And we're straight into it with a second chapter! this one is a little less beautiful than the first but hey, when you hit the bottom, the only way is up, right? let's introduce the mandatory school scene and see what happens. Anyway, let's go!
Super hero time!
Shuujin: Who've you got on that phone's contact list?
Issei: and who're those people... person?
Shuujin: i guess we both have our mysteries.
Issei: and we're going to solve them!
S + I: Break the chains! Phone up the future!
It took a moment for Issei to get his bearings straight. He had the strangest dreams, involving a phone call to a dying person, a brilliant white castle like place and a piano-town! But that was a dream and now, there was a girl in his bed. A young girl.
She looked no older than like, 10. He was fucked.
Oh god, he hoped she hadn't been fucked.
Thoughts of lewding the loli aside, he had to find a way to deal with the young girl that was in his house, in his bed, calling him father. There was probably a better way than going through his mind making jokes about illegal sex acts, but hey, what was a pervert to do?
"Excuse me? Father?" Issei asked hesitantly. If the idea of being her father had gone to deep, then acting like he had never met the girl might serve to make her upset, maybe even start crying and even if the lack of deep snoring or busy work downstairs meant his parents were gone, he didn't want to take the risk. On the other hand though, who in their right mind would call Issei Hyoudou their father willingly?
"Father, doesn't remember…" the girl had been rather monotone in her speech patterns and her face had yet to change from the blank eyed stare with a straight mouth, but the tears that pricked the edges of her eyes brought forth the sudden urge to hug the girl and never let go. "No. Mother, said you wouldn't remember. I, am Ophis father."
"I want you to return to the world and help my daughter."
"That's right… so you're her daughter huh?" Issei said, rubbing the girl's hair, to which she gave no real reaction other than the loss of the tears that threatened to fall. "Well that's one part dealt with… WAIT A BLOODY SECOND! THAT WASN'T A DREAM!?"
The golden phone sat upon his bedroom table would seem to agree. Rushing out of bed, leaving Ophis safely encapsulated in the blankets, Issei threw he curtains open to let in the light, revealing all the details including the fancy inscription on the back were all intact. Flipping the phone open, there were now two buttons with images on them, the number 0 with the woman's face and 1, which had the picture of Ophis on. Remembering the instructions she gave, Issei pressed the 0 button and then answer, hearing a small bit tune playing as the ringtone.
"Issei, you've met my daughter I see. Isn't she just beautiful?"
"Um, I kinda have important things right now to talk to you about." Issei replied back, his free hand fidgeting. "What am I actually meant to do and why is she in my bed with me?" so perhaps the last part came off as a sort of whine, but the woman's tone became much more serious in her answer.
"There is trouble Issei, which is bound to consume your world without your help. There are many machinations going on behind the scene and the people have no one to defend them. The participants in this madness are all out to seek their own rewards and my daughter would've been lost in her naivety to them. You will defend the people through the power of your bonds, my daughter being the first. There is a lot you don't know, but you're my chosen one; you will overcome the obstacles you face quickly."
"You know, that doesn't give me much hope." Issei blandly stated down the line. "How am I meant to fight? I can't defend myself from the other classmates, let alone protect 'the people'. And why does your daughter look nothing like you?"
"The bonds grant you strength. They will fight alongside you and help you grow. I cannot explain more than that, but my daughter shares no such limits. Perhaps you are better off with her words." The woman explained, rather vaguely if you were to ask Issei, but the woman ended the call before he could voice his complaints. Turning to the girl who remained stuck in the duvet, he decided to give up with trying to make sense of everything.
"Um, by any chance is there a reason why you don't look similar to your mother?" when he phrased it like that then yes, it was awkward as all hell, but Ophis didn't seem to mind.
"I, was born of nothing. Mother, made me anything so I could be everything." Okay, so her explanation was also weird, but what could he expect when he heard no movement before the girl, previously in basic black pyjamas stood up and suddenly was dressed in dark purple dress, white frills poking out of the bottom and a lighter violet colour for the bow tied upon the small of her back.
"I don't know why I bother. It's been about a minute in this chaos and I don't know why I bother." Issei declared, placing his head within his hands as Ophis tilted her head cutely.
"Father? Do you, not want me?" there was a sense of general fear, the fear of abandonment, that Issei couldn't ignore and so with a sigh and a gesture, Ophis was quickly in his arm, resting her head upon his shoulder while Issei tried not to freak out.
'I didn't think I would be holding… a girl close ever!' Issei didn't want to call her daughter just yet, even if she was insistent on calling him father and acting as if he was. It wouldn't hurt to indulge her for now. All he had to do was deal with the beeping and…
"Father? What, is that beeping?"
"It's my alarm!" looking at the time on the clock, Issei freaked out as he prepared to return to school. If the date was correct, then there would not be a day after his death before his return, so if he hurried, then there was no reason they would have to worry. Ophis watched as her father went mad dressing himself and running down the stairs. Following at a more ornate pace, she found him putting together a sandwich, his lunch for school already prepared by his mother out of the leftovers of yesterday.
"I hope this is good enough. We'll be gone before you wake up, but make sure you're ready for when we come back – I have questions for you, like where you've been last night!
Mum"
Slicing the sandwich into two, Issei held up one half to the waiting Ophis, surprising her even if she didn't show it visibly. A small chomp down on the dish made a flicker of a smile appear on her face, though just like any other flicker, it died quickly. She continued to eat as Issei opened the door, waiting patiently as he locked the entrance.
It was only when they got to the school gates when the idea of what image he was giving off final set into the mind, but unfortunately, it was also setting into the minds of the other people.
"Is that Issei? Who's the kid with him?"
"Issei Hyoudou!? Is he really here!?"
"Do you think he's convinced that young girl to… do stuff!?"
The random whispers he could here from people were somewhat strange to Issei as he finished the final remains of his sandwich, but it was only the weight in his other hand that told him the truth. His first thought then was to go to the student council, to see if there was something he could do. He had, in his business, managed to avoid noticing that Ophis had followed him and there was an inkling, probably born of the way she had been convinced that he was her father, that she wouldn't be able to get back to the house on her own.
Souna Shitori, or more realistically, Sona Sitri of the noble house of Sitri, one of the 72 great pillars, was a girl in control of her emotions. As the student council president, it was important to appear impartial and serious while dealing with her students, lest they believe that Sona was taking sides or being openly dismissive of their remarks and viewpoints. It led to a rather standoffish public image, one that meant very few were willing to try and befriend her to Sona's secret appreciation, but people would be quick to admit that she was business like and it showed.
However, even with all of the public images and bravado, she still was a teenage girl, one that couldn't help but enjoy the sight of cute things, so when Issei walked in, there was a crack, small as it was, that formed in her armour.
Naturally she was talking about the shy girl with him, not Issei himself.
Then there was the surprise. She had been certain that Rias had spoken about the boy not returning, for reasons she had refused to disclose and she had placed her faith in the crimson haired girl's integrity. What on earth happened that meant he was here?
"I'm sorry about this president, but I'm not too sure what to do with my… cousin." Issei stated formally. It was the first idea that popped into his head and Sona appeared to be a reasonable person; if she thought they were family (in a way that didn't paint Issei in a bad way *cough*single father*cough*) then she would be more receptive to his request, right?
"And might I ask why you have your cousin with you on school grounds?" the student council president asked sternly, pushing up glasses to prevent them from falling off her nose and her surprise back so it wouldn't appear in her voice. Issei was fortunate enough to catch her on a good day, so she wasn't immediately about to throw the girl out of the campus like she had done once on a particularly bad day.
"Well she was meant to be staying at my house with my grandparents looking after her, my parents having work and all that, but it appears she managed to follow me to school and I have my doubts whether she wouldn't end up lost if she went home." Issei explained, a small gesture towards Ophis who was looking around the pristine hall of the school leading to the student council office in unimpressed curiosity. There was something about her that meant Sona felt a much greater desire to take care of her, as if leaving her alone would end up in a great issue more than any sort of desire to protect her.
Basically, it was about protecting the people from her rather than her from the world, for some reason.
"I don't see what we could do for you Hyoudou. We have no facilities for taking care of her during lessons and I doubt bringing her home would do anything but draw you away from your lessons." She debated tapping a finger against her lip. "However, she's seemed to hold herself very quietly. Is this a normal thing for her?"
"Yes. I have no idea why, but she's perfectly quiet most of the time." Issei agreed, grabbing hold of the lifeline he had been given firmly. If it meant that there was a way to deal with Ophis, then he would be happy to tell the truth. In hindsight though, 'deal' did sound a bit harsh.
Sona had to think hard about this choice. If she continued down the path she believed she would take, there was a risk of people either viewing it as favouritism when she had openly prevented non-school staff and students from entering the grounds or believing they could do the same and turn her esteemed office into a demented babysitting service. However, the likelihood of that sort of response occurring was minimal, so really, it was a no brainer.
"…I suppose if she remains this quiet, there will be no disturbances to me or my fellow student council members. For today and today ONLY, I will be willing to allow her to stay in this room." She conceded, though a stern look was added to the end. "However, do not expect to have this occur ever again. I trust that you will discipline your grandparents so that they won't be idle when your cousin goes missing?"
"Naturally. I cannot thank you enough." Issei replied with a stiff bow, for the members of the student council were practically on the level of, if not a higher level than, the staff. Suitable presentation was required. Turning to Ophis, he called the girl to his side, who responded with little argument or any sound really.
"You'll be staying with Miss Shitori for now, okay?" he told her, receiving a small nod in reply."
"I, understand. When, will you return?"
"As soon as the school day is over." Seeing that she had no objections, Issei let her go towards Sona, who took Ophis by the hand with a soft smile on her face.
"Hyoudou. Don't worry, she'll be in good care for the rest of the day. You were very fortunate that you caught me on a day where I took advantage of my day away from lessons." Sona declared, letting Ophis give a wave before closing the door on Issei, who let out a sigh.
"Well, guess it's lesson time." Issei remarked, looking at the phone to find that the lessons had started about 5 minutes ago, so he wouldn't be too late if he ran.
Sona however, froze when she remembered one crucial detail she forgot to mention, also a request from Rias.
"Rias, what on earth did you do!?" Ophis merely looked at Sona with her outburst, greatly out of character.
She thought it was weird and made no further comment.
The sight was absolutely horrifying. At that moment, there was nothing so terribly appalling, so unintendedly insulting and frightening that could've happened than what Issei saw when he entered that classroom, people turning before exploding into surprised looks, the teacher near fainting at the thought he would come in that day.
Flowers. They bought him flowers. For the desk.
For the uneducated, there were two ways, one he hoped wasn't true and the other scaring him with ideas of what it could imply. One way was that somebody found out he had died last night (and honestly, he was still getting used to the idea he had come back from death) and had told the school in time for them to purchase flowers, which meant someone had found him before he had been transported back home, or possible chanced upon him in the park dead even when he would swear there was no one there, or this was their way of saying they wanted him to die which, honestly speaking, might have been the most obvious answer if it weren't for the honest shock shown on everyone's face. That meant the former was realistic, but who and why?
"Um, should I be taking this the way I am?" Issei decided to ask as a weak joke, sending the teacher out of his stupor.
"Not at all, not at all! We were told you were killed last night, but it appears it was just luckily a rumour, or a cruel joke that got out of hand. I'll take those." After that, Issei gave a happy sigh as it appeared that the lesson would carry on without any worries, getting all of the day through without any intrusive questions.
"Is that Kiba!? What is he doing here!?"
"Do you think he's here for one of us?"
"Ah, I'm here for Issei actually."
It appeared however, that the end of the school day was free reign. With a sigh as the blonde prince of Kuoh approached him, Issei had to hold up a hand to prevent Kiba talking.
"Let me collect my… cousin from the student council, then we can talk." The brunette stated firmly, unwilling to take no for an answer, but Kiba just gave a smile.
"Naturally. My club president was hoping we could have a talk with just you though." He replied, Issei giving a shake of his head in reply.
"Well that's not a choice. It's either you get me and my cousin together or neither."
"…I understand." Leaving the room with dozens of new rumours flying abut, Issei couldn't help but finger the phone in his pocket; it undoubtedly would have a big impact on what was to come next.
Looking in fear across the streets, a young girl had no idea where to go, surrounded by all of these older people she didn't know. How she hadn't been noticed at this point was a miracle, decked out in a traditional miko outfit that fluttered in the wind, clueless amber eyes searching the surroundings fearfully. She was no older than an elementary school child and yet somehow managed to get herself lost a long way from home.
"Where's mama?" the young girl whispered to herself, pushing away blonde hair alongside a vain personality; there was no time to be acting all self-important when she didn't even know where she bloody was! That didn't mean she couldn't guess though and from the small mutterings of the people she past, there was a fair chance the place was something like Kuoh, at least, that was he only consistent name she heard.
So she was in a place called Kuoh. She hadn't heard of a place called Kuoh in Kyoto, but maybe he mama told her in one of those boring lectures that went on for ages.
"Oh well, I'm here now!" the idea made the scariness a little less scary, but she was still lost in a place where she had no idea about! Shrinking away from another big man, the girl ran down another street, keeping her tails close to her body and ears flattened against her head; the idea that many people weren't used to such a sight at least managed to get into her head. Panting heavily from her run, she looked up to find herself facing a building, much prettier than the others. A sign nearby told her the name and the girl gave a happy cheer.
"These places are meant to be full of smart people right? Perfect! Kuoh academy, here I come!"
Let's put that on hold for now. I'm not exactly being subtle when I do this, so the better question would be why is she here? What will happen with the devils? That's the first time I think I've made such an obvious sex joke, I don't know whether to be proud of it or not. I also included a line meant to be read in the voice of the Stanley Parable's narrator, can you guess which one it is?
... You do know who that is, right?