Chapter 4

He Is Ruthless But Merciful

Heathcliff's grin was nearly ripping the corners of his mouth as he walked home in the dying light of the evening. He had just dropped Akeno off at her temple and was now finding himself slightly wandering in the direction of his home. He wasn't directly going home as his excitement and thoughts from earlier events were rushing through his mind.

Holy Christ's shit! I kissed her! Christ, her lips are soft… I could've kissed her all night long… Heathcliff thought as he walked. A cool breeze blew through the park he walked in, making him stuff his hands in his pockets. He quirked an eyebrow as the crunch of paper broke his thoughts. He pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and unrumpled it.

"When the hell did I stick this in my pocket?" Heathcliff wondered. He looked over the invitation slip that Rias had given him some days prior. He shrugged and placed it in his shirt pocket.

Huh… I might've grabbed it on accident for some reason. I think I left it on top of my phone and just stuck both of them in my pocket this morning. Heathcliff thought as he ended up in the center of the park where the fountain was. He glanced to the side and noted the slash marks and the huge gash in the tree where the previous night's events started.

Man… using Combat Morph was a lot of fun… minus the spears flying at me… Heathcliff thought as he walked up to the tree, placing a hand on the slash marks he made. He ran his hand over them and inspected the spear-gash in the wood as well.

For a little girl, that spear had some serious power behind it. SPEAKING OF! Heathcliff thought in alarm as he jumped up into the tree and latched onto a branch. Under him, a jagged, glowing red spear impacted the tree and shattered the whole base of it. Heathcliff leaped from the falling tree and landed in a crouch in front of the fountain, watching as a figure floated into the park.

I thought that they were just some fucker crossing the street! Then all of a sudden, here comes a MOTHERFUCKING SPEAR! God! Heathcliff thought with a growl. He could feel the malevolent intent from the person as they entered into the moonlight. It was a voluptuous woman in a very revealing, leather outfit. Well, it looked like leather to Heathcliff.

"Oh, look at that! A little acrobat I've got here, hmm? That won't last very long." The black-winged woman said. She smiled evilly at Heathcliff as she wrenched her spear from the fallen tree.

She's one of those Fallen Angels like the two who attacked last night… Great. I know how to fuck with you. Heathcliff thought as he grinned. The woman's smile vanished as she glared at him.

"What's the smirk for? Can't you see you're going to die?" the woman asked in an annoyed tone. Heathcliff smirked some more as he reached his arms out and turned his inside wrist outward. He formed the devil's horns with his hands, aiming his wrists at the bases of trees.

"Am I? I didn't know that, bitch." Heathcliff said as his webbing shot from his wrists and attached to the trees. He then gripped the ropes and pulled as hard as he could to launch himself at the woman. Surprised by his sudden action, the woman took Heathcliff's dropkick to the gut, knocking the wind out of her and slamming her into a tree. Heathcliff landed on the balls of his feet as the woman flew into the woods with a choked cry and slammed into the tree. The plant snapped as the woman flew through it and cracked against the one behind it.

Damn. I forgot that I nearly killed a motherfucker by dropkicking him… Heathcliff thought as he dashed towards the scene. The woman was slowly rising from her slumped position on the tree as Heathcliff appeared on the trunk of the fallen one with his cheeks puffed up.

"Wait! Heath! Please don't hurt me!" a familiar voice exclaimed. Heathcliff swallowed his combustible spit as the girl, Yumma, sat in front of him now. She was crying on her knees and begging him not to hurt her.

"What the fuck? Yumma? What… OH SHIT!" Heathcliff yelled as Yumma pulled the spear the woman was holding and launched it at him. Heathcliff tried to dodge, but he was just slightly too slow to react.

Fuck… she distracted me… sorry, Kiva… Heathcliff thought as he felt the searing hot weapon impale his side as he dove off of the tree trunk. It ripped all the way through him as he landed on his back, bleeding profusely. He coughed up some blood, too choked on the substance to scream in pain.

Ugh… God… it hurts so much… why does it burn…? Kiva? Kiva!? Can you hear me!? Heathcliff called in thought as he groaned in pain. The woman from before now stood over him with a satisfied smirk on her face.

"Oh look at that! I was right! How's it feel to be wrong? Dumbass…" the woman said as she reached down and grasped the spear. Heathcliff growled. He wasn't going down so easily.

Fucking cunt… You haven't won yet… Heathcliff thought as he grabbed the woman's wrist. His entire torso screamed in pain as he did so, pulling himself up slightly. The woman gasped in shock as Heathcliff filled his mouth with his flammable liquid. He spat on the woman, lighting her on fire. She screamed as the liquid combusted on her one wing, forcing her to wrench herself free of Heathcliff, leaving him to hit the ground in pain.

Ha… eat shit and die hard… cunt… Kiva! Are you okay! Talk to me little buddy! Heathcliff thought. He hadn't heard anything from the creature since the fight started and was growing worried.

[H-Heath? Everything is… shutting down! I'm starting the Respawning process… Holy… all of your pain receptors are going wild! I'm shutting them down!] Kiva finally responded. Heathcliff felt his pain vanish and he was able to ignore it, standing up and leaning on a tree. His strength was failing. The woman had nearly doused Heathcliff's fire in the nearby fountain and was watching with awe as Heathcliff stood up.

"I'm… a… lot tougher… than you are…" Heathcliff mumbled through the blood filling his stomach and left lung. The spear hit on an upward angle, stabbing through his kidney, internal organs, and out the left side of his ribcage. His heart was also failing as blood poured into him from the rip in the left ventricle. He slowly started to feel his strength fading as he sank to his knees. His blood poured onto the ground around him and increased when the spear randomly vanished from his torso. He slowly fell face-first into the dirt as his senses dulled, destroying his balance. He couldn't feel pain, but he could feel his organs starting to fail and being recycled by Kiva's process.

[Heath! Stay with me for a moment! I have to trap your consciousness in a nerve bundle so you don't gain amnesia!] Kiva shouted within Heathcliff's mind. He didn't hear the creature, though. His thoughts turned elsewhere as the winged woman spat on him and flew away.

Dammit… I thought Akeno was supposed to kill me? Ha… Akeno… I just want to see her again… kiss her again… Heathcliff thought. He couldn't help it. It was the first time he was dying, so naturally, his thoughts were turning to the girl he liked.

[Heath! Stop thinking like that and listen to me! You'll be able to again! Just listen!] Kiva screamed. It was no use as Heathcliff seemed to ignore him.

I wish I didn't have to die… it's annoying… Heathcliff thought. Kiva made a noise of surprise within Heathcliff's mind.

[What!? Never mind! Heath!] Kiva yelled again. Heathcliff's thoughts broke as his vision canceled out.

Huh? Kiva… little buddy… you've got this, right? Heathcliff thought. His movement failed as well, so his lungs stopped breathing.

[Wait a second… Something's interrupting my Respawning process! Something else is keeping you conscious! What's happening!? Shit! Senses are down!] Kiva yelled in panic.

Weird… I can still… kinda smell… R-Rias?

He blacked out.

The Next Day

Heathcliff's senses came back online. His sixth sense let him know someone was directly next to him, and he was also in his room. He could tell because his stuff was placed in a certain way to assure he could find his way around in case of blindness. But he wasn't blind. He opened his eyes to see his desk and closet sitting across the room.

[CHRIST! HEATH!] Kiva shouted suddenly. Heathcliff cringed at the loud intrusion on his mind.

Kiva? What happened? Heathcliff wondered. He moved slightly as his sense of touch came back at full force. He noticed something about how he felt.

Am I naked? Who the fuck…? Heathcliff wondered. He slowly, quietly, and nimbly climbed out his bed, making sure not to disturb the person who was undoubtedly asleep as their presence indicated.

[I'm not sure. Something happened and all I could interpret was someone whispering quietly and rubbing the areas where your wounds were. I detected a familiar scent to you as well, but I can't determine it.] Kiva explained. Heathcliff nodded as he stood up and eyed the lump under his covers. He quietly pulled a pair of underwear from his drawers and slipped them on.

So, someone familiar is under that blanket? Who could it be? And how did I not die? Clearly, your Respawning trick backfired. Heathcliff thought as he crept back towards the bed. He crouched before the figure and gripped the covers.

[I don't know! I just know something stopped the process and restored your life… or some shit like that.] Kiva explained as Heathcliff stood up, ready to draw the sheet back. He took a deep breath and prepared himself for anything. They did smell really familiar, but their sleeping presence obscured who they were, that and his senses were still recovering.

"Only one way to find out…" Heathcliff breathed out, and with a mighty snap of his wrist, he pulled the covers off of his bed. As the blankets fluttered to the floor, Heathcliff froze in shock.

[Whoa. I was not expecting that.]

"What in God's name…?" Heathcliff mumbled. He noticed a spiking pain in his head as the word 'God' left his mouth, but he couldn't be paid to notice it at the moment. Before him, lying completely nude on his bed, was none other than Rias Gremory.

"R-Rias…?" Heathcliff muttered. Utter disbelief set in on his very soul. He could not believe for a second that this was happening. A hundred and twenty questions were flying through his mind, but he only focused on just the one. Rias awoke on his bed and blinked the sleep from her eyes. She sat up and stretched her arms into the air, exposing her large breasts to Heathcliff's unmoving eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing in my bed!?" Heathcliff shouted as his voice came back to him. Rias blinked at him and smiled. She sat on the edge of his bed and sighed happily.

"Morning, Heathcliff. Are you always loud in the morning?" Rias asked with a tired yawn. Heathcliff blinked for a moment as her question set in. He shook his head to get rid of his shock as she stood up.

"What!? I am when you randomly show up, naked, in my bed!" Heathcliff hissed in a quieter voice this time. Rias giggled and walked over to the headboard of his bed. She grabbed her pantyhose and her underwear that was folded neatly on the headboard.

"Oh boy. You're going to attract attention yelling like that. Meet me outside the old schoolhouse today and all will be explained." Rias explained briefly. Heathcliff blinked and sputtered in confusion as Rias dressed herself.

"The fuck? The school?" Heathcliff wondered. He stopped for a moment and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes and breathing deeply.

Okay, okay… She wants me to meet her there and she'll explain. Sounds like a fucking plan. Heathcliff thought. Rias' presence vanished.

"What in Christ!?" Heathcliff exclaimed. The spot where Rias had once been standing was empty. She was no longer in his room. Heathcliff scanned everywhere with his senses for several minutes. He even scanned the edges of his sixth sense, but there was nothing to be found. Rias had literally vanished.

Um… what the fuck!? Kiva, do you know what happened? Heathcliff thought. He sighed and sat down on his bed.

[Well, no. But I did discover something while you were talking to Rias. You have a seventh sense.] Kiva said. Heathcliff's breath caught in his throat.

What? How is that even possible? A seventh? Also… I really want to know how Rias escaped my senses so easily when I can hunt down the fastest beasts with little more than a sniffle. Heathcliff's thoughts became skewed as he started at the spot Rias had occupied in his bed. The scent was everywhere in his room. Roses.

Fucking hell. It doesn't lead anywhere. Her scent stops here. Heathcliff sighed and leaned back against his headboard.

[From what I can gather, the only thing remaining other than her scent is whatever this seventh sense is detecting. Try feeling it.] Kiva said as Heathcliff felt Kiva release the sensory ability unto him. He suddenly felt a powerful force sucking inward upon itself in the center of his room, as if a whirlpool had opened. It was not air, nor was it matter of any kind being sucked into the vacuum. More of an energy source.

What the fuck? It feels like a vacuum of space, but it only seems to be pulling an energy with it… Also, I'd like to note that this energy is absolutely everywhere! FUCK THERE'S A LOT! Heathcliff thought in alarm as the pure force of his seventh sense sent him reeling. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself as he adjusted to the new sensation.

It… It's flowing. I can feel it. It's all over, but it flows. Up, down, sideways, if it can even go sideways. It's even going… through me? I can't seem to capture it very well, but other people around me seem to have it stop inside them. Also, this vacuum where Rias was standing is slowly fading. Like its pull is done. Heathcliff thought. He reached out with his hand and felt the area. His other senses didn't pick anything up, but this seventh one was able to tell exactly where it was and where it condensed with someone or on something.

"Heathcliff, are you up?" Heathcliff's mother called from downstairs. Heathcliff sighed, shaking his head to clear it and got up to open his door.

"Yeah," Heathcliff responded as he opened the door. His mother then walked away from the staircase, satisfied. Heathcliff then walked back into his room.

Alright… I ought to get ready. Shower… shave… shit… find Rias. Heathcliff thought. He strode around, gathering his clothes. A black t-shirt, dark grey jeans, a blue and black flannel and put his socks next to his boots. He went and took a shower and got ready in, and as he exited the bathroom back into his room. He tied his boots on, slipped his phone and wallet into his pockets and down the stairs he went.

"Heathcliff. You came in a little late last night. Everything go okay?" his mother asked as Heathcliff entered the kitchen. He stopped briefly to smile at her.

"Uh, yeah! I even got a kiss." Heathcliff said with a confident grin. His mother giggled and smiled at him as he raided the fridge for a moment.

"Aw, my little Heath is all grown up. Going on dates, going to school regularly… We've got it made here, don't we, kid?" Heathcliff's mother asked as Heathcliff exited the fridge with an apple. He closed the appliance and grinned solemnly. She smiled sadly.

"Yeah… Mum… We sure do." Heathcliff responded. He knew she was thinking of his father. Heathcliff stepped forward and kissed the top of his mother's head.

"Poor bastard can't escape you, even in death. Hopefully, the Lord's keeping him company with some beer and rugby until we get there." Heathcliff said as he walked by his mother. He felt her smiling at him as he bit into his apple and headed for the day.

"I'll be at the school with some friends. I think I'm joining a club. I'll see you later, mum." Heathcliff said with a wave as he opened the door and headed out into the street. His mother waved back before he left. Heathcliff grinned as he walked down the street.

Yeah… we're sure making it here, Pop.

Heathcliff sat silently, motionlessly, and daringly high in a tree next to the old schoolhouse on the Kuoh campus. He watched the building silently, feeling the presences within. They all felt the same kind of off that Akeno and Rias did. But they were a slightly different off from the woman the night before. Heathcliff could feel it.

Weird… one, two… three, four… F-Five? Why is it so hard to pick out that fifth one? Ah, whatever. When's Rias going to come outside so I can meet her…? Huh? Heathcliff looked down and noticed someone move towards the window. The shutters were flung open, and there stood Rias, her red hair catching the breeze that blew through. The leaves around Heathcliff fluttered slightly as he watched Rias look around, obviously searching for him. When she was done and sighed in disappointment, she walked away from the window. Heathcliff grinned.

Say… windows are fun. Heathcliff thought. He grinned and leaped from the tree branch with quiet dexterity. He landed on the window sill silently and took a seat on the sill, looking out across the field.

Now we await the perfect moment.

"I don't get it… we should be able to tell when he gets here. He's my Pawn, I should be able to sense him." Rias said as she sat down on the couch in the classical room. Akeno handed her a cup of tea.

"Thank you…" she sighed. Akeno smiled and sat with her.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry. Heath's a very straightforward guy. He'll let you know when he's here. I'm half expecting him to kick the door in any minute." Akeno said with a light giggle. Koneko sat down across from them. The white haired girl stared blankly at Akeno.

"You seem really fond of this guy. Is it cause he's from Australia? I hear they're all insane down there." Koneko said. Akeno shook her head at Koneko.

"No, not just that… But the accent is cute. Heath is extremely sweet and kind hearted. But I get the feeling that masks a ruthless man underneath… and that thought is just so… exciting…" Akeno said with a light blush. She giggled to herself. Rias sighed as she sipped on her tea.

"Ruthless… indeed. He nearly roasted that Fallen Angel alive… how, I do not know. I hope he'll explain once we explain ourselves." Rias said. She took another sip of her tea but nearly choked when a man chuckled behind her. Akeno, Koneko, and Rias stood up abruptly to face the figure in the window. He sat, taking up most of the opening where Rias had just been standing.

"A King once told me… 'A man must be ruthless to win, but be kind to live.' He was filled with all sorts of cheesy quotes." A familiar, Australian accented voice said. Rias sighed, Akeno giggled, and Koneko stared blankly at him.

"Heathcliff… what…?" Rias trailed off, palming her face.

"What? Surprised?"

Heathcliff grinned at the three girls as he stood up into the room. The ceiling was rather close to his head, something he wasn't too fond of. Heathcliff rolled the sleeves of his flannel up and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"I waited outside for about an hour, Rias. Were you expecting to get the drop on me? Cause that doesn't happen." Heathcliff said. He grinned wildly as Rias set her tea down and walked up to Heathcliff. She went around him and closed the window.

"RIAS! Is everything alright!? I heard a disturbance!" A blonde boy exclaimed as he rushed into the room, slamming the door open. He glanced at Heathcliff, then to Rias who stood next to him.

"Yes, Kiba. Everything's fine. Heathcliff's here." Rias said as she walked back to the couch. Kiba looked up at Heathcliff and smiled.

"Oh, hey. I'm Kiba Yuuto, I'm with this club. I've seen you around, you're the talk of the school." Kiba said, reaching out to shake Heathcliff's hand. Heathcliff grinned and grabbed his hand, shaking it vigorously.

"Nice to meet ya. Heathcliff King, Professional Australian." Heathcliff introduced himself jokingly. Kiba chuckled a bit.

"It's a profession being Australian? Sounds like a lot of work." Kiba commented. Heathcliff nodded as they broke their shake.

"Yep. You've got to be able to shotgun a beer in under ten seconds and run a rugby ball at least fifteen yards afterward. The rest is pretty easy, aside from fighting the dangerous and wild creatures. Crikey, they're tough!" Heathcliff exclaimed as he went through the stereotypical Australian mode and back out. Akeno, Rias, and Kiba laughed at his terrible jokes. Koneko was more… stoic. So much so that she was starting to creep him out as she kept staring at him.

Crikey… she's weird. If meowing at a monster in a tree wasn't weird enough… Heathcliff thought.

[Quick question. Why do you keep thinking you're a monster?] Kiva asked suddenly. Heathcliff stopped for a moment as he decided to lean on a wall across from the group. He stayed near the window, for safety purposes.

Well… I'm still human, but I am a beast when I use your power. An intelligent beast, but a beast nonetheless. Get it? Humans like to distinguish themselves from animals. Heathcliff explained in thought. He heard the Synergetic hum for a moment.

[I see… But I can't see much of a distinction because of what you went through back in Australia. If you ask me, they were monsters more than any actual monster.] Kiva said. Heathcliff stopped breathing for a moment. The words that he heard from the alien hit him like a train. His mind ran the words over once more.

They were monsters… y-you're right… Heathcliff blinked a few times and regained his composure. Heathcliff had never had such a thought. He never really saw people like he saw the crocodiles and imaginary beasts. But Kiva, he saw things the way they were.

"So, Heathcliff. Since you're here, I suppose we can get started." Rias said, pulling Heathcliff from his thoughts. He nodded at her words, crossing his arms as he leaned on the wall.

"Yeah. Should I ask my questions, or do you already know how to answer them?" Heathcliff asked. Rias glanced at him from beyond her teacup and smirked.

"Of course I do. Well, to answer the one you certainly have upfront… When you died last night, I resurrected you per your request. That paper I gave you, summoned me at the uttering of your request, and from there I brought you back. To answer your second question of how I did it, it is because I'm a Devil. A Demon. From Hell." Rias explained. Heathcliff blinked at her. He was about to respond, but stopped and thought for a moment.

Uh… Devil? Demon? Hell doesn't… What? Heathcliff's thoughts brought him no closer to sense than Rias' words did. She smiled, standing up and facing him as he tried to make heads or tails of her words.

"Now… hold up. First off, that's bullshit. Hell is theoretical, it's not even mentioned in the Bible. Sinners face death, God's followers face eternal life through Jesus Christ, the Lord. Even if Hell was a thing, I doubt you'd be able to fly under the radar for this long without being found out." Heathcliff said. Rias giggled at him. She snapped her fingers and Heathcliff's senses went wild.

What in God's name…? Heathcliff thought as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Everyone in the room stood up. Without warning, other than Heathcliff's instincts going off the rails, black, demonic wings sprouted from everyone's backs. All of them. Even… Akeno.

By God… Jesus Christ, Lord Almighty… What the fuck is this!? Heathcliff's eyes widened. They locked onto Akeno who looked away shyly and smiled. Heathcliff's sixth sense was telling him weird things and his newest sense hit the metaphorical fan. It went wild, sensing energy everywhere that flowed from the people before him. Heathcliff reacted the instant he felt his senses peaked and leaped up, slamming his boots onto the edges of the window opening and sitting there in a crouch. He was ready to flee at a moment's notice. His muscles tightened and his eyes flickered between each person in the room.

"Oh, that's new. I didn't know you could do that, Heath." Rias said, seemingly ignoring his adrenaline-fueled state of fight or flight. Heathcliff watched her warily as she took a step forward.

[Heath! Something's happening!] Kiva exclaimed as two sudden spikes of pain hit Heathcliff on his back. He cringed slightly and growled as a similar pair of black wings burst from his back as well, not even tearing his clothing. He blinked momentarily as a realization hit him harder than a freight train.

What the fuck…? Am I like them? Why do I have wings? Kiva…? Heathcliff wondered. He glanced at the flying mechanisms for a moment before turning his head back to Rias who had stepped closer.

"Huh, they took longer to appear than I thought they would." Rias commented. Heathcliff took a moment to calm down and jumped down from the window. His sixth sense was telling him everything was okay, his seventh was telling him that the energy was running through him into his weird, demonic wings.

"What the fuck? Wait… wait… So, if you're a demon… and you resurrected me, does that mean I'm a demon?" Heathcliff wondered. Rias smiled at him as he glanced at the wings once again.

"Yes. You're my Pawn. We Devils have a whole society and ranking in the Underworld. We live in secret beside humans, or… whatever you are." Rias said with slight uncertainty. Heathcliff nodded as he started to accept whatever was happening as truth.

[Well, I ran some diagnostics and tests… Seems whatever energy the seventh sense picks up now runs through you. It's also the source of your wings. Actually… it runs through your DNA itself. Your DNA format has also changed. You have fully human characteristics aside from my bolstering of said characteristics, but you have an affinity for this energy and an odd ability to condense it within yourself. Seems like there's a well of some kind. I'll do some more tests on your body to see what I've found.] Kiva explained. Heathcliff sighed as he listened to his partner's diagnosis. Seems Rias was telling the truth.

"Alright… So, if I'm a Devil… what does that mean?" Heathcliff wondered. He watched as everyone's wings disappeared in an instant, at the same time he felt his vanish into him, almost as if they were never there. He shivered at the feeling.

"That means you work for me now, and you're able to use magic now without much practice. Don't worry, I have a lecture planned for you to learn everything. For now, I'd like to know how you just stuck to the wall as if gravity didn't exist." Rias said, poking Heathcliff in the chest. Heathcliff hung his head.

Dammit… I gave myself away too quickly. Heathcliff thought with a sigh. He leaned back on the wall and took a deep breath.

"Alright… only seems fair. Well, what you just saw was the work of a symbiotic relationship between me and another creature. Said creature is known as a Synergetic and can only survive when bonded to another living organism of the animal variety. Let me demonstrate my non-morph abilities." Heathcliff said. He grinned as everyone watched him with curiosity. He jumped and slammed his hand on the ceiling, which was another six feet from his head. His hand stuck to the ceiling and he hung there for a moment before flipping up and planting his feet on the ceiling. He stood up… or down, technically, and grinned at everyone staring in awe at him.

"The Synergetic's name is Kiva, and he's my best friend. He's been bonded to my flesh for over seven years since I found him in a meteor crater in the Australian outback." Heathcliff explained. He glanced at Akeno, in particular, to see her narrow her eyes at him. His grin turned sheepish.

"Yeah… before you say anything, Akeno, this is how I leapt that fence and jumped off the wall." Heathcliff said. Akeno smiled at him.

"I figured… I doubted a normal human could accomplish such a feat with such little effort. Your excuse was pretty valid, though." Akeno said. Heathcliff sighed as she didn't get upset with him. He wiped his brow and crouched on the ceiling.

"Oh, so that's how you avoided me on your date. You used your crazy powers to outmaneuver me." Rias said with an angry sigh. Heathcliff chuckled at her.

"Wait, date? This is the guy you were talking about, Akeno?" Koneko asked, turning to Akeno. She smiled and nodded to the small girl.

"Seriously…? Okay… He isn't that cute." Koneko said monotonously. Heathcliff's eye twitched in annoyance as she insulted him.

What the fuck!? What's with this girl? Heathcliff thought as he ground his teeth. He was crouching on a ceiling and all this girl had to say was that he wasn't cute. Koneko continued to stare, her visage void of expression.

"Jeez… Least I'm not going around meowing at monsters in trees." Heathcliff responded, a cocky grin on his face. Koneko continued to stare at him, but her eyebrows furrowed in annoyance as she picked up an end table with one hand.

Oh shit… I forgot she's unusually strong… Heathcliff thought as Koneko whipped the end table at him. He caught the furniture piece by its leg with one hand.

"I knew it! You were that creature who fought off those Fallen Angels!" Rias exclaimed, startling everyone in the room excepting Heathcliff. He sighed as he dropped from the ceiling and set the end table on the floor. He stood up as Rias grinned in victory at him.

"Yes, I was. That was my Combat Morph. Scary, isn't it?" Heathcliff asked as he went back to leaning on the wall. Koneko was still glaring at him, which he simply ignored since he had years of practice doing such.

"I thought it was rather terrifying. I could see why those Fallen Angels took off running. What exactly is that form for, other than being absolutely terrifying?" Rias asked, crossing her arms under her bust. Heathcliff sighed, glancing at Akeno momentarily. She seemed curious as she smiled at him.

Man… her smile is so calming… Heathcliff thought. He took another breath as he stood up and turned towards the window.

"It's as the name implies. It's for combat purposes. It transforms me into a faster, stronger, and more nimble adversary for my opponent. I can endure more attacks, feel less pain, use my fire breath better and create swords to use in combat. I should probably explain Kiva as a creature a little bit more for this to make sense." Heathcliff stated. He pulled his shirts up and gestured to the small, black mass on his back that pulsed with small, electrical signals.

"Kiva is just a bundle of nerves with the ability to manipulate organic matter or any matter that can be found in an organic creature. He can only see, hear, smell, taste, think, store memories, and communicated through my nervous system. So, to talk to me he sends thought signals to my brain that creates a literal voice in my head. It's hard to explain, really." Heathcliff explained. He lowered his shirt and turned to see if everyone understood him. They didn't seem to be confused so he nodded to himself and leaned on the wall again.

"That's how he works. Why he works that way is because he's an Organic Assassin Type Synergetic. There are three varieties of Organic Synergetics, Assassin, Juggernaut, and Soldier. Assassins are faster, stronger, and a lot more deadly than a Soldier. Juggernauts are incredibly strong and resistant to attacks, making them a force to be reckoned with. The only thing is that Juggernauts are very cumbersome in their Morphs. A Soldier is basically a medium between the Assassin and Juggernaut, averagely strong, pretty nimble and durable. When bonded with a human these Synergetics become incredibly powerful. I was already pretty strong for a human, but as you've seen, I can achieve the impossible." Heathcliff explained, taking a deep breath as he finished. Everyone nodded in understanding. Akeno raised a tentative hand, as to ask a question.

"Uh… yes, Akeno?" Heathcliff said, slightly confused as to why she raised her hand. Akeno giggled at his reaction and lowered her hand back to clasping the other in front of her.

"So, Kiva can hear and see everything happening right now?" Akeno asked. Heathcliff nodded to her.

[HI AKENO!] Kiva yelled in Heathcliff's head. A spike of pain shot through his brain at the powerful stimulation.

"Ouch… ya bastard… Yes, Kiva says hi… loudly, too." Heathcliff grumbled. Akeno giggled at him.

"Hi, Kiva." Akeno responded. Heathcliff heard the creature chuckle and sighed. He rubbed his temple as the pain faded away from his mind.

"So when we talk to you, we're technically talking to two people?" Kiba asked. He had been silent until this point, which Heathcliff thought was curious.

"Well… Yes and no. To rest his nerves Kiva sometimes cuts off his connection to my senses. His nerves are always hyperactive, so he sometimes rests." Heathcliff explained. Kiba nodded at the answer and fell silent once more.

"That means you don't need him to function, right?" Rias asked. Heathcliff turned his eyes towards her and nodded.

"Right. When he bonded to me he bolstered my senses to an extreme beyond normal human capabilities. You all can sense magic and whoever is around you through said magic, right?" Heathcliff asked. Everyone nodded to him and he grinned.

"That means you all have a total of six senses. Taste, touch, sound, sight, smell, and magic sense. I have seven senses. Taste, touch, sound, sight, smell, magic, and Presence Sense." Heathcliff explained. Rias quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Hold on, I can sense presences as well unless someone hides it. What's the difference?" Rias asked. Heathcliff's grin widened as he closed his eyes.

"Blindfold me." Heathcliff ordered. He felt everyone become confused around him. Rias shrugged and went over to find a cloth. She walked back over from the desk at the far side of the room and reached up, tying it around his eyes.

"Alright. Now, Kiba, I want you to come over here and try to punch me in the face." Heathcliff said, turning towards the boy. He felt Kiba grow even more confused, but he shrugged and walked over. His footsteps were like falling boulders on the hardwood floor for Heathcliff as he strolled over. He stopped two paces from Heathcliff and raised his fists. He felt Kiba's fist raise and start towards his face. Heathcliff ducked the blow with ease before it even neared his head. Kiba gasped and stumbled forward, allowing Heathcliff to grasp his overreached arm and twist it behind his back. He used his free arm and wrapped it around Kiba's neck, holding him in an arm-lock.

"Ah! How did you do that!?" Kiba exclaimed as he struggled against Heathcliff's iron grip. Heathcliff grinned and released him.

"Like I said, I have seven senses. Koneko, since you seem to hold some dislike of me, why don't you try to kick me or something? Surprise me." Heathcliff said as he gently pushed Kiba out of the way and faced Koneko. He swore he could feel a small smile appear on the girl's face as she approached him. As she neared him, her footsteps were just as strong, if not stronger than Kiba's. She stopped at about the same distance Kiba had been from him and took a fighting stance. Heathcliff calmly stood there, awaiting her attack. She jumped and spun in midair.

"Too slow." Heathcliff said with a chuckle as he ducked a powerful kick aimed for his head. Koneko growled and tried to bring her fist down on him as she fell. Heathcliff took a casual step back and felt Koneko stop as she landed on the floor with a powerful shudder. Everything calmed as he felt her glaring at him from beyond the blindfold. Rias and Akeno were still watching with surprise as he simply dodged Koneko's attacks.

"I've never seen anyone dodge Koneko so easily. You can just sense whenever and wherever she attacks?" Rias wondered. Koneko threw a punch at Heathcliff's gut and he casually sidestepped her attack, but she anticipated his step and threw a roundhouse kick at his legs. Heathcliff hopped over the blow and felt Koneko's leg sweep under him. When he landed he had to lean out of the way of a side kick from her.

"Yeah, pretty much. Presence Sense works like a three-dimensional map in my head. I can feel your eyes watching me, your nose inhaling, and your heart beating. Actually, turning me into a Devil boosted my Presence Sense. I wasn't able to distinguish things so precisely before. Now I can make out things exactly, everything was… blurry before. I could still dodge as easily as I am now, but now I can feel Koneko's hand clenching tighter every time she misses and her glare getting stronger as well." Heathcliff explained. He sidestepped another kick and caught Koneko's fist in his hand. He felt her fist impact his hand and he cringed.

Ouch… her punches are stronger than any I've ever encountered. Heathcliff thought as he flipped her away from him by her arm. She landed on her feet, continuing to glare heatedly at him. Rias stepped in front of Heathcliff and reached up, removing the blindfold. He blinked a few times as his sight came back to him.

"You're basically undefeatable. That's amazing." Rias said, eyeing him up and down. Heathcliff sighed, shaking his head.

"Clearly I'm not. I did get stabbed. And I nearly died." Heathcliff said with a chuckle. He sighed as he remembered the event, a phantom pain shot through his torso at the thought.

"Right. So, all it takes is a little distraction and you're just as vulnerable to attacks as anyone else. Huh. Well, this has been… informative. I guess now is a good time as any to start our club activities." Rias said as she walked back over to her desk. Heathcliff blinked, slightly confused as to what Rias was talking about.

"Say what?" Heathcliff wondered. Everyone settled into a seat on the couch as Rias leaned on the front of her desk. Akeno patted the seat next to her for Heathcliff to sit down in.

Uh… Well, I suppose I should listen to her… She did say I worked for her now… But it'd be easy to outrun her. She doesn't seem to be able to sense me without seeing or hearing me… Heathcliff thought. He contemplated his options as he slowly walked to the center of the room.

But… if I run off then I won't learn what all this demon shit is about. Heathcliff thought as he sat down on the couch. As he settled into his seat, he let himself relax.

Damn… I didn't know I was so tense… Eh, I shouldn't be surprised, this is a lot to take in. Heathcliff thought. He let out a relaxed sigh as he let the comfort of the couch envelop him. He felt Akeno's hand slide onto his and grip it. He glanced at her, noticing her light blush and her smile.

Shit me some bricks… I got so caught up in all this I completely forgot about our budding relationship. Ugh… God, that phrase just makes me cringe. 'Budding relationship' Bleh, it just sounds so weird. Heathcliff thought as he weaved his fingers into Akeno's, enjoying the soft warmth of her hand. His muscles tightened as he felt someone glare at him. He glanced at Rias out of the corner of his eye, noting her stare.

WHY!? Why is she glaring at me? Wait, is she… Jealous? No. Fuck no. That's bullshit. Impossible. Wait a second… I just realized… Kiva, does everyone still feel off to you? Heathcliff thought. He heard a startled grunt in the back of his mind.

[Huh? Oh, no. Everyone feels normal. The humans three thousand meters out feel weird, though. All these Devils feel normal-ish.] Kiva answered. Heathcliff nodded to himself without actually moving.

Huh, everyone still feels different from humans, but more… familiar? Weird… Must be because I'm one of them, now. Heathcliff concluded. He then turned his attention to Rias who cleared her throat.

"Alright. Heath, as Devils we help those who call upon us. Seems dumb, I know. But, as lower ranked Devils, this is our duty. We hide under the guise of the Occult Research Club, but we're actually not researching anything. We go out at night and help those who need it and when we're called upon. To get out word out we pass out flyers, such as the one that summoned me to your dying form last night." Rias explained. Heathcliff nodded, though not wholly understanding what she meant.

"Wait, why are demons acting as people's fucking fairy godmothers?" Heathcliff asked with a straight face. Rias blinked at him and Akeno started containing a laugh next to him.

"I… I never thought of it that way…" Rias muttered as she realized the truth in his words. Akeno giggled some more and Heathcliff chuckled.

"I mean really, you're over here granting the wishes of people like Tinker Bell, but they're praying to demons. Where in Hell does that make sense? I thought when people made deals with the Devil they got screwed over? Not handed a magic wand! POOF, your wish is granted!" Heathcliff exclaimed with a laugh. Rias started giggling at him as he over exaggerated his reaction. Kiba even chuckled at him. Koneko was just staring emotionlessly at him, which still bothered him to no end.

"As true as it seems, we're not quite like that. It's just what we do as low-ranking Devils. Many Devils that outrank us have less embarrassing work to do. Until we can attain a higher rank, this is what we do on Earth. It's also what you do, now. Every night after school." Rias explained, turning around and grabbing a bag off of the desk. Heathcliff quirked an eyebrow.

"Wait what?" Heathcliff wondered. Rias threw the bag at him and he allowed it to smack into his face and land on his lap. He flipped it open and saw the stacks upon stacks of small slips of paper within.

"Fuck."

Heathcliff sighed as he stood in the middle of a street between hundreds of people trying to hand out the flyers Rias threw at him an hour ago. He had a thousand of them and had to hand out all of them.

Motherfucker… just take a flyer… Heathcliff growled as he tried to hand someone a flyer with a smiling façade on his face. He was three flyers in. Three.

Okay… I see how it is… How about this… How many handbags have you seen so far, Kiva? Heathcliff asked as he turned to the wall behind him. He heard Kiva hum.

[Hundreds. I wasn't really counting. Oh, I see what you mean.] Kiva said with a chuckle as Heathcliff folded the flyer. Once he was done the flyer was now a paper airplane.

Oh yeah… now… little bit of skill and… Heathcliff turned and aimed the paper construct. When the moment was right and they weren't watching, he threw it forward and stuck it in the open pocket of someone's hand bag, nice and snug.

"Fuck yeah… This'll be easier than feeding a koala."

For hours Heathcliff stood in the center of the street he was posted at, folding flyers and tossing them into stranger's pockets, hand bags, and backpacks. At the end of the fourth hour, Heathcliff had one flyer left. He lifted it out of the bag, noting how the street was now less populated than it had been earlier in the day. The sun was nearing the treetops as he folded the last flyer and scanned his target range. He spotted someone with a large pack, someone he supposed was a hiker back from his hike. Heathcliff raised his airplane and aimed.

Time to end this little game. Heathcliff launched the flyer. He watched with anticipation as it glided towards the man's pack. It did a flip. Two, actually, and stuck in the rolled up sleeping bag atop the pack. Heathcliff clenched his fist in victory as it stayed in place on the man's pack. His mission completed, Heathcliff grabbed the empty bag and started back towards the school.

Fuck… that took too long. I better not have to hand this shit out all the time, my hands are tired from folding paper airplanes. Heathcliff thought as he walked down the darkening streets of Kuoh. He noticed something as he walked, a sudden feeling that made his instincts kick in and the hair on the back of his neck raise up.

Oh boy. Time to jump. Heathcliff thought as he quickly leaped into the air. A glowing spear flew underneath him, catching the strap of the bag he was carrying. The bag was wrenched from his grip as the spear flew by, but he paid it little mind.

There, the woman with the… blue hair? The fuck? Heathcliff wondered as he spotted the black winged woman who was forming another spear. He was still in midair when he reacted to his attacker. Heathcliff reached out and fired a web at the building next to the woman and pulled himself towards her, feet first. His sudden change of movement threw her off enough for him to release his web and slam his boot into her shoulder, violently throwing her down the street. Following up with his counterattack, Heathcliff fired a web at her as she continued to fly and pulled when he connected with her. She was wrenched back towards him, and he towards her. He spun and connected the heel of his right boot to her temple in midair, knocking her into the wall next to him.

Teach her not to throw spears at people. Heathcliff thought as he landed and approached the groggy, groaning woman.

"How's my boot feel? Steel toe." Heathcliff said, tapping his foot as he stopped next to her.

"F-Fuck you… how…?" The woman groaned. Heathcliff grinned as he reached down and started wrapping his web around her. He bound her all the way down to her feet, but he couldn't put it around her large chest very well, so he left it unbound.

It looks like a BDSM outfit. Heathcliff thought with a chuckle as he finished tying his web around her and releasing it from the junction of his wrist.

"L-Let go of me!" the woman demanded. Heathcliff shook his head as he lifted her to eyelevel by his web.

"Now why the fuck would I do that, huh?" Heathcliff wondered sarcastically. He chuckled as he casually tossed her over his shoulder and leaped up onto the rooftops in an easy bound.

"I hope you like interviews. Well, I'd say it's an interrogation- Oh, she's unconscious." Heathcliff said, realizing the woman had passed out. He chuckled as he started leaping across rooftops and swinging from taller ones by a web from his wrist.

I think I hit her too hard. Whoops.

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There you are. Took me awhile. School's a bitch, work's a bitch, and writing takes awhile.

Anyway, thanks guys.

See you next time with the King of Symbiosis.