Author's Notes: Last chapter was very polarizing as I suspected it might be. It's the defining chapter where Tatsumi's future is spread out before everyone. Is he for or against the devils? Would he become a Blood-Thirsty Edge Lord or reclaim a bit of his original personality from Akame ga Kill? That was answered last chapter. I knew I was going to lose readers and anger people even as I posted it because there were people on both sides of the fence and a few even straddling it. I knew from the reviews quite early on that this was never going to be a story that would please all my readers.

The quality wasn't the best for a variety of reasons. Not going to make any excuses for that, really. It simply covered the main points I wanted it to cover and moved the plot along the direction I needed it to go. The writing was good enough and I wasn't interested in spending weeks I didn't have polishing it to a shine, so I posted it.

Now that the big question is answered, I hope everyone that has decided to stick with this story can orientate their expectations accordingly. By the time the Peace Conference ends (which is the next major plot point) the primary vision I had when starting this story will be realized, as will Tatsumi and Night Raid's place in the overarching DxD Universe.

Chapter 12: The Path Forward

It was a peaceful morning. The sun was just beginning to poke its head above the horizon, staining the sky brilliant colors of red, orange and purple. The first rays of light reflected off soft, wispy clouds that meandered across the sky without purpose or desire. A warm, stiff early summer breeze blew in from the south, swirling around the homes and bringing with it welcome relief.

The day had all the hallmarks of perfection.

That perfect day was marred by sharp grunts of exertion coming from a perfectly manicured back yard. Only this backyard wasn't that of a small home in the midst of a sleepy suburb on account of that suburb now being a giant hole in the ground. The scent of cut grass still hung in the air though, cut by some mystical servant Tatsumi hadn't been able to catch. It brought with it a sense of nostalgia. The birds were there too, just like that first fateful day he had of his high school journey at Kuoh Academy. These birds were a little different as well, considering most birds avoided this estate like the plague. The music of the song birds played from a recording that sat on the window sill of an open window.

The same one Serafall had busted yesterday to be exact. Sona hadn't let her sister leave until she'd repaired it.

In the center of it all stood Tatsumi, barely breaking a sweat as he swung a weighted wooden sword, a bokkan. Bennia had managed to salvage it from the wreckage of his parent's home yesterday. It was one of the few things that did survive. Surprisingly their original laptop had as well. The hard drive, anyways, which allowed them to transfer off the contents into the new ones.

He swung the bokkan down once more. 997.

Tatsumi frowned down at the two hundred kilogram sword. Sona had been kind enough to cast a few spells on it to increase the effect of gravity upon the wooden sword. It didn't actually weigh two-hundred kilograms, but it felt like it. The problem was that it was too light.

Tatsumi swung the weighted bokken again. 998. 999. 1000.

"This is useless," Tatsumi grumbled as he tossed the bokken away like a child's toy. It hit the grass with a heavy thump and rolled a few feet before stopping. "I might as well be swinging a feather!"

Now that he had time to actually dwell on the past he had quickly come to realize that the battle against Kokabiel had been strange for a number of reasons. He could still remember it for the most part. The strength he shouldn't have had, the wings that had allowed him to fly, the tail… he had started to transform into the Tyrant. It had been very similar to the time when Incursio had tried to take him over while fighting Shikoutazer.

There'd been differences, of course. While he had been stronger and faster, he hadn't been in possession of the same level of strength that had allowed him to knock Shikoutazer, a Teigu the size of several mountains and just as heavy, off its feet. That downside had come with the upside that Tatsumi had still been control of his actions, or as in control as someone who was consumed by rage could be. He had felt the Tyrant there, but there hadn't been the immediate sense of losing all control, like something else was taking over.

Some of that strength he'd possessed while fighting Kokabiel had stayed with him when he'd reverted back to human form. His strength was beyond what it had once been. His stamina was as well, which had made both Bennia and Sona quite pleased these past couple days. If both his endurance and his strength had increased, it was logical to assume everything else had as well. Strength played a big factor in how fast someone could accelerate and he most certainly would have to be more durable if for no other reason than because of the increased muscle density that came with increased strength.

It was like in Drag So-Ball where powering up to Super Sabian for the first time boosted the anime character's base stats by a set amount as well.

"There is no need to tear up my lawn, Tatsumi," Sona said, pulling his thoughts back to the present. He turned and just watched as she stepped outside in a light blue chemise. The chemise was all but transparent in the early morning light and did more the emphasis her flawless figure, than hide. He could see her arousal clearly through the fabric, something she told him he'd better get used to. Female devils were always like this once they found the right person.

It was a good thing the ward around the estate kept out unwanted guests and prying eyes.

Tatsumi watched her as she made her way over to the weighted wooden sword. There was a slight strain on her features as she lifted it. She carried it over to him and offered it back. "If it's too light, just let me know and I'll increase the intensity of the spell. I can tell you had this sword built with heavy training in mind. It can surely stand having its weight doubled a few more times."

He sheepishly scratched the back of his head as he took the weighted training sword from her. "Ah, sorry Sona. I guess I'm still a little on edge." Whenever something irritated him these past few days he just lashed out at whatever it was. Sona and Bennia were the only exceptions to that rule. He still had no real home and his family was gone. That wasn't something Tatsumi was going to get over in a few days.

"That's no excuse to be throwing things about like a child," Sona scolded him.

"Sorry." She was right, and the better he reined in his emotions, the better off he'd be. Tatsumi kneeled down on the grass and set the bokken aside as he got into pushup position. "Do you mind stepping on me with this?" Tatsumi asked her as he tapped the weighted sword.

Sona arched an eyebrow at him. "Oh? I wasn't aware that Tatsumi enjoyed that kind of activity. I believe I must once more adjust my opinion of you."

Tatsumi deadpanned. He wasn't into sadism. "That's not what I meant. Regular push-ups don't help anymore. I need added weight to get anything from them."

She allowed a playful smile to flicker briefly across her lips. "I know." She picked up the bokkan and laid it across her lap as she settled on his back. He started the exercise once she was properly settled. "It's nice to see such dedication." He could feel her fingers gently tracing the muscles on his back. "Most devils simply work on their magic and energy, using that to bolster their capabilities. This type of training is more difficult, but often yields better results."

"It also means that if I ever do get magically boosted, it's just that much more effective," Tatsumi added. "But admit it, you like it for a completely different reason."

He wasn't vain by any stretch of the imagination. His body was the result of an incredible amount of hard work and effort for the express purpose of protecting those he cared about, even if he had done a rather poor job of it to date. That he had a chiseled body that could make body builders weep in envy and turn girls into drooling husks of estrogen had really only been a side effect of his efforts, one he didn't mind using to tease the people he cared about.

Her fingers froze for a few moments before they started again. "Perhaps, but I will vocally deny it if you try to bring it up in front of anyone else."

Tatsumi just chuckled as he continued to do pushups. "I'd never do something like that, Sona. What do you take me for? Issei?"

"No, and if I did we wouldn't be here having this conversation." That was true, Sona didn't particularly like Issei and his perversions. Her fingers stopped just shy of the nape of his neck. "Tatsumi, are you feeling better this morning?"

"I am," Tatsumi said. "You two are really good at helping me forget."

His parents were gone. His heart clenched painfully every time he remembered their faces. His failure to protect them would always haunt him. That was a fact he'd have to live with for the rest of his life, but Sona and Bennia had helped a lot.

He hadn't lost everything just yet. There were still people to fight for.

"I'm pleased to hear that." There was a warm note to her voice. "It is the duty of a significant other to provide warmth and comfort for their loved one during their times of need." Her voice became flat and hard. "Even if their onee-sama completely ruins it all by taking thousands of pictures to sell on D-Bay."

"We still don't have royalties, do we?" Tatsumi asked. He heard Sona grumbled irritably above him. That was answer enough. Perhaps he should approach Serafall and ask himself. They were the ones being used in her money-making scheme, they deserved at least some of the earnings.

"Tatsumi…"

"Hmm?"

"This is merely for my own curiosity, I have no intention of asking you anymore but… if I had asked you to become my knight, would you have said yes?"

Tatsumi paused at the top of a rep and peered back over his shoulder up at the devil he had somehow fallen in love with. She didn't have the same vulnerable look as before, it really seemed like she just wanted to know.

He went back to his pushups before beginning. "No, I wouldn't have." He felt her shift uncomfortably on his back. "It's not because of you either. Had I not seen what Gregorious did to my sister, Mira, I would have said yes. But ever since that day…" Tatsumi slowly shook his head. "It's not you I don't trust, Sona, it's the Evil Pieces system. I'll never be a part of it."

"Your sister wasn't just murdered, was she?" Sona murmured softly.

"No, she wasn't." He didn't want to bring up that subject. Just thinking about Mira and her death still hurt.

But then again, confronting his parent's death had helped. Maybe… it would be alright to talk about it. At least with Sona anyways. She'd already seen him at his worst and she had been completely open and forth coming with her desires and designs for him.

He forced down the painful feelings that always came when he thought of his sister and started. "Mira had a Sacred Gear… a special one. I was told that it could see the past and the future." He heard Sona's breath hitch in her throat. "It doesn't take a genius to realize how valuable that is. Gregorious wanted it, and her, in his peerage. So he… killed her and forcefully reincarnated her against her will." Strange… it didn't seem as hard to talk about it as he thought it would. Was it because it had been so long? Or was this simply what he had always needed? "Then he broke her. She wouldn't follow his commands, she didn't want to be reincarnated as a devil. So he used his position as King to make her love and adore him."

"So that's why…" Sona let out a long sigh. "Gregorious Abaddon tainted your view of the Evil Pieces long before we ever met." She started gently stroking his back. "I'm not going to make excuses for the system. It's like any system, human, devil, or otherwise. There are ways to exploit it and those willing to do it. You can command obedience, but it comes at a cost to potential. The domination is never absolute and having a part of the mind always resisting can, and will, hold an individual back." Tatsumi believed her. He had seen first hand Mira resist the compulsion even first hand. "You know that I would never do that."

"A part of me knows that but some scars never heal, Sona. Even if my heart knows that you never will, there will always be doubts lingering in the back of my mind. Am I here willingly? Have my memories been altered? Are my feelings genuine? I'd rather we stay as we are. At least that way I know I care for you because I truly care and not because you've tweaked my emotions without my knowledge."

"I see, I suppose I can understand. I don't agree, but I can accept it. But Tatsumi…" he could hear a note of confusion in her voice. "If Gregorious had reincarnated and dominated Mira, why would he kill her if she had such a useful—" she gasped suddenly. Sona was intelligent, she had probably followed that train of thought to the end, especially after what happened during her confession yesterday.

"Gregorious didn't kill Mira." He did. His fingertips dug into the soft ground as his sister's smiling face as she died between his fingers haunted his vision.

An angry rumble escaped Sona's lips. "That's not how the Evil Pieces should be used…" Sona sounded angry.

"Shouldn't doesn't mean it won't be," Tatsumi said coldly, "and I intend to kill every devil that does, regardless of my affection towards you."

"Do you care if a human murderer or rapist is imprisoned or killed?" No, Tatsumi really didn't. If anything he was more upset he wasn't the one bringing justice down upon them. The law was generally much too lenient. "Then don't expect me to care either," Sona said, sensing his feelings. "Don't worry about my feelings, I may even help you. Right now you have no way to chase them to the Underworld, I can get you there."

Tatsumi froze in mid exercise and gave Sona a startled look over his shoulder. "You would really do that?" Feelings aside, that ability to finally chase devils, to chase Gregorious Abaddon himself, back to their homes alone made it worth siding with at least one devil.

She nodded her head. Tatsumi could see she meant it. "As I said, don't assume all Devils are the same. My own dream is compromised by the existence of individuals such as this Gregorious Abaddon so I even have a vested interest in helping you hunt him down and those like him."

"Won't your leaders try and stop you?" The original Satans might be dead, but Sensei had mentioned that new ones having taken their place.

Sona shook her head. "No, they would be supportive. There's one in particular that might be… too enthusiastic in her support of us. They're pushing for peaceful coexistence between all the races. There's only four of them though, and a lot of opponents. They can't be everywhere."

"Must be some dream if you're willing to help me kill your own kind," Tatsumi murmured.

Sona smacked his back lightly. "Stop thinking I care about every one of my kind like they're family. I care about my race as a whole and those closest to me. Just like you do with Humanity, Tatsumi. If there is a particularly cruel devil, I have no issues with seeing them put in their place or an example made of them so that others don't think to follow in their footsteps." There was a pause before she started up again. "As for my dream… I mentioned it before. I wish to open a school. It's the main reason I'm here at Kuoh Academy, to learn from the humans that have perfected it."

Here for a benign purpose indeed, perhaps there was something to Bennia's words all those weeks ago. "A school for what?"

"For Rating Games." Tatsumi felt a flash of annoyance surge through him. Rating Games, the very reason Gregorious Abaddon had searched out his sister in the first place. Sona wanted to build a school for that? "Right now only high class devils are allowed to attend the school that currently exists in the Underworld. I want to build one that doesn't discriminate between social classes. Where any devil, reincarnated, low, or otherwise, is able to attend and learn."

Tatsumi pulled his knees under his chest. Sona was quick to get to her feet as he stood up. He didn't much feel like exercising anymore and he'd already done more than his normal two hundred pushups. He took a couple steps away from Sona before stopping at her light touch on his back.

"Is something the matter, Tatsumi?"

"The Rating Games are why Gregorious Abaddon targeted my sister," Tatsumi said quietly. "They are the reason she's gone. Gregorious Abaddon was just the first devil that got to her." He glanced at her over his shoulder. She seemed surprised. "Or do you honestly think that Gregorious is the only devil that would be drawn to a Sacred Gear capable of seeing the future?"

She didn't need to answer. Tatsumi could see it in her eyes. Sona may be different but Tatsumi still considered her an exception to the rule. An exception that had offered him a way to strike at those who had once been outside of his range. Those that used the boundary between the human world and the Underworld as a means to keep them safe.

He decided to try and mollify her a bit.

Tatsumi turned around and brushed his fingers across her cheek. "Sona, I like the concept behind what you're trying to do. You're trying to end discrimination in your own way, make better the lives of those who have it worst. That in and of itself is very charitable and, if I may be honest, sort of undevil like. Unfortunately, that charity is rooted firmly upon a foundation of greed and selfishness. All that exists at the end of that road is even more suffering for Humanity. The more devils that feel they can prey upon humans as a means to elevate themselves in this Rating Game of yours, the more they'll suffer." Tatsumi shook his head. He could already see what was going to happen if Sona continued down this path, and not due to any fault of her own. "Unless the foundation is shattered and rebuilt in a way that doesn't cause suffering for Humanity, there's a very real chance I'm going to be forced to put down your students."

It was too much to hope that every single student Sona taught would adopt her ideals. There will always be those, even more so amongst Devils, that would try to elevate themselves above their peers using any means necessary. They may not even have any true animosity towards Humanity, but their desire to be better, get revenge against their peers for a perceived slight, or simply challenge themselves, will lead them to abuse Humanity.

And Tatsumi would be there to kill them when they did.

"You're serious, aren't you?" Sona asked, searching his face. She grimaced when she realized he really was. "You are. I can see it. I should have seen this earlier. It's what Night Raid does and how can I rightly ask you to change your ideals while asking you to support mine?" She tilted her head and rested it on her palm. "Since you've thought it through that much, do you have any ideas?"

He did, one, but it wasn't his place to speak it. She needed to come to the realization herself or the meaning behind it would be lost. Just taking the answer and implementing it wasn't enough, she needed to believe in the answer as well. The only way that was happening is if she thought it up herself.

"I don't mean to sound cruel, Sona, but it's your dream not mine," Tatsumi said. "I'm just telling you how it's going to end as it currently stands. I'd rather it didn't end that way," if for no other reason than to spare her heartache, "but that's going to depend entirely on you."

Tatsumi started back towards Sona's estate, letting Sona mull over his words. She quickly fell into step beside him with a deep contemplative look on her face. That was heartening to see. She truly was trying to come up with alternative methods in her head for accomplishing her dream without being at odds with Tatsumi. He could almost envision her constructing alternate curriculums, enforcement methods, and ways of teaching.

It was a start, but unless she broke through the box she lived in and stepped across a certain line, she'd never see the real solution.

"Maybe Rias has some ideas," Sona murmured quietly to herself as the two of them entered the lobby of the estate.

"Rias is not someone I'd take advice from," Tatsumi muttered. Rias, while definitely better than Gregorious on account of her not breaking and warping the minds of her peerage, was still someone that forcefully reincarnated people. Words were cheap and unless Tatsumi actually saw Rias change her ways, he wasn't going to accept it.

Sona just threw him a sidelong glance at his words and let out a soft sigh. "She's not that bad, Tatsumi, although I suppose I can see why you might think that way. You've only seen her actions, not the thought process behind them or what made her the way she is."

"Oh?"

"You need to realize that Rias is both sheltered, and a Gremory." He gave Sona a strange look. What did either of those have to do with the way she treated people? Sona noticed and let a small smile spread across her lips. "Gremory's are, by their very nature, a passionate and emotional family. That's both a positive and a negative. Rias would never twist her peerage like Gregorious did to your sister. She loves them all like they were her family. That same love often causes her to act irrationally, her decisions fueled entirely by her emotions. She can, and will, make cruel decisions for the sake of the one's she loves."

Tatsumi couldn't help but think back to the church where Rias was willing to damn one person to save three others. Even then she probably only saw the people she cared about in pain, and Asia as the one way to save them. It brought to mind a saying Tatsumi had read a while back.

The worst catastrophes ever caused by man were always done with the best of intentions. In other words, people who truly believed they were doing the right thing were so blinded by their ideals and the issues present before them, that they had failed to see what harm their desires might cause the world at large.

It wasn't something unique to devils, but interestingly enough, to those that loved the hardest.

"Then how do you explain what she did to Issei," Tatsumi asked as he and Sona started up the stairs to the third floor. "She waited for him to die and only then did she approach him. I heard her speak to him as he laid there. She only took him in because he was useful." Tatsumi wasn't even going to touch on the fact that she had left him flounder for over a day, utterly confused by his situation, which led to him being attacked a second time.

"I said it before, she's sheltered," Sona said. "Her brother, Sirzechs, is one of the new Satans. Lucifer." Her brother was what?! Did that mean if he killed Rias he'd have one of the most powerful beings in existence out searching for his blood? No wonder Gabriel had demanded that he tell her immediately the moment he killed Rias. If he did kill Rias, he'd best make sure it was done quickly, quietly, and with no witnesses, or he might as well just take his own life afterwards. Sona noticed his look of incredulity. "I can only imagine what you're thinking. But needless to say, Sirzechs dotes on his little sister even though he really shouldn't. Akeno, Kiba, Koneko, Gasper. All four of Rias' first peerage members were given to her by Sirzechs or her father."

"Given?" Tatsumi asked as he stopped just outside the washroom.

"Let me explained that further," Sona said quickly. "Akeno's childhood was… let's just say, turbulent at best. Her mother died when she was nine. She stayed with her relatives until the age of ten where she was kicked out onto the streets." She paused. "It's not really my place to say why that was the case."

"That's fine." He had secrets of his own he had yet to tell anyone.

Sona nodded. "Well, to say the least her mother was a Shinto priestess and had taught Akeno much. She used that skill to survive until her family caught up to her. They were about to kill her over the very reason they kicked her out when Rias and her father's Bishop arrived. They managed to talk the family out of it under the condition that Akeno never enter the Himejima clan territory again, and that she never leave Rias' side. Akeno became Rias' Queen the moment Rias received her Evil Pieces set."

"So she—"

"Let me finish," Sona interrupted him.

"Sorry."

"Yuuto Kiba and Gasper Vladi both have similar situations." Tatsumi was going to have to ask who this Gasper was. "Yuuto was killed in an experiment by the church, and Gasper by Vampire Hunters. Rias had nothing to do with either deaths and, indeed, hadn't even known about them. Both times it was her brother, Sirzechs, that learned of their deaths and brought Rias to them." Tatsumi was starting to see a pattern to this. "Koneko was taken in and reincarnated by a completely different devil. It's not my place to speak of what happened there either, but suffice to say that tenure ended badly with her being sentenced to death as a 'preventative' measure until Sirzechs intervened and protected her. He then placed her under Rias' care to help her out of her depression. From there she just naturally became Rias Rook."

"Rias… never had to work for anything, did she?" Sheltered and pampered. She was a princess that hadn't needed to work a day in her life.

"That is correct," Sona agreed, looking pleased that he managed to pick up on where she was going. "And that is the main issue with her. Her first four pieces were all but given to her. She didn't even need to ask. It was just natural that they became what they did. Issei was the first she had to actually 'earn' herself. She probably made a great many mistakes and uncertainty often breeds inaction. Those words you heard her speak may very well have been to herself, to bolster her own confidence in her decision. Rias may come across as a very confident and self-assured individual, and in some situations she is perhaps overly confident, but when it comes to her peerage it's different. I have lost count the number of times she's come to me with questions and concerns on whether she's handling someone in her peerage right." She gave Tatsumi a long meaningful look. "We had a long talk a few days after that church incident. Her and I alone. Because of your words I don't think she's ever going to be truly certain she made the right choice in reincarnating Asia."

So that was why she had let Issei flounder about for a day. It wasn't because she wanted to, it was because she herself needed time to figure out how to best approach him. It was because of her own lack of confidence. When Issei got attacked again, it forced her to move despite her fears and doubts. Tatsumi had just moved quicker.

Tatsumi almost wished Sona hadn't said anything. She was making Rias out to sound like a normal high school girl, complete with a host of insecurities.

Still…

"She wouldn't do anything differently if forced to redo it."

"No, she wouldn't," Sona agreed. "Her desire to protect those she considers family, her peerage, often overrides her concern for others. That Asia was forced to choose whether to reincarnate while under duress will always gnaw at her, but she'd never choose differently."

"You seem to be oddly intent on—"

"Convincing you not to kill my best friend?" Tatsumi winced. She did know of his plans. He really shouldn't be surprised, she was frightfully observant and very intelligent. "Of course I knew. When looked at from afar, the only visible difference between Rias and a couple of those devils you'd killed over the past few years was the method. That confident, almost arrogant, façade she puts on at school would have done little to assuage your concerns either." Sona took his hands in hers and squeezed them tightly. "This may be selfish of me to ask, but I don't want you to go after Rias. I don't want to lose both my best friend and the man I love in the same day."

It was interesting that Sona didn't doubt that Tatsumi could kill her friend if he wanted to.

"Rias has issues," Tatsumi pointed out.

"I know she does, but look at it this way. If you kill her, she will be the last devil you ever kill. Sirzechs will never rest until he finds his sister's murderer, even if it means kicking down the gates of Hades and questioning his sister's soul." Uh oh, that wouldn't make Tatsumi safe no matter what he did. If Sirzechs was capable of doing that then Sona was right. If he killed Rias, he was dead as well. Gabriel couldn't protect him every second of every day. She may not even protect him. If Kokabiel thought Rias' death could kick start the Great War, why would it matter if it was him instead? Gabriel may let him die if for no other reason than to protect the Greater Good. "Whereas if you let her live, Sirzechs may even help you find Gregorious Abaddon and other devils like him."

"So let one devil live so that I can continue to kill others." Betray his ideals to continue fighting for them. What a twisted concept, and one he very well may have to adopt just to survive in this perverted, Godless world.

"Yes. Is she really so bad though? Between my words and what you have seen yourself, is she as bad as Gregorious Abaddon and his ilk?"

No, she wasn't. Tatsumi had come to that conclusion before Sona had mentioned anything about her friend. It hadn't been enough to convince Tatsumi to lower his blade, but enough to at least admit she wasn't as bad as Gregorious Abaddon.

"I'll never be her friend." There was simply too much about her Tatsumi didn't like, and that went beyond just her being a devil. Her very personality grated against his nerves.

"Tolerate is all I ask."

"If she becomes as evil—"

"She won't," Sona reassured him. "Because I'll be there to set her straight before she ever becomes evil."

Sona was really convincing when there was something she wanted, which Tatsumi supposed was true to her character. She'd been this way ever since the day he first met her.

Tatsumi let out a sigh and let go of his plans for Rias. "So long as she doesn't become another Gregorious I suppose I can ignore her." In a way, it stayed true to Night Raid. Focus on the goal, the objective. Don't get distracted by minor details along the way. His goal was to kill Gregorious Abaddon and protect Humanity. He could still do both even if he ignored Rias, provided she didn't step too far over the line again and became someone he needed to protect Humanity from.

"Thank you, Tatsumi, that's all I ask." Sona leaned towards him and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "Now, please finish your bath while the water is still warm. I'm not going to draw another for you."

"That was a major change of subject."

"It was, wasn't it?" Sona said, giving him a little smile. "We both need to get cleaned up. We have places to be today and we don't want to go smelling as we do."

"We do?"

Sona turned him around and nudged him into the bathroom. "We do. The two of us need to be at Kuoh Academy by noon."

Noon? Tatsumi frowned as he made his way into the bathroom. What were they doing at Kuoh Academy at noon? He threw a look over his shoulder out into the hall but Sona was already gone, most likely to her own bath.

Tatsumi shrugged and returned his attention to the warm bath she had drawn for him. "I'll just ask her later."

Right now, he really could use a bath.

~o~

Tatsumi had heard from his sensei, Gabriel, that Kuoh Academy had been closed for several days to undergo repairs after she and Serafall went overboard in their battle against Kokabiel. While he hadn't actually seen the battle, and there were oddly no pictures, videos, or eye witness reports of it, he could only imagine the sort of damage Serafall and Sensei could do while working together. The Kuoh Academy he walked into together with Sona showed no signs of battle what-so-ever. Whatever damage had been done to Kuoh Academy during the battle with Kokabiel was gone.

Knowing what he did now about the forces at play here, Tatsumi could only assume a liberal use of magic had tossed about. Still, it was remarkable to see that everything was exactly as it had been. Even the love letters from various girls at the school were still in his locker.

Those had been confiscated by Sona almost immediately stating it was against school policies to invade the private locker space of another student. Tatsumi didn't recall that being in the school rules when he had first arrived, but was certain it would be there by the following day.

The two of them made their way through the empty halls to the Student Council room, there was no school today on account of it being Sunday.

Upon entering Tatsumi's gaze quickly darted across the various individuals in the room. He recognized Tsubaki and Saji right away. Tsubaki and Saji were never far from Sona at school, at least one of them was always by her side, and usually both. The others Tatsumi wasn't as familiar with but knew them all to be members of the Student Council. Since learning Sona was a devil and had a peerage of her own, Tatsumi assumed that the student council was that peerage.

"Thank you everyone for meeting me here on a weekend," Sona greeted them politely.

"Of course Kaichou!" Saji said loudly as he thumped his chest. "I'll always be here to help you however I can." There were murmurs of agreement from the other members.

Tsubaki adjusted her glasses and gave Tatsumi a thoughtful look. "I can only assume from the recent influx of pictures of the two of you together," Tatsumi saw Sona scowl irritably, "and from his presence here, that things have progressed favorably on your end?"

"Partially," Sona said as she made her way over to her desk. She brought out the knight she had planned to use to reincarnate Tatsumi and placed it on the wood. "Tatsumi is too powerful to be reincarnated with any of the pieces I still have left. He will not be joining my peerage."

"That is unfortunate," Tsubaki murmured.

"It is," Sona said, turning around to face them all. "However he does know about my heritage and the rest of you. At least towards us, he harbors no hostility."

"Sona can be really convincing," Tatsumi said. There wasn't any need to get into the details.

"Especially when she gets you beneath the sheets!" An energetic girl with reddish-brown hair quipped. Tatsumi could see Saji's face darken out of the corner of his eye.

"Meguri, that's quite enough of that," Sona chastised the energetic girl. "However that brings us nicely into the next point. As you, along with much of the world," she all but spat out that last part, "have no doubt seen due to my onee-sama's eagerness to share my happiness with the world, Tatsumi and I are now together." Sona stepped away from the desk and approached Saji. "And that means no interfering, Saji. Am I clear?"

Saji wilted like a flower. Tatsumi almost felt for the boy. Sona wasn't one to beat around the bush so she was laying things out crystal clear. "Yes, Kaichou."

Sona nodded and continued on. "Good. I know of your infatuation with me. Unfortunately I do not feel that same for you and I never will. It is best for you if you simply moved on." Now Tatsumi felt for Saji. He could literally see the boy's feelings get crushed before his very eyes. That had to have been painful. How do you handle being told by the girl you love that she would never love you? "I'm sorry Saji, I don't mean to cause you undo pain but it's better if you hear the truth now instead of pining away for a love you'll never have." She lifted his downcast face. "You're like a little brother to me and I hope that someday you'll see me as an older sister."

She stood and turned away from the crushed boy. She gave a young girl with long twin ponytails a meaningful look before making her way over to her desk. The girl all but teleported to Saji's side and began to rub his back comfortingly. At the desk Sona turned back around and gestured to the members of the student council.

"Tatsumi, formal introductions were never done before. I know you've met the Vice President of the Student Council, Shinra Tsubaki." The beautiful long-haired girl tilted her head respectfully. "She and I have been friends for many years and in my peerage she is my Queen." She gestured to the down cast boy, "you've met Saji as well. He's a pawn in my peerage, one that took four pieces to reincarnate. The girl beside him is Nimura Ruruko, my first pawn and Treasurer of the Student Council."

"It's nice to meet you," Ruruko said, bowing her head quickly before turning her attention back to Saji.

Sona gestured to the other members of her council. "Hanakai Momo was my first bishop." A girl with black hair and blue-green eyes smiled at him. "Reya Kusaka my second." A brown-haired, brown eyed girl with a sizeable bust smile lazily at him. "Both of them are quite skilled in the use of magic. Kusaka, in particular, has taken well to a particular discipline of magic and," she focused her gaze upon her bishop, "as a reminder, Kusaka, stay away from Tatsumi."

Kusaka pouted. "As you wish, Sona-senpai."

What was that about? She didn't seem like someone that had a grudge against him. Was there some other reason Sona wanted her to stay away?

"The last two members are Tsubasa Yura, and Tomoe Meguri. My Rook and Knight respectively." The last two members tilted their heads.

Yura was a tall girl with strange blue hair making Tatsumi wonder if she had dyed it. Her small chest made Tatsumi a little wary however, as small chested women seemed to be drawn to him and he already had his hands full with Bennia and Sona.

"It's nice to meet you, Tatsumi," Yura said, "I find too few men willing to get their hands dirty these days. I'm glad Sona-senpai was able to find one willing to work hard."

The other girl quickly grabbed Tatusmi's empty hand and shook it vigorously. "I'm Meguri! I'm so glad we get to meet face to face! I saw you fight Esdeath! That was so awesome! Can you teach me how you wield your katana?" Tatsumi was a little taken aback by the energetic girl. Her shoulder length auburn hair bounced about her shoulders like it was animated.

"Ah, what?"

Sona sighed and adjusted her glasses. "You stay away from him as well, Meguri."

"No can do, senpai! Tatsumi agreed!" Meguri said cheerfully. She winked at him. "I'm looking forward to our private lessons!" Then she was gone, whirl winding back to her spot beside Yura.

"Wait… I didn't agree…" Why was Sona glaring at him of all people? Oh whatever, he'd put that aside for now. Tatsumi tilted his head to the Student Council members. "I'm Nakimori Tatsumi, and I'm… me?" Tatsumi frowned, how was he supposed to introduce himself? "I'm the founder and leader of Night Raid, a group formed to protect Humanity from supernatural forces. Your Kaichou, Sona, has convinced me that neither she, nor you, are people I need to protect humanity from." He frowned again. "That was more awkward than I wanted it to be. Let me start again."

"There's no need, Tatsumi," Sona said gently. "They all know that you've had issues with devils in the past."

"Oh." Well that made things a bit easier. "I guess I just want to add that I haven't had issues with any reincarnated devils to date, so I'm not actually as biased against them." He winced painfully. That sounded so robotic. "I'm really not sure how to go about this but I don't think I'm going to have to worry about Sona mistreating any of you."

"Sona would never mistreat us!" Saji declared loudly.

"I know and I agree." Almost anyways. He trusted Sona, and like Sona he didn't see devils in front of him, but regular humans that just happen to have black wings and could cast devilish magic. Unfortunately some scars never truly healed. "Do you all mind if I ask you each a couple questions?"

"Is that what those are?" Sona asked, pointing to the stack of papers Tatsumi had under his left arm. "You wouldn't show them to me before we left."

"They are, there's literally only two questions," Tatsumi assured them.

Sona made her way over to him. "May I see one? I need to make sure you're not asking my peerage inappropriate questions."

"They're not inappropriate," Tatsumi assured her as he gave one to her. "I'd have one for you, but I already know both answers."

The two questions on the paper were simple: 'What's your dream?' and 'Do you like me?' He saw Sona frown as she read over the two questions. "Tatsumi, you still don't—"

"Some scars never heal, Sona," Tatsumi whispered so only she could hear. "This… is the last assurance I need."

"I see," Sona said before handing the paper back. "Please everyone, humor Tatsumi just this once. And be honest with your answers."

"I won't even show them to Sona if you don't want me to," Tatsumi added as he made his way to each person. They each took a page and made their way to the tables. "I guess you could say I just want to know a bit more about each one of you."

"How are we supposed to interpret the second question?" Tsubaki asked as she read through them.

"However you want," Tatsumi replied honestly. "The interpretation tells me as much about you as the answer does."

"I see," Tsubaki said as she wrote a simple, one word answer to that question.

The questions themselves weren't important. What Tatsumi was actually looking at was their reaction as they read the questions. The first one was a test to see if Sona had stripped them of their dreams and desires. The second one was a psychological test to determine if she had twisted their hearts. He couldn't take credit for coming up with the test, he'd found it online.

It was a good test that told him a lot. For instance the way Ruruko glanced over at Saji when she read that second question told Tatsumi that she liked Saji and just why Sona had broken Saji the way she before immediately turning Saji over Ruruko. Sona had known of her affection for the boy.

The dark scowl on Saji's face was no surprise either. Yura and Momo both shot a quick glance out the window, indicating that they too, liked someone, but someone who wasn't here. The worry on Momo's face indicated that whoever she liked was currently not doing very well.

The coy look Kusaka sent his way however was almost terrifying, especially the long paragraph she wrote as a response. Tatsumi didn't even need to watch Meguri. She had already made her feelings clear earlier.

It didn't take them long to finish, and what he saw when he got back washed away the last vestiges of worry Tatsumi had. Each and every one of them had a clearly defined dream, and only a few actually coincided with Sona's. Those that did made sense. Saji and Tsubaki both wanted to help her with the Rating Game school while Ruruko wanted to help Saji help Sona. The rest were varied from opening their own dojo to becoming a medical practitioner helping both humans and devils.

And then there was Yura who just wanted to beat people up.

Tatsumi wasn't surprised when Saji wrote down that he didn't like him. His feelings were known to just about everyone there. Yura, Ruruko and Momo used paragraphs to explain in different ways why they hadn't actually formed an opinion. They didn't hate him, but they didn't really know him well enough to care either. Meguri had been the typical yes answer, and there'd been some added information about times she was available to train.

Tsubaki was different. There'd only been one word: No, leaving Tatsumi to interpret the answer on his own. At times she was as hard to read as Sona.

Kusaka's answer made Tatsumi more than a little nervous, especially when combined with her goal.

"You're reading Kusaka's, aren't you?" Sona asked, noticing his discomfort.

"Are you serious?" He asked Sona's bishop. She had written that her life goal was to have sex with more men than anyone else alive or dead and that she'd accepted to become part of Sona's peerage because it gave her greater access to men willing to ravage her body.

Then she'd stated that any time Tatsumi wanted to ravage her body, all he had to do was push her down and take her. The rougher the better. If he knew any friends, he could bring them along as well. She had specifically mentioned Ieyasu as well. Tatsumi was fairly certain Sayo would take exception to that.

In other words, the term 'nymphomaniac' was coined for people like her. She made Bennia seem well-adjusted.

"Yes, I am," Kusaka said, smiling at him, "any time you wish to change things up or grow bored of Kaichou, you're more than welcome inside."

"That's not happening," Sona stated quite firmly. "As I said, Kusaka, you're not allowed to be alone with Tatsumi." Yes, please don't leave him alone with her. Sona made her way over to his side. "Are you satisfied, now, Tatsumi?"

"I am," he said. She looked rather annoyed that he didn't take her at her word before. Tatsumi didn't really blame her but he needed this. "I'm sorry, but words are just no longer enough for me. When the darkness is all I've ever seen I need to make sure the light I'm staring at truly is a shining star and not just someone with a flash light looking for another victim to hurt." He let out a soft sigh. "I'm certain of what I'm looking at now."

"Good, I hope you'll believe me from now on." Tatsumi winced inside. Yes, she was definitely annoyed at him right then. Sona took the papers from him and tore them to pieces before tossing the remains into the garbage bin. She turned to Tsubaki. "Now that the introductions are over, Tsubaki, are all the repairs to the Academy finished?"

"They are, Sona," Tsubaki confirmed, "the last of the paint and little details were finished this morning. I have Rias Gremory and her peerage cleaning up the pool to prepare it for opening as you asked."

"Did they complain?"

"Rias only asked that they be allowed to swim in it first."

Sona nodded, "she must be trying her best to take their minds off Yuuto Kiba."

"What happened to Kiba?" Tatsumi asked. He knew Koneko had been worried about him but Tatsumi was certain he'd have followed the trail of the Holy Swords back to Kuoh Academy. Was he still missing? If he had been labeled as a Stray Devil…

"Ah, right, you don't know," Sona said. "Kokabiel caught Kiba looking for the Excalibur fragments. He tortured him, tried to pervert his very essence. While he was rescued and we were able to heal the damage to his body, he's been in a coma ever since. Rias and her peerage are taking it hard."

Mental trauma then, or exhaustion, possibly both. Without knowing the specifics of what happened, either could be the case. It didn't make much difference though. Tatsumi wasn't an expert on the mind. Whatever it was that kept Kiba in a coma it wasn't something that Tatsumi would be able to help with.

Poor Koneko… she had been so worried over Kiba disappearing. Any joy at having him returned would be completely lost by his current condition. He could see her blaming herself for his fate. They all probably were.

"Do you mind if I go?" Tatsumi asked Sona. He wanted to check in on Koneko.

Sona gave him a curious look. "Where would you be off to?"

"Would you believe me if I said I wanted to see how Koneko is doing?" he asked.

Sona blinked once and then nodded. "Unlike you, I would." Tatsumi winced. It would probably be awhile before she let him live this down. Probably right up until the moment it wasn't worth the hassle. "That isn't a bad idea either. We could all use a little relaxation after the battle with Kokabiel. Rias said she wanted to swim first, that doesn't mean we can't join her after she's gone in." Sona stood and gave her peerage a small smile. "Does everyone have their bathing suits with them?"

There was a round of acknowledgement from everyone in her peerage, even Saji.

"Wait, you all just keep bathing suits on you?" Tatsumi asked, bewildered. The pool hadn't been opened before now, it'd just been too cold in Japan for any pool to be open.

"Do you mean to say you don't?" Sona asked. She seemed honestly confused. "If you did not, then you can just sit on the side while the rest of us swim."

That wasn't happening. Tatsumi left the room and quickly pulled out his phone, hitting speed dial for a certain someone.

((What's up Tatsumi?)) Bennia's voice came through from the other side.

"Want to go swimming?" Tatsumi asked.

((Yes!))

~o~

Everyone was already in the pool when Tatsumi finally stepped out of the boys' change room with a proper pair of knee-length swim shorts on. He would have been out sooner but Bennia had thought it'd be funny to bring him the tiny little speedo she'd bought him for his seventeenth birthday.

The air was alive with energy as everyone laughed and played both in and outside of the pool. It certainly didn't feel like a gathering of people hoping to forget the horrors Kokabiel had inflicted upon one of their own. Ruruko and Saji were swimming together near the deep end, Yura and Meguri were sun bathing while Asia Argento was talking animatedly with Momo and Kusaka near the ladder.

The Queens of the respective peerages, Tsubaki and Akeno, were racing each other in the pool.

Tatsumi never would have imagined that the serious Tsubaki would have that type of swimsuit though. The ultra-skimpy red string bikini she wore did little more than cover the most important places, although that being said Akeno wasn't wearing anything much better. It was like the two of them were competing to see who wore the least amount of fabric.

It wouldn't be surprising to see the fabric disappear entirely before the end.

The most surprising thing of all was Sona. The always stoic, calm, and serious President of the Student Council was wearing a navy blue bikini that was only marginally better than what Tsubaki wore. She was speaking quietly with Rias beneath an umbrella.

Then there was Issei, who didn't seem to know where to look and was trying to stare at everything all at once. He was standing at the shallow end of the pool with his fingers circled around his eyes screaming 'Boost! Boost!' for some reason.

((Finally decided to join us, Tatsumi?)) Bennia called out, drawing his attention to her. The sleepy-eyed Grim Reaper was paddling in the water beside Koneko, both had cute little inflatable life preservers, blue and white respectively, around their waists. Koneko was wearing a basic blue school swimsuit while Bennia had decided on a far more daring blue two-piece suit covered in tiny white skulls.

"I'd have been here sooner if you hadn't brought me the wrong swimsuit," Tatsumi returned, throwing his lover a mock glare. He wasn't really upset. It was his fault really for not specifying. He knew Bennia well enough that if she could twist his words in some harmless, mischievous way, she'd do it in a heartbeat.

((The speedo would have looked good! There's still time to change into it!))

Tatsumi just shook his head as he jumped into the pool and made his way over to the two of them. "That's not happening."

"Ara, ara, I must say I would have looked forward to it as well," Akeno piped in as she and Tsubaki finished their race. Her eyes glimmered with mischief and approval as she raked his body with them. Tatsumi had a sudden urge to cover his chest. "Pictures don't really do the real thing justice. Personality couldn't have been the only element of you that drew Sona to him."

Tatsumi quickly swam behind Koneko and used her as a shield to block Akeno's gaze. "Ah! Help me Koneko, I'm being eye raped by a female Issei!"

Koneko looked startled for a quick moment before she rounded on Akeno. "Bad, senpai, stop being a pervert."

((Ya! Tatsumi's body belongs to me!)) Bennia agreed as she threw her arms around his shoulders.

"He certainly is well built," Rias said from the side. She threw her friend a sidelong glance, "well you won't have any complaints from your mother in that regard at least."

Sona rubbed her temples and groaned. "Please don't bring her up. I have no idea how I'm going to introduce Tatsumi to her."

"You did beat her by two years, didn't you?" Rias asked, laughing.

Sona just groaned.

The more Tatsumi heard about Sona's mother, the less he wanted to meet her. "What's up with the life preservers?" Tatsumi asked Bennia and Koneko, leaving the others to stare at him or talk about him as much as they wanted. "Can't swim?"

"Never learned," Koneko said quietly.

((Swimming is overrated! Floating is the life! All it needs is a cup holder and some wine and this is all I need!))

"You're sounding like an old lady," Tatsumi teased Bennia.

((I'll sound like whatever it takes to laze about easy!))

He chuckled and turned to Koneko. He poked the life preserver a couple times. "Want to learn how? I can help."

"Ah! I promised Koneko I'd help her swim!" Issei shouted, splashing water all over the place as he rushed towards them. Leave it to Issei to finally notice and pay attention when he feels like his harem is in danger.

"Did he?" Tatsumi asked. Koneko nodded. "Well, it's ultimately up to you. I won't be mad either way but…" Tatsumi jerked his thumb at Issei who's head had swivelled to the side as Yura rolled over onto her back to sunbath her front. She'd forgotten to put her top back on. "I promise not to get distracted every time a nice part of tits gets flashed or bounces in his proximity."

"Hey I do not—oh uhh… yes…" Tatsumi sweat dropped as Issei's head swivelled over to Meguri as she rolled onto her back as well. She was both topless and bottomless.

What was with this world? It couldn't be just a devil thing because Tatsumi had seen it with humans and angels too! People in this world were just too willing to flash their bodies openly like it didn't matter. It was like everything was stuck on the two extremes of the scale.

Shaking those thoughts from his mind Tatsumi focused on the issue at hand. "We should let Koneko decide," he told Issei. He gave Koneko a smile. "So what'll it be? Me or the pervert?"

It took Koneko all of half a second to decide and warp her arms around Tatsumi. "…sorry, Issei-san, next time? If Tatsumi's not here."

Issei gasped in horror. "Now I get it! Tatsumi! You're a lolicon! You're developing a lolicon harem! First Bennia, then Kaichou, and now Koneko-chan!"

An enormous amount of killing intent suddenly filled the pool area coming from two different locations. One was from across the way where Sona stood quivering in rage beside Rias. The other was right beside Tatsumi and, unfortunately for Issei, within arm's reach of him.

"Would you like to repeat that, Issei?" Sona asked as she strode towards the edge of the pool like an avenging goddess. "I don't believe I heard you correctly the first time."

"I believe he just called you all flat chested," Tatsumi said, tossing gasoline on the fire.

"Wait! No, that's not what I said!" Issei protested.

"Rias, I apologize in advance but I suggest you prepare a Phoenix's Tear," Sona said as she cracked her knuckles ominously.

"Two of them," Koneko added as she hammered a fist into Issei's face, sending him skipping across the pool, over the side and through the air where he eventually slammed face first into the wall of the boys change room.

((Eh, I'm fine, Tatsumi likes my chest so big or small, I'm fine with it!)) Bennia said cheerfully. ((You should see the way he—))

Tatsumi quickly snapped his hand around Bennia's mouth. "Ah, you probably shouldn't say any more."

That fire was already plenty big enough. Tatsumi could only watch as Sona and Koneko beat Issei to within an inch of his life, only for Rias to heal him with a Phoenix's Tear so that they could beat him once more.

"Is he enjoying it?" Tatsumi asked as he noticed that odd smile on Issei's face.

((It's Issei, who knows what he enjoys?)) Bennia said honestly. ((Maybe he likes being stepped on by cute girls?))

A pair of arms lazily wrapped themselves around his chest. "I like being stepped on," Kusaka whispered into his ear. Tatsumi started in surprise at the sudden invasion of his personal space. A pair of bare breasts were pressed against his back. "Kaichou is busy right now, let's go somewhere private and I can show you where I enjoyed being stepped on, and then penetrated over and over."

((Hey! Leave my Tatsumi alone!)) Bennia snapped as she pulled on Kusaka's arm. ((I don't want a foursome with you!))

"Ah, no thanks," Tatsumi said as he tried to pry her fingers from his chest. He was having little luck, she had an unfathomably strong grip. Was it from clinging onto all those men as she let them ravage her body?

Kusaka was suddenly ripped from Tatsumi and held above the head of an irate Koneko. "Bad Kusaka, don't perv on Tatsumi." And then like Issei she hurled her into the wall of the girls change room.

"Thank you, Koneko," Sona said, approvingly. She seemed much calmer now, although it was a touch frightening to see her adjust her glasses so calmly with blood stained knuckles. "We all need to keep a watchful eye on that girl so that she doesn't get too close to the boys."

Tatsumi let out a sigh of relief and gave Koneko a thankful smile. "Now that the two perverts are out for the count, want to have those swimming lessons?"

"Yes."

((Have fun! I'm just gonna go float and float and maybe float some more!)) Bennia said cheerfully as she floated away from the two of them.

Tatsumi guided Koneko over to a quiet corner of the pool, or as quiet as it could be when there were fifteen people in and about the pool area, and taught her what he could. It wasn't that difficult, really. Start her off by helping her float on her back without a life preserver, followed by helping her practicing kicking her legs by holding onto the ledge.

Koneko was a quick learner, thankfully. There was probably some sort of natural instinct built into her that helped her learn quickly. It wasn't long until she was swimming using him as a support, kicking her feet behind her as she swam beneath the water.

"That's it Koneko! Almost there!" He felt his back bump into the diving platform on the side of the pool. "And done!"

Koneko burst out of the water and clung to him gasping for breath. "Sorry I had to grab at you like that, senpai."

"It's not a problem, it's nice to just sit back and help others with simple things like this for a change," Tatsumi said. It was certainly better than grappling with super-powered Fallen Angels. He gently rubbed the top of her head. "You did good." She leaned into his head rub. "How are you holding up?"

Koneko wilted like a flower. A downcast look came to her face as memories plagued her. "I failed, Tatsumi-senpai. I'm weak."

Tatsumi threw a look over his shoulder. Kusaka was still a crater in the wall, although Issei had recovered and was gleefully slapping oil on Rias' naked back. That boy could recover from anything if it meant being able to touch Rias.

"A couple individuals here at this pool would disagree with you."

"Esdeath… she said I was too weak to be a Rook. That I was no good." Koneko didn't even seem to hear him. "I thought she was just lying, getting to me. But then Kiba… I couldn't save him. I couldn't even beat a Cerberus." There were tears in her eyes as she looked up at him. "How do I become strong like you senpai?"

"That's not really a good fight to use as a measuring stick," Tatsumi said. His heart dropped as his own painful memories coming back to haunt him. His parent's deaths, the deaths of all the innocent people nearby. "Kokabiel was beyond all of us. As strong as you seem to think I am, he completely destroyed me."

"Senpai wouldn't have struggled against a Cerberus!"

No, he probably wouldn't have. "True, but then Kokabiel would have just sent something bigger, or come for me himself." He let out a long sigh. "I was told by someone much stronger than I that having great power doesn't mean you're always going to be able to save the one's you care about. It just means you'll be faced with bigger threats."

"So I just… give up?" Koneko's was begging him for an answer. Something, anything.

"No," Tatsumi said. "Even if power doesn't guarantee you'll always be able to save the people you care about, it certainly helps and you should never give up." That seemed to cheer her up a little. "I need to get stronger too, so I don't lose anyone else."

She froze, surprised. "You, lost someone else?"

His heart clenched painfully as his parent's faces flashed across his thoughts. "My mother and father. Kokabiel killed them just because he wanted to watch me suffer." Now it was Koneko who was patting him on the head. He gave her a strange look before continuing. "And it's not just me. A lot of people lost loved ones that day. To think, I'll never see her smile again or eat her food ever again." He had hoped that someday they wouldn't taste like ash.

It seemed that day would never come. The memories of that taste of his mother's food were distant now, and it would only grow more distant as time went on.

"I want to hit Kokabiel!" Koneko muttered as she smacked her fists together. "Hurting Kiba-senpai is one thing. Taking away mother's delicious bento box is unforgivable!"

Tatsumi blinked at Koneko and then started to laugh. How could he be upset when she was so serious about the loss of a bento lunch? "How about this. We both need to get stronger, and you want a bento lunch, right?" Koneko nodded her head vigorously. "Then come to Sona's place each morning. I get up at five to go through my training exercises. It got me this strong without being boosted by a Rook piece, I imagine it could help you as well." At the very least it couldn't hurt. Doing something, anything, was better than nothing. At the very least, it would help her recover her confidence. "And afterwards I can try to duplicate my mother's food. I have some experience cooking and I remember what it smells like but I need a taste tester."

"I can be a taste tester," Koneko offered happily. "I'm good at tasting food."

"Good, then we'll start tomorrow if you want."

"Yes, senpai!" Koneko said cheerfully with the first genuine smile he'd seen on her face since coming to the pool.

~o~

"I'm going to have to thank Tatsumi later," Rias murmured as she listened in on Tatsumi and Koneko. "He's single-handedly brought her out of her depression."

"He's good like that," Sona said approvingly. "Despite what Akeno stated, his handsome face and unmatched physic are not what attracted me to him."

"They didn't hurt though, did they?" Rias asked teasingly.

"I will never admit that," Sona returned evenly.

x~X~x

"That was actually rather relaxing," Tatsumi said as he and Issei made their way towards the school gates. Saji had headed back to the student council room to help Sona and the others file the paper work and get the workers to fix the pool after Akeno and Rias broke a part of it in their battle over who Issei should oil up first. "I don't think I've actually ever actually just done nothing for a few hours like that."

There was a torn expression on Issei's face, like he couldn't decide between being happy or upset. Either way, he looked exhausted. "Rias let me put oil on her… and then Akeno wanted oil… then Asia wanted oil. So much oil, so good…" Issei was all but drooling at this point. He suddenly sucked it back and pointed an accusing finger at him. "But you stole Koneko-chan from me!"

Tatsumi swatted the back of his head. "I didn't steal anyone, Koneko is her own person and can choose who she wants to hang out with on her own."

"Teach me your ways!" Issei begged him. "You've already taken Bennia and Kaichou! Koneko I'm sure is just around the corner! How do… how do you know?"

"Know what?" Tatsumi asked, becoming serious. This wasn't the usual Issei. Tatsumi could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. Issei was struggling with a problem that Tatsumi hadn't noticed before.

"How do you know if a girl actually likes you?" Issei whispered quietly. "I thought Yuuma liked me… and then she…"

Ah, that was the issue. Issei was scared of opening his heart because of what Raynare did to him. How could you love when your first love betrayed you so thoroughly? Well running away wouldn't solve the problem, that was for sure. Tatsumi wasn't sure how much help he could give him but he'd try.

"Bennia and Sona are different people than Rias and Asia," Tatsumi said as he stared up into the sky. The wispy white clouds flittered across it without a care in the world. "But there are several signs that someone genuinely likes you. They always wish to be near you and have these special little smiles and touches just for you." He paused and gave Issei a look. "Can you name something recent that you've been involved with them in?"

"Well, a couple days ago Rias and Asia came into the bath with me and squished me between their breasts." There was that perverted look on his face again. "They made me grab their breasts and then… I sort of passed out."

Tatsumi palmed his face. "Issei… let me put it this way. I don't think they could tell you they wanted you more if they wrote it on a sign and smacked you in the face with it. Asia, for instance, choose a life of eternal damnation just for your sake. That alone screams dedication the likes of which few married couples will ever share."

"Are you certain?" Issei asked doubtfully.

"Look, if—" A powerful presence suddenly appeared nearby. It didn't seem particularly threatening, more curious, as it settled nearby to listen in on them. Tatsumi forced himself to remain relaxed as if he didn't notice before continuing. "If they climb into bed with you naked tonight or tomorrow or whenever, and they offer themselves up to you like that again, just take them," Tatsumi said. Issei just gaped at him in shock. "I'm serious. Just push them down and have sex with them. If they say no, stop, if they don't, have fun. Either way, you'll have your answer."

"You're serious!"

"I am. What I do know for sure, Issei, is that it's not healthy to stand in the middle, uncertain. You need an answer one way or another." Sort of how Saji needed to know his lover would never be returned so he could recover and move on. "Either they'll welcome you inside with open legs and you'll have your yes, or they'll say no and that's that. You'll have your answer and you can move on from there." Tatsumi was positive that a certain former nun would say yes quite empathically, even if Rias did say no.

Issei was still hesitant. "I don't know… I don't want to ruin our friendship…"

"If you ever want it to be more than a friendship you have to take a chance," Tatsumi said, "and if that's enough to ruin it, then it wasn't much of a friendship to begin with. Still, I'm completely certain they won't both turn you down." Issei was almost willing to accept his words, just one more push. "And really, you're never going to catch me if you don't have the courage to at least try."

"OOOOO! I'll catch up to you, don't you worry Tatsumi!" Issei cried out passionately. "Tonight is the night I'm going to become a real man!"

"You can do it!" Tatsumi urged him on.

"I had known that the Sekiryuutei was a pervert, but I had thought better of you, Mr. Game Changer."

"Just giving Issei the advice he needs," Tatsumi returned calmly as he turned to face the presence he had felt earlier. It was a young man with dark silver hair and blue eyes. He wore mostly black, with a green shirt beneath his coat and a pair of burgundy pants. A needless silver chain that would only serve as a means for an enemy to gain an advantage on him drooped at his side. "Advice isn't always filled with niceties and politically correct words. I say what I feel people need to hear, even if it does… sometimes come out strange."

"Well, be that as it may, I wanted to formerly introduce myself to the Red Dragon Emperor, the Sekiryuutei. It's nice that you're here as well Tatsumi, saves me the effort of looking for you afterwards." The silver-haired young man bowed mockingly. "I am Vali, the Hakuryuukou, 'Vanishing Dragon.'"

The Hakuryuukou, which meant White Dragon Emperor. Tatsumi wasn't familiar with either names, but based on their similarities he could probably assume they were both powerful dragons, rivals even. If so, Vali would most certainly be interested in Issei… once he was actually someone worth being interested in.

"It's nice to meet you Vali, I'm Tatsumi," he said offering his hand out easily. Issei was all but freaking out beside him.

"You're certainly courageous," Vali said as he shook Tatsumi's hand. "I must admit I am interested in learning more about the man capable of bringing the Great Seraph, Gabriel, and her arch rival, Serafall Leviathan, two of the most powerful women in existence together."

"My charming personality?" Tatsumi remarked.

Vali laughed. "No one actually believes that, Tatsumi. While I still don't know what it is exactly, I do know you're no simple human. Death clings to you more tightly than that little Grim Reaper that follows you around." An eager look crossed his face as he pointed a hand at Tatsumi. "Let's say we have a little test here and now."

"Only if you feel like testing all of us," Sona's voice cut through the conversation as it was wont to do.

Tatsumi could feel them approaching from behind. Rias, Sona, and both their peerages. They had probably sensed this man's presence, he had done very little to conceal it. He didn't know how strong Vali was, but the odds were definitely against him at the moment.

"What are you doing here, Hakuryuukou?" Rias demanded as she came up to stand beside Issei. Sona stopped beside him.

Vali dropped his hand and laughed. "I didn't come here to fight. I'm accompanying Azazel for something. In the mean time I thought I'd just check out a pair of potential worthy rivals. I know the Sekiryuutei will provide me some nice entertainment in the future. I was simply curious to see if Tatsumi would as well. I'm still undecided with him at the moment." He smirked. "But you all still have a long way to go before you can match me. Kokabiel is like a worm to me, and you were like worms to him."

"This worm took his arm and a wing," Tatsumi returned.

"Oh? That was you?" Vali asked. He actually sounded surprised, pleasantly so. "Perhaps there is something to you after all. But still, none of you would rank very high in the power structure of this world. I might put Tatsumi in the top fifteen hundred, but the rest of you wouldn't even be ranked. Even Sirzechs and the other Satans aren't in the top ten."

"And where do you rank?" Tatsumi asked.

"Not first, that position is immutable, but I am far beyond any of you. I wouldn't want to give too much away." He turned his back to them and started away. He paused after just a few steps and glanced back over his shoulder. "Oh, and Tatsumi. I was asked to deliver you a message."

"And that is?" Tatsumi asked warily.

"Night Raid isn't alone," Vali said, "there is another group out there that fight the same battles you do, only on a much grander scale. An individual from this group will be in touch with you very soon."

"Why wasn't he in touch earlier?" Tatsumi demanded. If there really was someone fighting the same battles he was, they could have worked together, shared information.

Vali seemed to notice his irritation and let out an amused chuckle. "This isn't the only corner of the world that is in conflict, Tatsumi. The entire world is embroiled in something. They can't be everywhere and…" he smiled. "You simply weren't worth it before. Your battle against Esdeath and subsequent survival against Kokabiel has proven to them that you at least have enough potential to warrant a talk." Vali started away again. "You're not the only hero out there, Tatsumi."

And then he was gone, leaving Tatsumi to ponder his words.

Author's Note: This chapter was a little lighter than the others. They can't all be full of doom and gloom. Anyways, please leave a review and let me know what you think of the chapter.

Note of Sona's peerage: I made up back stories for them because I couldn't find anything online about them. Considering they're tertiary characters at best I'm not surprised they're not particularly fleshed out in the Light Novels. I decided to do some fleshing out of my own. This doesn't mean they're going to suddenly become important in my story. I just wanted an amusing way to sort of tie up all the tiny little loose ends hanging about Kuoh Academy.