"You look exhausted." Asia noted as Issei looked like a skeleton. He was walking sluggish and his mind was busy replaying what was in his mind. First Rias appears all willing to get dirty with him getting his boy senses all frayed, his power explodes when he has a damn panic attack, and finally he's been up since early morning cleaning his room from the mess it was.
"I'm fine Asia. I just couldn't sleep that well last night. Trust me, I'll be fine." Asia smiled and latched onto his arm. Issei blushed at this and smiled softly. That fire that came in his belly was not intense today. In fact it's-
"Warm."
"Hm?"
She looked up and smiled. "You're warm today. And so early in the school year. Are you really feeling well?"
"What? Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" She stared at him a bit longer before moving herself closer. Issei wasn't opposed to this and it finally got his mind of Rias. Asia kept her grip on him all the way until they reached the school. At the window Sona was watching him from the top window.
Her glasses reflected Issei as she held an old looking book. Tsubaki came in and bowed respectively. "Student President, Saji and I brought the other books and laid them in your office."
"Good."
"And in doing so your sister has taken notice and asked for the reason why."
"I'll tell her that I wished to expand my horizons to the more obscure matters in our world. You shouldn't have to worry about that. As for Saji, where is he?"
An excited patter of steps graced the stairs and Sona faced her newest pawn. "Right here President. I just finished putting those books on your desk!"
"Thank you Saji. Now hurry and report to class. I'd hate for a member of the Student Council running late." Saji saluted and quickly backed off. Tsubaki watched him leave, but not before taking note of lasting stare.
"He does fancy you."
"I'm sure he does, but you know my standards for a partner. Now if we use our break, we'll be able to help Rias with her research on her new pawn."
"I've been meaning to ask. Sona, why are you helping Rias on this subject. I understand more than anything that you are friends, but you seem determined to find out more about Hyoudou yourself."
Sona took a moment and watched Issei. Her eyes glanced down before sighing. "Because I am curious about the nature of this. Defects should be unable to access the power of their Sacred Gears. That includes the Red Dragon of Domination. Yet Issei has been able to not only bring out power, it's a massive volume for one that can't carry it."
"I see."
"All beings reincarnated with Sacred Gears have been documented since the dawn of them arrived. The few cases of Defects have shown that no could use it. Perhaps we've stumbled on a rarity and that Rias could potentially have recruited something powerful into her peerage. I think just the mystery itself would be more than enough incentive to study this."
"Yes President."
Sona looked at the ORC house from the distance. "Besides I think if anything, this research could at least serve as some distraction for what's about to come."
The day went by fast and Issei found himself at the clubhouse right after school.
"So I wonder what's going on today?" He asked himself
"Nothing much, we'll just be going over our contracts today." Kiba appeared out of nowhere and surprised Issei. "Though who knows? Something interesting could happen."
"True, I guess." Issei said before following Kiba inside. "Hey Asia arrived her before me, right?"
"She did. Rias wanted me to fetch her and help Akeno prepare some tea for the meetings." Kiba replied. The two walked in and opened the meeting room. Issei saw Rias sitting on her desk and her eyes reminded him of last night.
His body shivered before hearing a few clinking. "Issei!"
"Asia. Hey you got some tea?" She held a cup up to him and nodded. He gladly took it and saw Rias looking right at him. His body shivered again and something in him went warm.
"Oh you're warm again." Asia commented.
"Really?"
"Alright, I call this meeting to order." Everyone took their seats as Rias got off the desk. She pulled out a score sheet and began. "Well guys I'm glad to say within the past few weeks our contracts have been-"
A shining light interrupted her and everyone gasped in surprise. Issei and Asia shut their eyes from the bright light when it finally died down. "Grayfia."
Issei opened his eyes and his jaw almost dropped. A beautiful maid stood before them, but Rias didn't look all too pleased. "What exactly are you doing here Grayfia? Did my brother send you?"
"Yes." Issei saw Rias's eyes widen before they returned to their calm state. "You know why I am here Rias."
"That she does. I mean what else would warrant the insurance of the Strongest Queen?" A fiery circle and Issei shielded his eyes. The fires lowered and everyone saw a blonde man standing at the other end of the room. "I mean who else but Rias's beloved fiancé?"
Issei dropped his cup on the floor in shock. Grayfia looked over and eyed him suspiciously. "Rias, what does he mean?"
"I mean," Riser intervened before Rias could say a word. "It's exactly what it sounds like. Rias Gremory is to be made the bride of yours truly. In order to maintain the pure devil bloodline."
Rias gritted her teeth when Riser moved closer to her and sniffed some of her locks. Asia and the others couldn't decide on what to do as Issei felt his warmth beginning to intensify.
He was appalled by the news.
"Rias doesn't belong to you!" Issei almost shouted. The club members backed up as Issei glared menacingly at Riser. "I have no idea why she'd be set up with a stupid bastard like yourself."
Riser looked at him with an intense studying glance. He walked over and towered over Issei. Grayfia prepared herself. Everyone in the room began to feel heat begin to build up when Riser laughed.
"What? Are you serious? Rias, why is it that you have the defective Dragon here fighting your battles?"
"Hey!" Issei stated before Riser turned to him. Issei felt his knees turn to jelly and he froze on the spot. The pressure in the air became heavy though everyone else looked unaffected with the exception of Asia.
"I know who you are boy. I took it upon myself to know my love's peerage. I was informed of who you were, but you must be very weak. You can't even fathom a taste of my own power." Riser stated.
"Lord Riser. Enough." Grayfia said firmly.
He stopped and Issei began to breathe a bit easier. "Well given the orders of the Strongest Queen and even I grow fearful of what my next action would do."
"Now back to proceedings, Lady Rias you must obey the word of your house. If you refuse then we would expect retaliation from the House of Phoenix."
"...what if I fight my way out?"
Everyone looked at the heiress with serious glances at the suggestion. "You can't be suggesting…"
"Exactly. Riser, your house prides itself on the games. And you take their results at full value. I exercise my right to challenge you and your peerage to a Rating Game and the winner shall decide where the arrangement of this marriage shall go."
Riser looked shocked at first before it melted to bemusement then to amusement. His laugh bounced off the walls of the clubhouse as Rias looked more annoyed with each second.
"You cannot be serious. I think you must reconsider." He snapped his fingers. A burst of flames appeared and a group of women came out. Issei almost had a nose bleed at the amount of gorgeous women were in there.
"My peerage is full and each piece has been blessed to have their full potential at the ready. Compared to your incredibly short peerage, I would say that the Rating Game wouldn't even last five minutes."
Issei's fury started to bubble when Riser brought out his queen. He smacked her butt and fondled her roughly. "Soon enough you can take part in this my love."
Rias looked utterly disgusted and was about to refute again when the floorboards cracked. Everyone looked and saw the glowing aura of Issei rise. Grayfia was taken back by how much power and Riser raised an eyebrow.
"If you think that your dirty hands are getting anywhere near Rias like that then you got another thing coming! We don't need no damn Rating Game. I'll kick your ass here and now!"
"Issei!" Rias shouted, but his power began to expand. 'It's at the same level when facing Raynare. No it's even higher!'
"HAAH!" He charged forward and Riser raised a hand and blocked the first punch. Issei glowered at him and began to go faster. Rias and Akeno raised a barrier around the clubhouse when Riser gripped Issei's hand.
He raised two fingers and gave a small grunt. Issei spat out blood and went flying out the clubhouse. Riser appeared above Issei before he hit the barrier and gave a solid push. Issei crashed into the ground and created a crater.
Asia and the others jumped down to check on Issei. She put Issei on her lap and summoned her Scared Gear. "Issei, are you alright?"
"F-Fine." Issei said in a painful voice. He slowly got up as Rias looked at Riser with utter contempt.
"Rias, did you enjoy that small display? Honestly the boy should be lucky I was holding back or else it would've killed him."
"Lord Riser, there was no need for that second attack though." Grayfia stated. Before she could continue scolding him, Rias felt her power skyrocket as her aura came out. It was darker than Issei's.
"Riser, you've insulted my house and hurt my servant! You disrespected my being for the last time and I will not have it anymore!" With a wave of her hand, the wind blew around the area hard.
"My, my. I haven't seen Rias like this before." Akeno commented. She looked at the rest of the peerage. Though they were keeping an outwardly cool appearance, she could sense their fear at Rias.
Issei looked up at Riser as Asia helped him stand. Riser's gaze moved from Rias to Issei. Their eyes locked in an intense match of hatred.
"Very well, but know this Rias. There will be no mercy granted to your peerage when you enter the games. I will make sure every piece you have feels the full extent of our power. Especially your precious pawn."
Riser snapped his fingers and the magic circle surrounded him and his peerage. They disappeared with no trace as Issei held onto his chest. Asia healed all the damage, but Issei could still feel the pain.
He clenched his fists as he slowly got up. "Issei! What made you think you could take him on?"
"Sorry Kiba, but honestly all I saw was red." Issei groaned before falling back on one knee. Asia yelped in surprise before trying to heal him. Rias looked at Akeno before the turned away.
"Koneko, Kiba take Asia and Issei home. Help them back some things because the ORC is going on a little trip." Issei and Asia looked up before seeing Akeno and Rias disappear. Koneko helped Issei onto his feet.
"Ow!"
"This is what you get for going in fists first." Koneko commented.
"Yeah, I'm feeling it." Asia stood before Issei's chest and began healing. "I guess the damage is much deeper than I imagined."
Kiba nodded. "If you were human that attack would've blown your ribcage out of your back. Be lucky that we have someone like Asia here or else you'd be put down for weeks."
Issei swished some spit in his mouth before turning his head to sidewalk. Blood hit the concrete. "Lucky."
