Hey, guys, we are back! It's been a little while (for this story at least). In case you're wondering what happened, I basically explained it in an update chapter for [A Fool's Heart] and [Red Dragon Of Stupidity]. I took a small break.
Many, many readers were constantly telling me to take a break in case I was exerting myself because every chapter I released was being released in quick succession and super long. I refused and kept refusing, preferring to prioritize my writing, and having no reason to stop. Then, guess what happened. I put out one of my best ever, masterpiece chapters for A Fool's Heart, and it was 50,000 words long, my longest chapter ever. Released in about 5 days. Funny enough, I then ended up going to the hospital because I felt like shit and you know what it was? I was dehydrated. Why? Because I literally just forgot to properly hydrate myself for a couple days.
Yep. That's it. That's what happened. After that, I went home the day of, not being in any serious condition and decided: "Yeah, maybe I should take a little breather", Lmao. That's what happened. So, yeah, that's why the hiatus. I took a 2 week break after realizing how fucked my work ethic was. But now, unlike before, I always have a water bottle on my desk and I set an allotted time per day for me to stop writing. No more: "Hey, it's only 3am. I'll write until 5am and finish the chapter tomorrow." Or, "Hey, it's 3am. That's perfect! This chapter 30,000 words long, so it should take me until 6am to properly proofread it, then I'll be able to release it when I'm done, as usual! Nice!", yeah no more of that shit lol.
Anyway, all that shit aside, I've actually still been updating my main story [Red Dragon Of Golden Light] this past couple weeks, because it's currently undergoing its most important arc ever up to this point. So I have been focusing on that 100%. However, since this story seems to be EXTREMELY requested to update (like, the most out of all of them), I decided I should go ahead and update it. Besides, I think I'm feeling some inspiration on it to fuel me. This should be good.
So yeah, I'm back. We're good. No one's quit, nothing's going away. No stories are cancelled.
Also, this chapter is going to start with a recollection of all the things that happened on the second day of Issei's school year that was skipped last chapter. And then it will lead into the "Fallen Angel" stuff maybe less than halfway through.
Let's get into it.
-SCENE-
…..
Blackness. Nothing but pitch black darkness. That was the only thing that could be interpreted by Hyoudou Issei. That, and a quiet, familiar voice.
《...I...se….》
A small voice. But it soon began to grow louder.
《...Ise….》
And clearer.
《Ise.》
—Until he was forcibly ripped from the darkness.
"Ise!"
"AAH!"
…..
Issei's eyes abruptly shot open. His vision was hazed with light, but soon began to adjust. He was in a familiar place filled with soft sunlight. There was a person right in his face. A red haired woman.
"Ise! How many times do I have to tell you not to play with your food?!"
—No. It was his mother.
"...Eh?..."
"Mou! Hurry up and eat your breakfast! Rin will be coming over today, right? You want to be able to play soon, don't you?"
His mother asked that while walking back towards the sink, proceeding to wash dishes. Issei's mind still had yet to process his current state.
—He was in his home. His body was that of a child. Sitting at the kitchen table with a plate of food before him, and soft light from the early morning sun shining through the windows of the house.
"...What?..."
His mother turned her head back curiously.
"Ara. What's wrong, honey? You look scared. Did you have a bad dream?"
"...Bad…..dream?..."
—The memories of Issei's horrifying life began to pass through his mind.
"...Ah….ah…."
His left hand slowly placed itself over his right eye. A dream. It was all just a dream. Nothing more than a nightmare.
"Oh, what's wrong, sweety? What was the bad dream about?"
He lowered his head and began to weep quietly in a confused mixture of emotions. Relief being the most prominent.
"I….. I….. M-Mum was…. Pops…."
"Hm? Your father's at work, sweety."
"Ah….. Ah…"
"Tell mommy what's wrong, sweety."
Issei wiped his tears with shaky hands. His small body was trembling.
"..Uu.… Every day hurt…. Every day was scary…. I wanted to wake up so bad, but… I couldn't….. I could only keep thinking…. "Why me?"... "What did I do?"... But I also kept thinking, "It's all my fault"... And it all hurt so much… I couldn't stand it….. And Marie….. Marie was..!"
Issei clutched at his chest, as if in terrible pain. His mother placed some dishes in a tray to dry and continued washing casually. Though, her tone became less carefree and more gentle.
"Marie? Ah, that sweet girl… My little baby boy…. Even after all of that you're still so pure….. You loved her, didn't you?"
"Uu..! Marie was..! Uu..! Marie was—!"
—Issei's mind suddenly came to an abrupt halt.
"...Marie?..."
His expression shifted from one of pain to one of deep confusion. And even a shred of suspicion began to fester within his mind.
"Oh, honey…. On the inside, you're still just a sweet baby boy…. You still haven't let go, have you?... Not of her, or anyone else."
His mother spoke with an odd implication as she continued washing and putting dishes in the tray.
"M...Mum….. How do you know who Marie is?..."
"..It's not your fault. You've seen so many things you weren't supposed to witness. Gone through so many things you weren't supposed to suffer through. Done so many things you weren't supposed to be given as an option. There are parts of you that are wrong. But, it's not your fault that those parts exist. It was merely a matter of circumstance.."
"M-Mum?... W-What are you talking about?... How do you know about any of that?..."
"Most of all, you've lost things you weren't supposed to lose. Things that mattered to you more than anything. That's why you became the way you are. Because you didn't want to lose what little you had left. And every time you think that maybe you wouldn't, you would still lose it in the end. Isn't that why you've come back home, darling? So that you can unnoticeably lose your life one day. You don't fear losing something that no longer matters to you."
"M-Mum?"
"Yet despite already losing those things….. you still adamantly refuse to let them go…."
"...W….What?..."
"Tell me something, sweety….. When is it that you will let go?... Because the way it is now….. You don't have the strength to let go… But even more than that, you don't have the strength to keep holding us up either… The longer you do it, it will just hurt more and more…."
"M…...Mama?..."
His mother placed one last dish into the tray. The reflection of his adult self rested in it.
"Ise…"
His mother finally turned around to face him.
"My baby boy."
.
.
.
—Her body was drenched in blood.
"Stop trying to cling to dead bodies with those broken fingers."
"—AAAAAAAAAAAH!"
[Partner!]
…
…
…
—The nightmare continues.
…
[Partner, are you alright?]
"...D….Ddraig?..."
[Yes, partner. I am here.]
"...W….Where…."
Issei's head slowly turned to scan the room. He realized that his eyes were caught on a familiar ceiling. Moving downwards, he was met with the interior of an almost nostalgic room.
"...H...Home?…"
[Are you alright, partner?]
Issei's vision moved down to his body. The broad and well built physique of a young man. An adolescent body dressed in only his boxer shorts and covered in sweat. His hands were shivering as well. And on his bare chest sat something that was hanging from the chain around his neck.
"...Ah…"
Upon laying his eyes on it, he realized.
—Of course. It was not a dream. It was indeed a never ending nightmare.
"...Haah…"
Issei sighed deeply.
—His second day of his homecoming had begun.
-Day 2-
"Haa!"
Issei heard the sounds of seemingly wooden objects bashing against each other as he entered the building. Turning the corner of a short hall, he seemed to find the epicenter of the place he was looking for.
A large place that closely resembled a well kempt martial arts dojo. It had multiple sections at its centre clearly purposed for sparring matches, and many women standing at the sidelines with similar looking equipment. Headgear, black padded armor, bokken, and attire similar to training Gi. He recognizes this equipment. [Bogu], [shinai], [kendogi], and [hakama].
—This place was the Kendo club.
"Hey, you!"
Issei's attention was caught by a girl who seemed to notice him enter the large training room. Many of the other members of the club looked to be spectating a sparring match taking place at one of the centre spaces.
"What are you doing here?! This place is for Kendo club members only! What are you, some kind of pervert, huh!"
Issei raised a brow at the girl's overly hostile reaction. Perhaps there was some sort of standard or prejudice that these girls held due to unknown events.
"Hm? Ah, no, I'm—"
"—Captain! We've got a pervert here!"
She quickly announced his presence loudly before he could finish, as if catching a criminal red handed. It seems that whatever prejudice they had was a passionate one. A majority of the members around heard the announcement and quickly turned their heads.
"What?! Another pervert?!"
"A new peeping tom!?"
A small batch of women began to surround him while holding onto their bokken menacingly.
"No, well, it's a misunderstanding. I'm not—"
"Wait!"
Before the hostile majority could get close to him, they were interrupted by a voice.
"Hold on, everyone."
The group split down the middle to reveal a familiar figure.
"Ah."
It was the pink haired captain of the Kendo club. The girl known as Katase.
"Ise-kun! So it was you!"
Katase approached Issei while removing her headgear. The girls around lost their hostile attitudes and replaced them with curious ones.
"Ah, Katase-san."
"Mou. Didn't I say you could just call me Katase?"
"Ah, right. My bad. I had forgotten."
"Well, it's no biggie."
"Captain, you know this guy?"
One of the girls asked the question that was sitting prominently within most of the member's minds. Katase nodded.
"Yeah, he's in my class. He's the new transfer student."
Though Issei's face was expressionless, he bowed his head respectfully.
"Hyoudou Issei. I just transferred in yesterday."
[Ooh!]
Many of the club members began to whisper amongst themselves in realization.
"It's the new transfer student..! I heard about him..! What's he doing here?"
"Hey, hey, did you know? Apparently, he's that kid from the news that saved a boy from a serial killer years back."
"Woah, is it just me or are his eyes really sharp? Maybe I'm just seeing things wrong?"
"Hey, he's like, super tall. And his torso is big. It's kind of intimidating. You think he works out?"
Those were the things they whispered.
"Super tall", indeed. To be fair, Issei is currently 185cm tall. A towering figure compared to many of the female students in the Academy's majority population. He also does happen to "work out", though, not according to any conventional (human) standards. As for his eyes, according to Ddraig, that is the result of the Sekiryuutei's aura influencing his body. It's the same reason his growth spurt was so drastic and his body is naturally stronger than regular humans, despite supposedly having the same composition.
Due to Issei having high compatibility and high potential with the Boosted Gear, the influence on his body and soul is higher. Ergo, the reason why his eyes almost come close to looking reptilian in nature. Luckily for him, they don't visibly change or become narrow enough to notice the difference until his instincts heighten or focus, like a predator. Or even more likely, when he is angered. At the very least, he's now in well enough control of his power to no longer need contacts to cover his right, Dragon's eye. However, like Satoshi, Issei has come to dislike taking chances— since his eye can become Dragonic looking if he becomes enraged or malicious— he still wears the contact lens just in case. But if he releases too much of his power or aura, then there's no way to hide its true nature even under the lens, especially considering that scales begin to appear around his eye as well.
Also, Issei's practically 70kg of pure muscle, so he doesn't blame them for being intimidated by his appearance alone at all.
"So, Ise-kun. What's up? Did you come to check the club out?"
"Yeah. I hope you don't mind."
"No, not at all. I did say you could come after all. I should've given you a proper heads up on everyone though. The majority of the girls at school have a burning hatred for perverts thanks to those two idiots, Matsuda and Motohama. They're always peeping on us in particular. So this could've turned ugly real quick if I wasn't here. My bad."
And so, the reason is revealed.
"No, it's fine. I shouldn't have shown up unannounced. Sorry."
Katase raised a pleasantly surprised brow at his earnest apology.
"You know, Ise-kun— even though I was impressed by you when we first met, I still thought you were kinda scary. You're big, your voice is emotionless, and your blank face has that look that says [don't talk to me]. But, for someone so intimidating, you don't act or talk like you look. You're actually pretty nice."
"Is that so? I guess I do look like a bad guy."
Issei agreed blankly while scratching his chin. Katase began waving her hands around frantically.
"Eh? A-Ah, no, no..! That's not what I meant at all! I just meant that you're kind of imposing— Ah! No, not like that! Just— you know, your figure, I guess…"
"No, it's fine. It's just looks. Nothing you can do about it. "
'It's not like you're entirely wrong after all…'
"Huh? What's going on here?"
A new voice interrupted the conversation from behind Issei's large form. Stepping aside, Issei turned to reveal another woman dressed in the Kendo bogu attire. Katase was the first to realize it.
"Ah, Murayama! There you are. You're late, you know?"
The brown haired girl referred to as Murayama spoke tiredly.
"Yeah, sorry. I got here a bit late and just finished changing. Kaa-chan was really nagging me. God, she can be so annoying sometimes."
Issei's right eye twitched subtly.
"—You should appreciate them more."
"Huh?"
There was a short pause. Issei had spoken without thinking. He shut his right eye and averted his gaze awkwardly.
"...No, sorry… It's none of my business.."
Despite the fact that it had nothing to do with him, he couldn't help but interject. Her words had simply echoed through his head like the inside of an empty cave. He was here, at school, early. A fact that would have him considered as being a "good student". But, deep inside, he wishes he could have been late for the same reason as her.
"Um, anyway.."
Katase, aware of Issei's circumstances, decided to cut the tension, for his sake.
"Murayama, this is Hyoudou Issei-kun. He's the new transfer student. The one you didn't get to meet, since you were absent yesterday. You know, the one I told you about."
Murayama made an expression of realization.
"Oh..! The one from TV! I was getting texts about it all day that the new kid was the guy who fought off the Nagoya serial killer! So this is him..!"
"No, well... It was more of: "I defended myself" from the serial killer and happened to run away with the kidnap victim. That was really it. Not really much of a fight, since I was just a kid."
[Ha. So the boy says.]
Even with Issei's denial, Murayama seemed deeply compelled by his presence.
"Even so, that's amazing! You met the prime minister, didn't you?"
"Yeah, I did. I met the police commissioner from the Aichi prefectural department first. That's the guy who gave me the medal. Then it somehow became news once the killer was found dead and I somehow ended up becoming a nationally recognizable for like 2 years."
"A medal!? What kind of medal was it?! Was it heavy?!"
"Ah.."
Issei gave an awkward smile as Murayama suddenly came close to him and looked up at him with stars in her eyes.
"Well… It was a gold medal…. Not too big, but it's kinda heavy. Or at least, it was, when I was a kid…. And it was a medal of 'honorary recognition' or something… It's a medal they give to civilians who did great stuff like stopping a hostage situation or bomb threat or whatever…"
"That's amazing!"
"Yeah, thanks…"
Issei couldn't help but turn his face away, considering that Murayama was uncomfortably close to him. The last time a girl was this close to his face was when Tsubomi tried to kiss him and ended up bumping her head on his chin.
Murayama was pulled back, by her collar, by Katase.
"Hey, cut it out, Murayama. Can't you see you're intimidating him?"
"Eh?! Me?! No way! Isn't that, like, backwards?!"
Issei could only smile wryly. Some part of her reminded him of someone. So much that he laughed.
"Haha, you're really annoyi—"
….
—Ise was in his uncle's house.
"Who are you calling annoying?!"
—Marie pouted at him with her hands on her hips.
…..
"I said, who are you callin' annoying?!"
—He was back in the Kendo club.
"...What?"
"I said! Who are you calling annoying?! That's a pretty rude thing to say to someone you just met, you know!"
Though Murayama was yelling at him, she didn't really seem that angry from her body language and amused smirk. Issei was still left in the past for a short while before realizing it. Katase deadpanned at Murayama's response.
"No, well… It's because you are annoying, Murayama."
"Eeeeeeeeeeh?!"
Many of the Kendo club members laughed at Murayama's expense. Issei shook off his confusion, properly returning to reality.
"I'm sorry… I wasn't thinking straight."
Murayama raised a brow at his apology.
"Hm? It's no biggie though. I wasn't thinking that deep about it. More importantly, I thought this before but, how come you're here? I asked once already, but what exactly is happening? Is Hyoudou-kun here for some sort of reason?"
Katase nodded her head to Murayama's question.
"Yup! Yesterday, I let Ise-kun know that he should come check out the club sometime. Since he told me he was a pro martial artist, and practiced professional swordsmanship, I thought it'd be cool to let him give us a look. Sorry. Shoulda' given you a heads up about it."
"Oh, really? Wait, are you a professional swordsman, Hyoudou-kun?!"
Murayama turned back to Issei with the stars returning in her pupils.
"Uh, well, kinda. It's not really that "I am a swordsman" as much as I was "trained" by one."
"Is that so? By who?"
—An elegant silhouette of a swordsman came into his mind. One with silky, short, red hair.
"...By a friend…."
"Heeeeh~ I bet he was amazing, huh."
Issei's right eye shut as he whispered under his breath.
"...Yeah…. She was…."
Though it went largely unnoticed, Katase couldn't help but hold an interested gaze at Issei's almost nostalgic attitude. A nostalgia laden with sorrow.
She shook her head.
"Ahem— Anyway. Ise-kun is here now. So, girls, what do you say? Should we show him what the Kendo club is all about?"
Murayama threw her fist in the air enthusiastically.
"Yeah!"
The rest of the club reciprocated her action.
[Yeah!]
Katase smiled competitively towards Issei.
"Now. Ise-kun, whaddya say we have a little spar? Maybe you could show us a bit what those swordsmanship skills are about?"
Shaking off his previous attitude, Issei raised an amused brow.
"Hoh? Interesting…. I guess it's alright to let the poodles play with the dire wolves once in a while."
This time, it was Katase who raised an amused brow.
"Ohoho! Looks like the big, sleeping dog has some bite in him, huh? Didn't think ya had it in ya, wan-chan~."
"Ha. Well, when you have an olympic gorilla woman as one of your best friends, you gotta learn a few tricks to keep your skin on. I'm more worried about the pink little poodle who's about to get their pelt shaved off."
"Is that an analogy to getting me naked, Ise-kun? I'll tell ya that we don't take very kindly to perverts around here."
"Who wants to see a shaven dog? It's just gonna pink on the skin anyways, so what's the difference?"
Even though Issei was just bantering and held no sexual implication in his words, Katase's competitive expression became slightly red.
"Oh, just you wait. Soon enough, I'm gonna get you to stop winking at me, because that eye of yours will be permanently shut."
"Hm? Winki…. Ah, right…. Well, I can tell ya that the last guy who tried that…...Let's just see if this eye is colored black by the end of the day."
"Bring it!"
A few hours later:
"...Uuu…."
Katase sat in class, during lunch break, with a depressed attitude, her head down on her desk, and a blue atmosphere of depression hovering over her. Murayama, who sat in the desk beside her, attempted to comfort her friend.
"What's wrong, Katase? Are you still sad that Ise-kun beat you 3 times in under 10 seconds?"
Katase gave an exasperated and depressed groan. Whether her friend was actually teasing her was still up for debate.
"Uuugh…"
"Are you also sad that he called your movements "too stiff", "not fluid", and, "your guard is amateurishly non-flexible"?"
With every comment, Katase slumped further and further in her seat.
"Uuuugggh…"
"Oh, come on. Look on the bright side. He said you would only last 5 seconds the first time, but you actually ended up lasting 7 seconds. That's a good thing, right?"
"Uuuuuuugghh…."
"You're pride is damaged, and you also feel emasculated? But you're a girl."
"Uuuuuuuuggghhh..!"
"You're also sad about the last spar? The one where he said it would end if either one of you got a single hit, to which you completely missed every attack, and he gave you one good hit at the last second? —But in trying to hit your leg to make you go down, he accidentally ended up smacking your butt with the shinai, because the appearance of the Bogu made it hard for him to tell where the leg starts and the butt ends? And you screamed with a red fac—"
"—AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Murayama was silenced by Katase's muffled, but loud screech. The rest of the classmates eating around them subsequently sat in silence for the remainder of the break.
Part 2
Issei walked through the school during lunch break, searching for a quiet place to eat his lunch. There were quite a few students who asked him if he would like to join them, but he politely declined, feeling that he would be intruding. Due to his non-expressive, and possibly "dull" attitude, he could only see himself bringing down the atmosphere. Though, he practically felt that way in every situation. In fact…
—It wouldn't be wrong to say that he thought of his existence as a negative influence, in general.
"Hm?"
Issei stopped. He was about to circle around the new school building, possibly to sit and eat on a grassy hillside that had no one there. However, his instincts sent him the subconscious signal that he was being watched. He turned to check behind him.
There were no students around, for the most part. Some students walking around, in the distance. Some clubs practicing. At the very least, no one was near him, or paying him any attention.
Issei's eyes shifted towards one of the trees outside of the school building. He stared at it silently for a few seconds.
….
"Are you going to keep following me?"
Issei said that to no one. —No. There certainly was someone listening. A small body emerged from behind the tree.
"...You…"
Issei vaguely recognized the short figure.
—It was one of the Devils. The "mascot" of the Academy, "Toujou Koneko".
They stood there in silence, staring at each other with similarly blank expressions. Though, Issei was looking at her a bit disinterestedly, through his one open eye.
…..
"Why are you standing so far away? You think I'm gonna kill you here or what?
Issei spoke to her flatly. Her attitude seemed cautious, despite her stoic face. Even her body was slightly stiff.
After a pause, the Devil stepped a bit closer to him, while still leaving a meter distance between them.
Another silence grew between the two.
…..
"Did your master have you follow me around?"
The girl did not respond. She merely kept her stoic expression untouched and remained silent.
"...Mm?"
Issei's eye caught onto something in her hand. A cloth. Or rather, a rectangular box wrapped in cloth. A boxed bento.
"I heard from some kids that you're the one who eats a lot. You havin' lunch while followin' me?"
Due to finding it a bit interesting, Issei unconsciously let his old Nagoya accent slip out a bit.
—Again, the girl did not answer.
….
For an unknown reason, Issei felt compelled to lift his bento and ask:
"Wanna join me?"
…..
Chirp~ chirp~
Issei sat in mostly comfortable silence as he ate, sitting on a green hillside overlooking the back courtyard of the new school building. He was, of course, not eating alone.
"Guess you don't talk much either, huh?"
Issei commented blankly. The white haired loli beside him, Toujou Koneko, did not answer. She continued eating her own lunch, a meter apart from him, with a side of snacks, silently.
—At first, Issei wasn't sure why he had asked her if she wanted to have lunch together. But at this point, he's convinced himself that it was most likely because he was curious. Something about this Devil was off compared to the others.
"You were tasked with keepin' an eye on me, huh?"
Issei asked her in a flat tone. She, of course, did not answer.
"….."
He spoke again, after a long pause.
"You were hidin' pretty good there. I couldn't sense your presence, but I felt your gaze. I'm pretty good when it comes to sensing things. How'd ya do that?"
Finished with her lunch, she merely continued snacking on her sweets, still not answering his questions.
…
After the swath of silence passed, Issei finally heard the girl speak.
"...I could not sense you either…."
She said it in a low, flat tone. Issei was surprised to hear her voice for a moment. Nevertheless, he replied.
"Mm…. Well, practice makes perfect, I guess. I just had to learn it good. Now, I can pretty much do it in my sleep."
After his reply, there was no response from Koneko, effectively cutting off the conversation. Even with her comment, it almost felt completely one sided.
Issei's left eye, which was the only one open, peered down to observe Koneko. Just like before, her body was quite stiff. Despite being in a fairly relaxed position, she was sitting a meter away from him, and her posture made it look as if she was ready to retreat at any moment.
—For some reason, noticing these sorts of details, they itched at Issei's head. Even when being shut, his eye twitched.
"...Do I scare you?..."
Without thinking, Issei felt compelled to ask her that. Even when he knew she wouldn't answer, he still continued.
"...Do I freak you out?..."
….
"Do I look like some sort of—
—Monster?"
…
A long silence permeated the air after Issei's question. The word echoed in his mind, quickly eliminating all sound from the world after being spoken. Soon enough, the only thing Issei could hear— was the sound of something building. A deep, low, bellowing sound. The sound that resembles what an old wooden house sounds like when it creeks during a storm. But it was a continuous sound. A small sound with gradual buildup. Slowly but surely, it began to grow louder and louder— and as it did, he could see many images representing different concepts appear in his vision. And every image progressively became darker and more brutal than the last.
Blood— Death— Pain— Hatred— Sorrow— Madness—
.
.
.
.
—MONSTER.
"No."
Issei was suddenly returned to the real world.
…..
Chirp~ chirp~
…..
…..
It took awhile for Issei to process the short answer that Koneko had given him. After that, he merely shook his head, feeling some sweat on his forehead.
"...Is….that so?..."
The silence promptly returned.
…
This time, it was Koneko who asked a question.
"...Do I "freak you out"?..."
"Huh?"
Issei furrowed his brows in confusion after hearing the question. She was asking him the same question. Though she asked it in the same stoic manner as everything else, he sensed a bit of hesitation from her.
Regardless, he replied.
"...No, why would you?"
There was a pause before she answered.
"...If you knew what I was, then I might have…."
Hearing that— Issei had a brief laugh.
"Hahaha!"
He couldn't help but find the cruel irony of the statement as amusing to him.
"No…"
And as if finding it painfully funny, he smiled softly at nothing.
"...Trust me, I wouldn't…."
Another long bout of silence passed before one of them spoke again. It was Issei who spoke first.
…
"...So, it doesn't freak you out that you can't sense me?"
"...Does it freak you out that you can't sense me?"
"You probably just got something different than other Devils, right? So— Not really. No."
"...Then, no.."
Issei's mouth curved into a brief smirk before fading. He stared off into nothing, again. This time, the silence they sat in was just bit less uncomfortable.
…
Unconsciously, Issei found himself lying back onto the grass with his arms behind his head, in a relaxed position.
"So that name— [Toujou Koneko]— You come up with that one? Devils don't have names that are naturally Japanese, right? I mean, your ponytail friend has one, but that's cuz she's half, ain't she? However the hell that works. So what about you? "Koneko" is obviously not a real name. It's too on the nose, ain't it? Unless it's a nickname, which would make a hell of a lot more sense. In any case— what's your real name?"
Looking up into the clear sky, Issei didn't think too deeply about his question. Based on logical deduction, he believed it was clear to tell that his conclusion was fairly sound.
However, he didn't receive an answer. Oddly enough, he was a bit surprised to not have heard one. Surprised enough that, he looked over to Koneko in curiosity.
Her position was relatively the same, but she somehow seemed a bit hunched over. As if trying to mask her expression, her face was covered in a light shadow. Within the long silence, he heard a small mutter.
"...It is my name…."
"Hm? What was that? I couldn't hear y—"
—Without saying anything more, Koneko promptly stood up, and walked away.
"Ah….. She left…"
Seeing that there was no helping it, Issei lied back down on the grass.
"Oh well…."
He stared out into the blue sky once more. He couldn't help but remember that blue was always Maki's favorite color. Though, she preferred darker shades.
[She is different from the other Devils. There is something in her nature that is inhuman.]
'I know.'
[Do you believe it holds water?]
'What?'
[Her statement. The one she made about her true nature. Do you believe it holds any weight?]
The line repeated in Issei's mind.
("Do I freak you out?...If you knew what I was, then I might have…..")
"...Heh…"
In the end…
'No..'
—There is only one monster that frightens him.
'Not at all...'
Part 3
"Mmm…"
Issei cracked his neck as he crossed a bridge. His second school day ended without incident, thankfully. He considered the run in with the Devil "Koneko" as inconsequential and thought nothing of it.
There were still many curious students bombarding him with questions, but he didn't mind for the most part. The odd boys known as the "Perverted duo" were quite persistent with their inappropriate questions however.
And tomorrow, he'll have to visit the Devils, as promised. For whatever reason.
'Whaddya think they'll ask me?'
[There a few things, considering that they no longer deem you a dangerous threat. Most likely, they will continue to pursue you as a permanent ally. Should an opportunity for an advantage present itself, a Devil will take it. Such is their nature. Of course, this depends on what their meeting is about. Which was?]
'Ugh… How annoying… Um, I don't know. Something about "coexist", or whatever…'
"A-A-Ano!"
—Issei's train of thought halted at the sound of a voice. He stopped.
"Hm?"
He turned his head back.
'A woman?'
He was met with an unfamiliar young girl in a uniform he didn't recognize. He didn't care to closely inspect the details, but he surely didn't know of any school brandishing the same image.
"A-A-A-A-Are you Hyoudou Issei?"
She asked him in a shaky tone with a nervous attitude that seemed overly fake to him. There was even a strong blush on her face, but he still felt it was forced somehow.
'Didn't I know some girl back in middle school that could fake those?'
Having almost no thought for the girl herself, Issei began reminiscing about mundane topics. Until Ddraig quickly snapped him out of it.
[Partner. This woman is not human.]
'Mm? Ah, yeah, no shit. Who cares. Let's just go home.'
[Wait, partner. She could be trying to hunt you. This could be the day.]
Issei's mind came to a stop.
….
He turned his body fully to face her.
"Um…"
Issei rubbed the back of his neck lazily.
"What do you want, Fallen Angel?"
—There was a long silence after his question.
….
….
….
"...W-What?"
Issei asked again, in a disinterested tone.
"I said, what do you want, Fallen Angel?"
The girl's face went pale, but she continued with her shy persona. She tilted her head with a confused smile, but there was an obvious bead of sweat on her head.
"W-What are you talking about, Issei-kun? F-Fallen what?"
Issei scratched his neck with a bored expression.
"I didn't confirm that I was Hyoudou Issei yet."
"...Eh?"
To that, the girl's face went blank, as if realizing the mistake.
'...Ddraig, I'm talking to a buffoon.'
[It would seem so.]
With a quick slide of his heel, Issei turned to walk away.
"A-Ah, w-wait! I know you because I've asked around! A-And, I always see you around here!"
'I've been here for one day…'
Issei sighed in annoyance.
"—So I was wondering—!"
—Before she could finish, Issei's form was already towering over her.
"Wondering what, crow woman?"
"..?!"
The girl fell back onto the ground in shock. For a split second, when her bottom hit the ground, she made an expression of pain. But for some reason, her expression looked like it flashed between a mature appearance and a young one.
"Sorry. Did I scare you? Wasn't sure if any of your bosses deemed me a "scarecrow" yet."
The girl looked up at him with absolute confusion.
"W….Wha—"
"—Cut the shit, Angel face. What's your motive? What, did the big guys not tell you who I was? If they didn't, then I got bad news for ya, but they probably sent ya out here to die."
The information didn't seem to be processing in the girl's mind properly. Issei sighed.
He extended his hand.
"Get up."
"..."
With a long pause of confused hesitation, the girl took his hand and stood up. She stared at him silently, as if in a confused daze.
'Ddraig, what's the chances of this Fallen just being some random bimbo?'
[Not terribly low, partner. There are many Fallen who simply wish to live their lives indulging in their desires rather than serve military purpose. This is most especially true if what my previous host learned about the 'great war' ending was true. Unlike Devils and Angels, it is not uncommon for Fallen Angels to be living as they please. It could very well be the case that this is nothing more than a random encounter.]
'Heeeeeh…'
Issei pointed his thumb behind him.
"Follow."
"—Eh?"
Without waiting for a response, Issei turned and began walking away. The Fallen Angel girl was left standing there for a moment. Until Issei turned his head back and called her out.
"Oi, what're you doing? Get up here."
The girl shook her head. Finally being able process the current situation, the girl's expression shifted. From an expression of confusion, to a cold, calculated one.
Not failing to notice, Issei's eyes narrowed slightly.
'There she is…'
Taking a step forward, she began following Issei. Issei calmly walked forward with a couple meters distance between the two. He looked around to find a suitable place for them to converse. But the only place he found himself slowly approaching…
—Was the same park he played at on that fateful day.
…
Nevertheless, Issei made his way towards it, with the girl following behind him.
At this point, it was already sunset— just like that day. Around the same time as when it first happened, he found himself walking into that accursed place. The place he could see sometimes when looking out into a sunset. The place he could hear when listening to the sounds of metallic chains creaking, like the chains of a playground swing. The place he could sometimes feel when sand touched against the bottom of his shoes.
A place he could never forget.
[This should be far enough, partner. There are no humans around this place.]
Issei stopped with Ddraig's confirmation. Not too far off in front of him was a beautifully designed water fountain, not too dissimilar from the one at the Academy. He didn't necessarily recognize it, but he vaguely recalled that there was one in said park.
It even reminded him of something. Being so unconcerned with the current situation, he began to reminisce about an event in his past. Once, when he and Marie had visited an aquarium together. In the courtyard of the aquarium, there was a beautiful and large water fountain….
("Ooh! Écaille! Look! It's a beautiful water fountain! It's so tall and refined! There are many couples taking pictures next to it! —Oh! I want a picture next to it!")
("Huh? No way. I don't wanna look like a couple.")
("Pleeeeeeaaase let us take a picture there together! S'il vous plaît, mon amour! Just one!")
("What did you just call me? —No, more importantly: Why the hell do you wanna take a picture so bad? Just cuz the other couples are doing it?")
("Yes! And because I've never seen such a beautiful fountain before in my life! It is such a romantic expression of love! It would mean so much to me if we took one! I would cherish it forever! There could be no greater scenery than this, yet!")
("[Yet]? —Ugh, man, you're annoying. What's so amazing about it anyway? It's just a damn fountain.")
("...A picture is just a picture if you aren't thinking about the people in it…")
("...")
("...Can we please take one together?... Please?...")
("...Yeah….It's fine….")
("Thank you….")
He still remembers that she clung tightly onto his arm for the rest of the day, after taking that picture. A part of him, deep inside, subconsciously wonders what it would take to get that smile ba—
"—How did you know of my nature, human?"
The girl behind him spoke in a threatening tone. Just by hearing her voice, it was obvious to tell that she was no longer the same.
"...Hmm…"
Issei's nose let out air from a small sigh. It was a light, yet heavy sigh, laden with sadness. Though, somewhere underneath that, there was a slight agitation. As if there sat a deep seeded frustration beneath the surface, due to having such a cherished memory unceremoniously interrupted by someone.
The girl— No, the woman. The woman behind him clicked her tongue in irritation.
"Tch. So you won't answer then? Fine. In the end, my intention was to kill you anyway. It won't change anything if you die."
Foom!
From out of the woman's back, two dark colored wings emerged. The black feathered wings of a Fallen Angel. Moreover, her appearance had already become something much different than before. A mature, buxom woman dressed in a skimpy BDSM outfit.
With one flap of her wings, she took to the sky and spawned something in the palm of her hand. A thin, jagged pink spear of light.
—Issei held no reaction to any of this.
"Is there something you'd like to say before you die, human?"
The woman asked Issei in a cold, but somewhat amused tone. Issei made no obvious movements. He merely stood in front of the fountain with his hands in his pockets, as if casually sightseeing.
However, he did speak.
"...[The man cursed with immortality feels sorrow upon realizing that even the strongest man cannot kill him]…."
"Huh?"
The woman raised a brow at his odd, poetic-like speech, beginning to assume that he simply lost his mind. In fairness, her assumption was not entirely false...
"...[I may not be immortal, but in that same sense, you are not the strongest man….. But even so… I am cursed with feeling the same sorrow stemmed from the yearning of something, the same sorrow the immortal man is plagued with….. Whether it is someone, or death itself, that I yearn for, that is]….. Well, I suppose it doesn't matter… It's just a stolen quote anyway…. But..."
The woman prepared to launch her attack.
"At least, the point still stands…."
She swiftly hurled the spear towards Issei and—
PIK!
—The spear was destroyed upon contact with his back.
[—?!]
"The point is that you cannot kill me."
—And the eye of a monster was staring her down.
CHILLS!
A quick, but strong breeze blew through the trees. Many birds cawed as they quickly took off and flew into the sky, as if fleeing from something. The body of the Fallen Angel woman began shivering lightly.
—Issei was staring back up at her with dark shadows masking his face. Not a shred of his aura was being released from his body, yet it seemed as if the atmosphere around him had changed. No, there was an aura. It was simply so oppressive that it encompassed the entire area around the two. Through nothing but the look in his eyes, an intent beyond comprehension could be vaguely interpreted. Simply by gazing into his eyes, it could be understood that there was something malicious sleeping deep inside. But more than that, a dim red light peeked through the darkness on the right side of his expression. A red, glowing orb with a sharp slit for an iris.
The eye of a reptilian— The eye of a serpent— The eye of a Dragon—
—The eye of a beast staring down at her from the sky above her head.
"...W…..What….are you?..."
Through all of her undeniable subconscious fear, and all of her instinct to flee, she uttered the one question in her mind.
Issei turned fully towards her and lifted his left arm up near his chest. A brief flash of green light shined from him. When it faded, all that was left was a red gauntlet with a green jewel.
"Do you really want to know?"
[—?!]
The Fallen Angel woman immediately felt the weight of creation pull down on her body. As if something with symbolic meaning, a certain memory flashed through her mind.
("Raynare. You know why I've called you, right? It's about the new surveillance mission. I want you on it.")
("Y-Yes, Azazel-sama! Of course! What is it that you need me to do?")
("Nothing too fantastic. I simply want you to observe the subject as detailed on the form. It's one that could be a problematic case, depending on the current circumstances. I deemed it something 'inconsequential' at the time, but it's surely different by now. I just want to know how different.")
("I see..! Leave this mission to me, Azazel-sama. I will certainly make you proud!")
("Ah, well, no need to go that far. But it's good that you have that mentality. Just be careful, alright? This is merely an observation objective. No need to get caught up in anything messy. It's best we don't take any chances on this subject. So don't do anything drastic, if you can avoid it. If anything goes wrong, just have [Bal] called in. Otherwise, good luck.")
("Yes! Thank you, Azazel-sama! I will do my best!")
("Ah, wait, Raynare. I just wanted to make it clear.")
("Hm? Yes, what is it?")
—("Don't do anything stupid.")
[—?!]
Feeling that she had suddenly lost all strength in her wings, Raynare fell straight to the ground and landed harshly on her bottom.
Thud!
Not even caring to process the slight pain, due to having a mind clouded with the fear of death, Raynare stared at the figure before her in horror. Despite being distanced more than 3 meters away, she could only interpret the figure as being uncomfortably close, to the point of which it just seemed like it was growing in size in front of her.
That was until she realized that he had begun speaking steps forward.
Step….
[—?!]
Her instincts completely overpowered any sense of pride Raynare had. And for that reason, she immediately began to grovel before him.
"I-I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I've made a mistake! I was merely being foolish! I-I mean no harm or insult to you! P-Please forgive me, Sekiryuutei-sama!"
Overwhelmed by the fear of what may come or what she may see, she kept her forehead pressed against the concrete, effectively prostrating herself perfectly before him. Because she refused to look up, she would not be able to interpret the dark figure towering over her with a cold blooded gaze. However, she could feel its presence looming over as if she were watching it do so clearly.
—Issei continued gazing down at her with one light brown eye, and one red glowing eye, but both were filled with darkness. A cold, calculated stare that could be compared with one of a predator inspecting its prey.
"Who are you, and what is your alignment?"
Issei, taking the form of beast in the unidentified woman's eyes, asked callously. His entire demeanor gave the impression that anything that defied him would perish.
Without lifting her head, the Fallen Angel woman finally identified herself to Issei.
"I-I am Raynare! My benefactor is the Fallen Angel organization, Grigori!"
Not having consideration for the thought that this being could pose a threat to her organization, she revealed her alignment without hesitation. Only her basic survival instincts were functioning at the moment.
"Raynare. [Grigori], huh. So— What's the pigeons wantin' from me, eh? What's your mission supposed to be? Depending on your answer you might die here though."
Flooded with the image of her own death at the mention of the concept, she answered almost immediately, with a sense of obedience in her tone.
"M-My intention was only to observe the Sekiryuutei! I was—!"
Her explanation was cut short when she foolishly lifted her head to speak.
"I didn't ask your intentions. You made that quite clear yourself, didn't you, vixen?"
[—?!]
Her head practically slammed against the floor with how quickly she brought it back down. If it hadn't been already, her entire body was now visibly trembling.
"Hm…. So that means you've disobeyed orders, I guess…. Heh... Tell me, "Raynare"... Was it worth losing your life?"
Raynare's legs quivered violently from under her. She unconsciously lifted her head again and began begging for her life. She was so overcome with fear that there was even a smile present on her face, and tears were building up in her eyes.
"I-I'm sorry! Forgive me, Sekiryuutei-sama! I was foolish! I wasn't thinking! I would never have done such a thing under normal circumstances! B-But, I was just following orders! That's right! Even though my intention was to observe, I was being pressured by my superiors to go beyond the call of duty! It was suggested that I would be commended for taking such actions! I was influenced by their authority! I would never have done such a thing if I had the choice!"
It went silent after her dishonest plea. An overbearing silence that allowed something imaginary to be heard. Issei looked up to the sky with a hollow expression. He could hear a deep creaking sound begin to grow within his mind. Starting as low as a whisper and building up enough that it overpowered the sound of his own heart. The only image in his mind— was a bloody, brutal one.
….
Slowly, with a disturbing creak, only his eyes shifted back down to the form of Raynare. His glowing, red eye and cold stare did not fail to send chills up her spine.
"...Looks like you really were sent out here to die then….. Since I'm in a bad mood now, after all…."
[—?!]
Once again, Raynare prostrated herself without hesitation.
"N-No, please, Sekiryuutei-sama! Please forgive me! Forgive me for my foolish actions! I was simply following the orders of my superiors! I was—!"
As Raynare continued pleading for her life, she could feel a darkness growing over her. Though she could not see it, there was the pitch black claw of a monster, 30 times her size, hovering right over her head. It began slowly descending onto her, getting closer and closer with every second, only causing her to feel an ever greater desperation.
"I'M SORRY! I'M TRULY SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR BEING SO FOOLISH SEKIRYUUTEI-SAMA! I'LL DO ANYTHING! PLEASE, SEKIRYUUTEI-SAMA!"
The large, black hand spread its sharp fingers outward, extending over her entirely, and masking her body in as black of a shadow as the hand itself. Holding itself above her, the claw was ready to snatch her life away in one moment.
"PLEASE, SEKIRYUUTEI-SAMA!"
In the end, all she could envision..
"I—!"
—Was her own death.
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
—The world stopped.
.
.
.
.
.
.
In the silence of Issei's mind, a long forgotten memory violently crashed in. The memory of a man. An American man with blond hair. He had green robes of Genesis covering his body, but his face was clear to see. He was a man that Issei had already met once before killing him. The man who had a son. A son who wore blue shoes representing the brand of Tokusatsu show that Maki watched. And a shoe that also happened to be in Maki's favorite color.
….
Both of these humans, just like many others before them— Both father and son—
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I̝̍͋̓͑͑̉̑ ̵͉͓̲͈͉͖̳̥̌ͩͫ̎D̡͔̜̱̪͙̙̼̰̞ͫ̿̽ͮͩ̊O̶͕͎͓̩ͬͣ̌̽̇̆̏N̺͐̋͟'̢̙̳͓ͣ͌̓ͧ͋̒ͧT̬̯̼̭͇͇̝̰̬ͦ̊͊͗̎̀ ̷̙̤̔͂̎̈́̊ͮ͑̚̚Ẉ̢̘͈̞͉͓̪͈͌̌ͭ͂̒ͬ͠A̭̯͍̙̙̗̺ͮ̐ͫ͂ͣͩͬͬ̃ͅN̾̍ͣ͌̒͏̮̦̤̮̖T̰̖͍̪̖̦ͩ̂̆͑ͥ̀̋̌ ͍̗͖̝̙̪̗͕͂̔̉̔͛͂̚T̮̰̞̩̝̰͉͎̚͠O̫̥̜̲̊ͬͤ̊ͧ̒ͩͅͅ ̰̓̋ͩ̂̒̋͋̐Ḑ̼̱͓̩̻̲̳̐̇Ḯ̛̬̗͈Ë̸͔̼́̉ͮ́!̵̞̫̯̩̫̗͗̈ͬ͆ͨ̓ͦ̐͠
.
.
—Were slain by a monster.
SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECHH!
"—AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Issei clutched at his head as the piercing sound of a screech scrambled his brain. Countless images and sounds from terrors left in his subconscious, violently brought themselves to the surface. He shrieked in pain, and more in horror, for all of the terrible visions he was being subjected to.
Raynare sensed an opportunity for escape, but unfortunately, her entire body refused to move her from her spot. She was stuck in place, as if her instincts knew better than to defy the orders given to her.
The screeching and visions in Issei's head continued, but not for long. The moment he clutched at the cross hanging from his chest, everything began to become less violent, and the mental barrage started to fade. Second by second, the sounds would gradually become quieter, and the flashes of images would become even more brief with increasing intervals between each. There was even times when the image of something pleasant would quickly flash through, before disappearing again. Or rather, someone pleasant…
"Hah….Haah…"
Issei caught his breath as the attack on his mental state ceased. With only a few quick inhales, he was able to return to his relatively normal state.
[Are you alright, partner?]
'Yeah….. I am… Just like always.'
[What will you do with the Fallen?]
Issei looked down at Raynare. She of course, immediately brought her head back down, as to avoid eye contact. Having finally regained his composure, Issei's dark expression returned.
'Send a message...'
He leaned down onto his knee, bringing himself close to Raynare. With great force, he grabbed onto her head and pulled her up from her hair.
"AAAH!"
Raynare shrieked in a mixture of pain and fear. Upon opening her eyes, she realized…
—She was face to face with the figure bathed in darkness. His monstrous red eye bore into her very soul.
"Tell your "boss": If you wanna kill me, come get me yourself, coward."
[—?!]
Issei released his grip on Raynare and stood upright. He said only one last thing to her.
"Get out of my sight."
"...!?"
The moment Issei gave that order, Raynare unfurled her wings and practically blasted herself off, getting as far away as she could within mere seconds.
FOOM!
Issei was left behind as the small cloud of dust cleared near his feet. He stood there, silently.
…
…
'Ddraig…. Do you think I should have killed her?..'
[You know of me well enough, partner. I dislike mindless killings. A rampage is only a rampage with purpose. Whether that be to fight strong foes or one sparked from vengeance is the matter that concerns me. However, to kill or hunt mindlessly, with no thought, I find it as an act of cowardice. Most especially if it is the hunting and killing of those much weaker, who pose relatively no threat. There is truly no purpose in such slaughter. I would rather sleep.]
…
Issei looked up to the dimming sky once more.
'I thought so...'
"Haah!... Haaah!"
Raynare finally came to a stop next to a random tree. Looking up, she could see the abandoned church she recently acquired as a personal base, a bit further up the hill. It was only now that she realized it was early night time, and she had fled so blindly that she ended up returning straight to the base without even thinking. Her only thoughts were to get away as far as possible.
"Haah.."
She placed her back against the tree and slid down to the floor, finally feeling the physical and mental exhaustion.
'I have to report back to Azazel-sama…'
Only giving herself a short break, Raynare brought herself back to her feet and prepared to leave. But…
(—!)
'No wait..!'
She switched her gaze to the church.
'That's right! The operation with Donasheek and the others! I can't go back now! The "excommunicated witch" will be arriving in a week's time! I have to go through with the operation!'
Don!
Raynare slammed her fist against the tree.
"Damn..!"
'By now, they're sure to have realized that the "Sacred Gear removing artifact" is gone. If I go back now, I will no doubt be considered a suspect! Originally, I had planned to use the retrieval of that woman's "ability", and the killing of the "observation subject" as justification for my actions— But, who would have thought that it was the Sekiryuutei?! Did Azazel-sama know?! He didn't tell me that it was! His report may have stated that I "shouldn't interact with the subject under any circumstances", but I had no idea the outcome would be so drastic! I was lucky to escape with my life…. But now…'
She bit down on her thumb in frustration.
'No…. I can't go back now…. Not until I've at least retrieved that girl's Sacred Gear... That's right. If I can at least retrieve the Sacred Gear, then that would be the perfect outcome. Not only will I become a valuable asset to my superiors, but I will have fulfilled Azazel-sama's request perfectly and be commended for my bravery..! After all, unlike the battle hungry Hakuryuukou who only fights strong foes, this Sekiryuutei is a beast…. I was lucky to escape with my life… I will be praised..! That's right!'
The skin on Raynare's thumb broke, a thin stream of blood ran down her hand. Her expression was a mixture of excitement and unease. She was smiling, but their was also sweat running down her forehead.
'So long as I don't have my plans jeopardized by those damn Devils who run this town, or so long as I don't ever encounter that Sekiryuutei again…. I can do it! I can pull it off! Once I've retrieved the Sacred Gear from the witch, I can return to Grigori and be seen as an exemplary soldier for my achievements! I will be praised! Azazel-sama! Shemhazai-sama! Please wait for me! I will prove that I am worthy of standing by your side!'
With a newfound determination, Raynare made her way up to the church base. Of course, not before looking back once. Far off in the distance, she could see the exact place she escaped from. Somehow, it felt as if a darkness loomed over that area, at least in her mind.
-DxD-
Issei was making his way home after his encounter with the Fallen Angel, Raynare. Despite the fact that Raynare may have been considering that encounter as the event of a lifetime, Issei almost felt that it was less consequential than his lunchtime with a Devil. So much so, that Issei literally went to the convenience store to buy groceries afterward, as if it never happened. Now, he was just casually walking home with a few bags in his hands.
Meow~
"Hm?"
Issei stopped at the sound of a little noise. A familiar sound. When he turned around, he found a young black cat was following him.
….
Taking a step forward, he tried ignoring the cat, thinking it would leave him alone. But…
It was still following him…
He stopped.
"...I don't have food…."
For some reason, he said that to the cat.
[We don't have the ability to speak with animals, partner. You have known this for many years.]
'Fuck off, lizard.'
Looking back down to the cat, it sat before him, as if waiting patiently for him to continue walking.
"...Ugh…"
He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. Deciding that it would make the cat leave him alone, he looked into one of his grocery bags for something to give it. The only thing he ended up finding was some thinly sliced ham.
He shrugged his shoulders. He opened the container and took out a slice of ham, throwing it onto the floor for the cat to eat. The cat began eating it without hesitation.
"Now you're happy, yeah?"
He gave a little grumble at the situation.
Issei was never really good with animals. Dogs always hated Issei, for reasons unknown to him. They only ever barked, ran away, or growled at him. He assumes that's because of the Sekiryuutei, but that's most likely incorrect. It's more likely because they sense something "off" about him. Horses were the same.
Cats, well, he was alright with them at least. The main reason, of course, was because he had a cat. That's right. Back at home, in Nagoya, his family has a cat. They've had it for nearly 3 years. Issei still clearly remembers the day they found it.
"Look, Nii-Nii! Nekoooo!"
Right as Issei and Marie returned home from their daily patrols (it was actually a date to the aquarium that his aunt forced on him), Maki greeted them at the door with a bundle of fur. Scratch that, she was holding a fluffy, white, Persian cat in her hands.
"..Uuuh…"
Issei looked at the cat in Maki's hands with confusion. The cat gave him absolutely no reaction. It simply blinked at him super slowly while having the tip of its tongue sticking out.
"Oh, c'est trop mignon! How cute!"
"I know right!"
Marie seemed immediately enamoured with the cat. Both of the girls were already keen on owning this cat.
"Wait, Maki… Where the hell did this cat even come from? Why do you have it?"
Issei questioned Maki, wondering how she was even in possession of it. Maki explained with a bright smile.
"He followed me home! I was just walking back from my friend's house and, for some reason, he wouldn't leave me alone. I guess he imprinted on me or something, huh!"
"It's a fuckin' cat, not a duck."
Maki deadpanned at Issei's reply. Marie gave Issei a stern look and placed her index finger over his lips.
"Language."
Issei frowned and removed hand from his mouth.
"Leave me alone, woman."
"Think about what you say in front of Maki!"
"Maki's fine. She'll stay a good girl either way, so what does it matter?"
"That's not the point, mon amour! The point is that you are supposed to watch your tongue around ladies! Maki is a lady! You need to maintain your manners!"
"There ya go again with that "mon amour" shit! I swear, the moment you start teachin' me French next week, I'm gonna find out what that word means first!"
"Wha— N-No, no! Wait! Forget that I said that! Don't think about that title! It's an expression of p-partnership, that's all it is!"
"Aha! So it is a title!"
"Hey…"
Maki interrupted the banter between the two teenagers with a deadpan expression. Maki turned her head and called out to what was seemingly the direction of the kitchen, past the living room entrance.
"Kaa-san! 'Mum' and 'Dad' are fighting agaaain!"
Issei's face went blank while Marie's went red.
"W-W-What?! N-No! We're not fighting! We never fight! We aren't like that! We aren't that type! Right, partner?"
"Who the hell you callin' "Dad"? And we aren't that "type" of what?... No, more importantly— Maki, how did you even…. Why is this cat here? Why did it follow you home?"
Maki furrowed her brows.
"I already told you, Nii-Nii. I don't know why, he just did. Maybe he can sense that cats are my favorite animal or something?"
"That's not how it works."
"Then I don't know! All I know is that he started following me home after I gave him some of the bagel I bought at the convenience store!"
"Ah…"
….
Issei rubbed the bridge of his nose with a sigh.
"Haah…. That's why he followed you home, idiot…"
"Oh…"
"Well, you know what they say, [don't feed a stray cat unless you want to keep it]. Because they keep coming back for food!"
"Yes, thank you, Marie, that was very insightful…"
"You're welcome, honey!"
"Who you callin'... Haah… Who cares..."
Issei rubbed his forehead in annoyance, or rather, in mental exhaustion. Going on "dates" with Marie was already draining enough for him. Maki asked Issei with uncertainty.
"So….. What do we do with him?"
"Well…. Did Baa-san get mad that he followed you?"
"No."
"Mm. Oji-san probably wouldn't care either….. Do you want it to starve to death?"
"What?! No!"
"Then it looks like we're keepin' him."
At that, Maki jumped for joy with the cat in her hands. She squeezed it tightly while jumping around. The cat only made sounds of obvious discomfort in response. Issei sighed while Marie smiled. They both stepped inside and shut the door behind them.
"So what're you gonna name him?"
"[Taki]!"
"You're gonna name your favorite animal after your favorite food? This is Nagoya, not Honshu. What're ya gonna eat him?"
"No! Mou! Nii-Nii is always so stingy! Who cares if I just wanna name him after my favorite food!"
"The word you're looking for is "pedantic" not stingy."
"See! You're even worse than I thought!"
Marie interjected happily as she and Issei removed their shoes at the entrance.
"I vote that we name him "Écaille"!"
"Huh? Hell no, you wanna name him after me? I'd rather name him "shitface"."
Marie gave an angry, but cute pout.
"Hmph! Well then, maybe we should name him "sour puss" instead! Since that would make more sense, if we're naming it after you!"
"Huh?!"
Maki burst out laughing and began dancing around with the apathetic looking cat in her hands.
"Nyahahahaha! Sour puss, sour puss, sour puss!"
Issei grumbled in annoyance.
"Ergh! Fine! Name him "Taki" or fuckin' whatever! I don't care. He's your cat anyway."
"Yaaay!"
Maki and Marie high fived each other. Maki quickly ran into the living room while dancing happily.
"Yay! Taki, Taki, Taki~ Kaa-san! We named him Taki!"
Issei sighed once again as Marie began walking to the living room as well. But the moment she took a step forward, Issei noticed something.
"Eh?"
Marie was confused at the feeling of something holding onto her hand. Looking back, Issei had grabbed onto her. That's because Issei noticed something red like blood on Marie's skin, and pulled her hand without thinking.
Issei turned her hand over to reveal the red mark.
—It was nothing but a red stain from when she wiped off some of her lipstick by accident, earlier in the day.
"My bad."
Issei let go and acted as if nothing happened. He quickly passed her to walk towards the living room before her. But—
Tug..
This time, it was Issei who was stopped by the tugging of his jacket sleeve. Looking back, Marie had a deep blush over her face. She asked Issei sheepishly while she held her finger up to her lips.
"...I still have some lipstick left on…"
It went completely silent in the hall they stood in.
…
"—Ahem."
Maki cleared her throat while peeking her head out from the entrance to the living room. She had a blank expression while also holding out the head of the bored looking cat.
….
"Kaa-san! 'Mum' and 'Dad' made up!"
"Oh, how nice, dear~"
"Like I said, who you callin' mum and dad?!"
"Uuu…. I was caught in the act… I am so embarrassed…"
"And you, why the hell are you phrasing it like that?! Are you guys in on some kinda joke that I don't know about?!"
"Kaa-san! Nii-Nii is pretending to be dense agaaain!"
"Ise-kun~ don't make me come there and smack you with a spoon~"
"Y-Yes, obaa-sama!"
Meow~
Issei's reminiscence was interrupted by the black cat rubbing against his leg.
"Haah…"
He gave a heavy sigh. It was a sigh filled with an underlying, tremendous sorrow…
"Well…. Whatever…."
Issei turned to walk away.
Meow~
"Hm?"
Looking back, the cat was still following him for some reason.
"What?"
Meow~
"I already gave you fuckin' food, what else do ya wa—"
As if some sort of comedic irony, Issei suddenly remembered something.
("You know what they say, [don't feed a stray cat unless you want to keep it]. Because they keep coming back for food!")
"Ah."
…
"Fuck..."
Meow~
Issei pulled a tuna can from out of his cabinet and pried it open with his bare hand. He placed the tuna can on the ground so that the cat could eat it.
"Here. I ain't got cat food so this'll have to do. Hopefully it doesn't make ya sick or anything. I'll buy ya some proper food tomorrow."
The cat ate the tuna without hesitation. Issei sighed and looked to the cabinet.
"...Eh, fuck it."
He pulled out another tuna can and pulled it open to eat. He sat down at one of the chairs of the dining table while watching the cat eat its tuna, and also eating his own.
[Don't you find it grotesque that you would be consuming such a crude meal, considering your modern lifestyle, partner?]
'What, you said that I won't get sick from eating raw meats anymore, right?'
[Yes, it would seem so. The influence of the Sekiryuutei became stronger ever since you lost your eye and gave up your scapula. It's odd, but it seems as if certain parts of your body act…. No, I suppose it's not important. All that I know is that it is similar to the manner in which your human composition remains the same, but your body is still stronger. In the end, it's a benefit. So I suppose there's no use thinking into it further.]
'See? No problem. Besides, didn't you used to eat cows and goats back when you were a Dragon or some shit?'
[Is that what the legends say? Well, I can't say it's inaccurate. Though, there were many Dragons who had a particular taste for specific types of flesh.]
Issei immediately began to feel sick once Ddraig said that, as he felt the tuna move between his teeth.
[Think no further into it, partner. Forget it.]
'Y-Yeah…. Yeah, I know…'
Issei continued eating the tuna while using the cat as a visual distraction. He brought out his phone and snapped a picture of it. He sent it to Maki, with a message attached.
(Sent: [I have a cat now. (-_-) ])
Maki always loved cats. Her profile picture on practically all of her accounts was her with cat ears. The lock screen of her phone is her cat. She was a "cat lady" or "Neko girl" for Halloween twice, in a row. Sometimes she walked around the house with cat ears on her head. Her behavior is that of a cat: eating, lazing about, and sitting on Issei's lap without asking. She owns three, different colored cat onesies. And most of all, she hisses when she's threatened (with vegetables) or purrs when Issei rubs her head (or when she forces him to scratch under her chin).
Ding!
Issei received a reply message. It read…
(Maki: [Nyaani?!])
"Heh!... Yup, that's about the reaction I expected."
-Devils-
"Buchou."
"Ah, Koneko. You've returned."
Inside of the dimly lit room, the members of the "Occult Research Club" were preparing to leave, just as Toujou Koneko returned.
"So, was there anything to report?"
Koneko nodded her head to Rias Gremory's question.
"I met with him during lunch."
"What?! Did he know you were following him?"
Koneko nodded again. Rias bit her thumb nervously.
"Damn… What did he do?.."
"We ate lunch together."
"..Pardon?"
"He invited me to lunch together."
Rias was left blinking for a few moments. She shook her head before giving a pleasantly relieved sigh.
"...Is that so?... I see…."
Rias sat back in her seat a bit more relaxed than before. Somehow, she was getting the feeling that she was right about something.
"So, anything else?"
"Yes. He encountered a Fallen Angel from Grigori."
[—?!]
To that, every member of the club became serious. Rias leaned forward, listening intently.
"So there were Fallen Angels sneaking around in my territory, just as I thought…. What happened?"
"She fled."
"Eh?"
Rias made a confused expression.
"She...fled? You mean, she ran away from him?"
"Yes."
"...Ah, I see… Well, that isn't really surprising, I suppose… How was the interaction between them? Did she attempt to recruit him?"
Koneko shook her head.
"She tried to kill him."
"..! She tried to kill him..!? What happened exactly?"
"Nothing. Her attack was ineffective. It disappeared the moment it touched him."
Rias stood from her seat in shock.
"What?! But he is a human!"
"Yes…"
Koneko had no response besides that. It wasn't as if she could provide an explanation, after all. Rias sat down, feeling even more uneasy than before.
"What else?"
"She was acting on orders of her superior."
"Her superior? So she was ordered to kill him? Damn… If that is true, then that would mean those Fallen Angels are indeed here on official business…. This is problematic. Is the reason that they're here to kill the Sekiryuutei? But why? Why not recruit him instead?... It could be that they're disobeying orders…. In which case, that would work a bit better for us, but not too greatly…. In the end, they are underlings that were sent with here with purpose from their higher ups…. So taking action against them would be considered an insult to those superiors of theirs…. But they are in our territory…. But it also isn't as if Grigori would care much about what "territory" they're at, rather they would just care that their underlings are dead…. A disagreement could cause strife and…."
Rias placed her hand up to her mouth in contemplation. After some silence, she asked again.
"Anything else?"
"He threatened her to send a message back to her superiors."
Rias leaned in with extreme interest.
"What was the message?"
"It was a threat. He said that if they want to kill him, then they should send their leaders instead."
[—?!]
An atmosphere of unbelievable shock could be interpreted in the environment. Rias stood from her seat in disbelief, again.
"What?! A personal declaration of war?! You've got to be joking! Is he insane?!"
Koneko, having no response, merely remained silent. Rias's mind began running at a million miles a minute, running through all the possible scenarios and outcomes.
"Wait…. If he's done something like that…. It's become obvious that he's someone that is easily irritated by things relating to the supernatural, especially considering that he would be willing to declare war on the Fallen Angels, who he has displayed no contempt for, just for an attempt on his life…. Not to say that an assassination attempt isn't something to be angry about, but considering all of his behavior before— His hatred for us Devils, his disgust towards the church, and his apparent kindness towards other students— It's obvious that he is a person who acts when there is an inciting incident rather than immediately based off of his feelings…. That's somewhat relieving since it means that he isn't necessarily a ruthless maniac, not that I thought he was before…. Wait, when he invited you to lunch, what happened? How did it happen?"
"He noticed me following him. Then, he asked if I was ordered to. When I didn't answer, he simply asked if I wanted to "join him" for lunch."
"Really? So then, what happened when you were eating lunch? Was it just a formality to interrogate you?"
Koneko shook her head.
"It was...casual."
"Casual?... You mean, he treated you normally?"
Koneko nodded.
"He asked me about my intentions, but he was not threatening. He treated me like another student.
Rias raised an interested brow.
"But if he hates Devils….. Then again, when we made it clear that we weren't a threat, he did show that he didn't care much for our existence…. So rather, he could just be indifferent to us?….. Or perhaps it's because he didn't find you threatening at all?... Either way…. This is...a good thing."
Rias sat back in her seat, slowly beginning to reach a conclusion in her plans.
"Yes…. Yes, this is a good thing. Even though it's concerning that he threatened Grigori, it's also a good thing because it means that he has an enemy. If he's made an enemy out of Grigori, then that leaves Heaven and the Underworld as possible sides to recruit him. He can't face an entire faction by himself, after all. I'm sure he realizes that. Considering his overwhelming loathing of the church, it's more likely that we would be the likely contenders. Especially since he lives in Devil territory and this place may become a target. Though, that all depends on what course of action Grigori takes. If they want to avoid war, then this place will remain untouched, and if they want to recruit the Sekiryuutei, then they will pay no mind to his threats and instead have the leaders convince him….."
Rias let out a breath to release her tension.
"Alright. Thank you, Koneko. You don't have to follow him any further than that. He will be here tomorrow anyway. I'll see what I can do. Good job. You may leave."
Koneko nodded and excused herself. She walked out of the clubroom accompanied by a blond male servant. Akeno Himejima approached the side of Rias's desk.
"Rias. What do you plan to do when he comes here tomorrow?"
Rias rubbed her head.
"...I don't know…"
-Boss-
"Heya, boss. I'm back."
"Ah, Bal. There you are. Did you find Vali?"
"Yeah, he was just off fightin' again. Didn't wanna come back yet though. If I made him come back, he probably woulda' kicked my ass."
"Yeah, that's fine. You did well enough. Good job."
"Yeah, sure. Ah. Hey, boss. About that mission you sent the Ray on, do you think it's him? Do you really think it's the brat we met back in the day?"
"Mm. I feel confident that my assumption is correct. I just don't feel entirely confident that Raynare will follow my orders perfectly…. She may do something reckless, even though I told her not to."
"Aw man! You shoulda' just sent me, man! Dang it! I woulda' loved to go and see that brat again! Maybe he's way stronger now, you know! That woulda' been hella wicked!"
"...Right…. Well, I wanted to give a chance to my underappreciated pupils. You are already someone with reputation and achievement. It's better to give the little ones a chance, you know? Besides, Raynare is a good soldier when she's following orders. I wanted to give her her first chance to show whether she can follow orders unsupervised."
"Ah, okay. Well, it's too late now anyway. I won't complain. What about the "Sacred Gear remover"? Do you think it's her who took it?"
"Mm, very possibly. She may be planning to do something above what I've told her, trying to exceed our expectations. Haaah. Honestly, my underlings are problematic."
"Mm. Like you?"
"Hah. Yes, indeed. The fact that you can say that so carefreely, I like that about you, Bal. I get tired of the formalities and military attitudes sometimes."
"Yeah, I know. That's why I like you better than Shemhazai. He's too much of a prude, even though he's younger."
"Hahahaha. Yes, that's true. Speaking of which, what do you think about the new woman he has. It's not public yet, but surely you know about his Devil fiancée, considering your position?"
"Yeah, I do. I don't really have a problem with it. It's something that would be bad if everyone found out, but I don't care much. I only really hate Devils when they're not on my side. If she's marrying him, then I don't see her as an enemy, obviously."
"Mm. I don't dislike that mentality. Though, I am considered quite indifferent."
"Yeah. Well, anyway, I'll be heading off, boss. Still have work to do. Let me know if anything happens with Raynare's case. I'll intervene if necessary."
"Yeah. I'll have you go in if she doesn't return in a certain amount of time. Since you've had a previous encounter, it might work better that way. But if it doesn't, then it's best you report it to me and I'll handle it myself."
"Got it."
"Ah, also, Bal— Your new spear, how is it? Is it to your liking?"
"Aw, hell yeah! It's awesome! I love it! Thanks for makin' it!"
"Of course. I love working on Sacred Gears, after all. Making an artificial Sacred Gear from something that already exists is something I plan to become good at. Yours was the prototype. If I can make proper use of that purple jewel of Fafnir, like I did with the base of your spear, I can make something really interesting."
"Interesting? More like scary."
"Haha, this is coming from the man who is now wielding the modified, Artificial Sacred Gear version of [the spear of Achilles]?"
"Haha! I guess I'm not one to talk, huh!"
End
That's all for this chapter! Again, sorry we were gone so long. On the bright side, I see all of the love that this story has gotten and it makes me happy. Not only does this story already have 480 followers and 400+ favorites by this point, but a shit ton of the messages I've gotten are asking about this story specifically. This is the most requested story for some back, which surprises me just a bit, but does not make me any less happy.
Anyway, about the story. Chapter is a little shorter than I would've liked, but that is fine. I'm back on that grind, so it's not like this won't be updated in a long time. Next chapter is gonna be the second meeting between Issei and the Devils. After that, it'll segue into more properly into the current arc when Issei encounters the character we're waiting for, the "excommunicated witch". I think this arc and the next are going to be very interesting, because they're gonna be quite different from cannon. This Issei is quite different, after all. It isn't as if he'll go through the same things as cannon Issei, or rather, he won't go through it the same way. Especially if we're considering the fact that he isn't a fuckin weakling. Also, want to clarify this, Issei is not necessarily OP. I mean yea, he really fuckin is compared to all of the characters for the next few arcs, but not objectively. It's not like he could tank someone like Azazel, right, that's just fucked. But he would do some damage, definitely. Well, his strength will remain somewhat vague until he faces off with the Yakitori bastard, since he is actually a High-Class with a powerful abilities. Their encounter will give you an idea of his true strength. And his encounter with the warmonger Fallen Angel will surely make it clear. Just know for now that nobody's really up to par with the big scary man at this point.
So yeah. Next chapter events: Issei talks with the Devils, Issei meets the "witch", Issei meets the "psycho priest", Issei meets the rest of the Fallen Angels(?), and possibly more!
Also, weird thing here, but someone recently asked me what "theme songs" my stories or the Issei's to my stories have. Um, very peculiar question, never gotten that one before. But I guess, if I had to say for this story: The best song to describe this story would be [Wrong side of heaven by Five Finger death punch] since it captures the feeling of it, and Issei's character, perfectly. The best song for this Issei, besides "Wsoh", is probably [Carnivore by starset]. Nah jk lol. Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want about how on the nose it is, I laughed too. But truth is I think [Remember everything by Five Finger death punch] is actually better, again. Because literally the chorus, and the meaning of the song is perfect: "It seems that a boy is born. He grows up living through terrible things. Once he realizes he has grown up to be what he hated, he tries to fix it but it is too late. He dies lonely". Except Issei isn't dead here, he just plans to die alone because he thinks it's the outcome that is best for everyone. But honestly, whenever I think about this story, i always hear [I won't see you tonight part 1 by Avenged Sevenfold] in my head. I personally consider that the theme song of Marie, actually. The reason being that the was literally the song that inspired her existence, which also inspired the creation of this story from the beginning as well. It's a beautifully tragic song, and every time I heard it, I literally repeated the death of Marie in my head over and over. Which, in turn, allowed me to perfect it and hit me so hard emotionally when I wrote it. Looking at it now, this Issei is definitely my favorite. He's the most complex character I've ever written, filled with so many conflicting emotions and trauma, and his journey is just so fuckin emotional. Anyway, that's all about that shit.
Tell me what you guys thought about this one.
What do you think about Issei's mental state and how it affects his daily life/actions? What's your diagnosis? What do you think about his interactions with regular students, like the Kendo club? Are you surprised by how respectful/kind he is to regular people? What do you think about Issei's interaction with Koneko? Did it surprise you with how he treated her? What do you think about Issei's encounter with Raynare? Did it go as you expected or did it surprise you? What do you think about Issei's character as a whole, sorrow and rage included? Most important question of all, do you think Issei is a "good person"?... And lastly, what do you think is gonna happen next, Devils and Fallen Angels included?
P.S. For all of you Marie lovers out there, I've got good news! I made a side story centered around Marie! It's called "The Curious Misadventures of Marie Bellerose"! It's some omake chapters revolving around Issei and Marie's daily life together, their relationship, some romance, and funny little antics! So if you love this story and want a little treat to read, that side story is there.
Read, Rate, Review go crazy.
Stay frosty.
