Chapter 20: Mother Dearest
The battle had finally ended, with the Alliance overcoming the Khaos Brigade's ambush. Issei and the others had just successfully saved Shuri from death and were now ready for calmness to come back.
(Lord of the Rings – Return of the King OST: The Houses of Healing. Play Song.)
As soon as Issei had landed on the ground after saving Shuri Himejima, however, he immediately felt his wounds kick in.
"Gah!" He dropped to his knees.
Blood began dripping from the gaping holes in his arms and lower torso.
"Issei!" Vali dashed over.
"I'm…fine…" Issei weakly responded.
That was a lie. He just didn't want Vali to continue panicking. Blood was lightly pouring from his wounds as they began to reopen. Sadly, his dragon genes weren't strong enough to stop Shuri's laser-like magic. Issei was thankful Shuri was more focused on precision and technique rather than destructive power. He might've lost more than just blood. Not only that, but his Scale Mail had weakened the blows, so they weren't as bad as they seemed.
"Here!" Rias ran over with a vial of red liquid, which were Phoenix Tears.
Dripping them over Issei's wounds, he began to feel some pain go away as some of the holes closed up. Sizzling steam tapered from where they touched as Issei's ragged breathing eased up.
"You're lucky to have survived those, Issei. If not for those Phoenix Tears, you'd have never stopped bleeding. I've done what I can to undo the damage, but it's going to take some time for me to completely remove the taint on them. Shuri's magic makes it incredibly difficult to heal injuries dealt by her. Dragon genes aren't invincible, especially in your case because of your half-human DNA." Ddraig scolded Issei.
"Sorry, Ddraig." Issei sheepishly chuckled.
"Mom!"
Issei's head snapped into another direction. His jaw dropped when he saw Akeno holding her unconscious mother.
"Damnit! Don't tell me something's gone wrong again!" Issei roared.
He struggled to his feet, having lost all feeling in his legs.
"Grrrr!" Issei grit his teeth as he jogged over.
His knees wanted to buckle and endless sweat was pouring down his face, but he fought through it.
"She just fainted out of nowhere!" Akeno told him.
"We need to get her help. Come on, we're going to Grigori!" Issei wasted no time in hoisting Shuri up in his arms.
He didn't feel like waiting for help to come here. They were too far away from the others to wait for help and Phoenix Tears only worked on physical wound. He didn't have the patience for anything anymore. He needed to get Shuri somewhere with the best chances of helping his Aunt. Without another word, Issei left, with Vali and Akeno following him.
As soon as everyone arrived at Grigori's medical institute, Issei carried his beloved Aunt Shuri into the medical ward, yelling as he moved. Following him, were Akeno and Vali, who were trying to get him to calm down.
The moment Shuri lost consciousness, Issei flew right back into a panic. Now, he was rushing like a stampede of bulls.
"I need a medical team for emergency examination, Priority 1!" He burst through the doors, still covered in wounds from his fight.
He blitzed through the Lobby, creating a ruckus in urgency.
"Issei, what ha-" Penemue rushed to meet him but stopped when she saw who was in his arms.
"I need a team right now! Prepare Ward 8 for emergency diagnosis and treatment!" Penemue turned around and gave out orders.
She didn't even need to hear an explanation. Issei's panic and Shuri's presence spoke volumes already.
Within seconds, doctors and healers scrambled over with a portable bed, allowing Issei to gently place her on it. Without hesitation, they rushed her off for diagnosis. Issei, feeling a slight bit of tension falling off his shoulders, slowed down his pace as he was about to start chasing after them. Suddenly, he felt a strong hand stop him in place. He turned around and found that Kokabiel was right there.
"Uncle…"
"Where do you think you're going?" Kokabiel raised a stern brow.
"I'm going after Aunt Shuri." Issei declared, wheezing
"No, you're not. Let the healers do their job with her. You, on the other hand, need to get patched up separately." Kokabiel shook his head.
"I'm fine!" Issei objected.
"Oh yeah? Then explain the drops of blood you left on the ground." Kokabiel pointed in the direction that Issei came from.
It was true. He had left a mess in his wake. Numerous splats of blood were on the ground, having trailed all the way from outside the building. Vali had been trying to catch up to him to get him to stop and heal.
"Get him to a ward. He needs sutures." Kokabiel turned to an assistant.
Issei couldn't play bravado anymore. He dropped to the ground, blacking out.
(Lord of the Rings – Return of the King OST: The Houses of Healing. End Song.)
"Geez, you've always been like this. You charge right in and you don't think of what's gonna happen to you." A familiar voice spoke up from the doorway, waking Issei up.
It was Azazel.
"You didn't even wait for the rest of us and rushed off as soon as the all-clear sign came from me. You could've at least told us where you four were going." He sighed.
"Sorry, Uncle. I was just too focused on making sure that Aunt Shuri…well…" Issei trailed off.
"I don't blame you for that, but when you lot just disappeared, it gave me some bad thoughts. Still, don't worry. She's stable. However, she'll be asleep for a while." Azazel took a chair and sat down.
'When dragons get swallowed by emotion, they tend to lose focus on other things, like injuries and allies. The fact that he didn't notice it, is already cause for worry. He still hasn't lost his impulsive behavior. The next time this happens, he might really die.' Azazel mused to himself as he thought about Issei's behavior and the accounts toward his injuries.
"Issei, tell me what happened on your end, from start to finish." He ordered.
Issei explained how Shalba gave away Baraqiel's location to the Himejima Clan and kidnapped Shuri and turned her into an experiment. He explained Diodora's treachery and Shalba's attack, as well. After he finished, Azazel was staring into the distance, thinking.
'The Witch's Cradle…I've never heard of that thing before. Looks I'll have even more to talk with Michael about. Not only that, Diodora's betrayal finally gave us more insight into what the enemy can do. From what Issei said, he's even stronger than what we've seen from him before. For a devil to manipulate light, that's something that no one should be able to do at all. They'd hurt themselves if they were purely devil in DNA. What could alter his physiology so much that something poisonous for him could become his weapon?' Azazel began wracking his brain for answers before Issei snapped him out of it.
"Uncle?"
"Hm?"
"I was asking if the others are okay."
"Yeah. Vali and Akeno are receiving checkups. As for the others that you left behind in the other dimension, they're waiting at home, ready to scold the three of you." Azazel grinned.
Issei sighed in exasperation. He'd forgotten that he had run off without an explanation to Rias and the others.
"Now then, I need to pay a few visits. You'll be fine for discharge after the doctor gets back with results." Azazel then left, not saying another word.
Issei sighed, scratching his head.
"Whew…got away without a lecture this time. If he knew how badly I got messed up…" Issei shivered.
"You go too far." Ddraig growled.
"What?"
"You always forget to watch out for yourself in those situations. You should already know to be careful and yet, you never do. Issei, do you know how dangerously close you were to being in the red zone?" Ddraig asked.
Issei didn't reply. He knew he was badly wounded, but he hadn't really taken the time to digest it all.
"You had 9 punctures in your body, at the minimum. You lost a ton of blood and if I hadn't numbed your sense of pain, you'd have been crippled by agony before you could save Shuri. I'm growing tired of warning you to be careful, Issei."
Now he felt bad. He knew Ddraig was always working around the clock to watch out for him. If there was anyone who was always keeping his best interests at heart, it was Ddraig. He owed him an explanation for his rash behavior.
"I'm sorry, Ddraig. I was just so caught up in saving Aunt Shuri that I forgot everything. For once…I had a chance to fix my mistakes. I was so desperate to try and get her back that I didn't think too hard."
"I don't blame you for doing what you did. You rescued Shuri from certain death, no one would fault you for that. However, my issue is that you're too easily manipulated by impulse and emotion. You didn't let Rias finish applying treatment before you ran here. I'm sure Azazel felt the same way, but he left the job of a lecture to me." Ddraig huffed.
"You're not as powerful as you wish to be, so don't act like it. I don't want you dying an early death like your predecessors. Don't forget about those three girls that love you, either."
Finished with his rant, Ddraig receded his anger as Issei nodded in silence. Issei had indeed been careless. After those words, Issei began to feel quite bad after realizing that Akeno and Vali were in a relationship with him, so he couldn't afford to be so careless anymore.
"You're right, Ddraig. I promise, I'll try to be more conscious from now on."
"See that you do."
After leaving his ward, Issei made his way to where Shuri was. Standing outside her room, were Akeno, Baraqiel, Azazel, and Vali, who were patiently waiting for new developments. Thankfully, the healers came right out when he revived.
"Quite frankly, her body is fine, but her mind is a different issue. She's still sorting herself out, based on our analysis. The Khaos Brigade's programming is fighting with her natural personality and memories. Thankfully, the brainwashing is going away, but it'll take some time. At the least, 24 hours is required to see how this goes. Therefore, we should be patient because that's all we can do."
Baraqiel gave a nod of thanks before the healer left. He then turned to Issei. Without single warning, he grabbed Issei and gave him a crushing hug.
"I can't believe it." He sniffled.
Issei was now feeling more awkward than ever before. Baraqiel wasn't one to show much emotion, so this was still a rare thing for him.
"After so many years, she's been brought back to us. You, Akeno, and Vali brought her back to us. Thank you…thank you all so much. For so many years, I thought she'd died. I thought I'd never be able to smile back on those memories ever again. Now…" Baraqiel sniffled and held in his tears of joy.
Issei didn't say a thing, unsure of what words to string together. Honestly, this matter was so close to his heart, that Issei wasn't sure of what to say. He'd also felt guilty. It was his fault that this happened, anyways.
"Now we can finally move on." Baraqiel sniffled as he let Issei go, wiping his own tears.
"Of course, Uncle." Issei nodded, smiling.
"So, what's the plan?" He turned to look at the window into Shuri's room.
"We wait. Akeno and I will wait by her side and do whatever we need to. She's been alone for the past several years, so we're not going to let that continue." Baraqiel declared.
Issei nodded in satisfaction. Excellent. With the whole family back together, Issei knew everything would be alright.
"Okay. If that's how it is, then I'll head home first and give you guys some time alone."
Issei didn't say it, but he kind of felt out of place. He wasn't directly family, even if the bonds felt like it, so it was kind of uncomfortable to be there while Akeno and Baraqiel focused on Shuri. He felt a little bit as if he were intruding.
"Yeah, go get some rest. I'll call you if anything happens." Azazel nodded.
"I'll be staying here for a while. I've got some reports to file." Vali smiled.
With a nod of goodbye, Issei turned around and walked through the vacated hallway. As soon as he limped around the corner to exit, he heard rapid footsteps.
"Issei!"
He turned around and before he could process anything, warm lips smashed onto his own. With a quick blink, Akeno had come rushing up to him for more intimacy. It was warm and Issei honestly felt his entire torso heat up. Blissful, indeed.
Akeno let go of the lip lock so that she could talk. Panting, she stared at Issei lovingly with her cheeks going violently red. Her heart was beating so rapidly that she thought it would burst right out of her chest. All she could think about was the overwhelming emotion she was feeling for Issei right now.
"I love you so much." She then dove in for another kiss.
"I love you too." Issei nodded.
"You brought my mother back to us. I really can't thank you enough, Issei." Akeno smiled.
It was so radiant that Issei could've sworn he was being blinded. Her projected emotions were even starting to affect him now.
"Don't thank me, Akeno. I just wanted you to have her back." Issei leaned forward, cupping her face as he leaned his forehead to hers.
"Issei…" Akeno trailed off.
She gently brushed where he'd been wounded on his chest, touching his sternum.
"You got hurt so badly because of me." Akeno bit her lip.
The image of him shielding her was still fresh in her mind.
"I'd have done it a million times for you, Akeno." Issei shook her head, signaling for her not to feel bad.
"I promise…I'm going to make it up to you." Akeno swore.
"You go on and stay with your parents. I'm alright. They need you more than I do, right now." Issei gently let her go, deciding that that matter could wait for a while.
He reached over and gave her one more peck on the lips before walking away as she waved goodbye. As Issei faded away from sight, Baraqiel walked around the corner to see what was going on.
"He's grown up quite well." Baraqiel nodded.
"He has."
"I'll admit, he has his own problems, but that's how all people are. I'm just glad that you chose someone who understands what's truly important; someone with the will to endure and protect his cherished ones." Baraqiel smiled proudly.
It was around 9 o'clock by the time Issei got home. Appearing in his Living Room, the young teen yawned and stretched. It was finally starting to hit him that he'd been moving nonstop since dawn came. His stomach gurgled and shook like a tuning fork as exhaustion hit him full-force. He'd best eat and sleep.
"It's been 19 hours, Issei." A voice called out.
Issei jumped around to face the couches in response, completely caught off-guard. He expected an enemy but found that Raynare was sitting patiently in the Living Room. She was so silent that he didn't even notice her. However, that was the least of it because he knew he was in trouble. She had her arms folded, legs crossed, and an irritated frown on her face with a tapping foot.
'Uh oh.' Ddraig dreadfully spoke up.
"Hi…" Issei squeaked.
"You left and didn't say a word to me. You dashed right off to another part of the battlefield and when I got to where you were, you weren't even present." Raynare calmly started, her foot tapping faster now.
"A lot of things happened."
"Then please explain them to me." Raynare sighed.
And so, for the second time that day, Issei recounted events that led up to this moment. Thankfully, Raynare calmed down as he continued through the story.
"Alright, fine…I'll accept that." Raynare nodded.
Issei was taken aback.
"So…no lecture or angry outbursts?"
'I'd say that's a nice change of pace.' Ddraig chuckled.
"No. You had good reasons for running off on your own like that. You saved someone and reunited a broken family. I have absolutely no reason to blame you." Raynare shook her head.
'Just like how you helped save mine.' Raynare commented in her mind.
"Just make sure you at least tell me when you do something like that. We're friends, aren't we?"
"Yeah, we are and I promise, I'll let you know." Issei nodded.
"Good. Now, I made dinner, so eat up." Raynare stood up, leading him to the Dining Table.
Issei was quite surprised when she did that. When did she make such daring moves? Was she making moves? He couldn't tell at this point. He was so messed up, that he could barely get things right at this point.
Sitting him down, Raynare ladled food into a bowl for him and scooped up rice into another and set them in front of his seat.
"I made your favorites tonight." Raynare huffed.
Now Issei really felt terrible. Raynare had been deployed with him to the battlefield in preparation against the Khaos Brigade and he straight-up left her behind.
'She went to all this trouble to wait for me and she even made my favorite foods…I feel so touched right now.' Issei spoke to himself, ignoring Ddraig.
"So, what'll Vali and Akeno do? I heard they left with you." Raynare say across from him.
"They're staying at Grigori to deal with personal matters. I was done with everything and I didn't want to intrude on Akeno and Baraqiel's time with Shuri. I may be close but even I can tell that they need time alone." Issei then ate a spoonful of stew.
"And how're you feeling?" Raynare asked.
She was aware of his past, having been told by Akeno and Vali about the deaths of his parents.
"Unbelievably happy." Issei broke into a giant smile, making the fallen angel across from him do the same.
"I helped save my Aunt and got her back home. It feels like I just loaded a planet off my shoulders."
"Then what'll you do now?" Raynare asked.
"I'm gonna do the same-old, same-old. I'm gonna try and live a more normal life and if something comes my way, I do my best to deal with it." Issei smirked confidently.
"That sounds about right."
Raynare then took a napkin and gently wiped Issei's cheek, having noticed a stain there.
"That's what makes you so special." Raynare spoke to herself.
"Y-Yeah…I guess." Issei trailed off.
'So many things happened and yet, you still have enough hope to persevere. I guess I'll do the same.' Raynare declared to herself.
Issei had yet to answer her feelings, but deep down, she felt the conclusion was coming. She didn't know if it would be good or bad, but she knew that it would definitely end this little game that had been tantalizing the both of them. She was betting on it.
After two days passed, Issei was growing worried. Akeno and Vali hadn't come home yet and nobody had messaged him. It made him fret, since he didn't know if something good or bad was going down at Grigori. When he couldn't stand it anymore, Issei decided to get off his ass and go visit.
"Issei." That was when Azazel's voice transmitted from a magic circle.
"Uncle? What's happened so far?"
"You'd best come visit ASAP." Azazel simply responded before ending the message.
Within the blink of an eye, Issei was on the move. He teleported right into Grigori's medical facilities and blitzed for Shuri's room.
"What's happened?" He demanded as he burst right through the door.
Much to his surprise, everyone was sitting calmly beside an awake Shuri. He looked between everyone and found that they were all fine, nothing seemed wrong. Shuri, herself, was sitting up, holding Baraqiel's hand while laughing with Vali. When she noticed him, she gave him a knowing look.
"Can we have some time alone? I want to talk to Issei in private." Shuri looked at everyone else.
"Sure." Baraqiel nodded.
Closing the door behind them, everyone left Issei and Shuri alone, causing a very awkward silence.
"Go on and sit, son." Shuri scooted a chair close to her bed.
Doing as told, Issei sat down, however, he had maintained his distance.
"There's no need to stay so far away. I won't bite." Shuri chuckled.
Reluctantly, Issei scooted closer.
"So, Akeno and Azazel told me about what I've missed out on. However, I haven't heard your story, Issei. I want to see what my nephew has been up to while I've been away." Shuri smiled brilliantly.
Even now, Shuri hadn't changed. She was still as tender and loving as before. She was always interested in the lives of her loved ones and was always happy to lend an ear to them.
(Doctor Who OST: Trenzalore/The Long Song/I Am Information Reprise. Play Song.)
"Well, after you all disappeared, I started studying and training. I learned academics, like math and grammar. I learned how to speak different languages, like Chinese, Czech, Gaelic. I learned how to drive and build things. I learned how to…fight." Issei hesitantly spoke that last part.
True to his expectations, Shuri looked disappointed and sad at that part. She had strictly spoken against involving him, Vali, and Akeno in any kind of violence. She had wanted them to live happily without having to worry if someone would pop up around the corner to kill them. She didn't want them to see how sick and twisted the world could be.
"I started doing missions for Grigori and this year, I moved to the Human Realm. I moved back into my old house and I'm going to school now." Issei casually but awkwardly continued to speak.
"Really?" Shuri's face lit up, excited for him.
She knew that missions with Grigori weren't pretty and often times, they were highly traumatic.
"Yeah. I'm a second-year at Kuoh Academy and I've gotten to know a good number of people there. I'm doing fine, academically, and I've avoided trouble there, so there shouldn't be any worries. Aside from that, I haven't done much. I just go to school and deal with the occasional supernatural problem."
That wasn't a very detailed truth, but Issei didn't want to give his Aunt the full number of details. If she knew of what he'd seen, she'd be disappointed and sad. She hadn't ever wanted him to join the Grigori lifestyle.
"I see, that's just fine. I'm glad that you've gotten to taste what it's like to have a more normal lifestyle. You know, I was honestly worried. Akeno had told me about her life and I can't help but feel at fault. If I'd fought harder, she wouldn't be so scarred. Maybe if I'd done a better job at hiding and learned how to defend myself, my little girl wouldn't be so hurt. My husband wouldn't have become so stoic. And most of all, my nephew wouldn't loathe himself." Shuri then looked him in the eyes.
She knew. She knew of the incident when Issei had turned into a juggernaut as a child. Issei lost all color in his face as he looked around while his composure slowly corroded. He folded his hands and looked down.
"Aun-…" Issei trailed off.
Did he still deserve to call her Auntie?
"Auntie." Shuri finished for him.
"Auntie…I'm so…" Issei started to choke up.
A lump had formed in his throat as his eyes began to moisten. Talking was growing increasingly difficult as pain introduced itself into his chest again. The chords in him were being struck violently as his repressed emotions began to leak out of the cracks in his walls.
"I…I'm so, so, so, sorry for what I've done to you, Akeno, and Baraqiel. It's my fault. It's all my fault. It's because of me that Baraqiel left you two alone. If I had been stronger, he wouldn't have left. He'd have been home to protect you two. If I wasn't so weak, I wouldn't have become a monster! I wouldn't have cost you all so many years of happiness! It's all my goddamn fault! It's my fault that this all happened to you!" Issei jumped out of his chair, unable to look at Shuri, turning around.
He had now been thrown into the throes of his emotions, riding them out as he lost the hold he'd had on his sad and self-loathing thoughts.
"You nearly died, Akeno nearly died, and your family was splintered. My fear and stupidity made me vulnerable and you all paid the price. You were even turned into a weapon and forced to do who-knows-what." Issei turned around and looked at Shuri.
"For all of the pain I've caused you. For all those 8 years of pain, I'm so sorry, Shuri Himejima. I can't say it enough. For all that's happened to you, I accept all the blame. I'm sorry. I'm so, so, sorry." Issei bit his lips.
He did his best to stay strong, holding his repressed tears and emotions back. There was just something about seeing his Aunt again that caused the dam in his mind to crumble like sandcastles in waves. Perhaps all of the guilt tied to her and her mere presence reminded him of what he'd done. It reminded him that it was his fault that the Himejima family broke apart.
"Issei, that's Uncle Baraqiel and it's Auntie Shuri. You are to address us as that only. We aren't strangers or enemies. Now, come here." Shuri sternly corrected him before pointing right next to her on the bed.
"Sit." She demanded.
Reluctantly, Issei did as told.
"You aren't a monster. You're not a freak. You're not an enemy or stranger. I don't know who convinced you of all that, but it's not true. What happened, happened because fate willed it to. You turned into a juggernaut because you were seduced by evil thoughts that weren't your own. You transformed because of the despair mutated from your love for Akeno and Vali. Akeno doesn't blame you, Baraqiel doesn't blame you and I don't blame you. It wasn't within your control that I was taken. Baraqiel came here to help save you. Why would anyone blame you for that? You were only a child then and you didn't ask for it, did you?"
Issei didn't move or respond, but his eyes said no.
"Exactly. You didn't. You saved Akeno earlier and you saved me when I was about to explode. You were mangled and maimed but you didn't stop. You did everything in your power to bring us back together."
Shuri gently placed a hand on Issei's cheek and stroked it kindly. She smiled tenderly and transmitted all the motherly love she had for the boy to him.
"You fought worked so hard to get here, wanting to protect the people you had left. Your parents would be so proud of you. Your Uncle Azazel, Uncle Baraqiel, Akeno, Vali, Uncle Kokabiel, Uncle Shemhazai, and I are all so proud of who you've become. You've become such a strong boy." Shuri gave him a sad smile while kindly patting his head.
"You only did the best you could. So, promise me this: stop blaming yourself, son." Shuri smiled.
Issei bit the inside of his mouth, trying to keep his tears inside. His lips quivered as he could barely fight his overwhelming emotions. He sniffed and cleared his throat but the lump wouldn't go away.
"Come here. It's okay to let it all out. Crying isn't a sign of weakness. Tears show that you care." Shuri then put her arms around him and brought him into a motherly embrace.
Holding him close, she could feel him trembling as he could no longer fight the wave of emotions.
"Kuh! Guh…" Issei sniffled as he began to heave and sob.
"It's okay, Auntie Shuri's back. Your parents aren't here for you now, but I'm here now. I know you've been hurting since your parents left this world but don't forget that we're here too." Shuri gave him a warm kiss on the forehead as she let him rest on her shoulder.
"Uuhhh…." Issei cried quietly as Shuri patted his head and smoothed her hand over his back, allowing him to let go of those pent-up emotions.
Shuri could feel her shoulder growing wet as Issei's tears trickled down. She was a mother so she knew that he'd been hiding things. Even after confessing to Akeno about what'd had happened that fateful day where the family shattered and crying once that time, Issei had latched onto the remaining pieces. Those pieces had been too painful to be let out.
But it was okay now. She was home and back in everyone's lives. Issei could let it all go now. He had saved her and absolved himself of the act that he was never guilty of. He could finally stop blaming himself. The little boy inside of him could stop crying now.
(Doctor Who OST: Trenzalore/The Long Song/I Am Information Reprise. End Song.)
Changes from the original Chapter 20:
1. Minor grammar fixes
2. Minor changes in dialogue to make things more concise
