Issei Hyoudou panted as marched up the hill. Despite the tired feeling in his legs, a part of him couldn't help but feel just a small bit of pride. Back when he was human he couldn't even attempt this kind of physical exertion.

Sure he was currently trying his best not to hack out a lung, and to his left Yuuto was having a much easier time with his own bag, but damn it he had a right to feel proud.

Of course he'd probably feel prouder if the sight of Koneko carrying a bag that was ten times his own didn't cross his vision.

"Move it," The small girl spoke as pretty much jogged past him.

The size made him stumble back in shock, and fall onto his butt. Just when he thought it couldn't get worse, a dark shadow suddenly covered him and everything about 5 feet in front and around of Issei.

Prompting him to look up to see Asterios carrying an even larger bag that was even larger than the one Koneko was carrying.

"need help?" He offered.

Before he could, Rias called out from the top of the path "Let him carry it on his own Asterios," Issei righted himself and saw the serious look on her face "The purpose of this training to grow stronger, helping him now would just hinder him."

Issei felt a sting at her words, knowing that it meant that he was their weakest link. But along that sting came fire.

"Don't worry big guy," Issei pushed himself to his feet and slapping himself with his hands "I can handle this just fine!" He psyched himself up.

He felt just a bit of his energy return as he heard relieved sighs and small cheer from the group that was already waiting them at the top.

Asterios nodded and walked around Issei.

Which let him see just how big the bag that he was carrying actually was. He shook his head "What is even in that thing?"

"a few tools that president asked to bring, and my bed," Asterios answered.

"Our bed!" Koneko called out from her spot in the group.

Issei chuckled as he tried his best to catch up.

[Scene]

"Hey Prez," Issei, having dressed in the appropriate attire for the training, called out to the Red Head.

"Yes Issei, do you have any questions before we start training?" She asked him.

Nearby the rest of her peerage, plus Asterios, listened to their conversation.

"I'm just wondering," Issei scratched the back of his head "Since this whole Rating Game is a big deal for you and like your family," he turned his eyes to the Minotaur of the group "Why not try asking Asterios again to join?"

He didn't miss how Asterios turned his gaze away, while Koneko seemed to both bristle at his words but also give him a pitying look. Yuuto only sighed and looked down, something that Akeno mimicked. The only one that didn't seem troubled by the question was Asia, who looked just as curious as he was.

Rias herself had crossed her arms and closed her eyes "As I said before, it's Asterios' own preference to not turn into a Devil or join my Peerage." She opened her eyes to give the Minotaur a look "And even if he were to change his opinion, even if to just help me with this Rating Game.

"I still wouldn't be able to get him to join my Peerage, even if I wanted to."

"Wha?" Issei looked confused at her words.

"A Devil can't reincarnate those that are much stronger than they are, under normal circumstances." Rias explained "We can reincarnate those with the potential to be stronger than us, even then it takes quite a lot of Pieces to do so."

"So you can't…" Issei didn't answer the question before she shook her head.

"At first I thought it was just because of his physical strength, so I thought that a Rook would be enough" Rias said "But turns out his maze, that Chaos Labyrinth that he can summon, is probably the main reason I can't reincarnate him at the moment."

"So you don't have enough pieces then," At that Issei was reminded of how much his reincarnation costed.

Rias caught the look in his eyes and smiled. She walked closer and drew him into a hug, surprising the Pawn "If you're wondering Issei, no even with your Eight Pieces I couldn't reincarnate him." She gave him a pat on the back of the "So don't get hung over that."

"R-Right," Issei mumbled past the hug.

"Now enough talk," She released him from the hug "We're starting today's training right now!"

[Scene]

"Okay Issei breathe," The Pawn took a deep breath and tightened his grip on the wooden sword in his hand.

Standing in front of him was Asterios, staring at him down.

Issei charged forward, the weapon held upon his head.

And immediately found the world turned sideways as he felt something the size of his own body smack him aside. The Pawn planted face first into the ground a few meters away from the Minotaur.

"Nice attempt Issei," He heard Yuuto speak through the dirt in his ears "But you're supposed to take note of your surroundings. Don't just charge in like that."

Issei pushed himself off the ground and shook his head "What even hit me?" He turned to see the outstretched palm of Asterios, meaning that he had just been bitch slapped.

"Asterios is actually a pretty good way to train for this," Yuuto explained as the Pawn shakily got back to his feet "He's big enough that you have a good target to focus on, but his swings are large enough that if you pay attention around you…"

"I'd get smack like a bitch," Issei grabbed the wooden sword again "Got it. Is that why Asterios is helping us?"

Rias nodded, watching from the sidelines "Asterios wants to help us train for the upcoming Rating Game, so far it's the only thing he can do help" She saw the small slump of disappointment of the Minotaur "He can help you catch up to speed to the rest of us, and for the rest us help us improve what we have already."

Yuuto chuckled weakly "Yeah… I have to fight him after this," He scratched the back of his head "And frankly, I'm kinda scared!"

"i won't hurt you too much, yuuto" Asterios nodded at him.

"I'm counting on it!" Yuuto cheerfully, his voice tinged with just a bit of fear.

"What about you guys?" Issei turned to the girls.

"I have him after Yuuto," Akeno winked at him "After your magic lesson with me of course. He's going to help me see if I can improve my Lightning output, out of all of us he's the only one that can take it." She paused, before giggling "Well take it and not complain."

Rias sighed and placed her fingers on her temple.

Finally, Issei turned to Koneko.

The small Devil shrugged "I got him reserved for night training."

Issei let out snort of amusement, which caused her to narrow her eyes and cross her arms with a "What?

"Night 'Training'," Issei grinned and waggled his eyebrows "Sure~"

And if Koneko said anything else, Issei didn't hear it as he turned his attention back to the Minotaur and charged at him again with a scream and a frankly rather impressive leap into the air.

Only to, once again, be smacked out of the air.

Rias turned to Asia, who was struggling not to run towards the Pawn, and smiled "You can go heal him if you like, try to take as little time as you can. Think of this as training as well."

The former nun nodded her head and quickly ran towards him.

[Scene]

After a couple more minutes of Issei getting smacked, eventually it was time for magic lessons with Akeno. The two newest members of the peerage were brought inside to be taught in the ways of magic.

That left Asterios outside with Yuuto, Koneko and Rias.

The Knight was the first one to face off against the Minotaur, in his hand was a simple sword. No magical tricks or abilities, just a simple piece of sharpened steel.

In the Minotaur's hands were two I-Beams that Rias had told him to bring. With the way he was holding it, it seemed as if they didn't weigh anything at all.

"Go Asterios." Koneko cheered in her usual monotone.

"Remember Asterios, this is for sparring and training purposes only." Rias warned "Hold back enough to not harm your opponent, but enough to incapacitate them. This should give you practice if we ever get to continue our Stray Devil hunts."

"yes president," Asterios nodded.

"I guess even Asterios is getting some training huh?" Yuuto joked a bit, trying to hide the anxiety of facing off against the Minotaur.

"Go Yuuto." Koneko once again cheered, this time for her peerage member with her usual monotone.

"As for you Yuuto, this is practice against a stronger opponent who could be in the same range of speed as yours." Rias spoke to her Knight "We can't expect to only face those slower or weaker than us, try to learn to read the movements of someone almost as fast or near your range of speed."

"Yes Master!" He allowed his smile to drop and let focus fall on his face.

The dirt under his feet exploded as he disappeared from sight, moving faster than normal humans could follow.

Asterios' inhuman eyes glanced to his right, before he swung his right arm outwards.

Yuuto only had a moment to react before he kicked off the ground and launched himself in the air. The metal object barely clipping his feet.

Those same inhuman eyes flicked towards the airborne Devil. This time Yuuto had no time to react when the second I-Beam smacked him straight out of the air and into the dirt.

Yuuto body tumbled against the ground, before coming to a hand just underneath a tree. The blonde landed on his back and was staring up at the tree and let out a single, but quiet "Ouch."

"Yuuto, are you okay?" Rias asked, worry tinging her voice.

"I'm fine," The Knight got to his feet and shook his head "It took me off guard, but I'm not too hurt."

"i held back," Asterios mentioned.

"I can tell," Yuuto laughed a bit "I know how hard you can hit Asterios, and if you did hit me as hard as you could." He turned back to the tree behind him "Well I'd be more tree than Devil right now."

He let his smile drop as focus returned to his face. The dirt under his feet flew into the air as Yuuto sped forward even faster than before.

Asterios' eyes flicked to his left, Yuuto appearing there for a split moment before he vanished just as quick. When his eyes followed the Devil to his right, the Knight was there for another split moment before he vanished once more.

Yuuto stopped behind the Minotaur, having slid between his legs, and face his back. He leaped into the air, and swung at the back of Asterios' head.

He wasn't sure if he managed to cut through any part of the Minotaur, due to the thick hair and presumably thicker skin, but he managed to land a hit. The Knight lingered just a bit too long…

One of Asterios' hand released the I-Beam he was carrying.

"Yuuto watch out!"

Koneko's warning came too late, before the now free hand reached over his shoulder and snatched him out of the air.

"Urk!" Yuuto coughed out in surprise, but he felt no pain from grip. He looked at the hand that had grabbed him, before its owner brought him face to face. Now that he was he being held in front of him Yuuto let out a chuckle "Nice catch."

"you did good as well," Asterios responded.

At the side Rias smiled before that smile dropped ever so slightly "It would be great if Asterios could us for the Rating Game."

Koneko turned to her Master, recalling the conversation just this morning.

[Scene]

Issei let out a long pain filled groan as he lied on the soft comfy rock that he fallen on after the beating he got from Koneko.

This was another lesson. Where his sparring with Asterios was supposed to get him to focus on surroundings and his opponents, this was to get him to focus on his opponents weak points and hit centre mass.

"You doing okay there perv?" Koneko asked, she was standing above him.

"Yeah," Issei let out a sigh as he just stared up at the darkening sky "I'm trying to get feelings back in my butt after you kicked it."

He heard a single 'Heh' from the Devil behind him, before she took a seat.

"Damn it," Issei cursed as he threw his head back "I'm getting nowhere with this training!"

"It's only been a day." Koneko mentioned.

"Yeah and I've proven myself to be a bigger wuss than I thought." Issei sighed "I spent the morning getting smacked around by Asterios, and then did almost nothing during magic lessons."

"To be fair, everyone got smacked around by him." Koneko shrugged "I think the only person that's not getting smacked is probably Akeno."

Distantly the two Devils could catch the distant sound of Lightning and the occasional gleeful laugh of their sadistic Vice-President as she trained her abilities on Asterios.

"Yeah but that just means that I'm still the weakest link here," Issei groaned.

"But that doesn't mean you should give up," Koneko sighed "Hate to say it, but I know you're a real hard-worker."

"Wow a compliment from Koneko," Issei chuckled "You must've hit my head real hard."

"Hey, gotta praise you for trying," She shrugged "Not like you can do anything else better."

"Oh you're on!"

[Scene]

"Well Issei, I'm glad that you found yourself using magic." Rias complimented as she took another bite from her plate "It's mundane, but a step forward is always a good thing."

"Well, I'm just glad that I managed to use a spell at all." Issei laughed as he glanced around at the table that was filled with food made from the tens of potatoes and onions that he had peeled. Despite that he smiled "I didn't know that just my imagination could let me do this."

'This' referring to the fact that he had managed to use his imagination to peel potatoes using his own unique frame of mind.

At least Asterios was enjoying the results, as the Minotaur continued to stuff as much of the food into his mouth as he could.

The fact that every so often Koneko would drop part of her food that she wouldn't enjoy onto his plate, made it seem like it was endless for the Minotaur.

Asia giggled "I'm happy for you Issei, it really was a wonderful spell."

Issei felt his ego boost just a little higher at the words.

To the surprise of Issei and Asia, the two who were mainly in charge for the food, they managed to clear the table of food. Most of it having gone down the gullet of Asterios, but it still surprised them.

"That was a nice meal, I think it's about time we take for the baths" Rias stood up a satisfied smile on her face "Want to come join us Issei?"

Issei "Really?!"

Rias shrugged "I don't see a problem, any complaints Akeno?"

"I don't mind really." Akeno seemed just a little too gleeful.

Asia blushed when the question was directed her way "I wouldn't find it bad if… Issei joined."

Issei turned to Koneko-

"Not a chance in hell."

And was shut down immediately.

Issei fell back to his chair, and let out a distressed groan.

Sitting at the chair beside him Yuuto couldn't help but laughed "I'm surprised that you even thought that you get an unanimous okay."

"A man can dream…"

[Scene]

The despair continued even as the three male members of the Occult Research Club all sat around in their section of hot steamy baths.

"I can't believe that she'd even be willing to part with you, just so I wouldn't join them." Issei sobbed, stopped a bit when Asterios dropped a handful of hot water over his head, and then continued once it was safe.

"I'm surprised that the president even asked Koneko to be fair," Yuuto spoke with his eyes closed enjoying how the hot water washed away the fatigue of his body "She must really like you." He opened his eyes and smirked "And inversely Koneko must really not like you if she's willing not to bathe with Asterios."

Issei sighed "I guess this is just a lost I have to take." He paused as Asterios dropped another handful of hot water over his head, the Pawn shaking his head clear of water as it splashed back down "Thanks man, I needed that."

"no problem," Asterios nodded, before he shifted back to make some space.

"Still," Issei eyes looked at the body of the Minotaur "I'm kinda jealous how close you and Koneko are. I'm happy for you, but man do I want some of that!"

"with koneko?" Asterios asked.

"Nah," Issei waved his hands "I mean I want like something like what you and Koneko got. You know, bathing together, sleeping in the same bed together."

"Does Asia not do that with you already Issei?" Yuuto asked.

Issei looked embarrassed "I don't think it counts if it's because I keep walking into the shower, and she's too polite to ask me to leave."

Unaware that his words could be heard by the former nun.

"You gotta be real close to Koneko to make that like a regular thing," Issei continued.

Asterios nodded "i do. i like koneko a lot, and if it makes her happy then i'll do it." He said.

Also unaware that his words could be heard over the walls that separated the baths.

As the trio relaxed in silence, Yuuto let out a sigh and turned to Asterios "Hey Asterios?"

He earned a grunt from the Minotaur.

"I just want to say sorry," Yuuto started "About what I said a while back."

He received a confused head tilt from Asterios. Issei however was the one to give him a firm, if friendly smack on his shoulder.

"You should be sorry," Issei scolded "Saying that kinda shit about him."

"I know I know," Yuuto nodded "I just said those things because I was worried."

"i understand yuuto, i am kind of scary." Asterios, seemingly to prove his point, smiled.

Both of them shuddered at the sight.

[Scene]

After they finished their baths, and night time approached, Asterios said goodbye to the Issei and Yuuto, saying that he needed to meet up with Koneko for training.

Issei didn't even hide his laughter as he told him to be careful with Koneko.

The Minotaur walked through the dark forest, before he finally ended up where he and Koneko had promised to meet for their night time training.

She was already there, waiting for him.

"Hey," She greeted him, with a wave and her flat tone of voice. A tone that did not match how the both the cat ears on her head, and the tails that stretched out behind her, seemed to wag happily at the sight of him.

When he arrived Koneko could feel the negativity around him, the feeling that followed him everywhere and always. A deep loathing, that permeated his entire being.

She could sense and feel it all because of her original race before she turned into a Devil. A Nekoshou, a type of Youkai that could use Senjutsu. To sense and use the energy of the world around them.

It was powerful, but if the energy around them was evil, and hateful, it would drive anyone insane and turn them into monsters.

Koneko had always been afraid of this power, afraid of what it could do to her, of the memories of a loved one that had gone through the same.

But if evil energy and malice could be taken in, so could the kindness and happiness of the world.

Self-loathing, anger, fear, despair always floated around Asterios.

But she could feel cheer, happiness, hope whenever she was around him as well, around her Master and the Gremory Peerage in general. It was feeling that made her momentarily forget about the fear that she felt.

Because not only was the feeling positive.

But she knew that in the eyes of the Minotaur that had so much hate and evil around him, that he would never see her as a monster.

And for some reason, deep inside, that made her heart aflutter.

She remembered the simple words when she revealed this form to him, when she simply showed it as a way to repay how he willingly told her of his horrible past.

"you aren't a monster koneko. you're kind, and you make me happy."

Asterios sat down, leaning against a tree. She walked towards him and sat in his lap, leaning back against his chest. As they always did.

She felt the malice that hovered over him, the malice that could have drove anyone insane. She closed her eyes and ignored it.

She ignored the cold malice, and instead focused on the warm happiness that she could feel whenever she was with him.

She filtered the evil away, and simple focused on the happiness.

Her body and his glowed, something that she would say would be what she was training for.

At least that would be her excuse.