DISCLAIMER: High School DxD belongs to Ichiei Ishibumi and Star Wars belongs to Disney (Unfortunately). The scenario and original characters are mine.
Chapter III
Discovery and Meeting
Near Kuoh Town, Japan, 2012 A.D. (16ABY)
Vader sat at his workbench working on a new way to train his apprentice. He dropped the screwdriver he'd been using and picked up the hydrospanner from his tool kit. He then used it to start tightening the bolts on the droid chest plate he was currently working on. After a few cranks, he nodded to himself and set the tool down before lifting the chest plate.
It was almost identical to the droid Vader had made for his second apprentice, Galen Marek. If he recalled correctly, the droid called himself PROXY. The name was rather fitting for him since he was a holodroid. This one would not be a holodroid, though, as the former Sith didn't have access to that kind of tech anymore. It was already highly prototypical when he first built PROXY all those years ago.
No, this one would be similar to the ones created on Kamino, meant for the clone of Marek Vader had paid for. The project was terminated when it was revealed to Vader that Jedi cloning was even more imperfect than he realized. He would only get what he paid for after ten years. Ten years too late for Vader. In one of his benign moments as a Sith, he'd incinerated the still-growing clones before having the staff transferred to the creation of other clones. After all, the bounty hunter he'd hired to steal memory flashes and DNA from Boba Fett had just arrived with her final shipment.
It was a simple matter of dealing with the bounty hunter he'd hired. He didn't want his little betrayal getting back to one of his best assets outside the Empire after all. He'd used a mind trick to convince the bounty hunter that her payment was waiting for her on a moon in the Geonosis system. Back then, the first Death Star was being created and any ships that just so happened upon it were subsequently destroyed by the fleet stationed around it. It would be another week or two before the Death Star would be sent into to the Seswenna sector. Vader never heard from that particular bounty hunter again after he sent her there.
Seeing no imperfections in the chest plate's exterior, Vader checked the inner parts of it. There were a few loose wires here and there, but the cortosis weave surrounding the droid's core was still secure. This was to prevent Issei from accidentally destroying the droid in a sparring session. That was one of the main purposes of the droid, after all. It would act as PROXY had for Galen, utilizing the styles and mimicking the Force abilities of Sith and Jedi alike to train his newest apprentice. At least, the telekinetic portions of the Force. Some aspects of the Force were impossible to replicate, like Force Lightning, as it would only damage the droid.
He was distracted from his inspection by the rapid beeping that began in his helmet. He knew that it could only be from Issei, as the other Imperials were on complete comlink silence during the day. Vader opened the comm channel after setting the droid chest plate down and keying the comlink control inside his helmet.
"You have something to report, my apprentice?" the former Sith asked as he put away the tools he'd been using. No reason to leave them lying around, the starship was a mess already.
Issei grunted, being silent for a few moments before answering. "Yes, master. I just met the Grigori woman from the vision I told you about."
"The one you saw wound you? How do you know it is her?"
"Her presence and the fact she suggested we meet at the Kuoh Park fountain after school today."
"Yes… those are strong reasons for you to believe she is the one. Do you think you can handle her alone?"
"I do, but it would be unwise not to plan for unforeseen complications."
"It is good you recognize that, my apprentice. I'll send a detachment of Shadow Troopers to help deal with the woman. That should be sufficient. I would ask that you not kill her, however. I'd like to know why the Grigori are after you. Perhaps if we knew we could somehow counter whatever is leading them to you."
"As you wish, master."
"Be careful when dealing with her. You are still learning, my apprentice. Despite what you believe know that it may not be reality."
"Understood, master," Issei replied as he shut off the comlink.
Vader sat back as he contemplated the past week's events. First was the vision that caused him to send his pupil to Kuoh Academy. Next was his apprentice's discovery of just how many other beings were there. Then his apprentice was followed by one of the three girls he'd sensed, and if Vader had to guess, judging by her reaction to him, it was the Toujo girl. Now the woman meant to possibly kill his apprentice had appeared on the second day of his mission. Something told him the Force had more of a hand in recent events than usual…
Vader set those thoughts aside as he contacted Piett, "Admiral Piett?"
"Yes, milord?" the Axxilan native answered immediately.
"Have the Commander of the Shadow Troopers meet me in my quarters. I have a mission for him."
"At once, milord."
Vader nodded once as he killed the comm channel. A squadron of Shadow Troopers should be more than sufficient to help his apprentice deal with the woman. The only issue now was how to extract her. They couldn't use the landing craft; it would reveal them before they were ready. Speeders are a no-go either because they didn't have enough. A car could work, though. Some kind of large van that would easily conceal them from anyone looking. That would do the trick easily.
A gentle knocking on the ship's door and a quick check through the Force let Vader know the Shadow Trooper Commander was outside. The former Sith left the ramp down so there would be less of a wait time between operation planning and meetings. He waved his hand at the door controls, opening the door with a soft whoosh. The man on the other side entered as soon as the door was up.
The man, Commander VF-7188/19, had originally been a member of the 1st Legion before the 501st and the 1st merged into just the 501st Legion. His gray armor was painted with a dark blue pattern though it wasn't in the 501st's color scheme. Instead, the pattern was that of a Stormtrooper Commander, with a blue stripe running down the right side of his body. His chest plate and arms held the blue stripe as well, but it was far more prevalent on the chest plate. The chest plate's blue stripe created a tee shape for a more subtle way of identifying rank than the standard pauldron.
"You had a mission for me, lord Vader?" the Commander asked as the glowing blue lenses of his helmet flickered.
The former Sith noticed that flicker as soon as it happened. "Something wrong with your equipment, Commander?"
"Nothing major, milord. The lenses are replacements, and I'm still having to tweak them to get them to work with this helmet."
"I assume the originals were destroyed?"
"Yes sir. One of those tiny fuzz balls on Endor sprung a trap on me. Nearly busted my helmet apart."
"And you received no injuries?"
"The injuries aren't an issue anymore sir. It's been twelve years since Endor…"
"Do not neglect any injuries you may or may not have simply due to age. I require my men to be in the best shape possible. You are no good to me if you aren't at your best. Once the mission is done see the medical officer, understood?"
"Yes, milord. The mission?"
"You are to help my apprentice capture a Grigori that has targeted him. They'll be at the Kuoh Park fountain. Before you head there, however, you'll need to secure a van. It'll make transportation of the Grigori easier and it should conceal you and your men sufficiently enough. I want the Grigori watched at all times as you make your way back here. If you are spotted, stun the witnesses. I will not have civilian deaths on our hands, Commander."
"The stunning might be a tall order milord, but we'll do our damnedest."
"I expect you'll have no trouble. You have one hour to prepare yourself and your men, Commander."
"Yes, milord."
"You may go," Vader said as he used the Force to open the door once more.
Commander VF-7188/19 saluted and turned to leave, smacking the side of his helmet as he left. That was starting to worry the former Sith. His men were as important as Hyōdō was. If their equipment was in poor condition when Palpatine finally returned…
Vader scowled underneath his helmet at the thought. He would personally ensure his men were ready for Palpatine. His mechanical skill should- no, would be enough to secure that level of readiness. Plus, it had the added bonus of keeping him busy. Vader hadn't realized how much he enjoyed Hyōdō's company. He could almost consider his apprentice a friend, just as he now did Piett. The training sessions he had with the boy also helped him relive happier times in his past. Happiness was a very fleeting thing in Vader's life. Then again, it was his own fault that that was the case, wasn't it?
Questioning his role in the Force seemed to get more and more common as time went by. All he'd wanted was to keep Padmé from dying all those years ago, and all that had accomplished was her death and his second tenure as a slave. One could say he was manipulated by Palpatine. The man had been a master at manipulation. Vader would argue that did absolve him of his sins as a Sith. After all, he'd been the one to march into the Jedi Temple and slaughter everyone inside to the best of his ability. He'd personally killed whomever he wanted when he was angered as the Emperor's slave.
Vader pushed those thoughts down as he sat at the workbench once more and went back to inspecting the droid chest plate. It wasn't the first time those thoughts made themselves known, and it certainly wouldn't be the last time.
Kuoh Academy, Japan, 2012 A.D.
"A Fallen one? Are you sure?" Sona asked her childhood friend as they played Chess.
Rias moved a knight forward and took out of Sona's first bishop. The infuriating thing about the game was that Rias wasn't even focused and she was still winning!
"Yes. Kiba spotted the two conversing on the way into school," The Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess replied with a troubled grimace.
"Very brazen for a Fallen to come so close to us…" the Sitri heir murmured, rubbing her chin as a way to help her think.
"Indeed. They usually keep to the church, but for one to come so close to us? Maybe the fact that it's the Hyōdō boy is what's causing them to act out like this? They already tried killing him practically a decade ago."
"I suppose they still want him dead. I'm still unsure as to why though. The Sacred Gear test came back negative."
"And he isn't another race? Not a Yōkai or Vampire or something?"
"For all intents and purposes, Issei Hyōdō is human."
"You don't suppose Azazel came up with a way to detect inactive Sacred Gears, do you? We know researching Sacred Gears is one of his goals. Maybe he created something to detect ones that were inactive so he could find them before any of the other factions did?"
"That doesn't explain why the Fallen are trying to kill him. Azazel's followers would never do something that stupid when it comes to Sacred Gears he wants to study."
"Then maybe it's not Azazel that's after him. Maybe it's one of the other Fallen leaders?"
"I could see that, but they'd have to work with Azazel if they wanted to find Sacred Gear users."
"The more we look into Hyōdō the more questions we have. Despite that, we can't let him fall into the hands of the Fallen, even if they aren't going to kill him this time. Whatever makes him a threat to them might be an asset to us if the war ever starts again."
"Or for dealing with a certain arrogant, perverted, sexist fiancé of yours?" Sona replied with a smirk, knowing that Rias was always trying to find a way out of that forced arrangement.
She didn't blame her at all for that. Riser Phenex was a bastard, and that was putting it mildly. The way he treated his own Peerage was appalling to her and Rias both, not to mention his beliefs in Devil Eugenics. That wasn't even to mention the afterthought of allowing Rias to break the engagement through an almost impossible Rating Game. If Sona didn't know any better- oh who she was kidding, she knew that Riser had suggested it as a way to further destroy her friend's hope.
The Sitri Heiress was ready and willing to lend her friend members of her own Peerage, threats from the Phenexs be damned. Ordinarily, she'd let her older sister tear the Phenexs apart, but that could start another Devil Civil War, which was something no one wanted. So, she made sure to have her own family and friends of her family start putting subtle pressure on the Phenexs, refusing to buy anything from them. Nothing hurt worse for them than losing money.
While her family and family friends boycotted the Phenexs, she'd already made an agreement that when the time for the game came, Rias would borrow a good chunk of the Pawns Sona had as well as her Bishops, Rooks, and her other Knight. She'd go herself but that wasn't allowed. It was meant to be one Peerage against one Peerage after all. Rias gave a small smile and a shrug conceding that her machinations were so clearly seen by her friend.
"You caught me. If I can convince Hyōdō to join my Peerage, that lessens the pressure on you, and I may get something that helps me win the game."
"If he can be convinced, that is. I doubt he would trust us if we revealed ourselves to him after all. We're not exactly painted in a positive light throughout media and history."
"I'm sure I can bring him over. I just need to figure out a way how… perhaps appealing to his sense of honor that he seems to have? I doubt he'd be pleased with arranged marriages, especially mine."
"There's also his reaction to the Perverted Duo. Why they haven't been expelled yet is beyond me; they sexually assault every girl they see at this school."
"Those two might start changing their tune after what happened yesterday, provided they receive repeat lessons. Being honest with oneself is a good thing, but not to the extent that you become an animal."
"Anyway, do you want to hear what I've come up with students regarding their supernatural lineage or Sacred Gears?"
"Might as well. Anything major?"
"Our newest Student Council member, Saji Genshirou, has a Dragon-Type Sacred Gear. We aren't entirely certain what it is. Do you want him for your Peerage?"
"No, you're welcome to him."
"Murayama Kofuyu of the Girls' Kendo Club has traces of Yōjutsu powers in her. We believe it's linked to a possible Yokai ancestor of hers. Another pair of students, a brother and sister, we know for sure have a supernatural background are Murai Shōda and Satsu Shōda. We believe their ancestors were Shinto priests, as they have traces of spiritual powers. Any strike your fancy?"
"Again, no. Any others?"
"We're still combing through them all. We believe there are six other students, but again, it's a slow process."
"You don't have to tell me twice. By the way, you're not making Tsubaki do all the work, are you?"
"Nope. I switch out with her between classes."
"That's good to know. I'd feel bad if you let your Queen do all the work. Checkmate, by the way."
"Gah! You distracted me!"
"Of course, I did. You're a genius, Sona. Distracting you is par for the course for some of these games," Rias replied cheekily as her bespectacled counterpart pouted in mock-anger.
With a sigh from Sona and a chuckle from Rias, the two heiresses began cleaning up. It was only a moment or two before they began talking about the mysterious transfer student again. The two came up with a plan to have Sona's two Bishops tail Hyōdō from the school to the meeting place he'd made with the Fallen. Little did they or the two Bishops know that they'd get more than they bargained for by tailing Hyōdō.
Kuoh Park, Japan, 2012 A.D.
Commander VF-7188/19 kept his instructions brief. Their job was to go in, snatch the Grigori when given the signal or if Hyōdō needed a hand, and exfil. Time on mission should be no later than thirty-forty seconds tops. Once the package was in hand, they'd head to the van and start driving back. Two guards alongside Hyōdō would keep an eye on the Grigori. Luckily they'd have most of the afternoon to prepare for the snatch-and-grab. As he finished, he waited for any questions to arise. None did.
"Commander, we're at the drop-off point." The driver, an out-of-armor Scout Trooper who knew the area, noted dutifully.
The Shadow Trooper Commander nodded at his men after confirming he'd heard the Scout. "Cloaks on, boys. Let's bag ourselves a bird."
"Yessir!" the other Shadow Troopers replied before they turned invisible. VF-7188/19 did the same and waited for the Scout to open the back. It would look weird to any passersby if it opened seemingly on its own.
As soon as the side door was opened, the occupants hopped out and moved toward any concealed spot they could find near the fountain. Thankfully there were a lot of those near the fountain thanks to all the trees surrounding said fountain. VF-7188/19 found the perfect spot. It was right across from the front of the fountain, and provided a nice crossfire when it was time to hit the Grigori.
It was decided to have multiple stun blasts hit her at the same time just in case it was more powerful than they thought. Lord Vader had said they weren't human, so one stun blast wouldn't cut it in the Shadow Trooper Commander's mind.
"All Shadow units this net, report in," VF-7188/19 said into the comm channel that had been specially designed for this op.
"VF-83341 here. I'm opposite you Commander," one voice replied as a small IR flash opposite his own position appeared. The Shadow Trooper Commander nodded as the other units rattled off their positions, which he confirmed with a quick glance in their direction.
"Alright. We've still got at least an hour or two before the meet. Get comfortable, boys."
He heard the other troopers grumble as he stuck himself between a pair of trees, getting uncomfortable enough that he wouldn't sleep when it came time to execute the plan. He already knew the others were doing the same as he fixed his modified E-11 in the crook of a tree branch.
Kuoh Town & Park, Japan, 2012 A.D.
Issei felt the two dark presences behind him almost immediately. They were about a few feet back and staying that far back as he exited Kuoh Academy. He felt them approaching him and he prepared for the possibility of a confrontation. Then he realized that they didn't get closer. They stayed at "keeping him in sight" distance. So, following him was their game.
No matter. Vader had been wanting a way to get the dark beings to come to him. The apprentice was sure the Shadow Troopers would be able to handle a couple more guests. He began using the Force to try and discern who exactly was following him as he continued toward the park. He knew the pair were members of the Student Council, as the members of it had a slightly darker presence.
He'd noticed the differences between the dark beings easily. Gremory's group felt a little bit closer to the light than Shitori's group. He'd come up with a working theory that that was due to a size difference, and therefore a difference in power. Shitori had more members, ergo she was stronger in the long run, but Gremory's group was nearly identical in power if not in size. The only reason Shitori's was as dark as it was was that she had seven dark presences in her group compared to the four dark presences under Gremory.
As Issei continued toward the park, he recognized the pair as Momo Hanakai and Reya Kusaka. Two of Shitori's stronger underlings, but not as strong as Tsubasa Yura was. Odd that she hadn't been sent though it might be a question of skill. It wasn't all that important in the long run. All that was important was defeating that damned Grigori.
The Grigori woman haunted Issei's life ever since the home invasion all those years ago. He'd been scared of that vision, as it seemed to be foretelling his end. Vader had noticed his fear and had made sure to sit him down and talk through the vision. Once the apprentice had, Vader had told him that the vision was only a possibility, not a foregone conclusion.
"The only way for you to change your fate," Vader had told him, "Is for you to prepare yourself for that day. You have already taken that first step, young Hyōdō."
After that, his training began. Vader's teachings were tough and at times seemed impossible. Issei pushed through it though. He'd made a promise that night all those years ago. He would never be helpless again. In only a few short years, he'd become far stronger and wiser than he'd been at eight years old.
The Kuoh Park entrance was just up ahead. Issei could already feel the Shadow Troopers hidden amongst the trees surrounding the fountain. As he neared the entrance, he used the Force and found the one closest. He then gave a subtle signal that he was being followed and knew the man understood his signal. A few moments before he passed into the park, he felt a part of the unit prepare a second ambush for his followers.
Issei saw the disguised Grigori standing in front of the fountain. Her sense was like it was in the vision, and he felt the other two presences disappear for a moment before they reappeared somewhere close to two of the Shadow Troopers. He felt their confusion for only a moment before they reacquired the Student Council girls. The apprentice let out a small sigh as he came to a stop twenty feet away from the Grigori.
"So how do we want to do this?" Issei asked as he rubbed the back of his neck in preparation for the inevitable duel.
The girl smirked evilly as the surroundings seemed to grow… darker? "Honestly, I planned on showing you a good time before killing you, but you saw through me somehow. No feathers off my wings though. This actually saves me some time."
As soon as she finished speaking her appearance began to change. She aged right before his eyes, going from sixteen years old to perhaps twenty years old in a matter of milliseconds. Her clothing transformed from the modest uniform of his old high school to something straight out of a BDSM porno flick. Black feathery wings appeared behind her, and just like in his eight-year-old vision, she formed a spear from an upraised hand. With a savage grin that showed that her teeth had turned into fangs, she lunged toward him.
Moments before she reached him, he called his lightsaber to his hand, ignited it, and blocked the strike. Sparks flew from the interlocked weapons, and he could see the confused rage in her eyes. He used his free hand to push her backward and allowed himself room to properly grip his blade.
"How did you do that?" the Grigori snarled, her glowing red spear crackling alongside her outrage.
Issei shifted slightly as he brought his blade in front of him at an angle, his pose reminiscent of an ancient samurai warrior. "That shouldn't be your concern here. Your concern should be on what you want to try next."
"You'll regret those words you arrogant little brat!" she snarled as she summoned another spear in her off hand before coming at the apprentice again.
He narrowed his eyes before allowing the Force to guide his movements. Her second charge missed him for a moment before she turned and swung her spear tip first at his face. He dodged that strike like he had in the vision only to get his arm sliced open by the other spear. The apprentice hissed in pain as he used another Force Push to create distance and knocked her second spear away. That did not matter as the smirk on her face already told him she'd regained her confidence. That was not something she could be allowed to keep.
As she stopped herself with her wings, Issei hurled his lightsaber at her torso. The saber flew through the air like a frisbee and the Grigori tried to dodge. She didn't dodge quickly enough, however. The tip of the light turquoise blade cut a large gash in her outer thigh. She gave a pained yelp before snarling through the pain. "A lucky hit, Hyōdō!"
"Maybe, but it got you in the right position. NOW!"
Instantly four Shadow Troopers burst out of the trees and opened fire with their stun blasts. The Grigori didn't have time to dodge as all four blasts hit her simultaneously. Her wings failed her, and she fell to the ground, barely conscious. She blearily looked up at Hyōdō before a Shadow Trooper swiftly kicked her face in, knocking her out.
A Shadow Trooper wearing a black pauldron came forward then, an open pair of binders in hand. He maneuvered the Grigori's hands into them before shutting the binders closed. "Not sure how much help these'll be but I figure I probably should put them on her anyway."
Issei nodded once as a car came around the park's entrance. Thankfully the park wasn't busy at this time of day, so the apprentice and his Shadow Trooper detachment didn't have to worry about any witnesses. A trooper grabbed the woman and hauled her into the van as the driver watched for anyone who might stumble upon them. Once safely inside, another trooper followed the first to help guard their new prisoner.
As soon as that was accomplished, Issei casually glanced at where one of the dark presences was hiding. He gave a wink at them to throw them off balance for the soon-to-happen ambush.
Reya Kusaka cursed as Hyōdō stared right into her eyes. She and Momo had been sure to hide far enough out of sight so they wouldn't get caught and managed to see everything from their respective hiding places. They didn't know what to expect when the transfer student confronted the Fallen Angel at first. They suspected the Fallen was going to skewer him and fly away; they were wrong.
In a flurry of motion, Hyōdō summoned something into his hand, and a brilliant light flashed as he unleashed a strange Sword of Light. The strange thing about the weapon was that they didn't feel any traces of Light power coming from it. They were confused even further when the not-Blade of Light blocked the Fallen's Spear of Light.
They then watched as the transfer student used some sort of telekinesis in his duel, pushing the Fallen back. Their duel, however, was short. He somehow managed to keep up with the Fallen and blocked most attacks. He did miss a feint from the Fallen and was rewarded with a cut on his arm. After that attack, he retaliated by throwing his weapon at the Fallen. Reya had thought that a stupid move before she noticed that the blade homed in on its target.
Reya assumed the blade connected with the Fallen as the woman hissed in pain before snarling at the transfer student. He smirked before she heard him clearly shout a signal. Then four men in what looked like highly advanced gray armor charged out of the trees to her sides. She'd been startled by their sudden appearance but made sure to study them closely.
Their armor was a blackish gray, but that didn't stop her from seeing the faint blue pattern on it. She also noticed the small light blue lines, almost ethereal in a way, glowing on the arms and legs of the armor. The helmets they wore seemed bulbous, bearing a sort of frown underneath soulless lenses that glowed with the same ethereal blue light. The armor itself seemed to be made of… plastic? Despite the plastic look, she guessed it was incredibly high-tech, just like their guns.
The guns they carried were unlike any she'd heard of before. They shot blue rings out that managed to hurt the Fallen. Supernatural beings usually didn't get all that hurt by non-magically enhanced weaponry, and yet the guns of these strangers had got the Fallen vulnerable enough for a kick to knock her out.
Then her efforts at studying the men became secondary when the transfer student looked directly at her. She immediately tried to call Momo but got no response. She swore again as she went to teleport over to her fellow Bishop. Just as she was finishing setting up the teleportation circle, she heard something click behind her.
"Going somewhere?" a gruff voice said through what sounded like a radio. She knew it wasn't from some radio as the voice had been right behind her.
She spun quickly and only saw glowing blue lenses, blackish gray armor, and the gun leveled at her chest as a trio of blue rings burst out of the gun barrel. She groaned once before falling to the ground. It was only a few more seconds before her entire world went black.
Commander VF-7188/19 looked down at the teenage girl he just stunned, checking to make sure he hadn't accidentally killed her. Stun bursts were very tricky and were usually only meant for stronger Non-humans like Wookies or Houk. Whenever a human got hit by a burst it was fifty/fifty if they lived or not. Seeing the girl's chest rise and fall normally assuaged his fears, however.
The Shadow Trooper Commander holstered his modified E-11 and picked the girl up. He was gentle while doing so, not wanting to harm her any more than he'd already done so. Vader wanted to talk to these people after all. As it was, it would be at least two hours before they woke up. They didn't need to compound that time by damaging their two other guests further.
The Grigori, on the other hand, was a different story. That woman was most definitely a prisoner. While Vader hadn't said anything to that extent it was clear that was what VF-7188/19 was meant to treat her as. He had to admit, though, she was quite the looker. The black hair, violet eyes, pretty face, and body were stunning. It was a shame they belonged to her though. They'd look much better on any other person. Judging from how she acted, it was a case of outer beauty and inner ugliness.
"Alright, let's get these two in the van," the Shadow Trooper Commander began as he turned to look back at his men, Hyōdō calmly walking past him, "but don't put 'em with our prisoner. These girls are our guests from this point forward. Treat them with respect, understood?"
His fellow Shadow Troopers nodded as the other trooper carrying the white-haired teen moved past him and towards the back seat's open door. VF-7188/19 watched him place the girl down gently before the trooper went in himself and sat across from the white-haired girl. The Shadow Trooper Commander followed afterward and did the same, right down to sitting across from the unconscious girl. The other Shadow Troopers hopped into the back seat as the overall Op Commander, Hyōdō, sat in the passenger seat.
The boy was taking a look at his arm as he cleaned the blood off from the cut. It hadn't gone very deep, but it did go deep enough to be a constant trickle. One of the Shadow Troopers dug in his utility belt and pulled out his medpac before handing it to the Op Commander. Hyōdō nodded in gratitude as he started dressing the wound. After a minute or two, he handed the medpac back. "Thanks. Let's head back to base. Master Vader is waiting."
VF-7188/19 grunted in agreement as he knocked on the window to the very back, where the rest of his men and the Grigori were. They knocked back, signaling they were good to go. He turned to the driver then. Without a word being said, the van began its trek back to the Imperials' home.
Near Kuoh Town, Japan, 2012 A.D.
K-6T1 stared blankly as she stood guard. Inside the room she was guarding was the strange winged being the Shadow Troopers had brought in hours ago. The room she was in, by the droid's estimation, had started life as a rather large office. It had most likely been made for use by a high-ranking employee. The droid tilted her head as she heard a groan come from the building. She thought nothing of it, considering how long the building had been standing.
In her spare time, she'd read up on the building's history through the internet, a fascinating facsimile of the HoloNet. It was a wonder to the KX-Series security droid that the building wasn't demolished when the company moved elsewhere, but she supposed that it would've been a waste of effort on their part. Why go through all the trouble of tearing something down when that money could be better spent elsewhere? The construction efforts on the building had ended three years before lord Vader had sent the scouts down. The scouts found this place, and the rest was history.
Another groan came, but this time it wasn't from the building. K-6T1 eyes instantly snapped to the slowly waking winged being. Her memory bank designated the woman as "Grigori" based on lord Vader's description of a being similar to her that he defeated. The droid grabbed the electro riot baton at her side and activated it as she approached the Grigori.
"Greetings. I am K-6T1, and you are a prisoner of lord Vader. Please do not resist or you will be detained. Violently," the security droid said as her weapon crackled with electricity.
The Grigori struggled to look up at K-6T1, but when she did, she sneered. "Oh really? And how are you going to stop me, golem?"
"Golem? I am unfamiliar with that designation. I am an Arakyd Industries KX-series enforcer droid, designation, as I just told you, K-6T1."
The Grigori gave K-6T1 a better look and recoiled, most likely in shock. As far as the security droid knew droids, or robots according to the people of Earth, were a thing of fiction. To see one standing above you was most likely quite surprising considering they weren't supposed to exist. The droid then noticed the Grigori raise her right hand. Going by the combat footage the Shadow Troopers had shared with her, she knew that the Grigori was going to try and escape. That would not do.
The security droid immediately stabbed at the Grigori with her baton. The baton made contact with her arm, and she jerked and spasmed as the electricity ran through her. K-6T1 was so focused on delivering as much electricity as to knock the Grigori out that she didn't see one of the woman's wings swinging toward her. The wing knocked the baton out of her hand and halted the voltage flow from the baton. That was not an issue for the security droid though.
K-6T1 grabbed the woman by the throat and the arm forming the spear and lifting her up. The woman struggled in the security droid's grip, managing to give the droid difficulty in holding the Grigori. The woman's other arm flew towards K-6T1's head and managed to crumple it slightly, crushing the white photoreceptor in its socket.
"Your resistance to being subdued is noted," K-6T1 said sarcastically as she increased her hold on the arm and neck of the Grigori.
"Fuck you!"
"Vulgarity is also noted."
Khooh Puuhr
As soon as the security droid heard her master, she straightened, Grigori still struggling in her grip. She fully turned her head to look at Lord Vader as he approached, his hands clasped behind his back. The woman's motions slowly ceased as she too saw the former Sith.
Vader took one hand away from his back and pointed to the security droid authoritatively. "That is enough, K-6T1. Let her go."
The droid complied immediately, the woman falling unceremoniously into a sitting position. She still didn't look away from Vader as the former Sith spoke again.
"I will be interrogating our prisoner. You, on the other hand, are to find your assigned technician and get your photoreceptor fixed. Dismissed."
K-6T1 saluted sharply before walking toward the door Vader had used to come in. She wobbled slightly, unused to only one functioning photoreceptor. She heard the door shut behind her as she continued to the designated maintenance area for her and her fellow KX-Series security droids.
Vader glanced down at the Grigori as she continued to stare at him. Something was off about her look, however. After a moment or two, the Grigori smiled evilly.
"So we meet face-to-face at last, Lord Vader," she said cryptically, her eyes flashing for only a second. A second was all Vader needed to see. At that moment, the former Sith could only look down at the woman in shock. The eye flash showed a momentary glimpse of color. A color Vader hadn't seen in his own eyes for over thirty-six years, much of that time because his eyes were stuck behind his mask.
The last time he'd seen his own eyes with that color, was the day he'd torn down the Republic and helped build the Empire. It was the day he'd turned on everyone and cast aside his life as a Jedi Knight. It was the day he slaughtered the CIS council on Mustafar. It was the day he murdered his wife in a blind rage and fought the man he considered to be a brother. It was the day he became Darth Vader. The Grigori's eyes had, for just a second, changed to a fiery, red-rimmed yellow. They changed to the color of one who was deeply immersed in the Dark Side of the Force.
"That is impossible. Your presence is not that of a Force-User, and yet you have the eyes of a Sith. You will tell me why, now."
The Grigori's twisted smile never wavered as she began to stand up. "You already know why, slave boy. He has returned, and he will take this planet over, just as he did the galaxy. He will use this world as a base to begin rebuilding his empire once more, and you can do nothing to stop him," the Grigori continued as she fully summoned dual spears, the energy within them unstable and their color that of a red lightsaber.
Vader ignited his lightsaber in preparation for the would-be Grigori assassin to attack him. As soon as his blade came alive, the woman struck. Her speed threw the former Sith off guard. In the recorded duel between her and his apprentice, she had been fast, but not as fast as she was now. It was almost as if she was being enhanced by the Force.
The spear strike had forced Vader back a step, but it wasn't for long. The former Sith struck back and caught the Grigori on her right arm. She didn't even seem to notice as she swung at him again. He sidestepped the strike and went for one of her wrists, attempting to use the same strategy to defeat her as he had for Ophanim. She snatched her wrist back and stabbed at him with the spear in her off hand. Once again he was forced back.
Spotting a nearby desk, he began to grasp it with the Force, intending to throw it at the woman as he had several objects on Bespin at his own son. The desk lifted and barreled toward the woman at high speed. She simply turned and used her spear much like one would use a lightsaber, slicing the desk in two. This still worked to the former Sith's advantage as he advanced while she was distracted. He moved to strike at her and struck he did. She caught his blade between her spears halting the attack. Sparks flew from the contact both weapons had with one another.
Vader disengaged and stepped back, his lightsaber coming to rest in front of his body. He narrowed his eyes underneath his helmet. The Grigori woman wasn't fighting like she did against his apprentice. She was fighting like a Sith warrior, but there was something wrong about her movements. He could see hesitation in them. Acting on a hunch, he used the Force to enhance his eyes and looked at the Grigori.
The Grigori was shrouded in darkness of one who had fully immersed themselves in the Dark Side, yet at the same time the shroud seemed to flicker and spit. It seemed as if one presence had forcibly taken the Grigori over. It wasn't a total takeover, however, as the Grigori's true self seemed to be trying to fight it. Vader didn't know what to make of this.
He knew from the moment she'd finished speaking earlier that she was somehow linked to Palpatine. Kenobi's words to him all those years ago had come to the forefront of his mind before she struck, and with what he was seeing now, he had to wonder if his old master had been right when he'd said Palpatine would be weaker. The woman before him was proof of that… or was she?
If Palpatine was truly strong, why had he not tried to kill Vader and Issei himself, as he had when he attacked Maul and Savage Oppress? Palpatine never sent proxies to deal with his own apprentices. If he had to resort to doing whatever he had done to the Grigori woman, then he must truly be weaker.
"Reconsidering your betrayal, slave boy?" the Grigori woman taunted, gesturing at him with a spear in a 'come on' gesture.
Vader gave a slight chuckle, a noise that seemed far out of place coming from someone like him, as he readjusted his hands on his blade. "Far from it. If he sent you in his place, he must be too weak to do his own dirty work."
The woman snarled as she came at him again. Vader blocked her strike easily and countered with a backhanded fist. The Grigori flew backward, losing a spear, before jumping up and rushing to attack him once more. Spear and lightsaber met once more and sparked from their contact. The two weapons were held there by the former Sith and the controlled woman, the sparks casting red light around the room and their faces. Her eyes flashed again, the fiery, red-rimmed yellow they'd become over the course of the fight changing to violet. The look in the depths of those eyes was one of pain and fear. The true Grigori woman's eyes disappeared after a moment and were once again replaced by the Dark Side puppet's.
Vader knew what he had to do. It was unfortunate, but it was far too late to save the Grigori. Palpatine's hold on the woman was too strong. Knocking the Grigori's spear away, he used the Force to slam her back into a wall. She was about to fly at him again when she grabbed at her throat. Vader lifted her up and pushed her back against the wall, his hold on her throat through the Force slowly tightening.
"I am sorry that I must do this. May the Force be kind to you as you leave this realm for the next," the former Sith said somberly while grimacing under his helmet.
Do not kill her, Anakin Skywalker.
Vader's hold on the Grigori's throat slackened as he heard the voice. The voice had sounded inside his own head yet he knew it wasn't his own. The voice was genderless and had spoken with such calmness that Vader was compelled to listen. As he held the woman aloft, the office they'd been dueling in slowly changed. All detail seemed to disappear, being replaced by a vast expanse of stars. A new being seemed to appear out of nowhere between the two. Within another moment, it began walking toward Vader, its footsteps leaving glowing prints despite the fact there was no floor.
"Who… what are you?" the former Sith asked in awe. He had a suspicion about the being, but he wasn't entirely sure he was right.
You already know who I am. I am what surrounds all beings. I am what binds your universe together. I am what gives beings like you their power. I am the living Force.
"Then this woman-"
Will be an important ally in your fight against your former Sith master. As you have guessed, she did not willingly join him. She was forced to do so. Your former master has been busy these past twelve years. Or did you really think that the Fallen who attacked Hyōdō all those years ago was a coincidence?
"Hyōdō told me they worked for one called 'Kokabiel'. Is he…"
Your master reborn? No. He is yet another pawn, though he is a willing one. Palpatine's promise of power and constant war have enticed the arrogant Fallen leader.
"And I suppose you won't tell me where my former master is?"
No. You are not yet ready to face him. You still need to gather allies, such as those you've already seen.
"Very well. And what am I to do with the woman? The hold Palpatine has on her is strong."
Yes, your former master attached a part of his own power to the mind control he has over her. It is why her true self cannot win alone. I will instruct you how to break his hold over her.
"Very well. Teach me how to do this and I will do the same for Hyōdō," Vader replied as he released his hold on the woman's neck.
In what felt like days but was only moments in the real world, the former Sith learned how to use the Light part of himself to destroy the Dark in the woman. Vader struggled at first to focus the Light within to destroy the Dark in her. The living Force, however, was there every step of the way, until it was time to put his training into action.
I must leave you now, Anakin, but do as I have taught you and you will be able to save her. I return you to the moment I took you from the waking world.
In a brilliant flash, the office space returned, the only sign of the living Force ever being there being an overwhelming presence of the Light Side of the Force. Vader glanced over at the still-aloft woman. He came close to her, the Darkness in her recoiling at his approach. She shrieked out words filled with malice at the former Sith as she struggled in his grip. Vader simply took it all in stride as he lowered her down to his level while keeping her pinned.
"I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me. I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me," the former Sith began, reaching a hand out towards the woman's face, "I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me. I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me-"
"Do you really think a shitty little chant is going to destroy me so easily? She is mine, slave boy. Nothing you do will-"
Vader blocked out her words as he continued holding his hand towards her. "I am one with the Force, and the Force is with me."
His chant continued, never wavering, as the woman grew angrier and shouted to be heard over the chant. The Dark Grigori's words grew quieter and quieter as his chant continued. She stopped speaking altogether after another minute, and Vader could feel the true Grigori inside reach out to his voice like one would for a rope. In another minute Palpatine's influence was gone. The former Sith lowered his hand and let the unconscious Grigori fall lightly to the floor. He gazed down at her for a few moments. He wanted to be sure that the presence was truly gone before he did what he did next.
"Admiral Piett, send a medical team for our prisoner. Have her taken down to the med bay. Once she is well enough to awaken, you will bring her to me. She, my apprentice, and I have much to discuss. She is also to be redesignated as a guest rather than a prisoner."
Reya Kusaka's eyes opened slowly to the brightly lit room. She was lying on a cot, a blanket over her. She threw the cover off groggily and stood up. Her head swam as she tried to stay standing, reaching out to a nearby desk to keep herself upright.
"Easy there. With how many stun blasts you got, I'm surprised your legs work already," a gentle voice said from the Bishop's left. She turned and saw Hyōdō sitting near a door. He was calmly smiling, his arm still bandaged, a silver-looking cylinder hanging by his belt.
"You better let us go, Hyōdō, or we'll call the cops!" Reya replied angrily as she looked for Momo.
Issei's right eye twitched before his calm smile turned into a small grimace. If anything, to Reya's mind, he looked disappointed. "Do you really think I'd believe that? I saw you two following me to the park. I even know you watched my duel with the Grigori, so I'd appreciate it if you drop the 'I'm a human being' act."
"Fallen? What's a Fallen?"
"Is that their real name? Strange. Is it simply Fallen or…"
"Shut up and let us go!"
"I cannot do that. Not until my master and I know what the Student Council and the Occult Research Club are."
"We're human, same as-"
"Enough. You will tell me what you are."
"I… what?"
"You will tell me what you are."
"I… will tell you what I am. I'm a Reincarnated Devil under Sona Sitri, though you know her as Shouna Shitori."
"There. Was that so hard?"
"What did you do to me?"
"A simple suggestion, Reya. That's all. Oh, and don't try to wipe my mind. I can already read yours for the most part," Hyōdō said nonchalantly with a shrug. Reya froze as he said that, her eyes flickering to a glowing red before going back to normal.
He could read minds? No normal human should be able to do that! He had to be some kind of supernatural race, that was the only reason she could think of. He chuckled before lifting himself up off the chair. "No, I'm completely human, Reya. I've simply been gifted with an ability no other human has. Would you like me to explain? I'll try my best, but you might be confused by it."
"…yes." Reya squeaked as she sat next to the still unconscious Momo, who'd been on a cot closer to the door.
The transfer student then explained all he knew about the Force. He began from the first time he learned of it from his master to the overall idea of it. Reya wasn't sure if she believed it all that much but when he demonstrated his abilities with it, she was convinced. Hard not to be when a desk starts floating all on its own. Telekinesis wasn't a thing in the supernatural after all.
"So… this Vader guy had a vision of the ORC and sent you there to find out about them? That's the main reason you're at Kuoh?" Reya asked as he finished, one delicate eyebrow raised.
Issei nodded as his smile returned. "Yes, though now I'm betting I'll be staying there for the rest of this semester. It seems to be the best place to learn more about the supernatural. Not to worry though. I won't cause any more trouble than I already have for miss Sitri."
"Heiress Sitri, actually. She is next in line to be the head of the Sitri Clan. Rias is also an heiress, though she is to be the next Gremory Clan head. Both are noble houses of the Underworld. You'd know it as Hell, though." Reya commented as she already knew trying to hide the info was pointless.
"Heiresses? Now that's interesting. My master will definitely want to speak with them both."
"I was under the impression you were going to fight us… why would you want to talk?"
"Because while myself and my master are powerful, the people under us aren't. They're normal human beings for the most part. There is no reason to risk their lives when our problems could easily be solved through diplomacy."
"Noble of you to try and keep them alive."
"Yes. Now, if you'll excuse me for a moment, my master is on his way down," Issei politely excused as he stood up. He then opened the door and went outside, waiting for his master.
The Sitri Bishop was honestly surprised that Hyōdō left her and Momo alone. Granted, her fellow Bishop was still sleeping off… what had Hyōdō called it, a "stun blast"? She'd never heard of a gun being capable of doing that before. When Hyōdō came back she was going to need to remember to ask him about that. As far as she knew, guns didn't have stun blasts. Then again guns were usually not ray guns like the men from the park had. That was another thing she'd have to ask about; who exactly were those guys?
All of her thoughts, however, became secondary the moment she heard the noise from the far end of the hallway outside. Being a Devil came with a great many perks. One of those perks was enhanced senses and in this case, it was the enhanced hearing that helped her pick the noise out. As it got closer and closer, it sounded more and more like someone breathing through scuba gear.
Reya knew what that sounded like due to a family trip she'd gone on before she'd started the semester. They'd gone deep sea diving off of Chichijima Island. She remembered the trip fondly, but that wasn't all that important at the moment. What mattered at the moment was the breathing getting closer and closer. The noise reached a fever pitch as it stopped right outside the door.
Khooh Puuhr
The door was opened after a moment, and Hyōdō came in first before moving off to the side to let the figure behind him in. The figure was tall, covered in black armor, and had his arms clasped behind his back. The box on his chest blinked with a green and red light every so often. The thing that had gotten her attention and kept said attention focused on one aspect was the helmet.
It seemed familiar, like something she'd seen out of a Feudal Japan history book, but at the same time, it was completely foreign to her. The black lenses within the helmet seemed to stare right through her. Those lenses made her feel as if every secret she had was exposed. All the while, the man's breathing never stopped for a second. The staring contest between her and the figure lasted for only a second before he began to speak.
"My name is Vader, miss Kusaka. You and I have much to discuss before I meet with heiresses Sitri and Gremory."
Day Three of Issei's Mission
Kuoh Academy, Japan, 2012 A.D.
Rias Gremory found herself watching her childhood friend pace worriedly in the Student Council room. After tasking her Bishops reached the Kuoh Town Park, which was apparently the meeting point between the transfer student and the Fallen one, they'd had zero contact with them. That was unusual. Sona requested a constant report on Issei Hyōdō's activities. For them not to report in…
"Sona I'm sure they're fine. From what I, Akeno, Kiba, and Koneko have seen of Hyōdō, he doesn't seem to be one to outright kill people," Rias said in an attempt to calm her fellow heiress.
It didn't work all that well. "That's only here at school, Rias! We have no idea what he'll do outside of it. For all we know they've either been captured or killed. At this point, it's the thought of the former that isn't making me go out and throttle Hyōdō. If he knows where they are-"
"I do, actually, heiress Sitri," Hyōdō's voice cut in from the other side of the room. Both heiresses spun to face him.
Sona's eyes flashed a glowing red before she dashed over and lifted the transfer student up by his collar. Rias quickly registered, however, that he'd called Sona by her real name and the fact he'd somehow gotten inside even though the door was locked. She, Sona, and their Peerages were the only ones with keys to the Student Council room. All in all, it didn't bode well that he'd gotten inside.
Sona slammed his back against the wall in a fit of anger that seemed uncharacteristic of the usually stoic Sitri heiress. "What have you done with them, you bastard?!"
"Nothing. I noticed them following me when I confronted the Fallen one. After a little chat, and I do mean a chat, we came to an understanding. She is totally unharmed. My master is simply keeping her so that we can all talk. Nothing more, nothing less."
"And how do we know you're telling us the truth?" Rias asked as she folded her arms and came to stand beside her irate friend.
Hyōdō glanced down at her before shifting his gaze toward his pocket. "My phone is in my left pocket. I already have Reya's number put in for just this occasion."
Rias and Sona shared a glance before the Sitri heiress let Hyōdō down. She then held her hand out in order for him to hand her his phone. The transfer student calmly did as he was asked. As Sona hit the call button, Rias noticed Hyōdō dusting himself off. She would have thought nothing of it if it weren't for the hint of silver she'd spotted in his open blazer and zip-up hoodie. She was about to comment on it when Sona began speaking to Reya.
It was another few minutes before Sona had calmed down to the point she became her usual stern and stoic self. She ended the call before handing the cell phone back to the transfer student. Issei smiled serenely as he accepted his phone back.
"I take it hearing your Bishop unharmed has calmed you down?"
"For now. I would like her and Momo returned to me before the day is done, however."
"That is easily done. All you two need do is come with me. My master would like to speak with you both, though if he had a choice he would come to you rather than you go to him."
"And what's to stop me from simply taking my Bishops back?"
"One, you don't know where they are. Two, while they are unharmed they're under guard, more to protect them from our other guest and vice versa. Three, why go through all of that trouble when I'm giving you a far simpler solution?"
Sona opened her mouth to speak but found that she could not. Rias wasn't surprised by that. Hyōdō had a point. The Sitri heiress grimaced before nodding in acquiescence. She looked to Rias, though she didn't need to. The Gremory heiress was already planning to come with Sona.
"Oh, before I go, my master would also like you to bring your Peerages. He knows that you would most likely feel more comfortable with them with you rather than coming to us alone."
"Koneko can't-" Rias began, but was cut off quickly by Hyōdō.
"'The only way for her to overcome her fear is to face it'. That was my master's message to her. You do not need to force her to come, but my master would advise you to deal with her fear sooner rather than later."
"My servants are no concern of your 'master', Hyōdō."
"I am merely passing along a message, heiress Gremory. Now I need to get going. Class is about to begin. I do hope you'll come with me to meet my master. Goodbye," Issei respectfully replied before turning and walking back out into Kuoh Academy.
"Do you think we can trust him?" Rias asked as the door shut.
Sona gazed at her friend with a dull look. "I don't think we have a choice."
Near Kuoh Academy, Japan, 2012 A.D.
A figure lowered the binoculars he'd been using to spy on the trio of students in the Student Council room. All three were targets he'd been tasked with tracking. For now, anyway. His master had said the time for their elimination would come later. Not that the figure minded anyway. He would do anything for the man who'd practically raised him as a son. With a dark chuckle, he put the binoculars away as he sensed someone approaching from down below. A perfect way to sate his need for blood. The figure ducked into a shadow as he waited for the other person to arrive.
"Christ almighty, why do I gotta be the one to do this shit? Who the fuck's even gonna come up here?" the new man complained, his security uniform brand new. It was the building's newest security guard.
The figure grinned underneath his dark hood as he watched the guard. He left the shadows as the guard started walking towards another part of the roof. Light glinted off a silver and black wicked-looking cylinder at his side as he began to silently follow the guard. The new man was totally unaware that he was being followed until it was too late. He didn't even get a chance to scream as his vocal cords seemed to be crushed moments before the first stab.
The man's body was found four days later. His throat had been slashed by a strange kind of knife. Rather than one blade, it had four blades, all spaced evenly apart. The blades themselves seemed to be about an inch in length and width each. The only reason the police knew that was the two stab wounds to the back and chest. Other than the wounds on the body, however, there was no trace of anyone else ever having been there.
Near Kuoh Town, Japan, 2012 A.D.
Vader once again found himself meditating aboard his ship, the Fallen Angel, Raynare, resting inside the once royal personal room. The conversation he'd had with her weighed on his mind. Coupling that with the one he'd held with Reya Kusaka and Momo Hanakai when she finally awoke did not help matters. As he meditated, he reflected on the information they'd given him.
Raynare had been confused at first, which quickly turned to fear when she saw him standing over her hours ago. After using the Force to calm her down enough for the two to converse, he didn't find it hard to believe given enough time that the Fallen Angel would've become that corrupted version of herself left to her own devices. Her apparent love for Azazel, the leader of the Fallen, would've been a key factor in that. She'd already come to Kuoh Town on his orders simply because it was Azazel who'd said them. Before him, another Fallen leader named Shemhazai, had given her orders to go to Kuoh Town. She refused to, on account of the other Fallen here.
That had been another thing Vader would need to worry about. The living Force had said the other Fallen, save one, had been corrupted by Palpatine's new Force ability. What annoyed the former Sith was the fact that Raynare had outright told Shemhazai that the Fallen here weren't acting like they usually were. She'd been ignored due to disagreements she'd apparently had with each of them in the past. It was that kind of dismissiveness that had allowed the Sith to infiltrate the Republic over a thousand years.
Raynare had no idea when it happened. All she could remember was getting orders to protect a Sacred Gear user coming to Kuoh Town. A girl by the name of Asia Argento, a former Holy Maiden excommunicated from the church. Her Sacred Gear allowed her to heal any and all injuries barring lost limbs. Vader was unsure what to make of it, considering magic was usually an ignorant individual's idea of the Force.
In the end, the former Sith made Raynare an offer. Become his agent and help eliminate the traitorous elements in the Kuoh Town Fallen Faction. Raynare was unsure at first until Vader mentioned that she'd be rewarded by Azazel if she did this. A little underhanded on his part but he needed someone to keep an eye on the corrupted Fallen. There were also Raynare's orders from Azazel and Shemhazai to consider, which were delivering Argento to them for study.
Knowing Palpatine, he'd try and kill the girl and have her death blamed on the Devils, reigniting the war between the three supernatural factions and weakening them so that he could somehow step in and take them all over. This meant keeping the girl alive was paramount. Raynare told him where the Kuoh Fallen home is. Unsurprisingly, their home was the abandoned church on the edge of Kuoh Town. Raynare mentioned that none of them were that creative when it came to home bases.
Vader dismissed the Fallen Angel to rest and went on to gather more information from an opposing viewpoint, that of the two Devils his apprentice had captured with the Shadow Trooper detachment yesterday. The basic history and information regarding the Sacred Gears remained the same. The former Sith was far more interested in the two heiresses, seeing as one of them had been singled out by the Force itself. The two Devils revealed as little as possible, even with him employing a Mind Trick. Their loyalty to their master was commendable.
The former Sith's eyes opened as his personal holoprojector went off. Vader stood and activated the device, a hologram of Piett appearing. He already knew why the dutiful Axxilan Admiral had called.
"Mister Hyōdō is on his way in, milord. He's being followed by a group of students from Kuoh Academy. Shall I have them detained?"
"Negative, Admiral Piett, you will let them in and direct them to me. Have them followed by a unit of Stormtroopers. I will greet them as soon as they arrive. Have the two girls brought outside my ship as well," Vader ordered as he felt his apprentice's presence in the Force coming closer.
Piett nodded once. "As you wish, milord."
The hologram cut out, leaving Vader in the quiet starship until his newest guests arrived.
Rias and Sona glanced around at the abandoned buildings surrounding them. They felt like they were being watched as they and their respective Peerages were led by Issei Hyōdō. Koneko squeezed tighter against Rias, her fear of her powers getting to her despite her insistence on continuing toward where the transfer student's master was. Rias rubbed the Nekomata's back as the building's entrance loomed over them.
"Once we enter, do not be frightened or shocked by anything you see. All will be explained soon," Hyōdō said cryptically as the door to the building opened.
The inside of the building was far cleaner than Rias had expected. Despite all of the vegetation over everything, the floors, walls, ceiling, and everything between had been cleaned to an almost shine. There was also a surprising lack of décor besides the overgrown desks and the like. As the transfer student led them forward, more signs of human habitation became apparent until he opened a door. On the other side of the door, eleven men waited patiently.
The man in front was wearing what looked like a gray uniform and cap, with black boots, belt, and leather gloves. On his uniform was a small plaque with red and blue squares. He was about fifty-six years old but that did nothing to remove the sense of integrity and duty the man exuded. His hair was fading to grey, but traces of the original brown color were present. He raised an eyebrow at Hyōdō before he turned to the group of Devils.
"I am to take you all to lord Vader. These men behind me will be our escort, if that is no issue?" the man asked as he clasped his hands behind his back, his Japanese having an English accent.
"'Lord Vader'?" Sona asked with suspicion before Hyōdō placated her.
"My master. Lead the way, Admiral."
The men behind the Admiral fanned out to the Devils' sides. Rias couldn't help but study them. Their armor was a pure white color, with a blue pattern going from their helmets down to their chests, arms, and legs. They marched in perfect step with the Devils' own steps. One of them was wearing a white colored pauldron on his right shoulder and was right beside Hyōdō. The helmets the men wore were all the same. They had black soulless lenses, were bulbous, and were menacing despite the fact there wasn't anything inherently menacing about them. The weapons they carried looked like guns but at the same time, Rias knew that they weren't simply guns.
As the Admiral led them to the man called "Lord Vader", Rias spotted other things that started to make her really questions who these people were. She saw some men wearing the same armor playing a strange card game. What was strange about them though was the fact they all had the same face. She guessed it was possible but unlikely for a group of twins to exist, but then there were the tall black robots that carried a crate off toward some other room.
The robots were a definitive shock. The robots she'd seen were nowhere near as advanced as these were. One even glanced at her and gave a slight wave with one hand. She saw a smaller robot that resembled a trash can rolling around a man wearing a gray jumpsuit and black hat. The two seemed to be conversing in English. She wasn't exactly sure how the man could understand the robot as it seemed to only make beeps, boops, and whistling noises. It was like that for many of the rooms they'd passed through. They were bustling with activity, and each one of the rooms had even more white and blue-armored men.
They all stopped at a pair of double doors. Rias could feel a slight draft coming from behind it, and she heard two pairs of feet shuffling just beyond it. The Admiral turned back around to them then. He nodded to the white and blue armored men, who took up guard positions along the wall outside the double doors. Once they had finished getting into position he spoke to all of them.
"Lord Vader is inside, as are the two girls we captured alongside the Grigori. I ask that you not do anything rash when you go inside. With that out of the way, I leave them to you, Commander Hyōdō," the Admiral said succinctly as he walked away.
Hyōdō nodded before holding his hand out toward the door. Rias assumed that he was going to step forward and push the door open. That wasn't what happened. Instead, the doors seemed to open on their own. The Gremory heiress at first thought that the door was motion sensor activated until she took a better look. There was no motion sensor or motor attached to the door.
Hyōdō looked over his shoulder with a look that seemed to ask if they were going to just sit there. The group walked ahead of him and into a wide room. What they saw in there shocked them to their core. All around them were what looked like spaceships. Most were highly angular save one, which sat in the middle of the room.
The ship in the middle of the room was beautiful. Rias could easily see the very soft curves and elegant lines, with almost no traces of seams. It's hull shined brightly from the setting sun hitting it at just the right angle. Reya Kusaka and Momo Hanakai were standing a few feet in front of it. Sona and the rest of her Peerage quickly ran up to them, checking them for any injuries, but both girls were fine.
The Gremory Heiress and her own Peerage watched with smiles at the reunion, despite the fact the Peerage had lost its two Bishops for only a day. That was when the ramp that had been part of the ship began to lower loudly. The noise of it lowering echoed around the room until it touched the ground with a thud. Steam billowed out of it and obscured the entrance for only a moment. She heard the figure before he'd even begun to descend.
Khooh Puuhr
Sona and her Peerage looked up sharply at the noise as the figure they all heard descended down the ramp. Reya and Momo didn't share the wary look the other Devils had adopted as the figure reached the bottom.
The figure was clearly male and was wearing a suit of black armor. He was quite tall compared to all of them, even Rias, who was the tallest of the group at five eight. His helmet reminded her of an angry skull. The box on his chest had blinked with green and red lights every so often. The silver and black cylinder hanging from the figure's belt was similar to the one she'd seen on Hyōdō. That sound she'd heard from inside the ship had also gotten closer and had not abated.
Rias then remembered Koneko's words about Hyōdō's master. The mechanical breathing that was reminiscent of burn victims on life support. That was when she realized that the figure before them was Hyōdō's master. The man the Admiral had called Lord Vader.
"Greetings, heiress Gremory, heiress Sitri. I am Vader. I would be honored if we could speak before you take your leave of this place."
Author's Note: Sorry for the wait on this one. Just moved back home for the summer so I had to settle back in. All in all, though, this is one of the longest chapters I've written in a long time. The next one should be somewhat shorter, I'm hoping.
For those who might be annoyed about Raynare being an agent of Vader, I think it makes perfect sense. She wants to please Azazel, right? So keeping him appraised of Vader and the situation in Kuoh is bound to make him happy in her mind. That may change though as she spends more and more time with the former Sith Lord.
Also, Vader and Issei aren't the only Force-Users on Earth, if the hint I made earlier in the chapter wasn't obvious enough. Vader and Issei can't sense them due to Sith Magic done by Sidious, similar to how he masked himself from the Jedi and the public during the Clone Wars. They will provide an ample challenge for the pair and their allies to face in the chapters to come.
Finally, all Mortis stuff never happened in this universe because that arc never made sense to me, so any reviews even mentioning it will be ignored.
For the life of me, I don't get why this site removes all the things I do for some of these sentences.
Anyway, that's all for now. Until next time!