"Thinking"
"Speech"
Following Day)
"Now class before I start today's lesson, I want you to all join in and welcome the newest addition to our ranks. While his Japanese is impeccable, he will still need to be introduced to the various policies and locations of the academy. So I want you all to do your best in making him feel welcome. Understood"?
Seeing that his students were all nodding their heads, though the slight glaring expressions of his more..inappropriate pupils indicated that they would likely pose problems in the future, the bespectacled chemistry teacher waved his hand at the door to motion the uniform wearing foreigner inside.
As expected, the classes' reaction at seeing just who would be joining their ranks were divided between those who actively supported the addition of a new student, those who where indifferent, and those who were outright against it. But to give the boy credit, he merely accepted the mix of excited whisperings, and indifferent mutterings with a polite smile. Though his blue eye's gained a slightly hardened look as he heard the anger filled exclamations of the trio.
"Oh my god he's such a hottie"
"I'll say. Foreign guys are always good looking"
"Hey isn't that the guy who ratted out the perverts "?
"Probably. Doesnt look like the vindictive type though. So it's possible your wrong".
"Grrr. That stupid bastard. Its thanks to him that we got beaten up yesterday".
"Just what we need. Another hypocritical pretty boy ruining our chances to score".
Fighting the urge to teach the trio a lessen in respecting one's betters, though he sensed that such an act would probably be welcomed by his new peers, Dante ensured that his smile was firmly in place as he followed his new teacher's unspoken request to introduce himself.
"Hello my name is Dante Inumbro. I am a transfer student from Austria, and it is my sincerest hope that I get to know all of you during my stay in this country".
Doing his best not to smirk as his newest student's polite introduction had the dual effect of increasing his acceptance of the majority of the classroom while simultaneously infuriating the trio, and allowing a genuine look of apology cross his face as he noticed the location of the only available seat, the chemistry teacher moved to do something that he hoped would not come back to haunt.
"Nicely done Mr. Inumbro. Now I'm afraid that the only available seat is at the back next to Mr. Hyoudou. I hope that will not be a problem for you"?
Struggling to contain the annoyance he felt at the teacher's seating arrangements, though somewhat mollified by the fact that this decision was met with protest from the majority of the classroom's female students, Dante silently made his way to the desk that was surrounded by the visibly fearful trio.
"You perverts better not corrupt Dante with your disgusting habits".
"Yeah. Keep your filthy mitts off of him if you know whats good for you".
"I swear if you turn a hunk like that into a lecherous monster, I'll give you a beating that not even the Kendo Club could hope to match".
Tuning out the increasingly violent threats that were being levelled at the resident perverts, and ignoring the sympathetic glances he was getting from the rest of the classroom, Dante ensured that their was a slightly embarrassed expression on his face as he privately blamed his current predicament on the outcome of yesterday's unexpected meeting with the ruling bats.
"You know, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to antagonise the unofficial rulers of the academy. Such a pity their both siblings of a Devil King, otherwise I wouldn't hesitate to show just how displeased I am with this current arrangement. Oh well. I'll only be in this town for a little while longer, so I might as well bear it".
Resigning himself to his temporary fate, and blocking out the teacher's opening lecture on the periodic table, the newest student of Kuoh academy thought back to his unexpected meeting with the true rulers of Kuoh Academy.
(Previous day)
"Well Mr. Inumbro, your transfer forms appear to be in order. So let me be the first person to welcome you to Kuoh Academy.
Though he didn't know why he bothered maintaining his polite persona for someone who was clearly a Devil's puppet, Dante nevertheless flashed an appreciative smile at the middle aged woman.
"Thank you Principal Buraindo. And though my grasp of the Japanese language is still imperfect, I will do my best to ensure that I don't tarnish the well deserved reputation of your school".
Sending a small smile towards the now slightly nervous foreigner, Rirī Buraindo moved to reassure her newest student that he had nothing to be anxious about.
"On the contrary, even though your tone is somewhat more formal than one would expect from a boy of your age, I would say that you already have a perfect grasp of our language. So you needn't worry on that front. Though I am curious. From what I can tell, your past grades all indicate that you have never been enrolled in an educational intuition before. And while your grades are remarkably high, I'm curious as to why you wouldn't want to continue on as you have".
Though he wished he could do otherwise, Dante plastered a slightly mournful look across his face as he provided a heavily edited version of his life growing up.
"Well you see, my grandfather, while a great man, didn't really hold a lot of faith in the quality of education one would find in the public sector. Even private school's were considered to be insufficient by his rather...demanding standards. But after his passing, my parents decided I should at least experience the chance to connect with other people my age. So...here I am".
While he ensured his expression was one of embarrassed humor, inwardly he was scowling at the fact that he had to speak about his less than kind hearted grandfather.
"Tssk. The only worthwhile thing that old bastard ever did for me was to help me develop my skills. And even then, his method's almost had me wishing that I had perished with the rest of my family. Oh well. At least he managed to pass on all that he knew before he passed".
Unaware of the boy's internal monologue, the principal moved to offer her condolsences to the still silent Dante when the voice of her secraty came through her intercom.
"Pardon the interruption Principal Buraindo, but Miss Shirtori and Miss Gremory are here to see you".
Somewhat surprised by the intrusion, but oddly unwilling to do anything that might offend the school's most well connected students, the middle aged woman flashed the silently brooding boy a regretful smile.
"My apologies Mr. Inumbro, but it appears that we have to cut this meeting short. I trust that you'll be fully prepared tomorrow to start your new classes"?
Gracing the apologetic woman with a nod, Dante had to struggle to maintain a courteous expression as the academy's, and coiencidentally the town's, true rulers entered the room. For although he had nothing against Devil kind, his teachings and his personal experiences had made him wary about being in the same room as a species whose survival depended on the conning of others. But since he knew it would be unwise to reveal the two Devil's to his alertness, the Austrian born shadow wielder maintained his smile as the public face of the school's administration began to act like a well trained sycophant.
"Miss Shitori, Miss Gremory. Wonderful to see you both. My apologies if I've kept you waiting longer than usual. I was just finishing up Mr. Inumbro's transfer application".
Brushing aside the woman's apology with a wave of her hand, the crimson haired beauty regarded the current occupants with a smile, though her eyes seemed to narrow ever so slightly as she took in Dante's appearance.
"Theirs no need for you to apologize Madame Principal. Sona and I just had some documents that required your approval. We hadn't realized you were in a meeting, so we can come back at a more convenient time if you prefer"?
Though it sounded like a suggestion, Dante knew that in all likelihood, the bespectacled wearing woman would quickly move to appease her Demonic overseers. And true to his prediction, that is what happened.
"Oh theirs no need for that Ms. Gremory. Mr. Inumbro, once again I want to wish you well during your time at Kuoh Academy. And my office is always open to you should you experience some difficulty with your studies".
Offering a polite nod of farwell, Dante almost made it out the door until the stern voice of the violet eyed Devil stopped him in his tracks.
"Just a minute Mr. Inumbro, or do you prefer herr? As the academy's student body president, it is my responsibility to ensure that any new student is fully aware of the strict guidelines that are crucial if a student wishes to excel here at Kuoh".
Plastering a look of confusion over his face in order to hide the slight feeling of annoyance he felt at the meddling Sitri heiress, Dante barely managed to control his more violent impulses as the more buxom Devil decided to support the direction this conversation was taking.
"I quite agree. While I may not be as rigid with following the rules as Sona here, as a influential member of this school, it is my duty to ensure that all students adhere to codes of conduct that make Kuoh one of the highest rated schools in the country".
Raising an eyebrow at this rather dubious piece of information, the black haired boy had to keep himself from sighing in annoyance as the now smiling principal gave her support for this show of school camaraderie.
"An excellent show of student cooperation Ms. Gremroy. Why don't you and Miss Sitri take this time to properly ensure that Mr. Inumbro is informed of all the regulations and rules regarding his time here at the academy. I'm sure that between the pair of you, you can ensure that he doesn't turn out like some of our more...unruly students".
Watching with carefully guarded irritation as the school's puppet figure head left him at the uncertain intentions of the 2 pureblooded Devils, Dante settled back into his chair. Noticing that as he did so, the Gremory heiress, who up unto that point had been standing by the door, had silently moved behind him, and was now holding a small, swirling mass of crimson red energy.
"Apologies for resorting to this method, but Sona and I have some questions we want to ask you. And it would be most beneficial for us if you were in no condition to lie to us".
Eye's widening in genuine shock at the buxom Devil's declaration, and seeing no other alternative to escape his predicament without having his cover exposed, Dante focused on secretly channeling the necessary energy that would hopefully render his mind invulnerable to any kinds of mental suggestion.
And just in time.
For as soon as he began the process of clouding his mind, the Gremory heiress flung that glowing sphere directly at his chest. And while he could feel a calm soothing aura pass through his body, which as he knew was one of the more humane techniques of hypnotism, Dante was relieved to discover that he could exert control over his body. If only barely.
Seeing the boy descend into the common blank faced expression that was a normal trait for any human placed under magical hypnosis, Rias flashed a satisfied look towards her fellow Devil.
"Their. I used enough energy to ensure he'll be under for around 10 minutes. Should give us plenty of time to discover the answers we need to see if he poses a threat or not. Since its still daytime, ensuring that Kuoh remains under stable is your responsibility. So I'll leave you to start our interrogation".
Shaking her head at way in which her childhood friend used their governing arrangement to get out of work, Sona took a moment to inspect the seemingly hypnotized human. And from what she saw, she was starting to believe that it was a waste of time to come here. For in her studies, she had learned that it was quite uncommon for even a member of the church to resist compulsion spells of the lowest nature. And Rias had hit him with a mid level spell that would reduce even the most well disciplined exorcist into a gossiping school boy. But even if they could resist the effects, it was always possible to see visible signs of mental struggle, and from what she could ascertain from the blank expression on Dante's face, his will had been fully subverted.
The only thing that prevented her from completely dismissing the possibility that he was a threat was his name. Latinized names were usually a good indicator of whether someone was affiliated with the church. And considering that his birth country was in close proximity to the traditional foes of the Devils, and the fact that he had interacted with a suspected sacred gear holder, Sona concealed her own misgivings and proceeded with her questions.
"What is your name? And where do you come from"?
Taking a moment to grudgingly thank his grandfather for telling him about this technique, though he had been the one to put into practice since Amaro had concentrated his education primarily on combat techniques with a healthy dose of more academic/mystic pursuits, Dante was able to speak with a slightly monotone voice as he answered the bespectacled Devil's questions.
"Dante Inumbro. And I come from a small village outside the town of Villach Austria.".
Though the answer had been delivered with the sort of tone one would expect from a hypnotized victim, Rias was almost certain that she caught a brief flickering of emotion as the boy was forced to name his home. However, it was too quick for her to identify what it was, so she decided to see if she could elicit a similar response to some other questions.
"And why have you come to Kuoh? And who are you working for"?
This time, the Devils were able to detect an identifiable emotion that they had not expected from the falsely mesmerized boy. For like the previous questions, he was speaking nothing but the truth, only this time the answer brought a pang of sadness to the shadow controlling boy, who allowed a slightly melancholy look to grace his features as he was forced to divulge something that he had nearly forgotten.
"My elder sister always talked about how one day, she would leave the village and go out into the world to experience the wonders we had always read about in books. Both me and my brother would listen eagerly as she listed the various exotic countries she would visit, and had promised to one day take us as well. Sadly, she never got the chance to do so. And since my brother is in no condition to travel abroad, I asked my parents if I could join them on their extended business trip in order to live the dream my siblings could not. And I work for nobody".
Dante's answer, which only the parent about his parents being a false hood, had managed to bring a small smile of comprehension to the buxom Devil's face. Due to her brother's position as Devil King, their had been many instances over the course of her childhood where scheduled holidays and trips had been canceled due to some diplomatic incident or formal event. In fact it was because of this that she had asked her parents' and brother's permission to conduct her formal education in Japan rather than at home. For Sirzechs had always spoken well of his visits to this country, so she felt that by choosing it as the base of her operations in the human world, she would be able to feel closer to her brother.
While she wasn't as expressive with her feelings, Sona was nonetheless reminded of her own powerful sibling, who bemoaned the fact that her important responsibilities prevented her from having the close sibling relationship they had had when she was younger. And though she was frequently embarrased by Serafall's exublent nature, she nonetheless treasured the moments she got to spend with her childish elder sister, not that she would ever admit it to anyone. Least of all the immature Devil King who was a more affectionate than was proper for a older sibling.
However, she would not let her personal feelings prevent her from carrying out her charged duty. For it would be a poor reflection on herself, her family, and her elder sister if she allowed emotion to influence her ability to govern. Nodding in approval as she noticed that Rias had come to the same conclusion, Sona decided to ask the question that would once and for all determine whether or not Dante was a threat to their peaceful lives at Kuoh.
'Do you have any knowledge pertaining to the existence of supernatural and biblical forces?
At this question, Dante had to expend nearly every drop of his will power to keep his internal struggle against the insistent prompting of the hypnotic spell a secret. For unlike the earlier questions, he knew that he could not answer this one truthfully unless he wanted to cast even more suspicion on him. However, he was able to keep his tone level, and his expression blank as he answered the question. Even if it took an effort that would have made even the most devout monk jealous.
"I like to believe that their are forces out their that science cannot yet explain. But until they do, I only have a basic understanding of mythology, though I am somewhat more knowledgeable when it comes to the structure of the Christian Church".
"I believe you can end your spell Rias. The boy clearly knows nothing. And truth be told, I think you were wrong to even suspect anything".
Sending a disproving glare to her fellow heiress, Rias turned her attention to the still sitting boy, and allowed a small frown to appear on her otherwise attractive features.
"Perhaps your right. But still, I don't like the fact that he was interfering with the honest nature of my future servant. So rather than cancel his hypnosis right away, why don't we have a little bit of fun with Mr. Inumbro. After all, when was the last time you actually managed to question a boy without them melting into a nervous pile of goo".
Scowling at the teasing tone of her friend, and missing the brief look of amusement that passed over the subject of their discussion, the Sitri heiress delivered her own slightly mocking bard to the smirking red head.
"Probably the same time a male was able to keep his attention focused on your face rather than your more...noticeable assets. However, since you were the one to hypnotize him, you may do as you wish".
Taking a moment to frown at the truthfulness behind Sona's statement, Rias turned towards the invisibly irritated human with a teasing smirk.
"Now lets see. What kind of question can I ask you? Oh I know. What is your sexual preference. Men or Women"?
Raising an eyebrow in slight amusement at her friend's antics, for she would have expected this kind of behavior from Akeno or even her own servants instead of Rias, the black haired Devil merely listened with detached curiosity as Dante gave his answer.
"I prefer Women".
Sending a slightly mocking smile towards her more developed peer, Sona couldn't help but offer her own dry commentary.
"Such a shame Rias. Looks like your attempt to help get your knight out of the closet has once again met with failure. Though I do admire your persistence".
Glaring at the slimmer Devil, Rias was about to deliver her own stinging retort when she thought of a more satisfying form of revenge. Flashing the seemingly hypnotized boy a smile that would have caused the perverted trio massive blood loss, Rias sweetly asked a question that she had designed to infuriate the more serious Devil.
"Now Dante. Why don't you tells us which one of us you find more attractive. Me or Sona"?
As she expected, her question had caused Sona's composure to crack. And if Dante was being completely honest with himself, he actually relished the chance to get some payback for having to endure this potentially lethal interrogation session. So it was with a slightly amused tone of voice that he answered the question.
"Personally I prefer Rias. While I find the librarian look cute in a sort of nerdish way, your lack of any substantial curves, plus your stern demeanor, makes Rias the better choice".
Offering a superior smirk to the now infuriated Sitri, Rias patted the boy's head in a manner one would do to reward an obedient dog.
"My thoughts exactly Dante. Nice to see that your more that just a pretty face. Now what else can I ask you? Oh I know. What would Sona have to do in order for her to be attractive in your eyes"?
"Probably ask if she can put in a good word with her sister to skewer some feathered rats. Last I heard, Levithan still had massive issues with God's first daughter, so it wouldn't be too difficult to plant that idea in the childish Devil King's head".
Instead of voicing that highly dangerous opinion, and hoping that this little session would end before they did something he would come to regret, Dante came up with an answer that he hoped would cause the Sitri heiress to call an end to his interrogation.
"If she was to smile a little bit more, or wear something that could flatter both her slim figure and no nonsense approach, I think she could be the most attractive girl at this school".
Hoping that he hadn't overplayed his hand, the black haired Austrian was relieved, and little bit shocked, to see that his flattery had caused the Sitri heiress to loose her stern demeanor, and was now sporting a slightly flushed expression.
"I think we've uncovered all that were going to uncover Rias. Cancel the spell and send him on his way".
Adopting a slight pouting expression at having her fun ruined, the crimson haired Devil nevertheless agreed to her fellow heiresses request.
"As you wish. Though I kinda wanted to know what sort of tips he would suggest to make attractive in his eyes. Oh well, at least we now know he's not a threat. But I think, it would be prudent to keep an eye on him anyway. Just on the off chance that he ends up being an unknowing pawn for someone else's scheme".
Fighting the urge to scowl at the assumption that he was anyone one's pawn, Dante was relieved when Rias flicked another ball of crimson colored energy at his chest, indicating that the spell was now broken.
Knowing that he had to play the part of a recently entranced human, Dante gave the impression that he had just woken up from a deep slumber, and was now giving the pair of female Devils an apologetic questioning expression.
"My apologies. I must have dozed off their for a second. Was their anything else you two ladies needed? Or am I free to go"?
Doing her best to contain her disappointment at not discovering anything unusual about the Austrian born boy, but knowing that she would have ample opportunity to satisfy her curiosity over the course of his enrollment, Rias dismissed the boy with a casual wave of her hand.
"No its all right Mr. Inumbro. You can go. Hopefully you will enjoy your enrollment here. And if you find yourself struggling, Sona and I will be more than happy to help you".
Nodding politetly at her words, Dante quickly left the two annoying Devils alone. Desperaty hoping that not only had he successfully allayed the majority of their suspicions, but also that they wouldn't find a way to get back at him for his judgmental comments.
(Flashback ends)
Coming back to the present, reluctantly admiring the cleverness of the Devils revenge by placing him in the same class as those 3 idiots, Dante was made aware that he was not the only one to be extremely unhappy with his current seating arrangments.
"Dude this is unfair. Not only did that bastard ruin our viewing privileges yesterday, but now he's gonna steal all the hoties in the class before we have a chance to make our move".
Seeing an opportunity to improve his otherwise irritating situation, and knowing that he could count on the rest of the classroom to come to his defense should his comment infuriate the perverts to the point of violence, Dante muttered a perfectly audible comment that was only heard by the trio.
"Perhaps if you idiots were to treat a woman with respect, rather than just an object to satisfy your lust, then perhaps you could have avoided your well deserved fate".
Glaring at the innocently smiling foreigner, and conscious of the fact that the rest of the classroom was watcthing the trio with mild looks of hostility, the bald headed pervert lowered his voice so only his fellow perverts and the new guy could hear his reply.
"What the hell would a pretty boy like you know traitor? I'm not sure how it works in your country, but here in Japan, it's bro's before hoes. And you violated that sacred pact".
Raising an amused eyebrow at Matusda's rather ridiculous accustation, and seeing that the rest of perverts were nodding in agreement with their bald headed colleague, Dante decided to direct his next comment to the other members of the trio.
"Is that so? From what I could tell, all 3 of you were fighting like animals just so you could peep into the showers of the Kendo Club. So forgive me if I don't believe your a firm follower of that ridiculous policy".
Angrily gritting his teeth at Dante's mocking, yet accurate observation, and seeing that Matusda was on the verge of losing his temper and thus causing them to experience another beating, the bespectacled pervert voiced his own support for the trio's activities.
"Its like nature. A wolf is only able to find food when it works together with the members of its pack. But once the prey had been sighted and taken down, then all sense of cooperation flies out the window as they struggle for the choicest bits of meet from their kill".
Tilting his head to the side in mock confusion, and noticing that a significant portion of the class was trying to discover just what it was he was saying to the trio, Dante ensured that his voice was loud enough to be heard as he asked the trio a potentially lethal question.
"So what your saying is, you 3 see yourselves as predators, with the female population acting as pieces of meat for you to run down and devour? A little disrespectful is it not"?
Adopting looks of pride, and oblivious to the growing aura of menace that was rising from their female classmates, the trio nodded their heads.
"Exactly. Though I wouldn't expect a pretty boy bastard like you to understand".
Noticing the murderous glances that were being sent in the perverts direction, and having grown tired of this discussion, Dante decided to end their conversation in a manner that would allow him to vent some of the annoyance that he had built up during his stay here.
"I'm sure I don't. However, I want to make 2 things clear to you 3 Dummkopfs. Firstly, call me a bastard again and I will make you regret the day you idiots were ever spawned. And secondly, you really need to learn how to speak more quietly. Cause judging from the looks that are being sent your way, I would imagine that yesterday's beating is going to seem like childs play compared to what your about to receive".
Resisting the urge to cackle as the trio fearfully noticed that they had once again drawn the ire of the female population, and allowing a satisfied smirk to grace his features as they were subjected to a rather amusing amount of colorful death threats, Dante allowed his thoughts to wander. Unaware that within the week, his patience would be rewarded in manner that he couldn't have foreseen.
AND Finished.
Pleased with how it turned out so far. Not alot of action yet, but we get a more indeph look at the OC's personality, and some more glimpses into his backstory.
Next Chapter will start where the series begins, i.e. Issei bragging to his friends that he now has a woman in his life. And will continue from their.
As of now, the current pairings are as follows.
Issei: Asia, Koneko, Ravel, Xenovia, Irina, Rossweisse, Gabriel
OC: Akeno, Kuroka, Serafall, Raynare (if I keep her alive), Ophis, and possibly Sona.
Rias is still up in the air, but leaning towards her going with Dante. If only because its more amusing to have Rias end up with someone who doesn't bend to her every command.
Might add in characters from other anime shows later on...Similar apperances/powers, just modified to fit in with the setting of High School DxD. And will also be altering some personalities when it comes to certain characters when they see the OC. I picture Freed acting like Grell Suticliffe when faced with Dante.
Hope your enjoying the story. Will try to update/rewrite the next chapter as soon as possible (of course not all chapters require the same amount of editing) so thank you for your patience.
AND PLEASE REVIEW. Always nice to have the approval of strangers XD