Vermilion Dragon of the Phenex

by Alek Sands

"Allow me to reintroduce myself, Gremory-san; my name is Hyoudou Issei, I am the Pawn of Eight to Lady Ravel of the House of Phenex, but today it is for Lord Riser, her elder brother whom I fight for. Upon my left arm, I wield the Longinus, {Boosted Gear}, and by this gauntlet, I proclaim myself as this generation's [Sekiryuutei] (Red Dragon Emperor)." AU. Rated M. etc. etc.

4. Fairy-tale Engagements

The following is a non-profit, fan-based AU story. [High School DxD] is owned by Ishibumi Ichiei, Miyama-Zero, Fujimi Shobo, TNK and Funimation. Please support the official release. And also I would like you all to by me some cake and/or a present before reading this story. Done it yet? Good. You may read it now.

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"_" = Speaking.

( _ ) = Translation/Other Meaning

[ _ ] = Personal Title.

{ _ } = Item/Ability/Sacred Gear.

["_"] = Speaking via Alternate Means.

["_"] = Speaking through Sacred Gears.

[{"_"}] = Sacred Gear Command.

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It was in the year AM 5763 when I would meet the future owner of my hometown of Kuoh. And at the age of eleven I, Hyoudou Issei, was learning to speak Deftodiz, the language of the devils before this all happened.

"Issei ezu . . . fatifez ch-chi. Viek . . . orez . . . wakei?"

("My name is Issei. How are you today?")

"No; 'Issei yzs fatefez tye. Viek orez wakey?'. You're never going to learn Deftodiz if you keep adding in Japanese inflections into every syllable you use."

"S-sorii, Ravel. It's just haard tu compliitlii sheike off and riilurn how tu spiik."

It probably sounds stupid that I am struggling to learn what would appear to be the most basic of sentences, like something they would teach you at your fourth year of school, but I was barely even talking to people like this, so this was a new experience for me.

I had managed to shake off pronouncing my "L's" as "R's", and all the unnecessary "u" sounds between lone consonants, but with vowel sounds, I was still struggling a bit with the much larger vocabulary range that was involved with how multiple sounds could originate from fewer letters.

To better illustrate how absurdly my way of speaking was back in those days, I have opted to present every word using vowels both singularly and in diphthongs as they would be seen in romanji, while also keeping the consonants the same as to at least keep my words readable to you.

Obviously, I won't touch people's names since they don't fall in this category.

"Well you're going to be living with us, so you need to learn the correct etiquette in not just communication, but also in spelling, grammar and most important, manners of address. Although, I must say that you pick up Deftodiz faster in a single year than Riser did in with Japanese in twelve."

"It's a necessitii hia, raatha than compulsarii as it wos when Lord Riser wos lurning. Bisaides, I am greitful that yuu and your familii . . ."

Before I could even finish my sentence, I was welcomed in the face by an open palm.

"Stop. It's glum when you're always being grateful and thankful. You are my friend. As if you would expect me to leave you behind when you had no home to go to."

Scratching my head whilst making the most unsophisticated expression possible without looking like an imbecile, I responded

"I suppouse. Arigato Ravel."

"Rloseoz, Issei. Ar-lo-se-oz."

"R-right. Rloseoz Ravel.

Despite being a year younger than I was, Lady Ravel was a very strict teacher. Not in the punishing sort of fashion one would have expected, but nevertheless, she expected perfection from me. I do not fault her for wanting me to achieve the very best of my abilities, but I do have to admit that despite the fact that we were the best of friends for most of the time we spent together, her teacher mode was the one thing that I was never looking forward to seeing every day.

The completely ironic part of this tale is that when I would eventually be granted my evil piece, the complex magic woven into the little chess ornament would grant me an automatic multilinguistic formulae directly into my brain which would allow me to listen and speak, along with reading, any known language as if I was fluent in it. Conversing with someone in French for instance, when I myself had never been to France, nor could I claim even to this day to know a word of French off by heart. But it would be a matter of simply being introduced to something in French and I could act as if I was fluent in the subject. Words however where never translated and would require a lot of work if I ever needed to write the language down.

It sounds like a very big cheat code being woven into my psyche, which is why Ravel, and by extension her family, decided that I should at least make the effort in learning how to converse with other devils without needing to rely on Maou Beelzebub's operative systematic sequences.

It wasn't a large request, but as a monolinguist, learning another language in its entirety was a daunting task to start with, and the weeks of increased information never made it any easier.

"Right then, now we shall move on to conjugations; first off, 'I am'."

"Oukei. Um; yzzy, jit, . . . um, biye, . . . and, uh . . . bis-bisiliz?"

"Close, but it's zit and bie. Yzzy (to be), zit (I am), bie (I was), and bisiliz (I am to be). You still need to work on your pronounciations of words, but you will get used to it eventually. Next is 'I love', go."

"Um, ota, . . . otily, . . ." And so forth, and so forth. This was a continuous exercise that I continued to go through. Since showing such slow progress is not what I wanted to be explaining to you, I will just skip over this and move on to later in the day.

It was after an hour that Ravel had finally put down the books for the day and picked up another book from her shelves. I should have mentioned this before, but we were in her room that day, like we were every day when Ravel would take personal charge of my language lessons.

Since we were done with words, Ravel had me practising writing in devil letters or the 'Azaberkna', which after having learnt to memorise hiragana and katakana, or most of them at least at the time I was practising, learning to memorise and apply devil letters which were only the consonants and not syllabaries so there were fewer symbols to learn. The problem was then adding in the vowel signs, which was a difficult task to remember as they were a series of dots and strikes which made it confusing to then differentiate pronunciations when it was troubling in at itself.

My own name was the only thing that I could get right; using a 'T' sign that was leaning over to the right side as if the top part had become heavy, which I then added a small dot beneath to signify an /i/ sound. And then one sign that looked like the left side of an arch with two lines dropping diagonally right like a rotated Euro sign, which made and /s~s/ sound, which I found weird since it also represented a /ts/ sound as well. Right above it. I placed a small 'v' shape above which was the /ei/ sound I needed until I had my /i:s~sei/ to spell out my own name.

I could rewrite that several times over with no problems, and as long as it was /i/ or /ei/, I could instantly recognise the vowels. Ravel's name was the second name I could do over and over again, with only an /e/ vowel sound made from two dots over a 'U' with an 'I' drawn right down the middle and a little below like the head of a trident, which was the /v/. There was also 'K' like symbol that made an /r/ and an 'A' with the middle line moved to the top left side which was an /l/, but that's just diverging too far from the point I was illustrating.

"Whot aare yuu riiding?"

I asked her that after becoming bored with writing down several pages worth of the same words written using Azaberkna. From my view at the opposite side of the table, and beyond the sheets of paper, ink based pens ornate with phoenix feathers, and an eraser that could be squeezed like a sponge to retrieve the wasted ink, there was a book coloured in brown with a bright orange hue of what its first colour may have been. Though it looked to be ancient, to be in the hands of the now ten year old Ravel seemed an irresponsibility from an average person's perspective.

But they would be underestimating the amount of care and attention Lady Ravel paid to the preservation of knowledge in its rarity.

"Zekram Bael slaying the sea-dragon, Lotan: Back when there were no such beings as angels and the devils were on par with the gods, we all lived in the heavens with the Zophasemin, that is to say the Ancient Gods of the Levant. We were all ruled over by Elyon, the [King of the Gods], and the God who rules over the angels now was merely Yahm, the [Lord of the Sea and of Floods] which made him most infamous, as well as one of Elyon's sons, the [Elohim]. Hamad, the [Lord of the Weather], was his older brother and the heir to Elyon, known for his generous nature in providing rains for the human to grow their crops and keep their lands fertile and prosperous. Jealous was Yahm and thus down he sent his servant, the sea dragon Lotan, to devour him as he returned from his yearly journey into the Underworld. But before the creature could, Elyon's loyal servant, Zekram Bael, stood guard at the entrance and waited for the waters to touch his feet, and would thus destroy the beast with his {Power of Destruction} in the shape of a blade, saving his liege lord and returned the lands to the spring. Definitely one of the best of the early histories that remains intact."

I nodded in agreement, having heard of the story many times in the allotted presence I had been around for. Apart from the legends of Mephisto Pheles and the first Devil-Magician contracts, the gathering of the original Grand Order of the Qlippoth, even tales of the closer age when the Old Satan and Anti-Satan Factions clashed for dominance in the Underworld. One of the most popular, and definitely the most sacred of tales was also one of the oldest recorded stories of the dragon-slaying tales.

Unfortunately, reminiscing on the past was not something too happy for devils ever since the righteous days when the devils were once beings who could be considered lesser deities in their own right, was null but the cherished memories of the older devils who had either gone into retirement now, or at least were not buried in the ground with the rest of their kind following the 'Shamayim Milchamah' or 'Xyddit Poydit' (The War in the Heavens).

Ravel sighed as the mere thought to it consumed her attention, drawing it away from the book she held close to her, almost dropping it as she no longer felt the desire to turn over another page, nor read a sequential word following the last passage her eyes drew over.

"It's sad that this is one story among many that were lost to the human world when Yahm became Yahweh, the God of the Bible who rules the three great sects of the faiths descended from Abraham, and that the lies he tells are the ones accepted over the words of beings now forces to live in the shadows in the belly of the earth."

It's true that not many people realise just how connected the devil and angel races truly were, nor do any of the mortals comprehend that the universe is older than the six thousand year mark some of them set based on the words as written in Genesis.

In short, in one of the years, the early empires of the Hittites and the Aegyptians, began to make their presses against the northern and southern borders of the Zophasemin's territory, and the massive number deaths, burning of idols and the destruction of their temples left the gods weakened by the advance of the imperials. The only god to maintain his full strength close to the end, was Yahm, who maintained his hold on the seas and thus held on to his power longer than other gods who focused on gathering their worship from upon the land in the caves, homes and mountain tops that were being overrun by foreign civilisations daily.

After the eventual death of Elyon when his followers and believers had become dust on the earth, Yahm killed his brother Hadad, and his other brother Mot, the Lord of the Underworld, taking his place as the new supreme god of the Levantine, Yahweh (the Creator). He completely rewrote the system of worship, and began his own form of concentrated worship by recreating a small population from scratch in isolation within the Fourth Heaven known as "Eden", and thus this is where the bible starts as well as the new calendars used by all members of the Three Factions.

Though he proved to have salvaged the faith by reforming it around himself and keeping his faithful worshiping in secret cults under thumb of the empire, his reign would not remain a secure one for what he had done to accomplish this. One by one, the surviving gods turned on him, and though many perished and faded from existence, the remaining retreated underground into their section of the Underworld where Mot had once ruled, and it was their they established their resistance to the new God.

The leaders and survivors of this faction became the original Maou; Attar Lucifer, [Lord of War and the Morning Star]. Litanu Temtum (who later took the name Anat Leviathan), [Lady of the Tides and Strife]. Ekron Zebul (later Ekron Beelzebub), the [Lord of Pestilence, Plague and Swarms]. And Aeshma Daeva of the Bloody Mace (also known as Kashim Asmodeus), [Lord of Rage, Fury and Wrath], from the Zoroastrian faith would joined them when the war spread across into Northern Mesopotamia. It wasn't until they were blessed by the presence of Lilith, the future wife of Lucifer, that the faction officially became the Devils. For their actions against Yahweh, they were dubbed the Ha'shaitan (the enemies or adversaries), of which they took the name and made themselves the Four Great Satans.

It is known that not all the original devils came from the Zophasemin, as like Kashim Asmodeus, they also came from other groups of gods who began to lose power and influence once Yahweh began to integrate their respective regions within his sphere of influence. Arcaezias Naberios was a chthonic deity under the Olympians in the Peloponnese, Fridhurix Barabatos was the patron of a Pre-Roman cult in Northern Italy, Labal Paimon originated from Ancient Persia near the waters of the Gulf, and Wosyet Uval came from the Upper lands of Egypt. Others of such notoriety, like Rofocale Lucifuge, arrived during the Dark Ages when Christianity's hold on Europe wavered momentarily after the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West. Generally, the original 72 Pillars are ranked by which devils sided with Attar Lucifer's faction first, while their nobility ranks like King, Prince or Duke were granted to show how powerful they were compared to their fellow devils, all of which compiled into the High-class of devils. Later devils who arrived in the later ages became the many clans of the Extra Demons of the Middle-class ranks. And then below them are the servants, either lesser beings who inhabited Mot's realm before the devils who were graced with reincarnation, or even the household servants and newer reincarnated devils who serve the remaining houses of the 72 Pillars, all in habit the Low-class ranks in the Underworld.

There is a lot more history I could delve into, but I shall leave it for another time.

"It must have been nice, for my ancestors to have woken up each day with a real sky above their heads and the endless bounds of the horizon either side as far as the eyes could pass over. The very notion of worship is now a hereditary ailment to us devils thanks to the system he has implemented in Heaven now."

With the conversation dipping into the depressions, I prompted myself to think of the first thought and try to introduce that into the conversation as a distractionary tool from this ghastly subject of lost graces.

"Whuu did tha Phenex originallii surve?"

I am slightly repulsed and embarrassed with such examples of mine butchering of the language now that I am reflecting upon it in details as these. I am within hopes that the next occasion will be more subtle and composed than this, but thinking ill of the past does not allow it to teach us how to better our present, and so we must push onward.

It was with great fortunes that the topic distracted Ravel momentarily from the lingering sadness. Turning her head at me, before thinking back for a short span of time and answering my question.

"Hmm. Well, I know that my first ancestor, Khyna Phenex served under Lord Moloch, who was the Lord of Fire and Healing, according to our history. And, if I recall; his territory was actually located along the north, where the Phoenicians resided, and that is apparently where we got our family name from. I know that with the most certainty because it was also there that we discovered the bird that we named after ourselves, the Phoenix."

To see a small smile for even a little while was a good start, but the recollections on familial history only seemed to heighten the realism in what had occurred many centuries before. It must both be a fascination and a burden to think back on something lost with such significance.

The bird creature that I stumbled into on my first night in the manor, Chol. He also came from this region apparently, which is why Lord Phenex was determined to bring him into his home as his familiar. 'A souvenir from our motherland' is apparently what he said to his family at the time. I have no further comments on whether I was or am pleased with this decision or not, as you can imagine.

Since my topic of conversation was not enough of a push to move past this topic at hand, I had to think a little more creatively and try to shift the conversation away into something with more of a diversion that would not swing back around to this misery.

The book, which she had ceased reading after the conversation was drawn into a dark path, was still in her possession, and that was when the idea came to me. She seemed to enjoy the story well enough to reread the book despite the implications that it brings up by unearthing the fragments left of a fallen past that could never be hoped to be regained.

"Sou, yuu laike knaights?"

She turned her head slowly, obviously stricken with a brief episode of misconception as the quite profound leap from one train of thought to a conjoining line heading into another direction, before the links aligned and she was able understand the topic brought forth. As expected of my Lady, her mind was ever as efficient as and more so than one would presume of a young lady of her age to be.

Once she had made that easy transition, she opened her real feeling to the more favourable discussionary caption. It made me happy seeing her happy again. It was lovely to see a smile return to her face as she spoke her mind so openly and freely on a subject that made her pleasantly giddy.

"I love them-. Th-the stories I mean; you see I remember being essentially brought up listening to stories that Dowhar, one of our family butlers, used to tell me since I was old enough to listen. About the heroes that would arise from humble origins or awaken his predestined fate to fight against the injustice, and the villain who would desire to spread unnecessary disorder that would threaten peace and sanity. And the Hero wasn't always in bad company, sometime with friends to aid at his side and always willing to watch his back for him without want for glory or honours. And, if the hero was lucky, there was also a woman who would always be at his side supporting him no matter what, whom they would fall in love with each other and live the rest of their lives in the new world they created together."

From the almost nervousness involved in the rolling of fingers and the down facing tilt of her head during the last sentence

"I know I'm not a strong as Ruval, or as smart as Rayzem, or as even as . . . c-charismatic as Riser. I know that I have my own limits at the moment, but I know that, at the very least, I can be that woman who stands at the side of the hero. I could be the Keshet to the new Zekram before he is to slay the dragon."

Even in a world full of magic, it was still at its core a patriarchal society, where males were still considered higher priorities. Despite both male and female devils being on par in terms of magical ability, some would say that the women were more proficient in magic as they had the greater chance in inheriting the abilities of their parents over men. But that mattered little when you also had to consider physical strength also, as males were generally able to withstand greater levels of attacks with their basic body strength and less with magic.

Either way it could be interpreted, it was still a hierarchy structure that prioritized on strength more than any other factors. It wasn't a stretch to consider smarts as a type of strength, but it you can form an air tight military strategy, but cannot handle being whacked around by a mid-level tier magic attack, than it was a disgraceful and shameful display not worthy of being recognised by those who held true strength.

Seeing how happy the idea of being at least able to fulfil this role which she had confided as the best possible outcome for her, it made me warm to see her with a positive outlook. However, it also got me to contemplate on this situation; my lady doubting her own abilities, and simply thinking upon it was making myself feel sad in her place.

No. That was not what I wanted for her. She needed something greater to reach for. Even the eleven year old me who was her only friend in the world could see that clear as the artificial skies hanging above our heads. I had only known her for a year or so, and even if she was one devil out of an entire family of amazing and wonderful people, it didn't fit that her goal should be something so submissive to fate.

I didn't need Ddraig's voice echoing through my cranium to tell me there was a fire burning in my lungs. I inhaled very deeply and began my new topic for this discussion starting out calmly and aiming to build it up as we continued to talk.

Slapping both my knees, I prepared to ask her;

"In tha storii, tha wan about Lourd Zekram Bael and Lotan. Which wuld I bii: the hiarou or the dragun?"

She looked back up with a puzzled expression, before it settled into one that I would interpret as playful anger.

"Well that's a stupid question, Issei. You're not either the hero or the dragon, you're both. You are the hero and you are also the dragon."

"I can bii bouth?"

I asked her, before she had to stare at the ceiling to rearrange her thoughts on the matter for a brief minute.

"There's no rule that the hero can't also be the dragon. I heard from my older brother Ruval that Lord Tannin only became a devil in order to save a species of dragon who could only eat special apples that now only grows here in the Underworld. In a way, he is the personification of an amalgamation between the hero and the dragon."

I was confused with the sudden inclusion of larger words like 'personification' and 'amalgamation', but I mostly understood what she was trying to tell me. Though off-guard for a minute after being told that being both was an option, as I had not considered such an answer in the short space of time that I was thinking my grand plan over, it did little to halt my passion in what I wan- I needed to tell her.

"Ravel."

"Yes, Issei?"

I hesitated a little at first, but I pulled myself up until I was on my feet and looking down at her from the opposing side of the table. It may have looked like nothing but a dramatic tool for what I was about to say to her, but I needed to motivation to speak from the heart, and something that could have easily have been copied from a protagonist on a television show was what I needed to keep my focus on what was in hand.

I clenched my fists and took both arms to my sides, before bending them 90-degrees forward, as I made my pitch of what I believed was the dream she should have been aiming for.

"When yuu biicume a King, I wunt tu bii yor Knaight. I will bii bouth tha hiarou and tha dragun just laike yuu sed I shuld. When yuu meike yor deibeut as a Reiting Geime challenger, I will bii there tu protect yuu everii step of tha weiy."

"Issei."

Her eyes got a little watery, but I was more focused on my speaking to notice such a little change. I think maybe her face was a little red as well, but I was probably embarrassing her with such dramatism to give Riser a run for his money as a clear reason for this change.

All the while, her voice remained soft and listened intently to my words.

"I'm gunna maaster mai seicrid giar, become the [Sekiryuutei] I'm meant tu bii, and then I will bii there when yuu win, standing there with a laarge smaile on mai feice and mai aarms oupen waide sou wii can celebreite with a greit big hug."

Her eyes were like stars that had awoken as the night rolled in from its slumber during the day, and one by one began to light up to illuminate the blackened sky in replacement of the downcasted sun who had been hiding all day behind greyfallen clouds.

"You mean that?"

"Of corse I du. I miin everii wurd, and I will seiy them agen louder till even God hears them on his cruuked old throune. I'll bii yor hiarou and yor dragun, and yuu will bii mai hiarou, and wii'll claimb sou haigh that wii'll tuch tha heavens and yuu'll bii eible tu sii where yuur aare driims riallii ment tu teike yuu. If yuu caan't fly that haigh, then I'll carry sume of that weight for yuu, and I'll even give yuu a piggiiback if I niid tu. Yuu will gou sou haigh that tha ounlii thing left will bii tha Sun itself. Yuu weit for that deiy, and I promise yuu wii'll sii it tuugether."

If my Deftodiz wasn't so broken, I think this would have retained such a passionate speech without being drowned in a mismatch of wrong words and mispronounced syllables. When I was done, I felt a brief exhaustion catch me, but I stood standing like a stone statue for a minute before allowing the force of the earth to pull me back onto my seat.

That was also the day I felt my heart race fast, then, on one occasion when I caught a look to see how Ravel was feeling, it skipped. In amidst the wide smile and closed eyes, and there was partial moment where she was just laughing for the sake of wanting to laugh, with tears running down her cheeks, where . . . I cannot truly explain, but it was like I was seeing Ravel for the first time again, and I was looking upon her with a new perception in mind.

Though the princess crying under the bridge in a stormy day overlapped the image, this moment was . . . a pericombobulation. It's not the word I should have used, but I felt that it was close enough for myself of eleven years old to have been able to understand.

The scene however was broken, when the door clicked and slowly creaked open. And so we both stopped what we were doing, and turned both our heads towards the figure now looking into the room.

There, standing halfway at the doorway was a girl that I had never once seen before; she wasn't any older than twelve years old at the time, dressed in fine clothes that made her look like she was from Victorian Britain, with a dress of various light and complimenting blue and green to highlight her azure coloured eyes, and with a matching bonnet of similar shades wrapped around her head that drew more attention to her face. She had a shawl draped over her shoulders in a light purplish hue that was also strong in colour also as if to signify maternal heritage now that I think more diligently on its significance.

But of course, the most striking feature she bore, was the long and neatly falling hair that cloaked over her shoulders as if to sink and camouflage into her shawl, in the brightest and shiniest hue of crimson red I would ever set my eyes upon. If I were to describe it in one sentence, I would say that it would draw all the light in any one room into itself like some Lancastrian Rose coloured black hole.

"Um, who are you?"

Ravel's response was not unwarranted; I had never seen this girl in my life either, and I was definitely certain that she wasn't one of the servants or a peerage member among one of the few possibilities. My only logical answer to this was in fact the furthest from the truth, when based on what little I was still aware of in how the Underworld functioned as its own society and independent nation, and came to the briefest of conclusions that she may have been one of the newest of Lord Riser's pieces.

Stupid as it may have been, I wasn't at all aware of the rest of the Underworld as my position was still a little uneasy. I will explain that in further detail a bit later, but not now.

I find my previous statement in the highest of ironies reflecting back on what I had said in regards to the present day situation. Little was I aware that this was all in relations this very day.

Judging from her facial expressions, while she looked the part of a well privileged heiress, her outfit was all unfavourable manners of discomfort as she seemed to move around less like a sentient being and more robotic, like her clothes were restricting natural contractions and reflexes in all of her joints. The very same point was demonstrated when she tried to grant a polite bow, but could barely bend her back any further than a 10-degree angle out of the possible 90-degrees one was afforded to use when producing such a gesture.

"Hello, I didn't mean to intrude. I'm Rias."

"I don't think you need to be so formal, Riri."

"Akeno!"

Apparently, she wasn't alone. The second voice, belonging to presumably Akeno who was out of our sights as she was still behind the door as her best friend started to argue with her without acknowledging that we were still staring in her direction.

What caught me off guard so much was that their communication was a mixture of both Deftodiz and Japanese, which at the time was quite a pleasant surprise, and also quite a muddle when my brain was trying to dissect the two entirely different dialects that were either one of good Deftodiz and poor Japanese renditions, and another one that was it's looking glass doppelgänger. I over exaggerated; Akeno had a better grip of Deftodiz then I had.

"Cummon, Riri. You sound silly when you try to sound like your Onii-sama. And I wanted you to call me Akecchi. A-ke-cchi. You're the one who wanted to know more Japanese, but you keep changing your tones every time we go anywhere."

"T-That's not true. I don't Aken-"

"A-ke-cchi. A-ke-cchi."

There were a pair of hands that reached over and started lightly clapping Rias' cheeks, which were already read by being referred to by what she had considered to be an embarrassing rendition of her given name. In all respects, I will refrain from referring to them by their childhood nicknames in all forms except in speech where authenticity is still a vitality in accuracy to be afforded.

Having slapped her friend's hands away from her face, she protested back in retaliation, however her expressions were not one that was fuelled in anger, but still caught in what I would view as a spoiled child's temperament when they don't get the way they desired.

"Don't make me say it. N-not in front of other people, ok."

"Ara ara Ufufu, are you embarrassed, Riri?"

"N-no. I just don't think that . . ."

"Riri?"

"I-It's nothing. Just drop it ok."

"Only if you get my name right; A-ke-"

"Akecchi. Akecchi Akecchi Akecchi! Happy now?"

"Very, Riri."

It was about time the two older girls finally realise they had been stuck within their own conversation whilst ignoring the other two kouhais that had been and still were occupying the room, whom were sitting on the floor where they had always been and staring up at them as they argued like litt-, like children.

When they had finally stopped, Rias, red in the face as much as her hair was, looked upon Ravel who then allowed the two of them to enter the room. As Rias stepped inside, Akeno followed behind her, and in spite of how confident and fun loving she had sounded from behind the door, the moment she stepped into the room, her entire mood seemed to change. It wasn't a bad change, but more like she became nervous of the situation.

If I recall correctly, she was ten just as I was when Rias picked her up, or so I have heard. From what else that seemed to spread among the gossips of the Underworld, may the Maou forgive my transgressions for falling prey to their endless whispers, was that she had been hunted by her own family simply because she was considered a disgrace. For what, I do not know even today, by choice.

I pried no further into the matter for the sake of preserving her past as a closed door rather than one that has been barred behind a shoddy locking system. As we were both reincarnated devils at the time I would come to learn of these rumours, I felt it most inappropriate to be learning of her previous life's origins whether they be based upon truth or not. As said in our vows and in the reincarnation ritual, our old lives are gone and our new lives was what we lived for, and for our Kings to whom we owed our allegiances to and our hopes and dreams with them. The past should not matter when the future is calling for us to live for the present.

I should point out that neither of us were reincarnated devils at the time of our meeting. In devil society, a high-class devil may only receive his or her pieces on their thirteenth birthdays and any day after that if they so wish, but even then they would only become adults on their eighteenths. There were some special exceptions to the rules, but reservations for such reasons would warrant a really desperate means and it would have to be processed with both the Four Great Satans and with the Ten Great Kings of Old as well.

I'll explain this better the next time this comes up.

Unlike how Rias was dressed, Akeno wore her ebony hair loose over a primarily crimson red kimono with white on the folds at the edges around the cuffs, the bottom that reached just below her ankle line, which was luckily higher due to her choice in wearing a pair of traditional wooden geta as footwear for the day, and also in the insides which blended in with her lighter skin tone. All of which was neatly tied together by an orange obi that wrapped around the middle of her figure which showed off a small hourglass figure starting to take shape.

"P-P-pardon, for the intrushion, I am Himejima Akeno."

Like me, she had a little trouble with the language, but she seemed more proficient that I did, which is why I have only made one deliberate spelling mistake in her words thus far.

Following sooth with her master as she had done before, she bowed in polite fashion, able to go to the more appropriate 45-degrees that Rias had failed to accomplish in her current state of attire.

"Yo're Japaniise?"

Whether it was how my appearance looked, or whether my failed attempt at pronouncing Deftodiz with my natural accent gave me away, the very notion that I was in the room and was from the same country of origin as her seemed to bring her out of her shell quicker than expected.

A little too quickly I should add before I fail to, as I would later somewhat come to regret the slightest.

Covering her mouth briefly as she masked her gasp behind a flat palm, she pulled it away to reveal a smile that then folded into a cheerfully squinting face as it tilted sideways to the left as she replied back to my question.

"Oh, you're Japanese too. Ara Ara. Nante gūzen, kouhai-kun?"

("Ara ara. What are the chances, kouhai-kun?")

"Watashi wa onajiyōni odoroite imasu, Ake-neesan."

("I'm just as surprised, Ake-neesan.")

"Ufufu, Watashi wa tōzen shitte iru. Watashi wa Tōnishi shusshindesu. Anata mo?"

("Ufufu, Oh course, I knew I would be. I was born in Tonishi. What about you?")

"Kuoh,watashi ga umareta basho."

("Kuoh is where I was from.")

This in all honesty may have gone on for hours since I had been put on a ban on speaking fluent Japanese to anyone as part of mastering Deftodiz as a fluent tongue. Which reminds me, this was going to bite back at me later during my next lesson.

"I know what you both are saying remember."

"Me too. Don't ignore me either."

"Ufufu. Sorry for making you feel unwanted, Riri."

Having completely forgotten the presence of both our respective patrons, we both turned our heads in embarrassment. Well I least that's how I felt. Akeno may have acted like this was a big joke, but for me, I was only realising just how inconsiderate I was behaving by ignoring her the second Akeno had entered the room.

"Gome-. *ahem* Hoyfesys ty, Ravel."

After having given my apologies to Ravel, she threw her hands up in the air.

"Yay. You said it right."

I raised my eyebrows at the realisation, as the flabbergasted expression of relief washed over Ravel's face. While it may have looked like a simple enough word, pronouncing 'hoi-fe-sis ti' turned out to have its own difficulties, when the 'Y's were concerned, as they had more of an emphasis than a regular 'I' does, which meant I would mispronounce them 'yi's or 'ya's, or something similar to that, and it still took time to not put so much 'breath', as they explained to me, on the last consonants that it would sound like I'm hissing rather than speaking.

"Nou misteikes?"

I asked for verification, to which she shook her head in an excited fashion that tossed her ringlets across her face several times over.

"No mistakes. You won't believe how happy it makes me. In another few weeks you could be so fluent that no one will even know that you didn't grow up here."

"I think that it will teike more laike a fyuuw munths biifore I get tha hang of this."

I replied whilst scratching the back of my head in embarrassment. I could imagine that I would probably slightly flushed as a result of the praise, but it was just a sign of how infectious her sincere approval was for me, and still is today.

Though I must add that I do not get as easily red in the face for some small matters like these, anymore.

"So, why are you here, if I may ask that is?"

As Ravel asked the crimson and ebony haired girls respectively, it was the former who answered her.

"My Onii-sama and Otou-sama are here to talk to Lord and Lady Phenex, but I don't know what it is. Since Sona was busy today, and Seek-chan is caught in one of her 'Mecha-thons', thus I asked if I could come too, and then Akecchi also wanted to come, so then we all started to come here, but then we got bored and started exploring and that's when we found you too."

Just to cut in here, I want to affirm that now with hindsight that for a twelve year old, she was absolutely clueless that the meeting that had been arranged had been for an open discussion and bout the possibility that would eventually lead to her engagement to Riser.

Remember how I said that thirteen was the age when you were allowed to take your evil pieces; well thirteen is also the age when pre-marital engagements were also made in advance, and then at eighteen was when you were supposed to get married, or at least that was how the system was traditionally implemented.

"Um, . . . I'm sorry, but I forgot to ask for your names."

It was about this time that we realised that neither Rias nor Akeno had any clue as to who we were. They may have been able to identify Ravel as a member of the House of Phenex based on her appearance alone, since that was a trait shared by all of her siblings, and that I was Japanese. But that was all that they really knew of the two of us.

I was about to speak, when I was interrupted by my own internal thoughts. I exaggerate, I meant to say that Ddraig cut me off before I could even speak.

'[Proceed with caution.]'

It was a simple message, but it wasn't most informative of ones he could have delivered to me. Despite that these two girls being relatively harmless, Ddraig's words to exercise caution when treading upon a disillusioned layer of thin ice was not misguided by any means. Stating our names might invite unwanted attention should either of them speak of today to anyone else, which may then start inciting curious eyes and ears to fall upon us.

Again, I will explain this further when it comes up at a more important time.

"Ise. Yuu can coll mii Ise if yuu wuuld laike."

I was quick to think on my feet, but I needed to be smart with words; The first name that came to my head that was familiar to me was 'Ise', which was the nickname Irina had once called me before he had moved away years ago. 'Ise' was like a shorter way of saying my name, but fit nice and snuggily before honorifics that it made sense.

In addition, it would be a name that I could remember in reference to me when called out without needing to continuously assert the name into my memories just for this evening.

Maybe it wasn't in my best interest to have talked on Ravel's behalf, but at the flick of the moment, I was already in my stride, and stopping my brain from working at this pace abruptly may cause a serious malfunction now to this delicate situation.

Overdramatic I may have been, but the inexperienced me needed to learn to handle these forms of dilemmas with decorum as to avoid any unnecessary pursuits to spring up at an unfavourable moment.

"And this is . . . uh, Rei-chan."

"R-R-Rei . . .-ch-chan?"

In an unexpected twist, Ravel went pinkish in the cheeks after I had designated a nickname for her. Maybe it was the fact that it was sprung up on her at a moment's notice that caught her off-guard, or maybe it was because she may have found the name a little embarrassing.

That was what the eleven year old who was myself thought at the time were the only two possible answers to this quite unanticipated erythrotic reaction.

"Oh. Yuu doun't laike it? I'm sorry."

"N-n-n-n-n-n-no, I-I-I really like it. But, I-I never had a nickname before, so . . . when you started calling me Rei-chan, I, um . . . y-y-y-"

Struggling between casually talking towards me, and remaining in formal composure in the presence of our two guests, she started making an incompunctuous attempt in explaining herself. I am ashamed not to say aloud that I did find this side of my Lady very sweet, maybe even cute.

Her words, most unfortunately, started something that none of us would be able to control from this point on. No matter how hard we tried to avoid an escalation, the outcome was inevitable to a certain degree of believability.

"Ara ara, Ise-kun is a heart breaker already."

"K . . . K . . ."

The already strawberry coloured Ravel went cherry after being. I on the other hand was caught in the prepubescent conundrum, in which I was inherently dense so to speak on what it was that was being insisted. As I continued to stare back between the teasing one-sama and the furiously blushing imouto, it was Rias who attempted to quell the situation before it got out of hand.

"Akecchi, don't make fun of Ise-bou. He's too young to understand what you're meaning to imply."

She failed however. She just managed to stoke a strong fire and turn it into a forest fire by blowing upon it. As if she was fully aware of what the outcome of this situation would be leading to, the young yamato nadeshiko, who had still been in her shell just mere moments before, crawled around the table laughing softly as she did until she was directly behind me.

I wish I could have said that I knew best and started to move away as she came near, but my obliviousness failed me in this situation. I did very little to avoid this, not even shifting slightly to the side she wasn't predatorily sneaking from my blind spots.

"Don't be a spoil-spoil, Riri. Can't I have my fun with my adorable little kohai from my home country?"

Almost pouncing from behind, she pressed her chest into my back, wrapping her arms over my shoulders whilst simultaneously rubbing her cheek against the back of my head.

While such a remark I am about to make is not an appropriate part of this topic at hand, I feel it necessary to point out that despite only being twelve years old at the time of this meeting, Akeno was already developing sizeably for a young lady of her age. Quicker than most girls would be the best description.

The room started feeling a little warmer than usual, as my lady was unfortunately losing her soft façade after so much embarrassment, and now with this display of open actions that simply wasn't done in high devil society. Maybe it was anger, maybe it was exasperation. Or it all could have been a lot of emotions that were unnaturally trying to bond together that was causing such a

"D-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-"

"Rei-chan?"

I sometimes wish I could have clicked in tune to the situation in the room. Amongst the light echoes of laughter ringing through the back of my head and inside my left arm, I experienced something that was quite unnatural for myself even after having spent so long in this land of true fantasy come to life, this situation caused an unnatural of its own; my first real precipitated epistaxis.

. . . *ahem*, a nosebleed.

Truly, truly. I should have clicked something by now.

I wish I could say that Rias was able to diffuse the situation before it got wildly out of hand for the four of us. But the twelve year old devil heiress couldn't control the floodgates in the middle of a monsoon. Even whilst standing and professing her disposition towards her actions, it was only

"Akeno. This kind of behaviour would besmirch the Noble House of Gremory's reputation if you were to act like this as an officiated servant. That is something that I cannot tolerate for so long, even from you. You need to stop this before we both get into trouble for this."

"But, I am not yet am I. So that means I can still have my fun."

And with that, she bit my left ear in a playful manner.

I don't know what to call the phenomena, but it felt like everything drowned into a single heartbeat that shook over the room and everything went inversal at the shortest of seconds, and it all was shrouded in a frame of neon cyan and black as it shuddered before releasing itself back into reality.

It was just like that time with Zemele, when she was analysing by {Boosted Gear} and she felt a strong reaction to it. For the experienced high-class devil like Lord Rayzem's wife, it was merely a slight shock, like maybe an unexpected exposure to static electricity.

Imagine how strong it was for the still mortal Akeno, who wasn't even expecting something like this to backfire unto her. The worst part was that the instant it rattled her soul, every muscle in her body contracted at once, especially the arms that had coiled across my neck, and her teeth that were affixed unto my ear.

The bite down was the worst part of that experience for me, more so than the brief moment when my windpipe was being strangled in a vice, as her teeth cut through the skin the slightest and caused pain throughout my hearing receptors, as blood started running freely from it. I was lucky that the experience didn't cause her to bite cleanly though the tissue.

After the episode, she went limp and fell unto her back, while I reached for my ear as the pain finally reached my receptors in my brain. It wasn't that it was like I had broken a bone or anything serious, but that it was so sharp and so sudden that it completely overloaded my thought processes at the time.

"Akecchi!"

"Issei!"

As our future masters rushed to our sides at the sight of our momentary . . . I can't explain what it must have looked like to them, other than like something must have passed through the two of us like an electrical current that caused that reactionary response which inflicted damage upon my ear. I still do not think I could be the best person to interpret how the situation must have appeared from a third person's perspective.

All that I knew, was that the shock had been from Ddraig. It wasn't intentional, but I knew that in some confuddlement in the situation, my Sacred Gear reacted to something with caused this backlash in power at the exact point when she dug her mouth onto my ear.

As I clutched to my ear, whilst Ravel attempted to do her best as stopping the bleeding with magic, I heard Ddraig whisper to me again.

'[Don't react, Partner. Remember our promise.]'

Ddraig was speaking truthful, and this actually related back to the point I was making earlier that I had promised to enlighten you on later into the story; In spite of what situation that may appear before me, my identity, abilities, and most importantly, my position as the [Sekiryuutei], mustn't become public knowledge.

From what I would later become aware of, it was based around the uncertainty of where the House of Phenex would be siding with in the political game as the Underworld was under the heaviest of tensions between factions ever since the conclusion of the 'Xyddit Rywyffot' (The War in the Underworld) between the Old Satan Faction and the Anti-Satan Faction. Despite being an overall victory for the Anti-Satans, there is tensions now between the New Satans and the Old Kings for governance in the Underworld of which now the remaining clans of the Seventy-Two Pillars are now choosing sides, and even some of the powerful Extra Demons are being made to form close ties with one side or the other, but never to both.

To try to parlay with both sides is to gravely insult all negotiating parties as a whole, and to alienate your own person and by extension your own connections. Thus it is a taboo primarily focused upon the most common of senses.

As the wielder of a Longinus, I have the potential to grow at an exponential rate that would far surpass the normal growth of any human, and trump the powers granted from birth to any magic born sapiens like angels or devils. Not to mention that the name itself is reminder to all who speak its name that this Sacred Gear has killed a being of god-class power before. A Longinus doesn't become known as a Longinus until it has fulfilled the reoccurring story and slays a god.

Even if it was just Rias and Akeno now, saying anything now would compromise this situation even more.

It was the sole reason that Ddraig had been keeping himself quiet up until now and only speaking for short amounts of time, apart from my own lack of control of my own Sacred Gear. If Ddraig started making too much of a fuss and woke up fully, then the draconic aura he unconsciously emits would then start leaking. While I was doubtful someone as young as Rias would be able to detect it as something different to devilish aura, the change in power would have caught her attention quite quickly I would imagine it.

This would have been so good if no outside adult came to this room. But I just unintentionally jinxed myself whilst I was thinking of it.

"Akeno, are you feeling alright? Do I need to get my father here? Or my brother?"

Having shed all her attempts as Japanese, which meant she thought of this as a serious situation, Rias was lucky that this wasn't one of those times to call for an emergency. Though Akeno had managed to sit herself up, and there were no outlasting damages on her person as far as I could tell, she was insistent on knowing what had happened.

"I'm fine, Riri. I just . . . lost myself there for a second."

She smacked her lips, having just noticed the blood on her tongue as she turned her head and saw me clutching tightly to my ear as Ravel's magic circles continued to do their work on my open wound.

"Oh my. I'm so sorry Ise-kun. Please, forgive me."

I was glad that she didn't pay too much attention into what had just erupted, but I was also a little preoccupied with the injury on my own person. But still, I did appreciate her sincere gesture of apologies to me.

"Nou niid, Akecchi. I-ch-ch-ch. If I caan't handle a simple cut laike this, then there's nou weiy I culd bii a knai-, Hiii-ch-ch!"

The process of fixing my ear required something a kin to the feeling of burning my skin back a new like the Phenex's {Regeneration} ability. Due to this predicament, I was feeling without frasmotism for a short while before I could sit comfortably still again.

Then, we were interrupted again. But this time, it was the definitive end to our playdate, when a voice called out from the halls.

"Ria-chan."

As Rias turned her head in surprise.

"Onii-sama!"

As his name was called, Rias' older brother, Sirzech Lucifer entered through to door way. Coloured the same crimson red hair that reached to his shoulders, and blue eyes that shone like a pair of brilliant topazes. It was hard to believe that this man who looked to be in his early twenties was even older than Lord Ruval was. Dressed in his traditional ornament robes in shades of various golds, silvers, blacks and of course reds, with large shoulder guards the protruded outwards like three layers of sharp helms that have been cut from their owners and worn as battle trophies upon his person.

If only he could have acted the part as a true Satan, then I wouldn't have to cringe at his attempt to mingle a crude formulation of Deftodiz, Archaic Japanese and what I presume was more modern Japanese, but it didn't sound too efficient as a real form of communication. It was indeed contrafibular just to listen to it.

"Ah, there you both are. Why would you make your Onii-sama worried? Why must Ria-tan upset me so? Don't you love your Onii-sama, Ria-tan?"

To say that Rias Gremory went red would be an understatement. From her position, she was scarlet, tomato and rouge in the face, and with all the colour that had started running to her face, it was also starting to leak out a little around her body. In the same fashion, might I include, that heat naturally rolled off of my Lady Ravel whenever her composure is compromised.

I did say that her emotions were an open bottle did I not. And her control of her {Power of Destruction} was still unstable. Not that her brother didn't continue to push her buttons further.

"Stop talking like that, Onii-sama. You're embarrassing me."

"But Ria-tan, my precious imouto, why must you act this way to your Onii-sama. Oniisama only wants to capture every moment and every expression of Ria-tan's life. What happened to the imouto Ria-tan when she couldn't get enough of her Onii-sama that she used to pull at his ankles begging for him to give Ria-tan the attention she wanted. Why must you have grown to despise your Onii-sama so Rita-tan?"

"I'll tell on you to Grayfia-neesama."

I have mentioned several times where certain instances have caused the world to just go to silence. Well, this was one of the top five moments in my life where the silence was just so unnatural that it wasn't something that one could even make the necessary precautions for.

I wish to point out that I have heavily abridged the entirety of their . . . sibling talks. I found that the full discussion to be unanaspeptic and so believed that it would be easier just to rearrange the fragments of chaos into the simplest sentences that I could make out of their violent exchange of words.

It was no wonder the Maou Lucifer was the least bit afraid of his wife, Grayfia Lucifuge, who was notorious as the [Strongest Queen] in the Underworld. It makes sense when your nickname is the [Silver-haired Queen of Annihilation]. From what little I knew of her, she was not just his Queen, but also his wife, and the mother of their son, Millicas Gremory. At the time, I wouldn't know just how scary she could be, not that even today I would like to find out just what makes a super devil such as him cower at the sound of her name.

It was probably for the reason she wasn't around that he felt that he was loose to act in whatever decorum he desired to.

I will refrain myself from making any direct insults towards one of the Maou in the name of peace and stability. But I would like to make a one critical judgement upon his person; he has a serious affliction with sister-complex.

At the sound of his wife's name being used as a tool of blackmail, it would have appeared that the bicentenary devil king was able make himself act more like the 'Prince of Darkness' you would expect to be seeing from the great king of the Underworld.

Or at the very least he was able be more civil and professional when acting in front of an audience of spectators that were not expecting such childish display from the once they call the [Crimson Satan]. To be fair though, the only real Maou who took his job seriously all the time from what I would later learn was the current Maou Beelzebub, whilst his comrades had found other means to keep them occupied at times when they were not working.

"*ahem* Very well then. Rias, Akeno, our business with Lord Phenex has concluded. Father is downstairs ready for us to leave."

"Ok, Onii-sama."

"Hai, Sirzechs-sama."

As the two of them stood up and proceeded to leave, with some unfathomable comedy from Rias as she attempted to orthostate only to then recall that her own motions were rather limits in the outfit she was wearing, prompting Akeno to grab her by both her arms to pull her to her feet.

Her brother found it to be a joy, but cursed under his breath that he had left any form of recording systems at home. It wasn't long after that both girls said their goodbyes before leaving the room.

"Bye-bye, Ise-kun. Rei-chan. I enjoyed today thanks to you two. It was . . . eventful."

"As did I. Sore dewa (Goodbye), Ise-kun and Rei-chan. Hope you two amend your relationship together. Ufufu."

Ravel did the most ladylike gesture she could do in this situation, and that was to open the nearest book in front of her and hide the lower half of her face, like a noblewoman would do with a fan in hand when the company of others. Perhaps if the Maou Lucifer wasn't in the room, she may have reacted in a normal manner to a girl of her age. Or like how she was when it was just the four of us alone in this room.

The last thing either of us saw, was the Great Devil Lucifer's eyes continue to fixate on me before the door closed behind them.

It wasn't a scary stare, but the look on his eyes as they followed me until he was gone was haunting. Like he was staring through me and deep into my soul. The after image of deep cerulean blue still affixed in my mind as Ddraig gave his own verdict on this new predicament.

'[This might be a problem, partner.]'

'Why? Why would Lucifer-sama be a problem?'

'[He is not the problem, it's the fact he found you that's the problem. While his younger sister and her friend may not have been able to distinguish your power from a normal devil, you can bet that the more experienced Maou Lucifer was able to detect my presence all over you just from being in close proximity.]'

Ddraig was right to be worried. Though I knew little of the Maou Lucifer at the time, he had a reputation that preceded him and there many legends and tales about his prowess and strength in battle, as well as his collection of legendary beings in his peerage. Including himself and his wife who was his Queen, he also had the Legendary Captain of the 1st Unit of the Shinsengumi, Okita Souji as his Knight of Two, the Occult Archmagician of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, MacGregor Mathers as his Bishop of Two. The [Glowing Fish of the Deep Sea] also known as Bahamut as his Rook, with the Clone of the King of the Eldjötnar (Fire Giants) of Muspelheim, Surtr Second as his Mutation Rook. The descendant of the Geatish Dragon Slayer of Nordic Lore, also called Beowulf as his Pawn of Four, and also one of the Ancient Qillins of China named Enku as his other Pawn of Four. To say that he had no bite would be more than a little misconception; it was a bite that would destroy you ten thousand times over and then another.

'[I know little of this new Lucifer, but the one that helped to seal me in this Sacred Gear was ambitious and desired power if it was within his control in order to defeat his enemies. He was the Devil. But this newcomer is something much more powerful that he's transcended the concept of devilkind.]'

Hearing Ddraig speak highly of anyone who is not a dragon was rare, and even to then speak of them as a monster was rarer still. Transcended devilkind? The very notion that an already powerful being could be something far worse that what he was born to be alluded me. The concept wasn't a new idea, but it was one that was wrought with questions about how high they could climb in the levels of power, or would they be able to stop ascending when even managing to reach the pinnacle of power amongst the top ten strongest beings in the universe.

It was no wonder that the Ant-Satans won an all round victory against their Old Faction counterparts if they had a true monster like Maou Sirzechs on their frountlines. With both the {Power of Destruction} of the Bael Clan that can destroy any and all that are struck by its strength, and the {Formulaic Enchantment} of the Gremory Clan which allows a greater proficiency in using even the strongest and most complex of magics like it was second nature, I don't think there could truly be a word to describe what kind of being the current Maou Lucifer was.

'I don't understand.'

'[One of these days Partner, you will. Trust me, you will.]'

After that, Ddraig fell back into slumber to conserve what little of his strength he could muster while stuck in an eleven year old boy's body with next to no magic proficiency what so ever. I felt bad for Ddraig being trapped in such a state, but for now there was little I could do for him.

Besides, this endless need to reserve his power wouldn't be for an eternity. I promised Ravel that I would be the [Red Dragon Emperor] I was destined to be, but I would never reach that goal without my other half being at full strength. After all, it was Ddraig's title rather than mine, since I was the [Sekiryuutei].

Snapping back to her thoughts as she put her book down. Though her face was still a little flushed, she had given up on trying to hide it and was now focused on returning to my studies.

"Right then, Issei. We've had a long enough break. It's time to return to language studies. This time, we'll go for the declensions in nouns next."

"Yes, Ravel."

". . . Rei-chan."

"Sorrii?"

"I-I, I wouldn't mind it, if you wanted to call me Rei-chan again. It's not that I don't want to let everyone else know, but if you could keep saying it in private, then I would be ok with that. But, I-I won't force you to, if you don't want to that is."

Coughing slightly, she went on to explain to me about her reasoning for replying how she did. I admit to say that it was adorable watching her trying to understand if she should be acting more tsun or dere when she was describing her decision to me. I didn't mind at all, it made me happy that she didn't hate the name I chose for her, nor was she just being polite earlier as not to cause an intentional scene in front other guests. I just smiled back as I replied to her request.

"I undastand, Rei-chan."

And so would begin another hours' worth of lessons. And unbeknownst to me was the punishment awaiting me for breaking my promise to refute from speaking full sentences worth of Japanese until I was proficient in Deftodiz. I'm not allowed to say what my punishment was, but I will say that it was the last promise I would be breaking in a good long while.

It wouldn't be years since we would all meet again, but by then it was difficult for them to remember either of us. Riri and Akecchi probably would never have dreamed of meeting either Ise-kun or Rei-chan ever again. But sure enough, this was never meant to be our one and only time we would cross paths by sheer coincidence. The only difference between the two 'first' meetings was that it was not always going to be so friendly and care free as it had been when we were all still children without predetermined destinies lined up within our sights.

---

The Red-haired Princess

And the teasing Onee-san.

Our paths had been crossed.

A meeting of chance,

That was a cruel fate to hang

Above our faces.

If only days like these

Could have last before the change

From friends into foes.

---

Omake IV: Contrasts and Contrafibularities

Alek: (singing to himself) . . . Guess who's back . . . back again-

Issei: (covering his own ears, pulls out the headphones Alek is wearing) Please don't sing. Not even if you're feeling happy like this.

Alek: (fake pout) Spoil sport. (puts away the headphones) Ok, we shall get started. I first want to say that to all of those people getting annoyed with the 'mispronounciations' of words and use of ("this") to explain what "swez" means, etc. Well, this will be the last time full sentences like these will come up so rejoice and have come cake.

Ravel: (pondering) Was that all you wanted people to get cake for?

Alek: Well, no; the real reason was because now we are celebrating 100 favourites and 100 follows!

Ravel: (confused) . . . But, that was last week. You even said it in your last chapter.

Alek: Yes, well I am aware and yes, I did mention it last chapter, but this weeks omake will be a party for the four of us!

Issei: (excited) What kind of party?

Alek: The one where nothing is different except we now have cake and presents. Horray!

Issei: (deadpanned) You just like messing with my emotions don't you?

Ravel: (noticing something) Four? But I thought Ddraig wasn't coming this week. He never even woke up the whole week we were reading through the fan translations. (inner monologue) Speaking of which, why do we need translations in order to read the Light Novels? Issei's Japanese, and I am also fluent in the language. (sighs) Nevermind then.

Alek: (thumbs up) Correct Ravel. Ok, so our guest for this weeks omake is someone who appeared in this chapter. After much debate, I decided to go with the obvious choice here.

Issei: (angry) Oi! You're not going drop her from the sky like you did us, are you?

Alek: (innocent hands raised up) Relax, that was just to humour myself.

Ravel: (slightly inflaming) Humour yourself?

Alek: W-what I meant to say was; I have now perfected entry into this pocket universe, so we won't have a mishap like that again. (clearing his throat) Without further adieu, our guest this week is the Heiress of the Dukes of Gremory, the [Crimson Ruin Princess] herself; Rias Gremory!

Rias: (appears surrounded in red with a large frown) . . .

Alek: (noticing the bad aura in the room) . . . Um, Rias. Why do you look at me like I'm a stone that got caught in your shoe.

Rias: (crossing her arms) It's because I don't agree with what you are doing with my prize servant and my former-kouhai; you do remember that he is my Pawn and that make me the master of his soul. Taking him without my permission, and not even offering anything in compensation is in violation of the rules put in place for devil contracts. Plus I should add that summoning Ravel also is highly costly and only those of , but judging from how long they've been here, and how not even the higher ups could finds this place, I guess there's nothing I can do to stop this going on, is there?

Issei: (anime tears) R-Ri~as.

Alek: I'm glad we understand each other here. So, Rias, glad you could make it here.

Rias: How else could I have stopped you?

Ravel: That's a fair point. Considering none of us know how on earth you doing this.

Rias: (thinking) Hmm, this actually sort of reminds me of the Sacred Gear, {Dreamlike Curse}. It's Balance Breaker: [Palaselene Utopia] had an ability like this.

Alek: (to the audience) For those of you who don't know about this, read the short story: "Rias in Wonderland". It is available in English Translations. Enjoy. (continuing) On to the Reviews: First off-

Ravel: (shouting) HOLD UP!

Alek: (annoyed) What?

Ravel: Before we start, I am taking this one from User:Dragon_Rider_66. (to the user while starting to ignite slowly) You know why this is happening.

Rias: (confused) Why is this such a big deal to her?

Alek: It's best not to ask.

Issei: (shivering in fear) . . . eh-hehehe . . .

Rias: (concerned) Issei?

Alek: (shaking his head) Don't ask.

Ravel: (opening up the present from '66') Right then, so '66' has sent . . . (stunned) a pie?

Alek: Pie?

Issei: Who's it for?

Ravel: (reading the note) For the- (shocked, and speaks no more) Actually, it's for Issei.

Issei: (reads the notes) . . . Oh! '66' says that this pie is my gift to Alek-sama, . . . for, cele- . . . -brating over 50 reviews! Congratulations Author-san!

Ravel and Rias: (both now informed about what's going on) Congratulations!

Alek: (tears in his eyes) Oh, thank you. Thank you, all of you. (sniffing and wiping his nose) I-I don't know what to say. (stomach rumbles with curiosity) What flavour is it?

Issei: (thinking on the spot) . . . um, I-I-It's . . . P-Pie . . . flavour?

Alek: (pauses for a while with a neutral face) . . . O~oh. (accepts the pie from Issei) Thank you very much.

Issei: (Wiping his brow) Thank god there's Wifi in here, or else I never would have seen that YouTube clip, ASDF Movie 2. It was just something on the spot. (notices something int he bottom of the box) He~llo (opens the bottom, eyes widen and then sneaks away from the scene with a large half-smile, half-scared expression).

Alek: (Not noticing Issei leave as he observed the pie) What's this candle in here for (eyes widen) No way! He remembered my birthday! Oh, '66', you've outdone yourself here. Ravel, could you give me a light if you please?

Ravel: (aware of the pie's potential) Of course Author-san. (snaps her fingers and a spark lights the "wick"/fuse) I have an idea; how about you go into the kitchen and grab a fork so you can eat it once the candle burns out?

Alek: I'll do just that. (walks away to get a fork)

Rias: (waits a while)Does this place have a kitchen?

Ravel: If it does, then I have never visited it. I don't even think it's his birthday either. (back to reviews) Oh, Rias-senpai; are you caught up with the story, or do I need to explain it over for you?

Rias: (shaking her head) No thank you. I am . . . aware of what the story is about. While I can't say I concede to the idea that-

*BANG*SPLAT*

RaveL: And that was the surprise pie from '66'. Thank you for some well needed payback. (heating up slightly) And remembering your place from last weeks "gift".

Rias: (confused) What happened last week?

Ravel: (cooling down, whilst pulling a false smile) Oh, nevermind that.

Alek: (far off screen, in the "kitchen") Aww man! It's Banoffee flavour!

Ravel: That's what he's concerned about? (shrugs and carries on) The rest of '66's message notes that the Author made a mistake about the {Boosted Gear}, that the power boosts every ten seconds, not minutes.

Alek: (far off screen) I did that on purpose!

Ravel: You can't just make stuff up to cover yourself! Fanfiction doesn't work like that for everything! (curious) Where are you now?

Alek: (far off screen) I'm taking a shower! I have Banoffee Pie all in my clothes and my hair!

Rias: (shrugs) Guess we'll have to do the rest without him for a while, won't we, Ravel?

Ravel: Hai, Rias-former buchou! (opens the review from User:ferodile) Ok, this users asks: "Is ravel going to be a tsundere or is that going to change and will issei still have his oppai dragon show." (stares at fero) I have no idea what you're talking about; I am Issei's manager and [Bishop] now. I have nothing but respect for Ise-senpai. It's not . . . (hesitates slightly) I-it's . . n-n- . . .

Rias: (trying to paccify the situation) I think it's best we leave that little discussion for another time. (curious) Hmm, this seems like something to ask Alek-sama about.

Alek: (reappears, slightly wet) I'm back!

Rias: That was a quick shower.

Alek: Well I was just washing Banoffe Pie out of my hair and I didn't need to do thorough clean of myself. (Rias and Ravel step away slightly) . . . Haha, very funny. So what was the questions again?

Rias: "Will Ravel still be Tsundere?" and "Will there be Oppai Dragon?" (notices Ravel's blushing) Don't be like that, it's obvious the real you has feelings for Issei. All the girls do. (slightly glowing red) All . . . The . . . Girls . . . Do.

Alek: (steps a way a little) Ok, Ferodile; 1. No and yes is my answer, because the situation is complicated with her being a High-class and he being Low-class, and then pure-blood - reincarnated, childhood friendships. It's complicated how to say their stances to each other will be during this fic, but this is their ship I am sailing, and I promise this arc will be satisfactory to the shippers at the end.

Ravel: (flustered) W-w-w-well, if that's what the Author has to say, then there's no point in questioning it. None of us can stop it, so we just have to let it be.

Alek: . . . um, ok? I am definitely sure my OOC Ravel is bleeding through somewhere, but I can't find where. (moving along) 2. It's quite possible; Rayzem (the second son who I named) is a TV producer, so there is the possibility that Oppai Dragon may come about, but not until the end of the second arc though, so it will be sometime.

Rias: (glowing more red) Oh? And do you expect either me or Ravel-chan to be having our breasts poked in order for this dream to come into fruition?

Ravel: (starting to inflame) Yes. Tell us, Author-san. Which one of us are you planning to be the [Switch Princess]?

Alek: (shaking at the sight of two High-class devils maximizing their powers) . . . Damn, why did I have to put anime rules in this universe? (Realises something) Um, where's Issei?

Ravel and Rias: (power down) Huh?

Alek: Wasn't he with you?

Ravel: I though he was with you?

Rias: (sighs) I'll go look for him. You two finish the reviews while I'm gone. (leaves to find Issei)

Alek: This is not going to end well. (back to Ferodile) Oh, he got you a gift, Ravel.

Ravel: (opens the box, and instantly goes red) . . . H-huh? (pulls out a red cheerleaders outfit) . . . g-g-g-g

Alek: (reads the message) "A box full of sexy cosplay items she can try and use on issei" (clenches fist) That lucky bastard. Now I want to punch him like all the guys do.

Ravel: (quickly hides the box) M-M-move on!

Alek: (snaps back) Oh, right. (clears throat and reads the review from User:War historian) Wow, very enthusiastic. Best leave that out of harms way. (reads the review from User:Triplesquidge) Thank you, I might take you up on that offer. (reviewer from User:RedSS) O~oh. I'll crack this open later. But I want to check for any nasty surprises before then. (reads review from Guest) Oh, I didn't know that's what 'Zemele' meant. I just used the name of a Thraco-Phrygian goddess of the same name that I liked the sound of. And lastly this one from User:Thus dud, who actually has another question: "I kinda want to know the extent of Issei's ability." (clears his throat) Well Dud, you're in luck, because this is the purpose of my story building; by the time Issei fights Rias' team directly as in the prologue he has already achieved Balance Breaker, and if you read the prologue carefully, you'll notice some unexpected growth this early in the story. Something "normal pawns promoting". Look out for when it comes. (winks confidently)

Ravel: You realise he can't really see that? (picks up some pieces of paper) And here are the negative reviews. (looks at Alek) Don't worry, I won't read them out if they mention any language problems. (picks ups User:DrunkenFistNinja's review) ". . . a little long winded, but nothing too bad.", ok. ". . . awkward sentences. Not quite run on, but not quite right, either, . . . ". (contemplating) Hmm, I think he's right about proofreading.

Alek: Well, I do try, but I have enough time worrying about other things as well like is this chapter going where I need to? is it long enough? does it interest people? Plus, I did ask last week for a beta reader, but so far

Ravel: Now you're just being pushy. You can't just expect people to instantly sign up when they just want to read. It's so uncouth of you to expect any of them to do your work for you.

Alek: (sighs) You're right. I should really consider hiring you as my manager, Ravel.

Ravel: (shakes her head) Sorry, but I am already committed to a full time career with Issei-senpai. I've already got him book for then next decade and it's still building up as we speak. (narrows her eyes) Especially since we had to cancel so many due to you keeping us prisoner here. (reads the review from User:LordGhostStriker) . . . um? "It's funny how DxD harem stories are the same shit with a different coat of brown. / And, that DxD single pairings are stories you know that can be shit but you will read it anyway because it's different shit." Is this even negative? Is it negative? Is he calling this shit? Is he not?

Alek: (rereading over the review) . . . I don't know.

Ravel: Anyways, last negative is from User:warrof, but it's mostly good; "This chapter was kinda slog to get through... But enjoyable nonetheless." I think that's an acceptable response. Right then, now I wonder if Rias-san found Issei-senpai yet?

*CRASH*KABOOM* (red light flashes off screen)

Alek: (staring at the lights in horror) How much do you want to bet '66' is responsible for this?

Ravel: (shocked by the continued explosions and the sound of Issei's shrieks of pain) A mine of platinum and rhodium ores the size of Kyushu that you're correct.

Rias: (returns with Issei by the collar, still glowing in red) I found him.

Issei: (crying to himself, covered in bandages, bruises, cuts and swellings) . . . urhh. Why? I have a collection of porn at home under my bed that you didn't even touch, but when it's just a few photos you go ballistic on me.

Rias: (glaring at him) Did you happen to mention that the photos were of Sona, Lady Serafall, and Sona's Rook Tsubasa?

Issei: (shrinks) N-n-no.

Rias: Then you realise that this is why you're being punished.

Issei: (quietly to himself) it's not like former Kaichou had much to admire anyways, neither did Satan-girl.

Alek: (shaking his head with his hand on his brow) You really are the worst.

Ravel: (angry) Did I just hear that cat again?

Alek: (scared) N-no. It was just the wind. Right, now that the reviews are done, what should we discuss?

Issei: (rubbing his wounds) I want to know more about the history you invented, and especially where you got the idea for it all.

Alek: You mean the story that I wrote for Ravel's book.

Ravel: Yes, I would also like to know where it came from.

Alek: Well, it's actually a real story.

Issei: (stunned) Huh?

Alek: Yes; there is a legitimate story about Bael defeating the Sea Dragon Lotan. It's part of the story to explain the changing of the seasons. The only difference is that Bael and Hadad were considered the same being, because Bael is a title, and it comes from Semetic languages meaning "Lord", so Ba'al Hadad meant "Lord Hadad". It's also where Beelzebub comes from, which translates as "Lord of the Flies".

Rias: So, what you're saying is that all the stuff that you wrote about as a history of our species is all true?

Alek: (conflicted) . . . Well, no. I took a few creative liberties to merge the Ancient Canaan Mythology to the Abrahamic faiths traditional chronology. It helped that I was already using the Jewish Calendar to keep track of the timeline, so it meant that I could establish 5300 years ago as about the time when the Canaan Mythos died out and the start of the rule of Monotheism began.

Issei: Hmm, well it must have taken a bit of time to work out. (thought of something) How about what you said about the Evil God Yahm eventually becoming God of the Bible. Is that true or a 'creative liberty?

Alek: (putting on his "smart" glasses) It's not 100% confirmed facts, but a lot of research and theories have gone into detail and speculation that the God of the Sea Yahm (also spelt Yahw) may have evolved at a later date into Yahweh, which is the figure believed to be associated with God in the Torah, and thus the God of all the Abraham faiths. Jehovah and Allah are also linked to the same origin, but under different names. Plus it makes sense when you consider many factors around God of the Bible involve water; On the first day, God created Heaven and Earth, but the earth was formless and void, and the only thing below the heavens was water. The Flood, enough said about that. Even Jesus' ability to walk upon the water, turn it into wine, aid in catching an abundance of fish. It all makes quite the compelling argument even if you don't believe it.

Ravel: (observant) Seems like a lot of speculations, but the early stuff does seem to make sense.

Alek: I actually did this research for another fanfiction I was planning to write for the anime series "Campione!". I had intended for my OC to kill the God Jehovah, so I did research into his origins outside of the bible, which lead me to some very interesting finds and links.

Issei: (scratching his head) I've never heard of that series.

Alek: (surprised) You haven't? I would recommend it, but unfortunately it only has one season with 12 episodes. But, you can find Volume 1-16 translated online, so it is worth looking for. (inner monologue) Makes sense he doesn't know of it since the anime was made in 2012, whereas the LN chronology of DxD is still in early 2009 as of Volume 22. Even the Campione! LN's were only started in September 2008, while there was the whole Hero Faction and Qlippoth Arcs to contend with. (remembering) Oh, I think that another reason you may like it is because much like how your Sacred Gear is a Longinus, and has the power to kill gods, the premise of the series is about God Slayers who kill gods and take a portion of their power.

Issei: (pondering) I may do that. What about the original Satan's being gods? Is that also true?

Alek: Well in the collective Canaanite religion, Attar is the God of the Morning Star, the title given to Lucifer, and also of War, or goddess since to this day people are unsure if he was a she or not. Beelzebub was believed to originally be a cult god in the city of Ekron. Asmodeus' name originated from the real Zoroastrian wraith Aeshma Deava. Leviathan was based on Lotan, which was a predicament, so I used the lesser used name "Litanu" as the name instead and separated the two into individual beings.

Ravel: So you basically have an idea of where most if not all the devils come from?

Alek: Basically yes.

Rias: (excited) How about my family name, Gremory?

Alek: That comes from, I believe, from Gomorrah since an alternate spelling is "Gomory", which was later influenced by the Frankish word "grima" which means "sorcery", that would become "Grimoire" which relates to a Book of Magic. Lord Zeoticus' [Bishop], Henry Cornelius Agrippa, wrote many grimoires himself. It would also explain why the Gremory's hereditary ability is "magic proficiency". Others like "Cimaris" is based on the Greek "Chimera", so the devil family would have originated in Greece and had some connection with it's name sake. Barbas and Barbatos could have been related in the past which is why their names are similar, as are Asmodeus and Asmodai, even Andras, Andrealphus and Andromalius possibly. Perhaps Beelzebub got the first half of it's name from the Baels. Even Rofocale Lucifuge, or Lucifuge Rofocale as his name was originally presented, could have come from the family of Focalor. There are so much possibilities to explore, but I will restrain from changing the focal point of this story.

Issei: (concerned) Is it ok that I kind of want to applaud you? It feels so . . . wrong, after having to endure all this for your self pleasure.

Alek: Don't then. (moving on) As for the written part of the text, I based the devil letters used by Issei to write his and Ravel's names, which I called 'Azaberkna', on the Gothic Alphabet, with the vowel symbols being inspired by those used in Hebrew to give it a look that resembled an Abjad that had inspirations taken from the Alphabets used in Europe.

Rias: Can't argue when it's already been done. I like that as similar to "Alphabet", the name for "Azaberkna" comes from the first two letters "aza" and "bercna".

Alek: Well thank you very much for the compliment. (looking back at the crate behind his feet) Is that all? (waits for a reply, but then starts to move towards the crate from User:RedSS) No? Ok the-

Rias: (interrupting) Actually . . .

Alek: (face palming) Oh, god.

Rias: I noticed that there were a lot of words that . . . for better or worse, didn't make any sense. I don't even think they are even real words.

Alek: (lighting up) Ah, you mean "Pericombobulations", "Incompunctuous", "Frasmotism", "Unanaspeptic", and "Contrafibular". Yes?

Rias: (agreeing)Yeah, those words.

Alek: For those of you who haven't seen the BBC TV series "Blackadder" (1983-1989), the third series was about the title character Edmund Blackadder (portrayed by Rowan Atkinson) is a butler for George, the Prince Regent (later George IV, portrayed by Hugh Laurie), and in one episode, Dr Samuel Johnson (portrayed by Robbie Coltrane), who wrote the complete English Dictionary, arrives to ask for the Prince's backing for the books publication after explaining how it had taken him ten years to compile every word in the English language, which then causes Blackadder to offer up some "words" of his own.

Ravel: (confuddled) So those words don't really exist then?

Alek: No.

Issei: (confused) Then you wasted sentences with words that have no meaning. Why?

Alek: Well, actually it's a joke I decided to pull after User:Dragon_Rider_66 commented last week that Issei sounded like a butler, so i thought I would do just that for an ironic joke so Issei would really sound like a butler.

Issei (misunderstanding) It wasn't a funny joke to be honest. Plus, you could have chosen some more familiar butler that people would recognise, like . . . that demon guy who shares his name with an exorcist. Um, . . . Michael Sebastian, I think.

Alek: (rolls his eyes) . . . Is it the copyright issues? Is that why he made such an obviously stupid mistake?. . . Anyways; secondly, I added pericombobulation first since I wanted to use a word that was familair, but would have a definitive menaing to fit the mood of the sentense, but then I actually invented meanings for those words based on how they are constructed when I then though to myself 'I've already added one in, why not add the lot?';

So first in chronological order, as on the show, Contrafibularity is a combination of "contra-", from Latin 'contra' meaning "against", and "fibular", also from Latin 'fi + bula' which refers to a brooch worn to hold clothing together like a safety pin, so word could mean something like 'to cause instability', since the word 'fibular' also refers to the smaller bone in the lower half of the leg which helps to sustain balance.

Anaspeptic from the Greek words 'ἀνα-' (ana) meaning 'upon, again, etc.', and 'πέψις ' (pepsis) meaning "digestion", so it means something like 'able to digest or understand', but I might have stretched that definition one too thinly.

Frasmotic comes from "fras-", from Greek 'φράσις' (phrasis) meaning "manner of expression", and "motic", from Latin "motus" meaning 'motion'. So frasmotic means 'an expression of movement'.

Compunctuous from Latin "com" meaning 'with, and "punctuate" meaning 'to emphasise', making it 'with emphasis' or 'emphasising'.

and finally, Pericombobulation is made from "peri-", from the Greek 'περί'' (peri) meaning 'around, about, etc.', and "discombobulation" which means 'an embarrassing feeling that causes confusion'. So the word means 'almost an embarrassing cause of confusion'.

Right then, are we done?

Issei: I'm good here.

Ravel: No more questions from me. How about you Rias.

Rias: I think I had everything i wanted to ask covered. I just really want to get out of here.

Issei: (depressed) So do was all. (remembers something) Hang on! What about the party you said we were going to have?

Alek: (tutting) No worries, that is was RedSS's crate is for. We now have drinks! (opens the crate to reveal three bottles of vodka and a bottle of Chilean red wine) This guy is enjoying a cold one were he is, so he sent the rest to us. (offering use of the crate to the others) How about it? Take your pick.

Issei: (refusing) I'm underage, so I can't unfortunately.

Ravel: (also refusing) As am I; in the Underworld the drinking age is 18.

Rias: Yes, and in Japan, it's 20. In the United States, I hear that it's 21 due to a new law being passed nationwide.

Alek: (pulls the bottles out) Well, good for me, since I live in the United Kingdom, and the minimum drinking age is 5 . . .

Issei, Ravel, and Rias: (flabbergasted) WHAT!

Alek: (continuing) . . . on a non-licensed premises, like at home. (opening the first bottle) For licensed premises, it's 16 for beer, cider and wine with a meal, and 18 for anything else, including purchasing. (starts drinking)

Issei: (annoyed) Damn it. This is so unfair that he gets to drink while we have to watch him. (crosses his arms in a huff) At least Sensei was considerate enough to offer me a substitute while he drank.

Ravel: (shrugs and sighs) Though I suppose its pay back for the Banoffee Pie bomb incident. I wouldn't be surprised if he did this knowing that he would get the last laugh on us. As expected from Author-san.

Rias: (looks back at Alek and notices the empty bottles) . . . Wait, how many has he drunk? I haven't had any yet!

Issei: (shocked, runs to look at the box) The whole crate! All three bottles of vodka. And now he's- (noticing the bottle of Chilean wine in his hands) Author-san!

Alek: (pulls the bottle from his mouth, whilst tipsy) . . . hwat?

Rias: (angry and disappointed at the same time) You didn't even leave the wine for me. (giving up as he continues to drink) At least slow down, you're going to be sick!

Alek: NO! *hic* I'll tell you . . . that you will be the one sicking everywhere. (licks his lips and looks at the bottle) I don't even like wine, so why I drinking this? (thinks it over) . . . meh, more wine *hic* will tell me answers.

Issei: You're English just got worse. (everyone gasps) What?

Alek: (crying now at the memory, hugs the bottle in his hands) . . . Don't be an Issei! I try my *hic* best, but my hands type further than my eyes can read. I trying. *sniff* I really do. (sobs in an alcoholic induced whinge) I'm just human, but now I am your *hic* God. (mood swings) I could kill you and then I would say "hey, who speaks bad English now" and then I laugh and then *hic* . . . and then . . . (passes out on the floor)

Ravel: Well, that was unexpected. (sighs) It's like this every week. I hate having to be the straight one most of the time. (inner monologue) Good thing too. His drunken rant was too unbelievable to even be passable.

Rias: (snatching the rest of the bottle from Alek, then poking him with a stick found conveniently nearby) Hey, how am I suppose to leave now that he's this intoxicated?

Ravel: (shrugs) If we knew that, we would have left a month ago. (sighs) I guess we'll have to leave it till next week. On behalf of the Author, we would like to say thanks and until next time.

Issei, Ravel, and Rias: Bye-bye!

Alek: (in between sobs) Ehh! Go to, . . . *hic* wherever heck is!

---

Thank you for *hic* reading, and review at your nearest *hic* convenience.

Special thanks to . . . um, these guys right here: 'Karoka Partas', 'RizomataNyan', 'Valimesh', 'Dragon Rider 66', 'On Soaring Wings', 'FateBurn', 'PlutoGenesis', 'ferodile', 'RedSS', 'Triplesquidge', 'War historian', warrof', 'Imperial-samaB', 'WarRedMachine20', 'Yankee718', 'LordGhostStriker', 'TheLaughingStalk Lenny-Kun', 'Guest' (4) , 'Thus dud', 'DrunkenFistNinja', and 'drath56' for their reviews, I *hic* really do appreciate it.

Oh, next week, there's a party and stuff . . . so *hic* OC's are welcomed if anyone wants one added. *hic* Devils though, cause of time and stuff. And Issei's not a devil anymore next chapter *hic*, but *shhh* I'm not suppose to say anything.

Well, *hic* until next time everyone. Bye!

(My English isn't *sniff* terrible. *hic* It's not!)