Guest - Yeah, he's going to have special abilities. I'm modeling Ryusei after Hanzo, from Overwatch. I really liked the Shimada brothers so I'm modeling Ryusei after both Hanzo and the Green Arrow. I'll expand on his abilities as the story progress, as to not give away anything. Ryusei will have his own small harem. I already decided on Irina, Kuroka, and Ravel, but let me know who else you would like to see. Ryusei will most likely remain neutral from all three factions, though he might often frequently work with either the Angels or Devil, but I'm leaning more towards the angels. I feel like Devils are a bit too played out y'know?
Gabriel790 - Thanks and I hope you keep reading :)
2Issei brushed his teeth before going to sleep that night. He stared at himself in the mirror. He felt so disgusted with himself. His brother, who he thought had been dead for five years, comes back and here he is, just brushing his teeth. Issei had so many questions, but he read online that it's better to let a castaway settle down before bombarding them with questions. One thing was for sure, however. Issei was going to be there for his little brother, no matter what.
But there were bigger problems than just him coming back. His family had a mountain of medical bills to pay. Dragging a boy out of an island, flying him to Japan, and then to Kuoh, only to be medically examined by professionals wasn't cheap. How were they going to pay for everything?
There was also the issue of him being a devil. There was no way Issei could just sprung that on him. Hi little brother. I know you just came back from Hell, but I just wanted to tell you I'm a devil so I guess Hell is something we have in common. Idiot.
"Issei?" Ryusei knocked on the door, which was open. Issei was so jumpy, he almost slipped on the floor. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I was hoping to use the bathroom, but I'll just wait until you're done."
"No," Issei turned on the faucet. "I'm done here anyways."
He washed up and scooted past his little brother. He didn't close the door, so Issei just leaned back against the outside. He still couldn't even over how fit and lean he was. His muscles were showing through his short sleeved shirt. How does an average 10 year old boy get so ripped?
Ryusei washed his face. Issei studied every inch of his little brother. Firm face, square jaw. His medium length brown hair was swept back casually. His green eyes, somehow in this family he happened to have green eyes, were dark and were like the color of leaves in the fall. "I know you're worried, brother."
"How can I not be?" Issei sighed. "You were stranded on an island for five years. I'm your brother, how can I not be worried about you?"
"I'm okay, brother." Ryusei said. "I'm still me. I'm still the same Ryusei you remember. I promise. I'll talk, just give me some time, okay?"
Issei smiled. "Okay. Good night little brother."
"Good night."
…
Lian-Yu, Five Years Ago
"Can't sleep?"
Ryusei was laying next to Krissy, who had been one of the first to pass out. The other girl, Naomi, had put out the campfire before falling asleep on the other side of Krissy. Ryusei, being the youngest male, was allowed to sleep with the girls, especially since Krissy insisted on not letting him sleep with the others. Kaito had no complaints, and the other boy, Lyon, didn't give a response. The only one injured among the survivors was the oldest, Hasegawa Jin. His thigh was pierced by a log of wood. The only thing stopping him from bleeding out was the thing that was killing him.
"Not really." Ryusei was gripping a picture he had brought with him on the ship. The only thing he had on his person, other than a butterfly knife. It was a picture of him, his brother Issei, and their childhood friend, Shidou Irina.
Kaito sat up, rubbing his head. "C'mon, get up. Let's take a walk."
Helping him escape from Krissy's death grip, Ryusei and Kaito strolled along the beach, eventually sitting down by the shore. The moon was high in the sky, a full moon. The tides were slow. It wasn't as cold as he would expect.
"You're scared." Kaito said.
Ryusei didn't reply. He just gripped the picture, harder. "I want to go home."
Kaito smiled. "Don't we all. But it's good, you holding onto something you care about."
Ryusei looked to him. "What do you mean?"
"Always think about what matters most. It's something my grandfather told me." Kaito grinned. "He was a soldier in World War II. 'Cast away your fear. Look forward, and never glance back. Retreat and you will age. Hesitate and you will die.'"
"Isn't that a bit too literal?" Ryusei asked.
Kaito burst out laughing. "I suppose it is. My grandpa was very old fashioned that way. He would always tell me stories of his past, of the days in the war. He told me about what he had to do to survive. I'm happy that he told me so much, this situation is dire."
"You're weird." Ryusei said. "You remind me of a brother a bit. He's always outgoing and doesn't take no for an answer."
"Your brother sounds like a handful if he's like me," Kaito smirked. "Don't worry, Ryusei. You're too young to realize it, but this world isn't what it seems. But I promise you," Kaito scooted over and ruffled his hair. "I'll get you home. You'll see your brother again. Krissy will see her family, everyone will be home. We're all going home, I promise."
Ryusei looked to him. Imari Kaito. This boy wasn't like any person Ryusei had ever met. He was honestly much like Issei. He was outgoing, the center of every group, he knew how to make Ryusei calm and easy when things were hard and stressful. His black hair was swept back, his gray eyes calm. He smiled as he ruffled Ryusei's hair.
Suddenly, a scream interrupted their moment. Kaito and Ryusei got to their feet and ran back. Krissy and Naomi were around Lyon. "What happened!" Kaito demanded.
"Lyon, he was shot." Naomi rubbed her head and panicked. "What the hell is going on? Who shot at us!"
"Naomi, calm down!" Kaito slid over to Lyon. Ryusei watched in horror. Lodged in Lyon's shoulder was an arrow. It was halfway through his shoulder. The arrowhead was jagged and curved. Ryusei had studied intense biology and forensic biology in school and extra classes. He knew that pulling an arrow out hurt a hell of a lot more than going in.
"Ryusei don't look!" Krissy got to her feet and pulled Ryusei to her chest, covering his view of Lyon.
Within the embrace of Krissy, Ryusei heard a snapping noise. He closed his eyes and imagined happy thoughts, as Lyon's scream pierced the silence of the night.
…
"State your name and personal information for the court please."
Ryusei stood at the podium of the Kuoh City Hall. There were hundreds of people who had gathered today to see the boy who had come back from the dead. While Ryusei had physically come back from the dead, this was for him to politically speaking. Behind him, seated in the rows of court seats, were his family and friends who had come out to support him. Issei's best friends, Matusda and Motohama, as well as some new faces he didn't recognize. A red head was who drew all the attention.
"My name is Hyoudou Ryusei." He said. He wore a buttoned up gray shirt with his sleeves rolled up. Black jeans crisp and clean and a pair of dress shoes. Most of his old clothes didn't fit anymore, but his brother had stuff he could wear, thankfully. "I'm sixteen years old, and for the last five years I was marooned on an island."
There were murmurs and whispers among the crowd. "Do you know where you were? What the name of the island is?" The judge asked from her seat at the top of the podium.
"Lian-Yu. It's Mandarin, for purgatory." Ryusei said. "I was on a cruise ship, course set for Los Angeles. There was a storm, when we were capsized. I was thrown overboard, floating in the ocean on a piece of wood for days, before I finally landed on that island."
He didn't need to see his family to see the horror on their faces. "I was by myself. I was 10 years old, a boy shipwrecked on an island where getting killed would've been paradise. I realized that if I wanted to live, if I wanted to come home to my family, I had to evolve."
"Can you elaborate?"
"The day I drifted on the shores of Lian-Yu was the day that Hyoudou Ryusei died." Ryusei said. "The person who came home, the man that you are looking at right now, is someone I don't recognize anymore. I look into the mirror, and the face that stares back at me is a stranger. That island changed me, but for better of worse? I don't know. I just know that I'm happy to be home, and I don't ever wanna leave, ever again."
A smile tugged at the judge's lips. "Very well. I hereby resign the petition of death initiated by the Hyoudou family five years ago. Congratulations, Hyoudou Ryusei, welcome back to life."
Ryusei smiled, as court was adjourned. Issei and his parents hugged him, as people in the crowd began to clap. He and his family exited the courtroom and walked down the spiraling stairs of city hall. Waiting below the stairs were Issei's new friends. A red head, who looked exotically beautiful. A girl with long black hair and a gentle smile. A handsome boy with pale blonde hair. A small girl with short white hair and golden eyes. And a young, beautiful girl with long, golden blonde hair.
"Rias, thank you for coming today." Ryusei's mother hugged the girl with red hair. So that's her name, Rias.
"Ryu," Issei smiled. "I'd like you to meet Rias Gremory. She's the president of the club I'm in at school."
"Pleasure to meet you, Ryusei-Kun." Rias shook his hand.
"Himejima Akeno, Toujou Koneko, Kiba Yuuto, and Asia Argento." Issei introduced them.
"Nice to meet you all." Ryusei bowed and smiled.
"Mother, about the cost of what has happened," Rias said. "My family would be more than happy to pay for the bills."
"Oh no, we can't allow you to-" his father said but Rias cut him off.
"Please, father." Rias smiled. "Issei is a very dear friend. My family wouldn't have my head if I did not help him in his time of need."
His mother teared up. "Thank you, Rias. We can't thank you enough."
Rias smiled. As they talked and laughed, Ryusei was on guard. There was something off about them. In fact, there was something off about Issei as well. They all exited the building, walking into a car. Ryusei stopped to look at his brother and family. Of course this would happen. He was gone for five years. It only made sense that they had moved on. They had made friends and had moved on with their lives. He began to wonder if him coming back was good for them.
"Issei, remember we have club meetings later. Be sure to make it in time, okay?" Rias asked as his family got into their car.
"Of course. I promise I won't be late." Issei smiled.
The brothers got into their car, sitting in the back, and waved good-bye to their friends as they drove off.
Issei talked so much about what they were going to do once Ryusei got settled in. Going to see movies, eating out, traveling. All the things that they talked about as kids. "What's Twilight?" Ryusei asked.
"Oh trust me, you don't wanna know." Issei laughed. "But don't worry, we'll watch all the movies you missed."
Once they got back into their house, Ryusei went to his room. He closed the door and opened his trunk. Inside, he pulled aside the cloth and picture, and removed the book. It was a little notebook that was given to him by Kaito. A book of everything and everyone responsible for tormenting the lives of the innocent mundanes in Kuoh.
On the island, he realized the truth. This town, no this world, is shrouded beneath the darkness. This world is home to every supernatural thing Ryusei had ever read as a kid. Things like vampires, werewolves, even faeries or demons. But the thing that took the cake for weird were the faction systems. This world was run by the different factions, each filled with mythological deities. The three that reign supreme were the Biblical Faction: Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils.
Kuoh is a pit where the deadliest, most wanted criminals in the supernatural world go. Its underground is ruled by three factions themselves. The vampires, the werewolves, and the faeries. Although most of them do not physically harm mundanes, or humans, they extort them and use them for their own good. They extort mundanes for money and gain, not caring who gets hurt or who gets killed. Imari Kaito tried to help this city, hunting things and saving people all over the world, and now that mission has been passed onto Ryusei.
The book was filled with names of politically influencing supernatural figures that run Kuoh's underground. The head of the Vampire clan, the Alpha of the werewolf pack, even the King of the Faeries. As well as lower class beings who are still extorting mundanes.
Underneath the book was a bow. It was a hand carved, wooden recurve bow stringed with a nylon Iridium string. It wasn't going to snap, no matter how hard he pulls back. On the base of the bow, underneath the hand grip, was the same engraving as on the trunk. "Harmony". The limbs had a single streak of light blue, with the grip painted black.
He held the bow. It was a perfect fit for his hand. It was hand carved for him. It was either this or a sword, but he wasn't sure how effective he would be at close range. He spent the last five years training himself, he was an archer of unparalleled aim.
Underneath the bow was a medium sized quiver. It was metallic blue with a silver edges. He grabbed as many arrows as he could before leaving the island, and he stored them all here. Aside from his bow and quiver, there were also herbs and medicine he grabbed from the island.
Ryusei grabbed some talismen from the trunk. They were little tiny slips of paper wih Chinese symbols. Talismen were conduits for magic, for mundanes who want to use magic but have no affinity for it. These specific talismen were used for perception. He got them from the island, place them on corners of a room. To the user, nothing changes about the room. However to others, the room is perceived to either be smaller or larger. It can also hide things the user wants to hide.
He hung the bow on a homemade stand next to his bed, with his quiver on the wall. His laptop was upgraded for intelligence gathering. His room was rather small, but it was perfect as a hideout. There were multiple dart boards hung on the wall, he could use for target training. The only thing wrong was the size. His room would have to be a temporary before he found some place bigger, for bow practice. For now, he had to rely on his rusty archery skills.
Ryusei unloaded all of his things in his trunk. At the very bottom was an outfit. It was a uniform he had crafted on the island. Originally it was green. Ryusei thought green would be good for camouflage, since they were on an island. However blue was Kaito's favorite color, he switched colors in honor of him.
He told his parents he wanted to sleep in. Once Issei left for his club meeting, Ryusei dawned his outfit. It was a tight blue vest, with streaks and demonic flower patterns in blue. He zipped it up, over a long sleeved black suit. His left arm was revealed, his tattoo visible. It was a matching tattoo like Kaito's. Ryusei's was of a twin dragon coming from his shoulder to his wrist, but his his upper bicep was covered with a short sleeved shirt. His right arm was covered with a tight black track suit. His right arm was a gauntlet with a grappling hook. His lower body was clad in leather, his right thigh was strapped with a knife holster. He wore boots made for freerunning. This was his battle gear, he wore it in honor of his past, and for Kaito.
Ryusei pulled up his hood, covering his head. Once night fell, and the moon rose, Ryusei opened the window and began his crusade.
…
Issei couldn't concentrate on contracts or anything like that now. He was in the Occult Research Clubroom, sitting in silence as Rias went over the daily contract numbers. As usual, Issei had a perfect score of "0". Even Asia was getting more contracts than him.
"Issei? Issei, are you okay?"
He shook his head. "Yeah. I'm sorry, I'm just not feeling too good."
Rias sighed and walked out from her desk, leaning back on it. The clubroom was dimly lit, one single large chandelier that lit the entire room. It was beautiful, in a dark and grim way. There were two couches, both facing each other, and a single coffee table. By the back wall was Rias' large desk, where she and Akeno usually were. Koneko and Kiba were seated on one couch, eating or talking. Issei was next to Asia.
"Issei," Rias said. "I know things have been, rough for you. Your brother coming back from the dead isn't something that happens everyday. If you need some time with him-"
"No, it's okay," Issei smiled. "Ryu needs some time of his own. Adjusting to life will be hard, but I want to be there for him whenever he needs me, but that doesn't mean I can't be with you guys."
Rias smiled. "Good to know. Now, about your contracts…"
Issei smiled awkwardly. He had gotten almost no contracts this whole week. Since he rescued Asia from Raynare, things have been calm. And then Ryusei comes home. Honestly he didn't even want to do any contracts.
The doors opened, and Sona Sitri and Tsubaki Shinra walked through. Kuoh Academy's Student Body President and Vice President, also known as the the heir to the Sitri family and her queen. Sona was a girl with short, bobcut hair and red framed glasses. She was usually scary looking, but this was even more intense.
"We have a problem, Rias." Sona said.
Rias narrowed her eyes. "What? What problem?"
"Tsubaki?" The Vice President was a taller girl with matching glasses and long black hair. She walked forward and extended her hand. A blue orb shinned, and holographic images appeared. It was a man in his late thirties, short gray hair and golden eyes. He was dressed in a business suit, gray and white. "This, is Amadeus Griffin. He is a vampire, an ally of the Kuoh Vampire Clan's head. Twenty minutes ago, he was attacked."
"Someone attacked an ally of the Kuoh Vampire Clan's head?" Rias raised an eyebrow.
"Who would be dumb enough to do that?" Akeno asked.
"Devils are already on the scene, working with the Clan's members." Sona explained. "According to Amadeus, it was a man dressed in black, with a bow and arrow. His head was covered with a hood, but he said one thing that caught our attention."
"Which is?" Rias asked.
"The man had a tattoo, on his left arm." Sona explained. "Twin dragons, coming from his shoulder to his wrist. Amadeus was very clear on that point. Vampires have keen senses. It's amazing that he doesn't remember anything about the attacker."
Rias crossed her arms. "Do you want us to go to the scene?"
"That won't be needed," Sona shook her head. "I'll go to the scene with my peerage. We'll report back on everything we find, but I just wanted to warn you. Amadeus is also a major figure in the mundane political world. He is on top of Kuoh's real estate agency. Him being attacked, it'll attract attention from the mundane police as well. Be on the look out."
Sona and Tsubaki quickly left. Issei looked to Rias, she was focused and intense. "Buchou, is everything okay?"
"Yeah," Rias finally said. "Today's meeting will be dismissed today. Go home, rest. We'll come back tomorrow."
Issei picked up his bag and went home with Asia. She was quiet, but he could tell she wanted to ask him questions. They walked off campus, and took the faster route home. They crossed a bridge, the bridge where Issei first met Yuuma, or Raynare.
"Issei-San, are you sure you're all right?" Asia asked.
Issei stopped on the bridge, and looked out into the oncoming traffic. The freeway below, going north would take you straight into Tokyo. The sun was gone now, the moon high in the sky. "It's about Ryu."
"Your brother?" She asked.
He nodded. "I can't help but feel like he's hiding something. I know it's been a rough couple of years, but he has to know it was hard for us to. Someone my family and I loved, just gone. He has to know that he wasn't the only one in hell."
"Well, to be fair Issei-San." Asia smiled. "You are a devil."
Issei snickered. "Yeah, I guess you're right about that. I should tell him, but I don't know how? How do you bring it up?"
"You'll be okay, Issei-San." Asia smiled. "Let's go home. I can make you some snacks as you and your brother have a talk. I promise, everything will be okay."
Issei sighed, and smiled. "Yeah, I hope so."
Author's Note - I decided to model Ryusei after Hanzo, from Overwatch. I was originally going to go with the full on Green Arrow thing, but decided to model him after Hanzo. His outfit will change over time as well, and his bow too. I'm sorry if the pacing is a bit slow, but I'm trying to set the mood for the rest of the story. I'm also working on an actual story, so let me know if you have any suggestions plotwise. Thanks for reading everyone :)