Author's Note: I know not everyone will like Hikaru, original characters are not as desired as already existing one. However, some focus is required to at least build character and create a place for her in the story and amongst the characters.
Chapter 23: An Undercurrent of Fear
The air whistled softly as Hikaru cut through it with her katana. Her sharp eyes, further heightened by the devilish nature flowing through her veins, captured each moment with perfect clarity. A single leaf that had been softly floating towards the ground split in half and flittered off in two different directions.
It felt good to be out here, swinging her blade merely for the joy of practicing, rather than the urgent need to be the best so she didn't end up in a monster's bed. The cool morning breeze that blew in off the Pacific Ocean was a nice change as well. It carried with it just a hint of that salt water, proof that she truly was back on Earth. There were no oceans in the Underworld and it was always hot down there. She'd almost forgotten what a cool breeze felt like.
This was a nice reminder.
She even relished the feel of the morning dew that clung to the soft, green grass as it squished between her toes with each step she took. Even though she knew she'd have to return to the Underworld eventually, in some form, she intended to spend as much time in the human world as possible.
A devil she may be but her heart still lived on Earth.
It was also nice being able to walk about in just her black bodysuit. All her armor was tucked away in her room. As much as she liked it, there were times she just wanted to be comfortable.
She threw a quick sidelong glance over at her companion. A shirtless Tatsumi stood only an arms length to the side swinging a magically enchanted bokken. Even in the darkness just preceding the sun rise her devil-enhanced eyes could make out the faint, blue runes engraved upon it that increased its weight by magnitudes. Rivulets of sweat ran down his sculptured body and she found it hard to keep her eyes off his chest.
He had no clue just how distracting that was.
Hikaru forced her gaze away from that wonderful sight. She needed to focus on her own exercises. "Do you do this every morning?" she asked as she swung her blade once more.
"I do," Tatsumi replied, his words punctuated by a soft grunt as he swung the heavy practice sword. The air was silent with its passage, but let off a small boom each time he brought it to a halt. A testament to how great the weight had been increased to. "Well, everyone morning I can. In the evenings, I would spar against Gabriel, although I haven't seen her in awhile."
"I heard about the Peace Conference," Hikaru said softly. Gregorious had been strangely entirely supportive of it. Although, whether it was due to Serafall's support or the ease at which it'd allow him to steal prospective Sacred Gear users, she didn't know. "Perhaps she's simply busy?"
"Maybe, I'll check up on her soon."
Gabriel could perhaps be hoping exactly for that. "Women don't like to be kept waiting, they also appreciate it when someone they care for expresses interest or worry for them."
Tatsumi flinched ever so slightly. "Sorry."
It still bothered him, the fact that he'd left her with Gregorious Abaddon for over three years. It wasn't really fair to judge him on that, and she didn't really. He couldn't have known her situation and she hadn't even counted on his help until the fight with Esdeath. "Just so long as you understand and take responsibility for your mistake." Still, that didn't mean she couldn't hold it over him for a little while.
It was something her mother taught her. Whether it was a man you cared about, or a man you despised, if you had a little string to wind them around your finger, you'd best make good use of it. String doesn't last very long and you had best be in an advantageous position when it broke.
She didn't intend to exploit Tatsumi or anything, but there was lost time to make up and competition she needed to fight against.
If there was one thing Hikaru had kept from her time as a human, and if anything expanded upon during her years as a devil, it was her sense of competition. She refused to lose to anyone, for any reason. Whether that be to Tatsumi as a blade master, or as a woman to the girls Tatsumi had gathered around him, she would put her all into coming out on top.
Figuratively and literally.
That lost thought made her body heat up a little and she quickly focused her attention upon her sword, channelling all her thoughts and feelings into it and, with a quick cut, sliced them apart. She could worry about that competition later.
For now, she simply wanted to enjoy a good early morning practice that didn't come accompanied with any worries of expectations.
"I'll find some way of making it up to you," Tatsumi promised.
Hikaru smiled. It was a small one, out of sight from Tatsumi so he wouldn't notice. Had to use that thread before it snapped. "I have a suggestion, if you're open to them."
"Anything. It's for you after all, I'd much rather do something you wanted, than try and guess. I never seem very good at that." He paused, not just in his speech but also his swing. There was a cautious look in his eyes now. "Just nothing that hurts anyone that doesn't deserve it."
"You don't have to worry about that." Hikaru quickly assured him. Honestly, she didn't want to do anything that included the others. Not yet, at least. "It's been over three years since I was last here and I'm not familiar with Kuoh City," she gave him a little smile this time. "How about showing me the sights? I don't want to just read about what's changed, I want to see it as well."
"I think I can do that," Tatsumi said, letting out a light laugh. "It almost feels like a date."
It was a date. "Is that a problem?"
"Well, no, it's just the last time I went on a date with someone I got drunk and ended up in bed with them." He had a hesitant looking lopsided smile on his face. "I got lucky she didn't object to it in the morning."
"Ah, yes, that infamous first time with Sona Sitri," Hikaru said, nodding her head up and down. She remembered that. She also remembered the ruckus it caused in the underworld at the time. An heiress sleeping with a human? It was a huge scandal… right up until the moment Tatsumi fought toe-to-toe against Esdeath and the interest that both Serafall Leviathan and Gabriel Celeste had in Tatsumi came to light.
Then it started to become romanticized.
"Yes, that time, was it really a big thing in the Underworld? I sometimes worry I made things bad for Sona."
"No, it wasn't too bad," Hikaru lied. He didn't need to know the details, it was all a moot point now that devils realized how much they could profit from it. "Anyways, if you're worried about that, don't be. I'll let you know if you cross a line I don't want crossed."
"With your sword?"
She held back her amusement, keeping it to just a smile. "I am fairly proficient with it."
He rubbed his chest, in particular a scar over his heart where she'd jabbed her sword through him. "Yes, I know that first hand. Probably better than most." A tinge of concern wormed its way into her thoughts. Did that still hurt? Did it bother him?
"That's not really a good example," Hikaru said quietly, looking away. "I actually missed my target and hit your heart. You were too quick, too tough. I thought I had just killed you and my only chance of getting away."
"Eh, don't worry about it. Made it look more realistic," Tatsumi said, waving away her concern like it didn't matter.
Hikaru felt herself flush once more, only this time it wasn't with desire. Tatsumi truly was a kind person at heart. She could probably spend the rest of her life looking and never find someone as nice as him.
She definitely wasn't letting him get away.
"On a different note though…" He stopped and looked towards a row of hedges. Hikaru followed his gaze and found an odd flash of color hiding in the leaves. "You don't have to hide there Koneko."
Out from the bushes came what Hikaru could only view as the single most adorable little girl she had ever seen. That short white hair, the wide, luminous yellow eyes, the almost perfectly round face and huggable body. Hikaru knew who she was looking at. Even without the tail and the ears, it couldn't be anything but a Nekomata.
"…private conversation?" Koneko asked softly.
"If we wanted a private discussion, we'd have it inside," Tatsumi told her. "If we're out here training, just come join us."
She nodded her head and brought out something from behind her. Koneko held up a coerulis up for them to see. "Found this in the bushes. Smelt a few others about."
"They ah, followed us home," Tatsumi said lamely. "They avoid Ravel but… other than that they seem friendly enough. They'll probably prevent us from ever having any rodent—what are you doing Hikaru?"
What was she doing? It was obvious wasn't it? She hadn't even noticed that her feet had carried her over to Koneko's side but now that they had, she knew what she had to do. No matter the cost, it had to be done.
Without warning she threw herself at the both of them, wrapping both Koneko and the coerulis up in a huge embrace. "…so cute!" She couldn't help herself. It was just too much for her. She nuzzled her face against Koneko's cheek. The girl seemed startled at first before her eyes became lidded and a soft rumble began to reverberate through her chest. Ah, this feeling. It was so good. She needed more. The coerulis was next, and it happily obliged, rubbing its nose and butting its head against her cheeks as well. It took began to purr. "Cuteness overwhelming."
"Are all three of you purring?" Tatsumi asked, sounding utterly bewildered.
"You wouldn't understand," Hikaru returned evenly. Right now, Tatsumi didn't matter.
The little girl, Koneko, somehow managed to nod her head while nuzzling her and the coerulis at the same time. It was a three way nuzzle fest, it was almost more than Hikaru could take.
"…Tatsumi-senpai wouldn't understand."
"We're… supposed to be training." Now he sounded like a wounded puppy. Too bad Hikaru was a cat person.
"It's summer, we have all day," Hikaru returned evenly as she tried to drown out Tatsumi's voice and surround herself with just the purrs. "Now quiet, I don't want to hear your voice anymore. I just want this."
"Why do I feel like I just lost a competition I didn't even know I was in?"
"…quiet Tatsumi-senpai."
That's right, you tell him Koneko.
Tatsumi was silent for so long Hikaru actually thought he had left when he finally spoke up again. "Ah, if… anyone needs me… or even cares about me… I'll be training elsewhere…" He sounded like a man that had been completely defeated. His voice was barely more than a whisper as he quietly slunk away.
Hikaru barely noticed. Tatsumi would always be there, this much cuteness was something to cherish whenever it appeared.
~o~
Bennia let out a wide yawn as she slowly woke up. She was in her own bed in her own room for a change. She'd been so certain he'd drag Hikaru there and make up for lost time she had been disappointed to find out the two had simply fallen asleep holding each other on a couch.
It was positively innocent, aside from Hikaru's rather deliberate act of exposing her chest to Tatsumi.
Perhaps she should let her own grow out. Tatsumi had been rather drawn to it. His eyes never left it, at least not until he'd fallen asleep. She'd ask him about it. She didn't mind having a flat chest, breasts of any notable size only got in the way when moving at high speeds. They affected balance unless properly secured, which usually didn't last long as weapons, spells and abilities tended to target those support pieces first. And then she could tease Sona Sitri for having the smallest chest in Tatsumi's budding harem.
That almost made it worth it right there.
((I'll ask, if he doesn't have any complaints perhaps I will,)) Bennia murmured softly as she stretched her arms and legs out. The room was momentarily filled with the popping of her joints. A luxurious sigh escape her lips as she let her limbs drop limply upon the bed. ((I don't need to make them that big, just enough to make Sona jealous.))
((Petty as always.))
Bennia rolled her eyes beneath her eyelids and held back a sigh. What was he doing here? Bennia slowly, lazily, rolled her head to the left and opened her eyes. Right there, sitting at the side of her bed, was one of the last people she wanted to see at the edge of her bed.
((Gah! A monster!)) Bennia screamed theatrically. She bolted backward across the bed and let herself fall in a tangle of sheets and pillows over the side. Her head thumped solidly off the hardwood floor sending a small sliver of pain shooting through her skull. ((Ow.))
((To have one's own daughter call them a monster…))
Bennia pulled out a white flag from beneath the bed and waved it above her. ((Ow. I give up monster!))
Orcus, her father, let out a long sigh. ((Bennia… now's not really the time for your jokes.))
He sounded serious, but then, he was always serious. That was a strong bone of contention between the two of them. Orcus took life too seriously and, if Bennia was being objective, she didn't take life seriously enough.
She tried to sit up and found that she couldn't. In her haste to escape from her father she'd gotten herself completely tangled up in her bedsheets. ((Help! I'm stuck! The blankets are attacking me!))
((Can you at least be serious for five minutes?))
((I am serious, I'm seriously tangled up.)) Try as she might she couldn't actually get free. The blasted thing had a strangle hold on her cute, delicate little body. ((I'm totally stuck.))
((You can phase through them…))
So she could, but that would take away all the fun in laying here, upside down with her feet dangling in the air wrapped in several white sheets that were only slightly damp as a result of her wet dreams of Tatsumi.
((You see, this is why you're so old and grumpy. You refuse to enjoy the little things in life!))
Her father suddenly let out a hacking, ripping cough that did not sound healthy. In fact, it sounded like his lungs were tearing themselves apart. ((If you want to keep enjoying the little things in life, you need to know when you have to take it seriously.))
Bennia phased through her blankets and rose above the bed, suddenly concerned. She hadn't really given her father much more than a cursory look before she'd acted like a scared little girl coming face to face with the boogey monster, but now that she focused on her father she realized that something was wrong.
His face was paler than she could ever remember it being and he was hunched over, like a great weight lay upon him or he was in a lot of pain. Her eyes shifted to his lips where there was a smear of blood, one that matched the smear on the back of his right hand.
That was when Bennia realized his Reaper's cloak hung loosely against his left side.
((Where's your arm?)) The words tumbled rapidly from her mouth as she shot over to his side. He didn't protest when she pulled his cloak back. His arm really was missing and the left side of his chest was only kept together by tightly wound bandages. Bandages that were soaked through and in dire need of being changed. ((Which Goddess did you try to sneak a peak on this time?)) Bennia asked, trying to make light of the horrific injury.
Her father didn't seem particularly amused by her quip. ((Stay by Tatsumi's side, never leave it and no matter what you do, don't return to the Underworld.))
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. ((What's going on?))
Orcus held his side as he slowly eased himself to his feet, Bennia helped him as much as she could. As much as she hated her father for what he did to her, he was still her father. Her father gave her a long look before nodding. He stood straight with a loud groan.
((You do have the right to know, considering your epithet. You're not like most Grim Reapers.))
((Of course not, I'm much cuter.))
Her father just shook his head. ((Nemesis, I am here to give you your new orders.))
((Oi! Don't use that name, I'm Bennia!)) What if someone overheard? That name came with roles, responsibilities, and most of all an expectation that she was this looming, unknown threat hiding in the shadows ready to strike down those whose hubris had grown too large.
There was no way she was going to let 'Nemesis' bleed into Bennia. She was loving her life right now, it was far better than any previous life. She even had Tatsumi! Not even Themis could force her to go back to Nemesis.
Well, not very easily at least. But Themis was understanding and not all that active anymore.
((That's for you to decide from here on out,)) Her father said. Bennia frowned at those words. They held an ominous note to them. The playful mood drained from her as she realized that perhaps something very serious was going on. ((Your mission for Hades is hereby canceled. You're to stay true to whatever form you wish to take, Bennia or Nemesis. However, you are to stay at Tatsumi's side and protect him.))
((You don't need to state the obvious)) Bennia pointed out. ((I'd protect him no matter what you or that old man decided upon, and I didn't really have any intention of carrying out his mission anyways.))
((I thought so. You seemed to be enjoying this life a little too much. You should be thankful Hades never found out.))
((And he never will, right?)) Bennia asked, glaring up at her father.
Orcus sighed and nodded. ((I couldn't tell him even if I wanted to. Ophis turned him into little more than a pile of charred bones at the bottom of a smoking crater, him, Pluto, and many others.)) Bennia's blood suddenly went cold. Her father wasn't one to joke, in fact he had less sense of humor than a stone. If what he said was true then the ramifications… ((The realm of Hades is all but destroyed, the spirits of the dead that once lived there are running amok and the Grim Reapers are scattering to every corner of existence.))
That was about as bad as it got.
((Ophis? But why? She's never cared about anything anyone did! She shouldn't care about Hades at all!))
((I don't know either, the only ones who might are all dead.)) Her father pushed her away and started for the door. ((I will need to find those that are still alive after this so I can't tarry much longer. After Ophis' attack, I am now the highest ranking Grim Reaper still alive.))
((What about Apate? Oizys or Eris?))
((Oizys, Hypnos and Philotes are dead, Eris is on the run with the few children she still has left while Apate is helping me find those that are still alive. Charon is still surfing on the waves Ophis made upon the river Styx. No one is crossing those waters any time soon.)) Her father paused. ((Not that there is much to cross over to anymore.))
Bennia could only stare at her father in abject shock. This didn't make any sense. No matter how much she might have hated Hades and Pluto, she wasn't going to lose sleep over their deaths, the chaos that was happening in Hades was… it would disrupt everything! So many pantheons used Grim Reapers to ferry the souls of the dead. If they were too busy fleeing for their lives the souls would end up building up in the human world.
Her father needed to get things under control soon or the entire world was going to face a catastrophe like no other. The faithful that were spurned the right to enter the heavens after a life time of devotion were the most dangerous ghosts to leave on the mortal plane. They were the ones that ended up hurting the living. The Gods and Goddesses couldn't fetch their followers because their enemies would leap upon that chance to strike at them. Them and their worshippers.
It was the whole reason Grim Reapers were decided upon to be the neutral party to ferry all souls to their final destinations.
((Who knows of this?)) Bennia asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Her father stopped at the door and turned back to her. ((Every pantheon by now. Ophis wasn't particularly subtle with her actions. The Underworld shook to its core. Even the devils and the Fallen felt it. The Satans were probably the first to find out what happened. Once Grim Reapers started spilling out into the human world… it didn't take long for all the other pantheons to figure it out.))
((You need to bring everything back under control.))
Orcus shook his head. ((I plan to but I'm no Hades. Not everyone will follow. Things are going to be different for our kind from now on.))
Bennia made her way to her father's side. ((What about Nyx?)) The mother of their race certainly must know about this.
((Still asleep as far as I can tell. I doubt she'd much care if she was awake anyways. She never liked Hades, nor the fact that most of her children sided with Hades over her. If she ever woke up she'd just give Ophis a medal and roll back over.)) Orcus rested his remaining hand on her shoulder. ((You won't be able to reach me for awhile.))
((That's a problem?))
((Nemesis…))
(It's Bennia, father.))
((You'll always be Nemesis to me.))
Bennia just grumbled beneath her breath. Her father could be such a stickler sometimes. He had no problem changing his name from Orcus to Dis Pater, but was she allowed to change from Nemesis to Bennia? Nooo! Just because Bennia wasn't a particularly imposing name. He'd have no issue if she'd chosen something intimidating like Bane or Devastia.
((Fine, go and save what you can but…)) perhaps now she could get the truth from him, ((before you go and get yourself offed by Ophis, can you at least tell me why you decided to sleep with a human instead of Amaterasu? I had to promise a lot of favors to get her agree to be the mother for this incarnation.))
Favors Bennia didn't have to uphold now, true, but just remembering that she had to grovel before Amaterasu still irritated her.
Her father coughed guilty and looked away, ((I was set to meet her but while I was waiting…)) he cleared his throat and immediately winced in pain. ((The Japanese have strong spirits and that waitress did have unusually large breasts for a woman of Japanese descent…))
Bennia boggled at her father. That was the reason? She had to of heard wrong. ((Are saying that me being half-human instead of a full-blown Goddess was a drunken mistake!?))
She had no idea how she looked right then but her father took one look at her face and disappeared. It was all the answer she needed.
((Are you kidding me?! You stupid shitty father! I hate you! DIE! GO LET OPHIS KILL YOU!)) Bennia screamed at the now empty space her father had once occupied, using all the force of her Will to telepathically send her hatred at her father.
She couldn't believe it. She was half-human because her father had gotten drunk and then promptly slept with the first busty human woman he laid eyes upon! This was outrageous! No wonder Amaterasu hadn't followed up with her! That damn Goddess was probably still laughing at her!
((It feels like I'm the butt of some huge joke)) Bennia grumbled irritably. She let out a sigh and floated through the door into the hall. ((Well, I suppose it's not all bad.)) She had to remember the main reason she'd found Tatsumi is because she'd been half-human. If she had been born a full-fledge Goddess she doubted she'd be allowed to just loiter around what at the time had been little more than a simple human with an odd smell.
The thought of Tatsumi brought back her father's earlier warning. Bennia bit her lip softly rushed to the window. Tatsumi wasn't outside training like usual, but Koneko and Hikaru were, both of them were heading on inside and neither looked particularly worried if anything they seemed overly content… and was that three coerulis following them?
Bennia shook her head. She didn't care about that. If Tatsumi wasn't outside, and those two didn't seem worried, that would put him in his usual after workout spot, the hot spring. She headed there. Tatsumi should be safe, nothing untoward appears to have happened while she was asleep, but she had to be certain.
That little niggling worry inside her wouldn't be satisfied unless she was sure.
~o~
Tatsumi had never really found much reason to come to the training room. It was located in the deepest part of the estate and a pain to get to for one. Another reason was that he much preferred to be outside as close to nature as he could. Whether that was because of the Tyrant's affinity to nature or Tatsumi's old training habits, he couldn't be sure, but one thing he was sure of was that the training room was much larger than he thought possible.
It was vast a room, square in shape and almost two acres across. A single, spiral staircase, located in the very center of the room, wound its way down from an opening in the ceiling to a floor of alternating black and white tiles. The ceiling towered high above, easily a good thirty or forty feet up, supported by rows of thick stone columns. There was plenty of room to fly about in here, which was probably the intent.
"It's way too empty." His voice carried far, bouncing off the far walls and echoing back. That was the single greatest thing he disliked about this place. Even with everyone in here, the place just felt so empty.
He eased himself down from his one-handed vertical pushups and transitioned in his next exercise.
"Then do you mind some company?" Gabriel's voice echoed about the chamber.
No, he wouldn't. Anything was better than being in this huge empty place alone. He hadn't seen Gabriel since the Peace Conference and he didn't realize just how much he actually missed having that constant in his life, even if it was often accompanied by a great deal of pain as she kicked his ass up and down her sanctuary.
"I couldn't stop you even if I wanted to," he said, trying to be glib.
"Do not think that way, Tatsumi," Gabriel said as she stepped off her staircase to heaven and became visible. She was wearing her beautiful white dress that looked as if it had been spun from light itself. There was a soft, easy smile on her lips, but for some reason her eyes looked troubled. "If you truly don't want me here, I can leave you to your exercises. This is your home now and I won't impose myself if I am not desired."
Tatsumi felt like a heel. "That's not how I meant it," he assured her quickly. "I was just trying to be funny, sorry."
"It's fine, Tatsumi, I know you mean well," she said, her warm voice soothing to his ears. His eyes couldn't help but drop to her chest as she made her way across the tile floor to his side. The way her breasts sway with each step she took it seemed as if they were about to fall out of her dress, yet some divine miracle kept that fabric firmly in place. "Most of the time, at least. It seems you and Issei have some things in common."
He quickly snapped his eyes up to hers. He could feel the heat rising in his cheeks. "Ah, sorry." He didn't like being compared to Issei, but he had been staring… wait a minute. Her eyes weren't on his either. In fact, they were fixated on his chest. "I could say the same for you."
"I have no idea what you're talking about Tatsumi," Gabriel said as she knelt down next to him. He paused in mid exercise as she reached out and touched his chest. "I was simply admiring how much work you've put into your body."
For some reason that made him feel very self-conscious and for the first time made him wished he'd thrown on a shirt before he started his morning exercise.
Tatsumi cleared his throat and looked away uncomfortably. "Ah… and that's not perverted?"
"No, because instead of wishing my breasts would fall out of my dress, I was thinking that perhaps you might be able to utilize touki." Tatsumi flushed heavily. She had totally seen through him. She tapped his chest a couple times before she sat up straight again. "Having muscle is something anyone can do, but to refine that muscle to this degree? That takes dedication few are willing to see through."
"What's touki?"
A jolt of warmth raced through him as a genuine smile came to her lips. "It's a means of utilizing one's life force to further enhance and push their power, durability and agility to newfound heights. It's normally something only those capable of Senjutsu can utilize, but those that push their bodies to the utmost limit are able to as well." She trailed a finger over his bicep, across his forearm and into the palm of his hand where they did a few circles before they left. Her touch left behind a trail of goosebumps and a raging, unfulfilled desire. "I think you're at that level now."
"Are you sure this is just about touki?" Tatsumi asked as he lightly brushed his arm where she'd ran her finger. He had to get rid of that feeling before he embarrassed himself in front of her. Again.
"Of course, Tatsumi, whatever else could this be?" She asked, looking so innocent and naïve that Tatsumi instantly knew she was hiding the truth behind a question.
He wasn't going to get any more from her. That was fine, he was actually more interested in this touki thing she was talking about. "So, how do I go about learning tou—"
((Tatsumi!))
He had just enough time to look up before Bennia barreled into him from above. The two of them tumbled away from Gabriel in a tangle of flailing limbs until the two of them finally came to a rest a dozen feet away.
"Ah, good morning?" Tatsumi asked up at his lover. He couldn't see much as she was sitting on his face. He could tell she'd forgone panties, again.
((Do I get a morning kiss?))
Tatsumi didn't know why he did what he did next. Maybe being ignored by Hikaru and Koneko for a snuggle fest with a coerulis left him feeling unwanted. Or perhaps it was the teasing Gabriel had just put him through. Whatever it was it made him give Bennia a long, deep, passionate kiss, digging his tongue as deep inside those soft pink lips as he could. Her sharp gasp and pleasant moan was all the urging he needed to go on and he didn't stop until he had reduced Bennia to a quivering mass of spasming flesh.
A dreamy sigh rose up from the floor where Bennia lay sprawled out with her rear in the air. ((That was so good. I should ask for a morning kiss more often!))
"You can thank Gabriel," Tatsumi said, throwing a glance at the Seraph. She actually seemed rather startled by that comment. "She teased me and I know she won't satisfy me so, I sort of used you." That actually sounded really bad now that he said it aloud.
And Bennia didn't care one bit. A soft smile simply spread across her lips as she lazily lifted one fist into the air. ((You have my permission to tease Tatsumi more often! Every morning in fact! You can even do it again right now! I wouldn't mind a round two, or three, or even ten!))
"Oh my, has Bennia become a full fledge nymphomaniac?"
((If it involves Tatsumi, yes!)) Bennia pulled her knees forward and pushed herself up into a sitting position before turning around and giving him a speculative look. ((Do you think can get Murasame back? It was much easier to find you before when you smelled like death.))
"Much easier for everyone else to find me too," Tatsumi reminded him. it was because of that curse that Kokabiel had found him in the first place.
((That's true…)) She nodded her head twice and smiled happily. ((I guess I'll just have to never leave your side!))
"You'd have to come to school."
The smile slid right off her face. ((I'll just hang around the area then…))
Gabriel let out a rather insistent cough, drawing their attention. "If you're quite done playing around, Bennia, the adults here have something we need to discuss."
Bennia wasn't one to let something like that go, and true to her self, she erupted. ((Adults! I am an adult! I'm just as old as Tatsumi, older even!)) Her eyes narrowed to tiny little slits. ((Or are you making a reference to my chest?))
It was so quick you wouldn't have noticed unless you were looking for it, but for the briefest of instants, Gabriel's eyes dipped to Bennia's chest. A smile so false you'd have to be blind to accept it as genuine, came to her lips. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. I would never think to assume chest size has anything to do with maturity. With you, I don't have to."
Tatsumi just gaped at Gabriel in surprise. Did she really just say that? That was the single most pointed jab he'd ever heard. Judging from the look on Bennia's face and the crater her jaw made in the floor, she was equally surprised.
Then she whipped and was in his face, close enough for their nose to touch. A grip like iron came down upon his shoulders. ((Large, medium or small? Which do you prefer?))
"Uhh… in regards to what?"
((Large, medium or small!?))
He had never seen Bennia look so wild before, or so insistent. She wasn't going to explain herself, nor was she going to let him go until he answered. He decided to play it safe. "Small?"
Bennia continued to stare into his eyes for several long moments, making him rather nervous in the process, before she finally nodded and let him go. ((I see.)) She scooted back a few steps on her knees and whirled around to throw a smug smirk at Gabriel. ((It's not about size! It's all about preference!))
"I personally believe it's all about how it feels, but to each their own I suppose," Gabriel said lightly. Her fake smile had a slight, downward tilt to it and for some reason Tatsumi couldn't help but feel a slight sense of disappointment coming from her. "Large, medium or small. If it feels like lumpy stones it's not going to matter."
"I feel like I'm missing half of this conversation," Tatsumi said as he glanced back and forth between the two.
((You don't have to worry about Tatsumi)) Bennia assured him with a wide smile. ((They won't feel like lumpy stones!))
"I still have no idea what you're talking about."
"That's quite alright, Tatsumi, you don't need to," Gabriel said smoothly. "It's just a minor disagreement between Bennia and I. Now, let's get to the important thing, touki."
"Oh, right, we were talking about that weren't we?"
"Yes, before this one interrupted us."
((Touki?)) Bennia asked, her head tilting slightly to the side as she peered at him. ((I've heard of that… I suppose Tatsumi might be able to do it now.))
"There's no might about it, I'm certain he can," Gabriel said smoothly. "I have faith in him."
Instead of getting upset, Bennia just ignored Gabriel and laid a single finger on the very center of his chest. ((Touki is the essentially the basis of all life. Your life in this instance. With your fine control over your body you should be able to feel your own life force, and if you can, you can take control of—))
Whatever it was Bennia was trying to explain to him was cut off as Gabriel tripped and fell into his lap. Her hand, which was for some reason clad in a golden gauntlet and clenched into a fist, accidentally slammed into Bennia's stomach, knocking the little grim reaper clear across training room.
Tatsumi could only blink and stare as he got an eyeful of Gabriel's enormous chest.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry. I tripped and fell," Gabriel quickly apologized to him.
((Liar!)) Bennia's voice floated in from afar. ((I saw that gauntlet!))
"I don't know what she's talking about," Gabriel said as she gathered her feet under herself, momentarily smothering his face between her large breasts in the process. When he could both see, and breathe, again, the gauntlet he thought he saw on her hand was no where to be seen. "Now, about touki." She placed a finger against his chest in the same place Bennia had. "It should be right about here, although since you aren't fully human it may be off slightly. This here is the very center of your being, where the flame of your life force should burn. Close your eyes and reach for it, I will send a tendril of my energy to guide your thoughts, your concentration. You'll know when you find it."
Tatsumi closed his eyes as instructed and concentrated on his chest. He had no idea what he was looking for but he trusted Gabriel was telling the truth. The tip of her finger warmed on his chest. That warmth grew in intensity before it slid inside. His body reacted and pushed back against the foreign energy as it analyzed it, trying to determine if it was a threat or not. Finding no ill-intent, the resistance ended and the warmth moved on.
He followed it, taking a winding path through empty vessels he never knew existed. That neither the Tyrant nor Tatsumi knew existed. It wound through him, diving ever deeper inside, pushing past the flesh to what lay beneath the surface.
That was when he felt it. Another source of warmth, different from Gabriel's. It pulsed, shaken awake by Gabriel's energy. It didn't feel draconic, but neither did it feel human. It felt like something else, something different, unique almost. It was him though. It was all that he was, Tyrant and Tatsumi.
"That's it, that's what you're looking for," Gabriel's soothing voice reached the depths of his consciousness. It felt like a shining star, watching over him from above. "Flare it and bring it out. Your body is ready for it. Perhaps it always was, like it was designed for this."
Flare it? He wasn't quite sure what she meant by that. His memories weren't of any use, none of them new or ancient. This was new to both the Tyrant and Tatsumi, but he tried anyways. He focused on that warmth, trying to grab at it, pull it, hold it in his mind.
"Think of it like a candle that's about to go out." Her words came again, gentle, soothing. "Blow on it gently, coax the flame higher."
Like fueling a fire? He knew how to do that. It was like building the flame in chest. Maybe. He tried it, feeding it like he did the flames he fired from his mouth. It worked, too well. The warmth erupted into an enormous inferno that scorched away Gabriel's warmth. It smashed through the barrier between the seen and the unseen, surging through his body along the once empty vessels.
It was so hot. Tatsumi felt like he was burning up from the inside… and it felt so good. Strength akin to transforming into Incursio surged through his muscles and fatigue he didn't know he had just melted away. With a roar the warmth that had transformed into a raging inferno erupted from within, engulfing him and everything around him.
"My, that was a bit more explosive than I thought it would be," Gabriel said lightly. Tatsumi opened his eyes to see the Seraph fixing her dress, repairing it actually. She held the snapped broken straps up as her magic repaired the fabric. She didn't seem to mind though, in fact she had a wide smile on her face as she stared at him. "But it seems to have worked."
((My Tatsumi really is talented!)) Bennia said happily. At some point during the training she'd returned to his side. She floated a few feet away, smiling happily down on him.
"True, but that's not to say it's of any use in battle," Gabriel gave the two of them a smile that didn't seem nearly as warm as the one she just had for him. There was a brilliant flash of light and the flowing dress was replaced with her white shinobi outfit. "How about we put your new ability to the test?"
Tatsumi swallowed hard. "This is going to hurt, isn't it?" Even with this newfound strength Gabriel still felt like she was as far away as the moon.
((Probably, but don't worry Tatsumi, it won't be that bad for you.)) Bennia said, trying to comfort him.
"Why do you say that?"
((Because I think I'm going to get the worst of it?)) She offered lightly.
One look at Gabriel was all it took to realize that she was probably right. "Still doesn't mean she's not going to beat me to within an inch of my life."
"I wouldn't do that Tatsumi, I'd give you five inches at least," Gabriel said, smiling happily.
For some reason that didn't really make him feel any better.
~o~
"That looked painful," Najenda said as she helped him sit up, resting his back against one of the large columns in the training room.
Tatsumi hissed in pain as the jagged end of a broken piece of tile dug into a very sore rear end. He swept it out from under him and let out a shuddering breath before responding. "I thought maybe I'd closed the gap a little." He winced as Najenda eased him against the pillar. "With my new strength, Incursio, touki I thought—" he let out a hacking cough, sending a lance of pain shooting up his chest. He was certain there was something broken in there. Several somethings, even. "All I really learned was just how much she'd been holding back in the earlier training sessions."
And the gap still felt as large as ever. He and Bennia had given it all they had and it hadn't been enough, not even close. The training room that had once felt so large ended up feeling rather small after getting tossed across it for the twelfth time. Broken tiles and small craters dotted the floor and many pillars were cracked, chipped, or had a Bennia sized hole torn through them. A testament to just how many times Gabriel had bounced them off the floors, ceilings, and pillars in ever increasingly painful and embarrassing ways.
"She is quite powerful," Akame said. Both his old friends were here with him, drawn by the rumbling their being body slammed into the tile floor sent reverberating up through the estate. "More powerful than our Esdeath by far. You'll need to become stronger." Akame shifted her gaze to the Seraph. The powerful woman stood by the spiral staircase looking all calm and serene, completely unscathed by the training session. She barely looked winded for that matter! Xenovia was there at her side, staring up at the beautiful Seraph with pure adoration in her eyes. The training had brought her down here as well, but unlike Akame and Najenda, she had cheered on Gabriel.
Gabriel probably felt the need to look good in front of her devoted follower. Her arrival had coincided with Gabriel suddenly ramping up the training session.
"Are you ok, Tatsumi-san?" Ravel's voice drew his attention. The girl had a glass of water in one hand a first aid kit in the other. Like Xenovia and his old companies she'd been drawn by the commotion as well. Everyone had in fact.
Not too far off to the side where Bennia lay staring up at the ceiling counting stars was Mine, nudging the little Grim Reaper in what Tatsumi could only assume was an attempt to see if she was alright. Tatsumi had recalled seeing a smidgen of pity in her eyes right after Gabriel had suplexed Bennia into the carter she was now currently occupying.
"I feel like I was just hit by a train," Tatsumi complained as he accepted the glass of water. He quickly finished it and set it aside. "A train with a mean right hook."
"It is a great honor to be trained by a Seraph."
"Want to take my place?"
Ravel coughed delicately as she knelt beside him. She refused to meet his eyes and focused on pulling bandages out of the first aid kit. "I would never think of taking this honor from you, Tatsumi-san. Regardless there are political factors I must observe. I am the sole daughter of the great Phenex family. It could cause friction between the Devils and the Angels if a Seraph were to beat—I mean train me as such. We can't have that so soon after the Peace Accord was signed."
He had so caught that. She had about to say get beaten by Gabriel. Well, she wasn't that far off and it would probably look bad if Tatsumi had to apologize to Lord Phenex because Gabriel had beaten his daughter black and blue.
"Sit up Tatsumi," Najenda instructed.
He groaned and did as he was told, allowing Ravel to wrap some bandages around his chest.
"You don't need to do this, I'll heal quickly," Tatsumi grumbled in protest.
"But you're not healed now," Najenda pointed out. "And if Ravel is going to take care of you now and in the future, it's good that she knows how to properly dress an injury."
"Just magic it away." He knew devils had healing magic. They used it rather liberally after Rating Games.
"I never took you to be a complainer," Akame said softly. "Has this world pampered you too much?"
Pampered him? If anything it was the reverse! And why were both of them so insistent about this? Ravel could heal using magic and his own natural healing factor would ensure he was perfectly fine by tomorrow. There wasn't any reason to bandage him.
He was about to utilize his authority to tell Ravel to stop when he saw her face. It was covered in a mask of concentration as she followed each of Najenda's instructions, tugging the bandages tight here, wrapping it just right there. When to tuck it in and when it was enough. More than that though, was what Tatsumi saw just beyond that mask of concentration. That little spark of joy and happiness.
"I guess this isn't so bad," Tatsumi said, looking away. "At least I won't bleed all over everything and magic should be preserved for emergencies."
It sounded rather lame to his ears but just seeing Ravel's face light up with happiness out of the corner of his eyes made it worth enduring.
"How's Bennia doing?" Tatsumi called over to Mine.
"I don't think she knows where she is," Mine returned easily as she nudged the little grim reaper again.
((So many birdies and stars! Pretty!)) Bennia's hand shook violently as it rose into the air, grasping at something only she could see. ((Stars will make me invincible if I catch one!))
"She'll survive," Gabriel said as she sashayed her way over with Xenovia following obediently in toe. At some point in time she'd ditched her shinobi attire for the flowing dress of light again. "Would you be a dear and take her to her room? It looks like she needs some time to recover."
Bennia instantly shot up. ((No need! I'm good now!)) She zipped over to his side and settled on his other side. For some reason she didn't look nearly as beat up as he thought she would. She'd definitely taken the brunt of Gabriel's training this time. ((I'm not leaving Tatsumi's side!))
"So you do know…" Know what? Gabriel shook her head and didn't elaborate any further as she gave him a smile. "I did not come down simply to train you, Tatsumi, although I suppose now is as good a time as any to insist that our training schedule be started once more. I'll expect you in my sanctuary every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evening, provided you're not busy with your work. I came to let you know that I will be taking dear little Xenovia with me for the day."
"Why?"
"It's done!" Xenovia said happily. "Irina and I, and some others, we're all going to be serving Heaven more closely now!"
Oh! Today was the day Xenovia would be raised as an Angel. Perhaps she'll finally stop asking for babies now that it'd make her fall. Tatsumi had to admit he was actually looking forward to it.
"Yes, it is time to raise them," Gabriel agreed. She gave him a knowing look, like she knew what he was thinking. "After that work will begin on the creation of a zone that doesn't cause Angels to fall simply for loving. There is quite a lot of support for that initiative. Michael and I, at some point in the future, may need to take a trip to your world to get some ideas on how to implement it."
"Just don't start another war," Najenda warned her.
"You do not have to worry, Najenda," Gabriel assured her. "That simply arose because of a little disagreement between Serafall and I. She won't be joining us." The Seraph tapped Xenovia's shoulder and gestured her to follow. Xenovia eagerly followed Gabriel to the staircase to heaven and the two disappeared as they followed its steps upwards.
"Is this how you two used to train with Gabriel in the past?" Mine asked once the Seraph was gone. She gave the two a once over and wrinkled her nose slightly. "You could both use a bath."
((A bath with Tatsumi, I like the sound of that!))
"Not this morning, you won't," Ravel said imperiously. "Tatsumi is too injured for any sort of rough-housing."
((You can join us.)) Ravel twitched in surprise, jerking on the bandage she was tying around his arm. A He gasped sharply as a pain shot up his arm.
"Ah!" Ravel quickly dropped the ends of the bandage and gently rubbed his arm. "I'm s-sorry, Tatsumi-san."
"It's fine," Tatsumi reassured her, "I'm blaming Bennia for that one."
((He's not saying no!))
Tatsumi promptly ignored her and turned to address Mine and her earlier question. "It was a little rougher than usual, and Gabriel usually heals us afterwards, but we usually train at least this hard." That she didn't heal them this time had to be intentional. Gabriel wasn't one to forget something like that.
Mine glanced about the room, stopping every so often on a rather particularly devastated part of the place. "An alternate world, this Tyrant thing, and training from a Seraph. It's no wonder you're so much better than regular humans."
"I too was just a regular human," Hikaru said as she suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs with Koneko and the three coerulis. She jumped off, flaring her black devil wings behind her and glided down to the floor. "I was the only one in the Ruval-Gregorious Rating Game not to get temporarily eliminated from the game. Do you believe that was merely luck?"
King's aside, of course, since the moment one was eliminated the game was over. Even Lilian had been taken out once when she came under a concerted bombardment from both of Ruval's Bishops.
"There are always exceptions," Mine said loftily. "And you have a Sacred Gear."
"No need to argue," Tatsumi said quickly. He paused as one of the three coerulis raced up his leg and curled itself into a ball on his lap. Out of the corner of his eye he saw another climb up Akame's form and claim her shoulder. He just stared at the cat-like creature and realized he didn't actually had a name for it. "Bolt." He picked the coerulis up and held it in front of his face. "That's what I'll name you, Bolt." It proceeded to shock him. Tatsumi gave Hikaru a grin. "I think he likes it."
"Midnight," Akame said as she gently patted the coerulis on her shoulder. "She likes hiding in shadows with me."
"What about you, Hikaru?" Tatsumi asked her. The third coerulis was sitting on her head, it's two long tentacle-like whiskers wrapped around her shoulders. "Going to name yours?"
"I already have."
"Which is?"
Hikaru blushed and refused to answer. "A-Anyways, enough about the coerulis." Was there something strange about what she named it? Considering her reaction to Koneko this morning it made Tatsumi's imagination run wild. "How do I get in contact with Sona Sitri?"
"That's our queue!" A cheerful voice echoed about the enormous training room.
The air was filled with a magical theme song as brilliant blue and pink beams of light erupted from a large runic grid of devilish magic, creating intricate and delicate patterns across the ceiling. A large cloud of smoke erupted from the blue magical circle and to the thumping base of a Japanese Pop song three shadowy silhouettes appeared.
The shadowy silhouette on the right shifted posture, leaning heavily to the right as it held a star topped rod into the air. "In the name of the Milky Spiral Galaxy, Levia-tan will use her magical power to blast away all the evil dragons!" The shadowy silhouette spun like a top, blasting away the right side of the smoke to reveal Serafall Leviathan in all her pink magical girl glory, posing for all to see.
The figure on the left, smaller than the other two, shifted its weight to the left and like the first lifted a star topped rod into the air. "I-In the name of t-the Milky Spiral Galaxy, Lily-tan will… will…" the soft-spoken girl trailed off as she forgot her lines.
"…smite all evil doers…" Serafall somehow managed to throw over towards the little girl without moving her lips.
"A-Ah, right! I will smite all evil doers and as Levia-tan's magical girl assistant, Lily-tan!" The shadowy silhouette spun in place and the left side of the smoke was blown away to reveal none other than Lilian, Gregorious' old Rook, dressed up in a yellow magical girl outfit that was an identical match to Serafall's posing with her own magical rod held high into the air.
Serafall quickly teleported over to Lilian's side, adjusted her posture, shifting her foot this way, her arm that way, thrusting her hip further out to the side, before teleporting back to where she was.
Serafall leaned ever so slightly to the left towards the figure in the center of the cloud of smoke that was somehow still there. "Sona-chan! It's your turn!"
Tatsumi could have sworn he heard teeth grinding. A third star topped wand rose into the air and a voice too cute and doll-like to be Sona erupted from the central silhouette. "Magical Girl Sona here! I'm going to eliminate many brutal villains with my dazzling magic!" The figure spun in place and blowing away the last of the smoke revealing a red-faced Sona Sitri, dressed head-to-toe in the blue magical girl outfit Tatsumi had so often seen Serafall dress Sona up in.
Hikaru's jaw dropped.
Serafall Leviathan had gotten to her sister, again. Tatsumi could see the mortification on her face. This was probably not how Sona wanted her first meeting with Hikaru to go down. Najenda had no such reservations as she roared with laughter. Bennia, never one not to laugh at another's expense, was rolling around on the floor laughing right alongside her. Even Akame cracked a smile.
Ravel was hiding her face in her hands. Poor girl was probably embarrassed by Serafall's display.
"Hikaru… you had better get used to this if you want to be part of Sona's peerage," Tatsumi said, trying his utmost to hold back his own laughter. Sona would make him pay if he so much as cracked a smile. "This is a common occurrence. Serafall Leviathan is… an interesting individual."
"Trust me, Hikaru-san, it wasn't my idea," Sona bit out through gritted teeth. "But when my onee-sama says you're going to do something…"
"I, ah… see…" Hikaru said glancing between the three of them. Her eyes landed on Lilian and she blinked twice before recognition finally kicked in. "Lilian!?"
The yellow magical girl jumped in surprise and "H-Hikaru? You're here?" She took a couple steps forward, breaking the formation. She gasped when she realized she'd broken formation and whirled around to Serafall, her eyes fearful.
"We'll work on it more later," Serafall said, beaming happily at Lilian. She shooed her towards Hikaru. "That was really good for a first try! We only had an hour to practice before we came here!"
"You'll do it without me," Sona said as she threw her staff against the floor. She probably would have ripped the cosplay outfit off as well if she had a change of clothes with her. "There was no reason to include me in this!"
"But the more magical girls the better!" Serafall protested as she quickly picked up the blue wand and cradled it to her chest like a newborn child.
"What is this?" Hikaru asked as she picked at the yellow magical girl outfit Lilian was wearing.
Lilian tilted her head to the side and blinked up at Hikaru. "M-Magical Girl Assistant Lily-tan?"
Hikaru shook her head. "Never mind that, are you alright? How is Serafall treating you?"
"I… woke up alone," Lilian said in wonderment. Her voice was filled with such awe and disbelief it actually hurt. Just how much had that little girl suffered that simply waking up alone would be considered a miracle?
Serafall appeared behind Lilian and wrapped her arms around the girl, causing her to let out a short, terrified squeak before she realized who it was that had grabbed her. "Lily-tan is just so cute! She makes the perfect magical girl! I couldn't let anyone else take her when I realized she'd be up for grabs! That I needed a good Rook was really just secondary. Maybe even tertiary! I'm going to adopt her!"
"WHAT?!" Ravel, Sona, and Mine all shouted at the same time.
"Uh, is that strange or something?" Tatsumi asked.
"I believe it's unheard of?" Hikaru said cautiously, "but I'm not quite sure why it's so surprising."
"Having a child is one thing, but adopting a child is like stating you approve of this individual. Some may even construe it as Serafall approving Lilian as a potential successor to the Leviathan title and there's so much more that goes into that!" That probably wasn't what Serafall probably had in mind considering that entrance, but she wasn't really one to care about what other people thought of her. Sona shook her head and rounded on her sister. "But you can't just adopt her! That's not for you to decide onee-sama!"
"Sure I can! Sirzy-tan has a son! I can have a daughter! Lily-tan Sitri! I think it sounds good!"
"You're not part of the Sitri family anymore, onee-sama. This isn't like Sirzechs-sama who had a child with Grayfia-san, adoption requires paperwork and—"
"I-I'm not wanted?" Lilian asked, her quiet voice cutting across the room. Her soft, luminous eyes were wide and vulnerable, like a delicate glass statuette a single hair's breadth away from shattering.
Sona was defeated in an instant, forced to look away from that heart-breaking sight. "I-It's not that. I'm just saying there's proper procedures that need to be adhered to, rituals observed, and permission to be granted. You need a blood transfusion from onee-sama as well to turn you into part Sitri. Mother still runs the household and we… sort of need her permission first."
"Don't worry! I already got kaa-san's permission!" Serafall said as she whipped out a document from seemingly nowhere. "Just requires your signature and we can get started!"
"B-But what about what she wants?" Sona protested.
"I… I slept alone…" Lilian said, her voice filled with the same wonderment as before. Lilian didn't need any other reason than that. Serafall gave her the chance to sleep in peace and to Lilian, that was worth more than all the gold, fame, and power in the world.
"I think you're completely defeated, Sona, might as well just sign it. It'll be less painful than resisting," Tatsumi said to her. He really didn't know what was going on but one thing he did know was that Sona was fighting a losing battle.
It was better to just give up and spare herself the effort.
"I know, the problem isn't Lilian, it's my onee-sama," Sona muttered under her breath. "You can't believe how excited she was this morning about having Lilian around. I just know I'm going to get dragged into more of her silly magical-girl stuff because of this."
((Too late! You already are!))
Sona threw an angry look at Bennia who simply keeled over and started laughing some more. She muttered under her breath a few more times before straightening with her hands on her hips. "Fine, but we'll take care of the later when it's just the three of us, this isn't what we came here for. Sometimes you forget things onee-sama and Lilian needs to know everything she's getting herself into first." Sona let out a long sigh before finally turning to face Hikaru. "I'm sorry about this. I had hoped our meeting would have been a bit more formal."
"I had heard your sister was eccentric, seen signs of it myself when she visited Gregorious Abaddon but this..." Hikaru gestured towards Serafall and Lilian. The two of them simply blinked at her like she was the crazy one. "You're not going to turn out to be some strange hikikomori gamer girl are you?"
"She likes to play chess, does that count?" Tatsumi asked. He could feel Sona's glare burning into the side of his head. "Ah hah… umm, well she's as advertised, Hikaru. She suffers because she is normal like us. She's probably one of the few normal people you'll ever meet, especially if you wish to be part of Night Raid."
"What's this?" Sona asked, suddenly more curious than upset.
Hikaru took that as her queue. "I don't want anyone else to suffer as I did. I want to be part of Tatsumi-san's Night Raid and live here in the human world," she said, taking a few steps away from Lilian and Serafall towards Sona. "That's why I expressed interest in your peerage over any other."
"Because of how close I am to Tatsumi," Sona said.
"Yes."
Sona adjusted her glasses and nodded. "I have no issues with that. The members of my peerage are essentially free to live their lives as they wish whenever they're not participating in Student Council duties." She gave Hikaru a piercing look. "Do you have any issues with being a part of the Student Council?"
"I'd rather be part of the Kendo Club."
Sona paused, her mouth half open to protest when her words fully sunk in. Her mouth slowly closed as a pensive look crossed her face. "You were quite skilled, weren't you? And we don't have a very strong female kendo practitioner like we do with Tatsumi and Ieyasu… then there is the fact that once I graduate…" she nodded her head twice. "Yes, perhaps that might be the best for the long-term interests of Kuoh Academy." A smile came to her lips. "We may even be able to take both the male and female singles next year. Fine, that makes more sense. It's a slight inconvenience for me but..." she gave him an accusatory look, "that's nothing new for me."
"Thank you."
"One final question, if there was a conflict of duty between Night Raid and duties as part of my—"
"Night Raid," Hikaru said without missing a beat. "I wouldn't be of much use anyways. I'd be worrying too much over the people I should be saving."
Sona actually smiled at those words. "I was hoping you would say that. I have no desire to bring someone onto my peerage that puts glory and fame above the lives of others. I didn't think you were someone like that, but it's nice to have confirmation." She held her hand out towards Hikaru. "I'd be honored to have you as my Knight."
Hikaru accepted her hand. "I would be honored to be your Knight."
"Out of curiosity, if you had to choose between protecting me and protecting Tatsumi, which would it be?" Sona asked his friend.
"Tatsumi-san of course," Hikaru said without hesitation. "I know you're capable of taking care of yourself. Tatsumi-san needs all the help he can get."
Tatsumi felt more than a little offended by that remark.
Sona simply smiled. "I think we're going to get along just fine, Hikaru-san."
Author's Note: It doesn't seem like very much happened, but most of it was necessary to tie up lose ends, build character, and set in motion some events.
Leave a review and let me know what you think!