Fanfiction! I never yielded! And as you can see, I am not dead!
Yes, I did rip that quote from Black Panther (great movie) and no, I won't apologize. Basically, what I'm saying is, even though my updates are coming slower and slower, I'm not dead, and this story isn't over till I say it's over. I've decided, that since I have lost basically all time to write (blame university) I'll just focus solely on His Angel for the moment. Don't freak out, nothing is on hiatus or abandoned (except Last Spartan, that's totally abandoned) I just don't have the time to keep up with 5 or however many stories and still produce quality content.
So, I'll just briefly address some concerns people have been having with the story. Nothing super major, just a couple things bugging me and some other folks that I figured I'd clarify.
1. Why'd you give Matsuda a place in the peerage? Why didn't you kill Matsuda?
A. Well, if you haven't yet noticed, the theme of this story is redemption, sort of, and that extends past Issei and Raynare. Matsuda is a side character, so I don't really get why some people are so fired up about his place in everything (he won't be important for much longer, don't fret) but I figure if Issei can forgive Raynare for trying to kill him and then actually killing his (awful as they may have been) step parents, he can forgive Matsuda. And, it's not like they just became instant best friends; there is realistic development going on. Cut me some slack. As for his place in the peerage, that's just due to worldbuilding and his place in the plot. No two ways about it, someone had to replace Issei as Rias' pawn.
2. The lemon ruined the story! REEEE!
A. No, it didn't, and it's not just there for the sake of being a lemon. It's extremely crucial to the plot. Make sure you understand things before telling me I should've written "2 his angel with lemons and without for delight your fans" cus that's dumb. Just saying.
3. I don't like how Azazel is related to Issei!
A. He's not. Azazel was friends with Issei's mother; and if you had to label it they'd be old friends who call each other family. And, if it's not the specifics that get you, you just didn't like the plot point, then idk what to tell you. Read the other fluff stories, I guess.
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That's about it, for now. I'll get out of your way, so...enjoy. I think you'll like this chapter; I sure did. Read and Review.
"So that's what a devil mansion looks like, huh?" Issei asked, dropping his cargo on the ground and sighing in relief.
"Not what you expected?" Raynare asked, walking beside him.
"I don't think so…" Issei replied, shaking his head.
"What did you expect?" Akeno asked, walking behind the two of them.
"Not something so...normal, I guess." Issei answered, picking his bags back up and continuing along the trail they'd been walking. On his right was Raynare, in front of him was Rias, behind all of them were Akeno, Kiba and Koneko, and far behind even those three were Matsuda and Asia. Matsuda's bag was easily twice as big as anything Issei carried, large to the point of being comical. He struggled to move with it on, and Asia refused to leave the boy's side, so they both lagged far behind.
Ironically enough, nearly all of the peerage's actual gear was stored in another massive bag, atop Koneko's shoulders. Matsuda's was, in reality, filled with mostly rocks, as per a suggestion Raynare made, for "strength training." Nobody knew but her and Rias. The angel struggled not to laugh at the poor ex-bully.
All of the peerage were dressed in workout clothes, and the loving couple was wearing casual outfits they'd changed into on the train ride. Issei had on jeans and a black long-sleeve, rolled up to his elbows, and Raynare wore a black tracksuit with silver lining, her hair tied in a ponytail.
After they'd all gotten off of the 'short' train ride, they began the several mile hike to the Gremory mansion in their underworld territory. Most of the peerage was fine with the exertion, save for Asia, who was sweating profusely. Matsuda's athletic background was helping him a bit, but his bag of rocks was keeping him from going as fast as he normally would.
Raynare carried nothing, as, naturally, Issei had taken all her things and carried them himself. Even their luggage put together was nothing for the boy, who'd started to put on lean muscle from the first day he'd awoken his sacred gear.
Not to mention, he'd slyly boosted himself a couple of times so he wouldn't get tired and look like a wimp.
As the group neared the end of their hike and the mansion came into view, everybody started moving a bit faster, motivated by the thought of stopping.
Within ten minutes, nearly the entire group had made it to the front of the mansion, where everyone was standing in a semi-circle waiting for the two stragglers to catch up. In another five, Matsuda finally trudged up, barely standing, Asia beside him. As he neared the group, his foot caught a stone buried in the ground, and he fell down face-first, the contents of his bag spilling out in front of him.
Issei burst out laughing, Raynare smiled knowingly, and the rest of the peerage winced as an avalanche of various size rocks sprung forth. Matsuda, picking himself up, narrowed his eyes at the rocks that had fallen out of his bag, then turned his gaze on a smiling Rias.
"Strength training." The devil said, smirking and tilting her head.
Matsuda scoffed and threw down the bag, rolling his shoulders back and forth in frustrated relief.
Rias looked around, checking to make sure everyone was present, and then magically produced a key and opened the large front door of the mansion, walking inside. The group followed close behind.
As everyone shuffled inside, Rias began to address the situation.
"Alright, everybody. We'll be staying in two rooms, so we don't trash the place; girls in one, boys in another. After we all set our things down and take a breather, we'll all meet up outside for some training, alright?"
Everyone agreed, Issei handed Raynare her things, and the two groups parted ways. Issei went with Kiba and Matsuda, while Raynare followed the rest of the girls.
"You two are good together in a room, right?" Kiba asked hesitantly, as the three boys walked into a large room with several beds and plenty of space around each.
"Why wouldn't we be?" Matsuda asked, throwing his actual bag on top of the bed furthest from the door.
"I know you have...history." Kiba said, trying to avoid stepping on a mine. He knew Matsuda had viciously bullied Issei as recently as a couple months ago, but he didn't know anything specific. He also knew Matsuda had apologized, but the Knight had his own old wounds. He understood better than anyone that an apology for something like that is as good as a band-aid on an amputation.
Issei and Matsuda's relationship had been steadily improving after the battle at the church, but it was still tense. While Kiba wanted to help them both move past it, he also didn't want to cause a bad confrontation. So, he'd just let things be for now.
"I think we'll be fine." Issei said, tossing his stuff on another one of the beds, coincidentally the one furthest from Matsuda's.
"Alright, if you guys think you can handle it." Kiba said reluctantly. "Once your stuff is down, let's go wait for the girls."
"Raynare, quick question." Rias said, as the peerage girls and the angel walked down a large hallway en-route to their bedroom.
"What?" Raynare asked, pulled out of her thoughts by the devil.
"How proficient are you in magic?"
"I've been alive for four thousand years."
"So, proficient…?"
"Yes. Very."
"In just light magic, or other types as well?"
"Mostly just light. Fallen Angel magic, of course. Some standard white and black magic, and a handful of elemental spells." Raynare said, filing through her internal grimoire. A life as long as hers was sure to amount plenty of knowledge, and there was a reason she had six wings. "Why are you asking?"
"Training purposes, naturally. Akeno and I could use tutoring with our elemental spells, and Asia would greatly benefit from learning white magic." Rias said, thinking. "Obviously, we can't learn Fallen or light magic, but it would be good to see exactly what you're capable of."
"Killing everyone on Riser's peerage in five minutes." Raynare said matter-of-factly. She wasn't being a prick; it was true. Low class devils would be nothing against a six-winged angel. If you went on wing amount alone, she was half as strong as Azazel himself. How that monster had managed to acquire twelve wings, she had no idea, but with six, she was a force to be reckoned with all on her own. The only one on Riser's peerage would could go toe-to-toe with her for more than thirty seconds is Riser himself, and as a devil of the Phenex, his one weakness is her greatest strength.
"Okay, well, could you...not, do that?" Rias asked, thrown off by the unexpected response. She knew Raynare was powerful, but that had been a very stark reminder.
"Why? Wouldn't it be easiest to just fly over to Riser and take him out?" Raynare asked, knowing full well exactly why that would be a bad idea. It would make Rias look like a terrible King, but it would protect herself and Issei from being hurt or anything during the game.
Raynare always did hate devil society. Just because Rias had a strong servant, or at least the illusion of one, she'd be looked upon extremely unfavorably for winning too easily.
"Well, yes, but the way devils are, they wouldn't like that at all. I'd get called a terrible king, and probably wouldn't be allowed back in the rating games for quite a while. A strong servant, a proxy piece no less, instantly wiping the entire enemy team would be extremely embarrassing." Rias explained, telling Raynare things the angel already knew.
"If you say so. Let me guess, you want me to only use two wings and basic light magic, right?" Raynare asked, realizing she'd have to weaken herself during the game to put on a better show.
"That would be best, yes. Unless something gets dire, I'd like you to maintain the illusion of being near our level. That being said, I need to win." Rias said, basically giving Raynare permission to go all out if the situation required it.
"I hear you." The angel replied, completely understanding.
"Here we are." Akeno announced, as they all came to a doorway. The queen opened it, and they all filled inside. Raynare threw her things down on a random bed and waited for the rest of them to do the same, but the other girls were taking eternity to just put their things down and get ready. She grew impatient as ten minutes passed.
Just as Raynare was about to start juggling a fireball to pass the time, Rias announced that they were all ready to go. The angel breathed a silent sigh of relief, and followed her back outside.
"Have either of you ever used a sword before?" Kiba asked Issei and Matsuda. The three of them were grouped up a little bit away from the mansion, where they were waiting to meet the girls. They'd been there for almost ten minutes already, so Kiba decided to just get a headstart on things.
"No." Issei replied.
"Neither have I." Matsuda said.
"Would either of you like to use a sword?" Kiba asked. His sphere of expertise was limited to swords and the use of them, so if neither Issei or Matsuda wanted anything to do with a blade he'd really have nothing to teach them.
"Uh, maybe. It depends." Matsuda said, raising his hand. His dog manifested by his side, in the form of a pitch-black wolf. "Can you do a sword?" He asked the wolf, and it leapt onto his hand, changing into a wicked looking razor-sharp katana. The hilt was jagged and uneven, the was no guard, and the blade was curved. There were glowing red symbols etched into the side, written in some ancient text.
"Uh...wow. You sure can do a sword." The boy said, turning the malevolent blade in his hand.
"That...is a vicious sword, Matsuda. I wouldn't want to get cut with it." Kiba said, admiring the blade from a...safe distance. The sword looked ready to strike out at anyone who got too close, which, in Kiba's secret opinion, sounded exactly like it's master. The knight turned to Issei.
"What about you? Do you have any interest in using a sword?" Kiba asked.
"Well, not a sword, but I've got this dagger…" Issei said, reaching behind him. He pulled on an invisible hilt, and from an invisible scabbard, drew a very real dagger.
Kiba felt the holy aura as soon as the hidden blade appeared. "Issei, what is that?"
"According to my mom's journal, it's called Carnwennan. It was the dagger of King Arthur, rumored to shroud the user in shadow." Issei said, twirling the artifact in his hands. Where Matsuda's sword looked brutal and wicked, Issei's dagger looked magnificent and regal. The hilt was white, and the blade itself shone with an immaculate silver. There were white gems, quite possibly diamonds, set in the hilt, with a white gold inlay going all down both sides of the blade. It was truly a gorgeous weapon.
"That's amazing." Kiba breathed out, near silent. While he held no love for King Arthur's flagship weapon, Excalibur, this dagger was previously unknown to him, and it was an incredible work of art. He couldn't help but be awestruck.
"That's pretty cool, I gotta say." Matsuda said, nodding in approval.
"So is that rumor true? Can it really 'shroud you in shadow'? Kiba asked, admiring the excellent craftsmanship of the weapon.
"Sort of...I wouldn't say shadow, really, but it can do this." Issei said. The boy walked under a nearby tree, in the shadow of the large oak. Issei thumbed one of the gems set into the hilt, making a show out of the action so Kiba could see it. The shadow of the tree seemed to roll over him, and he completely disappeared from sight.
Kiba gasped. Even Matsuda looked mildly impressed.
"That's amazing! You're totally invisible!" Kiba said, searching the area.
"Yeah, you're totally gone." Matsuda said, glancing around.
"It's pretty great, yeah. As long as my finger stays on the gem, I'll stay invisible. There is a drawback, though." Issei's voices seemed muffled and far away, a side-effect of the invisibility.
He moved out from under the try into the sunlight. As soon as he crossed from the darkness into the light, something horrific happened.
The shadows that had wrapped around Issei were trying their hardest to rip away from him, and they screamed in pain. He was partially visible wherever the shadows tore away, and within the space of about twenty seconds, Issei was left standing completely visible in the sunlight, breathing heavily.
"What in the world was that?" Kiba asked, mortified by the grotesque screams of literal shadows.
"The shadows...don't like the light…" Issei said, panting.
"That's quite the drawback-" Kiba started, before being interrupted.
"Alright, are you guys ready to start?" Rias asked, her and all the girls walking out of the mansion.
Matsuda sighed in grim anticipation. He was already tired from the hike, and who knew what Rias was going to make them do next.
"We're all ready. I was just about to start teaching them the basics of the sword." Kiba said, gesturing to the two boys with weapons out.
"Alright, keep doing that then. Run Issei through some drills and such, and I'll have Matsuda go with Koneko for now, you two will work on physical training and hand to hand. A little bit later, you'll switch, Issei with Koneko and Matsuda with Kiba. Asia and Raynare, you come with Akeno and I, and we'll work on some magic. Everybody ready? Let's train hard!"
5 days later
Issei crept quietly through the thick woods outside the mansion, desperately trying to get a bead on where the next slash would come from. Rain drenched him, and his shoes sloshed with every movement.
He wasn't fast enough, and took a shallow cut in the right arm, turning just in time to watch Kiba dart away almost too fast for him to see. If he had his dagger, or a couple boosts, he'd be giving the Swordsman a thrashing, but that would ruin the point of the training.
"Use more than just your eyes! If you're only looking, you'll never see me coming!" Kiba's words echoed around Issei like surround sound, making him wonder if the knight had learned to throw his voice or if he was just moving that fast.
"More than just my eyes, huh…? What a load of…" Issei trailed off, mumbling obscenities that would make even Raynare blush. He steadied himself, and slowed his rapid breathing. He narrowed his eyes, and tuned into his surroundings with more than just his sight.
He listened for footsteps, and rustles in the vegetation. He felt for disturbances in the air. He even tried to smell the knight, but the pouring rain had canceled any chance of that happening.
Sure enough, he was starting to get a feel for Kiba's location, several feet behind him to his right. Issei dropped into a stance, and when Kiba shot forward to slice him, Issei was ready.
The knight swung his sword from left to right, using the momentum from his forward leap to try and hit Issei before the boy could move, but Issei was ready this time. He narrowly deflected Kiba's wrist, and sent a jab into his solar plexus, leaving him bent over and gasping for breath.
"Wow…you're...improving...a lot…" Kiba said, recovering.
"Thanks. You, uh, might want to talk with Asia about that." Issei suggested. A good hit in the solar plexus would leave a person unable to breathe properly for quite a while with even a normal amount of force, not taking into account Issei's enhanced strength. He hadn't boosted himself, but the sheer presence of the boosted gear gave him several draconian enhancements, and raw muscle power was one of them. Ever since he'd started seriously training, he'd been steadily gaining strength at a massive rate, and it showed.
"Good...idea...let's go back…" Kiba groaned, clutching at his stomach and trying to put on a smile.
The downpour was starting to let up as Issei and Kiba made their way back to the mansion. They arrived just in time to the end of a match between Rias, Akeno, and Raynare. The two devils were teaming up against Raynare, but it didn't seem to matter. She was effortlessly deflecting their all spells, looking almost bored.
"Are you even trying?" Raynare asked, feigning a yawn. The angel hovered lazily above the ground, invisible barriers lighting up and defending her every time a spell came close.
Rias grit her teeth. Her clothes were ragged and torn, and her breathing was labored. Akeno was in the same shape.
"Fine, take this!" Rias yelled, outstretching her hands and sending a beam of pure Destruction magic at Raynare.
Raynare sent it into the ground with a literal flick of her finger. Rias looked shocked, and Akeno had lost her trademark grin. The two of them had never once seen an enemy block the family power of the Gremory, much less so easily.
"I thought we agreed you wouldn't use that? Oh well, not like it matters…" Raynare muttered. She flared her six black wings, and dispelled all the barriers and wards she had around her.
Rias and Akeno had just enough time to widen their eyes before a barrage of red light spears hailed down on them, too fast to even see. They both put up their arms in a pitiful defense, but neither of them were actually hit.
Rias hesitantly opened her eyes after a moment, and she saw a circle of light spears around her, and a square around Akeno. Really, the shapes didn't matter. What mattered, is what they meant. By purposefully drawing around them, Raynare was essentially saying "I could've killed you a hundred times during that and there's nothing you could've done to stop me" and they both knew it.
Kiba looked on in awe from beside Issei. He'd known a six-winged fallen was vastly superior to a two-winged one, but enough to beat his King and Queen without breaking a sweat? It was terrifying.
Issei watched with pride and a smug look. Obviously Raynare would outpace them at every turn; she was over four thousand years old. When Rias had told her earlier "don't go easy on us" Issei had known instantly how it would turn out, and he was honestly surprised Raynare didn't beat them sooner.
"If I had two wings, you'd have beaten me, no question. I'd say you might even stand a good chance against a four winged angel. But not me." Raynare said, slowly descending to the ground and withdrawing her wings. She looked frustrated, and...scared?
"How did you block my destruction magic? That shouldn't be possible…" Rias asked, trailing off.
"With redirection magic. It can eat through a barrier, sure, but it won't hit me if it's going the wrong way." Raynare said matter-of-factly. She snapped her fingers, and all the light spears disappeared. Rias didn't say anything back, and she looked like someone had just knocked over her sandcastle.
"Has anyone...seen Asia?" Kiba said, getting everyone's attention.
"I think we could all use a visit with her…" Rias said. She walked over to Kiba and pulled his arm around her shoulder. The two of them and Akeno walked off to the other side of the mansion, looking for their bishop.
Issei and Raynare were left alone, standing out in the slow downfall of rain. She seemed unfocused, and was staring at one of the craters that littered the training ground.
Issei approached her quietly, realizing she hadn't noticed him. He came up behind her, and grabbed her shoulders with a yell. Raynare didn't even react.
"So, they fell for your disguise? Nobody knows you're silver now?" Issei asked, ignoring the odd lack of a response.
"What? Oh, yeah...yeah." Raynare murmured, surprised, like she just realized he was there.
The rain picked up again, sending a downpour washing over the both of them. A cold wind blew, shaking and rustling all the nearby trees. It was a very bleak day, overall.
"Raynare, what's wrong?" Issei asked, sensing something troubling her.
Raynare looked up at the sky, and he swore he could see tears behind the raindrops.
"Issei, do you still love me?"
"What? Of course!"
"No...no matter what?"
"There's nothing in heaven or hell that could ever change how I feel about you." Issei said, wrapping his arms around her from behind. She trembled in his grip, and didn't respond.
"Raynare, please...tell me what's wrong." He continued, extremely worried.
"It's...I...you...I...I can't." Raynare murmured, barely getting a single word out.
"I'm here, Raynare. I'm here. I'll never leave you, no matter what. You're all I have." Issei whispered, trying to reassure her.
"Issei, I...I'm so scared…I'm not ready…" Raynare sad, her voice trembling.
Whatever had happened to her, it left her extremely shaken. Issei had never seen her this terrified, not when she told him how she fell, not when she confessed to him, not even when he ran away from her in the mall.
"Whatever's wrong, I'm here. Let's go inside, and we'll sit down for a minute. Okay?" Issei said, trying his hardest to comfort her. If it was something one of the peerage members had done, well...they'd know the Red Dragon's wrath.
Raynare nodded mutely, and followed the boy back into the mansion. All of the peerage members were still outside with Asia, so they had the place to themselves. Issei took her into one of the single bedrooms, one they weren't using for anything. He used an extremely rudimentary spell to dry them both off, then used Ddraig's power to warm himself, and by extension, her. He closed the door behind them.
Issei led the girl onto the bed, and they both sat down. She immediately buried her head in his chest, and he soothingly rubbed her back and head.
"What's wrong, Raynare…? You know I'm here for you…" Issei said, trying to keep himself calm. When Raynare was scared, he had a hard time keeping himself from worrying.
"It's...Issei, I know you love me, but...that wouldn't ever change, right…?" She said, in almost a whisper. She wasn't crying anymore, but her voice trembled and cracked, and her eyes threatened to spill more tears.
"Not in a million years. There's nothing that could ever make me stop loving you." Issei said, wrapping her in a hug.
"Not even…?" Raynare murmured something, too low for even Issei's enhanced hearing to pick up.
"Not even what?" Issei asked, gently moving the hair out of her eyes.
"Not even...a kid?" Raynare whispered. Her eyes held nothing but fear as she looked up at Issei.
"...what?" Issei breathed out. Had he heard her right?
"A child. Ours. Issei, I...I'm...pregnant."
Issei was stunned silent. He knew she wasn't joking, not with how she was acting. But, all the same, hadn't she said Fallen Angels don't get pregnant easily? And on their first time, no less?
"You...what?" A million questions were running through his mind, but he could only get one out.
"I'm pregnant. Your mom left something in that note for me and it said something about buying baby shoes and it made me nervous so this morning I used a spell and I checked just to make sure, and, oh God…" Raynare went on and on, the tears finally raining from her eyes.
Issei was shell-shocked. Of all the things she could've said, that wasn't what he was expecting at all.
'Pregnant…? I'm going to be a father…?' Issei thought. His body seemed to have gone numb, and he was all of a sudden stricken by terror unlike any he'd ever known.
He was going to be a father. He wasn't ready! He wasn't even out of high school yet! They weren't even married!
"But...you said...you said Fallen don't get pregnant easy, I thought-"
"We normally don't! It usually takes hundreds of tries for a Fallen to conceive, but lucky us…" Raynare said, crying into Issei's chest.
"I...I'm not ready to be a dad...I'm only seventeen…" Issei whispered, trying desperately not to panic.
"Issei, what are we going to do?" Raynare asked. She really had no idea. Issei wasn't out of highschool, much less college. He didn't have a job. She definitely didn't have a job. Neither of them had the first clue on how to take care of a child. They just weren't ready.
[You're both overreacting.]
The voice of the Red Dragon Emperor himself caught both of them off guard, and Issei held up his hand in numb surprise.
"Ddraig?" Issei asked quietly.
[Yes, it's Ddraig. Sweet Ophis, I can't believe I got stuck with such a whiny host.]
"What? Are you-"
[No, no. Now is when I talk and you listen. Issei, you're going to be a father. That's the greatest joy any man can ever experience. Stop bellyaching about not being ready and make yourself ready. I don't want to hear anything about your age or school; none of that matters, relatively speaking.]
"But-"
[You have created life. I can feel it, even now, inside your mate. That's a miracle, partner. Everything else in your life must be pushed aside, to assure you provide the best possible life for your hatchling. You shouldn't be sad, children. You should rejoice.]
Issei looked to Raynare, both of their fears assuaged by the wise dragon's words. Even under all the worry and fright, Issei knew there was no sadness in either himself or her. He could even feel, way down deep, a shining glimmer of happiness. Ddraig was right. He was going to be a dad. All of a sudden, he was bursting with joy. It almost made him want to laugh.
Raynare's mind was a sea of conflicting emotions. What Ddraig said was right, of course, but she couldn't help but feel afraid. Deep down, Raynare knew...she was a bad person. She had killed before, and wouldn't mind killing again if she had a good reason. She'd stolen and lied and done all sorts of awful things. Silver wings or not, she knew she wouldn't be a good role model, or a good teacher. God knows she wouldn't be a good mothe-
"Hey, Raynare. I know what you're thinking." Issei said, a smile on his face. Raynare was shocked. How could he be smiling at a time like this?
"What…?"
"You're thinking 'I'm not gonna be a good mom because I've been bad', right?" Issei said, mimicking her voice.
"Well, that's, I mean-"
"Well, it's not true. Ddraig's convinced me. I'm gonna be a dad. You're gonna be a mom. The mother of our child. And I couldn't be more happy. You're going to be the best mom, I know it." Issei said, a happy tear forming in his eye. He held her hands tightly, and looked at her with more love than you'd think possible.
Raynare wanted to cry even harder. Why did Issei always know what to say? She sighed. Even with all her doubts, she couldn't deny she was excited. To have a tiny life inside you, well...it was a unique feeling, that was for sure.
Issei put his hand on her stomach. Raynare watched him carefully, wondering what he'd do.
"Hey there, little guy. Or girl, I guess. Mommy and Daddy are really excited to meet you." Issei said, talking to Raynare's abdomen like it was the most normal thing in the world and the 'baby' wasn't still just a dividing mass of cells. Nevertheless, it was touching, and in that moment, Raynare knew Issei was going to be an amazing dad.
A knock at the door surprised both of them. They both stood up in a flash, and had just long enough to exchange a glance before the door flew open and smashed against the wall behind it. Koneko walked in with a blindfold on. Rias followed after her, but her eyes were uncovered.
"Rias? What's going on?" Issei asked, confused. She'd told them all not to make a mess, and Koneko had just blasted a door off the hinges.
"Issei, have you not noticed? You're practically bursting with power!" Rias exclaimed, looking excited. "I thought you might have been in danger, you're giving off so much energy!"
Koneko peeked out from under her blindfold. "So, they aren't doing the nasty?" She asked, deadpan.
"What? I don't feel anything." Issei said, looking at his hands. Nothing felt different, but with the whirlwind of emotions he just went through, that didn't surprise him.
Raynare wiped her face, not letting Rias see, and then inspected Issei. The King was right. Raw, untapped power was rolling off Issei in waves.
[She's right, Issei. Are you aware of the second phase of a sacred gear's life?]
"Balance Breaker? You don't mean…" Issei asked, his eyes widening.
[Exactly. Once you've hit the power threshold, all it takes to bring about the Balance Breaker in any sacred gear is an influx of strong emotions, and I'd say you just had plenty of those. Your Balance Breaker is ready to explode, which is why you're giving off so much energy.]
"So they were doing the nasty." Koneko said, misinterpreting the dragon's words. She pulled her blindfold back down.
"Seriously?! I can just say the words, and I'll be in Balance Breaker?" Issei asked, excited.
[I wouldn't right here. Precious cargo, and all that.]
"Oh, right. Right." Issei said, realizing a massive shockwave of power wouldn't be good for his child.
"Precious cargo? Wait a second...precious cargo? Influx of emotions? Issei, is there any particular reason you have a tear in your eye?" Rias asked, becoming suspicious. She had a sly grin on her face.
Issei hurriedly wiped his face, realizing he never had gotten that tear off.
"Is there a reason you're so happy? Does it have something to do with Raynare, and her precious cargo?" Rias continued. Koneko caught on, and slowly raised her blindfold, revealing her narrowed eyes. They must have been doing the nasty a lot.
"Uh...yeah, Rias...I don't really know how to say it, but-" Issei started. He wasn't sure if they should tell Rias, or just hide it for now.
"Raynare's pregnant!" Rias shouted to the whole mansion, dashing out of the room.
Issei and Raynare shared a happy look, and sighed.
Don't forget to review, and until next time-
Belial