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FICTION

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Chapter 54: Back to School (?)

I was patiently waiting by the Student Council's club when a sudden wave of nostalgia washed over me.

Just a month away and I was already missing the place where I spent my free time… signing paperwork and helping with any administrative-related situation.

Now, doesn't this bring some fond memories?

When we started the year at Kuoh Academy, without a single idea of how different it would be compared to a Lyceum?

Weren't those happy times-

You were literally regretting going to school after the first day. And we faced much worse than that.

I was just being melodramatic-

Something you are showing more than usual nowadays. I admit that you have been rather… annoying about some stuff.

You think so?

'It's something a little less about a sudden change of attitude and rather that you have been… easing your attention over serious matters.'

I mean, things had turned rather slow ever since the attack on Tokyo and I rarely get to spend some time to recover about… everything.

You are getting lazy. I can spot some chub forming already-

I am still training enough to keep in shape, you dingus!

The walk to reach the club-room gave me the chance to look if Sona did end up changing the uniforms already and… I was surprised to see people wandering the school's grounds without a uniform.

Everyone was walking with their own clothes and it didn't take me much to understand the reasoning behind the situation.

Since ordering new uniforms was going to take some time, I guess that the Heiress of the Sitri Clan wanted to avoid keeping people from continuing to use the extremely 'unbecoming' clothes and opted to merely remove the uniform clause with the support of the principal and the School Board.

A daring move in a Japanese High School, but given the reasons that motivated this extreme action, I bet convincing people of this temporary situation was far easier than in a normal circumstance.

Finally the door opened and I was greeted by two familiar individuals which… paused in surprise at my presence.

Sona was stuck in her place and…

I barely had enough time to understand that Tsubaki's hand was pinching my poor cheek, lifting me from my seat and glaring right at my pained face.

"A month." She breathed furiously. "You have been away from Kuoh for a full month and you didn't even deign to send me a message."

"Sowwy!"

"N-Not enough!" She sighed before letting go and giving me a hug. "I missed you."

I hummed and nodded, still aching from that cruel greeting. "Mis-Missed you too."

"What," The Sitri blinked confused, her voice soft while showing some… surprise at the reactions. "Is that?"

We stopped the hug and Tsubaki backed away, sporting an embarrassed blush while I let out a sheepish smile.

"J-Just g-greeting a friend! Nothing else!" The long-haired girl explained and Sona's stern look seemed to find honesty in the Queen's words.

Deciding to avoid any other headaches, Sona turned her attention to me once more. "Hoitsu, wasn't expecting to see you this early and… without notice."

"I decided to come and visit around. I'm happy by how you are dealing with the uniform issue-"

"Ordering so many school uniforms for both genders proved to be quite… annoying. People asking why a school needed that many uniforms at once, trying to find a way to sell the unbecoming ones and finally dealing with Irina-san and her quirky attitude." The girl admitted eloquently, causing me to raise a curious eyebrow about Irina's situation.

Oh? Now that last one is… intriguing.

She appeared to be rather fine back home and both Issei and Asia have said nothing about anything wrong.

"I know that I shouldn't be given any information about the last predicament but… since Irina is staying at my house, can I at least know the general bits of-" I tried to subtly get some answers but… I soon discovered that I didn't need any of that.

"She decided that she had to use a very skimpy pair of clothes during gym sessions. I don't know where she got the idea that a short shirt that show her mid-riff and some short pants can be considered a replacement to the precedent uniform… and let's not forget her… predisposition with the teachers."

Sona had already taken a seat and I knew that things were but just at the beginning with the exorcist.

Why I feel like she was going to be a difficult case-

"She broke one of the teachers' hands because she got corrected about some mistakes in her homework." She added with a groan.

I frowned. "Couldn't it have been just that she mistook the teacher's actions as menacing-"

"It was Mayumi-sensei and she is still at the local hospital for that."

I flinched at the image of the kind and old woman that was Mayumi-sensei, the kind and revered teacher having been rather the supportive kind with all of her students and… now I knew that the situation needed my intervention somehow.

"I will… have a talk with her when I get back home." I affirmed with determination.

"That's good to know and," She paused a moment, seemingly recovering from that rather annoying topic. "I guess that your visit isn't just for pleasantries."

I tilted my head and blinked. "Actually… it kind of is." I admitted quietly. "But the topic is 'outside' of Kuoh right now. Did Rias call you yesterday?"

Sona froze a moment and frowned.

"I… She might have called, yes, but it was quite the short call." She replied slowly. "She seemed quite nervous at first but then showed some of her former self. I suppose you are somehow involved if you mentioned it."

"I visited and… she is dealing with the situation by turning in a pseudo-NEET." My response was met with a facepalm.

"Of course she would..." Pink eyes narrowed right at me. "I hope she wasn't doing anything… indecent."

"She was playing a RTS, nothing weird other than megalomaniac ambitions in a fictional scenario." My brief description caused the girl to crack a small smile at that.

"I bet it is Total War Shogun 2. That would explain who is the player that is failing so much in the multiplayer section of-" She stopped as my eyes mirthfully locked onto hers, a blush spreading as she tried to back-pedaled away. "I-I mean, I heard that-"

"Sona, playing RTS isn't a grave sin and I'm not the Spanish Inquisition." I interrupted with a tired sigh. "But I want to know how you-"

"Oneesan thought it would be nice for me to have a computer instead of playing with the same people at chess. She showed me this website where you can play with people from all around the world and then… brought me that game." She explained quietly, her blush still present.

"That is… interesting." I nodded with a smile. "But let's return to the call. Any important topic or-"

"She said that you entered her room like some thief." The Sitri answered curtly.

"She had her lights off and was playing in full darkness. I think she would need glasses if she was a human girl after being this close to the screen for Gods' know how much."

Reminds you of someone in particular?

I'm willingly accepting the burden of having done been dumb as a child-

You continued to do that until you were sixteen.

I think teenage years begin by seventeen-

And last until 18?

You know, we are starting to sound like an old couple.

Please no.

Then stop nagging me like that.

Only if you stop being this dumb.

The discussion changed to other topics, ranging from simple life things to more serious ones and…

The question I dreaded the most came around.

"By the way, Hoitsu, when are you planning to rejoin Kuoh Academy?" Tsubaki asked calmly. "It's been a month now and you shouldn't just waste the whole year like that."

I sighed, relaxing a little on the chair. "I'm working on having an efficient way to deal with my responsibilities with my group, but I hope to rejoin in a week or two from now."

"We are going to consider this a promise, you know that?" Sona pressured much to my displeasure. "You are a good student, a good young man and… I think this wish is shared by Tsubaki and others, I want to see you graduate here before I do."

I blinked. "What?"

"You may be unaware of it but… you set a good example of life for many young students here at Kuoh Academy. Both males and females have been working really hard to try and keep up with 'Hoitsu-senpai'." Sona's statement brought some surprise at me as… I was unaware of this.

I know that I was popular at school, but I long thought that it was just a matter of appearance rather than… being a role model.

Why did I never notice any of this?

Too busy with your own problems. We aren't that much interested in the school's social habitat and thereby ignored most of it while going for our way forward... I wonder how much did we influence them.

"Some boys have started to act less annoying around girls and some couples have formed during the last few months of school. All because… the boys followed your attitude of being gentlemen around girls." Tsubaki continued, adding more curiosity to the growing fire within my mind.

"B-But then why I-"

"There is a relatively quiet Fan Club about you here at the Academy, not as crazy as the one developing via Grigori, and they have been promoting a curious manifesto about the 'good student' with you as the prime example." Sona continued to talk, noticing my confused look.

"It has a large amount of the school's population subscribed and many think that it has improved immensely the social condition and the grades of the entire school. The recent exams displaying some record marks compared to the last six years."

Well damn…

I know, it's odd but… you are famous for being a decent human being in a school with perverts.

"T-That's a lot to take." I admitted after being so much silent. "I suppose that… I will take my leave now."

Both girls nodded and the three of us stood altogether as we made our way towards the door and, as I made my way outside I-

Thud

I was pushed to the ground by two erratic-looking boys. Two very familiar boys.

Matsuda and Motohama froze as they stared up to find a furious scowl attached to the 'bane of their existence'. It was in that moment that I noticed that they were holding clothes- no.

They were holding bras and panties of various colors and kinds.

Goddammit, already regretting coming here.

I stood up while pulling up with me the two panicking perverts while I heard a familiar stampede of people coming nearby and… I was greeted by the entire Kendo Club rushing towards us.

While I had expected a full cavalry charge at that point, I was surprised when they all stopped.

Their eyes went wide open, their anger towards the two boys turning in shock at seeing me there… after a month of being away.

An uneasy silence followed and then-

"Hoitsu-senpai!"

"Hoitsu-san! He is back!"

The girls all approached, looking rather happy to see me back to the Academy and, while I would have been glad to make this kind of encounters, the issue was… the state of their clothes.

The most conservatives of the group were only wearing a shirt and knee-long pants while some were covering their chest with their arms and…

"Ladies please, while I would be… glad to greet all of you, I think you should mind the fact you need to put on the clothes that were stolen by those two."

As if on cue, the two perverts let go of their stolen goods and the Kendo club started to flock to pick up their underwear. Some glared at the two morons while others spared some smiled at me and gave a quick greeting before backing away.

Some went back to their changeroom and… others remained for a little while.

I think they are… trying to get you to stay there so the others can have a chance to speak with you.

They could have… asked me to wait.

It would have been weird to ask, we both know that.

Yeah…

In the end, I ended up sparing some words with the girls of the Kendo Club and the… plans of my return to the school were revealed.

They were all elated for this, but they didn't went overboard with their enthusiasm and soon… I was escorted to the entrance.

With this visit finished, I was ready to go back home and… deal with some new issues.

Now, what should I do about Irina?

Fragment of a Broken Cycle: Primus Adventus Apocalypsis

Timeline: (Broken Trickster DxD)

This… This should work.

I sighed in bare relief as I was granted a small place where to rest after my little pilgrimage across the world.

Eh, pilgrimage…

Some might rightfully consider this trip more of an attempt to escape justice. Justice that would see me either dead or turned in a lab rat in the hands of some sadistic scientist.

Probably the latter considering that my crimes could easily get torture and eternal damnation if I was caught by the authorities.

I coughed, the blood staining the dirty floor of the abandoned alley that I made my newest home for the time being.

New York was the perfect place where to find a hiding spot.

There were just too many powerful beings all around and my already cloaked energy should make sure that no one had been able to track me to the Big Apple.

I slowly fell down, face meeting the floor as I embraced rest after failing to get some sleep for four months straight.

Insane regeneration and prime fear could do that to someone trying to run away from the greatest of trouble.

Nightmares were welcomed by now, at least I was still receiving some time to recover a-and think.

But then the thoughts weren't helpful. Quite the contrary if I have to be honest.

To say that I was suicidal, I think it would be wrong to a certain degree.

I didn't seek death because I had nothing else to lose, the issue was presented by… my very existence.

The more I walked on Earth, the more destruction I would end up causing.

The Beast was hungry and only sheer determination and a steel-like sense of duty were keeping it at bay for now.

But the Beast had already bathed its teeth in blood. Strong blood, devilish blood… innocent blood.

My eyes were closed, yet I could still see the red-tinted scenes of that terrible day. My infamy, my greatest sin.

I croaked a sob, my sorry state of mind giving away some of the unquestionable guilt that was slowly consuming what was left of my sanity.

I was a ticking bomb, a very dangerous one that even a mere shake could decimate an entire city.

Spotting an unoccupied cardboard, I slowly crawled towards it and tried to get some cover from the sight of people wandering by the nearby street, trying to get the least attention and then… I did find some rest.

Darkness, screams and… confusion.

I started to stir up from my sleep the moment I was dropped in some soft floor, some rug that exuded some warm.

Eyes snapped open and I was granted the sight of a smug and familiar face that I seriously didn't need to deal with right now.

I couldn't be bothered to deal with Cao Cao right now.

The room was illuminated by several lights, I could see that there were numerous windows all around and…

We were in a skyscraper. The hint that give it all away was the sight of other tall buildings nearby and… I was punched in the face.

The new individual was crying, fat tears rolling off her face as she was pulled away by some other members of the small group that managed to capture me and put just some lame seals.

I was barely sluggish, but I was fairly sure it was this body's tiredness rather than some weak magical restraints.

Kuroka was trembling, struggling in the attempt of Bikou and Arthur keeping her away.

I felt a familiar presence staring right on the opposite side and… Yes, that was Vali.

So he did end up betraying Grigori anyway… or did he?

Looking around a little more, I saw several other faces. Faces that were all loyal to Azazel.

I could see Tobio Ikuse with the entirety of his team, I could see Baraqiel leading few members that I recognized as part of his Cadre.

"So this is the terrible monster responsible for Kuoh's massacre." The leader of the Hero Faction of the Khaos Brigade gloated quietly. "I thought you would have been more difficult to subdue after Ophis gave some of the harshest words she could ever gift to someone in this world."

"..." I didn't have much to say, not even his annoying face could bring out much from me anymore.

I was just… apathetic about this display of people as I knew that…

They couldn't do anything about me. I was beyond their reach.

I started to slowly get up, showing indifference at the seals swiftly trying to enforce their purpose onto my body but… cracked as I continued placidly in my simple move.

Some stared in shock at this, others were keen enough to not reveal any of the surprise at this development.

"You can't subjugate me," I flatly commented, my voice empty and… almost too weak to be heard all around. "I'm too dangerous."

The wielder of the True Longinus sighed. "I guess you are going to be a nuisance-"

"You mistook my words, Cao Cao." I interjected, a strangely mirthful rumble going through my throat. "You… you can't kill me."

As to prove my point I took a step towards him, his instincts kicking in as he took a good stance with the Longinus and…

Crack

His eyes widened in shock as my hand quickly took hold of the untouched mid-point of the lance and calmly broke it.

It didn't take too much for his shock to turn in sudden fear and panic, his strongest and only weapon shattered like that. The strongest Sacred Gear lost its glow, rusting as its pure magic was destroyed in a single action.

My hand burned slightly at touching something that powerful… and yet I was already regenerating from it.

"Do you want to know something I truly despise of you, Cao Cao?" I asked in a dull tone. "Everything, and I mean everything, about you is disappointing. From your 'grandiose' power to your 'heroic' personality."

He didn't reply, he was too afraid at the world-breaking panic he was suffering to listen much from my words. I was already a monster of an above level in his eyes, something that couldn't really be killed as I had proclaimed.

"Your origins are humble, your hate for some people legitimated by how said people acted against you, but I really hate how much of a pompous bastard you are." I sighed. "But the worst thing is… I hate how fake you are."

This time, the jab drove right onto his soul as his stare hardened for a moment but… I didn't care at this point.

"A hero is someone that use their power to protect innocent people, not to stroke their own ego and let the world in madness because of it." I chided, but I was too detached to give emotion to my words.

I was just… too much of a husk to care how to properly address some meaningful words.

Those would have been fine to inspire people, to get them to change from their evil way but…

There was just no way in Hell that Cao Cao could beg for redemption at this point and time.

"How much blood is staining your hands right now?" I asked nonchalantly. "You wouldn't know how many Yokais you killed because of some 'Divine Duty' towards humanity. It's kind of odd how you pledge your loyalty to mankind but you are the first retard to just go let's kill them all without hesitation."

"Y-You killed too, monster." The man recovered (finally!) and started to push back at my verbal attacks. "What is your excuse-"

"None." I replied without hesitation.

… "W-What?" He looked surprised. The fool.

"That is the thing, I can't excuse my genocide. I can't excuse the killing of so many people, nor I will ask for forgiveness for killing relatives of those present here." I admitted coldly. "Not because I feel entitled to what happened, but because I don't deserve forgiveness."

There was a pause, I could feel some of the glares intensifying at the mentioning of that detail, something I was already prone to accept and thus did.

But I wasn't done with the impertinent lancer, I wasn't done making sure he was conscious of his grand sins.

"But do you want to know what makes me, the monster, better than you, the 'simple' hero?" My tone was dripping with the reality of my sanity. "I, a monster, recognize my nature as such after giving up my former self to something that lurked from the very beginning inside of me. Something that exists only within me and that wanted to kill. Only kill."

I paused, a sigh building up but failing to leave my lips.

"Then there is Cao Cao, the righteous human that eagerly kill everything that isn't human. Like a professional racist bastard with a big stick there to compensate a lack of morality, you went so joyously in a killing spree after murdering Yasaka's daughter back during my very first mission."

His eyes showed realization but no. I wasn't done with this piece of shit.

"I bet you are recollecting the fun time you had slaughtering the Yokai population in the city with your buddies, trying out some hunt sessions after you decided to go and kill Yasaka. Even with the city dying all around because the leylines collapsed and exploded, killing humans too, you still remember this proudly like a good hero should, aren't you!?"

I coughed, more blood staining the bandages covering my hands, clarity finally putting me back in a blank facade as I decided it was to end this charade once and for all.

"You… everyone, no matter the reasons driving you to this very place. Today this is going to be your grave." I sighed gravely as I felt everyone tensing at my words. "You have been sent to your death. You may think this is some arrogant statement, but I can assure you that your leaders, those you love and respect so much, knew that nobody was leaving this place alive."

Just as I was ready to go through the speech I had planned just a few moments ago, I felt something shifting… right beside me.

I ducked just in time to dodge what looked like a strange scythe, the blade not even managing to cut my hair as I suddenly twisted and slammed my hand through the attacker's chest.

I was expecting someone familiar, someone that I could lecture or maybe be guiltily hurt from but…

Blue eyes, the blonde hair. It looked like an Angel, but it didn't feel like one.

There was no Light within him, only nothingness.

But the Beast didn't care at all, recognizing food no matter their form or energy.

"B-brother?" There was a confused yelp from the intruder, the stranger considering family and yet I knew nothing about him. A trick? Possible but… the process was already ongoing.

There was not much of a reaction from the assailant, dark-red bubble spreading quickly all over its body and… then he was absorbed within me.

I could feel its power, its weaknesses and…

Oh my God.

The tremendous amount of pain that slammed onto my soul was almost unbearable. The Beast roared in fear, its mindless state headbutting onto the wall of sorrow and getting drowned by it instantly.

The doubt, the hesitation, those were the mistakes it committed as finally I got clarity thanks to the last gifts of the stranger.

A full-copy of Humanity's souls that divided my very soul from the Beast, sparing it from being devoured so slowly, and then… the plan.

An odd plan, a plan that was working but… it was flawed.

It was a cycle, a never-ending route that showed mostly no changes.

Then the worst scenario happened, the cycle was mended badly by some incompetent fool and…

And now there was an idea. Something to snap the painful resets and… create the perfect timeline.

I had the instruments, I had the time and the clarity to deal with everything and…

First, I will have to war with everyone for this to happen.

Nodding to myself, I barely noticed that everyone in the room had regained some bravery, Tobio leading the charge from Grigori's side while Vali leading the Khaos Brigade.

The dual attack was meant to overwhelm me but…

I was in control. I was always in control… but now I could do it without butchering things up.

A powerful blast destroyed the entire skyscraper in a controlled demolition, killing the entirety of the task force made by Khaos Brigade and Grigori.

Innocent bystanders blissfully unaware of the most terrified attack since September 2001 were taken by fear and shock at the loud explosion.

Those walking by the sidewalk nearby the building were surprisingly found unscathed, the pieces of the building being 'deflected' by what the witness would call 'red barriers' that formed all around them.

A supernatural case that happened to everyone nearby the explosion and leaving many to speculate about… strange theories.

With reporters drilling government's officials for a proper explanations of everything that happened in that quiet night, the world was shocked by the first case of paranormal activity that happened in such a large scale.

But the most confusing testimonies were all about the lone figure flying away from the blazing inferno of the collapsing building with what many would call 'Dragon-like Wings'.

AN

...Not much to say here. :)

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