No, I'm not dead. School, my job, and a mix of depression kept me away but now I'm back. For how long? We'll see. In any case, enjoy this chapter.

(Five years after the Great War)

"Momma, can you tell me more about papa?" A little girl asked.

Gabriel looked at her daughter. While she may be considered the most beautiful woman in heaven, she believed that Houki was the most beautiful there will ever be. Houki may have her facial features, but she had her father's eyes. Issei's eyes; and she couldn't say no to them.

"Of course sweetie, what would you like to know?"

Young Houki thought for a moment. "Was daddy a monster? I heard Lord Metatron call him that."

For a brief moment, Houki swore she saw her mother's wings flicker to black. Gabriel quickly tightened her grip on her. She never imagined to ever have this talk with Houki. That damn Metatron.

"Metatron didn't know your father as I did. We spent countless nights under the moonlight telling each-other our dreams. We grew to understand each other, and that understanding soon became lovers." Gabriel explained while Houki paid close attention. "He was by no means the perfect man his father expected him to be, but, he was the perfect man for me."

As happy Houki was to see her mother so happy and in love, there was a part of her that quite saddened. "Where is papa? Why have I never met him?"

Gabriel sighed. "I...I don't know." As happy as she was, thinking back about those memories, she failed to understand the harsh reality; they were just that, memories. Fragments from her past that she so desperately wanted to cling onto forever. And who could blame her? Her beloved was among those who had disappeared at the end of the Great War. His disappearance was so sudden most presumed him to be dead. But she couldn't give up hope so quickly. She had to stay strong and believe he was out there. For Houki's sake. "But one day you'll meet him and he'll be so proud to see the beautiful woman you have become."

Houki snuggled up to her mother, now filled with the hope that she had given her. She knew that one day she'd be able to meet her father. After all the stories her mother had told her about him, she began to be excited about their inevitable meeting. Unfortunately, Houki got too carried away with her excitement.

To Gabriel's surprise, small surges of lightning began to dance across Houki's body, shooting toward the furniture in the room and creating a loud crash. She attempted to calm the girl but her attempts were futile. With no other choice, she cast a sleeping enchantment on her and the ruckus came to an end.

With her daughter subdued, Gabriel sighed in relief. That was the third outburst in the past month. The Asmodeus clan was known for their Black Demonic Lightning and with Houki being the daughter of Issei Asmodeus, it would be obvious that she would inherit this ability. Through Issei, Gabriel became familiar with the ability but she didn't know how to train her daughter to control it. She had modified both her and Houki's quarters with charms to make sure any sound wouldn't escape their room. But she needed to do more to discipline her daughter with the ability. She, of course, knew how to deal with users of Holy Lightning but this was in another league. She needs to find assistance before any future outbursts reveal the truth about her origins.

But who could help her?

With each member of the Asmodeus clan either dead or missing, any users of the ability were out of the question. There was only one other person that could be of assistance.

Grafiya Lucifuge.

That definitely won't be an enjoyable meeting.

(Modern Day)

When Houki had finished discussing with Xenovia and Irina about their plans of meeting with the Devils, she left the two in the abandoned church and checked in to the hotel room her mother had arranged for her. Surely no daughter of a Seraph would sleep in a dump like that.

Once she entered her room she made sure to cast some concealing spells so no one would know she was there. "Finally, I'm free of those two," she sighed. She began to undo charms to her appearance, revealing what the humans would consider her "dirty blonde" hair, though her mother would never call it that but rather said it was a perfect mix of her and her father's hair, and her brown eyes. "Irina is such a sweet girl but too enthusiastic about this job, and Xenovia is much too strict, Griselda was too harsh training her."

Once she remembered the highlight of her day, she placed a sound barrier within the room and screamed to her heart's content.

"I'm meeting dad! I'm meeting dad! I'm meeting dad! I'm meeting dad!"

For what was once the most disciplined Angel in her generation, Houki quickly became almost as enthusiastic about this mission as Irina was, although for completely different reasons. But that enthusiasm quickly became panic when she began to overthink their inevitable meeting.

"What do I say to him? Is he going to want to know me?" Houki's mind quickly raced to the worst possible outcome. For the past century, she had been waiting for this day to come but had never prepared herself for it. She needed guidance, and to her surprise, it quickly came to her.

A magic circle appeared in the center of her room, and out of it came out Grayfia. Houki quickly embraced her in a deep hug to which Grayfia reciprocated. "Auntie Grayfia I missed you," Houki said.

Grayfia smiled. "As I missed you Houki. It's been far too long since I've last seen you." She replied.

"You came at the perfect time, auntie. I'm in need of your guidance so I may properly introduce myself to father,"

Grayfia cringed. This won't be easy.

(Next Day)

To many of the human students of Kuoh Academy, the Occult Research Club was the most prestigious and exclusive club the school had to offer. It was comprised of both of Kuohs Great Ladies, Kuohs Prince, the Maiden of Kuoh, the school's mascot and their newly appointed club advisor. Everyone in the school held the club members in high regard. That was why their President, Rias Gremory, was glad that everything that was happening now, was after hours.

And what exactly was happening?

Akeno was currently suspended in the air with Issei's Black Demonic Lightning acting as rope, tightly tying her up. And why was she in this situation? During class earlier in the day she was continuously making sexual innuendos between Issei and Rias while also showing off her own body to her new favorite teacher.

"Y'know, I think she's enjoying this a bit too much," Issei commented.

"And what could give you that idea?" Rias asked sarcastically.

"Oh, I dunno," He looked back up to Akeno, who had a face of pure pleasure. Her eyes were slowly tearing up and traces of saliva coming out her mouth. He heard of her sadomasochistic tendencies but he hadn't expected it to be this extreme. "Just a hunch,"

"Anyways," Rias spoke, "How're you adapting to the human world?"

"It's different from how I remember it being since before being put in my pod. The rate that humans have developed their technologies is impressive," Issei replied. He found it fascinating that in only a century, humans have made so many advancements in communication, transportation, and medicine. The supernatural world truly underestimated their potential.

"I'm sure you'll find enjoyment in their forms of entertainment; I know I have,"

Issei smiled as he looked back at her. "It's come to my knowledge that you've grown a fondness for Japanese culture in particular," He gestures up toward Akeno. "Your Queen here has explained to me that you've become what's known as Japanophile."

Rias covered her face in embarrassment. This was one of the most embarrassing secrets that she didn't want him of all people to know about. Akeno had always teased her about her obsession with Japanese culture and expected him to do the same. Yet to her surprise, he didn't; rather he simply walked toward her, removed her hands from her face and lifted her chin up so she may look at him.

"I believe your interest in this countries culture is rather adorable. If it's a wedding in Kyoto you desire then I shall fulfill your request."

Rias looked into his eyes and saw the sincerity in them. He wasn't here to ridicule her but rather to give her the support a potential lover should. Akeno was right those days ago. He was most definitely her prince charming. Soon to be king she may add. If only he had a dragon. It would have made him even more perfect. But alas, he was already exceeding her expectations.

Although Issei had always considered the Gremory clan to be a part of his family, Issei saw something different in Rias. As he had stated numerous times, the pod his father sealed him into had fed him information about important events occurring in the underworld. From it, he learned about Rias' engagement to Riser Phenex and how she attempted to break from it through a Rating Game. He admired her determination to free herself from a marriage she wanted no part of.

He pulled her closer to him and embraced it in a kiss. At first, Rias was surprised how sudden it came but her surprise was quickly overrun by a mixture of pleasure and happiness. Her first kiss. Their first kiss.

It was all that she could think about. At that moment the world had been tuned out. She couldn't hear the muffled moans of Akeno. Not even the constant knocking on the door could distract her from this moment. But after another minute of knocking, the presence behind that door would make itself known.

"Houki, it's not proper for you to enter a room without permission," A voice said.

"I don't care Grayfia. We've been waiting long enough!" Houki retorted as she barged into the room.

Grayfia had insisted on waiting for a response from the room before entering but Houki was having none of it. She had waited for a hundred years to meet her father and refused to wait any longer. She needed to see the man she looked up to all her life. But what she first saw was far from what she had expected.

Two girls, a fraction of her age, alongside her father. One engaging in a full-on make-out session with her father, while the other was wrapped in binds of Black Demonic Lightning. For a lack of a better term, she was shocked, frozen.

When Grayfia saw Houki's reaction, she looked into the room to see what was wrong. Once she saw what was happening she was quick to chastise her future husband.

"Issei Asmodeus, what the hell are you doing?" She exclaimed.

Issei quickly pulled away from the kiss and with his concentration broken, the binds around Akeno dissipated. She was about to voice her disappointment in no longer being tied up but when she saw the Ultimate Queen standing at the doorstep she decided to keep it to herself.

"Both of you, out!" Grayfia commanded.

The Great Ladies duo didn't need to be told twice as they both quickly ran out of the room to avoid any punishment. Issei Asmodeus was now alone to face the wrath of his beloved Queen.

Grayfia signaled the young Angel to wait outside for a brief moment so she may discipline the girl's father. The time alone gave her the opportunity to think back of the night before, so she may rethink her plan to introduce herself.

(Last Night)

"What do you mean I can't meet father?" Houki exclaimed.

Grayfia understood the outburst Houki was having. After years of hoping she could meet her father and finally having the opportunity to, what Grayfia was proposing was quite absurd from her point of view.

"That's not what I'm saying Houki. It's just not a good time right now and you can't tell him that you're his daughter," Grayfia corrected. Seeing that Houki quickly assumed the worst, Grayfia had to take it slow to avoid any problems.

"I've been waiting years to meet him, Aunty. You can't take away this opportunity from me," Houki replied. Clearly, she was having none of what Grayfia had suggested.

"Your time will come Houki, I promise you. I just need you to give me time so that we may tell him together," Grayfia assured.

Houki was in turmoil. In one hand she wanted so bad to get to know her father on a more personal level. But in the other, she trusted Grayfias judgment. Having trained under her for the better part of nine decades, she grew a respect for the Ultimate Queen.

She sighed. She's already waited for so long. She could wait just a little longer.

"Alright, I trust you,"

(Present)

Once Grayfia had finished disciplining Issei she was finally allowed entry into the club room. For a brief moment, she hesitated and needed to calm herself.

'You can do this. You can do this' She thought.

She entered the room with determination in her eyes and finally saw him as she originally expected. He looked fierce, powerful, and commanding. Just like how her mother would say he was.

She bowed to show the respect he had deserved.

"Hello Lord Asmodeus, my name is Houki. It's an honor to finally meet you,"

I hope my "skills" haven't diminished in the time I went without posting. Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter and those which follow. I'm thinking of working on A Killer's Hope next but we'll see.

discord .gg/ 6xRFxM

Remove the spaces in that link to join a server with me and some other writers. Or don't.

See you guys next time!