I do apologize for my lateness, finding time I can bring myself to write even when I have my muse has been a pain. Working on finding ways around it, but life goes on and I still don't make money by writing as a hobby.
This chapter I'm unhappy with. Mostly because it took me so long, also because when I picked it back up I struggled with what direction I was trying to originally take it, especially since I consider this to be the first chapter to set the tone in the next volume of the series. Eventually, I just chopped some parts out entirely and rewrote some things after trying and failing multiple times to write it out exactly the way I wanted it to. I'm hoping it satisfies.
As always, a big thank you to all who read/reviewed and continue to like and support my story. To all the new readers, welcome!
Disclaimer: See 1st Chapter
Take note that I've reworked the speech system to accommodate reading on devices that don't necessarily allow font distinction between Sacred Gear dragon's speech
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
"Juggernaut Drive Incantation"
('Albion, mental')
(Albion Speaking)
[Ddraig Speaking]
{Vritra Speaking}
Just a reminder that this is a DxD story that is also rated M. It wouldn't be DxD otherwise. You have been warned.
Warning: Some ecchi scenes toward the end, nothing explicit.
Beta: Shad0wReaper133. Well, he beta's for me every few months when I reappear but since I've had ample time to revise and pore over each piece of this I'll spare him the time and effort, so all mistakes are mine.
Chapter 23: Let's All Calm Down
"Huh?" Issei gawked at the site.
"Why so surprised? I did tell you that my brother was remodeling for us," Rias smiled at the dumbfounded expression.
Issei still had trouble formulating words. "Guh!" He pointed at their home.
"We're pleased that you're impressed," Akeno hugged him from behind, standing on her toes to lean her head on his shoulder. "Now, pick up your jaw so we can go inside already."
It took Rias pulling him along and Akeno pushing on his shoulders to move the demidrake from his dumbstruck position. What he had been standing confused over was the state of their old home. Formerly, they had inhabited the penthouse suite on top of the apartment building, albeit heavily modified with magic and last-seen to be moderately damaged.
Now, the entire complex seemed to have been surgically removed from its position and neatly replaced with a six story building that was built for an entirely different tax bracket maybe two or three steps up the ladder. Gated entrance, garden surrounding the building itself, the thing looked like a mansion. Or a classy fortress.
Rias seemed determined to explain what was inside, such was her excitement even before they entered. "There's an expanded kitchen, dining room, study, library, hot springs and a pool in the basement, multiple bedrooms, a ballroom, entertainment floor, you name it," she said gleefully. Letting go of his hands, she turned to open the double doors that made up the main entrance. "Welcome~"
"WELCOME HOME, ISSEI!"
The bonded trio were startled at the outcry. Quickly recovering and refocusing, Issei saw that the two voices belonged to Asia and Ravel, who were standing in the entryway to welcome him.
Immediately, he turned red and looked away.
Undeterred, the two blonde Bishops continued with the act. "Would you like dinner? Or a bath? Or… Me?" With that, they did a twirl, revealing for all present to see what they were, and obviously weren't, wearing.
Rias and Akeno turned red for different reasons than he did. They hadn't even gone inside yet, and these two were already making such a brazen seduction play! Completely out of nowhere!
"Asia, Ravel," Akeno began, her eyes curtained by her long hair. "Just why are you doing that?"
Asia folded her hands in front of her and nodded solemnly. "I heard from one of my classmates that the best way to welcome a man home is to dress in the Legendary Naked Apron and repeat the traditional verse for him. Ravel was interested too, so she joined in, but I'm not sure where Koneko went."
"That doesn't really answer the question," Rias said in a commendable half-growl, causing both girls to step back.
"It's...It's not like I enjoy it alright!" Ravel spluttered. "But it's apparently a big tradition in Japan to do whatever one can for the man of the house, so when Asia told me I humbly agreed to it!"
Now, Rias and Akeno were two of the kindest souls Issei ever had the chance to meet. Same thing with Asia and Ravel, though the later had a tendency to get flustered and act angry in order to try and hide that side of her. Regardless, the only reason why the front entrance hadn't been obliterated from collateral damage was probably because the two third-years considered the younger Devils to be younger siblings. And since solving the problem with violence wasn't the answer, they both took Ravel's mentioning of tradition as a challenge.
"Issei," the demidrake immediately brought his attention to his synchronizing mates, as all males instinctively do when their significant other uses that tone of voice. "You're going to wait in the dining room, while we make a light dinner, understood?"
He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. With that, Akeno and Rias marched in, leaving the three on the doorstep. He closed his eyes again, not willing to suffer for anything else later, but he wasn't left alone.
"Issei, why are you not looking at us? Are… Are we not attractive?"
Curse whatever deity had bestowed young girls the gift of innocence and moe to twist men's emotions in such a way.
"No, Asia, that's not it. You are beautiful, but ~"
"Then why won't you appreciate us for the effort we went for you?" Ravel demanded, marching closer to him to jab at his midsection with one pointed finger. "You could at least acknowledge us!"
"Ravel," Issei sighed. "I'm starting to understand what makes it Legendary, but the fact remains that you are wearing and mind you, only wearing the Naked Apron."
After a moment's silence, the shriek Ravel let loose battered at his hearing, prompting him to open his eyes with one of his main senses assaulted. However, by doing so he was treated to the sight of Ravel turning on her heel and running away, somehow ignorant that in by doing so she was revealing her backside and well-shaped rear completely. "YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO LOOK!"
('Isn't looking the whole point?')
Once the ringing in his ears died down, Issei became aware that Asia still hadn't left yet and that she was trying to ask him something. Shaking his head to clear the remaining dizziness, he managed to lip-read the last of her words. "...for me to cook something too?"
Well aware of the repercussions but unwilling to deny Asia something that made her happy, he prayed that his bonded wouldn't judge him too harshly. "Asia, if you really want to then you can make something as well."
The girl beamed at him then ran off, not as fast as Ravel had, but still enough for him to get a good look at another semi-exposed girl that wasn't one of his mates. Sadly, he knew too much about the supernatural to wish that he could burn in Hell. Being a devil comes with some unwritten pros and cons, relative immunity from eternal judgement being one of them.
He was startled when a presence made itself known, one hidden so well that he couldn't sense it at all before. Oddly enough, it was almost as if whoever it was had waited for the others to leave. A hand tapped his elbow, causing him to turn to the source. On cue, his clothes began smoldering from his sudden loss of self-control.
"Does this look okay, senpai… nya?"
Issei turned from the only-apron-clad Nekoshou and fled further into the house. Weaponized moe is a fearsome thing indeed.
The light meal was a subdued affair. Issei sat dutifully at the dining table, as instructed, but even were he elsewhere in the house it would have been nigh impossible for his enhanced hearing to not pick up the commotion of five bodies competing for supremacy in a competition worthy of finalists in Hell's Kitchen.
What's more, the number of apron-clad females had increased to five, with Rias and Akeno finding their own to change into. Rias had picked out a lacy purple one and had showed up to the kitchen first, where she had started working immediately. Her purple contrasted Asia's pink, Koneko's light blue, and Ravel's orange.
Akeno had held off from appearing in the kitchen immediately, instead hugging Issei's face to her considerable bosom as she teleported directly into his lap. While her white one wasn't lacy like the others and didn't have any excessive frills, it was completely unadorned save the black thread recently hand-stitched at his current eye level.
Kiss the Cook
Having every reason to comply in this case, he did so, causing her to giggle slightly as she stood up and pranced into the kitchen, knowing full well the view she was giving him. Her entrance among the other girls was followed by some cries of outrage and dismay, even from Rias. It would seem that if there really was a cooking competition, Akeno was both fashionably late and in the lead.
Of course when the dishes were served, Issei sampled several helpings of everything. Of course, it was all delicious, easily some of the best he'd ever had. And of course, the girls seemed angry at each other as they ate. He offered to do the dishes, since they had done all the work, but Rias' bat familiar and Akeno's oni appeared to relieve him from that duty.
Later, when they were retiring for bed, Issei still did not understand the tumultuous mixture of feelings inside him or the agreements and deals being made by the girls. Even as he drifted off, holding Rias and Akeno close, he was still confused.
The girls he held stayed awake a little while longer. Once they were assured that he was asleep, they both used magic to escape his embrace, no matter how reluctant they were to do so.
Padding to their newly expanded closets, they covered themselves up out of habit. While it was their home and they were in the habit of traversing their home scantily clad, there were others who lived here now.
Asia and Ravel had moved back in, that wasn't surprising. Asia because it was the only request she had made when first given options after becoming a devil, and Ravel due to the conditions of her stay in Kuoh.
However, construction of the building had also included rooms for Koneko and Xenovia. Koneko had apparently walked home after her last job, taken a brief nap, and left her room to stand quizzically in a hallway she was sure hadn't been there before. Magic for spatial distortions or stasis was Akeno's guess, one that ensured Koneko wouldn't be disturbed when someone moved her room and possessions into a different building.
Xenovia had been surprised to find that the guest room in Koneko's apartment had also been moved over. She had been out jogging during the apron incident, and had returned to Koneko's former residence with the the intention to grab a change of clothes and shower, but had left her room to find herself in an unfamiliar location. The Knight had simply accepted it without much thought once she saw signs of the others living there and moved on to find the baths.
And that was where the two girls were going, Rias clad in a sheer nightgown, Akeno in a white yukata. Pushing the doors to the underground spring wide open, the third years found their four juniors waiting for them, already soaking in the warm water.
Asia noticed them first and rose from the pool to greet them. "Rias, Akeno! It's been so long we thought you weren't coming?"
"Issei took a while to fall asleep tonight," Rias explained. "Normally that wouldn't be an issue, but he'd ask questions if he knew we left him alone."
"You escaped the heart of the dragon's den," Xenovia nodded with respect. "Not an easy feat by any means."
"Magic helps," Akeno replied. "It's almost impossible to get out of his embrace otherwise." The girl sighed as she slipped into the warm pool. It didn't matter what time of day it was or what was going on, but a nice long soak was never very far from her mind.
Rias smiled as she too stepped into the spring. "As much as we'd like to talk about Issei, that isn't why I asked you here. What I wanted to discuss is your collective behavior towards him."
Ravel and Koneko immediately stared at her in defiance, while Asia looked between them worriedly.
"I think it's fair to say we were all attracted to him before, with the exception of Xenovia," the girl nodded at Akeno's gesture, "and while we certainly don't dispute that Issei is caring and kind to each of us, what I think Rias is trying to address is what you've been doing after he's already bonded to us."
"Yes, it was amusing at first, but I'm not thrilled at all now." Rias usually had one of three expressions recently. A calm, composed one that she showed to their classmates. A kinder version of that, one which she showed to close friends and family. Then one which was purely joy and content, one that Issei brought about in her, but given the circumstances of this conversation her visage was far from capable of joy.
"Not fair." All turned to Koneko, who was sitting with her knees folded to her chest and arms wrapped around them. "Can't keep him to yourselves. Not forever."
"Koneko is right, we all love Issei!" Asia agreed fervently. "Even Ravel!"
The area steamed up as Ravel's head burst into flames in her embarrassment, only to be extinguished by the moisture her hair had collected already. Despite the sudden inclusion, she wasn't denying it or trying to avoid attention, merely too embarrassed to say anything to those who really were Issei's 'wives'.
Akeno and Rias looked at Xenovia,who had leaned against one of the walls of the spring to recline. The Knight looked on the verge of falling asleep in the onsen, but she roused herself when she saw her King and Queen were scrutinizing her.
"For the record, I do not have any romantic interest in your bonded." Xenovia affirmed, causing Rias and Akeno to nod and thank her for it.
Despite placating them, Xenovia internally sighed with relief. A life of living in the Church had brought her up to tell the truth, never to lie. Her new lease on life as a reincarnated Devil might be eroding some of her ideals, but an outright lie never crossed her mind.
Still, she was glad that a half-truth worked in this case. She didn't want a romantic involvement, but telling them what they wanted to hear was probably better than admitting that her goal to experience the life of a woman rather depended on the subject male.
With one less girl apparently after Issei's heart, Rias and Akeno turned back to the smaller girls. "Look, we get it. Issei has been nothing but a perfect gentleman to all of us, and his respect for us due to the strange circumstances and living arrangements we have has never wavered." Everyone nodded at Rias' words, but the younger girls were still apprehensive. "However, I must request that you stop trying to form anything other than a platonic relationship with him."
Fortunately, Xenovia's sweat-drop wasn't visible to the others due to the steam, but the younger girls immediately began to protest.
"It's not fair! I love Issei too, but I'd never ask for him to be only mine!" Asia complained in a defiance that was out of character for her, indicative of her feelings on the matter.
"That's right! No matter how anyone else felt, I wouldn't ask for him to be mine alone!" Ravel protested, but she stopped to tap her chin in thought. "No matter how nice that would be."
She had whispered that last part, too soft for most to hear but with Koneko's enhanced hearing, it might as well have been broadcast for the world.
"You called him low-class, and said he was in bad taste during the Rating Game," Koneko scowled. "Change of heart, Yakitori?"
"You! Don't get started on me, calling him convict after you first met!" Ravel stood up, water steaming around her and tackled the Nekomata in the bath. Ki and sputtering embers flew around as the catfight turned the calm onsen into a naval scuffle.
Akeno sighed and gestured for the other girls to get out of the water. Rias did so immediately while Xenovia caught on a moment later, stopping only to yank Asia out with her.
The Priestess of Thunder then gathered her power and… pulsed, for lack of a better term. She didn't use her Holy Lightning, her intention wasn't to injure or maim, Maou-forbid even killing. Instead, the slight electrical surge shocked the cat and bird duo separating them. Koneko's Rook defense taking the brunt of the shock, while Ravel's innate healing kept her from injury at all. Still, it got their attention, something which Akeno wanted.
"What's happened is in the past," the miko girl ordered. "Everyone here has something in their life they'd rather have happened differently. Even Issei has some regrets. There's no point in calling to mind the faults each other has."
Now that it was safe, the King, Knight, and Bishop re-entered the pool now that Akeno had dissipated her charge, joining the others in self-reflection.
After a minute's meditation, Rias broke the silence to address them all. "Regardless, I must ask that you not pursue Issei as you have."
"It's not so easy, Rias," Ravel declared. Before the heiress could respond, Ravel continued. "It's easy for you to say, you have your happy ending, your beloved knight in shining armor," Akeno restrained a laugh at the reference, "but what about the rest of us? Are we to stay and watch your happiness, while we can't ever have it ourselves?"
Rias was about to retort, but paused in thought. Normally, her peerage meant everything to her, and she cared for them dearly. Caught between their desires and hers, she wasn't sure how to respond.
Thankfully, Akeno intervened. "Say that we retract our request. And you do pursue Issei in such a manner. Then what? I think you're forgetting that he's bonded. Never mind to whom, do you think he'll be receptive to your advances considering his current relationship status?"
Immediately, Asia and Ravel remembered that singular but crucial detail in their potential paramour-to-be. The Bishops' faces fell, and the mood seemed so contagious that Rias and Akeno couldn't help but feel sorry for attempting to discourage them.
"Then we keep trying." Koneko stated simply.
The King and Queen looked at each other in consternation, but decided to humor the Rook. "What do you mean be that?" Rias asked in good nature.
"We bond with him."
Now both third-year's were on alert, and those words had also lifted the Bishops from their depression.
"Koneko, what are you saying?" Akeno's voice had lost its warmth.
"We try to bond with him."
"Nice try, but that wouldn't work," Rias shook her head, only to be interrupted.
"Why not?"
When everyone's stares bored into her, the tiny girl swallowed nervously. "Why can't we bond with him?"
"He is bonded already," Xenovia chipped in.
"Might not be an issue. Issei is an outlier beyond what can be expected of normal dragons. Already bonded once more than the normal. Why not again?"
As much as Ravel and Asia visibly rejoiced, Akeno and Rias internally panicked. It was quite a leap in logic, based on several optimistic but somewhat reasonable assumptions, but they couldn't refute the statement out of hand. Since the Rating Game, they had been operating under the valid assumption that Issei could only bond with Rias and Akeno, and only with them. No evidence had been brought forth that Issei was limited to just them, but it wasn't as if anyone could expect or predict him doing so. In fact, Issei seemed to almost surpass or ignore most if not all expectations set upon him. Bonding again could not be dismissed so easily.
"Don't compare real life to manga, Issei is not a damn Ashikabi!" Rias retorted angrily.
"No, he's not." Asia smiled beatifically. "He's Issei and that's all we need."
After that, there wasn't much point to continuing the discussion. Akeno wasn't exactly interested in repeatedly shocking her juniors without cause, caught up in the evening's conversation and its possible consequences. Rias was lost in worry, her normal composure as an elegant lady lost as the worries of a teenage girl overrode her own willpower.
When they returned to their shared room, it was to find Issei still asleep but grabbing at the sheets at his sides, as if he was looking for them. Uncaring of being tidy or not, both girls shed their minimal clothing to let them fall to the floor and crawled back into his arms. Holding them once more, Issei relaxed, his restlessness fading.
Rias and Akeno felt better at this, that even subconsciously he was searching for them. But even as they too fell to Morpheus, they couldn't escape the dreaded 'what if?' that had been presented.
For once, even though Issei held them, their sleep wasn't that restful.
The next morning, Rias and Akeno hurried through bathing, making breakfast, getting up early to make it and prepare their uniforms and school work ahead of time. Their flurry of activity roused Issei, who groaned and sat up to find the door swinging in the wake of their passage. He shrugged and showered, content to move at his own pace. Dressed and ready, he stepped into the hallway and shut the door, only to feel someone run into him and nearly bounce off from the impact.
Turning, he found Ravel dressed and ready in her own uniform. Like the other girls, who had abandoned their shawls and long sleeves with spring's advent, she too wore the springtime uniform. And now it was slightly wrinkled courtesy of bumping into him and onto the floor.
"Hey! What's the big idea!" Ravel pouted as she brushed herself off. "Why'd you~" She trailed off as she finally looked up at her unwitting love interest, who was looking at her with unhidden concern. "O-oh. Hello, Issei!"
"Hello to you," Issei leaned down and gently picked her up, returning to her feet. Kneeling to retrieve her bag as well, he asked, "So what's the rush this morning?"
"You didn't know? It's Open House today as school!"
"Huh. I guess I lost track of time, considering how much school we've missed recently," Issei mused. "Well that explains why Rias and Akeno were in a hurry, if Lord and Lady Gremory are coming then they'd naturally need to be presentable."
"Indeed." Ravel nodded but then jolted back up. "My parents are coming by too! I need to hurry!"
With that, the Phenex girl gave up on walking or running, and instead spread her wings to fly at breakneck speeds down the hallways. Issei nearly let out a word of caution, considering that her wings were pure flame, he wasn't certain their new residence deserved remodeling so soon, but it seemed that the architects had foreseen flame-related events and the walls weren't even warm to the touch where her wings brushed against them.
Continuing at his own pace, Issei found Asia, Xenovia, and Koneko sitting down at the kitchen table, eschewing the dining room for the sake of time. The other girls had apparently fled the premises already, three separate notes magnetized to the giant walk-in fridge, each with flowing script that indicated the girls had gone ahead to school. Issei shrugged and helped himself to some of the hearty breakfast left behind by his mates.
In short order, the foursome remaining departed the building. Thankfully, with school so close by they weren't in a rush, but considering that this day might be more hectic they agreed that being early wouldn't hurt, even if none of them were expecting family members to arrive. Asia was an orphan, Xenovia's guardian was off in the Vatican somewhere, Kuroka couldn't exactly be relied on to appear. Capricious as she was, there'd be no guarantee she'd try to come, even if there weren't standing orders to eliminate Stray Devils on sight alone.
Even as he processed these reasons and sat down for class, Issei was struck by a sense of melancholy he hadn't felt in some time. Loss.
It had been only natural while in Tartarus to compartmentalize and move forward. It was that or say goodbye to any chance of escape. But there had been many times the first year that Albion had to console a weeping child, crying for his parents to save him. He had learned to cope and function at the cost of sealing away such thoughts with iron will. But if the last few months had done anything they had torn those barriers down.
It was a cruel thing, Issei thought, that here so many were enjoying themselves with their families yet he had been bereft of one for a decade. However, he cut off that line of thought before his mates could detect his change in mood. He was past useless tears and griping now. He had a new family, and this day was for them. Despite how guilty he felt for it, he hadn't thought of his mother nor father for some time. One day more wouldn't hurt.
Still though, he decided that he'd ditch class after the first period. Being a visitation day, regular lessons were being postponed, and they were only expected to go to one class for the purpose of taking roll. Most students had family there, expecting them to stay and be observed, and then the parents interact with faculty and staff. Without that limitation, there wasn't much cause for him to stay.
As he looked around, he started when he found Xenovia sitting on Asia's left. Considering the blonde sat right behind him, it meant that the three of them would be spending a great deal of time together in the class. Not that he was shocked or anything; if he were Rias, he would've placed as many of them together as possible after the Excalibur debacle. Safety in numbers.
"Hyoudou, would you please stop daydreaming and focus on the task at hand." The teacher called to him in an aggravated tone. With so many parents in the back of the room, gleefully filming and cheering their kids, his temper was understandably wearing thin.
Issei swiveled back forward in his seat to find a brick of soft clay on his desk. 'Just when did that get there?' He thought to himself. Shrugging, he picked it up and began molding it just like the rest of the class was with theirs.
He kneaded the material to get a feel for the texture before pausing. What to make? A quick glance showed that Asia was making a duplicate Rassei, and that Xenovia had the rough silhouette of Durandal forming in her hands. For a brief moment, he considered making a copy of his own armor, but then realized there was something else he could do.
And so he got to work. Eyes closed, he shaped the clay into the figure he knew well, even if he hadn't recalled it in a great while. Perhaps it was to assuage the guilt he associated with doing his utmost to forget and move on, and it was a piss-poor effort, but he didn't have it in him to do anything else.
Even though he wasn't using his hearing to directly focus on his classmates, he could still hear and feel them move about him as they whispered and murmured to each other. As he finished, he allowed himself to look at what he had made.
It wasn't something to be compared with pieces created by famed artists and designers alike, at least that's what he thought. However, the figurine molded in the likeness of Hikari Hyoudou was realistic enough. It didn't take a genius to see the beauty of the woman, though in his own opinion, it didn't compare to his preciously scarce memories of the real thing.
A pair of hands slammed down on the desk. "Hyoudou! I'll give you half my allowance for that!"
A fist banged down next to him. "I'll give you my entire allowance for the next two months for it!"
Having been molded in the likeness of his mother, who when last seen, had been in her mid-twenties, the figure appeared to everyone else to be nothing more than a lifelike doll of a very beautiful woman in kimono, the nicest attire he had ever seen her wear. Perhaps it was the honest misfortune of the Perverted Duo to crush on the figurine of his mother, but to demand money for it?
Though he clamped down on it, Issei could not help but release a wave of killing intent that sent the now terrified Duo clutching at each other. Fortunately, he had managed to direct it instead of releasing to his general surroundings, so everyone else merely felt severely yet understandably unnerved.
"This…" he growled, "is in the likeness of my late mother. And you are offering money for it?"
Everyone, teacher, students, and parents were now watching in horror and disgust. Managing to control himself and his side of the mental connections, Issei slowly placed the figure onto Asia's desk. "Can you hold onto this for me?"
Not waiting for a response, though the girl fervently nodded in the affirmative, Issei stood up to make his way to the door. "I'm not feeling well," he grunted to the teacher, who silently nodded and marked something down on his podium, presumably to record his attendance on the roster.
Issei paced quickly down the hallway, making it to the staircase. Instead of losing himself in the crowd of parents and students below, he instead climbed upwards until he passed the top floor and reached the roof access. Shutting the door behind him, he walked around the small outcropping and over to the edge, leaning against the guardrail.
He had taken to staying up here now and then. Similar to the old apartment, there was something about roofs or heights that drew to him. Deciding not to question it, he simply went along with it, accepting he was most comfortable in such places. Well, most comfortable places when not in the presence of his mates.
Speaking of which, he glanced over at the sports field. Sure enough, there they were. Dressed in tees and bloomers, both girls were racing around the track and seemingly in direct competition with Sona and Tsubaki while the rest of the class trailed behind. To the sidelines, parents cheered and cameras flashed.
A flash of blood-red caught his attention and he saw that Rias wasn't the only Gremory down there. Lord Gremory was there, as was Sirzechs Lucifer. Between them was Venelana Gremory. All seemed to be formally dressed for the mundane world, though it was a significant step down for Sirzechs, who wasn't wearing his usual Maou robes and armor. Instead, both he and his father were wearing well-tailored suits, while the lady was clad in a fashionable sundress. Both males had cameras out, snapping pictures without stop to the amusement of Venelana and the embarrassment of Rias and their honorary daughter, Akeno. But what surprised him were the beings standing next to the devil contingent.
He recognized Azazel, what with his distinctive gold-fringe hairstyle and slight figure. But what surprised him was the rugged-built man beside him. Tall, dark hair and Akeno's distinct scent of ozone. It had been years, but he could never mistake this man for any other than Baraqiel, something of note was that he was also taking pictures of Akeno nonstop as well. Though with Akeno on the inside of the track, father and daughter didn't seem to be even indirectly interacting.
'Well, the in-laws are here.' He withheld a sigh. 'Guess I'll have to mingle sometime right?' Before he could move to do so, he sniffed the air and grinned. 'Or maybe not.'
"Millicas, what are you doing here?"
The air shimmered as a magic circle appeared and vanished, the invisibility it provided fading away to reveal the more-casually dressed princeling. "Not fair! How did you do that?"
"I have my secrets," Issei tapped his nose slightly, but that didn't seem to cue the younger devil in at all. "And forgive me for asking, aren't you supposed to be down there with your family?"
The nervous shuffling he got in reply was a dead giveaway. "You're not supposed to be here, are you?"
"No, no, I'm not." The boy sighed, plopping down next to Issei, who put his back to the fence and slid down to a sitting position. "I just really wanted to see Rias and Akeno and Koneko and Kiba and Asia and the human world and~"
"~and get away from schoolwork?"
"~and get away from schoolwork," Millicas agreed solemnly before freezing in horror at being found out. The nervousness Issei felt from him, considering that his family was so close by, meant that there was a fear that Issei could betray him to the Gremory's.
"How about this, you work on some of it here and I'll help where I can. Then we'll go and see about meeting up with the the others." Issei decided to throw him a bone, even though there was precious little he could contribute. Two months in school, what could he offer to aid the boy?"
"Oh. Alright then. You can help me on my history report!"
Or not. After all, Issei's. Favorite subject had been history, considering that he sincerely liked stories. "Oh? What about?"
"The Thirteen Longinus!"
Oh, he could definitely help there.
Seeing as he was skipping several class periods, Issei had eventually chosen to relax a bit. Reclining on his side with his head propped up with his left hand, he held Millicas' notes in his right. This gave Albion the opportunity to manifest the a jewel in Issei's left forearm so that he could privately converse with the the excited child.
Issei found himself reading the notes with more and more interest. The kid was a good study and had arranged the order of presentation from a recognized low-tier to high so as to better score against whatever rubric he was to be graded against. Issei had to give him credit, the work was detailed, logically formatted, reviewing the paper seemed more of a formality than an actual need.
Starting off was Innovate Clear. Known also as the Miniature Garden of the Green Tree of Innovation, it was actually built, or perhaps it was better to say formed, from a seedling of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil from the Garden of Eden. While not high on the list of granting combat-capable abilities, it did provide wielders the passive ability to accurately predict an opponent's behavior or intent or forewarn of ambushes. It furthered this with the capacity to forewarn said wielders of the best possible outcome and the steps necessary to obtain it. Basically, it divined and showed one the path to victory, but left utilizing or even possessing the necessary skills up to the individual. A combat-only oriented form of clairvoyance, notable wielders were usually known to be high-ranking tacticians or advisors over the course of history. It was classified as a Longinus for the fact that it could possibly reveal untold weaknesses or vulnerabilities a God may or may not have or even be aware of. After all, the Thirteen only had the capacity to kill Gods, none of them actually had been used to do so yet in entirety, even if some contained the souls of beings capable of killing them outright.
Next on the list was Telos Karma. Using the mark God placed on Cain for the first crime of fratricide and murder as a mere prototype, bearers of the Ultimate Karma could go their whole lives without knowing of its existence or effects. Like Innovate Clear, it's abilities were passive but not to be trifled with. If one were to harm a bearer, then the one to carry out the act would then be afflicted in a manner that magnified the original act by seven, in both intensity and occurrence. If one was mugged and stabbed once with a pocketknife on the way home, then the number of stabs made with a pocketknife would multiply back upon the aggressor by a factor of seven, as well as expanding to the point that the duplicated injuries would seem to be done by a broadsword, with varying effectiveness depending on the species of both parties involved. Unlike Cain's active protection, the bearer could still die, but the effect would still often obliterate or at the least fatally injure the attacker. Given that most in the supernatural realm chose not to injure or kill suspected wielders of that particular Sacred Gear, most its effects were still untested. The best description for this one was an immediate and brutal retaliation, but one that still wouldn't necessarily save the bearer's life.
Absolute Demise was next in the paper. While not necessarily one of the Longinus that had little research done, any consistent notes on the so-called Eternal Ice Princess were unreliable due to the Heaven's System not often assigning that particular Gear. Strangely enough, all of its wielders were female and even then its effects were known to change by extremes for each individual. It could sometimes spend several centuries stored in Heaven before God's programmed system granted it as a form of guardian angel, and even then it wasn't always studied. The most well-known wielder had been Joan of Arc, the first Holy Maiden who one day awakened her Sacred Gear and then abandoned peasant life for combat, inevitably reaching the level of a proclaimed Saint; however given the anti-inhuman tension in France at the time, only the Church had reliable records of what that Gear's manifested abilities were for her.
The cross Jesus was crucified upon, Incinerate Anthem was one of the three Holy Relics, and the only Sacred Gear recorded to switch wielders safely. While hard to believe, despite not containing a clear consciousness such as Albion or Ddraig, this particular Longinus had a will of its own, one that could approve or reject its owner's actions and safely leave to find a more suitable host. Through its constant searching and reassignment on its own, it never returned to the Heaven's System for longer than a few days. An anti-Devil weapon, the strangely purple-colored Holy Flame it produced was a significant event in Devil history. Prior to Issei's own reincarnation, it had been the only Longinus brought under Devil control via Evil Piece. A mutated Queen to be exact, though the Balance Breaker was incompatible with its newly-reincarnated host and went out of control, thus obliterating both its wielder and a significant number of Devils sent to contain it.
A number of Sacred Gears mimicked an ability God made use of at any point in time. Another of the Holy Relics, the Sephiroth Graal, or the Holy Grail of the Secluded World, is one that could communicate with the dead, and when used in the rarely achieved Balance Breaker could even resurrect them without consequence or catalyst. A power to potentially summon long-deceased beings far stronger than the ones they were summoned to destroy, though most users go mad within years of discovery due to the sheer number of pleas and requests the deceased specters unceasingly cry out to the mortal mind. It was a tool notably despised by the Greeks, notorious as they were to strike down offending mortals by the hundreds in the past, by Hades in particular as souls escaped his domain without recompense.
Tobio Ikuse's Canis Lykaon. A hellhound transformed into a sword-like Sacred Gear. With its own body and consciousness, the Longinus was more intuitive and easier to communicate with than most Sacred Gears, allowing its partners to master their numerous terrifying offensive abilities to the fullest well ahead of the learning curve.
To counter the aggressive shadow of the Canis Lykaon, God captured a Nemean Lion and forged from it the Regulus Nemea. A brilliant golden battle axe of varying design that could transform to a suit of Greek-style armor. A weapon that originally amplified the strength of the user to an effect comparable to that of a Twice Critical, its true strength was the Balance Breaker's nigh invincibility comparable to a Dragon's natural hide. Magic and projectile weaponry would splash off the lion's hide, turning most fights into a battle of attrition. With a skilled wielder of magic or melee, using the armor's high defense could turn nearly any defeat into victory. Like its opposite, the spirit of the Nemean Lion remained, entrapped within the golden metal.
Then there was Divine Dividing and the Boosted Gear. Issei didn't find anything here that he didn't already know, and he wasn't exactly interested in re-reading what he or his destined rival could or couldn't do. Where one excelled, the other failed or countered neatly. The conflict between the two Heavenly Dragons seemed otherwise eternal given that most wielders would have no way to permanently obtain an edge over the other.
Moving on to the upper-tier, Dimension Lost was one of the most dangerous in terms of world-ending potential. Base abilities involved the manipulation of a dark mist, used for defense, transportation, or spatial manipulation, but it was deceptively dangerous. Despite appearances, the mist was both a miniscule manifestation of and a direct path into the Dimensional Gap. Seeing that only a few select beings could survive that particular environment for even the smallest amount of time, users were either oppressively shunned or zealously catered to lest the bearer feel slighted and entrap a being unto oblivion. Users had a limited life expectancy as a result of an overconfident yet erroneous belief that they could survive the Dimensional Gap for any significant time.
Annihilation Maker represented God's ability to create life from nothing. There weren't any real established limits to what it could create, considering that the creatures formed were based upon the wielder's individual imagination, blueprints traveling from mind to shadowy form and then into existence. However, the most successful creations were formed by those who already had excellent understanding of proper anatomy. After all, a poorly-made behemoth with lacking appropriate skeletal structure was hardly a grave threat, a primary reason many users defaulted to tentacles. Though there wasn't any definite proof, most aquatic creatures residing in what was now referred to as the Bermuda Triangle were either surviving originals or descendants of them. To Issei's benign interest, Millicas had also tentatively cited it as a possible origin of the platypus.
The source of nearly every freak weather phenomenon, Zenith Tempest surpassed most elemental schools of magic in both versatility and power. Controlling the weather and elemental attributes gave users frightening abilities which often gave way to god complexes. Complexes that lead to terrible hurricanes, tornados, blizzards and the like, spawned at nothing more than a whim. Worse, creating these phenomenon through these means had the unintended consequence of affecting natural weather patterns, causing severe distortion in typical climates for generations after. Abuse of its power was the cause for things like long-standing drought, extended monsoons, and had even lead mundane scientists to formulate the theory that the earth was warming at an alarming rate. They weren't wrong, but the artificial cause was certainly out of mankind's general control.
Finally, the highest top-tier Sacred Gear, the True Longinus. The weapon used to kill Jesus Christ, a physical avatar of God and proof of god-killing capacity, the spear's form changed to match the wielder, a trait imitated by the Canis Lykaon's sword form or Regulus Nemea's battleaxe. However, while the offensive power of the said mid-tier were tied to the user's sword skill or Nemean hide, the True Longinus was an overpowered weapon of near unmatched offensive strength. Above all others, the base form of this Sacred Gear theoretically could kill Gods outright, even before reaching Balance Breaker conditions. Simple, effective, it didn't rely on overpowering, outlasting, weakening, or countering them, simply bringing an unyielding end to life, soul, and magic upon its point. Of course, those who wielded it were known to hone their skills specifically to use the brutal weapon to the greatest efficiency.
Issei was quite surprised that Millicas had gone to the trouble for this much research.
"You Gremory's are something else, you know?" He pulled himself to a sitting position, interrupting the conversation between the child and the gem. "You never do anything by halves. I don't think I'll ever see a report detailed just like this for a long while."
"I'm not even done yet!" Millicas seemed extremely proud of that.
"You're joking."
"Of course not! I still have biographies of notable wielders." Millicas scrounged around in the bag he had. "Let's see, King Richard the Lionheart, and his rival An-Nasir Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub with the Canis Lykaon," Issei was amazed that one could say a name that long without tripping over syllables, "Houdini for Dimension Lost, Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richtofen, the Red Baron of the German Army Air Service, and I was gonna do Lancelot for Divine Dividing, but why do that when you're here!"
"Well, you've got all you need for me. Besides, it's not like much of my life story is a secret anymore." Issei said as he stood after hearing the lunch bell. "I'd give you full marks on that report if you handed it in right now."
"Can't. My teacher is quite strict."
"Oh, who?"
"My mother."
Issei thought for a moment before nodding. If he had Grayfia as a teacher, let alone a parent, he'd be galvanized to go to such extremes too. "Well, good luck to you then."
"Can I ask you a question?" Millicas prompted as Issei held the door open for him into the stairwell.
"You just did, but fire away."
Millicas stopped on the landing just before the top floor of the building. "Promise you won't get upset?"
That was yet another question, but Issei nodded cautiously.
"I… I used to think dragons were really cool. I still do!" The boy held his hands up as if to ward off any indignation from the dragon standing next to him. "I always wanted my own though, but like a pet. That way, I could raise it and become a dragon rider!"
(Dragon Riding, you say?) Albion's gem flashed once more. (Say, isn't that what your mates were doing the other-)
Issei promptly lifted his left arm and engulfed his right fist in his signature flame. One strike later and the gem shattered before Albion could reveal anything more.
"Excuse me a moment," he nodded to Millicas, who looked extremely confused. Closing his eyes, he berated his resident hitchhiker. 'What the HELL is wrong with YOU!?'
('Have I erred somehow? I was under the impression that the boy was at the very least aware of such things.')
'Never mind that Rias is going to try and kill you for divulging what goes on in our bed, what do you think Grayfia, the wife of the freaking MAOU will try to do to YOU, and by extension, ME, if she found out YOU prompted her only child into asking about the birds and the bees?'
There was silence for a moment before Issei felt the Legendary Dragon's presence hastily retreat. Praying that he'd learn some wisdom, Issei returned his attention to Rias' nephew. "Ignore whatever Albion said, for both our sakes. He's getting senile in his old age. As for your unspoken question?"
"Is it alright to dream like that? Of power and glory?"
Issei laughed, ruffling Millicas' hair. "I guess if you're a devil, to not dream like that would be a concern. Dragons are beings most commonly associated with strength. And who knows, maybe a dragon might one day consent to being a part of your peerage, provided you have something extremely worthwhile to offer in return."
"If so, what did Rias offer you?"
The demidrake smiled. "I thought I wanted a new life, so that was what she offered. As luck would have it, she gave me something even more precious." When Millicas didn't seem to understand, Issei ruffled his hair again. "You'll understand when you're older."
The boy didn't seem convinced, but as they drew to ground floor, Issei had to hold back an arm to prevent Millicas from being trampled. A horde of boys and men, cameras and smartphones held at the ready, were stampeding to the gym. Several of them shouted madly about a photo shoot, while Issei scowled when he saw the unrepentant Perverted Duo in their midst. Deciding to follow, so as to at least prevent things from going too far, he turned to look for Millicas, only to find that the boy had followed the pack out of idle curiosity.
Inside the gym, a crowd had gathered before the stage, and the distinct sound of shutters and camera flashes were already echoing. The photos in question were of a single girl on the stage. And though he was already on edge from the crowd of perverts, Issei's headache was compounded when Albion complained once more.
('Oh why, why, why does it have to be pink?')
Pink indeed. The celebrity seemed to be wearing a pink magical girl outfit, though she thankfully wasn't anything like Issei's first customer had been, the abomination 'Mil-tan'. Classic mahou-shoujo getup, the black-haired girl had a long wand with a glowing star at the end of it that was showering sparkles. To the mundane, it was just a visual effect. To Issei, it was a sign that the girl was at the very least aware of the supernatural.
Then the scent hit Issei like a train. Either he had somehow been transported to Niflheim or the girl spent all her time shrouded in her own personal blizzard. An ice wielder of tremendous strength comparable to or even greater than Grayfia, but resembled...
The photo-frenzy came to a close when Sona entered the gym, still in gym uniform. "Enough!" She said with enough force and magic behind it that most the crowd fled immediately. For the Perverted Duo who were still snapping away, she sighed and looked at Issei helplessly.
Getting the message and quite honestly surprised that she was asking him to do this, Issei stepped forward, picked them both up by the scruff of their shirts and slammed them together, knocking them out cleanly.
"Thank you, Hyoud~"
"SO-TAN!" Sona's gratitude was cut off as she was struck by a pink, bubbly, busty magical girl. "SO-TAN, I FOUND YOU!"
"O-onee-sama?" Sona squirmed trying to get free. "Onee-sama, you're embarrassing me!"
"That's okay," the magical girl grabbed Sona's face and rubbed her cheek against it like one would with their own fetishtic outlet. "Everyone else is gone, and those that are here don't mind!"
"Not in front of Hyoudou-kun, please!"
"Oh!" The magical girl spun around and peered at Issei. "So this is the White Dragon Emperor. Hello, Ise-tan! My name is..."
There was really only one person she could be, Issei had long since realized, especially once he had started hearing Japanese honorifics.
The Silver Tongue of Devils had rather interesting origins. While humanity had settled around the world and developed their own languages according to province and religious alignment, a select group had once thought to build a tower that reached Heaven and prove their superiority over God. Naturally, God hadn't taken well to that and did two things. First, was erase the Common Tongue from humanity's memory, the first unified language. Second, was alter the tower's undertakers to speak in different new languages or those mirroring the languages already existing. Babbling to each other, lost in translation, the tower project had fallen, and the languages diversified even further over time.
In an unsurprising turn of events, the Tower of Babel had been sponsored by Devils. Devils who had observed the entire process and recorded every language created and spoken that day in a single place. Modifying their own magic, Devils learned to magically implant the knowledge of how to speak in every language of man instantaneously, a skill so refined that all Devils, pureblooded or not had it from birth.
This gift had been installed to the Evil Pieces, allowing reincarnated Devils to unconsciously speak and understand different languages as if all conversations were spoken in the language they were best familiar with. However, the catch was that as reincarnated they still only processed information in that particular language, at least until they gained better control of their magic. It was why Asia and Xenovia could speak fluent Japanese even though they only knew Italian.
Now, while Japanese was his first language, Hikari and Ryuu had agreed between them to teach him English as well. Unfortunately, during his incarceration Issei had found himself in a location where English was the most dominant language while Japanese was in the extreme minority. Thus, he had learned more of it, from other inmates and even from the memories of his Sacred Gear's predecessors, to the point that his grasp over English surpassed that of his native Japanese.
With his reincarnation, he could now understand everyone else in English, even though to Akeno and Koneko, he spoke Japanese, Italian to Kiba, Xenovia, and Asia, although he had no idea what Ravel and Rias' preferred language was. He hadn't been too bothered by not being able to intentionally re-learn Japanese, as the gift had helped him immensely and made the effort quite unnecessary.
True, some words without definite translation slipped past it, such as Koneko and Ravel calling him 'senpai' or 'sensei', but in the here and now was a being that by mere proximity to he was hearing Japanese honorifics and terms of endearment from anyone else nearby. Meaning that this person had enough strength to even bypass even his resistance to magic, a frightening realization, and only to modify his Pieces' translator. To the best of his knowledge, only one person would have that much power, knowledge of how to affect Evil Pieces, and then use it for characteristically childish details. Without a doubt, this couldn't be anyone other than…
"...Serafall Leviathan!" The self-introduced Maou beamed up at him. "But you can call me Serafall or Sera! Even Levia-tan if you're a fan of my show!"
"I am," Issei nodded to her. "Rias gave me a list of things to watch or read to catch up on pop culture. Of all of them, your show was the only highlight."
"Ria-tan always had good taste," Serafall chirped before tilting her head. "You're tall." Indeed, the Maou seemed to be teleporting around him so as to observe him from every angle, fast enough that if you blinked you'd miss three different stopping points, complete with blinking sound effect.
"And you're tiny." The height disparity wasn't as severe as the one between him and Koneko or Ravel, but it was still enough that she barely came to his chest. Still, if this was the Maou in charge of foreign affairs and she was this direct, he didn't see the issue in following her example.
"Onee-sama, y-you must show more decorum as expected of a Maou. And besides, don't you have other duties to attend to?"
"Don't worry, So-tan! I canceled my appointments so I could come! It was a close thing, but if I hadn't been able to come I would have attacked Heaven out of frustration!" With that declaration, Serafall abandoned the cutesy poses she had and hefted her wand like a spear, pointing it towards the ceiling as if she were preparing to throw.
'This is the Maou in charge of foreign affairs?' Issei's left eyebrow rose of it's own accord. 'How are we not at war again?'
"If you're thinking she wouldn't go through with it, you'd be surprised." A familiar voice and figure entered. "Sera-chan is in the habit of going to extremes."
"Tou-chan!" Millicas ran to his father and hugged the older devil around his midsection. The Father of Lies smiled and embraced his actual son lovingly, nodding to those still in the room.
"Millicas, weren't you supposed to stay in the Underworld until your work was at a satisfactory level?"
"Finished most of it, and aniki checked it over!" The smaller redhead quipped before bouncing back. "So it's all okay!"
"Good. Then we can go to the arcade with Sera-chan after she attacks Heaven. And don't worry, Sona-chan, I canceled my appointments too."
'And this is the strongest Devil. Is every Maou a failure of an adult?'
"Onii-sama! You can't be so irresponsible!" It was a flustered Rias that chased into the gym, followed by an uncertain looking Akeno. Both still hadn't changed from their gym class, apparently worried for an errant Maou on the loose.
"Don't worry, this is work too. We're actually here to determine whether the school's a good meeting place for the peace summit we're hosting."
The resounding "WWWHHHAAATTT!" made Issei wish he had some warning beforehand. Rubbing the sides of his head to alleviate the noise, he glared at the superdevil.
"Did I stutter?" Sirzechs smiled. "The peace talks between Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils will be held here. It's a rather important place, considering that it's where representatives of the three factions allied together to stop the rogue cadre who threatened the cease-fire. Places with momentous value tend to be good places for these things. The fact that we get to spend some time with our beloved imouto's is simply the best side benefit ever!"
On cue, Serafall nodded vehemently in agreement, while the heiresses present face-palmed. Issei did manage to keep a straight face, but he could still feel annoyance from Rias coming off in waves.
"Now that I come to think of it, there was another reason for us to come here," Sirzechs frowned as he tried to recall what else was at hand, before snapping his fingers and brightening. "That's right. We had to meet Sera-chan's media rival-to-be."
The carefree smile Serafall had vanished, and the pointy star of her wand found itself an inch away from Issei's throat. "That's right! Prepare yourself for a duel!"
Issei didn't move a muscle but continued to glare at Sirzechs. "What is it now?"
"By popular demand of the children in the Underworld, there's a script being written for a children's show. And it's based on you, the Dragon Pawn who courageously uses the power of God against His Own forces." Sirzechs' damnably amused smile was beginning to annoy Issei. "The support for the show, even while not yet greenlit, is starting to rival the fanbase Sera-chan enjoys."
Now beginning to understand, Issei looked back at the adorably upset magical girl. "This is the first I've heard of this, so can you lower the sparkly boomstick please?"
Serafall blinked and swept it away, the wand trailing bubbles as she did so. "So then we shall do battle with ratings then! It's settled! And since you still don't have an actual show yet, I am in the lead! Take that you reptilian fiend!"
"That you are, especially given the show doesn't even have a title yet." Zeoticus Gremory and his wife had arrived, hearing the last bit from the eccentric Maou. "Since you're my daughter's servant, the rights to the show would fall to our clan, but we've come across a particular snag. Namely, the copyright issue is that several variations and derivatives of Heavenly Dragon, Dragon Emperor, Red or White, and Welsh and Vanishing Dragons in entertainment media have long been reserved under one rights-holder, the Heavenly Dragon Albion-san."
"And what do you have to do with this?" Issei growled, exasperated by the technobabble, though it seemed to bring smiles to Sona, Rias, and Akeno.
(I wanted to be sure Ddraig couldn't use them for his own purposes. And vampires are quite good at being bloodsucking lawyers, given the right incentive. Say, Gremory-san, how interested are you in obtaining the right?) Albion's newly reformed gem blinked expectantly.
"Now, now, there's a time and a place for business," Venelana tugged on her husband's ear, causing the man to squawk in discomfort.
"And we'll be having a long talk about other things you'd care to mention, Albion-san," Rias had appeared right behind Issei on his right, and though she was speaking calmly and clearly, Issei couldn't help but feel some dread at the dressing down he'd receive indirectly.
Behind and to his left, Akeno gently tugged on his upper arm, clearly wanting to talk to him but without an audience. Even though he was sure of what she wanted to discuss, his suspicions were confirmed when a hesitant Baraqiel wandered in. They both bid rather hasty excuses to the adults and other students (save for Serafall and Sona, who were busy chasing and being chased around the gym), and found a bench outside to quietly talk.
Though before Issei could start, Akeno had pretty much thrown herself at him. Knowing that even if she had come to terms with her heritage, in part due to him accepting her completely, there was still some hesitance when it came to her estranged father.
A brief unfocused pulse of killing intent made sure they wouldn't be bothered, then Issei wrapped his arms around his mate. Since they were both sitting, or in Akeno's case half-leaning against him, Issei's height wasn't an issue as she rested her chin on his shoulder. And though she held it in, her body shook with silent sobs. Issei held her flush to him, stroking her back comfortingly the entire time. "Akeno, you don't need to hide anymore."
"It's not that simple," he sniffed. "For so long I hated him, hated myself, for being a Fallen Angel and he never gave up on me! How can I face him now?"
"Be honest with yourself, it's not your heritage you were running from. You were scared and had every right to be." Issei's hands deftly found the place on her back where her wings normally appeared. Applying light pressure and aura through his fingertips to the point, Akeno gasped as her Fallen wings spread and flexed unconsciously. "You haven't used your devil wings since before the Rating Game against Raiser. You've come to pretty good terms with being a hybrid, but if you're trying to approach him, be yourself."
Akeno didn't say anything for a few minutes, instead moving to where her ear was pressed over his heart. The steady pulsing of the organ was soothing to her, but she was touched when Issei opened up the bond and all but smothered her in love and support. If possible, she relaxed even further against him.
"What do I do?" She whispered in a voice so quiet Issei even found himself of all people straining to hear it.
"I think it's alright to say I'm not an expert," Issei unsealed a handkerchief from his array, "but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to see you've been crying. I sure hate it when you do." The Pawn lightly wiped at the Queen's face, gently removing all visible traces of her distress. "Though, a father's arms are meant to hold his children. I don't think you'll have any trouble. And next..."
Akeno was surprised when instead of advice, his hand reached up to undo her usual ribbon. Once undone, her hair fell from it's usually demure ponytail to curtain her in a midnight veil. "...I think he'd like to see his little girl hasn't changed all that much from what he remembers." Indeed, Akeno looked much more like a girl her age with her hair down.
The girl smiled as she tossed her head back, making sure the rest of her hair was out of her face. The smile grew, letting Issei knew that he had helped, but the bravado she had was from a different source. "And then what? Shall I let him know that I'm now a married woman? That for a full night you took me to your bed and ravished me to your heart's content and more no matter how I cried out?"
"Cry out? Yeah, yeah, you were crying out for me to keep going," Issei huffed, though he was secretly pleased. If Akeno was in a teasing mood then her fears and hesitancy wouldn't hold her back as much.
"Oh, but that's not what fathers want to hear, so I won't be telling him that!" Akeno sing-songed as she grabbed his wrist to pull him to his feet. Issei noted with slight alarm that the ribbon, which had been in his hand, was now firmly wrapped around his wrist, as if it were a trophy.
Not exactly the impression he'd like to make. He'd never consider Akeno to be a conquest, but the same conclusion might not be assumed by the cadre she called father.
As they reached the entrance to the gym, the doors burst open. "I HATE YOU!" Sona screamed as she ran away, crying.
She was being hounded by a sparkly Maou. "So-tan, was it something I said? How can you not be a fan of sisterly yuri-yuri love!?"
The siblings ran right for them, prompting the lovers to split apart temporarily as the sisters ran between them. Akeno reclaimed Issei's hand as he stared at the odd duo running off to the school proper.
"Serafall-sama is kind at heart, but all the Maou have their chosen outlets," Akeno quipped. "Being a leader if an entire race is understandably exhausting, though she in particular can be more energetic than most, much to Sitri-san's dismay."
"No kidding," Issei raised an eyebrow in amusement. "And the forced language effect?"
Akeno immediately pressed herself to him, hands on his cheeks to bring his gaze to her and her alone. "Why, Ise-kun, does it bother you so? Perhaps I should study from the great Levia-tan. You're less resistant to your mates, my spells may even work on you now. How about it, when you to come to warm my bed tonight I'll let you call me onee-sama."
"And with that," the male rolled his eyes, "we're back to normal. Welcome back, Akeno." He was careful to stress her name only, eliminating any chance of using honorifics, or her Piece translating his words with an honorific. With his mates, he hoped he'd never use anything other than their true names.
"Yes," Akeno brought his face down to hers, "say my name." And so they kissed, in full sight of the gym entrance.
Their embrace was brought short all too soon. "Ahem," someone coughed, and they broke apart to find Baraqiel standing there impassively. Akeno tensed slightly, but Issei tapped her shoulder reassuringly before moving away, leaving the two alone together.
Would it be better for him to interact with Baraqiel right now? No, after that much time the two had spent apart, he didn't have any right to be present as they were reunited. Unbidden, pangs of longing gripped his heart as he saw them together, parent and child.
He wandered back out, taking advantage of how the Gremory's had been joined by the Phenex delegation. Ravel's parents and one of her older brothers, not Raiser. Ravel and Rias were both bright red as their respective parents abandoned their lordship demeanors and instead acted as over-affectionate parents.
And finally unseen, he blurred out of sight.
"Well it's good to see that you're doing well," Venelana smiled at her thoroughly embarrassed daughter. Rias was shuffling back and forth, wishing she could disappear into the ground. She wasn't alone. Ravel was the same, and even though Baraqiel and Akeno had had their teary reunion, Akeno's normally unflappable demeanor was cracking. "Though I have to ask, where's your mate?"
Rias and Akeno both flushed at the direct inquiry. Here, Baraqiel added his share. "It's not really surprising. Just mentioning his name causes both of you to smile and relax. You've gone through with it, haven't you."
Neither girl was entirely thrilled to admit to their parents they'd done anything more than sleep with their significant other, but it was impossible to outright lie. "Yes," they whispered, but repeated it with more confidence and firmer voices as if daring their elders to criticize them for it.
"Now, you don't need to be ashamed of it," Venelana smiled kindly. "He makes you both happy, doesn't he?"
The girls nodded in unison, proudly wearing smiles of their own. Unseen to anyone, Ravel looked a little jealous.
"Good, good." Zeoticus rumbled, looking around. "Though I was hoping to properly talk with my son-in-law today. Where'd he go?"
Everyone looked around to try and see where Issei was or disappeared to. Akeno looked to the entrance, searching for him and frowning when she could not see him. She and Rias both closed their eyes, feeling through their connection to find him. With the bond now complete, it was much easier and came to them faster than before.
"He ran off!" Rias fumed, her left eyelid twitching in irritation. "He just left!"
Akeno wasn't raging verbally, but the caricature of a smile she wore caused Baraqiel to wisely take a step back, having seen that look on his late wife's face many times before.
"This is… disconcerting," Venelana shook her head. "I do think he'd have the manners to stay, but why would he leave?"
"He skipped class." All eyes turned to Millicas, who hid behind his father at the sudden attention. "We talked on the roof for a while."
"He knows not to skip class needlessly, he's missed a lot of it even after his late enrollment," Rias huffed. "Where'd he go, and why?"
A sudden knock prompted everyone to look at the doorway, where Xenovia's knuckles had rapped against the frame. "Excuse me," she nodded her head respectfully, "but is Issei here?"
"You just missed him," Sirzechs answered, looking her up and down. "So, you are the Durandal user who volunteered into my little sister's Peerage."
Xenovia blinked as she recognized the distinct Gremory hair before she bowed from the waist. "Indeed. It is an honor to meet you, Lord Lucifer."
"Pleasure's all mine, Xenovia Quarta," Sirzechs replied politely. "If I may ask, why were you also looking for our resident dragon."
"I was trying to help Asia find him." The new Knight looked over her shoulder then moved aside as the mentioned Bishop stepped in. "Sorry Asia, he's not here either."
"Mou, where'd he go?" Asia inquired, short of a whine but still displaying some agitation. "I needed to know what to do with this."
The others looked at what 'this' was. Baraqiel recognized it first, then Akeno. Rias was quick to pick up on the resemblance, and then the others began to understand.
"Rias," Venelana turned to face her pale daughter. "By chance, did you sit down and talk with Issei about his time before Tartarus for any real amount of time?" When she didn't answer, she continued. "Did you discuss his family at all, or anything relevant to his childhood? Anything to prepare him for today even?"
Rias and Akeno both looked down in shame. They had to a degree, talked about Tartarus and some of Issei's memories before his unjust imprisonment, but by and large talking about his family was avoided by everyone. In fact, neither could really think of the last time the subject of his parents had been brought up without being part of a larger explanation about dragons in general.
"Not even a chance to properly unwind and grieve." Zeoticus shook his head. "There's no shame in his actions, I suppose seeing families together made him miss his own even more."
What went unsaid was the shame he had for his own daughter and her Queen, who had given some benign neglect to a critical component of their mate's psyche. Yet despite that, it pales in comparison to the shame the girls felt themselves.
"How… how did we not know?" Akeno whispered, even as Baraqiel hugged her in some comfort.
"If Issei hasn't changed much from the boy I remember, then he is quite stubborn. He wouldn't wish to burden you with his own issues anymore than necessary if he could help it," the man rumbled softly. "There's no denying that your bond has done wonders for you all, but in this case, you will need much more for him to properly come to terms with all that has happened."
Sirzechs nodded and snapped his fingers. Two circles appeared beneath the girls, redressing the girls in casual wear rather than the school uniform. "Go to him. Even if he doesn't want help, he badly needs it."
Without hesitating the third-years rushed from the gym, had they hesitated even a moment it would have tarnished the pride the parents were feeling then.
Off to the side, Asia and Ravel were both torn between staying and going with them. Sadly, they knew that no excuse they currently had would allow them to join the older girls, even if they wanted nothing more than to help their unrequited paramour.
Truly, for beings that act mainly upon their desires, being Devils was a cross to bear when those wants were forbidden.
Rias and Akeno teleported as close to the usual clearing as they could. They had used their familiars resting in the manor home to confirm Issei wasn't there already. And since the school had been built upon what she once been his old neighborhood, this was the only place they could think of hat still held meaning for him.
The first time they had climbed the mountain, it had been when Issei's recurring nightmares had first arrived. They had struggled in the effort, sheer physicality not being one of their defining traits. Now, fear for their mate and shame in themselves felt twice more than before due to their new relationship lent speed to them as they raced up the path.
Even though they grew closer to him, his presence confirmed by the warmth the bond provided by proximity, both grew even more worried; neither could feel anything of Issei's current emotional state.
"Damn it, damn it all!" Rias cursed vehemently, somehow finding breath even eight the stitch in her side.
"When we find him…" Akeno growled, not doing much better, but just like her King, it was getting harder to tell who she was most upset with.
Several minutes later and they entered the clearing. Issei sat facing away from th, somehow not noticing their approach, or choosing not to. They skirted the edge of Artemis' still present barrier; for those Issei didn't seal and bring with him inside, the only entrance to the training ground was the breach Koneko had made months ago, made permanent by her under close supervision, with Rias and Akeno providing technical support to maintain its state while Issei brought his aura to use brute force the temporary doorstop.
Jumping through the circle in the shimmering curtain, both girls broke into full sprint despite their weariness to bodily slam into the sitting male. Impulsive as it was, it was effective at knocking Issei onto his back, while they fell upon his chest in a way so similar to their sleeping positions.
Issei's eyes blinked open as weariness fell from him bit by bit. Eyes reverting to their now-constant reptilian form as light seeped through his pupils. The teen shook his head before refocusing on the girls and realizing their position. "Oh. Hey?"
"You insufferable, pigheaded, stubborn MALE!" Rias shouted in his ear, each word punctuated with a fist pounding against his chest.
"You could have said something. You should have said something." Akeno berated him. "And I was pathetic, not realizing that you were hurting about your parents when I asked about my father. Why, why keep it to yourself?"
Issei looked to them with concern and resignation. "Because this was a day for you two. I didn't want to ruin it with my own screwed up issue. Also… The memories were painful. I've put off thinking about my dad, and my mother for so long, I wasn't sure how to deal with it. So I did, well, I'm doing the best I can."
"By hiding out here?" Rias asked curiously.
"Not exactly," Issei smiled gently before reopening his side of the emotional connection.
Both girls gasped at the torrent of emotions. Anger, resentment, loneliness, regret, and loss brought tears to their eyes. Yet somehow, Issei was smiling. Despite the internal turmoil he was feeling, he was feeling some happiness, joy, contentment. And it was enough to calm them down together.
"I did a little soul-searching, mostly guessing." Issei sighed as he sat back up with both girls still attached. "I wanted to dive back into memories again, but using my own this time."
"Why didn't you?" Rias whispered, knowing full well that she would have in order to see her family if they passed.
"Because, I don't think I'd leave," he confessed. "Using memories of my predecessors was simpler, like watching a movie. Using my own memories to see my mother and father again, those were good times, more real to me. I'd stay there. I want to, but I'd be an idiot to pass up what I have now." He pulled both girls to him even tighter.
Rias had unshed tears now, while Akeno's ran down her cheeks. Issei took notice as he wiped them away, before giving both of them a quick kiss to reassure them he was stable for now. "I'm not saying I'm over it. But I'm trying to come to terms with it." The memory of his final moments with Kokabiel echoed to him, and he nodded. "If I let the past haunt me, I'll never be the best I can be for the both of you."
"Just…" Akeno's voice wavered. "Just try to let us in more. We're here for you just as much as you are for us."
"What kind of girlfriends would we be if we let our man suffer alone," Rias chimed in. "Don't shut us out, okay?"
Neither asked him to be the best, instead asking only for him to keep them close. A part of him fell in love all over again. The dragon couldn't help but smile.
Rias looked over his shoulder then gasped. Akeno did the same and started. In the dirt before them was a miniature replica of Kuoh. Streets, buildings, light posts, bus stops, everything in the city. Carved into the earth with such precision that it suggested a professional had come to this secluded place. The only inaccuracy was that the academy was missing, but the most detail spent had been on one home, the dwelling Issei had grown up in.
"I saw the figurine of your mother, but this? Issei, you're an artist!" Rias exclaimed.
"I had some time. And my mind doesn't wander too much when I'm busy with my hands," the demidrake smirked. "It helped a little." He stood then, surprising both girls before their feet met the earth as he lowered them. "But enough of that. I'm guessing I owe your parents an apology about now."
"You don't owe them anything," Rias stepped on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "But a proper greeting is in order." She silently created a circle behind them, the signature glyphs rotating in place.
"Alright then," Issei squared himself toward the door and shook his head as if to rid himself of stray thoughts. "Time to meet the inlaws again and for the first time."
Some hours later, Issei sat down in the edge of their bed, eyes closed and leaning back. After apologizing for his absence, he and the others had gone for dinner at some fancy restaurant in the richer section of the city. All the Gremory, Phenex, and Fallen were there and had somehow reserved the entire establishment, gaining some measure of privacy to speak freely about events, past and current.
Issei himself had been conversing extensively with Zeoticus, Venalana, and Baraqiel. Though perhaps that was to be expected. He and his mates had technically eloped by the usual standards, but were entirely supportive of their relationship regardless.
Venelana had put her foot down on properly describing their relation. Not husband and wives, but boyfriend and girlfriends. Mates was acceptable to those in the know, courting for formal circumstances. Issei had looked confused until Grayfia and Venelana both reminded him that every girl ought to have a proper wedding.
This was also the first time Issei had seen let alone met Rainard and Layla Phenex. He greeted them appropriately, and when Ravel elbowed him not-too-subtly he then acknowledged the Rating Game, though he didn't apologize for upsetting the favored outcome. Rainard had laughed at that, clapping him on the shoulder and explaining to him that he and Zeoticus had agreed that the betrothal had been hasty, and that the current situation was preferable to all involved.
Ravel's hair had caught fire at that part, though distracted as he was, Issei didn't notice.
Even after the meal's conclusion, the entire delegation talked the night away. It was only when Millicas began to fall asleep, leaning on his mother's shoulder that Sirzechs and Grayfia made their excuses and left, followed shortly by the Phenex clan sans Ravel. Azazel too excused himself, muttering about some project's fine-tuning.
Baraqiel and Akeno stepped aside to say their goodbyes, and Issei and Rias both shared a smile when Akeno openly embraced her father. Rias' own parents made their goodbyes, informing them that while they wouldn't be at the peace summit, they would see them all when school was over for the term. The surprise extended to Rias saying her goodbye, as she would be dropping into the Underworld with her parents for further discussion, perhaps spending the night there if too exhausted to return.
After that, the remaining teenage Devils returned to their own homes. It was at that time Asia returned the figure of Hikari. He had thanked her for safekeeping it and had taken it carefully, before sealing it away.
By now, he was thoroughly exhausted himself. It had been a long day, and he was looking forward to getting some sleep. Bending down to unlace his boots, he stopped.
Akeno knelt before him, both boots already undone as she gently pulled them from his feet. Socks too.
"Um, Akeno? I can do that-"
"Shh," the girl stood in front of him. It went without saying that she was completely bared to him and that sight in itself silenced him better than her word.
She stepped up and forward, causing him to lean back once more. Now atop him, she kissed him to remind him exactly what she wanted. "Ake-"
"Shh," once more, her hands grabbed the gen of his shirt and pulled; he raised his hands obediently as she tugged the garment away. "You're still stressed. From today, yesterday. Time to release."
"Uh," he said eloquently, though she didn't silence him this time.
"I want this, and you need this."
"You want me, you can have me." She moved off so she was lying on her front beside him, gazing at him in want. "Release that stress on me, Ise." She wriggled her whole body.
He frowned. "You're getting off on this."
"Ara ara, you've caught me. I want you to take me, again, and again, and again. You're in charge. Have your way with me. Use me even. As many times as you want to. I'm yours for the night. And if I get off on submitting to the only man I'll ever love," she raised herself on all fours, "all the better."
Issei's breath hitched before he shook his head, moving to her side, with that foolish grin on his face. "I love you."
"I know," she replied with a kiss. "But you're still overdressed."
Issei's pants fell away.
After their intense marathon, Akeno took advantage of Rias' absence once more. Pushing her mate so that he was on his side, she moved so that her back was pressed to his warm front. Unlike their normal position, where Issei held both her and their King while lying on his back, Issei was now spooning her and holding her exclusively. She did make sure to arrange her hair so that it splayed over and above the pillow. She wanted to feel his skin on hers as much as possible, and though she took pride in her hair she didn't want it in the way.
Finally, she pulled his arms around her. Resting her head on his left bicep, she brought his right arm around her and without hesitation brought his hand to her breast.
"I thought we were done for the night."
"We are, though I wou;dn't mind another go," Akeno wiggled her behind into his lap just a little. "But I like it when you touch me. I'd like it even more if you touched me more often. And don't deny it, you couldn't keep your hands off."
She gasped when the hand squeezed just a little in retaliation. "Guilty as charged." The arm moved away to pull the sheets over them before returning to its former grip. "Sleep well."
And so with a smile on her face, Akeno again did as she was told.
It seemed that she had barely closed her eyes when she was tapped awake. Blinking away sleep, she looked up to see an impassive Rias looking down on her. "Enjoy your night?"
"Absolutely." She affirmed without hesitation.
Rias rolled her eyes, casting a spell to freshen the air. "Well, you know how to reinforce impressions I guess."
Akeno's brow furrowed as she puzzled over the riddle and looked around for clarification. To her surprise, the Maou Lucifer was standing at the foot of the bed with an amused expression.
"My Lord Lucifer!" She sat up to nod her head, careful to keep herself covered with the sheets. The man was practically her older brother as well and while it wasn't anything the man hadn't seen before and she wasn't one to feel great amounts of shame or embarrassment, this was one of their faction's leaders and also one of the strongest ranked beings currently in existence. Respect was earned, and the man had earned it to the utmost.
"What do you want?" The sleepy dragon to her side grumbled. The teen also sat up, and both girls thanked the stars that the blankets covered everything save his upper torso. Again, Lucifer might be similarly equipped but this was important. "And what time is it?"
"It's about seven in the morning. I do apologize for the inconvenience, but I felt that it would be best to relay this in person. And as my sister's Queen and as the Underworld's so-called 'Strongest Pawn', I felt it appropriate to let you in on this as well."
"Let us in on what?"
"Strongest Pawn?"
Rias sighed, pressing a hand to her temples. "Another pseudo-title given to Issei by the masses since the unofficial Rating Game, something impossible to prove since the Pawns of the Maou don't play in the Rating Games. And I wish he'd tell me what was going on too, since all he's done so far was insist on escorting me home!"
"Now, now, don't be upset; if anything this should be a day of celebration of sorts." Sirzechs reached into the pocket of his business suit. "Finding my sister's boyfriend in bed with another girl is a bit of a new experience, and a fascinating one at that," there was a pulsing tick mark on Rias' forehead now, "but what kind of Devil would I be if I didn't approve of chaos every now and again? Besides, I'm sure that when Baraqiel wants a quality father-daughter outing, Rias will undoubtedly claim some of her own one-on-one love time with her beloved servant."
"GET TO THE POINT!" Rias shrieked in both outrage and embarrassment, her face nigh indistinguishable from the color of her hair.
"Here you go," Sirzechs tossed the flier, which turned into a paper airplane midflight and zoomed around her, dodging her reach repeatedly, before finally unfolding and falling into her outstretched hand. She glanced at the contents before paling.
"This… this is…"
"The authentication needed to release your Bishop." Sirzechs was serious now. "While I would have given that to you after you first unveiled Issei here, Grayfia convinced me that some time evaluating your lover might prove ideal before moving along to let Gasper loose; something about judging him strong enough and yet worthy of your affection and trust before granting more responsibility, or something along those lines. I trust you'll explain to the rest of your Peerage."
The Maou stepped back and let a crimson circle form beneath his feet. "Well, I'd best be off then. I'll text you the details of how the preparations for the summit will be handled. Don't forget, use protection!" And before anyone could formulate a reply, the man was gone.
"Geez, is it too much to ask to have some distance between the two of us?" Rias huffed, but despite her act, Issei knew that she cared for Sirzechs even if she wasn't good at showing it. Still, the issue of her other Bishop seemed to be bothering her. In fact, it bothered her to the point that she reacted a minute later than normal, outraged only after the fact that Akeno had taken yet another opportunity to claim the morning's first kiss.
At least that didn't seem to show any signs of changing anytime soon.
Author's notes: Serafall and honorifics, 13 Longinus, family
8-19: The meeting between Issei and the adults was eventually thrown out, I couldn't get it quite right no matter how much I tried. Otherwise, the chapter is mostly unchanged from initial drafts.
4-26: Ch 19-20 was the weakest we'll see Issei physically. Psychologically, there's a lot he'll need to process, and I intentionally left Hikari and Ryuu largely unmentioned since the early chapters because of it, just to highlight the fact Issei hasn't properly mourned them yet. Expect that to play a significant role as the girls try to support him emotionally in any way they can.
The Tower of Babel is the Biblical explanation for so many languages in existence. Since it's of exceptional historical importance, I found it an appropriate place for the origin of the universal translators the Abrahamic factions have in play.
So Rias has a personal project she's trying to keep from Issei. Wonder what it could be.
Then there's Serafall, my saving grace and concession to the more traditional writing style. Her presence and signature way of acting out against typical high-class roles demand for her to use the honorific system, plus a few quirks here and there. I found that it was entirely within her character for her to be able to affect others in such a way with her power, a perfectly harmless abuse of her abilities.
So, in the future, if someone is written to be using the Japanese naming conventions, you can safely assume they've had a healthy dose of childish-Serafall exposure. Otherwise, regardless of which perspective i'm using, I will most likely stick with what I've used thus far, both keep my writing consistent as possible and to churn out chapters faster than the 2-3 month gaps I had before my 6,7,8,9...10 month break... Damn, this took a while. Sorry.
So there's the 13 Longinus. I'm not going too into detail on them, given that we'll see them later in the story and because they change with their wielders desires I only put generalities or common characteristics down for now.
Funny enough, now that I've written them, I'm almost wishing I wrote this entire fic with one of the other Longinus instead of defaulting to one of the go-to dragon types. If you're interested in borrowing concepts or descriptions, PM me first for permission. If I've read some of you stories before and I like your writing style, I'll probably say yes. Even if it's your first story, if the concept interests me enough I'll probably say yes.
For the sake of clarity, here's a list of every named being I've written with a Longinus so far in this story. Of course this doesn't include most canon characters we know and love simply because we haven't met them yet.
Divine Dividing - Issei Hyoudou, Lancelot
Boosted Gear - Vali, Mordred, Manfred von Richtofen (The Red Baron of Germany, highly skilled pilot w/80 confirmed air combat victories)
Dimension Lost - Houdini
Canis Lykaon - Tobio Ikuse, Saladin
Regulus Nemea - King Richard the Lionheart
Absolute Demise - Joan of Arc/Jeanne d'Arc
I've got my muse back, or at least some of it. Working to write as much as I can for HIDragon while I still have it. FTFlight will get sporadic updates, seeing as it takes much less time for me to churn those out rather than suffer through chapters of important details I'd really rather not deal with but still have to.
Also, there's a Sekirei idea rattling in my head. Bounced the idea with SeerKing a while back, so if I don't update this fic for a while, don't worry, it's time well spent. Maybe. Ideally. I'm hoping to get at least two more updates for this story before the New Year, so look forward to that.
Thanks for your endless patience. And for reading.
Updated:08/19/17