I arrived at the meeting place downtown about fifteen minutes early.

This particular spot is oddly nostalgic, as it was where I technically had my "first date."

It's weird that I feel this way about this spot, as said first date tried to kill me at the climax of the date.

Granted, I was expecting someone to try and kill me after the events of the previous night, but it was still a buzzkill considering the date was going so well.

Though, maybe this nostalgia was because this was where everything started with me and the Occult Research Club.

"Earth to Makoto?"

Yuma had arrived as I was reminiscing.

"You actually kept your promise. I'm glad!"

"An angel keeps his word…"

I noticed the dress she was wearing. I expected her to wear that same dress from before, but she is now wearing a different, much brighter one.

"You like it? It was the one I picked the first time."

"You actually kept the dress?"

"Duh! Why would I buy a dress and then just discard it?"

"Well, a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one."

"C'mon! Let's have an actual first date!"

We began retracing our steps through the last date, including the restaurant.

"Wait a second, Yuma." I said. "I don't have my mom's Credit Card with me."

"Don't worry. I'll cover it this time!"

She pulled out a credit card of her own.

"I've been meaning to ask, but where did you end up settling down? You said you were on the run earlier."

"Oh. Baraqiel ended up taking me in."

Baraqiel? As in Akeno's father?

She continued after we were seated.

"He got me reinstated into the Grigori after I helped you save his daughter. I had thought the organization had gone extinct after what happened to Azazel, but he and Lord Shemhazai had brought it back together."

"Did he mention his daughter often?"

"Frequently. He said he wanted to make up for failing her before."

All this time, I had thought he didn't care. But Shuri's death must have hurt him as much as it hurt my mom and Akeno, especially since now he's estranged from his daughter because he didn't make it in time, just like it felt for my mom when she was too late to save my dad.

"I see…"

"Lord Shemhazai then assembled a group that included another runaway…"

"Kuroka?"

She nodded, "Along with a Sigurd Institution clone that wasn't a complete sociopath – Lint Sellzen. She's the Vatican's representative on the Grigori."

"Probably the only one who actually wanted the job."

She nodded, "I was recently asked to transfer to your school for the time being due to the threat of an attack."

"An attack?" I commented. "You mean by the Khaos Brigade?"

"Yes. During the Vatican's Conference. The three of us are supposed to keep an eye out."

"Did you hear anything about stealing a Holy Sword?"

"No. That's the first I've heard about that. Why?"

"… No reason…"

We were about finished eating at that point. I then noticed someone familiar among the waiters.

"I'm gonna run by the restroom. I'll meet you outside."

She nodded and began walking out.

I stood up as the waiter approached my table to collect the dishes.

"I didn't know you worked here, Yuuto."

"I asked a student whom I know worked here if I could cover his shift this evening so I could keep an eye out."

"I got this under control, but thank you."

"When you said you were meeting with a girl this weekend who might know, I had no idea you were referring to her."

"Well, I'm getting the feeling there's less of a chance for me to get stabbed at the end this time, so that's something."

"Did you get any information about the attack?"

"Other than the Grigori sent her and those two oddballs from earlier to keep an eye on it, nothing. She doesn't even know anything about who stole Ascalon or why."

"That's a bummer…" Yuuto noticed a customer waiting for a table. "I gotta get back to work, see ya."

I waved goodbye as I went to meet up with Yuma in the Lobby.

After we did some more activities together, my first actual date with Yuma concluded.

The sun was going down and we were approaching the same park fountain that ended our last date.

She reached out her hand for me to hold, but something was wrong.

"Yuma," I began "I have something to tell you."

"Your heart belongs to someone else, does it?"

"You could tell? I thought you said- Oh wait, that was just a really stupid nightmare."

"After the horrible things I did, I wouldn't blame you. I tried to kill you and I threatened to kill Asia."

Well shoot. I made her depressed. I can't end a date like this! I need to say something to cheer her up!

"Well… But you didn't!"

Damn it, Makoto! That one's shit! Think of a better one.

"I only asked you for a second date so I could have a chance to make things right," she said. "But we both know that's not the case."

"Maybe in an alternate timeline where you did kill Asia and turn into a power-hungry sociopathic bitch, I wouldn't able to forgive you. But you weren't. You're a different person now. You trusted me to help you defeat Halja even when I didn't trust you. I may have moved on, but at the very least, I can now trust you… and forgive you."

…

"I'm sorry, that was way too cheesy, let me try again."

"No. You've said enough. Could you do something for me?"

That may have worked. I may be about to finish a date without getting stabbed.

I closed my eyes and chuckled. This is likely going to be option A instead of B.

*STAB*

I heard a slashing sound go through someone, but it wasn't me!

I opened my eyes. Yuma had been run through with a spear of light!

"Well, well. The culprit returns to the scene of the crime," said Mittelt. "It's funny, the only one dying at 'heaven's evening daze' is yourself."

"Yuma!" I exclaimed, rushing to heal her. I nearly closed the wound before Mittelt tried to attack me with her spear, which I slashed right through with Excalibur Mimic.

"A holy sword, huh? Still not close in power to the one we got our hands on!"

"What!? You're the one who stole Ascalon?"

Mittelt laughed. "No. Not me. Someone else I worked with snuck in during you and the Gremory families' revelry. I don't understand why you choose to associate with impure beings."

Yuma coughed. I can't believe that I'm glad that Yuma survived.

"Speak for yourself, you traitorous fallen angel." she said, weakly.

"That's where you're wrong, Raynare."

I fired off my Power of Retribution at Mittelt, but she got out of the way using her… white angel wings?

"Rias Gremory's power didn't stop me. Don't go thinking yours will be any different."

"Impossible! But how?" Yuma exclaimed as she noticed Mittelt's new wings and halo.

"Unlike you, I've risen above seeking approval from your Daddy," she said. "I've been purified by pledging my service to a real angel."

"What angel!?" I questioned, "Your master murdered them all!"

"Not all of them!"

She was then interrupted by a bolt of lightning that she narrowly dodged.

"I will not let you harm them!" Akeno exclaimed.

Mittelt scoffed and flew off.

"My my. That one just doesn't know when to give up…" Akeno said.

I ran over to where Yuma had fallen unconscious. I sighed in relief when I confirmed she still had a pulse.

"Is she alive?"

"Yes."

"Thank goodness. I heard what you said to her."

"It wasn't too cringy, was it?"

"No. You were was sweet as always."

Yuma woke up a little under an hour later on my bed with me and Asia nearby.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"My house," I responded. "Don't worry. You're safe here. Asia finished healing you."

"… Thank you."

"When Mittelt mentioned your father back then, was she referring to…"

"Azazel? Yes."

"Azazel was your father?" Asia asked.

"Like he cared. He was with so many women that he wouldn't notice the result of one of his little flings. Naturally, my birth mother wasn't able to care for me, and when my wings started to grow, I was considered cursed and the orphanage ran me off. It was then that Halja gave me an offer I couldn't refuse.

When I came across Asia and her Sacred Gear shortly after I tried to kill you, I thought it was my chance to prove to Azazel that I was worthy, but when I boasted of this to the other fallen angels, they told me the truth.

'Didn't you hear!? Lady Halja obliterated him. He's gone!'

That was when I sought to take down that goddess. We hatched a plan to use the order to extract her Sacred Gear as an opportunity to seek your help in private."

I needed a second to take all of that in.

"I don't know if I mentioned this earlier. But I apologize for doubting you before."

"It's okay," she said. "I lied to you before. You had no reason to trust me…"

I sighed. "Feel free to stay the night here if you want. My mom can prepare a room for you." I said to her.

"That won't be necessary. I have an apartment," she said as she walked out the door.

Asia and I followed her, "Wait a second!"

She was about to walk out the front door as I made it to the Living Room.

"Do you want to die, Yuma Amano?"

Yuma glared back at Rias as she asked that.

"Makoto and I can guarantee your safety here. But if you choose to go back, whoever tried to kill you earlier will likely be waiting for you."

Akeno was standing next to her. "I know what you're going through. You can trust us. If you need another fallen angel to talk to, I'm here."

Yuma sighed, "Alright… I accept."

As Yuma went back upstairs, Rias sighed. "I knew I should have killed her when I had the chance…"

"Akeno just told her to trust us…" I commented.

"I wasn't referring to Yuma," Rias replied. "I had killed Dohnaseek earlier, but Mittelt got away, and now she tried to attack you… I'm sorry if you think this is my fault."

"I would never blame you for anything like that."

"Didn't Mittelt mention something about a holy sword?" Akeno asked.

"Yes. She said one of her buddies somehow got in and took Ascalon while Mom was busy entertaining your family. That means the Khaos Brigade now has their hands on Ascalon."

"This is troubling," Rias commented. "If the thief attacks the conference, we could be in serious danger."

Matsuda's head was face-down on the desk.

"Hey, man. Something going on?" Motohama said to him.

"I just... never got to see Rias' mother…"

"You're still hung up about that?" I asked.

"Of course I am! We had this passionate discussion about this, and our research has reached a dead-end."

Since when was this subject considered "research?"

"Unless…" Motohama began. "You've infiltrated Rias Gremory's inner circle, right, Makoto?"

"'Infiltrated' isn't the word I would use, but yes."

"What if you can convince Rias' mother to come down here to the school?"

I really shouldn't tell them that I would have to travel to the Underworld to accomplish that…

"And if she or Rias asks why, do I say it's because two of the school's biggest perverts want to ogle her?"

"Obviously not!" Matsuda said. "Just say something about her daughter missing her dearly and she wants to see her too!"

Yes. Because Rias would definitely be thrilled to have another doting relative down here.

"And besides," Motohama said, adjusting his glasses. "This isn't just mere 'ogling,' I have to see how she compares to her daughter."

"I'll see what I can do…" I dismissively responded, as Matsuda suddenly looked out the window.

"No way! Is that Akeno walking with that new transfer student!?"

Indeed, it was Akeno and Yuma walking together. It seems that they've hit off quite well after last night. That comment about being a fallen angel may have helped.

"It's like they're long-lost sisters or cousins or something…" Motohama commented.

Akeno appeared to notice me in the window as she began waving at me.

"Did Akeno just wave at me!?" Motohama exclaimed.

"No, you idiot! She was waving at me!" Matsuda retorted.

The next morning, Rias and her peerage had packed their bags to travel to the Underworld for the Conference and I, along with Asia, Xenovia, and Irina, went with them to the train station to see them off.

"I never knew I could go to Hell on that train…" I commented as we arrived at the station.

"No, not on that train…" Rias responded. "There's a separate train we'll be taking."

We all went inside an elevator. While the buttons indicated you could only take it up to the second floor, Rias swiped a card, and we began going down.

"Exclusive subway station?" I asked.

"In a sense, yes." Rias replied. "There are other areas exclusive to devils throughout this town."

Yep, there is definitely some devil deep-state shit going on here.

What we were greeted to when we exited the elevator was a cavern inside what appeared to be the void. It was structured similarly to a train platform, but the little things like the wall lamps gave it a very arcaney vibe.

As the train arrived, I noticed the Gremory family sigil like the ones on her magic circles engraved onto it.

"I assume your family owns this train?" I asked Rias

Akeno giggled. "It would be easier to point out what her family doesn't own in this town."

As the train stopped, Rias said to me. "Well…"

Awkward silence.

"I guess I'll see you soon," I broke the silence as the two of us hugged and they began entering the train.

Shortly after all of them boarded and the rest of us were about to leave, Akeno rushed out and pecked my cheek.

"Can't have Rias give you all the affection, can I?"

Rias poked her head out of the train door. "Akeno! The train's about to leave!" she said in a quite frustrated tone.

She waved goodbye at me as she walked back to get back aboard the train.

As we headed back, Xenovia commented, "Now I see why you were concerned about confessing to one of them."

"Yes. There's obviously a serious love triangle going on, potentially a square or pentagon."

"So, what are we gonna do about the club while they're gone?" Irina asked.

"I guess we're in charge now…" I said.