Now, on a sadder chapter, Ichijou will have to face a problem that is maybe not well explored in the series properly: the master-servant bond and the family bond. Granted, I guess this was already too explored, but I wonder what will happen If I do that? Hehehe...

DxD does not belongs to me!

.

~~x~~

.

"Oh, hey, Ichijou. Home already? You can still take a bath before dinner Tim-..."

"Ughh~..."

"Ichijou? Darling, what's wron-...?"

"Leave me alone, mum. Not now, please..."

And as I dismissed my mother and my sisters, I walked to my dear room on the second floor and collapsed on the bed, not bothering to even remove my shoes. Again, everything sucks... And yet again, I can't believe that Gremory actually went there back then...

.

~~ BACK THEN...~~

.

"See?! He's the real deal, sis! The real legacy of Hyoodou Issei-sama!" And right after headmistress Gremory, Nemesis, presented herself to me, the other redhead pulled me back to her embrace, as she hugged my head. The other one, Nemesis, simply sighed, looking back at the blonde next to her. Aria, if I recall correctly.

"Well, I can't argue with that, he's really the new host of the Boosted Gear. Congra-freaking-lations, my stupid sister." Nemesis-san, in return, clapped her hands slowly, as she was mocking us. Instead of my usually angry response, I was confused. I thought our Headmistress was miss Morimoto Shizuka, a kind-hearted blue-haired lady. Well, yeah, she could use an alias and a disguise, but...

Wait... Nemesis... Gremory...? Nemesis... Sis... Shizu... Shizuka... Gremory... Mory... Morimoto...

...

I really need those poetry classes...

"You won." I said out of nowhere, extending a hand to Nemesis-san. She looked at me puzzled, and then we shake hands.

"Thank... You...?" She said in response. I crossed my arms and retuned myself to my usual moody persona. I took a glance at the others, back to Kaichou, back to Gremory, back to Nemesis-san, back that bitch Aria, and then to my own group.

"Okay... For starters, what's going on?" I asked aloud. Gremory was the first to call my attention, however, when she was about to tell me something, Nemesis-san simply slapped her away to the wall and turned to me.

"Tsukino... Ichijou-kun. Since you're the Queen of my stupid sister, as well as the Current holder of the Boosted Gear, you must be aware of the Occult research club, an old club which a relative or ours, Rias Gremory, once lead, right?" She asked me, that voice smooth as silk hitting me deep and making me blush. Now that she mention it, Gremory did said something about this club, Lady Rias' own personal club that was actually a facet to hide the demonic true nature of it's members.

"Yes, I'm somehow aware." I said back, turning my head to another side in embarrassment. However, Nemesis-san picked my chin and made me turn back to her. Seesh, forceful, those Gremory's are, isn't it?

"Well, then, since you probably know her the longest, I can say that you know that my stupid sister wants to create a new Occult Research club." I nodded, turning now my gaze to the other redhead who was walking to us, being helped by our other... Friends. (Cough, cough...). Nemesis-san then sighed. "My response to that, of course, was a 'No'."

"Huh?" I said, kinda surprised. "Why not?"

"Because she's a bossy, manipulative big sister that wants nothing but pain and suffering to her little sister!" Gremory, out of nowhere, gripped tightly her hand around Nemesis-san's wrist, making her let go of me.

"Rina, you're hurting me." The other redhead said, the lack of expression in her words enough to make me uncomfortable. From where I stand, I could see that my King really wants to hurt her sister.

"Why can I make my own club, sis?! Why are you pushing me so...?!"

"I said let me go!" And before Gremory could finish her sentence, an enormous, black skeletal arm sprouted from Nemesis-san's shoulder and slapped Gremory away, with enough force to push her against a wall. After that, before Gremory could reacted, the skeletal hand trapped her in between it's massive fingers, pinning her on the wall.

"Hey! Let her g-...!" Out of instinct, I summoned my Boosted Gear again to try to defend the helpless Gremory. But then Akabane and Serena-Kaichou stepped in front of me, as Aria-san hooked my neck around her arm.

"Ichijou-kun, please calm down!" Kaichou said, approaching me and putting her hands on the sides of my head. Too close! I blushed instead. "Calm. Alright. You wouldn't like to take Headmistress on like that. That arm... Is her special ability."

"What?"

"Nemis' arm is not a summoning or an astral projection." The blonde who was pulling me to her chest said."That arm of hers is actually The power of destruction taking physical form. You try to cut that thing away, it'll burn anything in it's way. Do anything, and Rina might ended up in the bad side of this."

"..." I gulped, biting my lips a little. So Gremory have also this kind of sister, this makes me feel a little more comfortable... And pissed off for some reason. However, in a flash step, a green ray of light simply snatched Gremory away from the hand's grasp. Nemesis-san blinked a few times, as the green lightning landed right next to us. There she was: Belle carrying our king, bridal style.

"So sorry about the delay reaction. But cool characters always appears on the nick of the time, right?" The greenette smiled. Gremory wasn't unconscious, but she ended up standing up and completely ignoring her savior. That was out-of-character and rude, if you ask me.

"Huh... You have loyal servants. That's good, Rina." Nemesis-san said, clapping sarcastically again. "Doesn't mean I'll let you create a new O.R.C., though."

"Whatever! Looks like I can only rely on one last alternative!" Berolina Gremory was so scary now. Her green eyes were pointing furiously to the lady in front of her, and them it was her pointer finger going just that. For a split second, the atmosphere here got cold, and in just one more sentence, our fate was sealed. "Nemesis Gremory of the Gremory House, I challenge you to a Rating Game!"

Suddenly, the ambient turned quiet. Not just any kind of Quiet, an ominous, disturbing kind of. A gush of cold wind blew down my neck, and all of us were dead quiet. The only ones still somehow Unscratched by the sudden change of mood were the Gremory sisters. Nemesis-san lifted her face in a way her bangs casted a mask of shadows on her red eyes. And then she spoke...

"My, first disobeying my orders, then stealing back your Evil pieces and using them without my permission, and now challenging me to a Rating Game. Does your arrogance knows no limit, my stupid little sister?" The taller redhead said, taking steps closer to the short one and now staring down on her due to the height difference. "An insect like you wouldn't even be allowed to talk to me if it wasn't for our father."

"Gremory's dad?" I once again felt the rising tension around, making me uncomfortable as well.

"Rina-chan's dad is... Uncle Cohen Lucifer, one of the current satans of the Underworld. Moreover, Grandmaster Millicas, the most powerful devil around is also her grandfather." Serena-Kaichou spoke, pulling me closer and whispering to me, probably to avoid any contact with the sisters next to us. "Think of Uncle Cohen as the final boss of a Good ending and Grandmaster Millicas as the final boss of the True Ending."

Oh... Scary. So Gremory is more than just a rich girl, she's a royal rich girl. Figures, treating everything as a game and everyone as a pet, I wouldn't be surprised. However , what is this Rating Game they speak of?

"Please reconsider, Rina. You don't want to end up with more scars that you already have, right?" Nemesis-san finished her sentence with a hint of worry and sadness, a faint, minimalist hint. She turned back to the hostile aura soon after. Gremory, on the other hand, started to fault a little, trembling and sweating buckets. "You still have a pair of arms, legs, breasts and functional eyes. I'd be a pity to lose them. Your queen showed that he's no match against my own, either."

"Nemesis-san's queen?" I said, turning my attention to the Blondie that was holding me back. Aria-san smiled to me, letting me go since I wasn't struggling anymore.

"That would be me, bro."

"So what?! I bet with some training, he'll be able to kick even your own ass!" I remember Gremory being this passional before, but with all of this rage and hatred, it looked so out of place. She was still trembling, looking back at us from time to time to make sure that we would support her. I was too busy trying to figure out what this would lead us to. "I even think that my peerage... Would win against yours any day with proper training!"

"My, oh my..." Despite the threat and the screaming, Nemesis-san didn't seem affected at all, more like she was bored in dealing with Rina. "Say, Rina, how many people are in your peerage?"

"Three. The ninja, myself and Ichijou-kun, a knight, a queen and me, the king. Ninetails will join me when Ichijou-kun is strong enough." I looked at Akabane, who was just mumbling 'so sorry' to the redhead next to her. She looked at me, and sighed, motioning cutting her own neck with her thumb. This can't be good.

"Only three. You expect to defeat me with only three members, when I have a full set of special pieces, more than twice as much. I must say, you're either brave or a complete idiot." Nemesis-san said., reaching her hand to the other redhead. "But if you're willing to be defeated for a lost cause, I guess father can arrange a mock-RG. I would never thought the first Rating Game of my stupid little sister would be against m-..."

*SLAP!*

"Don't... Touch my hair." But before Nemesis-san could reach her hand to touch Gremory's lock, the former simply slapped her hand away, grunting after. The taller redhead sighed.

"Anyway, as a handicap, since you have only three members for now, I'll give you this: you can train your peerage during the Golden Week, and by the end of it, we will have the RG. Is that enough for you?" Nemesis-san facepalmed, probably completely bored and wanting to get out of her current situation as soon as possible.

"Yeah! Of course! Just you wait, Sis! I'll just need those days to properly train my peerage to beat you!" Gremory said, still with an angry look on her face.

Wait... Did she said that we will train during the Golden Week? The WHOLE Golden Week?! But... But...!

"Gremory!" I lifted one of my hands and called for her attention. However, she just lifted her hand in a stop sign.

"Not now!" She demanded, as I could feel my own rage rising. I would say something, but before I could do a thing, Gremory called a magic circle and took a step into it. "It is decided then, sis! I'll be waiting home and then we'll call papa! Don't you dare run away!"

"As if, stupid sister."

"Gremory! Wait up! Golden week is whe-...!" And... She's gone. Before I could even blink and finish my sentence, she dived in the magic rune and disappeared in thin air. "But... But golden Week is when me and my family have the special... Trip... To the beach..."

And I faltered to the ground, kneeling on it and feeling the angst building inside. Really? The whole Golden Week training with Gremory and the others? But this is the only time in the year me and my family(with the exception of dad, since he's usually overseas, not that is a bad thing.) can have some time together. No work, no school, no responsibility, just us and the beach. Granted, my sisters still treat me like crap there, but at least we have fun... And trade this for... Hellish training with that lass...

"Ichi... Jou-kun... Right?" From the ground, I lifted my sight to above my head, and saw Nemesis-san staring at me. She offered me a hand, and I tried to reach for it. When we touched, however, she pulled me in a hug. "I'm sorry."

"Huh...?"

"If Berolina ever did something that made you upset or sad, I'm sorry. She's dense like that, please forgive her." She said, letting me go soon after and patting my head. She looked me deep in the eyes, and sighed. "We'll be seeing you in the Rating game. Please, do not resent me."

"Haaah~...?" And just like Gremory, the older redhead summoned a demonic rune and stepped into it to probably travel back to the Gremory house or something. Huh... Now, I feel a lot better. I turned around and saw Serena-Kaichou, Akabane, Belle and Aria-san just pondering within themselves. I approach them just to get myself into the conversation. "So... Any of you mind explain to me what this Rating Game thing is?"

"Sure, Ichijou-kun." Serena-Kaichou smiled, tapping my shoulder. "Since Aria-neechan, Yoko-chan and Seaweedninja-chan are with us, I guess we can explain it to you in a minute."

"I have a name, y'know. I'm a ninja, after all..."

"Hahahahah..."

.

~~NOW...~~

.

So, in short, I'm the second-in-command in a war against Gremory's big sister and seven other individuals, and being a queen piece, unable to back off the conflict. This alone would be 'kinda' okay by me, since I'd be able to test my own strength and power against true veterans, but the real giver was the fact that she didn't even took my personal life in consideration. The whole Golden week... With them... Missing the whole trip to the beach, the hot springs and the peace of the ocean...

My only moment of zen during the year... Lost.

*TOC! TOC!*

"Hey, Ichijou? What's wrong, darling?" I heard the voice of my mother by the entrance of my dark room, since I didn't bothered to even flick the lights on or close the door.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong, mum. I just... Need a moment alone." I said, face in the pillow, probably looking pathetic. I really hate that. My sisters would probably shrug my absence off, but mother will make questions, and I hate to lie or even make her upset.

"Ichijou, something is up. I know that you're a teenager, and you have your secrets, but as a mother, I have, and I want, to ask again: what's wrong?" Damn it, damn it all. By her manner of speech, she's either upset or worried. Sometimes I wish my mother was the aloof kind, just like of those protagonists' from light novels. When they're not dead, that is. I sighed, I just have to come up with some bullshit and expect her to buy it. Or just say the truth vaguely, just like last time. I put myself sit on my bed and stared at her figure resting her back on the frame of my door.

"Well... Something happened... And now, well, I can't go to the family trip this year." I coughed a little, feeling the razor words passing through my throat. It hurts, it hurts a lot. The face of my mother was covered in the shadows since my room was dark and the only light was coming from the corridor of the second floor, but I could see her eyes first wilding in surprise, then narrowing in thought, aimlessly hovering around my room, and then closing to let her sigh.

"It's about Rina-chan, right?" I gasped when she said that, as she took her way to my bed to sat beside me. Damn it, she figured it out. I turned my eyes to another place, trying to escape her gaze.

"Yeah~..." I said, defeated. My head was down in shame and regret, but when I lifted it to face my mother, she was making a serene, comfortable smile to me. She reached her hand to me and pat my head.

"Okay, okay. I understand. Ichijou, my baby, I know that you're growing up, and after what happened to Julia-chan and Nina-chan, ten years ago, I thought you wouldn't like to make friends ever again." She touched that subject again. Damn it, damn you father, damn you childish innocence. I lost two of my only friends because of this. I sighed. "I'm glad that you're being social again, and this calms my soul a lot. It's good to see you hanging out with them, with your friends."

"..." Damn it, shut up mom! Stop saying this! They're not my friends! And I'm not being social with them because I want! Damn it, I just want to tell her! I'm a devil! I'm a slave! I'll fight for a cause I don't even follow! Damn it! I gulped my own angst and despair, as my mother pulled me closer into a hug.

"But, no matter what you do, never forgets that your mother loves you deeply, okay?" She hugged me, and suddenly, I had the urge to scream, to throw a tantrum, to simply lose it. I... I'm losing my humanity against my will... I've become simply a weapon... My mother, my family are the only one who still see me as someone, and not something. Mother let me go, and smiled awkwardly. "Ahahahahah... That was so old-fashioned, right? My bad, I'm just so hammy sometimes..."

"..." I said nothing, she just patted me one more time and walked out of my room.

"Rest for now, Ichijou. I'll call you when dinner is ready. I'll make your favorite." And she closed the door, leaving me alone with my own misery. I laid on my bed with my stomach down, covering my head with the pillow.

Everything is so quiet now. I hate this, I hate everything. This Boosted Gear, this legacy, Gremory and... No, I can't be like this. No, I don't hate everything, is that I'm just so frustrated. That redhead didn't even considered my feelings about this. I was dragged into this against my will. Sigh... I wonder if senpai had that same problem...

*SIT!*

"Huh...?"

"You have a great mom, dragon." I heard from above, as the height of two somethings landed on me. "Mine used to thrown me into a bottomless pit when I was seven. Ninja training, of course."

"What do you two want?" I said, grunting. Ninja was sitting cross-legged on me, while a white fox went from my back to in front of me, to sniff my face.

"I'm just here to see my wife. I cleaned things up, and I won't be part of Gremory's peerage. I was just around to see you grow." The fox said to me. Huh, figures. I knew since the beginning, she was just interested in my Boosted Gear. "You seem down, darling. What happened?"

"Just leave me alone." I muttered. Fighting now is useless. I just want a good night of sleep. Suddenly, the height on my back vanished, and Belle sat next to my bed, arms crossed and looking at the ceiling.

"Say, I'll also be fighting there, dragon. We're war buddies." She said, turning to me with a smile. "Anything you want to say, I'll be here until midnight. Don't worry, 'Kay? I'm a ninja, after all."

"Same here." And the fox vanished in a cloud of smoke, and in its place, there was Akabane Yoko, wearing a pink kimono, her fox ears sprouting from her head and nine fluffy tails from her back. She pulled me into a embrace and made me fell on her. "You can use me as your pillow. Just sleep for now."

Haaah~... This warm sensation~... Suddenly, everything is so warm and slow... It's nice, being surrounded by this feeling...

Almost makes me think they really like me...

"Hey, darling, are you crying?"

"..."

"...?"

"No... I'm not."

.

~~x~~

.

"So, you're going to be traveling around with your group during golden week. Seems like a good program." My classmate and secret crush said to me as we walked side by side to the entrance doors. Since she wanted to know what I was planning to do during Golden Week, I couldn't let that change escape, and now, we're walking like this. If it wasn't for the subject, I'd be jumping in euphoria... Huh, I'd never guessed I'd so lame.

"Yeah, something something like this. It'll be a great program, I guess." I sighed. This is a lie, if only she knew. "You?"

"I'll be around. Grandma is a sick woman, but she's strong. I'll go to the club or just walk around the commercial streets, nothing too fancy." She said back. Oh, right, I'm now a lot closer to Kamiyama. Granted, only a few words per class, but at least we're going somewhere. I hope she doesn't find me a creep or something. I also discovered that she lives with her grandma since the death of her parents, hard stuff, but she doesn't seem too bothered.

"I hope she gets better." I said, offering her my sympathy. She turned to me and tilted her head to a side.

"Me too." She said back, followed by an awkward silence. Tch, almost two weeks with this, and we always end a conversation like this. I dunno if it's her or me, but I don't like it. We walked in complete silence until a crossway, the place where we part ways. Once there, she turned to me. "So... I'll be seeing you. Be careful on your trip, Tsukino-kun."

"Happy Golden week for you, Kamiyama." I said back, turning my red face to another side. This feeling again. It's really starting to bother me, in a wrong way too. Before I could take my way, she waved for me, and when I turned around, she extended to me a small bracelet. "Huh~... What is this?"

"This is a lucky charm." She deadpanned, giving that piece of jewelry to me. Taking it a small scan on my hand, I figured it a pretty silver chain bracelet with some blue in it. I put it around my wrist, and it fit perfectly. "I'm giving it to you as a token of our friendship."

"Well... Uh~... Thanks?" I said, now completely red from head to toe. Wow, this is really sweet, but I don't have anything to give her! "Sorry, Kamiyama, but I don't have anything to give you right now... But I'll think of something later!."

"..." She looked at me again, tilted her head to a side, and smiled. "You are... You are a good person, Tsukino-kun."

"Eh~...?" And now she turned around, waving me a goodbye.

"Don't worry, dragon. It was my idea to buy you something. Don't think about it too much." She said, waving goodbye by her back. I was going to say something, but suddenly, my cellphone beeped. I picked it from my pocket and flipped it up, showing a message from Belle.

.

FROM: Annabelle.

We are already at the training ground at the Gremory territory.

If anything, use the magic circle we imprinted on a paper on the kitchen table. We'll be waiting.

.

I sighed. Yep, whatever I wanted or not, I'll be sacrificing my Golden Week to train for my first rating game. This sucks. When I was about to call Kamiyama back, she was already gone. Well, she doesn't want a gift, but I think I'll buy her one anyway. She's also... A friend of Tsukino Ichijou, and not the Red Dragon emperor.

Well, better to home... I wonder if my sisters and mom are having fun...

I really wanted to be there too...

.

~~x~~

.

Aaah~... Poor Tsukino-kun. Remember me during my study sessions to college. Hard stuff to think about it. But no more about me, go pity Ichijou-kun, because he needs it.

So... What do you guys think? Too angsty? Too emo? Emo enough? I liked this chapter, it was fun to write, but what about you all? Anyway, stay golden. The next chapter... A training arc(?)!