Kuoh Academy (Day)
"Xiao-Long, we need to talk." Murayama said, standing in front of the blonde's desk.
"Can this wait? I'm in the middle of lunch. When I'm not fed, I tend to get cranky." Francesca responded, shoveling pasta into her mouth.
Groaning, Murayama continued. "Me and the other Kendo girls noticed you hanging around Hyoudou a lot recently. I just want you to know that if he's blackmailing you in any way, you can always tell me an I'll kick his sorry ass."
Hearing this, Francesca stopped eating. "Ah, damn. I forgot the Jalapeno." she said, exaggerating her disappointment. "Would you mind getting my spare can from my bag?"
"You keep a can of jalapeno dust in your school bag?" Murayama asked, surprised.
"You don't?" the blonde retorted. Sighing, the black-haired girl reached into Francesca's bag and handed her the can. "Thanks, you're a lifesaver." she said, opening the can. Without warning, she splashed Murayama's eyes with the dust, making the girl scream in pain as she ran to the nearest water fountain. "Yeah, the only person who has permission to torment my friends is me." the Trainer said, dumping the rest of the Jalapeno on her dish before resuming her lunch.
A few moments later, Hyoudou walked into the room. "What was that about?" he asked, having seen Murayama run out of the room while shrieking.
"Nothing you should bother yourself with." Francesca said nonchalantly as she continued eating. "So, how was your day? I assume Rias is responsible for healing you?"
"Wait, you know about that?" the boy asked, shocked.
"Of course. I'm a super-natural at this sort of stuff." she answered, a rimshot sounding in the background.
"Really?" Hyoudou asked, mildly upset at the pun. "Anyways, Rias said she'd send someone to pick me up. But so far, I haven't seen anyone."
Soon after those words were spoken, a blonde boy came through the door. Many of the girls in the room flocked to him like pigeons to bread crumbs. He strode toward Francesca and Hyoudou. "Hello." he greeted.
"What do you want?" Hyoudou asked, scowling.
"I'm here on behalf of Rias Gremory." the boy said, halting his fellow blonde's meal. "Would you two follow me?"
"Fine. But I'm bringing my lunch." Francesca said, picking up her tray as she and Hyoudou stood up.
Abandoned Schoolhouse (Dusk)
As it turned out, the blonde boy was a Devil by the name of Kiba Yuuto. He led Hyoudou and Francesca to a building about half a mile from the main school. After a few minutes of walking, Kiba brought them into a small room illuminated by candlelight. On one of the couches was the same white-haired girl Francesca saw a few days ago.
"What is this place?" Hyoudou asked, looking around.
"Koneko, meet Hyoudou Issei and Xiao-Long Francesca." Kiba introduced, gesturing to the duo.
"Nice to meet you." Hyoudou said, blushing.
"Yo." the Trainer said before taking another bite of her lunch. She turned to the pervert and smacked him in the head with a stone, making him recoil in pain.
"What was that for!?" he asked, rubbing his skull.
"What was what for?" Francesca asked rhetorically, smiling. Hearing the familiar sound of rushing water, she noticed a curtain that likely had a shower behind it. 'What moron put a shower in the meeting room?' she wondered. She'd have to cut off that plumbing system in the near future.
"President, I've brought your clothes." Himejima said from behind the curtain.
"Thank you, Akeno." Rias said, confirming Hyoudou's suspicions.
"What a fantastic club room this is!" the boy shouted, prompting Francesca to strike him again. The subtle smile Koneko gave did not go unnoticed by the King.
"Oh, my. Look who's here." Himejima said, finally seeing Francesca and Hyoudou. "You're the new club members, right?" she asked.
"Well, if the hat fits..." the blonde said, finishing the last of her lunch. "Francesca Xiao-Long, at your service." she greeted, incinerating the tray after putting it behind her back.
"Pleased to meet you." Himejima said, bowing to both of them. "I'm the club's Vice President, Himejima Akeno."
"I'm Hyoudou Issei. Nice to meet you too." Hyoudou said, trying not to look down.
"Thanks for waiting." Rias said, coming out of the shower. Her clothes were already on, but she was still drying off with a towel. "Sorry. I spent the night at your place, so I had to-"
"No, I don't mind at all." Hyoudou said, stuttering a bit.
"Well, everyone's here now." the redhead said, walking to her desk and sitting on top of it. Hyoudou and Francesca sat down on the couches, listening to what Rias had to say. "We welcome you both to the Occult Research Club. But, the club is just a facade. Nothing more than a mere hobby."
"What do you mean?" Hyoudou asked.
"I'll be frank. We are Devils." Rias said, surprising the boy.
"That was indeed very frank!" he exclaimed.
'Explains the dark aura I felt around them.' Francesca realized.
"The black-winged man you saw yesterday was a Fallen Angel." Rias explained. "Once Angels serving God, they have been cast into the Underworld due to their wicked nature. They're trying to manipulate humans and destroy us Devils. Since primeval times, there's been a constant struggle for dominance in the Underworld, or Hell, as humans call it. There are also normal Angels, coming here on God's orders to hunt Devils. In other words, we have a three-way standoff. Are you following me so far?"
"Yep. And as usual, God's being a dick." Francesca said, remembering the first time she met a divine being. Though, to be fair, he did get what was coming to him.
"Sorry, but this is a bit too complicated for a stupid high-schooler like me." Hyoudou said, rubbing the back of his head.
"Amano Yuuma." Rias said, shocking Hyoudou and making Francesca's eye flash red. "I'm sure you remember her. You even had a date, after all."
"I have no idea where you heard that name, but don't treat it like some occult phenomenon." Hyoudou said, shaking in anger. "Frankly speaking, I find it unpleasant."
As the boy got up from his seat, Rias tossed a photo onto the table. It was of Hyoudou and 'Amano' walking together.
"A tad creepy that you just keep a photo of a couple on you, not gonna lie." Francesca said, smiling. Sadly, nobody found it funny.
"She was there. No doubt about it." Rias said as Hyoudou remained still, gazing at the picture. "This girl is Yuuma Amano, isn't she? This girl, this Fallen Angel, is from the same faction that attacked you last night."
"Wow. First date and she's literally an angel. Granted, she tried to kill you, but still. It's certainly better than my luck with dating." Francesca said, trying to get a laugh out of anyone in the room. Himejima cracked a smile, but aside from that, the room may as well have been dead to the blonde's jokes.
"But, Matsuda and Motohama don't remember anything about her! Heck, the only person that even believed me was her!" Hyoudou exclaimed, gesturing to the Trainer.
"Given what I know now, I'd say she somehow managed to wipe everyone's memories." Francesca said, attracting the attention of everyone in the room. "This isn't my first time dealing with memory bullsheep."
"Correct. Once that Fallen Angel completed her mission, she erased all records of her existence. Even the memories of those who saw her." Rias explained.
"Mission?" Hyoudou asked.
"Killing you." Rias said bluntly. "She came to check if you have a certain dangerous object in your body. You were killed once that was confirmed. Impaled by a Light Lance, to be precise."
"A Sacred Gear." Francesca guessed.
"Yes. They're an unusual power that resides in certain humans." Himejima explained. "It's said most of the great men in history possessed one."
"Sometimes, they have power formidable enough to threaten Devils and Fallen Angels." Rias added. "Issei, raise your left hand."
"Like this?" the boy asked, lifting his arm up.
"Close your eyes and imagine the strongest being that comes to mind." Rias instructed. Francesca couldn't help but notice the way the redhead was sitting would likely mess up the boy's concentration.
"This is all too sudden." he said, shaking.
"Focus, idiota. Eyes on the prize." the trainer said, her eye flashing red again. This didn't help much, as Hyoudou's eyes were focused on a much different 'prize'. "Yeah, this ain't happening today." the blonde deadpanned.
"I can't do it!" Hyoudou said, out of breath.
"It's all right. We'll take it slow." Rias said, standing up from her desk.
"Maybe there's some kind of mistake." the boy said. "How do you know if I really have one of these Sacred Gear things?"
"It would've been extremely risky for 'Amano' to kill you without being absolutely sure. Since she did, you have to have one." Francesca said, using past experience to fuel her claim.
"Then how am I alive?" Hyoudou asked, almost yelling.
"With this." Rias said, holding up a small piece of paper. "You summoned me from this flyer moments before you died. Issei, you've been reborn into the family of Rias Gremory, daughter of Duke Gremory, a high-class Devil." Leathery black wings then sprouted from her back, followed by the rest of the ORC, including Hyoudou.
"Well, that's certainly a surprise." Francesca said, standing up. "So, I'm assuming you want me to explain myself, right?"
"Yes. It's not often one comes across a Sacred Gear with the ability to summon." Rias said, shocking Hyoudou.
"Wait, you have one too!?" the pervert asked.
"Don't be absurd. Do I really come across as someone who God would bless with a power capable of taking down Devils?" the blonde asked rhetorically. "Hyoudou, what's the last thing you remember from last night's battle?"
"Uh, I remember you talking to a floating red thing, and then it's all blurry from there." the boy answered.
"At least it makes my job easier." the girl said to herself as she retrieved a Dusk Ball. "I may not have a Sacred Gear, but I do have these. They're called Poke Balls. They're designed to capture and raise certain creatures."
"What kind of creatures?" Koneko asked.
"I'll show you. Mimikyu, on stage!" Francesca said, tossing the device. It opened, releasing the Disguise Pokemon. The blonde then picked it up, having it rest in her arms. "This is Mimikyu. A kind of magical creature called a Pokemon."
"How many have you captured?" Kiba asked.
"Around 428." the girl said nonchalantly. "Out of 905 known species."
"If there are so many, then how has nobody ever found them?" Himejima wondered aloud.
"Most Pokemon keep to themselves, sequestered away from human contact." Francesca half-lied. "As for any divine beings that found 'em, I doubt they lasted long."
"What do you mean by that?" Hyoudou asked.
The trainer merely smirked and snapped her fingers. "Use Shadow Claw." Mimikyu's eyes started sparkling as it's long arm came out from it's disguise. It then brought it down, cutting through the table like butter. "That's what I mean. Every Pokemon has it's own powers that enable it to survive. If they were attacked, or had their territory invaded..."
"They'd lash out." Rias deduced. "How did you manage to tame them if they're as hostile as you say?"
At this, Francesca's eye began glowing. "Can't a girl keep at least one secret to herself?" she asked rhetorically, unnerving everyone in the room. Her eye then went back to normal as she cuddled Mimikyu. "However, I will say how I became friends with this little cutie." The blonde sat back down, getting a Poke Puff from her pocket and feeding it to her partner. "Mimikyu are a species that crave human attention. But because of their powers, this is difficult for them."
"What powers?" Hyoudou asked.
"Mimikyu wears this disguise because anything that sees what it looks like underneath will instantly die from shock. Unfortunately, the disguise only makes them look creepier." the trainer said, petting Mimikyu's head. "I relate to it because of this. As a kid, I tried to make friends at school. But the only thing anyone saw was my minor tendency to set things on fire. Mimikyu is one of the few beings that sought me out and gave me comfort. Now, it's one of my best friends." she finished. Looking around, she saw Himejima and Koneko crying.
"Wait, did you say you used to set things on fire as a kid?" Hyoudou asked.
"Meh, we all do weird things. Don't judge me for my hobbies, and I won't judge you for your internet search history." Francesca said, making the boy blush as she laughed.
UP NEXT: Devil Work!