Issei was at the local market with Mittelt, he was shopping for the ingredients for dinner that his mother sent him to get. With Raynare making the guest room of their home hers they had to accommodate for the extra person... People, ever since the church incident three days prior Mittelt was attached at his hip only ever parting when he was with Raynare or at home. Issei noticed this behavior immediately but said nothing of it, he figured he was in part responsible for it. His action after that incident portrayed a vulnerability that he did not want to show especially to the two of them. Though this current state of a relationship they share might prove to be damaging in the long run Issei however did not mind. In all honesty her beginning so close and offering her support in his time of need was comforting, to say the least. "Hey Kyou, what do we still have on the list that we need to get?"
Still not used to the new alias Mittelt looked at Issei for a quick second confused before fumbling with the list that Reiko wrote for the person in her present company. Not before passing the basket she was carrying to Issei. "Uhh, let's see. We still have to purchase tuna, macaroni, and milk." She said putting the list back into the breast pocket of the academy's uniform shirt, motioning to retake the basket with the rest of their goods again. "We can get the pasta and milk here, but if you may allow a suggestion Issei-sama, I would like to get the fish from a butcher that I have frequent recently." She finished, noticing that Issei refused to hand the basket back to her.
He gave Mittelt an amused grin as she pouted at his protest. "Nuh-uh, you have already done enough for me the past couple of days, I can take care of this." He said.
Passing an old woman doing her own shopping Mittelt argued against the thought. "You have done so much for onee-sama and myself, you should consider our feelings in this. You need to pay better attention to the feelings of the people around you. Now I am only going to say this once. Give. Me. The. Basket." Mittelt punctuated the statement with a displeased expression.
This outburst earned a hardy laugh from the woman as she turned her attention to the pair causing them to look at her in confusion, noticing this, she addressed them. "Oh don't mind me, it's been a long time since I have heard such a conversation. I was just reminiscing on my youth. You two reminded me of people I used to know." Turning to Issei she continued. "You don't have to take this old woman's advice, but you shouldn't carry all your burdens by yourself. I am sure that you don't want to bother anyone. Your girlfriend is right. There are clearly people who care about your wellbeing, don't make them worry about you." Her smile curled to an amused grin at the apparent teenage girls lightly darkening cheeks.
Issei thought the words over before responding to the woman, handing the basket over. "I know you're right, but I can't stop myself. I just feel uncomfortable in these sorts of situations."
"Don't worry, little one. That makes it even better that you are willing to let others take care of you even if you don't necessarily like the treatment. It shows your kindness and that's an admirable trait to have in moderation." She then turned her words to the girl at his side, who had just recovered with her earlier brush with embarrassment. "And you, you should take your own advice. It is clear that your boyfriend's feelings on the matter are quite the opposite, though it is true that most men like to be waited on by a beautiful young lady as yourself, this clearly bothers him. You would not want him to start hating you would you?" Getting a nod from Mittelt she left the pair behind to their own devices as she offered a quick farewell. After paying for her items she exited the store thinking back to the brief interaction she had with the couple, a thought of 'A Devil with a holy sword and an Angel with burnt wings eh? You don't see that everyday. Then again after those two I shouldn't be surprised Kuoh is Kuoh after all...' her expression went sour. 'Even after all this time I wonder how you two are doing, my friends.'
Not paying her surroundings any mind the old woman had been run into by a hooded figure. Realizing this the figure quickly removed her hood moving to assist the fallen woman, in a feminine voice the figure apologized. "I'm sorry ma'am, I was not paying attention... I really should have been. I am very sorry."
Looking up to see a worried blonde girl the bangs of her pixie cut hung loosely while she looked down. She had a white t-shirt and a pair of hot pants on, as well as two necklaces around her neck, one of which was an engagement ring on a silver chain on top of a dog tag "21" engraved on its surface. The woman was taken aback by both accessories but did not allow it to show on her face. 'Huh,' she thought to herself before alleviating the teen girl's fear. "Don't worry dear, I am tougher than I look." As she got her things together she noticed the girl frantically trying to help her. "It's fine. You probably have somewhere to be, I can handle this on my own."
"No, it's the least I can do."
Looking into the girl's eyes the old woman gave up her stance letting the girl aid her in collecting her things from the ground. With a soft sigh the woman thanked the girl. "You really did not have to but thank you, for the help that is."
"It's not a problem." The girl said, while handing the woman her groceries. "I have to do something. I just can't ignore it."
The old woman sized the girl before deciding to let the comments slide. As the two finished the woman picked up the girl's robes before pointing at a coffee shop that faced the shop that she just exited. "Thank you young lady, your friends went into that coffee shop not too long ago."
The girl put on her robes, but paused as her mind processed what was just said. "I-I... What? How did you..."
The older woman pointed at the robes, before explaining further. "Not many wear those old things, none of them in Kuoh, imagine seeing young ones wearing them here."
"Are you a believer ma'am?"
The woman just smiled, turning her back and beginning to walk away. "You can say that. But I would be more careful in the future if I were you. A lot has changed in such a short time." She said as she left the girl behind turned the corner. 'Maybe I should warn Desideria's son.' She thought with an amused grin. 'No... I doubt this is something that can't be handled by him. But just in case.' Her thought finished pulling out a small talisman with "空" written on it's side, as it was burned away with a black flame.
(...)
Mittelt and Issei exited the store shortly after, Issei was carrying the bags for their purchased items much to the chagrin of his companion. He was smiling at Mittelt's expression, it being clear that she took the advice given to her to heart. They were about to take a shortcut through the park when Issei had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, that's when he felt it. He quickly let his instincts take over as a bo staff aimed at Mittelt's head was stopped as it collided with the now summoned boosted gear. Issei's now pale blue met the angry brown eyes of her attacker, A tall pale man of Asian descent. The impact of their items making contact was felt by everything in the immediate area as a hush wind was stirred by the contact. By the time the bystanders turned their sights to the large boom and subsequent burst of wind nothing was in sight.
Issei had pulled the attacker and two other hooded figures as well as Mittelt into a world of ice that reflected the area of the park they were just in. Issei taking advantage of the confusion quickly hit the man with a point blank Final Dragon Wave to the gut, the impact of which sent the man flying towards a tree having his momentum being stopped as one of the other figures had switched places with him. The other figure had turned to face the tree as they reached into their robes taking out two necklaces, an engagement ring on a silver chain on top of a dog tag "21" engraved on its surface. They took the dog tag into their right hand as a two handed longsword appeared in it, giving Issei that sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach was only growing stronger. 'Gram' a voice in his head confirmed as the person holding the sword took it in both hands and cleaved the tree in two at the point where they would have hit the tree at terminal velocity. Issei was transfixed on the person as they used their left hand and right leg as brakes coming to a stop shortly after the tree, sword in hand.
"Bitch, who said you could interfere. This is my battle my prize to claim." The attacker angrily took off his hood revealing spiked short black hair and expression that could kill. His eyes met Issei's again in a form of a challenge to the boy, after he noticed the anger behind a blank expression. "You, daemon, you caught me off guard. You are a lot stronger than I give you credit for." That word again. "I will tell you what to just hand over the holy sword you have in your possession and I will let that, the one with burnt wings go… what do you say?" Issei did not answer however had stopped paying attention to the man mid-speech deciding to instead look at the figure with holy sword Gram now slang over their shoulder, noticing this the man closed the distance between him and growling out at Issei. "I am your opponent not her. So I suggest you actually care about what's in front of you before worrying abou-" The man was interrupted by a Boosted Gear clad fist nearly connecting with his face. The man blinked and again the sword wielding figure switched places. Though the punch was thrown to the surprise of everyone but the sword wielder and Issei there was no connection as the sacred gear had paused centimeters from the person's head.
"I apologize for Sun, he is the type to act first and ask questions last." The figure spoke in a feminine voice the boy recognized. She then looked as a string poked out from underneath his shirt. With a smile she picked at it from his shirt through the collar, playing with a gold wedding band attached to it. "Oh Issei, you still wear it. I am glad I thought you would have forgotten the promise we made that we made that day." She paused as she lowered her hood and smiled.
Issei could not believe what he was looking at, a smiling Shidou Irina looking at him with teary eyes. "I-Irina-chan?" he said as the girl wrapped her arms around him. A vision of her with longer hair and black wings, then plunging a sword into his heart. Issei back in the present phased through her attempt at an embrace.
"Issei? Is everything ok?" Irina's worry and hurt present in her tone.
'Close your eyes little Issei, I will take care of things from here… My successor.' Issei hearing this activated the Boosted Gear's balance breaker. 'I will not have that recur. This is our dominion after all.'