Issei and Kiba walked trough the hallways of the Kuoh academy. Issei was a known face now, but for everyone he still was a shroud of mystery. Most people who cared knew he was a member of the Occult Club and he frequented it. Most people amused he was friends with Kiba, the prince of Kuoh and Koneko – the elementary school looking first year girl.
As they moved near the sports field, some of the girls began to banter about them so Kiba simply smiled and waved at them.
''..Showoff.'' – Issei muttered to him.
Kiba chuckled. –''If you'd smile and wave the girls would love you too. They are simply afraid of you.''
''..Why would they be afraid?'' – Issei blinked.
''...'' – Kiba didn't answer, he simply exhaled deeply, as if expressing disappointment.
As they walked further, Issei moved closer to Kiba and whispered into his ear.
''Hey..you know...have you ever done anything with your fangirls?'' – He spoke it in a low tone, while raising his eyebrows a few times.
'''..Huh?'' – Kiba stopped on the spot. – ''What do you mean?''
Issei grinned. –''Have you ever fucked any of your fangirls?''
''No!'' – Kiba answered, with a flushed face.
''What a looooser~'' – Issei teased, as he dodged a kick from Kiba.
Issei smiled, aloofly – ''I would have.'' - Another kick that Issei dodged, as he sidestepped.
''..you would?'' – Kiba asked, silently, with a serious expression on his face.
''HAHAHA, OF COURSE I WOULD!'' – Issei shouted into the sky...but his voice was cut off as a small fist crushed his insides.
''Ouch!'' – He exclaimed, as he shuffled backwards. He looked at the owned of said fist – it was Koneko.
''..You are attracting too much attention.'' – She said in an apathetic voice. Issei looked around, noticing a lot of girls looking, pointed and whispering.
Issei raised his hand and waved to the closest group of girls, showing them a droopy smile. They waved back with cute smiles.
Issei chuckled and turned to follow the blushing Kiba and the stoic-looking Koneko. But only stoic looking - she was smirking. Just barely, but still smirking. Issei had most likely not noticed it, but he was becoming more and more ''normal'' as time passed with them. It was almost like spending time normally was slowly healing him.
..
As they entered the Occult club room, their eyes widened for a bit. Xenovia was sitting on the couch, sipping tea.
''Ah, Xenovia?'' – Issei asked.
''Yes, me.'' – She answered, with a smug smile.
Issei sighed with a smile, as he turned to Rias, who, as always, was sitting behind her desk. –''So, why is she here?''
''She's in my peerage, Issei.'' – She responded, not raising her head from her paperwork.
Issei turned around and addressed Xenovia herself. – ''So why is such a god-loving girl here? As a devil, nonetheless.''
''..I have a reason.'' – She spoke, with a serious expression. –''The death of God is a secret. A very well kept secret..until now.''
''..And?'' – Issei jested.
''It is crucial to keep it that way. I was marked as a sinner, and I was sent to be here, well, on my plead, to be a devil.''
''Basically'' – Rias raised her head and pointed at her. –''She is a gift of good will from the heaven.''
''..so it was true, wasn't it?'' – Issei's serious expression glazed Rias. – ''The peace treaty?''
He had heard of it. It was rather hard not to hear such things when you have such contacts as Issei.
''Indeed.'' - Rias responded. –''What do you feel about such turn of events?''
''About the fact that the three factions, enemies for millenniums, decided to suddenly become friends?'' – Issei chuckled. –''It's quite funny, actually. It will not end well.''
''Ara, and why do you think so?'' – Akeno asked, as she took a sip from a teacup.
''War, war never changes. '' – Issei stated. –''But it changes people. Even the most peace loving people have people who they hate. People, for whom death they would destroy everything. As long as people hold grudges, there will be wars...and I am sure, that there are people who hold grudges. A fake peace treaty, built upon a unity of lies. It will come crashing down.''
''..Issei-sempai, do you really need to talk with such a melodramatic way of expression?'' – Koneko asked – a jab at Issei's pride.
..And his response was rather different than the Occult club expected. –''Sorry. My teacher liked philosophy...I got that from her.''
''..Oh.''
''..Well, a counter-movement is expected, Issei.'' – Rias sighed, her eyes wandering to the side. A sign of deep thought. –''..After all, Kokabiel, hearing this, wanted to use me as a bargaining piece to begin a war...and that reminds me.''
''How strong are you, Issei?'' – She asked, her gaze piercing trough Issei. –''Answer to me, honestly...please.''
''..I don't know.'' – Issei looked her straight into the eyes. –''I am sure I can protect you, as a pawn...but I have to get stronger...and so does Kiba.''
Kiba nodded, with a smile.
''I give you a knight's word, Buchou, that I will protect you.''
''..I see.'' – Her eyes wandered back to her papers.
''Anyways, is this all?'' – Issei asked.
''It is.'' – Rias waved her hand in a dismissing motion.
'''Well then, if you'd excuse me.'' -Issei waved to the peerage, but then spoke to Koneko. –''Same time as always. If you want to, that is.''
''..Yes.''
''Ah and this.'' – Issei took a chocolate bar out of his back pants pocket and threw it to Koneko. –''I took this from Prince's Charming school's locker.''
''Huh?'' – Kiba asked, but Issei was already gone.
A minute later,after finishing the candy, Koneko pulled Kiba outside of the club room. They stopped by a door with many warning sings over it.
''What is it, Koneko?'' – Kiba asked, judging by the tone of his voice, he was obviously worried.
''..Have you noticed anything odd about Issei recently?''
''What do you mean?'' – Kiba scratched the backside of his head.
She sighed. ''..He's been...anxious recently.''
''You can tell?'' –Kiba was genuinely surprised.
''I can. I've spent a lot of time with him, plus my nekomata powers help me feel emotions.''
Koneko, of course didn't mention the seemingly endless black aura, that surrounded him like a plague, because Issei meant a lot for her. Not as a lover, not as a friend. But a mentor. An aloof, weird and unstable at times, but still, a mentor.
Someone she counted on. Someone who would be there to help her, or answer any questions she had. Someone she could listen to talk endlessly.
To what, you might ask?
War stories. Experiences, small tips and tricks on fighting, freeruning, blending in. Of course, she could understand that Issei never did fully talk about his experiences. Small fragments at single times.
Kiba's voice brought her out of her thoughts.
''..I'm sure it's nothing.'' – Kiba showed her a thumbs up. –''..And if it's something important, I'm sure he will tell you, eventually.''
''..Eventually.''- She frowned.
Kiba chuckled with his eyes closed. He himself had become a lot calmer after understanding his purpose – to protect Rias- his master.
And so, he had to train.
8 months in at Zero Army/The war.
The fresh smell of burning corpses wavered trough Issei's nostrils, as he chuckled to himself.
''RUN!'' – A man with brown colored clothes screamed to his friend in fear as he backed away, still holding his weapon's trigger, but nothing happened – he was out of ammo.
He dropped the rifle and turned around, seeing as how his friend was already full-out sprinting.
But after a loud bang, the man fell to his knees. A short scream of agony later, he crumpled like a crushed flower against the hot desert sand.
''One down..'' – Issei spoke to himself as he raised his assault rifle and targeted the second person who was escaping.
It was easy, really. He pulled the trigger an a short burst later the escaping person hit the sand without making a sound.
Issei moved forward, slowly creeping trough the burning streets. His footsteps were silent and his senses deadly. His twitching eyes scanned the area as he listened very closely.
''Aaahhh...''
Issei turned to his side and his gun was pointed straight at the source of the whine on reflex.
It was a man with burn scars, barely alive. Issei lowered his gun.
A crunching sounds echoed trough the burning street as Issei's foot crushed the man's ribs. He screamed in pain, wavering his body sideways, trying to turn around...and he did. His blue eyes met Issei's ice cold ones.
''..Please...'' – The man pleaded.
Issei smiled, or rather grinned at him without saying a word. He crouched down and got on top of the man.
''..Who did this to you?'' – Issei asked, shaking the man by his collar. His dilated pupils locked on to Issei's face.
''You...''
Issei's eyes narrowed. – ''Wrong answer.''
His right fist connected with the mans jaw. He shook violently, but Issei didn't let go of his collar.
''...You monsters did this...''
''..'' – Issei froze for a moment.
''..You are all the same, you see..you..don't even acknowledge the amount of blood on your hands.
Issei wanted to stop this man – he didn't want to listen to his deluded mumbling, but yet he couldn't. The way Issei's first thought of stopping the man was killing him.
Suddenly, an incredible amount of anger consumed Issei's movements. In a flash, he cracked the man's skull.
''..Not all of us have a choice.''
He grunted and got up. He turned to his side, where he heard a familiar sound. – chains hitting against each other.
He twitched and almost fired his rifle, but stopped instantly, noticing who it was.
A girl with black messy hair. She was wearing a dirty tank-top and black pants. Her feet were bare and bleeding. Around her arms were chains and she had scars - scars similar to his.
Her wide open eyes were like orbs. She locked onto Issei's eyes and stared...for a few seconds. She glanced sideways, avoiding their eye-contact.
Issei stepped forward, but she twitched. Another step, and Issei, on reflex jumped sideways.
A large ball of fire was thrown out of thin air towards him.
He couldn't believe it – such a small girl with her hands tied with chain, could she could have caused the rampaging fire?
Her voice sounded chirp and raspy, but she was obviously scared. – ''..D-don't come any closer!''
Issei looked at her, dumbfounded. Why was she so scared of him? Had it the scene of him killing people?
..He didn't realize that he was covered in blood and the sweat was making his messy hair stick to his hair. Issei himself was a mess..but he didn't know that. Atleast, not at that moment.
He exhaled and touched his earpiece with his hand. ''Ddraig here. I found a girl with magic powers. She's chained up and has scars.''
''Roger. Bring her over to base.'' – Margit's strict voice responded in her usual ''work'' expression.
''..I can't. '' – Issei stammered. –''She's afraid of me.''
''...Wait for me.''
''Roger.''
Margit's voice sounded a bit off, but Issei wasn't one to question her.
Issei walked the streets on an early morning. The big orb ,sun ,was shinning in the back of his head, as he held his bag over his shoulder, using only one of the straps.
His eyes wandered about with no real purpose. He was simply diving into a pool of nostalgic memories – it was something that Issei did on a daily basis, something he couldn't stop.
His journey to school led trough a park. Most of the time it was rather empty, if not for a jogger or two, but this time it was different. On a bench, a man with silver hair sat. His expression was rather dull, but the way he sat told everything Issei needed to know.
His legs were wide apart, as he was leaning backwards, his arms outstretched both ways as his palms hanged loosely over the back of the bench. Judging by the way he sat, Issei knew that he was confident and arrogant.
..And the throbbing pain in his hand.
Issei smiled, as he simply moved closer to the bench and sat down on it. Issei leaned forwards, as he looked into the distance.
''..Vali Albion, right?'' – Issei asked, as he looked sideways, towards the boy sitting next to him.
''..Issei Hyoudo, right?'' – Vali counter-asked Issei. –''or rather should I called you Ddraig?''
''..Issei is fine.''
A smug grin and a chuckle later, Vali spoke up. –''So, how have you been?''
''..Good. I've been training.''
Vali looked at Issei with an approving expression. –''Ah, I see.''
''What about you?''
''I'm good as well...but I could be better.'' – He said, with a slight smirk.
A silence donned upon them, as they simply watched the scenery of the park.
''..So..'' – Issei began, slowly. –''Why are you here?''
''..If I said to fight you, would you?'' – Vali slowly responded.
''Most likely.'' – Issei sighed. –''But not here.''
''Why not?'' – A glint of curiosity peaked in his eyes.
''..Too many possible casualties.''
''Ara. I'm surprised. '' – Vali spoke in a rather snarly manner.
Issei stayed silent.
''..That you, of all people would mind that.'' – He stopped for a second, exaggerating the last part of the sentence. –''After all, how many people have you killed?''
Issei's muscle contorted as he tried to stay calm.
''..Can you count it? Do you even remember everyone you have killed?'' - Vali threw the words around casually. –''Is it hundreds? Thousands?Tens of Thousands?''
Issei's eyes narrowed into small slits as his head turned to look Vali in the eyes.
Together with the killing intent he spoke. –''Shut the fuck up or I'll kill you.''
Vali's lips curled into a wide smile. –''Oh, I know you want to, after all, it's all you know how to do.'' – he chuckled. –''It's your job description.
''..Che.'' – Issei snarled.
In that second, both of them were off the bench as Issei's fist flailed violently towards his stomach.
..But it didn't connect. A magic barrier stopped it.
To Issei's surprise it wasn't Vali's barrier. Behind Issei, to his right stood a women with short black hair with her hand raised.
''Not today, Vali.'' – Fleimel spoke.
''Ha!'' – He laughed. –''I didn't even sense you, the great fire magician, Fleimel.''
''..'' – She didn't respond.
From Issei's other side, a man with skinny black jeans, chains and a black tank-top stepped forwards.
''Listen, you little shit.'' – Gilgamesh ridiculed Vali as he spoke. –''Don't get too arrogant or I'll kill you. Do you understand? I don't give a fuck who you are or how talented you are. I will simply kill you.''
''Oh, and you really think you can do so?''
''Yes.'' – A simple one word answer.
''..Vali.'' – Issei began speaking, recovered from his anger. –''I'm the talentless looser of the group. My underlings are a lot more powerful than you can imagine...''
His eyes were hidden by his white hair as he moved closer to Vali. He raised his hand in a ghoulish way, pointing them downwards as he cracked his fingers while moving them up in a fist.
The pinky first, then ring finger second. With a louder snap the middle finger but the index finger and the thumb stayed up. He spoke in a low tone.
''Now...The next time we fight...I'll kill you.''
Vali raised his middle finger. –''..Now that sounds fun~!''
''Get lost.'' – Issei raised his voice towards him.
''Oh, by the way, I'll keep your little friends a secret. I don't to get you into trouble.'' – Vali's smirk lingered for a second before he disappeared in a flash.
Issei exhaled and drove his hand trough his white hair. His head was pulsing with a ringing headache.
A rugged hand landed on his shoulder. Issei raised his head and noticed Gilgamesh standing right in front of him.
''Calm down.'' – He spoke in his usual laid-back expression. – ''We'll get to kill him soon enough.~''
''..'' – Issei stayed silent for a second, but then he shrugged the arm off his shoulder. –''Any news?''
''The peace treaty will be signed soon.'' – Fleimel crossed her arms on top of her chest.
''Alright.'' – Issei nodded. –''I'll lay low.''
''Everything is moving along nicely, isn't it?'' – Gilgamesh asked, as he move closer to Fleimel.
''..Indeed. Do you think the predictions of Maria will be correct?''
''It should be.'' – Gilgamesh spoke, as he crossed his arms behind his head. –''That women is never wrong, after all.''
''..Yeah.'' – Issei turned to look at the approaching group of school girls. He calmed down when he noticed it was just a group of random first years.
''..Anyways, I have to go.'' – He said, as he picked up the bag that he dropped by the bench earlier. –''Don't be conspicuous.''
''Nah~.'' – Gilgamesh put his hand on Fleimeil's shoulders. –''Most people just assume we are on a date.''
Issei nodded and began to walk away after hearing the rather scary grunt of Fleimel and the rather loud popping noise as she pulled Gilgamesh's arm of her shoulders.
..
After a knock, Issei stepped into the occult club. It was empty, if not for the man with red hair and a classy suit standing by the window, looking outside.
He turned around with a rather serious expression.
''..Sirzechs.'' – Issei spoke to him with blatant lack of politeness. Sirzechs, however, didn't mind it one bit as his expression softened.
''Ah, Issei. '' – He extended his hand when Issei walked over to him. –''It's been, what, like 4 or 5 months?''
Issei shook his hand. –''Something like that. So, why are you here?''
''I'm doing my job.'' – He chuckled- ''The peace treaty will be signed here. I still have some stuff to take care of and I need to visit my sister in her classes.''
Issei looked sideways, remembering about the parents day at school.
''..Will your parents come?'' – Sirzechs asked, with a hint of curiosity in his his voice.
Issei didn't go to half his classes, nor did he tell his literally bewitched parents. He gave the man in front of him a fake smile. –''No, they have more important things to do.''
''..I see.'' – He nodded a few times. –''..But talking about my sister...how do you feel about her?''
Issei froze up for a moment. –''..What kind of question is that?''
''A one I want an answer for.''
The conversation turned quite serious in that second. Issei smiled at Sirzechs.
''Oh, alright then. I'll tell you the whole truth.'' – Issei glanced into his eyes. –''I don't like her. She is too spoiled for her own good and she is too kind.''
''..Too kind?''
''Yes.'' – Issei nodded. –''You see, I learned a lot in my small time as a mercenary, and one of them was the fact that the world is shit...bad and good, evil and virtuous..these dichotomies don't exist.''
''...''
''The whole system is man made. Many people see the world in black and white even thought it isn't. It's simply gray...plus...A one's hero is someone else's villain, and someone's villain is someone's hero...It's rather funny.'' – Issei chuckled to himself in a rather dejected tone. –''But well, I moved away from the topic at hand. ..While I don't like Rias, I don't hate her either.''
''So you are neutral, is that right?'' – Sirzechs made Issei state it clearly.
''Yes.'' – Issei sighed. –''Don't worry. I will protect her. I will fulfill my promise..as long you don't break yours.''
''Good then.'' – Sirzechs smiled. –''Because, if you had taken a liking to her, or tried to seduce her, I would kill you.''
''..Straight to the point, aren't you?'' – Issei showed him an aloof expression.
He wanted to laugh, honestly. It was so easy to push even the great Satan around his finger with the lie of wanting to kill Maria while he worked hand in hand with her...and there was his sister. The man was a full blown siscon. There was no doubt about it.
..A very powerful and influential man with great care for his sister. If you took away the sister you get a very powerful man looking for revenge. If you took the sister as a hostage, you get a very powerful man to control..at least for a short while.
That was something to keep in mind.
''..But your sister is too innocent. She doesn't know the real world. She wouldn't last in the real world.''
''Hahaha~. '' – Sirzechs full-heartily laughed as Issei found himself not understanding the laughter. –''..Issei, you have been trough a lot more then someone could even imagine going trough in 3 lifetimes...and your view of life has gotten rather warped.''
''...''
''Don't look at me like that.'' – Sirzechs threw his arm in an denying gesture. –''..For you, the real life, as you call it, was in all honesty simply hell on hardcore mode. I will do everything to ensure my sister don't get to...experience...even a sliver of your life.''
Issei smiled in a rather creepy way at Sirzechs. – ''I hope you succeed.''
''I will.'' – He said, as they both heard the quite chime of the bell that signaled the end of a class.-''Now, I'll take my leave...Oh, I almost forgot. Be here after classes. I will make a rather important announcement..that isn't about the peace treaty.''
''..Might I inquire about what?''
''..About a rather hidden bishop.''
''...I'll be here, sir.'' – Issei said, as he bowed.
Sirzechs exited trough the door, closing it in a rather court manner.
As soon as he did, a fleshed out smile appeared on Issei's face...
It was more than a smile...it was a wide grin.
He took a pen and a scrap of paper from his master's desk. He scribbled a simple sentence in his messy, elementary school-looking handwriting.
..And of course, it looked like that. He didn't have the chance to write, neither did he had any reason to.
He looked over the scrap of paper one last time.
[The first part of our plan will be complete tonight.]
He snapped his fingers, as he projected a small dog in his mind, not the full sized wolf..and then he appeared. A miniature sized wolf. He barked at Issei with rather accusing, squinted eyes...but Issei blurted out in a laughter because the bark sounded so high pitched.
He crouched down and rubbed his small head.
''Now now Echo, sorry, but I have to do it like this.'' – The miniature wolf now stopped squirming. –''Bring this piece of paper to the rock-star drug addict looking boy and the scary looking black haired girl we met earlier.''
Echo took the piece of paper in his jaws and nodded.
Issei got up and opened the window. Silently, his wolf jumped outside and disappeared trough the bushes.
Issei leaned against the window sill as he sighed.
The good news was that he was a step closer to complete his plan while the bad news were that his plans were like a staircase..in which a single step didn't matter much.
Yo. Sorry for being an lazy asshole...that, and I took a trip to Poland for a week and a half. Anyways, this chapter sets up some things.
The ending of Issei's war past arc and the meeting with Fleimel - yes, for those of you who didn't get it - it was Fleimel.
Issei's training for fighting Vali and eventually - Cao Cao.
..and you can see how Issei thinks of the world - and someone actually calls on Issei for being so negative.
..and you can already know what will be the announcement from Sirzechs without me explaining, right?
victor1706 - sorry, I didn't have the balls to do the full scene~.
Cristos - Thank you for your kind words, It means a lot.
BejeweldSteam4 - Thank you, and I know I seem evil, but I'm not the fucking devil. I don't have it in me to kill Kuroka...I think.