Something about a genuine yamato nadeshiko's tea just hits different.
Mother has brewed me tea before. It was pretty good, but it never got a reaction out of me quite like Okuyasu's reaction to eating Tonio's cooking in Diamond is Unbreakable.
My mother is more of a coffee person anyway. I always took her as more Western in her style.
One day, however, I was offered some tea by Akeno and I just lit up. It had that extra "oomph" that captured my tastebuds in a way that my mother's tea never could.
And then there's Suzaku's.
It had just the right blend of spice and sweetness.
It was hot enough to capture the flavor but not too hot that it burns your mouth.
"I can tell just from the look on your face you're enjoying it," she said.
Even her perception is spot-on. What can't she do?
"How exactly do you make it this so good?" I asked.
"We use a rare herb that we grow on site," Suzaku replied. "It also helps that I heat it up myself."
She must have one hell of a kettle to heat up this tea so well.
"You should send us some of those herbs, Suzaku." Akeno replied.
"I'll send you some for your return trip."
Suzaku put down her cup and continued, "I assume you two are not here merely to visit. What matter do you wish to discuss?"
"We're trying to locate Ravel Phenex, the daughter of a high-ranking devil, who had been kidnapped." I replied. "A ransom note that we received is claiming that the Himejima clan is responsible."
I handed Suzaku the note that Lord Riser had given me.
"It just doesn't add up," Akeno added. "I would have believed it if Grand-Uncle was still head of the family, but you aren't the type of person to do such a thing."
"No. I wouldn't do something so barbaric," Suzaku replied. "I haven't had any contact with the house of Phenex. But I think I have a lead on the actual party behind the kidnapping.
I've heard about a string of kidnappings involving Sacred Gear users such as the servant that they are asking in exchange. They are often attributed to multiple less reputable parties such as, unfortunately thanks to my Great-Uncle, us, but they are rumored to be the work of a single high-ranking devil."
"Do you know who this high-ranking devil could be?" Akeno asked.
"Not a clue. It's just conjecture as some of the members of the Five Clans have been involved in these kidnappings as well."
"I just wish I could go five seconds without someone trying to steal Asia's Sacred Gear."
"Well, since you're here," Suzaku told Akeno, "you wouldn't mind spending the day catching up with your cousin, would you?"
"I would love to!"
While Akeno and Suzaku were hanging out in town, I was doing some looking around of my own.
I found a quaint little convenience store and bought myself a soda.
When I exited, a young brown-haired woman who was accompanying Akeno and Suzaku earlier walked over to me.
"I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself earlier, I'm Hagane Sasaki, a servant of the house of Himejima."
"Hello."
"Lady Suzaku and Lady Akeno are ready to head back home, if you are."
"Yeah, I'm ready."
"That's good," she said. "I just have one question, though."
Wait a second, this situation seems oddly familiar.
What am I getting déjà vu of?
"Where's the girl?" she asked.
"You're gonna have to be a bit more specific," I replied.
Hagane then suddenly donned a suit of sci-fi looking armor and punched me in the gut with the force of a ten-ton truck.
So that was what I was remembering: that time Yuma asked me to die.
I was sent flying through the window of the convenience store and through several of the aisles.
"Where's your servant?" she specified. "If you give her to me now, we won't have to harm you or your friends."
Oh. You don't threaten my friends in front of me. That shit just gets me fired up.
My aura began to flare and I fired my Retribution magic at armored Hagane.
It did nothing to scratch her.
What kind of armor is that? Space-age titanium?
I had no other choice. I'm gonna have to weaken her down.
I managed to summon my Sacred Gear in my right arm, and I charged at her again.
She tried to punch me again from my left, but I grabbed the arm with my Sacred Gear.
"DIVIDE!"
It was that voice again.
It seemed to have worked. She managed to get a punch in from the right side, but it didn't hit nearly as hard as I felt her power transferring to me.
"So, it is true what Lady Halja said. You do have the power of the Vanishing Dragon," she said. "But it doesn't matter. My magic armor is immune to all types of Holy and Demonic magic, no matter how many times you divide my power!"
However, she didn't seem to have quite the immunity to the fire magic that she was suddenly attacked by, as she suddenly teleported out through what looked like a devil's summoning circle.
The one who saved my bacon was Suzaku Himejima, who was accompanied by Akeno.
I tried getting back on my feet by I felt a sharp pain right below my chest and Akeno had to help me up.
That punch must've done a number on my ribs.
When we got back, Suzaku managed to use some powerful healing magic to heal me back up.
"So, could you figure out what family's circle she used?" I asked as Suzaku was healing me.
"Not a clue," said Akeno. "The circle was gone before I was able to get to you."
"I can't believe one of my servants was an enemy devil," Suzaku commented. "She must have been the one who sent that letter so she could lure you into a trap."
"Whoever she was, she mentioned she was working for Halja," I added. "Somehow I knew that Bitch-Goddess was behind this…"
"I see you have begun to master the Dividing Gear," Suzaku added.
"So that's what it's called?"
"Being an expert on spirits, I'm naturally also an expert on rare Sacred Gears such as yours. When I heard about it, I had to take a look at it. It's likely related to the Sacred Gear that the Goddess of Death has."
"Well that's neat."
"You should be good now," Suzaku told me as she finished healing me.
"So, what was that power you used against that devil earlier?" I asked.
"As a high-ranking member of the Himejima clan, which serves the Shinto God of Fire, I, naturally have control over fire myself."
So that's what she meant when she said she heated the tea herself.
"So that's why you posed a threat to her. She claimed her armor was immune to holy and demonic magic, but your magic is of a completely different origin."
I thought about that for a second.
"So, if my Dividing Gear is Draconic magic, that might be the key to breaking that armor…"
"Is there, by any chance, a suit of armor I can use?" I asked.
"There's one in the basement that we're not using," Suzaku replied. "I'd be willing to let you test on that."
She used telekinesis magic to bring the suit of armor to the dining room.
I brainstormed for a hot minute and then I placed my hand on the suit of armor.
A seal appeared on it, marking the suit of armor to transfer the energy to.
"Okay. Here's goes nothing."
I snapped with my right hand and, all of a sudden, cracks started forming in the suit of armor and it shattered like glass.
"Well, will you look at that," said Suzaku. "It works!"
"Hey, Makoto. Would you like to try that technique on me~?" Akeno asked.
"You're not even wearing any armor," I replied.
"Wait a second." Suzaku interrupted. "I think I hear something…"
There was an awkward silence until she suddenly exclaimed,
"Get down!"
There was suddenly a bright flash and we were forced to duck for cover as a flurry of what appeared to be energy bullets shot through the windows and the wall in front of us.
Before Akeno could duck however, I heard her yelp in pain, which my attention immediately turned to. It appears that one of the energy bullets struck Akeno's left leg.
"I got it!" Suzaku told me as she began to heal Akeno.
Out the shattered window, floating with his wings in the distance, I noticed another purple haired devil that I immediately recognized.
It was that poser who kill-stole our stray devil mark – Enrico Stark!
"I see the warning from our Rook wasn't enough to comply with our master's request, so I ask you again, Makoto Fujiwara, give us the girl!"
"Like hell I'll give you Asia!" I exclaimed as I fired off my Retribution magic at him, but it completely missed its mark.
"You're incredibly sloppy," he said. "What fool thought it would be wise to make you a master?"
I noticed yellow orbs were starting to accumulate around him.
"This is bad," said Suzaku. "My healing isn't working!"
"Let me try," I said, attempting to heal her myself. It had zero effect on the wound.
"Impossible!" I exclaimed in frustration.
Lady Grayfia suddenly teleported into the room. She rushed to Akeno and picked her up.
"I'll take care of her from here. Makoto! We need to get back to your house!"
I nodded.
"I'll hold him off. You two, go." Suzaku said as me and Grayfia teleported out and Suzaku primed up her fire magic.
We both arrived in the living room.
Aika, Kiba, and even Koneko rushed up to me, looking concerned.
"Are you alright, man?" Kiba asked.
I honestly don't know. I think I might be hyperventilating.
Koneko led me to a chair. "We heard you and Akeno were attacked," she said, with a surprising amount of concern for my well-being.
"Please tell me they didn't injure you as well," Aika added.
"No," I replied. "At least not permanently. The Rook shook me up pretty bad, but nothing like what Akeno took from Stark."
After I calmed down a bit, I went up to Akeno's bedroom, where she was lying on the bed accompanied by Rias, Grayfia, and Asia, who was attempting to heal the injury with her Twilight Healing with continued lack of success.
"I don't understand," Asia said. "Why isn't it working?"
"Because the entire house of Amon is composed powerful Anti-Magic users."
Riser Phenex suddenly entered the room. He looked rather grim compared to his normal expression.
"In particular, Milcom Amon's Queen utilizes an attack that is immune to all forms of healing magic, even my regenerative abilities. Not even Phoenix Tears were able to heal them. He forced both Yubelluna and myself to retire in my Rating Game with him, which lead to my first true defeat in many years."
It makes sense now. Hagane's armor was immune to my magic and Enrico's attacks are immune to healing magic.
Lady Grayfia wrapped up Akeno's leg with bandages as the rest of them left.
"This should help for now. Unfortunately, she won't be on her feet until the wound can be healed properly.
I'll be with the rest of them in Lady Rias' base of operations if you need me, Makoto."
I was staring out the window, increasingly frustrated.
"I can't believe this. How can I be a master? I can't even protect you! How can I begin to protect Asia?"
…
"My, my. Here I am, defenseless and confined to this bed and you choose to brood instead of taking advantage of me."
I chuckled. "Good grief. I never took you to be that much of a masochist."
"You really are hopeless sometimes. It was clearly not your fault. I'll be fine. If anyone can defeat those devils and break the curse, it's you."
"I might as well give it a shot." I said, with my spirit beginning to return with Akeno being her normal self.
"I don't want to have to keep taunting you lying down forever."
"It sure isn't stopping you," I replied as I teleported out
"Glad to see you join us," Aika said as I entered the club room.
"So, the Himejima clan wasn't the one responsible for my sister's kidnapping," said Riser.
"No. It's likely the one who infiltrated them made it look like they did," Rias replied.
"So, what's our next move?" I asked.
"Your next move is to have a Rating Game with me immediately, House of Gremory."
I was answered by a sudden hologram of a bearded man in a nice suit.
"Since all attempts to negotiate with you have failed, we will have to settle this matter through combat an hour from now. If we win, you will have no choice but to hand Asia Argento and her Sacred Gear to us. If, in the off chance that you win, I will graciously hand back Lady Ravel. Refusal to comply with my request will result in your obliteration."
"I accept, Milcom Amon." Rias replied with confidence.
"And I will act as Queen in Akeno's absence." I commented with similar confidence.
My boldness appeared to have surprised Rias, followed by a sly grin.
Asia eventually also stood up and said, "I will act as Bishop."
"I accept these addendums. I am looking forward to our Game."
Amon's hologram then vanished from the floor.
"Are you insane!?" Riser exclaimed. "How would you have a chance of beating Milcom Amon? Not even my servants could beat him, and he only has three servants!"
"Because I won't lose." Rias replied. "Not when the stakes are this high. I will not let Makoto lose Asia for a second time."