Cry Havoc Chapter 6: This is Yuuma's family?, a high school dxd/ハイスクールd×d fanfic

Cry Havoc

An idiom: to warn of danger

- :|: -

Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Human
Lvl: 17 | 64%

Stats:

HP: 410/410
MP: 117/117

STR: 20
END: 18
DEX:10
AGI: 15
INT: 15
MAG: 7
DRE: 24

Extra Pts.: 7

Equipped:

Head: (empty)
Top: Kyoto Junior High Uniform
Bottom: Kyoto Junior High Uniform
Left Hand: Boosted Gear (hidden)
Right Hand: (empty)

Accessories:
(empty)

Skills:

Boosted Gear Lvl: 1 | 9%
(Second Awakening)

Scan MAXED
Boost Lvl: 6 | 17%
Explosion Lvl: 2 | 60%
Dragon Aura I Lvl: 9 | 89%
Transfer Lvl: 1 | 0%

- :|: -

Issei's caramel eyes glanced through his status, one more extensive than when he had first looked over it. As he did so, he noticed some changes that his notifications didn't notify him of. He scraped it up to the 'Second Liberation' awakening announcement from the evening prior. It did mention 'GIFT!'

He moved onto the Transfer skill first. It allowed him to transfer or infuse his gathered Boosts into things. The Dragon Energy would turn passive and easily adapt to the new host. It seemed to be a specialized aspect of Dragon Aura I. Allowing instantaneous but temporary effects, it was unlike the passive and more permanent effects of the latter.

Speaking of Dragon Aura I... It was almost the maxed level of 10, nearing evolution to what he could assume was stage II.

Another skill he had practically maxed was Sprint. Sadly, he could only wonder endlessly what it would evolve into. He hoped it would be as flashy and cool as his other skills. As of now, it was sorely lacking. The one time he needed it... it failed him. His body felt the throb of phantom pain at the thought.

And so, he shook his head, brushing it away and stepping into a clearing. It was time to meet up with his private tutor for the second time. Unlike the first occasion, he wouldn't pretend to not see her floating status.

Her supposed reaction made him grin. With but a secondary thought, a minute circle flared into existence before him and to the surprise of Kuroka, one in front of her as well, "Good evening, Shishou!" As a cat version of a yelp echoed into the distance, his grin turned into a shit-eating smirk. "Oops, sorry!" Not sorry~

The boy felt a little bad as the status jumped from the bushes into a tree, only to fall just as fast. Hopefully, she wasn't hurt.

Either she hadn't realized his communication circle went both ways or didn't care, but her response was a string of words he was sure he wasn't supposed to hear. "You orclet butt munching, baby demon-eye summoning, dung monkey fur smelling...!" Honestly, it was much cleaner than he expected, akin to a child throwing silly insults.

The black cat that was the miffed Kuroka walked into the clearing. All the while, she glared at him. Issei hid his sweatdrop at the slight killing intent with a laugh and a hand to the back of his neck, "Just a little payback for yesterday, haha..."

The youkai blinked, tilting her feline head ever so slightly. "Oh," she started in realization, "I had meant to explain myself and apologize yesterday." Her status showed her honesty. She had gotten so caught up with his excitement and her own that she forgot.

Her cat shape expanded into her Nekoshou form, bowing deeply, "Sorry for scaring you last night."

"Oh uh," the boy wasn't expecting this, "I wasn't scared, just surprised." Her cat ears twitched, sensing a lie but said nothing.

Teleporting for the first time was overwhelming and if he was able to sense her earlier, albeit she had made it easier, he would've been far more disorienting. This time, she hadn't completely hidden her scent, as there was no reason to catch him off guard this evening. The void of everything and nothing while teleport could be rather frightening as well.

"Uhm," Kuroka started, racking her mind for a way to make the instantaneous trip more comfortable. She could only remember Yasaka holding Kunou after a nightmare or during the small girl's first teleportation. "Sekiryuutei-sama?" The Nekoshou approached the taken-aback boy, "please excuse me."

"Kuroka-shi—H-Huh?" Issei nearly sputtered in surprise as her arms encased him.

"Calm down please." Her thin pale arms, hidden under her wide sleeves, tightened, pulling him deeper into her cleavage. While doing so, she connected their life force so he wouldn't feel so lost or alone. And with that, he was much too distracted to realize they teleported.

"...Annd, we're back" came Kuroka's ever-smooth voice. With that, she released her hold.

The boy blinked acutely, gathering himself before adding, "not that I didn't enjoy the hug, but where was this coming from?"

Midstep away from him, the girl froze at the word: 'hug.' Various memories from the recesses of her heart spilled out. They were ones she could barely recall, which only made her treasure them all the more. Filled with the joyous bundle of energy that was her younger sister, these memories twisted her heart with longing and nostalgic anguish.

"Kuroka-neechan, hug right now."
"What's a hug?"
"Weelll, it's when you do this!"

"I'm sleepy so you have to hug me!"
"Whatever you want, Shirone."
"Ehehe!"

"Please hug me- I know you'll be gone in the morning so... for now?"
"I'm... I'm sorry."
"No no, it's okay! I'll see you later, right?"
"Of course, no matter what."
"No matter what!"

Where her little Shirone learned of the word was beyond Kuroka. However, as a small child, the white Nekoshou was very adamant about exercising and teaching Kuroka the newfound word and action.

Lost in her thoughts, Kuroka was none-the-wiser as Issei could stare at her flicking status. More like, it was just her emotions fighting over which was more prominent as she got lost in her memories.

The isolated Youkai hadn't meant to 'hug' him, apparently. Where she had gotten the idea to hold him or why she found out necessary to do so was still unrealized. However, Issei felt obligated to... fix whatever he had done, even if it was built on a misunderstanding.

"Kuroka..?"

Her teary golden eyes shot towards him. For a second, his tutor thought she heard Shirone. Re-realizing she was in the presence of someone, they widened slowly not too long after meeting his pair. Immediately, the Youkai recomposed herself, intending to completely ignore her slipup.

"Ahem. The hold was meant to help... how would nya say this- ah! It was meant to keep you grounded while teleporting, nyan." A bit of pink dusted her cheeks at her feline twitch.

Issei ignored it, remembering the description of Gamer's Body. One of the benefits of Gamer's Body was a perfect balance. It seemed it worked to keep him stabilized during the whole black void thing. Nevertheless! He was still more than a little thankful to Kuroka for the concern. "O-Oh! Thanks a bunch, Kuroka-shishou!" The boy bowed deeply.

...He was also half thankful for the boobs that were in his face earlier. They were the first pair he had ever touched, even going as far as to willingly stuff his face in them! (He wasn't awake to remember that he fell on Yasaka's) The boy would cherish the feeling until death! Nay, even beyond death!

...Even if he had nearly forgotten during Kuroka's mini episode. That, he pushed into the back of his head for now. He would wait patiently for the older girl to open to him and try not to remind her of what had to be her long-lost sister.

It would be a little hard for him to be patient...

"Sekiryuutei-sama?"

"I'm good!" More than good, Issei thought as he wiped the drool from his chin that swept out during the lewder thoughts.

"Hmm..." The Nekoshou sent him a sly smile and charged visible energy into the air around her. The whole atmosphere changed in an instant, both literally and metaphorically. It seemed like she had caught onto his less innocent thoughts too. "Are you ready to go all out tonight?" Her senses were much like his status, apparently...

Mixing her words, her voice, and his near-permanent excitement, Issei was practically thrumming with budding power. However, he was caught off guard at the offer, "W- What do you mean?" Ddraig's presence also crept up, warming his left arm a fraction of a temperature. A quick glance showed her growing interest.

Her smile widened, "Aren't you tired of theoricials? Being chained down?" Ddraig's status flared at the words. At it, Issei's inching grin widened at the unintended understanding. "Don't you want to let go?"

"I mean-" The boy shifted his gaze back to his left hand again. Ddraig wasn't expressing any sort of disapproval. So, he really didn't have any excuses this time, now did he? "yeah, of course?"

There was a quick lick of Kuroka's lips before she launched herself away and formed a wide area barrier around them. She encompassed the entire forest with practiced ease. "Those leaking energies you were so worried about, nya? This barrier will trap and absorb them so go on ahead, Sekiryuutei-sama! Show this black cat what you got!"

Issei didn't need to wait for another sign. His tutor was far beyond him. There was no need to worry about hurting her.

—CHNK!

[DRAGON BOOSTER!]
[BOOST!]

Immediately, he gathered his dragon energy into the tip of a finger and swiped into empty air. Eight identical symbols formed, shifting once, then flashing faster than a normal human could comprehend. They all became head-sized fireballs.

As the collective heat displaced air around him, two fireballs shot at the vigilant cat. Kuroka yawned into the back of her hand before lazily flicking it out. From the tip of her fingers, a sigil for Push sparked into existence. And, just as easily it appeared, it crumbled when a breeze, full of black energy that radiated a purple hue, dissipated the flames easily.

As expected... Issei didn't let the power disparity get to him. Instead, he clenched his armored hand, willing another two more fireballs to go forward. He conquered earth and air, and "planned" to test his physical stats against the Youkai.

Again, Push tore apart his fireballs with frightening ease. However, despite her lax movements, she was paying more attention to him than ever before. With her senses and her mastery, nothing he could do would get past her. Or so, she would think.

More than halfway there, he shot another.

[BOOST!]

Issei had to bite back a smile at the announcement. Taking a page out of Kuroka's book, Issei flicked out his wrist to shoot the remaining fireballs and to draw another symbol, identical to the ones he conjured prior. Another breeze washed through his fireballs, brushing against him. It seemed she was taking it real easy against him.

However, he ignored the new fireball to punch at Kuroka, yelling, "Transfer!"

[GIFT!]

The fireball grew 4 times bigger and to a deep shade of red as it floated behind him. His hidden smirk came back. Albeit, it faltered and twitched at the unaccounted heat. He hadn't thought about that. Nevertheless, he would entrust the skill Kunou's affection rewarded him.

And so, as the enormous fireball eclipsed them, Issei took a calculated risk. Relying on both Pain Tolerance and Intermediate Flame Mastery I to keep him safe, he allowed the fireball to wash around him and slammed into Kuroka alongside his fist.

Presumably...

When the dust settled, he tried not to let his shock show. It was hard at the sight of just one of her tails holding back his fist, not a single hair singed.

[BOOST!]

The announcement certainly helped.

Issei tore away his armored hand, drawing three other sigils. To try and distract her, he threw out his other fist.

As she blocked it with her other tail, the Sekiryuutei agreed with his inner self. He really shouldn't have expected anything less. However, he ignored those thoughts and sicced the new fireballs at her.

Unlike before, the wind did not halt it. They seemed to make contact at their close range. The boy assumed they were nothing and hoped back, using Sprint to give him an initial boost.

['Continue on with simply fire and this 'Youjutsu.' While she is your... tutor, your ability to learn from other races is too extreme. For now, evolve Sprint.']

Issei scraped his idea of using the holy light he built up over the week. Albeit, he did so with a small groan. While it did immensely disappoint him, he decided to heed her words, unlike the prior many occasions. He could understand her reasoning after all.

This Game Gear was unimaginable in its capabilities, and he could be hunted if it came out exactly what he could do. Kuroka's affection wasn't high enough where he could trust her. Yuuma was an exception as he had no choice... or really, he had no idea of how much she had gathered from watching over him. Thankfully, she never pried about his ability to mimic her holy light or sin sensing.

The frantic Fallen Angel was too busy making sure he understood how it worked. Almost as if she was making sure he knew how to counter it for the future...

His eyes widened.

"—Is that really all you have, Sekiryuutei-sama?" Her smooth tone expressed impatience. However, her status had yet to shift. She was just goading him to attack.

The boy shook his head to answer and to clear his head. "That was nothing yet!"

[BOOST!]

Instead of rushing forward, he continually used Sprint and waited for one more boost. Kuroka yawned at her distance, making no move to approach. Although, she approved of him choosing to wait and boost.

Within himself, Issei felt a twinge of annoyance at his weakness. He was nowhere near a threat in her eyes.

[BOOST!]

He blinked. Three boosts felt like nothing, so he continued to wait. He would be beating his current record of 3 boosts as well!

[BOOST!]

Again, he waited. He had just enough space for another one! This time, he noticed a bit of surprise on Kuroka's status.

'Oh no,' Issei bit back a smirk, 'you haven't seen anything yet!' He could barely wait for it himself!

[BOOST!]

He could no longer hold his smirk back.

[EXPLOSION!]

In less than a split second, his emerald dragon energy slammed into the world around him. Cratering the ground beneath him, tossing the trees around him, and practically burning the air around him, he was ready to tell the world he was ready!

Kuroka's voice dripped with something that made his Sin Manipulation skill go completely haywire, "Nya~ Color me mighty surprised!" A panel appeared. Kuroka's affection had shot up to 20%. It also gave him a new skill: Space Manipulation I.

'Oh? I could color you alright...'

The boy blinked at his stray thought before Ddraig called out from his mind, ['FOCUS!You shouldn't even be able to handle this amount of power, much less more than a few second!']

Issei mumbled out an apology and glanced at his shortened status.

- :|: -

Name: Issei Hyoudou
Race: Human
Lvl: 17 | 70%

Description:
Emotion:

Stats:

(Boosted x32)

HP:13,120/13,120
MP: 3,110/3,110

STR: 20 (640)
END: 18 (576)
DEX: 10 (320)
AGI: 15 (480)
INT: 15 (480)
MAG: 7 (224)
DRE: 24 (768)

Extra Pts.: 7

(Boost Timer: 10 seconds)

- :|: -

'Oh shit- Ddraig is right!'

Instantly, he activated Sprint only for it to evolve then and there. The notification said it took into account the influence of the [Boosted Gear]. Replacing it, his new skill was called Jet.

It used his dragon energy or his unrefined MP to launch him into any which way. No longer did it consider his END or stamina so he could keep up Jet for much longer. Instead, the speed was based on how much energy he channeled. Unlike the previous skill, the new one could be applied to any part of his body. With it, he could fly upside-down and backwards!

The boy shook his head at the silly idea. He had to go all-out now!

With the new skill, he channeled a fifth of his dragon Aura and jetted into Kuroka. She was caught flat-footed by the literal explosive speed.

Nevertheless, she brought up her arms in time to soften his wild haymaker. Whatever that blue flame-like energy that coated her arms helped lessen the impact, draining him slightly in the process. She was surprised at her reflexive conjuring.

'—There's no time to think!' The timer read 8 seconds. He had wasted enough time as is!

Issei materialized a symbol over the Boosted Gear. It flickered once before it vanished. His gauntlet then promptly erupted in continuous flames as he readied another punch.

The Youkai before him powered down her Senjutsu, remembering she had promised herself to only use Youjutsu. Even if solely using the latter would actually have her at a disadvantage at his current 'level,' she would honor her internal promise.

Maybe she could actually get some rare, live-combat training out of it! She could practically feel the physical difference between them. She could really use it.

And so, as Issei's fiery fist flashed forward, the nimble black cat dodged. Both fire and air burst out his fist where she once was, wreaking havoc behind her. She paid it no mind, summoning a multitude of black lettering. They glittered as they shifted rapidly. Then, wood, water, and air rushed at her student.

Without missing a beat, the boy used his own sigil. It forced the wind to break and accumulate the fire towards him so it would burst through the wood.

Kuroka didn't let her surprise show at his mastery and his knowledge of the elements. She must be really rusty after relying on Senjutsu. The young lady would have to rectify that soon.

Again, he launched himself at her. However, he coated himself with fire. While it was wasteful, turning his unadulterated dragon aura into flames was much easier than forcing flames around his forearms. It was akin to the process of turning his mana into dragon energy.

Although, the heat was something he hadn't accounted for again. He really needed to train up his physical resistance. It was then his body shimmered as a completely new notification appeared.

- :|: -

Extra Stats:

+ Resistance: Fire III *
+ Resistance: Heat I
(* adjusted based on Intermediate Flame Mastery I)

Refer to the Extras tab in your Profile.

- :|: -

The heat bothered him a considerate amount less. No longer did it feel he would die of dehydration before he could lay a single blow on Kuroka.

His full-body flame felt as if it was made to counter her touched-based Senjutsu—was Issei so talented to figure that out?! Kuroka didn't give that thought any more attention as the boy conquered space in an instant and was already upon her.

Trying his best to time his new ability into his elbows, balance the flames over his body and form actual punches, he sent a flurry of punches at his tutor in earnest.

For the punches Kuroka couldn't dodge, she blocked with her forearms which had been coated with an oversized sigil. It shifted four times in the instant it took for his fist to reach her. Each time, a plane of shadow and void would stop him long enough for her to dodge.

Issei couldn't overcome her defenses. A glance at his status said only four seconds were left. He had to break through them now.

As his armored fist collided against the void once more, he swept his other hand out, shooting out a small army of sigils. With surprising speed, they all burst into flames and launched at his tutor.

The girl responded with a two-footed kick to his gut—one he barely managed to block, though it didn't feel like it. She then twirled on a hand, fanning out her tails and feet and cleaving through the fires. If it weren't for the adrenaline pumping into him, he would've stared at her smooth pale legs that were once hidden under her kimono.

As she fought off his fire, he compressed his dragon energy into an all-or-nothing attack.

Suddenly, a black and purple tornado roared into existence around her. It collected the fire, trees, and a few nearby rocks as it turned onto its side. Then akin to a drill, it thundered towards him.

['One second left, Partner.']

In a split-second decision, he divided his collected dragon energy into two. He tossed one into the air. Following it with Jet, he punched the expanding ball.

"DRAGON SHOT!"

It promptly erupted into a blast that met the tornado head-on. He didn't stop there, however. He did a quick search for Kuroka and drew onto the remaining ball a sigil that shifted once before it faded, and the ball burst into flame. It would help the ball seek Kuroka without his will and decimate the surroundings on impact.

With one final roar, he launched the small but devasting fireball. As he felt his body fail him, he couldn't stop the smile on his lips. He could only hope his teacher didn't underestimate the strongest fireball he had ever made.

But, by the juiciest pair of boobs he could imagine, reaching his current potential was utterly intoxicating. That feeling of absolute power would be engraved onto his very soul!

Kuroka, on the other hand, didn't know what to think of the small fireball heading straight for her. It overwhelmed her senses, warping the air around it as it sought her out. She couldn't afford to take this fire, if it could still be called that, lightly.

Her minor uses of gravity or space manipulation wouldn't deter it, she was sure. It would most certainly burn her if it got close. Such powerful fire reminded her of Yasaka or Kunou.

The only way to deal with it was smothering it completely in an instant. And so, she called upon her specialized Youjutsu and summoned what constituted as a minute black hole.

VRRRM—

The world around her compressed magic ball vanished—compressed into nothingness. Along with it, Issei's fearsome fireball was nowhere to be seen. However, Kuroka's attention went to her face, where her untouched hands felt around.

She was grinning, widely in fact.

Never had she been able to "play fight." It was fun. It was absolutely exhilarating. It was more than she dreamt of and then some. Unlike her sessions with Yasaka or Sun Wukong, she wasn't pushed to her very limits, broken beyond belief or left trembling in fear or awe. This here wasn't life or death. This wasn't what a fight should be.

Never did the idea of holding back inspire joy. Nevertheless, she was more bothered about the fact that fighting back her smile was a bit harder than it should've been.

"I'm supposed to be his teacher, not older sister," Kuroka muttered as she shook her head and bounded for her downed student. It was time to review his outstanding performance with him... even if she barely broke a sweat. After all, she wasn't Yasaka's Shadow for nothing!

There was a groan as she approached. At it, she raised an eyebrow. The Youkai wasn't exactly expecting him to be conscious at this point.

"Sekiryuutei-sama?"

His eyes shot open. A sense of fear filled his being for a second before his unfocused gaze recognized her. He tried to call upon his mana but was drained with everything he had.

She could only tilt her head at it but Issei spoke up before she could even think about questioning it. "Maaan, even after all that, you look completely fine."

Kuroka didn't respond but rather, raised Issei's heated head into her lap. It was what Yasaka would do with Kunou. Although, the latter would be in her mini fox form, but that was neither here nor there.

"S-Shishou?"

The lonely black cat wouldn't question his fear. Kunou had shared what Issei had gone through, seemingly alone and still new to the supernatural. Stalking him from afar and researching into his family made her sure he wouldn't—couldn't involve them. She was sure it would be scary to be in his situation.

Unlike Kunou, Issei didn't have fur she could run her hands through. He did, however, have luscious brown locks.

- :|: -

"Shishou's Lap Pillow" Screenshot Saved.
Description: Kuroka gathered you into her lap to soothe your 'fear' after your first taste of battle.

Refer to the Scenes tab in your Profile.

- :|: -

'Huh?'

['After nearly dying multiple times in quick succession, you now overreact when caught off guard, Partner. I had lessened the effects to your psyche with... one of my skills, but death is frightening.'] Neither Issei nor Ddraig mentioned her hypocrisy. ['I meant to mention it earlier, but it slipped my mind.']

More like Gamer's Mind flared each time she thought about it. Even now, the dragon could feel the frigid feeling creeping from nothingness once more. But, that wasn't vital information.

Her partner's only necessity was to grow stronger, safely. This taste of Power should be enough to sate his curiosity and budding bloodlust. Ddraig was sure similar sessions would be happening with the black cat, so her partner shouldn't be as starved for it as before.

Combining both Issei's affinity and Ddraig's Dragon Emperor Presence, the boy was growing to be more dragon-like by the minute.

Hopefully, it'll continued to be enough.

A shadow fell over Issei, "Feeling better?"

He flushed as he refocused on Kuroka. At his angle, he could barely see anything past her breasts. "Y-," The boy glanced away, feeling a bit guilty as she was only concerned for him, "yeah." He swallowed and allowed himself to say, "But I don't fear to fight, per say... just to clarify. I was looking forward to this spar! It's just when I was out of it, I..."

Suddenly, Kuroka then helped up Issei up. The Sekiryuutei blinked, standing. Before he could question it, his tutor said, "A bit of Senjutsu helped with regaining your stamina." Her velvety voice would've given the statement a hint of lewd imagination. However, he was too thinking about what he could do with that outside the bedroom.

"That's amazing!"

"It does have its limits but yeah generally, it's amazing." The Youkai's face shifted with more seriousness. "So, Nya didn't use it against you." There was a slight twitch at the slipup.

"You're really that much stronger than me, huh?" A pair of cat ears twitched at the disappointment.

Kuroka shook her head. Then, she made sure she held his attention, boring into his eyes with her feline pair, "You're growing at—honestly—a frightening and devastating rate. Don't focus on competing against me, your 'Shishou.' I'm here for you, Sekiryuutei-sama."

A burst of energy blared behind Issei. He caught sight of the sigil before it faded away. Then, wood burst from the surroundings to form a chair.

"Take a seat," The girl gestured at the chair with a smile, "You deserve a rest. We'll begin by reviewing your combat ability then we will continue with your Youjutsu lesson." Kuroka followed up with a drawing a chart into the air with her black and purple Youkai Energy.

"Just a reminder before I start, you did very well, Sekiryuutei-sama."

She proceeded to chew into everything he did.

...

"Ok, that wraps it up for now." Kuroka started a portal, only to freeze. Was she supposed to... hold him again? No, the Sekiryuutei was fine, right? He said as much after all. She turned back to him, where he was slumped over in defeat. Issei hadn't completely gotten over her earlier critique. Not even during the more exciting parts of the lesson did he pique interest. That made her a little disappointed.

However, it was best he learned from his mistakes and faults before an actual combat situation. They— She couldn't afford to lose him.

A question came to her thoughts, 'would a hug make him feel better?' It certainly helped Kunou...

Issei's tentative voice drew her from her reflection, "Uhm, Shishou, I have a request."

"Nya, Sekiryuutei-sama?" Her face most definitely didn't twitch at her tic.

"Could I get the next two evenings off? I may need more later down the line."

It wasn't as if she could just say 'no.' Although, it'd reflect poorly on him to not keep up training with her in Yasaka's eyes, especially so early. Nevertheless, it took her aback, "O-Of course?"

Did she do something wrong? Was her appraisal of him during combat too much? Did she hurt him too much with her only attack? Was her lesson lackluster? Did...

As if her student could read her mind, Issei explained himself, "I have to set up dinner between my parents and a friend's. After that, I wa—need to meet up with my grandparents. Then, I can get right back to your lessons!" He nodded to himself before bowing, sharply. "Thank you for understanding!"

'What are grandparents?'

"A-" She didn't exactly understand but that was okay, "Ah, I'll prepare materials for your next lesson until then, Sekiryuutei-sama."

It was the next day and the final bell rang, announcing classes were done for the day.

Yuuma called out, her bag clutch to her chest, "Ise?"

"O-One sec!" The boy had spilled his papers all around his desk. He was too busy thinking about meeting Yuu- Raynare's friends while trying to stuff his papers into his bag. He practically launched himself out of his seat to scoop up his fallen pages.

The black-haired girl set her bag in his seat and said, "Here, let me help you with that." She left no room for argument, not that Issei minded

"Oh, you're an Angel, Yuuma!"

"I'm-" her eyes flickered at their other classmates, who weren't paying them much mind, "really not..." Her boyfriend was right about the paparazzi-like attention dying, she supposed.

Issei shook his head, "Being my Angel transcends race!"

Yuuma shook her head softly, tapping her paper on the desk to straighten the stack as she replied, "It doesn't work like that, Ise." She turned her gaze to him, only to see his grin.

"It really does." The brown boy didn't expand on his reasoning. Instead, he thanked her while taking back his papers and inserting them into his bag, "Thanks... Ray."

"R-Ray?"

"Yeah. What, you don't like it?"

"...This better not lead into some cliche line like, 'you are my Ray of sunshine.'"

Issei blushed slightly at the accusation, "Hey! Give me more credit!" He turned away from her mischievous smile, "I mean, yeah, I was thinking about it, but I wasn't going to actually say it, y'know!" The brown-haired boy then grabbed Yuuma's bag, and they made their way out of the school.

"...I just thought you'd appreciate something closer to your real name," the Sekiryuutei grumbled at the Fallen's side.

"I do," she paused and fiddled with her fingers for a moment, "but I was just getting used to being 'Yuuma.' A-Ah, but either one is okay!" Easily, she slipped a hand in his. Neither of them mentioned it since it was practically a reflex nowadays.

"Mhh okay, Rei."

"Mou! Now, you're doing it on purpose!"

"Haha~ you got me there!"

Yuuma joined in on his giggling not long after. Gradually, they stopped teasing one another, even talking altogether. Instead, they basked in each other's presence, carrying each other's hand and a smile atop their lips, carrying each other's hand and a smile atop their lips.

However, when a familiar bridge came into their vision, Issei broke the silence, "Uh, your place is the other way, right?"

"Mhm!"

Yuuma took the lead, lacing their fingers together. And as they walked, people who Issei had never seen before whispered and pointed at them. Their statuses showed their surprise at seeing Yuuma holding hands with a boy and a smile on her face.

"Psst, Yuuma?" The girl gave him a hum. "Do you know these... neighbors?"

"Yeah, they sort of feel the need to watch out for me since my 'parents' aren't usually home. Sometimes, I help around with the small animals around here or with some supernatural issues, as per the rules of my stay here."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I offered to watch this section in return for an extended but temporary stay here. It's sorta common courtesy and how groups of low-ranked Fallen tend live on Earth." The violet-eyed girl glanced away, embarrassed. Although, it didn't originate from her indirect admission as a low-ranked group as that wasn't true! "Some of them I had asked if they'd seen you when you went missing. The resident Youkai here have been either old or unhelpful, and the nine-tail fox has been keeping a tight lid on everything, so I had to try asking around... if not just to sate your parents worrying.

"From then on, they've been watching out for my supposed boyfriend."

He hadn't thought about that...

Yuuma bit back a sigh, "Even though I made it clear that you're home, safe and sound." Noticing his expression that twisted alongside his train of thought, she squeezed his right hand. "It wasn't too much for me, really. Plus, I got a little closer to my... future 'parents,' no?" To top that statement off she held her cheek in her other hand, turned away with a slight blush.

For the first time, the girl was successful in swerving the conversation. And so, at his sputtering reaction, Yuuma could only grin, teasingly and more importantly, satisfied. She knew how unusually perceptive Issei was after all. The boy shouldn't have to worry about unimportant things like her anxiousness- that of which had gotten her into this whole ordeal in the first place...

All the while, the surrounding community's continued shocked reaction went unheeded by the two as they continued to her home in their own atmosphere. Half of them still couldn't believe their lovely, cool, and collected Amano-chan had a boyfriend!

It was nice to see her smile so freely in any case. However, if they found out he was doing anything to her, there would be hell to pay...

However, for now, they wouldn't push anything. The workaholic girl's anxiety would probably spike unfavorably if they did. And none of them wanted to be responsible for that. Yuuma only deserved the best... Too bad she always turned down their offers for food and other miscellaneous things, almost like she was paranoid.

Nevertheless, she was looking fuller and brighter these passing days. They had to thank this Hyoudou Issei boy for caring for their neighborhood Amano-chan, perhaps.

And so, Yuuma's good mood spread through them all as they watched from afar, backing away slightly. There was always tomorrow. They all knew it was the right choice when they heard him say, "Still, it's nice to hear you talk a lot again."

...They wouldn't tease her too much the next morning, probably. Yeah, they weren't convincing themselves either. But hey, it was the thought that counts, right?

Even before his girlfriend pointed it out to him, a simple, blue house in the distance stood out to him despite its unassumingness. It just had some kind of aura about it...

"My house is just up ahead."

It was weird for Issei to be both excited and anxious. Not even being in the presence of Yasaka did he feel this way. The people he was meeting weren't Yuuma's parents, and she had reinforced the plan to meet them many times in the past two days. He was ready for this.

What he wasn't going to do was tell them about the Longinus thrumming in his soul. Instead, he was a young dragon envoy, engaged to the niece of Governor Azazel, otherwise Raynare. That showed him exactly how important Raynare is and the weight she held. She wasn't just a High Tier Fallen Angel but practically royalty as her uncle was the de facto leader of their race.

The fabricated story sold that they had met long ago and were finally reunited when starting relations with the Kyoto Youkai Branch.

Why was this necessary?

To keep up the lie that started the whole situation, then yes.

The only way she was able to get away from her previous work in the field was to 'honor' an old promise, which wasn't quite a lie. Going as far as to put her under a spell, her employer couldn't get the info from her, as he had asked for what the meeting from her uncle would entitle. She hadn't lied, saying that Azazel had set it up without her knowledge.

For all she knew, it might've been about checking up on his only niece in person.

The people she worked with, while loyal to Azazel, did not know she was a double agent for their current executive. It was one of her first priorities to keep it that way. More so that she knew one of them was spying on her for said executive. Thankfully, that spy never checked up on her during school, using that time elsewhere.

All that confused Issei, greatly. Raynare in human form had to reiterate it many times to him, in varying amounts of detail. He had trouble with the lying portions. Half-lies? Not-lies? Half-truths? Technicals? He came to learn that it was common in politics, such as the time Yasaka protected him by painting the situation about his strength and his endurance in a favorable light. That he found laughable for all the wrong reasons. Kuroka's spar showed how clearly he was outmatched by ?!.

Yuuma's concerned voice drew him from his thoughts, "Still thinking about the... 'story?'"

"Y-Yeah," his chocolate gaze drifted over to the lit window, "Just nervous." He wasn't a fan of all the lying and backhandedness. It didn't feel right.

['Dragons are usually headstrong and stubborn in their ways. It's best you learn at least some from this.'] While Ddraig didn't necessarily agree with this weakling thinking, it would do well to stave off his more aggressive urges. It should increase his rate of survival. She hoped, at least.

"Mhh, try not to give them anything to tease you about." She squeezed his hand slightly, and expanded on her last words, "That's my thing." There was a flicker of possessiveness from her.

He laughed at it, "I'll try."

They stopped at the front door. Yuuma dug into her bag for the key and glanced at him seriously, "Ready?"

Issei couldn't help himself and said, "Like a bird for their first flight!" At her weird look, he gave a sheepish laugh, and scratched at his cheek, "Y-Yeah, I'm ready."

"Welcome to my home."

Just like the outside, the inside view from the entrance was pretty barren. At the far end, a wooden staircase led to the upper floor. And besides the shoe rack and basic welcoming mat, there was the occasional table, chair, book, or a combination. Issei guessed it made sense since it was just a temporary home. Wouldn't want to get attached or anything like that. Still... to have nothing to firmly call home? The boy couldn't imagine that.

There was a shuffling noise from somewhere. At it, he could only glance over at Yuuma, who sent him a smile before calling out, "Mittlet, I wouldn't prank him if I were you. I nor Issei here will be responsible for his reaction, y'know!"

"Aw!" came the voice of a small girl.

His overseer quickly put her mouth near his ear and cupped, whispering, "I forgot to say do NOT get on her bad side or mention her messy hair." He nodded, searching for a status window or blondie. Yuuma pulled away, dropping her bag on the foremost table.

As he took his first step, a status greeted him in the middle of the air. The name read Mittlet, confirming what Yuuma had said. Her level was ?!, and her emotions were in disarray and panic. Following that, the air before him seemed to tremble as the 'invisible' outline of a girl in the dress appeared. With a sparkle, a bright and cheerful face smiled upon him. Her lively facade was just that, a facade. It hid her extremely cruel and cynical nature, common among older Fallen like Mittlet.

Despite that, she was susceptible to misdirection or being rebuffed. Though, her years of torture prior to becoming a Fallen Angel and her frequent mental breakdowns easily explained those.

Most of her messy blond hair was up in twin tails, tied with two large and lacy black and white ribbons. Her gothic dress was of similar material and reached down to her lower thighs, exposing the straps of her white garter belt connecting to her equally white thigh-highs.

"Hi! Hyoudou Issei, right?"

Raynare had told him it was best to go along with her youthful exterior. However, reading over her status, he couldn't help but freeze. Regret was so prominent that it showed itself in bold. He had never seen that before.

"Ise..."

"Right- uh, yeah and you're Mittlet, I'm pretty sure!" Both the description that Raynare had given him and her status said as much. "Tell me I got that right!"

"Mhm!" The smaller blond girl twirled, then bowed... towards the space beside him but no one was going to mention that. "Welcome to our temporary home." She shot up and gave him no room to respond, "I'll find Donnaseek for ya! Hehe, he's my pretend Papa; it's funny coz he's useless down there!" With that, she shimmered mid-twirl and vanished. "Don't miss me~"

Yuuma coughed beside him, "That went about as uneventful as it could."

"I believe you haha..." Issei tried to play off the encounter, but he was still too caught up on the smaller girl's status.

The stairs creaked as a deep voice said, "Raynare, Mittlet said you brought someone?"

Issei's initial thought at his appearance was, 'who wears a long trench coat inside the house?' Never mind, the black fedora! He also had a weird name, 'Donnaseek.' His level was but ?.

Without missing a beat, his girlfriend said, "Yeah, it's just my fiancée." When the trenchcoat-wearing man slipped and fell to the bottom of the stairs, Issei could see himself do something similar if he wasn't standing around stiff as a board.

The man picked up his hat first, responding as he picked himself up, "Your WHAT?"

The girl beside him at least looked sheepish at the question, "Yeah, it was a bit of a surprise for me too."

"Hi," Issei waved, "I'm Hyoudou Issei, an envoy of the Kyoto Youkai Branch." Intermediate Sin Manipulation II worked overtime to keep the stress of lying off his face and kept internalized in case he had a skill similar. Raynare had the skill or a high tier, which is how he got it through her 'affection.'

The overly mysterious man stared at him for a bit. His status flickered only a few times, trying to read him as Issei read the man. "Nice to meet you, I guess." Without waiting for a response, he sauntered into the next room over.

"You too..."

A hand tapped his back. It was Yuuma. "Don't worry about it too much. He's probably just tired and doesn't really think you're a threat... even though I'm pretty sure you are stronger than him." She had a bit of a cheeky smile as she winked, "Don't tell him I said that~"

"If that's how it is..."

"It is," she dragged him over to the living room, where a coffee table and a couch greeted them, "I'll get some tea and snacks since we're just waiting for Kalawarner. She'll be here in an hour or so." She went to leave for the kitchen but stopped and sent a look over her shoulder, "We can start your tutoring and lessons for now, ok?"

"Alright!" Issei nodded, "I don't need too much help this time."

As she opened the door to the kitchen, Donnaseek stood in the doorway with a beer in hand and a sandwich in his mouth. He only grunted at the sight of her. Raynare stood her ground, staring up at him. Seeing as she didn't move, Donnaseek stepped out of the way. The man spared him a glance before he made his way back up the stairs.

'Man, was that tense or what?'

The boy shook his head and opened his bag. It was time to quickly finish his homework so Raynare could continue her lesson. At the latter, he couldn't help the grin lifting his lips. It was absolutely cute and a little more than distracting to have her tutor him... his thoughts started to drift to the idea that she could teach him with her older form with less clothing—

Issei clapped both hands onto his cheeks.

"Focus!"

...

After fifteen minutes, Issei was done with his moderate amount of homework. He blinked down at the various pages, bewildered at how easy it was. The lessons with Yuuma and his ever-increasing INT must be the explanation.

Speaking of Yuuma, it was weird that she wasn't back by now though.

The brunet opened his mouth to call her name but stopped remembering Donnaseek and Mittlet's presence... somewhere in the house. He glanced around but noticed not a single status. He then nodded towards himself and put his papers in his bag.

Issei decided he would go into the kitchen.

And so, he made his way there. Stopping at the door, he tried to listen in. Unlike the time in his room, he could hear shuffling and other noises. The boy made up his mind and knocked softly, "Yuuma?" Without an answer, he entered.

"Ah" was all she could say.

The apron-clad Fallen-in-disguise was surrounded by various bits of fruits. There were orange peels, much of which contained much of the 'meat,' the poorly shaven skin of fuji apples, golden kiwis, and a mess of multiple pomegranates. Her hands, covered in various juices, shook as she held a knife in one hand and a mishappened apple. Behind her, the lit oven held nearly burnt and oddly shaped muffins as well as a pot of tea and two teacups.

All in all, it was pretty cute, especially Yuuma's face. It was as if she had gotten caught with her hands in the cookie jar! Issei nearly laughed. He stopped as his eyes had drifted over her status, whose guard was down for a second when he made his sudden entrance.

It seemed he wasn't the only one, whose nerves got the best of them. She was much better at hiding it. He assumed she used a higher tier of Sin Manipulation and other skills to hide it even from her status.

After a pause, where the shorter girl grew increasingly red, Issei said, "Here, let me help you clean up." He didn't wait for a response as he rolled up his sleeves and collected a chunk of the mess in his hands.

As he glanced around for a trashcan, Raynare finally spoke up, pointing at a cabinet door, "the trash is right in there."

Issei flashed her a smile, "Thanks!"

For a moment longer, she watched him, and he pretended not to notice. Then, she finished the last apple. The apple was placed with the assorted fruit. Her next step was to check on her blueberry muffins. Wordlessly, she joined Issei in the cleanup, double-checking her steps, lest she slip.

Before they knew it, the kitchen looked as good as new. Albeit, it now had an oversized plate of misshapen fruit and a dish of stacked muffins.

"Sorry if this isn't enough..."

"What? This is more than enough!"

"But your mom brings out so much when I go there; I thought—"

"No no, don't use her as an example. She's using it as an excuse to 'intrude' on us and... to feed you." Issei averted his eyes, "You don't seem to eat a lot, so she worries that you're not eating enough at home or something. I can get why." He didn't mention how he told his mom about the girl's usual lack of food during lunch.

He then recalled a specific notification regarding her race in the encyclopedia that unlocked after spending so much time around her. "But that's due to being a Fallen, right?" Yuuma nodded slowly, so he continued, "so I never mentioned it."

It was nice to get confirmation about that info anyhow. When first got the revelation, it didn't make him feel much better. He wasn't exactly sure how to approach her about an eating disorder either. Thankfully, he didn't need to anymore.

"I see," she said thoughtfully, catching onto his double meaning.

"Mhm, so back to the living room?" Again, he didn't wait for a response and picked up both dishes. "You mind getting the door?"

The girl pouted, "a little bit..." he was the guest of the house and as such, he should've left her, the first-time host, to deal with the house things. There was no need to call her slow or bad at this, indirectly.

Nevertheless, she opened it, allowing him to pass through. He fought back his urge to pat her head, only succeeding because his hands were already full. "Thanks!" From the corner of his eyes, he watched her pick up a tray with the teapot and cups.

Issei, drifting over her status, beat himself mentally. He hadn't meant to insult her...

As they both set down the food and drinks, the boy turned towards her, and bowed, "Sorry, I just wanted to help."

"I-It's okay."

They took a seat next to one another in silence. Before it could get awkward, Issei took a semi-oxidized apple and bit down, knowing his girlfriend probably won't eat much. Yuuma watched from the corner of her eyes, which didn't go unnoticed by him. Fruits were supposed to be the safe and quickest choice out of all the things she had on hand. However, she had taken so long some of the apples were turning brown, and that probably wasn't a good sign...

She should've known to make rice cakes or something! What was she thinking, cutting fruit for the first time to do what? To get one's hands messy and bite into? To suck on?

"—After peeling them, it's best to let them sit in lemon water."

"Huh?"

"The apples, I mean. It'll stop the browning. My mom told me when I was younger, and it adds a bit of sour twinge to them. I like it."

"Oh, I'll keep that in mind."

"So, uh, where did you get this stuff? It all looks pretty premium," he recalled seeing the box the fruit came from in the corner of the kitchen.

Again, her cheeks puffed out in a pout, which was the cutest thing he had seen from her in a long time. "The neighbors left it outside my door so I wouldn't be able to refuse. I couldn't leave it there because it could invite animals and bugs to my place...!"

The question left him before he could stop it, "Why would you refuse though?" Immediately, he felt a little bad for prying but Yuuma didn't seem to take much offense to it.

"Most desserts or foods, I wouldn't eat. The inedibles, I wouldn't keep, so I'll just feel bad to accept things I have no intention to hold onto."

"Oh, that makes sense." he split an orange into fourths and popped one into his mouth with ease. "So, you won't be eating then?"

"Maybe a little bit."

"Here," Issei passed her a slice of orange.

Letting him drop it into her hand, she stared down at it. She had watched him popped the whole thing into his mouth, so she followed suit. She savored it before chewing tentatively. "...It doesn't taste like orange juice."

Issei laughed, "yeah, it doesn't."

"It is better though."

He cheered internally and piqued up, "So you like it?"

She swallowed it and coughed into her hand softly, "Yeah."

"Have some more!" He practically tossed her another orange, happy to see her eat.

"S-Slow down, Ise." The girl furrowed her eyebrows at the fruit, unsatisfied and embarrassed at her poor peeling skills. She copied Issei from earlier, splitting the orange before plopping a piece into her mouth. A perfect blend of sour and natural sweetness filled her senses as she bit into it.

The orange was pretty good.

And so, they continued on with her lessons.

"An extra pair of shoes?" came a seductive voice from the front entrance. "Mittlet, you home?" It would be the little insane munchkin to bring someone home randomly for one reason or another.

Her soft footfall got closer and closer until she entered the living room. "Ah," the tall woman was met with Issei and Raynare staring up to her from where they sat.

Her status read, 'Kalawarner.'

The final person of Raynare's little group had long navy-blue hair that obscured her right eye and flowed behind her with a little bow, tying it near the tip to it keep it from going everywhere.

However, the first thing Issei noticed was the way her light, purple coat gave a clear view of her fantastic cleavage, which seemed a bit bigger than Raynare's when in her true form. Her white shirt beneath failed to hide it. Just above that, a golden necklace contrasted against her pale skin. It complimented her only visible brown eye quite nicely. Snug against her hips and her thighs, her matching purple pencil skirt only emphasized how perfect and sinful her body was.

"Hey Kal."

"Hey, Ray... but, who's this?" Kalawarner gestured at him.

"My fiancée," Kalawarner flared with surprise, but Raynare paid it no mind and continued, almost as if smug, "didn't I mention it before?"

"I thought you were joking!"

"Does it look like I joke about anything?"

The bluenette swallowed, turning away slightly, "N-No." For a second, Issei read fear all over her without glancing at her status.

Issei decided he should interfere, "Hi, I'm Hyoudou Issei, an envoy for the Kyoto Youkai Branch." For a moment, he felt a bit robotic to repeat himself, but he didn't know what else to say. He decided on, "But uh, nice to finally meet you, Kalawarner."

"Nice to know ya too." The mature woman cough into a fist, "Lemme go get the other two. We're having a meeting right?"

"Yeah, we'll be waiting down here."

With that, the woman jogged up the steps.

"...She seemed really scared of you," Issei allowed himself to say once Kalawarner was out of earshot.

Raynare sighed, turning away from him, "I- I got mad yesterday at something she said. I forgot that I was much stronger, so I didn't pull my punches while we argu-fought." The Fallen Angel looked down at her fist then loosened it. Orange juice dripped from it. "You would think the battle-freak Donnaseek or literal insane Mittlet would be harder to control, but it was her... until I had beat her into a bloody mess.

"I feel a little bad about it, but she was way out of line this time! I—" Immediately, the girl defused and deflated.

The boy really couldn't imagine his lil Yuuma getting angry, nor did he really want to. Instead, he reached for her hand. "I don't really know what went on but," he squeezed her smaller hand lightly, letting his sentence finish with that.

A squeak from the stairs interrupted them.

"Hi again, Hyoudou Issei!" waved Mittlet as she peeked through the railing. Issei sent back a wave and a small grin, albeit a bit awkward.

Donnaseek acknowledged them with a grunt behind the smaller girl. Kalawarner strode more confidently than before in the presence of the other two as she followed them down the stairs.

They gathered around the fruit-topped table and waited for Raynare... who was busy trying to think of an explanation for this without demanding too much or seeming weak. If only for his sake, she was willing to not hypnotize his parents.

"We'll be meeting my fiancée's parents. They're human, whereas Issei is a dragon-incarnate, whose previous role was to oversee human relations. He'll be joining us for our original mission—but we need to convince his normal parents." Raynare looked her group in the eyes, searching for arguments or complaints, "You'll just need to put up with a few dinners; I'll be putting in most of the work to convince them outside of this."

For a moment, he was awed by her resolution. The others sat with their thoughts as well. They raised a few questions for clarification or a complaint or two. It went peacefully despite the suddenness of it all.

By the end of it, Raynare walked him to the door. "I'll be bringing them around 7," she put a hand to her chin in thought, "probably closer to 8 actually."

The boy nodded, "sounds like a plan! See ya then!"

Aes (AN): Whoops, forgot to show Kuroka's shortened status in the last chapter, among other things. I guess I was too busy trying to get that chapter out like this one. I ended up losing a lot of steam towards the end... Nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed more Yuuma :D and finally another 'fight' scene!

The next chapter will probably come after two months or so as I'll get back to my other stories.

The first one on the list is Sugar Clouds; geez, it doesn't feel like it's been four years since that has been updated. It's up there since there's a challenge going on for the discord server I've been 'advertising' is holding an event for best beach scene lol. There's nothing like competition to get the inspiration going eh? Might as well make it a lemon too. Hopefully, I get around to finishing it in time...

Here's the link again: 'disc / V54pcwA' or use the characters after the slash as a sort of code.

[Words: 10,215]

Reviews:

Raynare stuffs: Glad you all like her so far! Hopefully, this hit all the good spots too!

Other Girls: almost every woman will be in it. It'll be a lot but- yes, I haven't changed my mind on that. It wasn't my idea but I went into this story with that intention. I'll probably change my mind on that once or twice, lol. Ngl, this story was probably supposed to be a lemon fest but meh...

Tyrant Overlord Killidia: Yeah, I just misspelled her name, lol.

Xerozzuro: thanks a bunch, Kouhai! And here's another thank you for giving a proofreading twice :)

Nihai: I try!

Guest (flamer): lol, what story am I copying?

FGOrider23: Rider (Medusa) best girl btw; as for your question, no idea to be absolutely honest!

To everyone else (yes, you ever-tired bunch): Thank you for clicking onto the new chapter and returning!

Good golly, my shift buttons still make me want to pull my hair out in frustration.