StormMaster - Rosseweise would definitely be a good option, I'll definitely include her. I haven't really progressed his harem anywhere since I've been focusing so much on the plot. I'm going to slow down the story so I can advance his relationship with the girls.
R3hmix - Thanks! I hope you like it!
Guest - I don't think Jack and Ryusei will ever work together. Since they are complete opposites, I can see them working together. It's like seeing Batman working to the Joker, I just can't see it, unless it's some sort of trap lol.
Guest - Ryusei will learn about Raynare next chapter lol
Guest - It's not exact, but Issei is Micheal. He is kind at heart and protects his family and friends, and will cling on to whatever last glimmer of good in his brother, even if he strays from his path. Ryusei on the other hand is Lucifer, who path to power will lead his astray. Even though the motives for why they turned bad was different, I like to think that Ryusei and Lucifer are two sides of the same coin. I'm actually going to make an arc where Ryusei becomes evil for awhile, see how that goes lol. I hope this explains a little bit, I kind of can't explain it very well. Sorry lol
Kyle - Yes, but some of the more technologically advanced things won't be included. I don't know if adding the sort of magical world like DxD and technology filled word of DC will ever completely mesh, but I'll try my best. But if you mean things like characters or concepts, then yes. Things like the League of Assassins or time traveling I'm definitely going to use.
12Issei fell out of his bed when he heard explosions. He face planted on the carpet of his bedroom floor, and then Asia came rushing through the door. She was dressed in her pajamas and carried a stuffed teddy bear. "Issei-San! Are you okay? Did you hear that?"
His first instinct was to go see Ryusei. He and Asia opened the door to Ryusei's room, but it was empty, window open and draft filling the room. "Damn," Issei clicked his tongue. "He must have left already. Asia, go downstairs and turn on the television. Something's wrong."
As Asia did so, Issei went to the window of Ryusei's bedroom and looked outside. At the edge of the city, smoke was rising from several different locations. Issei had a look of horror on his face. What the hell had happened? Was Ryusei over at one of those places? "Issei-San? You need to see this."
Issei raced downstairs to see Asia staring blankly at the T.V screen. She dropped her teddy bear and eyes wide open. Issei turned up the volume. "Breaking news coming in from all over the city. Reports of explosions have been coming in all over Kuoh. Hospitals, libraries, even abandoned warehouses have all been reported to have exploded at all around the same time. There have yet to account how many casualties, but the number of the injured have risen to the hundreds. Citizens are urged to stay indoors until police can resolve the situation."
"Issei-San," Asia took his hand. "What's going on?"
Issei gulped. He'd like to know the answer to that himself. It was the middle of the night, how could this be happening? Was Ryusei at the scene already? Who did this? There were so many questions in his head for Issei to think straightly. Luckily, Issei heard the sound of flapping wings.
He turned around to see Griselda, the beautiful angel that accompanied Ryusei and Dulio to Riser's engagement party. She was dressed in her sister's outfit, black and gray dress that covered most of her body save for her arms. Her blonde hair left freely blowing in the wind, and her green eyes serious and focused. "Hyoudou Issei, Asia Argento, I am glad you're awake. The situation is more dire than we had imagined."
"What the hell is going on?" Issei asked. "Where is my brother?"
"I have put your parents to sleep," Griselda ignored his question. "They'll be out until morning so we have some time to operate."
"Operate? Griselda, what the hell is going on here?" Issei demanded.
Griselda sighed. "Kuoh has a serial killer on their hands, and he's the reincarnation of Jack the Ripper. He just blew up ten public areas and inflicted more panic and fear since 9/11. So, if you want to stand around asking questions, then please do. But right now, your brother and many of my brothers are on the scene trying to calm the public. It would be a great help if you joined us."
…
Hyoudou Ryusei, Five Years Ago
The blade of the knife was dipped in sulfuric acid, before cutting into Ryusei's body. Every precise cut was made to not inflict so much pain as he would pass out, but not so little pain that he wouldn't be able to feel anything. But there was something…off, about this blade. Every time the man would cut Ryusei's skin, the wound wouldn't bleed out. It was like as soon as the cut was made, it closed up so no bleeding would occur, yet the wound was open, just with no blood.
Time seemed nonexistent, as Ryusei tried to move his fingers. They had moved him from Krissy's interrogation spot, to a much more cleaner and prepared torture chamber. There, they crucified him. His hands and feet were pinned to a cross with these spears made of light. They didn't hurt, it was more like handcuffs meant to restrain him. The cross floated in mid air, so it let his interrogator have free reign to do whatever he wanted to Ryusei.
For hours and hours, his screams filled the camp. The pain was overwhelming, and the blade wasn't the first method of torture. The man who tortured him, whoever he was, knew what he was doing. Every method was used to inflict fear as much as physical abuse. Water boarding, burning him with a piece of metal stuck in an open flame, even playing a game of Russian roulette. They were all to terrify Ryusei, shake him to his core before the real torture began.
The man finally removed his hood during the torture. He was a man in his late 30's, with short, buzz cut brown hair and steel gray eyes. He had a mean physical look, like he had seen thousands of people die. His eyes were cold and empty, void of emotion or even the slightest hint of regret. Over his left eye was a scar, right down his eye. He was a warrior, like Jin.
The man held up an image of Jin, dressed in a military outfit. "I'll ask again," He said in a deep, almost demonic voice. "Where is he?"
Ryusei's lips tugged into a smile. The fact that they didn't see him when he rescued Krissy and Lyon meant that they didn't know Jin was still on the island. This was his only leverage. As long as he didn't speak a word, and hold out long enough for Kaito or Jin to rescue him, he would be okay. That was what he had been telling himself for the past hours. He's going to be okay. He's going to be okay. He's going to be okay!
Without a word, the man slid the blade of the knife into Ryusei's stomach. This time, there was no Sulfuric acid, so the blade entered his body easily. Ryusei let out a scream of anguish. The man's lips curved, and he laughed. "I like you kid. You've got some serious balls, but…" The man walked over to a side table and opened a crate. Inside, to Ryusei's horror, were ice picks. The man picked one out, and while smiling, cleaned the tipped with a clean ex. He smiled sadistically. "I never liked to torture children. The have their whole futures ahead of them. Trust me when I say," without a word, he slammed the ice pick into Ryusei's shoulder as he let out another scream. "this is gonna hurt you, a hell of a lot more then it's gonna hurt me."
Imari Kaito
"What! You left him! How could you? He's just a kid!" Kaito couldn't believe it. He knew he should have stayed with Ryusei. He knew it wasn't safe. He should have made Ryusei stay behind. Now…Now he's with them, and God knows what they'll do to him.
"He'll be okay," Jin said, carrying Lyon by the shoulder and walking through the endless forest. "I saw his eyes, before we left. Those weren't the eyes of someone who would just fold so easily. He's a tough kid, that one. He'll be okay, until we rescue him."
"How?" Kaito asked. "They'll be expecting us."
"No," Jin said. "They'll be expecting me."
Kaito didn't ask further questions, as he felt Krissy move on his back. She let out a groan, before opening her eyes. "Krissy? Krissy, it's me, Kaito. Can you hear me?"
"Kaito?" She asked. "W-Where's Ryu? I…I saw him."
"Yeah, he'll be okay. You'll be okay." He said, finally walking down the slope of the mountain side and down into the beach. The sun was up and shinning, but inside the forest, all light was turned to darkness.
Inside the cave, Kaito set Krissy down by the wall and covered her with a blanket. He wet a towel and placed it over her forehead. She had taken heavy bruising and cut marks all over her body. They tortured her, but why? What could she possibly know?
After Kaito and Jin set down Krissy and Lyon, the two went outside the by shore. The sun was beginning to set, this day has been a disaster. Aside from the happy fact that they were able to recover Krissy and Lyon, Ryusei was captured and possibly interrogated. It was then that Jin told Kaito what he was planning to do.
"Are you mad?" Kaito asked. "You can't do that? That's complete suicide!"
"It's ME they want, not YOU!" Jin snapped. "I will NOT have children murdered in my name. While they're distracted with me, you get Ryusei. You come back here and seal yourself inside. There's enough food for all of you for a few months. You need to live, to survive."
"You can't…" Kaito balled his fist. "You cannot think that killing yourself will solve anything. Killing yourself is too easy. It is too easy of a punishment. I would know."
Eons ago, he was known as Raziel, the angel of knowledge and the keeper of secrets. He was one of God's most trusted angels, until he chose to side with his brother Lucifer, instead of Micheal. Never in his life has he regretted the decision. Lucifer was a mentor to him, taught him about right and wrong. In a way, Lucifer was more of a father to Kaito then God ever was. When he, and the followers of Lucifer, fell, all the knowledge of Heaven was lost to him, yet he was still able to retain some of the angelic abilities, if only so little. With his wings clipped, he could not fly, and without his grace, he was human.
"This is something I have to do," Jin said, stringing his bow. "Gather your things, we head out at sunset. We have to hurry, Ryusei is tough but even he will break. The man who is torturing him is not someone to take lightly."
"You know him?" Kaito asked.
"Know him?" Jin rolled up the sleeve of his right arm, revealing an elaborate tattoo of a green dragon wrapping around his arm from shoulder to wrist. It was green dragon, scales bright and eyes white. The dragon opened it's mouth as it reached Jin's wrist, and it looked like the blade of sword. "He was family."
…
"Snap out of it you idiot!" Dulio slapped Ryusei across the face. "Get your head in the game!"
Ryusei realized where he was, standing on the ground, and staring at the buildings on fire. Jack…he blew up a bunch of buildings and started a terror crisis that rivaled 9/11. Ryusei had been frozen, is this what Jack does to people? One look, one encounter, and it felt like his entire being was frozen with fear.
"The angels will help get everyone out, but the police will be here soon." Dulio said. "Get to cover, and help from the shadows."
Ryusei nodded. He knocked a grappling hook arrow on his bow and shot at the top of the roof of a nearby building. Ryusei felt his knees buckle, and fell to the ground. His heart felt like it was about to beat out of his chest, he was sweating bullets, and he was breathing heavily. Why? Why was he feeling like this? Five years on an island that killed his humanity, and one look at a masked serial killer and he's beginning to lose his grip with his emotions. What was wrong with him?
Suddenly, Ryusei heard the sound of a Portal opening beside him. A blue hole opened and walking through was Issei and Asia. They were confused, but then Asia met his eyes. "R…Ryuse-Kun! Are you okay? What happened? You look terrified!" She helped him up, but he could feel his knees trembling.
"W…What are you guys doing here?" Ryusei asked. "It's dangerous, you should have stayed home."
"What? The city is experiencing a terrorist attack!" Issei exclaimed. "And you think we're going to leave you to handle this yourself?"
"It wasn't a terrorist attack," Ryusei slowed his breathing and maintained his composure. "It was much worse." He explained to his brother and Asia of Jack's attack. How he had been waiting for any signs of trouble. Of his encounter with Jack, and how the serial killer exploded the border of the city. "This city is experiencing a terrorist attack for the first time in decades. This is going to blow up. If we don't contain this…"
"Are you okay?" Issei asked. "You don't look…like yourself."
"I'm fine," Ryusei said. "This is exactly what The Ripper wants, to spread fear and panic. The more people affected by this attack, the more people fear him. We're playing right into his hands."
Issei nodded. "What do we do?"
Ryusei finally stood without Asia's help. He clipped his bow back to his quiver, and pulled out talismen. "We have to contain this incident. The angels are…" But something was wrong. Ryusei's knees didn't buckle, in fact, he couldn't feel his legs!
"Ryu!" Issei shouted, but his voice was distant, like far off in a cave, echoing to Ryusei. He had fallen to the ground, but he couldn't feel anything. His eyes began to blur, his vision was beginning to go. Ryusei used whatever strength remained to think of what happened. It must have been then, when The Ripper had walked past him to the ledge. He must have tagged him…poison!
Everything went black.
…
Standing in the Vice Presidential Office of Utopia was Hyoudou Satoshi. The gray eyed middle aged man sipped a glass of wine, watching behind magic enforced glass as the festivities unfolded. He wore a business suit, with a black and gray tie, and a pair of sparkly clean dress shoes. His office was spacious. His desk was atop three steps, and elevated over a clear fish tank on the ground. Koi fish swam about as Satoshi heard the sound of fire engines in the distance.
"You are mad, you know that?"
Manifesting next to him, in a gust of wind, was an old friend. The wondering vagabond of the Factions, also the bearer of the Dragon of the Ice Barrier, Amathis, Ashikage Genji. Although young in age, being only nineteen years old, Genji has proven he has the skills and talent to control Amathis. Satoshi had hoped he wouldn't show up, but it seemed as if his theory was correct.
"So you were hunting The Ripper," Satoshi smirked. "That's what brings you here, to Kuoh."
The boy spun around the chair at Satoshi's desk. From the reflection in the glass, Satoshi could see the boy's reflection. Long brown hair tied back into a bun. The boy's green eyes pierced the darkness. On his back was a long sword, sheathed with a metallic scabbard. On the back of his waist was a shorter katana, about the size of the boy's forearm. Ashikage Genji practiced a unique form of sword style, one that he personally developed.
Satoshi's path had intersected with Genji's before, when Utopia Inc. found raided the island of Lian-Yu, once they detected a massive surge of magic energy. They had sent a squad ahead to make sure the island was inhabitable, but within an hour, the team was slaughtered. Of course at the time, Satoshi was naive to think that it was animals. Now he knew, it was Genji.
"I've been following him since he left London, after he killed seven prostitutes," Genji said. "This guy is seriously dangerous, Satoshi."
"So I've noticed," The man walked away from the window and to the twin couches below. He sat down, an crossed his legs. "My sons are currently on the scene. I do hope they are okay."
"And that is why you are mad," Genji smirked. "You would let your own children enter this fight? They do not know what they are getting into. Your son has only.…" Genji glared at the VP. "Why are they at the scene? I thought they had nothing to do with this?"
"Well, what they do in their spare time is none of my concern," Satoshi smiled. "Issei is a caring brother, he would never leave Ryusei when he knows there's trouble. And Ryusei has spent the last five years on the island that we raided, but of course you knew that. My son may not have the control that you have over Amathis, but in time he will grow. Perhaps one day he will best even you, Shadowhunter."
Genji laughed. "I don't think so. That archer has nothing on me. Just you watch old man, you'll see. Vigilante or hero, the people of this city will view him as a villain. Just you watch." And just like that, he vanished just as quickly as he appeared.
Although Satoshi was somewhat worried about the well being of his sons, he knew they would be fine. Issei will grow to learn his powers, to become the true Red Dragon Emperor. And Ryusei will learn to overcome the obstacles in front of him, physically and mentally, and become the hero this city deserves. For too long, the people of Kuoh have buckled under the thumb of the supernatural. People like Gato Yumiya, or the president of Utopia Inc, Christopher de Leon.
"Times are changing," Satoshi sighed, but took another sip of his wine. His phone rang, and he answered. It was his wife, Kairi. "Honey, how are you?"
"Dear, the kids are gone. I woke up when I heard a loud explosion, but I can't find Issei or Asia-Chan or-"
"Honey, please, it's okay." Satoshi smiled. The sound of his wife made him smile. "They're here with me, at the office. Don't worry, stay home. We'll be back as soon as we can. I love you."
"Okay," She relaxed. "I love you too. Be safe."
"I will." He hung up, and looked out to the rising smoke. Be safe, Ryusei, Issei.
…
Issei couldn't feel anything. He sat on the roof of a nearby hotel building, with his knees to his chest. A few feet away, Dulio and Griselda were working their magic on Ryusei, who had collapsed all of a sudden. Asia tried to help, but even her Twilight Healing was useless against whatever was affecting him. Issei didn't know what to do, or what to feel. Why did it have to happen to him? Why couldn't he just live a normal life? Have a normal brother, one who wasn't shipwrecked on an island for five years? Why couldn't he have just been human. Why couldn't he have just died that night…
"Issei-San," Asia smiled, and sat down next to him. "He'll be okay. Griselda-San was able to extract the poison in his system. He's not in a critical state, but he'll be out of it for the next few hours."
Issei felt so relieved, and yet the fear still lingered. "He was poisoned?"
"Yep," Dulio said. "It was infected through his arm. The Ripper must have dosed him in a second, he didn't have any time to react or even feel it."
"Issei-Kun," Griselda said. She was as beautiful as ever. Issei imagined Asia would look like the angel when she grew up. "Do you know anyone by the name of Kaito? Imari Kaito?"
Issei shook his head. "I've never heard that name before. Why?"
"Ryusei has been saying that name, once in awhile, he would say "I'm sorry Kaito, I'm sorry."." Griselda said and took his brother's hand. "I fear the poison is messing with his mind. Neither Enochian magic or Twilight Healing can negate it's effects."
"So what do we do?" Issei asked. "Wait and see if he gets better? That's-" But Asia took his hand. "There's gotta be something we can do."
"There is," Dulio said. "We pray. Hyoudou Ryusei spent five years in literal Hell. If he can come out of that alive, he can make it through this just as safely."
Issei balled his fists. Dulio sighed. "We can take him back to Heaven, speed up his recovery…" Griselda said.
"NO!" Issei raised his voice. "He's not going anywhere. He's my brother, he's staying with me."
"I have no arguments," Dulio said. "But where are we supposed to keep a comatose teenage boy? We can't exactly check into a hotel, and we can't exactly go back to your house, can we? Your mother will have a fit."
"No, but there is somewhere we can go." Issei said. He walked over and whispered into Dulio's ears.
"Are you sure?" Dulio asked. "This won't exactly be the wisest choice to do? He kind of…hates us."
"She won't let anything happen to us," Issei said. "I know she won't."
Dulio sighed. "Very well. Gather around, boys and girls. We're teleporting a comatose teenage boy to the house of the Devil King."
It happened so suddenly, Issei felt his stomach twist into knots. Asia caught him, as she stared at the majesty of the manor. It was a massive cathedral with columns atop the steps. Issei ascended the steps and knocked on the door, with Dulio, Griselda, and Asia at his back.
He knocked, and waited a few seconds as the doors opened. Standing before him, Rias Gremory was wide eyed with shock. "I-Issei, what are you-"
"Rias, please," He asked with despair in his eyes. "Please help my brother."
Author's Notes - I know I haven't uploaded recently, but I was working on another project. I've also decided to keep Xenovia as a Devil in Rias's peerage, but just have her associated with the angels and Ryusei more. Also, if you guys would like to read it, I'll also consider writing a spin off with Ashikage Genji, who I obviously based of Genji Shimada if you guys haven't played Overwatch, so let me know if it's something you'd like to read. I'll give out the details to the spin off next chapter so let me know if it's something you'd guys would like to read.
The next chapter will be about Ryusei confronting his demons, kind of like how Oliver confronted Shado when he was hopped up on rat poison during the episode where Barry Allen showed up. Thanks for reading everyone, and again, sorry for the late upload. Hope you guys enjoyed it :)