ARSLOTHES: Oh, the next few chapters will be Thrud's time ;) No fear of that. As for Irina, I am so glad you like picturing them together. They did know each other as teens, so anything is possible...and for Iggy, he is the one man she's known for 17 years best. :D
TheHiddenLettuce: Aww, thanks but no need to worry about me! :) I put at the end of every major arc I take some time to relax and recharge while plotting out the following arc so the break between them will be longer than most. And hahaha, precisely, this was about him being worthy of something far more important to Thor than Mjolnir ;)
xXWolfsterXx644: Thank you! I'll do my best to not have them too far apart.
Guest1: That certainly sounds like an interesting premise, guessing Issei would have a different harem considering Rias is his cousin? And nah, no writer's block. I put in the Author Notes that at the end of every major arc I take a hiatus to recharge and rest. I may be slower than I used to be, but certainly not stopping.
Lorenzo Macchiavelli: Nope, no stopping here lol. Yep! Lots going on, his trials from Thrud's family have been a long time coming. Training from a God?...Dorian will be in for a rough time XD I am glad you liked Hecuba and Vali's interactions, we never see his "type" in canon, but I imagine a strong, stern but still kind Spartan who doesn't rely on external powers and has a rather nice butt...probably as close as you can get to it lol. I'll do my best to update as regularly as possible.
Dragonx411: I always love seeing your synopsis of the chapter :D Not to worry, Iggy in a bikini and Yggdrasil herself are definitely fanart ideas for the future...it's just about getting around to them ;) . Well, I set up before that Hecuba isn't super shy about her body, and she could tell he didn't have perverted, nefarious intention which is why she didn't lash out at him XD. Had it been Issei, Azazel or Rat...WAY different story lol. I almost thought of taking 3 months off, but felt I could get 1-2 out before the new year. Here's number 2 lol. I am super glad you enjoyed it! :D
Hollowreaper 93: Haha, true on all accounts! He'd need god-level training eventually...and who better than his future father-in law? XD
Enkidu: It's great to hear from you for the first time! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for such kind words. Giving more depth to the side character of the main cast beyond what little they get in canon was a huge inspiration for this. I like canon DxD, but it did get a bit too Issei-centered imo as it went on. As for Fenrir, I do have plans for him ;) If you know real-world Ragnarok signs...one of them is Fenrir escaping from his bindings. What he will do with that freedom...I have plans for sine Vali couldn't claim him here :D I most certainly will!
fanficcyberman: Oh gosh, if he had to fight Yggdrasil to prove himself, poor Dorian having to go up against every parent XD Well, Vali does appreciate a strong woman who doesn't even put up with his dour attitude...and she does have a bit larger posterior than most XD. And I could not agree with you more, you can have the most epic battles and moments ever, but if you don't get to know the characters and their simpler sides, the impact of what it means to each of them can be lost. You are so welcome, and thank you for enjoying it all this time, you have a wonderful holiday season as well! :D
ahsoei: Who indeed? XD
Valtazar: Oh I love that song, that would be pretty epic indeed. If I go into Shin, this story would get far longer than even I ever imagined XD Just a hint for those who read this reply...whether I go to Shin or not, a detail will be upcoming in the next arc or 2 that infers ExE is out there ;)
Okaze: Sorry my post-arc hiatus was longer than usual lol, but I managed to get 1 more out before the end of the year. Thor's training camp will be next year...but I hope you like the start of this 2-parter before it.
TheLycan2026: It was! Thank you so much, work is a bit more hectic than before but I've been slowly adjusting a schedule into it so I can still fit in writing. Hehehe, I am glad you liked the little wordplay there, I hope the wait wasn't too long and a Happy Holidays to you before the year ends!
Guest2: You mean on the DxD Fanon Wiki? Man, I need to update a LOT there, not enough hours in the day. Maybe I need an intern lol. I'll try to get around to it if I have extra time, but what part in particular did you feel needs updated?
And with that...ONTO THE SHOW!
"Another 76 out of 100," Dorian yawned as he finished grading the next exam in the pile. "He could do better; I'll make time later to go over it with them."
"Thank you," Rossweisse let her hand touch his for a moment, a bit of affection despite having to keep it hidden while on school grounds. "It is not a topic most get easily excited for."
Civics, the class Rossweisse led along with homeroom, the one that Dorian was exempt from to act as an assistant teacher towards his education major. Having updated the syllabus, the students had just recently completed the exam on peacetime economics with a few written essay sections on government structure. Dorian, admittedly, tried taking in as many different views and outlooks from their answers, the young man still trying to incorporate all he could into his own leadership requirements with the Crossroads. Rossweisse was one of the few he knew he could trust to voice his ideas.
"If we are going to grow," he continued while crossing out a particularly egregious answer. "We'll need funding, what we have now works for a small team but with the Shinto and Youkai representatives being chosen soon that could get bigger."
"Not to mention once the cure to the Sleep Disease becomes public knowledge, the upper levels of devil society will start giving us notice. The Gremorys back Issei and the Oppai Dragon Show while Asgard does the same for your High King adventures. If even one or two other families assist to our group, we would have all the funds needed to expand our numbers two-fold at least."
"Right," Dorian groaned with a soft massage of his arm, remembering the needles sure to come next he visited the Sitri Hospital. Last he stopped by; he'd been shocked to learn that they had started airing the High King season filmed while in Vanaheim in the rooms of the patients there. Apparently, Serafall felt it was a form of reward for his assistance, all the same knowing even more people were watching him made Dorian uneasy. Rossweisse clearly sensed his trepidation, risking cupping her hand over his own.
"We'll get some dinner afterwards, that'll make you feel better," she assured. I wanted to show Thrud this gorgeous steakhouse…"
Thrud, he mused as Rossweisse described the small restaurant she'd found while on one of her discount shopping excursions. Her father still hasn't summoned me for these training regimens he mentioned. Is he taking longer to draw out the dread? Seems like something he'd do. I hope he at least waits for a weekend.
"But before dinner," Rossweisse pulled a brown paper bag out of nowhere and presented it to Dorian. "I made you a little something."
"Rose," he smiled feeling bad that his complete lack of cooking ability held him back from doing anything similar without ordering in or risking the Crossroad tower's kitchen. "You didn't have…" He opened it with the familiar aroma hitting his ears, a humble peanut butter sandwich nestled securely within. "You made this?"
"And a few more for later," she smiled, clearly proud of her simple accomplishment, her skill at cooking only barely better than Dorian's. "I could feed it to you later once we're off campus…"
"A-achoo!" Dorian sneezed, startling Rossweisse as suddenly his muscles ballooned outward in tandem with the sneeze. He almost looked like a body builder on television who had honed their muscles over years. He was close to even Thor or Sairaorg in terms of size now. "What happened?"
"Just calm down," she tried to placate his worry. "It's the potential of the apple. Your body is acclimating to it, you have so much excess growth available. Just calm yourself, listen to my voice and…"
Dorian exhaled, his enormous arms and pecs deflating like a balloon. After several thankfully short moments he was back to his normal size though could have sworn he still felt bigger.
"So, I can become like that someday? I never thought about getting THAT buff…unless you have a thing for that sort of build?"
"I…" Rossweisse grew flushed, the image of Dorian looking like that looming over her clearly entering her thoughts in more ways than one. He could not help but adore the flustered expression as she tried to compose her reply.
"I was joking, we can always…huh?"
Dorian glanced out the window, a prick of confusion scratching at his brain as he saw a young woman walk by alongside a third-year male student. It seemed perfectly normal at first glance, the two laughing with a math book between them, but Dorian noticed something out of place. Atop the girl's head were a pair of black cat ears matching the shade of her hair that did not appear to be attached to anything but her.
"Nya?"
"Nya?" Rossweisse paused, uncertain what Dorian was getting at as he uttered the soft sound akin to a feline.
"Ny…nothing!" He recovered quickly. "Must be seeing things…or maybe there is a cosplay event happening I haven't heard about. I'll have to ask the others later. For now, about us feeding each other later…"
College Campus of Kuoh…
"And these are the dorms, though I doubt you'll have to worry about that," Herja gave a confident wink to Akeno as they continued the tour. "Our main classes are in the rooms just ahead."
"I should have come down here sooner," Sona nodded to Akeno, the pair following the three college-level Valkyries. "Even though it's the same school, the college facilities are quite impressive."
The women were being showed the college buildings on the other side of Kuoh Academy, being a multi-education level school, it boasted every grade required. With the graduation coming up early in the following year, something they were not wholly looking forward to, they had been preparing for the move to adulthood in the scholastic field. Having graduated high school Valkyrie courses in Asgard, the three college-level women of the Nine Realms were more than happy to show her what they'd learned in the months since moving to Kuoh.
"You should see the stage!" Misty did a spin around with her arms out. "My class will be performing next month; you HAVE to come! Is Rias with you?" She only then noticed one fewer than she was expecting."
"She and Issei are…indisposed," Akeno teased, clearing trying to sound as suggestive as possible. "I'll be sure to give her all the information. But you are right, we'll already have our own housing accommodations, just like you."
"It's a nice place," Brynda brought up the rear. "The Crossroads Tower is like home and the Hyoudou's house is so grand since the renovations. I can't see leaving anytime soon and it's so close by. Kuoh is a wonderful place! A truly golden school!"
"A golden school?" Sona mused as she took more notes, disappointed Tsubaki wasn't there. It couldn't be helped, her Queen having a previously made engagement with Kiba and Xenovia in town. Seeing her truest friend drawing so close to the Gremory Knight and Crossroad Einherjar made her think of her own relationship status, the same face appearing each time.
Stop that, Sona! Now is not the time to be distracted with such…unnecessary frivolities. He is your Pawn and plans for this school take precedence. A Golden Academy to allow devils and even members of other factions of all standings to study without persecution or preferential treatment for anything other than their hard work…that is what matters. Even as she said it, she still couldn't get that small itch out of the back of her mind. House Bael already had plans to help begin construction…
"I heard we may be getting a teacher from America for advanced English," Herja went off script to talk about what she was looking forward to. "Trust me, you are going to lov…oh, Kimiko! I didn't think you'd be done with the exam yet!"
"The last section wasn't nearly as bad as I worried," a woman with glasses and a black braided ponytail assured them. "That cram section was just what we needed-nya."
"Nya?" The three Valkyries glanced to each other and their guests, each equally perplexed. The college classmate seemed oblivious to what they found out of the ordinary.
"Well, I'll see you three at the gates. You're so lucky-nya to have your own place, you HAVE to invite us sometime and introduce us to all these underclassmen friends you're talking about." She skipped down the hall, only as she passed allowing the girls to notice a conspicuous black tail protruding from beneath her skirt.
"Did she have…?" Sona was already nodding to answer Akeno's question. "And it was…?" Another nod. "I see, I think I'll call the President, there is more here than just a fashion choice, I can feel it."
Kuoh, Second-Year Hallways…
"Be careful!" A first-year girl called out to the rooftop, her hands clasped together in worry. "I-it's not worth getting hurt over!"
Atop the roof, Hecuba was shimmying over to the side. Despite the height and precariousness of the situation she made it look like the simplest act in the world. During one of the perverted trio's, minus Issei, escapades into the girl's locker room a window had been left open allowing a bra to be blown outside to be stuck on the roof. While the student council, led by Saji, were currently in the process of disciplining them Hecuba spotted the owner of the undergarment absolutely terrified if others saw it and the embarrassment sure to follow. To prevent that, Hecuba had vaulted with the grace of an Olympic athlete onto the shingling intent to save her from that.
"Almost…and…got it!" She snatched it before the wind could blow it further away. Tucking it within her school uniform vest, she carefully slid down, landing with a hop right in front of the girl who stared with joy at her savior. "Here you are, I don't think anyone saw it but me."
"Th-thank you!" She hugged the Greek foreign exchange student tightly, quickly hiding it in her school bag. "You are a hero!" Hecuba wasn't quite sure how to respond to the sudden title as the girl turned, waving goodbye before returning to change before her next class.
A hero, for something so small? I always thought of the title as something grander, but…even a little kindness can mean so much to others.
"Wh-WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" A scream erupted from the side, Aika stumbling around the corner looking uncharacteristically surprised. "Have you gone insane?"
Motohama, clearly having somehow escaped the clutches of the Student Council, was advancing on her with a gleam in his eyes. Falling to all fours, he bounded towards her, hopping upon Akia's lap as she had collapsed to the ground. Despite the suddenness of his strike, he did not move beyond that act, nestling between her thighs contentedly.
Is he purring?
Her action was swift, Aika grabbing him by his collar and clobbering him across the face a moment before Hecuba was upon him with a follow-up kick. The sole member of the pervert trio was sent flying into the brick wall, finally out cold as he slumped to the ground with swirls in his eyes.
"What happened?"
"I-I dunno," Aika recomposed herself. "He was getting stomped by the kendo club, I mentioned he is pushing his luck peeping on the whole changing room and should try something smaller. That's when he busted free and started chasing me like a…like a…"
"Like a cat?" The stern voice of Vali Lucifer alerted them to his presence as he stepped out from a shadowed corner, kneeling over to analyze the unconscious student.
"Who is he?" Aika muttered to Hecuba.
"He's an…acquaintance. What are you doing here, Vali?"
"Hoho, first name basis?" The glasses pervert grinned as she fell back into her comfort zone teasing Hecuba on her familiarity with the young man. "Maybe he came to see you."
"I was in the area on other business and sensed something was off, it seems I was correct." He started to rustle Motohama's black hair, finding what he was looking for as he revealed small stubs of what was clearly a pair of hidden cat ears.
Occult Research Club…
"Tired Issei?" Rias smirked from behind her desk as her Pawn lay slouched on the sofa. While she had asked the question, the answer was painfully obvious as it appeared a chore to even lift his head.
"So…many…contracts," he groaned aloud, finally finding the strength to sit up. "A full marathon of that new anime, you know the one with everyone trapped in a video game? Then that older woman wanted help rearranging her house, a spotting partner at the gym for two hours…then of course Ms. Rossweisse's exam."
"You poor thing," she replied playfully, clearly trying to sound sultry. "And here I thought the sessions with my brother were grueling." She was referring to regular training with Sirzechs every other night. Ever since the Sairaorg rating game he had become obsessed with stabilizing her new form she had unlocked. It was progressing, but at present she could barely hold it for a few moments. "If only there was something to perk you up."
"I'd love if there was someth…" Issei turned just as Rias stretched in a very exaggerated way clearly meant to accentuate her curves and breasts, nipples pressing against the fabric even he could make out. In that moment he could see nothing else but her.
"While I was home, I stopped by for a few…items from my wardrobe."
"I-items?" Issei swallowed loudly, his and Rias' flirtations growing more direct since their dating became official. "What did you have in mind?"
"You'll find out tonight," she grinned from ear to ear. "I brought one for Asia too, you've earned it. Not just as a reward for the Rating Game win, but I hear those two friends of yours have been getting into trouble as usual, but with you being absent."
They've been wanting to kill me all week, he groaned internally. I have Rias, Asia, and room to grow, I'll have my larger harem someday…but peeping won't help that happen. I'll focus on the two I'm with and more will come from there. For what it meant to who he was, Issei had thus far kept his promise that only those agreed upon by Rias and Asia could be added. He knew for a fact that none of the other girls in the class had a chance of being accepted by them. Mustering all the willpower in his body, he fought against the temptations he'd long let loose.
"Well, yea," he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I have to admit it's hard, but, well, the end goal is worth it." The smile on Rias' face was all the evidence he needed he was on the right track. He didn't have to stop being perverted, that would cause him to explode, but he could focus on the two who had confessed openly to him. For the moment, that was enough.
"Issei," Asia called them to the front entrance, her face flushed as she'd clearly heard everything he'd said. "I'm sorry, but Ms. Hecuba is here, and it sounds urgent."
"Urgent?" Rias stood up from her desk, eyes focused as was expected of the Gremory heiress. "What is going on?"
Not Long After…
"An epidemic of what? How could this happen?" Rossweisse just looked on unable to determine how to react to the news provided.
"I don't know," Hecuba showed Motohama to the group, the young man still out cold sprawled out on the sofa in the middle of the Occult Research Clubroom. "But it's not just him, reports are coming from all over the school of students with ears, tails, even whiskers just walking around. They aren't costumes or a convention, these are real." She tugged on the ears to prove her point, the perverted teenager wincing in his sleep at the pain.
"What are the students thinking?" Asia looked worried, glancing Issei up and down for similar traits almost looking disappointed at finding none.
"It is contained for now," Sona assured them having arrived with her peerage who were at school when the call came in. "Rias and I adapted Azazel's bubble from the clone fiasco to blanket the school only this time it'll slightly adjust what everyone perceives as normal as we included our memory charms into it. For the next few hours, at least, everyone will see the cat traits as something that's always been there. That'll buy us some time to figure this out."
"These aren't normal cat traits," Rias analyzed Motohama closely. "There is a subtle difference I've learned over the years…these are nekoshou ears. Look, you can tell by the shape."
"Nekoshou?" Issei's mouth flopped open in surprise. "But I thought Koneko, and her sister were the only ones!"
"It seems things have changed, has anyone seen either of them?" Rias glanced around the room, each person coming up empty.
"No word on Koneko, but Dorian went to find Kuroka. With any luck she can shed some light on the situation."
"More than that," the voice of the Einherjar raised their hopes as Dorian and Kuroka entered the room, the older nekoshou looking very guilty. "I found her taking a nap in the nurse's office." He knew she often liked to hide there during school hours.
"I didn't do anything, I SWEAR!" She put her hands up defensively. "But…this does seem like an odd coincidence."
"Coincidence to what?" The room leaned in closer as Kuroka pulled out a small metal object from within her sleeve. It resembled a drum, few but Dorian recognized the object being the gift he had presented her while still recovering in the hospital from his devoured arm.
"The Senet Piece…Ajuka finished it?!" He was almost giddy, a refreshing sight for Rossweisse who always enjoyed his smile when he got almost giddy. "That has to be what's going on!"
"I don't see how," she looked it over curiously. "I haven't even found any prospective members to test it on and certainly didn't go around randomly transforming students. I'd have a few select first choices," her twin tails snaked around Dorian's butt, her face suddenly twisting in confusion as she felt something that shouldn't be there. "Um…Dorian-nya, are your pants feeling a little tighter than usual?"
"KUROKA!" Rossweisse blurted out at the apparent innuendo. "Now is not the time to…" Her protest was silenced as Kuroka's tails dove into Dorian's trousers, emerging holding his own white cat tail now protruding from his pants. "Dorian, not you too!"
"Do you feel any different?" Issei asked out of curiosity, taking as step back and quickly tying a nearby scarf over his mouth as a makeshift mask.
"I didn't realize," Dorian looked unnerved he hadn't been able to tell he was also affected. "I feel fine-nya, maybe just a bit warm. We need to call Lord Ajuka at once!"
"Nya?" Kuroka sneered playfully with a lick of her lips. "Oh, you would make such a fetching tomcat. You could expand on that promise of yours to help my species. Imagine if we had children while you were like this."
"There will be NONE of that!" Thrud appeared at the entrance, hip checking Kuroka to the side as she stepped next to Dorian. "We can just isolate him to ensure he's not contagious, then…" Her eyes widened in a way few had ever seen as she witnessed an extraordinary sight, a pair of white cat ears suddenly pop out through his mop-like golden blonde hair.
"Uh oh," Rossweisse whispered, fully aware of Thrud's inability to control herself around cats. "Thrud, maybe if we you just back away…"
"Just one squeeze," she promised, advancing towards him with an expression that almost looked like she wanted to eat him. "Then we can call Ajuka, find Koneko and…"
"Rawr!" Dorian suddenly hissed at her, leaping back on all fours high atop a cabinet on the opposite side of the room. His ears went up, tail erect and his pupils ballooning to huge sizes that few could deny looked adorable. Even his hair was standing on end.
"Dorian, calm down. I was only joking, mostly."
"Rawr!" Dorian cried out again, bounding off the cabinet through the nearby window and out of sight. The others were too slow to stop him, barely spotting the end of his tail round the corner and off towards the main campus.
"What got into him!?"
"Oh boy," Kuroka groaned. "I suppose nekoshou instincts were a package deal with the ears and tail. Normally we grow out of them or learn to control the urges, but I suppose Dorian has no experience in that. You spooked him good, and who knows how many others are out there like that. Even Shirone, I wasn't around to show her how it's done."
"I'll call the rest of the Crossroads," Rossweisse flipped open her phone and started dialing. Lord Ajuka has a contact for the tower, we'll try to get him here as soon as possible."
"I'll reach out to brother in case you have trouble, and I know a few others we can ask," Rias stood to draw the room's attention. "Our friends and classmates are under these effects and until we get to the bottom of this, we'll need to keep them safe. Everyone…move out!"
Across the School…
"So, we carry the number like this?" Gasper asked tentatively, hoping he had understood the instructions. To his relief, Zepar nodded, signaling having finally gotten through the roadblock hindering his math grades. "Whew, thank goodness."
"You give yourself too little credit," the fallen angel complimented. "You learn quickly, though would not need to. With your powers, you could give yourself all the time in the world to study. I envy that about you."
"Please don't," despite the vampire's growing confidence, being the center of admiration was new to him. "I only use it when I must, stopping time just to study harder feels like a wrong usage of it."
"Like when Mr. Hyoudou wanted you to freeze women so he could peep at them longer?" The two couldn't help but chuckle at the recollection. Despite the ridiculous request, Issei had been utterly serious.
"He hasn't asked me anything like that since, he seems different…but in a good way!"
"He is growing up as you are," Zepar patted him on the back. While he was not many years older than the students, he felt that way around them. "Akeno told me you could barely be seen outside of your box when you were unsealed but look at you now!"
"I still have a ten-person limit looking at me at a time," he answered timidly. "But I got to attend class the other day with some illusion magic. It was…fun. I do wonder though, how these studies will help us?" He clearly piqued Zepar's attention with the sudden question. "I'm a vampire and Rias' Bishop, odds are I'll be joining her when she becomes the head of House Gremory. You worked for the Grigori, Dorian is studying AND teaching while leading the Crossroads, how will history and these courses matter in the long run?"
"It's not necessarily the content," the bespectacled fallen pushed up his glasses as he thought hard. "Certainly, basic math and grammar of different languages can help, though as you say specifics may not matter in the end. However, what we become accustomed to while we study, that will follow us forever." Gasper blinked several times, eliciting further explanation. "Our organizational skills, how we handle social interactions, make friends, deal with enemies, how our body and mind form to handle the day to day as we mature. Those, I believe, are where the true meaning of our time growing up lie and last a lifetime. Does that make sense?"
"I think so!" Gasper nodded enthusiastically. "So how I can get used to people and handle unexpected events!"
"Precisely, why I recall a time that…" Zepar was about to applaud him when suddenly a white blur shot out of the back room barreling him over into the wall. "Ow ow ow, what was that!"
He got his answer as Gasper had been similarly blown into the back wall. Unlike Zepar's position, however, the cause of the action had chosen to remain with him. Leaning up against the small vampire, trying to fit herself into his small lap, was none other than Koneko Toujou. The teenage nekoshou's eyes were wide, more cat-like than they'd ever seen, hands curled forward almost like paws as she batted at her teammate and nuzzled against his chest. After several moments, she seemed content with her position, huddling closer and curling up before resting up against his chest literally purring.
"Gaspy," she whispered with a lidded expression. "You smell wonderful, are all vampires like this or is it just you?"
"Um…Mr. Zepar," he half-cried, eyes tearing as he clearly had no idea how to proceed. "I don't think I know how to deal with this!"
Occult Research Clubroom…
"A species-change epidemic? Fascinating, I never considered this as a possible effect of the piece, can you send the young man to me for extended study?"
"No Lord Ajuka," Rossweisse tried not to show how worried his request made her. "But another several dozen students have exhibited nekoshou traits in the last hour and Dorian is still nowhere to be found since he succumbed to the instincts. We need your expertise before it grows out of hand."
"Regrettably, I am currently in Kyoto attending a finalization of our official completion to bringing the Shinto AND Youkai people into the great alliance. I cannot make it out until at least the day after tomorrow."
"By then the entire school may be drowning in nekoshou!"
"I wouldn't mind having the ears," Misty admitted as she poked at Motohama's, the trio having recently arrived to help secure the area in case any infected students ventured closer.
"Ironically, that was the purpose of these pieces, but I see your concern. I will send my assistant to help you bring this situation under control, surely it is an incomplete aspect to the piece. Perhaps the magic was too potent. I have full confidence in her abilities."
"Thank you, Lord Ajuka, we shall await your assistant's arrival."
"Do try to treat her well, I imagine things could get awkward but…" He was unable to clarify as the transmission ended abruptly.
"Lord Ajuka, Lord Ajuka can you hear me?"
"How odd," Rossweisse tried to reestablish the communication to no luck. "There is a disruption blocking it from getting out. Could it be another side effect of the epidemic?"
"I don't know, but this worries me. Has the school been sealed?"
"Yes," Rossweisse confirmed acting as the leader of the Crossroads while Dorian was missing. "I reinforced the barrier around the borders, anyone who attempts to breach them will be unable to and mixed with your memory charm will forget that they wanted to leave, but it won't last forever."
"Kiyome has a few ideas too," Kiba was next to advise of his attempts to calm the situation. "While Issei is out hunting Dorian with Vali and Hecuba, Kiyome will be working to placate the nekoshou instincts of as many students as she can. She has a few tricks against nekomata that should still work here. Hey, where did Motohama go?"
The group turned, seeing the sofa where the young pervert had been sleeping was now empty beside an open window, a breeze blowing through at the exact moment as if to spell out what had happened, their subject was gone.
"Oh no," Rias facepalmed at the situation. A patient infected by the sudden nekoshou epidemic would surely be needed for Ajuka's assistant when they arrived. Without one, would they be able to formulate a cure before things got out of hand?
Kuoh Academy…
"Dorian! Where are you?" Thrud called out having pursued the fleeing Einherjar since they picked up his trail again near the second-year classrooms. "I promise not to touch your ears!"
"For about five minutes!" Kuroka added, drawing a glare of ire from the Valkyrie goddess. "He must be in full flight instinct; he isn't even looking back at us."
"There he is! Hey Goldie, slow down and get back here!" Issei ran ahead of them with Kuroka close behind as they spotted Dorian scaling up the walls of the music building. His ears were much more prominent with the tail now long enough to reach the length of his body.
"Oh, can we keep him this way for a while?" Kuroka asked while looking him up and down. "First time seeing a male of the species is almost making me forget to control myself. Supposedly, the length of their tails says a thing or two about their…virility."
She sure is crazy about Goldie, Issei thought to himself, but it was clear to Kuroka as she followed his gaze.
"Stare all you like," she even shuffled her kimono a bit playfully. "You've gotten pretty strong yourself and are so kind to little Shirone, if things had gone differently, I could be looking for a way into your bed."
"A-and you don't anymore?" He swallowed hard, taking her offer of looking to heart. "I heard about your species' situation, if this piece thing works like it does for devils, then your issues will be over, right?"
"That's right," she looked down with a more serious smile than was customary for her. "A nekoshou revival, we've always had low birth rates among nekomata and it only went down over the years. With the ability to make more faster than the fun way, well…"
"It's not as stressful?" Thrud guessed from the back. "You tried putting everything on your shoulders, so Koneko doesn't have to. But now even you don't have to bear that alone."
"Well, having fun with many powerful men didn't seem much of a burden," Kuroka maintained her usual demeanor as they raced over the room gaining on Dorian. "But now, I actually have something I never thought I would. Dorian gave that to me."
The option of choice, and I'll never forget it.
"Hold!" Thrud shouted, releasing her axe to fly ahead of them past Dorian, embedding itself in the scaffold. It had the desired effect, causing him to yelp in surprise, turning to find another way and giving them just the amount of time to catch up. Issei was the fastest, lunging forward and tackling Dorian to the ground hard.
"Stop struggling," he wrestled with the fellow student thankful that it appeared in his current state he didn't have the wherewithal to use his gear. "We'll get you back to the clubhouse and get you all patched up."
"I just want to run-nya," he called out in a frantic tone. "It's better this way, let me go!" Dorian hissed again, bringing his feet up and catching Issei in the chest sending him flying. Now free, he scrambled off only to run into Kuroka who barred his path.
"You wouldn't hit a lady would you without provocation? That's not like you nya, it's something I thought was so painfully cliché at first but must admit that has grown on me."
Dorian continued running towards her, ducking low at the last moment sliding between her legs, kimono rustling as he emerged out the other side. Kuroka let out a gasp both of surprise and disappointment that he didn't try anything else while down there, launching a kasha wheel in frustration that caught him in the left arm causing it to go limp.
"Dragon Shot!" Issei fired a blast of energy from his Sacred Gear. Before it could connect, Dorian simply batted it out of the air to crash into the ground below. "How did he do that without his Sacred Gear!?"
"That glow in his hand," Kuroka recognized it in an instant. "Since when can he use Sage Arts?"
"He can't," Thrud insisted knowing every skill and ability he had learned since they met, him confiding each new power he could use. "It must be the nekoshou traits asserting themselves."
"Sage Arts does come easily to my kind. With his affinity for magic, Sage Arts could be much more easily focused upon. We may need your axe after all…"
"NO!" A voice echoed in their ears as they gave chase. Above, the familiar shape of Iggy appeared keeping pace with them. "He is scared, his feline instincts blotting out everything else, he isn't listening to me."
"Then how do we stop him?" Issei fired more Dragon Shots more to direct Dorian's course then to actually hit him. "Our neighbor owned a cat, when it wanted to get away there was no catching it. They had to lure it back with food every time."
"Or when one wants to mate," Kuroka winked at Thrud. "If his instincts are in full force, there's a chance he's in…THAT particular mood."
"I-if you are suggesting what I think you are…"
"I had another plan!" Iggy shouted at the top of her lungs; face beet red to keep the conversation from going further. Ruffling her own hair somewhat, a pair of cat ears suddenly appeared upon them, the young spirit utilizing her ability to change appearance at will. "Move away from me so he can't see you."
The others complied, putting some distance between themselves and Iggy so that she was alone on the open rooftop. To their surprise she suddenly sat down cross-legged without moving a muscle.
"D-DORIAN!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, causing him to turn, freezing in place as he saw what she was doing. "Here you go," she patted her lap several times, smoothing out the creases so her dress was absolutely pristine. "Come here Dorian, all for you." She ended it with the most serene smile that could never be construed as anything but genuine beckoning him over.
"Genius," Thrud had to admit. From her time caring for the cats that pulled Freyja's sleigh, she knew more than most how they loved to rest upon her lap when she'd sit before the fire. Especially if they trusted her, there were few things more appealing to them. To ensure nothing spooked him, she gripped Kuroka and Issei tight, pulling them around the nearby building. "Sssshh, we'll only get one shot at this."
Dorian remained on alert, limping towards her on all fours, his arm still paralyzed by Kuroka's attack. His tail swished from side to side as he glanced in every direction clearly seeking a trap or unexpected surprise on his way to the lap that awaited him. It was a slow procession that slowly picked up only as he saw more and more the lack of any pursuers.
His eyes are so cute! Thrud almost took a step out. Maybe just a squeeze of those ears when he gets close…even just a head pat!
"Don't you dare!" Issei and Kuroka both grabbed each of Thrud's arms as they saw her advance further. "If I don't get to play with him, neither do you!"
"He's almost there, look!"
True to Issei's word, Dorian had reached Iggy at last, sniffing her cheek as if to ensure who she was. Finally content, he started nuzzling her cheek with soft purrs, pawing at her chest in a way that made her blush. Iggy had to admit, she did not mind his affections, holding her ground as he continued.
"You know me Dorian, you always have," she blushed as he poked her chest again and again. "Anytime you need to rest…I am here for you."
Those words finally sealing it, Dorian huddled as best he could around her, placing his head gently upon her lap. With continued purrs of contentment, his eyes started to droop clearly exhausted from the continued pursuit. Within a matter of seconds, he was sound asleep, his snores dipping in and out. Iggy carefully glanced to the others giving a wink that the coast was clear as she stroked his hair.
"This is where I come in," Kuroka vanished to be replaced with a black cat bounding around the long way so as to stay out of Dorian's field of vision. With the Einherjar temporarily immobilized mixed with her unmatched stealth, she was behind him in a matter of seconds. "Wakey wakey."
In a flash, she reemerged in her humanoid form, jabbing an index finger into Dorian's neck followed by a quick pulse of energy. His head shot up instantly with a yowl gripping the spot she had poked in pain.
"What was that for!? That really…hurt? Ow, what happened? Where are we? Iggy?" He suddenly realized where his head was, the woman who shared his soul just smiling down at him showing there was no protest at where his head had previously been resting. If anything, she wouldn't have minded if he wanted to lay down a little longer.
"My turn!" Kuroka plopped down next to Iggy in an identical pose, gripping Dorian's head in an attempt to plant it between her legs. "Don't hold back! Don't worry, that little jab will calm your nekoshou instincts, works wonders when we go into heat. I've been saving that for when it eventually happened to Shirone."
Heat!?
Dorian leapt back, once more finding strong yet feminine hands to catch him. He winced as a ticklish feeling overcame him, a residual meow escaping due to his nekoshou instincts still remaining to some extent. Those same hands started rubbing over his ears and ruffling his hair without stopping.
"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Thrud teased, reveling in finally getting her hands on his cat self. Despite the teasing, Dorian couldn't help but notice her cheeks were flushed and she seemed to be breathing a bit heavier than usual, the sensation pressing into his back removing any doubt of how excited she was in that moment. "We can just relax here a minute before getting back to the others, how are you feeling?"
"Better," he had to admit, even liking how she caressed his ears perfected from years of play with Freyja's cats. "But resting just a minute sounds nice." He didn't want to wait too long, the glare from Issei currently boring through his skull. The young man didn't even notice the brief flash of uncertainty across the daughter of thunder's face.
We confessed to each other, but we have yet to be like how you are with Iggy. And Rossweisse knowing how you sleep; I know what must have happened between you both. I care for you, daughter of Thor or not…I want to show how I feel about you Dorian Held, Tyr.
Elsewhere…
"I dislike this," a robed man with silver-blonde hair grumbled. "They were supposed to be here by now."
"Calm yourself," Cao Cao assured Siegfried as they stood at the meeting point hidden from prying eyes. "Unless you wish to continue awaiting her to meet with the Hyoudou Dragon, we have little other recourse."
"Her personal interests have detached from our purpose; she may be the most powerful being on the planet but that is no longer worth serving."
Do you say that with complete ignorance of your own personal goals overtaking your reason? Cao Cao thought as he glanced back at Siegfried. He'd grown more on edge since his fight against Yuuto Kiba as if he almost feared the devil knight despite his skills having been far below the artificial human when they fought in Kyoto. What was it Gram told you when it clashed with him, I wonder?
"Something is coming," Georg warned, the mage having been watching for any approach. It's actually forcing its way through Dimension Lost!"
"Leonardo, create several battalions," Cao Cao started as the gears of strategy turned in his head. "We can prepare to…"
"You can prepare to greet an honored guest," a voice emerged along with a silver-haired man from the tear forming before them before the young wielder of Annihilation Maker could create a single Anti-monster. "Do not look so surprised, I work with another faction of the same Brigade which you represent."
"And what is one of the 'esteemed' Lucifuge family doing among our company, fallen far from grace?" Cao Cao asked while leveling the True Longinus towards the man he recognized. Even as a supposed ally, he could not bring himself to show any courtesy to a devil. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"
"Reports of my death in the Civil War were...mildly exaggerated. Let's just say our goals align for this situation, a momentous occasion of two factions of the brigade working together again, however briefly. I trust our 'esteemed' leader is absent?"
"The ouroboros is away with the Grigori leader, we have many hours before she returns."
"Then we have time to make an accord, that your services are…shall we say, for sale?" The spear was leveled at his throat before he could even breathe. "A poor choice of words?"
"You said you had a bargain to make. Make it, and I'll see if it is worth our time."
"Fair enough," he gently pushed the spear away with a finger, wincing in pain as the holy relic even powered down burned his flesh. "Your army maker is young, but possesses one of the strongest Sacred Gears of our era with ties further back than you know," he motioned to Leonardo in the back. "What he needs are subjects to study, does he not?"
"We have been fighting every supernatural entity across the world to do just that," Cao Cao revealed. "We estimate within the next three years, he'll have monsters strong enough to challenge the best of any faction."
"And what if I could supply those to make that possible within the month?" The offer made even Cao Cao's cold demeanor break out of interest. "Bring them through!"
The rip behind him widened, a small entourage of hulking beasts marching through. Siegfried readied his swords, Cao Cao turning up his nose in disgust. They were clearly dragons, but none they had ever seen before. The aura emanating from them was dark and evil, but more than that it was unnatural not felt in all their time traveling the world. The eyes were bright red yet lifeless, clearly their will was not their own.
"They reek of evil energy," Cao Cao could sense through the pure instrument in his hands. "I thought all the evil dragons were slain long ago?"
"They are having something of a revival," the Lucifuge devil motioned towards them. "Analyzing even one of them will give your monsters a considerable boost to their capabilities and I have an ample supply. Events are progressing well in Romania and there are many volunteers. Not only this, but we have an ally who can help with that," he motioned to Cao Cao's hand which looked unremarkable. However, as he pointed, an inert magic rune briefly shimmered to life before fading once more.
"And what would you ask in return for such an offer?" The leader of the Hero Faction asked, standing his ground as the devil known as Euclid approached to stand directly in front of him.
"Only that when the boy is a force of nature you turn his armies upon several targets that we specify. That is all, we give you the means to fight every supernatural being that has ever held sway over humanity and you turn this against the mutual enemies my allies decide. So, great wielder of the True Longinus…what say you?"
Occult Research Clubhouse…
"Has she been like this long?" Rias asked as Gasper finally reached the front lobby to the clubhouse. Sure enough, clinging to his back purring contentedly was Koneko, her actions not having abated since running into him and Zepar.
"Since we encountered her," Zepar answered, Gasper's brain still melting at the public displays of affection she was showing him. "She doesn't seem to be acting herself."
"It's nice seeing you getting taller Gaspy," Koneko whispered to him. "You've been working so hard with our training. I saw the recording from the match after I was retired, you were incredible."
"S-so were you Ms. Koneko," he somehow found his voice though it cracked at random inflections. "Even though you lost, you always fought with such…"
"Koneko," she interrupted with a pout. "Just call me Koneko, you don't need to be so formal."
"Okay, Koneko. Don't worry, we'll get you back to your normal self. You'll be punching Issei, chasing me with garlic and trying to stand being in the same room as your sister in no time."
"As long as I get to stay here," she hugged him tighter with a giggle. "The new kilt looks nice, was it another from Iggy or did Dorian lend you more? The first ones he gave were so big on you."
"Clearly," Rias raised an eyebrow, never having seen her Rook act in such a manner. "Koneko, when did you start feeling this way?"
"When he visited me in the hospital," she admitted while tightening her hold around him. "He wanted to make sure I was okay, I liked it. I'd been planning to chase him even more during training, but this is nicer…"
"I mean acting like THIS," she clarified, but her Rook had stopped paying attention starting to lick up and down Gasper's neck sending chills through his spine. "What are we going to do?"
"First, be glad she came in, now we have a conscious subject to test my theory on." A voice emerged from a portal opened directly from Ajuka's laboratory. A feat thought to be impossible with the defensive measures taken around Kuoh made mundane by the smartest devil ever born.
"You must be Lord Ajuka's assistant," Rias turned to greet her. "We are most gla…!"
The Gremory heiress dropped into a combat stance, Zepar doing the same as even Gasper widened his eyes prepared to stop time. The newcomer only sighed, adjusting glasses that were new, however the black and white split hair along with her pointed ears and purple lipstick were unmistakable.
"What are you doing here, Ona Barbatos!? I thought you were still incarcerated!"
"I believe you were warned of my entrance, did that strange interference cut out the best part as to my identity?" She chuckled while pressing keys on a laptop she was holding with one hand. "Look, I'll get in trouble if I use any offensive spells, it's a stipulation of my time working for Lord Ajuka so I would ask kindly to NOT attack me. If you want to figure out what's going on, show me to the piece. If you have the situation well in hand, I can get back to my experiments and go."
"You tried to kill us and kidnapped me!" Gasper glared, the power of his Balor Eyes lit up though he had chosen not to activate them yet, using the appearance for some intimidation as Dorian and Koneko had taught him. "Tried to use me to kill all those people!"
"Water under the bridge, it wasn't MY idea I was just the only one smart enough to pull it off…is she one of those afflicted?" She waved her hand, holding a device towards Koneko and looking it over. "From what Lord Ajuka said, this could spiral if left unchecked, Dorian isn't around, is he?" The others shook their heads. "Probably for the best, I can't imagine he'd be too fond to see me again, but his blood was so delicious…like Norwegian chocolate."
"WHAT do you need to do?" Rias narrowed her eyes, interrupting where she feared the next line of conversation was going.
"I'd analyze this one if she'll stand still," she knelt down to Koneko, looking her and her vampire captive over. "She is a natural nekoshou, so this might be better than an afflicted human. Do you have the piece?"
"We contained it behind a barrier just in case," she motioned to the Senet piece resting on the nearby pedestal which claimed the devil-vampire's attention.
"That will save time, just make sure she doesn't move, I promise not to kidnap you this time."
"Just help her," Gasper asserted in a tone sterner than expected from him as he recalled her injury trying to protect him from the Old Satan Faction's attack. "If you do that, I'll do my best to not retaliate for what your people did to her back then."
You've grown so much Gasper with room to continue, I'm so proud, Rias nodded in approval accepting his threat as sufficient for the situation.
"So vicious," Ona grinned in the same way she had back then with an evil yet coy flair. "I'm impressed, if you'd been this sturdy back in Romania you wouldn't have needed her help to escape."
"Don't…you dare speak of her, if you do…"
"I finished my analysis while you were giving that rousing defense," Ona quickly interrupted before he could continue. "Your girlfriend will be fine."
"Sh-she's not my gir…"
"You were right, it was the prototype piece to blame. Strange, the seal was disrupted by something which caused the ambient magic within to leak out. Even then, I do not know how it could have encompassed the school. It should have been limited to a few feet around the piece which is probably how our Mr. Dorian got infected despite his runic defenses."
"What could have amplified the effects?"
"A lot, but nothing that should be in a high school, that will need more analysis of the area. We could…"
Ona froze, glancing out the window with a gasp. On the edge of the forest outside the old school building, just barely at the edge of sight, a young woman stood. Ona had never seen her before, a dark-haired gold-eyed girl wearing the Kuoh Academy uniform yet all the same she knew exactly who it was. The memory of that cold stare following her after speaking with Dorian months earlier when stalking him, the one whose mere presence sent her instincts racing to flee, fighting not even being an option. They had taken on a new shell, but the entity within was unmistakable, already her hands had begun to shake as if she were mere inches from her face.
No, she is here?! A being like her, she'd be swimming in primordial magic and Old God energy has never been truly understood. If the residual leaks of the piece came into contact with her aura…
"Ona? ONA!" Rias shouted at last, snapping the scientist out of her stupor. "What is wrong? You look like you've just seen a ghost." She glanced out the window where Ona had been staring, nothing visible along the entire forest line.
"It was…nothing," she answered at length, wiping the beads of sweat from her brow. "Fortunately for you, this can be fixed. We just need to siphon the energy out of those affected, contain it back within the piece and seal it. Where did I put that device? Since she was already a nekoshou, it seems to have pushed her into an instinct-driven state to seek out a mate."
"A-a mate!?" Gasper swallowed hard, the look in his teammate's eyes suddenly making more sense. "But we're both still in high school!"
"You've never thought about me that way?" Koneko glanced up at him longingly, her eyes demanding he give the answer she sought and he could not hope to lie in that moment.
"I…I wouldn't say never, it's just that I…"
"We can go then," Koneko purred again, planting a soft kiss on Gasper's cheek. "Just the two of us, we can…OW!"
"There we go," Ona removed a thin injector from the back of Koneko's neck. Inside, a swirling vortex of purple energy pressed against the glass trying to escape to no avail. "That simple, just a small prick and all that excess nekoshou essence is gone. Voila."
The reaction was almost immediate, Koneko shaking her head as she glanced left and right to determine where she was. Her eyes locked with Gasper, widening at the realization of how she'd been acting being reality and not a far-off dream. Their faces simultaneously exploded red as the nekoshou shot from his lap and around the corner out of sight. Finally released from her prison, Gasper fell backwards, the feeling only starting to come back to his legs as steam rose from his forehead.
"I trust you can supply us with a few hundred more of those?" Zepar asked the question on everyone else's mind as he tended to his friend. "Much of the school seems to be infected."
"No luck there, only brought one with me but give me a few hours," the former enemy promised. "I can come up with something, a grid of some sort to absorb the energy on a grand scale. As long as they don't leave the school grounds, we have nothing to worry about. You have taken steps to contain them, I presume?"
Kuoh Main Campus…
"Divide," Vali muttered as he raised his hands towards a group of neko-infected students. One by one they slowed their romp through the halls before laying down to sleep where they lay. "Why am I doing this?"
"Because it's the right thing to do," Hecuba insisted without looking at him. The pair had broken away from pursuing Dorian working to ensure no students breached the perimeter. Originally sticking to talking them out of leaving, they had to incapacitate the latest ones as their feline instincts started to drive their actions more and more to fighting back. The process became much easier with the realization that Vali could halve their stamina until they fell asleep. "…thank you anyway for accompanying us."
"It's for the best, if I'd stuck with Issei I would probably be fighting him more than the students."
"I saw your battle at the Peace Summit, so you'll seek a rematch just because of the dragons within you? I didn't think you were the type to be compelled to do anything."
"It's more than that," the frustration in his voice leaked through at her perceived simplicity of his reasoning. "I need to be the strongest, it's as simple as that. Settling Albion's grudge with the Red Dragon is just another step to that. Great Red one day will be my opponent, I need to be ready."
"I won't fault your goals despite the danger they pose, I too aim to face someone, Cao Cao, for what he's done to the name of heroes."
"You will die," Vali warned, a hint of concern ringing in his voice. "No human without abilities can hope to beat the True Longinus. Not even my Juggernaut Drive armor could hope to survive a direct hit."
"That won't stop me, if I ran away or left it to others, I could never face my family."
"You have one in Olympus?" She nodded.
"A cousin, do you have any family?" Vali froze as if contemplating what to say.
"I have relatives, but my mother is my only real family."
Why did I tell her that? There's no reason to bring others into my goals and motivations.
Not unless you want her to ask more…an excuse to perhaps spend more time together?
"SHUT…!" Vali started to shout at the voice in his head until a series of screams drew their attention. Around the nearby corner a group of girls scattered on all fours each clearly displaying nekoshou traits. Several others struck those running, their hands glowing white with the power of Sage Arts. Those hit slumped to the ground, their muscles disrupted to the point they couldn't move anymore.
"Oh no, the others are picking up on their natural Sage Art affinity," she grimaced, having heard since Dorian's recovery of the power being a package deal with the other changes.
"This must be happening everywhere," Vali pointed out with an almost bored sigh. "You can't stop them all.
"I don't need to, only those who I can," Hecuba raced forward, gripping the wooden bokken in her hand.
The first Sage Art empowered student never stood a chance as she buried the handle into her gut, rendering her unconscious. The others realized her threat and advanced, their bodies glowing bright. The first two delivered a series of blows the Spartan expertly dodged, rolling backwards and catching the second in the chest with an uppercut kick sending them sprawling out cold. Vali only watched with a raised eyebrow as a swipe of her sword clipped the knees of a third.
If you had met her first you would have recruited her, admit it. Albion poked again. A human, while with the spirit of an ancestor, with no other abilities other than her body, mind and will facing supernaturally gifted foes with no hesitation. The lack of a Sacred Gear would certainly help against that man.
She is…impressive, was all he would admit while strolling up as nonchalantly as possible, every opponent already defeated with Hecuba barely winded by the exertion. A half dozen Sage Art opponents, even novices, would be too much for most humans, but she dropped them all alone.
"Shall we move to the next area?" He asked, his demeanor betraying none of his internal thoughts, taking note of how she looked as she whipped her ponytail through the air to clear the bangs from her eyes. "If you insist on this endeavor, we may as well continue."
"Can you hear me? Headquarters to all teams out there, can you hear me?"
"We read you," Hecuba placed a hand on her ear at the same time as Vali to hear better. The teams had all been provided a long-distance communication spell when they'd left their HQ, the Occult Research Club building, in case of new developments. "The battles are escalating around the school, I believe the students are growing territorial, the Sage Arts powers manifesting is only increasing their boldness."
"Sage Art powers?" A female voice they didn't recognize called out. "Fascinating that it developed that far. Once we fix the piece, it should be MORE than ready for practical application."
"I hardly see how that helps us as is," Hecuba glared forward despite not being able to see the woman speaking. "Who is this?"
"The most reliable person here, be prepared to receive a delivery. I have a solution, but it will require a little bit of legwork…"
Elsewhere…
"Totems?" Rossweisse analyzed the small cylindrical device she had been provided before leaving the Occult Research Club building. Everyone not currently staying behind had pulled back to plan their next move. "These can reverse the nekoshou piece effects?"
"But…" Dorian started, however Ona interrupted once again.
"I know what you're going to say, how can we be sure it'll ONLY take nekoshou essence? Well don't worry your pretty little head as I've tuned it to their specific signature. Their kind is rare enough we don't have to worry about anything else being mistaken for it."
"Well…"
"And of course, the totems will disintegrate upon completion of their task, all the energy will be funneled directly back into Kuroka's Senet piece which is now secured from any cracks or imperfections. Everything will be fine, and your little memory charm can make sure no one are the wiser, did I miss anything?"
"Just one," Dorian inhaled sharply before suddenly raising his voice. "WHAT is Ona doing there!? Didn't she try to kill us? Why is she the one coordinating our countermeasures!?" Since receiving the call she had popped on the communiqué and started speaking as if it'd been the most natural thing in the world. Remembering the intense battle they'd had back at the Peace Summit, the Einherjar was more than confused and worried.
"I'm one of the good ones now, go team," she teased, her smug face practically visible in his mind despite not actually seeing her. "Just place them at these four locations I have here…"
"That won't work," Dorian and Issei practically blurted out simultaneously, glancing to each other surprised the other thought of the same thing. It was Dorian who continued. "You picked these spots from the school map, right?"
"Of course."
"That doesn't take into account the older school buildings that they stopped updating on it years ago." He recalled shortly after arriving being showing the grounds by Rossweisse and Rias, the Gremory heiress making note of the older buildings she adored due to their unique Japanese architecture, the Occult Research Clubhouse being only one of many. "One should be placed here instead," he showed the new location. "That should cover the entire school."
"Seems you two thought of everything," Ona acquiesced with a sigh, glaring at him from behind her glasses before ending the transmission. "But if you think your input is more important than my calculations, so be it."
"She seemed upset," Issei pondered as the call cut off abruptly. "Guess she doesn't like not knowing everything."
"Not much sympathy here," Dorian looked over the totem, remembering Ona's bite on his neck at the apex of their fight. "We can split up into teams to get them all where they need to go. With enough combat strength on each team, we can get through the students, they're all still novices at Sage Arts."
"I'll go with you nya," Kuroka clung to his arm coiling her tail around his adoring his nekoshou traits almost as much as Thrud.
"No, you'll have to stay here," he shot her down as diplomatically as he could while in a rush. "If this works as intended, all the energy is going to be making a b-line for you and the piece. Best for you to be in an open area when that happens. Rossweisse, you'll be with me. Issei…"
Dorian sweat dropped as he looked over at the Red Dragon Emperor, he and Vali glaring daggers into each other to such an extent he could swear he saw lightning jumping between their eyes. They had not fought outright since the Peace Summit and no doubt even with Issei's proclamation at the Rating Game to rework the Dragon Emperor's goal of destruction, their rivalry was flaring up being in such proximity. No way they could be on a single team.
"Herja, you and Brynda go with Issei for the second, Hecuba, can you and Misty accompany Vali?" He received confirmations from each other them in turn.
"Gasper," Rias ordered over the radio. "You and Zepar can take the last one. The rest shall remain back to protect the clubhouse, a few students have been seen prowling the area."
"Probably trying to find their own territory after being driven away from others, their instincts are totally in control." Hecuba was certain. "The school is overrun at this point; we didn't see anyone unaffected left."
"I commanded everyone not within the school grounds to remain beyond the barrier until this is over, Koneko will protect the building with Honda."
"Irina and Xenovia were off-campus with Bennia as well, thank the gods," Dorian sighed both joyous they wouldn't be affected while simultaneously wishing they had more hands-on deck. "They will be our last line with Kiba to ensure none get out."
"Perfect!" Issei pumped his fists in the air. "Then we just head out into the school and place these things. Simple enough, and we'll have everyone back to normal in no time. It's about time things went our way for once."
Not far…
Just outside the barrier to Kuoh Academy, a black portal opened ushering through several dark-robed individuals. One by one, they glanced to either side before slipping through the expertly crafted barrier as if it weren't even there.
"Th…the readings were right," the first man spoke, his voice sounding as if it echoed within a bottomless well. "Nekoshou readings on a scale never before seen even at the height of their species!"
"Their numbers were never great, the Great War and their naturally low birth rates saw to that," the tallest, clearly their leader with the intricacy of his robe, educated if only to stop any unnecessary statements. "If their DNA holds the secret as we believe, we'll get as many subjects as needed right here. This is Gremory territory, so be sure we aren't seen."
"Oh, a little late for that I thinks."
The group spun; utterly certain no one could have possibly sensed their presence. Floating above them was a head poking from a teleportation circle, the dark-blue cloak leading up to the smug expression of Bennia. If anyone could have felt their arrival it was her, wielding the same magics that were so hard to detect by outside powers.
"Were you here to visit lil ol' me? Oh, you shouldn't have, be sure to tell dad I said hi, but I do need to ask…what are Grim Reapers of the deepest levels of the Underworld doing in my neck of the woods?"
A nekodemic has struck Kuoh, help coming from an old, unexpected source. As they rush to cure the students of the affliction and restore Kuroka's piece, a new party arrives interested in the sudden revival of a species long-since on the brink of extinction.
Wow, 90 chapters and 3.5 years going with the last chapter of 2021, I never would have made it this far without everyone reading and enjoying the story. A lot has changed since chapter 1, but my enjoyment at writing has not gone down. From the bottom of my heart, thank you everyone! I wanted to give a heads up that updates may be slower due to the holiday season and work getting hectic, but do not fear the delays as I am still working on keeping up with the new chapters.
With the main story ramping up, I wanted to hear everyone's opinion on the side stories up until now having been used as cushions between arcs. A lot have voiced wanting to see more so I wanted to see how people felt. To continue with the current formula, or to do similar to the novels and have adventures every so often that took place previously in the story. Feel free to voice your opinion on that or what little side adventures you might like to see for the Crossroads and canon characters. Until then, I hope everyone Reads and Reviews...but most of all Enjoys!
