What does heaven feel like? Is it soft like clouds? Is it warm and pleasant? For Jou, he felt good. His body was completely healed; no injuries, no pain, no emotional lows. Just positive feelings all around. It's like a light, warm feeling just coursed through this body.
"I…I don't think I want to leave." Jou's eyes slowly closed as a satisfied smile crept up on his face. It was pure bliss. Just imagine the peace someone can feel without overthinking, doubts, negative thoughts, anxiety, and fear.
"There's no way I can go back to Earth after being like this."
Then Jou woke up.
"Huh?"
His groggy eyes slowly opened as they started to look around. It was his room. He took in the sensations throughout his body and looked in front of himself.
"I'm naked?"
He also saw an arm draped across his chest. It looked small with smooth pale skin. Jou followed it's owner to his right. There, a woman with crimson hair and turquoise eyes staring back at him.
"Good morning", she said with a smile. "Nya-haaaa!" Her limbs felt nice and energized after she got up to yawn. Jou looked at her perplexed. "Who are you?"
"I'm Rias Gremory, and I'm a devil."
"Right."
Jou got up, not caring that Rias got a full view of his naked body. Her eyes immediately jolted to his cock and balls, then back to his face. It was unmoving, devoid of any emotion.
"Here's a better question. Why should I care?"
Rias stood up as well and walked up to him while meeting him in the eyes, so close they could feel each other's breath.
"Because I'm your master now, you're mine."
Who the fuck was this random bitch claiming her authority? Jou's mind instantly ran through multiple fight sonarios. He ultimately decided that quick violent action was the way to go. "I'll just throw her ass out the fucking window. No, I'll reverse her back to the point when she was sleeping then throw her out the window so it's a surprise."
"Jou-kun!? Are you talking to yourself again? Are you dressed? Do you have morning wood?" Despite being a few meters away from Jou's room, Asagi's voice could still be heard. The walls weren't that thick. Jou then thought about what would happen after throwing Rias out of the window. First, it would end up with the entire window getting ruined. Second, if she decided to fight back, she would likely destroy his room in the process. Third, his mom would probably make him pay out of pocket for it.
Jou then finger poked Rias in the chest without breaking eye contact. "You're fortunate that I want to keep my window intact." Jou turned around and headed to the bathroom for a morning shower. Rias just sat back on his bed with a smile; she didn't care. To her, she just acquired a new piece for her team. Her mouth was practically drooling in excitement. Of course, she couldn't let him know that. Can't have him getting too cocky and full of himself on the first day.
Asagi stood on the counter with plates in her hand. She'd just finished making Oyakodon. "Jou-kun, breakfast is ready!" Jou walking into the living room fully dressed and ready. Behind him was Rias, also clothed. Jou sat down and helped himself to a few servings. Rias sat down next to him and smiled at her.
"Hello. Nice to meet you. I'm Rias."
"Umm. Nice to meet you too? Jou-kun?"
"Hmm?" At this point Jou was already eating, not caring about Asagi's complete surprise. He already went through that earlier.
"Where did this girl come from?" Jou dropped his spoon into his bowl and looked his mom in the eye. Rias' eyes started to glow. She was ready to cast her mind control spell on her. It would be way too complicated to explain everything. After all ignorance is bliss.
"Hey mom, you look cute today. Is your hair different? I like the new style." Asagi had her hair folded up with a clip as opposed to leaving it straight down normally.
"Huh? He's talking today?" To Asagi, Jou rarely talked outside of saying "good morning" or "goodbye in the mornings". Small talk in the mornings and Jou just didn't happen together recently. A small blush crept up on her face.
"Y-yes well I decided to do something different today. I'm glad you noticed."
Rias' eyes stopped glowing as she watched Jou stand up and walk to his mom. He pulled her in close into a hug with his hand firmly on her ass. Then he kissed her on the cheek. Her heart was racing, and her breathing quickened. For Asagi, she welcomed it, but was completely embarrassed. She was able to meet Rias' devious eyes looking back at her. She even caught Rias stealing looks at her son's ass when he wasn't looking.
"That little…"
"Well I'm headed off to school. Have a nice day at work alright."
"I-I will!"
After exiting the house Jou started to walk to school. He was a little disappointed that his dream wasn't real. After a few breaths, he accepted that it wasn't his time yet.
"Wait hold up!"
"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. You really want to walk with me?"
"Of course. We're going the same way right? Besides I'd like to get to know you more."
"Okay fine."
"So... You seem close to your mom."
"Why wouldn't I be? She's my mom."
"Well from where I was sitting, you two looked... intimate."
"Well she's been around for awhile." Rias thought about that. Jou was dark skinned while Asagi wasn't. Maybe he's half Japanese? She didn't see any signs of anyone else living there. So was it just those two? If that's the case, then what happened to Jou's father?
"Rias about what you said earlier…"
"Hmm?" Rias was completely lost in thought. It was only the sound of Jou's voice that brought her back.
"What's a devil?" Rias and Jou finally made it to Kuoh academy. Murmurs and whispers could be heard by various students.
"I'll answer all of your questions after school."
"Where do you want to meet?"
"I'll send someone to pick you up."
"Alright, so whatever she does, it's not a solo effort", Jou thought to himself. He turned and headed for class. Meanwhile Rias was walking upstairs until she ran into Sona.
"Hello Rias."
"Hello you too Sona."
"Putting the summoning circle in a book was a good play. Congrats on getting to him first."
"You're not mad are you?"
"No of course not. Although I'm a little disappointed at myself for not securing him sooner, it was fair."
Jou sat at his desk, one hand resting on his face with slumped shoulders, and heavy eyes. He wished he had gotten a few more minutes of sleep, but he wanted to deal with the Rias situation. There was no way he could explain away a random, naked woman sitting on his bed while also naked. Honestly he felt like his own worst enemy, contradicting his own desires. Jou started to rub his cowl muscle when he noticed a lot of commotion by the class door. There were around a dozen girls clogging up the area, squealing like piggies getting chased around.
"OH MAH GAWD!"
"It's Kiba!"
"You're all looking lovely today", Kiba said. He had a warm smile that lit up the entire room. Jou noticed that his school uniform was spiffy and properly worn. There were zero wrinkles and creases, absolute perfection. With light, platinum blonde hair, a pretty boy face, and the charisma to back it all up, it was no wonder why he was so popular in school.
"I wonder what the twink wants."
"Jou-Kun? I'm here on Rias' behest. Do you mind coming with me?"
Jou got up, unsure what was going to happen next. Who are these people and what do they want? These questions lingered in his mind as he followed the blonde. As Kiba's hand grasped the door knob of the Occult Research club Jou tensed his arms a bit. "This might be my last chance to back out. What if this is a trap and I get ganked in there? All I would have to do is punch him", Jou thought as he stared at the back of Kiba's head. A hit to the back of the head is known as a rabbit punch. It's illegal in combat sports because it's too effective. It can knock someone out before they even touch the ground. Additionally, that punch has a high chance of killing someone outright because it separates the brain from the brain stem; even untrained people have unintentionally killed. Jou was in the perfect position to perform the rabbit punch on Kiba. In the end he relaxed. He realized it was better if he relied on his ability to reverse the room if the situation didn't go his way; preemptive action wasn't necessary.
The Occult Research club has a victorian style appearance, sporting old picture frames on the walls and furniture. There weren't any lights on but candles that dimly lit the room with an orange hue. It was silent in the room, save the sound of the shower running. Jou could see the silhouette of a woman in there. On the left couch, sat a short, petite, silver haired girl with a cat pin in her hair. She didn't bother to look at the new arrival as she was too busy licking a chocolate bear snack. Across from her was a brown haired boy. He wore his uniform informally, leaving the shirt and jacket unbuttoned, exposing a red tee-shirt. He looked at Jou curiously with his brown eyes. "Hey! You're the new guy right?"
"Sure."
"Jou this is Issei Hyoudou, a third-year."
"Who's the loli?"
"My name is Koneko Tojo", Konoko said with a hint of displeasure. She obviously didn't like Jou's brazen tone.
"Your clothes are laid out for you when you're ready Buchou."
"Thank you Akeno".
A dark, raven haired woman walked out of the bathroom. She had long hair that went down past her waist. It was tied up in a ponytail with an orange ribbon. "Who is that?", a sleek voice exclaimed. Her violet eyes explored and inspected Jou's form. Every detail about him was swept up and stored in her memory for later. "I didn't see you." She started walking towards him to get a better look. "So you're the new guy huh?" Akeno had a bright smile as she wanted to create a good impression on the newbie.
"Yeah. I'm Jou Johari."
"Nice to meet you Jou-kun." Akeno gave Jou a traditional bow. "I hope you'll like it here; everyone is super nice. I'm Akeno the vice-president." Her hands were clasped together in front of her. Her arms squeezed her breasts together, increasing the already insane amount of ample cleavage.
"This place seems nice, especially if a cutie like you is going to be here regularly."
Akeno put a hand to her cheek and lightly chuckled to herself.
"Sorry to keep you waiting", Rias remarked as she walked out of the shower room. She was fully dressed, yet her hair was still damp despite drying herself with a towel. "I know it's terribly rude, but i didn't have a chance to wash after leaving your place."
"Don't worry about it." Jou took a seat on the couch next to Koneko. Across from him sat Issei, Kiba, and Akeno. Rias of course stood in between them, in front of her desk.
"Well now that you've arrived, we'd like to officially welcome you into the Occult Research club. Just know that the name is just a front in order to make us look like hobbyists."
"Why all the deception?"
"We're not the only devils here Jou."
"Figures. If Rias is a devil then, Sona must also be a devil. All that talk about the supernatural is probably what she meant", Jou pondered in his head. Outwardly, he still gave the appearance of his full undivided attention. A perk gained from years in the education system. "So what? I'm gonna play soldier in a gang war between devils?'
"It's much bigger than that. You see Jou there are fallen angels as well. A Lot of people confuse us for them but the difference is that they want to get back into God's grace. Devils by contrast don't care." Rias folded her arms under her chest, creating a slight ripple in her breasts. "They believe that if they take over our realm, heaven will be open to them. On top of that, the real angels from heaven are trying to fight us too. Meaning we're constantly defending ourselves from both sides."
"Seriously! That's fucking worse", Jou raged internally. Inside Jou was bubbling up a storm, but outside he appeared calm and collected. "So why pick me? I'm just another boot on the ground?"
"Not at all. We think you might have a sacred gear", Rias rebutted.
"Sacred gear?'
Akeno chimed in as she adjusted her seating position. "Sacred gears are intense and unique powers that's found in a unique few. In fact, the only people that are known to have them are important historical figures, so it's a big deal if you actually have one!"
"The thing is those with sacred gears can be so uncontrollable they can be a threat to the underworld. Jou, when I found you bleeding out on the pavement, I took it upon myself to revive you. Of course, as an honored member of the House of Gremory!" At that moment, Rias' black devil wings jolted out from her back. "And I'm Rias Gremory, daughter of the great and powerful Marquis of Gremory." Rias smirked to herself. "Meaning you are now my servant."
Jou's heart sank. "Isn't this so exciting? You're one of us now", Akeno added. Everyone else's devil wings sprang forth.
"Um…" Jou felt like he had a lump in his throat. His mouth suddenly felt dry and found it hard to swallow. He looked around the room; everyone had casual smiles on their faces like it was just another day. "Yeah no big deal. I just died and came back as a demon slave. Just some average shit", Jou thought. He was quickly losing himself. He looked over his shoulder to peek at the door when he noticed something black. His wings had already sprouted.
"Welcome Jou. It'll be good to have you here", Rias said.
"Yeah bro," Issei interrupted. "We're like sacred gear buddies!"
"Y-Yeah." Jou looked at their eyes, searching for the truth. "They're really serious." Jou felt light headed. He started to rub his temples with his hand. "So how does this all work anyways?" Jou was hoping that there was some kind of loophole in the rules that he could exploit. He deduced that because Rias had to wait for him to die in order to enslave him, he could reasonably assume that there was order in this system. If there is order, then there must be laws or rules that dictate it. So by learning, he can take advantage.
"A human and a devil must agree on a price for an exchange. Then they make a pact", Rias explained.
"Hold on. So when I summoned you with that piece of paper, I agreed?"
"Exactly, It was your wish to live."
Jou had a disappointed look on his face. "I fucked up" was all he said in his mind.
"Jou I heard that you already know about your ability and you've been pretty active with it."
"My. Ability", Jou whispered under his breath.
"I've felt your presence for a few months now. The slamming lockers incident, the flying pencils, and Goro-san's destroyed room were all you weren't they?" Akeno chimed.
"Yeah that was me." Jou got up and walked next to the window. He unlocked it and opened it. "You want to see my power?" Jou felt a wave of relief wash over him, all that stress from earlier vanished leaving only a clear mind. He put one leg through the window. Then the second until he was outside.
"What is he doing?" Issei thought.
"Rias!" Jou declared. "I don't intend on being your soldier in a three way cold war. So i'm going to say goodbye."
"Huh? What?" Rias' brain couldn't compute. She never thought that things would turn out this way. "W-Wait a second! If you attempt to leave then you'll be a stray devil. That means you'll be hunted down for the rest of your life!"
Jou thought about it for a moment. They know where he lives. Should he stand his ground at his house or run away? Fighting could end up hurting his mom as a casualty. Running away could also just prolong that encounter. Was there really no way out? How could he spare his mom his problem? "I can live with that." Jou said. "In fact, i can end it with that."
"What are you talking about dude? Just come back inside." Issei pouted.
Jou looked into Rias' eyes. "If i can't live on my own terms then there's no point in living. I have no interest in fulfilling some else's dreams. Especially when i have things to do". Jou thought about what he really wanted. He imagined himself free and happy. Rias on the other hand was starting to panic. If her newly acquired piece killed himself then that would reflect badly on her. It was especially important for Rias to look extremely responsible and competent as possible. Any blemishes would undermine her attempts to stay independent. Rias felt stuck and that she had to just bite the bullet and overcome this situation.
"What do you want?"
"Buchou you can't be serious?!", Issei said.
"I'll drag him back in.", Koneko said while rolling up her sleeves.
"No Koneko, I'll handle it.", Rias softly spoke. "Actually, you all can go home."
"But Buchou!", Issei whined.
"Don't disobey me!", Rias ordered.
"Come on Issei.", Kiba said reassuringly. "Buchou can take care of herself."
"Akeno you can stay.", Rias commanded. Akeno gave Rias a curious look, wondering what Rias was up to.
"Alright Rias."Jou was as calm as the nonexistent wind. "I want you to restore my humanity."
Rias tensed up. "That's not possible."
"Then release me from the Gremory family."
"I can't do that either."
"Why?"
"Because you have to be a high class devil in order to do those things. I don't have the authority to make someone a high class devil. Even if i could the other devils would have to recognize you too."
"What can you do?" Jou was getting impatient. He was starting to get a migraine. Using his magical ability from his fight with Goro drained him and Rias' healing ability did little to restore his reserves. "You know what, just give me raw magical energy?"
Akeno and Rias raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? That's all you want?"
"Yeah. Why, you thought I was going to ask for a blowjob?" Jou chuckled. Rias felt a hot feeling wash over her face.
"Fufufufufufufufufufu." Akeno tried to cover her laugh with her hand. "Why don't we make another contract between us devils?
"Alright. Akeno could you please set up the paperwork?" As Akeno got to work, Jou came back inside and discussed the details with Rias.
"Okay so just to be sure, If Rias gives you magical energy every week, then you'll have to perform your duties as a devil. The quantity and quality must be appropriate for the work done. Lastly, this contract will last as long as you remain in Rias' peerage." As Akeno finished reading, Rias thanked her for her support. Jou walked up Akeno to give his consent to the contract.
"Alright Rias I'm going to head home. See you later." Rias waved Jou goodbye. As soon as the door closed Rias quickly sat down on the couch. She had a relieved look on her face.
"Honestly that was the most stressful introduction i've ever had." Rias started to rub her temples as Akeno brought over some tea.
"Thanks Akeno."
"I wonder what your brother would do if he found out."
"Ugh, don't even mention him. If he found out then I would never hear the end of it from Grayfia."
"Well at least you can say things have gotten more interesting around here."
"Yeah that's what worries me."
As Jou walked through the hallways, he smiled to himself. He was never going to kill himself. Rather, if it came to it, he would jump off the building and then put a delayed timer so when he splattered his brains on the pavement, his body would reassemble; reversing to the point of time when he was alive in mid air. When he reached a few feet off the ground, he would deactivate his ability, falling and landing on his feet. All in an effort to fake his death.
Jou took notice of the gym. "Maybe i should wash my gym clothes tonight."
To be continued...