"Can I help you?" Issei asked his desk neighbor who was now staring a hole in him while crouched in front of his desk, Issei's inherited memories were hazy at best but he at least thought she would be happy that he wasn't peeping on the Kendo Club, here she was making the same sour expression she had every time he was caught by the girls of the club. Though the same anger was there her eyes had a hint of concern to them.

The girl stood up as soon as the boy put his book down, 'seriously who reads manga in a study hall period.' Another thing that was off about the boy lately, for several days now her troublemaker of a classmate has been acting like a totally different person. Not that it wasn't an improvement on the status quo, it came too quickly and Issei and the other perverts seem to have been in a fight of some kind. In her experience, these were all signs of it leading to dark places, and she needed to get down to it... For his sake, taking a sharp breath she finally spoke. "I should be asking the same thing Hyoudou-san, did something happen?"

Issei was clearly confused at the question when looked at her again. "Yamamo-" he was stopped dead in his tracks as the girl brought up a hand to his forehead and then the opposite to hers, checking his temperature.

"No fever, have you been feeling sick?"

Swiping her hand away he answered, still confused. "No... What is this Yamamoto?"

"You are so much different than you used to be. It's concerning that you changed so much. Is there something I can do to help?"

"No offense, Yamamoto... That's none of your business." Issei said coldly

Yamamoto Mei narrowed her eyes on him. "You know exactly why it is." The annoyance evident in her tone though her face was still one of worry, grabbing the empty seat behind her she sat opposite of him at his desk, putting on her best smile she spoke in a gentle voice. "There's something bothering you right, Hyoudou-san?" The silence was telling coming from him. "It could be anything, it doesn't have to be the problem you are having... If you just want to have someone to talk to, I am here. You probably don't care about me, but I heard that it sometimes helps to have a person around like that." She then put her arms on the desk resting her head on them, looking up at the boy she finished. "I don't have club, so we have time. What do you have on your mind, Hyoudou-san?"

(...)

Taking a trip to Aeon, the local mall about a twenty-five-minute bus ride from his home, Issei was on a shopping trip in search of new clothes with both Raynare and his mother complaining about the lack of diversity in his wardrobe. Looking at his phone the date was the 16th of May shortly after noon, which left him with enough time to go in and out and have the rest of his Sunday to himself without anyone being the wiser. Seeing his stop he exited the bus entering the mall, it being the changes to the Kuoh he personally knew. He mentally thanked whoever was listening for the transplanted memories from his other self. Though he had an idea of the general layout he had no idea of what he was going to do about the clothes. A pair of soft hands covered his eyes, though he knew who it was he still acted surprised. "H-you-dou-san, guess who!?" A feminine voice asked in a sing-song tone.

[This is all you, partner.]

"Sugiyama? Is that you?" Issei asked with veiled confusion in a joking tone.

Releasing Issei, the girl behind him acted mock offended when he turned around to face her. "Me and Mako sound nothing alike Hyoudou..." She announced sternly. With her statement being met with a grin and shrug Mei continued. "So, Hyoudou, doing some shopping?" She asked.

"Yeah... I am doing some clothes shopping, but honestly, I don't know what to look for." Issei looked away in embarrassment, turning a shade of red.

Taking this opportunity Mei had a figurative light bulb go off on top of her head as a small smile crept on her face. "How about I help you since Mako flaked to visit family, let's make a day out of it, what do you say?"

Issei thought it over. The outing with the classmate in front of him was not a bad idea, but something stopped him, a feeling of sorts preventing him from agreeing to it. Though he felt what he felt Issei pushed through and agreed with the importuned hang-out. "I don't see a reason not to... Sure why not." That was his response.

Mei offered the boy a bright smile before grabbing him on the wrist and dragging him behind her. "First thing first, we have a lot of work to do." Pointing out his state of dress, Issei had a graphic tee with a cat girl wearing a red cloak on the black background that was the shirt, and a pair of sweatpants. "there is a line between a nerd and just being lazy. Hyoudou."

Issei took her in, she was in a white floral print spaghetti strap showing off her figure most notably to him the D-cups that took up the surface of her chest. Retrieving his thoughts, Issei gave her a half-hearted response knowing full well that she was right. "I'm not lazy, I... I just feel comfortable like this, Yamamoto."

"That's complete bull and you know it." The girl retorted with a sly grin. The two continued like that speaking about anything that came to mind. Mei suddenly stopped in front of a clothing store, her eyes lit up when she did. Issei at this point was now used to being tolled around by the excitable girl so when she pulled on him to follow he did not resist. "Here is our first stop, I am not going to hang out with you looking like that Hyoudou." She said sternly, followed by a nod of affirmation.

As the two entered they were greeted by the clerk helping a customer near the entrance giving the pair a knowing look with her greeting. Mei reading into the look grew flush as she hurried Issei along. The boy grew perplexed at the sudden pink complimenting his classmates' cheeks, knowing what the blush might mean nearly stopped from asking what was wrong anyway. "Is something the matter? Your face is red."

Mei's eyes grew wide when those words left Issei's mouth, though she can sense the genuine concern in his tone clear as day Mei reflected on the look that the clerk had given them. 'She totally thought that we were on a date, didn't she?' The thought ran rampant in her head. Could she call this a date? She had come here for a day with her best friend that fell through, and running into Issei was a lucky accident. 'Wait, lucky?' When was it that she started thinking that way? She had always found Issei a nuisance. Until a couple of days ago unless he was competing with Makoto his presents were unwanted ones, and yet again when did that change? Her mind went back to the day she had found him out of it in class and asked him. Though she spent the rest of that afternoon trying to cheer him up she never found out what was wrong, and even now there was something in those eyes of his that was not fully there. Her thoughts were interrupted when another hand squeezed hers. At some point, as she was lost in her crisis, she and Issei had begun holding hands. It was safe to say that Issei had taken hers in his.

"You seriously look out of it Yamamoto, are you doing alright?" It seemed his instincts were off in his earlier thought if the pale look on her face was anything to go by. Thinking that she wasn't feeling well had led him to grab his hand in support, partially to gain her attention, but the question that came through him for a loop.

"Hey, Hyoudou. Is this a date?"

The question seemed to play on loop in the boy's head for the few seconds that accompanied it. Deciding it was best to take the question seriously he turned it on its head. "Do you want it to be?"

At that, Mei stopped taking a more solemn expression. "I... I don't know." She wanted to say no, she had for the longest time found him repulsive, and yet she felt an attraction to him. The answer to his question was clear and yet she could bring herself to answer.

"How about this Yamamoto? How about we just hang out like we would have anyway." Issei spoke calmly. Issei took a measured length of time to examine the embarrassed brunette currently holding on to his hand for dear life. 'She definitely wants this to be one.' Issei thought as he sighed to himself.

[You should go with the flow partner, the more allies you have the better. If the day comes when that Fallen betrays you again you are going to need someone you can trust to share in your burdens. Just as well as I, you know that this task is currently beyond us.]

'Then what do you suggest?' The internal question was only met with silence. 'Figures.'

[I can't calm down to be anything more to you than an advisor, this life is yours to live. I am just like any other spirit, a passenger along for the ride. Though I have grown quite fond of you so I may steer you to a path that will require you to live longer.]

'Like this one Ddraig?'

[In many ways yes... But it appears there is nothing for me to do. Your mind is made up, is it not?... Then the rest is up to you.]

Being brought back to reality, Issei looked Mei in the eye and spoke. "If it's okay with you, let's continue with what we were doing. Did you want anything from here?" Issei asked the girl.

Mei hearing his question shook her head as the pink in her face dissipated. Now gathering the strength to move on, her embarrassed expression was replaced with one of determination as the light returned to her and she began to pull Issei to the young adult's section. "If we are going to hang out Hyoudou I am not going to do it with you dressed like that."

As they neared the section Issei responded to her. "I see your point, but it's not like I am going to be anywhere your level Yamamoto." The statement caught Mei off guard not that the boy whose hand was in hers noticed continued. "Looking at you now it is obvious that you are way out of my league. Not to mention that you are smart, caring, and very beautiful."

The blush returned to Mei's features, and with every honest compliment, it only grew a darker shade. Issei had given "compliments" to her before but for the first time they hadn't felt perverted, she was happy, happy that Issei had seen her in that light. Something occurred to her however, Mei thought back to the depressed look on the boy's face when she spent an afternoon with him. When she first noticed that change in him, when he had brushed her off instead of trying to hit on her like always. She didn't know if the change was a good one or not, but those eyes she saw that day, even the way he was acting since then had her worried, but that was for a different time, she had to focus on the present. Turning to Issei she shook her head giving his hand a light squeeze. "That's really sweet of you to say Hyoudou. I don't see myself that way, I am happy that you do. But I don't think you are giving yourself that much credit. You are just as smart, although I don't like your 'hobbies' I can see that you are a caring person." Mei paused, remembering him giving a middle school course student at school directions when she was lost, and a myriad of other examples before continuing with her thought. "So don't say that the person you are is any worse than I am. I actually admire your confidence and drive. Things that I lack. When you said that it hurts, honestly I have been worried about you for a while now."

"Worried about me?" The very idea seemed off to the young man, not that he wasn't happy with the sentiment. From his inherited memories the two of them had a near antagonistic relationship to the point he thought that the girl hated him, at least that's what the Issei she knew thought. 'I really need to fix this perception of reality that this idiot had, to think he was ready to kill himself at one point. Things were just about to get a lot worse for him.' He thought to himself.

[You see why Sarinna constantly tells you how mentally strong you are. Not many people would continue on even after losing more than most.] Though Issei heard the dragon in his head he chose to not comment but to focus on the girl in a braided half-tail in front of him.

"Yes! Of course, I was silly…" She stopped mid-sentence to look him in the eye, which was easy because they were a near match in height. "I just said that I admired you, stupid. Why would I not notice that the person I admire is acting differently? You lacked the energy that you had, and that was scary to watch. That's why I came up to you the other day…" She paused again, taking a more solemn expression. "I thought if I could help then I should. Hyoudou if anything were to ever happen to you I would not know what to do." She also thought 'Mako would probably do something unforgivable if that was the case,' to herself.

"I'm sorry, I didn't…"

He was stopped by the girl's free hand suddenly appearing in front of his face. "Let's not talk about this now I am all ears later. But I want to enjoy whatever this is without all the heavy stuff."

Issei smiled when her hand returned to her side, speaking soon after. "Sure thing, you hate my sense of style eh?" He questions jokingly acting mock offended as the two splits, him missing the skin-to-skin contact.

"Not really, being a fan of Shadow Roses is fine, though Ruby and Neo's relationship is weird. But that's neither here nor there, who wears graphic tees in public like that? I wouldn't want everyone to think that anyone who would associate with me is some catgirl-loving pervert." She walked over to the nearest clothing rack and began to browse through the available selection of windbreakers.

"You know what that is?" he asked, genuinely confused. "I thought you weren't the type to read manga." Issei said in justification of his inquiry.

Mei's face however turned bright pink freezing for a moment at the question before she made a quick recovery, taking out a black windbreaker with dark sleeves to show him, though her face was hidden behind it she answered the boy with an amount of cheer in a voice through some trouble on her part. "I-I wanted t-to be more like you, and what better way to start than the things you liked and your hobbies." She retorted, thinking back to when she bribed Issei's friends to get them to spill the beans about him. It was not her proudest moment but she got what she needed without much trouble. "I may have gotten some information on your taste like you are a major Dragon Ball fan." Along with his taste in girls, not that she would ever tell him that.

Issei's eyes went wide, he was seriously trying to think up a way to somehow bring back this world's version of himself and kick that Issei's ass into oblivion. Here was a girl that was seriously cute with a nice body, both of their type, and into(at least he hoped) the same things he was, and that coward couldn't see what was right in front of him. "Well that's… uhh… why haven't you ever said anything about this, or asked me directly?"

Mei did not answer him, choosing to shove the jacket toward him. 'Like I could do that Idiot .' She thought as she turned around her heart quickening its pace. "That shirt should be fine, it's cold enough to have the jacket zipped up, go find some pants to go with it." She commended while avoiding looking him in the face. "I will wait for you, by the changing rooms, I want to see what you picked out before we buy anything."

"A-Alright."

She couldn't help but feel her heartbreak at the response, Issei sounded more confused than anything as he left her in search of her requested item, but there in the way he had spoken had underlying loneliness to it. As he left her face unreadable, with a veil of pink, she couldn't face him like this, she refused to act more like the blushing schoolgirl that she was around him. That was the plan but as she soon will find out that was a task that she will constantly fail around him. Taking a couple of minutes she felt that it was safe to return to him now that she had mentally prepared to continue what she begrudgingly came to consider a date.

A short walk and she was near the area that was designated for the change rooms, but before she could look for Issei or wait for him she felt an arm wrapped around her as she was put into an embrace. She looked up to the person… a boy just a bit taller and older than her with a predatory grin who pulled her in closer. "Well, what is a pretty thing like you doing here alone? If you are free do you want to hang out together? I promise I can have a lot of fun."

Mei was afraid, this person did not seem like he would take rejection well. The blonde boy looked her up and down taking in what he saw, and it was as if he was not going to let her go anytime soon, but even with her fear she calmed her nerves and prepared to reject him, even causing a scene if she had to. She had to think, what could she say to him or do to force him to give up, but before she could an irate voice came from behind the pair it was accompanied by a yelp of pain as the boy's arm was removed as painfully as it sounded from her shoulders. Turning around was a sight that she would not soon forget. Issei was standing there meaning mugging her assailant in the jacket that she had picked out and a pair of blue jeans, and if didn't know any better she would have sworn that his emerald eyes were giving off a faint glow, as the anger seemingly radiated from him. "What the fuck do you think you are doing with my girl?" The proclamation makes Mei blush, getting the older boy to back off.

With that, the blonde took a few steps away from her with his arms raised, but when he opened his mouth Mei was surprised at the young-sounding feminine voice that came out. "I thought I would see what Leviathan saw in you, but angering you was far too easy. You need to work on that anger of yours, not that other Gods would mind it." As the boy spoke he was replaced with a young girl who looked about middle school age in full plate-mail but instead of a helmet she had a gold circlet wrapped around near platinum blonde hair pulled into a single braid. As brown eyes stared down green the world around them froze as if the time for the three stopped at that moment, a sickening smile crossed the 'middle schooler's face when she spoke. "But with that said a little vengeful anger is to be expected from one who holds your title." She paused as walked into Issei's personal space, which Issei did not flinch. "It's finally nice to meet you, Red Dragon of Domination." Mei was stunned when the girl hovered to meet Issei's height, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him while keeping her eyes on Mei. When they separated, her smile returned. "Leviathan told me a lot about you. Thou-" She was interrupted by a booming voice coming from Issei's left hand.

[Balance Breaker!]

In a split second Issei was covered in the Boosted Gear's signature full scale-mail, the gems of the armor radiating a rainbow of light, and a pair of white angel wings. "You have some nerve to mess with humans, foolish Goddess." The voice continued.

The Goddess laughed, pointing a finger at Issei. "Human? Me and that boy's parents have been friends for long before this world was created. If you can't tell the difference between a half celestial like myself and a human then I feel sorry for you Welsh dragon." She then looked down with sadness clear on her face. "What's wrong with greeting someone who is like family, especially when we both clearly mourn his father's death."

A/N: The following is a reader requested chapter the events depicted are not canon to the story, though the first four chapters are taken into consideration these events take place between chapter one and two. I don't know why they wanted a date between these two but you have Tyrant Overlord Killidia to thank for this.