"So, Azazel, what happened here?" Azazel shot Issei a dirty look as the human pulled him to his feet, the smoke having settled rather quickly.

"You should be telling me that as you're the catalyst for all of this." Issei sighed as Azazel's statement couldn't be more correct. Issei was the catalyst for Sirzechs' rage, but that was all he knew. He didn't know the details of Raiser Phenex's death, he didn't know about Rias and her injuries and he certainly didn't know about the man that came close to being identical to him. He didn't know about any of it, yet he was supposed to explain himself to someone that probably did?

"I'm the catalyst that knows nothing." Azazel rose an eyebrow as Issei shifted his bodyweight onto one leg.

"So you really know nothing about what happened to the Devils?" Issei nod once. "Seriously?" A second nod forced a sigh out of Azazel as he massaged the bridge of his nose. "But you know all about Kokabiel?" A third nod was all Azazel needed to confirm his rising suspicions.

"I know all about Kokabiel but know nothing about Sirzechs' issues. If you could please enlighten me on this matter that concerns these Devils?" Azazel folded his arms across his chest.

"Unfortunately, I know nothing about the things that happen on his side of the Underworld." Issei frowned, glancing at the destruction around him.

"Then I'll have to wait for him to wake up."

"You will. In the meantime, would you please take a seat?" Azazel pulled a chair out from under one of the few surviving desks and plopped himself down on it, a hand rubbing the side of his neck. Issei took one step back and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"While I would like to discuss the events surrounding Kokabiel, I came to this school with different business in mind." Azazel clumsily lit a cigarette and stared up at Issei, an eyebrow raised as he waited for Issei to continue. "It has to do with Raynare. If you want, I can bring her here as a witness." Azazel released a puff of smoke.

"I'd appreciate that."

Raynare yawned as she found herself staring at the television in front of her. With a thin sheet she had half-heartedly wrapped around her to protect her modesty from no one, she absentmindedly took in the sights and sounds of a soap opera that had been airing every day at the same time for the past week, "Human television isn't half bad. It's terrible, but it's not boring."

After losing her wings and what was essentially her right to be a Fallen Angel, she genuinely had nothing to do during the day. Sure, Issei had been at home with her for the majority of the past week, but that didn't mean he spent all of his time with her. Most of the time he left her to her own devices as he pursued his own hobbies.

"Stupid Issei, leaving me here all alone."

"Gasp! So that's how you really feel about me…" Raynare turned her head to stare at Issei, not even surprised that he appeared out of nowhere, and flinched as a bag was thrown in her direction. Its contents were soft, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt Raynare as it bounced off of her face.

"Of course it is. We haven't had a very good relationship so far, have we?" Raynare said as she peered into the bag. A neatly folded white summer dress sat inside of it.

"Why do you make it sound like we're in love?" Raynare stood on her feet and headed towards the bathroom, stopping at the doorway as she glanced at Issei from over her shoulder.

"Because the only thing I've been doing this past week is watching crappy soap operas on TV. Whose fault do you think it is?" Issei rubbed his chin as he pretended to think about his answer. He snapped his fingers, watched as Raynare shut the door behind her as she shook her head and grinned.

"It's your fault, you know? If you wanted to go outside, you could have gone outside. If you wanted to go out for lunch, you could have asked." Issei heard Raynare groan from inside the bathroom.

"Did you know that you're an annoying prick?" Issei chuckled to himself as he leaned on the wall next to the door.

"Sometimes, yes." The door swung open moments later, an annoyed Raynare emerging with folded arms.

"Good. Anyway, what's the occasion? Taking me out on a date?" Issei rose an eyebrow.

"Are you asking me that because you secretly love me?" Raynare huffed and puffed her cheeks out as she passed Issei, stepping down into the genkan.

"I bet you wish I was in love with you." Raynare crouched down and slipped a pair of sandals on that Issei had given her earlier on in the week, muttering obscenities to herself as she slipped out of the house moments later, Issei trailing behind her. "So, where are we going?"

"You're going to meet an old friend…well, he's you're leader instead of a friend, isn't he?"

My heart was racing a thousand miles an hour.

Why?

I was meeting the leader of my faction after my impromptu and sudden desertion.

Did he know about it?

Did he know about the things Kokabiel did?

Did he know that Issei killed Kokabiel?

My mind would not rest, nor would it stop racing through countless thoughts that continued to ravage my mind.

Would Azazel kill me?

What would he think of my wingless body?

What is he going to do to me?

Issei led me through the empty school building as all students and staff had, according to Issei, evacuated after Azazel's and Sirzechs' short but devastating fight.

Azazel and Sirzechs.

They are the leaders of their respective factions.

Azazel the Scapegoat of the Grigori guides the Fallen Angels.

Sirzechs Lucifer the Crimson Demon, the leader of the Four Satans of the Underworld, guides the Devils.

Both are powerful figures who are the strongest of their race with few to rival them and their power made itself clear as I made my way into a corridor that had essentially been destroyed; there were no doors or walls to speak of.

If I had to be honest, the state of the building was rather underwhelming. Two of the strongest beings in the world had only destroyed a few walls? Maybe they had been holding back. Maybe they didn't want to accidentally kill any of the students or staff.

And as I was led into what remained of one particular classroom, Issei never turning to face me, I understood why.

Azazel sat on a chair by himself, a cigarette in his mouth as he stared down at the still body of a man I had never seen before. Judging by their crimson hair, it was Sirzechs Lucifer. I shifted my eyes to Issei's back and watched as he glanced at me from over his shoulder. He mouthed something at me that I couldn't understand, but I took it as a sign to step forward.

The building hadn't been destroyed more than it had been because Azazel had successfully defeated Sirzechs. I didn't know if Sirzechs had been knocked out or had been killed, but it was clear that Azazel had somehow overcome the strength of his opponent and had emerged victorious.

Knowing that, I cleared my throat and watched as Azazel lazily swung his head in my general direction, his dim eyes lighting up at the sight of me and my 'partner', "Ah, the two people I was waiting for. Did you finish whatever it was you had to do, Issei?" Azazel kept the cigarette in his mouth as he talked, my eyes wondering around the room in an effort to avoid the pair of eyes that would not let me out of their sight.

"Nope. I decided I'd get Raynare first because I thought I'd need her for what I was going to do." Azazel pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and dropped it on the floor, squishing it with his heel.

"Well, whatever works best for you." I felt left out as the two men conversed with each other, even though one of them never looked away from me. It was a little uncomfortable, but it was a nice feeling as I was receiving the attention I once craved. "So, you're Raynare, correct?"

My heart sunk as Azazel asked that question. I knew there were a lot of Fallen Angels in the Grigori, most of them unimportant with no redeeming qualities, but I was kind of hoping that Azazel would have recognised me. But it couldn't be helped. He was an important man and had many things to do, so of course he wouldn't remember a lowly Fallen Angel like me.

"Yes, sir, I am Raynare."

"You don't need to call me sir. Just call me Azazel." I felt my cheeks heat up from embarrassment as my attempt to be polite was shot down.

"O-okay, Azazel." A grin spread across Azazel's face as he briefly glanced at Issei, his white teeth revealing themselves as he grinned.

"Isn't she cute, Issei?" I saw the beginnings of a smirk form on the face of my human benefactor as my face became even hotter.

"Well, this is just one of two forms, you know? This is the cute schoolgirl form and the other one is the sexy seductress." Azazel's eyes almost popped out of his skull as the intensity of his stare increased. All of this attention is nice, but it's not so good when it feels as if they're seeing your naked body…

"For real!? Let me see it. She has huge breasts in this form, so they'll get bigger, right?" Without looking at Issei, I could tell that he winked at Azazel, making my leader salivate from the perverted thoughts he probably had. I covered my chest with both arms in an attempt to relieve the dread I was suddenly feeling.

"C-can we get on with whatever it is you need me for? Y-you're making me uncomfortable…" My voice was only a quiet squeak, but it was enough to make my leader clear his throat to recompose himself, a red tinge visible on his cheeks.

"I agree." Was his response as he jumped to his feet, his arms folded over his chest as he stared down at me. "Now, Issei brought you here to act as a witness. Are you familiar with Kokabiel?" I nod once, his eyes still not leaving me. "I'd like to know how. Did he approach you? Was it a coincidence? Or did someone introduce you to him?"

"He approached me. I was in the Underworld and was trying to find a decent restaurant I could eat at. He saw that I didn't know where to go, so he guided me to a nice place and had lunch with me."

"That's unlike him. What happened next? Did he offer you anything? Something like power, fame or money?" I scratched my cheek in embarrassment as I did not want to tell Azazel what I had been offered. But if I wanted to help Azazel, I would have to tell him, despite my embarrassment.

"Y'see, he, um, he offered me the power to be recognised by you…in a, uhh, romantic way…" I buried my head in my hands as I quietly groaned from the embarrassment I had been continuously feeling, my cheeks so hot I could almost burn my hands on them. I peeked out at Azazel from behind my hands and saw that his cheeks were a little red too, my shame decreasing just a little at the oddly pleasant sight.

"Oh, um, well, it honours me to hear that you have those kinds of feelings for me…Raynare…" Azazel coughed into a hand as he turned his head away. In the corner of my eye, I could see Issei giggling uncontrollably. To solve that, I elbowed him in the ribs as hard as I could in the hopes that it would shut him up.

"I don't really feel that way anymore, so don't take this the wrong way, okay? If you do…well, I can't really do anything to you, can I? But if I could, I'd punch you until you apologise."

"Even if you tried to hurt me, you probably wouldn't be able to. Anyway, what happened after Kokabiel offered you that?"

"He asked me to join him. To be more specific, he asked me to join his group because he was planning on staging a coup." A grimace slipped onto Azazel's face, showing that he wasn't happy with what I had said. "I swear it's the truth. I didn't find that out straight away, but more of our kind were sweet-talked by him to join his cause. My obsession for power meant I didn't want to leave, not that I was able to, because leaving meant betraying the cause and the punishment for that was death…" Azazel pursed his lips together as he refrained from showing any emotion.

"I see." Was his simple response as he approached me. "Is there anything else you know? What about Kokabiel appearing in this town?" I frowned as I tried my best to recall any memories of Kokabiel ordering me to move to this town, but nothing came to mind.

"Unfortunately, I don't why he decided to come here, but if I had to take a guess, it was after I failed to send him a report on a mission he had given me. I also think it's because he wanted to try and reignite a war with the Devils." Azazel stopped short of me and glanced at Issei, my leader's face still lacking any emotion.

"What was your mission?" I silently gulped after he asked that question.

"My mission? My mission was to assassinate the human right next to me because of a Sacred Gear that Kokabiel thought was in his possession. It is apparently strong enough to defeat him, assuming you got to him first." Azazel furrowed his brow.

"So you didn't follow through with it? And a Sacred Gear? Which one?" Issei stepped forward to respond in my place.

"She attacked me but I, in a crazed frenzy, defeated her and tore her wings off. I also sealed her magic at the same time so she couldn't attack me again. As for the Sacred Gear, I'll leave it up to your imagination as I'm not ready to share that information." Azazel sighed as he stepped back, his head hanging low as he ran a hand down his face.

"This…this is all a big, fucking mess that I really don't want to sort out."

"Well, you can sleep on it, I guess. I'll have you know that Rias Gremory had asked me to help with Kokabiel because he was on her territory without her permission. She didn't necessarily ask me to kill him, but as he was seriously trying to kill me, I had no choice but to use all of my strength. I take full responsibility for his death." I glanced up at Issei and reached out to tug on his sleeve so I could grab his attention, but I hesitated and pulled my arm back at the last second.

If he wants to take responsibility for the whole thing, there's nothing I can do to change that.

"No, no, it's okay. If what Raynare is saying is true, it's not your fault. In fact, I should be thanking you for killing him as you prevented a possible coup that would not have ended well for either of us. It would have been favourable if you had incapacitated him and brought him to me so he could be frozen in Cocytus, but that clearly wasn't going to happen." Azazel crouched down and slid Sirzechs' into his arms, hoisting him up onto his shoulder with a grunt as he spoke.

"In Kokabiel's last moments…it seemed as if he was glad that he was going to die." Azazel forced a wry smile onto his face as he adjusted Sirzechs' position on his shoulder.

"I see…I hope he had a good life if he was prepared to die like that… Thank you."

"There's no need to thank me."

"No, I must thank you because you eased my mind. Anyway, it's about time I get going. I have paperwork to fill out, idiots to talk to and things to think about."

"You're leaving so soon?" I asked, dismayed that he was leaving so soon. I mean, I just met him and I have things I want to discuss with him, such as me regaining my wings.

"Yes I am, Raynare. Oh, also, if you want to know, Issei has my approval." My face flushed once more, Issei doing the same as Azazel chuckled to himself. He waved at us and offered us a farewell before he disappeared into a magical circle.

"So, Raynare…wanna go out for lunch?" I glanced up at the human that stood beside me and slapped him on the back of his head, my cheeks still red as I turned away from him with folded arms.

"You're an idiot."

No, Raynare is not a tsundere. Writing a tsundere character will be the death of me, so don't expect one to appear anytime soon. Also, a rather quick update. Yay…why can't I always upload daily? Oh, wait, it's because I love to procrastinate! Haha…! I really need to get more hobbies…! Also, is the pacing a bit…weird in this chapter? Maybe some lines seem unnatural? I tried my best to make it flow well, but if it seems weird I have no excuses.

Thank you for reading World's End! I hope you're all satisfied with the ending to this arc (is it a mini-arc?) because I'm heading into the real meat of the story on a few chapters! I hope you're looking forward to it!