Despite possessing a slightly well-deserved reputation for impulsiveness, and perhaps more than a little forwardness, the black furred feline still possessed the same quality that all long lived creatures possessed.
Patience.
Such a skill had allowed her to endure the heart breaking decision to leave her beloved sister in the hands of the Devils, and had helped shape her desire to find only the best male candidate for helping her to rebuild her race.
She had already found a few worthwhile candidates for that particular honor, but so for one reason or another she had been unable to capitalize on this.
Apart from his sister, which she supposed she had to respect, Pendragon was far too interested in finding a suitable rival to practice his sword swinging skills against instead of a worthwhile bedding companion. Which meant that any attempt to get into his pants was largely pointless.
Bikou, while strong, was far too immature for her liking. And there was no point to rebuilding an entire race if the next generation would end up dooming themselves thanks to ingrained childishness.
The Vanishing Dragon, while ideally suited for her purposes, was unfortunately still taking orders from the lecherous leader of the Fallen Angels. Which meant that he was currently off the market, at least for the time being.
And then there was the final candidate who had at least experienced the joys of sleeping in the same bed as her.
Of course it was far from the hot and sweaty nocturnal activity that she had fantasized about, but since her shape changing boss had given her strict instructions to remain in her miniature form unless she was told otherwise, she was denied from scratching that particular itch.
That being said, she had found herself to be enjoying her time spying on the black haired Devil, even if he had been too lazy to call her anything accept cat or feline.
He was always respectful. Never gave her the idea that she was unwelcome. And to top it all off, his shadow manipulating powers gave her some fantastic ideas of what they would try out once she convinced him to try and make a baby with her.
But sad to say, such fun would only be possible after Ophis gave her the go ahead to reveal herself. And until that time, she would have to put up with having her well put together target getting some female attention from other buxom beauties.
It was rather fortunate for him that she recognized that he wasn't attracting there notice intentionally. Otherwise she was quite certain that she would start to use him as a mobile scratching post.
Still, that didn't mean that she had to be happy with him spending the night with the master of her beloved Shirone.
And as she glared in the direction of the apartment's sole bedroom, the black furred cat could only think up of how else she could get back at the moody Devil for denying her her favorite pillow.
…..
Despite the fact that such a thing should not be possible given his preferred decorating style, Dante was roused from his oddly peaceful slumber thanks to the invasive beams of light that were streaming through his uncovered window.
Feeling particularly lazy, and having no desire to cover his head with his pillow, the black haired Devil settled for turning his face away from the window, and instantly became aware that his morning routine had yet again been interrupted.
For laying across from him, her eyes closed in gentle slumber, was the nude form of one of the more persistent irritants in his life.
However before he could voice his objection to having his personal space violated yet again, though unlike last time he could at least restrain himself from lashing out violently, the red haired Devil did something to him that he knew would make the pervert jealous.
For instead of turning on her side to shield herself from the warming rays of the sun, Rias instead chose to utilze his body as her own personal pillow. Which result in a very clear reminder that the buxom Devil had a penchant for sleeping nude.
However, while Issei would have been content to simply enjoy the sensation of being embraced by a naked female, let alone one as busty as the Gremory heiress, Dante was far more willing to ruin the unattended intimate moment by trying to struggle free.
"uuhhh...it's too early for this. Go back to sleep".
Having no desire to do so until he was free, but conscious of the fact that Rias had just strengthened her grip on him, Dante decided to utilize an option that had been unavailable to him the last time this had happened.
Taking a calming breath to steady his nerves, for as a Devil he had yet to use this technique during the day time, Dante soon felt the familiar sensation of his body adopting an almost liquid like form. And spending only a brief moment to congratulate himself on his success, he quickly slithered out of Rias's now empty arms before reforming himself in the center of the room.
"I don't believe I will Rias. Not until you explain WHY you're once again invading my personal space. Or for that matter how the hell you got in here. I know how to keep unwanted vistors from teleporting into my bedroom, so it makes me curious as to how you could have gotten in here".
Raising an eyebrow in amusement at her black haired servant, Rias nevertheless answered his question
"Are you forgetting that I already know where you live? You may be able to keep me from teleporting directly into your rather cozy apartment, but even while carrying your unconscious body, I can still easily force my way in through the front door".
Taking a moment to enjoy the rather shocked expression of her black haired servant, for it was clear that Dante had forgotten that little detail, Rias decided to mix business with pleasure as she proceeded to have a little bit more fun with the Rook.
"Still I suppose you have some cause to be annoyed with the current situation. I mean, you did black out after your rather unique way of extracting Twilight Healing, so its understandable that you have some confusion. Oh by the way, it might be best if you avoided Akeno for a while. I don't believe I have to explain why you should do so"?
Smirking at Dante's momentary blanch expression, though she was uncertain whether it was because he was nervous or annoyed at being the target of Akeno's teasing, Rias fought the urge to giggle as her now fully composed servant replied to her oberservation.
"No you do not. Though I suppose I could take advantage of her new found interest for my benefit".
Though she was pleasantly surprised by Dante's willingness to interact with the most trusted member of her peerage, Rias nevertheless narrowed her eyes at the black haired Devil's tone.
"And what precisely do you mean by that Dante"?
Recognizing the hidden danger within his master's tone as she asked him that question, Dante hurried to explain himself. Though for reasons Rias could not have predicted.
"I mean that if Akeno is currently showing a willingness to spend some time in my company, I might as well see if she can begin my lessons in using my new found Devil power. The past few days have kinda highlighted my needed to expand upon my list of skills. And since I have no desire to EVER be in that situation again, not to mention the fact that she has already expressed an interest in training me, the sooner I start the better".
Her expression becoming slightly downcast at the reminder of what her servant had gone through, though she was pleased that Dante was willing to increase his interaction with the rest of her peerage, Rias nevertheless nodded her head in approval.
"I think that would be wise. She might be a tad…enthusiastic with her training technique, but she is an effective teacher for those who genuinely want to improve. You might want to ask Koneko for help as well. As your senior when it comes to utilizing the base abilities of a rook, her aid will prove to be invaluable".
Nodding his head to show that he would follow his master's advice, Dante turned his head as Rias raised herself from his bed.
"Speaking of the stat boosting skills of your evil pieces, might I enquire as to why you decided to yet again use your…unique method of healing? I would have thought that by adding the healing nun to your ranks, you wouldn't need to use THIS particular way of getting me back on my feet".
Pouting in annoyance at Dante's less than grateful attitude towards her efforts to get him back on his feet, though part of it might have stemmed from the fact that her undressed state was inspiring none of the enthusiastic responses she would have certainly received from her one and only pawn, Rias nonetheless answered his question.
"Considering the extent of your injuries, both internally and externally, I felt it would be prudent if I used all methods of healing at my disposal. Since you knocked yourself unconscious after helping to unite Asia with her Sacred Gear, I had no way of knowing if she managed to cure everything. And being the responsible caring master that I am, I decided to ensure that you were completely healed by devoting my valuable time to your recovery. I trust that unlike the last time we were in this situation, you felt no pain when using your abilities"?
Receiving a small grudging nod from her black haired servant, Rias fought the urge to smile as Dante offered up his gratitude in his usual manner.
"None what so ever. Though I am uncertain if that is due to the pervert's pet nun, or you're exhibitionist technique. I imagine that Hyoudo became quite upset when he learned about your preferred method of healing"?
Chuckling as she remembered Issei's jealous reaction, the crimson haired heiress nodded her head.
"As a matter of fact he did. And to tell you the truth it was rather fortunate that he befriended a girl who possesses the ability to heal anything. Otherwise he would still be suffering from the displeasure of Koneko and my new bishop".
Gaining a snort of amusement from her shadow controlling rook, Rias was largely unsurprised, though still somewhat disappointed by Dante's lack of respect towards her perverted pawn.
"Let me guess. He said something that revolves around his inability to attract worthwhile attention from females with more developed figures and a more open minded attitude. I'm surprised that he managed to become friends with the nun in the first place. Even if she's been kicked out, its clear that she still has their teachings".
Though she, and probably the rest of her peerage shared those exact thoughts regarding Issei and his slightly unusual relationship with the innocent blonde nun, Rias prevented herself from doing more than nodding in agreement with Dante's observation before addressing another concern.
"Speaking of your newest comrade in arms, I trust that you have no intention of treating her like you treat Issei? I recognize that you're not the most social of individuals, but Asia is a sweet girl despite all she's gone through, so I would appreciate it if you did your best to treat her kindly".
Allowing just a hint of warning to enter her tone as she proceeded to put on her discarded clothing, Rias allowed a small smile of relief to spread across her face as she heard Dante's answer.
"Considering that it was only thanks to her that I managed to free myself and take some manner of revenge against my captors, not to mention the fact that she was no longer affiliated with the Church before you revived her, I suppose I can find it within myself to do as you request".
Pleased at the concession she managed to obtain from her moody servant, Rias's expression quickly turned slightly mischievous as she decided to clue in her rook to his current condition.
"Glad to hear it. Now, since we have a lot to do to this morning before we head off to school, I suggest that it might be prudent to get some clothes on. Not that I don't appreciate the view, but I think you'd be more comfortable in your regular attire instead of a simple pair of boxers".
Casting a look down on himself to verify the crimson haired Devil's claims, and allowing his eye to lightly twitch in annoyance as he saw that his current state amused his now smirking master, responded to Rias's suggestion with a wave of his hand.
It never failed to impress her just how much control Dante had over his shadow manipulating abilities. While she was certain that he had every intention in dressing in his usual dark colored clothing after she gave him some privacy, the robe he managed to create with merely a thought, while thin and black in color, nevertheless was a physical thing that served its purpose.
Tying it closed while he shot an annoyed glare at his master, though he acknowledged that at least she had the decency not to turn the other way as he put it on, Dante decided to ask her a question that had been bugging him since she revealed what happened after his blacking out.
"Since we're still on the topic of our late night church meeting, care to tell me what happened to the surviving leaders of that little group of outcasts? Cause I recall that you and Akeno took care of 2 of the crows, Koneko and Kiba managed to take out a fair number of exorcists before I arrived to take out the rest along with the fedora wearing asshole. Which means that we still have a psychotic man child unaccounted for and a delusional attention seeking social climber that needs to be reminded of her place".
Frowning at the reminder that her little pest control problem had been less complete than she had originally wished it to be, Rias allowed some of her dissatisfaction to show as she answered Dante's question.
"Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, Freed managed to escape, though judging by his parting comment we will be seeing him again in the future".
Receiving a slightly bemused sigh from the black haired rook, Rias was prevented from continuing on by Dante's rather accurate comment.
"Let me guess. After seeing that he couldn't hope to kill any of us before he himself was cut down, he jumped through a window swearing that he would be the one to finally put me in my grave"?
Slowly nodding her head in agreement with Dante's rather accurate description of what the white haired exorcist had shouted, and deciding that now was not the best time to discover the nature of the relationship between her servant and the insane priest, Rias continued on.
"That about sums it up. Though he did have a parting comment or two for his former supervisor. Which brings me to my next question".
Hearing the mixture of amused disproval in her tone, Dante resigned himself to experiencing the same fate his perverted teammate had undergone numerous times since his conversion into a servant of the next head of the Gremory Clan.
Tedious lecturing from an overbearing female.
…..
Despite having spent much of her childhood being lectured about her duties to God, and how she should always be on guard against the forces of Evil, Asia Argento found herself to be greatly enjoying her new life as a Devil.
Yes it saddened her that she could no longer receive God's favor because she had fallen far beyond any hope of redemption, but for the first time since she had been granted the title of Holy Maiden, she had people who she could call friends.
Yes they were eccentric, and yes they were Devils, but they nevertheless went out of their way to treat her like a normal person.
Though she had exchanged few spoken words with the white haired girl, Asia nevertheless got the impression that Koneko viewed her with kindness, especially since it had quickly become apparent that she was the only one that was allowed to partake in her sweets.
Kiba acted like a kind, if slightly distant brother who made her feel welcome, although from what she had seen, there was something slightly forced about his pleasant expression. But since she was still getting to know her new friends, it was possible that she was simply misreading the blonde Devil
Akeno was like a teasing older sister, who while taking great enjoyment in embarrassing her younger classmates, nevertheless was always willing to offer a piece of advice, or come to her aid when she was experiencing problems.
Her master Rias was the same, if only a tad more serious, and had been the one responsible for allowing her to not only have a second chance at life, but also for allowing her to become closer to the first friend she had ever made.
It still brought a smile to her face when she remembered how kind Issei was to her when she first arrived in Kuoh, and a more flushed expression when she thought about his heroic actions in trying to save her despite the odds he faced. And after being resurrected as a Devil, he, along with a little help from their master, had gone to great lengths to make her feel welcome.
For the first time she could remember, she had a set of parents who lovingly doted on her, even if they tended to ignore their child to do so, a group of friends who treated her like a normal person rather than a holy icon, and perhaps the most surprising of all, a man who managed to inspire feelings of devotion that were/had been equal to that of God.
The only down side, though in her mind it just showed just how considerate Issei was to her wellbeing, was that the brunette Devil was a tad overprotective when it came to her interactions with certain individuals.
"I'm serious Asia. When we get to school, I suggest that you stay away from certain people. I know that you think everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt, but trust me. With some people its just smarter to stay away".
Fighting the very real urge to giggle at the comically serious expression that was currently being worn by the usually laid back brunette, Asia quickly moved to assure Issei that she would be careful.
"You don't have to worry about me Issei. I might have never been to a public school before, but I'm confident that with you by my side, I'll be able to handle anything".
Giggling at the look of embarrassment that came over the brunette's face as she voiced her faith in him, Asia's expression soon gained a more troubling look as she noticed the crowd gathered outside the entrance to the school.
And as she turned her attention back towards her brown haired companion, the former nun was certain that her morning had just lost its light hearted atmosphere.
….
Though she should have expected her appearance to cause such an enthusiastic reaction, an ever present problem for the female members of her kind when forced to interact with mortals, the presence of her frostily polite companion/jailer only served to make things worse.
For one, the presence of the currently smiling Devil meant that she was denied her usual method of dealing with obnoxious humans, preferably involving a light spear to a gut if she was too lazy to hypnotize them. And secondly, though her tone and expression she was currently wearing could be considered to be warm and welcoming, Akeno's words nevertheless revealed that she viewed her current task to be unpleasant.
"I would have thought that a girl of your circumstances would be more than willing to bask in the praise shown by those she deems less than herself. A pity that your sole talent appears to be just as much as an illusion as your current form. Makes me wonder how you've managed to survive as long as you have".
Gritting her teeth before remembering the role she was forced to resume, Raynare managed to mirror her companions smiling expression as she came up with a sweetly delivered barb of her own.
"Probably because unlike you, my kind is at least strong enough to take what we need rather than bargain for it like some lowly salesmen. Surprised your master hasn't considered exploiting the more lustful thoughts of Kuoh's Devil worshipers. Though with a mouth as vile as yours, I doubt that any would wish for you to have fun with their little wo...OUCH"!
Doing her best not to give into the urge to rub her now injured foot, for the short skirt that was part of her uniform would have proceeded to give quite the show if she either raised her leg or bent over, the Fallen Angel settled for shooting a venomous glare towards her falsely apologetic companion.
"Oh dear I'm terribly sorry about that Ray. My foot tends to have a life of its own when I hear less than savory things about my friends. Speaking of which, I trust that you'll be able to remain civil when we meet with our fellow club members? Our club president would be most unhappy if she discovered that you were bullying her precious club members, so I hope you keep that in mind when your vulgar nature rears its ugly head".
Though it pained her to do so, Raynare nevertheless nodded her head at the serenely smiling Devil's warning.
"Not to worry. As long as your...comrades choose to limit themselves to words alone, I assure you that I will be able to keep my temper. But if I'm threatened with anything more, I'll.."
"Prove that the boasts of belonging to a superior race are nothing but empty words. Cause if you think about it, you've already proven yourself weaker than a new born Devil. And if you take into consideration of what my injured servant was able to accomplish…well it doesn't exactly speak well of your abilities does it".
Scowling at the mocking voice of the girl who had been mere inches from sending her to her death, the fallen angel was prevented from speaking thanks to the sudden interruption of the one responsible for her predicament.
"Oh I'm sure improvements can be made if she's willing to put in the effort. Would be quite disappointing to have a servant even the pervert can easily defeat. That is if you manage to piss him off enough".
Surprised though she was at having a Devil speak up in her defence, let alone the one who had forced her into servitude as payment for his own circumstances, Raynare turned to face her two new companions. One of them who looked like she was genuinely considering what the deceptively smiling boy had just said.
"I suppose you do have a point Dante. And since you're the one who convinced me to spare her life, it falls to you to make sure that her heightened abilities are put to good use. I trust that between your normal duties and the training you'll be enduring once I've had a brief word with Akeno and Koneko, you'll be able to spend some time teaching your pet crow what she needs to know in order to remain on my good side"?
Feeling a growing sense of unease at the developing proof that her life now rested in the hands of more than 1 overly sadistic Devil, Raynare was surprised by the answer her new master gave to the currently smiling Gremory.
"As long as you stop trying to tell what MY servant can and cannot do, I do not foresee a problem. Also, I thought that we only agreed on Akeno teaching me what I need to know in respect to my new…life style".
Deciding it was best to hold her tongue despite the very real desire to voice her confusion, the Fallen Angel was subject to the very amusing sight of Dante being told that he was only getting half of what he wanted.
"I suppose that's fair. Even if the circumstances are unusual, every Devil has the right to treat their servant in any manner they see fit. Though I do ask you to keep her on a little bit of a tight leash. Retaliatory insults are acceptable, but I would prefer if her snark levels remained lower than your own. And as for the other thing, I thought it would be wise to have you trained by someone who possesses the same physical potential as you do".
Grateful though she was at having her proverbial collar loosened, even if it meant that she had to first listen to the pervert's whining tone before she could offer a scathing retort, Dante's barely noticeable eye twitch was enough to make her question whether or not it was worth it.
Though his answer greatly surprised not only herself, but also the pair of female Devils as well.
"Then I guess that I'll be utilizing the Nun's healing ability more than I previously thought. The midget doesn't strike me as a sadist, but I sincerely doubt she'll coddle me like you do with the pervert".
Unsure if she should laugh or cower in fear as an annoyed look came over Gremory's face, not to mention the gleeful expression that was currently being sported by the pony tailed Devil, Raynare had to admit that she was impressed by the red head's ability to keep her cool despite her obvious irritation.
"I believe you have just said that it's the right of every Devil to treat their servants in the manner that they wish. But rest assured, I will soon be correcting the list of physical deficiencies that Issei currently possesses. Just as I will change your disrespectful attitude by having you train with the less forgiving members of my peerage".
Earning little more than a scoff from her black haired servant, and judging that now was not the time to dwell on such things, Rias sighed as she turned her attention towards the Fallen Angel.
"Since I can already tell that Dante is going to be a bit lax when it comes to acting like a responsible master, let me just remind you that slipping back into your old habits will NOT be tolerated. Do you understand"?
Receiving a shaky nod from the raven haired girl, Rias's expression quickly turned cheerful.
"Excellent. Now that most of the pleasantries are out of the way, I'll see the pair of you later this afternoon. I have something special I want to tell everyone, and I will not tolerate any tardiness. Understand Dante"?
Recognizing the unspoken threat in his smiling master's words, and feeling that he had already pushed his luck too far to get away with any further disrespect, the black haired Devil nodded his head in agreement.
"Good. Remember what we talked about this morning, and there should be no further problems. Raynare, I've taken the liberty of having you placed in the same homeroom and Akeno and I, so you'll be coming with us".
Grabbing the shocked, yet slightly relieved girl by the wrist, and ignoring the excited gossiping of the surrounding humans, Rias proceeded to drag the former agent of heaven into the school while leaving her remaining servants to talk things over.
"I hope that Rias's teasing hasn't made you reconsider your previous enthusiasm to have me teach you? Brutal though my techniques may be, they nevertheless achieve their desired results. And considering your….durability, I can honestly say that I'm looking forward to the hor..I mean exercises I plan to put you through".
Giggling at the deadpan expression of her fellow servant, for she had to admit it was far better than the usual scowl he showed whenever he was annoyed, Akeno couldn't help her imagination to take hold as considered the nature of their future training sessions.
Not to mention those Koneko would put him through once she told her of the amusing nickname Dante had bestowed on her. Perhaps if she asked real nicely, or at the very least used the time honored gift of bribery, the white haired rook would allow her to help out should the black haired Devil continue his insolence.
She doubted it though, but hey a girl could dream.
…
And I think that's a suitable place to leave for now.
Apologises for the time it took to write this particular chapter, actually had 2/3rds of it done in April…but that last part…that took some doing XD. Confess that I had intended on having the chapter end.
As for the timeframe of this story…going with the anime storyline just due to certain aspects that I like more (i.e. the Student Council meeting plus familiar hunting). Actually hope to have that in the next chapter….already got an idea of what familiar will be paired with Dante, as well as how he interacts with Saji.
Anyways, hope you all enjoyed this chapter, particularly pleased with how the story is coming in terms of relationship development, even if I AM messing with canon pairings XD.
As always, reviews are welcome…Flamers are not.
Til next time.