements accentuated her curvaceous form, and vice versa. It was a sight many would fantasize from.

The only two men present didn't seem interested at all. Maybe that was the reason Akeno didn't mind showing off her abilities, despite how much the movements highlighted her body or how unrequited a dance under rainy dark skies was in the first place.

She danced and danced with no apparent reason. While doing so, she spoke.

"I always thought of Mozart as some sort of architect. The precision and symmetry of his musical constructs are nothing short of exquisite to the ear. Any piece of his is a perfectly constructed building. Every nook and cranny put in place with mathematical accuracy, every wall and door and ceiling built just in the right spot to assemble a harmonious work of art. If you change or take away one single mot of dust from its place, the entire edifice falls. In other words, one single note taken from a Mozart melody and it will sound bad, incomplete."

The dance stopped for some seconds. Her hands and fingers did rapid, swift movements, like she was playing an invisible piano. It was impossible to tell with the darkness and rain. But each and every finger of hers waved and coiled at their personal rhythm, as if every limb had a mind of its own. It almost seemed like she was actually playing an intricate song.

"Some say his tunes can be predictable, but I disagree. It's more accurate to say they're recognizable, memorable, like the pyramids of Egypt or the Eiffel Tower. You listen to them and you immediately know it is Mozart. It takes great talent to capitalize on a certain form of expression, to make it yours. It takes greater talent to make sound itself your property, don't you think?"

Her hands stopped for a moment. They went up, one over her chest and other away from her torso. The first hand did a smooth back and forth movement. Now it seemed like she was using a violin. As with her invisible piano, the rhythm at which she 'played' didn't look like random flicks of her wrists, but natural motions of an expert musician.

"On the other hand, Beethoven was far more flexible at the moment of crafting music. Wild, I say. If Mozart was a musical architect, then Beethoven was more of a painter."

And then she was back to dancing. Her pirouettes acquired intensity. Her moves became longer, more vigorous. Arcs of water were formed from the outline traced by her feet. They were launched all over the street like whips, and somehow, she had managed not to hit her classmates with them.

"Mozart was fond of established forms and structured arrangements. Beethoven took a lot after him, but his style was known for being unpredictable. Beethoven had clear bases, but his songs are not famous for following a particular pattern. He used a wider range of sounds, made up the strangest combinations of instruments for his time, and compared to his predecessors, his works were much longer..."

Akeno stopped on a particular spot. A quick flick of her hand around her head made her pitch-black hair sway like the frills of a dress.

"Beethoven experimented with his works more than other composers, up to the point of turning them into musical abnormalities. A few people I know say it's harder to get a grasp on his songs, that they can't be enjoyed for how volatile and changing they can be. It is precisely because they don't possess a trained ear that they can't begin to grasp how deep, how complex those masterpieces are. There is a whole new cosmos in what people mistake as chaos. It merely doesn't look like something they're familiar with…"

The young woman sharply turned around. There was a hand beneath her chin, and an interested expression on her face.

"Both musicians were so different, so opposite… and yet both managed to create immortal melodies for us mediocre folk to enjoy." She winked an eye knowingly. Even within the darkness of the night, a violet glint could be distinguished coming from her open globe. "There are standards in music, as there are standards in everything else. This raises quite the inquiry: if Mozart and Beethoven were so equally great, but one followed the general rules and the other didn't, then what does this tell us? Both were great yet had very different methods."

She sighed as if exasperated from not knowing the answers to her own inquiries. Yet the little grin on her face betrayed that notion.

"If that's the case, how do we define what's great and not? Does this mean that greatness is so malleable in its meaning that even the lowest of the low can become legends? Is it effort, innate virtue, or the context that creates something great? Is it excelling within the norm, or breaking out of the ordinary that makes someone great?"

Akeno spun around, eyes closed in a thoughtful gesture and hands behind her back. The soles of her shoes tapped the watery ground with a catchy rhythm.

"Supremacy outside of common boundaries and domination inside the frontiers of normalcy…. Which one deserves to be called truly extraordinary? Which approach is more desirable to take?" she said. "Maybe the answer lies somewhere in the middle. But let us riddle ourselves no longer with these mysterious queries, gentlemen. I am nobody to tell you what the best outlook of life should be!"

She seemingly finished with her appreciations of famous musicians and philosophy. Moments later, she made a sound of realization and snapped her fingers.

"…I confess that despite my apparent neutrality, I favor one of these two geniuses more than the other." Akeno then shook her head, as if flustered that she was bold enough to admit that. "My heart burns with enormous passion for Beethoven. Although many people hold in great regard the fifth symphony, the third is far more significant in my opinion. The Moonlight Sonata also stirs the maiden in me-"

"Himejima."

One of the two other teenagers decided to interrupt the monologue. Akeno clapped her hands together, smiling sweetly.

"Yes, Ayame-chan?"

Ayame inhaled for a second. Then he let out the little air he accumulated in a single, blunt command.

"Shut up."

Akeno suspired with a hint of disappointment in her voice. She rested one cheek on the palm of her hand. Her eyes closed.

"You're such a cruel lad, Ayame-chan. I bless you with my irresistible voice and an interesting conversation for this rainy mood, and shushing me is the first thing you dare to do?"

Her offended remark earned no answer from Ayame. It was painfully obvious he didn't want to talk, as usual. She shook her head in disapproval and huffed.

"For someone who got the silly beaten out of him, you surely saved that last bit of energy to cut off my speech." A long sigh escaped from her lips. "Do you derive some twisted pleasure from mistreating a young woman, Ayame-chan? Such is my dilemma, to save the life of a man who repays me with indifference! I had the impression that you were a villain at your core, and this proves it… you fiend!"

"Says the pot to the kettle," simply responded Ayame. "Now zip your mouth, woman. I have a headache and your horrendous yapping is making it worse."

"Your discourtesy knows no bounds. But fortunately, the Japanese people live in democracy!" she stated loudly, pointing a finger upwards and pushing a fist against her hip in a proud pose. "It's one vote against another, so we shall leave the final say to the third wheel. Now, Ise! Tell everyone how much my voice has brought you joy and how you wouldn't be able to live without it!"

Issei took some moments to hear Akeno despite the downpour muffling everything. He let out some mutters and replied without much care.

"…Yeah, uh, really cool stuff. I guess."

It was just as complicated to hear Issei's lazy sigh. It earned an exasperated murmur from Ayame and a victorious squeal from Akeno all the same.

"And so it has been decided~" She chuckled behind her hand. "I shall not be silenced by the likes of you. Justice has prevailed tonight."

Ayame's breathed raspily. Then, he retorted.

"Hilarious. A Devil talking about Justice," said the teen.

"A commentary only a fool with misconceptions would make," instantly responded Akeno cheerfully. "For your information, Devils are adamant on fulfilling the promises they make. We give credit where credit is due. It's normally humans who tend to want more than they can give back. Even then, we always follow through our word~"

"Really, stop. You might actually make me laugh and I'd rather kill myself." The brunet shook his head. "Even if you bring me a real Devil to vouch for that I would still be doubtful. It's easy to brag when there's no one to say otherwise."

At that moment Akeno fell strangely silent. After a moment of contemplation, she let out a silly sound of confusion.

"Hmhmhm…I find your choice of words amusing," she remarked. Turning her head around, she smiled in Ayame's direction, and continued with genuine curiosity. "Am I not a 'real' enough Devil for you, mister?"

He didn't respond right away.

"…It's nothing." The sarcasm was gone. He took another sharp breath. "I was simply thinking aloud."

"Hmmmmmm!" Akeno pouted. "That's a no-no, Ayame-chan. You can't tease me like that. C'mon, spill out your dark secrets~"

"Shut the fuck up."

Akeno recoiled in that very instant, exaggerated. She gasped with a horrified expression.

"Ayame-chan is insulting me? This is unheard of! It seems I finally struck a nerve~"

"No," Ayame denied. "You're just being extremely bothersome right now. I don't like to swear. But it's hard to hold back when I'm trying to reason with a loony."

The young woman smirked victoriously.

"Says the pot to the kettle~"

Ayame only concluded with a shake of his head and another sigh. The raven-haired woman put her hands behind the back and intertwined her fingers, done and satisfied with herself. No conversation ensued from that point onwards.

In reality, Akeno was probably the person least excited to do small talk at all. It was only the promise of deliciously irritated responses from Ayame that got her parroting endlessly. She enjoyed them. She didn't really enjoy talking per se, yet enjoyed much less the sepulchral silence floating around despite the thunder and rainfall.

The shadow of death loomed over them. It wandered, a kind of brooding from edging too close to demise. She was aware of it. She felt it. It was similar to winning the battle, but losing the war. Some snippy banter to ease damaged egos was needed as much as it was hated.

Fate also played an inconvenient trick on her. She only wanted to have a relaxing evening wandering around. The buzzing of her cellphone didn't promise friendly conversation with faceless voices. Her list of friendly contacts was too limited and it was too late of an hour to receive any call from someone with trivialities to discuss in mind.

It only took a not-so merry salutation from Her Highness Rias Gremory the Infuriated. Her grumbles and no-nonsense voice confirmed Akeno's suspicions.

A little unruly sheep had frolicked away from its shepherd's attentive sight, told the red-haired princess to her lowly servant. So unruly and so disobedient the little sheep was, it ventured straight in the lands of those who fell from grace.

The princess was busy, mind absorbed by boring matters befitting of hard-pressed royalty. The little sheep was lost, powerless and had no way of asking for help.

So the task of retrieving Issei safe and sound befell on Akeno, who was the one closest to him at the time. The starts had aligned and Akeno wasn't an astrologist, but she was sure they were silently spelling 'go fuck yourself' in some cosmic, mysterious way.

Issei just happened to be a stupid idiot the same day Akeno took some time off for herself. In that sense she was as much of an idiot as him with bad luck to boot.

She didn't have bad blood against the brunet, none at all. Akeno actually found him somewhat cute, fun to watch whenever he ruffled some feathers with his perversion at school. But she seriously considered abandoning him to his end for disturbing her plans. Rookies sometimes needed to learn the hard way. And if there was one thing she despised, loathed, absolutely abhorred, it was cleaning after others.

She preferred the problems to flourish. It meant more exciting drama to come and more entertainment for her in the long-term.

Issei basically got on her bad side in the span of one night, the little scoundrel.

Nothing as trifling as friendship or, Lucifer forbid, attachment, were the reasons that set this shtick in motion. Issei just happened to possess some sort of power in him, a rarity. His death would squander an important deal of Rias' resources. Akeno didn't need to hear it from the princess herself to know her thoughts.

The only reason she saved Issei's butt was because Ayame happened to be in the skirmish too. After comparing her options, she understood turning a blind eye from frustration was bad for everyone.

The young woman was already imagining it, how Rias' blood pressure skyrocketed from losing her entire Pawn stock so quickly. Ayame-chan meeting his premature end meant no more exotic entertainment for Akeno, too, and that was a rotund no-no.

It was worth it. Even if she had to waste her powers on scaring winged vermin which she would not grace by calling by their race's names. They did not deserve a place in her mind nor a respectful mention that would sully her voice.

They did not deserve the gift of life either, but she wasn't fond of quick, merciful deaths and there was not enough time that night to grant them the opposite. Such a shame.

Even then, there was something, something, something. There was something strange. She couldn't put her finger on it.

Was it the rebellious sheep? Probably, yes. For a normal human turned Devil, to summon a Sacred Gear without training and only strength of will was rare. It was for a fleeting moment. It was also pathetically weak. But he accomplished the deed nonetheless. Akeno's inner Devil shifted and squirmed with repulsion in the presence of a holy artifact.

She doubted he would reach her level of power. But there was no harm in being cautious. If the crater left behind was his doing, she didn't want to be in his line of fire anytime soon.

Or maybe she did…

But no, no. It was something else. She became aware of it moments later, when a background scratching and creaking caught her attention.

Akeno had particularly sharp senses.

Her audition had always been on another plan of existence compared to her peers, picking poorly hidden secrets and animalistic activities keenly. She enjoyed that natural gift of biology, enjoyed the power it gave her. She had cultivated it to new heights, to satisfy her wanton curiosity. She crushed spirits with her knowledge. She survived thanks to mysteries she unraveled.

Akeno twisted her lips. Bile swelled, memories resurfaced, and she swallowed them away.

Much like she swallowed the intoxicating aroma around her.

Her gaze flickered at the two boys she had rescued. They were where her hearing told them they would be, staggering their way towards their home.

Issei squished himself between her and his brother, seeking comfort. He was dragging his feet, shoulders hunched. His head lolled from side to the other, nape so bent it seemed broken. His muscles slushed, hesitating between becoming goo and holding his frame together. His bones creaked, unsure if they had the right to stay whole.

It was a macabre symphony, one only she had access to.

Issei looked up at her. He offered a weary smile when he caught her glance. He was so adorable, trying to hold onto his bike and his life.

She smiled back. His neck had made a most interesting overture at his movement, foreshadowing pain and suffering.

He shuddered and his head went down again.

Another pop appeared, followed by a crescendo of pitty-patters of veins exploding. No one else could hear the crisp staccatos of blood vessels imploding. No one else could enjoy the pizzicatos of bones snapping under the pressure, one crack at the time.

Her little junior's body was caving under the pain.

And gosh, what a delight it was!

But then, a thud brought disharmony to her personal concert. Her eyes followed the sound, sought the intruder.

Of course, it could only be Ayame. He had a knack to make her fun even better.

He stomped on the asphalt, briefly shouldering Issei's form whenever he couldn't do it on his own. He wasn't staring at her or his brother, mind dug in a gutter so deep he forgot to be irked by her presence. He was so loud. Too loud. For a body that emitted its own orchestra of pain, he marched on with too much vigor.

Ayame emitted a cacophony of arteries erupting, bones snapping, tendons quaking, muscles liquefying, blood oozing. Yet, the telltale signs of pain were nowhere to be seen.

Needless to say, a human so battered and injured shouldn't have been able to walk. Let alone breathe. Ayame was either a good actor or a tough person to stride as naturally as he did. Yet, no amount of acting was enough to ignore the unfathomable truth that he should have died by now. At least Issei was a crisp song, loud and clear, not even trying to fake what he felt.

Ayame was a subtler chant, stuck in a litany of repetitions.

Akeno had never heard such a thing. His vinyl was stuck, going back and forth on the same few notes. Break, mush, blood, stop. Again. Stop. Again. At this point, his body should have been broken beyond repairs. His own mother shouldn't have been able to recognize him.

Yet, nothing seemed to have changed. He had the same vacant blue eyes, the same pale skin, the same monotone bearing. There he was.

Glaring at her.

She winked playfully.

He whipped his head to stare ahead, frowning. Perhaps he was cursing her under his breath, the ungrateful little thing. She couldn't tell with him wheezing, his coherent words snuffed out, but he was Ayame. He clearly got off from offending anyone given the chance. She saved him and he compensated her with bitterness. Of course, Akeno wouldn't like him as much if he acted like all the other boring sheep.

His brusque gesture sent a breeze towards her.

Akeno crunched her nose.

Another mystery also irked her voracious interest.

She could smell decay, hidden beneath a thick layer of sweetness. Concentrated Anima floated in the air. A few days ago, it hadn't been too noticeable for her. She had tasted it and forgotten it, believing it had originated from Issei's reincarnation et unlocking his inner gift.

Now, not even the overwhelming humidity or the sound of raindrops fooled her senses. It was sweet, so, so damn sweet… and so incredibly disgusting.

A rotting cadaver skillfully perfumed.

A human wouldn't have noticed. But then again, Akeno had never been just a human.

Was the young man who smelled like life and death crudely mixed together a human? That was the real question. One her considerable knowledge about powers of old and monsters provided no answer to.

She liked puzzles and liked to unravel people until they were crying at her feet, begging for a mercy that would not come. This young man had proven to be the most interesting enigma so far. And one most complicated to solve. Best of all, she could not fathom what would she find or if she could make this unfriendly classmates of hers yield by uncovering the darkness his very scent exuded.

She could mull over her theories as much as she liked later on. But one thing was certain.

She hit the jackpot. This was going to be fun, after all.

Issei and Ayame finally came to a halt in front of a house. A plaque with the word Hyoudou written in kanji was displayed on the encircling wall. Akeno then knew it was theirs.

She eyed the premises with interest. Her vision of it was as clear as day despite the late hour and its habitual murk. It was a two-story, modern white building. Fat drops of water splashed on its steep wooden roof, before jumping over the balconies sticking out of the second floor. Light coming from the windows of the ground floor indicated the presence of people inside. A tiny metal gate closed the entrance to a small front garden, which then led to the main entrance on a small walkway.

Ayame pulled out some keys from his pocket and led the group. Issei mutely followed behind him with his trusty bike. He left it resting on a lone corner outside. Akeno stood at the back, trying to not waltz inside too brashly and seem impolite.

They entered. Ayame and Issei needed to cover their eyes from being suddenly hit by the lights inside. Akeno showed no visible discomfort and simply continued onwards.

Each teenager took their time to sit down and take their damp shoes off by the entryway.

Akeno waited for her companions to free some space to keep walking forward. In the meantime, she admired the cozy house. It was spacious upon entering, well illuminated, with nice lustrous parquet and walls painted a daffodil shade of merry yellow. Some frames were hung here and there in the distance. Others were comfortably placed on top of the furniture scattered around.

"We're back, Mother, Father."

Ayame announced his return. Akeno picked up a set of footsteps. A figure quickly emerged from a corner.

"Look who the storm has brought in!" chimed a female voice. "My eyes perceive two fools who seem to enjoy mentally torturing their own mother. Even for an old lady like me who has enjoyed all pleasures and suffered all tragedies in life, being betrayed by my own creations is outrageous to say the least!"

Both siblings groaned in displeasure.

Akeno was the smallest of the trio. She managed to get a peek over Ayame's shoulder after standing on her toes. She glimpsed at the person in front and hummed with interest.

It was a woman. And one so young and beautiful she didn't look a day over twenty-five.

Her brown hair was bright, straight, and long enough to sway behind her back. Side bangs sat on her shoulders and just a rebellious strand stood upright atop her head. Her skin could've been the envy of women all over the world, a milky white tone, so immaculate it actually looked unnatural. Despite being very pale, she seemed radiant, lively. There was vigor in her.

Perhaps her most striking features were her eyes. They were a deep shade of azure, electric, at moments shining like blue flames. Despite having a cheerful feeling to them, one with enough awareness could notice the cool, sharp stare in their look.

So sharp it was Akeno ended up diverting her sight somewhere else, simply unable to maintain visual contact. And didn't that just tickle her curiosity even more?

The woman was clearly Japanese. But her palette and some details of her face were western.

Akeno had seen many beautiful women in the past. They were all flowers who bloomed in different gardens of life and displayed their beguiling petals in particular ways. But she didn't remember someone so stunning as this exquisite iris.

If anyone told her this was their older sister, she would've believed it. But from the choice of words of the woman in question, it didn't seem like it.

So… this person was Ayame-chan and Issei's mother?

Her eyes fell upon Ayame-chan, then Issei, and finally the woman. She repeated the process a few times more, trying to delete the disbelief from her mind by gathering decisive evidence.

She… could see the resemblance. She could see a lot of it. She could see so much it was actually unnerving.

From Issei, the physical similitude was not as pronounced. But if Ayame had been born a girl, he would be a mirror image of his mother.

They were almost a carbon copy of each other. All the physical characteristics were there… but more so.

Mother and son were so alike, physically speaking... but in a way that Akeno had trouble comprehending. One thing was inheriting traits from one's parents, and another was looking exactly like them. If there was one word to describe this... it'd be uncanny, or perhaps paradoxical.

No wonder Ayame looked so girly. Akeno found him cute, or pretty, if anything. But sometimes he seemed so womanlike he bordered on androgyny. It was confusing. Thankfully, his pitch was that of a man and any feminine quality he ever had was overshadowed by his obnoxious behavior.

Then a thought hit her: Two Ayames. Could the world endure such a thing? She wanted to laugh and also throw up. Biology was thing of dread. She quickly recovered and was again admiring the mother of her classmate.

The woman was wearing a simple yellow T-shirt, blue jeans, and walked barefooted. On one arm there was a set of towels.

"I want you minions to come back home before 9 P.M. next time, understood? No matter how tall or wrinkly you both get, you're still my baby boys, and the city is dangerous to walk around so late." Once she delivered her order, she threw the towels at the boys. "Now go take a hot shower this instant! My kids won't catch a cold as long as I'm here to prevent it."

"Yeah, yeah, mom. No need to be so loud…" pleaded Issei as he took the towel off from his face.

"I agree. That was also my intention from the start, Mother," continued Ayame as he caught his towel midair.

The woman smiled warmly at them. Issei shook his head and hid his left hand behind him - Akeno could see blood and torn skin on it. He suddenly took the initiative and sprinted upstairs without saying a word. He probably wanted to take that shower first.

Akeno finally decided to step in. She rounded Ayame and revealed her presence.

"Pardon for the intrusion~"

The brunette quickly shifted her attention to Akeno. One glimpse was enough to startle her a bit. "Oh dear… I didn't know we were having a visitor."

She walked up to Akeno, one hand on her hip and other beneath her chin. She scanned the teenager with interest, and then glanced at Ayame.

"Who's this charming young lady, Ayame?"

Akeno giggled. Ayame's eye roll didn't go unnoticed. He responded after a sigh too deep and too long to be considered anything but exasperated.

"She's one of my classmates. We found her soaked in the rain, and Issei forced me to bring her in." He didn't even try to hide his discontent. "I'll help you subdue her and turn her in to the police if she presents a menace to our well-being. One never knows how burglars or psychos are disguised nowadays. From personal experience, I advise we use lethal force with this one."

The woman laughed.

"Hahahahaha! You're so silly, kiddo," she said with a bright grin. "It's nice to hear you using your sharp tongue to joke around for a change. Comedy aside, I shall only use my mortal techniques against criminals or monsters, and not defenseless teenage girls. I'm an ally of Justice, after all…"

Ayame's eye twitched. Akeno hummed smugly as she stared at him.

Ayame lips thinned into a displeased line. "I wish I was joking. Sadly, I'm quite incompetent as a clown. Issei does have the innate talent if laughing is what you want to do. It's a shame he can't use his inner disabilities to make females laugh and not scowl every time they see him."

His mother sighed in response. The way her expression transformed from happy to distressed resembled her oldest child far too much. Akeno couldn't choose between laughing and crying. Maybe both. No reaction was exaggerated enough to awe at this spectacle put on by Mother Nature herself.

Two Ayames. In the same room. Was the universe going to implode?

"Watch your words, kid. Your brother is brimming with positivity and has a fiery attitude. He possesses all the ingredients to be a chick magnet if he really wanted to." She seemed so serious saying that, Akeno couldn't help but to snort unmannerly. Ayame's mother did have a point, but her little kouhai was just so… "If only my little Ise wasn't a perverted goof…"

The moody brunet clicked his tongue, clearly not sharing his mother's view on the matter. The woman in question slapped Ayame on the shoulder, a knowing smile embellishing her guise again.

"Anyway, you don't need to act so broody. I'm sure you would have helped this pretty girl and anyone else if they were alone under the rain!"

Ayame looked away, unexpressive as always.

"I assure you, I would not."

"Yes, you would~"

She put her hands on his cheeks and began rubbing them.

"No. I would not."

"Yes, you definitely super would~"

Then she was ruffling his long brown hair.

"Mother, no."

"Mother, yes!"

And finally, the back and forth was finalized with a loud kiss on the tip of Ayame's nose. It lasted for a few seconds until she pulled away happily. He made an annoyed noise but didn't seem to mind the gesture.

"Now, why the hell are you still standing there like a zombie?"

The woman extended one hand behind Ayame. She quickly slapped his butt with the swiftness of a gazelle. The way he jumped in surprise was simply unreal and Akeno could barely contain her giggles upon seeing it.

"Are you waiting for an effing invitation? There's another bathroom, so go take a shower! You're leaking water all over my damn doorway."

The young man grumbled but complied nonetheless. He dried his feet and face with his towel before walking away.

With that peculiar scene concluded, the woman turned around to greet the guest. Akeno had been muffling her laughter as best as she could by slapping two hands on her face. She rapidly composed herself after everything was said and done, beaming warmly and straightening her stance into something more dignified.

The brunette winked an eye at the younger girl. All Akeno could see was a feminine Ayame with long hair winking at her and by the dark powers did it offset her.

"Please forgive that impolite son o' mine and his offhand remarks. Leaving his homely habitat makes him more irritating than usual. Around the house he's not nearly as neurotic... Sometimes." She shook her head as if disappointed, but her chuckle told another story. "If it means anything, he normally doesn't even speak with most people. So cheer up! My baby boy has enough consideration to acknowledge you."

Akeno waved her hand. "Ah, it's fine Madam. Ayame and I are good friends! I wouldn't hang out with him if I disliked his shows of indignation. I actually consider him endearing~"

In the near distance of a few meters a grumpy voice intoned "we're not friends". Both women rolled their eyes, smirked complacently, and exchanged a knowing look. They softly laughed afterwards with the closeness of two old pals who had bonded over the same grievances.

The blue-eyed woman extended one hand invitingly.

"Sorry if I come out as brisk, but I want to thank you for being a buddy to my son. No matter what he says or feels, he really ought to get some friends. He still has an entire youth in front of him and I'm not letting him experience it all alone and gloomy. Life is better enjoyed with people you love at your side."

For the second time that night, Akeno was taken aback and a bit flustered. She put a hand over her cheek and let out an embarrassed laugh.

Such heartwarming honesty was not something she came across often. The students at school were far too shortsighted, far too superficial for that. Even her inner circle of acquaintances was not particularly characterized by familiar interactions or friendliness.

Ayame may have been physically identical to his mother. But the contents of her person were in line with Issei in comparison.

"Y-You're welcome, Madam. But really, it's not pity, but genuine satisfaction. I'm glad it makes you happy, though~"

Akeno's hand grasped the woman's.

The raven-haired girl felt the oxygen abandoning her lungs. Indescribable warmth briefly tickled every pore of her slender arm. The contact between skin and skin was gentle, tender. Only the right amount of pressure was applied, one that didn't conquer and wouldn't be conquered. It was an amorous touch, the kind a lover affectionately gave to their partner. A more accurate description would have been the sweet caress a mother full of love offered to her children.

The handshake lasted a full lapse of three seconds.

As cheesy it may've sounded, it felt like decades worth of affection and sympathy.

Akeno pulled away, maybe a bit too harshly.

She looked up. The woman's smile faltered for a heartbeat, before acquiring a derisive air to it. Her eyes were half-lidded. The stare she dedicated to the teenager was cunning. Maybe devilish. It was so sudden of a change Akeno believed it to be a mirage. It had to be.

That smile—if there ever was such a thing—vanished in the ether as soon as it manifested. Only a joyful one remained.

"Dear, now that I notice, you're also completely drenched!" exclaimed the woman as she pointed to her.

Akeno perked up and noticed her shirt was indeed soggy, dripping… and pretty much transparent. Her underwear was for all to see and admire.

"That's… very risky. You can see everything beneath, missy. It's completely improper for a lady and I won't stand for it!"

The brunette took her by the hands, earning another mild gasp from Akeno.

"I guess you're lucky my baby boys were too tired to notice. Issei will absolute despise me for this, though…" she observed dejectedly. "But it'll be fine as long as he doesn't know. You should take a shower too! I'll lend you some of my clothes, if you're fine using an old lady's rags."

"Oh, eh, I…" The girl stammered unbecomingly. She cleared her throat a little and spoke. "Yes, it's totally wonderful Madam Hyoudou. This is a very pleasant treatment~"

The Madam in question tilted her head, smiley and pleased.

"Call me Nozomi, silly," insisted the woman. "You know, it is common courtesy to offer your name when someone else does. Whom do I have the pleasure of inviting to my humble abode?"

She smiled back, now a bit more comfortable.

"Akeno Himejima, Nozomi-san. Senior student at Kuoh Academy~"

And just like that the bright mood turned into dust.

Nozomi's face took nothing to crumble away into something dark and odious. Her smile was now lips pursed in sheer, absolute disgust. The blue diamonds of her eyes that shone stared detachedly at the nothingness as if it was her vilest enemy spitting on her face.

"Huh. I see, I see." Nozomi let go of Akeno's hands. Then she spun around. "Sorry sweetie. I need to do something. Wait a sec here, 'kay?"

Akeno nodded slowly, a bit confused. She offered no verbal response as Nozomi seemed to jog her way into the house.

A few short moments passed. She shifted a bit while unsure of what to do. The young woman looked to one side and another, like expecting for someone to jump out of hiding and tell her the punch line of the situation.

No one jumped out. She did flinch when she heard some shouting in the background, followed by some loud thuds and moving feet.

What happened next was a scene straight out of a wacky novel.

Nozomi manifested from another room with the delicate subtlety of a gun blazing. She, a bubbly mother just a few seconds ago, now sported the angriest, most antagonized aspect Akeno had seen in a while. She could hear her teeth grinding from that distance. Her forehead wrinkled with anger.

The most striking detail was Ayame's presence. Usually rigid and passionless, her unfriendly classmate was now trapped in a headlock. Nozomi's slender arm tightened around her son's neck as she dragged and swung him around like a ragdoll.

"M-Mother…" choked out the brunet. "I can explain this…"

"Oh yeah?" Nozomi put more pressure. Ayame could be heard wheezing, but he didn't put much resistance. "It better be an entertaining story. Your neck may snap by accident if you don't manage to distract me, dear son..."

Veins and muscle appeared on the woman's supple arm. Her face scrunched with bona fide rage. It seemed even more menacing as all of her feminine features sharpened with seriousness. A shadow loomed over her eyes and more tiny veins popped out on the sides of her forehead. Akeno couldn't decipher if the soft crack her ears picked up was Nozomi's jaw tightening to its limits, or Ayame's cervical spine reaching a breaking point.

Before the physical abuse continued, Akeno brushed her confusion away and stepped up.

"Uhmmm…," she started, interceding with a drawn out sound. "…Would it be fine to explain what's happening? I apologize beforehand. I know this is none of my business, Madam."

Nozomi produced a guttural noise of sorts. It almost sounded like a growl. Then she responded. "It's quite the opposite, little missy. You're also in trouble as well."

Akeno could only offer a genuinely confused smile at the accusation. Was she in trouble? For what, exactly? She was mischievous and her life was not without its fair share of commotion. But she couldn't begin to understand what she had done to upset Ayame's mother of all people.

For a second the woman looked even angrier. She glared at Ayame and then stole glances at Akeno.

"This bastard had a slip of the tongue, you see. Some days ago he disappeared for an entire night. I waited for my baby boy to come back home and prayed nothing happened to him. The truth was much worse…"

The woman practically snarled. Her lips pulled back just enough so that her canines could be seen. She applied even more pressure to the hold. The brunet began to flail his arms weakly.

"He returned the next morning. I implored him to tell me where he was and ease my worries!" One of her feet stomped for a second. Akeno couldn't help recoiling. "…And he betrayed my goddamn trust. He said he had a sleepover… with some Akeno Himejima."

Akeno's own smile dropped. Her eyes were half-lidded, and they stared at Ayame with something similar to disenchantment. She could almost hear the pieces of a puzzle clicking correctly. Almost. Nozomi and her grinding teeth were louder.

"He never told me you were a girl. By his figure of speech, I thought you were a man…" The brunette shook her head vigorously, as if trying to brush away something annoying flying around her. "Imagine my surprise when you turned out to be a gorgeous model lookalike. Imagine my sorrow when I realized my own baby boy stabbed me on the back, and then kicked my rotting corpse for good measure…!"

The raven-haired teenager pursed her lips. Her disenchantment was even more visible than before. She wanted to slap a hand on her face as Nozomi cursed, saying things like 'animal' or 'evildoer' under her breath.

She didn't know the circumstances all that well. Neither did Rias, who saw everything firsthand. Ayame Hyoudou had perished on Sunday. How did he come back to life and where he was during that time were total unknowns. What she could infer, however, was that he had come back home at some point. He probably lacked a convincing alibi to explain his disappearance. Thus, he had to lie.

Honestly… was a sleepover the best thing he could come up with? Was he really that confident she would never set foot in his house and shatter his veil of lies? Such foolishness was amusing yet unbecoming. Worst of all, Akeno had apparently turned into a boy without her even realizing. Oh, she completely understood Ayame's desperate position and situation. But this was far too bizarre to take it seriously.

She shook her head. Then, she took a mouthful of air. It was time to clear things up and assist her classmate in times of need…

…Not.

The young woman bit her lip. She looked away, trying to hide her quivering shoulders and inflated cheeks. It was a very stupid effort to conceal the snorts escaping from her nose, or the giggly voice crawling from her throat. She ended up coughing like an idiot by accident, only to resume her earnest show of self-restraint once again.

She came here expecting gold and found diamond.

Akeno was a mischievous girl. Not even taking in account the fact that she was a Devil, her nature itself was one composed of wickedness. She was a piranha, and her bait was drama and turmoil. She munched on it, savored it, and then swallowed it whole. If she saw an opportunity, she took it. If someone was whispering secrets not to be known, she would concentrate and listen. If someone tried to camouflage incriminating evidence, she would sharpen her sight.

This was the right opportunity, the right setting. All elements were put on scene. All actors were in position, waiting for her command to play the part. The script would write itself. She just had to guide it in the right direction.

She rubbed her face a little. Her expression morphed accordingly. She controlled her breathing, and then spoke.

"Ah, how troublesome, Ayame-chan…"

That definitely got the attention she desired. Ayame stopped struggling and his mother turned to look at her. Once she was sure they were looking, Akeno joined her hands over her chest.

"…The secret got out."

Akeno looked away, inhaling deeply as her cheeks heated up.

Nozomi seemed downright horrified as color drained from her face.

Ayame coughed and went limp.

"It's… it is true, Madam. Seeing as my sweetheart couldn't keep his mouth shut, I can't pretend nothing happened. I shall not deny my own feelings either." The atmosphere was getting tenser and tenser. "Ayame-chan… he… he visited me a few days ago. He seemed so desperate, so lonely. I couldn't believe my own eyes as he broke down in front of me, begging to be with me. Although knowing he confided his feelings with me and no one else made my heart skip a beat…"

One of her hands travelled to her face as she sniffed softly. She had to exert all of her energy to not spit her lungs out laughing right then. A muscle still tugged beneath her skin, making a corner of her lips budge and twitch. She deserved some praise. Her restraint was astonishing, even for her standards.

Ayame, on the other hand, tried to free himself from his mother's grasp. He angled his head just right so that he was staring at her with one eye.

"S-Shut up… you… piece of sh-uggh…!"

He was immediately silenced. Nozomi squished his neck between her biceps and side, squeezing all of the air out of him. The younger woman mouthed a 'thank you' to Nozomi for being such a helpful person. She quickly resumed her heartfelt speech.

"…I… I wasn't merciless enough to send him away. Not in that state, and certainly not when he chose me out of all people to soothe his fears. He was my beloved and I had a responsibility to fulfill." An errant snicker almost cut off her diction. She masked it as an anxious exhale and continued. "And… and… I couldn't ignore my own emotions when they resonated with his. I couldn't turn a blind eye to my heart's longing, could I?!"

That last part was intoned with an exaggerated twist of her body and a lone tear running down her face. A tear of laughter.

Truly, this was a performance of a lifetime. She knew. Ayame, with his eyes rendered shiny by the lack of oxygen and piercing with fury, knew.

Nozomi, quivering with fury, did not know and fell into her trap, hook, line, and sinker, deeper. So furious was she that she couldn't control her strength and Ayame was hacking for precious air right now.

Akeno almost felt bad for Issei. He was missing out big time.

"But… I cannot deny it. No… I don't want to deny it. I've never felt so happy before." She closed both eyes and pushed her hands against her cheeks, managing to appear even more flustered. "The way he bared his passion in front of me… the way he held me close with his strong arms… it set ablaze warmth inside of me."

Akeno finished by embracing herself, holding her arms over her chest and seizing her shoulders with force. A timid smile appeared on her face.

"…I know, Madam. I know my actions have consequences. But I shall never regret being true to myself. It's the path I chose, as did my beloved. Ayame-chan brought me joy… he brought fire to melt my cold heart… he became mine, and I became his. I will not abandon him when he granted me what none other has… happiness."

And that was the end of her script. She held back the immense laughter that threatened to crawl out of her vile mouth. Akeno had simply outdone herself. This was neither the first nor the last time she improvised some spicy lines to excite the mood. But this was simply the best.

It didn't take long for her speech to sink in. Proof of it was the dilating pupils of Nozomi. Akeno felt a bit bad for lying to her, but messing with Ayame-chan was simply priceless. At that distance, she could catch her classmate murmuring 'I hate you'. How adorable.

A few seconds of calmness persisted. Then-

"Y-You… you miserable fucker!"

-The storm finally arrived.

The brunette freed her son's neck. She instantly proceeded to grab him by his clothes and lift him up. It was surreal seeing Ayame shaken back and forth by his angry mother, in all honesty.

"How dare you…! After everything I taught you, everything I told you not to do, you finally decided to act your fucking age?! You think it's pretty damn cool to suddenly break bad and go around sleeping with women?!" she barked, infuriated and with a face as red as magma. "I should tie your genitals to an anchor and throw you into open sea!"

Akeno couldn't hold it in anymore. She started snickering loudly behind her hand. With all the noise, it was improbable she would be heard. She didn't care either way. This was far too funny.

"You… got it all wrong…" wheezed Ayame. "She's… lying…"

His voice was so feeble and the woman was screaming so loudly he might as well have remained silent.

"Well, I've got some bad news fer ya, Romeo. The moment this lady has a baby yer done for, ya hear me? You ain't runnin' away or getting' rid of yer brat! You make me a grandma, and I'll turn yer sorry ass into her husband - the best in this friggin' world! And believe me when I say I ain't givin' ya one single yen to support you financially. I'll send ya to a damn coalmine if I hafta to earn some hard cash and feed yer new family, or my name ain't Nozomi fuckin' Hyoudou!"

Akeno almost coughed as she giggled louder.

She had to strain her already sensitive hearing to make sure she didn't listen wrong. Nozomi kept berating her son and her mood got progressively worse. At that point a thick pronunciation seemed to warp her clean and stark Japanese into something... rustic, thick. The young girl couldn't quite pinpoint which, but it definitely was a rural accent.

It was another detail that seemed atypical for Nozomi from a first impression of her. Then Akeno remembered Issei himself spoke like a country bumpkin most of the time. 'Don't judge a book by its cover' was beginning to be a very relevant phrase right now.

The shouting and giggling kept going for about a full minute.

"Now, now, what's with all the bloody fuzz? Nobody told me there was going to be a rave in my own house."

Then, a new voice butted in the conversation. It was a matured, masculine tone that didn't quite fit Issei's rowdiness or Ayame's frigidness. No, it was more elegant, suave. There was also a bit of drowsiness hidden in there.

She breathed in, cheeks hurting a bit from laughing so much. Then she diverted her attention towards the source of it.

Coolly leaning against the threshold leading to another room was a man. There was nothing too impressive to say about his clothing - a simple buttoned black shirt and black pants. Akeno looked up, and her heart skip a beat.

He was an adult. His shiny black hair was combed, long, but not by much. It didn't touch his shoulders but some bangs still covered his face. He had a boyish face, yet his full youth had been kissed away with time and age. Subtle tear lines marked his fair-skinned face. He had warm amber eyes and a tranquil, confident smile. Although of thin build, he clearly was more muscular than his clothing let out.

Akeno covered her face. It was as if witnessing an older, more laidback version of Issei Hyoudou in the flesh.

'An older and sexier version…'

Akeno blinked and shook her head. Then she considered suicide after that thought dared to settle inside her mind. She was a teenage girl, a devil to boot, but she wasn't that needy.

Nozomi reacted seconds later. She spun her head around and practically barked to the man.

"Haruto!" called out the infuriated woman. "That's perfect timing, darlin'. I need the man of the house to beat the shit out of - I mean, beat some sense into the eldest child!"

Haruto rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. He took some steps forward with a hand in his pocket and the other behind his neck. "Okay, okay. What felony did cheeky Ayame commit to get you so narky tonight? You're cute when you get angry."

Nozomi fumbled, trying to hide the fact she blushed for a moment.

"Keep your smooth-talking in your pants, you doofus! This is serious!" She shook Ayame a few times more and signaled him. "This lover boy has engaged in indecent actions with a woman, outside of marital commitment! Don't you think this is absolutely inappropriate?"

When saying 'woman', the brunette shot Akeno a quick look. Haruto looked at her too and made a sound of acknowledgment. He put a hand beneath his chin. After a moment of deep thought, he simply smiled and gave Ayame thumbs up.

"Good job, mate," he said cheerfully. Then he stuffed both hands into his pockets. "You scored quite the beautiful lassie, Ayame. I didn't know you had it in you. Treat her well and proper, okay?"

At this point Akeno didn't know if laughing was the best option. So many unexpected turns finally left her somewhat speechless. The now silent Nozomi was also speechless. She didn't appear to take her husband's commentaries pretty well.

"…What do you mean 'treat her well'? You traitorous, good-for-nothing husband!"

Nozomi let go of her son. She stomped her way towards Haruto, who honestly didn't seem to care. She put her hands on her hips and pouted angrily. Both stood their ground.

"Someone's in a grumpy mood," chimed the man disinterestedly. "'Good-for-nothing' is a pretty harsh thing to say when I married the prettiest, most ravishing dame in the whole wide world. I think I'm quite skilled to spot a cutie when I see her, and even more to make her my spouse. I'd be a gold medallist in charming adorable gals at the very least."

Nozomi's cheeks got red once again. She stomped her foot like a furious rabbit would.

"They don't give medals for stupid things! And t-that's not the point, Haruto!" The fuming wife's indignation was met with her husband's indifference. "Sex is a very serious arrangement. If left unchecked and done recklessly, it could lead to disease or pregnancy. Ayame should know better than behaving like that!"

"Ayame knows better, sweetheart. Why don't you let him have some fun? It could be a nice role-model for Issei who's set on building a harem. It could teach him a thing or two about a nice, stable relationship with one woman."

His logic was so sound and yet so wrong in this context Akeno couldn't help laughing again.

"On my case, I don't need a harem. Not really. All women combined can't hold a candle to the brilliant light that is my bewitching wife."

"S-Shut up! You're exaggerating… dummy…"

"Oh, am I?" he asked knowingly. "Is it an exaggeration to say the sky is blue, or that the grass is green? It's natural, silly. The sun is hot, the Mona Lisa is beautiful, and my wife surpasses them both. I'm quite objective in my assessments."

Nozomi stammered a bit. "Y-You're not! You've always been a stupid womanizer! You have in objectiveness what Issei has in self-control!"

"…I shall neither confirm nor deny your accusations. Besides, even if I was a womanizer, my point still stands. I only drink wine from the finest cup, you see. It only shows you're so splendid and perfect even a cretin like me would be set on the right path, guided by your light like a sailor follows the North Star…"

"S-S-Stoooooooop!" whined a flustered Nozomi. She moved forward and started banging her fists against Haruto. "That's not faaaaaaiiirr! That's. Not. Fair! Yer tryna distract me… y-ya know I can't speak like ya do, ya cheesy jerk! We're talking about our son, not us!"

"All's fair in love and war," he responded confidently. "Ayame sure took that lesson to heart…"

As he finished saying that, Haruto craned his neck. He looked in Akeno's direction. The young girl waved a hand as greeting. In turn, the man winked at her. She took it as a friendly signal at first. However, he kept staring at her for some seconds. Sooner or later she realized his eyes weren't focused on her face as much as they were focused on her body. She also remembered her uniform was wet and transparent.

Akeno quickly crossed an arm around her ample chest.

"Nice…"

The girl smiled uncomfortably. The ogling didn't continue for much longer, however.

Haruto got slapped on his face. The hand cracked like a whip upon contact, loudly. Akeno winced, feeling some sort of empathetic itchiness on her face.

"You degenerate! Monster! Beast! Filthy savage!" howled Nozomi. "How dare you play with my heart and then look at your son's lover with those dirty eyes of yours?! You're sleeping outside!"

The conversation—or yelling, at this point—moved away from its main topic. Akeno sighed. She moved her arm off her body and then placed a hand over her cheek.

The night started with a deadly battle, but it progressed on a good note. She really liked it. She didn't have so much fun in a long while. Saving Ayame really paid off.

"My, what a lively family I have met. I really made the right choice to stop by." As she rejoiced over her decisions, she remembered her dearest classmate was still there within earshot. "Ah, Ayame-chan? Forgive me for my little innocent prank. I thought we were all playing around. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did~"

Her eyes fell on Ayame. She saw him stumbling a bit, and then leaning on a nearby wall. Although easily attributable to what happened moments ago, the brunet appeared to be shaken up. One of his legs began to buckle. From his position one could see he was supporting all of his weight on his one good knee, unable to stand straight.

"Stupid… bitch…" he said from afar crudely, "I don't have time… for your… games…"

She covered her lower face with one hand. Her violet eyes acquired a sharp look as she scanned the young man.

There it was. That loud and crisp song she wanted to listen - a grating of bones, a wheeze from rotting lungs.

It was enough to set off all the alarms in Akeno's mind. A part of her was satisfied with her own shrewdness. Another part was skeptical about Ayame's abnormal existence, one she had more and more trouble accepting as such the more she discovered who he truly was beyond his grumpy, snappy student self.

Ayame coughed on one of his hands. Akeno's eyes almost rolled backwards from the potent scent that suddenly permeated the air. She closed them. Her tongue rolled and licked her teeth, set on savoring that sugary aroma and its bitter aftertaste. Her mouth salivated and tightened in delight. Her brain was hit with a shock of pleasure. Her stomach churned and twisted, knowing full well that such enticing tastes and smells were greatly misleading.

It was like eating rotten fish with maple syrup on top.

She opened her eyes again. Red, red, crimson red liquid like molten ruby pooled on Ayame's palm. He quickly clenched his fist and stuffed it somewhere else. But the bright color was already printed on Akeno's retinas. The sight of it wouldn't abandon her raven-like memory. Its overwhelming flavor would dull her taste buds for a while longer. It was so delicious nothing else would satisfy her palate for the time being.

The young man began walking away. Once he was far away in the bathroom and taking a shower, Akeno closed her eyes again.

"Forgive me for my pettiness, Ayame-chan. I just wanted to make your last moments as gleeful as possible. Death is inescapable indeed, as you told me. It can also be very unsatisfying, for it has no schedule nor does it care whosoever's honor or joy it ruins with its premature arrival…"

Her silky appendage slid down her face. It revealed a mocking smile and none of the innocence she showed to soften the edge of her sharp words.

"Just kidding~" she chimed in a whisper drowned out by the rain outside. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I'm far too greedy to let nature follow its course…"

Her delight would prove to be Ayame's fortune, she thought to herself. Just like a queen too amused with her jester's folly to allow his head to roll far too soon.


- ~DxD~ -

In the distance there was a crude sound.

It was a coarse noise. Not much different from a claw scratching cold stone. By listening, one could easily picture a beast carving its marks on the ground out of boredom. Like a mindless melody without elegance or sense of rhythm to speak of. A monotone song, unparalleled in its irrelevance, devoid of creativity.

Yet there was something respectable in it. Even with its limited repertoire of grace notes—one moribund crescendo, one dying diminuendo—, its lack of musicality, and its sheer flatness, the trained ear couldn't miss it. Hidden within the spiritless tune lay tenacity, one to endure despite being fated to fade.

There was nothing beautiful in an animal at death's door. This little two-note piece was far from beautiful too. But astute people wouldn't dare say it didn't at least try to transcend its insipidness by lasting long enough. Maybe it would change into a lovely chorus full of rubatos, triads and vibratos. Maybe it would escape from the tedious adagio that slowed its life down to a crawl, a waning scratch.

Ayame didn't think too much of it. He couldn't think of anything in particular. As much as he liked to think and dive headfirst into the depressing gutters of his mind, he simply couldn't.

His thoughts were stifled. They were drowned by that irritating scratching and the deafening screams of his hot body. There was not a single cell from his flesh that wasn't howling, demanding for the painful sensations that tortured him to stop. Even 'pain' fell short of a word to describe a feeling that could've killed a normal person, merely by being there.

His blood felt like blazing magma ready to burn holes through his flesh. His bones were stakes with blunt ends slowly stabbing him from inside at the slightest movement. Wetness settled in his eyes, humid and salty. Even breathing was a tortuous effort when his lungs seemed to be about to burst with every batch of precious, scorching oxygen. Was the scratching a distant sound, really, or his very bones breaking apart second by second?

Where was he, again? He couldn't decipher which place would be unfortunate enough to host his soon-to-be cadaver. The lights were too bright. The sounds were getting longer and longer. The corners and edges of the immediate objects twisted around, shrinking and springing into gigantic, liquid forms. Smoldering sweat ran down his spine. But was it sweat or an ocean licking his flesh, tasting what would become a forgotten relic of the depths?

Then, a move, an overture of his neck, a delirious glimpse of azure eyes.

Ayame realized, then, that the scratching came from his own index finger. It struck dead wood under its nail.

With the realization also arrived a dreadful finalization to the song he unconsciously created. The finger stopped moving completely. Now it appeared so static, so frozen, people would have trouble differentiating it from a human finger or a marble statue.

Coldness possessed his finger. His fever ultimately became the antecedent to a feeling even worse than the fever itself.

There was no finger. Yes, there in front of him there was the blurry form of a finger. But there was no finger. His brain didn't register a finger. His muscles didn't recognize a finger. His nerves couldn't make the finger twitch, couldn't make it resume its horrible song. There was no finger. Then, then, he also understood there was no left arm either.

He exhaled a breath so hot it came out as steam. A final suspiration, an acceptance of the inevitable. It smelled like sugar and rot.

His left arm died. Soon, soon, soon… the rest of his body would follow suit.

Fingers snapped centimeters away from his face. A gust of wind hit his boiling, boiling skin.

Ayame recoiled. His gaze refocused.

"Hey, bro."

Issei—a hazy version of him—suddenly appeared before him. The fool flashed a pearly white smile, silly and sincere to the last tooth. He then waved his hand.

"C'mon, dude. Dontcha go snoozin' off on me." The brunet plopped down a little, sitting on the floor. His expression was indiscernible, so blurred it was. "What's goin' on with ya? Got a stomachache? A headache? An everythingache?"

The older brother blinked slowly. He tried to pronounce a word and immediately felt the urge to vomit. His throat felt like sandpaper. Hot liquid that definitely wasn't only saliva burnt his gums, dissolving like acid on the tip of his tongue. Ayame gulped his pain, hiding any underlining discomfort behind a dispassionate face.

"…Tired."

Issei snorted. Then he shook his head.

"Yeah, sure. Yer lookin' like yer about to kick the bucket and that's cuz you haven't had yer beauty sleep yet." The boy leaned a bit over the low table that had been set in the middle of the room, resting his face on one palm. "Ya ain't fooling no one, bro. You think I'm stupid?"

"You were born on the peak of stupidity." A full sentence later Ayame was audibly clearing his throat, and then coughing. Issei ignored the jab and simply opted to enjoy how his hypothesis turned out to be true.

"And ya were born lookin' like a malnourished pansy," retorted the younger sibling. "So I guess yer fine after all. Still got yer bad attitude and everything, too. Maybe I did get worried fer nothin'~"

Issei quickly extended an arm and poked Ayame's ribs with a finger. Those bones that hadn't been turned into dust yet rattled from the pressure. The older teenager winced, slapping the invasive hand away. He then scowled.

"Keep bothering me and I'll make you feel what's like to be at death's door."

"Ooooooh, scary," taunted Issei once again. "Tell me another one, punk. I like cowboy jokes too."

The older brother sighed. He gave up and didn't try to respond to Issei's mocking in kind. A few more seconds elapsed and the younger teen decided to put his hands behind his head, whistling a nice tune.

"…You sure look happy," commented Ayame.

Issei smiled toothily. "Course I am. Maybe relieved is a better word, though."

He shivered visibly, like remembering something unpleasant.

"I really thought I was gonna croak. I mean, I'm the great Issei Hyoudou and I did slap around that old bastard fer a bit… But I ain't sure I was gonna make it if Himejima-senpai hadn't come round. Man, she's pretty damn scary…"

Ayame's eyelids dropped a bit. The image of his smiling classmate moving at breakneck speeds and launching her enemy into the sky was still fairly vivid. He made an unintelligible sound of agreement. Akeno was as human as the people that tried to murder him that night. Seeing her abilities firsthand was far different from simply having a hunch.

She was dangerous. She was sly, too.

She was also taking a shower and Ayame just wished she would slip and break her neck or something. That harlot's teasing was reaching new levels of obnoxiousness. Was seeing her cry or merely die in a ditch that complicated of a wish? Maybe the gods of this world just didn't want to waste energies making the she-devil suffer. Maybe they enjoyed seeing him suffer.

"Anyway, dude, really, wassup with yer scarf?

Ayame somehow managed to roll his eyes while they were closed.

"Smooth transition, little brother. With those conversational skills I'm surprised at least ten girls haven't rang the doorbell asking for their darling Issei."

Issei huffed, shoulders hunching in a saddened manner.

"…Shut yer trap, jackass. Yer one to talk. At least I have friends! Have you gotten over yer fear of girls or do you need to practice chit-chat with the pillow? Friggin' cupcake…"

Both glared at each other for a bit. Ayame clicked his tongue and brought his legs against his chest.

"I already told you," said Ayame. "My scarf is a gift and I like it. What is it to you?"

"Yeah man, I know. But you're even usin' it indoors. Maybe you have a strange fashion sense. Maybe ya just have a neck-related kink there or…"

"...Dumbass," interrupted the older brother. "Would it kill you to refrain from introducing anything remotely sexual in your statements? If so, I feel for you. I didn't know you had such damaging condition and I wish you Godspeed on your recovery."

"Waaaaiiiit, lemme finish. I was saying that maybe it's just something that means a lot to you? I was joking a few days ago, but ya probably do have a little lover hidden in the closet. Feel like sharing?" Issei winked mischievously. "Dontcha worry. I'll keep your reputation as someone swinging the other way intact~"

Ayame blinked slowly. He gazed impassively at his little brother, and then breathed in deeply.

"Cherry boy."

A hand heavily slammed on the low table. Issei propped himself up. His feet stomped the floor with a loud thud, form towering over Ayame.

"Whaddya say, ya moron?! We're still on time to send yer pale ass to the hospital if you're so eager!"

Now the mutual taunting seemed to inching straight into a full-blown fight.

Fortunately, the door of Issei's room was opened. Gentle footsteps were heard. Issei calmed down and put on the best expression he could. With the tension shattered, Ayame turned his head around.

"Now, now, I can hear your childish bickering from the hallway. Can you be good little boys and wait for big sis in silence next time~?"

Akeno had finally finished her shower. The brothers glanced at her and she looked… different. The glamorous and sharp appearance she usually sported was exchanged with something more casual, homely, but certainly not less attractive.

Her straight black hair, usually tied with a yellow ribbon, was freed. It flowed down, a curtain of dark and shiny silk, ending just around her hips. She was wearing a turquoise T-shirt with a white cat silhouette on it, and blue pajama pants. Those were Nozomi's clothes.

Even with a casual look, Akeno's gorgeous figure still stood out. Her arms filled out rather nicely, having a supple firmness to them without being excessively muscular. Her legs were long and robust. The shirt clung to her flat abdomen as well. Despite not looking the part, Akeno was visibly fit, maybe even athletic.

A towel was hanging around her neck. She pulled it from both ends, drying the back of her head.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, gentlemen~" Akeno said. "I hope you weren't overly bored without yours truly as the soul of the party!"

"I was almost, almost happy till you reminded me you exist." Ayame's harsh commentary was met by a laugh from the young woman. He hugged his legs closer, as if that would protect him from his classmate's wretched presence.

Issei was a tad too silent. After noticing a stupid grin on the younger teen's face, and analyzing Akeno once again, Ayame understood why that was. It turned out Akeno was not wearing a bra beneath her shirt. Her exceedingly prominent chest was sticking out even more than usual. Between Akeno's apparent nonchalance on showing off her charms so liberally, and Issei openly being a horny fool, he couldn't decide which was more annoying.

"B-Bo… Boo…"

The youngest of the bunch stammered a bit. The raven-haired woman heard and waited curiously for Issei to finish his thought. Ayame knew where this was heading yet had no energy to care anymore.

"Boo… Buenas noches!"

Somehow, Issei managed to look many times stupider. Ayame wanted to curl up in a ball and die. It was better than seeing this unfold.

"Ah… what was it?" Akeno tapped her lips, seemingly reflecting on something. "I didn't know you spoke Italian, Ise. You sure got some fancy tricks up your sleeve~"

"It's Spanish," corrected Ayame. "And he, pardon my French, doesn't know shit about it."

Issei sent Ayame a betrayed glare. Ayame ignored it. Akeno giggled and inched closer to the low table. Her short march was every bit as graceful as normal, and only an idiot would miss the subtle bounce to her breasts in the process. She was definitely doing it on purpose. Maybe he could make her tumble and fall on the table? Oh, that'd definitely be funny.

"Wow, I didn't know my classmate and junior were so cultured!" she chimed while approaching. Then she made a strange gesture, pressing two fingers against her forehead. "Let's see, let's see… Vous êtes de jolis petits jouets. J'ai hâte de jouer avec vous, et de vous brise~"

She murmured some unintelligible words in a whispery tone. Akeno pulled an impish face, as if she had done or said something particularly naughty and got away with it. Ayame raised an eyebrow.

"The things you can do with a universal translator are quite fun, specially when you get around the workings of the mind~

Before he could voice any question, Ayame heard a funny sound. He looked away from Akeno and saw Issei. The latter seemed openly shaken. Color had drained a bit from his face, and he stared at Akeno from the corner of his very, very open eyes.

The young woman produced another sound in kind. She laughed sheepishly, the same way someone who realized they made a mistake would.

"Ah, my apologies, dear Ise. I forgot you're a Devil as well. Language jokes only work with humans~" One hand caressed her cheek as she spoke. Then her guileless smile morphed into something more… foul. "Although I'm pretty sure that's not what's bothering you right now, isn't it~?"

"N-No, no, I didn't hear anything!" quickly exclaimed Issei. "M-Maybe you could repeat it, Himejima-senpai? I didn't catch that, hahaha…"

Akeno laughed in a satisfied manner. "Nay, a joke loses its charm if told one too many times. Let's just leave it at that, okay~?"

Issei nodded vigorously. The mischievous woman giggled all the way till her butt found a seat close to the brothers. Ayame shrugged slightly, and then buried his face on his knees. What followed was a friendly yet meaningless conversation between Issei and Akeno. Ayame merely responded with grunts and groans when he was addressed, too distracted by tortuous sensations to pay any heed.

"Ah, just a little heads up, Ise. You're going to get spanked good for what you did tonight~"

"W-What?" Issei sputtered. "What did I even do?! What's more, who's gonna spank me?!"

The woman sighed again, voicing a drawn-out noise of dejection. "Sadly, I don't think it'll be me…"

"Sadly?!"

And that was the sort of inconsequential prattling that went on. The voices became distant nuisances, echoes so deep and recurrent they couldn't be understood any longer. The brunet curled up as much as his body allowed him too. Snuggled up like that the pain was just a bit bearable, only to achieve new spikes of intensity later on, forcing Ayame to tighten his self-embrace.

"Kids, food is ready!"

At some point, Nozomi's voice called them from downstairs, announcing suppertime.

Ayame was broken away from his stupor. He lifted his head and saw Issei readily jumping from his spot and sprinting out of the room, excited at the idea of devouring food after a long day. Akeno was far more serene in her eagerness, composedly propping herself up. She rested her violet eyes on Ayame.

"Let us go, Ayame-chan," she advised enthusiastically. "Filling our tummies with delicacies after an arduous fight is an incredible delight. I can confirm~"

Ayame groaned. He tried to stand up. Any effort in concealing his exhaustion was ultimately ruined by his trembling legs and audible wheezing. His wobbling form shook even harder the more he straightened his back. A sharp sting in his chest and a round of violent coughing made him double over, and then, fall.

A hand quickly intercepted his tumbling body before he crashed onto the table.

Ayame blinked, dazed. Then, betraying no emotion whatsoever, he craned his hurting neck to look at Akeno.

"Ayame-chan, I need to speak with you privately after supper," she requested with a gentle voice. "Try not to sleep early. It's important."

Having no energy to decline or protest, he agreed.

"…As you wish."

She helped him straighten up his posture. With a smile, Akeno lent Ayame her shoulder. They both went to eat.


- ~DxD~ -

At some point Ayame returned to his room.

Supper time was over and fooling around had ended in a flash. He didn't partake in the fooling around part, escaping his father's teasing and Akeno's asinine comments on their 'relationship'. His bed engulfed him whole when he finally stumbled to his room.

His brain was boiling. His eyes stung and maybe they would melt too, in the end. They would liquefy and flow down his face. His ears itched with each squeal or laugh that climbed the stairs and slithered into his room.

Ayame's sight was blurry. His throat was dry, and no matter how much water he drank to quench his thirst, it didn't subside. The pain was slowly being replaced with a feeling of general numbness. Every nerve in his body simply died, giving him a moment of false respite. The delicious food his mother never failed to put on his plate had no taste. He couldn't even feel if his stomach was full or not.

He felt like he was melting… but more so.

The entire world seemed to be melting around and with him.

Ah. Death was around the corner.

Strangely enough, he felt no need to postpone it anymore. It almost seemed like natural selection at this point. He wasn't fit for living. Besides, wasn't this the end he craved?

Why even bother anymore.

The one thing he probably regretted was not being able to see Yuuma once again. Frustration swelled in his cold chest. This was so unfair. And he had just started to see something of a bright side in perpetuating his meaningless existence, too. Alas, his little quest wouldn't last long.

Everything was pointless. He was pointless. His disappearance wouldn't change anything. And so Ayame accepted his end.

Akeno hadn't failed to disrupt his peaceful passing either way. She waited till everyone was off to sleep before softly knocking on his room's door. Somehow, somehow, Ayame crawled out of his bed and found the doorknob in the obscurity of his room.

In the darkness, Akeno's face was a beautiful yet menacing sight. Her violet pupils, two shining amethysts, highlighted the sharp look of her eyes. She invited herself in with a low giggle and a mere 'good evening'.

The brunet plopped his numb body on the bed. A shiver running up his spine forced a painful moan out of him. He tried to hide it behind a sigh, and then spoke to his visitor in a raspy voice.

"…What do you want?" he enunciated slowly.

Akeno crossed her arms, smiley face still there, and walked over to Ayame's bed.

He looked at her warily.

"Even in that pitiful state, you're still set on putting up a tough attitude?" Akeno mentioned nonchalantly. "No, no, Ayame-chan. That kind of behavior will get you killed rather quickly. It's endearing to see you barking at the wrong trees, but some unsavory individuals wouldn't be as amused~"

Akeno sat on the bed as if she owned it. She inched closer to him, and Ayame could barely register her form anymore. Her black hair blurred with the darkness coating every corner of the room. Her shadowy appearance was somewhat recognizable thanks to wisps of moonlight intruding through the balcony's window.

Ayame twitched as the woman's thigh bumped with his. He didn't actually feel his leg. But being this close to Akeno was getting on his nerves.

"Now, don't be so twitchy around me~" chimed the violet-eyed lady. "I'm just going out of my way to help you. This is for your own good."

Her neck craned a bit and then she was looking at his face.

"Can you give me your left arm, Ayame-chan?"

Her request was followed by her extending her hands towards him, waiting for him to obediently comply and allow her to seize him up. He had no strength left to decline, so he did as told. The tremors that ran through his numb limb, he couldn't conceal. The hiss his lungs produced, he couldn't hide. The grimace he showcased, he didn't care to hide.

His left arm ended in Akeno's grasp all the same. With careful movements, her fingers took the limp arm he dumped on her thighs and danced upon it.

Her expression visibly clouded at the contact.

Ayame could only stare at her face as she inspected him. Her distinct features were slowly twisting out of the twilight that shrouded his vision. Her straight nose and smooth brow came into view first, followed by a slight sheen on her hair that made it stand out from the black spots that danced in his irises. She moved locks of her dark, dark, dark hair away from her too white doll face with fingers that looked like shiny, prickly needles. Her eyes shone a purplish glimmer. He focused on that unnatural light.

Akeno's concentration was entirely on the dead arm cradled between her hands. Her touches were gentle, but seemingly calculated. They were precise, but never too callous. She had forgotten Ayame existed, in those moments of deep focus.

The brunet could see little of his classmate's face. But the expression that painted her features was not a smiley or mischievous one. There was a seriousness she had never really shown before. Delirious as he was, Ayame could still appreciate that little sliver of authenticity where Akeno wasn't hiding her intentions behind an obnoxious smile.

"If you'll excuse me…"

His stupor was shattered by the sound of her voice.

Akeno took ahold of his shirt's sleeve between her index and middle finger. She was paused and docile in her movement, mindful of not pulling his arm too much. The limb was ultimately uncovered after a few seconds of tugging.

Ayame stared down at his arm with a dopey mix of surprise and confusion. Akeno was, as usual, composed. Yet even if she didn't show any bewilderment, her facial features did harden a bit.

Ayame Hyoudou was as pale as a ghost. Anyone would blame his nearly colorless skin on an unhealthy lifestyle or a damaging medical condition.

It wasn't shocking, not much considering how his nerves were dying on him, when his left arm didn't look the part.

Black bluish veins visibly pulsated beneath his skin. They were jet-black streaks like cracks on a piece of marble. They bulged morbidly to the point of almost exploding, but never quite past that. Ayame's entire arm was covered with these disgusting marks. A row of veins seemed to join together in the part where the elbow and upper arm connected, before continuing to his shoulder. Black spots like coal stains smeared his skin here and there.

It was feeble. But there was a cracking sound, somewhere. Like something was breaking apart.

"Ah, this is worse than I thought," concluded Akeno. She hadn't betrayed much emotion she might have been hiding under her tranquil guise, even upon staring at such deformity. "I'm baffled, truly. This would have a normal person howling and tossing around. Seeing your cute little face unchanged is somehow even more unsettling~"

Ayame coughed, not particularly enthused by her foolish words. Akeno simply freed one of her hands and placed it on Ayame's stomach. She stared at him, smile gone, searching for his approval.

"I need to inspect further. Your condition is rather… grave, but I need to be sure. Would you mind if I…?"

Ayame shook his head.

"…Do… whatever you please," he grumbled in response.

Satisfaction lit her violet eyes. Her hand snaked beneath his shirt, tenderly moving the cloth away from its path. Painful shivers forced more twitches out of the brunet. Akeno still held him in place and continued. At some point her hand stopped just over his chest. Her fingers pressed a bit, stroking that part experimentally.

Akeno nodded. She closed her eyes and hummed.

"…So? What's the problem?"

Lost in her thoughts, the young woman appeared unwilling to reply just yet. She shook her head moments later, and her vibrant gaze met his dull eyes.

"In summary, you're dying," answered Akeno emotionlessly. "Your body is intoxicated and won't hold out for much longer. I'd give you around a few minutes at most."

His expression remained distant. If he could have spoken freely, without his jaw feeling like it was torn from his face with each sentence he spit out, he probably still wouldn't have admitted that he couldn't control his facial muscles anymore.

Darkness took over his left eye's vision. He tried to blink the murk away. Golden stars and gleams flashed in the shade. They took the form of a yellowish figure swaying in a sea of dusk. That thing, that beautiful thing that appeared out of nowhere, showed him pearly white teeth. A crooked expression.

Was it the snarl of a bloodthirsty beast? Was it the flustered grin of a maiden? He wasn't too sure. Thus, he wasn't sure if the words he heard next were mocking or caring.

"Does it hurt, Ayame?"

Ayame grimaced. He squared his jaw. The eye that couldn't see any more twitched, threatening to close itself forever, but he forced it open. He swallowed the lump in his throat despite feeling like his scarf was suddenly strangling the soul out of him. The brunet tried to straighten his posture, gathering any tidbit of stamina he had left.

"Shut… up," he groaned out. "I… I'm not done… yet…"

Akeno breathed in. Then she let out a boisterous, but brief laugh.

"Ah! Silly boy, what are you saying?" responded the raven-haired woman. "I just said you're d-y-i-n-g, aye? Really, you're not even going to shed a tear or confess the feelings you definitely have for me~?"

Ayame tried to swat Akeno's hands away. He only managed to squirm in her grasp, shooting a tired glare her way.

"If… you're not gonna… help… then go."

The brunet dully felt, heard someone breathing alongside his face. The sounds were cavernous, distant, like the growls of a beast. As the next words were uttered he realized it was his classmate getting awfully close for comfort. She giggled a twisted tune, and spoke with a soft voice.

"You're such a dummy, Ayame-chan. I'll let you in on a little secret of mine," she teased and then paused for a moment. "…I don't like getting my hands dirty, not at all. I'd rather watch a forest burn than put the flames out. But in those rare occasions I do participate in matters that don't concern me..."

Akeno squeezed his blackened arm a bit. Another little laugh was breathed out.

"…I don't settle with any less than getting my way exactly as I want it."

Ayame wheezed. Hot liquid trickled down his lips.

"Did you really, honestly believe I visited you just to bid you adieu?" A subtle difference in Akeno's diction told Ayame she was smiling now. "I hate wasting my time, you see. I simply step away if I conclude something is beyond my abilities. If your death was set in stone I would have given you a little kiss as parting gift and called it a night~"

The young man couldn't keep himself straight anymore. His falling body was stopped by Akeno's shoulder.

"Then… you can…"

"Yes! I finally see some gears turning," she chimed sardonically. "I'm saying I can help you, kiddo. Of course, that would be the second time I save your life tonight, and that has a price, as little as it may be in your case…"

Akeno let that linger in the air. It was only after Ayame coughed blood that she continued talking.

"…But we can discuss that later. I'll charge interest, of course~"

Ayame felt a pressure. The raven-haired teenager pushed her index finger against his chest, pushing him back a little. Several prickly needles were thrust into his dying arm as well. A few seconds passed and the brunet understood those were her fingers as well.

"I could have helped you before and without your consent. However, watching you cling to dear life is immensely adorable. Please excuse me for my devilish little quirks~"

Akeno shifted on her spot.

"Now then…"

She breathed in.

"Grit your teeth. I don't care if it hurts, but it would be rather inconvenient if you start screaming~"

She then stabbed her finger inside his chest.

Her index tore through his skin like a hot knife slicing butter. Ayame felt all the air expelled from his lungs. A sudden wave of coldness chilled his torso. His heart began beating faster, violently.

"Burgh… Guh… Ah…"

Ayame gasped. Muscles that he thought had disappeared constricted, rejecting the invasive object that dared to pierce through him. The instinctual reaction only made it even more painful. Akeno didn't stop, sliding her finger through the gaps of his ribs, hilting her hand all way the way up to her knuckle.

The brunet shook. Half-unconscious and in a painful daze, he still managed to lift his good hand and grab Akeno by the wrist. He tried to pull her back, to no avail. It may have been exhaustion. It may have been her incredible strength. Either way, she didn't budge at all. If anything, his scuffle only seemed to amuse her.

"Hahaha, that won't do," Akeno remarked slyly. "As much as I love a good struggle, you're distracting me. So be a good boy and stay still~"

They wrestled a bit. It didn't take a lot of force or time for Akeno to pin her classmate down to the bed. Ayame babbled incoherently, squirming in confusion and pain. The young woman simply sat on his stomach to avoid being kicked away. Her legs clamped together, restraining the brunet in place before he could throw her around.

"Look into my eyes. I know it hurts, but you have to bear with it."

Liquid began running down his chest, soaking his shirt and her pants. The hole in his chest was overflowing with blood.

He didn't have any time to calm down when another jolt of pain woke him up. Akeno punctured his arm with her needle-like fingers. The nerves he had forgotten about by now came into existence anew, and what greeted them was a crisp, indescribable feeling of pain. A searing sensation burnt within every inch of his body.

It was like being electrocuted, or hit by lighting. Nevertheless, his body wasn't numbed down like he would have expected. If anything, it seemed every physical function he lost was quickly brought back to life. A broken circuit had been lit inside him.

Akeno kept smiling through it all. Ayame was capable of admiring her visage in all of its glory once a few seconds elapsed and his vision became clearer. With the clarity was also born the urge to bite that smug expression off her face.

What a pathetic spot to be in.

The pain slowly subsided. His lungs expanded to their full capacity with fresh oxygen. He calmed down a little when the mere act of breathing didn't feel like inhaling fire, and his back finally felt the comfort of the bed and not a numb nothingness in its place.

Without previous notice, Akeno retracted her finger out of Ayame's ribcage with a loud pop. His left arm was also freed from her steely hold.

Ayame covered his gaping chest with a hand. His breath hitched when he felt flesh move under his palm rhythmically. The flow of blood slowed down, staining his snow-white skin with red tears.

His blue eyes met Akeno's violet ones. Before he could finally voice his first intelligible question after a while, something tugged at his attention. A shock shot through his left arm. Feeling the familiar sensation of his limb, he arched his back and stared at it.

The bulging veins that seemed to devour his arm shrank. They slowly hid beneath his skin, and the black stains also disappeared as well. With them, the pain was also washed away.

Ayame moved and clenched his left hand for a bit. After testing its successful mobility, he sighed and turned his head to stare at Akeno.

"Mission complete~!" she celebrated, wiggling her stained fingers in the air. Scarlet droplets were flung everywhere and they smeared her cheek red. "Line them mortals up and I shall purify their sins~! Akeno of Nazareth has come to heal the blind and raise the dead from their graves-"

Akeno visibly winced at that moment. She quickly pressed a palm against her temples and whined softly.

"Ouchie, ouchie…" The teenager sighed dejectedly. "I guess Akeno is too much of a bad girl to play the Messiah role just yet. I really wanted to use that line, geez…"

Ayame looked down his chest where his hand was, firmly pressing down on his injury.

Something was moving, shifting, changing. His heartbeats and respirations couldn't explain the way in which his chest stirred beneath his hand.

Akeno noticed his firm hold over his thorax. Her grin widened and she flicked his nose with a bloody finger, snapping Ayame out of his focus and earning a scowl out of him.

"You shouldn't worry about that, Ayame-chan. I made sure to not break any blood vessel or tear apart a vein. A hole in the chest won't kill you… if you take care of it, of course. Use some bandages, a bit of alcohol, give it time, and you're set~"

Akeno settled on his lap, satisfied with a job well done and a clear explanation. She didn't seem to mind the stream of blood staining her pants—borrowed from his mother, nonetheless—or the compromising position they were in. She patted the hand over his chest affectionately, as if reassuring him.

He didn't put his hand away. There just was something happening there that he didn't want this woman to see.

"It should heal in a few days. Or weeks provided you continue with your extensive sleeping schedule. Issei shared some tidbits of your unhealthy habits with me. You should refrain from sleeping so much, Ayame-chan~"

"Shut up for a second."

Akeno clapped her mouth shut into a smug smile. She waited a bit.

The brunet then looked down at his body where the young woman had found a comfortable seat.

"…Do I look like a sofa? Get off of me."

The young woman's shoulders went limp. "Ah, such a spoilsport. Do you know how many people would kill and die to be in your place, Ayame-chan? A beautiful girl is on top of you. Read the mood and enjoy yourself once in a while~"

He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes.

"I guess I would enjoy it if it weren't you who's on top. Get off. I don't have all night."

After some disregarding and suggestive squirming, she finally complied. "Okaaaaay. Be super mean with poor little Akeno when she has taken you away from the clutches of Hades with the power of love and friendship."

"If that was the power of love and friendship, I'm glad I don't have either of those."

She slowly slithered away with a childish pout and some angry noises. Akeno sat on her heels on another part of the bed. Ayame forced himself into a sitting position too, feeling strangely energized, invigorated. He stole a glance at his companion and it seemed she could not go on with her theatrics without cracking another smile in the end.

"…I want answers to a few questions. You can either respond or get out of my room with a 'thank you', and nothing else." He cleared his throat and spoke once the other teenager showed she was listening. "Why was I dying? And how did you manage to save me?"

Akeno stuck out her tongue and winked. "Ayame-chan, you gave me two options and no time to choose. Are you really going to force an unwilling damsel such as me into this nefarious quiz of yours? Will you force personal, private information out of me with depraved methods? The horror, the tragedy~"

"The only tragedy here is that I have to listen to you," he answered coolly. "Let's make this quick so I don't have to. Either way you'll get kicked out of my bedroom once we're over."

She waved a dismissive hand. "Yes, yes, I shall answer all your queries. I'm just teasing you. I know you love it~"

"I despise it. You make me sick."

"Such honesty! Such sharpness! And such loathing~" The violet-eyed Devil laughed merrily. "Ah, you're so unlikable Ayame-chan. But that's what I like about you~"

She cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders.

"Sit back and relax. This will be long."

Ayame shifted a little until his back found a comfortable position against his pillows. He made sure his focus on her was visible.

"So, I'm sure you remember our resident gentlewoman Rias, yes?" began Akeno. "Do you recall her explanation about magic?"

Ayame nodded.

"Good!" she replied, clapping her hands together and further dirtying them with blood. "That will save us some time. I shall expand a bit on that knowledge you have, since it is crucial to understand what has brought us here~"

She raised a finger.

"Firstly, you have to understand the synergy between soul and body. Magic normally cannot be used by a soul without a body, and a body cannot produce magic without a soul. Each is an essential cog to the complex clockwork that is anima and magic casting."

Akeno flattened her hands and joined her palms together.

"The soul is what produces and stores anima. It's a container of pure, unadulterated magical energy. Your body, on the other hand, is a conductor. It transforms the magical energy you possess and projects it in the real world in a tangible form. You could say that… you're a gun, yes. Your soul is the bullet magazine, your mind is the trigger, and your body is the barrel."

The young woman stole an interested glance at him for a moment. She hummed a little, pensive.

"…That would be a vulgar simplification. The system is far more complex, but we shall use this mental image for now," Akeno affirmed. "Do you understand, Ayame-chan? Each part is naturally prepared to fulfill a particular task. Needless to say, if you dismantle a handgun and try to switch its parts incorrectly, it won't shoot anything."

She raised her blood-drenched fingers. She looked between them and him, a somewhat amused expression twisting her features into yet another smile.

"I don't know how this is happening. Somehow, your body is constantly creating an excess of anima and introducing it directly into your bloodstream. Every part of your magical system seems to be working appropriately, and your soul seems… fairly normal. But your body is, for some reason, carrying inadequate amounts of liquefied energy."

Ayame clicked his tongue and blinked. "I reckon I'm not exactly following the natural order of magic casting. How does that affect me negatively, then?"

"The gun, Ayame-chan. Think back to the gun example. The answer is rather obvious~"

The brunet sighed, and closed his eyes. Some seconds of thinking led to a simple conclusion.

"Normally, you keep bullets in their magazine where they should be. Judging by your analysis, I'm seemingly trying to put all of my bullets into the barrel instead. Is that right?"

"Yes~" she responded. "And pray do tell, what do you think would happen if you tried to shoot a gun while forcing more than one bullet in the barrel~?"

"…The gun either shoots nothing or explodes," Ayame finally reasoned.

"Bingo! You get a cookie~"

The brunet sighed again. "I'd rather get my explanation."

"Yes, yes~" Akeno closed her eyes serenely, and placed her hands on her lap. "Anima is a powerful, ethereal force. It can only be harmonized by something of a similar nature. That's your soul. Your physical form merely gives Anima a direction, a momentary outlet before being materialized. But you're in a constant state of anima materialization. All that energy becomes unstable after a while. You'd die if you tried to hold it for extended periods of time."

"I did almost die," Ayame conceded. "I was feeling very sick."

"Sick is an understatement, dear Ayame-chan~," Akeno added. "You were overloaded by the time I decided to help you. If this happens with frequency, you may develop necrosis or cancer, amongst many things. Anima is a rather mysterious thing. Forcing yourself to control it all of the time will inevitably make your body fail on its other functions… and that's when diseases appear. Then, after a while, all that's left is death."

Well, Ayame didn't have much time to develop any disease. He just went straight into the dying part.

"You're very lucky you had me here~" remarked Akeno while grinning like a madwoman. "I'm particularly versed in purification. Getting rid of the corruption was pretty easy. I just needed to stick a finger inside, suck out all of that magic, and voila!"

The brunet wasn't really keen on remembering that… experience. Just thinking about it brought to mind doubts he preferred to leave as such.

"The bad side of this is that now I'm overflowing with energy myself~" Akeno said. Just then Ayame noticed there was a little blush on her face, and a disoriented look to her eyes. "I feel like I drank ten energy drinks. I may need to blow up something or I won't sleep well tonight~"

"…Just refrain from using my home as your stress relief," warned the young man. "I know what's happening now. Do you have any idea as to why?"

"Nay~" Ayame frowned. Akeno shook her head a bit and giggled. "Nay, I don't know. I can't exactly pinpoint the cause without further inspection. Maybe you know, hmmm? Or would you prefer a more thorough examination by doctor Akeno~?"

"No."

"Ah, you're no fun~" She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "Anyway, I don't know what's up. Although your scent… it is rather strange. So is your body. It's weird to explain since I can't compare you to anything else. I don't know what makes you tick. Let's just say you're not a normal human, and that's influencing in your corruption. Is that good enough?"

He looked aside, down to his left arm. He pulled his sleeve down and sighed. Ayame scrunched his brow. Things had become far clearer and his problem was halted before it was too late. Yet, despite Akeno's concise exposition, some things were still unclear.

"I guess it is. Got any advice on how to prevent this from happening?"

"Stay out of trouble. Physically speaking, the faster your heart beats, the quicker you'll contaminate yourself again. Since we don't know what the cause of your intoxication is, the only thing you can do is play it cool."

"I'd prefer a permanent solution."

Akeno groaned while holding a hand up to her forehead. "Ahhh, people can be so demanding these days~! Okay, okay. The best solution I have in mind is redirecting the excess of magic outside of your body. Theoretically, it should ease the burden. If you haven't noticed already, this means you have to learn magic, lest you want to depend on me to do the dirty work~"

Somehow, he felt this was bound to happen. Ayame couldn't simply evade the topic of magic. It was the best method he was aware of to stand a chance against Yuuma. Even then, he had next to no reference as to how magic was learned and mastered. Conveniently, there was an opportunity in front of him. Given the circumstances, he had to take advantage of it, or risk an unavoidable death.

Ayame cleared his throat. He then looked from one side to another.

"Could you…"

Akeno perked up. She eyed him curiously, smiling as she waited. The brunet scratched his brown mane.

"Could you… huh…"

"Louder, Ayame-chan~" said Akeno all of a sudden. "Louder and clearer, or you'll just be a voice screaming in the desert~"

The teenager clicked his tongue. He shut his eyes and spoke.

"Could you help me learn magic?" he finally blurted out through gritted teeth and a tangible unwillingness.

There was a moment of silence. It was broken as quickly as it settled down by Akeno's chocked laugh. Ayame shut his eyes even more tightly and waited for the round of asinine teasing that would follow.

"Haha…hahahahahahahahahaha!" Her laughter shook her entire body, if the tremors that travelled across his bed were any indication. "Hahahahahaha, oh Satan, this is riiiich~!"

The brunet opened his eyes again. He was rewarded by the image of Akeno rolling over the bed in absolute laughter. Laid down as she was, the idea of asphyxiating her with a pillow crossed his mind. The only reason he didn't follow through was because he didn't want to litter his bed with a dead whore.

"Hahahahahaha! Y-Yeah, Ayame-chan, hahahahaha!" She barely managed to force out a few comments between laugh and laugh. "I'll help you fulfill your desires, hahahaha! Our first lesson will be pulling a bunny out of a hat~!"

"Forget it. Get out of my room."

"W-Wait wait, hahahahaha!" The young woman quickly composed herself, a hand over her tummy and another wiping a tear off her cheek. "Sorry, hahaha. It just caught me off guard dear little Ayame would swallow his pride and ask for my help~"

Ayame growled and looked aside. "I'm not particularly fascinated by the idea, Himejima. I just want to lower my chances of getting killed. I recognize you have much more power, knowledge and technique than I do. I'd rather not ask anything out of you, but I have no other option."

"I see, I see~" she nodded knowingly. "And you also understand you'll be even more indebted to me, aye? I saved your life twice and now you're asking me to introduce you into the arcane and obscure? Nothing in this world is free, dear classmate~"

"Evidently," he quickly shot back. "But you went out of your way to help me many times. You always follow me around and pester me with your existence. Given your attitude towards me, I have to think I possess something you want. I don't know what that is, but I guess I can grant it if that's your price."

Akeno hummed. Her dark eyelashes swayed up and down in a hypnotic movement. Her facials features and expression sharpened a bit. Her puffed cheeks and goofy smile were no more. There was something grave, something more playful and wicked hidden in there. Ayame met her expression with a dull one, unperturbed by Akeno's visible change.

"You would be right, Ayame-chan," admitted the raven-haired teenager. "Have you ever wondered why I follow you around, why I talk to you out of nowhere, why I make jokes or even save you from death itself? The answer is rather simple."

She leaned a bit towards him. A curious glint shone across her violet pupils. Ayame inched back a few millimeters, just enough till the wall behind him became too real to put more distance between him and her.

"…I just like you, Ayame-chan."

Ayame's face slightly hardened a bit. He didn't blink, trying to uncover hidden meanings from staring into Akeno's eyes rather than coercing cryptic messages out of her mouth. She seemed to be doing the same. She was testing him, analyzing him, waiting till an interesting enough detail manifested for her to latch on it.

"Not in a romantic way, Lucifer forbid~" she clarified seconds later. "You're just interesting. I have my deeper reasons, but generally speaking, you're fun to hang around with. There are fascinating secrets beneath your displeasing attitude. There will be gruesome performances stemming from your reckless choices. You may try to play it cool and feign disinterest, but that's a bluff to hide your unpredictability. You want to do things, very naughty things, and I'm itching to know what and why~"

She raised one of her fingers. Blooody, bloody finger. She licked his blood slowly, red tongue meshing with crimson liquid. Her finger was then entirely introduced within her mouth. Akeno sucked on it for seconds, and then removed it with a pop. She beamed at him.

"I shall teach you magic. My price is for you to tolerate and entertain me~" stated Akeno with a Cheshire cat grin. "That's a pretty good bargain, wouldn't you agree? I'm basically giving you private lessons for free~"

Her choice of words was obnoxious as always. Nonetheless, if putting up with Akeno's creepy mannerisms was the key to becoming stronger, he couldn't complain. Ayame already did it on a daily basis. The brunet wasn't about to dwell into this woman's intentions as long as she proved to be useful to him.

This was a transaction, and nothing else. The faster he got on with it, the easier it would be to pay his debt and shoo Akeno away. Having her around was irksome enough.

"…Fine. I accept your terms." He exhaled a sigh that was building up in his lungs since their strange, peculiar conversation started. "Don't expect me to play along your bothersome theatrics. I'm better off breaking our deal than pretending I enjoy frolicking with you."

"That is totally acceptable~! I wouldn't want you any other way~" Akeno showed a big smile. "Do try to be a little open-minded. I may be slightly eccentric, but you won't find a more reliable person in this situation~"

"Sure. Now get out of my room."

"Awwwww~" whined the she-devil. "So unfaaaaiiir. Can't we play a board game or watch a movie? Today was all work and no play. I'm gonna be awake all night like this~"

"Excellent," responded Ayame. "Serves you right for being insufferable."

Akeno pouted. Her dissatisfaction lasted far too little, so she was smiling again in no time. After a bit, she extended a hand towards Ayame. He stared at the outstretched limb, frowning. Then he stared at her. She was still grinning.

"So~? What's the magic word~?"

After considering it a little, Ayame sighed. He interlaced his pale hand with Akeno's soft one, and shook it.

"…I forgot to thank you. You did save me today. Let's not make it a frequent occurrence, though."

"I agree~"

And just like that, she retracted her hand.

"Well! I think it's time to go to sleep. Your mother was kind enough to give me the guest's room and I'm not about to disregard her offer. Try to not stay up too late, Ayame-chan~"

He didn't respond. He wiggled in his bed, sliding down the wall to his stained sheets that would be thrown in the trash in the next morning, because he would not even try to scrap the blood off. He had better things to do and that fluid was incredibly hard to get off when it was dry, or so his mother always moaned whenever Issei got a nosebleed from reading adult magazines. He didn't spare a thought for his guest, who should have been making her way out of his room.

A wet feeling on his cheek and a 'chu' sound left his mind reeling for a bit. He put a hand on his face and blinked. Then he craned his neck. Akeno smirked evilly, a delicate finger hovering over the corner of her lip.

"…Why, though?" sighed Ayame.

She shrugged her shoulders and looked aside.

"Consider it a gift, and a good luck charm~"

"Just get out of my sight. You're gross." Ayame scratched his brown hair, frustrated.

"Aye-Aye, captain~" Akeno jumped out of the bed like a cat. She did a military salute and then a gentlemanly bow, all at once and all out of place. "In times of illness and fear, you may finally rest. Lay your fears at your feet and dream to your heart's content…"

She let that message hang in the air. Then, she made an incredibly stupid pose, winking at him, sticking out her tongue and making a peace sign.

"Just kidding, nighty-night~"

The door clicked behind her.

Ayame was left alone.

Some seconds later, Ayame noticed something wet on his right hand. He raised it to eye level, and grimaced.

There was a stain of fresh blood. Akeno probably dirtied him with her fingers when they shook hands. He only noticed just now. The red liquid was already drying on his palm, showing the web-like patterns on pale flesh. The normal thing would have been to wipe it or wash it off with water, but a sudden tinge of curiosity took over him at the last moment.

Ayame reluctantly stuck out his tongue and tasted a small droplet of blood.

It tasted like honey.

The brunet stared at one white wall with dull eyes. He just simply savored the sweet crimson that melted on the tip of his tongue. Just then he remembered he had a gaping hole in his heart, and it needed to be closed. He didn't want to risk infections or something of the sort.

Ayame took ahold of his collar with a finger. He pulled it away from his skin, and looked down.

Strangely enough, his perforated chest was already healed.


- ~Author's Note~ -

This is all for today.

I understand if the chapter feels slow, but I decided to sacrifice quick progression with more important and interesting interactions between the characters. I was getting too drawn into the action scenes so I wanted to do something tamer, as a breather for me and the readers.

I didn't think I would upload before the month ended. I got a nasty fever a couple weeks back and couldn't bring myself to write anything. I underestimated the freezing power of the air conditioner and my punishment was the bed, hahahaha.

Kudos to Ciel du Nord for being an awesome human and a reliable beta reader! Without her help I wouldn't have finished this chapter in the time I did. Be sure to check up her stories if you're interested!

So! As always, tell me what did you think about the chapter. Did you enjoy Issei's goofiness? Did Ayame's little experience sent shivers down your spine? Was Akeno too scary? Be honest and give me your insight!

This chapter was smaller than usual, but I hope it still managed to strike your fancy!

Until next time, guys. Stay healthy!

(27/3/2020)