"Aren't you comin', m'lady?" Issei flashed a characteristic smile towards the Nekoshou, which she replied with her one.
"I thought you'd never ask, nya∿" Her mischievous smile aimed at him, with each step she came closer and closer to the worn-out boy, seemingly teasing him with her slow motion. Succeeding so, she could already feel the frustrated gaze of him whilst never looking up to his eyes.
Issei, at this point, only wanted her to come to the existing circle, to fly into his house and drop down to his bed, wishing to never wake up again for the rest of the day.
But the deal with the lady was what was stopping him to do that, he somehow started to feel regret as he realized that her teasing behavior was gonna take the life out of him for the rest of the night.
"Hey… uh, Can you please move a bit quicker, Kuroka? I might gonna have a heart attack right now." Issei sighed as he uttered, as he looked up to her. She must've caught the dizziness of the boy as she picked up the pace, effectively coming right next to him in a few seconds.
"You are no fun, Issei-nya∿" Kuroka adopted a pout to her face, which Issei found quite cute.
After nodding to himself, and of course, casting another glance to the woman beside him, he closed his eyes. The aura around him changed and with that, three of them were gone from the sights.
The first thing Issei did once coming to his own house was lying Raynare to one of his only couches. If he wanted to keep her in check, he had to lie her somewhere he'd spent the night, and hence, the living room.
"You have quite the house here, Issei-nya∿" Kuroka playfully said as she made her way to one of his warm, fluffy, and soft couches. Maybe the Nekoshou wouldn't mind sleeping here tonight.
"Thanks, I guess. For I am going to serve you tonight, enjoy yourself Kuroka-chan∿" He stroke her with her weapon, effectively dazzling the beauty in front of him. Seeing the astonished look of Kuroka, Issei couldn't help but chuckle, maybe the night wasn't going to be as dreadful as he thought.
"I have to go upstairs and take a blanket for the Fallen. If something catches your interest, feel free to use it." The boy dropped his playful attitude and replaced it with a nonchalant one. His reply came in a way of nod, and with that, he made his way towards the stairs, and hence, his room.
As Issei went upstairs, Kuroka quickly hopped from her spot, beginning to examine the house she's gonna spend the night in.
His house was… nicely tidy, something that Kuroka was surprised, this was not her first time in a man's house, but they were unclean and messy, and she was used to that. The house was designed in modern era's standards, right next to the entrance, there was his curvy bookshelf, full of history and psychology books, the ones she could spot were The Prince from Machiavelli, Socrates' Defence from Platon, The Idiot from Dostoevsky, and lastly, Iliad from Homeros
His TV set consisted of his consoles lined up in the lines of the set, along with his laptop, situated right under his TV. In front of his TV set, lied there his only triple sofa, the one Raynare was currently placed, near that, there was the other sofa she had been a minute ago, and against that, there was the last of his sofas. In the middle of the three, there was his stand, probably for extending his leg and having his private time.
She continued to wander inside the house, noticing Issei finally returning from the upstairs, lying the blanket over the Fallen Angel. He flashed a smile to the Nekoshou, implying her to continue, and with that, he went over to his kitchen, known to him as his nest.
Under the stairs, there located Issei's kitchen, Kuroka decided not to go there, she wanted him to concentrate and prepare the best supper for her. She'd inspect there another time if there was gonna be. But from the looks of it, she could imagine that his kitchen was the part he cared about the most.
Behind his sofas, with some understandable distance, there lied his dinner table, surrounded by 6 chairs, unlike the rest of the house, the table was rather old. From the looks, it must've had a lot of memories buried into it, so he'd have a reason to keep the table.
Right behind the table, there was a medium-sized commode. Like the table, it was also old, being tarnished due to time. Both the table and commode were pitched brown, whereas the rest of the furniture was either white or gray. But none of the furniture interested her.
What spiked her interest was the pictures and memorials on and over the commode. There were a few enframed pictures of him and his family. Portraits of each member of his family, each enframed separately and put upon the commode.
Now The Nekoshou understood why he kept those, they must've been left to him by his family. She began to wonder as she kept looking at the portraits. What in the world could have happened to this happy family?
From those upon the commode, she could have a guess who they were.
Beginning from the far right, she spotted a fairly handsome man. His portrait was a little bit damaged, but she could see most of it. His face was clean, creaseless, calm, and composed, his eyes shone brightly. a faint smile on lips, his amber eyes gazing directly into the camera. His fairly long silver hair tied into brides, falling from his neck. Overall, the man was such a lady-killer from the looks. This man must've been his father.
Right next to his portrait, Kuroka spotted another one, quite a beautiful lady with alluring looks. Long white hair let loose, a skin that is fairer than porcelain, blue eyes that radiate peacefulness, round face, deprived of any sign of old age.
Even the Nekoshou herself was attracted by the beauty that is Issei's mother. Now she thinks of it, this woman was nearly the same as her Boss, and to say she was surprised wasn't an exaggeration.
For the upcoming one, she had a fairly good guess. This girl she was looking to was a complete copy of her mother, the same hair let loose, the same eye color, nearly everything was the same, except for the age difference, this one was nothing but a child, roughly 4 or 5 years old. So that must be his sister.
Kuroka searched for Issei's portrait on the commode, no matter how many times she looked, she couldn't find it, and it was totally strange. Why wouldn't he put on his portrait? As she began to wonder, the Nekoshou took a glance upwards and saw the last one of the portraits.
This one was massive, totally covering the whole area over the commode. From the looks of it, they had that picture on a special day, could be their wedding anniversary, as that was the only thing that came to her mind.
The same family, albeit with a difference. In this portrait, she could see the child Issei, the adorable and cute one. His mother, clad in a silver evening gown, this time her hair wasn't loose, instead of tied up as an updo, hugging his husband from behind, who is wearing a fit tuxedo. Kuroka acknowledged that they were indeed a very good pair.
As the part Kuroka wondered about a minute ago, she spotted the little Issei, being hugged in the same way as his father by his sister, his bright smile radiating the happiness of the boy.
Kuroka made her way to her couch, lost on her thoughts.
As Issei entered his nest, the first thing he did was opening his fridge and taking a bottle of mineral water, the usual thing he did after coming from school. It relieved his tiredness for a bit and 2 bottles of it kept him awake for the rest of the night usually. After opening it with the cap opener, he drank the first bottle in one go, having his thirst gone for a while.
After that, the boy was in deep thought, for what he was gonna cook for the night. He had a few suggestions, but he couldn't think anything better than sauteed chicken and cooked rice, along with his salad, mustard salad as he liked to call it, considering his supplies, which were little to no, the right action would be that. But as tomorrow was the day he was gonna get his allowance, it didn't matter.
["Well, Let's see your cooking skills shine boy."] Dragon Emperor said in a motivating tone, effectively catching the boy's attention. Whilst he never tasted Issei's cooking, he knew it better than anyone else that his skills in the kitchen were out-right excellent, and he succeeded, his call impressively got the boy back to his senses.
'Now, I'm Motivated.' Issei shouted inside his mind, having the Emperor's next line served to him, Ddraig couldn't help but say that.
["They will not forget this Dragon's cooking!"] Roaring mightily, the duo were motivated, and that was the thing Ddraig wanted. Issei quickly took a glance at his guest, Kuroka. He found her wandering around the house and he was okay with that, for now.
He reached out for the freezer, once he got a hold, he quickly searched for his last tablet of sirloin, thankfully he found it. For the saute, he needed to have the sirloin unfrozen, from his experience, it wouldn't take too long. In the meantime, he could get the rice prepared. He put the tablet on the kitchen's top.
Again, reaching forth, opening one of the drawers, the search for the rice began. Luckily, his rice stock was at its full, which made Issei delighted, he could use his stock for another 10 days, and that was a bonus to his economy.
Quickly getting a large bowl to pour the rice into, Issei wanted to water wash the rice and wait for it to become smoother, with that way, it would be a lot easier to cook and eat. After filling the bowl with water, Issei sat again, he could enjoy the peaceful and quiet surroundings of his kitchen. He loved his house, more than anything else in the world.
["So, What are we gonna do afterward? I'm sure that Kuroka wasn't following you because she wanted to."] Dragon-Emperor said with curiosity in his voice. He wanted to know his thoughts about the fateful encounter of the two, and at the same time, he didn't want to hear about his host's dreadful opinions.
'I.. don't know. I never thought about it until you said now, I should try to ask her about it, but I think you're right. She must have a reason to follow me, and of course, that would be the case if someone hadn't ordered her to tail me.' Brown-haired boy voiced his thoughts, rather concerned.
["Just to make a reminder. If you need anything Issei, I'm here to help. Also, I don't think she's allied with either of the 3 factions, if anything, it would be a better guess to say that she was following the Fallen Angel, not you."] Ddraig said in a manner to erase his host's concerns. He couldn't bear to see him in a state like this, the façade they were trying to put on was shattered by the sudden involvement of the Fallen, and that was the last thing they wanted to happen right now, especially not after the conversation between the two in the morning.
'Thanks, Ddraig.' Issei said in a tone that is a mixture of sadness and hopelessness. That made Ddraig even more anxious than he was before. Sure, he meant it and all but, the tone he used… Ddraig only heard it once from his playful and goofy host, and that was from a very disturbing memory they shared.
["Get on your damn senses Hyoudou Issei! I will not forgive you if you sink into depression for such a small thing!"] The Emperor roared angrily, they couldn't afford Issei to get depressed again, not after the first disaster, and never for a long time.
Luckily, Ddraig's voice reached him, effectively getting the boy's attention. Issei quickly snapped out of his train of thoughts. He could deal with them another time, right now, he had to serve for such a beautiful lady. Seeing him pulling himself together made the Dragon release the breath he wasn't even sure holding.
Issei lightened up, understanding the point the dragon was trying to make. The boy had to get out after the supper and have some fresh air, he wasn't even in the mood to care what the Fallen would do while he was gone. Smiling rather faintly, he went to finish his uncompleted business and began to cook the rice.
Long before the Nekoshou realized, Issei had already prepared the table. Once she had taken a look at the supper Issei prepared, she was amazed. Long candles on each side of the table, over which lay a bright crimson tablecloth. Issei made it so that they could enjoy the dinner whilst taking looks into each other, now the only thing she wished that it would taste as good as it looks.
"Would you do this humble boy the honor of welcoming your dazzling figure of a body to this poor dinner table of an excuse?" Issei mischievously said with a gesture, the said beauty quickly caught up on this one, replying with her playful manner.
"I would love to, but my legs are sore, nya∿. I wonder if there's someone to accompany me to this beautifully decorated dinner table." Kuroka felt herself getting secretly excited, the night was getting more and more interesting. The boy couldn't help but smile, he was enjoying this conversation so far.
"Oh, I wonder… Who wouldn't help this beautiful lady before me?" This night was a change of pace for both of them, they both know it, and Issei wanted to experience it to its fullest. Getting out of character for a bit wouldn't hurt, would it?
Kuroka couldn't wait anymore, she felt like he could keep this forever, and that amazed her. There wasn't anyone that could answer her flirtatious nature at instant ever. This was the only in her life that she thought she couldn't keep the conversation from this point.
"What does bother you, my dear lady, don't you want to enjoy the night with this pitiful boy?" Adopting a pout, Issei glanced at her with a face that even he wasn't sure that he could make. He was one hell of a bloviator that no one could stand and that one feature of him was the one he loved.
Kuroka felt her face getting a little hot, burying her face with her hands and peeking from the gaps, she saw the victorious smile of Issei, proclaiming himself as the winner of this nonsense of a duel.
"As much as I'd love to keep on with our duel Kuroka-chan, I'm afraid that the food will get cold." While saying that, his grin continuing to spread wider and wider. He always felt like he achieved something when he shut people up with his speech.
Kuroka finally admitted her defeat, albeit unwillingly. Whilst she wanted to get her revenge, she didn't see any point in continuing this duel, as she was already behind. As a woman of culture once said "Retreat, if there is nothing in favor of you".
"Fine~ I will let you have this round Issei-nya~, but only because I'm generous enough to do." With that, she accompanied the now-triumphant boy. Today has been out of pace for the flaneurs, and both of them were aware of that, thus, they could go out of character for a bit.
As soon as they sat, Kuroka realized that she hadn't eaten anything for the past 7 hours, which was a new record for the ever-greedy Nekoshou. She has used quite an energy to tail him all day, sure she had some snacks with her, but they could only manage to sustain her for a while.
With her enhanced senses, she smelled the delicious-looking supper Issei made. As lazy as she is, when it comes to important subjects like food, she wouldn't joke around. She would judge the food in advance with its flavor, but that was only because she had a code. If it smells good, then it also tastes good.
Much to her surprise and joy, its scent was already screaming, asking her to be eaten. This was one of the most awaited sections of the day for her, after all, if you want a woman to work well, feed her first. After exchanging a glance with Issei, who was waiting for her approval to begin, she opened her mouth.
"Bon Appétit." She said as Issei went along with her.
Speaking of the Devil, Issei was, at least, relieved. He was sure that he would screw up until this point, but nothing happened, other than the meaningless duel between the bloviators.
["Ahem, Enjoy the meal and peace, Partner, for you have attained it"] The Dragon Emperor spoke with irony in his voice, he couldn't understand his host at all. Twenty minutes ago, he was thinking that he blew up his cover already, and now, he was calmer than before. Ddraig, too, was relieved, he already considered to at least have one accident today, but as it seems, for now, things are going in their favor.
'Thanks, Mr. Overgrown Lizard. I would've asked you to share this meal with me and this beautiful lady, but I see that you don't possess a body of your own. Meh, What can I say? It's your loss' Issei said enthusiastically as he took another bite, he loved pissing Ddraig off. His already wide grin continued to expand as he heard the Emperor's cry, stating that it was Albion's fault.
However, this action didn't go unnoticed. Kuroka could very well see that wide grin and wondered what happened all of a sudden. Was he still thinking about the events of the past hour? What could make him grin like that all of a sudden? Deciding it is best to ask, Kuroka inhaled.
"What is it Issei-nya~? Already thinking about perverted stuff? With someone that you newly encountered? I would have expected better from you. However, I can't judge you. After all, you are a healthy young man." Sounding a bit disappointed, Kuroka exclaimed. Adopting the classic lustful gaze of her, she shot a glance towards Issei, who had already switched his attention from his meal to her.
'I've seen enough doujinshi to know where this is going.' The young lad thought, his face continuing to burn every single second he thought about the lady in front of him.
For the first time during their time, she saw his cheeks redden, albeit faintly, she could see the tint. She closed her eyes and opened them again, pinched her cheek, and looked around, to clarify that this wasn't an illusion. Indeed, Issei Hyoudou was one hell of a pervert in the disguise of a handsome lad.
Deciding to use the advance she had over him, she crossed her arms under her bosom, giving him a closer look at her developed upper half, testing him, to see if he dared to pass the thin line between the pervert and opportunist. Luckily, for him, he averted his gaze at the right moment. Sure, he captured a great look, but he stopped right after the three-second limit.
"You're sure an entertaining lad, Issei-nya~. I'll at least give you that." Kuroka hummed as she continued her feast, gaining an irritated but somewhat cute look from the said boy, who continued his feast. Overall, he was worth her time, as long as he resumed to be entertaining, The Nekoshou wouldn't mind him taking her to a few more dates.
"Kuroka… Can you please, at least, stop teasing me while I'm eating?" As much as he liked to keep up with the lady, feasting was a whole different experience that he could very much love to have in silence.
Every dinner and breakfast was a unique experience for him, the taste of the food differed each time, the mood and process of thought he had, they played a huge role. It was no secret, he admired foods and snacks, he loved them, he just couldn't keep his mouth and belly empty.
"You are no fun, Issei-nya~. But I will fulfill your wish." The Lady obliged sadly, as a result, Issei adopted his usual smile. As much as he loved food, Kuroka loved teasing people to no end. It was her nature, it was written deep in her code. Her mischief nature and looks contributed to that fact, she was made for this only thing, and she knew that.
Issei was able to read the saddened look on her face, but he couldn't do anything about it right now. It was his home and they were to play with his rules. As time passed, the look on the lady's face became more and more disappointed, to the point where he felt a little bit guilty.
'I'm sure going to regret this, but here it goes.' The boy thought as he readied himself, she was his guest, so he had to show some hospitality.
"Alrighty, Alrighty. We shall continue our duel after we finish our meals and I question our guest, there is no need to be saddened over this little thing Kuroka-chan. I'm the host ain't I? I have to keep my guest entertained and comfortable, I was raised to show kindness, not hostility." Issei exclaimed with a sigh, he sure wasn't in the mood to have another war of words. But things weren't in his favor, for now, of course.
Kuroka's face lightened as soon as she heard that, she couldn't ask for more. She finally gained her freedom back, but she wasn't going to use it yet, despite her inner protests. He was already bearing her non-senses, she didn't want to give him more trouble.
"Thanks, Issei-nya~. I mean it." Showing One's kindness wasn't always through their actions, they could do that very well with impactful words and gestures. Sometimes, even those weren't that effective, compared to the gaze full of honesty and reliability.
To say that Issei was happy would be an exaggeration, he was, rather, relieved. He honestly thought that this night was going to fail miserably on his behalf, for now, everything seemed to be in order as the duo came into an agreement, while keeping both sides' benefit.
At that exact moment, Issei remembered the importance and goal of their meeting. He had to ask her something very important for his future actions, albeit the plans were already made. If he hadn't taken any action, sooner or later, he was going to regret it.
Glancing at the beauty in front of him, checking if she was finished or not. Issei decided to wait for a little bit longer, as he didn't want to hurry this important conversation that was about to begin after all manners were the priority over matters. As he was sure that she was done, he opened his mouth, rather unwillingly.
"Kuroka, I'm about to ask you something very crucial for me. But before this, I want you to be completely honest with me, as I don't have any choice but to trust you." Issei explained, rather serious and worried. The aforementioned lady was surprised, nonetheless, she agreed, unless it was something concerning the identity of her boss, she was ready to answer his questions. She nodded, affirming him to continue.
"Thank you. First of all, Was there anything that made you tail me in the first place? Did someone order you to do it? Is all of this a fateful coincidence?" Issei crossed his hands, placing his chin atop, eagerly waiting for her answers. Meanwhile, she could answer them, she was doubting herself. Would she be selling her boss out if she replied honestly? Deciding it was best to give him what he wants, Kuroka exclaimed.
"The honor is mine, Issei-nya~. Regarding your questions. Yes, there was someone that ordered me to keep an eye on you, I was told to intervene if something were to happen to you. I was asked by someone to protect you at all costs, even if I had to gamble my own life on the line. Were you to fail at least a bit back there, I would have intervened and burnt that little crow in an instant."
Kuroka replied with honesty in her voice, which made the boy become a bit resentful, after all those years, he attained his long-awaited peace, for it only to be broken down in a flash. Agreeing to escalate the conversation further, he replied.
"I… see. Thanks for answering, Kuroka-chan. I will not question who that person is, but I'll ask you one more thing. Are you going to make my presence known?" His disappointment could be read from his eyes, it seems that he prioritizes his freedom more than anything and if she were to give an honest report, her boss would be concerned about the boy even more and would ask her Knight to tail him next time.
"I mean… I could do you a favor, but I do have some questions. If you answer them sincerely as I did, I'll sort something out." Again, her curiosity got the better of her, she didn't like that side of her sometimes, nonetheless, she would be lying if she said that she didn't pity the fair boy in front of her, especially after hearing her reply, his mood was demolished in a flash.
"You have my gratitude, Kuroka-chan. I'll try to answer as much as I can." Hearing the daring lady's reply made him feel better, but it was certain for a fact that they might have already found him, and he was afraid that he wasn't ready.
"Good, First of all, Iseei-nya~. Who exactly are you?" She exclaimed, curious. She wanted to know more about him, and if possible, have him join their ranks under her boss. She was sure that he'd make a great addition to their team.
"You know my name already, I'm Hyoudou Issei, third year at Kuoh Academy, class 3-3. I've been raised by a loving mother and father, along with my baby sister. My father and mother are away at the moment. Meanwhile, regarding my sister, I haven't heard about her in years. She had been, how can I say this, taken away from us when we were children. I swear, I searched everywhere, there isn't a single place that I haven't gone in the past 7 years in this world, looking for her. I wasn't able to find even a trace of her, of Anna…"
Issei replied, rather depressed, looks like he was the emotional one when it came to his own family. Now, Kuroka understood. She felt a bit guilty in her chest, wishing that she hadn't asked this question.
"But I'm sure, you didn't mean that when you asked me who I am. My father was a Devil, pure-blooded one at that, meanwhile, my mother, I don't know… She was mostly human, the only thing about her was that she kept an extremely powerful family heirloom that was passed down by my grandfather, that is the katana I used earlier."
When Issei was finished, Kuroka was at a loss of words. Here, he stood, a prideful devil, yet she wasn't able to feel even a bit of his presence or power. Kuroka herself wasn't an amateur when it comes to reading people and their aura, yet, when looking at him. There wasn't even a trace of power, screaming that he was fully human. The Lady herself was disappointed in her abilities but decided to not push forward this conversation.
" I'm… sorry" Was all she had been able to muster, she wasn't expecting this kind of situation. Maybe he was abandoned but… not this kind of thing.
"Don't be. I've already been over this matter a long time ago. The only thing I want for now is my freedom and solitude. Those can be achieved with your cooperation, though." The said boy explained, already setting the previous topic aside. His characteristic smile back on his face, fully bright. Kuroka blinked before switching her attention to Issei, who was waiting for her answer.
"Okay, we have a deal, Hyoudou Issei. Just on one condition. Can you fulfill it?" Kuroka spoke formally, seeing the boy nod, she continued.
"Tell me, Issei-nya~. How in the world are you able to conceal your aura and presence? From the looks of it, you inherited Devil blood from your father. You don't give that kind of feeling, it is as if you are completely human." Kuroka told as she looked deep in his eyes, waiting for his answer. Realizing that she will not give up on this one, Issei exclaimed.
"Regarding your precious question, Kuroka-chan. I have a little bit of help from one of my Artifacts. Here, try to read me once again." Deactivating his Artifact, he let the suppressed power loose. The deadly aura of a Devil and the dominating one of a Dragon's, she felt as if he was going to devour her. That kind of power, she only felt once or twice during her lifetime. Her instincts were screaming, she should already be running for her life.
"O-Okay Issei-nya~. Take it easy, I've seen enough." If Kuroka hadn't said that, she would have been devoured alive by the sheer aura around him. To say that she was amazed would be an understatement, she was blown away by the power he contained, and understood the importance of her mission.
"I'm not that good at controlling my power honestly, sorry for that." Issei sheepishly answered as she scratched his head. What he said was true, he wasn't accustomed to letting that much power outside for a while.
"You are making this hard for me, Issei-nya~. You will definitely attach some people with that kind of power. If I'm found out, then I will blame you." Kuroka jokingly said as she got up, gaining the boy's attention in an instant. He still had some questions to ask, but it seems that he has to delay them a bit.
"Already leaving? I'd like to keep accompanied by you for a while, Kuroka-chan. The night is still young." Issei teasingly said as he stood up as well. As the homeowner, it was his responsibility to at least see her out, much to the said lady's protest to not mind her at all.
"I still have a report to hand in, you know Issei-nya~. I have to think out something to not sell you out accidentally. Also, I have to take a shower you know, I'm still soaked from head to toe, I wonder who's at fault." Kuroka exclaimed mischievously as she kept on, earning herself a light but sweet chuckle from the guilty boy.
"Anyways, thanks for the night, Issei-nya~. I will treasure this memory" Kuroka spoke out as she was exiting, not waiting at all, Issei replied.
"It's my pleasure, Kuroka-chan. Give me a call whenever you want, I will be waiting." Issei told as he saw her out, they exchanged numbers to keep in contact, after all, who wouldn't want to have the number of a woman like her.
Finally left alone, Issei could do nothing but sit down and think about the eventful day. It started very well if he would say so. He managed to get a Thank You from Valerie, that alone made his day, then the conversation with Laira and the Fallen's attack. In the end, Kuroka's approach and the supper, it could be very well said that this day was worth living with minor dissatisfactions. Deciding it would be best to not overthink, he got up and went to his room.
Located in the second story, Issei's room was nothing out of ordinary. There stood his only worktable and his school supplies, the mandatory textbooks given by the school itself. Next to it was his bed and commode, usually used for placing his alarm and phone atop. He concluded that it would be best for him to go out and get some fresh air, Raynare wasn't going to wake up soon anyway. Maybe stop by the Silver's and check up on Laira. On Laira….
He immediately reached for his phone, hoping that he wasn't late. Unfortunately, Luck wasn't Hyoudou Issei's best stat.
12 Missed Calls, all from the one and only childhood friend...
'Oh my Lord… Save me..' He completely forgot about the promise he made, adding it to the fact that he just got a headache from above, stating that he was all alone on this one.
["Good Luck, Hyoudou Issei. You will need it."] Ddraig knew first hand to not invoke a woman's wrath. He had tasted that thing in his own life, he wasn't going to have another incident ever again. He pitied his host, he was going to experience something deadly.
Quickly getting changed, Issei prepared himself to rush out of the house. He still had his signature red shirt. In addition to it, he chose jet-black jeans that embraced his legs, and got a jacket over himself, in case it's cold. After finishing himself, taking his keys and phone. Issei cast one last look on Raynare, after nodding to himself, he got out in an instant.
Surely, this day could be considered eventful for the Silver household. Firstly, their baby daughter came home with an unseen expression on her face since her childhood. Their little daughter went to her room without even greeting them, much to their surprise. Even in her most vulnerable state, she would at least express her gratitude and love towards them.
But today was different, she didn't even come downstairs for dinner, something that greatly upset her Father. He knew that she loved her Mama's cooking more than anything else. When he decided to consort and ask her what happened, he found her room locked, the loud sobs and cries could be heard from the other side. To say that he was upset would be an understatement for the time being, if anything, he felt that he was useless, and sank into his thoughts.
"Dear… Don't get discouraged. She is a strong girl, she will get out of this situation by herself." Looking up for the source of the voice, he saw his wife, looking at him with a resentful expression. She had undeniable beauty, but that wasn't the most attractive thing she had. Her round face was always covered with a daring gaze, with a bright smile. She who was capable of seducing an Angel, truly.
Bright hazel eyes continued to shine brightly every day, her appealing brown hair, the smooth, tan skin. Everything about the woman in front of him screamed true beauty, his unwavering love for her couldn't be explained through words. Always caring for others, especially her family, she would get extremely dissatisfied when she hears something happened to her children.
"But… Darling, I'm concerned. We haven't seen her like that in a while. The only time I heard my little cute daughter crying like that was when Issei suddenly vanished. That I can't do anything about it just sulks my mood down." Exclaiming stressfully, the man lost himself in thought. He didn't like that at all, even if he had power over Heavens, he still couldn't do anything about her daughter's condition. At the exact moment, an idea struck his mind. He immediately rose from his seat, becoming the center of the attention in the process.
Searching and searching, for his phone, taking a quick look at the TV set, as it would be there often, forgotten by its user. He located his phone, after hesitating a bit, he picked it up. If there had to be someone that knew his daughter more than him, which he originally doubted, It would be none other than their old neighbor's child, Issei. The duo spent their childhood days together and managed to be respected by Renault.
"Dear, call him. Meanwhile, I will call Gabriel and Kyle. If it turns out to be something as important as you think, they need to be here for their sister." Reassured by his wife, Renault had no reason to falter anymore. He dialed Issei's number, hoping to get a response. If he doesn't, he will personally go and look for him, he had no excuses for making his daughter cry.
"I'm calling him Hikari, tell them to be here soon. I can wait for Gabriel but Kyle has no reason to be late." The Golden-haired man exclaimed sternly, his emerald eyes lost their shine for a moment. His tone was enough for her to understand, meanwhile, he may not say in front of their children, he adored Laira more, but that did not mean that he didn't adore the other two. It was just that Laira was a bit more special and pure in his eyes.
Finally, he got his response, after a minute. He waited for the other side to speak first, but it seems that he was panting, at least that was what Renault could point out from the ragged breathing. Realizing that he was running for the time being, Renault decided to speak first.
"Issei… boy Where are you? We have a little emergency here, Can you please drop by?" He didn't waste any time and got straight to the point, just as he liked to do. He waited for his answer, but it seemed like he didn't hear him. Just as Renault was about to speak, the bell rang. Hikari just went over to open the door, and the guest was none other than the Boy himself. Panting heavily, he flashed a smile towards the duo, whilst showing his phone to them, still in the call.
"Hah… Hah… I've… arrived, Uncle." Issei exclaimed as he got inside, from the looks of it he had been running towards here for quite a while. Wiping his brow, Issei went to the kitchen to get himself a glass of cold water. He had known those people since his childhood, so he wasn't shy. Amazed by his precognition, Renault was pleased, because he did not need to explain the situation, rather. He was curious about his perspective.
When Issei came back from the kitchen, he was greeted by a sight that he was sure to expect. On one hand, Aunty Hikari glanced at him worrisomely, on the other, Renault glared at him with a light smile. Well, It was his fault to not call her afterward, so he couldn't pass the blame to anyone. Just as he was about to get himself comfortable and explain the situation, the whole room was covered in yellowish-white light, just as Issei predicted before, the Silver family had a great mystery.
Hikari's eyes widened, not surprised by the ray, rather, she was worried because the lady thought that Issei was simply a human, and hadn't interacted with Supernatural beings before. Issei, on the other hand, only sighed. Surely, this day was probably the most troublesome one he had in a while.
Stepping out of the Godray was two beautiful ladies, clad in nun's habit, albeit without the veil. Meanwhile, Issei knew one of them, he couldn't recall seeing the other. The Blonde just smiled at Issei, meanwhile, the chestnut-haired lady was acting like she was trying to reach for something invisible, continuing to glare at him.
"Sister Gabriel, who is this intruder? I thought we just only came to see Auntie and Uncle." She was trying her hardest to not smite the devil in front of her, if the Mighty Seraph did not, then who was she to harm him? That sentence had Issei's attention, it seems like she did not know him either. But it was clear that she was someone that as much mattered to them like him.
"Irina, if you ever try to harm him, know that Laira will smite you in an instant. He's as welcomed here as you are. Oh, by the way, Issei, here's Irina, my disciple." Gabriel calmly said to Issei and Irina, shocking the latter. She couldn't understand the reason, there he stood, a prideful devil, yet the Sister-like figure she hadn't doubted before was welcoming him.
"B-But Sister, He's a devil. Can't you see? He carries that poisonous blood, his existence should be removed as soon as possible." That sentence hurt Issei a bit, not that he was ashamed of his blood and heritage. But they made things really hard for him throughout his life. Capturing his saddened gaze, just as Gabriel was about to intervene, Issei beat her to it.
"Yeah, I carry the precious blood of a devil, with pride. What should I do? Should I end my life? Does my being as a descendant of a devil make me a bad person from the start?" Issei regretted not activating his Artifact before coming here. She was not in the plan he made. Irina felt a bit of sympathy, but she was still in the belief that he shouldn't be here.
"You wouldn't understand, Devil." Irina shot coldly, she doesn't have any business with the heretics.
"Neither would you, Follower of God." Issei sarcastically said as he began to go upstairs. Although both Renault and Gabriel wanted to intervene, they were stopped by Hikari. To her, both of these children were important, so siding with one wouldn't be their way. She wanted to have their way as well, that is the other reason why she didn't want to stop them. The Woman of the house was still processing the information she acquired, she knew that Issei's mother and father weren't normal people, but she did not expect them to be devils.
"Where are you going? I'm not finished. And If you really think that I will let you see Laira, you are just delusional." Irina exclaimed as she watched him, making him stop on his track, no matter who sided with him, she would not let her precious friend be influenced by a devil. Meantime, Her actions and statements determined what Laira meant to her, Issei could care less, as it was starting to be annoying.
"Irina, or whoever you are. If you value her well-being, let me. If you are really suicidal, try to stop me." Issei harshly said as the duo locked eyes, to see each other's determination. If the situation was even a bit convenient, they would be already at each other's throat. Issei was limited because of his respect towards Gabriel and Renault, whereas Irina restrained herself from smiting him due to her teacher and Auntie.
Just as they were bickering, the bell rang again. This time, positively, it was Kyle, the freshest of three siblings, just a year younger than Laira, roughly 3 years younger than Gabriel. His hazel eyes fixed at the situation in front of him, Irina and Issei waiting for an opportunity to strike each other down.
"Did I come at the wrong time?" Was all he could say at the minute. Kyle admired Issei a lot, stating that Issei was his role-model wouldn't be an exaggeration. The Golden-haired boy wouldn't hesitate to get into a fight against Irina and his sister, Gabriel if it meant to be useful to him.
"No, Kyle. You've arrived at the right moment. Can you please fend off this banshee? She is getting on my nerves and I don't think I can hold off her arrogance anymore." Issei exclaimed rather annoyed, Kyle was his last resort to get rid of her. A coincidence that is, Irina also thought the same thing, as she was sure that Kyle would be on her side.
"Yeah Kyle, help me smite this Devil. Together, we can overcome his evil, and guarantee Laira's safety." Irina's face flushed as she saw that the newcomer was no one other than Kyle. But to her horror, Kyle just shrugged her idea, instead, sided with Issei. Seeing her sibling's action, Gabriel just moved to Irina's side. The thing about the two siblings was, Kyle originally despised Gabriel's teachings and actions, whereas Gabriel loathed his callousness as an Angel. They tried to get along in front of their parents, but that was all. The only thing they ever agreed to is that they have to protect Laira at all costs.
"Father, Mother. Why don't we come into an agreement with the good old way?" Kyle said as he started to grin, as someone that had been training since he was little, Kyle was quite the power-house, on par if not even stronger than the oldest sibling, the fact that he was quite the battle-maniac did not help at all. Gabriel also knew that one of the reasons why she had been avoiding him outside the house was that he would try everything to get her into a fight.
"I'm with you on this, Kyle. After all, I would bring shame to my family's name if I didn't deliver my promise." Kyle's grin became wider as he heard Issei, just as he was expecting from his idol, never turning his back from a fight. As Irina was about to reply, Gabriel beat her to it.
"About the time we settled this, little brother. After all, It seems that I still have to teach you how to behave against your superiors." Gabriel exclaimed, clearly showing her intentions. This turn of events did not surprise Issei, as he already knew about things from Kyle's perspective.
"Ahem… Who did even allow you to clash against each other?" Renault made his forgotten presence remembered, as long as he was here, they weren't allowed. Even if he was a loving and caring father, Kyle and Gabriel were utterly scared of him because of the power he wielded, especially Gabriel, as Kyle was a bit reckless and relentless. Even someone powerful like Issei was shocked to the core because of the holy aura around him, looks like he was still too powerful for his base form.
"Right… Sorry, Dad" " Sorry, Father" Siblings quickly apologized, as they were forbidden to show their true intentions about each other in front of their mom, their father knew about their displeasure against each other and told them to solve it on their own.
"Now, Issei, go upstairs, looks like Laira needs you." His tone left no room for argument, much to Irina's dissatisfaction. Issei, on the other hand, felt triumphant and complied with the request. As Renault was sure that Issei went upstairs, he was ready to scold them, but before that, he still had to send Hikari to the kitchen, as she didn't need to hear this.
"Dear. Why don't you go to the kitchen and prepare some tea? As Issei and Gabriel are here, It would be a waste to let them leave without actually tasting my wife's cooking abilities once again." It was clear that they were going to discuss something pretty important, so Hikari caught up to that and left to brew some tea.
"Now you two, how many times do I need to tell you to solve it on your own? Do you want me to discriminate against my children? Kyle, as much as I love you, Son. You are making this hard for both of us. I can understand your point, you are a freelancer like me, you don't want to comply with anyone. However, you shouldn't put a damper on your Sister's ideas and future. You may not believe in them, may not follow them, but you have to respect them." Renault expressed as he fixed his gaze on his son, who was still glaring at the oldest sibling.
"Tell that to her, Dad. I have personally no problem with her, but she's not playing nice. As a result, I won't continue to play fair as well." Fixing his school uniform's sides, with his hazel eyes still locked at the Goldie, who started to fidget around. Capturing her nervous look, Renault raised his brow. There was something he did not know, and he had to hear it.
"What does that exactly mean, my sweet daughter? Is there something I should've known?" He may sound and look calm, but inside, he was a bit enraged. One of the things he disliked was not hearing important things concerning his family. Releasing the breath she wasn't aware of holding, Gabriel decided to tell things from her perspective.
"Father, I just recommended a girl to Kyle, I thought they would get along nicely. I've not oppressed both parties. I arranged a date for the two, I'm still amazed that Kyle did not reject my idea at that moment. Turns out that girl I recommended was not Kyle's type at all." Eldest sibling told the truth, shocking everyone, except Kyle, present. Renault was a bit displeased about the turn of events, he knew how stubborn his son was, forcing him to do something he did not want to do would cause distrust between the duo.
"Let me remind you again, Sister. I only went there for your sake, I was in a state of mind to think that you would do any good to me. Do not, I repeat, Do not try to influence my life in that way again, Only I can decide who I am going to be with." Kyle harshly shot, surprising both Irina and Renault. Meanwhile, both of them knew that they weren't in best terms, they did not expect Kyle to hold that much of a grudge towards her for a single event.
"Kyle, that was not nice of you at all. I can understand your point, but you shouldn't hold hatred against Sister Gabriel. She did try to help you." The unexpected guest exclaimed in a hurtful tone, she did not like the idea of two siblings clashing against each other at all. Upon hearing her, Kyle shifted his gaze from his sister to her. Even in a situation like this, he still was the guilty one, huh.
"What do you exactly know about us, Irina? I did everything to help her, even when mother was against the idea of her going to the Vatican, I supported her. I did my best to cover her absence in this home. I had borne her goal to keep Laira safe from the outer world. But no, Missy was mad at me because I did not want to follow her path of rising the ranks in Heaven." The Boy in question explained and had his father in thought. He did not think that Kyle would be this mad at her, it looks like he had to step in before this got any wilder.
"Gabriel… apologize to Kyle." Hikari exclaimed, becoming the center of attention in an instant. Kyle's eyes widened, for the first time in his life, he won an argument against her in front of their parents. As Renault was about to protest, he realized that his wife was dead serious about this.
"We can't favor one out of the three, Darling. In this situation, Kyle is ultimately right. It's Gabriel's fault to not respect his choices and freedom. However, that doesn't give you the right to call her Missy, Kyle." She severely told them, scolding both of them at the same time. Hikari would rather hurt their feelings than letting them hurt each other. For Kyle, it was a big deal.
"I'm sorry, Little brother." Gabriel heartily apologized, as everyone was relieved, Kyle said something that made her go pale.
"A lame 'I'm sowwy bru' won't save you, Sis. I want something more. I'll come to the Vatican tomorrow, prepare a stage for us." Kyle said in an amused manner, grinning like a madman. It looks like she would at least have a broken arm tomorrow.
Kyle's battle loving antics came from their father, as his past was full of wars and he came to enjoy them very much. The thing that made the power-difference so low between the duo was Kyle's Sacred Gear [Blade Blacksmith]. She did not possess a divine gift like that, adding it to the fact that Kyle was pretty much preparing himself for this moment did not help at all.
"Welp…. Good Luck with that my cute daughter. You've brought it upon yourself." Even Renault himself couldn't save her anymore, as Kyle rarely demanded something, it had to be done.
Back on the track with Issei and Laira. Issei was trying to get her open the door, seems like she was thoroughly enraged at him, or maybe did not hear his voice at all. He could pretty well understand her, and why she did not want him here anymore. The now sullen boy would try to reach her one more time, if it did not work, he would leave the rest to her parents.
"Laira….. Please, let me in. I promise I will explain everything…. I'm sorry, for not calling you after our parting." He couldn't do anything but apologize. He felt ashamed of himself, here he stood, leaving his best friend disappointed. He insecurely held the doorknob, as he was about to knock the door, the other side beat him to it. Dried up eyes, her hair getting in the way, blocking her eyes with the bangs. It was clear that she was sobbing for a while.
"Why….? Why didn't you answer my calls, jerk." The girl in front of him exclaimed, her voice devoid of any emotion, which, nonetheless, scared him a bit. He knew for a fact that he screwed up big time, but he still had to make it up, for her sake.
"I… I had some.. unfinished business,. I'm terribly sorry for my behaviour. I know I should have immediately called you, but something struck up, and I couldn't find any spare time. I hope you can understand me, my first and best friend." After summing it up, the now-sorry boy did something he thought he should do, and bowed in front of her, his face buried under the welled up feelings. He felt like a prick, an incorrigible one at that. He let her down, when she needed him the most, again.
"You… I don't know what to say, Ise. My best friend is a bodacious idiot, he doesn't learn from his mistakes at all. Just come, and tell me everything from the beginning. My little mind can't process every detail right now." In the end, Laira accepted his apology, he couldn't ask for more. The condition she exclaimed was something he could fulfill, but he wasn't sure. Nevertheless, he obliged, his characteristic smile back on his face, albeit his eyes still full of sorrow.
One could say that Laira's room was designed in a fashioned way, her queen-size bed placed at the center, covering most of the area. Her desk, like Issei's, full of school materials, he could say that she was hardworking, but unlike Issei, she was also clever, sometimes he wishes to be gifted like her and Valerie.
Like Every girl, Laira had her own make up station in her room, situated right beside her bed, containing all kinds of makeup material, from ceruse to different sized eyeliners, not that she needed them to be absurdly stunning, they were used in special occasions, like weddings or graduation ceremonies.
Her closet, placed beside her desk, covered the whole wall behind it. Laira was someone that regarded dressing as a work of art, thus she could sort the mistakes in people's outfits. She had diverse kinds of clothing materials, from Westerner to Asian, from traditional to modern, casual or formal, flex or tight. He remembered a time when she would greet him with her cowboy attire everyday, hoping to get a reaction from him, not that he minded though, she looked absolutely charming in that, with her blonde hair covered with the hat.
His train of thoughts were interrupted with a light cough, looking behind, he could see his best friend, gesturing him to be relax and enjoy his stay in her room. Deciding this topics would be best left unheard, Issei went to lock the room, and open the lights on his way. He wanted them to be completely alone, not wanted to be interrupted by anyone other than Kyle, he was more than welcomed in his book.
He signaled Laura to sit down to her bed, which she obliged. Issei spotted her chair and moved it in front of her, sitting down. Taking off his jacket, and hanging it by the chair, Issei released a long sigh. He wasn't ready, but he had no other choice, with the girl in front of him eagerly waiting for answers.
"Alright… Shoot away, I will try to answer anything you are concerned with." The boy exclaimed, with his fake smile still on his face.
"I will not ask what happened there, as I can already deduce from your well-being. Tell me, Ise, for how long have you been doing this? Or rather, For how long did you know that side of the world existed?" Laira asked with curiosity, for Issei, this was a light subject he swore to not share with anyone. However, this girl in front of him was not somebody, he felt obliged to give her what she wants, after today's events.
"Listen well, Laira. What I am going to tell you is a secret between us, is that understood?" Issei wanted her to acknowledge his private life, after receiving a nod from her, he continued.
"I was born as an unique individual, Laira. I've known that Angels, Devils and Fallen Angels existed since I was nothing but a child. My father taught me the secrets of this world, about every mythology and myth, and how they came into existence. You remember that I suddenly went missing, right?" Issei stopped for a moment, it was something that happened 10 years ago, but even now, he couldn't find the strength in himself to tell this to anyone. He also waited for her to suck this information, after confirming, he resumed.
"Do you recall that I told you mother and father moved to Kyoto after I came back to Kuoh? It was a lie, Laira." His voice starting to crack every passing second, it felt like he was holding himself to not cry. Stating that Laira began to feel something bad about this would be on point, she didn't want to know, but she was curious.
"If you can't, don't go on, Ise." She didn't want him to exclaim something he couldn't, nonetheless, he continued.
"My father was a Devil, Laira. Originated from one of the 72 pillars, a pure-blooded devil, arch enemy of the Church. In certain time, a war amongst the Devil's came about, dubbed as "Devilish Civil War". It continued to go on for decades, after some of the pillars ceased from existence. Truce between the factions could be arranged, after signing the treaty, The Old Satan Faction's some members were exiled from Underworld. My father was one of them." Deciding to take a breath, he cast a glance to her, to see whether she was disgusted or not, surprisingly, she adopted a face of sympathy.
"After my father was casted away, he stumbled upon my mother. They were acquaintances from before, The Great War among the three factions. Angels, Devils and Fallen Angels once waged a huge war amongst each other, with intent on eliminating the other, they continued to fight. This War spread worldwide, every faction took part in this war, be it Mayan, be it Hindu, through sending allied troops and supplies."
"The Great War resulted in a shaky truce between the factions, with each of them suffering heavy casualties, on Devil's side they lost their leaders, the Original Satan's, along with the heads of many pillars. On Fallen's, they lost their manpower so much that they weren't able to continue, with some of their Governor-Generals. Angels lost their most important Seraphs and a great number of their followers. However, Angels are the superior force, because they still have their Leader intact, the God of Bible."
"My mother was a part of the voluntary crew from one of the Humanity's factions, Khaos Brigade, once stood for the humanity's goals and ambitions, now the most wanted terrorist organization around, an actual shame. Mama and Papa knew each other from the Great War. However, Meanwhile Papa was exiled from the Underworld, Mama left her faction on her own due to the fact that her goals did not meet with theirs. After the war, they contacted each other, it was clear that they had feelings against each other. They married and settled down, you know the rest."
"However, all good things must come to an end. The heads of Mama's faction decided that she was too dangerous for their own good, and started to send assassins after her head. Mama continually fought back, she did not let them hurt her own children, Anna and me. As our family was coping with them, a message from Underworld came. They wanted Papa back for the war crimes he committed, and imprison him, and execute him when the time comes. Papa knew for a fact that if he did not obey their wishes, they would eventually start the process of eliminating us one by one."
"When I was 5, father left us behind, for our own good. As a child, I couldn't understand any of this, Papa was undeniably strong. He could keep his ground against them, he could protect his family, but he chose not to. I held a grudge against him for a while, Mama told me that he did it for us. But I did not want him to do that, I loved my Papa, I would rather go with him, I did not care if they also imprisoned me, as long as I was with him, I could endure it."
"Two years later, Mama's old friends came to visit us, and tell her the dangers to come. Apparently, they somehow knew that Mama was married and had adaughter, they knew about Anna. Mama's anger reached it's peak, and decided to end it for good. She came to my room one night, I could see the daring gaze she had, I immediately wanted to stop her, before she could go. I couldn't bear another loss, I acted like you, I did not want her to injure herself again. She already did so much for our sake, I wanted her to be selfish and care about herself. I tried to convince her, but I wasn't successful, she still went out."
"I hadn't heard about her until the morning, she successfully came back, but she paid a hefty price. In order to ensure our well being, she put an end to the heads of the faction at that time. But that cost her rationality to be unstable, she wasn't like my Mama, she became someone I did not know. I could see her endearing smile, she still cared for us a bunch, but something was wrong, I felt it. After that, we had been undisturbed for a while, Mama started to feel better and better gradually."
"We did something unforgivable, Mama let her guard down, that action cost us Anna." Releasing the breath he wasn't sure holding, Issei gulped, he couldn't keep on, but he had to, he was welled up for a while, he had to rant it out.
"One day, Anna was playing with her friends in the playground. She would be back on time every day, as Mama told her not to be late for dinner. However, in that cursed day, she did not come back. Mama instantly understood that something was wrong, she ragingly went outside. I couldn't point her actions, I thought that Anna would be back, she was just playing with her friends, what could possibly happen? am I right Laira?" His hands shaking, tears ready to fall down any moment. Laira couldn't hold herself anymore, she thought that they moved to Kyoto, leaving Issei behind on his decision. She heard enough….
"I-I-Ise..." With her last bit of strength, she managed to muster out his name. She was oblivious, she had to somehow know this by his actions after he moved back. Issei held her by the shoulders and looked into her eyes, both of them facing each other, ready to break down any moment. She felt utterly useless all of a sudden, there he was, coping with being an orphan for more than 10 years. But still, he managed to keep that smile on his face, no matter what.
"A-After all of those events, I decided to leave this town. I had nothing left, my father was gone, my baby sister was taken away from me by force. My mother, passed away at the age of 33 due to heart failure. I wanted no one to know this, I handled her burial procedures by myself. After giving her last regards, I left Kuoh indefinitely. I did not want to come back here ever again, but here I am." Issei shot a teary smile, she couldn't even imagine what she would do without her father or without anyone from her family. She couldn't sympathize with him, she absolutely loathed herself, if…. If she knew that sooner, she would try her hardest to make things up for him.
"I-I'm… I'm terribly sorry, Ise. I made you recall some bad memories, because of my own selfishness." She had to be considerate, she had to think that things could go this way. But no! She needed some answers, and she had to get them as soon as possible. She was truly a selfish girl. Her mood outright went down, she buried her face within, she couldn't even guess what was wrong with him. He would immediately abstract himself from conversations when it came about their family, he would often talk about himself and make jokes. Ise would manipulate the conversations so they wouldn't involve family members. She had so many clues and hints, but she was dummy, she was totally an idiot.
It didn't matter to her even if he was a devil, he was her friend, her best friend. He didn't do anything but good to her, he didn't make use of her innocence and purity. He tried to preserve her in every way possible. Even if someone was trying to hit her, he would immediately scare them away. She questioned this side of him often, but didn't do anything. She guessed that he wanted to take her for himself, but she could plainly see that he wasn't into her.
Her process of thought was interrupted by the boy in front of her, patting her head lightly, feeling her soft hair, gaining her attention on the way.
"If you don't mind, I will continue patting you until I feel okayish." Issei said as he chuckled, even in a situation like this, he could keep that smile. Laira got a hold of herself, she felt absolute delicacy, she had no right to deny his wish right now.
"Uuuuuu….. It feels nice." Drowned in this guilty pleasure, Laira couldn't protest.
They continued, until it was finally the time to explain what happened to other members of Silver Family .
Renault was stressed, not by his children's untold feud, it was already solved in Kyle's favor. Rather, he deduced that Issei couldn't break through Laira, and that bothered him a lot. If Issei can't, even he couldn't do anything regarding this unexpected event. He needed to do something quickly, or he would let himself down, if he didn't anybody in this house.
"Uncle, should I go and take a look?" Chestnut haired girl spoke out of nowhere, her suggestion made sense, but he couldn't afford those two to get into a fight. However experienced and strong Irina is, she can't hold a candle to Issei at the moment, even with the fragment of Excalibur.
"There is no need, Irina. I'm sure Issei will succeed." Well, that was a bit of a lie. Although he had utmost belief in Issei, he had to succeed, after all, he was Laira's best friend, along with the girl in front of Renault.
"How can you trust him Uncle? You know very well that he is a Devil, enemy of the Church. I'm just curious." Irina explained, she didn't mean to get inside their family business, rather, as she stated, she wanted to know the reason. Irina was one hell of a believer, close to being a fanatic. She tries her utmost to not stray from the path of God, he liked that side of her, but she needed to know that inside every good, there is a part of bad, and the otherwise.
"Dear, I see you as my own daughter. Issei is a family friend, like you. Shidou and Hyoudou, both are part of us. I know his father well, he might be a devil, but that doesn't mean that he is evil. Issei's father is among the guys I respect the most, you can't find a man of his caliber in most of the Heaven and Earth. Issei is a kind boy, he isn't like most of the devils around. You need to see past your judgement, give him a chance, you won't regret." Renault expressed his sincere feelings, he missed Issei's father from time to time. He was one hell of a drinking buddy, he wouldn't run out of stories to tell, he liked those about the "Devilish Civil War" the most.
"If you say that, then who am I to refuse, Uncle." Irina exclaimed, she will try to go easy on him, only for her Sister's and Uncle's sake.
As Hikari was preparing the table, the sound of footsteps came from above, releasing the breath he held for God knows how long, Renault adopted a smile to his face. He was right to call Issei in the beginning. He could understand that something happened on Issei's behalf, he could see that it wasn't the same smile he usually had, this time, it was a fake one. Thinking that it would be best to leave him be, Renault rushed to his daughter's side.
"Laira… My baby daughter, I was so upset, why didn't you tell me anything? Me and your mother were worried, look, even Irina came to check up on you." Hugging her tightly, Renault failed to see the pained expression on Issei's face. He was so obsessed with his daughter's health, Issei could understand that, it's just that… he may never be able to experience it again, this sort of affection, was what he yearned for.
"Alrighty…I've done what I had to, Uncle. Now, I gotta get back before my guest wakes up." Issei quickly tried to excuse himself, only to be stopped by being held from the collar. Turning around, Issei saw the usual smile of Renault, before being pulled to his embrace.
"Do you really think that I will let you go without a cup of tea? I'm upset Issei, looks like you haven't learned anything about me. You can go when you have my permission, that is the end." Renault knew about his father's demise, the blonde haired man tried everything up to him to ease this boy's pain, he still remembered that fateful day, when he went missing.
"Really Uncle, I have a guest, and I have to hurry. Yet you insist like this, I guess it is you that haven't learned anything about me." Issei jokingly said as he tried to get himself free, he was grateful to have a neighbor like them. Both of them tried everything to help him, in the end, he went to saturate his own selfishness.
"Laira, I thought that I taught you some manners, go and greet Irina. She is worried." Renault spoke out, tightening his grip on Issei. Everything about this boy screamed wellness.
"I will If you release me, Papa. I think I'm close to suffocate." Laira said as she continued, trying to get out of his grip, making Issei chuckle a bit and Renault laughing his heart out. At last, The gorilla released his hold on Laira, earning a glance from the said girl. He could have choked her if he used a bit more strength.
"Welcome, Irina. Do you know how much I missed you? You should come around more often." Exclaiming her feelings on the way, Laira went out to hug the unexpected guest. She and Irina had a past, a bright one, the chestnut haired girl in front of her was one of her best friends. Irina accepted the hug, while casting a glance to now close-to-suffocating Issei, who was still trying to get out of Renault's embrace. That vision made her grin, she did not know why though.
"Laira-chan. I was so worried, what happened to you all of a sudden? It didn't help that devil came here, I would have smited him if it were not for your sake." Irina showed her true colors again, but this time, Laira wouldn't let anyone say what they want about him. Even if that person was no one other than her childhood friend. Releasing herself from Irina's embrace, Laira adopted a furious look, becoming the center of attention all of a sudden.
"Iri-chan… Remember this well, even if it is you who is insulting him, I will not forgive anyone. You know how much you matter to me, Ise is my best friend, along with you. Nonetheless, you can not hurt him even if you try, I know how persistent he can become in first hand." Laira spoke out loud with an unseen tone before. After tonight's events, she wouldn't let anyone get him.
"Woah woah woah, chill ladies. I think everyone present knows that Issei is a force to be reckoned with, you should not argue for his well being." Family's younger child said, effectively gathering all the attention on himself. Kyle's plan to calm them down did not seem that effective on the surface, however, it did the work, so he could not complain.
"What he said is true, Irina, Laira. Even if you two try to harm yourselves, Kyle has my permission to intervene and stop them in an instant. However, I am sure that they will not try to choke each other in front of me, am I wrong Issei, Irina?" Their uncle figure warned the duo in a cold voice. Yet, they did not fear him that much, what made them stop was that Kyle would go after them, both of the guests knew that even if they could overpower him, stopping the blonde boy was nigh impossible without permanently disabling him.
""I understand, Uncle"" The guest duo exclaimed, whilst continuing to hold their gaze of hatred against each other. It was clear as daylight that those two weren't going to like each other any time soon, which concerned the residents of Silver household. Like Hikari said, they can't favor one over the other, they both are as much welcomed as their own children. The silence is then broken by the man of the house. Faking a cough and becoming the center of attention in an instant, the blondie began to bombard questions on his guest.
"Alright son. Would you care to explain what happened between you two? From the looks of it, it's not related to some issue between you two, but rather the well-being of the other." Renault explained, expressing his concern over his daughter while doing so. Issei, now there's no mean to hide the truth anymore, decided to explain.
Not even skipping a detail, take out the one that he brought the fallen angel to his house to interrogate, he exclaimed that their lives were indeed in danger for a while. Stating his only intentions were just protecting the sister like figure beside him, all while remaining calm, composed and supportive. This trait of him always relieved the concerned father, knowing that he could rely on Issei when the need arises.
"Thank you so much Issei, I knew I could entrust my dear Laira to you. You have yet to disappoint me." Blond haired man said hearthfully, sincerity running down on his tone. It really is a relief to have him around. He wasn't done questioning him, but he did know that they owe him an explanation, so he handed his turn to the boy, who was still in doubt after observing the situation around him.
"I really am curious, first I wasn't able to push my dearest friend from the so-called no supernatural barrier. Then I came here and was greeted by a Godray, from which two powerful exorcists pop out, one of whom is someone I knew since my childhood. So Uncle, care to explain what is the "Secret" of this family." Brunette deadpanned, this whole day was a fiasco, but at least he was able to attain some serious information on what is going on. Renault chuckled, cause there was nothing to hide, they weren't covering up anything, they had no family secrets or whatsoever. He's just forgotten something that was as clear as daylight, the brunette didn't feel any need to read them, due to the trust he put on them.
"You already know son, there's no such secret. From your childhood to adultery, we kept our way of treating you, and you didn't suspect anything until now. Now, you've seen it first hand, you demand answers, which, as my way of gratitude, I will explain." The man told in a genuine tone, which made Issei wonder. What he said was true though, he felt no need to read them, he had utmost trust in the family. The more he thought about this, the more it made sense. He didn't even think about it until now, but he could sense that they meant no harm to him in any way. Gesturing to the blondie in front of him, he was ready to listen.
"Okay Issei, before I explain anything. I just want an answer to a specific and personal question, but that is after our talk. I won't force you to get an answer, you can tell me anything you see fit as long as it's the truth." Flashing an easing smile to the boy in front of him, Renault waited for his answer, which he got in the form of a shaky nod. Deciding it would be for the best, he would have their talk in private. Then he began.
"I will try to clear everything in your mind boy, if you have any questions, shoot away." After this, he continued to explain.
"So as you can see, our family is made of angels, with exception of your Auntie, she is just a human, whom I fell deeply in love with." As his proof, Renault got up and released his wings. To say that they were the holiest things Issei had ever seen in his life wouldn't be an exaggeration, he could even feel the light and softness of the wings. He had 6 pairs, that meant he was at the throne with the other Seraphs. He could see that his wings were different than the usual, not bright white, but adorned as silver, with little gray spots.
"Add it the fact that I'm no normal angel would help you to understand the situation better. As for my origination, I'm one of the firstborns, The Seraphim, Renault. As you already know, the firstborns have unique abilities as part of their creation. Samael was the Lightbringer before he fell down from the grace, Uriel is the Wisest among the angels, Michael is the Ruler, Raziel is the Salvation, Gabriel is the Messenger, Azrael is the Angel of Death, and lastly the Divine Punishment, or the Scourge of God, whose name is Renault." Renault finished his speech with pride, which Issei understood hence if he were in the same position, he would be proud as hell. The young lad still had doubts, how come he never realized that his childhood friend was indeed an Angel. Deciding it would be best to ask the man in front of him, Issei spoke.
"I still have some questions Uncle, whilst I sincerely believe that you're telling the truth, I think there are some serious spots that are in need of covering. First of all, I think everybody here knows that firstborns have unique abilities, such as Michael's control over weather or Raziel's power of salvation and grace. I wonder, what kind of specialty do you have?" The brunette finished with curiosity in his tone, talking about supernatural things were his favorite thing, he really wanted to know more and more, adding to the fact that they were the closest to something he could call a family wouldn't help.
['The Scourge, huh. I must admit that he has changed a lot since then. Renault I know back then was not the type to settle down, look how the balance shifted since my absence. The Heaven gave up on their trump card, it really is surprising'] Heavenly Dragon connected to his host telepathically, who was shocked to know that his uncle figure and his partner were acquaintances from before.
'Do you know him, partner?' Sending his message directly to the dragon, which, in return, was replied by a grunt. Ddraig was feeling nostalgic, he still remembers the times he stepped between the Heavenly Dragons' feud.
['Long story short, he had a huge hand in mine and Albion's imprisonment to the Longinus'. The Scourge is a formidable foe, or was at least in my time. Seeing him in a state like this just surprises me.'] Ddraig exclaimed, which startled the brunette. He never knew that his uncle figure was this important in the world of Supernatural.
'I see, but one thing buggles my mind. Why didn't you tell me back then?' Issei was curious, his partner states that they knew each other from before but he hadn't told him anything about this.
['To answer your question partner, his aura has changed a lot. Add the fact that I never knew his human form, it just makes sense now. I didn't even think about this outcome, he had utmost loyalty to the God of the Bible. If I have to guess, he's just retired. His presence in Heaven was important, but his brothers weren't as fond of him as their father was.'] The Emperor expressed, from time to time, he wished that he had his physical form intact. However, he's pleasant with his hosts, especially Issei due to the fact that he can relate to him. A lone wanderer with just a partner. Their exchange of words was interrupted by the man in front of them.
"You got me there, not gonna lie son, I wouldn't expect anything worse from you. As for your question, I do have an unique ability of my own, something that can be considered as a gift by many, and something that I declare as a curse. As the Scourge, I can't fall from the grace. No matter what I do, there's no way for me to fall down because I was created for this exact reason, I don't have any limits that a normal angel has, which makes me capable of doing horrible acts in the name of God. The only side effect is those little spots on my wings, acting as a reminder of the bad deeds I have done up until now." Stating that the news shocked the brunette wouldn't be an exaggeration, he never knew the existence of such thing, being an Angel and not being able to fall must be really something. But the boy wasn't done yet, he still had one question left unanswered, and that concerned the young Angel right beside him.
"Oh… I really didn't expect that Uncle. However, when you said that you were a family of Angels, I thought that you were a normal angel that has retired and decided to set down in Kuoh. Regardless, I'm utterly shocked. You have been under my nose for so long that not realizing is my fault, especially considering that I spent a lot of time with Laira." Issei exclaimed and took a glance at the girl beside him, who is, in the real sense, frozen by the intel she has just acquired. Picking up the boy's hint, the man of the house decided to reveal the truth to the youngsters.
"Actually, we have one secret that should really be kept inside the family, but considering that I see you as my own son, it's for the best that we tell you. As you can see, my little daughter doesn't radiate any aura that can be considered as an Angel's, she sure is an Angel, both literally and characteristically. There's something that we all have agreed, no matter what happens, we will not have our daughter to get into the world of Supernatural. We have been going just great up until now." In the middle of his sentence, the father was greeted by the daring glare of his own daughter, which made him stop on his tracks, she seemed furious and demanded answers.
"Father… What did you do to me? Why don't I know that every member in my family has something to do with this chaotic world? Why don't I have wings of my own? Why did you keep the freedom of choice away from me?" To say that she was beyond furious would be right on spot, the blond haired beauty was pissed beyond the limits. The beauty was on the verge of crying. If only she knew, then Issei wouldn't have to…
"Laira, my dear cute daughter. I know you're upset with me, but trust me when I say that as your father, we couldn't take this risk considering that you have a divine gift of your own. For the wellness and prosperity of our family, we had to lock the thing away, and your powers while doing so. I'm truly sorry for what we have done, but at that time, we had no other choice. Forgive me, my beautiful little daughter." The sadness he radiated could be felt. He never wanted to do that to his own daughter, but even the potential risk of getting her involved with the Heaven on that degree was something he could never consider to be taken. He knew she couldn't understand at this moment, but he wished she did.
"Now I have gained my freedom of choice, I want you to undo what you have done to me father. I don't want to be left out anymore, I don't want anybody to risk their lives so I can live, I want to learn the truth." Laira expressed sincerely, while gazing at the brunette beside him, she could never forgive herself for what he had to do today for her sake. Her father knew that was coming, like him, his children were keen on their way of life and freedom. He dissatisfiedly obliged, cause he knew he had no other choice.
Stepping up from his couch, he approached his dear daughter and put his index finger on her forehead. He whispered 'Ascende'. At that exact moment, the point he was pressuring slowly began to light brighter and brighter each passing second. When the light went down, Renault gestured her to stand up.
"You are now free to rise, my daughter." As soon as he expressed, Laira's wings sprouted out. However, there was a clear difference, she had no gray spots on them like her father had. She had 2 pairs of bright silver wings, which adorned her beauty to another level in the eyes of Issei. Nonetheless, something still bothered the duo.
"Uncle, you said something about the divine gift. Does that mean that she has a sacred gear?" The boy asked the common question everybody wanted to, as his response, the man just nodded. Curious about what they were discussing, the now-free angel interrupted.
"What does Issei mean by that father? I thought my divine gift was my wings. Oh by the way, Issei I really want to see your wings." Her tone was filled with excitement and happiness, she wanted to learn more and more about this stuff she just got into. Unbeknownst to her, Issei really didn't want to show off what he got, cause he was still in the belief that they would judge him for what he is.
"The answer is, yes. We wouldn't have locked your powers without the staff, it made things a lot harder than it could've been. Your gear, my daughter, is the Staff of Moses. It grants you power over divine and holy beings and as it's unique ability, you can cast miracles into existence. The primary reason for locking your powers was to keep the Heaven away from you, they will surely do everything to get you on their side." When he was finished, he casted a look at his older daughter, who was shocked by the information she just got. It was true though, Heaven was searching for the holy gear for a really long time and she knew it. However, even as devoted as she is, she wouldn't let it be known. As they usually say, the family comes first.
"So, I can basically wish for something to happen and it will. .Awesome!" The blond haired beauty didn't even know that she was this special, which added more fury in her father's decision about this whole situation . At this right moment, Issei decided to step in.
"Actually, no. In order for you to get that far with your gear, you have to surpass the limits. They can take a very long time, but I'm sure that with Uncle's help, you can do a clean job in regards to controlling your gear." Issei exclaimed, which sulked the mood of his friend a bit. Seeing that, the other best friend decided to interrupt.
"What do you even know? I have faith in her and I believe that she can pull it off even without your instructions, Devil." Irina spitefully exclaimed, which made the boy chuckle. She really doesn't know who she was messing with, does she?
"In regards to your question, follower of God, I have had my share of experience, but that is none of your business." The news shocked everyone in the room, there was the possibility of him having a sacred gear and nobody even had a guess that was even possible. Laira's curiosity got the better of her and she had to ask.
"You have a fancy toy too? I have to .now!" The gleaming eyes didn't help his situation either, she had captured his hands and demanded to see it, along with his wings. Unfortunately, he didn't plan to tell the truth at this moment, not when he has all the eyes on himself. Issei didn't want to lie but he had no other choice now.
"Eh… I may have worded it wrongly, sure I know things about Sacred Gears, but I don't possess one of my own. I've encountered people and worked with Sacred Gear users, that's where my experience comes from." The boy spoke with honesty, what he said was true though. Across his journey in the Supernatural, he had come across Sacred Gear users, some of whom he formed a partnership and friendly bond with.
"Tsch, I knew that you didn't have any Divine Gifts. God wouldn't entrust his gifts to Devils." Oh silly exorcist, if you had any idea…
"Do you even have the grasp of what the divine gift is,you little pathetic excuse of an exorcist?" Issei spat with anger, truly she continued to get on and on his nerves. This sentence prompted the chestnut haired girl, she couldn't take it any longer.
"Excalibur Mimic!" The Holy weapon appeared in her hands in the form of a rapier. The blade obliged the will of its user, meaning that it could extend itself as much as the wielder supposes. She made up her mind, getting rid of this devil would help the family. She braced herself for a clean neck cut, beheading the devil would cease his existence.
Issei just chuckled, even the whole Excalibur wouldn't be enough in her case, let alone just a piece. Much to their protests, especially Laira's, Irina approached him. Sensing that the fight between the two was inevitable, Renault had to step in.
"Looks like you two won't come into an agreement soon, as much as I don't like this, I leave you two to solve this on your own." Hearing that, the spirits of the duo lightened up.
"However, no critical wounds, am I clear?" The message was clear, they had to overpower the other, anything other than that was forbidden. This was enough for the opposites though.
"I will be updating soon" Updates 2 years later.
So, yeah. The thing is I've forgotten that this thing existed. I checked up on the site to see whether there's something interesting, which I failed to stumble upon. I wanted to continue this fic cause I really think that this will be the worst work of fiction to ever exist, so I gotta catch that title.
Jokes aside, I want to continue cause the plotline is really interesting for me.
K I'm out
Oh btw there's another chapter on the way atm, I'll post it whenever I feel that it's ready.
Until then, Shiwft out gals.
