After getting their apartment, Bryce had let Mittelt down and was about to heal her wounds but was stopped by Izumi when she told him that Asia could help. He was confused when the mentioned blonde nodded her head and told Mittelt to sit down on the stool and stay still.

Suddenly, rings appeared around her fingers and she emitted a small green orb in front of Mittelt the latter feeling a wave of calmness and comfort washing over her. She could feel the damage from her shock wounds disappearing as if they were never there.

A minute later, Mittelt was healed up but she suddenly felt drowsy from the fatigue as she almost fell forward onto Asia causing the latter to blush at the fallen on her body.

Izumi giggled as she led the two to their room and set them down for rest leaving Bryce alone by himself. Speaking of which, Izumi noticed that he was quiet the entire time they were walking home, she saw the look in his eyes as they were coming home.

He looked empty and sad. The said boy was thinking back to the experiments of how they made him become who he is now and the trial that they put him through to make him be a killing machine.

That trial… the one that made him go through hell and come back as someone else, no, something else. He was brought out of his thoughts when Izumi came and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hm?"

"You okay?" Izumi asked in a concerned tone.

"I'm fine, Izumi." He replied coldly earning a flinch from the brunette before she glared at him and pulled him by the ruff of his collar.

"Don't you use that tone with me." She growled at him, letting her other side come in. "I want to know what's on your mind but knowing you, you won't spill. So how bout I go to Mittelt-chan and give her a small wake-up call?"

Izumi was then slammed into the ground as Bryce gripped her throat with his right hand and had a knife in holding it in reverse as he glared at her. His pupils switching from black to white like a light switch.

"You lay a hand on her and I'll kill you, you understand?" He said as Izumi let out a soft but maniacal giggle.

"hehehe, that's it Brycie…get aggressive, let all the pent up anger out, show me the truth behind that mask." She goated him as she kneed him in the gut catching him off the guard. Now the tides were turned as Izumi straddled him with her knees on his arms and her hands planted on her chest.

She was starting to pant from this small charade. She was actually turning on from the rough treatment they were giving each other. She was about to go further and lift his shirt but stopped herself as she remembered what she was doing and why.

Letting it go, she gazed at him with a worried look on her face.

"Bryce, please tell me. I know you well enough that you would hide it from me, and I know that knife you had was not for me but for you, wasn't it?" She pointed out as the boy below her didn't move but she did see a shimmer in his eyes.

"Did I go too far?"

"Huh?" Izumi asked as if she didn't hear him the first time.

"Did I really need to threaten them like that?"

Izumi didn't say anything as she stood up and dragged him towards the couch before setting his head down onto her lap, running her fingers through his hair.

"Izumi?"

"You did nothing wrong." She started stopping him. "Rias was in the wrong for spying on us and kidnapping Mittelt in the process. She crossed a line, though she's lucky." She turned back to him. "had I not gotten there, you would've killed them without mercy."

Bryce just nodded his head as he didn't want to interrupt her.

"Still, how are you doing?

"Physically, I'm fine. I didn't really get any bruises or wouds from the fight."

"Mentally?" She asked him and he didn't answer her, making her frown even more.

"I'm… I've been having small attacks…" he told her. Izumi flinched a little when she realized what she was talking about.

"Attacks… bryce… are you okay?" she asked in a worried tone.

"…." He didn't respond for awhile as he was trying to come up with the right answer for her. He let out a small sigh into her legs causing Izumi to slightly shutter when his breath reached her panties.

"I don't know." He finally answered. "These attacks are just small but each voice is more haunting than the last. Like I broken record. Fitting for someone like me, isn't it?"

"No…." she answered him as she forced him to sit up and stared into his eyes. "You were forced to kill remember… you had no control over your actions, it isn't your fault."

"But…"

"Didn't you tell me not to think about the psyche incident just a few days ago?" she asked slowly as he nodded his head. "Well, let me tell you what you told me. Stop focusing on it, the more you do the more you will lose yourself to him… I don't want to happen again…" she trailed off.

Bryce stared at her as he remembered what she was talking about. His darker side, the one that is cruel and enjoys killing, when he came out during the raid it was horrible. IT reminded him of when he couldn't save Izumi and how bad it affected them.

"Sorry." That was all he could say as he heard Izumi let out a sigh. The said brunette looked over and saw that it was 3:30 .

"Why don't we just stay in for the rest of the day? We can go pack our stuff tomorrow morning and then leave." she suggested as he nodded his head and was about to get up and leave but the brunette had other plans. She pulled him down with her onto the couch, with his head cradled in the valley of her large breasts. "That means you are not leaving my sight."

Rias groaned as she slowly opened her eyes and was met the blank ceiling.

"Welcome to the world of the living, Rias." Looking to her right she saw Sona looking at her with a blank gaze, right beside was Koneko who still had a guilty expression on her face.

"Sona…" The redhead called out as she slowly got up. She attempted to move but flinched at grabbed her stomach, still feeling the pain from Bryce' hits. "Where's Akeno and Kiba?"

"They are fine." Sona replied as she motioned her head to behind Rias as the latter turned left and saw her queen and knight. Both groaning as they woke up as well.

"Ow….that was too much."

"Rias.."

"I'm glad you both are okay." Rias said with a friendly smile before turning to her rook who instantly hid behind Sona in fear of a scolding. "Koneko… why didn't you help us when we were being attacked by Bryce? He could've killed us you know. What was troubling you? What did he do to you to force you not to fight with us?"

Koneko eyes widened as she looked at Rias in shock. Kill them? He was trying to kill them? He was only doing what he needed to do to save Mittelt, and he didn't force anything on her. She felt guilty for her own part in all of this. Not because of him.

The white haired neko mentally growled at her master and was ready to lash out at her but Sona stepped in and stopped her.

"That fault lies on you." Sona interrupted earning a confused look from the redhead.

"What?"

"Rias, forgive for being blunt but weren't you the reason he fought you guys?" Sona asked.

"Yes, but I had my reasons." Rias retorted. "He lied to us about killing all the fallen and he left one alive, and he was housing her from us. It's clear they are allied with them and tried to kill us to save the blonde. He'll regret leaving us alive."

Sona glared at her childhood friend with a cold gaze.

"Rias, you and both know that that is half true. You are right about him lying but you were in the wrong. You spied on them and then kidnapped and tortured someone they care about, fallen or not. And he wasn't going to kill you either. He came with the intent of subduing you, even though it was brutal."

"Then why didn't he kill us?" Kiba asked.

"Because Koneko asked him not too." Sona said as the said rook glazed back to the floor. "I don't know why but he listened to her."

"Koneko?" Akeno called out to her this time as she gazed at the rook with a soft expression.

"IS that true…?"

…Yes it is." Koneko interrupted earning their attention. "….I felt guilty. I know you told me to stall him, but it felt wrong. I know we're suppose to deal strays and fallen angels who come to harm humans but, it felt so wrong." She explained as she clenched her fists. "I don't know why but whenever I looked at him, I had this tight feeling in my chest that it was wrong for me to lie to him. It wouldn't go away, so… I almost told him of what we were doing."

"He knew."

"What?"

"He knew I was stalling him but… he still talked to me anyway." Koneko said as a thought came into her head. 'I have to apologize.' As soon as she did that, she left the room immediately not wanting to be in there any longer.

"My, Koneko looks troubled." Akeno called out in worry.

"It's because of you made her do, Rias." Sona answered

"What did I do?"

"Don't play dumb. Your order of her lying to Bryce is what has her down right now. She feels like she's responsible for what happened to Mittelt and blames herself for it." as she turned to the redhead once more. "

"But she was just following Buchou's orders." Kiba commented.

"And that's the problem. She's having an internal conflict right now and is wondering if she should've done things differently." Sona countered.

"Oh." The knight said as he once realized what Sona was explaining to them.

"I didn't mean to make her feel that bad, but orders are orders." Rias said, still missing the point. "She shouldn't feel guilty over something like this, those two were here to threaten and possibly like the fallen cause havoc to our territory and I was not going to let that happen.

"Rias…" Sona growled in a cold tone that made all of them stiff. "Let me make this clear, I'm really fed up with you taking everything for granted, and making it sound like your not to blame. So I will say this once more, you are not allowed to go anywhere near them."

"And why should I listen to you?" Rias fired back with her own aura rising. "You are just like me Sona, you were scouting them just as much as I was and even you knew something was off."

"Yes, but I was scouting him for a different reason, I wasn't interested in his power." She answered. That caught everyone off guard.

"You weren't?" Akeno asked.

"No, I was monitoring him for my sister." Sona answered.

"Serafall-san?" Kiba called. "What did she want with him?"

"I don't know…. She didn't tell me other then that she really needed to know about him as soon as possible. She's dealing with things on her end so she left me in charge of finding him." Sona lied. She hadn't called her sister yet, she needed to confirm something before actually calling Sera. She also wanted to keep it a surprise for her sister.

"Well, that's something."

"Yes it is." Sona sighed. "Anyway, Rias do not test me." She warned the redhead. "I'm close to just calling your brother to come deal with this, and I already know you're having problems on your plate with him."

Rias growled as she stared at Sona as the latter walked out of the room and left. Kiba and Akeno looking at her in concern.

"Buchou, maybe we should sit this one out." Kiba suggested.

"I agree." Akeno added and the redhead turned her gaze to her queen. "Rias, we already crossed a line with them and Sona is on her last nerve. I don't want you to lose her trust just because of Bryce and Izumi, there's no point holding a grudge with them."

"You're both right." She said as she sat up and moved her legs over the bed. "I'm going to head out for a bit, get some rest okay?" she suddenly told them and left the infirmary before they could say anything.

Rias took a deep breath as she calmed herself down. They were right, she shouldn't make anymore foolish mistakes that could cause her to lose her friendship with Sona but deep down for some reason, she couldn't let it go. Let go of Bryce.

The power he displayed for someone who is human was fierce. He wasn't even going all out and he took out her and her peerage minus Koneko and her bishop like they were nothing. On three sides she felt different. The first side made her feel weak, she was devil king and yet she lost to somebody who was only here for a week and had took her down without even trying, that fact hurt her pride and she needed to fight him again to regain it.

On the second side, it made her curious about him. Just like Koneko, she saw something else behind his eyes. Torment and sadness. He was hiding it so well and he was acting like he was some sort of robot or soldier waiting for its next command. Why did he have such pain behind his eyes, what story does withhold that turned him into the person he is now.

The last side was full of hope. Sona was right she was in a bind and was stuck in a forced political marriage, to a man that did not love her for her and only love her body. She hated that man with a passion, but she could not get out of the marriage. Not without tarnishing her family's legacy and endangering her peerage. She needed something, anything to help her escape her marriage. And her answer came today because of them.

"I should ask them for help, but…" she trailed off as she remembered the events from earlier. Even though she had the right reasons to justify her actions, she should not have kidnapped and tortured the young blonde. Thinking back to it, the fallen didn't even seem like she was malicious or evil. After getting a clear picture of the girl, she was able to see what she saw, it was fear.

Rias frowned as she now realized what she did. She tortured a scared little girl who was afraid of her not because of the faction but because of insecurity. Rias felt ashamed as she now saw that her actions and arrogance had blinded her from the truth. All she did was cause a reckless misunderstanding between them and now she is on thin ice with both them and Sona.

'Maybe their right.' She admitted as she leaned against the wall and clutched her left arm, rubbing it as some type of coping mechanism. 'because of my actions and behavior, I've been too prideful and arrogant to see what I was doing wrong. I tortured a scared girl, spied on two students and I'm so close to losing my trust with Sona.'

'With the pressure of my marriage, I've been on edge and have been trying to think of ways to get out of it, these things cause me to do reckless things and not think them through. I've been acting like a child and not like the young adult I am.'

Rias now realized everything that she did wrong all through her life. She needed to better herself and fix things before it was too late. Apologizing would do absolutely nothing. She knew she was risking alot but, she needed to do it.

"Actions speak louder than words." She said to herself while closing her eyes. And it was true. She could apologize to them but it would be nothing, but pretty words filled with nothing but lies and deceit. So, she would need to prove to them that she regretted her actions.

She would have to wait for a few days though, since they were off but nonetheless, she would show how remorseful she was of her actions.

Her eyes now filled with determination, Rias walked away from the infirmary and up to the clubroom where she was going to make a few changes, she would start by changing herself.

Ophis and Serafall were in the Dimensional Gap, an endless void of space and time where the former resides along with her enemy the Great Red Dragon. The latter was too busy looking around the place in confusion.

"Um, where are we?" Serafall asked as she slowly narrowed her eyes in wary, still not knowing who this woman is.

"We are in the dimensional gap," Ophis said bluntly as Serafall eyes widened in horror.

"The Dimensional Gap!?" she yelled as she remembered reading up about this place. This was where the Infinite Dragon Ophis, and the True Dragon Great Red resided in. This was also where anybody could die in an instant, if they had no magic protecting them from nothingness then they would cease to exist in a matter of seconds.

Ophis found some enjoyment in watching Serafall's face changed from horror to panic and blubbering mouth.

"Fear not," she said pausing the devil's panic state. "I chanted a spell on you so you would be able to sustain the Dimensional Gap."

"Wait what?" Sera questioned. "But how are you able to do that?"

"Because I am Ophis, The Infinite Dragon." She answered the water devil.

Serafall's body became paralyzed with shock and surprise, she was talking to one of the two legendary gods.

"O-O… Ophis?"

"Yes… but do not be afraid as I bear no ill will towards you." The dragon woman explained as she walked up to Serafall. "As one of the people my son cares about, I shall not harm you in any way."

"W-wait, wait a minute, you mean you are his adoptive mother?"

"Mother of two." Ophis said as she let out a soft smile, surprising the devil. "I grew quite fond of them over the years. At first, I felt nothing than power in them that could help me get rid of Great Red, who took away my silence." She said as the said dragon flew above them. "I wanted my home back and I took two of them in to train them and help me with my goal, at the time I didn't care for them." She admitted.

Serafall got a little angry at the fact that Ophis was using Bryce and Izumi just to get rid of Great Red. She was debating on berating the woman in front of her for treating them like that but Ophis stopped her as she continued speaking.

"But, over time… they both taught me these emotions that you humans and devils feel. Izumi was very stubborn on making sure I knew how to feel emotions, I didn't know at the time but Bryce was a shut in so she took on the responsibility. She made me watch how humans interact with one another, through family, through common society and other things. Soon, I started developing these emotions within me and I thought I was sick or something. But for some unknown reason, watching them, nurturing them as if they were my own hatchlings, it made me feel… happy in a alpha female way. Or what they call a mother." Ophis explained.

Sera eyes widened in awe as she heard the dragon admit that she had emotions. She was supposed to be a cold and ruthless dragon that had no problem hurting others or forcing them to get what she wants but she didn't see that. She was seeing a woman who was filled with joy at having children as her own not by blood but by bond.

This was truly a mark in history.

"Wow."

"Shocked?" Ophis asked.

'Shock is nothing compared to what I'm feeling right now!' Serafall thought before shaking out of her stupor and went back to talking. "Anyway, sorry for getting to the point but why did you bring me here?"

"I brought you here because what I am going to tell you next is something that will stay between us." Ophis said as her eyes changed from a human to a dragons, scaring Sera as she yelped. "I'm going to show you what my children have been through before I met them, let me warn you that some of the events that they been through are not… joyful ones."

Serafall was confused, what happened to them before they met Ophis? It couldn't have been too bad right…

"I promise I will not speak of this conversation." She said in a firm tone as Ophis nodded her head. Lighting her hand with a purple glow, she held two fingers towards Serafall's head and pressed them against the base of her skull.

Once, they were Serafall eyes closed as she felt the touch before suddenly her mind was filled with these memories of Bryce and Izumi's life. It was full of nothing but horrible things. She saw a bunch of doctors and scientists, a weird room with a ring in the middle and a bunch of weapons on the side, children drenched in blood all over the place and blood written on the walls. Then saw Bryce howling in pain as he clutched his ehad and then Izumi being injected with something before passing out. Then she was them being shocked in their cages, to Bryce being cut with numerous sharp objects and Izumi calling out to him trying to reach him before another vision played as she saw Izumi being tortured as Bryce was trying to reach her clawing his way over then. And then suddenly, there was a woman who was smiling in the background as she walked over to them with blades in her hand before raising them and thrusted them towards them—

Serafall let out a horrid scream as she clutched her head in pain as threw herself away from Ophis who was now adopting a frown on her face. The latter watched the devil girl on her knees with her hands to her mouth as endless tears flowed down her cheeks. She was sobbing as she just witnessed what was only part of what may have been a terrible reality.

"…Why…why where they….*hic*….?" Serafall hiccupped overwhelmed by the nightmare she was just witnessed. The boy she's been looking for all these years was tortured and experimented on in the worst way possible, he was there all this time.

"They're just kids…."

"I still do not understand why humans do what they did to my hatchlings, I see they it could be for curiosity or a sense of feeling joy."

"…Where is he…?" Serafall said as she looked up to Ophis with a pleading expression. "Please…. Let me see him…" Serafall didn't care how much of a crying mess she was right now, the only thing that mattered to her was finding Bryce. She needed to see him, for reassurance, for comfort. She wanted to hold him and never let go, she needed him to be in her arms so she knew that he was safe.

"Very well, right this way." Ophis noted as she opened up a portal as she walked through it with Serafall running after her.

Bryce, Izumi, Mittelt and Asia were in a hotel as each of them were on the bed. The four had packed everything from two days before and had move to a different location soon after. They didn't move far from the school, only a few more miles outside by train. They were in a hotel for the next few days until they found another place for them to live in.

All the girls were awake while Bryce was sleeping since he decided to take a nap.

"So what do you girls want for breakfast?" She asked them as Asia tilted her head in deep thought.

"Hmm," she hummed thinking for a bit before speaking. "Oh, could you make those round things that you eat syrup with?" Asia asked as Izumi raised an eyebrow.

"You mean pancakes?" She teased as the younger girl flushed with embarrassment.

"Y-yes, Izumi-nii." Asia squeaked as she pressed the tips of her index fingers togethers, making Izumi chuckle.

"Of course Asia, I'll make you some pancakes." She said while giving the blonde a side hug. She then turned to Mittelt. "Mittelt, would you like some pancakes as well?"

The said blonde turned to her with a small pout on her face. "I will, as soon as I get oni-chan up." Mittelt kept pressing his cheeks with her fingers trying to get the teenage boy awake but it didn't work, he was a heavy sleeper. "I've been trying to get him up for the past hour and he hasn't move an inch. Stupid oni-chan." She grumbled as Izumi laughed.

"Don't bother, Mittelt-chan. You can try waking him up with an air horn and that still wouldn't work." Izumi commented as she stood up. "Believe me, I tried."

"SO how do I wake him up?"

"Like this." Izumi said as she dropped to her knees right beside Bryce. She leaned down and slowly but teasingly licked his earlobe earning a look of shock from Asia and Mittelt who was blushing at the scene. Once she finished the said boy opened his eyes and groaned in annoyance as he turned his head and saw Izumi with a sweet smile on her face.

"Really, you just had to use that to wake me up?" Bryce questioned as he pointed to Mittelt and Asia. "You do realize that they are in the room right,?"

"I do, that's why I did it." Izumi said as if it wasn;t a big deal. She turned to the blonde and could immediately tell the difference between them. Asia was blushing in embarrassment as she kept stuttering and kept looking away while MIttelt was blushing with a bit of jealousy.

'He's my oni-chan!' Mittelt thought as she unconsciously grabbed Bryce's arm and held it to her chest.

"Someone's jealous~" Izumi teased as the blonde became more flustered.

"S-sh-sh-shut up!" She said as Izumi started laughing.

"Enough teasing them." Bryce said in a firm tone.

"alright, alright." Izumi wiped a tear away from her eye. "I had my fill of teasing for now, so I'm off to make breakfast." She announced.

After a few minutes, all four occupants were eating breakfast on the beds and were watching random shows on the tv, Mittelt sitting close to Bryce's and glaring at Izumi who sat on the other side of him. Asia was chuckling nervously as she watched her fellow blonde sister glaring at Izumi like she was a rival. All of them would;ve continued this until a portal suddenly opened in the middle of the room by the windows.

Izumi and Bryce turned to the portal casually while Asia yelped and hid behind Izumi as did Mittelt who held out her hand ready to summon a light spear while clutching Bryce's shirt. Soon they saw Ophis come out of the portal with a small smile on her face.

"Mother?" Both teen called out in unison.

"My hatchlings. It's nice to see you again." She commented as she gazed from them to the blondes. "Oh, I see that you have some company with you, which is good because I brought some company as well." She informed them earning looks of confusion.

Ophis gently step-aside as another figure came out of the portal, Serafall came out wearing a green blouse with a black ribbon around her neck, with a plaid skirt and black leggings and brown loafers, and her hair in pigtails. The girls looked at her in confusion while Izumi and Bryce realized who she was.

Izumi realized that this was sona's sister, one of the four maou of the underworld. Serafall Leviathan.

Bryce on the other hand, was stiff as he recognized the woman in front of him. It was faint but he could remember seeing this girl with a similar face in his head and then a ribbon that he gave her as a sign of… friendship?

Serafall brought her hands to her mouth as she gazed at Bryce. She was trying so hard not to scream right now as the person she was looking for stood right in front of her. She felt her throat become wobbly as if she was close to crying in happy tears, slowly she took shaky steps toward him and once she close enough, she raised a shaky hand towards him.

Bryce didn't know what to do, he wasn't paralyzed in fear, but he didn't know what to do or what to say. He hadn't seen this woman in so long, his memory was a bit hazy and faint since all he remembers the experiments but he can still remember her and Xenovia just a little but what did he call her?

"B-Bry….Bryce?" Serafall called out as she pressed her hand against his cheek, hiccupping at the contact of warmth.

"Sera…" he said slowly as he looked over her and then said a nickname that came out of his head when he saw a child version of him smiling at teenage version of her in a vision before it came back to his senses. he was brought out of his thought when he got suddenly glomped on as Serafall wrapped hers arms around his neck and started crying tears of joy.

"Sweet Devil! You're okay!" She yelled as she cried into his neck confusing the latter. He was frozen as if he should comfort her, even though a part of him is head told him he didn't deserve it that he should stop being a nuisance. He was going to listen to it but the more he heard Sera's cries the less he heard that voice because he found her tears more important. Finding strength, he brought his own arms up and wrapped them around her frame, pulling her in close.

The Leviathan Maou went stiff at his touch before she felt tears of joy burst from her eyes even more as she tightened her hold on him.

"Nice to see you again… nii-chan." He said unconsciously as the nickname came out of nowhere. Sera's eyes widened at the pet name he gave her and her heart was filled with joy and warmth.

'He remembers me. He was missing and tortured for so long, and he still remembers me.' She thought to herself as she moved her neck a bit to look at him and gave him a tearful smile. "It's been a while, otuoto-chan."

Ophis had a slight smile on her face as Izumi smiled brightly at them. She knew that Serafall was one of the people Bryce talked about other Xenovia that he had spent time with before her, she could see that he missed her too.

Mittelt and Asia were confused at the new arrival before them while the latter couldn't help but be happy at the scene, the former tried to think of who this girl was, she knew she saw her before somewhere.

"Hey, Izumi-nii?" Asia asked the brunette as she tugged her top.

"Who is that?"

"Oh, nothing much Asia. She's just someone that Bryce met a long time ago."

After a few more minutes of crying, Serafall finally calmed down and took a deep breath as they all decided to get acquainted with one another. Sera introduced herself to the group and revealed that she was one of the four maou in the underworld, surprising both blondes as they both immediately paled and went behind Izumi and Bryce. Serafall panicked and waved her hands saying that she wasn't here to hurt them and that she was on friendly terms, Izumi was able to coax Asia out, Mittelt was still wary as she tugged Bryce's shirt for comfort where as the latter gently placed a hand on her head.

"So, you're not going to take me away?" Mittelt asked in a small voice.

"No, while I do need to confirm and take this up with Sirzechs, I can take your word for it. Plus with everything you just told me that has happened since you guys got here, with Sona and Rias and the fallen, you don't have anything to worry about." Sera answered her. "I'm also glad Sona-tan, hasn't given you any trouble as of lately."

"She's been a real help since we came here." Izumi complimented as she inwardly thought about Rias. 'I wish I could say the same for that redhead brat.'

"Now that we're all acquainted with each other," Ophis interrupted them as she was sitting on her knees on the bed. "Could you two explain to me why you were not at your designated home?" she asked.

Izumi let out a small nervous laugh as she completely forgot to tell her about the other situation.

"We moved out because we didn't Rias or her friends' herself to come and find us again. I already threatened her that I would kill her if she tried to kidnap my family again, and I could care less if Sirzechs has a problem with it."

"Now now, let's no go around and start threatening little sisters Bryce." Serafall called out to him. "I just found you and the last thing I want is for Sirzechs to go on a rampage and kill you for killing his sister."

Bryce said nothing as he turned his head away from her.

"Anyway, I feel like we should have a girls day out." Izumi shouted trying drawing away the tension in the air.

"Huh!?" Asia, Mittelt and Serafall yelled as Ophis raised an eyebrow while Bryce knew where she was going with this.

"Oh that's a perfect idea, Izumi-chan!" Sera nodded her head in excitement. "We can get to know each other even more, and we could play some games, I'll even show you an exclusive of my character Magical Levi-tan!" She pumped her fist into the air earning a nervous chuckle from Mittelt and Asia.

Izumi turned her head to Bryce. "Although, what are you going to do Bryce? I mean you can come with us but you'll just be our… well…" Izumi trailed off as she tried to find the right words to say.

"I-I don't mind if oni-chan is with us." Mittelt voted as she turned her head away with a blush on her cheeks.

"Um… Mittelt-chan, I don't think Bryce can come with us." Asia guessed.

"It's okay, you girls go on and enjoy your fun day." Bryce said as he patted Mittelt on the head making her blush. "I'm going to stay behind and keep scouting for a new house, hopefully I can find one by the time you get back."

"Mother, would you like to come with us?" Izumi asked the mature dragon goddess who gave her a frown.

"…I would love too but I have other matters to attend very soon." Ophis told her as Izumi just nodded her head.

"Yeah, I get it you are a busy woman. But maybe one day you'll have time to relax with us?" Izumi asked.

"I shall."

"Sweet then, I guess we're all going out." Izumi said as Asia and Mittelt nodded their heads before brunette led them to the bathroom and shut the door. Minutes later, all three of them came out in different clothes. Izumi was wearing a short sleeve t-shirt and long plants with sneakers, Asia was wearing a blouse with a gray skirt and Mittelt was wearing a short sleeve hoodie with black pants and a bow wrapped around her neck.

"Alright, is everyone one ready to go?" Sera asked them.

"Hai!" Asia, MIttelt and Izumi voiced as Serafall smiled before turning to Bryce.

"You sure you'll be okay on your own?" she asked in a worried tone as the boy just nodded his head.

"Like I said, I'm not really going anywhere other than staying here so yep I'll be fine."

"Actually, I would like to have a word with you my hatchling." Ophis suddenly spoke causing Bryce to raise an eyebrow. Before he could say anything the girls said their byes as they left the room leaving the mother and son by themselves. As soon as the door was closed Bryce's gaze became serious.

"What did you tell her?"

Ophis' expression remained neutral as she spoke to her son. "I only showed her what you and Izumi have been through before I found you both, nothing more." Ophis informed.

"You… didn't show her about my other half?" he asked cautiously as the mother gave him a soft expression.

"I believe that is something you can tell her when you are ready. That secret is yours and yours alone." Ophis stated. Bryce let a small sigh as he brought a hand to his forehead.

"Still, I can't believe it. For almost a decade later, I see Serafall again and yet, she doesn't see me as a monster." He said but he didn't add the unspoken word 'yet'. He remained silent as Ophis suddenly wrapped her arms around him and brought his head to her chest, softly stroking his hair.

"No matter what you are, you will always be my hatchling. You and Izumi both, no matter what you become, I will forever stand with you against the world if I must."

"Mom…" He called out as his mother just tightened her hold on him, feeling nothing but warmth and love.

"You don't need to reconnect with her so fast, you both are entirely different people. It takes time for one to adjust, and i know you never liked change. Even though you adapt to it quickly, I know you never liked change and you're afraid to embrace it." Ophis explained.

"Yeah… can you stay with me please…." He whispered to her before slowly wrapping his arms around her. "I don't want to be alone right now." Ophis softly smiled as she realized that he wasn't acting, and he was being himself. Not acting strong in front of Izumi or Serafall, right now to her after the revelation of Serafall, meeting Asia and Mittelt and the problems with the redhead, it was all coming to him and he needed time to process.

"Of course my child." Ophis laid down with him as she kept him in her arms close.

Bryce woke up an hour later as he softly groaned and opened his eyes, his gaze meeting the white fabric of a pillow. He sat up and looked around and saw that he was still alone, meaning that Ophis had left some time after he fell asleep and the girls were still out on their day.

Letting out a small yawn, Eco got up over and looked down, seeing himself still wearing his shorts and gray t-shirt. He decided to change clothes so that when girls came back he could go and get dinner for them or he could call them…

No, he just wait till they get back.

*knock *knock*

Bryce raised an eyebrow as he heard someone knock on the door, who could it be.

'it might be room service, or the cleaning people that usually fix the rooms. However, I was pretty sure I put the 'Do Not Disturb' tag in as soon as we got here.' He thought to himself. Not dwelling on the matter, he decided to get up and answer the door but what he didn't know is that as soon as he opened it, he was in for a surprise.

Grabbing the knob, he opened the door and gazed at the person in front of him, only for his eyes to widen in shock as he saw a familiar person in front of him.

"Um… hi Bryce…." Rias introduced herself as she rubbed her arm with her left hand.

"Rias…." He said as he gazed at the redhead in front of him. The same redhead that had threatened them, kidnap and tortured Mittelt and knocked out Asia. What in the Hell is she doing here, and how did she even find him!?

"Um…" He was brought out of his thoughts as he saw Rias give him a nervous expression while tearing her eyes away from him.

"Is it okay, if I come in…?" she asked in a soft tone.

There was silence in the air as the boy just stared at the girl blankly while the redhead was getting more nervous and felt the situation becoming awkward, seeing as how she tried to kill him over the last few days.

He could only think of one thing to sum up everything that had happen in the last few hours.

'Unbelievable.'