It was just another morning for Brandon Byrne. The night before, his sister had convinced him to help scope out and assess the intentions of some feathered pests roosting at the town's abandoned church. Now they had to do something about it. It wasn't the first time his sister had dragged him into some fool's errand, and it wouldn't be the last.

Before Brandon had gone to bed he pre-packed everything he thought might have some use. Two high powered torches for the poorly lit forest and church grounds, the map he drew the other day, some basic medical supplies he borrowed from his mother, and a couple miscellaneous items just in case.

He left everything in a survival backpack under the foot of his bed. Bringing it to school would raise some suspicion so they'd have to come back home to pick it up.

It was going to be a long day, but Brandon was prepared.


After Azalea scarfed down her own breakfast she had volunteered to carry a tray over for Kalawarner, who hadn't left her bed yet.

Balancing the tray on one hand, she gave Kalawarner's door a knock. After a minute she got an answer.

"Come in." Kalawarner yawned.

"Good morning, Auntie Kalawarner." Azalea said, letting herself inside.

"Oh, so I get a title now?" Kalawarner cheekily asked.

"Do you not like it?"

"It'll take some getting used to, but I don't mind if it makes you happy, Kid." Kalawarner said, scooting into a seated position.

Azalea silently placed the tray to the side, and then went on to hug the older fallen angel. After a moment, Kalawarner reciprocated.

"There there." Kalawarner said, patting the back of Azalea's head.

Before Kalawarner could make a comment about her breakfast getting cold, Azalea got back up and served her the tray.

With a quick "Thanks" Kalawarner began to dig in. Azalea sat down at the chair beside her bed.

"Kalawarner." Azalea said. "Do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

"About what?" Kalawarner asked back, swallowing a mouthful of Aine's cooking.

"About your former job, if that's alright." Azalea said.

"I don't mind." Kalawarner gave her blessing.

"How did your crew treat you?" Azalea asked. "The other three fallen angels, I mean."

"Fine I guess." Kalawarner shrugged. "Raynare would delegate orders, we'd follow them if we felt like it. We'd chat about whatever while on guard duty. We weren't particularly close but they weren't bad company."

"How about your living situation?" Azalea asked.

"Before you took me in? Just garbage." Kalawarner said. "There's a podium at the abandoned church that hides a trap door to a dusty old basement. Our rooms were basically repurposed closets down there."

"I'm guessing this repurposed emergency unit is an improvement." Azalea grinned.

"Yeah, I guess it is." Kalawarner smiled. "So what's with the sudden questioning anyway?"

"Oh you know, I just wanted to get a bit of a better understanding." Azalea said.

"You're not planning on going over there are you?" Kalawarner jested.

"Maybe." Azalea replied.

Kalawarner's expression grew concerned. "Azalea, that's dangerous." She warned.

"I thought so." Azalea said. "But we both know there's something fishy going on, and I don't know if I could live with myself if someone innocent got hurt."

"But what if something happens to you?" Kalawarner argued.

"I'm not new to fighting." Azalea resolutely maintained, spreading out her wings, then receding them. "I can handle myself a lot better than the average citizen here."

"There's no talking you out of this, is there?" Kalawarner sighed.

"Nope."

"Why are we fallen angels so damn stubborn." Kalawarner bemoaned.

"Brandon's going to be with me." Azalea said. "I won't just be rushing in on my own."

"That's good to hear."

"And if it's not too much trouble, can you keep this conversation between us?" Azalea requested.

"Okay, but if this ends up biting you in the ass, I take no responsibility."

"Deal."


Issei couldn't waste any more time, if he did there'd be no hope in saving her. Even if Rias refused to help, he had to do something.

He rushed through the now clear halls with reckless abandon, not expecting anyone to turn up in his path.

"Okay so here's the pla-" Was all Issei picked up before he crashed full force into another student, knocking them both down onto hard tile.

Issei was the first to get back up, and in his desperation didn't even bother to check who he ran into before trying to continue towards his objective.

Issei made it two steps further before something around his ankle brought him to an immediate halt. A mosaic of colorful glass shards completely encased his foot.

"You little shit." The other student growled toward Issei as he picked himself up. Issei recognized that voice.

Issei reluctantly looked back to see The Tyrant of Kuoh academy dusting himself off as his sister looked on in concern.

"Are you okay, Bro?" She asked.

"Yeah I'm fine." Brandon said. "But someone here isn't."

"Let me go." Issei snarled. "I don't have time for this."

"Brandon, just let him go, it was an accident." Azalea reasoned.

"What's the rush?" Brandon asked, beginning to crack his knuckles. "What's so urgent that you don't have time to watch where you're going?"

"They're going to kill her." Issei said, crouching over to try and tear his foot out of its hold. "Listen, you can kick the shit out of me later, but I need to go now!"

"Wait." Azalea brushed Brandon to the side. "Someone's in danger?"

"Here we go." Brandon rolled his eyes.

Azalea bent down, offering Issei a hand up. Brandon let out a sigh and de-apparated the shards holding him in place. Issei reluctantly grasped Azalea's hand and allowed himself to be pulled upward.

"Maybe we can help." Azalea offered. "Would you tell us?"

Issei took a look around making sure there was no one else within earshot.

Brandon snapped his fingers and a wall made from shattered glass erected itself around them.

"There, that should prevent any eavesdropping." Brandon said.

"Whoa, how'd you do that?" Issei blurted in surprise.

"Speak." Brandon ordered.

Issei sighed. "Fallen angels took a friend of mine, Asia."

"The ones over at the church?" Azalea asked.

"Yes, you know about them?" Issei replied.

"Well we were going to check things out over there, but now that we know what's going on I guess we don't have to." Brandon said. "If it's someone willing to associate with you, they clearly aren't worth the effort of saving."

Issei desperately wanted to punch Brandon in the face, consequences be damned. But before he could respond Azalea voiced her own disapproval.

"Brandon!" Azalea grunted, elbowing her brother in the side, then turned back to Issei. "So why do they want Asia?"

"It's to steal her sacred gear." Issei answered. "Asia was thrown out by the church for healing a devil and now the fallen are trying to kill her to take a power she never even asked for."

Azalea looked to Brandon. Brandon rolled his eyes.

"It seems my sister's not going to let me turn a blind eye." Brandon griped toward Issei.

"No I won't." Azalea confirmed.

"Lucky you." Brandon grumbled under his breath.

"So you're helping me?" Issei asked. Even if he wasn't particularly fond of the guy in front of him he'd take any assistance he could get.

"Begrudgingly." Brandon answered.

Azalea jabbed Brandon with her elbow, again.

"I mean sure." Brandon restated. "But we're doing this on my terms. Meet us at the church gates in, let's say a half hour. There are some supplies I need to grab from home. Don't tell Anyone where you're headed."

The Shattered Glass wall crumbled apart and faded away.

"And don't be late." Brandon ordered as he made his exit, pulling Azalea along with him.

Unbeknownst to either party, their chat hadn't been as private as they'd believed. Koneko silently moved from her hiding spot just down the hallway and departed to the occult research club. Devils had far greater hearing than the average human; even muffled by the stand barrier the white haired girl was able to pick the entire conversation.


Azalea dialed her phone. It rang twice before she got an answer. "Hello Mom, could you pick us up from school?" She asked. "Yeah, I know it's earlier than usual, but something came up. Thanks Mom, you're the best."

"She says she's on her way." Azalea informed Brandon, closing her cell.

"I can't believe you're making me work with Strap-on." Brandon complained. "Might as well throw the entire approach I planned out the window."

"Quit whining." Azalea said. "Being a decent person isn't going to kill you."

Aine arrived in a suspiciously short amount of time, but Azalea didn't question it.

During the drive home Brandon began reorganizing his thoughts.

What was originally a scouting mission was now a full on assault. Brandon reconsidered his game plan with the addition of a meat shield. He supposed he should have asked what Strap-on's abilities were, but that would require prolonged interaction with the degenerate.

In the end Brandon was banking off of his own skills and whatever Issei brought to the table would be a surprise bonus.


Once home Brandon immediately made a bee line to his room, changed into his usual grays and grabbed his supply pack. Time was of the essence.

When he stepped outside of his door he saw that his sister had also finished changing, but there was one issue.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Brandon asked. His sister was wearing the same type of bright outfit she'd always worn.

"What?" Azalea asked.

"All colorful, and noticeable." Brandon specified.

"I thought we were going in guns blazing. Bright colours make a louder statement than subdued grays." Azalea informed. "Also I don't have anything inconspicuous."

Brandon let out a sigh. "I wanted to stay subtle up to a point, but I guess there's no helping it. Let's get this holy show on the road."


"You're headed out already? But I just drove you home." Aine enquired.

"Yeah, Azalea and I were planning on checking out a new restaurant." Brandon said, avoiding his mother's scrutinizing gaze.

"Really now?" Aine asked. "What's the name?"

"We just heard about it from a friend." Azalea improvised. "She didn't say what it was called."

"We'll probably be out for a while, so don't worry about dinner for us?" Brandon added.

"Alright." Aine shrugged. "If you say so."


After a brisk walk, Brandon and Azalea were only a block from the abandoned church. It would've been far faster if they'd asked their mother to drive them, but that wasn't happening. As their destination approached, Azalea had something weighing on her mind.

"You don't think Mom is on to us, do you?" Azalea asked.

"Oh she definitely knows something's up, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." Brandon said. "Now come on, let's see if he decided to show."

The Byrne siblings converged at the church gate. Issei was staring vacantly toward the building.

"Yo, Strap-on." Brandon called. "You ready?"

"What, uh, yeah." Issei muttered, snapping to his senses.

"Then let's go." Brandon said, gesturing for Issei to follow.

The trio passed through the entrance, but a couple meters in, Brandon made a sudden halt.

"Azalea." He spoke.

"Yes?" Azalea replied.

"You ran into some fallen standing guard in the forest, correct?"

"Yeah."

"Could you go make sure they won't be an issue?" Brandon requested.

"Sure thing." Azalea replied, with a salute. "Oh, but before I go, Kalawarner said there was a secret entrance under the podium."

"Thanks for the info, Sis." Brandon said, putting his fist out.

"No problem, bro." Azalea replied, bumping her brother's fist with her knuckle.

"Kalawarner?" Issei questioned. Where did he hear that name before?

"Bye." Azalea made her exit to the side. Brandon was left alone to continue along the path with Issei.

"So," Issei began in an attempt to ease the tension in the air. "Why were you headed here in the first place?"

"Azalea was starting to get concerned about the town's safety and, like always, she dragged me along."

"So how'd you find out about them?"

"One of them mistook me for the twat they wanted dead." Brandon casually stated. "Got into a fistfight before his boss called saying that the deed was already done."

"You survived?" Issei questioned, brushing over the casual insult.

"They really aren't that threatening." Brandon said.

"Oh…" Issei replied. "Is that why you sent your sister off?"

"She's highly against the idea of killing, and there's a specific priest whose head needs to roll." Brandon illuminated. "My mom did a number on him so he should be inside the church."

"That's cold." Issei commented.

"Don't get high and mighty on me, Strap-on. That rapist deserves to die." Brandon countered, as the two proceeded to the front entrance. "It's not like I'm here for wonton slaughter."

Brandon, rather unnecessarily, kicked open the church doors, and locked eyes with just the man he was hoping to find, all on his own. Somehow all but his eye seemed good as new.

Shattered Glass closed off the doorway as Brandon and Issei entered, blocking the building's only exit.

"Well well well." Freed sneered. "If it isn't the devil freak, and it looks like he brought his little boy toy with him. Which one's the pitcher and which one's the catcher?"

"Well well well." Brandon repeated in an imitation of Freed's voice, before switching back to his own. "Looks like you survived a run in with my mom. Congratulations." He gave a slow, sarcastic clap. "Allow me to rectify that."

"That crazy bitch was your mom?!" Freed exclaimed. "She took my eye out, humiliated me, and to top it off, Raynare wouldn't even let me take out my frustrations on that nunslut whining about some friend she made."

Issei growled and began to step forward only for Brandon to place an arm in front of him. This was his battle.

"Oh, but none of that matters anymore." Freed grinned, pulling out his light sword's hilt. "Once I'm done with you I'll have a nice little present when I pay her a visit. I wonder how sweet her screams will sound."

"Shoot yourself." Brandon said.

"What?" Freed asked, momentarily caught off guard.

"Shoot yourself. In the head. Because if you don't I'm going to be what kills you, and you Really don't want that." Brandon warned.

"Oh, so you think I'm some kind of joke, do you?"

Freed rushed forward with his light sword active. Brandon stood and waited, glaring as the mad priest drew near. Just as Freed was upon him, Shattered Glass encased his hand and forearm.

Freed's slash bounced off the makeshift gauntlet and Brandon drove his boot upward with all his force. There was a loud squelching noise. Issei averted his eyes.

Freed dropped his sword as he stumbled back, blood trickling down his pant legs, then collapsed on the ground by the side of the podium.

"Steel toed boots." Brandon stated as he calmly strode forward.

Freed frantically pulled out his gun and unloaded on Brandon, but Shattered Glass shards appeared in the path of each attempted shot.

Brandon lifted his foot over Freed's leg. Glass encased his boot, hanging like stalactites from the underside.

"Kalawarner sends her regards." Brandon said, stomping down on Freed's shin and shattering the bones inside. When he lifted his foot, Shattered Glass' shards remained embedded.

"Shattered Glass: Touch." Brandon uttered, snapping his fingers. The glass shards piercing Freed's broken leg began to sprout further shards from their submerged edges. They continued spreading further up the limb, tearing through flesh and fabric along the way.

Freed tried even more desperately to fire a hole through Brandon. He had as much success as his earlier attempts. As Shattered Glass: Touch made it past the hip the pain became unbearable.

The exorcist shakily pointed his gun toward his own head and squeezed the trigger. A shard of Shattered Glass appeared between the barrel of his gun, and his head. Freed had his chance, Brandon would not allow him the mercy.

Shattered Glass continued its spread throughout Freed's body until it was a mangled pulp of gore and glass shards almost unrecognizable as formerly human. Then the stand de-apparated, leaving the pulp to collapse in on itself.

"Welp, that needed to be done." Brandon said, dusting his hands together. "What else were we doing here?"

Issei stared blankly. "... What the fuck was that?"

"I already said, Shattered Glass: Touch." Brandon stated, as if that answered anything.

Issei just gave a vexxed stare.

"I stab something with my stand, then it works like a stained glass Gae Bolg." Brandon rolled his eyes.

"Ok, whatever." Issei said, accepting that he'd get no further explanation. There wasn't time for it anyway. "Now what did your sister say about the basement?"

"Oh yeah." Brandon muttered, stepping over to inspect the podium. "Ah, here it is."

Brandon tapped a small button and the podium slid to the side, opening a trap door, which both teens began to climb down.

"Oh, and for the record, Strap-on, I'm a catcher."

"What?"


Azalea wandered through the forest until she spotted Mittelt, in front of Rias and Akeno? The diminutive fallen angel began stomping in anger at something they said.


Mittelt was once again bored out of her mind, 'standing' guard perched upon a tree branch with her wings at the ready.

"Ugh, this is the worst." Mittelt complained. "Standing guard is the most boring thing ever."

With a flash of red light, Rias and Akeno materialised above a magic circle at the forest floor.

"Ooh, ask and you shall frickin receive." Mittelt remarked, jumping to the ground. "Hi there! I'm Mittelt and I'm totally the most amazing fallen angel in the history of ever."

"This little girl's really into herself, isn't she?" Akeno cooed, holding her cheek in the same manner one would from a sugar induced toothache. Eyes closed, hiding her disgust.

"My servant sensed that you were nearby." Rias stated. "Since you're out here standing guard, your people must be worried about an attack."

"Worried? No. We're just in the middle of a super duper top secret ritual we don't want you devils interfering with." Mittelt prattled.

"Not to burst your bubble, but the newest member of our team is on his way there right now." Akeno informed.

"They're what?! Are you Flipping kidding me?" Mittelt blurted.

"Nope, and he's not being discreet about it." Akeno said.

"I'm having the rest of my peerage keep an eye on him." Rias revealed.

"Oh I hate devils!" Mittelt ranted, turning away and childishly stomping the ground. "I just want to squish their ugly stupid devil faces! Ugh!"

The young fallen began to simmer down from her tantrum. "Whatever, let them do their worst. Not like they can stop us, there are way more of us than there are of them."

"So why are you here?" Mittelt dramatically turned, revealing a smirk. "I hope it's not for some sort of rescue operation."

"They're on their ow-" Rias began.

"Gotcha." Mittelt interrupted.

A blue light spear careened towards the back of Rias' head. The devil heiress didn't even have time to turn her face.

It would have been the end of her then and there if it weren't for a figure leaping from the bushes, and catching the glowing spear with her bare hand.

"What?" Mittelt gasped.

"Well, there goes that strategy." Dohnaseek commented, emerging from his ambush point and landing at Mittelt's side. "So I take it that you've joined the devils, Azalea."

The two devils turned to the newcomer. The very same nephilim they'd been suspicious of the past couple weeks had just saved Rias' life.

"Nope." Azalea replied, snapping Dohnaseek's light spear in her fingers. "I just don't want anyone's death weighing on my conscience. Life is precious after all."

"Then it seems we have a conflict of interests." Dohnaseek stated, forming another spear.

"Guess so." Azalea shrugged, before turning to the occult research club leaders. "So, are you here to stop Raynare, too?"

"Something like that." Rias answered.

"Then I guess we're on the same side." Azalea said, facing back toward the two fallen.

"I totally knew it was a bad idea letting her go after she stepped in our territory." Mittelt said.

"You said no such thing." Dohnaseek refuted.

"Well I thought it!" Mittelt claimed.

A single pair of black wings burst from Azalea's back and began violently rattling. Rias and Akeno eyed her in confusion.

"Is that, like, supposed to scare us?" Mittelt taunted, taking to the air with her own bright pink light spear.

"Your deimatic display isn't intimidating anyone." Dohnaseek said.

"Deimatic?" Azalea repeated in faux offense. "Oh no, you've got it all wrong." Her tone became incredibly smug. "This is one hundred percent aposematic."

Azalea spread her arms and the remainder of her wings sprung from her back. Their rattling quickly matched pace with the first set.

Dohnaseek took to the air entirely out of reflex. A ten winged nephilim? Even if she really couldn't fly she still outclassed them in presumably every other way imaginable.

"How did that slip right under our noses?!" Rias questioned, discreetly forming a magic circle under her feet, readying for an escape if it was necessary. "Akeno."

"Already on it." Akeno raised her arm, lightning struck her as her school uniform dissolved only to be replaced with a shrine maiden's attire. "Oooh." She giggled, striking a pose.

"What?" Azalea questioned.

"No fair! I wasn't told we could wear costumes to this fight." Mittelt complained, pointing an accusatory finger at Akeno.

"Aren't you already wearing one?" Azalea asked, turning back to Mittelt.

Akeno threw her arms to the sky and materialised dozens of red seals, forming a dome to prevent escape.

"It's a barrier!" Dohnaseek stated.

"Uh oh, we're totes screwed." Mittelt said. It wasn't entirely clear if she was being sarcastic or not.

"Catching my prey in a cage gets me so hot." Akeno professed.

Azalea wasn't sure how she felt about that statement. Mostly because said 'prey' included a little girl.

"It's the end of the line for you." Rias declared.

"You act so confident, but all I've seen from you since we've set up here is asinine stunt after asinine stunt, from leaving your newly reincarnated servant to fend for himself, to walking straight into an enemy ambush." Dohnaseek derided. "You wouldn't even be alive right now if a clueless, flightless nephilim hadn't jumped in to save you. No offense, Azalea."

"None taken." Azalea said.

"I'm growing tired of this." Rias said, snapping her fingers.

Akeno began firing off powerful bolts of lightning towards the two enemy fallen angels, who spread out and retaliated.

Dohnaseek remained up front, drawing attention by challenging Akeno's lightning with his spears and dodging when necessary, while Mittelt circled around to launch her attacks from the opposite side.

Seeing as her opponents were flying, and that she had no projectiles, Azalea flattened her hardened feathers to her wings, creating a tight defensive pattern.

Mittelt tossed her spear first to Rias but Azalea was quick to guard, moving between the two and deflecting it off the back of a wing. The light spears could not penetrate the toughened feathers.

Mittelt tried repeatedly to hit the devil intruders, but Azalea kept throwing herself in between them. Eventually the blonde fallen got fed up and hurled spear after spear directly at Azalea, all to no avail.

Mittelt was wearing herself out from over exertion, but she was too frustrated to even notice. She gathered all of the strength she had into one explosive light spear and hurled it full force at Azalea. Upon contact with Azalea's wings the spear burst with a blinding flash.

Remaining undamaged, Azalea took the momentary disruption and rushed over to the nearest tree, stabbing her wingtips into the bark. The extra limbs moved like insect legs, carrying Azalea to the treetop.

Mittelt was still rubbing her eyes, trying to get them to adjust after the flash she'd created, and she was right in range. Azalea sprung from the foliage and tackled Mittelt out of the air. All ten of Azalea's wings wrapped around them, giving Mittelt and Azalea a somewhat softer landing when they hit the ground, but still leaving the small fallen angel completely dazed.

Dohnaseek took immediate notice and in his distraction took a hit from Akeno, knocking him away and leaving him stunned as well.

Azalea got up from the worn out, delirious Mittelt, and sat her up against a nearby tree.

"Well, looks like they're out of commission." Azalea said. "Guess we're done here."

"Not quite." Akeno stepped forward and extended her arm, charging a powerful blast aimed directly at Mittelt. But just before Akeno could fire it off Azalea grabbed her wrist and yanked it away, resisting the painful shock she received.

"Are you crazy?!" Azalea snarled. "You could've fried the poor thing alive!"

"Yeah, that's the point." Akeno bit back, fruitlessly trying to wrestle her wrist from Azalea's grip.

"You're not killing her." Azalea's grip tightened, getting dangerously close to cracking bones.

Unbeknownst to either, Mittelt snapped out from her daze and began picking herself up.

"Why are you protecting that creature?"

"Because I'm not a monster!" Azalea's topmost wing reeled back in a flash and smacked Akeno, leaving a cut along her cheek. "She's a fucking child!"

Rias stepped forward. "Would you kindly release my queen?" The underlying threat in her voice was clear even to Azalea, but she still hadn't let go. "These fallen ones have been a blight on my peerage for weeks, they signed their death warrants the second they entered my territory with malicious intent."

Azalea shoved Akeno over to Rias' side and approached the red haired devil. Eight of her wings flared up and plumed out to give the illusion of increased size, while the second topmost pair stuck forward, centimeters from caressing Rias' face.

Rias' expression remained calm.

"Do you really want to start this fight?" Azalea asked, feathers rattling. "Because it's going to take a lot more than you've got."

The two stared each other down, neither flinching in spite of Azalea's intimidation display.

Finally Rias spoke up. "Very well. I have more pressing matters to attend." She said. "But do know that I will not forget this."

Rias turned away and stepped to the center of the magic circle she created earlier. Akeno took her side and they both warped away.

"I'm so glad that worked." Azalea's wings drooped as she breathed out a sigh of relief. The nephilim then turned to see Mittelt trying to assist Dohnaseek to his feet.

"Have you thought of losing weight?" Mittelt complained.

"What happened?" Dohnaseek groaned.

"Good news, you're still alive." Azalea said, approaching the two.

Mittelt readied a light spear, letting Dohnaseek almost fall back to the ground.

"Now listen!" Azalea commanded. "No one has to get hurt any more tonight. Dohnaseek, you know where my house is, just wait at the steps up front and we can talk things out once this ridiculous scheme gets shut down."

"Like, look around you genius, we're still trapped." Mittelt criticised.

The barrier of seals still surrounded them at all sides.

"I'll break through." Azalea stated resolutely.

Dohnaseek was in no condition to continue putting up a fight. It was foolish that he tried even when it was just a devil heiress and her queen, and he was well aware of it.

"Alright…" Dohnaseek accepted. "We surrender."

"Are you kidding me?!" Mittelt cut in. "It's two against one now. Just because she has a couple extra wings we give up?"

"Yes!" Dohnaseek answered in exasperation.

"Okay, so it's one against one now. You still can't fly!" Mittelt taunted, taking to the air and making very sure to keep her distance from the trees. "I may be little, but I promise you this much, I can pack a mean punch."

"That is the most precious thing I've ever heard." Azalea said, clutching her face, eyes almost watering, completely shattering the air of intimidation she had when she first revealed the rest of her wings.

"Mittelt, listen!" Dohnaseek warned, distancing himself.

"Like, why should I?" Mittelt questioned, turning her focus completely to Dohnaseek. "You're not my real dad! You're not even my fake dad."

"Because you're unbelievably in over your head." Dohnaseek argued.

"What's she going to do while I'm up he-" An entire tree, roots and all, flew past Mittelt's head, shattering the top of the barrier and piercing a hole through the cloud layer.

The fallen pipsqueak slowly turned her head toward the tree's point of launch, seeing Azalea waving next to the hole where the tree originally took root.

Mittelt went wide eyed. "I now, like, unconditionally, and totally wholeheartedly surrender. Like, lead the way, Dohnaseek."

"Remember, wait up front." Azalea repeated, waving as the two full blooded fallen angels darted into the sky.

Azalea turned away, only to immediately come to the realization that she had no idea what direction the church was, and it was beginning to become dusk, making the forest that much harder to navigate.

"I should have asked for directions before I sent them off." Azalea lamented, before turning to what she hoped was the general direction of the church.


At the abandoned church, after descending the hidden entrance, Brandon and Issei prepared to kick down the door to the ceremonial chamber.

"Okay, we don't know just how many are past here, so follow my lead." Brandon whispered.

"Got it." Issei whispered back.

Brandon pulled a torch from his bag, and set it to strobe.

"Three." Brandon began.

"Two." Issei continued.

"ONE!" Both shouted as they launched the door off of its hinges, to the utter shock of the stray priests making preparations on the other side.

In the confusion Brandon scanned the room. About a dozen stray exorcists to either side, and at the end, standing on an elevated platform was a skimpily dressed fallen angel and a blond girl in a simple white gown chained to an oddly high tech looking cross.

Brandon threw the strobing light down the center of the chamber and the exorcists instinctively jumped out of the way before they realized what it was. There was a clear path to the target.

Brandon rushed forward, creating walls of glass shards at his sides as he went. Issei followed behind. The barrier trick was mentally taxing, but cutting out interference from the priests was well worth it.

"What?!" The fallen angel exclaimed in shock. She was expecting some attempt at interference, but this early, and so brazen? The ritual hadn't even started yet, the rest of the ex-priests wouldn't arrive for a couple hours, and now some jackass was rushing towards her with a tidal wave of glass shards!

The fallen angel tossed a light spear at Brandon, but he somersaulted over it. Midair, he manifested a Shattered Glass platform and boosted himself over the stairs. Shattered Glass gathered around Brandon's boot before he touched the ground, this time creating a spike at the toe end, which he drove into the cross' circuitry. The spike remained lodged in.

The cross sparked and powered down as the girl fell loose from her chains, barely conscious. Issei rushed up the stairs just in time to catch her.

It didn't take Brandon's level of perception to see the confusion and fury on the fallen angel's face.

"So you must be the famous Raynare I've heard so much about." Brandon said, as Issei rushed the blonde girl back the way they came.

"So, you've heard my name." Raynare said, forming a light spear. "Good, so you'll know what to say when they ask 'who sent you' in the afterlife."

Brandon squared up, encasing his fists with Shattered Glass.

"Tough talk for a girl with hollow bones." He countered. "But shouldn't you be a bit more concerned with your escapee?"

Raynare's eyes widened, suddenly she took off, flying through the Shattered Glass hallway.

The Shattered Glass gauntlets de-aparated, and Brandon breathed a sigh of relief. He was up for a fight, but not with the additional strain of holding up two large walls made from his stand. The second Raynare made it to the chamber's exit, Brandon dashed after her.

The two Shattered Glass walls de-aparated shard by shard, allowing some stray exorcists to attempt to give chase, only for them to get cut off at the trap door. An unbreakable glass pane prevented their interference.


Issei rushed Asia up through the trap door only to find that the building's only exit was still blocked by Shattered Glass. With nowhere to run, he placed the nun down on a church bench. She began to stir.

"I-Issei?" Asia muttered.

"Asia! Are you alright?" Issei asked.

"Y-yes I think I'm fine." Asia said, rubbing her eyes and slowly sitting up.

Issei bent down and tightly hugged the blond girl.

"What a touching reunion."

Raynare now stood across from them, arms crossed. Issei put himself defensively in front of Asia.

"Hand over the nun and maybe I'll let you keep your pitiful existence." Raynare threatened.

"You stay away from her, you heartless bitch!" Issei yelled. Unconsciously a red gauntlet with a green jewel formed around his hand.

"Oh Issei, how can you be so mean? Don't you want me anymore?" Raynare's voice morphed into Yuuma's, the oh so innocent false identity she used to lure and kill him. "Am I not good enough now that you have that pious, platinum nun slut?"

"I actually liked you, or Yuuma." Issei muttered.

"Hmhm, sweety that was the point." Raynare giggled. "I needed you to play super hero to my damsel in distress. Poor thing, you wanted to believe it so badly that you never even caught on. I wish you could've seen your face, it made the torture of spending so much time with you worth it."

A slow clap caught the room's attention, where the trap door used to be stood Brandon atop a stained glass blockade.

"I've got to hand it to you, that was an excellent play." Brandon congratulated. "You really dragged yourself through the mud for this."

"You dare mock me." Raynare snapped, showing fang.

"I was being genuine." Brandon dryly said. "Spending an entire date with Strap-on? I could barely stand the silent stroll up to the church."

Raynare's expression went from aggravated, to a bemused smirk. Issei on the other hand looked less than amused.

"Now that's some dedication." Brandon added.

"Only the best for my Lord Azazel." Raynare bragged, placing a hand over her heart. She sounded like a schoolgirl with a crush. "Once I have twilight healing he'll finally see how useful I can be."

"Sorry to say, Ray, but that's not happening." Brandon said. Shattered Glass manifested as shards floating at his side. "No hard feelings."

Raynare flared out her wings and leapt to the center aisle, creating a light spear.

"So you think you're tough, just because you gave the extractor a little scratch?" She scoffed. "You're just a human, and that sacred gear of yours is so weak I can't even sense it."

"Yeah? Let's see about that." Brandon squared up, encasing his fists once more.

"If you say so." Raynare said, throwing her spear, with a grin that exposed her sharpened fangs.

"Sh-sh-sh-sh." Brandon unleashed a quick flurry of punches, breaking the light spear apart, then rushed forward toward Raynare.

Surprised, Raynare spawned another light spear and tried hurling it, but Brandon was already too close. Brandon grabbed the spear with one Shattered Glass encased hand and reeled back with the other. At the Apex of the swing the shards protecting Brandon's fist separated and he delivered a barehanded jab to her mouth. Raynare kicked him in the stomach, knocking him back along with her spear.

Brandon was quick to rise back up, now armed with Raynare's own spear. Raynare herself didn't look as angry as he expected. In fact she almost looked excited.

"I love a man who takes control." Raynare ardently proclaimed, with dilated pupils and a Cheshire grin.

"What a coincidence, so do I." Brandon chuckled.

Raynare was once again caught off guard. "Oh."

"Yep." Brandon confirmed that he meant exactly what she thought he did. "And by the way," The floating Shattered Glass shards magnetised to the light spear until it was completely covered. "This isn't a sacred gear."

"Really now?" Raynare smugly asked. "Does it make any difference if I do this?"

Raynare snapped her fingers and the spear Brandon stole detonated inside its airtight confinement. The glass construct suffered no damage.

"Looks like it does." Brandon answered, giving his now hollow glass spear a twirl to get a feel for its non-existent weight.

Raynare created a second spear and charged forward. The two clashed, coming to a stalemate in the middle. Raynare was shocked that she couldn't make any headway. She knew she was stronger than a lowly human, she had to be, so why wasn't he budging?

"You know, up close you're actually kind of scrawny, I'd go as far as to say malnourished." Brandon commented. "Are they even feeding you at the Grigori?"

Raynare strained harder to push Brandon away. Infuriatingly, he didn't even seem to struggle. Frustrated that she wasn't making any headway, Raynare went for another kick to the stomach.

Brandon let go of his spear and lept back.

Raynare went from furious to baffled. The glass spear remained floating in place.

"What the?" Raynare muttered, no longer uselessly struggling against the stationary object.

The glass spear re-angled itself until it was level with the ground, pointed in Raynare's direction. In response, the fallen angel took to the air and threw her spear at Brandon.

Shattered Glass formed a protective wall between Brandon and the spear, which exploded on contact with it. The glass construct faded shortly after.

Brandon ran forward through the smoke. He jumped on to the levitating glass spear without loss of momentum, and platformed off of the other end to gain more height. It all happened too quickly, Raynare didn't know how to respond.

A small Shattered Glass platform appeared right before Raynare for Brandon to land on. Face to face, he grabbed Raynare by the arm, twisted his body and threw her down behind him. She hit the ground with a thud.

As Raynare rose back to her feet Brandon jumped down, delivering a punch to the top of Raynare's head. The fallen angel was knocked back to the ground, just barely missing the tip of the levitating glass spear.

Brandon swiped his hand to the side. The floating spear flung itself a meter out of the way.

In the moment the stand user divided his focus, instead of getting up Raynare swept Brandon's legs, bringing him to the floor. With a simultaneous motion of her wings the fallen angel sprung up, then created two light spears.

Raynare drove both spears down at Brandon only for him to shoot off the ground. He grasped her spears in gauntleted hands and drove his skull into her's. Raynare staggered back. Her spears faded.

"You know this isn't the firs-"

Interrupting his dialogue, Raynare punched Brandon square in the mouth. His lower lip cut itself against his upper teeth.

"Okay, you're tough for a human." Raynare admitted. "How'd Issei convince you to come along?"

The shards protecting Brandon's hands faded away. He wiped the blood from his lip with his bare thumb.

"Strap-on gave my sister Blondie's sob story, and being the bleeding heart that she is, she just had to lend a hand, which means I had to tag along."

"Really, and where is she now?" Raynare questioned.

"Out in the woods, distracting your guards." Brandon stated. "So what was your big scheme anyway? I have a feeling Strap-on told me, but I tuned it out. I don't exactly find him trustworthy."

"Hey!" Issei protested.

"The nun has a powerful sacred gear, that I planned to extract for myself." Raynare explained. "With its power I'll be beloved. Azazel will give me a spot by his side, all those pricks who screwed me over will pay."

"Any particular reason you needed to be dressed like a gimp?"

Raynare blinked, then looked herself down.

"This is how I dress." She paused for a moment. "I don't think you know what a gimp is."

"Guess not," Brandon shrugged. "So anyway, what's so special about Blondie's fullbring that it'll completely upturn your social status?"

"It lets the user instantly heal anyone's wounds!" Raynare answered, rather excitedly. "There's no way I'd let that power be wasted in a human's hands."

"So you just kill her to take it." Brandon stated.

"Unfortunately for those with a sacred gear, that is their destiny." Raynare claimed. "Humans don't have the ability to survive in the world with their sacred gear, even if they use their power for good, they're seen as different and would be tortured out of fear."

"I take it that someone had some bad personal experiences and let that paint their entire worldview." Brandon said.

Raynare gave the stand user a glare. "What would you know?" Her tone sounded quite defensive.

"Enough from your expression." Brandon shrugged. "Yes we humans can be petty, hateful little creatures, sure. Trust me, I'd know. But you're clearly just using that as an excuse."

"Oh, and you're so above it all?" Raynare sneered.

"Don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less whether Blondie lives or dies." Brandon said. "Anyone dumb enough to willingly spend time with that prick," Brandon pointed his thumb in Issei's direction. "Isn't someone I'd stick my neck out for under normal circumstances."

"What's your problem?!" Issei blurted.

"Strap-on, it's simple." Brandon said. "I don't particularly care for you."

"If that's how you feel, why don't you join me?" Raynare suggested. "Not many humans can stand up to a high class fallen angel, like myself."

"I appreciate the offer, but I'll have to decline." Brandon said. "I can, however, tag out for the time being. This really isn't my fight."

Brandon turned to Issei. "Strap-on, she's your ex, why don't you two settle this little disagreement on your own."

"Alright." Issei stepped forward. "Watch Asia." He firmly told Brandon.

"Might as well." Brandon shrugged. The stand user leisurely stepped over to the opposite end of the pew where the nun was seated, and sat down crossing his legs.

Raynare crossed her arms. "And now the devil finally grew a pair. As if it wasn't bad enough that you didn't have the decency to stay dead."

"Oh, this is gonna be good." Brandon rubbed his hands together before constructing a medium sized bucket from red and white shards, then manifesting clusters of shards inside until it was filled to the brim.

"Why'd you do it?" Issei muttered the question that'd been repeating in the back of his mind. "Why'd you lead me on, just to kill me?"

"I had to find some way to entertain myself." Raynare shrugged. "Consider it payback for all the time I had to waste observing you."

"I worried about that dumb date for so long, I did everything I could to make sure you were happy." Issei growled.

"You're so pathetic, you'd do anything if you thought it'd get your pole greased." Raynare taunted.

"She's got you pegged, Strap-on." Brandon commented.

"Oh he wishes I had him pegged." Raynare laughed.

"Raynare!" Issei shouted, swinging at the fallen angel. Raynare simply hopped the attempted punch and floated over the devil.

"Boost." A deep voice emanated from Issei's gauntlet.

"It's no use." Raynare bragged, touching down on the ground behind him. "Even with that twice critical of yours, you're still nothing."

Issei swung at Raynare again, only for her to effortlessly dodge into the air. This time she landed across the aisle.

As Issei turned to her, Raynare tossed a light spear, skewering his leg just above the knee.

Asia watched on and gasped, while Brandon tossed shard clusters into his mouth (de-aparating them immediately), in imitation of an enthralled moviegoer scarfing popcorn.

"Want some?" Brandon offered to his side, giving the bucket a shake. Asia had no response. "Suit yourself."

"Still standing?" Raynare asked. "Light is toxic to devils, just touching it scorches your bodies. It's said to be the most intense pain your kind can endure. So what do you think?"

Issei grabbed the barbed spear with both hands and began to try pulling it out.

"Is it true?" Raynare followed up.

"What do I care?" Issei scorned, pulling as hard as he could. The spear was budging. "Do you think this is anything compared to what Asia went through?"

A light spear flew through Issei's other leg.

"How about now?" Raynare asked, coyly.

Asia moved up to Brandon. "You have to do something!" She beseeched.

"Looks like he's got this handled to me." Brandon casually replied.

"He's going to die."

"Oh no, what a tragedy." Brandon sarcastically remarked.

"Please, I'm begging you." Asia pleaded, with a look in her eye that Brandon found especially irritating.

"Oh give me a break." Brandon groaned, standing up on the seat. "Fine, but you better pull your weight, Blondie."

Raynare tossed a third spear, directly aimed at Issei's head. Brandon leaped off of the church seat and drove a Shattered Glass encased heel down on Raynare's spear, splitting it in two.

"I thought you were sitting this one out." Raynare glared.

"So did I." Brandon replied, turning to grab the spear skewered through Issei's left leg. "But as much as I'd love an excuse to get Strap-on permanently out of my hair, I did tell my sister I'd avoid unnecessary death."

Brandon placed one glass encased hand one Issei's knee and yanked Raynare's spear completely out with the other. Shattered Glass covered the weapon and Brandon stepped forward with a more serious expression this time around.

"She's going to be so disappointed." Raynare spat, creating a light spear in each hand.

"I doubt it." Brandon replied, before rushing head on with his glass spear. Raynare responded in kind with her own spears.

"Boost."

While Brandon distracted Raynare, Issei screamed in pain as he used all of his strength to pull out the remaining spear. Asia scurried over to heal his wounds.

"Boost."

Issei began shakily rising to his feet.

Raynare stabbed a spear at Brandon, who fell back and dropped his own weapon on the ground. Supporting his weight with his hands, Brandon drove his foot upward. His steel toed boot collided with her hand, knocking the spear out of it. Her fingers were heavily bruised, no longer able to hold her weapon.

"You Fucker!" Raynare snapped, shaking her hand as Brandon planted his feet back on the floor.

The fallen angel tried slashing Brandon's legs with her remaining spear, only for him to jump back and gain height on a Shattered Glass platform.

"Boost."

"Okay, I'm not the only one hearing that, am I?" Brandon asked from atop his perch.

"That worm's twice critical must be on the fritz." Raynare dismissed.

"Raynare!" Issei roared, injuries completely recovered. His gauntlet changed shape, growing larger and sporting claws.

"Dragon Booster!" The gauntlet shouted. "Explosion."

"What?!" Raynare stammered in disbelief, taking a fearful step back. "That energy! It feels at least second level!"

"Am I supposed to know what that means?" Brandon remarked, noting Raynare's sudden change in demeanor.

"His sacred gear should be nowhere near this strong." Raynare flinched. "It's, it's just a twice critical!"

Issei stepped forward. Raynare panicked and threw her remaining light spear, only for Issei to smack it to the side.

Raynare turned tail and attempted to fly away. Issei immediately caught up and grabbed her by the wrist.

"You won't get away, bitch." Issei yelled, reeling back.

"No, I'm the superior one." Raynare protested, fangs showing as her face twisted in fear.

"This one's for Asia!" Issei roared, delivering a punch to Raynare's face.

The fallen angel let out one last shriek as she careened toward a church window, only to be blocked by a replica made from Brandon's stand. Instead of breaking through, Raynare collided off, and fell to the ground with a soft thud.

"Well that was flaccid." Brandon commented, de-aparating his copy of the mural before jumping to the ground.

Issei fell down to one knee, making Asia rush to help support his weight. Brandon walked past without a second glance.

"Are you okay, Issei?" Asia fretted.

"Yeah." Issei panted out in exhaustion, stretching the truth. "That felt good."

Brandon approached the fallen angel crumpled on the ground. She was out cold.

"Well, you tried." Brandon would let her have that.

Brandon took a moment to consider how he'd carry her. The wings were a serious issue; Brandon really wished he'd asked his mother about that pressure point. After some consideration, he noticed one of the thicker strips making up her outfit was actually a belt, wrapped just under her wings.

"A carrying strap, how convenient." Brandon joked to himself. After wrapping his fingers under the belt, Brandon began to drag Raynare along.

Issei and Asia approached Brandon.

"Hey, I know we got off on the wrong foot, but thanks. I couldn't have done it without you." Issei said, reaching his hand out.

"Thank you." Asia cheerfully echoed.

"Don't mention it." Brandon said, extending his free hand before outright smacking Issei's away. "No, seriously. Don't. Mention. It. The fact that I assisted you in any way, shape, or form sickens me to the core."

Disregarding the dirty and confused looks Issei and Asia respectively gave him, Brandon continued toward the front door. With a snap of his fingers the portion of Shattered Glass blocking the entrance disappeared.

When Brandon was about halfway across the aisle, Kiba and Koneko walked through, followed by Rias and Akeno warping inside. Brandon let Raynare slide to the floor and turned towards Rias, not bothering to hide his agitated glare.


What are they doing here now? I thought I told Strap-on to keep quiet!

"Rias, you came?" Strap-on said.

"Why of course." Tampon replied. "I couldn't risk losing my newest piece."

"Why if it isn't the cavalry." I sarcastically remarked. "Sorry to inform you, but you're a bit late."

"It looks like you and Issei were able to handle yourselves." Tampon countered, with underlying disdain. "Now if you wouldn't mind I'd like to have a word with that crow at your feet."

I rolled my eyes then stepped aside, before taking a seat on the nearest pew. Might as well see where this goes.

Tampon stepped up to the fallen angel, who was just starting to regain consciousness. She looked down at her as if she was some refuse she'd just scraped off of the bottom of her new expensive shoe.

"You must be Raynare, lovely to meet you." Tampon sarcastically spoke. "I am Rias Gremory, the next heir to the house of Gremory."

I formed a set of claws around my fingers from Shattered Glass, then created an elongated shard to mimic a nail file. This was going to take a bit.

"Gremory, you've gotta be kidding." Ray uttered in disbelief. I suppose being the descendant of a goetia demon comes with some high renown. That certainly explained how she carried herself.

"Quite a shame we don't have time to chat." Tampon began. "But sadly, it's time to dispose of you."

"You can't do that." Ray protested. "I have backup, once they get here you'll all regret it."

"You mean the other two fallen angels?" I asked, not looking away from my mock-up nail filing. "My sister has that taken care of. I believe I already mentioned that."

"No." Ray disparaged, sounding increasingly hopeless. "Why'd you have to ruin everything?" The question didn't sound directed at any specific individual.

"Well, since you ask." Tampon began, taking it upon herself to answer. "After Dohnaseek attacked Issei, I discovered multiple fallen angels had plans to attack this town. Normally I would have stayed out of it, but they seemed insistent on targeting my team."

Now if only she succeeded.

"So, you did it to defend me?" Issei asked. Tampon turned to him as I rolled my eyes. Gag me with a fork.

Tampon let out a small, surprised gasp. "Look at you, I didn't see your sacred gear." Changing the subject, I see.

"Eh, yeah. I don't know what happened, it just freaked out and grew." Strap-on replied.

"That's called a red dragon, which explains a lot actually." Tampon turned back to the fallen angel on the ground. "Did you see this Raynare? You weren't defeated by a twice critical after all, no need to feel too embarrassed."

"Sure, not like I did anything." I muttered under my breath.

"What?" Raynare said.

"The one Issei uses automatically doubles its owner's power every ten seconds, allowing him to transcend both gods and satans at will." Rias informed. "It's one of the thirteen varieties of Longinus. The imago level of the red dragon is called boosted gear."

"Yeah, yeah. Strap-on's bad dragon is special. We get it." I muttered. This could be a major issue down the line.

Ray froze up, staring at the ground with a look of forlorn disbelief, trapped in her own thoughts. Her pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks.

"The one downfall is that it requires a decent amount of time to start, due to its immense power." Tampon said. "The only reason he was able to beat you was because you let his emotions build."

Glass shattered. They're influenced by the user's emotional state? I can work with that.

"Issei, please." Ray took a form I recognised from the pictures Tampon shared when she accused my sister, with a far more innocent voice to match. Her former excuse for an outfit was replaced with a modest school uniform. "I'm sorry. I know I said some mean things to you, but I didn't have a choice. I had to fulfill my role as a fallen angel."

I was impressed, not just at the sudden change in attitude, but also at the faux sincerity of her voice. If I couldn't already see the disgust in her eyes it might've even fooled me.

"Yuuma?" Issei questioned, the heartbreak in his voice was painfully clear.

"I mean, if I really didn't care, would I still be wearing your gift?" Raynare asked, holding up her wrist to showcase a pink scrunchie. She was beginning to tear up. "Please don't tell me you forgot, you bought it for me, remember?"

I had to hand it to her, this was a downright excellent manipulation tactic.

Strap-on choked up slightly. "No way, why do you still have that thing?"

"How could I possibly get rid of this?" Ray asked, sounding a bit more sure of herself. "It reminds me of you."

The tears were dangerously close to welling from Strap-on's eyes.

"Koneko, you ready?" Eye candy asked.

Pup nodded. Both stepped forward, only to be halted by their leader.

"You wouldn't let them hurt me, would you Issei?" Ray asked, hopefully.

"Shut up. I don't buy it." Strap-on forced himself to say. "Rias please, I can't do this."

Ray gasped in legitimate terror as the red headed devil stepped directly in front of her. And here's where I step in.

"You've toyed with my servant's emotions for the last time." Tampon said, pointing her palm toward the desperate fallen angel, whose expression morphed into a terrified grimace that revealed her sharpened teeth. A red magic circle appeared. "Be gone."

Before Tampon was able to fire off her attack, Shattered Glass encased her hand.

"What?" Tampon spouted.

"Did you forget I was here?" I asked.

"What is the meaning of this?" Tampon hissed, trying to pull her hand out of its mosaic prison to no avail.

"Just a simple conflict of interests." I informed, lifting a finger. The Shattered Glass construct Tampon had been struggling against no longer resisted, causing her to unintentionally smack herself in the face. Now raised above her head, the construct became static again. "You want Ray there dead, and I don't."

"Why would you stand up for such a loathsome creature?" Tampon's ponytailed dog questioned. As if she had the right to call anyone else loathsome.

"Well, first of all, Azalea specifically asked me to avoid any unnecessary death." I explained. "But more so, I wasn't going to let you wrap everything up in a nice little ribbon. I legitimately hate you."

"Why am I not surprised? You're just as rotten as her." The hypocritical dog accused. Looking into her eyes I could tell there was some excitement. Too bad for her, she wasn't going to get the rematch she wanted.

"I won't lie, she does somewhat remind me of myself." I said, taking a brief glance over. "Just less intelligent and attractive, obviously."

Ray narrowed her eyes at my remark, but she wasn't going to squander her one chance at survival by protesting.

"You would go against the house of Gremory?" Tampon accused.

"Do I look like I'd care about how you flaunt your title? I'm a nobody from podunk Ireland." I emphasized.

"Oh my, looks like we've got a bad boy." The ponytailed freak said, licking her lips. "Guess I'm going to have some fun after all."

"Ara ara be whist." I countered, re-encasing one arm, with the addition of a glass spike jutting above the fist.

"That fallen has forfeited her life." Tampon asserted. "Stand down and you will keep yours."

"An ultimatum? How about this one?" I offered. "Raynare lives or Blondie goes splat."

Strap-on's eyes widened.

"Why would I accept those terms?" Tampon demanded. "What proof is there that you even have the ability?"

"Why don't you ask the pile of viscera formerly known as Freed?" I suggested, pointing my thumb toward the bloody pulp staining the floorboards by the trap door.

All but Strap-on looked to the spot in shock. How had they not noticed earlier?

"I thought you were good." Blondie cried.

"Good?" I chuckled, hiding the slightest bit of annoyance.

I took a deep breath, then turned with a neutral expression to Strap-on, who'd gotten closer while my attention was elsewhere.

I took a step forward, eyes locked; Strap-on took an unsure step back.

"Tell me Strap-on, have you ever kissed a girl?" I asked, looming over him; I could already see the answer, not that it came as a surprise. "No? Of course you haven't."

"W-what are you talking abo-mph?!" Strap-on's question was interrupted when I locked lips with him. Then I separated; Strap-on fell to the ground with a look of disbelief.

I towered over the shell shocked degenerate. "You thought your first kiss would be with a girl, But it was I, Brandon!" I exclaimed with the absolute smuggest grin.

"Why would you…?" Ray trailed off.

I'm going to need some mouthwash soon, or a dirty puddle.

"How dare you do that to my adorable servant?!" Tampon barked.

"You hear that Issei? She called you cute." I bent down to twist the knife in further. "Like an obedient little pet, like a dumb puppy, like a little kitten blissfully unaware that it's about to receive a flick to the nose. Don't you feel special?"

Pup scowled at the comparison. I guess I know who that white cat belonged to.

"Koneko, Kiba, Akeno!" Tampon ordered. The three went back to the offensive, but I had other plans.

"Ah, ah ah." I stood up and snapped his glass covered fingers. "Shattered Glass: Touch."

A large shard of glass burst from Strap-on's leg, just above the knee. He screamed out from both shock and pain.

The occult research club halted their attack.

"What did you do?!" Tampon demanded an explanation.

"Shattered Glass: Touch." I repeated, this time without activating the effect. "I may have stretched the truth when I said Blondie would go splat. My stand's secondary ability can only activate when a shard is embedded."

"When?" Strap-on painfully questioned.

"Remember when I pulled that spear out of your leg, and I had my hand on the spot?" I rhetorically asked. "With the pain from your light poisoning there was no way you'd notice a nail clipping sized shard of glass slip in through the hole Raynare so graciously opened up for me. It's always a good idea to have a contingency plan."

"You're the one that killed Viser." Eye candy exclaimed, recalling the nature of the stray devil's wounds. Excellent deduction.

"Centauroid chimera thing, uglier than my disposition?" I asked. "Yep, that was me."

"What an underhanded ploy. I see why you relate to that fallen whelp." Tampon spat.

"Hey now, let's give credit where credit is due. Letting your pet run off into enemy territory, face off against his source of trauma, and nearly get killed, then you swoop in after everything's said and done to finish the job for him. You build up his self confidence, and loyalty; Gotta say, that's pretty efficient." I surmised. One look into Tampon's eyes was all the confirmation I needed to know that I was on the right track. "But it all fell apart, like shattered glass"

I sauntered up to Tampon, and walked the fingers of his glass claw along the underside of her chin.

"You were more concerned with ending the life of Raynare than preserving that of Blondie's, the very reason your pet ran off leash. But now the game pieces have changed." I said. "So tell me, is Ray's death worth more than Strap-on's life?"

Tampon attempted to slap away my claw with her free hand. It didn't move.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Tampon defended.

"Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm just throwing shards in the dark to see if I hit something important." I shrugged. "But does that matter when the outcome is all the same?"

I gestured over to Strap-on, who was barely keeping it together, even as Blondie exhausted herself healing the pain of the shard jutting from his leg.

"Poor little Strap-on, having your trust betrayed three times over. That's gotta leave some long lasting damage." I said, bringing my focus back to and approaching the teen in question. "Feel like crying? Go ahead, it doesn't make you less of a man. Not that you Could be any less of a man than you already are."

"Why are you doing this?" The slag, of all people, questioned.

"Because you made my sister cry." I stated, glaring her way. Sharpened glass shards manifested in the air around me.

"You're doing all of this because Akeno upset your half sister?" Tampon asked in outrage.

"You deserve so much worse." I took a seat back on the pew next to the problematic fallen angel. "But I'm working with some annoying limitations, so what are you gonna do?"

"You're awful." Blondie said.

"Yeah, I can be." I freely admitted. Now all I have to do is wait for Azalea to find her way back. Hope it's soon, I'm not sure how long I can stall them and Tampon looks like the type to try something stupid.

My eyes widened in realization. I sent my directionless little sister out on her own into the woods. I'm such an idiot!


Deimatism is an intimidation tactic used by creatures that lack a strong defense, basically a bluff, for instance a moth's eyespots. Aposematism is when a creature can back up their threat, like a rattlesnake's rattle or a dart frog's vibrant colours. Imago is the mature stage of an insect. Ara be whist means shut the f*** up. And yes, Brandon did pull a Dio Brando.

I apologise for the wait between chapters. Quite a bit has happened since my last post; I moved out from my old roommates and in with my sister (moving my tank was a nightmare and a half), got COVID, got better (thankfully I was vaccinated or things could've been a lot worse), and we were hit with several tragedies that I'd rather keep private.

None of those are the reason this chapter took as long as it did. Frankly, I've been nervous, and I want to make sure I got it right (lots of cutting and rewriting, still not sure about the result). This is the first time I'm fully showcasing Brandon and Azalea's skillsets. I generally have issues when writing fight scenes between human(oid)s. And the biggest thing is Rias and her peerage.

I won't make it a secret that I dislike most of the DXD main cast, but regardless of my opinion on the characters, and regardless of their antagonistic role in this arc, I don't want to just demonise or strawman them. And I'm terrified of accidentally crossing that line.

In lighter news SMTV came out, went law to spite that Megidoladyne spamming prick, as always. Did not beat the Demi-Fiend, yet. And it is crazy how much Amanozako is just Mittelt. Same mannerisms, similar personality, put a blonde wig on her and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

To Cyberior, thank you very much for your kind words. I haven't been writing for very long, but "I love these characters and want them to succeed" feels like the highest praise a writer can get. (P.S. I left you a PM to answer the questions you had.)

The next chapter will be up relatively shortly. Thank you all for the continued support.