"The Betrayal of a Lifetime." A DxD Fanfiction
Chapter 10. "Resonate"
Scene (Kuoh Dormitory Number 6)
Pacing back and forth, we see Sona. She is walking from one corner of her room to the other with her head facing the floor. Serafall is still sitting on the bed while she is checking her phone for any leads. Shortly after the conversation regarding the disappearance of the Red Dragon Emperor, Sona went silent while her methodical mind began to scrutinize each event that led up to Issei's MIA status. Meanwhile, Serafall was relaying orders to her subordinates in the underworld via text. As of now, the Mao is checking her messages for any updates. Nothing. "Shit."
Scene (Gremory Estate Underworld)
"Don't you dare! Big Sis, don't you dare take them from me! I won't let you! One day, I will take your place, you'll see! Oni-Chan I love you, please, don't take them. Bring me Issei, yes! Yes, you can have my peerage, okay, but you must give me ISSEI!" Being forcefully dragged from the room by Akeno and Koneko, we can see a large room with a giant fireplace. Sirzechs is sitting on a large chair with her legs crossed. She has her head toward the floor with tears falling onto her bare knees. Meanwhile, Grayfia has a tablet of sorts, as she begins to type on the glass screen with one hand. On the shoulder of Sirzechs, we can see Grayfia's free hand, softly gripping as a measure of support. Kiba, Xenovia, Ravel, Irina, Rossweisse and Gasper were all present and sitting on different couches.
Kiba was in tears. Xenovia had both of her hands on one of Kiba's hands, gripping tightly as she had a look of defeat plastered to her own face. Gasper was not crying. He was sitting up straight with his eyes trained on a dragged Rias. Irina had both of her hands together as she prayed silently as tears rolled down her closed eyes. Rossweisse had a look of shock, so much so that her pale features were doubled, (as if that could be possible). As if the poor woman had seen a ghost, the valkyrie had her jaw agape. Lastly we see Ravel. She is holding the broken tea cup in her lap as she stares at it. Her look is blank and translucent, the gleam in her eyes has extinguished, Ravel was in a very bad place right now. Sirzechs finally says something.
"As of this moment, every single devil in this room is now a free devil. Your contracts involving my sister are no longer a factor for your individual futures, whatever you choose them to be, you are free to do as you wish. I thank you so much for protecting my very unwell and disturbed sister. I cannot, in good judgment allow a person, family or otherwise, who shows the traits of sociopathism, to have power of any kind. Therefore, my decision will be final. As far as Kuoh, the entirety will go to Sona Sitri. That will be all." Sirzechs had a stoicness to her expressions while she was declaring her orders, shortly afterwards, she lowers her head back to her knees. Grayfia then stands in front of her husband while facing the ex-peerage. She then smiles warmly and bows. While rising from the bow, Grayfia says a few words. "You are all beautiful people with wonderful hearts. With that, if there is anything that I or my wife can help you with in the future, don't hesitate to ask. For us, we are in YOUR debt." The group stands and returns a bow as the room goes silent.
Scene (Yasaka Castle)
Rising from the floor, a very stunned and shaky Kuroka looks around the room. Yasaka had both of her arms on the neko's shoulders, she did this while turning her head from Kuroka, then a stoic and unmoving Issei. "What happened, Kuroka, are you alright my dear?" Finally able to focus, the shaky cat finally gazes upon the eyes of the concerned fox queen. Then Kuroka starts to spit out a few sentences at a time as her eyes continue to dilate into the thinnest of slits. "The the the the the pain he felt. It w, w, was just like mine, almost, worse. Oh, my gods, Ya, ya, Yasaka, he was killed! B..b..bbbefore, by a fucking cra, cra, crow! Shh Shee used him, made him, th think loved him. And, and, and…" Yasaka closes her eyes and makes a cringe as she backs one of her hands and firmly slaps Kuroka across the cheek. (SLAP) Feeling pain, this brought instant clarity, Kuroka was knocked out of her shock, her own kind of post traumatic experience via Issei's memories being the catalyst. "I am so sorry my dear, but you were delirious!"
Holding her cheek with her hand, Kuroka looks toward the fox queen who has a sad smile on her face. Nodding, the neko continues discussing her recent discoveries. "Yasaka, that crow woman stabbed Issei, over and over. She mocked him as he died. I could feel everything. This event was something that would affect the rest of Hyoudou Issei's existence. This, aside from all of the damage he has physically endured for the sake of…that president of his, well, the most current chain of events seemed to be the one that finally did the boy in." Yasaka intervenes, "when Rias attempted to take his life…" Kuroka nods, "yeah, I felt the pain of that blast too, it was not pleasant. Senjutsu is a powerful tool, but it has its prices." The cat woman looks toward Issei, "and right now, what we are looking at is the damaged part of his soul." Yasaka places a sleeve to her mouth as she tries to hold back her tears at the scene in front of her. "As you can see, it's just like a catatonic patient. He is not aware of anything around him, this is because there are fragile tiny little pieces of his soul missing, and his own energy is attempting to resonate with it. But because there is nothing to resonate with, we will get episodes like this from time to time." Yasaka sobs for a moment then attempts to speak. "Is there anything that we can do to prevent these, "episodes" as you call them?" Kuroka nods, "indeed there is. To put it mildly, Issei's soul must be at peace." Yasaka smiles while sitting next to the frozen Red Dragon Emperor, "is that all?" Laying her head on his shoulder, while gripping one of his arms, Issei now has a beautiful and loving nine-tailed fox cuddling with him. Color starts to return to the warm brown eyes of Issei Hyoudou.