Chapter 38: A New Day Dawns
School soon began again, and Adrian and Rias walked to school arm in arm, followed by Aisa, Katrina, Akeno and Calvin.
"Just want to go over the plan once more," said Adrian. "Since they have the clubhouse closed down for spring cleaning, we're going over to Isseis' house for the club meeting tonight?"
"That is correct," said Rias. Though no one realizes it, she was still struggling to stand after the previous night.
"You going to be okay?" Asked Adrian.
"If not I will ask Asia to do a more...'direct' healing," she said with a wink, making Adrian blush while wondering what she meant. Soon he, his house mates, Issei, Damon and Wesker were all in class together. Adrian was simply smiling to himself, finally feeling like life was good, until...
"What are you smiling like a bitch for?!" Adrian turned around in his desk, barely catching an attack from behind by Matsuda and Motohama, catching their fists and smacking their heads together, sending them to the floor.
"What do you two want now?" Asked Adrian, his good mood already spoiled. Both perverts were on their feet, recovering fairly quick,
"There have been some rather odd rumors about you and your cadré of cohorts going around lately, so you all might want to be careful," warned Motohama. Adrian looked to his friends, who turned to watch the scene as the word "rumors" was mentioned. He also noticed that most of the class was already watching, so he leaned back in his seat, and spread his arms out,
"Alright, I'll humor you. What rumors?" Motohama readjusted his glasses, and proceeded,
"Well firstly, the fact that you and your friends are getting every single hot girl in the school!! For example, there have been words being said you are blackmailing Rias and Asia-" Adrian mouthed the word blackmailing in disbelief as Motohama kept going, "-into doing perverted sexual favors!"
"Or you, cueball!" Matsuda shouted at Calvin, "You and your girl Katrina have been getting your freak on with Akeno doing some freaky freaky shit maaaaaaan!!" Calvin raised an annoyed eyebrow at him in response, while Katrina simply glared.
"Or you, Damon!" Motohama added, "You have been fiendishly hungering for the school mascot Koneko Tojo, like some rabid beast!" Damon uncrossed his arms, ready to start swinging when the opportunity presented itself.
"Or how about you, Mr. 'I-Must-Wear-My-Shades-Twenty-Four-Seven!'" Wesker adjusted his sunglasses, ready for Matsudas' accusation, "You and the Student Body President, Sona Shitori, have been going behind the scenes and doing things the rest of the council wouldn't approve of!" Wesker slid his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, keeping his composure.
"And we aren't just spreading rumors about chicks either...Issei!" The last mentioned gulped, "We have heard that you and Kiba are gay for each other and shit!" Issei slammed his palms on his desk and stood up,
"Don't fuck with me!" He shouted, only for Adrian to quickly stand and place a hand on his shoulder, seating him back down.
"Are you two quite through?" Both of the perverts were quiet, as was the rest of the class. "I'll take the silence as a yes. So prepare yourselves while the record is set straight." He gestured to Katrina and Calvin, "What my friends do in their spare time, or who they spend it with, is nobodys concern but their own. Not mine, not the classes', especially not you two." He gestured to Damon, "My white haired friend may be an ass at times, but he isn't some damn predator. He may have let Koneko use his coat a time or two, but as far as I'm aware, that is it, and again, it is no ones concern but theirs." He turned to Wesker, "As for Wesker, I actually support him being with Sona the most, because it reminds me that he has a heart as well as a brain, and again, what they do together is no ones concern but theirs." He turned his gesture to Issei, "As for Issei and Kiba, I don't know if Kiba is gay or not, that's not my business. But I do know Issei is straight, because he is almost as bad as you two...almost. The difference being that he is TRYING to better himself, while you two seem to keep dragging him down to your level. And finally..." He rose up from his desk, making the perverted duo quake with fear, "...I'm not blackmailing Rias or Asia into doing anything. I saved Asia from a bad crowd, and I managed to keep a shitrag ex-boyfriend, who tried to kill Issei AND me might I add, away from Rias, earning their affection. Now the next time you two jerkoffs try to start shit with me and my friends through words..." He leaned forward so he would be right in the duos' faces, who were already tearing up, awaiting for the inevitable beating, "...get your damn facts straight. Now sit down, class is going to start soon."
The rest of the school day went smoothly, and soon the ORC was gathered inside Isseis' room, almost jam packed as some of the members had to stand outside his room and in the hallway. It wasn't long before Isseis' mother, Mrs. Hyoudou, began bringing in snacks and baby pictures, humiliating Issei.
"Why'd you have to go and frigging break my balls like this mom?" He asked, only to be ignored.
"She seems like a great mother to me," said Kiba with a smile.
"Like you'd know!" Snapped Issei.
"Yeah, must be nice to have a family," Kiba said with a sad smile. Issei then looked at Kiba, not realizing what he had done until too late, and Katrina smacked the back of his head while Wesker shot him a death glare.
"Shame on you!" Hissed Katrina.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know!" Issei hissed back. Kibas' smile soon vanished, with Wesker looking over his shoulder and down at the same picture he was looking at, sharing his expression.
"Issei...could you tell us about this picture here?" Asked Wesker, showing the picture that caught his attention. It was of a younger Issei and a child of the same age holding small gaming devices in front of a magnificent sword.
"Oh, that kid lived down the street from me! We used to play together all the time. They had to move once one of his parents got a job over seas. Hmm..." Issei then thought, "Man I can't even remember that kids name. It's been a while though," he finished with a smile.
"One other thing," said Wesker, pointing to the sword in the background, "Do you remember that sword by chance?"
"Haven't seen it since I was five," said Issei.
"I suppose anything is possible," said Kiba, a forced smile on his face, and a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face.
Meanwhile...
Inside of a massive warehouse in an unknown city, several wooden crates were destroyed by a massive four armed man, frightening several homeless people living within them.
"When I said I wanted to explore new worlds and fight new beings, I didn't mean terrorizing street urchins!" Yelled the four armed man, grabbing a hobo by his arms and legs, hoisting him into the air, and ripping him apart with breath taking ease.
"Calm down Zetaro," said a voice. The four armed man turned at the sound of his name, seeing Alex Mercer absorbing a man into himself, tilting his head from side to side as the memories flooded his mind, "Kessler picked this spot to be the main base, and we can't have rats running around, being pests." A metalic boom landed not far from them, shifting from the form of Sektor, to Cyrax, to Smoke, and back to his true form, as Triborg.
"All enemy inhabitants have been eliminated the cyborg informed them.
"Good, you have all done well," said an older voice, making them all look to see Kessler walking up to the three, with several figures hiding behind him in the shadows.
"Who the hell are they?" Asked Mercer.
"Those who wish to prepare for the coming day," Kessler said cryptically, and he walked over to one of the massive walls, sending a white shockwave, knocking it down, revealing the ocean and the moon in the sky. He then removed his hood, undoing his robes as he continued to speak, "I think it is time I told you all the truth of my origins." He dropped his robes, leaving his top half bare, revealing three tattoos on his back, all three of which Mercer and Zetaro recognized.
"Those are the weapons of thd Goddess of War!" Shouted Zetaro, readying himself. Sure enough, right down the middle of the old mans back was a tattoo of the Soul Reaver, the Blades of Exhile flaring at its sides like wings.
"The Soul Reaver and the Blades of Exhile," said Kessler, and to the shock of everyone else, a pair of devil wings flared from the mans back, but to add to the surprise, his wings were as white as the moon in the sky! He turned to his companions, who looked at him with uncertainty,
"Just who or what are you?" Asked Mercer, brandishing his blade and encasing it in light.
"I am an old man with a troubling past..." he said, holding up an old photograph, "...a past that has yet to happen." Mercer took the photograph with his free hand, inspecting it closely, and his eyes went wide, shooting up to the old man. "That's right Mercer...I am asking you...the mortal enemy of my best friend...for help."
