"Stop frowning Hyoudou. If anyone has any right to be displeased by our current situation, it should be me".
Still coming to terms with the fact that he was no longer human, Issei's previous fear at discovering that his black haired classmate was far more deadlier than he could have possibly imagined had quickly been replaced with annoyance as he was forced to endure the angered gossiping of the school's female population.
""Why on earth is Dante allowing that pervert to hang out with him"?
""Maybe Hyoudou is blackmailing him somehow".
""I don't know, they make a cute couple".
""NOOOOO. The hot exchange student is supposed to go for the kind hearted girl, not the disgusting pervert".
""Maybe Dante will straighten him out. He kind gives off an SM vibe at times, so its plausible".
His eye twitching as he listened to the whispered theories of why he was currently walking with the foreigner, Issei couldn't help but voice his own displeasure to the visibly annoyed Devil.
""YOU? What about me? At least their not looking at you like they wanna beat you to a bloody pulp. Besides this is all your fault anyway. If you weren't so forceful on escorting me to the ORC's club room, all these hotties wouldn't be staring at me like I was a piece of garbage".
Resisting the urge to bludgeon the whiny brunette, and still lamenting the fact that he was still unable to use his shadow abilities while his body was still adjusting to the weakening effects of the sun, Dante merely settled for giving the complaining pawn a hate filled glare of his own.
""Trust me, being seen in public with you was the last thing I wanted to do, but our club's president wanted me to ensure that you got to the meeting on time, so I'm stuck with this loathsome task. And I point out, you wouldn't be receiving such looks if you hadn't already alienated the female population by allowing yourself to be governed by the useless worm in your trousers".
Enjoying the mixed look of anger and embarrassment that came over the brunette's face, Dante decided that if he was prevented from physically harming the pervert, nothing prevented him from continuing his insulting, if largely accurate, speculation as to why Issei was unpopular with the entirety of the school's female population.
""In fact, if I was to hazard a guess, if you continue acting like an unrepentant horn dog, the only people who would approach you with sexual intentions would be your cell mates, since its probable that one day your going to be charged with sexual assault. And considering your past history, I highly doubt you'd find a jury that is sympathetic to your plight".
Trying to fight the rising feeling of rage as he listened to Dante's insults, it was with clenched teeth that Issei struggled to come up with the words that would allow him to get even with the black haired Devil.
""Yeah...well, at least I'm...uh...You know what screw you. You pretty boy moron's are always making things hard for the common man to score".
Seeing that Dante ignored his ramblings in favor of walking in silence, Issei could only accept that he had lost the verbal exchange. Though that didn't mean he had to do so with dignity.
""Damn Casanova. Your mother must be so proud about your womanizing".
Though he hadn't intended to say that last bit out loud, Issei soon came to regret his words as he felt a vice like grip on his throat lifting him up into the air.
""Now pay attention you perverted lech because you're only going to get this warning once. You ever mention my mother, or any of my family with such a disrespectful tone again, then Devil or no, I will make you wish for another light spear through the gut. Are we clear"?
With his vision starting to darken, and having no success in trying to loosen Dante's iron like grip on his neck, Issei nodded to indicate that he agreed to the glaring Devil's demand.
Dropping the gasping brunette to ground, Dante waited until the pawn was back on his feet before continuing his journey to the lesser of 2 annoyances in his life. Though he was somewhat irked by the fact that despite nearly blacking out, Issei was still in a questioning state of mind.
""How the hell did you get that strong? Is it because your a Devil? Will I also gain special Devil powers like xray vision and"?
Lamenting yet again the fact that his master hadn't chosen a more patient Devil to do this horrendous task, Dante blocked out the inane jabbering's of the questioning pervert in favor of preparing himself for what was likely to be another irritating session with the servants of the House of Gremory.
'I'm starting to wonder if becoming a stray is such a bad thing after all. I'd be on my own, no master, no irritating team members. Though the decrease in power might be annoying, not to mention the fact that I'd be a wanted fugitive without any protection from the 3 factions. Still, if I have to keep putting up with these idiotic ramblings, it might be worth it in the end'.
Pushing those thoughts out of his head as he neared the old school building, Dante ensured that his temper was under control before leading his still yammering teammate towards the one responsible for granting them a life of near eternal servitude.
….
"What the hell is that pretty boy Kiba doing here? Is he a servant for the club or something"?
If the academy's blond prince had any issue with the slightly hostile attitude of his new teammate he kept it well hidden.
"Not quite. I'm actually a full time member of the Occult Research Club, which as I'm sure Dante has told you, merely serves as a front for us in order to conduct our business without anyone getting suspicious".
Having settled himself down into one of the club room's victorian style couches, Dante scoffed at the knights assumption as he reached out to take one of the brownies that were on the coffee table.
"You would think so Kiba, but no. The pervert was more interested in discovering how his new status could aid him in his lecherous pursuits rather than finding out what being a Devil actually meant. Let Gremory tell him about his new responsibilities as a Devil, since he's probably going to be more interested in what she has to say than either you or me".
Turning to the black haired rook with the intent to lightly reprimand him for his anti-social behavior, Kiba's calm composure morphed into a nervous expression when he took notice of what exactly Dante was doing.
"Uh Dante...where did you get those brownies"?
Unconcerned by the change in the blond club members tone, Dante took another bite of the surprisingly tasty dessert before answering his new teammate.
"They were just sitting on the table here. And a good thing to since I ended up skipping breakfast in order to fulfill our master's instructions in informing Hyoudou of the basics of his new life. Quite nice of her to set these out, almost makes up for the fact of having to deal with the perverted idiot all day".
Ignoring the fact that he had once again been insulted by the black haired Devil, as well as the slightly horrified look on Kiba's face as he watched Dante took a second brownie, Issei had to admit that the chocolaty snack did indeed look delicious. Reaching out to grab one for himself, he had to stop himself from screaming in terror as a scary emotionless voice spoke up from behind him.
"Those are mine".
"Quickly retracting his hand, Issei turned around and was met with a sight that would have normally caused him to break down in excitement , but instead only filled him with a feeling that someone one was about to die a most painful death.
"I'm sorry! I swear I didn't know. Please forgive me".
The white haired girl merely raised an eyebrow at the fearful cries of forgiveness she was receiving from the perverted Devil, before her face morphed back into the blank expression that had somehow managed to gain her the position of the school's mascot.
"I wasn't talking to you pervert, I was talking to him".
Briefly smirking at the downtrodden expression on Issei's face for yet again being criticized for his pursuits, Dante merely eyed the now glaring Koneko with a slightly challenging frown.
"I was not aware that you had laid a claim to these brownies. The fact that they were on a table without anyone guarding them sort of indicated that they were for everybody".
Sensing that the hazel eyed rook was on the edge of losing her temper with her black haired counterpart, and having learned through painful personal experience that it was never wise to get between Koneko and her sweet tooth, Kiba tried to diffuse the tension in the room by attempting to come up with a compromise.
"Now now, there's no reason for you two to fight just because Dante took one of your treats without realizing they were yours. Besides I'm sure that Akeno would be more than happy to make you another snack if you asked her Koneko".
"Unwilling to let the matter rest, since it was HER brownies that had been eaten, Koneko merely turned the full force of her glare on the understandably nervous knight.
"Stay out of this".
Fully cowed by the intensity of the white haired Devil, and accepting that he couldn't do anything to prevent the carnage that was about to take place, Kiba was about to suggest to an understandably frightened Issei that they find shelter when an cultured, yet highly amused laugh put a temporary hold to the developing hostilities.
"Fufu what have we here? Could it be that someone unknowingly ate some of Koneko's treats? Dear or dear what an unfortunate situation".
The sudden arrival of the raven haired beauty understandably caused Kiba to experience a mixed feeling of relief and dread, for while he was certain that Akeno possessed the ability to get Koneko to stand down, the problem was that she was liable to make the situation worse if she felt she could get some amusement out of it. And judging by the way she was smiling at the two rooks, the blond knight suspected which option she would take.
Luckily for him, Issei seemed to have regained some measure of his courage, and was now glaring accusingly at the black haired rook.
"Dude! Why didn't you tell me that both Great Ladies were in this club? You fucking bas...GURKKK"
Having reached the limits of his patience, and discovering that the club room's demonic energy allowed him to overcome his temporary weakness to day light, Dante instinctively used his abilities to silence the irritating pervert by grabbing hold of his shadow's neck.
"Hyoudou,I know this must be extremely difficult for you, but do try and keep your temper under control. As for why I didn't tell you about who comprised our master's servants, I didn't deem it important enough to tell you. I have enough irritations in my life without having to tell you EVERY single thing about your new circumstances. Do keep that in mind the next time you feel like ranting at me".
Releasing the hold he had on the gasping brunette's shadow, Dante watched with disinterest as Issei recovered his breath and attempted to protect himself from further incurring his wrath by hiding behind the blond knight. However as he noticed the almost hungry grin that the well-endowed Devil was giving him, he came to regret his earlier display of aggression, if only because he now had to deal with a more troublesome annoyance.
"My my my. You continue to be full of surprises, don't you Dante? Not only are you able to take advantage of the prevalent demonic energy of this room to over come your current inability to access your powers, but you also aren't shy in using them for violent purposes. And in addition to that, you also possess the ability to upset Koneko without even realizing it. Dear oh dear, what am I going to do with you"?
Turning away from the now cautious looking rook in favor of staring at the still cowering Issei, Akeno put on her most calming smile as she formally introduced herself to the first, and only queen of Rias Gremory.
"Well hello their Issei. I'm Akeno Himejima. Welcome to our little club. I trust that Dante hasn't completely removed your ability to speak? Cause if he has, I will have to think of a suitable method to punish him for hurting such a cute new Devil like you".
Fighting the urge to keep his eyes from wandering to her rather impressive assets, a fight that ended in defeat as his lustful urges overcame his fear, Issei was about to offer his own words of greeting when an odd sound caught his ear.
"Hey, what is that? Almost sounds like.."
"A shower? Yes your right. Rias was very adamant that our meeting place be equipped with all the necessities needed for our comfort. Theirs also a fully stocked kitchen, an indoor gym, a library, and a couple of guest rooms should any of us feel the need to use them. Impressive no"?
Nodding his head enthusiastically to show that he agreed with the raven haired beauty, Issei could only grin as his imagination fed him images of the n*** showering bodies of not only the busty raven haired beauty, but also the white haired loli girl. As his mind started fantasizing about the two of them showering together, he was violently pulled out of his perverted day dream by the cold voice of the female rook.
"Finish that thought...and I'll cut it off".
With instincts honed through years of dealing with such threats to his manhood, Issei quickly covered his crotch before Koneko could carry out her threat.
"Y..Yeah. No problem Konkeo".
Having successfully put the fear of death back into the perverted pawn, Koneke resumed her glaring match with the black haired Devil, who to her surprise was shaking like he was desperately trying to restrain something. Before she could even form a scathing inquiry as to why the moody rook was acting this way, Dante lost what ever semblance of control he was clinging on to, and let loose a laugh that was enough to make even Koneko lose her stoic expression.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA. Oh man that was priceless. You know I'm actually starting to regret having some of your brownies short stuff. Hell if you keep putting Hyoudou in his place, I might even considering buying you your own candy shop".
Fighting the impulse to deck her fellow rook for the comment about her height, Koneko gave a stiff nod to the still laughing Devil.
"Deal".
Gradually recovering his wits, Dante realized what he had just offered, but before he could tell the white haired girl that he had no intention of honoring it, one of the current banes of his existence decided to make herself known.
"Nice to see your getting along with some of your new comrades Dante. Even if its at the expense of your other teammates. Still any bit of progress is welcome I suppose".
Smiling somewhat teasingly at her moody servant, Rias then turned her attention to the excited expression of her newest pawn, smirking a little as she noticed the way his eyes seemed to concentrate on her own impressive bosom.
"My eye's are up here Issei. But no matter, as a Devil it is expected of you to follow your desires. I have no problem with your interests, provided of course you don't get too carried away with them".
Blushing slightly at being caught, and slightly nervous that Dante would once again magically choke him, the embarrassed brunette attempted to come up with an apology that he hoped would placate the gorgeous red head.
"I..I'm sorry Ms. Gremory. It won't happen again".
Frowning a little at Issei's slightly nervous response, Rias took a moment to briefly send a glare towards her rook, likely guessing the true cause for her pawn's anxiety, before gracing her newest servant with a serene smile.
"Theirs no need to stand on ceremony here Issei. You have my full permission to call me by my first name. Afterall, I tend to treat my servants like family, and expect them to view me the same way, so just think of me like a big sister".
Pleasantly surprised by the informal manner in which the academy's most popular girl, and in his mind most beautiful, spoke to him, Issei couldn't help but feel his courage return as he pointed a finger to the couch lounging foreigner.
"Then does that make Dante a moody uncle? Cause I can totally see him as one".
Letting out a good natured laugh, even though the other club members couldn't tell if it was because of the accurate description of Dante, or Issei's boldness, Rias motioned for the perverted Devil to take a seat.
"While Dante may share certain characteristics of that distinct stereotype, we are here to discuss something more important. Mainly your introduction to your new comrades, and your newfound responsibilities as a Devil. But first, everyone please introduce yourselves to our latest member".
Bowing at the waist, and smiling slightly at the bug eyed expression Issei was giving her as he took notice of how her breasts were displayed, Akeno went first.
"Akeno Himejima. Happy to have you join us Issei. I'm sure we will get along just fine".
Offering the brunette a warm smile, Kiba proceeded to follow after the raven haired girls introduction.
"Yuuto Kiba. Pleased to have you with us Issei".
The white haired rook merely nodded her head towards the brunette.
"Koneko Toujou".
When Dante wasn't forthcoming with an introduction of his own, contenting himself by playing with a conjured swirl of shadows, Rias merely sighed and proceeded to speak for both of them.
"As you know that grouch over there would be Dante Inumbro. And I am Rias Gremory. Your new d I welcome you Issei Hyoudou to your new life as a Devil. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, it's time to fill you in about the important aspects of your new life".
Before she could proceed to explain to the excited pervert about his new found circumstances, Dante decided to inject.
"Do I have to stick around for this Gremory? I've already told him the basics, and since I have no interest in going over the same material twice, I was rather hoping I could skip this and proceed with the deal making process".
While she was slightly annoyed by Dante's interruption, not to mention the fact that he was still displaying his usual anti social tendencies, Rias was nevertheless curious about his question, since she did not believe that he had accomplished his task of handing out flyers in merely a day's time.
"That depends. Did you pass out ALL of your flyers? Because I find it hard to believe that you have in such a limited space of time, and would be quite annoyed with you if your lying to me just so you can get out of spending quality time with your new teammate".
Ignoring the slight glare she sent him during the last part of her speech, Dante gave a firm nod to show that he was being serious.
"While nothing would please me more than to escape this little information session, I am not in the habit of telling falsehoods. While I am not above omitting certain details if it would benefit me to do so, honesty is one of my more admirable traits. So yes, I have finished the rather tedious task of delivery flyers across town. I trust you have no problem with knowing that I used my abilities to do so"?
Frowning in thought at the blunt explanation offered to her by her newest rook, Rias shook her head.
"No. As long as you were able to do so WITHOUT bribing others to do so, then as long as no one saw you use your abilities, then I have no issue with it. Though I am curious just as to how you used your abilities to do so, since you temporarily shouldn't be able to access them during the day".
Sensing that he would only be allowed to leave if he told her exactly how he did, but unwilling to go into further detail about his unique abilities, Dante merely spoke 2 words.
"Carrier Pigeons".
Hoping for a more detailed explanation, and aware of the curious looks the rest of her peerage were sending the black haired Devil, Rias patiently waited for Dante to provided more information, but she conceded that she wouldn't be able to get anything else out of him at this point in time.
"Very well. Since your eager to start, I'll send you out right away. I trust you'll have no issue taking one of Kiba's contracts since he's currently overbooked"?
Seeing him shake his head to show that he was ok with it, Rias gestured for everyone to take a step backward as she activated the room's magic circle.
"Very well. While I am slightly disappointed in your choice, I can't fault you for taking your new position seriously. I trust that you understand that your usual personality might interfere with your negotiating tactics"?
Dante merely nodded at her question, surprising everyone when his frowning expression easily morphed back into a more friendlier version of what he had been displaying in public.
"But of course Rias. These people are making a deal with a Devil. Wouldn't do well for business if I treated them the same way I treat Hyoudou and his friends".
Smiling at the angered expression that came over Issei's face at the mention of his usual methods in dealing with them, Dante calming stepped forward into the glowing red circle, offering his crimson haired master a slightly curious expression that she thought to be genuine.
"Just out of curiosity, does my new phone have an app to tell me what is considered to be an acceptable form of payment for my services. Or is that left to my discretion"?
Somewhat startled by the sudden change in attitude of her usually disrespectful servant, Rias put a finger to her chin as she considered his question.
"Your new phone can tell you what would be considered a fair trade, BUT if you somehow manage to convince the client to pay more for whatever they want you to do, then I'm ok with it. Just remember that we want repeat clients as well as new ones. So whatever you ask for, make sure its not something that will cause the client to regret what he's done".
Nodding to show he understood, Dante soon lost sight of the club room as the circle gave a bright flash of light that instantly sent him off to his destination.
"He's certainly proving to be an interesting servant. I do wonder how he'll react once were ordered to take out some strays. Something tells me it will be exhilarating to watch".
Gracing her slightly dreamy eyed queen with a reassuring smile, Rias turned her attention back to the dumbfounded brunette, who had been staring in a mixture of disbelief and wonder as his slightly volatile teammate vanished out of the room.
"Now Issei. As a newborn Devil there are several things you must be aware of. For starters, let me provide you with a brief summary of the 3 principal factions you will likely meet during your tenure as my servant. You have already become acquainted with one of them, and those would be the Fallen Angels. The reason why they are different from the Angels in Heaven is because.."
For the rest of the afternoon, Rias and the remaining members of her peerage instructed their newest member about the supernatural world, causing Issei to become both ecstatic at the new opportunities presented to him, and slightly jealous of the fact that despite his more violent attitude, Dante was nevertheless more aware about the nature of the non human world than he was.
'I wonder what type of deals I will have to do in the future. Eh it doesn't matter. With my good looks and charm, I'm sure to be a more successful salesman than Dante could ever dream of being'.
Fate would soon brutally prove the pawn wrong.
"Are...Are you the Devil"?
Allowing a soft reassuring smile to grace his features as he looked over the nervous looking young woman who happened to be his first client, Dante kept his tone pleasant as he began the process of achieving his first successfully completed contract..
"Yes I am Milady. Though I confess that I am simply A Devil. Not THE Devil. But nevertheless, I am fully capable of answering your request to the very letter. Provided of course that your willing to pay for my services".
Nodding her head nervously, the black haired woman managed to temporary lose her stutter as she asked one of the more common questions that all first time Devil summoners always asked.
"The deal is for my soul right? You do what I ask you, and I have to give up the chance to go to Heaven"?
Allowing a small frown to mar his features at the mention of the divine attic, Dante patiently corrected his contractor's assumption.
"Not necessarily. Depending on the nature of your request, payment for my services might be as simple as giving me a bottle of wine, or high financial reward. But since I don't know what you want me to do, I can't very well know what to list as my price can I"?
Producing a shaky laugh from the young woman, the black haired Devil was surprised when her meek demeanor transformed into something that oddly enough reminded him of himself.
Grim determination.
"Is it true that you can grant ANY request"?
Pondering the nature of her question, and doing his best not to reveal that this was his first contract mission, Dante soon gave her his answer..
"Again that depends. If your willing to pay the price for my time, then yes. But again I remind you, the more difficult the task, the more it will cost you".
Nodding to show that she understood the parameters of bargaining with a Devil, the client gathered her nerves as she made her request.
"What will it cost me if I ask for you to send my husband to the hospital"?
Raising an eyebrow at the request, though in truth he suspected that her request would be of a violent nature, Dante pulled out his phone to see just how much she would have to pay for this Devil delivered retribution.
"That depends Miss. How serious an injury do you want this to be? A broken leg? 3rd degree Burns? Mental breakdown? I need specifics before I tell you how much this will cost"?
Looking up from his device to flash her a questioning look, Dante was momentarily taken back by the amount of pure venom that was currently displayed in the woman's eyes.
"I want him completely paralyzed. He can't move. He can't talk. But I want him to be in full possession of his mental facilities. Can you do that"?
Punching in the relevant information into the rather handy device that Rias had given him, Dante soon came up with a list of payment options that would allow him to carry out the woman's request.
"Why yes I can. And your in luck because their appears to be multiple ways in which you can pay me for my services. The first option would be that you pay me $40,000 dollars US. The second one is that you give me an object that either you, or your soon to be immobile husband value for more than any amount of money. And the third option is that you'll have 10 years off your removed. So if you were originally going to die when you where 80, you would now die at the still substantial age of 70. The choice is yours since I will accept whatever payment you choose".
Quickly running off to one of the many shelves that decorated the room, the relieved looking woman soon returned with something that greatly surprised the waiting Devil.
"Here. My husband bought this at an antique show a year after we were married. He spent weeks trying to get it back into working condition. And though he's been unable to find the appropriate ammo for it, which I thank the spirits every day for, its fully functional".
Extending his hand to take the offered payment from the trembling woman's hands, Dante quickly pocketed his payment before gracing the still apprehensive woman with a reassuring smile.
"Pleasure doing business with you. You have my assurances that before the night is done, your husband will never be able to do anything by himself ever again. If you would just sign this document to show that I have agreed to fulfill your request, I'll be on my way to get the job done".
Quickly signing the offered piece of paper, Kayako Saeki allowed a small smile to grave spread across her face as she bowed in gratitude towards the black haired Devil.
"I know you haven't agreed to do this Mr. Devil, but would it be possible for you to tell my husband who sent you? If its too much trouble then forget it".
Nodding at her request, for being the informative person that he was he had already decided to explain the circumstances of his victims misfortune, Dante began to call upon the shadows to transport him to his next location when the timid voice of his client spoke up again. .
"If I need to hire the services of a Devil again...would it be possible for me to request you again"?
Thinking it over for a second, Dante agreed.
"Of course. Just make sure that you ask for the male Devil with the black hair. Otherwise you might get someone who might be a tad less...efficient in dealing with your request".
Shyly smiling to show that she understood, Kayako watched in fascination as Dante walked towards the unlit portion of the room and disappeared as soon as his body made contact with the shadows.
"Such a nice boy, even if he is a Devil? Got to thank my mother for giving me her old occult books next time I see her".
And without feeling any remorse of what was about to happen to her abusive husband, Kayako Saeki decided to make dinner for both herself, and her curious son and his feline friend.
...
Whew...this is the first chapter that was made COMPLETELY from scratch. So now finally done with the rewriting part./strong
Hopefully you all enjoyed it. Had a lot of fun writing about the continuing relationship between Dante and the rest of the Gremory group (particularly pleased with how the relationship between the 2 rooks is developing..i.e. antagonistic but almost sibling like.)/strong
"Also enjoyed writing about his first Devil contract, was playing around with the idea of having him contracted for either cosplaying or babysitting an unruly child, but decided that punishing an adulterer fit more with his personality. AND yes I am fully aware of which beloved series I took the names for the client and her family from. Hadn't intended to do so when I came up with the idea of what Dante was contracted to do, but I think it fits./strong
Also...since I have just finished reading Hell Girl...and thus am in a VERY emotional mood right now...I have decided to have Dante deal with pacts that are punitive in nature./strong
"Besides always felt that the ghost lady got the shitty end of the stick so...change of fate. not sure if she will be a serious regular character, or just used for dark comedy, but it was fun to write./strong
ANYWAYS...Please vote on the Poll that's on my profile page (Its about what Dante's familiar should be) and REVIEW. (NO FLAMES)/strong
"PS. Staring to look for a BETA READER..so if anyone is interested, msg me./strong
Til next time./strong