Chapter 17: From Nuns to Dragons
"So Calvin, what was it like fucking Katrina?" Damon bluntly asked the conduit. The bald lightning user simply glared at his white haired friend, but he rolled his eyes and relented,
"It was wild, and she was really insistent on being on top, satisfied?" Truthfully while Calvin had a hard time believing he was no longer a virgin, he was more focused on who Kessler really was, to the point where he wasn't paying attention when he walked into the ORC, "GAH!" He walked directly into something hanging across the room, knocking himself to the floor, and of course Damon laughed at him,
"Clothesline! Litterally!" Calvin then felt something cloth-like fall on his face, followed by what felt like a clothespin. He pulled it off his face, and was shocked to see it was a pure white bra. He tossed it off himself, and that's when both of them noticed the shower running.
"Awe geez," said Calvin, a massive drop of sweat forming on the side of his head,
"Uh oh, you better put that bra back before whoever walks out that shower," said Damon, walking over to one of the couches, and taking a seat. Calvin hurriedly put the bra on one of the clothespins, but he saw the other pin was gone,
"Where the hell is the other?!" He asked with panic in his tone, scanning the floor,
"Don't know, but you better hurry, I think whoever is in that shower is almost done," said Damon, crossing his feet on the coffee table.
"Just shut up and help me find it!" Calvin said, the sweat drop replaced with a popped vein as he got down on all fours to search for the missing clothespin.
"Nah, I don't want to get branded a perv," said Damon, folding his arms behind his head.
"You're already a perv," said Calvin, "ever since the whole 'Hey! Adrians gonna juggle two girls' bullshit." He then found the clothespin underneath the coffee table, reaching under and snatching it up, "Got it!" He then banged his head on the coffee table as someone shouted,
"What the fuck is going on here?!" Calvin stood up, rubbing the back of his head, holding the missing clothespin high, and seeing Adrian now in the room, glare intensifying.
"Clotheslined myself and knocked a pin off the line," he said, walking to the clothesline and pinning the other half of the bra to the line.
"You clotheslined yourself, you jackass?"
"I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking, alright? I got some shit on my mind," he said, still rubbing his head. Adrians expression softened,
"Still thinking about that Kessler character?" Adrian asked, which Calvin nodded to.
"Hey, is that my bra?" The shower curtain was now open, revealing Asia wrapped in a towel, and both Adrian and Calvin noticed the bra was no longer on the clothesline, and was instead hanging off of Calvins shoulder, to which Adrian glared, and Calvin sighed.
"Yes...yes it is," said Calvin, clearly giving up on the situation.
"I think he's gonna put it on and wear it around!" Called Damon from the couch, making himself laugh, and causing Adrian to almost smile, with him trying hard not to as Calvin turned to Damon,
"In your dreams!" He said, yanking the bra off his shoulder, and once again trying to fix it onto the clothesline, only to see it fall again, and barely catch it.
"I'm so sorry," said Asia, "I know I'm a visitor here and I hate being in the way."
"No need to apologize," said Calvin, doing his best to pin the bra to the clothesline, "It's my fault for not watching where I was going."
Before long, most of the ORC was at the clubhouse, and some of the newer recruits, namely Issei, Adrian and Calvin, had to speak with Rias.
"Early morning training?" Issei asked the president, unsure of what her goal was.
"You're fight with the fallen angels made one thing clear, we need to get you all in your top physical condition as soon as possible," she said. Adrian nodded understandably, remembering that he still has a problem with dodging and blocking. "I will pick you all up around five o'clock, sound good?"
"Personally that sounds insane, but hey, you're the boss," said Calvin, to which Adrian landed a backhand to his chest,
"Five sounds good," said Adrian politely. The three then said their goodbyes, and Issei left to hand out flyers while Calvin left to hang out with Katrina.
"Adrian," Rias called, who stopped as he was about to leave, "I was wanting to discuss the sleeping arrangements for Asia."
"Already taken care of," he said, "She'll be staying with me, so I can better protect her." Rias nodded,
"If that's what you wish."
Early the next morning...
Rias, dressed in a magenta and white track suit, was now having Issei, Calvin and Adrian all out running while she follows on a bicycle.
"Anyone ever tell you you run like a schoolgirl?" She asked Issei.
"Yes ma'am!" He gasped, trying to keep up the pace, "People have been telling me that my whole life!"
"Well run right!" Calvin yelled, running beside him, "You're embarrassing yourself!"
"On your left!" Adrian dashed past all three of them, running at a tremendous speed. Calvin shouted after him,
"Dammit Adrian! That's the fifth time passing us you motherfucking showoff!" He then doubled his speed, running past Issei,
"You're doing good Calvin," said Rias, "But Issei, you need to pick up the pace, I know you need work but you can do better than that!"
"I feel like I'm going to puke out my ballsack!" Cried Issei, making Calvin look back at him, clearly disgusted, while Adrian is now passing them a sixth time, and just barely caught what Issei said,
"Shut up and keep your ballsack in dammit!" He said, passing them.
Rias continued to train the three with exercises, all with Issei continuing to gawk and imagine about Rias, but when it was Isseis turn to do push ups with Rias on his back, she finally smacked his rear, making him fall flat on the ground.
"Don't think I don't know you're having disgusting, sexually charged thoughts about me right now," she said, voicing her displeasure. The poor pervert could only look up at the club president,
"Hey I'm sorry, I can't help it I'm a teenager! I can't get within ten feet of a hot girl without imagining her naked!" Rias then began to look around,
"Speaking of which, I wonder what's keeping them."
"Who? I'm just going to imagine her naked too," said Issei, making his two exercising buddies in Adrian and Calvin glare at him, but soon their expressions turned to surprise as they and Rias saw Asia and Katrina running towards them.
"Hey you guys!" Said the former sister, "Sorry we're late! It won't happen again, we promise!" She then tripped and fell, with Katrina tryingto catch her, only to get dragged down with her.
"You're not very good at running and talking at the same time, are you?" Asked Katrina.
"No, I'm not," said Asia sadly. Soon the two girls were back on their feet, dusted off, and giving the three tired boys fresh coffee and bottles of water.
"So what are you two doing out here?" Asked Calvin, taking a sip of his water.
"Rias asked us to," said Katrina, to which all of them looked to their president, who seemed to be distracted. Adrian began to grow concerned.
"Rias?" No response. "Rias." She snapped out of her thoughts, finally turning her attention to the members of her house,
"I'm sorry?"
"Everything alright? You seem a bit distant." Rias shook it off,
"Now that everyone is here, we should probably be going." Adrian raised an eyebrow,
"Going where?" Rias smiled,
"We're going to your house of course!" Soon everyone was right outside Adrians home, with several boxes stacked in front, the Gremory Family Crest printed on the side.
"So I take it this is all your stuff Asia?" Adrian asked, inspecting the boxes.
"Yeah that's all my stuff," said Asia, and she bowed her head shamefully, "Apparently I had more than I thought I did."
"No big deal," said Adrian, lifting up a pair of boxes, "God AND Satan knows I got the room." After a few minutes and plenty of curse words said, all boxes were moved into the house. Afterwards, Adrian decided to bring Asia to meet his mother.
"Okay Asia," said Adrian, "This is gonna be the big one." The ORC members present entered the kitchen, where his mother, Victoria Michaels, was currently making lunch. "Mom?" His mother turned around, "I want you to meet someone. This is Asia Argento, and she's going to be staying with us for a while." His mother looked at Asia, who was still in her nun outfit.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said with a kind smile. Victoria looked at Asia, at first surprised, then a big smile grew across her face as she pulled her into a quick hug, and releasing her to speak,
"The pleasure is mine," she said, "and Adrian, I don't think I've met all these other friends of yours yet...well aside from Katrina and Calvin of course." Rias bowed to her politely, and introduced herself,
"I am Rias Gremory, the Occult Research Club President from Adrians school."
"And I'm Issei Hyoudou. I'm...well, I'm just a friend of theirs." Adrian rolled his eyes, and whispered to his mother,
"Long story short, he's got a dirty mind, but a heart of gold." Victoria nodded with a smile,
"Well, I've made shepherds pie for anyone who's hungry!" Everyone was then seated at a massive table, eating hearty servings of shepherds pie and loving it.
"This is good Mrs. Michaels, thank you!" Said Calvin. Victoria smiled at Calvin,
"I'm glad you like it," she said, and followed that with a laugh, "But you can just call me Victoria." Issei was enjoying his meal, until he started to look closer at Adrians mother, a pervy look on his face when his eyes traveled to her chest area.
"Issei!" His head turned as he saw Adrian, almost seeing the fire burning inside him as he calmly spoke,
"Chew your food." Issei swallowed hard, receiving Adrians REAL message, which said 'STOP STARING AT MY MOTHER YOU CREEP,' and looked back down at his plate.
"So Asia," began Victoria, "How did you and Adrian meet?" Asia set her spoon down and began,
"Oh, he was just guiding me to the church where I was being assigned when we first met."
"Turns out they were a bit of a bad crowd," said Adrian, glaring at his spoon. Victoria grew curious fora moment, but then smiled it away,
"Well if you need a place to stay, there's more than enough room here! Besides," she leaned in close to Asia, "I was beginning to wonder if Adrian would ever bring home a girlfriend," she finished with a wink. Adrian choked on his drink, almost spitting it out.
"Uh, mom? She's just a friend who happens to be a girl. It's nothing like that," said Adrian reassuringly.
"A friend you'll later use as a midnight snack?" All eyes, except for Adrians, turned to the source of the voice, and saw Richard Michaels, in his cold glory, standing a good distance away from the table. Adrian closed his eyes,
"Everyone, meet my father, Richard Michaels. Real piece of work. And dad," he dropped his spoon in his plate, stood up and turned around, "For the last time, I don't EAT people, I-!"
"Absorb them? Consume them? What difference does it make how you word it? You're still a walking virus, a monster," he said. Rias scowled at the man who Adrian claimed was his father,
"I take it he knows?" Richard looked at Rias, in utter shock,
"Do you??" The others at the table, save for Asia and Adrian began to share the same glare towards Richard. He looked among them, seeing he was outnumbered, but added a quick comment, "If any of you know what's best for you, you should stay away from him! He will kill and consume you! Just like he did to those people in New York!"
"If that's really true, how are you and mom still here, dad?" Richard got in Adrians face, yet the Devil Virus did not back down.
"I'm not your dad, and you're not my son!" He was about to leave the room as quickly as he came, until a voice spoke up,
"You're wrong!" All eyes were now on Asia, as she stood from the table, tears in her eyes, "Adrian is not a monster! It doesn't matter if he's a virus or a devil! He is a good man! And if you were half as good as he is, you would still accept him as your son, no matter what!" Richard simply stared at the nun, and with a final glance around the room at everyone else, he stormed out. Adrian faced Asia,
"That...was awesome!" He said with joy, and lifted Asia by her hips, spinning her around once before setting her down gently as the others applauded her as well, making her blush.
"I was wrong," said Victoria, slowly making her way away from the table, "You won't make a good girlfriend for my son..." she then smiled her biggest smile yet, "...you'd be a perfect wife!" She then hugged Asia close as she blushed even harder, with the others still at the table sharing a smile. Calvin even began to hum "Here Comes The Bride" until Katrina patted his hand, making him stop. Adrian, however, was the only one turning blue,
"Uh hey whoa whoa! It's okay to discuss this for fun, but we don't have to go through with it so, do we?" Rias' smile vanished, and she looked up at the ceiling, almost like she had just lost hope,
"If we're lucky," she said. Adrian was the only one that heard her, and knew there really was something bothering her.
A few days later, Kuoh Academy...
"My name is Asia Argento, I'm feeling like a fish out of water, but I'm excited to be here!" Asia had barely introduced herself to the class, and instantly all the males began to grow rowdy, save for those associated with the ORC.
"Shorty's hot!" Shouted Matsuda.
"Bust thirty four, waist twenty six, hips thirty five, and look at all that hair!" Added Motohama, adjusting his glasses, but they both stopped when they sensed Adrian glaring at them with a popped vein. As for the Devil Virus himself, he was thankful that Asia was in the same class as him and his friends, and figured Rias pulled some strings.
"Being in a new school in a strange town can be overwhelming, but luckily I'll be staying with Adrian and his friends!" All the male students in the class, except for his own friends, turned to face him in an instant,
"Bastard!" Adrian then stood up, cracking his knuckles,
"...Problem boys?" Several negative answers resounded, except for Matsuda and Motohama, who instantly made a grab at him,
"How does a guy like you keep managing to pull this off?" Asked Matsuda, grabbing Adrians coat collar,
"Tell us your secret! We won't let you go until you do!" Said Motohama, trying to keep Adrian in a Full Nelson. Adrian simply glared at the two,
"Are you two touching my favorite coat?" He asked. Both perverts suddenly realized what they were doing, and released him, not wanting to be even more on his bad side. He then shifted his gaze to Asia, who was speaking with some of the female students. She's gonna love it here, he thought.
The day was eventually over, and soon both of them had made their way to the ORC.
"Rias, we're here," said Adrian, yet once again the President seemed to be in her own world, "Rias." Rias snapped out of her daydream once again,
"Oh, sorry, I guess I just spaced out there for a little bit," she said, and Adrian knew something was still bothering her,
"You've been doing that a lot lately. Everything okay?"
"Everything is okay," said Rias, "It's just been one of those days." She then turns to Asia,
"Asia?"
"Yes President?"
"If you don't have any problems with it, I was thinking you could make your big debut tonight."
"Debut?" Adrian turned to Asia,
"Basically you jump through a portal to a potential client and try to make a pact with them," he explained briefly, and turned back to Rias, "But are you sure she's ready? I mean, she has barely been a devil for a week, and she's not exactly familiar with the area yet." Before Rias could say more, Issei slammed the palms of his hands down on her desk,
"Rias!" She turned a surprised stare towards Issei,
"Yeah?"
"I think it'd be better if I went in Asias place." The former nun looked at Issei surprised as well,
"Really?"
"Yeah, of course. You haven't been in the area long enough to know your way around yet. We'll send you out once you get a better feel for the place," said Issei. Now Adrian was surprised by Issei,
"That is very kind of you," he said. After more time being spent in the ORC, Adrian rode his motorcycle home, with Asia holding onto him tightly the whole way.
"I'll make sure to take the ride slowly for you," said Adrian, attempting to be nice. She responded by resting her head on his back, smiling.
Soon, Asia was asleep in her own bed, and Calvin and Katrina fell asleep with each other. Adrian took his cue to get some rest himself, and after morphing into his pajamas, rested his head on his pillow, sound asleep.
Adrian was woken with a start by an unfamiliar scream. He bolted upright, seeing his bed was now in a city street, torn apart as if by an explosion. Bodies lining the streets wherever he looked.
"New York? No, it can't be, the virus here was destroyed!" He shouted, and climbed out of bed, trying to morph his clothes back on, but he soon realized that none of his powers were working, "What the fuck?" He hopped out of the bed, and was greeted with black sand under his feet, making him do a double take for his surroundings, seeing everything had changed with no warning. He was no longer in New York, but rather a beach with black sand, and red moonlight to guide him. "What is going on?" He asked no one in particular, not expecting to receive an answer, and was shocked when he received one.
"The only way I could communicate with you was through your dreams," said a familiar voice, scaring the hell out of Adrian. "And I know what you're thinking, 'Hey! It's that voice that I keep hearing everytime my Sacred Gear does something!'" Adrian agreed with that, hearing the resemblance. "Well, I think it's time you got a hint as to what I am." Adrian then looked out into the ocean, seeing the water turn to blood as a large mass began to move in, "Some have called me the Death Dragon," A large skeletal talon appeared from the darkness, smashing into the ground next to Adrian, the only flesh visible was keeping the bones from falling away completely, "Others have called me the Reaper Dragon," a second skeletal talon appeared, smashing onto the ground from the other side, "But the one I like the most...was the Bone Dragon!" Adrian slowly looked up, knowing he was going to regret it, and a large horned dragon skull, with blood red eyes shot down, right into Adrians face, and shouting, "BOO!"
Adrian woke up, in his own bed, in his own house, a cold sweat covering him, seeing a sleeping Asia in his bed when he knew she wasn't there before, and he looked down at his left hand, seeing where the gemstone would have been on the back of his hand had his Sacred Gear been active, glowing bright red, almost hearing a deep laugh emanating from it,
"'Bone Dragon,' huh?"
