Chapter 2

"You know Sona. I thought we agreed that Issei Hyoudou was mine." Rais Gremory, member the one of the 72 Pillars of the underworld, and the Heiress to the house of Gremory, commented as she moved her pawn on the board.

"While that may be so, I was not the one to initiate contact. Hyoudou was the one who approached me and all my interactions with him are simply the result of my duties as the Student Council President." Sona calmly replied, unfazed by the accusation of her best friend and rival. She had expected it and was fully prepared to calmly explain the situation to Rias.

"I have made no move to recruit him and thus I have not broken our agreement so far, Rias."

"That may be so." Rias reluctantly agreed "But you are close to breaking it with your continued interactions. So take my advice and cease your interactions Sona, before you do something that your will regret."

"Be careful Rias your greed is showing." Sona chided her best friend "Geez, Issei is not even in your peerage yet and you are treating him like one."

While Rias blushed at her friend's statement, she simply puffed her chest and said "Of course, I am going to treat Issei like he is part of my peerage. Was there even a doubt that I would not be able to recruit him." Rias retorted, confident that there was no way she was not going to recruit the breast loving pervert into her peerage.

"I just hope that you remember that some humans might not want to become Devils." Sona warned her friend, hoping that Rias does not do something drastic in case Hyoudou refused her offer. This was the first time Rias was actively trying to recruit someone and she had been putting a lot of work into it too by gathering all sorts of information about Issei Hyoudou that was near Stalker territory but still within acceptable limits.

Sona just hoped that if, and that was a very big if, if Hyoudou refused Rias' offer, her friend would simply accept it as it was and not do something drastic, which might happen if Riser pushed Rias hard about their engagement.

'Though with how Hyoudou dreams of having a Harem and Devils laws regarding Harems, there is less than 2% chance of him refusing to become a devil.' Sona thought as she went about the possible ways Rias would recruit Hyoudou.

"Well you know that with him having such an absurd dream there is no way he would refuse to become a part of my peerage." Rias replied, making Sona nod at her assessment. It seemed that Rias had thought about using that tactic, which Sona reckon might be enough to recruit Hyoudou. If that failed than it would take something really drastic or absurd to recruit the pervert.

"Still Sona, I advise you to cease interacting with him for some time. You can resume your interaction with him once he becomes a part of my peerage." Rias said, as she moved her next piece.

"I really don't get why you are insistent that I stop interacting with Hyoudou, Rias. I did say that it is because of my Student Council duties that I am interacting with him and nothing more." Sona replied, not seeing why Rias was being so persistent about it.

"I am simply advising you as a friend Sona and as Issei's future King. I don't want to see you both do something that would hurt both of you." Rias replied seriously.

The chess game forgotten as the two girls stared at each other.

"I still don't get the reason why you are implying Rias." Sona said now thoroughly confused.

"Then let me be blunt and say this, Sona. You are falling in love with Issei Hyoudou and the more you interact with him the more you would fall in love with him."

Sona hid her grimace at the blunt accusation of her friend, not believing that her friend bought the rumours about her and Hyoudou as facts.

"Rias, they are just rumours. I am not in love with Hyoudou nor am I falling in love with him. The only relationship we might have is as good acquaintances or as friends if you stretch things a bit." Sona explained trying not to sigh at how the rumour mill had spun the insane confession that Issei had given her.

"And even if I am in love with him, I still fail to see why that concerns you and why that might harm Hyoudou and I. In fact should you not be happy if that were the case Rias?" Sona asked wanting to know what had Rias so worked up. She knew that simple rumours would never have gotten unsettled the Crimson Haired Heiress, so what was the main crux of the worries.

"Sona…" Rias sighed in frustration "You are an Idiot. You are a really smart, intelligent and clever girl but an idiot nonetheless."

Frowning at the sudden insult Sona decided to not dance around the matter any longer and simply decided to bluntly ask her friend.

"What is really bothering you Rias? And why are you so bent on recruiting him? Apart from that what's so special about him he has shown no sign of possessing a sacred gear, his skills are less than average and he does not have the wits and traits to survive in the supernatural world. And don't try to deflect my question any longer."

Rias at hearing that simply looked into Sona's eyes and said, "As to why I want to recruit Issei is because Koneko sense something in him a few weeks back and that makes him stand out. It is not a sacred gear I assure you but it is still something unique. At first I thought that it was not enough for me to recruit him but after seeing his antics and reading about him, I can't help but feel that he could become someone special to my peerage." Rias said sincerely as she stated her reasons.

"So it is because of your peerage?" Sona asked knowing that Rias would do anything for them.

"Yes."

"You do know that you run the risk of not only wasting an evil piece but drag an innocent person into the mess that is the supernatural realm." Sona warned her friend.

"That I do. I have failed to help my peerage overcome their pasts and I feel that having the world view of someone mundane and normal like Issei might just help them recover from their nightmares. Aside from his views he is also quirky enough to easily integrate with others and get Kiba to finally shift his attention from his swords to girls. The way he gives so much attention to his blades sometimes is just not healthy." Rias confessed.

"And the reason my interactions with Issei, bothers you?" Sona asked understanding where Rias was coming from. Her peerage was really problematic at times, all suffering from one traumatic experience or another. Sona felt Rias was really lucky that not even one of her pieces had decided to become strays yet, when they had quite valid reasons of becoming one.

"Sona Sitri, you are a Devil and Issei Hyoudou is a human."

Sona's eyes widen at the statement, they were simple facts but one that made her interactions with Hyoudou complicated to the extreme. It also explained why Rias wanted her to cease interacting with Hyoudou and why she was so insistent on it.

Rias regarded Issei Hyoudou as part of her peerage, even when he was yet to be reincarnated, and treated him as one of her own. Now this was not out of the ordinary as the Gremory were very affectionate and protective of their peerage. And Sona had even agreed to let Hyoudou become part of Rias' peerage and thus did not try to recruit him.

That should have made Sona's interactions with the brunette a minor thing in Rias' eyes, due to their agreement but the recent rumours changed that.

The rumours that Sona was falling for Hyoudou had made their interactions something to be worried about for Rias. Sona now knew that Rias feared that she might go back on their agreement and recruit Hyoudou into her peerage due to the new found love for the breast loving pervert.

Now Sona was not going to do that but Rias would not be convinced of it as the Crimson Haired Heiress and her family was a perfect example of what lengths a devil could go to for those they loved.

"I can see now why my interactions with him might worry you Rias and I also know that there is nothing I can do to convince you otherwise." Sona sighed, wondering just why she was going to be forced to change her normal life in the academy. She had thought that it was there that she might live like a normal girl, albeit as an overachieving model student.

She would have complained just what deity would be responsible for it but she knew that answer damn well.

"I will thus try to limit my interactions with Hyoudou from now on Rias, of that I promise you." Sona promised her friend who seemed relieved at hearing that, knowing fully that Sona would not go back on her promises.

But when Sona saw Rias' relieved expression, she felt a sudden stint of anger and hate well inside her, which surprised the Sitri heiress, even though if she did not show it. Instead the ebon haired beauty simply decided to take this time and thoroughly demolish her friend in their game of chess.

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While Sona may have promised Rias that she was going to limit her interactions with Hyoudou, there was one factor that she had forgotten to take into account regarding her promise about the breast loving pervert, the boy himself.

Now Sona was trying her best not to spend much time with the boy and was even cutting their formal meetings short too. Yet the boy somehow still managed to take up most of her time in the school with his daily antics.

"You know Sona…" Issei said as he arranged the paperwork, one that he was doing as part of his month long detention, "…if I didn't know any better I would say that you were avoiding me."

'Took him long enough to figure that out.' Sona thought, as her recent actions should have been blatantly obvious of that fact.

"And why do you think I am avoiding you?" Sona asked playing ignorant.

"Well not only are you cutting our regular meetings really short, detentions included, you have also changed your daily rounds to make sure that our paths rarely cross each other." Issei said as he stated his observations "Thus, I conclude that you are going out your way to avoid me."

"While I am surprised to see that you have at least some meagre observational skills, what makes you think that I am purposely avoiding you Hyoudou? My recent change in behaviour can be attributed to reasons you are not privy off and other various circumstances." Sona replied with a straight expression, she was not going to reveal her reasons to Hyoudou just like that. "So what makes you so sure that I am purposely going out my way to avoid you?" Sona asked, curious at how Hyoudou was going to respond to her query.

"My instincts." Issei replied confidently.

Sona was a bit taken back by the sheer confidence the boy was emitting and his eyes told her that he truly belief what he said, though she was quickly recovered from it.

"Instincts are well and good but today's world runs on logic and facts Hyoudou, something that you are quite lacking." Sona retorted, though she was seeing why Rias chose Hyoudou to be part of her peerage. He was quite an outgoing and emotional boy and from what she was seeing now, he greatly trusted his instincts, two specific traits that Rias excelled in nurturing in her peerage.

"While I would let the experts decide how the world is run. I do trust my instincts and I know that they won't led me astray." Issei replied, standing by his statement.

"You will find that it is quite easy to fool one's instincts Hyoudou." Sona said, recalling stories of how Heroes of the past tricked creatures of great power and used their instincts against them. "Well regardless of that, you still have not answered my question of why do you think that I am avoiding you." Sona pointed out.

"Well so far I have only some observations and my instincts to go by and no real hard evidence but my instincts tell me that you are avoiding me and it has something to do with the conversation we had last week."

"You mean the conversation in which you confessed to me in a very convoluted way?" Sona enquired, not even the slightest bit embarrassed at bringing that confession up and simply quirking an eyebrow. "By the way you still have failed to produce a suitable pick up line." Sona said, trying not to smirk at how the boy was a blushing sputtering mess.

'Cute.'

Issei tried his best not to blush but that was easier said than done when he was reminded about his confession.

"You're being quite casual about this." Issei remarked, after he had finally calmed himself.

"Of course, I am calm about this. While I have given you my permission to pursue me, I have not fallen in love with you yet nor have you made any move to make me fall in love with you. Thus I see no reason why this issue should be a source of embarrassment for me, not when I can simply write this off as a spur of the moment." Sona calmly explained. Her words rang true as she saw no reason why Hyoudou's confession should change anything, he was quite emotional and impulsive if he believed in his instincts and their conversation last week might have been a result of that impulsiveness, so she was not worried in the least for now.

But if Hyoudou decided to follow up on his promise that would be a whole another matter.

"And people ask why Red and Blue don't get along." Issei mumbled after hearing her explanation.

"Excuse me?" Sona asked not getting what Hyoudou was saying.

"I said, and people ask why Red and Blue don't get along." Issei repeated his earlier words, "Red" Issei said pointing at himself then pointing at her he said "and Blue."

"Explain." Sona ordered not getting why Hyoudou was suddenly using colours to describe them.

"It's really simply Madam President, I am Red because of my unbound Passion and emotions, one that I can't help but let loose and let the world feel the same passion that I feel." Issei said, hands held high and his expression filled with a fiery resolve and unrestrained emotions.

"You have passion alright" Sona acknowledged "and have even gone to great lengths to indulge in them. But some would simply say that you are an unrepentant pervert if they hear you now."

Issei winced and simply let loose a nervous laugh.

"And Blue?"

"Well Blue is the colour of calm logic and rationality, which suits you quite well and makes you my opposite. Emotions and Passions don't go well with Logic and Rationality. Well most of the time." Issei lamely finished scratching his cheeks.

"Of that I don't doubt." Sona deadpanned. "Anymore colours that you want to share."

"Well…" Issei said as he adopted a thoughtful expression "I always did see myself with a bit of Green."

"And…" Sona trailed of wanting Issei to continue with his explanation.

"Green for some reason reminds me of my instincts, don't know why but that what it reminds me of." Issei confessed not knowing why that was so.

Sona pondered on what Hyoudou said, after some time she finally came to a conclusion. "Well Green is the colour most associate with nature and the wilderness. So, I guess that makes sense why it should remind you of your wild instincts."

"Well I guess that might be the case." Issei agreed after giving it some thought. "Anyways after Green come White and I am not talking about me Madam President."

"And why do you think White is my colour Hyoudou?" Sona asked, not sure why he was associating her with that colour. For a devil like her White was the colour of the enemy, whether they were The Fallen or The Heavenly Angels. Both seem to favour the colour White, though the former leaned towards Black too.

Sona thus had thought that Hyoudou would have said that she had the colour Black to her name, to indicate her affiliations with the Devils in some form. His instincts were quite good and thus would have pointed out the unnaturalness surrounding her. But he had shattered that expectation with him saying that White was her colour.

Sona thus could not help but wonder if she was wrong in her assessment.

"It is the colour of purity, love, compassion and mercy and good." Sona continued putting away her doubts for now. "While I don't think myself as a bad person, I hardly see myself as a Paragon of Righteousness."

"While as you have said White is the colour of purity, love, compassion, mercy and good, it is also the colour of Order and Rigidity, something that even you would agree that suits you quite well." Issei explained his reasoning and Sona had to reluctantly admit that when seen from that perspective White was her colour, even more than Black.

"I also see two other colours in you." Issei continued and this time Sona kept silent, wanting to know what colours he would attribute her with, "Red and Black."

"Red because I can see Passion in you, Passion for Chess your favourite game and for your dreams, one that you strive towards with zeal."

Of that Sona had to admit that she could not deny what Hyoudou said, Rias did say that she was quite passionate about her dreams too.

"But I also see the Red in you as desires too, why I don't know but the colour Red in you Madam President is filled with passion and desires, which brings us to the next colour, Black. Now while many would associate the colour Black with evil in most case, especially when describing someone's character. The colour Black that I see in you is your selfishness and your desire to be the best seeking perfection and thriving to be better that you were the day before. Quite fitting I should say." Issei said as he finished his explanation.

"So to conclude…" Sona said as she processed what Issei had said. "I am a person who is a rational person and using logical means for various solutions, and am also an ardent follower of order and the rules and its uncompromising rigidity. I am also passionate about my hobbies and dreams and have a drive to better myself." Sona said, summing up what Hyoudou had said about her personality.

"It is close, inaccurate in some sense but close nonetheless." Sona admitted finding it hard to deny the accurate analysis about her personality that Hyoudou had presented to her in the form of colours. It was quite scary, if she was honest at how the boy was able to describe her so accurately. Given time, Sona did not doubt that Hyoudou would have learnt everything about her from her habits and manners to her subtle emotional tells. She would just have to teach him some tact and manners and Hyoudou could easily become a great partner one that she would not mind.

'And there I go thinking about my future with him. It seems that the rumours, Rias' and Hyoudou's words are getting to me and at this rate I might just end up marrying this boy.' Trying not to let her thoughts go down that road, Sona directed Issei to his current task.

"Well, while I am impressed that you have done such an accurate analysis of my character and presented them in quite a curious manner, we still have work to do Hyoudou, and I want to be home early today so get on to it." Sona ordered him.

Issei for his part grimaced a bit seeing the bundle of paperwork he still had to sort out and prepare, and felt a bit miffed at their conversation being cut short but he decided not to push his Sona too far and back off for now. He had after all managed to impress her and he would take that as a sign of him making some process in melting her heart.

'Truly the path of love is wrought with peril.' Issei thought as he resumed his work.

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"You know Madam President, you didn't have to accompany home, you know." Issei said as he walked besides the ebon haired beauty.

Their work had taken a bit longer to complete and thus the two of them were the last to leave the school premise. In all this Sona had somehow convinced him that she would accompany him home. Not that Issei did not mind it, as who the hell would deny such a beauty like her, it was just that she had asked him out of the blue which made him nervous.

"I do have every right Hyoudou. Not only there are still a bunch of paperwork to be complete, notes to be copied and assignments to be completed, I still have yet to make a formal visit to your home. And today I have quite the golden opportunity to do so." Sona stated her reasoning, "And nothing more."

Issei while relieved at hearing that was still disappointed that she had no other intentions of visiting his home. While it was outlandish to think that Sona would have wanted to disguise her visit to meet her future Parents-in-law and was being secretive about it to hide her embarrassment, Issei knew that Sona was just making a formal visit with no other reasons.

'But that does not mean one can't dream about it.' Issei thought as he daydreamed about Sona acting Tsundere. 'Yeah like that is going to happen.' Issei mentally scoffed at that thought but still daydreamed about it.

"…and it is still part of my duties to visit the home of trouble makers and evaluate their home life and meet their parents, not only to report them of their children unruly behaviour but…" Sona continue with her explanation of why she was visiting his home.

Something about evaluating the home life of the students and finding roots of their problems and see if the Academy as a whole should intervene or not in their matter. The academy really cared about its students and was willing to go as far as to provide aid to troubled students personal life as Kuoh Academy prided itself in not only giving quality education but also helping its students become good members of the society.

Sure with how the academy was girls' academy meant that some cases were extreme and minor in nature and thus the male students with trouble home life was quite different than the past cases the academy helped with, Issei did not think that his home life required such visit all things considered but Sona had pointed out several things that did warrant a personal visit from the Academy.

Why was thus Sona paying a personal visit and not a teacher? Well from what Issei was getting it had something to do with how his infractions while warranting such investigations were still bit low key and thus Sona had simply asked the teachers to let her handle it as she had handled him for the past few months and something more along that line. Issei had stopped listening to her in between that.

He had a feeling that something was oddly familiar about this situation, which was absurd as he was for the first time escorting a girl to his home. So what was this strange sense of familiarity that was plaguing him all of a sudden?

"…and this is why Issei Hyoudou I am in love with you." Sona ended her speech.

"Wait! WHAT?!" Issei stumbled as he shouted after processing what Sona had said. "This is so out of the blue Madam President." Issei said as he tried to calm his now beating heart. 'Damn it what am I! A damn Shojo Princess, that blushes when the handsome bastards say sweet nothings.' Issei cursed as he tried to calm himself down, though he could not help but let a goofy smile form on his face.

A girl had finally confessed to him and he had the right to have a goofy expression and act like he was in Cloud 9.

"Ah!" Sona exclaimed as she snapped her fingers, "I was right, when I thought you were ignoring me." Now looking quite irritated, "Did the books on seducing girls not tell you that you should not ignore a lady?"

"Only when said lady is not boring them to death." Issei retorted to her jab, "And they say that it is boys that toy with a maiden's heart when seductresses like you know how to shatter men's hearts like glasses." Issei said, trying his best not to fall into despair over the fact that her confession was just a joke.

"Why thank you for your compliment, Hyoudou." Sona said smiling as Issei tried his best not to show his disappointment. "While being called a seductress does wonders to my ego, the fact that you belief my jest simply means that you still have a lot to learn. One of which is that a maidens that profess her love would pour her heart and love into her words, one that even an idiot like you would recognise it for what it is. Not the empty words that I had said earlier." Sona said smirking as she turned her perceived insult into praise.

"You know that if word goes out about this, your reputation is going to take a massive hit." Issei pointed out trying to ignore that arrogant yet seductive smirk on her face. Sona was really good at reminding him why he had promised to pursue her and win her heart.

"And you would dare spread this information?" Sona asked in an innocent manner, going as far as to tilt her head and blink as if she had no idea of what he was going to do, which was quite the insidious way of delivering a threat.

'Black really, really suits her.' Issei thought as he saw just how conniving the girl was being. 'I guess I really am going to evaluated my opinion about her and reconsider my methods on how to win her heart.' "No" Issei said, as he made plans for the future.

"Good boy." Sona said smiling at him, "Now that is out of the way I have to ask Hyoudou. Is this your usual route home? Because as far as I can tell I am unfamiliar with this place which is saying something as I know Kuoh quite well and if this is your usual route, I can see why you are always late. This place is quite far from the Academy for me to not recognise it but as far as I can tell we didn't walk too far either…" Sona trailed off, as she began to examine her surroundings trying to find out where they were.

Ignoring the glances that Sona kept sending his way Issei realise what the familiar feeling earlier was. He was lost, again, and this time he had taken Sona for the ride to.

'I just hope that I am able to find a way home before it is too late. I don't think Sona would like spending a night at my house just yet.' Issei thought as he rummaged through his bag, taking out his maps and notebook and cross referencing the landmarks he was seeing.

After some time Issei was able to find that he was near a local shrine located near Jounan Academy. Which was good as it would help him plot a way to his house.

"Why are you taking out your maps Hyoudou?" Sona asked confused at why Issei was reading the map and referencing the notebook in his hand. "We are lost aren't we?" Sona stated as she deduced what the map and notebook were for.

Issei simply nodded not wanting to aggravate the girl besides him who seemed ready to explode in righteous fury. His body was still sour from the beatings he had received earlier today from the Kendo Club and he was in no mood of another one.

"Don't worry there is a shrine nearby from which I can plot a way to my house and then we can be on our way from there." Issei said, trying his best to ignore the daggers that Sona was boring into his skull.

"I do hope that you are at least able to do that Hyoudou or else I would be quite upset." Sona replied in a very cold tone, making Issei wonder just where the mischievous seductress from earlier went.

'I wonder why she is being hostile.' Issei wondered at the sudden coldness that was eluding from Sona. 'Is it because she thinks I am tricking her or something?' Issei wondered, as he tried to come up with an explanation for the change. 'Well from an outsider's point of view that could be so and well with how proud Sona is, that may be the reason why she is acting this way.'

Seeing that he could not do much about the situation Issei simply guided Sona to the shrine.

On the way Sona did seem to calm down a bit after seeing that they really were lost and it had not been some trick on his part. But she still kept a watchful eye on him for the remainder of the trip.

"Lost again are we, Mr Hyoudou." A familiar voice called out to him making Issei snap out his reverie. Turing to greet the owner of the familiar voice and shoot his usual snappy greeting, Issei faced the girl that he did not think he would meet today. Yet when he saw the girl, he was stunned. He was so stunned that words escaped him.

There in a dressed in a Hime-miko outfit stood the familiar figure of Mariya Yuri, greeting him in the all so familiar manner that he had come to associate with the chestnut haired girl.

Yet to Issei it was not her appearance that had stunned him into silence. The outfit did make Mariya all the more beautiful yet it was not what rankle him. It was the fact that the outfit like a missing puzzle completed the image that Issei had sported in his mind the day he had met Mariya. The image of an all so familiar character that he knew well, a character he had no rights of meeting in the first place, a character from,

"Campione!"

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