Hey everyone and get ready for this chapter. We've now started the first chapter of the Phenex Arc, I really can't wait to write this one. The interactions between Shirou and Raiser will be something you won't want to miss. And the fights will be just as good. Hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit fan-based parody, Highschool DxD, Highschool DxD New, Highschool DxD Born, Highschool DxD EX, and Highschool DxD Hero are all owned by Funimation, Fushimi Shobo, TNK, Passione, and Ichiei Ishibumi. Please support the official release.
"Shirou" Regular speech.
"Shirou" Thoughts.
DRAGON SHOT Attack names.
(Shirou) Words said previously.
"SHIROU!" Shouting speech.
[Ddraig] Dragon talking.
Peace Disturbed And Coming Trouble
"Come catch me, Big Bro!"
He smiled.
Both himself and his younger self in the memory being spoken to.
It was one of their rare outings as a family. They could have gone anywhere, but they always chose the same spot down by the river. The atmosphere was so serene.
Mom and Dad sat on the grassy hill, a blanket spread out for them to sit on as they watched their two children fondly. His Father had always been the more serious of the two. Even as he watched his children play his smile was nervous like he was imagining the countless worst-case scenarios of how his children could injure themselves, preparing to jump at the moment things got bad.
As for his Mother, well…
"Come on Shirou, don't tease your Sister like that~" The woman teased. "If you wanted, you could have caught her whenever you wanted~"
She was always so beautiful. She had Silver hair like Shirou, but her's wasn't wild and spiky rather it was smooth and always flowing with some sort of majesty. Despite getting most of his appearance from his Mother, like her hair and blue eyes, he had his Father's face.
"I'm not teasing her!" The younger "Shirou" argued, denying her words. "I'm just making this more fun, if I just catch her now the game would end too quickly!"
"Yeah, but this time I won't let Big Bro catch me~!" The younger "Mika" joined in, the bunny ears of her jacket's hood falling behind her head. She always preferred skirts to shorts. She said it made her look more feminine. She had the same appearance as her Mother, looking like a smaller version of her, though she had her Father's black hair.
"Shirou" then catches "Mika" and held her up. After their game was over they returned to their parents.
"I knew I'd get her." "Shirou" said pleased.
"It was a dumb game anyway." "Mika" pouted while looking adorable with her small form.
"I'm a man, I need to be fast and strong, that's my job." "Shirou" declared. "Right Dad?"
"That's right." His Father agreed, a mischievous grin breaking his previous nervous tension.
"Pffft! Men and their muscles." The Mother scoffed.
"Coming from the woman who beat me when we first meet."
"Shirou" gasped. "Mom, is that true?"
"Nooooo." The Silver-haired woman denied it. She turned her eyes and tried to avoid eye contact while having a guilty look on her face and judging from everyone's stares, she wasn't fooling anyone. "…It was just a small tap."
"Oh, don't be so modest." Shirou's Father said, poking his wife on the cheek. "You decked me with a strong punch on our first meeting! Knocked me right into the wall! Heh, made my head spin, your Mother looks like a princess, but she hits like a weight-lifting tomboy."
"Shaddup!" Shirou's Mother puffed her deeply-blushing cheeks, shoving his Father. Shirou's Father was doing his best not to break out laughing.
"I think Mom's pretty, even if she is a tomboy." The little Mika said, running up to her parents and tackling/embracing her Mother.
"I am not a tomboy!" The woman cried. Her embarrassed face was so adorable.
It was too much.
[Pfffthahahahaha]
Both Mika and her Father burst into laughter, and Shirou's Mother's eyes welled up with tears.
"You're all just a bunch of jerks! Auuuuuuu!"
Shirou didn't laugh and patted his Mother's shoulder to comfort her. "It's okay Mom, you're not a tomboy, you're a beautiful woman who's also really strong."
His Mother's eyes sparkled. "Oh, Shirou… Auuuuuu!" She lashed out her arms with inhuman speed, wrapping them around her child and embracing him tightly. "You always know what to say, that's what I love about you! You have my kind heart!"
"Yeah, but he has my dashing good looks." Shirou's Father inserted, patting "Shirou" on the head.
"I dunno, he seems kinda plain looking to me." "Mika" teased.
"Ah shaddup, I'm a Silver-tongued fox and you know it!"
They were blissful days long past, the days he spent with his little Sister Mika, his Mother Mikoto Tsukiharu, and his Father Hideki Tsukiharu. Those days felt so close as though they were only yesterday, as if everything afterward, the next nine years, had just been a dream.
"But that wasn't the case…" Shirou thought to himself, looking sadly at his younger counterpart. "Those halcyon days were just the calm before the storm and before I knew it I lost everything." Shirou clenched his fists. "Everything was taken from me."
[Are you dissatisfied? I would have thought you would enjoy seeing such a fond memory.]
Shirou blinked, looking around to find the source of that unfamiliar voice.
The area surrounding him slowly began to fill with smoke, the scenery burning away like a photograph thrown into a fireplace.
Fireplace…
That seemed to be a fairly apt description for the void Shirou found himself in.
The flames seemed to originate below Shirou's feet, something like seven meteors from his heels, and the fire's tongue seemed to stretch endlessly into the air above him.
"What is this, how'd I get here?" Shirou kept his cool and tried to figure this out. That was when Shirou noticed he was speaking with his own voice, with his own physical mouth. Somehow, he had gone from viewing a dream to physically being here… The question still remained, where was here. "Who's out there?! Show yourself!"
He could only barely make out an inhuman silhouette.
[Why ask a question you already know the answer to? Do you truly not realize it?]
The flames receded slightly, revealing more details regarding the appearance of the creature. It has big eyes. The color of its eyes is red, like blood. A jaw that comes up to its ears, with lots of sharp fangs growing out of it. There is a thick horn lining upon its forehead, and the scales that cover its body are red like magma. It has thick arms and legs like those of a gigantic tree. The claws look very sharp and terrifying. More than that, its pair of wings that are spread out make this giant monster look even bigger.
"The fact that I had to ask should answer that." Shirou quipped. "Now answer me, don't make me repeat myself."
The beast actually seemed stunned and subsequently amused by Shirou's disrespectful yet gutsy response.
[How very prideful of you, though I cannot discern whether it's from bravery or stupidity. Only a brave man or a fool would speak to a creature as fierce as a Dragon with such disrespect. It seems this time around I have a very interesting partner… Even King Arthur felt a fair amount of dread when I stood before him in his youth.]
"You're that surprised I'm not afraid?" Shirou asked glaring. "Fearing someone just means you don't believe you can beat them, I don't give a damn if you're a Dragon, or if some wannabe King got weak-kneed in front of you. Shirou-Sama fears no one."
This time the Dragon seemed a bit impressed by his defiance.
[Hmph… Interesting indeed.]
"What?"
[I can't remember someone showing such confidence in themselves when standing against me in quite some time. Though some may think of it as just arrogance, still it is unexpected.]
"Think nothing of it. You'll find that when you're with me, things going how you expected them to almost never happens. Besides, it might be normal for everyone to get tongue-tied and scared shitless when they see a Dragon, but honestly, I had a feeling I'd see one of you before long. Oh and something else." Shirou then spreads out his Devil Wings and flies upwards, then stops a few feet above the Dragon's head. "I can't stand it when others look down on me, we'll keep talking like this." He said that like it was an order.
[You talk big for someone who struggled against mere Humans and low-ranked Fallen Angels]
"And you talk big for someone who doesn't even have his own body anymore." Shirou retorted surprising the Dragon once again. "That's right I know who you are. You live inside my Sacred Gear. The Red Dragon Emperor, or at least you were until you were sealed inside a weapon."
[Your Sacred Gear is a powerful weapon, but one that no one in history has fully mastered. But despite already awakening it you hardly used it in that last battle.]
"Probably because I didn't need to. You say I struggled but we both know the facts, I thrashed those assholes and I did on my own. Even if I did Boost a few times anyone with eyes could see I could have got the exact same results without Boosting. And that's 'cause I'm strong enough to not depend on it." Shirou then shrugged. "If you're trying to say that no one else could master this thing, then that just means they were losers who were weakling without Boosting dozens of times."
[Your pride seems to know no bounds, though I will grant you there is some truth in your words.]
"Heh, you'll find I know what I'm talking about when it comes to power, Dragon." Shirou then sends him a smirk. "Or should I call you your real name—Spirit of the Boosted Gear, Welsh Dragon, Y Ddraig Goch?"
To the Dragon, Ddraig's credit, he hid his reaction much better. If he had expected things to go differently from how they currently were, he hid it well.
[This is the first time you've heard my voice, yet you a newborn Devil who only recently became aware of your own powers was able to discern my true name, I'm curious as to how.]
"It actually wasn't as hard as you'd think. And really you kind of dropped a hint yourself. The rest I figured out from a bit of research and some of what I picked up from Rias." Shirou explained.
[And how is that?]
Ddraig asked in a way that would suggest he didn't care, but in truth, he was testing Shirou to see how much information he truly possessed.
"Well, first of all, you appeared before me during a dream I was having and after the dream ended I'm suddenly in some flaming void with a giant talking Dragon. That was obvious considering Rias said the Sacred Gear was possessed by the spirit of a Dragon, and here you are." Shirou pointed out. "Also Rias called you the spirit of the Welsh Dragon, that name sounded familiar to me so I looked it up, and turns out the flag in the place in England called Wales has a Dragon on it, and what would you know it was also a Red Dragon, not just that but the battle standard for King Arthur had one too. After that, I was convinced but the fact that you brought up King Arthur pretty much confirmed it. You are the Welsh Dragon, Y Ddraig Goch."
For what felt like the longest time, Ddraig remained silent.
The world around Shirou began to tremble, filled with a throaty roar.
It was due to the mirth showing on Ddraig's face that Shirou realized the Red Dragon was laughing.
[It's been a long time since one of my partners actually figured it out on the first try! Your deductive reasoning has genuinely impressed me. It seems you were telling the truth when you said you always act outside the expectations of others!]
Shirou titled his head slightly. "You thought I wasn't being serious? I'll admit I'm not known for my honesty, but I never lie when it comes to myself."
[I must admit: At first I just considered you to be a naïve youth, but you might be one of my more capable partners, You remind me quite a lot of Belzard.]
Shirou raised an eyebrow. "Is that a compliment?"
[It is, one of the highest ones I can give to most people.]
Shirou shrugged. "Then I'll take it, don't really know who "Belzard" is, but if even someone like you hypes him up then he must be big."
[Just remember these words, as the Red Dragon Emperor your life from hereon will be filled with nothing but battle and your strength will only attract stronger opponents as you grow. If you so desire it my power is yours to command and in exchange, you must grow into a warrior far stronger than your current self.]
Before Shirou could respond to Ddraig's words, the world around him started to fade.
[Until our next meeting, Partner.]
Then he woke up.
"Uuuhhhh…"
Shirou then wakes up to see a pair of lips inching closer to him before he could fully open his eyes he finds himself being kissed, upon closer inspection he sees that the one responsible is none other than his younger Sister Mika, who is currently lying next to him on his bed. How long she's been there or why she chose this specific moment to plant a kiss on him, he'll never know.
Mika then pulls away and smiles upon seeing her Brother is now awake. "Good morning, Big Bro."
Shirou wasn't quite sure what to say at the sight of his little Sister just centimeters away from him. Her face was a tantalizing distance from his own. And the fact that he just unwantedly shared a kiss with her, without his consent.
"Mika…"
"Yes."
"Whhhyyyyyy!"
"Why what dear Brother?" Mika asked feigning ignorance. "Has something upset you?"
Shirou took a deep breath before asking his next question. "Where do I begin, how about why are you in my bed? And why did you kiss me? Or maybe even, why did you wait for me to wake up before you kissed me?"
Mika grinned. "Well obviously because I wanted to sleep next to you and as for the others, for the record, I considered kissing you in your sleep but then you wouldn't feel it, so I decide it would be better to kiss you good morning when you wake up."
Shirou groaned. He honestly didn't know what he thought was worse, the fact that she just openly admitted it or the fact that she said it so casually like it was no big deal.
"You didn't answer my question, why did you want to kiss me in the first place?"
"Well because now that we're both Devils, this is legal and I don't have to hold back." Mika clarified.
"Damn it, Rias!" Shirou cursed Rias for giving his Sister that information. Shirou tried to process the most effective way to explain to his Sister all the things wrong with her this morning. He rubbed his temples, trying to cope with the new migraine piled on top of the previous one. Somehow he felt more tired than when he went to sleep.
(How very prideful of you, though I cannot discern whether it's from bravery or stupidity.)
Ddraig's booming voice seemed to ring in Shirou's ears…
(As the Red Dragon Emperor your life from hereon will be filled with nothing but battle and your strength will only attract stronger opponents as you grow. If you so desire it my power is yours to command and in exchange, you must grow into a warrior far stronger than your current self.)
Shirou didn't know why, but for some reason, he felt those words were a warning of trouble that was fast approaching. He managed to avoid scowling or showing his displeasure, but something must have tipped Mika off for her lewd smile to fade from her face.
"What's wrong?" She didn't ask 'Is something wrong?' or 'Why are you troubled?' She just asked what it was. She knew.
That was something about Mika; no matter how hard Shirou tried, he could almost never hide how he was truly feeling from her. The same could be said vice-versa at times. A result of the years they spent together.
Shirou sighed. "It's nothing, alright nothing you need to concern yourself with. Just… Some weird dream, that's all."
"It's clearly not "nothing" or it wouldn't be bothering you." Mika responded. "What was your dream about?"
"I already told you it doesn't concern you." He argued. "Besides it was just a dream, it was probably nothing anyway."
"But was it "just a dream" or was it something else?" Mika moved in closer, examining Shirou's face more thoroughly. "I can tell when you're lying."
"Look I'm telling you, don't worry about it." Shirou reassured her, trying to back away only to find himself flat against the wall.
"You're lying!" Mika accused coming closer. She wrapped her arms around his neck preventing him from escaping.
"Okay, you're ah, you're getting kind of close there." Shirou noted uncomfortably as Mika embraced him, in a way where he could shake her off. "Look I don't know what you want me to say, but you're overreacting on this."
"You're lying," Mika repeated once again. Leaning closer hugging her Brother, pressing her breast against his upper body and brushing her lower body against his lower body.
Shirou wanted to remove her from him, but he couldn't think of a way to do so that didn't involve hurting her in some way.
"Tell me the truth."
"Damn it, Mika, why is this important to you?" Shirou asked genuinely curious about the reason. Mika was acting usually stubborn about all this, and he wanted to know why.
"Because something's bothering you and I want to know what it is. Don't you know I hate it when you keep things from me?"
"…"
Shirou wanted to tell her it didn't concern her again, but the sad look on her face made him hesitate.
"It's been over a month since I became a Devil and in all that time you've been acting like nothing's changed." Mika continued.
Shirou raised a brow. "Well, what's wrong with that? Why would I act any different?"
"Because I wanted us to be closer," She answered. "After I became a Devil I thought I'd become a little closer to you and yet I feel like I haven't made any progress. And here I am trying to fix that by sleeping next to you and all you do is lie to me when I know something's wrong."
Shirou looked away. "…Oh." Shirou honestly didn't know what to say. He didn't realize she felt this way.
"I'm starting to feel like you're getting further away."
"Hey, that's not true." Shirou told his Sister honestly in a caring tone while looking her in the eye. "I know you don't like it when I'm not honest with you, I hate doing it too. But, it's just that right now, there are a lot of things weighing on my mind. If I'm being real here, I don't even know what I'm gonna do right now so I didn't want to bring it up. But it's not because I didn't want to tell you."
Mika looked up at him. "So, it's something you're still figuring out?"
Shirou nodded. "Yeah."
Mika sighed. "…What am I doing? Here you are with something bothering you and I'm just making it worse by trying to pry. I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Shirou shook his head. "I know you're just worried, but that doesn't bother me, besides you just wanted the truth."
"Um-hmm." Mika then lessened the tightness of her embrace so she could look at his face to face. "So what were you dreaming about?"
Shirou's smile soon faded and in its place was an upset frown, his bangs then covered his eyes. "I dreamt about when we were kids, down by the old river… With Mom and Dad."
Shirou spoke in a quiet tone and it seemed like he struggled to say the last parts.
Mika looked down. "…I-I see."
Mika could only respond with those words, unable to continue on with her questioning, part of her wished she didn't ask. For the two siblings, bringing up the subject of their parents was like stepping on a landmine, because they both know what was beyond the happiness they had back in those days, what the result was, and what happened afterward were times they wished they didn't have to remember.
They both just lay there, now in complete silence, wishing something would come and break the tension that has built up.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhh!"
Thankfully for them, their wish was granted, after hearing a convenient squeal of shock that pierced through the air at that moment.
Of course with that, Shirou noticed he was still embracing his little Sister in a way that looked intimate to a third party and now had to try to explain the situation to the (understandably) horrified Asia Argento wearing her student uniform, standing in at the doorway of Shirou's bedroom.
Mika clicked her tongue in displeasure before turning to Asia. "So close… I was sure I could go even further with Big Bro this time, you interrupted me, Asia."
Asia covered her mouth, her eyes the size of dinner plates. "I never took you for doing something so-so—!"
"Ah hell no!" Shirou immediately cut her off. "Don't even try it, we didn't even come close to doing that!"
"But we will soon enough, come back after a few minutes Asia." Mika advised. "It's bad manners to watch y'know."
All the tension from before had completely vanished, for better or worse.
"To fall into such depravity…" Asia mourned. "…It is my fault."
"I told you I-wait what did you say?"
"If it is that important to you." Asia said, tears welling up in her eyes as she reached for the hem of her skirt, pulled it down to her ankles, and stepped out of it. "Then please take me instead!"
"Wha?" Shirou titled his head slightly.
"Huh?" Even Mika didn't know what to say.
"I let Shirou-san fall into depravity because I didn't keep my eyes on him." Asia cried, immediately removing her vest and student T-shirt, now standing with her pure white undergarments on complete display. "I won't let you commit such a taboo any longer! If an outlet for your unholy acts is important, then please use me instead!" Asia then moved to unhook her bra. Then placing a thumb in her panties and pulls them down her legs and steps out of them.
Shirou and Mika just stared confused, then turned to face each other at the same time.
"Anything?"
"Don't look at me, I played practically every H-game there is and even I've never seen a situation as random as this." Mika confessed.
"What?! How is that even possible?" Shirou questioned.
Mika shrugged. "I guess Asia is a new type of Dere."
Asia then appeared at Shirou's other side, laying with him on the bed now completely Naked, she took a hold of Shirou's hand and placed it on her breast. "Please let out your desires on me!"
"Wait would you just listen for a second Asia!" Shirou responded pulling his arm away.
Mika placed a hand on her cheek. "Huh, guess the carpet does match the drapes, you should shave down there." Mika said pointing to Asia's forbidden flower. "Most guys prefer it bare." Mika said, in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Is that true?"
"Shut it! And you too!" Shirou yelled pointing at Mika first and then Asia.
It would be a long time before the situation calmed down.
It all amounted to a normal, chaotic morning in the Tsukiharu household…
"So just to make it clear, Asia." Shirou said like he was instructing. "We will never discuss anything about what happened in there to anyone ever. Understand?"
"Yes, Shirou-san…"
"And just for the record, as I said before, nothing even close to what you assumed happened."
"I understand."
"And when you see something you don't at first understand, in the future hear the explanation before you jump to the wrong conclusion and make an ass of yourself."
"I understand." Asia had her head down and started to blush.
"And I really don't want you stripping Naked out of nowhere in my room again, 'cause I've already had enough of Rias doing that and I'd prefer—"
"I understand, Shirou-san!" Asia squealed, her face scarlet red.
Both she and Shirou were now dressed in their student uniforms, strolling on the side of the street heading towards their destination: Kuoh Academy.
After the chaotic morning, Shirou had been more than tempted to just go back to sleep. But he knew Asia would just get on his case on how 'it wasn't proper for a student to brazenly skip school so frequently'. And he didn't think she was ready to be on her own in that School of perverts and assholes. Besides he had the strange feeling that going to sleep so soon could lead to him dreaming again about something he didn't want to see.
He'll sleep during class.
"Hey, guys!" Ren greeted.
Appearing on Shirou's right side is his friend among a short number, Ren Todo. Ren is also wearing his student uniform. Both Asia and Shirou turn to see the sudden appearance of the cheerful youth.
"Oh hey Ren, where'd you come from?" Shirou greeted.
"Actually I just walked up behind you." Ren informed amused. "As you know, I'm good at sneaking around."
Shirou yawned. "Great."
Ren then noticed the tired look on Shirou's face. "Everything okay? You look like you didn't sleep."
"I slept fine, for the most part." Shirou whispered that last part. "I just had a busy morning after waking up."
"Why what happened?" Ren thought for a moment before asking the obvious. "Mika?"
"Surprising enough, no." Shirou answered.
Ren then wondered what else it could have been, but then notices the scarlet red blush on Asia's face. Ren then looks from Shirou to Asia to Shirou to Asia.
"I get the feeling it was something taken out of context."
"Yep."
"And you had to deal with unnecessary problems born from a misunderstanding?"
"Basically."
"And you'd both prefer not to talk about it, so I should not bring it up."
Shirou then turns to face Ren. "That's why I like hanging out with you more than others Ren, you get the picture quick enough that I don't have to explain it."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "Really, I thought it was I'm the only one who will share a drink with you?"
Shirou stared for a moment, before looking back forward. "…Well, that too."
"Speaking of which." Ren then takes out a small flask. "I got some vodka in here, wanna share it during lunch?"
Before Shirou could answer, Asia spoke up. "You can't!"
They both look at her. "What? Why not?"
"Shirou-san, you shouldn't drink that stuff."
Shirou shrugged. "Sure I should, it's kind of my thing if you hadn't noticed."
Asia shook her head. "No, but you shouldn't, you're underaged."
"When has that ever stopped me from anything, ever?" Shirou asked her.
Asia thought about that and realized being underaged literally meant nothing to him. "But still, it's bad for you and it's even worse in the morning."
"Oh come on, remember alcohol is the 'Devil's nectar'."
"He's right, you know." Ren added.
Asia wasn't going to give up on this.
"B-But remember, you gave your word to Chief Rias that you wouldn't smoke or drink on campus." She reminded him.
Shirou stopped and remembered for a moment. "Huh, oh yeah I did, didn't I. Crap." Shirou sighed and turned to Ren. "Sorry man, but a promise a promise,"
Ren shrugged. "Hey, that's life sometimes."
Asia smiled, feeling relief as she believed she was able to convince Shirou to stop his drinking habit. This is why she was surprised when she saw Shirou still taking the flask.
"Why are you—"
"Hey, I said I wouldn't drink on campus, so we'll drink this after school, off-campus." Shirou grinned.
"That's also life sometimes, technically not breaking your word." Ren grinned.
Asia then puffed her cheeks fully irritated at the fact that they only pretend to stop, when instead just decided to use a loophole. Asia wasn't happy that Shirou didn't heed her concerns at all, and tried to reach out and pinch his cheek hard, however, Shirou catches her hand before she can.
"This is your last warning about that." Shirou informed.
Shirou released her hand. And the three of them continued their match to school, though Asia still pouted.
Everything was finally back to normal.
Shirou was no longer in a turf war with the Fallen Angels, The town was no longer a danger zone for the supernatural and both he and Asia were no longer being hunted. Peace had finally returned to Kuoh Town.
Everything was just so normal…
Shirou had forgotten just how utterly boring normal was.
He sat in his seat of his…
What class was this again?
He couldn't quite recall. He only vaguely remembered arriving on campus and remembered less about walking to his class or subsequent classes. He just walked in and laid his head down on his desk, deciding now was a good time for sleep. When the bell rang, he would get up, walk to his next class, take a seat and lay his head down again.
He was reasonably sure he was in the right classes, the main reason being that in each class, he saw both Asia and Ren.
RINGRINGRINGRINGRING
When the final bell rang Shirou looked up from his desk, shook off the drowsiness he felt, and looked at his surroundings.
Everyone stood up from their seats, some marching out into the hall while others were still loitering around.
Shirou reached his arms out, leaned back into his chair, and stared off into the ceiling.
"It's been over a month now since all that fighting, ever since everything's just been so quiet." Shirou thought to himself. "For the most part things seem okay, but with what that Dragon, Ddraig told me, I just can't help but feel that something bad is coming." In the midst of his internal monologue, his eyes began to wander across the classroom, turning his attention to the blonde-haired girl closer to the front of the classroom. Chatting away freely with two other females classmates. Shirou felt a bit better after seeing that. "Well, on the plus side, at least she's fitting in."
"It's good to see you, Shirou-san." He immediately looked to where the voice came from, noticing Asia had turned his way. She stood up from her seat, said a quick apology to her friends, and rushed over to Shirou's desk. "Did you enjoy the class?"
Shirou just looked at her as if she hadn't been paying attention at all if it were someone else he'd wonder if they were joking, but he knew Asia was too socially incapable to even do a wisecrack. "If you mean did I enjoy sleeping through class, then yeah just a little."
Asia then titled her head a bit, indicating that she didn't get his sarcasm.
Shirou sighed and decided to change the subject. "Never mind, anyway I told you, you don't have to keep greeting me like that. We live together and yet you still talk to me in that stupid formal tone."
Asia then smiled, looking cheerful and tapping herself on the head. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to it is all. Everything has changed so much, so I'm still trying to figure out how to act normally around friends."
"You're still not getting it. It's not something you have to try. Just do what comes naturally, like you do at home.
"S-Sorry." Asia apologized nervously.
The will and stubbornness that Asia had shown during and after the debacle with Raynare's group had all but disappeared, reverting Asia back into her normal, pushover self.
Shirou pinched the bridge of his nose. "And stop apologizing all the time already. I swear the way I have to explain every little detail to you about practically everything really stresses me out."
"Heh, but we all know what's good at dealing with stress."
"Huh?" Both Shirou and Asia look to see who had just entered their conversation. It was a braided brunette-haired, female pervert they both knew as Aika Kiryuu who appeared at Shirou's desk standing beside Asia. Asia jumped in surprise, not noticing Aika's presence until just now.
"A-Aika-san?"
"Morning Aika." Shirou greeted.
"It's afternoon Shirou." She then sent a grin toward Asia. "What happened Asia? You keep him up all night?"
Asia then became a blushing stuttering mess. "Ah, Eh? No of course not, I would never disturb Shirou-san!"
"False information, you were pretty disturbing this morning." Shirou noted.
Aika then turned to Asia while flailing her hands. "Ah um, I already apologized for that!"
Aika then narrowed her eyes and had a really perverted smile. "Ooohhhh! So what happened this morning?" Aika then leaned in closer to Asia. "Did you help him with some early morning relief?"
Asia's face was then completely red as she couldn't handle it anymore. "I-I um, I have to go to the clubroom!" She then quickly rushed out.
Now the two of them were alone. Shirou just stares at Aika. "Was that really necessary?"
"Oh come on, of course, it was. You know what I'm about." Aika said still smiling.
Shirou then gets up from his seat. "Well regardless, thanks for being her friend."
Aika shook her head. "You don't need to thank me, I like hanging out with her. And it's always fun seeing her reactions."
Shirou shrugged. "Well, have fun with that, just don't break her."
Aika then grinned. "Sure thing, after all, you want to "break her in first" right?"
Shirou just turned to leave. "That'll do girl, that'll do."
Yep, everything was back to normal.
"Everything okay, Shirou?" Rias asked.
"Huh?"
The day had gone by surprisingly fast.
Before Shirou knew it, he had found himself in the Occult Research Club's meeting room, resting on the couch with a bored look on his face.
"Why wouldn't everything be okay?" Shirou asked, leaning back into his seat.
"Because you like something's bothering you?" Asia pointed out, making a note of Shirou's facial expression.
"I'm just bored right now, okay." Shirou responded not feeling like starting a conversation on the matter, he had just finished yet another contract and after returning he was just sitting there, waiting to leave. "Is it so surprising to you people?"
"It's not that, Shirou-kun." Kiba assured him. "It's just lately you've always been bored whenever we have meetings and normally most Devils would be happier after a successful contract like you did."
Shirou just looked at him with half-lidded eyes. "First of all: You wouldn't be happy either if you saw the freak that summoned me. And secondly: I'm bored because there's nothing to do, all I ever do here is work, I get summoned by weirdos, I've got no one to fight with and I still don't know what's behind that weird spooky door that's on the first floor."
"I told you not to ask about that first-floor door." Rias said curtly.
"No, you didn't." Shirou argued. "This is the first time I've ever brought it up."
"Well, I meant to."
"Whatever."
Mika looked up from her handheld gaming system. "Why don't you just fight Saito?"
Shirou thought about her suggestion. As for why Mika was there at all, apparently after becoming Rias' Rook, Mika was obligated to attend a meeting involving the Occult Research Club along with having to become an unofficial member. Though she could only come during after School hours, or on days the school was empty, considering the fact that she wasn't a High School student.
"I would if that were an option." He replied.
"Why isn't it?"
"That's the weird thing actually. I haven't seen Saito all month." Shirou admitted. "I'm sure he's probably still going to school, but we have different classes so I haven't seen him there. But I haven't seen him once outside of school, or on days off. Not even in the usual spots and I've been in a few fights this month yet none of the other delinquents have seen him either."
This information was a little surprising for the rest of the club as well. From what they knew, Saito was something of Shirou's rival, and he was almost as much of a delinquent as Shirou. The fact that he would just quiet down suddenly seemed a little sketchy.
"Maybe he decided he didn't want to be a delinquent anymore." Akeno suggested.
Shirou had a look of doubt her way. "Somehow, I seriously doubt that."
Rias decided to change the topic. "Anyway there is something going on today and the agenda for tonight is pretty straightforward. Tonight, we're going to have Asia take her first solo contract."
Shirou's expression didn't change. "Wow, that's so exciting, look at me leap in excitement."
"We can do without the sarcasm." Rias crossed her arms. "Besides this is something good for her, if she succeeds, Asia will be able to start taking clients."
Shirou sighed. "Well good luck with that. Just hope that she doesn't get as many freaks as I do."
"Oh come now," Rias smiled. "Not all your clients are that bad."
"Oh yeah, then explain last week where we saw those freaks in armor." Shirou argued. "The fact that you can say they weren't freaks with a straight face is what I don't get."
Mika turned to Asia, clearly not knowing the event they were describing. ".….Explanation?"
"Oh, a little while ago Chief Rias and Shirou-san took me to see what forming a pact is like and we meet a girl who was fully dressed in samurai armor. In fact, even her face was covered so we couldn't see anything beneath her armor." Asia explained.
Mika blinked. "Okay… What did she want?"
"She left her notebook at school and needed help getting it because she was too afraid to go by herself at night." Rias answered.
"What? Then what the hell's the armor for?"
"A personal choice."
"I'm still surprised that she even goes to School." Shirou noted. "With the way she looks, I'm wondering how she hasn't been arrested for disturbing the peace."
"You're overreacting it wasn't that bad." Rias argued.
Shirou scoffed. "Yeah, except the pact didn't end there. We had to do an extra request for FREE!"
Shirou already hated his job as it is, the fact that he worked for free even once was a huge irritation for him.
"What'd she want you to do next? Act out a scene from the boshin wars?" Mika guessed.
"No, worse, we had to help her confess her feeling to some guy." Shirou groaned.
"Personally, I thought it was a nice thing to do." Rias said with a smile.
Mika looked at both of them for a second. "I'm guessing this guy wasn't exactly normal either."
"Ah no, here's the kicker. Turns out the guy was just as nutty. He showed up wearing Knights' armor so we couldn't see what he looked like either and surprisingly enough he immediately said he returned her feelings, it was like the punchline to a bad joke or something." Shirou reminisced uncomfortably.
"Oh jeez, is that the norm for you?" Mika asked with a cringe.
"Enough of that, I'll have you know, I thought they were a great couple and were truly in love." Rias defended them.
"Yeah, well it's just you," Shirou turns to Asia. "Asia, what'd you think of them?"
Asia couldn't answer, in truth she also found the two of them to be a bit on the strange side. But she didn't want to talk badly about them, so she said nothing.
"I rest my case."
"Shirou, why can't you just be happy for them?" Rias asked.
"'Cause they don't make sense. For example, why was the girl a Samurai when she was British? And why was the guy a Knight when he was Japanese?"
"How could you tell?" Kiba asked.
"The girl was named Susan which is a British name and she spoke in an abridged Japanese accent. And the guy was named Horie which is a Japanese name and he spoke in a Shakespear lingo." Shirou answered.
"Obviously it means they both appreciate each other's culture, which is something else they have in common." Rias suggested. "Those two were a match made in armor."
"More like a match made in the insane asylum." Shirou countered.
Rias sighed. "You know it couldn't hurt to smile every now and then, enjoy these times of peace."
"Yeah, well, unlike you guys, I only smile when I'm happy. And the way I see it, not smiling at all is a hell of a lot better than wearing a fake smile and pretending you're happy." Shirou's turned away, not realizing his words steered up some emotions from the others, namely Akeno, Koneko, and Kiba.
"Besides, why do you keep acting like they're such an amazing couple when you barely even know them?" Shirou questioned.
"Because…" Rias doesn't answer at first, then she looked out the window with a sad smile. "Because I was touched by how they felt about each other. To be with someone because you truly love them and to have them feel the same way, I've always believed that was a beautiful thing."
Shirou was surprised by her words, he then looked away and thought about it.
"…Maybe?"
Shirou shook his head and thought about something else, hoping the others didn't notice.
"While anyways, I've been here long enough." Shirou then stood up. "Now I have somewhere I need to be."
Shirou headed for the door, Asia called out to him before he left. "Shirou-san! Before you go, promise me you won't go out and drink illegally again!"
Shirou stops as his hand is on the doorknob. "I…Promise…NOTHING!"
Without any more words, Shirou walked right out the door and shut the door behind him.
"…And there he goes." Koneko before biting into a piece of chocolate.
"Which reminds me." Mika puts down her game and stands up. "I should also get going, after all, the meeting's over."
"Actually Mika, I have something to ask of you." Rias said getting her attention. "You've been my servant for a little while and yet you haven't even attempted to make pacts with summoners, shouldn't you think about starting as well?"
Mika just stared at her. "Rias, the reason Brostar does this stuff is that you told him he'll be able to rise up in rank. But for me personally, I really don't care about that. I'm pretty much fine as long as I'm with him, so I have no reason to do this work."
After saying her piece, Mika forms a magic circle beneath her feet and teleports away.
Rias stay's silent for a little while.
"I can never read those two."
"I'm home!" Shirou called out as he shut the front door of his house behind him.
Shirou had just gotten back from a normal evening. 'Course a normal evening isn't what it used to be for Shirou lately. Unknown to the others, Shirou didn't just meet up with Ren after school to drink vodka.
Well, they did, but that wasn't all.
After Shirou had discovered the true power of his Sacred Gear, the first thing he wanted to do was better understand what it was fully capable of. That's why every day since then, he's been meeting with Ren to do training. Shirou knew that Ren's powers—Being a Youkai—Would make him a better training partner than fighting scrubs like the delinquents he usually fights and since Ren was able to take out those Stray Exorcists Shirou knew he had to be strong.
Apparently, Youkais don't just possess Senjutsu, but also a power called Touki, it's the ability to use the life energy inside yourself to enhance all your physical capabilities. That made him an excellent sparring partner, Ren's pure strength was enough to force Shirou to struggle. And even better because Ren could use a barrier made of Senjutsu. Which Rias and the others are unable to sense, allowing them to train completely in secret.
Shirou could feel it, he was much stronger than a month ago. And he got much better at using both the Boosted Gear as well as his own demonic powers. Not to mention its limitations, like how there is a limit of times he can Boost before hitting his operational limit and feeling his insides tear themselves apart. And the fact that there exists a command called Explosion, that can allow Shirou to keep the power he built up from Boosting for more than just one hit. The amount of time Explosion lasts depends on how many Boosts he stacked up.
Shirou couldn't help but find something uncomfortable about the ensuing silence.
Mika didn't respond, likely absorbed in whatever series or video game had ensured her focus.
The house was quiet save for the hum of TVs and game consoles upstairs.
It was odd, for some reason right now the house felt a great deal more spacious than normal. Emptier.
He didn't like it.
"Maybe I should get some sleep…" Shirou decided. He couldn't really think of anything else to do, a feeling he should have been used to but now looked upon it as if it had become slightly more alien than the last time he felt it. "…Hopefully, I'll feel better by morning."
Shirou walked upstairs, while heading to his room he passed by Mika's room, just taking a peek inside to determine the girl's status.
The younger Tsukiharu appeared to have passed out in front of the TV, playing one of her handhelds while reruns of her favorite anime played on the TV. She was out cold, having haphazardly left her jacket unzipped to reveal the middle of her bare torso beneath. Her arms and legs were laid haphazardly around her. Drool dripped from the corner of her mouth.
Shirou wasn't quite sure what to make of it.
Though now that he thought about it, after leaving for the rest of the day to do his own thing and the fact that Asia was out doing her solo contract, leaving Mika home alone to binge at her own leisure, he probably should have expected this.
Shirou sighed, cautiously entering the room. He knelt beside his sister and arced his arms beneath her back and beneath the back of her knees. lifting her up in bridal carry.
"Even though she eats all that crap, it's amazing she's so light, then again this coming from a guy who can bend steel." He mused to himself before gently laying Mika in her bed. Shirou then proceeded to drape a sheet over Mika's body to keep her warm.
Mika's sleeping face was completely peaceful, a stark contrast to her normal self when awake.
He sighed, even though she usually caused him a lot of irritation and was enough of a headache to last a lifetime. Seeing her at peace, somehow convinced him that things would be alright.
"Well, sweet dreams of anime and all that stuff." Shirou smiled down at her. "See ya in the morning."
Deciding he had stayed long enough, Shirou made for the door—
"Mmmnnn…..Big Bro…?"
—Freezing with his hand just about to grab the knob.
Play OST Gintama - The Last Address
Shirou turned his head slowly, suddenly having a bad feeling about this.
"Shirou…." Mika sighed heavily, still fast asleep in her bed.
Shirou released a breath he had been holding in since he heard her voice.
"…Don't go…"
Shirou glanced back at his Sister again, noticing the troubled expression on her face. "Mika…?"
"Please…no…" She whimpered. "…It hurts… Please make it stop…."
His eyes widened, dread gripping his heart.
"Is she…?"
"Brother… Where are you? Please make it stop…! Please…! Someone… Anyone… Please help me…! Brother…Brother…Brother…!"
She kept tossing and turning in her sleep, repeating the same word over and over again, each time sounding sadder than the one before.
She was terrified, Shirou knew.
"Brother… Where are you…?"
Shirou subconsciously brushed his hand against the center of his chest, the feeling around his heart becoming tighter and tighter.
He knew exactly what Mika was remembering…
He knew because he had been there on that day…
That day, which was easily the most painful day of both their lives…
Shirou gritted his teeth before softly stepping over to his Sister's side. "Mika…"
"…I can't." Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. "Dad's gone… I can't find Mom… Big Bro…Please…Don't leave me…!"
Without thinking, Shirou reached out and grabbed Mika's hand in his own, squeezing it reassuringly.
It almost made him jump, how quickly and tightly Mika's hand latched onto his own. She held to it to the point where it was almost like her life depended on it.
That only gave him more dread.
Mika's panic seemed to intensify, so Shirou tightened his grip, more and more tightly as Mika's breaths seemed to become more fast-pasted.
She was shaking her head.
"It's just a dream, Mika… Snap out of it…" Shirou spoke inwardly with worry.
Shirou tightened his grip on her hand to the point where he felt concerned he might break it.
"Big Brother….."
Then Mika tightened her grasp right back at him.
It was as if her body had simultaneously received some sort of 'signal'.
Her breathing slowed… The rate at which her body produced sweat also seemed to decrease. The rise and fall of her chest as she inhaled and exhaled became smaller and less pronounced…
She had finally snapped out of her 'episode'.
Still, Shirou knelt beside her, tightly gripping her hand. He stared at her tear-stained face, tempted to give her a reassuring brush on the face and only refraining from the possibility that it might unintentionally trigger another one of her episodes.
So he sat there and waited.
He waited there for half an hour. Then Mika's grip finally loosened, and her arm became limp.
Only then did Shirou view it as a good time to gently lay her hand back down by her side.
Shirou stood upright, carefully stepping away, taking very slow and very soft steps until he was certain he was far enough to keep Mika from waking up with stray noise.
"Goodnight Mika, my Sister." He said more softly and far more tenderly than the first time.
Music Off
Shirou quietly shut the door behind him and then proceeded to his own room, shutting his own door behind him as well.
Then, with a solemn gait, Shirou walked over to his own bed and laid down.
For a long time, he didn't say anything. He just stared at the ceiling unable to slip into the sweet embrace of slumber.
The house was too quiet. In a way, he blamed himself for causing Mika's emotional episode. It had been such a long time since the last one and yet now it happened again.
"I shouldn't have told her about my dream." Shirou inwardly scolded himself. "After becoming a Devil I can feel the change influencing my emotions a bit. Talking about a dream with Mom and Dad after so long, while she's more emotional, I should have expected it would bring up something like this."
Shirou sighed.
Despite all that just happened, at least he knew the day was now over.
At least nothing else would be happening tonight.
FLASH!
Or that's what he thought until a large blinding bright light appeared in the corner of his room.
Shirou sat up feeling frustrated by the interruption. "Ah, what now?"
The Gremory group's magic circle glows in the center. The magic circle makes a big glow that lit up the whole room and a person appears from it. It's the silhouette of a girl. A girl with Crimson hair, Rias Gremory.
"Shirou." Rias had a worried expression.
"Rias?" Shirou was not in a good mood right now. "Seriously, could you stop just showing up in my house unannounced."
"There's no time for that, Shirou… Please take me!" Rias said staring him right in the eyes. "Please… Take my virginity right now!"
Rias began to undress. Shirou blinked. "…Have you been drinking?"
STRIP
Rias didn't answer as her skirt hit the floor followed by her shirt. Rias was now standing in full black-laced lingerie. "Huh, I don't know what's weirder, the fact that Rias is a lingerie girl in her private time or the fact that this is the second time TODAY that a girl stripped herself in my room… Christ, what has happened to my life?"
After Rias' bra hit the floor revealing her beautiful bosom for all to see, she moved on to the last piece of fabric that covered the last shred of her modestly.
"Seriously Rias, how much did you drink?" Shirou asked now confused.
"I'm not drunk!" Rias corrected him, stepping out of her lingerie and placing them on the pile with the rest of her clothes.
Now Shirou was face to face with the complete Naked form of Rias Gremory. It would have been more of sight if he hadn't already seen it once before.
"Okay, then next question. What the Hell Rias, what the actual Hell is going on?" Shirou asked, completely out of the loop.
"I've thought about it and this is my only option." Rias then got on the bed. "If there's evidence that I'm ruined then they can't complain."
"Evidence? Ruined? They?" Shirou processed those keywords. "Nope, still lost."
"You have experience with this right?"
"Yeah, plenty."
"Good, then you take the lead, guide me through it."
Shirou then used his arms to form a cross. "Yeah, No. I have no idea what this is, but I am not having sex with you. Now explain."
"A… Am I not good enough?" Rias asked with a hurt look.
Shirou pondered that one. "…If I say yes, will you stop?"
"No…. Really?" Rias seemed genuinely surprised and took a bit of offense at her womanly pride. As if she never once thought someone would tell her she wasn't good enough.
"Are you kidding me, that's what you zoned in on?" Shirou said with half-lidded eyes.
Rias shook her head. "Forget it, just hurry up!"
Rias was getting impatient, she crawled closer to him and grabbed his hands. "Touch me."
"Rias, No."
"With this, I'll be free."
"I said NO!"
SMACK!
Rias hadn't quite expected Shirou to slap her.
She toppled to the side of the bed, and landed on her front, the was a small red mark on her cheek.
"Bad Rias, bad." Shirou said like he was scolding an animal.
Rias sat up, placing a hand on her cheek. "You could have warned me you were going to slap me! That hurt."
Shirou scoffed. "That's the point, that was the only way I could get you off me and get your attention."
"But I'm a girl! And you're a man! It's different!"
"You're right, I am a man, a man who doesn't take this shit. I'm not like those stupid rom-com protagonists who, when in a situation like this turn into a blushing, stuttering mess and are too big a pussy to say no. When I say no, then I mean No!"
"But isn't this every man's fantasy?" Rias asked.
Shirou snorted. "Heh yeah, weak and unpopular men, maybe?"
Rias then noticed something, Shirou was uncharacteristically angry right now, he wasn't this mad when he left the clubroom, and he was nowhere near this upset the first time she was in his room like this. In fact, now that she fought about it, she's never seen Shirou angry before.
"Shirou… Did something happen?"
Shirou was a little caught off-guard by that.
"Never mind that, look I… I'm really not in the mood for this right now." Shirou looked away with an upset expression.
Shirou was still feeling some of the emotion from before, though Rias's sudden appearance and strange desire for sex was a good distraction at first, it wasn't enough. Right now he doesn't have the desire to deal with this.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Rias asked, now concerned.
"We've had this conversation before, though this time I'm still clothed." Shirou reminded her. "And just like then, the answer is no."
"But why?" Rias got closer again. "If something's wrong then tell me, I want to help you!"
Shirou then clicked his tongue. "You're one to talk!"
Rias was taken aback by that response.
"You come here randomly, then you get Naked and say "let's have sex", and now you want to help me? How can you ask me to tell you what's bothering me when you won't do the same? Something's obviously wrong with you otherwise you wouldn't be here. So just tell me already!" Shirou demanded.
Rias processed his words and realized, she was being unfair about wanting answers while hiding from him. And since it's obvious he won't take her virginity, there wasn't much of an alternative.
Rias had her head down and sighed. "…Very well. The truth is—"
FLASH!
That was when another bright light emanating from the corner of the room appeared, also bearing the Gremory family crest.
Rias narrowed her eyes in disappointment. "Tch, I was too late."
"Wait, who's that?"
The person who appears from the magic circle is a Silver-haired woman. Her clothes look like that of a maid. She is a beautiful woman appearing to be in her early twenties, with silver hair and red eyes. Her hair, which flows all the way down to her back, features a long braid on each side with small blue bows at the ends, while the rest is let down, ending in twin braids. She is wearing a blue and white French maid outfit with long sleeves and a white maid headband over her head, with red lipstick as a cosmetic accessory.
"Are you trying to break the agreement by doing something like this?" The maid says it plainly as if she is astonished.
Rias twitches her eyebrows hearing that. "If I don't go this far, both Otou-sama and Onii-sama won't listen to me right?"
"Both Sirzechs-sama and the master will become sad after they find out that you tried to give your purity to some low-born person like this."
"Ah hey, watch it." Shirou responded irritated. "Come on, does no one respect privacy, well hopefully this one doesn't decide to strip to."
"My purity is mine only. What's wrong with giving it to someone whom I acknowledged?" Rias then stepped off the bed and on the floor, upright with a hand on her hip. "Also don't call my servant low-born. Even if it's you, I won't forgive you, Grayfia."
The woman called Grayfia picks up Rias' blouse. "Noted, but you are the next heiress of the House of Gremory, so please don't show your skin to a man recklessly. Even more so if you are in the middle of this situation." She then places the blouse on Rias's shoulders as if she's trying to cover Rias up, though she hasn't really covered anything.
After she finishes picking up Rias' things, Grayfia then looks at Shirou. She then bows her head down.
"How do you do. I'm a maid that serves the House of Gremory. My name is Grayfia. Pleased to make your acquaintance and I'm sorry if we have caused a disturbance."
Shirou's eyebrow twitched. "Yeah? Well if you're so sorry about it then don't do it."
"Apologies, but I was told to bring back Rias Ojou-sama before she caused trouble to the situation."
"That's what I still don't get!" Shirou snapped and got out of bed. "Rias, what's with the maid and the troubles and the situation you both keep talking about?"
Rias looked at him a little sadder than before. "Shirou… You deserve the truth and I promise to tell you, just not yet. But I can say this, I'm sorry I dragged you into this."
Shirou groaned. "I suppose that's as good as it's gonna get."
"'Shirou'?" Grayfia asked, slightly intrigued. "Wait, is this person?"
"Yes, Shirou Tsukiharu. My Pawn. The user of the Boosted Gear." Rias answered.
"…Boosted Gear, the one possessed by the Emperor of Dragons."
Shirou saw Grayfia's reaction and thought something was weird about it. Then he realized the problem.
"Wait a minute, that was supposed to be a secret." Shirou then sends Rias a glare. "Rias, why do people know that?"
Rias, like a deer in the headlights, looks away nervous. "Um, well I…"
Grayfia answers the question. "Ojou-sama informed her family quite a while ago. In fact, many in the house of Gremory are aware that her Pawn is the current Red Dragon Emperor."
Rias sent a glare to Grayfia for telling him, though Grayfia didn't seem bothered by it.
"You told them?! That's exactly what I told you not to do!"
"Look, it's not that bad, I just told my family, no one else knows."
"Did you tell them not to tell anyone?"
At that question Rias paused. "…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…Sorry."
Shirou face-palmed.
"Grayfia, let's go back to my room." Rias said, hoping to change the topic and attempting to save face. "I will listen to what you have to say over there. Akeno can also attend, right?"
"The Priestess of Thunder? I don't mind." Grayfia answered. "It's a must for High-Class Devils to have their Queen by their side all the time."
"Very well." Rias then looks back at Shirou. She walks towards him and then.
CHU!
Rias' lips touch Shirou's cheek. Shirou didn't resist mainly because he wasn't expecting it, she then gives him a smile "Please forgive me for today with this. I troubled you a lot. Let's meet again in the clubroom tomorrow." She gives a farewell and disappears into the magic circle together with Grayfia-san.
Shirou was then left alone in his room, still not having a clue as to what just happened.
"Shirou-san!" Asia cheered as she burst through the door. "I completed my first contract all by myself! Isn't that great?!"
Shirou didn't turn back to face her, inside he just had a dumbfounded look on his face.
"…Yeah… That's great."
And that's the chapter. And first of all, I decided to start things off by showing Shirou and Mika's childhood, and their happy childhood with their parents. As you saw Mika inherited her appearance from her Mother but her hair colour from her Father, and Shirou was vice-versa. But as you can tell from Shirou's words and Mika's night terror, those happy days are soon replaced with tragedy. You'll see more of their backstory on that as well as more of their parents later down the line.
And besides that, Shirou had his first talk with Ddraig the Welsh Dragon, it went just as well as you'd expect. Though as for the part about Belzard, he's someone those who read one of the later Arcs in the light novels or who watched season four of the anime would know about. If you don't know him, then don't worry he won't be important for a while.
Back in the clubroom when Shirou and Rias were talking about a summons and helping two freaks in armor. It was a more filler thing that happened in the anime and I didn't want to take the time to write the whole thing so I just had them mention it, if you want to see it, watch it on your own time.
And as for the fact that Shirou can't find Saito, well the reason as to why will be explained a little later, but make no mistake Saito will be an important character in this story.
And yes it's true Shirou is training with Ren. Shirou is the kind of person who trains all the time and if there are ways for him to get stronger then he'll try them and since he found out his friend is a supernatural creature and has the power to fight, then, of course, he'd train with him to get stronger. Now Shirou is much stronger than he was last Arc.
With this chapter we've moved into the Phenex Arc, so get ready next chapter will be the one that most of you have been looking forward to. I know I have. It'll be great.
Anyways thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed, if you want more then be sure to leave a review, if you like the story click the follow/favorite, and as always have an awesome day.